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Nord Stream: Sweden finds new leak in Russian gas pipeline

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The fourth leak this week has been found, this time in Sweden, in a significant undersea pipeline supplying Russian natural gas to the EU. This week, gas leaks in the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines were reported by Sweden and Denmark.

The events, according to Nato, were caused by “deliberate, careless, and negligent acts of sabotage.” Suggestions that Russia had attacked its own pipelines were brushed aside as “predictable and stupid.” The explosions, according to the Russian foreign ministry, happened in “zones controlled by American intelligence.”

It was obvious that a non-state actor could not have been behind the incidents, meaning that a country must have been to blame, according to Miguel Berger, the German ambassador to the UK. The fourth leak on Nord Stream 2 was discovered, according to the Swedish coast guard, very close to an earlier, larger leak on Nord Stream 1.

In retribution for the West’s support for Ukraine, the EU has accused Russia of using gas supplies as a weapon against it on numerous occasions. Without going into any detail, Fatih Birol, the head of the International Energy Agency, stated that it is “quite evident” who is responsible for the damage.

The leaks, said to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, have him “very concerned,” and he added that it was impossible to rule out a planned strike. The energy infrastructure of the continent would be subject to the “strongest possible response,” according to EU leaders.

While this was going on, Norway, a non-EU country, declared it would send troops to guard oil and gas facilities. Despite the fact that they both contain gas, Nord Stream 1 and 2 are not currently delivering any gas.

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Zelensky calls for ‘just punishment’ for Russia

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During his address to the UN General Assembly in New York, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia must receive “due retribution” for its invasion of Ukraine. The Ukrainian president demanded the establishment of a unique war tribunal and described alleged war crimes committed by Russia in a pre-recorded video.

Additionally, he outlined a “formula” that included increasing military assistance and criticising Russia internationally. Vladimir Putin of Russia had earlier activated 300,000 reservists. Rare protests were sparked by the action in dozens of Russian cities, and Mr. Zelensky claimed that the partial mobilisation proved his adversary was not sincere in his desire for peace. Observational group OVD-Info said that 1,315 Russians had been detained.

According to the Kremlin, only individuals with significant talents and combat experience who have completed their military service will be called up. However, sources claim that some of those detained during Moscow protests were also informed they would need to sign up.

The head of Ukraine claimed that setting up a special court will aid in holding Moscow accountable for annexing land and killing thousands of people. Many of the participants in the session gave him a standing ovation after his speech on Wednesday.

Despite Russia’s determination to intensify its military campaign, the two sides participated in the largest prisoner exchange since the war’s inception.

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Turkey’s Erdogan: Russia’s Putin willing to end war

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According to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a “major move” will be taken to put an end to the war that Russia’s leader started in Ukraine. He claimed that based on recent conversations with Vladimir Putin, he intended to “finish this as quickly as possible.”

This month, Ukraine has reclaimed large portions of its land. The Turkish president said that Russia was facing “quite a dilemma.” At a summit in Uzbekistan last week, Mr. Erdogan mentioned having “extremely deep discussions” with Mr. Putin.

The Turkish president claimed in an interview with US channel PBS that he had the idea that the Russian president wanted the war to finish quickly.

He is genuinely demonstrating to me his willingness to put a stop to this as quickly as possible, Mr. Erdogan remarked. That was my impression because of how bad things are now going.

He added that the two sides would shortly exchange 200 “hostages.” He did not elaborate on who would be involved in such a prisoner exchange.

Mr. Erdogan has often attempted to negotiate during the conflict, advocating for Turkey as a Nato member to take a “balanced” approach while rejecting Western sanctions against Russia. He stated last week that he was attempting to set up direct ceasefire talks. He assisted the UN in mediating the restart of food exports from Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Ukraine has regained some of the area that Russian soldiers had taken two months earlier in the eastern region of Luhansk. Serhiy Haidai, the mayor of Luhansk, claimed that although Russian forces had left the settlement of Bilohorivka, they were still making every effort to fortify their positions elsewhere.

Along with taking back a large portion of the northeastern Kharkiv region, Ukrainian forces have started a counteroffensive in Kherson in the south, forcing the territory’s Russian-installed governor to postpone a referendum on joining Russia.

When asked by PBS if a peace agreement should include any area that Russia had seized since February, Mr. Erdogan responded, “No, and without a doubt no.”

He added that Ukraine would receive its seized regions back. It was unclear if he also mentioned areas controlled by separatists backed by Russia since 2014.

When asked if Russia should be allowed to retain control of Crimea, which it acquired in 2014, Mr. Erdogan responded that since then, Turkey had been in contact with Mr. Putin regarding this.

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Ukraine war: Grave sites prompt calls for tribunal over Russian killings

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In response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the European Union leadership has called for an international tribunal. The appeal came from the Czech Republic, which is presently in charge of rotating the bloc’s presidency. It was made in response to the discovery of hundreds of graves in Izyum, a town that Ukrainian forces had just just recaptured.

It is said that many of them are civilians, including women and children. Foreign Minister of the Czech Republic Jan Lipavsky stated, “We support the prosecution of all war criminals.” In Izyum, where 59 remains have already been exhumed and more are anticipated from graves in a forest on the outskirts of the city, Ukraine claims it believes war crimes have been committed.

“In the 21st Century, such attacks against the civilian population are unthinkable and abhorrent,” Mr Lipavsky said.

“We must not overlook it. We stand for the punishment of all war criminals,” he said.

“I call for the speedy establishment of a special international tribunal that will prosecute the crime of aggression.”

Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, announced in his weekly address on Saturday night that additional proof of torture against those interred in Izyum, in the Kharkiv region, had been uncovered.

More than ten torture chambers have already been discovered in various cities and towns throughout the Kharkiv region’s freed territory, according to Mr. Zelensky.

The Russians would be required to respond, he warned, “on the battlefield and in courtrooms.”

President of the EU Commission Ursula von der Leyen stated on Thursday that she wanted Mr. Putin to testify before the International Criminal Court over war crimes committed in Ukraine.

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Ukraine war: We’ve retaken 6,000 sq km from Russia, says Zelensky

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According to the president of the nation, Ukrainian forces are continuing their counteroffensive and have taken additional Russian land. According to Volodymyr Zelensky, forces have now liberated more than 6,000 sq km (2,317 sq miles) of territory in the east and south from Russian rule in September.

Some military experts believe that Russia’s admission that it lost important cities in the Kharkiv region of eastern Ukraine could be a turning point in the war. Moscow refers to its recent troop pullout from the area as a “regrouping” with the intention of concentrating on the Luhansk and Donetsk areas in eastern Ukraine. Even in Russia, where many social media users have mocked the idea, the purported pullout has been called “shameful.”

Later on Monday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the counter-offensive by Ukrainian forces had made “substantial progress,” but cautioned that it was still too early to determine the outcome.

According to Mr. Blinken, “The Russians continue to utilise extremely considerable forces, as well as equipment, ammunition, and munitions, against not just the Ukrainian armed forces, but also against civilians and civilian infrastructure.

On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave the order to invade Ukraine completely. About a fifth of the country is still under Russian control. In his late-night video message on Monday, President Zelensky stated: “Our fighters have already liberated more than 6,000 sq km of the territory of Ukraine from the beginning of September till today.

The counteroffensive seems to have started quickly. President Zelensky claimed on Thursday that Ukrainian forces had retaken 1,000 square kilometres, but by Sunday, that claim had increased to 3,000 square kilometres.

Several Ukrainian brigades that participated in the counteroffensive were thanked by Mr. Zelensky, who called their soldiers “real heroes.” He withheld the names of the liberated Ukrainian towns and villages.

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Kharkiv offensive: Ukrainian army says it has tripled retaken area

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Ukraine’s military claims that following a quick counteroffensive in the east of the country, its soldiers had retaken nearly 3,000 sq km (1,158 sq miles). If the impressive advance is true, Kyiv’s soldiers will have tripled their claimed gains in just over 48 hours.

President Zelensky stated the area to be 1,000 sq km on Thursday night and 2,000 sq km on Saturday night. Journalists have been barred access to the front lines, and the BBC is unable to confirm the Ukrainian figures.

Ukrainian army entered the crucial Russian-held supply towns of Izyum and Kupiansk on Saturday during the eastern counterattack. However, violence has persisted outside of those towns, according to UK defence officials. Ukrainian military, according to officials in Kiev, are battling to take control of several nearby communities.

The Russian defence ministry stated that its forces had left Kupiansk and Izyum, which would allow them to “regroup” in areas controlled by separatists backed by Moscow.

Additionally, the Russian ministry acknowledged the removal of forces from Balaklyia, a third significant town, in order to “bolster efforts” on the Donetsk front. On Friday, Ukrainian forces entered the town.

The speed of the counterattack caught the Russians off guard, and Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of Chechnya and a fervent Putin supporter, seemed to question Moscow’s military plan.

In a message shared on Telegram, Mr. Kadyrov warned that if Russia’s circumstances did not improve, he would be forced to interrogate the country’s authorities about what was going on.

On Saturday, the leader of the administration that Russia has put in the Kharkiv region suggested that its citizens leave for Russia in order to “save lives.”

Unverified social media video appeared to show long traffic lines forming at border crossings. Vyacheslav Gladkov, the governor of Russia’s Belgorod border area, claimed that “thousands” of migrants had entered the nation.

The military chief of Ukraine, Gen. Valerii Zaluzhnyi, reported that his troops had moved to within 50 kilometres (31 miles) of the Russian border.

However, Russians still control about 5% of the nation, and few people think that the war will finish quickly.

Oleksii Reznikov, the defence minister of Ukraine, praised his forces while announcing the possibility of a Russian counterattack in an interview with the Financial Times.

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Kharkiv offensive: Russian forces retreat as Ukraine takes key towns

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In response to a quick Ukrainian counterattack, Russian forces have left strategic eastern towns. According to Ukrainian sources, on Saturday, troops entered Kupiansk, a crucial supply base for Russian forces in the east.

The Russian defence ministry then declared that its troops had left nearby Izyum so they could “regroup.” The ministry has acknowledged the removal of troops from Balaklyia, a third significant town, in order to “bolster efforts” on the Donetsk front.

If maintained, the Ukrainian advances would be the biggest since Russia retreated from regions near Kiev in April.

Fighting was fierce in the early phases of the invasion at Izyum, a significant military centre for the Russians.

The Russian statement stated that a three-day operation was conducted to draw down and organise the transfer of the Izyum-Balakliya group of troops to the Donetsk People’s Republic’s territory.

“A powerful fire defeat was inflicted on the enemy to avert damage to the Russian soldiers.”

Shortly after, according to the Russian state-run TASS news agency, the head administrator of the Kharkiv region’s areas under Russian authority advised its citizens to flee to Russia “to save lives”.

Additionally, the governor of the nearby Russian region of Belgorod declared that those waiting in line to cross the border would have access to mobile food, heating, and medical care.

While Ukraine continues to request military assistance from the West, the successes will be seen as proof that its army can retake Russian-occupied territory. The victory for Ukraine would be a humiliating blow for Russia because Russian soldiers entered and conquered the region in the first week of the war.

Earlier, UK defence authorities said that Ukraine had entered previously Russian-held territory 50 kilometres (31 miles) in advance. The Russian military was probably caught off guard, according to the UK Ministry of Defence. “Ukrainian soldiers have captured or encircled many towns, and the area was only tenuously held.”

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Ukraine: Ben Stiller and Sean Penn latest Americans banned from Russia

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US actors Ben Stiller and Sean Penn are no longer permitted to travel Russia after being added to the “stop list” by Kremlin officials. They join celebrities including former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, US President Joe Biden, and fellow Hollywood actor Morgan Freeman.

Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Russia and a few Western countries have been exchanging rounds of sanctions. Similar travel restrictions have been imposed on oligarchs connected to Vladimir Putin in the West.

The names of 25 prominent US politicians, businesspeople, and actresses were released by the Russian foreign ministry on Monday, along with a statement that they were prohibited from entering Russia “permanently.” Six US senators, US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, four deputy commerce secretaries, and more were listed.

The ministry declared that “the unfriendly acts of the American authorities, which continue to pursue a Russophobic course, damaging bilateral ties and growing conflict between Russia and the United States, will continue to be decisively rebuffed.”

Both Stiller and Penn have visited Kiev since the start of the conflict and have been strong opponents of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. On a visit to Ukraine in June to commemorate World Refugee Day, Stiller, a goodwill ambassador for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), expressed his thoughts for President Volodymyr Zelensky.

In a video of the two, the celebrity tells Zelensky, “You’re my hero, you’re fantastic,” and thanks him for “taking the time” to meet him.

While making a documentary about the conflict in Ukraine in March, Penn—who is well-known for both his films and his political activism—fled the country. Later, he admitted that he had pondered enlisting in the Ukrainian military to combat Russia.

Currently, 1,073 names, including the two actors, are on Russia’s “stop list.” Numerous UK, US, and EU officials are also there, along with US director of photography Rob Reiner and incoming British Prime Minister Liz Truss.

Russia’s most recent retaliatory actions are in response to sanctions imposed by the US government. The most recent ones were made public on Friday as part of a larger G7 proposal to control the price of Russian oil in an effort to hinder Moscow’s ability to fund its conflict.

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Ukraine war: Russia to keep key gas pipeline to EU closed

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Concerns over energy supply this winter have increased as a result of Russia’s main gas pipeline to Europe not reopening as scheduled on Saturday. The Nord Stream 1 pipeline may be permanently shut down after the state-owned energy company Gazprom reported discovering a leak.

Germany-bound pipeline has been closed for three days for what Gazprom referred to as maintenance work. In the midst of the turmoil in Ukraine, Europe accused Russia of exploiting its gas supply to threaten Europe. Moscow disputes this accusation. Since Russia invaded Ukraine, energy prices have increased sharply, and dwindling supplies could cause prices to rise even more.

Families in the EU are worried that they won’t be able to pay the expense of heating this winter.

The UK might be impacted as well. Although not dependent on Nord Stream 1, the interruption of the pipeline might increase the cost of wholesale gas, which is what has caused the energy price cap to grow exponentially.

Germany’s gas reserves have increased from less than half in June to 84% full today as a result of the standoff with Russia, which has compelled countries to replenish their own gas supply.

As a result, although they have decreased during the previous week, global gas prices are still high by historical norms.

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Three off-duty Dutch commandos shot outside hotel in Indianapolis

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Three Dutch commandos who were in the US for training were shot and wounded while off duty outside a hotel in Indianapolis. The event happened in the city’s entertainment district on Saturday at at 03:30 local time.

According to Indianapolis police, the three guys were located with gunshot wounds and transferred to surrounding hospitals. One of the guys was listed in critical condition, but the other two were conscious, according to the Dutch defence ministry. It stated that all three belonged to the Commando Corps, one of the Dutch military’s special operations divisions.

The shooting happened in front of the hotel where they were staying during their spare time, the ministry claimed. The males and another person or group may have been involved in an earlier dispute, according to the local police.

An officer from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department told FOX59 that the information they were ready to share at the time was that nothing happened inside the hotel. “We suspect there was a prior altercation at another site.”

The men’s families had been informed, according to the Dutch defence ministry, and a local police probe was ongoing. There have been no detentions.

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