First, links to reports from the Associated Press, Tass, Agence France-Presse, and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their initials or names below. Then, commentary New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman finished writing early this week; by this weekend it will have appeared in dozens of newspapers in the United States and elsewhere; the Albany Times-Union printed it on Thursday and the Berkshire Eagle on Friday. — MCM
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Russia shells Ukrainian cities amid Kremlin-staged votes, by Karl Ritter and Hanna Arhirova | AP KYIV — Russian forces launched new strikes on Ukrainian cities as Kremlin-orchestrated votes took place in occupied regions of Ukraine to create a pretext for their annexation by Moscow. . . . In the five-day voting in the eastern Luhansk and Donetsk regions and Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in the south that began Friday . . . READ MORE . . .
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Mikhail Mizintsev appointed Russia’s deputy defense minister for logistics. From Tass. MOSCOW — Colonel General Mikhail Mizintsev, chief of Russia’s National Defense Management Center, has been appointed deputy defense minister for logistics, the Russian Defense Ministry said today. . . . Army General Dmitry Bulgakov, who held this position before, was relieved of it due to his transfer to another . . . READ MORE . . .
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Russia toughens penalty for voluntary surrender, refusal to fight. From AFP. MOSCOW — President Vladimir Putin today signed amendments toughening penalties for voluntary surrender, desertion and refusal to fight by up to 10 years in prison, just days after ordering a partial mobilisation. On Tuesday, Russia’s parliament had approved amendments toughening penalties for military crimes in times of mobilisation. . . . Looting will be punishable by 15 years . . . READ MORE . . .
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Russians are protesting and fleeing the country as Putin orders a draft for Ukraine. Reported by Charles Maynes | NPR MOSCOW — The decree’s impact is increasingly clear. Dozens of videos have emerged on social media showing families and friends seeing off young recruits to fight. These were scenes few Russians could have imagined even last week. (NPR has not independently verified the images and footage.) In Yakutia . . . Click HERE to listen and read.
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Russian men are flying to Turkey to avoid military service in Ukraine. Reported by Fatma Tanis and Scott Simon | NPR Russia’s call-up of additional troops has prompted many men to look for ways to avoid military service. Some of them are packing flights to Turkey. Click HERE to listen and, another day, read.
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How the Ukraine war could end, by Thomas L. Friedman | The New York Times MUNICH — It was Putin’s worst week since he invaded Ukraine. And yet … maybe I was just hanging around the wrong people, but I detected a certain undertow of anxiety in many of my conversations with Ukraine’s European allies. READ MORE . . .