Thursday, March 30. Russia’s War On Ukraine: News And Information From Ukraine

As Russia’s attack on Ukraine continues and the war rages on, reliable sources of information are critical. Forbes gathers information and provides updates on the situation.

Kharkiv region. Russian wounded three civilians, all women, in the village of Podoly yesterday. Each suffered multiple shrapnel wounds. One victim remains in critical condition.

Retired Admiral John Kirby, Coordinator for Strategic Communications for the White House National Security Council, during a press conference yesterday that the United States has no evidence of Ukrainian misappropriation of American military aid. To ensure proper use of aid and weapons, the United States has auditors operating in Ukraine alongside consultants from the World Bank and Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, a “big four” accounting firm specializing in auditing services. In January, the U.S. set up a working group for the purpose of detecting possible corruption in dispersal of its aid to Ukraine.

Following the recommendation of the International Olympic Committee, Russian and Belarussian athletes will be allowed to compete at the next Olympics subject to certain provisos. As reported in the German newspaper , the athletes will be obliged to perform under neutral flags solely in individual events, refrain from actively supporting the invasion of Ukraine, commit themselves to the Olympic charter and submit to anti-doping regulations. Ukraine and many other states opposed this recommendation. “Sports, state, propaganda, and the army are indivisible in Russia,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Instagram. Kuleba urged a ban on participation by Russian or Belarusian athletes in all international sporting events.

The French government has now as genocide the 1932-33 feminine of the Ukrainian people. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy congratulated France on its decision. The famine, perpetrated by Russia during the reign of Joseph Stalin, took the lives of as many as five million Ukrainians. France joins six other European countries, as well as the EU, in recently issuing such declarations.

A Ukrainian cyber resistance group known as Cyber Resistance has hacked and leaked an email of Serhii Atroschenko, the Russian commander responsible for air attacks on Mariupol. Atroschenko presently serves as commander of Russia's 960th assault aviation regiment stationed at an airfield outside the town of Primorsko-Akhtarsk. Russian war planes attacking Mariupol’s drama theater and maternity hospital at the start of the invasion took off from this airfield. , a volunteer intelligence organization that received this information from Cyber Resistance, has submitted it to the International Criminal Court for issuance of appropriate arrest warrants.

Ukrainian photographer Evheniy Maloletka is among the winners of the 2023 Contest for his images taken in besieged Mariupol. “Maloletka was one of the very few photographers documenting events in Mariupol at that time,” the awards announcement says. He won the award for his photograph of a pregnant woman, Iryna Kalinina, who was carried out of the Mariupol maternity hospital right after a Russian air strike on March 9, 2022. Iryna’s son, Miron, was stillborn, and she herself died half an hour later from her wounds.

2023-03-30 22:37:18 Katya Soldak | Forbes (News Media) via Perigon | AllSides Media Bias Rating: Center

Russia set to take chair of UN security council amid Ukraine war

Russia is set to take the chair position of a United Nations Security Council meeting as it continues to wage its year-long war on neighboring Ukraine, drawing criticism from Ukrainian leaders.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called foreign minister Sergei Lavrov’s confirmation to the top Security Council slot during an April meeting in New York “a bad joke” as the International Criminal Court has a warrant out for the arrest of Russian President Vladimir Putin for alleged war crimes.

“Russian UN Security Council presidency on April 1 is a bad joke. Russia has usurped its seat; it’s waging a colonial war; its leader is a war criminal wanted by the ICC for kidnapping children,” Kuleba said. “The world can’t be a safe place with Russia at UNSC #BadRussianJoke #InsecurityCouncil.”

The 15 member states of the U.N. Security Council take turns in the presidency position every month. Only five seats on the council are permanent — the U.S., the U.K., France, China and Russia.

Ukraine’s ambassador to the U.N. highlighted comments from the international body’s Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calling the day of Russia’s invasion the saddest moment in his tenure as U.N. chief.

“In fact the saddest in UN history until April 1, 2023 when, unless justice prevails, [Russia] assumes presidency of [the] Security Council. Stop raping justice & quashing UN Charter! Accountability now!” wrote ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya.

Ukrainian diplomat Olexander Scherba called Russia taking over the Security Council “a bit like Jack the Ripper taking over at the ministry of health.”

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Thursday that the administration expects Russia “to continue to use its seat on the council to spread disinformation” and urged the country “to conduct itself professionally” during its time with the presidency, per Reuters.

“Unfortunately, Russia is a permanent member of the Security Council and no feasible international legal pathway exists to change that reality,” Jean-Pierre said.

Russia’s permanent seat on the council — and with it, the power to individually veto any resolution that passes through the international body — has long been a topic of concern that was stoked by Moscow invaded its neighbor. Last February, Russia vetoed a Security Council resolution that would have called on Moscow to cease its attack on Ukraine and withdraw all troops.

The Security Council president is responsible for setting the body’s agenda and calling meetings, though the state gains no additional power over what gets through. Russia held the rotating presidency last February, the month of its invasion.

2023-03-30 22:23:43 Julia Mueller | The Hill (News Media) via Perigon | AllSides Media Bias Rating: Center

Documents detail Russian cyber warfare

The confidential documents obtained by media outlets show how Moscow used a Russian-based defense contractor to help with its cyber operations in Ukraine. The documents, obtained by The Washington Post and other news outlets, contain more than 5,000 pages. Included are company emails, financial records and contracts showing “the ambition of Russia’s cyber operations and the breadth of the work Moscow has been outsourcing,” The Post reported. According to the leaked documents, Russian intelligence agencies partnered with the firm NTC Vulkan so it could assist them with launching cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns on social media. The news outlet said the documents were provided by an anonymous individual who shared them first with a German reporter. The journalist then shared it with a group of news outlets from multiple countries that included The Post. The anonymous individual allegedly expressed outrage and disapproval of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, calling Moscow’s actions “cowardly and wrong.” Read more about the documents at TheHill.com. Welcome to The Hill’s Technology newsletter, we’re Rebecca Klar and Ines Kagubare — tracking the latest moves from Capitol Hill to Silicon Valley. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here.

Sens. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) clashed Wednesday afternoon over the future of TikTok in a spirited exchange on the Senate floor that shows disagreements over how to regulate the controversial app cross party lines in Congress. The two conservative stars butted heads when Hawley attempted to gain unanimous consent to pass his bill to prohibit TikTok from operating in the United States and ban commercial …

The digital media company Roku plans to cut an additional 200 jobs after having laid off 200 employees in the fall. The company said in a filing to the Securities and Exchange Commission on Thursday that it will cut about 6 percent of its workforce as part of a “restructuring plan.” The filing states that Roku believes the plan will reduce its yearly operating expenses and prioritize projects that will have “a higher …

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Twitter says it has removed thousands of tweets showing a poster promoting a “trans day of vengeance” protest in support of transgender rights in Washington, D.C., on Saturday. Ella Irwin, Twitter’s head of Trust and Safety, said in a tweet Wednesday that the company automatically removed more than 5,000 tweets and retweets of a poster promoting the event. “We do not support tweets that incite …

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — If you have a smart TV, listen up. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is warning of a scam involving popular streaming devices, such as Roku and Amazon Fire TV sticks, and services like Netflix and YouTube TV. The BBB said it has received an influx of reports regarding scammers targeting victims through pop-ups on their smart TVs. Yes, the IRS wants you to report stolen items – unless you return …

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union must be prepared to develop measures to protect trade and investment that China might exploit for its own security and military purposes, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned on Thursday. Speaking before a trip to China planned for next week, … BANGKOK (AP) — A Chinese hacking group that is likely state-sponsored and has been linked previously to attacks on U.S. state government computers is still “highly active” and is focusing on a broad range of targets that may be of strategic interest to China’s government and security services, …

2023-03-30 22:23:30 Rebecca Klar and Ines Kagubare | The Hill (News Media) via Perigon | AllSides Media Bias Rating: Center

Thursday Afternoon Update: Army Training Accident Kills 9, Anti-Gun Protesters Storm Tennessee Capitol, Journalist Arrested In Russia

This article is adapted from today’s Morning Wire Afternoon Update. To listen to the podcast version, click here.

A group of around 400 people rushed into the Tennessee state capitol building in Nashville this morning to protest for stricter gun laws following a mass shooting at the Covenant School earlier this week. The protest was planned by a Tennessee non-profit called “AWAKE.” According to the New York Post, “AWAKE” seeks to improve conditions for women and children. Capitol police escorted members of the legislature to the restroom as protesters grew more aggressive.

A Wall Street Journal reporter has been arrested in Russia after being accused of spying by Russia’s security agency. According to Russia’s Federal Security Service, Evan Gershkovich had “collected information constituting a state secret about the activities of one of the enterprises of the Russian military-industrial complex” after “acting on the instructions of the American side.” An espionage case has been opened against Gershkovich. The Journal denied any accusations of spying. An arrest of this nature has not happened since the fall of the Soviet Union.

Two Army HH-60 Black Hawk helicopters crashed Wednesday night in Kentucky during a training exercise, resulting in the deaths of NINE service members.

Few details have been released about the crash, which occurred at around 10:00 p.m. local time between two helicopters that are part of the 101st Airborne Division. The crash took place in Trigg County, near Fort Campbell. Early Thursday morning, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear announced that he would be traveling to Fort Campbell to “support our troops and their families after last night’s tragic incident.”

“We know a lot about loss in Kentucky, especially these last three years. We’re gonna do what we always do,” Beshear said. “We’re gonna wrap our arms around these families, and we’re gonna be there with them, not just for the days, but the weeks and the months and the years to come. We’re gonna let them know that they are loved, they are special. And if they’ll allow us to carry some of their grief, we’ll do that for as long as we can. ”

Following the horrific school shooting in Nashville on Monday, Tennessee Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Haggerty have introduced the “Safe School Act,” a bill that would unlock $900 million in grants to beef up security at public and private schools.

Senator John Fetterman is expected to return to work the week of April 17th, after weeks of seeking treatment for anxiety and depression at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Fetterman checked himself in for treatment in March, stating that he’d dealt with such issues in the past but they’d amplified after a near-fatal stroke, a senate campaign, and his first days in office. Sources close to the freshman senator have indicated that he recovered well and is ready to get back to work as soon as possible.

To listen to the audio version of this podcast, click here. And for more in-depth discussion of the biggest stories of the day, listen to the latest full episode of Morning Wire every morning.

2023-03-30 21:23:03 Tim Meads | The Daily Wire (News Media) via Perigon | AllSides Media Bias Rating: Right

McCarthy: Biden’s Griner swap emboldened Putin to snatch WSJ reporter

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy called on Russia Thursday to release a Wall Street Journal reporter detained on espionage charges — and suggested the Biden administration’s prisoner swap to rescue WNBA star Brittney Griner may have encouraged Moscow tyrant Vladimir Putin.

​”Russia needs to release this journalist,” McCarthy (R-Calif.) told Fox News Digital at an event on Capitol Hill. “It just shows what Putin is doing.”

“And it also shows, when the president pays ransom, they’ll go after and take more Americans,” the speaker said of the detention of Evan Gershkovich.

In December, the US exchanged convicted international arms dealer Viktor Bout, known as “the Merchant of Death,” for Griner’s release from a Russian penal colony.

Griner had been held for 10 months since her arrest on Feb. 17, 2022 at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport for allegedly smuggling vape cartridges with cannabis oil in her luggage.

McCarthy said Gershkovich, a US citizen whose parents emigrated from the Soviet Union, had a right to be working in Russia.

“This is a journalist who has a right to do their job​. And for Putin to try anything else, it shows how deadly he is​,” ​McCarthy said​, adding that what the Russian leader “is doing is against every realm of the law.”​

The Journal said Gershkovich, 31, lost contact with his editors while on assignment in the city of Yekaterinburg.

The journalist pleaded not guilty to the charges in a Moscow court on Thursday and was ordered held until May 29.​​

The Wall Street Journal called Gershkovich a “trusted and dedicated reporter” and “vehemently” denied the allegations. ​

2023-03-30 21:14:30 Mark Moore | New York Post (News) (News Media) via Perigon | AllSides Media Bias Rating: Lean Right

White House sidesteps one question about US reporter detained in Russia

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre avoided definitively saying whether Evan Gershkovich, the Wall Street Journal reporter who was detained in Russia, had ever worked for the U.S. government.

Jean-Pierre faced a number of questions on the topic at Thursday's White House press briefing, and when asked by a reporter if she "can say declaratively that Gershkovich never worked for and does not work for the United States government," she pointed back to her previous comments.

"I just said the charge of espionage is ridiculous. That is not accurate, and we find that incredibly ridiculous," Jean-Pierre responded. "We're going to be very clear about that. This is something that Russia has done all the time, many times before."

"What I can say is the charges against him are ridiculous. We have been very clear about that. I'm not going to get into more specifics," she said when pressed by the reporter that she had avoided the question. "I was very clear in my statement, that those are ridiculous and they're not accurate, and right now, we're going to do everything that we can to get more details on the circumstances. And that's what we're going to be at this time."

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

The Biden administration had previously called Gershkovich's detention "unacceptable," and the White House issued a statement Thursday morning that the State Department was actively working to secure consular access for the American reporter.

You can watch Thursday's briefing in full below.

2023-03-30 20:49:48 by Christian Datoc, White House Reporter | Washington Examiner (News Media) via Perigon | AllSides Media Bias Rating: Lean Right

McCarthy Breaks With Trump On Whether Vladimir Putin Is A Dictator

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who’s tried to walk a tightrope between alienating Donald Trump and being seen as catering to the former president, publicly disagreed with him Thursday on whether Russian leader Vladimir Putin is a dictator.

McCarthy’s response came after Trump posted a video on his social media site late Wednesday decrying “simple-minded” criticisms of Putin and his country, suggesting that “Russia and the Russian people” should be treated with more respect by U.S. leaders.

Earlier this month, DeSantis said the U.S. should not become “further entangled” in the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, describing it as a “territorial dispute.” When the governor’s statement was criticized as being soft on Russia, DeSantis then tacked back in an interview with British journalist Piers Morgan, saying Putin was “basically a gas station with a bunch of nuclear weapons.”

“Calling Russia ‘a gas station with a bunch of nuclear weapons,’ or calling Putin, quote, [an] authoritarian gas station attendant with some legacy of nuclear weapons from the old Soviet Union, is exactly the kind of simple-minded thinking that has produced decades of failed diplomacy and ultimately war,” he said in his video.

While Trump has often defended the Russian leader in the past — notably in 2017 by deflecting criticism of Putin’s alleged killings of political opponents by asking, “You think our country’s so innocent?” — his unwillingness to use the term “authoritarian” runs counter to bipartisan consensus and international opinion on Putin.

Trump argued that mocking Russia’s nukes, or implying Putin should be punished for alleged war crimes after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for him, only raises the chances of nuclear conflict.

“Fundamentally, it shows a lack of depth, a lack of seriousness and a lack of sophistication on the subtleties and complexities of foreign policy,” Trump said. “You can’t do certain things and end up with peace.”

At a press conference Thursday touting the passage of a bill to boost domestic energy production, several lawmakers said an increase in U.S. energy would undermine authoritarians in Russia and China who leverage their country’s oil and gas reserves.

When the House speaker was asked by HuffPost to reconcile that view with Trump’s remarks, McCarthy said: “I haven’t seen what you’re talking about, but Putin’s authoritarian. President Xi [Jinping of China] is authoritarian. And I’m very concerned with where I see the world right now. It looks like 1936.”

“This is a journalist who has a right to do their job,” the speaker told Fox, adding that the arrest “shows how deadly” the Russian leader is.

2023-03-30 20:43:55 Jonathan Nicholson | HuffPost (News Media) via Perigon | AllSides Media Bias Rating: Left

UK Intel: Russia May Coerce Recruits

Russia may resort to coercing its citizens into volunteering for the military in an effort to enlist 400,000 new soldiers, according to a report from the U.K. Ministry of Defense.

Radio Free Europe reported earlier this month that the Russian Ministry of Defense has plans to recruit an additional 400,000 contract soldiers this year, with regional governments being given hiring quotas ahead of the recruitment drive's launch in April.

"Russia is presenting the campaign as a drive for volunteer, professional personnel, rather than a new, mandatory mobilisation," reads the U.K. Defense Intelligence update, which was released on Thursday. "There is a realistic possibility that in practice this distinction will be blurred and that regional authorities will try to meet their allocated recruitment targets by coercing men to join up."

It continues, "Russian authorities have likely selected a supposedly 'volunteer model' to meet their personnel shortfall in order to minimize domestic dissent."

The report states, "It is highly unlikely that the campaign will attract 400,000 genuine volunteers. However, rebuilding Russia's combat power in Ukraine will require more than just personnel; Russia needs more munitions and military equipment supplies than it currently has available."

2023-03-30 19:29:08 Theodore Bunker | Newsmax (News) (News Media) via Perigon | AllSides Media Bias Rating: Right

US has trained more than 7,000 Ukrainian troops since war with Russia began

U.S. forces have trained more than 7,000 Ukrainian troops since Russia first attacked the country last year, the Pentagon’s top spokesperson said Thursday.

Among those soldiers were 65 Ukrainians who completed training on the Patriot air defense system at Fort Sill, Okla., and returned to Europe this week, press secretary Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder told reporters.

Ryder also said that more than 4,000 Ukrainian troops in two brigades will have completed combined arms training in Germany, with one group equipped with Bradley Fighting Vehicles and one with Stryker vehicles.

“Additional combined arms training is currently underway at Grafenwoehr and Hohenfels training areas in Germany, with two motorized infantry battalions consisting of 1,200 Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel,” he added.

Another 3,000 Ukrainian soldiers have finished operator and maintenance training on more than 20 donated systems since April of 2022, a program that is ongoing, Ryder said.

Altogether, the U.S. and its coalition partners are currently training more than 11,000 Ukrainian soldiers across 26 different countries.

“The U.S. will continue to provide training and work closely with our allies and partners to ensure the Ukrainian people have the security assistance they need to defend their country and repel Russian aggression,” Ryder said.

Ukrainian troops first arrived at Fort Sill in January to begin training on the Patriot missile system in an accelerated course that typically takes up to a year to learn.

The expertise was expected to take several months — an already sped up timeline — though the Ukrainian troops exceeded expectations and finished the course faster than planned.

The Ukrainian forces will now be able to operate the Patriot systems President Biden approved to ship to the country in December, as well as a Patriot battery Germany committed to sending from its own inventory.

2023-03-30 19:14:28 Ellen Mitchell | The Hill (News Media) via Perigon | AllSides Media Bias Rating: Center

Russia says notifications of ballistic missile launches will continue

The Russian Foreign Ministry clarified Thursday that Moscow will continue to notify Washington of any ballistic missile launches, despite a statement Wednesday that “all forms of notifications” were terminated as a result of President Vladimir Putin suspending the New START nuclear nonproliferation agreement. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for the latest updates on Russia’s war in Ukraine. In February, during a speech marking the first anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine, Putin announced that he was “suspending” participation in New START, which is the last remaining arms control agreement between the United States and Russia.

On the same day as Putin’s speech, the ministry issued a statement saying that Russia would voluntarily adhere to some core components of New START, including its limits on the total number of certain types of nuclear weapons.

“To maintain the necessary level of predictability and stability in the nuclear missile area, Russia will take a prudent approach and will continue to strictly comply with the quantitative restrictions stipulated in the treaty for strategic offensive armaments within the life cycle of the treaty,” the ministry said. “Russia will also continue to exchange notifications of ICBM and SLBM launches with the United States in accordance with the relevant Soviet-U. S. agreement signed in 1988.”

But on Thursday, Ryabkov issued yet another clarification. He said that while Moscow had suspended “every kind of information exchange, as well as other elements of verification activity deriving from the New START Treaty within the treaty’s framework,” notifications of ballistic missile launches would continue.

In February, Putin said that Russia would not “withdraw” completely from the treaty, which had previously been extended to run through Feb. 4, 2026, but that Russia would not allow NATO countries to inspect its nuclear arsenal.

Ryabkov said Thursday that Russia had informed the United States about its suspension of New START. “We have relayed our stance to them both orally and in writing, in the form of a memo from the Foreign Ministry. There is no ambiguity, understatement, nothing like that,” Ryabkov told reporters.

“Of course, we have across the board been concerned about Russia’s reckless behavior as it relates to the New START Treaty, but specifically on Mr. Ryabkov’s remarks, we have not received any notice indicating a change,” said Vedant Patel, a State Department spokesman.

2023-03-30 19:09:40 Francesca Ebel | Washington Post (News Media) via Perigon | AllSides Media Bias Rating: Lean Left

Bankers that helped man known as 'Putin's wallet' convicted

Four bankers who helped a friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin move funds into Swiss banks have been convicted. Huge fines were handed to the former executives at the Zurich branch of Russia's Gazprombank. They were found guilty of lacking due diligence after helping musician Sergei Roldugin deposit tens of millions of pounds. Roldugin, known as 'Putin's wallet', reportedly deposited around £24million between 2014 and 2016, and have no credible story for where the money originated from.

Swiss law states that banks must reject or close accounts if they have doubts about an account holder's source of funds. Roldugin is a cellist and godfather to Putin's eldest daughter, Maria. Putin has also awarded his friend the Order of Alexander Nevsky, an order of merit given out by the Russian Federation. Three of the bankers that were convicted for helping Roldugin were Russian, one was Swiss.

The fines they received totalled £655,000, and they have been suspended for two years. Swiss reporting restrictions mean that the bankers involved cannot be named. They have said they will appeal the decision. The Zurich court could not prove the four had doubts over the Russian musician's cash. But the verdict says they should have, and failed to act. Putin's financial relationship with Rodulgin was uncovered in 2016 when the Panama Papers investigation was unveiled. READ MORE: Russia 'creating pathway to nuclear escalation' using Belarus

2023-03-30 19:07:00 Charlie Bradley | express.co.uk via Perigon

Wounded Ukrainian soldiers get prosthetic legs in US with help from nonprofit

A U.S.-based nonprofit is providing life-changing prosthetic limbs to Ukrainian soldiers who were wounded while defending their country against Russian forces. In just a few months, Kind Deeds has helped 11 soldiers receive and get fitted with prostheses.

Two of them, 32-year-old Roman and 50-year-old Oleh, each lost a leg in land mine explosions. Kind Deeds helped them get to New York, where they were fitted with their new prosthetic legs at Staten Island University Hospital. Occupational therapists there helped them regain their ability to walk.

Before the war began, Roman lived in Kyiv, where he worked in heating and ventilation. He volunteered to serve in the engineering troops shortly after the invasion and was injured while performing a mission in the Zaporizhzhya region. Oleh, a military reservist, is married and has a 23-year-old son. An avid fisherman and traveler, he was injured during a combat mission near the village of Davydov Broad.

Roman said his close-knit family was “traumatized over the situation.” He doesn’t feel like a hero, but said he would go back to the front lines if he’s needed.

“I’m a regular guy. I want to go back to my normal life, like before the war,” Roman said.

For Oleh, despite all he’s lost, his sense of humor remains intact. When he was injured, he said he looked down and said, “Oh, thank God it’s only one.” Still, he felt he let his comrades down, but never considered the notion that he wouldn’t be able to walk again.

Kind Deeds, based in New Jersey, estimates there are “thousands of amputees” like Roman and Oleh, said Dmitry Shevchenko, a Ukrainian occupational therapist with the organization who moved to the U.S. in his early teens.

Shevchenko said the first soldiers helped by the nonprofit were brought to Staten Island, where a local family was willing to host them for two months. With more than 200 soldiers on their waiting list, the organization continues to expand.

“America has the best expertise in prosthetic treatment,” Shevchenko said.

Five wounded soldiers are currently receiving treatment in the U.S., according to the Kind Deeds website. Six soldiers have received their protheses, gone through the rehabilitation process and returned to Ukraine.

Roman and Oleh have many weeks of rehab ahead before they can go back home, but there’s no dimming their spirits.

“I don’t have the right to be depressed, I’m experienced. I have to show an example to younger generations,” Oleh said.

2023-03-30 19:01:19 Nathan Smith, Allie Weintraub | ABC News (Online) (News Media) via Perigon | AllSides Media Bias Rating: Lean Left

Trump claims ‘ignorant’ DeSantis remarks about Putin could lead to nuclear war

In his latest campaign video posted to Truth Social, Donald Trump again took aim at Ron DeSantis, this time slamming him for his recent remarks on Russia which took a tougher stance regarding Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine.

The former president sought to tie the Florida governor to remarks made in the past by Senator Mitt Romney and even the late Senator John McCain.

“Calling Russia a gas station with a bunch of nuclear weapons, or calling Putin, quote, ‘an authoritarian gas station attendant with some legacy of nuclear weapons from the old Soviet Union’ is exactly the kind of simple-minded thinking that has produced decades of failed diplomacy and ultimately war,” said the former president.

“And where is that war going? Those such as Mitt Romney and Ron DeSantis, very much alike, who insist on arrogantly treating Russia as deeply inferior to the other nations of the world with no history or culture or pride, are not only ignorant and foolish, but their attitude makes it impossible to negotiate peace. Absolutely impossible,” he continued.

Mr Trump went on to claim his administration had a more nuanced understanding of Russia, its people, and history, and that such “neocon rhetoric” and “implying that Putin must be tried and presumably executed as a war criminal, only increases the chances of nuclear escalation” and showed a “lack of sophistication on the subtleties and complexities of foreign policy”.

The former president said: “This is not the time for on-the-job training as we face the possibility of nuclear war. And our leaders, if you call them that, got us there. This is where we are. The word nuclear was never even mentioned during the Trump administration. Now it’s being mentioned every hour of every day.”

Mr Trump said the country needs a “peacemaker” in the Oval Office, “not someone who recites mindless and recycled talking points to win the approval of the failed foreign policy establishment that didn’t know what they were doing.”

He added: “In 2024, I am the only candidate who can prevent World War III. I will prevent World War III. There’s nobody else that’s going to do that. Thank you very much.”

Mr DeSantis had previously called Russia’s invasion of Ukraine a “territorial dispute” in a written statement to Fox News’s Tucker Carlson, for which he received a great deal of condemnation from fellow Republicans.

He walked back those remarks in an interview with Piers Morgan, claiming the statement was out of context.

2023-03-30 18:46:23 The Independent | The Independent (News Media) via Perigon | AllSides Media Bias Rating: Lean Left

Princeton Schools 'Concerned' After Arrest Of Alumnus Evan Gershkovich In Russia

Gershkovich, 31, a journalist working for the Wall Street Journal was detained by Russian officials on spying accusations. More: Russia Detains NJ Native Working For Wall Street Journal: Reports He graduated from Princeton High School in 2010 and then attended Bowdoin College

Princeton High School alumni and his soccer teammates are trying to support Gershkovich’s family during this time, district officials said. “Princeton Public Schools shares the community's concern about the news that Evan Gershkovich, a graduate of Princeton High School and a Wall Street Journal reporter, has been detained in Russia,” the school district said in a statement Thursday afternoon.

Gershkovich graduated from Princeton High School in 2010 and was an active and engaged member of the community. It has been a difficult morning for Princeton High School alumni, especially those who played soccer with Gershkovich, the district said.

“I knew Evan Gershkovich well,” said Wayne Sutcliffe, a physical education teacher at Princeton High School and head soccer coach. “He was captain of the Princeton High School 2009 soccer team, which won the New Jersey State Championship. I have been fielding text messages all morning from our Princeton High School soccer alumni, all of whom are trying to find a way we can help to support Evan’s family.”

Gershkovich was described as a “terrific kid and great soccer captain” by an alumna who knew him. His peers said he was an outstanding student and an exceptional athlete during his time at PHS. This is the first time a U.S. correspondent has been detained on spying accusations in Russia since the Cold War. Russia's main security service, the Federal Security Service (FSB) has accused Gershkovich of trying to obtain classified information, a charge the Wall Street Journal has denied. A Russian court has ordered him detained until May 29, according to the Journal.

2023-03-30 18:44:30 Sarah Salvadore | Patch.com (News Media) via Perigon | AllSides Media Bias Rating: Center

Boston auction of signed Zelenskyy painting to help Ukraine

BOSTON (AP) — An original painting of Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed by the Ukrainian president is being sold at auction, and proceeds from the sale will be used to benefit the nation’s people suffering during its war with Russia.

Bidding on the 40-by-24-inch (101.5-by-61-centimeter) painting by American artist Oleg Jones starts at $50,000, and the goal is to sell it for at least $100,000, Bobby Livingston, executive vice president of auctioneer RR Auction in Boston, said Thursday.

The painting features an image of Zelenskyy against the background of Ukraine’s blue and yellow flag. Several raised stars in the upper left of the piece form a heart around the gold trident from the nation’s coat of arms.

The acrylic paints are coated in resin sprinkled with glass dust, giving it a sparkling effect.

It is signed, in English, “Zelenskyy, Glory to Ukraine.” It’s also signed by the artist.

The auction, which concludes April 12, includes photos of the president signing it in his office.

The proceeds of the auction will benefit the Kyiv-based Dmytro Kasyanenko International Charitable Foundation via U.S.-based The Power of A Dream Foundation and will used for the purchase of medical equipment, tools and medicine for the Ukrainian people, RR Auction said.

“The need for funding these agencies is so great that Zelenskyy took the time to sign this painting amid the incredible stress his country is facing,” Livingston said.

A baseball signed by Zelenskyy sold at auction in May for $50,000, much of which went to provide humanitarian aid for Ukraine.

2023-03-30 18:39:17 The Associated Press | The Seattle Times (News Media) via Perigon | AllSides Media Bias Rating: Center

U.S. sanctions man for trying to arrange arms deal between Russia and North Korea

Washington — The Biden administration has sanctioned a Slovakian man who U.S. officials said attempted to facilitate an arms deal that would have given Russia access to weapons and munitions from North Korea in exchange for aircraft, food and other material.

The Treasury Department announced new sanctions targeting Ashot Mkrtychev, the man accused of trying to arrange the secret deal. Officials said the episode is the latest sign that Russia is searching for ways to replenish its military capabilities as it continues to suffer losses amid heavy fighting in Ukraine.

"We know that between the end of 2022 and early 2023, that [Mkrtychev] worked with North Korean officials to attempt to obtain, as I said, over two dozen kinds of weapons and ammunitions for Russia" in exchange for aircraft, raw materials and commodities, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters on a call. He said any such arrangement would violate multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions.

The Treasury Department said Mkrtychev "confirmed Russia's readiness to receive military equipment from the DPRK with senior Russian officials," using North Korea's official diplomatic name. The department said Mkrtychev worked with a Russian official to locate commercial aircraft that could be delivered to North Korea. Thursday's sanctions mean all of Mkrtychev's property and interests in the U.S. or in the possession of U.S. persons are blocked.

"Russia has lost over 9,000 pieces of heavy military equipment since the start of the war, and thanks in part to multilateral sanctions and export controls, Putin has become increasingly desperate to replace them," Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement. "Schemes like the arms deal pursued by this individual show that Putin is turning to suppliers of last resort like Iran and the DPRK. We remain committed to degrading Russia's military-industrial capabilities, as well as exposing and countering Russian attempts to evade sanctions and obtain military equipment from the DPRK or any other state that is prepared to support its war in Ukraine."

Mkrtychev joins the growing list of individuals and entities the U.S. has sanctioned since Russia invaded Ukraine more than a year ago. The U.S. and its allies announced a new round of sanctions last month targeting more than 200 people and entities, including both Russians and third-country actors.

U.S. officials have previously issued public warnings that Russia is seeking to replenish its military stockpiles through deals with other countries as it struggles to replace weapons, shells and ammunition. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said last month that China was considering providing "lethal support" to Russia, and Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow last week.

Xi made no promises to provide weapons to Russia and China officially it considers itself an "impartial" observer to the conflict, but the two leaders issued a statement saying it was necessary to "respect legitimate security concerns of all countries," an apparent swipe at the West.

2023-03-30 18:06:43 By Kathryn Watson | CBS News (Online) (News Media) via Perigon | AllSides Media Bias Rating: Lean Left

Hackers Claim to Dox Russian 'War Criminal,' Convince His Wife to Do 'Patriotic Photoshoot'

A group of hackers has claimed to have broken into the email accounts of a Russian colonel, revealing personal information and military secrets. Ukrainian officials have started issuing statements based on some of the leaked data, and the International Criminal Court has told Motherboard it is investigating.

The hack led to an accusation by a Ukrainian official that the colonel is the war criminal responsible for the March 2022 attack on a civilian-packed theater in the city of Mariupol. The hacking group also claimed to have tricked the colonel’s wife into staging a “patriotic photoshoot” with 12 Russian officer’s wives, which helped identify the soldiers.

The group is called Cyber Resistance and it said it started operating in 2014 and claims it has connections to the Ukrainian government, according to posts on its Telegram channel. It published its findings on Telegram in collaboration with the Ukraine-based open source intelligence group Inform Napalm. The target was Colonel Serhii Atroshchenko, who runs an aviation unit stationed across the Azov Sea from Mariupol.

The hacked information contained the colonel's personal information, including pictures of government documents, his phone number, the location of his home, and his COVID-19 vaccination status. The hackers also posted a video showing them scrolling through his email inbox, which is shown to contain an email from Atroshchenko’s wife. The hackers said they were able to enter the colonel’s military accounts and found information about his subordinates, the movement of troops, and documents related to Russian military equipment.

Posing as a fellow officer, the hackers say they convinced the colonel’s wife to organize a photoshoot on the runway of the base with other officer’s wives. The resulting photos show the officer’s wives lined up wearing their husband’s dress uniforms as well as close-up photos of jets and their operation.

“This made it possible to scout targets and collect all the wives of Russian pilots and, as a result, collect additional data that is useful for further OSINT-reconnaissance,” Inform Napalm said.

Petro Andryushchenko, an advisor to the mayor of Mariupol, accused Atroshchenko of ordering the attack on the theater in Mariupol after reading the information in the hack. “The number one killer of the people of Mariupol has been identified,” he said on his Telegram channel. “The one who ordered and supervised the bombing of the Drama Theater, the Maternity Hospital and the Children's Hospital. Since the first weeks, we have established that the planes bombing Mariupol took off from the Primorsko-Akhtarsk airfield.”

Russia controls Mariupol and its Mayor and some of his aides fled the city last year. They currently reside in Kyiv, but still issue statements and coordinate relief efforts for the occupied city.

Throughout March 2022, Russian forces bombed various civilian targets in Mariupol including a theater, a children’s hospital, and an art school. Civilians were using the theater and the art school as bomb shelters. An investigation by the Associated Press put the death toll at the theater at more than 600 people. Amnesty International called the bombings a war crime and demanded an investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The hackers said in a Telegram post they turned over their evidence to the ICC. “We also know that during the preparation of this publication, materials regarding Atroshchenko and his subordinates were handed over for the execution of a warrant from the International Criminal Court,” InformNapalm said.

“Thank you for your questions. However, they concern issues that the Office of the Prosecutor is unable to provide information on due to their confidential nature—we do not publicly discuss this type of specifics related to ongoing investigations,” the ICC said. “This is essential not only to protect the integrity of the investigations but also to ensure the safety and security of victims, witnesses, and all those with whom the Office interacts."

2023-03-30 18:03:43 Matthew Gault | Vice (News Media) via Perigon | AllSides Media Bias Rating: Left

Belarus detains Russian dad convicted in antiwar art case

Alexei Moskalyov, right, is escorted from a courtroom in Yefremov, Tula region, some 300 kilometers (186 miles) south of Moscow, Russia, Monday, March 27, 2023. A court in Russia on Tuesday convicted a single father over social media posts criticizing the war in Ukraine and sentenced him to two years in prison — a case brought to the attention of authorities by his daughter's drawings against the invasion at school, according to the man's lawyer and local activists. The 54-year-old Moskalyov, a single father of a 13-year-old daughter, was accused of repeatedly discrediting the Russian army, a criminal offense in accordance to a law Russian authorities adopted shortly after sending troops into Ukraine. (AP Photo)

Alexei Moskalyov, right, is escorted from a courtroom in Yefremov, Tula region, some 300 kilometers (186 miles) south of Moscow, Russia, Monday, March 27, 2023. A court in Russia on Tuesday convicted a single father over social media posts criticizing the war in Ukraine and sentenced him to two years in prison — a case brought to the attention of authorities by his daughter's drawings against the invasion at school, according to the man's lawyer and local activists. The 54-year-old Moskalyov, a single father of a 13-year-old daughter, was accused of repeatedly discrediting the Russian army, a criminal offense in accordance to a law Russian authorities adopted shortly after sending troops into Ukraine. (AP Photo)

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Authorities in Belarus said Thursday they have detained a fugitive single father who escaped house arrest in neighboring Russia shortly before he was convicted of discrediting the army and sentenced to prison following his daughter’s antiwar sketch at school.

Alexei Moskalyov was taken into custody in the Minsk region of Belarus, according to Natalya Sakharchuk, a spokeswoman for the country’s Interior Ministry. Her comments were reported by Russian state news agency RIA-Novosti and the Sputnik Belarus news site, saying he was being held “upon request of the Russian police.”

Moskalyov, 54, drew international attention this week in a case that underscored the scale of the Kremlin’s crackdown on dissent when he was convicted and sentenced to two years in prison. He wasn’t in the courtroom in his hometown of Yefremov for the verdict Tuesday because he had fled his apartment, where he was under house arrest, just the day before.

Moskalyov was charged over social media posts criticizing the invasion under a law adopted shortly after the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. During his one-day trial, which concluded Monday, he insisted he had nothing to do with the posts.

According to his lawyer and supporters, Moskalyov’s troubles began after his daughter Maria, now 13, drew an antiwar picture at Yefremov School No. 9 that depicted missiles flying over a Russian flag at a woman and child and said “No to war” and “Glory to Ukraine.” The school called police, the girl was questioned and Moskalyov was fined for critical comments on social media, they said.

Months later, his apartment was raided and a criminal case was opened against him. This month, he was placed under house arrest and his daughter was placed into the orphanage.

He escaped from under house arrest before the verdict was announced by a court in Yefremov on Tuesday.

He has been declared a political prisoner by Memorial, one of Russia’s oldest and most prominent rights groups that won the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize.

A court in Yefremov next week is expected to consider the authorities’ petition to restrict Moskalyov’s parental rights.

2023-03-30 17:46:53 Dasha Litvinova | Associated Press (News Media) via Perigon | AllSides Media Bias Rating: Lean Left

Ex-US Ambassador says Putin's nuclear plan has no impact: "a bit pathetic"

A former U.S. Ambassador said this week that Russia's plan to deploy nuclear weapons in Belarus won't have a real military impact and called the decision by Russian President Vladimir Putin "even a bit pathetic."

Steven Pifer, a former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine and current nonresident senior fellow with the Brookings Institution, published an op-ed piece in the Kyiv Independent on Tuesday, where he wrote about the recent announcement by Putin that Russia was deploying tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.

"In a March 25 interview, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia would deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus for use by the Belarusian military. He compared this to U.S. 'nuclear-sharing' with its NATO allies," Pifer wrote in the op-ed. "The reality is that, even if Russian nuclear arms are actually placed in Belarus, that would not increase the military threat to Ukraine or to NATO."

As Pifer noted in his op-ed, Putin recently announced that Russia was planning to place a tactical nuclear weapon in Belarus earlier this month, as the Russia-Ukraine war has continued. Throughout the war, Belarus has been a close ally of Putin.

In February, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko told BelTA, a Belarusian state-run news agency, that he will only join Russia in the war if Ukraine decides to attack Belarus.

"If at least one soldier from there [Ukraine] comes to the territory of Belarus to kill my people...If they commit aggression against Belarus, the answer will be most cruel," Lukashenko said.

In the op-ed, Pifer wrote that Putin "likes to appear strong and to show that he can take provocative steps to retaliate for actions he does not like," and noted that the deployment of nuclear weapons in Belarus could be in response to the arrival of Leopard tanks in Ukraine or the failure of Russian forces in Bakhmut.

"Only the Kremlin knows for sure, but the announcement of a nuclear arms deployment that has no real military impact seems somewhat desperate on Putin's part, even a bit pathetic," Pifer wrote.

"The one who ought to worry is Lukashenko. He surely understands that any nuclear weapons in Belarus will remain firmly under Russian control. Ever more dependent on Putin (just as Putin seems ever more dependent on Xi), Lukashenko might want to mind what he has left of Belarusian sovereignty," Pifer added.

Shortly after Putin announced the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, the White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked about it and said, "We have not seen any reason to adjust our own strategic nuclear posture nor any indications that Russia is preparing to use a nuclear weapon."

Newsweek reached out to the Russian Foreign Ministry and the Brookings Institution for further comment from Pifer via email.

2023-03-30 17:36:37 Matthew Impelli | Newsweek (News Media) via Perigon | AllSides Media Bias Rating: Center

Putin replenishes dwindling troop reserves in 'second mobilisation'

Vladimir Putin has signed a decree calling up 134,650 Russian men to active military duty as western analysts warn the Russian autocrat, hellbent on securing victory in Ukraine, is making furtive attempts to recruit soldiers to fight in Ukraine without “declaring a formal second mobilisation wave”. Putin’s last “partial mobilisation” in September 2022 sparked a mass exodus of Russian men of fighting age as they fled the country to avoid being called up. Western analysts have told Express.co.uk that they believe the autocrat is now planning to make under-the-radar attempts to enlist more men to fight in Ukraine without causing panic and forcing more civilians to leave the country. While the spring conscription decree mirrors that of last March, the significance of this initiative is notable as Russia desperately seeks more soldiers to fight in Ukraine.

The Kremlin denies that another call-up is planned for its “special military operation” in Ukraine, now more than a year old, but an official decree, signed by Vladimir Putin and posted on the website of the government’s legal information web portal on Monday, has revealed Russia’s so-called spring military conscription initiative. The document decreed that Putin had actioned the drafting of “134,650 Russian citizens aged 18-27 for military service from April 1 to July 15 this year, for those who are not in reserve and are subject to active duty”. Despite the promises against another mobilisation, Muscovite men have recently told local journalists that “any surprises from the Russian authorities can be expected”. One Moscow local told the Associated Press last weekend that a state-funded organisation had gathered up the military registration cards of all male employees of fighting age of his company, telling them that they would get them deferments.

But after days of not hearing anything - the authorities usually return their cards in a day or two - he expressed his anxiety at possibly being called up to fight in Ukraine. Russian media has reported that men across the country are receiving summonses from enlistment offices, telling them it is only for the purpose of updating their records, but in some cases, they have been subsequently ordered to take part in military training. The Muscovite that spoke to AP on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal said no one dared refuse to hand in their cards despite stories of people being called up as they risked incarceration or rebuke. He added: “It makes you nervous and scared — no one wants to all of a sudden end up in a war with a rifle in their hands.” READ MORE: Wagner group boss 'positioning himself' for Putin takeover [REPORT]

The government has been enticing men to volunteer, either at makeshift recruiting centres popping up in various regions or with phone calls from enlistment officials over the past few months. Advertisements have also been spotted across Russia promising cash bonuses and enticing benefits, while enlistment offices have started working with universities and social service agencies to lure students and the unemployed. That way, it can “avoid declaring a formal second mobilisation wave” after the first one proved so unpopular, according to a recent report by the US-based think tank the Institute of the Study of War. And it appears that the Russian authorities have now doubled down on that strategy by announcing the spring conscription. DON'T MISS: Putin called out on nuclear 'bluff' with doubts on Belarus deployment [REVEAL]

Putin forcing western companies leaving Russia to donate money [REPORT]

Putin could nuke Ukraine in 'scorched earth response', says report [REVEAL]

2023-03-30 17:34:00 Tom Watling | express.co.uk via Perigon

White House says Russia looking to trade food for North Korean munitions

The White House on Thursday said Russia is “actively seeking” to acquire North Korean-made munitions for use against Ukraine and has offered to trade Pyongyang food in exchange for the weapons Moscow desires.

National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters that Russia’s quest for North Korean munitions is a consequence of the American and European sanctions that have been imposed on Moscow since Russian forces began invading Ukraine last year.

In January, the White House revealed that Russia’s Wagner Group had recieved trainloads of arms from North Korea last year.

Mr Kirby said the Biden Administration remains “concerned” that Pyongyang will provide further support for Russia’s war in Ukraine, and said a private arms dealer has been trying to broker a secret agreement between the two countries.

Under that agreement, Russia “would receive over two dozen kinds of weapons and munitions” from North Korea, Mr Kirby said.

He added that Russia is understood to be offering food in exchange for those weapons.

“The arms deal between North Korea and Russia would directly violate a series of UN Security Council resolutions,” he said, adding that the US has “taken note” of statements by North Korean officials who’ve said the country won’t supply arms to Russia.

“We are continuing to monitor this closely,” he said. “We're going to continue to identify, expose and counter Russian attempts to acquire military equipment from North Korea or from any other state that is prepared to support its war in Ukraine. We will continue to take action, including by imposing additional sanction,s to cut off Putin's war machine and further diminish Russia's ability to wage its brutal war against Ukraine”.

2023-03-30 17:21:39 Andrew Feinberg | The Independent (News Media) via Perigon | AllSides Media Bias Rating: Lean Left

‘Unacceptable’: White House Condemns Russia Detaining US Journalist, Warns Against Travel

The White House condemned the Russian detainment of an American journalist Thursday, calling the action “unacceptable.”

The Russian government detained Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reporter Evan Gershkovich on Thursday on allegations of espionage. Russia’s main security agency, the Federal Security Bureau (FSB), claimed the U.S. citizen “collected information constituting a state secret about the activities of one of the enterprises of the Russian military-industrial complex,” the WSJ reported.

“The targeting of American citizens by the Russian government is unacceptable. We condemn the detention of Mr. Gershkovich in the strongest terms,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement. (RELATED: Russia Imprisons WSJ Reporter On Spying Allegations)

The Biden administration has spoken with the WSJ, Gershkovich’s family and the Russian government about the detainment, she added.

It remains unclear if the detainment was due to retaliation against the U.S. or Gershkovich’s reporting, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters.

The White House also directed Americans to leave Russia “immediately” — an instruction the State Department has made repeatedly.

The Journal denied Russia’s claims that Gershkovich was engaged in “illegal activities.”

“The Wall Street Journal vehemently denies the allegations from the FSB and seeks the immediate release of our trusted and dedicated reporter, Evan Gershkovich,” the WSJ said. “We stand in solidarity with Evan and his family.”

2023-03-30 17:13:29 Diana Glebova | The Daily Caller (News Media) via Perigon | AllSides Media Bias Rating: Right

White House issues urgent warning to all US citizens in Russia

The White House has advised all US citizens living and working in Russia to leave "immediately". The travel warning comes 24 hours after Russia's security service arrested Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich in Yekaterinburg. Gershkovich has been detained on unsubstantiated espionage charges.

Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement on Thursday: "The targeting of American citizens by the Russian government is unacceptable. We condemn the detention of Mr Gershkovich in the strongest terms. "We also condemn the Russian government’s continued targeting and repression of journalists and freedom of the press. "I want to strongly reiterate that Americans should heed the US government’s warning to not travel to Russia. "US citizens residing or travelling in Russia should depart immediately, as the State Department continues to advise."

The Federal Security Service (FSB) alleged that Gershkovich “was acting on instructions from the American side to collect information about the activities of one of the enterprises of the Russian military-industrial complex that constitutes a state secret.” However, the WSJ "vehemently denies the allegations from the FSB and seeks the immediate release of our trusted and dedicated reporter, Evan Gershkovich." The newspaper said: “We stand in solidarity with Evan and his family.”

We'll be bringing you the very latest updates, pictures and video on this breaking news story. For the latest news and breaking news visit: News - Latest UK & World News Stories - Express.co.uk Stay up to date with all the big headlines, pictures, analysis, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you. Follow our social media accounts here on facebook.com/ExpressUSNews and @expressusnews

2023-03-30 17:11:00 Aurora Bosotti | express.co.uk via Perigon

White House: Russia's jailing of Wall Street Journal reporter is 'unacceptable'

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre released a statement Thursday strongly condemning Russia's detention of Evan Gershkovich, a U.S. citizen and Wall Street Journal reporter the Kremlin is accusing of espionage.

Gershovich's detention was first reported on Wednesday night, and Jean-Pierre confirmed that State Department officials had been in touch with the Wall Street Journal, Gershkovich's family, and are "actively working to secure consular access to Mr. Gershkovich."

"We are deeply concerned by the troubling reports that Evan Gershkovich, an American citizen, has been detained in Russia," she wrote in a statement. "The targeting of American citizens by the Russian government is unacceptable. We condemn the detention of Mr. Gershkovich in the strongest terms."

In the statement, the White House also condemned Russia's "continued targeting and repression of journalists and freedom of the press."

"I want to strongly reiterate that Americans should heed the U.S. government’s warning to not travel to Russia," she concluded. "U.S. citizens residing or traveling in Russia should depart immediately, as the State Department continues to advise."

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Gershkovich was arrested on Wednesday by Russia's Federal Security Service in Yekaterinburg while reporting on Russia and the war in Ukraine before being transferred to Moscow. He is currently scheduled to appear in court on May 29 and will be represented by a state-appointed attorney.

The Kremlin claimed the 32-year-old reporter had been "acting on the instructions of the American side, carried out the collection of information constituting a state secret about the activities of one of the enterprises of the Russian military-industrial complex."

2023-03-30 17:01:00 by Christian Datoc, White House Reporter | Washington Examiner (News Media) via Perigon | AllSides Media Bias Rating: Lean Right

State Department Urges Americans to Leave Russia After Latest Hostage Taking

UPDATE: The State Department is urging all Americans to leave the country.

News broke Thursday morning that the Russian government detained Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich under "spying" charges. Gershkovich worked out of the paper's Moscow bureau.

The White House has issued a response to the hostage taking.

"We are deeply concerned by the troubling reports that Evan Gershkovich, an American citizen, has been detained in Russia," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Peirre released in a statement. "Last night, White House and State Department Officials spoke with Mr. Gershkovich’s employer, the Wall Street Journal. The Administration has also been in contact with his family. Furthermore, the State Department has been in direct touch with the Russian government on this matter, including actively working to secure consular access to Mr. Gershkovich."

"The targeting of American citizens by the Russian government is unacceptable. We condemn the detention of Mr. Gershkovich in the strongest terms. We also condemn the Russian government’s continued targeting and repression of journalists and freedom of the press," the statement continues. "I want to strongly reiterate that Americans should heed the U.S. government’s warning to not travel to Russia. U.S. citizens residing or traveling in Russia should depart immediately, as the State Department continues to advise."

In December the Biden administration swapped "merchant of death" terrorist Viktor Bout for WNBA player Brittney Griner, raising concerns the trade would only embolden Russia to continue their targeting of Americans. At the time Griner was released, former Marine Paul Whelan was left behind.

2023-03-30 16:46:35 Katie Pavlich | Townhall (News Media) via Perigon | AllSides Media Bias Rating: Right

Bipartisan Senate Talks Resume After Republicans Block Ukraine, Israel Aid Over Border Demands

Senate negotiations broke down earlier this week over a $110.5 billion bill with aid for Ukraine and Israel, leading Republicans to block the package.

The Details: Senators are running out of time to pass the bill before Congress’ holiday recess, and the White House has warned that the U.S. would run out of currently-appropriated funding for Ukraine by the end of the year. While bipartisan talks have resumed, a Democratic source told NBC News (Lean Left bias) there was “still a lot of daylight between the two sides.”

Points of Agreement: Both Democratic and Republican Senate leaders support funding aid to Ukraine and Israel in a package proposed by President Joe Biden following Hamas’ October 7 attack.

Key Disagreements: Senate Republicans want to use the bill to tighten asylum screening standards, substantially expand immigration detention for asylum seekers, allow border officials to send asylum seekers to other “safe” countries, and limit the “humanitarian parole” status the Biden administration has used to accept hundreds of thousands of refugees from Ukraine and elsewhere. Before the failed Wednesday vote, Biden said he could accept “significant compromises” on the border, but also said, “Republicans think they get everything they want, without any bipartisan compromise. That’s not the answer.” On Thursday, Republicans reportedly doubled down on their demands and called on Biden to get directly involved. 

How the Media Covered It: Some coverage from left-rated outlets framed Republicans as “jeopardizing” Ukraine. Some coverage from right-rated outlets was skeptical of Biden’s call for compromise on his Ukraine “bailout.”

See coverage from Voice of America (VOA), Washington Examiner, and NBC News (Online)

2023-12-07 17:07:00 AllSides via AllSides Headline Roundups | AllSides Media Bias Rating: Mixed

Why did the Ukraine Counteroffensive Fail?

Why did Ukraine’s most recent counteroffensive against invading Russian forces fail to achieve its goals?

Strategic Disagreement: According to The Washington Post (Lean Left bias), the counteroffensive failed for a myriad of reasons, including strategic disagreements between the United States and Ukraine, the U.S. miscalculating the Ukraine military’s ability to transform into a “Western-style fighting force in a short period,” an underestimation of the Russian military's ability to recover from previous battlefield defeats, an underestimation of Russia’s “willingness to sacrifice lives on a scale that few other countries can countenance,” and more.

Western Aid: Reports across the spectrum cited disagreements and disputes regarding military aid from Western countries as contributing to the disappointing counteroffensive. U.S. officials urged Ukrainian military officials to launch the counteroffensive sooner in order to give the Russian military less time to dig into defensive positions, but the Ukrainian officials did not think their military was ready without additional weapons and training. Breitbart (Right bias) quoted NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg stating, “The more we support the Ukraine, the faster the war will end.”

What’s Next? Last month, reports emerged that U.S. officials were urging Ukraine’s leadership to restart negotiations with Russia, but outlets are not indicating that this is likely to occur in the near future. The Wall Street Journal (Center bias) cited a NATO official to determine that Russia “likely lacks resources to mount a significant offensive this year” and that the war had become a stalemate.

See coverage from Breitbart News, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal (News)

2023-12-04 15:10:00 AllSides via AllSides Headline Roundups | AllSides Media Bias Rating: Mixed