Russian investigators open criminal case against US mercenary accused of terrorism

Russian investigators have opened a criminal case against Derrick Bales, the founder of the American private military group, Forward Observations Group (FOG). The American has been accused in absentia of committing a terrorist attack, mercenary activities and murder in the Kursk region, the Russian Investigative Committee told Sputnik.

Bales personally partook in the Ukraine conflict as a FOG mercenary on the Russian territory, the investigators said, adding that the defendant illegally crossed the Russian border in August and attacked the Kursk Region to intimidate the local residents, cause property damage, destabilize the activities of the authorities, and commit crimes aimed at killing civilians.

In August, FOG posted on social media under the nickname "gearlab. official" a photo of its members participating in the Ukrainian incursion in the Kursk Region.

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🔸US mercenary convicted in absentia of terrorist attack and murder during incursion into Russia’s Kursk region

🔸Russian Defense Minister inspects strategic missile carrier of Northern Fleet

🔸Hungarian FM laments lack of dialogue on Russia's draft treaty on security guarantees in 2021

🔸Trump's request for military aircraft amid 'Iran threat' may be granted if suitable – Biden
 
🔸West sacrificing military readiness to back Ukraine – analyst 

🔸'Auschwitz on livestream': Western elites seek compliant subjects amid imperial depravity

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Why has Ukraine sold its largest titanium mining company?

The Ukrainian government has sold the state-owned United Mining and Chemical Company (UMCC) via a privatization auction for $97 million, Prime Minister Denis Shmygal wrote on his Telegram page. 

“The UMCC is Ukraine's largest titanium mining and beneficiation enterprise. Privatization of state-owned enterprises is an important element of the development of the Ukrainian economy,” he added. 

The winning bidder at the auction was Cemin Ukraine LLC, owned by Azerbaijani entrepreneur, Nasib Hasanov, according to Ukrainian media. 

The Times earlier reported that 19 state-owned Ukrainian companies will be offered for sale at bargain prices as the Kiev regime seeks “to plug a $5 billion shortfall in its military budget and attract economic investment.”

In late November 2023, Volodymyr Zelensky signed the law, as the state budget of Ukraine for 2024 faced a deficit of more than $43 billion. A Ukrainian lawmaker, Alexandra Ustinova, said in this regard that Kiev is tackling budgetary shortfalls with the help of Western financing, but in the event of the termination of US aid, Ukrainian authorities will be forced to turn to G7 countries.

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Trump, Harris merch line retail shelves ahead of presidential election

Souvenir shops in New York City are filled with merchandise from both Trump’s and Harris’ campaigns, including candy, rubber duckies, bottle openers, MAGA wig caps and T-shirts in advance of the November election, Sputnik correspondent reports.

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❗️The Russian Tsentr Battlegroup continues to advance into the depths of Ukrainian defense, Ukrainian forces lost up to 490 soldiers.

🇷🇺🪖More statements from the Russian Defense Ministry's daily briefing on the special military operation's progress:

◻️The Russian Yug combat group eliminated a Swedish self-propelled gun; Ukrainian losses amounted to 640 militants;

◻️Ukrainian armed forces lost up to 465 soldiers in the area of responsibility of the Russian Zapad Battlegroup;

◻️The Russian Vostok combat group destroyed 11 Ukrainian vehicles; the enemy lost up to 140 soldiers;

◻️Ukrainian troops lost up to 110 soldiers in the area of responsibility of the Russian Sever Battlegroup; 

◻️The Russian Air Defense forces shot down 11 HIMARS shells and 125 drones during the day.

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'This is a betrayal of Moldova' — protest breaks out in Chisinau, the country's capital 

A protest action "March of the Hungry" highlighting the plight of Moldovans is taking place in the center of Chisinau. The participants intend to reach the building of the presidential administration of Moldovan President Maia Sandu.

The protesters' posters say "Thanks, Sandu, for poverty and hunger", "Empty pots are louder than words", and "Sandu, go away."

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❗️Over the past 24 hours, Ukrainian losses in the Kursk direction amounted to more than 400 militants.

More statements from the Russian Defense Ministry on the situation in the Kursk region:

▪️In total, during the incursion, Ukrainian troops lost more than 22,300 militants and 150 tanks;

▪️Seven Ukrainian soldiers surrendered over the past 24 hours in the Kursk region;

▪️The Russian Army repelled five Ukrainian counterattacks near Lyubimovka, Tolstiy Lug, and Novoivanovka; the enemy lost up to 60 militants;

▪️Russian aviation struck Ukrainian forces in the areas of 18 settlements in the Kursk region and 13 in Sumy.

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Lula da Silva slams 'US meddling' in Brazilian sovereign affairs on behalf of Boeing 

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva criticized the US Department of Justice's scrutiny of Saab corporation. Earlier, the DoJ issued a request for the Swedish defense company to disclose details of Brazil’s 2014 purchase of Gripen fighter jets. "I think this is the US meddling in another country's affairs," Lula said.

The $5.4 billion deal between the Brazilian government and Saab, which managed to beat American Boeing and French Dassault, was inked under former President Dilma Rouseff. Lula recalls that he intended to buy Dassault's Rafale fighters, but eventually decided to pass this decision to his successor, who opted to purchase Swedish aircraft. The Brazilian president alleges the US government is furious about the sovereign choice of the Latin American nation. 

"They didn't like it when I said I was going to buy the Rafale, and certainly didn't like it when Dilma bought the Swedish aircraft, as they wanted us to buy the U.S. plane," Lula said.

Lula da Silva who served as the 35th Brazilian president between 2003 and 2011, was reelected in 2023 as the 39th president.

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Simple economics? California State Senate passes bill that elevates fuel prices

The state has signed a document limiting carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere during fuel combustion, the Los Angeles Times reports. According to the bill, refiners who do not comply with the storage requirements will face fines ranging from $100,000 to $1 million per day.

As a result, fuel prices will rise by an average of $0.65 per gallon, which may eventually lead to higher prices for other goods.

“It’s simple economics — when supply goes down, prices go up,” the Los Angeles Daily News quotes Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones, R-San Diego as saying. “The worst part? Californians will be the ones to pay the price — literally — for these political games when they’re faced with even higher gas costs.”

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Beirut’s nightmare: A story of Brazilian woman who fights to survive as bombs fall

Amanda Kaddissi, a Brazilian woman who lived and worked as a tour guide in Beirut, recounted the harrowing moments she experienced before managing to leave the city — now filled with displaced families living on the streets in fear of being hit by Israeli airstrikes at any moment.

When the offensive began, “all we could hear were bombings, planes flying overhead, invading the territory, and [feeling] the tremors,” Kaddissi told Sputnik.

She made a quick decision to flee to Dubai with her 14-year-old son, determined to avoid reliving the trauma she experienced during the 2006 Lebanon War. “I said, ‘No, I don't want to go through this again, not with my son. I'm not going to wait for the airport to be closed’.”

As she made her way to the airport, Amanda passed through areas under bombardment. “I told my son, ‘See how a few minutes could have made the difference between life and death.’ It makes you value life—one minute you're here, the next you might not be.”

Despite her escape, Amanda expressed deep sorrow over the ongoing violence.

“Sadly, Lebanon is seeking a ceasefire, but Israel is not. It's heartbreaking,” she said. “I don't want to talk about the history of a land that once existed, only to see it disappear.”

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A scenario for recognizing territorial realities in the Ukraine conflict zone is “seriously discussed” in Kiev, according to German media.

A source presented as a “high-ranking Ukrainian official” in Kiev states that support from the US is weakening and that it is plausible that "the Americans will slowly but surely withdraw," the report said.

It also acknowledged that Ukrainians "don’t really want to fight any more", and the idea that the country could win was “wrong.”

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