Russian forces hit Kramatorsk, Donetsk Oblast

"Russian invaders struck the city of Kramatorsk, Donetsk Oblast.....The air-raid siren was sounded in the city from 12:50 to 13:30." Pravada

Situation in Kosovo resembles Ukraine

"The ongoing standoff in Kosovo bears an uncanny resemblance to the Donbass crisis,
Russia's envoy to Belgrade Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko told Rossiya 24 TV channeL.

“The whole situation, everything, including Pristina’s attitude towards the Kosovo Serbs, resembles, although on a smaller scale, what has happened and is still happening in Ukraine,” the diplomat said. The West is also treating the ethnic Albanian government in Kosovo the same way it has Kiev, he argued. 

Comparing the Donbass crisis to tensions in Kosovo, the ambassador added that “Pristina’s desire … to take control over all of Kosovo, including the regions inhabited by Serbs, at all cost” is what “lies at the heart” of this standoff. Any further escalation would lead to more drastic consequences, Botsan-Kharchenko warned." RT

India accuses China over Himalayan border unrest

"Beijing has been accused of trying to “unilaterally” change the status quo on the disputed Himalayan border between India and China, according to a statement by India’s defense ministry on Tuesday.

Indian and Chinese troops clashed in the northeastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh last week, marking the first altercation between the two nuclear-armed powers in nearly two years. New Delhi said soldiers from both sides sustained only minor injuries.  AFP reported at least six Indian soldiers were injured in the scuffle." RT

Russian forces hit Kherson using MLRS and artillery

"Russian military launched another artillery attack on Kherson and its suburbs. A woman has been killed, and four people have been injured. " Pravada

Who Is Purposely Sabotaging Power Plants All Over America?

"Someone has been attacking power plants all over the country, and federal authorities are
trying to determine who it is.  In recent days, we have seen significant sabotage on both the east and west coasts, and so it can’t just be one individual that is responsible. 

The recent incident in North Carolina was particularly alarming.

At approximately 7 PM on Saturday night, gunfire erupted at two electrical substations in Moore County.  Officials are calling this “an intentional and coordinated attack”…

Duke Energy restored power to all of its North Carolina customers Wednesday evening, four days after 45,000 customers were left in the dark after what officials have said was an intentional and coordinated attack on two substations in Moore County. Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields has said a motive for the attack is not known. It is also not clear what kind of protective measures were in place to prevent such an assault." ZH

Paratroopers smash Russian sabotage group near Bakhmut

"Members of the 71st Separate Hunting Brigade of the Air Assault Troops of the Armed
Forces of Ukraine smashed a Russian sabotage and reconnaissance group in Bakhmut district, Donetsk region." UF

Ukraine's Armed Forces repel attacks near 11 settlements

"Over the past day, the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled Russia’s attacks in the
areas of Novoselivske, Andriivka, Chervonopopivka, Zhytlivka, Serebrianske, Bilohorivka settlements in Luhansk region; Verkhniokamyanske, Soledar, Bakhmutske, Pidhorodne, and Bakhmut in Donetsk region." UF

Sanctions on Russia are backfiring – former Austrian vice-chancellor

"Western sanctions imposed on Moscow have failed to make a dent in Russia’s economy and
ultimately only hurt Europeans, former Austrian Vice-Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache has said. He also accused eupolicymakers of turning a blind eye to the deadly fighting in Donbass, which he said served as a prelude to the current conflict for many years." RT

Putin responds to Merkel bombshell

"Putin has said he is “disappointed” by former German chancellor Angela Merkel’s recent
comments regarding the Minsk agreements – the now defunct roadmap for peace in Ukraine – which she admitted was a ruse to buy Ukraine more time to build up its military. 

“What can you say to that?” Putin said during a press conference, adding that he was shocked to hear such a confession from the former German leader, having believed that Russia’s partners in Berlin “treated us with sincerity.” RT

Putin Admits to Troop Desertions

"Putin insisted that troop desertions were not a large-scale problem and that they were
occurring “less and less now.”Breitbart

“WE GOT OUR SPY BACK”; Ex-Kremlin Aide Celebrates Big Victory For Russia After Biden Gets Played By Putin

"Former Putin aide Sergei Markov wrote a blistering series of Telegram messages on Thursday celebrating how Putin “outplayed” Biden in the prisoner swap that brought Brittney Griner back to the US in exchange for Viktor Bout, who government officials have called “one of the most dangerous men on the face of the earth."

“Putin outplayed Biden,” Markov wrote on Telegram. “We got back our spy, it seems, and gave away a normal girl,” he continued." TP

Trump Goes Scorched Earth After Biden Trades Brittney Griner for “Merchant of Death”

"Former President Trump unleashed on Joe Biden after he traded WNBA player Brittney
Griner for Russian arms dealer, the “Merchant of Death.”

“What kind of a deal is it to swap Brittney Griner, a basketball player who openly hates our Country, for the man known as “The Merchant of Death,” who is one of the biggest arms dealers anywhere in the World, and responsible for tens of thousands of deaths and horrific injuries,” Trump wrote. “Why wasn’t former Marine Paul Whelan included in this totally one-sided transaction? He would have been let out for the asking. What a “stupid” and unpatriotic embarrassment for the USA!!" PJmedia

 

‘Devastated’ Family of Marine That Biden Left Behind in Russia Speaks Out After Trade for Brittney Griner

"Paul Whelan, the U.S. Marine that has been held in Russia for over four years on suspicion of  being a “spy,” reacted on Thursday to the news that the Biden administration had secured the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner.

Griner was swapped for arms dealer Viktor Bout, nicknamed “The Merchant of Death.” Bout was serving a 25-year federal prison sentence for conspiring to kill U.S. citizens, providing support to a terrorist organization, and delivering anti-aircraft missiles. Griner was arrested in Russia in February, a week before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, for illegal possession of cannabis oil.

Whelan gave a statement about the Biden prisoner swap to CNN.

“I am greatly disappointed that more has not been done to secure my release, especially as the four year anniversary of my arrest is coming up. I was arrested for a crime that never occurred,” Paul Whelan told CNN’s Jennifer Hansler. “I don’t understand why I’m still sitting here.” PJMedia

Russia repels drone attack on key Crimean port

 "The Russian Navy foiled a drone attack in Crimea’s Sevastopol on Thursday morning, the
city’s governor Mikhail Razvozhaev has revealed." RT

NATO Knew Ukraine Was Preparing Attacks on Russian Military Airfields

"NATO was aware of the preparations for the latest attacks by Ukraine on Russian military
airfields in the Saratov and Ryazan regions, Konstantin Gavrilov, the head of the Russian delegation at the military security and arms control talks in Vienna said. "NATO was aware of the preparations for the latest Ukrainian attacks on the Russian military airfields. We gave them an immediate response with a massive strike on the military command and control system, defense complex facilities and related energy facilities in Ukraine. No one should have any doubts that this will happen every time if acts of Ukrainian terrorism continue," Gavrilov said at a plenary meeting of the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation.

Ukraine launched attacks on the Russian military airfields with what the Russian military said were Soviet-made jet drones. The Russian air defense intercepted the drones, but their fragments killed three and injured four soldiers, according to the Russian Defense Ministry." Sputnik