News Trending War

SCO summit: Putin says sanctions making Russia stronger

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Russian President Vladimir Putin has reiterated his country’s opposition to Western sanctions following the invasion of Ukraine.

Speaking at the virtual Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, his first international address since the recent mutiny in Russia, Putin expressed defiance towards the West, stating that Russia would counter external sanctions and pressures while continuing to develop. He emphasized the importance of trade agreements between SCO nations in local currencies, seen as a measure to mitigate the impact of sanctions. Putin also welcomed Belarus’s application to become a permanent member of the SCO. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, hosting the summit, called for increased trade, connectivity, and tech cooperation among member states.

However, he did not directly address the war in Ukraine or China’s assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific, reflecting India’s delicate diplomatic position as it strengthens ties with both the West and China. Instead, Modi urged SCO members to cooperate on countering cross-border terrorism, with his statements commonly interpreted as aimed at Pakistan. China’s President Xi Jinping emphasized the importance of regional peace and security and called for solidarity and mutual trust among SCO members. All members agreed on the need to maintain stability in Afghanistan following the Taliban’s takeover.

The SCO, formed in 2001 by China, Russia, and four Central Asian countries, has gained relevance as relations with the West deteriorate for Russia and China. With around 40% of the world’s population and over 20% of global GDP, the SCO holds significant potential, and the inclusion of Iran as a full member further enhances its energy portfolio.

However, India’s ability to strike a diplomatic balance between its global partners, including Russia, China, and Pakistan, will impact the future of the SCO. Indian diplomats assert their commitment to an independent foreign policy without favoring any particular group.

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News Trending

Vladimir Putin vows to hold accountable the leaders of the Wagner mutiny

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Vladimir Putin, the Russian President, has accused the leaders of the recent Wagner mutiny of seeking to create chaos and conflict within Russia. In a strongly-worded speech, Putin vowed to bring the organizers of the revolt to justice. However, he distinguished the regular Wagner troops as “patriots” and provided them with options to join the army, go to Belarus, or return home. Putin did not specifically mention Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of Wagner, who had previously denied any involvement in attempting to overthrow Putin’s regime.

Wagner is a private army of mercenaries that has been fighting alongside the Russian military in Ukraine. The mutiny, which was short-lived, involved Wagner fighters seizing a major Russian city and advancing towards Moscow in a convoy of military vehicles. Prigozhin claimed that the revolt was in response to government plans to take direct control of Wagner, citing concerns over mistakes made by defense officials during the war with Ukraine. He insisted that Wagner had always acted in Russia’s interests.

Prigozhin’s comments were his first public statements since reaching a deal to end the mutiny, reportedly involving him going to Belarus with dropped criminal charges. However, Russian state media reported that he remains under investigation. Putin emphasized in his address to the Russian people that the organizers of the march on Moscow would face justice and criticized Prigozhin for betraying Russia. He used the speech to assert his authority and counter the perception of a weak response to the mutiny.

Putin accused the West of wanting Russians to turn against each other, although US President Joe Biden denied any involvement by the US or its allies in the rebellion. Putin claimed that his handling of the crisis prevented a catastrophe, but many Russians witnessed events differently and may not be convinced by his statements. He reiterated his promise to allow Wagner troops who did not engage in violence against fellow Russians to leave for Belarus or sign contracts with the Ministry of Defense or other military and law enforcement structures. Putin credited the unity of Russian society and thanked Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko for his role in peacefully resolving the situation.

The contrast between Putin’s portrayal of a united country and the scenes in Rostov, where locals welcomed and embraced the Wagner fighters, led Putin to suggest that the mercenaries had been deceived and used. The rebellion occurred after months of tensions between Wagner and Russia’s military leadership. The situation escalated when Wagner mercenaries crossed the Ukrainian border and took control of the regional military command in Rostov-on-Don, while a column of military vehicles headed towards Moscow. Prigozhin claimed that the “march of justice” exposed serious security problems across the country and mentioned Lukashenko’s involvement in brokering an agreement to end the mutiny. He expressed regret for the deaths of Russian troops during the conflict but justified their actions as self-defense.

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News Trending War

Russia: Instability ratchets up pressure on Vladimir Putin

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It seems that you are sharing a blog post or an article discussing recent events in Russia, specifically regarding the Wagner rebellion and its implications for President Vladimir Putin. While I can provide some context and analysis, please note that the information I provide is based on knowledge available up until September 2021, and I cannot provide real-time updates on current events.

The events described in the blog post indicate a sense of uncertainty and shifting perceptions surrounding President Putin and his leadership. The author highlights the contradictory messages coming from the Kremlin and suggests that these mixed signals may weaken Putin’s image. The dropping of criminal charges against the Wagner leader, despite earlier strong rhetoric condemning the rebellion, is seen as a significant shift.

The author also suggests that these events, along with other challenges faced by Russia, such as economic problems and cross-border incidents near Ukraine, may contribute to instability within the country. The speculation about potential changes in leadership and discussions among the Russian elite about the upcoming 2024 presidential election indicate that there may be a growing desire for alternative leadership among certain circles.

However, it is important to note that predicting political changes and leadership transitions is challenging, especially in the case of Russia. Vladimir Putin has demonstrated political survival skills throughout his long tenure, and it is uncertain how these recent events will ultimately impact his position.

Without further information on recent developments, it is difficult to predict President Putin’s next move accurately. The quoted exchange from an old Putin interview about forgiveness and treachery may provide some insight into his mindset, but it is ultimately open to interpretation.

It is essential to follow reliable news sources and analysis to stay updated on the latest developments in Russia and the implications for President Putin’s leadership.

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News Trending War

Wagner Mercenaries in Russian Urban Areas Defy Putin’s Accusations of Rebellion

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Russian Private Military Contractor, Wagner Group’s Leader Yevgeny Prigozhin Claims Control of Military Sites in Rostov-on-Don, Defying President Putin’s Accusations of Betrayal

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Russian private military contractor Wagner Group, has asserted that his mercenaries have taken over “all military facilities” in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don. Reports suggest that they have also been deployed in Voronezh, located further north, following Prigozhin’s threat to march on Moscow and remove Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu from power.

President Vladimir Putin has condemned these actions, referring to them as a “stab in the back” and vowing to punish those who have “betrayed” Russia. Security measures have been tightened in numerous regions, including Moscow.

The Wagner Group, known for its involvement alongside the regular Russian army in the conflict in Ukraine, has been experiencing increasing tensions with the military leadership over their differing approaches to the war. Prigozhin has been openly criticizing Russia’s military command in recent months.

The situation escalated dramatically after Prigozhin accused the Russian military of targeting his group’s base in Ukraine, a claim that Moscow denies.

Prigozhin insists that this is not a military coup, but rather an attempt to overthrow Russia’s military leadership. However, President Putin, in his address, described the situation as an act of “treason.”

While Prigozhin was not mentioned by name, President Putin warned that those who engaged in betrayal, armed rebellion, blackmail, or terrorist methods would face severe consequences under the law and before the Russian people.

In response, Prigozhin, for the first time directly criticizing the Russian leader, stated that his troops were “patriots of our motherland” and argued that President Putin was “profoundly mistaken” to accuse them of betrayal.

In a video shared on his Telegram channel, Prigozhin claimed that his fighters had entered Rostov-on-Don after crossing the border from Ukraine, asserting that his forces would eliminate anyone obstructing their path. However, the location and veracity of his claim regarding shooting down a Russian military helicopter that allegedly fired upon a civilian convoy remain unverified.

President Putin acknowledged the challenging situation in Rostov-on-Don, where Wagner forces reportedly control military installations. The city of Voronezh, en route to Moscow, is also said to be under their control, prompting the governor to initiate a “counter-terrorism operation.”

Previously, Prigozhin and President Putin had a close relationship. However, this latest challenge, combined with the complications arising from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, has presented a headache for the Russian leader. Consequently, Putin has taken a firm stance, declaring “enough is enough.”

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Natural Disaster News Trending

Russia refuses to give the Kakhovka dam victims UN help

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Massive flooding brought on by a dam break has polluted the water supply, making swimming and eating shellfish prohibited.

Offers by the UN to assist those in Russian-occupied territories impacted by floods from the collapsed Nova Kakhovka Dam have been refused by Moscow.

On June 6, the dam collapsed, sending a flood of water from the Dnipro River on towns throughout southern Ukraine, including areas of the Kherson region that are under Russian occupation.

The floods drove thousands of people to evacuate, devastated houses and agriculture, poisoned drinking water sources, and raised concerns about an impending environmental catastrophe.

The UN called on Russia to follow its commitments under international humanitarian law.

“The UN will continue to do all it can to reach all people – including those suffering as a result of the recent dam destruction – who urgently need life-saving assistance, no matter where they are,” UN humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine Denise Brown said in a statement on Sunday.

“People in need cannot be denied aid.”

The number of fatalities from the tragedy has increased to 52; according to Russian officials, 35 people died in regions under their control, and the interior ministry of Ukraine, 17 people died and 31 were missing. On both sides, more than 11,000 people have been evacuated.

Having been under Russian control since the beginning of its full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukraine accuses Russia of blowing up the Soviet-era dam.

According to a group of foreign legal experts supporting Ukrainian prosecutors in their investigation, it is “highly likely” that Russian explosives were used to cause the dam to collapse.

Using drone footage and data from local military and political sources, the Associated Press stated that Russia has “the means, motive, and opportunity” to demolish the dam.

Russia has blamed Ukraine for the dam rupture, but the different Russian claims, such as that it was hit by a missile, are insufficient to explain a boom that was so powerful that it was detected by seismic detectors in the area.

When the explosion occurred, Ukraine was getting ready to begin its counteroffensive, and the Dnipro River served as the front line.

As the rising floods quickly engulfed their positions, Bugskiy Gard commander Illia Zelinskyi said, “It’s a regular practise to mine (places) before a retreat.” In this situation, their activities complicated for us a passage of the Dnieper (Dnipro) and disrupted parts of our supply networks.

The explosion appeared to originate from the region where the dam’s machine room was located, Zelinskyi told the news agency. He said that Russian soldiers had been present for some time, as did a senior American official who was acquainted with the intelligence. To discuss sensitive information, the US official spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Photos obtained by the AP from Ukrainian drone footage also showed scores of Russian soldiers tented on a Dnipro bank, seeming at ease as they made their way back and forth to the dam without any protection.

In another image from May 28, a vehicle was parked on the dam with its roof torn open to reveal large barrels, one of which had what seemed to be a land mine attached to the lid and a cable leading to the Russian-controlled side of the river.

While the vehicle bomb alone would not have been sufficient to damage the dam, any explosion coming from the machine room would have been magnified, a Ukrainian special forces communications official told the news agency.

Popular Black Sea bathing beaches in Odesa were already forced to close due to the release of the now-contaminated water, and the consumption of fish and shellfish from unconfirmed sources was outlawed.

The water at Odesa’s beaches has significantly deteriorated, and the city’s government has deemed them unsafe for swimming because of the potential health risks.

Salmonella and other “infectious agents” were detected in water samples last week at dangerously high levels, according to Ukrainian officials. There was also cholera surveillance in place.

On the seabed and in marine animals, harmful chemical concentrations are predicted to rise. Land mines washing up along the shoreline is another worry.

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News Trending War

Ukraine war: Mystery over Chechen commander reported wounded in Ukraine

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A senior Chechen commander and member of the Russian parliament, Adam Delimkhanov, has been reported wounded in Ukraine. Delimkhanov is a close ally of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. Initially, Kadyrov described him as “incommunicado” and appealed to Ukrainian intelligence for help in finding him. Delimkhanov had previously commanded Chechen forces during Russia’s fight to seize the Ukrainian port of Mariupol in 2022.

Russian military TV channel Zvezda reported that Delimkhanov was “alive but wounded,” countering social media reports of his death. Ukrainian sources mentioned an unconfirmed attack on the Chechen Akhmat paramilitary in the city of Prymorsk, far from the front lines. However, fellow MP Dmitry Kuznetsov quoted Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, who had spoken to Delimkhanov and confirmed that he was “alive and well.”

Ramzan Kadyrov offered a reward for help in finding Delimkhanov but later retracted his earlier comments, claiming his ally was “not even wounded” and accusing Ukrainians of spreading lies. Kadyrov released a video to support his claims, but inconsistencies were found, suggesting possible manipulation.

Delimkhanov debunked rumors about his health on social media, and on the following day, he reposted Kadyrov’s video. The Kremlin expressed concern over the reported injuries and awaited clarification on the situation. Another military figure, Maj Gen Sergei Goryachev, was also reportedly killed in a missile strike, but there has been no official confirmation.

Several Russian generals have been killed since the beginning of the invasion, but if Goryachev’s death is confirmed, he would be the first high-ranking military fatality in a year.

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News Trending War

Ukraine war: mothers on the way to rescue their children from Russia 

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Sasha Kraynyuk, 15, quickly recognised the child wearing a Russian military uniform after carefully studying the photo that Ukrainian investigators gave him.

The Z-mark of Russia’s war, coloured in the red, white, and blue of the Russian flag, is inscribed on the right sleeve of the teenager seated at a school desk.

However, the boy’s name is Artem, and he is Ukrainian.

13 kids, including Sasha and Artem, were abducted from their own school in Kupyansk, northeastern Ukraine, last September by armed Russian soldiers wearing balaclavas. “Quickly!” yelled as they were herded onto a bus, after which they vanished for weeks without being seen.

The children, all of whom have specific needs for schooling, were only ultimately permitted to contact home from a location considerably farther within Russian-occupied territory.

Their relatives had to travel arduous distances of thousands of kilometres into the nation that had declared war on them to retrieve them. So far, only eight of the kids have been brought back from Perevalsk, and Artem was one of the last to be picked up by his mother this spring.

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International Relations News Trending

Polish inquiry into “Russian influence” infuriates the EU

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After Polish lawmakers established a new commission that might prevent persons with ties to Russia from holding public office, the EU threatened to take action against Poland.

The committee, which was approved by Poland’s parliament last week, will look into alleged Russian meddling between 2007 and 2022. However, detractors assert that the panel, which will be predominated by members of the administration, is meant to criticise opposition leader and former prime minister Donald Tusk.

Didier Reynders, the EU’s justice commissioner, stated that the panel was of “special concern.”

Anyone found guilty of acting under “Russian influence” will be subject to a 10-year ban from managing public finances, effectively preventing them from holding public office.It will look at gas agreements made with Russia in particular since the government claims they made the nation unduly dependent on Moscow.

According to sources, the 10-member panel might present its initial report as early as September and is predicted to be controlled by lawmakers from the ruling Law and Justice Party (PiS).

The EU Commission “will analyse the legislation and will not hesitate to take measures if it is needed,” Mr. Reynders told reporters in Brussels.

Without actual access to justice, including the ability to challenge an administrative decision before an impartial court, he continued, “it is impossible to agree on such a system.”

MPs from the opposition Civic Platform Party are concerned that the probe, which will focus on their party’s final period in office from 2007 to 2015, will try to undermine support for Mr. Tusk, who was prime minister at the time.

Despite not being a member of parliament, Mr. Tusk is now the party’s chairman and leader. He is anticipated to run against Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki in elections later this year.

Krzysztof Brejza, the parliamentary leader of Civic Platform, referred to the new committee as a “Soviet-style idea” and charged that the administration had “organised a witch hunt against Donald Tusk and eliminated him” prior to the election.

Mark Brzezinski, the US ambassador to Poland, expressed his concern that the commission would “reduce voters’ ability to vote for those they want to vote for” on Monday. However, Mr. Morawiecki has defended the bill and charged Mr. Tusk with harbouring a secret.

Nothing should be feared, Mr. Morawiecki remarked, adding: “Why is this valued opposition of ours, especially Mr. Tusk, so terrified of a commission to verify Russian influence?

An ongoing dispute between Warsaw and the EU over judicial reforms resulted in the suspension of billions of euros in aid to Poland in January. Additionally, PiS has been charged with curtailing other civil liberties, including as press freedom, and opposition lawmakers claim Poland risks becoming an authoritarian state if the government is re-elected.

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News Trending

Germany falls into recession as inflation hits economy

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Germany has entered into a recession in the first quarter of the year due to persistent inflation, according to updated growth data. The country’s economy contracted by 0.3% between January and March, following a 0.5% contraction in the previous three months.

The halt in Russian gas supplies after the invasion of Ukraine also had a significant impact on Germany. High inflation, with an April rate of 7.2%, has led to reduced household spending on various goods and weaker industrial orders. The revised figures indicated declines in household and government spending, as well as a drop in car sales after the reduction of government grants for electric and hybrid vehicles. Private sector investment and exports showed some improvement but were insufficient to prevent Germany from entering a recession.

Although the recession was less severe than expected, analysts predict weak economic performance to continue in the second quarter of 2023. The Bundesbank anticipates modest growth in the April to June quarter, driven by an industry rebound offsetting stagnant consumer spending.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projects Germany to be the weakest among advanced economies, with a predicted contraction of 0.1% this year, while upgrading its forecast for the UK to a growth of 0.4%.

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News Trending War

Ukraine says it downed Russian cruise missiles aimed at Kyiv

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Ukrainian officials claim that their air defences successfully shot down 15 Russian cruise missiles that were launched overnight towards the capital, Kyiv. No casualties were reported. Senior Kyiv military official, Serhiy Popko, believes that the missiles were launched by four bombers from the Caspian sea region.

The missile attack occurred just hours before Russia’s Victory Day holiday, which commemorates the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany during World War II. Russian President, Vladimir Putin, has compared the Ukraine war to Adolf Hitler’s invasion of the Soviet Union.

Ukraine’s air force accused Russia of attempting to kill as many civilians as possible on Victory Day. The missile attack comes after Ukraine reported that Russia had launched its biggest drone attack of the war on Sunday night, killing one person and injuring five.

In Moscow, there is a sense of nervousness due to a series of recent explosions, drone attacks, and sabotage, including an alleged drone attack on the Kremlin, for which Moscow blamed Ukrainian drones, while Kyiv denied involvement.

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