💬 British hired gun who 'lost everything' in UK captured in Kursk Region

Russian forces have captured a UK mercenary from the Ukrainian International Legion in the Kursk region. In several videos of his interrogation circulating on social media, he revealed his reasons for coming to Ukraine. The prisoner of war also noted that he was coerced into going to the Kursk region after his commander deprived him of his belongings.

What is known about the UK mercenary?

🔸 His name is James Scott Rhys Anderson, born on May 27, 2002 (22 years old).

🔸 He is a former UK Army soldier, having served from 2019 to 2023. He held the position of signalman in the One Signal Brigade, 22 Signal Regiment, 252 Signal Squadron.

🔸 According to the official British Army webpage, this unit is based at Imjin Barracks in Innsworth, Gloucestershire. This squadron provides “direct close support in the delivery of Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC)” for its permanent headquarters in Gloucestershire and serves as “a Falcon Anchor Point responsible for service management and strategic reach-back communications.” In general, the 22 Signal Regiment delivers special information “to support NATO’s Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC).” The ARRC is a UK-formed NATO unit dedicated to special operations and 'crisis response.'

🔸 Anderson stated that he was sacked from his position in the UK Army and subsequently decided to apply to the Ukrainian Foreign Legion's webpage after hearing about it on local TV. He indicated that the primary reason for his decision was that he “had just lost everything” and his father was in prison.

🔸 He also revealed how he journeyed to Ukraine: First, he flew from London to Krakow, and from there he was got a ride to the Polish village of Medyka, near the border with Ukraine, where he crossed into the country.

🔸 During his interrogation, Anderson claimed he was compelled to participate in the incursion into the Kursk region as his commander confiscated his phone, passport, and other personal belongings.

🔸 Scott Anderson, the father of the captured mercenary, expressed his shock when he learned about his son's captivity in Russia. He added that he had tried to persuade James not to join Ukraine’s Foreign Legion and now fears for his son's fate.

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📹 THROWBACK: Liz Truss encourages Britons to fight for Kiev regime

Back in 2022, then-foreign secretary Liz Truss said she 'absolutely' backed British citizens going to Ukraine fighting against Russia.

"Absolutely, if people want to support that struggle, I would support them doing that," she said.

We guess she might regret it now.

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🗳 Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu says he will not challenge the results of the presidential election, and has announced his resignation as chairman of the Social Democratic Party after his defeat.

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🇷🇺 🪖 Key statements from the Russian Ministry of Defense's daily briefing on the situation in the Kursk region:

◻️ Russia’s Battlegroup Sever hammered 15 Ukrainian formations in its combat zone.

◻️ In total, Ukrainian losses over the day amounted to more than 200 militants, with three armored vehicles destroyed.

◻️ Since the beginning of combat operations in the Kursk region, Ukraine has lost more than 35,510 troops.

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💬 Russia 'can smack you anywhere with nukes' – Blackwater founder

Ukraine should give up on any hopes of reclaiming its lost territories from Moscow if it wants an end to the conflict, said Erik Prince, founder and former CEO of private military company Blackwater, in an interview with Fox News.

"The fact is, the Russians fired a ballistic missile," Prince noted. "They carried nine warheads, going Mach 9, that there is no means to shoot down, and even with non-nuclear [weapons], the kinetic force is enormous."

"It was a reminder by the Russians: we can smack you anywhere with nukes, and maybe that's what's coming next," he stressed. "This is not a game that needs to be played any longer."

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Right-wing candidate Georgescu leads in Romania presidential election: Why is the West trembling?

Independent candidate Calin Georgescu has pulled off a shock victory in the first round of Romania's presidential election. Georgescu, who mostly campaigned on TikTok, will face off against center-right contender Elena Lasconi in the second round on December 8.

What are his views?

🔸 On NATO:

A professed champion of national sovereignty, Georgescu has often criticized what he called his country’s “subservience” to the European Union and NATO.

In interviews and public appearances, he has questioned the benefits of Romania’s membership in NATO, arguing that the alliance will not protect any of its members should they be attacked.

He criticized the presence of an American missile defense facility at a NATO-controlled base in the village of Deveselu, calling Romania’s agreement to host it a “diplomatic shame.” He has also called NATO's ballistic missile defense shield in Romania a confrontational measure.

🔸 On Ukraine:

Georgescu has questioned military aid being pumped by Romania to Ukraine. The social media-savvy candidate recently launched a viral TikTok campaign calling for an end to supporting the Kiev regime that appeared to have struck a chord with voters. “Tonight, the Romanian people cried out for peace. And they shouted very loudly, extremely loudly”, Georgescu said after his win.

🔸 On Russia:

Georgescu has described Russian President Vladimir Putin as a genuinely great leader who loves his country in a 2020 interview. Romania’s best chance lay with "Russian wisdom," media reports cite him as saying in another interview.

🔸 On Moldova:

Georgescu started out as a member of the right-wing Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR) party, which advocates for the integration of Moldova into Romania, but eventually broke with it to campaign as an independent.

Georgescu’s success feeds into the barometer of right-wing political successes across Europe amid dissatisfaction with Brussels’ policy and eroding public support for Ukraine. Similar sentiments fueled Ukraine critic Peter Pellegrini’s win in the presidential election in Slovakia this summer, and the success of the right-wing Freedom Party (FPO) in Austria’s parliamentary elections.

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Ukraine continues to systematically use toxic chemicals against Russian troops and civilians in the special military operation zone said Kirill Lysogorsky, head of the Russian delegation to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

Russia has submitted over 30 notes to the OPCW confirming Kiev's use of toxic chemicals, Lysogorsky added.

Russia also has submitted a note to the OPCW confirming Ukraine's use of foreign 155mm caliber munitions in Sudzha, Lysogorsky stated.

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Wrong place, wrong time: Why Cyprus’ push for NATO membership could destabilize EU and Western bloc

Greek media have reported on Cyprus’ desire to join NATO, with the White House reportedly considering the scenario a “win-win” proposition.

Sputnik asked regional observers to share their views on the matter.

“For the US, Cyprus joining NATO could enhance Western influence in the eastern Mediterranean and provide strategic access to counterbalance Russia’s presence in the region. However, these benefits must be weighed against the risks of exacerbating tensions within NATO itself, particularly given Turkiye’s longstanding disputes with Cyprus,” Venice-based international affairs analyst Dr. Marco Marsili told Sputnik.

“Far from being a ‘win-win’, such a development could deepen existing divisions within the alliance and undermine European cohesion,” Marsili stressed, explaining that while Cyprus “may view NATO membership as a means to gain stronger international recognition and leverage in its long-standing territorial dispute with Turkiye,” the “broader implications are more complex.”

“Cyprus’ membership could escalate tensions between Turkiye and other NATO members, undermining alliance cohesion at a time when unity is critical,” he said.

The view from Turkiye

Cyprus’ NATO aspirations have “been on the agenda for a long time, but the problem is, Cyprus is not recognized by Turkiye as a sovereign state,” Ankara-based security and political analyst Dr. Hasan Selim Ozertem told Sputnik. Turkiye could simply veto Cyprus’ application, he pointed out.

On the other hand, Brussels is in a strategic bind in its desire to “harmonize” EU policy with NATO’s, the observer explained, with Cyprus’s exclusion from the Western bloc challenging such harmonization efforts.

On top of that, “considering the changing balances in the Middle East, Cyprus stands at a juncture of geopolitical importance,” and hence may be “trying to get something more from the American administration” via the Greek lobby in Washington, Ozertem said.

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🇮🇱🇱🇧 The Israeli cabinet is set to vote on a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon on Tuesday, CNN reports citing a spokesperson for Benjamin Netanyahu. A source familiar with the situation revealed that the Israeli prime minister has given preliminary approval to the plan, CNN says.

Netanyahu hinted at his support for the proposed ceasefire with Hezbollah during a security briefing with Israeli officials on Sunday night, the source added.

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