First, links to reports from National Public Radio, Politico, Tass, the Associated Press, Reuters, and the Moscow Times; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. Then, links to a Thursday report from the Washington Post and one from antiwar.com (published yesterday), both on Ukraine, Russia and Syria. Finally for today, a link to an op-ed column in today’s Berkshire Eagle by its foreign affairs writer.— MCM
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International officials meet in Germany to coordinate weapons deliveries for Ukraine. Reported by Scott Simon and Joanna Kakissis | NPR Fighting continues in eastern Ukraine as regional and international defense officials meet in Germany to coordinate delivery of weapons and other equipment to Ukraine. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.
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Ukrainian troops to begin training on U.S.-made tanks in next few weeks, by Lara Seligmann | Politico RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany — American-made Abrams tanks that Ukrainians will use for training will arrive in Germany in the next few weeks, allowing soldiers to begin learning to use the much-anticipated armor, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced on Friday. The 31 M1A1 Abrams tanks — a Ukrainian battalion’s worth — will . . . READ MORE . . .
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Berlin decides to expel Russian diplomats en masse, Moscow to mirror that decision – MFA. From Tass. MOSCOW — The German authorities have decided to massively expel Russian diplomats, thus Berlin is pursuing a course to destroy the entire range of Russia-Germany relations, the Russian Foreign Ministry said today. The diplomats promised to give a mirror response to Berlin’s . . . READ MORE . . .
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Minister: Ukraine will beat Russia in war of technologies, by Hanna Arhirova | AP KYIV — As Ukrainian and Russian troops fight conventional battles on the front lines, Europe’s first major war of the internet age has also sparked a war of technology as both sides vie for the advantage with their drones and satellite communications. While the two sides . . . READ MORE . . .
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Russian troops fighting in western Bakhmut, Wagner frets over Ukraine attack. From Reuters. MOSCOW, April 21 (Reuters) – Russia’s Defence Ministry said in a briefing on Friday that assault troops were fighting in western parts of Bakhmut, the last part of the embattled Ukrainian city still held by Kyiv’s forces. Ukrainian and Russian units have been battling for months over the eastern city, which . . . READ MORE . . .
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Russia begins issuing digital military summons – Reports, by Leyla Latypova | The Moscow Times The authorities in several Russian regions are distributing digital summons to men of call-up age, according to media reports, less than a week after a radical overhaul of the country’s military draft system was signed into law by President Vladimir Putin. Previously . . . READ MORE . . .
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Russian forces wipe out Ukrainian Akatsiya, Gvozdika howitzers in Kherson Region. From Tass. GENICHESK — The Russian armed forces destroyed the Ukrainian 2C3 Akatsiya self-propelled howitzer and the 2S1 Gvozdika self-howitzer on the right bank of the Kherson Region, the region’s emergency services said today. Earlier, the emergency services . . . READ MORE . . .
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Ukraine planned attacks on Russian forces in Syria, leaked document shows, by Evan Hill and Alex Horton | The Washington Post Ukraine’s military intelligence agency developed plans to conduct covert attacks on Russian forces in Syria using secret Kurdish help, according to a leaked top secret U.S. intelligence document. The introduction of a new battlefield — thousands of miles from the war in Ukraine — appeared designed to impose costs and casualties on Russia and its Wagner paramilitary group, which is active in Syria, and possibly . . .TO READ MORE may require subscription to Post . . .
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Leaked docs: Ukraine planned attacks on Russian forces in Syria, by Kyle Anzalone | antiwar.com Kiev’s military intelligence agency believed it could carry out attacks on Russian soldiers and Wagner Group forces in Syria, forcing Moscow to redeploy military assets from Ukraine. The story was reported by the Washington Post using documents released by Jack Teixeira. According to the Post, the plan never materialized as President Volodymyr Zelensky ordered an end to the planning in December. It appears that . . . READ MORE . . .
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For Ukraine, a new style of ‘Finlandization’? by James Brooke | The Berkshire Eagle When Russia launched its blitzkrieg on Ukraine, Finnish popular support for joining NATO skyrocketed, hitting 85 percent last fall. Two weeks ago, Finland was admitted to NATO. Of the 31 countries to join NATO, Finland went through the fastest accession process in the treaty’s 74-year history. With Putin’s Moscow showing unremitting hostility to the West there is an enduring attraction to NATO’s Article Five self-defense clause — . . . READ MORE . . .
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MAY BE CONTINUED