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☆ An NYC vigilante group tackled what they claimed was a shoplifting ‘migrant’ live on Fox News. They were wrong.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Jon Passantino | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

And that could be because the so-called border czar is a little distracted right now,” alluding to Vice President Kamala Harris. “The Guardian Angels spotted him, stopped him and he resisted. The Guardian Angels is a New York City based volunteer organization whose stated goal is to prevent crime. The Guardian Angels and Sliwa did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Last month, Fox News host Pete Hegseth, from a Manhattan studio, compared the atmosphere in New York to after the nation’s worst terror attack.

Persons: CNN —, Sean Hannity, ” Curtis Sliwa, Hannity, “ They’ve, “, Joe Biden’s unvetted, Kamala Harris, Sliwa, ” Hannity, ” Sliwa, Let’s, “ We’ve, ”, ’, CNN’s Mark Morales, Pete Hegseth Organizations: CNN, CNN — Fox News, Times, Guardian Angels, GOP, Fox News, “ MAN, GUARDIAN, New York Police, “, Guardian, Sliwa, Republican Locations: New York City, New York, Venezuela, Bronx, Manhattan

☆ Lysychansk: At least 28 killed in strike on Russian-occupied town in eastern Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-04 | by ( Maria Kostenko | Alex Stambaugh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —At least 28 have been killed in an attack on a building in the town of Lysychansk in the Russian-occupied region of Luhansk in eastern Ukraine, the region’s Moscow-installed head said Sunday. Ukraine’s defense ministry has not commented on the incident. Lysychansk was taken over by Russian forces in July 2022, becoming the last town in the key region of Luhansk in eastern Ukraine to fall. Last month, the Russian Defense Ministry said it stopped Ukrainian drones headed toward Moscow and St Petersburg. In December, Ukraine launched an attack on the Russian border city of Belgorod, killing at least 24 and wounding 108 others.

Persons: Republic Leonid Pasechnik, Pasechnik, Lysychansk, Chasiv Yar Organizations: CNN, Luhansk People’s, Russian, Russian Defense Ministry, St Locations: Lysychansk, Russian, Luhansk, Ukraine, Moscow, Republic, Ukrainian, Luhansk People’s Republic, Russia, Crimea, St Petersburg, Russia’s Bryansk, Belgorod, Kharkiv, Bakhmut, Avdiivka

☆ Caspar David Friedrich: The German artist’s rise from obscurity to fame
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Catherine Hickey | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Caspar David Friedrich's work "Man and Woman Contemplating the Moon." Staatliche Museen zu BerlinThe Berlin exhibition, “Caspar David Friedrich: Infinite Landscapes,” will examine the Nationalgalerie’s role in rediscovering the artist at the beginning of the 20th century. Thanks to the royal purchases, Berlin has one of the most significant collections of Friedrich works in the world. SHK/Hamburger Kunsthalle/bpkThe German museums were in discussion about loans from Russia before February 2020, Verwiebe says. In 1974, long queues formed for a Friedrich exhibition at the Hamburger Kunsthalle marking his 200th birthday.

Persons: —, Caspar David Friedrich, Alte, Dresden’s, Caspar David Friedrich's, “ Caspar David Friedrich, Birgit Verwiebe, Friedrich, Clemens Brentano, Heinrich von Kleist, Frederick William IV, ”, Frederick William III, Charlotte, Tsar Nicholas I, Friedrich's, Verwiebe, — Hitler, London’s Tate, Christina Grummt, Friedrich sketchbook, Gerhard Richter, Julian Charrière, Olafur Eliasson, Ulrike Rosenbach, Kehinde Wiley, “, ” Grummt Organizations: The Art, CNN, Hamburg’s Kunsthalle, zu, Berlin Academy, SHK, Hamburger Kunsthalle, Staatliche, Villa Grisebach, Kunst, Metropolitan Museum of Art Locations: Germany, Weimar, Greifswald, Friedrich’s, zu Berlin, Berlin, Dresden, Oakwood, ”, Russia, Hermitage, St Petersburg, Hamburger, Ukraine, German, Villa, Greenland, Hamburg, Winterthur, New York

☆ Russia is using electronic-warfare devices to stop Ukraine's drones — but it's messing up its internet access
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Russia is deploying electronic-warfare systems to counter drone attacks. The report, citing Russian telecommunications sources, said that LTE wireless broadband and electronic-warfare units both operate on the same frequencies. AdvertisementIt said that Russia may have turned off internet services while it tested electronic-warfare systems, or redeployed its air defenses. Electronic-warfare units work by scrambling the systems used to navigate drones to their targets. AdvertisementAccording to reports, GPS data in Poland and the Baltic region was recently disabled as a result of possible Russian electronic-warfare exercises.

Persons: it's, —, Russia's Organizations: Service, Kommersant, NATO Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Leningrad, Novgorod, Pskov, US, St Petersburg, Poland, Baltic

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP) — The leaders of Russia and Belarus met Monday to discuss ways to further expand their close alliance that has seen the deployment of some of Russia's nuclear weapons on the territory of its neighbor. President Vladimir Putin emphasized that Russia and Belarus have developed a “strategic partnership” as part of their 25-year union agreement. Political Cartoons View All 253 ImagesLast year, Russia moved some of its short-range nuclear weapons into Belarus, closer to Ukraine and onto NATO’s doorstep. Their declared deployment was widely seen as part of Moscow's efforts to discourage the West from increasing military support to Kyiv. Lukashenko said last month that the deployment of Russian nuclear weapons was finalized in October.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, ” Putin, Alexander Lukashenko, Lukashenko Locations: PETERSBURG, Russia, Belarus, St . Petersburg, Belarusian, Soviet, Ukraine, Kyiv

☆ Hyundai finalizes Russia exit as local firm buys its two car plants
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Hyundai on Friday said it had signed a deal to sell its two Russian plants, making the South Korean firm the latest global carmaker to exit Russia since the Ukraine conflict began. Hyundai Motor said in December it planned to sell its Russian assets for 10,000 roubles ($111.69), taking a 287 billion won ($214.7 million) loss. Art-Finance is owned by Andrei Pavlovich, who acquired Volkswagen's Russian assets in May 2023. Volkswagen's factory was renamed to AGR Automotive. Hyundai in December said it planned to continue operating post-sales services for existing vehicles in consideration of local conditions in Russia.

Persons: Andrei Pavlovich, Volkswagen's Organizations: Hyundai, Art, Finance, Motors, AGR Automotive Locations: Korean, Russia, Ukraine, Hyundai's St, Petersburg, Russian, Moscow, St Petersburg

☆ Pope Francis takes on vested interests to speak out on humanitarian crises
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Analysis Christopher Lamb | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +18 min

Pope Francis received an emotional welcome on the island during a visit showing solidarity with migrants fleeing war and poverty. ARIS MESSINIS/AFP/Getty Images Pope Francis confesses in St. Peter's Basilica during the Vatican's Penitential Celebration on Friday, March 4, 2016. Alessandro Di Meo/AP Pope Francis arrives for his visit with prisoners in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, on Friday, July 10, 2015. Franco Origlia/Getty Images Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I address the faithful in Istanbul on Sunday, November 30, 2014. Gokhan Tan/Getty Images Pope Francis speaks during the feast-day Mass while on a one-day trip to Italy's Calabria region in June 2014.

Persons: Pope Francis, Cardinal Michael Czerny, Francis, “, ”, Regina Coeli, Vincenzo Pinto, Juan Manuel Santos, Santos, Alessandra Tarantino, L'Osservatore Romano, VINCENZO PINTO, Simon Bar Sabbae, Pope, FILIPPO MONTEFORTE, Karekin, TIZIANA FABI, Giuseppe Ciccia, MAX, Pope Francis tries, Pope Benedict XVI, Alessandro Di Meo, Evo Morales, OSSERVATORE ROMANO, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Federico Lombardi, Lombardi, Gregorio Borgia, Getty Pope Francis, Raul Castro, Castro, GABRIEL BOUYS, ANDREAS SOLARO, Kurukkal SivaSri, Mahadeva, Pope Francis in, Eranga, Franco Origlia, Bartholomew I, Gokhan Tan, San Gregorio Magno, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip , Duke of Edinburgh, Oli Scarff, Barack Obama, SAUL LOEB, Santa Sabina, Max ROSSI, Daniele De Sanctis, Pope Francis ', FABIO FRUSTACI, Benedict XVI, Benedict, L'OSSERVATORE ROMANO, Osservatore Romano Pope Francis, Vinicio Riva, Riva, CLAUDIO PERI, Rainbow Association Marco Iagulli Onlus, Fotografia, Father Don Renzo Zocca, Osservatore Romano, LUCA ZENNARO, Jorge Saenz, Dan Kitwood, Jesus, Internationalis Paulus VI, Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Roman Catholic Church's, Peter Macdiarmid, Pope Francis Prev, it’s, He’s, Filippo Monteforte, Donald Trump’s, Czerny, Trump, Donald Trump, Melania, Evan Vucci, Reuters “, ” Cardinal Czerny, Cardinal Czerny, doesn’t, Francis ’, “ Jesus Organizations: CNN, Getty Images, Colombian, Revolutionary Armed Forces, International Catholic Rural Association, Vatican, AFP, Getty, Catholic Chaldean, St, Mercy, ARIS MESSINIS, MAX ROSSI, Getty Images Bolivian, Cuban, Sunday, Queen, getty, Rainbow Association, Renault, Catholic, Roman Catholic, Intelligence, Warner Bros, Discovery, “, Republican, Reuters Locations: St, AFP, Colombia, Rome, Tbilisi , Georgia, Auschwitz, Birkenau, Poland, Etchmiadzin, Yerevan, Armenia, Vatican City, Moria, Lesbos, Peter's, Mexican, Havana, Cuba, Mexico, Santa Cruz , Bolivia, South America, Ecuador, Paraguay, La Paz, Bolivia, Italian, Ukraine, Iraq, Syria, Havana and Washington, Vatican, Pope Francis in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Istanbul, Italy's Calabria, Jerusalem's Old City, Argentina, Roman Parish, San, Rome's, Santa, Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Argentine, America, Gaza, Nove, Lampedusa, Italy, Ciampino, Czechoslovakia, Canada, United States, Africa

☆ Ukraine appears to have developed an exploding drone with a jet engine that could strike deep into Russia
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Video online apparently shows a new jet-powered Ukrainian drone. AdvertisementUkraine appears to have developed a new, jet-powered exploding drone that could strike deep into Russia. Footage of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was first posted by Ukrainian drone developer Max Glushak on Facebook and reported by military websites, including Militarnyi. AdvertisementIt would not be the first jet-powered drone Ukraine has produced amid an intensifying race with Russia to create ever faster and more devastating UAVs. Rogers said that Ukraine's overstretched manufacturing sector might struggle to produce enough jet-powered drones, which are more expensive and difficult to build.

Persons: —, Max Glushak, Glushak, James Rogers, Rogers Organizations: Service, Ukrainian, Facebook, Business, St, UK's, of Defence, Ukraine Locations: Ukraine, Russia, St Petersburg, Iran

☆ Ukraine is exploiting gaps in Russia's air defenses, which were designed for a different kind of war
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Analysts said Ukraine appeared to be exploiting gaps in Russian air defenses. Russia's air defenses are focused on potential attacks from NATO in the west, not the south. AdvertisementUkraine is exploiting gaps in Russia's air defenses, which were designed for a different kind of war, according to a report. The Institute for the Study of War, a US think tank, said that Russian air defenses in Leningrad Oblast, near St Petersburg, appeared to be poor. AdvertisementThe ISW said the attacks were stretching Russia's air defenses.

Persons: —, Russia's Organizations: Analysts, NATO, Service, Ukrainian, Reuters, Business Locations: Ukraine, US, Leningrad Oblast, St Petersburg, West, Ust, Tula, Moscow, Russia, Klintsy, Ukrainian, Crimea

☆ Ukraine says it flew a drone over Putin's woodland palace, evading its heavy defenses
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Ukraine launched a drone attack on a St Petersburg oil terminal on Thursday, per multiple sources. AdvertisementUkraine sent a drone flying over President Vladimir Putin's palace at Lake Valdai during an attack on a St Petersburg oil depot, a military source claimed on Friday. Set next to Lake Valdai, halfway between Moscow and St Petersburg, the vast woodland complex is considered one of Putin's favorite boltholes. The strike, Kamyshin said, showed that St Petersburg was now "within reach of Ukrainian forces," per the Kyiv Independent's translation. "We are able to produce something that flies and costs $350 per item, something that flew to St Petersburg this night," he said.

Persons: —, Vladimir Putin's, Oleksandr Kamyshin, couldn't, Alina Kabayeva, Vladimir Putin, Alina Kabaeva, Sasha Mordovets, Navalny.com Kamyshin, Baza, Kamyshin, Ukraine's Organizations: RBC, Service, Kyiv Independent, St, Moscow Times, Russia's Ministry of Defence, Popular, Russian Telegram, Economic, Pentagon Locations: Ukraine, St Petersburg, Valdai, Russia, Lake, Ukrainian, Moscow, Russian, Petersburg, Baltic, Leningrad, Davos, Switzerland

☆ Ukraine war live updates: Russia says Kyiv attacked Moscow, St Petersburg regions, claiming Baltic oil terminal was the target
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Russia claimed that Ukraine attacked several Russian regions with drones overnight, including the northwest Leningrad region for the first time. The defense ministry said Thursday that air defense systems shot down drones over the regions of Moscow and St. Petersburg, with one official claiming Ukraine targeted a Russian oil terminal in Leningrad, the northwestern Russian region where St. Petersburg is located. The port infrastructure was not damaged and no one was injured, the official said. If accurate, however, it would mark the first time that the northern region of Leningrad, where St. Petersburg is, has been targeted by Ukraine. "The geography of UAV [unmanned aerial vehicle] strikes by the Ukrainian Armed Forces continues to expand," one Russian official noted.

Organizations: Ukraine, Ukrainian Armed Forces Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Leningrad, Moscow, St, Petersburg, Russian

☆ Russian Military Says Ukrainian Drones Downed Over Moscow, Leningrad Regions
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: 1 min

(Reuters) - Russia's Defence Ministry said early on Thursday that its air defence units had intercepted and destroyed one Ukrainian drone over Moscow region and a second over Leningrad region surrounding the country's second largest city, St Petersburg. A ministry statement on the Telegram messaging app said the incidents occurred at about 1.30 a.m. (2230 GMT on Wednesday). Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin had earlier said on Telegram that air defence units had downed a drone while it was on its way towards the capital. Fragments had hit the ground, but there were no damage or casualties. (Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Chris Reese)

Persons: Sergei Sobyanin, Chris Reese Organizations: Reuters, Russia's Defence Ministry, Moscow Locations: Moscow, Leningrad, St Petersburg

☆ Russian Prosecutors Seek to Nationalise Seized Car Dealership, Court Says
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has filed a lawsuit in a St Petersburg court seeking to nationalise car dealership Rolf, the court said late on Monday, just weeks after Moscow put the asset under the state's temporary management. St Petersburg's Moskovskiy District Court said it had accepted a lawsuit filed by prosecutors, which seeks the seizure of all shares in Rolf, Russia's largest car dealership, and affiliated companies as "property obtained in violation of anti-corruption legislation". Russian businessman Sergei Petrov, who owns Rolf, has long been accused by Russian authorities of illegally moving money abroad, charges he denies, and has had a warrant issued for his arrest. In December 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin placed Rolf under temporary state management, a move the Kremlin said was driven solely by "economic expediency and compliance with current legislation". The court said prosecutors had asked the court to hand over all shares, should they be seized fully, to the state.

Persons: Rolf, Sergei Petrov, Vladimir Putin, Petrov, Gleb Stolyarov, Alexander Marrow, Jason Neely Organizations: General's, Kremlin, Reuters Locations: MOSCOW, St Petersburg, Moscow, Petersburg's Moskovskiy, Rolf, Russia's, Russian, Austria

MOSCOW (AP) — A huge fire tore through a large warehouse used by Russia’s largest online retailer south of St. Petersburg on Saturday morning. The blaze covered an area of 70,000 square meters (more than 750,000 square feet), with 50,000 square meters (around 540,000 square feet) of the Wildberries warehouse collapsing, according to Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry. A video shot from a passenger jet flying nearby showed flames totally engulfing the warehouse, sending huge plumes of smoke into the sky. Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry said that firefighters had been able to prevent the fire from spreading across the entire area of the warehouse complex and to an electrical substation. Russian officials, cited by state news agency TASS, said Wildberries had obtained permission to construct the warehouse, but not to operate it.

Persons: Associated Press couldn't, Wildberries Organizations: MOSCOW, Ministry, Associated Press, TASS Locations: St, Petersburg,

☆ 3 US cities made the list of the world's top 10 most expensive places to live, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-03 | by ( Polly Thompson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco all made it into the world's top 10 most expensive cities. AdvertisementThree US cities have made it into the top 10 most expensive cities in the world in the latest Worldwide Cost of Living report from the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). Although three US cities made the top 10, on average North American cities fell in the rankings compared to the previous year. The Russian capital finished up 105 places lower in 142nd, while St Petersburg dropped 74 places to 147th. The world's cheapest cities included Damascus, Syria; Tehran, Iran; Buenos Aires, Argentina; and Chennai, India.

Persons: — Organizations: Economist Intelligence, Service, Economist Intelligence Unit, St Locations: New York, Los Angeles, Francisco, Western, . New York, Singapore, Zurich, Switzerland, San Francisco, Beijing, Moscow, St Petersburg, Damascus, Syria, Tehran, Iran, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Chennai, India

REUTERS/Lisi Niesner/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Dec 1 (Reuters) - Russian conductor Valery Gergiev, no longer welcome in Western concert halls since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, was named on Friday as director of Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre. After performing for decades on the world's biggest classical stages, Gergiev has been shunned in the West since the start of the war in February 2022. The following month he was fired as chief conductor of the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra after the city's mayor said Gergiev had declined to "clearly and unambiguously" distance himself from the invasion. Gergiev, also a former principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, has long been controversial outside Russia because of his support for President Vladimir Putin. He spoke out in favour of Russia's invasion of Crimea in 2014.

Persons: Valery Gergiev, Lisi Niesner, Gergiev, Vladimir Urin, Urin, Vladimir Putin, Putin, we're, we've, Mark Trevelyan, Kevin Liffey Organizations: Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, REUTERS, Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre, Mariinsky Theatre, Munich, Orchestra, Bolshoi, London Symphony Orchestra, Islamic, Thomson Locations: Russian, Vienna, Austria, Ukraine, St Petersburg, West, Russia, Crimea, Palmyra, Syria, Islamic State, China

MOSCOW, Dec 1 (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree putting St Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport under the temporary management of a Russian company, wresting control from investors from Germany, Qatar and other Gulf states. The airport's management company has 14 co-owners. The rights of foreign shareholders will pass to two different Russian entities. Russian shareholders will retain their rights. The decree stated that airport's foreign shareholders would be able to restore their rights to stakes in the new company if they apply and conclude corporate agreements that comply with Russian laws on foreign investment.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Fraport, VTB, Ramzan Kadyrov, Taimuraz, Carlsberg's, Gleb Stolyarov, Alexander Marrow, Ilona Wissenbach, Gareth Jones, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: Petersburg's Pulkovo, Qatar Investment Authority, Russian Direct Investment Fund, Baring, Baltika Breweries, Reuters, Thomson Locations: MOSCOW, Russian, Germany, Qatar, St Petersburg, Abu Dhabi, Russia, Ukraine, Moscow

☆ Top Russian court bans LGBT movement as 'extremist'
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

MOSCOW, Nov 30 (Reuters) - Russia's Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that LGBT activists should be designated as extremists, in a move that representatives of gay and transgender people fear will lead to arrests and prosecutions. A Reuters reporter in court heard it announce that it had approved a request from the justice ministry to recognise what it called "the international LGBT social movement" as extremist and to ban its activities. Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters before the court decision was announced that the Kremlin was "not following" the case and had no comment on it. The Supreme Court took around five hours to issue its ruling, after opening its session at 10 a.m. (0700 GMT). More than 100 groups are already banned in Russia as "extremist".

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Peskov, Alexei Sergeyev, Alexei Navalny, Sergeyev, Mark Trevelyan, Kevin Liffey Organizations: Reuters, LGBT, Thomson Locations: MOSCOW, Russia, St Petersburg

☆ Gay activists in Russia fear arrest as top court weighs "extremist" listing
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Russia's justice ministry asked the Supreme Court this month to recognise what it called "the international LGBT social movement" as extremist and to ban its activities. The ministry said that "various signs and manifestations of extremist orientation, including the incitement of social and religious discord" had been identified in the activities of Russia's LGBT movement, without giving examples. 'EXTREMIST' LISTING CAN FORESHADOW ARRESTSThe justice ministry publishes a list of more than 100 "extremist" groups banned in Russia. "This will all be so underground that, unfortunately, I'm sure there are many people who won't be able to get help," he said. Reporting by Reuters, writing by Mark Trevelyan; Editing by Kevin LiffeyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Putin, Alexei Sergeyev, Vladimir Putin, Alexei Navalny, Sergei Troshin, Sergeev, Mark Trevelyan, Kevin Liffey Organizations: PETERSBURG, LGBT, Reuters, Orthodox Church, Thomson Locations: Russia, St Petersburg

☆ Putin fears the wrath of soldiers' wives, as the Kremlin tries to buy-off potential protestors, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-26 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Russian soldiers and their wives are becoming increasingly unhappy with long deployments without rotation. AdvertisementThe Kremlin is concerned that the disgruntled wives of conscripted soldiers unhappy with long deployments could become a significant political headache, reports say. The Kremlin believes that most wives are more concerned about the paycheck than their husbands returning from war, the outlet reported. The report comes after the wives of deployed soldiers held a rare public protest in Moscow on November 7. AdvertisementRecent requests by soldiers' wives to hold protests in Moscow and St Petersburg have been denied.

Persons: —, RkeSEZILBt — Slava, @Heroiam_Slava, doesn't, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Ella Pamfilova Organizations: Service, UK Ministry of Defense, Russian, St, Levada Locations: Russian, Moscow, The, London, St Petersburg, Afghanistan, Chechnya, Ukraine

☆ Putin says Russia's economic growth will exceed 3% in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with representatives of business, officials and other participants of the 8th Eastern Economic Forum via a video link in Vladivostok, Russia, September 12, 2023. Sputnik/Mikhail Metzel/Pool via REUTERS/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsMOSCOW, Nov 17 (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Russia's economic growth was set to exceed 3% this year, slightly better than previous official forecasts. Russia's economy shrank 2.1% in 2022, as the West imposed sweeping sanctions against Russia over conflict in Ukraine. Now we confidently say: it will be over 3%," Putin told a cultural forum in St Petersburg. Last month the central bank estimated 2023 GDP growth at 2.2-2.7%.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Mikhail Metzel, Putin, Vladimir Soldatkin, Kevin Liffey Organizations: Eastern Economic, Sputnik, Rights, Thomson Locations: Vladivostok, Russia, Ukraine, St Petersburg

Skochilenko, an artist and musician known as Sasha to her friends, has admitted replacing price tags in a supermarket in her native St Petersburg on March 31 2022 with small pieces of paper urging an end to the war and criticising the authorities. But Skochilenko, who has already spent over a year-and-a half in prison, denies the formal charge of knowingly spreading false information about the Russian army. Skochilenko is due to make a final statement on Thursday to a court in St Petersburg which is expected to deliver a verdict on the same day. Amnesty International has declared Skochilenko "a prisoner of conscience" - someone who is imprisoned solely because of who they are or what they believe. Reporting by Reuters Writing by Andrew Osborn Editing by Barbara LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Alexandra, Sasha, Skochilenko, Said, Alexandra Skochilenko, Russia's, Moscow, Vladimir Putin, Yana Nepovinnova, Andrew Osborn, Barbara Lewis Organizations: Amnesty International, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Saint Petersburg, Russia, Russian, St Petersburg

☆ In wartime Russia, soaring prices bite as election looms
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

When she goes through the snow to the shops, she inspects the prices to search for bargains. Prices for disposable nappies and baby food have at least doubled, she said. While many families across the world are grappling with price rises, the peculiarities of Russia's wartime economy have spurred high inflation for millions of Russian voters ahead of the 2024 election. Putin is expected to run in next year's election, a move that would keep him in power until least 2030. Igor Lipits, a Russian economist, said official Russian data on levels of poverty were poor - as was the overall picture for the Russian economy - despite often rosy announcements aimed at pleasing the Kremlin leadership.

Persons: Sergei, Stepanova, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Igor Lipits, Lipits, Lyudmila, Guy Faulconbridge, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: West, Reuters, U.S, stoke, Monetary Fund, Central Bank, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson Locations: SREDNEURALSK, Russia, Ukraine, Stepanova, Sredneuralsk, Lake Iset, Yekaterinburg, Moscow, United States, Russian, St Petersburg

☆ Russian Artist Who Used Supermarket Price Tags to Criticise Ukraine War Faces Verdict
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Andrew Osborn(Reuters) - A Russian artist who replaced supermarket price tags with messages calling for an end to Moscow's war in Ukraine is expected to learn her fate in court on Thursday with a state prosecutor asking for her to be jailed for eight years. But Skochilenko, who has already spent over a year-and-a half in prison, denies the formal charge of knowingly spreading false information about the Russian army. Skochilenko is due to make a final statement on Thursday to a court in St Petersburg which is expected to deliver a verdict on the same day. Amnesty International has declared Skochilenko "a prisoner of conscience" - someone who is imprisoned solely because of who they are or what they believe. One of her lawyers, Yana Nepovinnova, told the court on Monday that her client should be acquitted.

Persons: Andrew Osborn, Alexandra Skochilenko, Russia's, Moscow, Vladimir Putin, Sasha, Skochilenko, Yana Nepovinnova, Barbara Lewis Organizations: Amnesty International, Reuters Locations: Russian, Ukraine, Russia, St Petersburg

Authorities have detained nearly 20,000 people for anti-war activity and opened over 800 criminal cases against anti-war dissidents, according to the OVD-Info rights group. Skochilenko replaced price tags in a supermarket in her native St Petersburg on March 31 2022 with five small pieces of paper urging an end to the war. "Even you, your honour (the judge), even you, the state prosecutor, you also don’t want people to die prematurely, for young soldiers to lie in the fields, for civilians to die." Copies of the imitation price tags produced by Skochilenko are on display on a website maintained by her supporters. Another alleges Russia was sending conscripts to fight in Ukraine, which Russia has also denied.

Persons: Alexandra, Sasha, Skochilenko, Alexandra Skochilenko, Moscow's, Vladimir Putin, Alexander Gladyshev, Putin, Andrew Osborn, Mark Trevelyan, Barbara Lewis Organizations: Authorities, Moscow, Wednesday, Amnesty, NATO, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Saint Petersburg, Russia, Russian, St Petersburg, Mariupol, Moscow

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