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☆ A large group of Russian troops violated 'military operations 101' and paid the price in a deadly Ukrainian HIMARS strike, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Ukraine said it launched a deadly HIMARS attack on five Russian units gathered on a beach. Russia seriously misjudged its soldiers' proximity to Ukrainian HIMARS, two experts told Insider. Ukraine on Tuesday said it launched a HIMARS attack on five Russian units gathered on a beach resulting in 200 casualties and destroyed equipment. A Ukrainian official in June confirmed reports from a Russian military blogger that Russian soldiers were hit by Ukrainian HIMARS while standing still for two hours for a commander's speech, rendering them sitting ducks. "At a basic tactical level, we can see the Russian military is learning from its mistakes," Miles said.

Persons: Simon Miles, Miles, Mark Cancian, Cancian Organizations: Service, The Institute, Resistance Center, Ukrainian Army, Facebook, Duke University's Sanford School of Public, Soviet Union, US Marine Corps, Center for Strategic, Studies, Artillery Rocket Systems, Ukrainian National Resistance Center, Russian, Resistance Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Ukrainian, Wall, Silicon, Russian, Kherson, Soviet, Moscow

☆ Kim Jong Un has plastered his walls with bizarre, giant portraits of Putin, images from North Korean state media reveal
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-29 | by ( Nathan Rennolds | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Photos released by North Korean state media show Kim Jong Un's huge portraits of Vladimir Putin. The images show the leader giving Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu a personal tour. The portraits were visible as the North Korean leader gave a personal tour to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. In the bizarre images, Kim and Shoigu can be seen walking down a corridor while huge portraits of Putin and Kim loom over them from either side. Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu attends a reception for the Russian military delegation hosted by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on July 27, 2023.

Persons: Kim Jong, Vladimir Putin, Sergei Shoigu, Shoigu, Kim Jong Un, Kim, Putin, Simon Miles, Miles, Biden Organizations: North, Russian, Service, North Korean, Russian Defense, Central Committee of, Workers ' Party, Daily, Russia's, Reuters, Mail, Korean Central News Agency, Associated Press, Duke University's Sanford School of Public, Soviet Union, AP Locations: North Korean, Wall, Silicon, Pyongyang, Vladivostok, Russia, North Korea, Soviet, North Koreans, Ukraine, Moscow, Russian

☆ Putin can't fire his inept defense minister after the Wagner uprising, so he sent Sergei Shoigu to 'break bread and glad hand' in North Korea instead, expert says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu met with Kim Jong Un in North Korea this week. North Korea commemorates the national holiday as "Victory Day," even though the conflict ended in a stalemate. Still, the Russian visit to North Korea was an important one. North Korea is one of the few countries to publicly back Russia in the war in Ukraine. The country has denied engaging in arms transactions with Russia, but the White House said North Korea shipped weapons, including rockets and missiles, to Russia in November.

Persons: Sergei Shoigu, Kim Jong Un, Putin, Shoigu, Russia's, Vladimir Putin's, Simon Miles, Miles, Yevgeny Prigozhin, castigating Shoigu, Valery Gerasimov, Wagner, Prigozhin, Jong, —, He's, White Organizations: Russian, Russia, Service, North, Duke University's Sanford School of Public, Soviet Union, Wagner Group, Jong Un, North Korean, Reuters Locations: North Korea, Wall, Silicon, Ukraine, Russian, Soviet, Russia, Belarus

☆ The Ukraine war is great for China — it gets 'fire sale prices' on oil and gas and leaves its rivals, the US and Russia, 'tied down and bleeding each other,' experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

China says it's neutral in the Russia-Ukraine war and even tried to broker a peace deal earlier this year. However, experts told Insider that China has good reason to stay friendly with Russia as war wages. China is pocketing discounted oil and gas and enjoying geopolitical perks as a result of the war. But amid the chaos and costs, there's at least one country reaping the benefits of the brutal conflict, two Russia experts told Insider. But two experts who study Russia told Insider that China has good reason to stay friendly with its Eastern neighbor as war wages.

Persons: Robert English, China —, Simon Miles, Miles, Russia's Organizations: Service, —, University of Southern, US, Politico, Duke University's Sanford School of Public, Soviet Union Locations: China, Russia, Ukraine, Wall, Silicon, — Russia, University of Southern California, Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, Soviet, Beijing, Moscow, Russian, Africa, Latin America

☆ Low-wage parents can help their kids avoid poverty for decades if they get this one tax credit
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The Earned Income Tax Credit reduced the likelihood of being in poverty, new research shows. Children exposed to the EITC at early ages were less likely to receive public assistance, such as WIC, as adults. It shows how policies that help keep children out of poverty can have benefits for decades after. How the tax credit can be restructured to assist those who need the benefits the most, though, is murky. These findings suggest, though, that the tax credit improves economic outcomes of both the EITC recipients and their children, as the authors found evidence that these effects drive up income mobility.

Persons: Katherine Michelmore, University of Michigan's Gerald R, Michelmore, Nicardo McInnis Organizations: IRS, Service, National Bureau of Economic Research, University of Michigan's, Ford School of Public Policy, Dynamics, California State University Locations: Wall, Silicon, Northridge

☆ Russians are reminding troops the enemy is Ukraine amid fears of a Wagner coup attempt against the defense ministry
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin has prompted fears of an impending coup in Russia. Russian civilians and officials are imploring troops to keep their focus on Ukraine amid the panic. "Everyone who holds a weapon at the line of contact, remember: your enemy is across from you," a message shared repeatedly states. Founder of Wagner private mercenary group Yevgeny Prigozhin. Press service of "Concord"/Handout via REUTERSThe Russian defense ministry, meanwhile, also attempted to refocus attention on the fight in Ukraine in a Friday Telegram post.

Persons: Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, —, Russia's, Putin, Prigozhin, Sergei Shoigu, Staff Valery Gerasimov, Samuel Bendett, Simon Miles, Miles, Sergey Surovikin, Bendett Organizations: Service, Ukraine —, Russian, Staff, Federal Security Service, Center for Naval Analyses, Press, Armed Forces, Russian Federation, [ Armed Forces, Duke University's Sanford School of Public, Soviet Union Locations: Russia, Russian, Ukraine, Moscow, Ukrainian, Bakhmut, gunpoint, Concord, Soviet

☆ Putin's clashing warlords are on the verge of full-blown violence that could weaken his grip on power
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The ongoing feud between Putin's warlords came to the brink of violence on Friday. Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin went on a tirade against the Defense Ministry, prompting calls for his arrest. "The evil carried by the country's military leadership must be stopped," Prigozhin said, adding that his 25,0000 mercenaries were ready to stand against Russia's Defense Ministry. Insider's Ryan Pickrell previously reported that Putin plays Prigozhin and the Defense Ministry against each other, escalating tensions between those factions and attempting to deflect blame off himself. Prior to his tirades Friday, Prigozhin was bashing Russia's Defense Ministry for months, especially targeting Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu and Chief of the Russian General Staff General Valery Gerasimov.

Persons: Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, —, Vladimir Putin, Putin's, Prigozhin, Putin, It's, Insider's Ryan Pickrell, Simon Miles, Tatiana Stanovaya, Sergey Shoigu, Russian General Staff General Valery Gerasimov Organizations: Defense Ministry, Service, Titan, Russia's Ministry of Defense, Wagner Group, Russia's Defense, Russia's Defense Ministry, KGB, Kremlin, Wagner, Meduza, Duke University's Sanford School of Public, Soviet Union, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, Russia's, Ministry, Russian, Russian General Staff Locations: Moscow, Russia, Ukraine, Soviet, Russian

☆ Fathers’ role in breastfeeding and infant sleep is key, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Jackie Wattles | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The research sought to answer several questions about paternal participation in breastfeeding and the use of safe sleep practices for babies. And many could do more to support mothers who breastfeed, which can provide key health benefits for babies, the study indicated. The research also found racial disparities in sleep practices, with Black fathers less likely than White fathers to follow those practices. Overall, almost a third of the fathers involved in this survey did not receive enough or any advice about safe sleep practices, according to the study. Previous studies have suggested that fathers can play a key role in helping mothers breastfeed.

Persons: Craig Garfield, “, ” Garfield, Garfield, ”, John James Parker, internist, White, ” Parker, Parker, breastfeed, “ We’ve, Jennifer Lansford, “ We’re, Lansford, ” Lansford, ” What’s Organizations: CNN, Pediatrics, Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, US Centers for Disease Control, CDC, Northwestern, American Academy of Pediatrics, OB, Center for Child, Sanford School of Public, Duke University Locations: United States, Northwestern, Georgia, North Carolina, United

☆ New bipartisan bill in Senate could address TikTok security concerns without a ban
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Much of the existing legislation addressing TikTok at the federal and state level has focused on bans of the app. Wednesday’s legislation, known as the Protecting Americans’ Data From Foreign Surveillance Act, does not identify TikTok by name. TikTok has faced criticism from US officials who say the company’s links to China pose a national security risk. Congress has made several attempts in recent months to address data transfers to foreign adversaries. In February, House lawmakers advanced a bill that would all but require the Biden administration to ban TikTok over national security concerns about the app.

Persons: Oregon Democratic Sen, Ron Wyden, Wyoming Republican Sen, Cynthia Lummis, —, ” Wyden, Wyden, TikTok, ByteDance, Biden, Justin Sherman, ” Sherman, Rhode Island Democratic Sen, Sheldon Whitehouse, Sheldon Whitehouse , Tennessee Republican Sen, Bill Hagerty, New Mexico Democratic Sen, Martin Heinrich, Florida Republican Sen, Marco Rubio, Warren Davidson, Anna Eshoo Organizations: CNN, Oregon Democratic, Wyoming Republican, ByteDance, Commerce Department, Oracle, Texas, Commerce, Duke University’s Sanford School of Public, Rhode, Rhode Island Democratic, Sheldon Whitehouse , Tennessee Republican, New Mexico Democratic, Florida Republican, Ohio Republican, California Democratic Locations: China, United States, Russia, Rhode Island, Sheldon Whitehouse , Tennessee, New Mexico, Florida

☆ 'Loud mouth' Prigozhin's public feuding with Russia's military leaders is an effort to blame the Kremlin for Wagner's failures in Bakhmut, military expert says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Yevgeny Prigozhin and Russia's military brass have been locked in a public feud for monthsMeanwhile, Prigozhin's Wagner Group troops have sustained significant losses in Bakhmut. For months, Wagner troops have borne the brunt of the attritional fighting in Bakhmut as the frontlines grinded to a brutal stalemate. The White House in February said Wagner troops had suffered 30,000 casualties since the war began in February 2022. A mural depicting mercenaries of Russia's Wagner Group that reads: "Wagner Group - Russian knights." "I think they probably hate [Prigozhin] because he's such a loud mouth," Hodges said of Russia's defense leaders.

☆ Bill Clinton says he feels 'terrible' for pushing a 1994 agreement with Russia that resulted in Ukraine giving up its nuclear weapons
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Azmi Haroun | Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Bill Clinton expressed regret for his role in a 1994 agreement between Russia, Ukraine and the US. The agreement saw Ukraine give up nuclear weapons left over from the fall of the Soviet Union. Clinton said that if Ukraine still had the weapons, Russia would not have invaded. "I feel a personal stake because I got them [Ukraine] to agree to give up their nuclear weapons," Clinton said. "A great deal had to do with the risks of proliferation and the challenges of keeping nuclear weapons secure," Miles said.

☆ Aussie central bank fix will paper over inflation
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Antony Currie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

MELBOURNE, April 4 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Australia’s central bank is getting the builders in – literally and figuratively. The Reserve Bank of Australia’s 1960s Sydney headquarters is currently clad in scaffolding, part of what is supposed to be a two-year, A$200 million-plus ($135 million) renovation. For a central bank, the RBA is particularly quirky. Another major task for the review panel was assessing how the bank combats inflation, which hit 7.8% in the year to December. Treasurer Jim Chalmers on March 31 received the final report on the review of the country’s central bank that he unveiled last July.

☆ Russia repeated a battle tactic that failed miserably in Bucha and once again lost tanks critical to the war
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Russia lost 130 tanks during three weeks of fighting near Vuhledar, per Ukrainian officials. But long before the staggering losses in Vuhledar, Russia's tank failures were evident just weeks into the war. Soldiers walk amid destroyed Russian tanks in Bucha, in the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, April 3, 2022. Just like in Bucha, Russia failed to capture its intended target in Vuhledar, making the same mistake that already cost them scores of tanks a year ago. It's one of the more egregious errors in what Miles called the "half-baked" Russian offensive playing out in Vuhledar and Ukraine's east.

☆ Wagner Group's turn from prison recruitment could be effort to tap soldiers who might balk at 'serving with rapists and murderers,' historian says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Wagner Group, the Russian paramilitary organization, has stopped recruiting prisoners for the war. An expert in Russian history told Insider the move could be an attempt to recruit more competent fighters. "It was people deciding they would take their chances dying in Ukraine as opposed to dying in a Russian prison." While Prigozhin's quest for influence is well-documented, it's also entirely possible that Wagner ceased its prison recruitment efforts simply because the well had run dry, Miles said. The group could look to other war-torn countries where experienced soldiers might fight for pay, Miles said.

☆ Bizarre video with Russian subtitles employs 'Trumpian' tactics to recruit US veterans for the war in Ukraine, Russia expert says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-11 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

One Russia expert told Insider the video could be linked to the Wagner Group. A brazen Russian recruitment video targeting American citizens comes as both Russia and Ukraine prepare massive offensives after a slow but violent winter. It was not clear whether the American advertisement referenced in Prigozhin's statement is the same video circulating online. In one still from the video, a Wagner Group arm patch can be seen on a Russian soldier's uniform. "If you're a true patriot of the future Great America, join the ranks of the warriors of Russia," the video commands.

In protests that followed the killing and the police sweeps, six people were arrested and charged with domestic terrorism. In December, the same charges were filed against five people after law enforcement moved in to clear barricades and confront protesters. But in a number of states, including Georgia, domestic terrorism laws include a wide range of offenses outside those motivated by hate. The Atlanta Solidarity Fund said that the state of Georgia was trying to “set an alarming precedent” with the charges. “If they are successful, protesters across the country could be facing similar speech-chilling ‘domestic terrorism’ charges,'” it said in a statement this week.

Others, like China, have criticized the war without meaningfully reducing ties with Russia. The war prompted condemnation in the United Nations and saw Russia booted from the UN Human Rights Council. Beijing has walked a careful line since the invasion began, at times exhibiting impatience with Russia's war in Ukraine. Putin in September acknowledged that China had "questions and concerns" about the war while meeting with Xi in Uzbekistan. "Putin's allies are not 'turning on him,' only expressing dissatisfaction at the difficulties his war in Ukraine is causing them," he added.

☆ FBI director warns that TikTok could be exploited by China to collect user data for espionage
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

FBI Director Chris Wray said on Friday that he has national security concerns about TikTok, per AP News. Wray warned that China could use TikTok to collect user data for espionage operations, AP News said. He added that China could collect users' data for traditional espionage operations, the news agency reported. TikTok said in June that it started routing American users' data via US-based servers owned by Oracle, per The Verge. However, BuzzFeed News reported that US user data was still being repeatedly accessed from China.

But Wray said the FBI continues to be concerned about Chinese government “talent programs” that sometimes pay American professors through secret relationships. “At the same time, you also stated, as you’ve just done, that this effort isn’t about the Chinese people or Chinese Americans. But of course, Chinese Americans are part of the U.S. society that you believe needs to be mobilized against China. He also returned to talking about Chinese government operations that have targeted Chinese Americans. “We view Chinese Americans here as being with us.

☆ The deadly missile incident in Poland is a 'propaganda gift' for the Ukrainians and Zelenskyy, Russia expert says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Two people were killed after Russian-made missiles landed in Poland, according to reports. The incident could benefit Zelenskyy's efforts to stir up further assistance, a Russia expert said. "This is a propaganda gift for the Ukrainians," said Simon Miles, an assistant professor at Duke. But what marks the first seeming spillover of Russia's war beyond Ukraine could ultimately benefit Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's ongoing efforts to stir up additional assistance and support, a Russia expert told Insider. On top of being a fatal tragedy for Poland, the Tuesday incident also bolsters Ukraine's ongoing wartime rhetoric.

☆ NATO could invoke Article 4 after Russian missiles struck Poland. Here's what that means.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

The incident could invoke NATO Article 4, which allows any member to call for a consultation when threatened. Several NATO countries previously invoked Article 4 after Russia invaded Ukraine in February. Such defiant language ostensibly appeals to the collective defense principle at the heart of NATO Article 5. As such, NATO and its members have no binding obligation to defend Ukraine against Russia's attacks. Biden has made clear that US troops thus far deployed to Eastern Europe are there to bolster NATO member countries wary of nearby Russian aggression.

☆ Trump lashes out at DeSantis and Virginia Gov. Youngkin as he readies 2024 launch in the week ahead
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-12 | by ( Christina Wilkie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

WASHINGTON — As former President Donald Trump readies for the planned launch Tuesday of his 2024 presidential campaign, he issued fresh broadsides against two Republican governors who emerged as early favorites to challenge him for his party's nomination: Florida Gov. That's the message Republicans must deliver to Donald Trump. Arkansas Republican Gov. "President Trump has racked up over 215 wins for his endorsements — a truly unprecedented accomplishment and something only possible because of President Trump's ability to pick and elect winners," Trump spokesman Taylor Budowich told CNBC. DeSantis won reelection in a landslide, defeating former Florida Gov.

☆ Elon Musk's pro-Russian peace deal is 'classic Putin,' and there's a clue of the Russian leader's role, Fiona Hill argues
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Elon Musk's foray into the Russia-Ukraine war is being guided by Putin, according to Fiona Hill. The Russia expert told Politico that Putin frequently uses prominent people as intermediaries. "Putin plays the egos of big men, gives them a sense that they can play a role," Hill said. But in reality, they're just direct transmitters of messages from Vladimir Putin," Hill told Politico this week, noting that the Tesla billionaire has tipped his hand in an obvious display of Putin's influence. Musk's sudden emergence as an apparent player in foreign affairs may seem curious, but it's actually a "classic Putin play," Hill said.

☆ New York Financial Regulator Wants to Lead on Crypto, Climate Change
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-14 | by ( Mengqi Sun | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +7 min

New York’s financial regulator, which oversees insurance companies and state-chartered banks, already plays an outsize role in financial services, with many other states following its lead on regulation and enforcement. Ms. Harris seeks to bring that leadership role to other areas, including crypto and climate change. She served as a senior adviser at the Treasury Department and as head of an Obama administration financial task force. One of the benefits of being a state regulator is that you can move fast and be nimble; you can respond to changes in the marketplace. The other thing that we’ve done is really calling out the tension between climate goals and fair-lending and equity goals.

☆ Russian missile strikes in Ukraine are militarily 'nonsensical' and represent an 'extraordinary tantrum' on Putin's part, Russia expert says
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Putin also claimed that the strikes were directed solely at Ukrainian military, energy, and communications targets, but photos and videos show the aftermath of Russian munitions in civilian areas. "The Russian military can only hope to achieve effects through terror bombings like this," he added. "This reeks of desperation," Miles told Insider. While Russia's recent strikes won't be a one-time occurrence — the country unleashed a second bombardment throughout Ukraine on Tuesday — it is a tactic that is likely to be short-lived. "Putin's sort of fantasy of Ukraine as this national house of cards has been proven wrong time and time again," he added.

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