First, links to reports from Reuters, Agence France-Presse, the Associated Press, Tass. and teleSUR; others from these organizations are accessible by clicking on their names below. — MCM

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Moscow steps up assault in eastern Ukraine as Kyiv calls for ‘ban’ on Russians, by Pavel Polityuk | Reuters * Heavy Russian shelling reported along Donbas front * Ukraine says it repels assaults * Moscow claims some territorial gains * Ukrainian President calls for blanket ban on Russians | KYIV — Russia unleashed ground forces, air strikes and artillery as it pressed ahead with a grinding offensive designed to complete its capture of eastern Ukraine, but Kyiv said its troops were putting up fierce resistance and holding the line. Heavy fighting was reported today in frontline towns near the eastern city of Donetsk, where Ukrainian officials said Russian troops were launching waves of attacks as they tried to seize control of the industrialised . . . READ MORE . . .

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‘Explosions’ near Russia air base in Crimea, local officials say. From Agence France-Presse. Several explosions took place today near a Russian air base in Moscow-annexed Crimea, which is a popular tourist destination, local officials said. “I can confirm the fact of several explosions in the area of Novofyodorovka. The circumstances are being clarified,” Oleg Kryuchkov, an aide to the Moscow-installed head of Crimea, said on messaging app Telegram.

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Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia edging closer to Russia referendum. From AFP. Moscow-backed authorities in the southeastern Ukrainian region of Zaporizhzhia said Monday they were pressing ahead with plans to stage a referendum on joining Russia. “I signed a decree… to start working on the issue of organising a referendum on the reunification of the Zaporizhzhia region with the Russian Federation,” Yevgeny Balitsky, head of the Moscow-installed administration in the occupied part of the region of Zaporizhzhia, said on social media. . . . The eponymous Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant — Europe’s largest  — has in recent days been the scene of strikes that have damaged several structures, forcing the shutdown of . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia starts stripping jetliners for parts as sanctions bite. From Reuters. * This content was produced in Russia, where the law restricts coverage of Russian military operations in Ukraine * The Moscow Times has its own version of this story | MOSCOW — Russian airlines, including state-controlled Aeroflot (AFLT.MM), are stripping jetliners to secure spare parts they can no longer buy abroad because of Western sanctions, four industry sources told Reuters. The steps are in line with advice Russia’s government provided in June for airlines to use some aircraft for parts to ensure the remainder of foreign-built planes can continue flying at least through . . . READ MORE . . .

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Chechen leader says Russia-allied forces take control of Knauf plant in Soledar. From Tass. MOSCOW — Chechnya’s leader Ramzan Kadyrov has reported that [Russia-allied] troops took control of the Knauf plant in the town of Soledar. He took to his Telegram channel today to write that the Akhmat special operations group together with the LPR’s militia were successfully liberating territories. “The allied forces also took under control the premises of the . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russian disinformation spreading in new ways despite bans, by David Klepper | The Associated Press WASHINGTON — After Russia invaded Ukraine last February, the European Union moved to block RT and Sputnik, two of the Kremlin’s top channels for spreading propaganda and misinformation about the war. Nearly six months later, the number of sites pushing that same content has exploded as Russia found ways to evade the ban. They’ve rebranded their work to disguise it. They’ve shifted some propaganda duties to diplomats. . . . NewsGuard, a New York-based firm that studies and tracks online misinformation, . . . READ MORE . . .

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No military ship or plane can approach Ukrainian grain ships. From teleSUR. According to reports, Russia and Ukraine issued a document specifying that both countries agreed to restrict the rapprochement of any military ships and aircraft to Ukrainian grain shipments in a designated safe corridor. “The parties will not undertake any attacks against merchant vessels or other civilian vessels and port facilities engaged in this initiative,” said the document signed by both countries, referring to merchant vessels. “No military vessel, aircraft, or UAVs [drones] will close to within ten nautical miles of a merchant’s vessel transiting the Maritime Humanitarian Corridor, excluding territorial seas of Ukraine.” These policies are part of the agreement signed in Istanbul last July between . . . READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

First, a link to an essay from Behind the Curtain that pertains to all of the subjects addressed in the more than four years of this blog. Next, a link to a column from this weekend’s Berkshire Eagle, also by a fellow Berkshirite, concerning up-to-the-moment matters in the sixth month of the war in Ukraine. Then, links to recent reports from Tass, Agence France-Presse, National Public Radio, the Associated Press, and Reuters; additional reports from these organizations are accessible by clicking on their names below. NOTE: A few days off plus technical difficulties explain gaps since last Wednesday. — MCM

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At the Lost and Found, by Edward Curtin | Behind the Curtain Today is a time of unprecedented official lies about everything, endless wars hot and cold, class wars of the rich against the poor, medical wars of international elites against everyone, etc. –  it is a daily electronic digital  barrage meant to pound people into the deepest despair.  Call it “The Lost World of the Information Superhighway.”  These lies have sown a vast sense of bewilderment, as intended.  Lostness for so many, including . . . READ MORE . . .

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My time in Kherson, by James Brooke | The Berkshire Eagle “Stalingrad in reverse” is how military analysts are describing a key battle shaping up to liberate Kherson. This regional capital in southern Ukraine is the biggest city to fall under Russian occupation since the war started six months ago. Back in January 1943, Soviet soldiers fought in a pincer movement across the steppe, trapping Nazi invaders in a semi-circle stronghold, their backs against the Volga River. This time, . . . Eagle subscribers, and perhaps others, can read more by clicking HERE.

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Head of Zaporozhye Region signs order to hold referendum on accession to Russia. From Tass. MELITOPOL, Ukraine The head of the Zaporozhye Region, Yevgeny Balitsky, says he has signed an order to hold a referendum on accession to Russia. “I am signing an order to the Central Election Commission to start preparations for a referendum on the Zaporozhye Region’s reunification with Russia,” he said at the forum “We are Together with Russia.” The resolution on holding the referendum was read out by a member of the chief council of the Zaporozhye Region’s military-civilian administration, Vladimir Rogov. . . . “We, participants in the forum, declare that we pin our future on being together with Russia,” the resolution begins. “Time is ripe to restore historical justice. We are confident that as a member of Russia the Zaporozhe Region will be protected from any encroachments. . . . Based on the principle of free choice, regarding the opinion of every resident of our region as the main value, we declare . . .” READ MORE . . .

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Kremlin accuses Kyiv of nuclear plant shelling, warns of ‘catastrophic consequences. From Agence France-Presse. The Kremlin on Monday accused Ukrainian forces of firing on the Zaporizhzhia atomic power plant, warning of potential “catastrophic consequences” for Europe. “The shelling of the territory of the nuclear plant by the Ukrainian armed forces is a potentially extremely dangerous activity… fraught with catastrophic consequences for a vast area, including the territory of Europe,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. He called on Ukraine’s allies “to use . . . READ MORE . . .

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As Russian missiles struck Ukraine, Western tech still flowed, by David Gauthier-Villars, Steve Stecklow, Maurice Tamman, Stephen Grey and Andrew Macaskill | Reuters KYIV — Russian weaponry shown to Reuters collected on the battlefield by Ukraine’s military contain Russian electronics bearing Cyrillic markings, sometimes handwritten. But many of the most important electronic components inside are . . . stamped with the names of American chip-makers, including Texas Instruments Inc; Altera . . . ; and Maxim Integrated Products Inc, . . . READ MORE . . .

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Experts widely condemn Amnesty International report alleging Ukrainian war crimes. Reported by Julian Hayda | National Public Radio (From All Things Considered Saturday evening.) Ukrainian and international experts and commentators have responded critically to an Amnesty International report implicating Ukrainian troops in potential war crimes. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Are Russian sanctions working? Alina Selyukh of NPR talks with UCLA economics professor Oleg Itskhoki about the effects of sanctions on the Russian economy. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Moscow’s ex-chief rabbi warns of growing pressures fraying Russia’s Jewish community. Reported by Daniel Estrin | NPR Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt was chief rabbi of Moscow for nearly three decades, until early March of this year. He speaks about why he fled Russia following the invasion of Ukraine. Click HERE to listen and read.

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TO BE CONTINUED TODAY

First, links to reports since Wednesday from Reuters, National Public Radio, the Associated Press, and Agence France-Presse; others are accessible by clicking on the organizations’ names below. — MCM

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U.S. readies new $1 billion Ukraine weapons package, by Idrees Ali and Mike Stone | Reuters WASHINGTON — The Biden administration’s next security assistance package for Ukraine is expected to be $1 billion, one of the largest so far, and include munitions for long-range weapons and armored medical transport vehicles, three sources briefed on the matter told Reuters. . . . The package is expected to be announced as early as Monday and would add to about $8.8 billion in aid the United States has given Ukraine since . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine condemns Amnesty International report that troops were too close to civilians. Reported by Julian Hayda | National Public Radio Amnesty International has criticized Ukraine for setting up military bases in residential areas. Ukrainian officials say It’s Russian forces that are putting Ukrainian civilians lives in jeopardy. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Amnesty Int’l report sparks furor, resignation  From the Associated Press KYIV — The head of Amnesty International’s Ukraine chapter has resigned, saying the human rights organization shot down her opposition to publishing a report that claimed Ukrainian forces had exposed civilians to Russian attacks by basing themselves in populated areas. In a statement posted Friday night on Facebook, Oksana Pokalchuk accused her former employer of disregarding Ukraine’s wartime realities and the concerns of local staff members who had pushed for the report to be reworked. The report, released . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia must take responsibility for nuclear plant ‘terror,’ says Zelensky. From Agence France-Presse. KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday that Russia must take responsibility for an “act of terror,” after Kyiv and Moscow traded blame for strikes at Europe’s largest nuclear plant. Russia earlier accused Kyiv’s forces of striking Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and charged that Zelensky’s government was committing acts of “nuclear . . . READ MORE . . .

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A young Ukrainian man’s journey to get himself and his mother to safety. Reported by Kat Lonsdorf | NPR  One young man has struggled to get himself and his mom out of Russian-occupied territory in southern Ukraine as fighting there intensifies. Click HERE to listen and read.

First, links to reports from the Associated Press, National Public Radio, and Reuters; others are accessible by clicking on the organizations’ names below. Then, via Global Research, a link to one way to assess the effectiveness of Western sanctions against Russia; it was filed 10 days ago. — MCM

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First ship with Ukraine grain cleared to sail on to Lebanon, by Zeynep Bilginsoy | The Associated Press ISTANBUL — The first grain ship to depart Ukraine under a wartime deal was poised to cross through the Bosporus Strait and sail to Lebanon after its cargo was checked and approved today, Turkish and Ukrainian authorities said. An inspection team spent about 90 minutes conducting checks aboard the Sierra Leone-flagged Razoni, which was carrying Ukrainian corn and anchored off Istanbul, Turkey’s defense ministry said. The team included officials from Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the United Nations. The Razoni’s horn rang out as the inspectors . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine’s army is waging its 1st major offensive against Russia to retake Kherson. Reported by Brian Mann | National Public Radio Could Ukraine’s army retake the strategic southern city of Kherson? Officers and soldiers near the front line say the counter-offensive is already underway. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Russian soft drinks maker targets 50% of market to fill gap left by Coke, Pepsi. From Reuters.  * This content was produced in Russia where the law restricts coverage of Russian military operations in Ukraine | MOSCOW — As the world’s biggest soft drinks makers cut their Russian ties, local producer Chernogolovka is aiming for a 50% share of the country’s near $9 billion market, its boss told Reuters. A mass exodus of Western firms due to sanctions and restrictions over Russia’s actions in Ukraine has created an unexpected opportunity for Russian businesses and entrepreneurs. Chernogolovka, named after the town outside Moscow . . . READ MORE . . .

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‘Vogue’ cover of Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska sparks debate and controversy. Reported by Ashley Westermann | NPR  Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska was criticized for not looking ladylike in a recent Vogue photoshoot. Her supporters pushed back, creating an online campaign asking what it means to #SitLikeAGirl. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Sanctions Had No Effect on Moscow Yet Europe Lost Four Governments: Orban, by Al Mayadeen | Global Research Russia sanctions have not shaken Moscow’s resolve, despite the fact that Europe has already lost four governments due to economic and political crises, according to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Saturday. “The West’s strategy is like a car with flat tires on all four wheels… The sanctions did not destabilize Moscow. Europe is in trouble, economically and politically, and four governments have become victims: UK, Bulgarian, Italian, and Estonian… READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED  TODAY, TOMORROW OR THURSDAY

Two items. A link to the announcement today of a new book questioning governments and mainstream media of the world on their handling of the Covid-19 virus. And a link to a longer piece suggesting that the Covid-19 phenomenon is part of an orchestrated campaign by elites to force a new world order. — MCM

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Book: A Letter to Liberals—Censorship and COVID: An Attack on Science and American Ideals. Introduced by its author, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. | Children’s Health Defense   Journalists — even science journalists — act as if they believe any pronouncement by [Dr. Anthony] Fauci (or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or World Health Organization) should mark the end of scientific inquiry. My latest book . . .  emerged from a congenial and ongoing conversation during the COVID-19 pandemic between myself and my longtime friend and former law . . . READ MORE . . .

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What Was Covid Really About? Triggering A Multi-Trillion Dollar Global Debt Crisis. ‘Ramping up an Imperialist Strategy’? By Colin Todhunter | Global Research What we are seeing is a de facto privatisation of the state as governments capitulate to the needs of Western financial institutions. . . . These debts are largely dollar-denominated, helping to strengthen the U.S. dollar and U.S. leverage over countries. It raises the question: what was COVID really about? Millions have been asking that question since lockdowns and restrictions began in early 2020. If it was indeed about public health, why . . . Click HERE to read in English, HERE to read in Spanish.

First, links to reports from the Associated Press, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, National Public Radio, and Reuters; others are accessible by clicking on the organizations’ names below. — MCM

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Russia brands Ukrainian steel plant defenders terrorists, by Susie Blann and Suzan Fraser | The Associated Press — KYIV — Russia’s Supreme Court today declared Ukraine’s Azov Regiment a terrorist organization, a designation that could lead to terror charges against some of the captured fighters who made their last stand inside Mariupol’s shattered steel plant. Scores of Azov fighters are being held by Moscow since their surrender in mid-May. Russian authorities have opened criminal cases against them, accusing them of killing civilians. The addition of terrorism charges could mean even longer prison sentences. In a statement, the Azov Regiment dismissed . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia high court labels Ukraine’s Azov Regiment ‘terrorist’ group. From RFE/RL’s Russian Service. The Supreme Court of Russia, acting on a request by the Prosecutor General’s Office, has designated Ukraine’s ultra-right Azov Regiment as a “terrorist” organization. The court announced the decision today against the group, one of the most prominent Ukrainian military formations fighting against Russia in eastern Ukraine. The court ruled to “recognize . . . READ MORE . . .

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Resuming Ukrainian grain exports may help reduce food insecurity in the Middle East. Reported by Ari Shapiro, Alejandra Marquez Janse and Ashley Brown | National Public Radio Ari Shapiro talks with Corinne Fleischer, the World Food Programme’s Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe regional director, about what grain shipments from Ukraine means for some areas. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Ukraine’s army faces a big test in the war: trying to retake the city of Kherson. Reported by Brian Mann | NPR A 29-year-old battalion commander is helping lead Ukraine’s counteroffensive near Kherson. He says the fight is costly but his troops have already won ground. Click HERE to listen and, tomorrow, read.

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The story of a war, a wedding dress and a business opportunity. Reported by Eleanor Beardsley | NPR  The Russian invasion is destroying much of Ukraine’s economy. In some cases, however, companies that adapted are not just surviving but thriving. Click HERE to listen and, tomorrow, read.

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The Ukrainian women who make art in the face of war. Reported by Susan Stamberg | NPR  Stories of war are being told now by some of Ukraine’s leading female artists at New York’s Fridman Gallery, as well as a gallery in Kyiv. The women are activists as well as artists, and are responding in paint, photographs and videos to the Russian invasion, and earlier conflicts over the annexation of Crimea. The powerful, haunting works prove that art is not just about pretty pictures. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Russia’s military suffers heavy toll from its Ukraine invasion. Reuters presents a gallery of 70 photographs and captions. Click HERE for it.

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TO BE CONTINUED

First, links to reports from Reuters, the Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, National Public Radio, and teleSUR; find others by clicking on the organizations’ names below. — MCM

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‘Relief for the World’ as Ukraine grain ship leaves Odesa, by Natalia Zinets | Reuters * First Ukraine grain ship bound for Lebanon * Turkey says more ships to follow * Russian missiles pound port of Mykolaiv | KYIV — A ship carrying grain left the Ukrainian port of Odesa for Lebanon today under a safe passage agreement, Ukrainian and Turkish officials said, the first departure since the Russian invasion blocked shipping through the Black Sea five months ago. Ukraine’s foreign minister called it “a day of relief for the world”, especially for countries threatened by food shortages and hunger because of the disrupted . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine seeks to retake the south, tying down Russian forces. From the Associated Press. Even as Moscow’s war machine crawls across Ukraine’s east, trying to achieve the Kremlin’s goal of securing full control over the country’s industrial heartland, Ukrainian forces are scaling up attacks to reclaim territory in the Russian-occupied south. The Ukrainians have used American-supplied rocket launchers to strike bridges and military infrastructure in the south, forcing Russia to divert its forces from the Donbas in the east to counter . . . READ MORE . . .

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Moscow blacklists 39 more Britons. From Agence France-Presse. Russia today said it was blacklisting 39 more British citizens, including Labour Party leader Keir Starmer and former prime minister David Cameron. London has been one of Kyiv’s most vocal supporters after President Vladimir Putin sent troops to Ukraine on February 24. Russia’s foreign ministry said the [new batch of] citizens listed, including journalists, “contribute to the hostile course of London aimed at the demonisation of our country and its international isolation. . . . The choice in favour of confrontation is the conscious decision of the British political establishment . . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine: grain leaves port and calls grow for a probe into POWs’ deaths. Reported by A Martínez and Tim Mak | National Public Radio The first ship carrying Ukrainian grain leaves the port of Odesa. Ukraine and Russia exchange accusations over who bombed a prison colony holding Ukrainian POWs in occupied Donbas. Click HERE to listen and, tomorrow, read.

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1st ship with grain leaves Ukraine’s Black Sea port. From teleSUR. The first cargo ship carrying grain has left the Black Sea port of Odesa in southern Ukraine, Ukraine’s Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said today. The vessel Razoni under the flag of Sierra Leone carrying 26,000 tons of corn is bound for the port of Tripoli in Lebanon, Kubrakov said, adding that the ship will move along a maritime corridor, the security of which was guaranteed by Türkiye and the United Nations (UN). The resumption . . . READ MORE . . .

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Putin’s Stalin-era surveillance tactics. Cheryl Corley of NPR speaks with investigative journalist Andrei Soldatov about his recent piece in Foreign Affairs entitled “Putin’s New Police State.” Click HERE to listen and read. Find Soldatov’s article HERE.

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TO BE CONTINUED

First, links to reports from the Associated Press, Reuters, and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on the organizations’ names below. Finally, two pieces of commentary placing the war in Ukraine in a global context; the first, from the Associated Press, sees the war as having given NATO “renewed reason for being”; the other, via Consortium News, expresses opposition to NATO’s “policies and global aspirations.” — MCM

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Drone explosion hits Russia’s Black Sea Fleet headquarters, by Susie Blann | The Associated Press KYIV — A small explosive device carried by a makeshift drone blew up today at the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet on the Crimean Peninsula, wounding six people and prompting the cancellation of ceremonies there honoring Russia’s navy, authorities said. Meanwhile, one of Ukraine’s richest men, a grain merchant, was killed in what Ukrainian authorities said was a carefully targeted Russian missile strike on his home.  There was no . . . READ MORE . . .

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Zelenskiy announces mandatory evacuation of Ukraine’s Donetsk region, by Natalia Zinets and Pavel Polityuk | Reuters * Deputy PM Vereshchuk says evacuation needed before winter * Vereshchuk says region’s natural gas supplies destroyed * Kyiv says more than 100 Russian soldiers killed on Friday * Ukraine: rail links to Kherson over Dnipro river cut | KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday his government was ordering the mandatory evacuation of people in the eastern Donetsk region, scene of fierce fighting with Russia. In a late-night television address, Zelenskiy also said the hundreds of thousands of people still in combat zones in the larger Donbas region, which contains Donetsk as well as the neighboring Luhansk region, needed to leave . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine provides a bit of good news amidst a global food shortage. Reported by Joanna Kakissis | National Public Radio Ukraine says it is ready to resume grain shipments from its southern ports that stopped with the onset of the war with Russia. The grain could alleviate a global food shortage. Click HERE to listen and, tomorrow, read.

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In the Russia-Ukraine war, drones are one of the most powerful weapons, by Jason Beaubien | NPR  SOUTHERN UKRAINE — Sitting in the back of a Ukrainian military van, hidden under camouflage netting, Sacha is monitoring video from a surveillance drone. His team just launched the drone off a 30-foot-long slingshot. It’s now crossed the front line and is peering into a Russian-occupied village. Sacha zooms in further. “You see . . . Click HERE to listen and read. 

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A world changed, maybe permanently, by Ukraine war, by John Leicester | AP  PARIS July 16, 1945: An incandescent mushroom cloud in New Mexico heralds the dawn of the nuclear age. July 20, 1969: Neil Armstrong takes a small step and a giant leap in the dust of the Moon. Feb. 24, 2022: Russian President Vladimir Putin chews up the world order and 77 years of almost uninterrupted peace in Europe by invading Ukraine, disrupting the supplies of food it produces for many of the planet’s 8 billion people. All were watersheds in world history, turning points . . . READ MORE . . .

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The World Does Not Want a Global NATO, by Vijay Prashad | Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research / Consortium News At No Cold War, an international platform seeking to bring sanity to international relations, we have been closely observing the shifting tenor of the war in Ukraine and the U.S.-driven pressure campaign against China. We have published three previous briefings from this platform in our newsletters; [linked in this column, readers] will find briefing No. 4, “The World Does Not Want a Global NATO,” which details the emerging clarity in the Global South regarding . . . READ MORE . . .

First, links to reports from Reuters, the Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, National Public Radio, and teleSUR; for others, click on their names below. — MCM

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Ukraine says scores of Russians killed in southern fighting, by Natalia Zinets and Pavel Polityuk | Reuters * Kyiv says more than 100 Russian soldiers killed on Friday * Ukraine says rail links to Kherson over Dnipro have been cut * UK spy chief says Russia is ‘running out of steam’ * Russia publishes list of killed, injured Ukrainian POWs | KYIV — The Ukrainian military said today it had killed scores of Russian soldiers in fighting in the south, including the Kherson region that is the focus of Kyiv’s counter-offensive in that part of the country and a key link in Moscow’s supply lines. Rail traffic to Kherson over the Dnipro River had been cut, the military’s southern command said, potentially further isolating Russian forces west of the river from supplies in READ MORE . . .

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U.S. envoy: Russia intends to dissolve Ukraine from world map, by Edith M. Lederer | The Associated Press UNITED NATIONS — The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations said Friday there should no longer be any doubt that Russia intends to dismantle Ukraine “and  dissolve it from the world map entirely.” Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the U.N. Security Council that the United States is seeing growing signs that Russia is laying the groundwork to attempt to annex all of the eastern Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk and the southern Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, including by installing “illegitimate proxy officials in Russian-held areas, with the goal of holding sham referenda or decree to join Russia.” . . . Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told an Arab summit in Cairo last Sunday that Moscow’s overarching goal in Ukraine is to free its people from its “unacceptable regime.” READ MORE . . .

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Russia suspends gas supplies to Latvia. From Agence France-Presse. Russian energy giant Gazprom today suspended gas supplies to Latvia following tensions between Moscow and the West over the conflict in Ukraine and sweeping European and U.S. sanctions against Russia. The declaration came a day after Moscow and Kyiv accused each other of bombing a jail holding Ukrainian prisoners of war in Russian-held territory, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky . . . READ MORE . . .

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For the 1st time since Russia invaded, ships are set to depart Ukraine with grain. Reported by Joanna Kakissis | National Public Radio In Odessa, Ukraine is trying to launch ships filled with grain as part of deals brokered to address a global food shortage. Its ports have been closed since Russia invaded more than five months ago. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Dozens of Ukrainian prisoners of war may have been killed in a missile attack. Tim Mak of NPR reported from Kyiv. The prisoners are soldiers who were part of a unit that held out for months in Mariupol while being surrounded by Russian forces. Ukraine and Russia are accusing each other in the attack. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Lavrov urges Binken to avoid leaks regarding prosoner exchange. From teleSUR. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, in a telephone conversation he held Friday with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, urged him to resort to diplomacy without speculations and leaks when discussing the exchange of prisoners between Moscow and Washington, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported. “Referring to the possible . . . READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

First, links to reports from Reuters, Agence France-Presse, the Associated Press, National Public Radio, and the Moscow Times; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. Then, a link to a letter by military analyst Scott Ritter to his representatives in Congress questioning U.S. funding for a Ukrainian “blacklist” of individuals deemed promoters of Russian propaganda. — MCM

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Dozens of Ukrainian POWs reported killed in missile strike, by Max Hunder and Pavel Polityuk | Reuters * Russia, Ukraine trade blame for prisoner deaths * UK says Russia deploys Wagner fighters more widely * Ukraine says grain ships loaded but no date yet to move | ODESA/KYIV — Dozens of Ukrainian prisoners of war appeared to have been killed in a missile strike today, with Moscow and Kyiv accusing each other of carrying out the attack. The incident overshadowed U.N.-backed efforts to restart grain shipments from Ukraine and ease a looming global hunger crisis stemming from the war, now in its sixth month. Russia’s defence ministry said . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia, Ukraine trade blame over strike on POW jail. From Agence France-Presse. Moscow and Kyiv today accused each other of bombing a jail holding Ukrainian prisoners of war in Russian-held territory, with Russia saying 40 prisoners and eight prison staff were killed. Russia’s defence ministry said the Ukrainian strikes were carried out with US-supplied long-range missiles, in an “egregious provocation” designed to stop soldiers surrendering. . . . Ukraine’s military denied carrying out the attack saying its forces “did not launch missile and artillery strikes in the area of Olenivka settlement.” It instead blamed Russia’s invading forces for “a targeted artillery shelling” . . . READ MORE . . .

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Isolation complication? U.S. finds it’s hard to shun Russia, by Matthew Lee | The Associated Press WASHINGTON — The Biden administration likes to say Russia has become isolated internationally because of its invasion of Ukraine. Yet Moscow’s top officials have hardly been cloistered in the Kremlin. And now, even the U.S. wants to talk. Russian President Vladimir Putin has been meeting with world leaders, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose country is a NATO member. Meanwhile, his top diplomat, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, is jetting around the world, smiling, shaking hands and posing for photos with foreign leaders — including some friends of the U.S. And on Wednesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said . . . READ MORE . . .

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Concerns around shipping Ukrainian grain. Reported by Jackie Northam | National Public Radio What it would actually take to send out Ukrainian grain. They need to bring in minesweepers, figure out shipping companies to use, assure no more missile attacks, sort out danger pay, and lots more. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Ukraine reduces Russian soldier’s life sentence to 15 years. The Moscow Times. A Ukrainian court today reduced to 15 years a life sentence handed down to a Russian soldier for pre-meditated murder in the country’s first war crimes trial. Vadim Shishimarin, 21, was sentenced to life in prison in May after being found guilty of fatally shooting a 62-year-old civilian in northeastern Ukraine in the early days of the war. His lawyer had vowed to appeal the verdict, arguing that “societal pressure” had influenced the verdict. “According to . . . READ MORE . . .

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U.S. should not fund Ukrainian ‘blacklist,’ by Scott Ridder | Consortium News The Ukrainian Center for Countering Disinformation, which appears to receive U.S. government funding, this month issued a list of 72 individuals — about one-third of them Americans — who the Center claims promote “Russian propaganda.” Scott Ridder, whose commentary has appeared in this blog, is on the list, and wrote concerning U.S. funding for it to his two U.S. senators and his congressman. Click HERE to see the list, and HERE to read the letter.