GEOKOK

The Smer-SSD party had a clear lead with almost 25% of the vote despite exit polls suggesting victory by a liberal centrist party: The opposition Direction – Social Democracy party (Smer), led by former Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, won the parliamentary elections with 23.58% of the vote, data from the Slovak Statistical Office showed on Sunday. At the moment, data from 95.75% of polling stations has been processed. The second place with 16.37% of the votes is occupied by the Progressive Slovakia party, followed by the Voice – Social Democracy party, which received 15.22% of the votes. Official election results are expected to be announced on Sunday afternoon. Smer has pledged an immediate end to military support for Ukraine.

1. The University of Alberta is closing a fund named after Yaroslav Hunka, following outrage over his past. [VIDEO CTV News] --- 2. The University of Alberta in Canada decided to close the educational foundation named after the Ukrainian SS man Yaroslav Hunka a few hours after the Russian diplomatic mission applied, Ambassador in Ottawa Oleg Stepanov told RIA Novosti. “The embassy discovered as a result of our work that Hunka and his family have an educational fund at the University of Alberta, and even after this scandal it continued to exist completely officially. We, through our social networks, drew the attention of the university management to this story and asked for comment on how it this applies," he said. “Literally a few hours later, this morning, the university publicly announced that it was closing the fund, returning the money and regretting that it could cause inconvenience and sadness to someone. The work of the embassy here turned out to be timely and correct,” Stepanov noted. [RIA Novosti]

The evacuation of civilians from Nagorno-Karabakh, who were injured due to the explosion of a fuel tank in Stepanakert, has been completed. Assistance was provided by helicopter crews of the Russian peacekeeping contingent. Military doctors of the special-purpose medical detachment of the Russian peacekeeping contingent made 42 ambulance flights and evacuated 258 people. In addition, patients of the Republican Medical Center of Stepanakert in need of medical and intensive care were also subject to evacuation. ---- Also, the Russian peacekeeping contingent continues to carry out tasks in the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. Continuous interaction is maintained with Baku and Stepanakert, aimed at preventing bloodshed, ensuring security and observing humanitarian law in relation to civilians. Currently, 522 civilians in the custody of the Russian peacekeeping contingent do not have the opportunity to return to their homes at this time. Among them are 293 children. Their accommodation, food and medical care are organized.

1. The University of Alberta is closing a fund named after Yaroslav Hunka, following outrage over his past. [VIDEO CTV News] --- 2. The University of Alberta in Canada decided to close the educational foundation named after the Ukrainian SS man Yaroslav Hunka a few hours after the Russian diplomatic mission applied, Ambassador in Ottawa Oleg Stepanov told RIA Novosti. “The embassy discovered as a result of our work that Hunka and his family have an educational fund at the University of Alberta, and even after this scandal it continued to exist completely officially. We, through our social networks, drew the attention of the university management to this story and asked for comment on how it this applies," he said. “Literally a few hours later, this morning, the university publicly announced that it was closing the fund, returning the money and regretting that it could cause inconvenience and sadness to someone. The work of the embassy here turned out to be timely and correct,” Stepanov noted. [RIA Novosti]

China's first commercial sky train opened to the public in central China's Wuhan City, Hubei Province, on Tuesday. With a maximum speed of 60 kilometers per hour, the driverless sky trains move around on a 10.5 kilometer-long aerial track in Wuhan's Optics Valley, a hub for technology companies. This suspended monorail provides a new option for urban public transportation. 　 The first phase of the line features six stations. The two-carriage car can hold maximally 220 people. The car can add more carriages depending on the passenger flow. Compared to traditional railways or double-track subways, monorail trains offer a smoother ride and effectively eliminate interference from other traffic and pedestrians. There is a transparent glass floor on the car so that passengers can see the city under their feet.

An unscheduled Russian military VIP plane touched down in Pyongyang this week, days after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made a rare trip to his neighbor for talks the US said likely focused on arms transfers. [WION VIDEO] -------- Tracking data from FlightRadar24 shows the Russian Air Force Ilyushin IL-62M flying from Moscow to Pyongyang, arriving on Tuesday morning. The tail number on the plane indicates it was the same aircraft Russia sent to North Korea in August, just days after Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu traveled to Pyongyang and was guided by Kim through a collection of his country’s latest weaponry. Data from FlightRadar24 also indicates the plane returned to Russia on Thursday after having been on the ground in North Korea for about two days. North Korean state media has made no mention of the plane and the Russian Defense Ministry did not respond to a request for comment sent by email. Specialist service NK News, which spotted the plane’s arrival, said the silence surrounding the flight could indicate there were military officials on board for talks on weapons or technology transfers. About a day after the plane departed Pyongyang, Russia’s official Tass news agency reported that North Korea’s Minister of External Economic Relations Yun Jong Ho had arrived in Moscow for a working visit. North Korea has had almost no international air traffic since it closed its borders at the start of the pandemic in early 2020. The arrival of two flights in the space of less than two months highlights cooperation between the two countries, which have drawn closer as the US and its partners tried to isolate them with international sanctions. “It seems that Russia has rediscovered the strategic value of North Korea against the backdrop of North Korea’s support in the war and the formation of the US-South Korea-Japan trilateral alliance,” said Jeh Sung-Hoon, head of the department of Russian Studies at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies. “Since the interests of both countries are aligned, North Korea-Russia cooperation should move forward quickly,” Jeh said. Kim spent about a week in Russia this month where he held a summit with Vladimir Putin at Russia’s Vostochny Cosmodrome space center. He received pledges from the president of assistance in building satellites and firing them off on Russian rockets. [Bloomberg]

Vladimir Klichkó, ​​former boxer and brother of the mayor of Kiev, criticized the alleged inhuman treatment to which Russian soldiers are subjected and assured that the Ukrainians fighting on the front are volunteers who have not been sent by force. However, the reality is that general mobilization is still in force in Ukraine, which prohibits men eligible for recruitment from leaving the country. Several videos published on social networks show soldiers forcibly recruiting people on the streets of different Ukrainian cities.

Justin Trudeau offered an 'unreserved apology' on behalf of Canada after Anthony Rota invited a Nazi veteran to Zelenskyy's address to Parliament. [En attendant Godot] Moscow believes that Ottawa must bring to justice Yaroslav Hunka, 98, a Ukrainian who fought for a Nazi unit, or extradite him anywhere where he would be prosecuted, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

Last Friday, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock was in Augsburg to support the Greens in the election campaign in Bavaria. She gave a speech where she also discussed current Ukraine policy. She explained: "I also know how much more expensive weekly shopping has become. But we all know that if we said, 'Now we'll stop supporting Ukraine,' then the butter won't work cheaper again." ---- Am vergangenen Freitag war die Außenministerin Annalena Baerbock in Augsburg, um die Grünen beim Wahlkampf in Bayern zu unterstützen. Dabei hielt sie eine Rede, wobei sie auch auf die aktuelle Ukraine-Politik zu sprechen kam. Dabei führte sie aus: "Auch ich weiß, wie viel teurer der wöchentliche Einkauf mittlerweile geworden ist. Aber wir wissen alle genau so, wenn wir sagen würden, 'jetzt hören wir auf, die Ukraine zu unterstützen', dann wird die Butter ja nicht wieder billiger." [RT DE]

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has advised the Armenian leadership to remember what he described as the unenviable fate of countries that relied on the United States. Asked whether Armenia might lose Russia, he pointed out that a number of leading politicians in Yerevan wished to follow such a scenario and were looking toward the West. "You know, there are many of those who wish to lose Russia and make new friends," Lavrov told TASS. "If they really rely on the United States, which is well seen in statements by many representatives of the Armenian leadership, then perhaps they should do well to look back on the recent history of how the United States treated those whom it tried to draw into its orbit in advancing its geopolitical interests in areas of the world far away from America’s shores. The fate of all these people was very, very unenviable," Lavrov said. He emphasized that in any case, Russia's interests in the South Caucasus could not be geopolitically ignored. "Historically, geographically and geopolitically it is impossible to lose Russia in the sense of completely ignoring its interests in the South Caucasus," Lavrov pointed out. "But such hopes are harbored by some leaders in Yerevan, and they say so outright." In particular, Lavrov pointed out that such a remark was dropped by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in a recent speech. He argued there was a "need to compensate for the failed alliances on which Armenia had relied to ensure its security, and to expand the circle of partners who will ensure this security."

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has responded to former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s remarks about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s role in NATO expansion. "Mrs. Clinton is known in our country for trying to twist things and distort ideas," he told reporters. Peskov’s comments came after Hillary Clinton addressed Putin by name and said, "you brought it on yourself," when she mentioned the latest NATO expansion on a recent visit to the US State Department, Reuters reported. "As for the sequence of President Putin's actions, one should remind Mrs. Clinton of the numerous waves of NATO expansion and moving the alliance's military infrastructure closer to our borders, then Putin's insistent proposal to Western countries to discuss this situation and sign a certain document [on security guarantees], the draft of which was prepared by the Russian side, and the resolute refusal of Western countries to discuss anything. And then the reasons behind the special military operation become quite clear," Peskov said. He also recalled an incident that took place in 2009, when Hillary Clinton, serving as the US Secretary of State at the time, presented Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov with a button that was supposed to symbolize the reset of relations between Washington and Moscow. However, instead of the word "reset," the button was mistakenly labeled "overload." "It is clear that this was probably an unintentional mistake, although it was quite telling anyway," the spokesman said.

Deputy Head of the Security Council of Russia Dmitry Medvedev commented on the hit of a Ukrainian drone on the Russian tanker "Sig" in the Kerch Strait, saying that Ukraine has few strikes on Odessa, Izmail, they understand only cruelty and force. Rosmorrechflot previously reported that the Russian tanker "Sig" is being pumped out of water, the ship is afloat, it received a hole in the engine room area in the southern part of the Kerch Strait as a result, presumably, of an attack by a sea drone. Rosmorrechflot clarified that the damaged tanker is located in the southern part of the Kerch Strait, at the entrance to the strait. “Bastards and degenerates understand only cruelty and force. Apparently, they don’t have enough strikes on Odessa, Ishmael…,” Medvedev wrote on his Telegram channel.

Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, on Monday urged his country to use force, as well as targeted and "far from humane" measures against terrorists in the wake of the latest attack on the Crimean Bridge. "The global track record and our own experience show that there is no using international sanctions, or issuing warnings against terrorists. They understand only the language of force. Only targeted and quite inhumane steps [should be taken]," Medvedev wrote on his Telegram channel. Therefore, Medvedev continued, "their own homes and the houses of their relatives should be blown up" as he called for efforts "to search for and wipe out their accomplices." He dismissed the idea of trying the perpetrators as dull. "Eliminating the supreme commanders of terrorist units is key," the politician said, describing the mission as "difficult but possible." Last night, Ukrainian forces used two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs, or drones) to carry out a terrorist attack on the Crimean Bridge. The attack on the Crimean Bridge on Monday morning was committed by Ukrainian special services, Russia’s Investigative Committee reported. "According to investigative data, one of the sections of the Crimean Bridge was damaged overnight to July 17 as a result of a terror attack committed by Ukrainian special services. Two civilians - a man and a woman who drove in a car across the bridge - were killed. Their underage daughter suffered injuries," the statement reads.

Damage to the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant could have been the result of an accident rather than an intentional strike, US State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said on Tuesday. "Of course that could be a possibility, but we are trying to determine what happened," Patel said during a press briefing, when asked whether the situation could possibly be accidental. -- The Biden administration will ask Congress for more funding for Ukraine if needed in light of the destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP), but now is not the appropriate time to have that conversation because the impact is unknown, White House National Security Council Spokesperson John Kirby said on Tuesday. -- VIDEO: video of the alleged undermining of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station

During the Social Democratic Party’s Europe Festival in Germany, the country’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz found himself fervently defending his position against protesters who called him a warmonger during his speech in support of Ukraine. Addressing the crowd outside the Stadthalle in Falkensee near Berlin, Scholz called out, "Dear shouters," amidst whistles. He asserted that Russian President Vladimir Putin was the "warmonger" being condemned by the protesters, adding, "If you had any sense in your heads," according to Die Stimme Berlin. The German Chancellor emphasized that due to "Russia's act of aggression", there was no alternative but to support Ukraine, even with weapons.

Zelensky explains to Aleksandar Vucic that Kosovo is different, Donbass and Crimea are different, and Cyprus is different. International law does not apply to all countries. Moreover, History begins with the discovery of America.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic placed the country's army on full combat alert and ordered its units to move closer to the border with Kosovo, the Tanjug news agency reported on Friday. Vucic's orders came as Serbs in the northern Kosovo's municipality of Zvecan clashed with Kosovo police who were trying to help the newly elected ethnic Albanian mayor enter his office. The Serbian president issued a decree ordering the armed forces to immediately move to the administrative border of Kosovo and Metohija as a response to [Prime Minister of the unrecognized Republic of Kosovo Albin] "Kurti’s special police using violent tactics against the Serbian residents of Zvecan, Zubin Potok and Leposavic." The head of state also called on NATO officials to take urgent measures to end the violence being perpetrated against the Serbian population of Kosovo, the report said. The Serbian president’s move comes amid rising tensions in four Serb-populated municipalities in the northern part of Kosovo and Metohija, where Kosovar law enforcement officers are trying to seize administrative buildings despite local residents’ attempts to defend them. Media outlets have reported of sirens going off, disruptions in mobile communications and law enforcement’s use of stun grenades and tear gas.

New videos of a powerful explosion that occurred in Khmelnytsky in western Ukraine on May 13 have appeared on the Web. The footage was filmed by local residents.

A helicopter has caught on fire and crashed in the Bryansk Region, a source in the emergency services told TASS. "A helicopter has crashed in the city of Klintsy, according to preliminary data due to an inflamed engine," the source said. - Российские СМИ и телеграм-каналы сообщают о падении четырех суден в Брянской области за субботу – двух вертолетах Ми-8 и двух самолетах Су-34 и Су-35 (в некоторых источниках Су-34).

Ukrainian media publishes a video in which, allegedly, the air defense shoots down a drone in the center of Kyiv. What kind of drone is not specified. Earlier, eyewitnesses reported that explosions in the capital did not stop for 20 minutes. Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko on Thursday said there were explosions and a fire in the southwest of the city, which followed an air raid warning. -- Ukrainian and Western air defense systems wasted substantial resources on false targets (decoys): [https://rumble.com/v215qwv-ukrainian-and-western-air-defense-systems-wasted-substantial-resources-on-f.html?mref=10gobl&mc=d3odw]

Russian President Vladimir Putin was not harmed and continues to work as usual after Kiev’s attempted drone attack against the Kremlin this night, the presidential press service said on Wednesday. "The Russian president was not harmed as a result of the terrorist attack. His schedule has not changed and continues as usual," the press service said. According to the press service, this night "the Kiev regime carried out an attempt to deliver a strike by unmanned aerial vehicles on the Kremlin residence of the Russian president." "Two unmanned aerial vehicles targeted the Kremlin," it said. "As a result of timely actions taken by military and special services using electronic warfare systems, the drones were disabled," the Kremlin stated. "Their fall and the fragments scattered around on the territory of the Kremlin caused no casualties or material damage," the press service stressed. --- Russia says it downed two drones that targeted the Kremlin in Moscow last night and accused Ukraine of attempting to kill President Vladimir Putin. Unverified footage on social media appeared to show an object flying over the Kremlin before a small explosion. Ukraine said it had nothing to do with the drone strike.

Russian forces have eliminated an armored vehicle presumably carrying commander of Ukraine’s territorial defense forces Igor Tantsura, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the Wagner private military company, said on Tuesday. "Today at 1:25 p.m., as the artillery units of the Wagner PMC with reserves were coming in from the Chasov Yar populated locality to the Bakhmut (Ukrainian name for Artyomovsk) populated locality, an armored vehicle was eliminated presumably with commander of territorial defense forces of the Ukrainian army Igor Ivanovich Tantsura inside who was heading to Bakhmut," Prigozhin’s press service quoted him as saying on Telegram. "Currently we are clarifying this information," Prigozhin added, vowing to give more information later.

A fuel tank caught fire in Sevastopol, Governor Mikhail Razvozhayev reported on his Telegram channel on Saturday, adding that a drone attack might have caused the incident. "A fuel tank is on fire. According to preliminary reports, a drone attack might have caused the blaze," the official wrote. According to him, the fire engulfed 1,000 square meters. The fire is of no risk to civilian facilities in the Black Sea city, as it affected the premises of the port only, Razvozhayev’s spokesperson said.

Two AH-64 Apache helicopters based at Fort Wainwright crashed today near Healy, Alaska, according to the 11th Airborne Division. According to a tweet from the 11th Airborne account, the two helicopters are with the 1st Attack Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment and were returning from a training flight. Three soldiers were killed and a fourth was injured after the Army Apache helicopters they were in collided in mid-air and crashed in Alaska on Thursday, the military said. This is the second serious Apache crash in Alaska this year. In February, two soldiers were injured when a military helicopter was involved in a rollover accident in Talkeetna.

Kyiv's persecution of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (УПЦ) has reached a new level. The official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Maria Zakharova, announced this at a briefing on April 27. "On an absolutely new level of cynicism and hypocrisy, the campaign of the Kyiv regime against the canonical UOC has come out. We all see that this is not just a behind-the-scenes political struggle, this is a real attempt to destroy the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, an attempt to completely ban it," Zakharova says.