Russia

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Russian forces storm a detention facility to rescue staff taken hostage, killing hostage-takers

MOSCOW (AP) — Security forces stormed a detention center in southern Russia on Sunday, killing inmates accused of links to the Islamic State group who had taken two staff members hostage, state-funded news channel RT reported.

https://apnews.com/article/russia-inmates-hostages-rostov-ea9a2e91c25ac7785e957a9636db76d3?

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Russian warships leave Havana’s port, with their next stop unknown A fleet of Russian warships, including a nuclear-powered submarine, left Havana’s port on Monday after a five-day visit to Cuba following planned military drills in the Atlantic Ocean. It’s unclear what the fleet’s next destination is or where it will dock next in the Caribbean. Read more.

Why this matters: The exercise has been seen by some as a show of strength by Moscow against the backdrop of tensions as U.S. and other Western nations support Kyiv in Russia’s war on Ukraine.   Officials with the Biden administration have said that they were monitoring the vessels and confirmed that they did not pose a threat to the region. Still, the United States docked a submarine, the USS Helena, at its Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba.   Russian military and defense doctrine holds Latin America and the Caribbean in an important position, with the sphere seen as under U.S. influence acting as a counterweight to Washington’s activities in Europe, said Ryan Berg, director of the Americas Program at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Putin arrives in North Korea for the first time in 24 years   State Department removes Cuba from shortlist of countries deemed uncooperative on counterterrorism   Afro-Cuban drums, Muslim prayers, Buddhist mantras: Religious diversity blooms in once-atheist Cuba

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Putin says Russia and North Korea have vowed to aid each other if attacked Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have vowed closer ties in a rare meeting today as both face escalating standoffs with the West. Read more.

Why this matters: Putin’s visit comes amid growing concerns about an arms arrangement in which North Korea provides Russia with badly needed munitions to fuel Moscow’s war in Ukraine, in exchange for economic assistance and technology transfers.   Along with China, Russia has provided political cover for Kim’s continuing efforts to advance his nuclear arsenal, repeatedly blocking U.S.-led efforts to impose fresh U.N. sanctions on the North over its weapons tests. Kim’s military nuclear program now includes developmental intercontinental ballistic missiles that can potentially reach the U.S. mainland, but he may need outside help to advance his program.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Thousands of NATO troops join drills in the strategically sensitive Baltic Sea region   US soldier convicted of theft in Russia and sentenced to nearly 4 years in prison   WATCH: North Korea and Russia’s complicated relationship, explained in 60 seconds

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More Americans are ending up in Russian jails One was a journalist on a reporting trip. Another was attending a wedding. Yet another was a dual national returning to visit family. All are U.S. citizens now behind bars in Russia on various charges. Read more.

Why this matters: Arrests of Americans in Russia are becoming increasingly common with relations sinking to Cold War lows. Washington accuses Moscow of using U.S. citizens as bargaining chips, but Russia insists they all broke the law.   Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, an American-born son of immigrants from the USSR, is the first Western journalist to be arrested on espionage in post-Soviet Russia. Detained in March 2023, he is on trial today for espionage charges that he, his employer and the U.S. government deny.   It’s unclear how many Americans are jailed in Russia or if negotiations are in the works to have them freed. The U.S. successfully negotiated swaps in 2022 for WNBA star Brittney Griner and Marine veteran Trevor Reed — both designated as wrongfully detained. Still, the designation is applied to only a small subset of Americans jailed by foreign countries.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Evan Gershkovich goes on trial in Russia for espionage that he and his employer deny   International court seeks the arrest of Russian officials over attacks on Ukrainian power plants   Russia summons the American ambassador over a deadly attack that Moscow says used US-made missiles

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The trial of Evan Gershkovich, the first American journalist to be arrested on espionage charges in Russia since the Cold War, began today in a closed hearing that has been condemned by the US. Gershkovich, 32, was arrested while reporting for the Wall Street Journal, which he joined just weeks before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. While many newsrooms subsequently pulled their reporters out of Russia, Gershkovich remained, covering the war and how it was changing life in the country. He was arrested in March 2023 and Russian officials later accused him of spying for the CIA. Gershkovich, the US government, and the WSJ have vehemently denied the charges against him. His trial is expected to last months. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.

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Falsely Accused Wall Street Journal Reporter Evan Gershkovich in Court for Start of Secret Russian Trial

Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich appeared in a Russian court Wednesday to face a false accusation of espionage in a secret trial, as a senior Kremlin official told reporters that Moscow was open to the possibility of a prisoner-swap deal that would send him home.

https://www.wsj.com/world/falsely-accused-wall-street-journal-reporter-evan-gershkovich-appears-before-russian-court-b1b155a8?

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A Russian court orders the arrest of opposition leader Navalny’s widow, who lives abroad

A court in Russia ordered the arrest of the widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny during a hearing Tuesday that was conducted in absentia as part of a sweeping Kremlin crackdown on the opposition.

https://apnews.com/article/russia-navalnaya-arrest-court-opposition-fde35d06b4659980d99e90fd6f7aeaf7?

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What to know about the growing number of treason and espionage cases in today’s Russia under Putin Treason cases were once rare in Russia, with only a handful brought annually. But in the past decade and especially since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the number has soared, along with espionage prosecutions. Read more.

Why this matters: The charges are ensnaring citizens and foreigners alike. Victims range from Kremlin critics and independent journalists to veteran scientists One rights group counted over 100 known treason cases in 2023.   The prosecutions are usually held in strict isolation in Moscow’s notorious Lefortovo Prison, their trials are held behind closed doors and almost always result in convictions and long prison terms. They are investigated almost exclusively by the powerful Federal Security Service, or FSB, with specific charges and evidence shrouded in secrecy.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ US journalist Evan Gershkovich will appear in Russian court for the second hearing of spy charges   US journalist Masha Gessen is convicted in absentia in Russia for criticizing the military   China, Russia start joint naval drills, days after NATO allies called Beijing a Ukraine war enabler

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Russia convicts US journalist of spying in a trial widely seen as politically motivated

YEKATERINBURG, Russia (AP) — Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was convicted Friday of espionage and sentenced to 16 years in a maximum-security prison on charges that his employer and the U.S. government have rejected as fabricated.

https://apnews.com/article/evan-gershkovich-russia-espionage-trial-ef2e9fffc44570cf797e97aa6afa50a1?

Evan Gershkovich Sentenced to 16 Years in Russian Prison After Wrongful Conviction

Evan Gershkovich, the Wall Street Journal reporter falsely accused by Russian authorities of spying, was sentenced to 16 years in a high-security penal colony, after being wrongfully convicted in a hurried, secret trial that the U.S. government has condemned as a sham.

https://www.wsj.com/world/russia/evan-gershkovich-russia-trial-dbabd6e3?

Russia convicts US journalist of spying in a trial widely seen as politically motivated

YEKATERINBURG, Russia (AP) — Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was convicted Friday of espionage and sentenced to 16 years in a maximum-security prison on charges that his employer and the U.S. government have rejected as fabricated.

https://apnews.com/article/evan-gershkovich-russia-espionage-trial-ef2e9fffc44570cf797e97aa6afa50a1?

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US-Russian journalist convicted in a rapid, secret trial, gets 6 1/2 years in prison, court says

A court has convicted Alsu Kurmasheva, a Russian-American journalist for the U.S. government-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, of spreading false information about the Russian army and sentenced her to 6½ years in prison after a secret trial, court records and officials said Monday.

https://apnews.com/article/russia-kurmasheva-crackdown-journalist-rferl-7a9bfe693edbfc8dd222e24d9baac46e?

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Russia’s Putin vows ‘mirror measures’ in response to U.S. missiles in Germany

Russia may deploy new strike weapons in response to the planned U.S. stationing of longer-range and hypersonic missiles in Germany, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday.

https://apnews.com/article/russia-missiles-germany-weapons-deployment-5ba144137b60926fb68669ddccf0e5c8?

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Putin often cites Russia’s ‘nuclear doctrine’ governing the use of atomic weapons. But what is it?

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, President Vladimir Putin and other Kremlin voices have frequently threatened the West with its nuclear arsenal.

https://apnews.com/article/russia-nuclear-doctrine-putin-ukraine-war-51a3a173b81168a811336e0d1fd3538c?

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Evan Gershkovich freed

Freed Americans (from left😞 Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, Radio Free Europe journalist Alsu Kurmasheva and corporate security director Paul Whelan in Ankara, Turkey, today. Photo: U.S. Government via Getty Images Evan Gershkovich, the Wall Street Journal reporter wrongly imprisoned in Russia for over a year, is finally free — part of the largest prisoner swap since the Cold War. President Biden was on the phone with foreign leaders trying to finalize the prisoner swap only about an hour before he announced he would drop out of the presidential race, the Journal reports in its deep dive on how the deal came together. ✈️ All told, the prisoner exchange involved 24 prisoners from at least six countries, the WSJ reports. In addition to Gershkovich, Russia freed former Marine Paul Whelan and a handful of dissidents and other foreign journalists. In return, it got back hit man Vadim Krasikov. Russia repeatedly rebuffed proposed swaps that didn't include Krasikov, and U.S. officials had to push Germany to release him. "The deal that secured their freedom was a feat of diplomacy," Biden said today. The Wall Street Journal's lead online headline 🔎 Behind the scenes: Gershkovich's mother, Ella, moved heaven and Earth to secure her son's release, pressuring administration officials both publicly and privately, even cornering Biden at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner. ✍️ Gershkovich "was determined to leave prison a better writer than he'd arrived," the WSJ said. He spent much of his time in solitary confinement reading famous Russian literature. And when he had to fill out a formal clemency request to finalize his release, he tacked on an interview request for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Go deeper.   3 newly freed Americans are back on US soil after a landmark prisoner exchange with Russia WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States and Russia completed their biggest prisoner swap in post-Soviet history on Thursday, with Moscow releasing journalist Evan Gershkovich and fellow American Paul Whelan, along with dissidents including Vladimir Kara-Murza, in a multinational deal that set two dozen people free. https://apnews.com/article/russia-gershkovich-whelan-d803e266cb4e60135ec5d668d684529f?

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Coming home

Biden and Harris will greet the plane at 11:30 ET tonight after the biggest prisoner swap in years.

• Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan were released.

Zoom in: U.S. officials said in a call with reporters that during negotiations it was clear Russia would not release Gershkovich or Whelan without the release of Vadim Krasikov, an FSB officer who was in German custody.

• Since the U.S. could not offer Krasikov, Germany was invited to participate in negotiations.

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A look at the largest US-Russia prisoner swap in post-Soviet history The deal involved 24 people, many months of negotiations, and concessions from other European countries who released Russians in their custody as part of the exchange. Read more.

Things to know: Who was freed: Russia released 16 people, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan, a corporate security executive. The most infamous of the eight people Russia got back is Vadim Krasikov, who was convicted of killing a former Chechen rebel by a German court in 2021. Moscow also received two alleged “sleeper” agents jailed in Slovenia and three men charged by federal authorities in the U.S.   It could have included Navalny: Central to the deal was a man who never got to be part of it – Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. At the time of his death in February, officials were discussing a possible exchange involving him and Krasikov.   Is this a breakthrough in U.S.-Russia relations: Probably not. The U.S. and Russia have made several prior prisoner swaps during the course of Russia’s war with Ukraine, but none of those exchanges resulted in a meaningful warming of relations.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ 3 newly freed Americans are back on US soil after a landmark prisoner exchange with Russia   Putin called him a patriot. But who is Vadim Krasikov, a Russian released in the mass prisoner swap?   WATCH: Freed Americans receive an emotional welcome from Biden, Harris and family

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An assassin, a Putin foe’s death, secret talks: How a sweeping US-Russia prisoner swap came together

WASHINGTON (AP) — It was December 2022 and the U.S. government’s chief hostage negotiator had just delivered Brittney Griner back to America after her 10-month imprisonment in Russia. Roger Carstens went to his hotel room anticipating a quick snooze after several sleepless days and had just put his head on the pillow when the phone rang.

https://apnews.com/article/russia-us-gershkovich-whelan-blinken-efae784bb95d3e496bb53b0fbf0b185b?

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US-Russian dual national jailed for 12 years on treason charges for $52 donation to Ukraine

YEKATERINBURG, Russia (AP) — U.S.-Russian dual national Ksenia Khavana was convicted Thursday of treason in a Russian court and sentenced to 12 years in prison on charges stemming from a donation of about $52 to a charity aiding Ukraine.

https://apnews.com/article/russia-us-dual-national-treason-conviction-387878027e295f3e61fcc912413be0b4?

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Russia’s Elon Musk

You might have read in this morning’s newsletter about Pavel Durov’s arrest. But did you know he said he’s the biological father of at least 100 kids? The elusive founder of Telegram has an obsession with pronatalism, similar to Elon Musk. Meet the programming prodigy and billionaire entrepreneur.

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A celebrity ‘Russian spy’ whale spotted with harness found dead in Norwegian waters

HELSINKI (AP) — A white beluga whale named “Hvaldimir,” first spotted in Norway not far from Russian waters with a harness that ignited rumors he may be a Moscow spy, has been found dead.

https://apnews.com/article/norway-beluga-spy-whale-russia-561865d7ea0a3278793f4c27f8739d94?

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Russia expels 6 British diplomats it accuses of spying. The UK calls it ‘completely baseless’

Russia on Friday accused six British diplomats of spying and said it decided to expel them. The U.K. said the “completely baseless” move came weeks ago and was linked to its action in May to revoke the credentials of an attaché at the Russian Embassy and limit Moscow’s diplomatic activities in London.

https://apnews.com/article/russia-uk-spying-7845e3554c753388e8c952733589fb7f?

ps:Of course they do!!!!!!! and they should!!!!!

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US hits Russian state media with sanctions for raising money for Moscow’s troops in Ukraine

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. State Department announced new sanctions on Russian state media Friday, accusing a Kremlin news outlet of working hand-in-hand with the Russian military and running fundraising campaigns to pay for sniper rifles, body armor and other equipment for soldiers fighting in Ukraine.

https://apnews.com/article/russia-putin-trump-sanctions-harris-rt-f7e3ff262fdf24695048cffe2529b937?

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Russia flaunts its many doomsday weapons to keep the West from ramping up support for Ukraine

This year has seen President Vladimir Putin repeatedly brandish the nuclear sword, reminding everyone that Russia has the world’s largest atomic arsenal to try to deter the West from ramping up support for Ukraine.

https://apnews.com/article/russia-putin-nuclear-weapon-doctrine-missiles-bf50d3155369cc0a5f12ef7805bf2340?

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Putin hosts a summit to show the West it can’t keep Russia off the global stage Russian President Vladimir Putin will be meeting this week with China’s Xi Jinping, India’s Narendra Modi, Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iran’s Masoud Pezeshkian, defying predictions that the war in Ukraine and an international arrest warrant would turn Putin into a pariah. Read more.

Why this matters: The meeting of the BRICS bloc of developing economies aims to counterbalance the Western-led world order. And its bloc of members is expanding rapidly. Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia joined in January; Turkey, Azerbaijan and Malaysia formally applied, and a number of others expressed a desire to be members.   Putin will hold around 20 bilateral meetings, foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said, and the summit could turn into “the largest foreign policy event ever held” on Russian soil. The Kremlin will also be able to talk to major players like India and China about expanding trade and bypassing Western sanctions.   Analysts say the Kremlin wants the optics of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with its global allies amid continued tensions with the West, as well as the practicality of negotiating deals with them to shore up Russia’s economy and its war effort. For the other participants, it’s a chance to amplify their voices and narratives.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Ukraine’s ‘victory plan’ receives mixed reactions from Western allies   Serbia’s president thanks Putin for gas supplies and vows he’ll never impose sanctions on Russia   Right-wing influencers hyped anti-Ukraine videos made by a TV producer also funded by Russian media

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Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin has updated Russia's nuclear doctrine, two days after President Joe Biden granted Ukraine permission to strike targets deep inside Russia with US-made weapons. Under the updated doctrine issued today, Moscow will consider aggression from any non-nuclear state — but with the participation of a nuclear country — a joint attack on Moscow. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov noted the changes mean that "the Russian Federation reserves the right to use nuclear weapons in the event of aggression using conventional weapons against it and/or the Republic of Belarus." As European nations strengthen defense measures in the face of the conflict in Ukraine, NATO allies Sweden and Finland are distributing booklets to millions of households advising citizens on how to survive a war. Some of the instructions include stockpiling diapers, medication and baby food.

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Russia’s LGBTQ+ community is living in fear following new laws and court rulings, activists say In November 2023, Russia’s Supreme Court effectively outlawed any LGBTQ+ activism in a ruling that designated “the international LGBT movement” as extremist. The community in Russia has been under legal and public pressure for over a decade but especially since the Kremlin sent troops to Ukraine in 2022. Putin has argued that the war is a proxy battle with the West, which he says aims to destroy Russia and its “traditional family values”. Read more.

Key points: Any public representation of gay and transgender in people is banned in Russia. Gender-affirming medical care and changing one’s gender in official documents are prohibited. With the ruling, anyone involved with the LGBTQ+ community could be imprisoned for up to six years. As a result, many left the country. But others remain – and find themselves pushed into the shadows, marginalized even further and dogged by fear of repression.   Charges have been launched for displaying symbols such as a rainbow flag — even though many of those accused had nothing to do with the LGBTQ+ community, said human rights lawyer Max Olenichev. Putin insists Russia isn’t discriminating against LGBTQ+ people, but he also decries “perversions that lead to degradation and extinction.”   Finding a job has become more difficult for those who haven’t changed their gender marker in documents and those who have, said Yan Dvorkin of Center T, a prominent trans rights group. Access to gender-affirming care is a major issue, with doctors wary of working with transgender people and with many turning to shoddy underground medications.

Related coverage ➤ Moscow bans adoption of Russian children to countries that allow gender transition  Belarus seeks to copy Russia’s repressive LGBTQ+ policies, activists say  Russia’s top diplomat says Russia will use 'all means' to defend its interests in interview with Tucker Carlson