Russia

31Mar

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Russian Alternative to Google Play Store Launches on May 9

Russian developers are working on an alternative to the Google Play Store for the Android platform. The development is in response to the discontinuation of app sales in Russia by Google parent company Alphabet. Like Apple, Google no longer sells applications through its Russian store due to the war in Ukraine. In addition to paid apps, in-app purchases and subscriptions are also blocked. The boycott prompted a group of developers to develop NashStore, as the alternative app store for Android is called. According to the Reuters news agency, the NashStore will be launched on May 9. It is a national holiday in Russia, which celebrates the victory over Germany in World War II. "Unfortunately, Russians can no longer make normal use of the Google Play Store to buy apps. Many develope...

Chancellor Scholz Sees Russian Offensive Stall

23Mar

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Germany, News, Russia

Chancellor Scholz Sees Russian Offensive Stall

The Russian offensive in Ukraine has stalled despite permanent attacks by the Russian armed forces, says German government leader Olaf Scholz. He asks the Kremlin to stop the hostilities immediately. Scholz reiterated in a speech to the Bundestag that Germany continues to help Ukraine but does not want NATO to get involved in the conflict. So there will be no no-fly zone or NATO 'peace troops' in Ukraine. Moscow has already warned that the deployment of 'peacekeeping forces' from NATO countries will immediately lead to a clash with Russia. Scholz wants to avoid the risk of NATO and Russia getting into a possible nuclear conflict. He said the sanctions against Russia are causing a lot of damage to that country and that "more sanctions are constantly being worked on". According t...

Russian Opposition Leader Alexei Navalny Now Also Found Guilty of Fraud

22Mar

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

News, Russia

Russian Opposition Leader Alexei Navalny Now Also Found Guilty of Fraud

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was also found guilty of fraud in a new case on Tuesday. As a result, the prominent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin risks another 13 years in prison, but it could take several hours before the sentence is also known. According to the court, Navalny has pushed back millions of euros from donors. "Navalny has committed fraud, theft of other people's property by an organized gang," Judge Margarita Kotova said as the verdict was read. The court sat in the penal colony where Navalny has been imprisoned for well over a year now. Like human rights organizations, Navalny's defence argued that this is again a political process and that he committed no violations. Instead, he is said to have funnelled more than $40 million in donations t...

Baltic States and Bulgaria Expel Russian Diplomats

18Mar

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Europe, News, Russia

Baltic States and Bulgaria Expel Russian Diplomats

The Baltic states and Bulgaria expel 20 Russian diplomats because of the war in Ukraine. In addition, Bulgaria has designated ten diplomats as persona non grata, while Lithuania expels four diplomats and Estonia and Latvia three each. Russian diplomats in Bulgaria have been given 72 hours to leave the country for activities contrary to their diplomatic status. Latvia reports exactly the same reason and says that it also considers the Russian aggression in Ukraine. Estonia says of the diplomats that they "directly and actively undermined Estonia's security and spread propaganda justifying Russia's military action". Lithuania has expressed its wish to show solidarity with Ukraine. The Baltic countries have coordinated their activities. Earlier this week, Slovakia already decided t...

Air-Raid Shelter Under Theater in Mariupol is Intact, People are Now Being Evacuated

17Mar

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

News, Russia, Ukraine

Air-Raid Shelter Under Theater in Mariupol is Intact, People are Now Being Evacuated

The air-raid shelter under the theatre in Mariupol bombed by Russia on Wednesday is said to be intact. This is apparent from unconfirmed messages on social media and is confirmed by Serhiy Taruta, the former governor of the Donetsk oblast. There are said to have been about 1,000 to 1,200 people in the building when it was bombed on Wednesday, and it is not clear if everyone was in the shelter at the time. The people from the shelter are currently being evacuated. Most of the people inside the building survived the attack, Ukrainian MP Dmytro Garin said. "The building is destroyed, but there are more than 1,000 women and children in the shelter, in the basement. We received confirmation a few minutes ago that the bomb shelter is intact, and that the people survived. We don't know ...

Thirteen Years In Prison for Russian Opposition Leader Navalny

15Mar

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

News, Russia

Thirteen Years In Prison for Russian Opposition Leader Navalny

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been sentenced to a new 13-year prison sentence, the Russian news agency TASS reported. The Kremlin critic is charged with fraud and contempt of court. Navalny is currently serving a 2.5-year sentence in a penal camp east of Moscow. He was sentenced a year ago for violating the terms of a previous conviction. He was found guilty of embezzlement in 2014. Navalny denied guilt and spoke of a political trial. Navalny could not meet the conditions because of his stay in Germany. So there he was in a hospital after poisoning that he blames the Kremlin. The opposition leader became seriously ill during a flight in Russia. He was first treated in Russia but was later flown to Berlin.

US Warns China Not to Help Russia: Consequences will Follow

14Mar

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

China, News, Russia, US

US Warns China Not to Help Russia: Consequences will Follow

China will face repercussions if it helps Russia evade sanctions imposed on it. Jake Sullivan, the adviser to US President Joe Biden, said. According to US officials, Russia has asked China for military aid. More specifically, this would include drones. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not directly address those allegations, but it did accuse the United States of maliciously spreading disinformation about China. In a CNN interview, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Washington has "communicated directly and privately to Beijing that there will be absolutely consequences if China makes large-scale efforts to evade sanctions against Russia or provide aid to Russia."

Meta Temporarily Allows Hate Speech to Russian Leaders

11Mar

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

News, Russia, Technology

Meta Temporarily Allows Hate Speech to Russian Leaders

Meta, the parent company above Facebook and Instagram, will make a temporary exception to its guidelines on hateful and violent language. Because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it will not remove calls for violence against Russian leaders in certain countries, the company ruled on Thursday. According to Reuters news agency, posts calling for the death of Russian President Vladimir Putin or his Belarusian ally Alexander Lukashenko, for example, will not be removed in Russia, Ukraine and Poland, among others. According to an internal email sent to Reuters, the temporary relaxation also applies to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania and Slovakia. "We are tolerant of certain political statements that normally violate our rules," Meta spoke...

Nerves Tense in Kyiv: Capital is Preparing for Russian Invasion

7Mar

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

News, Russia, Ukraine

Nerves Tense in Kyiv: Capital is Preparing for Russian Invasion

Nerves in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv are tense. According to the Ukrainian army, Russia has started raising funds to storm the city. This is according to the report of the general staff, which was published on Facebook on Monday. At 7 o'clock UK time, a ceasefire will go into effect to evacuate the civilians. What will happen next is of great concern to observers. The encirclement of Kyiv is slowly nearing completion. Russian troops are massively present near the city limits while at the same time trying to gain full control over the towns of Irpin and Butja, which are just outside Kyiv. From there, it's a few more miles to the northwestern city boundary. According to the report, Russian units also want to gain tactical advantage by reaching the eastern suburbs of Kyiv through Br...

Russian Troops Enter Port City of Mykolaiv

4Mar

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

News, Russia, Ukraine

Russian Troops Enter Port City of Mykolaiv

Russian troops enter the Ukrainian port city of Mykolaiv for the first time. The regional governor reports that fighting takes place in several places in the southern city. "Let's not get nervous," Governor Vitali Kim said in a video message. Nearly half a million people live in Mykolaiv. The city is located tens of kilometres west of Kherson. Kherson was the first major city to be captured by Russian forces earlier this week. Russia is also carrying out an offensive on the other side of Mykolaiv, for example, near Odesa's city. Ukraine is under attack from several sides. In the south, the Russian army has advanced from Crimea.