Mendras, who has written several books on #Russia, said #Putin has managed to stay in power since 1999 — when he was appointed the Prime Minister of Russia by then-President #BorisYeltsin — using "more and more political violence," as well as conflict and wars. They include five wars in #Chechnya, #Georgia, #Donbas, #Syria, and #Ukraine

Putin needs to keep Russia in a 'permanent' state of war to stay in power, expert says
https://www.businessinsider.com/putin-paranoid-keep-russia-permanent-war-stay-in-power-2024-2

Not a China fan, but they're right on this point. Imo, you shouldn't even be on the UN Security council if you can't commit to this.
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#China and #India are currently the only two nuclear powers to formally maintain a no first use policy. #Russia and the #UnitedStates have the world's biggest nuclear arsenals. #NuclearWeapons #Ukraine

China urges largest nuclear states to negotiate a 'no-first-use' treaty
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/china-urges-largest-nuclear-states-to-negotiate-a-no-first-use-treaty/ar-BB1j0mqb?ocid=emmx-mmx-feeds&PC=EMMX01

#PeterKreko says that #Hungary has virtually no influence on #EuropeanPolicy anymore. "It is important to see that Hungarian obstructionism is not shaping Euro-Atlantic answers to major political questions, but at best delays them or waters them down a little. " #Ukraine #EU

How Hungary's delay tactics regarding #Sweden's #NATO bid have isolated the country politically
https://www.dw.com/en/how-hungary-s-delay-tactics-regarding-sweden-s-nato-bid-have-isolated-the-country-politically/a-68389844?maca=en-vam_tcs_volltext_dwcom-32885-xml-media

Close ally of Russian opposition leader said his team were pressured into holding a closed remembrance service without the public. #Russia #Ukraine

#AlexeiNavalny’s funeral to be held on Friday in #Moscow
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/28/alexei-navalny-funeral-to-be-held-on-friday-in-moscow

Back toot: https://noc.social/@Norobiik/111997771673033768

"To have a #Russia without #Putin, we need to stop him together. We all build the future, every day. The people of Russia don’t demand that people in the west sacrifice their lives as #Navalny did; we ask that you save the lives of the people who are left." #AlexeiNavalny #Ukraine

Never believe Putin is unstoppable – after Navalny, this is how a new global opposition can bring him down | #MashaAlekhina, #PussyRiot

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/feb/28/russia-alexei-navalny-putin-pussy-riot

Back toot: https://noc.social/@Norobiik/112008856626200956

For both #Finland and #Sweden, membership is the end of a long 30-year process of what Dalsjo called "our long goodbye to #neutrality.” First came the collapse of the #SovietUnion and the decision to join the #EuropeanUnion, which meant dropping neutrality for what both countries called "military nonalignment.” #Russia #Ukraine

The #NATO welcoming Sweden is larger and more determined
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/26/world/europe/nato-sweden-determined-fighting-back.html

#Beijing has maintained silence on the leaked Russian military documents revealing the #Kremlin's plan to use a tactical #NuclearWeapon against #China during a conflict-like scenario.

Notably, these plans reveal #Moscow's deep-seated suspicions toward China, a nation with which #Russia has ostensibly been building a closer alliance since the early 2000s. #Ukraine

Beijing Silent Over Russia's Reported War-Gaming of China Invasion
https://www.newsweek.com/china-russia-wargaming-invasion-reported-leak-nuclear-1874555

"The #Conservatives and #SocialDemocrats who have alternated in government over the past four decades blame each other. But in fact, there has been a mostly bipartisan consensus about selling off public assets, while eagerly inviting Chinese businesses to invest in factories and critical infrastructure." #Russia #China #Ukraine

#Sweden is joining #Nato, but it’s hopelessly unprepared for war | Martin Gelin
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/mar/01/sweden-nato-unprepared-vulnerable-attack

#Russia’s secret services had been ordered to prevent #AlexeiNavalny’s funeral from turning into a #revolt.

#VladimirPutin is haunted by history -after all it was the farewell of Nobel-prize-winning physicist #AndreiSakharov in 1989, which helped bring down the #SovietUnion. #ukraine

#Putin ordered secret service to stop #Navalny's funeral turning into insurrection
https://metro.co.uk/2024/03/01/putin-ordered-secret-service-stop-navalnys-funeral-turning-insurrection-20382431/?ITO=msn

side toot : Navalny Funeral :https://noc.social/@Norobiik/112019801157492349

Russian aircraft appear to be carrying #GlideBombs more, almost certainly "to provide a greater stand-off distance to avoid further losses." But getting unpowered glide bombs to travel far enough from a distance requires lobbing from very, very high altitudes and speeds, making the Russian jets easier to spot & target. #Ukraine

#Russia's fear of putting its planes in danger may be the very thing getting them shot down, experts say
https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-tactic-protect-fighter-jets-helps-ukraine-shoot-them-expert-2024-2

In adherence to a policy enacted in September 2023, #Lithuania, along with its neighbors #Latvia and #Estonia, has prohibited the entry of automobiles bearing Russian plates. This move came as a result of a directive from the #EuropeanCommission. #EU #Russia #Ukraine

Deadline Set by Lithuania for Departure of Vehicles with Russian Registration
https://theubj.com/uae/world/33885/deadline-set-by-lithuania-for-departure-of-vehicles-with-russian-registration/

According to the new Prime Minister of #Slovakia, #RobertFico, he received a message from the Italian government regarding the withdrawal of the #AirDefenseSystem that was lent to Slovakia for a year - (it) will be withdrawn from because #Italy needs it elsewhere.

Earlier, #Fico had stated that Bratislava would not support providing military assistance to #Ukraine to counter Russian aggression. #Russia

https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/italy-decided-to-withdraw-its-air-defense-1709435486.html

Just a heads up, the #RussianTrolls are starting to appear in the #Ukraine hashtag timelines. Blocked two already since yesterday. Easy to spot since they echo the propaganda narratives from #Russia. "Nothing to fear from a (Russian) occupation:" & "an exhausted (and soon defeated) Ukraine" are telltale phrases.

Oh, and include "everything is going according to plan" 😜

Kyiv is bracing for a Kremlin-sponsored narrative that will seek to exploit doubts about the President Volodymyr #Zelenskiy standing in an effort to destabilize public trust, particularly among Ukrainian frontline troops.

Although he is backed by a large majority of Ukrainian citizens, polls show his standing softening. Last month’s dismissal of his popular top general, Valeriy #Zaluzhnyi, and setbacks on the frontline have prompted a slow erosion of trust. #Ukraine

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-03-03/ukraine-braced-for-russian-disinformation-attacks-on-zelenskiy

More than 20,000 soldiers from 14 countries will take part in the Norweigan-led #NordicResponse24 exercises in the northern regions of #Finland, #Norway and #Sweden, with the participation of Finland as a #Nato member for the first time.

#Russia-#Ukraine war live: newly enlarged Nato begins large-scale military drills in northern #Europe
https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2024/mar/04/russia-ukraine-war-live-nato-military-drills-northern-europe-zelenskiy-putin?page=with%3Ablock-65e584708f0848c0e204e0c4#block-65e584708f0848c0e204e0c4

The air base is located in the small town of #Kucova once known as "#StalinCity" when Soviet and Chinese-made MIGs were on standby for orders to scramble in the case of a war with the West that never arrived.

The likely targets then were #Austria, #Germany, #Italy and #Denmark, Rama said. #Ukraine

#Albania, wary of #Russia, reopens Soviet-era air base to #NATO
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/albania-wary-of-russia-reopens-soviet-era-air-base-to-nato/ar-BB1jiSuv?ocid=emmx-mmx-feeds&PC=EMMX01

Using #WebX for this top secret conference call was crazy 🤪
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An extraordinary leak of an online call involving #Germany’s air force chief and three subordinates emerged on Friday, in which they discussed whether it might be possible to persuade a reluctant chancellor to approve giving the long-range #TaurusMissile to #Ukraine

How significant is #Russia’s apparent interception of military talks on Ukraine?
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/mar/04/what-are-the-implications-of-russias-apparent-interception-of-military-talks-on-ukraine

Too expensive to deploy = useless tank
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The new #T14 is much more advanced and functional than Russia's arsenal of existing #tanks, but it is "too expensive" to be fielded in #Ukraine, #SergeyChemezov, director general of the defense conglomerate #Rostec, told the RIA state news agency. #Russia

https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-unlikely-using-best-tank-ukraine-too-costly-weapons-maker-2024-3#image=AA1mtPZE|3

T14 Armata: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-14_Armata

The European Defence Industrial Strategy (#EDIS) aims, over the long term, to give incentives to European #ArmsManufacturers to invest more, make their production more agile and -- for the first time -- to collectively catalogue what they have available. #US #Russia

#EU proposes vast defence boost, spurred by Russian war in #Ukraine
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/eu-proposes-vast-defence-boost-as-ukraine-war-drags-on/ar-BB1jmGzE?ocid=emmx-mmx-feeds&PC=EMMX01

You don't need a private army unless you think your side has a good chance of losing.
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Former U.S. Army Lt. Gen. #MarkHertling warned in March 2023 that #PrivateMilitaryGroups in #Russia would "contribute to chaos" should #Putin's government collapse. #Ukraine

Putin Allies Quietly Gathering Private Armies
https://www.newsweek.com/rotenberg-brothers-private-army-ukraine-russia-1875980

That's it - Sweden is officially in NATO 😁
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The remaining formalities, such as depositing accession documentation in Washington, are likely to be concluded swiftly. #Russia #Ukraine

#Hungary president signs #Sweden's #NATO membership ratification
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/hungary-president-signs-sweden-s-nato-membership-ratification/ar-BB1jn0oB?ocid=emmx-mmx-feeds&PC=EMMX01

The strength of the proposal is that seized assets would be deemed to have been returned to #Russia after the payment of #reparations. The proposal’s weakness is that it assumes Ukraine will win a military victory and a defeated #Moscow will be prepared to pay reparations for the damage it caused to #Ukraine.

Russia-Ukraine war live: Britain prepared to loan Ukraine all frozen Russian central bank assets in UK, says minister
https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2024/mar/06/russia-ukraine-war-live-emmanuel-macron-urges-ukraines-allies-not-to-be-cowards?page=with%3Ablock-65e838338f08bec6f4ed6e07#block-65e838338f08bec6f4ed6e07

International Atomic Energy Agency (#IAEA) head #RafaelGrossi said that he would discuss the #Zaporizhzhia #NuclearPlant with Russian President Vladimir #Putin on Wednesday, and that talks with other Russian authorities had been “tense". #Russia #Ukraine

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2024/mar/06/russia-ukraine-war-live-emmanuel-macron-urges-ukraines-allies-not-to-be-cowards?page=with:block-65e845b58f08bec6f4ed6e7a#block-65e845b58f08bec6f4ed6e7a

On March 11, in a significant event at #NATO headquarters in #Brussels, #Sweden’s national flag will be hoisted, signifying the country’s formal induction into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), as reported by Swedish broadcaster TV4 on March 6. #Russia #Ukraine

Sweden Will Raise Its Flag at NATO Headquarters, Cementing Membership
https://theubj.com/uae/world/38638/sweden-will-raise-its-flag-at-nato-headquarters-cementing-membership/

The business newspaper Kommersant reported that in the first two months of 2024, #CorporateBankruptcies had increased by more than a half compared with the same period last year—and experts predicted an increase in #insolvencies in future. Russian firms are facing #refinancing issues "as the effects of monetary tightening are starting to kick in." #Ukraine

#Russia Hit By Tsunami of #Bankruptcies
https://www.newsweek.com/russia-bankruptcies-economy-kommersant-1876806

The Central Bureau of Investigation(CBI) said it had found that trafficked Indian nationals were being trained in combat roles and deployed at front bases in #Russia-#Ukraine war zone "against their wishes, thus, putting their lives in grave danger".

#India busts 'major' network trafficking people to Russia
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-68499211?xtor=AL-72-%5Bpartner%5D-%5Bmicrosoft%5D-%5Bheadline%5D-%5Bnews%5D-%5Bbizdev%5D-%5Bisapi%5D

President Vladimir #Putin met with billionaire #RomanAbramovich to discuss swapping the late opposition activist #AlexeiNavalny for Russians jailed in the West just hours before he died in an Arctic prison last month, the investigative outlet Agentstvo reported Friday, citing four sources familiar with the matter. #Russia #Ukraine

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/putin-discussed-prisoner-swap-hours-before-navalny-s-death-agentstvo/ar-BB1jybyo?ocid=emmx-mmx-feeds&PC=EMMX01

The first flight was made by a Swedish #GulfstreamS102B reconnaissance aircraft. It flew over #Poland near the borders of the #Kaliningrad region and #Belarus. The aircraft is equipped with various equipment capable of intercepting and analyzing messages and other electronic signals. #Ukraine

Historic mission. Swedish planes fly near #Russia for first time since joining #NATO
https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/historic-mission-swedish-planes-fly-near-1710017775.html

Finally, that "white flag" comment was a disaster on the part of #PopeFrancis.
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Cardinal #PietroParolin, the# Vatican's secretary of state, says the Vatican was pressing for a ceasefire and 'first of all it should be the aggressors who stop firing'. #Russia #CatholicChurch

Vatican says Russian aggression must end to allow peace in #Ukraine
https://www.rappler.com/world/europe/vatican-says-russian-aggression-must-end-allow-peace-ukraine/

#Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 has shattered #Ukraine’s economy and finances, forcing it into a #SovereignDefault. This would be the first effort to formalize debt talks between private #bondholders and the country

Ukraine bondholders poised to form creditor group for $20-billion #DebtTalks, sources say
https://www.rappler.com/business/ukraine-bondholders-to-form-creditor-group-debt-talks/

WASHINGTON, DC, #USA – #G7 nations are prepared to respond with severe new penalties that could include a ban on #IranAir flights to #Europe if #Iran proceeds with the transfer of close-range ballistic missiles to #Russia, a senior US official said on Friday, March 15. #Ukraine

Iran Air could be banned from Europe if Tehran sends missiles to Russia, US warns
https://www.rappler.com/world/global-affairs/iran-air-ban-europe-tehran-sends-missiles-russia/

Driving cars registered in #Russia in #Finland is no longer possible without a special permit as from Saturday, 16 March. All Baltic countries have now banned the entry of cars with Russian number plates. #Ukraine

Finland stops allowing cars with Russian number plates
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/03/16/7446754/

Ahead of a concert in #Vilnius on Thursday, band members met with exiled Belarusian opposition leader #SvetlanaTikhanovskaya and supporters of late Kremlin critic #AlexeiNavalny who died in an Arctic prison last month.

The band was held in #Phuket, #Thailand in January on #ImmigrationCharges in a case that has alarmed anti-#Putin Russians living abroad. #BI2 #Russia #Ukraine

Dissident Russian band returns to stage after Thai detention
https://www.yahoo.com/news/dissident-russian-band-returns-stage-021936729.html

#Russia recognised #SouthOssetia and another breakaway region, #Abkhazia, as independent states in 2008 after Russian troops repelled a Georgian attempt to retake South Ossetia in a five-day war in 2008.

But the West accused Russia of effectively annexing Abkhazia and South Ossetia, one fifth of #Georgia's territory. #Ukraine

Breakaway Georgian region is discussing becoming part of Russia, says local official
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/breakaway-georgian-region-is-discussing-becoming-part-of-russia-says-local-official/ar-BB1k29rO?ocid=emmx-mmx-feeds&PC=EMMX01

People also wrote '#Navalny' on their ballots & took it to his grave.
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Long queues formed at several polling stations in Moscow and other Russian cities as people took up a call from #AlexeiNavalny’s widow to head to the polls at noon on Sunday in a symbolic show of dissent against Vladimir #Putin’s all but certain re-election as president. #Ukraine

Russians form long queues at polling stations in ‘#NoonAgainstPutin’ protest | #Russia
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/mar/17/russians-urged-to-disrupt-final-day-of-vladimir-putins-presidentia

The experiences from conflicts like those in #Ukraine and the #Gaza Strip have impacted the utility of #CombatHelicopters. Their future role , particularly in reconnaissance, must evolve, incorporating #drones as forward observers or for marking targets, enhancing their survival odds.

#US Army halts $20 billion #helicopter revamp, pivots to unmanned tech
https://essanews.com/u-s-army-halts-20-billion-helicopter-revamp-pivots-to-unmanned-tech,7006874823862401a

The #Kremlin has relocated some of its #BlackSea assets from #Crimea to its #Novorossiysk base in Russia's #Krasnodar region, further from #Ukraine's coastline. Moscow is also thought to be establishing another base in #Abkhazia, a breakaway region internationally recognized as part of #Georgia.

#Russia Vows Major Response to #BlackSea Naval Defeats
https://www.newsweek.com/russia-naval-drones-upgrade-black-sea-fleet-crimea-sergei-shoigu-1880055

The colors of the Ukrainian flag can be seen all around #Vilnius. The capital changed the name of the street where the #RussianEmbassy is located to #HeroesOfUkraine Street. "Putin, #TheHague is waiting for you," is written across the top of a building. #Lithuania #Ukraine

Where Russians go after speaking out against Vladimir #Putin
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/russian-dissidents-speaking-out-from-vilnius-lithuania-60-minutes/

More than a dozen #EuropeanCouncil members have said that the #EU must increase its #security and defensive capabilities in the face of #Russia’s full scale invasion of #Ukraine.

The signatories also say that the #EuropeanInvestmentBank (EIB), which functions as a lending arm to the EU, needs to be empowered to invest in #DefenceRelated initiatives beyond existing dual-use projects.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2024/mar/18/russia-ukraine-war-live-west-criticises-putins-election-win-as-another-breach-of-international-law?page=with%3Ablock-65f80ad08f08066f08f9cd11#block-65f80ad08f08066f08f9cd11

When the #US and #Europe tried to sever #Russia from the Western financial system, #Moscow found workarounds. Key among them: banks in the #Gulf and #Europe that maintained ties with Russia.

Now, Washington’s efforts to close these loopholes appear to be paying off. #Ukraine

Russia’s #Backdoor to the #GlobalBankingSystem Is Slamming Shut
https://www.wsj.com/finance/banking/russias-backdoor-to-the-global-banking-system-is-slamming-shut-49bf5c53?mod=RSSMSN