Russia’s Supreme Court on Tuesday declared the Ukrainian Azov Regiment a terrorist organization.
Despite its checkered past, the Azov Regiment is hailed in Ukraine as heroes for fighting to defend the country’s embattled east against the Russian invasion.
An estimated 1,000 Azov soldiers are being held by Russia and Moscow’s allied forces in eastern Ukraine.
A group of Russian soldiers have accused their commanders of jailing them in eastern Ukraine for refusing to take part in the war, in a rare public exposure of tensions inside the ranks of Russia’s army over the invasion.
Maxim Grebenyuk, a lawyer who runs the Moscow-based advocacy organisation Military Ombudsman, said at least four Russian soldiers had filed written complaints with the investigative committee, demanding punishment for the superiors who oversaw their detainment.
“We already have a list of 70 Russian soldiers who were held as prisoners. In total, about 140 soldiers were held,” added Grebenyuk, who represented the soldiers.
#Ukraine: Rare footage of no less than four M142 HIMARS in action, firing 24 M31A1 GMLRS unitary rockets at Russian targets.
This footage is notable not just for the quantity but also the daytime usage of HIMARS. Note the Ukrainian soldier with possible MANPADS to the left. pic.twitter.com/bHQKQM2fiG
— 🇺🇦 Ukraine Weapons Tracker (@UAWeapons) August 3, 2022
(Bloomberg) — Germany’s presidential palace in Berlin is no longer lit at night, the city of Hanover is turning off warm water in the showers of its pools and gyms, and municipalities across the country are preparing heating havens to keep people safe from the cold. And that’s just the beginning of a crisis that will ripple across Europe.
It might still be the height of summer, but Germany has little time to lose to avert an energy shortage this winter that would be unprecedented for a developed nation. Much of Europe is feeling the strain from Russia’s squeeze on natural gas deliveries, yet no other country is as exposed as the region’s biggest economy, where nearly half the homes rely on the fuel for heating.
Destroying military aid flowing into Ukraine from the West is ‘goal number one for Russian agents’, according to Ukraine military
Britain is helping Ukraine hunt Russian spies targeting Western-supplied weapons, the acting deputy head of Kyiv’s military intelligence has said.
Finding and destroying military aid flowing into Ukraine from Western countries is “goal number one for Russian agents”, according to Major General Vadym Skibitsky.
Russian Ministry of Defense claims it destroyed two of Ukraine's HIMARS rocket artillery systems, and posts video to prove it. Apparently, the two 16.2 ton, 7 m long, 3.2. m high, 2.4 m wide HIMARS vehicles were hidden in a room on the second floor of a building in Kharkiv. pic.twitter.com/WC8mSvpaZY
— Euan MacDonald (@Euan_MacDonald) August 1, 2022
OTTAWA – The Canadian government is imposing sanctions on dozens of Russian military officers whose troops are accused of committing atrocities against Ukrainian civilians.
Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly announced the new sanctions against 47 Russians this morning, as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues nearly six months after it began.
Canada is also adding 17 Russian companies and entities to its sanctions list for supporting the invasion of Ukraine.
Russia has accused the US of direct involvement in the war in Ukraine for the first time.
A spokesperson for Moscow’s defence ministry alleged the US was approving targets for American-made Himars artillery used by Kyiv’s forces.
Lt Gen Igor Konashenkov said intercepted calls between Ukrainian officials revealed the link. The BBC could not independently verify this.
There was no immediate comment on the allegation from US officials.
Russian soldiers running for cover after #Ukraine's HIMARS strike on train station in Brylivka, #Kherson oblast
A 40-rail car train with ammunition, personnel and armor was reportedly destroyed in the strike.#Russia pic.twitter.com/lcNcBrD9Sb— UAWire (@uawire) August 2, 2022
The country’s energy policy is purely ideological
As Germany stares down the barrel of an energy crisis, it’s lights out already in the capital. The Red City Hall, the presidential palace and the Victory Column are among the 200 sites in Berlin that will no longer be illuminated at night. The Deputy Governing Mayor, Bettina Jarasch, said her city wanted to make a “visible contribution” to the changes required in light of Putin’s weaponisation of Germany’s energy dependency.
Spain puts limits on air conditioning and heating to save energy
Spain has announced new energy-saving measures, including limits on air conditioning and heating temperatures in public and large commercial buildings, as it becomes the latest European country to seek to reduce its energy consumption and its dependence on Russian oil and gas.
Under a decree that comes into effect in seven days’ time and applies to public buildings, shopping centres, cinemas, theatres, rail stations and airports, heating should not be set above 19C and air conditioning should not be set below 27C. Doors will need to be closed so as not to waste energy, and lights in shop windows must be switched off after 10pm.
Before pulling Canadian diplomats out of Ukraine weeks ahead of the Russian invasion, Global Affairs Canada received intelligence confirming that Russia intended to wage war against its neighbour, and that Ukrainians who worked for the Canadian embassy were likely on lists of people Moscow intended to hunt down.
Despite the apparently dire situation, Ottawa told Canadian embassy leaders in Kyiv to withhold this information from those Ukrainian staff members and leave them behind.
The livelihoods of millions have already been sacrificed
After a decade of financial austerity, is Europe now on the brink of a new age of energy austerity? The city of Hanover has recently introduced strict energy-saving rules that include cutting off the hot water in public buildings, swimming pools, sports halls and gyms, banning mobile air conditioners, fan heaters or radiators, switching off public fountains, and stopping illuminating major buildings such as the town hall at night.
German Chancellor defends Trudeau, saying Canada called Putin’s bluff by agreeing to send Russian turbines back
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the Kremlin’s bluff by allowing Russian pipeline turbines repaired in Canada to be sent back to Moscow’s state-controlled Gazprom, arguing that this move eliminated a pretext for Vladimir Putin to reduce or stop deliveries of natural gas to Europe.
Ottawa circumvented its own sanctions against Russia in the decision last month, drawing harsh criticism from Ukraine for what it described as bending to Moscow’s blackmail.
Mr. Scholz, however, defended Mr. Trudeau and told The Globe and Mail that he considers criticism of the Prime Minister and his government over this matter to be “utterly baseless.”
In the village of Vybuty, a large crowd has gathered outside a church. People are queuing up to kiss the icon of a saint.
An Orthodox priest in a gold embroidered vestment chants a prayer for Russia: “For our blessed country, its rulers and its army.”
In the congregation are Russian servicemen. They cross themselves with three fingers according to the Orthodox tradition.
Ukraine isn’t mentioned in the mass. But it’s on people’s minds.
A ship carrying Ukrainian grain has left the port of Odesa for the first time since the start of the Russian invasion, according to Ukraine’s infrastructure ministry.
The Sierra Leone-flagged ship Razoni, carrying 26,000 tonnes of corn, finally set sail for Lebanon on Monday morning after weeks of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, led by Turkey and the United Nations.
Russia has been blockading Ukraine’s ports since the start of the war, stoking a worldwide grain shortage that has caused the UN to warn of a looming hunger catastrophe.
Vladimir Putin’s health has been brought into question yet again as new footage emerged today of the Russian president seemingly unable to use his right arm.
It happened at the same event where Russia’s authoritarian leader signed a new military doctrine that accuses the United States of being Moscow’s greatest threat.
Meanwhile Putin and his friends are making preparations to flee Russia should his army be defeated in Ukraine, according to a Telegram channel that claims to come from inside the Kremlin.
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A small explosive device carried by a makeshift drone blew up Sunday at the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet on the Crimean Peninsula, wounding six people and prompting the cancellation of ceremonies there honoring Russia’s navy, authorities said.
Meanwhile, one of Ukraine’s richest men, a grain merchant, was killed in what Ukrainian authorities said was a carefully targeted Russian missile strike on his home.
#Ukraine: A moving Russian T-80 tank was destroyed by the 93rd Mechanized Brigade of Ukraine in the vicinity of Izium, #Kharkiv Oblast, using an anti-tank guided missile. pic.twitter.com/rKBGwcnmDX
— 🇺🇦 Ukraine Weapons Tracker (@UAWeapons) July 30, 2022
The EU wants to reduce its gas consumption by at least 15%. Germany will probably have to save even more. How is that supposed to work?
Many people in Germany are starting to get unpleasant letters in the mail. Utility companies are passing on the increased costs of gas to their customers. Gas heats more than half of the homes in Germany, and many residents will struggle to pay for it.
Prices have more than doubled since the end of last year, to €0.13 ($0.13) per kilowatt hour. Some suppliers have increased prices even more. Energy giant, Vattenfall, is charging new customers in Berlin €0.25 per kilowatt hour.
