WATCH Russian forces destroy US-made armor

Russia’s Defense Ministry has published a video clip from the front line with Ukraine showing the destruction of an Abrams M1 tank and a Bradley fighting vehicle, armaments supplied to Kiev by Washington.

The American-made hardware was struck by Russian FPV-drones and artillery, the ministry said on Saturday. The Abrams tank was rendered inoperable by a Krasnopol guided artillery shell, it added.

The footage, uploaded on the ministry’s Telegram channel, appears to show the moment the American-made tank was struck, Ukrainian troops fleeing the damaged armor and the Abrams being finished off by explosive-laden UAVs.

It also included images of a huge cloud of smoke coming out of the Bradley after being hit by Russian forces. The vehicle then tries to flee the scene, but the driver apparently loses control, crashing into trees.

”We were striking, we’re striking and we’ll keep striking,” the ministry vowed in a caption attached to the video, apparently referring to military equipment that Ukraine has received from the US and other Western backers.

The ministry has provided no details on where or when the video was recorded. However, several Telegram channels had earlier claimed that the US hardware had been blown up near Avdeevka, in Russia’s Donetsk People’s Republic. Moscow’s forces captured the strategic town back in February after a lengthy battle.

According to reports, the Bradley was hit during a failed attempt to assist the burning Abrams.

An Abrams tank and a Bradley infantry fighting vehicle are among dozens of exhibits at the display of Western-supplied hardware captured in Ukraine, which opened in Moscow on Wednesday.

”No Western military equipment will change the situation on the battlefield. The enemy will be defeated. Our victory is inevitable,” the Russian Defense Ministry said as it promoted the exhibition.

Russia has repeatedly warned that the supply of arms, the sharing of intelligence, and the training of Ukrainian troops has made the US and its allies de-facto parties to the conflict between Moscow and Kiev.

Russia shoots down four US-made long-range missiles – MOD

Russian air defenses have shot down four US-manufactured long-range missiles over Crimea, according to the Defense Ministry in Moscow.

On Saturday night, Kiev’s forces attempted “to carry out a terrorist attack” against the Russian peninsula using surface-to-surface Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) supplied by Washington, the ministry said in a post on Telegram. The strike was intercepted, it added.

On Tuesday, the Defense Ministry claimed that six ATACMS projectiles had been downed in a single day, without specifying the location of the strikes. In total, 15 such missiles have been intercepted in the past seven days, Moscow reported on Saturday.

In late April, US officials confirmed earlier media reports that the Pentagon had secretly shipped an unspecified number of long-range missiles to Ukraine as part of an arms package announced by President Joe Biden in mid-March.

The “goal” of supplying Kiev with ATACMS was to put more pressure on Crimea and allow Ukrainian forces to target the peninsula “more effectively,” the New York Times reported at a time, citing an unnamed Pentagon official.

Moscow said the provision of long-range missiles would only spell “more problems” for Kiev. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov insisted that the use of ATACMS would not impact the outcome of the conflict, or prevent Russia from achieving its security goals.

On Friday, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova warned that any Western-backed Ukrainian attack against the Russian peninsula, or the Crimean Bridge which connects it to the Krasnodar Region, would spark a forceful response.

I would like to again warn Washington, London, Brussels, that any aggressive actions against Crimea are not only doomed to failure, but will also be met with a retaliatory blow,” she said during a media briefing.

We Hear You: Russia Deploys 'Sound-Spotter' Drone Detectors in Special Op Zone

Detection of Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles remains an important mission for Russian forces, who have started to use devices capable of tracking down enemy drones not only by radio frequencies, but by sound as well.

©Sputnik/Viktor Antonyuk/Go to the mediabank

A first batch of sophisticated multi-purpose devices for detecting drones has been delivered to the Russian special military operation, the press service of the Chechen Republic-based Tallamho Design Bureau told reporters.

The Malik acoustic drone detector, which was earlier tested in a simulated combat mission, can use sounds emanating from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to spot them at a range of up to 330 meters.

Thanks to the unique technology developed by Tallamho engineers, Malik can detect even the quietest sounds from any type of drone.

"No matter what frequencies a drone operates at, it still makes sounds when running. The sounds differ in various types of UAVs so we collect 'a library' of drone sound features and upload them on the server. Those who use the Malik detectors can connect them to the internet and automatically replenish the list of [sound] signatures," Tallamho developers earlier said.

They added that Malik has two modifications, including a device designed to protect dugouts, trenches, and vehicles. Another version is a more compact personal drone detector attached to a soldier’s bulletproof vest.

Apart from detecting drones, Malik is also capable of tracking down rangefinders, anti-tank guided missile lasers and sniper scopes. For example, the device can detect the infrared rangefinder beam aimed at a Russian soldier at night at a distance of 630 meters.

Identifying airborne objects by sound ­– also known as sound-spotting – dates back to the First World War, when the world's first sound reconnaissance unit was created in the Russian Army.

Ukraine's Total Military Casualties in Donetsk Reach 5,100 in Past Week

The Ukrainian armed forces have suffered over 5,100 military casualties in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) in the past week as a result of operations by the southern, central and eastern groupings of the Russian armed forces, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Saturday.

"During the week, in this direction [as a result of actions by the central grouping of Russian forces] Kiev lost more than 2,405 servicepeople, three tanks, including US-made Abrams, 20 armored combat vehicles, including four US-made Bradley, 27 vehicles, 33 field artillery guns, including 14 of Western manufacture," the ministry said.

As a result of successful operations, the units of the central grouping of Russian forces improved the front line and liberated the towns of Novobakhmutovka, Semenovka and Berdychi in the Donetsk People's Republic. They also defeated formations of 14 Ukrainian brigades and repulsed 66 enemy counterattacks in the areas of Leninskoe, Umanskoe, New-York, Novokalinovo, Ocheretyno and Netailovo, the Defense Ministry said.

In addition, units of Russia's eastern grouping improved their tactical position during the week, with Kiev losing up to 745 troops, the ministry said.

Russian troops of the southern grouping continued to advance deep into Ukraine's defenses over the past week, defeating 14 brigades and repelling four counterattacks, with Kiev losing more than 2,000 soldiers, it added.

The western grouping of Russian forces destroyed one tank, three armored fighting vehicles, two Grad MLRS combat vehicles, and 27 field artillery pieces, including 13 Western-made, while Ukraine lost up to 975 soldiers, the ministry said.

'Victory Will Be Ours': Attendees on Moscow NATO Trophy Weapons Exhibition

An exhibition of Western and Ukrainian arms captured by Russian forces during the special military operation opened in Moscow's Victory Park on Poklonnaya Hill on May 1, 2024.

In interviews with Sputnik, ordinary Russians have not minced their words about their visit to the NATO trophy weapons exhibition currently being held in a Moscow park.

"As my mother said, emotions are boiling over, we'd like to spit with rage [at these pieces of military hardware]," one visitor said, while another warned that "those who come to us with the sword will perish by the sword. Another visitor expressed confidence that "victory will be ours.

The exhibition features 31 pieces of captured military equipment from 12 countries, including the German Leopard 2A6 tank and Marder infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), as well as the US M113 personnel carrier and M1 Abrams tank.

Peter Szijjarto Says Macron’s Ukraine idea could start WWIII And Kremlin accuses Macron and Cameron of dangerous talk

Moscow Kremlin, Russia.
©Evgeniy Biyatov; RIA Novosti

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has condemned the latest remarks from French President Emmanuel Macron about the option of sending troops to Ukraine, and has warned such a move could ultimately spark an all-out nuclear war.

Speaking to French broadcaster LCI on Thursday, Szijjarto was asked for his take on Macron’s renewed threat to deploy his country’s troops to back up Kiev. The diplomat strongly condemned the idea, saying that the French leader’s comments themselves have contributed to escalating the situation.

“If a NATO member commits ground troops, it will be a direct NATO-Russia confrontation and it will then be World War Three,” Szijjarto told the broadcaster.

Macron made fresh belligerent remarks in an interview with The Economist published Thursday, doubling down on previous statements about the prospect of deploying French troops to Ukraine. The president said his original remarks, made earlier this year, were a “strategic wake-up call for my counterparts.” He suggested that Paris could deploy troops “if the Russians were to break through the front lines” and a request for help came from Kiev.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto.
©AFP/Attila Kisbenedek

Hungary’s top diplomat also criticized Macron’s idea that France’s nuclear weapons could become a part of a “credible European defense.”

“In peacetime it would be different, but in wartime such statements can be misinterpreted and have serious consequences,” Szijjarto stated, warning that, should the situation escalate into a global nuclear war, “it will be over for everyone.”

Speaking to Hungarian broadcaster M1 earlier in the day, the minister also rejected NATO’s proposed €100 billion ($107 billion) five-year plan for a war chest to prop up Ukraine, floated by Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, describing it as “madness.”

“In the coming weeks during negotiations we will fight for Hungary’s right to stay away from this madness, from collecting these 100 billion and siphoning them out of Europe,” Szijjarto stated.

Hungary has been consistently opposed to the growing involvement of both the US-led NATO and the EU in the Ukrainian conflict, refusing to support Kiev militarily, including through sending weaponry or training Ukrainian troops.

Kremlin accuses Macron and Cameron of dangerous talk

Recent statements made by French President Emmanuel Macron and British Foreign Secretary David Cameron are part of an ongoing “verbal escalation” by Western officials, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday.

In an interview with The Economist this week, Macron set out two key conditions for sending French troops to Ukraine: “If the Russians were to break through the front lines” and if there was a “Ukrainian request.” The French president also outlined his “strategic objective” of making sure Russia does not win in Ukraine, arguing that such a development would threaten European security.

Meanwhile, former UK Prime Minister and current Foreign Secretary David Cameron told Reuters on Thursday that London will continue to send Kiev some $3 billion annually “for as long as it takes” and suggested that Ukraine has every right to use British weapons to strike targets deep inside Russia.

Responding to these comments, Peskov said that the statements made by Macron and Cameron represent a “very dangerous trend” that could threaten security on the continent.

“France, represented by the head of state, continues to constantly talk about the possibility of its direct involvement on the ground in the conflict around Ukraine. This is a very dangerous trend, we are watching it closely,” the Kremlin spokesman stated.

As for Cameron’s assertion that Kiev can use British weapons to attack Russia, Peskov warned that such “verbal escalation” around the Ukrainian conflict could “potentially pose a danger to European security and the entire European security architecture.”

Despite these “concerning” trends, the Kremlin spokesman insisted that Moscow will continue to carry out its special military operation in Ukraine until all of its goals are achieved.

Earlier this week, Peskov had also addressed the concerns being raised by a number of European leaders about a supposed attack from Russia once the Ukraine conflict is over. The spokesman reiterated that Moscow has no plans or interest in targeting any European nations and dismissed the accusations as “horror stories” made up to distract people from domestic problems in their own countries.

“European capitals are escalating tension in every possible way… trying to fool their population with these horror stories about terrible Russians who will never stop and continue moving forward. That’s absolutely groundless,” Peskov said, adding that the officials pushing such claims may be trying to “compensate for the loss of their image, their rating.”

Similar statements were also made by Russian President Vladimir Putin in March, when he dismissed talk of a potential Russian attack on Europe as an attempt to scare local citizens in order to “extract additional money from people.”

Treason Alert! Explosive 800-Page Congressional Report Confirms Systematic Censorship of the American People by Joe Biden

A massive 800-page report was just released by the Weaponization Subcommittee detailing the Biden administration’s extensive campaign to censor Americans.

Titled “The Censorship-industrial Complex: How Top Biden White House Officials Coerced Big Tech to Censor Americans, True Information, and Critics of the Biden Administration,” the document features internal emails and texts from Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon, and YouTube employees.

Analysts are reporting it confirms the current regime’s censorship of books, vaccine warnings, and much more. The House Judiciary Committee is already calling the discoveries “damning.”

“This congressional report is beyond damming,” said Jones on X Friday. “It documents, the systematic Deep State war against the American people and our cherished way of life.”

“The Obama/Biden regime working with big Tech and Legacy media has been caught red-handed engaging in active treason against our Republic.”

Swiss conference to be showcase for Zelensky's failed peace plan — Medvedev

Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev
©Yekaterina Shtukina/POOL/TASS

The conference on the Ukraine conflict in Switzerland will expose Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky's failed peace agenda, while Russia will continue to work on the return of its ancestral territories without paying any attention to this initiative, Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said.

"What are the advantages of the Swiss 'peace conference' for Russia?… Primarily, it will be another proof of the collapse of the so-called peace plan from that dimwit Zelensky," the senator wrote on his Telegram channel.

"It will allow our armed forces to continue cleaning the territory of Novorossiya from neo-Nazis without interference and without looking back at someone's moronic 'peace initiatives,' and all of us - to carry out meticulous work on... the speedy return of our ancestral territories to Russia," Medvedev pointed out.

Earlier, the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs said that Bern had invited more than 160 delegations, including those from the G7, the G20 and the BRICS countries, to the conference on Ukraine, which will be held on June 15-16 in the Burgenstock resort. According to the country's authorities, Russia is not among the invitees "at this stage."

Cameron’s claims about Ukrainian strikes on Russia 'a direct escalation' — Kremlin

The Kremlin views British Foreign Secretary David Cameron’s claims that Kiev is entitled to use British-made weapons for strikes on Russia as a direct escalation, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"We see this kind of verbal escalation from officials. We see it both at the level of heads of state, when it comes to France, and at a rather expert level, when it comes to the UK," the spokesman said.

"This is a direct escalation of tensions around the Ukrainian conflict, which could potentially pose a threat to European security, for the entire European security architecture," Peskov added.

He characterized Cameron’s remarks as "yet another very dangerous claim."

"We register this kind of dangerous trend towards escalation of tensions in official statements. This is concerning," the spokesman said.

On May 2, Reuters published an interview with Cameron, in which he claimed that Ukraine has a right to carry out strikes on targets in Russia using British-made weapons. Later, the interview was withdrawn - according to the news agency, "pending review of certain details in the story."

The new version was published at midnight, and did not differ from the initial material. It also contained London’s promise to continue providing $3.74 billion of aid to Ukraine annually for as long as it would take.

Saudi Arabia and Indonesia Lobby EU to Halt Russian Asset Confiscation

Saudi Arabia and Indonesia are trying to persuade EU countries to abandon the confiscation of Russian assets.

The countries have been lobbying EU capitals not to seize the assets, fearing for the future of their own reserves held in the West, the Financial Times reports, citing officials.

While the US and Canada continue to push for the confiscation of Russian assets, the EU "remains highly cautious, resulting in a stalemate," the outlet said.

Confiscating Russian assets could trigger a wave of reparations claims stemming from long-standing disputes, such as those against Germany after the two world wars, as well as former colonies making claims against former imperialist powers, the FT noted, citing EU officials.

"Moving from freezing the assets, to confiscating them, to disposing of them [could carry the risk of] breaking the international order that you want to protect," European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said.

While Ukraine insists on the complete seizure of Russia's assets, G7 officials privately declare that such a step is "no longer on the table." The Russian Foreign Ministry has called the freezing of Russian assets theft, noting that such an attempt violates international law.

According to Politico, several countries sympathetic to Russia, including China, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia, are pressuring the EU behind closed doors to drop the idea of confiscating Russia’s frozen assets.

By doing so, these countries are pushing the EU to continue resisting pressure from the US and U.K. to seize more than €200 billion of Russian state assets, which the EU immobilized after February 2022’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

According to sources close to Politico, China, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia are skeptical of the idea.

The concern is, “this would create a precedent” ― in other words, these countries would fear they could be next to lose out.

For the time being, the idea of confiscating Russian assets will not be implemented, as particularly Western EU countries are refusing to give in on the matter, for fear of any legal ramifications and possible destabilization within the eurozone.

In addition, there is a fear that taking such a step would decrease trust in Western financial institutions, as reported by The Guardian. Additionally, there are concerns in some quarters that Moscow might retaliate against European business interests in Russia.

The clash over whether to commandeer Russia’s frozen assets

At the recent gathering of G20 finance ministers in Brazil, delegates were gripped by a deep sense of unease over a pressing issue: the potential seizure or use of Russian assets frozen under the western sanctions that followed its The Russia's Special Military Operation in Ukraine.

Two ministers — Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed al-Jadaan and Indonesia’s Sri Mulyani Indrawati — were among those particularly alarmed by the idea. Were G7 countries seriously preparing to do this? And had they considered the full implications of such a drastic step?

Their questions to their western counterparts cut to the heart of a fraught debate over whether hundreds of billions of euros in frozen Russian central bank assets should be mobilised to help fund Ukraine as the conflict there drags into a third year.

Doing so would deliver a financial boost with the potential to turn the war in Kyiv’s favour, argue those in support, led by the US. For opponents of the idea, such a move risks setting a dangerous precedent in international law — one that could endanger not only the interests of any country that falls out with western capitals, but also the international legal order itself.

For now, Kyiv is relying on the $61bn package of military aid approved by the US Senate on April 24 following months of political wrangling. But US President Joe Biden is pressing his allies to seek ways of tapping into the roughly €260bn of Russian reserves, with the G7 leaders’ summit in Italy next month seen as a key moment to push for progress.

“We immobilised the assets together; we would like to mobilise them together as well,” says Daleep Singh, White House deputy national security adviser for international economics. 

Russia's ability to mete out like-for-like retaliation if Western leaders seize its frozen assets has been eroded by dwindling foreign investment, but officials and economists say there are still ways it can strike back.

The United States wants to seize immobilised Russian reserves - around $300 billion globally - and hand them to Ukraine, while EU leaders favour ringfencing profits from the assets, estimating they will total 15-20 billion euros by 2027.

Much of that money is centrally held, meaning it is accessible if the West decides to go after it.

Russia says any attempt to take its capital or interest would be "banditry" and has warned of catastrophic consequences, although it has been vague about exactly how it might respond.

Former President Dmitry Medvedev on Saturday acknowledged that Russia did not have enough U.S. state property to retaliate symmetrically and would have to go after private investors' cash instead - a step he said would be no less painful.

Russia does not disclose how much is in the accounts, held by the country's National Settlement Depository, a sanctioned entity. Russian officials have said the amount is comparable to the $300 billion of Russian reserves frozen.

"Payouts on blocked assets in type-C accounts could start to be seized in favour of the state," said Vladimir Yazev, investment portfolio manager at investment firm Aigenis.

Leo/Daniel pastikan Indonesia juara Grup C Piala Thomas

Pebulu tangkis ganda putra Indonesia Leo Rolly Carnando (kiri) dan Daniel Marthin (kanan) berusaha mengembalikan kok ke arah lawannya pebulu tangkis ganda putra Thailand Sirawit Sothon dan Natthapat Trinkajee dalam babak kualifikasi grup Piala Thomas 2024 di Chengdu Hi Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium, Chengdu, China, pada hari Senin, 29/04/2024). ANTARA FOTO/Galih Pradipta/foc. (ANTARA FOTO/GALIH PRADIPTA)

Ganda putra Leo Rolly Carnando/Daniel Marthin memastikan Indonesia keluar sebagai juara Grup C Piala Thomas 2024 yang diadakan di Chengdu Hi Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium, Chengdu, China, Rabu.

Leo/Daniel menang atas pasangan India Dhruv Kapila/Sai Pratheek melalui dua gim langsung dengan skor 22-20, 21-11 dalam tempo 38 menit.

Di atas kertas, Leo/Daniel memang lebih unggul bila dibandingkan dengan pasangan India ini. Namun, pada awal gim pertama, kedua pasangan masih sama-sama mencari pola permainan apa yang cocok untuk menghadapi lawan masing-masing.

Perebutan angka berlangsung cukup alot, terutama pada pertengahan gim pertama, di mana Leo/Daniel dan Kapila/Pratheek saling bersaing memperebutkan keunggulan.

Bermain dengan cepat dan agresif, sang juara bertahan Indonesia Masters pun akhirnya merebut gim pertama dengan skor tipis 22-20.

“Di gim pertama memang cukup ketat, tapi kita coba pelan-pelan dan tidak boleh terbawa dengan tempo lawan dan tetap fokus,” kata Leo saat ditemui setelah pertandingan.

“Kami tidak kaget, hanya saja kemampuan mereka masing-masing juga terbilang baik. Tapi kami mencoba fokus dan lebih mengontrol,” ujar Daniel.

Berbekal kepercayaan diri setelah merebut kemenangan pertama mereka, Leo/Daniel kembali menerapkan strategi yang lebih mengandalkan kecepatan dan pertahanan yang rapat, sehingga membuat pasangan India terlihat tidak nyaman dan kesulitan untuk mengantisipasi bola dari wakil Indonesia.

Unggul jauh 17-8, Leo/Daniel semakin memperpanjang keunggulan mereka dengan meraih matchpoint lalu membungkus kemenangan gim kedua dengan skor cukup telak 21-11.

“Setelah ini, kami akan memberikan yang terbaik untuk Indonesia (pada perempat final nanti),” kata Leo.

Dengan ini, maka skuad putra Indonesia sudah dipastikan bertemu dengan runner up grup lainnya, alih-alih unggulan satu dan dua. Besar harapan bagi Tim Merah-Putih untuk bisa meneruskan tradisi medali pada ajang beregu dunia kali ini.

Dua kemenangan lainnya yang dibukukan oleh skuad putra Indonesia adalah melalui ganda putra Bagas Maulana/Muhammad Shohibul Fikri dan tunggal putra Jonatan Christie.

Sementara itu, Indonesia masih menyisakan tunggal putra Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo yang akan menghadapi Kidambi Srikanth pada partai terakhir fase grup hari ini.

Western hardware trophy show opens in Moscow - Videos/Photos

An exhibition featuring dozens of Western tanks and armored vehicles captured during the Ukraine conflict has opened in Moscow. The trophy show also includes a newly arrived US-made M1 Abrams tank which was knocked out not far from the Donbass town of Avdeevka.

The display kicked off on Wednesday near the Victory Museum, which is dedicated to World War II and the Soviet triumph over Nazi Germany in 1945. The exhibition, which will run throughout May, is also opening ahead of Victory Day in the Great Patriotic War, one of Russia’s most important holidays, which is celebrated on May 9.

The Russian Defense Ministry said that the exhibition would also include a US-made Abrams tank and M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicle. The latter specializes in mine-clearing operations and is also based on the Abrams tank.

Both vehicles were captured by Russian troops during their offensive near the settlement of Berdychi, not far from the Donbass town of Avdeevka, officials said. Earlier this week, the ministry shared clips of the Abrams tank burning after being hit by two anti-tank guided missiles.

The Defense Ministry noted that in addition, the exhibition also features 32 other trophy vehicles, including a German-made Leopard 2A6 tank and Marder infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), US-made Bradley IFV, UK-made AT105 Saxon and Husky TSV armored vehicles, as well as many others.

The Defense Ministry noted that in addition, the exhibition also features 32 other trophy vehicles, including a German-made Leopard 2A6 tank and Marder infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), US-made Bradley IFV, UK-made AT105 Saxon and Husky TSV armored vehicles, as well as many others.

©Telegram/mod_russia

The exhibition also has many types of NATO-made small arms and engineering equipment on display, plus Ukrainian drones and communication systems. The show is divided into several thematic areas, with visitors having the opportunity to learn the combat characteristics of the Western-made weapons as well as how the particular equipment was captured, the ministry said.

©Telegram/mod_russia

The trophy display opened after Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said last month that Moscow’s forces are steadily pushing back Ukrainian troops.

©Telegram/mod_russia

On Sunday, Ukraine’s top general, Aleksandr Syrsky admitted retreating from several settlements in Donbass, and described the “most difficult situation” along several operational fronts.