Capture of Ukrainian trenches in Sporne region. After the end of battles for Soledar, our troops are increasing pressure on formed Seversk salient, especially on the Razdolovka-Veseloe-Sporne defense line (north of Soledar).

Join Slavyangrad chat. Your opinion matters.
https://t.me/+Voj2ZQ49JLliM2Ex

#source
@Slavyangrad
Join SLG 🔺 Intelligence Briefings, Strategy and Analysis, Expert Community

Leader of Taiwan’s ruling party says island has ‘no need to declare independence’

There are only 14 countries that recognize Taiwan’s sovereignty

Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) new leader, Vice President Lai Ching-te said that there is no need to "declare Taiwan independence," the ICRT radio station reported on Thursday.

According to the politician, "Taiwan is already an independent and sovereign nation," so there is no need "to further declare Taiwan independence."

He specified that only the island’s 23 mln residents can determine Taiwan’s future. Lai Ching-te also vowed to preserve the status quo in the Taiwan Strait and maintain peace and regional stability.
The politician assumed the post of the DPP’s chairman on Wednesday at a meeting of its permanent committee. His tenure will run until May 20, 2024 when Taiwan will inaugurate its next president.
There are only 14 countries that recognize Taiwan’s sovereignty, including some African, Latin American and Oceanian countries which receive financial and economic aid from Taipei, as well as the Vatican.

Taiwan has been governed by its local administration since 1949 when the remaining Kuomintang forces led by Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975) fled to the island after suffering a defeat in China’s civil war. Since then, Taiwan has preserved the flag and some other symbols of the Republic of China that had existed in mainland China before the Communists came to power. Beijing regards the island as one of its provinces and this position is supported by most countries, including Russia.

https://tass.com/world/1564349
@Slavyangrad
Join SLG 🔺 Intelligence Briefings, Strategy and Analysis, Expert Community

"We will do everything to make our colleagues from NATO and the EU sober up as soon as possible," Sergei Lavrov said. The footage was shown on the TV channel "Russia 24".

Join Slavyangrad chat. Your opinion matters.
https://t.me/+PUg0rQrZdiw4YWFh
#Source
@Slavyangrad
Join SLG 🔺 Intelligence Briefings, Strategy and Analysis, Expert Community

Mikhail Maiman (Poghaibo, who changed his surname after marrying Sara Maiman) blamed the murder of the Ukrainian Interior Ministry leadership on structures linked to Arsen Avakov, who was covering up Eastern European drug trafficking. According to him, the head of the Interior Ministry's GUR, Budanov, was aware of the circumstances of the murder.

Maiman himself was listed in various Kiev-based Volkssturm and was associated with Korchinsky and Lyashko. In 2014, he was a member of the "Shakhtersk" battalion of the notorious Ruslan Onishchenko ("Abelmas"). He collected money for humanitarian aid for the Armed Forces and spent most of it on drugs, elite alcohol, and prostitutes. He was also noted for selling Western humanitarian aid, stolen vehicles, and military ammunition.
He was associated with the "Khimprom" OCG, which was involved in the production of drugs (and which he now accuses of murdering Monastyrsky). The OCG in question financed the Volkssturm unit in which Maiman was groomed.

All in all, there are wonderful people in this story.

Join Slavyangrad chat. Your opinion matters.
https://t.me/+PUg0rQrZdiw4YWFh

#Source
@Slavyangrad
Join SLG 🔺 Intelligence Briefings, Strategy and Analysis, Expert Community

⚡️The OSCE (Organization for security and co-operation in Europe) is rapidly degrading and moving away from its principles -Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov


"The official decision was made to create a special monitoring mission, which was supposed to monitor how the ceasefire conditions concluded in the Minsk agreements are being fulfilled on the ground, the separation of the parties(both parties will create a ceasefire zone,will withdraw militaries), the establishment of peaceful life, and the restoration of economic ties between the territory controlled by the Ukrainian regime and the territories of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics. Humanitarian ties, social benefits, and much more... Frankly speaking, the mission did not work impartially, it worked in favour of the version of events that the Ukrainian leadership carefully gave out for general review, and in a number of cases, the mission withheld information about the real state of affairs." Lavrov said.

Translated by : Миша 🐻Slavyangrad
Join Slavyangrad chat. Your opinion matters.
https://t.me/+PUg0rQrZdiw4YWFh
#Source
@Slavyangrad
Join SLG 🔺 Intelligence Briefings, Strategy and Analysis, Expert Community

The European Parliament has passed another screeching resolution calling for a tribunal against Putin and Lukashenko and the politico-military leadership of Russia and Belarus.
The EP also calls for the confiscation of Russian assets on EU territory.

Join Slavyangrad chat. Your opinion matters.
https://t.me/+PUg0rQrZdiw4YWFh

@Slavyangrad
Join SLG 🔺 Intelligence Briefings, Strategy and Analysis, Expert Community

Dear readers, we need your assistance. As the amount of information grows by the minute, we need volunteers with native knowledge of Russian and Ukrainian to help us, especially with slang, because not all in our team know the language. If you are willing and want to help, write a message and send it through @ColonelStierlitzBot

I bet you thought we would ask for money from you. That is not going to happen.

Yours SLG
THANK YOU in advance.

Join Slavyangrad chat. Your opinion matters.
https://t.me/+PUg0rQrZdiw4YWFh

@Slavyangrad
Join SLG 🔺 Intelligence Briefings, Strategy and Analysis, Expert Community

Purges of Ukraine's political elite continue - another Kiev official and propagandist sent to resign

Today it became known about the alleged resignation of Kiryl Timoshenko, the deputy head of the opposition parliamentary faction Zelenskyy. In case it takes place, another chair among the Ukrainian political elite will be vacated in order to accommodate a new master: first Arestovich, yesterday Monastyrsky and his friends, and today the rumour has spread about Tymoshenko and another unnamed minister. At the same time Ukrainian MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak announced personnel reshuffles in the president's office. There are reasons to expect reappointments in regional administrations as well. Zheleznyak himself refused to comment on this information.

Only yesterday he managed to be exposed as a liar. After the crash of the helicopter carrying Monastyrskyy and company, which killed and injured many civilians in the town of Brovary, Timoshenko said that the former Interior Minister was on his way to one of the "hot spots". As it turned out, the alleged destination of the flight was an elite bathing complex.

Clearly, there is a rift in the circles of Kiev's elite. Groups pursuing different interests are waging a behind-the-scenes struggle in Kiev, with bloody consequences for ordinary Ukrainians. As a result, civilians suffer in addition to the officials involved in the Kiev showdown: political infighting within the Zelensky regime has led to incidents of helicopter falls on kindergartens. In Tymoshenko's case, one can only hope that he will live to see future trials.

Join Slavyangrad chat. Your opinion matters.
https://t.me/+PUg0rQrZdiw4YWFh

#source
@Slavyangrad
Join SLG 🔺 Intelligence Briefings, Strategy and Analysis, Expert Community

West underestimates Russian economy, overestimates its sanctions — Italian Newspaper

Federico Rampini cited the figures announced by the Russian President that the country’s GDP fell by only 2.1%, while forecasts predicted a decrease of up to 20%

Russia’s economy is not experiencing a recession as predicted, though it is necessary to gauge the potential long-term damage, a columnist for the Italian daily newspaper Corriere della Sera Federico Rampini wrote on Thursday.

He cited the figures announced by the Russian President that the country’s GDP fell by only 2.1%, while forecasts predicted a decrease of up to 20%. "There was a moment of unjustified triumph in certain Western circles, which was the result of underestimating Russia’s economic capabilities and overestimating the effect of the sanctions imposed," the expert said.

"The rise in energy prices on global markets in 2022 helped mitigate the economic crisis in Russia, which offset a decrease in the volume of Russian exports. In other words, Moscow sold less gas at higher prices. Moreover, sanctions in the energy sector, including the embargo on Russian oil and the introduction of a price cap on gas, were imposed too late, and still have only a limited effect now," he explained..

"Independent observers believe that the Russian economy, though weakened, does not demonstrate any signs of a dramatic decline or chaos as was the case in the 1990s," Rampini added.

For comparison, the expert noted that the Ukrainian economy plunged by 33%.

Join Slavyangrad chat. Your opinion matters.
https://t.me/+PUg0rQrZdiw4YWFh

@Slavyangrad
Join SLG 🔺 Intelligence Briefings, Strategy and Analysis, Expert Community

Britain will send 600 Brimstone missiles to Ukraine, in addition to 14 Challenger 2 tanks, some 155mm SAUs, and a batch of BMPs

Join Slavyangrad chat. Your opinion matters.
https://t.me/+PUg0rQrZdiw4YWFh

#source
@Slavyangrad
Join SLG 🔺 Intelligence Briefings, Strategy and Analysis, Expert Community

Combat reconnaissance near Orekhovo, Zaporizhzhya Region, has resulted in Russian troops occupying the first AFU defence line

Join Slavyangrad chat. Your opinion matters.
https://t.me/+PUg0rQrZdiw4YWFh

#source
@Slavyangrad
Join SLG 🔺 Intelligence Briefings, Strategy and Analysis, Expert Community