Today
Tuesday, May 23, 2023
20:04
Call for the “immediate release” of Evan Gerschkowitsch
The United States reiterated its call for the “immediate release” of the American Wall Street Journal journalist jailed in Russia, shortly after a Russian court extended his detention by three months.
“We continue to call for the immediate release” of Evan Gershkovich, as well as that of another detainee, Paul Whelan, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters.
20:02
Two US bombers intercepted, Russia says
Russia said it launched one of its fighter jets to attack two American bombers approaching its border over the Baltic Sea.
“After the withdrawal of foreign fighter jets from the Russian border, the Russian fighter returned to its original airfield without incident,” the Russian Defense Ministry said on Telegram.
20:01
NEW ASSESSMENT AFTER INVASION IN BELGOROD REGION
According to the Defense Ministry, after the invasion of “saboteurs” into Russian territory in the Belgorod region, “nationalist formations were blocked and crushed,” naming the fighters from Ukraine.
“The rest of the nationalists were pushed back to the territory of Ukraine, where the attacks (…) continued until they were completely annihilated,” the ministry said, claiming to have killed “more than 70 Ukrainian terrorists.”
Nine towns were also evacuated, said the governor of the region. According to the authorities, thirteen people were injured “as a result of the criminal actions” of Ukrainian militants and the shelling. Also in the village of Kozinka, one of the places attacked, a civilian was killed and a woman died of heart failure during the evacuation.
19:09
CIVILIAN KILLED IN BELGOROD REGION
Russian authorities have announced the death of a civilian, killed in a village in Belgorod region that was the target of an armed ambush by militants from Ukraine and bombing, which also injured at least 12 people.
“Unfortunately, there were still victims. A civilian from the village of Kozinka was killed by Ukrainian forces,” regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov told Telegram. Kozinka is one of the places where the militant group claimed responsibility for the attack.
19:06
POLAND READY TO TRAIN UKRAINIAN PILOTS
Poland has confirmed it is ready to train Ukrainian pilots on American F-16 fighter jets after the US gave the green light to do so.
“We are ready to train pilots for F-16 aircraft, but this training has not started yet,” Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said after a meeting of EU defense ministers in Brussels devoted to military support to Ukraine. A little earlier, the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, had assured that the training had started in this country.
19:03
THE CZECH REPUBLIC WILL NOT DEPEND ON RUSSIAN OIL ANY MORE
State-controlled Czech oil company Mero said it had signed an agreement to increase the capacity of the transalpine TAL pipeline so that the Czech Republic would no longer be dependent on Russian oil from 2025.
As part of the agreement, Mero will fund work on TAL, valued at US$73 million. TAL transports oil from the port of Trieste in northern Italy to southern Germany, from where the fuel is routed via further pipelines to the Czech Republic and Austria.
18:51
UNWANTED PERSON
Yekaterina Lavrova, the daughter of the Russian foreign minister, traveled to Georgia to celebrate the wedding of her husband’s brother. Alarmed, the people did everything they could to get them to leave Kwareli. We tell you ⤵️
War in Ukraine: Daughter of Russian Minister Lavrov expelled from GeorgiaSource: TF1 Info
17:10
A longer prison sentence was put into effect
A Russian court has extended the detention of American journalist Evan Gershkovich until August 30. A hearing was scheduled for this afternoon to consider this FSB motion alleging that the Wall Street Journal reporter was “espionage.”
16:59
“Anti-terrorism” regime overthrown
The “anti-terrorist” regime established in Russia’s Belgorod region following an incursion by armed militants from Ukraine was overturned after Moscow claimed to have eliminated the group, the regional governor announced.
“It was decided to abolish the legal regime of anti-terrorist operations on the territory of the Belgorod region,” Vyacheslav Gladkov wrote on Telegram. This measure granted increased powers to the security forces in particular.
16:58
Requested longer detention
Russian authorities have requested a three-month extension, until August 30, of the provisional detention of American Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich, who was detained by the security services on suspicion of “espionage”. According to the court’s website, a hearing to consider this application was scheduled for late afternoon.
16:39
Controversy over a Russian project proposed to the WHO
Kiev’s allies have denounced the “cynicism” of Moscow, which proposed a draft resolution on the “health emergency in and around Ukraine” to the World Health Organization’s annual meeting. This draft resolution, jointly tabled by Russia and Syria, aims to compete with another text tabled by Ukraine and its allies, which condemns “in the strongest possible terms” the Russian invasion of Ukraine “including the attacks on health facilities”.
The Russian project makes no mention of the invasion launched on February 24, 2022 by President Vladimir Putin. This draft resolution “deliberately distorts the situation on the ground” and “France calls on all WHO Member States to firmly reject this new cynical attack on the truth,” said French Ambassador Jérôme Bonnafont at the podium.
Like last year, British Ambassador Simon Manley added: “Russia distributed leaflets claiming that Ukraine had attacked its own healthcare system” and described the situation as “a theater of the absurd”.
16:29
DECLINE IN GAZPROM’S NET PROFIT
Russian state giant Gazprom announced a 41.4% fall in net profit for 2022, offset by a sharp fall in its gas exports to Europe amid the conflict in Ukraine. Indeed, this pillar of the Russian economy, headed by several people close to President Vladimir Putin, has been severely affected by Western sanctions.
The Russian gas giant’s net profit reached 1,226 billion rubles (EUR 14.2 billion) in 2022, compared to 2,093 billion rubles (EUR 24.2 billion) a year earlier, according to its annual report published today.
3:50 p.m
US AIRCRAFT CARRIER STOPOVER IN OSLO
The Russian embassy in Norway has spoken out against the planned visit of the newest American aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald Ford, to the Norwegian capital this week, calling the “violent demonstrations” “illogical and harmful”.
With a length of 335 meters, the USS Gerald Ford can transport up to 90 aircraft. His visit comes as relations between Norway, a member of NATO, and Russia, with which the Scandinavian country shares a border in the far north, have deteriorated sharply following the invasion of Ukraine.
14:40
UKRAINE CANNOT WIN THE WAR, JUDGE V. ORBAN
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Tuesday said Ukraine could not win the war against Russia and advocated negotiations with Moscow to end the conflict. The nationalist leader, who is opposing other European Union (EU) members over this war and refusing to militarily aid his Ukrainian neighbor, reiterated his calls for a ceasefire.
“It’s obvious that the military solution isn’t working,” he told an economic forum in Qatar, saying the Russian invasion was the result of “the failure of diplomacy.” “When we look at the reality, the numbers, the context and the fact that NATO is unwilling to send troops, it is obvious that there will be no victory for poor Ukrainians on the battlefield. That’s my position.” he pounded.
14:15
“We want to end this war,” assures Vladimir Putin
“Russia, with the help of the special operation, is trying to end this war that is being waged against our people,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said at an award ceremony for members of the Russian Constitutional Council on Tuesday.
13:25
INFILTERED FIGHTER “ELIMINATED” BY RUSSIAN TROOPS.
Russia on Tuesday claimed to have “disrupted” the group that attacked Russia’s Belgorod region the day before, the heaviest incursion into Russian territory since the offensive began in Ukraine. “During the anti-terrorist operation, with the help of air and artillery strikes and the use of border defense units of the Western Military District, nationalist (Ukrainian) formations were blocked and crushed,” the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.
12:18
F16 FLIGHT TRAINING
Poland has started training Ukrainian pilots on US F16 fighter jets and several European Union countries are ready to supply planes to Ukraine, EU Foreign Minister Josep Borrell announced at a meeting with all EU defense ministers.
“We have received the green light from Washington for F16 training and are working on a concrete timetable for the start of training. It is important to do this as soon as possible,” explains the Dutch Defense Minister.
11:55
Auditors
On the night of May 12-13, a warehouse in western Ukraine exploded. This destruction would have caused a “radioactive cloud” on the way to Europe. An unfounded rumor coming straight from the Russian authorities.
11:52
Nuclear wars near the front?
A Russian warehouse in the Belgorod border region was reportedly evacuated Monday after anti-Putin militants invaded. Known as Belgorod-22, this military site serves as a storage facility for nuclear weapons and ammunition.
International
Posted today at 10:36am.
11:51
“concerned” the Kremlin calls for “more efforts”
The Kremlin on Tuesday expressed its “deep concern” about the armed invasion of the Belgorod region. “What happened yesterday causes deep concern and shows once again that Ukrainian fighters continue their activities against our country. This requires more efforts from us, these efforts will continue and the special military operation (in Ukraine) will continue so that this does not happen again,” spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
11:48
Russian civilians evacuated from nine border towns
Civilians have evacuated at least nine Russian towns in the Belgorod region after an incursion by an armed group from Ukraine, the regional governor said on Tuesday, adding that several towns had been subjected to “numerous” bombings. “The clearance of the areas continues. Residents of Grayvoron, Novostroevka, Gorkovsky, Bezymeno, Mokraia Orlovka, Glotovo, Gora Podol, Zamostye and Spodaryusheno were expelled,” Vyacheslav Gladkov told Telegram, reporting dozens of artillery fires the previous day. in several border towns.
10:37
V. ZELENSKY WENT TO THE FRONT
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the front line in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region on Tuesday, the presidency announced. The head of state “visited frontline positions in the Vougledar-Mariinka Defense Zone,” where fighting with the Russian army has been ongoing for months, she said in a statement, posting pictures with soldiers.
10:35
THE SINGER OF THE GROUP “METALLICA” AT THE CHILD OF THE UKRAINIANS
American heavy metal band Metallica lead singer James Hetfield paid a courtesy call to wounded Ukrainians being treated at a US hospital through the organization Limb for Liberty.
10:31
V. ZELENSKY IS A TRIBUTE TO THE UKRAINIAN MARINES
“Today I am here to congratulate our warriors on the Day of the Ukrainian Marines. Glory to all who defend Ukraine!” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram. He accompanied his message with a series of photos to celebrate this May 23, Marines National Day.
10:28
An investigation into “terrorism” has been opened
Russia launched an investigation into a “terrorist act” on Tuesday, a day after an armed group from Ukraine invaded Russia’s border region of Belgorod. “Measures are being taken to establish the identity of the attackers and all circumstances surrounding the incident,” the Russian Investigative Committee, the body responsible for the main investigation in Russia, said in a statement.
08:38
A Russian nuclear munitions storage facility evacuated
A nuclear weapons depot was evacuated by Russian authorities on Monday after armed militants invaded the Belgorod region, reports The New Voice of Ukraine, citing spokesman for the Main Directorate for Intelligence of Ukraine’s Defense Ministry (GUR) Andriy Yusov. “The Belgorod-22 facility – a nuclear ammunition storage facility – is being evacuated by the Russians,” he said, according to the Ukrinform agency.
08:23
THE ANTI-TERRORIST OPERATION “CONTINUES” IN THE BELGOROD REGION
The anti-terrorist operation launched on Monday in the Russian region of Belgorod, the target of an invasion by armed fighters from Ukraine, will be continued on Tuesday morning, local governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said. “The search by the Ministry of Defense and the police continues” in the district of Gaïvoron, he wrote on Telegram. “The police are doing whatever is necessary. (…) We will announce immediately (…) when there is no longer any danger.”
08:09
BELGOROD REGION TARGETED BY DRONE ATTACKS
Several drone strikes targeted houses and an administrative building in Russia’s Belgorod region overnight, the target of an incursion by armed militants from Ukraine, local authorities said. These attacks, which took place in Graivoron, the capital of the district of the same name, and in the village of Borisovka, did not cause any casualties or injuries, Belgorod region governor Vyacheslav Gladkov told Telegram.
07:11
“EXTREMELY TENSIONED SITUATION” IN THE BELGOROD REGION
Russia’s Belgorod region was the target of an incursion by armed militants from Ukraine on Monday, forcing Russia to enact an “anti-terrorist” regime and evacuate civilians to repel a new attack on its soil. If other attacks have taken place in this border region in recent weeks, it is the first attack of this magnitude in which several villages have been hit by shells. This offensive also highlights the permeability of the Russian defense.
07:10
RUSSIAN PRIME MINISTER VISITS SHANGHAI
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mikhoustin arrived in Shanghai Monday night to attend an economic forum, part of a two-day visit during which he will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping. He was welcomed by the Russian Ambassador to China Igor Morgoulov and the Chinese Ambassador to Moscow Zhang Hanhui. He is to attend a Russian-Chinese business forum and visit a petrochemical research institute, the Kremlin said, and he will hold talks with “representatives of Russian business circles” in China.