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Ukraine Invasion
Defense Policy / Programs
Foreign Policy
News Reports

Ukraine Invasion

• The total combat losses of the enemy from 24.02.2022 to 03.04.2023 Ukraine MOD 03 Apr 2023
• Ukraine, U.S. Officials Say Bakhmut Holds Despite Wagner Group Claims RFE/RL 03 Apr 2023 -- Ukraine's military has disputed claims by Wagner that the Russian mercenary force has captured the center of battle-devastated Bakhmut, and a U.S. official denied the fight for the eastern Ukrainian city was over as Washington said more aid was on the way to Kyiv.
• Russia's Wagner group says its units captured Ukraine's Bakhmut 'in legal sense' Press TV 03 Apr 2023 -- Russia's private security company, Wagner, claims its units have nearly captured the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, which has been the subject of one of the most protracted battles in the ongoing war between the two neighbors.
• Latest in Ukraine: Ukraine Reports Heavy Fighting as Wagner Claims Bakhmut Capture VOA 03 Apr 2023
• Russia, UN Discuss Grain Deal Implementation, Tolyatti-Odessa Ammonia Pipeline Sputnik 03 Apr 2023 -- Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin held a telephone conversation with UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths on March 31, and discussed the implementation of the grain deal, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
• Putin Signs Laws on Establishment of Courts in DPR, LPR, Kherson, Zaporozhye Regions Sputnik 03 Apr 2023 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed a package of laws on the establishment of courts in the territories incorporated into Russia last fall, namely republics of Lugansk and Donetsk, and regions of Kherson and Zaporozhye, according to the official legal information portal.
• Strikes Fear Into Enemies: Russian Paratroopers Get Unmatched 'Flamethrowers' for Special Op Sputnik 03 Apr 2023 -- The heavy "flamethrower" system TOS-1A "Solntsepyok" (Scorching Sun) was developed based on the TOS-1 "Buratino" in 2001.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Russia says to boost military in NW regions as Finland joins NATO Press TV 03 Apr 2023 -- Russia says it will expand its military capacity in its western and northwestern regions, near the border with Finland, as the Nordic country joins NATO.
• Russia to Boost Military Capabilities in Response to Finland Joining NATO on April 4 Sputnik 03 Apr 2023 -- Finland will officially become a NATO member on April 4, the office of Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said on Monday.
• Inside the Iskander: A Closer Look at Russia's Deadly Short-Range Missile Sputnik 03 Apr 2023 -- Russia's Missile Troops began training their Belarusian counterparts in the use of the Iskander missile system on Monday. An undisclosed number of the mobile, nuclear-capable short-range ballistic missile systems were sent to Belarus late last year. What is it about these weapons that's driven NATO military planners up the wall? Sputnik explains.
• Russian Navy Ships Make Working Visit to Djibouti to Boost Military Cooperation Sputnik 03 Apr 2023 -- The arrival of the Russian warships occurred just before the commemoration of the 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Russia and the Republic of Djibouti, a country with a strategic location in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean area.
• Russian Parliament to Amend Criminal Code to Toughen Punishment for Terrorism Sputnik 03 Apr 2023 -- Russian lawmakers will propose amendments to the Criminal Code toughening punishments for terrorism, including an expansion of the list of crimes carrying life sentences, the Duma Security Committee said Monday.
• Ambassador: Russia will move tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus border 'despite noise in Europe, US' Press TV 03 Apr 2023 -- Russia's ambassador to Belarus says his country is bent on moving its tactical nuclear weapons close to the border with Belarus, placing them nearer than ever before to threshold of US-led military alliance of NATO.

Foreign Policy

• In Call With Russia, Blinken Asks for American Journalist to Be Freed VOA 03 Apr 2023 -- Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday urged Russia's foreign minister to release Evan Gershkovich, an American journalist detained last week on accusations of espionage.
• U.S. Reporter Gershkovich Appeals Against Arrest In Russia RFE/RL 03 Apr 2023 -- Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was taken into custody last week in Russia on espionage charges widely seen as politically motivated, has appealed against his detention.
• Türkiye's 1st nuclear plant reflects Ankara's willingness to deepen energy ties with Moscow People's Daily 03 Apr 2023 -- Türkiye is set to inaugurate the first unit of its Russian-built nuclear power plant in late April by loading nuclear fuel, a step towards boosting national energy security and strengthening energy ties with Moscow, experts said.
• Iran, Russia stress need to resolve differences between Damascus, Ankara through peaceful solution ISNA 03 Apr 2023 -- Iranian Foreign Minister's Senior Advisor for Special Political Affairs Ali Asghar Khaji held a meeting with the Deputy of the Russian Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov on Monday in Moscow, discussing the latest developments in Syria and the region.
• 4-party meeting of Russia, Türkiye, Syria, Iran to be held in Moscow ISNA 03 Apr 2023 -- A four-party meeting between senior diplomats of Russia, Iran, Syria and Türkiye on settling relations between Ankara and Damascus will be held at the level of deputy foreign ministers in Moscow on Monday.
• China-Russia ties aimed at challenging U.S., squeezing Taiwan: NSB CNA 03 Apr 2023 -- China's deepening alignment with Russia is aimed at launching a full-scale competition with the United States while further squeezing Taiwan globally, a National Security Bureau (NSB) report submitted to the Legislative Yuan has said.
• Belarus to Emphasize Partnership With Russia, China in National Security Concept Sputnik 03 Apr 2023 -- Belarus will reaffirm that its foreign policy is based on allied relations with Russia and strengthening partnership with China in its new national security concept, according to a draft published on Monday.

News Reports

• Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova's answer to a media question on the involvement of the perpetrators who carried out the terrorist attack against war correspondent Vladlen Tatarsky with Ukrainian special services and Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 03 Apr 2023
• Russia says suspect in deadly bombing that killed war blogger detained Press TV 03 Apr 2023 -- A woman suspected of killing a prominent Russian war blogger and injuring dozens of others at a St. Petersburg cafe on Sunday has been detained, the country's top counterterrorism agency said Monday.
• Russia Detains Suspect in Bombing That Killed Pro-War Blogger VOA 03 Apr 2023 -- Authorities in Russia said Monday they detained a woman suspected of being involved in the bombing of a St. Petersburg cafe that killed a prominent military blogger who strongly supported Russia's war in Ukraine.
• Q&A: US UN Envoy: 'Standing with Russia is a Losing Proposition' VOA 03 Apr 2023 -- U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield spoke to VOA at U.N. headquarters Monday about her recent trip to Costa Rica for the 2023 Democracy Summit and the important role of youth in government, her concerns about Russia's and China's influence in the region and calls for a non-U.N. international force to help Haiti.
• Wider Europe Briefing: Ukraine's Big Plan To Fight Russian Disinformation And Why The EU Is Stalling On Belarus Sanctions RFE/RL 03 Apr 2023