Fresh images appear to show Russian ship with Iranian missiles in Caspian Sea
New satellite imagery revealed on Wednesday, Sept. 11, shows what appears to be the Russian cargo ship that brought ballistic missiles to Russia from Iran. The vessel known as the Olya-3, was spotted in the Caspian Sea off of the coast of southwest Russia. The pictures are reportedly seen as further evidence to back up claims from the United States and Europe that Russia is receiving missiles from Iran for its war in Ukraine.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned on Tuesday, Sept. 10, that Moscow will use the weapons to strike Ukrainian forces, towns and civilian infrastructure in the coming weeks.
The images reportedly show Moscow’s first shipment of short-range ballistic missiles on Sept. 4. Olya-3 frequently transports cargo in the Caspian Sea between Russia and Iran, according to the U.S. Treasury Department. The department announced sanctions on the vessel as part of a larger effort to crackdown on Tehran for its weapons transfers to Moscow.
It’s unclear how many missiles Moscow received but the U.S. Treasury Department said Russia and Iran signed an agreement late last year for the supply of hundreds of missiles. However, Iran and Russia both deny the transfer of missiles.
Meanwhile, Britain, France and German called the delivery an “escalation by both Iran and Russia” and a “direct threat to European security.”
Iran previously supplied Russia with attack drones and North Korea gave Moscow ballistic missiles and artillery.
There are reports that Russia’s purchase of Iranian ballistic missiles will be the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back, and Washington, D.C., may finally lift its restrictions on Ukraine using U.S-supplied weapons to strike Russian targets deep behind the front lines.
President Joe Biden and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer are supposed to discuss the topic on Friday, Sept 13.
RT editor-in-chief admits secret operations in US aren’t going anywhere
The editor-in-chief of Russia Today (RT), a Russian-run media network barred from operating in the United States, admitted the company is still running secret projects in the U.S. and the West. In a snippet from a Russian television program shared on the social media platform X, Margarita Simonyan acknowledged that the Kremlin directly ordered RT’s projects.
“We can’t shut up and leave,” Simonyan said. “Our motherland hasn’t given us the order to retreat. All of us are soldiers. They’ve scared themselves with talk of a covert empire. All of us are Putin’s foot soldiers. They won’t be able to shut us up for the aforementioned reason, we obey orders from the Kremlin.”
Simonyan claimed that what they are doing will remain a secret and only be revealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Justice recently announced the indictment of two RT employees related to alleged efforts by Russia to spread disinformation in the United States during the 2024 election cycle.
Simonyan is also among the Russian media managers sanctioned by the DOJ for alleged election interference efforts.
Guests on the Russian state television show also mocked former President Donald Trump’s reaction to Putin’s apparent tongue-in-cheek endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris as the guest noted and cited Putin’s remark on her “infectious” laugh.
“I knew Putin,” Trump said on Saturday, Sept. 7. “I knew him well, and you know, he endorsed, I don’t know if you saw the other day, he endorsed Kamala. He endorsed Kamala. I was very offended by that. I wonder why he endorsed Kamala. No, he’s a chess player. He endorsed Kamala. Should I… should I be upset about that, no? Was it done with a smile? I think it was done maybe with a smile. I don’t know. Who the hell knows?”
Host Vladimir Solovyov, a well-known Russian media figure, said he believed that Trump took genuine offense to Putin’s endorsement.
“In the U.S., they think we care about the elections,” Solovyov said. “Idiots, we care about your civil war! May you, political dirtbags, kill one another. You are pathetic and laughable. Honestly speaking, I was a bit disheartened, unless Trump is joking.”
U.S. National Security Spokesperson John Kirby did not find the ordeal “laughable” at all. He said that Putin “ought to stop talking about our elections, period.”
U.S. intelligence previously revealed Russia’s disinformation campaign appears to be favoring Trump in the election. However, Iran has reportedly been involved in attempting to sway U.S. public opinion in favor of Harris.
Feds announce crackdown on Russian disinformation campaign in 2024 election
The Biden administration is taking action against Russian disinformation efforts in the 2024 presidential election. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced on Wednesday, Sept. 4, the filing of criminal charges, the seizure of more than two dozen Moscow-linked internet domains and sanctions on a Russian-run media company.
“The Justice Department’s message is clear,” Garland said. “We have no tolerance for attempts by authoritarian regimes to exploit our democratic system of government.”
Garland expanded on the efforts by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) during a meeting of the Election Threats Task Force, announcing the indictment of a pair of Russia-based employees at a state-run media outlet.
“This morning, we unsealed an indictment in the Southern District of New York of Constantine Kalashnikov and Elena [Afanasyeva], two Russian-based employees at RT, a Russian state-controlled media outlet,” Garland said. “They are charged with conspiring to commit money laundering and to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act.”
Garland said the RT’s employees , otherwise known as Russia Today, had a $10 million plan to funnel money into a Tennessee-based company to publish and spread pro-Russian propaganda, with the goal of sowing divisions in the U.S. and pushing anti-Ukrainian narratives.
The U.S. Treasury Department also imposed sanctions and visa restrictions against RT’s editor-in-chief, Margarita Simonovna Simonyan, and others affiliated with the network, including visa restrictions.
Garland also said the DOJ seized 32 internet domains used by the Kremlin and pro-Russian agents in a “covert campaign” to influence the 2024 election.
Federal investigators say that Russian companies have used domains, some impersonating legitimate publications like the Washington Post and Fox News, to secretly spread false information since at least 2022.
The U.S. attorney general said the plots show the lengths Russia is willing to reach in order to sow distrust in U.S. elections but also warned that it is not the only foreign adversary doing so.
“Unfortunately, we know that Russia is not the only foreign power seeking to interfere in our elections,” Garland said. “As the U.S intelligence community noted two weeks ago, we have observed increasingly aggressive Iranian activity during this election cycle. That includes recently reported activities by Iran to compromise Former President Trump’s campaign.
“Three things are certain in life: death, taxes and RT’s interference in the US elections,” the RT told Reuters.
The media outlet reportedly shuttered operations in the United States after Russia invaded Ukraine.
A Russian lawmaker claimed the accusations by the DOJ were “pure rubbish” and said Russia does not think it matters whether Former President Donald Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris wins the election on Nov. 5.
“The only winner of the U.S. election is the U.S. private military industrial complex,” State Duma deputy Maria Butina told Reuters.
Zelenskyy says Kursk incursion part of plan to end war with Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday, Aug. 27, he has a plan to end his country’s war with Russia and the recent incursion into Russian territory is part of that plan. During a forum, Zelenskyy said the “main point of” the infiltration into Kursk was to force Russia’s hand to end the war in Ukraine.
It is the first time that Zelenskyy has spoken in such direct terms about ending the yearslong conflict. He spoke Tuesday, acknowledging the ultimate goal of the recent offensive in Kursk was to pressure Moscow. Zelenskyy did not elaborate much on his plan, only mentioning that it would involve both economics and diplomacy.
The Ukrainian president also said that he wants to discuss his goals with both presidential nominees, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. Zelenskyy said he plans to attend the United Nation’s General Assembly in New York City and is preparing to meet with President Joe Biden as well. He wants Russia to send representatives despite Moscow being barred from the last international summit in Switzerland in June.
Recently, the Russian Foreign Minister asserted that talks with Ukraine are out of the question following Kyiv’s Kursk incursion. Additionally, Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded recently a deal between the two countries must start with Ukraine accepting “the realities on the ground.” Putin wants Russia to take large chunks of eastern Ukraine and retain Crimea in exchange for an end to the war.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian president said he wants to negotiate from a position of strength and claimed progress is being made on weapons production, including Kyiv’s first test of a domestically produced ballistic missile.
Ukraine declares full control of Russia’s Kursk region in day 10 of offensive
Ukraine declared full control over parts of Russia’s Kursk region on Thursday, Aug. 15, just 10 days into its surprise offensive. The incursion is the deepest breach into Russian territory since the war began in February 2022.
Ukrainian forces announced on Thursday that they have setup a military administrative office to “maintain law and order” and to “meet the immediate needs” of people in the area.
The Ukrainian military also said that it had captured another 100 Russian soldiers. The new soldiers are in addition to the hundreds of Russian soldiers who have already surrendered, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s intelligence agency revealed that the surprise offensive may be larger than previously thought. The agency described fighting in Russia’s Belgorod region as “fierce” and it has been reported that Ukrainian forces have run into tougher obstacles in Belgorod than Kursk. Units reported dealing with so-called dragon’s teeth barriers and trenches dug by Russian forces.
However, Kyiv said that its ultimate goal is not “taking over” Russian territory, rather, it is to pressure Moscow into agreeing to “restore peace.” Reports indicate that Ukraine may use captured Russian soldiers and territory for future prisoner swaps.
Additionally, tanks donated by the United Kingdom were reportedly used during Ukraine’s incursion into Russian territory. The U.K. Ministry of Defense did not respond to the specific report but maintained that Ukraine has the right to use U.K. weapons “for self-defense against illegal Russian attacks.”
The Kremlin has already accused the West of being behind the attack on its territory and previously warned Western nations not to give Ukraine tanks.
Some NATO members turn to WWII tech as fears of Russian invasion grow
Latvia, a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member, has started installing “dragon’s teeth,” which are anti-tank concrete pyramids, along its border with Russia. This is part of an effort to defend the country as tensions rise with Moscow over the war in Ukraine. A video circulating social media on Wednesday, July 24, appears to show the barriers being installed.
Anton Gerashchenko, a former adviser to Ukraine’s minister of internal affairs, shared the footage on X.
“Latvia has started installing defensive barriers on its border with Russia,” he wrote. “The so-called ‘dragon’s teeth’ were spotted near the easternmost Latvian town of Zilup.”
Dragon’s teeth were first used in WWII as a defense against approaching tanks. Latvia’s ongoing efforts to put the concrete pyramids along the border is part of a plan Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia agreed to earlier this year: to build a common defense line with “anti-mobility infrastructure elements.”
With the effort to bulk up NATO’s eastern border with Russia and Moscow’s ally Belarus now underway, Latvia’s Ministry of Defense said that it will help with NATO’s “collective defense.”
Tensions between the Kremlin and NATO were not particularly friendly before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the relationship is only getting worse. Moscow said NATO nations are directly involved in the war in Ukraine because the organization provides military aid and weapons to Kyiv. Russia has previously said it may strike NATO members who are helping Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Poland’s defense minister also expressed concerns that Moscow could attack within his country’s borders. However, he still maintained confidence in NATO’s defense capabilities.
Latvia’s move to use decades-old technology to defend its border is not unheard of, with Ukraine’s use of 50-year-old propeller-driven planes to take out Russia’s unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Kyiv also equipped advanced drones with medieval-style caltrops to disable Russian vehicles and to disrupt supply efforts.
Kremlin says Trump presidency was bad for Russia, but communication was better
In recent statements from the Kremlin on July 17, spokesperson Dmitry Peskov expressed mixed sentiments regarding the presidency of Donald Trump and its impact on Russia. Peskov said that during Trump’s tenure, there was an open line of communication between the United States and Russia, which was viewed positively by Moscow. However, he pointed out that despite this channel, the overall outcomes of Trump’s presidency were deemed unfavorable for Russia.
Peskov highlighted that under Trump’s administration, Russia faced increased restrictions and sanctions, which the Kremlin perceives as detrimental to its interests. When asked about the working relationship between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Peskov refrained from commenting on personal dynamics but emphasized that, in terms of tangible benefits for Russia, little was gained during that period.
The Kremlin’s remarks come amidst a geopolitical landscape that has been notably marked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The operation has strained relations with Western countries, including the United States under President Joe Biden. The Biden administration has curtailed the previously open communication lines due to the conflict in Ukraine and lack of negotiations.
Biden speaks at NATO summit, Trump holds rally in Florida
Candidates look to send a message as President Joe Biden delivers a speech at the NATO summit and former President Donald Trump spoke at a Florida rally. And the U.S.-built pier meant to bring humanitarian aid to Gaza looks to be in its final days. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Wednesday, July 10, 2024.
Biden speaks at NATO summit, Trump holds rally in Florida
With the Republican National Convention days away, the Democratic National Convention in a few weeks, and Election Day fast approaching, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump delivered speeches on Tuesday, July 9. And while their speeches took place in very different settings, each was hoping their message would help make the case they are the better option.
Biden spoke in Washington as the three-day NATO summit kicked off, saying the alliance is stronger than it’s ever been in history.
With the focus of the summit being the NATO nations’ continued support for Ukraine, Biden spoke of the country’s resilience in its fight against Russia.
“In Europe, Putin’s war of aggression against Ukraine continues and Putin wants nothing less nothing less than Ukraine’s total subjugation, to end Ukraine’s democracy, destroy Ukraine’s culture and to wipe Ukraine off the map,” the president said. “And we know Putin won’t stop at Ukraine, but make no mistake, Ukraine can and will stop Putin.”
Biden and the leaders of Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Romania announced the delivery of new air defense systems for Ukraine. This comes just days after a deadly attack by Russia on a children’s hospital in Kyiv.
On Tuesday night, Biden held a video call with nearly 200 Democratic mayors as he reiterated that he will remain in the race despite having a “lousy night” on the debate stage and amid growing calls for him to step aside.
Meanwhile, former President Trump was back on the campaign trail, holding a rally in Florida. He commented on the speculation surrounding Biden’s candidacy since debate night.
“Our victory was so absolute that Joe’s own party now wants him to throw in the towel and surrender the presidency after a single 90-minute performance,” Trump told supporters. “They want ‘crooked Joe’ out of the race. It’s a shame the way they’re treating him. But don’t feel sorry for him. He’s a very bad guy.”
And with Trump still needing to pick his vice president, one of the potential choices for a running mate — Florida Sen. Marco Rubio — was in attendance. Trump made mention of Rubio’s presence, teasing that reporters probably expected him to make his VP announcement then and there.
In his speech, Trump said he would give Biden a chance to redeem himself — challenging the president to another debate this week, as well as a golf match, referencing an argument between the two during the first debate.
In response, a Biden campaign spokesperson said Biden doesn’t have time for “Donald Trump’s weird antics.”
U.S. Navy sailor disciplined for trying to access Biden’s medical records
As concerns over President Biden’s health remain a topic of discussion since last month’s presidential debate, word has come down of a Navy sailor who’s been disciplined for trying to access the president’s medical records on multiple occasions. The incidents occurred in late February but were disclosed on Tuesday, July 9.
The Navy said the junior sailor assigned to a medical unit in Virginia searched the military’s health care system for the name “Joe Biden” three times but did not end up pulling any details on the president. A co-worker reported the breach, and the Navy launched an investigation.
The sailor admitted he looked up the president’s name “out of curiosity.” The sailor received administrative discipline and remains in the Navy.
$230M pier created to bring aid to Gaza to be shut down for good
The pier, which has already been moved and fixed repeatedly due to bad weather and rough seas, is set to be put back in place on the coast just west of Gaza city Wednesday, July 10. It had been closed off again on June 28 because of bad weather; its third shutdown since it opened in mid-May.
BREAKING: US-built pier will be put back in Gaza for several days to move aid, then permanently removed https://t.co/VKsFqy7ZtM
U.S. military officials say the $230 million pier is being put back in place to deliver any remaining aid in Cyprus and on the floating dock several miles offshore, then it’ll be permanently removed as soon as next week.
The original plan called for it to remain operational through at least the end of the month.
Russian court issues arrest warrant for late opposition leader’s widow
The court said she would be arrested if she were to ever return to Russia. This comes as part of a Kremlin crackdown on opposition.
Ой, а что не будет обычной процедуры? Иностранный агент, потом заведение уголовного дела, потом уже арест?! Когда будете писать об этом, не забудьте, пожалуйста, написать главное: Владимир Путин – убийца и военный преступник. Его место в тюрьме, и не где-нибудь в Гааге, в уютной…
The charges are widely seen as politically motivated. Navalny was Russian President Vladimir Putin’s most outspoken critic. He died in February in an arctic penal colony while serving a 19-year sentence on extremism charges.
After her husband’s death, Navalnaya vowed to take up his work and has been lobbying against Putin’s government from abroad.
Opening arguments to begin in Alec Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter trial
Opening arguments are set to begin Wednesday, July 10, in actor Alec Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter trial in New Mexico. Baldwin is charged in connection with the 2021 fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film “Rust.”
He has pleaded not guilty, claiming the gun fired accidentally. Prosecutors will look to prove that Baldwin failed to follow industry standards for firearms safety.
#BREAKING: The jury has been chosen in the #AlecBaldwin Manslaughter Trial in New Mexico.
Opening statements are set to begin tomorrow LIVE on #CourtTV.
Twelve jurors and four alternates were chosen at Tuesday’s hearing; 11 women and 5 men. If they find Baldwin guilty, he faces up to 18 months in prison.
The trial is expected to conclude by July 19.
Europe rejoins space race with launch of Ariane 6
Europe is back in space. Running years behind schedule, Europe’s Ariane 6 rocket blasted off on its maiden flight Tuesday, July 9, from the European Space Agency‘s launch site in French Guiana.
The flight deployed three sets of micro-satellites for research purposes, prompting European space officials to declare the trip a success.
However, the mission didn’t go entirely as planned. The final batch of payloads — two small capsules designed to test the conditions for surviving re-entry — was not launched after a smaller power unit shut itself down for unknown reasons.
Despite the setback, the European Space Agency said it is on track for another mission by the end of the year.
Russian propagandists targeting 2024 Paris Olympics to undermine Games
As punishment for Russia’s war in Ukraine, Russian athletes cannot compete under their country’s flag in the summer Olympics in Paris. Now, Russian propagandists are reportedly looking for retribution by stoking fears to undermine the upcoming 2024 Paris games in July, according to an analysis by Microsoft and the United States government released on Sunday, June 2.
The propagandists reportedly created false warnings from the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and French intelligence authorities. Additionally, the groups created false reports from the BBC and Al Jazeera on terror threats.
Microsoft and U.S. government believe a group known as Storm-1679 is behind the misinformation campaign. Storm-1679’s disinformation campaign is working to scare people out of attending the Games. However, researchers are unsure if the group is backed by the Russian government or act independently.
The disinformation campaign also attacked French President Emmanuel Macron and the Paris Olympics after Macron publicly considered sending French troops to Ukrainian soil. Previously, Storm-1679 focused on videos disparaging Ukrainian refugees.
Analysts said that Storm-1679 seems to thrive on attention from fact-checking organizations. The group predominantly posts its content on Telegram. However, researchers said that when content is fact-checked with large followings it gets far more views and reaches a broader audience.
This is not the first time the Olympics faced interference from Russian groups. In 2018, during the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics in South Korea, Russian hackers reportedly caused an internet outage. French authorities are aware of that incident and maintain they are looking to prevent any similar sabotage attempts in 2024.
The weapons can only be used near Kharkiv, Ukraine, for countering Russian attacks. The U.S. stopped short of allowing long-range strikes inside Russia and civilian infrastructure is off-limits for Ukrainian forces.
The move by President Joe Biden was first made quietly on Thursday, May 30. The lifting of restrictions is designed to allow Ukrainian forces to fight off Russian forces attacking Ukraine’s second largest city. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the change was desperately need, not just for Ukraine, but for the world.
“The stakes couldn’t be higher for this moment,” Blinken said. “We know that if Russian aggression is allowed to proceed in Ukraine with impunity it will not stop with Ukraine.”
Now, Ukrainian forces can use U.S. weaponry to intercept Russian missiles heading toward Kharkiv. Russian troops massing over the Russian border near Kharkiv are also allowed to be struck by U.S.-provided weapons under the lifted restrictions.
The Biden administration previously said that lifting restrictions could escalate the war with more direct U.S. involvement. However, Biden reportedly had a change of heart once Russian forces advanced on Kharkiv and unleashed heavy attacks on the city.
The U.S. isn’t the only country to change its mind. Berlin lifted restrictions on German-provided weapons to Ukraine with similar stipulations to the U.S.
However, putting Western troops on Ukrainian soil does run the risk of them becoming casualties. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said in the past that deploying Western troops to Ukraine would have “tragic” consequences.
Loosening restrictions on Ukraine and the apparent willingness to send foreign troops to Ukrainian soil isn’t sitting well with all NATO members.
The policy changes and considerations by NATO allies have also inflamed the Kremlin. In response, senior Russian security official Dmitry Medvedev said that Moscow is not bluffing over its threats to use tactical nuclear weapons against Ukraine. He warned that moves by the West could lead to an all-out war.
“Russia regards all long-range weapons used by Ukraine as being directly controlled by servicemen from NATO countries,” Medvedev said. “This is no military assistance; this is participation in a war against us.”