"Russia has jailed three Jehovah's Witnesses for more than eight years each for alleged extremist activity, a spokesperson for the faith group said, the harshest sentences it has imposed yet on members of the organization after hundreds of prosecutions.New York-based spokesperson Jarrod Lopes said the verdicts were handed down in a case arising from a police raid on a cafe where some 50 Jehovah's Witnesses were attending a social, not religious, event.
Polevodov was sentenced to 8.5 years, Vitaliy Zhuk to eight years and four months and Stanislav Kim to eight years and two months, Lopes said. Three women - Zhuk's wife Tatyana, Svetlana Sedova and Maya Karpushkina - received suspended sentences of five, five and four years respectively.
Religious life in Russia is dominated by the Russian Orthodox Church, which is championed by and loyal to President Vladimir Putin. Some Orthodox scholars view Jehovah's Witnesses, known for door-to-door preaching and refusing military service, as a "totalitarian sect"." MS
"North Korea launched an unspecified ballistic missile toward the Sea of Japan, South Korean news agency Yonhap reported on Tuesday, citing the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff." Sputnik
"Since the beginning of the day, 110 combat engagements have taken place on the front lines, most of them in the Pokrovsk sector.
In the Kharkiv sector, the aggressor keeps trying to attack near Vovchansk. Two combat engagements are currently underway there, and the same number of attacks have been repelled by the Ukrainian Defense Forces. At the same time, enemy aircraft launched two strikes with six unguided aerial bombs on Veterynarne.In the Kupiansk sector, enemy troops have stormed Ukrainian defensive lines eight times in the areas of Stepova Novoselivka, Stelmakhivka and Synkivka. Ukrainian defenders are holding steadfast. Four Russian attempts to advance were repelled. Fighting continues. Tabaivka was hit by an air strike with ten unguided aerial rockets.
In the Lyman sector, the Russian army launched 13 attacks on Ukrainian positions near Kopanky, Hrekivka, Makiivka, Nevske and in the Serebrianskyi forest. 12 engagements ended without success for the enemy, while one more is ongoing near Nevske.
In the Siversk sector, Ukrainian forces repelled seven Russian attacks near Bilohorivka, Verkhniokamianske, Spirne, Rozdolivka and Vyimka. Five combat engagements are still ongoing.
In the Kramatorsk sector, the enemy launched eight attacks on Ukrainian troops' positions near Chasiv Yar and Ivanivske. The defense forces are giving a worthy rebuff to the occupiers, seven attacks were repelled, while one is still ongoing.
In the Toretsk sector, the number of enemy attacks increased to 11. The enemy deploys aircraft. In particular, 11 guided aerial bombs were dropped on Toretsk and one more on Demiivka.
The Pokrovsk sector saw the largest number of combat engagements. Since the beginning of the day, the occupiers have made 37 attempts to dislodge the defenders from their positions in the areas of Novooleksandrivka, Vozdvyzhenka, Yevhenivka, Sokil, Novoselivka Persha and Yasnobrodivka. The defense forces are holding back the offensive and repelled 26 enemy attacks, 11 battles are still ongoing. Oleksandropil suffered two attacks by unguided aerial rockets.
Fighting continues in the Kurakhove sector. The enemy is attacking near Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka and Kostiantynivka with the support of aviation. Kurakhove came under KAB attacks. The total number of attacks in this sector has increased to four, two of which are still ongoing.
The enemy deploys aircraft in the Dnipro River sector. The occupiers attacked Tiahynka with three guided aerial bombs and dropped two more such bombs on Dudchany and Odradokamianka." Ukrin
"Russian troops launched a ballistic missile at the civilian infrastructure of the Odesa region, causing damage." Ukrin
"Ninety defenders have returned to Ukraine from Russian captivity." Ukrin
