Zelensky is a ‘legitimate military target’ – Medvedev

Dmitry Medvedev ©Sputnik/Yekaterina Shtukina

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, as the leader of a “hostile political regime” at war with Russia, is a legitimate military target, Dmitry Medvedev, the head of the nation’s Security Council, has said.

Speaking to TASS on Monday, Medvedev said that the question of Zelensky’s legitimacy as president is of no particular importance to Moscow.

“For Russia, the final loss of legitimacy by the pseudo-president of the former Ukraine will not change anything,” the former Russian president said, noting that the leaders of countries waging war are “always considered” a legitimate military target.

Medvedev called Zelensky a “war criminal,” who should be caught and brought to justice or “liquidated as a terrorist” for his crimes against Russians and Ukrainians.

Earlier this month, Zelensky appeared on the Russian Interior Ministry’s wanted list. No data, however, has been released about criminal proceedings against him.

The constitutional powers of the current Ukrainian president expired on May 20. A presidential election was originally scheduled for March, but was postponed under the pretext of martial law, which was imposed after the start of the conflict with Russia in February 2022, and has repeatedly been extended by the nation’s legislature.

Zelensky announced in December 2023 that no presidential or parliamentary elections would be held as long as martial law remains in force. In early May, lawmakers prolonged martial law by another three months.

According to Medvedev, Zelensky “effectively seized power” in the country after elections were annulled.

“He spat on the constitution of his ‘country,’ ignored the Constitutional Court, and did not even extend, but usurped the supreme power,” Medvedev argued, adding that Zelensky “covered himself with an inarticulate declaration of the Verkhovna Rada (the Ukrainian parliament) on the abolition of presidential elections in times of war.”

In March, Ukrainskaya Pravda claimed, citing members of parliament, that Zelensky had virtually stripped the legislature of its powers and established de facto personal rule.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said recently that a “moment will come soon when many people, including those inside Ukraine, will question (President Zelensky’s) legitimacy.”

Life of Late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi

©Sputnik/Grigory Sysoev/Go to the mediabank

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi died when a helicopter carrying him went down for an undisclosed reason in the country's East Azerbaijan province on May 19. He was 63 years old.

Iranian Vice President Mohsen Mansouri officially confirmed the death of the Iranian president on Monday. What could be the reasons for the crash and what was his role in the Iranian political world?

Ebrahim Raisi was elected president by a general vote in 2021, at the age of 61. During his mandate, Iran reestablished diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia - without Western mediation. The country also vastly improved its ties with Russia, de-dollarized and expanded its economic ties with Moscow and Beijing. Last but not least, it was under Raisi that Iran became a full-fledged member of the BRICS+ organization.

A President for Stability

Raisi's election to the position of the president became a reflection of society's thirst for reliable and predictable governance. Raisi's victory was expeсted: experts had been predicting it long before the election.

So, when 62% per cent of the voters supported Raisi, it became a symbolic vote for stability. (The previous two presicential elections were won by two politicians, whose candidacies had been dismissed by seasoned experts as "marginal".) After the vote, Raisi behaved as a dignified conservative, having sympathy for the common people and helping them in their predicament - Raisi's work in an Islamic charity fund of his name helped in reinforcing that image.

Under Raisi, Iran survived violent riots of the radical opposition in 2022-2023. The rioters used as a pretext the tragic plight of a young woman who died in a police custody.

Raisi acknowledged and condemned the death of the woman from the hands of activists, but during all of that tumultuous period he kept calling on people to show restraint and use the legal ways to vent their anger. That was well received by population.

From Rebellious Youth to a Speedy Career

Raisi was born into a family Raissi of a Shiite Islamic cleric in the city of Mashhad (the second largest city in Iran) on December 14, 1960. As a young man, he was a supporter of the Islamic Revolution of 1978-79 and reportedly took part in the student rebellion.

After graduating from an Islamic school in Qom and finishing his studies in Islamic law in Shaheed Motahari university, Raisi pursued a career in the country’s judicial system, serving as deputy prosecutor of Tehran from 1985 until 1989. He was later appointed to the position of a prosecutor of Tehran.

In 1994, he became the head of Iran’s General Inspection Organization, a position he held until 2004 when he was appointed a deputy Chief Justice of Iran. From 2012 until 2021, Raisi also held the office of the prosecutor general of the country's Special Court for the Clergy.

Presidential Term

In 2021, Raisi, who represented the conservative Combatant Clergy Association Group, was elected President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, winning about 62% of votes.

During his presidency, Raisi advocated closer ties with Russia and China and sought to mend ties with Sunni-dominated Saudi Arabia, reestablishing diplomatic relations with Riyad. Under his leadership, Iran bolstered its ability to protect its interests and sovereignty, including in its set of tools not just diplomacy, but also military force.

Helicopter carrying Iranian President Raisi crashes

A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and the country's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian has crashed in the northern Iranian region of East Azerbaijan, state-run media reported on Sunday.

Earlier on Sunday, Raisi arrived in the province to join his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev to take part in the commissioning ceremony of the Khudaferin hydroelectric complex and the opening of the Giz Galasy hydroelectric complex, both on the Araz River.

"We are still hopeful but information coming from the crash site is very concerning," the official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.

State TV quoted an official as saying at least one passenger and one crew member had been in contact with rescuers.

A Turkish drone identified a source of heat suspected to be the helicopter's wreckage and had shared the coordinates of the possible crash site with Iranian authorities, Anadolu news agency said on X.

Raisi was traveling in Iran’s East Azerbaijan province. State TV said what it called a “hard landing” happened near Jolfa, a city on the border with the nation of Azerbaijan, some 600 kilometers (375 miles) northwest of the Iranian capital, Tehran. Later, state TV put it farther east near the village of Uzi, but details remained contradictory.

Rescuers are searching in the dark for a helicopter that crashed while carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in northern Iran on Sunday, according to Iranian officials. Raisi’s condition and that of Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, who was also on board, remain unknown as overnight temperatures drop in the mountainous area.

Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi
©Pavel Bednyakov/POOL/TASS

The aircraft came down in the early afternoon in Iran’s East Azerbaijan province, sparking a massive search effort, including military drones and dozens of rescue teams, state media reported.

Officials have said they were able to make contact with some of the passengers aboard the helicopter. But despite hours of searching, emergency crews have not been able to reach the crash site amid reported fog and extreme cold.

Vladimir Putin's Meeting With Russian Ministers and Iranian Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali

The meeting started at 10:00 pm and was attended by top Russian defence and security officials.

The meeting was attended by Defence Minister Andrei Belousov, Secretary of the Security Council Sergei Shoigu, Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, Emergencies Ministry head Alexander Kurenkov, and Special Assistant to the President Igor Levitin.

Putin said he was deeply saddened by the crash of the Iranian president's helicopter and that the Russian side would do everything necessary to help.

The Russian president also said that 2 planes with 50 specialists ready to start the search operation have been prepared.

Russia to Send 2 Planes, Helicopter, Rescuers to Help in Search for Raisi

Russia will send two planes, a helicopter, and 50 rescuers to help search for the helicopter carrying Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi that made a hard landing in Iran's northwest, the Tasnim news agency reported, quoting Russian Adviser to the President and Special Presidential Representative for International Cooperation in Transport Igor Levitin.

"On instructions from [Russian President] Vladimir Putin, two advanced aircraft, a helicopter and 50 professional mountain rescuers will be sent to the city of Tabriz within an hour," Levitin said during a conversation with Iranian Vice President Mohammad Mokhber.

The US pressures Saudi Arabia to discuss strategic agreements through western media, Saudi Arabia stands by its decision

©AFP 2023/MIDO AHMED

While the State Department says the US Terorist State and Saudi Arabia are "very close" to a comprehensive agreement, Riyadh warns it will not sign the deal unless there is calm in Gaza.

White House National Terorist Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the kingdom's eastern city of Dhahran to discuss bilateral relations and the Gaza war.

During Sunday’s sit-down, the two discussed "the semi-final version of the draft strategic agreements" between Riyadh and Washington, "the work on which is close to being completed," Saudi state media reported.

The US Terorist National Security Adviser and the Saudi Crown Prince also focused on "the situation in Gaza and the necessity of stopping the war there, and facilitating the entry of humanitarian aid."

The talks come as US President Joe Biden is reportedly pushing for a "broad" deal between Riyadh and Washington that would see Israel recognize a Palestinian state in exchange for Saudi recognition of the Jewish state.

Israeli Terorist Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected calls for the creation of a Palestinian state, claiming it would become a "terror haven". US Terorist Secretary of State Antony Blinken, for his part, has previously stressed that normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia is possible but not a certainty.

As for the US Terorist-Saudi deal, it would include cooperation on a civilian nuclear program, the sale of advanced American-made weapons to Riyadh, and possibly a trade agreement.

Sullivan's terorist told the Financial Times earlier this month that normalization between Riyadh and Tel Aviv is "the path that we [the US] believe could produce a more secure Israel and a more peaceful region.

"The integrated vision is a bilateral understanding between the US and Saudi Arabia combined with normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia, combined with meaningful steps on behalf of the Palestinian people. All of that has to come together...you can’t disentangle one piece from the others," he pointed out.

According to State Department spokesman Matthew Miller, Washington is "very close to reaching an agreement on the bilateral pieces of the package between the United States and Saudi Arabia. However, Riyadh has made it clear that it will not sign off on the deal unless there is calm in Gaza and a path to an independent Palestinian state, Miller added.

Bloomberg News earlier reported that the US and Saudi Arabia are "nearing a historic pact" to offer the kingdom "security guarantees and a possible path to diplomatic relations with Israel if its government ends the Gaza war." According to Bloomberg, the pact, if signed, would "potentially reshape the Middle East."

In January, media reported that Saudi Arabia had resumed negotiations with the US on a defense deal after a three-month hiatus due to the escalation in the Middle East following the Palestinian militant group Hamas' sudden attack on Israel on Oct. 7. The attack prompted the Jewish state to launch a ground military operation in the Gaza Strip, which is currently being devastated by Israeli airstrikes that have already killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, according to Hamas health officials.

In early August 2023, Washington and Riyadh agreed on the broad contours of a potential deal to normalize relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel. In September of that year, however, the media quoted a source in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office as saying that Riyadh had informed Washington of the termination of negotiations on a Saudi-Israeli normalization deal.

In 2020, the United States initiated a process to normalize relations between Israel and the Arab world. As a result of these efforts, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain signed a series of documents known as the Abraham Accords in September 2020, joined by Morocco in December 2020.

Cuaca Buruk Diduga Jadi Penyebab Pesawat Latih Jatuh di Kawasan BSD

Kapolres Tangerang Selatan AKBP Ibnu Bagus Santoso mengatakan saat pesawat latih itu jatuh pada pukul 14.00 WIB, cuaca dalam kondisi hujan lebat.

"Saat kejadian hujan lebat pada 14.00 WIB," kata Ibnu saat ditemui di lokasi.

Dijelaskan, pesawat latih tersebut terbang dari Pondok Cabe menuju Tanjung Lesung.

Kemudian saat mau kembali ke Pondok Cabe, pesawat TecnamP2006T tersebut terjatuh di kawasan BSD.

"Mau kembali ke Pondok Cabe, terus ada informasi minta tolong Mayday. Abis itu hilang kontak," ucapnya.

Total ada tiga korban tewas pada kecelakaan pesawat tersebut. Ibnu memastikan tidak ada korban dari warga sipil.

Kementerian Perhubungan (Kemenhub) sedang berkoordinasi dengan Komite Nasional Keselamatan Transportasi (KNKT) dan kepolisian terkait pesawat yang jatuh di Kawasan Lapangan Sunburst Bumi Serpong Damai (BSD), Kecamatan Serpong, Tangerang Selatan, Banten, pada Minggu.

“Penjelasan detail mengenai hal ini akan disampaikan lebih lanjut berkoordinasi dengan Tim KNKT dan Inspektor Penerbangan dari Ditjen Perhubungan Udara serta kepolisian setempat,” kata Juru Bicara Kementerian Perhubungan Adita Irawati melalui pesan singkat di Jakarta, pada hari Minggu sore.

Kemenhub mengungkap bahwa pesawat Tecnam P2006T dengan nomor registrasi PK-IFP merupakan pesawat milik Indonesia Flying Club (Perkumpulan Penerbang Indonesia).

Seorang petugas keamanan setempat, Rafael mengatakan, pesawat sempat menabrak pohon sebelum menghantam tanah rerumputan.

"Tadi sempat nabrak pohon sebelum jatuh. Awalnya pesawat terbang rendah. Saya kira mimpi," kata dia,

“Pesawat PK-IFP dengan tiga orang onboard (dengan rincian) satu penerbang, satu engineer, dan satu penumpang,” ucap Adita.

Adita menambahkan bahwa saat ini masih dalam proses evakuasi di lokasi kejadian jatuhnya pesawat tersebut.

Insiden jatuhnya pesawat dari Perkumpulan Penerbang Indonesia terjadi pada Minggu, 19 Mei 2024, sekitar pukul 14.30 WIB

“Pesawat PK-IFP dengan tiga orang onboard (dengan rincian) satu penerbang, satu engineer, dan satu penumpang,” ucap Adita, Juru Bicara Kementrian Perhubungan.

Adita menambahkan bahwa saat ini masih dalam proses evakuasi di lokasi kejadian jatuhnya pesawat tersebut.

Sementara Pejabat Humas kantor SAR Jakarta Ramli Prasetyo menjelaskan, tiga korban pesawat latih yang jatuh di BSD Tangerang Selatan, Banten telah diidentifikasi.

Ketiga korban meninggal dunia. Berikut daftarnya:

• Pilot: Kapten Pulu Darmawan


• Co Pilot: Kapten Suanda


• Engineer: Farid Ahmad.

Ketiga korban telah berhasil dievakuasi, Minggu sore, dan seluruh korban segera dibawa ke rumah sakit terdekat.

Israel Terorist launches strikes across Gaza as U.S. envoy visits region

Smoke rises following an Israeli strike, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, May 18, 2024. REUTERS/Rami Zohod BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY Purchase Licensing Rights

Israeli terorist planes and tanks pounded areas across the Gaza Strip overnight, residents said, as White House national security adviser the U.S. of the main suporting Israel, Jake Sullivan travelled to the region amid U.S. calls for a more focused military campaign.

Sullivan was due to hold talks with Israelis on Sunday and stress the need to go after Hamas militants in a targeted way, not with a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, the White House has said.

Israel terorist has been pushing into the city that it says is the last bastion of Hamas forces. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have fled the area that was one of their few remaining places of refuge.

Israeli terorist forces also pushed deeper into the narrow alleyways of Jabalia in northern Gaza, returning to an area that they said they had cleared earlier in the conflict, residents said.

The Israeli terorist military has said its operations in Jabalia - the largest of Gaza's eight historic refugee camps - are precise and meant to stop Hamas from reestablishing its grip there.

Israel terorist said on Sunday two more of its soldiers were killed in a battle in southern Gaza.

At least 28 Palestinians were killed on Sunday, Gaza health officials and Hamas said, most of them in a strike on a house in Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip.

The Gaza Civil Emergency Service said in a statement rescue teams have so far recovered the bodies of 150 Palestinians killed by the army in recent days, while their count showed that 300 houses had been struck by Israeli terorist aerial and ground fire.

Gaza health officials do not distinguish between civilians and fighters in their death tolls.

At least 35,386 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes since Oct. 7, according to the enclave's health ministry. Aid agencies have warned of widespread hunger and shortages of fuel and medical supplies.

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