33 minutes ago
Russian man who tracked down ‘No to War’ in snow gets 10 days in jail
A Russian court has ordered a man to be jailed for 10 days after he wrote “No to war” with his finger on a snow-covered turnstile at the entrance to an ice skating rink in Moscow’s Gorky Park.
According to court documents, the incident occurred on November 23 and the man, named Dmitri Fyodorov, was convicted the following day after his arrest by police.
Police concluded that his actions could constitute a civil offense under a law that targets anyone suspected of publicly acting to discredit the Russian armed forces, a crime that in his case is punishable by a fine became.
New laws to suppress dissent were enacted shortly after President Vladimir Putin sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in February 2022 in what he described as a “special military operation.”
MOSCOW, RUSSIA – JANUARY 15: (RUSSIA OUT) People walk past a giant letter “Z”, used by Moscow authorities as a symbol of support for the military invasion of Ukraine, at the entrance to Gorky Park on January 15, 2023 was attached. in Moscow, Russia. The letter “Z” became the symbol of Russian military propaganda as a symbol of support for the war against Ukraine since February 2022. (Photo by Contributor/Getty Images)
Contributor | Getty Images News | Getty Images
For those opposed to Russia’s war in Ukraine, speaking out publicly has since become a risky affair, and critics say nearly 20,000 people have been arrested and over 800 criminal cases opened.
Fyodorov, who admitted in court to writing the anti-war slogan, was sentenced to 10 days in prison for disobeying police and allegedly refusing to go to a police station, which he denied, according to court records.
According to Russian media reports, he was also fined an unknown amount – apparently for writing “No to War.” However, this was not mentioned in the court documents published online.
Authorities say maximum unity is needed at a time when Russia is locked in what Putin – who is expected to seek another six-year term next year – has described as an existential struggle with the West. Critics accuse the authorities of brutally suppressing and punishing any dissenting opinions.
—Portal
36 minutes ago
NATO supports Ukraine “unwaveringly,” says Blinken
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM – NOVEMBER 29: U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken arrives at the NATO-Ukraine Council meeting on the second day of the NATO Foreign Ministers Meeting on November 29, 2023 in Brussels, Belgium. Ahead of the NATO meeting, the military alliance’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that Ukraine would become a NATO member after the war and that the cessation of fighting in Gaza should be extended. (Photo by Omar Havana/Getty Images)
Omar Havana | Getty Images News | Getty Images
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday that support for Ukraine was strong and would continue, as NATO foreign ministers met Ukrainian officials in Brussels on Wednesday to discuss the war.
“I have to tell you that I listened to all of our colleagues around the table, that each and every one of them expressed their strong and lasting support for Ukraine,” he told reporters.
“Some question whether the United States and other NATO allies should continue to stand with Ukraine as we enter the second winter of Putin’s brutality. But the answer here today at NATO is clear and unwavering: We must and will continue to support Ukraine.”
With elections approaching in 2024 and dissatisfaction among some Republicans over continued military aid, questions have been raised about the longevity of U.S. support for Ukraine.
Blinken stressed Wednesday that “the United States is not alone.”
“That’s why we often talk about burden sharing and the need for burden sharing when it comes to Ukraine. This is clearly what we have seen and what we continue to see.”
– Holly Ellyatt
An hour ago
Russia says it has seized control of a village outside Bakhmut
Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed on Wednesday that its forces had taken control of a village on the outskirts of the war-torn city of Bakhmut in Donetsk, eastern Ukraine.
The ministry said units of its southern group of troops “liberated” the village of Artemovskoye (called Khromove in Ukrainian) in the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, a self-proclaimed republic and pro-Russian separatist region.
“Units of the Southern Group of Troops, supported by air and artillery fire, improved the situation at the front and liberated the village of Artemovskoye,” the ministry said, according to comments from the TASS news agency.
Ukrainian soldiers fire artillery at their fighting position toward Bakhmut, Ukraine, November 18, 2023.
Diego Herrera Carcedo | Anadolu | Getty Images
According to Portal, the village had a population of 1,000 people before the war and is located east of Bakhmut, a town captured by Russian forces earlier this year after months of fighting that largely destroyed the town.
CNBC was unable to verify the Defense Department’s claim and Ukraine has yet to comment.
– Holly Ellyatt
2 hours ago
What Ukraine wants to say to NATO
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tells reporters what messages he plans to deliver to NATO foreign ministers in Brussels on Wednesday.
4 hours ago
Russia criticizes Finland’s border closure, saying it is ‘threatened by no one or anything’
The Kremlin criticized Finland’s decision to close all of its border crossings with Russia, saying the decision was unjustified.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Wednesday that the decision to close the last open border crossing until December 13 was excessive.
“Finland is not threatened by anyone or anything, and in this case, of course, this is an absolutely unnecessary measure to ensure border security, because there is no threat there and in reality there is no tension,” the Kremlin spokesman told reporters. according to Google-translated comments from state news agency Tass.
Finnish border guards walk in the snow at the Raja-Jooseppi border crossing station to Russia in Inari, northern Finland, on November 25, 2023. Raja-Jooseppi in the far north of Finnish Lapland is the only open border crossing on the country’s eastern border. Finland has closed seven checkpoints in response to Russian officials allowing more undocumented asylum seekers to pass through to the Finnish side of the border. (Photo by Emmi Korhonen / Lehtikuva / AFP) / Finland OUT (Photo by EMMI KORHONEN/Lehtikuva/AFP via Getty Images)
Emmi Korhonen | Afp | Getty Images
Finland decided on Tuesday to close its border after repeatedly accusing Russia of deliberately sending illegal migrants through border crossings to create instability in Finland. Helsinki sees what it calls the “hybrid strike operation” as retaliation for its NATO membership earlier this year.
Russia denies using migration as a weapon – an accusation made by Finland and other countries including Estonia and Latvia.
On Wednesday there were media reports that Poland plans to send troops to Finland’s border with Russia to increase security there. Asked about these reports, Peskov said that this represented a “completely unprovoked, unjustified concentration of armed units on the Russian border.”
He added that “concentration of additional units on the border could create tensions.”
“The Finns must be aware that this poses a threat to us, as the concentration of military units on our borders is increasing,” Peskov warned.
– Holly Ellyatt
5 hours ago
Sweden says Turkey has announced it will ratify its NATO membership “within weeks.”
Sweden’s foreign minister said Turkey said it could ratify its long-awaited entry into the NATO military alliance “within a few weeks.”
NATO member Turkey objected to Sweden’s request, accusing Sweden of harboring people it considers to be terrorists. Hungary also hesitated to ratify Sweden’s accession.
“I had a bilateral conversation with my colleague, the (Turkish) foreign minister… in which he told me that he expected ratification within a few weeks,” Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom told reporters, Portal noted.
Billstrom told CNBC on Wednesday that Hungary’s foreign minister had vowed not to be the last country to ratify Sweden’s accession, saying that would likely happen once Turkey gave its own green light to the process.
“That means it is in the hands of Ankara rather than perhaps in the hands of Budapest. We expect white smoke from Budapest the moment there is white smoke from Ankara, to put it bluntly,” he told CNBC’s Silvia Amaro in Brussels.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban “has repeatedly said that Hungary will not be the last country to ratify Sweden’s membership,” Billström said, pointing out that Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto confirmed this to him again on Tuesday.
– Holly Ellyatt
6 hours ago
Hungary will never send weapons to Ukraine, says foreign minister
Hungary’s Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó told CNBC on Tuesday that the country would never send weapons to Ukraine. The more weapons are delivered, the longer the war will last.
Szijjártó added that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in October to examine whether there was room for peace in the ongoing conflict.
Although Hungary is a member of the EU, it has friendlier relations with Russia and opposes European sanctions against Moscow and efforts to curb Russian oil and gas imports. Hungary has defended its continued energy cooperation with Russia, saying it needs to maintain energy supplies and fight inflation.
—Karen Gilchrist, Holly Ellyatt
22 hours ago
Russia is conducting a “hybrid operation” at the borders, Finland’s foreign minister tells CNBC
Russia is allowing undocumented migrants through to the Finnish border and is “mobilizing” people toward Finland and the European Union, Finland’s Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen told CNBC’s Silvia Amaro on Tuesday.
“We view this as a hybrid operation by Russia,” she said, adding that Finland had “responded accordingly” by deciding to close its entire border with Russia.
“We hope that Russia returns to normality and respects our treaties,” Valtonen said. If Russia continues to violate the treaties, the borders could remain closed, she added.
Border closures could also impact people living in the two countries, as well as diplomatic missions who might otherwise use the crossings to get to the West, she added.
“I think this just shows that Russia in its current state is using all possible means to cause trouble,” Valtonen said.
She also addressed Ukraine’s application to join NATO, saying Finland believes that Ukraine “has its rightful place in NATO in the future,” noting that the alliance cannot accept new members if they were actively involved in a war.
“Whatever the steps we can take to advance Ukraine’s membership in NATO in the future, we will take those steps,” Valtonen said.
She also reiterated her support for Ukraine in its “fight for freedom.”
— Sophie Kiderlin
22 hours ago
Germany increases its military support for Ukraine: Foreign Minister
“We are not only maintaining our military support for Ukraine’s self-defense, but are increasing it by 8 billion euros.” [$8.79 billion]” Annalena Baerbock, the German foreign minister, said Tuesday in response to a question from CNBC’s Silvia Amaro.
Baerbock added that the NATO-Ukraine Forum – planned as part of the ongoing NATO meeting in Brussels – also made it clear “that security and peace in Ukraine are also the insurance for peace in Europe”.
Tue, November 28, 2023, 6:34 am EST
Wife of Ukrainian military intelligence chief hospitalized for suspected poisoning
The wife of the head of Ukrainian military intelligence was hospitalized with suspected poisoning, Ukrainian media reported on Tuesday.
Ukrainian intelligence sources told the Kyiv Post news agency that Marianna Budanova, the wife of Ukrainian intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov, was poisoned.
KYIV, UKRAINE – MARCH 10: Kyrylo Budanov, Chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine, speaks during the farewell ceremony for Dmytro Kotsiubailo at Independence Square on March 10, 2023 in Kyiv, Ukraine. The farewell ceremony for Dmytro Kotsiubailo, known as “Da Vinci,” took place at the Golden-Domed St. Michael Monastery, and then the procession went to Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square). The 27-year-old “Da Vinci” was the commander of the “Da Vinci Wolves” battalion as part of the 67th Separate Mechanized Brigade. Three days ago, Dmytro Kotsiubailo died in a battle with Russian troops on the front line near Bakhmut. Dmytro was the first volunteer to receive the highest national title “Hero of Ukraine” during his lifetime with the award of the Order “Gold Star” for personal courage. (Photo by Yurii Stefanyak/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
Global Images Ukraine | Getty Images News | Getty Images
When asked to confirm reports that Budanova was ill, a Ukrainian defense intelligence source was quoted as telling the Kyiv Post: “Unfortunately, this is true.”
The Babel news agency said its intelligence sources had told it that Budanova had been “poisoned with heavy metals.”
Budanova’s condition in the hospital is unknown, but Babel reported, citing an unnamed source, that “the treatment is now being completed and then a medical examination will take place.” Budanova was diagnosed with heavy metal damage.
“These substances are not used in any way in everyday life and military affairs. Their presence could indicate a targeted attempt to poison a specific person,” the intelligence agency said.
According to the media, the suspected poisoning is being investigated and treated as attempted murder.
– Holly Ellyatt
Tue, November 28, 2023, 6:32 am EST
3,000 additional Chechen fighters to be sent to Ukraine, leader says
Chechen Republic Chief Ramzan Kadyrov attends a military parade on Victory Day, the 77th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, in the Chechen capital Grozny, Russia, on May 9, 2022.
Genghis Kondarov | Portal
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said another 3,000 Chechen fighters would be sent to Ukraine to fight.
“To solve the tasks set by our Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Putin, we will spare neither effort nor resources,” Kadyrov said on Telegram on Monday, adding:
“This position is shared with me by another three thousand worthy Chechen servicemen who began their service as part of new units of the Russian Ministry of Defense and the Russian National Guard.”
He said two new regiments under the Russian Defense Ministry had been created, named “AKHMAT-Russia” and “AKHMAT-Chechnya.” Kadyrov said most troops had combat experience and “the best equipment and modern weapons.”
“The boys are also very competitive and very motivated to achieve results.”
Chechen fighters enjoy a formidable reputation, earned in two wars against Russia in the 1990s and early 2000s, when the Chechen Republic sought independence from Russia. However, times have changed since then and Kadyrov is a Putin supporter.
Kadyrov said the 3,000 Chechen soldiers were “the best of the best” and described them as “those who deserve to be the loyal foot soldiers of our unsurpassed leader Vladimir Putin!”
– Holly Ellyatt
8 hours ago