russia
#Russia co-opts far-right politicians in Europe with cash to promote anti-#Ukraine agenda, officials say
A front org masquerading as a news website was used to funnel 100s of 1000s of euros to far-right politicians in more than 5 countries to plant Kremlin propaganda in Western media & bolster the position of pro-Russian candidates in this week’s European Parliament elections, according to interviews with a dozen European intelligence officials from five countries. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/06/03/russia-europe-far-right-espionage/
In #Tbilisi, clashes erupt between opponents of the "foreign agents" law and the police. Thousands protest against the law, fearing it could stifle dissent, while security forces withdraw from the main square after a standoff. Critics dub it the " #Russia law," with the final vote scheduled for Tuesday.
🇬🇧 #Intelligence chiefs have warned ministers they fear #Britain and other key #Ukraine allies are being targeted by #russia saboteurs following a series of suspicious incidents in recent months
These include a wave of fires at arms factories and #military related industrial sites in the West that are supplying #Ukraine
"Lots of fires that we thought were accidents and unconnected have turned out to be connected" the source said
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13408007/Moscow-gangsters-sabotage-Western-factories-Ukraine.html #Europe #News
#Russia to Hold Drills on Tactical Nuclear Weapons in New Tensions With West
Russian officials claimed the order was in response to comments from the West about the possibility of more direct involvement in Ukraine. NATO called Russia’s announcement “irresponsible.”
Here's what we are reading today:
Over 1,700 residents were evacuated from the #Kharkiv region, after Russia's offensive. Yesterday #Russia advanced 1 km into Vovchansk.
This comes as part of a recent push by Russia to gain ground before #US aid arrives in #ukraine
https://kyivindependent.com/over-1-700-civilians-evacuated-from-kharkiv-oblast/
U.S. bans Russian uranium imports, key to nuclear fuel supply
“Pres Biden on Monday evening signed a bipartisan bill prohibiting Russian imports of enriched uranium, the main fuel used by nuclear power plants, a move intended to cut off one of the last significant flows of money from the US to #Russia amid the war in #Ukraine”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/05/13/russian-uranium-imports-ban/
Blinken visits #Ukraine to tout US support for Kyiv's fight against #Russia's advances https://apnews.com/article/41df75260903f6b9527fbf3a1a44c815
Here's what we are reading today:
#Russia are succeeding in their assault on #Kharkiv due to: delayed #US aid, poor fortifications and #Russia battlefield tactics and #russia is benefitting from the US preventing #Ukraine from using #US weaponry on Russia territory, Max Boot writes for the Washington Post.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/05/13/russia-kharkiv-ukraine-us-blunders/
For those not following the #UkraineWar
with three slow loud #drones, 600km from the front
where is the #airdefense?
it's the first time in history an a Su-57 was hit
the Sukhoi Su-57 is the most advanced fighter jet #Russia has, it's fifth generation. and Russia does not have a lot of them
damaged/ taken out (the photos are blurry) with what amounts to nothing more than a cessna packed with explosives
amazing
https://theaviationist.com/2024/06/09/su-57-felon-hit-by-ukrainian-drone-strike/
NEWSFLASH:
One of interim Iranian President Mohammad #mokhber first phone calls since ascending to the position was with the #kremlin
In October 2022, Mokhaber went to #Moscow to sell #Iraniandrones and #ballisticmissiles to #Russia, reported Reuters.
Max Bergmann, a former State Department official and now program director with the Center for Strategic International Studies, predicts Russian-fueled turbulence at the Democratic national convention in August. He foresees attempts of Russian operatives to infiltrate groups of protestors and attempt to turn protests violent.
He also notes that social media has “become way more of a cesspool than it was in 2016.”
Here's what we're reading today:
#Poland's security services have arrested nine people suspected of engaging in subversive activities in favor of #Russia, PM Tusk tells TVN24.
The arrested sabotage suspects are accused of beatings, arson and attempts to arrange arson.
https://tvn24.pl/polska/donald-tusk-o-spocie-po-bede-sie-bil-twardo-nie-odstawie-nogi-st7925681
Here's what we are reading today:
#Ukraine has flown a long-range drone 140 km farther than ever before, hitting a radar station in Orsk, #Russia - 1,800 km from the Ukr border.
Ukr is accommodating for the fact that they cannot use U.S. provided #longrange weapons to hit Russia.
Here's what we are reading today:
#Putin is open to negotiate a #ceasefire that would freeze the conflict along the current battlefield lines, sources told Reuters.
But some Western analysts believe that Russia’s DefMin appointment shows #Russia readying the economy for a longer war.
#Ukraine is now allowed to use Western weapons to hit targets inside #Russia. What will this decision change and how will it affect the front line in Ukraine?
The ban on using Western weapons to hit targets beyond Ukraine enabled Russian troops to prepare for that operation in a safe environment.
Now, Ukraine can “strike places where the enemy concentrated its troops, equipment and supply storage facilities that are used to attack Ukraine,”
🔞 Video is NSFW/NSFL
In #Ukraine, #Vovchansk is a city located in the #Kharkiv Oblast, close to the Russian border.
At one point almost 18,000 people, about half the population of #Bucha, used to call this beautiful city home and it was filled with life just few weeks ago.
But now it stands as yet another example of the meaning of "Russkiy Mir" and the horror and suffering it brings.
#OpenAI finds its #tech being used for #propaganda & #US 2024 #ElectionInterference
#ChatGPT maker OpenAI found #Russia, #China, #Iran & #Israel groups using its #technology to #influence global political discourse, highlighting concerns #generative #ArtificialIntelligence is making it easier for state actors to run covert #propaganda campaigns as the presidential election nears.
#ForeignDisinformationCampaigns #disinformation #generativeAI
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/05/30/openai-disinfo-influence-operations-china-russia/
#Russia, #Belarus launch drills to train troops in tactical nuclear weapons
Russia and its ally Belarus have launched a second stage of drills intended to train their troops in tactical nuclear weapons, part of the Kremlin’s efforts to discourage the West from ramping up support for #Ukraine
https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/russia-belarus-launch-stage-drills-train-troops-tactical-111009855
A Ukrainian warplane has for the first time fired a weapon that struck a target inside #Russia, a Ukrainian military source has told Sky News.
Speaking on condition of anonymity: "A Ukrainian Air Force (UAF) mission has struck a Russian command node in #Belgorod.
"Whilst damage assessment is still occurring, it is confirmed as a direct hit. This is the first UAF air-delivered munition delivered against a target within Russia."
Here's what we're reading today:
The West works on options to retaliate against #Russia for sabotage at military and civilian targets across #Europe.
Russia's intelligence service leads the attacks. They aim to divide #Ukraine's allies, disrupt military supplies to the UAF and test Western resolve.
https://www.ft.com/content/bf128ebf-2e3f-40a3-b7ec-bcd1b477ab9a
Russian prosecutors announced Thurs they had finalized the #espionage indictment against #EvanGershkovich, the imprisoned American WSJ #journalist, & that he would be tried in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg, where he was arrested more than a year ago.
[you have to wonder if #Trump had a heads up, given his very recent statements]
#NationalSecurity #Russia #Putin #Terrorism #geopolitics
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/13/world/europe/evan-gershkovich-russia-indictment.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare&sgrp=c-cb
“President Joe #Biden’s administration is widening sanctions on the sale of semiconductor chips and other goods to #Russia, targeting third-party sellers in China and elsewhere as it looks to further choke off Vladimir Putin’s war machine in #Ukraine.”
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-06-11/chip-sales-to-russia-to-be-curbed-under-wider-us-sanctions