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☆ Russia Will Be Asked for Ceasefire During Olympics, Macron Tells Ukraine Interviewer
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-16 | by ( March | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

KYIV (Reuters) - Russia will be asked to observe a ceasefire in Ukraine during the Paris Olympics, French President Emmanuel Macron said in an interview from Paris shown on Ukrainian television and posted by a Ukrainian journalist on her YouTube channel on Saturday. "The demand for a ceasefire during the Olympics. "It will be requested," Macron says in French before a voiceover interpretation gives his response in Ukrainian as "Yes, we will ask for it." "The rule of the host country is to move in step with the Olympic movement," the interpreter quoted Macron as saying. (Reporting by Oleksandr Kozhukhar in Kyiv and Elaine Monaghan in Washington; Writing by Elaine Monaghan; Editing by David Gregorio)

Persons: Emmanuel Macron, Macron, Russia's, Anne Hidalgo, Oleksandr Kozhukhar, Elaine Monaghan, David Gregorio Organizations: Paris Olympics, YouTube, Olympic, Russian Olympic Committee, Olympics, IOC, Paris, Reuters Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Paris, Ukrainian, Belarus, Kyiv, Washington

☆ Russia’s war machine is trying to turn Ukrainian teenagers into soldiers
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Ivana Kottasová | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

The Ukrainian teenager was given a Russian passport and sent to a Russian school. And then, in the fall of 2023, not long before his 18th birthday, he received a summons from a Russian military recruitment office. Russia has publicly acknowledged the transfer of Ukrainian children without guardians, despite some having guardians or parents. All Ukrainian teenagers held in Russia, when they turn 18, they are put on a (recruitment) list of Russian military,” told CNN. “It’s a Russian strategy to turn Ukrainian children into Russian children and militarize them.

Persons: Bohdan Yermokhin, Vladimir Putin, who’s, ”, Yermokhin, Ivana Kottasova, Putin, Rights Maria Lvova, Dmytro Lubinets, “, ” Bohdan Yermokhin, Lubinets, ” Lubinets, ” Yermokhin, Lubinets —, Mariupol, ’ ”, Belova, Mykola Kuleba, Filip, ” Yermohkin, Kuleba, It’s, Artem, Russia …, ” Artem Organizations: Ukraine CNN —, CNN, Criminal Court, ICC, Russian, Rights, International Committee, Human Rights Watch, Ukraine, “, Lvova, National Guard, Save Locations: Kyiv, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Mariupol, Moscow, Russian, Russia, Geneva, Chechnya, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Save Ukraine, Belarus, Crimea, Qatar

☆ 2024 Olympic Games: Paris mayor says she would prefer Russian athletes to be banned
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Chris Liakos | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo said on Wednesday that she is against Russian athletes participating in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and attending the Opening Ceremony scheduled for July 26. The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) said earlier this month that Russian and Belarusian Paralympic athletes will not take part in their Opening Ceremony on August 28. Loic Venance/AFP/Getty ImagesAccording to Russian state news agency TASS, Russian sports minister Oleg Matytsin told reporters on Wednesday that Russia should not boycott the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. “Now, the question of competing at the Olympic Games is on everyone’s lips, my position is this: we should not turn away, close ourselves or boycott this movement,” Matytsin said. The Paralympic Games begin on August 28 and end on September 8.

Persons: CNN — Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, “, ” Hidalgo, Vladimir, Putin, –, ”, Hidalgo, Israel, Loic Venance, Oleg Matytsin, ” Matytsin, Matytsin Organizations: CNN — Paris Mayor, Russian, Games, Reuters, Ukraine, Olympic Committee, Paris, IOC, International Paralympic Committee, Belarusian Paralympic, Paralympic, International Olympic Committee, Tokyo, Olympic Locations: Paris, Russian, Europe, Belarusian, Gaza, ”, AFP, Russia, Belarus

☆ Putin says he’s ready to use nuclear weapons if Russian state at stake, but ‘there has never been such a need’
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Helen Regan | Josh Pennington | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Moscow is ready to use nuclear weapons if there is a threat to the existence of the Russian state but “there has never been such a need,” President Vladimir Putin said in an interview with state media published Wednesday. Putin said that from a military and technical standpoint, Russia is ready for a nuclear war, though he didn’t say one was imminent. He warned that if US troops were deployed to Ukraine, Russia would treat them as interventionists. So I don’t think that everything is going to go head-on here, but we are ready for it,” Putin said. In his interview with state media, Putin said Russia would be willing to negotiate on Ukraine, but only if based on reality.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Putin, Joe, Biden, ” Putin, Dmitry Medvedev, It’s, Volodymyr Zelensky, “, ” Zelensky, ” Organizations: CNN —, RIA Novosti, “, CNN, US, Russian, Russia’s, NATO, Kremlin Locations: CNN — Moscow, Ukraine, Russia, United States, Belarus, Europe

☆ Sweden conducted its first reconnaissance flights near the Russian border since joining NATO
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Cameron Manley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Sweden conducted its first reconnaissance flights near the Russian border since joining NATO. The two flights were aimed at collecting intelligence on troop and weapons deployment in the region. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementThe Swedish Air Force last week conducted its first reconnaissance flights near Russia's border since officially joining NATO.

Persons: — Organizations: NATO, Service, Swedish Air Force, Intelligence, Swedish Gulfstream, SP Signal Intelligence, Business Locations: Sweden, Russian, Russia, Russia's, Swedish, Poland, Russia's Kaliningrad, Belarus

☆ US asked China and India for help to prevent Russia from carrying out a nuclear strike in 2022, report says
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-09 | by ( Cameron Manley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read previewThe US asked non-allies for help in an attempt to dissuade Russia from carrying out a nuclear strike in 2022, a senior US administration official told CNN. The official said their assessment was that input from the likes of India, China, and others "may have had some effect" on Russia's thinking. In June 2023, President Joe Biden said Russia's nuclear threat remained "real" following the news that Russia had moved nuclear weapons into neighboring Belarus. "All this really threatens a conflict with the use of nuclear weapons and the destruction of civilisation.

Persons: —, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Sergei Guneyev, Putin, Biden, Sergei Shoigu, Joe Biden, Emmanuel Macron Organizations: Service, CNN, Business, Getty, Russian, NATO, Reuters Locations: Russia, India, China, AFP, Ukraine, Kherson, Russian, Belarus

☆ The 'accidental' politicians: Meet three women risking everything to fight for democracy
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Silvia Amaro | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

That's what one Ukrainian lawmaker said of the wife of the late Alexei Navalny, who vowed to continue her husband's political work fighting for democracy in Russia after he died in a Siberian prison last month. As the first reports of Navalny's death started to emerge, Navalnaya was in Munich at a security conference. Yulia Navalnaya (L) is applauded by European Parliament President Roberta Metsola after addressing the European Parliament on Feb. 28, 2024. "I will continue the work of Alexei Navalny. Belarusian political opposition in exile leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya clutches a folder with a portrait of her husband, jailed opposition figure Sergei Tikhanovsky, in November, 2023 Sean Gallup | Getty Images News | Getty Images

Persons: Yulia Navalnaya, Alexei Navalny, Kai Pfaffenbach, Navalnaya, Alexei, Roberta Metsola, Frederick Florin, Lisa Yasko, Cristina Quicler, Yasko, Viktor Yanukovych, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Monique Jaques, Aleksandr Lukashenko —, Vladimir Putin, Tsikhanouskaya, Lukashenko, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, Sergei Tikhanovsky, Sean Gallup Organizations: Munich Security, Afp, Getty, European Union, CNBC, Zoom, Corbis, Munich, Conference Locations: Munich, Germany, Russia, Ukrainian, Georgia, Kyiv, Kiev, Ukraine, Belarus, Belarusian

☆ Russia has likely grounded its early warning aircraft fleet from flying Ukraine operations because of unsustainable losses, says UK intel
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-02 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewRussia has likely grounded its fleet of A-50 early warning and control aircraft after Ukraine shot down a second one in two months, the UK Ministry of Defense said in an intelligence update on Saturday. The fleet is likely to remain grounded while internal investigations take place into why the losses happened and how Russia can better combat Ukrainian air defenses, the UK department said. The A-50 is an airborne radar system that detects enemy aircraft, missiles, and air defense systems. They also provide daily command and control to Russian air operations and identify ground targets. However, the recent losses had forced the Russian jets dropping glide bombs to fly further away to protect themselves, making their bombs less accurate.

Persons: —, Justin Bronk, Yurii Ihnat Organizations: Service, UK Ministry of Defense, Business, Royal United Services Institute, BBC, MoD, RBC Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Russian, Belarus

CNN —Russian President Vladimir Putin warned the West of the risk of nuclear war if they send their own troops to fight for Ukraine, saying Moscow had the weapons to strike Western targets. In his annual state of the nation address to Russia’s elite on Thursday, Putin said claims that Russia intends to attack Europe are “nonsense” but warned that his country might strike Western countries with nuclear weapons. Putin referenced an idea floated by French President Emmanuel Macron, who on Monday said the possibility of sending Western troops to Ukraine “cannot be ruled out.” Several European leaders swiftly rejected the suggestion. Putin has raised the nuclear specter on several occasions since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago. Russia transferred tactical nuclear weapons to neighboring Belarus last year, and CNN reported this month that Russia is attempting to develop a nuclear space weapon that could destroy satellites.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Putin, Emmanuel Macron, ” Putin, “ Organizations: CNN, TASS, NATO Locations: Ukraine, Moscow, Russia, Europe, Belarus, Avdiivka, Finland, Sweden

☆ Alexander Lukashenko: Belarus’ president to stand for re-election in 2025
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-25 | by ( Sophie Tanno | Robbert Iddiols | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko says he will run for another term in elections set to be held in 2025, a move likely to extend the long rule of a key ally of Russia’s Vladimir Putin. Lukashenko, while speaking to journalists at a polling station after voting in parliamentary and local council elections, was asked whether he planned to stand in the next contest. Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus since 1994, will be confident of winning again, with votes in Belarus widely seen as neither free nor fair. The last presidential vote, in 2020, triggered riots when preliminary results showed Lukashenko had won in a landside victory. Tihkhanovskaya demanded a recount after the country’s Central Election Commission announced Lukashenko had won with 80.23% of the vote, while Tikhanovskaya stood at 9.9%.

Persons: Alexander Lukashenko, Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Lukashenko, “, ”, BelTA, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, “ Lukashenka, Putin, –, “ Europe’s, ” Lukashenko, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Prigozhin’s Wagner, Tihkhanovskaya, Tikhanovskaya Organizations: CNN, Belarusian, Belarus –, Russian, Observers, Commission Locations: Belarusian, Belarus, Ukraine, Soviet, Kyiv, Moscow

☆ Belarus Holds an Election, but the Outcome Is Not Hard to Predict
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-25 | by ( Andrew Higgins | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Amid a number of high-stakes elections to be held around the world this year, the East European nation of Belarus on Sunday offered an alternative to the unpredictability of democracy: a vote for Parliament without a single candidate critical of the country’s despotic leader. For the government, the election on Sunday — the first since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which neighbors Belarus to the south — is important as an opportunity to show Moscow, its ally, that it has snuffed out all domestic opposition and survived economic and other strains imposed by the war. Russia, which has in the past had doubts about Mr. Lukashenko’s durability and reliability, launched its invasion in February 2022 in part from Belarusian territory. Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, an exiled opponent of Mr. Lukashenko, said: “These so-called elections are nothing more than a circus show. It’s not even entertaining.”

Persons: Aleksandr G, Lukashenko, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, Mr, It’s Organizations: East, Sunday Locations: Belarus, Ukraine, Moscow, Russia

☆ I was in Moscow the day Putin invaded Ukraine, and some Russians were in tears
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-24 | by ( Cameron Manley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Russian police officers detain a woman during an unsanctioned protest rally against the military invasion on Ukraine, March,6, 2022, in Central Moscow, Russia. These quickly ceased when they saw Russian colleagues in tears, whose life savings had halved overnight. Russian friends began referring to Tbilisi as the "new Constantinople," referencing the city where anti-Bolshevik Russians fleeing the Communist revolution had taken refuge a century before. Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) meets French President Emmanuel Macron (R) on February 07, 2022 in Moscow, Russia. I stood at the glass window silently as the Russian border guard inspected my passport and now useless work permit.

Persons: —, Cameron Manley, Russia's, didn't, Vladimir Putin, Putin idi nakhui, Putin, Mir, Pushkin, Konstantin Zavrazhin, Alexey Malgavko, Stringer, Zelenskyy, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Karen Minasyan, pragmatically, gossiped, Emmanuel Macron Organizations: Service, Business, REUTERS, National Guard, Anadolu Agency, Getty, Armed Forces of, Facebook, Bolshevik, Communist, Kremlin Press, AP, Saint Locations: Edinburgh, Scotland, Moscow, Ukraine, Russia's, Europe, Russia, Central Moscow, Russian, Omsk, Kyiv, Armed Forces of Ukraine, seeping, Belarus, Yerevan, Armenia, AFP, Istanbul, Dubai, Tbilisi, Constantinople, St Petersburg, Helsinki, West, Switzerland, Saint Petersburg, Finland

☆ Ukraine war live updates: Russian military chief visits Ukraine after gains; Belarus signals armed patrols could take to streets
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko called on law enforcement agencies on Tuesday to organise patrols with small arms on the streets of Belarusian cities to ensure the safety of people. Lukashenko said that while the crime rate in Belarus was decreasing, the country was at risk of crimes of an "extremist nature." Our patrol guys must be on the streets...Patrols must be armed with small arms, at least pistols." Lukashenko backed Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 by allowing Moscow to use its territory to launch the war and agreed last year to deploy Russian tactical nuclear weapons in his country on Russia's western border. In power since 1994, Lukashenko staged a new crackdown on dissent after stamping out unprecedented demonstrations against what his opponents say was his rigged re-election in 2020.

Persons: Lukashenko, Alexander Lukashenko, — Organizations: of Internal Affairs, KGB Locations: Belarus, Ukraine, Moscow, Ukrainian

☆ Putin gave Kim Jong Un a luxury Russian car, deepening their war bromance and ignoring sanctions to do it
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Mikhaila Friel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Putin gifted Kim Jong Un a luxury Russian car, defying UN sanctions. AdvertisementRussian President Vladimir Putin gifted North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un a luxury Russian car, openly defying UN sanctions and strengthening the two leaders' close bond. "North Korea is our neighbor, our close neighbor, and we intend, and will continue, to develop our relations with all neighbors, including North Korea." AdvertisementWPK officials, including Kim Jong Un's sister, Kim Yo Jong, accepted the car on his behalf on Sunday, state news outlet KCNA reported. This wouldn't be the first time Kim Jong Un has gotten around the sanctions.

Persons: Putin, Kim Jong, —, Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Peskov, Kim, Mikhail Svetlov, Peskov, Kim Yo Jong, Kamala Harris Organizations: Service, North, Reuters, Russia's Vostochny, Royce, Maybach, Lexus, Ukraine, Norway's Intelligence Service, US Army, Africa Command, NATO, Munich Locations: North Korea, Russia's, Russia's Vostochny Cosmodrome, Korea, Russia, China, Belarus, Iran, Europe, Ukraine, Africa, Germany

☆ Strongmen Find New Ways to Abuse Interpol, Despite Years of Fixes
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Jane Bradley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

For years, strongmen and autocrats had a novel weapon in their hunt for political enemies. They used Interpol, the world’s largest police organization, to reach across borders and grab them — even in democracies. In response, Interpol has toughened oversight of its arrest alerts, known as red notices, making it harder than ever to misuse them. Abuse of this important antiterrorism tool got so bad that Interpol temporarily blocked Turkey from using it. Belarus is now subject to special monitoring after Interpol spotted a wave of politically motivated entries, officials said.

Persons: autocrats, William F, Browder Organizations: Interpol, New York Times Locations: Venezuelan, Peru, An, Australia, Russia, London, Belarus, Turkey

☆ Belarus Prepares Law Against 'LGBT Propaganda', State Media Says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

(Reuters) - Belarus has prepared a draft law punishing the "promotion of non-traditional relationships," referring to LGBT relationships, Belarusian state news agency Belta reported on Monday. The draft law is undergoing an approval procedure, he said. An anti-gay propaganda law has been on the books in neighbouring Russia since 2013 and has effectively outlawed any public expression of the behaviour or lifestyle of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals or transgender people. Photos You Should See View All 33 ImagesHomosexuality was decriminalised in Belarus in 1994, but the country does not recognise same-sex marriages and authorities have cracked down on LGBT pride parades. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has publicly mocked LGBT people, calling gay men "perverts" and "the ultimate abomination" in a speech to politicians last year.

Persons: Belta, Andrei Shved, Alexander Lukashenko, Lukashenko, Vladimir Putin's staunchest, Lucy Papachristou, Angus MacSwan Organizations: Reuters, LGBT Locations: Belarus, Russia

Kremlin political critics, turncoat spies and investigative journalists have been killed or assaulted in a variety of way s. The Russian opposition has lost its brightest star with Navalny's sudden death in a prison colony. “This is a very difficult loss for the Russian opposition,” he told The Associated Press after his death. While Navalny was the first leader to build a national Russian opposition, there were other opposition factions who didn’t like him or his organization. While Navalny’s team continued to publish successful investigative reports, they ultimately suspended the protests and said they would switch to different tactics. OPPOSITION IN EXILEIn the meantime, the Russian opposition faces a future largely in exile without one of its brightest leaders.

Persons: — Alexei Navalny, Vladimir Putin, “ You’re, ”, Navalny, turncoat, Putin, “ Alexei Navalny, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Graeme Robertson, ” Khodorkovsky, Garry Kasparov, Mikhail Kasyanov, Vladimir Kara, Murza Jr, PUTIN, “, Nigel Gould, Davies, PUTIN Putin, Robertson, Khodorkovsky, Navalny’s, “ Putin Organizations: Kremlin, Associated Press, University of North, Chapel Hill, Corruption Foundation, Corruption, International Institute for Strategic Studies Locations: Russia, University of North Carolina, London, Russian, Ukraine, British, Belarus, Eurasia, Moscow, Germany

☆ US Army says it could run out of funding to protect Europe and Africa without Ukraine's aid package
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Mikhaila Friel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewA US Army official has warned that it could run out of money for essential international global operations if the government fails to provide further funding for Ukraine. The unnamed official told CNN that the Army is spending hundreds of millions of dollars to support Ukraine, including funds that were initially intended to be used as part of the Europe and Africa Command budget. The Senate last week passed a $95 billion emergency defense-aid bill that could support Ukraine, Israel, and Tawain. A spokesperson for the US Army told BI that "it's important we receive money — now." AdvertisementThe Army official told CNN that it "would cease to exist" if funds weren't allocated from another area within the overall budget.

Persons: —, Diego Herrera Carcedo, isn't, Kamala Harris's, Army Christine Wormuth, Peter, Paul, I'm, Wormuth, Kostiantyn, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Trump, Nancy Pelosi, Putin, YURI KADOBNOV Organizations: Service, US Army, Ukraine, CNN, Army, Africa Command, Business, Republicans, US Command, Anadolu Agency, Getty, BI, NATO, Munich, Armed Forces of, Facebook, Norway's Intelligence Service, Sky News, Trump, Morris Air National Guard Base Locations: Ukraine, Europe, Israel, Africa, Ukrainian, Donetsk Oblast, Germany, Ukraine Ukraine, Russia, Avdiivka, Armed Forces of Ukraine, China, Belarus, Iran, North Korea, Helsinki, US Army Europe, Arizona

Floral tributes to Alexei Navalny, President Vladimir Putin's fiercest foe who died Friday in a Russian penal colony, were removed overnight by groups of unknown people while police watched, videos on Russian social media channels show. Russia's prison service said in the Arctic penal colony where he was serving a 19-year sentence. On Saturday, police blocked access to a memorial in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk and detained several people, OVD-Info said. Videos and photos shared on Russian social media channels showed flowers being cleared from monuments to victims of Soviet-era repressions across Russia. The news of Navalny's death comes less than a month before an election that will give Putin another six years in power.

Persons: Alexei Navalny, Vladimir Putin's, Putin, ”, Nigel Gould, Davies, Navalny, Yulia Navalnaya, Alexei, Putin’s, ” Navalnaya, Joe Biden, Washington doesn’t, Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Navalny “, Dmitry Peskov, Kira Yarmysh Organizations: Russia's Federal Security Service, International Institute for Strategic Studies, Russia’s Federal, Service Locations: Russian, Russia, Siberian, Novosibirsk, Moscow, British, Belarus, Eurasia, London, Russia’s, Kharp, Germany, ”

☆ Belarus' Lukashenko Says 'Saboteurs' Detained on Border With Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: 1 min

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Organizations: U.S . News, U.S News

The reported death in prison of Alexei Navalny, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s most prominent political rival, sent shockwaves throughout Russia and the world on Friday – even if some were unsurprised by the outcome. “There is no doubt that the death of Navalny was the consequence of something Putin and his thugs did,” U.S. President Joe Biden said in remarks at the White House on Friday. The Latest Photos From Ukraine View All 91 ImagesHere is what you need to know about Navalny, his death and Russia’s handling of political prisoners. Who Was Alexei Navalny? Navalny later participated in several mass protests and lobbed criticisms more directly at Putin and other Kremlin officials.

Persons: Alexei Navalny, Vladimir Putin’s, Putin, Navalny, Joe Biden, “, ” Konstantin Sonin, ” Navalny, Yulia Navalnaya, Navalnaya, ”, Leonid Volkov, Navalny’s, Evan Gershkovich, Ilya Yashin, Vladimir Kara, Murza, Alexei Gorinov, Maria Ponomarenko – Organizations: White, overdevelopment, Associated Press, Reuters, Washington Post, University of Chicago, Ukraine, Munich, Russia’s Federal, Service, Nenets Autonomous, Tass, Wall Street Locations: Russian, Russia, U.S, Moscow, Ukraine, Belarus, Germany, Russia’s, Nenets, Nenets Autonomous District, Kharp, Bucha

Greece has become the first majority-Orthodox Christian nation to legalize same-sex marriage under civil law. Public opinion in majority Orthodox countries has mostly been opposed, too. Civil unions may become more common among Orthodox countries gravitating toward the European Union. Greek Orthodox showed relative tolerance, with half of Orthodox saying homosexuality should be accepted and a quarter favoring same-sex marriage. As head of the Russian Orthodox Church, he oversees the world's largest Orthodox flock.

Persons: ”, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, “, George Demacopoulos, ” Demacopoulos, —, Vladimir Putin, “ perversions, Putin, Kirill, Moscow, Tiny Montenegro, Aleksandar Vucic, ″, ___ Smith, Yuras, Stephen McGrath, Illia Novikov, Veselin Toshkov Organizations: European Union, Pew Research Center, Orthodox Christian Studies Center, Fordham University, Ukrainian, of, of Human, Russian Orthodox Church, Kremlin, Russia’s, Levada, MONTENEGRO Serbia, Balkan, Serbian Orthodox Church, of Human Rights, Orthodox, Bulgarian Orthodox Church, Associated Press, Gec, Lilly Endowment Inc, AP Locations: Greece, Montenegro, Cyprus, Russia, Eastern Europe, Washington, New York, European, UKRAINE, Ukraine, RUSSIA, Russian, BELARUS, Belarus, SERBIA, MONTENEGRO, Serbia, ROMANIA, MOLDOVA Romania, Romania, Bucharest, Moldova, BULGARIA, Bulgaria, Pittsburgh, Tallin, Estonia, Belgrade, Kyiv, Sofia

☆ Russia's NATO neighbors are building hundreds of bunkers and anti-tank ditches in case of an invasion
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementEstonia, Lithuania, and Latvia are busy building massive defensive installations along their collective 1,000 miles of border with Russia and Belarus. The Baltic Defense Line, comprising hundreds of bunkers and other defensive measures, was a key part of an agreement struck between the three countries last month, prompted by the war in nearby Ukraine. Advertisement"A Baltic defensive line is a huge project," Lukas Milevski, a research fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, wrote recently. A diagram of prototype bunkers published by Estonia's defense ministry shows how the oblong structures are designed to fit into a T-shaped dugout, their entrance protected by earthworks.

Persons: —, 🛡️, evkur, e cade, " ERR, Baker, ure, ely, vic, ted as say Organizations: Service, Baltic Defense, ici Locations: Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Eston, ain

☆ Russia's military alliances are giving it a major edge — just as Ukraine's are faltering
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Mikhaila Friel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

A closer relationship with ChinaChina and Russia have deepened their military ties in recent years with the help of arms sales and joint military exercises. It has hosted Russian military drills, soldiers, and equipment, and enabled the transportation of Russian weapons close to Ukraine's borders. The situation is looking bleak for UkraineThe support from Russia's allies matters, especially when paired with the country's soaring defense budget. Its military appears to have a major edge over Ukraine as the country's financial and military support from its allies is faltering. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the Senate passed a $95 billion emergency defense-aid bill that could support Ukraine, Israel, and Tawain — but the bill is expected to face stiff opposition by Republicans, BI previously reported.

Persons: —, That's, Vladimir Putin, Mikhail Klimentyev, Nils Andreas Stensones, Stensones, Trump, Putin, YURI KADOBNOV, Patrick Bury Organizations: Ukraine, Service, Norway's Intelligence Service, Sputnik, Moscow Times, UN, North, European Council, Foreign Relations, UK's Ministry of Defence, Reuters, University of Bath, Putin, Trump, Republicans Locations: Russia, Ukraine, China, Belarus, Iran, North Korea, Europe, Ukrainian, China China, Japan, Russian, Ukraine's, Helsinki, Israel

☆ The GOP could be about to cost Ukraine the war
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

But House Republicans under Speaker Mike Johnson have no plans to take up the deal, effectively blocking the $60 billion in Ukraine aid it includes. AdvertisementThe war has reached a stalemate even with this support, and a sudden shortage as could come this year drastically weakens Ukraine’s war effort against Russia, analysts told Business Insider. Without US arms support, Ukraine will simply be outgunned and more of its troops will die, experts warn. Other aid will save Ukraine just for monthsA Ukrainian defeat would not be immediate, as Europe could step up its military aid, Herbst said. Losing Ukraine would come at a devastating cost for NATO and the USThese dynamics are perilous for Ukraine and its backers.

Persons: —, Mike Johnson, John Herbst, Herbst, Ukraine’s, Gustav Gressel, Stringer Mark Cancian, they'd, Cancian, Vladimir Putin, Johnson, Hakeem Jeffries Organizations: Service, Business, Patriot, Council’s Eurasia Center, Archer Artillery, Roman, Getty, American Enterprise Institute, Martens, European Council, Foreign Relations, REUTERS, US Marine Corps, Center for Strategic, International Studies, NATO, Russia, Democrats, House Republicans Locations: Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, Russia, Ukrainian, Iran, North Korea, Donetsk Oblast, Europe, Zaporizhzhia region, Russian, Soviet Union, Belarus, Africa, Balkans, America

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