RT News - February 1st 2023 Late

Local authorities say Russian troops have encircled the Ukrainian-held city of Artyomovsk in the Donetsk Republic. It comes just a day after Russia's military cut off a major supply route for Kiev's forces. Murad Gazdiev reports (some disturbing images)
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The owner/director of the Mozart PMC is accused of fraud and sexual misconduct. Mr. Milburn has a 26 point lawsuit against him, including fraud and sexual misconduct. After the "lawsuit scandals" Mr. Milburn said he will re-brand (rename) the company and carry on. Afshin Rattansi interviewed Milburn on Going Underground shown last week and reports tonight.
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SBU raids produced huge amounts of "embezzled money" in the offices of Ukraine oil and tax officials (some resigned - see (B) and (2) below) USA Treasury spokesperson Megan Apper said “We have no indication that US funds have been misused in Ukraine,”. “We welcome the ongoing efforts by the Ukrainian authorities to work with us to ensure appropriate safeguards are in place so that US assistance reaches those for whom it is intended.”
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The US overlook Israeli crimes against Palestinians. Blinken's trip to Israel may be over but the legacy of what was said and more important, wasn't said, will linger on. Late last month a US official was grilled over Palestine's status in the occupied territories. Said Arikat gives comments.
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Pakistan's national currency plummets to a historic low against the US dollar as the IMF demands the removal of exchange-rate controls, and insists Pakistanis pay higher taxes. We heard from locals who say the UN's financial agency is making matters worse.
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Direct words from a once-top adviser to former British PM Boris Johnson - who claims the UK government is controlled by a 'deep state'. Rachel Marsden reportsShow more

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Below via RT website A) --- Ukraine attacks pipeline pumping Russian oil to EU – Transneft
B) --- Ex-minister and former Zelensky backer targeted in anti-corruption raids
1) --- Kremlin predicts enthusiasm for burning NATO tanks
2) --- US national arrested for walking ‘Dr Calf’ in Red Square
3) --- Mozart Group training Ukrainian troops has ‘ended’ – founder
4) --- Key Donbass city faces encirclement – official
5) --- Russian oil-price cap countermeasure comes into force
5a) --- Russia sanctions may jeopardize US gasoline supply – Bloomberg
6) --- Hungary explains army reform amid ‘anti-NATO’ criticism
7) --- US denies misuse of Ukraine aid
8) --- Controversial Russian journalist sentenced for ‘military fakes’
9) --- UK publisher ‘refuses royalties’ to Russian photographer
Feature ) --- 'This conflict will fundamentally change Russia': A young Muscovite explains why he volunteered to fight Ukraine
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1 Feb, 2023 15:32

A) --- Ukraine attacks pipeline pumping Russian oil to EU – Transneft

The oil transport company says the strike failed to cause significant damage and the Druzhba pipeline is operating normally

A Ukrainian rocket has reportedly struck near an oil pumping station connected to the Druzhba pipeline in Russia’s Bryansk Region, the operator Transneft claimed on Wednesday.

Speaking to the TASS news agency, Igor Demin, a spokesman for the company, said the shell landed on the territory of the Novozybkovo station in the late hours of January 31. He noted that the attempted attack ultimately failed to cause any casualties or hinder the work of the pipeline.

According to initial reporting by the Mash news agency, the strike was carried out using a Tochka-U rocket. Workers reportedly found a 20-meter crater on the territory of the station, which lost power as a result of the attack.

Demin explained that the Novozybkovo oil pumping station, which was the apparent target, is only temporarily used at peak times on the Druzhba pipeline and was last turned on in 2022 for only a few hours. He noted that Transneft workers are currently repairing the damage caused by the attack and that the pipeline continues to operate normally.

The Druzhba (Friendship) oil pipeline is one of the longest in the world and connects eastern parts of Russia to several points in Europe, including Ukraine, Belarus, Poland and Germany.

The segment that was apparently being targeted by Kiev’s forces on Tuesday is located some 39km from the Russian-Ukrainian border and leads directly into Belarus, where it branches off into two sections: one going to Germany and Poland and the other delivering oil to Ukraine, Hungary, Slovakia, Austria and the Czech Republic. Germany, however, has not received any oil since the start of the year after Berlin and Poland both pledged to stop all imports of Russian crude.

According to Bryansk Governor Aleksander Bogomaz, Kiev’s forces also launched several artillery strikes against civilian targets across the region on Tuesday. Although no casualties have been reported, Bogomaz said the attack damaged over a dozen residential buildings, a WWII memorial, and a shop. The strikes also cut off power to several villages, he said, later adding that these issues had been promptly resolved by emergency services
https://www.rt.com/russia/570817-ukraine-attacks-druzhba-pipeline/
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1 Feb, 2023 13:05

B) --- Ex-minister and former Zelensky backer targeted in anti-corruption raids

Ukraine’s security agency has targeted several high-profile figures

Ukraine’s security agency, the SBU, launched a number of raids on Wednesday, targeting a number of prominent figures including former interior minister Arsen Avakov and former Dnepropetrovsk governor Igor Kolomoysky, local media reported.

Avakov, who served in cabinet between 2014 and 2021, confirmed that an SBU search was carried out at his property in comments reported by Ukrainskaya Pravda. Agents “were looking into Airbus contracts from six years ago” but found nothing, he told the news outlet.

The Interior Ministry purchased dozens of French-made helicopters in 2018. One of these crashed in a residential area last month, killing more than a dozen people. Avakov’s successor in office, Denis Monastyrsky, was among the victims.

There was speculation in Ukraine that the government had overlooked safety considerations when it bought the used H225 aircraft. Helicopters of this type were involved in a deadly crash in the North Sea off the Norwegian coast in 2016, along with several other incidents.

Another target of the SBU raids, Kolomoysky, was appointed as governor in 2014, but is better known as a controversial billionaire businessman with ties to President Vladimir Zelensky. Before launching his political campaign in 2019, the Ukrainian leader was a comedian, whose headline show was hosted by a media holding controlled by Kolomoysky.

According to the news agency UNIAN, SBU agents were interested in Ukrtatnafta and Ukrnafta, two energy companies, which the Zelensky government nationalized in November using emergency wartime powers to change ownership of the assets. Employees of the oil producer Ukrnafta later pleaded with Zelensky to intervene and recall SBU agents, who were blocking the company HQ in Kiev.

Another person reportedly targeted by the SBU on Wednesday was real estate developer and long-serving MP Vadim Stolar. He was most recently elected representing the Opposition Bloc – For Life party, which Zelensky outlawed last year.

David Arakhamia, who heads the parliamentary faction of Zelensky’s political party, Servant of the People, claimed on social media that Wednesday’s action was part of the “spring jailings” – promised prosecutions relating to alleged corruption in Ukraine.

“The country will change during the war. If somebody is not prepared to change, the state will come to them and help change,” he warned.
https://www.rt.com/russia/570807-sbu-raids-avakov-kolomoysky/
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1 Feb, 2023 14:24

1) --- Kremlin predicts enthusiasm for burning NATO tanks

Monetary rewards will encourage more people to destroy or capture the armored vehicles, Putin’s spokesman says

Cash bounties offered by Russian businesses and officials for the destruction of Western military equipment in Ukraine will inevitably lead to more enthusiasts willing to undertake the task, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov predicted on Wednesday.

He noted that although heavy Western tanks such as the Leopard 2 and M1 Abrams have yet to be delivered to Kiev’s forces, such proposals demonstrated the “unity and the desire of all” to contribute to reaching the goals of Russia’s ongoing military operation in Ukraine.

Last week, Berlin announced that it would supply Kiev with 14 Leopards and allow other European countries to export their own stocks to Ukraine, amounting to a total of 112 tanks. Washington, meanwhile, has pledged 31 Abrams tanks, but doesn’t expect to deliver them until late 2023.

Following the West’s decision, the governor of Russia’s eastern Zabaikalsky Region, Alexander Osipov, signed an order declaring that local soldiers participating in the fighting in Ukraine could receive a monetary reward if they managed to seize or destroy a German or American tank.

Those who successfully capture a Leopard 2 in working condition could get paid as much as 3 million rubles ($42,909) while those that destroy it could get 1 million rubles ($14,303). Those assisting with the capture could also be paid $7,150 and those who aid in the destruction of German tanks will get $2,240. It’s noted that up to 10 people could be listed as assistants who are entitled to payments.

As for American M1 Abrams tanks, the governor has promised a sum of 1.5 million rubles ($21,450) for their capture and 500,000 rubles ($7,150) for their destruction.

A similar bounty was also offered by Russian chemical firm Fores, which said on Friday that it would pay 5 million rubles ($70,700) to any Russian servicemen that destroys or captures either of the tanks and offered 500,000 ($7,070) for subsequent trophies. The company also said it would pay out a 15-million-ruble ($212,100) prize for the first downed F-15 or F-16 fighter jet if such weapons were ever delivered to Ukraine.

Moscow has repeatedly urged against foreign weapon supplies to Ukraine, arguing that they only lead to more bloodshed and will not change the outcome of Russia’s military operation. The Kremlin has also labeled the decision to send heavy tanks to Kiev as proof of NATO’s “direct involvement” in the conflict and has warned that the tanks “will burn like the rest” of Western weapons.
https://www.rt.com/russia/570808-russia-nato-tanks-bounties/
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1 Feb, 2023 15:06

2) --- US national arrested for walking ‘Dr Calf’ in Red Square

Moscow police told the media the woman paraded a calf while chanting “animals are not food”

A court in Moscow has sentenced a US citizen who walked a calf in Red Square on Tuesday to 13 days of administrative arrest and a fine. The woman is said to be an animal rights activist, and made her appearance in the heart of the Russian capital, apparently aiming to persuade people to go vegan.

Alicia Day, 34, was accused of staging an unauthorized protest that obstructed the movement of pedestrians, as well as resisting police.

On top of the administrative arrest, which implies a brief jail term, she was ordered to pay a fine of 20,000 rubles ($285).

“The US national, who is a vegetarian and animal rights activist, was walking in Red Square… using a calf as visual propaganda and shouting out the slogan ‘animals are not food’,” the judge said Wednesday, as quoted by Russian media.

The offender offered a different version of events. Day told journalists she bought the animal on the ad website Avito, and named it ‘Doctor Calf.’

The woman, who speaks Russian and lives on a tourist visa in the town of Reutov in Moscow region, explained that she “just wanted to show Doctor Red Square,” which she described as a “beautiful place in our beautiful country.”

When asked if she had staged any similar performances outside the White House in Washington DC, Day replied in the negative, adding that she is originally from New York.

The activist said she carried out similar demonstrations in her hometown, featuring pigs.

As for the calf, the Russian authorities have impounded the animal and sent it to a shelter.

According to Britain’s Daily Mail newspaper, the activist has run afoul of UK authorities several times in recent years. She apparently rescued pigs from slaughter houses and lived with them in a tiny London apartment. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7660029/Vegan-activist-rescued-pig-showed-shocking-lack-judgement-took-London-flat.html
https://www.rt.com/russia/570809-activist-detained-red-square-calf/
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1 Feb, 2023 15:50

3) --- Mozart Group training Ukrainian troops has ‘ended’ – founder

The scandal-plagued mercenary group is set to get rebranded, Andrew Milburn has announced

The Mozart Group, a private military company that has been providing training for Ukrainian troops, is set to change its name, the group’s co-founder, Andrew Milburn, announced on Wednesday.

“Today was the last day for the Mozart Group. The Mozart Group ended today. The name and entity had become the subject of litigation and a distraction from our core mission: training Ukrainian soldiers and rescuing civilians. But, the mission and the people continue,” Milburn wrote in a social media post.

The retired Marine commander did not reveal the name of the rebranded group.

Founded by US citizens Andrew Milburn and Andrew Bain last March, the Mozart Group has been viewed by some as a Western response to the Wagner Group – the Russian private military company taking part in the ongoing hostilities between Moscow and Kiev. The group has been extremely ambiguous on its goals, insisting it has been doing only “humanitarian” work, but, at the same time, admitting it has been training Kiev’s forces to “kill Russians.”

The Mozart Group has also become the subject of multiple controversies lately. Late last year, for instance, Milburn delivered explosive remarks on the Team House podcast, stating that there were “f****d up people running Ukraine” and admitting he was “not a big fan” of the country altogether. The mercenary leader also condemned “a number of things” that Kiev’s forces do with Russian POWs in violation of the Hague Convention on the Laws of Armed Conflict.

The group has also been battered by a conflict between its co-founders, with Bain accusing Milburn of violating US arms trafficking regulations and seeking to expand Mozart’s training operations into Armenia. The pending lawsuit also accused Milburn of embezzling money, staging burglaries of humanitarian supplies in Ukraine, bribing Ukrainian military leaders and even sexually harassing a female co-worker. Milburn, in turn, accused Bain of seeking to extort money from the Mozart Group and alleging his close ties with Russia, which the latter denies.
https://www.rt.com/russia/570810-mozart-group-rebranded-ukraine/
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1 Feb, 2023 08:53

4) --- Key Donbass city faces encirclement – official

Russian troops have positioned themselves to prevent the resupply of Ukrainian troops in Artyomovsk, a key aide claims

Russian troops are now positioned to attack the only road that Kiev can use to resupply troops in Artyomovsk, a gubernatorial aide has claimed. The city that Ukraine calls Bakhmut is of strategic importance as part of Ukrainian defense lines in Donbass.

Yan Gagin, a military expert who serves as an adviser to Denis Pushiln, the acting head of the Donetsk People’s Republic, said Russia has already hit enemy supply convoys near Artyomovsk.

Speaking on Russian television on Wednesday, he said it was a matter of time before the road is “fully controlled,” paving the way for the capture of the city, which he described as being “in an operative encirclement.”

Artyomovsk is part of a 70km Ukrainian defense line created since Kiev initiated the fighting in Donbass in 2014. Russia claims sovereignty over the city along with the rest of the Donetsk People’s Republic. The province joined Russia in October after a referendum, which Kiev rejected as a “sham.”

There have been reports of Russian advancement near Artyomovsk in recent weeks. After intensive fighting in mid-January, Russian troops captured the town of Soledar, located just northeast of the city.

Pushilin warned the media against overhyping the importance of Artyomovsk or any other particular settlement for the outcome of the military operation. The Ukrainian side attached symbolic value to it, as they previously did with Soledar, he argued in an interview on Tuesday.

“We’ve seen this story about a small town… that was touted as invincible. Plenty of Ukrainian soldiers got grinded there because they didn’t spare any,” he said.

Artyomovsk has strategic value because its capture would allow further advancement, Pushilin acknowledged. But losing other towns and cities would do damage of similar scale, he said.
https://www.rt.com/russia/570791-artyomovsk-supply-lines-threatened/
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1 Feb, 2023 11:00

5) --- Russian oil-price cap countermeasure comes into force

The move bans sales to buyers that implement the limitation in their contracts

Russia has banned the sale of crude oil to parties that implement the West’s price-ceiling mechanism.

From February 1, Russian exporters are obliged to prevent any direct or indirect mention of the price-cap mechanism in contracts with their overseas clients at all stages of fuel delivery to the end customer.

If such a mention is discovered in a contract, the exporting company must inform Russian customs authorities and the Ministry of Energy, undertaking to revise the document to eliminate the violation within 30 days. Otherwise, the supply of Russian fuel under such a contract would be illegal.

The measure will remain in place until July 1, when the Russian government plans to take similar action in relation to a looming price cap on the country’s petroleum products.

The Russian energy and finance ministries are also currently working on the price-monitoring procedure for Russia’s oil exports, which is expected to be finalized by March 1.

The $60-per-barrel price cap on Russian seaborne oil exports was introduced by the EU, G7 countries, and Australia on December 5. The mechanism prohibits Western companies from providing insurance and other services to shippers of Russian oil unless the cargo is purchased at or below the set price. A similar measure targeting Russian petroleum exports is due to come into force on February 5.

Moscow views both measures as non-market-oriented and unacceptable, and has repeatedly warned that any steps taken by the West to affect Russian energy exports will inevitably backfire on the countries that implement them, triggering further energy inflation due to limited global supply.
https://www.rt.com/business/570797-russia-response-oil-price-cap/
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1 Feb, 2023 09:54

5a) --- Russia sanctions may jeopardize US gasoline supply – Bloomberg

The looming EU ban on Russian petroleum products could lead to fuel shortages on the East Coast, the news outlet reports

America’s Eastern states may face gasoline shortages this summer due to the EU’s ban on petroleum products from Russia, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday.

According to the report, US seasonal gasoline storages are currently at their lowest levels in a decade. At the same time, the need for more careful maintenance of oil refineries in winter months is likely to further deplete reserves.

Although the US is a net exporter of gasoline, most of the supply excess is on its Gulf Coast. Transporting the fuel to the East Coast is hard due to insufficient pipeline capacity and the high cost of shipping. The region, therefore, traditionally relies on deliveries from Europe, especially during the summer.

The EU ban on Russian oil products, which comes into force on February 5, may limit Europe’s ability to provide itself with the fuel and send it on to the US, Bloomberg notes. This could lead to a fresh spike in gasoline prices, with consumers still reeling from last year’s $5-a-gallon fuel costs at the pump.

According to the news outlet, US companies will inevitably have to look for new fuel sources to avoid shortages. One option would be to redirect fuel from the Gulf of Mexico to the Caribbean, and then to the US. Alternatively, the US could try to increase supplies from Asia and the Middle East, but the logistical difficulties associated with such a decision may be too great to make a significant change.

The US has been stepping up fuel purchases from India to replace the diminished shipments from Europe. According to data from Kpler analysts, about 89,000 barrels of Indian gasoline and diesel reached New York this month, which was the highest shipment volume from this particular destination in about four years.

Last year, India became one of the main buyers of Russian oil, banned by the US and EU, and plans to further increase import volumes. It will likely have enough fuel to step up exports to the US if the need arises.

However, according to Bloomberg, increased dependence on imports from distant India may still pose a risk of supply disruptions in the US as delivery times exceed one month, which is nearly three times longer than for imports from Europe. Also, the US may need to sidestep its own sanctions, purchasing fuel from a country that buys it from Russia.
https://www.rt.com/business/570795-russia-sanctions-us-gasoline-supply/
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1 Feb, 2023 11:34

6) --- Hungary explains army reform amid ‘anti-NATO’ criticism

Sacking hundreds of veteran officers is a path to meritocracy, the defense minister claims

A massive overhaul of the Hungarian military officers’ corps is not driven by any secret agenda, and will trim a bloated leadership, the country's defense minister has claimed. Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky was responding to critics who have accused him of purging officers considered disloyal, and distancing the country from NATO.

In an interview with Bloomberg, published on Tuesday the minister confirmed his reforms will see Budapest sack hundreds of senior officers but denied claims he is pursuing a political agenda.

“You can’t have hidden agendas when doing things on this scale,” Szalay-Bobrovniczky said. “I want to introduce meritocracy and competition in the defense forces.”

Last month, Hungary simplified the retirement process for some military personnel. Under the new rules staff who reach the age of 45 and have at least 25 years of active service can be sacked by the defense minister with two months' notice.

The change sparked speculation that the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orban was planning a “purge” in favor of its loyalists. Agnes Vadai, a former Defense Ministry state secretary, claimed during a TV interview that it would result in a “de-NATOfication” of the Hungarian army.

Orban stands in contrast to other leaders of NATO states with his refusal to arm Ukraine against Russia, and has called for a diplomatic resolution of the conflict in the neighbouring country.

The news outlet Telex has claimed that between 100 and 200 officers will be sacked, while noting the difficulty of contacting sources in the military leadership, willing to offer details. Rumors among troops were split over the nature of the reform, the report added. The defense minister told Bloomberg that the exact number of forced retirements would be revealed in February.

Szalay-Bobrovniczky told Bloomberg that his department’s plan was benefiting younger, physically fitter, multilingual officers, who have on-hand experience gained in NATO missions. It went in line with Budapest’s decade-long roadmap to phase out older Soviet-designed weapon systems and procure modern Western arms, he added.

Hungary wants to have partnerships with leading European arms producers to launch manufacturing on its soil, the minister said. It will be “not only for the needs of the Hungarian defense forces, but also for international sales,” Szalay-Bobrovniczky explained.
https://www.rt.com/news/570803-hungary-military-reform-nato/
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1 Feb, 2023 11:52

7) --- US denies misuse of Ukraine aid

Washington will continue working with Kiev and others to tackle corruption in the country, the Department of the Treasury has stated

The US Treasury Department has said there are no indications that money provided to Kiev by Washington is being misused amid the country’s conflict with Russia.

Reuters raised the issue on Tuesday in the wake of a corruption scandal in Ukraine last week, which resulted in the dismissal of several high-ranking officials. These included the deputy head of President Vladimir Zelensky’s office, several deputy ministers and heads of regional administrations, as well as Deputy Prosecutor General Aleksey Simonenko.

“We have no indication that US funds have been misused in Ukraine,” stated Treasury spokesperson Megan Apper. “We welcome the ongoing efforts by the Ukrainian authorities to work with us to ensure appropriate safeguards are in place so that US assistance reaches those for whom it is intended.”

However, Apper pointed out that Washington would continue working with the World Bank to track US financial aid packages “to confirm that they are used as intended, as well as with Ukraine and other partners to tackle corruption.”

US lawmakers on both sides of the aisle previously praised the Kiev government for carrying out the purge. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said it was “a defining moment for Ukraine,” while his Democratic counterpart Richard Blumenthal described the dismissals as proof that Zelensky was serious about keeping his promise that “there will be zero tolerance of fraud or waste.”

Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley expressed concern during a hearing on Thursday that corruption in Ukraine could be “a kind of cancer eating away at support that they need from everyone in the world,” but Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland assured him that this would not happen.

In a video address on Wednesday, Zelensky warned that the wave of dismissals among the country’s top officials was not finished.

“Now there is a certain lull in personnel decisions. But it doesn’t mean that all the necessary steps have already been taken. There will be more decisions. Those in the system who don’t meet the fundamental requirements of the state and society shouldn’t get used to their chairs,” he said.

On Monday, RBC-Ukraine news agency reported, citing unnamed sources, that eight ministers in the Ukrainian government were at risk of losing their jobs and could well be shown the door later this month.
https://www.rt.com/news/570804-ukraine-us-treasury-corruption/
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1 Feb, 2023 15:34

8) --- Controversial Russian journalist sentenced for ‘military fakes’

Aleksandr Nevzorov was found guilty of disseminating false information about the Russian operation in Ukraine

A Moscow court has handed prominent Russian journalist Aleksandr Nevzorov an eight-year prison term for spreading fake news about troops from his homeland. The media personality was sentenced in absentia after he fled Russia shortly after the launch of Moscow’s military operation in Ukraine.

Nevzorov was found guilty on Wednesday of disseminating false information about the Russian Armed Forces during the conflict between Moscow and Kiev. The eight-year sentence was 12 months shorter than the punishment that prosecutors had demanded. The 64-year-old has also been banned from administrating any online publications for four years after serving his prison sentence.

The investigation found that Nevzorov had posted articles and videos on social media between March and May last year, assigning responsibility to Russian forces for a strike on a maternity ward in the city of Mariupol and the deaths of civilians in the Kiev suburb of Bucha. Moscow has repeatedly denied involvement in the incidents, with officials suggesting that they may actually have been staged by Ukraine.

The court-appointed lawyer who represented Nevzorov argued that he was not guilty because he had obtained the data in question from other open sources.

The sentencing came under Article 207.3, which covers the spreading of falsehoods about the Russian Armed Forces. It was added to the Russian Criminal Code shortly after Moscow launched its military operation in Ukraine, and carries a maximum punishment of up to 15 years in prison.

Nevzorov made a name for himself as the host and author of the ‘600 Seconds’ news and analytics program on Leningrad television between 1987 and 1993. The popular show became one of the symbols of Perestroika, the democratization of Soviet society launched by then-President Mikhail Gorbachev.

Nevzorov served as an MP in four iterations of the Russian parliament, the State Duma, between 1993 and 2007. He also directed feature and documentary films, while hosting programs for Russia’s Channel One and other broadcasters.

Previously describing himself as an ally of Vladimir Putin, Nevzorov went into opposition in recent years and started actively posting on YouTube and other social media platforms. He harshly criticized Russia for launching its military operation in Ukraine and has actively voiced support for Kiev in the conflict.

Nevzorov fled Russia in April 2022. He was declared a foreign agent the same month and placed on the international wanted list in May. According to media reports, Interpol refused to search for and extradite the journalist and several others sentenced on similar charges in Russia. Last June, Nevzorov and his wife were granted Ukrainian citizenship.
https://www.rt.com/russia/570812-nevzorov-journalist-sentence-ukraine/
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1 Feb, 2023 14:55

9) --- UK publisher ‘refuses royalties’ to Russian photographer

Arseniy Kotov’s stance on the Ukraine conflict “caused harm” to the brand, it was claimed

A British publisher has allegedly refused to pay royalties to Russian photographer Arseniy Kotov because of his position on the Ukrainian conflict. Kotov said the company had accused him of damaging its brand, and that he was told the proceeds would instead be donated to charity.

The row, which Kotov revealed to RT on Wednesday, involves London-based publisher Murray & Sorrell FUEL Ltd. In 2020, the company released a book titled ‘Soviet Cities: Labour, Life & Leisure’, which features Kotov’s work. The following year, it released another book of his photos, ‘Soviet Seasons’.

A message that Kotov received from FUEL, which he showed to RT, indicated that the firm “is not able” to pay royalties. It cited “the war in Ukraine” and the photographer’s “clear support of it” on social media.

FUEL claimed it had received complaints about Kotov from its business partners, and that it had become “practically impossible” to sell his books. Kotov also allegedly “caused harm” to the publisher’s brand.

“We had a choice to either destroy your books or donate profits and royalties to the British Red Cross Ukraine Crisis Appeal,” read a message shared by Kotov. “We have made no profit from Soviet Seasons anyway,” it added.

Kotov told RT that he believes FUEL to be in breach of contract and that he intends to pursue legal action. He called the company’s justification for its action “an invented political reason.”

RT has contacted FUEL for comment about the photographer’s claims.

Kotov acknowledged that his business opportunities in Europe have dwindled since the Ukrainian conflict broke out last February, but added that his professional career in Russia remained steady. Royalties that he received from FUEL last year from each book were in the low four digits in British pound sterling, according to a financial statement he shared.

RT featured Kotov’s work last month in a report about the city of Mariupol, months after Russian troops captured it.
https://www.rt.com/russia/570811-uk-publisher-royalties-ukraine/
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========== 1 Feb, 2023 17:31

Feature ) --- 'This conflict will fundamentally change Russia': A young Muscovite explains why he volunteered to fight Ukraine

RT speaks with a soldier who quit a cushy IT job to become a drone operator in Donbass

Russia’s offensive in Ukraine has been ongoing for almost a year, and during that time many have come to see it as a war of liberation. People have headed to the front as volunteers, often without combat experience, leaving comfortable lives and career prospects behind. One such volunteer is Nikita Vlasenko-Irsetsky, a native Muscovite. Just a year ago, he was a successful product manager at an IT company, writing plays in his spare time and staging them in his home theater with friends.

In an interview with RT, Nikita told what encourages young Russian men to fight in the conflict, explained how the Donbass militia differs from the regular Russian Army and private military companies (PMCs). He also told how the current struggle resembles ancient wars, and speculated on how he and his comrades-in-arms could change Russia for the better after their victorious return home.

On His Decision to Go to War

RT: Workers in the IT field are often viewed as progressives, with anti-war views. Why did you go to war?

Nikita Vlasenko-Irsetsky: I seriously considered going to Donbass eight years ago, when the conflict had just begun. At that point, I’d been discharged from the Russian Air Force after military service and had entered university, but I still seriously considered joining the Donbass militia. At that time, I decided I was still too young and had too many family obligations, and therefore needed to get a higher education first. Over the years, the conflict faded and it became clear to me that they could do without me. I was an ordinary Moscow IT specialist, and there were enough experienced military personnel already there.

On February 24, 2022, a new round of this conflict began. At first, I was eager to go to the front as a war correspondent. I assessed my capabilities and the benefits I could bring: I can write; I’m not afraid of going to the front; I have some kind of military experience; and I empathize with the Russians of Ukraine, who have been fighting for their independence and the right to be Russian for eight years now. I made a rather impulsive trip but couldn’t cross the border between Russia and the DPR [Donetsk People’s Republic] due to coronavirus restrictions. The impulse passed and I eventually decided it was better to prepare myself and make a more rational decision about my role in this conflict. At the end of June, I realized it was necessary to volunteer for the army.

– But in 2014, you felt that you didn’t need to fight in this conflict. Why did your opinion change?

– The situation is different now. In February, it seemed that the Russian leadership had finally come to the conclusion that the Ukrainian issue needed to be resolved abruptly and definitively. It was impossible for me to stay away. Well, there was also a personal factor: when I’m making important decisions, I like to project myself into the future and imagine how I’d feel then, in light of what I’ve done now. And I realized that if I didn’t join this ‘Reconquista’, I’d have little respect for myself in the future, to put it mildly. And the rest was just details.

– And you didn’t see any other role for yourself other than a serviceman?

– Starting in June, no. Before that, I still had thoughts of becoming a war correspondent or humanitarian aid worker. And then somehow, I warmed to this idea of becoming a soldier and began to prepare.

My friend and I bought a drone and started traveling to Moscow Region. We drove to some remote station and then walked into the woods. We invented combat missions for ourselves: reconnaissance and so forth. We flew the drone over neighboring villages and marked them on a map. When I had more or less learned how to control a drone, I went to Donetsk for a while and asked to join some local volunteer organizations, explaining that I planned to volunteer as a UAV operator and needed to get some practical experience. Along with them, I delivered all sorts of useful things to the combat units.

Then I lucked out: I managed to go to the front near Ugledar for three days and work with a drone there. I got a taste for the job and realized that I liked it and wanted to do it. Moreover, I became confident that I could do it very well because I’m sufficiently versed in IT, drones, and firmware, and am in good physical shape. So, I needed to collect my equipment and volunteer. Especially then, it seemed to me that the conflict would end soon, and I needed to hurry, but at the same time, I wasn’t in a rush. Assault troops could recruit people with skills that I don’t have, but operating UAVs looked like a specialization where my skills would be valuable.

On choosing where to serve

– Why did you decide to volunteer for the People’s Militia of the DPR, and not the Russian Armed Forces?

– Until last year, the Russian Armed Forces weren’t taking part in the conflict in Donbass. Up until February of 2022, it was a peacetime army. And in many ways, the Russian Armed Forces are still a peacetime army, even after several months of hostilities. Yes, the people’s militias of the republics of Donbass have their disadvantages. There are problems with technical equipment and supplies, but they have extensive combat experience. All the personnel – from privates to officers – understand that there’s a war going on.

Looking back on my experience serving in the Russian Army, I realized that during combat it’s better to have a bad commander of a wartime army than a good commander of a peacetime army. And, of course, vice versa if there’s no fighting.

In short, I realized it’s better to serve with those who have fewer weapons but a sounder understanding of the situation. Moreover, with the limited resources available to the people’s militias, these resources are used more judiciously. The people’s militias cannot physically afford to undertake rash maneuvers. Commanders who made decisions like that perished long ago.

– And why didn’t you consider serving in a PMC, for example, the Wagner Group?

– I thought about it, but then a certain ideological issue arose. Personally, I wanted some continuity with the centuries-old history of the Russian Army. Wagner is a new model. In addition, I wouldn’t really like to serve in a PMC from an epistemic, aesthetic, or ethical point of view (even though they are top-class professionals). Though this option held significant advantages, I still didn’t want to go to the ‘condottieri’. I joined the army, among other things, to gain some kind of honor, and this can only be done as part of the regular corps, even if it’s in the people’s militias. They have genuine prospects of coming under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Defense. Wagner will always remain in the shadows, relatively speaking.

– How did you choose a specific unit within the People’s Militia of the DNR?

– A summer trip and a connection with the OPSB foundation [a volunteer organization that helps supply military personnel in Donbass] helped. During my visit in July, I worked with Vladimir Grubnik, helping him with humanitarian aid. Working with the OPSB in Donetsk, you get to know a lot of people from different units. I made a lot of useful contacts and acquaintances, carefully observed people, and gained an understanding of what conditions you’d find in which units. There’s no uniformity here.

Several options appeared quite quickly that later became specific proposals. So, I became an unofficial UAV instructor with one of the regiments of the People’s Militia of the DNR. I just trained fighters and taught them what I knew for about a month and a half. At that time, I was not even close to being a combat veteran and had no experience in the wider deployment of drones. All my experience boiled down to performing a number of reconnaissance tasks. I was more of a civilian in uniform who was well versed in drones and could explain how they worked to others so that they wouldn’t break them. And my students received combat experience on their own.

It all went well, so I was offered a position and signed a contract. I explained to the commanders that, in order to improve my skills as an instructor, I needed a combat job that would allow me to gain more experience to pass on to recruits. They fully approved, so now I alternate between teaching and fighting.

On modern warfare

– Lately, states have been moving away from the idea of large armies making war a job for professionals. This conflict, however, is different. Many people without a military background (yourself included) volunteered right from the start, and a mobilization campaign followed. Given your experience, do you think war is a matter for professionals or every citizen’s duty?

– I like to say that the conflict between Russia and Ukraine is very similar to ancient wars. Only helots [poor peasants heavily dependent on the state] and those who can sell a hundred cows to buy personal weapons and armor (if you want to be an effective fighter, of course) can afford to take part in this war. I think we’re moving back to a more classical concept of war. A warrior is really an essential profession, and it would make much more sense if fighting is left to those who are inclined towards it, not mobilized guys aged 18 or 20. Warriors should be mature men who’ve come to realize that it is their calling.

Right now, however, we’re at an inflection point where different ages are coming together. All at once, we’re seeing mobilized civilians, ‘condottieri’ from private military companies, ancient Spartans, who sold all their possessions to buy a hoplon (shield), a spear, and a xiphos (shortsword), and regular army formations. It’s a transitional period, rather eclectic in terms of military thinking. I believe the 21st century will witness a transition towards a different format that won’t rely on such large armies. Metaphorically speaking, the armed forces will have a lower proportion of protein and a larger proportion of nonferrous metals. This time is yet to come though, and right now, we’re seeing what we’re seeing given the current level of technology and demographic situation.

I personally think that the eclectic nature of the ongoing conflict makes it more fun. I like to observe things from two angles, as it were – as myself and as an onlooker, and this latter point of view gives me grounds for a bit of irony. We’re finding ourselves amid temporal and ideological chaos, but you have a gut feeling that our victory is inevitable and that what we’re doing is right. When I say “we,” I mean soldiers because political decisions are sometimes hard to explain, and it’s not up to me to comment on them anyway. But the people I meet here, in this war, don’t care much about these issues. Our people’s militias have an inexhaustible supply of fighting spirit, these guys just can’t retreat. They’re not fighting for some overseas colonies, it’s not a matter of playing an exciting military game. Everyone knows that, if they back down today, their families will be killed or abused. Nobody harbors any illusions.

On colleagues who fled Russia

– Many of your colleagues in IT left the country after the military operation began. Why do you think they did that?

– This is a very complex question. What you need to understand about IT is that it’s actually a highly specialized and inward-looking community. You don’t see the big picture or at least don’t make an effort to see it. Information technology is about improving efficiency, so people in this line of work prefer ideology to be served to them on a plate. Lots of my peers (and younger people, too) are rather susceptible and naive, they’re easy to convince.

Over the last hundred years, our state has enjoyed a monopoly on narratives, so its methods of conveying information have grown crude and primitive no matter what political regime is in power at any given time. Our domestic media are very low-tech and can be challenged even by individuals, let alone foreign states employing channels of soft power.

It’s true that a large amount of my colleagues have fled and scattered around the world, and it’s not clear what they are going to do. The status of an immigrant is by default a lowly one. You’re a stranger who has given up his culture for an alien one. Those who fled (and that’s where their naivety shows) voluntarily abandoned their country at a dangerous and trying time and ran to foreign states, mostly poorer ones and with cultures that are not complementary to their own culture. I feel really sorry for them. I think my future in my home country is much brighter than theirs. I wake up in the morning these days feeling that I know what I live for and being fully aware of doing a noble deed, protecting my people, and it gives me strength. It doesn’t matter what inconveniences I may have to put up with at the moment or what challenges and dangers I’m facing. At the end of the day, I know why I’m here and what I’m fighting for. Which is more than I can say about the guys who left.

I keep in touch with colleagues who fled Russia even though I feel alienated from them. We chose very different and to a certain degree opposing paths. People make their own choices, and I’m entitled to my subjective opinion about their departure. That said, there are nuances to consider. Some left because they were afraid of mobilization, and the reason they were afraid is that they are not warriors. I can understand these people. But still, they ran away.

It's a different story when people all of a sudden begin to badmouth their own motherland. I think it shows them as people who were fooled and indoctrinated by other centers of power. I’m not pretending to be “above the fray” here, I’m fighting in a war and I’m a target of propaganda too, but let it be my propaganda. After all, I’m an educated big-city guy who can analyze information and figure out on his own what’s worth fighting for in this war and against whom. And I’m not talking about the war that started in February 2022, I’m talking about the one that started on May 2, 2014, when Ukrainians were burning people alive in Odessa.

I prefer to be with my own kind as we make mistakes and celebrate triumphs. That’s better than being some kind of dandelion scattered around the world, living in some strange, confusing cultures, and struggling to make at least some sense of one’s status and future prospects.

On hatred in times of war

– Have you changed your attitude to the enemy during your time here?

– What I’ve noticed is that the farther away you get from the frontlines, the more bloodthirsty everyone is. Let me explain. I’ve been following the developments since the very start of the SMO [Special Military Operation]. I looked at German-speaking, English-speaking, Ukrainian, and Russian outlets, I monitored Telegram channels, trying to get as much information as possible. Understandably, it does skew your perception, which is what happened to me during the first few weeks.

But now that I’m here, I no longer need to emphasize my hatred of the enemy, call him names, or engage in other kinds of fist-shaking. This is what people do out of helplessness as an attempt to justify their inaction. You’re living your life away from the frontlines but, every night, you like to switch gears for half an hour and chat online about how you hate those “Ukrainian pigs,” “Ukronazis,” etc. When you’re on the battlefield, you don’t have time for petty ambition. You’re here, you’re at war, you’re doing everything that’s in your power. You don’t have to convince yourself that you’re involved because it’s obvious. And you don’t need any verbal outbursts to anchor your involvement. You just know that, yes, there’s an enemy out there. As a rule, no one insults the enemy, sometimes people use expletives, but these are not ideology-driven.

Once, we were supporting an attack by dropping grenades from UAVs. It was morning, the enemy didn’t expect drones at all. One of our guys hit three people with a fragmentation round [a 30×29 grenade used as ammo for the AGS-17 Plamya automatic grenade launcher], they fell like dominoes and started writhing on the ground. Our guy was happy, but only because it was a job well done. Here, no one’s trying to humiliate the enemy verbally because there are other means. If you know how to use them – use them.

On what the future holds

– What would constitute victory in this conflict for you?

– Personally, I decided that I would go on fighting until the Armed Forces of Ukraine and all those who took up arms and have been fighting Russians for almost nine years are no longer a threat. Routing this army will be the foundation of our victory.

– When this war is over, many veterans will return home. How will they change Russia?

– There are two ways this word is understood in Russia. Historically, a veteran is a guy in his 50s who’s close to retirement but is still in the army. He has experience, which he shares with younger people. We’ll have quite a few veterans like that after this conflict. The inevitable growth of the number of veterans is just one of the fundamental changes we can expect in the future.

There’s also our civil society, which has been helping the army. I used to think that all those volunteer organizations collecting their meager donations were just a drop in the ocean as opposed to what one signature in a high place can accomplish. I didn’t take them seriously. But last July, when I had a chance to work with the OPSB in Donetsk, I realized what a huge financial stream those individual donations formed together and what a long way capable volunteers could make it go. Smart financial management on the ground and motivated people like Vladimir Grubnik are a formidable force.

Civil society right now is much more efficient at equipping soldiers than the Defense Ministry. People have learned to resolve issues where the government is stalled. A huge number of horizontal links have emerged during the conflict. This is a positive development which may not be obvious at first sight, but is more important than all the captured cities. So, talking about change in Russia, I’d focus not just on veterans but also on this nascent civil society, which was all but destroyed during Soviet times.

By Dmitry Plotnikov, a political journalist exploring the history and current events of ex-Soviet states

https://www.rt.com/russia/570705-if-we-back-down-today/
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