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Near Avdiivka, Ukraine CNN —Straddling the frontlines, the small town of Avdiivka has become the epicenter of the war in Ukraine. Still in Ukrainian hands – just – it’s enclosed on three sides by Russian troops and cannons. Amid the ruins, Russian and Ukrainian troops clash, preyed upon by drones and the occasional tank. Reliant on the Soviet kit they have, not the Western arms they crave, Ukrainian troops have learned to be more creative with their weapons in battle. The Ukrainian drone dives into the narrow dugout behind them and explodes.

Persons: –, “ Bess, ”, “, Joseph Ataman, Volodymyr Zelensky, Valery Zaluzhny, Ukraine’s, Daria Tarasova, Trump, John Kirby, Bradley, “ Barbie ”, “ It’s, Bradleys, Teren, Serhii Nuzhnenko, Zelensky, Dmitry Medvedev, “ Sayer ” Organizations: Ukraine CNN —, CNN, Omega Special Forces Group, 110th Mechanized Brigade, Reliant, Omega, National Security, Bradley, Ukraine, US, Russia, Ukraine's National Guard Omega, Kyiv, Russia’s Security, Omega Special Forces Locations: Avdiivka, Ukraine, Ukraine’s Donetsk, Ukrainian, Soviet, Bakhmut, “, Marinka, US, Russian

☆ Davos: Zelensky warns Putin’s war must not become ‘frozen’ as Ukraine faces shortage of weaponry and aid
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Christian Edwards | Niamh Kennedy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Is the third world war possible? Putin’s war was less than a year old when Zelensky last spoke at Davos via a video link in January 2023. Zelensky said the West's fears that supplying weapons would escalate the war cost Ukraine time, lives and opportunities. Speaking at Davos shortly before Zelensky, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said only continued support for Ukraine would make Putin to relent. “And the paradox is that, if we want that to happen… the way to get there is [to send] more weapons to Ukraine.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Zelensky, “, Putin, ” Zelensky, Valery Zaluzhny, Ukraine’s, Ursula von der Leyen, Von der Leyen, ” Von der Leyen, Ursula Von der Leyen, Gian Ehrenzeller, ’, ”, Fabrice Coffrini, Jens Stoltenberg, ” Stoltenberg Organizations: CNN, Economic, Hamas, ”, Getty, NATO Locations: Davos, Switzerland, Ukraine, Russia, Kherson, Kharkiv, Kyiv, Pyongyang, Tehran, AFP

☆ Trump’s avalanche of dishonesty: Fact-checking 102 of his false claims from this fall
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Daniel Dale | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +111 min

Below is a fact check of 102 of Trump’s false claims from the 12 speeches. But contrary to Trump’s claim, it’s not true that people had been attempting for decades to create such an initiative. Trump’s aid to farmersIn speech after speech, Trump claimed that he had given US farmers $28 billion from China. Even if the poll result is off, it’s clear that Trump’s claim that “nobody wants them” is not true. He said he was an airline pilot.”Facts First: Trump made a false claim while mocking Biden for making false claims.

Persons: Donald Trump, –, Trump, Joe Biden, Biden, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, “, ”, Mexico’s, ‘ Trump, Defense Department –, ” Theresa Cardinal Brown, CNN’s Priscilla Alvarez, ” Trump, I’ve, Todd Harrison, Harrison, It’s, Trump’s, ” Ben Cahill, Nobody, Jimmy Carter’s, Barack Obama, isn’t, El Salvador –, Obama, we’d, Obama’s, Webster, Covid, Wuhan ”, They’d, they’d, you’d, Scott Gottlieb, ” Gottlieb, Trump Trump, it’s, Abraham, Aaron David Miller, Miller, Dana El Kurd, Qasem Soleimani, they’ve, we’re, We’re, ’, Iran haven’t, ” Matt Smith, Biden’s, Smith, Ali Vaez, Kpler, Biden Trump, Iran “, Democrats ”, that’s, Jimmy Carter, Carter “, Carter, ‘, Hillary Clinton, Kari Lake, Bill Gates, Gates, ” Chris Wallace, Chris Wallace, Hunter Biden, “ Chris Wallace, ‘ He’s, ‘ ” Trump, Wallace, “ you’re, “ Biden, ‘ You’re, Wallace interjected, Rather, you’ve, ’ ” Pavel Molchanov, Raymond James &, ” Molchanov, Tim Woody, Woody, autoworkers, CNN’s Ella Nilsen, Joe Biden’s, Erin Mellon, Gavin Newsom, Mellon, ” Vonette Fontaine, Biden “, CNN’s Matt Egan, Egan, ” Biden, Europe Trump, United Kingdom “, Brent, Pavel Molchanov, Raymond James, Patrick De Haan, GasBuddy, De Haan, Matt Smith, Matt Egan, Afghanistan Trump, we’ve, Krista Wiegand, Wiegand, ” Netanyahu, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, Qasem, Bibi, Netanyahu, Soleimani, Asad, Mark Milley, Hezbollah Trump, Steven Cheung, John Kirby, Cheung, Kirby, Iran’s, ” Ali Vaez, Joseph Amon, Washington –, Faiq Zidan, Zidan’s, Zidan, Abu Mahdi al, China Trump, Ukraine Trump, Letitia James, James, Attorney Alvin Bragg, Matthew Colangelo, You’re, Bragg, Colangelo, Tanya Chutkan, I’m, Jack Smith, Bill Clinton, That’s, everybody’s, Letitia James –, Al Capone’s, Al Capone, Capone, Brad Schwartz, CNN couldn’t, Schwartz, Eliot Ness, MAGA, “ MAGA, …, White, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, Inflation Trump, Bacon, Joe, PolitiFact, Trump . Howard Gleckman Organizations: Washington CNN —, CNN, Republican, Trump Trump, Republican Jewish Coalition, Department, ISIS, Trump’s, Democratic, Congress, Defense Department, former Defense Department, Center, US Customs, Trump, American Enterprise Institute, Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Strategic Petroleum Reserve, Energy Security, Center for Strategic, International Studies, US, IHS, Islamic, The State Department, Customs Enforcement, Policy Institute, ICE, El Salvador, ”, Merriam, The New York Times, Food and Drug Administration, FDA, Abraham Accords, United Arab Emirates, West Bank, Hezbollah, State Department, Carnegie Endowment, International, Arab Center Washington DC, Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Quds Force, Obama, US International Trade Commission, Washington Post, U.S . International Trade Commission, New England lobstermen, England lobstermen, Americas, Crisis, government’s Energy, Administration, Washington Free Beacon, Energy Information Administration, Democrats, Biden, Electoral, Georgia, Michigan, Carter, Democrats can’t, Republicans, Alabama, Arizona, Fox News, ” Energy, Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, Wildlife, Alaska Industrial Development, Export Authority, Raymond James & Associates, Wilderness Society, Cox Automotive, Pew Research Center, New York Times, National Oceanic, California Gov, California, American Petroleum Institute, Union, West, Energy, American Automobile Association, AAA, GasBuddy, New Hampshire, Houston, Keystone XL, Obama administration’s State Department, –, Foreign, Military, DoD, Afghan, Defense, Policy, Taiwan News, “, University of Tennessee’s Center for National Security, Foreign Affairs, Israeli, NBC, Jerusalem Post, Yahoo, Pentagon, ” CNN, Joint Chiefs, Staff, Post, National Security, Group, US government’s Defense Intelligence Agency, Narcotics Bureau, Global Health, Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health, Justice Department, Washington, Judicial, Popular Mobilization Forces, Customs and, Middle East, Customs, Protection, CBP, Border Protection, Kiel Institute, European Union, New York, New, ExxonMobil, Trump University, Trump Foundation, Manhattan, Attorney, federal Justice Department, Department of Justice, Washington DC, Presidential Records, Presidential, Mar, Biden White, MAGA Republicans, Inflation, Heritage Foundation, Trump ., Brookings Tax, Urban Institute Locations: New Hampshire, New York City, Saudi, Florida, al Qaeda, New York, Texas, Iowa, Mexico, “, U.S, Houston, Iraq, Israel, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Nord, Germany, Russian, Trump’s, Russia, Ukraine, Europe, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, El, Washington, ”, ” In Texas, Covid, China, Wuhan, Italy, France, Abraham, Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Yemen, Libya, Palestine, Afghanistan, Somalia, Pakistan, New England, England, Kpler, Malaysia, Oregon, Alabama, Maricopa County, Arizona, Arizona’s, Moscow, Alaska, East, South Carolina, California, “ California, West Virginia, Virginia, United Kingdom, West Texas, “ U.S, Los Angeles, Venezuela, Mississippi , Louisiana, Canada, United States, Paris, Taiwan, “ China, Iranian, that’s, –, Singapore, Iraqi, San Diego, Kiel, York, Manhattan, York’s, Chicago, Philadelphia, Georgia, Qaeda

☆ Jamala: Russia adds Eurovision-winning Ukrainian singer to wanted list
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Jack Guy | Mariya Knight | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Russia has put a Ukrainian singer who won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2016 on a wanted criminal list, according to state media. Jamala, whose full name is Susana Jamaladynova, is “on the wanted list for criminal charges,” Russian state media outlet TASS reported on Monday. Russian state media called it anti-Russian and Moscow said it violated Eurovision rules. In 2022, Ukraine won Eurovision again thanks to folk-rap group Kalush Orchestra’s song “Stefania,” which was written about the frontman’s mother. While the winning nation normally hosts the following year’s contest, Ukraine was unable to do so due to the Russian full-scale invasion.

Persons: Susana Jamaladynova, Jonathan Nackstrand, Jamala, ”, Vladimir Putin’s, Stefania, Sweden’s Loreen Organizations: CNN, TASS, Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, Russian Federation, Getty, Ukraine, Eurovision, Liverpool Locations: Russia, Ukrainian, Russian, AFP, Crimea, Ukraine, Moscow, United Kingdom, Spain, Italian, Turin

☆ Israel-Hamas War Biden Says Palestinian State Must Be Part of Solution
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Edward Wong | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +4 min

Many residents of northern Gaza used four-hour long humanitarian pauses to flee the area toward the south of the strip. The resolution passed with twelve votes, with the remaining three members — the United States, Britain and Russia — abstaining. The majority of Security Council member states, voted for a resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire on Oct 26. But she said the United States supported many of the resolution’s provisions such as the release of hostages and humanitarian pauses. “Humanitarian pauses cannot be a replacement for a cease-fire or even a truce,” Russia’s ambassador to the U.N., Vasily Nebenzya, said.

Persons: Khan Younis, Russia —, Linda Thomas, Greenfield, Ms, Thomas, Sarah Yenesel, ”, Vasily Nebenzya, Ayman Safadi, Jordan Organizations: United Nations Security Council, Diplomats, Security, United, Council Locations: Gaza City, Gaza, Israel, Malta, United States, Britain, Russia, U.S, New York, Brazil, China, Israeli

☆ Russian manufacturer test-flies prototype widebody passenger airplane
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Barry Neild | Anna Chernova | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Russia’s leading aircraft manufacturer says it’s completed a successful test flight of a new widebody passenger airplane that it claims could replace Western aircraft in the country’s skies. UAC, which oversees Russian aviation brands including Tupolev, Ilyushin and Sukhoi, said the plane will be capable of carrying up to 370 passengers, a capacity that would put it alongside the likes of Airbus’ A340 or Boeing’s 777. As of 2022, only 144 active Russian airline planes were built in Russia, according to data provided by aviation analytics firm Cirium. “Although Moscow won’t admit it, the sanctions that followed the Ukraine invasion have really damaged Russian aviation,” Murdo Morrison, head of strategic content at FlightGlobal, tells CNN. Addressing concerns, Russia’s Ministry of Transport said at the time that flight safety on Russia-operated aircraft meets international standards.

Persons: CNN —, it’s, ”, Denis Manturov, Vladimir Putin, Murdo Morrison, ‘, Yuri Slyusar, FlightGlobal’s Morrison Organizations: CNN, CNN — Russia’s, United Aircraft Corporation, UAC, Russian, Tupolev, Sukhoi, Airbus, Russia, Boeing, Bombardier, Embraer, Moscow, ”, Ural Airlines, International Civil Aviation Organization, Russia’s Ministry of Transport Locations: Ukraine, Russia, “, Russia’s Novosibirsk, Bhutan, Congo, Liberia, Moscow

☆ Dagestan riot: Anti-Jewish protest in Russia’s Dagestan shows risks of Putin’s balancing act on Hamas
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Nathan Hodge | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

“Threats to exterminate the Jews are the result of the work of Russian state propaganda, which for decades cultivated feelings of hatred towards other peoples among Russians,” he noted. Kadyrov has also provided footsoldiers for Russia’s war in Ukraine. The Gaza war adds one more match to the fire. Additionally, Russia’s war in Ukraine has impacted Dagestan heavily, with significant casualties. But an anti-Jewish riot in the southern region of Dagestan shows how quickly that model can backfire, particularly for those trapped inside the echo of Russian state propaganda.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, –, Matthew Miller, Israel, ”, Putin, ” Putin, “, Bashar al, Assad, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Benjamin Netanyahu, Strategic Communications John Kirby, “ we’ve, ” Kirby, Volodymyr Zelensky, Oleh Nikolenko, Ramzan Kadyrov, – Kadyrov, Kadyrov, Harold Chambers, Riddle, Yevgenia Albats Organizations: CNN, multiconfessional, Ukraine –, Kremlin, Red Wings Airlines, Tel Aviv –, Jewish, Authorities, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hamas, Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sunday, Saudi, Israeli, National Security, Strategic Communications, ” Observers, Criminal Court, ICC, Russian National Guard, AFP, Getty, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Global Locations: Russia, Dagestan, Makhachkala Uytash, Ukraine, Gaza, Tel Aviv, ”, Russian, Makhachkala, Palestine, Beijing, China, Israel, Jerusalem, Moscow, Iran, United States, Chechnya, Chechen, Russia’s, Kremlin, East

☆ Opinion: Zelensky’s inescapable new reality
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Opinion Frida Ghitis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

She is a weekly opinion contributor to CNN, a contributing columnist to The Washington Post and a columnist for World Politics Review. A couple of days later, addressing NATO’s parliamentary assembly, where Ukraine had been a focus since Russia invaded it some 600 days ago, Zelensky noted the inescapable new reality facing his embattled country. To defeat Russia, and to save Ukraine, Zelensky needs continued support, especially from the US, the country with the world’s largest, most powerful arsenal. These two wars, between Russia and Ukraine, and between Israel and Hamas, are very different. And both — Hamas and Russia — have been run by autocratic leaders who deny their enemies’ right to live in a sovereign country.

Persons: Frida Ghitis, Volodymyr Zelensky, ”, Zelensky, ” —, Benjamin Netanyahu, Zelensky —, —, Vladimir Putin’s, Putin, Konstantin Gavrilov, “ Ukraine’s, Joe Biden, Lloyd Austin, Biden, Anna Politkovskaya, Alexander Ben Zvi, Ali Baraka, we’re, Israel —, ” Zelensky, “, brazenly, Russia —, Ukraine — Organizations: CNN, Washington Post, Politics, Frida Ghitis CNN, Israeli, NATO, Ukraine, US, Republican, GOP, Hamas ’, Hamas, Hamas National Relations, Kyiv, Russia, Republican Party Locations: Israel, Ukraine, Russia, Russian, States, Moscow, Iran, Palestine, “ Russia, Europe, — Israel

☆ Investors flock to defensive stocks and safe havens on worries about Israel-Hamas war
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —The Israel-Hamas war is sending investors in search of defensive assets. Israel declared war on Hamas Sunday after the Palestinian militant group launched a brutal attack that killed at least 1,300 people. But investors have since bought up shares of virtually risk-free government bonds, indicating that Wall Street remains worried. Utilities, energy and real estate stocks have also outperformed the broader S&P 500 index’s roughly 1% gain this week. In August, a recently passed EU law known as the Digital Services Act went into effect for large online platforms, including the companies Breton addressed this week.

Persons: ”, George Smith, Bryan Hinmon, Hinmon, hasn’t, TikTok, Shou Zi Chew, Thierry Breton, Brian Fung, Breton, ” Breton, TikTok didn’t, Anna Cooban, ” Russia’s, Andrei Belousov, Read Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, CNN, Stock, Treasury, LPL, Twitter, Meta, Digital Services Locations: Israel, Palestinian, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Ukraine, Chew, Moscow

☆ Ruble gains as Russia reintroduces capital controls
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

At the time, Russia ordered exporters to swap 80% of their foreign currency revenues for rubles, rather than hold onto US dollars or euros. The government also banned residents from making bank transfers outside Russia, and Russian brokers from selling securities held by foreigners. Russia’s defense spending has ballooned since its invasion of Ukraine last year. That’s compared with a surplus of 203 billion rubles ($2 billion) during the same period in 2022. In August, the central bank implemented an emergency hike to its main interest rate in a bid to buttress the tanking ruble.

Persons: ” Russia’s, Andrei Belousov, — Organizations: London CNN —, Reuters Locations: London CNN — Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Russia, Russia’s, Russian

☆ Russia wields ‘silent weapon’ of grain exports to weaken Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-05 | by ( Clare Sebastian | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

This will amount to 22.5% of global wheat exports, a market-leading share. In the same period, Ukraine’s share of global wheat exports has shrunk from 9% to an expected level of a little over 6% for this season. “Ukraine’s [grain] exports are vital to its economy and to feed the world,” Bridget A. S&P Global expects its wheat exports to fall by 3.7 million tons to 13.4 million in 2023-24, the lowest in nine years. And a significant reduction in the global wheat supply could yet lift prices, suggests Welsh.

Persons: Dmitry Medvedev, Vladimir Putin, ” Caitlin Welsh, Bridget A, Putin, Andrey Sizov, Stringer, ” Welsh, Sizov, Vladimir Nikolayev, Paul Hughes, ”, Olesya, Svitlana Vlasova Organizations: London CNN —, Russia’s Security, Global, CNN, Initiative, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Moscow, Twitter, Getty, Union, European Commission, EU, US Department of Agriculture, Reuters, Romania, P Global, “ Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Nedvigovka, AFP, Ukraine’s, Poland, mudslinging, Egypt, Siberian Novosibirsk, “ Ukraine

☆ Opinion: Why Putin wants a ‘forever war’
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-03 | by ( Sheena Mckenzie | Opinion Mark Galeotti | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —When Westerners talk about the conflict in Ukraine becoming a “forever war,” they tend to mean it as a bad thing. As the forever war becomes the organising principle of “late Putinism,” it excuses — even demands — the tightening grip of repression Putin needs to maintain his control of the nation. From Putin’s point of view, talk of a ‘forever war’ has one final virtue for him — it is demoralising to his enemies. However, from his point of view, talk of a “forever war” has one final virtue for him — it is demoralising to his enemies. No war lasts forever, but peace is still well over the horizon.

Persons: Mark Galeotti, Vladimir Putin, Putin, ” Mark Galeotti, ”, ’, bankrolling, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Prigozhin’s Organizations: Mayak Intelligence, University College London, CNN, New Regions, Russian Federation, ” Mark Galeotti Mayak Intelligence, General Locations: Chechnya, Ukraine, Ukraine’s Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Russia, Ukrainian, Russian, Crimea, Moscow

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia on Wednesday accused Ukraine’s Western allies of helping plan and conduct last week’s missile strike on the Black Sea Fleet’s headquarters on the annexed Crimean Peninsula. Unconfirmed news reports said Storm Shadow missiles provided to Ukraine by the U.K. and France were used in the attack on the headquarters. There was no comment from the U.K. Ministry of Defense, which in the past has declined to discuss intelligence-related matters. Russian state television stations on Wednesday showed Sokolov speaking to journalists in Sevastopol after handing awards to a Black Sea Fleet soccer team. The Black Sea Fleet confidently and successfully carries out the tasks assigned to it by the command.

Persons: Ukraine’s, Maria Zakharova, Viktor Sokolov, Vladimir Putin, couldn't, Sergei Shoigu, Sokolov, Dmitry Peskov, ” Sokolov, ”, Dmitry Medvedev, Abrams, ___ Emma Burrows, Brian Melley Organizations: —, NATO, Russian Foreign Ministry, U.K, U.K . Ministry of Defense, Defense Ministry, Wednesday, Sea Fleet, Forces, Russia’s Security Locations: KYIV, Ukraine, — Russia, Crimean Peninsula, British, Russian, Moscow, France, Sevastopol, Crimean, Russia, Crimea, U.S, London, russia, ukraine

☆ Opinion | How to Make Russia Really Pay for Invading Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Bret Stephens | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Volodymyr Zelensky will visit Washington this week to give thanks to the United States for its generosity — while asking for $24 billion more, which is what the Biden administration is seeking from Congress in additional military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine. That will bring the total amount of American aid to $135 billion, which so far has been $223 million a day since the war began, according to one calculation. Maybe it’s time to open a new funding source before American largess runs out — this time from Russia. As the former Treasury secretary Larry Summers has put it, “Bank robbers should not expect banks to honor their safe deposit boxes.”So far, the Biden administration has disagreed. “It would not be legal now in the United States for the government to seize” Russia’s assets, Janet Yellen, the Treasury secretary, said in May 2022.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Biden, Larry Summers, Janet Yellen Organizations: Bank, Economist Locations: Washington, United States, Ukraine, Russia, Russian

☆ Why has Ukraine stepped up its strikes on occupied Crimea?
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Christian Edwards | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Ukraine has ramped up missile and drone strikes on occupied Crimea in recent weeks, as it attempts to land both strategic and symbolic blows against Russian forces that annexed the peninsula in 2014. The next night, Russian air defenses shot down 11 Ukrainian drones over Crimea, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense. The shift in focus to Crimea occurred after Russia allowed the Black Sea Grain Initiative to lapse in July. Russia’s Black Sea Fleet has since resumed its blockade of Ukraine’s ports, preventing vital grain exports and threatening global food security. Symbolic valueYet the strikes on Crimea also have huge symbolic value and are intended to damage Russian President Vladimir Putin’s prestige.

Persons: Russia –, Russia’s, Vladimir Putin’s, “, Putin, Marilyn Monroe, Vasyl Maliuk, ”, Stringer, Rybar Organizations: CNN, Russian, Kyiv, Russian Ministry of Defense, Fleet, Kremlin, Russia, Security Service, Reuters, Ukraine’s Air Force Locations: Ukraine, Crimea, Russian, Sevastopol, Ukrainian, Kerch, Russia, Odesa, ” Russia, Europe, Novorossiysk, United Kingdom, France

CNN —The United States has decided to send controversial depleted uranium munitions to Ukraine for the first time, as part of a new aid package worth more than $1 billion announced Wednesday. Here’s what you need to know about depleted uranium munitions – and why their use has sparked questions. What is depleted uranium? But depleted uranium is extremely dense, making it a highly effective projectile. When depleted uranium munitions strike a tank’s armor, it can ignite and produce uranium dusts or aerosol particles, which, if inhaled, can enter the bloodstream and may cause kidney damage.

Persons: ” Edward Geist, Antony Blinken's, –, Sabrina Singh, ”, Singh, “, Joe Biden’s, Vladimir Putin, …, ” Putin, Putin, Sergei Ryabkov Organizations: CNN, Abrams, RAND Corporation, RAND, Associated Press, US, International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, United Nations, Pentagon, United, British Army Locations: United States, Ukraine, Washington, Kyiv, Moscow, Here’s, United Kingdom, “, West, Russia

☆ It’s One of Ukraine’s Fiercest Allies. But an Election Could Change That.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Andrew Higgins | More About Andrew Higgins | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

When the ambassador visited Ladomirova, he met with Mr. Cuper’s bitter rival, a former mayor whom Mr. Cuper had accused of embezzling village funds and who was convicted of fraud in 2019. The former mayor’s wife, Olga Bojcikova, who declined to be interviewed, was at the time running against Mr. Cuper, who was backed by pro-Ukrainian parties, in the local election last October. The ambassador’s story of “razed” Russian graves, though debunked by the police, was, Mr. Cuper recalled, “blown out of all proportion” by Kremlin-friendly Slovaks, particularly the Brat za Brata bikers. Mr. Cuper said he never touched the graves but had removed stone border markers because they were falling apart. The cemetery contains the unidentified bodies of soldiers from various countries, including Russia, killed in a World War I battle.

Persons: Ladomirova, Cuper’s, Cuper, Olga Bojcikova, “, ” “, ”, Maros Zilinka Organizations: Mr, Kremlin, Facebook Locations: Russia, United States

That’s almost three times what Russia spent on defense in 2021, before its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Those figures are likely to underestimate the total spent on Russia’s war effort. He said that before the war Russia would typically splash around 3-4% of its annual gross domestic product on defense but now it could be anywhere between 8% and 10%. Russia’s exports are still greater than the value of its imports, despite a boost to the latter from the hefty military spending. Rising military spending is, on the other hand, boosting Russia’s industrial output and, with it, GDP.

Persons: London CNN —, Vladimir Putin, Putin, That’s, Richard Connolly, Janis Kluge, Irina Okladnikova, Liam Peach, it’s, Peach, Kluge, “, ”, —, Maksim Konstantinov, Alexandra Suslina, Suslina, Alexandra Prokopenko, Prokopenko, — Anna Cooban, Tim Lister, Olesya Dmitracova Organizations: London CNN, Reuters, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Royal United Services Institute for Defence, Security Studies, German Institute for International and Security Affairs, Capital Economics, CNN, “, ZUMA, International Monetary Fund, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, International Energy Agency, West Locations: “, Ukraine, Russia, Stockholm, Moscow, “ Russia, Russian, Saint Petersburg, Soviet, Berlin

☆ A BRICS no-show speaks volumes about Putin's shrinking horizons
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-20 | by ( Nathan Hodge | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

But Putin will be notably absent from a key global forum this week, the BRICS summit in Johannesburg. His no-show speaks volumes about Russia’s isolation – and Putin’s shrinking horizons. Bolstering such support against the background of the war on Ukraine was a key aim of Putin’s recent Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg. The Kremlin, of course, bristles at any implication that Putin is ducking out of the BRICS summit because of an ICC warrant. Russia, after all, is waging a war on Ukraine that Putin has justified in starkly imperial terms.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Putin, he’ll, Alexander Lukashenko, Cyril Ramaphosa, Xi Jinping, Luiz Lula da Silva, Narendra Modi –, Sergey Lavrov, Omar al, Bashir –, Darfur –, Dmitry Peskov, ”, Lavrov, “ Organizations: CNN, Kremlin, Putin, South, Indian, International Criminal, ICC, Hague, Russian, UN Security Council Locations: Ukraine, Moscow, Beijing, Central Asia, Iran, Minsk, Belarusian, Russia, Johannesburg, Russian, Africa, St . Petersburg, Latin America, Asia, South Africa, Darfur, BRICS, United States

☆ Russia’s Luna 25 lunar lander has ‘emergency situation’ during moon approach
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-19 | by ( Jackie Wattles | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —The Luna 25 spacecraft reported an “emergency situation on board,” Russia’s space agency, Roscosmos, said on Saturday. Russia’s Luna 25 lander mission marked the country’s first attempt at landing a spacecraft on the moon since the Soviet era. The last lunar lander, Luna 24, landed on the lunar surface on August 18, 1976. Luna 25’s trajectory allowed it to surpass India’s Chandrayaan-3 lunar lander, which launched in mid-July, on the way to the lunar surface. Safely landing a spacecraft on the lunar surface would mark a huge step for Russia’s space program.

Persons: ” Roscosmos, It’s, Russia’s, India’s, Jonathan McDowell, ”, Victoria Samson Organizations: CNN, Vostochny, Soyuz, Center for Astrophysics, Harvard & Smithsonian, Roscosmos, Luna, Secure World Foundation Locations: “, Soviet, Russia’s, Oblast, India, Russia, Washington

Two Ukrainian missiles were shot down on Saturday afternoon, the Russia-appointed Head of Crimea Sergey Aksyonov wrote in a post on Telegram, adding that the bridge was undamaged. “Another enemy missile was shot down over the Kerch Strait. Meanwhile, traffic has resumed on the Crimean bridge, according to the Crimean bridge operative information Telegram account, after it was temporarily blocked. The Kremlin was quick to blame Kyiv for that explosion, and Putin alleged that it was an act of “sabotage” by Ukrainian security services. The bridge was also hit by two strikes in July in an attack a Ukrainian security official told CNN Kyiv was responsible for.

Persons: Vladimir Putin’s, Crimea Sergey Aksyonov, Aksyonov, Oleg Kryuchkov, ” “, Maria Zakharova, ” Zakharova, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Vasyl Maliuk, ” Maliuk, ” Organizations: CNN, Ukrainian, Kyiv, CNN Kyiv, Ukrainian Security Service Locations: Crimea, Russia, Kerch, Ukraine, Russian, Moscow, Ukrainian

☆ China praises Ukraine talks in Saudi that Russia said were ‘doomed to fail’
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Kremlin officials said Russia had not been invited to the talks but was monitoring them, state media reported. Beijing had steered clear of a previous round of talks in Denmark in June, but has deepened ties with Saudi Arabia in recent years. China scored a diplomatic win in the Middle East earlier this year when it helped broker a landmark normalization deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran. In a statement from the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), Saudi Arabia stressed the importance of “benefiting from views and positive suggestions” made during the meeting. In the meantime, the prospect of direct peace talks between Russia and Ukraine seem as far-fetched as ever, as the grueling war approaches the 18-month mark.

Persons: “, Musaed bin Mohammed Al, Jake Sullivan, Eurasian Affairs Li Hui, Li “, …, ”, Li, Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, ” “, Dmytro Kuleba, Russia –, Sergei Ryabkov, Ryabkov Organizations: CNN, Beijing, Reuters, Kremlin, Saudi, Aiba, Eurasian Affairs, Western, China, Russia, Moscow ”, Saudi Press Agency Locations: Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, Russia, China, Jeddah, United States, Beijing, Denmark, Saudi, Moscow, Ukraine’s, Kyiv, ” “ Saudi Arabia, Ukrainian, Riyadh, Iran, OPEC, India

☆ Saudi Arabia Will Host Talks About Ukraine’s Peace Plan, Diplomats Say
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Vivian Nereim | More About Vivian Nereim | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Saudi Arabia will host talks on Ukraine’s peace plan with several other countries this weekend in the coastal city of Jeddah, three foreign diplomats in the kingdom have said. The diplomats, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the talks, said that several countries, including the United States and European nations, along with Brazil, China and India, had been invited, though it was not immediately clear who would attend. Russia did not appear to be among those invited. The Kremlin’s spokesman, Dmitri S. Peskov, said that “Russia will keep an eye on this meeting” but would need “to fully understand what goals are being set,” Russia’s state-run Tass news agency reported on Monday. Many of the invited countries, and Saudi Arabia, have resisted American and European pressure to isolate Russia over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year.

Persons: Dmitri S, Peskov Locations: Saudi Arabia, Jeddah, United States, Brazil, China, India, Russia, Russia’s, Ukraine

☆ Moscow Says It Shot Down Two Ukrainian Missiles Over Russian Cities
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Gaya Gupta | Paulo Motoryn | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Video Russian officials said a Ukrainian missile was shot down over the port city of Taganrog and exploded, injuring several people. The Russian Defense Ministry said the explosion was caused by one of two Soviet-era missiles fired into Russian territory by Ukraine and shot down by Russian air defenses. A top Ukrainian security official, Oleksiy Danilov, cast blame for the blast in Taganrog on the Russian air defense system. Earlier Friday, Russia’s Defense Ministry said it had shot down a drone aimed at the Moscow region; several recent strikes in Moscow were orchestrated by Ukraine using Ukrainian-made drones, according to senior Ukrainian officials. Shortly afterward, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that a high-rise and a security service building had been hit in the city of Dnipro, blaming “Russian missile terror.”Show more

Persons: Vasily Golubev, Golubev, Oleksiy Danilov, Mr, Danilov, ”, Dmitri S, Vladimir V, Putin, Volodymyr Zelensky, “ Organizations: Credit, Reuters, Russian Defense Ministry, ” Russia’s Defense Ministry, Russia’s Defense Ministry Locations: Ukrainian, Taganrog, Reuters Moscow, Russia, Ukraine, Azov, Russian, Odesa, Soviet, St . Petersburg, Moscow, Dnipro

☆ Latest news on Russia's war in Ukraine, Kyiv drone attack repelled
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Ukrainian forces have made gains along the southern front, according to Kyiv military officials and battlefield reports. Ukrainian forces are "entrenching themselves in the reached positions,” he said, adding that Russian troops were "resisting strongly." In an update Tuesday, the general staff said Russian forces continued to focus on preventing Ukraine’s advances along the southern front, indicating stiff resistance. “They managed to force units of the armed forces of the Russian Federation to retreat to more advantageous positions,” Russian military blogger War Gonzo said. In the east: Ukrainian forces drove back the Russians near Andriivka, just south of the embattled city of Bakhmut, spokesperson Kovalov also claimed.

Persons: Andrii Kovalov, “, ”, Gonzo, Kovalov Organizations: Ukrainian, Ukrainian Defense Forces, Russian Federation Locations: Staromaiorske, ”, Velyka Novosilka, Russian, Melitopol, Orikhiv, Ukraine, Robotyne, Ukrainian, Andriivka, Bakhmut

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