Notices by Hanse Mina (hanse_mina@mastodon.social), page 19

"#Russia is a security threat. We need more, not less vigilance," #EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva #Johansson said.

In her letter, Johansson asked #Hungary to answer questions about the visa scheme by Aug. 19, "given the potential threat to the Schengen area of these unilateral measures".

She said she would draw the "appropriate consequences" if the move breached EU law or put the functioning of the #Schengen zone at risk.

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/eu-warns-hungary-over-easing-visa-rules-russians-2024-08-01/

#Ukraine #Belarus

The first batch of long-awaited F-16 jets have arrived in #Ukraine, #Lithuania's foreign minister and a #US official said on Wednesday, an effort #Kyiv has said will help rebuild its depleted air force.

"F-16s in Ukraine. Another impossible thing turned out to be totally possible," Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius #Landsbergis said

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-receives-small-number-f-16-jets-bloomberg-reports-citing-sources-2024-07-31/

#Russia

Jailed #US Wall Street Journal reporter Evan #Gershkovich and ex-U.S. Marine Paul #Whelan were among 26 prisoners from the US, #Russia, #Germany, #Poland, #Slovenia, #Norway and #Belarus being freed in a major east-west exchange on Thursday, #Turkey's presidency said.

It said 10 prisoners, including two minors, had been moved to Russia, 13 to Germany and three to the US.

https://www.reuters.com/world/lawyer-ex-us-marine-whelan-jailed-russia-says-she-cannot-confirm-his-whereabouts-2024-07-31/

#Ukraine #EU

In today’s #vatniksoup, I’ll introduce an American politician and author, JD #Vance. He’s best-known for his strong stance against #US aid to #Ukraine, and for being the #Republican party’s nominee for vice president in the 2024 election.

🧵 https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1818589380098871590.html

#Trump #GOP #MAGA #Russia

Russian gas giant #Gazprom suffered net losses from January to June 2024 almost double those in the same period last year, the Ukrainian media outlet enkorr reported on July 31.

Gazprom has had a turbulent time since the launch of #Russia's full-scale invasion – its revenue fell by 30% last year with a net loss of $6.9 billion, the largest in 25 years.

https://kyivindependent.com/gazprom-net-losses-nearly-double-year-on-year/

#Ukraine

Americans are evenly divided on whether their country has a responsibility to aid #Ukraine, with 48% saying it does and 49% it does not, according to a survey published by Pew Research on July 29.

While around 63% of #Democrats and #Democrat-leaning respondents believe the #US has the responsibility, only 36% of #Republicans and #Republican-leaning Americans think the same.

https://kyivindependent.com/americans-evenly-split-on-uss-responsibility-to-aid-ukraine/

#Russia

Many consider #Russia to be powerful. But this impression is very misleading, says historian Timothy #Snyder.

75 percent of everything we give Russia credit for is just in our heads. In the case of #Germany it will be more like 85 percent

A defeat for #Ukraine would confirm to the world that democracies are weak and autocracies are strong. It would be a terrible blow to the idea of international law. We completely overestimate Russia and its regime

https://www.t-online.de/nachrichten/ausland/krisen/id_100449654/ukraine-krieg-historiker-zu-russland-blatt-wuerde-sich-gegen-putin-wenden-.html

#EU #US #UK #NATO

#Putin signed a "presidential decree" on a one-time payment of 400,000 rubles to new recruits who sign a contract between August 1 and December 31 to participate in the "special military operation".

This is on top of regional and other additional payments.

https://t.me/astrapress/60831

#Ukraine #Russia

The #EU failed to put on a united front on #Venezuela’s contested election after #Hungary vetoed a statement that expressed concern about alleged “flaws and irregularities” in the voting and called for greater transparency.

The Hungarian government couldn’t be immediately reached for a comment on the motivation for its veto.

https://www.politico.eu/article/hungary-block-eu-statement-venezuela-election-results-foreign-policy-josep-borrell/

#Orban #Russia #Ukraine

Last night #Ukraine destroyed 90 out of 90 missiles and drones launched by #Russia

Destroyed / Launched
1/1 Kh-59 guided air missile
89/89 #Shahed drones

A large fire broke out on Tuesday at a production facility in #Yekaterinburg #Russia.

According to local media reports, the blaze erupted late Tuesday afternoon at NPO Avtomatiki, a subsidiary of the #Roscosmos space agency.

NPO Avtomatiki specializes in developing and manufacturing control systems and radio-electronic equipment for rocket and space technology, as well as various industrial sectors, according to the company’s website.

https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2024/07/30/huge-blaze-erupts-at-manufacturing-facility-in-russias-yekaterinburg-a85878

#Ukraine

#Lithuania complains to the European Commission (EC) about #Hungary's decision to ease the entry procedure for citizens of #Russia and #Belarus and claims that such a step prevents a threat to the security of the #EU.

This month, Hungary announced a new facilitated visa system that allows citizens of eight countries, including Russia and Belarus, to enter Hungary without security checks or other restrictions.

https://bns.lt/naujiena/lietuva-briuseliui-skundzia-vengrijos-sprendima-palengvinti-atvykimo-salygas-rusams-bp9re

#Ukraine

#Hungary’s recent decision to ease visa restrictions for Russian visitors is an open door to spies and #EU leaders should take urgent countermeasures, the bloc’s biggest political party has said.

Manfred #Weber, chair of the European People’s party (#EPP), in a letter seen by the Financial Times said the move would allow unvetted Russians to travel through much of the EU unhindered and raised “serious national security concerns”.

https://www.ft.com/content/b2a4ebd8-df41-43fe-8d63-602c1d50e899

#Russia

Privately, that’s the exasperated sentiment among #EU diplomats as #Hungary joins with #Slovakia to try and leverage EU rules to preserve access to a discounted product nearly everyone else has had to shun: Russian oil.

Everyone else in the EU has found ways to get off Russian oil, several diplomats fumed — it’s not their problem Hungary and Slovakia used a sanctions carveout to keep pumping it in. Hungary has even ramped up Russian oil imports.

https://www.politico.eu/article/youve-had-two-years-eu-eyerolls-at-hungarys-russian-oil-request/

#Russia

#Ukrgasvydobuvannya, #Ukraine's largest gas producer and part of the state #Naftogaz Group, put into operation a high-rate well that produces 274,000 cubic meters of gas per day, Naftogaz Group reported on July 30.

Once heavily dependent on Russian gas, Ukraine successfully shifted to other suppliers in the previous decade and expanded its own production. For the first time in history, the country went through last winter using only its own gas.

https://kyivindependent.com/naftogaz-new-well/

#Russia

"#Russia is burning Ukrainian troops to exhaustion"

The situation around the village of #Prohress is deteriorating.

Russia is advancing at a rate of up to a kilometre per day. It has advanced 8km in two weeks.

The #Pokrovsk front is buckling.

Some thoughts on the situation.

🧵 https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1817628269740773609.html

#Ukraine

The spokesman of the Armed Forces of the Armed Forces of #Ukraine Dmytro #Pletenchuk, said that for the first time, #Russia launched three submarines equipped with cruise missiles into the sea at the same time in the Azov-Black Sea region.

https://www.facebook.com/Taclbery/posts/pfbid081YxbXtuNh31sW1cFkVc9MNBgZsh1zUpLYUwEgsqnsoqQr3kaaCDt7oRe59QUXMVl

Last night #Ukraine destroyed 8 out of 9 missiles and drones launched by #Russia.

Destroyed / Launched
1/1 Kh-59 guided air missile
7/8 #Shahed drones

Ukrainian reconnaissance drones struck a TU-22M3 long-range strategic bomber, a missile carrier, at the #Olenya airfield in #Russia on Saturday, 27 July.

The distance from the border of Ukraine to the airport is 1,800 kilometres.

https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/07/27/7467685/

#Ukraine

Earlier this month, Defense Secretary Lloyd J. #Austin III received an unusual request from an unlikely caller: His Russian counterpart wanted to talk.

#Russia’s defense minister said he needed to talk to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin about an alleged Ukrainian operation. What happened next remains murky.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/26/us/politics/austin-russia-ukraine-defense-plot.html

#US #Ukraine