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☆ Ukraine just proved its sea drones are a huge threat to Russia's navy. An expert says this may only be the start.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( Sophia Ankel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ukraine attacked a Russian warship using a sea drone on Friday, according to videos. It's unknown what type of sea drone Ukraine used to attack the Russian ship. Last week, Ukraine showed off its new sea drone for the first time, which packs hundreds of pounds of explosives, CNN reported. "These are faster than anything else in the Black Sea," he told CNN. A Ukranian sea drone was also used last month to successfully damage the Kerch Bridge, according to CNN.

Persons: Stephen Wright, Anton Gerashchenko, Wright, " Wright Organizations: Service, TNT, CNN, Internal Affairs of, Sevastopol Naval Base Locations: Ukraine, Russian, Wall, Silicon, Novorossiysk, Ukrainian, Internal Affairs of Ukraine, Russia, Sevastopol, Kerch, Crimea, Moscow

☆ Russia is raising its conscription age and calling up 70-year-olds in an effort to avoid another large-scale mobilization that could spark backlash, expert says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

An expert on Russia said the government is likely trying to avoid another large-scale mobilization. Last week, Putin signed into law legislation that raises the maximum age for male conscription from 27 to 30 years old. One year of military service was previously required by Russian men ages 18 to 27 with conscriptions held twice a year. "But it's not "over there" when 200,000 people get roped into military service to go and fight this stupid and futile war," he added. The new conscription law is just one of several steps Russia has recently taken to address personnel shortages.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Putin, conscriptions, Simon Miles, they've, that's, Miles Organizations: Service, Duke University's Sanford School of Public, Soviet Union, dodgers, New York Times, Institute for Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Wall, Silicon, Russian, Soviet, Crimea

☆ Russia's war in Ukraine has apparently come home again, this time with drones striking skyscrapers in the capital
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

The attack was reportedly carried out by Kyiv and came after unrelenting Russian attacks on southern Ukraine with drones and missiles increasingly targeting the country's grain infrastructure. Russia's Ministry of Defense said it "foiled" the early Monday morning attack on Moscow, which it blamed it on Ukraine. Photographs of the scene show damage to the roof of an unidentified building, which is located just a few hundred meters from the Russian defense ministry's headquarters in the capital. A view of a building after two Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) attack in Moscow, Russia on July 24, 2023. Ukraine's defense ministry said on Monday that Russian drones attacked grain infrastructure along the Danube River, injuring several people and destroying food storage facilities.

Persons: Vladimir Putin's, Sefa Karacan, Mykhailo Podolyak, Putin, ALEXANDER NEMENOV, Biden, Vedant Patel, Patel, EKATERINA ANISIMOVA, Volodymyr Zelenskyy Organizations: Service, Russia's Ministry of Defense, TASS, Windows, CNN, Kyiv, Anadolu Agency, Getty, Presidential, Twitter, Police, Wagner, White, US State Department Locations: Moscow, Ukraine, Russia, Wall, Silicon, Kyiv, Russian, Ukrainian, Russia's, Ukraine isn't, AFP, Crimean, Odesa

☆ U.S. blacklists two firms that built Meta, iOS and Android spyware
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Rohan Goswami | In Rohangoswamicnbc | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The Commerce Department blacklisted two European cyber firms that build spyware software, the Commerce Department announced Tuesday, including technology hawked by both firms that was used to surveil Meta users and reportedly at least one Meta employee. The software exploited vulnerabilities in Android and iOS software and deployed hundreds of spoof Meta accounts to surveil activists, politicians and journalists around the world. Meta in December 2021 warned thousands of Facebook users that they'd been targeted by spyware-for-hire software, including Predator. The New York Times reported extensively on Intellexa's Predator product, and the company's efforts to sell it to a Ukrainian intelligence agency. Intellexa's Predator was also used by Greek intelligence to spy on a Meta trust and safety employee, the Times reported.

Persons: Gina Raimondo, —, Cytrox —, they'd, Tal Dilian, Intellexa, Biden, Trump Organizations: Commerce, The Commerce Department, Commerce Department, Industry, Security, Citizen Lab, Export, Meta, Facebook, Israel Defense Forces, The New York Times, Times, Huawei Locations: Davos, Switzerland, Greece, Ireland, Hungary, North Macedonia, Ukrainian

☆ Russia has been scrambling to find missiles to fire at Ukraine, but it's not going to run out of them
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Benjamin Brimelow | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Russia has had to dig deep into its arsenal to find missiles to fire at targets in Ukraine. ReutersBy far, most missiles fired by Russia into Ukraine have been launched from aircraft — mainly Tu-95, Tu-22M, and Tu-160 bombers and Su-24 and Su-35 fighter-bombers. Other air-to-surface missiles used by Russia include the Kh-25, Kh-29, Kh-31, Kh-58, and Kh-59. Russia has also fired interceptor missiles from S-300 and S-400 air-defense batteries at targets in Ukraine. Remnants of Russian missiles and shells at a collection site in Kharkiv in December.

Persons: Ian Williams, Kinzhal, Alexander Zemlianichenko, Oleksii, Valentyna, Williams, Yan Dobronosov, Russia's Organizations: Service, Russian, Missile Defense, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Army, Reuters, CSIS, Russia, AP, Getty, Kharkiv Regional, reallocating, Ukraine Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Wall, Silicon, Moscow, Russian, Ukrainian, Belarus, Kyiv, Alexandra, Alexander Zemlianichenko Russian, Kharkiv, United States

☆ Ukraine is proving it can kill Russia's most valuable officers even when they think they are safe
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Ukraine killed a senior Russian officer in a long-range missile strike this week. Lt Gen Oleg Tsokov is the latest in a series of senior Russian officers killed in Ukraine. The blast hit a hotel housing Russian officers in the occupied city of Berdiansk, far from the front lines. The recent acquisition of Storm Shadow missiles means Ukraine can reach Russian top brass in places that used to be safe. The missiles have a range of 150 miles, almost triple that of the missiles Ukraine was previously using.

Persons: Gen Oleg Tsokov, Russia's, Ian Williams, Williams, Stanislav Rzhitsky, Rzhitsky, Sergei Surovikin, Wagner Organizations: Service, Russian, Shadow, Nikkei, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Storm Locations: Ukraine, Russian, Wall, Silicon, Berdiansk, Donetsk, Luhansk, Russia, Russia's, Krasnodar

CNN —House Republicans unloaded a barrage of criticism directed toward FBI Director Christopher Wray Wednesday, outlining a litany of complaints while Wray testified before the House Judiciary Committee. Chairman Jim Jordan opened the hearing launching into a wide array of attacks on the FBI. “House Republicans will attack the FBI for having had the audacity to treat Donald Trump like any other citizen. FBI Director Christopher Wray is sworn in prior to testifying before a House Judiciary Committee hearing. “We did stand up a whole dedicated unit to focus on threats to FBI, individuals, FBI employees and FBI facilities because of the uptick that we saw over that time period,” Wray said.

Persons: Christopher Wray, Wray, Jim Jordan, Hunter Biden, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, “, ”, Matt Gaetz, ” Wray, ” Gaetz, Edgar Hoover, Gaetz, Jonathan Ernst, ’ Wray, Trump . Jordan, Jordan, Jerry Nadler, ” Nadler, Saul Loeb, –, John Durham, Biden, Hunter, ” that’s, ” Jordan, Thomas Massie, Massie, Nadler, Jack Smith’s, – Wray Organizations: CNN — House Republicans, FBI, Catholic Church, Florida Republican, Reuters, GOP, Foreign Intelligence, Republican, Trump ., Ohio Republican, Republicans, Trump, DOJ, FISA, “, White, ” New York Rep, ”, Committee, Getty, CNN, US State Department, Biden, White House, Democratic National Committee, Capitol, Trump’s Locations: Richmond, Florida, Washington , DC, Ohio, United States, Russia, Durham, Ukrainian, Louisiana, Kentucky, Lago, Mar

☆ A Russian sub commander was shot to death while on a morning run inside Russia — and Ukrainian intelligence knows surprising details about his killing
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Russian submarine commander was shot dead while on a morning run inside Russia. Ukrainian intelligence shared details about the killing but didn't take responsibility. But it seems that Ukrainian intelligence is already ahead of them. It's unclear if the assailant knew about Rzhitsky's Strava account or whether it was used in the killing. While Ukrainian intelligence didn't immediately take responsibility for Rzhitsky's death, the head of Ukraine's military intelligence service has previously said that his assassins had been successfully targeting pro-Russian war propagandists inside Russia's borders away from the frontlines.

Persons: Stanislav Rzhitsky, Rzhitsky, there'll, Makarov, Rzytsky, didn't Organizations: Kyiv Post, Service, TASS, Ukraine's Defense Intelligence, of Culture Locations: Russian, Russia, Ukrainian, Kyiv, Wall, Silicon, Krasnodar

CNN —A Russian submarine commander was shot to death in the southern Russian city of Krasnodar on Monday, the apparent details of which were revealed by Ukrainian intelligence that stopped short of claiming responsibility for the shooting. Stanislav Rzhitsky was killed earlier this week by an “unknown person,” Russian state news agency TASS reported, adding that “the motive for the crime is being investigated.”Suspects for Rzhitsky’s death have been identified, according to TASS. Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence disclosed how Rzhitsky was apparently shot, in an unusually detailed statement on Telegram. As a result of the gunshot wounds, Rzhitsky died on the spot,” the statement said. In language striking a detached, perhaps even sarcastic tone, the statement said Rzhitsky had come to the conclusion that missile strikes that killed civilians were ineffective.

Persons: Stanislav Rzhitsky, Rzhitsky, Makarov, “, ” Rzhitsky, Russia’s Organizations: CNN, TASS, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence, Strategic Communications Locations: Russian, Krasnodar, Krasnodar ., Vinnytsia

☆ Ukraine's intelligence chief claimed Wagner's mutineers almost reached a Russian base holding Cold War-era nuclear bombs small enough to be carried in backpacks
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Ukraine's spy chief claimed the Wagner Group almost reached a Russian nuclear base in late June. Kyrylo Budanov told Reuters that the base, Voronezh-45, housed small nukes that fit in a backpack. While Reuters could only track the fighters until they were around 70 miles from the base, Budanov said they headed further in and wanted to seize the munitions inside. Russia does not say if Voronezh-45 houses nuclear weapons, but the base is believed by outside observers like the Russian Nuclear Forces Project to be one of the Kremlin's 12 main storage sites. It's also unlikely that troops from a private military company like Wagner would have possessed the knowledge to arm and deploy nuclear weapons on their own.

Persons: Ukraine's, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Kyrylo Budanov, Wagner, Budanov, Alexander Lukashenko, Vladimir Putin, It's Organizations: Wagner Group, Reuters, Service, Kremlin, Pentagon, Washington Post, Russian Nuclear Forces Project, Soviet Union, Russia's Ministry of Defense Locations: Russian, Moscow, Voronezh, Wall, Silicon, Ukrainian, Rostov, Russia, Soviet, Washington

☆ Live updates: Russia's war in Ukraine, Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( Tara Subramaniam | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

For three days, shells and mortars were “flying and whistling overhead, exploding around us,” Anton, a Russian soldier positioned south of Bakhmut, tells CNN. “We were jumping like rabbits under mortar rounds and bombs.”When it got quieter, he and fellow soldier Slava fell asleep. They could hear a vehicle and the voice of Ukrainian soldiers moving above them, he says. He sobs silently and lights up a cigarette offered by a Ukrainian soldier. He is one of eight Russian soldiers held by the Ukrainian Third Assault Brigade at a makeshift jail in eastern Ukraine.

Persons: ” Anton, “, Slava, let’s, ”, Anton, sobs Organizations: CNN, Ukrainian Third Assault Brigade, International Committee Locations: Russian, Bakhmut, “, Ukrainian, Ukraine, Russia

“We were jumping like rabbits under mortar rounds and bombs.”When it got quieter, he and fellow soldier Slava fell asleep. In the presence of two Ukrainian soldiers, the three men described low morale in their trenches, disarray and the apparent expendability of some Russian forces. Mark Phillips/CNNHopes of exchangeThe men’s captors want them exchanged for Ukrainian soldiers held by the Russians, but they don’t have high hopes. When he saw the Ukrainian soldiers, he crawled away in fear and huddled with two soldiers. A Ukrainian soldier later explains that it’s difficult to hear what the Russian soldiers are saying during the gunfights.

Persons: ” Anton, “, Slava, let’s, ”, Anton, sobs, Mark Phillips, Storm Z, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, maiming, Volodymyr Zelensky, Sergei, ‘, ’, CNN “, ” Sergei, ” Slava Organizations: Eastern, Eastern Ukraine CNN, CNN, Ukrainian Third Assault Brigade, International Committee, Russian Ministry of Defense, “, Third Assault Brigade, Wagner PMC, Storm Z, Brigade, Ukrainian Armed Forces Locations: Eastern Ukraine, Russian, Bakhmut, “, Ukrainian, Ukraine, Russia, ”, Mariupol, Moscow, Kherson

☆ Zaporizhzhia: Ukraine warns Russia might blow up nuclear power plant. How worried should we be?
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( Christian Edwards | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —Russian troops have placed “objects resembling explosives” on roofs at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP), Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video address Tuesday that instantly sparked concerns around the world. That is, Russia may claim that any explosion at the power plant was the result of reckless Ukrainian shelling, rather than its own explosives. Grossi points on a map of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, March 2022. “The whole thing was saying: Russia’s basically going to have to kill me, in order for me not to make this nuclear power plant more safe. The Zaporizhzhia plant seen from the banks of the Dnipro on June 16, after the Nova Kakhovka dam collapse.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Zelensky, Vladimir Putin, Zaporizhzhia, “, Kyrylo Budanov, ”, ” Karolina Hird, Dmitry Peskov, ” Peskov, –, Rafael Grossi, Petro Kotin, Joe Klamar, William Alberque, ” Alberque, Russia’s, Alberque, Alina Smutko, ” Cheryl Rofer, Stringer, Xi Jinping, Putin Organizations: CNN, Kremlin, Institute for, International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, United Nations, Russian, Grossi, Getty, Technology, International Institute for Strategy Studies, CAN, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Rescuers, Reuters, Russia, Financial Times Locations: Ukrainian, Russia, Ukraine, Zaporizhzhia, Zaporizhzhia oblast, Kyiv, Europe –, Dnipro, Enerhodar, Russian, AFP, Nova, Moscow, ZNPP, Pennsylvania, India, Pakistan

☆ Exclusive: Zelensky says he wanted counteroffensive to start ‘much earlier’ to pre-empt Russian defenses
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( Erin Burnett Yon Pomrenze Mick Krever Victoria Butenko | Erin Burnett | Yon Pomrenze | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

In any direction Ukraine chooses to attack, however, time is the enemy, Zelensky told Burnett. Half of Russia supported Putin,” Zelensky said. I don’t think about it.”Switching to English, Zelensky told Burnett that he values the solitary moments. Think, think. And Ukrainian music – of course, I like Ukrainian music a lot, because Ukraine is (my) native language.

Persons: CNN —, Volodymyr Zelensky, CNN’s Erin Burnett, Zelensky, “, ”, Burnett, Defense Hanna Maliar, “ It’s, ” Zelensky, Putin, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Vladimir Putin’s, don’t, CNN Burnett Organizations: CNN, Defense, Tactical Missile Systems, United, Prigozhin, DC Locations: Odesa, Ukraine, Russia, Western, Russian, United States, Ukrainian

☆ Russia says it thwarted Ukrainian plot to kill Moscow-backed head of Crimea
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( Andrew Osborn | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

July 3 (Reuters) - Russia's FSB security service said on Monday it had thwarted a Ukrainian attempt to assassinate Sergei Aksyonov, the Russian-backed head of Crimea, arresting an agent before he could blow up Aksyonov's car. Russian media have reported that security has been stepped up in Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula that Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014, and that additional checks are being made on crossings from Russia's southern Krasnodar region into Crimea. Footage broadcast on state TV showed masked FSB operatives detaining a man in a tracksuit as he walked into a wooded area. The FSB did not name the man, who it said was in his mid-30s and had entered Crimea in June. Aksyonov thanked the FSB and said he was sure the individuals who ordered the assassination would be found and punished.

Persons: Sergei Aksyonov, Ukraine's, Aksyonov, Andrew Osborn, Mark Trevelyan, Kevin Liffey Organizations: Reuters, Thomson Locations: Russian, Crimea, Ukraine, Russia, Russia's, Krasnodar, Ukrainian, Simferopol

Odesa, Ukraine CNN —Vladimir Putin’s response to the armed Wagner rebellion was “weak” and the Russian President is losing control of his own people, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told CNN in an exclusive interview. It’s weak,” Zelensky told CNN’s Erin Burnett in Odesa, in an interview taped on Sunday. Zelensky told CNN he was “surprised” to see his meeting with Burns reported in the media. Speaking at a news conference in Kyiv Saturday, Zelensky said Prigozhin’s rebellion had “greatly affected Russian power on the battlefield” and could be beneficial to Ukraine’s counteroffensive. Asked whether there was any scenario under which there could be peace without Crimea, Zelensky said: “It will not be victory then.”

Persons: Erin Burnett’s, Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine CNN — Vladimir Putin’s, Wagner, Putin, Yevgeny Prigozhin, ” Zelensky, CNN’s Erin Burnett, Prigozhin, ’, Zelensky, Prigozhin’s, Bill Burns, ”, Burns, “, ” Burns, Burnett Organizations: Ukraine CNN —, CNN, US Central Intelligence Agency, CIA, Kyiv Locations: Odesa, Ukraine, Russian, Ukrainian, Moscow, Russia, Rostov, Kyiv, Crimea

CNN —At least 21,000 Wagner mercenaries have been killed fighting in Ukraine, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky. The Ukrainian leader said the private military company had suffered “enormous losses,” particularly in eastern Ukraine where its “most powerful group” was fighting. “Our troops killed 21,000 Wagnerites in eastern Ukraine alone,” Zelensky told reporters in Kyiv on Saturday, adding that another 80,000 Wagner fighters had been wounded. Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Because it’s only in Russia that they want to kill me, whereas the entire world wants to kill him.”

Persons: Wagner, Volodymyr Zelensky, ”, “, ” Zelensky, Zelensky, Pedro Sanchez, Sanchez, William Burns, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Prigozhin, Alexander Lukashenko, Lukashenko, Vladimir Putin, Mike Pence, Ukraine – Organizations: CNN, Wagner PMC, Spanish, of, European Union, CIA, Moscow, Belarusian, Wagner, Republican Locations: Ukraine, Kyiv, Spain, Russian, Belarus, United States, Russia

☆ Serious threat remains at Ukraine nuclear plant, Zelenskiy says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Rescuers and police officers attend an anti-radiation drill in case of an emergency situation at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine June 29, 2023. REUTERS/Stringer/File PhotoKYIV, July 1 (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy warned on Saturday that a "serious threat" remained at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and said Russia was "technically ready" to provoke a localized explosion at the facility. Zelenskiy called for greater international attention to the Zaporizhzhia plant, Europe's largest civil nuclear facility, and urged sanctions on Russia's state nuclear company Rosatom. Energoatom, Ukraine's nuclear power authority, said on Friday it had conducted two days of exercises simulating the effects of an attack on the Zaporizhzhia plant. Ukraine, then part of the Soviet Union, suffered the world's worst nuclear accident in 1986, when clouds of radioactive material spread across much of Europe after an explosion and fire at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant.

Persons: Stringer, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, Pedro Sanchez, Russia's Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, U.N, Vassily Nebenzia, Sanchez, Olena Harmash, Tom Balmforth, David Holmes, Ron Popeski, David Gregorio Our Organizations: REUTERS, Spanish, Thomson Locations: Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Russian, Russia, Rivne, Belarus, Spain, Enerhodar, Soviet Union, Europe

☆ Ukraine's Zelenskiy says 'serious threat' remains at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

KYIV, July 1 (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy warned on Saturday that a "serious threat" remained at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and said Russia was "technically ready" to provoke a localized explosion at the facility. Zelenskiy cited Ukrainian intelligence as the source of his information. Zelenskiy called for greater international attention to the situation at the facility in southeastern Ukraine, which is Europe's largest nuclear plant. The Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, located near the city of Enerhodar in southern Ukraine, has been occupied by Russia since early March last year, shortly after Moscow's invasion. Russia has previously denied Kyiv's accusations that Russia was preparing an explosion at the plant.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, Pedro Sanchez, Sanchez, Olena Harmash, Tom Balmforth, David Holmes Organizations: Spanish, Ukraine, Thomson Locations: Russian, Russia, Kyiv, Ukraine, Spain, Enerhodar, Moscow, Soviet Union, Europe

☆ Ukraine Says It Is Ready for Arrival of Wagner Troops in Belarus
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-01 | by ( Megan Specia | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

As Belarus has ratcheted up its messaging about plans to offer refuge — and possibly work — to Wagner group mercenaries after a failed rebellion in Russia, Ukrainian forces say they are ready for any potential threat from their neighbor to the north. In recent days, Ukrainian officials have tried to tamp down concerns while heralding their preparations, with President Volodymyr Zelensky nodding to plans for reinforcing the border in his overnight address into Saturday and top commanders emphasizing that no current threat had been found. Mr. Zelensky indicated that Ukrainian intelligence was monitoring the situation closely, adding, “We very carefully analyze every fact and any prospects in all directions.” Ukraine’s top generals were “instructed to strengthen the northern direction — to guarantee peace,” he said. This week, Aleksandr G. Lukashenko, the Kremlin-aligned autocratic leader of Belarus, invited members of the Wagner group who had participated in a rebellion against Russian forces to relocate to an “abandoned” military base in his country. New satellite imagery from Thursday and Friday, analyzed by The New York Times, shows that more than 250 tents, enough to house thousands of troops, have been erected in the past five days at an unused base.

Persons: —, Wagner, Volodymyr Zelensky, Zelensky, Ukraine’s, “, ”, Aleksandr G, Lukashenko Organizations: The New York Times Locations: Belarus, Russia, Ukrainian

☆ Russia reducing personnel at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant - Ukrainian intelligence
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

KYIV, June 30 (Reuters) - Russia is gradually reducing the number of personnel at the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station in southern Ukraine, Ukraine's military intelligence agency said on Friday. Kyiv accused Russia this month of planning a "terrorist" attack at the nuclear plant involving the release of radiation. GUR said that among the first to leave the nuclear power station were three employees of Russian state nuclear firm Rosatom who had been "in charge of the Russians' activities". Kyiv and Moscow have accused each other of shelling the vast complex at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station, Europe's largest. Ukraine, then part of the Soviet Union, suffered the world's worst nuclear accident in 1986 at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant.

Persons: GUR, Rosatom, Anna Pruchnicka, Timothy Organizations: Reuters, Directorate of Intelligence, Ministry of Defence, Employees, Timothy Heritage, Thomson Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Russians, Crimea, Enerhodar, Kyiv, Soviet Union

☆ What next for Wagner? Russia’s Putin battles to regain control after short-lived revolt
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Sam Meredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Members of Wagner group looks from a military vehicle in Rostov-on-Don late on June 24, 2023. It marked what many regard as the greatest challenge to Russian President Vladimir Putin's authority in his more than two decades in power. Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with servicemen at the Kremlin in Moscow on June 27, 2023. At best, Granville said the Wagner Group was likely to be "a shadow of its former self" in Ukraine following the revolt. Russia's political crisisRussian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Friday dismissed questions about a political crisis.

Persons: Wagner, Roman Romokhov, Vladimir Putin's, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Vladimir Putin, Mikhail Tereshchenko, nationalize Wagner, Putin, Wagner Group's Prigiozhin, Alexander Lukashenko, that's, Pat Ryder, Faustin, BARBARA DEBOUT, Ryder, It's, Christopher Granville, Granville, Sergey Lavrov, Lavrov, Sergei Surovikin, Surovikin Organizations: AFP, Getty, Wagner Group, Kremlin, Russian Ministry of Defense's, Wagner, Russian Armed Forces, Belarusian, Analysts, CNBC, Pentagon, Central African, TS Lombard, Reuters, Associated Press Locations: Rostov, Ukraine, Moscow, Europe, U.S, Russia, Asipovichy, Belarus, Belarusian, Africa, Syria, BANGUI, Central African Republic, Bangui, France, AFP, Russian

☆ Ukraine's Zelenskiy orders moves to strengthen northern military sector
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

KYIV, June 30 (Reuters) - President Volodymyr Zelenskiy ordered top military commanders on Friday to strengthen Ukraine's northern military sector following the arrival of Russian mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin in Belarus. He said a meeting with government and military leaders had also heard a report from Ukrainian intelligence and security forces about the situation in Belarus, Ukraine's northern neighbour. "The decision...is for Commander-in-Chief (Valeriy) Zaluzhnyi and 'North' commander (Serhiy) Naev to implement a set of measures to strengthen this direction," Zelenskiy said on the Telegram messaging app. Zelenskiy said the situation in other frontline areas, supplies of artillery and shells, and advances by Ukrainian troops against Russia's occupying forces were also discussed at the meeting. After pushing Russian out of northern regions last year, Ukraine implemented measures to tighten the defence of its border with Belarus, a close ally of Russia.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Serhiy, Naev, Zelenskiy, Wagner, Prigozhin, Alexander Lukashenko, Olena Harmash, Timothy Organizations: Saturday, Media, Russia, Timothy Heritage, Thomson Locations: Belarus, Russia, Asipovichi, Minsk, Ukraine

☆ Russia's Navalny defends himself in court against new extremism charges
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

MELEKHOVO, Russia, June 19 (Reuters) - Jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny appeared before a Russian court on Monday to defend himself against new charges of extremism that could extend his prison term by decades. His supporters accuse Moscow of trying to break him to silence his criticism of President Vladimir Putin, something the Kremlin denies. In a tweet posted on his account by his supporters last month, Navalny responded with typical irony to the new charges. In April, investigators formally linked Navalny supporters to the murder of Vladlen Tatarsky, a popular military blogger and supporter of Russia's military campaign in Ukraine who was killed by a bomb in St Petersburg. Russia's National Anti-terrorism Committee (NAC) said Ukrainian intelligence had organised the bombing with help from Navalny's supporters.

Persons: Alexei Navalny, Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Peskov, Navalny, Alexei, I've, Vladlen, Mark Trevelyan, Kevin Liffey Organizations: IK, Moscow, Kremlin, Journalists, General's, Ukraine, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Russia, Ukraine, MELEKHOVO, Melekhovo, Moscow, Germany, Soviet, St Petersburg

☆ A covert Ukrainian military group says they're focused on killing Russian officers in order to destroy the enemy's morale: CNN
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A secretive Ukrainian unit says its focus includes killing Russian officers, according to CNN. It's not clear how many officers they've killed, but many senior Russians have died in the conflict. Its assignments have included killing Russian officers, with the aim of creating fear, chaos, and mistrust in Russia's ranks, CNN said. Russian officers have suffered an unusually high death toll in the conflict. CNN described Brabus' group as "part of a shadowy tapestry of units falling under various Ukrainian intelligence organizations."

Persons: It's, they've, —, Brabus, Vladimir Putin Organizations: CNN, Service, Russian Locations: Ukrainian, Russian, Bakhmut, Russia, Ukraine, Zaporizhzhia

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