50 minutes ago
According to Finland, the Russian Baltic Sea telecommunications cable is also damaged
A Russian telecommunications cable in the Baltic Sea suffered a failure last month and is currently being repaired by Russia, the Finnish Economy Ministry said on Monday, leading to a spate of damage to the region’s underwater infrastructure.
State-owned Rostelecom’s 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) Baltic Cable runs from the St. Petersburg region to the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad in the southern Baltic Sea.
A gas pipeline connecting Finland and Estonia and two other telecommunications cables connecting Estonia with Finland and Sweden were also damaged last month.
The Finnish ministry declined to comment on whether the Baltika incident was in any way related to the previous outages.
Finnish Navy Commanding Officer Toni Joutsia (left to right), Commander-in-Chief of the Finnish Border Guard Markus Paljakka, National Investigation Bureau Criminal Inspector Risto Lohi and National Investigation Bureau Chief Robin Lardot attend a joint press conference to investigate the possible attack on the Balticconnector gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia on October 8, 2023 at the headquarters of the National Investigation Office in Vantaa, Finland, on October 24, 2023. The screen shows the Finnish Border Guard’s photo of a Hong Kong-registered cargo ship “Newnew Polar Bear” was spotted moving near the Balticconnector gas pipeline. Finnish police said a Chinese ship was at the center of their investigation into suspected sabotage of the Balticconnector pipeline. (Photo by Heikki Saukkomaa / Lehtikuva / AFP) / Finland OUT (Photo by HEIKKI SAUKKOMAA/Lehtikuva/AFP via Getty Images)
Heikki Saukkomaa | Afp | Getty Images
Finnish police believe the damage to the Balticconnector gas pipeline was caused by a Chinese container ship dragging its anchor on the seabed, but have not determined whether this was an accident or a deliberate act.
Rostelecom first reported the failure of its telecommunications cable to Finnish authorities on October 12, the Economy Ministry said on Monday, four days after the damage to the gas pipeline and the other two cables was first discovered.
The Finnish Border Guard said on Monday it was monitoring a Russian salvage ship, the Spasatel Karev, carrying out repairs to the Baltika cable in the Finnish economic zone.
In September 2022, the Nord Stream pipelines connecting Germany and Russia in the Baltic Sea were damaged by explosions that authorities said were deliberate acts of sabotage.
—Portal
2 hours ago
The Kremlin insists Putin has not yet decided whether he will run in 2024
The Kremlin said on Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin had not yet announced his decision to run in the 2024 elections.
Citing six unnamed sources, Portal previously reported that Putin had decided to run in the vote next March.
Kremlin Dmitry Peskov was asked to comment on the report and told TASS news agency: “Putin has not yet commented on this matter. And the campaign itself has not been officially announced yet.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin (r) and his spokesman Dmitry Peskov (l) attend the meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council at the Congress Hall in Bishkek on December 9, 2022.
Vyacheslav Oseledko | Afp | Getty Images
There is little real political plurality in Russia and even supposed “opposition parties” generally support Putin’s government. Peskov himself previously said in September: “If we assume that the president is running, then it is obvious that there can be no real competition for the presidency at this point.”
The Russian presidential elections are scheduled to take place on March 17, 2024. TASS reported that the Federation Council or Senate (the upper house of the Russian Parliament or the Federal Assembly) will make an official decision on the election date in December after which political parties must hold their pre-election congresses and formally nominate candidates.
Changes to the Russian constitution in 2021 mean Putin, 71, can run for two more terms and may remain in office until 2036.
3 hours ago
Ukraine confirms 19 dead after Russian attack at awards ceremony
Zaporizhzhia Region, UKRAINE – JUNE 30, 2023 – Soldiers from the 128th Mountain Assault Brigade complete a special obstacle course as part of the test to receive a Mountain Assault Cap. (Image credit should read: Dmytro Smoliyenko / Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
Future publishing | Future publishing | Getty Images
Ukraine’s 128th Independent Transcarpathian Mountain Assault Brigade confirmed on Monday at an awards ceremony last Friday that 19 of its soldiers had died in a Russian attack.
“The rocket attack by an insidious enemy killed 19 fighters of the 128th Mountain Assault Brigade,” it said on Facebook.
“A thorough examination of all the circumstances surrounding the tragedy is now being carried out. Until it is concluded, we ask you not to spread unconfirmed, often false information.”
“Our best fighters have died… We express our sincere condolences to their families and promise to repay our brothers 100 times more,” the post ended.
The deaths have stoked public anger because Russia attacked the brigade during an awards ceremony, a scene that was seen as an easy target.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky took the unusual step of addressing the incident and losses in his evening address on Sunday, admitting that the “tragedy could have been avoided.”
4 hours ago
Sources say Russia’s Putin will remain in power beyond 2024
Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, on February 8, 2023.
Grigory Sysoev | Sputnik | via Portal
Vladimir Putin has decided to run in March’s presidential election, a move that will keep him in power until at least 2030, as the Kremlin chief believes he must lead Russia through its most dangerous period in decades, six sources told Portal.
Putin, who was given the presidency by Boris Yeltsin on the last day of 1999, has been president longer than any other Russian ruler since Joseph Stalin, even surpassing Leonid Brezhnev’s 18-year term. Putin turned 71 on October 7th.
The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity to speak to Portal due to the sensitivity of Kremlin politics, said news of Putin’s decision had leaked and that advisers were now preparing for the campaign and a Putin election.
For Putin, who has an approval rating of 80% in Russia according to opinion polls, if he runs the election is a formality: with the support of the state, state media and almost no public dissent, he is certain to win.
“The decision has been made – he will run,” said one of the sources with knowledge of planning. A choreographed tip-off will be made within a few weeks, another source said, confirming a report in the Kommersant newspaper last month.
Another source, also familiar with the Kremlin’s thinking, confirmed that a decision had been made and that Putin’s advisers were preparing for Putin’s involvement. Three other sources said the decision had been made: Putin would run.
“The world we are looking at is very dangerous,” one of the sources said.
—Portal
6 hours ago
“Wet from head to toe”: Russian morale is reportedly plummeting due to the change in weather
Eyewitness accounts from Russian troops stationed in Ukraine suggest that soldiers’ fight against the elements remains a key concern for the Russian army and the British Ministry of Defense said Sunday.
In an intelligence update on “Foot soaked” to have been at the front at the end.
“One soldier stressed that Ukrainian forces could not even make a cup of tea due to the fire risk.” They highlighted living and eating “monotonous” food in the ever-present mud,” the UK noted.
A soldier from a Ukrainian assault brigade walks on a muddy road used to transport and position British L118-105mm howitzers near Bakhmut, Ukraine, March 4, 2023.
John Moore | Getty Images News | Getty Images
The ministry noted that maintaining adequate levels of personal comfort and sound administration in defense positions is a challenge for any army. “However, open source evidence suggests that enforcement of basic field management in the Russian armed forces is generally very poor.”
“This is likely due in part to a lack of motivated junior commanders as well as inconsistent logistical support.”
– Holly Ellyatt
7 hours ago
Zelensky comments on the deaths of soldiers as a result of public anger
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the European Political Community Summit in Granada, Spain, October 5, 2023.
Juan Medina | Portal
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky commented at an awards ceremony last week on the death of a group of soldiers in the Zaporizhzhia region after a Russian attack.
Unofficial reports said at least 20 soldiers and officers died in the attack as they gathered for the Artillery and Missile Forces Day ceremony.
Ukraine’s Strategic Communications Department confirmed on Sunday that the incident had taken place, saying on Telegram that personnel of the 128th separate mountain assault brigade “were hit by an Iskander-M missile, killing soldiers and also injuring local residents.” . varying degrees of severity.”
It is unusual for Zelensky to comment on specific losses, but the comments came after public anger was sparked over the incident. The ceremony was considered an easy target for Russian forces.
In his evening address, the President said: “First and foremost, it was about the Russian attack on the soldiers of the 128th Separate Mountain Brigade in the Zaporizhzhia region.” He added that it was “a tragedy that could have been avoided. “
“Defense Minister Umerov told me about the measures taken to clarify all the circumstances of what happened, who specifically was involved and what orders were given,” Zelenskyy said. He added that “a criminal case has been opened in response to this tragedy. The relevant investigations are still ongoing.”
“The main thing is to find out the complete truth about what happened and prevent such incidents from happening again. Every soldier in the combat zone – in the enemy’s line of fire and in aerial reconnaissance – knows how to behave outdoors, how to ensure security.”
Zelensky said the investigation “must provide honest answers to the families of the fallen soldiers and society about how this tragedy occurred and whether improper orders were given.”
– Holly Ellyatt
7 hours ago
Russia tests nuclear-capable ballistic missile from new submarine
The Russian Defense Ministry released a video on Sunday that appears to show the test-fire of a nuclear-capable ballistic missile from the country’s newest nuclear submarine.
The ministry posted a video on Telegram showing its new nuclear submarine successfully completing a test launch of a sea-based Bulava intercontinental ballistic missile.
“As part of the final phase of the state test program, the new nuclear-powered strategic missile submarine Imperator Alexander III. successfully launched a sea-based intercontinental ballistic missile Bulava from the White Sea,” the ministry said in a statement.
The test launch came after Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law last week withdrawing Russia’s ratification of a global treaty banning live testing of nuclear weapons.
Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Navy Day parade on July 31, 2022 in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Contributor | Getty Images News | Getty Images
The Russian Defense Ministry said the missile was fired from an underwater position in the White Sea on Russia’s northern coast and hit its target in Kamchatka in Russia’s Far East.
This was the last test run for the Imperator Aleksandr III submarine before it was accepted into the navy, the ministry said. The submarine is equipped with 16 Bulava ballistic missiles and modern torpedo weapons.
– Holly Ellyatt
7 hours ago
Ukraine introduces “intensive military training for citizens of military age.”
The Ukrainian Defense Minister signed a new plan for the Ukrainian military, which includes replacing conscription with “intensive military training for citizens of military age.”
Defense Minister Rustem Umerov signed a decree on Sunday approving changes in the development of military personnel over the next five years during both martial law and peacetime.
The policy noted that in peacetime conditions, the Armed Forces of Ukraine will transition to military service on a contract basis, while long-term military service will be replaced by “intensive military training of citizens of military age.”
On August 18, 2023, a military training session aimed at teaching Ukrainian youth how to maintain military standards under wartime conditions took place in the Lviv region of Ukraine.
Pavlo Palamarchuk | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images
“An effective recruitment system for the Armed Forces of Ukraine will function with professional and motivated personnel,” the military personnel policy says.
“The focus of the concept is on the guaranteed satisfaction of the human needs of the armed forces during an all-out war, integration into the Euro-Atlantic security space, interoperability of the armed forces with the armed forces of NATO member states,” it added.
The changes come after a period of turmoil in the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, which saw senior leadership changes. Umerov has been defense minister since September.
– Holly Ellyatt