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☆ Venezuela builds forces near Guyana border despite agreement to de-escalate
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Vasco Cotovio | Allegra Goodwin | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Satellite images show Venezuela has bolstered its military presence near the border with Guyana, despite Caracas saying it would pursue a diplomatic avenue to try and resolve the long-standing territorial dispute over an oil-rich piece of Guyanese land. Anacoco Island military base on July 28, 2021. Satellite image ©2024 Maxar Technologies Anacoco Island military base on January 13, 2024. Satellite image ©2024 Maxar Technologies Aerial views of Anacoco Island military base on July 28, 2021 and January 13, 2024. Venezuela later reached an agreement with Guyana on December 15 to avoid escalation and try to settle the dispute between the two countries without force.

Persons: “, ” Organizations: CNN, 11th Armoured Brigade, 6th Venezuelan Army Corps Engineers, Venezuelan Army, Center for Strategic, International Studies Locations: Venezuela, Guyana, Caracas, Guayana, Republic, Washington, Venezuelan

CNN —Ukraine’s military intelligence says it sank a Russian warship off the coast of Crimea overnight into Thursday, landing the latest in a series of blows to Russia’s Black Sea Fleet after mounting a “massive” missile attack on the occupied peninsula hours earlier. Night-time footage supplied by Ukraine showed naval drones racing toward the Russian ship before exploding on impact, causing significant damage to the vessel. CNN could not independently verify Ukraine’s claims and it is unclear from the footage which vessel was struck and when. The vessel became infamous after it threatened to bomb Snake Island in the Black Sea if the Ukrainian soldiers defending it did not surrender. In the meantime, I thank everyone who contributed to the cleansing of Crimea from the Russian presence,” Oleshchuk said.

Persons: CNN —, ”, Mikhail Razvozhaev, Razvozhaev, Mykola Oleshchuk, ” Oleshchuk, Yurii Ihnat, General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Volodymyr Zelensky Organizations: CNN, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence, Russia’s Defense Ministry, Russian, Ukraine, Wednesday, Ukraine’s Air Force, 204th Tactical Aviation Brigade, Ukrainian Air Force, Air Force Command, Ukraine’s Armed Forces Locations: Russian, Crimea, Lake Donuzlav, Ukraine, Russia, Ukrainian, Moskva, Sevastopol, “, ”

☆ ‘Everything is destroyed’: Civilians trickle out of Avdiivka as Russian assault leaves Ukrainian town in ruins
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Vasco Cotovio | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

They [stayed because] did not want to leave their homes,” Soloviy explained. “The situation has not changed radically - it is tough,” the head of the Avdiivka city military administration Vitalii Barabash said in daily update on Wednesday. “Russian troops continue to try to encircle Avdiivka, making numerous attempts to storm it,” the Ukrainian National Guard said in an update Wednesday. “The Russians decided to push on, they keep going despite the losses.”But for those who go to Avdiivka day in and day out, that’s where the comparisons end. Here patients are stabilized and we further transfer them to other cities, where people are provided with more professional help,” Solviy explained, adding there’s not enough staff for the demand.

Persons: ”, Dmytro Soloviy, ” Soloviy, “, Vitalii Barabash, Barabash, ” Barabash, it’s, ” Solviy, Vitalii Sytnik, Solviy Organizations: CNN, Moscow, Ukraine National Police, Avdiivka, White Angels, Ukrainian National Guard, that’s Locations: Ukrainian, Avdiivka, Donetsk, Russia, Moscow, ”, Ukraine, Avdiivka’s, “, Krasnohorivka, Aviidvka, Bakhmut

He was a violinist who became a soldier with Ukraine’s special forces. “We did it so that people in Ukraine and in occupied Crimea don’t lose spirit and keep faith in Crimea returning to Ukraine,” Muzykant said. Russian forces illegally annexed Crimea in 2014. Vasco Cotovio/CNNMuzykant said the dangerous operation took months of planning to prepare the Ukrainian soldiers for the many risks they would face. Stringer/ReutersMuzykant knows there’s still some time and plenty of hard work before Ukrainian forces are able to launch a bigger offensive on Crimea but more – and more daring – raids are on the horizon.

Persons: ”, Muzykant, ” Muzykant, Vladimir Putin, Vasco Cotovio, CNN Muzykant, “, Batallion, It’s, Dmytro Korchynskyi, ” Korchynskyi, Korchynskyi, Atesh, ” Atesh, Stringer, Reuters Muzykant, there’s Organizations: Ukraine CNN, CNN, “, Raptors, Fleet, Storm Shadow, Black, Russia, Planet Labs, Reuters CNN, Federal Security Service, Partisans, Reuters Locations: Kyiv, Ukraine, Crimea, Ukrainian, Russia’s, Moscow, Russian, CNN Moscow, ”, Crimean, Sevastopol, Kerch, Russia, Kherson, Melitopol

“The fighting has been going on for four days,” Vitalii Barabash, the head of the Avdiivka city military administration, told Ukrainian national television on Friday. Both small arms battles and artillery duels.”According to Barabash, Russia has been “firing everything they have available” at the city in a bid to encircle Ukrainian fighters. They are not human beings, they are titans.”Ukrainian President Voloydymr Zelensky also said his country’s troops were keeping Russian forces at bay. Avdiivka, a city very close to the Donetsk city airport, had already been the front line between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatists since 2014. It is seen by Ukrainian and Russian forces as a heavily fortified stronghold, with entrenchments built up over the past eight years.

Persons: ” Vitalii Barabash, “, ”, Volodymyr Zelensky, Jens Stoltenberg, Virginia, AP Barabash, ” Barabash, Voloydymr Zelensky, ” Zelensky, Zelensky, Oleksandr Shtupun, Avdiivka, that’s, Barabash Organizations: CNN, Russian, Ukrainian, NATO, Virginia Mayo, AP, Institute for, ” CNN Locations: Ukrainian, Avdiivka, Barabash, Russia, Donetsk oblast, “, Donetsk, Russian, Mariupol

This is a critical moment for Ukraine, especially as international fatigue starts to set in and the world’s attention shifts to the Middle East. “These days, our attention is focused on the Middle East,” Zelensky told the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in a video address on Monday. Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP/Getty ImagesZelensky delivered a similar message to the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, led by US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, on Wednesday. The Ukrainian president acknowledged Russia was putting up some stiff resistance to Kyiv’s counteroffensive but said his country remained on the offensive. Despite Austin’s vow of support for Ukraine, the new package was one of the smallest provided by the United States.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Jens Stoltenberg, “, ” Zelensky, Zelensky, ”, Ali Jadallah, shockwaves, Anna Voitenko, Joe Biden, Biden, Ronaldo Schemidt, Defense Lloyd Austin, Putin, ” Austin, Austin’s Organizations: CNN, NATO, Ukraine Defense Contact, Getty, Israel Saturday, Ukraine’s General Staff, NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Reuters, US, Defense, Terrorists, Hamas Locations: Brussels, Belgian, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Israel, Russia, Kyiv, It’s, Gaza City, Gaza, Anadolu, Hroza, “, Moscow, Europe, Washington —, United States, Donetsk region, Bucha, AFP, Washington

☆ Hroza, Ukraine missile strike: No military targets in village hit by 'inhuman' Russian attack, officials say
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( Vasco Cotovio Radina Gigova Svitlana Vlasova Helen Regan | Vasco Cotovio | Radina Gigova | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Members of Ukraine's emergency services at the scene of a Russian missile strike in the village of Hroza, Kharkiv region, eastern Ukraine on October 5. At least 16 people were injured, including an 11-month-old baby, said Oleh Syniehubov, the head of Kharkiv region’s military administration. Ukraine's emergency services work through the night digging through the rubble in the aftermath of a Russian missile attack. Police and military experts work at the site of a Russian military strike in Hroza. The Ukrainian military has since been trying to resist advances from Moscow.

Persons: ” Sergey Bolvinov, Vasco Cotovio, CNN Bolvinov, ”, Ihor Terekhov, Terekhov, Oleh Syniehubov, Dmytro Chubenko, Chubenko, Hroza, Volodymyr Zelensky, ” Zelensky, Pedro Sánchez, Olaf Scholz, Zelensky, Vyacheslav Madiyevskyy, Karine Jean, Pierre, Sofiia Gatilova Organizations: Ukraine CNN, CNN, Hroza, Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s, RBC, Spanish, White, Ukraine, Police, NATO, Ukrainian Locations: Hroza, Ukraine, Russian, Ukrainian, Kupiansk, Kharkiv, Kramatorsk, Dnipro, Granada, Spain, Germany, “, Kyiv, Moscow, Russia

Hroza CNN —Two women slowly approach a makeshift memorial in the village of Hroza. “It was a powerful strike, very powerful, I came out and everything was burning,” she recalled, the horror of Thursday afternoon’s strike still very present. Residents say little more than 110 had remained in the village, nearly half of those killed by the strike. Vasco Cotovio/CNNThe grocery store and cafe hit by a Russian missile in Hroza were meters away from a children's playground. Vasco Cotovio/CNNValentina Kozienko, 73, says the Russian strike also damaged her house.

Persons: ”, Valentina Kozienko, “, Vasco Cotovio, Andrii, Denis, Hroza, ” Anatoliy Androsovych, Mykola, “ It’s, Andrii Kozyr Organizations: CNN, CNN Emergency Locations: Hroza, Russian, Russia, ”, Kupiansk, Kharkiv, Ukrainian, Dnipro

☆ Kyiv: Touting American-made guns, frontline Ukrainian soldiers fear potential loss of US military support
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-03 | by ( Vasco Cotovio Frederik Pleitgen Daniel Hodge Kostyantin Gak | Vasco Cotovio | Frederik Pleitgen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Donetsk region, Ukraine CNN —A Ukrainian solider rushes through the front-line in Klishchiivka, eastern Ukraine, as gun and artillery fire erupt around him. A Ukrainian soldier practices with an American-donated machine gun at a training ground in eastern Ukraine. Vasco Cotovio/CNNUnfazed by the artillery duels just a few miles away, over the battered city of Bakhmut, Vasyl, 44, practices with a US-made M2 Browning machine gun. “This is a large-caliber machine gun that works without failures,” said Vasyl, who asked that his last name not be used due to safety concerns. Back at the Ukrainian military training ground, smoke billows on the horizon but a momentary silence suggests an end to the artillery duel in the distance.

Persons: Panting, United States —, Joe Biden, Vasco Cotovio, ”, Vasyl, “, Oleksiy Danilov, Vladimir, Putin, ” Danilov, it’s Organizations: Ukraine CNN —, Russian, United, Ukraine, CNN, Ukraine’s National, US Locations: Donetsk, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Klishchiivka, American, Belgian, United States, Kyiv, Washington, Bakhmut, Soviet

Zaporizhzhia, southern Ukraine CNN —A group of Ukrainian soldiers moves swiftly through a front-line training ground, overcoming obstacles and firing at distant targets. They are fine-tuning their battle skills here as Ukraine’s counteroffensive against Russian forces rages just few miles to the south. “When we had contact (with the Russian forces), I had to move away from the trail,” Danilo said. Vlad, a combat medic, says many of those injured by mines in recent months have been sappers working to clear territory so Ukrainian forces can advance. ‘Victory or death’Following his recuperation in Mexico, Danilo is back in the battle, supporting Ukrainian forces as they advance in the south.

Persons: Ukraine CNN —, Danilo, “ I’m, ” Danilo, Volodymyr Zelensky, Vasco Cotovio, “, ”, Vlad, won’t Organizations: Ukraine CNN, CNN, Vasco, Geneva Convention, Russian Ministry of Defense, ” Kyiv, ‘, Ukraine’s Locations: Ukraine, Russia’s, Florida, Zaporizhzhia, Russian, Mexico, Ukrainian, Geneva

CNN —Fighters who had previously fought in Ukraine for the Russian mercenary group Wagner have returned to the battlefield in the east, according to the Ukrainian military. Wagner mercenaries had withdrawn from the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut in May as they handed control of the area to Russia’s military. “As of now, there are several hundred of them in our direction, on the Eastern Front, in different areas,” Cherevatyi told CNN. “Wagner is here too,” a drone operator with call-sign “Groove” told CNN’s Fred Pleitgen on the ground in eastern Ukraine on Tuesday. The Ukrainian general leading the southern counteroffensive, Oleksandr Tarnavsky, told CNN last week that Wagner fighters continue to pop up “here and there” on the frontlines.

Persons: Wagner, Serhii Cherevatyi, ” Cherevatyi, “ Wagner, ”, CNN’s Fred Pleitgen, “, ” Mykhailo Podolyak, Volodymyr Zelensky, ” Podolyak, Oleksandr Tarnavsky, that’s Organizations: CNN — Fighters, Communications, Ukrainian, Russian Ministry of Defense, CNN, Russian MoD, Wagner PMC Locations: Ukraine, Russian, Ukrainian, Bakhmut

The night-time assault is part of a coordinated Ukrainian offensive push near the beleaguered eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, to which CNN obtained exclusive access. “Sometimes there are a lot of them,” Groove says, searching the area with his drone, trying to scope out Russian forces. They chase a few Russian vehicles, dropping bombs on them as they go. Ukrainian drone pilots are able to see their targets through their controllers, even at night, with the help of night vision. German-made Leopard 2 tanks, American Bradley infantry fighting vehicles among others were sent to the area to support Ukrainian forces as they stormed Russian positions.

Persons: They’ve, ”, “, ” Ukraine’s, Mykhailo Fedorov, ‘ Flint ’, Wagner Organizations: Eastern, Eastern Ukraine CNN —, CNN, Ministry for Digital Transformation, Digital Transformation, Russia, “, US, American Bradley, Southern Locations: Eastern Ukraine, Ukrainian, Bakhmut, Kyiv, Russian, Ukraine, zeroing, East Kyiv, Melitopol, Berdiansk, American, Crimea, South, “, Russia

CNN —The general leading Ukraine’s counteroffensive along the southern front line says his forces have broken through in Verbove – and predicts an even bigger breakthrough to come. However, open-source analysis of available video suggests that some Ukrainian units have crossed through an important line of Russian defenses near the village of Verbove. Stringer/ReutersAt the beginning of September Ukrainian forces said they had taken the village of Robotyne and were pushing east toward the village of Novoprokopivka. CNN reported earlier this week that the Ukrainian forces were still some 20 kilometers from Tokmak, struggling to break through the multiple layers of Russian defenses. “But the actions of our fighters force them to slowly pull back when they face our assault squads.”The general conceded that for the counteroffensive to be a success, Ukrainian forces need to at least reach the city of Tokmak.

Persons: Verbove –, Oleksandr Tarnavsky, Frederik Pleitgen, ”, Stringer, Soldiers, Tarnavsky, ” Tarnavsky, “, Rather, Sergey Surovikin, Ukraine – Tarnavsky, Tokmak, Pleitgen, It’s, Ukraine’s, CNN Wagner, ‘, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Vladimir Putin, Prigozhin, redeploying, that’s, it’s Wagner, it’s Organizations: CNN, International, Kyiv, Reuters, Assault Brigade Locations: Verbove, Russia, Ukrainian, Zaporizhzia, Zaporizhzhia, Crimea, Robotyne, Novoprokopivka, Ukraine, Tokmak, West, Russian, Belarus, Kherson, –, Sevastopol, Crimean

CNN —Chinese opera singer Wang Fan has sparked a diplomatic row after she was filmed singing the Soviet war song “Katyusha” inside the Mariupol Drama Theater in Ukraine where hundreds were killed last year. Wang was part of a group of Chinese bloggers visiting the occupied Ukrainian city. “Katyusha” is a Soviet-era folk song that gained popularity during World War II, calling on the population to serve and defend their land. The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused the group of violating its state borders. It grossly violates Ukrainian legislation regulating the crossing of the state border by foreigners,” Nikolenko said.

Persons: Wang Fan, Wang, ’ Wang Fan, Oleg Nikolenko, “, ” Nikolenko, ’, Boichenko, Wang’s, ”, cynically Organizations: CNN, Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign, Weibo, NATO, Council Locations: Soviet, Ukraine, Ukrainian, “, China, Mariupol, ”, Russian

☆ Cristiano Ronaldo says his long-standing ‘rivalry’ with Lionel Messi is over
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Thomas Schlachter | Vasco Cotovio | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi? But according to Ronaldo himself, the “rivalry” between the pair has disappeared since they swapped European clubs for pastures new – Ronaldo moving to Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia and Messi to Inter Miami in the US. Those who like Cristiano Ronaldo don’t have to hate Messi. Ronaldo and Messi spent the height of their careers playing in Spain for Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively, which helped to heighten the rivalry between the players – and their fans. Messi also added 10 LaLiga titles and Ronaldo won two.

Persons: CNN — Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Ronaldo, Cristiano Ronaldo don’t, Messi, They’re, Blancos, Ballon, – Ronaldo, “, ” Ronaldo, I’ve, ” Messi, Tim Nwachukwu, ”, “ It’s, Ahmed Yosri, Neymar, Karim Benzema, N’Golo, Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy, Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mané, Marcelo Brozović Organizations: CNN, Messi, Inter Miami, Portugal, Real Madrid, League, Spanish, MLS, Saudi Pro League, Reuters, “ Locations: Al, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Barcelona

CNN —Moscow’s forces have started covering some of their attack aircraft with car tires, in what experts say could be a makeshift attempt to protect them from Ukrainian drone strikes that have had increased recent success in targeting Russian military airports. Satellite imagery from Maxar of Engels Airbase, deep inside Russia, shows two Tu-95 strategic bombers with car tires on top of the airframes. The move may have limited effect, according to Francisco Serra-Martins of drone manufacturer One Way Aerospace whose drones have been used by Ukrainian forces. A satellite image shows car tires on a Russian aircraft. Video Ad Feedback Both Russia and Ukraine are using drones.

Persons: CNN —, Francisco Serra, Martins, ”, Steffan Watkins, CNN Watkins Organizations: CNN, Aerospace, Ukrainian, Maxar Technologies, NATO Locations: Engels Airbase, Russia, Russian, Ukraine, Moscow, Pskov, Estonian

CNN —Russia temporarily shuttered all four major Moscow airports early on Friday morning following an alleged drone strike on the capital city, its civil aviation authority said. Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said Friday that Russian air defenses shot down a drone over the capital city overnight. The incident on Friday was the third time in the past month that this district of Moscow has been struck by drone debris. “The Kiev regime launched another terrorist attack using a drone against facilities in Moscow and Moscow region on August 18 at 4:00 Moscow time,” the ministry said in a statement, using the Russian spelling of the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. Last month, Kyiv said Ukrainian forces carried out a drone strike in Moscow and warned more strikes were to come.

Persons: Sergey Sobyanin, “, Shamil Zhumatov, Mykhailo Fedorov, Volodymyr Zelensky, Rosaviatsiya Organizations: CNN, Russia, Moscow, Russian Defense Ministry, Reuters, Kyiv, Transformation Ministry, “ Army, Drones, Russian Association of Tour Locations: Moscow, Sheremetyevo, Zhukovsky, Expocentre, Ukraine, Kiev, Kyiv, Krasnopresnenskaya Embankment, Russia, Reuters Ukraine, Crimea, Ukrainian, Nizhny Novgorod, St, Petersburg, Minsk, Belarus

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Nearly 500 square kilometers (193 square miles) of rainforest were cleared in July, a significant fall from the 1,487 square kilometers (574 square miles) cleared last July. There has been a sharp decline in deforestation since Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was inaugurated as president in January. Brazil’s environment minister, Marina Silva, said government policies, including increasing surveillance and fining perpetrators, has played a big role in bringing rates of deforestation down. The reduced rate of deforestation is positive news at a time when the Amazon remains critically vulnerable. In 2022 an area of global tropical forest the size of Switzerland was lost as forest destruction rose by 10% compared to the previous year, according to a recent report from the World Resources Institute’s (WRI) Global Forest Watch.

Persons: Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Lula, Jair, Marina Silva, ” Silva, Moraes Almeida, Nelson Almedia Organizations: CNN, Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research, Getty, Resources, Watch Locations: Brazilian, Para, Brazil, AFP, Belem, Switzerland

☆ Kherson detention centers: Russian troops tortured nearly half of those held, international human rights report finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Vasco Cotovio | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Nearly half of Ukrainians held in Russian detention centers in Kherson were subjected to widespread torture including sexual violence, according to a report published Wednesday. The report reveals analysis of an initial pool of 320 cases of detention in Kherson, across more than 35 identified detention centers. The report adds that suffocation, waterboarding, severe beatings and threats of rape were other techniques commonly used against victims by Russian guards in the Kherson torture chambers, according to the specialist unit. Mykytenko says these patterns of rape and torture point towards a Russian intent to eradicate Ukrainian identity. Russia has repeatedly denied accusations of torture and human rights abuses in Ukraine despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, investigated, compiled and shared by international human rights organizations and news organizations.

Persons: it’s, Anna Mykytenko, ” Mykytenko, Mykytenko, Wayne Jordash, ”, “ Organizations: CNN, Mobile Justice Team, EU, Ukraine’s, Global Rights Compliance, Global Rights, “, Kremlin Locations: Kherson, Ukrainian, Ukraine, Russia

But two months after President Joe Biden announced US support for training Ukrainian pilots on F-16s, there remain a number of critical details to work out. It is also still unclear which countries will commit F-16s to the training program – and to Ukraine itself once the program is finished. The training program will be for Ukraine and “also for other countries who are transitioning to the fourth generation fighter jets,” she said. The number of Ukrainian pilots set to be trained is also still being determined, but the Air Force memo recommended a pool of 10-12 participants. “The United States will not be the holdup in ensuring that this F-16 training can get under way.”

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Joe Biden, Biden, ”, Kajsa Ollongren, “, Strategic Communications John Kirby, ’ skillset, Jake Sullivan Organizations: Washington CNN, CNN, Denmark’s Ministry of Defense, Skrydstrup Fighter Base, Dutch Ministry of Defense, Dutch Defense, NATO, National Security, Strategic Communications, Vasco Cotovio, US Air Force, The Air Force, Morris Air National Guard Base, Force, Yahoo, an Air Force, Air Force, Ukraine’s Air Force, American, Russian, National Locations: Ukraine, Denmark, Romania, American, Netherlands, Belgium, Canada, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, Fort Sill, Oklahoma, Europe, Tucson , Arizona, Soviet, United States

Kyiv, Ukraine CNN —A day after Volodymyr Zelensky said war was “returning to Russia” with an attempted drone strike on Moscow, the Kremlin launched a deadly airstrike against the Ukraine president’s hometown of Kryvyi Rih. On Monday, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the Kremlin would intensify its attacks in response to Kyiv’s attempted drone strikes against Moscow the previous day that damaged a business and shopping development in the west of the capital. Shoigu and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov both said Ukraine’s attempted drone strikes on Moscow terrorist attacks were meant to deflect from a purported lack of success on the battlefield. No casualties were reported in the attempted Moscow drone strikes over the weekend. However, Russian bombardments in Ukraine have struck civilian homes, schools, hospitals, churches and power plants, killing thousands of bystanders in the process.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Zelensky, Natalia Balaba, “, Balaba, ”, Kryvyi, Oleksandr Vilkul, Sergei Shoigu, Kyiv’s, Ukraine “, ” Zelensky, Dmitry Peskov, Ukraine’s, –, ” Shoigu Organizations: Ukraine CNN, Kremlin, Ukraine president’s, Residents, Emergency Service of, Reuters, Russian Ministry of Defense, Moscow, Ukraine’s Air Force, Russian Federation Locations: Kyiv, Ukraine, Russia, Moscow, Kryvyi, Ukrainian, Emergency Service of Ukraine, Rih, Shoigu

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

CNN —An Iranian chess player, who competed in an international tournament without wearing a hijab, has been granted Spanish nationality, Spain’s Minister of Justice announced on Tuesday. Sara Khadem, also known as Sarasadat Khademalsharieh, competed in the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan, in December 2022. Khadem was one of a number of sportswomen to appear at a sporting event without a hijab since anti-government protests erupted in September last year, sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini. Spain’s Minister of Justice, Pilar Llop, said that there were “exceptional circumstances” in Khadem’s situation, announcing that the country’s Council of Ministers granted her “Spanish nationality through a naturalization letter.”The chess player met with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in January, who said that he was “inspired” by Khadem. “How much I have learned today from a woman who inspires me, the Women’s Chess Grandmaster Sara Khadem,” Sánchez tweeted.

Persons: Sara Khadem, Khademalsharieh, Khadem, Mahsa, Pilar Llop, Pedro Sánchez, ” Sánchez, ” Organizations: CNN, Justice, FIDE, Reuters, country’s, Ministers, Spanish Locations: Iranian, Spanish, Almaty, Kazakhstan, Iran, Spain

While it still maintains some combat power in reserve, it has now deployed the “main bulk” of the forces committed to the counteroffensive forces, one of the US officials said. “The second wave of the [Ukrainian] counteroffensive has begun” on the Zaporizhzhia front, said Vladimir Rogov, a member of the Russian-installed military-civilian administration in the region. The New York Times was first to report on the commitment of additional Ukrainian forces to the counteroffensive. Zelensky said last week that one reason for the slow progress of the counteroffensive was its later-than-planned start. However, some Ukrainian military officials have recently noted that Russia’s advantage in electronic warfare has blunted the effectiveness of drone operations.

Persons: “, Vladimir Rogov, Rogov, ” Rogov, Bradley, ”, Vladimir Putin, Ukraine’s, Volodymyr Zelensky, Lloyd Austin, ” Austin, they’ve, Oleksii Reznikov, Reznikov, Putin, Zelensky, ” Zelensky, Denys Shmyhal Organizations: CNN, Kyiv, Ukrainian, Leopard, Brigade, Artillery, Bradley, US, The New York Times, Ukraine’s, Aspen Security, United, Army Tactical Missile Systems Locations: Ukraine, Russian, “, Robotyne, Orikhiv, Papua New Guinea, Crimea, Donbas, St . Petersburg, Russia, Kyiv, United States, France, United Kingdom, Ukrainian, Odesa, Moscow

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