A discussion about a possible deployment of Western peacekeepers in Ukraine is potentially a very dangerous idea, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has warned, in response to comments made by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Friday.
“If we are talking about some kind of serious negotiations, then this is a potentially extremely dangerous discussion. In world practice, such forces, as a rule, are used only with the consent of both parties. In this case, it is potentially a very dangerous topic,” Peskov told journalists.
His statement comes after Orban revealed that EU leaders are close to having a “legitimate” discussion on the subject of whether or not member states can or should send “some kind of peacekeeping force” to Ukraine, despite a probable rebuke from Russia over such a move.
The Hungarian leader warned that the Ukrainian conflict is only getting bloodier and more brutal, and questioned why EU leaders are not focused on trying to achieve peace in Ukraine through diplomatic means rather than the provision of more deadly tools to Kiev and the fueling of hostilities.
“If this continues, the danger of a world war is not a literary exaggeration,” the prime minister said.
Since Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine last year, Budapest has consistently opposed sanctions on Russian energy resources and has refused to send military aid to Kiev’s forces, citing the need to maintain and to equip Hungary’s own army.
Meanwhile, Russian MP Alexey Chepa has suggested that if the EU does decide to send a peacekeeping force to Ukraine, it would certainly be interpreted as a direct involvement in the conflict and an attempt to provoke a Russia-NATO war.
Chepa stated that in this case Russia could be forced to seek help from its Collective Security Treaty Organization partners, which include Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
Comparing Beijing, Minsk’s ideas of peace settlement in Ukraine inappropriate — Kremlin
It will be inappropriate to compare the two sets of ideas for a peace settlement in Ukraine, proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the media on Friday.
"We believe it will be hardly appropriate to compare these two sets of ideas, I mean the plan that was voiced by [Chinese] President Xi [Jinping] and the one that [Belarusian] President Alexander] Lukashenko has just mentioned," the Kremlin spokesman said.
He also noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin had discussed with Xi the plan proposed by China and some of its individual provisions. At the same time, according to Peskov, a number of provisions of China's plan were unlikely to materialize right away, as Kiev was unable to disobey the West.
"The plan [peace plan proposed by China] has not been put on hold, but there are certain provisions that, so to say, cannot be implemented for now due to the inability of the Ukrainian side to disobey its patrons, its commanders," Peskov said. "These commanders, as we know, are not in Kiev. They insist that the war should continue," he added.
On March 20-22, Xi Jinping paid a state visit to Moscow. Among other things he discussed with Russian President Vladimir Putin China’s plan for a peace settlement in Ukraine. The Russian leader said afterwards that many of the provisions of that plan were in line with Russia's own approaches and could be used as the basis for a peace settlement, when the West and Kiev were ready for it.
Earlier on Friday, Lukashenko, in his address to the people and parliament of Belarus, called for declaring truce in Ukraine "without the right to move and regroup troops on both sides and without the right to move weapons and ammunition, manpower and equipment." Lukashenko explained that in such a situation, "if the West once again tries to use the pause to deceitfully strengthen its positions, Russia will be obliged to use the entire strength of its military-industrial complex and the army to prevent an escalation of the conflict."
The Ukrainian military is suffering serious casualties in Artyomovsk (called Bakhmut in Ukraine) but Russian troops still have to take enormous efforts in that area, Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of the Wagner private military company, said on Friday.
"No, the Ukrainian army is not fleeing anywhere. The Ukrainian army is engaged in bloody battles and is defending Artyomovsk at the expense of serious casualties," the Wagner press office quoted Prigozhin as saying on its Telegram channel.
"Another important aspect that should be mentioned is the need to hold the flanks," he stressed.
"Today we need to concentrate efforts in the city because this is an enormous amount of combat work to do. The flanks should not let us down and allied units should hold them," Prigozhin said.
Russian forces "are moving forward and taking every building, every building entrance and every garage between buildings," he said.
"In Bakhmut, there are about 800 high-rise buildings. If we tell about each [building] entrance, you will be tired of hearing it. When we take Bakhmut, then we will talk about that," the Wagner founder said.
Artyomovsk is located on the Kiev-controlled part of the Donetsk People’s Republic and is a major transportation hub for the Ukrainian army’s supplies in Donbass. Fierce fighting for the city is underway.
Yan Gagin, military-political expert and adviser to the acting head of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), said on March 22 that the city had been practically sealed off by Russian forces and all approaches to Artyomovsk were under Russian artillery control. He earlier said that Russian forces controlled about 70% of the city.
Acting DPR Head Denis Pushilin has repeatedly said that there is no evidence of the Ukrainian army’s plans to leave Artyomovsk. Meanwhile, Kiev claims that the city’s defense will be bolstered. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky earlier said that Ukrainian troops would not surrender Artyomovsk and would fight for it as long as they could.
Gubernur Jawa Barat (Jabar), Ridwan Kamil mengamini usulan Pemkot dan Pemkab Bogor, agar kewenangan pengelolaan SMA/K, dikembalikan ke daerah, dari selama ini dikelola Pemprov Jabar.
“Saya cenderung setuju. Secara pribadi, karena dulu waktu saya Wali Kota Bandung, lebih dekat koordinasi teknisnya. Pada saat ada aturan pindah ke provinsi memang agak jauh,” kata Ridwan Kamil di Bogor, hari Jumat, 31/03/2023.
Meski begitu, lelaki yang akrab disapa Kang Emil itu, pemerintah daerah mampu menjaga kualitas pendidikan dan memperbaiki masalah yang kerap terjadi, terutama kekerasan antar pelajar.
“Yang penting adalah, kembali atau tidak kembali, tapi kalau teruji ada kenaikan kualitas pertahankan. Kalau ternyata ada masalah perbaiki,” kata Kang Emil.
Bima Arya Inginkan Kewenangan SMA dan SMK Diserahkan Ke Pemerintah Daerah
Wacana Gubernur Jawa Barat, pernah dilontarkan Walikota Kota Bogor, Bima Arya, pada hari Sabtu, 11/03/2023. Bima Arya Sugiarto menginginkan agar kewenangan SMA/SMK diserahkan ke Pemerintah Daerah. Hal itu dikarenakan kewenangan SMA/SMK ada di Provinsi.
“Jadi pemerintah daerah bisa bertindak tegas dengan menutup dan tidak lagi menerima menerima murid lagi,” ujar Bima.
“Dan anaknya juga harus dihukum sesuai aturan yang berlaku,” sambung Bima yang juga politisi Partai Amanat Nasional (PAN).
Menurut Bima, kasus pembacokan yang menimpa pelajar SMA di Kota Bogor dikarenakan adanya pola yang sama dari sekolah-sekolah yang rawan. Kemudian terkait dengan hal-hal yang tidak subtantif.
“Seperti masalah eksitensi, pergaulan dan ego kelompok dan saya dari dulu menginginkan sebetulnya pemerintah Kota lebih punya kewenangan agar bisa lebih tegas, karena saat ini kewenangan SMA/SMK ada di Provinsi,” kata Bima, hari Sabtu, 11/03/2023.
Seperti diketahui, Seorang pelajar SMA di Kota Bogor berinisal (AS) tewas dibacok pelajar lainnya yang belum diketahui identitasnya di Lampu Merah Pomad, Kelurahan Ciparigi, Kecamatan Bogor Tengah, Kota Bogor, pada hari Jumat, 10/03/2023.
Namun tiba-tiba dari arah Cibonong-Bogor tiga pelajar yang menggunakan motor menyambet salah seorang pelajar berinisial (AS) dengan menggunakan pedang.
Sementara itu salah saksi Andre menjelaskan peristiwa pembacokan sendiri terjadi sekitar pukul 09.30 WIB.
“Saat berada di lampu merah, pelajar yang menggunakan motor langsung membacok korban yang hendak menyebrang lampu merah,” kata Andre kepada kepada wartawan saat berada di lokasi kejadian.
Setelah itu, korban yang menerima sabetan senjata tajam di sebelah leher (kiri) langsung terkapar.
Melihat temannya terkena sajam, kedua temen lainnya sempat kocar kacir untuk menyelamatkan diri. Beberapa saat kemudian, teman korban datang kembali untuk membantu korban.
“Warga sekitar langsung menolong korban dan memberhentikan mobil ambulance yang sedang lewat. Korban di bawa ke RS FMC,” ucapnya.
Russia will continue developing relations with friendly countries and will oppose attempts to prevent that, according to the new Foreign Policy Concept approved on Friday by the decree of President Vladimir Putin.
Russia intends to proactively develop cooperation with allies and partners in all spheres and prevent attempts of unfriendly countries to interfere with such cooperation, the document reads.
The main goal of Russia in the CIS region is to transform it into the zone of peace, good neighborhood and prosperity, the Concept states. Russia focuses on peaceful resolution of international issues in the Arctic Region, the document reads.
Global changes lead to revisions of Russian foreign policy concept — Putin
The Russian foreign policy concept has been revised because of dramatic changes in the international life, President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with standing members of the Security Council on Friday.
"We will discuss the foreign policy concept of the Russian Federation today as the first item on our agenda. Cardinal changes in the international life required for us to make major revisions in key strategic planning documents, including the Foreign Policy Concept of the Russian Federation, where principles, tasks and priorities of the diplomatic activity are outlined," the head of state said.
The updated foreign policy concept will serve as a sound basis for further efforts at the international stage, the President added.
Putin approves updated Concept of Foreign Policy of Russia
President Vladimir Putin has approved a new version of Russia’s Concept of Foreign Policy. He announced the signing of the relevant decree at a meeting with permanent members of the Security Council of the Russian Federation on Friday.
This document defines the priority areas, goals and objectives of the country's international activities, it will be a road map for the Russian Foreign Ministry and other ministries and departments.
"Today I signed a decree approving the updated Concept of Foreign Policy Concept of the Russian Federation," the head of state said at a meeting with permanent members of the Security Council on Friday.
The previous version of the Concept was adopted in November 2016. Work on updating it has been carried out over the past few years. In particular, in January 2022, the prepared document was submitted for discussion with the permanent members of the Security Council. However, following the meeting, the President sent it back for revision.
In December last year, the head of state again reviewed a draft updated Concept at a meeting with the Security Council.
Spain still dependent on Russian gas – media
Spain’s imports of liquified natural gas (LNG) from Russia in January and February saw a massive year-on-year surge of 172%, El Confidencial reported on Friday, citing data from Spanish energy company Enagas.
Purchases of super-chilled fuel from the sanctioned country since the beginning of Russia’s military operation in Ukraine have soared by 84%, making Spain the biggest importer of Russian LNG among EU member states.
The impressive growth of LNG imports in spite of the EU’s pledge to eliminate its reliance on energy exports from Russia have reportedly caused major concern in Madrid and Brussels.
Earlier this month, EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson called for Russian LNG shipments to be stopped, saying energy companies shouldn’t renew long-term contracts once current ones expire.
Similarly, Spain’s Ministry of Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge asked companies – including Naturgy, Repsol, TotalEnergies, Axpo, Pavilion, Enagas, Met Energy, Enet Energy, EdP, CEPSA and BP – not to sign up for new purchases from Russia.
However, Spain and the rest of the EU have no mechanism to stop the flow of LNG from Russia, El Confidencial reports. The importers are reportedly private companies and trading operations are completely legal, since Russian LNG has not been targeted by EU sanctions.
Prior to its military operation in Ukraine, Russia supplied nearly 40% of the gas consumed by EU countries, mostly through the pipeline network. Over the past year, EU gas purchases from Russia have been in steady decline. They are currently hovering about 10% of the bloc’s entire consumption, according to Brussels. The latest increase in LNG purchases from the sanctioned country comes amid EU attempts to fill the void resulting from the sharp reduction in pipeline supplies.
Trump indicted by N.Y. grand jury, slated to appear in court Tuesday
A Manhattan grand jury has voted to indict former president Donald Trump, making him the first person in U.S. history to serve as commander in chief and then be charged with a crime, and setting the stage for a 2024 presidential contest unlike any other.
The indictment was sealed, which means the specific charge or charges are not publicly known. But the grand jury had been hearing evidence about money paid to adult-film actress Stormy Daniels during Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, allegedly to keep her from saying she’d had a sexual encounter with Trump years earlier. Trump is expected to turn himself in and appear in court on Tuesday at 2:15 p.m., said a person familiar with the matter, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss plans that have not been publicly announced.
Trump, who is campaigning to return to the White House in 2024 and leading in most polls of Republican voters, is also the focus of criminal probes in Georgia and Washington, D.C., related to his efforts to overturn Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory and his handling of classified material at Mar-a-Lago, his Florida home and private club.
Those cases have raised serious questions about national security and the basic functions of democracy. The New York case, in contrast, stems from a hush-money plan and Trump’s alleged conduct before he became president. The indictment follows weeks of speculation about whether and when Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg might take such a momentous step toward a courthouse showdown with one of the most combative politicians in modern American history.
Being charged with — or found guilty of — a crime does not disqualify Trump from running for office. Still, the indictment suggests a remarkable possibility: a soon-to-be-77-year-old running for president while simultaneously seeking to beat a conviction. Trump has denied any wrongdoing and says he did not have an affair with Daniels.
A spokesperson for the Manhattan District Attorney said Thursday evening that the office had contacted Trump’s attorney to coordinate his surrender for arraignment “on an indictment, which remains under seal.”
Bragg and his investigative team have spent months probing whether Trump falsified business records connected to the Daniels payments in a way that could constitute a campaign-finance violation — a set of facts and allegations that some lawyers called a “zombie” case because it has lingered, seemingly lifeless but not actually dead, for years.
Trump, who has long railed against law enforcement officials, particularly when it comes to investigation of his conduct, quickly issued a statement condemning the indictment. Democrats, he charged, “have lied, cheated and stolen in their obsession with trying to ‘Get Trump,’ but now they’ve done the unthinkable — indicting a completely innocent person in an act of blatant Election Interference. Never before in our Nation’s history has this been done.”
The indictment was filed behind closed doors at the Lower Manhattan courthouse after the clerk’s office was closed for the day. It was not immediately clear whether it will be unsealed before Trump appears in court.
Trump, like any criminal defendant, is expected to be processed before his arraignment, including fingerprinting and mug shots. Security will be a concern, given that he has a significant Secret Service detail as a former president — a novel issue in a historic case. The special agent in charge of Trump’s security detail, Sean Curran, or Curran’s deputy, is likely to personally accompany Trump when he is processed.
Donald Trump was indicted. Here's what it means and what happens next.
Trump was at Mar-a-Lago Thursday afternoon when his lawyers said he had been indicted. His legal team was surprised by the precise timing, according to people familiar with the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss it.
The former president has repeatedly denied all wrongdoing and maintained that those investigating him were making politically motivated accusations — a posture that energizes the most loyal segments of his base, even as some more mainstream Republicans have expressed interest in finding a new party standard-bearer.
Trump vowed Thursday to rally his fellow Republicans to defeat Bragg, an elected Democrat. “And then we will defeat Joe Biden, and we are going to throw every last one of these Crooked Democrats out of office,” he said.
Susan Necheles and Joseph Tacopina, the lawyers who have been representing Trump in the Bragg case, confirmed in a statement that their client was indicted but said: “He did not commit any crime. We will vigorously fight this political prosecution in Court.”
Legal experts have said that the apparent prosecution theory of the case is an untested application of state law, but that it isn’t necessarily fatal to the case. Trump’s legal team is expected to try to have the case tossed before it ever gets to trial — arguing that, among other things, there was no crime committed because even the alleged conduct by Trump does not fit the meaning or application of the law.
One person with knowledge of Trump’s political operation said advisers have been prepping for charges, and drawing up lines of attack on Bragg and key witnesses.
David Urban, a longtime adviser to Trump who is not working for him in 2024, said Trump is gearing up to fight the case. “If you’re going to indict the president, there should be a dead body laying next to him. This is far from it,” he said.
In addition to any legal challenges for prosecutors, the case against Trump will face significant political head winds. Many Republican elected officials leaped to Trump’s defense on Thursday, denouncing what they called the weaponization of the criminal justice system.
Ronna McDaniel, the chairwoman of the Republican Party, called the indictment “a blatant abuse of power from a DA focused on political vengeance instead of keeping people safe.”
Bragg’s investigation appears to have focused on $130,000 paid by former Trump lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen, who has said he fronted the money involved in the Daniels transactions to ensure her silence ahead of the 2016 election, and was later reimbursed by Trump. The reimbursement payments were erroneously classified as legal fees, previous investigations have found.
The porn star, the checks and the president: Trump's tawdry path to peril.
Legal experts have said Bragg seems to be building a case of alleged business fraud, which is a misdemeanor but can be upgraded to a felony if the fraud is committed to further or conceal a separate crime. In this case, Bragg’s office appears to be alleging that business records were falsified to conceal a payment that amounted to an undisclosed campaign contribution to benefit Trump’s 2016 bid for president.
Trump’s lawyers and defenders have argued that he cannot be charged with such a crime because the purpose of the payment was not to help the campaign, but to protect Trump’s reputation and marriage.
Cohen, who would probably be a key witness for Bragg, served time in prison after pleading guilty in two federal criminal cases — including one that involved campaign finance violations related to Daniels and another woman who alleged an affair with Trump. He also pleaded guilty to lying to Congress, and his credibility has been attacked by Trump’s defenders, which could undermine his strength as a witness.
Bragg’s office already has won a conviction against Trump’s family business, successfully prosecuting the Trump Organization on tax fraud and related counts at a criminal trial in New York Supreme Court late last year. In that proceeding, longtime Trump Organization executive Allen Weisselberg testified against the Trump family’s company under a plea agreement that called for him to serve five months in prison in exchange for his assistance at the trial. He had been facing up to 15 years in prison after dodging taxes on $1.7 million in income.
As a result of the December conviction, the Trump Organization was ordered to pay a $1.6 million fine to the state, the largest amount allowable under New York law. Trump was not charged in the case.
Russian air defense forces intercepted a Ukrainian Grom-2 ballistic missile and shot down a Mi-8 helicopter over the past day during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Thursday.
"Air defense capabilities shot down a Ukrainian Air Force Mi-8 helicopter near the settlement of Temirovka in the Zaporozhye Region. In addition, during the last 24-hour period, they intercepted a Grom-2 operational/tactical missile, three rockets of the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system, and also destroyed two Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles near the communities of Novoandreyevka and Zelyony Gai in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.
Russian forces strike over 90 Ukrainian artillery units in past day
Russian forces struck over 90 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the past 24 hours, operational/tactical and army aviation aircraft, missile troops and artillery of the Russian group of forces struck 93 artillery units at firing positions, manpower and equipment in 107 areas," the spokesman said.
Battles in Kupyansk direction
Russian forces struck Ukrainian manpower and equipment in the Kupyansk area, eliminating roughly 50 enemy troops over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Kupyansk direction, army aviation aircraft and artillery of the western battlegroup struck the enemy manpower and equipment in areas near the settlements of Gryanikovka and Sinkovka in the Kharkov Region, Novosyolovskoye and Stelmakhovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.
The strikes eliminated enemy troops and equipment, the general said.
"As many as 50 Ukrainian personnel, and also two motor vehicles were destroyed," Konashenkov reported.
Battles in Krasny Liman direction
Russian forces eliminated roughly 130 Ukrainian troops in the Krasny Liman area over the past day, he said.
"In the Krasny Liman direction, aircraft, artillery and heavy flamethrower systems of the battlegroup Center struck the Ukrainian army units in areas near the settlements of Chervonaya Dibrova and Nevskoye in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Yampolovka, Torskoye and Grigorovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.
The strikes eliminated as many as 130 Ukrainian troops, two armored combat vehicles, a Grad multiple rocket launcher and an Akatsiya self-propelled howitzer in that area in the past 24 hours, the general specified.
Battles in Donetsk direction
Russian forces destroyed over 340 Ukrainian troops and mercenaries in their advance in the Donetsk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Donetsk direction, the enemy’s losses amounted to over 340 servicemen and mercenaries, two tanks, four infantry fighting vehicles, six armored combat vehicles, nine motor vehicles, an Uragan multiple rocket launcher and also D-20 and D-30 howitzers in the past 24 hours as a result of active operations by units of the southern battlegroup, air strikes and artillery fire," the spokesman said.
Battles in southern Donetsk, Zaporozhye directions
Russian forces eliminated over 25 Ukrainian troops in the southern Donetsk and Zaporozhye areas in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
In the southern Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, army aviation aircraft and artillery of the battlegroup East struck the Ukrainian army units in areas near the settlements of Vladimirovka and Ugledar in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Malinovka and Shcherbaki in the Zaporozhye Region, the spokesman specified.
"Over 25 Ukrainian troops and two armored combat vehicles were destroyed in those directions in the past 24 hours," the general said.
Battles in Kherson direction
Russian forces destroyed roughly 25 Ukrainian troops and three howitzers in the Kherson area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Kherson direction, as many as 25 Ukrainian personnel, 11 motor vehicles, and also three D-30 howitzers were destroyed as a result of damage inflicted on the enemy by firepower," the spokesman said.
Russian forces destroy Ukrainian army’s ammo, fuel depots
Russian forces destroyed an ammunition depot, a fuel storage facility and a Buk-M1 anti-aircraft missile system of the Ukrainian army in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the area of the settlement of Grebennikovka in the Sumy Region, a Ukrainian Buk-M1 self-propelled anti-aircraft missile launcher was obliterated. In the area of the settlement of Olgovka in the Kherson Region, an ammunition depot of the 126th territorial defense brigade was destroyed. Also, a fuel storage facility of the 102nd territorial defense brigade was eliminated near the settlement of Zaliznichnoye in the Zaporozhye Region," the spokesman said.
In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 404 Ukrainian warplanes, 227 helicopters, 3,622 unmanned aerial vehicles, 415 surface-to-air missile systems, 8,472 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,076 multiple rocket launchers, 4,462 field artillery guns and mortars and 9,199 special military motor vehicles since the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine, Konashenkov reported.
