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French police arrest Russian-Ukrainian man on bomb-making charges

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French authorities have arrested a 26-year-old man of Russian-Ukrainian descent on suspicion of attempting to manufacture explosives and planning a violent act. The suspect sustained severe burns in an explosion on Tuesday in a hotel room in Roissy-en-France, near Paris’s Charles de Gaulle airport.

The National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office reported that investigators discovered bomb-making materials and equipment in the hotel room. Additionally, firearms and counterfeit passports were found, as reported by French media.

Anti-terror prosecutors have launched an investigation and are collaborating with France’s domestic intelligence agency, according to a source from the Reuters news agency.

The suspect, identified as a Russian-speaker from the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine, currently occupied by Russia, is being questioned in the hospital following his treatment and subsequent arrest.

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Putin cautions that Russia might supply weapons to attack the West

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Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a warning that Moscow may consider arming other countries to target Western interests in response to the West providing long-range weapons to Ukraine. He criticized Western nations, including the United States and Germany, for enabling Ukraine to strike targets within Russia, which he claimed could result in “very serious problems.”

Putin argued that if the West supplies weapons to attack Russian territory, Moscow has the right to reciprocate by supplying similar weapons to regions that could strike sensitive targets in those countries. He did not specify which countries Russia might arm but suggested the response would be asymmetric.

Germany was specifically mentioned by Putin, who said that Berlin’s decision to allow Ukraine to use German-made long-range weapons against Russia has definitively harmed Russian-German relations. He also noted that while U.S. President Joe Biden has permitted Ukraine to use American-supplied weapons in the Kharkiv region, the White House has restricted the use of long-range ATACMS missiles on Russian soil.

Recent reports indicate that Ukraine has used U.S. weapons to strike targets inside Russia. Meanwhile, intense fighting continues near Kharkiv, close to the Russian border.

UK Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron emphasized that it is Ukraine’s decision how to use British-supplied weapons, asserting Ukraine’s right to target Russian territory. Additionally, Ukraine claims North Korean missiles are being used against them, and Western intelligence suggests Russia is deploying Iranian-made drones in the conflict.

Putin reiterated Russia’s nuclear doctrine, warning that Moscow might use nuclear weapons if its sovereignty and territorial integrity are threatened. He criticized the West for assuming Russia would never resort to nuclear escalation and dismissed the notion that Russia intends to attack NATO territories as “complete nonsense.”

These statements were made at the annual St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, where Putin also underscored that portraying Russia as an enemy only harms those who do so.

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Russia link suspected in Eiffel Tower coffin mystery

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French intelligence officials believe Russia orchestrated a stunt involving five coffins draped in French flags, labeled “French soldiers of Ukraine,” placed near the Eiffel Tower. Three men, seen arriving in a van on Saturday morning, left the coffins, which contained plaster sacks. Police quickly apprehended the driver, a Bulgarian who claimed he was paid €40 by two others to transport the coffins. These two, a Ukrainian and a German, were later caught at Bercy coach station while attempting to board a bus to Berlin. They admitted to being paid €400 to deposit the coffins. All three were presented before a judge on Sunday as a judicial investigation began for “violence with premeditation.”

This incident is being investigated to determine if it was orchestrated from abroad, recalling two recent events where French police suspect Russian involvement. In October, Stars of David resembling the Israeli flag were stenciled in Paris after a Hamas attack on Israel. A Moldovan couple, believed to have been paid by Russian intelligence, was arrested. Last month, red hands were painted on a Holocaust memorial in Paris, with suspects fleeing abroad. One individual involved in the coffins incident had contact with a Bulgarian suspect linked to the red-hands affair, identified as Georgi F. by Le Monde.

Tensions between France and Russia have risen, partly due to President Emmanuel Macron’s stance on potentially sending French soldiers to Ukraine. Recently, discussions about sending French military instructors to Ukraine have intensified, which investigators think might have prompted Russian intelligence to stage the coffins stunt to demonstrate opposition to deeper French involvement in the Ukraine war. Previous incidents included teams with photographers whose images appeared on Russian propaganda websites.

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Zelensky accuses Russia and China of undermining summit

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Ukrainian President Zelensky has accused Russia and China of trying to sabotage his upcoming global peace summit in Switzerland. He claims Russia is pressuring countries not to attend and alleges China is assisting in this effort. Zelensky made these statements at an Asian security forum, where he urged delegates to attend his summit focused on nuclear security, food security, and the release of prisoners of war and Ukrainian children held in Russia.

Despite 106 countries confirming attendance, Russia has not been invited and China is not participating. Zelensky criticized China for being an instrument in Putin’s hands and accused China of supplying elements for Russia’s weaponry. However, China denies supplying weapons to either side of the Ukraine conflict and asserts its commitment to peace.

Zelensky also discussed with US Secretary of Defense Austin the US decision to allow Ukraine to use American weapons on Russian territory, albeit with restrictions. This move by the US and other Western states has drawn warnings from Russia about serious consequences.

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Biden Authorizes Ukraine to Target Certain Sites in Russia Using US Arms

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US President Joe Biden has reportedly authorized Ukraine to utilize American-supplied weaponry to target specific sites within Russia, particularly in the vicinity of the Kharkiv region. This directive aims to enable Ukraine to retaliate against Russian forces attacking or preparing to attack them.

Recent advances by Russian forces in the Kharkiv region, close to the Russian border, have prompted this decision. Despite this, the United States maintains its stance against allowing the use of long-range strikes or the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) within Russian territory.

Regarding the possibility of targeting Russian aircraft, US officials stated that Ukraine has not been prohibited from defending itself against Russian planes flying over Russian soil. While the UK and some European leaders have expressed openness to relaxing restrictions on the use of Western-supplied weapons by Ukraine, the US has previously been hesitant due to concerns about escalation.

However, recent events have prompted a shift in this approach, as indicated by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during a visit to Moldova. Russian forces have taken advantage of opportunities to advance further into Ukrainian territory, particularly in Kharkiv, amid delays in the arrival of additional Western weapons to Ukraine.

Recent attacks, including the bombing of a supermarket and a residential building, have resulted in civilian casualties and extensive damage, with Ukrainian officials accusing Russian forces of targeting civilian infrastructure.

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Baltic worries about Russia’s proposal to redraw sea borders

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Calls for calm have been issued in Finland and the Baltic states following a draft Russian decree proposing border revisions in the Baltic Sea. Latvia is seeking clarification, while Lithuania accuses the Kremlin of using the decree as an intimidation tactic. Finnish President Alexander Stubb stated that political leaders are monitoring the situation and Finland will respond calmly and factually.

The draft, issued by Russia’s defense ministry, suggested altering sea borders around Russian islands in the Gulf of Finland and the exclave of Kaliningrad. Initially reported by Russia’s Tass news agency, the draft aimed to redraw Soviet-era borders from January 1985. It was unclear if Finnish or Lithuanian waters near Kaliningrad would be affected, but the proposal included the eastern Gulf of Finland, islands near the Finnish coast, and areas around Baltiysk and Zelenogradsk in Kaliningrad.

As members of the EU and NATO, Finland and the Baltic states have the alliance’s commitment to defend their borders. Finland’s defense and foreign committees convened emergency meetings, with Prime Minister Petteri Orpo stating there is no immediate cause for alarm.

The Russian proposals were subsequently removed from public view with a “draft deleted” notice. A Russian source later confirmed no plans to alter territorial waters in the Baltic. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov directed questions to the defense ministry, noting the political landscape had changed since the 1980s and emphasizing the heightened confrontation in the Baltic region.

Charly Salonius-Pasternak from the Finnish Institute of International Affairs suggested Russia’s approach was typical: probing reactions and retreating if met with resistance. Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis described the draft as an escalation against NATO and the EU, advocating a strong response.

Simultaneously, Sweden’s armed forces chief, Gen Micael Byden, warned of Putin’s ambitions to control the Baltic Sea. Byden stressed the importance of keeping the Baltic Sea out of Putin’s control to maintain peace and stability. Sweden, a NATO member since March, has reinforced its military presence on the Baltic island of Gotland, which Gen Byden believes Russia has targeted.

In response to potential migration issues, Finland, which joined NATO last year, plans to prevent large-scale asylum seeker crossings from Russia. Helsinki fears Russia might exploit migration, but the UN refugee agency warns the draft law could lead to harmful pushbacks of legitimate asylum seekers, risking severe injuries, family separations, and deaths, according to UNHCR’s Philippe Leclerc.

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German far right in disarray after AfD Nazi remark

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Maximilian Krah, a prominent far-right German politician from the Alternative for Germany (AfD), announced he would scale back his campaign efforts for the upcoming EU elections while remaining the party’s lead candidate. This decision followed a controversial interview with the Italian newspaper La Repubblica, where Krah remarked that not all SS members were automatically “criminals” and emphasized assessing individual culpability. He referenced Günter Grass, the German novelist who served in the Waffen SS, to support his point.

The SS, or Schutzstaffel, was a Nazi paramilitary group notorious for its central role in the Holocaust and other war crimes. Krah’s comments provoked a strong reaction, leading France’s far-right National Rally (RN) to sever ties with the AfD in the European Parliament. RN leader Marine Le Pen called for a “cordon sanitaire” to distance her party from the AfD, stating the urgency of this separation due to the extremity of Krah’s views.

The relationship between RN and AfD had already been strained following a secret meeting involving AfD members discussing the mass deportations of non-ethnic Germans. Marine Le Pen had previously condemned such ideas.

Facing mounting pressures ahead of the EU elections in June, Krah declared on social media that he would step back from public campaign appearances and resign from the federal executive board to preserve party unity. This decision comes amid various scandals, including the arrest of one of his staffers for alleged espionage for China and an ongoing investigation into Krah over purported payments from Russia and China, which he denies. Despite these controversies, the AfD remains a significant political force, polling second or third nationally and leading in some states set for local elections later this year.

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G7 leaders to discuss €30bn loan for Ukraine using Russian assets

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The G7 finance ministers are set to discuss whether Ukraine can receive an additional €30 billion loan from seized Russian assets totaling €270 billion. This proposal has sparked division within the G7, particularly between the US and Germany. While some advocate for full asset seizure, others, including Christine Lagarde, ECB president, raise legal and economic concerns.

The US and UK propose mobilizing the frozen assets to provide a substantial loan to Ukraine, with interest paid from the profits of the seized Russian assets. They argue this approach avoids the need for asset confiscation, which could disrupt the international legal order and financial stability.

Belgium, holding the largest share of Russia’s frozen assets within the G7, has already generated significant investment income from these assets. It has agreed to allocate a portion of this profit to a joint G7 fund for Ukraine.

Critics argue that using the assets as collateral for a loan effectively amounts to confiscation. However, some legal scholars suggest that under the doctrine of state countermeasures, seizure may be justified.

Overall, there is contention over whether to provide Ukraine with a substantial loan using the seized assets, with concerns about legal implications and potential repercussions for financial stability and international relations.

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Georgia to vote on controversial law that sparked mass protests

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Georgia’s parliament is on the verge of passing a highly controversial “foreign agent” law, despite facing significant opposition from both within and outside the ruling Georgian Dream party. Critics of the proposed legislation, often referred to as the “Russia law,” argue that it poses a severe threat to civil liberties within the country.

The bill has sparked weeks of mass protests, with thousands of people gathering near the parliament building to voice their opposition. Protesters fear that if the law is enacted, it could be exploited by the government to suppress dissenting voices and undermine Georgia’s aspirations to join the European Union.

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has remained steadfast in his support for the bill, vowing that it will pass despite the ongoing protests. He has issued warnings about the consequences of not implementing the law, drawing parallels to the situation in Ukraine without providing specific details.

President Salome Zurabishvili, although an opponent of Kobakhidze, has expressed her intention to veto the law. However, Georgian Dream holds sufficient parliamentary support to override her veto, indicating that the bill is likely to be approved.

The proposed legislation would require NGOs and independent media outlets that receive more than 20% of their funding from foreign sources to register as organizations with foreign interests. They would be subject to government monitoring and could face significant fines if they fail to comply with the regulations outlined in the law. Critics argue that this would create a chilling effect on freedom of expression and civil society in Georgia.

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Seven dead after bus falls into river in St Petersburg

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A tragic incident unfolded in St. Petersburg, where a bus careened off the Potseluev Bridge into the Moika River, resulting in the loss of seven lives. The accident, which occurred in the city center on Friday afternoon, was captured on footage showing the bus swerving into oncoming traffic, colliding with two cars, and then plunging into the waterway, sinking within moments.

Authorities swiftly responded to the scene, detaining the bus driver and launching a criminal investigation to determine the cause of the crash. Initial reports indicated several critical injuries and two individuals in serious condition among the estimated 20 passengers onboard. Tragically, despite rescue efforts, three individuals lost their lives shortly after being retrieved from the submerged bus.

The heroic actions of bystanders, including Idris Gadzhiev, Shahban Jabrailov, and Muhammad Hasanov, who courageously leaped into the river to assist in rescue efforts, underscored the community’s solidarity in the face of tragedy. Meanwhile, emergency services deployed heavy machinery to lift the sunken bus from the river, bringing an end to the rescue operation.

The incident serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of road safety measures, occurring as the bus turned onto the bridge from Bolshaya Morskaya Street, a bustling area approximately 1.5 kilometers from the renowned Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg’s historic center.

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