9 people linked to Moscow attack detained; US says it warned Kremlin
Tajikistan’s National Security Committee detained nine people Monday, March 25, with alleged ties to the Crocus City Hall attack in Moscow that killed 143 people. It is unclear if these individuals are facing criminal charges or if Moscow is seeking their extradition. The individuals are suspected of connections with Islamic State Khorasan, who claimed responsibility for the attack.
U.S. national security adviser John Kirby revealed that the U.S. had warned Russia about potential extremist threats before the attack. On March 7, at 11:15 a.m. in Moscow, the U.S. sent a written warning to Russian security services using established communication channels.
In a televised address, Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested Ukraine facilitated the terrorists’ undetected border crossing and vowed to punish those responsible for the attack.
Russia forming new armies, building railroads in Ukraine
Russia is still reeling from the attack at a concert that killed more than 130 people. ISIS-K, a wing of the Islamic State, claimed responsibility for the attack which also injured more than 180 people. However, Moscow is doing its best to tie Ukraine to the attacks and drum up more support for its war effort.
Russian forces launched a massive volley of missiles and drones against Ukraine following the terrorist attack, seemingly in reprisal. U.S. intelligence agencies said they have proof confirming the ISIS-K claim, but it’s expected Putin and propagandists in Russian state media will still push the Ukraine narrative as a means to keep up recruiting numbers.
Ukraine started warning weeks ago that Russia was preparing for a large summer offensive. Two days before the attack at the concert hall, Russia’s defense minister, Sergei Shoigu, announced the formation of two new armies this year.
The British Ministry of Defence said it’s not clear what type of units will make up the new armies, but they will likely include mechanized, armored, artillery and logistics brigades.
The U.K. said Russia’s recruiting efforts continue to be successful. So, the new armies shouldn’t have a staffing problem. But if recent history holds true, it’s likely the new armies will run into the same problems as the current armies. Specifically, the U.K.’s Defence Intelligence agency cites limited training, an over-reliance on what they’re politely calling legacy vehicles, and a wealth of infrastructure issues that are creating resource problems.
Russian equipment losses just passed the 15,000 mark, meaning Russian forces are driving around decades-old tanks, trucks and armored vehicles. All of these don’t perform nearly as well as more modern models but can still be effective in large enough numbers.
While Ukraine’s preparations for the pending Russian offensive continue all along the front lines, in the air, Ukrainian drone crews are finding new success against Russian oil refineries. Since the start of the year, there were attacks on at least seven facilities.
The forced shutdowns amount to a nearly 7% drop in daily output. Despite international sanctions, oil continues to be a primary source of income for Moscow, which is why so many military analysts call the refineries legitimate targets.
Russia said it would put Pantsir air defense systems around refineries to protect them, but that means fewer air defense systems elsewhere. Like shipyards, where Ukrainian long-range cruise missiles continue to add to the number of Russian ships at the bottom of the Black Sea.
A new rail line might make Russia’s Black Sea fleet unnecessary, at least in terms of resupply. Vladimir Putin recently said a new 60-kilometer stretch of railroad was just completed between Kolosky and Kamianka, in occupied Ukraine. That rail line is supposed to tie into existing rail lines that lead to Melitopol in southern Ukraine and another that leads to Rostov-on-Don in southern Russia.
Rostov is the capital of Russia’s Southern Military District. It’s also the main hub for resupply for troops in southern Ukraine and occupied Crimea. According to Putin, this rail line will eventually extend down into Crimea to Sevastopol, where the Russian Black Sea fleet is stationed.
The new railroad is meant as a backup to the Kerch Bridge supply, which goes from Russia into occupied Crimea from the east. Like the Kerch bridge, the rail line will be a primary target for Ukraine’s armed forces.
During the Ukrainian counteroffensive in 2023, Ukraine’s primary goal was to cut off Russian troops in southern Ukraine, by pushing down from their territory to the Sea of Azov. Ukraine also heavily attacked the Kerch Bridge in an effort to trap the Russian forces that are in southern Ukraine and occupied Crimea.
Why do they want to do that? Well, for many military analysts, that’s the best way for Ukraine to win. If Ukraine can create and hold areas that would cut off resupply to large numbers or Russian troops and civilians in Crimea, then Ukraine has the best bargaining chip possible to force possibly a Russian withdrawal from occupied territories, and potentially the end of the war.
US fires off hypersonic missile test amid pressure from China, Russia
In what may be the weapon’s final test, the U.S. Air Force fired a Lockheed Martin Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon from a B-52 Bomber on Sunday, March 17. The test happened over the Pacific near Guam. So far, the Air Force is being tight-lipped on how fast this version of a hypersonic missile flew.
Based off previous tests, the missile should be capable of reaching speeds five times the speed of sound. Despite staying quiet on the details, the Air Force contends that the latest test provided it with valuable data to analyze and will reportedly further hypersonic weapons research.
The Air Force maintains that the missile test was successful. However, the future of the Air Force’s hypersonic attack missile is a little uncertain. The Air Force’s proposed fiscal year 2025 budget requested $517 million to keep developing the weapon, but no funds to actually purchase any.
The Air Force stated that a final decision on the future of the Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon will be based on the latest test flight.
Hypersonic missiles are important for the U.S. For starters, China and Russia have hypersonic missiles, and the U.S. doesn’t, which is a capability gap for the U.S. military.
As far as the actual missiles themselves, hypersonic missiles can be launched far enough away that enemy radar won’t see the launch. Hypersonic missiles also travel at speeds of at least Mach 5 or five times the speed of sound. Some missiles have reportedly reached speeds of Mach 8.
In 2017, Moscow reportedly added the Kinzhal Missile to its arsenal, and Russia became the first nation ever to use hypersonic weapons in war when it launched them at Ukraine. However, U.S. Patriot Missile batteries were able to defend against them.
Russia got started on its hypersonic program through Soviet-era research, which started in the early 2000s. The research began after the U.S. scrapped a 1972 anti-ballistic missile treaty, which limited Moscow’s production of anti-ballistic missiles, in an effort to stop the Cold War arms race.
Vladimir Putin wins Russian presidential election, 6 more years in power
With a landslide victory in an election without real competition, Russian President Vladimir Putin secures another term in power. And, following a downturn during the pandemic, marriage rates in the U.S. are on the rise. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Monday, March 18, 2024.
Vladimir Putin wins Russian election, remains in power for six more years
Vladimir Putin is celebrating a landslide victory in Russia’s presidential election, securing another six years in office that will have him surpassing Josef Stalin as the country’s longest-serving modern leader. The Kremlin announced that Putin won 87% of the vote, a win described by Putin as a sign of the Russian people’s “hope” and “trust” in him.
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During his victory speech, Putin referenced his country’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, indicating his next term would focus on the “special military operation.” The election, however, has been widely criticized. Opponents of Putin have been exiled or imprisoned, leading to international condemnation. A U.S. official criticized the election as neither “free nor fair.”
Despite the expected outcome, thousands of protesters demonstrated against Putin on the final day of voting in the three-day election period, participating in a “Noon Against Putin” event. This demonstration was in response to a call by the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who urged people to show their dissent against Putin’s two-decade rule.
🗳🇷🇺Presidential Elections are over at the polling station #8148 located at the Russian Embassy in Ottawa.
🧮The electoral commission starts to count the votes.
Following the election results, Putin held a news conference where he commented publicly for the first time on Navalny’s death, claiming that he had considered a prisoner swap before the opposition leader died.
North Korea fires short-range missiles as Blinken visits Seoul
Early Monday, March 18, with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Seoul attending a democracy conference, North Korea resumed its missile testing after two months by launching several short-range ballistic missiles into its eastern seas. This move follows closely on the heels of a joint 11-day military drill between South Korea and the U.S., which Pyongyang has repeatedly condemned as a rehearsal for invasion.
Officials from Japan and South Korea reported that the North fired three missiles, which traveled nearly 200 miles before landing off the east coast. These missile tests have been denounced as violations of U.N. Security Council resolutions, with South Korea’s military describing them as a “clear provocation” and reaffirming its strong alliance and vigilance alongside the U.S.
The missile launches have drawn sharp criticism from the U.S., Japan, and South Korea, highlighting them as threats to the peace and security of neighboring nations and the broader region.
Benjamin Netanyahi criticizes Chuck Schumer’s calls for new elections
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sharply criticized U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer after the senator described Netanyahu as a “major obstacle” to peace. During a Senate speech last week, Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in the U.S. and a longtime supporter of Israel, suggested Israel should hold new elections once the war with Hamas begins to subside.
Netanyahu, speaking to CNN on Sunday, March 17, labeled Schumer’s remarks as “totally inappropriate.” He argued, “It’s inappropriate for a — to go to a sister democracy and try to replace the elected leadership there. That’s something that Israel, the Israeli public, does on its own, and we’re not a banana republic.”
He continued, emphasizing that the focus should instead be on combating Hamas in Gaza, saying, “I think the only government that we should be working on to bring down now is the terrorist tyranny in Gaza, the Hamas tyranny that murdered over 1,000 Israelis, including some dozens of Americans, and is holding Americans and Israelis hostage. That’s what we should be focused on.”
In response to Netanyahu’s comments, Schumer released a statement saying, “It’s a good thing that a serious discussion has now begun to ensure Israel’s future security and prosperity once Hamas has been defeated.”
U.S. citizens fleeing Haiti amid gang violence land in Miami
This week at State, @SecBlinken headed to Jamaica to meet with regional leaders on the situation in Haiti, the Swedish flag is raised at @NATO, and the Secretary traveled to Vienna to address the synthetic drug crisis with UN partners. pic.twitter.com/eRMyB2DQRe
In an effort to assist its citizens, the U.S. arranged for a limited number of charter flights from the northern city of Cap-Haitien, less impacted by the unrest. However, officials emphasized that Americans needed to make their own way to the airport for evacuation.
Upon arrival in Miami, government officials have begun assisting the evacuees with their immediate planning and next steps.
In a related move to ensure the safety of its diplomatic missions, the U.S. military has recently increased its presence to bolster security at the U.S. Embassy in Haiti, reflecting ongoing concerns about the stability in the region.
CDC: Marriage rates are up following pandemic downturn
In 2022, the number of marriages exceeded 2 million for the first time since 2019, signaling a return to pre-pandemic matrimonial highs. Nevada, known for its quick and easy wedding options, topped the list of states with the highest marriage rates, closely followed by Hawaii.
The CDC report also highlights a decline in divorce rates, suggesting that not only are more Americans choosing to get married, but fewer are deciding to part ways, based on the latest data available.
Teams selected for 2024 Men’s, Women’s NCAA Tournament
On the men’s side, the Connecticut Huskies, the defending champions, have secured a top seed, alongside Purdue, North Carolina, and Houston. These teams are poised to begin their journey toward another title in a fiercely competitive bracket.
For the women’s tournament, the unbeatable South Carolina leads as a top seed, with Iowa, Texas, and USC rounding out the number one spots. These teams have demonstrated exceptional skill and teamwork throughout the season, setting the stage for an exciting tournament.
The men’s tournament kicks off with the First Four games on Tuesday, March 19, leading into the first round starting Thursday, March 21. The women’s tournament follows, with the first round beginning on Friday, March 22. Fans across the nation are gearing up for the thrilling matchups and unforgettable moments that define March Madness.
US Embassy sounds alarm on ‘extremist’ dangers in Moscow
The U.S. Embassy in Moscow issued an urgent warning regarding plans by “extremists” to target large gatherings in the city, specifically highlighting concerts and mass events on Friday, March 8, and Saturday, March 9, as potential targets. The warning comes amid growing concerns over security in the region.
#US issues security alert to #Russia that there are "imminent plans" by "extremists" to "target large gatherings in Moscow, to include concerts … over the next 48 hours".
This cell, noted for its brutality, intended to launch an attack on a synagogue in Moscow, using firearms and explosives. The timely intervention by the FSB prevented potential casualties among synagogue congregants.
While no direct link has been established between the embassy’s alert and the recent ISIS cell bust, the proximity of these two events in time has raised alarm.
The U.S. Embassy’s cautionary statement urges Americans in Moscow to steer clear of crowded areas and to maintain vigilance, reinforcing the broader advisories for U.S. citizens to depart Russia amidst the escalating tensions resulting from the war in Ukraine.
Russia claims Ukraine killed its own POWs after plane crash
Russia lost another military plane in a violent crash. This time it happened near Belgorod, a city close to the border with Ukraine. Moscow said the plane was carrying Ukrainian prisoners of war and was struck by Ukrainian missiles. Kyiv didn’t immediately confirm or deny the crash.
MFA statement on the destruction of a Russian Il-76 military transport
January 24, the Kiev regime committed terrorist act by downing a Russian Il-76 military transport plane near the village of Yablonovo in Belgorod Region.
Video of the incident showed up on Russian social media channels within minutes. The plane is seen falling from the sky in a rural area before a fireball erupts on the ground. Moscow said Ukraine shot the plane down with missiles launched near Kharkiv but offered no proof of that.
“We’ve seen the reports, but we’re not in any position to confirm them,” U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said.
Video posted by Russian media claiming to be from the crash site shows wreckage in a snowy field, while emergency services personnel assess the situation. A separate video from the same source shows what appears to be the fuselage of an aircraft pitted with damage marks.
Moscow said 74 people were on the plane when it went down. Sixty-five Ukrainian prisoners of war, six crew members and three others.
A passenger manifest listing the alleged POWs on board contained names of soldiers who are already home since they were released in previous prisoner swaps. A senior U.S. official speaking to the AP on condition of anonymity said it isn’t clear whether there actually were any POWs on the plane.
Ukraine holds the capability to shoot down Russian military transports. In mid-January, Ukraine took down two command and control aircraft vital to Russia’s air defenses. One was destroyed, killing everyone on board including senior officers. The other plane was able to land but will likely never fly again. So, an unprotected transport plane probably doesn’t present much of a challenge for Ukraine’s air defenses.
⚡️Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council over the crash of a Russian Il-76 transport plane in Belgorod Oblast on Jan. 24 that was allegedly carrying Ukrainian prisoners of war.https://t.co/Scasi3po92
The General Staff of the Ukraine Armed Forces is being tight lipped on the matter so far. However, they did say a prisoner swap was scheduled but that Russia never communicated anyone was on the plane or asked for the airspace to be kept safe during a specific time, as has been the case in past swaps. Ukraine does make a habit of targeting transports it thinks may be carrying weapons or military equipment. Especially if those planes fly near the border.
However, it’s Russia that has a reputation of shooting down passenger planes.
Russia was behind the downing of MH-17 in eastern Ukraine back in 2014. It’s the going theory of many analysts that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the strike on friend-turned-rival Yevgeny Prigozhin’s plane last year. There are more instances of Russians downing commercial airliners during the Soviet era as well.
So, while people know a plane crashed, it isn’t clear who was on the plane, how many of them there were and whether they were carrying anything other than human cargo.
Since the crash happened in Russian territory, there’s no guarantee the world will ever know the true answers to those questions.
Germany to permanently deploy troops for first time since WWII to counter Russia
In a move not witnessed since WWII, German troops are embarking on a permanent deployment to foreign soil. The decision comes amid Russia’s intensifying war with Ukraine, positioning troops in an at-risk region along Russia’s borders.
The upped security will station 4,800 troops and their families in Lithuanian cities of Kaunas and Vilnius in an attempt to strengthen NATO’s eastern flank.
During the week of Dec. 17, Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas and his German counterpart, Boris Pistorius, revealed a “roadmap to action plan.”
Most troops will be sent to the country from 2024 through 2026, and Germany expects them to have full-operational capability in 2027.
The move is especially strategic right now. Lithuania borders both Russia and Russia’s ally Belarus.
The Lithuanian defense minister stressed the need for the agreement.
“The German brigade will significantly increase our defense potential and enhance NATO deterrence and collective defense,” Anusauskas said.
A spokesperson for the Lithuanian Defense Ministry, Martynas Bendikas, told Newsweek negotiations with Germany picked up in June of 2022, three months after Russia invaded Ukraine.
“The war in Ukraine has indeed exerted a substantial impact on the regional security landscape,” Bendikas said. “In light of this, we are indeed intensifying all our efforts to ensure security in the region, collaborating closely with our allies.”
German officials said there will be three “maneuver battalions,” combat support and supply units within the brigade.
Lithuania is committing 0.3% of its gross domestic product to support the effort and has said it will likely have to raise taxes to fund the effort. The funding will go towards housing and training grounds.
German soldiers will have German-language schools, kindergartens and flight connections.
The Lithuanian defense minister underscored the urgency felt in the former Soviet Republic.
“The speed of the project clearly shows that Germany understood the new security reality,” Anusauskas said. “We should expect not only good scenarios but also the very worst scenarios. So, we must be ready… Russia remains the main threat to us and NATO.”
The project comes after a push by Western powers for Germany to help Ukraine’s efforts against Russia. In January, the U.S. and other Western allies pressured Germany to send to Leopard 2 Tanks to Ukraine.
Lithuania is a country of 2.7 million people. It was once ruled from Moscow, but the country is now a member of the European Union and NATO. The Lithuanian military has around 8,000 professional soldiers and enlisted.
Russia hypes nuclear-capable hypersonic glide vehicle on ICBM
The war in Ukraine is not going Russia’s way. Ukraine has established multiple beachheads along the Dnipro River in recent weeks. At the same time, thousands of Russian soldiers died in the war’s new meat grinder, Avdiivka.
As he is known to do when suffering a series of battlefield losses, Vladimir Putin is rattling his nuclear saber once again.
“Zvezda” is a state-owned television network in Russia that’s run by the military. On Nov. 15, the network aired footage of Russia’s latest wonder-weapon: an intercontinental ballistic missile armed with the nuclear-capable Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle.
Russia unveiled the weapon in 2018 and claims it combines the speed of ICBMs with the maneuverability of cruise missiles. While on approach to the target, Russia says that the Avangard glide vehicle separates from the rocket and is able to maneuver outside the trajectory of the rocket at hypersonic speeds. If the weapon works as described, Russia would be able to launch a nuclear weapon that could avoid U.S. missile defense systems.
Putin said the new technology is in response to a new generation of weapons produced by the United States.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed the Avangard glide vehicle can travel 21,000 miles per hour. That’s 27 times faster than the speed of sound, and, if true, would mean Russian scientists were able to do what their U.S. counterparts have so far failed to do: figure out a way to build a weapon that travels so fast it turns the air molecules around it into plasma.
Concerns about the legitimacy of Russia’s claims aside, critics question whether Russia would be able to produce the Avangards at scale. Earlier this year, Straight Arrow News spoke with Dr. Tyler White, the director of the National Security Program at the University of Nebraska.
When asked about Russia’s potential use of nuclear weapons, Dr. White was quick to point out that Russia — and Putin in particular — often stretches the truth regarding the country’s weapons and nuclear capabilities.
“I think what Putin is doing is he’s trying to, with the limited resources he has, but with the nuclear weapons he has, make sure that Russia is always at the center of attention because that gives him power. And he does it by scaring people. And he does it through nuclear blackmail. And I think that’s what all of that stuff is about,” White said.
“How worried should we be? Honestly, I don’t know,” he continued. “You want to say you’re sort of skeptical of these new technological innovations when, you know, our satellite passes have shown a lot of these things have blown up on a test stand and they’re having all kinds of problems with them. But it only takes one for it to be a civilization-altering event. So, you have to take it seriously.”
Russia installed the newest Avangard-equipped missile at its military facility in Orenburg. It’s the same facility where another Avangard missile was installed in 2019.
Russia released the most recent video of the missile’s installation two weeks after Moscow withdrew from the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Moscow said while it’s disappointed in the disintegration of arms-control treaties, the Russian Federation needs to take steps to reach a parity with the United States.
Cuba makes Russian human trafficking arrests; CIA recruits Russian spies
On the same day Cuba announced the arrests of 17 people in an alleged human trafficking ring aimed at bolstering Russia’s military, the CIA renewed its push to turn some Russians into spies against their own government. The agency released a video titled “Why I made contact with the CIA – for myself” on social media Thursday, Sept. 7.
The video addresses officials in Moscow, asking them to tell the truth about a system the CIA has said is riddled with lying sycophants. In the video, an actor playing a Russian official enters a Russian government building and shows his pass above the double-headed eagle of Russia.
“Before I believed that the truth had some value… I insisted to everyone that it was unscrupulous to distort the truth in reports but those who rose through the ranks were those who did that very thing,” the voiceover said. Before detailing ways to contact the CIA, the agency added, “Those around you may not want to hear the truth. But we do… integrity has rewards.”
In July of 2023, CIA Director William Burns said disaffection among some Russians over the war in Ukraine has created a rare opportunity to recruit spies. The same dissatisfaction from Russians that the CIA is looking to utilize may have also forced Russia to participate in trafficking campaigns like the alleged one in Cuba.
Earlier in the week of Sept. 3, Cuba said its authorities were working to “neutralize and dismantle” the trafficking ring. The 17 people who were arrested are accused of luring young Cuban men to join the Russian military in its fight against Ukraine.
According to authorities, the trafficking group’s leader relied on two people living in Cuba to handle recruiting. Charges the group members are facing include:
Human trafficking.
Fighting as a mercenary.
Hostile action against a foreign state.
Potential sentences from these charges range from up to 30 years in prison to the death penalty.
Kim Jong Un to visit Russia to negotiate weapons sales, US officials say
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un plans to visit Russia later in September, according to U.S. officials. The officials said Russia is looking to buy weapons and ammunition from North Korea to refill reserves drained by Russia’s war with Ukraine.
When asked about a New York Times report on the potential visit, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, “We have nothing to say to you on this matter.” A meeting between Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin may take place as part of the Eastern Economic Forum.
A meeting with President Putin would be Kim’s first summit with a foreign leader since North Korea closed its borders in January 2020. According to U.S. officials, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu asked Kim to send more ammunition to Russia during a visit to Pyongyang in July 2023.
“We know that Russia is engaged in trade with North Korea, and definitely North Korea is a thorny issue for regional security in northeast Asia and for the U.S. and its allies. And that’s where Russia really wants to prop up North Korea to create more troubles to the United States,” Alexander Gabuev, a political analyst at the Carnegie Moscow Center, said Tuesday, Sept. 5. “North Koreans are looking for economic support, fuel, food, sources of cash, anything that can help to keep the regime afloat. And Russia seems to be ready to provide that even through violation of the UN sanctions.”
It’s unclear how far Kim Jong Un’s military cooperation with Russia could go, but any sign of warming relations will worry rivals like the U.S. and South Korea. Russia seeks to quash a Ukrainian counteroffensive and prolong the war, while North Korea extends a record pace of missile tests to protest U.S. moves to reinforce its military alliances with South Korea and Japan.