Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article Russian armed forces shelled Novomoskovsk in the Dnipropetrovsk region as the head of the Dnipropetrovsk regional military administration Russian forces launched a massive attack on Ukraine 11 out of 24 drones launched by the RF were shot down due to the fall of debris from downed drones on the night of June 12 a family with a child was injured in the Dnipropetrovsk region Looking to access paid articles across multiple policy topics Interested in policy insights for EU professional organisations Ukrainian municipalities battle at a local level to keep contact with citizens and ensure services continue Municipal representatives spoke with Euractiv telling their civic story as Ukraine enters its third year since the Russian invasion Underwritten Produced with financial support from an organization or individual yet not approved by the underwriter before or after publication Rieznik Novomoskovsk [Novomoskovsk Mayor’s Office] Ukrainian municipalities battle locally to keep contact with citizens and ensure services continue more than 50 per cent of Ukraine’s power infrastructure was reportedly damaged resulting in power outages and contributing to shortages of food “In certain periods of the winter of 2022-2023 The enemy constantly attacked power plants forcing people to be left without electricity for days and sometimes weeks,” said Novomoskovsk Mayor Serhii Rieznik Semenivka Mayor Serhii Dedenko described a similar situation even this year faults are repaired as quickly as possible but there are villages that have been without electricity for several months.” Dedenko spoke of a better level of preparedness this winter was easier than the previous one also supported this statement but mentioned some 500 out of the 10,000 inhabitants of her municipality have been without electricity since May 2023 but everyone understands that it is impossible to go to a territory almost 500 metres from the border without risking one’s life.” the Ukrainian energy sector has sustained $12 billion in damages over two years including the destruction of residential buildings local authorities have continued to provide services to their citizens Administrative services in Velyka Pysarivka are provided in person and remotely While almost 3,000 people have fled the municipality Biriukova said there are plans to expand services we are trying to add new administrative services so that the residents feel that they are not left alone with their problems.” Novomoskovsk residents are kept informed during emergencies through warning systems and social media that the municipality utilises Rieznik said a contact centre is being established for further communication “All services work in a coordinated manner and continue to provide to the residents in full We have already developed a number of practices that we are gradually implementing.” pensions are delivered and clerks work locally we ask the military to provide security,” explained Dedenko We personally cannot do anything to make people feel safe in the municipality business is on the verge of destruction,” said Dedenko “We hope for the state’s help because we definitely cannot cope on our own.” Rieznik explained that the war has hit local self-government hard as the city became a refuge for internally displaced persons we faced the withdrawal of military personal income tax from the local budget Our resources are now running out and we have to look for opportunities to support the military,” he added “Our biggest problem is filling the budget,” added Biriukova “A five-kilometre zone where there is virtually no land cultivated by agricultural enterprises means that we will not be able to pay a single tax and we will also lose personal income tax on shares.” On the second anniversary of the war, the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) reaffirmed its commitment to support the Ukrainian people and their local and regional elected representatives in their pursuit of victory Asked about efforts to empower local and regional governments in Ukraine, President Gunn Marit Helgesen explained, “CEMR has been supporting municipalities through its PLATFORMA project since 2015. Since March 2021, CEMR and its members have also been implementing the Bridges of Trust project.” who is also chairwoman of the Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities (KS) “We are very worried about our colleagues and all the citizens of Ukraine The KS works actively to help Ukrainian municipalities and to contribute to reconstruction and development in Ukraine which affects innocent civilians and which has led to so much suffering and destruction.” “Our task is to support life and make people want to stay we have learnt to live with the war and respond quickly to daily challenges,” concluded Rieznik *All the municipalities mentioned in the article are members of the Association of Ukrainian Cities (AUC) which advocates for the rights of Ukrainian municipalities [By Xhoi Zajmi I Edited by Brian Maguire | Euractiv's Advocacy Lab ] blackouts are unpredictable and the house is cold and dark it’s scary’: a family prepares for winter in eastern UkraineThis article is more than 2 years oldAfter Russia’s strikes on the power grid the light was on and she knew the day had already got off to a bad start The electricity in her neighbourhood of Novomoskovsk had returned in the middle of the night and that meant it would not be on for much longer the little house would be colder and darker for much of the day It gets dark by 4pm in Ukraine now and temperatures hover just below zero after nightfall Next week a deep frost is expected and the days will grow even shorter as Ukrainians approach their hardest winter since the second world war Alina Trebushnikova adjusts the homemade battery-powered blackout lights in her bedroom Photograph: Alessio Mamo/The GuardianAlina’s husband was away at his construction job and would only return long after dark Alina is 31 and has lived in Novomoskovsk since she was seven when her parents moved out of a block of flats in nearby Dnipro to live closer to the earth She now spends most of her days alone with Polina There is gas to cook with and Alina usually makes dinner in the middle of the day when there is enough light to see what she is doing After sunset they have only a small string of decorative lights that her husband rigged up with a battery Yakov, six, and Ilia, nine, with the family dog Knopa, outside their house. Photograph: Alessio Mamo/The GuardianOn Thursday, Alina was preparing borscht and rice and a bit of meat. How long this was going to go on for, she could not say, but it sounded to her like the war would not end soon. Meanwhile, they must endure. “They say a Ukrainian woman can stop a horse in its tracks,” she said with a smile. “She must be a mountain for her husband and children.” Read moreBefore the most recent Russian missile strikes last week there was at least some predictability about electricity It would come on for four hours and then off for four But since Vladimir Putin’s latest missile salvo hammered down on Ukraine’s power grid on 23 November Alina has woken up to find it had come and gone in the night The part of Novomoskovsk where the Trebushnikovas live used to be a village It is a grid of single-storey cottages with walls or fences enclosing small gardens It has long been on the receiving end of Russian imperial ambitions was imposed in 1794 by Catherine the Great whose dismemberment of neighbouring states to the greater glory of Russia is an inspiration for Putin “I don’t understand why this is happening,” Alina said I have a lot of relatives in Russia – my father was from Russia –and they say they support me.” The house at night Photograph: Alessio Mamo/The GuardianThe heating system is gas-powered and the family has gas but it takes electricity to pump the hot water through the pipes In an effort to conserve as much heat as possible the Trebushnikovas have covered all the windows with blankets but it cost about 50,000 hryvnias (£1,110) too much for a family living on one income especially when you add the cost of petrol The town was without power for a full 24 hours after the 23 November onslaught and Alina Polina had a chest infection over the weekend that grew severe in the middle of the night but the ambulance would not come but that would have meant breaking the curfew Ilia and Yakov came back from Alina’s parents “I call him when it gets dark and there are no lights The battery lights in Alina’s bedroom are bright enough for Yakov and Ilia to play cards Photograph: Alessio Mamo/The GuardianThere has been no school for months but that is only relevant if you have a computer or smartphone the schools no longer have any power either Oleksii goes into class to pick up homework assignments and tries to work on them with the help of textbooks and his parents I would be too scared to let the boys go,” Alina said The last time a missile landed close to them all the windows shook and the boys were terrified “The school has no cellar or shelter,” she explained I wouldn’t know what was happening to them.” He said he misses having friends to talk to at school and they celebrated loudly when the power finally came on on Thursday evening Alina was not sure where this episode belongs but she suggested going to see Olha Chorna Oleksii led the way and banged on Olha’s fence and after a while the 82-year-old emerged and walked to the gate Her father never returned and her mother died soon after that She and her three sisters were left to fend for themselves There were few clothes and little food available but eventually other men came back from the front to work on a collective farm Olha’s job for many years was to milk the cows an old woman down the street claimed the gift of prophecy “She said in the future there will be another war when brother is going to go against brother,” she recalled “There was going to be famine and other terrible things.” we are a global producer and supplier of a full range of fertilizers and industrial products backed by production assets on four continents and a worldwide sales and distribution network Our raw material base provides for all key ingredients in fertilizer production We have secured significant reserves of potash and phosphate rock and benefit from access to an abundant supply of natural gas Our reserve base also includes iron ore and baddeleyite Our integrated mining and processing facility in northern Russia underpins our phosphate production chain and is the only phosphate mine in the world with iron ore and baddeleyite embedded in the same deposit EuroChem began test production at its Usolskiy potash mine in 2018 and now is on track to deliver a 2.9 MMT capacity (exceeding initial design capacity of 2.3 MMT) one of the four largest deposits of potassium ore in Russia EuroChem VolgaKaliy produces 3 grades of KCI EuroChemplans to increase potash production at VolgaKaliy to 2 MMT from 2027 EuroChem is increasing phosphate mining and processing capacities in Karatau and Zhanatas a project in Kazakhstan with a prime location to access growth markets in China and Central Asia and strengthen intragroup phosphate rock supplies The current expansion of phosphorite flour production from 0.6 MMT to 0.8 MMT in 2024 EuroChem began operations at our Serra do Salitre phosphate facility in Brazil Fertilizer production ramp-up started in April 2024 and is expected to reach full capacity by the end of 2024 The plant will strengthen Eurochem’s production and distribution capabilities while increasing our area of operations allowing us to better serve this key global market from north to south and create an extensive mix of both standard and enhanced nitrogen as well as several industrial product lines Located in the town of Novomoskovsk in the Tula Oblast approximately 220 kilometers south of Moscow Novomoskovskiy Azot is one of Russia’s largest producers of nitrogen fertilizers and ranks first in Russia in urea volumes Nevinnomysskiy Azot makes a number of fertilizer and industrial products and supplies a broad range of organic synthesis products our Antwerp facility comprises nitric acid plants The largest producer of phosphate mineral fertilizers in the Baltic States and an industry leader in the European Union Lifosa produces premium-quality commercial DAP and feed phosphates The leading producer of phosphate fertilizers and feed phosphates in northwest Russia Phosphorit is located in the Kingisepp industrial zone adjacent to our EuroChem Northwest ammonia plant EuroChem-BMU specializes in the production of phosphate and compound fertilizers Recent investments have improved efficiency and boosted production output our EuroChem Northwest facility has an annual production capacity of 1 million tonnes of ammonia EuroChem Northwest-2 is currently under construction Our sophisticated and flexible logistics infrastructure ensures our products are efficiently delivered to customers when and where needed rail rolling stock and river barges across the globe Proximity to facilites in Kingisepp maintain our cost advantages Surrounded by the Scheldt and Scheldt-Rhine-Canal EuroChem Antwerpen is equipped with its own jetties providing infrastructure for fertilizer distribution and raw material procurement via the North Sea and the Rhine Our sales and distribution operations span five regions: Europe These are managed through our network of regional offices Our efficient global distribution network enables us to serve our extensive customer base in over 100 countries It also plays a key role in advising customers on the selection and use of fertilizers to optimise their crop yields EuroChem’s market presence is anchored in local production complemented by a network of wholly-owned distribution centres We provide customers with a range of agricultural inputs and services – from fertilizers to advanced soil analysis services North America is one of EuroChem’s key markets The Group began operating in the US in 2006 supply contracts and a best-in-class logistics service helps us serve our customers better Establishing a solid presence in South America has been a natural extension of EuroChem’s global expansion strategy Brazil’s impressive transformation into a global breadbasket has driven us to secure a strong position in this market We are present in Brazil through Fertilizantes Tocantins our reputation is underpinned by our desire to be a stable and reliable partner committed to providing the very best quality products and advisory services Our established local offices and regional sales teams ensure we stay close to our customers in this highly diversified region Established for over 60 years – and active in 14 countries in the region – EuroChem’s brands are well-known in Asia Pacific markets is complemented by a wide range of industrial products The African market represents a distinct opportunity for the Group We have been active across key regional agricultural hubs and see major potential for products such as water-soluble fertilizers ProTech Lab is EuroChem’s corporate R&D center Our goal is to create innovative solutions that improve EuroChem’s business performance and sustainability across the entire value chain Carrying out research-and-technology surveys of existing production plants analyzing problems and hypotheses to improve the business performance of production plants Creating and deploying data-driven digital products (tools) for all EuroChem operations Running experimental process simulations in the laboratory to formulate recommendations for production sites selecting the most effective alternative catalysts for chemical processes developing and testing new fertilizers and industrial products and bringing into use new technical solutions developing and supporting projects to improve the efficiency of mineral processing and resource portfolio utilization as well as increasing the utilization rate of raw mineral resources at VolgaKaliy Note: This story has been updated to reflect the number of employees directly employed by P&G in Russia and Ukraine Responding to Russia's invasion of Ukraine Procter & Gamble said Monday it's cutting back its product offering in Russia and ceasing all marketing and investment in the country The company also said it has suspended operations in Ukraine and is trying to aid its employees there amid the ongoing invasion Cincinnati-based P&G has offices in Moscow and two factories in Russia Petersburg and Novomoskovsk (outside Moscow) CEO Jon Moeller expressed concern for the company's roughly 2,500 local employees and the people of Russia but said the hostilities against Ukraine "necessitates important changes immediately and over time." "As we proceed with the reduced scale of our Russian operations we will continue to adjust as necessary," Moeller wrote Moeller said the company is also trying to assist its Ukrainian employees "Our continued efforts range from evacuation assistance shelter and essential products for P&G families," he wrote "P&Gers in Central Europe and around the world have stepped up to lend their individual support many opening their homes to welcome their Ukrainian colleagues." P&G has a Ukraine headquarters in Kyiv and factories in Boryspil and Ordzhonikidze (Pokrov) The company employs 500 in the country P&G does not break out its sales for Russia or Ukraine but has listed Russia as one of its Top-10-largest worldwide: U.S. Russian sales are part of P&G's European operations which accounted for $16.8 billion in the fiscal year ended June 30 P&G employs 10,000 workers in Greater Cincinnati and 101,000 worldwide.  For the latest on P&G, Kroger, Fifth Third Bank and Cincinnati business, follow @alexcoolidge on Twitter. a Ukrainian air force official said Tuesday leaving the country vulnerable unless it can secure further weapons supplies as the war drags on “Intense Russian air attacks force us to use a corresponding amount of air defense means,” air force spokesman Yurii Ihnat told national television as Russia keeps increasing its [aerial] attack capabilities.” As soldiers on both sides fight from largely static positions along the roughly 930-mile front line, recent Russian attacks have used large numbers of various types of missiles in an apparent effort to overwhelm air defense systems and find gaps in Ukraine’s defenses The massive barrages — more than 500 drones and missiles were fired between Dec according to officials in Kyiv — are also using up Ukraine’s weapons stockpiles Ukraine uses weapons from the Soviet era and more modern ones provided by its Western allies. Authorities want to build up the country’s own weapons manufacturing capabilities, and analysts say those plants are among Russia’s recent targets. “At the moment, we are completely dependent on the supply of guided air defense missiles, for both Soviet and Western systems,” Ihnat said. World & Nation Russia and Ukraine have exchanged hundreds of prisoners of war under a deal sponsored by the United Arab Emirates President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday that “we lack a very concrete and understandable thing — that is air defense systems” — to protect civilian areas and troop positions “We lack [them] both on the battlefield and in our cities,” he said at a Swedish defense conference Speaking at a meeting with Moscow’s military brass, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu declared that Kyiv’s efforts to bolster its firepower “won’t change the situation on the line of contact and will only drag out the military conflict.” “We retain the strategic initiative along the entire line of contact,” Shoigu said. “We will consistently continue to achieve the objectives of the special military operation” — the Kremlin’s language for its invasion of Ukraine. Belarus’ leader attended a meeting with children from Russia-controlled areas of Ukraine defying outrage over involvement in Moscow’s deportation of them It was not possible to verify either side’s battlefield claims Ukraine, meanwhile, has increasingly targeted Moscow-occupied Crimea and Russian border regions with long-range strikes. In the latest strike, two drones fell on the premises of a fuel and energy facility Tuesday in the Russian city of Orlov, about 150 miles from the Ukrainian border, Gov. Andrei Klychkov said. Three people were injured and a fire broke out but was quickly extinguished, Klychkov said. Nepal’s government has banned its citizens from going to Russia and Ukraine for work saying many have been recruited by the Russian army to fight The British Defense Ministry pointed to repeated signs of shortcomings in Russia’s air defenses Ukrainian strikes on military targets in Crimea on Thursday demonstrated “the ineffectiveness of Russian air defenses in protecting key locations,” the ministry said Tuesday The Kremlin’s forces show no signs of easing off their winter campaign. In what officials called the biggest aerial barrage of the war, Russia launched 122 missiles and dozens of drones Dec. 29, killing 62 civilians across the country. On New Year’s Day, Russia launched a record 90 Shahed-type drones across Ukraine. Russia has expanded its own production of missiles and drones, analysts say, and has begun using short-range missiles provided by North Korea. Ukrainian officials have pleaded with the West for more weapons, especially air defense and artillery shells. Russian military personnel marked Orthodox Christmas on Sunday nearly two years after Russia launched its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine a plan by the Biden administration to send to Kyiv billions of dollars in further aid is stuck in Congress and Europe’s pledge in March to provide1 million artillery shells within 12 months has come up short U.S.-made surface-to-air Patriot missiles give Ukraine an effective shield against Russian airstrikes, but the cost is up to $4 million per missile, and the launchers cost about $10 million each, analysts say. Such costly support is “essential” for Ukraine, a U.S. think tank said. “The continued and increased Western provision of air defense systems and missiles to Ukraine is crucial as Russian forces continue to experiment with new ways to penetrate Ukrainian air defenses,” the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War said. Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map Ukraine confirmed on Monday that a Russian missile strike on a military training ground over the weekend resulted in casualties and injuries adding that authorities had launched a criminal investigation into potential negligence Russian defence ministry shared a video of what it described as an Iskander-M ballistic missile strike on Saturday on the Novomoskovsk military training ground near the village of Cherkaske in the Dnipropetrovsk region of Ukraine where troops from Ukraine’s 157th Mechanized Brigade were stationed Russia says the attack inflicted heavy casualties Moscow claimed that the strike had killed up to 150 Ukrainian soldiers it did not provide evidence and Reuters could not independently verify the incident The official casualty count remains undisclosed reported “several dozen” soldiers killed and up to a hundred wounded Suspilne also noted that a “large number” of wounded troops were hospitalised in the Dnipropetrovsk region said via Telegram that Russia had struck with cluster munitions but did not disclose casualty details said it had opened a criminal investigation into possible negligence over the attack without giving details of what wrongdoing might have taken place “We are witnessing untimely decisions and unlearned lessons,” Ukraine’s land forces commander Mykhailo Drapatyi said on Telegram adding that those responsible would be found “No one will hide behind explanations or formal reports.” Syrskyi said a training centre head and a commander of a military unit were suspended from duties with checks ordered into the implementation of a ban on outside meetings During three years of Russia’s full-scale invasion Moscow’s forces have inflicted casualties various times in attacks on Ukrainian military educational institutions and various formal outdoor gatherings It was the Northern Fleet SSBN Novomoskovsk that launched a Sineva missile from the Barents Sea, the Defense Ministry reported a Bulava missile was launched from the Pacific Fleet's Borei-class submarine Knyaz Oleg.  The two ballistic missiles crossed the Arctic skies and reportedly hit their targets This information is not verified by independent sources.  a Yars ballistic missile was launched from Plesetsk cosmodrome in the Arkhangelsk region.  "I would like to point out right away that Russia confirms its fundamental position that the use of nuclear weapons is an extreme exceptional measure to ensure state security," Putin said as the commanders of the triad; sea A recording of the session is posted by the Kremlin.   The nuclear weapons exercises were conducted from the National Defense Control Center headed by Defense Minister Andrei Belousov.  The air-leg of Russia's nuclear triad participated with Tu-95MS long-range bombers launching cruise missiles.  Minister Belousov said one aim of the exercises was to check the level of preparedness of military command bodies and the skills of the management and operational staff in organizing the management of subordinate forces.  Another aim was obviously to signal Russia's deterrence to potential enemies.  "Given the growing geopolitical tensions and the emergence of new external threats and risks it is important to have modern strategic forces that are constantly ready for combat use," Putin said He made clear that Russia will continue to modernize its nuclear weapons.  "We will continue to improve all their components We have the resources to do so," Putin said He noted that it is not a question about a new arms race "I would like to emphasize that we are not going to get involved in a new arms race but we will maintain nuclear forces at the necessary sufficiency level." The exercises testing all legs of the nuclear triad is an annual event normally taking place in the autumn.  Published by: The Independent Barents Observer AS About us The Barents Observer follows the Code of Ethics of the Norwegian Press and the document Right and Duties of the Editor We report under full editorial independence and have no external interference Donate to our independent journalism Støtt oss via Vipps: 105 792 - Det betyr mye newstips@thebarentsobserver.com atle@thebarentsobserver.com thomas@thebarentsobserver.com☏ +47-905 73 143 denis@thebarentsobserver.com georgii@thebarentsobserver.com liza.vereykina@thebarentsobserver.com olesia@thebarentsobserver.com Privacy policy Time has come for the Russian navy to withdraw from service the last class of Soviet-era strategic submarines will take time and happen over years until all new modern Borei class submarines are delivered from the shipyard in Severodvinsk “Ekaterinburg” is first of the six Delta-IV subs to be decommissioned some time in 2022, according to state-affiliated news agency TASS The submarine has been laid-up at the shipyard in Severodvinsk for the last two years but no formal announcement on decommissioning has been made The fire was finally extinguished with seawater by lowering the dock.A Delta-IV class submarine can carry 16 Sineva or Liner missiles the “Ekaterinburg” was repaired and re-entered service in 2014 The five other Delta-IV class vessels are “Verkhoturye” So far, the Northern Fleet has received two of the new Borei-class ballistic missile subs, the “Yury Dolgoruky” and the “Knyaz Vladimir” 10 subs of the class will be built by 2027 or 2028 of which five or six will sail with the Northern Fleet and the other with the Pacific Fleet All of the Northern Fleet’s strategic submarines are based in Gadzhiyevo on the coast to the Barents Sea some 100 kilometers from Russia’s border to Norway Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Stay in the know with The National Interest newsletter © Copyright 2025 Center for the National Interest We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below The cookies that are categorised as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site We also use third-party cookies that help us analyse how you use this website and provide the content and advertisements that are relevant to you These cookies will only be stored in your browser with your prior consent You can choose to enable or disable some or all of these cookies but disabling some of them may affect your browsing experience Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors Performance cookies are used to understand and analyse the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customised advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyse the effectiveness of the ad campaigns EuroChem runs an annual international ice hockey tournament for children aged 10-12 The EuroChem Cup is staged at the Jubilee Ice Palace in Novomoskovsk the tournament brings together children who forge life-long friendships with kids from other countries and have the privilege of experiencing new societies with more than 1,000 children taking part in the EuroChem Cup since it was first held in 2013 Although it initially involved teams from countries around the world where the company had a presence the rules were later relaxed to allow others to take part Local schools in Novomoskovsk are involved in the tournament “adopting” teams that they then support during the competition The players themselves tour the local city and schools and they also pay a sightseeing visit to Red Square in Moscow The competition has attracted wide public and commercial support and has been heralded by respected institutions such as the International Ice Hockey Federation as a highly worthwhile community-building endeavor EuroChem began funding the construction of ice rinks in 2011 in towns and cities where it operated in Russia More than 2,500 children train regularly at EuroChem-sponsored ice rinks which together represent an investment by EuroChem in youth sport of more than $10 million stated that Radchenko must not “leave the location of his actual residence” Radchenko was the founder and CEO of Kupiansk Milk Canning Factory He was also a member of the Kupiansk district council as a representative of President Zelensky’s party The Novomoskovsk court received territorial jurisdiction over the Kupiansk case for the duration of martial law It is impossible to resume the proceedings on site: according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine intense hostilities are ongoing in the Kupiansk area with the Russian army attacking Ukrainian positions spokesperson for the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s office his office tried to object to the conditional release measure “Since this person held a high position in a major local company since many witnesses are employees of this company this person can influence witnesses through his connections and resources but can also distort evidence that proves his guilt,” Chubenko said participated in drafting contracts for the supply of products to the Russian Federation and the so-called LNR [Luhansk self-proclaimed republic in Eastern Ukraine].. that is why our position was to keep him in detention.” Radchenko's lawyer Ihor Stepanov responded that he had “no right to disclose Oleksandr Oleksandrovych’s health condition He is healthy enough to attend court hearings He can and in any case will appear in court as he is obliged to appear at every court hearing In court, Radchenko looks upbeat and confident indeed. At first impression, he does not look like a man who may not have “the ability to fully respond to the demands of the world around him,” as the court once described him The current legislation gives the court the right to set bail or not when choosing a preventive measure in "collaboration cases" a lawyer and co-founder of the NGO Pro Justice and coordinator of the Kharkiv Regional Council for Justice Reform “The court must take into account all possible risks when choosing a preventive measure of detention without bail the court must also take into account the health of the accused his age and the presence of chronic diseases,” Chumak said “Taking into account the court practice of choosing and extending preventive measures in this category of cases it should be mentioned that the possibility of bail as an alternative to detention is not available in all cases This is a rare occurrence rather than a general rule But I would like to point out that in each case the court assesses the health of the accused and the ability of the state to provide medical care in places of detention.” The Kupiansk Milk Canning Factory is located on the left bank of the Oskil River less than ten kilometres from the frontline The products of Kupiansk Milk Canning Factory are known all over Ukraine Under the ’Zarichia’ brand (originally known as ’Zarechie’ in Russian) the company produced condensed milk and more than 45 other dairy products with a recognisable bunny logo The factory’s product line was expanding and Kupiansk Milk Cunning Factory’s products were publicised until the Russian army started a full-scale war in February 2022 A few days after Russia’s full invasion began, Russians took control of Kupiansk, stopped a pro-Ukrainian gathering and detained some of its participants. The fate of some of them is still unknown the katsaps [pejorative word for “Russians”] were already in Kupiansk They immediately arrested all the ATO [the area where Ukrainian separatists were active] veterans showed them around and accommodated them,” Kupiansk volunteer Oleksandr K (MediaPort has chosen not to publish his name for security reasons.) then left Kupiansk through country roads to reach the government-controlled territory of Ukraine we managed to get to the other side of the Oskil where for the first time in my life I wanted to hug our police officers because they were standing at a checkpoint with a Ukrainian flag,” he said Radchenko’s lawyers refer to their client as a Ukrainian patriot who was paying military tax and was helping ATO soldiers before the full-scale war “I know that he [Radchenko] was distributing milk I know that before the war he helped the ATO soldiers,” Oleksander K He named the trademark not ’Zarichia’ it was rumoured that his brand had been stolen from him because people in the Luhansk oblast had started producing these same products as if they were Ukrainian-made With the same rabbit or bunny logo drawn on them,” he added Russian roubles were seized from the accused “This is a specific factor that indicates work and cooperation with the occupiers during the occupation and this matter will be voiced in court,” Chubenko from the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s office Kupiansk mayor Andriy Besedin told MediaPort that the Kupiansk Milk Canning Factory is now closed and partially damaged by shelling “I’m not ready to say [whether all employees have been fired] I know that the head of the company is under investigation Not a single company operates in the Kupiansk community,” Besedin said Radchenko’s lawyer refused to talk about the factory’s activity and its future The defence is reluctant to comment on the specifics of the case until the trial is over it claims that the prosecutor’s office has no evidence and is delaying the trial “We will provide all the answers to your questions or comments after the court’s final decision on the case Oleksandr Oleksandrovych has not testified in court so far,” Stepanov said explaining his client’s unwillingness to talk Asked if he could at least react to the accusation that his client had collaborated with Russia he replied: “I am stating that he did not collaborate with the aggressor country.” “We are at the stage of questioning witnesses,” he added none of the [prosecution’s] witnesses who have been interrogated have confirmed the charges brought by the prosecution the prosecutor is delaying this case and not bringing the witnesses to the courtroom as it is aware that such testimonies do not help them.” the defence’s position is manipulative I cannot say the exact number of witnesses We will provide information about those who will testify during the trial,” he said witnesses did not appear at the hearing on May 3 “The Kupiansk District Prosecutor’s Office received a report from the Kupiansk District Police Department stating that they were unable to execute the court order to bring them in,” prosecutor Dmytro Reshetnyak said adding that he requested the fulfilment of the court order and clarification as of why it was impossible to execute it He asked the court to issue another order entrusting the case to operatives of the SBU: “I believe that under martial law SBU operatives have more capacity to carry out the court order.” The defence objected to the involvement of the SBU but did not object to the court order “I would like to draw the court’s attention to the fact that the prosecution has not provided witnesses for the third time I will be compelled to ask the court to set a deadline for the prosecution to provide evidence as stipulated by the Criminal Procedure Code,” Stepanov said “The court always entrusts the prosecutor with the execution of such order The manner of its execution is the prosecutor’s responsibility the court draws the prosecutor’s attention to the issue raised in the court hearing that the defence may request the court to set a time limit for you to present your evidence,” judge Inesa Krokhmalyuk said “Please note that we have been considering this case for a long time Please do not force the court to set these deadlines for you Full attention is paid to what is happening in the area where the witnesses are right now.” and we would have listened,” Radchenko said after the hearing And we want to hear the witnesses – you Ukraine (AP) — Russia launched its latest barrage of hypersonic and cruise missiles against Ukrainian targets early Monday striking near the front lines of fighting in the east as well as in central and western parts of the country At least four civilians were reported killed and at least 30 injured Western officials and analysts had previously warned that Russia was stockpiling its cruise missiles in preparation for a strategy of winter bombardment, as bad weather keeps the 1,500-kilometer (930-mile) front line largely static after 22 months of war Unlike last winter, when the Kremlin’s forces targeted Ukraine’s power grid, Russia is now aiming at Kyiv’s defense industry, they say. But the almost daily barrages have repeatedly hit civilian areas Monday’s attacks struck a string of urban areas Ukrainian commander-in-chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi said The Ukrainian Air Force intercepted 18 of the cruise missiles and all the drones Russia’s Defense Ministry said its forces used precision sea-launched and air-launched long-range missiles to strike what it called “facilities of Ukraine’s military-industrial complex.” a woman died in a missile attack outside the city of Kryvyi Rih and 24 people were injured in a strike on the town of Novomoskovsk which is Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s home town more than 20 houses and a shopping mall were damaged in the attack A woman rescued from the rubble of a building later died Authorities in the Khmelnytskyi region of western Ukraine said two people died as at least six explosions were heard during the morning missile attack a major southern city along the Dnipro River two people were injured in a missile strike on a residential district Russian troops conducted 131 artillery attacks on the Kherson region Kherson and the surrounding region have been consistently targeted since Russian forces withdrew from the city to the eastern side of the Dnipro in the autumn of 2022 the Ukrainian military said Russian forces have made unsuccessful efforts to advance during the past day in several areas along the front line including around Lyman in the Kharkiv region and in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions Late Monday the governor of the Belgorod region in western Russia which borders Ukraine said the city of the same name came under attack Russia’s Defense Ministry said ten rockets fired by Ukraine were shot down while three people were injured by shrapnel regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov wrote on his Telegram channel adding that some apartment windows were blown out and cars and trucks damaged Meanwhile in the Russia-occupied Luhansk region in Ukraine’s east a Russian warplane accidentally released a bomb on the town of Rubizhne the head of the region’s Moscow-appointed government an FAB-250 that carries a high-explosive warhead The incident comes six days after Russia accidentally dropped munitions over the village of Petropavlovka in the Belgorod region which has come under repeated Ukrainian attack Last April, another bomb accidentally dropped by one of Russia’s warplanes caused a powerful blast in the city of Belgorod Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine Leafs and Panthers players discuss Game 1 of round 2 of the playoffs Ontario Premier Doug Ford calls on Prime Minister Mark Carney to prioritize a list of projects including the proposed Highway 401 tunnel Monday is calling for rain and thunderstorms Stella Acquisto has the long-range forecast Could we see another indefinite pause on postal service in the country Negotiations are underway again as Canada Post and the workers’ union try to cut a deal to avoid a lockout or strike later this month listen to NewsRadio Toronto live anytime and get up-to-the-minute breaking-news alerts weather and video from CityNews Toronto anywhere you are – across all Android and iOS devices One of the tropes in espionage movies is the scene where one spy shadows another until the mark suddenly disappears Usually the tailing agent rushes forward in an effort to relocate the quarry This is pretty much what happened when the submarine USS Grayling lost its contact with the Russian K-407 Novomoskovsk on March 20 was that neither vessel had any clue as to the presence of the other the eighty-nine-meter-long Grayling had been tracking the K-407 for several hours the American boat was one of the older nuclear-powered Sturgeon-class attack submarines that had served as workhorses in the Cold War An attack submarine is intended foremost to hunt down enemy ships Topping the list of targets are an adversary’s ballistic-missile submarines—or “boomers”—whose job is to launch nuclear missiles from underwater in the event World War III breaks out policy to station attack submarines near Soviet naval bases in order to tail boomers leaving port Had the Cold War rivals spiraled into a nuclear exchange the American attack submarines would have been in position take out much of the Soviet Union’s underwater nuclear strike force This policy continued after the fall of the Soviet Union Novomoskovsk had been commissioned only three years earlier and was the last of the quiet Delta IV–class nuclear ballistic-missile submarines to be built it was nearly twice the length of the Grayling and displaced more than four times the weight Its hump-backed hull accommodated sixteen RSM-54 submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) each carrying four independently reentering nuclear warheads Novomoskovsk had been the first submarine ever to rapidfire sixteen ballistic missiles at once in a test in 1991 following a failed attempt by its older sister Yekaterinburg in 1989 K-407 had departed from its base in Severomorsk on a training cruise in the Barents Sea about 60 percent of Russia’s ballistic-missile submarines were stationed in the Arctic region around the Kola Peninsula which lies just east of Russia’s borders with Finland and Norway The Novomoskovsk’s crew was oblivious to the presence of the quiet American submarine trailing roughly seven miles behind it Andrei Bulgakov swung K-407 around while it was seventy-six meters deep and began to head back to port The Sturgeon lost sonar contact with the Russian boomer Richard Self sped up his submarine in an attempt to close the gap and reacquire sonar contact only to discover the K-407 was just 0.6 miles away and heading straight towards the Grayling we might imagine we were witnessing an underwater Fast & Furious movie the Sturgeon had accelerated to just between nine and seventeen miles per hour while K-407 was swimming at around twenty miles per hour This implies the Sturgeon had between sixty and seventy-five seconds to attempt to lumber its 4,300-ton bulk off a collision course Captain Self did his best to turn and surface the Grayling but the “speeding” American submarine had too much momentum the crew of the Novomoskovsk was stunned to hear a long screeching impact as the American submarine glanced off its upper starboard bow Only afterward did the Russian submarine’s sonar detect the Sturgeon The American vessel circled around and made sure that the K-407 had not sustained serious damage before both vessels sailed back to their home ports no one was injured and the damage was not too severe The outer hull of the K-407 had a “small dent,” according to Moscow—other sources state it was a long scratch—but its hull was not breached However, it very nearly could have been much worse. According to an article in the Atlantic had the Grayling impacted five seconds later the American submarine would have struck K-407 along its nuclear missile bay possibly rupturing the hull and spilling the deadly weapons into the sea the policy of tailing the ballistic-missile submarines of potential adversaries was not halted Why did the Grayling lose track of the Novomoskovsk despite the fact that it was heading right in its direction A submerged submarine trying to remain stealthy is constrained to listening to the water around it to detect approaching vessels the background noise is several times louder in the shallow waters off of the Barents Sea and a Delta IV is one of the quieter Soviet-era submarines the acoustic profile of a submarine is weaker to the front than to the side because the submarine’s long hull absorbs more of the sound Those factors combined explain why the Grayling wasn’t able to detect the K-407 until too late—though fortunately with just enough time to avoid a much more catastrophic impact K-407 has continued to serve with distinction in the Russian Navy The aging Grayling remained operational several more years and was finally retired in 1997 Sébastien Roblin holds a Master’s Degree in Conflict Resolution from Georgetown University and served as a university instructor for the Peace Corps in China. He has also worked in education, editing, and refugee resettlement in France and the United States. He currently writes on security and military history for War Is Boring Image: A Russian Navy Northern Fleet Delta IV–class nuclear-powered ballistic-missile submarine ensconced in their mountains in northern Yemen French Rafale fighter jets are in global demand This highlights an increased defense spending across Europe and the Middle East Project Azm’s lack of progress raises doubts about Pakistan’s ability to deliver indigenous fifth-generation warplanes chief of the Federal Consumer Protection Service has accused Procter & Gamble of providing unsafe working conditions Onishchenko said 51 percent of the company’s employees in Moscow worked in harmful conditions The number includes 25 percent of all female employees at the company P&G said it complied with Russian sanitary and safety standards Onishchenko pointed out that employees at the company’s plants in Novomoskovsk in the Tula region often take long sick leave apparently referring to a period of time this year that he didn’t specify He said the rate was 11 percent higher than last year He said the breeches of safety rules included a noise level in the first half of the year that was 6 percent higher than allowed He also accused the firm of providing substandard lighting and poor cleaning practices at working premises At a Procter & Gamble facility in Dzerzhinsk in the Nizhny Novgorod region 23 percent of staffers did not undergo medical checks adding that the company has similar violations at its plant in St P&G spokeswoman Yulia Mayorova said the Federal Consumer Protection Service or other agencies conducted no inspections of the company this year “We are somewhat surprised by this statement,” she said by e-mail “We are sure that all the company’s plants and offices comply” with state rules Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Mr Denis Tikhonov (Vice-chairman of the Government of Tula) Mr Dmitry Milyaev (Acting Minister of Agriculture of Tula) Mr Anatoliy Prorokov (Mayor of Novomoskovsk) Mr Vadim Zherzdev (Head of Administration of Novomoskovsk) and Mr Igor Smetanin (General Director of Krasobor Ltd.).Krasnobor recently finished the construction of a brand new hatchery located in Matovo village with a total setting capacity of 12 million eggs per year Krasnobor has been creating a closed production cycle processing and marketing of ready-to-cook turkey meat products The new hatchery formed the final phase in the completion of this production cycle and was realized in cooperation with the government of the Tula region The opening ceremony of the new hatchery took place on June 10th 2014 after which the guests enjoyed a tour around the plant The installed incubators are Petersime BioStreamer 8S and 4H hatchers all equipped with the patented Embryo-Response Incubation technology The incubators can be controlled from a central computer we followed recommendations from other successful turkey producers who have been using Petersime equipment for already several decades both in Europe and in America,” said general director Igor Smetanin with production facilities arranged on three production sites Each year the company produces over 20,000 tons of ready-to-cook products Krasnobor used to import turkey poults from Germany when an outbreak of avian influenza provoked a price jump the company was forced to buy eggs in Canada and incubate them in Poland it was soon decided to invest in an own hatchery The Russian Defense Ministry announced that it used the Iskander-M missile system to attack the Novomoskovsk training ground killing 150 Ukrainian servicemen and about 30 foreign instructors The incident is being investigated by Kiev The Kyiv Post reported on March 3 that the Ukrainian Army Command has ordered an independent investigation by the military counterintelligence agency warning: “Any individuals responsible – whether for actions or omissions – will be held accountable.” Russian forces launched a missile attack on a Ukrainian military training base that reportedly killed 150 Ukrainian soldiers and 30 foreign trainers prompting Ukrainian counterintelligence officials to launch a large-scale investigation described the consequences of the attack as “horrific.” Initial media reports circulated about a Russian missile attack on the Novomoskovsk training ground in the Dnipropetrovsk region on March 1 where troops from the 157th Separate Mechanized Brigade were said to be present The Russian Defense Ministry announced that it used the Iskander-M missile system to target the site up to 150 Ukrainian servicemen and about 30 foreign instructors were killed.” Ukrainian military officials did not immediately confirm the attack or provide details about casualties emphasizing the need for a prompt investigation accountability and updated security standards and new standards of security – otherwise we will lose more than we gain,” Mr Although he did not disclose the exact location of the attack or the number of casualties Drapatiy said an investigation was underway and he would personally oversee every step of the process “I waited for initial data to avoid speculation but now I must warn: all those responsible – whether by action or negligence – will be held accountable,” and “No one can escape with explanations or formal reports,” Mr an independent investigation has been launched with the participation of military counterintelligence to ensure that no details are overlooked and those responsible will face consequences “I will ask for the most severe disciplinary action,” Mr “those who perform their duties carelessly and bureaucratically during wartime those who make things difficult for the military with outdated procedures that compromise safety and those who seek power not on the battlefield but by mistreating their subordinates – all of them dishonor the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU).” The Ukrainian Army confirmed the attack in an official statement one of the units of the Ukrainian Army was the target of a missile attack and unfortunately there were casualties The Ukrainian Army's statement also warned that the Russian Federation is not only conducting missile attacks but also using information and psychological warfare Your comment has been submitted and will be displayed after being approved by the editorial team.The editorial board reserves the right to edit comments to comply with the Newspaper's content regulations Governing body: Hai Duong Provincial Party Committee granted by the Ministry of Information and Communications on May 10 Editorial information