Russia Wire

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Dr. Theodore Postol of MIT gives a dire warning on the risks of nuclear war as the Russia Ukraine conflict escalates https://youtu.be/yZwE0BBO5S0

🔴 Multiple injuries have been reported after train was derailed in Komi Republic on Wednesday. Over 70 people were injured, according to TASS, but no fatalities reported. Overall, the train carried more than 230 passengers. Train 511 was carrying passengers between Vorkuta in northeastern Komi above the Artic circle, and the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, in Russia’s south. @RussiaWire

Julian Assange lands in Australia Hopefully, the 12-year saga is over @RussiaWire

Russian Ministry of Defence shared a footage of bilateral exercise of Pacific Fleet force groups. The fleet is conducting ten-day exercises involving 40 warships, cutters, and auxiliary ships, 20 naval aircraft, and a helicopter in the Sea of Okhotsk and the Sea of Japan. @RussiaWire

Reuters: A shaven-headed Evan Gershkovich appeared briefly before journalists in a Russian court on Wednesday at the start of a trial on charges of espionage that the U.S. reporter denies. Gershkovich, 32 was seen standing in a glass box, wearing an open-necked shirt and with his arms folded. The Wall Street Journal reporter is accused by prosecutors of gathering secret information on the orders of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency about a company that manufactures tanks for Russia's war in Ukraine. If convicted, he faces a sentence of up to 20 years. Against the background of the Ukraine war, Gershkovich and other Americans detained in Russia have been caught up in the gravest crisis between Moscow and Washington for more than 60 years. President Vladimir Putin has said Russia is open to the idea of a prisoner exchange involving Gershkovich and that contacts with the United States have taken place, but they must remain secret. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/gershkovich-appears-with-shaved-head-before-start-closed-trial-russia-2024-06-26/

New footage showing Sunday’s attack by US-supplied ATACMS missiles on Sevastopol emerged The strike killed five people, including at least two children, and injured more than 150 others, according to Russian officials. Russia blamed both Ukraine and the U.S., which supplied the weapons, for the strikers. A note of protest was conveyed to the US Ambassador to Russian Lynne Tracy. Washington distanced itself, claiming it provides weapons to Kyiv to protect itself (no logic but who cares) "Russia could stop this war today and end the suffering caused by the war Russia launched today if it would stop its occupation of sovereign Ukrainian territory and stop launching attacks on civilians," the State Department's Spokesperson Matthew Miller told a daily briefing on Monday. "We lament any civilian loss of life in this war.  We provide weapons to Ukraine so it can defend its sovereign territory against armed aggression. That includes in Crimea, which of course is part of Ukraine" Miller added. Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials said it was a valid military target. They also said people who suffered in the attack are “Russian occupiers” “In Crimea, there are no and cannot be any "beaches", "tourist zones" and other fictitious signs of "peaceful life". Crimea is certainly a foreign territory occupied by Russia, where there are military operations, a full-scale war continues,” adviser to the president of Ukraine Mykhailo Podolyak told Ukrainian media @RussiaWire

🔴 European Union governments agreed to use 1.4 billion euros ($1.50 billion) in profits from Russian frozen assets for arms and other aid to Ukraine, prompting Hungary to accuse fellow EU members of a "shameless" rule breach to bypass its objections. At a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg on Monday, chief diplomat Josep Borrell said the usual unanimity for foreign policy decisions was not needed as Hungary had opted out of previous decisions underpinning the scheme. "We will now speed up, without having this blockage," Borrell told reporters after the meeting. He said 1.4 billion euros in windfall profits would be available in the coming month and another 1 billion euros by the end of the year. The funds would be used to help Kyiv with air defence, ammunition and support for Ukrainian industry, he said.

❗️Russia is restricting access to 81 media outlets operation in the European Union on its territory, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. https://mid.ru/ru/press_service/spokesman/official_statement/1959391/ "As a response to the decision made by the EU Council on May 17 to ban ‘all broadcast activity’ of three Russian media outlets (RIA Novosti, Izvestia and Rossiyskaya Gazeta), which comes into force today, June 25, counter restrictions are being introduced on access from the territory of the Russian Federation to broadcasting a number of media outlets of EU member states and EU-wide media operators who systematically disseminate false information about the progress of the special military operation," the ministry said. Among the foreign media outlets access to which will be blocked in Russia are Germany’s Spiegel, Zeit, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Spain’s El Pais, the Italian La Stampa, La Repubblica, French media Le Monde, Liberation, as well as the pan-European Politico and EUobserver. @RussiaWire

What the media is saying about Assange's release: 🌏 New York Times: Top officials at the Justice Department accepted an agreement with no additional prison time because Mr. Assange had already served longer than most people charged with a similar offense 🌏 Sydney Morning Herald: The apparent deal follows determined lobbying by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who raised the Assange case in his meetings with US President Joe Biden 🌏 Wall Street Journal: The plea deal offers a neat solution to what was becoming an increasing political headache for the US government 🌏 Telegraph: The decision to allow Mr Assange to leave jail without facing spying charges in the US follows years of wrangling between at least four countries over his case [US, UK, Australia and Ecuador] 👍 Boost us! | Subscribe to @geopolitics_live

Julian Assange saga over? Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks founder, has been released from prison in the UK on Monday after reaching a plea deal with the US Justice Department. His plane has just reportedly touched town Thailand Here's what's next for Assange: 🔻Court Appearance: Assange is scheduled to appear in a US federal court in the Northern Mariana Islands on Wednesday to plead guilty to a single charge of conspiring to disclose classified US defense documents. 🔻Sentencing: Prosecutors have recommended a 62-month prison sentence, which is equivalent to the time Assange has already spent in UK custody. This means he is not expected to serve additional time in a US prison. 🔻Return to Australia: Following his plea and sentencing, Assange is set to return to his home country of Australia. The Australian government, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, has been advocating for Assange's return. 🔻Family Reunion: Assange's wife, Stella, expressed elation at his release and the prospect of their family being reunited. The couple has two children together. Given Assange's reported fragile health after years of confinement, his well-being will likely be a priority upon his return to Australia. @RussiaWire

⚡️⚡️ Key headlines from Russia & neighbourhood – June 25, 2024 🇷🇺🇮🇳Modi to meet Putin in July Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Moscow to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a Kremlin official said on Tuesday. The meeting comes just days after Modi assumed office for a third term. According to Putin’s foreign policy aide, Yuri Ushakov, the exact dates are not yet public, as both parties will announce them jointly. Earlier on Tuesday, Indian newspaper The Tribune announced that the visit is scheduled for July 8. Russian news agency TASS reported, citing sources, that it will be a two-day visit. Modi’s trip to Moscow is also significant as it is a standalone state visit. The two leaders will also be able to meet later this year on the sidelines of the BRICS leaders’ summit in Kazan, the reports noted. 🇺🇸🇺🇦Peace, anyone? Two key advisers to Donald Trump have presented him with a plan to end Russia's war in Ukraine - if he wins the presidential election - that involves telling Ukraine it will only get more U.S. weapons if it enters into peace talks, according to Reuters. The United States would at the same time warn Moscow that any refusal to negotiate would result in increased U.S. support for Ukraine, retired Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg, one of Trump's national security advisers, said in an interview. Under the plan drawn up by Kellogg and Fred Fleitz, who both served as chiefs of staff in Trump's National Security Council during his 2017-2021 presidency, there would be a ceasefire based on prevailing battle lines during peace talks. They have presented their strategy to Trump, and the former president responded favorably, Fleitz said. "I'm not claiming he agreed with it or agreed with every word of it, but we were pleased to get the feedback we did," he said. 🇪🇺🇷🇺Sanctions impact EU restrictions on the use of the financial messaging system (SPFS) by Russia’s central bant will not complicate settlements within the country. However, the sanctions will have a serious impact on foreign economic activity and may lead to an increase in the cost of imported goods and services, Kommersant reports citing experts. In particular, electronics prices may rise by 15-20% by autumn due to a 4-5% increase in intermediary commissions. According to experts, these complications could lead to an overall 20-25% decrease in trade turnover with some countrie 🚫Zelensky’s generals Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky removed a top general amid criticism of excessive casualties.Zelenskyy has replaced Lieutenant General Yurii Sodol, Commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, with Brigadier General Andrii Hnatov. The announcement by Ukraine’s president on Monday came hours after a scathing social media post implicitly accused the general of “killing more Ukrainian soldiers than any Russian general.” Andrii Hnatov is a former head of staff and deputy commander of Operational Command Pivden (South). In the spring of 2023 he was in charge of the defence of the city of Bakhmut. Before serving in Operational Command Pivden (South) he led the 36th Marine Brigade, formed of units previously stationed in Crimea. Hnatov himself served in Crimea before it was occupied by Russia. 🇺🇦🇪🇺Ukraine’s EU bid The European Union will formally open membership talks with Ukraine on Tuesday, although a long and tough road still lies ahead before it could join the bloc. The ceremony in Luxembourg will be more about symbolism than the nitty-gritty of negotiations, which will start in earnest only after the EU has screened reams of Ukrainian legislation to assess all the reforms needed to meet the bloc's standards. Ihor Zhovkva, foreign policy adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said it would give Ukrainians' morale a big lift. 👉Follow t.me/russiawire for daily updates, analytics, and ground reportage from Russia, Donbass, and the neighbourhood.

Russia’s Investigative Committee has announced that it has established the identities of five militants who were “eliminated” after a series of deadly terrorist attacks in the Republic of Dagestan over the weekend.  The death toll in the attack climbed to 20. Over 40 were injured Militants attacked an Orthodox church, killing the priest, and set fire to a Jewish synagogue. The also launched a massive shootout at a traffic police outpost.  In a statement on its official Telegram channel on Monday, the Investigative Committee said the attackers are believed to have belonged to an organized group. Criminal investigations have been launched under the articles for terrorism and the unlawful possession of firearms, it added.   There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. Washington-based ISW claimed that the Islamic State Northern Caucasus branch, Wilayat Kavkaz, likely conducted the attack. (Like in the case of #CrocusHall attack, first info on responsibility comes from Washington) Moscow did not comment on who’s behind the attack – although officials pointed out that earlier this year Mahachkala already seen tensions when a mob tried to storm airport where a flight from Israel was about to land. That time, according to officials, the actions of the mob were coordinated in telegram chats linked to Ukraine. @RussiaWire

❗️US Ambassador Lynn Tracy was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry in connection with the Sunday ATACMS attack on Sevastopol that killed 4 people and injured over 150 people The Ambassador was informed that “such actions by Washington, aimed at encouraging the pro-Nazi authorities of Ukraine to continue hostilities to the "last Ukrainian" by issuing permission to strike deep into Russian territory, will not go unpunished”, the Foreign Ministry noted. https://t.me/MID_Russia/42471

🇪🇺🔴The European Union Council has endorsed the 14th package of economic and individual sanctions in response to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. 🔻The latest package includes restrictive measures against 116 individuals and legal entities deemed responsible for actions that undermine or threaten Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence. 🔻The EU will prohibit the transhipment of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) within EU territory for onward transport to other countries. This includes ship-to-ship transfers, ship-to-shore operations, and reloading activities. These restrictions do not impact imports but focus solely on re-exporting to third countries via the EU. 🔻Additionally, the EU will ban new investments and the provision of goods, technologies, and services necessary to complete LNG projects such as Arctic LNG 2 and Murmansk LNG. Further limitations will be placed on importing Russian gas through EU terminals not connected to the natural gas system. 🔻Among various financial measures, the Council has introduced a ban on transactions with targeted credit and financial institutions and crypto asset providers based outside the EU if these organisations facilitate transactions supporting Russia’s defence-industrial base by exporting, supplying, selling, transferring, or transporting dual-use goods and technologies, sensitive items, military goods, firearms, and ammunition to Russia. https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_24_3423

⚡️⚡️ Key headlines from Russia & neighbourhood – June 24, 2024 🔴Crimea attack Sunday saw a massive attack on Sevastopol, the capital of Crime, on the Black sea, which is at the moment a buzzing summer vacation spot. Ukraine fired US-supplied Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles armed with cluster munitions. The attacked killed 4 people including 2 children and injured at least 151 – including 27 children, many of who are in critical condition. The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement that four ATACMS were destroyed mid-air, while the fifth sustained damage from incoming fire, which caused it to deviate from its course and detonate over the city. Footage available on the internet shows the moment that the long-range missilexploded in the air.  Russia promised to retaliate. Russia said that the United States was responsible for the attack and vowed to retaliate. “The American specialists input all flight tasks in the U.S.-made ATACMS operational-tactical missiles on the basis of data of the U.S. satellite reconnaissance.That is why Washington is mostly responsible for the deliberate missile strike at peaceful residents of Sevastopol by delivering this weaponry to Ukraine, as well as the Kiev regime, from the territory of which the strike was launched,” the Defence Ministry said. ❗️Dagestan attack At least 15 police officers and several civilians were killed in series of deadly attacks in the southern Russian region of Dagestan, a Muslim-majority region. In Derbent, militants attacked a church and a synagogue. During a raid on a Christian church, militants brutally killed its archpriest, Father Nikolay Kotelnikov, security officials have confirmed. The gunmen broke into the church on Pentecost Sunday, after the evening service and reportedly slit the 66-year-old’s throat, after killing a guard. The Derbent synagogue that came under attack had recently strengthened its security, with a police squad stationed outside and private security guards on the premises, In Makhachkala city, 120 km from Derbent, gunmen attack a police post and looted a police car. Some media outlets claimed that militants had taken hostages at a Christian church in Makhachkala, but reports later clarified that over a dozen people had barricaded themselves for safety, authorities clarified later. The active phase of the operation in Derbent was over around 11pm local time, and at least two assailants had been neutralized. In Makhachkala, the counter-terrorist operation continued throughout the night and at least three militants killed were eliminated. 🏭🏭Business booming The Kaluga plant of Samsung, which officially curtailed its operations in Russia, has launched its first contract manufacturing — it will produce devices for the M.Video-Eldorado retail network under its own brands. At the beginning of the year, the plant was leased by the Russian electronics distributor VVP Group, Kommersant repots. In another development, reported by the paper, the former Mercedes plant in Esipovo, Moscow Region, which was earlier ‘transferred’ to the car retailer Avtodom to manage operations, will assemble premium vehicles from China;’s Chery group under a contract manufacturing agreement. According to Kommersant, serial production of Exeed models, starting with the VX model, will begin in July, and dealers will receive the first batch in August. According to sources, Avtodom will receive a fee for each assembled vehicle, which could range from €450 to €500 per vehicle kit. 👉Follow t.me/russiawire for daily updates, analytics, and ground reportage from Russia, Donbass, and the neighbourhood.

🔴 The death toll in Dagestan after the attack reached nine, seven of them were law enforcement officers, and two civilians. Around 25 people were injured, including 16 security personnel, according to agencies. A source in Dagestan's law enforcement agencies told RBC that according to one version, the attackers may be related to international terrorist organizations. The attack was timed to the large Orthodox holiday - Holy Trinity. @RussiaWire

Tanks Roll into Makhachkala & Derbent - Social Media Video Military equipment has been spotted entering the southern cities in the Russian republic of Dagestan. Anti-terror operations are ongoing. #Dagestan #terrorists - Boost

🔴 a series of attack was carried out on Sunday afternoon in Derbent and Makhachkala, both are cities in Dagestan republic of Southern Russia (North Caucasus). In Derbent, unknown persons fired at church buildings and synagogues, in Makhachkala they attacked a traffic police post. The head of Dagestan Sergey Melikov sigegsted the aim of the militants was to sow fear among the residents. An ‘Interception’ plan has been activated in the region. At least two militants were killed by police in Mahachkla. @RussiaWire

📌NYT does a rare and important report from Belgorod, which, unlike Moscow or other big cities in Russia, has been “experiencing” the war ever since Russian troops were pushed back from Kharkiv region in October 2022. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/17/world/europe/belgorod-russia-ukraine-war.html With Ukraine getting more longer-range weapons, attacks in Belgorod intensified and scores of civilians were killed. And then the reporter goes for this weird comparison of 1 city and entire country (that, too, given that UN figures may include those regions of Ukraine that are under Russian control - and where civilians die in Ukraine’s strikes). “At least 190 people have died in the Belgorod region since the war started, according to the regional governor’s office. That number is small compared with the more than 10,000 Ukrainian civilians the United Nations says have died during the war. Even so, Belgorod and its surrounding region hear air raid sirens and explosions multiple times daily, and while some residents are fatalistic, most locals take the risks seriously.” In war reporting, comparing figures of civilian casualties is something at the very least… unethical. But it hits the aim. @RussiaWire