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☆ Viktor Sokolov: Ukraine 'clarifying' whether Russian commander was killed in strike, after video purportedly shows him alive
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Olga Voitovych Clare Sebastian Florence Davey-Attlee Rob Picheta | Olga Voitovych | Clare Sebastian | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Ukraine’s military has said it is “clarifying” information received about the alleged assassination of Russian commander Viktor Sokolov, after Moscow released a video that appears to show him alive and well. Kyiv claimed on Monday it killed Sokolov, the commander of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, in an attack on the fleet’s headquarters in occupied Crimea last Friday. The nametape on his uniform reads Sokolov V. N. and his screen shows the Cyrillic letters “ЧФ,” the abbreviation for the Black Sea Fleet. “Available sources claim that the Black Sea Fleet Commander is among the dead. Russia appointed Sokolov as its new commander for its Crimea-based Black Sea fleet in August 2022, according to reports from state media outlet TASS at the time.

Persons: CNN —, Viktor Sokolov, Sokolov, Sergei Shoigu, Rustem Umerov, CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, “, ” Umerov, Amanpour, Dmitry Peskov, Crimea –, Andrii Yusov Organizations: CNN, Russian Ministry of Defense, Black, Fleet, Ukraine Special Operations Forces, Ukrainian Special Operations Forces, Ukrainian Defense Intelligence, Naval Academy, Northern Fleet, ЧФ Locations: Moscow, Crimea, Kyiv, Ukraine, Russia, Ukrainian Crimea, ” Ukraine, Russian, Saky, Sevastopol

CNN —Ukraine has claimed it killed the commander of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, in one of Kyiv’s boldest attacks yet on the occupied peninsula of Crimea. The Ukrainian Special Operations Forces said in an update that Friday’s attack killed Viktor Sokolov along with 33 other officers. “After the hit of the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, 34 officers were killed, including the commander of the Russian Black Sea Fleet,” the Ukrainians said Monday, adding that more than 100 other Russian servicemen were wounded. Moscow has said that one serviceman is missing as a result of Ukraine’s attack on Sevastopol. Ukraine has increasingly been hitting strategic Russian targets in Crimea, the Black Sea region of southern Ukraine that has been occupied by Moscow since 2014.

Persons: Viktor Sokolov, “, Andrii Yusov, ”, Sokolov Organizations: CNN, Ukrainian Special Operations Forces, Fleet, The, 744th Communications Center, Command, Black, Ukrainian Defense Intelligence, Special Operations Forces, Navy, Naval Academy, Northern Fleet, Ukraine’s Security Locations: Ukraine, Crimea, Russian, Moscow, Sevastopol, Verkhniosadove, Russia, Ukrainian Crimea, ”, ” Russia, Saky

And at least 10 people were injured in overnight missile attacks on the city of Cherkasy in central Ukraine. Last year, Russia began a series of intense attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in October. Ukrenergo said the overnight missile attacks resulted in damage to power facilities in western and central regions and caused blackouts in several areas. Ukrainian air defenses shot down 36 of 43 missiles launched by Russia on Thursday, Ukraine’s army chief said. On Thursday, Zelensky travels to meet Biden, who is seeking to hear a “battlefield perspective,” the White House said.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Joe Biden, Vitalii Klitschko, Ukrenergo, Ukraine’s, “, ”, Ihor Klymenko, Kyiv City Military Administration Serhii Popko, Vladyslav Sodel, Sergei Supinsky, Zelensky, ” Zelensky, Biden, John Kirby Organizations: Ukraine CNN —, White House, Internal, Kyiv City Military Administration, Russia, Reuters Firefighters, Getty, United Nations General Assembly, UN, National Security Locations: Kyiv, Ukraine, Ukraine CNN — Ukraine, Kherson, Kharkiv, Russia, Cherkasy, “, Vladyslav, AFP, New York, Ukrainian

“The federation has worked to be able to talk to the players,” she said. “The Royal Spanish Football Federation has no right to deprive Spain of the women’s national team, even more so after having won the World Cup. Alexia Putellas controls the ball against Japan during the Women's World Cup. Of the 15 players who signed the letters, only three were in Spain’s World Cup squad: Mariona Caldentey, Aitana Bonmatí and Ona Batlle. However, now that Vilda and Rubiales have left their positions, RFEF hopes to kick-start a new chapter in women’s soccer.

Persons: Luis Rubiales, Jennifer Hermoso, Montse Tomé’s, Jorge Vilda, RFEF, Athenea del Castillo, Misa Rodríguez, Olga Carmona, Teresa Abelleira –, Friday’s, Rodríguez, Tomé, ”, “ I’ve, We’ve, Montse Tomé, Rodrigo Jimenez, Hermoso –, –, Hermoso, Víctor Francos, Francos, “, Miquel Iceta, ” Iceta, Alexia Putellas, Marty Melville, Iker Casillas, ” AFE, Mariona, Aitana, Ona Batlle, Rubiales, Thomas Coex, Carla Vall Organizations: CNN, Spanish women’s, Royal Spanish Football Federation, Sweden, Athenea, UEFA Women’s Nations League, Cadena SER, Spanish, of Sport, country’s, Sport, Spain’s Law of Sport, ’, High, women’s, Japan, Getty, Women’s Nations, England, Federation, National Court Locations: Switzerland, Spain, Madrid, AFP, RFEF, Sweden, Spanish, Australia, New Zealand, women’s soccer

MADRID, Sept 19 (Reuters) - Some of the rebel players from Spain's World Cup-winning women's squad who had threatened to boycott the national team in a push to stamp out sexism at the football federation (RFEF) on Tuesday reported for training under the threat of being sanctioned. Two sources close to players said they were expecting the whole squad to report in view of the threat of sanctions. Asked as she arrived at the hotel whether she was happy to have been selected for the team, Misa Rodriguez replied: "No." Hermoso was not on the squad list announced by new coach Montse Tome on Monday, which included 15 of the 23 cup-winning players. Reporting by Fernando Kallas and Guillermo Martinez; Writing by Charlie Devereux; Editing by Hugh LawsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Misa Rodriguez, Olga Carmona, Oihane Hernandez, Eva Navarro, Tere Abelleira, Montse Tome, Luis Rubiales, Jorge Vilda, Jenni Hermoso, Rubiales, Ballon, Alexia Putellas, Hermoso, Vilda, Tome, Victor Francos, Francos, Isabel Rodriguez, Rodriguez, Fernando Kallas, Guillermo Martinez, Charlie Devereux, Hugh Lawson Organizations: Spanish, Women's Nations League, Sweden, Sports, Monday, SER, Switzerland, Nations League, Olympic Games, Thomson Locations: MADRID, Madrid's, Valencia, Spain, Gothenburg, Cordoba, Europe

CNN —Carla Vall, lawyer for Spanish soccer star Jennifer Hermoso, reiterated that the kiss by ex-Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales to her client after the Women’s World Cup final was non-consensual. That’s what we’ll show,” Vall said after leaving the National Court in the capital of Madrid. “it’s just the beginning of the investigation at court,” Vall added. Earlier this week, the National Court announced it had admitted a complaint made against Rubiales by Spanish prosecutors for sexual assault and coercion. Interim RFEF president Pedro Rocha then began to make moves as part of his “regeneration” of the federation, firing controversial coach Jorge Vilda and appointing his deputy, Montse Tomé.

Persons: Carla Vall, Jennifer Hermoso, Luis Rubiales, Rubiales, ” Vall, “ it’s, Olga Tubau, Irina R Hipolito, Shutterstock, Hermoso, “, Pedro Rocha, Jorge Vilda, Montse Tomé, Rocha, Víctor Organizations: CNN, Royal Spanish Football Federation, Spanish, National Court, Rubiales, Interim, High Council of Sport Locations: Spanish, Madrid, RFEF

MADRID (AP) — Luis Rubiales, the former president of the Spanish soccer federation, denied any wrongdoing when questioned by a judge investigating his kissing a player on the lips last month at the Women’s World Cup, Spain's state prosecutors' office said Friday. He said she had consented to the kiss, but Hermoso has denied that repeatedly. Spanish state prosecutors formally accused Rubiales last week of sexual assault and an act of coercion. According to Hermoso, Rubiales pressured her to speak out in his defense immediately after the scandal erupted. The state prosecutors’ office said Rubiales denied both accusations when answering questions by the judge in an hour-long hearing that was closed to the public.

Persons: — Luis Rubiales, Judge Francisco de Jorge, Rubiales, Jenni Hermoso, Hermoso, Olga Tubau, Carla Vall i Duran, ” Vall, Duran, De Jorge, ___ Wilson, ___ Organizations: MADRID, Spain’s, Spain, England, National Court, Rubiales, FIFA Locations: Spanish, Spain, Sydney, Australia, Barcelona

☆ Spain's ex-soccer boss Rubiales due in court in sex assault investigation
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Emma Pinedo | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

It also sent a shudder through the male-dominated ranks of Spain's football establishment. Rubiales, 46, has maintained that the kiss was mutual and consensual. After weeks of resisting calls for him to step down as president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), Rubiales, already suspended by FIFA, finally quit on Sept. 10. The RFEF has since sacked women's team coach Jorge Vilda, appointing his assistant Montse Tome instead as the first woman at its helm. Reporting by Emma Pinedo, editing by Andrei Khalip and Angus MacSwanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Luis Rubiales, Jenni Hermoso, Piers Morgan, Yolanda Diaz, chauvinsim, Marta Durantez Gil, Hermoso, Rubiales, Francisco de Jorge, De Jorge, Jorge Vilda, Montse Tome, Striker Olga Carmona, Emma Pinedo, Andrei Khalip, Angus MacSwan Organizations: Royal Spanish Football Federation, FIFA, High, Rubiales, TVE, government's, women's, Thomson Locations: MADRID, Spanish, Sydney, British

☆ Picasso masterpiece depicting his young mistress sells for $139 million at Sotheby’s auction
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Lianne Kolirin | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —A Picasso masterpiece entitled “Femme à la montre” fetched more than $139 million on Wednesday, becoming the second most valuable work by the artist ever sold at auction. The 1932 oil painting took center-stage at a two-day event at Sotheby’s in New York, at the sale of late philanthropist Emily Fisher Landau’s private collection. She is pictured here in front of Fernand Léger's "Étude pour Les Constructeurs" in her home in Manhattan in 2002. In a statement announcing the sale in September, Julian Dawes, Sotheby’s head of Impressionist & Modern Art for the Americas, said: “Picasso’s ‘Femme à la Montre’ is a masterpiece by every measure. Andy Warhol's 1986 self portrait will also be auctioned as part of Fisher Landau's collection.

Persons: CNN —, ”, Emily Fisher, Emily Fisher Landau, Fernand Léger's, ” Marie, Thérèse Walter, Picasso, London’s, Julian Dawes, Sotheby’s, ” Picasso, Walter, Olga Khokhlova, Galerie Georges Petit, Fisher Landau, Andy Warhol's, Fisher, Mark Rothko, Andy Warhol, Willem de Kooning, Jasper Johns, Ed, fenêtre, Thérèse, Picasso’s Organizations: CNN, London’s Tate, Art, Galerie, Lloyds Locations: New York, Manhattan, Paris, Americas, Russian, Ukrainian, Georgia, London, Marie

☆ Picasso portrait of mistress Marie-Thérèse Walter could sell for over $120 million at auction
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Lianne Kolirin | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —A Picasso masterpiece entitled “Femme à la montre” is expected to fetch more than $120 million when it goes up for auction this fall. Sotheby'sThe piece, which measures 51¼ x 38 inches (130 x 96.5 centimeters), depicts Picasso’s lover and “golden muse” Marie-Thérèse Walter, who featured in many of his portraits. In a statement announcing the sale, Julian Dawes, Sotheby’s head of Impressionist & Modern Art for the Americas, said: “Picasso’s ‘Femme à la Montre’ is a masterpiece by every measure. The artist painted “Femme à la montre” in August 1932, soon after the retrospective at the Galerie Georges Petit in Paris ended. Andy Warhol's 1986 self portrait will also be auctioned as part of Fisher Landau's collection.

Persons: Emily Fisher Landau, Fernand Léger's, ” Marie, Thérèse Walter, Picasso, London’s, Julian Dawes, Sotheby’s, ” Picasso, Walter, Olga Khokhlova, ”, Galerie Georges Petit, Fisher Landau, Andy Warhol's, Fisher, Mark Rothko, Andy Warhol, Willem de Kooning, Fisher Landau’s, fenêtre, Thérèse, Picasso’s Organizations: CNN, London’s Tate, Art, Galerie, Lloyds Locations: New York, Manhattan, Paris, Americas, Russian, Ukrainian, Georgia, London, Marie

CNN —Two Russian warships were damaged after Ukraine launched an extensive assault on a Russian ship repair base in Crimea early Wednesday morning, officials said, in what appears to be Kyiv’s most ambitious strike on the port since the war began. Russia’s Defense Ministry said Ukrainian armed forces attacked the Sergo Ordzhonikidze shipyard in Sevastopol, which Russia uses as a repair base for its Black Sea Fleet, with 10 cruise missiles and three unmanned boats. But Russian officials confirmed that the attack had damaged two Russian warships and left 24 people injured. An ambulance leaves the area next to the shipyard in Sevastopol, Crimea, on September 13, 2023. Stringer/ReutersAnother prominent Russian military blogger said the attack on the Sevastopol shipyard was carried out by the Ukrainian Air Force, which launched 10 Storm Shadow cruise missiles at the facility.

Persons: Vasily Bykov, Mikhail Razvozhaev, Razvozhaev, Don ”, Stringer, Rybar, ” Rybar, Andriy Yermak, ” Yermak, Mykola Oleshchuk, Volodymyr Zelensky, Elon Musk, Walter Isaacson’s Organizations: CNN, Russia’s Defense Ministry, Reuters, Ukrainian Air Force, Su, Storm, Ukrainian, Russian, SpaceX Locations: Ukraine, Russian, Crimea, Ukrainian, Sevastopol, Russia, Rostov, Minsk, ”, United Kingdom, France, Novorossiysk, Kerch, Crimean

CNN —Luis Rubiales, the former head of Spain’s soccer federation (RFEF), has been summoned to testify before a Spanish court on Friday as part of an investigation into his unwanted kiss on Jennifer Hermoso at the Women’s World Cup final. This comes after Spain’s National Court admitted a complaint by Spanish prosecutors against Rubiales for “the crimes of sexual assault and coercion” on Monday. That process also includes requesting videos of the kiss from various news outlets, as well as footage of Spain’s Women’s World Cup medal ceremony and locker room celebrations, a court spokesman told CNN. “Well, there’s been more than Rubiales’ resignation, there’s also been other changes, we have a new coach,” Carmona said. “Rubiales’ resignation is still very recent, it only happened last night, and so we have to discuss as a group and see what happens.”

Persons: CNN — Luis Rubiales, Jennifer Hermoso, Rubiales, ”, Luis Francisco de Jorge, LUIS MANUEL RUBIALES BÉJAR, Hermoso, Friday’s, Spain’s, –, Pedro Rocha, Jorge Vilda, Montse Tomé, Víctor Francos, Rocha, Olga Carmona, Vilda, “, there’s, ” Carmona Organizations: CNN, National Court, women’s, High Council of Sport, Nations League, Sweden Locations: Spain, Spanish, RFEF

☆ Olga Carmona: Spain star ‘angry’ that Luis Rubiales’ unwanted kiss tarnished Women’s World Cup victory
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Homero De La Fuente | George Ramsay | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Olga Carmona, the Spanish soccer star who scored the winning goal in the Women’s World Cup final, said it made her “angry” that Luis Rubiales’ unwanted kiss on teammate Jennifer Hermoso overshadowed the team’s historic victory. “Yes, it does make me angry and I think that hopefully from now they’ll talk about how we are world champions.”Spain's players celebrate defeating England to win the Women's World Cup. Catherine Ivill/Getty ImagesWhen asked if she had spoken with Hermoso, Carmona confirmed she had not. TF-Images/DeFodi Images/Getty ImagesThe Spanish women’s national team is scheduled to play Sweden away on September 22 in the Women’s Nations League. The board for women’s soccer was meeting for the first time since being created earlier this year.

Persons: CNN — Olga Carmona, Luis Rubiales, Jennifer Hermoso, Rubiales, Carmona, Hermoso, ” Carmona, “, ”, Catherine Ivill, Jorge Vilda, –, Montse Tomé, there’s, ” Luis Rubiales, Rubiales ’, d’Or Féminin, Alexia Putellas Organizations: CNN, England, Real Madrid, Royal Spanish Football Federation, Spanish women’s, Sweden, Women’s Nations, UEFA, National Court Locations: Spanish, “

The mandatory raise would apply to all fast food restaurants in California that are part of a chain with at least 60 locations nationwide. The agreement ends an tense standoff between labor unions and the fast food industry that started last year when Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law creating a Fast Food Council with the authority to raise wages of fast food workers up to $22 per hour. In exchange for a $20 minimum wage, labor unions have withdrawn their legislation to make fast food companies liable for their franchise operators' labor violations and lawmakers have stripped funding for the Industrial Welfare Commission. The Fast Food Council created in the original legislation would still exist, but it would only have the authority to set wages, not workplace standards.

Persons: Ingrid Vilorio, ”, Vilorio, Gavin Newsom, Newsom, Kathy Fairbanks, Sean Kennedy, Joseph Bryant, Olga R, Rodriguez Organizations: San Francisco Bay Area, Democratic Gov, Food, Democratic, Industrial Welfare Commission, Food Council, National Restaurant Association, Service Employees International Union Locations: SACRAMENTO, Calif, California, San Francisco Bay, U.S, San Francisco

CNN —A drone attack caused an explosion near Russia’s military headquarters in the city of Rostov-on-Don on Thursday, as Kyiv continues a campaign of strategic aerial strikes in Russian territory. Russian air defense systems separately intercepted a drone attack near Moscow, the capital’s mayor Sergey Sobyanin said in a post on Telegram on Thursday. “Tonight, in the Ramensky urban district, air defense forces thwarted a drone attack on Moscow. “There will be a just retribution for everything.”In addition to the attacks on Russian territory, Kyiv has continued to also hit Russian-occupied territory in Ukraine. Russian-appointed officials in occupied Zaporizhzhia say there was another Ukrainian drone attack on Enerhodar, the city adjacent to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, early on Thursday.

Persons: Vasily Golubev, Golubev, Wagner, Sergey Sobyanin, ” Sobyanin, OLGA MALTSEVA, Denys Shmyhal, “, Jens Stoltenberg, ”, Volodymyr Zelensky Organizations: CNN, Getty, NATO Locations: Rostov, Kyiv, Russia, Ukrainian, Moscow, AFP, Ukraine, Russian, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia

MEXICO CITY (AP) — A Mexican Supreme Court ruling that invalidated all federal criminal penalties for abortion continued a regional trend of widening access to the procedure, but left in place a patchwork of varying state restrictions. Political Cartoons on World Leaders View All 226 ImagesPolitical Cartoons View All 1146 ImagesSome 20 Mexican states, however, still criminalize abortion. Those laws were not affected by the Supreme Court ruling, but abortion rights advocates will likely ask state judges to follow its logic. Abortion-rights activists will have to continue seeking legalization state by state, though Wednesday's decision should make that easier. Some American women were already seeking help from Mexican abortion rights activists to obtain pills used to end pregnancies.

Persons: Sen, Olga Sánchez Cordero, Irma Barrientos, We’re, ” Barrientos, “, we’re, Fernanda Díaz de, de León, Díaz de León, León, Roe, Wade, Marina Reyna, ”, Geoff Mulvihill Organizations: MEXICO CITY, Court, Group, National Institute for Women, Twitter, Civil Association for, U.S, Supreme, Observers, Guerrero, Women, Associated Locations: MEXICO, “, United States, Mexico, Aguascalientes, America, Mexico City, Argentina, Colombia, Guerrero, Cherry Hill , New Jersey

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s Supreme Court threw out all federal criminal penalties for abortion Wednesday, ruling that national laws prohibiting the procedure are unconstitutional and violate women’s rights in a sweeping decision that extended Latin American’s trend of widening abortion access. Some 20 Mexican states, however, still criminalize abortion. After 40 years, the Supreme Court reversed its abortion decision, and we’re not going to stop until Mexico guarantees the right to life from the moment of conception." Some American women were already seeking help from Mexican abortion rights activists to obtain pills used to end pregnancies. Her state decriminalized abortion last year, but there are 22 open investigations against women accused of ending their pregnancies.

Persons: —, “, Sen, Olga Sánchez Cordero, Irma Barrientos, We’re, ” Barrientos, we’re, Fernanda Díaz de, de León, Díaz de León, León, Roe, Wade, Marina Reyna, ”, Geoff Mulvihill Organizations: MEXICO CITY, Group, National Institute for Women, Twitter, Civil Association for, U.S, Supreme, Observers, Guerrero, Women, Associated Locations: MEXICO, “, United States, Mexico, Aguascalientes, America, Mexico City, Argentina, Colombia, Guerrero, Cherry Hill , New Jersey

Last week, Ukrainian forces said they had penetrated the first line of Russian strongholds in Zaporizhzhia. Ukrainian forces raise the national flag in Robotyne, in Zaporizhzhia, on August 23, after recapturing the village. But Shtupun conceded that the second line “is quite powerful.”“I don’t know why everyone thinks it is weaker. Russian forces deployed artillery and air strikes against Ukrainian forces to the west of Robotyne. Russian forces have reportedly reinforced their defenses in the area with an injection of fresh troops.

Persons: Valerii, Oleksandr Shtupun, Shtupun, Yevgeniy Balitskiy, ”, Antony Blinken, Volodymyr Zelensky Organizations: CNN, Ukrainian, Reuters, General Staff, Institute for Locations: Robotyne, Zaporizhzia, Tokmak, Zaporizhzhia, Ukrainian, Russian, Verbove, Washington, Kyiv

☆ It’s One of Ukraine’s Fiercest Allies. But an Election Could Change That.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Andrew Higgins | More About Andrew Higgins | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

When the ambassador visited Ladomirova, he met with Mr. Cuper’s bitter rival, a former mayor whom Mr. Cuper had accused of embezzling village funds and who was convicted of fraud in 2019. The former mayor’s wife, Olga Bojcikova, who declined to be interviewed, was at the time running against Mr. Cuper, who was backed by pro-Ukrainian parties, in the local election last October. The ambassador’s story of “razed” Russian graves, though debunked by the police, was, Mr. Cuper recalled, “blown out of all proportion” by Kremlin-friendly Slovaks, particularly the Brat za Brata bikers. Mr. Cuper said he never touched the graves but had removed stone border markers because they were falling apart. The cemetery contains the unidentified bodies of soldiers from various countries, including Russia, killed in a World War I battle.

Persons: Ladomirova, Cuper’s, Cuper, Olga Bojcikova, “, ” “, ”, Maros Zilinka Organizations: Mr, Kremlin, Facebook Locations: Russia, United States

CNN —One of Ukraine’s most powerful oligarchs has been arrested in a fraud investigation, state media in the country are reporting. A Kyiv court on Saturday ordered Ihor Kolomoisky, a key supporter of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s 2019 presidential campaign, to 60 days in pre-trial detention while authorities investigate fraud charges against him, reported Ukrinform. Kolomoisky’s media and banking businesses have made him one of the richest men in Ukraine. Video and photos showed Kolomoisky being led away from the district court in Kyiv. Earlier this year Zelensky fired a slew of senior Ukrainian officials over a corruption scandal linked to the procurement of war-time supplies.

Persons: Ihor Kolomoisky, Volodymyr Zelensky’s, Kolomoisky, Ukrinform, –, ”, Vasyl Maliuk, Zelensky, Arsen Avakov, Avakov Organizations: CNN, US State Department, State Department, Security Service of Ukraine, of Economic Security, General’s, Kolomoisky, “ Locations: Ukraine, Shevchenkivskyi, Kyiv, Europe, Russia

☆ Russia to recruit foreigners in neighboring countries to beef up its army depleted by 300,000 war casualties, says the UK Defense Ministry
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-03 | by ( Rebecca Rommen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Russia is outsourcing military recruitment to "avoid unpopular domestic mobilization measures," says UK MoD. The Kremlin wants to fill the growing gaps in army ranks foreigners and migrant workers. Russia's military casualties are approaching 300,000, say US officials. The campaign to exploit migrant workers and enlist men from neighboring countries precedes Russia's upcoming presidential election in 2024. Russia's military casualties are approaching 300,000, of which as many as 120,000 are deaths and up to 180,000 are injuries, US officials said last month.

Persons: OLGA MALTSEVA Organizations: MoD, Kremlin, Service, UK Ministry of Defence, Ministry, Getty Images, Ukraine, Central Locations: Russia, Wall, Silicon, Ukraine, Saint Petersburg, AFP, Kazakhstani

☆ The Ukraine War has accelerated research into lithium-ion battery alternatives, including ones made of sand
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-03 | by ( Katie Hawkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The war in Ukraine has spurred more research into clean energy, including lithium-ion alternatives. Polar Night Energy says batteries made of sand could be as effective without the same risks. It has also spurred research into safer alternatives to the lithium-ion batteries used in the ever-expanding electric vehicle market. One of the key resulting innovations has been new alternatives to lithium-ion batteries, the development of which is tied to human rights abuses and environmental harm. Beyond the human rights abuses prevalent in the cobalt industry, lithium-ion batteries also present environmental hazards.

Persons: Olga Khakova, Khakova Organizations: Energy, Service, Research, The Washington Post, Global Energy Center, Atlantic Council, Washington Post, Amnesty, Democratic, CNN Locations: Ukraine, Wall, Silicon, Europe, Russia, Finnish, Democratic Republic of, Congo

CNN —Ukraine’s counteroffensive is “moving forward” after Kyiv made some headway in its campaign to recapture territory seized by Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday. Despite everything and no matter what anyone says, we are advancing, and that is the most important thing. It is unclear if Zelensky is referring to a specific official or comment, but he appears to be trying to reverse the narrative that Ukraine’s summer counteroffensive has, to date, delivered poorer-than-expected results. Despite continued sluggish progress, Kyiv said in mid-July it felt no pressure for quick results. Zelensky and Kirby’s statements echo what Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour on Friday.

Persons: CNN —, Volodymyr Zelensky, ” Zelenksy, John Kirby, Dmytro Kuleba, CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, Kuleba, CNN Kuleba, you’re, ” Kuleba Organizations: CNN, Kyiv, US National Security Council, Russia’s Ministry of Defense, Ukrainian Locations: Russia, Ukrainian, Ukraine, Zaporizhzhia, Robotyne, Crimean, Kremlin, Kyiv, Verbove, United States

Kyiv, Ukraine CNN —Kateryna Pylypenko prepared two backpacks for her youngest son’s first day of school on Friday. We were told it should contain water, a toy… and something to eat while they wait in the shelter for the air raid alarm to end,” Pylypenko told CNN. Physical education is not the same now, because what kind of physical education is there in an apartment?” he told CNN. Dmytro’s mom, Viktoriia Ukrainska, told CNN she would not send him to school even if the option was available to her. “It sounds strange, but I really miss school,” Dmytro told CNN.

Persons: Ukraine CNN — Kateryna Pylypenko, son’s, ” Pylypenko, Pylypenko, “, ”, Kateryna, Dmytro Ukrainsky, Viktoriia Ukrainska, We’ve, Efrem, Dimitar Dilkoff, Sergii Gorbachov, Yulia Dolzhanska, Gorbachov, ” Dmytro Organizations: Ukraine CNN, CNN, UNICEF, Getty Locations: Kyiv, Ukraine, Russian, Poland, Kateryna Pylypenko, Zaporizhzhia, Bucha, Moscow, Chernihiv, AFP, Ukrainian, Kharkiv

CNN —Ukrainian forces said they had penetrated the “first line” of Russian strongholds in the Zaporizhzhia region, in a sign that Kyiv is edging closer to Moscow’s sprawling network of fortified trenches along the southern front. CNN reported earlier this month that the US had been receiving increasingly “sobering updates.”A Ukrainian serviceman walks near a destroyed Ukrainian tank near Robotyne in the Zaporizhzhia region, on August 25, 2023. Viacheslav Ratynskyi/ReutersUkrainian soldiers ride a tank near Robotyne, a village that Kyiv took last week amid a slow and grueling counteroffensive against dense Russian defense lines. Viacheslav Ratynskyi/ReutersRussian military bloggers reported increased activity near the village of Verbove, in southeastern Ukraine, but said Moscow’s forces were resisting Ukrainian advances. Units were also stationed on the western edge of the village of Verbove, the brigade said on Telegram.

Persons: Viacheslav Ratynskyi, Verbove “, Yevgeniy Balitsky, WarGonzo Organizations: CNN, Kyiv, Ukrainian, “, Reuters, 46th Brigade, –, Verbove Locations: Zaporizhzhia, Robotyne, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Reuters Ukrainian, Kyiv, Reuters Russian, Verbove, Solodka, Tokmak, Novoprokopivka, Russian

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