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☆ Russia blames its soldiers' mobile phone use for deadly missile strike
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( Bogdan Kochubey | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Moscow previously said 63 Russian soldiers were killed in the weekend strike. The Russian defence ministry said four Ukrainian missiles hit a temporary Russian barracks in a vocational college in Makiivka, twin city of the Russian-occupied regional capital of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine. Ukraine's military has said it launched a strike that resulted in Russian loss of equipment and possibly personnel near Makiivka. A little known patriotic group which supports the widows of Russian soldiers is calling on Putin to order a large-scale mobilisation of millions of men and to close the borders to ensure victory in Ukraine. A U.S. State Department spokesperson said Washington had seen reports "that the Ukrainian military struck a Russian military barracks that stored ammunition inside of Ukrainian territory" and led to many Russian deaths.

☆ Final farewell: From Sidney Poitier to Pope Emeritus Benedict a look back at the influential figures who died in 2022
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-01 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +55 min

Other world leaders who died in 2022 include former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who died in August. The final days of 2022 saw the loss of some exceptionally notable figures, including Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. Here is a roll call of some influential figures who died in 2022 (cause of death cited for younger people, if available):___JANUARY___Dan Reeves, 77. A Cuban-born artist whose radiant color palette and geometric paintings were overlooked for decades before the art world took notice. A prolific character actor best known for playing villains and tough guys in “The Manchurian Candidate,” “Ocean’s Eleven” and other films.

☆ Did Putin really poop himself? How an influential Telegram account is spreading wild, unproven claims about the Kremlin's inner workings
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-01 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The Russian Telegram account General SVR is a source of many juicy tabloid stories about Putin. Experts on Russian media strongly doubt the account, and say it does more harm than good. They attributed them to a single, anonymous source: the mysterious Telegram account known as General SVR. Among those used to more rigorous documenting of Russia's secrets, General SVR prompts open derision. Soon after his questioning, the General SVR channel made a post denying any connection to Solovey.

☆ Italy theatre cancels show by Putin-tattooed Russian dancer
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Ballet dancer Sergei Polunin rehearses for the Project Polunin show at the Royal Opera House in London, Britain March 1, 2017. REUTERS/Neil Hall/File PhotoROME, Dec 30 (Reuters) - An Italian theatre on Friday called off a show by a prominent Russian dancer who has three tattoos of President Vladimir Putin on his chest and shoulders, reacting to online protests over the artist's scheduled appearance. The theatre said the cancellation was an act of "political and moral responsibility", given "a climate of tensions and threats". A spokeswoman said the theatre had been subjected to an email campaign as well as many negative messages online. Performances by Russian artists and Russian artworks have become controversial in the West, in the wake of Moscow's military campaign against Ukraine, which started on Feb. 24.

☆ Russia's Wagner militia is openly and angrily feuding with its main military over the faltering invasion of Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Wagner Group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin backed up criticisms of Russia's top general, the Daily Beast reported. It's more evidence of a rift at the top of Russia's military elite as the Ukraine war drags on. In the video, a Wagner fighter addresses comments to the Chief of the General Staff of Russia's army, Valery Gerasimov: "You are a fucking motherfucker," he said, per the Beast's translation. Asked to comment on the video, Prigozhin confirmed that it was his soldiers speaking, and defended them, the Beast reported. It's only the latest evidence of simmering tensions among Russia's military elite as they struggle to make headway in Ukraine — where once a total conquest was considered achievable within two days.

☆ Bankers not expecting quick recovery as IPO volumes plunge to lowest level since 2008
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Pablo Mayo Cerqueiro | Echo Wang | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

With questions swirling around monetary policy and the prospect of a looming recession, IPO advisers are not holding their breath on a near-term recovery in the equity capital markets. Global share sales plunged this year as the IPO market froze and hundreds of companies postponed stock market debuts, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine and interest rate hikes from central banks weighed on the broader economy. “It’s all about rates - the price of money changed and it has affected everything," said James Palmer, head of EMEA equity capital markets (ECM) at Bank of America. A return by long-only investors to capital markets deals is seen as key for any recovery, after a year in which hedge funds have taken a lead role as buyers of new issuance. "When the stock market is going like this, people typically don't buy new issuance," said Joshua Bonnie, co-head of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett's global capital markets practice.

☆ U.S. sees 'conflicting' views in Russia on fresh Ukraine offensive
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Humeyra Pamuk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Dec 20 (Reuters) - There are conflicting views in Russia on whether or not to launch a renewed offensive in Ukraine, a senior U.S. State Department official said on Tuesday, reiterating Washington would keep backing Kyiv regardless of which scenario plays out. The 10-month-old conflict prompted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine has spiraled into the largest in Europe since World War Two, and has killed tens of thousands of people, driven millions from their homes and reduced cities to ruins. But Russia's invasion has faltered badly since the summer with a string of losses to a Ukrainian counter-offensive that retook swathes of occupied territory and forced Moscow into a partial mobilisation of 300,000 more troops. "Certainly there are some (within Russia) who I think would want to pursue (new) offensives in Ukraine. There are others who have real questions about the capacity for Russia to actually do that," the State Department official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told reporters in Washington.

☆ Moldova fears new Russian push towards breakaway east next year -spy chief
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Alexander Tanas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

CHISINAU, Dec 19 (Reuters) - Moldova's spy chief warned on Monday of a "very high" risk of a new Russian offensive towards his country's east next year and said Moscow still aimed to secure a land corridor through Ukraine to the breakaway Moldovan region of Transdniestria. "The question is not whether the Russian Federation will undertake a new advance towards Moldova's territory, but when it will do so," Musteata told the TVR-Moldova television channel. The Information and Security Service said in a statement that it expected Russian offensive action would depend on the course of its Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine. To Ukraine's west, fellow ex-Soviet republic Moldova has a tiny defence budget and has long had Russian troops and peacekeepers based in Transdniestria, a breakaway statelet that has survived for three decades with support from Moscow. Moldova, now seeking closer ties with the West like Ukraine, has condemned the Russian invasion of its larger neighbour.

☆ Putin heads for Belarus amid fears of new assault on Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Tom Balmforth | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

KYIV, Dec 19 (Reuters) - Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin flies to Belarus on Monday amid fear in Kyiv that he intends to pressure the former Soviet ally to join a new ground offensive against Ukraine and reopen a new front. There has been constant Russian and Belarusian military activity for months in Belarus, a close Kremlin ally that Moscow's troops used as a launch pad for their abortive attack on Kyiv in February. Moscow and Minsk have since set up a joint regional unit of forces in Belarus and held numerous military exercises. Three Russian warplanes and an airborne early warning and control aircraft were deployed to Belarus last week. Lukashenko said he and Putin will hold talks on a long-running effort to integrate their countries into a supranational union State.

☆ Putin lands in Belarus for talks amid fears of new assault on Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Tom Balmforth | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/3] Russian President Vladimir Putin walks after disembarking from a plane upon his arrival at the National Airport Minsk in Minsk, Belarus December 19, 2022. Russian forces used Belarus as a launch pad for their abortive attack on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv in February, and there has been Russian and Belarusian military activity there for months. Adding to the ominous mood music, Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei, one of the few officials in Lukashenko's government with any rapport with the West, died suddenly last month. His successor, Sergei Aleinik, met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday. The talks are seen by the Belarus opposition as a vehicle for a creeping Russian annexation.

☆ Putin sounds out military commanders on Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/6] Russian President Vladimir Putin visits the Joint Headquarters of the Russian armed forces involved in military operations in Ukraine, in an unknown location in Russia, December 17, 2022. Sputnik/Gavriil Grigorov/Kremlin via REUTERSSummary This content was produced in Russia, where the law restricts coverage of Russian military operations in UkraineMOSCOW, Dec 17 (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin has sought proposals from his armed forces commanders on how they think Russia's military campaign in Ukraine should proceed, during a visit to the operation's headquarters, the Kremlin said on Saturday. Putin was then shown at the head of another conference table at the joint task force headquarters, inviting suggestions from a row of military commanders. "We will listen to the commanders in each operational direction, and I would like to hear your proposals on our immediate and medium-term actions," Putin said. Putin spent the whole of Friday at the task force headquarters, his spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Interfax news agency.

Since the early days of the invasion, Mr. Putin has conceded, privately, that the war has not gone as planned. “I think he is sincerely willing” to compromise with Russia, Mr. Putin said of Mr. Zelensky in 2019. To join in Mr. Putin’s war, he has recruited prisoners, trashed the Russian military and competed with it for weapons. To join in Mr. Putin’s war, he has recruited prisoners, trashed the Russian military and competed with it for weapons. “I think this war is Putin’s grave.” Yevgeny Nuzhin, 55, a Russian prisoner of war held by Ukraine, in October.

☆ Russia's Human Rights Council was warned not to make Putin mad with questions about the war in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Russia's Human Rights Council was told not to upset Putin with questions about Ukraine. The chair of the council was told not to address the "toxic" issue of Russia's death toll. The war in Ukraine has gone poorly for Russia, which is estimated to have suffered approximately 100,000 casualties since Putin launched the invasion in late February. Putin in November booted a number of members from the council, including xenophobia researcher Alexander Verkhovsky and anti-torture campaigner Igor Kalyapin. At the meeting, Putin said the war in Ukraine could be a "long process" and denied plans for a second mobilization.

☆ A hotline set up between Russian and US militaries at the start of the Ukraine war has been used just once, report says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Sophia Ankel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia and the US set up a "deconfliction" hotline shortly after Putin's invasion of Ukraine began. But the hotline has only been used once since then, a US official told Reuters. That missile blast, which triggered global concern, was likely caused by a Ukrainian air defense missile, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said at the time. Both the Russian Ministry of Defense and the US Department of Defense did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. Milley and his counterpart, Russian General Valery Gerasimov, have spoken on two occasions since the start of the war, the outlet said.

Reuters is the first to report on the use of the deconfliction line, beyond regular testing. SEVERAL WAYS TO COMMUNICATEThe deconfliction line is just one of several ways the U.S. and Russia militaries still have to communicate. Other military channels include rare high-level talks between U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. During the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union maintained such hot lines at different levels. Vershbow drew a comparison to the far more active deconfliction line for Syria, where U.S. and Russian military forces sometimes operate in the same airspace or terrain.

☆ Italy's La Scala defends its choice of Russian opera for season opening
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MILAN, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Milan's famous La Scala opera house has defended its decision to open its new season next month with "Boris Godunov" despite criticism from Ukrainians about staging a Russian work. La Scala artistic director, Dominque Meyer, told a news conference. "We do not do propaganda in favour of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and there is nothing against Ukraine," he added. The opening of a new season at La Scala is one of the highlights of Italy's cultural calendar. Immediately after the invasion of Ukraine in February, the Milan-based theatre said Russian conductor Valery Gergiev would not perform at La Scala after he failed to condemn the war.

☆ Russian forces were suffering from 'electronic fratricide' within days of attacking Ukraine, a new report says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Early in Russia's attack on Ukraine, Russian forces used electronic warfare to great effect. The problem for Russian forces is that their electronic warfare also jammed their own communications. Initially, Russia's jamming offensive was devastating and validated Moscow's heavy investment in electronic warfare. Not surprisingly, Russia cut back on electronic warfare after the first two days of the war. A Russian Su-35 downed by Ukrainian forces in the Kharkiv region in April.

[1/2] U.S. President Joe Biden speaks to the media after an alleged Russian missile blast in Poland, in Bali, Indonesia, November 16, 2022. REUTERS/Kevin LamarqueWASHINGTON, Nov 18 (Reuters) - President Joe Biden has been adamant that the United States will back Ukraine in its nine-month fight to repel a Russian invasion. We will determine what happened and what the appropriate next steps would be," said White House spokesperson Adrienne Watson. Sullivan, who has been in touch with Russian officials about the risks around the Ukraine invasion, did not make contact in relation to this incident, a White House official said. "It's now just a matter of doing forensics work to determine what kind of missile it was," the official said.

☆ Top US general says Russia ignored his call after Poland missile strike — an ominous glimpse at how a future crisis could play out
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Gen. Mark Milley said he tried calling his Russian counterpart after a missile hit Poland. The missile strike on the NATO member state sparked concerns that the Ukraine war could escalate. "My staff was unsuccessful in getting me linked up with General Gerasimov," Milley said. In the aftermath of the strike, reports initially said the missile could have been fired by Russia, raising fears of direct military conflict between NATO and Russia. "It is unsettling to learn from General Milley that his counterpart was unreachable or not willing to engage when an explosion occurred in Poland," he added.

☆ Ukraine refuses to accept it was behind Poland missile strike, despite NATO forgiveness
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had "no doubt" that his country was not to blame for a missile strike that hit a Polish village, killing two people, despite NATO's initial assessment that the blast took place as Ukraine was trying to defend itself against Russia. Zelenskyy said on Ukrainian TV Wednesday that his top military commanders had assured him that "it was not our missile and not our missile strike" that was the cause of Tuesday's incident, which provoked an international furor and fears that a wider conflict between NATO and Russia could erupt. "I have no doubt in [Tuesday's] report to me personally — from the Commander of the Air Force to Commander-in-Chief [Valery] Zaluzhny — that it was not our missile and not our missile strike," Zelenskyy said. If someone says that this is our rocket, should we be in a joint investigative group? Suspicions as to who was behind the attack fell on Russia, particularly given a huge barrage of missile strikes that its forces had inflicted on cities across Ukraine during Tuesday.

☆ Ukraine dismisses push to compromise with Putin after Kherson retreat
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Mithil Aggarwal | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

“Ukrainian servicemen accept no talks, no agreements or compromise decisions,” Commander-in-Chief Valery Zaluzhny wrote on Telegram late Monday after a telephone conversation with Milley. Lavrov attended the G-20 leaders' summit in Bali instead of Putin. “They clearly have plans to keep the offensive going,” said Rajan Menon, a director at Defense Priorities, a Washington-based think tank. “It makes perfect sense” for Ukrainian forces to reach the Kinburn Peninsula south of Kherson, gaining a tactical advantage around the Black Sea, he added. “Hard fighting does remain for Ukraine as they seek to liberate occupied territory,” a senior military official said, adding that the U.S. and its allies would “ensure that they have what they need to succeed on the battlefield.”

☆ Ukraine hails China's opposition to nuclear threats
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Jonathan Landay | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Zelenskiy, who had earlier visited Kherson, the biggest prize his troops have recaptured since the invasion began in February, welcomed Monday's remarks. "It is important that the United States and China jointly highlighted that the threats of using nuclear weapons were unacceptable," Zelenskiy said in a late Monday address. Zelenskiy said Ukraine had gathered evidence of at least 400 war crimes committed by Russian troops during their occupation of the area, including killings and abductions. Mass burial sites have been found in other parts previously occupied by Russian troops, including some with civilian bodies showing signs of torture. Russia says it is waging a "special military operation" in Ukraine to rid it of nationalists and protect Russian-speaking communities.

☆ Kremlin insists Kherson still belongs to Russia even as Zelenskyy pays a surprise visit to the newly retaken city
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Zelenskyy visited the city after saying investigators had documented hundreds of Russian war crimes. "Investigators have already documented more than 400 Russian war crimes, the bodies of both civilians and military personnel are being found," he said. Locals have described mistreatment, torture, and murder by Russian troops in many areas of Ukraine that Russia had occupied, and that were subsequently retaken. Intercepted phone calls of Russian troops have also purportedly shown them bragging about torturing and killing Ukrainians. Kherson remains with little power, and Zelenskyy warned on Sunday that the city was still "very dangerous" and littered with mines.

☆ Russia is adding military training to its school curriculum, marking a reversion to a Soviet-era practice that teaches students how to handle rifles and perform first aid
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russian schools are adding a basic military training course to their curricula, per TASS. The course is a Soviet-era practice that teaches students first aid and how to use rifles. Mironov and deputy defense minister Valery Gerasimov have vocally supported reinstating military training in schools, with Gerasimov suggesting that students in the 10th and 11th grades be given 140 hours of training, per Izvestia. When we were engaged in military training at school, it worked only as a plus," said Adalbi Shkhagoshev, the deputy chairman of the United Russia party, per the outlet. The basic military training program was retired in 1993, two years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, per independent Russian news outlet The Moscow Times.

Russian officials on Monday denied allegations that an elite marine unit had suffered catastrophic losses during an “incomprehensible” assault in eastern Ukraine. Officials responded to what pro-Russian military bloggers and Telegram channels said was an unsigned open letter from members of the 155th marine brigade of Russia’s Pacific Fleet. The letter alleged that the unit was ordered to take Pavlovka, but instead, half the unit’s equipment was destroyed over four days. Chief of the General Staff Gen. Valery Gerasimov and Lt. Gen. Rustam Muradov, commander of Russia’s eastern military district, were guilty of “hiding” the true number of losses, it added. Who is now destroying our people on the routes of evacuation of the wounded and the supply of ammunition,” the letter said.

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