February 22, 2024: Russian Digest
Top stories I'm keeping an eye on!
February 22, 2024
Call to Action for my U.S. subscribers: Please call your Congress representatives and tell them to pass the weapons and aid package to Ukraine and to stop endangering U.S. national security by using domestic weaknesses for political purposes… This easy new site helps you send a message to your reps in Congress. Be sure to make your voice heard through helpukrainewin.com
‘Our reserves will run out:’ Ukrainian artillery sounds alarm on Western shell shortage
Hiding beneath sparse winter cover in a crude, muddy ditch, a great steel monster lies in wait for an opportunity to attack.
Adorned on either side with painted plus signs, the gun’s huge barrel looks up at the sky over the Bakhmut front line, across which thousands of shells, rockets, missiles, and drones fly back and forth each day.
The weapon, serving in the hands of Ukraine’s legendary 93rd Mechanized Brigade is a U.S.-built M109 self-propelled howitzer, better known as the Paladin.
Over winter, Russian forces have been on the offensive in the area, pushing past the ruined Bakhmut towards the Ukrainian stronghold of Chasiv Yar.
On this day in early February, despite the near-constant sounds of fighting nearby, the Paladin stays silent.
Assaults on Ukrainian positions are carried out on a daily basis, but the shells lined up in the gun’s storage racks are only used when absolutely necessary.
Read More at Kyiv Independent
Moscow hired gunmen to murder Russian defector, Spanish intel says
Maksim Kuzminov was shot dead near Alicante in Spain.
Spanish intelligence services accused the Kremlin of orchestrating the murder of Maksim Kuzminov, the Russian helicopter pilot who defected to Ukraine last year.
Kuzminov, who was reportedly living in Spain under a false identity, was found dead in the Spanish town of Villajoyosa, near Alicante, on Feb. 13. Police said attackers shot the former pilot six times before running him over with a car, Spanish media reported.
Sources in Spanish intelligence services told Spanish outlet El País that it will be hard to directly link the murder to one of Russia’s agencies, but they believe Moscow hired hitmen from outside Spain to carry out the assassination.
Read More at Politico
US is imposing more than 500 new sanctions on Russia's war machine, indicts Russian businessmen
The Treasury Department plans to impose more than 500 new sanctions on Russia and its war machine on Friday as the U.S. vows to keep up its financial pressure on Moscow with the war entering its third grueling year.
The sanctions represent the largest single tranche of penalties since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. They come on the heels of a series of new arrests and indictments announced by the Justice Department on Thursday that target Russian businessmen, including the head of Russia’s second-largest bank, and their middlemen in five separate federal cases.
The Biden administration is seeking to demonstrate its unwavering support for Ukraine, even though Republican lawmakers allied with former President Donald Trump are blocking vital additional U.S. military aid.
Out of the Justice Department, the cases announced Thursday include charges unsealed in New York against sanctioned Russian banker Andrei Kostin and “two of his U.S.-based facilitators.” The facilitators, Vadim Wolfson and Gannon Bond, were arrested Thursday.
Read More at The Washington Post
The EU imposed sanctions against the FSB general for destabilizing Moldova
The deputy head of the operational information department of the 5th FSB service, General Dmitry Milyutin, came under EU sanctions. The justification states that since 2016 he has been responsible for “Russian secret operations” in Moldova, aimed at “destabilizing the constitutional order” of the republic.
“Through his operatives, Milyutin <...> manipulates elected political figures in Moldova to implement pro-Russian programs and thereby undermines the democratic political process in the republic,” the EU emphasizes.
Also, according to Brussels, Milyutin is involved in organizing riots and “other acts of violence” that threaten the sovereignty, independence, stability, and security of the country. In addition, the EU noted that the general is associated with Igor Chaika, who was also previously subject to sanctions due to his activities in Moldova.
Milyutin appeared in an investigation by the Dossier Center and the publication of The Washington Post. Journalists found out that the general is responsible for overseeing operations to transfer Moldova under the control of the Kremlin, and his plans include the overthrow of the Western-oriented government of the republic. According to sources, at the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Milyutin was tasked with working on the idea of opening a “second front” from Transnistria.
In March 2023, members of a journalistic consortium, which included the Süddeutsche Zeitung, Yahoo News, and the Dossier Center, published a plan developed by the Kremlin to turn Moldova into a Russian satellite. The document stated that by 2030, Moscow plans to limit the influence of NATO and the EU on Chisinau, force the republic to participate in the CSTO, EAEU and other international projects of the Russian Federation, resolve the conflict in Transnistria “on the basis of the special status” of the region, and also disseminate Russian propaganda in the country.
In addition, the Kremlin wanted to exploit Moldova’s dependence on Russian imports using gas blackmail.
One of the authors of the strategy was Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration for Interregional and Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries Viktor Lysenko, who is directly subordinate to the Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Dmitry Kozak. From call billings obtained by investigators, it turned out that Lysenko regularly calls Milyutin.
In addition to the FSB general, the Moldovan association of former security officials Scutul Poporului and its leader Kirill Guzun fell under EU sanctions. Brussels called it a “paramilitary organization” that “participates in protests to destabilize Moldova through the use of violence.”
Also under restrictions were the confidant of the fugitive businessman and politician Ilan Shor, Maria Albot, and the leader of the pro-Russian movement “People's Union of Gagauzia” Viktor Petrov. In addition, the heads of several Moldovan media trusts that own several television channels were blacklisted: Arina Corsicova (Primul n Moldova and Accent TV) and Dmitry Chitoroağă (TV6 and Orhei TV).
Via The Moscow Times
German lawmakers back sending further long-range weapons to Ukraine, but vague on details
German lawmakers on Thursday called on the government to deliver further long-range weapons to Ukraine, but voted down an opposition call explicitly urging it to send Taurus long-range cruise missiles.
Germany is now the second-biggest supplier of military aid to Ukraine after the United States, and Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called recently for other European countries to step up with more weapons deliveries.
His government is increasing aid for Ukraine this year, planning more than 7 billion euros ($7.5 billion) for weapons deliveries. It has delivered air-defense systems, tanks and armored personnel carriers among other aid. Last week, Scholz signed a long-term bilateral security agreement with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Read More at AP
Over 14 million Ukrainians forced to flee due to Russian invasion, UN agency says
Over 14 million people, nearly a third of Ukraine's population, have been forced to flee their homes in the two years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported on Feb. 22.
Since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, 4.5 million people have returned to Ukraine, the IOM said.
Another 3.7 million people are internally displaced within Ukraine, while nearly 6.5 million are refugees abroad, according to IOM data.
The IOM said it has provided support in 11 neighboring countries, "providing critical and life-saving aid to those most in need."
More than 14.6 million people, around 40% of Ukraine's population, "remain in need of some form of humanitarian assistance in 2024, while 2.2 million refugees require assistance in neighboring countries," the IOM said.
More than half of Ukrainian refugees surveyed said they plan to return to Ukraine in the future, a study by Vox Ukraine released on Jan. 16 said.
Via Kyiv Independent
Latvia Parliament Bans Food Imports From Russia, Belarus
Latvia's parliament on Thursday banned the import of food products from Russia and Belarus, including via intermediary countries, following protests by farmers over "blood grain" imports.
Earlier this month, thousands of farmers demonstrated in 16 towns across the country calling for a ban on Russian grain -- which they said was funding the Kremlin's war efforts in Ukraine.
The amendment, which still needs approval by President Edgars Rinkevics, will be in force until July 2025, at which point it can be extended if necessary.
The ban does not apply to grain passing through Latvia on its way to other countries in the European Union.
Read More at Barrons
Deep Dive Investigation…
Kiriyenko and Trutnev created a detachment of Soyuz athletes for the war. “Important Stories” found its sponsors
First Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Sergei Kiriyenko and First Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy in the Far Eastern Federal District Yuri Trutnev created the Soyuz detachment to participate in the war, which included “the best of the best in their sports disciplines.” “Important Stories” found out who finances this detachment.
What is "Union"
Back in December 2022, at the opening ceremony of the martial arts forum “Battle of Champions - 14. Schools against schools,” Yuri Trutnev announced the creation of a unit of “international-class masters of sports, honored masters of sports, first-class athletes, all those with whom we shed sweat together training" who will go to war in Ukraine, because "the real fighters today are those who shed blood for our Motherland."
The "Union," in particular, included the winner of the World Cup in Kyokushin (a type of karate) Viktor Gorn, Japanese kickboxing champion Sergei Plekhanov, European champion in Kyokushin Sergei Uvitsky (he quickly died ).
The unit was formed on the basis of the Russian Union of Martial Arts (RSBI), which is headed by Kiriyenko and Trutnev. It is known that Kiriyenko has the 6th dan in Aikido, and Trutnev has the 7th dan in Kyokushin. Within a year, by December 2023, 145 people had joined the detachment.
The fighters were trained and coordinated at the Russian Special Forces University in Chechnya. Its founder, Daniil Martynov, a former Alfa member and assistant to Ramzan Kadyrov, is like Kiriyenko and Trutnev, a co-chairman of the RSBI. The Soyuz is commanded by co-chairman and executive director of RSBI Ramil Gabbasov. Trutnev and Kiriyenko personally ensure that the detachment is provided with everything necessary.
Who sponsors the Soyuz?
According to financial documents at the disposal of Important Stories, with the outbreak of the full-scale war in Ukraine, donations to RSBI increased: in 2021 there were 56 million rubles, in 2022 - 194 million, and in 2023 - 384 million.
The main donors can be divided into two groups: companies on a Russian scale, in particular, those included in the Rosatom group (it was headed by Kiriyenko for a long time), and companies in the Far East (Trutnev works there as a plenipotentiary representative).
So, in 2022-2023, Rosatom and its subsidiary transferred 123 million rubles, Sberbank - 50 million, RusHydro (owns Russian hydroelectric power plants) - 60 million, Lukoil - 50 million, and VTB - 25 million. This is a conditional Kiriyenko group.
From the Trutnev group, the largest donation to RSBI - 80 million - was made by the Magadan security company White Wolf. Its co-owner Anton Glazunov calls himself on LinkedIn the deputy director of the gold mining company Highland Gold, whose company, the Chukotka Mining and Geological Company, also transferred 9 million to the RSBI. The Magadan gold mining company Pavlik transferred 47 million; Far Eastern transport group Fesco and a subsidiary of the gold mining company Polyus - 20 million each.
“Important Stories” sent requests to RSBI sponsors; if we receive a meaningful response from any of them, we will publish it.
A Worthy Follow for In-depth news and investigations…
THE DEKLEPTOCRACY REPORT
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HUNGARY’S LONG MARCH
In mid-February European Union foreign ministers were rushing to approve the 13th sanctions package against Russia by February 22 – the highly symbolic second anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Reports emerged that Hungary was blocking the sanctions, which require the assent of all 27 EU member states. Was this a further sign of what America’s ambassador in Budapest has dubbed “a deepening relationship" between Hungary and Russia? Apparently not, according to a Financial Times diary piece citing diplomatic sources. Hungary was blocking the sanctions because they targeted four Chinese companies. It was a reminder that Hungary, while a member of the EU and NATO, is also China’s closest partner in the European Union.
Read More at The Dekleptocracy Project
Deep Dive Investigation…
In ‘False Transit’ Loophole, Russia’s War Machine Is Supplied Through Kazakh Companies and Belarusian Warehouses
On February 24, Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine will enter its third grueling year, with no sign of ending.
Countries around the world have imposed sanctions intended to cripple Russia’s ability to wage war, but the flow of high-tech foreign goods into the country continues.
A new investigation by Buro Media, Verstka, and OCCRP exposes one of the ways this is accomplished — a scheme known as “false transit” that takes advantage of lighter or non-existent sanctions against two of Russia’s closest economic partners, Kazakhstan and Belarus.
Read More at OCCRP
Navalny's mother says authorities are blackmailing her to hold secret burial
The mother of former Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny said on Thursday that authorities are attempting to pressure her into accepting a secret burial for her son, who died in prison last week.
Read More at Axios
Don’t miss the new episode of The Kremlin File with Andrea Chalupa
And lastly…
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