Russian President Vladimir Putin and President of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro discussed further development of cooperation between the two countries in a telephone conversation, the Kremlin’s press service said on Thursday.
"Current matters of further development of the Russian-Venezuelan strategic partnership were discussed during the telephone conversation, including implementation of joint projects in the trade-economic, energy and humanitarian areas," the Kremlin said.
The leaders agreed to continue communication at different levels.
Russian leader Vladimir Putin had a phone conversation with his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolás Maduro.
During the talks, the President of Venezuela condemned the Ukrainian drone attack on the Kremlin.
“At the initiative of the Venezuelan side, the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro,” the Kremlin press service reported.
In addition, the presidents discussed topical issues of the development of the Russian-Venezuelan strategic partnership, including the implementation of joint projects in the trade, economic, energy and humanitarian spheres.
Earlier, Maduro strongly condemned the attack by the Ukrainian authorities on the Russian Kremlin. According to him, the security services of the Russian Federation worked almost flawlessly and once again proved their effectiveness.
The drone attack on the Kremlin took place on the night of May 3. A few flashes occurred above the Kremlin residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin. It is known that all the drones were shot down in time, no one was injured, there was not a single destruction or damage
All of Kiev’s decisions are ultimately dictated by Washington, including which targets to hit and by what means, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov claimed on Thursday. His comments came after two Ukrainian drones unsuccessfully attempted to strike the Kremlin in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
“Such decisions – the definition of goals, the definition of means, and so on – all this is dictated to Kiev from Washington, and we are well aware of this,” Peskov told reporters.
The spokesman for President Vladimir Putin dismissed attempts by US and Ukrainian officials to “disown” Wednesday’s attack as “laughable,” insisting that “we know full well that decisions to carry out such terrorist actions are made not in Kiev, but in Washington.”
Peskov asserted that it is important that the US “clearly understands” that Russia is aware of its involvement in Ukraine and “how dangerous such direct involvement is.”
The spokesman said that Kiev’s attempted drone strike on the Kremlin is being thoroughly investigated, but did not provide estimates on when any conclusions would be officially announced.
Peskov reiterated that Moscow reserves the right to respond to the attack with “a variety of steps.” Although declining to specify what those measures might be, the Kremlin official insisted they would be carefully considered and “in line with Russia’s interests.”
Putin’s office reported on Wednesday that two Ukrainian UAVs had been disabled by air defenses while trying to strike the president’s Kremlin residence in Moscow in the early hours of the morning. Putin was not in the Kremlin at the time of the incident and no one was hurt, the statement added.
Russia described the failed drone strike as “a pre-planned terrorist act” and an attempt on Putin’s life perpetrated by Kiev.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has denied his country’s involvement in the attack, while US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that Washington could not “in any way validate” Russia’s claims.
US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby responded to Peskov’s comments by insisting that Washington was in no way involved in the incident. “We don’t do that and we had nothing to do with it,” he told MSNBC.
The Kremlin has vowed that Moscow will retaliate to the raid “anywhere and anytime it deems necessary,” while senior Russian lawmaker Vyacheslav Volodin has called for the use of “weapons capable of stopping and destroying the Kiev terrorist regime.”
Ex-Russian president blasts Borrell over Kremlin attack comment
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has ridiculed EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell after he urged Moscow not to escalate the conflict with Kiev, despite Ukraine being accused of launching a drone attack on the Kremlin.
Commenting on Thursday, Borrell noted that he had heard Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s denial that his country was involved in the incident, which took place in the early hours of Wednesday morning. “This is what Zelensky said and this is what I have to say,” the EU diplomat stated.
Instead, Borrell called on Russia “not to use this alleged attack as an excuse to continue the escalation of the war,” adding that the EU was concerned about this potential scenario.
Medvedev, who currently serves as deputy chair of Russia’s Security Council, responded on Twitter by arguing that the “terrorist attack committed by the Kiev authorities, guided by the US, and approved by the EU leadership” would inevitably lead to an escalation.
“This is just what Washington and many dumbheads in Brussels want,” the former president claimed.
The Kremlin has accused Ukraine of launching two UAVs to attack Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Moscow residence in the early hours of Wednesday morning. The drones were neutralized by electronic warfare measures and did not cause any casualties or damage, the presidential press service said, noting that Putin had not been in the Kremlin at the time of the incident.
Putin’s office further described the incident as a “pre-planned terrorist act” and an attempt on the Russian president’s life.
In the wake of the raid, Medvedev called for the “physical removal of Zelensky and his clique,” insisting that Russia would not even need the Ukrainian president to sign an unconditional surrender.
While Russian officials have blamed Kiev for the attack, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov claimed on Thursday that the US also bears responsibility, alleging that all Ukraine’s decisions are ultimately dictated by Washington.
NATO advancing to the Asia-Pacific region will undoubtedly worsen stability there, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a briefing on Thursday.
"NATO’s continued eastward expansion to the Asia-Pacific region and the alliance’s interference in regional affairs will inevitably undermine peace and stability," she said replying to a request by TASS to comment on NATO’s plans to open an office in Japan.
The diplomat emphasized that Asia "should not become an arena of geopolitical rivalry."
Mao Ning added that NATO’s advance in Asia "will facilitate bloc confrontation." "This should particularly concern the countries in the region," she pointed out.
On May 3, Nikkei reported that NATO was planning to open its liaison office in Japan next year. According to the newspaper, "the station will allow the military alliance to conduct periodic consultations with Japan and key partners in the region such as South Korea, Australia and New Zealand." The official decision should be made before the NATO Summit in Vilnius on July 11-12, Nikkei says.
"NATO's continued eastward incursion into the Asia-Pacific and interference in regional affairs will inevitably undermine regional peace and stability and fuel confrontation," Mao said of the possible opening of a NATO liaison office in Japan next year.
In this regard, the Foreign Ministry spokeswoman called on other countries in the region to pay special attention to these destabilizing movements.
On the other hand, and to the question about the alleged assassination attempt on Russian President Vladimir Putin, after a drone was intercepted on Wednesday while flying over the Kremlin, Mao insisted once again that China's position in this conflict is already well known and asked the parties to avoid taking actions that "could further aggravate the situation".
The abbreviation ‘NATO’ stands for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, but the bloc has recently openly admitted that it also has interests in the Indo-Pacific. Last June, the bloc’s allies from the region participated in the NATO Summit for the first time ever.
NATO is “strengthening relations” with Japan, Australia, South Korea, and New Zealand because “in today’s complex security environment, relations with like-minded partners across the globe are increasingly important to address cross-cutting security issues and global challenges, as well as to defend the rules-based international order,” the bloc said in a statement last month.
Russia, which strongly opposes NATO’s expansion towards its borders, has also criticized the bloc’s attempts to spread its activities into Asia. In March, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the push by the US and its allies to create what he called a “global NATO” resembled the actions of Nazi Germany, Italy and Japan in the 1930s before the outbreak of World War II.
Russian forces struck command posts of two Ukrainian army brigades and a special operations center over the past day during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Thursday.
"In areas near the settlements of Novoandreyevka in the Zaporozhye Region, Belogorovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic and Nestryga Island in the Kherson Region, the command/observation posts of the Ukrainian army’s 128th mountain assault and 54th mechanized brigades and the special operations forces center were struck," the spokesman said.
In the past 24 hours, operational/tactical and army aviation, missile troops and artillery of the Russian group of forces struck 103 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions, manpower and military hardware in 118 areas, the general reported.
Russian forces destroy Ukrainian artillery ammo depot in Kupyansk area
Russian forces destroyed a Ukrainian artillery ammunition depot and roughly 30 enemy troops in the Kupyansk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
In the Kupyansk direction, operational/tactical and army aviation and artillery from the western battlegroup struck the enemy units in areas near the settlements of Novosyolovskoye in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Pershotravnevoye and Novomlynsk in the Kharkov Region, the spokesman said.
"As many as 30 Ukrainian personnel, two armored combat vehicles, three motor vehicles and a Gvozdika motorized artillery gun were destroyed. In the area of the settlement of Volchansk in the Kharkov Region, an artillery ammunition depot of the Ukrainian army’s 67th mechanized brigade was destroyed," the general said.
Russian forces neutralize six Ukrainian subversive groups in Kupyansk area
Russian forces neutralized six Ukrainian subversive groups in the Kupyansk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Kupyansk direction, in areas near the settlements of Stelmakhovka in the Kharkov Region, Kislovka, Sinkovka, Timkovka and Ivanovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic, the activity of six Ukrainian subversive/reconnaissance groups was thwarted," the spokesman said.
Russian forces eliminate 70 Ukrainian troops in Krasny Liman area
Russian combat aircraft and artillery struck Ukrainian army units in the Krasny Liman area, eliminating 70 enemy troops and one tank over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Krasny Liman direction, operational/tactical and army aviation and artillery from the battlegroup Center struck the enemy units in areas near the settlements of Terny and Serebryanka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Nevskoye and Chervonaya Dibrova in the Lugansk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.
The strikes eliminated as many as 70 Ukrainian troops, one tank, two infantry fighting vehicles, two pickup trucks and a Msta-B howitzer in that direction in the past 24 hours, the general specified.
Russian forces destroy 255 Ukrainian troops in Donetsk advance
Russian forces destroyed roughly 255 Ukrainian troops in their advance in the Donetsk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"As many as 255 Ukrainian troops, two armored combat vehicles, six motor vehicles, two D-20 howitzers and a Gvozdika motorized artillery system were destroyed in that direction during the last 24-hour period," the spokesman said.
In addition, Russian forces obliterated an ammunition depot of the Ukrainian army’s 54th mechanized brigade near the settlement of Belogorovka, the general added.
Russian assault teams destroying Ukrainian troops in Artyomovsk
Russian assault teams captured two urban areas and kept destroying enemy forces in the western part of Artyomovsk over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Donetsk direction, the assault teams captured two urban areas and continued destroying the enemy in the western part of the city of Artyomovsk. Operational/tactical and army aviation and artillery from the southern battlegroup struck units of the Ukrainian army’s 60th, 93rd and 54th motorized infantry brigades near the settlement of Krasnoye, the southwestern outskirts of Artyomovsk and Grigorovka," the spokesman said.
Russian Airborne Force units kept thwarting the enemy’s attempts to counter-attack from the flanks. In the past 24 hours, Russian combat aircraft flew six sorties and artillery of the southern battlegroup accomplished 57 firing objectives in that area to support the assault teams, Konashenkov reported.
Russian forces destroy 30 Ukrainian troops in southern Donetsk, Zaporozhye areas
Russian forces destroyed roughly 30 Ukrainian troops in the southern Donetsk and Zaporozhye areas over the past day, he said.
In the southern Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, assault and army aviation and artillery from Russia’s battlegroup East struck the Ukrainian army’s units in areas near the settlements of Ugledar, Vodyanoye and Velikaya Novosyolka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Chervonoye, Kamenskoye, Novodanilovka and Malaya Tokmachka in the Zaporozhye Region, the spokesman specified.
"The enemy’s losses in those directions in the past 24 hours amounted to 30 Ukrainian personnel, two armored combat vehicles, three motor vehicles, two D-30 howitzers and a Gvozdika self-propelled artillery gun," the general reported.
Russian forces destroy 35 Ukrainian troops, two howitzers in Kherson area
Russian forces destroyed about 35 Ukrainian troops and two howitzers in the Kherson area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Kherson direction, as many as 35 Ukrainian troops, six motor vehicles, a Gvozdika motorized artillery gun and D-30 and Msta-B howitzers were destroyed as a result of damage inflicted by firepower," the spokesman said.
Russian forces wipe out Ukrainian army’s fuel depot near Kirovograd
Russian forces destroyed a fuel depot of the Ukrainian army near Kirovograd over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the area of the city of Kirovograd, a fuel depot belonging to a Ukrainian battlegroup was destroyed," the spokesman said.
In the area of Slavyansk, Russian forces obliterated an ammunition depot of the Ukrainian army’s 66th mechanized brigade, the general added.
Russian air defenses intercept nine rockets, down 14 Ukrainian drones
Russian air defense forces intercepted nine rockets of the HIMARS, Uragan and Smerch multiple launch rocket systems and destroyed 14 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"During the last 24-hour period, air defense capabilities intercepted nine rockets of the HIMARS, Uragan and Smerch multiple launch rocket systems. In addition, they destroyed 14 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles in areas near the settlements of Novoprokofyevka in the Zaporozhye Region, Lyubovka, Kamenka, Lebyazhye and Kirillovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Lisichansk, Krivosheyevka and Chervonaya Dibrova in the Lugansk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.
In total, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 416 Ukrainian warplanes, 230 helicopters, 3,949 unmanned aerial vehicles, 421 surface-to-air missile systems, 8,967 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,095 multiple rocket launchers, 4,728 field artillery guns and mortars and 9,949 special military motor vehicles since the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine, Konashenkov reported.
The chair’s announcement comes the same week JPMorgan Chase announced their acquisition of First Republic Bank. Jamie Dimon, the CEO of JPMorgan Chase, said the sale "nearly" resolves the US banking crisis that began with the failure of Silicon Valley Bank.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell admitted on Wednesday that the American banking system remains “strong and resilient," but that the recent US financial hiccups could still pave the way for a recession.
Earlier Wednesday, the Federal Reserve hiked interest rates by 0.25% in another effort to fight inflation. The hike would put bank’s back on their toes, as the banking sector may continue to face one of its biggest challenges since the 2008 financial crisis.
“Our banking system is sound and resilient, with strong capital and liquidity,” the reserve chair said in his Wednesday remarks.
“We will continue to closely monitor conditions in the banking system and are prepared to use all of our tools as needed to keep it safe and sound. In addition, we are committed to learning the lessons from this episode and to work to prevent episodes—events like this from happening again.”
“With the support of the Treasury, the Federal Reserve Board created the Bank Term Funding Program to ensure that banks that hold safe and liquid assets can, if needed, borrow reserves against those assets at par,” Powell added in his announcement.
“This program, along with our long-standing discount window, is effectively meeting the unusual funding needs that some banks have faced and makes clear that ample liquidity in the system is available.”
However, Powell further warned it is possible the US may experience a mild recession.
"You know, the case of avoiding a recession is in my view more likely than that of having a recession," Powell said during the press conference. "It's possible that we will have what I hope would be a mild recession."
The timing of Powell’s announcement is awkward, as the increase in interest rates has played a role in the banking crisis, which began earlier this year with the downfall of Silicon Valley Bank as it upended the value of their bonds.
After SVB’s failure its neighbor Signature Bank also collapsed. Soon after First Republic Bank also plummeted and was momentarily taken over by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) before being auctioned to JPMorgan Chase. Both the FDIC and JPMorgan will share losses on the acquisition.
In a rare, bipartisan effort, Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Rick Scott (R-FL) proposed legislation on Wednesday to establish an independent inspector general to oversee the Federal Reserve.
US Risks Loosing Up to 8 Million Jobs in Event of Protracted Default
A protracted default scenario in the United States could lead to the loss of almost eight million jobs, the White House's Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) said on Wednesday.
"A recent analysis by Moody’s, using a different model of the macroeconomy, arrived at a similar conclusion. They predict that under a clean debt ceiling increase, job growth continues over the next few quarters, adding 900,000 jobs," the CEA said on the website.
"But under a protracted default scenario, job losses amount to almost 8 million, an extremely stark difference of similar magnitudes to our own modeling."
The CEA noted that "without the ability to spend on counter-cyclical measures such as extended unemployment insurance, Federal and state governments would be hamstrung in responding to this turmoil and unable to buffer households from the impacts."
In this scenario, "neither would households be able to borrow through the private sector as the interest rates on the financial instruments that households and businesses use — Treasury bonds, mortgages, and credit card interest rates — would skyrocket due to risks of an uncertain future."
"While policy makers have thus far, in the long history of our Nation, avoided inflicting such damage on the American and even global economies, virtually every analysis we have seen finds that default leads to deep, immediate recessionary conditions," the statement read.
"Economists may not agree on much, but when it comes to the magnitude of risks invoked by closely approaching or breaching the debt ceiling, we share this deeply troubling consensus."
The US Treasury Department in January notified Congress it started using "extraordinary measures" to keep the federal government from defaulting on its debts. In December 2021, Congress increased the statutory debt limit to about $31.381 trillion.
The Biden administration wants Congress to raise the debt ceiling without attaching other economic policy proposals. However, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has said that a "no-strings-attached" debt limit increase will not pass the lower chamber.
Last week, House Republicans passed the Limit, Save, Grow Act, which would raise the United States’ debt ceiling and reduce the deficit by cutting government spending. The bill would also recover unspent COVID-19 relief funds.
The US government will likely begin defaulting on its debt by June 1 if the congressional limit on the country’s debt servicing is not raised by then, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a letter to McCarthy.
Wakapolda Metro Jaya Brigjen Suyudi Ario Seto (tengah) bersama Kabid Humas Polda Metro Jaya dan Dirresnarkoba Polda Metro Jaya saat konferensi penggerebekan gudang obat-obatan jenis G, Rabu (3/5/2023) di Mapolres Metro Jakarta Barat. (KOMPAS.com/Tria Sutrisna)
Polres Metro Jakarta Barat mengungkapkan tindak pidana obat-obatan keras ilegal. Sebanyak 37,4 juta butir tramadol dan hexymer disita dari gudang penyimpanan di wilayah Kedoya.
Pengungkapan kasus ini berawal dari penangkapan pelaku tawuran di kawasan Palmerah, Jakarta Barat, yang kedapatan membawa dan mengonsumsi obat keras.
"Kalau sampai beredar akan membawa korban anak bangsa kepada tindakan melawan hukum. Seperti dalam penangkapan pelaku kasus tawuran, mereka mengonsumsi obat ini,” ujar Wakapolda Metro Jaya Brigjen Suyudi Ario Seto, pada hari Rabu, 03/05/2023.
Dalam perkara peredaran obat-obatan jenis G tanpa izin ini, polisi menangkap tiga tersangka berinisial KHK (55), AKA (38), AAM (38).
Mereka dijerat dengan Pasal 196 juncto Pasal 98 ayat 2 dan ayat 3, serta Pasal 197 juncto Pasal 106 ayat 1 Undang-Undang (UU) Nomor 36 tahun 2009 tentang Kesehatan.
Dari tawuran ke gudang obat-obatan
Suyudi mengungkapkan, peredaran dan gudang penyimpanan obat keras ilegal ini terkuak ketika Tim Patroli Perintis Presisi menangkap pelaku tawuran.
Dari salah satu pelaku yang ditangkap, petugas menemukan 10 butir obat tramadol dan hexymer untuk dikonsumsi sebelum tawuran. Kepada penyidik, pelaku mengaku mendapatkan obat jenis tramadol dan hexymer tersebut dari pengedar di kawasan Kedoya, Jakarta Barat.
Satres Narkoba Polres Metro Jakarta Barat kemudian berkoordinasi dengan Ditrektorat Reserse Narkoba Polda Metro Jaya untuk mendalami keterangan pelaku.
Dari hasil pendalaman, penyidik gabungan menangkap seorang pengedar berinisial KHK alias Acuk (55) dan menemukan gudang penyimpanan obat-obatan keras tersebut.
"Lalu dikembangkan dan berhasil menangkap pelaku AKA (38) pada Jumat 14 April 2023 di rumah di Sunter. Dikembangkan lagi dan berhasil ditangkap AAM (38) di apartemen Kelapa Gading, Jakarta Utara," kata Suyudi.
37,4 juta butir obat keras ditemukan
Kepolisian kemudian membongkar gudang yang menjadi tempat penyimpanan obat keras ilegal itu. Dari situ, penyidik menemukan jutaan tramadol dan hexymer yang belum atau sudah dikemas untuk diedarkan.
Secara terperinci, terdapat 28.320.000 butir tramadol, dan 9.098.000 butir hexymer yang ditemukan petugas dari lokasi. Jika dirupiahkan, barang bukti tersebut senilai Rp 497 miliar.
"Total 37.418.000 butir pil tramadol dan hexymer. Ditafsir harganya Rp 497,5 miliar," kata Suyudi.
Berdasarkan hasil penyidikan, gudang penyimpanan obat-obatan ilegal di wilayah Kedoya, Jakarta Barat itu sudah beroperasi sejak Desember 2021.
Selama itu pula pelaku menimbun dan juga mengedarkan obat tanpa izin di Ibu Kota, khususnya wilayah Jakarta Barat.
Suyudi menyebut, pelaku mengaku mendapatkan jutaan butir tramadol dan hexymer dari India. Mereka mengimpornya ke Indonesia secara bertahap sejak akhir 2021 sampai akhir 2022.
Pelaku bagian jaringan internasional
Kepolisian menduga bahwa KHK, AKA, dan AMM yang mengendalikan gudang penyimpanan dan mengedarkan obat-obatan tanpa izin memiliki relasi dengan bandar jaringan internasional.
Tramadol dan hexymer itu dibawa menggunakan kapal kargo dari India ke Indonesia melalui Singapura secara bertahap.
Setelah sampai di Indonesia, obat keras disimpan dan dikemas pelaku di gudang yang berada di Kedoya, Jakarta Barat, kemudian diperdagangkan tanpa izin.
"Melalui kargo atau ekspedisi kapal dari India kemudian transit di Singapura dan sampai ke Indonesia," kata Suyudi.
"Kemudian di-packing menjadi siap edar di salah satu ruko di Kedoya," sambungnya.
Kapolres Metro Jakarta Barat Kombes M Syahduddi menjelaskan bahwa jajarannya masih akan mendalami lagi kasus peredaran obat keras asal India ini.
Dia pun menyebut bahwa tidak menutup kemungkinan ada keterlibatan pihak lain yang membantu para tersangka memasukkan obat keras itu ke tanah air.
"Tidak menutup kemungkinan mungkin akan ada beberapa pihak-pihak yang terlibat dalam aktivitas kegiatan memasukkan barang-barang ilegal ini, untuk dikembangkan lebih lanjut," ungkap Syahduddi.
