Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Russian mercenary group Wagner, accused the Russian military of “destroying” his fighters and vowed to stop the “evil” of the military leadership. The Russian Defense Ministry quickly denied the accusations, calling them an “informational provocation”. This is the first time Prigozhin has publicly accused the Russian military of such actions, and it remains to be seen how the government will respond.
Posts tagged as “Belarussian”
The British military has reported that Russia is training combat dolphins in the annexed Crimean peninsula to counter Ukrainian forces, investing heavily in security at the Black Sea Fleet's main base at Sevastopol. Imagery shows a near doubling of floating mammal pens in the harbor which likely contain bottle-nosed dolphins, and the animals are "highly likely intended to counter enemy divers." It is unclear how effective the dolphins will be, but it is clear that Russia is investing heavily in its defences.
Tensions between far-right representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Lauren Boebert (R-CO) boiled onto the House floor, resulting in Greene calling Boebert a "little b----". The House also voted to censure Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and failed to pass a resolution to criticize Special Counsel John Durham. It's been a wild week in the House of Representatives, with more to come in the weeks ahead.
Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gerhskovich has been detained in Russia on espionage charges and his appeal to be released was rejected by a Moscow court on Thursday. His lawyers have said they will appeal the decision to the European Court of Human Rights, and the Wall Street Journal has called for his immediate release. The hearing was held behind closed doors and the ruling was broadcast to reporters in a separate room.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to receive a 21-gun welcome salute and a state dinner on Thursday, the first time since becoming prime minister. This honor is typically reserved for the closest allies of the U.S., and is a reflection of the Biden administration's view that India is a vital ally for Washington's top foreign policy goal. Despite criticism from some U.S. lawmakers and advocates over human rights and India's reluctance to break with Russia, hundreds of activists are working to challenge the delicate choreography of the visit.
Alexei Navalny, a prominent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, appeared in court on Monday to face new charges of extremism that could extend his prison term by decades. The trial is expected to last several days, with a verdict expected in the coming weeks. Navalny has denied the charges, calling them "absurd" and "politically motivated."
Ukrainian forces have made a major breakthrough in their counteroffensive against Russian-occupied areas in the Zaporizhzhia region, with the settlement of Piatykhatky now under Ukrainian operational control. Despite "colossal losses" suffered by the Ukrainian forces, the offensive yielded a result, with U.K. military officials reporting that Russian losses are at their highest level since the peak of the battle for Bakhmut in March. Ukrainian forces have made small advances, but the counteroffensive is ongoing and it remains to be seen if they can continue to make gains.
Jack Teixeira, a former Air National Guardsman, has been indicted on six counts of willful retention and transmission of national defense information. He allegedly shared highly classified military documents on a social media platform, despite having received training on the proper handling of classified information. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and three years of supervised release.