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☆ NATO is pouring concrete to support new 'battlegroups' in 4 countries amid rising tensions with Russia
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Constantine Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

NATO now has some 40,000 troops under its direct command in Eastern Europe — 30,000 of them in those eight battlegroups. More than a tripwireUS soldiers at a base in Latvia to support NATO's battlegroup there on February 25. Hungary had refused to accept NATO troops, with its foreign minister saying before Russia attacked Ukraine that Hungary's military could defend the country. Following Russia's invasion, Hungary was persuaded to host a few hundred NATO troops in a battlegroup that it would lead. Accommodating and integrating an influx of NATO troops is not easy, even for countries that are eager to counter Russia.

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register"For the moment, Putin is hanging in there," said Anthony Brenton, a former British ambassador to Russia. In power since 1999, Putin has weathered numerous domestic crises and wars, and more than once faced down large street protests before effectively outlawing any real opposition. The Kremlin says Putin is backed by an overwhelming majority of Russians and won a landslide re-election victory in 2018. said Weiss, who has had various policy roles on the U.S. National Security Council and has written a book about Putin. A senior European official said Putin would have to demonstratively lose the war to be unseated.

☆ The Russian pilots who ejected from a military plane moments before it crashed into an apartment building and killed 13 people could face charges, Russia says
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Russian Su-34 aircraft crashed into an apartment building in western Russia, killing 13 people. Now, a Russian committee is investigating to see if the pilots could faces charges for the incident. Debris of a warplane crashed into a residential area are seen on the damaged building in Yeysk, Russia, Monday, Oct. 17, 2022. AP PhotoA burnt bus and debris of a warplane crashed into a residential area are seen in Yeysk, Russia, Monday, Oct. 17, 2022. Yeysk, which is home to around 80,000 people and a Russian military air base, is located along the Sea of Azov and is a short distance from the occupied Ukrainian city of Mariupol.

☆ NATO will send 'hundreds' of signal-jammers to Ukraine to counter Russia's onslaught of explosive Iranian-made suicide drones
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

NATO is sending signal-jammers to Ukraine so it can counter Iranian-made suicide drones. These systems will help Ukraine address the "specific threat of drones, including, of course, Iranian-made drones that are now causing a lot of havoc or suffering in Ukraine," Stoltenberg said during the virtual interview. "I welcome @JensStoltenberg's statement on NATO planning to deliver anti-drone air defense systems to Ukraine in the coming days. A composite photo showing a drone in the sky in Kyiv and the aftermath of it hitting in Kyiv, Ukraine, on October 17, 2022. As recently as Monday, Ukrainian officials said Russia used a swarm of suicide drones to attack Kyiv — killing several.

☆ Russia faces turmoil, says former diplomat who resigned over war
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Guy Faulconbridge | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

In a 6,500 word critique of Putin's Russia, Bondarev said the state was infested by sycophantic "yes men" who repeated the Kremlin's line, allowing Putin to make crucial decisions in an echo chamber of his own propaganda. "It’s entirely possible his successor will try to carry on the war, especially given that Putin’s main advisers hail from the security services. But no one in Russia commands his stature, so the country would likely enter a period of political turbulence. The foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Bondarev's article. "Russians might unify behind an even more belligerent leader than Putin, provoking a civil war, more outside aggression, or both," he said.

☆ Russia is slamming explosive suicide drones into Ukrainian cities. Here's what these weapons do.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Russian forces have used Iranian-made suicide drones to strike cities across Ukraine. Ukraine's defense ministry identified the drones that Russia used against the Ukrainian capital as the Iranian-made Shahed-136, a weapon which Russia calls the Geran-2. Russian forces have been using these suicide drones for over a month, and the frequency of use appears to be on the rise. According to an intelligence update from Britain's defense ministry, the 440-pound Shahed-136 drones are slow and carry a small explosive payload. It's not immediately clear how many drones Russian forces have in their arsenal.

☆ South Korea is turning away Russians trying to escape Putin's military draft by sea
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Taiyler Simone Mitchell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Russians fleeing Putin's military draft have left via car, train, plane, and less frequently, by boat. All but two Russians known to have sailed into South Korea to avoid the draft have been denied entry. A South Korean lawmaker told NBC News the country must create "dedicated procedures" for those fleeing the conflict. Russia and South Korea have an agreement allowing citizens to enter for up to 90 days visa-free, according to the Korea Herald. "South Korea is already a country that accepts very few refugees," he said.

☆ Elon Musk's pro-Russian peace deal is 'classic Putin,' and there's a clue of the Russian leader's role, Fiona Hill argues
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Elon Musk's foray into the Russia-Ukraine war is being guided by Putin, according to Fiona Hill. The Russia expert told Politico that Putin frequently uses prominent people as intermediaries. "Putin plays the egos of big men, gives them a sense that they can play a role," Hill said. But in reality, they're just direct transmitters of messages from Vladimir Putin," Hill told Politico this week, noting that the Tesla billionaire has tipped his hand in an obvious display of Putin's influence. Musk's sudden emergence as an apparent player in foreign affairs may seem curious, but it's actually a "classic Putin play," Hill said.

☆ Intense fighting flares in Ukraine's Donetsk region
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Pavel Polityuk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

REUTERS/Alexander ErmochenkoKYIV, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Intense fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces was taking place around two towns in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, Bakhmut and Soledar, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday. Fighting has been particularly intense this weekend in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, which make up the larger industrial Donbas, and the strategically important Kherson province in the south. Russian forces shelled Ukrainian positions on several fronts on Sunday, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces said, with the targets including towns in Kharkiv, Donetsk and Kherson regions. Shelling by Ukrainian forces damaged the administration building in the city Donetsk, capital of the Donetsk region, the head of its Russian-backed administration said on Sunday. There was no immediate reaction from Ukraine to the attack on Donetsk city, which was annexed by Russian-backed separatists in 2014 along with swathes of the Donbas.

☆ Gunmen kill 11 at Russian army base in new blow to Moscow's Ukraine campaign
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-16 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Russian citizens drafted during the partial mobilization begin their military trainings after a military call-up for the Russia-Ukraine war in Rostov, Russia on October 04, 2022. Anadolu Agency | Anadolu Agency | Getty ImagesGunmen shot dead 11 people at a Russian military training ground, the defense ministry said, in the latest blow to President Vladimir Putin's forces since the invasion of Ukraine. The attack took place a week after a blast damaged a bridge in Crimea, the peninsula annexed by Russia from Ukraine in 2014. The Russian ministry had said the attackers were from a nation in the Commonwealth of Independent States, which groups nine ex-Soviet republics, including Tajikistan. Russian forces have repeatedly tried to seize Bakhmut, which sits on a main road leading to the cities of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.

☆ Obama says Putin has 'isolated' Russia and 'consolidated decision-making' to a greater extent than during the Soviet era
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-15 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Obama said he was concerned about the "weak" level of communication between Washington and Moscow. He said Putin has "consolidated decision-making" to a greater extent than during the Cold War. The ex-president made the comments on the Obama administration alum-run podcast "Pod Save America." "Lines of communication between the White House and the Kremlin are probably as weak as they have been in a very long time. I think Putin has consolidated decision-making to a degree that we haven't seen even during the Soviet era."

☆ Texas-based oil giant accused of failing to help its Russian workers avoid being conscripted by Putin, report says
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-15 | by ( Ryan Hogg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Schlumberger is passing draft notices on to some of its 9,000 Russian employees, Reuters reported. Some workers have begun receiving draft notices ordering them to join the Russian army, according to a report by the news agency. The BHRRC told Reuters that Roche and Novo Nordisk, two other non-Russian companies, had requested military exemptions for their employees. "The local leadership team is managing an incredibly complex and difficult situation," a Schlumberger spokesperson told Reuters in an emailed statement. The US-based spokesperson added that managers were obliged "to comply with local laws and regulations, especially when failure to do so could create additional risk for our local employees."

Oct 16 (Reuters) - Gunmen shot dead 11 people at a Russian military training ground on Saturday, the defence ministry said, in the latest blow to President Vladimir Putin's forces since the invasion of Ukraine. The Russian ministry had said the attackers were from a nation in the Commonwealth of Independent States, which groups nine ex-Soviet republics, including Tajikistan. Ukrainian forces and civilians are relying on Starlink internet service provided by Elon Musk's SpaceX rocket company. RUSSIAN MISSILE, DRONE ATTACKSPutin ordered the mobilization three weeks ago, part of a response to Russian battlefield defeats in Ukraine. Russian forces have repeatedly tried to seize Bakhmut, which sits on a main road leading to the cities of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.

☆ Crimea bridge repairs to be finished by July 2023 - Russian government document
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

A helicopter drops water to extinguish fuel tanks ablaze on the Kerch bridge in the Kerch Strait, Crimea, October 8, 2022. REUTERS/StringerMOSCOW, Oct 14 (Reuters) - Repairs to the bridge between the annexed Crimean peninsula and southern Russia, which was damaged in an explosion last Saturday, are to be finished by July 2023, a document published on the Russian government's website said. The Crimea bridge, a showcase project of Russian President Vladimir Putin's rule, was damaged in a blast that Russia has blamed on Ukraine. Some Ukrainian officials celebrated the incident but Kyiv has not claimed reponsibility. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by ReutersOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Russia's army would be 'annihilated' by the West if Putin uses a nuke in Ukraine, senior EU official predicts
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-14 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The EU's tio diplomat said Russia's army would be "annihilated" if Putin used a nuke in Ukraine. Putin has suggested multiple times that he is willing to use Russia's massive nuclear arsenal. Putin and various Kremlin officials have alluded to Russia's nuclear stockpile and threatened dire military when warning the West to keep out of the invasion of Ukraine. Borrell said that the West needs to show "complete determination" in the face of Russia's aggression. He said that the West must not waver in its support for Ukraine and should "continue looking for diplomatic solutions when possible."

☆ Putin is running low on long-range precision weapons, and he's wasting his dwindling supply terrorizing Ukrainians in cities far from the front lines, war experts say
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-14 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Russian forces unleashed a barrage of long-range precision weapons on Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure this week. Russian forces, he said, do not have the capability to do this "three or four days a week for the next two years. Bombing civilians is 'unlikely' to break Ukraine's will to fightIt's unclear exactly how many long-range munitions Russian forces have left in the arsenal. Getty ImagesInsider was unable to independently verify the total number of long-range munitions left in the hands of the Russian forces. Gentile said that if Russian forces want to strike targets deeper in Ukraine, they don't really have a choice beyond long-range munitions.

Among women protesters heading to central Moscow on the evening of Sept. 24 was 19-year-old Lisa. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterThree days earlier Putin announced a partial mobilisation of reservists to fight in Ukraine, prompting tens of thousands of Russian men to flee abroad, often by circuitous routes. Russian authorities say protesters are detained because unsanctioned rallies are illegal under Russian law, which also forbids any activity considered to defame the armed forces. OVD-Info said male protesters were drafted in at least 17 police departments on Sept. 21 and at least 16 departments on Sept. 24. Rossman, who is mapping out Russian feminist activism, counted 45 Russian feminist groups in 2021, up from about 30 in 2019.

☆ Russia will run out of arms before Ukraine does because it has isolated itself so much, UK defence secretary says
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The UK said on Thursday that Russia will run out of weapons before the West does in Ukraine. Defence Minister Ben Wallace said Russia is isolated and its supply chain broken. "They need a supply chain, and large parts of their supply chain were not in Russia, they came from all over the world including in Europe and including, indeed, even in Ukraine," he said. An assessment in September by the Center for Strategic and International Studies listed the stockpile status of five key weapons — including the famed HIMARS — as "limited." Russia has turned to to such pariah states for weapons supplies, with US intelligence claiming that North Korea had supplied it weapons.

☆ France's Macron suggests he won't fire nukes at Russia even if Putin uses them in Ukraine, undercutting Western threats
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Sinéad Baker | Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Macron suggested he wouldn't use nuclear weapons to retaliate if Russia used them in Ukraine. Macron was asked: "Would France consider a tactical strike by Russia as a nuclear strike?" France's current nuclear policy is to use nuclear weapons only in self-defense, a definition Macron suggested would not be met by an attack on an allied nation like Ukraine. Other nations have not explicitly said how they will respond if Putin uses a tactical nuclear weapon. Russia's repeated threatsRussia has repeatedly warned that it could use tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine.

☆ Here's the outlook for corporate financial results as the worsening global economy is poised to lift the US dollar higher
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Jason Ma | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Good morning, this is Jason Ma and today's edition highlights the outlook for corporate financial results as the US dollar rises. Here's what a strong dollar means for stocks as earnings season heats up. If the reading tops 8.3%, then expect the stock market to sell off by 5%, the bank's trading desk said. But readings below 8.1% could spark some big gains for the stock market. How has the strong dollar affected your portfolio?

☆ Turkish energy minister: Putin proposal for gas hub in Turkey should be discussed
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Speaking at the Russia Energy Week conference in Moscow, both Putin and Gazprom (GAZP.MM) head Alexei Miller suggested creating a gas hub in Turkey. "It is the first time we heard of the issue of supplying Europe through alternate routes, mentioned by President Putin in his speech. "These kinds of international projects need feasibility assessments... commercial aspects need to be discussed. Ankara's relations with Russia are complex, with the two countries cooperating closely on energy supplies while being at odds over Syria, Libya and Azerbaijan. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Reuters; editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Emelia Sithole-MatariseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Top US general calls Russia out for war crimes, saying Putin's forces are purposefully gunning for civilian targets
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Gen. Mark Milley said Russia's "deliberate" attacks on Ukraine's civilians are a "war crime." "Indiscriminate and deliberate attacks on civilian targets is a war crime in the international rules of war," said Milley. Milley said that Russia "deliberately struck civilian infrastructure with the purpose of harming civilians." "They have targeted the elderly, the women and the children of Ukraine," Milley said, adding that "indiscriminate and deliberate attacks on civilian targets is a war crime in the international rules of war." "They once again demonstrate the utter brutality of Mr. Putin's illegal war on the Ukrainian people."

☆ Biden's national security plan identifies Russia as imminent danger, China as long-term threat
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Christina Wilkie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden released his first national security strategy plan on Wednesday, outlining how the United States would "effectively compete" with China in the coming years, "while constraining a dangerous Russia." "Russia and [China] pose different challenges," wrote Biden. In light of America's urgent and ongoing involvement in Russia's war in Ukraine, Biden's strategy for countering Russia struck a pragmatic note. Damage to the Russian military caused by the protracted conflict "will likely increase Moscow's reliance on nuclear weapons in its military planning," Biden wrote. And while Russia poses a regional threat to Europe and a threat to global markets, wrote Biden, the Kremlin "lacks the across the spectrum capabilities of the PRC."

☆ Russian missile strikes in Ukraine are militarily 'nonsensical' and represent an 'extraordinary tantrum' on Putin's part, Russia expert says
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Putin also claimed that the strikes were directed solely at Ukrainian military, energy, and communications targets, but photos and videos show the aftermath of Russian munitions in civilian areas. "The Russian military can only hope to achieve effects through terror bombings like this," he added. "This reeks of desperation," Miles told Insider. While Russia's recent strikes won't be a one-time occurrence — the country unleashed a second bombardment throughout Ukraine on Tuesday — it is a tactic that is likely to be short-lived. "Putin's sort of fantasy of Ukraine as this national house of cards has been proven wrong time and time again," he added.

☆ Democratic senator seeks 'freeze' on U.S.-Saudi cooperation after OPEC cuts production
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( Zoë Richards | Zoë Richards Is The Evening Politics Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

The top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is calling on the Biden administration to "immediately freeze" U.S. cooperation with Saudi Arabia after OPEC+ announced it would reduce daily oil production. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia chose the latter in a terrible decision driven by economic self-interest," Menendez said. “The United States must immediately freeze all aspects of our cooperation with Saudi Arabia, including any arms sales and security cooperation beyond what is absolutely necessary to defend U.S. personnel and interests,” he added. The alliance said it would cut oil production by 2 million barrels a day, which is likely to increase gas prices. 2 Democrat in the Senate, accused Saudi Arabia of “conspiring with Vladimir Putin to punish the U.S. with higher oil prices” last week.

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