International
Russian army captures Stepove, key supply hub for Ukrainian forces, claims russian defense ministry
The Russian military has captured Stepove, a crucial municipality for Ukraine’s supply line in Avdiivka, a city seized 10 days ago by Russian troops. This was announced on Wednesday by the Ministry of Defense of Vladimir Putin’s government.
“On the Avdiivka front, units of the ‘Center’ group liberated the locality of Petróvskoe (Stepove for Ukrainians) and occupied more advantageous positions,” the military report states.
This municipality, located northwest of Avdiivka, allows control over the railway line that served as a supply route for Ukrainian troops in this stronghold.
Russian Government Asserts Continued Advance
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu stated yesterday that troops were continuing their advance after the capture of Avdiivka.
“After establishing control over the important enemy stronghold of Avdiivka, Russian forces continue to improve their positions in the Donetsk and Kupyansk sectors, seizing new heights and positions from the Ukrainian Army. Since the beginning of the year, 327 kilometers have been liberated from Nazi forces,” he said.
According to Shoigu, during the past week, the Russian Army has expelled Ukrainian forces from the towns of Pobeda, Lastochkine, and Severne in the Donetsk region, annexed by Russia in September 2022.
The spokesperson for the Ukrainian military group ‘Tavria,’ Dmytro Lijovi, previously confirmed the withdrawal of Kiev forces from the villages of Stepove and Severne, where, according to him, around a hundred people lived before the war.
Doubling Radar Production for the Year
On the same day, the Russian Defense Minister inspected several factories of the Russian military-industrial complex in the Tula region, 200 kilometers south of Moscow, specializing in the production of radars for the detection of artillery pieces, necessary for the war in Ukraine.
“The Strela company informed the Defense Minister that the order for 2023 for the production of Yastreb-AB and Zoopark-1M radar systems and Aistionok radars, used to detect artillery, was fully completed,” the Ministry reported on Telegram, where it also posted a video of the visit.
The company’s director, Viacheslav Chapkin, also stated in his report that the acquisition of new technical equipment and the implementation of 12-hour workdays allowed doubling the number of radars produced for 2024, with plans to quadruple production by 2025.
According to Defense, Shoigu also visited the SPLAV company, specializing in the production of missiles for various multiple launch systems, where he was shown the new facilities launched in 2023.
The renewal of this factory allowed quadrupling the volume of the main types of these missiles and even increasing the production of some models by seven times.
Zelensky: Urges Swift Arms Supply
From Tirana, where he met with governments from Southeast Europe on Wednesday, Ukrainian President urged his allies to make decisions to accelerate arms supply.
“We must survive. For that, we need concrete decisions, decisions about weapons. And those weapons must arrive on time,” he said before stressing, “We have no time or alternatives. We face a killer. With a second Hitler. Our initiative is for us to triumph over Putin.”
In recent weeks, Zelensky has traveled to various countries to seek more support and weapons amid fears that the capacity for support from allies in Europe, and especially the United States, may diminish.
In Washington, the new financial aid package for Ukraine, worth €55 billion, remains blocked due to resistance from Republicans in Congress.
International
Ecuador declares state of emergency in five provinces to combat organized crime
The Ecuadorian government has declared a state of exception in the provinces of El Oro, Guayas, Los Ríos, Manabí, and Santa Elena for 60 days to combat organized armed groups amid escalating hostilities, according to Executive Decree 250 published on Tuesday.
The Armed Forces and National Police are jointly working to “maintain sovereignty and the integrity of the state.”
With this measure, the right to inviolability of the home has been suspended, meaning security authorities are permitted to conduct inspections, raids, and searches on properties where they believe members associated with armed groups may be hiding.
Authorities will also seize “materials or instruments” that could be used to commit crimes to neutralize threats.
In response to the criminal activity in the territory, the government will also establish an Anti-Criminal Investigation Force in the coming days aimed at reducing intentional homicides.
The national director of Crimes Against Life, Violent Deaths, Disappearances, Extortion, and Kidnapping of the National Police (Dinased), Freddy Sarzosa, noted that the main cause of criminal violence is linked to drug and arms trafficking.
International
Argentine president criticizes spanish PM amidst political row
Argentine President Javier Milei sharply criticized Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, suggesting he “has more significant issues to address,” in response to comments made by Spain’s Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, on Friday.
“The government of Pedro Sánchez has more significant issues to deal with, such as the corruption allegations against his wife, a matter that even led him to consider resignation,” stated Argentine President Javier Milei.
In this regard, the Argentine leader expressed his expectation that the judiciary would act “swiftly” in this corruption case, which he mentioned “affects the stability” of Spain and relations between the two nations.
Moreover, Milei accused Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez of “endangering” the unity of Spain by “negotiating with separatists,” harming women by “allowing illegal immigration of those who threaten their physical integrity,” and damaging the middle class through “socialist policies that only bring poverty and death.”
The Argentine presidency issued these statements in response to remarks from Spain’s Minister of Transport and Mobility, Óscar Puente, who accused Milei of “substance ingestion,” which the Argentine presidency labeled as “slander and libel.”
“I saw Milei on TV and, hearing him, I couldn’t tell in what state he was in, before or after the ingestion of whatever substances, and he came out to say that and I thought, it’s impossible that he wins the elections, he’s dug his own grave, but no,” Puente declared at a colloquium on communication and social media held this Friday in Salamanca.
International
The death toll of the devastating floods in Kenya amounts to 210
The death toll from the devastating floods caused by the torrential rains that hit Kenya since mid-March amounted to 210, while about 165,500 people have been displaced, the Kenyan Ministry of the Interior reported on Friday.
The total death toll increased after 22 more deaths were confirmed in the last 24 hours, the Ministry said in a statement collected by local media.
Likewise, the injured and missing remain at 125 and 90, respectively, and a total of 196,000 have been affected by the floods throughout the country, immersed in the long rainy season, which has especially hit the center, south and west of its territory.
To respond to this crisis, the Ministry said, the Kenyan authorities have created at least 115 camps distributed in 19 of the 47 counties of Kenya, where more than 27,500 people have taken refuge.
The Government published these data after the Kenyan Minister of the Interior, Kithure Kindiki, urged on Thursday to move all Kenyans who reside in areas vulnerable to landslides or near dams and rivers.
In a message published on social network X late on Thursday, Kindiki pointed out that all neighbors in those areas are “ordered” to “leave these areas immediately” in the next 24 hours, before a “mandatory evacuation” is launched.
“The Government has adopted adequate measures to provide temporary accommodation, as well as essential food and non-food supplies to all those who will be affected by the eviction,” the minister said.
The truth is, however, that, according to the Human Rights Watch (HRW) organization, the Government of Kenya did not act in time or respond adequately to the serious floods, despite the weather predictions it had.
In a statement released on Thursday, the NGO warned that the destruction caused by the rains “has exacerbated socioeconomic vulnerabilities” by more severely hitting the poor population, rural residents, the elderly and people with disabilities.
In the same vein, a report by the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) published on Tuesday pointed out that the storms have aggravated the lack of food in Kenya to the point that about two million Kenyans need food aid.
Severe storms will last at least until next week, and the rains will continue to be intense during this month, according to the prediction of the Department of Meteorology of Kenya.
In recent years, the long rainy season, which runs from March to May and also affects other countries in East Africa, has been intensified by the El Niño weather phenomenon, a change in atmospheric dynamics caused by the increase in the temperature of the Pacific Ocean.
The west, center and south of the country – including the capital, Nairobi – have so far taken the worst part, and the overflow of a river on Monday especially hit Nakuru County, where at least 71 people died as a result of the tragedy.
Ecuador declares state of emergency in five provinces to combat organized crime
Argentine president criticizes spanish PM amidst political row
The death toll of the devastating floods in Kenya amounts to 210
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
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