Jul 26 Buonasera Mag
Day 153: Ukraine forcing RU to slow down, UA collaborators, green corridor, Moldova, China, Germany (oih), Poland, France, Panama Papers whistleblower, FBI on China, Lautman, Davis, Grozev, Donate UA
Catching up…
EA Worldview’s Ukraine Up-date- hop over to Scott’s amazing hourly Ukraine up-date page. I’ll fill in with some bits and bobs.
Remembering February 24.
Stories we’re following…
Russian strike hits residential area in Kharkiv. Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported that a Russian strike hit a residential area close to downtown overnight on July 26.
Ukraine’s military destroys Russian command post, ammunition depot in southern Ukraine. Ukraine’s Operational Command “South” reported that they killed 48 Russian troops and destroyed 4 tanks, a howitzer, a self-propelled artillery system, and 6 armored and military vehicles.
Zelensky replaces commander Halahan of Special Operations Forces, and appointed Viktor Khorenko to this post.
Russian army deploys equipment in residential areas of Berdyansk The Russians are disguising their ammunition depots and military equipment placing them in residential areas. Ammunition is brought to Berdyansk under the guise of a humanitarian convoy.
ISW- "Alarm in the Russian nationalist information space continues to grow as the pace of Russian operations slows in the face of successful Ukrainian HIMARS strikes on key Russian logistics and command-and-control nodes".
Gazprom increases pressure in 'Urenhoi-Pomary-Uzhhorod' gas pipeline without warning. Ukraine’s Gas Transmission System Operator reported the pressure change on July 25, warning Russia's Gazprom that the fluctuations could lead to emergency situations on the pipeline.
Ukraine refuses Russia’s request for a green corridor for thousands of soldiers to exit Kherson region. Ukraine demands the surrender of the Russian troops and equipment or be eradicated.
Security service arrests alleged Russian collaborator in Kyiv. The 41-year-old had allegedly been taking photographs of the deployment locations of Ukrainian troops since April. He is accused of passing the information to Russia through a contact in the occupied territories.
Russian billionaire God Nisanov, who fell under US sanctions, applied for Portuguese citizenship. Corrupt diamond tycoon Lev Leviev also applied for a passport there.
The Russian occupiers in Melitopol are threatening to blow up the city's infrastructure if the Armed Forces of Ukraine liberate it, and Russian troops will have to leave - Mayor of Melitopol Ivan Fedorov in an interview with Interfax.
Occupied Kherson Region creates election committee for a referendum on joining Russia, TASS reports.
Read the full thread.
OSCE demands release of imprisoned staff, denounces ‘fabricated accusations.’ Acting Head of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine Antje Grawe on July 25 called for an immediate release of imprisoned OSCE staff in the occupied areas of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts.
The Prime Minister of Moldova Natalia Gavrilita expressed fears about a possible Russian invasion. "This is a very difficult situation not only for🇲🇩, but also for any small country, any country that relies on the rules-based international order," she said to CNN.
China has stopped investing in Russia as part of Xi Jinping's central program. China did not conclude deals with Russian organizations under the "One Belt, One Road" program in the first half of 2022.
The promised deliveries of modern air defense systems to #Kyiv from #Germany may be delayed until the end of the year. Deliveries of air defense systems from Germany to #Ukraine are delayed due to the lack of permission from German Chancellor Scholz.
Poland’s Defense Minister has announced that Poland will create the EU’s largest land forces. The size of the army will increase to 400 000 and it will be served by 1000+ modern Main Battle Tanks.
France opposes European Commission's "one-size-fits-all" plan to reduce gas consumption in Europe by 15% by next spring "We would not like to introduce same goals for everyone,not adapted to realities of each country," French Minister of Energy Transition told Le Figaro.
Der Spiegel, Panama Papers Whistleblower: "The Russian Government Wants To See Me Dead"
John Doe" recently contacted the two former SZ journalists, who now work for DER SPIEGEL. To ensure anonymity, our interview with the source was conducted over an internet connection and encrypted using software that spoke the whistleblower's answers. The interview, which took place in the presence of a witness, has been shortened for readability, lightly edited and, as is standard practice in German journalism, submitted to the interview subject for authorization prior to publication.
CNN Exclusive: FBI investigation determined Chinese-made Huawei equipment could disrupt US nuclear arsenal communications
On paper, it looked like a fantastic deal. In 2017, the Chinese government was offering to spend $100 million to build an ornate Chinese garden at the National Arboretum in Washington DC. Complete with temples, pavilions and a 70-foot white pagoda, the project thrilled local officials, who hoped it would attract thousands of tourists every year.
Lautman, Behind Zelenskyy's Security Shakeup
As for the role the SBU played during invasion, a source privately told me that the “successes by Russia in the early days, to capture Mariupol and Kherson, happened because of Ukrainian officials in key positions assisting them, including SBU agents.”
Julia Davis reports…
Grozev reports on FSB and what it really reveals
While Russia is presenting today this as a coup for its counter intelligence, in fact the operation was a serious blunder for the FSB, disclosing unintentionally identities of dozens of counter intel officers, their methods of operation, and their undercover assets.
So many of us still don’t get it.
Internet literacy texts
Donations for Ukraine
