Russian Stock Market to Reopen Thursday After Unprecedented Pause

"Russia’s main stock market will resume trading Thursday for the first time in four weeks, the
Central Bank announced Wednesday." MoscowTimes

Putin's Defense Minister and Chief of the General Staff Have Vanished

 "Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, a Putin crony, has not been seen in person since
March 11. Another face awaiting its own personal milk carton is that of Chief for the General Staff Valery Gerasimov. Like Shoigu, Gerasimov has not been seen in public since March 11.

 For the time being, Shoigu and Gerasimov dropping out of sight are mere data points. They could very well reappear in the future with reasonable explanations for their absences. However, if they have been removed from their posts, we are dealing with a different scenario." RS

Russia ‘looted’ Chernobyl lab with ‘highly active’ radioactive samples

"Russian troops “looted and destroyed” a specialist laboratory containing “highly active”
radioactive samples from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, Ukrainian officials claimed Wednesday.

Invading forces had made the now-decommissioned main plant — site of the world’s worst nuclear meltdown in 1986 — an early target, storming and taking control of it on the first day of the war last month." NYP

Russian Mercenary Wagner Group "Active" Inside Ukraine

"Pentagon official told reporters on Tuesday that Russia's Wagner Group, which is the most
well known private military firm with links to Putin, is "active" inside Ukraine - following allegations out of Kiev officials that they are tasked with assassinating President Zelensky." ZeroHedge

Russia Sees First High Level Official Resign & Exit Country Over Putin's War

"Russia has its first high level dissenter who has stepped down from his government post and fled the country in protest over Putin's war in Ukraine.

"Russian climate envoy Anatoly Chubais has stepped down and left the country, citing his opposition to President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine, according to two people familiar with the situation, becoming the highest-level official to break with the Kremlin over the invasion," confirms Bloomberg.

The 66-year old Chubais had been named by Putin as envoy for sustainable development in December 2020, and crucially in the 1990's as one of the key architects of Russia's privatization era he had a hand in Putin's rise to power." ZeroHedge

Ukraine Confirms 9 Humanitarian Corridors Agreed To As Zelensky Says Mariupol "Like Armageddon"

"In what's looking to be among the most substantial positive agreements to come out of  Russia-Ukraine ceasefire talks of the last days, the Ukrainian side announced Wednesday that an agreement has been reached to establish nine "humanitarian corridors" across various towns and cities.

"Agreement has been reached to try to evacuate civilians trapped in Ukrainian towns and cities through nine 'humanitarian corridors' on Wednesday, Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said," Reuters writes of the safe passage deal.

However, it might not reach into the center of beseiged Mariupol, critics say as an estimated up to 100,000 are still said to be trapped. "Signalling no agreement had been reached with Russia to establish a safe corridor from the heart of Mariupol, she said people wishing to leave the besieged port city would find transport in nearby Berdyansk," the report cites Vereshchuk further. And President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in an address to Italian parliament that it was "just ruins like Armageddon". ZH