Kazakh president tells Putin it's time to freeze war against Ukraine

"Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, during a face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, proposed freezing Russia's war against Ukraine and returning to the terms of the 2022 Istanbul peace talks, Russian media outlet Smotri (Look) reports." msn

Ukrainian drones target key US-linked oil hub in Russia

"Ukrainian drones have attacked the oil infrastructure of the Russian port of Novorossiysk, which is operated by the internationally-owned Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), the Defense Ministry in Moscow has reported. The CPC crude shipment hub on the Black Sea

shore has been repeatedly targeted in suspected Ukrainian UAV strikes in recent months, prompting condemnation from Kazakhstan and the US.
The consortium ships oil from Kazakhstan through the Caspian Pipeline to a marine terminal in Novorossiysk, where it is loaded onto tankers bound for Europe and Asia. Among the CPC shareholders are major energy companies from Russia, Kazakhstan, several Western European countries and the US, including Chevron and ExxonMobil." RT

5.8 Earthquake - Xinjiang, China

"A strong magnitude 5.8 earthquake hit 278 km (173 mi) away from Almaty, Almaty,
Kazakhstan, in the early afternoon at 3.44 pm local time (Asia/Urumqi GMT +8). The depth of the quake could not be determined, but is assumed to be shallow. The earthquake was felt over a large region." VD

Russia's neighbor responds to reports Oreshnik missile broke down midflight

"Kazakhstan's defense ministry said it is investigating the "appearance of unidentified objects in the sky," after footage widely circulated on social media claimed to show a botched launch of Moscow's experimental Oreshnik missile." Newsweek

Russian Mercenary Arrested in Texas at Border

"A report indicates that authorities in South Texas arrested a Russian mercenary who had

crossed the border illegally from Mexico.
The case took place over the weekend in the border city of Roma, Texas, when U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested Timur Praliev, a Kazakhstan national who had been a member of the private military company Wagner Group, court documents revealed." Breitbart

Russian Airliner Shoot-Down Update

"Azerbaijan wants Moscow to admit to an "attack" on a national airliner on Christmas day that left 38 dead after it crashed in Kazakhstan. "The Azerbaijani government demands official recognition, a formal apology, and accountability for those responsible for the attack..."

There were 17 survivors, including 14 passengers and three crewmembers. Video taken of the crash indicates that the pilots were relying entirely on the engines to maneuver the aircraft.
Various reports indicate that Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8432 lost hydraulic controls following an explosion near the rear of the aircraft, indicative of a small surface-to-air missile like those fired by Russia's Pantsir-S air defense system. Survivors heard an explosion and reported shrapnel flying through the Embraer 190AR.
The flight originated in Baku, Azerbaijan, on its way to Grozny in the Russian Federation's Chechnya Republic but was re-routed to Makhachkala, also in Russia, due to fog. However, the plane diverted again just before reaching Makhachkala and headed east across the Caspian Sea toward Kazakhstan in Central Asia.
Before getting to why J2-8243 turned east instead of landing, let me remind you that it's not the war crime; it's the cover-up. Russian air defenses were on heightened alert due to a Ukrainian drone attack, and some Russian air defense soldier with an itchy trigger finger seemed to have made a gruesome mistake." PJMedia

Azerbaijan Airlines Flight Reportedly Hit By Russian Missile On Christmas Day

"Azerbaijani government sources told Euronews on Thursday that a Russian surface-to-air

missile hit Azerbaijan Airlines Flight J28243, ultimately causing the plane to crash during an emergency landing attempt in the Kazakhstani city of Aktau shortly thereafter. A Russian SAM was fired at the Embraer ERJ-190 during a drone swarm above Grozny, the capital city of Chechnya, Russia. The SAM detonated near the commercial jet and unleashed a spray formation of shrapnel that damaged the plane's rear fuselage and flight controls." ZH

Thousands of houses flooded after levee collapse in Russia

"Over 2,500 houses have been flooded in Russia’s Orenburg Region, which borders Kazakhstan, after an embankment burst in the mountain city of Orsk. After the Ural River rose to dangerous levels due to melting ice, an emergency was declared across the entire region." RT

Two more Moscow allies stop accepting Russian payment card

"Risk of US secondary sanctions has forced banks in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan to suspend financial ties and stop honoring Mir transfers." RT

Explosion rocks Russian tank factory

"An unexplained explosion has rocked a Russian tank factory producing engines and artillery for the war in Ukraine.

Footage showed a fireball engulfing the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant, in the industrial city of Chelyabinsk near the border with Kazakhstan." MS

CSTO's 'Indestructible Brotherhood-2023' Drills in Kyrgyzstan

"Kyrgyzstan is hosting the Indestructible Brotherhood-2023 military drills of the peacekeeping

forces of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) from October 9 to 13.
Some 1,500 servicemen from Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Tajikistan are taking part in the exercises. The troops have employed more than 200 armored and motor vehicles, Mi-8, Mi-17, and Mi-24 helicopters, Su-25, Su-30, and Il-76 planes, unmanned aviation, and combat boats in the drills." Sputnik

BRICS face a historic decision as they attempt to reshape the world order

"BRICS (an acronym made up of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa....Never has the BRICS group attracted so much interest around the world as in the run-up to the 15th leaders’ summit this week in Johannesburg.

About 20 countries are reportedly seeking admission to the five-member organization and the list of countries that will be represented at the meeting.... This is a sign of the times and points to two things: the yearning of many non-Western nations to become more consequential to how the world is run, and the growing pushback against self-serving Western dominance in global politics, economics, finance, and the media.

A number of countries from all over the globe have lined up at BRICS' door, ready to walk in. These include Algeria, Argentina, Bangladesh, Belarus, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cuba, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Going for a big-bang enlargement would be a loud statement, to the effect that an alternative to the US-led system of alliances and partnerships is being built." RT

Record heatwave threatens EU food security

"A record heatwave in some of Europe’s key farming regions has put this year’s corn harvest at risk, Bloomberg reported.

Corn crops are in the midst of flowering and adverse weather can lower the number of kernels that ultimately fill with grain. Temperatures in some areas of Europe have reached as high as 47 degrees Celsius, with Spain, France, Greece and Portugal particularly affected.

The EU normally imports large volumes of corn, which is mainly used as animal feed, from Ukraine, but this year the shipments have been constrained by the conflict. According to Bloomberg, this has driven up prices, with Paris corn futures up 11% in July and trading at a record for the time of year. Sunflower and soybean fields are also at risk from the hot, dry conditions, the publication adds.

Europe’s wheat harvest has also been affected by the unusually hot weather. Last week France, the EU’s top wheat exporter, said its soft-wheat output will drop by about 7% this year, to below the five-year average.

This comes amid reduced supplies of wheat and other grains from major producers Russia and Ukraine, amid the ongoing conflict between the countries. Other leading exporters, such as India and Kazakhstan, have restricted or banned their grain exports, citing domestic food security. The developments have triggered warnings of a possible global food crisis." RT

No decisions made on Kazakhstan joining sanctions on Russia

"There have been no decisions on Kazakhstan joining sanctions against Russia, Kremlin
Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Wednesday.

According to him, the two countries maintain regular contact both at the highest level and at the level of governments. "So no such decisions have been made. On the contrary, there have been statements about determination to continue boosting our interaction, jointly respond to challenges coming from overseas and reduce the consequences of these unfriendly actions. This is what we are guided by," the Russian presidential spokesman noted, when speaking about relations between Moscow and Nur-Sultan.

Peskov added that Kazakhstan "undoubtedly" remained a friendly country for Russia." Tass