10 Aug, 2023 12:01

Ukraine orders evacuation of key city near Kharkov

The move comes following reports that Russian troops are advancing in the area

Ukrainian authorities have announced a mandatory evacuation in part of Kharkov Region bordering Russia’s Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics. The order comes after the Defense Ministry in Moscow said its troops had made headway in the area.

In a written order on Thursday, Andrey Kanashevich, acting head of the Kupyansk military administration, published a list of 37 settlements near the combat zone that were to be evacuated by local residents. He cited “constant [Russian] artillery attacks and the security situation” as the reason for the decision, adding that the order also applies to the city of Kupyansk itself.

The directive came as the Russian Defense Ministry said that its assault units had “improved their forward positions while conducting offensive actions.” Russian Telegram channel Voyennaya Chronica reported that Russian troops were only seven kilometers away from Kupyansk, with the city itself now within artillery range.

Kupyansk was captured by Russian troops shortly after the start of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022, but Kiev retook it last autumn when Moscow announced the regrouping of its forces in the area in a bid to concentrate on the liberation of Donbass.

The city, which is located some 116km from Kharkov and divided in two by the Oskol River, is home to a major railway station crucial for supplying troops deployed south of the city. Russian military experts have also said thatshould Moscow take control of Kupyansk, it would help thwart any Ukrainian attacks on the Lugansk People’s Republic.

The evacuation order and reports of Russian advances come as a much-hyped Ukrainian counteroffensive drags on. Kiev’s attacks have so far failed to gain any ground, according to Moscow. Last week, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu estimated Ukrainian losses since the start of the push in early June at more than 43,000 troops and nearly 5,000 pieces of military equipment.

(Kharkov is the location of child organ trafficking facilities, along with adult and child labor and sex trafficking. And there are most likely biolabs located in that area. Remember a couple of weeks ago Kiev was begging Ukrainian women to come back to the country because millions fled to EU countries and elsewhere. The women do not want to come back. Kiev said they need them to work in factories.)

https://www.rt.com/russia/581098-ukraine-orders-evacuation-kupyansk/

10 Aug, 2023 12:59

NATO state to place 10,000 troops on border of Russian ally – minister

Poland is moving its army forces to scare Belarus, defense chief Mariusz Blaszczak has said

Poland is set to deploy thousands of additional troops to its border with Belarus amid heightened tensions in the region, Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said on Thursday.

Speaking to Polskie Radio, Blaszczak stated that “we are moving the army closer to the border with Belarus” in order to “scare the aggressor so that he does not dare to attack us.” The minister added that security in the region would be underpinned by 10,000 soldiers, with 4,000 assigned to directly support the Border Guard, and another 6,000 held in reserve.

The official’s remarks come shortly after the Polish Defense Ministry approved a request by border officials to send in an additional 1,000 soldiers to the area. Later, the Polish authorities changed their mind, deciding to increase the number to 2,000.

Blaszczak also lashed out at Minsk, repeating accusations that two Belarusian helicopters violated Polish airspace last week, calling the alleged incident “another provocation.” Minsk has denied the accusations, saying it had provided Warsaw with “detailed data” on the matter.

“Everything that is happening in Belarus is coordinated with the actions of Russia,”Blaszczak stated,without providing any evidence.

In recent weeks, Polish officials have also sounded the alarm over alleged attempts by migrants to illegally cross the Belarusian border, as well as alleged efforts by operatives working for the Russian defense contractor Wagner Group to infiltrate the country.

Numerous Wagner fighters moved to Belarus after a short-lived mutiny attempt in Russia, with some of them now involved in the training of Minsk’s troops.

Blaszczak’s comments also come after Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu announced on Wednesday that Moscow would bolster its troops on its western borders amid a stand-off over the Ukraine conflict. In his speech, he described Poland as a “key instrument of anti-Russia policies of the US.”He also claimed that Warsaw is actively trying to build up “the most powerful army” in Europe, which, according to Polish officials, now numbers around 170,000 service members.

(Poland doesn’t want the war to end in Ukraine because they want to reclaim the land Poland lost to Ukraine in WWII. They also want to reclaim a large portion of land given to Germany at the end of WWII.)

https://www.rt.com/news/581096-poland-army-belarus-border/

10 Aug, 2023 10:34

West ‘accepts’ Ukrainian corruption – Kiev

The US has admitted it can’t keep track of all the money sent to Ukraine due to endemic malpractice and a lack of accountability

Ukraine’s Western backers are willing to accept that it will take time to clear up corruption in the country, Finance Minister Sergey Marchenko told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) on Wednesday. He claimed that corruption in Ukraine is at its lowest level in two decades and has fallen “completely under public monitoring.” (Yeah right!)

Asked by the state-funded US outlet how he had reached conclusion, Marchenko insisted that itcame from “experience,” a “gut feeling,”and a “certain understanding of numbers.” (This guy is retarded.)

He admitted, however, that corruption still exists in Ukraine and that scandals continue to lead to pressure from international organizations. The minister added that while anti-corruption agencies and public organizations are delivering results, they often come after lengthy processes.

Nevertheless, Kiev’s Western partners “understand” that cleaning up the system of power in Ukraine cannot happen overnight, Marchenko insisted.

“[Ukraine’s partners] are ready to accept that we may have corruption,” said the minister, noting that corruption has taken on new forms due to the conflict with Russia.

Commenting on numerous reports about wrongdoing in the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, Marchenko acknowledged that “there are questions forall sectors, including the defense sector, unfortunately.”

Last week, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky publicly denounced the corruption and “numerous abuses” that had been uncovered by an audit of military recruitment centers. Investigators found that some facilities were charging an average of $6,000 to certify that potential recruits were unfit to serve.

Meanwhile, the US has also raised concerns over rampant corruption in Ukraine. Last month, the State Department’s Office of the Inspector General admitted that it struggled to track the billions of dollars Washington has sent to Kiev since February 2022, due to “corruption in the Ukrainian government and private sector.”

Ukraine consistently ranks among the most corrupt countries in the world. The so-called Pandora Papers obtained by the International Association of Investigative Journalists in 2021 revealed that despite Zelensky’s public anti-corruption stance,he and his business partners had a network of offshore companies which they used to buy lavish properties in central London.

Although Zelensky transferred his stake in one of the companies to an aide just before he was elected president in 2019, the documents showedthat dividends from the business are still being paid to his wife. The Ukrainian leader’s critics have also accused him and his associates of continuing to use offshore accounts to evade taxes.

https://www.rt.com/russia/581092-west-accepts-ukraine-corruption/

10 Aug, 2023 09:44

Zelensky pledges to purge his own MPs

The “old habits” of crooked officials have weakened the country for decades, the Ukrainian president has said

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has signaled that he is about to embark on a crusade against the nation’s corrupt lawmakers and officials after a string of graft scandals.

In a Tuesday video address, Zelensky said that he wanted to “cleanse” Ukraine, which he said needs to undergo a transformation. “This means that those who work for their own benefit, not for the sake of Ukraine, will not hold public office or be Ukrainian MPs,” he stated, adding that “any such dealmakerwill at least stand trial.”

The Ukrainian president also raised the issue of corruption last week when he vowed to continue efforts to kick officials out of public institutions who “tried to drag from the past old habits, old schemes that have weakened Ukraine… for decades.”

“No matter, who this person is – whether he is a ‘military commissar’, a deputy, or an official – everyone must work only for the sake of the state,” Zelensky stressed, saying efforts toward that end would begin as early as this month.

By mentioning commissars, the Ukrainian leader was apparently alluding to a recent controversy in which authorities conducted raids in 11 Ukrainian regions and uncovered a massive conspiracy scheme that allegedly focused on issuing fraudulent medical certificates at the price of around $6,000 to those seeking to avoid conscription.

The searches came after Ukrainian law enforcement agents arrested Evgeny Borisov, a former senior conscription officer in Odessa Region, who has been accused of illicit enrichment to the tune of millions of dollars.

Ukraine has been plagued by rampant corruption for years despite repeated efforts by the country’s authorities to combat it. According to Transparency International’s Corruption Perception index, as of 2022, the country ranked 116th out of 180. Meanwhile, a poll by Center for Insights in Survey Research conducted in 2021, before the start of hostilities between Moscow and Kiev, found that Ukrainians considered graft in state institutions to be the most pressing problem facing the country.

The issue is also a concern for Western nations furnishing economic and military aid to Kiev. In late July, the US State Department released a report saying that “corruption in the Ukrainian government and private sector poses risks to the effectiveness of US foreign assistance over the longer run.”

(The West won’t turn off the spigot for aid because they all enjoy the benefits of graft. So Ukarine will go after the low level grifters and “at least make them stand trial”)

https://www.rt.com/russia/581082-zelensky-purge-corruption-lawmakers/

10 Aug, 2023 07:36

Ukraine reports to US on cluster munitions use – CNN

The controversial weapons have been involved in attacks on civilians in Donbass and on Russian journalists, according to Moscow

Ukraine has submitted its first report to Washington on its use of cluster munitions against Russia, CNN reported on Wednesday, citing sources. Russia has accused Kiev of targeting civilians with the weapons, which are banned in more than 100 countries.

According to an unnamed Ukrainian official interviewed by the network, the document sent to the Pentagon included data on the number of rounds fired and targets it claims to have destroyed. The CNN source, however,declined to provide any specific figures or other details.

US President Joe Biden in early July approved delivery of the controversial munitions to Ukraine. At the time, he described the move as a stopgap measure, as both Kiev and its Western backers were running short of regular shells. The decision, however, prompted a backlash from many US allies, including the UK, Canada, and Spain. Moscow has also condemned the move, with Russian President Vladimir Putin describing it as a potential “crime.”

The devices are widely banned because when they explode, they release a large number of bomblets across a wide area which often fail to detonate, thus posing a serious threat to civilians for years after the fighting is over.

Upon US approval of the delivery of cluster munitions, Ukrainian Defense Minister Aleksey Reznikov claimed that Kiev would abide by a set of rules. He promised that the country would not deploy the weapons in an urban environment, keep records of where they were used, and inform the US of their effects. However, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has cast doubt on this claim, suggesting that the current government in Kiev is in no position to deliver on this pledge.

After receiving the controversial munitions, Ukraine has on numerous occasions used them to shell the Russian city of Donetsk, causing civilian deaths, according to local officials. In addition, according to the Russian Defense Ministry, the armaments were responsible for the death of RIA Novosti news agency correspondent Rostislav Zhuravlev in late July, with three other journalists injured in the shelling.

https://www.rt.com/russia/581075-ukraine-us-report-cluster-munitions/

9 Aug, 2023 22:09

Massive factory blast in Moscow Region caught on VIDEO

The explosion left 60 people injured, with eight still missing, local authorities have reported

New footage has surfaced online showing the very moment a factory in Moscow Region was rocked by a powerful blast.

Published by Russia’s Mash news outlet, the video – which was taken from inside a moving vehicle – shows a fireball and a plume of smoke rising above the nearby buildings just seconds before the car itself is hit by a massive blast wave, damaging its windscreen. The vehicle is then pelted with debris moments later. A driver and a passenger inside appear to be unharmed.

The explosion occurred at the Zagorsk Optical-Mechanical Plant in the town of Sergiyev Posad, outside of Moscow. According to its website, the factory designs and produces optical and electronic equipment.

Dmitry Akulov, a local administration head, told the Russian media on Wednesday evening that 60 people had been injured in the blast. Eight people are still missing, he said, adding that a debris clearing operation is still underway at the blast site.

Earlier, Russian news outlets reported that almost 40 apartment blocks had been damaged by the explosion and local authorities confirmed receiving a total of 235 complaints from residents.

Andrey Vorobyov, Moscow Region’s governor, said earlier that 43 people had been taken to a local hospital after the blast of which six were being treated in intensive care. A female factory employee later succumbed to her injuries, according to the local administration.

Authorities have not yet made official comments on the potential reasons for the blast. A source in theemergency services told RIA Novosti that the explosion had taken place due to a violation of technical procedures.

https://www.rt.com/russia/581065-factory-blast-moscow-region-video/