Day: March 19, 2023

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Live blog: US drones over Black Sea sign of direct involvement – Russia

US drone flights over the Black Sea are a sign of direct US involvement in conflict with Russia, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying.

Last week, a US drone crashed into the sea after being intercepted by Russian Su-27 fighter planes in the first known direct military encounter between the two sides since Russia launched its war in Ukraine last year.

“It is quite obvious what these drones are doing, and their mission is not at all a peaceful mission to ensure the safety of shipping in international waters,” Interfax news agency quoted Peskov as saying in a TV interview.

“And in fact, we are talking about the direct involvement of the operators of these drones in the conflict, and against us.”

At least three civilians killed and two wounded in Russian shelling of a residential building in the southern Ukrainian region of Zaporizhzhia, regional officials have said.

The region’s military administration said Russian troops fired grad rockets at the small village of Kamyanske which had a pre-war population of some 2,600 people.

The authorities warned residents in the region that the danger of shelling was constant near the front lines and urged them to evacuate.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has made a surprise visit to the city of Mariupol in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, which has been under Russian control since last May.

“The head of state inspected several objects of the city, and also talked with local residents,” said a statement by the Kremlin.

Putin flew to Mariupol by helicopter, it noted, adding that he later drive a car in the city accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin, who reported “on the progress of construction and restoration work in the city and its surroundings.”

Russia’s President Putin has met with the top command of his military operation in Ukraine, state media reported, including Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov who is in charge of Moscow’s offensive in Ukraine.

The meeting took place at the Rostov-on-Don command post in southern Russia, TASS news agency reported.

Evgeny Prigozhin, head of the Wagner mercenary group, has claimed that up to 1,200 new recruits join its ranks every day.

“The result that we are having now, we did not expect it. We have days when we recruit up to 1,200 people a day. An average number fluctuates from 500 to 800,” he said on Telegram.

Prigozhin said he expects that by mid-May the number of fighters will increase by 30,000.

According to him, newcomers have better physical form than people the group was hiring previously, and pass test for physical training in the first attempt.

2300 GMT — Russia demands lifting of Western sanctions for Ukraine peace

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova has said annulment of sanctions and lawsuits in international courts against Russia is one of the conditions for settlement in Ukraine.

In a statement on the ministry’s website, Zakharova said to achieve “sustainable peace,” it is necessary to stop supplying arms and sending mercenaries to Ukraine.

Ukraine also has to return to a neutral, non-nuclear, non-bloc status, denazified and demilitarised, all threats emanating from its territory have to be removed, and rights of Russian-speaking population should be guaranteed, she added.

“New territorial reality … should be internationally recognised. The annulment of all illegal sanctions and lawsuits against Russia in international courts should become an integral part,” she stressed.

Ukrainian forces outside the battered eastern city of Bakhmut are managing to keep Russian units at bay so ammunition, food, equipment and medicines can be delivered to defenders, the army has said.

“We are managing to deliver the necessary munitions, food, gear and medicines to Bakhmut. We are also managing to take our wounded out of the city,” military spokesperson Serhiy Cherevaty told the ICTV television channel.

He said Ukrainian scouts and counter-artillery fire were helping keep open some roads into the city.

As well as inflicting heavy casualties, pro-Kiev forces shot down two Russian drones and destroyed five enemy ammunition depots on Friday, he added.

Source: TRTworld.com

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Serbia, Kosovo agree on implementing EU-backed deal to normalise ties

Kosovo and Serbia have reached an agreement on implementing an EU-backed deal to normalise ties after 12 hours of talks, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has said, describing negotiations as difficult, but Serbian leader refused to sign the pact.

“Kosovo and Serbia have agreed on the implementation annex of the agreement on the path to normalisation of relations between them,” Borrell told reporters late on Saturday after meeting the leaders of both countries in the North Macedonian town of Ohrid.

Borrell also touched upon a proposed association of Serbian municipalities in Kosovo, which would give greater autonomy to Serbian majority municipalities, a long disputed topic.

“Kosovo has agreed to launch immediately — and when I am saying immediately, I mean immediately — negotiations with the European Union facilitated dialogue on establishing a specific arrangement and guarantees to ensure an appropriated level of self-management for the Serbian communities in Kosovo,” the EU top diplomat said.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said that Kosovo and Serbia have reached “some kind of a deal” on implementing a Western-backed deal to normalise ties.

“We have agreed on some points, not on all points. This is not the final deal,” Vucic told reporters in Ohrid in North Macedonia.

He said that despite disagreements on some issues, talks with Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti were “decent”.

Vucic was lukewarm about the day’s results.

“I think we have made one important step in a constructive atmosphere and we will start to work on something. Of course, it was not some D-day but it was an okay day,” said Vucic.

He said Serbia’s path towards EU membership will be conditioned on implementing the deal.

PM Kurti said, “This is a de facto recognition between Kosovo and Serbia” since Serbia has not yet signed the agreement.

Kosovo’s Kurti said he was ready to sign the document, but blamed Serbia’s leader for failing to sign off on the plan for a second time.

“The other side, just as in the last meeting in Brussels on February 27, is avoiding signing the agreement, now also with the annex,” Kurti told reporters.

“It is now up to the European Union to find a mechanism to make the status of this agreement legally and internationally binding.”

“I am optimistic,” Kurti said ahead of the meetings in the lakeside town of Ohrid.

“I came here with a good aim, with a good will and with trust that what was agreed before…will continue here through the talks for the implementation plan, and in this way have a final deal on the normalisation.”

Borrell said the EU will now forcefully demand both sides to fulfil obligations if they want to join the bloc, warning there would be consequences otherwise.

In the annex on the implementation of the agreement published on Saturday evening, the EU committed to organising a donor conference within 150 days to set up an investment and financial aid package for Kosovo and Serbia.

Kosovo-Serbia tensions

in 2008, almost a decade after an uprising brought an end to Serbian rule.

Kosovo and Serbia agreed in Brussels last month to a Western-backed deal to normalise relations, following nearly 10 years of EU-mediated dialogue during which little progress was made.

Thousands protested in Belgrade on Friday against the EU plan which they see as de facto recognition of Kosovo independence.

NATO bombed Serbia in 1999 in response to the expulsion of Kosovo’s majority Albanians by Serbian forces after which Belgrade lost control of its southern province.

Source: TRTworld.com

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Belgrade and Kosovo closer to normalizing ties – Vucic

Serbia and its breakaway province, Kosovo, have made headway in normalizing ties and reached agreement on several crucial points, President Aleksandar Vucic announced on Saturday. Pristina has consented to the creation of the Community of Serb Municipalities (CSM), which would give greater autonomy to the Serb population in several areas of Kosovo, Vucic added.

Speaking after a high-level meeting in Ohrid, North Macedonia, attended by Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti and top EU diplomat Josep Borrell, Vucic said that while he “had not signed anything today,” the parties “had made good progress in a constructive atmosphere.”

“It was no D-day, but it was an OK day,” he summed up.

“These few points that we agreed upon will become part of the negotiation framework for each of the parties… The European Council will assess how much has been done by the implementation plan, which will have to be expanded,” Vucic stated.

He highlighted that Belgrade attached much importance to the formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities. “That’s why I’m really happy. It was stated that the formation of the CMS should be started immediately, but I don’t know if Pristina will do it.”

“If we want to persevere on the European path, our progress will also be appreciated in terms of the implementation of what I told you about tonight,” the president added.

Progress was also confirmed by the EU’s Borrell. “The parties have fully committed to honor all articles of the agreement and implement their respective obligations expediently and in good faith,” he tweeted.

Last month, the EU unveiled a proposal for a “path to normalization” of relations between Belgrade and Pristina. At the time, the bloc insisted that the two develop “good-neighborly relations,” recognize each other’s documents and “proceed on the assumption that neither of the two can represent the other in the international sphere.”

Both parties must also “ensure an appropriate level of self-management for the Serbian community in Kosovo,” the EU said at the time.

However, Vucic signaled that while Serbia is ready to work on implementing many points of the EU-backed plan, formal recognition and Kosovo’s accession to the UN are out of the question.

Kosovo unilaterally declared independence in 2008 with the support of the US and many of its allies. The breakaway region is not recognized by several countries, including Russia, China and Serbia itself.

Source: Russia Today

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United States Support of the EU-facilitated Kosovo-Serbia Dialogue

The United States welcomes the accord Kosovo and Serbia reached through European Union facilitation on the implementation of their February 27 Agreement on the Path to Normalization of Relations.

We commend the President of Serbia and Prime Minister of Kosovo for their leadership in reaching this agreement. Fulfilling Kosovan and Serbian obligations under the Basic Agreement, as part of sustained commitment to reconciliation, will secure significant opportunities for the people of both countries and accelerate their paths to European Union membership.

The United States will remain actively engaged, in coordination with EU partners, to support Serbia and Kosovo in making implementation work in pursuit of a predictable and peaceful relationship. We will continue to support the advancement of stability and prosperity in the Western Balkans.

We thank the EU for facilitating the talks and the Government of North Macedonia for hosting the parties and supporting finalization of this agreement.

Source: EMM/ U.S DEPRTMENT OF STATE

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Cyprus and Israel signed bilateral defence cooperation programme and tripartite programme with Greece

Cyprus and Israel signed the Bilateral Defence Cooperation Programme between the National Guard and the Armed Forces (DF) of Israel on Wednesday in Tel Aviv, as well as the corresponding Tripartite Programme with the participation of the Greek Defence Forces for the year 2023. The bilateral cooperation programme includes a significant number of actions carried out in both countries while the trilateral programme shows that the role of the three countries as factors of stability and security in the Eastern Mediterranean and beyond is strengthened. A Ministry of Defence press release said the signing ceremony was preceded by extended talks between the country’s delegations, during which a review of bilateral and then trilateral cooperation so far, was carried out. It said “the talks confirmed the significant progress achieved in existing areas of cooperation, while a preliminary discussion was held regarding additional areas of common interest, which will be included in future programmes.” In addition, there was an exchange of views and assessments regarding the challenges related to security in the wider Eastern Mediterranean region, but also more generally on the security climate that is taking shape internationally, due to geopolitical developments. The Bilateral Defence Cooperation Programme includes a significant number of actions, which will be carried out both in Cyprus and Israel, with which the bilateral military cooperation is further strengthened, the statement said. At the same time, it is a confirmation of the constant upgrading of the multifaceted cooperation between the armed forces of both countries, especially in the year 2022, when the large-scale interdisciplinary exercise ‘AGAPINOR’ and the air defense exercise ‘IASON’ took place. In addition, with the signing of the Tripartite Defence Cooperation Programme, the already close military cooperation between the Cyprus – Greece – Israel Defence Forces is further deepened and the role of the three countries as factors of stability and security in the Eastern Mediterranean and beyond is strengthened, it is noted. The above programmes are part of the wide network of bilateral and multilateral actions developed by the National Guard, with the direction of the Ministry of Defence and provide for joint exercises, training and exchange of expertise on specialized issues. At the same time, they express the ongoing commitment and will of Cyprus, Greece and Israel to upgrade and strengthen cooperation and ties between their armed forces, as it has been acknowledged that addressing common challenges and promoting security and stability requires multilateral and multifaceted action between countries which share the same ideals and principles, which are based in International Law, the announcement concludes.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

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No room for inaction vis-à-vis Turkey’s illegal actions, House President says

We do not have the luxury of complacency and inaction as Turkey continues with its illegal activities, in a bid to create new faits accomplis in Turkish-occupied Famagusta, the Karpas peninsula and in Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone, said the President of the House of Representatives, Annita Demetriou. Demetriou was addressing a memorial service in the village of Tsada, in Paphos district, to commemorate Evagoras Pallikarides, Andreas Christodoulou, Vladimiros Herakleous and Herodotos Savva, headed by the Bishop of Paphos Tychikos. We should “tirelessly and intensively continue our efforts using all political and diplomatic means both at the level of the European Union and at the level of the United Nations”, she said. It is necessary, she added, to engage international players in every forum, constantly highlighting the Cyprus problem with the aim of intercepting Ankara’s methods to deviate from the agreed basis for a settlement. The House President also said that we need to realise that we can never give up the struggle to terminate the occupation, unify Cyprus, and secure basic human rights and fundamental liberties freedoms for the people of Cyprus in their entirety. Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The last round of negotiations, in the summer of 2017, at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

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Cyprus and US units wrap up joint drill focusing on special operations, Greece also took part [VIDEO]

A joint tactical drill, code-named “PROTEAS – 1/23”, which involved the design and implementation of special operations, was co-organised from February 20 to March 17 by the National Guard Naval Command and the United States Armed Forces. According to a press release by the General Staff of the National Guard, the exercise was carried out in training and shooting ranges both on land and in the maritime area of ??the Republic of Cyprus and it was attended by personnel and members of the Underwater Demolition Unit of the Naval Command and corresponding Departments of the US Navy. It is also noted that from February 27 to March 10, Special Operations Teams of the Greek Armed Forces also participated in the joint training. Part of the joint drill was attended by the Chief of the National Guard, Lt. Gen. Dimokritos Zervakis, the US Ambassador to Cyprus, Julie Fisher, and the Greek Ambassador to Cyprus, Ioannis Papameletiou. The Chief of the National Guard congratulated the Special Operations Teams, as well as the crews of the high-speed boats for their efforts, pointing out the importance of the cooperation of the three countries in the field of defence and security in the wider Eastern Mediterranean region. During the visit, the Chief of the National Guard and the US Ambassador highlighted the great importance of conducting joint trainings, both for increasing the level of understanding and interoperability between the Armed Forces of the two countries, as well as for security and stability in the region in general. At the same time, the Chief of the National Guard, in a post on his personal Twitter account, spoke of “collaboration for security and stability in the region” and congratulated all participants.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

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Britons facing ‘disastrous decade’ – report

Real wages in the UK will not return to their 2008 level until 2026 despite an easing of inflation, the Resolution Foundation, an independent think tank, reported this week in its analysis of the new budget.

According to the report, the country is on track for a “disastrous decade” of stagnant incomes and high taxes, with cuts to public services.

The publication highlighted that real wages fell at an annual rate of 3.9% in January, noting that the bigger picture for wages is “one of long-term pay stagnation.”

The decrease in household disposable incomes this year and next are the worst in a century, the think tank stressed.

“Britain’s economy remains stuck in a deep funk – with people supported into work but getting poorer, and paying more tax but seeing public services cut,” it wrote.

The UK is forecast to have gone through “the biggest energy and inflation shock since the 1970s, while avoiding a recession, with unemployment peaking at just 4.4%,” Resolution Foundation added.

According to the study, taxes as a share of GDP are expected to hit 37.7% by the end of the forecast period, representing a 70-year-high and a 4.7% increase since 2019-2020.

The freeze on income tax thresholds since 2022-23 means that typical households will be worse off by £1,110 ($1,337) by 2027-28 when the freeze ends, it noted.

Torsten Bell, chief executive of the Resolution Foundation, stated that “Jeremy Hunt’s first budget was a much bigger affair than many expected, combining improvements to the dire economic and fiscal outlook with a significant policy package aimed at boosting longer-term growth in general, and the size of the workforce in particular.

“But stepping back, the UK’s underlying challenges remain largely unchanged. We are investing too little and growing too slowly. Our citizens’ living standards are stagnant. We ask them to pay higher taxes, while cutting public services,” he concluded.

SOURCE: RUSSIA TODAY

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Putin holds meeting with top generals

Russian President Vladimir Putin has made an unannounced visit to the command-and-control center (CP) in southern Russia that is in charge of military operations in Ukraine, the Kremlin Press Service said on Sunday, as cited by the media.

During his trip to the post in Rostov-on-Don, Putin “heard reports from the chief of the Russian General Staff [Valery] Gerasimov and a number of military leaders,” the Kremlin said.

In a video of the visit shared by local media, the Russian president told Gerasimov while entering the CP that he had “as much time as necessary” to hear military reports.

The high-level meeting comes on the heels of Putin’s surprise visits to Crimea and the city of Mariupol in the Donetsk People’s Republic, which was liberated by Russian forces last spring after weeks of heavy fighting.

During the trip to Crimea on Saturday, the ninth anniversary of the peninsula’s reunification with Russia, Putin surveyed the construction of a major UNESCO historical-archaeological park.

In Mariupol, the president visited several districts to inspect the progress of restoration efforts, including the construction of residential and public infrastructure facilities, according to Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin.

Last autumn, the Donetsk People’s Republic, along with three other former Ukrainian regions, voted overwhelmingly in favor of joining Russia in public referendums, following in the footsteps of Crimea, which voted to join Russia in 2014 after the Western-backed coup in Kiev.

SOURCE: RUSSIA TODAY

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Putin makes surprise visit to Donbass

Russsian President Vladimir Putin has made an unannounced “working trip” to Mariupol. The surprise visit is the first time Putin has visted the Donbass region, since it de facto broke away from Ukraine nine years ago.

The Azov Sea port city was liberated by Russian forces last spring during the military operation in Ukraine, and joined Russia as part of the Donetsk People’s Republic following a September referendum.

Putin arrived in Mariupol by helicopter, accompanied by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin, multiple news agencies including TASS and RIA Novosti reported on Sunday morning, citing the Kremlin’s press service.

The president visited several districts of the city to inspect the progress of restoration efforts, including the construction of “new residential districts, social and educational facilities, housing and communal services infrastructure, medical institutions.” He also toured the “coastline in the area of the yacht club, theater,” as well as other “memorable places” in the city.

Putin also drove through the streets of Mariupol to inspect the facilities, while taking time to speak with residents.

On Saturday, the Russian president was in Crimea to mark the ninth anniversary of the peninsula’s reunification with Russia, after it overwhelmingly voted to join Russia in a referendum following a Western-backed coup in Kiev in 2014.

Putin’s visit to Mariupol, which represents arguably Russia’s most significant triumph in the year-long military operation, was unexpected.

SOURCE: RUSSIA TODAY