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☆ Wagner fighters seek to unsettle NATO's eastern flank, Polish PM says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WARSAW, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Fighters from Russia's private Wagner mercenary force are being moved close to NATO's eastern flank to destabilise the military alliance, Poland's prime minister said on Thursday. Wagner soldiers have begun training with the Belarus national army, prompting Poland to start moving more than 1,000 troops closer to the border. "We need to be aware that the number of provocations will rise," Mateusz Morawiecki said after meeting Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda in eastern Poland. "The Wagner group is extremely dangerous and they are being moved to the eastern flank to destabilize it." Nauseda said the number of Wagner fighters in Belarus could be higher than 4,000.

Persons: Wagner, Mateusz Morawiecki, Gitanas Nauseda, Nauseda, Vladimir Putin, Pawel Florkiewicz, Anna Wlodarczak, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: WARSAW, Belarus national, NATO, Thomson Locations: Poland, Belarus, Russian, Kaliningrad, Baltic, Lithuania, Latvia, Ukraine

☆ Poland-Belarus: Tensions high on NATO's border with Belarus after Wagner troops move closer
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Sana Noor Haq Josh Pennington Niamh Kennedy Darya Tarasova Jessie Gretener Yulia Kesaieva | Sana Noor Haq | Josh Pennington | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Belarusian soldiers and Wagner troops attend joint training exercises near the border city of Brest, in Belarus on July 20, 2023 amid increased border tensions between Warsaw and Minsk. Belarus' Defense Ministry/Handout/AP/FileMinsk had informed Warsaw about the exercise, but a border crossing took place in the eastern Bialowieza region at a “very low altitude, making detection by radar systems difficult,” the Polish defense ministry said in a statement. Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak subsequently ordered that more troops and combat helicopters be deployed along the border, the ministry added. “By deploying troops from both the west (Kaliningrad) and the east (Belarus), Russia would be able to effectively cut off the Baltic States from its NATO allies in central and western Europe. Five EU countries, four of whom border Ukraine – Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria – lifted sanctions on the import of Ukrainian grain, which they had installed to protect their own agricultural industries.

Persons: Wagner, Alexander Lukashenko, Wagner’s, Mariusz Blaszczak, Mateusz Morawiecki, Paweł Jabłoński, Barbara Yoxon, Putin, “, ” Yoxon, ”, Yoxon, Bulgaria –, Marcin Przydacz, Poland Organizations: CNN, NATO, EU, Belarus ' Defense Ministry, Polish, Belarusian Air Force, Air Defense Forces, Lancaster University, “, Presidential, International, Ukraine, ” Locations: Poland, Belarus, Minsk, Europe, Warsaw, Belarusian, Lithuania, Russian, Moscow, Brest, Polish, EU, Russia, Kaliningrad, Baltic, Grodno, England, Ukraine, Baltic States, Latvia, Estonia, Western, Ukrainian, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Kyiv, Republic of Poland

☆ Exiled Wagner mercenaries are training Belarusian troops in what may signal Putin's puppet next door is cutting some of the strings
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Jake Epstein | Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Wagner Group mercenaries cast into exile in Belarus have been training the country's soldiers. The increased military training suggests that Putin's influential grip on Belarus may be waning. "The Wagner Group's new role in Belarusian company-level training is notable," the ISW analysis said. Shortly after that, Wagner troops began training internal troops, the Belarusian Deputy Commander of the Internal Troops confirmed on July 25. Lukashenko, meanwhile, has praised the Wagner fighters and welcomed the military training with open arms.

Persons: Wagner, Vladimir Putin, Alexander Lukashenko, Lukashenko, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Prigozhin, Eager, Russian Wagner, ISW, George Barros, Wagner's, Barros, Putin, Belta, John Kirby, We're, Kirby Organizations: Service, Kremlin, Wagner Group, Belarusian Defence Ministry, REUTERS, Russian, Institute for, Belarusian, Sputnik, Internal Troops, Belarus ' Defense Ministry, Special Operations Forces, AP, Moscow, Ukrainian, Minsk, White, National Security, NATO Locations: Belarus, Russia, Wall, Silicon, Belarusian, Asipovichy, Minsk, Russian, Brest, Washington, DC, wean, Moscow, Ukraine, Sochi, Kremlin, Africa, Poland, Lithuania

☆ Ukraine says it thwarts attempt by Russian saboteur group to cross its northern border
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Aug 1 (Reuters) - Ukraine has thwarted an overnight attempt by a Russian saboteur group to cross its northern border, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko wrote on the Telegram messaging app. "Last night, in the Chernihiv region, border guards stopped an attempt by an enemy saboteur-reconnaissance group to cross the state border of Ukraine within the Semenivka community," he said. Serhiy Naev, commander of the joint forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said that four armed people attempted to cross the border but were repelled by Ukrainian fire. He added that reserves of the State Border Guard Service and Ukraine's armed forces were deployed to strengthen the area. Ukraine has strengthened its northern military sector following the arrival of Russian mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin in Belarus.

Persons: Ihor Klymenko, Serhiy Naev, Klymenko, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Anna Pruchnicka, Christina Fincher Organizations: Armed Forces of, State Border Guard Service, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Russian, Chernihiv, Armed Forces of Ukraine, Ukrainian, Belarus

☆ Lukashenko taunts Poland again over Wagner troops near border
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko attends a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Saint Petersburg, Russia July 23, 2023. Sputnik/Alexei Danichev/Kremlin via REUTERS/File Photo License this content on Reuters ConnectAug 1 (Reuters) - Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko on Tuesday taunted Poland over the presence of Russian Wagner mercenaries near the NATO country's border, saying Warsaw should thank him for keeping them in check. State news agency Belta quoted him on Tuesday as saying that the Poles "should pray that we're holding onto (the Wagner fighters) and providing for them. Rzeszow is a city in southeast Poland near the Ukrainian border. On Saturday, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said a group of 100 Wagner fighters had moved closer to the Belarusian city of Grodno near the Polish border, describing the situation as "increasingly dangerous".

Persons: Alexander Lukashenko, Vladimir Putin, Alexei Danichev, Russian Wagner, Wagner, Belta, Mateusz Morawiecki, Lukashenko, Putin, Mark Trevelyan, Gareth Jones Organizations: Sputnik, REUTERS, Reuters, Tuesday, NATO, Polish, Thomson Locations: Saint Petersburg, Russia, Kremlin, Poland, Warsaw, Belarus, Lukashenko, Rzeszow, State, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Grodno, Brest, Ukraine

☆ These Photos Show How Urban Growth Fuels Extreme Heat
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Wall Street Journal | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Satellite Images Reveal Wagner Movements From Russia to Belarus The Wagner Group is moving troops and vehicles to Belarus following a short-lived march on Moscow in June. WSJ examines satellite images and social media video to map their path and to learn more about the expansion of a Wagner-linked camp. Photo composite: Eve Hartley

Persons: Wagner, Eve Hartley Organizations: Belarus The Wagner, WSJ Locations: Russia, Belarus, Moscow

☆ Russia's Prigozhin says Wagner is not recruiting now, may do so in future
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

July 31 (Reuters) - Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said in a voice message published on Monday that his Wagner group was not currently recruiting fighters but was likely to do so in future. After the June mutiny, the Kremlin said Wagner fighters who had not taken part would transfer to the regular army, signing contracts with the Defence Ministry. Apparently alluding to this, Prigozhin said in the voice message that "unfortunately" some of his fighters had moved to other "power structures", but he said they were looking to return. Since the mutiny, some Wagner fighters have moved to Belarus and started training its army. In comments published last week, Prigozhin also said Wagner was ready to further increase its presence in Africa.

Persons: Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner, Prigozhin, Putin, Vladimir Putin, Prigozhin's, Mark Trevelyan, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: Kremlin, Grey, Telegram, Defence Ministry, Central African, United, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Belarus, St Petersburg, Russia, Africa, Mali, Central, Central African Republic, United States, Niger

☆ Russian propaganda is making its way into popular kids' games like Roblox. One Russian official even hosted a concert in Minecraft.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Video games are becoming the new frontier of Russia's information war, a new report from The New York Times found. Users of multiple kids' games, including Roblox and Minecraft, are creating worlds full of Russian propaganda. Russian President Vladimir Putin recently expressed interest in the potential of video games to spread "patriotism." Video games underscore just how sprawling the Russian information machine has become online. The Times identified multiple instances of Russian propaganda in video games including at least one that also appeared to be influenced by a government official.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Putin, Alex Brewer Organizations: The New York Times, Service, Russia, Wired, Times, The Times, Warships, Fly Corp, Warfare, Thunder, Lesta, Russia isn't, US Army, Ukraine, Roblox, Microsoft Locations: Russian, Wall, Silicon, Ukraine, Russia, Ukrainian, Kyiv, Belarus, German

☆ Poland's prime minister fears over 100 Wagner mercs approaching his country's borders will try to pose as migrants and sneak into NATO territory
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said Wagner troops are poised to infiltrate NATO territory. Over 100 mercenaries have gathered near Poland's border with Belarus, he said on Saturday. Morawiecki warned that the fighters could pose as migrants or border guards to try and sneak in. The Russian fighters are near Grodno, a Belarusian city 10 miles from the Polish border, Morawiecki said at a press conference in Gliwice. Polish officials have for years accused Belarus of attempting to overwhelm Poland's border forces by sending migrants west — a charge Minsk has denied.

Persons: Mateusz Morawiecki, Wagner, Morawiecki, Arnoldas Abramavičius, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Alexander Lukashenko, Prigozhin, Jarosław Kaczyński Organizations: Polish, Service, European Union, BBC, Kremlin, Poland, Agence France Presse Locations: Poland's, Belarus, Wall, Silicon, Grodno, Belarusian, Polish, Gliwice, Minsk, Lithuanian, Poland, Lithuania, Ukraine, Moscow

In September, Medvedev said strategic nuclear weapons could be used to defend territories incorporated into Russia from Ukraine. And in January, as NATO member states debated new weapons shipments to Ukraine, Medvedev said defeat for Russia in the war could lead to nuclear conflict. “The loss of a nuclear power in a conventional war can provoke the outbreak of a nuclear war,” Medvedev wrote on Telegram in January. Nuclear rhetoricThe United States has previously warned Russia against using nuclear weapons in Ukraine, both through private direct communications, as well as public channels, including at last year’s UN General Assembly. Russia has about 4,477 deployed and reserve nuclear warheads, including around 1,900 tactical nuclear weapons, according to the Federation of American Scientists.

Persons: Dmitry Medvedev, Vladimir Putin, ”, Medvedev, ” Medvedev, ” Medvedev’s, Putin, Matthew Miller, Alexander Lukashenko, Lukashenko Organizations: CNN, NATO, Russia’s Security, Helsinki, Russia, “, Russia’s Defense, UN, Assembly, St ., Economic Forum, US Defense Intelligence Agency, US State Department, Federation of American Scientists Locations: Russia, Russian, Ukraine, Sweden, Finland, Turkey, Western, Moscow, United States, Belarus, St, St . Petersburg

☆ More Wagner fighters move closer to Polish border, Poland PM says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WARSAW, July 29 (Reuters) - A group of a hundred soldiers from the Russian Wagner group have moved closer to the Belarusian city of Grodno near the Polish border, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Saturday. Earlier this month, Poland began moving more than 1,000 troops to the east of the country amid rising concerns that the presence of Wagner fighters in Belarus could lead to increased tension on its border. Most likely they (the Wagner personnel) will be disguised as the Belarusian border guard and help illegal migrants get to the Polish territory (and) destabilise Poland," Morawiecki said at a press conference in Gliwice, western Poland. "They will most likely try to enter Poland pretending to be illegal migrants and this poses additional threats," Morawiecki said. The following day, some Wagner fighters arrived at the training ground of the 38th airborne assault brigade outside the city of Brest, just a few miles from the Polish border.

Persons: Russian Wagner, Mateusz Morawiecki, Wagner, Morawiecki, Anton Motolko, Russia's, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Vladimir Putin, Agnieszka Pikulicka, David Holmes Organizations: WARSAW, Warsaw Pact, NATO, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Russian, Belarusian, Grodno, Polish, Poland, Warsaw, U.S, Ukraine, Belarus, Gliwice, Lithuanian, Kaliningrad, Africa, Brest, Moscow, Russia

Thousands of Wagner troops are reportedly in Belarus following a failed military uprising in Russia. What exactly Wagner troops are doing in Grodno is unclear, as Wagner has not commented on the reports. It is not clear exacttly how many Wagner troops are in Belarus. They were invited to the country as part of a deal negotiated by the Belarus president to end the mercenary group’s armed insurrection against the Kremlin last month. The two plan to hold joint military exercises near the border with Poland, a move likely to further raise tensions.

Persons: Wagner, Mateusz Morawiecki, Morawiecki, ”, “, Alexander Lukashenko, Vladimir Putin, Lukashenko, Putin Organizations: CNN, Poland ”, EU, NATO, Analysts, Kremlin Locations: Russian, Poland, Lithuania, Polish, Grodno, Belarus, Russia, Belarusian, EU, Kaliningrad, Baltic, Ukraine, Russia’s, “, ” Poland

☆ Prigozhin blames former colonizers for situation in Niger without proof and hints Wagner is ready to help
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-29 | by ( Tim Lister | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —While the international community, including many African states, have condemned the coup in Niger, Russian mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin has his own take. Niger was once a French colony and, before this week’s putsch, it had been one of the few democracies in the region. He said that his private military company, Wagner, was capable of dealing with situations like that playing out in Niamey, the Nigerien capital. And this is the (the reason for) love for PMC (private military company) Wagner, this is the high efficiency of PMC Wagner. Because a thousand soldiers of PMC Wagner are able to establish order and destroy terrorists, preventing them from harming the peaceful population of states,” he said.

Persons: Yevgeny Prigozhin, Prigozhin, Prigozhin’s missive, Wagner, ” Prigozhin, “, PMC Wagner, ”, Prigozhin’s, Mohamed Bazoum Organizations: CNN, Kremlin, PMC, PMC Wagner, Central African, Russian Foreign Ministry Locations: Niger, Russian, French, Belarus, St . Petersburg, Russia, Niamey, Nigerien, Mali, Burkina Faso, Sudan, Central African Republic

☆ Satellite Images Reveal Wagner Movements From Russia to Belarus
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Wall Street Journal | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

All the King’s Presidents: The Power of Soft Diplomacy President Biden is the first U.S. leader King Charles III has met since ascending the throne, but Britain’s new monarch has a long history with presidential get-togethers, using them to strengthen U.S.-U.K. ties and advance his own causes. Photo Composite: Daniel Orton

Persons: Biden, King Charles III, Daniel Orton Organizations: Soft Diplomacy Locations: U.S

"What happened in Niger is nothing other than the struggle of the people of Niger with their colonisers. It was unclear who was in charge of Niger after soldiers on Wednesday evening declared a military coup and held President Mohamed Bazoum in the presidential palace. Prigozhin, in his voice message, boasted of Wagner's alleged efficiency in helping African nations stabilise and develop in what sounded like a sales pitch. "...Thousands of Wagner fighters are capable of bringing order and of destroying terrorists and of not allowing them to harm the local populations of these states," he said. Reporting by Andrew Osborn Additional reporting by Milan Pavicic Editing by Philippa FletcherOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Prigozhin, colonisers, Mohamed Bazoum, Putin, Sergei Lavrov, it's, Andrew Osborn, Milan, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: Reuters, Wednesday, Central African Republic, Kremlin, Analysts, PMC, U.S, CSIS, Thomson Locations: Niger, St Petersburg, MOSCOW, Russian, Western, Africa, France, Central African, Belarus, Russia, Moscow

☆ 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

☆ IOC urges sensitivity in handling Ukrainian, Russian athletes after fencer's disqualification
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

July 28 (Reuters) - International federations should handle situations involving Ukrainian and neutral athletes with sensitivity, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said after a Ukrainian fencer was disqualified for refusing to shake hands with a Russian opponent. "Therefore, we encourage International Federations to handle situations involving Ukrainian and Individual Neutral Athletes with the necessary degree of sensitivity. "We continue to stand in full solidarity with the Ukrainian athletes and the Olympic community of Ukraine." Kharlan said she stands by her decision not to shake hands with Smirnova. "When I have a choice... where I shake hands I will never shake hands with her.

Persons: Ukraine's Olga Kharlan, Anna Smirnova, Elina Svitolina, Marta Kostyuk, Kharlan, Kharlan's, Smirnova, Tommy Lund, Aadi Nair, Claudia Greco, Pearl Josephine Nazare, Christian Radnedge Organizations: International Olympic Committee, Ukrainian Fencing Federation, Olympic Games, IOC, Reuters, Olympic, Thomson Locations: Ukrainian, Russian, Milan, Ukraine, Moscow, Belarus, Russia, Bengaluru

☆ Russia's world champion beach footballers pining for international return
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/11] Russian national beach football team's forward Fedor Zemskov attempts a bicycle kick during a practice session, at a training camp, held ahead of the Nations Cup 2023 four-team international tournament in Moscow, Russia, July 18, 2023. That applies to beach football too and, while the ban is clearly negative for Russia, captain Anton Shkarin believes the wider game has also suffered. "When you disconnect a national team such as ours, the class falls immediately," he told Reuters at a training session in Moscow. "We communicate well with the guys from Europe who play and everyone is upset that we're banned." Reporting by Alexey Petrov; Writing by Alexander Marrow; Editing by Ken FerrisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Fedor Zemskov, Maxim, Anton Shkarin, we're, Mikhail Likhachev, Stanislav Kosharnyi, Alexey Petrov, Alexander Marrow, Ken Ferris Organizations: Nations, REUTERS, soccer, UEFA, FIFA, Reuters, United Arab Emirates, Games, Thomson Locations: Russian, Moscow, Russia, Ukraine MOSCOW, Ukraine, Europe, St Petersburg, Iran, Senegal, Belarus, Brazil, India, China, South Africa

☆ Olga Kharlan: Ukraine's top fencer granted place at Olympics after disqualification for not shaking hands with Russian opponent
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Svitlana Vlasova Victoria Butenko Tim Lister | Svitlana Vlasova | Victoria Butenko | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Olga Kharlan, leader of Ukraine’s national fencing team, was earlier disqualified at the tournament after she refused to shake hands with the Russian rival Anna Smirnova she defeated. An athlete’s refusal to shake hands after a contest results in a black card and expulsion, according to International Fencing Federation rules. The federation said it has met with Kharlan and spoken with the International Olympic Committee and finds the reinstatement “in keeping with the Olympic Spirit”. IOC chief’s interventionThat turnaround came came after a pointed intervention from the President of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, himself a former fencer. Meanwhile, Ukrainian tennis player Elina Svitolina took to Twitter to support Kharlan, writing: “We are not shaking hands with Russian and Belarusian athletes.

Persons: Olga Kharlan, Anna Smirnova, Smirnova, Kharlan, Thomas Bach, Bach, ”, Olga Kharlan of, Tadashi Miyamoto, “, Dmytro Kuleba, ” Kharlan, Vladimir Putin, Marta Kostyuk, Kostyuk, Aryna Sabalenka, Sabalenka, won’t, Elina Svitolina Organizations: CNN, International Fencing Federation, Paris, Fencing, International Olympic Committee, IOC, Paris Olympics, Fencing Federation, Ukraine’s, Belarus, Aryna, Twitter Locations: Ukrainian, Italy, Russian, Ukraine, Milan, Olga Kharlan of Ukraine, Russia, Kyiv, Belarusian

☆ Russia's fighter jets have gone from harassing US aircraft to actually breaking them as Moscow flexes its muscles where it still can
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Russian fighter jets have harassed US military drones on numerous occasions throughout July. That incident is just one of several demonstrations of Russian aggression around US military drones this month. Russian military Su-34 and Su-35 aircraft employ flares in the flight path of a US MQ-9 aircraft on July 6, 2023 over Syria. A press officer who goes by callsign Damian looks at a destroyed Russian military vehicle in Novodarivka village, Zaporizhzhia Region, southeastern Ukraine. "These maneuvers, they are to some extent intended to demonstrate Russian military strength," which could appease the country's domestic audience.

Persons: Nicholas Lokker, Alexus Grynkewich, Sabrina Singh, Su, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Vladimir Putin, Damian, Putin, Lokker, Assad, Äzzeddin Kasim, Paul Lushenko, Lushenko, Christopher Sommers, AFCENT Organizations: Kremlin, Service, Center, New, New American Security, Islamic, US Air Force, ISIS, US Air Forces Central Command, Pentagon, Donetsk Regions, US, Anadolu Agency, Getty, US Army, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Quds Force, 421st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, U.S . Central Command Locations: Wall, Silicon, Syria, Russia, Russian, Ukraine, New American, Moscow, Syria . Washington, Islamic State, Washington, CNAS, Belarus, Novodarivka, Zaporizhzhia Region, Zaporizhzhia, Ukrainian, Iran, Idlib, United States, Western

And it can only end on the basis of justice and reason," African Union Commission Chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat told Putin and African leaders in St Petersburg. Putin gave it a polite but cool reception when African leaders presented it to him last month. Putin responded by arguing, as he has in the past, that rising world food prices were a consequence of Western policy mistakes long predating the Ukraine war. On Thursday, he promised to deliver free Russian grain in the next several months to six of the countries attending the summit. Mali's Assimi Goita told Putin: "You have shown pragmatism and realism in efforts to reach agreement with Ukraine."

Persons: Putin, Vladimir Putin, Moussa Faki Mahamat, Denis Sassou Nguesso, Macky Sall, Cyril Ramaphosa, Pavel Bednyakov, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Abdel Fattah al, Sisi, Russia's Wagner, Faustin Archange Touadera, Assimi Goita, Kevin Liffey, Joe Bavier, Alexander Winning, Angus MacSwan Organizations: Kremlin, Union, Reuters, South, Sputnik, Central African, CAR, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Moscow, Russia, St Petersburg, Russian, Belarus, Congo, Europe, Kyiv, Africa, Saint Petersburg, Ukrainian, Western, Mali, Central, Central African Republic

CNN —Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of the Wagner private military company, was spotted inside Russia on Thursday for the first time since he led an armed rebellion against the Russian military last month. Wagner has had a presence in the Central African Republic for several years, as previously reported by CNN. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko – a longtime ally of Russian President Vladimir – claimed he convinced Putin not to “destroy” Wagner and Prigozhin during the rebellion. After Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Wagner forces were heavily involved in taking the Ukrainian cities of Soledar and Bakhmut. At times, Wagner forces seemed to be the only ones on the Russian side winning battles with the Ukrainians.

Persons: Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner, Prigozhin, Alexander Lukashenko –, Vladimir –, Putin, ” Wagner, ”, Sergei Shoigu, Gen, Valery Gerasimov, “ Organizations: CNN, Central African Republic, Central African, Kremlin, Russian Defense Locations: Russia, St . Petersburg, Russia Africa, Central African Republic, Trezzini, Belarus, Asipovichy, Ukraine, Russian, Sudan, Libya, Mozambique, Syria, Soledar

☆ Ukraine’s top fencer disqualified from world championship after refused handshake with Russian
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( Svitlana Vlasova | Tim Lister | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The leader of Ukraine’s national fencing team, Olga Kharlan, has been disqualified from participating in the world championships after she refused to shake hands with Anna Smirnova, who is from Russia. Kharlan had just beaten Smirnova at the tournament in Milan, but rather than shake hands the Ukrainian offered her sabre to tap blades. Mikhailo Ilyashev, President of the Ukrainian Fencing Federation, told Ukrainian television that Ukraine would protest the decision, saying the referee had not disqualified Kharlan, who was banned later. But the refusal to shake hands after a contest results in a black card and expulsion, according to federation rules. Meanwhile, Ukrainian tennis player Elina Svitolina took to Twitter to support Kharlan, writing: “We are not shaking hands with Russian and Belarusian athletes.

Persons: Olga Kharlan, Anna Smirnova, Kharlan, Smirnova, Vadym Guttsait, ”, Mikhailo Ilyashev, Andreas Solaro, Marta Kostyuk, Kostyuk, Aryna Sabalenka, Sabalenka, won’t, Elina Svitolina Organizations: CNN, Ukrainian Sports, Facebook, Ukrainian Fencing Federation, International Fencing Federation, Getty, Fencing Federation, Belarus, Aryna, Twitter Locations: Russia, Milan, Ukraine, AFP, Ukrainian, Kyiv, Belarusian

☆ Ukraine's Kharlan disqualified after refusal to shake hands with Russian opponent
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

July 27 (Reuters) - Ukrainian fencer Olga Kharlan has been disqualified after refusing to shake hands with Russian Anna Smirnova at the World Championships in Milan on Thursday. Kharlan, a four-time Olympic medallist and world champion, won the individual sabre bout 15-7 and then refused to shake hands with her opponent. Smirnova remained on the piste for over half an hour after the incident, speaking with a number of officials before leaving. In fencing's rules, shaking an opponent's hand is mandatory and failure to do so results in a 'black card'. The women's team sabre event begins on July 29.

Persons: Olga Kharlan, Anna Smirnova, Smirnova, Elina Svitolina, Marta Kostyuk, Mykhailo Illiashev, Illiashev, Kharlan, Aadi Nair, Anna Pruchnika, Pritha Sarkar Organizations: Fencing Federation, Thomson Locations: Ukrainian, Milan, Ukraine, Moscow, Belarus, Russia

☆ Drunken Wagner fighters are 'boozing to their heart's content' at train stations in Moscow instead of going home, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( Sophia Ankel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Some Wagner fighters stationed in Belarus have been told to go on leave, Mozhem Obyasnit reported. One relative wrote online that the fighters are "boozing to their heart's content," it said. But many have not made it home and are choosing to get drunk instead, the outlet reported, citing public chat groups between the supposed relatives of Wagner fighters. Several Wagner fighters are ex-convicts who were released on the grounds they fight with the group in Ukraine. In line with an agreement struck by Prigozhin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko after the rebellion, the Wagner Group leader was sent to Belarus.

Persons: Wagner, Mozhem Obyasnit, Yevgeny Prigozhin, haven't, they're, Vladimir Putin's, Prigozhin, Alexander Lukashenko Organizations: Service, Group, BBC, Daily Locations: Belarus, Wall, Silicon, Russia, Syria, Africa, Ukraine, Russian

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