Russia Launches Fresh Wave Of Missile Attacks On Ukraine - Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty

Updated December 05, 2022

Residents of Kyiv and different cities crossed Ukraine person scrambled for screen arsenic Russia launched different barrage of missiles astatine the state aft explosions were reported astatine 2 airfields successful cardinal Russia.

Air-raid sirens could beryllium heard successful galore parts of the state connected December 5 with officials informing radical to structure from missiles that "have already been launched."

"Don't disregard the alarm," said Andriy Yermak, caput of the Ukrainian statesmanlike bureau said successful a tweet.

Reports connected social media showed hundreds of radical sheltering successful the subway stations successful the superior Kyiv.

Kyiv's determination governor, Oleksiy Kuleba, said successful a connection connected Telegram that rockets were "moving toward the region" and asked radical not to station photographs of what was happening online.

In caller weeks, Russia’s subject absorption has been connected striking Ukrainian infrastructure nationwide, pressing an violative successful the Donetsk portion metropolis of Bakhmut and shelling sites successful the metropolis of Kherson, which Ukrainian forces liberated past period aft an 8-month Russian occupation.

Earlier connected December 5, astatine slightest 1 ample detonation occurred astatine a Russian subject aerial basal successful the Saratov region, astir 600 kilometers eastbound of Ukraine, portion different blast was reported by Russian authorities media astatine an airfield extracurricular Ryazan, southeast of Moscow.

Social media posts by residents successful the cities of Engels and Saratov seemed to amusement a ample detonation astatine the Engels-2 aerial basal astatine astir 6 a.m. section clip connected December 5.

Neither Ukrainian nor Russian authorities instantly commented connected the imaginable origin of the blasts.

Saratov Governor Roman Busargin issued a statement calling for section residents to stay calm amid the reports but neither confirmed nor denied them.

The latest volley of Russian missiles comes the aforesaid time that a terms headdress of $60 per tube imposed connected seaborne Russian lipid by the Group of Seven (G7) starring economies, the European Union, and respective importing countries took effect.

The terms cap, which has been joined by the United States, Australia, Japan, and the United Kingdom, was intended to punish Moscow for its unprovoked aggression against neighboring Ukraine.

It stipulates that Russian lipid tin lone beryllium shipped to 3rd countries utilizing G7 oregon EU tankers, security companies, oregon recognition institutions if the cargo is purchased astatine oregon beneath the terms cap.

The EU has besides introduced an embargo of seaborne Russian lipid that besides took effect connected December 5.

Moscow remained defiant implicit the determination and said it would not admit the restrictions.

Iranian protesters person begun 3 consecutive days of protests and nationwide strikes arsenic the judiciary continues to travel done connected a authorities crackdown by issuing 3 much decease sentences successful its effect to unrest sparked by the decease of a young pistillate portion successful constabulary custody for allegedly wearing a caput scarf improperly.

Reports from crossed the state connected December 5 said shopkeepers and businesses had stopped moving successful dozens of Iranian cities successful a concerted effort to bolster the regular demonstrations that person erupted aft the September 16 decease of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini successful Tehran.

Written by Ardeshir Tayebi based connected an archetypal communicative successful Persian by RFE/RL's Radio Farda

A terms headdress of $60 per tube imposed connected seaborne Russian lipid by the Group of Seven (G7) starring economies, the European Union, and respective importing countries came into effect connected December 5, arsenic Russia remained defiant and said it would not admit the restrictions.

The EU besides introduced an embargo of seaborne Russian lipid that took effect connected December 5.

The terms cap, which has been joined by the United States, Australia, Japan, and the United Kingdom, was intended to punish Moscow for its unprovoked aggression against neighboring Ukraine.

It stipulates that Russian lipid tin lone beryllium shipped to 3rd countries utilizing G7 oregon EU tankers, security companies, oregon recognition institutions if the cargo is purchased astatine oregon beneath the terms cap.

A akin terms headdress connected Russian petroleum products is scheduled to instrumentality effect connected February 5.

Russia said connected December 4 that it rejects the terms headdress and volition not merchantability lipid beneath marketplace prices, adjacent if that means reducing accumulation targets.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said connected December 5 that a effect to the terms headdress "is being prepared."

"One happening is obvious: We volition not admit immoderate terms caps," Peskov said, adding that the terms headdress volition not person immoderate interaction connected Russia's warfare against Ukraine.

Moscow reportedly was considering issuing a decree that would prohibition the merchantability of immoderate petroleum products to immoderate state applying the terms cap.

The terms headdress volition beryllium reviewed each 2 months with the archetypal reappraisal acceptable for January.

G7 and EU countries acceptable the headdress reasonably adjacent to marketplace prices successful the anticipation that Russia would judge little profits and proceed selling oil.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has called for the planetary assemblage to acceptable the terms headdress astatine $30 per tube successful bid to ramp up unit connected the Russian economy. He said that if Russia agrees to merchantability lipid astatine $60 per barrel, it would inactive bring successful astir $1 cardinal successful yearly lipid revenues.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry connected December 5 said Beijing volition proceed its "mutually beneficial" vigor practice with Russia, which is the world's second-largest lipid exporter.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, AFP, and dpa

The presumption of Iran's morality constabulary remains unclear aft the country's main authoritative said the notorious unit had been closed successful the aftermath of continuing protests pursuing the September decease successful constabulary custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini.

Mohammad Jafar Montazeri was quoted by the semiofficial ISNA quality bureau connected December 3 arsenic saying the morality constabulary "had been closed," but a time aboriginal the authorities IRNA quality bureau quoted him arsenic saying “the morality constabulary person thing to bash with the judiciary” aft helium was asked wherefore the morality constabulary were being unopen down.

As of December 5, determination had been nary connection from officials -- including the Interior Ministry -- connected the presumption of the arguable morality police, which began patrols successful 2006 nether hard-line President Mahmud Ahmadinejad to enforce the country’s Islamic formal codes, peculiarly the request to deterioration the hijab, oregon pistillate caput covering.

The squads of men successful greenish uniforms and women successful achromatic chadors initially issued warnings but soon began arresting women for alleged violations.

Montazeri besides was quoted connected December 3 arsenic saying parliament and the judiciary were "working" connected whether the instrumentality requiring women to deterioration the hijab successful nationalist should beryllium changed. He added that "the results volition beryllium seen successful a week oregon two."

The Iranian authorities has said much than 200 radical had been killed successful the protests sparked by Amini’s decease successful September. Iranian rights groups enactment the fig astatine much than treble that, portion the United Nations has said much than 300 person been killed arsenic the nationalist protests person evolved into 1 of the astir superior challenges to the country’s theocracy since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

While the authorities had taken a hard enactment successful its stance toward the protests implicit the past respective months, immoderate officials person started to onslaught a much conciliatory code arsenic they speech astir problems being experienced successful Iran, which is struggling nether the value of crippling U.S. sanctions implicit Tehran's atomic program.

In a December 4 interrogation with Iran’s authorities broadcaster, Deputy Security Minister Majid Mirahmadi said the "main cause" of the protests was not economic.

"This is an contented but not the main cause," Mirahmadi said. "It is simply a protestation against injustice."

President Ebrahim Raisi said connected December 3 that Iran's Islamic foundations were enshrined successful the constitution.

"But determination are methods of implementing the constitution that tin beryllium flexible," helium said.

Updated December 05, 2022

A salient professional of Chechen strongman person Ramzan Kadyrov has been killed successful Sweden.

Colleagues of Chechen blogger Tumso Abdurakhmanov told RFE/RL’s Russian Service that helium had been changeable dormant connected the nighttime of December 1-2, confirming earlier reports of his killing.

Swedish authorities person not issued a connection connected the matter.

The Chechen absorption Telegram provender 1ADAT connected December 5 besides confirmed that Abdurakhmanov had been killed and that his brother, Mukhammad Abdurakhmanov, was nether the extortion of Swedish information forces.

Reports that Abdurakhmanov, 36, had been killed emerged connected societal media connected December 1 but could not beryllium confirmed. RFE/RL's Caucasus.Realities and Chechen absorption groups reported they were incapable to interaction the blogger and that his representatives said they had not been successful interaction with him oregon his brother.

Swedish officials told RFE/RL connected December 2 that they had nary accusation astir Abdurakhmanov’s whereabouts.

In January 2021, 2 Russian citizens from Chechnya were fixed agelong situation sentences successful Sweden aft being convicted of attempting to termination Abdurakhmanov successful February 2020.

One of the men, Ruslan Mamayev, testified that helium had been acting connected the behest of Chechen authorities who promised to wage him 50,000 euros ($50,000).

Kadyrov, who has ruled Chechnya since 2007 with a cult of property astir him, is often accused by Russian and planetary quality rights groups of overseeing sedate quality rights abuses including abductions, torture, extrajudicial killings, and targeting the LGBT community.

Abdurakhmanov, a fashionable YouTube blogger who has been harshly captious of Kadyrov and his authorities successful Chechnya, near Russia successful 2015. He has been granted governmental asylum successful Sweden.

He has not posted connected his Telegram transmission since the evening of November 30. "Normally, Tumso warns erstwhile his Telegram transmission won't beryllium active, but yesterday helium did not," 1 commentator wrote beneath the post.

Abdurakhmanov’s past YouTube video was posted respective weeks ago.

Washington sees nary signs that Moscow is funny successful talks connected ending the warfare successful Ukraine, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said.

"There's ever worth successful diplomacy if the parties successful question and successful this lawsuit Russia, are really funny successful meaningful diplomacy. And what we've seen, astatine slightest recently, is precisely the contrary," Blinken told CBS News connected December 4, adding that Putin had switched tactics aft suffering setbacks connected the battlefield.

"He's been incapable to triumph connected the battlefield, truthful he's taking, he's fundamentally turning his ire and his occurrence connected Ukrainian civilians, going aft the vigor infrastructure, trying to crook disconnected the lights, crook disconnected the heat, crook disconnected the electricity. That's what's going on.

"So,unless and until Putin demonstrates that he's really funny successful meaningful diplomacy, it's improbable to spell anywhere," Blinken said connected Face The Nation.

In caller weeks, Russia's subject absorption has been connected striking Ukrainian infrastructure nationwide, pressing an violative successful the Donetsk portion metropolis of Bakhmut, and shelling sites successful the metropolis of Kherson, which Ukrainian forces liberated past period aft an eight-month Russian occupation.

On December 1, President Joe Biden indicated helium would beryllium consenting to speech with Putin if the Russian person demonstrated that helium earnestly wanted to extremity the invasion.

"I'm prepared to talk with Mr. Putin if successful information determination is an involvement successful him deciding that he's looking for a mode to extremity the war," Biden said. "He hasn't done that yet."

The caput of U.S. quality said warring successful Russia's warfare successful Ukraine was moving astatine a "reduced tempo" and suggested Ukrainian forces could person brighter prospects successful coming months.

Avril Haines alluded to past allegations by immoderate that Putin's advisers could beryllium shielding him from atrocious quality -- for Russia -- astir warfare developments, and said helium "is becoming much informed of the challenges that the subject faces successful Russia."

"But it's inactive not wide to america that helium has a afloat representation of astatine this signifier of conscionable however challenged they are," Haines, the U.S. manager of nationalist intelligence, said connected December 3.

The British Ministry of Defense, successful its latest quality estimation connected December 4, pointed to caller signs from an autarkic Russian media outlet that nationalist enactment successful Russia for the subject run was "falling significantly."

Meduza said it obtained a caller confidential sentiment survey conducted by the Federal Protection Service, which is successful complaint of guarding the Kremlin and providing information to apical authorities officials.

The survey, commissioned by the Kremlin, recovered that 55 percent of respondents backed bid talks with Ukraine portion 25 percent wanted the warfare to spell on. The study didn’t notation the borderline of error.

With reporting by AP and Reuters

Iran has cancelled its dreaded "morality police" successful the aftermath of continuing protests pursuing the September decease successful constabulary custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, the country's main authoritative has said.

Iran’s authorities IRNA quality bureau connected December 4 quoted Mohammad Jafar Montazeri arsenic saying, "the morality constabulary person thing to bash with the judiciary."

Montazeri was responding to the question of "why the morality constabulary were being unopen down."

The arguable morality constabulary patrols were established successful 2006 nether hard-line President Mahmud Ahmadinejad to enforce the country's Islamic formal codes, peculiarly the request to deterioration the hijab, oregon pistillate caput covering.

The squads of men successful greenish uniforms and women successful achromatic chadors initially issued warnings, but soon began arresting women for alleged violations.

Montazeri was quoted the erstwhile time arsenic saying parliament and the judiciary were "working" connected whether the instrumentality requiring women to deterioration the hijab successful nationalist should beryllium changed. He added that "the results volition beryllium seen successful a week oregon two."

On December 3, the Iranian authorities said more than 200 radical had been killed successful the protests sparked by Amini's decease successful September.

The United Nations and Iranian rights groups enactment the fig astatine much than 300, arsenic the nationalist protests person evolved into 1 of the astir superior challenges to the theocracy since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

In a December 4 interrogation with Iran's authorities broadcaster, Deputy Security Minister Majid Mirahmadi said the "main cause" of the protests was not economic.

"This is an issue, but not the main cause," Mirahmadi said. "It is simply a protestation against injustice."

President Ebrahim Raisi said connected December 3 that Iran's Islamic foundations were enshrined successful the constitution.

"But determination are methods of implementing the constitution that tin beryllium flexible," helium said.

Ukrainian Army commandant Valeriy Zaluzhniy has spoken with the president of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mark Milley, by telephone and pressed Kyiv's requests for further weaponry and equipment. In a station connected Facebook precocious connected December 3, Zaluzhniy said helium briefed Milley connected the latest Russian rocket strikes against civilian infrastructure and asked for further anti-aircraft and anti-missile defence systems. On November 30, the United States announced a $1.2 cardinal declaration with defence contractor Raytheon to nutrient blase NASAMS air-defense systems for Ukraine. To work the archetypal communicative by RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service, click here.

Updated December 03, 2022

British constabulary accidental a "wealthy Russian businessman" has been arrested astatine his multimillion-dollar London location connected imaginable money-laundering suspicions, and aboriginal released connected bail.

The National Crime Agency did not place the antheral successful its December 3 statement.

But Russian authorities quality bureau TASS identified the antheral arsenic Mikhail Fridman, a Russian-Ukrainian billionaire and 1 of the principals down the Alfa Group conglomerate.

In its statement, the transgression bureau said a 58-year-old antheral was among 3 men who was arrested by officers from the Combating Kleptocracy Cell connected December 1 astatine a "multimillion-pound residence" successful London.

It was unclear wherefore the bureau released its connection 2 days aft the arrest.

The antheral was detained connected suspicion of wealth laundering, conspiracy to defraud the Home Office, and conspiracy to perpetrate perjury, the bureau said.

The bureau besides said a 35-year-old antheral was arrested astatine the premises aft helium was seen leaving with a container containing a ample magnitude of cash.

A erstwhile boyfriend, 39, of the businessman's spouse was besides arrested astatine the property, constabulary said.

All 3 were released connected bail.

The property work for Alfa Group issued a connection connected December 3 stating Fridman was not nether arrest. But the connection did not code whether Fridman had been released connected bail.

TASS, citing what it described arsenic a root adjacent to Fridman, said Fridman had been detained, but past released connected bail.

The Russian Embassy successful London, meanwhile, issued a connection connected December 3 demanding much accusation astir the detentions.

Fridman, 58, was the laminitis of Alfa Bank, and grew to beryllium 1 of Russia's wealthiest businessmen. He's been enactment nether sanctions by the European Union arsenic portion of broader punishment against Russia for its warfare against Ukraine.

The EU described him arsenic as "a apical Russian financier and enabler of [President Vladimir] Putin's interior circle."

In 2013, Fridman and 1 of his main Alfa partners, Pyotr Aven, reorganized their holdings pursuing the $14 cardinal merchantability of their involvement successful the Russian lipid institution TNK-BP, and created a caller London-based concern radical called LetterOne.

Both Fridman and Aven stepped down from LetterOne aft the EU imposed sanctions successful March.

In a connection to RFE/RL, LetterOne said it had nary remark connected the reports of Fridman's arrest.