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Wagner chief Prigozhin killed
The US has vowed to proceed drone missions over the Black Sea after Russia scrambled jets yesterday, claiming it intercepted two US Air Drive drones close to the Crimean peninsula.
The Russian defence ministry mentioned it deployed two fighter jets to thrust back the US navy’s MQ-9 “Reaper” and RQ-4 “International Hawk” after they have been detected flying over the southwestern a part of the Black Sea on Monday.
A Pentagon spokesperson advised CNN that Washington is “permitted by worldwide regulation to make sure freedom of navigation and manoeuvre” over the Black Sea and it’ll “proceed to fly routine missions”.
It got here as Ukraine’s navy declared it had liberated the Zaporizhzhia village of Robotyne, with Kyiv’s troops now reportedly advancing in direction of Russia’s second line of defence, as fierce combating additionally rages within the east.
In the meantime, Poland and the Baltic states have threatened to shut their borders with Belarus, as they urged Minsk’s authoritarian chief Alexander Lukashenko to expel Wagner mercenaries from the nation.
Russian tourism in Crimea is down
Alexei Volkov, president of the Nationwide Union of Hospitality Industries, mentioned in an interview that vacationer numbers in Crimea have been anticipated to be down 20-30 per cent this yr to between 6 and 6.5 million folks.
Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, eight years earlier than it launched its full-scale invasion of the nation final February. Ukraine has vowed to reverse the annexation, which is thought to be unlawful by most nations. everse.
Different Russian Black Sea resorts, at much less threat of assaults, have seen elevated demand. Volkov mentioned resort occupancy in Sochi was at 100 per cent, and even the port metropolis of Novorossiysk had seen a 6% uptick in guests.
Maanya Sachdeva29 August 2023 07:35
US accuses Russia of intimidation after ex-consulate employee charged with spying
The US has accused Russia of intimidating and harassing American workers after Russian state media reported {that a} former US consulate employee, Robert Shonov, had been charged by Russian safety providers with gathering details about the conflict in Ukraine.
In accordance with the Russian safety service FSB, Mr Shonov, a Russian nationwide, supplied info to US embassy employees in Moscow relating to the impression of Russia’s conscription marketing campaign on political discontent main as much as Russia’s 2024 presidential election.
The FSB has mentioned it plans to interrogate US embassy workers who had contact with Mr Shonov. Mr Shonov has been in custody since Might.
He had labored for over 25 years on the US Consulate Common in Vladivostok till Russia ordered the termination of native employees affiliated with the US mission in 2021.
The US State Division spokesperson, Matthew Miller, reiterated that the allegations towards Mr Shonov lack credibility.
“Russia‘s concentrating on of Mr. Shonov underneath the ‘confidential cooperation’ statute solely highlights the more and more repressive actions the Russian authorities is taking towards its personal residents,” Mr Miller mentioned in an announcement.
He added that Washington was conscious the FSB had additionally summoned two diplomats working on the US embassy in Moscow in connection to the case.
Shweta Sharma29 August 2023 07:10
Russia’s Putin dials Modi to announce his incapability to go to India for G20 summit
Vladimir Putin is not going to be travelling to India to attend the G20 summit subsequent month, the Russian president confirmed in a cellphone name with Indian prime minister Narendra Modi yesterday.
Mr Putin mentioned Russia will probably be represented by its international minister on the G20 summit in New Delhi on 9 and 10 September. The 2 leaders additionally mentioned bilateral ties, amongst different subjects, based on readouts of the decision.
“Whereas expressing an understanding for Russia’s resolution, PM (Modi) thanked President Putin for Russia’s constant help to all initiatives underneath India’s G20 presidency,” the Indian international ministry mentioned in an announcement.
The 2 leaders additionally spoke concerning the deliberate growth of the Brics group of rising economies – comprising India, Russia, China, Brazil and South Africa.
Final week, Mr Modi and Mr Putin each took half within the Brics summit in South Africa, although the Russian chief attended solely by way of video hyperlink due to an Worldwide Legal Court docket (ICC) arrest warrant for him over alleged conflict crimes in Ukraine. South Africa is a celebration to the ICC, whereas India is just not.
“Topical problems with Russian-Indian relations, that are progressively growing within the spirit of a very privileged strategic partnership, have been thought-about (within the name),” the Kremlin mentioned in an announcement.
“The constructive dynamics of commerce and financial cooperation was affirmed,” it added.
Shweta Sharma29 August 2023 06:52
South Korea will increase Ukraine support to eightfold for 2024
South Korea unveiled on Tuesday monetary support of 520bn gained ($394m) for Ukraine subsequent yr, an eightfold improve from this yr.
The help package deal contains 130bn gained for reconstruction, 260bn in humanitarian support and one other 130bn gained by means of worldwide organisations, based on South Korea’s 2024 price range.
In July, president Yoon Suk-yeol introduced his nation would offer a “giant scale of navy provides” this yr with out giving extra particulars.
On Tuesday, Mr Yoon additionally introduced a rise in South Korea’s Official Growth Help for strategic areas, together with the Asia-Pacific area and Africa, from 1.4tn gained to 2tn gained ($1.51bn).
The rise in abroad help is a part of an effort to assist South Korean firms department out overseas and safe nationwide pursuits, equivalent to the provision chains, and to take duty as a key member of the worldwide neighborhood, the nation’s finance ministry mentioned within the price range announcement.
Shweta Sharma29 August 2023 06:09
Pentagon vows to proceed flying jets over Black Sea
The US has vowed to proceed drone missions over the Black Sea after Russia scrambled jets yesterday, claiming it intercepted two US Air Drive drones close to the Crimean peninsula.
Russia says it scrambled two fighter jets on Monday to answer US drones working over the Black Sea.
The Russian defence ministry assertion on Telegram claimed that the drones had been noticed close to Crimea and heading for the Russian border on an intelligence mission.
“Because of the actions of anti-aircraft forces on responsibility the US intelligence drones altered the path of their flight and left the realm the place they have been conducting air intelligence,” the ministry assertion mentioned.
Russia mentioned it intercepted a US State Air Drive MQ-9 “Reaper” and an RQ-4 “International Hawk”.
A Pentagon spokesperson advised CNN the US “will proceed to fly routine missions over the Black Sea as permitted by worldwide regulation to make sure freedom of navigation and manoeuvre within the area”.
Shweta Sharma29 August 2023 05:18
Poland, Latvia and Lithuania threaten to close down borders with Belarus
Poland and the Baltic nations of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia have agreed to right away retaliate with stern measures, together with shutting down of borders with Belarus in “crucial conditions”, Poland’s inside minister has mentioned.
Mariusz Kaminski of Poland met his counterparts of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia in Warsaw on 28 August to debate regional safety points.
“We’re decided on joint motion if a crucial state of affairs arises,” he mentioned. “No matter whether or not it’s on the Polish, Lithuanian, or Latvian borders, we are going to apply instant retaliation. All border crossings which are open thus far, each passenger and cargo, will probably be closed.”
The international locations had been elevating issues over Wagner group members’ presence in Belarus, elevating safety dangers for the Baltic states.
“We demanded of the Lukashenko regime that the Wagner Group instantly go away the territory of Belarus,” Mr Kaminski mentioned.
Belarus president Alexander Lukashenko has mentioned Wagner would proceed to keep up a robust presence within the nation even after commander Yvgeny Prigozhin’s demise.
Shweta Sharma29 August 2023 05:00
Ukrainian drones destroyed by Russian air defences over Tula area
Russian air defences shot down two Ukrainian drones flying over Russia’s Tula metropolis south of Moscow on Tuesday, based on the state-run RIA information company.
Tula is the biggest metropolis and administrative centre of Tula Oblast in Russia
Shweta Sharma29 August 2023 04:41
Jailed US citizen Paul Whelan seen stitching inside Russian penal colony in uncommon video
US citizen Paul Whelan, a former marine who’s jailed in Russia over espionage fees, was seen in a uncommon footage broadcasted by a Kremlin-backed information channel.
Mr Whelan was seen dressed within the jail’s black uniform and an identical hat. He appeared in numerous elements of the jail with different inmates, stitching utilizing a stitching machine and whereas on the cafeteria within the footage put out by state-controlled community Russia Immediately (RT).
He mentioned the channel had confirmed up within the jail in Might to movie Mr Whelan and when he declined to take part, the jail employees retaliated towards him. Within the video, Mr Whelan tells the questioner that he is not going to reply his questions.
The US citizen was arrested in 2018 and convicted of spying in 2020, a cost the US denied. He was sentenced to 16 years in a penal colony in Mordovia, a Russian area infamous since Soviet occasions for its penal colonies. He has denied the accusations.
The Biden administration has designated Mr Whelan as “wrongfully detained,” a authorized time period that signifies that the costs are baseless and that he was focused primarily as a result of he’s an American citizen.
Shweta Sharma29 August 2023 04:30
Ukraine ‘adamantly towards’ extension of EU grain gross sales ban
Ukraine strongly opposes the imposition of any restrictions on the import of its grain by neighbouring international locations after a European Union ban ends subsequent month, Kyiv’s international minister has mentioned.
After Russia’s invasion blocked Ukraine’s Black Sea ports, giant portions of the nation’s grain – which is cheaper than EU crops – stayed in central Europe because of logistical bottlenecks, impacting costs and gross sales for native farmers.
In Might, the EU relented to permit Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia to ban home gross sales of Ukrainian wheat, maize, rapeseed and sunflower seeds till 15 September, whereas permitting transit of cargoes for export elsewhere.
The 5 international locations need the ban prolonged till the tip of the yr and a few have threatened to introduce their very own restrictions if Brussels doesn’t act.
However Ukraine’s international minister Dmytro Kuleba warned Kyiv was “adamantly towards” any such steps. “This transfer will violate guidelines of frequent market,” he mentioned throughout a go to to Prague. “This transfer will violate the Ukraine-EU affiliation settlement … it would go towards the precept of solidarity.”
Andy Gregory29 August 2023 04:05
What subsequent for the Wagner Group as chief presumed useless in airplane crash?
The Wagner founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin, is confirmed to have died in a airplane crash – a flip of occasions that seems to depart his Wagner Group fighters rudderless and going through a extremely unsure future.
Now Poland the Baltics have threatened to shut their borders with Belarus until Wagner troops are compelled to depart.
My colleague Joe Sommerlad takes a have a look at what may lie in retailer for the mercenary group:
What subsequent for the Wagner Group in Russia?
Choices for the mercenary group – within the wake of Yevgeny Prigozhin’s demise – embody full dissolution, nationalisation into the standard Russian military or discovering a brand new chief. Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to carry the important thing to the longer term
Andy Gregory29 August 2023 03:04
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