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☆ Putin war aims unchanged but lacks manpower, morale -Pentagon
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON, Jan 6 (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin's aim of seizing Ukrainian territory has not changed, but Russian forces continue to suffer from military weaknesses including the amount of troops they have, the Pentagon said on Friday, as Washington hopes the latest record weapons package for Kyiv will help Ukraine retake territory occupied by Russia. "Putin has not given up his aims of dominating Ukraine and continuing to acquire Ukraine's territory," said Laura Cooper, a deputy assistant secretary of defense focusing on Russia and Ukraine. "But the reality of Russian weaknesses, the Russian armed forces weaknesses has collided with those aims," Cooper said, adding that Russian troops also suffer from low morale. Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali; Editing by Leslie AdlerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Putin's Orthodox Christmas ceasefire has started, but Ukraine thinks it's a trick and says 'it's too late for the Kremlin to think of God'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Russian President Vladimir Putin called for a ceasefire in honor of Russian Orthodox Christmas. But Ukraine think it's a trap intended to give Russia time to regroup without Ukrainian attacks. Ukraine's Ministry of Defense tweeted, "isn't it too late for the Kremlin to think of God?" Mykhailo Podolyak, a top advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said on social media Thursday that the "'Christmas truce' is a cynical trap & an element of propaganda." Though the Kremlin called the truce, it's also unclear if Russia itself is abiding by it.

☆ Medvedev: Put Russian Hypersonic Missiles Close to Washington, DC
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia's former president called for hypersonic missiles to be put close to Washington, DC. Dmitry Medvedev lashed out after US officials said the Ukraine war is not "worthy" of Russians. Hypersonic missiles are exceptionally fast, and can travel on an unpredictable flight path, making them harder to intercept with traditional air defense systems. The 405-mile-long Potomac River passes through Washington, D.C., the seat of the US federal government. On Wednesday, Russia announced that it was sending its Admiral Gorshkov warship, armed with Zircon hypersonic cruise missiles, on a long-range voyage that would pass through the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and Mediterranean Sea.

Locations: США, РФ

☆ U.S. thinks Putin ally Prigozhin wants control of salt, gypsum from mines near Bakhmut
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Steve Holland | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] A destroyed house is seen, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine January 5, 2023. REUTERS/Anna KudriavtsevaWASHINGTON, Jan 5 (Reuters) - The United States is of the view that Russian President Vladimir Putin's ally Yevgeny Prigozhin, who is the founder of Russia's most powerful mercenary group, is interested in taking control of salt and gypsum from mines near the Ukrainian-held city of Bakhmut, a White House official said on Thursday. There are indications that monetary motives are driving Russia's and Prigozhin's "obsession" with Bakhmut, the official added. Prigozhin is the owner of private Russian military company Wagner Group. Reporting by Steve Holland; writing by Kanishka Singh; Editing by Leslie Adler and Cynthia OstermanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Apple is coming off a terrible year and Wall Street is torn on whether it's set for more pain or about to skyrocket.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

While the meeting minutes don't tell us exactly what the Fed will do next month, generally they are worth paying attention to for hints into the thinking of central bankers. Shares fell further on Tuesday and Wednesday after a Nikkei report said demand for MacBooks, AirPods, and Apple Watches is weakening. But Loup Funds' Gene Munster said Apple stock should be worth double its current value, given that it's one of the world's greatest companies. What's your outlook for Apple stock this year? This hedge fund manager has returned 163% over the last year, and he's anticipating more pain to come for stocks.

☆ Biden says Putin trying to find 'oxygen' with truce proposal
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, Jan 5 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden suggested Vladimir Putin's struggle in Ukraine after 10 months of war and thousands of lives lost had prompted the Russian president to offer a 36-hour truce, saying, "I think he's trying to find some oxygen." The Kremlin said Putin had ordered a ceasefire from midday on Friday after a call for a Christmas truce by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, head of the Russian Orthodox Church. Ukraine spurned the ceasefire offer over Orthodox Christmas, saying there would be no truce until Russia withdraws its invading forces from occupied land. Asked about the proposed truce, Biden told reporters at the White House: "I'm reluctant to respond to anything that Putin says. I mean, I think he's trying to find some oxygen."

☆ Russia's Medvedev snaps back after U.S. appeal over Ukraine war
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has triggered one of the most deadly wars in Europe since World War Two and the deepest crisis in Moscow's relations with the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. Medvedev said the missiles could be placed 100 miles (160 km) off the U.S. coast, adding: "So rejoice! He was speaking after the U.S. embassy to Russia released a video that it called an "an appeal to the people of Russia". The 50-second video included images of the impact of bombing in Ukraine, saying what was happening there "is not worthy of you". Since the war began, Medvedev's rhetoric has become increasingly vitriolic though his published views sometimes chime with thinking at the top levels of the Kremlin elite.

☆ NATO chief warns against underestimating Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

[1/2] NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg speaks during NHO's (Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise) annual conference in Oslo Spektrum, Sweden January 5, 2023. NTB/Stian Lysberg Solum via REUTERSOSLO, Jan 5 (Reuters) - NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday it would be dangerous to underestimate Russia and President Vladimir Putin's ambitions amid the war in Ukraine. "They have shown a great willingness to tolerate losses and suffering," Stoltenberg told a business conference in Norway. "We have no indication that President Putin has changed his plans and goals in Ukraine. So it's dangerous to underestimate Russia."

☆ Ukraine's Zelenskiy dismisses Russia truce order as trick
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Speaking pointedly in Russian and addressing both the Kremlin and Russians as a whole, Zelenskiy said Moscow had repeatedly ignored Kyiv's own peace plan. The war would end, he said, when Russian troops left Ukraine or were thrown out. Russia's Orthodox Church observes Christmas on Jan. 7. Ukraine's main Orthodox Church has been recognised as independent by the church hierarchy since 2019 and rejects any notion of allegiance to the Moscow patriarch. "The whole world knows how the Kremlin uses interruptions in the war to continue the war with new strength," Zelenskiy said.

☆ Iranian-made drones cost as little as $20,000 to make, but up to $500,000 to shoot down, a growing concern in Ukraine, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia's Iranian-made drones cost as little as $20,000, but can cost much more to shoot down. Ukraine launched multiple costly missiles over New Year to deal with Russia's drones, NYT reported. While the Shahed-136 drones being deployed by Russia cost as little as $20,000 to make, shooting one out of the sky can cost between $140,000-$500,000, the paper reported. "Shooting $4 million missiles at $250,000 Russian cruise missiles might be justified if those missiles would hit sensitive targets. Shooting a $4 million missile at a $50,000 Iranian Shahed-136 drone would probably not," they said.

☆ Factbox: What do we know about the Ukrainian New Year's Eve attack on Russian troops?
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

What do we know, and what do we not know, about what happened? Russia's defence ministry said Ukraine struck with six U.S.-made HIMARS rockets. The ministry acknowledged the attack only in the final paragraph of a 528-word daily roundup, more than 36 hours after the attack took place. Grey Zone, a Telegram channel linked to the Wagner mercenary outfit, said that around 500 men were billeted in the complex. You see, they turned on their phones and got spotted," wrote Grey Zone, a Telegram channel linked to the Wagner Group mercenary outfit.

☆ The Ukraine war rages on without a clear end in sight. Here are 6 ways the conflict with Russia could play out
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-02 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

As Russia's war in Ukraine continues, there does not appear to be a clear end in sight. Russian victoryWhen it began its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, Russia's goal was to take over the country completely. Rather than taking more territory, Russia's objectives in the current stage of war seem to be to weaken Ukraine's resources, economy, and army. Nuclear war and/or NATO interventionPutin has repeatedly made nuclear threats since he began the invasion of Ukraine and, in September, claimed that it was "not a bluff." One senior official previously said that a Russian nuclear strike could trigger a "physical response" from NATO itself.

☆ Putin's inner circle is frustrated because the Russian president 'doesn't know what to do' with war in Ukraine, report says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Sophia Ankel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Putin continues to be isolated and has no plan for the war in Ukraine, The Washington Post reported. Putin's inner circle is getting increasingly frustrated with him, sources told The Post. As Russia continues to struggle in Ukraine, Putin has retreated from the public eye. Sources told The Post that Putin postponing the address was another sign that he has no plan for the war in Ukraine. "But," the official told The Post, Putin is willing to talk "only on his terms."

☆ Oil trims losses as softer dollar offsets Chinese demand fears
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Rowena Edwards | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Dec 29 (Reuters) - Oil prices pared losses after falling by over $2 earlier in the session, as a weaker dollar partially offset demand fears resulting from surging COVID-19 cases in China. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures fell $1.07, or 1.36%, to $77.89 a barrel, after reaching session lows of $76.79. A weaker dollar makes oil cheaper for holders of other currencies and can boost demand. U.S. crude oil inventories fell less than expected, by about 1.3 million barrels, in the week ended Dec. 23, according to market sources citing American Petroleum Institute figures. Markets, however, drew some support from Russian President Vladimir Putin's ban on exports of crude oil and oil products from Feb. 1 for five months to nations that abide by a Western price cap.

☆ Oil falls as China COVID spike dampens demand outlook
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Rowena Edwards | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Dec 29 (Reuters) - Oil prices fell by over 2% on Thursday as surging COVID-19 cases in China dimmed hopes of a recovery in fuel demand for the world's largest crude oil importer. U.S. crude oil inventories fell less than expected, by about 1.3 million barrels, in the week ended Dec. 23, according to market sources citing American Petroleum Institute figures. Markets, however, drew some support from Russian President Vladimir Putin's ban on exports of crude oil and oil products from Feb. 1 for five months to nations that abide by a Western price cap. Germany said the ban has "no practical significance" as the country has been working since spring to replace Russian oil supplies and ensure security of supply. Russian oil pipeline operator Transneft said Kazakhstan's KazTransOil had requested an additional 1.2 million tonnes of capacity on the Druzhba pipeline for 2023 to facilitate extra oil shipments to Germany, the RIA Novosti news agency reported.

SINGAPORE, Dec 29 (Reuters) - Oil prices dipped on Thursday as surging COVID-19 cases in China dimmed hopes of a recovery in fuel demand for the world's largest crude oil importer. Brent futures for February fell 26 cents, or 0.3%, to $83.00 a barrel by 0430 GMT, while U.S. crude fell 26 cents, or 0.3%, to $78.70 a barrel. U.S. crude oil inventories fell less than expected, by about 1.3 million barrels, in the week ended Dec. 23, according to market sources citing American Petroleum Institute figures. However, that comes as an Arctic freeze has forced some oil refining facilities offline, backing up crude supplies. Markets, however, drew some support from Russian President Vladimir Putin's ban on exports of crude oil and oil products from Feb. 1 for five months to nations that abide by a Western price cap.

☆ 2022 was the year the Overconfidence Man fell back to earth
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Maureen Tkacik | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +22 min

Naturally, Elon Musk, the platonic ideal of the peculiar self-aggrandizing, self-parodying personality type that thrived during the Trump years and peaked during the pandemic, tops this list. By 2022, the media had pronounced him variously the next Warren Buffett, J.P. Morgan and Charles Koch. "bye bye @trussliz Congrats to lettuce", tweeted Putin's one-time stand-in Dmitry Medvedev, to which Elon Musk could not resist replying, "pretty good troll tbh." Elon Musk speaks at the 2020 Satellite Conference and Exhibition in March 2020. Elon MuskIt's weird to recall now that Elon Musk once seemed like, graded on the billionaire curve anyway, a net positive for a cursed American society.

☆ A Russian soldier has been arrested for beating a captain to death while 'intoxicated'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A Russian soldier has been arrested for beating a commander to death, say local reports. The man drunkenly beat the captain of a military unit to death during a train journey. Both men were part of President Vladimir Putin's military mobilization. download the app Email address By clicking ‘Sign up’, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider as well as other partner offers and accept our Terms of Service and Privacy PolicyA Russian soldier has been arrested for beating a captain to death, a Russian military court has announced. This is not the first time that Russian soldiers have been involved in drunken brawls.

☆ Oil prices ease, China COVID spike hurts demand outlook
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Arathy Somasekhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Dec 29 (Reuters) - Oil prices ticked down on Thursday as surging COVID-19 cases in China dimmed hopes of a recovery in fuel demand in the world's second-biggest oil consumer. Brent futures for February delivery fell 42 cents, or 0.5%, to $82.84 a barrel, by 0123 GMT, while U.S. crude fell 50 cents, or 0.6%, to $78.46 per barrel. U.S. crude oil inventories fell less than expected, by about 1.3 million barrels, in the week ended Dec. 23, according to market sources citing American Petroleum Institute figures. Also weighing on prices, pipeline operator TC Energy said it was working to restart the portion of the Keystone pipeline that was forced shut after a leak earlier this month. Germany said the ban has "no practical significance" as the country has been working since spring to replace Russian oil supplies and ensure security of supply.

☆ Oil prices ease, China Covid spike hurts demand outlook
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Oil prices ticked down on Thursday as surging Covid cases in China dimmed hopes of a recovery in fuel demand in the world's second-biggest oil consumer. Brent futures for February delivery fell 42 cents, or 0.5%, to $82.84 a barrel, by 0123 GMT, while U.S. crude fell 50 cents, or 0.6%, to $78.46 per barrel. U.S. crude oil inventories fell less than expected, by about 1.3 million barrels, in the week ended Dec. 23, according to market sources citing American Petroleum Institute figures. Also weighing on prices, pipeline operator TC Energy said it was working to restart the portion of the Keystone pipeline that was forced shut after a leak earlier this month. Germany said the ban has "no practical significance" as the country has been working since spring to replace Russian oil supplies and ensure security of supply.

☆ Top Putin aide visits Ukraine's Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MOSCOW, Dec 28 (Reuters) - One of President Vladimir Putin's most powerful Kremlin aides has visited the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in a part of southern Ukraine Russia says it has annexed, a Moscow-installed official in the region said. "Sergei Kiriyenko visited the nuclear power plant — he checked the safety of the facility and the working conditions of Rosatom employees," Rogov said on Telegram. Special Russian military units guard the facility and Russian nuclear specialists are on site. The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has six Soviet-designed VVER-1000 V-320 water-cooled and water-moderated reactors containing Uranium 235, which has a half-life of more than 700 million years. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi has proposed the establishment of a nuclear safety and security protection zone around the plant.

☆ Another Putin critic died after falling out of a window
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Rebecca Cohen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A second Vladimir Putin critic has died after falling from a hotel window. Antov was a known critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the BBC reported. Antov is the second Putin critic to die after falling from a window. In September, Russian energy oligarch Ravil Maganov, 67, died after falling from a hospital window, Insider reported at the time. The BBC reported Odisha police Superintendent Vivekananda Sharma said Budanov died of a stroke.

☆ Russia's Navalny accuses authorities of using prison to break his health
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

In a post on Twitter, he also complained of being injected with unknown drugs. "See how the system works when you are not allowed to beat up a person, but your leadership ordered you to hurt them badly," the Twitter post said. Navalny said he had asked for a month and a half to see a doctor. The Twitter post included images from Navalny's medical records, which he said had been released to him a month after he asked to see them. Navalny, his allies and Western governments and rights groups say he was the victim of trumped-up charges designed to silence him.

☆ 5 of Russia's biggest blunders throughout Putin's war in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Russia's military has little to show for itself after 10 months of fighting in Ukraine. US and Western officials have widely denounced Putin's campaign as a "failure." Here are some of Moscow's biggest blunders and mistakes throughout the war. In recent months, Ukrainian forces have liberated thousands of square miles of territory — including the only regional capital that Russian forces managed to capture. From Russia's botched invasion to Putin's miscalculation of the Western response, here are some of the biggest mistakes Moscow has made during its unprovoked war in Ukraine.

☆ 2022 has been a 'dismal year of failure' for Putin and invading Ukraine has left Russia 'poorer and more isolated than for decades,' NATO chief says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said 2022 has been a "dismal" year for Putin. Russia's economy and military have been significantly depleted as a result of the Ukraine war. NATO countries rallied behind Ukraine after Russia invaded, and have continued to provide Kyiv with military aid — including crucial weapons. He is getting the opposite — a stronger, larger NATO," Stoltenberg said. "We must continue to support Ukraine so that it can prevail as a sovereign, independent state in Europe.

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