2 Russians running GRU safe house in Greece outed as spies

Two Russian-born #Czech citizens ran a #hotel in northern #Greece that doubled as a #SafeHouse for an infamous unit of Russia's military intelligence agency (GRU) as it carried out #bombings and #poisonings across Europe, an investigation by The Insider has found.

Husband and wife Nikolay and Elena #Saposnikov ran the Villa Elena, a three-story hotel in #Frama, Halkidiki, which, according to the report, hosted members of the #Kremlin's "most grimly accomplished #assassination and #sabotage squad," Unit #29155, on a regular basis for the last 15 years.

https://kyivindependent.com/the-insider-2-czechs-outed-as-russian-spies-running-greek-hotel-safe-house/

#RussianAggression #StandWithUkraine

The Insider: 2 Russians running GRU safe house in Greece outed as spies

Two Russian-born Czech citizens ran a hotel in northern Greece that doubled as a safe house for an infamous unit of Russia's military intelligence agency (GRU) as it carried out bombings and poisonings across Europe, an investigation by The...

Russian politician's wife planned to adopt #kidnapped Ukrainian boy, abandoned him due to sickness

Wife of Russian politician Sergey #Mironov forcibly took a Ukrainian girl and boy from occupied #Kherson to adopt them

Both children were taken to #Moscow in September 2022, but Varlamova abandoned the boy in October 2022 when it became clear he had health issues, TSN reported.

The Ukrainian authorities have no information about where the boy is now

https://kyivindependent.com/russian-mp-wife-planned-to-adopt-ukrainian-child/

#Kidnappers #RussiaInvadedUkraine #HumanRights #StandWithUkraine

Media: Russian politician's wife planned to adopt kidnapped Ukrainian boy, abandoned him due to sickness

The wife of Russian politician Sergey Mironov forcibly took a Ukrainian girl and boy from occupied Kherson to adopt them, but abandoned the boy after it became clear he had ill health, Ukrainian news outlet TSN reported on April 28.

Over 18,000 Russian troops of Southern Military District have #deserted

According to many observers, low morale has been a recurring problem for the #Russian Armed Forces fighting in Ukraine.

Over 18,000 #soldiers of the Southern Military District have allegedly deserted in total, with around 12,000 of them belonging to the 8th Combined Arms Army – a unit often deployed in hostilities in eastern Ukraine.

Of this number, around 10,000 are mobilized conscripts and 2,000 contract soldiers

https://kyivindependent.com/military-intelligence-over-18-000-russian-troops-of-southern-military-district-have-deserted/

#RussianAggression #RussiaInvadedUkraine #StandWithUkraine

Military intelligence: Over 18,000 Russian troops of Southern Military District have deserted

Over 18,000 soldiers of the district have allegedly deserted, with around 12,000 of them belonging to the 8th Combined Arms Army – a unit often deployed in hostilities in eastern Ukraine.

Trump is Putin's only hope now

Putin's one hope will remain. The #Kremlin will desperately await its savior from Mar-a-Lago – who one #Republican reportedly called “Orange Jesus.”

Whether #Trump’s return to the Oval Office really would end the ordeal that Putin created for himself is another story. For now, Russia is once again heading for failure in Ukraine.

https://kyivindependent.com/opinion-trump-is-putins-only-hope-now/

#RussiaInvadedUkraine #RussianAggression #StandWithUkraine

Opinion: Trump is Putin's only hope now

The news this past week was undoubtedly met with relief in Kyiv and with grief in the Kremlin. The U.S. Congress finally broke its six-month logjam and approved a new package of military aid for Ukraine (as well as for Israel and Taiwan). And the...

Russia planning to disrupt #GlobalPeaceSummit in Switzerland

We have precise intelligence information, specific data that Russia not only wants to disrupt the peace summit, but also has a specific plan how to do it, how to reduce the number of participating countries, how to act to ensure that there is no peace for even longer,"

Kyiv will share Russia's plans with diplomats and intelligence agencies of allied countries, according to Zelensky.

"And together we must counteract this, we must work in unity for a just #peace,”

https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-russia-planning-to-disrupt-global-peace-summit-in-switzerland/

#RussianAggression #RussiaInvadedUkraine #StandWithUkraine

Zelensky: Russia planning to disrupt global peace summit in Switzerland

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on April 24 that Ukraine has precise intelligence information that Russia is preparing to disrupt a global peace summit set to take place in Switzerland in June.

Russia’s energy infrastructure attacks are depopulating Ukraine

International human rights groups have decried Russia’s most recent attacks, calling them a violation of international humanitarian law. Meanwhile, the United Nations’ Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine said Russia’s indiscriminate attacks on Ukraine’s #energy infrastructure throughout the war may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

In addition to the military advantages afforded by decimating Ukraine’s power systems, Russia is using these attacks to de-populate Ukraine

https://kyivindependent.com/opinion-russias-energy-infrastructure-attacks-are-depopulating-ukraine/

#WarCrimes #RussiaInvadedUkraine #ScorchedEarth #StandWithUkraine

Opinion: Russia’s energy infrastructure attacks are depopulating Ukraine

The collapse of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure last year due to Russia’s war brought the entire country to its knees. And while Ukraine was, for the most part, spared from widespread blackouts this winter, Russian forces are once again targeting...

Half of British military defense fund for Ukraine remains unused

More than half of the U.K.'s 900 million pound (over $1 billion) military fund for Ukraine remains unused due to bureaucratic delays in handing out contracts, the Guardian reports.

The #British Ministry of Defense manages a coalition of about nine countries called the International Fund for Ukraine (IFU). The IFU is a funding mechanism that was created in August 2022 and uses financial contributions from nine other countries to procure military equipment for Ukraine. Some of the other countries in the initiative include Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden, Iceland, and Lithuania.

The IFU has been criticized for its slow provision of weapons to the frontlines. Of the more than $1 billion that's been donated by Western countries over the last two years, of which $600 million came from the U.K., only about $500 million has been committed or spent.

Some British officials even admitted that some of the materials that were purchased would not reach Ukraine until Spring 2025.

https://kyivindependent.com/guardian-half-of-british-military-defense-fund-for-ukraine-remains-unused/

#MilitaryAid #StopRussianAggression #StandWithUkraine

Guardian: Half of British military defense fund for Ukraine remains unused

More than half of the U.K.'s 900 million pound (over $1 billion) military fund for Ukraine remains unused due to bureaucratic delays in handing out contracts, the Guardian reports.

Slovak citizens raise $1.6 million for Czech ammunition initiative after government refuses to contribute

The organizers of the Slovak fundraising campaign said that they "refuse to accept" that their government did not join the initiative.

"Let's show that it's not just them who decide. We are convinced that the attitude of the government does not represent the majority of citizens. We are sure that we, the inhabitants of #Slovakia, want and know how to help," the #fundraising campaign's website says.

https://kyivindependent.com/slovak-citizens-raise-1-6-million-for-czech-ammunition-initiative/

#RussiaInvadedUkraine #ammunition #StandWithUkraine

Slovak citizens raise $1.6 million for Czech ammunition initiative after government refuses to contribute

Slovak citizens have raised over $1.6 million in three days for the Czech ammunition initiative after Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico refused to contribute to the campaign to aid Ukraine.

Ukraine destroys missile launchers, radar stations at Russian military airfield in Crimea

Ukraine's military intelligence on April 18 said that Ukrainian forces had destroyed four #S-400 launchers, three radar stations, a command post for #AirDefense operations, and air space #surveillance equipment #Fundament-M in the attack.

The total number of Russian military equipment, aircraft, and military personnel losses is still being determined, Ukraine's military intelligence said in its statement.

https://kyivindependent.com/military-intelligence-ukraine-destroys-missile-launchers-radar-stations-at-russian-military-airfield-in-crimea/

#RussiaInvadedUkraine #Imperialism #StandWithUkraine #Crimea

Military intelligence: Ukraine destroys missile launchers, radar stations at Russian military airfield in Crimea

Ukraine destroyed several units of military equipment in an attack on a Russian military airfield in Dzhankoi in occupied Crimea on April 17, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) reported.

Russia destroyed Kyiv Oblast power plant after Ukraine ran out of air defense missiles

#Trypillia TPP was completely destroyed in a Russian strike on Ukrainian energy infrastructure on April 11, leading to the 100% loss of #Centrenergo's generating capacity.

Russia launched 11 missiles in the direction of the plant, according to Zelensky. Ukraine was able to shoot down the first seven, and four "destroyed Trypillia."

"Why? Because there were zero #missiles. We ran out of all the missiles that protected the Trypillia TPP,"

https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-april-16/

#RussiaInvadedUkraine #electricity #AirDefense #StandWithUkraine

Ukraine war latest: Russia destroyed Kyiv Oblast power plant after Ukraine ran out of air defense missiles, Zelensky says

Key developments on April 16: * Zelensky: Russia destroyed key power plant near Kyiv since Ukraine 'ran out of missiles' for its defense * Source: Ukraine strikes Russian modernized long-range radar system in Bryansk Oblast * Bloomberg: Russia...

#DoubleTap attack. Understanding one of Russia’s cruelest tactics in Ukraine

Hitting a building, waiting for first responders and the media to arrive, and hitting the same place again to target those who came to put out the fire, help the victims, or document a potential war crime is a well-honed tool of Russia in its wars.

This ruthless and illegal military tactic is called a "double-tap" attack.

Having used #Syria as a "testing ground" since 2015, Russia started #terrorizing Ukraine with "double-tap" attacks following the full-scale invasion. Those attacks have grown more frequent in recent weeks.

https://kyivindependent.com/double-tap-attack-understanding-one-of-russias-cruelest-tactics-in-ukraine/

#WarCrimes #RussianAggression #StandWithUkraine

‘Double-tap’ attack. Understanding one of Russia’s cruelest tactics in Ukraine

Hitting a building, waiting for first responders and the media to arrive, and hitting the same place again to target those who came to put out the fire, help the victims, or document a potential war crime is a well-honed tool of Russia in its...

Ukrainian survivor of Russian torture files legal complaint in #Argentina

A Ukrainian man has filed a criminal complaint to Argentina's Federal Judiciary against the Russian occupying forces who tortured him, The Reckoning Project (TRP), an international NGO that works to bring war crime cases to court, announced on April 16.

Argentina's constitution allows for trials on "international crimes, including crimes against humanity and #WarCrimes, irrespective of where they took place," on the basis of universal jurisdiction, TRP said in a press release.

Though this case is the first time a #Ukrainian #torture complaint has been filed in Argentina, Mr M said that he is "one of so many cases."

https://kyivindependent.com/argentina-court-case-russian-torture-ukraine/

#RussiaInvadedUkraine #RussianTorture #StandWithUkraine

Ukrainian survivor of Russian torture files legal complaint in Argentina

Argentina's constitution allows for trials on "international crimes, including crimes against humanity and war crimes, irrespective of where they took place," on the basis of universal jurisdiction, TRP said in a press release.

Russia fires 10 times more shells, uses 300 aircraft than Ukraine

Delays in U.S. assistance to Ukraine have already had a direct impact on the battlefield, contributing to the loss of the key front-line city of #Avdiivka. Amid the escalating situation on the eastern front, Zelensky said that "Ukraine will lose the war" if the U.S. Congress fails to approve military aid.

As Moscow intensified its attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure during the spring, the shortage of air defense systems in Ukrainian cities and villages is being felt more acutely.

https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-14/

#RussiaInvadedUkraine #RussianAggression #StandWithUkraine

Zelensky: Russia fires 10 times more shells, uses 300 aircraft in Ukraine only

Russia is firing shells at a ratio of around 10:1 to those of Ukraine and has 30 times more aircraft, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with PBS NewsHour published on April 16.

Rebuilding Kyiv Oblast power plant possible but 'futile' without air defense

The Trypillia Thermal Power Plant was completely destroyed in a Russian attack on Ukrainian energy infrastructure on April 11, leading to the total loss of #Centrenergo's generating capacity.

The Russian strike led to a large-scale fire in the turbine house of the plant. All of the plant's workers who were on the shift during the attack survived.

"We can restore everything," Hota said, but this will require the help of international partners, as equipment like turbines or transformers come from European countries.

"But without a sufficient number of missiles for anti-aircraft defense, it will, to put it mildly, be a futile affair," Hota added.

https://kyivindependent.com/trypillia-kyiv-oblast-rebuilding-futile/

#RussiaInvadedUkraine #RussianAggression #electricity #AirDefense #StandWithUkraine

Rebuilding Kyiv Oblast power plant possible but 'futile' without air defense, Centerenergo says

The Trypillia Thermal Power Plant in Kyiv Oblast can be restored with international help but this will be "futile" without more air defense, Andrii Hota, the chair of Ukraine's state energy company Centerenergo's supervisory board, told Voice of...

Russian soldiers kill 3 Ukrainian POWs

A video that purportedly shows Russian soldiers shooting three captured and unarmed Ukrainian servicemen in Kherson Oblast, the office announced on April 7.

The video was published on Russian Telegram channels on April 7, according to a statement by the Prosecutor General's Office released on Telegram.

Killing of POWs violates the Geneva Convention and constitutes a #WarCrime.

The description of the video states the incident took place near Krynky village in Kherson Oblast.

In the video, several shots are fired by a Russian Armed Forces member at the unarmed and unmoving Ukrainian servicemen, according to the Prosecutor General's Office's statement.

https://kyivindependent.com/prosecutor-generals-office-russian-soldiers-shoot-3-ukrainian-pows/

#RussianAggression #murder #RussiaInvadedUkraine #StandWithUkraine

Prosecutor General's Office: Russian soldiers kill 3 Ukrainian POWs

The Prosecutor General's Office has opened an investigation into a video that purportedly shows Russian soldiers shooting three captured and unarmed Ukrainian servicemen in Kherson Oblast, the office announced on April 7.

Ukrainian military intelligence denies involvement in drone explosion at #Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant

"The aggressor state once again endangers the nuclear facility," Yusov said. "Russian strikes, in particular false flag strikes, on the territory of the Ukrainian #nuclear power plant, as well as the deployment of troops and weapons there and mining of ZNPP facilities, have long been a well-known and constant criminal practice."

"Russia should withdraw troops from all #ZNPP facilities, only this will allow to restore compliance with all necessary international norms and control over an important nuclear energy facility."

https://kyivindependent.com/media-ukrainian-intelligence-denies-involvement-in-drone-explosion-at-zaporizhzhia-nuclear-power-plant/

#FalseFlag #RussianAggression #RussiaInvadedUkraine #StandWithUkraine

Media: Ukrainian military intelligence denies involvement in drone explosion at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant

"Ukraine is not involved in any armed provocations on the territory of the illegally occupied nuclear plant," the spokesperson Andrii Yusov said, adding that Russian false flag strikes were a frequent occurrence.

Oil pipeline blown up in Russia's Rostov Oblast

An oil pipeline near the Russian city of Azov, Rostov Oblast, that was funneling oil products to tankers in the Azov Sea Port was blown up overnight on April 6, Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) said.

"As a result of the explosion at the pipeline that used to funnel oil products to the local oil depot for tankers in the Azov Sea port... the loading of tankers with oil products has been suspended indefinitely," the agency said on Telegram.

https://kyivindependent.com/military-intelligence-oil-pipeline-in-russias-rostov-oblast-on-fire/

#RussiaInvadedUkraine #oil #pipeline #Azov #StandWithUkraine

Military intelligence: Oil pipeline blown up in Russia's Rostov Oblast

An oil pipeline near the Russian city of Azov, Rostov Oblast, that was funneling oil products to tankers in the Azov Sea Port was blown up overnight on April 6, Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) said.

Ukraine needs 25 Patriot air defense systems to cover the country

"I will not tell you how many #Patriot systems we have. I can say that to cover Ukraine completely in the future, it is preferable to have 25 Patriot systems, with 6-8 batteries each," Zelensky said.

"Ukraine knows for sure how much it needs to repel the #Russian Federation's attacks," he said.

https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-ukraine-needs-25-patriot-air-defense-systems-to-be-completely-covered/

#RussiaInvadedUkraine #RussianAggression #StandWithUkraine #AirDefense

Zelensky: Ukraine needs 25 Patriot air defense systems to cover the country

President Volodymyr Zelensky, in an interview for national television on April 6, called on international partners to provide Ukraine with modern air defense systems to defend against Russian attacks.

Russian use of prohibited chemical weapons has become 'systemic'

The tendency of Russian troops to use munition with prohibited chemicals grows and has become "systemic," the command of Ukraine's Support Forces reported on April 5.

Ukrainian forces recorded 371 cases of usage of munition containing prohibited chemicals over the past month, which is 90 cases more than during the previous one.

For such attacks, Russia primarily uses K-51 and RG-VO grenades, which are delivered via drones, according to the Support Forces.

https://kyivindependent.com/military-russian-troops-begin-to-use-munition-with-prohibited-chemicals-more-frequent/

#WarCrimes #RussianAggression #RussiaInvadedUkraine #StandWithUkraine #ChemicalWeapons #Russia

Military: Russian use of prohibited chemical weapons has become 'systemic'

Ukrainian forces recorded 371 cases of usage of munition containing prohibited chemicals over the past month, which is 90 cases more than during the previous one.

Czechia warns Russia is trying to sabotage railways in Europe

Russia is actively trying to sabotage European railways by hacking into their signaling systems, #Czech Transport Minister Martin Kupka said to the Financial Times (FT)

Russia has engaged in a variety of disruptive behavior toward Europe, often using its cyber capabilities to target civilian infrastructure.

Kupka said that Russia has made "thousands of attempts to weaken our (railway) systems" since the beginning of the full-scale war.

https://kyivindependent.com/ft-czechia-warns-russia-is-trying-to-sabotage-railways-in-europe/

#RussianAggression #RussiaIsATerroristState #Europe #railways #trains #StandWithUkraine

FT: Czechia warns Russia is trying to sabotage railways in Europe

Czech Transportation Minister Martin Kupka said that Russia has made "thousands of attempts to weaken our (railway) systems" since the beginning of the full-scale war.