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☆ Inside the UK training camp where Ukrainians learn to destroy Russian tanks and survive on the battlefield
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( Mandoline Rutkowski | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Ukrainian soldiers are crouching in a dug trench, while two men stand at the edge. Ukrainian soldiers at a British training camp. Since 2015, after Russia annexed Crimea and began the war in the east of the country, London has been training Ukrainian soldiers. Among empty residential buildings, Ukrainian soldiers learn how to liberate an occupied building. Alina, the 28-year-old soldier, and the other newly trained Ukrainian forces at the military base are ready for their return.

Persons: —, Mandoline, Alina, Putin, Rishi Sunak, James, London, Dmitry Medvedev, Alexei Leonkov, Truton, Truton Mandoline, Volodymyr Zelensky Organizations: London, Service, Nine, German Armed Forces, Command, EU, Patriot, Challenger, NATO, Twitter Locations: United Kingdom, Ukraine, WELT, England, Britain, Russian, British, Russia, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Lithuania, Netherlands, Germany, Berlin, Crimea, London, Ukrainian, Moscow, United States, Great Britain, Kyiv

☆ One of Ukraine's new, US-equipped 'Storm' brigades was spotted in the east
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( Adrian Bonenberger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The fate of Ukraine's counter-offensive depends on how effective its brigades are in taking and holding territory. A June video showed Ukrainian armored vehicles driving across a field, targeted by artillery and mines. It claimed to prove that the Ukrainian counteroffensive for which so many had such high hopes was foundering. One of them confirmed that the unit engaged was, in fact, the unit that I had trained, reconnaissance soldiers with the 31st Separate Mechanized Brigade. Training units at the squad and platoon level in urban movement, and close-quarters battle, or CQB, I had the impression some of them might be used to assault, instead of to reconnoiter.

Persons: Ukraine's, —, Adrian Bonenberger, Long, Bakhmut, It's, they're Organizations: Service, Mechanized Brigade, Ukraine's Ministry of Defence, MoD, Twitter, Separate Mechanized Brigade Locations: Ukrainian, Russian, Russia, Ukraine's, Ukraine, Bakhmut, reconnoiter, U.S

☆ Ukraine reports small gains in early stages of counteroffensive
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Tom Balmforth | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

It does not provide similar detail about fighting on the southern front where the main counteroffensive is expected. However, some prominent Russian military bloggers indicated that Ukrainian forces had taken Blahodatne and Neskuchne, although they said fighting for Makarivka was continuing. It is almost certainly far too early to draw conclusions about the fate of the counteroffensive from early skirmishes that may be more about testing Russian defences than pursuing a major advance. "When we see large, armoured formations join the assault, then I think we’ll know the main attack has really begun." But Yevgeny Prigozhin, the increasing recalcitrant and voluble leader of the Wagner militia, which captured Bakhmut from Ukrainian forces after almost a year of attritional fighting, said on Sunday he would refuse to sign.

Persons: Read, Makarivka, Ben Hodges, Vladimir Putin's, Ramzan Kadyrov, Akhmat, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner, Bakhmut, Sergei Shoigu, Pavel Polityuk, Tom Balmforth, Anna Pruchnicka, Lidia Kelly, Kevin Liffey, Peter Graff Organizations: Ukrainian, Reuters, Brigade, Marines, Washington -, Defence Ministry, Thomson Locations: Ukrainian, Donetsk Region, Ukraine, KYIV, Kyiv, Storozheve, Azov, Crimea, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, Bilohorivka, Moscow, U.S, Europe, Washington, Russia, Chechnya, Caucasus, Maryinka, Gdansk, Melbourne

☆ Ukraine says heavy battles ongoing after first counteroffensive gains
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

On Sunday, Ukraine said its troops had made advances on three villages in Donetsk: Blahodatne, Neskuchne and Makarivka. Some prominent Russian military bloggers indicated that while Ukrainian forces took Blahodatne and Neskuchne, fighting for Makarivka was going on. While staying largely silent over the past week about its counteroffensive, Ukraine's military has reported daily battlefield successes. Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov said that Kyiv wanted to discuss details of the "aircraft coalition" with its allies at the next meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group on June 15 in Brussels. "At this stage, we are talking about training of pilots ... and our technicians and engineers," Ukraine's Military Media Centre quoted Reznikov as saying.

Persons: Hanna Maliar, Makarivka, Vladimir Putin, Oleksii Reznikov, Reznikov, Pavel Polityuk, Anna Pruchnicka, Lidia Kelly, Robert Birsel, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: Brigade, Marines, Reuters, Ukrainian, Ukrainian Defence, Kyiv, Ukraine Defence Contact Group, U.S, Military Media, Thomson Locations: Bakhmut, Avdiivka, Donetsk, Bilohorivka, Luhansk, Storozheve, Ukraine, Blahodatne, Donetsk Region, Russian, Brussels, Zelenskiy, Kyiv, Gdansk, Melbourne

Zelensky shrugged off Putin’s suggestions Ukraine’s armed forces were struggling and sought to apply some psychological pressure of his own. It is important that Russia feels [the counteroffensive], feels that they do not have much time left,” he said. On the battlefield, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported further Ukrainian offensive operations along the frontline to the south and east of Zaporizhzhia. Zelensky tight-lippedCNN is unable to verify Russian defense ministry claims, and the picture is no clearer from the Ukrainian side. Despite this, and the comments by the Ukrainian leader Saturday, there is still no evidence that Ukraine has begun a major advance involving large numbers of forces.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Vladimir Putin, Zelensky, Putin, ”, Mala Tamkachka, Justin Trudeau, “ Organizations: CNN —, Kyiv Saturday, Russia’s Defense Ministry, The Defense Ministry, Vostok, Russian Defense Ministry, CNN, Officials, Canada’s Locations: Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukrainian, Russia, Zaporizhzhia, Orikhiv, Novopokrovka, Novodanilovka, Tokmak, Velyka Novosilka, Donetsk, Bakhmut

SINGAPORE, June 3 (Reuters) - Ukraine's plans for a counteroffensive against Russian occupation remain on track, its deputy defence minister told Reuters on Saturday, despite an "unprecedented" wave of missile and drone attacks across the country in recent weeks. Havrylov called Russia's heavy use of ballistic missiles in May a "last strategic resort" and noted that his country's air defence systems had been "more than 90 percent effective" against the attacks. For Russia "it was a huge surprise to find that the effectiveness of (their ballistic missiles) was almost zero against modern air defence systems, which we received from our partners," he said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday his country was ready to launch a much-awaited counter-offensive. The addition of modern fighter aircraft such as F-16s would improve the country's air defence capabilities, Havrylov said.

Persons: Volodymyr V, Havrylov, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Ben Wallace, Kanupriya Kapoor, Gerry Doyle, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Reuters, Patriot, IRIS, NATO, British Storm, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, Ukraine, Kyiv, Singapore, Russia, United States, Germany, Moscow, Vilnius, Lithuania, Crimea

☆ Russia is caught between using its military to fight attacks within its own borders and invading Ukraine, UK intel says
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The UK MOD said it shows how Russia caught in a "dilemma" about how to use its strength. The UK Ministry of Defence said in an update on Friday that recent attacks in the Russian region of Belgorod, which borders Ukraine, left Russia's military with hard choices to make. The UK MOD said "partisan groups" attacked the city on Thursday, for the second time in 10 days, though it didn't name any. That shows the decision Russia's military now has about where to use its weaponry. The Liberty of Russia Legion says it cooperates with Ukraine's military, though Ukraine denied any involvement with attacks in Russia and said the group is made up entirely of dissident Russians.

Persons: —, Vladimir Putin, Putin, they've Organizations: MOD, Service, UK Ministry of Defence, Russia, Liberty of Russia Legion, Putin, Russian Volunteer Corps, Russia Legion Locations: Russia, Ukrainian, Ukraine, Russian, Belgorod, Russia's, Liberty, Vladivostok, Putin Russian

☆ Russia deployed its feared thermobaric missile launcher on its own territory to repel an attack by insurgents, UK intel says
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Russia said it deployed at least one thermobaric missile launcher on its own territory, per the UK MOD. Russia said it was to repel attacks, as Russian rebel groups raided Belgorod. It shows Russia has a dilemma between using weapons on its own territory or in Ukraine, the MOD said. Russia has previously deployed thermobaric rocket launchers in Ukraine, according to Ukrainian officials, who shared footage of their forces destroying one. The UK MOD said that with the equipment deployed, the "Russia military and interior forces have likely seen quicker success in containing this raid than the previous one."

Persons: —, Vladimir Putin Organizations: MOD, Service, UK Ministry of Defence, Russian, Forbes, Russia, Liberty of Russia Legion, Russian Volunteer Corps, of Russia Legion, Russia Legion Locations: Russia, Belgorod, Ukraine, Russia's, Belgorod —, Liberty, Russians, Russian

☆ Anti-Putin dissident fighters say they will launch another attack on Russian soil, and pledge to 'liberate the whole of Russia'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Liberty of Russia Legion said it will soon reenter Russia, to bring "freedom, peace, and calm." In a Telegram post on Thursday, the Liberty of Russia Legion said that it was "near the border of our homeland," according to CNN's translation. The Liberty of Russia Legion has described Putin as a dictator leading a tyrannical regime, and as someone who kills Russians who oppose him. The group claimed responsibility last week for an attack on the Russian border region of Belgorod, alongside the Russian Volunteer Corps. The Liberty of Russia Legion said on May 22 that it had carried out the "liberation" of several villages in the area.

Persons: —, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Vyacheslav Gladkov, Volodymyr Zelenskyy Organizations: Russia Legion, Putin, Service, Liberty of Russia Legion, Russian Volunteer Corps, Nazi, Reuters Locations: Russian, Russia, Liberty, Belgorod, Vladivostok, Russia's Belgorod, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Russians, Kyiv

“Today our task is training and cleaning the trenches,” a Ukrainian soldier with the call-sign Jenia says. The strikes Podolyak mentions are often referred to as shaping operations – so-called because they aim to ‘shape’ the battlefield – in this case, in Ukraine’s favor. And despite the clear signs that a counteroffensive is coming, Podolyak also refuses to commit to specific dates. Vasco Cotovio/CNNBack on the training grounds, the Offensive Guard’s commander, call sign Kyiv, shares a similar combat philosophy. “We improve our fighting skills in special combat training every day to liberate our lands,” he says.

"And the Russians are dying," Graham said, according to a video supplied by the Ukrainian presidential press service. In the next part of the video edit, Graham says with a smile: "It's the best money we've ever spent." The exact chronology of Graham's remarks was unclear from the video supplied by the Ukrainian presidential press service. "The old fool Senator Lindsey Graham said that the United States has never spent money so successfully as on the murder of Russians," said Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev. It has been a good investment by the United States to help liberate Ukraine from Russian war criminals."

☆ Ukraine's 'Iron General' is facing off against his 4th Russian war commander. Here's why the others lost their jobs.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-28 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

The Russian general, however, does not appear to be living up to those expectations. Alexander DvornikovWhen Russia first launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in late-February 2022, it relied on district commanders rather than overall commander of the war effort. Sergey SurovikinIn early October, Putin appointed Army Gen. Sergey Surovikin, nicknamed "General Armageddon," to be the overall theater commander. "Putin likely viewed Surovikin as the last untarnished high-ranking commander in Ukraine he could appoint to overall theater command," the think tank said. As 2023 rolled around, and Russian forces continued to suffer heavy losses in eastern Ukraine, Putin seemingly gave in to Gerasimov's campaigning.

☆ Putin praises Wagner mercenaries for Bakhmut claims of victory, his first time directly crediting the for-hire army for their military efforts
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Putin praised the Wagner group for what he called the "liberation" of the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. His comment was the first time he has directly credited the mercenary army for their military wins. Ukraine maintains it is still in control of a small part of Bakhmut, despite Russian claims of victory. As Russia claimed it has overtaken the besieged eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, Putin finally praised the Wagner troops controlled by his long-time ally Yevgeny Prigozhin for their role in invading the city. Representatives for the Government of the Russian Federation did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

☆ Bakhmut: Russia has claimed to control the besieged city, but Ukraine says it's still fighting. Here's what we know.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Ukraine has claimed it still controls parts of Bakhmut after Russian forces said they had finally captured the besieged eastern city. Ukraine’s deputy defense minister, Hanna Maliar, said Monday that Ukrainian forces were still in control of some buildings in the southwest of Bakhmut, two days after Russia claimed to have captured the city. Russian forces, bolstered by members of the Wagner mercenary group, have taken heavy losses trying to capture the city. Only two roads out to the west have remained outside Russian control, though for Ukrainian forces trying to re-supply the city, the drives in have been treacherous. Before the war, around 70,000 people lived in Bakhmut, a city once famous for its sparkling wine.

In a Telegram post, groups calling themselves the “Freedom of Russia Legion” and “Russian Volunteer Corps” said they had “liberated” a settlement in the Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine. The situation in Belgorod marks “the first time” that Ukrainian-aligned forces have launched “a cross-border land operation against Russian targets,” according to CNN’s Sam Kiley. A helicopter circles over Russia's Belgorod region, the site of fighting between Russian defectors and pro-Kremlin troops amid the war in Ukraine. The Freedom for Russia Legion numbers a few hundred of diehard, battle-hardened Russian volunteers fighting their own people as part of the Ukrainian armed forces. Peskov, the Kremlin’s spokesperson, said: “Russian forces are working to push out the Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group from the territory of the Russian Federation and destroy it.

☆ Putin says battle for Bakhmut is over, thanks Wagner mercenaries and Russian army
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MOSCOW, May 21 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday congratulated the Wagner mercenary force and the Russian army for what he called the "liberation" of the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, which Russia calls by its Soviet-era name of Artyomovsk. In a statement published on the Kremlin website, Putin said that the battle - the longest and bloodiest of the 15-month war - had ended in a Russian victory, and that all those who had excelled in it on Moscow's side would be given state awards. "The Head of State congratulated Wagner's assault groups, as well as all members of the units of the Russian Armed Forces who provided them with the necessary support and cover on their flanks, on the completion of the operation to liberate Artyomovsk (Bakhmut)," the statement said. "All those who distinguished themselves will be presented with state awards," it said. Reporting by Reuters Editing by Andrew OsbornOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Ukraine's Zelenskyy denies that Bakhmut is occupied by Russian forces
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-21 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Her comments came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, at the Group of Seven summit in Japan, appeared to suggest that Bakhmut had fallen. And the spokesman for Ukraine's Eastern Group of Forces, Serhii Cherevaty, said that the Ukrainian military is managing to hold positions in the vicinity of Bakhmut. Russian forces still seek to seize the remaining part of the Donetsk region still under Ukrainian control, including several heavily fortified areas. Prigozhin tried to use the battle for the city to expand his clout amid the tensions with the top Russian military leaders whom he harshly criticized. "We fought not only with the Ukrainian armed forces in Bakhmut.

CNN —Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky compared the damage in Bakhmut to the destruction wrought on Hiroshima after it was hit by an atomic bomb, as he denied Russia had captured the frontline city. Zelensky – who traveled to Japan for a meeting of the Group of Seven (G7) – said pictures of Hiroshima “really remind” him of Bakhmut and other Ukrainian towns. “Just the same, nothing alive left, all of the buildings have been ruined,” Zelensky told a news conference. Zelensky rallies alliesIf confirmed, the capture of Bakhmut would mark Russia’s first gain in months, but the city’s symbolism always outweighed its strategic importance. At the G7 Ukraine’s allies reiterated their support, with British Prime Minister RIshi Sunak saying “Ukraine must not only win the war but win a just and lasting peace.”

☆ Russia's Wagner group claims to have captured Bakhmut but Ukraine says it still controls a part of it
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( Darya Tarasova Sugam Pokharel Thom Poole Rob Picheta | Darya Tarasova | Sugam Pokharel | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has denied claims Bakhmut has fallen to Russia after the chief of the mercenary Wagner group said his forces had taken complete control of the eastern Ukrainian city following months of brutal fighting. In a later update the Armed Forces of Ukraine said: “The battles for the city of Bakhmut continue”. Wagner received a message of praise from Russian President Vladimir Putin. Russian forces, bolstered by members of the Wagner mercenary group, have taken heavy losses trying to capture the city. Before the war, around 70,000 people lived in Bakhmut, a city once famous for its sparkling wine.

☆ Russia says supplying F-16 jets to Ukraine would carry 'colossal' risks for West, TASS reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MOSCOW, May 20 (Reuters) - Western countries will run "colossal risks" if they supply Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets, TASS news agency quoted Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko as saying on Saturday. Grushko was responding to a question about the implications of providing the jets, which Ukraine has been requesting from NATO countries. It involves colossal risks for themselves," Grushko was quoted as saying. These fighters can engage aerial targets from both high and low altitudes," he said, adding that the jets can carry advanced weapons. "By utilising F-16s, our ground troops will be able to swiftly liberate occupied Ukrainian territories by targeting enemy command posts, military groups and logistics supply chains," he said.

☆ Fact Check-Ukrainian coat of arms predates use of trident symbol by far-right nationalists
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The Ukrainian coat of arms, a trident, is an official symbol of the country and dates back over a thousand years. The blue shield with a gold trident-like symbol is seen on the Military of Defense of Ukraine site and is currently listed as the country’s official coat of arms (here). FAR-RIGHT NATIONALISTS ADOPTED THE SYMBOLFar-right Ukrainian nationalists during the pre-WW2 era “naturally used symbols that were historically associated with Ukraine,” Mark Pitcavage, senior research fellow at the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Center on Extremism said, including what is now the Ukrainian coat of arms. The Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN), was founded in 1929 to “liberate Ukraine from Soviet rule and create an independent Ukrainian state,” according to Reuters reporting from 2015 (here). While far-right Ukrainian nationalists have used the trident symbol, the symbol is from a millennium earlier, is on Ukraine’s coat of arms, and is not proof Zelenskiy is connected to extremists.

☆ Ukraine's military may not be able to retake Crimea, but it can make life hell for Russians there, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Retaking the peninsula would be tough, but Ukrainian forces can isolate it, two US experts say. Supplying Russian forces on the peninsula — including the Black Sea Fleet — would require far more airlift capacity than Russia has. "Rattled by attacks, short of supplies, and somewhat isolated, Russian forces in Crimea could become less capable." It is possible that Russia could devise some defense or countermeasure against USVs, especially if they have naval and air superiority over the Black Sea. Sapping the capabilities and morale of Russian forces by disrupting their supply lines is one thing.

Trademark Office to cancel two smaller rivals' "Taco Tuesday" trademarks in what the largest Mexican fast-food chain in the U.S. called a bid to "liberate the phrase for restaurants nationwide." Taco Bell's petitions said the trademarks, owned by Gregory's Restaurant & Bar in New Jersey and Wyoming-based Taco John's in the rest of the country, wrongly monopolize the use of the phrase in the restaurant industry. "Nobody should have exclusive rights in a common phrase," the petitions said. Representatives for Taco John's, whose "Taco Tuesday" trademark registration dates to 1989, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the petitions. The office last year cited similar reasons for rejecting a brewery's bid for a federal "Taco Tuesday" mark covering beer.

☆ Taco Bell is fighting to cancel the ‘Taco Tuesday’ trademark
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —Taco Bell wants to liberate the “Taco Tuesday” trademark from a smaller, rival chain. The taco chain filed a petition Tuesday (naturally) with the US Patent and Trademark office to cancel the trademark, owned by rival Taco John’s for 34 years, because Taco Bell claims the commonly used phrase “should be freely available to all who make, sell, eat and celebrate tacos.”Since Taco John’s owns the trademark, other restaurants and companies must seek permission to use “Taco Tuesday” in branding and advertising. Taco Bell added that “nobody should have exclusive rights in a common phrase.”Maggie Mettler, director of legal for Taco Bell’s parent company, Yum! And it may have a strong case, because “Taco Tuesday” has become a commonly used phrase, according to trademark attorney Josh Gerben. “Taco John’s would like to thank our worthy competitors at Taco Bell for reminding everyone that ‘Taco Tuesday’ is best celebrated at Taco John’s – the trademark owner of Taco Tuesday.”In response, Taco John’s is selling a “Taco Tuesday” deal of 2 tacos for $2 everyday until May 31.

☆ Opinion: How will Russia’s war end? Zelensky’s representative in the US has an unflinching view
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( David A. Andelman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +17 min

Ukraine's ambassador to the US, Oksana Markarova, greets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as he arrives in Washington on December 21, 2022. From the start, our president has been very vocal, saying that we need to liberate Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders. We heard it also from our strategic partners here, and even at the recent phone call of our president with President Xi. Andelman: So why did President Zelensky recently have a long conversation with Xi Jinping? Andelman: You know President Zelensky very well personally.

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