Category Archives: Ukraine

The US announced on Monday a new tranche of weapons for Ukraines forces fighting Russia, including ammunition for increasingly important rocket launchers and artillery guns. The $550m package will include more ammunition for the high mobility advanced rocket systems otherwise known as Himars, as well as ammunition for artillery, national security council spokesman John Kirby told reporters.

Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu has said that Russia had destroyed six US-made Himars missile systems since the beginning of the latest Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Three people have reportedly been killed by Russian shelling while evacuating in a minibus near Kherson, Ukraines military is reporting. Ukraines Operational Command South reported that three people died from the attack on the bus near Dovhove.

Turkeys representative at the Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) in Istanbul has said that the first ship carrying Ukrainian grain to world markets was expected to anchor at Istanbul on Tuesday night. At a briefing held at the JCC, general zcan Altunbulak said the course of the ship was going as planned. Another official said The plan is for a ship to leave every day. If nothing goes wrong, exports will be made via one ship a day for a while.

Ukraines state security service says it is investigating 752 cases of treason and collaboration. According to the agency, the greatest amount of cases have been documented in the regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson.

The United Nations secretary general, Antnio Guterres, has warned that a misunderstanding could spark nuclear destruction, as the US, Britain and France urged Russia to stop its dangerous nuclear rhetoric and behaviour.

Sabina Higgins, the wife of Irelands president, Michael D Higgins, has triggered a political row in Ireland by urging Russia and Ukraine to call a ceasefire and enter negotiations. Critics said the intervention amounted to Kremlin propaganda because it appeared to equate Moscows aggression with Kyivs fight for survival.

The US has accused Russia of using Ukraines largest nuclear power plant as a nuclear shield. US secretary of state Antony Blinken said Washington was deeply concerned that Moscow was now using the plant as a military base and firing on Ukrainian forces from around it and called Russias actions around the plant the height of irresponsibility.

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Russia-Ukraine war latest: what we know on day 160 of the invasion - The Guardian

On Feb. 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin told his people and the world that a special military operation was needed to right a series of wrongs in Ukraine and beyond. Russians in eastern Ukraine were victims of genocide, and the country was led by a Nazi regime. Beyond Ukraine, Putin said NATO had ignored repeated warnings to stop its eastward push.

It was time for an answer, the Russian leader said. That day, the troops went in.

It was a rambling speech, but its core message was captured in a few lines: The purpose of this operation is to protect people who have been facing humiliation and genocide perpetrated by the Kyiv regime. To this end, we will seek to demilitarize and denazify Ukraine.

For all the battlefield turns since that fateful day the early Russian onslaught and surprising Ukrainian resistance; the heavy Russian losses and subsequent shift to the eastern front we are no closer, five months later, to divining Putins aspirations for an endgame in Ukraine. He remains dismissive of Ukraines leaders and furious with NATO and the West even more so now than before and he rails often about his dreams of a Greater Russia. But we dont know whether Putin still believes victory requires taking the capital, Kyiv, and bringing about regime change in Ukraine nor how he measures those aims against the staggering toll of his military operation to date. We dont know to what extent he worries about Russian casualties, the occasional bubbling up of anti-war dissent, the exodus of Russian citizens or the economic punishments levied against his country.

Heres one thing we do know: Given the mission he articulated in February and what has happened since, Vladimir Putin could give a victory speech tomorrow. It would likely be a blend of fact, twisted fact and outright invention but Putin mixes reality and fantasy on a regular basis.

The Russian leader probably expected to declare victory in the early days of the war. He may well have had a speech prepared. In the runup to May 9 the Victory Day holiday in Russia the assumption was that Putin had to offer something like a victory address for the occasion. The problem was, he didnt have the goods. Now he is getting closer particularly when one allows for some typical Kremlin stretching of the truth.

Russia is hardly winning the war in Ukraine. But its forces have made gains since the Kremlin turned its military focus to the east and south, and the Russian position is appreciably better than it was on Victory Day. If Putin wished to stanch the bleeding of his armed forces and his countrys economy and perhaps even claim a kind of high ground after months of being branded globally as a genocidal war criminal, he could do something about it. He could call in the Kremlin cameras and media machine and announce to the world: Mission accomplished.

Yes, of course, Putin could declare victory, if he wished to, said Ksenia Kirillova, a former reporter for the Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta and now an analyst of Russian media and propaganda. And he already has enough things that he could call completing the tasks of a special military operation.

Grid spoke to Russians and others versed in the ways the Kremlin, the Russian media and Putin himself communicate to their people and to the world. They imagined the speech Putin might give, how it might be received and the odds that he might deliver it anytime soon.

A Putin victory speech would not only mix fact and fiction; it would also likely cause an uproar and perhaps a reinvigorated resistance from Ukraine. But experts told Grid that Kremlin speechwriters would have no problem drafting an argument that Putins special military operation has succeeded.

Vasily Gatov, an expert in Russian media at the University of Southern California Annenberg Center, said the Russian leaders strongest point would be that he has pacified those regions of eastern and southern Ukraine.

If I was Putins speechwriter, I would offer him these possible narratives: We saved the people of Donbas and southern Ukraine. We secured their will for independence and affiliation with Greater Russia. The victory in this narrative is that those peoples republics are now liberated. They can now merge with Russia as they desired.

Kirillova agreed: Putins best argument, she said, is that he has accomplished the liberation of the Donbas, as Putin calls his operations in Ukraines Donetsk and Luhansk regions, and perhaps other territory on which, according to Russian propaganda, Russian people are oppressed.

Eurasia Group CEO Ian Bremmer noted in his July 25 newsletter the likelihood that Russia will soon move to annex these territories, formally incorporating Ukrainian land, citizens and resources into the Russian federation. At which point, Bremmer wrote, President Vladimir Putin gets to announce a win.

Former Russian TV host and Grid Special Contributor Stanislav Kucher said Putin and his propaganda apparatus would have no trouble listing achievements real and otherwise and selling them to the Russian people.

Theoretically, one can imagine Putin delivering a victory speech, Kucher told Grid. Saying something like, We have achieved our goals, we have brought back the east of Ukraine and Novorossiya (another term for the eastern territories). We have eliminated the Nazis, punished the corrupt Ukrainian government, and we have scared the *** out of Europe and America.

Such a speech would be helped by a certain straw-man factor: Putin could claim victory over enemies that never really existed. He can say that Russia has succeeded in the denazification of Ukraine because the problem as defined by Putin wasnt there in the first place. Grid and others have reported on the ways in which Putin has manipulated history and fact, creating a noxious stew of misinformation that casts Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and local Ukrainhian officials as Nazis and war criminals. As Kirillova noted, these tropes continue to be mainstays of Russian media and polling suggests a majority of the Russian public continues to believe them.

Gatov believes Putin could build upon another fiction the notion that the U.S. was helping Ukraine produce chemical and biological weapons and claim victory there as well.

He can say, We destroyed the potential to create and build deadly weapons that threatened our security. This narrative will stress that Russia achieved these outcomes without major efforts and still has a strong, now battle-hardened army to scare off enemies elsewhere.

Beyond Ukraines borders, Putin might claim successes on the geopolitical chessboard. He can argue with credibility that much of the world has stood with him (see China, India to a certain extent and various corners of the Global South), despite all the efforts by Europe and the U.S. to isolate his country. Russia has managed to keep its coffers stocked with revenues from oil and gas, among other commodities. In this vein, Kirillova said Putin would likely invoke a theme he has turned to often the liberation of Russia from the colonial Anglo-Saxon yoke, because Russia was able to survive the break with the West, and its economy withstood it.

Many made the point that the rhetorical framework Putin established namely, that the war isnt a war, but a special military operation, would afford him wiggle room in stepping back from the campaign.

Special military operation provides greater flexibility in case decisive victory has not been achieved, Gatov told Grid. It resembles the old Soviet Newspeak as when the (Soviet) invasion and war in Afghanistan was called international brotherly help for the Afghan people.

Here then, with the help of these Russians who understand how the Kremlin communicates, is a victory speech for the Russian president. (With apologies for the factual errors within).

My fellow countrymen!

I come to you to report that our nations Special Military Operation has ended. We have achieved our objectives. I am very proud of our armed forces and you should be as well.

We faced a serious threat and we have ended it. We have taken territory that belongs to our Russian brothers and sisters in the east and south of Ukraine. We have pacified and denazified the Donbas as I promised we would. We have restored order to these key regions. Our brethren there are embracing the armed forces of Russia in gratitude.

We have taught a powerful lesson to the Nazi puppet regime in Kyiv, and more important, we have sent a clear message to the members of NATO that they cannot trample with impunity upon our lands and our people and impose their decadent liberal values on our culture. NATO now understands that it cannot threaten Russian territory without a loud response.

We have vanquished the threat of Nazification.

We have stood strong in the face of unprecedented and unjust economic attacks against the Russian nation. Our economy is stronger and more self-sufficient than ever.

And while the U.S. and its stooges in NATO have made statements about isolating Russia and making Vladmir Putin a pariah well, as you can see, I am here, we are here, and we have friends all around the world who have stood with us, who have supported us. I do not believe pariah is a word you would choose when you consider that I have enjoyed meetings and dialogues with the leaders of China and India, Turkey and Iran these are, incidentally, some of the most important nations on earth, representing some of the worlds oldest and greatest civilizations and cultures.

In the end, it must also be said that we have shown restraint. We could have obliterated cities. We could have taken all of Ukraine. We could have used our nuclear weapons.

We are responsible global citizens. We chose not to do those things.

My fellow countrymen in less than six months, we have accomplished our mission. There is no more need for fighting and bloodshed. We call on the leaders of Ukraine to understand and to embrace an end to hostilities.

I thank you for your support and for your love of the Fatherland.

The real thing would of course be much longer. And again, much of it would be a work of fiction.

Russia has, in fact, obliterated cities. It did try, and it failed to take more Ukrainian land including the capital. Whatever messages are sent to NATO and Ukraine itself, both have been strengthened by Putins war. As Bremmer put it, If Putin invaded Ukraine because he was concerned about NATO encroachment, Russias security position over the next five years will be dramatically weaker on this score with 1,000 kilometers more direct NATO border to defend against, encirclement in the Baltic Sea and facing hundreds of thousands of battle-ready forward-deployed troops.

As for that ask of Ukrainians that they embrace an end to hostilities theres no chance of that at the moment.

As Kirillova put it, Dont ask me where is the logic in anything Putin says. But she and the others believe these are words and phrases he and his speechwriters might well employ.

Declaring victory now or in the near future would accomplish several things for the Kremlin.

It would bring pressure on Ukraine from some quarters to at least come to the bargaining table. There are already fractures in the European alliance and questions, as Joshua Keating reported recently, as to how long the world will stand With Ukraine. It might lead to a reversal of some economic sanctions, which are likely to have greater impact if the war drags on.

Its a long shot given the likely Ukrainian response but it might at least momentarily slow the hemorrhaging of Russias armed forces. Russian troop losses are somewhere between 15,000 (NATOs estimate) and 38,000 (Ukraines). Last week news leaked from a classified U.S. intelligence briefing in which the figure for killed and wounded Russian soldiers was given as 75,000. These are staggering counts, even at the low end.

From a public relations standpoint, the global support Putin has found would be strengthened and important on-the-fence nations (Turkey; India; Saudi Arabia) would likely pivot to firmer support for the Kremlin. Strangely, after all we have seen in the last five months, Putin could claim to occupy the high road. Having threatened a nuclear response to any who interfered with his military aims, he has taken no military action against NATO or its robust supply line of military equipment for Ukraine.

Within Russia itself, the experts suggested two possible outcomes: first, a high likelihood that the Russian public would buy in to all the arguments facts be damned. As Kirillova noted, they have already bought into far stranger fictional narratives about the war. On the other hand, there is the possibility that some Russians might wonder (quietly at least), given the level of sacrifice: Thats it? This is all we got, for all the sacrifice?

That latter point explains why many say Putin isnt ready to deliver the victory speech.

For one thing, Putin may think hes winning. And while there are a range of forecasts for the next phases of the war, he may believe there are more battlefield wins to be had.

Everything is going according to plan. Thats the line from Putin, Tatiana Stanovaya, a Russia expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, wrote in a recent op-ed for the New York Times. Senior Kremlin officials keep repeating that Russia, gaining the upper hand in Ukraines east, will achieve all its goals That might seem hard to believe, but its what the Kremlin seems to believe.

From a political standpoint, Kirillova and others believe the war suits Putins purposes at the moment.

Putin may be in no hurry with this, Kirillova told Grid. War is now beneficial to Putin. While the war is going on, she said, Putins high rating is ensured, the population lives in the mode of military mobilization, and therefore is ready to endure poverty and deprivation; the protest potential in such conditions is extremely low, and the authorities can justify any repressions by the laws of war.

Perhaps the most important question is the most difficult to answer: What is Putins endgame? Specifically, to what extent does he embrace a pair of goals far grander than the taking of territory: regime change in Kyiv and a new world order beyond?

Kucher doesnt believe Putin will deliver a victory speech until he has much more in hand. Putin is a gambler, he said. He is convinced that everyone will succumb to him. He will cut off gas to Germany, then he will hurt [Turkish President Tayyip] Erdogan with grain supplies, then the West will decide to surrender Ukraine, etc. thats his plan and thats what he hopes for. He is convinced that the West and the [United] States will allow him everything especially after the statements of [Henry] Kissinger and European politicians about the necessity and inevitability of territorial concessions.

Putins spoken goals have vacillated often, from the demilitarization and denazification of all of Ukraine, to the liberation of the Donbas. His threats against NATO and the West have been woven into all this. More generally, he has wavered from bellicose threats to opening windows for negotiations in one July 7 speech, he did both.

In January, Grids Joshua Keating wrote a piece under the heading: Invading Ukraine would be a terrible idea for Putin. He might do it anyway. Something of a reverse logic may be in play now: Giving a victory speech might be a smart way out; its doubtful Vladimir Putin will do it.

Thanks to Alicia Benjamin for copy editing this article.

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Putin could give a Ukraine victory speech tomorrow. Here's what it might say. - Grid

Stories of war are being told now by some of Ukraine's leading female artists at New York's Fridman Gallery, as well as a gallery in Kyiv. The women are activists as well as artists, and are responding in paint, photographs and videos to the Russian invasion, and earlier conflicts over the annexation of Crimea. The powerful, haunting works prove that art is not just about pretty pictures.

Lesia Khomenko, Max in the Army, 2022. Oil on canvas, 84.5 x 57.5 inches Lesia Khomenko hide caption

Lesia Khomenko, Max in the Army, 2022. Oil on canvas, 84.5 x 57.5 inches

Lesia Khomenko's portrait of her new husband Max shows one of the many Ukrainian men drafted to fight against the Russians. He'd been a musician and media artist before the war. He and Lesia were a couple. When Max entered the army, Lesia was able to leave the country.

Over the months of separation, he regularly sent her selfies. But during those months, she noticed changes in Max. "Now, he is totally in military uniform" she says. And she paints a new tension in him. There's a scowl on his face. He stands as straight as possible, saluting. His expression is serious determined and focused. His clothes are too big. "I wonder if I can still recognize him," she says.

Lesia spoke to NPR a day before she flew from New York back to Ukraine, for just a week-long visit. She'd felt she had to leave her country, even though it meant being away from Max. "It's too dangerous in Ukraine. I have a small daughter and I am very responsible for her. I can't live with her in Ukraine." Three times a day she'd had to run to the basement to hide from shelling: "You're filled with fear."

But with help from technology, she and Max were able to make the fear almost bearable. They got married online.

Other artists in the exhibition "Women at War" make works about history, politics, war and the pain and toll of it. They show the aftermath of rapes painful drawings of private parts, bloodied by aggression; a mother and small children at the foot of a filthy basement staircase; the forbidding image of a psychiatric hospital. Surrounded by shelling and death, the Ukrainian women make artworks.

"In every war, there was artistic life," says curator and art historian Monika Fabijanska, "either underground or above ground, wherever possible." Creating is an essential outlet. "Art allows you to process and name our feelings, and find other people who feel it and process it."

In drawings, film, even handwriting on scraps of bed linen, these artists are history's witnesses to the realities of war: its dailiness and the toll it takes.

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The Ukrainian women who make art in the face of war - NPR

Grain export ship successfully leaves south port of Odesa

Ukraine exported over 26,000 tons of corn after the United Nations and Turkey brokered deal in an effort to stabilize global food prices.

Claire Hardwick, USA TODAY

The Kremlin threatened Tuesday to break off diplomatic relations with Washington if the U.S.declares Russia a sponsor of terrorism.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called the proposed designation "naive" and a violation of international law.

"The logical result of such a step becomes a break in diplomatic relations," she said. "Washingtonrisks finally crossing the point of no return with all the ensuing consequences. This should be well understood in Washington."

Last week, theSenate passed a non-binding resolutionurging Secretary of State Antony Blinken to label Russia a state sponsor of terrorism. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged the U.S. to adopt the designation.

Blinken, however, has balked at the plan, saying that current sanctions are similar to what would be imposed with the designation.

USA TODAY ON TELEGRAM:Join our Russia-Ukraine war channel to receive updates

Latest developments

Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles reneged on a plan to send 10 tanks to Ukraine, saying the equipment was inpoor condition.

The first cargo ship to leave Ukraine in more than five monthshas run into bad weather in the Black Sea and will arrive late to Istanbul. The Razoni, which left Odesa on Monday, is now expected to reach Istanbul early Wednesday, said Turkish Rear Admiral Ozcan Altunbulak.

The death toll from a Russian missile attack on Vinnytsia grew to 27. Local officials saida man died from severe burns after 20 days in the hospital. Ninety people were hospitalized after the missile struck downtown of the city in west-central Ukraineon July 14.

U.S. sanctions on associates of Russian President Vladimir Putin are getting more personal.

After previously declining to sanction Putin's reputed girlfriend, reportedly out of concern about escalating tensions, the Biden administration took that step Tuesday when it froze Alina Kabaeva's visa.

The Treasury Department said it also imposed property restrictions on Kabaeva, an ex-Olympic gymnast and former member of the state Duma, whom the department said has a close relationship to Putin. Treasury added thatKabaeva, 39,is the head of a Russian national media company that promotes the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine.

The U.K. sanctioned Kabaeva in May and the EU imposed travel and asset restrictions on her in June.In April, the U.S. sanctioned Putins adult daughters, Katerina Vladimirovna Tikhonova and Maria Vladimirovna Vorontsova.

Together with our allies, the United States will also continue to choke off revenue and equipment underpinning Russias unprovoked war in Ukraine,Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement.

Brittney Griner, the WNBA star and Olympic gold medalist who was arrested in Russia for cannabis possession, returned to a Moscow-area courtroomTuesday amid heightened diplomatic talks between the White House and Kremlin.

Defense lawyer Maria Blagovolina told Reuters that closing arguments would take place Thursday and that Griner's sentencing was expected "very soon."

Griner, 31, has been detained in Russia since February after vape canisters containing cannabis oil were found in her luggage at Moscow's Sheremetyevoairport. She could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

Last week, the U.S. said it had proposed a deal for the release of Grinerand Paul Whelan, an American imprisoned in Russia on an espionage conviction.White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre saidRussia made a bad faith counteroffer that American officials don't consider serious.

Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov called for "discreet" talks, accusing the U.S. of "megaphone diplomacy" that won't move the negotiations forward.

The Russian Supreme Court designated the Ukrainian Azov regimenta terrorist organization Tuesday and said members can be held criminally liable. Theregiment shrugged off the designation in social media posts, sayingRussia was looking for excuses for its war crimes. The designation could strip hundreds of fighters who surrendered at the Azovstal steel plant in May of their POW rights. The fighters had made a weeks-longlast stand in the southern port city of Mariupol.

Dozens of the Azov fighters and other POWs were killed or wounded last week in an explosion at a prison controlled by pro-Russian separatists in the eastern Ukraine city of Olenivka. Russia blamed Ukraine for astrike; Ukraine authorities said Russia set off the blast to cover up abuse of prisoners.

Azov's earlyleadership openly espoused white-supremacist views. Since the group was integrated intoUkraines National Guard in 2014, however, leadership has repeatedly rejected Nazism, fascism and racism.

BP became the latest energy giant to report massive profits Tuesday, heightening pressure ongovernments to intervene as energy companies benefit from high oil andnatural gas pricesthat arefueling inflation and hitting customers in the pocketbook.

London-based BP said its second-quarter earnings nearly tripled to $9.26 billion from $3.12 billion in April-June last year. The company added that supply disruptions caused by Russia's war in Ukraine figure to keep prices high.

BP's glowing earnings report follows the same trend as its competitors'. Last week, British rival Shell posted a record $18 billion quarterly profit. Exxon Mobil reportednet incomeof $17.85 billion, while fellow American corporation Chevron earned $11.62 billion.

Four more U.S. HIMARS mobile missile systems have arrived in Ukraine, Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said. The weapons arrived as the White House announced another $550 million aid package for artillery and HIMARS ammunition. Reznikov saidthe funds are "another investment in the security of NATO's eastern flank" and a show of support for democracy. Ukraine artillerymen are ready to "turn night into day" to expel Russian troops, he said.

The Pentagon said the rocket systems have a range of 50 miles, enabling Ukrainians to hit positions from beyond the reach of most Russian artillery.

"Im grateful to @POTUS @SecDef Lloyd Austin III and people for strengthening of #UAarmy," Renikov said on Twitter. "We have proven to be smart operators of this weapon. The sound of the #HIMARS volley has become a top hit of this summer at the front lines!"

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres sounded the alarm over the war in Ukraine, nuclear threats in Asia and the Middle Eastand other tensions, warning that humanity is just one misunderstanding, one miscalculation away from nuclear annihilation.The warning came Monday as a pandemic-delayed conference opened to review the 50-year-old Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, which is aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and eventually achieving a nuclear-free world.

The threat of nuclear catastrophe was also raised by the United States, Japan, Germany, the U.N. nuclear chief and many other opening speakers.

Russia, which came under criticism from some speakers, didnt give anaddress in its scheduled slot Monday but was expected to speak Tuesday. Chinas representative was also scheduled to speak Tuesday.

Contributing: The Associated Press

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Russia threatens to break off diplomatic relations with US; Brittney Griner's sentencing due 'very soon': Live updates - USA TODAY

All right, Svitlana said. Ill come back tomorrow with my son and a wheelbarrow. Please dont shoot.

The next day, Svitlana and Serhii retrieved Konstantins body and rolled it for several blocks. They took the long way, which was paved. Konstantins body was hard to fit in the wheelbarrowhis arm kept swinging out. Serhii had spent the previous day digging a grave, making it deep enough for the two brothers and often jumping inside of it to wait out gunfire. The brothers, who were less than two years apart, were physical opposites: Konstantin was tall and lanky, Oleksandr short and round. Svitlana worried that it would be even harder to get Oleksandrs heavy body in the wheelbarrow. But, when they went back for him, the soldiers said that his body was mined and could not be moved.

The Russian forces occupied Bucha and Irpin for a month. Most of the dead lay wherever the killings had occurred. A resident of Yablunska Street told me that, when he stepped out of his yard on March8th, he saw a road strewn with bodies and heard music. It was coming from cell phones ringing in the pockets of the dead. The bodies of the eight men executed near the office building remained in the courtyard. The Russians who occupied the building threw trash out the windows, which landed on top of the corpses.

Russian troops withdrew from Bucha on March31st. Within days, as journalists gained access to the area, the towns name became synonymous with Russian war crimes. According to Roman Avramenko, the executive director of Truth Hounds, a Ukrainian N.G.O. that documents war crimes, Russian troops have perpetrated similar atrocities, on a comparable scale, in nearly every place that his organization has visited. I have been doing this for more than seven years, and I still am shocked by the meaningless brutality, Avramenko said. If you are in the range of my weapon, I will shoot at you, on no suspicion of being armed or being a spy. Why shoot people? Why throw hand grenades in a cellar where people are hiding? Why not let people bury their dead?

For the survivors, the thought that the killings are entirely gratuitous is unbearable. Svitlana and Serhii, at the sanatorium, wondered if the Russian soldiers somehow had it in for Konstantin, and shot Oleksandr to eliminate a murder witness. Ludmila surmised that Valeriy, while on his phone call, had scared a Russian soldier who was looting their house. Iryna Abramova thought that the three soldiers had killed her husband to avenge the losses they had suffered on Vokzalna Street. But there is a simpler explanation: this is how Russia fights wars.

Alexander Cherkasov, the former head of the Memorial Human Rights Center, a Russian organization that since the early nineties has documented human-rights violations in conflict zonesand which was shut down by the Kremlin, in the springsaid that the atrocities in Ukraine had direct parallels to those in Chechnya and Syria. I covered the wars in Chechnya, between 1994 and 2001, and saw indiscriminate bombing and shelling of residential neighborhoods, and roads covered with the bodies of civilians. Many families told me of men who were led away by Russian soldiers and never seen again.

In theory, international bodies have the authority to prosecute war crimes wherever and whenever they occur. But Russia has not meaningfully had to account for atrocities committed during earlier conflicts. In Syria, Russian troops fought on the side of the government. Chechnya is legally a part of Russia. In neither case would senior officials be prosecuted domestically, and Russia, as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, could veto any attempt by the U.N. to launch a tribunal. Russia also has not ratified the Rome Statute, which gives the International Criminal Court, in The Hague, jurisdiction over its signatory states.

Until recently, Russia was under the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights, but, in March, it announced that it was leaving the Council of Europe, which empowers the court. In 2005, the E.C.H.R. ruled, in a case brought by Memorial, that Russian troops had knowingly bombed a civilian convoy in Chechnya in 1999. The E.C.H.R., which has the power only to order governments to pay monetary damages, imposed fines totalling about seventy thousand euros. But even such minor interventions were rare. Between three and five thousand people disappeared in Chechnya during the second war, Cherkasov said. There is a total of four court decisions, making for an impunity rate of 99.9 per cent. In Ukraine, Russia is using not only the same tactics as in past conflicts but, in many cases, the same people: a number of senior officers commanding the war in Ukraine fought in Chechnya.

Parts of Ukraine have been under occupation since 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea and began a war in the Donbas region. Occupying authorities have employed forced conscription, kidnappings, detentions, and torture. But international legal bodies have been slow to get involved, and Ukraine has made little progress prosecuting crimes from the earlier phase of the war. Last year, Ukraines parliament voted to amend the criminal code to better define war crimes and to outline punishments for them, but the law has yet to take effect.

The modern history of prosecuting war crimes dates back to the Nuremberg trials, which were established by the charter of the International Military Tribunal, signed by the Allies in 1945. The charter codified three types of crimes: aggression (also known as crimes against peace); violations of the laws and customs of war (such as murder, wanton destruction, and devastation not justified by military necessity); and crimes against humanity. The legal scholar Lawrence Douglas has observed that the definitions of these crimes were hardly clear at the time. Some of the drafters may have intended humanity to mean all of humankind, while others may have meant the quality of being humanin other words, either the scale of the crime or the brutality of it. (The original charter in Russian uses the word chelovechnost, which means the quality of being human, though later documents have used the word chelovechestvo, which means humankind.)

The Nuremberg trials were based on a radical new premise: some crimes are so heinous that the international community must step in to restore justice, overruling the principles of national sovereignty. But the trials of the twentieth centuryAdolf Eichmanns, in Jerusalem, in 1961; the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia; and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwandayielded only a few verdicts. The International Criminal Court, which came into existence twenty years ago, has issued arrest warrants for some fifty people, only ten of whom have been convicted. Four have been acquitted, and five people died before a verdict could be reached.

Never before have investigations and trials begun within weeks of the crimes, as they have in Ukraine. A unique set of circumstances has made this possible: Ukraine has an intact judicial system; investigators have had nearly immediate access to crime scenes and evidence, including copious amounts of video footage; and Ukraine is holding several hundred Russian prisoners of war, some of whom are or will be suspects in war-crime investigations.

The first trial took place in Kyiv in May. Vadim Shishimarin, a twenty-one-year-old Russian sergeant, stood accused of violating the rules and customs of war by killing a civilian in the Sumy region. Shishimarin and several other soldiers had lost their vehicles in battle and commandeered a car from a local resident. Almost as soon as they started driving, Shishimarin shot a sixty-two-year-old man pushing a bicycle. In court, Shishimarin, dressed in a hoodie, sat alone in a glass cage, his shaved head down, his hands wedged between his knees. He seemed younger than his age, tiny and ordinary. According to his testimony, two officers had separately ordered him to shoot the man. Shishimarin disobeyed the first officers order but then complied with the second. It was a stressful situation, and he was yelling, Shishimarin explained.

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The Prosecution of Russian War Crimes in Ukraine - The New Yorker

As the Russian war in Ukraine drags on, electronic warfare techniques may be giving Russian forces an edge, according to some intelligence analysts.

In the latest phase of the war, which is now entering a sixth month of combat, various observers have noted that Russian electronic warfare (EW) systems are playing a greater role.

The EW designation refers to a range of hardware and software systems that can jam, intercept, or locate enemy communications. In June, the Associated Press reported that these systems were starting to be used more in eastern Ukraine, where shorter supply lines allowed Russian troops to move the specialized EW equipment closer to the battlefield. Ukrainian officials told AP that GPS jamming of drone guidance systems presented a pretty severe threat to their effectiveness.

A new analysis published in Spectrum, a news publication produced by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), also argues that while EW did not play a decisive role in the invasion, it is now helping to tip the scales in Russias favor.

Experts have long touted Russia as having some of the most experienced and best-equipped EW units in the world, writes Bryan Clark, director of the Hudson Institutes Center for Defense Concepts and Technology, for Spectrum. So in the early days of the 24 February invasion, analysts expected Russian forces to quickly gain control of, and then dominate, the electromagnetic spectrum.

But after nearly a decade of rehearsals in eastern Ukraine, Clark continues, when the latest escalation and invasion began in February, Russian EW was a no-show.

However, Clark writes, now that Russian troops control more territory in Ukraine and increasingly resort to siege tactics around Ukrainian cities, EW is starting to come into play. In one example, Russian troops have reportedly been able to jam the radar communications of Ukrainian drones, preventing them from effectively identifying Russian artillery batteries. Meanwhile, interception techniques allow Russian forces to locate and target Ukrainian artillery, pressing home their significant numerical advantage in terms of firepower.

In addition to jamming measures, unofficial hacking efforts have also played a role in the conflict, including a number of anti-Russian groups operating under the guise of Anonymous.

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Russia is starting to beat Ukraine at electronic warfare, analysts say - The Verge

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The United States is committed to working alongside our allies and partners to further impose severe consequences on President Putin and his enablers for Russias unconscionable war against Ukraine.

VISA RESTRICTIONS

The Department of State is announcing a series of actions to promote accountability for actions by Russian Federation officials and others that implicate violations of Ukraines sovereignty to include:

DESIGNATION OF PUTIN ENABLERS

The Department of State is designating oligarchs DMITRIY PUMPYANSKIY, ANDREY MELNICHENKO, and ALEXANDER PONOMARENKO.

The Department of State is designating four individuals and one entity that are or are enabling illegitimate, political leaders installed by Russia or its proxy forces to undermine political stability in Ukraine in support of Russias further invasion of Ukraine. The four individuals and the entity are being designated pursuant to Section 1(a)(ii)(F) of E.O. 14024, for being responsible for or complicit in, or having directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to engage in, activities that undermine the peace, security, political stability, or territorial integrity of the United States, its allies, or its partners, for or on behalf of, or for the benefit of, directly or indirectly, the Government of the Russian Federation.

Pursuant to Section 1(a)(vii) of E.O. 14024, the Department of State is designating JOINT STOCK COMPANY STATE TRANSPORTATION LEASING COMPANY (JSC GTLK) for being owned, controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the Government of the Russian Federation. JSC GTLK is a Russian state-owned enterprise that the Russian Ministry of Transportation oversees. It is the largest transportation leasing company in Russia. JSC GTLK is an important part of Russias transportation networks due to its leases of railroad cars, vessels, and aircraft on favorable terms to support Russias development strategy. JSC GTLK has been previously designated by the U.K. and E.U.

Pursuant to Section 1(a)(vii) of E.O. 14024, the Department of State is designating the following four JSC GTLK subsidiaries for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, JSC GTLK. These companies leased JSC GTLKs transportation equipment outside of Russia and /or enabled JSC GTLK to access capital from western financial markets to fund its activities.

DESIGNATION OF DEFENSE AND HIGH-TECHNOLOGY ENTITIES

Under the leadership of U.S.-designated Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Russian Federation has systematically focused on exploiting high-technology research and innovations to advance Russias defense capabilities. Putin has also repeatedly underscored his concerns about Russias access to microelectronics. Advanced technologies such as microelectronics are used in numerous weapon systems used by Russias military. Today, the Department of State is imposing sanctions on numerous Russian high-technology entities as a part of the United States efforts to impose additional costs on Russias war machine.

The Department of State is designating the FEDERAL STATE INSTITUTION OF HIGHER VOCATIONAL EDUCATION MOSCOW INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS AND TECHNOLOGY (MOSCOW INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS AND TECHNOLOGY) (MIPT) pursuant to Section 1(a)(i) of E.O. 14024 for operating or having operated in the defense and related materiel sector of the Russian Federation economy. MIPT has developed drones for Russias military that are intended to be used in direct contact with enemy forces, has won an award from Russias Ministry of Defense for developing technologies in the interests of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, and promotes that it focuses on conducting innovative research and development in the defense and security fields. MIPT has worked with a leading Russian fighter aircraft developer to design a visualization system related to fighter aircraft and has a laboratory that supports Russias military space sector. MIPT is also part of a consortium of Russian institutions involved in training specialists for Russias defense-industrial complex and has collaborated on research projects with a Russian defense research organization.

The Department of State is designating the SKOLKOVO FOUNDATION pursuant to E.O. Section 1(a)(i) of 14024 for operating or having operated in the technology sector of the Russian Federation economy. The Skolkovo Foundation was established by a Russian Federation law in 2010 to manage the Skolkovo Innovation Center, which consists of the Technopark Skolkovo Limited Liability Company and the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech), which are also being designated as part of this action. Since its founding, the Skolkovo Foundation has focused on supporting the development of technologies to contribute to technology sectors prioritized by the Russian Federation government including strategic computer technologies, technologies for maintaining Russias defense capabilities including with regard to advanced and sophisticated weapons, and space technologies related to Russias national security. As additional information, the Skolkovo Innovation Center has hosted U.S.-designated Rosoboronexport, Russias state-controlled arms export agency, as a part of Rosoboronexports efforts to export weapons to foreign clients.

The Department of State is designating the SKOLKOVO INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (SKOLTECH) pursuant to Section 1(a)(i) of E.O. 14024 for operating or having operated in the technology sector of the Russian Federation economy. Skoltech is a pioneer in cutting-edge technologies and seeks to foster new technologies to address critical issues facing the Russian Federation. As additional information, for nearly a decade, Skoltech has had a close relationship with Russias defense sector. Contributors to Skoltechs endowment include numerous sanctioned Russian weapon development entities including JSC Tactical Missiles Corporation, Uralvagonzavod (which makes Russian tanks), JSC MIC Mashinostroyenia (which manufactures Russian missiles), JSC United Aircraft Corporation (which manufactures Russias combat aircraft), JSC Concern Sozvezdie (which produces electronic warfare systems for the Russian military), JSC Almaz-Antey (which manufactures Russias surface-to-air missiles systems), and JSC Corporation Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology (which manufactures Russian missiles). Over the course of the last decade, Skoltech has had partnerships with numerous Russian defense enterprises including Uralvagonzavod, United Engine Corporation, and United Aircraft Corporation which have focused on developing composite materials for tanks, engines for ships, specialized materials for aircraft wings, and innovations for defense-related helicopters. Skoltech has also presented advanced robotics at the Russian Ministry of Defenses premier defense exhibition.

The Department of State is designating TECHNOPARK SKOLKOVO LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY pursuant to Section 1(a)(i) of E.O. 14024 for operating or having operated in the technology sector of the Russian Federation economy. Technopark Skolkovo Limited Liability Company is one of the largest technology development parks in Eurasia and hosts events related to technology.

The Department of State is designating numerous additional Russian high-technology entities as a part of our effort to isolate Russias technology sector in order to limit its contributions to Russias war machine.

Specifically, the Department of State is designating the following entities pursuant to Section 1(a)(i) of E.O. 14024 for operating or having operated in the technology sector of the Russian Federation economy:

The Department of State is designating the following entities pursuant to Section 1(a)(i) of E.O. 14024 for operating or having operated in the electronics sector of the Russian Federation economy:

The Department of State is designating FEDERAL STATE BUDGETARY SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTION RESEARCH AND PRODUCTION COMPLEX TECHNOLOGY CENTER pursuant to Section 1(a)(i) of E.O. 14024 for operating or having operated in the technology sector and the electronics sector of the Russian Federation economy. Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution Research and Production Complex Technology Center develops and produces integrated circuits including application specific-integrated circuits, which are a type of high-technology electronic component, and also is involved in Russias semiconductor industry.

The Department of State is designating JSC SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH INSTITUTE SUBMICRON pursuant to Section 1(a)(i) of E.O. 14024 for operating or having operated in the aerospace sector of the Russian Federation economy. JSC Scientific Research Institute Submicron specializes in the design and development of components for computer systems for aviation and space control systems, as well as the development of other digital and data systems for aviation and space systems. As additional information, the main customers of JSC Scientific Research Institute Submicron are Russias Ministry of Defense and Air Force.

The Department of State is designating ACADEMICIAN A.L. MINTS RADIOTECHNICAL INSTITUTE JOINT STOCK COMPANY pursuant to Section 1(a)(i) of E.O. 14024 for operating or having operated in the defense and related materiel sector of the Russian Federation economy. Academician A.L. Mints Radiotechnical Institute Joint Stock Company is involved in developing technologies and systems for Russian military air defense systems.

SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS

As a result of todays action, all property and interests in property of the individuals above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. All transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or blocked persons are prohibited unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt. These prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person and the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.

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Imposing Additional Costs on Russia for Its Continued War Against Ukraine - United States Department of State - Department of State

Jeremy Corbyn has urged western countries to stop arming Ukraine, and claimed he was criticised over antisemitism because of his stance on Palestine, in a TV interview likely to underscore Keir Starmers determination not to readmit him to the Labour party.

Pouring arms in isnt going to bring about a solution, its only going to prolong and exaggerate this war, Corbyn said. We might be in for years and years of a war in Ukraine.

Corbyn gave the interview on Al Mayadeen, a Beirut-based TV channel that has carried pro-Russia reporting since Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine.

What I find disappointing is that hardly any of the worlds leaders use the word peace; they always use the language of more war, and more bellicose war.

He added: This war is disastrous for the people of Ukraine, for the people of Russia, and for the safety and security of the whole world, and therefore there has to be much more effort put into peace.

He called for the UN to be much more centre stage, and suggested involving other international bodies such as the African Union or the League of Arab States if the UN were unable to help negotiate a ceasefire.

Elsewhere in the interview, Corbyn condemned his expulsion from the parliamentary party, calling it disgraceful.

I spent my life in the Labour party; I joined the Labour party even before England won the World Cup in 1966. I was proud to lead the Labour party, he said, citing Labours strong performance in the 2017 general election and the surge in membership on his watch.

I think the way Ive been treated is disgraceful, and the allegations that have been made against me are disgraceful, he said.

Corbyn also suggested that he had been criticised over antisemitism because of his stance on the Middle East.

I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever that my clearly stated support for the right of Palestinian people to be able to live in peace free from occupation, free from being under siege as in Gaza, and for those living in refugee camps played a factor in all this. Benjamin Netanyahu couldnt wait to condemn me for my support for the Palestinian people.

The Labour MP Margaret Hodge condemned his remarks. She said: To suggest our fight against antisemitism on the left means that we are all part of a conspiracy to smear Corbyn is frankly absurd and of itself antisemitic. This consistent failure to understand and distinguish between our Jewish identity and the complex Middle East political issues is at the heart of why Jeremy continues to be outside the Labour party.

A Labour source said of Corbyns comments: There cannot be any ambiguity about the choice hes making, and that is to put himself outside the Labour mainstream.

Starmer has offered staunch support for the governments stance on Ukraine, including the provision of weapons and military training to the countrys troops.

He has stressed Labours longstanding backing for Nato, which is preparing to expand significantly in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, with Finland and Sweden poised to join.

Starmer has also criticised the Stop the War Coalition, of which Corbyn is the co-vice chair with his close ally Andrew Murray, and hinted Corbyns readmission to the party would require him to distance himself from the organisation.

In a Guardian article earlier this year, Starmer said of Stop the War: At best they are naive, at worst they actively give succour to authoritarian leaders who directly threaten democracies. There is nothing progressive in showing solidarity with the aggressor when our allies need our solidarity and crucially our practical assistance now more than ever.

Corbyn has had the whip suspended since November 2020, over his response to the Equalities and Human Rights Commissions report into Labours handling of antisemitism under his leadership.

Unless he is readmitted, he will be unable to stand as a Labour candidate in his Islington North constituency at the next general election. Some allies have suggested Corbyn might opt to stand as an independent instead, drawing on historic local support.

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Jeremy Corbyn urges west to stop arming Ukraine - The Guardian

In 1942, Germany controlled most of Europe and a large swath of Northern Africa, and Japan controlled much of China, Southeast Asia, and was at Australias doorstep. By the end of 1943, the maps looked quite different. War is like that, a dynamic phenomenon. A scene from the movie, Lawrence of Arabia, says it best: After marching through burning sands and biting windstorms, Lawrence and his men were on the edge of dehydration when they found an oasis. Lawrence realized that his camel boy was missing. When no one volunteered to go back to retrieve the boy, Lawrence went himself. His men pleaded with him not to go, saying that his fate was written by Allah. Two days later, Lawrence returned with the boy, so exhausted and dry that he could only whisper, Nothing is written unless we write it.

A wars outcome is written by its combatants. It depends upon which side commits what is necessary in blood, materiel, and will toward achieving its aims, how long it can sustain its efforts, and whether it makes fewer mistakes than its enemies. By that score, how or when the Ukraine war will end remains unknown.

Some Western strategists are predicting that even with allied help, the best outcome will be a stalemate. They reason that Russia is larger and has more resources than Ukraine. So, even if Russia cannot win outright, it can prevent Ukraine from winning. Thus, they conclude, a stalemate is the most likely outcome. Given this, the reasoning continues, its best to stop the fighting and negotiate a solution now to prevent more suffering. I wonder if these same strategists would have recommended that to the Continental Congress after George Washingtons 1776 defeat on Long Island and in New York? After all, Britain was a global military and economic powerhouse compared to the American colonies, and at the time success looked impossible to many.

The stalemate prediction and the recommendations that flow from it defy the nature of war. War is not an arithmetic affair. Numbers count, but success in war cannot be predicted by merely calculating force ratios and economic potential. War on paper is not the same as real war.

Unable to seize Kyiv and replace Volodymyr Zelenskys government quickly, Vladimir Putin shifted to Plan B: subjugate Ukraine by permanent partition. He is firmly committed to so limit Ukraines political sovereignty, territorial integrity and economic capacity that, even if Ukraine does not become a Russian vassal, Russia gains from its aggression and Ukraine loses. And Putin seems willing to spill much blood Russian and Ukrainian, combatants as well as non-combatants, well beyond what is militarily necessary to achieve his aims.

Hotels, hospitals, shopping centers, apartment buildings, and refugees have been and continue to be Russian targets depravity without limits. And he is Russianizing the areas he has seized changing the currency to rubles, forcing Russian banks upon the residents, changing political leaders, integrating Ukrainian industrial assets into the Russian economy, and deporting Ukrainian citizens annexation Russian-style, just as he did in 2014 in Crimea and the Donbas.

Putin will not stop until he is stopped. His overall purpose is to re-establish a greater Russia. First reuniting former Russian states the Baltic countries, Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine. Then, when and if possible, Russian buffer states, nations of the former Warsaw Pact Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria. Subjugating Ukraine is one step toward this ultimate goal.

Putin seems willing to commit everything within his power, but is he able to actually generate and apply whats necessary for even his first step? That remains to be seen. Even with the oil money still flowing into Russian coffers, Putin is having great difficulties in generating soldiers, units and leaders to replace his losses. And even with his oil money, he is also having difficulty repairing, producing, procuring and delivering the vehicles, arms and ammunition his forces need. Ukraines fighters, using allied arms and ammunition, have forced Russian forces into a grinding war of attrition in the northern and eastern parts of Ukraine one that is not clear Putin can, in fact, sustain.

With allied support, the Zelensky government is fighting hard to stop Plan B from succeeding. This is a tough fight, but one the Ukrainians are still determined to win. The Ukrainian people know whats at stake: their right to a political and economic life of their choosing. Further, Putins vision and aggression have generated opposition around the world. Whereas he sought to weaken NATO, it has strengthened and will grow. Where he wanted to show democracys weakness, he provoked unity and strength. Grand strategically, he may have lost already. Strategically, within Ukraine itself, who will succeed is yet unclear.

The Ukraine war is actually being fought and waged at two levels. The first is strategic, in Ukraine: the allies staying true to their word and supplying Ukraine with what it needs to create negotiating conditions favorable to the Zelensky government increases the probability that Putins aggression will fail. The second war is grand-strategic, beyond Ukraine: preventing the kind of world in which force plays an increasing role. The rules-based world created after World War II is one in which America and its allies, as well as many other nations, prospered. A future with weak rules and more wars is not one conducive to any countrys prosperity.

The war at both levels is worth fighting. And both, worth winning. Preventing future war starts with stopping Putin in Ukraine. Those who are suggesting that we negotiate with Putin now are not thinking about whats at stake should Putins aggression pay off. The Zelensky government, the Ukraine people, and its allied supporters still have the ability to write the outcome.

James M. Dubik, Ph.D., a retired lieutenant general of the U.S. Army, is a senior fellow at the Institute for the Study of War. He served in military command and operational roles in Bosnia, Haiti and Iraq, and helped train forces in Afghanistan, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Honduras, and many NATO countries.

Continued here:

Beware of war predictions: Ukraines outcome is not yet written - The Hill

Vladimir Putin's annual Navy Day parade looks impressive from the banks of St Petersburg's Neva river; it looks even better on state TV.

No expense spared when it comes to showing the people of Russia quite how big and shiny their navy and armed forces are.

Think back to April though and the loss of the Moskva - the flagship warship of Russia's Black Sea fleet.

A direct hit Ukraine's defence ministry said; a fire onboard according to Russia.

A significant blow both to Russia's prestige and its Black Sea capabilities. Nor is it the only loss for the Black Sea fleet, against a Ukrainian navy massively diminished since the annexation of Crimea and largely barricaded inside its ports, just like its commercial shipping.

The Black Sea blockade has been a major strategic win for Russia, forcing Ukraine to mine itself in.

Stasis at Ukraine's ports has left huge swathes of the world without grain, most significantly, but also fertiliser, sunflower oil and a host of other exports which would have brought much needed cash into the Ukrainian economy.

Despite the grain deal struck in Istanbul, still no ship has set sail. It is an indication of the profound lack of faith in Russia's intentions, especially after its missile strike on the port of Odesa with the ink on the deal barely dry.

Today Putin promised more big guns.

The long touted Tsirkon hypersonic missile will be delivered to Russia's armed forces in the coming months.

The Admiral Gorshkov frigate which has already test-fired the missile will be its first recipient. According to Putin, the Tsirkon missile systems will have "no equal in the world".

The crowds along Palace Embankment may not have taken that in particularly but they loved the parade and aerial flyby.

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"Did you hear the people cheering when Putin came out?", said Janna, whose dislike of all things British was palpable. "I hope you heard, I don't think you have such a strong leader".

"I believe that you have set us against each other, two brotherly peoples", she said pointing her finger menacingly. "I hope you can understand what the Russian spirit is when you're here".

Natalia in a 'Z' T-shirt, merchandise which is ever more frequent to see, told me she was sure of victory. When I asked her what she meant by victory, she said "Victory over fascism, over the Nazis, for peace!".

"What does the word 'Nazi' mean to you?", I ask.

"People who are only for their own nation, and do not accept others", is the answer.

That is a broad definition. It is no wonder it has caught the imagination of so many in Russia. It is a world removed from the notion of death camps and the appalling atrocities of Nazi Germany.

But not everyone is so sure of their president.

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"Denazification was fair for Hitler but there is no Nazism in Ukraine", says Oleg.

"This war is Putins last attack on the world. The personal attack of a mad dictator against the whole world because the whole civilised world is now against this outrage that is happening".

A lone voice in today's crowd. Perhaps too, in today's Russia.

But there may be many more like Oleg who dont attend events like these but who feel deeply uncomfortable with the events of the past five months, their reservations overwhelmed by the mighty force of patriotism which Vladimir Putin whips up so well.

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Ukraine war: Mighty force of patriotism whipped up by Putin overwhelms doubts about Russia's power - Sky News