VCHRYSANTZAS

🔴Khatia Dekanoidze, head of Georgia’s parliamentary opposition, spoke in an interview with NV Radio about the controversial “foreign agent” bill and the threats it poses to Georgia. If the bill passes, it may create a barrier to Georgia’s EU and NATO aspirations, according to Dekanoidze. “Georgian citizens, especially the younger generation, call this bill ‘Russian’ because Russia had the same passed one in 2012,” she said. “They recognized as foreign agents such people as Alexei Navalny, Ivan Zhdanov, who were then either killed by Russian president Vladimir Putin, or they left Russia. Therefore, I think that what awaits Georgia if the bill is passed is becoming another Belarus, where people realize that no democracy can take root.” If the parliament supports the bill in the third reading, the Georgian people’s resistance will be very serious, Dekanoidze suggested. “I’m sure that Georgians won’t live under a dictator like Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko,” she said. “It’s not a question of domestic politics, it’s a question of where we’re going. I’m absolutely certain that the oligarch who controls the ruling Georgian Dream party, Bidzina Ivanishvili wants to take over Georgia just like, but I don’t think he’ll get away with that.” After the Georgian government submitted another draft of the bill to the parliament in April, mass protests against the controversial legislation have taken place across the country. Georgia's parliament gave initial approval to a bill on "foreign agents" that the European Union said risked blocking the country's path to membership. The fate of the bill is widely seen as a test of whether Georgia, 33 years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, intends to pursue a path of integration with the West or move closer towards Russia. As many as 10,000 opponents of the bill gathered outside the parliament, sitting atop cars and buildings -- a day after police used pepper spray to clear protesters away from part of the building. Several thousand protesters moved over to the government building, heavily guarded by police, to demand a meeting with Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, the bill's principal backer.

🔴SUBSCRIBE TO US!

🔴Speaker of the US House of Representatives Mike Johnson proposes that Congress compel President Joe Biden to provide ATACMS to Ukraine. However, the transfer may be delayed, according to the corresponding bill. The document proposes that President Biden should be obliged to transfer long-range ATACMS to Ukraine "as soon as practicable". This will help Ukraine defend itself and achieve victory against Russia. However, as the bill specifies, if the President determines that the transfer would be detrimental to the national security interests of the United States, the President may withhold such transfer. In this case, Biden will be obliged to notify the congressional defense committees, the Committees on Appropriations and Foreign Relations of the Senate, and the Committees on Appropriations and Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives of such determination. Last year, Ukraine requested the transfer of long-range ATACMS missiles from the United States, which are capable of destroying targets at a distance of up to 300 kilometers. Ukrainian soldiers can launch them using HIMARS multiple-launch rocket systems. Last October, the Ukrainian Armed Forces launched a missile attack on airfields in Berdiansk and Luhansk. Russians said that ATACMS missiles were used. Later, the White House confirmed the transfer of such weapons to Ukraine, but with a range of up to 165 kilometers. However, American media reported that such missiles were transferred in small quantities. After this, the question of transferring ATACMS at a range of 300 kilometers remained relevant. Top US General Charles Brown recently stated that possible transfer is not as risky as it was before. A US General stated that Russia's restrained response to a series of recent attacks by Ukrainian drones deep into Russian territory allowed the Pentagon to adjust its risk analysis for sending ATACMS.

🔴It is well known that despite the French side having played the role of a mediator for nearly 25 years due to Azerbaijan’s consent, the country has taken open and explicit anti-Azerbaijani actions following the 2020 Patriotic War, Spokesperson of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Aykhan Hajizada said. Notwithstanding France’s accusation against Azerbaijan of unilateral actions, Azerbaijan's steps and official statements towards France have only been in response to this country's destructive activities. Despite the smear campaign against Azerbaijan, the dialogue channels have always been kept open on Azerbaijan's side, the spokesman said. "In particular, France’s actions over the past three and a half years have seriously put under question the efforts to normalize relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia based on sovereignty and territorial integrity and contributed to the escalation of the situation. "France’s initiatives against Azerbaijan in documents and resolutions at the UN Security Council, the European Union, the Francophonie, and other international platforms have proven that this country’s claims of being a neutral mediator are completely unfounded. "We also would like to recall the adoption of decisions and resolutions by the French Parliament solely based on initiatives of the ruling party’s representatives, where numerous unfounded accusations, insults, and threats have been made against our country, that questioned and undermined Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and sovereignty, and recognized the former puppet regime. "During this period, the attacks against our Embassy and damage caused to the Embassy premises as a result of the Azerbaijanophobic environment existing in France, and lastly, vandalism acts against the bust of the 19th-century Azerbaijani poetess Khurshidbanu Natavan, and the failure of the government to take measures against such actions are part of France’s anti-Azerbaijani campaign. "At the same time, accusations against Azerbaijan for taking unilateral actions are completely unfounded, bearing in mind actions by France targeting Azerbaijan’s presidency of the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. "At the same time, it is clear as day that the actions of France, which is extensively arming Armenia and promoting militarism in the region, do not serve peace. "The Azerbaijani side has repeatedly stated to France that speaking in a language of threat and pressure will not bring any results, and once again declares that it will take all necessary measures to protect its national interests," Hajizada said.

🔴Russian troops have launched a missile attack on the Aviatorskoye airfield located in Ukraine’s Dnerpopetrovsk region. As a result, 2 MiG-29 fighter jets and S-300 anti-aircraft missile complex belonging to the Ukrainian army, as well as the warehouse where equipment for the aircraft were stored, were blown up and taken out of service. The nearby Dnepropetrovsk thermal power station was damaged. The footage of the missile strikes has been shared on Russian Telegram channels.

The Krasukha, a Russian-manufactured electronic warfare system, plays a critical role in the Russian military's operations in Ukraine by targeting enemy radar systems from the ground. According to Army Recognition media outlet, this equipment is specifically designed to jam signals across a broad spectrum, focusing on disrupting airborne electronics, such as those in unmanned aerial vehicles, radar-guided missiles, and other airborne systems. İt is noted that the operational strategy of the Krasukha involves long-range detection of aircraft radars—ranging between 200 and 250 kilometers. The Russian-made Krasukha Electronic Warfare combat system consists of two vehicles including the the 1L269 Krasukha-2 and the 1RL257 Krasukha-4. The Krasukha-2 system detects and recognizes enemy radar signals. The Krasukha-4 is a jamming station control vehicle that provides electronic countermeasures against enemy radar. Until the Krasukha is activated, the pilot can observe the surrounding environment and identify targets for destruction. However, once the system is enabled, the pilot loses awareness of this situation and, therefore, cannot complete the mission. Upon detecting a radar, the system identifies and prioritizes the target before deciding on the suppression method. This system identifies signal types and employs powerful intelligent jamming techniques to incapacitate enemy radar. This disruption prevents enemy aircraft from detecting targets or effectively deploying high-precision weapons. Consequently, enemy aircraft, compromised by the electronic warfare system, are compelled to leave the airspace and abort their missions. This system is capable of disrupting the radar systems of enemy strike and reconnaissance aircraft, UAVs, and low-orbit satellites. Additionally, it can track NATO aircraft and engage ground radars. Army Recognition media outlet says that since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine, Russian forces have been actively using the Krasukha-4 to scan the airspace in defense of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics. It plays a crucial role in identifying and classifying aerial targets, particularly in disabling the onboard radars of Ukrainian reconnaissance UAVs.

If the situation at the front does not change soon, then Ukraine in its current form may remain a thing of the past, writes Politico. İt is noted that this not just that Ukraine’s forces are running out of ammunition. Western delays over sending aid mean the country is dangerously short of something even harder to supply than shells: the fighting spirit required to win. The Ukrainian military privately acknowledges that more casualties are inevitable this summer. The only question is how serious they will be. After all, Vladimir Putin has perhaps never been so close to his goal, the publication notes. As Politico points out, for a war of this magnitude, the scale of Western leaders' efforts to help Kyiv falls far short of their rapid-fire rhetoric. And it looks increasingly like Putin's bet that he can crush Ukrainian resistance and Western support may be paying off. " Increasingly it looks as if Putin’s bet that he can grind down Ukrainian resistance and Western support might pay off. Without a major step-change in the supply of advanced Western weapons and cash, Ukraine won’t be able to liberate the territories Putin’s forces now hold. That will leave Putin free to gnaw on the wounded country in the months or years ahead. Even if Russia can’t finish Ukraine off, a partial victory will leave Kyiv’s hopes of joining the EU and NATO stuck in limbo. The ramifications of such an outcome will be serious for the world. Putin will claim victory at home, and, emboldened by exposing Western weaknesses, he may reinvigorate his wider imperial ambitions abroad. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are especially fearful they are next on his hit list. China, already an increasingly reliable partner for Moscow, will see few reasons to alter its stance", Politico says. Several senior officers who spoke to Politico on condition of anonymity painted a grim forecast that the front line could collapse this summer as Russia launches its expected offensive. Perhaps worse, they expressed fears that Ukraine's own resolve could be weakened as morale in the military was undermined by desperate shortages of supplies.

SUBSCRIBE TO US!

On the night of 17 April, explosions occurred in the town of Dzhankoy near the military airfield. According to local residents, the explosions occurred before the air raid alert was announced. Footage widely circulated on social media by Russian and Ukrainian sources show bright flashes of light and explosions, with sirens wailing in the background. A local Telegram channel reported "several loud explosions,", before a fire broke out. Roads around the air base are blocked, the channel later reported. Dzhankoy is a major military hub, home to one of Russia's largest airfields in Crimea. It is a key location for supplying Russian troops up through Moscow-controlled southern Ukraine and the frontlines of fighting on the mainland. Russia annexed Crimea back in 2014. Open-source intelligence accounts said that Russian forces used the airfield as a base for attack helicopters and anti-aircraft missile systems. Several reports suggest Ukrainian forces may have struck the facility, but Kyiv has not commented. Russian airbases in Crimea have been targeted by Kyiv in the more than two years of all-out war. Earlier this year, Ukraine's air force said it had launched missile strikes on the Belbek airfield close to the port city of Sevastopol on Crimea's western edge. Ukrainian military analyst Sergei Grabsky analyzed what the occupiers could have lost in Dzhankoy military airfield. “Mainly helicopters are based at that airfield. But it is worth understanding that the airfield is not only a parking lot for aircraft. It is also a warehouse with supplies. Therefore, a series of explosions that began there even before the announcement of the air raid warning may mean that this strike was applied very accurately,” the expert commented. He also noted that any attacks on Russian aviation pose a serious threat to the Russian Federation. “If the Russian Federation is doing well with the land component at the moment, then restoring the air force component is something they have problems with. It is much more difficult to restore aviation equipment. Therefore, the destruction of any element of this type of weapon means large losses for the enemy,” Grabsky explained. In addition, the expert confirmed the recent words of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky that now the ratio of Ukrainian to Russian aviation can be considered as 1 to 30. “The Russians have concentrated 300 planes and 290 helicopters on all fronts of this war. But the Russian Federation cannot increase its air component. And, relying on the help of Western allies, we can achieve parity,” the expert noted.

On the morning of April 17, drones of the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine attacked the aircraft plant named after Gorbunov in Kazan of Tatarstan. Tu-22M and Tu-160M bombers are produced and repaired there. Sources in the special services told UNIAN about this. Explosions on the territory of the aircraft plant occurred at about 10 a.m. in Kyiv. Before the explosions, an air raid siren sounded in the area of the Kazan aircraft plant. At the same time, the evacuation of personnel from the territory of the enterprise began. During the attack, airports in Kazan, Nizhnekamsk and Nizhny Novgorod were closed. The network was filled with news and footage of explosions near the plant. Russian air defenses downed two Ukrainian drones over the republics of Mordovia and Tatarstan on the morning of April 17, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed. According to the ministry, one drone was shot down over Tatarstan and another one over neighboring Mordovia, some 700 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. Artem Zdunov, who heads the Mordovia Republic, said on Telegram that a drone targeted a facility in the region. "Law enforcement authorities at the site are carrying out the necessary measures," he added. Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency said that restrictions had been imposed on the departure and arrival of planes at the airports of Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan, and Nizhnekamsk "to ensure the safety of civilian aircraft." Ukrainian officials usually do not comment on these statements. Ukrainian forces struck with drones industrial facilities in Tatarstan's Yelabuga and Nizhnekamsk on April 2, a source in Ukraine's military intelligence agency told the Kyiv Independent, which marked one of the deepest attacks on the Russian territory since the start of the full-scale war. Yelabuga lies some 1,300 kilometers away from the Ukrainian border. The target reportedly was a manufacturing facility for the Shahed-type attack drones, which Russia regularly uses in attacks against Ukraine, including those targeting civilian and energy infrastructure. In recent weeks and months, Russian authorities have reported an increasing number of drone strikes targeting Belgorod, Bryansk, Kursk, and Leningrad oblasts, as well as other regions.

Another Russian army attack on Krasnogorovka settlement in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region has been prevented. Ukrainian fighters stopped with artillery strikes the Russian invaders advancing with armored combat vehicles, destroying their military vehicles. Russian soldiers seeking to take a position in half-destroyed houses also became the target of the Ukrainian artillery fire

“We are dangerously close to a nuclear accident”. This statement was made by International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi at a meeting of the UN Security Council, speaking about the recent shelling of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. According to Grossi, on April 7, the plant was hit by direct attacks, the first time since November 2022. One of the strikes hit the protective dome of Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant reactor 6, and two more hit objects near the buildings where the reactors are located, injuring at least one person. According to Grossi, the damage to the dome was external, but such an attack "sets a very dangerous precedent for a successful strike on the reactor's protective shell." Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has been under occupation for more than two years. The Russians are staging explosions at the plant and intimidating workers. Ukraine has become the only country in the world to have a nuclear power plant seized by another country. Russia, in violation of all international conventions, has done so twice: The Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant was liberated, and the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant near Enerhodar is still under Russian control. The few employees who remained in Enerhodar were forced to sign contracts. Some of them decided to stay to ensure the safety of the plant, which means the safety of the whole world. Due to the actions of the Russian troops, the plant has experienced eight complete and one partial blackout since the beginning of the full-scale war. The deployment of military equipment at the repair sites was recorded at five of the six power units. Russian military personnel are deployed at each power unit, in special buildings, and the laboratory and amenity buildings of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. It has long been obvious that from the first day of the Russian occupation, the Russian troops turned the nuclear power plant into a military base.

China actively joined the settlement of the war in Ukraine. Xi Jinping said he supports the peace conference in Switzerland if Russia and Ukraine both take part. He also noted in a conversation with Olaf Scholz that Europe should not escalate the situation by providing military support to Ukraine. The head of the Center for Public Analytics of Ukranian "Vezha" Valery Klochok suggested in a conversation with Channel 24 that Xi Jinping thus calls on the United States and Europe, together with China, to contribute to ending this war. Washington is constantly concerned that Beijing is increasing the volume of cooperation with Russia. "That is why the head of China probably demonstrates that he is ready to limit Russia's capabilities in the conduct of hostilities," he stressed. Xi Jinping has not made such statements for several months. They were made after a meeting with the German Chancellor, on the eve of the visit of the head of China to France. In addition, Paris invited Moscow to an international ceremony on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Allied landing in Normandy. "All this indicates that very serious dialogues are underway at the highest level, in particular on the issue of ending the war," Klochok said. For China, as noted by Xi Jinping, it is important to maintain industrial logistics chains and connections for the sake of stability and building the future. According to China's rhetoric, this means that it is ready to work with Europe, but without the United States. Beijing's goal is to break the link between Europe and the United States. At the same time, Western media promote the idea that China can influence Russia's war against Ukraine. However, it requires appropriate steps from Europe as well. "Since the United States has lost the opportunity to resolve powerful processes at this stage, China is demonstrating its influence on Iran. Xi Jinping will also pay visits to France and Hungary. This indicates that the geopolitical situation is changing somewhat and the role of China is becoming very significant," said Valery Klochok.

Russian occupiers increasingly began to shoot down their own aircraft over the temporarily occupied Crimea. The reason for the increased frequency of “friendly fire” from Russian air defense was the growing tension due to constant attacks by Ukraine on Russian military targets on the peninsula. Fearing explosions,” the Russian command ordered air defense crew commanders to respond to any threats – despite the fact that the Russian friend-foe recognition system has problems. This was stated in the military movement of Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars ATESH, writes Obozrevatel media outlet. “Agents of the ATESH movement report that tension is growing among the occupiers in the Crimea due to constant missile attacks and UAV raids that threaten military installations. The top military leadership ordered air defense crew commanders to shoot down threats, despite problems with the “friend or foe” target detection and recognition system. However, faced with constant missile attacks and UAV raids, commanders of air defense crews are forced to carry out target designation virtually in manual mode. Thanks to this, strikes often occur against their own air targets,” the report noted. Thus, the 12th anti-aircraft missile regiment of the 31st air defense division of the Russian Federation especially distinguished itself in this direction: over the past few weeks it shot down two military aircraft of the Russian occupiers. Recent Ukrainian strikes have increased pressure on Russian air defense systems and may be leading to Russian forces shooting down their own planes, the UK Ministry of Defence said earlier. İt is noted an incident on March 28 where a Crimean Telegram channel reported that a Russian Sukhoi Su-27 jet had crashed over occupied Crimea after being shot down by its own forces. The UK Ministry of Defence added that the downing of the Su-27 and other similar events, if confirmed, "likely highlights the lack of situational awareness and coordination" among some Russian forces, while also highlighting the "second-order impact" of Ukrainian strikes.

Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov believes his city is at risk of becoming "a second Aleppo" if left without help to obtain air defense systems, according to an article published by the Guardian. Russia recently intensified attacks against Kharkiv, which had a population of 1.4 million in 2021, with the use of missiles, glide bombs, and drones, destroying energy infrastructure and killing civilians, according to Kyiv İndependent. Terekhov said the U.S. Congress needs to pass the delayed $60 billion Ukraine aid package to ensure new supplies of air defense and "to prevent Kharkiv being a second Aleppo," referring to the city in Syria that was devastated by fighting during the Syrian Civil War. The cost of rebuilding everything destroyed or damaged in the city has already reached more than $10 billion, Terekhov said earlier in April. Western officials believe that while Russia lacks the capability to launch a fresh offensive on Kharkiv, Moscow is making a "coordinated effort to cut off supplies and create conditions that make the city uninhabitable, Bloomberg reported on April 16. Bloomberg's report echoed Terekhov's remarks to The Economist that Russia aims to make the city uninhabitable for civilians. At the end of March, Russia destroyed all the electrical substations in Kharkiv, leaving Ukraine's second-largest city without a stable power supply. While Kharkiv is at particular risk because of its proximity to Russia, lying less than 30 kilometers from the border, stocks of air defense are low across Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on April 16 that Russia managed to destroy the Trypillia Thermal Power Plant in Kyiv Oblast in a missile strike on April 11 because Ukraine had run out of missiles for its defense.

SUBSCRIBE TO US!

Iran's unprecedented strike on Israel is unlikely to prompt sharp sanctions on Iranian oil exports from the Biden administration due to concerns about rising oil prices and discontent among its largest buyer, China, Reuters said, citing analysts. Shortly after Tehran launched an attack on Israel in retaliation for an Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, House Republican leaders accused President Joe Biden of weakness and said they would consider a series of bills this week to tighten sanctions on Iran. Appearing on Fox News, House Republican Whip Steve Scalise said the Biden administration has made it easier for Iran to sell its oil, which it uses for military purposes. According to Reuters, political pressure to punish Iran poses a difficult challenge for the US presidential administration: how to deter similar attacks in the future without escalating regional tensions, raising oil prices or confronting China, the largest buyer of Iranian oil. According to former CIA official Scott Modell, even if Congress passes bills against Iran, it is difficult to imagine the Biden administration moving forward with new sanctions, for example, to try to reduce or limit Iranian oil exports in any meaningful way. It is obvious that in the current geopolitical conditions and against the background of internal problems in the United States, the White House does not want to seriously expose itself to satisfy the whims of Tel Aviv. According to ABC News, the US will not help Israel retaliate by launching offensive military operations in the wake of Iran’s missile and drone attack, Biden administration officials have privately warned. Israel has promised a “response” following the massive Iranian attack on the country. According to a US official cited by ABC, this message was also delivered directly to Israel’s top brass in a private phone call on Sunday between Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

On the night of April 18, there was a drone and missile attack on the Belgorod region of Russia. This was reported by local telegram channels. According to information, the drone that attacked the city of Belgorod was shot down by the air defense system. The images were shared on Telegram channels. Governor of the province Vyacheslav Gladkov said that the city of Shebekino and the settlement of Razumnoye were fired upon and two people were injured. Both persons were discharged after receiving medical assistance. Several houses were damaged during the incident.

SUBSCRIBE TO US!

Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksandr Lytvynenko commented on the likelihood of a coup in Russia. Lytvynenko insists he is not being unrealistic in imagining Russian elites might one day turn on their leader. “There are still quite a few rational people in the leadership. They will think and act when they realise the cost of staying with Putin is greater than moving away from him,” he said in an interview with The Economist. At the same time, he drew attention to the fact that the priority for Ukraine is to obtain real security guarantees. As detailed by The Economist, Lytvynenko was a cryptologist cadet in Moscow at the elite KGB academy. And as the head of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine during two years of war, he was engaged in undermining and obtaining information from his former colleagues. It is noted that not many non-Russians know Russia as well as Oleksandr Lytvynenko. “More recently, as head of Ukraine’s foreign-intelligence service during two years of war, he busied himself undermining and extracting information from his one-time peers. At the end of March, he took over one of the country’s most critical jobs”, the Economist noted. A year ago, the idea that a renegade militia led by a frothing nationalist could nearly march on Moscow, sending Russian officials scurrying for cover, was fantasy. Not that it hadn’t been done before; the so-called “Kornilov Affair” of 1917, and even the failed hardliner coup of 1991, showed what a move could potentially look like. But under Putin, the idea that Russian nationalists might congeal and storm Moscow long seemed laughable. And then, last June, militia head Yevgeny Prigozhin did just that. And while Prigozhin’s Wagner Group never quite reached Moscow, that wasn’t for lack of opportunity; if anything, the path was wide open. If Prigozhin accomplished anything, it was that he made Putin look like a tsar with no clothes.

18 people were killed in Oman, as heavy rains caused flash floods in the region. 3 feet of water were seen on Dubai highways, as cloud seeding missions caused over a year's worth of rain to fall in the span of one day.

CEO of the Anti-Defamation League Jonathan Greenblatt goes over the annual report showing a huge jump in antisemitic incidents in the U.S. particularly after the October 7 attack.

i24NEWS correspondent Robert Swift breaks down how a Middle East alliance could strengthen Israeli defense after Iran's large-scale attack.

The ADL's annual survey found that in 2023 there were the highest number of antisemitic incidents reported since the ADL began tracking hate crimes against Jews in the U.S.

SUBSCRIBE TO US!