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Death toll in Russia terror attack rises to 133

The US had warned Russia about the possible terror attack, which was rejected by President Putin, terming it as “provocative”…reports Asian Lite News

The death toll in the terror attack in Moscow’s Crocus City Hall has risen to 133, the Russian Emergencies Ministry said on Sunday. According to the ministry, 152 people were injured in the incident.

Moscow region governor Andrey Vorobyov said the kin of the deceased would get $32,500. Russian Security Service (FSB) director Alexander Bortnikov told Russian President Vladimir Putin that 11 people have been detained in connection with the attack on the Crocus complex near Moscow on Friday, according to Russian state media.

The US had warned Russia about the possible terror attack, which was rejected by President Putin, terming it as “provocative”.

All four terrorists directly involved in the attack are among those detained,” TASS reported. State-owned Russian news agency TASS also reported that the assailants had “contacts on the Ukrainian side.

Following a preliminary inspection, the committee said the terrorists used automatic weapons, along with ammunition that they had left behind in the concert hall. The committee added that ballistic, genetic and fingerprint examinations are being carried out.

It has also been established that the terrorists used flammable liquid to start a fire on the premises, it said. The mall was attacked around 8 p.m. (local time) on Friday just as a concert of famous rock band Piknik was about to begin at its music venue, causing chaos, RT reported.

The assailants targeted fleeing concertgoers and videos of the scene showed bodies strewn like litter. The assailants also reportedly lobbed hand grenades and used incendiaries to set the building on fire. The terrorist attack has drawn world-wide condemnation.

Foreign Secretary David Cameron said, “We offer our heartfelt condolences and express our deepest sympathy to the families of the many victims.”

The US has condemned the attack, describing it as a “terrible incident”.

Pakistan condemned the “horrendous” attack carried out at a concert hall in Moscow, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said. “We express our deepest sympathies with the families of the victims,” the ministry said in a late-night statement.

ALSO READ-Russia claims new advances in east

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Putin Vows Retribution

Stressing that Russia expects other nations to cooperate with them, Putin said that terrorists have no nationality and there is no future for them…reports Asian Lite News

Russian President Vladimir Putin has vowed to punish terrorists after they carried out an attack at the Crocus City Hall music venue in the city of Krasnogorsk, near Moscow, on Friday evening (local time), which claimed 115 lives.

In his televised address to the nation posted by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on X, Putin said, “Our people, our children, just like the Nazis that once killed our people during the war. They do the same. All the orchestrators, all those who are responsible for this crime will inevitably be found responsible, they will pay. We will identify everyone who stands behind these terrorists and they will pay. This is a strike against Russia.”

He said that Russia will investigate the terrorist attack and added that all four perpetrators who were directly involved in the attack were apprehended. He asserted that the investigative authorities will make every effort to identify the details of the attack. Russian President said that these criminals went specifically to kill people, point black.

Putin said, “We will investigate this terrorist attack and we already have some results. All the four perpetrators, who were directly involved who were gunning people down, killing people. They were found and apprehended. They tried to escape. They were moving towards the border with Ukraine and we have data that suggests that they were about to be moved towards the territory of Ukraine by those in Ukraine.”

“Our military services, our emergency services, our investigators are working on finding out the orchestrators of this terrorist attack, those who gave them transportation, who gave them weapons, etc. The investigative authorities will do everything to identify all details of this crime. But it’s already evident that we face not just a cynically organized terrorist attack, but a massive mass killing of civilians. These perpetrators, these criminals went specifically to kill, to kill people, point blank,” he added.

Stressing that Russia expects other nations to cooperate with them, Putin said that terrorists have no nationality and there is no future for them. He called on the people of Russia to stand united.

He said, “We know what terrorist threat means, and we expect that other nations that share our pain will cooperate with us, and we will stand united against this common enemy, international terrorism. No matter where it shows its ugly head, these terrorists have no nationality, and there is only one future for them – retribution and oblivion. Our duty right now, our common duty right now is to stand together, to stand united, and I believe we will stand together.”

“Nobody can divide us, can undermine our common strength nation of Russia’s nation or sought discord in our multinational society. Russia has faced a lot of challenges in its history, terrible challenges, but it always came out stronger, and this will be the same this time,” he added.

Following the deadly firing at the Crocus City concert hall near Moscow, Russia’s Investigative Committee has claimed that the death toll has been confirmed at 115 people and warned that this figure is likely to rise, Russian state news agency, RT News reported on Saturday.

“According to preliminary data, the causes of death were gunshot wounds and poisoning by combustion products (smoke inhalation),” investigators said, adding that they are continuing to establish all the details of the attack by analysing evidence at the scene, going through CCTV footage and taking statements from the victims.

The service had previously stated that the death toll was 93, but later issued an update announcing that additional bodies were found after emergency services started clearing the rubble.

The Moscow Region Health Ministry had also previously reported that there were at least three children among the deceased.

Meanwhile, the Russian intelligence agencies detained 11 people, including four ‘terrorists’, who they claimed were ‘directly’ involved in a terrorist attack on the Crocus City Hall, TASS reported citing Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) statement on Saturday.

“The activities of intelligence and law enforcement agencies have resulted in the detention of 11 people, including four terrorists, who directly participated in the terrorist attack on the Crocus City Hall,” the statement read.

The tragic events unfolded on Friday evening at Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, on the western outskirts of the Russian capital. The concert venue, with an estimated capacity of 7,500, was almost full when the terrorists struck. The assault took place ahead of a performance by the Russian rock band Picnic, RT news agency reported.

According to the mobile phone footage and eyewitness accounts, at least five gunmen wearing military-style gear and carrying assault rifles first opened fire at unarmed security guards at the main entrance to the venue. They then proceeded to shoot indiscriminately at the fleeing crowd of panicked visitors.Once the terrorists reached the concert hall, they appeared to set fire to rows of chairs inside, with the blaze quickly engulfing much of the building, including its roof.

Investigators have stated that preliminary findings based on evidence at the scene appear to confirm that the terrorists used automatic weapons during the attack, and used some sort of flammable liquid to set fire to the premises.

The Investigative Committee said it is now carrying out ballistic, genetic, and fingerprint analysis based on the material evidence found at the scene. Meanwhile, the head of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) Aleksandr Bortnikov has informed President Vladimir Putin that eleven suspects, including four terrorists who were directly involved in the Crocus attack, have been detained, the Kremlin press service has said.

The ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack at the concert venue complex near Moscow on Friday night after assailants stormed the venue with guns and incendiary devices, CNN reported. (ANI)

ALSO READ-‘Putin wants to blame Ukraine for Moscow attack’

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Russia claims new advances in east

The surge in strikes took place ahead of elections that saw Putin win a predictable fifth term as president, after running against no real opposition…reports Asian Lite News

Russia said Tuesday that its troops had made gains in eastern Ukraine, building on recent advances against Ukrainian forces in critical need of Western aid. Facing a difficult situation on the front lines, Kyiv has responded with an increasing number of incursions and attacks on Russian territory bordering Ukraine.

Some of these incursions were carried out by Russians who volunteered to fight in pro-Ukrainian units, which Putin has called to “punish.” “On the Avdiivka front, units of the ‘Center’ grouping of troops liberated the village of Orlivka,” the Russian defense ministry said.

It is the latest in a string of gains for Moscow, which has built on the capture of Avdiivka a month ago.

Avdiivka’s seizure had forced Ukrainian troops to withdraw to defensive lines along Tonenke, Berdychi and Orlivka. The Ukrainian army has not addressed the potential seizure of Orlivka.

But Kyiv has acknowledged a difficult situation on the battlefield and urged the West to keep up and deliver on its promises of support. European deliveries have fallen behind, and its industrial capacities remain limited.

Kyiv has urged the US Congress to unblock a $60 billion aid package, which has been stalled due to political infighting. President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday told US Senator Lindsey Graham that is was “critically important” for the US to make a swift decision. “We are at a critical moment for the future of the armed conflict,” Graham told reporters after his meeting with Zelensky.

Kyiv has intensified its attacks on Russian territory, with shelling and incursions in the regions of Belgorod and Kursk. In the past week these attacks killed 16 people and wounded nearly a hundred in the region of Belgorod, its governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.

Speaking at a meeting of ruling party members, he also announced the evacuation of thousands of children from areas at risk. “We are evacuating a large number of villages, and now we are planning to evacuate about 9,000 children because of the shelling by the Ukrainian armed forces,” Gladkov said.

The surge in strikes took place ahead of elections that saw Putin win a predictable fifth term as president, after running against no real opposition.

“I am proud that the residents of the region did not succumb to the difficult situation and that many more people came to the polling stations than ever before,” Gladkov said.

Putin addressed the border assaults, which have marred his re-election week, in a meeting with his FSB security services.

He claimed Russian troops inflicted “heavy losses” on units that he said where made up of regular Ukrainian soldiers, foreign mercenaries and pro-Ukrainian Russian fighters.

“About these traitors… we must not forget who they are, we must identify them by name. We will punish them without statute of limitations, wherever they are,” Putin said, calling them “scum.”

Ukraine-based militias — made up of Russian citizens who oppose Moscow’s offensive and have taken up arms for Kyiv — have claimed to be behind previous incursions into Russian territory.

One of them is the Russian Volunteer Corps. Its head of staff, identified as Aleksandr, gave an interview on Ukrainian television, denying heavy losses.

“There are losses, but absolutely not of the scale claimed by Putin or the defense ministry,” he said.

On the naval front, Ukrainian forces claim to have destroyed more than two dozen Russian ships since the conflict began in February 2022, including a military patrol boat earlier this month.

Russian state media earlier confirmed Moscow had replaced the head of its navy, after reports the previous naval chief had been sacked for repeatedly losing Black Sea warships to Ukrainian attacks.

ALSO READ-Russia reports massive cyberattacks on voting system

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Russia reports massive cyberattacks on voting system

Pamfilova noted that the cyberattack activity increased significantly on Saturday from Friday and ended in failure….reports Asian Lite News

Russian election authorities have said that about 160,000 cyberattacks on the country’s remote electronic voting resources were blocked.

The attacks were mainly directed toward the voting portal, with 30,000 attacks launched against the monitoring portal for the remote electronic voting system, Ella Pamfilova, head of the Russian Central Election Commission, was quoted as saying on Saturday by Xinhua news agency.

Pamfilova noted that the cyberattack activity increased significantly on Saturday from Friday and ended in failure.

Vadim Kovalev, head of the Public Headquarters for Election Observation in Moscow, said Saturday that cyberattacks on Moscow’s information systems were traced to the US and the UK.

“We see that most of the servers where the attacks come from are located in the US and the UK, at least it is the way they are detected,” Kovalev said.

Russia’s eighth presidential election is scheduled for March 15-17. Remote electronic voting is introduced to parts of the country for the first time.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is running for the country’s top office again as an independent candidate, cast his electronic vote in the presidential elections, Russia-based TASS reported.

Footage released by the Kremlin showed Putin walking towards a computer in his office, casting his vote and then smiling and waving at the camera. A notification on the computer monitor then read that a vote had been successfully cast.

It was not the first time that Putin cast his vote online. In the last few years, the Russian President cast his vote online during the autumn single election day.

The ongoing polling to elect the Russian President marks the first time that online voting has been made available, according to TASS report.

More than 3.5 million people cast their vote online on the first day of the presidential election across Russia, TASS reported, citing the e-voting monitoring portal.

As of 7:28 pm (local time), as many as 3,500,331 ballots were issued to voters in 28 Russian regions, who had applied for voting online. The federal platform of electronic voting recorded a 73 per cent voter turnout on the first day, TASS reported.

As many as 4.76 million people in Russia planned to cast votes on the federal platform, the state agency reported, adding that people in Moscow could vote on the city’s own platform and were not required to apply for remote voting prior to the polls.

More than 180 election experts from 58 countries are overseeing the Russian presidential election. They are witnessing the elections at the invitation of the Russian Civic Chamber’s (CC) invitation, the CC said in a statement on the Telegram channel, TASS reported.

ALSO READ: Russia threatens troop deployment along Finland border  

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Russia threatens troop deployment along Finland border  

To celebrate the accession formally, a flag-raising ceremony has been planned for Monday (March 11) at the alliance headquarters in Brussels…reports Asian Lite News

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday vowed to deploy its troops and strike systems near the Finnish border following its accession to NATO.

Putin said Finland and Sweden’s entry into NATO is ‘ a meaningless step’, adding that Russia will deploy troops and systems of destruction on the Finnish border following its accession to the alliance last April.

“This is an absolutely meaningless step [for Finland and Sweden] from the point of view of ensuring their own national interests,” Putin told Russia’s RIA state news agency and Rossiya-1 state television in a wide-ranging interview.

“We didn’t have troops there [at the Finland border], now they will be there. There were no systems of destruction there, now they will appear,” he added.

Following the launch of Russia’s offensive in Ukraine more than two years ago, Sweden abandoned its long-standing neutrality and joined NATO on Thursday, becoming the organisation’s newest member. After Hungary–the last of the 31 alliance countries to approve Sweden–submitted its ratification document, the membership became official.

Sweden is now fully covered by Article 5 of the alliance, which requires all other members to defend one another in the event of an attack.

To celebrate the accession formally, a flag-raising ceremony has been planned for Monday (March 11) at the alliance headquarters in Brussels.

Finland, Sweden’s neighbour, became a member of the alliance on April 4 last year. With the two Nordic countries in the alliance, NATO controls almost all of the Baltic Sea.

Both a robust armaments industry and a well-equipped military are present in Sweden.The nation intends to spend 2.1 per cent of GDP on defence this year, about twice as much as it did in 2020 and over NATO’s target. (ANI)

ALSO READ-Putin urges Russians to take part in polls

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Putin urges Russians to take part in polls

The Russian Federation Council, or the Upper House of the Russian Parliament or Duma, officially scheduled the presidential election on March 17…reports Asian Lite News

President Vladimir Putin called on Russians to take part in the upcoming presidential election to be held on March 15-17, state news agency TASS reported on Thursday.

“We need to confirm our consolidation, our determination to go forward together. Each vote counts. That is why I am calling on you to realise your right to vote in the coming three days,” Putin said in a video address ahead of the voting.

According to TASS, President Putin addressed the nation ahead of federal elections eight times–in 2000, 2004, 2016, and 2018 (twice before the presidential election and after announcing their results), in 2021, and 2020, before the nationwide referendum on constitutional amendments.

Meanwhile, early voting for Russia’s presidential election was ongoing abroad, with over 40,000 people casting their ballots, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

“Early voting is underway. It has already taken place in 23 countries, and 29 election commissions are supervising it. As of March 12, more than 40,000 Russians have already voted,” the diplomat said. “Voting is taking place without any serious incidents,” she said.

She added that local Russian officials were ready to provide any assistance at the first request of their fellow citizens.

The Russian Federation Council, or the Upper House of the Russian Parliament or Duma, officially scheduled the presidential election on March 17.

The Russian Central Election Commission (CEC) announced subsequently that voting will take place over three days–from March 15 to 17, making it Russia’s first three-day presidential election.

President Putin is widely expected to sail through the polls, securing a fifth term in office and a full third decade as Russia’s supreme leader, CNN reported.

With the death of imprisoned Russian Opposition leader Alexei Navalny, it’s fair to say Putin’s political career has reached the president-for-life stage, CNN noted its report, adding that his re-anointment lays bare an uncomfortable fact for Russia’s future political stability.

The President and his circle have not made any visible preparations for a post-Putin era, it added.

Putin is the longest-serving leader since Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, CNN noted, adding that in 2020, Russian voters endorsed constitutional changes that would allow him to stay in power until 2036.

Even before Putin announced his candidacy, the Kremlin made it clear that it did not see any alternatives on the horizon to his system of one-man rule, the report added. (ANI)

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Russia, China, Iran Conduct Joint Naval Drill

The joint maneuvers mark the fourth collaboration among China, Iran, and Russia since 2019…reports Asian Lite News

China, Iran, and Russia have kick started a joint naval exercise, dubbed “Marine Security Belt 2024,” in the Gulf of Oman, a strategic waterway adjacent to the Persian Gulf. The drill involves significant maritime assets, with China deploying the guided-missile destroyer Urumqi and guided-missile frigate Linyi, while Russia’s contingent is led by the Varyag, a Slava-class cruiser. Over 20 vessels, including support craft, combat boats, and naval helicopters, are participating from the three nations.

Covering an expansive area of 17,000 square kilometers (6,600 square miles) of water, the exercise aims not only to bolster maritime security but also to enhance trade, combat piracy and terrorism, facilitate humanitarian efforts, and promote information exchange in rescue operations, according to Adm. Mostafa Tajaddini, the spokesperson for the drill.

The joint maneuvers mark the fourth collaboration among China, Iran, and Russia since 2019. This heightened military cooperation aligns with Iran’s response to escalating tensions with the United States. Notably, Iran’s military collaboration includes supplying military drones to Russia, which are currently utilized in Russia’s conflict with Ukraine.

Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Oman, Pakistan, and South Africa are observing the exercise, underscoring its regional significance. The Gulf of Oman, amidst ongoing geopolitical tensions, has witnessed a series of attacks and ship seizures, predominantly attributed to Iran by the U.S. Since the breakdown of the nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, tensions in the region have escalated. Given that a substantial portion of global oil trade passes through the Strait of Hormuz, situated at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, securing these waters remains a critical priority for international stakeholders.

ALSO READ: Ukraine Based Russian Paramilitary Groups Enter Russia

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Ukraine Based Russian Paramilitary Groups Enter Russia

The border village of Tetkino in the Kursk region appeared to be one of the targets in Tuesday’s raids, with the FRL claiming that “liberating forces” now had full control over the settlement…reports Asian Lite News

Three Ukraine-based Russian paramilitary groups said that they have crossed into Russia and are now fighting government troops there, media reported.

The Freedom of Russia Legion (FRL) and Siberian Battalion (SB) posted videos purportedly showing their fighters in Russia’s Belgorod and Kursk regions, BBC reported.

The FRL and an exiled Russian politician claimed two villages were now in control of “liberation forces”.

Russia’s Defence Ministry said the breakthrough attempts were thwarted.

It claimed more than 234 Ukrainian troops had been killed and several tanks had been destroyed.

According to Belgorod’s regional governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, one member of Russia’s territorial defence forces was killed and 10 civilians were injured, BBC reported.

These numbers have not yet been verified by the BBC.

Ukraine’s military denied any involvement in Tuesday’s cross-border raids.

Andriy Yusov, a spokesman for the country’s military intelligence, said the paramilitary groups were “independent organisations” of Russian nationals, and therefore operating “at home”.

In a separate development, Russia said Ukraine had launched 25 drones on targets across Russia, but the attack was thwarted.

However, videos have emerged which appear to show several Russian oil facilities on fire, BBC reported.

In the Ivanovo region, just east of Moscow, an Il-76 military transport plane with eight crew and seven passengers crashed shortly after take-off, Russia’s Defence Ministry was quoted as saying by Russian state-run news agencies.

The Ministry said an engine fire caused the crash. It gave no details of survivors.

Videos have emerged purportedly showing the plane on fire circling in the sky, and later plumes of black smoke from the crash site.

Elsewhere, at least three people were killed and 38 injured on Tuesday night when a Russian missile struck two apartment buildings in the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih, according to the Ukrainian Minister of Internal Affairs, Ihor Klymenko.

Klymenko said children were among the victims and that the number of deaths may go up as the search and rescue operation is continuing, BBC reported.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the country would “inflict losses on the Russian state in response — quite rightly”.

A full-scale invasion of Ukraine launched by Russian President Vladimir Putin is now in its third year, with no signs that the biggest war in Europe since World War Two could end soon.

On Tuesday, the FRL posted what it said was a video from the Russian-Ukrainian border.

“Like all our fellow citizens, in the Legion we dream of a Russia freed from Putin’s dictatorship. But we don’t just dream: we make every effort to make these dreams come true. We will take our land away from the regime, centimetre by centimetre,” an armed FRL soldier in the footage is heard saying.

Meanwhile, the SB said “fierce fighting is going on the Russian Federation territory”, publishing a clip purportedly showing its fighters engaging with Russian government forces.

It also condemned Russian presidential elections on March 15-17, in which Putin is widely expected to be declared the winner.

“Ballots and polling stations in this case are fiction. You can really change your life for the better only with weapons in your hands,” the SB said.

Another Ukraine-based Russian group, the Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK), also published footage of what it said were its fighters engaging with Russian government troops, BBC reported.

“The army of the Kremlin regime lays down its weapons without even starting the battle,” it said.

The videos have not been independently verified.

The border village of Tetkino in the Kursk region appeared to be one of the targets in Tuesday’s raids, with the FRL claiming that “liberating forces” now had full control over the settlement.

The BBC has verified the authenticity of FRL footage depicting a strike on an armoured personnel carrier in Tetkino.

Kursk Mayor Igor Kutsak ordered all schools in the regional capital to be put on remote learning from March 13-15 “in connection with recent events”.

He also warned that the “missile alert” regime was still in place in the city, which has a population of more than 400,000.

Earlier on Tuesday, Ukraine-based Russian opposition politician Illya Ponomarev claimed that the border village of Lozovaya Rudka, Belgorod region, was “under full control of liberating forces”.

In a statement later on Tuesday, the Russian Defence Ministry said its forces together with border guards and FSB security service units “thwarted an attempt by the Kiev regime to make a breakthrough” into Russia, BBC reported.

It said enemy fighters — backed by tanks and armoured personnel carriers — had tried to invade Russia “simultaneously in three directions in the areas of the settlements of Odnorobovka, Nekhoteevka and Spodaryushino, Belgorod region”.

It added that another four attacks had targeted Tetkino, but were “repulsed”.

The Ukraine-based Russian armed groups have made several cross-border raids since the full-invasion of Ukraine began.

Last May, Russia’s military said a similar attack in the Belgorod region was rebuffed and armed insurgents defeated.

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Navalny Ally Leonid Volkov Attacked in Lithuania

The Lithuanian Police have been informed of the incident and are investigating, according to the Reuters news agency…reports Asian Lite News

 Leonid Volkov, a long-time ally of the late Russian Opposition leader Alexei Navalny, has been attacked outside his home in Lithuania, the media reported.

Volkov was assaulted with a hammer and tear gas while in his car in Vilnius on Tuesday night, Navalny spokesperson Kira Yarmysh said as quoted by BBC report.

The alleged assailant is unknown, as is their motive.

The Lithuanian Police have been informed of the incident and are investigating, according to the Reuters news agency.

Another member of the Navalny team, Ivan Zhdanov, posted pictures on social media of Volkov with a bloodied lower left leg and what looked like bruising to his temple. He has been taken to hospital, BBC reported.

Asked whether the assailant shouted anything, Zhdanov said: “Everything happened in silence.”

“Of course this is a clear political attack, there is no doubt here.”

Volkov has lived outside Russia for some years for his own safety and served as Navalny’s Chief-of-Staff until the Opposition leader died suddenly in prison in the Russian Arctic last month while serving a 19-year sentence after being convicted of charges that were “politically motivated”.

Volkov, 43, also faces various politically motivated charges in Russia, BBC reported.

He served as Chairman of Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation until last year when he resigned following the revelation he had signed letters calling for the European Union to drop some Russian sanctions.

Despite living outside Russia he has also made sure that the activism of Navalny and his team could continue.

This has included anti-corruption investigations, YouTube videos and livestreams during protests and major events in Russia.

Many more activists moved to join Volkov abroad in 2021 after Navalny’s entire political organisation was labelled “extremist” and banned in Russia, BBC reported.

Several of Navalny’s former team are now in prison, as well as some of his lawyers.

With presidential elections this weekend, Navalny’s widow Yulia Navalnaya has called on opponents of Vladimir Putin to turn up at polling stations across Russia at midday on Sunday in an act of peaceful political protest.

It was an idea supported by Alexei Navalny before he died.

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China, Russia planning nuclear power plant on Moon

In March 2021, Russia and China had inked an intergovernmental MoU to set up an International Lunar Research Station, a road map for which was presented on June 16, 2021…reports Asian Lite News

With the ongoing wars in Ukraine and in Gaza sharpening the geo-political divide between the US-led West and the China-Russia axis, the recent close collaborations being planned by the latter bloc in cutting-edge military technology make for interesting reading.

On Tuesday, the head of Roscosmos, Russia’s space agency, Yuri Borisov announced that Russia and China were collaborating on a plan to set up a nuclear power plant on the Moon in 2033-2035.

“Today, we are seriously considering a project, somewhere at the turn of 2033-2035, for the delivery and installation of a power plant on the lunar surface with our Chinese colleagues,” Borisov said during a world youth festival in Moscow.

He added that it would be done “automatically, using robotic means”.

In March 2021, Russia and China had inked an intergovernmental MoU to set up an International Lunar Research Station, a road map for which was presented on June 16, 2021.

Interestingly, a top-level Russian delegation recently visiting Beijing has discussed cooperation and collaboration in detail on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems in the area of military application of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, a development reported by both the Russian and Chinese state-owned media.

The Russian foreign ministry said in its communique on Friday after the Russia-China inter-agency consultations: “The sides had an extensive exchange of assessments of the situation in this area. The sides discussed doctrinal guidelines and initiatives of Russia and China, related to application of AI technologies for military purposes. Special attention was paid to the coordination of actions within the Group of Governmental Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (GGE on LAWS).”

The foreign ministry statement also reaffirmed the similarity of the Russian and Chinese approaches to military application of artificial intelligence. The domain of aerospace and artificial intelligence, among other niche technology areas, are the new battlegrounds where the US-led West and the China-Russia axis continue to confront each other. Besides extensive collaboration in conventional military research and development, the other areas of cooperation include the cyber domain and critical materials.

The emergence of China’s Xi Jinping and Russia’s Vladimir Putin as national leaders in their respective countries is commonly understood to be a strong signal that the unipolar world was changing to a multipolar one with the emergence of the China-Russia bloc.

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