With Presidential Internships, Kremlin Seeks to Paint Ukraine Veterans as Russia’s ‘New Elites’

The Kremlin is attempting to create the illusion that Russian men who fight in Ukraine will enjoy greater career prospects — including the possibility of future government roles — as it grapples with a shortage of military volunteers and seeks to quell criticism from Ukraine war veterans. Russian media reported Monday that several veterans of…

JPMorgan, HSBC Handled Payments for Wagner’s Africa Operations – Report

JPMorgan and HSBC unknowingly processed payments for companies controlled by Yevgeny Prigozhin’s Wagner mercenary group, according to a new report by the U.S.-based Center for Advanced Defense Studies (C4ADS). According to the center, Wagner was able to establish an early foothold in Africa during the mid-2010s thanks to access it had to an international “network of financial services and…

Moscow ‘Extremely Concerned’ Over Deadly Israeli Strikes in Lebanon

The Kremlin said Monday that it was “extremely” concerned over relentless Israeli airstrikes that have killed over 500 people and wounded around 1,800 others, as the Russian Embassy in Lebanon urged citizens to leave the country. “This development is potentially extremely dangerous,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, warning of the “widening area of conflict…