Lawyers attend the judges’ inspection of the reconstruction of the MH17 wreckage, as part of the murder trial ahead of the beginning of a critical stage, in Reijen, Netherlands, May 26, 2021. REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw/Pool Acquire Licensing Rights
KYIV, Feb 8 (Reuters) – Ukraine will use all international legal mechanisms to try to bring Russian President Vladimir Putin to justice for the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over east Ukraine in 2014, Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin said on Wednesday.
“The difficulty of obtaining evidence and functional immunity do not allow prosecuting the president of the RF (Russian Federation) in national courts,” Kostin wrote on Twitter. “We will seek to employ all the existing international legal mechanisms to bring him to justice.”
International prosecutors said they had found “strong indications” that Putin approved the use in Ukraine of a Russian missile system that shot down MH17, but that evidence of his involvement was not concrete enough to lead to a criminal conviction.
Reporting by Pavel Polityuk, Editing by Timothy Heritage
Russian-linked ransomware group steals thousands of MoD papers
Photo: Adobe Stock
Thousands of Ministry of Defence papers have been stolen and uploaded to the dark web after the LockBit ransomware group hacked into fencing manufacturers Zaun.
Zaun, who have since released a statement labelling the incident as a “sophisticated cyber-attack”, said the incident occurred early last month through a “rogue Windows 7 PC” that is no longer in operation.
According to the firm, it is believed the incident did not compromise any classified documents.
However, a recent report by The Mirror said the stolen documents contained information that could help the group access sites, including a nuclear submarine base in Scotland, several high-security prisons, as well as other national security details. It is believed other areas of government may have been affected by the security breach.
The firm contacted the National Cyber Security Centre for advice and said that they would keep “relevant agencies” updated on any findings from the ongoing investigation.
Often described as one the world’s most dangerous hacking gang, this is not the first attack the Russian-linked criminal group has carried out on UK companies. Earlier this year, it demanded an £80m ransom after hacking into the Royal Mail’s software, blocking international shipments, and last summer, it attacked the NHS, forcing doctors to keep patient records offline. Mikhail Pavlovich, who is on the FBI’s most wanted list, is believed to have led the group’s cyber-attack.
A spokesperson for Zuan said: “LockBit will have potentially gained access to some historic emails, orders, drawings and project files, we do not believe that any classified documents were stored on the system or have been compromised. We are in contact with relevant agencies and will keep these updated as more information becomes available. This is an ongoing investigation and as such subject to further updates.”
The breach has evolved into a debate amongst the UK Government on the storage of data and the lack of security measures.
Reacting to the incident, Kevan Jones member of the Commons Defence Select Committee said: “This is potentially very damaging to the security of some of our most sensitive sites.
“The government needs to explain why this firm’s computer systems were so vulnerable. Any information which gives security arrangements to potential enemies is of huge concern.”
Tobias Ellwood chair of the defence committee, also addressed the matter and asked: “How does this affect the ability of our defence establishments to continue functioning without the threat of attack? How do we better defend ourselves from Russian-backed interference, no doubt related to our stance in supporting Ukraine?
“This is another example of how conflict is no longer limited to the traditional battlefield; it now includes the digital domain and is placing ever greater demands on security apparatus.”
The original version of this story was published here by our sister publication Holyrood.
Russian-linked ransomware group steals thousands of MoD papers
Photo: Adobe Stock
Thousands of Ministry of Defence papers have been stolen and uploaded to the dark web after the LockBit ransomware group hacked into fencing manufacturers Zaun.
Zaun, who have since released a statement labelling the incident as a “sophisticated cyber-attack”, said the incident occurred early last month through a “rogue Windows 7 PC” that is no longer in operation.
According to the firm, it is believed the incident did not compromise any classified documents.
However, a recent report by The Mirror said the stolen documents contained information that could help the group access sites, including a nuclear submarine base in Scotland, several high-security prisons, as well as other national security details. It is believed other areas of government may have been affected by the security breach.
The firm contacted the National Cyber Security Centre for advice and said that they would keep “relevant agencies” updated on any findings from the ongoing investigation.
Often described as one the world’s most dangerous hacking gang, this is not the first attack the Russian-linked criminal group has carried out on UK companies. Earlier this year, it demanded an £80m ransom after hacking into the Royal Mail’s software, blocking international shipments, and last summer, it attacked the NHS, forcing doctors to keep patient records offline. Mikhail Pavlovich, who is on the FBI’s most wanted list, is believed to have led the group’s cyber-attack.
A spokesperson for Zuan said: “LockBit will have potentially gained access to some historic emails, orders, drawings and project files, we do not believe that any classified documents were stored on the system or have been compromised. We are in contact with relevant agencies and will keep these updated as more information becomes available. This is an ongoing investigation and as such subject to further updates.”
The breach has evolved into a debate amongst the UK Government on the storage of data and the lack of security measures.
Reacting to the incident, Kevan Jones member of the Commons Defence Select Committee said: “This is potentially very damaging to the security of some of our most sensitive sites.
“The government needs to explain why this firm’s computer systems were so vulnerable. Any information which gives security arrangements to potential enemies is of huge concern.”
Tobias Ellwood chair of the defence committee, also addressed the matter and asked: “How does this affect the ability of our defence establishments to continue functioning without the threat of attack? How do we better defend ourselves from Russian-backed interference, no doubt related to our stance in supporting Ukraine?
“This is another example of how conflict is no longer limited to the traditional battlefield; it now includes the digital domain and is placing ever greater demands on security apparatus.”
The original version of this story was published here by our sister publication Holyrood.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visits Ukraine, says Kyiv’s pushback against Russia in the ongoing counteroffensive has accelerated https://reut.rs/3Rao58s
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In a speech on Wednesday, former Vice President Mike Pence raises concerns about a growing populist movement within the Republican Party, criticizing its shift away from traditional conservative values. The Morning Joe panel delves into the party’s evolving identity, the influence of Donald Trump, and challenges to democracy within the GOP.
MSNBC delivers breaking news, in-depth analysis of politics headlines, as well as commentary and informed perspectives. Find video clips and segments from The Rachel Maddow Show, Morning Joe, The Beat with Ari Melber, Deadline: White House, The ReidOut, All In, Last Word, 11th Hour, and Alex Wagner who brings her breadth of reporting experience to MSNBC primetime. Watch “Alex Wagner Tonight” Tuesday through Friday at 9pm Eastern.
Six countries in West and Central Africa have had coups in the last few years, with Gabon and Niger the most recent. Is there a pattern emerging? And where do France and Russia fit in? #AJStartHere with Sandra Gathmann explains.
00:50 – A wave of coups—where are they happening? 01:30 – What happened in Gabon? 01:55 – The power struggle in Niger 02:30 – What are the common coup themes? 02:35 – Governments not delivering 03:15 – The security problem 04:20 – Anti-French sentiment is growing in the region 06:00 – What role has France played in the Sahel? 07:40 – Why Russia is gaining influence 08:15 – Where does the Wagner group fit in?
This episode features: Dino Mahtani, Independent Analyst on African Affairs Martin Ewi, Senior Researcher, Institute for Security Studies |Pretoria Ibrahim Yahaya Ibrahim, Senior Sahel Analyst, International Crisis Group Ovigwe Eguegu, Policy Analyst, Development Reimagined Adama Gaye, Political Analyst Michael Amoah, Visiting Senior Fellow, London School of Economics
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba shared a McDonald’s meal in Kiev on September 6 during Blinken’s visit to express Washington’s unwavering support for Ukraine amid the ongoing Russian offensive.
The Pentagon on Wednesday announced a new security assistance package worth up to $175 million for Ukraine, including depleted uranium ammunition for Abrams tanks, a move Russia denounced, calling it an “indicator of inhumanity.”
The missile came without warning and the result was devastating.
At least 16 people have been killed, and many more seriously injured, in a missile attack on a market in Ukraine. In the terrible aftermath, rescue workers rushed to apply tourniquets and load the injured into vans.
This is one of the deadliest Russian strikes in months, and adds weight to the allegation that Vladimir Putin’s regime is deliberately targeting civilians in an attempt to break the resolve of Ukraine and its allies.
But if that’s the objective, then there’s no sign that it’s working. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, currently visiting Ukraine, announced $1 billion in additional funding towards the war effort in a joint conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.
In an apparent policy U-turn, the US has also pledged to supply depleted Uranium shells for use in its M1 Abrams tanks, due to be delivered to Ukraine later this year.
posted at 13:39:13 UTC by Forbes Breaking NewsviaForbes Under 30
Vice President Kamala Harris departs Jakarta, Indonesia, following the ASEAN Summit.
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posted at 13:39:13 UTC by Forbes Breaking NewsviaForbes Under 30
In Senate floor remarks yesterday, Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) spoke about national security, Ukraine, and NATO.
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A retired deputy police chief spoke to 2News about why the Utah County Attorney opened an investigation into the officer-involved fatal shooting of a Provo man.
The Utah County Attorney’s Office announced they have opened an investigation into the FBI shooting that resulted in the death of a Provo man to determine if the shooting death was justified.
The FBI shot and killed Craig Robertson on Aug. 9 while investigating online threats they say he made against President Joe Biden.
For all the full stories seen here, go to kutv.com.
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If you see something newsworthy happen, or you just witness something incredible, hilarious or adorable, you can send your videos, photos and news tips to kutv.com/chimein. We love sharing our favorites on kutv.com, our social media and our broadcasts! You can also submit tips by email or phone. Email: newsdesk@kutv2.com Call the Newsroom: 801.839.1234 _______________ KUTV is a Utah-based station and a CBS Television affiliate owned and operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group. Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. is one of the largest and most diversified television broadcasting companies in the country today. Sinclair owns and operates, programs or provides sales services to nearly 200 television stations in 86 markets. Sinclair’s television group reaches close to 40% of US television households and includes FOX, ABC, MyTV, CW, CBS, NBC, Univision and Azteca affiliates.
Check out my book “What Caused the Russia-Ukraine War”: https://amzn.to/3HY5aqW. You can also read it for free by signing up for a Kindle Unlimited trial at https://amzn.to/3QMsBr8. (I use affiliate links, meaning I earn a commission when you make a transaction through them. Even if you read for free, you are still supporting the channel.)
The Wagner Group’s mutiny in June 2023 marked the beginning of the end of its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin. Although officially pardoned for his actions, someone within Russia was actually just waiting for the right time to take him out. However, it was a decision Wagner made many years beforehand that would eventually seal their fate. This is the story of how not to structure a military organization (unless you want to make millions at the cost of your own life).
0:00 The End of Wagner 0:47 Why We Will Never Know Exactly What Happened 2:13 Why the Kremlin Kept Wagner Around 4:56 How Wagner’s Plausible Deniability Ended 5:46 Wagner’s Waning Military Capacity 7:57 Wagner’s Weak Link 9:43 Wagner’s Corporate Structure 11:28 Why Succession Plans Are Critical 13:03 How Better-Managed Organizations Deter Decapitation Strikes 14:20 Why a Simultaneous Attack Doomed Wagner 15:48 Why Wagner Put its Leadership on the Same Plane
Manafort used and perfected his Third World Election Algorithms in Africa,https://t.co/OGWy05GfQe where Prigozhin used and trained his murderous troops, the “musicians”, called the… pic.twitter.com/heCx98L4B6
The Baltic Sea was thrust into the center of geopolitics after Russia’s invasion into Ukraine. Feeling the threat from Russia, Finland joined NATO and Sweden is on the path to be next. That would put the Baltic Sea almost entirely under NATO control.
How did this Baltic frontline look in the past? The fact that the Cold War could have turned hot right here, started to fade from public consciousness after 1990. But Moscow’s aggression in February 2022 presented a stark reminder. Russia’s full-scale attack on Ukraine sent shock waves across the Baltic region. Finland is now a member of NATO, and Sweden is in the process of accession. This would turn the Baltic into NATO’s “inland sea,” in complete defiance of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s imperial aspirations.
Russian troops and Western forces are locked in constant power plays in the Baltic Sea. While Finland has been a NATO member since April 2023, Sweden’s membership has been held up by Turkey. Estonia’s government, meanwhile, is urging action. After all, people in the Baltic states are all too familiar with the looming dangers, having lived for decades under Soviet occupation.
On Russia’s Navy Day in 2022, Putin renewed the country’s claim to global naval dominance. Russia’s fleet-building program, however, appears to be stalling in the wake of the costly attack on Ukraine. But a weakened standing does not make a regime any less dangerous. Experts are not ruling out the possibility that Russia will use nuclear weapons. And here too, the Baltic Sea takes center stage.
This documentary invites viewers on an image-rich journey to scenes from this conflict. High-ranking political and military officials as well as leading experts illustrate the volatility of the Baltic Sea. In the end, there’s a prediction as to which side between Kiel and St. Petersburg will have the upper hand – the East or the West. The film examines present dangers and the consequences that could very well follow.
#documentary #dwdocumentary #NATO ______
DW Documentary gives you knowledge beyond the headlines. Watch top documentaries from German broadcasters and international production companies. Meet intriguing people, travel to distant lands, get a look behind the complexities of daily life and build a deeper understanding of current affairs and global events. Subscribe and explore the world around you with DW Documentary.
Georgia’s separatist-held region of Abkhazia has firmly rejected suggestions it could be annexed by Russia, insisting that its autonomy from Moscow is not up for discussion.
In a statement issued by the unrecognized South Caucasus state’s foreign ministry on Thursday, officials said that while it is “a steadfast ally of the Russian Federation,” its self-proclaimed statehood “is not a subject for debate.”
The comments come shortly after the deputy chairman of the Kremlin’s Security Council, former president Dmitry Medvedev, hinted that Moscow could seek to absorb the two Russian-backed breakaway regions of neighboring Georgia — Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
“The idea of joining Russia is still popular. And it may well be implemented, if there are good reasons for it,” said Medvedev, who has been one of the most enthusiastic cheerleaders of Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
However, despite the presence of thousands of Moscow’s troops deployed to Abkhazia in the wake of a series of wars with Georgian government forces — most recently in 2008 — officials in the capital said the suggestion amounted to nothing more than a sign of “intensifying geopolitical contest.”
Meanwhile, the secretary of Abkhazia’s security council, Sergey Shamba, went further, pointing out that there “are no political entities” in the region pushing for integration with Russia.
“We haven’t received any formal requests to join the Russian Federation, and I’m yet to identify any political faction within Abkhazia that envisions such a relationship dynamic with Russia,” he went on.
Home to around a quarter of a million people and with its own distinct language, Abkhazia has existed as a de facto independent state from Georgia since a brutal civil war which followed the fall of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s. Hundreds of thousands of ethnic Georgians were displaced from the region, which borders Russia, as part of a campaign by the separatists, who were frequently backed by elements of the Russian armed forces.
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