Monthly Archives: January 2024

President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree simplifying the process of obtaining Russian citizenship for foreigners who join the Russian army, according to a document published by the government Thursday.

Foreign citizens who signed a [one-year] contract with the Russian Armed Forces or military formations or who are undergoing military service during the special military operation [in Ukraine] are eligible for the simplified citizenship procedure, Putins decree states.

The spouses, children and parents of foreigners serving in the Russian army will also be able to receive fast-track citizenship, according to the decree.

Russian authorities have one month to consider the soldiers and their families citizenship applications, the document states.

Thursdays decree, which comes into force on the day of its publication, replacesprevious decrees Putin issued after declaring a partial mobilization of reservists in September 2022.

His latest edict drops the requirement for foreigners to serve in the military for at least six months before applying for citizenship, as well as shortens the application procedure from three months to just one.

Russias simplified citizenship process appears targeted toward citizens of poorer ex-Soviet countries who live and work in Russia.

The Central Asian countries of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan have all urged their citizens not to join foreign armies after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Last year saw widespread and regular reports of police in cities across Russia rounding up migrant workers who recently received Russian citizenship but failed to complete their compulsory military registration.

Some of the migrants have been handed military summons on the spot, while others are forcibly taken to military enlistment offices, according to the reports.

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Putin Further Eases Citizenship Process for Foreigners in Russian Army - The Moscow Times

The latest bout ofRussian and Ukrainian strikes and their toll on the civilian population took center stage at an emergency meeting of theUN Security Council late on Saturday.

Russia had called for the emergency meeting following reported attacks on Belogorod in which 21 people were killed.The emergency session was held less than 24 hours after the Council convened a meeting on Ukraine following large-scale attacks by Russia against Ukrainian towns and cities.

"We unequivocally condemn all attacks on cities, towns and villages, in Ukraine and in the Russian Federation,"said Khaled Khiari, assistant secretary-general in the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (UN DPPA)

"Attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure violate international humanitarian law, are unacceptable and must end now," he added.

Moscow accused Ukraine of using controversial cluster bombs in strikes that killed at least 21 people and wounded dozens more.

Russia said the attack would "not go unpunished."

At the Security Council meeting, Russian diplomat Vasily Nebenzya accused Ukraine of targeting a sports center, an ice rink and a university.

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The Belgorod attack came a day after Ukraine said a barrage of Russian missile strikes on several cities killed at least 40 people.

"The Security Council convened yesterday and is meeting again today, and you should be ready to meet tomorrow, the day after tomorrow every day that the Russian war against Ukraine lasts," Ukraine's representative Serhii Dvornyksaid, according to the UN News Service.

"Because as long as this war, unleashed by the Kremlin dictator, endures, the toll of death and suffering will continue to grow," he added.

According to the UN News Service, French Ambassador Nicolas de Riviere saidif Russian troops were not on Ukrainian soil, "we wouldn'be here this afternoon."

mfi/lo (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters)

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Ukraine updates: Putin vows to 'never back down' DW 12/31/2023 - DW (English)

If the West leaves Ukraine without support and allows Russia to win, the war will spread to NATO and EU countries, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview with The Economist on Jan. 1.

By giving us money or weapons, you are supporting yourselves, Zelenskyy said. You are saving your children, not ours. Putin senses weakness, like an animal, because he is an animal. He smells blood, he feels his strength. And he will eat you for dinner with all your EU, NATO, freedom, and democracy.

Read also: Russian diplomat says Finland will be first to suffer during NATO escalation

Thats why European countries should lobby for U.S. aid to Ukraine. The intelligence services of several European countries have begun to explore the possibility of an attack on their territory by Russia, and it's not just about the former Soviet republics (Baltic states ed.), according to Zelenskyy.

Read also: Ukraine to produce a million drones in 2024 Zelenskyy

Russia might try to attack Europe at the end of 2024 or early 2025, reported Bild on Dec. 23.

Germany might one day be forced to wage a defensive war against Russia, stated Carsten Breuer, the Bundeswehr Inspector General on Dec. 9.

Russia will attack NATO countries if it captures Ukraine, U.S. President Joe Biden said on Dec. 6.

Russia is rejuvenating its forces and capabilities and preparing for a possible confrontation with NATO, stated Lieutenant General Jrgen-Joachim von Sandrart, Commander of the NATO Multinational Corps Northeast on Dec. 5.

Russia is replenishing its strategic stockpile of missiles, carriers of nuclear weapons, to threaten NATO, said Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat on dec. 4.

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'Putin is an animal; he will devour you and your democracy' Zelenskyy - Yahoo News

President Vladimir Putin praised the Russian army in his New Year's Eve address Sunday, calling for "unity" in a subdued speech that did not explicitly mention the war in Ukraine.

In stark contrast to last year's address, when the Russian leader was flanked by soldiers in uniform, Putin stood in front of the traditional backdrop of the Kremlin and declared that 2024 would be the "year of the family."

"We have repeatedly proven that we can solve the most difficult problems and will never back down because there is no force that can separate us," Putin said in the address, aired on state TV as regions in Russia's Far East greeted the New Year several hours ahead of Moscow.

Putin made no mention of the attack against the city of Belgorod on Saturday, in which officials said Ukrainian shelling killed at least 24 people and injured dozens more, but he did commend Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine during the holiday.

"To all those who are serving on the front line in the fight for truth and justice," Putin said, "you are our heroes. Our hearts are with you. We are proud of you, we admire your courage."

"We are united in our thoughts, in toil and in battle," he continued, adding that Russians understood their country was passing through what he called a significant "historical stage."

"We will ensure the confident development of the Fatherland, the well-being of our citizens, and we will become even stronger," Putin said toward the end of his address.

The televised New Year's Eve speech, which continues a tradition started by Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev, is a key part of holiday celebrations in Russia and is watched by millions.

The address is aired just before midnight in each of Russia's 11 timezones and is usually a summary of events from the past year, as well as wishes for the year ahead.

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Putin Praises Army in Scaled-Back New Year's Eve Address - The Moscow Times

President Vladimir Putin has issued a decree allowing foreign nationals who have fought for Russia in Ukraine to obtain Russian citizenship for themselves and their families. Under the new order, individuals who have signed contracts during what Moscow refers to as its "special military operation" in Ukraine can apply for Russian passports for themselves, their spouses, children, and parents. It is a requirement for them to provide documents proving their commitment to a minimum one-year service. This includes individuals who have signed contracts with the regular armed forces or other "military formations," which may include groups like the Wagner mercenary organization. Initial fast-track citizenship policy In September 2022, following the announcement of a partial mobilization to draft 300,000 reservists for the conflict in Ukraine, Putin first permitted fast-track citizenship for foreigners who signed contracts with the Russian military. Under this policy, immigrants who committed to at least a year of service and participated in active hostilities for a minimum of six months could apply for citizenship without proving their proficiency in Russian or a five-year residency in Russia under a permit. This opportunity was also extended to their spouses and children, with authorities required to make decisions on such applications within three months, as per a presidential decree at the time. Further simplification in 2023 In May 2023, another decree by Putin further simplified the citizenship process. The requirement for six months of active hostilities was eliminated, allowing anyone who signed a year-long contract during the Kremlin's special military operation in Ukraine, along with their families, to apply through the fast-track procedure. Latest decree for quicker citizenship The decree signed on Thursday further accelerates the citizenship process, reducing the decision-making period on applications to just one month, down from three. The Kremlin has not immediately commented on the rationale behind this change. Reports of police raids targeting migrants Concurrent with these decrees, there have been regular media reports of police raids in Russian cities focusing on migrants. According to these reports, individuals detained in such raids are frequently coerced or pressured into signing military contracts. Novaya Gazeta, an independent newspaper, reported a significant raid on New Year's Eve in St. Petersburg, where over 3,000 migrants were detained. An anonymous police source indicated that the objective of the raid was to recruit men for the army. The aim of this measure seems to be to provide additional incentives for foreigners with military experience to join the Russian ranks. Official data regarding the number of foreigners fighting on Russia's side in Ukraine is not publicly available. However, previous reports from Reuters have highlighted cases of Cubans who enlisted in the military in exchange for bonuses equivalent to over 100 times the average monthly salary in Cuba, as well as three Africans recruited by Wagner, two of whom were killed in action. According to a declassified US intelligence report, Russia has suffered a significant toll in the Ukraine war, with approximately 315,000 dead and wounded troops. This accounts for nearly 90% of the personnel it had at the beginning of the conflict, as shared by a source familiar with the intelligence. In September 2022, Russia initiated its first mobilization since World War Two, drafting an additional 300,000 men. There have been speculations that Russia may repeat this move, possibly after the upcoming presidential election in March, where Putin is expected to secure another six-year term. However, the Kremlin has repeatedly stated that no further mobilization is necessary due to the hundreds of thousands of men who voluntarily signed contracts last year to become professional soldiers. Both Russia and Ukraine have not disclosed the full extent of their losses during the 22-month war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently stated that his military has proposed mobilizing an additional 450,000-500,000 individuals. The Kyiv parliament has started reviewing a controversial draft legislation that aims to tighten and expand mobilization rules. (with inputs from agencies)

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Vladimir Putin offers citizenship to foreigners who fight for Russia - IndiaTimes

The evidence that former president, Donald Trump took in at least $7.8 million from foreign entities while in office is the kind of misdeeds that the GOP cannot find on President Biden.

Donald J. Trump through his businesses reportedly received at least $7.8 million from more than 20 foreign governments during his presidency, according to new documents released by House Democrats on Thursday that show how much he received from overseas transactions while he was in the White Housemost of it came from China.

In addition to the millions Trump received while in office, the former president,DonaldTrump reportedly asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to help him win the 2020 electionaccording to an account of life inside the Trump administration by former Trump national security adviser John Bolton.

At the same meeting, Xi also defended Chinas construction of camps housing as many as 1million Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang and Trump signaled his approval. According to our interpreter, Bolton writes, Trump said that Xi should go ahead with building the camps, which Trump thought was exactly the right thing to do.

Democratic Representative, Jake Auchincloss, sits on the U.S. House Select Committee on China and recently said that both Russias Vladimir Putin and Chinas Xi Jinping are both hoping that former President Donald Trump will be in the White House in 2024.

Let me be crystal clear here:Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin are salivating at the prospect of President Trump re-entering the White House in 2025, Auchincloss said at Semafors World Economy Summit on Wednesday.

January 6, 2021, was Xi Jinpings best day in office because when the United States degrades its own democracy on the world stage for people all over to witness, it undermines the power of our example, Auchincloss said.

Republicans have moved closer and closer to publicly and unapologetically cozying up to authoritarian governments, perhaps more than ever before in U.S. history.

And even though America has seen its share of elected leaders that have spoken out in the same manner as authoritarian rule in other countries (think Sen. Joseph McCarthy and his U.S. communism witch hunts)no one stands out in American GOP political history quite like Sen. Robert A. Taftdubbed, Mr. Republican and whose defense of the pure principled conservatism is still seen as the GOP iconic and unfortunately, shining example, for many of the Trump faithful.

These ideologies have chillingly gained momentum.

In 1940 Taft wrote,There is a good deal more danger of the infiltration of totalitarian ideas from the New Deal circle in Washington than there will ever be from any activities of . . . theNazi bund.

This quote is Taft actually comparing one of our nations highest ideals for working Americans, the New Deal which set into motion programs, public work projects, financial reforms and regulations of protections enacted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt between 1933 and 1939as more dangerous than the infiltration of Nazi Americans in the U.S.

TheNazi Bund was a German-American Nazi organizationestablished in 1936. Its main goal was to promote a favorable view of Nazi Germany.

Today we are seeing and hearing chants and public displays of a return to that kind of thinking and the antisemitic rhetoric is ripe among GOP MAGA candidates that were mostly defeated in the mid-terms but are making a slow but steady comeback as the nation nears 2024.

One member of the Arizona Jewish community described the growth of antisemitism and speeches flowing with hate-filled rhetoric from many of the GOP Arizona midterm candidates as a tidal wave of antisemitism.

The 64-year-old business owner and contributor to Northeast Valley News said that he is deeply troubled by growing antisemitismbut worse, the apparent acceptance of it on the part of many GOP political candidates and even some elected officials. Its difficult to know how to respond to someone so legitimately frightened by the kind of antisemitic rhetoric and communication associated with some GOP candidates in Arizona.

The longtime member of Arizonas Jewish community chose to remain anonymous out of fear of retaliation and threats but told Northeast Valley News that he is concerned with the rampant and growing language of antisemitism.

They have endorsed antisemitic candidates in other states, posed with and attended rallies of white nationalists, some of them are funded by conspiracy theorists or are supported by Nazi sympathizers why are these candidates even allowed on the Az. ballot?

The business owner recently changed his party affiliation back to what it was when he was much younger after almost two decades as a registered Republican he said he wanted to drop any affiliation with the GOP.

While he has maintained a popular and successful small business for more than 21 years in Phoenixhe declined to go on the record with Northeast Valley News over fear of retaliation and threats.

Several other Valley respondents told Northeast Valley News that they fear for American democracy if Donald Trump is elected.

Loraine Hull, a retired teacher and resident of Gilbert spoke of a growing unease at the popularity of living in an isolationist country ruled by a dictator who may never leave office again.

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China's Xi Jinping and Putin salivating at a Trump 2024 winthe kinship with dictators has Valley voters concerned - Northeast Valley News

Claim:

A video authentically shows UFC fighter Conor McGregor putting his arm around Russian President Vladimir Putin for a photo-op before removing it after someone in Putin's entourage tells him not to.

On Jan 2, 2024, the X account Historic Vids posted a video purporting to show UFC fighter Conor McGregor being "given a warning for putting his arm over Vladimir Putin" during a photo op:

Some users of Community Notes, a fact-checking initiative on X, suggested the video is misleading or manipulated because the order of events has been reversed something that occurred with another video of Putin.

However, while the McGregor video is edited slightly to make it shorter, the events depicted occur in the order in which they should, and the cuts that were made do not strip it of any meaningful context, as shown by the full, unedited version:

While the interpretation that McGregor was "warned" is somewhat subjective, McGregor does remove his arm from Putin's shoulder after a member of Putin's entourage signals to him, and newspaper reports suggest that, indeed, he was asked to remove his arm.

The meeting occurred at the 2018 World Cup at Putin's invitation, as reported by the BBC:

Conor McGregor has caused controversy by calling Russian president Vladimir Putin "one of the greatest leaders of our time".

The MMA fighter posted a photo to Instagram of himself with Mr Putin at the World Cup final in Moscow.

Some fans weren't happy with the 30-year-old's choice to accept the Russian leader's invitation to the match in Moscow.

Because the video authentically portrays this meeting and documents an apparent request for McGregor to remove his arm, this claim is True.

Link:

Does Video Show Conor McGregor Being Told Not To Put Arm Around Putin? - Snopes.com