"Georgia's parliament defied mass protests to approve a controversial "foreign influence" bill that critics call a Kremlin-inspired threat to the country's democracy and aspirations to join the European Union. The so-called Russian law has "echoes of legislation" Russian President Vladimir Putin pushed through in 2012, widely regarded as a tool to silence critics. President Salome Zourabichvili has vowed to veto the bill, but the ruling Georgia Dream party has enough votes in parliament to override her veto." MS
"Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has postponed foreign visits scheduled for later this week, his press secretary has announced. His comments come amid the Russian offensive in the border Kharkov Region. Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov admitted that Kiev was facing an “extremely difficult” situation as its troops were struggling to hold ground and were outgunned by the Russian forces." RT
"145 combat engagements took place, the enemy launched 3 missile attacks, over 320 kamikaze drone strikes and fired over 2,400 times at the positions of our troops. . In the Kharkiv sector, Ukrainian troops repelled 11 enemy attacks, in particular in the areas of Hlyboke - Liptsi, Lukianske - Liptsi, Borysivka - Neskuchne, Shebekino (RF) - Vovchansk, and three combat engagements are still ongoing. In some areas, near Lukianytsia and Vovchansk, as a result of enemy fire and assault, units maneuvered and moved to more favorable positions to save the lives of our servicemen and avoid losses. The fighting continues. Ukrainian units are not allowing the Russian occupiers to gain a foothold. Counterattacks are underway, and the enemy is under constant fire control of artillery and UAV units of the Defense Forces. In the Kharkiv sector, Ukrainian troops repelled 11 enemy attacks, in particular in the areas of Hlyboke - Liptsi, Lukianske - Liptsi, Borysivka - Neskuchne, Shebekino (RF) - Vovchansk, and three combat engagements are still ongoing.In some areas, near Lukianytsia and Vovchansk, as a result of enemy fire and assault, units manoeuvred and moved to more favorable positions to save the lives of our servicemen and avoid losses. " Ukrin
"UKRAINE’S generals warned they have run out of reserves to halt Russia’s shock assault on Kharkiv. It comes as Vladimir Putin masses more than half a million troops on the frontline in a bid to overpower Ukraine’s forces. General Kyrylo Budanov, boss of Kyiv’s military intelligence said: “I’ve used everything we have. Unfortunately, we don’t have anyone else in the reserves.” MichaelSavage.com
"Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot multiple times in an assassination attempt and was in a life-threatening condition.....Fico was being transported by helicopter to Banska Bystrica for medical treatment "because it would take too long" to return him to the capital of Bratislava.
The attack happened following a government meeting in the central Slovakian town of Handlova.
A woman who witnessed the shooting, cited by local news outlet MNT.SK, said she heard three or four shots and watched Fico fall to the ground. Fico had made pro-Russian statements and moved to tighten state control over news media. Fico had faced criticism for saying he would not arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin under an existing international criminal warrant if Putin visited Slovakia." AP
"Russian forces have recaptured the symbolically important village of Rabotino in Zaporozhye Region. Rabotino is located some 75km northeast of Melitopol, the regional capital. Zaporozhye Region, together with three other regions, officially joined Russia in the fall of 2022 after referendums that Kiev did not accept. The city of Zaporozhye, which is further to the north, is under Kiev’s control and houses the Ukrainian regional administration. The Ukrainian military leadership has said that Russia’s operation has forced it to stretch even thinner the already limited military reserves available to Kiev. This opens up the possibility that Russian forces will be able to breakthrough elsewhere." RT
"The news comes just days after Biden announced a hold on the provision of 2,000 pound bombs to Israel, citing concerns over the potential for mass civilian casualties." MS
"Contracts for supplying wood for fortifications in Kharkiv Oblast, worth 366 million hryvnias ($9.2 million), raise significant concerns, Martyna Bohuslavets, head of the Anti-Corruption Center Mezha, told Radio NV. contracts were signed with companies that appear to be fictitious. Tens of millions of hryvnias were transferred to a private entrepreneur whose owner, Ihor Chaus, has a criminal record for stealing a bottle of whiskey from a supermarket and was sentenced to 100 hours of community service, said the anti-graft activist. Mezha did not evaluate the construction of the fortifications, as this should be done by law enforcement agencies, including checking whether the timber was actually supplied. " NV
"Ukraine’s declared aim of liberating all Russia-occupied territories by military means is “naïve,” Czech President Petr Pavel said." UB
"Russia’s Supreme Court rejected an appeal by Vladimir Kara-Murza, a dual Russia-United Kingdom national and prominent Kremlin and war critic, against a 25-year jail sentence on treason and other charges. UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron said the decision was an “outrage” and that Kara-Murza was a political prisoner." AJ
"Russian officials said one person was injured and several buildings damaged in a Ukrainian air attack on the border city of Belgorod, with Russia’s air defense destroying 25 missiles over the broader Belgorod region." AJ
"The Russians hit the Nikopol district four times today, deploying one-way attack UAVs. Lysak added that the Nikopol, Chervonohryhorivka, Myriv, and Marhanets communities came under attack." Ukrin
"Explosions rang out in the city of Mykolaiv where two hits were recorded. An air raid alert has been declared in the city. As per tentative reports, the Russian attack involved ballistic missiles." Ukrin
and was in a life-threatening condition.....Fico was being transported by helicopter to Banska Bystrica for medical treatment "because it would take too long" to return him to the capital of Bratislava.
