#UK #DavidCameron #Ukraine

European ex-PMs who went on to become foreign secretary welcome Cameron to their ranks
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2023/nov/13/suella-braverman-rishi-sunak-cabinet-reshuffle-conservatives-uk-politics-latest?page=with:block-65521a878f08e250e1dfc13b#block-65521a878f08e250e1dfc13b

#XiJinping and #Biden expected to discuss #UkraineWar at #Apec meeting; #Germany says aid to #Ukraine will be ‘massively expanded’ in 2024

#RussiaUkraineWar at a glance: what we know on day 629 | Ukraine | The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/nov/14/russia-ukraine-war-at-a-glance-what-we-know-on-day-629

With built-in radar and twin 35mm autocannons, the Gepard is the ideal mobile antidrone defense system. #DroneWar #Jordan

#US Secures 60 #Gepard Anti-Aircraft Systems for #Ukraine in $118 Million Deal - Militarnyi
https://mil.in.ua/en/news/u-s-secures-60-gepard-anti-aircraft-systems-for-ukraine-in-118-million-deal/U.S.

Ms Politkovskaya, an investigative reporter and vocal critic of #Russia's war in #Chechnya, was shot in a lift in her block of flats.

Her reporting for #NovayaGazeta newspaper won international renown for her dogged investigation of Russian abuses in Chechnya.

#AnnaPolitkovskaya: Russian convicted of journalist murder gets pardon fighting in #Ukraine - BBC News
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-67414517?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA&utm_source=press.coop

image source: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Politkovskaya

One of the world’s biggest accountancy firms helped #Russia’s “richest” #oligarch attempt to transfer £1bn in a public company on the day he was placed under #EUSanctions, leaked documents suggest. The disclosure raises serious questions about the role played by #PwC #Cyprus in a potential #SanctionsBreach.

#PriceWaterhouseCooper #Ukraine #UkraineWar #CyprusConfidential

PwC Cyprus moved £1bn for Russian tycoon on day he was put under sanctions | Business | The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/nov/14/pwc-cyprus-russian-tycoons-ukraine-invasion-sanctions

The role of the blue-chip accountants #PwC Cyprus and other advisers in managing transactions as Vladimir #Putin’s forces launched their assault has emerged from #CyprusConfidential, a cache of 3.6m files leaked by an anonymous source to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (#ICIJ) and Germany’s Paper Trail Media. #Russia #UkraineWar

#Cyprus to clamp down as investigation reveals oligarchs moved assets after #Ukraine invasion
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/nov/14/cyprus-to-clamp-down-as-investigation-reveals-oligarchs-moved-assets-after-ukraine-invasion

The documents, and Seipel’s response, suggest the payments were for his work on a 2015 biography called #Putin: Inner Views of Power and a 2021 title, Putin’s Power: Why #Europe Needs #Russia, both originally written in German.

Seipel does not appear to have disclosed the payments to his publisher.

#CyprusConfidential #Ukraine

Top German journalist received €600,000 from Putin ally, leak reveals | #Germany
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/nov/14/german-journalist-putin-hubert-seipel

The war in #Ukraine has backfired on #Russia in almost every conceivable way, from kickstarting #NATO expansion to affirming the Ukrainian national consciousness. If #Putin truly believes the future masters of #AI will be masters of the universe, the war’s closing of Russia’s narrow window to catch up in the field may be the most devastating consequence of all.

Putin Wants Russia to Win the #ArtificialIntelligence Race. Here’s Why it Won’t - The Moscow Times
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2023/11/14/putin-wants-russia-to-win-the-artificial-intelligence-race-heres-why-it-wont-a83103

It's also possible Russia doesn't have enough border guards anymore because of the war in #Ukraine.
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Russian border guards usually stop people without valid #EU visas from crossing into #Finland. But on Wednesday #Niinistö said he believed #Russia had started guiding asylum seekers towards Finnish crossing points in retaliation for #Helsinki’s plans to sign a defence cooperation agreement with #Washington.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/nov/16/finland-russia-border-asylum-seekers-us-defence-agreement-sauli-niinisto

Here are the latest developments:

#Ukraine says its forces have gained a foothold on the eastern bank of the #DniproRiver - potentially allowing it to transfer vital equipment across the river
#Russia has been focusing its efforts on eastern Ukraine with fighting continuing around #Bakhmut and near #Donetsk

Ukraine in maps: Tracking the war with Russia - BBC News
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60506682

Here's to hoping Kherson will have a bombardment free Christmas this year 🕊️
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The Ukrainian armed forces have said they have carried out “successful actions” on the east bank of the #DniproRiver.

The river has been the de facto front line in southern #Ukraine since Russian forces withdrew from the #Kherson region last November.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2023/nov/17/russia-ukraine-war-live-thousands-of-ukrainian-children-taken-to-belarus-yale-research-shows?page=with:block-655725788f08945e7e4d0eec#block-655725788f08945e7e4d0eec

#Girkin, who is also known by the alias #IgorStrelkov, has repeatedly said #Russia faces revolution and even civil war unless Vladimir #Putin’s military leadership fights the war in #Ukraine more effectively.

Pro-war Russian nationalist Igor Girkin says he wants to run for president
https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2023/nov/19/russia-ukraine-war-live-wave-of-drone-attacks-on-kyiv-for-second-night?page=with:block-6559dd648f08ee81dbe5b004#block-6559dd648f08ee81dbe5b004

...cheerfully assisted by the Russian army who sells them bicycles and tells them where to go. Finland will have to seal it's Russia border soon. #Ukraine #NATO

Asylum seekers biking into #Finland from #Russia
https://euobserver.com/world/157712?utm_source=euobs&utm_medium=rss

Back toot: https://noc.social/@Norobiik/111419597767722508

#Finland #NATO #Ukraine

Finnish prime minister Petteri Orpo spoke to reporters at a border post in #Kuhmo today, amid concerns about the arrival of asylum seekers via #Russia.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2023/nov/20/europe-far-right-victory-argentina-javier-milei-live?page=with:block-655b7cb28f086b1ccf455522#block-655b7cb28f086b1ccf455522

Back toot: https://noc.social/@Norobiik/111443660122582098

#HELSINKI (Reuters) - Dozens of #migrants stood behind barriers at two crossings on #Finland's border with #Russia on Saturday, the Finnish Border Guard said, after Helsinki erected barricades to halt a flow of asylum seekers it says was instigated by #Moscow. #Russia #Ukraine #NATO

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/dozens-of-migrants-wait-at-finland-russia-border-after-helsinki-blocks-crossings/ar-AA1kbE7Y

Back toot: https://noc.social/@Norobiik/111443825302820606

Unlike other instances where #Congress tends to quickly approve urgently needed aid, lawmakers in both parties are now openly questioning whether an emergency package for #Israel and #Ukraine can get done at all. #US

Fears grow in Congress over Ukraine and Israel aid amid dispute over #immigration and spending cuts | CNN Politics
https://edition.cnn.com/2023/11/21/politics/congress-israel-ukraine-aid-border/index.html

Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said on Wednesday that as of the end of Friday, only its northernmost border crossing with #Russia, Raja-Jooseppi, will remain open.

#RajaJooseppi is the northernmost [border crossing], and it requires a real effort to get there,” Orpo said at a press conference. #NATO #Ukraine

#Finland to close all but one of its border crossings with Russia | Migration News | Al Jazeera
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/22/finland-to-close-all-but-one-of-its-border-crossings-with-russia

Back toot: https://noc.social/@Norobiik/111443951201296203

#EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said this week that the challenges on #Finland’s border gave her a feeling of “deja vu,” two years after #Belarus began driving migrants into #Latvia, #Lithuania and #Poland in what European officials said was an attempt to destabilize the 27-nation bloc. #NATO #Ukraine

EU sends border police reinforcements to Finland over fears that #Russia is behind a migrant influx
https://apnews.com/article/finland-russia-border-frontex-guards-2fc202b3a900d6887e0152b235a0a00d

Back toot: https://noc.social/@Norobiik/111457377248881157

The Nordic country has already taken decisions to close seven stations, leaving open only the northernmost remote border point, #RajaJooseppi in #Lapland. #NATO #Ukraine

#Finland Warns Border to Be Sealed If #Russia Keeps Up Pressure
https://news.yahoo.com/finland-warns-border-sealed-russia-195403617.html

Back toot: https://noc.social/@Norobiik/111460303721326446

The many weaknesses in the Russian economy nonetheless remain apparent. #GDP has not grown above pre-2014 levels because of Western financial sanctions and its odious #kleptocracy. It is not very stable. The exchange rate of the #ruble jumps like a yo-yo. The underlying reason for this is massive #CapitalFlight, #Russia’s exclusion from international financial markets, and its limited liquid reserves. #Ukraine #UkraineWar

Why the Russian #Economy’s Luck is Running Out
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2023/11/21/why-the-russian-economys-luck-is-running-out-a83165

Russian authorities will transport 55 asylum seekers who were waiting to cross the now-closed #Salla border crossing with #Finland to the last open crossing in the north of the #Murmansk region, its governor announced Friday. #RajaJooseppi #NATO #Ukraine

#Russia to Transport Dozens of Migrants to Last Open Finnish Border Checkpoint - The Moscow Times
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2023/11/24/russia-to-transport-dozens-of-migrants-to-last-open-finnish-border-checkpoint-a83217

Back toot: https://noc.social/@Norobiik/111462916546422183

Additional concrete barriers were placed on the bridge connecting #Estonia and #Russia on Friday evening as preparations continue for a possible future closure of the border. #Ukraine #Finland

PPA puts more barriers on Estonian-Russian border | News | ERR
https://news.err.ee/1609175470/ppa-puts-more-barriers-on-estonian-russian-border

Back toot: https://noc.social/@Norobiik/111468633693651384

The attack, which used Iranian-designed #Shahed kamikaze drones, reportedly began hitting different districts of #Kyiv in the early hours of Saturday, with more waves coming as the sun rose. The air raid warning lasted for six hours.

Air force chief Mykola Oleschuk said 71 of the 75 drones launched at #Ukraine had been downed.

More than 70 Russian drones hit Kyiv, wounding five: Ukrainian officials | #Russia-#UkraineWar News | Al Jazeera
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/25/more-than-70-russian-drones-hit-kyiv-wounding-five-ukrainian-officials

Finnish prime minister Petteri Orpo has announced that the last remaining open border crossing with #Russia will be closed this week.

#Finland has accused Russia over the past days of orchestrating the arrival of people from third countries at its border. #RajaJooseppi #Ukraine #NATO

Finnish border with Russia to be closed for two weeks, prime minister announces
https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2023/nov/28/geert-wilders-netherlands-government-nato-migration-europe-latest-news?page=with:block-6565f7c58f0892870f38a65b#block-6565f7c58f0892870f38a65b

Back toot: https://noc.social/@Norobiik/111468671695572044

The tense situation on the border has developed rapidly in the last two weeks, with #Finland accusing #Russia of driving #AsylumSeekers to its border as an act of revenge for its cooperation with the #US. Relations between the two countries have worsened in recent months, particularly since Finland became a member of #Nato in April. #RajaJooseppi

Finland closes entire border with Russia after tensions over asylum seekers
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/nov/28/finland-closes-entire-border-with-russia-after-tensions-over-asylum-seekers

Back toot: https://noc.social/@Norobiik/111488923333191754

In recent weeks, there’s been a surge in #MiddleEastern and #African migrants trying to enter #Finland from #Russia. Finnish officials have accused #Moscow of orchestrating an artificial influx of asylum seekers at the border as retaliation for Finland’s accession to #NATO, a view which the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry has called “very strange.” #Ukraine

Weaponized migration
https://meduza.io/en/feature/2023/11/28/weaponized-migration

Back toot: https://noc.social/@Norobiik/111490114954400164

Ukrainian government cyber snoops claim they've infiltrated the computer systems of #Russia's federal air transport agency #Rosaviatsiya, and stolen data that shows the invading nation’s civil aviation sector is on the "verge of collapse." #UkraineWar

#Ukraine claims Russia's planes in peril as #sanctions bite | #Aviation | The Register
https://www.theregister.com/2023/11/28/ukraine_claims_hackandleak_shows_russian/?td=rt-3a

For months, #Turkey and #Hungary have delayed ratification of #Sweden’s #Nato membership, fuelling frustration within the military alliance. #Ukraine

Turkey told Sweden it expects Nato bid ratification 'within weeks', Swedish minister says
https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2023/nov/29/sweden-nato-turkey-ratification-membership-europe-latest-updates?page=with:block-6566f0ad8f0892870f38af6d#block-6566f0ad8f0892870f38af6d

#Ukraine has hailed the return of #ScythianGold treasures as a “symbolic and historic” victory over #Russia, which had laid claim to the artefacts in a decade-long struggle over ownership.

On Tuesday the collection was shown off in #Kyiv. They are among 1,000 items lent in 2013 by four museums in #Crimea for an exhibition in the #Netherlands.

‘Part of our history’: Ukraine hails return of Scythian gold treasures
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/nov/28/part-of-our-history-ukraine-hails-return-of-scythian-gold-treasures

Vesa Arffman, the head of Ivalo border guard station, also in #Lapland, says the past few weeks have been “hectic”, preparing for #AsylumSeeker arrivals and the recent increase in numbers.

“For me personally, I would hope that it was a once in a lifetime experience,” Arffman said. #RajaJooseppi #NATO #Ukraine

‘This may be just the beginning’: the guards at #Finland’s closed Russian border
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/nov/30/this-may-be-just-the-beginning-the-guards-at-finlands-closed-russian-border

Back toot: https://noc.social/@Norobiik/111491541492258836

#Ukraine #Russia

A must read thread by @ChrisO_wiki

https://mastodon.social/@ChrisO_wiki/111504449412381318

The Institute for the Study of War said: "The #Kremlin is likely concerned about how changing Russian perceptions of the Russian war in #Ukraine will affect the outcome of the March 2024 Russian presidential election and is implementing measures to ensure that Russian President Vladimir #Putin's actual electoral support does not rest on Russian battlefield successes."

Vladimir Putin on the brink as Russian support for #UkraineWar collapses
https://the-express.com/news/world-news/120162/vladimir-putin-russia-ukraine-war-support-poll-120162

A freight train was targeted with four explosions as it traveled through the #Severnomuysky tunnel in #Russia's far east, on the #BaikalAmur line running to the border with #China.

The attack did not end there, as #Ukraine's #SBU anticipated that traffic would be redirected following the attack and struck again as a train passed over a bridge as part of the alternative route, say reports.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ukraine-predicted-where-russia-would-reroute-trains-after-it-blasted-the-railroad-connecting-russia-and-china-and-then-attacked-again-report-says

The invasion of #Ukraine has brought about an exodus of tech talent, a budget crunch that strangles investment, sanctions that deny #Russia the chips needed for the immense computing requirements of #AI and political/scientific isolation. All these limit Russia to become a (very) junior partner of #China in the field of #GenerativeAI

Russia-China Alliance Would Build Artificial Intelligence For Dictators - The Moscow Times
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2023/12/02/russia-china-alliance-would-build-artificial-intelligence-for-dictators-a83299

“I want to be clear: without congressional action, by the end of the year we will run out of resources to procure more weapons and equipment for Ukraine and to provide equipment from US military stocks,” Shalanda Young, director of the office of management and budget, wrote in the letter, parts of which were published by the Hill.

#White House warns it is ‘out of money and nearly out of time’ to aid #Ukraine | #USCongress | The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/dec/04/white-house-ukraine-military-aid-warning

The polling, of six #EU member states for the European Council on Foreign Relations (#ECFR), found considerable support for the candidacies of #Ukraine and, to a lesser extent, #Moldova and @Montenegro, but also deep economic and security concerns.

Europeans open to Ukraine joining EU, survey shows before key summit | #EuropeanUnion | The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/dec/12/europeans-open-to-ukraine-joining-eu-survey-shows-before-key-summit