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Deafening silence
Hundreds of Ukrainian women have been victims of sexual violence during the war, but almost none talk about their experiences

In March 2023, a woman in a southern Russian city found a baby wrapped in a blanket in the bins behind her block of flats. Police soon found camera footage of a woman dumping the newborn baby girl at around 5am the previous morning. Incredibly, she survived.

The mother of the child was a Ukrainian refugee who had moved to Russia in August 2022 after her hometown in Ukraine was occupied. She was tracked down and charged with the attempted murder of a minor and placed in pretrial detention.

The lawyer assigned to her case told Novaya Europe the story, though she has asked that neither her name nor her client’s name be used.

Initially, her client barely spoke, but then one day she suddenly said, “I was raped.”

It gradually emerged that her attacker had been a Russian soldier in occupied Ukraine. By the time she decided to terminate the pregnancy, it was too late to have an abortion anyway, at which point she decided to carry the baby to term, believing she could grow to love it.

“Then she gave birth at home, and just broke down to the point where, the next day, she put the baby in the bin,” her lawyer said.

Shaken by the story, the lawyer believed she could at least use the new information to plead extenuating circumstances, but her client panicked at the thought, telling her, “You can’t tell anyone.” As a result, the court never learnt about the rape and the woman is now awaiting the court’s verdict.

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Fight or flight
Alina (not her real name), 31, went to Spain to escape the war. In the summer of 2022, she opened a beauty salon in Valencia, where I went to speak to her.

Her friend, Valentyn, also a hairdresser from Kyiv, put me in touch with her. All I knew was that something terrible had happened to her in Ukraine at the hands of the Russian military. “She’ll talk to you and tell you what she thinks she needs to tell you,” he told me the day before.

We went to the beach to talk, though I had no idea how to begin the conversation, though I did know what I mustn’t say — I mustn’t ask why.

“On the first day of the war, I took my cat, Pirozhok, and went to my mother’s village near Bucha,” Alina begins. “First, for some reason, I thought it would be safer there than in Kyiv. Second, I wanted to be with my mother so that I could help her if anything happened.”

Russian soldiers soon showed up in the village, but for a while Alina and her mother managed to live peacefully by staying indoors.

“But one evening, a tank stopped in front of our gate, soldiers came into the house and forced my mother and me into the cellar. It was scary. My mother couldn’t stop crying. … But I was on some kind of adrenaline rush and remained calm and collected,” Alina remembers.

Later, a neighbour, slightly older than Alina, her mother, grandmother and grandfather were also herded into their cellar.

“Late on the second day, the cellar door opened, a drunk soldier appeared — the stench of alcohol hit us all the way downstairs — and nodded at me saying, ‘Come out of there’.

I was scared. My mother started begging him, ‘Don’t, don’t’. He pointed a weapon at us. I climbed up the stairs. They raped me in the house and then brought me back to the basement.”

“I could have risked trying to run, but I was afraid they’d kill me,” Alina said. “And my mother was still in the cellar. I thought they might shoot her in anger.”

Pirozhok
Alina says nobody, not even her mother, asked her anything about what had happened when she returned to the cellar. The next day, nobody came looking for her. But the day after, the door opened and she was summoned upstairs once again. She was shoved into the house and soldiers in uniform ordered her to fry potatoes for them while they drank vodka and smoked. She remembers there were originally three men in the house and then another two appeared. One of them threw a stick of salami down on the table for her to cut.

As Alina removed the skin, she noticed Pirozhok poking his nose out from under the sofa.

“I was so scared that I’d completely forgotten he had been in the house all this time,” she says. “He was really scared, too. And while they were drinking and laughing in the next room, I noticed that Pirozhok had seen me, smelled the sausage and was looking around but was too afraid to come out,” she continued.

“I saw the savages hadn’t even given him water. I cut off a bit of meat and lured him with it. He grabbed it and ran away with it in his teeth when a soldier appeared, said, ‘What the fuck’s this?’ and shot him. Then he burst out laughing like a madman.”

Alina says that the soldiers’ own cruelty only seemed to get them even more riled up.

“I’m sure they were all on drugs, as well as being drunk out of their minds,” she said. “When they raped me, they were insanely loud and nasty as they insulted me and screamed and shouted. It was like…” but at that point she fell silent, unable to find the words.

‘We just want to relax and have fun’
In times of war, all the civil cultural prohibitions that normally exist fall away immediately, says Asmik Novikova, a sociologist at the Public Verdict Foundation, a Russian non-profit offering legal assistance to victims of human rights abuses. Novikova has carried out research into the mental and behavioural changes seen in Russian police officers after returning from the wars in Chechnya.

Cases of rape were barely recorded during the Chechen wars, says Alexander Cherkasov, the former chairman of the now liquidated Human Rights Centre Memorial. The sole case that made it to court was that of Colonel Yury Budanov who was arrested in 2000 on charges of kidnapping, raping and murdering 18-year-old Chechen Elza Kungaeva. Witness testimony helped prove his guilt in a trial that gripped the nation.

“However, the paperwork documenting sexual violence simply disappeared from the case file,” he continues.

Budanov was released on parole in 2009. He was shot eight times and killed in central Moscow in June 2011. The Chechen man convicted of the killing, Yusup Temirkhanov, denied his guilt until dying in prison himself in 2018.

“Can we say for sure that Russian soldiers raped Chechen and now Ukrainian women on orders from above, as happened in other conflicts? We don’t yet have concrete evidence,” says Anna Neistat, a legal director and specialist in international criminal law at the Clooney Foundation for Justice, a human rights nonprofit set up by George and Amal Clooney. “The cases we’re now pursuing are for crimes allegedly committed by very young, drunk, low-level servicemen.

When women asked them, ‘Please don’t kill us,’ the soldiers answered, ‘We’re not going to kill you. We just want to relax and have fun’.”

However, Neistat stresses that whether or not soldiers are following orders, each case of rape is a crime under international law.

‘I can’t put it behind me’
Alina says they were kept in the cellar for four days. Then the Russians left the village and they emerged. Ukrainian soldiers, journalists and volunteers then appeared.

“But it didn’t end there for me,” Alina says. “Because wherever I went, I could see in the neighbours’ eyes that everyone knew everything. They were judging me.”

So when human rights activists asked locals to report all crimes to the police, Alina chose not to. “I thought, ‘Why bother? So people would look at me as a traitor again?’ I was done.”

Alina’s mother died in 2022, her health having deteriorated significantly after her spell in the cellar. Alina attributes her decline to the trauma she endured.

Alina returned to Kyiv after her mother’s death, but in early June, her friend Valentyn suggested she join him in Valencia. He helped her settle in and find work.

Alina now sees a psychologist, but is unsure if it helps. “I can’t put it behind me. I am and always will be in this state until I die.”

‘Not something people are willing to talk about’
This February, Anna Sosonska, head of the conflict-related sexual violence unit at the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office, said a single department had “identified 270 serious crimes of violence against women, men, civilians and prisoners of war” in Ukraine. In addition to the rapes themselves, there were also cases of the occupiers mutilating genitals, and forcing people to strip naked and watch loved ones being subjected to sexual violence. The Prosecutor’s Office identified 30 Russian servicemen who had committed acts of sexual violence during the war. All 30 men were charged. Two were convicted and sentenced in absentia to 12 and 10 years in prison respectively. The victims, witnesses and the prosecutor all spoke at these trials, but there were no defendants.

Sosonska added that since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, her department had made efforts to train its investigators to work with victims according to international standards.

In 2017, Ukrainian lawyer Larysa Denysenko and some colleagues set up JurFem, an association of women lawyers, to help female rape survivors. She is currently pursuing 14 rape cases at the hands of the Russian military, in one of which the victim was a minor.

“Women whose relatives serve in the Ukrainian Armed Forces try not to talk about what’s happened to them,” Denysenko told independent news outlet Ukrainska Pravda on 7 August, explaining that women often conceal the fact that they were raped from their husbands in the military out of fear of causing them extreme guilt at having been unable to protect their family.

Black screen
“In November 2023, I was approached by the mother of a young woman who asked me to talk to her daughter. She said her daughter had been raped by Russian soldiers while they occupied their city. She was 16 at the time,” says Valeria Shvydchenko, a Ukrainian psychotherapist.

By that time, the woman and her daughter had lived in Hungary for about a year. The rape survivor didn’t finish school.

“Her mother called me and said, ‘Please help my daughter. She’s really scaring me. It’s like she’s inanimate.’ I asked ‘What do you mean? Is she completely apathetic?’ And she said, ‘That’s the thing. It’s not that at all. She gets up early, brushes her teeth, combs her hair, has breakfast, goes to work, comes home, has dinner, watches TV and goes to bed. With no emotion. She’s like a robot. It’s driving me crazy. I don’t know how to talk to her about what she went through. I’m scared that one day she’ll just quietly take her own life.’”

“My mother is very worried about me,” the daughter said, having agreed to speak to Shvydchenko. “But I don’t want to discuss anything, sorry. If we can, let’s just make the call, turn off the camera and microphone for an hour, and I’ll tell my mother that we discussed everything we had to.”

The psychotherapist agreed, secretly hoping that at some point she’d speak.

“We held four sessions that way. Each time she said hello, and after that it was a black screen and the crossed-out microphone icon,” Shvydchenko says. After those four sessions, they never spoke again.

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Russians might have seen fake F-22s in Ukraine
There are many ways to gather intelligence. Forces analyze satellite imagery, employ spies, fly spy planes, drones, etc. One high-tech way of gathering intelligence is signals intelligence (SIGINT). It basically describes ways of listening to signals that different systems emit and interpreting them in a way that provides a clear picture of the accumulation of enemy forces and possibly even the types of weapons they have. However, there are ways to trick SIGINT.

Electronic warfare is a tricky thing. You can produce faux signals, imitating gathering of troops or even some types of weapons. For example, you can reproduce communication between different artillery detachments when there is no artillery in the area. SIGINT is performed by planes, various ground-based systems and other means.

And it is nothing new. As soon as radio signals were used for military communications, someone started trying to deceive the opposing forces by producing misleading faux communications.

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Now, as is being reported, the defenders of Ukraine are using electronic warfare to fool Russian SIGINT means. For example, Ukrainians are still waiting for the first batch of F-16s, but Russians have already seen both the F-16 and the F-22 in Ukraine. The latter one will never be delivered to Ukraine, as it is a fifth-generation jet fighter, which is barred from being exported.

Military expert Oleksandr Musienko said that the Ukrainian forces use balloons with electronic signal devices to disorient the Russian forces and their air defences. “They are being disorientated by balloons simulating the flight of F-16s and even F-22s. Well, that is trolling,” said Musienko. He did not provide any details or sources of this information.

The expert explained that Russian air defence sensors respond to such deceptions and their air defence systems are activated. Most likely, we are talking about Russian signals intelligence (SIGINT) systems. Ukrainians launch equipment attached to weather balloons and simulate the signal signature of American fighter jets.

Then for a while, Russians probably don’t understand what their sensors are seeing. Meanwhile, the defenders of Ukraine launch attack drones or exploit this confusion in other ways. It is difficult for Russians to understand what is real and what is just a trick. It is not like Russians believe the F-22 is flying in Ukraine. It’s just that they don’t know what data they can trust.

“You need to go through the enemy’s air defences and distract their air defences, wasting their air defence resources. They are firing away their reserves. And despite all of Russia’s missile reserves, that is a problem for them,” said Oleksandr Musienko.

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Muscovite Gets Five Years Of 'Forced Labor' For Talking To RFE/RL
A Moscow court on April 22 sentenced a 38-year-old man to five years of so-called forced labor for condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine during an on-street interview in July 2022 with a reporter from RFE/RL.

The Ostankino district court also banned Yury Kokhovets from administering websites for four years.

The punishment defined as "forced labor" in Russia means that convicts will not serve their terms in prison, but instead may stay home and be sent to work at an industrial facility in their towns, cities, or sent to other places as designated by the Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN).

A certain portion of their salaries are deducted by the State Treasury.

His lawyer, Yelena Sheremetyeva, said the court ruled that Kokhovets will be paying 10 percent of his monthly salary to the state.

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Kokhovets was detained in March 2023 and charged with spreading false information about Russia's armed forces. He was later released but ordered not to leave Moscow.

In July 2022, Kokhovets was approached by an RFE/RL journalist who asked him if he thought a detente between Russia and NATO countries was needed.

"Of course we need (de-escalation), but it all depends on our government. It is our government that started it all.... It is Russia who created all these problems," Kokhovets told RFE/RL. "I don't see any problems with NATO, it is not planning to attack anyone."

He added that Russian forces had killed civilians in the Kyiv suburb of Bucha "for no reason at all." Moscow denies accusations it has committed war crimes in Ukraine.

Kokhovets pleaded partially guilty, denying that his statements during the interview with RFE/RL were hatred-based. He also stated at the trial that he was exercising his constitutional right to freely express his opinion while talking with the RFE/RL journalist.

His lawyer also said at the trial that her client had no hatred toward anyone when he talked to RFE/RL.

According to Sheremetyeva, the "proof" of her client's guilt was based purely on a forensic linguistic examination of Kokhovets's speech, which according to her, had been held with gross violations, namely that the two people who studied his statements are not state-licensed linguists, she said.

The linguistic forensics study was carried out by math teacher Natalya Kryukova and interpreter Aleksandr Tarasov, who also conducted similar linguistic examinations in the cases of shutting down the Memorial Human Rights Center in 2021 and imprisonment of Memorial's co-chairman, Oleg Orlov, in February this year.

5 years in the Gulag for this opinion, shared during a street interview in Russia.

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Man mistaken for a Ukrainian spy severely beaten by Russian soldiers

A man in the central Russian region of Ryazan was hospitalised with injuries after soldiers who mistook him for a Ukrainian spy detained and beat him in early April, Telegram channel Baza reported Sunday.

Ruslan Khamatov was riding his motorbike near a military airfield in Dyagilevo on 7 April, when Russian soldiers detained him, accusing him of being a Ukrainian spy.

The men beat Khamatov, who reported having his ears pulled with pliers during the assault, and accused him of being responsible for a damaged fence in the military compound, using his subscription to a “Ukrainian Telegram channel”, which turned out to be pro-Russian, as evidence.

After realising their mistake, the soldiers called the traffic police, presenting Khamatov’s injuries as the result of a motorbike accident. Khamatov was fined for driving without a licence.

He was diagnosed with fractures of the eye socket, nose and ribs, a collapsed lung and multiple bruises, and later submitted a statement on the assault to the police.

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Ukrainian kamikaze ground drone attacks Russian positions

The soldiers of the 63rd Mechanized Brigade demonstrated the combat use of a kamikaze ground drone.

The press service of the brigade released the video on social media.

A Ukrainian drone under the control of an operator attacked the positions of Russian invaders.

The movement and combat use of the ground drone was monitored by a drone of the military of the Ukrainian Defense Forces.

The video shows Russians moving around in the trenches between the dugouts.

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Український наземний дрон-камікадзе атакував російські позиції [квітень 2024]

At this point, a Ukrainian wheeled drone approaches the Russian positions, stops over an infantry shelter, and explodes.

A drone explosion destroys part of the fortifications used by Russian invaders.

“This drone was born to crawl and cannot fly. But this does not prevent it from effectively blowing up the Russian soldiers – another know-how of the 23rd Rifle Infantry Battalion of the 63rd Mechanized Brigade. We are developing, moving forward, destroying the enemy in all possible ways!” the 63rd Brigade emphasized.

Previously, the same brigade demonstrated the combat use of a ground drone for remote mining.

The UAV drove up to the Russian positions, unloaded two anti-tank mines, and returned unnoticed, after which the detonation took place.

Also, an Ukrainian Ratel S ground kamikaze drone blew up a bridge in the village of Ivanivske in the Donetsk region to complicate the logistics of Russian invaders in the Bakhmut sector. The video shows how the remote-controlled platform loaded with explosives reaches the target and detonates, damaging the bridge’s structure.

Підрив моста наземним дроном Ratel S [Квітень 2024]

Ratel S is a ground drone from developers who are members of the Brave1 cluster. The military uses it as a carrier of anti-tank mines and for other tasks.

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Bulgaria can’t join the eurozone in January. Here’s why.
High inflation and wavering public support ― in part blamed on Russian disinformation ― means the country is almost certain to miss its 2025 joining target.

Behind an imposing wooden desk in Sofia, in a complex once housing a statue of Lenin, the man who presides over the 20-strong group of eurozone finance ministers chose his words carefully.

“I am strongly convinced that Bulgaria will join the euro area in 2025,” Paschal Donohoe said. "The question is when your country will introduce the euro as its currency. And not if.”

Flanked by the country’s prime minister, deputy prime minister, and foreign minister, his presence carried plenty of European political heft. A month on, the coalition government has collapsed and those three ministers have all been swept from office. Donohoe’s visit ― drumming up support for Bulgaria's wobbling bid to become the 21st country to use the euro ― turned out to be at a less than ideal time.

Experts and politicians who spoke with POLITICO are convinced the January 1, 2025, target date is not going to be met ― not just because of Bulgaria’s political turmoil but also because of persistent inflation and lack of popular backing.

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“We're in the middle of a political crisis,” Bulgarian socialist MEP Petar Vitanov said. That would make it “impossible” for the country to join the eurozone by the beginning of the year. Its sixth national election since 2021 takes place in June.

"We really don't know what will be the next government and whether this is going to be one of their priorities,” he said.

Even before the government fell, the country was signaling it could miss its intended entry date. Then-Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov said in January the target was "not sacred." Bulgaria originally intended to join the common currency at the start of 2024, but had to push that target back a year early last year as it did not yet meet the accession criteria.

January 2026 “at the earliest” would be more realistic given the technical challenges involved in switching a national currency over, according to Cinzia Alcidi, a senior research fellow at the Brussels-based think tank CEPS.

Several political leaders, including the country's central bank governor, have raised the prospect of a mid-2025 entry if it cannot make a January entry date — hence Donohoe's careful wording that he expected membership "in 2025.”

But officials and experts involved with the technical aspects of accession told POLITICO that joining mid-year would be untypical. Countries usually join at the start of the year for administrative reasons.

Bulgarian MEP Eva Maydell, from the center-right EPP group, said she was “optimistic for an accession date in 2025,” adding that “it could be January 1, it could be later.”

Blighted by rising prices
Eurozone accession is a typically arcane EU process where countries are rated by the European Central Bank before EU finance ministers, MEPs and heads of government discuss the matter.

The "convergence criteria" a country needs to meet to qualify include having a stable exchange rate, hitting targets on government deficit and debt ratio, and aligning national legislation with EU law.

The next ECB report on Bulgaria — which will determine whether it is ready to join — is expected before the summer.

Inflation remains a problem. To join, Bulgaria needs an average of no more than 1.5 percentage points above the rate of the three "best-performing" EU countries — a fuzzy category which creates a gray area for the exact inflation figure needed. The most recent joiner, Croatia in 2023, benefited from some selective data-picking itself when it was allowed to join despite a higher rate.

“The only hurdle for Bulgaria is the inflation criteria,” said Zsolt Darvas, a senior fellow at the Brussels-based economic think tank Bruegel. “It's in a good budget position — low public debts, budget deficits under control."

The country's current forecast of a 2.9 percent inflation rate in 2025 would “imply that Bulgaria might join in 2026,” Darvas said. He added that there is "some room for maneuver" on whether the same gray area which allowed Croatia to join in 2023 could be used to shorten Bulgaria's accession timeline, but added that it "has to be justified."

In theory, Sofia would ask for a fresh convergence report from the ECB towards the end of this year, which would have a low enough inflation figure for it to be able to join by mid-year in 2025. But in practice, EU officials who would be involved in the technical process question whether that would be feasible.

Russian disinformation
Among Bulgaria's political class, eurozone membership is an easy sell. But the public are proving harder to convince.

In a Eurobarometer survey last year, Bulgarians reported lower-than-average support for joining and higher-than-average concerns about issues such as abusive price-setting during the transition.

Senior EU officials told POLITICO that Russian-sponsored disinformation played into this unpopularity.

“I still believe that the majority of the Bulgarians would prefer to be part of the eurozone,” MEP Vitanov said. “I don't blame here only the Russian propaganda. Yes, it exists. But generally, those who are lagging behind are the Bulgarian politicians.”

Apart from its performance on taming inflation, Bulgaria is in a relatively strong position to join the eurozone, several experts and officials said.

The country’s currency, the lev, has been tied to the euro since 1999, and Bulgaria has been in the EU’s banking union since 2020 ― moves MEP Maydell said showed "a very, very clear commitment” to joining.

Concerns over Bulgaria’s accession timeline haven’t stopped senior EU officials like Donohoe continuing to bang the drum.

The country also saw a nod from eurozone countries last month, when their heads of government praised Bulgaria's progress.

But despite the EU’s lingering public backing for the January 2025 target, senior officials privately acknowledge that it's almost certainly not happening.

As one of them put it: “It’s out of the question.”

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Zelenskyy on Western help in defeating Iranian attack on Israel: I was shocked
On the night of April 14, Iran launched more than 200 drones and rockets from its territory toward Israel

Western countries helped Israel repel a recent attack by Iran, even though the country is not a member of NATO and does not have a strong document with the Alliance, as stated by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an interview with Hugo D�crypte, emphasizing that he was shocked by such a reaction from the allies.

Zelenskyy said he was shocked by the West's reaction to the Iranian attacks on Israel. He clarified that after Iran attacked Israel there were victims, but their number is small and in any case, they deserve sympathy. However, the president stated that the allies helped Israel even though the country is not a member of NATO.

He also said that he did not see a very serious and strong document between France and Israel, such as between the US and Israel, or a similar document between Israel and NATO.

"That is, we just saw the armies, pilots, and weapons of several allied states destroy 99% of everything that was flying from Iran toward the heads of Israelis. That's what we saw with you. And why I was shocked, because: what's wrong with us? What's wrong with the Ukrainians?" the president said.

He said that the US Congress, with the beginning of the crisis and challenges in the Middle East, began to pay attention to this problem, and the same was done by the American media.

"Let's be honest, today they are mostly looking at what is happening in Israel, in Gaza, in the Middle East in general," he said.

The president noted that due to the situation with Israel and Iran, less attention and time is given to Ukraine, which means less attention from its society. Zelenskyy added that if society reacts less, then there is less responsibility among political leaders, and therefore assistance may be reduced.

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Kremlin looking for successor in Chechnya in light of Kadyrov illness

Chechen head Ramzan Kadyrov has been diagnosed with pancreatic necrosis, a terminal illness that has prompted the Kremlin to look for his successor, Novaya Gazeta Europe has learned.

Kadyrov was first diagnosed with pancreatic necrosis in January 2019, with noticeable weight fluctuations recorded over the next several years.

Since 2019, Kadyrov has undergone regular procedures at the Moscow Central Clinical Hospital, whose sources told Novaya Gazeta Europe that Kadyrov had been hospitalised last year with “acute pulmonary insufficiency” after overdosing on a preoperative sedative.

Kadyrov was hooked up to a ventilator and temporarily put into a medically induced coma, which led to anonymous Telegram channels reporting that Kadyrov was “in a coma”. To explain his absence and disprove these reports, Kadyrov published a picture in September of himself at the bedside of his uncle Magomed, allegedly receiving treatment at the same hospital.

While doctors managed to stabilise Kadyrov’s condition in September, Novaya Gazeta Europe’s source at the hospital said that Kadyrov’s MRI results caused “distress” among many in his inner circle. A source close to Adam Delimkhanov, a Russian lawmaker and ally of Kadyrov, said that he “wouldn’t be the same”, and that the new illness would “affect him greatly”.

Following the September health scare, the Kremlin launched a mass PR campaign to show Kadyrov in good health, but the presidential administration now seems to be on the lookout for a successor. Among the potential candidates is the commander of the Chechen special forces volunteer association Akhmat, Major General Apti Alaudinov, who has recently been appointed deputy at the Main Directorate for Military and Political Work at the Defence Ministry.

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Russia uses “Iraqi” Pantsir-S1 anti-aircraft systems

Russian troops use in Ukraine custom-made Iraqi Pantsir-S1E anti-aircraft missiles and gun systems.

A video with cars in desert camouflage was released by the press service of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

The TV report showcased the Pantsir-S1 anti-aircraft system, camouflaged and used by the Iraqi armed forces, highlighting its involvement in the conflict alongside Russian anti-aircraft crews against Ukraine.

In 2012, the Iraqi government signed a contract with Russia for the supply of 24 SAMs, with the possibility of resetting another 24 systems later. It is known that in 2016, more than 20 systems were handed over to the customer, and in 2018, the country received a new batch, probably within the frame of additional orders.

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The presence of a vehicle from the “Iraqi contract” within the Russian Armed Forces remains uncertain. It is highly probable that it may have remained in the possession of the manufacturer due to the premature termination of the contract and was subsequently transferred to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

Back in 2012, a large arms contract worth $4.2 billion between Iraq and the Russian Federation was in danger of disruption due to a corruption scandal related to Iraqi officials.

As part of the order, Iraq received a Pantsir-S1E, export version of the system. In terms of technical characteristics, it does not differ from the original system, but it may have minor differences.

In addition, their design does not have an IFF radar recognition system, and alternative elements of Western-made electronics can be used.

Pantsir-S1
Pantsir-S1 is a Russian ground-based self-propelled anti-aircraft missile and gun system (SAM), developed in 1994 and adopted by the Russian army in 2012.

The main armament of the system is two twin 2A38M 30mm guns and two launchers for 12 radio-command anti-aircraft missiles. The system is capable of intercepting both aerodynamic and ballistic targets.

The peculiarity of the system is the combination of a multi-channel targeting system with missiles and artillery weapons. This creates a continuous target interception zone from 0 meters to 15 km in altitude and from 200 meters to 20 km in range.

A 3-D radar station with a phased antenna array is integrated into the SAM, due to which the system is able to operate independently of other anti-aircraft systems.

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Provided with reliable equipment

In the zone of a special military operation, anti-aircraft gunners of the Russian Armed Forces confidently repulse air and missile raids of the Ukrainian Armed Forces day and night. To successfully combat enemy air, Russian military personnel are provided with the most modern military equipment.

“I would like to tell you about the Pantsir combat vehicle. Taking into account the fact that we have been here since the first day, I can say that the vehicle has proven itself to be a very reliable piece of military equipment,” says the deputy commander of the armament unit.

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Russia Deploys Tactical Nuclear Weapon Systems to Finnish Border

"Russia escalates border tensions by deploying nuclear-capable missiles directly across from NATO's newest member, Finland.

Russia has reportedly moved its Iskander-M tactical nuclear missile systems to the border with Finland, a move seen as a direct response to Finland's NATO membership since April last year.

Escalation at the Edge
Sources from the Russian Ministry of Defense told "Izvestia" that the deployment took place in Karelia, a region bordering Finland.

The Iskander-M systems, capable of firing both cruise and ballistic missiles—including those equipped with nuclear warheads—are part of a newly formed missile brigade within the Leningrad Military District, reestablished recently.

This strategic move reflects the growing tensions between Russia and NATO countries following Finland's shift from a neutral status to full NATO membership.

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Strategic Adjustments and Military Readiness
The reformation of the Leningrad Military District and the inclusion of the 11th and 14th Army Corps, stationed in the Kaliningrad and Murmansk regions respectively, underline Russia's preparedness for a long-term confrontation with NATO.

Admiral Vladimir Valuev, former commander of the Baltic Fleet, indicated that this military restructuring is a direct counter to NATO's expanded footprint, which now stretches an additional 1300 kilometers along Russia's border due to Finland's accession.

U.S.-Finland Defense Cooperation Intensifies
Further complicating the security landscape, Finland last year inked a defense cooperation agreement with the United States, granting U.S. forces access to 15 sites including four airbases, a military port, and railway infrastructure primarily located in northern Finland.

This agreement allows the U.S. to store military equipment and ammunition in close proximity to the Russian border, escalating the strategic stakes.

Kremlin’s Long-term Military Strategy
The reinstatement of the Leningrad Military District, initially disbanded in the early 2010s military reforms, signals a Kremlin strategy poised for a broader conflict with NATO, according to a February report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). This strategic move divides Russia's western military focus, with the Moscow Military District overseeing the border with Ukraine and Poland, and the Leningrad District focusing on the northeastern NATO border.

Analysts at ISW suggest that this reorganization allows Russia to better manage its military engagements in Ukraine while maintaining a strategic posture against NATO, a stance reinforced by the recent NATO membership of Finland and Sweden.

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Kongsberg Upgrades NASAMS for Enhanced Defense Against Ballistic Missiles

The Norwegian company Kongsberg is working on modernizing the NASAMS anti-aircraft system.

This effort aims to include the capability to intercept ballistic missiles, according to sources within Kongsberg as cited by Norwegian media outlet Teknisk Ukeblad.

The reports suggest that this modernization effort aims to equip the NASAMS system with the ability to intercept ballistic targets.

This could potentially address a need for long-range missile defense systems in Norway, where such systems are currently lacking.

SPOILER

quote:

Possible ways to upgrade NASAMS
Currently, the most advanced versions of NASAMS can only intercept aerodynamic targets: aircraft, helicopters and cruise missiles. These parameters are determined by the capabilities of the missiles in the ammunition and integrated into the radar complex.

To intercept high-speed objects moving along the ballistic trajectory, the system lacks parameters of the maximum interception altitude and speed of an anti-aircraft guided missile.

The situation may change with the introduction of a new AMRAAM-ER anti-aircraft missile as part of the modular SAM, the tests of which, as part of NASAMS, were completed in February 2024.

The new interceptor is a development of the AIM-120C-8 missile. It received a state-of-art guidance system with an active radar seeker, as well as a significantly more powerful 10-inch rocket motor.

Due to innovations, the missile received a higher speed and radius of defeat, which, as part of the ground system, increased from 20 to 40 km compared to AIM-120 missiles.

The GhostEye MR medium-range radar system was successfully integrated into the system. It is capable of detecting air targets such as cruise missiles, aircraft, and helicopters, as well as ballistic missiles.

Radar uses technology used in the creation of the LTAMDS missile defense system, which is now manufactured for the U.S. Army.

The radar is equipped with a 360-degree rotating radar antenna with an S-band active phased array antenna with electronic scanning based on gallium nitride (GaN) transmission modules.

The exact characteristics of the detection of aerial targets by this radar are currently unknown. However, according to the project participants, it should significantly expand the range and height of the NASAMS action, replacing the current AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel radar. The latter is able to detect targets at a distance of up to 40 km and at an altitude of up to 12 km (with an effective detection altitude of 3 km).

However, even with such improvements, the missile capabilities of the system will be limited due to the weak power of the warhead of missiles, which will not be able to cause critical damage to missiles of the Iskander type.

It is also worth noting that since November 2023, Kongsberg has been cooperating with the American RTX to improve the NASAMS anti-aircraft missile system.

While few details have been revealed, Kongsberg notes that the upgrade focuses on NASAMS ‘operational flexibility. In particular, the new version of the anti-aircraft system will be mobile.

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Russia’s Historic Submarine Rescue Ship Looks Undamaged After Claimed Strike
Ukraine’s armed forces claimed to have hit the historic submarine rescue and salvage vessel Kommuna in Sevastopol yesterday.

The Russian Navy's unique submarine rescue and salvage vessel Kommuna, which is more than 100 years old, shows no clearly visible signs of being damaged by a Ukrainian strike yesterday based on satellite imagery. Despite being one of the oldest naval vessels in active service anywhere in the world, Kommuna continues to offer a range of valuable underwater search and recovery capabilities that could make it an attractive target.

The War Zone obtained satellite imagery taken earlier today from Planet Labs showing Kommuna in port in Sevastopol on the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula. Another satellite image captured on April 20 also shows the very distinctive catamaran-hulled ship in the same location and in the same apparent condition.

SPOILER

quote:

<sup>A satellite image showing the very distinctive Kommuna with its catamaran hull in port in Sevastopol on April 22 with no clearly visible indications of any damage.


A satellite image of Kommuna in Sevastopol on April 20.</sup>

The Ukrainian armed forces claimed to have hit Kommuna while it was sitting in port in Sevastopol on the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula over the weekend, but also said the "nature of the damage is being verified." It is still possible that the Russian ship suffered some degree of damage, such as from shrapnel, which is not visible in the image from Planet Labs. Whatever the case, the vessel definitely remains afloat and intact.

A video had emerged yesterday appearing to show a ship in this part of Sevastopol on fire following a Ukrainian strike. Observers have already noted that this could have been any of several other ships ablaze based on the vantage point from which the footage looks to have been shot. The satellite imagery from Plant Labs does not appear to show any other ships to either side of Kommuna with clear scorching or other indications of fire damage, either.

Whether or not Kommuna suffered any damage from a Ukrainian strike this weekend, it would not be surprising for the ship to have been targeted. The vessel was originally built for rescuing stricken submarines and entered service with what was then the Imperial Russian Navy in 1915 with the name Volkhov. The ship was used at least twice in its intended role in 1917, being used to raise a sunken American-made Holland class submarine and a domestically-produced Bars class boat in separate operations that year.

^{Volkhov being launched in St. Petersburg in 1913. Public Domain}
In 1922, in the latter stages of the Russian Revolution, Volkhov was renamed Kommuna, or commune in English, by the fledgling Soviet government. During World War II, the ship was used to recover a variety of sunken ships, as well as aircraft and armored vehicles from various bodies of water, and also acted as a submarine tender.

During the Cold War, Kommuna was upgraded and modified on multiple occasions to deploy and recover various submersibles and remotely operated underwater vehicles. You can read more about the ship and its history here.

Today, Kommuna remains in service after more than a century ostensibly in the submarine rescue and salvage roles. It was reportedly involved in recovery operations after Ukrainian forces sunk the Moskva in the Black Sea in 2022. The ship's configuration and ability to employ submersibles/ROVs also give it inherent capabilities to examine, recover, and/or manipulate objects on the seabed for intelligence-gathering and other purposes.

World's oldest active naval vessel in ACTIVE SERVICE - Kommuna (not USS Constitution)

s such, damaging or destroying Kommuna would deprive the Russian Navy of a unique underwater capability in the Black Sea. There would also be a benefit propaganda-wise to sinking or at least severely damaging such a historic ship that survived two world wars.

For the moment, at least from what we can see in the satellite imagery, Kommuna looks to have escaped any serious damage this weekend.

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Russia quietly exits Karabakh, ceding its clout 'for good'
Baku (AFP) – When Russian troops deployed to Nagorno-Karabakh four years ago, their task was clear: keep the peace between bitter foes Armenia and Azerbaijan and prevent another war in the volatile region.

But as Azerbaijani forces swept through mountainous Karabakh last September and crushed Armenian separatist forces in a matter of hours, the Russian mission looked lost.

The Kremlin this week quietly confirmed that the peacekeepers were withdrawing, taking with them their weapons and hardware, as well as Russian clout from a region it long considered its own backyard.

SPOILER

quote:

"We are witnessing a historic process -- Russians are leaving for the first time in two centuries," independent Azerbaijani analyst Elhan Shahinoglu told AFP.

Moscow ruled over the Caucasus region first during the Russian empire and then in the Soviet era. When war broke out between Armenia and Azerbaijan after the USSR's collapse, Moscow sought to mediate.

The Kremlin deployed almost 2,000 troops in 2020 as part of a ceasefire deal that halted six weeks of brutal fighting between the arch-foes over the Karabakh region.

The accord held until the lightning Azerbaijani offensive last September that ignited an exodus of more than 100,000 Armenians from Karabakh and deepened their frustration with Moscow.

Russia 'betrayed us'
"Along with the Russians leaving Karabakh, the last hope that the population will return home is gone," said Iveta Margaryan, a 53-year-old trained accountant on the streets of Armenia's capital.

"The Russians have betrayed us," she added.

Observers of the Caucasus say Russia is too caught up with its invasion of Ukraine to retain its sway in the region.

Azerbaijan has recently deepened ties with Turkey -- a close military and political partner with shared cultural ties. And with the pullout from Karabakh, Moscow has further alienated Armenia.

Yerevan has criticised Moscow's perceived shortfalls, with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan busy forging closer ties with the West.

In February, he froze Yerevan's participation in the Moscow-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation, a defence grouping of several ex-Soviet states.

Yerevan also joined the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Moscow's wishes -- a move that obligates it to arrest Vladimir Putin should he visit Armenia.

The European Union and United States are now leading efforts to broker a peace agreement between the Caucasus foes, with Moscow stuck playing second fiddle.

'Shattered' myth
Moscow's unease over Armenia's rapprochement with the West has also become public. The foreign ministry this week demanded that Yerevan "disavow" reports it was deepening military ties with Western countries.

France -- home to a large Armenian diaspora -- has also planted a flag in the region, intensifying its diplomatic backing for Yerevan and providing cutting-edge defensive radars and missiles.

"Russia is out, the West is in," said Azerbaijani political scientist Eldar Namazov.

The Russian peacekeepers were meant to "project influence," said Gela Vasadze, senior fellow at the Georgian Strategic Analysis Centre.

But their withdrawal has clearly illustrated the limits of Russia's power, he told AFP.

"The myth that Russian boots never leave territories they had once stepped in is shattered."

Shahinoglu said Putin had withdrawn from Karabakh to keep up friendly relations with Azerbaijan and Turkey at a time when the Kremlin is isolated over the Ukraine war.

But in doing so, Russia has lost its ability to "exploit" Armenian separatism in the Caucasus and leverage it for regional influence, he said.

"Russia has lost its historical footholds in the Caucasus for good."

That sentiment was echoed in Azerbaijan, where the announcement of the Russian drawdown was met with joy and relief.

"People say Russian troops don't ever voluntarily leave," said Ramil Iskenderov, a 37-year-old courier.

"Azerbaijan proved that with the right policy it's possible to achieve the impossible," he told AFP.

In Armenia, where Russia still maintains a military base, the peacekeepers' withdrawal was a final straw for some that meant Yerevan should sever military ties with Moscow.

"Russia has once again betrayed the Armenian people and sold us out. That's it," said Valery Harutyunyan, who lived in Karabakh before fleeing to Armenia in September.

"We can't rely on the Russians again. It's impossible. We should kick Russians out -- not only from Karabakh -- but also from Armenia," he told AFP.

quote:

Estonian defense spending could hit 5% of GDP soon, says commander
Martin Herem, an Estonian general and the current Commander of the Estonian Defence Forces, has been quoted as saying by the Estonian Public Broadcasting service, ERR News, that the amount of money Tallinn spends on defense could rise to 5% of the country’s GDP over the next few years.

The extra spending would allow Estonia to invest �1.5 billion to upgrade its arms and ammunition to deter the Kremlin from attacking, and also allow for the country to destroy Russian infrastructure should Russia decide to attack.

“In the next few years, the defense budget should be significantly higher than it is now, and then it can be a bit lower again because we know how much goes to procurement and how much goes to maintenance. It should not be 5% for the next 10 years, maybe 5% for the next two years and then a little lower,” he was quoted as saying, adding that “this is not just a question of asking for extra money, but a specifically operationalized need.”

Herem, who will leave the military service in June, said that “percentages can be too general and the EDF could instead specify the exact amount of funding needed in the coming years,” ERR News states.

“When Russia comes out of Ukraine, it will take a few years to prepare. I think we may not have more than three years. We have done the calculations, but we are �1.5 billion munitions short,” said Herem, according to ERR News.

“It is already known how many Russian forces could be sent to Estonia and how to stop them quickly,” the military commander told the news service.

“It is not Estonia alone, it is us together with our allies, but we have to spend our share in advance. For ammunition, it would be �1.5 billion. It means fighting a war where most of the targets are destroyed not in contact with us, but further away. And this is where the Ukrainians are struggling today. They can only destroy those enemies with whom they are nose to nose.”

quote:

Putin’s Propagandists Rage Against the Republican ‘Betrayal’
Kremlin mouthpieces are having a hard time explaining why a supposedly sympathetic US Congress has just passed a huge military aid package for Ukraine.

It seems like only yesterday Russia’s propagandists were rejoicing over the successful interruption of the US aid to Ukraine, reportedly at the behest of former US President Donald Trump.

The delay has undoubtedly cost countless lives and imperiled Ukraine’s critical infrastructure, left wide open due to diminished air defenses. Russian state TV had delighted in the destruction of the Trypilska Thermal Power Plant, the largest supplier of electricity to Kyiv, Cherkasy, and Zhytomyr regions, remarking that it will take years to rebuild it.

Celebrating the decline in Ukraine’s capabilities without American help, prominent propagandists started to refer to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson as “our Johnson,” in a similar vein to claiming Trump as their own, calling him “our Trump” or affectionately referring to him as Trumpushka.

When Speaker Johnson finally advanced the long-stalled aid package and the House approved $61bn of desperately needed foreign aid for Ukraine — including a measure to allow the sale of frozen Russian sovereign assets to help Ukraine’s war effort — the disappointment in Moscow was palpable.

SPOILER

quote:

During Sunday’s broadcast of Sunday Evening with Vladimir Solovyov, Russia’s No. 1 propagandist Vladimir Solovyov took comfort by repeating his go-to nuclear schtick, describing himself as “a member of a small group of nuclear maniacs, the proponents of nuclear Armageddon.” He vowed that Russia would keep fighting and that the war or wars would continue for a long time. He surmised, “I believe that a war with NATO is unavoidable.”

Solovyov noted: “We are dealing with a cunning, systematic, and extremely brutal enemy. It’s not about negotiations. It’s either us or them.” He added: “What is interesting is how Biden totally broke Trump and his supporters. He utterly destroyed them! This is Biden’s unequivocal, brutal victory because, in return, he did not give anything to Republicans.”

Solovyov yelled, “Biden achieved everything! He apparently used backstage methods to lure to his side the man whom the Republicans chose to represent the House [Speaker Johnson.] He betrayed them! He totally betrayed them! Not us, we have no friends there . . . This is all you need to know about American politics. They’re traitors!”

Solovyov immediately contradicted himself by lauding one congressional representative who has stuck with the anti-Ukraine campaign. He approvingly played a clip of the extreme right-wing Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene and one of her tirades against US aid for the embattled country. She was followed by the head of RT, Margarita Simonyan, a frequent guest on Solovyov’s programs who always gets the first word after the host.

Simonyan praised Greene, describing her as “a real beauty,” for her blonde hair, white coats, and fur collars. Later in the show, the RT head clarified that it doesn’t take much in America to be considered beautiful or to win a beauty contest. In case viewers wondered about her expertise on the issue, Simonyan revealed that she had once worked as a waitress in Maine.

Having implied that Americans are predominantly ugly, Simonyan added that they are extraordinarily stupid. With a chutzpah that only be displayed by an utterly shameless propagandist, she blamed what she called the “dumbification” of the people by the US media.

In this way, she explained, “normal people” like Greene were vilified and instead of being lauded, they are labeled as “conspiracy theorists.” (Among other things, Taylor Greene famously suggested in 2018 that California wildfires were started by covert space lasers operated by mysterious group of powerful people and has argued Ukraine is killing priests.) It should be noted that Russia’s state media mocked Greene until her usefulness to the Russian cause became apparent.

But other than some words of support for the Georgia congresswoman, most of the response was pure rage and insult directed at the United States. Boris Yakemenko, who hosts a show called Morning Z on the Solovyov Live, channel described Americans with their “melting pot” as a bunch of disrespectful mutts with no history or national pride. He claimed that America is a brazen gopnik — an expression reserved for members of a delinquent subculture in Russia.

Beneath the seething anger is an unspoken truth — that the enormous US aid package seriously complicates Russia’s realistic path to victory and ensures yet more tens of thousands of young Russians will suffer death and dismemberment. The evidence of enormous casualties is available for all to see in the swelling graveyards of the homeland.

Despite the boasting and bluster, Russians are suffering under the weight of Putin’s war of aggression and the cracks are starting to show. Appearing on The Evening With Vladimir Solovyov last week, Karen Shakhnazarov urged fellow propagandists to start telling the truth about Russia’s internal struggles and its many problems. Instead, others on the panel simply warned the viewers that hard times were coming and there was no resolution in sight, but Russia would certainly win in the end.

One of the visual demonstrations of this dichotomy was provided by host Yulia Vityazeva, who mocked Ukrainians for receiving American “handouts,” and in the same breath asked fellow citizens to keep sending donations to supply Russian troops with a long list of urgently needed items, which the government still fails to provide.

quote:

The German company Knauf announced its complete withdrawal from Russia
The building materials manufacturer Knauf is ceasing to operate in the Russian Federation after more than 30 years. The company did not name the reasons for leaving the Russian market, indicating only that this was happening against the backdrop of “current events.”

The German manufacturer of building materials Knauf is completely curtailing work on the Russian market. On Monday, April 22, the world-famous family concern confirmed that “the Knauf group, against the background of current events, has decided, after more than 30 years in Russia, to part with its business” in this country.

The company said in a statement that it had decided to transfer the entire business, including raw material extraction, production and sales, to local management in order to preserve the jobs of more than 4,000 employees. Russian authorities have yet to approve it.

Knauf did not name specific reasons for curtailing its business in Russia. Recently, the concern, whose turnover in 2022 amounted to 15.4 billion euros, again came under fire due to its work in the Russian Federation, as well as in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian Mariupol . Since the Russian armed invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, all other German companies have already left Russia.

SPOILER

https://edition.cnn.com/2(...)den-trump/index.html

quote:

Biden builds early advertising edge as Trump spends millions on legal fees

Joe Biden holds a big edge on the airwaves over Donald Trump in the opening weeks of their general election matchup. The president and his allies nearly tripled his rival’s network in ad spending over the past month and a half while Trump has had to devote millions of campaign funds to legal expenses.

From March 6 – the day after Super Tuesday when Trump effectively secured the 2024 GOP presidential nomination – through Sunday, Biden’s campaign and other Democratic advertisers spent $27.2 million on advertising for the presidential race, while the Trump campaign and GOP advertisers spent about $9.3 million, according to AdImpact data.

The Biden campaign’s ad spending has included millions in key battleground states such as Michigan ($4.1 million), Pennsylvania ($3.9 million), Arizona ($2.5 million), Wisconsin ($2.2 million) and Georgia ($2.2 million). The Biden network has used its plentiful airtime to promote the administration’s first-term record and to slam Trump, focusing on key issues such as the cost of living and abortion rights.

For example, Biden’s campaign has spent over half a million dollars in just the past 10 days airing a new ad in Arizona, seizing on the high-profile fight over abortion rights there. “Because of Donald Trump, millions of women lost the fundamental freedom to control their own bodies. And now women’s lives are in danger because of that. The question is, if Donald Trump gets back in power, what freedom will you lose next?,” the ad says.

Meanwhile, a pro-Trump super PAC, MAGA Inc., recently ramped up its advertising, booking over $1 million worth of airtime in Pennsylvania to coincide with Biden’s recent campaign swing through the state last week.

“Biden’s open border puts us all at risk by releasing criminal illegals into our communities,” the MAGA Inc. spot says. Immigration and crime have been a key point of emphasis in Trump campaign messaging throughout his 2024 bid.

Trump has also benefited since Super Tuesday from a nearly $3 million anti-Biden campaign from outside groups aligned with the oil and gas industries, which have been running ads in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, criticizing California fuel standards defended by the Biden administration.

But despite these signs of activity, Trump’s network has been significantly outspent on the airwaves by Biden since becoming the presumptive nominee.

Trump has also been forced off the campaign trail with the beginning of his criminal hush money trial in New York.

Biden spent three days in Pennsylvania last week, meeting union voters, rallying with the Kennedys and slamming his predecessor’s economic policies. At the same time, Trump was in court in New York, and the lone campaign event he had set for last week, a Saturday rally in North Carolina, was postponed due to bad weather.

The latest round of Federal Election Commission filings further show how Biden’s fundraising edge is enabling his advertising advantage.

Entering April, Biden’s campaign reported $85.5 million in cash on hand, nearly doubling Trump’s war chest of $45.1 million. A similar disparity exists between the Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee, both poised to play key supporting roles in the election – the DNC reported $45.2 million on hand at March 31, while the RNC reported about $21.6 million.

Trump’s mounting legal expenses are exacerbating the gap. The former president’s constellation of political committees has had to direct millions of dollars toward legal costs as several cases against the former president proceed; in March alone, a leadership PAC fronting most of Trump’s legal fees spent about $3.7 million on legal-related expenses – nearly $3 out of every $4 it collected.

That leadership PAC, Save America, has spent more than $70 million on legal expenses since the start of 2021, FEC records show, a massive drain on funds that could otherwise be spent on efforts such as large ad campaigns.

Still, polls continue to show a margin-of-error race between Biden and Trump. CNN’s latest Poll of Polls average finds no clear leader, with each taking an average of 47% support among the potential electorate. That finding is effectively unchanged from averages from earlier this year.

Biden heeft bijna 3x zoveel geld uitgegeven aan verkiezingsadvertenties, en de kas van Biden is dubbel zo groot als die van Trump op het ogenblik. Ook de DNC heeft meer dan dubbel zoveel geld in kas als de RNC. Wanneer het op geld aankomt staat Biden er dus heel erg goed voor. En 3 van de 4 binnengebrachte dollars van de PAC Save America wordt besteed aan Trump zijn legale kosten. Wel apart eigenlijk dat Trump dit geld �berhaupt mag gebruiken voor deze kosten.

SPOILER

https://edition.cnn.com/2(...)id-pecker/index.html

quote:

Takeaways from the Trump hush money trial: Opening statements and the first witness
The first criminal trial of Donald Trump is officially underway.

Prosecutors and Trump’s attorneys delivered opening statements and the first witness – a former National Enquirer publisher – was called Monday in the historic and unprecedented criminal trial of a former president.

Each side got their first chance to lay out a theory of the case for jurors. Prosecutors told jurors that the reimbursement of hush money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels was part of a larger conspiracy to influence the 2016 presidential election by hiding damaging information about Trump.

The former president’s attorneys responded by telling the jury that Trump was innocent and not involved in the creation of the 34 business records he’s charged with falsifying. They also pointedly added that there’s “nothing wrong with trying to influence an election.”

Trump continued to rail against the case as he entered and left the courtroom. On Tuesday, before the trial resumes, Judge Juan Merchan is holding a hearing on the district attorney’s motion to sanction Trump for violating the judge’s gag order barring discussion of witnesses.

Here are the key takeaways from Monday:

Prosecutors: Trump schemed ‘to corrupt the 2016 presidential election’
The district attorney’s office framed the case for jurors as illegal payments to try to influence illicitly influence the 2016 election that Trump then tried to illegally cover up by falsifying business records.

“The defendant Donald Trump orchestrated a criminal scheme to corrupt the 2016 presidential election,” said prosecutor Matthew Colangelo told jurors. “Then he covered up that criminal conspiracy by lying in his New York business records over and over and over again.”

Colangelo walked the jury through Trump’s efforts, along with Cohen and former American Media Inc., chief David Pecker, to keep damaging information from coming to light during the 2016 election.

During his opening statement, Colangelo also addressed questions about Cohen’s veracity as a witness, both because it’s a key part of the prosecution’s case and also to get ahead of criticism from Trump’s lawyers. But he told the jurors to remember that whatever issues they might have with Cohen’s credibility, to remember that what he’s saying is backed up by other witnesses and documents in the case.

“Tune out the noise,” Colangelo said.

Defense: Donald Trump is innocent
Defense attorney Todd Blanche began his opening statement with a simple assertion: “Donald Trump is innocent.”

Blanche told the jury that the story isn’t as simple as prosecutors laid out and argued that Trump was not involved with any of the business records he’s accused of falsifying beyond signing the checks.

“President Trump had nothing to do, had nothing to do with the invoice, with the check being generated, or with the entry on the ledger,” he said.

Blanche didn’t dispute the paper trail existed, but he argued to the jury there was nothing illegal about signing non-disclosure agreements – or with trying to influence an election.

“I have a spoiler alert: There’s nothing wrong with trying to influence an election. It’s called democracy,” he added.

Blanche also began his efforts to discredit Cohen’s testimony, which will be a significant factor in the ultimate outcome of the case. Blanche said that Cohen has an “obsession with getting President Trump” and noted that even last night he was still posting on social media about Trump.

“His entire financial livelihood depends on President Trump’s destruction,” Blanche said. “You cannot make a serious decision about President Trump relying on the words of Michael Cohen.”

At the end of his statement, Blanche asked the jurors to use “common sense” and said he was confident they would find a not guilty verdict.

“You told all of us, you told the court, you told me, you will put aside whatever views you have of President Trump,” Blanche said as he ended his opening statement.

Tabloid publisher in alleged ‘catch and kill’ scheme testifies first
Prosecutors called former AMI CEO David Pecker as the first witness in their case against Trump. He testified for less than 30 minutes Monday morning before the trial adjourned for the day. He’s expected to continue testifying Tuesday.

Calling Pecker a co-conspirator during his opening statement, Colangelo teed up the former tabloid publisher as a key player in Trump’s “catch and kill” scheme to control the public narrative about him ahead of the 2016 election.

Prosecutors allege that an August 2015 meeting at Trump Tower with Pecker and Cohen sparked the conspiracy that ultimately led to the criminal charges against Trump. They claim Pecker agreed to act as the “eyes and ears of the campaign” gathering information from tabloid sources.

The scheme, the prosecutor said, was three-pronged: AMI would publish flattering stories about Trump, publish hit stories on Trump’s political opponents and kill negative stories that could harm Trump’s campaign. The “catch and kill” practice was at the “core” of the conspiracy, Colangelo told the jury.

Pecker is expected to later testify about the scheme and his role in orchestrating two nondisclosure agreements for negative stories about Trump. Pecker’s AMI paid Karen McDougal – who was alleging an affair with Trump in the months before the 2016 election – $150,000 for the rights to her story. (Trump has denied the affairs.)

As Pecker stepped down from the jury box, he smiled and said “hi” to Trump’s table.

Trump was thinking about the $175 million bond hearing down the street
As opening statements got underway in criminal court, other lawyers for Trump were in a courtroom a block away arguing over the legitimacy of the $175 million bond Trump posted to appeal the judgment in his civil fraud trial, where the former president was found liable for fraudulently inflating his asset values to obtain better loan terms.

Trump, who could not attend the civil hearing because he’s required to attend each day of the criminal trial, railed against Attorney General Letitia James on his way in and out of the courtroom Monday.

At the hearing, Trump’s attorneys came to an agreement with the New York attorney general’s office on the terms of that $175 million bond. James’ team had previously challenged the bond, questioning the financial wherewithal of the underwriter, Knight Specialty Insurance Company.

Trump’s attorneys representing him in the civil matter later stopped by the criminal trial and spoke to cameras in the hallway outside the courtroom where Trump sat at the defense table.

“He should not have two teams of lawyers here today,” Alina Habba said. “He should not even be here today, because he did nothing wrong. It is an epitome of a witch hunt.”

Gag order hearing will lead off court on Tuesday
Before the trial resumes Tuesday, Merchan is holding a hearing on allegations that Trump violated the judge’s gag order barring discussion of witnesses.

The district attorney’s office asked the judge to fine Trump $1,000 for each of several gag order violations leading up to and since the trial started. In addition to the fines, prosecutors want the judge to remind Trump he could be imprisoned if he continues to disobey the judge’s order.

“We think that it is important for the court to remind Mr. Trump that he is a criminal defendant,” prosecutor Chris Conroy said last week. “And like all criminal defendants he’s subject to court supervision.”

Trump’s lawyers have argued that his social media posts do not actually violate the gag order. Trump attorney Emil Bove argued last week that Cohen had been attacking Trump in “connection to the campaign” and Trump’s responses were related to the campaign.

Trump spoke about Cohen while addressing the cameras after court ended Monday. “The things he got in trouble for were things that had nothing to do with me. He got in trouble. He went to jail. This has nothing to do with me,” Trump said.

The jury has been instructed to arrive at 11 a.m. ET to begin the second day of the trial. Merchan said if arguments over the gag order were not finished by then, they would finish another time.

Court is only in session until 2 p.m. ET on Tuesday because of the Passover holiday.

Vandaag begon met de openingsverklaringen van beide partijen. De aanklagers verklaarden dat Trump schuldig is en de verkiezingen op een illegale manier heeft proberen te be�nvloeden (nieuws te verbergen dat de verkiezingen negatief zouden kunnen be�nvloedden), en dat het falsificeren van bedrijfsdocumenten gebeurden met dit als doel. Deze bedrijfsdocumenten moesten verbergen dat Trump zwijggeld had betaald om zijn affaire te verhullen.

Trump zijn verdediging geeft aan dat hij onschuldig is. Dat hij slechts de handtekeningen heeft gezet, maar dat hij verder niks te maken had met het falsificeren van de documenten. En dat het be�nvloedden van de verkiezingen normaal is. Dat dat bij een democratie hoort.

Ook spraken zij over een belangrijke getuigen Cohen. Die de jury niet moest geloven. Dat hij zijn eigen belangen hierin heeft. Natuurlijk zei de aanklager juist dat de verleden van deze getuige niet betekend dat zijn getuigenis niet waar is. En dat dit ook met ander bewijs en andere getuigen ondersteund zal worden.

De eerste getuige is ook aan het woord geweest. David Pecker was een publicist die voor Trump werkte en de opdracht had om hem goed in het nieuws te brengen, nieuws dat hem kon beschadigen te verhullen en slecht nieuws over Trump zijn opponenten te publiceren. Morgen zal hij verder getuigen.

Ook zal morgen beginnen met het behandelen van de motie over het overtreden van de gag order. De aanklager eist 1000 dollar boete per overtreding (meer dan 10 nu volgens mij). En wil ook dat de rechter Trump waarschuwt dat her mogelijk gevangenis straf kan volgen.

SPOILER

https://edition.cnn.com/2(...)t-matters/index.html

quote:

Will Trump testify? What he says and why it’s a risky bet
Prosecutors and defense lawyers for former President Donald Trump opened the New York criminal trial on Monday by laying out their opposing sides of the case.

It’s clear that a main point of contention will be what occurred at a pivotal August 2015 meeting between Trump, his former fixer Michael Cohen and the former publisher of the National Enquirer David Pecker at which they are said to have agreed to find and suppress negative stories that could affect Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.

Cohen and Pecker would go on to facilitate hush money payments that benefitted Trump. The crime Trump is accused of committing is falsifying documents to hide those payments after he became president. Cohen went to prison after pleading guilty to violating campaign finance law. Pecker has cooperated with authorities.

Cohen and Pecker, both now split from Trump, will be key witnesses for the prosecution, and they are expected to detail what they say occurred at this meeting where they conspired to find and kill stories unflattering to Trump.

An open question will be whether the third person in that meeting, Trump, will take the stand in his own defense to give his side of the story.

While he is under no obligation to testify, Trump has promised he will. Asked by a reporter at Mar-a-Lago earlier this month before the start of jury selection if it would be risky for him to take the stand, here’s what he said:

“I don’t know, I’m testifying. I tell the truth. I mean, all I can do is tell the truth. And the truth is that there’s no case, they have no case,” Trump said.

Last week, Trump told reporters outside the courtroom that he wants to testify.

But taking the stand could lead to Trump, under oath, being asked some very uncomfortable questions.

What prosecutors can and cannot ask Trump if he testifies
Judge Juan Merchan, in a ruling about the scope of what Trump could be asked, took an expansive attitude, as CNN’s reporters in the courtroom, Kara Scannell, Lauren del Valle and Jeremy Herb, note.

They add in their real-time courtroom posts that prosecutors can cross-examine Trump on multiple legal setbacks in recent years:

► $464 million civil fraud verdict – Trump was found to fraudulently inflate the value of his properties.

► Gag order violations – These were committed during the civil fraud trial for which Trump was fined $15,000.

► Defamation and sexual abuse liability – Juries in federal courts found that Trump defamed former magazine columnist E. Jean Carroll when he denied her rape allegations. Trump was ordered to pay $83.3 million.

► His failed foundation – Trump reached a settlement with the New York attorney general that led to the dissolution of his namesake foundation.

Merchan ruled prosecutors could not ask Trump, if he testifies, about his lawsuit against Hillary Clinton that a judge said was frivolous or the 2022 Trump Organization tax fraud conviction against his company.

In a CNN Opinion piece, Joey Jackson, a CNN legal analyst and criminal defense attorney, described what kind of defense he expects from Trump’s team during the trial. Jackson argued that no matter what Trump says, whether he testifies “will likely be a game time decision.”

When CNN’s Jake Tapper asked Will Scharf, one of Trump’s attorneys, if he believes Trump should testify, Scharf also said that decision should be based on “how the trial proceeds.”

“I have said that I think President Trump will be a compelling witness if he does testify, because at the end of the day, he did nothing wrong,” Scharf said.

When juries and a judge have seen Trump testify, he lost
The first Carroll trial jury in 2023 was played a videotape of Trump’s deposition by lawyers. At one point in that testimony, Trump mistook a photo of Carroll for his ex-wife Marla Maples. Read more about key moments from the video.

Trump briefly took the stand in separate defamation proceedings in January 2024.

At his civil fraud trial in 2023, there was no jury, but Trump did take the stand during the proceedings. He brought a bombastic and combative style that drew rebukes from the judge in the case, Arthur Engoron, who later ordered Trump to pay a $355 million penalty.

Trump has already talked about the case
Even if he doesn’t testify under oath in the New York criminal trial, Trump has already said quite a bit about the case – comments that could presumably be brought into evidence. During comments outside the courtroom last week, he tried to explain the payments reimbursing Cohen for the payment to the adult film actress Stormy Daniels.

“I was paying a lawyer and we marked it down as a legal expense,” Trump said. “Some accountant I didn’t know marked it down as a legal expense. That’s exactly what it was, and you get indicted over that?”

In a series of tweets in May 2018, before Cohen’s ultimate guilty plea, Trump admitted to paying Cohen and said that money was a “reimbursement.”

Here are those Trump tweets all together:

Mr. Cohen, an attorney, received a monthly retainer, not from the campaign and having nothing to do with the campaign, from which he entered into, through reimbursement, a private contract between two parties, known as a non-disclosure agreement, or NDA. These agreements are…..

…very common among celebrities and people of wealth. In this case it is in full force and effect and will be used in Arbitration for damages against Ms. Clifford (Daniels). The agreement was used to stop the false and extortionist accusations made by her about an affair,……

…despite already having signed a detailed letter admitting that there was no affair. Prior to its violation by Ms. Clifford and her attorney, this was a private agreement. Money from the campaign, or campaign contributions, played no roll in this transaction.

Prosecutors also told jurors they will hear recordings Cohen made of conversations in which he and Trump discuss the payments.

Not a hush money case, but an election interference case
One other key thing to note out of the prosecution’s opening statement is that they want to portray this case as an election interference case rather than a hush money case.

“They’re reframing this,” CNN’s Paula Reid said of prosecutors. “Not just as a paperwork crime and an effort to cover up this hush money payment by falsifying business records, but as an effort to interfere in the 2016 election.”

Trump heeft zelf al aangegeven/beloofd dat hij gaat getuigen. Maar historisch gezien is dat alleen maar slecht afgelopen. Wat ik ook verwacht als hij het in deze zaak gaat doen. De rechter heeft afgelopen vrijdag al besloten waarover Trump ondervraagt mag worden als hij gaat getuigen.

Eigenlijk zou het geen zwijggeld rechtszaak genoemd mogen worden daar dat slechts bijzaak is. Het draait om het falsificeren van zakelijke documenten met het doel om de verkiezingen op een illegale manier te be�nvloedden. Het betalen zwijggeld zelf is in de meeste omstandigheden gewoon legaal.

SPOILER

https://www.forbes.com/si(...)ork-ag-strikes-deal/

quote:

Trump’s $175 Million Fraud Bond Survives After New York AG Strikes Deal
The $175 million bond former President Donald Trump put up in his civil fraud case will not be invalidated, as his attorneys and the New York attorney general’s office reached an agreement Monday after the state raised concerns about the bond and the California-based insurance company Trump used to secure it.

KEY FACTS

• Trump posted bond for $175 million in the fraud case earlier in April, after an appeals court said he didn’t have to immediately put up the full $464.2 million he and his co-defendants had been ordered to pay for fraud.
• The attorney general’s office, which brought the fraud lawsuit, raised objections to the bond in court, claiming the company Trump used to secure it—Knight Specialty Insurance Company—didn’t prove it could actually cover the full bond if Trump didn’t pay.
• Records also showed that Trump’s lawyers gave Knight access to an account with $175 million in cash in it, but did not give them full control of it—which, the state argued, meant Trump could simply withdraw some of the money if he wanted to or replace it with investments that could make the account worth less than $175 million when it came time for Trump to pay.
• Judge Arthur Engoron held a hearing on the issue Monday, where the state and Trump’s team reached an agreement that requires Knight to have full control over the account and ensures it stays entirely in cash, according to the attorney general’s office.
• The agreement also requires Trump and Knight to report monthly account statements to the court and attorney general’s office.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR
Trump is appealing the fraud case, and it’s unclear how long that will take to play out. Though Trump only had to put up $175 million in cash now, he’ll have to pay the full judgment against him if he loses the case on appeal. Trump has been personally ordered to pay more than $454 million of the $464 million total judgment in the case; much smaller fines were also levied against his two sons and former CFO Allen Weisselberg. That $454 million is expected to be substantially larger by the time the appeals process is complete, however, as interest accrues on Trump’s payment at a rate of more than $111,000 per day.

TANGENT
Trump spoke out against New York Attorney General Letitia James and her challenge of his bond as he entered the courtroom for his separate criminal trial on Monday, telling reporters that she “shouldn’t be complaining” about the bond given that Trump put up cash. “Why would she be doing [opposing the bond]

when I’ve put up the money,” Trump asked, adding that he has “plenty of money to put up.”

FORBES VALUATION
Forbes values Trump’s net worth at $4.7 billion as of Monday afternoon, as the ex-president’s assets have shot up in the wake of his company Trump Media & Technology Group going public. Only approximately $413 million of his total net worth is made up of cash and liquid assets, however, meaning that while Trump could pay the entire $175 million in cash, he could not cover the full amount he was ordered to pay in the fraud case.

KEY BACKGROUND
Trump and his business associates—including sons Eric and Donald Trump Jr.—were found liable for misstating the value of assets on financial documents in February following a monthslong trial. James’ office brought the case against the ex-president and his company in 2022, alleging Trump and his co-defendants inflated the value of assets in order to obtain more favorable business deals and reflect a higher net worth for Trump. Engoron agreed, ruling there was “overwhelming evidence” to suggest Trump and his sons signed off on financial statements despite knowing valuations were false. How Trump would pay his massive nine-figure bond became a matter of widespread speculation in the wake of Engoron’s ruling, particularly after his lawyers said in court filings that they had been unable to secure a bond for the full amount and suggested Trump could have to hold a “fire sale” of his properties. The appeals court spared Trump at the last minute, lowering the amount he had to pay immediately to $175 million on the day that James could have started seizing Trump’s properties if he hadn’t paid. Trump posted the $175 million bond soon thereafter, with billionaire Don Hankey, who chairs Knight, telling Forbes his company had approached Trump about the bond, rather than the other way around.

De rechter is akkoord gegaan met de 175 miljoen dollar bond. Maar heeft de eisen wel aangescherpt. De controle over de account waar deze 175 miljoen dollar op staat moet overgedragen worden zodat er niet zomaar geld meer vanaf gehaald kan worden. Ook moet er maandelijks een overzicht van de rekening doorgegeven worden.

SPOILER

https://edition.cnn.com/v(...)ney-trial-digvid.cnn

quote:

CNN fact-checks Trump's remarks before court appearance
Former President Donald Trump addressed the media before entering a Manhattan courtroom, where opening statements in his hush money trial are set to begin. CNN's Kaitlan Collins fact checks Trump's statements.

Zo als te verwachten is dat hij Biden en zijn administratie weer de schuld geeft van alle legale problemen op het ogenblik, dat het een heksenjacht is. Ook klaagt hij er over dat vandaag bij de rechter gekeken werd of de 175miljoen dollar bond wel acceptabel was, daar het bedrijf die er gerant voor staat een aantal fouten heeft gemaakt bij het aanmelden hiervan. En dat het ook de vraag is of het bedrijf �berhaupt wel in de positie is om garant te kunnen staan, of zij er wel daadwerkelijk de middelen voor hebben. Trump geeft natuurlijk aan dat hij de hele 175 miljoen dollar cash heeft overgedragen aan dit bedrijf, dus dat het geen probleem zou moeten zijn. Maar waarom zou hij dit dan niet direct overhandigen aan de rechterlijke macht. Dat zou hem een heleboel geld besparen tenslotte.

BREAKING: Trump commits NEW violation during trial

Trump heeft vandaag weer de 'gag order' overtreden bij het praten met de pers na zijn rechtszaak. Hij heeft beschuldigen aan de getuige cohen geplaatst.

quote:

‘Our artillery is starving:’ Ukraine holds its breath as US set to approve $60bn of military aid
Soldiers on the front lines in Ukraine say the prospect of final approval in the US Congress of a $60 billion military aid package for Kyiv will serve as a giant morale boost as Russia looks to step up its advance.

The Ukraine aid bill, passed in the United States’ House of Representatives on Saturday, is now due to go to the Senate on Tuesday. If passed in Congress’s upper chamber then President Joe Biden has said he will sign it into law immediately, so that “we can quickly send weapons and equipment to Ukraine to meet their urgent battlefield needs.”

Ukraine’s wish list is no secret. At the top: artillery shells and air defense systems.

For months, Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines have spoken of being badly outgunned by Russian forces. President Volodymyr Zelensky recently said the ratio was 10 to one in Russia’s favor.

“To win, we need ammunition… our artillery is starving,” an artillery reconnaissance commander with the 110th mechanized brigade, callsign “Teren,” told CNN after the vote on Saturday.

SPOILER

quote:

Teren knows what he’s talking about, having spent two years defending the industrial town of Avdiivka before it fell to Russia in February. Since then, Moscow’s forces have enjoyed considerable success pushing further west.

To highlight just one of several locations in the Donetsk region: The Ukrainian monitoring group, DeepState, has tracked a series of Russian advances in the last week along a railway line into the center of a large village called Ocheretyne.

While Ocheretyne itself is of no strategic value, it sits on a ridge, making it a desirable military target. An officer with Ukraine’s Eastern Command - who asked not to be named because he is not authorised to speak on the record - told CNN that if Russian forces succeeded in gaining and holding the village, it could bring vital Ukrainian logistics routes, linking three key military hubs – Kostiantynivka, Pokrovsk and Velyka Novosilka - under Russian fire control.

Now, with new US military aid apparently just days away from receiving the green light, the question is how quickly vital munitions like 155mm Howitzer shells can get to the front line to stop Russia’s advance.

Pentagon spokesperson Patrick Ryder, speaking last week ahead of the House vote, said the US Department of Defense was “poised to respond quickly,” once any order was given.

“As you know, we have a very robust logistics network that enables us to move materiel very quickly. As we’ve done in the past, we can move within days,” he said.

That message was echoed by Mark Warner, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, who told CBS News on Sunday he hoped the materiel would be “in transit by the end of the week.”

While American officials will not say so openly, a US source familiar with the provision of military aid to Ukraine said much of it is already pre-positioned in storage facilities in Germany and Poland, which would obviously cut down on the amount of time needed to get it into Ukraine. The source also said artillery shells would be among the first materials moved forward.

Once across the border, officials in Kyiv will look to get it where it is needed as quickly as they can - but doing so will still present a considerable logistical challenge given the sheer quantity of materiel involved.

In other words, the cited ratio advantage of 10 to one that Russia currently enjoys will not be wiped out immediately.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) warns Ukraine will “likely continue to face ongoing shortages of artillery ammunition and air defense interceptors in the coming weeks and the corresponding constraints that these shortages are placing on Ukraine’s ability to conduct effective defensive operations.”

The ISW speculates that Russia might look to attack transportation networks like railways to complicate distribution – something it targeted on Friday in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region – and seek to up the tempo along the front lines in the limited window before US aid arrives.

One place that could be a focus of any stepped-up, immediate-term, Russian offensive could be the town of Chasiv Yar, an important forward military location for Ukraine since the Russian capture of Bakhmut - about 10 kilometres (6 miles) to the east – almost a year ago.

Multiple reports from Ukrainian soldiers describe heavy fighting in a string of villages between Chasiv Yar and Bakhmut as Russian forces try to advance. Ukraine’s army chief has said he believes the Kremlin has ordered the town’s capture by May 9, the day Russia celebrates its victory over Nazi Germany in 1945.

Chasiv Yar is also being pounded from the air by huge “guided” bombs dropped from Russian warplanes. Analyst Rob Lee has posted a series of videos on his X account in recent days showing Russian Su-25 planes flying unimpeded in the skies above the town, something he calls “a clear sign of a lack of Ukrainian air defense ammunition.”

Ukraine will be looking for the US to provide a range of surface-to-air missile systems to counter that threat, in addition to more interceptors for the Patriot air defense system, the primary means of defeating missile attacks on cities and key infrastructure, like power plants.

“We need front-line air defense as much as we need protection for our cities and villages,” Zelensky said.

Finally, in addition to its immediate weapons needs, Ukraine also looks likely to receive longer-range Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) in the initial tranche of weapons deliveries, after Warner, the Senate Intelligence Committee chairman, indicated he believed they would be part of a first shipment.

The US has already provided Ukraine with shorter-range versions of the ATACMS, but Ukrainian officials have made no secret of their desire to get their hands on the newer version. With a range of about 300 kilometers (186 miles), the missiles would give Kyiv the ability to increase attacks on Russian airfields, fuel depots and weapons storage sites, having a more long-term impact on Russia’s war effort.

And if Ukraine’s European allies believe they might now have a bit of breathing room before they are pressed again for more assistance, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba made it clear he sees the US move as providing momentum across the board.

“We can prevent the worst-case scenarios if we act together and without fear,” he told an online meeting of EU foreign and defense ministers on Monday, appealing to those countries with Patriot and the European-made SAMP/T air defense systems to donate them to Ukraine, along with artillery and ammunition.

“Now that you are all here at the table, it’s time to act, not to debate,” Kuleba said.

quote:

Op dinsdag 23 april 2024 04:01 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://news.liga.net/en/(...)il-ya-byl-shokirovan
[..]
Volgens mij zijn de veiligheidsgaranties/samenwerkingsverbanden van westerse landen en Israel al veel ouder dan die van Oekra�ne. Maar ik ben het wel met Zelenski eens. Eigenlijk zouden wij gewoon mee moeten helpen aan het beveiligen van hun luchtruim. Gewoon raketten en drones neerhalen wanneer ze de grens over komen. Daar vallen tenslotte geen Russische slachtoffers bij. (al ben ik persoonlijk voor directe militaire hulp aan Oekra�ne).

Putin zal daar ongetwijfeld niet blij mee zijn. En zijn vriendjes zullen spreken van escalatie. Maar Oekra�ne heeft het recht om zijn grondgebied te verdedigen. En zij hebben het recht om de hulp hiervoor van wie dan ook te accepteren/er om te vragen.

quote:

Op dinsdag 23 april 2024 04:19 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
Zouden Russische burgers die op Oekra�ens grondgebied zijn gaan wonen ook juridisch aangepakt kunnen worden behalve hun het land weer uittrappen?

quote:

Op dinsdag 23 april 2024 09:02 schreef skysherrif het volgende:
[ x ]

quote:

Op dinsdag 23 april 2024 09:44 schreef ExTec het volgende:
Wie had dat gedacht....

[ x ]

quote:

Op dinsdag 23 april 2024 09:44 schreef ExTec het volgende:
Wie had dat gedacht....

[ x ]

quote:

Op dinsdag 23 april 2024 09:30 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Da's een oorlogsmisdaad. Daar kun je nog veel meer andere dingen mee doen anders dan het land uittrappen.

quote:

Op dinsdag 23 april 2024 11:21 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:
[ x ]

quote:

Op dinsdag 23 april 2024 09:44 schreef ExTec het volgende:
Wie had dat gedacht....

[ x ]

quote:

Op dinsdag 23 april 2024 05:01 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://www.twz.com/news-(...)after-claimed-strike
[..]

SPOILER

[..]

Hij is niet gezonken zo te zien. Maar de zwarte plek in het water zou wel een indicatie kunnen zijn van een olie lek ofzo. Al zie ik nu dat dat waarschijnlijk schaduwen zijn van de wolken.

Wat ook opvalt is dat het 4de schip een hele andere schip is .

quote:

Op dinsdag 23 april 2024 04:19 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
[ x ]
Zouden Russische burgers die op Oekra�ens grondgebied zijn gaan wonen ook juridisch aangepakt kunnen worden behalve hun het land weer uittrappen? Zou er bijvoorbeeld een grond kunnen zijn om ze te arresteren en dan te veroordelen om mee te helpen om het land weer op te bouwen. Zeg maar in plaats van een gevangenis straf hun dwangarbeid uit te laten voeren?

quote:

Op dinsdag 23 april 2024 07:54 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

Update from Ukraine | Ruzzains advanced but may be cut by Ukraine | ATACMS are coming

quote:

Op dinsdag 23 april 2024 12:17 schreef Aether het volgende:
Russia warns Europe: if you take our assets, we have a response that will hurt
https://www.yahoo.com/new(...)ponse-061530314.html

quote:

Op dinsdag 23 april 2024 12:45 schreef Ulx het volgende:
[ x ]

quote:

Op dinsdag 23 april 2024 14:08 schreef Ulx het volgende:
Russen: Vukjoefinlandwezettenrakettenbijdegrens! Ha!

Finland: Ok, maakt ze makkelijker te raken.

[ x ]

quote:

Op dinsdag 23 april 2024 14:20 schreef Digi2 het volgende:

RUSSIA - China & India Stop Buying Russian Coal After Sanctions despite Huge Increase in DEMAND

quote:

Op dinsdag 23 april 2024 14:56 schreef oheng het volgende:

[..]
De Finnen kennen de psychologische trucjes van de russen al langer.
[..]
Ja, ik volg het economische nieuws vooral, en er is iedere dag zo ontzettend veel aan de hand in rusland. Ik weet niet waar ik moet beginnen.

quote:

Op dinsdag 23 april 2024 14:56 schreef oheng het volgende:

[..]
De Finnen kennen de psychologische trucjes van de russen al langer.
[..]
Ja, ik volg het economische nieuws vooral, en er is iedere dag zo ontzettend veel aan de hand in rusland. Ik weet niet waar ik moet beginnen.

Over de 155 Mech Brigade, die is gewapend met de Hummvee, M-113, BMP-2, MT-LB, 122mm D-30, Javelins, en (beperkt aantal?) drones. Facebook pagina.

quote:

Op dinsdag 23 april 2024 14:56 schreef oheng het volgende:

[..]
De Finnen kennen de psychologische trucjes van de russen al langer.

quote:

Op dinsdag 23 april 2024 15:11 schreef Digi2 het volgende:

[..]
Dat er zoveel russische steenkool werd verkocht wist ik niet, maar circa $100 miljard per jaar betekent dat het een grote bron van inkomsten was. Dit gaan ze dus echt wel merken in hun begroting. Voordeel voor het russische regime is nu wel dat de mijnwerkers vrijwel linea recta naar het front kunnen worden gestuurd, nu de steenkoolmijnbouw grotendeels stil komt te liggen.

quote:

Op dinsdag 23 april 2024 16:51 schreef Korenfok het volgende:

[..]
Maar is die daling over een half jaar niet seizoensgebonden, doordat er deze maanden minder gestookt wordt en dus andere grondstoffen ook ingezet worden?

Of kopen china en india nu kool van een andere partij en wie is deze partij?

quote:

Op dinsdag 23 april 2024 16:59 schreef xzaz het volgende:

[..]
Finnen zijn echt zo'n volk dat niet zo makkelijk boos te maken is maar als ze boos zijn zie je ze niet eens aankomen

quote:

On 21 December 1939, H�yh� achieved his highest daily count of 25 kills.

quote:

Op dinsdag 23 april 2024 12:22 schreef Idisrom het volgende:

[..]
Ik heb deze video niet gezien, maar wel op een andere video dat de Russen de laatste twee weken ten westen van Avdiivka op het moment het snelst oprukken.

quote:

Op dinsdag 23 april 2024 17:56 schreef Hyperdude het volgende:

[..]
[ afbeelding ]
[..]
Simo en Sako

quote:

Op dinsdag 23 april 2024 12:22 schreef Idisrom het volgende:

[..]
Ik heb deze video niet gezien, maar wel op een andere video dat de Russen de laatste twee weken ten westen van Avdiivka op het moment het snelst oprukken.

quote:

Op dinsdag 23 april 2024 20:21 schreef AgLarrr het volgende:
Mooi artikel in FA over waarom Europese landen troepen zouden moeten sturen naar UA. Niet om te vechten, maar om het spel van dreigen en rode lijnen over te nemen van Rusland, terwijl er door EU troepen inzet aan de UA grens met Moldavi� en Belarus de UA krijgsmacht ontlast kan worden, waardoor eenheden vrij worden gespeeld voor het front:

https://www.foreignaffairs.com/ukraine/europe-not-nato-should-send-troops-ukraine

Ik ben het er op hoofdlijnen wel mee eens geloof ik, en ik zie het op middellange termijn ook wel gebeuren eigenlijk. Sterker nog, misschien is het wel onvermijdelijk willen we UA dit niet laten verliezen. De Fransen hebben de eerste steen gelegd, en o.a. Polen is ook al aan boord.

quote:

Op dinsdag 23 april 2024 21:49 schreef zalkc het volgende:
[ x ]


Nu nog een krabbel van Biden en de vrachtwagens kunnen vertrekken

quote:

Op dinsdag 23 april 2024 20:49 schreef oheng het volgende:
Interssante beelden op reddit
De binnenkant van een Gepard (PRTL? ) terwijl het Shaheed drones neerschiet.

quote:

Op dinsdag 23 april 2024 21:08 schreef oheng het volgende:
Oja, ik weet niet of het hier al gepost is maar, Engeland zet de defensie industrie in "oorlogsmodus"

Defensie uitgaven gaan naar 2,5% in 2030.

quote:

Op dinsdag 23 april 2024 21:08 schreef oheng het volgende:
Oja, ik weet niet of het hier al gepost is maar, Engeland zet de defensie industrie in "oorlogsmodus"

Defensie uitgaven gaan naar 2,5% in 2030.

quote:

Op dinsdag 23 april 2024 22:04 schreef Cilantro het volgende:

[..]
[ afbeelding ]

quote:

Op dinsdag 23 april 2024 21:49 schreef zalkc het volgende:
[ x ]


Nu nog een krabbel van Biden en de vrachtwagens kunnen vertrekken

quote:

Op dinsdag 23 april 2024 23:23 schreef oheng het volgende:
Welp, het Youtube kanaal 1420 van Daniil Orian, die straat interviews deed, is hernoemd en inactief.

En bijvoorbeeld een Sanctioned Ivan is permanent vertrokken naar Thailand.

De rest van de russische youtubers zijn of gevlucht, of ze houden zich bezig met "veilige" onderwerpen.

quote:

Ukraine launches military charm offensive as conscription flags
(Reuters) – Far from the trenches, at orderly new centres across Ukraine, civilian recruiters armed with laptops and info packs offer patriotic volunteers opportunities to join the war.

As Ukraine’s efforts to conscript enough men to fight Russia are stymied by public scepticism, defence officials and military units are embarking on a multi-pronged charm offensive to recruit a citizens’ army to resist the invasion.

This softer call-up is being conducted on job-search sites and outreach centres, as well as billboards and social media, and offers a wartime novelty: an element of choice.

Candidates can select their precise unit and roles suiting their skills, for instance, as well as how long they will serve.

SPOILER

quote:

On city streets, billboards of Ukrainian soldiers implore citizens to join up and defend their homeland, offering QR codes for convenience. Online, the 93rd Mechanised Brigade assures countrymen that “Everyone can do it!” in a glossy video campaign showing civilians, such as a chef and tractor driver, switching to analogous army roles as battlefield cook and tank driver.

Natalia Kalmykova, a deputy defence minister, said military planners recognised that in a democratic country, giving people some choice could be key in attracting them to the military.

“The people who come to defend our country now are not those who chose the military as their career: it’s civilians,” she said during an interview in Kyiv. “And civilians are used to being able to choose.”

Kyiv is desperate to replenish its drained and depleted forces, which are vastly outnumbered and outgunned by Russia along a 1,000-km front as the war enters a third grinding year.

The initial patriotic flood of volunteers who flocked to the army following the invasion of February 2022 has dried up. The government has acknowledged its conscription drive has run into difficulties, with thousands of people evading the draft and some seeking to flee abroad rather than risk the trenches.

A mobilisation law that comes into force next month obliges men to update their draft data with authorities, although it was stripped of tough punishments for draft evaders after a public outcry.

Reuters is the first news outlet to detail the extent of the defence ministry’s outreach plan, designed to combat public distrust about enlistment and plug a gaping hole in the military by offering recruits a greater sense of control over their fate.

Thirteen of the new recruitment centres have been opened since mid-February and the government plans to expand the number to 30 by the middle of the year, said Oleksiy Bezhevets, a ministry adviser who is overseeing the drive.

At the first centre, in Lviv, about 300 people visited in the first month, Bezhevets said, without specifying if any signed up. The defence ministry is also working with four private recruitment companies to fill military vacancies, he added.

He conceded the plans were no “magic pill” for the military, though he said the range of roles needing to be filled was so broad that it didn’t matter so much what people chose.

“The main goal is to give people the opportunity to conquer their fears and enter into the military sphere,” said Bezhevets. He was among more than a half-dozen people involved in the new drive for voluntary recruits who were interviewed for this article, also including recruiters and service members.

Michael Kofman, a military specialist at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace think-tank, said the recruitment drive was positive for the army but would not be a decisive solution to a severe shortfall of troops that could only be fully addressed by mobilisation.

“It likely needs hundreds of thousands of men to sustain the fight – in particular infantry, which few are likely to volunteer for, because it’s the most likely combat arm to suffer casualties,” he added.

MARINES TO MILITARY INTELLIGENCE
Ukraine’s conscription effort, launched in the wake of the invasion, has been hampered by local media reports of corruption, official abuse and administrative incompetence. Social media has been flooded with clips of officers corralling men off the street or barging into homes.

Common concerns about military service include inadequate training, poor commanders and the fact that there is no cap on the length of service, according to a February poll by Kyiv-based research agency Info Sapiens for media outlet Texty.org.

In the survey of 400 army-eligible men, only 35% said they were prepared to serve if called up.

“Somewhere, at some stage, trust was lost,” said Bezhevets, the defence ministry adviser. “Right now, our task is to renew it.”

Ukraine does not release figures on conscripts or voluntary recruits, which it deems sensitive information. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy nonetheless acknowledged shortcomings in mobilisation when he fired the heads of regional draft offices last August citing reports of corruption and official abuse.

Bezhevets said the goal of the defence ministry’s recruiting campaign was to triple the number of volunteers who join up. In the longer term, he added, at least a third of Ukraine’s armed forces should be staffed through voluntary recruitment.

As part of the hunt, the defence ministry has begun working with four leading job-search sites over the past six months, said Bezhevets, adding that so far around 100,000 applicants in total had replied to more than 10,000 vacancies advertised.

Lobby X, one of the sites, offers a user-friendly platform that allows jobseekers to search through military branches, from the marines to military intelligence, and categories of jobs, from artillery gunner to cook or press officer.

Like any ordinary job postings, the vacancies list responsibilities, requirements and benefits including monthly pay, which ranges from around $500 to $3,000. And voluntary contracts can be signed for specific terms starting from three years, or until the end of martial law.

The goal, said Lobby X CEO Vladyslav Greziev, is to allow people to choose the exact unit they want to serve with and maximise the use of their skills.

“Getting good weapons is great, but it’s all used by people,” he said.

CAMOUFLAGE BUSINESS CARDS
In March, Kyiv’s top general said the military would need to mobilise fewer people than the initial target of up to 500,000 more Ukrainians, in part because of volunteers.

“We expect that we will have enough people capable of defending their motherland,” Commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi told the Ukrinform news agency. “I am talking not only about the mobilized but also about volunteer fighters.”

The official recruitment push has been matched on the ground by military units reaching out directly to civilians.

A handful of brigades and smaller units are launching or stepping up their own public relations drives, with more billboards promoting individual units springing up across towns and cities.

Among the most prominent is the elite Third Separate Assault Brigade, which has honed its recruiting tactics over the course of a war in which it has excelled on the battlefield.

The all-volunteer outfit has become renowned for its sleek social media presence, which includes gripping first-person videos from the front and frequent speaking appearances by larger-than-life fighters with colourful stories to tell.

Reuters accompanied some members on a leg of a multi-region tour of Ukraine last month aimed at promoting the brigade, educating civilians on military service and recruiting members.

At a social services centre in the central Ukrainian city of Kropyvnytskyi, brigade soldiers took turns fielding questions from passers-by and prospective recruits, and offered them spots on a free training course to test their mettle.

In two days in Kropyvnytskyi, about 20 people agreed to attend the week-long course, according to one of the soldiers who goes by the call sign “Loft”, a heavily tattooed fighter who carries camouflage business cards with his personal number.

At a high school across town, two other burly fighters regaled the young teenage crowd with comedy, but also warned of war’s grim realities and emphasized the importance of discipline and preparation.

One of them, who introduced himself by his call sign Bull, said the brigade’s distinct nationalist ideology means its success in attracting recruits may not be easily replicable. But frequent and honest outreach would be key to making military service a desirable path for more Ukrainians as the war drags on, he added.

“We’re playing a long game.”

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Greece in talks to send one Patriot battery to Ukraine, but seeks US security assurance first
On April 22, FT wrote that some EU and NATO member states are putting pressure on Greece and Spain to provide Ukraine with more air defense systems

Greece may hand over a Patriot air defense system to Ukraine on the condition of monetary compensation from the US and security guarantees due to the threat from Turkiye, reported the Greek outlet Рronews with reference to government sources in the country.

According to the agency's interlocutors, Athens will hand over one Patriot Pac 3 battery to Ukraine, which can shoot down ballistic targets, in exchange for security guarantees from the United States. The journalists do not specify what security guarantees the country received.

In addition, if necessary, Washington will be able to transfer the Patriot to Greece from its own reserves, replacing it with the one that Athens will transfer to Kyiv, or provide monetary compensation from the aid package of more than $60 billion after the decision of the Senate and the signature of US President Joe Biden.

Greece will hand over only one battery to Ukraine, but later Kyiv will be able to receive a second one. Journalists claim that such a decision is likely to cause controversy within the country.

SPOILER

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On April 22, the Financial Times wrote that some EU and NATO member states are putting pressure on Greece and Spain to provide Ukraine with more air defense systems.

On the same day, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba announced that Ukraine is currently working on the delivery of four additional Patriot air defense systems.

On April 6, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine needs 25 Patriot systems — six to eight batteries in each — to completely cover the country's skies.

On April 10, EU diplomacy chief Josep Borrell said that the EU is not doing enough to support Ukraine, because European armies have about 100 Patriot batteries.

On April 13, Germany undertook to provide Ukraine with one more Patriot system. On April 18, the executive director of the German defense company Diehl Defence announced that Ukraine will receive an additional IRIS-T system.

On April 19, the Ministry of Defense of Germany announced that following the meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Council, there are positive signals from the allies regarding the search and transfer of additional air defense systems to Ukraine.

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Czech MEP Martin Hlav�ček is Disrupting Free Trade with Ukraine
The Czech MEP, who is an ally of former Prime Minister Andrej Babi�, is trying to win the support of his colleagues in an attempt to change the rules of free trade with Ukraine. Martin Hlav�ček asked all members of the European Parliament to join him in submitting amendments to further tighten restrictions on Ukrainian agricultural goods as part of continued trade liberalization measures.

He made the move just before a plenary vote in Strasbourg, in which MEPs will vote on extending the free trade regime for a year, albeit with restrictions. If Hlav�ček gets enough support, it would bring the process to a halt as the EU Parliament soon goes into recess ahead of the elections in early June. Then the term of Ukraine’s access to the EU market expires.

A prot�g� of Babi�, a former prime minister who made his $3.5 billion fortune in agriculture, is again submitting the amendments after similar attempts failed in February and March. “The negotiations did not lead to satisfactory results for EU farmers,” Hlav�ček stressed, referring to the tripartite talks between the European institutions. “That is why I still believe that our amendments can significantly contribute to improving conditions for farmers and address the shortcomings of the Commission’s original proposal,” he added.

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If approved by parliament, the Czech lawmaker’s amendments would increase the risk that trade liberalization measures will not be adopted before the current ones expire in early June.

Hlav�ček transferred responsibility to the Council of the EU, which represents 27 member states of the European Union. “The council always has the option of accepting my amendments, and I think this is a very soft and reasonable proposal,” he said. Hlav�ček claims that his amendments will be “beneficial for Ukraine” and at the same time “will help prevent the deterioration of prices for goods in the EU.” The MEP rejected the suggestion that his push was “last minute”, saying he had been calling for the changes for “months”.

Hlavaček’s amendments quickly drew condemnation from fellow Renew MEPs Karin Carlsbro, Urmas Paet, Petras Au�trevičius, and Morten Petersen, as well as Sandra Kalniete and J�rgen Warborn of the centre-right European People’s Party. The same amendments were submitted by the Czech deputy at the previous votes, where they were supported by only a small group of MEPs.

If the amendments are passed, “no agreement on a trade liberalization agreement will be reached before the end of this mandate, and pre-war tariffs will be restored,” asserted Swedish MEP Karin Carlsbro. “This would send a clear signal from the European Parliament that the EU no longer supports Ukraine, which would be a victory for Putin,” she added.

The EU authorities should unite and condemn Martin Hlav�ček and other MEPs, who have the same attitude to the issue, for attempting to weaken Ukraine, fighting against the Russian Federation and protecting Europe from the rogue state. Since the Kremlin has an impact on some MEPs, it is crucial for other MEPs to keep an eye on potential agents of influence of the Russian Federation to prevent them from taking actions aimed at making Ukraine feeble.

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Ukraine's Minister of Agrarian Policy Charged With Corruption
Mykola Solskyi has been handed a notice of suspicion of illegal land acquisition. Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies accuse Solskyi of unlawfully seizing millions of dollars worth of land.

Officers of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) have presented the current Minister of Agrarian Policy, Mykola Solskyi with a notice of suspicion.

Solskyi is suspected of illegally seizing 2.5 thousand hectares of land in the Sumy region, according to a message posted by the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) on Telegram.

The prosecutor suspects the former chairman of the Agrarian Committee of the Verkhovna Rada and the current Minister of seizing land in the Sumy region – an area of about 2.5 thousand hectares worth Hr.291 million ($7.3 million) – and an attempt to seize land with an area of about 3.3 thousand hectares for another Hr.190 million ($4.8 million).

The report further states that for the implementation of the scheme, its participants first ensured the destruction of documents on the basis of which state-owned enterprises had the right to permanent use of land.

Later, this became the basis for the regional StateGeoCadastre land registry service to draw up an act on the unauthorized occupation of these land plots by state-owned enterprises.

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Foreign Minister explains why Ukrainian consulates suspended services for men liable for military service
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has confirmed reports of suspending consular services to Ukrainian men liable for military service residing abroad.

Source: Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Twitter (X)

Details: Kuleba noted that the protection of the rights and interests of Ukrainian citizens abroad has been and remains a priority for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. However, in the current circumstances, the main priority is the fight for Ukraine's survival.

"How it looks like now: a man of conscription age went abroad, showed his state that he does not care about its survival, and then comes and wants to receive services from this state. It does not work this way. Our country is at war," Kuleba emphasised.

He reminded men liable for military service that the obligation to update their data at the territorial military enlistment offices existed even before the adoption of the new mobilisation law.

"If anyone believes that while someone is fighting far away at the frontline and risking his or her life for this state, someone else is staying abroad but receiving services from this state, then this is not how it works. Staying abroad does not relieve a citizen of his or her duties to the Homeland. That is why yesterday I ordered measures to restore fair attitudes toward men of conscription age in Ukraine and abroad. This will be fair," he said.

He added that soon the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will provide further clarification regarding the procedure for obtaining consular services for men of conscription age at diplomatic missions abroad.

Background:
• On 11 April, the Verkhovna Rada passed in full the bill on issues of mobilisation, military registration and military service.
• Meanwhile, Rob Bauer, Chair of the NATO Military Committee, considers additional mobilisation in Ukraine necessary.

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Swedish Navy chief says Russian 'shadow fleet' of oil tankers possibly conducting espionage in Baltic Sea
Russia's "shadow fleet" of oil tankers is possibly conducting espionage in the Baltic Sea as well as helping circumvent sanctions on the trade of Russian oil, said Swedish Navy chief Ewa Skoog Haslum, in comments to the SVT public broadcaster published on April 22.

The shadow fleet refers to aging and largely uninsured oil tankers that Russia uses to transport oil above the $60 per barrel price cap that the EU, the U.S., and the Group of Seven (G7) countries imposed in December 2022 as part of the effort to cut Moscow's fossil fuels revenue.

Haslum said some of the ships from the shadow fleet have been found to possess communications and signals equipment not usually associated with cargo vessels, leading to concerns they could be used in "hybrid operations."

The equipment could possibly be used to intercept communications or perform other acts of espionage, she added.

Beyond their use to bypass sanctions and possibly conduct espionage, there has been concern that the shadow fleet could be a potential threat to the environment. The Financial Times (FT) reported in November 2023 that Denmark could start inspecting and potentially blocking the transit of Russian oil tankers operating in its waters without Western insurance.

As Western insurance carriers will not cover ships violating the price cap, the move would likely cause a significant impact to the transit of oil through the Baltic Sea. It is unclear if Denmark has made any progress in implementing the plan.

Haslum echoed the concerns about the possible impact to the Baltic Sea, saying the shadow fleet could become both a "security and environmental tragedy."

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In Georgia they protested against a conference from the “institute” of former FSB employees - video
A conference called “Russia and the World: Dialogues - 2024” was held in the capital of Georgia, where issues of “traditional values” were discussed: activists came to protest against it. Source: Sirena, Agency

One of the co-organizers of the event was the National Research Institute for the Development of Communications (NIIKR), led by former intelligence and KGB officer Vladimir Gasumyanov. In the evening, Georgian activists threw eggs at the Tiflis Palace hotel, where the conference was held, expressing their dissatisfaction.

During the rally, they chanted: “Putin is f*cked.”

The Agency reports that NIIKR was founded in 2020. One of its founders was Lieutenant General Nikolai Gribin, a former KGB officer in Copenhagen and head of the 3rd KGB department, responsible for relations with Britain, Australia and the Scandinavian countries. Another founder was businesswoman Irina Zavesnitskaya, who, according to some sources, had a common address with Vladislav Gasumyanov, director of the Scientific Research Institute of Innovative Development.

According to Gasumyanov’s official biography, he worked in the KGB, SVR and FSB from 1982 to 2001. In addition, he served as deputy head of the Presidential Administration for Interregional and Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries and was a member of the board of directors of Norilsk Nickel. Since 2015, he has been teaching at the Department of Corporate Security at MGIMO.

In addition to Gasumyanov and Gribin, the supervisory board of NIIKR includes other former employees of Soviet and Russian intelligence services, including Lieutenant General Anatoly Bolyukh, ex-deputy head of the FSB counterintelligence operations department Lieutenant General Boris Miroshnikov and former deputy director of the Federal Counterintelligence Service, as well as former secretary Security Council of the Russian Federation - Valentina Soboleva.

In addition to Georgia, it was decided to hold the “Russia and the World” conference in Belarus, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and South Ossetia (the occupied part of Georgia).

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Thousands of European flights reportedly affected by suspected Russian jamming
Thousands of flights to and from Europe have been reportedly affected by suspected Russian jamming of GPS systems.

According to a report by The Sun based on data from the website GPSJAM.org, some 46,000 aircraft have reported problems over the Baltic Sea since last August, with most of them occurring in Eastern Europe near borders with Russia.

Russia has been accused of jamming GPS signals in nearby countries such as Finland as far back as the 2010s, and several recent high-profile incidents of jamming have highlighted the issue.

Most notably, Russia is believed to have jammed the satellite signal of a Royal Air Force aircraft used to transport U.K. Defence Minister Grant Shapps.

The aircraft, which was traveling back to Britain from Poland on March 13, was jammed for about 30 minutes as it flew by Russia's Kaliningrad region.

GPS signal and internet on board the aircraft were inaccessible for the duration of the aircraft's flight near Kaliningrad where the jamming signals are thought to originate.

A spokesperson for U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirmed the incident at the time, noting it was "not unusual."

Aircraft rely on GPS for navigation but the U.K.’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) played down the risk to passenger safety.

"Aviation is one of the safest forms of air travel, and there are several safety protocols in place to protect navigation systems on commercial aircraft," Glenn Bradley, the head of flight operations at the CAA, told the Guardian.

"GPS jamming does not directly impact the navigation of an aircraft, and while it is a known issue, this does not mean an aircraft has been jammed deliberately."

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Russia Drops X-59 Missile on Belgorod in Latest Self-Bombing
Russia has mistakenly dropped a missile on its own territory near to the Ukraine border, marking the latest self-bombing incident in the ongoing war.

An X-59 missile was discovered in a field near the village of Krasnoye in Russia's Belgorod region on April 19, Astra reported on its Telegram channel on Monday. "The military had to destroy it on the spot. There was no damage [caused] or victims," the independent Russian outlet said.

Newsweek couldn't independently verify the report and has contacted Russia's Defense Ministry by email for additional comment. The Kremlin hasn't commented on the latest incident reported in Belgorod.

SPOILER

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Belgorod is located near the Ukrainian border and houses several Russian military bases and training grounds. The region has been rocked by explosions throughout Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, with local authorities regularly reporting unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the area.

There have been numerous incidents reported this year that involved Russia's military accidentally dropping munitions and missiles on its own territory. Astra said that, in March and April alone, Moscow forces have mistakenly dropped at least 21 aerial bombs from its aircraft on Russian soil or on occupied territories of Ukraine.

The publication added that Russian authorities tend to cover up the incidents, saying that there was "an abnormal discharge of ammunition." Moscow has also said there have been emergency releases of aviation munitions.

"There are no exact answers [for] why this happens," Astra said.

On January 27, Russia accidentally dropped Soviet-designed FAB aerial bombs on Belgorod twice, Astra said. They didn't detonate or cause any casualties, and were defused the next day.

Days earlier, on January 21, the outlet said that another FAB aerial bomb was dropped on one of its own dams in Belgorod.

And, on January 13, Russia dropped Kalibr missiles in the Krasnodar area, located in the North Caucasus region in southern Russia, twice in a single day.

The first Russian Kalibr missile fell in the region between the villages of Pavlovskaya and Atamanskaya in the morning, and the second came down in a field during the evening, causing no casualties or damage, Astra reported. The outlet cited sources in the region's emergency services, Russian military analyst Ian Matveev, and analysts from the Conflict Intelligence Team.

On January 2, a Russian missile fell on the village of Petropavlovka in the Voronezh region, injuring four people.

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Rishi Sunak vows to boost UK defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2030
Rishi Sunak has promised billions more for defence to counter threats from "an axis of authoritarian states".

The prime minister said UK military spending would rise to 2.5% of national income by 2030, in a move that hardens a previous spending pledge.

He stressed the UK was "not on the brink of war" but claimed the extra money would put the country's defence industry "on a war footing".

Labour is also committed to a 2.5% target, when economic conditions allow.

Making the defence announcement during a visit to Poland, Mr Sunak said the UK was facing the most dangerous international environment since the days of the Cold War between the West and the former Soviet Union.

The investment was required because the UK was facing an "axis of authoritarian states with different values to ours," including Russia, Iran, North Korea, and China, he said.

These countries, he argued, were showing a "new assertiveness" and were increasingly working together.

It represents a significant increase in UK defence spending, but it will not change the size of the UK armed forces or reverse cuts to the size of the army.

SPOILER

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Expensive programmes
Defence sources say it will enable the UK to build up its own stockpiles of ammunition, especially of artillery shells and missiles.

One lesson from the war in Ukraine is that most Nato nations would run out very quickly if they were involved in a war.

The additional funding will also help resource Ministry of Defence programmes already under way - such as an order for new frigates, the development of a new fighter jet, and the modernisation of Britain's nuclear weapons systems.

These programmes are proving to be very expensive and the MoD has been struggling to make ends meet on its existing resources.

But there is also clearly a political dimension to this extra cash injection, ahead of a general election.

There has been no clear distance between Labour and the Conservatives on defence spending, with both committed to 2.5% of GDP when the economy allows.

Now the Conservatives have set a specific date, but with no guarantee that they will still be in power.

'Reprioritisation'
Downing Street says spending would increase gradually over the next six years, reaching �87.1bn by 2030 - �7bn higher than if spending stayed at its current level of 2.3% of GDP.

A briefing document given to journalists alongside the plan said it would not lead to higher borrowing, but did not cite specific sources of extra revenue.

Instead, Mr Sunak's spokeswoman said the plans would be funded through existing plans to shrink the size of the Civil Service, and by giving the MoD a share of an already-announced increase in government research spending.

Ben Zaranko, an economist at the Institute for Fiscal Studies think tank, said this implied the extra spending would come from cuts to departments with unprotected budgets.

Former defence secretary Ben Wallace also said he thought the extra money would come from a "re-prioritisation of the pie".

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's PM programme, he said the prime minister had told him earlier he had decided defence spending would be a priority, ahead of "some other commitments we thought we may or may not do at the election".

Labour's shadow defence secretary John Healey said the party "wants to see a fully funded plan" to reach this level, but he said the Tories had "shown time and time again that they cannot be trusted on defence".

He said Labour would review resources for the armed forces within a year of taking office, if it wins the general election later this year.

Mr Sunak said his new 2.5% target could set a "new benchmark" for Nato, whose target for members to spend 2% of GDP on defence is now a decade old.

The UK spent 2.07% of GDP on defence last year, according to Nato data, but it estimates it will spend 2.3% this year, including resources given to Ukraine.

Poland was Nato's top spender as a share of its economy, allocating 3.9% of GDP - more than twice the amount it had spent in 2022.

The US was in second place, spending 3.5%, although it is by far the biggest spender overall.

The announcement comes after Mr Sunak confirmed the UK would provide an additional �500m for Ukraine this year, on top of �2.5bn already allocated.

He added that the UK could continue to provide "at least the current level of military support to Ukraine for every year it is needed".

Pressure to spend
The government has been facing pressure to increase defence spending since the March Budget, which did not allocate extra money to the Ministry of Defence.

Conservative MPs have been arguing for more, whilst two ministers publicly urged him to increase spending last month.

The new commitment echoes one made by former PM Boris Johnson, who promised in 2022 to raise spending to 2.5% of GDP by the end of the decade.

Mr Sunak did not restate this target during his unsuccessful Tory leadership bid that year, instead only committing to the 2% Nato minimum.

Until now, he had been pledging to hit that level at an unspecified point in the future when economic conditions allowed.

Nato has also been pushing its members to spend more. Speaking alongside Mr Sunak, the alliance's secretary general Jens Stoltenberg said the UK was "leading by example".

Last month, MPs on the Public Accounts Committee warned the government lacked a "credible plan" to fund the MoD.

And last year, the National Audit Office said the Ministry of Defence was facing a �16.9bn black hole in its finances - despite an injection of �46.3bn over the next 10 years.

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Press release
PM announces 'turning point' in European security as UK set to increase defence spending to 2.5% by 2030
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced that the UK will increase defence spending to 2.5% by 2030.

• On a visit to Poland, the Prime Minister launches plan to steadily increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by the end of the decade - reaching �87 billion a year in 2030.
• Rishi Sunak announces 'biggest strengthening of our national defence in a generation' to meet the challenge of an increasingly dangerous world.
• Defence to receive an additional �75 billion over six years, ensuring the UK remains by far the second largest defence spender in NATO after the US.
• Additional funding will be used to put the UK's defence industry on a war footing, deliver cutting-edge technology and back Ukraine against Russia.

SPOILER

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Prime Minister Rishi Sunak today [Tuesday April 23] has announced the biggest strengthening of the UK's national defence in a generation, with a fully funded plan to grow the defence budget to 2.5% of GDP by 2030.

Delivering a speech alongside NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg in Poland, a country at the vanguard of the continent's defence, the Prime Minister said we are at a turning point in European security and urged allies to step up.

An axis of autocratic states like Russia, Iran and China are increasingly working together to undermine democracies and reshape the world order. They are also investing heavily in their own militaries and in cyber capabilities and in low-cost technology, like the Shahed attack drones Iran fired towards Israel last weekend.

This poses a direct threat to the lives and livelihoods of people in the UK, as well as across Europe and the wider world. The Government has already committed record investment in defence and the UK armed forces are world-leading - but the Prime Minister has said that we must take further action now to deter these growing threats.

With today's announcement, UK defence spending will increase immediately and then rise steadily to reach �87 billion at the end the decade - hitting 2.5% of GDP by 2030.

The Prime Minister has set out three areas of focus for our bolstered defence budget:

• Firing up the UK defence industrial base: Investing at least an additional �10 billion over the next decade on munitions production, delivering high-quality jobs and investment across the UK and ensuring we have rapid production capacity and stockpiles of next-generation munitions.
• Modernising our Armed Forces: Radically reforming defence procurement and creating a new Defence Innovation Agency to ensure the UK is at the cutting edge of modern warfare technology, with at least 5% of the defence budget to be committed to R&D.
• Backing Ukraine's defence: Ukraine's security is our security. As part of this plan, the Government will commit an additional �500 million this year for the ammunition, air defence and drones Ukraine needs; the largest-ever single delivery of military equipment to Ukraine's frontlines; and a cast-iron commitment to maintain existing levels of support to Ukraine for as long as it Is needed.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:
"In a world that is the most dangerous it has been since the end of the Cold War, we cannot be complacent. As our adversaries align, we must do more to defend our country, our interests, and our values.

"That is why today I have announced the biggest strengthening of our national defence for a generation. We will increase defence spending to a new baseline of 2.5% of GDP by 2030 - a plan that delivers an additional �75 billion for defence by the end of the decade and secures our place as by far the largest defence power in Europe.

"Today is a turning point for European security and a landmark moment in the defence of the United Kingdom. It is a generational investment in British security and British prosperity, which makes us safer at home and stronger abroad."

This is a fully-funded plan to deliver the biggest transformation of our national defence since the Cold War, moving from an aspiration to spend 2.5% by an unspecified date to a costed commitment to do so in 2030.

Defence spending will increase immediately and rise linearly - with a further �500 million for Ukraine this year and overall increase of �3 billion in the next financial year. Today's announcement will see an additional �75 billion for defence over the next six years, with defence spending expected to reach �87 billion a year in 2030.

This sets a new standard for other major European NATO economies to follow. If all NATO countries committed at least 2.5% of their GDP to defence, our collective budget would increase by more than �140 billion.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt said:
"It speaks to Britain's global role that, with an improving economy, we are able to make this commitment to peace and security in Europe. It also sends the clearest possible message to Putin that as other NATO European countries match this commitment, which they will, he will never be able to outspend countries that believe in freedom and democracy."

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said:
"As I argued in my Lancaster House speech earlier this year, we are living in a much more dangerous world. Between Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Iran and its proxies seeking to escalate deadly conflict, and China flexing its muscles, there can be no doubt that the era of the peace dividend is clearly over.

"The mounting threats we face mean we must invest in defence if we are to continue to defend our values, freedoms and prosperity.

"Today's announcement marks the single greatest strengthening of our defence since the Cold War, which will support jobs, boost growth, and strengthen our incredible Armed Forces as a modern fighting force."

The war in Ukraine has taught us that battlefield success is dependent on the ability to surge defence production and move to 'always on' production to replenish key equipment. We will therefore invest a further �10 billion over the next ten years, most of which will be spent with British industry, to grow our domestic munitions production pipeline and increase stockpiles, setting a clear demand signal for industry through long term multi-year contracts. This represents nearly a doubling of our current spending on munitions production.

The investment will focus on key high-tech capabilities, including air defence missiles and anti-armour munitions, in addition to continued investment in UK-built 155mm artillery ammunition. Defence already supported more than 400,000 jobs in 2021/22 - the equivalent of 1 in every 70 UK jobs - but today's announcement will support new high-quality jobs and economic growth across all parts of the UK.

Reforms set out by the Prime Minister today will also ensure we are investing in the right technologies and getting more for taxpayers' money when it comes to defence.

A newly created Defence Innovation Agency will manage scaled up investment in R&D, bringing together the fragmented defence innovation landscape into a single responsible organisation. This includes R&D in new weapons systems such as Directed Energy Weapons or Hypersonic Missiles, as well as space capabilities and other emerging technologies. We will invest in areas that deliver advantage on the modern battlefield and better exploit low-cost solutions, like the inexpensive Unmanned Surface Vehicles seen in Ukraine.

The DragonFire laser weapons system, developed by the MoD in collaboration with UK industry partners, demonstrates how we can accelerate technological development into frontline advantage. Backed by �350 million in government funding, DragonFire can fire at any target visible in the air at around �10 a shot and with an accuracy equivalent to hitting a pound coin from a kilometre away - and the weapon is due to be fitted to Royal Navy ships well ahead of schedule in 2027.

We will also make defence procurement faster, smarter and more joined-up. The new Integrated Procurement Model, launched by the Ministry of Defence in February, will break down individual service silos and bring in checks and balances through a new integrated design authority. The model will see new technologies being used by the armed forces earlier in the process, rather than waiting for a 'perfect' product.

Additionally, the Prime Minister has announced plans today to reform the Ministry of Defence's Head Office to operate as a fully functioning strategic headquarters - holding the front line command accountable for delivery, driving better pan-defence prioritisation and ensuring value-for-money, supported by the National Security Council.

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Russian Soldier Accidentally Films Detonation of Putin's Prized Howitzer
ew footage appears to show an explosion engulfing a Russian artillery system behind the front lines in Moscow-controlled territory as Ukraine gears up for an expected Russian summer offensive.

A video circulating on social media appears to show Russian forces filming the detonation of a 2S5 Giatsint-S self-propelled howitzer in an open field at an undisclosed location in eastern Ukraine's Donbas region. It is not clear what caused the explosion or whether the system was damaged beyond repair.

An open-source intelligence account sharing the footage said the video was filmed on Monday.

Newsweek could not independently verify the clip and has reached out to the Russian Defense Ministry for comment via email.

SPOILER

quote:

On Monday, Ukraine's Defense Ministry shared footage it said showed a U.S.-made High-Mobility Artillery Rocket System firing on the Russian 2S5 Giatsint-S howitzer. The clip, attributed to Kyiv's special operations forces, appears to show the Russian Giatsint-S in a wooded area before the HIMARS strikes the system. The Giatsint-S was damaged, Kyiv said.

Russia's Defense Ministry has previously shared footage purporting to show a Giatsint-S in action in Ukraine.

Artillery is a crucial part of both Moscow's and Kyiv's war efforts and can determine how many casualties the opposing side suffers. Maintaining stockpiles of ammunition to keep these artillery systems firing has been a pressing concern in Kyiv in recent months, limiting Ukrainian operations as Russia had made inching gains westward.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier this month that Russia was able to fire 10 times the number of shells that Ukrainian troops had at their disposal, meaning Moscow will "be pushing us back every day."

On Monday, Zelensky said that securing modern artillery was a priority for Kyiv ahead of final approval by congressional lawmakers and President Joe Biden for new U.S. aid, expected in the coming days. On Saturday, the House of Representatives approved more than $60 billion in aid to Ukraine, which had been stalled in Congress for months.

Increasingly urgent requests for ammunition intensified as Ukrainian officials warned that Russia was preparing for a summer offensive on shell-starved Ukrainian positions. In late February, Zelensky said this new push could start as early as late May.

"There will be problems starting in mid-May," Kyrylo Budanov, head of the GUR, Ukraine's military intelligence service, told the BBC's Ukraine service in an article published Monday.

"We are going to face a rather difficult situation in the near future," he added. "But it's not catastrophic, and we need to understand that."

quote:

Ukrainian troops destroyed Russian 2S4 Tyulpan self-propelled mortar in the Luhansk region

Ukrainian Defense Forces artillery destroyed a Russian 240mm Tyulpan self-propelled mortar near Lysychansk.

The Division-TIVAZ Telegram channel published the video of the defeat.

The Russians set up a mortar firing position on the border of a forest and a field near a road on the temporarily occupied territory.

The authors of the video did not specify what weapons were used to hit the Russian 2S4 Tyulpan, but it is clear that it was hit by a high-precision munition, possibly from a HIMARS rocket system.

As a result of the strike, the ammunition of the Russian 240-mm mortar ignited and exploded, leading to the complete destruction of the Tyulpan self-propelled mortar.

SPOILER

quote:

ЗСУ знищили російський «Тюльпан» на Луганщині [квітень 2024]

Footage from the military shows that the position of the Russian artillerymen was probably detected by a reconnaissance drone, which helped to pinpoint the location of the mortar and adjust the damage.

According to observers who monitor the course of hostilities in the Russian-Ukrainian war, the Russian Tyulpan self-propelled mortar was destroyed near occupied Lysychansk in the Luhansk region.

2S4 Tyulpan
The 2S4 Tyulpan self-propelled mortar is designed to destroy fortifications, manpower, and enemy equipment with conventional and special (nuclear) projectiles.

The mortar is attached through the frame of the base plate to the beams on the upper stern sheet based on the 2S4 chassis. A hydraulic system is used for rough aiming in the vertical plane (sighting) and charging the mortar.

The main ammunition of the 2B8 mortar includes a high-explosive 53-F-864 mortar projectile with a maximum firing range of 9.65 km, as well as a 3F2 projectile with a maximum firing range of 19.69 km.

In the Russian-Ukrainian war, the invaders are using these systems mainly to destroy the most fortified fortifications.

The Russian invaders also use 3F5 high-precision mortar rounds from the 1K113 system for use with 2S4 Tyulpan mortars.

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U.S. preparing new $1 billion military aid package for Ukraine – Reuters
According to Reuters sources, the aid package will include weapons that can "immediately be put to use on the battlefield"

The United States will provide a new $1 billion military aid package to Ukraine once the $61 billion bill is approved by the Senate and signed by President Joe Biden, Reuters reported, citing two American officials.

The sources told the news agency's journalists that the aid package will include vehicles, Stinger anti-aircraft ammunition, additional ammunition for high mobility artillery rocket systems, 155 mm caliber artillery ammunition, and TOW and Javelin anti-tank ammunition, among other weapons that can "immediately be put to use on the battlefield."

Following the signing of the Ukrainian-Israeli bill, funding for the replenishment of American stocks will be restored. This will allay the Pentagon's concerns about the use of presidential authority to reduce U.S. weapons to aid Ukraine, the publication noted.

Against this backdrop, Reuters reported that American defense companies expect to receive more government contracts as Russia's war against Ukraine continues.

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 08:16 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
[ x ]

quote:

Ambassador: Ukraine in talks to set up joint production of Patriot systems
Kyiv is pushing Washington for the joint production of Patriot air defense systems to help Ukraine fend off Russia's war, Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova said in an interview with European Pravda on April 23.

Ukraine is facing a shortage of air defense systems amid an uptick in Russian attacks on population centers and energy infrastructure. U.S.-made Patriot systems are highly effective at intercepting Russia's ballistic and cruise missiles.

According to President Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine needs 25 Patriots to protect the country from Russian attacks, but Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said he is for now focused on securing seven to protect Ukraine's largest cities.

The joint production of Patriots was one of the top issues discussed during Zelensky's visits to the U.S., according to Markarova.

"This is a major global strategic task and an element of economic cooperation. But it is also an increase in combat capability and production of the capabilities that Ukraine needs immediately," the ambassador said.

Representatives of Ukrainian and U.S. businesses have already reportedly met to discuss investment and cooperation not only in weapons, but also in materials needed to launch the production.

"We should start producing a lot of products ourselves, at least components, and at most already completed products," Markarova added.

Ukraine has agreements on joint defense production with a number of countries, including the U.S.

Kyiv and Washington signed a statement of intent on the co-production of weapons in December 2023.

The agreement between the two nations will reportedly contribute to the construction of production facilities in Ukraine to supply the military with arms, in particular air defense equipment and ammunition, as well as repair and maintenance services.

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NATO has no plans to deploy nuclear weapons in other countries – Stoltenberg
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said that the Alliance currently has no plans to deploy nuclear weapons in other countries as part of its deterrence efforts.

Source: Jens Stoltenberg, at a press conference in Poland together with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on 23 April, European Pravda reports

Details: Stoltenberg was asked to comment on whether NATO countries are talking about expanding the Nuclear Sharing programme.

Quote: "There are no plans to expand NATO sharing arrangements, no plans to deploy any more nuclear weapons in any additional NATO countries."

More details: Nuclear Sharing is NATO's nuclear deterrence programme. It allows for provision of nuclear warheads to NATO member states that do not have nuclear weapons of their own.

Within the framework of this programme, NATO has deployed US nuclear weapons to Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and T�rkiye since November 2009.

The previous Polish government actively supported the idea of joining the Nuclear Sharing programme among NATO countries in response to Russia's decision to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.

Recently, Polish President Andrzej Duda's statement about the possible deployment of nuclear weapons led to his public dispute with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

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In Ukraine, New American Technology Won the Day. Until It Was Overwhelmed.

Project Maven was meant to revolutionize modern warfare. But the conflict in Ukraine has underscored how difficult it is to get 21st-century data into 19th-century trenches.

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Op dinsdag 23 april 2024 21:08 schreef oheng het volgende:
Oja, ik weet niet of het hier al gepost is maar, Engeland zet de defensie industrie in "oorlogsmodus"

Defensie uitgaven gaan naar 2,5% in 2030.

quote:

Senate overwhelmingly passes long-delayed Ukraine and Israel aid
After months of intense, multi-faceted fighting over foreign aid, the $95 billion bill that could also ban TikTok is headed to President Joe Biden's desk.

The Senate sent a $95 billion foreign aid package for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan to the president's desk Tuesday — a long-awaited result after months of congressional haggling over whether to provide funding for the allies.

The bill also included a provision that would require TikTok's parent company to either sell the social media app or face a ban, as well as a measure that permits selling off Russian oligarch assets.

Though the legislation passed with bipartisan support, 79-18, the political ramifications will be felt throughout the Capitol. It’s a win for Democrats and defense-focused Republicans on the critical issue of Ukraine aid, but a swath of conservatives are incensed with party leadership for allowing the bill through.

SPOILER

quote:

Some opponents of the bill attempted to delay passage on Tuesday with floor speeches, but senators were only permitted up to an hour each to speak. And there weren’t that many senators eager to participate — particularly given that this week was originally slated to be a recess week, and many members were ready to get home.

Adding to the woes of Ukraine-aid critics, Republican support for this round of foreign aid increased compared to a few months ago. When the Senate voted on a similar deal in February, it passed 70-29.

That earlier version of the bill stalled in the House. But Speaker Mike Johnson introduced his own rendition of the legislation, which segmented aid for each ally into individual votes before lumping the bills back together into a single package for the Senate.

As Congress balked for months, Ukraine began fading in its war with Russia and worries grew that the delay in assistance was costing the country on the battlefield.

Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he believes that "when it became clear that Russia could be at Poland's border in a year, if we didn't help, it started changing things.”

“It strengthened the resolve of the mainstream Republicans,” he added.

Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, for his part, has remained a stalwart supporter of funding Israel and Ukraine despite resistance from within his own conference. He acknowledged Tuesday there had been some difficulty in garnering Republican support.

Still, he didn’t mince words in his applause for the outcome.

“This was a really, really big day for America and for the rest of the world that actually elects their leaders,” McConnell told POLITICO. “When you've been here as long as I have, you've had a few big moments. I don't think I've ever had a bigger one than this in terms of the level of importance to our own country and to our place in the world.”

Despite their failure to block the legislation, Ukraine aid critics insisted they’d won on another front: making it clear that other nations couldn't keep expecting easy checks from the U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) after the vote told reporters, “We were able to make it pretty clear to Europe and the rest of the world that America can't write blank checks indefinitely.”

And, to that point, it's unclear what Congress’ role in Ukraine and Israel is going forward. Democrats have voiced growing concerns about humanitarian conditions in Gaza, and some senators had even warned before the vote that Israel aid could have a tough time in the Senate this go around because of Democratic resistance.

That forecasted holdup didn’t come to fruition. But with Congress done with its share of funding, Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.), who voted against final passage of the bill, suggested the responsibility now falls on the White House.

“My hope is that the president will continue to be very assertive” in pushing for limited civilian casualties, Welch told reporters.

Schumer after the vote said he’s confident the White House will do everything it can to ensure Gaza humanitarian aid “gets to the people in need as quickly as possible.”

And with both Israel and Ukraine mired in conflicts that have no apparent immediate solution, questions linger on what happens the next time Ukraine, Israel or another American ally needs assistance. Schumer said it is a very “full” package but would not forecast when it might run out.

Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), who voted for the package, acknowledged that eventually Congress will be faced with the task of foreign aid again. He suggested that problem will come next year — and that then, things might go a little more smoothly.

“Another thing that’ll be going for us is it will be a nonpolitical year,” Mullin said. “And things seem to happen a little bit easier when people aren't trying to save themselves.”

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 06:18 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://news.liga.net/en/(...)ntii-ot-ssha-rronews
[..]

SPOILER

[..]

Geld moet geen probleem zijn. Als de US dit niet wil betalen zijn er andere Europese landen die al aangegeven hebben deze te willen kopen. Waaronder Nederland. En veiligheidsgaranties kunnen wij toch ook prima geven. Griekenland zit in de NAVO tenslotte. Als Turkije hun aanvalt dan zijn wij verplicht om Griekenland te verdedigen lijkt mij. Ook al zit Turkije ook in de NAVO.

quote:

Op dinsdag 23 april 2024 21:08 schreef oheng het volgende:
Oja, ik weet niet of het hier al gepost is maar, Engeland zet de defensie industrie in "oorlogsmodus"

Defensie uitgaven gaan naar 2,5% in 2030.

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 08:42 schreef icecreamfarmer_NL het volgende:

[..]
Ik vraag mij meer af waarom andere landen het niet doen. NL heeft 1 batterij in opslag als ik wiki moet geloven en de VS heeft er 100den. Waarom levert de VS er zelf niet 1?

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Drones attack Russia - Drone falls in Lipetsk, oil depot burns in Smolensk region
In the night, the Russian Federation was again attacked by drones. A drone crashed in the city of Lipetsk, and an oil depot is on fire in the Smolensk region, according to Telegram channels of Igor Artamonov, governor of the Lipetsk region, and Vasily Anokhin, governor of the Smolensk region, and local public groups.

During the attack, a UAV fell in the industrial zone of the city of Lipetsk.

There are no casualties. Law enforcement officers are working at the scene.

Meanwhile, an oil depot caught fire in the Smolensk region. After the drone attacks, fires occurred at fuel and energy facilities in two districts of the region.

"It is quite possible that as a result of the enemy's attack on civilian fuel and energy facilities in the territory of the Smolensk and Yartsevo districts, fires occurred. The Ministry of Emergency Situations is on the spot eliminating the consequences. I urge you to remain calm and not to panic," wrote Vasily Anokhin, governor of the Smolensk region.

SPOILER

quote:

Drone attacks on the Russian Federation
In the territory of the Russian Federation, there has been a significant increase in the number of various fires and explosions, which are often attributed to drone attacks. They occur in different regions, but officials in border regions with Ukraine more often report such raids.

For example, on the night of April 24, air defense forces were deployed in the Voronezh region due to drones. A private residential building caught fire in one of the urban-type settlements.

On the night of April 23, the authorities of the Belgorod region reported an attack by drones on the city and the district.

On the night of April 20, drones attacked eight regions of Russia simultaneously. As a result of the air defense systems' work, fires broke out, and several objects of the energy infrastructure were damaged.

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Op woensdag 24 april 2024 08:49 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]

Begrijp mij niet verkeerd. Ik ben er voor om Oekra�ne alle hulp te geven die zij nodig hebben. Ook al gaat dat ten kosten van onze paraatheid en voorraden op dit ogenblik. De EU en NAVO zijn grote organisaties. En als wij het willen kunnen wij heel veel.

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Largest convoy of fire and rescue vehicles leaves UK for Ukraine
33 vehicles set off from Kent carrying ‘vital’ equipment for country’s ‘heroic firefighters’ including ladders and breathing kits

A convoy of fire and rescue vehicles has set off from the UK to deliver emergency firefighting aid to Ukraine.

The 33 vehicles, including 20 fire engines – the largest convoy of its kind to date – left Kent on Tuesday morning carrying more than 2,800 pieces of equipment such as ladders, boats and breathing kits to the war-torn country.

More than 100 volunteers from 15 fire services, which have donated the equipment, and the organisation Fire Aid, are taking part in the convoy, which has been sponsored by the Home Office.

In an exclusive article for The Telegraph, Chris Philp, a Home Office minister, said the equipment is vital for the “heroic firefighters” of Ukraine, 91 of whom had given their lives during the conflict helping rescue victims of Vladimir Putin’s war.

“Putin is intentionally targeting civilians and civilian buildings in Ukraine, leading to unprecedented demands on the fire and rescue services that respond to these attacks,” he said.

“The fact the Ukrainian fire and rescue services have been able to respond to this number of incidents while suffering significant losses of personnel and equipment, is staggering.”

SPOILER

quote:

Since the start of the war, 396 fire stations and almost 1,700 fire vehicles have been destroyed. Nearly 350 firefighters have been injured and five are held in captivity in Russia.

“Ukraine must win this war and we must never waver in our support for them. However big or small the act, we will do what it takes to help Ukraine achieve victory – as all civilised countries must,” said Mr Philp

Six previous road convoys and a rail shipment have been made to Ukraine since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of the country in 2022.

Mark Hardingham, chairman of the National Fire Chiefs Council, said: “We have witnessed the sheer strength and resilience of Ukrainian firefighters since the day the war began.

“With the war continuing and the task before them increasingly challenging, the UK and international firefighter community will continue to provide support however we can.

“The efforts to bring this equipment together, and get it to where it’s needed most, demonstrates the very best of UK fire and rescue services.”

David O’Neill, chairman of Fire Aid, said firefighters were being increasingly targeted in Ukraine, with three recently killed during an air strike.

He added: “The impact that our donations are already having in Ukraine is clear, but it provides more than physical protection for firefighters; it shows they are not alone and gives them hope and courage to continue risking their own lives to save others.”

However big or small the act, we will help Ukraine achieve victory
By Chris Philp

With Russia’s barbaric, illegal invasion of Ukraine now in its third year, 217,000 buildings have been destroyed or damaged, there have been 18,270 fires and almost 5,000 people requiring rescue. These shocking figures convey a simple message – we must continue supporting the people of Ukraine, and prevent despots, like Putin, from being emboldened to try similar outrages elsewhere.

Putin is intentionally targeting civilians and civilian buildings in Ukraine, leading to unprecedented demands on the fire and rescue services that respond to these attacks.

The fact the Ukrainian fire and rescue services have been able to respond to this number of incidents while suffering significant losses of personnel and equipment, is staggering.

Tragically, 91 of Ukraine’s heroic firefighters have bravely given their lives so far, while a further 349 have been injured and five are held in captivity by Russia.

This is on top of the destruction of 396 firehouses, a further 92 which are now behind Russian enemy lines and almost 1,700 fire vehicles which have been destroyed.

Ukraine must win this war and we must never waver in our support for them.

However big or small the act, we will do what it takes to help Ukraine achieve victory – as all civilised countries must. Speaking personally, in every ministerial office I have held since the invasion started, I have tried to help Ukraine.

This included signing off a �2.3 billion military aid package, approving export guarantees when I was chief secretary and preventing exports of sensitive materials such as semiconductors when I was technology minister.

And that is why now, as police and fire minister, I have supported Tuesday’s convoy of 30 fire and rescue vehicles and a further three support vehicles which have begun the journey from the UK to Ukraine to provide a record-breaking donation to support our Ukrainian friends.

The vehicles will also be delivering 2,800 pieces of equipment which will be used to respond to the damage Russia is inflicting on cities, towns and civilians across Ukraine.

This includes ladders, breathing apparatus, boats, fire and water PPE, hoses and equipment to support working at height.

Once handed over to the Ukrainian fire and rescue services, the equipment will be distributed across the country and the front line.

All of this kit has been donated by fire and rescue services across England and Wales, and the convoy has been coordinated by both the Home Office and the National Fire Chief’s Council.

I am proud that Tuesday’s donation adds to the more than 190,000 items of equipment and 89 fire and rescue vehicles that have already been donated to Ukraine so far.

This contribution is just one example of many showing that the UK is doing everything it possibly can to back Ukraine.

The UK has now provided almost �12 billion in military, humanitarian and economic support to Ukraine and has consistently been a first-mover when providing military support - from Storm Shadow cruise missiles to a squadron of Challenger 2 tanks.

In addition to this, our non-military support to Ukraine since the start of the invasion totals �4.7 billion and includes �4.1 billion in fiscal support and over �660 million in bilateral assistance. It was also excellent to see last weekend’s unprecedented support from the USA of a further $61 billion in military aid, which demonstrates the global scale of backing Ukraine is receiving.

We have also introduced the largest and most severe package of sanctions ever imposed on Russia or indeed any major economy. So far, the UK has sanctioned 2,000 individuals and entities under the Russia sanctions regime, over 1,700 of which were sanctioned since Putin’s full-scale invasion.

I am immensely proud of the UK’s contributions to help Ukraine fight for its freedom and survival, and I am proud of our fire and rescue service personnel who have selflessly volunteered to deliver Tuesday’s convoy.

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 09:03 schreef oheng het volgende:
Die "raffinaderij" in Smolensk is geen raffinaderij hoor, maar eerder een olie terminal/depot/doorvoer station naar Wit-Rusland.

Zit op mobiel, dus kan ff niet makkelijk satelietbeelden plaatsen.

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 08:49 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
Maar wat erg belangrijk voor Amerika is dat zij meer dan genoeg voorraden hebben voor het geval dat zij direct in een oorlog komen. Hun eigen paraatheid en dus ook eigen voorraden hebben prioriteit. Dit is zelfs in de wet vastgelegd.

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 06:18 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
Griekenland zit in de NAVO tenslotte. Als Turkije hun aanvalt dan zijn wij verplicht om Griekenland te verdedigen lijkt mij. Ook al zit Turkije ook in de NAVO.

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Op woensdag 24 april 2024 09:56 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Gast, houd toch eens op met die NSC talkingpoints napraten.

Niet alleen heeft de VS voor elke ploeg mensen die een patriot bedienen 3 complete sets; want bv een ploeg die richting saudi arabie gaat, neemt z'n set niet mee, die gebruiken er 1 die daar staat, en hun eigen in de VS gaat gewoon in opslag, daarbij heeft de VS pres echt de autoriteit om ook gloednieuw spul overbodig te verklaren, in de jom kipoer-oorlog gingen er immers ook gloednieuwe F-4's richting israel.

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Op woensdag 24 april 2024 09:58 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Nee, want de de NAVO is niet een inter-alliance peacekeeping force. Het is een naar buiten gerichte aliantie.

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Op woensdag 24 april 2024 10:16 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
Een aanval op 1 land is een aanval op alle landen. Er staat nergens in het NAVO handvest dat dit alleen om aanvallen van landen buiten de NAVO gaat.

Dat er eerst een ontelbaar aantal debatten en vergaderingen hierover zullen plaatsvinden, waarin landen partij kiezen en naar elkaar wijzen als aanstichter hiervan doet hier niet aan af. Als Griekenland artikel 5 aanroept bij een aanval van Turkije dan moet hier op gereageerd worden.

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 10:22 schreef zuchtje het volgende:

[..]
Wat als Turkije als eerst een artikel 5 aanroept, en ondertussen al preventief wat eilandjes gaat bezetten? Ik denk dat het als alliantie een stuk lastiger is om interne conflicten op te lossen met militaire middelen. Dat wordt meer een EU vs TUR waarbij de NAVO alleen mediation aanbied en/of neutrale gebieden bewaakt. NAVO valt uit elkaar als het actief de een of ander gaat helpen, mocht een lid de kont tegen de krib gooien.

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Article 8.
Each Party declares that none of the international engagements now in force between it and any other of the Parties or any third State is in conflict with the provisions of this Treaty, and undertakes not to enter into any international engagement in conflict with this Treaty.

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Op woensdag 24 april 2024 10:12 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
NCS?

Ik weet hoe moeilijk vandaag wel niet voor je moet zijn. Nu blijkt dat het inderdaad de republikeinse blokkade was die alle hulp tegen hield (al vanaf dat ze de meerderheid kregen in het Huis). En nu deze weggenomen is de hulp eindelijk op gang kan komen, en ook nog eens in een snelvaart.

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Op woensdag 24 april 2024 10:26 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
In elk geval zal de land die een andere land aanvalt binnen de NAVO artikel 8 overtreden. Maar voor zover ik weet staan hier nog geen sancties op daar het nooit op een grotere schaal gebeurd is. Maar het lijkt mij dat dit een reden kan zijn om een land uit de NATO te gooien. Of in elk geval te schorsen.

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Op woensdag 24 april 2024 10:42 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Maar waarom er blijkbaar met alle geweld vervangende gelden voor afgeschreven materiel gerealiseerd moet worden voor je die kunt doneren, hebben jij en alle andere biden stoepjes vegers nog steeds geen antwoord op h�?

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 10:42 schreef ExTec het volgende:
hebben jij en alle andere biden stoepjes vegers nog steeds geen antwoord op h�?

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 11:31 schreef Straatcommando. het volgende:

[..]
Wat een verschrikkelijk irritante manier van discussi�ren is dit. En dan heb je het zelf over gekakel.. come on bruh

SPOILER

https://www.politico.eu/a(...)s-congress-kyiv-war/

quote:

Why Donald Trump ‘hates Ukraine’
The once and possibly future U.S. president blames the country for his political woes.

Donald Trump doesn’t easily forgive or forget.

As Trump’s Republican allies in the United States Congress block military aid that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Kyiv desperately needs to avoid defeat in its war with invading Russian forces, it’s clear the former U.S. president’s ill will toward Ukraine has deep roots.

It was, after all, a phone call with Zelenskyy that led to Trump’s first impeachment in December 2019, after he was accused of seeking to influence the 2020 election by leaning on the Ukrainian leader to investigate current President Joe Biden and his son Hunter.

There’s every sign the country is still preying on his mind. When Congress moved this month to reauthorize the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act — legislation governing the surveillance of suspected international adversaries — Trump took to social media to object.

“KILL FISA,” he posted on Truth Social. “IT WAS ILLEGALLY USED AGAINST ME, AND MANY OTHERS.”

That Trump was likely referring to the wiretapping of his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort is unlikely to have gone unnoticed in Ukraine, where officials are watching the U.S. presidential election campaign for signs of what it could mean for their war effort.

As the presumptive Republican candidate, Trump has already triggered fear in Kyiv by boasting he could end the war in 24 hours and musing that he hopes it ends before he is forced to decide whether to give Ukraine to Moscow.

The mention of Manafort, oblique though it was, will only heighten concerns in Ukraine that the U.S. president still holds a grudge against a country he sees as intimately involved with delegitimizing his presidency.

From the first intimations of Russian interference in America’s 2016 presidential campaign, to an investigation by a special prosecutor, to Trump’s 2019 impeachment, all roads — it can sometimes seem — lead through Kyiv.

“Trump hates Ukraine,” said Lev Parnas, a Ukrainian-American businessman who once served as a fixer in Ukraine for Trump’s lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, and later turned against the former president. “He and people around him believe that Ukraine was the cause of all Trump’s problems.”

Trump’s campaign office did not respond to requests for comment.

Paul Manafort and ‘The Black Ledger’
Trump’s entanglement with Ukraine originated in the ashes of Ukraine’s Euromaidan revolution.

Before Manafort became Trump’s campaign manager he had worked in Ukraine for former President Viktor Yanukovych, a pro-Russian politician who fled the country in 2014 after being ousted following nationwide demonstrations against his decision to steer Ukraine away from the European Union and toward Moscow.

During the protests Yanukovych’s party headquarters were set ablaze, and it was there that a Ukrainian activist and former lawmaker found what came to be known as the Black Ledger.

The book contained a handwritten list of secret payments by Yanukovych’s party to Ukrainian officials, TV personalities, lawmakers and journalists. According to the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine, Manafort’s last name appeared at least 22 times as receiving some $12.7 million. The bureau said the inclusion of his name in the ledger did not necessarily mean he was given the mentioned sums, which Manafort has denied receiving.

Manafort’s appearance in the ledger was first reported by the New York Times in August 2016, just months before Trump was to face off against Hillary Clinton for the presidency. It was one of the first stories linking Trump to Ukraine and possibly to Russia and its allies, an issue that would plague him throughout his time in office.

Trump’s allies have portrayed the Black Ledger as inauthentic and a plot by the Democratic Party to undermine its opponents.

“It was impossible to prove the authenticity of the signature next to Manafort’s name in the ledger,” said Yuriy Lutsenko, a former prosecutor general who for a time supported Trump’s efforts to open a corruption investigation into Hunter Biden.

“Who would openly put his signature under secret cash payments?” added Lutsenko, who said he has held the ledger, which Ukraine still treats as a classified document, in his hands.

In 2019 Giuliani described the document as “a ‘black book’ that was found to be fraudulent and [was] never used because it was the fraudulent, incriminating statement that was untrue.”

Manafort was indicted on 12 counts of money laundering, tax evasion and lobbying violations in 2017. The charges were unrelated to the Black Ledger, which was not used in evidence against him.

Trump’s hunt for the Democrats’ server
Trump’s antipathy to Ukraine is also rooted in his belief that it was Ukraine, not Russia, that interfered in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, Parnas said.

“It began when Russiagate started,” Parnas said, referring to allegations of Russian election hacking that would eventually lead to the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller. “People in Trump’s campaign told him that it was Ukrainians not Russians meddling in the elections.”

Trump’s election victory was marred by accusations, later confirmed by U.S. intelligence agencies, private intelligence firms and federal investigators, that Russia had hacked the emails of the Democratic National Committee, the party’s strategic and funding arm, and released them in 2016 to discredit Trump’s opponent, Hillary Clinton.

Trump has consistently promoted a conspiracy theory that it was Ukraine that performed the hacking, in order to frame Russia, and that the country was still concealing a server with the data.

Trump apparently held that belief well into his presidency, raising it in July 2019 during what he would later describe as a “perfect” phone call with Zelenskyy, the interaction that led to his being impeached.

“I would like you to do us a favor though because our country has been through a lot and Ukraine knows a lot about it,” Trump told Zelenskyy.

“The server, they say Ukraine has it,” he added.

Later that year, Trump defended his decision to freeze military aid to Ukraine as owing in part to his suspicions that “a Ukrainian company” was in possession of the server.

“I still want to see that server,” he told the television show Fox & Friends. “You know, the FBI has never gotten that server. That’s a big part of this whole thing.”

Mueller, the special counsel, indicted 12 Russians in 2018 for hacking into the Democratic Party’s computers two years before.

In 2022, the Russian warlord Yevgeny Prigozhin admitted that Russia had intervened in the U.S. democratic process. “We have interfered (in U.S. elections), we are interfering and we will continue to interfere,” Prigozhin said. “Carefully, accurately, surgically and in our own way, as we know how to do.”

Zelenskyy and the perfect phone call
Trump’s July 2019 phone call with Zelenskyy would play a central role in one of the most embarrassing episodes in his political career: his first impeachment, which stemmed from his effort to pressure Ukraine’s president to open an investigation into Biden.

During the phone call Trump urged Zelenskyy to launch an investigation, saying he would put him in touch with Giuliani and Attorney General William Barr.

“We will get to the bottom of it,” the U.S. president told his Ukrainian counterpart. “I’m sure you will figure it out.”

Parnas, who worked to advance the investigation, said Giuliani first became interested in the matter in 2018.

The catalyst was a video in which then-Vice President Joe Biden described how in 2016 he had threatened to withhold funds from Ukraine’s then-President Petro Poroshenko if Kyiv didn’t fire a prosecutor. At the time Russia had already invaded Crimea and parts of Eastern Ukraine.

“Giuliani’s eyes widened. ‘We got him, we got Joe,’ he said,” Parnas recalled.

Guiliani believed it could be shown that Joe Biden had pushed to have the prosecutor, Viktor Shokin, fired because he was investigating Hunter, who had taken a job with Burisma, a Ukrainian gas company that was the subject of a corruption investigation. “Two weeks later we showed the video to Trump,” Parnas added. “After that, Ukraine was on his mind. That’s when I understood Ukraine was done.”

There is no evidence to support Guiliani’s accusations. While Biden did seek Shokin’s removal, it was as part of a coordinated effort with the U.S. State Department and the European Union over concerns the prosecutor was blocking corruption investigations in the country. Shokin was not investigating Hunter Biden or Burisma at the time Biden advocated his ouster.

Parnas said his aim was to convince Ukraine to cooperate with President Trump and thereby secure his backing. “For that, we needed one of the presidents [Poroshenko or Zelenskyy] to announce an investigation into Biden,” he said. “We thought, if they do what he wants, Trump will owe Ukraine.”

During the phone call with Trump, Zelenskyy promised to check what could be done, but Ukraine ultimately did not open an investigation. “So now Trump hates Zelenskyy with passion,” said Parnas. “And Zelenskyy knows it.”

Ukraine has never had any evidence that Biden or his son violated the country’s laws, Lutsenko acknowledged in an interview.

In 2022, Parnas was sentenced to 20 months in prison for fraud and campaign finance crimes in a case unrelated to his work for Giuliani.

Ukraine preparing for a Trump presidency
As the U.S. presidential election approaches, Ukraine’s government is doing its best to stay out of American politics.

Zelenskyy has asked Trump to come to Ukraine to see what Russia did to the country with his own eyes. With a $60 billion military aid bill stalled in Congress, his office has been wooing Republicans, trying to persuade them that helping Ukraine is in America’s national interest.

“I don’t believe anybody who represents the party of Ronald Reagan will abandon Ukraine,” Andriy Yermak, the head of Zelenskyy’s office, told POLITICO earlier this month.

Meanwhile, however, Ukrainians are working to be as self-sufficient as possible, ramping up domestic weapons production and attempting to diversify their sources of military aid.

While Zelenskyy has publicly fretted about the possibility of a Trump presidency, Yermak has sought to strike a more optimistic tone.

“I think that, first of all, the people who were on Trump’s team at that time are not there anymore,” he told POLITICO during an event in February. “He has a new team. Furthermore, there is bipartisan support for Ukraine, and we are constantly talking to representatives of both parties.”

Parnas, for his part, said he was pessimistic.

“Zelenskyy and Yermak know they are not only fighting Russia for their lives but also Republicans,” he said.

“If Trump loses, Ukraine is going to get all the money and weapons it needs. Russia will be done,” he added. “If Trump wins, things will be very bad.”

SPOILER

Een live overzicht van gisteren.
https://edition.cnn.com/p(...)-04-23-24/index.html

https://edition.cnn.com/2(...)ney-trial/index.html

quote:

Takeaways from Day 6 of the Donald Trump criminal hush money trial
Judge Juan Merchan appeared poised on Tuesday to sanction Donald Trump for violating the gag order in his criminal hush money case after peppering the former president’s lawyers with questions about why Trump’s social media posts were acceptable.

Tuesday began with a hearing on Trump’s 10 alleged violations of the gag order, and it ended with former American Media Inc. chief David Pecker talking about how he vetted allegations of an alleged affair between Trump and Playboy playmate Karen McDougal in 2016 while in constant communication with Trump’s then-fixer, Michael Cohen. (Trump has denied the affair.)

Even with an abbreviated day for the Passover holiday, the one-two punch of the gag order violations and the testimony about the “catch-and-kill” deals to bury negative stories about Trump during the 2016 election added up to a frustrating day in court for Trump, who fumed about the news coverage of the trial and the limitations of the judge’s gag order.

Pecker will return to the stand on Thursday after court is dark on Wednesday. He has spoken now about two of the three catch-and-kill deals – but not adult film star Stormy Daniels, which is likely coming on Thursday.

Here are takeaways from Tuesday’s day in court:

Gag order hearing goes badly for Trump
Merchan issued the gag order before the trial began, limiting Trump from publicly discussing witnesses, the jury or the district attorney’s staff. Merchan expanded the order, which Trump has appealed, to cover his own family after Trump attacked his daughter.

He has not yet ruled on the district attorney’s motion to sanction Trump for allegedly violating the gag order, but it wasn’t hard to tell the judge’s sentiments.

Merchan rejected the explanations that Trump attorney Todd Blanche offered for the offending posts, after Trump’s attorney tried to argue that posts about Stormy Daniels and Michael Cohen were political and not about the case.

When Blanche tried to argue that Trump’s response to a Cohen post about Michael Avenatti, Daniels’ former lawyer, was political because it discussed pardons, the judge grew frustrated.

“So the pardon is what makes it political?” Merchan asked Blanche.

“Of course,” Blanche responded.

“When your client is violating a gag order, I expect more than one word,” Merchan said after Blanche argued that pardons were political in nature.

Merchan also pressed Blanche on Trump’s intentions, after Trump’s attorney argued that reposts of others on Truth Social were not necessarily subject to the gag order.

“It’s your client’s position that when he reposts he did not believe he was violating the gag order. I’d like to hear that. Or you just want me to accept it because you’re saying it?” Merchan asked Blanche shortly before the hearing ended.

Merchan did not say when he would rule. The district attorney is asking the judge to fine Trump $1,000 for each violation, and to remind him additional violations could result in imprisonment.

In an interview taped Tuesday morning before the hearing, Trump blasted Cohen as a “liar” with “no credibility” despite the gag order barring him from publicly discussing witnesses.

“Michael Cohen is a convicted liar and he’s got no credibility whatsoever. He was a lawyer and you rely on your lawyers … Then he got in trouble because of things outside of what he did for me, largely, it was essentially all because what he did in terms of campaign, I don’t think there was anything wrong with that with the charges that they made,” Trump said in the interview with WPVI Philadelphia, which aired Tuesday evening.

Judge says Trump lawyers are ‘losing all credibility’
Tensions continued to grow between Trump’s legal team and the trial judge during the gag order hearing.

Merchan repeatedly asked Blanche to clarify examples of when Trump was specifically responding to attacks from Cohen and Daniels on social media and grew visibly frustrated when Blanche failed to comply.

“You’ve presented nothing,” Merchan said to Blanche. “I’ve asked you eight or nine times [to] show me the exact post he was responding to. You’ve been unable to do that even once.”

“President Trump is being very careful to comply with your order,” Blanche said at one point.

“You’re losing all credibility with the court,” Merchan responded.

Last week, Merchan supported prosecutors when they refused to give Trump’s legal team notice of their witness list, saying he understood the sentiment given Trump’s social media attacks.

Last Thursday, assistant district attorney Josh Steinglass said he wouldn’t take the risk of subjecting trial witnesses to Trump’s social media wrath.

When Blanche claimed he could promise that Trump wouldn’t reveal or discuss the witnesses on deck to testify, Merchan shot back, “I don’t think you can make that representation.”

Pecker puts jury inside how AMI helped Trump in 2016 campaign
Pecker, who ran American Media Inc. during the 2016 election, testified for around two-and-a-half hours on Tuesday, walking jurors through how he worked with Michael Cohen on Trump’s behalf to squash unflattering stories during the 2016 election.

On Tuesday, Pecker testified about the “catch and kill” deals involving McDougal and Trump’s doorman. He said that he met with Trump and Cohen in 2015 where he agreed to be the “eyes and ears” of the campaign and look out for negative stories.

“At the meeting, Donald Trump and Michael, they asked me, what can I do, and what my magazines could do, to help the campaign,” Pecker testified. “I would run or publish positive stories about Mr. Trump and I would publish negative stories about his opponents.”

While ultimately Pecker wasn’t directly involved with the $130,000 payment to Daniels, his role is important to prosecutors’ case because he establishes there were a pattern of payments made to hide unflattering stories about Trump during the 2016 election.

“I think it was a mutual benefit. It would help his campaign and it would also help me,” Pecker said of the agreement.

Pecker places Michael Cohen deep in the conspiracy
Pecker placed Cohen in the heart of the alleged “catch and kill conspiracy” Tuesday. He testified that Cohen was the go-between for Trump fielding media stories from Pecker since 2007.

At the August 2015 Trump Tower meeting, Pecker said he would notify Cohen about negative stories.

“Anything that I hear in the marketplace - if I hear anything negative about yourself or if I hear anything about women selling stories, I would notify Michael Cohen as I did over the last several years,” Pecker said. “Then he would be able to have them killed in another magazine or have them not be published, or somebody would have to purchase them.”

During Trump’s campaign in 2015 and 2016, Pecker said Cohen would also pitch stories about Trump’s political opponents and offer feedback on behalf of “the boss,” as Cohen referred to Trump.

“Michael Cohen would call me and say, ‘We would like you to run negative article on a certain – let’s say for argument sake – on Ted Cruz,’” Pecker said. “Then he, Michael Cohen, would send me information about Ted Cruz or Ben Carson or Marco Rubio and that was the basis of our story and then we would embellish it from there.”

Als eerste was er de zitting over de motie van de aanklager om Trump te straffen voor in elk geval 10 overtredingen van zijn "gag order" De aanklager kwam met sterke argumenten en bewijs waarom hij deze overtreden had en eist 1000 dollar boete per overtreding. En de waarschuwing dat bij verdere overtredingen hij mogelijk maximaal 30 dagen de gevangenis in kan per overtreding. Enkele van deze overtredingen werden door Trump gedaan tijdens de rechtszaak terwijl hij in de rechtzaal zat volgens de aanklager. Ook eist hij dat deze posts verwijderd moeten worden.

Trump zijn verdediging kwam daarintegen met zwakke argumenten waarom deze posts/zijn uitspraken geen overtredingen waren. Bijvoorbeeld omdat hij slechts andere posts reposte en hij deze dus niet zelf geschreven had. Ook was een argument dat hij zich mocht verdedigen tegen uitspraken van M Cohen, die tegen hem getuigd. En noemde hij het ook politiek waardoor het onder artikel 1 van de grondwet zou vallen op basis van 1 woord "pardon" waar de rechter niet in mee ging.

De rechter heeft hier nog geen uitspraak in gedaan, maar was wel erg kritisch over Trump en zijn advocaten.

Na deze zitting gingen ze door met de daadwerkelijke rechtszaak en Pecker ging verder met zijn getuigenis van gisteren waarbij het de aanklager was die hem ondervraagde en zijn beweringen met bewijs ondersteunde.

Zijn getuigenis ging vooral erover dat hij positieve nieuws berichten over hem moest plaatsen, hem moest verwittigen bij mogelijk negatief nieuws. En moest helpen met negatief nieuws uit de kranten te houden door deze op te kopen. Hier zijn 3 voorbeelden van gegeven (of worden nog gegeven:

- Deurman die beweerde dat Trump een buitenechtelijke kind had werd voor 30.000 dollar afbetaald
- Playboy playmate Karen McDougal die een affaire met hem had werd afgekocht voor 150.000 dollar
- Stormy Daniels werd afgekocht voor 130.000 dollar

Hierin heeft Cohen (die nog moet getuigen) en Pecker een groot aandeel gehad. Zijn getuigenis is tot nu toe erg sterk, en zeker niet goed voor Trump. Donderdag zullen zij verder gaan.

Ook zal donderdag een zitting over zijn immuniteitsclaim plaatsvinden bij de supreme court, waarbij Trump zelf dus niet aanwezig bij kan zijn.

SPOILER

https://edition.cnn.com/v(...)intv-ebof-digvid.cnn

quote:

George Conway on what struck him about Trump's gag order hearing
Conservative lawyer George Conway joins CNN's Erin Burnett to discuss former President Donald Trump's hush money criminal trial as well as Conway's decision to make a donation to President Joe Biden's reelection campaign.

https://edition.cnn.com/v(...)an-ac-360-digvid.cnn

quote:

'Full 9-alarm fire': Honig reacts to transcript of testimony from Trump hush money trial
CNN's John Berman breaks down some details from the newly released transcript from the second day of testimony in Donald Trump's hush money criminal trial. CNN senior legal analyst Elie Honig discusses.

https://edition.cnn.com/v(...)l-stelter-digvid.cnn

quote:

'A profound betrayal': Stelter reacts to Pecker's testimony about Trump
Media expert Brian Stelter discusses David Pecker's testimony during Trump's hush money trial about aiding the former president in suppressing negative stories throughout the 2016 campaign.

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 11:25 schreef ExTec het volgende:
Ok, in al het gekakel is het moeilijk om alles te blijven volgen, maar dit is wel big (if true).

[ x ]

Dan ook hopen dat het flinke aantallen zijn.

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 11:35 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Helaas. Elke gek zijn gebrek. En als er dan mensen biden's (voorheen?) pasiviteit blijven whitewashen, zich verschuilend achter beperkingen die biden c.s. zichzelf op blijven leggen, zeg ik daar wat van.

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 11:36 schreef xzaz het volgende:

[..]
Rostov aan de Don of Wolgograd zijn mooie doelwitten.

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 10:42 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Maar waarom er blijkbaar met alle geweld vervangende gelden voor afgeschreven materiel gerealiseerd moet worden voor je die kunt doneren, hebben jij en alle andere biden stoepjes vegers nog steeds geen antwoord op h�?

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 11:54 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
Jij haalt de PDA en EDA weer door elkaar.

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 10:56 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Zijn daar provisies voor dan?

Nee?

Dan komt dat neer op, unanimiteit.

Veel succes met een land schorsen, en dat land daar zelf akkoord mee laten gaan.

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 12:11 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
Er zijn inderdaad geen provisies voor op dit ogenblik. Tenminste niet die publiekelijk zijn. Maar dat wil niet zeggen dat het onmogelijk is, of dat er geen andere opties zijn.

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 12:11 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Nee, doe ik niet. Ik merk op dat het de 2de keer is dat je dit trucje probeert te flikken.

Als je een woestijn vol humvee's hebt staan, die echt overbodig zijn, maar weigert die uit te leveren, en daarna potsierlijk ze (zogenaamd) van een operationele plek weg haalt, om ze zo onder PDA te scharen, ipv EDA, ben je bezig met werkgelegendheid, en niet primair met oekraine helpen.

Maar ik had je dit al eerder gevraagd, waarom ze niet gewoon die dingen uit de woestijn pakte, en daar had je geen antwoord op.

Daarbij is het wettelijk niet verplicht om vervanginsgelden tegenover PDA schenkingen te zetten, dat is, wederom, keuze.

En dan kan je gaan schermen met JA MAAR OPERATIONEEL, who are you kidding?

Maar ja, als de whitehouse spox zegt dat dat en dat weggeven de operatie van de VS' leger in gevaar brengt, en jij kiest er voor om dat voor zoete koek te slikken, dan helpt dat enorm om op het gewenste eindpunt te komen -> biden kan er niks aan doen, het zijn de evil reps.

Even zo beleefd mogelijk:

Ik ben van mening dat jij maar blijft volharden in het whitewashen van biden c.s. passiviteit, die er zogenaamd niks aan konden doen, de afgelopen 6 maanden.

Maar ipv dit over elke as aangrijpen om werkgelegenheid te creeeren, hadden ze dat ook kunnen laten, en gewoon oekraine kunnen helpen.

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 09:10 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
Gaat het om dezelfde installatie/infrastructuur die vorige week ook al geraakt was?

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 12:40 schreef StateOfMind het volgende:
Vermoeiend deze 'discussie'

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 12:25 schreef over_hedge het volgende:
Nee jammer voor je. Top zin weer als je een discussie met iemand hebt. Je kan je standpunten ook verdedigen zonder elke keer half boos te worden en elke keer van die vreemde dingen te zeggen die niks in een discussie te zoeken hebben. Die denigrerende opmerkingen de hele tijd

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 12:41 schreef Straatcommando. het volgende:

[..]
[..]
Dit dus en ik ga het vanaf nu ook verwijderen. Je verwoordt je maar op een normale niet passief agressieve manier of anders helemaal niet. Gaat helemaal nergens over.

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 12:31 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
Omdat al die voorraden in de woestijn niet perse excessive zijn.

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 10:56 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Zijn daar provisies voor dan?

Nee?

Dan komt dat neer op, unanimiteit.

Veel succes met een land schorsen, en dat land daar zelf akkoord mee laten gaan.

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 12:53 schreef sp3c het volgende:

[..]
Conventie van Wenen gaat daarover, het is niet nodig om dat in het NATO charteralsnog vast te leggen

quote:

Het Verdrag van Wenen inzake diplomatiek verkeer (ook wel Conventie van Wenen of Weense Conventie genoemd) is een van de internationale verdragen waarin de regels van het diplomatieke verkeer zijn vastgelegd.

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 11:37 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Een mooie brug?......

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 12:44 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Maar dan komt het er dus feitelijk op neer dat de biden admin naar gelang het hun uitkomt bepaalt of het overbodig is of niet?

Is dus hun keuze?

En gezien prestaties uit het verleden, hebben ze daar ontzettend veel ruimte in?

Dan wilde ze dus spul niet overbodig verklaren, dan wilde ze dus feitelijk oekraine niet helpen?

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 13:12 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Waarom? Volgens Oekra�ne gaat daar per dag nog nog ��n goederentrein overheen en verder is die nu alleen in gebruik voor passagiersverkeer. Strategisch dus niet zo heel spannend. Er zijn betere doelen te verzinnen. Het is een leuk doelwit om Poetin's feestje op 9 Mei mee te verzieken. Maar zo'n PR succes kan weer tegen Oekra�ne werken als er vervolgens een passagierstrein de zee in kleddert met veel doden tot gevolg.

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 11:46 schreef ExTec het volgende:
[ x ]

Maar da's dan voor onder de F-16s neem ik aan? Of mogen ze weer gaan sleutelen om ze onder MiGs te hangen.

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 12:59 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
[..]
Ik zie de link niet echt?

Bv gedragsregels omtrent wat ambassadeurs kunnen, mogen, do's and don't voor de gastlanden lijken mij nogal ver af te staan van de huisregels van de NAVO.

quote:

“Material Breach” under the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties
These passages confirm that maintaining and furthering the principles on which the Alliance is based — democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law — forms part of the object and purpose of the North Atlantic Treaty. This, in turn, suggests that a failure to comply with these principles may amount to a material breach of the treaty within the meaning of Article 60 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties. Pursuant to Article 60, a material breach consists of:

(a) a repudiation of the treaty not sanctioned by the present Convention; or
(b) the violation of a provision essential to the accomplishment of the object or purpose of the treaty.

SPOILER

quote:

To constitute a material breach pursuant to sub-paragraph (a), the violation of the principles underlying the treaty would have to be so extensive in scope, so severe and so persistent as to effectively “disavow” or repudiate the treaty (cf. Namibia Advisory Opinion, para. 95). Turning to sub-paragraph (b), there can be little doubt that continued compliance with the values set out in the preamble and Article 2 is essential for the accomplishment of the object and purpose of the treaty.

Official statements issued by the member states, including at the Brussels Summit in 2018 and more recently on the occasion of NATO’s 70th Anniversary, repeatedly affirm these principles. A member nation that violated them in a systematic and egregious manner would thus cast doubt on the very resolve of the allies to “unite their efforts for collective defence and for the preservation of peace and security” (preamble, North Atlantic Treaty).

Should the conditions for the existence of a material breach be satisfied, NATO’s member states would be entitled, by unanimous agreement, to suspend the operation of the treaty in whole or in part or to terminate it either in their relations with the defaulting state or among them all (Article 60(2) of the Vienna Convention). For these purposes, a unanimous decision of the North Atlantic Council, excluding the defaulting state, would suffice. No further procedural requirements apply, including those laid down in Article 65 of the Vienna Convention.

Whether or not Turkey is in material breach of its commitments under the North Atlantic Treaty is therefore a question to be determined by the other members of the Council. As Klaus Kress has observed, there is a “very serious possibility that Operation ‘Peace Spring’ could constitute a manifest violation of the prohibition of the use of force.” Coupled with President Erdoğan’s threat to “open the gates” for Syrian refugees to migrate to Europe, a threat fundamentally at odds with the unity and solidarity of the Alliance, characterizing these developments as a material breach is not entirely far-fetched.

In any event, they entitle other NATO nations to suspend or scale back their military cooperation with Turkey, even without declaring Turkey to be in material breach. Although Article 3 of the North Atlantic Treaty commits the parties to maintain and develop their individual and collective capacity to resist armed attack, this obligation is meant to pursue the objectives of the treaty. The duty to develop military capabilities and to cooperate to this end therefore does not override the commitment to further the principles of democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law. A number of Allies, including France, Germany and Norway, as well as official NATO partner Finland, are reported to have suspended the sale of military equipment to Turkey.

Overall, the absence of a suspension and expulsion mechanism in the North Atlantic Treaty does not prevent the North Atlantic Council from suspending or terminating the membership of an ally found to be in material breach of the treaty. However, with the 70th anniversary of the treaty just past, this is a sorry position for the Council to be in by any measure. Suspending, let alone terminating, a nation’s membership of NATO would be an extreme measure to be contemplated only once other attempts to restore unity and respect for the Alliance’s founding principles have been exhausted.

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 13:20 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Ik zei niet welke brug.

quote:

Ben het voor de rest met je eens. That said, oekraine kan het PR element laten prevaleren.

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 13:19 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
Daar gaat de ministerie van defensie over. Die bepaald of iets overbodig is of niet.

quote:

Maar dat is vast niet zo gemakkelijk als Biden die even aangeeft dat hij wat als excessief genoteerd wil hebben.

quote:

Consequently, at least 100 F-4 Phantom II fighters were sent to Israel under Nickel Grass,[13] coming from the 4th Tactical Fighter Wing, the 33d Tactical Fighter Wing and the 57th Fighter Weapons Wing.

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 13:30 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
En aan wie rapporteren die...?
[..]
Dat was het voor nixon wel.

De president is nu eenmaal de hoogste militair. Uiteindelijk moet je doen wat hij zegt, en heb je geen recourse. Hooguit dat zoiets als het congress iets aanhangig kan maken bij SCOTUS. Maar inzake jom-kipoer, heeft niemand dat gedaan.

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 13:57 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
En dat de president aan de top zit wil niet zeggen dat hij geen verantwoording hoeft af te leggen.

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 13:45 schreef Ulx het volgende:
Wat gaan de Poetinisten weer los op twitter. Volledig uit hun dak.

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 14:07 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
Waar gaan ze los over? Het Amerikaanse hulppakket?

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 12:59 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
[..]
Ik zie de link niet echt?

Bv gedragsregels omtrent wat ambassadeurs kunnen, mogen, do's and don't voor de gastlanden lijken mij nogal ver af te staan van de huisregels van de NAVO.

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Op woensdag 24 april 2024 14:07 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Dat staat niet ter discussie.

In de kern hebben we het over: had de biden admin de afgelopen 6 maanden meer kunnen doen dan ze gedaan hebben, Y/N.

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Op woensdag 24 april 2024 14:20 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
- 4 miljard PDA die nog open stond en die Biden mogelijk had kunnen gebruiken

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Op woensdag 24 april 2024 14:43 schreef ExTec het volgende:
[ x ]

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Op woensdag 24 april 2024 14:53 schreef Ulx het volgende:
[ x ]

Dat is de grootste staatfabriek van Rusland.

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Op woensdag 24 april 2024 14:53 schreef Ulx het volgende:
[ x ]

Dat is de grootste staatfabriek van Rusland.

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Op woensdag 24 april 2024 15:04 schreef over_hedge het volgende:

[..]
Ze hebben wel veel pech die russen. Elke keer schieten ze alle drones neer. Maar komen de brokstukken precies op belangrijke plekken terecht

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Op woensdag 24 april 2024 09:57 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://www.reddit.com/r/(...)e_30_remain_russian/
18+ "Out of 4,000 people, a brigade, 30% remain". Russian soldiers film the battlefield just east of Krasnohorivka, to the northeast of Avdiivka.
NSFW: Wat een slachtveld.

quote:

Russisch oliedepot in Talashkino, Oblast Smolensk, in vlammen opgegaan na gerapporteerde drone-aanval Smolensk-gouverneur Vasily Anokhin verklaarde: " Onze regio wordt opnieuw aangevallen door Oekra�ense drones, die waarschijnlijk branden veroorzaken in energiefaciliteiten in de districten Smolensk en Yartsevo."

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Op woensdag 24 april 2024 15:04 schreef oheng het volgende:

[..]
Ja, je ziet dat Oekraine telkens van doelwitten switcht. Eerst raffinaderijen, dan olie terminals, dan nu weer zware industrie. Overigens is er ook een (tank)fabriek geraakt.

Hier een interessant stuk van Tochnyi over het gebruik van FPV drones, inclusief statistieken.

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 17:33 schreef Ulx het volgende:
[ x ]

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Op woensdag 24 april 2024 17:38 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Die Bradleys zijn wel heel vet. Daar doen de orcs het van in hun broek.

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Op woensdag 24 april 2024 16:38 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Geen commentaar van de VS meer. Ik vraag me af of dat nog iets te betekenen heeft. Ze kregen terecht nogal wat woedende reacties op hun gelul over Rusland niet aanvallen, en andere landen zeiden gewoon dat het niet hun zorg was of ze dat deden. Stoltenberg zei het ook al in februari.

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Op woensdag 24 april 2024 17:33 schreef Ulx het volgende:
[ x ]

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Op woensdag 24 april 2024 17:44 schreef Perrin het volgende:

[..]
M242 Bushmaster met hoog-explosieve 25mm munitie..

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Op woensdag 24 april 2024 16:38 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Geen commentaar van de VS meer. Ik vraag me af of dat nog iets te betekenen heeft. Ze kregen terecht nogal wat woedende reacties op hun gelul over Rusland niet aanvallen, en andere landen zeiden gewoon dat het niet hun zorg was of ze dat deden. Stoltenberg zei het ook al in februari.

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Op woensdag 24 april 2024 17:46 schreef Anton91 het volgende:

[..]
Dual purpose improved conventional munition

Zoals ik het lees cluster munitie

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Op woensdag 24 april 2024 18:13 schreef Ulx het volgende:
Die Sea Sparrows zullen wel op een Frankensam komen.

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Op woensdag 24 april 2024 18:15 schreef Jaroon het volgende:

[..]
Praat ge nu Belgisch?

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Op woensdag 24 april 2024 18:17 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Nee.

https://en.wikipedia.org/(...)launched_Sea_Sparrow

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Op woensdag 24 april 2024 18:21 schreef Ulx het volgende:
Nederlands veilinghuis gaat superjacht van Oekra�ense oligarch veilen

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Op woensdag 24 april 2024 18:22 schreef Jaroon het volgende:

[..]
Wat zegt het?

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Op woensdag 24 april 2024 18:23 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Klik maar op de link.

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Op woensdag 24 april 2024 18:03 schreef oheng het volgende:
De S300/S400 radar die geraakt werd door HI(MARS) is toch geen decoy.

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Op woensdag 24 april 2024 18:21 schreef Ulx het volgende:
Nederlands veilinghuis gaat superjacht van Oekra�ense oligarch veilen

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Op woensdag 24 april 2024 19:07 schreef StateOfMind het volgende:

[..]
Is dat niet die gast die in het begin van de oorlog ergens is opgepakt door Oekra�ne, en later bij een gevangenenruil weer is vrijgelaten?

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Op woensdag 24 april 2024 19:07 schreef BEFEM het volgende:

[..]
Ja

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Op woensdag 24 april 2024 19:06 schreef BEFEM het volgende:
Is niet echt doneren toch als het schip van Oekra�ne zelf is...?

Vraag me altijd af hoeveel zoiets oplevert, veel meer dan 10% van de waarde zal het niet zijn toch?edit: eigenaarschap zal vast via rare constructies zijn gegaan waardoor het niet in beslag is genomen door Oekra�ne. Door wie wel? Wie is nu de eigenaar?

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 19:04 schreef Perrin het volgende:
[ x ]

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 19:07 schreef StateOfMind het volgende:

[..]
Is dat niet die gast die in het begin van de oorlog ergens is opgepakt door Oekra�ne, en later bij een gevangenenruil weer is vrijgelaten?

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Op woensdag 24 april 2024 19:22 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
Volgens mij was hij zelfs de beoogde vervanging voor Zelenski door Putin. Een erg goede vriend en de peetvader van ��n van zijn kinderen.

Ik weet niet de precieze nummers meer maar bij de gevangenen ruil werden er een heleboel Oekra�ense gevangen voor hem geruild.

Al kan ik mij vergissen. Het begin van de oorlog is al erg lang geleden tenslotte.

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 19:19 schreef Ulx het volgende:
Hadden ze dat niet eerder bekend kunnen maken? Had gezeik over Biden gescheeld in dit topic.

[ x ]

quote:

The US quietly shipped long-range ATACMS missiles to Ukraine

WASHINGTON, April 24 (Reuters) - The United States in recent weeks secretly shipped long-range missiles to Ukraine for use in its battle to fight off Russian invaders, and Ukraine last week used them for the first time, a U.S. official said on Wednesday.

The missiles were contained in a $300 million military aid package for Ukraine that U.S. President Joe Biden approved on March 12, said the U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity. The official would not say how many of the missiles were sent.

The missiles were used for the first time in the early hours of April 17, launched against a Russian airfield in Crimea that was about 165 km (103 miles) from the Ukrainian front lines, the official said.

Whether to send the Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) with a range up to 300 km was a subject of debate within the Biden administration for months. Mid-range ATACMS were supplied last September.

The Pentagon initially opposed the long-range missile deployment, fearing the loss of the missiles from the American stockpile would hurt U.S. military readiness. There were also concerns that Ukraine would use them to attack targets deep inside Russia.

Russia's use of North Korean-supplied long-range ballistic missiles against Ukraine in December and January, despite U.S. public and private warnings not to do so, led to a change in heart, the U.S. official said.

Also a factor in U.S. decision-making was Russia's targeting of Ukraine's critical infrastructure, the official said.

"We warned Russia about those things," the official said. "They renewed their targeting."

In late January the U.S. military found a way to satisfy their concerns about military readiness, which enabled the administration to move forward. They began acquiring new missiles coming off the Lockheed-Martin production line.

Biden met with his national security team in mid-February and agreed to accept the unanimous recommendation of his advisers to send the missiles to Ukraine. Involved in the discussion were national security adviser Jake Sullivan, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman C.Q. Brown.

The challenge at that point was to figure out how to pay for the missiles. The United States had exhausted all of its funding options and congressional gridlock stymied further aid.

An opportunity arose in March, when several Pentagon contracts came in under bid. Biden was able to use the difference to send $300 million in assistance to Ukraine.

Biden told his team to include the long-range ATACMS in this funding package, but to do so secretly in order to maintain operational security and the element of surprise for Ukraine, the official said.

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 19:06 schreef BEFEM het volgende:
Is niet echt doneren toch als het schip van Oekra�ne zelf is...?

Vraag me altijd af hoeveel zoiets oplevert, veel meer dan 10% van de waarde zal het niet zijn toch?edit: eigenaarschap zal vast via rare constructies zijn gegaan waardoor het niet in beslag is genomen door Oekra�ne. Door wie wel? Wie is nu de eigenaar?

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 19:44 schreef bleiblei het volgende:

[..]
Ze kunnen het opgeld doneren toch? Das toch al gauw 10% ofzo van de opbrengst .

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 19:44 schreef bleiblei het volgende:

[..]
Ze kunnen het opgeld doneren toch? Das toch al gauw 10% ofzo van de opbrengst .

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 19:11 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Oekra�ne is nu de eigenaar. En zetten het schip te koop. En al gaat die voor een spotprijs weg heeft Oekra�ne er gewoon winst op.

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 19:58 schreef BEFEM het volgende:

[..]
Volgens mij lag het voor anker in Kroati� en stond het op naam van een bedrijf op Bermuda ofzo. Bron dat Oekra�ne nu de eigenaar is?

quote:

As a reminder, on November 14, 2023, at the initiative of ARMA, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine improved the procedure for the sale of seized assets and introduced the possibility of selling them abroad. The introduced amendments regulate the sale of seized property abroad for the first time in the history of Ukraine. The regulations initiated by ARMA have opened up the possibility to start procedures for the sale of the 92-meter yacht Royal Romance, owned by the family of Viktor Medvedchuk and located in Croatia

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 19:38 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]
[..]
Reuters

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 20:38 schreef quirina het volgende:

Frightening Videos That Will Steal Your Sleep!

12:28 misschien kunnen ze Putin hier in wegflikkeren?

terrifying!! Putin Shows Off Massive Production of New Tanks

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 18:45 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]
Als het om dit verhaal gaat is wat je op die pic ziet niet dezelfde radar.

[ x ]

[ afbeelding ]

[ afbeelding ]

[ afbeelding ]

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 21:20 schreef oheng het volgende:

[..]
Wat denk jij, was dat een decoy of niet?

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Op woensdag 24 april 2024 18:29 schreef Jaroon het volgende:

[..]
Oekra�ne is geen normaal land.

quote:

Het Nederlandse veilinghuis Troostwijk Auctions gaat het superjacht Royal Romance van de pro-Russische Oekra�ense oligarch Viktor Medvedtsjoek veilen.

quote:

[Het Nederlandse veilinghuis Troostwijk Auctions gaat het superjacht Royal Romance van de pro-Russische Oekra�ense oligarch Viktor Medvedtsjoek veilen./quote]

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 21:20 schreef oheng het volgende:
Wat denk jij, was dat een decoy of niet?

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Op woensdag 24 april 2024 21:24 schreef Jaroon het volgende:
Dit zegt weinig.

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Op woensdag 24 april 2024 21:31 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]
Wat bedoel je?

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Op woensdag 24 april 2024 21:33 schreef Jaroon het volgende:
Die foto's.

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Op woensdag 24 april 2024 21:45 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]
Die kapotgeschoten radar op de foto is een Gravestone, de radar in dat filmpje is de 9S32M1 en zeer zeker geen Gravestone.

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 20:49 schreef michaelmoore het volgende:

[..]
Putin moet gestopt worden , zijn ambities evenaren die van Hitler als niet meer

terrifying!! Putin Shows Off Massive Production of New Tanks

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 21:51 schreef QAnonn het volgende:

[..]
Landen die veel tanks produceren zijn net als Hitler

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 21:30 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]
Het is nmm wel vreemd dat die radar ergens compleet solitair middenin een veld staat en ik zie er verder ook geen sporen/bedrijvigheid omheen, het lijkt mij op zijn minst om een niet operationele radar te gaan maar goed, op basis van deze beelden kun je eigenlijk niet beoordelen of het echt een decoy is.

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 21:53 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Nee, alleen landen die veroveraartje spelen bij hun buren, onder de noemer dat het toch altijd al van ons was.

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 22:16 schreef QAnonn het volgende:

[..]
Bijna elk land in de wereld heeft dat in het verleden gedaan.

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 22:13 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:
Wordt Lavrov gecanceled door het Westen of is ie echt vooral op de achtergrond? Die man zie je ook nooit meer.

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 22:13 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:
Wordt Lavrov gecanceled door het Westen of is ie echt vooral op de achtergrond? Die man zie je ook nooit meer.

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 21:51 schreef QAnonn het volgende:

[..]
Landen die veel tanks produceren zijn net als Hitler

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 22:16 schreef QAnonn het volgende:

[..]
Bijna elk land in de wereld heeft dat in het verleden gedaan.

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 22:13 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:
Wordt Lavrov gecanceled door het Westen of is ie echt vooral op de achtergrond? Die man zie je ook nooit meer.

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 23:11 schreef Aether het volgende:
Oekra�ne gebruikt stiekem al raketten van VS met bereik van 300 km
https://nos.nl/l/2518058

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 23:15 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Ja, zijn in februari geleverd.

Vraag me af hoe ze dat dan gedaan hadden, want biden had toch helemaal geen centjes om dat te doen?

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 23:17 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Dat staat uitvoerig beschreven in de topics van rond die tijd, zeikstraal.

quote:

Op donderdag 25 april 2024 00:19 schreef Ulx het volgende:
[ x ]

quote:

Op woensdag 24 april 2024 20:49 schreef michaelmoore het volgende:

[..]
Putin moet gestopt worden , zijn ambities evenaren die van Hitler als niet meer

terrifying!! Putin Shows Off Massive Production of New Tanks

quote:

Op donderdag 25 april 2024 00:41 schreef Perrin het volgende:

[..]
Dat is geen strike maar een steeeeee-rike.

[ afbeelding ]

quote:

Polish defense minister: Poland ready to help Ukraine get its military-aged men back

quote:

Media: Greece preparing to give Ukraine at least 1 Patriot system, possibly 2
Greece is preparing to give Ukraine at least one Patriot air defense system, the Greek media outlet Pronews reported on April 22, citing government sources. The figure could possibly be two, the source added.

The news follows a story by the Financial Times (FT) on April 22, in which official sources said that Greece and Spain were under specific pressure from the EU to provide additional air defense systems to Ukraine.

"European leaders personally urged Spanish and Greek prime ministers Pedro Sanchez and Kyriakos Mitsotakis at a summit in Brussels last week to donate air defense systems to Ukraine, according to people briefed on the discussions," the FT wrote.

"The two leaders, whose armed forces possess between them more than a dozen Patriot systems plus others such as S-300s, were told that their needs were not as great as Ukraine's and that they did not face any imminent threats."

Government sources told Pronews that the U.S. had provided an undisclosed "guarantee" regarding the possible provision of the Patriot systems, and assurances of assistance against any threat from Turkey, Greece's primary geopolitical foe.

The U.S. also reportedly promised that any damaged Greek Patriot systems would be replaced.

Escalating Russian strikes and resulting civilian casualties underscore Ukraine's dire need for additional air defenses, and while the potential passing of the U.S. aid bill should alleviate some of the need, President Volodymyr Zelensky told an online session of the NATO-Ukraine Council on April 19 that European countries can still do more.

According to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel), which tracks international aid for Ukraine, Greece has committed 185 million euros ($197 million) to Ukraine as of February 2024.

quote:

North Korea accuses US of ‘profiting’ off Ukraine war, slamming new aid bill
Foreign ministry criticism of $61B aid package comes as Kim Yo Jong issues scathing attack on US-led military drills

North Korea’s foreign ministry denounced U.S. military support for Ukraine on Wednesday, claiming the Biden administration is earning “enormous profits while feasting on ‘blood-mixed wine.’”

In a statement published by the party-run Rodong Sinmun, vice foreign minister Im Chon Il took aim at the U.S. House of Representatives’ bipartisan passage of a bill allocating $61 billion in aid to help Ukraine fend off Russia’s invasion on Saturday.

The Senate subsequently passed the package on Tuesday, and President Joe Biden is expected to sign the bill into law soon.

By providing such military assistance, the U.S. seeks to “use the Ukrainian crisis as an opportunity for fattening up its munitions monopolies and for further tightening the shackle it put on Ukraine,” Im wrote.

The foreign ministry official also claimed that Ukrainian battlefields “have long been a ‘graveyard’ of various weaponry bragged about by the U.S. and the NATO” and won’t stop Russia’s “sacred war of justice.”

SPOILER

quote:

Fyodor Tertitsky, a researcher at Seoul’s Kookmin University, told NK News that North Korea’s support of Russia is nothing new and is likely aimed at pleasing Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“One of North Korea’s old strategies is to offer moral support in hopes of something real in return. It is not as if they have anything to lose,” he said.

Despite the DPRK’s criticism of U.S. aid to Ukraine, there is strong evidence showing North Korea has provided ballistic missiles, artillery shells and other weaponry to Russia in support of its invasion and in violation of U.N. sanctions.

The statement makes no mention of Taiwan or Israel, which are also set to receive billions of dollars as part of the same aid package.

North Korea has repeatedly blamed the U.S. for the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, and has supported Beijing’s “One China” policy on Taiwan.

Meanwhile, Kim Yo Jong, the North Korean leader’s powerful sister, also took aim at Washington in separate comments published in the Rodong Sinmun and covered by Korean Central Television (KCTV) on Wednesday.

In her statement, Kim blamed U.S.-led military drills this year involving South Korea and Japan for plunging the region “deeper into a dangerous vortex,” warning that the DPRK will “immediately annihilate” South Korea if it uses forces against the North.

“Of course, a scared dog barks louder, but the bosses of the ROK puppet military gangsters have gone too far in their barks recently.”

Hours after Kim’s statement, the ROK military announced it will hold its first joint space operations drills with the U.S. as part of annual Korea Flying Training involving the ROK air force and U.S. Army, Air Force and Marines.

Shin Seung-ki, a senior analyst at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses, told NK News that Kim Yo Jong’s criticism of the ongoing U.S.-ROK drills illustrates a recurring pattern of responses to these exercises.

“There’s a consistent cycle, where North Korea hopes to weaken or minimize the importance of joint drills with threats, but the South continues without being swayed,” he said.

However, Tertitsky said Kim’s statement may be a way of keeping North Korea in the media as a serious foreign policy issue for the U.S. “in the hope that should Trump win in November, they could start another round of diplomacy with him.”

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un led a series of missile launches on Monday in order to test the country’s new “Nuclear Trigger’ system,” according to state media, blaming U.S.-ROK-Japan drills earlier this month for raising tensions.

quote:

Kremlin spokeswoman: Nato drills in Finland "increase risk of military incidents"
Finland applied to join the Nato alliance in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Nato military exercises, scheduled to begin in Finland on Friday 26 April, have been criticised by Russian officials.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb said last month that the exercises, especially those that take place in the Nordic region, send a message to Russia that the defence alliance has the ability to act if a member country were attacked.

On Wednesday the exercises were described by Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as "provocative in nature".

Finland applied to join the Nato alliance in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Hosting or partaking in military drills are a regular feature of Nato membership.

Throughout this spring, the Finnish Defence Forces will host a series of military exercises and drills alongside other Nato members.

"A significant number of soldiers from the nations of the alliance will participate in training the defence of Finland," according to a press release by the Finnish Ministry of Defence.

In comments reported by Russia's state news agency RIA on Wednesday, Zakharova noted that the drills will take place in close proximity to the Russian-Finnish border.

"Nato military exercises near the Russian borders are provocative in nature. Their task is to exert military pressure on the Russian Federation through a demonstration of force," Zakharova said.

She added that the drills "increase the risks of possible military incidents."

Earlier this week, Russia said it had established a brigade equipped with the Iskander-M ballistic missile system in the Republic of Karelia, a Russian region which shares an extensive border with Finland, describing the move as an 'adequate response' to Finland joining Nato.

quote:

Russian Deputy Defense Minister held on suspected treason, not just corruption

Russia's Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov was arrested on charges of high treason, not merely corruption as initially reported, according to two independent sources cited by the Russian news outlet Vazhnye Istorii on April 24.

One source explained the situation, saying, "Bribery is for the public. They don't want to talk publicly about high treason yet - it's a big scandal: he is a Deputy Defense Minister, after all."

Another source commented on the improbability of an arrest solely for corruption: "No one would arrest him for corruption. Everyone there [in the Kremlin] has known about this for a long time. Putin gave the order after he was convinced that it was a case of treason."

SPOILER

quote:

Compromising materials on Ivanov have reportedly been held by Russian security forces for years. An investigator with Russia’s Investigative Committee told Vazhnye Istorii's editor-in-chief, Roman Anin, that these materials relate to Ivanov's illegal activities during his tenure as head of Oboronstroy, a joint-stock company for defense and space production. Despite the availability of these materials, their use had been previously blocked by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.

“He personally called Yuriev (the head of the FSB's Military Counterintelligence Department) and cursed him for the fact that the FSB was working on his close friend,” the investigator said.

According to a source close to the FSB, the Department for Economic Security and Counterintelligence (DESC) is involved in providing operational support for the case against Ivanov.

“Now they are deciding what to do with him: either to imprison him for bribery and ‘finish him off’ in the zone (prison), or to reclassify the charges as treason,” the source said.

Earlier in the day, the Telegram channel of the Moscow courts of general jurisdiction reported that Ivanov had been accusedof large-scale bribery and remanded in custody until June 23.

Ivanov, who has been Deputy Defense Minister since 2016 and was responsible for the construction and renovation of the Russian Defense Ministry’s facilities, is accused of receiving bribes on a particularly large scale in the awarding of contracts and subcontracts for the ministry.

On April 23, Russia’s Investigative Committee announced Ivanov’s detention on suspicion of bribery.

Last April, it was reported that Ivanov’s wife was vacationing in the French ski resort of Courchevel during Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine. The Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation accused her of lavish spending of millions of dollars that did not match the family’s official income.

quote:

Deputy Defense Minister Ivanov detained in Russia with help of Ukrainian intelligence - source
On April 23, Russia reported that Deputy Defense Minister Ivanov was sent to pretrial detention

Deputy Defense Minister of the Russian Federation, Timur Ivanov, was detained on suspicion of corruption as a result of the actions of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine (HUR), according to a source in the special services, who spoke with LIGA.net.

In March 2024, a unit of active measures of the HUR conducted a cyber attack, which resulted in access being gained to confidential information and official documents belonging to Ivanov, the source reported.

After this story became known in "wider circles," an investigation was launched against Ivanov - he is suspected of corruption.

quote:

Ukrainian Intelligence Says They Got the Russians to Arrest One of Their Own
An intelligence source said law enforcement detained Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov for bribery after an operation by HUR revealed huge number of secret documents, embarrassing the Kremlin.

Russian Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov was detained and faces up to 15 years in prison thanks to a Ukrainian secret operation, Kyiv Post sources in intelligence said Wednesday, April 24.

In March, Ukrainian Defense Intelligence (?UR) gained access to a huge amount of confidential information - including many of Ivanov's own documents.

"In fact, he [Timur Ivanov] is a Russian patriot set up by Ukrainian intelligence, and the Kremlin elders took the bait," the Kyiv Post source said.

SPOILER

quote:

Moscow was well aware of Timur Ivanov's bribery, but it did not become a reason to bring him to justice. However, the huge leak of classified information and the publicity garnered by the Ukrainian operation ended Ivanov's tenor as the second man in the Defense Ministry after Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, the source said.

Ivanov was detained on Tuesday evening, April 23, on suspicion of taking a bribe, Russian media outlet TASS reported.

Shoigu's deputy was sent to a pre-trial detention center for two months - until June 23, 2024. Russian prosecutors allege Ivanov took a bribe of at least 1 million rubles ($10,800), during contracting and subcontracting works for the Defense Ministry.

The court confirmed the bribery allegations against Shoigu's deputy, TASS reported.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said both Shoigu and President Vladimir Putin were informed of Ivanov's detention, TASS reported.

Ivanov has worked in the Defense Ministry for over a decade, becoming Deputy Defense Minister in 2016. He also headed Oboronbud, a joint-stock company under the Ministry of Defense, for three years. Previously, he worked as a deputy prime minister of the Moscow region and at Russian fuel and energy companies.

Ivanov oversaw construction-related issues at the Defense Ministry, where he was responsible for building the main temple of the armed forces - the Vostochny Cosmodrome.

After the Kremlin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, he was placed in charge of the project to "restore" occupied Mariupol, which sustained extensive damage by the Russian Armed Forces.

quote:

Perspective Market of Ukrainian Short-Range EW Systems

^{EW systems from the Kvertus company. Photo credits: Militarnyi}

In Ukraine, more than 50 manufacturers are working on the development of more than 100 electronic warfare (EW) and Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) systems.

Ukrainian companies receive active support from Brave1 (a cluster for the development of military technologies in Ukraine) in the codification of their products.

The development of EW and SIGINT systems is a response to the threats that arise on the dynamic frontlines.

“The system from a year ago won’t cut it today,” says Oleh Donets, Head of Cooperation and Partnership with the Security and Defense Forces of Brave1, EW/SIGINT direction leader.

Much attention is now paid to short-range EW systems that must counteract FPVs and drones that drop explosives while hovering over the military.

SPOILER

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^{FPV drone of the Defense Forces of Ukraine. Photo credits: 108th Territorial Defense Brigade}

Recently, several Ukrainian companies have introduced various solutions in this field. Militarnyi correspondents had the opportunity to review them.

Kvertus
Kvertus offers the most EW and SIGINT systems on the Ukrainian market.

They have more than 22 unique EW systems in their catalog.

“A month ago, a SIGINT came into the series, which in its group is the fastest in the world,” the company’s representative told Militarnyi.

Currently, the system is undergoing all the necessary tests at the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense and on the front line.

“We collect feedback from soldiers to improve and make the product adapt to the war,” the company said about its new development.

Recently, the company has developed a KRAKEN-M multi-band system, which is designed for combined protection of command posts.

The system protects military, civil and critical infrastructure facilities.

^{KRAKEN-M multi-band EW system from Kvertus company. Photo credits: Militarnyi}

“It has a directional antenna that operates up to two kilometers, and a dome that operates starting from one kilometer,” the developers said.

The frequencies can be turned on and off to make corridors for the flight of Ukrainian drones.

“On the front line, the defeat of friendly drones is approximately 50%. [Because] Everyone turns on EW systems,” Kvertus says.

Due to the company’s developments, soldiers can now make corridors for flight paths at certain frequencies.

Kvertus also released three EW backpacks at different frequencies to counter FPV drones. They help combat drones that drop explosives.

^{Backpack with AD COUNTER FPV BACKPACK F2 M50 by Kvertus. Photo credits: Militarnyi}

The AD COUNTER FPV BACKPACK F2 M50 is designed to cover small mobile units, demining operations, short offensive actions, or picking up wounded or fallen soldiers.

The company will have two types of anti-drone guns.

They are made under modern realities, in which one gun should target drones that drop munitions, and the second one should work on FPVs.

“It [a gun] will be the most powerful in the world in its class,” the developers assure.

The Kvertus already has an AD MW general-purpose gun that creates radio interference in six bands.

^{Kvertus AD MW rifle. Photo credits: Militarny}i

However, with the advancement of drone technology, remote antennas are also emerging, which amplify signals and prevent signal loss.

Therefore, new super-powerful means are needed to address evolving threats.

The company has developed, in particular, the MS AZIMUTH signal intelligence system, which helps to detect drones.

^{MS AZIMUTH signal reconnaissance system from the Kvertus company. Photo credits: Militarnyi}

This station is designed for detecting and pinpointing unmanned vehicles by analyzing signals from their onboard systems, including control, telemetry, and data transmission channels. In addition, it can monitor the radio frequency spectrum, measure radio frequency radiation parameters, locate signal sources, and document the outcomes of its operations.

Obriy Miltech
The new Ukrainian defense company, Obry Miltech, recently introduced two of its main products.

These products are now being codified.

It developed the dome anti-FPV “Horizon ANTIFPV BASE” and “Horizon ANTIFPV AUTO” EW systems, which should affect enemy drones at short distances.

“Horizon ANTIFPV AUTO” is installed on military equipment that should protect the vehicle in motion. For this, the design has four magnets.

^{“Obriy ANTIFPV AUTO” EW system from the Obriy Miltech company. Photo credits: Militarnyi}

A “Horizon ANTIFPV BASE” has a tripod for installation in military positions to protect soldiers.

“The antenna that emits interferences is closed with a protective casing; generator of interferences with various chips is placed under the antenna,” the company explained.

EW was tested for suppression of ExpressLRS and Crossfire modules.

ExpressLRS and Crossfire are developing FPV drone control modules that provide high-performance radio communication with the operator.

ExpressLRS runs in the 2.4 GHz and 900 MHz bands, while Crossfire only runs at 900 MHz.

Crossfire operates on a closed architecture, prohibiting any modifications, whereas ExpressLRS offers an open platform, allowing for customization and refinement.

ExpressLRS, which is difficult to jam, is much more convenient for performing combat tasks, and more flexible in its settings.

“We are working against [such modules], jamming [them], but we can’t say that it’s 100% perfect. Currently, there isn’t a single system in Ukraine that can reliably jam ExpressLRS, especially with its remote antenna amplifying the signal,” the developers say.

^{“Obriy ANTIFPV BASE” EW system from the Obriy Miltech company. Photo credits: Militarnyi}

The company pointed out that EW could achieve up to 90% effectiveness against UAVs, but implementing such a system would be costly, potentially reducing the number of available EW systems at the front.

“It would be good to have EW, which has 70% efficiency against FPV drones, and it’s available at a cost suitable for most servicemen,” Obry Miltech representatives stated.

VPP INVEST
The electronic warfare system will also be manufactured by companies that initially began as developers of drones for military applications.

In 2023, VPP INVEST began hiring engineers to create its own EW, called SAFE-1.

Combat operations constantly change the requirements for EW and increase the number of frequencies required.

^{“SAFE-5” EW system from the VPP INVEST company. Photo credits: Militarnyi}

The company’s specialists decided to develop a universal EW system that can be installed either in trenches or on vehicles.

The improved version—”SAFE-5″—has five antennas. It can be charged from the on-board network, which allows it to operate for a long time, without being critically heated. The system also includes a battery pack.

“TOR” and “Hammer”
Various groups of independent Ukrainian engineers also are developing EWs and applying for Brave1 support.

Recently, one of these groups introduced the “Thor” and “Hammer” EWs.

They are attached to the back cover of the body armor.

In the kit, engineers have developed shielded protection against the effects of EW, which protects the soldiers from radiation.

^{“TOR” and “Hammer” EW systems from the Ukrainian defense company. Photo credits: Militarnyi}

Engineers also developed a Morok EW system for the armored vehicle, which is already being tested in combat conditions. EW for vehicles received autonomous power.

“The system has performed very well in several military branches,” the engineers said.

<sup>“Morok” EW system from the Ukrainian defense company. Photo credits: Militarnyi


“Morok” EW system from the Ukrainian defense company. Photo credits: Militarnyi</sup>

Experts also created the prototype of an anti-drone gun, which received a fast-changing battery. The gun is specially designed at the request of the military.

^{EW-gun from the Ukrainian defense company. Photo credits: Militarnyi}

The gun has several operational frequencies, which can be selected by pressing a special button so as not to drain the battery, activating all frequencies at once.

ARMATRONIX
To meet the military needs, ARMATRONIX, has developed an electronic warfare system tailored to safeguard crossings.

However, technology does not stand still, and now the system is undergoing a modification that will protect the military in the trenches.

The Tornado-4 four-channel short-range EW system, after modification, will be able to counter FPV drones that have ExpressLRS modules.

^{Tornado-4 four-channel short-range EW system from the ARMATRONIX company. Photo credits: Militarnyi}

Tornado-4 has a new signal generator and is already capable of closing four bands.

The system comes with power supplies that allow it to operate for up to 4 hours.

USEH
USEH has developed a breeder with an EW ST1 RF amplifier.

This system is specially designed for installation on a vehicle.

ST1 is created in a single case with passive cooling and with different types of antennas.

^{ST1 EW system from USEH company. Photo credits: Militarnyi}

The complex is attached to the equipment with magnets and comes with power supplies.

“This serial product is already in use, it works well,” the company says.

The developers said that it costs in the range of UAH 50,000 to 70,000.

INFOZAHYST
To support EWs, the Ukrainian Infozahyst company, developed a system of detection and determination called “Pluto.”

^{The “Pluto” detection and identification system from the Infozahyst company. Photo credits: Militarnyi}

The developers said that this system is capable of determining modern Russian drones, including fix-wing reconnaissance types.

It is able to work, in particular, with a Hydra-R compact dome system, which was also developed by the company.

^{Hydra EW system from Infozahyst company. Photo credits: Infozahyst}

The Hydra-R was created primarily to suppress FPV drones.

Market development
The development of EW systems requires high research dynamics. In Ukraine, they strive to create the most decentralized approach.

Over time, a specific market should appear that will contribute to the development of complexes and their reduction in price.

“The market must develop, and the customer must determine what he needs,” the Brave1 representatives are assured.

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Russian “Akhmat” Vehicle Equips Mega-Grill Against Drones

The Russians showed a Z-STS ‘Akhmat’ armored vehicle, covered by a huge ‘grill’ to counter drones.

The corresponding video was released on social media.

The video shows an armored vehicle, the upper, rear, front, and side projections of which are completely covered with grids.

The structure has only one entrance: a door is located in the rear part of the structure. So the only way to get in and out of this ‘barbecue’ is to go through the door or crawl under the structure.

This design significantly increases the chance of survival of the armored vehicle if targeted by a kamikaze drone. However, at the same time, it significantly complicates and delays the troops and crews boarding and dismounting. In combat conditions, such delays can cost lives.

SPOILER

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З-СТС «Ахмат»

The Russians have already equipped their vehicles with massive ‘grills’ to protect them during assault operations.

Recently, it was reported that in the Orikhiv sector (Zaporizhzhia region), fighters of the Spartan brigade of the Ukrainian National Guard destroyed the Russian Ural truck, which was protected by such an anti-drone ‘grill’. It was installed along the entire length of the hull, in particular from the sides and from above.

It was also reported that the Russian invaders in the Donetsk region used a tank with a metal canopy and EW to protect against drones.

The new type of ‘grill,’ which the Russians began to install on their tanks, looks like a frame sheathed with metal sheets that covers the upper and side projections of the combat vehicle from drone strikes.

Judging by the image, the main task of such a design is to protect vehicles primarily from FPV drones. For the first time, an enemy tank with such protection was used near Krasnohorivka, in the Donetsk region.

In early April, Militarnyi reported that the soldiers of the Battalion of Unmanned Aerial Strike Systems of the 3rd Assault Brigade knocked out an enemy MT-LB tracked tractor with a large amount of troops on board.

The video showed an enemy MT-LB with a large anti-drone ‘grill’ that extends the length of the combat vehicle hull.

The most interesting part of this ‘grill’ is a specific “cap,” which is installed at an angle and, most likely, is designed to protect the combat vehicle and landing force from attacks from the upper frontal hemisphere.

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The goal of 100K artillery shells per month is back in sight, Army says
The new supplemental renews the push to boost production sixfold since Russia’s Ukraine invasion.

The U.S. Army is on a path to triple its monthly production of 155mm shells following the passage of the Ukraine supplemental, its vice chief of staff said today.

“With the supplemental that just thankfully passed last night, we’ll be at 100,000 rounds by next summer,” Lt. Gen. James Mingus said at an event hosted by think-tank CSIS.

That’s more than three times the 30,000 shells that the service’s factories are expected to turn out this month, Mingus said, and will represent a sixfold increase since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Army officials have said reaching their 100,000-round goal depended on $3.1 billion requested in a previous version of the Ukraine supplemental.

SPOILER

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The service is expanding production facilities and planning new ones in Arkansas, Kansas, and Texas, Army acquisition chief Doug Bush said last year. Artillery shells are among the few munitions whose production is controlled by the U.S. government, not purchased from private contractors.

Investments to a production facility in Texas “increased the throughput and the productivity of the number of shells by 83 percent,” said General Dynamics CEO Phebe Novakovic in an earnings call Wednesday. General Dynamics operates artillery manufacturing plants on behalf of the Army.

The ramp-up marks a sharp contrast to 155mm manufacturing in Europe, which is managed by private companies. European governments ordering shells for Ukraine must compete with non-European customers and cannot directly order manufacturers to expand or improve production facilities.

In January, EU chief diplomat Josep Borrell said the bloc would miss its goal of delivering one million 155mm rounds to Ukraine by March, and reset the estimated delivery date to the end of 2024. Rounds ordered today from European manufacturers take at least a year to get to Ukraine, according to Kusti Salm, Estonian defense ministry’s top civil servant.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said in February that Ukraine was firing around 2,000 shells per day, while Russia was firing three times that amount. Ukraine uses a mix of NATO-designed 155mm and 105mm shells, plus Soviet-designed 152mm and 122mm shells.

In testimony to Congress earlier this month, European Command chief Gen. Chris Cavoli said that Russia was outshooting Ukraine at a rate of five to one, and would soon outshoot Ukraine ten to one without further U.S. assistance.

Artillery shells will be part of a new $1 billion tranche of various types of military aid to Ukraine announced Wednesday by the White House. Officials did not say how much of that would go toward 155mm artillery rounds, which cost roughly $3,000 apiece. But if, say, one-quarter of the funds are devoted to artillery, the roughly 80,000 rounds that would buy would last Ukraine just six weeks—and that only at their current reduced rate of fire.

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European Commission proposes sanctions against ships transporting equipment from North Korea to Russia – Reuters
The European Commission will suggest sanctions against the vessels delivering North Korean military equipment to Russia, as well as tankers that violate the G7 countries’ price cap on Russian oil.

Source: Reuters with reference to sources in the EU

Details: The European Commission is finishing its proposal concerning the 14th sanctions package against Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine.

"Western powers have accused North Korea of supplying weapons, including ballistic missiles and munitions, to power Russia's war machine.

The United States said in February that North Korea had delivered more than 10,000 containers of munitions and related material since September," Reuters said.

The European Commission also aims to implement sanctions against oil tankers of the so-called "shadow fleet" that export Russian oil, bypassing the price cap set by the Group of Seven (G7) countries.

It is expected that 40 companies will be added to the list of persons and legal entities subject to sanctions. The list includes the Russian companies that procure equipment for the armed forces, as well as third-country companies that sell electronics, semiconductors and chips that have military uses to Russia.

Third-country companies are based in the UAE, Kyrgyzstan, T�rkiye and China and sell equipment of European and American origin to Russia.

Sources of Reuters report that the European Commission holds non-official discussions with the member states before presenting its proposal.

Background:
Valdis Dombrovskis, Vice President of the European Commission, confirmed that the EU had started working on the next 14th sanctions package against Russia due to its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

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White House explains why US sent Ukraine ATACMS missiles back in March
Jake Sullivan, National Security Adviser to the US President, has confirmed media reports that Ukraine has already received ATACMS missiles and explained why the weapons were handed over back in March.

Source: Jake Sullivan during a briefing at the White House on 24 April, European Pravda reports

Quote: "That shipment started moving in March as part of the PDA [a mechanism that allows the US president to transfer weapons from army stockpiles – ed.] that the president authorised on 12 March, and those missiles have arrived in Ukraine."

Details: Sullivan said that in February, US President Joe Biden ordered that Ukraine be provided with "a significant number of ATACMS missiles for use inside Ukraine’s sovereign territory".

Biden's adviser noted that Washington made the decision on ATACMS after Russia used North Korean ballistic missiles against Ukraine and began massive attacks on civilian infrastructure.

Sullivan also reiterated that the main reason for not providing Ukraine with ATACMS had been "because of readiness concerns" [US combat readiness – ed.], but these were overcome by ordering a significant batch of the missiles from the manufacturers.

"And as a result, we can move forward with providing ATACMS while also sustaining the readiness of US forces," he concluded.

Background:
• Reports in the US media said, citing sources, that Ukraine received ATACMS as part of a previous US$300 million military aid package announced in March, and has used them at least twice against Russian targets in temporarily occupied Crimea and Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
• As reported on 24 April, US President Joe Biden signed legislation enacted by Congress that provides for about US$61 billion in additional military and economic aid to Ukraine, as well as help for other US allies.

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Seven Russian officers killed in strike near Mariupol
At least seven Russian officers have been killed in a missile strike near occupied Mariupol, a Ukrainian official has claimed.

Petro Andryushchenko, an aide to Mariupol’s exiled Ukrainian mayor, said at least six missiles struck a camp being used by the Russian military in Babakh-Tarama, in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region.

The attack caused at least seven fatalities, while more than ten other people were injured.

“All of them [the victims] are officers, no soldiers live there,” he said in a post on Telegram.

Ukrainian forces have repeatedly targeted key Russian bases deep behind enemy lines, using long-range missiles and drones.

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Explaining Washington’s REPO Act that could kick-start the confiscation of frozen Russian assets
The U.S. on April 20 became the first nation to adopt legislation green-lighting confiscating frozen Russian assets for Ukraine.

President Joe Biden signed the REPO Act alongside a $95 billion foreign aid bill that included $61 billion for Kyiv on April 24, setting the legal basis for liquidating immobilized Russian assets held in the U.S.

Since the West froze around $300 billion belonging to the Russian Central Bank (CBR) at the start of the full-scale invasion, discussions among the G7 countries about what to do with the assets have been divisive.

Some have argued that the liquidated assets should go to Ukraine’s reconstruction while others have pointed toward bolstering the country’s troubled war effort.

Legal barriers and lobbying from opponents have so far held up the transfer of funds to Ukraine. At the same time, Kyiv’s allies struggle to fund the war-torn country. Proponents have cited the assets as a clear solution.

SPOILER

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The bill overcomes the main legal concern, Russia’s sovereign immunity, by paving the way for the Biden administration to confiscate the assets due to Russia’s violation of international law.

However, while the bill shows Washington’s support for repurposing Russian assets in response to Moscow’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, it does not guarantee confiscation of the assets. This is a decision for President Joe Biden.

“It’s a step in the right direction, but not yet a game changer,” Timothy Ash, a senior strategist at BlueBay Asset Management, told the Kyiv Independent.

In his opinion, the dial will only fully move forward once Biden seizes the assets, which could set a precedent for other countries. While the President signed the bill on April 24, he has not yet confirmed he will utilize the assets.

Russian assets in the U.S. are only a drop in the bucket, totaling approximately $4-5 billion. This barely scratches the surface of Ukraine’s $486 billion reconstruction bill or $100 billion annual war costs.

The act acknowledges that the majority of the assets are outside Washington’s jurisdiction and emphasizes the need for greater transparency in locating Russian assets in the U.S., asserting that financial institutions must submit information on Russian assets to the Treasury.

It also indicates that all Russian state assets, potentially including state companies, are subject to confiscation. This includes the CBR, the Russian Direct Investment Fund, the Russian Finance Ministry, and property and financial institutions owned by the Kremlin. Assets under diplomatic immunity cannot be touched.

By Ash’s estimation, there are some $320 billion in frozen CBR assets around the world. The total is close to $400 billion when counting assets belonging to Russian individuals, including oligarchs.

The vast majority are in Europe, particularly Belgium, with the Brussels-based company Euroclear holding some $192 billion in Russian assets.

The U.S. bill emphasizes that repurposing the assets should be a multilateral effort alongside the G7 nations, EU, Australia, and other countries where they are located.

According to a report from the Kyiv School of Economics (KSE), the act's wording suggests that Washington won’t go ahead without similar decisions from its international allies.

“The REPO Act creates an opportunity for the Biden administration to press Europeans to use the assets of the Russian government to help Ukraine survive economically,” Ambassador Robert Zoellick told the Atlantic Council.

While Ash doesn’t believe the act alone will sway the EU, he does believe the bloc will be forced to follow suit if Biden goes ahead and confiscates the assets.

“The question is, will the Biden administration really push on European leaders to bite the bullet in terms of using or seizing and allocating immobilized Russian assets to Ukraine?” he said.

Opponents have warned that Western currencies could be destabilized if nations, like China or Saudi Arabia, pull their assets from Western nations out of concern they could become the next targets.

To ease these apprehensions, the act carefully mentions that only Russian assets are covered, stressing that the U.S. is only backing this idea due to the unique circumstances of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

If enacted, the bill proposes that the Secretary of State will be responsible for dispersing the liquidated assets with the USAID Administrator. The money could go towards an international fund or body to assist Ukraine in reconstruction efforts, as well as economic and humanitarian assistance.

The EU agreed earlier in March to use the profits generated from Russian assets frozen within the bloc. According to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Ukraine could receive the first billion euros by July with the potential of 3 billion euros by the end of the year.

The G7 nations have also discussed using the assets as collateral for loans to Ukraine. European Commission Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis noted that this would be a likely part of the final plan.

However, Ash believes the easiest way forward is for all Western leaders to unanimously agree to utilize the assets. But, political inertia is the main barrier.

“ (The act) pushes the process forward. But the fundamental problem still is a lack of political willingness to do it, particularly in Europe.”

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Russia cancels Immortal Regiment procession due to security concerns
The annual Immortal Regiment procession has been cancelled due to security concerns, co-chairman of the movement’s committee and State Duma Deputy Yelena Tsunaeva announced in a press conference on Tuesday.

The march will not go ahead as usual on 9 May — Victory Day, a holiday marking the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany — following an increase in Ukrainian drone and missile strikes. The decision comes a month after the deadly Crocus City Hall terror attack, in which at least 144 people were killed.

The Immortal Regiment procession commemorates Russians who fought in the Second World War, with people marching in cities across the country holding photos of their relatives.

The procession started off as a grassroots movement in the Siberian city of Tomsk in 2012 and then spread across Russia. Since 2015, the local authorities have been involved in the marches, hijacking the events for propaganda purposes.

In 2022, the march went ahead as planned, despite the war in Ukraine, with Russian President Vladimir Putin in attendance, but by 2023, organisers had abandoned the idea, citing security concerns.

Russia appears to be repressing public displays of mourning or grief. Besides cancelling this event for the second year in a row, relatives of soldiers killed in Ukraine have also been silenced.

Ukraine had warned that Russian forces would try to capture the town of Chasiv Yar in the disputed Donetsk region by 9 May in order to parade their triumph on Victory Day.

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Hackers hacked the website of the Czech news service, publishing fake news about Ukraine
An unknown attacker hacked the website of a Czech news service and published fake information about an attempt by Ukrainians to assassinate the President of Slovakia. Source: The Record

According to the state-run Czech News Agency (CTK), the attacker posted the false article directly on its website, meaning the story was not disseminated among the service's customers.

The article has since been retracted, with CTK declaring it fake and saying it had informed the country's intelligence agencies and cybersecurity authorities about the hack.

The headline of the fake article claimed that Slovakia's domestic intelligence service, the Security Information Service (BIS), "foiled an assassination attempt on the newly elected Slovak President Peter Pellegrini." Readers noted that the name of Peter Pellegrini was misspelled in the article.

CTK called the incident an act of disinformation. No evidence linking the hack to a specific attacker has yet been released, and the news agency said it would not release further information.

Similar postings of false stories on hacked legitimate news sites have previously been described by Mandiant as information operations and attributed to a notorious group of hackers linked to the Belarusian government.

The group, tracked as Ghostwriter, as well as UNC1151 and Storm-0157, is known to target journalists with spear phishing emails to gain access to their organization's content management systems.

Let us recall that after the discovery of Russian influence networks in the Czech Republic and Poland, Peter Fiala, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, expressed confidence that similar announcements would follow in other countries.

Let us remind you that several Czech banks, as well as the website of the Prague Stock Exchange, were subject to cyber attacks by the pro-Russian hacker group NoName057 (16), which demands an end to support for Ukraine.

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NYT: Project Maven AI having mixed results on Ukraine's battlefields
A massive and experimental artificial intelligence (AI) project developed by the U.S. military has had mixed results on the battlefields of Ukraine, as those behind it struggle to get "21st-century data into 19th-century trenches," the New York Times (NYT) reported on April 23.

Project Maven began in 2017 and is the Pentagon's main effort at adopting the still fledgling field of AI for war, paving the way for algorithms to make decisions instead of soldiers and commanders.

Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine presented the first opportunity to test how the system would work in a conventional ground war between two armies.

A mass of data from countless sources – from satellites to the Instagram feeds of Russian soldiers – has been fed into Project Maven, far more than humans could sort and verify unaided.

"At the end of the day, this became our laboratory," Lieutenant General Christopher T. Donahue, the commander of the XVIII Airborne Corps, told the NYT.

SPOILER

quote:

Reportedly, one of the main current goals of Project Maven is to develop automatic target detection, which could then be combined with drone technology to produce swarms of autonomous kamikaze drones that can seek out and destroy enemy targets with minimal input from human operators.

According to Bloomberg, the technology is improving but still has a long way to go. When using various types of imaging data, soldiers can correctly identify a tank 84% of the time, while Project Maven AI is closer to 60%, with the figure plummeting to 30% in snowy conditions.

The technology has been useful, however, and Ukraine is using a version of Project Maven "that does not rely on the input of the most sensitive American intelligence or advanced systems," the NYT reports.

Ukraine has been equipping some of its attack drones with AI-powered targeting capabilities, which have reportedly been used as part of Ukraine's ongoing campaign to target the Russian energy industry.

Over the last several weeks, Ukraine has carried out increasingly regular attacks on Russian oil refineries and other industrial facilities with long-range drones, including on April 2. In total, the recent attacks have reportedly disrupted between 12-14% of Russia's refining capacity.

An unnamed source told CNN on April 2 that some of these drones have begun using a simple version of AI that helps the drones with precision targeting and prevents jamming.

"Accuracy under jamming is enabled through the use of artificial intelligence. Each aircraft has a terminal computer with satellite and terrain data," the source said.

"The flights are determined in advance with our allies, and the aircraft follow the flight plan to enable us to strike targets with meters of precision."

An analyst told CNN that the usage of even this basic form of AI, known as machine vision, allows a drone to be programmed to map the terrain on its flight path ahead of its use in the field, meaning that the drone does not need contact with satellites.

While further specific details about Project Maven in Ukraine are not public, the NYT says it has helped Ukrainian forces target the enemy and, more importantly, has provided both Kyiv and Washington with lessons on AI's weaknesses and where it needs to be improved.

"And Pentagon officials now understand, in a way they never did before, that America’s system of military satellites has to be built and set up entirely differently, with configurations that look more like Elon Musk’s Starlink constellations of small satellites," the NYT writes.

quote:

"We send our congratulations to the Russian commander with the nickname "Dachnyk".
How the hell are you? Did you enjoy driving a Chinese golf car on our land?
"Dachnyk" was wounded in the head and hand, unfortunately, he survived.
Another 300 and one 200"- Strike Drones Company of the 47th Separate Mechanized Brigade

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European Commission disburses additional �1.5 billion in bridge financing to Ukraine
Today, the European Commission disbursed the second instalment of exceptional bridge financing to Ukraine under the Ukraine Facility, amounting to �1.5 billion.

The disbursement follows the positive assessment by the Commission of the agreed policy conditions linked to reforms in the area of judiciary, anti-money laundering, public finance management, business environment and agriculture, as well as reporting requirements to ensure the transparent and efficient use of the funds. A general precondition for the support under the Ukraine Facility is to respect effective democratic mechanisms.

In March, the EU released the first instalment of the exceptional bridge financing, of �4.5 billion. With today’s payment, the EU has disbursed �6 billion to Ukraine to support the country’s macro financial stability since the entry into force of the Ukraine Facility on 1 March.

Total EU support to Ukraine and its people since February 2022 now amounts to �98.5 billion.

“Ukraine is carrying a heavy burden on its shoulders for all of us. The additional �1.5 billion we disburse today will ensure that Ukraine can continue to keep the State and basic services running for the population, while it fights back the aggressor,” Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.

She added the Commission would work closely with the Ukrainian authorities to ensure the implementation of the Ukraine Plan, which she expected the Council to agree on swiftly.

“This will pave the way for regular and predictable disbursements under the �50 billion Ukraine Facility,” Von der Leyen said.

quote:

Op donderdag 25 april 2024 09:08 schreef Ulx het volgende:
[ x ]

Ze konden w�l snel leveren. Dat is ook een voordeel.

SPOILER

https://edition.cnn.com/2(...)n-leaders/index.html

quote:

Trump meets with foreign leaders looking to boost their relationships with GOP leader ahead of election
Donald Trump no longer commands the trappings of White House state dinners to host foreign dignitaries or the flight itinerary of Air Force One to meet them abroad, but that hasn’t stopped the former president from huddling with world leaders eager to bolster their relationship with the presumptive Republican nominee amid another close presidential election campaign.

In recent weeks, Trump, seizing the role of both an erstwhile diplomat and ascending opposition party leader, has extended welcomes to a series of foreign leaders at his homes in Florida and New York. He dined with Polish President Andrzej Duda in New York during the first week of his hush money trial, hosted British Foreign Secretary David Cameron at his Mar-a-Lago club the week before and has spoken by phone with the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman recently, among other high-profile meetings.

The latest rendezvous came Tuesday night. After leaving the Manhattan courthouse, Trump had dinner with former Japanese prime minister Taro Aso, a senior official in his country’s ruling party. The two discussed the importance of the US-Japan alliance, as well as challenges posed by China and North Korea, according to a readout of the meeting from the Trump campaign.

It’s not unusual for foreign leaders to meet with the leader of the party that doesn’t control the White House – especially one with a serious chance of becoming commander in chief. In the throes of his 2008 presidential campaign, then-freshman Sen. Barack Obama famously embarked on an overseas trip where he met with European and Middle East leaders and delivered a rousing address to 200,000 onlookers in Berlin. Challenging Obama four years later, Republican nominee Mitt Romney visited the United Kingdom, Israel and Poland as he sought to burnish his foreign policy credentials.

Biden and his top envoys have also met and spoken with opposition leaders, something that has been a longstanding practice for US officials.

In March 2022, Biden spoke by phone with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the opposition leader of Belarus, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with UK Labour Party leader Keir Starmer in Munich in February, among other meetings.

Still, Trump finds himself in a distinct position. It is exceptionally rare that a presidential candidate has previously carried out a foreign policy doctrine, filled the US State Department with his diplomatic appointments and built relationships with the same leaders now arriving on his doorstep.

The pace of these meetings in the middle of a campaign has also presented a new dynamic for President Joe Biden to grapple with as his administration confronts a host of challenges abroad.

The US State Department did not respond to a request for comment.

A person close to Trump described the meetings as friendly encounters and downplayed them as unsurprising given his past relationships with many of these figures.

“They’re seeking him out, he’s not seeking them out,” the person said. “They clearly want to get their insights into how he views the world, and many think he could be president again or they wouldn’t fly to Mar-a-Lago or New York to meet with him.”

The worldviews of Biden and Trump have long been at odds, and they have publicly litigated their dueling approaches to foreign allies and adversaries dating back to the 2020 presidential campaign.

Biden as a candidate promised to strengthen ties with America’s traditional overseas partners, especially in Europe, and criticized Trump for praising instead of challenging rival foreign powers such as Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

At a meeting of NATO countries last month in Poland, Biden pledged that America would remain a stalwart in foreign affairs and continue to defend against Putin’s aggression.

“When we stand together, no force on earth is more powerful,” Biden said.

On the campaign trail, Trump regularly insists the wars that have broken out in Ukraine and between Israel and Hamas would not have occurred on his watch. At rallies, Trump has called Xi “a very smart guy, very strong leader,” used Putin’s words to criticize Biden and told a crowd that he had a “a very good relationship” with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, who would “love to see me back.”

“They say that’s terrible,” Trump said. “No, it’s not terrible. It’s called smart.”

In a statement to CNN, Trump campaign spokesman Brian Hughes said the former president’s recent meetings with leaders “reflect the recognition of what we already know here at home. Joe Biden is weak, and when President Trump is sworn in as the 47th President of the United States, the world will be more secure and America will be more prosperous.”

Some of the leaders whom Trump has engaged have been at times at odds with Biden. Trump, for example, recently hosted Hungarian President Viktor Orban, who frequently shows deference to Putin, and he embraced backstage with Argentina’s new right-wing populist leader Javier Milei at this year’s Conservative Political Action Conference.

During the evening with Orban, amid a concert at his Palm Beach resort, the former president heaped accolades on the European autocrat, telling the crowd: “There’s nobody that’s better, smarter or a better leader than Viktor Orb�n. He’s fantastic.”

The meeting was illustrative of Trump’s history of embracing global strongmen – at times at the expense of more traditional US allies. A Biden administration official confirmed to CNN at the time that the White House did not extend an invitation to the authoritarian leader to meet with Biden, and Orb�n did not request a White House meeting during his trip to the US.

But Trump’s incursions into foreign affairs have also brought him in close proximity with America’s partners abroad.

Trump’s meeting with Aso comes just two weeks after Biden hosted Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the White House for a state visit. Both Aso and Kishida are leaders in Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, which is the country’s major conservative political party.

During the state dinner earlier this month, Biden touted the US-Japan alliance as being “stronger than it’s ever been” and announced new plans for military cooperation with the country. Japan has been at the center of Biden’s alliance-building in the Indo-Pacific region, with Kishida significantly shifting the country’s defense posture in recent years and providing ongoing support to Ukraine.

Trump also spoke by phone in March with Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, two sources familiar with the call told CNN. The call, first reported by the New York Times, was arranged by Sen. Lindsey Graham while the South Carolina Republican was visiting Salman. The conversation came as the Biden administration is working behind the scenes to establish formal diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel, a deal that the White House views as a crucial part of negotiations to end the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Trump also spoke by phone with King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain, a longtime American ally, in March, two sources familiar with the conversation told CNN. The New York Times first reported the details of the call.

Last week, Trump met with Poland’s Duda at Trump Tower, where the two discussed NATO spending over dinner. Duda has proposed that NATO countries increase their pledge to spend 3% of their GDP on defense, up from 2%.

Trump, both while president and during his 2024 campaign, has called on NATO countries to spend more on defense. During a campaign rally in February, Trump said he would encourage Russia to do “whatever the hell they want” to any NATO member country that doesn’t meet spending guidelines. The stunning remark received swift backlash from Republicans and Democrats alike, and raised concerns that Trump may not abide by the collective-defense clause at the heart of the NATO alliance if reelected.

Duda, meanwhile, previously spoke about the proposal with Biden at the March NATO gathering, telling the American president: “Two percent was good ten years ago. Now three percent is required in response to the full-scale war launched by Russia right beyond NATO’s eastern border.”

Earlier this month, Trump also discussed NATO defense spending and the Russia-Ukraine war over dinner with Cameron, the British foreign secretary, at his Mar-a-Lago resort. Karen Pierce, the British ambassador to the United States, also attended the dinner.

Cameron’s visit came days before the former UK Prime Minister met with Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington to discuss the US sending more aid to Ukraine. A spokesperson for the British government called Cameron’s meeting with Trump “standard practice,” arguing it wasn’t unusual for there to be engagement between ministers and opposition candidates of partner nations.

Trump, Cameron and Pierce didn’t just talk about military pacts during their Mar-a-Lago gathering. According to a readout of the meeting, the three “also discussed their mutual admiration for the late Queen Elizabeth II.”

Trump heeft het druk met het ontvangen/bellen met buitenlandse leiders. Al is dat natuurlijk geen verrassing natuurlijk. Hij heeft wel het voordeel dat hij 4 jaar geleden al president was en dus een veel kortere lijn heeft naar deze leiders toe.

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'Donald Trump is incapable of running anything': Union slams Trump in new ad

De vakbond die een aantal jaar geleden nog achter Trump stond heeft zijn handen van hem afgetrokken daar Trump veel beloofde maar niks waar maakte. Deze vakbond, met 3 miljoen leden, heeft zich nu achter Biden geschaard. Dat zijn dus een hoop potentiele stemmen die aan Trump voorbij kunnen gaan.

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https://edition.cnn.com/2(...)residency/index.html

quote:

Donald Trump again is trying to bend the Supreme Court and justice system to his will
When he was president, Donald Trump tried to make the Supreme Court his own.

He bragged that he could have his way, beginning with his appointment of justices who, he vowed, would overturn Roe v. Wade. And when his administration lost immigration disputes in lower courts, his social media refrain was, “See you at the Supreme Court.”

Now Trump is counting on the court in a very personal way as citizen and candidate. The nine-member bench is dominated by six conservative justices, three of whom he nominated.

On Thursday, the court will hear his claim of absolute immunity from criminal prosecution. It’s an argument that Trump hopes will keep him from facing trial on federal charges brought by special counsel Jack Smith arising from the former president’s actions after he lost the 2020 presidential election.

All of the Trump litigation, arising from his 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns, has shrouded the current race, which is shaping up to be another tight match.

As much as Trump has lamented the pattern that has kept him in the courtroom rather than on the campaign trail, he has also used his moment in the legal spotlight to reinforce a kind of political martyrdom. Referring to the Supreme Court case, Trump declared in a Sunday post on Truth Social that Democratic President Joe Biden was “weaponizing the DOJ against his Political Opponent, ME.”

From his early days in the White House, Trump has also operated under his own code of conduct, challenging democratic norms and the rule of law.

Now, he sits at the center of an untested constitutional question of executive branch immunity. The epic clash between the former president and the US Justice Department will be heard by a court that has experienced its own fraught history with Trump and seen its stature and public approval diminished in recent years.

Trump’s appointments across the federal judiciary have transformed the law in America. He points to his selection of Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, all of whom backed the court’s June 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, as he takes credit for reversal of the constitutional right to abortion.

In a video earlier this month, Trump announced his campaign position on abortion, including his personal thanks – one-by-one – to the Supreme Court justices who had voted against the 1973 Roe v. Wade milestone.

The court, meanwhile, remains at the center of today’s social and cultural maelstrom, largely because of its 2022 decision eviscerating constitutional abortion rights, but also because of decisions enhancing 2nd Amendment protections and diminishing federal regulatory power, such as for environmental protection.

The court has increasingly faced criticism, too, for justices’ off-bench behavior and opaque standards regarding conflicts of interest. Justice Clarence Thomas, particularly, has been subject to calls for recusal in post-2020, Trump-related cases. His wife, Virginia “Ginni” Thomas, was in regular contact with top Trump insiders protesting the election results, and she attended Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally on January 6, 2021. Justice Thomas has declined to recuse himself.

Over the years, some of the justices have chafed at the overt politics of Trump and the scrutiny his cases bring to them. Yet, they have assisted him at critical junctures, if not in bottom-line judgments, with delays and orders for additional proceedings.

In the immunity case, the justices already helped the former president by denying the special counsel request last December to resolve the immunity question expeditiously. The court’s slower timetable ensured that the original March 4 date for Trump’s Washington, DC, trial would never become a reality. (That delay also guaranteed that the first criminal trial of Trump is in New York on business fraud charges related to hush money payments, rather than anything related to January 6, 2021.)

In March, Trump won a high court decision reversing a Colorado ruling that said an anti-insurrectionist provision of the Constitution should keep him off the ballot. As he spoke then from his home in Florida, Trump was already looking ahead, calling for the justices to side with him on immunity as well.

He has continued the drumbeat, and on Sunday posted 10 times on Truth Social about presidential immunity.

“Of course I was entitled, as President of the United States and Commander in Chief, to Immunity,” he wrote in one post. “I wasn’t campaigning, the Election was long over. I was looking for voter fraud, and finding it, which is my obligation to do, and otherwise running our Country. …”

The key question for the nine justices is whether the Constitution shields a former president from criminal prosecution for actions he took while in office. In civil cases, the court has allowed a former president immunity, but it has never addressed liability in the more serious situation of a criminal prosecution.

Lower court judges ruled against Trump, saying whatever immunity he might have enjoyed as president ended when he left office. A DC US Circuit Appeals Court opinion highlighted the charges related to Trump’s rejection of the valid election results and obstruction of the peaceful transfer of presidential power.

Trump denies any wrongdoing, and his lawyers tell the justices in written filings that a president cannot function if concerned with possible prosecution for official acts once out of office.

Denial of absolute immunity, his lawyers wrote, would amount to “de facto blackmail and extortion while in office, and condemn (a president) to years of post-office trauma at the hands of political opponents.”

Smith responds in his filing that presidents through history have understood that after leaving office they could face potential criminal liability for official acts.

“The closest historical analogue is President Nixon’s official conduct in Watergate,” Smith’s team writes, “and his acceptance of a pardon implied his and President Ford’s recognition that a former President was subject to prosecution.”

Trump will be in a different kind of courtroom
Trump will not be at the Supreme Court on Thursday. His attorney in the Manhattan criminal trial said the former president “very much” wanted to attend rather than be in New York court on Thursday.

“Your client is a criminal defendant,” Judge Juan Merchan in Manhattan responded last week. “He’s required to be here.”

Trump’s singular presence, nonetheless, will be felt.

During his presidency, he regularly posted on social media about the justices, whether with approval or disdain. Cases involving Trump accelerated the maneuverings and friction behind-the-scenes, as some justices sought to distance themselves from the polarizing president.

In 2020, when the court heard a pair of disputes arising from Trump’s effort to keep his personal financial records from being turned over to Manhattan prosecutors and, separately, to congressional committees, Chief Justice John Roberts struggled for weeks to persuade justices to show greater unity. In the end, Roberts transformed two sets of initial close votes into 7-2 decisions built on compromises.

One of those cases, Trump v. Vance, has been invoked by Smith in the current controversy, because the court rejected Trump’s argument then that he should be immune from a state criminal proceeding.

Beyond the substance of cases, Roberts and Trump clashed memorably when Trump in 2018 disparaged a US trial judge in partisan terms.

“This was an Obama judge, and I’ll tell you what, it’s not going to happen like this anymore,” Trump told reporters outside the White House after one loss. “We will win that case in the Supreme Court of the United States.”

Roberts responded at the time by issuing a rare statement reacting to a political branch: “We do not have Obama judges or Trump judges, Bush judges or Clinton judges. What we have is an extraordinary group of dedicated judges doing their level best to do equal right to those appearing before them.”

Bound to have the last word, Trump rejoined, “Sorry Chief Justice John Roberts, but you do indeed have ‘Obama judges,’ and they have a much different point of view than the people who are charged with the safety of our country.”

Roberts issued no further comment.

From Marbury v. Madison to Richard Nixon
The Supreme Court already had a consequential slate of cases for its 2023-24 session, including disputes over abortion pills, gun control and federal regulatory power. The Trump-related controversies have only heightened the drama around the high court.

Thursday’s immunity case may be the toughest of the series for Trump to win. He’s pressing a bold, unprecedented interpretation of absolute presidential immunity from criminal trial.

He cites the court’s seminal 1803 decision in Marbury v. Madison for the independence of the presidency from the courts. He also relies on a 1982 case, Nixon v. Fitzgerald, in which the justices ruled that a president could be immune from civil damages for acts undertaken as part of his duties.

“From Marbury through Fitzgerald, and beyond, this Court has consistently held that (federal) courts cannot sit in judgment directly over the President’s official acts, whether before or after he leaves office,” Trump’s legal team wrote. At the Supreme Court, lawyer John Sauer will represent Trump, as he did before the DC Circuit.

Smith argues that Marbury and other precedent involving the separation of powers teach the opposite lesson: that former presidents are bound by law and can be criminally prosecuted for their actions in office. The special counsel invokes the president’s constitutional duty to “take care that the laws be faithfully executed” and says that “does not entail a general right to violate them.”

Smith answered Trump’s argument that past presidents were never criminally prosecuted by saying past presidents never tried to overturn the legitimate results of a presidential election. Trump’s indictment said he used false claims of election fraud to obstruct federal efforts to collect, count and certify the results. Smith will be represented by Michael Dreeben. In earlier service in the US solicitor general’s office, Dreeben argued more than 100 cases before the high court.

“Since Watergate,” Smith’s team wrote, “the Department of Justice has held the view that a former President may face criminal prosecution, and Independent and Special Counsels have operated from that same understanding. Until petitioner’s arguments in this case, so had former Presidents.”

Vandaag is een belangrijke dag in de rechtszaken tegen Trump. Er zal een zitting van de supreme court plaatsvinden waarin uiteindelijk besloten gaat worden of Trump immuun is voor rechtsvervolging in een aantal zaken. Hij argumenteert dat alles wat hij gedaan heeft toen hij president was onder presidentiele immuniteit zou moeten vallen. En dat de inmenging in de verkiezingen (Alleen Smith, de andere is niet federaal), zijn rol in de januari 6 rellen en de geheime documenten zaak dus de deur uit gegooid moeten worden.

De aanklager is het hier natuurlijk niet mee eens en geeft aan dat de president niet boven de wet staat en dus gewoon crimineel aansprakelijk is in deze zaken.

6 van de 9 rechters zijn door republikeinen aangesteld, en 3 zelfs direct door Trump. In eerdere zaken is al gebleken dat deze rechters naar Trump toe leunen. Een voorbeeld hiervan is dat zij een verzoek van de aanklager om deze uitspraak zo snel mogelijk te laten gebeuren voor een lange tijd uitgesteld is (iets van 6 maanden al volgens mij). Vandaag zal dus blijken of de supreme court nog wel geheel onpartijdig is. Natuurlijk zal ook besloten worden indien Trump immuniteit geniet in hoeverre dit is.

Trump kan zelf niet bij deze rechtszaak aanwezig zijn omdat hij verplicht aanwezig moet zijn bij de zwijggeld zaak die vandaag ook weer verder gaat.

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https://edition.cnn.com/2(...)t-matters/index.html

quote:

Your questions about Trump’s immunity claim at the Supreme Court, answered
While New York’s criminal case against former President Donald Trump with regard to the 2016 election is progressing, the federal case against him for trying to overturn the 2020 election remains in limbo.

The reason for the stalled trial is that Trump claims he should enjoy absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for anything related to his presidency. The US Supreme Court, after refusing to hear the claim on an expedited basis, took up the case after a lower court tore Trump’s immunity claim to shreds.

Justices will hear oral arguments Thursday about whether Trump should enjoy some kind of blanket immunity from criminal prosecution.

We asked for your questions about the immunity claim, some of which I’ve tried to answer below with help from CNN’s reporting and Supreme Court reporters.

Does the fact that the Supreme Court is hearing this case mean they see some merit in Trump’s argument?
Here’s an answer from CNN’s senior Supreme Court analyst Joan Biskupic:

Certainly the fact that they did not want to let the lower court ruling stand is an indication that they think it’s important enough for them to give their own judgment on this. And that’s not really surprising. This is an untested Constitutional question. They are the highest court in the land. Even if they thought that the DC Circuit opinion was sound and hit all the right notes, they would still feel like it’s important to come in.

I think that (special counsel) Jack Smith himself even thought it would have been important for the court to come in. That is why he asked them in December to do just that. The fact that they waited has certainly accrued to Donald Trump’s benefit. But I think that sooner rather than later they were going to have to resolve this.

If the Supreme Court decides that presidents are immune from federal prosecution, what is to stop President Biden from just jailing his political opponent?
This was by far the most-asked question, although many readers wondered if, as a lower court judge asked hypothetically, a president with absolute immunity could order Seal Team 6 to assassinate a rival.

Here’s a response from Biskupic:

Jack Smith argues that Trump’s view of immunity is limitless. As you heard in the DC Circuit ruling when one of the judges there raised the possibility of a president ordering SEAL Team 6 to assassinate a political rival. And Trump’s lawyer essentially had to say, yeah, that would not violate the notion that they’re pressing of absolute immunity.

Why hasn’t Justice Thomas recused himself due to his wife’s participation in the Jan. 6th insurrection? Why can’t Justice Thomas be forced to recuse himself in light of his wife’s Jan. 6th participation?
Supreme Court justices in general consider themselves to be under no binding obligation to recuse themselves from any case. While other federal judges are bound by rules, the Supreme Court has remained aloof. That was clear last year when justices signed a statement regarding their ethical principles after ProPublica uncovered that Justice Clarence Thomas failed to disclose trips and other financial gifts given to him by his billionaire friend.

Thomas has recused himself from cases in the past, but not in major disputes concerning the January 6, 2021, insurrection or efforts to overturn the 2020 election. He did recuse himself in a case concerning John Eastman, a former Thomas law clerk who also hatched the plan to appoint alternate slates of electors.

Infuriating critics, Thomas has not felt the need to explain his decision to hear January 6-related cases even though his wife was actively working with people in the White House on efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

How is it possible for the three justices who directly owe their position in some sense to the former president be allowed to judge any case directly related to him?
None of the three justices appointed by Trump – Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett – have recused themselves from cases related to Trump. That said, they have frequently ruled against him, such as when they dismissed his challenge to the 2020 election.

Why do the courts continue to appease Trump when it’s clear he’s only playing for time in the hopes he’ll be elected and can squash any federal charges?
The Supreme Court has certainly taken its time. When Smith asked justices to expedite the case and consider Trump’s immunity claim before an appeals court, they declined. Then, when he asked them to accept the appeals court ruling, they again declined.

While considering Trump’s immunity claim seems to be taking time and is jeopardizing the possibility the federal criminal case will be resolved before the election in November, it’s also going very quickly by Supreme Court standards. The bottom line is that no one outside of the court can be entirely sure what’s going on behind the scenes.

It is entirely possible that the court finds Trump is not immune from prosecution but takes so long to make the decision – or otherwise drags things out – in such a way as to preclude his prosecution before Election Day.

Shouldn’t the Supreme Court rule days after oral arguments like they did in Bush v. Gore given the gravity and the implications this could have on the 2024 election?
CNN’s Devan Cole also covers the court, and he notes that the 2000 election hung in the balance, so justices had to act at breakneck speed to settle it.

Justices are under no obligation to move quickly, and their behavior leading up to this moment “suggests they don’t think this is a case they need to decide with extraordinary speed,” Cole said.

This court does occasionally move quickly, Cole adds, pointing to the Colorado ballot dispute over whether Trump violated the “insurrectionist clause” included in the 14th Amendment. Justices issued their opinion that Trump could not be barred from that state’s ballot less than a month after hearing arguments.

Can the Supreme Court give Trump partial immunity (enough to let him get away from his indictments, but not enough to let any president to get away with a personal crime like murder)? Is there a distinction between official presidential actions and personal actions while under the umbrella of being president?
Here’s Biskupic’s answer:

Yes, they could figure out a way to restrict the kind of immunity. Jack Smith acknowledged at the end of his brief that there might be special circumstances – for example, foreign affairs, where you wouldn’t want the president subject to criminal prosecution for something that he might have done that involved a foreign power that someone could claim was criminal, but was certainly in the national interest.

But what the government is arguing here is that no matter what the limits are, it would not cover someone who was trying to engage in election subversion.

What is the legal basis of Trump’s immunity claim?
Trump argues that his efforts to overturn the election were in the “outer perimeter” of official acts he undertook as president. The term comes from a case, Nixon v. Fitzgerald, involving a lawsuit against former President Richard Nixon. In 1982, after he left office, the Supreme Court decided Nixon could not be sued for acts related to the “outer perimeter” of his official duties.

Trump’s lawyers want to extend that immunity from civil lawsuits related to the “outer perimeter” to immunity from criminal prosecution.

There are other cases, like United States v. Nixon, in which the Supreme Court found presidents do not have blanket immunity. In that case, the court forced Nixon while he was still in office to comply with a criminal subpoena for the infamous White House tapes. It ended his presidency.

A key line from the US v. Nixon opinion undercuts Trump’s argument: “any absolute executive privilege under Art. II of the Constitution would plainly conflict with the function of the courts under the Constitution.”

Trump’s lawyers also argued Trump already faced a form of prosecution when he was impeached by the House and tried in the Senate. It’s a flawed argument since senators who voted to acquit him said they were doing so because he was leaving office and could still face criminal prosecution.

Which Founding Fathers drafting the Constitution authored immunity? Isn’t it true that the original intent was only to protect a sitting president from states’ claims and suits that would tie up a presidency, but never to wholly shield a president? Accordingly, why did Nixon require a pardon if the Constitution granted absolute immunity?
Trump’s lawyers cite George Washington’s farewell warning about factionalism as an argument that he would have supported immunity. But there is nothing in the Constitution about granting the president immunity from prosecution.

The founders were breaking free from a monarchy where the king was set above everyone else. Their rhetoric does not support the idea of absolute immunity for any one person. Quite the opposite.

Nixon’s pardon was granted by his successor, President Gerald Ford, to preempt criminal prosecution. It came after the Supreme Court ruled Nixon was not completely immune from the justice system and had to turn over tapes of his Oval Office conversations.

In his remarks announcing the pardon, Ford and his lawyers clearly believed prosecution of the former president was possible and likely. Ford wanted to put the Watergate nightmare behind everyone.

If Trump’s immunity claim is upheld by the Supreme Court, what can anybody or any government body do to challenge the decision?
The Supreme Court is the final word on legal matters, so there is no higher authority to overrule its decision.

In any event, voters will get their chance to send a message about Trump, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, in November. If lawmakers don’t like it, they can try to pass legislation to change the law. If you don’t like your lawmakers, vote.

If it is found he has immunity, will all federal charges be dismissed?
That very much depends on the specifics of the decision. A decision that grants Trump and all presidents full and permanent, blanket immunity seems unlikely.

Trump faces two separate sets of federal charges. If the Supreme Court’s decision is something short of absolute immunity, two federal trial court judges will need to figure out how to apply the decision to their specific cases.

This case is focused on Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election. He also faces charges related to mishandling of classified material after he left office. Would an immunity decision in the first case affect the second? Perhaps.

There are also two separate sets of state charges – in New York and in Georgia. The New York case, related to Trump’s alleged involvement in covering up a hush money scheme, wouldn’t necessarily be affected by a Supreme Court decision on presidential immunity. The Georgia case, like the federal charges in Washington, DC, is focused on his efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

If SCOTUS determines that Trump has full immunity, does that mean that no president now or in the future can be impeached, held accountable for criminal acts or attempting to dissolve the powers of the Constitution of the United States?
Nobody is arguing against the principle of impeachment, which is spelled out in the Constitution. Trump’s lawyers actually argue that presidents should enjoy immunity from prosecution in part because they can be impeached.

Trump was twice impeached by the House, but Republicans in the Senate voted against convicting him and barring him from holding office in the future.

If Trump gets reelected, will he be able to pardon himself and his friends?
This question about self-pardons is important and unanswered. Most scholars will tell you the principle of a self-pardon is wrong.

The Justice Department during the Nixon administration wrote a memo arguing that the president could not pardon himself. But the text of the Constitution does not expressly forbid a self-pardon.

Trump, when he was president, claimed to have the ability to pardon himself, and CNN has reported Trump raised the issue with White House lawyers before he left office.

A presidential pardon can only absolve a person of federal crimes, like those Trump is accused by Smith of committing. It would not help him with state crimes, like the New York hush money case or the election interference case in Georgia.

In the 235 years since we have had the office of president, has the question of presidential immunity come up before?
Immunity? Yes. Criminal immunity? Not nearly as much. See above re: United States vs. Nixon.

The principle of presidential immunity goes back to Reconstruction, when the Supreme Court found in Mississippi v. Johnson that courts could not dictate how the executive acts.

Forms of presidential immunity have been the subject of numerous court cases since, but not in terms of whether a president should be immune from federal prosecution. No previous president faced criminal charges.

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Trump makes DEVASTATING MISTAKE in NY criminal trial

Trump heeft gelijk na de zitting over het overtreden van zijn gag order deze gelijk weer grovelijk overtreden (11de keer in totaal nu). Het is de verwachting dat vandaag de uitspraak van de rechter hierover komt.

Trump World rocked by Arizona fake elector indictments as Trump's legal peril snowballs

7 mensen die tijdens de verkiezingen (en ervoor) direct met Trump verbonden waren zijn nu officieel aangeklaagd in Arizona voor verkiezingsfraude. Helaas is Trump hier niet voor aangeklaagd. Nog niet tenminste, het zou kunnen dat de aanklager wacht op de uitspraak in de immuniteitszaak en dat deze ook hoopt een aantal van de de verdachten over te kunnen halen om tegen Trump te getuigen in ruil voor strafvermindering bijvoorbeeld. Er wordt wel naar Trump gerefereerd in de papieren als "unindicted co conspirator number 1. Een aantal van deze personen zijn nog steeds betrokken bij de campagne van Trump.

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https://edition.cnn.com/2(...)nt-effort/index.html

quote:

How the House GOP’s Biden impeachment effort fell apart
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer was eager to take the reins of a high-stakes investigation into President Joe Biden and his family, seen as central to the House Republican agenda – a coveted perch that brought the added benefit of elevating his national profile.

But after 15 months of coming up short in proving some of his biggest claims against the president, Comer recently approached one of his Republican colleagues and made a blunt admission: He was ready to be “done with” the impeachment inquiry into Biden, according to the lawmaker who relayed the conversation to CNN.

Comer has grown increasingly frustrated as his investigation appears to be at a dead end, with Republicans resigned to the reality that they don’t have the votes to impeach the president, multiple sources with direct knowledge of the situation told CNN.

Sources say the Kentucky Republican is now focused on tactfully wrapping up his work – all while Comer, a five-term congressman, has another matter on his mind: ambitions to run for higher office one day, including potentially running for governor, according to lawmakers who have spoken to him.

“Comer is hoping Jesus comes so he can get out,” one of the GOP lawmakers who spoke to Comer told CNN. “He is fed up.”

Even the House GOP’s impeachment of another favorite target, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, ultimately fizzled out, with the House narrowly impeaching him and the Senate quickly dispatching the charges without a trial.

When pressed on whether he would have done anything differently, Comer – who has defended his handling of the Biden probe – told CNN, “Not that I can think of.” And a House Oversight Committee spokesperson maintains that “the impeachment inquiry is ongoing and impeachment is 100% still on the table.”

GOP Rep. Anna Paulina Luna – who serves on the House Oversight Committee and supports impeachment – has told Comer she believes the panel should have issued subpoenas faster. She also believes the committee should have held the president’s son, Hunter Biden, in contempt of Congress the moment he defied his initial subpoena for closed-door testimony, instead of engaging in a long back-and-forth – a sentiment shared by many of her colleagues.

“I feel like this was slow-rolled, and it’s been very frustrating for me as a new member because I feel like there’s way more that we could have done, and it just hasn’t been done in a timely fashion,” Luna said.

Asked whether any of his Republican peers had privately voiced frustrations to him about the inquiry, Comer grew defensive and took a swipe at CNN, echoing complaints sources say he has made privately to colleagues about the media coverage.

“I don’t even want to talk to you,” he said. “If you don’t think they were influence-peddling, there’s nothing to say. My God.”

Embarking on a high-stakes GOP investigation into the president and his family in an election year with a divided, paper-thin majority was always going to be an uphill climb. Comer and his fellow top Republicans leading the probe have consistently been caught between the far-right wing’s early demands for impeachment and skeptical Republicans in vulnerable districts, all amid Democrats’ relentless efforts to dismantle their work.

But a series of missteps has left the probe stalled and without clear consensus on what a successful conclusion looks like, according to interviews with more than a dozen Republican lawmakers and sources.

“To me, success is impeachment from the House,” GOP Rep. Brian Mast said.

Blame game heats up
While there are three Republican chairmen co-leading the inquiry, Comer has arguably quarterbacked the most controversial pillar of the probe – millions of dollars’ worth of business dealings by the Biden family. Through that work, Comer has made sweeping claims that the president was involved in bribery and influence-peddling schemes that compromised his job.

While Comer maintains his goal has never been to impeach, it has not stopped some of his colleagues from pointing fingers at who is to blame for how Republicans got to this point. And some of Comer’s tactics have come under the most scrutiny inside the conference.

Some in the House GOP, granted the anonymity to speak freely, said they felt he often overpromised and underdelivered, with one GOP source who worked on the investigation telling CNN that people wished Comer had “reined in” his rhetoric. Instead of quietly building a case, Comer was quick to make bold accusations on friendly right-wing cable news platforms, sources said, which frustrated some members.

“I think early on, the most important thing to do is to let the evidence lead the investigation. And I think some of the earlier statements got a little more aspirational than the evidence really allowed,” one of the GOP lawmakers told CNN.

Another GOP lawmaker who spoke with Comer throughout the investigation reflected: “He seemed to think he had a lot of stuff that just seemed to indicate some things that needed to be investigated. I don’t know what happened.”

Despite the internal criticism, Comer still maintains the confidence of Speaker Mike Johnson and his leadership team. Comer’s co-leads, House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan and House Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith, are also fully behind the work.

“Chairman Comer has done extraordinary work leading a fair investigation and carefully following the facts where they lead,” Johnson, who has worked to tamp down concerns that the investigation has not moved fast enough, said in a statement to CNN.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise echoed that sentiment, saying Comer’s “tireless work to deliver transparency, accountability, and the truth for the American people should be commended,” while GOP Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik credited Comer with helping to “expose one of the biggest political corruption scandals in our nation’s history” and “delivering on the promise of accountability and transparency that House Republicans ran on.”

And Comer has also seen a massive boost in his profile – and war chest – since getting the Oversight Committee gavel. The Kentucky Republican has raised $5 million since the beginning of last year, up from the $1.65 million he raised in the entire previous cycle, according to Federal Election Commission data.

Impeachment inquiry gets off to a rocky start
Shortly after former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy unilaterally launched the inquiry, Comer held his first hearing in September, hoping to deliver a splashy opening salvo to set the tone for the investigation and bring to the forefront months of behind-the-scenes work.

It did not go as planned.

The expert GOP witnesses testified they supported the opening of the inquiry, but the takeaway became their acknowledgement that Republicans did not yet have the evidence to prove the accusations they were leveling.

“There was a lot of theater going on that day,” Bruce Dubinsky, one of the GOP’s hearing witnesses, who has a 40-plus-year career as a fraud investigator, told CNN. “Everybody was trying to get their five minutes of fame in.”

Afterward, some Republicans complained that Comer should have collected more evidence and vetted the witnesses more closely before putting his investigation under the spotlight. One GOP source at the time called it an “unmitigated disaster.”

Less than a month later, the House removed McCarthy as speaker, leading to three weeks of chaos and paralysis, which put the inquiry on hold at a moment when the pressure to deliver was building.

Republicans get a boost
The October election of Johnson, who was fully supportive of the investigation, provided a glimmer of hope.

Republicans finally issued subpoenas and interview invitations to their top witness targets, including the president’s son, brother and business associates of the family.

Another boost of momentum came when Republicans united to formally authorize the inquiry after a clash with the White House, which claimed Republicans’ subpoenas for testimony and records were invalid without a floor vote.

At the same time, Republicans finally went after their top witness, Hunter Biden, who was at the center of their allegations about his father.

Republicans announced they would hold him in criminal contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with his subpoena for a closed-door deposition, sending lawmakers back to their districts at the end of 2023 with a huge win.

Allegations start to fall apart
But that high did not last long.

Witness after witness brought in for closed-door interviews in January and February built a pile of testimony that refuted core tenants of the inquiry. While their testimony sometimes put the president closer to his family’s business partners than previously known, including through surface-level interactions and phone calls, the chorus of firsthand accounts said Biden was not involved in his family’s business dealings, nor did he make policy decisions based on them.

“There is certainly influence-peddling, but that happens in this town unfortunately too often. I don’t think that’s an impeachable offense,” GOP Rep. Jodey Arrington said. “I think it’s too important of a matter to presume until the process is done.”

In February, Republicans were dealt a massive blow when it was announced that the individual who brought forward the bribery allegations about the president and his son memorialized in an unverified FBI document – which Republicans had been warned not to bank on – was charged with lying about the Bidens.

Republicans charged ahead, insisting they had a closed-door deposition with Hunter Biden to prepare for, even though they had repeatedly put those unverified claims at the center of their case.

But even without cameras, the president’s son failed to deliver the smoking gun Republicans were hoping for, leaving the inquiry at a standstill. Even GOP Rep. Darrell Issa remarked after the first hour of questioning that Hunter Biden was prepared for the interview.

“It needs to be a high bar, and if we are contemplating that on the president … I don’t think we are there yet,” GOP Rep. Doug LaMalfa reflected to CNN when asked whether he believed Republicans had uncovered evidence of an impeachable offense by the president.

Meanwhile, the impeachment of Mayorkas was a wake-up call. After a failed first attempt and a narrow victory, and with articles quickly dismissed by the Democratic-controlled Senate, Republicans realized the prospects of impeaching the president, seen internally as a much heavier lift, were increasingly unlikely.

“If we can’t impeach Mayorkas, I don’t know who else we can impeach,” Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas said ahead of the short-lived Senate trial.

When presented with those who do not believe the investigation has uncovered impeachable offenses by the president, Comer said: “Our investigation is ongoing and our findings will be laid out in a final report.”

GOP wrestles with how to end investigation
Now, Republicans leading the investigation are actively deliberating how to conclude the inquiry.

Even though GOP Rep. Austin Scott said he would vote to impeach, he noted, “With the margins that we have, we don’t have the votes to impeach the president on the floor.”

Comer has said he wants to send criminal referrals to the Department of Justice in the hopes that former President Donald Trump is elected and can capitalize on them.

Jordan, who described criminal referrals as “on the table,” told CNN, “The Constitution doesn’t put a time limit on oversight. So, we’re going to do our job thoroughly and then at some point the House of Representatives will decide if we’re going to move forward with articles of impeachment.”

And then there are those, particularly in competitive districts, who think it is time to move on.

“It’s April. There’s an election in seven months from now,” GOP Rep. Nick LaLota, who represents a New York district Biden won in 2020, told CNN. “It would be wise for folks to pump the brakes on the legal accusations being made against the two major-party candidates, and I think we’re close enough to the election to allow the people to decide the future.”

Meanwhile, Comer single-handedly invited the president to testify at a hearing. After the White House declined the invitation, he dropped his invitation for a hearing and instead focused on his request for documents and written answers.

The tension spilled into public view last week when Comer and the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, Rep. Jamie Raskin, got into a sparring match over the status of the investigation at an unrelated hearing.

Raskin posited, “You have not identified a single crime. What is the crime that you want to impeach Joe Biden for and keep this nonsense going?”

“You’re about to find out very soon,” Comer replied.

Ondanks dat zij al bijna een jaar bezig zijn met de impeachment van Biden hebben zij nog geen enkele strafbare feit kunnen vinden waarop zij dit succesvol zouden kunnen doen. Sterker nog keer op keer blijkt het gewoon dat hun beschuldigingen ongegrond zijn. Denk hierbij aan de zogenaamde steekpenningen van Hunter Biden, of dat Biden direct betrokken zou zijn bij de zaken van zijn broer en zijn macht hiervoor in hun voordeel zou gebruiken. Natuurlijk blijven ze stug doorgaan met (niet bestaand) bewijs te proberen te verzamelen. Een heksenjacht dus waar ongetwijfeld Trump ook een hand in heeft.

En zelfs als zij iets zouden vinden, het moet wel iets heel erg groot zijn om een meerderheid achter zich te krijgen om de impeachment daadwerkelijk succesvol te laten zijn. Zelfs bij Trump, de eerste president met twee impeachments aan zijn broek, was die meerderheid er niet. Terwijl de beschuldigingen veel zwaarder waren, maar ook terwijl er veel meer bewijs voor was om deze te ondersteunen.

quote:

Russia vetoes US-backed UN resolution to ban nuclear weapons in space

Russia on Wednesday vetoed a United Nations resolution that proposed a ban on the use of nuclear weapons in outer space amid US intelligence-backed concerns that Moscow is trying to develop a nuclear device capable of destroying satellites.

Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia described the UN draft as a “dirty spectacle” and a “cynical ploy” prepared by the resolution’s backers, the US and Japan.

In February, President Joe Biden confirmed the US has intelligence that Russia is developing a nuclear anti-satellite capability. Three sources familiar with the intelligence subsequently told CNN the weapon could destroy satellites by creating a massive energy wave when detonated.

Before the vote, senior US officials claimed Russia might be hiding something should it veto the text.

US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield echoed those claims in her speech after the vote on Wednesday.

“And so today’s veto begs the question: Why? Why, if you are following the rules, would you not support a resolution that reaffirms them?” she asked.

“What could you possibly be hiding? It’s baffling. And it’s a shame.”

SPOILER

quote:

The US ambassador also condemned China’s abstention, saying Beijing “has shown that it would rather defend Russia as its junior partner, than safeguard the global nonproliferation regime.”

The Council voted against resolution amendments tabled by Russia and China.

Thomas-Greenfield said Wednesday’s vote “marks a real missed opportunity to rebuild much-needed trust in existing arms control obligations.”

A US and Japan-drafted resolution had received cross-regional support from more than 60 member states.

It intended to strengthen and uphold the global non-proliferation regime, including in outer space, and reaffirm the shared goal of maintaining outer space for peaceful purposes.

It also called on UN member states not to develop nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction designed to be placed in Earth’s orbit.

Nuclear threat
The potential threat of nuclear weapons in space has been amplified by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has triggered Europe’s most significant land conflict since World War II and sent relations between the US and Russia – the world’s two largest nuclear armed states – to new lows.

The White House’s comments on the prospect of a Russian nuclear space weapon have deepened those concerns.

Experts say this kind of weapon could have the potential to wipe out mega constellations of small satellites, like SpaceX’s Starlink, which has been successfully used by Ukraine to counter Russian troops.

This would almost certainly be “a last-ditch weapon” for Russia, the US official and other sources said — because it would do the same damage to whatever Russian satellites were also in the area.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in March that Moscow is ready to use nuclear weapons if there is a threat to the existence of the Russian state but “there has never been such a need.”

He also told officials that space projects, including the setup of a nuclear power unit in space, should be a priority and receive proper financing.

Last year, Putin deployed tactical nuclear weapons to neighboring ally Belarus, and former Russian president and deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council Dmitry Medvedev said strategic nuclear weapons could be used to defend territories incorporated into Russia from Ukraine.

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Op donderdag 25 april 2024 10:30 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://edition.cnn.com/2(...)-intl-hnk/index.html
[..]

SPOILER

[..]

Zie ik dat nu goed, spreekt Rusland zijn veto uit met een Hitler groet? lol.

quote:

Op donderdag 25 april 2024 12:50 schreef skysherrif het volgende:
Beetje omstreden en contra waar ik normaal voor sta, maar ik vind dat we dit in Nederland ook moeten doen.

[ x ]

Oekraieners moeten terug naar Oekraine.

quote:

Op donderdag 25 april 2024 12:50 schreef skysherrif het volgende:
Beetje omstreden en contra waar ik normaal voor sta, maar ik vind dat we dit in Nederland ook moeten doen.

[ x ]

Oekraieners moeten terug naar Oekraine.

quote:

Op donderdag 25 april 2024 12:52 schreef Straatcommando. het volgende:
Valt wel wat voor te zeggen, maar ik denk niet dat die aantallen nu voor een groot verschil gaan zorgen. Zullen ook niet de meest gemotiveerde manschappen zijn.

quote:

Op donderdag 25 april 2024 12:52 schreef Straatcommando. het volgende:
Valt wel wat voor te zeggen, maar ik denk niet dat die aantallen nu voor een groot verschil gaan zorgen. Zullen ook niet de meest gemotiveerde manschappen zijn.

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Op donderdag 25 april 2024 12:54 schreef SillyWalks het volgende:

[..]
Oekra�ense mannen. Vrouwen, kinderen en bejaarden kunnen blijven, als we daar Oekra�ne mee ontlasten.

quote:

Op donderdag 25 april 2024 12:52 schreef Straatcommando. het volgende:
Valt wel wat voor te zeggen, maar ik denk niet dat die aantallen nu voor een groot verschil gaan zorgen. Zullen ook niet de meest gemotiveerde manschappen zijn.

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Op donderdag 25 april 2024 12:58 schreef Zwoerd het volgende:

[..]
Denk ik ook niet.

Verder ken ik te veel Oekra�ense mannen die nu in Nederland wonen om hier een onpartijdige mening over te vormen.

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Op donderdag 25 april 2024 13:30 schreef BEFEM het volgende:

[..]
Zal een verschil zijn tussen mensen die voor 2022 al in het buitenland woonden denk ik?

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Op donderdag 25 april 2024 12:54 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Die motivatie rammen ze er wel in als het moet.

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Op donderdag 25 april 2024 10:29 schreef Ulx het volgende:
[ x ]

Handig. Bereik van 300km.

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Op donderdag 25 april 2024 13:39 schreef Zwoerd het volgende:

[..]
Die ik ken zijn, veelal met vrouw en kinderen, gevlucht.

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Op donderdag 25 april 2024 13:03 schreef skysherrif het volgende:

[..]
In Nederland alleen niet, maar gecombineerd met andere landen dan absoluut.

De motivatie zal inderdaad niet zo hoog liggen, maarja, die zal ook niet altijd even hoog liggen bij mensen die wel in oekraine zijn gebleven die straks gemobiliseerd worden. Eenmaal aan het front zal je toch wel moeten. Hoe makkelijk dit ook klinkt vanachter mijn bureaustoel.

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Op donderdag 25 april 2024 15:06 schreef TLC het volgende:
Gaat Litouwen nu Wit-Rusland aanvallen ?

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Op donderdag 25 april 2024 14:56 schreef Idisrom het volgende:

[..]
Ik zit ook op mijn luie bureaustoel. Wat de mannen aan het front meemaken, is niet voor te stellen.

De plaats Ocheretyne, 15 km ten noordwesten van Adviivka is deze week relatief snel en onverwachts gevallen.
Het schijnt dat het fout gegaan is met de wisseling van de wacht van de Oekra�ense 115-e brigade. De mannen die te lang aan het front gezeten hadden, gingen al terug omdat ze gewisseld zouden worden, terwijl de nieuwe verse mannen er op dat moment nog geen echt zin in hadden. De eenheden die in het 6 km verderop gelegen Novooleksandrivka zaten, kwamen ook niet te hulp schieten, want die gingen liever verder westwaarts om een nieuwe verdedigingslinie op te bouwen. Ik kan mij dit wel voorstellen als ik ook in zo'n positie terecht zou komen.