iPhones won’t work in case of World War III – Russian MP

©Getty Images/Tomas Ragina

Western smartphones could stop working in Russia if the Ukraine conflict turns into a global war, Anton Gorelkin, deputy head of the Russian State Duma’s Information Policy Committee, warned in an interview posted to the YouTube channel Telega Reality.

According to the MP, if the conflict “moves to another stage,” everyone will “up the stakes,” including the tech companies.

“I’m talking about something that some experts call World War III. In this scenario, I fully expect that Apple will disable all iPhones in the Russian Federation, and Google will disable non-jailbroken Android phones,” he stated.

He warned that in such a case the Russian authorities and tech experts could retaliate with similar actions regarding Western tech companies, although he did not specify what these actions could be. Gorelkin also admitted that Russia currently has no alternatives to replace Western smartphones or the software they use. He predicted, however, that things may change in 5-10 years, as Russia’s IT sphere is rapidly developing, especially since the exit of a number of foreign companies from the country’s market.

Gorelkin is not the first person to suggest the possibility that Western gadgets will stop working in Russia. Various experts warned that such a scenario was technically possible for all devices that require software updates from companies abroad, or have options that allow owners to remotely find and block a phone that has gone missing. However, so far Western tech companies have stopped short at removing undesirable applications from their app stores and disabling the use of the payment services Apple Pay and Google Pay on phones belonging to Russian users.

Russian President Vladimir Putin recently weighed in on the possibility of the Ukraine conflict turning into a global war. During a question-and-answer session at his campaign headquarters in Moscow on Sunday night, he commented on recent statements from members of the US-led military bloc on the possibility of NATO troops being deployed in Ukraine. Putin said that such a move would be seen as a direct confrontation between NATO and Russia, which “would be one step shy of a full-scale World War III.”

Ukraine Losing Ground on Battlefield Due to US Inaction - White House

Ukraine is losing ground on the battlefield due to the inaction of the US Congress, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said on Tuesday.

"Because of the inaction of Congress over the last couple of months, Ukraine is actually losing ground on the battlefield," Jean-Pierre said during a press briefing. "It is due to our inaction."

Congress has been deadlocked for months over a foreign aid supplemental bill that would provide funding for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. While the Senate approved a $95 billion version of the bill last month, Speaker Mike Johnson has refused to bring it to the House floor for a vote.

Russia has consistently warned against the continued arms deliveries to Ukraine, saying that they only prolong the conflict. Moscow also sees the Ukraine conflict as a hybrid war led by the United States.

President Putin earlier said that throughout the special op zone the initiative on the battlefield belongs entirely to the Russian armed forces. He also added that each day Russian troops are moving further through the area, demonstrating more than just active defense along the lines of contact.

France Preparing to Deploy Military Contingent in Ukraine: Russian Foreign Intel Chief

©AFP 2023/LUDOVIC MARIN

President Emmanuel Macron was roundly attacked by French opposition leaders, Russian officials and even some of Paris's NATO allies after saying in February that he would not "rule out" the deployment of French troops to Ukraine. Macron repeated the threat late last week.

France is preparing to deploy a contingent of troops in Ukraine, with the first echelon to include about 2,000 soldiers, Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) chief Sergei Naryshkin has announced.

"The country's current leadership does not care about the death of ordinary Frenchmen and the concerns of the country's generals. According to information received by the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, a contingent of troops is already being prepared to be sent to Ukraine. At the initial stage, it will number about 2,000 people," Naryshkin said in a statement Tuesday.

According to the SVR head's information, France's generals are concerned about the difficulty of transferring such a large force to Ukraine and stationing it there unnoticed.

Naryshkin warned that any French forces arriving in Ukraine "will become a legitimate priority target" for Russia's military, with the same fate to await them as has already befallen those who fell during previous instances of French aggression against Moscow.

The SVR head also confirmed that those French nationals already in Ukraine (presumably fighting as mercenaries), have suffered losses not experienced by Paris since Algeria's war of liberation against French control in the 1960s, hence concerns among the military leadership about the threat of discontent among mid-level officers in the French Army about the prospects of being deployed in Ukraine.

President Macron has been the loudest voice among any NATO leaders in warning that he wouldn't rule out sending troops to Ukraine "at some point."

"Maybe at some point - I don't want it, I won't take the initiative - we will have to have operations on the ground, whatever they may be, to counter the Russian forces," Macron told Le Parisien last Friday. "France's strength is that we can do it," he added.

Macron riled up his NATO allies, particularly Germany, in early March by urging Europe not to be "cowards" in supporting the Kiev regime using all available means.If late February, he warned that he wouldn't "rule out" sending French forces east. The president was roundly condemned by French opposition leaders for his remarks, with politicians both on the left and the right accusing him of playing with the lives of the French people and risking a new world war for the sake of his personal geopolitical ambitions.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova went further, accusing Macron of trying to recreate "French SS Division Charlemagne II to defend President Volodymyr Zelensky's bunker."

The extent of the French mercenary presence in Ukraine was revealed in January, when a Russian missile strike killed and injured dozens of fighters in Kharkov.

Watch Russian Paratroopers Demolish Ukrainian Drone 'Baba Yaga' Near Artemovsk

Russian Paratroopers, officially known as the Russian Airborne Troops, are an elite branch of the Russian Ground Forces. They are highly trained and specialize in airborne assault, rapid deployment and ground combat operations.

The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) has released footage showing paratroopers shooting down a Ukrainian Armed Forces' heavy UAV "Baba Yaga" near Artemovsk (Bakhmut).

ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft gun crews of the Ussuriysk separate guard unit of the Airborne Troops destroyed a Baba Yaga hexacopter of the Ukrainian Armed Forces south of Artemovsk, the MoD told reporters.

It is specified that after detecting the air target, the crews of the ZU-23-2 opened targeted fire on it and destroyed it in the air.

The drone is named after a mysterious and enigmatic figure from Slavic folklore. She is often portrayed as an old and powerful witch who dwells in a hut that stands on chicken legs and possesses magical abilities.

Watch Russian Buk-M1 Missile System Shoot Down Long-Hunted Ukrainian Helicopter

Russia’s Buk-M1 (NATO reporting name: Gadfly) is a highly mobile, medium-to-long-range surface-to-air missile system. It was developed to defend against various aerial threats, including aircraft, cruise missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

The Russian Defense Ministry has released footage showing a Russian Buk-M1 missile system shooting down a Ukrainian attack helicopter.

A Buk-M1 anti-aircraft missile system of Battlegroup Yug shot down a Ukrainian attack helicopter in the area of Artemovsk (Bakhmut), the division commander of the anti-aircraft system said.

Watch Russian Helicopters Hit Ukrainian Armed Forces Positions With Unguided Missiles

The Russian Ka-52 "Alligator" is a state-of-the-art, twin-seat, all-weather attack helicopter designed for reconnaissance and combat missions. It features advanced avionics, a targeting system, and a 30 mm cannon, as well as the ability to carry air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles.

The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) has released footage showing Russian helicopter pilots hitting Ukrainian positions in the South Donetsk area with unguided missiles.

"The combat task was set to destroy enemy positions in the tactical area. After receiving the combat task, the helicopter took off and flew to the target area. The task was carried out under difficult meteorological conditions. They arrived at the specified coordinates and carried out launches of unguided aircraft missiles," the commander of the Ka-52 helicopter said.

Families flee on foot as Israeli army raid on Gaza hospital kills dozens

Palestinians flee the area after Israeli bombardment in central Gaza City [AFP]

Fighting raged Monday in and around the besieged Gaza Strip's largest hospital complex where Israel said its forces killed and arrested Hamas militants, as Palestinians fled by foot under heavy bombardment.

While the raid at Gaza City's Al-Shifa hospital was underway, Israel sent its spy chief to Qatar for renewed truce talks and top ally the United States urged an "alternative" to a looming ground invasion of the southern city of Rafah.

At least 50 people killed and many more detained in Israeli raid on Gaza’s al-Shifa Hospital, the army says, but Hamas says “aggression against civilians” will not work.

Mediator Qatar says it is “cautiously optimistic” after start of indirect talks between Hamas and Israel to reach a truce in Gaza.

The devastating war since Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel has left roughly half of Gazans -- around 1.1 million people -- experiencing "catastrophic" hunger, a UN-backed food security assessment warned.

Al Jazeera journalist Ismail al-Ghoul freed after 12 hours in Israeli custody, after being Israeli forces severely beat and detained him during raid on Gaza City’s al-Shifa Hospital earlier today.

UN says it “stands against” harassment of journalists after al-Ghoul’s arrest, as rights group Committee to Protect Journalists calls indicent “deliberate attempt” to cover up Israeli assault on al-Shifa Hospital.

UN chief Antonio Guterres says a new report warning that famine is now imminent in northern Gaza is an “appalling indictment” of the situation on the ground.

The expert report is "exhibit A for the need for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire", said United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, decrying an "entirely man-made disaster".

Gaza's soaring civilian death toll and large-scale destruction have hardened global opposition to Israel's military operation and siege, including accusations of deliberate starvation of Palestinian civilians.

Witnesses reported air strikes and tanks near the complex crowded with thousands of Palestinian patients and displaced people.

AFP images showed black smoke engulfing parts of the city, with Palestinians fleeing by foot along rubble-strewn roads as others treated the wounded in the street.

The Israeli army identified one of the fatalities as Hamas internal security official Fayq al-Mabhouh. A Gaza police source confirmed his death and said he was a brigadier general in the force.

Israeli troops previously raided Al-Shifa in November, sparking an international outcry.

The bloodiest ever Gaza war broke out after Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on October 7 that resulted in about 1,160 deaths in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.

Militants also seized about 250 hostages, of whom Israel believes 130 remain in Gaza, including 33 who are presumed dead.

At least 31,726 Palestinians have been killed and 73,792 injured in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7. The revised death toll in Israel from Hamas’s October 7 attack stands at 1,139 with dozens taken captive

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Putin - All Attempts by Ukrainian Sabotage Groups to Break Through Russian Border Have Failed

©Sputnik/Sergey Guneev/Go to the mediabank

The Ukrainian military launched large-scale offensive operations to try to break into the Russian border regions of Belgorod and Kursk last week. The Russian military responded with a large-scale campaign of ground and air-based operations to destroy these forces.

The Kiev regime has resorted to the use of "terrorist methods" of warfare, but all of its recent attempts to break through the border into Russia have failed, President Vladimir Putin has said.

"All attempts by sabotage and terrorist gangs consisting of regular enemy units and foreign mercenaries...to break into our territory have failed," Putin said, speaking at a meeting with FSB officials on Tuesday.

Characterizing those enemy forces involved in these operations as "scum," Putin called on the Russian domestic intelligence service not to forget about those Russian "traitors" who joined Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups attempting to penetrate the border.

The sabotage groups' goal was to carry out a successful "terrorist raid," but instead they suffered heavy losses, Putin said.

"The most important and intense part of your work today of course is associated with the special military operation. The range of tasks here is the broadest," Putin said, elaborating that these range from the neutralization of enemy agents, terrorists, and sabotage groups to "successful operations on the front lines and in the enemy's rear," as well as "counterintelligence support for military units and formations."

The president added that the trace of Western intelligence services is clearly visible behind manifestations of terrorism and extremism in Russia today.

"Much depends on our counter-intelligence organs. This applies both to the sphere of anti-terrorism and the fight against extremism, manifestations of which are often accompanied by the 'protruding ears' of Western intelligence services, and other important areas. We're talking here about the neutralization of the reconnaissance and subversive activities of foreign intelligence services, the protection of confidential information of a strategic nature, including state and military control systems, advanced technologies, and promising groundwork in the defense and other spheres," Putin said.

"From the FSB and employees of all Russian special services, the people of Russia are expecting tremendous concentration and great dedication, effective and offensive operations," Putin said, calling on the intelligence services to "seriously strengthen" their anti-terrorist operations across "all areas," in the "understanding that we are dealing with a strong and dangerous enemy whose arsenal includes broad informational, technical, and financial capabilities."

The Russian military, FSB border troops, and other security forces have waged a week-long campaign to secure the border along the special operation zone after Ukrainian forces launched a brazen attempt to break into Russia's Belgorod and Kursk regions. Russia's Defense Ministry said the campaign resulted in heavy losses for the attacking forces, and that the assault had been "decisively repelled." On Saturday, the MoD reported a new effort to penetrate the border. The past 24 hours have witnessed a series of preemptive strikes in Ukrainian territory, including in the Chernigov region, against concentrations of potential sabotage units.

The attacks in Belgorod and Kursk come amid dwindling NATO arms aid for Kiev, and successful Russian efforts to gradually push through heavily fortified Ukrainian defenses in Donbass, in recent months.

Trump says Jews who vote for Democrats ‘hate Israel’ and their religion

Trump has often accused them of disloyalty, perpetuating what critics say is an antisemitic trope. (Reuters)

Former President Donald Trump on Monday charged that Jews who vote for Democrats “hate Israel” and hate “their religion,” igniting a firestorm of criticism from the White House and Jewish leaders.

Trump, in an interview, had been asked about Democrats’ growing criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over his handling of the war in Gaza as the civilian death toll continues to mount.

“I actually think they hate Israel,” Trump responded to his former aide, Sebastian Gorka. “I think they hate Israel. And the Democrat party hates Israel.”

Trump, who last week became the Republican Party’s presumptive nominee, went on to charge: “Any Jewish person that votes for Democrats hates their religion. They hate everything about Israel and they should be ashamed of themselves because Israel will be destroyed.

The comments sparked immediate backlash from the White House, President Joe Biden’s campaign and Jewish leaders. The vast majority of Jewish Americans identify as Democrats, but Trump has often accused them of disloyalty, perpetuating what critics say is an antisemitic trope.

At the White House, spokesperson Andrew Bates cast the comments as “vile and unhinged Antisemitic rhetoric” without mentioning Trump by name.

“As Antisemitic crimes and acts of hate have increased across the world — among them the deadliest attack committed against the Jewish people since the Holocaust — leaders have an obligation to call hate what it is and bring Americans together against it,” he said. “There is no justification for spreading toxic, false stereotypes that threaten fellow citizens. None.”

Biden’s campaign said, “The only person who should be ashamed here is Donald Trump.”

“Trump is going to lose again this November because Americans are sick of his hateful resentment, personal attacks, and extreme agenda,” said spokesman James Singer.

Jonathan Greenblatt, who heads the Anti-Defamation League, said, “Accusing Jews of hating their religion because they might vote for a particular party is defamatory & patently false.”

“Serious leaders who care about the historic US-Israel alliance should focus on strengthening, rather than unraveling, bipartisan support for the State of Israel,” he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Trump’s comments come as Biden has been facing mounting pressure from the progressive wing of his party over his administration’s support for Israel in its retaliatory offensive in Gaza. More than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, according to the Health Ministry in the Hamas-ruled territory.

While Biden continues to back Israel’s right to defend itself, he has increasingly criticized Netanyahu. After his State of the Union speech, he said he needed to have a “come to Jesus” conversation with the Israeli leader. He has also accused Netanyahu of “hurting Israel more than helping Israel,” saying, “he must pay more attention to the innocent lives being lost as a consequence of the actions taken.”

Trump took particular issue with recent comments from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the country’s highest-ranking Jewish official. In a speech last week, Schumer sharply criticized Netanyahu’s handling of the war in Gaza, warning that the civilian toll was damaging Israel’s standing around the world. He also called for Israel to hold new elections.

While the White House formally distanced itself from Schumer’s comments, the Democratic leader and key ally was voicing an opinion increasingly held across Biden’s administration.

Schumer — whom Trump accused of being “very anti-Israel now” — responded by accusing Trump of “making highly partisan and hateful rants."

“To make Israel a partisan issue only hurts Israel and the US-Israeli relationship,” he wrote on X.

The Pew Research Center reported in 2021 that Jews are “among the most consistently liberal and Democratic groups in the US,” with 7 in 10 Jewish adults identifying with or leaning toward the Democratic Party. In 2020, it found that nearly three-quarters of American Jews disapproved of Trump’s performance as president, with just 27 percent rating him positively.

Americans have also increasingly soured on Israel’s military operation in Gaza, according to surveys from The Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. In January, 50 percent of US adults said the military response from Israel in the Gaza Strip had gone too far, up from 40 percent in November. That number was higher among Democrats, 6 in 10 of whom said the same thing in both surveys.