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☆ Ukraine is preparing multiple battle plans for 2024 after last year's leaked straight to Putin, Zelenskyy says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia had access to leaked battle plans for Ukraine's 2023 counteroffensive, Zelenskyy said. Ukraine is making several plans for this year "because of information leaks," the president said. AdvertisementUkraine is drawing up multiple different battle plans for 2024 because those for the 2023 counteroffensive were leaked ahead of time, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday. "Our counteroffensive action plans were on the Kremlin's table before the counteroffensive actions began," Zelenskyy told a press conference, per Agence France-Presse. Asked whether Ukraine will attempt a counteroffensive in 2024, Zelenskyy said: "We have a plan, a clear plan.

Persons: Zelenskyy, —, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Russia's Organizations: Service, Agence, Presse, AFP, Radio Free, New York Times Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Agence France, Ukrainian

☆ Putin official compared Zelenskyy to Brad Pitt, said his image couldn't be trashed, says report
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-24 | by ( Rebecca Rommen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

AdvertisementA Moscow official complained that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was like Hollywood actor Brad Pitt, a global star with an image that couldn't be sullied, the Washington Post reports. AdvertisementThe documents reveal the Kremlin's elaborate and persistent efforts to undermine Zelenskyy, per the Post's analysis. Internal Kremlin documents reveal a planned disinformation campaign to tarnish Zelenskyy's image and destabilize his leadership. Thousands of social media posts and fabricated articles flooded the online spaceThrough social media platforms and fake news articles, the Kremlin orchestrated a barrage of anti- Zelenskyy content. AdvertisementThe focus shifted to infiltrating Ukrainian social media landscapes, emphasizing platforms like Telegram, which had emerged as a critical news source.

Persons: Brad Pitt, —, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Kevin Coombs, Zelenskyy, Valery Zaluzhny, Zaluzhny, Gen, Oleksandr Syrsky, Ursula von der Leyen, Viktor Kovalchuk, splintering, Zelensky Organizations: Putin, Washington, Service, Washington Post, Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, Zelenskyy, Kremlin, Reuters, Getty Locations: Kyiv, Ukrainian, Ukraine

☆ Russia is twisting the knife after Navalny's sudden death
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Mikhaila Friel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

He appears to be flexing his unrivaled power with performative cruelty and firmly twisting the knife after Navalny's death. AdvertisementNavalnaya had unsuccessfully been trying to retrieve her son's body since Saturday. She was previously sent to the wrong morgue after multiple demands for the authorities to hand over her son's body, according to Yarmysh. Navalny's death — and the way the authorities have handled his body — are displays of his authoritarian power. No one should be fooled," Biden told reporters shortly after Navalny's death was announced.

Persons: —, Alexey Navalny, Navalny, Vladimir Putin's, Joe Biden, Putin, Lyudmila Navalnaya, Alexey, Kira Yarmysh, Navalnaya, Yarmysh, Ivan Zhdanov, Alec Luhn, Simon Miles, Miles, Biden, Sergei Lavrov Organizations: Service, Business, YouTube, Guardian, Luhn, Soviet Union, Duke University's Sanford School of Public, Sky News, Kremlin Locations: Salekhard, Soviet, Moscow, St, Petersburg

☆ Putin thinks he still has a good shot at victory in Ukraine as US aid stalls in Congress: report
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . Russian leader Vladimir Putin is still optimistic about defeating Ukraine as the war drags into its third year, The Guardian reported on Wednesday, citing Western officials. The officials said Putin continues to hold "maximalist goals of subjugating Ukraine," per The Guardian. This Western assessment, however, indicates that Putin still believes the Kremlin's original goals for the war can be achieved. The Russian leader may also have been encouraged by the US stalling aid to Ukraine, the Western officials told The Guardian.

Persons: —, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Russia's, Sergei Shoigu, Donald Trump, Biden, pare Organizations: Service, Ukraine, Guardian, Western, subjugating, Bakhmut, Defence, Reuters, Avdiivka, International Institute for Strategic Studies, White House Locations: subjugating Ukraine, Russia, Avdiivka, Ukraine, Donetsk, Kremlin, Moscow, Russian, Kyiv

The sudden death of Russian President Vladimir Putin's most formidable antagonist has left an open wound in Russia's political opposition. Navalny also was the first opposition leader in Russia to receive a lengthy prison sentence in recent years. In the three years since Navalny lost his freedom, multiple prominent dissidents were imprisoned, while others fled Russia under pressure. MIKHAIL KHODORKOVSKYMikhail Khodorkovsky, 60, is a former tycoon turned Russian opposition figure in exile. Kara-Murza was an associate of Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov, another fierce Putin critic who was assassinated near the Kremlin in 2015.

Persons: Vladimir Putin's, Alexei Navalny, Navalny, Leonid Volkov, Maria Pevchikh, Ivan Zhdanov, Kira Yarmysh —, “ Alexei, ” Volkov, MIKHAIL KHODORKOVSKY Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Khodorkovsky, Putin, Andrei Pivovarov, Garry Kasparov, Dmitry Gudkov, VLADIMIR KARA, MURZA, Vladimir Kara, Murza, Boris Nemtsov, Kara, Nemtsov, Sergei Magnitsky, Yevgenia, ILYA YASHIN Ilya Yashin, Navalny's, Yashin's, Yashin, ” Yashin Organizations: YouTube, Putin, TEAM, Corruption Foundation, Olympics, Kremlin, Putin's Russia —, U.S, Associated Press Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Germany, Black, Sochi, London, Putin's Russia, Washington, Moscow

The GOP has been softening its stance on Russia ever since Trump won the 2016 election following Russian hacking of his Democratic opponents. Now the GOP's ambivalence on Russia has stalled additional aid to Ukraine at a pivotal time in the war. Things are changing just not fast enough.”Those who oppose additional Ukraine aid bristle at charges that they are doing Putin's handiwork. Even before Trump, Republican voters were signaling discontent with overseas conflicts, said Douglas Kriner, a political scientist at Cornell University. Skeptics of Ukraine aid argue the war has already decimated the Russian military and that Putin won't be able to target other European countries.

Persons: Republican Sen, Ron Johnson of, Vladimir Putin, “, Johnson, “ Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump, Putin, Mike Johnson, ”, “ Putin, ” Republican Sen, Thom Tillis, Mitch McConnell of, Alexei Navalny, Joe Biden, Tillis, ” Johnson, Missouri Sen, Eric Schmitt, ” Alabama Sen, Tommy Tuberville, Tucker Carlson’s, Matt Gaetz, Trump, Douglas Kriner, ” Kriner, ” Trump, didn’t, Olga Kamenchuk, ” Kamenchuk, That’s, “ He's, he's, ” Henry Hale, Russell Vought, Sergey Radchenko, Joey Cappelletti, Mary Clare Jalonick, Lisa Mascaro Organizations: Republican, GOP, Trump, Democratic, Republicans, NATO, ” Republican, Republican Party, ”, Cornell University, Northwestern University, Ukraine, Pew Research, George Washington University, Management, Center, Johns Hopkins ’ School, International Studies, Associated Press Locations: Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Ukraine, Russian, Russia, Europe, U.S, North Carolina, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, America, Missouri, ” Alabama, Waterford Township , Michigan, ” Russia, “, Moscow, Soviet Union, Putin's U.S, Israel, Taiwan, Western Europe, Soviet, Lithuania, Estonia, Washington

☆ Counting the 'colossal' cost of capturing Avdiivka: Russia could have suffered 30,000 casualties and lost over 400 tanks, IFVs
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-18 | by ( Rebecca Rommen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

At least 30,000 Russian soldiers had been killed or wounded, say Ukraine. AdvertisementRussia suffered huge losses in the battle for the strategic town of Avdiivka before ultimately capturing it. Russia lost more than 400 tanks and armored vehicles and "likely thousands of personnel," per the UK Ministry of Defense. He also said that at least 30,000 Russian soldiers had been injured in the battle, per The Telegraph. AdvertisementThere are no figures on the losses Ukraine has suffered in the bloody battle, though they to could also be significant.

Persons: Avdiivka, —, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Wes, Tim, bec Organizations: Service, Armed Forces of, Facebook, Russia, UK Ministry of Defense, Latest Defence, Ukraine –, Defence, kr Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Avdiivka, Donbas, Armed Forces of Ukraine

☆ Putin is tightening his grip over what's left of the Wagner Group
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-17 | by ( Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

AdvertisementThe military formation has been actively recruiting former Wagner Group mercenaries and soldiers who fought in Ukraine for combat operations in Africa. The Kremlin is likely using the Africa Corps to take over many of the functions of the Wagner Group, Parens added. Last week, in a video obtained by the Kyiv Post, Ukrainian special forces were shown interrogating captured Wagner mercenaries in Sudan. "Ukrainian special services have acquired considerable experience of waging non-linear warfare against the Russian side and especially against the Wagner Group," he said. The fate of the Wagner Group, it seems, still hangs in the balance.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Yevgeny Prigozhin's, he's, Wagner, Prigozhin, Sergey Sukhankin, Raphael Parens, Parens, Sukhankin, Russia Alessandro Arduino Organizations: Kremlin, Jamestown Foundation, Wagner, Volunteer Corps, Africa Corps, Wagner Group, Fighters, Foreign, Research, Eurasia Program, Military Companies, Africa, Kyiv Post, Russia, Ukraine Locations: Russia, Africa, Ukraine, Western, Ukrainian, Sudan, Russian

☆ Germany's Scholz commits to spending 2% on defense 'in the 2020s, in the 2030s and beyond'
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-17 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz arrives for the weekly federal government cabinet meeting on Oct. 11, 2023 in Berlin, Germany. MUNICH, Germany — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Saturday reaffirmed Berlin's commitment to spend 2% of the national gross domestic product (GDP) on defense, this year and over the longer term. "Germany will invest 2% of its GDP on defense in the 2020s, in the 2030s and beyond," Scholz told the Munich Security Conference. It comes as NATO members across Europe have committed to upping their defense spending. Eighteen of the US-led military alliance's 31 members will meet the 2% spending target this year, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday.

Persons: Olaf Scholz, Scholz, Jens Stoltenberg, Stoltenberg, Donald Trump Organizations: Munich Security, Reuters, NATO Locations: Berlin, Germany, MUNICH, Europe, Russia

☆ Israel Tones Down Criticism of Vatican's Gaza Remarks
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Israel on Thursday toned down its criticism of the Vatican, saying that remarks by Pope Francis' deputy on the killings in Gaza were "regrettable" rather than "deplorable". War in Israel and Gaza View All 209 ImagesBut on Thursday, the embassy said it should have used the word "regrettable", and that the mix-up was the result of an imprecise translation. But any comments involving Israel have particular historical and cultural sensitivities, built up over centuries. "A more precise" Italian translation would have been "sfortunata", the embassy said, a word which means something more like unfortunate. The air and ground offensive that Israel launched in response has so far killed 28,663 Palestinians in Gaza, according to health authorities in the Hamas-run territory.

Persons: Pope Francis, Pietro Parolin, Israel, Pope Francis of, Alvise Armellini, Andrew Heavens Organizations: VATICAN CITY, Hamas, Israel Locations: Israel, Gaza, Palestinian

☆ Russia's Putin says he prefers 'more predictable' Biden over Trump in U.S. election
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Ruxandra Iordache | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Russian President Vladimir Putin said he preferred Joe Biden as the next U.S. president over Republican frontrunner Donald Trump, who fell under intense scrutiny for his relationship with the Kremlin during his presidency. The Trump and Biden presidential campaigns did not immediately respond to CNBC's requests for comment. Referencing their meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, in 2021, Putin said he had noticed no signs of incapacity from Biden. Despite these apparently favorable comments, Putin stressed ongoing disagreement with Biden's politics, saying "the incumbent administration's approach is most harmful and erroneous." Trump was probed during a nearly two-year special counsel investigation of Russian interference in the election that he won.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Biden, Putin, Pavel Zarubin, Trump, Robert Hur, —, Jens Stoltenberg Organizations: White, Kremlin, Biden, U.S, Democrats, Republicans, of Justice, House, NATO, Republican, Democrat, Senate, Taiwan — Locations: Washington , U.S, America, Ukraine, Russia, Geneva, Switzerland, Kyiv, Moscow, China, Iran, South Carolina, Russian, Israel, Taiwan

☆ A former Twitter engineer says Elon Musk wrongly fired him for leaking information to the press
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Polly Thompson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewA former engineer at Twitter, now X, says that he was wrongfully fired from his job after being accused of leaking information to the press. Speaking to Zoë Schiffer in her newly released book, "Extremely Hardcore," Lin said that someone lied about him leaking information to the press. So when Elon Musk took over Twitter in October 2022, the engineer was on board. AdvertisementWorkers install lighting on an "X" sign atop the downtown San Francisco building that housed what was formally known as Twitter, rebranded X by owner Elon Musk. Lin still insists that he had no involvement in leaking information, Schiffer writes in the book.

Persons: —, Randall Lin, Zoë Schiffer, Lin, Schiffer, Jack Dorsey, Elon Musk, Noah Berger, I've, Zoë, James Musk, Elon Musk's, Elon Organizations: Service, Twitter, Elon, Business, Twitter's San, Workers Locations: Twitter's, Twitter's San Francisco, San Francisco

☆ Russia's economic decline is in only in the early stages, and the country is masking significant 'degradation,' think tank says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Russia's economic decline is still in the early stages, according to a London-based think tank. But talk of Russia's economic resilience is misguided, and there are deep-rooted issues that will continue to plague its economy, the think tank said. AdvertisementRussia's robust military spending has been a key factor in propping up its economic growth so far. "Significantly greater isolation and economic degradation is baked into the cake for the Russian economy and people." Russian inflation grew 7.2% year-per-year in January, well above the nation's 4% inflation target.

Persons: —, Mark Sobel, Sobel, Brent, that's Organizations: Service, Official Monetary, Financial, International Monetary Fund, Bloomberg, Yale School of Management . Companies Locations: London, Ukraine, Russia, Oilprice.com, Moscow

☆ London lags behind rest of Europe when it comes to 5G network quality, report finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

London falls far behind other major European cities when it comes to the quality of its 5G connection, according to a report shared with CNBC. According to MedUX, Berlin has the best 5G coverage of any European city overall, according to MedUX, with a 89.6% reach. It is also the best city overall for 5G streaming, with average latency of less than 40 milliseconds. Berlin, Barcelona, and Paris scored the highest among European cities on MedUX's overarching 5G quality benchmark. London, on the other hand, was close to the bottom of the ranking for European 5G networks.

Persons: MedUX, Berlin's, Rafael Galarreta, Galaretta Organizations: CNBC, London, Paris, 5G Locations: Reno, London, Europe, Berlin, Barcelona, Paris, Lisbon, MedUX, Milan, Porto, Munich, Germany

☆ Russia's Wagner Group expands into Africa's Sahel with a new brand
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-12 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Natalia Kolesnikova | Afp | Getty ImagesWagner Group has been replaced by a new entity known as Russia's Africa Corps across its key strongholds in the continent, its new leader has confirmed. The new entity has been subsuming operations in Mali and Libya for several months, and negotiations to establish a Russian military base in the CAR are reportedly underway. watch now"The Africa Corps consists of mercenaries and volunteers, and does not form part of the Russian Armed Forces. It began recruiting in December 2023, and has also included job offers for former Wagner Group mercenaries; it may also recruit local residents," they explained. Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yunus-bek Yevkurov oversaw the creation of the Africa Corps, which is expected to be fully completed by this summer.

Persons: Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Natalia Kolesnikova, Dmitry Utkin, Anton Yelizarov, Ibrahim Traoré, Piotr Żochowski, Miłosz Bartosiewicz, Yunus, bek Yevkurov, Yevkurov Organizations: Afp, Getty, Wagner, Africa Corps, Central African, Russian National Guard, Russian Federation, Telegram, Centre, Eastern Studies, CAR, Africa, Russian Armed Forces, Wagner Group, CES Locations: MOSCOW, Moscow, Central African Republic, Libya, Mali, Sudan, Burkina Faso, Belarus, Russia, Cossack, Sahel, Russian, Warsaw, Algeria, Africa, Ouagadougou

When Israel established a checkpoint near the Mousas' land a decade ago, the family converted their ancestral farm into a parking lot for Palestinian workers entering Israel. But the lot has been empty since Oct. 7, when Hamas militants attacked Israel from the Gaza Strip, and Israel, fearing more attacks, barred Palestinian workers from the West Bank from entering Israel. Before October, over 10,000 Palestinian workers crossed the checkpoint there daily, heading to Israeli construction sites and farms. An estimated 200,000 Palestinians worked in Israel and Israeli settlements before the war, according to the Israeli workers' hotline Kav LaOved. The Palestinian economy in the West Bank contracted by over a fifth in the last quarter of 2023, according to the Palestinian economic ministry.

Persons: Mohammed Mousa’s, They've, Israel, “ I've, Mousa, “, Alaa Mousa, Ahmad Srour, ”, Srour, “ We’ve, we’ve, Nidal Khawaja, Khawaja, Israel's, Bezalel Smotrich, Khalid Al, Esseily, Khalidi, Raul Sargo, Mohammed Mousa Organizations: West Bank, —, Palestinian Authority, Bank, World Bank, Palestinian Economic Ministry, Palestinian, Associated Press, Israel, Israel's Finance Ministry, Israeli Builders Association Locations: West Bank, Nilin, Israel, Gaza, Palestinian, U.S, israel

There's broad agreement that some kind of public comment time management is necessary in Virginia's sessions, which generally run no longer than 60 days. When the opponents' six minutes ran out after only three speakers, Watts attempted to cut the group off. Gilbert also suggested the limited public comment could have been by design in this instance. By the end of the public comment, then-sponsor Sen. Chap Petersen, a Democrat, threw up his hands and said: “Do what you want with the bill. She also questioned why the Senate is not taking online public comment in subcommittees or allowing the submission of written public comments.

Persons: —, “, ”, Sally Hudson, Del, Vivian Watts, Watts, Michael Grey, Melinda Wallin, Ryan Mehaffey, I'd, Wallin, We've, ” Watts, ” Wallin, legislates, capitols, can’t, Todd Gilbert, Gilbert, Sen, Chap Petersen, Megan Rhyne, Joan Porte, she’s, Creigh Deeds, Deeds, “ there's Organizations: Capitol, University of Virginia, GOP, Democrat, Delegates, Virginia Coalition, Open Government, League of Women Voters, Democratic Locations: RICHMOND, Va, Spotsylvania County, Richmond, Virginia

☆ Zelenskyy replaces Ukraine’s top general in shake-up of military leadership
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Yuliya Talmazan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

He added that he had appointed Col. Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, the commander of Ukraine's ground forces, to lead the army. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday that he had replaced his top general, a dramatic shake-up of the country's military at a crucial moment in its war against Russia . A popular figure who came to embody Ukraine's fighting spirit, Zaluzhnyi is widely respected both at home and abroad. Zelenskyy appeared to have been caught off guard by Zaluzhnyi's comments and denied that the war was, in fact, at a stalemate. A career soldier, Zaluzhnyi, 50, and Zelenskyy have emerged as the top leaders in wartime Ukraine.

Persons: Zaluzhnyi, he'd, Gen, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Zelenskyy, Zaluzhny, Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, Kyiv's, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian Armed Forces Valerii, quagmire, Zaluzhnyi's Organizations: Armed Forces, Russia, Ukraine's, Ukrainian Armed Forces, Kyiv International Institute of Sociology Locations: Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukrainian, Dnipro, United States, Russia, West

☆ Ukraine war live updates: Tucker Carlson reportedly leaves Russia; Kyiv silent on ex-Fox News host's interview request after criticism
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

"As soon as it [the interview] is prepared, it will be released," he told reporters, according to TASS news agency. He also claimed that no one had "bothered" to interview the Russian president. Announcing his interview with Putin, Carlson said "we are not here because we love Vladimir Putin. Russia's media landscape is tightly-controlled by the Kremlin and is consistently careful to orchestrate favorable coverage (and to omit any criticism) of Russia's leadership. It's also rare for Western media outlets to be granted an audience with Putin and many foreign journalists have been expelled from Russia.

Persons: Peskov, Dmitry Peskov, Vladimir Putin, Brice Mahamat Idriss Deby, Carlson, Putin, Alexander NEMENOV, ALEXANDER NEMENOV, Mister Carlson, couldn't, It's, Holly Ellyatt Organizations: Kremlin's, Sputnik, Kremlin, Commission, Kyiv, Getty Locations: Moscow, Russian, United States, St, Basil's, Russia's, Kremlin United Russia, Ukraine, AFP, Russia

Berlin's Zoo Is Mourning Ingo the Flamingo, Who Died at What's Believed to Be the Age of 75The Berlin Zoo is mourning Ingo the Flamingo, its oldest resident, who died at what is thought to be 75 years of age

Persons: Ingo, Flamingo Locations: Berlin's

☆ Russia's wartime economy is flush with resources and is weathering Western sanctions, European economist says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Economists have said Russia's economy is in rapid decline, evidenced by the plunge in the ruble and soaring inflation. Russia's only problem appears to be its worker shortage, Santi says. AdvertisementEconomists are divided over whether Western sanctions have successfully crimped Russia's economy, or if Moscow has managed to sidestep most of the consequences. Russia, for its part, has put up a show of defiance against Western sanctions, with Putin repeatedly emphasizing the resilience of the economy. In January, the Kremlin's budget deficit was five times smaller than it was last year, Russia's finance ministry said on Wednesday.

Persons: —, Michael Santi, Santi, Putin Organizations: Service, Business, Gallup, Bloomberg, Carnegie Endowment Locations: Moscow, Ukraine, European, Russia, Switzerland, Armenia, Serbia, Kazakhstan, Europe

☆ Russia may be moving to pull the plug on letting the only anti-war candidate run for president because the Kremlin's worried he might take too many votes from Putin, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Russia appears poised to bar the only remaining anti-war candidate from presidential election. Election officials rejected almost 10,000 of the signatures Nadezhdin needed to run. Nadezhdin's popularity appears larger than expected, experts say, and may hurt perceptions of Putin and the war. AdvertisementAhead of next month's presidential election, Russian officials appear poised to bar the only anti-war candidate, Boris Nadezhdin, from running. Russian election law states that candidates have to gather 100,000 signatures to run.

Persons: Putin, —, Boris Nadezhdin, Nadezhdin, Vladimir Putin, didn't, it'll, ISW, Alexei Navalny's, Ivan Zhdanov, Zhdanov Organizations: Service, Kremlin, Commission, Russian, Washington Post, Putin, Institute Locations: Russia, Ukraine, US

It's the kind of obstruction of key policy objectives for which Orbán has become notorious within the European Union. “We are the sand in the machinery, the stick between the spokes, the splinter under the fingernail,” Orbán said in a speech to tens of thousands of supporters in 2021. Now, frustrated EU officials are trying to determine what Orbán seeks to achieve with his obstructionist strategy, and how they might overcome it. But with his veto power, the nationalist leader will have plenty of further opportunities to sow discord within the EU. Widely considered to be Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest ally in the EU, Orbán has been accused by his critics of promoting Moscow’s interests over those of his EU and NATO allies, and of preparing to lead his country out of the EU entirely.

Persons: —, Viktor Orbán, Orbán, ” Orbán, Donald Tusk, “, ”, Péter Krekó, ” Krekó, “ Orbán, Daniel Freund, Freund, it’s, he's, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, “ He’s, he’s, Krekó, Vladimir Putin’s Organizations: NATO, European Union, EU, Conservative Political, Green, United, U.S, Trump, Germany, Political Locations: BUDAPEST, Hungary, Brussels, Polish, Ukraine, Budapest, Germany, France, Italy, Europe, United States, Washington, Netherlands, Union

☆ Ukraine's SBU Hits Russia's Volgograd Oil Refinery in Drone Attack Source
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

KYIV (Reuters) - Two Ukrainian drones struck a primary oil processing facility at the Volgograd oil refinery in southern Russia on Saturday in an operation conducted by the SBU security service, a Ukrainian source told Reuters. Local authorities in Russia said earlier that a fire had been extinguished at the large refinery following a drone attack. The refinery is owned by oil producer Lukoil. The strike is the latest in a series of Ukrainian drone attacks targeting Russian oil facilities in recent weeks, infrastructure that Kyiv sees as important for the Kremlin's war effort. The source in Kyiv told Reuters such drone attacks would continue.

Persons: Lukoil, Tom Balmforth, Toby Chopra Organizations: Reuters, Local Locations: Ukrainian, Volgograd, Russia, Kyiv, Kharkiv, Russian, Ukraine

☆ Ukraine's SBU hits Russia's Volgograd oil refinery in drone attack, source says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A general view shows the oil refinery of the Lukoil company in Volgograd, Russia on April 22, 2022. Two Ukrainian drones struck a primary oil processing facility at the Volgograd oil refinery in southern Russia on Saturday in an operation conducted by the SBU security service, a Ukrainian source told Reuters. Local authorities in Russia said earlier that a fire had been extinguished at the large refinery following a drone attack. The strike is the latest in a series of Ukrainian drone attacks targeting Russian oil facilities in recent weeks, infrastructure that Kyiv sees as important for the Kremlin's war effort. The source in Kyiv told Reuters such drone attacks would continue.

Persons: Lukoil Organizations: Reuters, Local Locations: Volgograd, Russia, Ukrainian, Kyiv, Kharkiv, Russian, Ukraine

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