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March 24, 2024
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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaMoscow attack: As Russia mourns victims of concert hall shooting, how will Putin react?Published20 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Screens all around Moscow are showing images of a burning candle along with the Russian word “Skorbim” (“We mourn”)By Steve RosenbergRussia EditorMoscow’s New Arbat Avenue is lined with some of the biggest video screens in Russia.Today they’re all displaying the same giant image: a burning candle and the Russian word “Skorbim” (“We mourn.”)Russia is mourning the victims of the Crocus City Hall massacre. There is no final death toll. The search for bodies continues.Across the country the Russian tricolour is flying at half mast, entertainment and sports events have been cancelled, TV newsreaders are wearing black.It might not be in the centre of Moscow, but Crocus City Hall is one of the most prominent music venues in Russia.But Friday’s bloodbath turned a concert hall into hell. The attackers killed not only with bullets, but with fire. They set the building alight and created an inferno. Video released by Russia’s Investigative Committee shows that the roof collapsed. Metal beams, too.Outside the building the police lines are still in place. From where I’m standing, I can see a single burned-out section of the entertainment complex. It’s a hint of the devastation inside.Russia marks day of mourning after concert attackBullets, a crush and panic: Moscow concert that became a massacreZelensky hits back after Russia links Ukraine to concert attackPeople are queuing to lay flowers at a makeshift shrine to the victims of the atrocity. The mountain of tributes is growing ever larger. As well as leaving roses and carnations here, visitors are placing dolls and soft toys on the flowers. That’s because among the dead were children.People have been leaving messages, too. One is addressed to the attackers:”You are scum. We will never forgive you.”Image caption, People left flowers and teddy bears in tribute of the people killed in the Crocus City Hall in MoscowAmong the crowd here there is a mixture of grief and anger.”The country’s heart is aching,” says Tatyana, who’s brought some flowers to lay here. “My soul is crying. Russia is crying. So many young people were killed. It feels as if my own children have died.””It was a big shock,” says Roman. “I live nearby, and I saw what happened from my window. It’s horrific and a big tragedy.””Whoever carried this out, they are not human. They are our enemies,” a pensioner called Yevgeny tells me. “I think we should cancel the moratorium on the death penalty. At least for terrorists.”The Islamic State group has claimed it was behind the mass shooting at Crocus City Hall. It has released graphic images of the attackers on the rampage. US officials have said they have no reason to doubt that claim of responsibility.This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, The BBC’s Steve Rosenberg visits the scene of the attackThe reaction here has been very different.Russian officials have been promoting the idea that, somehow, in some way, Ukraine was behind the brutal attack.In his TV address on Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that the four gunmen had been arrested trying to flee to Ukraine. He alleged that “a window had been prepared for them on the Ukrainian side to cross the border.”Kyiv has dismissed such suggestions. That hasn’t stopped pro-Kremlin commentators from echoing claims of a Ukrainian connection.On its website the pro-government newspaper Moskovsky Komsomolets has published a rabidly anti-Ukrainian opinion piece. Entitled “Ukraine must be declared a terrorist state”, the article reached this conclusion: “It’s time to destroy the Kyiv regime… all that gang must die. Russia has the resources to do this.”Which raises a key question. How will the Kremlin react to this devastating attack? Is Russia’s leadership planning to use what happened at Crocus City Hall to justify a possible further escalation in Russia’s war in Ukraine?Related TopicsRussiaMoscowMore on this storyRussia marks day of mourning after concert attackPublished1 hour agoZelensky hits back after Russia links Ukraine to concert attackPublished2 hours agoBullets, a crush and panic: Moscow concert that became a massacrePublished1 day agoTop StoriesTriple lock for pensions stays if we win election, says HuntPublished1 hour agoZelensky hits back after Russia links Ukraine to concert attackPublished2 hours agoRosenberg: As Russia mourns, how will Putin react to concert attack?Published20 minutes agoFeaturesIs now the time Palestinian politics can start afresh?Did Russia ignore US ‘extremist’ attacks warning?The Brazilian teen who scored winner against EnglandAttributionSportYour pictures on the theme of ‘reflections’‘Having a certificate of loss proves my baby existed’Kate cancer diagnosis rewrites story of past weeksSimon Harris – the man on the brink of Irish history First woman completes one of world’s toughest racesEngland kits ‘should connect people’Elsewhere on the BBCWhy do people behave the way they do on social media?Marianna Spring investigates extraordinary cases of online hate to find out…AttributioniPlayerCritically acclaimed and utterly compelling…Masterful, claustrophobic drama starring Sofie Gråbøl as a troubled prison guardAttributioniPlayerFrom triumph to tragedy…After more than 30 years of service, America’s space shuttle took to the skies for the last timeAttributioniPlayerCan new evidence solve aviation’s greatest mystery?Ten years after the Malaysian Airlines flight disappeared, new technology may explain whyAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Zelensky hits back after Russia links Ukraine to concert attack2The man in the iron lung: How Paul Alexander lived life to the full3’Most unwanted’ dog finds home after four years4Woman arrested as missing young siblings found5Give Kate and family ‘time and space to heal’6Triple lock for pensions to stay if Tories win election7Ukraine says it hit Russian landing ships in Crimea8Pilgrimage helped Traitors star Amanda say ‘goodbye mum’9Five dead in separate car crashes10How jealous K-pop super fans try to dictate their idols’ private lives

[ad_1] But Friday’s bloodbath turned a concert hall into hell. The attackers killed not only with bullets, but with fire. They set the building alight and created an inferno. Video…

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaRosenberg: Putin’s fifth term likely to be more of the samePublished16 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsWar in UkraineThis video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Watch: Supporters applaud Putin as he thanks Russians for putting their trust in himBy Steve RosenbergRussia EditorAs predictions go, a Putin landslide was the easy one.No crystal ball or tea leaves required there.After all, in Russia the Kremlin tightly controls the political system. Including elections.But what will Vladimir Putin do with his 87%? What will a fifth Putin term look like?Putin 5.0 may not be so different from Putin 4.0Don’t expect an “Abracadabra moment” where, with a wave of a magic wand, the hawk suddenly turns into a dove. Chances are that President Putin will continue along his current path of conflict abroad and crackdown at home. West condemns Russian ‘pseudo-election’ as Putin claims landslideLooking ahead, that probably means a continuation of the war in Ukraine – and confrontation with the West – plus an ideological campaign on the domestic front as Putin pushes on with his transformation of Russia into an increasingly militaristic society. As for Russian civil society, that’s already under intense pressure. That may well intensify. That 87% is an astronomical figure. True, it won’t convince Western leaders that it is a genuine reflection of Putin’s current level of popularity.”This is not what free and fair elections look like,” commented British Foreign Secretary David Cameron about Russia’s presidential vote.But domestically, it allows the Kremlin to argue that the whole nation has united around Vladimir Putin and that the Russian president has the full support of his people. Crucially, he can now claim to have a popular mandate for his war in Ukraine and for the direction in which he’s leading Russia. The 87% also sends a clear message to Russia’s political elite: “Take note, there’s still only one man in charge here, in control – and that’s not going to change any time soon.”And that’s important for Vladimir Putin, less than a year after the brief, but dramatic mutiny by the Wagner mercenary group. That uprising, led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, had posed a direct challenge to Putin’s authority. Why Putin’s fifth term as Russian leader was never in doubtRosenberg: Russia’s stage-managed electionPutin: From Russia’s KGB to a presidency defined by warIn the end, it was the Kremlin leader who came out on top. Two months after the mutiny, Prigozhin was dead, killed in a plane crash. One more thing about 87% – it’s a great confidence booster. When you’re president, and you’re told you’ve won yet another landslide, it can make you feel even more powerful, invincible even. In Putin’s victory news confidence on Sunday night, that confidence shone through. It was the confidence of a leader who’s already been in power for a quarter of a century and is set become the longest-serving Russian leader since Catherine the Great. The confidence of a leader who has constructed a political system which delivered him 87% of the vote and a fifth presidential term.He spoke confidently about Russia’s progress in the war in Ukraine, where he claims the initiative is “fully” on the side of his country; he ripped into Western democracy; and he predicted that post-election Russia would grow stronger. Critics point out that political confidence in a leader – especially over-confidence – can be dangerous. Especially in the absence of checks and balances in a country’s political system. There are few of those in today’s Russia. Related TopicsWar in UkraineRussiaVladimir PutinMore on this storyPutin: From Russia’s KGB to a presidency defined by warPublished23 hours agoTop StoriesLive. West condemns Russian ‘pseudo-election’ as Putin claims landslide winLive. Israel tells Gazans to evacuate as it raids al-Shifa hospitalBadenoch dismisses speculation about ousting SunakPublished38 minutes agoFeaturesWhy is Greenpeace caught in a row over deep-sea mining?The Papers: ‘PM allies rage at Penny’ and ‘Dark ages dentistry’The WhatsApp group that saved trafficked womenHeat pumps still too expensive, government warnedOne Great Britain rower’s neurodiversity journeyAttributionSport’He will come back’ – Israeli hostage families cling to hope, and demand a dealGame of Thrones creators: Why we swapped dragons for aliens in new showHow much trouble is Boeing in?’I got my first death threat before I was elected’Elsewhere on the BBCThe last eruptionMount Vesuvius is famous for destroying Pompeii in 79AD but it last erupted in 1944AttributionSoundsHow to raise concerns about wrongdoing in the workplaceOften the people who speak up in the workplace are ignored or shut downAttributionSoundsThis family bonds over Race Across the WorldThese are the the things we love on the BBCAttributioniPlayer’We weren’t going to be beaten again’Mark Watson seeks the truth 40 years after the polarising 1984 miners’ strikeAttributionSoundsMost Read1New mortgage deals being pulled within days2New homes boarded up in Cornish village3New London mural prompts Banksy speculation4M25 reopens eight hours ahead of schedule5End despair of missing Claudia’s family – police6Badenoch dismisses speculation about ousting Sunak7’PM allies rage at Penny’ and ‘Dark ages dentistry’8Heat pumps still too expensive, government warned9’I sat inches away from US plane’s mid-air blowout’10Star Wars’ Millennium Falcon features on new 50p

[ad_1] After Russia’s tightly controlled election, Putin will continue his path of conflict and crackdown.

newsinsightplus.com
2023.Bakhmut
40year
February 23, 2024
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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaUkraine war: Frontline medics count the cost of two years of warPublished30 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsWar in UkraineImage caption, Maj Oleh Kravchenko says nothing had prepared him for the brutality of the conflictBy Andrew HardingBBC News, Eastern UkraineMaj Oleh Kravchenko has the sort of chuckle that’s hard to resist – deep and treacly and mischievous. “I’m still alive,” he said, tilting his head to one side in his wheelchair, like a spectator marvelling at someone else’s magic trick.As Ukraine marks the second anniversary of the war, Kravchenko’s turbulent story captures something of the journey so many people here – soldiers and civilians alike – have been on, as they’ve come to understand the sort of sacrifices and patience this long conflict is demanding of them.Kravchenko is 50 years old now, and we’re meeting for the third time since Russia launched its latest invasion of Ukraine. His beard – brown and trim when I first encountered him in the besieged Donbas town of Lysychansk in 2022 – is now straggly and grey.We first met on a warm day in Lysychansk, in April 2022, having driven into the hilltop town on the last road still more or less under Ukrainian control. Kravchenko emerged from a doorway with a wry smile and offered to drive us around. We raced off towards the frontlines in his car at furious speed, an automatic rifle at his side, and the sound of incoming artillery fire booming through the open windows.”Look here. It’s a crater from a Russian bomb,” he said, playing the tour guide, as we skidded round another corner. Image caption, Maj Kravchenko uses a wheelchair after being injured in a Russian rocket attackKravchenko, in charge of the 57th Brigade’s medical teams, took us to an evacuation point in the bombed-out ruins of an old factory, and then helped us sneak, without permission, past far more cautious officials, and into the main military hospital, where dozens of shell-shocked Ukrainian soldiers lay silently in their beds.”A practical guy – unorthodox,” one of his colleagues remarked about Kravchenko’s style, with an indulgent smile.Kravchenko had already seen plenty of war before the Russian invasion. After leaving his job administering a hospital in central Ukraine, he’d worked as a doctor for the United Nations, spending several years in Afghanistan, and visiting Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan too.But nothing had prepared him for the opening months of this conflict.”Everywhere, blood, blood, blood,” he said, as we stood beside a stack of blood-stained stretchers. But in those early days he still seemed optimistic, convinced Ukraine could quickly win the war.”Ukrainian soldiers are strong because it’s our land. It’s my country. My daughter, my son, are here. My heart is here,” he said, his back straightening.”I hope one, maybe one and a half months and we will shoot every Russian. Our soldiers will hold their positions. We will give the enemy a good fight.”Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Maj Kravchenko and his men left Lysychansk only a few weeks before it was captured by Russian forcesWe said our goodbyes and drove out of Lysychansk later that afternoon. The town was captured by Russian forces a few weeks later and remains in the Kremlin’s control.It would be a whole year before we ran into Kravchenko again, this time on the outskirts of Bakhmut, another frontline town, 50km (31 miles) to the southwest.”Still alive,” he said, by way of a greeting. It was something I’d begun hearing other soldiers say. But his grin seemed forced. And the dark smudges of exhaustion below Kravchenko’s eyes made him look like he was wearing stage paint.”It’s been difficult. I didn’t sleep at all last night,” he said, showing me around the small warehouse which his team had turned into a makeshift field hospital.’I don’t know about my fate’ It was the day before Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of Russia’s Wagner group, launched his short-lived mutiny against President Vladimir Putin in July 2023.Bakhmut itself had already fallen to the Russians weeks earlier, but Ukraine’s much-heralded counter-offensive was in its early stage and there were strong hopes for its success. Even so, the signs around Bakhmut were already looking ominous, with casualties from shrapnel and landmines being brought in with alarming regularity from the nearby trenches.”So much heavy artillery,” Kravchenko remarked.As we sat outside, hiding beneath some trees to avoid Russian drones circling overhead, two incoming shells sent us diving for cover. The second failed to explode and Kravchenko dismissed it, with a short laugh, as a mere “fart.”But there was no disguising his unease.”People are very tired. It’s been a very heavy year,” he said. Then, unprompted, Kravchenko started to talk about his own future, a subject that must gnaw at so many minds after months spent in constant danger.Is Russia turning the tide in Ukraine?”I think about God and about fate. My fate is… hmm… I don’t know,” he said, explaining that he sometimes pictured himself after the war was over. “[Until then] I’m just living and doing my job. I want to do it perfectly. I don’t know about my fate.” Kravchenko was proud of how much experience his unit in the 57th Brigade had gained in combat medicine and talked about sharing that knowledge with other armies. His phone was full of videos showing recent operations he’d performed on soldiers with flesh torn apart by a range of missiles.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Ukrainian soldiers are exhausted after two years of fightingBut then everything changed.Late one evening, in October 2023, Kravchenko was working at the building he and his medical team had moved to, further west, near Izyum. They’d just been operating on a seriously wounded soldier and had put him in a vehicle ready for transport to a larger hospital. Kravchenko and three others went back inside to collect some equipment. At 23:40, a Russian rocket hit the building.”Svitlana had five children, and Yuliia had three. Vladyslav was never married. He didn’t have children yet. He was 32,” said Kravchenko, when we met this week for a third time.A stern, haunted expression spread across his face as I asked him about the incident itself, and the death of his three close colleagues.”It’s too heavy. It’s difficult for me,” he said in a deep, gruff voice. The same rocket that killed the others had brought a heavy pipe down on his own leg, smashing his left knee. Kravchenko had been taken to a hospital in Dnipro, then to Kyiv. Now he was back in his hometown of Kremenchuk, on the Dnipro River. “President Zelensky gave me this one,” he said, showing some of his medals and a pistol he’d also been given. Kravchenko is more or less confined to a wheelchair for the moment but can use crutches to get up one or two steps and is getting regular physiotherapy. Since his injury, he has retired from the military, but remains in contact with his successor, a former dentist who also volunteered and joined the 57th Brigade.”Leonidovych is a good man. Good company,” said Ihor Babarykin, using Kravchenko’s middle name as a mark of respect. ‘The fear never goes’ The team has recently moved to a new base close to the town of Kupyansk, now being targeted heavily by Russian forces. Last summer’s counter-offensive had achieved little and Ukrainian forces have recently been driven out of Avdiivka. US arms supplies are running out and President Zelensky has warned that without more western help Russia will win.”There are drones everywhere. And glide bombs. It has become so dangerous, but we’re holding the line. We’ve grown accustomed to this work now. The fear never goes, but somehow you get used to it,” said Babarykin. Three new casualties, all suffering from shellshock, lay quietly on beds nearby.At his home near the Dnipro river, Kravchenko is wrestling with his new life out of the army.”I would like to go back to my job on the frontline. But I cannot. I did my job well. After being wounded I want to start a new project for my country. A military hospital of my dreams. I know how to do it,” he said, fidgeting, in apparent frustration, with the handles of his wheelchair.Like so many Ukrainians right now, Kravchenko worries that the West may be losing interest in supporting the fight against Russia. “It will be a long war. Ukraine is the frontline of Europe. If we lose, after that it will be Poland and Germany and other countries,” he said sombrely.Kravchenko’s military call-sign is “Afghan”, in reference to his work abroad. But he’s hoping that will change soon, if and when his knee heals.”In one month, I will run like the wind. After that you will call me ‘Wind’,” he said, with something close to a chuckle. Related TopicsWar in UkraineRussiaUkraineMore on this story‘I miss you’: Ukraine’s children orphaned by Russian missilePublished1 day agoFull cemeteries and empty homes: Ukrainians struggle to endurePublished14 FebruaryTop StoriesAmerican company makes historic Moon landingPublished4 hours agoEnergy bills expected to fall as new cap announcedPublished6 hours agoSpeaker’s decision on Gaza vote concerning – PMPublished9 hours agoFeaturesThe Papers: ‘Two years of lunacy’ and possible ‘new Brexit deal’Weekly quiz: What word did Emma Stone have trouble saying?Parliamentary chaos reflects Rochdale campaigningBritain’s biggest Bollywood star taking on HollywoodWhy are American XL bullies being banned?Why some cyber-attacks hit harder than othersThe ‘mind-bending’ bionic arm powered by AIAlabama IVF row an election-year political bombshellRosenberg: How two years of war have changed RussiaElsewhere on the BBCHow Captain Sir Tom Moore captured the nation’s heartThe 100 year old man who became a global sensation and the controversy that followed…AttributionSoundsUnwrap the science of Egyptian mummies…Learn about the scientific techniques helping to uncover the lives of Ancient EgyptiansAttributionSoundsIconic roles, from the Doctor to Malcolm Tucker!Peter Capaldi reflects on his 40-year career and what he’s learned from his life so farAttributionSoundsAre grudges beneficial or detrimental?Two men find themselves entangled in a bitter grudge way beyond what they could imagineAttributionSoundsMost Read1Policeman charged with murder of missing Sydney couple2’Two years of lunacy’ and possible ‘new Brexit deal’3Fossil reveals 240 million year-old ‘dragon’4Energy bills expected to fall as new cap announced5Right-wingers need a bigger bazooka, Truss tells US6American company makes historic Moon landing7Gaza family take legal action against Home Office8Texas student loses case over dreadlocks punishment9V&A museum to recruit Taylor Swift super fan10Scouts referred to police after teen killed on hike

[ad_1] Like most Ukrainian soldiers, Maj Oleh Kravchenko was not prepared for the brutality of Russia’s invasion.

newsinsightplus.com
17yearold
2001.Nato
February 22, 2024
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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaRosenberg: How two years of war in Ukraine changed RussiaPublished2 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsWar in UkraineImage caption, A mural of fallen Russian soldiers in SolnechnogorskBy Steve RosenbergRussia EditorAs I stood watching Russians laying flowers in memory of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, a young man shared his reaction to Mr Navalny’s death in prison.”I’m in shock,” he told me, “just like two years ago on 24 February: when the war started.”It made me think about everything that has happened in Russia these last two years, since President Putin ordered the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It is a catalogue of drama, bloodshed, tragedy.Russia’s war has brought death and destruction to Ukraine. The Russian military has suffered huge losses, too.Russian towns have been shelled and come under drone-attack;Hundreds of thousands of Russian men were drafted into the army;Wagner mercenaries mutinied and marched on Moscow. Their leader Yevgeny Prigozhin later died in a plane crash.The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Russia’s president for alleged war crimes.Now Vladimir Putin’s most vocal critic is dead.24 February 2022 was a watershed moment. But looking back the direction of travel had been clear. It was in 2014 that Russia had annexed Crimea from Ukraine and first intervened militarily in the Donbas; Alexei Navalny had been poisoned with a nerve agent in 2020 and jailed in 2021. Domestic repression in Russia pre-dates the invasion of Ukraine, but it has accelerated since. As for Vladimir Putin, two years into this war he sounds increasingly confident and determined to defeat his enemies at home and abroad. He rails against America, Nato and the EU and presents Russia’s war in Ukraine as a war on Russia by the “collective West”, an existential battle for his country’s survival. How and when will it end? I can’t predict the future. I can, however, recall the past. In a cupboard at home recently I found a dusty folder with copies of my Russia despatches from more than 20 years ago: the early Putin years.Sifting through them, it was like reading about a different galaxy light-years away.Russia accused of executing prisoners of war in Avdiivka Is Russia turning the tide in Ukraine?”According to a recent poll, 59% of Russians support the idea of Russia joining the European Union…” I wrote on 17 May 2001.”Nato and Russia are actively seeking closer cooperation: a sign to both sides that the real threat to world peace lies not with each other…” [20 November 2001]So, where did it all go wrong? I’m not the only person wondering.Image caption, Former Nato chief Lord Robertson says Russia’s loss of superpower status “ate away” at Vladimir Putin”The Putin I met with, did good business with, established a Nato-Russia Council with, is very, very different from this almost megalomaniac at the present moment,” former Nato chief Lord Robertson told me recently when we met in London. “The man who stood beside me in May of 2002, right beside me, and said Ukraine is a sovereign and independent nation state which will make its own decisions about security, is now the man who says that [Ukraine] is not a nation state.”Lord Robertson even recalls Vladimir Putin contemplating Nato membership for Russia.”At my second meeting with Putin, he said explicitly: ‘When are you going to invite Russia to join Nato?’ I said, ‘We don’t invite countries to join Nato, they apply.’ And he said, ‘Well, we’re not going to stand in line beside a bunch of countries who don’t matter.’ Lord Robertson said he does not think that Putin really wanted to apply for Nato membership. “He wanted it presented to him, because I think he always thought – and increasingly thinks – that Russia is a great nation on the world stage and needs the respect that the Soviet Union had,” he told me. “He was never going to comfortably fit inside an alliance of equal nations, all sitting round the table debating and discussing interests of common policy.”‘Growing ego’Lord Robertson points out that the Soviet Union was once recognised as the second superpower in the world, but Russia can’t make any claims in that direction today. “I think that sort of ate away at [Putin’s] ego. Combine that with the feebleness, sometimes, of the West and in many ways the provocations that he faced, as well as his own growing ego. I think that changed the individual who wanted to cooperate with Nato into somebody who now sees Nato as a huge threat.” Moscow sees things differently. Russian officials claim it was Nato enlargement eastwards that undermined European security and led to war. They accuse Nato of breaking a promise to the Kremlin, made allegedly in the dying days of the USSR, that the alliance wouldn’t accept countries previously in Moscow’s orbit. “There was certainly nothing on paper,” Lord Robertson tells me. “There was nothing that was agreed, there was no treaty to that effect. But it was Vladimir Putin himself who signed the Rome Declaration on 28 May 2002. The same piece of paper I signed, which enshrined the basic principles of territorial integrity and non-interference in other countries. He signed that. He can’t blame anybody else.” Image caption, A war memorial in Solnechnogorsk commemorates Russians killed in the “special military operation”In the town of Solnechnogorsk, 40 miles from Moscow, the last two dramatic years of Russia’s history are on display in the park. I spot graffiti in support of the Wagner mercenary group. There are flowers in memory of Alexei Navalny. And there’s a large mural of two local men, Russian soldiers, killed in Ukraine. Painted alongside is a Youth Army cadet saluting them.In the town centre, at a memorial to those killed in World War Two and the Soviet war in Afghanistan, a new section has been added:”To soldiers killed in the special military operation.”Forty-six names are etched into stone.I ask Lidiya Petrovna, passing by with her grandson, how life has changed in two years. “Our factories are now making things we used to buy abroad. That’s good,” Lidiya says. “But I’m sad for the young men, for everyone, who’ve been killed. We certainly don’t need war with the West. Our people have seen nothing but war, war, war all their lives.” When I speak to Marina, she praises Russian soldiers she says are “doing their duty” in Ukraine. Then she looks across at her 17-year-old son Andrei. “But as a mother I’m frightened that my son will be called up to fight. I want peace as soon as possible, so that we won’t fear what comes tomorrow.”Related TopicsWar in UkraineRussiaVladimir PutinUkraineMore on this storyRussia accused of executing prisoners of war in AvdiivkaPublished2 days agoIs Russia turning the tide in Ukraine?Published5 days agoInside Ukraine’s struggle to find new men to fightPublished12 FebruaryThe Ukrainians ‘disappearing’ in Russia’s prisonsPublished10 FebruaryTop StoriesLive. 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VideoMoment giant Antarctica drone takes offElsewhere on the BBCFive geological wonders from around the worldFrom the very tip of the North Pole to the southernmost point of the AmericasAttributionBitesizeWhich classic did Elbow cover?The band join the BBC Concert Orchestra in the BBC Piano RoomAttributionSounds’We have built the world, perhaps inadvertently, for men’Philanthropist Melinda French Gates on what she’s learned from her life so farAttributionSoundsA tasty swap that could really improve our healthMichael discovers the benefits of incorporating wholegrains into our dietAttributionSoundsMost Read1Whale song mystery solved by scientists2Rosenberg: How two years of war have changed Russia3’Fury in Commons’ and ‘King’s tears’4Police force ‘failed’ women who were killed5Suspensions after ‘Israel’ crossed out on document6US hospital halts IVF after court says embryos are children7Biden’s dog bit Secret Service agents 24 times8Firms must make ‘adjustments’ for menopausal woman9Historical sites in Afghanistan ‘bulldozed for looting’10Baby loss certificates introduced in England

[ad_1] The BBC’s Russia Editor reports on a catalogue of drama, bloodshed and tragedy since the war began.

newsinsightplus.com
1970s
1980s
February 20, 2024
0 Comments

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaWagner in Africa: How the Russian mercenary group has rebrandedPublished50 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, AFPBy Joe Inwood & Jake TacchiBBC Newsnight & BBC Eye InvestigationsRussia is offering governments in Africa a “regime survival package” in exchange for access to strategically important natural resources, a major new report has found. Internal Russian government documents, seen by the BBC, also detail how it is working to change mining laws in West Africa, with the ambition of dislodging Western companies from an area of strategic importance. This is part of the process of the Russian government taking over the businesses of the Wagner mercenary group, broken up after a failed coup in June 2023. The multibillion dollar operations are now mostly being run as the Russian “Expeditionary Corps”, managed by the man accused of being behind the attempt to murder Sergei Skripal using the Novichok nerve agent on the streets of the UK – a charge Russia has denied.”This is the Russian state coming out of the shadows in its Africa policy,” says Jack Watling, land warfare specialist at the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi) and one of the report’s authors.Back in June 2023, Yevgeny Prigozhin was probably the most feared and famous mercenary in the world. His Wagner Group was in control of billions of dollars’ worth of companies and projects, while his fighters were central to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Then, he decided to march on Moscow, ostensibly calling for the removal of the defence minister and head of the general staff, but in reality threatening President Vladimir Putin in a way no-one had before.Within weeks he had died in a highly suspicious plane crash, along with much of the Wagner leadership. There was widespread speculation at the time about what would happen to the Wagner Group. Now, we have the answer. According to Dr Watling, “there was a meeting in the Kremlin fairly shortly after Prigozhin’s mutiny, in which it was decided that Wagner’s Africa operations would fall directly under the control of Russian military intelligence, the GRU”.Control was to be handed to Gen Andrey Averyanov, head of Unit 29155, a secretive operation specialising in targeting killings and destabilising foreign governments.But it seems Gen Averyanov’s new business was not destabilising governments, but rather securing their future, as long as they paid by signing away their mineral rights. In early September, accompanied by deputy Defence Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, Gen Averyanov began a tour of former Wagner operations in Africa. They started in Libya, meeting warlord Gen Khalifa Haftar. Their next stop was Burkina Faso where they were greeted by 35-year-old coup leader Ibrahim Traoré.After that, they landed in the Central African Republic, possibly the most well-established Wagner operation on the continent, before heading to Mali to meet the leaders of the junta there.Image source, AFPImage caption, This banner in the Central African Republic reads: Russia is Wagner, we love Russia and we love WagnerOn a subsequent trip they also met General Salifou Modi, one of the military men who seized power in Niger last year.Readouts of the various meetings demonstrate that the two men were reassuring Wagner’s partners on the continent that the demise of Prigozhin did not mean the end of his business deals. Reports of the meeting with Capt Traoré of Burkina Faso confirmed cooperation would continue in “the military domain, including the training of Burkinabe officer cadets and officers at all levels, including pilots in Russia”.In short, the death of Prigozhin did not mean the end for the junta’s relationship with Russia. In some ways, it would become deeper still.The three West African states with close links to Wagner – Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso – have all experienced military takeovers in recent years. They have since announced their withdrawal from the regional bloc Ecowas, and the creation of their own “Alliance of Sahel States”. Maybe the most entwined with the mercenaries was Mali, where an ongoing Islamist insurgency, combined with multiple coups, had left an essentially failed state. Previously, security assistance had come in the form of the UN mission known as Minusma, alongside the French military’s long-running counter-insurgency operation.But there was no particular fondness for France, the former colonial power, and so when the Wagner group offered to replace their security operations with Russian backing, the offer was accepted. “The French were tolerated, rather than welcomed,” says Edwige Sorgho-Depagne, an analyst of African politics who works for Amber Advisers. “The French mandate to help in the terror crisis in the Sahel was always regarded as limited in time. So, the fact that the French stayed for that long – over 10 years – without finding a way to end the crisis didn’t help”.Image source, TelegramImage caption, These flowers commemorating Yevgeny Prigozhin and Dmitry Utkin were laid at a monument to Russian mercenaries in CARBeyond pragmatism, there was also nostalgia. “In these countries, Russia is not a new ally. Russia was there before in the 1970s and 1980s.” “There’s this dream of getting back to a better time, which is often associated with the relationship with Russia.”But for the military juntas running these countries, Russia’s military presence has obvious benefits.”Initially, these juntas were transitional leaders. They were supposed to organise elections and bring about a return to democratic institutions.””But now Russian paramilitaries are brought in to protect the military junta, allowing them to stay as long as they want.”The junta ordered the French forces to leave and Mali is now largely dependent on Wagner for its internal security, a change that is having an immediate impact on ordinary Malians. “What the Russians have provided is a strike force, with helicopters with advanced capabilities and a lot of firepower,” says Dr Watling. “They are using pretty traditional Soviet anti-partisan methods. You see fighters who were executed, as well as civilians targeted for enabling or being associated with fighters.”There have been multiple claims that Wagner forces carried out human rights abuses on the African continent, as well as in Ukraine and Syria, where Prigozhin’s organisation previously held a commanding presence. One of the most well-documented incidents took place in the central Malian town of Moura where, according to a UN report, at least 500 people are believed to have been summarily executed by Malian troops and “armed white men”, who eyewitnesses described as speaking an “unknown language”.While independent verification has not been possible, Human Rights Watch identified the unknown white attackers as Russian mercenaries. Image source, TelegramImage caption, A hundred Russian military specialists arrived in Burkina Faso, along with equipment and weapons last month, with more expected soonIn exchange for considerable, if brutal, security assistance, Wagner required something in return.Mali, like many African nations, is rich in natural resources – from timber and gold to uranium and lithium. Some are simply valuable, while others have strategic importance as well.According to Dr Watling, Wagner was operating in a well-established tradition: “There is a standard Russian modus operandi, which is that you cover the operational costs with parallel business activity. In Africa, that is primarily through mining concessions.”In every country in which it operates, Wagner was reported to have secured valuable natural resources using these to not only cover costs, but also extract significant revenue. Russia has extracted $2.5bn (£2bn) worth of gold from Africa in the past two years, which is likely to have helped fund its war in Ukraine, according to the Blood Gold Report.This month, Russian fighters – formerly Wagner mercenaries – took control of Mali’s Intahaka gold mine, close to the border with Burkina Faso. The artisanal mine, the largest in northern Mali, had been disputed for many years by various armed groups active in the region. But there is something else, with potential geopolitical significance. “We are now observing the Russians attempting to strategically displace Western control of access to critical minerals and resources,” says Dr Watling. In Mali, the mining code was recently re-written to give the junta greater control over natural resources. That process has already seen an Australian lithium mine suspend trading on its shares, citing uncertainty over the implementation of the code.While lithium and gold mines are clearly important, according to Dr Watling there is possibly an even greater strategic headache around the corner: “In Niger the Russians are endeavouring to gain a similar set of concessions that would strip French access to the uranium mines in the country.”Image source, AFPImage caption, Many Malians earn their living by mining goldThe report details internal Russian memos focussed on trying to achieve in Niger what was done in Mali. If Russia managed to gain control of West Africa’s uranium mines, Europe could be left exposed once again to what has often been called Russian “energy blackmail”.France is more dependent on nuclear power than any other country in the world, with 56 reactors producing almost two-thirds of the country’s energy. About a fifth of its uranium is imported from Niger. There have previously been complaints about the terms of trade, with suggestions that the former colonial power exploits nations like Niger.”The narrative that Russia is pushing is that Western states remain fundamentally colonial in their attitude,” says Dr Watling. “It’s very ironic because the Russian approach, which is to isolate these regimes, capture their elites and to extract their natural resources, is quite colonial.”In reality, the “Expeditionary Corps” appears more as “Wagner 2.0”, than a radical departure for Russian foreign policy. Prigozhin had built deep political, economic and military ties on the African continent – dismantling this complex web would have been difficult and ultimately counter-productive.The “Expeditionary Corps” is operating in the same countries, with the same equipment and – it seems – with the same ultimate goal. According to Dr Watling, the fundamental change lies in “the overtness with which Russia is pursuing its policy”. Prigozhin’s Wagner Group had always provided Russia with a level of plausible deniability in operations and influence abroad. Following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, many in the Western security apparatus say that Russia’s mask has slipped. “What they are looking to do is to exacerbate our crises internationally. They are trying to start fires elsewhere, and expand those that already exist, making a less safe world,” Dr Watling. “Ultimately, it weakens us in the global competition that we are currently facing. So the impact is not immediately felt, but over time, it is a serious threat.”You may also be interested in:Inside Wagner’s African ‘success story’What is Russia’s Wagner mercenary group? ‘France takes us for idiots’ – Inside coup-hit NigerWhy young Africans are celebrating military takeoversWas Prigozhin a dead man walking? Related TopicsCentral African RepublicRussiaLibyaBurkina FasoMaliAround the BBCBBC Focus on Africa podcastTop StoriesCameron government knew Post Office ditched Horizon IT investigationPublished6 hours agoRussia accused of executing prisoners of war in AvdiivkaPublished5 hours agoNavalny’s body ‘to be held for two weeks’Published6 hours agoFeaturesThe Papers: Navalny wife blames Putin and US’s move to block Rafah offensive’Evacuating was a mistake’: Israelis push to return to border homesHow Russia has rebranded Wagner in AfricaNavalny’s widow faces daunting challengeOne of UK’s ‘most advanced’ vertical farm opensWho is Julian Assange and why is he facing extradition?Boarders: ‘We all have to code switch to survive in life’Lyse Doucet: Rafah deadline raises stakes as Ramadan nearsThe unprecedented case of a migrant manslaughter trialElsewhere on the BBCA dream holiday turns into a nightmareEverything changes for Karl Williams when he is busted with a kilo of drugsAttributioniPlayerCan dental chews really clean your dog’s teeth?Greg hears from a pet nutritionist and a vet who’s an expert in dental careAttributionSoundsEveryone has something to hide…When Sabine’s body is found beneath the cliffs, her sister is convinced she was murderedAttributionSoundsGet to know Cillian Murphy through musicThe Golden Globes and BAFTA-winning actor shares what he’d take with him to a desert islandAttributionSoundsMost Read1Government knew Post Office ditched Horizon probe2US zoo extracts 70 coins from white alligator3Navalny wife blames Putin and US’s move to block Rafah offensive4Navalny’s body ‘to be held for two weeks’5Probe after ‘Israel crossed out on birth certificate’6Bowel cancer checks for anyone with inherited risk7Russia accused of executing prisoners of war in Avdiivka8LGBT veteran in ‘last battle’ for army ban compensation9Illegal abortion investigations rising, BBC told10Hacker group’s site taken over by law enforcement

[ad_1] Russia has taken the mercenary group into its intelligence services, using it to destabilise Africa.

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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaWhat we know about reports of Alexei Navalny’s death in Arctic Circle prisonPublished13 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Navalny with his wife, before flying back to Russia and certain arrest after recovering from novichok poisoningBy Graeme BakerBBC NewsAccording to Russian accounts, Alexei Navalny took a short walk at his Siberian penal colony, said he felt unwell, then collapsed and never regained consciousness.He was 47 years old. His condition had deteriorated in his three years in prison, where he complained of being denied medical treatment and had spent almost 300 days in solitary confinement. By the time of his arrest in January 2021 he had spent months recovering from a nerve agent attack.Even so, he appeared to be in relatively good spirits and health in a court video a day before his death.The weight of international opinion does not appear to tally with Russia’s account of what happened to him at IK-3, or “Polar Wolf” – one of Russia’s northernmost and toughest prisons. Navalny was often asked: ‘Do you fear for your life?’French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné said Navalny “paid with his life” for his “resistance to Russian oppression”, adding that his death was a reminder of the “reality of Vladimir Putin’s regime”. Navalny’s mother Lyudmila said her son was “alive, healthy and happy” when she last saw him on 12 February, in a Facebook post quoted by Novaya Gazeta newspaper. This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Watch: Navalny jokes in court a day before his deathHis wife, Yulia, said, simply: “We can’t really believe Putin and his government.”What Russian reports say about his collapseRussia’s Interfax news agency reports that medics spent half an hour trying to resuscitate him. According to prison authorities, doctors were with him within two minutes and an ambulance was available within six.The state-run RT network – banned in many Western countries – raised the possibility that a blood clot killed him. Dmitry Peskov, Mr Putin’s spokesman, said “medics must somehow figure this out”. There has been no post-mortem examination, so far. There have been attempts on Navalny’s life beforeWhether it was slow deterioration, a sudden catastrophe or a single incident that killed him, Navalny was aware people wanted him dead.In December 2020, Navalny accused agents from Russia’s security agency, the FSB, of poisoning him.He had fallen gravely ill and collapsed on a plane flying out of Tomsk, Siberia, forcing the plane into an emergency landing in Omsk as the crew sought medical aid. European labs would later confirm that Novichok, the Russian-made nerve agent also used to poison Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury in the UK, was found on his body.In an extraordinary phone call, which Navalny recorded, he duped an FSB agent into admitting that the chemical weapon had been administered to Mr Navalny’s underwear at a hotel in Tomsk. The agent, Konstantin Kudryavtsev, said that had the plane not made an emergency landing, he would have died.After treatment in Germany, Navalny returned to Russia in January 2021 and was instantly arrested.His health worsened in prison In the months that followed after Navalny’s imprisonment on charges of “extremism” and “corruption”, various warnings from his allies and lawyers were issued that his condition was worsening, that he was gravely ill, or that his whereabouts were unknown.He complained of severe back pain, fevers and numbness in his legs. He spoke of sleep deprivation due to hourly “checks” by guards shining torches in his eyes, and was still not over the severe effects of the nerve agent attack.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Protesters call for Navalny’s release in a protest in Moscow in 2021Suspicious fate of Putin rivalsNavalny’s history of activism would mark him out as a primary threat to Putin’s power. For more than a decade, he exposed corruption within the regime, and his video investigations received hundreds of millions of views online.Then in 2021 his campaign team produced a viral video aiming to expose the building of a $1bn palace for Putin on the Black Sea funded by “the largest bribe in history”.Navalny said it was evidence of Vladimir Putin’s “feudal” regime of patronage and thievery from the Russian people. The video has been viewed almost 130 million times in three years.Mr Navalny was already in custody by the time the video was released. And now he is dead.He becomes the latest name on a long list of people to have suffered “sudden Russian death syndrome”, as some commentators have framed it.It includes not only out-and-out Putin critics, but allies who have turned threats – such as mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin – and those who have simply insulted the Kremlin.They include Pavel Antov, 65, a “sausage tycoon” and member of Putin’s United Russia party who fell to his death from a hotel window in India in 2022, shortly after denying he was the source of a WhatsApp message critical of the war in Ukraine. A friend on the same trip, Vladimir Budanov, also died in his hotel.Months earlier in September, the head of Russia’s oil giant Lukoil, Ravil Maganov, apparently fell from a hospital window in Moscow. He too had been critical of the war in Ukraine. Only three years before he had been presented with a lifetime achievement award by the Russian president.Image source, KremlinImage caption, Ravil Maganov was given a lifetime achievement award by President Vladimir Putin in 2019Boris Nemtsov, a charismatic opposition leader who had been deputy prime minister in the 1990s, was shot four times in the back within sight of the Kremlin in 2015.Anna Politkovskaya, a journalist who wrote books about Russia’s police state under Vladimir Putin, was murdered in 2006 by contract killers. They were paid, according to a judge in their trial, by “a person unknown”.One of her killers later fought in Ukraine, and is now pardoned.Alexander Litvinenko, a former KGB agent and critic of Putin, died in London in 2006, three weeks after drinking a cup of tea that had been laced with deadly radioactive element, polonium-210.A British inquiry found that Litvinenko was poisoned by FSB agents Andrei Lugovoi and Dmitry Kovtun, who were acting on orders that had “probably” been approved by Putin.The Kremlin either does not comment on these deaths, or denies any involvement.Jake Sullivan, the US national security adviser, on Friday described Navalny’s death as a “terrible tragedy” and the latest example of the “Russian government’s long and sordid history of doing harm to its opponents”.”It raises real and obvious questions about what happened here.”His death, whatever the cause, came while Navalny was an inmate in the care of the state.And it robs those who oppose Vladimir Putin’s rule of an internationally recognised alternative, and stands as perhaps the greatest warning to those who would seek to cross the Kremlin.Related TopicsRussiaAlexei NavalnyVladimir PutinMore on this storyPutin critic Navalny dies in Arctic Circle jail, says RussiaPublished12 hours agoWatch: Navalny seen in video link a day before his reported death. Video, 00:00:24Watch: Navalny seen in video link a day before his reported deathPublished17 hours ago0:24Top StoriesLive. ‘Putin is responsible’ – Biden speaks out after report of Navalny’s deathUkraine troops pull out of key eastern town AvdiivkaPublished5 hours agoIs Russia turning the tide in Ukraine?Published5 minutes agoFeaturesThe Papers: Putin ‘must pay for Navalny’ and Harry reaches outArrested and poisoned: See Navalny’s moments of defiance. VideoArrested and poisoned: See Navalny’s moments of defianceAlexei Navalny in his own words – dark humour during dark times’Zombie Fires’ burning at an alarming rate in CanadaHow the fantasy world of D&D can be a home for everyoneGay woman aims to found LGBT-accepting churchI made my Chewbacca suit from 45 bags of hair extensionsChris Mason: Tory gloom deepens after double poll blowTwo by-elections, two Labour wins… in two minutes. VideoTwo by-elections, two Labour wins… in two minutesElsewhere on the BBCThe sound effect that became the ultimate movie in-jokeIt’s used in everything from Toy Story to Reservoir Dogs, but what is the Wilhelm Scream?AttributioniPlayerWhat is it really like to be a monk?’To be a monk is something very vast, very high and very beautiful’AttributioniPlayer’I smashed all my trophies’Bradley Wiggins opens up about his mental health and imposter syndromeAttributioniPlayerFancy a film tonight?There’s something for everyone on BBC iPlayerAttributioniPlayerMost Read1The day I found out I had special ‘neo’ blood2Putin ‘must pay for Navalny’ and Harry reaches out3Is it even possible to do 28 A-levels – and what’s the cost?4Trump ordered to pay $354m in New York fraud case5£10k payout ‘cruel’, says bankrupt Post Office victim6Ukraine troops pull out of key eastern town Avdiivka7Fans get rare chance to see Big Yin’s ‘Big Banana Feet’8Six-time Olympic champion Hoy reveals cancer diagnosisAttributionSport9New Parkinson’s drug to be rolled out on NHS10Satellite images show construction on Egypt-Gaza border

[ad_1] Many believe the opposition leader paid the ultimate price for opposing Putin – what do we know?

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February 4, 2024
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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaUkraine war: No more easy deals for Russian convicts freed to fightPublished11 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsWar in UkraineImage source, T.ME/KRSOLDATAImage caption, Fighters of a Storm V unit at Christmas prayers, January 2024By Elizaveta Fokht & Ilya Barabanov & Olga IvshinaBBC RussianRussia has been releasing prisoners to fight in Ukraine for more than a year, originally offering them a pardon and freedom after six months, even if they have been convicted of a violent crime. But the BBC has discovered this deal is a thing of the past. Now, they no longer get a pardon, face tougher conditions and instead of going home early, they must fight until the end of the war.”If you sign up now, be ready to die,” writes a man called Sergei in a chatroom for former Russian prisoners fighting in Ukraine. He says that since October he’s been part of a new type of army unit with the name “Storm V” which convicts are now being assigned to. “Before you could wing it for six months. But now, you have to make it until the end of the war,” he writes.When the mass recruitment of Russian prisoners started in the summer of 2022, it was led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, once the head of the Wagner private military group. Prisoners were offered a clean record, full pardon and allowed to go home after six months on the battlefield. Before he died in a plane crash in August, Prigozhin said that almost 50,000 Russian prisoners had been dispatched to the front line under this deal – similar figures have been cited by human rights activists. Thousands of those prisoners died, but others, including dozens convicted of violent crimes returned home, with some going on to re-offend and even commit murder.The Russian military took over the scheme in February 2023, initially offering the same incentives as Prigozhin.But the arrangement meant prisoners released to fight could go home after six months and were in a more privileged position than regular soldiers. That upset men who had been mobilised and their families. Now, new conditions for prisoners redress that balance and are far stricter. Image source, T.ME/KRSOLDATAImage caption, Storm V fighters at a christening ceremony in December 2023From reviewing messages in chatrooms and speaking to fighters and relatives, the BBC can confirm that Storm V troops are currently serving along the front line, from Zaporizhzhia in the south of Ukraine to Bakhmut in the east.One woman from the Transbaikal region in Russia’s Far East, who wished to remain anonymous, told the BBC her husband was recruited into one of the Storm V squads at the beginning of autumn 2023. She would not reveal what crime he had committed, but said it was “a serious charge”.She said they made the decision together that he would fight in Ukraine, believing it would result in a quicker release.”This February would have been 15 years since he was sentenced. He had another four to go,” she said. “Conditions in the prison were OK. He could have continued to serve his sentence, but this was the only way to get him home quickly.”She said his contract with the Russian Ministry of Defence was for a year, not six months, as it was for previous prisoners. And when her husband’s time is up, he won’t get a pardon and won’t be able to go home immediately as the contract “will be automatically extended”.Posts on social media from other Russians whose relatives are serving in Storm V units indicate they too will have to stay on the front line until the end of what Moscow calls its “special military operation”. Prisoners are warned about this when they sign up, and it follows a September 2022 decree by Vladimir Putin which essentially means that when a contract expires it can’t actually be terminated and is renewed. Now the only way for prisoners to get a full release is if they get a state decoration, become incapacitated, reach the maximum age limit, or if the war itself ends.Instead of a pardon, former prisoners now get what is described as a conditional release at the end of their time with the army. That means if they are found guilty of committing a new crime their sentence will also reflect their previous convictions. President Putin is also no longer involved in personally signing pardons, which means fewer unwelcome headlines in the media about him pardoning people convicted of murder and sex crimes.Image source, T.ME/KRSOLDATAImage caption, A departure ceremony to see off Storm V fighters to the front, November 2023The BBC has reviewed many posts in chatrooms from men who say they have been on the front line in these units. “The conditions are sort of better. You get full pay, like in the military, and all the other benefits and allowances,” one convict writes.”Your chances of survival are about 25%. I’ve been a stormtrooper for five months. Out of our platoon of about 100 men, only 38 are still alive,” another says.Many of the Storm V troops are trained at a range for as little as 10 days before being despatched. There are several dozen known cases of convicts who have found themselves on the front line after only three to five days of training. In comparison, Soviet conscripts in Afghanistan got up to six months’ training before deployment.Since January 2023, BBC Russian has partnered with the Russian website Mediazona and a team of volunteers to identify the names of Russian fighters killed in the war. More than 8,000 prisoners have died serving in Ukraine, and at least 1,100 of them fought in Storm V units or the units they replaced. We only include in our database those prisoners whose sentences have been confirmed by a published court verdict. But not all verdicts are digitised, and not all deaths are reported. In reality, the number of dead convicts is estimated to be far higher.Working out how many have been killed is extremely difficult, especially as many of those who die are not found straight away.Many relatives are still looking for fighters who they lost touch with last summer.”This hell will never end. I never thought I would be glad just to find his bones. Just to bury them,” writes one mother in a chatroom. In the past, the details on convicts’ dog tags were not always entered into military databases, but that has changed – members of Storm V units are now processed as military personnel rather than volunteers. For the Storm V fighters that survive, many end up in captivity and the BBC has seen videos which purport to show prisoners of war being interrogated by the Ukrainian military. In one, a man says he has been in prison several times since 2014 for grievous bodily harm and theft. The BBC has been able to identify him and confirm the sentences using court records.The man signed a contract in October with the defence ministry and went to the front from a high-security facility. He was later captured and under duress said that Storm V fighters are often sent on “pointless assaults” from which only a few individuals return. He said if they refuse to go, they are put in a pit in the ground and are not given any food. His account matches others including that of a woman from Siberia who told the BBC her husband had said the same thing.In a chatroom, Sergei discusses the fate of Russian convicts like himself still fighting in Storm V units.”Luck isn’t going to be enough,” he writes, talking about his chance of survival on the front line.”I already know I won’t make it,” he says.Related TopicsWar in UkraineRussiaMore on this storyRussian prisoner freed to fight arrested for woman’s murderPublished10 August 2023Top StoriesLive. 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[ad_1] Before he died in a plane crash in August, Prigozhin said that almost 50,000 Russian prisoners had been dispatched to the front line under this deal – similar figures…