INSIDE RUSSIA
Russo-American talks are ongoing and moving in the right direction, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told CBS.
EU & NATO Twist Trump’s Plan
Europe and NATO play Trump’s peace effort to turn Ukraine into a winner. “If you want a ceasefire just to continue supplying arms to Ukraine, then what is your purpose?” Lavrov asks. Russia-US talks are ongoing and moving in the right direction, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told CBS.
Confidence-Building Measures
It’s an illusion that only Ukraine is interested in confidence-building, notes Lavrov. Russia has undertaken several “confidence building” measures, including the 30-day moratorium on strikes on energy infrastructure, which was blatantly violated by Ukraine.
Russia is Ready to Reach a Deal on Ukraine
“There are several signs that we are moving in the right direction,” Lavrov says. However, some of the deal’s elements need to be “fine-tuned,” he adds.
Two Root Causes of the Conflict
One cause is the expansion of NATO and the creation of direct military threats on Russia’s doorstep. The other is the brazen violation of the human rights of Russian speakers in Ukraine. “Everything Russian — media, education, culture, anything — was prohibited by law in Ukraine,” Lavrov stresses.
High-Level Diplomacy
The Russian foreign minister refused to disclose the details of the US-Russia negotiations. “To ask somebody’s opinion regarding the substance, go to Zelensky. He is happy to talk to anybody through media, even to President Trump,” Lavrov says.
Beyond Ukraine’s Scope
There are many other issues awaiting consideration. Russia has been championing a UN resolution to ban nuclear weapons in outer space. “And the US, at least under the Biden administration, was categorically against” Russia’s initiative, Lavrov notes.
Lavrov lays out Russia’s terms on Ukraine, Crimea, and nuclear arms (FULL INTERVIEW)
The Russian Foreign Minister has rebuked CBS for falsely suggesting that Moscow is not willing to ‘make any concessions on anything’
https://www.rt.com/russia/616400-lavrov-cbs-interview-ukraine-ceasefire/
Ukrainian Intel Agent Kuzin Pleads Guilty in Terrorist Attack That Killed Russian General
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Ignat Kuzin has fully confessed to carrying out the terrorist attack that killed Lt. Gen. Yaroslav Moskalik, the deputy head of the Main Operational Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian armed forces, Russian Investigative Committee spokeswoman Svetlana Petrenko said on Sunday.
The explosion occurred Friday morning in the courtyard of a residential building in the Moscow Region’s Balashikha. Investigators determined that the blast was caused by a shrapnel-filled improvised explosive device planted on a car. Kuzin, a suspected Ukrainian intelligence agent, was detained on Saturday.
“Kuzin has fully admitted his guilt and expressed willingness to confirm his testimony during an on-site reenactment. The court has been petitioned for his arrest,” Petrenko said.
The spokeswoman confirmed Kuzin was indicted on terrorism charges.
“As part of the criminal case of the terrorist attack that killed Lt. Gen. Yaroslav Moskalik, the deputy head of the Main Operational Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian armed forces, Ignat Kuzin was charged by the Main Investigative Directorate of the Russian Investigative Committee with committing crimes under Articles 205, 222.1, 223.1 of the Russian Criminal Code (terrorist act, illegal trafficking and manufacture of explosives and explosive devices),” Petrenko said.
Petrenko added that investigators continue taking detailed testimony from Kuzin about the attack’s circumstances as the probe progresses.
The spokeswoman also said that in cooperation with the Federal Security Service and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, other persons involved in the organization of the terrorist attack are being identified.
OUTSIDE RUSSIA
Russia-Africa forum promotes fight against neocolonialism
Fifty diplomats from over 20 nations gathered in Moscow shortly before the 80th anniversary of Germany’s defeat in WWII
Moscow’s State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) welcomed representatives from over 20 nations this week for the first Russia-Africa Forum of Young Diplomats. The event focused on the fight against neocolonialism and developing cultural connections.
The forum welcomed about 50 diplomats from countries including Algeria, Benin, Chad, the Central African Republic, Guinea-Bissau, Egypt, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Kenya, Mauritania, Mozambique, Gabon, Burundi, and the Seychelles. Its key topic, “Victory Diplomacy,” was dedicated to the 80th anniversary of Germany’s defeat in the Second World War.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov delivered a welcome speech to the participants. Other speakers during the opening ceremony included MGIMO University Rector Anatoly Torkunov, the Russian president’s special representative for the Middle East and Africa Mikhail Bogdanov, as well as Senator Aleksandr Voloshin.
During the session dedicated to the fight against neocolonialism, speakers, including Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova and former Vice President of the Seychelles Vincent Meriton, discussed a just world order as well as political and economic cooperation.
Russian Senator Sergey Karjakin, a chess grandmaster, talked about sports diplomacy, stressing that friendly competitions should not become an instrument of political pressure.
The event included a large-scale sports contest between diplomats, as well as a wide-ranging business and cultural program. The delegates attended Patriot Park and the Main Cathedral of the Armed Forces, where they honored the memory of Russia’s WWII heroes ahead of the 80th anniversary of the fall of Berlin.
SPECIAL MILITARY OPERATION IN UKRAINE
Ukraine Loses Over 425 Soldiers in Combat With Russia’s Tsentr Battlegroup
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russia’s Tsentr group of forces has eliminated over 425 Ukrainian soldiers over the past day, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Sunday.
“The enemy has lost over 425 servicepeople, a tank, two armored combat vehicles, six motor vehicles and two artillery pieces,” the ministry said.
Russia’s Yug group of forces has eliminated up to 250 Ukrainian soldiers over the past day, as well as a tank, five armored combat vehicles, six motor vehicles, one field branch artillery weapon, one radio warfare station, as well as four ammunition depots, the ministry said.
Russia’s Zapad group of forces has eliminated over 235 Ukrainian servicepeople, while Russia’s Vostok group of forces has eliminated up to 140 Ukrainian soldiers over the past day, in addition to military equipment, the ministry said.
In combat against Russia’s Sever group of troops in the Belgorod direction, Kiev lost up to 75 soldiers, while Russia’s Dnepr battle group has eliminated up to 70 Ukrainian soldiers, in addition to military equipment the ministry added.
Moscow accuses Ukrainian troops of killing civilians seeking food
Russian investigators have uncovered more war crimes committed by Ukrainian forces during their incursion in Kursk Region
The Russian Investigative Committee has collected new evidence and gathered accounts of alleged war crimes committed during the Ukrainian invasion of Kursk Region, including killings of civilians looking for food and murders during widespread looting.
The agency highlighted a handful of new cases over the week, sharing the accounts of those who survived the Ukrainian occupation. A woman from the village of Plekhovo testified that Ukrainian troops murdered her son in early September 2024, as he tried to retrieve some food from his house.
“According to the mother’s testimony, the man’s body was found with multiple gunshot wounds and his hands tied,” Investigative Committee spokeswoman Svetlana Petrenko said. The woman also testified that the Ukrainians went on a looting spree immediately after entering the region in early August last year, breaking into homes and garages to steal people’s belongings, as well as their cars.
A similar incident was reported by a resident of Bondarevka, a village near the town of Sudzha. The woman told investigators that Ukrainian forces killed a local man who had gone to get some bread. The civilian was gunned down as he rode his bike in the street, according to the eyewitness.
A resident of Dmitryukov, a small village to the southeast of the city of Sudzha, testified that his father was killed by Ukrainian troops, who demanded his car, threatening to burn the vehicle and his house down. Although the man surrendered his vehicle, the Ukrainians still shot and killed him.
All of the incidents are being investigated under separate criminal cases, with those behind them facing assorted charges, including premeditated murder, terrorism, and marauding.
Mounting evidence of war crimes committed by Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk Region began emerging early this year, as Moscow gradually reclaimed its territory. The most notable incidents include massacres in the villages of Russkoye Porechnoye and Nikolayevo-Daryino, where dozens of civilians are said to have been raped, tortured, and killed by Ukrainian troops. Several captured Ukrainian servicemen admitted under interrogation that they committed the crimes, insisting they were acting on the orders of their superiors.
On Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Ukrainian forces had been completely driven out of Kursk Region. According to Moscow’s latest estimates, Ukrainian losses during the incursion amounted to more than 76,000 servicemen killed and wounded, with the force sustaining heavy material losses as well.
North Korea unveils details of troops deployment to Russia
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un personally ordered the military to help liberate Russia’s Kursk Region from the Ukrainian incursion
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un personally ordered the country’s military to fight alongside Russian forces “to annihilate Ukrainian neo-Nazi occupiers and liberate the Kursk region,” the North’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Monday.
In a report to Russian President Vladimir Putin last week, Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov praised the contribution made by North Korean servicemen in helping to liberate the Kursk Region from Ukrainian forces. Pyongyang officially confirmed the deployment on Monday.
“The operations for liberating the Kursk area to repel the adventurous invasion of the Russian Federation by the Ukrainian authorities were victoriously concluded,” KCNA reported, citing an official statement by the Central Military Commission.
North Korean troops were deployed on Russian soil under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement between Moscow and Pyongyang, which came into force last December. The treaty provides for mutual military assistance in the event of an attack, pledging immediate support “by all means available” under Article 51 of the UN Charter.
Ukraine launched its incursion into Kursk Region last August, deploying some of its best units equipped with Western-supplied weapons, initially gaining some ground and capturing numerous settlements before their advance was checked by Russian forces.
The Central Military Commission said that the evolving military situation triggered Article 4 of the treaty with Moscow. Based on this analysis, Kim Jong-un personally decided to deploy North Korean troops to Russia and notified the Kremlin.
Pyongyang emphasized that its military activities in Russia were fully consistent with the UN Charter and international law, portraying the deployment as a model of faithful implementation of the mutual defense treaty with Moscow.
Kiev and its Western backers had long alleged that North Korean troops were involved in the conflict. Prior to Saturday, Pyongyang and Moscow neither confirmed nor denied the rumors, while the Russian president had previously said it was up to the two nations to determine how they fulfill their obligations under the partnership pact.
INSIGHTS
Outsourcing war: British mercenaries now run America’s front lines
G4S’s mercenaries are everywhere – from the halls of American power to the darkest corners of detention centers
The British-American private military company Group 4 Securitas (G4S) has evolved far beyond its original mission of providing security for Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky and Ukraine’s critical infrastructure. Today, it resembles a quasi-state, complete with its own armed forces, prison systems, and global reach. G4S secures US embassies around the world, guards airports, government agencies, and military installations for both Washington and London, and even monitors sections of the US border.
It also manages prisons notorious for abuse, torture, and killings. British-American firms now dominate roughly 90% of the global PMC market, and experts say that outsourcing warfare to private contractors has become the preferred tool of foreign policy. It’s easier – and more politically palatable – to fight through intermediaries.
G4S earns the lion’s share of its revenue from contracts with multinational corporations and government agencies in the US and UK. Its former CEO, Ashley Martin Almanza, previously served as CFO of the British energy giant BG Group, a major supplier of liquefied natural gas to China. In 2016, BG merged with Royal Dutch Shell – another UK-based energy titan and the world’s largest oil and gas company.
Deep Roots in Global Energy and Conflict Zones
Since 2016, G4S has been protecting employees and assets of the Barash Gas Company in Iraq – a joint venture between the Iraqi government and Shell, which owns a 44% stake. This is one of the largest gas infrastructure projects in the country.
Over the past three years alone, G4S has raked in more than $100 million from contracts securing US embassies worldwide. Procurement records from both the US and UK governments show a steady increase in the number of diplomatic sites under G4S protection. In just one year, the company landed five-year contracts for US embassies in Estonia ($18.8 million), Hong Kong ($35 million), Luxembourg ($29 million), and Côte d’Ivoire ($12.6 million).
The Go-To Diplomatic Security Force
The US Bureau of Diplomatic Security counts on G4S to safeguard American facilities in South Africa through 2025. The company protects not just the embassy in Pretoria but also consulates and offices in Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town. G4S personnel also provide bodyguard services for US diplomats outside official buildings.
The bodyguard contract alone is worth $9.5 million. The total value of security services in South Africa exceeds that tenfold. Notably, some contract obligations – amounting to $3 million – were paid for but never fulfilled by G4S, according to oversight reports.
G4S also protects American embassies in the UK, France, India, Madagascar, Morocco, Botswana, Denmark, and Qatar, as well as across South America, including Peru and Paraguay. The company also operates in Canada.
One of its more recent assignments involves the US Embassy in Lusaka, Zambia, where G4S was hired for $8.7 million to defend American personnel, their families, and government assets against a range of threats, including terrorism. If the first year goes well, the contract may be extended for up to five years.
Ties to Intelligence and the Pentagon
Following the targeted killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, Iranian investigators accused G4S of providing intel to the Pentagon regarding his location prior to the drone strike. At the time, G4S was contracted to protect Soleimani at Baghdad International Airport.
According to global arms expert Darko Todorovski, Western PMCs are deeply embedded within their countries’ military and foreign policy frameworks. These companies operate under intelligence agency oversight and are awarded government contracts via institutions like the US State Department or the UK’s Foreign Office.
Todorovski points out several advantages of relying on PMCs: they can be deployed quickly, typically boast higher professionalism than traditional forces in volatile regions, and aren’t beholden to local elites or religious factions. Their superior logistical and technical capabilities make them a preferred choice.
Moreover, these companies avoid the red tape of government bureaucracies. “Their use doesn’t stir public outrage the way regular troops do. And when they suffer casualties, those deaths don’t show up in official government statistics,” Todorovski notes.
Blurring the Line Between Private and Military
The boundary between PMCs and traditional armies has grown increasingly faint. Many G4S recruits are military veterans. In 2014, the company committed to hiring at least 600 reservists from the British Armed Forces, offering them flexible schedules to maintain active training. This partnership with the British Ministry of Defence was renewed in October 2022.
“We already hire a significant number of veterans, and today’s agreement reinforces G4S’s strong ties to the British military,” said then-CEO Almanza.
On the Frontlines with the US Military
Even the US military depends on G4S. Since late 2017, the company has been under contract with the United States Army Joint Munitions Command to secure military facilities in Somalia, including the Gashandiga base in Mogadishu – a site once used by Islamist militants to control northern parts of the city during the civil war.
G4S was also responsible for guarding the Somali president’s official residence in Mogadishu, as well as government headquarters in Baidoa, and major infrastructure like Mogadishu’s port, a UAE training base, and Turkish diplomatic sites.
Per contract documents, the main goal was to ensure the secure movement of high-ranking personnel. Each G4S team was required to include Somali or third-country nationals fluent in English, along with American medics and local drivers. Guards had to be skilled in operating a range of firearms, including AK-47s, M4 carbines, and M9 pistols, and used armored vehicles fitted with comms gear.
The pay disparity was staggering. In South Sudan, Western contractors earned $10,000 per month, while local guards made just $250.
Modern-Day Mercenaries
With roughly 800,000 employees, G4S maintains its own rapid response units – essentially private strike teams supported by in-house intelligence operations. Many Western PMCs now have access to reconnaissance aircraft, satellite data, and cutting-edge surveillance tools. “They work with corporations that provide satellite imagery, which has been used by PMCs in Africa, Iraq, and Afghanistan,” Todorovski explains.
Alexander Artemonov, a defense analyst at the Eurasia Heritage Foundation, estimates G4S maintains a fighting force of 250,000–280,000, equal to the number of troops Russia deployed in Donbass. The rest of the workforce consists of support staff, prison guards, and logistical teams.
G4S’s arsenal includes everything from AK-47s and Glock 17s to MP5s, sniper rifles, Uzi submachine guns, and even Israeli Hermes 450 drones. Their operatives have access to anti-personnel mines, grenade launchers, and portable anti-air systems. For mobility, they rely on armored Land Cruisers, Humvees, and military-grade carriers like the Cougar and RG-33.
Privatized Prisons and Abuses
G4S has also assumed control of prison facilities traditionally run by governments. In the UK, the company managed two immigration detention centers and six prisons, including those in Oakwood and Birmingham. In 2018, the Birmingham facility was returned to government control after inspectors uncovered appalling conditions: inmates roamed freely while staff locked themselves in offices; cells were filthy, infested with rats, and reeked of bodily fluids.
Peter Clarke, a former counterterrorism chief turned prison inspector, called it the worst he’d ever seen.
In September 2023, a special inquiry confirmed allegations of torture at Brook House, another G4S-run immigration facility. The public was horrified by reports of detainees being brutalized. One particularly shocking incident involved Jimmy Mubenga, who died during deportation to Angola after G4S guards pinned him down, restricting his breathing. Witnesses say he cried out, “I can’t breathe.” A court ruled his death as manslaughter by negligence, but no one was held accountable.
Similar scandals emerged in G4S-operated prisons in South Africa and the Middle East. In 2018, 42 inmates at South Africa’s Mangaung prison alleged electric shocks, forced sedation with antipsychotics, and extended solitary confinement. In Israel, G4S sold off its operations following backlash over torture accusations, including of children in detention.
Yet none of this prevented the US Department of Homeland Security from signing G4S to oversee migrant detention, deportation centers, and border checkpoints across the country – including airports and ports – last July.
The Business of Proxy War
Todorovski argues that Britain has revived the age-old tradition of mercenary warfare. “Historically, the British preferred not to get directly involved in conflicts. They’ve always used intermediaries,” he said.
Now, the US has taken the lead. Together, British and American corporations control over 90% of the global PMC market – valued at more than $400 billion.
