US-Russian relations continue to sour after the case of the American drone shot down over the Black Sea. At the same time, fighting is still ongoing in Bakhmout, in the east of the country, while Ukraine is launching yet another appeal for help from members of the union to provide it with weapons and ammunition to defend itself.
UN investigators did not observe genocide in Ukraine
UN investigators have not observed genocide in Ukraine since the Russian invasion of the country, they said on Thursday, but recommend however to continue studies on this subject. “We have not found that there was a genocide in Ukraine,” Erik Mose, one of the three commissioners in charge of the investigation, told reporters, stressing however “that certain aspects can raise questions about this crime. “.
American drone: Washington will investigate
Russia has said it wants to fish out the American drone that it is accused of having caused to crash in the Black Sea and which, according to it, proves the involvement of the United States in the operations in Ukraine, Washington announcing for its part to investigate the Moscow’s motives in this incident. On Wednesday evening, the 15th, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu considered that one of the causes of the incident was the “reinforcement” of American espionage operations.
Quoted in a statement from the ministry, the minister added that “the causes of the incident are the non-observance by the United States of the restricted flight zone announced by Russia and established as a result of the conduct of the special military operation (in Ukraine), as well as the strengthening of intelligence activities against the interests of Russia”. “Russia does not want such a development of events but it will now react proportionally to any provocation”, adds the text.
Russia argues that the drone had entered, off the Crimean peninsula annexed in 2014, a no-fly zone that it itself decreed for its operation in Ukraine. “I cannot speak at this stage of a motive or an intention on the part of the Russians, but what I can say very clearly is that it was a reckless and dangerous action”, for his part, reacts the Secretary of State Antony Blinken, on a visit to Addis Ababa.
More ammo, faster
While Bakhmout is still under fire from Vladimir Putin’s army, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz deemed Thursday “particularly important” to “quickly” provide Ukraine with the ammunition it needs to repel the Russian invasion. “With our European partners, we will together decide on new measures to ensure a better and continuous supply” of ammunition, at the European summit next week, he promised during a speech before the deputies of the Bundestag.
kyiv has for weeks been calling for more ammunition to defend against Russian troops as the war bogs down in the east of the country in Bakhmout, the scene of intense fighting. The Ukrainian army continues to warn in particular about its lack of 155 mm shells for the guns it uses to repel the invader. European Commissioner for Industry Thierry Breton recently declared that Europe would make sure to increase its production of ammunition for Ukraine, manufactured by “fifteen manufacturers from eleven countries of the Union”.
Poland to supply kyiv with MiG-29 fighters
Poland will deliver a first batch of four MiG-29 fighter-bombers to Ukraine, Polish President Andrzej Duda announced on Thursday, which will be the first such delivery by a NATO member. Reacting to Warsaw’s announcement, Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ignat said: “MiGs will not solve problems, we need F-16s. But MiGs will help strengthen our capacities”. Russia did not react immediately to the Polish announcement, but the Kremlin repeated several times that Western arms deliveries to Kiev would only prolong the conflict and the “suffering” of the civilian population, without changing Moscow’s “military objectives” in Ukraine.
Russia assures “not to be a threat” for Finland and Switzerland
Russia assured Thursday that it does not represent a “threat” for Finland and Sweden, two countries which must join NATO, but whose membership has so far been blocked by Ankara which refuses to ratify their candidacy. The candidatures of Sweden and Finland are a direct consequence of the Russian offensive in Ukraine, Helsinki and Stockholm seeing in it the sign of a major threat to European security on the part of Moscow. Helsinki also said on Wednesday that Turkey and its President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had made their decision on Finland’s membership after nearly a year of deadlock, although no date has been given for this decision.
“We have repeatedly deplored this move towards membership of Finland and Sweden, we have repeatedly said that Russia is in no way a threat to these countries,” the spokesman said on Thursday. from the Kremlin, Dmitry Peskov. According to him, the two countries have “no differences” with Russia. A country bordering Russia, Finland had until then endeavored to maintain a policy of neutrality and good neighborliness with Moscow. Sweden also applied a policy of non-alignment.
Opponent Yevgeni Roizman arrested again
Russian opponent Yevgeny Roizman, a popular former mayor of Yekaterinburg in the Urals, was arrested on Thursday on the basis of a post last year on social networks which he denies being the author, said his attorney. According to media, he is suspected of having, in May 2022, shared on the Russian social network VK a publication of the Anti-Corruption Foundation of imprisoned opponent Alexeï Navalny, designated an “extremist” organization and dissolved in 2021 by the authorities. His lawyer denies this accusation.
Leader of a charitable foundation in his name and one of the last opposition figures still at large at 60, Evguéni Roïzman “will be taken to the police station” and the authorities will decide whether or not he will be placed in detention administrative, said lawyer Vladislav Idamjapov, quoted by the Tass and Ria Novosti news agencies. He had already been arrested in August before being released on parole, pending a trial where he is accused of having “discredited the army” by criticizing Moscow’s offensive against Ukraine.
Pro-Russian comedians try to trap the West
Two Russian comedians impersonate a former US ambassador to Russia to entrap Western leaders. Vladimir Kuznetsov and Alexei Stolyarov, known as ‘Vovan’ and ‘Lexus’, have long been known to frame executives and celebrities around the world, from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson , passing by the star Elton John. They have launched since the beginning of the invasion, according to experts, a campaign of disinformation which aims to trap Western officials by posing as the former US ambassador to Moscow, Michael McFaul.
They would also use “deepfake”, these images replicating the face, expressions and voice of a personality in an extremely realistic way, to usurp the identity of the ambassador. “It’s not me. It’s a new Russian weapon of war”, denounced the latter in September. The famous duo, who deny any connection to the Kremlin even though they are suspected of being linked to the Russian security services, have redoubled their efforts to ensnare high-level officials from America and Europe who have taken a stand against the Russian invasion that began in February 2022, according to cybersecurity experts.
