TheOldGuy @TheOldGuy@qoto.org

Seymour Hersh

https://seymourhersh.substack.com/p/where-are-the-national-intelligence

Goodnight Resisters everywhere

The SBU Successfully Apprehended a Traitor Spying for the Enemy

The counter-intelligence of the Security Service foiled a new attempt by the Russian Federation to obtain up-to-date information about the Defense Forces in Donetsk region.

As a result of a special operation, an agent of the Russian military intelligence was detained in Slovyansk, who was collecting intelligence on the redeployment of units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the direction of the front line.

First of all, she tried to identify pontoon-bridge complexes and locations where they are used to transport heavy weapons across local rivers.

The occupiers needed such information to plan combat ground operations and prepare airstrikes on the concentration points of personnel and military equipment of the Armed Forces.

The Security Service learned about such plans of the aggressor at the initial stage of the intelligence activity of the Russian agent. This made it possible to secure the positions of Ukrainian troops in a timely manner.

Also, in the course of documenting the figure, it became known about her curator from the military intelligence of the Russian Federation.

At the final stage of the special operation, the enemy agent was detained in her own apartment.

Mobile phones were seized from the detainee, on which she regularly changed accounts for conspiratorial communication with the occupiers.

According to the investigation, the traitor turned out to be a 25-year-old local resident, an ideological supporter of racism.

She was recruited when Yampil village was under Russian occupation

For a long time, she was in a "sleeping" mode, but in the spring of this year, the agent was "activated" for reconnaissance and subversive activities in the frontline region.

In order to carry out enemy tasks, she went around the area, and also tried to "darkly" ask her acquaintances for the information she needed.

She faces life in prison.

Ukrainian Defender Mykola Voronchuk lost his arm after a severe war injury. Now, he assembles drones with a bionic prosthesis.

"I never thought I would have to take up arms. When the full-scale war began, I started going to checkpoints and ask for a summons. In early August 2022, they wanted to mobilize my younger brother. I managed to agree with the draft officer that I would go instead of him. My younger brother went home, and I went to war," shares Mykola.

Mykola fought in the Donetsk direction as a member of the 79th Air Assault Brigade. In January last year, he was seriously wounded and lay for several hours at the positions, waiting to be rescued. He recalls that the Russians cynically shot his fellow soldiers and left him to die with the words, "Let him die like a dog."

"I noticed our drone hovering over me. I waved that I was alive. After about 15-20 minutes, a combat medic came up, and we ran together to the evacuation APC. The distance was significant - 4 kilometers. We ran under mine fire because all the time there was an enemy drone above us," Mykola recalls.

Ukrainian Defender also provides psychological care at the Protez Foundation clinic and helps other military personnel returning from war with injuries

Glory to Ukrainian Hero!

Deputy of the State Duma Hinshstein proposed checking the orientation of officials before appointing them to positions.
"I don't see anything reprehensible or bad in such checks. Protecting traditional family values is one of the postulates of state policy, and people involved in this should be approached with special attention,"
Hinshstein said.
***
After the check, only half of the deputies will remain. It's interesting how they plan to carry out these checks lol

Lipetsk Zoo reported about sending peacocks to the front and deleted the message.

The social networks of the Lipetsk Zoo reported that two peacocks had been sent to the front to "brighten up the everyday life" of Russian soldiers. It was reported that the birds were handed over by the director of the 252nd motorized rifle regiment of the Russian Armed Forces as part of the "Who else but us" campaign. f

The female and male were sent to the 252nd motorized rifle regiment.

"For guys in a heavy combat situation, the beauty of birds is inspiring, brings a piece of joy. This is not an advertisement for the zoo, but a gift from the bottom of my heart. As soon as the request from the fighters was received, the zoo immediately decided to give them the birds. We hope that the beauty of these birds will brighten the soldiers' everyday life," the message said.

One of the servicemen recorded a video of gratitude and said that by watching the birds, the soldiers "get spiritual peace."

The posts, as well as photos and videos, were later deleted from the zoo's social media accounts.

Next step: An authority was created to censor books.

An "expert center" has been launched in Putinistan to assess print and electronic book publications "for compliance with the law." It began to work on the basis of the ruZZian Book Union (RKS), the organization told state media.

According to the representative of the union, this center includes representatives of Roskomnadzor (the Z-censorship authority for mass media), the ruZZian Historical Society, the ruZZian Military Historical Society, the ruZZian Orthodox Church, the Spiritual Administration of Muslims, the Federation of Jewish Communities, the Association of Lawyers, the Z-Academy of Education, the Gorky Literary Institute and other institutions and organizations.

The creation of this center was discussed back in January 2023 to determine books subject to withdrawal from sale due to violations of laws, including the law banning LGBT propaganda, one of the interlocutors of Vedomosti noted.

The conclusions of the center are (at the moment) advisory in nature, and the final decision on the fate of the book, in which a violation of the law was found, is made by the publisher, the representative of the ruZZian Communications Union said.

For example, on the recommendation of the "expert center", the AST publishing group hasten to suspend sales in offline retail and on digital platforms in Putinistan of the novels "Legacy" by Vladimir Sorokin, "The House at the End of the World" by Michael Cunningham and "Giovanni's Room" by James Baldwin.

According to the conclusion of the center, these works contained information prohibited for distribution in accordance with Article 6.21. Code of Administrative Offences ("Propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations and (or) preferences, gender reassignment"). What kind of violations were found, the RSS and ACT did not specify.
Prior to that, the state-controlled Mash channel reported on the complaint by "social activists" about "LGBT propaganda" and "propaganda of violence against children" in Sorokin's book.

Just the next day after opening the censor center AST Publishing also stopped selling books by Hanya Yanagihara “A Little Life” and Madeleine Miller “The Song of Achilles,” according to a document signed by the publishing house’s general director. In the authors’ writings, they found signs of “LGBT propaganda and gender reassignment” (Article 6.21 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the ruZZian Fuckeration).

At the end of last year, the AST publishing group suspended the distribution of books by writers Boris Akunin and Dmitry Bykov. Just coincidently, I'm sure, after they admitted to supporting Ukraine in a conversation with pranksters Vovan and Lexus.

Source

@freerussia_report

Resurrecting fake: "Head of GUR Budanov was captured by ruZZia." -

After a large-scale missile attack on the positions of the Armed Forces, it was reported that one of the important Ukrainian figures had been eliminated. Later it turned out that this was the head of the GUR Budanov and he was captured by the Z- military, pro-Kremlin "z-warriors" revived old fakenews.

As we all know, the propagandists already "captured Budanov" - they replicated this fake back in October 2023. Z-propaganda used deepfake technology with the face of the head of Ukrainian intelligence to create it.

Not to forget that they "killed" him already a year ago - awarding him thus the title of The Immortal Warrior. 😂

Spravdi reminds that at the Kyiv Stratcom Forum 2024, the head of the GUR stated that the most absurd Z-fake was that he was killed last year.

@freerussia_report

A Muscovite who participated in a social survey of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty was sentenced to five years of forced labor for disseminating “fake news”

Addition to previous report.

The court sentenced Yuri Kokhovets, who spoke negatively about the “special operation” in a street interview in 2022, to five years of forced labor for "fake news". The man was also banned from administering websites for four years.

Previously, the prosecutor's office requested 5.5 years in prison for Kokhovets.

His lawyer considers it "a victory in this situation” (after changes it can now be up to 10 years). The accused pleaded partially guilty, disagreeing with the point on political hatred and alleged that in a conversation with journalists he expressed his opinion, using his constitutional right to freedom of speech.

“I asked to acquit Yuri Kokhovets for lack of evidence of a crime, but we are satisfied with the verdict. We will not appeal it, because we know the judicial practice.”

Source

@freerussia_report

Not a single acquittal was rendered by Z-courts in 2023 in anti-war cases.

The OVD-Info project analyzed the judicial statistics for 2023 from the point of view of political persecution (final verdicts).

In 2022 at least two people were acquitted under the article on “justification of terrorism.” None in 2023.

Criminal cases under anti-war articles about “discrediting” and military “fakes” have increased almost 7 times: 17 verdicts in 2022, 115 in 2023. 28 people were sent for compulsory treatment.

The number of sentences for sabotage increased 12 times, and for treason almost 2,5 times. The increase in sentences under these articles indicates that methods of political pressure are becoming harsher.

345 people were convicted in cases of justification of terrorism. In 310 cases for online posts. In 2022, the total number of people convicted under this article was 8% less.

According to a Re: Russia study, terrorism-related verdicts increased 40-fold between 2012 and 2022.

@freerussia_report

The Immortal Regiment is canceled for the second year in a row.

The “Immortal Regiment” march in Putinistan this year will not be held “in person,” state media report, citing the co-chair of the movement’s central headquarters, State Duma deputy Elena Tsunaeva.

The organizers explained their decision to abandon the march due to “security reasons.”

The Immortal Regiment procession in Moscow and many other regions has been canceled for the second year in a row. In 2023, marches were not held in Moscow, in the regions bordering Ukraine and in annexed territories.

There were also concerns that too much dead "SMO heroes" would pop up and cause embarrassing questions about the military losses.

@freerussian_report

The situation in the State Duma: Deputy Zhuravlev is deeply outraged that life has become the main value among young Russians. - Sirena

He called people who consider their lives the main value potential traitors.

State Duma Deputy Alexey Zhuravlev spoke at the “Safe Internet League” forum.

As part of his speech, the deputy got really upset at the fact that Russians have been raised for 30 years with the attitude that life is the main value. According to him, the most important thing in life for him is the country, family and friends, values, and only then his own life.

" -No, life is the main thing for us.- That’s the main thing for the one who will sell the country,” the deputy summed up.

As always the half-truth, leaving the most important parts out. The most important to him and his ilk is the money of the country, to stash it with family and friends, in order to buy real estate and other net present values in the evil West, so that he can have a real good own life.

@freerussia_report

In Ramenskoye, near Moscow, a large fire broke out at a polyethylene warehouse from Storex - Social media

The area of the fire reached 2.300 square meters, the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the city prosecutor's office reported. 30 people were evacuated from the building.

According to Z-state media reports, the warehouse was stocked with pallet racks, plastic pipes, warehouse trucks and other equipment systems. The fire spread to the production building and part of the open area. After extinguishing the blaze, the structures are dismantled, the ruZZian Emergencies Ministry said. The cause of the fire is unknown and will be investigated.

@freerussia_report

Russian Authorities have recently Targeted Several Russian Journalists Working for Western Publications

The Institute of the Study of War has reported the following:

Western and Russian opposition media widely reported that Russian authorities recently arrested Sergei Karelin, who previously worked with the Associated Press (AP) and Deutsche Welle, and Konstantin Gabov, who previously worked with Reuters, on charges of working with an “extremist organization” for their previous work with the Anti-Corruption Fund founded by deceased Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny.

A Russian court also recently placed Forbes Russia journalist Sergei Mingazov under house arrest for allegedly spreading false information about the Russian military by reposting news articles about the Russian military’s massacres in Bucha on his Telegram channel.

Russian opposition outlet Mediazona reported on April 26 that Russian courts have charged more people with ”participating” in ”undesirable” Russian opposition and foreign media organizations so far in 2024 than were charged with such crimes in 2022 or 2023.

ISW has recently reported on the Kremlin’s effort to increasingly use the vague “extremism” legal definition to increasingly prosecute anti-war sentiment, and the arrests of Karelin and Gabov in particular demonstrate one such application of this

The press service of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has announced that Denmark will purchase weapons directly from Ukrainian manufacturers for 200 million Danish kroner.

A Letter of Intent to support Ukrainian defense production was signed by Minister of Defense of Denmark Trols Lund Poulsen, Minister of Strategic Industries of Ukraine Oleksandr Kamyshin, and Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Dmytro Klimenkov.

"This marks an important milestone in the cooperation between our countries. Denmark has already provided 17 packages of military aid to Ukraine totaling over 4 billion euros. Denmark was one of the first countries to announce its intention to allocate funds for the purchase of weapons directly to Ukrainian manufacturers. An amount of 200 million Danish kroner ($28.6 million) will be allocated for this purpose," stated Deputy Defense Minister of Ukraine Dmytro Klimenkov.

Russian Main Effort – Eastern Ukraine

(1/3)

Luhansk Oblast

Russian forces continued offensive operations along the Svatove-Kreminna line on April 29, but there were no confirmed changes to the frontline.

Ukrainian and Russian sources reported continued fighting northwest of Svatove near Berestove and Stelmakhivka; southwest of Svatove near Tverdohlibove, Kopanky, Novoserhiivka, Makiivka, and Nevske; west of Kreminna near Terny and south of Zarichne; southwest of Kreminna in the Serebryanske forest area; and south of Kreminna near Bilohorivka.

Russian milbloggers continued to disagree over the status of Kyslivka (northwest of Svatove), which some Russian sources claimed that Russian forces have seized in recent days, and one milblogger noted that Russian forces have only raised a flag in southern Kyslivka and do not yet control the northern part of the settlement.

A prominent Kremlin-affiliated milblogger claimed that Russian forces continued offensive operations towards Makiivka and gained a foothold on the eastern outskirts of the settlement, although ISW has not yet observed visual confirmation of Russian forces operating on the outskirts of Makiivka.

Ukrainian Kharkiv Oblast Head Oleh Synehubov reported on April 29 that Russian forces have resumed offensive operations in the Kupyansk and Lyman directions and stated that the Russian command is planning to accumulate forces along the Kharkiv-Belgorod Oblast border, but that it is too early to forecast if and when Russian forces may open a new front in this area.

A Russian milblogger claimed that elements of Russia’s Western and Northern Grouping of Forces are intensifying combat activity, including air and artillery strikes, in the Kharkiv City direction.

Bakhmut Area & Closer Look at Chasiv Yar

Bakhmut General Area

Positional engagements continued in the Siversk direction northeast of Bakhmut on April 29, but there were no confirmed changes to the frontline in this area.

Positional engagements continued east of Siversk near Verkhnokamyanske; southeast of Siversk near Vyimka; and south of Siversk near Rozdolivka.

Elements of the Russian 2nd Artillery Brigade and the “GORB” detachment (both of the 2nd Luhansk People’s Republic Army Corps [LNR AC]) are reportedly operating near Spirne (southeast of Siversk).

Chasiv Yar

Fighting continued near Chasiv Yar on April 29, but there were no confirmed changes to the frontline in this area. Geolocated footage published on April 28 shows that Ukrainian forces recently repelled a roughly reinforced platoon-sized Russian mechanized assault north of Klishchiivka (southeast of Chasiv Yar).

Russian milbloggers claimed that Russian forces are using “turtle” armored vehicles – armored vehicles with metal sheets welded on their sides to protect against drone strikes – in combat operations near Chasiv Yar after having recently used similar vehicle protection systems fitted on tanks west of Donetsk City near Krasnohorivka.

Fighting continued north of Chasiv Yar near Hryhorivka; near the Novyi Microraion (eastern Chasiv Yar); east of Chasiv Yar near Ivanivske; southeast of Chasiv Yar near Klishchiivka and Andriivka; and south of Chasiv Yar near Pivdenne and Niu York.

The deputy commander of a Ukrainian unit operating near Chasiv Yar stated that Ukrainian and Russian forces each control about 50 percent of Ivanivske and that Ukrainian and Russian forces are conducting attacks in the settlement in alternating waves.

The deputy commander stated that Russian forces are interested in taking Ivanivske, which is located in a geographical lowland, to advance to Chasiv Yar.

Russian Supporting Effort - Southern Axis

Kherson and Zaporhizia Frontlines

Area around Kherson and Mykolaiv

Positional fighting continued in east (left) bank Kherson Oblast near Krynky on April 29, but there were no confirmed changes to the frontline.

Elements of the Russian 810th Naval Infantry Brigade (Black Sea Fleet [BSF]) are reportedly fighting in Krynky.

Zaporhizia Area

Positional fighting continued in western Zaporizhia Oblast near Robotyne and Verbove (east of Robotyne) on April 29, but there were no changes to the frontline.

Elements of the Russian 108th Airborne (VDV) Regiment (7th VDV Division), 291st Guards Artillery Brigade (58th Combined Arms Army [CAA], Southern Military District [SMD]), and 42nd Motorized Rifle Division (58th CAA) are reportedly operating near Robotyne.

Desertion Rate Among Russian Invaders is Growing - Intelligence

Based on a statement made by the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine:

"Desertion is flourishing in the armed formations of the Southern Military District of the Russian army. In total, more than 18,000 Russian soldiers have left the service in the combat units of the district without permission," the statement said.

Most of them - about 12,000 fugitives - falls on the 8th Combined Arms Army of the Russian Armed Forces, which is constantly involved in hostilities in eastern Ukraine.

Approximately 10,000 of them were drafted through mobilization. The remaining 2 thousand are contract soldiers.

In the 58th Combined Arms Army, which is also part of the Southern District of the Russian Army, the desertion rate is about 2,500 people.

This follows reports by British Intelligence earlier this year that a record number of cases and sentences for desertion of military personnel have been recorded in Russia.

In particular, in March, Russian military courts sentenced 684 people for desertion.

- Ukrinform

WSJ spoke about Ukrainian startups that produce drones for strikes in Russia

The American newspaper Wall Street Journal publishes a report about the new Ukrainian industry for the production of drones, which are used for attacks on Russian territory.

As stated in the publication, the Ukrainian authorities cannot use Western equipment to fire at Russian targets, so they rely on products of their own production.

As a result, many startups have appeared in Ukraine - relatively small enterprises that develop and produce combat drones commissioned by the Ukrainian military.

The authors write that this approach helps Ukraine resist a Russian invasion, but it has its limitations, since Russia has put its entire economy on a war footing and uses hundreds of Iranian suicide bomber drones in combination with missiles.

Therefore, Western experts cited by the publication advise Kyiv to determine which of the different drone models are the most promising and organize their mass production.

One of the newspaper's interlocutors identified 19 different models of Ukrainian drones that are used to strike Russia, including balloons that drop grenade launchers from high altitudes.

🇺🇦@ukraine_report 🇺🇦🔱

https://www.bbc.com/russian/articles/cye30983w94o

Thierry Frank, CEO of Eurenco, announced that France will increase production of modular powder charges for artillery to 500,000 units per year.

Currently, the main bottleneck in the production of artillery ammunition is the shortage of gunpowder. In response to growing demand from Ukraine and EU countries, the French company has received orders totaling 1 billion euros in the past six months alone.

In mid-April, Eurenco inaugurated a new production line in Bergerac that will produce up to 1,200 tons of gunpowder per year. The first batches are expected to be available in the first half of 2025.

In terms of charges, 1,200 tons of gunpowder is equivalent to more than 500,000 modular charges or 95,000 full shots (six modular charges per projectile).

In 2026, France plans to increase production to 1.2 million modular charges, or about 200,000 full rounds.