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Europe

How Vucic's Will Was Tested and Will Belgrade Resist a Color Revolution

2025-06-30

Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.

Text taken from a news article posted in vfokuse.mail.ru
Why was the holiday of June 28 chosen to launch the color revolution in Belgrade

Taking advantage of the fact that the events surrounding the short-lived Iran-Israel war distracted the world community's attention from Belgrade and the torcida

…the internet says that’s a formal association of soccer fans. I had no idea there was such a thing…

unleashed against the country's leader Aleksandar Vucic, the anti-government forces in Serbia came into motion. The "assembly point" of the new architecture of the coup d'etat was the national Serbian holiday Vidovdan - the day of remembrance of all the holy martyrs of Serbia and the day of remembrance of the Battle of Kosovo.

On this day, all of Serbia comes into motion; the masses are seized by festive excitement, people are possessed by emotions that can easily be turned both in a positive and negative direction (directed against the current government and its specific representatives). Emotions "warm up" the masses, creating a basis for any revolutionary and especially pseudo-revolutionary actions.

In this regard, the holiday works in the same way as elections. The election issue wedged itself into the emotional upsurge of the Serbs along with the color revolution activists who appeared on the streets: the activists who emerged from the crowd of Serbs celebrating the holiday began to demand that the authorities set a date for early parliamentary elections and dismantle the tent camp of Vucic's supporters near the parliament building. Thus, the day of remembrance and sorrow became politicized. The hidden rebellion once again gave its "metastasis".

The organizers of the rebellion announced that the ultimatum expires at 21:00 local time (22:00 Moscow time), after which, if the demands are ignored, they will be ready to resort to measures of "civil disobedience" (that is, violence in the form of mass riots). Vucic himself confirmed this, stating that violence will happen: "they can no longer refuse it... But we are ready."

This showed that Vucic, unlike Yanukovych and Assad, is ready to fight for power and will not hesitate to use counter-violence (like Alexander Lukashenko in 2020).

Vucic also appealed to the protest organizers not to disturb public order: “In the evening, you will see angry people who will eventually resort to violence because they have no other choice. I again ask them in a fatherly way not to do this. It is always better to retreat than to do something stupid that you will regret for the rest of your life. I have absolutely no doubt about the final result. I just want people to be saved, especially the youth.” In the practice of information operations, this technique is known and is called “Information vaccination.” Vucic used it wisely.

But will this save the "father of Serbian democracy"? I doubt it very much. Color revolutions are not a joke, they are an extremely dangerous tool for dismantling power, and student protests on the streets of Belgrade are just the tip of the iceberg. The enemies of Serbia and Vucic are active, they act quickly and have full operational initiative, imposing their "flash mobs" on the authorities at the time and place that are beneficial to them. Imposing their rules of the game on the current authorities. And even mocking them, throwing a huge number of round badges with images of flowers and the inscription "color revolution" for some reason in Russian on the markets of Belgrade.

Vucic behaves passively. This is either infantilism mixed with the same childish naivety and irrational belief in miracles. Or the hope that at the very last moment he will still be saved - perhaps by those who prompted him to create his own public movement in support of himself, his beloved - a kind of "People's Vucic Front", and, at the same time, to pitch a tent camp of his supporters on the central square - so that no one else could pitch their tents there: the place is already occupied. But the "good people" may not make it in time this time. Because they themselves are not working for the result, but for the sake of "checking the box".

A TOOL FOR ORGANIZING COUPS D'ETAT
Modern color revolutions are technologies for organizing coups d'etat, passed off by their organizers as a "spontaneous uprising of the masses" directed against the current government. The driving force of a color revolution is a mass youth protest movement, organized by specially trained activists; the main instrument of pressure on the government is an aggressive "political" crowd formed on the "Maidan" (a permanent camp in the center of the capital's metropolis, also called the "island" (or territory) of "freedom"), into which new streams of protesters pour.

The main method of pressure on the government is blackmail, combined with the presentation of increasingly radical ultimatums. This model of a color revolution first took shape in Serbia, during the events of 2000, when the regime of Slobodan Milosevic was overthrown in Belgrade (the so-called bulldozer revolution). From that moment on, it was the "bulldozer revolution" that became the classic example and template for imitation - the organization of color revolutions in other countries. It is according to this scenario that events are developing in Serbia now, in the organization of the mass protest movement all the signs of a classic color revolution are clearly visible.

EVOLUTION OF COLOR REVOLUTION TECHNOLOGIES
In 2018, 2019 and 2020, the technologies of color revolutions underwent a change, or hybridization: their ideologists and organizers again began to give preference to faster, cruder and, at first glance, more effective tools of "hard power" - direct forceful coercion: thus, the end of the color revolution in Bolivia in 2019 was put by an ultimatum from the army command, which demanded that President Morales immediately leave his post.

In the same year, the United States attempted to overthrow the Maduro regime in Venezuela, amid mass protests, almost agreeing on the "neutralization" of Maduro with some people from his inner circle; in 2020, the United States made the same attempt when organizing a color revolution in Belarus (the physical elimination of Lukashenko was also planned there, and mass protests and riots served as a factor distracting the attention of the Belarusian leadership from the actions of the "conspirators" from President Lukashenko's inner circle); In Kazakhstan in 2022, the color revolution immediately transitioned into an armed rebellion. In principle, such a threat can also await Serbia in 2025: mass protests, transforming into mass riots, can pave the way for crime and radical nationalists, who will become the driving force of a classic armed rebellion.

But the most dangerous thing about the hybrid color revolution that unfolded in Belarus in 2020 was that Minsk became the "assembly point" for the organizers of color revolutions of the so-called best practices (for the most dangerous methods and technologies) of organizing color revolutions.

The general scheme for organizing a color revolution in Belarus is an exact copy of the Kiev Maidan of 2013-2014. (but without the Maidan itself, a permanent camp), the technologies of communication and coordination of protest groups are taken from Hong Kong 2019-2020, the technologies of conflict mobilization under a non-political agenda are borrowed from the Yerevan "electro-Maidan" of 2015.

The general scheme of the coup d'etat is an exact copy of the "Venezuelan precedent" - the technology of organizing a coup d'etat in Venezuela in 2019. There is little that is actually Belarusian in the Minsk protests: their own authentic symbols, the actual absence of a Maidan (which could be blocked, covered and dispersed) - it is now mobile, like a gypsy camp, and moves with crowds of protesters, and the widespread use of a new means of protest communication - Telegram channels.

This is being repeated in Serbia, where classic techniques of color revolutions are already being used - in particular, the "march on Rome" (when protests flare up on the outskirts, surround the capital with a "ring of fire" and this ring begins to quickly shrink as columns of protesters move from the outskirts to the center of the country, absorbing more and more crowds of people dissatisfied with the current government).

In recent times, we have seen many Western specialists in organizing color revolutions in action, and in various corners of the globe: they were underfoot in the Sahel, extremely keenly interested in how, on the basis of our methodology for training information special forces (the “Information and Hybrid Wars” program of the APN) and the experience of our leading practitioners of the Alter Academy of Political Sciences, the countries of the Sahel Defense Alliance are preparing the best information operations specialists on the African continent from ordinary peasants (especially when these specialists began to operate in the combat formations of operational-combat groups of classic special forces, making them “hybrid”).

We saw them in Tehran and some other places, where they, having been “left to settle”, slowly and painfully “woke up” in the expectation that they would now be given the go-ahead (after air strikes) to strike the Iranian regime from within (their meeting with us did not pass without a trace for them). We saw across the Strait (and even closer) how the same CIA "specialists" are preparing Taiwan to become "Anti-China" - and according to the same patterns by which the "Collective West" made Ukraine "Anti-Russia" in 20 years. They are not children. And they should be treated accordingly.

VUCIC'S REACTION
The current protests began to spoil Vucic's blood not yesterday and not "six months ago" (as you can hear from the lips of some talking heads): attempts to undermine the government began more than two years ago. In December 2023, the same thing happened as in November-December 2024 - it is somehow not customary to talk about this. That is, Vucic has been tested for strength by various forms of "student", "patriotic" and "anti-corruption" protests for a long time. And for most of this time, the government behaved passively.

The first signs of active actions began suddenly and at the very moment when Vucic, unexpectedly for everyone, officially accused the West of preparing a "color revolution" and announced the creation of a nationwide movement called "For the People and the State". At a rally organized on April 15, 2025 by supporters of the government in front of the parliament building in Belgrade, a triumphant Vucic declared: "The color revolution is over. They can walk around as much as they want, but nothing will come of it," Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told crowds of his supporters organized in support of the government.

The demonstration, organized under the slogan "We will not give up Serbia", began on Friday and lasted until Sunday. At the rally, everyone was invited to join the new movement. A 200-meter Serbian flag was unfurled near the parliament and ceremoniously carried through the streets of the city. Thousands of people from various Serbian cities, as well as Montenegro and the Republic of Srpska, came to the demonstration.

The "delegates" from Kosovo and Metohija arrived - allegedly "on foot" having slipped through the cordons of Albanian nationalists. Their speech was especially vivid and carried a colossal emotional charge. Then the "protesters in support of Vucic", in the best traditions of their ideological opponents and antagonists, occupied the main square and pitched their "Maidan" there - a permanent camp, occupying the entire city space so that future Maidanites would have nowhere to even spread a blanket.

Vucic demanded that the authorities "restore order" (probably forgetting at the moment that he himself is the authority), and also declared that it was necessary to find the "instigators of unrest" and not let them "paralyze the life of the country." And he calmed down on that. As the events of the last few days have shown - very much in vain. In general, the advice dictated to Vučić by the imported specialists who came to help was correct, although noticeably outdated: in the 2000s and even in the 2010s, it would have partially solved the problem, temporarily disrupting the rebels' plans. But not now.

In the years since the mutiny in Belarus in 2020, everyone has become smarter (the opponents first and foremost), except for the so-called Russian political strategists (or, more precisely, the people who consider themselves to be them). They just want to put on a show, and then let the grass not grow. How could they not have thought of organizing a bicycle-auto-motorcycle-bike rally in Serbia, under the slogan "Vučić's bees - against the honey of color revolutions." Like in "Radio Day." In the end, Vucic was not protected by his “Poles”: the movement in defense of the president with a new round of aggressive protests has disappeared somewhere, the tent camp of supporters is silent, the aggressive crowd has to be dispersed by means of extreme forms of “persuasion” - tear gas and flash-bang grenades. The question is, what were they fighting for?

In these conditions, Vucic is required to be constantly active: he is now like an elderly wrestler in the ring, at whom everyone is throwing themselves “from around the corner”. But instead, he did his number and left. Color revolutions today do not forgive such things.

CONCLUSION
The events in Serbia that have been taking place over the past two years (2024 and 2025) completely fit the description of modern color revolutions - technologies for organizing coups d'état, disguised as mass protests of citizens. If the government does not fight for itself and the preservation of the country, these technologies will inevitably lead to its overthrow.

Only well-trained specialists who have the trust of the country's leadership and broad powers can organize an effective fight against the organizers and executors of the color revolution, but it is unlikely that they exist in Serbia today.

(c) Andrey Manoylo

More from regnum.ru
48 police officers injured in Belgrade riots

As a result of the riots at the demonstrations in Belgrade, 48 police officers and 22 protesters were injured. This was reported on June 29 by the head of the Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs Dragan Vasiljevic.

He specified that more than 20 people sought medical help after the night protests. Two of the victims received serious injuries.

In total, the police detained 77 participants in the protest, 38 of whom were arrested.

As reported by the Regnum news agency, mass protests by students and the opposition began in the Serbian capital on the evening of June 28. Their participants took to the streets demanding that the country's parliament be dissolved and a date for early elections be set. At some point, clashes between protesters and the police began. The protesters began throwing cans, firecrackers and other objects at the security forces, and the law enforcement officers had to use force.

As the head of the Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ivica Dacic, emphasized, those who attacked law enforcement officers during the protests in Belgrade will be identified, detained and brought to justice.

Link

China-Japan-Koreas

Is Chinese President Xi Jinping on his way out?

2025-06-29

[NY Post] Over the past few months, unprecedented developments point to the potential, and potentially imminent, fall of China’s "Chairman of Everything" Xi Jinping. Chinese Communist Party elders — including Hu Jintao, Xi’s immediate predecessor, whom Xi humiliated at the 20th Party Congress in 2022 — are now running things behind the scenes.

Xi is in poor health and likely to retire at the CCP Plenary Session this August or take a purely ceremonial position.

Xi’s downfall has been rumored before. But never have we seen the recent purges (and mysterious deaths) of dozens of People’s Liberation Army generals loyal to Xi; all replaced by non-Xi loyalists.

Zhang Youxia, with whom Xi had a major falling out after helping Xi secure an unprecedented third five-year term, is now the de facto leader of the PLA.

Also, the "un-naming" of Xi’s father’s mausoleum last month was unprecedented. The mausoleum, which Xi has built to honor his late father, was larger than the mausoleums of either Mao’s or Deng’s.

Meanwhile, Xi’s personal protective detail has recently been halved. What world leader cuts his own security?

There was no explanation for Xi’s disappearance for almost two weeks in late May and early June while foreign dignitaries were hosted in Beijing by other CCP Leaders. Xi has also been conspicuously missing from the pages of the People’s Daily, the CCP organ that until recently ran fawning front-page stories on Xi daily.

Xi reappeared to host Belarus dictator/Russian puppet Alexander Lukashenko in early June. Xi looked tired, uninterested — even defeated.

The meeting location was a low-key family-style area of the CCP leaders’ compound (Zhongnanhai) in Beijing that had never before hosted a state visit. Stripped of the pomp and circumstance that used to accompany every Xi gathering, the entire entourage was a mere handful. None of Xi’s translators or senior aides were present.

Compare that to the state visits recently hosted by other CCP leaders; large, extravagant affairs in prestigious CCP conference halls. And following his recent call with President Trump, Chinese state media, including state TV, referred to Xi without any formal title at all. This has never happened before.

While this was later partially corrected, it is inconceivable that such a glaring oversight was an accident. Recently, professors at some of China’s most prestigious universities have published articles directly criticizing Xi, which was unthinkable previously.

These are just a few of many unusual signs from Beijing that signal major changes in the CCP power structure. Although not yet certain, it appears that Zhang Youxia and CCP elders have chosen Wang Yang, whom Deng Xiaoping lifted out of obscurity and who served as a successful technocrat until his forced retirement in 2023, to be the next CCP chairman.

He is known as a soft-spoken reformer who supports more free-market policies, more decentralized decision making, and a much less confrontational foreign policy.

Now is not a good time to be confrontational with Donald Trump in the White House, as Iran and its allies have learnt to their sorrow.

To paraphrase Churchill, China is a riddle wrapped in an enigma surrounded by a mystery. So no one can know anything with absolute certainty. But given the disastrous results of Xi’s one-man rule, his ouster would be no surprise.

With over $50 trillion in total debt (national, local and private sector debt is larger than the combined economies of the US and EU),

…to be fair, the debt is the result of stupid CCP ideas since the Clinton era….

well over 50 million unused (and mostly unusable) apartments due to government policy failures (enough for all of Germany), wealthy Chinese emigrating en masse with their assets and an unemployment rate in depression territory... it is not surprising that local riots, factory arsons and anti-government protests have flared all over China.

CCP elders understand China needs a new pragmatic leader to have any chance of escaping the disaster now unfolding.

Such a change will have huge positive implications for the US and our democratic allies if handled correctly. Trump can win the Cold War with China without firing a shot. But Russia, North Korea, and Iran could be devastated by this momentous change.

In fact, Iran’s rapid defeat by Israel and the US has underscored the weakness of Xi’s foreign policy. One CCP elder recently lamented China’s complete isolation on the world stage under Xi, except for a handful of countries that are "good for nothing."

Vladimir Putin, take note: You lost Syria last year, you are on the brink of losing Iran, and you may soon lose China. Excellent news for all democracies, and especially for Israel, America, and the brave people of Ukraine.

Xi Jinping once again proved the adage that "power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." May his replacement learn from the success of the global West (including Asia’s most successful countries) and lead his nation onto the oftentimes messy but ultimately rewarding path of free markets, free people, real democracy, and the rule of law.

Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong (before the CCP takeover), and the tens of millions of successful Chinese people outside China make it clear that this is the best, and indeed the only sustainable path forward for China.

Link

-Land of the Free

Trump's message to Putin and Xi: Largest US Air Force 'elephant walk' in modern history

2025-05-10

[Daily Mail, where America gets its news] The US Air Force rolled out dozens of top-line military aircraft in a pointed display of firepower at an airbase in Japan this week as Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping presided over Russia's Victory Day parade in Moscow.

It also came as Russia and China issued a joint statement condemning US President Donald Trump's plan to create a 'Golden Dome' missile defence system as 'deeply destabilising' and one that would risk 'turning space into a battlefield'.

A so-called 'elephant walk' took place at Kadena Air Force Base (AFB) on the island of Okinawa earlier this week, but images of the event emerged today - hours after Russia sent tanks, nuclear missiles and drones rolling through Red Square.

The procession in Okinawa showcased some of the most capable assets that American aviation has to offer.

Two dozen F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters and eight F-15E Strike Eagle multirole fighters took to the tarmac alongside a pair of Washington's coveted Patriot missile defence batteries.

The stunning selection of jets was accompanied by an RC-135 Rivet Joint signals intelligence aircraft, a Navy P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol, reconnaissance, and anti-submarine warfare aircraft, two Navy EA-18 Growler electronic warfare attack planes and three E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft.

The show of force was described by Chief Master Sgt. Brandon Wolfgang, the commander of 18th Wing stationed at Kadena AFB, as a 'message you can't ignore'.

A statement given by 18th Wing said the elephant walk was a 'testament to the lethality Kadena AB can leverage to deter adversarial aggression in the Indo-Pacific region'.

The impressive parade, which also saw six HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters and two MQ-9 Reaper drones on show alongside the aircraft, is said to be one of the largest ever conducted by USAF.

Following the elephant walk, Kadena AFB conducted three-day military drills this week, concluding today as Moscow hosted its own military procession as part of its celebrations to mark the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union's triumph over Nazi Germany in World War II.

More than 20 world leaders and Kremlin allies including China's Xi, Putin's right-hand man in Europe, Belarus' Alexander Lukashenko, and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva were in attendance at the Victory Day parade in Red Square.

Putin shared a warm handshake and posed for photos with Xi this morning, dispelling any illusion that efforts by US President Donald Trump to drive a wedge between the Eastern powers had succeeded.

The Russian and Chinese leaders nestled side-by-side to watch the parade in a show of unity after they issued a statement yesterday saying Trump's move to create a 'Golden Dome' missile defence system would be 'deeply destabilising' and would risk turning space into a 'battlefield'.

Putin and his guests, including several high-ranking North Korean military officials, watched on as hordes of soldiers goose-stepped to old marching songs and roared to their commanders before Russia's top brass.

They were followed by a huge procession of Russian military technology that saw dozens of tanks, S400 Triumf air defence missile systems and the gargantuan Yars intercontinental ballistic missiles roll past the Mausoleum of Vladimir Lenin.

As the parade concluded, Putin walked along the square to greet a long line of military commanders from Russia and former Soviet states before stopping to speak with a delegation of Chinese and North Korean armed forces officers.

Both Moscow and Pyongyang in recent weeks acknowledged for the first time that North Korean troops had fought alongside their Russian counterparts against Ukraine.

The festivities ended with Putin, Xi and other world leaders solemnly laying a bouquet of red flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Eternal Flame in memory of the Soviets killed in World War II.

Several drones used to batter Ukraine, including the Lancet, Geran-2, Orlan-10 and Orlan-30 variants, were also shown off in the parade. A flight of Su-25, Su-30 and MiG-29 fighter jets and bombers later soared overhead trailing smoke in the white, blue and red of the Russian tricolour.

Russia's defence minister Andrey Belousov, who arrived in Red Square atop a convertible Russian Aurus government car, addressed and inspected the troops. They responded with a chorus of 'hurrah!', before Putin took to the stage to deliver his speech.

Putin declared that Russia will always remember and appreciate the contribution of US and European allies to victory in World War II.

But he went on to say he would never allow the 'true victors over Nazism to be slandered' and that Moscow would 'fight against the atrocities of the followers of Nazism', echoing the Kremlin's rhetoric that Russia is trying to 'de-Nazify' its neighbour.

'(Russia) has truth and justice on its side. The whole country, society and people support the participants of the special military operation,' Putin insisted, adding: 'We are proud of their bravery and determination, of the fortitude that has always brought us only victory.'

The Kremlin's so-called 'special military operation' is in fact the deadliest war in Europe since the conflict today's parade is commemorating, and Ukraine has called today's events in Moscow a 'parade of cynicism'.

Link

Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

Russia announces the beginning of a ceasefire from May 7 to 11

2025-05-07

Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.

Commentary by Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin:
[ColonelCassad] The Kremlin and the Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed that the previously announced ceasefire will come into effect on May 7.

Troops have been instructed to cease fire, but will have the ability to respond in the event of enemy fire.

The ceasefire will last from May 7 to May 11.

The enemy has not demonstrated in any way that it intends to comply with it, showering hysterical threats.

The forecast is that the fire will not cease, a decrease in the intensity of hostilities in certain sections of the front is possible, as during the "Easter Truce".

If agreements on ending the war are not reached in the coming weeks (this is still possible), then we can expect the start of offensive operations by the Russian Armed Forces in a number of areas in the second half/end of May, preparations for which were underway throughout the spring. Ultimately, no one has cancelled the task of liberating our territories from Nazi occupation.

More from regnum.ru
There will be no war tomorrow - Lukashenko
Citizens of Belarus should not worry, because there will be no war tomorrow. This was stated on May 6 by the President of the Republic Alexander Lukashenko.

"I don't want to scare you, don't worry, there will be no war tomorrow. We must clearly understand that if we stand firm today in the fight for the minds and hearts of our children, our youth, we will do without war," Lukashenko addressed the participants of the ceremonial meeting on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, BelTA reports.

He added that the West is trying to "crush" the historical memory of Belarusians about the events of the Great Patriotic War, so it is important to preserve the historical truth and educate the youth in the spirit of patriotism. Only the cohesion of society and the continuity of generations will preserve peace on Belarusian soil, the head of the republic emphasized.

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US announces Ukraine's plans to "freeze" the conflict
Kiev is seeking to "freeze" the military conflict and create a 30-kilometer demitarized zone. This was stated by US President Donald Trump's special envoy to Ukraine Keith Kellogg.

"The Ukrainians want a freeze, a ceasefire along the current lines, and then they want to establish a demilitarized zone. That would be a 30-kilometer zone that can be monitored," Kellogg explained in an interview with Fox News.

According to the special envoy of the head of the White House, Ukraine allows for the option of withdrawing its troops by 15 km, expecting that the United States will convince Russia to follow suit.

As reported by Regnum, in January Reuters noted that most of Trump's advisers want to create a demilitarized zone in Ukraine as part of the conflict settlement plan. According to the American leader's team, the buffer zone should be patrolled by European troops. Advisers also understand that it could take months to resolve the Ukrainian conflict.

The press secretary of the Russian president Dmitry Peskov emphasized that there are many information leaks on the topic of conflict settlement in Ukraine. According to him, the work is being done in a discrete mode and should be conducted in a quiet mode. Peskov called for a more careful attitude to such leaks. Certain possible elements of the settlement will not be discussed publicly, he added.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly noted that Moscow is striving for a long-term settlement of the conflict in Ukraine, so its root causes must first be eliminated. The withdrawal of Ukrainian formations from the territory of the new Russian regions is necessary, as well as their official recognition by Kiev as part of Russia, the head of state pointed out. In addition, Ukraine must refuse to join NATO, and the rights of Russian-speaking citizens must be ensured in the territory it controls. It is also necessary to lift Western sanctions against Russia, the president emphasized.

Link

Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

Putin says world needs new security architecture

2025-04-30

Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] The world community must direct its efforts to creating a new architecture of equal and indivisible security. This was stated on April 29 by Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking at the plenary session of the international forum "Great Heritage - Common Future" in Volgograd.

“The world community needs to work together to create a new architecture of equal and indivisible security that would reliably protect all states without harming the interests of others,” the Russian leader noted.

According to Putin, this is especially relevant today for the countries of Eurasia, which must create a space on the common continent where peace and stability prevail, making it an example of sustainable economic, social and humanitarian development.

The Russian President expressed the opinion that the already adopted multilateral forms of cooperation could form the basis for the formation of such an architecture. Putin cited the Union State, the CSTO, the CIS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, BRICS, ASEAN as examples, and also recalled the existence of other influential structures.

As reported by the Regnum news agency, on Tuesday Putin arrived in Volgograd, where he met with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko.

Speaking at the forum about the hero city of Stalingrad, the Russian president pointed out that during the Great Patriotic War the fate of the future of all mankind was decided here. The Russian leader emphasized that it was during the Battle of Stalingrad that a radical turning point occurred in the war against Nazism, which resulted in the defeat of the fascist troops on the banks of the Volga.

Putin added that both Russia and Belarus will always remember how, during the Great Patriotic War, the peoples together defended their homeland and, at the cost of enormous sacrifices, brought peace to Europe.

More from regnum.ru
Putin called Stalingrad the place where the fate of the entire world was decided
I would argue that Operation Watchtower more was where the fate of the world was decided, but then I'm prejudiced.
Stalingrad during the Great Patriotic War became the place where the fate of the entire world was decided. This was stated by Russian President Vladimir Putin on April 29 at the international forum of the Union State "Great Heritage - Common Future".

Opening the event, the Russian President called Volgograd a sacred land for all the peoples of Russia and for all the peoples of the former Soviet Union.

“It is symbolic that the forum is taking place in a hero city where the fate of the entire world was decided,” Putin said.

During the Battle of Stalingrad, a radical turning point occurred in the war with Nazi Germany. The enemy was stopped and defeated on the banks of the Volga, the head of state recalled.

"A decisive blow was dealt to the Nazi war machine. A radical turning point in the war was ensured, the road to the West, to Berlin, to the great Victory, the 80th anniversary of which we will solemnly celebrate very soon - on May 9," he noted.

Even more from regnum.ru
Putin called Victory Day a holy holiday for Russia and the CIS countries
There can be no doubt.
Victory Day is a sacred holiday for Russia and other post-Soviet countries. This was stated by Russian President Vladimir Putin on April 29.

"In Russia, as in many republics of the former Soviet Union, Victory Day is one of the most significant and sacred holidays. During the war, our peoples together went through the most difficult trials, defended their independence and future," he emphasized.

The head of state also added that the victory over Nazism is the common heritage of Russia and the CIS countries, which is why Moscow is expecting the leaders of a number of states to attend the ceremonial events on May 9.

Link

Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

Ukrainian Perspective: Invasion of Ukraine: March 5, 2025

2025-03-06

Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.

Worth noting, korrespondent.net has compiled its Invasion of Ukraine series into separate months, beginning May 9th, 2023. Linked in the title.
[Korrespondent] 20:46 Ukraine is preparing agreements to increase Ukrainian production of weapons, primarily drones. This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelensky in an evening video address on Wednesday, March 5.

20:24 Information about alleged plans to "register young men over 14 years old for military service" is fake. This was reported by the Center for Counteracting Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine on its Facebook page.

19:33 Russian troops have once again attacked the Kherson region, using artillery, multiple launch rocket systems and drones. Two people were killed and two women were injured. This was reported by the Prosecutor General's Office on Wednesday, March 5.

19:03 Russian troops have once again attacked the Kherson region, using artillery, multiple launch rocket systems and drones. Two people were killed and two women were injured. This was reported by the Prosecutor General's Office on Wednesday, March 5.

As a result, a 55-year-old man died. Another 41-year-old man died in Antonovka as a result of explosives being dropped from a UAV. He was on the street during the shelling and died from his injuries on the spot.

18:59 Over the past four months, Russians have handed over twice as many bodies as during the entire period of the full-scale war. This was stated in a statement by the Commissioner for Persons Missing in Action under Special Circumstances, Artur Dobroserdov, during the presentation of the documentary film Repatriation. Heroes on the Shield.

18:48 Ukraine and Europe are preparing a plan for the first steps to bring a fair and sustainable peace closer. It will be ready soon. This was announced by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Telegram following talks with Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob.

18:25 Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof had a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. An investment package worth 700 million euros with capital investment in drones was discussed. The head of government wrote about this on the social network X .

17:07 US President Donald Trump will consider resuming aid to Ukraine if peace talks are held and confidence-building measures are taken, US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz said, Reuters reports.

Noted.

16.34 The United States has suspended the exchange of intelligence data with Ukraine, but not completely. American intelligence has stopped sharing data that could help the Ukrainian Armed Forces strike the aggressor state. This was reported on Wednesday, March 5, by the British TV channel SkyNews, citing an anonymous Ukrainian source.

Noted again.

16:31 Since the beginning of the day, 59 combat clashes have occurred on the front in nine directions. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported on the progress of the battles in an operational summary as of 16:00.

16:27 The Security Service and the National Police have eliminated another fraudulent scheme to extort money from relatives of Ukrainian prisoners of war and missing persons. They detained a businessman who extorted tens of thousands of hryvnias from Ukrainian families.

15:59 A court in Kursk sentenced British and Northern Irish citizen James Scott Rhys Anderson to 19 years in prison for "committing a terrorist act and mercenary activity." This was reported by the Astra publication on its Telegram channel on Wednesday, March 5.

15.30 More than 3,000 residents remain in Pokrovsk, Donetsk region, and more than 1,300 in the city of Rodinskoye, Pokrovsk community, their evacuation continues. This was reported by the head of the city military administration, Sergei Dobryak.

15:18 The United States has temporarily stopped providing weapons and intelligence data to Ukraine. This was stated by CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Fox Business White House correspondent Edward Lawrence reported on the social network H.

Thrice noted.

14:57 Ukrainian military destroyed more than a dozen Russian vehicles and an electronic warfare system in the Liman direction. The strikes were carried out by pilots of unmanned systems. This was reported by the operational-strategic group of forces (OSGV) Khortytsia , which published a video.

14:46 The leaders of European states will begin substantive work on formulating a concept of EU security guarantees for Ukraine after the possible end of military actions. The guarantees will include the deployment of European troops on Ukrainian territory. This was reported by European Pravda , citing an EU official familiar with the preparation of the agenda for the EU summit, which will take place tomorrow in Brussels.

14:08 The leaders of Ukraine, France and Great Britain may make a joint visit to the United States. This was stated by the spokesperson of the French government Sophie Prima.

13:49 The Chinese authorities see "new trends" in the process of political settlement of the war in Ukraine. This was stated by the spokesman of the Chinese Foreign Ministry Lin Jian at a briefing. In the Ukrainian issue, China continues to insist on the need to comply with four principles in resolving disagreements, Beijing recalled.

13.37 Russian troops fired a Molniya -type drone at Kharkiv on March 5. There are no reports of casualties yet. This was reported by the city's mayor Igor Terekhov on Wednesday, March 5.

Subsequently, the mayor confirmed the arrival of Lightning in an abandoned area in the Osnovyansky district.

"There is no fire and no casualties at this moment," he stressed.

13:29 Two Russian soldiers are suspected of committing sexual violence in the Donetsk region during the occupation of a village in 2022. This was reported by the Office of the Prosecutor General on Wednesday, March 5.

Natives of the Khabarovsk Territory and the Irkutsk Region were exposed in the commission of sexual violence during the temporary occupation of a village in the Donetsk Region.

12:19 On March 4, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine adopted changes to the procedure for booking military-liable employees of mobile operators and Internet providers.

Now, reservations are required for workers involved in the construction of networks resistant to power outages using xPON technology, as well as creating energy-independent telecom networks along highways and national roads.

12:16 The Cabinet of Ministers approved a 10-year construction of bomb shelters. The cost is UAH 789.3 billion, mainly due to international aid.

12:09 Ukraine received a total of more than EUR 2 billion in aid thanks to the Drone Coalition, which united 17 countries to develop technological superiority over the enemy. This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Defense on Wednesday, March 5.

11:59 Drone operators of the unmanned systems battalion and the RV unit of the 28th separate separate brigade named after the Knights of the Winter Campaign destroyed several tanks and personnel of the Russians near Toretsk, Donetsk region.

11:36 Officials from the Trump administration held behind-the-scenes talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his team after a dispute in the White House, CNN reported, citing sources.

10:58 Chinese troops may unofficially appear in the temporarily occupied territories (TOT) of Ukraine. This was reported by the National Resistance Center. China wants to gain combat experience from the example of how North Korea does it, sources say.

Of North Korea? How odd…

10:25 On Wednesday night, the Ukrainian military shot down 115 Russian drones, and another 55 UAVs were lost. The details of the attack were reported by the Ukrainian Air Force.

10:14 The Security Service detained an FSB agent in Odessa who was preparing a terrorist attack in southern Ukraine on orders from Russia. The terrorist turned out to be a 20-year-old drug addict from the Odessa region, recruited by the FSB through a Telegram channel looking for "easy" money.

Following instructions from the Russian special services, the agent purchased components from which he planned to personally make an IED and disguise it as a fire extinguisher.

The man was then supposed to leave the explosives at the address he was expecting from the Russians. After that, the occupiers planned to detonate the IED by calling a phone connected to the explosive device.

9:16 At night, Russian troops again attacked the Kyiv region using attack drones. In the Boryspil district, due to falling UAV debris, the glazing of 85 apartments in two apartment buildings, 20 cars, two minibuses, a store, a private house, two warehouses, two hangars, and the windows of a kindergarten and a school were damaged.

8:45 There have been 108 combat clashes on the front in 24 hours, with the Russian army attacking the Kursk, Liman and Pokrovsk directions most intensively. This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

8:16 On the night of March 5, Russian troops launched a missile attack on Pavlograd in the Dnipropetrovsk region, damaging two industrial enterprises. This was reported by the head of the Dnipropetrovsk OVA Serhiy Lysak. According to him, a fire broke out at one of them as a result of the attack. It was extinguished. Windows in two five-story buildings were also damaged. No one was hurt.

7:49 Over the past 24 hours, the Defense Forces have neutralized 1,250 Russian invaders and 23 artillery systems. The total combat losses of the Russians from 24.02.22 to 05.03.25 are estimated at about 880,660 people. This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

02:00 On the night of March 5, Russian troops carried out a massive drone attack in the Odessa region. A 77-year-old man was killed. The strike also damaged critical infrastructure in Odessa - part of the city was left without electricity, water and heat. In addition, private houses in the suburbs of Odessa were damaged by the debris of the downed drones, and a fire broke out.

01:10 Self-proclaimed President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said that Minsk is ready to organize negotiations between US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian leader Vladimir Putin. At the same time, Lukashenko said that he would not like to play the role of mediator in the "Ukrainian issue".

Link

Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

'Don't overdo it, Steve': Astonishing moment Belarus president snaps at BBC reporter - who regularly manages to upset Putin - and makes veiled threats as he is quizzed over sham election

2025-01-30

[Daily Mail, where America gets its news] Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko struggled to contain his irritation before snapping at a BBC journalist on Sunday, making veiled threats as the reporter bravely grilled him over his sham election.

Dubbed 'Europe's last dicator', Lukashenko is set to extend his 31-year rule over the country after the rigged election, which saw him re-elected with 86.8 per cent of the vote.

Lukashenko only allowed four token candidates who he approved of to have their names on the ballot paper, while his real opponents are either locked up or in exile.

After casting his vote on election day, the president gave a four-hour-long press conference, with questions from media organisations friendly to his regime as well as foreign outlets.

The BBC's Russia Editor Steve Rosenberg, whose questions have attracted the fury of the dictator and his ally Vladimir Putin previously, was warned by Lukashenko: 'Don't overdo it, Steve'.

Their tense exchange began with a frosty comment from Lukashenko, who asked Rosenberg: 'What wretched question have you got prepared for me?'

'Good morning,' the journalist replied as members of the press press laughed along with the president, who then said 'good morning, Steve.'

'How can these elections be called democratic when your staunchest opponents and rivals are either in prison or in exile?' Rosenberg asked.

'Some are in prison and some are in exile, but you're here,' Lukashenko responded menacingly. 'Everyone has the right to choose. That's democratic. Some chose prison, others chose exile.'

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Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

Ukrainian Perspective: Invasion of Ukraine: January 6, 2024

2025-01-07

Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.

Worth noting, korrespondent.net has compiled its Invasion of Ukraine series into separate months, beginning May 9th, 2023. Linked in the title.
[Korrespondent] 21:45 During the operation of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Kursk region of the Russian Federation, the Russian army lost more than 38 thousand soldiers. This was reported by President Volodymyr Zelensky.

"During the Kursk operation, the enemy has already lost more than 38 thousand of its soldiers - in this one direction alone, of which about 15 thousand were irretrievable," the head of state said.

21:15 President Volodymyr Zelensky held a meeting of the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief and also heard a separate report from the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrsky and the Chief of the General Staff Anatoliy Bargilevich.

"The first thing is to protect our front lines, Pokrovsk first of all. I am grateful to all the brigades, to each of our soldiers who are there now. We discussed issues of staffing the brigades, as well as rotation. The army needs more internal, systemic changes so that at all levels in the Defense Forces, human management becomes effective," he said.

20:56 In the village of Primorskoye near Mariupol, on the morning of January 6, an explosion thundered and a fire broke out at the base of Russian military personnel. This was reported by the mayor's adviser Petro Andryushenko.

According to him, the wounded occupiers were taken to a hospital in the Kalmius district. "They say that some were taken in parts. They are probably lying," he added.

20:15 The Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, reported that there is a preliminary agreement with the Russian side that exchanges will be systematic in 2025.

"There is currently a preliminary agreement that exchanges in 2025 should become systematic, with priority given to the return of, first of all, the seriously ill and seriously wounded," the ombudsman said.

19:20 The Russian occupation authorities in the temporarily occupied Melitopol in the Zaporizhia region are calling on local residents to "Russify" their Ukrainian surnames when changing their passports to Russian ones.

19:00 Russian military shelled populated areas of the Kherson region using artillery, mortars and drones. Two people were killed and 11 others were injured.

18:03 Russian aggressors hit a minibus in Kherson with a drone. At least one person was killed, many were injured, said the head of the Kherson OVA Oleksandr Prokudin.

17:58 Heavy smoke is observed in the Russian city of Kamensk-Shakhtinsky in the Rostov region, where a chemical plant producing fuel for missiles and military warehouses are located, said Andrey Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council.

17.50 A pre-trial investigation has been launched into a criminal case on the fact of committing a war crime that resulted in the death of people. This was reported by the Office of the Prosecutor General. It is noted that on January 3, 2024, during the assault on the positions of Ukrainian troops near the village of Vremovka, Volnovakha district, the occupiers captured two servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The prisoners were taken out of the dugout at gunpoint and shot point-blank in the head. To be sure of their death, the enemy fired several more shots.

17.07 Since the beginning of the current day, 108 combat clashes have occurred on the front, more than half of which were in the Kursk region of the Russian Federation. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported the details in a report as of 16.00.

16.41 The second largest commercial port in Russia, Ust-Luga in the Leningrad region, was attacked by SBU drones. To do this, they flew more than 900 km , sources in the special service reported.

16.20 Ukrainian military personnel have destroyed two Russian S-300 medium-range anti-aircraft missile systems over the past 24 hours. This was reported by the Operational Command South.

16:07 Law enforcement officers detained a serviceman of the Vinnitsa RTCK and SP security platoon for a bribe of 16 thousand dollars. He gave out signed and unfilled summons forms to those wishing to avoid mobilization.

15:45 Belarus' formal leader Alexander Lukashenko did not apologize to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a phone call that took place in the early days of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, his press secretary Natalya Eismont said .

15.31 One of the heads of the Russian prison where Ukrainian prisoners of war are tortured has received a suspicion in absentia. We are talking about the deputy head of "correctional colony No. 7", which is located in the Vladimir region of Russia - Alexey Khavetsky.

15.16 In Nikopol, as a result of Russian artillery shelling , one person was killed and another was injured. The occupiers attacked populated areas of the region with barrel artillery, kamikaze drones and dropped ammunition from a drone.

13.47 At least eight visits by Russian Shahed-type kamikaze drones were recorded in Belarus on the night of January 5-6. The Belarusian Air Force did not take off during the night. This was reported by the Belaruski Gayun monitoring project.

13:25 The silent unmanned complex D-21 was approved for use in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It can transport food, ammunition, military equipment, and evacuate the wounded. It operates in two modes - manual and automatic.

12:59 GUR intercepted a conversation between occupiers about the execution of a Ukrainian prisoner. Intelligence notes that the Russian army does not hesitate to resort to the most vile and base crimes, conducting them against Ukraine.

12:42 Ukraine has ordered ammunition for Gepard systems from Rheinmetall. The production will be financed by the German government. We are talking about a double-digit number in millions of euros.

12:15 Russian special services planned to commit a bloody terrorist attack among the military in the Kiev region. The enemy's intentions were thwarted. The SBU reported the details .

10:59 Ukrainian military destroyed two Pantsir-S1 anti-aircraft missile and gun systems in the Kherson region. This was reported by the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

9:21 Over the past 24 hours, there have been 184 combat clashes between units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces and Russian troops on the front. The most active battles are taking place in the Pokrovsk and Kursk directions. This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on January 6.

8:48 The Russian army is conducting assault operations in the urban area of Kurakhovo. Currently, activities to identify and destroy enemy assault groups are ongoing there. A similar situation is in the direction of Petrovpavlovka and Dachnoye. This was reported by the OSGV Khortytsya.

7:44 Over the past 24 hours, the Armed Forces have neutralized 1,550 Russian invaders, the total losses of the Russian invaders have reached 798,040 people.

7:28 Russian troops have intensified offensive operations to the east of Pokrovsk, with the aim of encircling the city from the northeast. This is evidenced by a report by analysts from the Institute for the Study of War.

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Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

2024 in the South Caucasus: the collapse of multi-vectorism and victory over war

2025-01-01

Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
by Kamran Gasanov

[REGNUM] The past year in the South Caucasus was marked by three trending events: Armenia’s further distancing from Russia, a crisis in relations between Baku and the West, and a decisive battle between the West and the opposition against the Georgian Dream.

AZERBAIJAN: MULTI-VECTOR CRISIS
In 2023, Ilham Aliyev achieved perhaps the most important goal since the creation of the modern Azerbaijan Republic: he completely regained control over Karabakh.

But everything has its price, and 2024 has become a test of strength for Azerbaijan’s carefully constructed multi-vector foreign policy.

The contours of the looming crisis were already visible at the end of 2023, when the US Assistant Secretary of State announced the end of high-level contacts. Antony Blinken criticized Aliyev for the lack of democracy and called for an end to repression. Washington had previously accused Azerbaijan of provocations on the border with Armenia, but Aliyev did not refuse American mediation. However, when the criticism began to concern him personally, trust was undermined completely.

In this direction, the US and the EU worked hand in hand.

Two events had a resonant impact: the early presidential elections in Azerbaijan in early February and the early parliamentary elections in September, which Aliyev and his New Azerbaijan Party confidently won.

On January 24, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) suspended the powers of the Azerbaijani delegates, accusing Baku of lack of democracy and fair elections, failure to respect human rights, and blocking the Lachin corridor and expelling Armenians from Karabakh.

In response, Aliyev threatened to withdraw from the Council of Europe and revise the jurisdiction of the ECHR. In October, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the need to revise relations with the South Caucasus republic and impose sanctions.

Aliyev did not mince words either, advising the EU to stay away from Azerbaijan and accusing Washington of black ingratitude.

The Azerbaijani leadership was very unhappy with the West's rapprochement with Armenia. Now, not only France, but also the EU as such began to support it. France supplied armored vehicles and self-propelled guns, and the EU allocated military aid to Armenia in the amount of 10 million euros.

The worse ties with the West became, the more incentives there were to strengthen strategic relations with Russia.

In April, when the Karabakh issue had already been exhausted, Aliyev and Putin removed perhaps the last obstacle to full cooperation: the Russian contingent was withdrawn from Karabakh. Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov explained this by the new realities in the region after Armenia recognized the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

That same April, Aliyev visited Moscow. Putin praised the talks as a “good impetus for the development of bilateral relations.” Aliyev called Russia the “founding country” of the South Caucasus. Then, in August, Putin arrived in Baku on a return visit.

The statements following the meeting were nothing but compliments. Aliyev greeted Putin “with all his heart,” and the Russian leader called Baku a “Caucasian oasis.” On the day of Putin’s visit, Azerbaijan applied to join BRICS, and Aliyev soon took part in the Kazan summit.

However, at the end of the year, this trend was sharply called into question by the crash of the AZAL airliner in Aktau. Aliyev accused Russia of trying to cover up the fact that the plane was shot down by air defense systems in Chechnya. However, Putin’s apology and Aliyev’s words about the unintentional strike on the airliner leave hopes for maintaining pragmatic relations.

ARMENIA: AWAY FROM RUSSIA, CLOSER TO THE EU
Since 2020, Armenia's foreign policy has been based on grievances against Russia for its lack of assistance in the confrontation with Azerbaijan. In 2023, these grievances have already transformed into concrete actions: joint exercises with the United States, a visit by Pashinyan's wife to Kyiv, and Yerevan's accession to the Rome Statute of the ICC, which issued an arrest warrant for Putin.

In 2024, Pashinyan decided to go even further.

He began the process of severing military ties with Russia.

On February 23, Armenia officially announced the freezing of its participation in the CSTO. Within a year, Russian border guards completed their 32-year service in Armenia.

If Pashinyan's team finally said goodbye to the CSTO, they still attended CIS and EAEU meetings. But even here the Armenian prime minister began to show his teeth.

Pashinyan did not attend the last summit in St. Petersburg under the pretext of COVID and got into an online spat with Alexander Lukashenko. In early December, the Armenian prime minister refused to hold the EAEU summit in Yerevan, despite the fact that by right of presidency it was supposed to take place there.

He motivated his decision by the fact that “not all members of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council are welcome in Armenia.” Whether he meant Lukashenko, who supplies Baku with weapons, or Putin, who is subject to the ICC ruling, remains a mystery.

Symmetrically to the break with the Russian Federation and the CSTO, Pashinyan accelerated integration with the West.

The April 5 summit in Brussels with the heads of the European Commission and the State Department proved that alliances with the EU, the US and NATO go hand in hand. The EU and the US are ready to provide for Armenia, promising at that meeting to allocate €270 million and $65 million respectively.

The presence of European observers on the eastern borders is in fact a prototype of the EU (NATO) base. Military exercises with the US continued. On September 19-24, the Armenian military conducted maneuvers together with the US Defense Threat Reduction Agency.

The picture regarding European integration is becoming increasingly clear.

More than a year ago, Pashinyan said that “ Armenia is ready to be closer to the European Union, as far as the European Union considers it possible.” In 2024, contacts only intensified. The parties launched a dialogue on a visa-free regime. The European Parliament has already proposed giving Armenia the status of a candidate for membership. In Armenia itself, a referendum on joining the EU is being prepared.

Against the backdrop of problematic Georgia, a pro-Western and “democratic Armenia” is becoming a more priority direction for EU policy in the Caucasus.

ARMENIAN-AZERBAIJANI TRACK: SLOWLY BUT SURELY
Oddly enough, the orientation of Armenia and Azerbaijan in opposite directions of the political compass did not have a negative impact on their bilateral relations. The normalization process was quite optimistic during the year.

During his September visit to Georgia, Pashinyan spoke about the agreement being 80% agreed upon, while Aliyev allowed for the possibility of signing it by the end of the year. In April, they managed to reach an agreement on disputed villages on the border between the two countries.

The main obstacle was identified by the Azerbaijani side as the existence of territorial claims - Aliyev demanded the opening of the Zangezur corridor between the main territory of Azerbaijan and the Nakhichevan enclave and changes to the Armenian constitution, which contains references to the need to unite Karabakh with Armenia. However, progress was noted here too.

In August, Aliyev and Pashinyan decided to remove the clause on the Zangezur corridor from the conditions for signing the peace treaty, but Baku still insists on amending the basic law of the neighboring country.

At the moment, the main problematic points remain the preservation of European observers and Armenia’s claims against Azerbaijan related to the rights of Karabakh Armenians.

Pashinyan agreed not to deploy third-country forces on the border with Azerbaijan after its delimitation, but judging by how long the delimitation has been going on, resolving this obstacle could take years. Whether the Armenians will drop hundreds of lawsuits is also a big question.

The issue of mediation between Baku and Yerevan has also changed significantly this year. After the aggravation of relations between Azerbaijan and the US, the EU and especially France, Chancellor Olaf Scholz claimed the role of mediator, but he managed to achieve only limited success (Pashinyan and Aliyev were brought together at the Munich Security Conference), and Scholz’s own political prospects are unclear.

Kazakhstan has decided to try its hand at mediation. On May 10–11, Foreign Ministers Jeyhun Bayramov and Ararat Mirzoyan met in Almaty and announced the possibility of concluding a peace treaty by the end of the year. But Kazakhstan’s success so far appears to be tactical.

In October, both Aliyev and Pashinyan came to the CIS summit, but it was not possible to hold the Russia-Azerbaijan-Armenia format, since the idea, as Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said, “was not supported by some people.”

The BRICS summit was a real success. The whole world saw footage of Pashinyan and Aliyev, as if classmates in class, having a long dialogue, turning their chairs towards each other, right during the speeches of other speakers. Pashinyan was pleased, he managed to bring together Aliyev's positions on unblocking regional communications.

For its part, Armenia proposes to Azerbaijan to conclude a strategic agreement for 100 years, which in fact means a non-aggression pact.

GEORGIA: ONE FOOT IN THE MAIDAN
A real internal struggle with the participation of external forces has unfolded in Georgia this year. The opposition has attempted to carry out a "Maidan" at least four times.

The first serious attempt came in the summer, when the ruling Georgian Dream party was passing the law on foreign agents on its second attempt. If under the previous prime minister Irakli Garibashvili the authorities succumbed to pressure from the streets and temporarily withdrew the bill, then his successor Irakli Kobakhidze showed greater determination.

Under him, “Dream” not only adopted a law on foreign agents, making only cosmetic changes to it, but also a law against LGBT propaganda.

Mass protests on Rustaveli Avenue did not produce the desired effect, and the opposition, formed into four blocs, set its sights on the October parliamentary elections.

Although the Georgian Dream failed to obtain a constitutional majority in the elections, it still won: it has 89 of 150 mandates. The United National Movement of the serving Saakashvili gained three times less than in the previous elections, and together with the parties Coalition for Change, Strong Georgia, and For Georgia, they did not even get 40%.

Therefore, the only way out for the opposition was to declare the elections illegitimate and drive people to the barricades.

They failed to instill fear in either the security forces or the founder of the Georgian Dream, Bidzina Ivanishvili. Kobakhidze and co. bravely resisted attempts at revolution.

They were so confident in their victory that at the end of November the Prime Minister froze European integration for four years, which led to hundreds of thousands of rallies. But here too the opposition failed.

The last line of defense for pro-Western forces was the post of President of Georgia, occupied by French citizen Solome Zurabishvili. She promised not to recognize the results of the new presidential elections and refused to leave the Orbeliani Palace.

On December 14, following a collegial vote in parliament, an ally and former member of the Dream, ex-footballer Mikheil Kavelashvili, became president of Georgia.

Zurabishvili was forced to retreat and, in order not to lose face in the eyes of the opposition, when leaving the residence of the head of state, she announced that she was “taking legitimacy with her.”

Protest in Tbilisi against the results of the parliamentary elections
Throughout this year, the European Union and the United States have been trying their best to destabilize the situation in Georgia, willingly joining in comparisons of the Georgian government and the laws it adopts with Russian ones.

The West did not like the fact that Kobakhidze and Ivanishvili refused to open a “second front” against Russia and fought the pro-Western fifth column. The State Department and Brussels imposed various sanctions, from entry bans to refusal to continue the EU integration process. Dozens of Western diplomats came to Tbilisi after the elections to support the protesters.

But every Western attack only weakened its influence in Tbilisi. Georgian officials are no softer in their remarks about Western capitals than their counterparts in Moscow or Baku.

In their rhetoric, Kobakhidze and his colleagues even use conspiracy terms like “global war party,” meaning the “deep state” that is drawing Georgia into a war with Russia. So, for the Georgian Dream, victory in the parliamentary elections is not just a personal victory, but a victory of peace over war.

***

From the point of view of Russian interests, it can be stated that in 2024 the South Caucasus region was engulfed by contradictory trends. Armenia took another step away from Russia towards the West, but there was no final severance of ties.

In Georgia, the US and EU have loosened their grip and almost failed the “Maidan 2.0” mission, while the local government has confidently set a course for pragmatic, peaceful relations with Russia.

And only with regard to Azerbaijan, which confidently defended its sovereignty from the West, the question of the final vector remains open. Over the course of the year, we observed a rapprochement with Russia, which forced some experts to raise the question of an alliance. But the incident with the airliner has called this process into question.

Link

Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

Ukrainian Perspective: Invasion of Ukraine: December 26, 2024

2024-12-27

Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.

Worth noting, korrespondent.net has compiled its Invasion of Ukraine series into separate months, beginning May 9th, 2023. Linked in the title.
[Korrespomdent] 22:39 Russian troops attacked a multi-story building in the city of Chasiv Yar in the Donetsk region using an FPV drone. As a result of the enemy shelling, two civilians were killed and two more were injured. This was reported by the press service of the Donetsk Regional Prosecutor's Office on Thursday, December 26.

21:29 President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Ukrainian soldiers and relatives of the fallen defenders and presented the highest state awards.

20:44 The court chose a measure of restraint for the former head of the Odessa Regional TCC. He was once again sent to a pre-trial detention center with the possibility of posting bail.

20:39 A delegation of the French Armed Forces, led by the Commander of the Ground Forces, General Pierre Schille, visited Ukraine to deepen cooperation, exchange experience and increase military assistance.

19:46 The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine together with a Ukrainian manufacturer have begun testing a control center for unmanned units. A specialized vehicle with increased cross-country ability is planned to be the basis for this innovative development. The all-wheel drive vehicle should solve the problem of sufficient maneuverability and movement of the control center off-road.

18.51 The formal leader of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, would like to produce a stockpile of Russian Oreshnik missiles and deploy 10 such systems in his country.

18.31 Russian aggressors in the Kherson region are trying to land and gain a foothold on the islands on the Dnieper. There is no talk of an attack on Kherson. This was reported by the head of the Center for Counteracting Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Andriy Kovalenko.

17:59 An officer of the 211th brigade was suspected of bullying soldiers. And since he is an officer hiding from the investigation, the suspect was put on the wanted list.

17.22 Since the beginning of the current day, 114 combat clashes have occurred on the front. This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in a report as of 16.00. The most violent clashes are currently taking place near Pokrovsk and Kurakhovo. There, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are repelling 22 Russian assaults.

17.01 As a result of the attack on the command post of the 810th separate brigade of the Russian Armed Forces in the Kursk region, the deputy commander of the brigade and 17 other Russian soldiers were killed. This was reported by the StratCom of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

16.24 Over almost three years of war, almost 2 thousand objects have been damaged as a result of shelling in Kiev. Of these, 1,310 apartment buildings have suffered damage of varying degrees.

15.34 Russians dropped two guided aerial bombs (UABs) on the village of Slatino. At least one person was killed, there is one injured.

14.59 GUR confirmed the defeat of two positions of DPRK soldiers in Kursk. Also, North Korean units lack drinking water - due to active military actions, logistics are complicated.

14:40 A technical failure occurred during the online voting for members of the Public Anti-Corruption Council under the Ministry of Defense.

13.49 The High Anti-Corruption Court has confiscated the property of TV presenter Yuriy Kot, who spreads anti-Ukrainian propaganda on Russian television. We are talking about property rights to seven television projects, four land plots in the Zhytomyr region, three firearms and a car.

13.15 In Nikopol, the number of victims as a result of the Russian drone attack has increased to eight people.

11:48 The Air Force carried out a high-precision strike on a military-industrial complex facility in the city of Kamensk-Shakhtinsky in the Rostov Region of the Russian Federation. This was reported by the StratCom of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

11:47 In the Toretsk direction, soldiers of the 28th Brigade named after the Knights of the Winter Campaign captured an Egyptian citizen who fought on the side of the occupiers while repelling a Russian assault.

11:24 Russian aggressors launched a drone strike on the central market in Nikopol. According to the latest information, eight civilians were injured.

10:38 Ukrainian drone hits vessel Fedor Uryupin in temporarily occupied Crimea This was reported by Telegram channel Krymskiy Veter citing its own source.

9:45 Russia's Federal Security Service said it had foiled a series of assassination attempts on high-ranking officials of the Russian Defense Ministry, which were allegedly being prepared by Ukrainian intelligence services, and detained four suspects. One of the detainees allegedly came from Ukraine.

8:58 At night, Russia attacked Ukraine with 31 drones, air defense destroyed 20 drones, 11 enemy drone imitators were lost. Drones were shot down in the Kharkiv, Kyiv, Chernihiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions.

8:44 The situation on the front remains difficult. The Russians, using their advantage in manpower and equipment, are attacking Ukrainian positions. Over the past 24 hours, 217 combat clashes have been recorded. In the Pokrovsk direction alone, the defenders have stopped 57 Russian assaults. This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

7:55 As of December 26, the total combat losses of Russian troops on the territory of Ukraine amounted to approximately 780,860 people (1,540 per day).

7:40 There is one enemy ship in the Black Sea, which is a carrier of Kalibr cruise missiles with a total salvo of up to four missiles. There are eight enemy ships in the Mediterranean Sea, three of which are carriers of Kalibr cruise missiles with a total salvo of up to 25 missiles.

7:25 On the night of December 26, the Belgorod region of Russia was attacked by drones. In some populated areas, the power went out. This was reported by Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov.

December 25
21:40 European politicians are skeptical about the possibility of sending a peacekeeping mission to Ukraine if the US military is not involved. In their opinion, without the US in the mission, it will be difficult to convince the population of Europe of the need to send its military to Ukraine.

20:25 US President-elect Donald Trump's special envoy for the war in Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, has condemned Russia's massive attack on Ukraine on Christmas morning. He said the world was watching the actions of both sides and that the US was "more determined than ever" to bring peace to Ukraine.

19:48 Ukraine's victory over Russia is vital to defend under-armed Europe; without the US, NATO is "not ready" to fight Vladimir Putin's Russia. This statement was made by the leaders of Finland, Latvia and Estonia.

19:26 Russia's massive shelling of Ukraine on Christmas Day is "cruel, it's an attack" and it's "wrong." The U.S. wants peace to be restored in the region. Keith Kellogg wrote this on social media X.

16:52 An Azerbaijani passenger plane crashed in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, December 25. Traces of possible ground fire were found on the aircraft's skin. It should be noted that air defense was operating in the Chechen capital of Grozny this morning, repelling a drone attack.

16:27 Russian invaders are trying to break through to Pokrovsk through the left and right flanks. Three Russian combined arms armies are concentrated there. This was stated by Viktor Tregubov, spokesman for the Khortitsa operational-strategic group of forces.

15:48 Drones attacked Tambov Oblast on Wednesday, December 25. The Russian defense enterprise, Michurinsk Progress Plant, was hit. Local residents report damage to the enterprise.

14.55 Pope Francis in his Christmas message called on Ukraine and Russia to negotiate to end the war. The Pontiff mentioned the war in Ukraine and said that "only courage can open the door to such necessary negotiations."

"Let them stop firing guns in war-torn Ukraine!" the Pope said, speaking from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica to tens of thousands of believers.

The head of the Vatican also called for "support for dialogue and meetings to achieve a just and lasting peace."

14.34 SBU drones attacked an ammunition depot at one of Russia's largest training grounds - near Novocherkassk in the Rostov region. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing sources in the special services.

Recently, long-range drones of the SBU struck an ammunition depot at the Kadamovsky training ground. This is one of the largest Russian training grounds. It is located near the settlement of Novocherkassk in the Rostov region of the Russian Federation. The enemy depot was completely destroyed.

14:00 Power outage schedules for the population will apply on December 25 from 05:48 to 23:59. Up to three out of six queues will be turned off simultaneously. For industry and business from 15:00 to 23:59.

The reason for the temporary tightening of restrictions is damage to energy facilities as a result of today's massive missile and drone attack by the Russian Federation.

13:40 Moldovan President Maia Sandu said that a Russian missile violated Moldovan airspace on the night of December 25. According to her, on Christmas Day, "the Kremlin chooses the path of destruction - it attacks Ukraine's energy infrastructure and violates Moldovan airspace with a missile."

"These actions clearly violate international law. Moldova condemns these actions and is in full solidarity with Ukraine," Sandu said.

13:13 On Christmas night, air defense forces destroyed 55 cruise missiles, four guided air missiles and 54 drones out of 184 air targets launched by Russia.

Russian troops attacked Ukrainian energy facilities in the Kharkiv, Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Poltava, Zhytomyr, Ivano-Frankivsk and Zaporizhia regions. The strikes resulted in losses.

12:50 The Armed Forces of Ukraine struck a command post of Russian troops in the city of Lgov in the Kursk region of the Russian Federation. This was reported by the Main Communications Directorate of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The head of the Center for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council Andriy Kovalenko noted that as a result of the strike, the enemy suffered losses among the officer corps.

12:18 In Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk and Ivano-Frankivsk regions there are interruptions in heat supply as a result of the missile attack by Russia.

"Kharkiv region - 500 thousand subscribers remain without heat, this is 2677 houses. Dnipropetrovsk region - in Dnipro and Zelenodolsk 55 and 100 houses are without heat respectively. Ivano-Frankivsk region - 81 residential buildings are without heat," said Vice Prime Minister for Reconstruction of Ukraine - Minister for Development of Communities and Territories Oleksiy Kuleba.

11:10 Ukraine is forced to introduce power outage schedules due to a massive missile attack by Russia. Energy facilities have been damaged. This was reported by the press service of Ukrenergo. Thus, hourly power outages will be in effect until the end of the day.

10:31 A person was killed as a result of a missile attack on energy facilities in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. This was reported by the head of the OVA, Serhiy Lysak.

10:05 Russian dictator Vladimir Putin chose Christmas to launch a massive attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, firing more than 70 missiles and 100 drones, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

"The targets are our energy sector. They continue to fight for a blackout in Ukraine," the head of state noted.

According to preliminary data, they managed to shoot down more than 50 missiles and a significant number of drones. "Unfortunately, there are hits. As of today, there are power outages in several regions. Power engineers are working to restore power as quickly as possible," Zelensky added.

9:20 Russian troops struck DTEK thermal power plants, causing serious damage to equipment. Power engineers quickly began to eliminate the consequences and resume operation of the equipment.

9:00 Part of Ivano-Frankivsk region was left without electricity as a result of the morning Russian attack on Ukraine.

"During the morning alarm, the enemy also struck the Carpathian region. As a result, part of the region is without electricity. Fortunately, there were no casualties," said the head of the OVA Svetlana Onyshchuk.

8:22 The situation at the front remains difficult. Over the past 24 hours, 266 combat clashes have been recorded. In particular, in the Pokrovsky direction, the defenders stopped 60 assault and offensive actions by the Russians. In the Kurakhovsky direction, the Defense Forces repelled 36 attacks, in the Vremovsky direction - 34.

7:45 As of December 25, 2024, the total combat losses of Russian troops on the territory of Ukraine were approximately 779,320 people (+1,600 per day).

7:30 Russia is again massively attacking the energy sector of Ukraine, Energy Minister German Galushchenko said. In connection with the large-scale missile attack, measures to limit consumption have been applied.

7:15 Russian troops launched a massive missile attack on Kharkov. A series of explosions were heard, there are casualties.

Link

Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

Ukrainian Perspective: Invasion of Ukraine: December 10, 2024

2024-12-11

Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.

Worth noting, korrespondent.net has compiled its Invasion of Ukraine series into separate months, beginning May 9th, 2023. Linked in the title.
[Korrespondent] 21:57 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a conversation with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. According to the Ukrainian leader, he discussed cooperation between Ukraine and Poland with the head of the Polish government and thanked him for his support.

21.35 In Zaporizhia, the number of people killed as a result of the missile strike by the Russian army has risen to four. This was reported by the head of the Zaporizhia regional military administration, Ivan Fedorov.

20:50 The US Treasury Department announced the allocation of a $20 billion loan to Ukraine, which will be repaid using profits from frozen Russian assets.

19.46 A drone hit an IAEA service vehicle heading to the occupied Zaporizhzhya NPP. This was reported by the agency's Director General Rafael Grossi, who condemned the attack on his employees.

18.07 The attack of Russian invaders on Zaporizhia proves that it is necessary to increase the capabilities of Ukrainian air defense, and the question is only in the political decisions of Western countries. The corresponding statement was made by President Volodymyr Zelensky.

17:46 Russian dictator Vladimir Putin will want to take revenge for the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria, because they are accomplices in the violence, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

16.36 Since the beginning of the current day, 99 combat clashes have occurred on the front. The Ukrainian Armed Forces are repelling Russian attacks in 10 directions and in the Kursk region, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported in a report as of 16:00.

16.19 As a result of Russian shelling of Zaporozhye, three people were killed and 11 others were injured, the head of the regional military administration Ivan Fedorov reported on Tuesday, December 10.

15:50 Over the past month, the number of barges that the occupiers installed in the Kerch Strait as boom barriers to protect against Ukrainian Armed Forces sea drones has halved. This was reported by the Center for Journalistic Investigations.

15.15 The mayor of occupied Dneprorudnoye, Yevgeny Matveyev, died in Russian captivity in February 2024. This was reported by the Zaporizhzhya Regional Prosecutor's Office.

The department noted that the occupiers returned the mayor's body with signs of violent death. The mayor's death more than six months ago is confirmed by a medical death certificate.

14.51 Russian troops have been attacking Kherson and its suburbs with drones since the morning: Antonovka, Kindeyka, Novodmitrovka. Six people were injured. This was reported by the Kherson OVA.

14:10 In the frontline Toretsk, as of December, there are still 1.5 thousand civilians. The city has been almost wiped off the face of the earth due to enemy strikes with guided aerial bombs and artillery. Footage of the city was shown by the Telegram channel of the operational-strategic group of forces (OSGV) Khortytsia.

13:49 Explosions have thundered in occupied Yenakiyeve, Donetsk Oblast. Footage of secondary detonation sounds is being published by local publics. The occupation authorities have announced an emergency evacuation of residents near the impact site.

"They probably hit a Russian ammunition depot," writes Ukrainian journalist Andrey Tsaplienko.

13:06 Several dozen nuclear warheads have been delivered to Belarus and the locations for the Oreshnik ballistic missiles to be deployed are being selected. This was stated by the country's formal leader Alexander Lukashenko during a visit to Borisov.

12:48 Information circulated in the media about Russia's ability to produce up to 25 Oreshnik missiles monthly is not true. The disinformation was aimed at Western countries. This was stated by Andrei Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD).

12:04 Russian aggressors launched two missile strikes on the city of Zlatopol in the Lozovsky district. A total of 10 people were injured. Preliminary reports indicate that the enemy used Iskander-M ballistic missiles.

10:36 Russian invaders launched a missile strike on the city of Zlatopol in the Lozovsky district of the Kharkiv region. Eight people were injured. The hit was recorded near a bank. Other non-residential buildings and civilian cars were damaged.

9:35 Over the past 24 hours, 175 combat clashes have occurred on the front. Most attacks have been repelled in the Pokrovsk direction - 51 attacks. This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The missile forces of the Defense Forces have hit the command post of the Russian invaders.

8:19 In the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, most schools have closed their canteens due to a lack of staff. This was reported by the Center for National Resistance (CNS).

"This concerns urban educational institutions. As for schools in rural areas, the canteens there have not worked since the arrival of the "Russian world," the report says.

7:45 Over the past 24 hours, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have destroyed 1,350 Russian invaders. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the losses of the occupiers have exceeded 755 thousand troops in manpower. This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

7:23 The Ukrainian robotic combat complex Droid TW 12.7, equipped with a Browning 12.7 machine gun, has been codified and approved for operation. This was reported by the Ministry of Defense. The complex has proven its reliability during combat trials. Droid TW 12.7 has a 12.7 mm machine gun, a tracked platform for difficult conditions, remote control via a tablet, and operates on digital communications.

Link

Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

Ukrainian Perspective: Invasion of Ukraine: December 6, 2024

2024-12-07

Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.

Worth noting, korrespondent.net has compiled its Invasion of Ukraine series into separate months, beginning May 9th, 2023. Linked in the title.
[Korrespondent] 18.49 Russian troops attacked Zaporizhia on the evening of December 6. Enemy shelling resulted in the death of three people, reported the head of the Zaporizhia OVA Ivan Fedorov.

18.11 As a result of the Russian missile strike on Krivoy Rog on December 6, the death toll has risen to two people. This was reported by the head of the Dnipropetrovsk OVA, Serhiy Lysak.

17.45 A man was killed as a result of a missile strike on Krivoy Rog. There are casualties. This was reported by the head of the Dnipropetrovsk OVA Serhiy Lysak. According to him, a 6-year-old child is among the casualties. The boy is in hospital in a moderate condition. According to the head of the Krivoy Rog Defense Council, Oleksandr Vilkul, the Russians entered a civilian administrative building. An emergency rescue operation is underway.

16.26 Russian dictator Vladimir Putin said that Russia and Belarus could sign a security agreement on December 6, allegedly providing for the use of nuclear weapons. Self-proclaimed President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko asked Putin to deploy the Russian so-called Oreshnik system on the country's territory . Putin responded that he considered it possible to deploy Oreshnik on the territory of Belarus in the second half of 2025. According to the head of the Kremlin, the military-political leadership of Minsk will determine the targets of the Oreshnik strike from the territory of Belarus on the "potential enemy".

15:59 Sweden and Denmark announced on December 6 that they had placed a large order for the purchase of IFVs, 40 of which are intended for Ukraine. The vehicles in question are Swedish CV 90 MKIIIC IFVs from the manufacturer Hägglunds, worth a total of 25 billion Swedish kronor - more than 2.1 billion euros. Denmark is ordering 115 units, Sweden a smaller number, in addition to the contract concluded in the spring, which provides for the delivery of a total of 50 vehicles. They are to replace 50 older IFVs that Sweden transferred to Ukraine. Also ordered are 40 vehicles for Ukraine, which were planned jointly by Denmark and Sweden.

15.40 In Nikopol in the Dnipropetrovsk region, rescuers came under repeated Russian shelling, a fire truck was damaged. This was reported by the State Emergency Service. It is noted that today Russian troops shelled the city again, as a result of which a residential building caught fire. During the extinguishing of the fire, the enemy treacherously attacked the rescuers. The fire and rescue truck was damaged. The rescuers managed to hide in shelter, there were no casualties.

14.44 Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrsky outlined the main tasks for Ukrainian troops in the Kursk direction.

"Our main task now is to strengthen the stability of the defense, inflict maximum losses on the enemy, prepare reserves, and ensure an uninterrupted supply of ammunition and other material and technical resources to units and subdivisions," he said.

13:25 Residents of the temporarily occupied Crimea congratulated the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the holiday. This was reported by the Yellow Ribbon resistance movement. Activists published photos with greeting cards from Sevastopol, Simferopol, Yevpatoria, Yalta, Kerch and Dzhankoy.

12:43 Russian troops attacked an ambulance in Antonovka with a drone, two medics were injured. An investigation has been launched into the facts of the commission of a war crime. This was reported by the press service of the regional prosecutor's office on Friday, December 6.

11:15 President Volodymyr Zelensky took part in celebrations on the occasion of the Day of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The events took place at the Batkivshchyna-Mati stele in Kyiv.

"Today we clearly understand that the real, first, reliable guarantor of our security is the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Thank you for this and let death pass by the brave, let everything be 4.5.0. Glory to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Glory to Ukraine," the president said.

9:40 Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrsky and Minister of Defense Rustem Umerov congratulated the military on the Day of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

"Only those who fight and do not lay down their arms win. We have stood firm, we are holding on, we will defeat the enemy," the commander-in-chief emphasized.

The Minister of Defense thanked the military for their sacrifices and efforts aimed at maintaining peace and security.

9:15 During a night drone attack, as a result of falling debris from downed enemy targets in two districts of the Kyiv region, eight private houses, a garage and a utility building were damaged.

At the same time, no critical or residential infrastructure was hit. There were no casualties.

8:30 During the day, 188 combat clashes occurred on the front, the hottest situation was observed in the Pokrovsky, Kurakhovsky and Vremovsky directions, which the Russian invaders attacked 127 times in total.

8:10 At night, the Russians attacked Ukraine with 53 Shahed strike UAVs and other types of drones. 32 drones were destroyed in the Kharkiv, Poltava, Sumy, Chernihiv, Kyiv and Zhitomir regions.

7:57 As of December 6, the total combat losses of Russian troops on the territory of Ukraine were approximately 750,610 people (1,660 per day).

7:25 Russians tried to attack Kiev with drones at night. The alarm was declared in the capital twice and lasted for four hours in total. The forces and means of the Defense Forces detected and destroyed more than a dozen UAVs that threatened the capital.

According to preliminary data, a fall was recorded in the city, but without serious damage or casualties.

Link

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