American officials said that Ukraine was likely behind the May 3 <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/russia-accuses-ukraine-of-sending-drones-to-assassinate-putin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">drone attack</a> on the Kremlin that the Russians called an attempt to assassinate President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/putin-authorized-wall-street-journal-reporter-arrest-spying-charges-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vladimir Putin</a>.
U.S. intelligence officials said that the drone attack was part of a series of covert Ukrainian military or intelligence operations on Russian soil that have made the Biden administration uncomfortable as the U.S. continues to prop up the European country, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/24/us/politics/ukraine-kremlin-drone-attack.html?smtyp=cur&amp;smid=tw-nytimes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Video footage <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kyiv-only-does-what-it-is-told-to-do-russia-says-u-s-behind-alleged-kremlin-drone-attack" target="_blank" rel="noopener">showed</a> two drones crashing near the Kremlin earlier this month, but the attack caused little to no damage, and Putin was not at the Kremlin at the time of the strike. 
After initially wondering if Russia conducted the drone attack as a “false flag” operation, the U.S. intercepted Russian communications indicating the country was surprised by the attack.
“Watching how the Kremlin has responded suggests to me this was an embarrassment and surprise for them, and not a deliberate false flag,” said Dara Massicot, a military analyst at RAND, according to the Times. “The strikes also undermine the perceptions of Moscow’s air space surveillance capabilities and that the Kremlin is secure — these are important perceptions they would like to maintain.”
U.S. intelligence also intercepted Ukrainian officials saying their country was responsible for the attack, but they appeared to have no knowledge of who within the Ukrainian government planned it.
Officials had “low” confidence that the Ukrainian government authorized the drone attack, and some officials said they did not believe President Volodymyr Zelensky was aware of the covert operation. Russia initially blamed Ukraine for the attack and then singled out the U.S., <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kyiv-only-does-what-it-is-told-to-do-russia-says-u-s-behind-alleged-kremlin-drone-attack" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accusing</a> Ukraine’s most powerful ally of giving Kyiv the go-ahead to conduct the operation.
“We are well aware that decisions on such a level of terrorist attacks are made not in Kyiv, but in Washington,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/russia-accuses-us-behind-ukraine-drone-attack-kremlin-putin-rcna82809" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to NBC News. “Kyiv only does what it is told to do.”
The U.S. quickly denied any claims that it was in any way behind an attack on Russia’s capital.
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“Mr. Peskov is lying, obviously. It’s a ludicrous claim. The United States had nothing to do with this. We don’t even know exactly what happened here,” National Security spokesman John Kirby <a href="https://twitter.com/CNNThisMorning/status/1654107932450074624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1654107932450074624%7Ctwgr%5Efe3a1673bf69e6f6f4b50800645bdd7428f3e464%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailywire.com%2Fnews%2Fkyiv-only-does-what-it-is-told-to-do-russia-says-u-s-behind-alleged-kremlin-drone-attack" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> CNN. “I can assure you the United States had no role in it whatsoever.”
If Ukraine was behind the drone attack as U.S. intelligence officials believe, it would mark at least the third attack on Russian soil that the U.S. believes Ukraine is behind. Last year, the daughter of a prominent Russian blogger was killed in a car bombing, and in recent weeks, pro-Ukrainian forces have attacked Russian towns, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/23/world/europe/mrap-armored-vehicles-russia-ukraine.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">appearing</a> to use American-made tactical vehicles in their incursions.
The bold invasions into Russian territory have alarmed the Biden administration, the Times reported. President Biden has handed over armored vehicles, long-range missiles, and billions of dollars to help Ukraine fight the Russians. The president is also preparing to approve the shipment of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine from other allies.
Tim Pearce contributed to this report.

Kremlin

U.S. Officials Believe Ukrainians Likely Responsible For Kremlin Drone Attack

Biden Administration

Global Politics

Russia

Ukraine

Ukraine-Russia War

Vladimir Putin

Volodymyr Zelensky

World

Steven Seagal’s colorful life would make for a compelling biopic, but audiences would have little appetite for the third act.
Seagal’s rise to ‘80s stardom, complementing the era’s muscle-bound duo of Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, gave way to one baffling chapter after another.
Serving with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff&#8217;s Office in Louisiana. Playing blues guitar on at least two albums. Becoming a reality show star. Cozying up to dictators.
It all led to Seagal’s chummy embrace of Russian strongman Vladimir Putin, the biggest head-scratcher of the star’s 71 years on planet Earth.
Parts of his life remain shrouded in mystery, but certain details appear etched in stone.
The <a href="https://www.biography.com/actors/steven-seagal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Michigan native</a> studied martial arts, including aikido, at an early age and relocated to Japan at 17. He earned several black belts and studied Eastern philosophy during his days abroad. His fighting skills caught Hollywood’s attention, landing him work as a fight choreographer for superstars like Sean Connery (1983’s “Never Say Never Again”).
He eventually moved back to the States, starting an L.A. martial arts academy and catching Hollywood’s attention once more. This time, it meant dating and marrying model-turned-actress Kelly LeBrock and snagging his first starring role.
Creative Artists Agency head Michael Ovitz, who studied martial arts under Seagal, connected the future star to Warner Bros. representatives for an aikido demonstration that catapulted him to stardom. 
<a href="https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/above-the-law-1988" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Roger Ebert came away impressed</a> by his 1988 big-screen debut, “Above the Law.”
“Is he indeed Hollywood’s hottest new action star? Who knows. But he has the stuff,” Ebert wrote.
Seagal was no Schwarzenegger, but he worked for the next decade on both hits (“Under Siege,” his highest-grossing vehicle) and misses (“On Deadly Ground,” an eco-activist screed that doubled as his directorial debut).
Seagal’s off-screen choices proved more dubious. In 2013 he joined Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov at an event celebrating the 195th anniversary of the republic’s capital, Grozny.
The actor called Kadyrov a <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/steven-seagal-guest-chechnya-leader-644310/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“great leader</a>,” despite press <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/05/hard-to-shill-steven-seagal-in-chechnya/276364/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports connecting him to a series of atrocities.</a>
Under &#8220;President&#8221; Ramzan Kadyrov&#8217;s rule, Chechnya has become, in the word of Freedom House&#8217;s Arch Puddington, &#8220;one of the world&#8217;s largest Potemkin villages,&#8221; in which extrajudicial killings, kidnappings, rape and the torture and murder of journalists and human rights activists has become de rigueur. 
Years later, Seagal expanded his international outreach to include Mother Russia. The actor’s unthinkable ties to Putin have grown over the years, including an Order of Friendship medal from Putin. 
He now describes himself as “<a href="https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/steven-seagal-us-media-lies-putin-1234820295/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1 million percent Russian</a>.”
“[Putin] is one of the greatest world leaders and one the greatest presidents in the world,” Seagal said earlier this year, adding that the American media is lying about Putin and the war in Ukraine.
Seagal became Russia’s special envoy to the U.S. in 2018 and has both Russian and Serbian citizenship. He now teaches martial arts to Russian Military Recruits via a newly opened center.
In between, Seagal launched an energy drink,“Lightning Bolt,” claimed to be the target of the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/13/nyregion/a-mafia-case-and-a-scene-straight-out-of-hollywood.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">U.S. Mafia</a>, allegedly trained CIA agents and engaged in other escapades both incredible and potentially false. Even his parents have contradicted his stated biographical details.
Many don’t realize Seagal never stopped acting even after a brief second wave of fame via 2001’s “Exit Wounds” alongside rapper-turned-actor DMX. His work now goes straight to streaming/VOD services, with generic titles like “General Commander” (2019), “China Salesman” (2017), and “Cartels” (2016).
Most movie critics ignore his more recent films, while his dwindling fan base bemoan their lesser quality. He may be hoping the latter changes with “Above the Law 2,” a belated sequel to his first <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6081674/?ref_=nm_flmg_unrel_2_act" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hit teased on his IMDB.com page</a>.
Those recent films feature lesser-known stars surrounding Seagal, and that could be on purpose. He’s made some professional enemies over the years, including John Leguizamo. The two worked together on 1996’s “Executive Decision,” and the comedian hasn’t stopped spouting off on Seagal since then.
He claims <a href="https://www.insider.com/john-leguizamo-calls-steven-seagal-washed-up-horrible-human-2022-11" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Seagal physically attacked</a> him on their first day on set and inspired his fading movie star character from 2022’s “The Menu.”
Director Anthony Hickox called the <a href="https://bestlifeonline.com/steven-seagal-nightmare-claims-news/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">star a “nightmare</a>” who coaxed him to give up action films for the horror genre.
&#8220;He&#8217;s impossible; he doesn&#8217;t turn up, he refuses to say any line that&#8217;s written, it&#8217;s just ridiculous. I sat back when I was making it and said, &#8216;I&#8217;m a better director than this,&#8217; so I went back to what I like to do, which is write and direct horror,&#8221; Hickox said.
Several women suggest his negative antics <a href="https://popculture.com/celebrity/news/steven-seagal-accusations-inappropriate-misconduct-list/#3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">went beyond standard-issue Hollywood ego</a>. Jenny McCarthy said Seagal asked her to <a href="http://movieline.com/2010/04/16/exclusive-the-full-steven-seagal-story-jenny-mccarthy-told-movieline-in-1998/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">take off her dress</a> while auditioning for “Under Siege 2.” 
Blair Robinson, Ray Charles’ granddaughter, also <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2010/04/21/seagals-new-accuser-ray-charles-granddaughter-blair-robinson-kayden-nguyen-sexual-assault-lawsuit/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accused Seagal of inappropriate behavior</a> during her very short span as his assistant.
&#8220;It became clear to me that he wanted and expected sexual favors as part of my job duties,&#8221; she said. 
Seagal denied the charges.
Seagal’s recent, disquieting ties belie his early days and embrace of Eastern philosophies. Consider comments he made during the 1990s to PBS’s “Frontline” about<a href="https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/tibet/interviews/seagal.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> his Buddhist beliefs</a>.
“My philosophy is that the most important aspect of any religion should be human kindness. And to try to ease the suffering of others. To try to bring light and love into the lives of mankind.”
Seagal’s Putin love, not to mention other accusations against him, suggest he’s discarded at least some of those principles since the dawn of his film career.
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="http://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://twitter.com/HollywoodInToto?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@HollywoodInToto</a>. 
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

RUSSIA-SOCIAL-HEALTH-PUTIN-PEOPLE-SPORTS

Steven Seagal’s Friendship With Putin Leaves His Legacy On Deadly Ground

Entertainment

Hollywood

Movies

Readers Pass

Russia accused Ukraine of attempting to assassinate Russian President Vladimir Putin after reporting that two drones crashed into the Kremlin on Wednesday.
Videos circulating on social media appear to show a drone exploding and smoke rising over the roof of the Kremlin. Russia said in a statement posted to the Kremlin’s website that two drones were intercepted and shot down by Russian security forces and that the impacts caused no material damage to the Kremlin itself.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
KREMLIN DRONE ATTACK
&#8211; Russia says two Ukrainian drones attacked Kremlin overnight
&#8211; Drones downed with no victims or material damage to the Kremlin
&#8211; Moscow says it was a terrorist attack and attempt on Putin&#39;s life
&#8211; Russia says it reserves right to respond when and how it… <a href="https://t.co/loZA6c3Fvd">pic.twitter.com/loZA6c3Fvd</a>
&mdash; The Spectator Index (@spectatorindex) <a href="https://twitter.com/spectatorindex/status/1653736246370512896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“We regard these actions as a planned terrorist act and an attempt on the life of the president, carried out on the eve of Victory Day,” the statement said, according to <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/russia-ukraine-tried-assassinate-putin-drone-attack-kremlin-rcna82608">NBC News</a>. Victory Day is a celebration on May 9 commemorating Nazi Germany’s surrender in World War II.
“The Russian side reserves the right to take retaliatory measures where and when it sees fit,” the Kremlin said.
Serhii Nikiforov, a spokesman for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, denied Russia’s allegations.
“We have no information about the so-called overnight attacks on the Kremlin, but as President Zelensky has repeatedly stated, Ukraine is directing all available forces and means to liberate its own territories, not to attack others,” said Nikiforov, according to <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-state-media-kremlin-attacked-by-drones/">The Kyiv Independent</a>.
In the immediate aftermath of the news of the alleged drone attack, Andriy Yermak, Zelensky’s chief of staff, posted onto his Telegram channel three fire emojis without any further explanation. He deleted the post shortly after, according to NBC News.
The Kremlin said nobody was injured by the drone crash. Putin was away from the Kremlin at the time, the Kremlin said.
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If the attack was coordinated by Ukraine, it would represent a marked escalation in Ukraine’s attempts to pressure Putin. The drone strike <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/02/world/europe/russia-train-derailment-ukraine.html">follows</a> a string of attacks in Russian territory, such as a train derailments and other drone strikes, most of which have gone unaddressed by the Ukrainian government.
The incident comes ahead of an expected Ukraine counter-offensive to try and drive Russia out of Ukraine&#8217;s eastern regions.
Some experts, such as Le Beck head of intelligence Michael Horowitz, questioned whether the incident at the Kremlin could be seen as an assassination attempt.
“To be clear, this really doesn&#8217;t look anything like an assassination attempt,” he said on <a href="https://twitter.com/michaelh992/status/1653737908556165121">Twitter</a>. “This looks like #Ukraine (assuming it was Ukraine) is trying to bring the war home to #Russia, by hitting symbolic targets.”
Ruslan Pukhov, director of the Moscow defense think tank Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, said that the drones that crashed into the Kremlin could have been purchased commercially and outfitted with explosives. The drones were probably launched from near Moscow by a small group, according to the <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/9e43126a-174c-48df-89dd-69a9614ddf67">Financial Times</a>.

Russia Accuses Ukraine Of Sending Drones To Assassinate Putin

Conflicts

A former U.S. Marine volunteering in Ukraine was killed late last week while evacuating civilians in the war-torn eastern European country, according to reports.
Cooper “Harris” Andrews, 26, of Cleveland, Ohio, was killed by a mortar on or around April 19 on the “Road of Life,” an access road on the outskirts of Bakhmuta in eastern Ukraine, CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/01/europe/ukraine-former-us-marine-killed-intl/index.html">reported</a>.
Willow Andrews, his mother, told the outlet that authorities have yet to recover her son’s body. Cooper worked for an activist group known as the Resistance Committee and joined the Foreign Legion in Ukraine, a group of foreign fighters helping the Ukrainian military, in November last year.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I’m very sad to say this, but one of the <a href="https://twitter.com/PopularFront_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PopularFront_</a> community has been killed fighting in Ukraine. Cooper ‘Harris’ Andrews, 26, was a long time PF supporter and part of our Discord. He was a former US Marine and lifelong leftist organiser. He was killed in Bakhmut. <a href="https://t.co/ZdNIzRlXdw">pic.twitter.com/ZdNIzRlXdw</a>
&mdash; Jake Hanrahan (@Jake_Hanrahan) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jake_Hanrahan/status/1652696668775620608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
State Department officials confirmed to The Daily Wire the death of a U.S. citizen in Ukraine on Monday without naming the individual.
“We are in touch with the family and providing all possible consular assistance,” a U.S. State Dept. spokesperson told The Daily Wire in an email. “Out of respect for the family’s privacy during this difficult time, we have nothing further to add.”
At least nine U.S. citizens volunteering to fight in Ukraine — including a former Navy Seal and Army infantryman — have died since the war began last year, according to <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/International/live-updates/russia-ukraine/?id=97380473">ABC</a>.
Last month, State Department officials told <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/ukraine-war-american-deaths-russia-b2318646.html">The Daily Beast</a> that the federal agency supports legal representatives and families when U.S. citizens die overseas. Such ways include providing information on the disposition of remains and estates and issuing a consular death report.
“The U.S. government takes its role in such a situation very seriously, providing all appropriate assistance through the legal representative, next of kin, or their designee,” the spokesperson told the outlet.
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The Biden administration has reportedly warned Americans against joining foreign fighters in the war between Russia and Ukraine. However, according to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-united-states-government-8d24b8cfd0a64af7632193df70f3196f">The Associated Press</a>, an unknown number of U.S. citizens have left American soil to support Kyiv, including former military members and others who volunteer with aid groups and human rights organizations.
At the start of the war, officials reported at least 6,000 people contacted the Ukrainian embassy in Washington for information about supporting Ukraine.
Ukrainian officials rejected about half of the volunteers, citing criminal history, a lack of military experience, and other reasons deeming them unfit to serve.
According to The Daily Mail, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Monday that federal officials estimate Russia has suffered more than 100,000 casualties, including over 20,000 killed in action. Nearly half were allegedly Wagner soldiers from a private military group run by an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Kirby&#8217;s casualty update comes after Russian forces launched a large missile airstrike in different areas of Ukraine Sunday evening, sounding off air alerts across the country.

TOPSHOT-UKRAINE-RUSSIA-CONFLICT-WAR

Former U.S. Marine Killed In Ukraine: Report

Marines

U.S. Army

Russian President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/vladimir-putin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vladimir Putin</a> authorized Kremlin officials to arrest American journalist Evan Gershkovich on espionage charges, according to <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-04-12/putin-approved-arrest-of-us-reporter-as-hardliners-clout-grows?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&amp;cmpid%3D=socialflow-twitter-politics&amp;utm_content=politics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bloomberg News</a>.
Russian authorities arrested Gershkovich, 31, last month while he was on a reporting trip in Yekaterinburg, located in the Ural Mountains — becoming the first arrest of an American journalist on espionage charges since 1986.
The outlet reported that sources familiar with the matter said Putin’s arrest of the Wall Street Journal reporter marks “the growing influence of Kremlin hardliners who push for deepening a confrontation with Washington they view as irreversible.”
The Russian Foreign Ministry claimed the United States was politicizing Gershokovich’s detention, saying, “it is unacceptable for officials in Washington and the Western media to whip up a stir with the clear intention of giving this case a political colouring.”
“Blinken’s attention was drawn to the need to respect the decisions of the Russian authorities, taken in accordance with the law and international obligations of the Russian Federation,” the foreign ministry <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/journalism-is-not-a-crime-state-department-declares-russia-wrongfully-detained-wall-street-journal-reporter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken formally declared on Sunday that Russian authorities had wrongfully detained Gershkovich, giving federal officials additional resources to secure his release, including giving the State Department access to “exert pressure on Moscow, monitor intelligence, build diplomatic coalitions, exert media pressure and fight for regular consular access,” the Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-deems-wsj-reporter-evan-gershkovich-wrongfully-detained-by-russia-f1be833" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
Blinken announced the official classification involving Gershkovich, who was arrested two weeks ago on accusations of espionage by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB). The category gives control to the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs at the State Department to handle the situation.
“Journalism is not a crime,” Vedant Patel, a State Department spokesperson, told NBC in a statement. “We condemn the Kremlin’s continued repression of independent voices in Russia and its ongoing war against the truth.”
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Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told The Wall Street Journal following the declaration from Blinken that he doesn’t understand what changes under the classification.
“What it means— I don’t know,” Peskov said. “The United States could and should protect the rights of its citizen who was caught red-handed [and] violated the relevant laws of the Russian Federation. He is suspected of such. Naturally, the decision will be made by the court. [That’s] all there is to say.”
Peskov denied Putin’s involvement in the arrest, saying it was “the total prerogative of the special services.”
“They were doing their job,” he added, despite those agencies being required to report to Putin directly.
Kremlin officials claim they caught Gershkovich “red-handed while trying to obtain secret information, collecting data constituting a state secret under the guise of a journalistic status,” but have provided no evidence. He faces up to 20 years in prison.
The Wall Street Journal “vehemently denies” the allegations, as did Gershkovich in a court appearance after his arrest.
Blinken spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov last week, calling for the “immediate release” of Gershkovich, and Paul Whelan, a U.S. Marine veteran detained in the country since 2018.
President Joe Biden recently told reporters that his message to Russia regarding Gershkovich was “let him go.”
White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby on Monday also called for the release of Gershkovich.
“He doesn’t belong there,” Kirby said. “He needs to be released. He’s a journalist, not a criminal — and it doesn’t mean that we aren’t going to continue to follow this case as closely as we can. We still don’t have consular access, and we’re also trying to get that.”
Alina Polyakova, president of the Center for European Policy Analysis in Washington, told Bloomberg the move from Putin should serve as a “real wake-up call” to the West.
“It’s signaling that in Putin’s mindset that there’s no going back to a stable and reliable relationship,” Polyakova said.
Polyakova said with public pressure focused on the case, it could force the U.S. to negotiate with Russia.
“The Russians are getting far more aggressive, and they’ve seen that when you take high-profile U.S. citizens hostage, you get what you want,” she added.

RUSSIA-HEALTH-VIRUS

Putin Authorized Wall Street Journal Reporter Arrest, Spying Charges: Report

Putin Authorized US Reporter Arrest, Spying Charges: Report

Wall Street Journal

Russian President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/vladimir-putin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vladimir Putin</a> is planning to move tactical nuclear weapons to storage facilities in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/belarus" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Belarus</a> — and potentially deploy them from that location later — in a move he compared to U.S. nuclear installments in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nato" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NATO</a> countries.
Russia is building storage units for the weapons that are expected to be ready on July 1, according to the <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/32cdce4a-7f89-4c3a-a9b3-fa113d87bef3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Financial Times</a>. Lukashenko has allowed Belarus to serve as a staging ground for the Russian invasion of Ukraine from the earliest days of the war.
Putin said in remarks on Saturday that he was moving the nuclear weapons to Belarus in response to a longstanding request from Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to counter NATO. He also said the move is a counter to the U.K.’s decision to send armor-piercing rounds containing depleted uranium to Ukraine.
Moscow would retain control of the nuclear armaments, Putin said.
“There is nothing unusual here: first of all, the US has been doing this for decades,” Putin said. “They placed their tactical nuclear weapons in six different allied NATO countries in Europe. … We have agreed to do the same thing, without, I stress, violating our international non-proliferation obligations.”
“They have [tactical nuclear weapons] in certain countries, prepare the delivery systems, and train the crews. We’re planning to do the same thing,” he added.
In response to the Russian maneuvering, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council. Ukraine called for members of the council to intervene directly to stop the nuclear threat.
“Ukraine expects effective actions to counter the nuclear blackmail of the Kremlin,” Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement, according to <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/ukraine-warns-against-russian-threat-to-put-nuclear-weapons-in-belarus-fd94ae39" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Wall Street Journal</a>. “We demand to immediately convene an extraordinary meeting of the U.N. Security Council for this purpose.”
Russia’s move appears calculated to threaten that the conflict in Ukraine could escalate to a nuclear conflict, though officials in the U.S. remain skeptical that Putin would actually follow through with a nuclear strike. U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the White House is monitoring Russia’s moves, but has no reason to believe that Moscow intends to use the nuclear weapons.
“We have not seen any indication that he has made good on this pledge or moved any nuclear weapons around,” Kirby <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/03/26/us-russia-nuclear-weapon-belarus" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on Sunday. “We’ve in fact seen no indication he has any intention to use nuclear weapons, period, inside Ukraine.”
It’s unclear how many tactical nuclear weapons Putin intends to house in Belarus. The U.S. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-belarus-nuclear-weapons-2d9584534da25c00c56dbf7b14694e0e" target="_blank" rel="noopener">estimates</a> that Russia’s entire nuclear arsenal comprises around 2,000 such bombs.

Russia To House Nuclear Weapons In Neighboring Belarus, Putin Says

Belarus

U.S.

United States

Florida Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ron-desantis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ron DeSantis</a> called <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/vladimir-putin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vladimir Putin</a> a &#8220;war criminal&#8221; who should be held accountable for invading Ukraine and said his previous statement on the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ukraine-russia-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener">war in Ukraine</a> has been mischaracterized.
The latest comments by DeSantis, who is widely seen as a top 2024 presidential contender if he should enter the fray, came during an interview with journalist Piers Morgan in which he also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ron-desantis-i-have-what-it-takes-to-be-president-and-i-can-beat-biden-i-wouldve-fired-fauci" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shrugged off political attacks</a> by former President Donald Trump. Morgan asked DeSantis if he supports the International Criminal Court&#8217;s (ICC) recently issued <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-international-criminal-court-issues-arrest-warrant-for-vladimir-putin-for-abducting-children-war-crimes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arrest warrant</a> for Putin for alleged war crimes during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
&#8220;He is a war criminal,&#8221; DeSantis said, <a href="https://twitter.com/PiersUncensored/status/1638646739468001290" target="_blank" rel="noopener">as seen in a clip</a> of their exchange. The governor noted the United States <a href="https://www.npr.org/2022/04/16/1093212495/the-u-s-does-not-recognize-the-jurisdiction-of-the-international-criminal-court" target="_blank" rel="noopener">does not recognize</a> the jurisdiction of the ICC, but he stressed, &#8220;I do think he should be held accountable.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Ron DeSantis says Russia&#39;s President Vladimir Putin is a war criminal without the capability to realise his ambitions.
&quot;[Putin] is basically a gas station with a bunch of nuclear weapons.&quot;
Watch his interview with Piers Morgan, Thursday at 8pm.<a href="https://twitter.com/piersmorgan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@piersmorgan</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GovRonDeSantis</a> <a href="https://t.co/M3BjFQueih">pic.twitter.com/M3BjFQueih</a>
&mdash; Piers Morgan Uncensored (@PiersUncensored) <a href="https://twitter.com/PiersUncensored/status/1638646739468001290?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
DeSantis also addressed criticism of his statement last week about Russia&#8217;s ongoing war in Ukraine in response to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tucker-carlson-has-6-questions-for-potential-2024-gop-candidates-on-ukraine-heres-who-responded" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a questionnaire from Fox News host Tucker Carlson</a> to current and potential GOP 2024 presidential candidates.
The governor provided a lengthy answer, which in part warned against escalating the conflict, but he made headlines for the assertion that &#8220;a territorial dispute between Ukraine and Russia&#8221; is not one of the many &#8220;vital national interests&#8221; of the United States. His statement led to <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/03/14/senate-republicans-criticize-desantis-ukraine-aid" target="_blank" rel="noopener">criticism from some more hawkish Republicans</a>.
In a <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/03/22/desantis-brands-putin-a-war-criminal-who-should-be-held-accountable-for-ukraine-invasion/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">preview of his interview</a> with DeSantis that is set to air Thursday night on “Piers Morgan Uncensored” published by the New York Post, Morgan said he asked the governor if he regretted using the phrase &#8220;territorial dispute.&#8221;
&#8220;Well, I think it’s been mischaracterized,&#8221; DeSantis said. &#8220;Obviously, Russia invaded (last year) — that was wrong. They invaded Crimea and took that in 2014 — that was wrong.&#8221;
The governor said that he was referring to &#8220;where the fighting is going on now which is that eastern border region Donbas, and then Crimea&#8221;  where there are a lot of ethnic Russians.
&#8220;It wasn’t that I thought Russia had a right to that, and so if I should have made that more clear, I could have done it, but I think the larger point is, okay, Russia is not showing the ability to take over Ukraine, to topple the government or certainly to threaten NATO,&#8221; DeSantis added. &#8220;That’s a good thing. I just don’t think that’s a sufficient interest for us to escalate more involvement. I would not want to see American troops involved there.&#8221;
DeSantis also stressed &#8220;the idea that I think somehow Russia was justified&#8221; in invading Ukraine is &#8220;nonsense.&#8221; But the governor made it clear that his view that disapproving of a conflict does not equate to getting increasingly involved to stop it.
“If I could snap my fingers, I’d give it back to Ukraine 100%. But the reality is what is America’s involvement in terms of escalating with more weapons, and certainly ground troops I think would be a mistake. So, that was the point I was trying to make but Russia was wrong to invade. They were wrong to take Crimea,&#8221; DeSantis said. “Russia did not have the right to go into Crimea or to go in February of 2022 and that should be clear.”
DeSantis and Trump may be on a collision course for the 2024 Republican nomination, but they seem to agree on Putin. In an interview last year, Trump agreed with Morgan’s assessment that &#8220;Vladimir Putin is now an evil, genocidal monster.”

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis

DeSantis Calls Putin A ‘War Criminal,’ Expands On Prior Comments About Russia’s War On Ukraine

DeSantis Calls Putin A 'War Criminal', Expands On Prior Comments About Russia's War On Ukraine

2024 Election

Ron DeSantis

This article is adapted from today’s Morning Wire Afternoon Update. To listen to the podcast version, click <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/podcasts/morning-wire" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
Fed Hikes
The Federal Reserve <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/federal-reserve-hikes-target-interest-rates-by-quarter-point-as-officials-balance-fighting-inflation-and-protecting-banks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">raised interest rates</a> by a quarter point on Wednesday as officials tried to balance two conflicting problems — the risk that inflation could remain high, and the threat that higher borrowing costs could fuel more turmoil in the banking system. The move pushed interest rates to a range of 4.75 to 5 percent while forecasting one more rate increase in 2023.
No Trump Indictment
The Manhattan Grand Jury charged with determining whether to indict former President Trump over alleged illegal hush-money payments was told not to convene on Wednesday — delaying a possible arrest of Trump. One source close to the matter claimed that a vote will likely not happen this week, even if the jury reconvenes on Thursday.
Russia-China Lovefest
Chinese leader Xi Jinping put on a show of solidarity with Russian President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/vladimir-putin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vladimir Putin</a> with his three-day state visit to Moscow that began on Monday.
The Kremlin said on Tuesday that Xi spent his time in Russia’s capital negotiating and signing statements with Putin that <a href="http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/70748" target="_blank" rel="noopener">seek to strengthen economic cooperation</a> between their nations over the next decade — ties which offer Putin a lifeline after Western nations levied sanctions against Russia for its war in Ukraine.
&#8220;It looks like the West indeed intends to fight Russia until the last Ukrainian,&#8221; Putin also said. &#8220;Russia will respond accordingly.&#8221;
Xi and Putin also signed a statement urging “the international community to support constructive efforts” toward “<a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/xi-jinping-vladimir-putin-back-peace-talks-ukraine-war-blame-nato-no-offer-withdraw-china-russia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">responsible dialogue</a>.” Meanwhile, Putin announced Wednesday that Russia now supports the use of the Chinese yuan to conduct transactions between Asia, Africa, and Latin America — a move that could weaken the strength of the U.S. dollar.
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Israeli Military General Says Israeli Strike Against Iran &#8220;Would Be Bad For Everbody&#8221;
Likewise, also caused in part due to Russia’s war, a retired Israeli military general says that the window to prevent an Israeli strike against <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/iran" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Iran</a>’s growing nuclear program is closing quickly. Daily Wire reporter Tim Pearce joined Afternoon Update with more:
<blockquote>Retired Brigadier General Amir Avivi said this week that the United States’ retreat from the Middle East is limiting Israel’s chances to avoid conflict. Avivi said a strike against Iran, which could come within three months to a year, is “bad for everybody.” 
Meanwhile, China and Russia have grown their influence in the Middle East, and it’s that influence that has propelled the region toward conflict. China has helped the Iranian regime build influence in the region, while Russia may provide Iran’s military with powerful defense systems to protect its nuclear program. The Russian tech in particular is what concerns Israeli leaders because it would make Iranian infrastructure that much harder to take out.</blockquote>
Baby Formula Shortage Investigation
The House Oversight and Accountability Committee is setting its sights on the Biden administration’s mishandling of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/baby-formula-shortage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">baby formula shortage</a> of 2022. Daily Wire’s Tim Meads reported on Afternoon Update:
<blockquote>&#8220;Several weeks out, we&#8217;ll have a surplus of formula,&#8221; FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf said months ago, adding, “When I say several, I can&#8217;t say exactly how many weeks until then we have to fill it.”
That was FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf saying months ago he was optimistic about the nationwide baby formula shortage coming to an end. This week, Oversight Committee Chairman Representative <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/james-comer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">James Comer</a> (R-KY), and Subcommittee on Health Care and Financial Services Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-MI) sent a <a href="https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Letter-to-FDA-re-Restructure-and-baby-formula-118th.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> to the FDA Commissioner requesting documents related to the government’s response to the formula shortage. The two lawmakers blasted the FDA for not taking any real accountability for mishandling the crisis.</blockquote>
Roman Mosaic Found?
And for history lovers, archeologists believe they have recently discovered the remains of a Roman bathhouse and a villa with an intricate, colorful brick mosaic in Olney, England. The mosaic was found during the construction of an Aldi grocery store when a crew of trained experts was called in to handle the historic find.
To listen to the audio version of this podcast, <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/morning-wire/id1576594336" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here</a>. And for more in-depth discussion of the biggest stories of the day, listen to the latest full episode of Morning Wire every morning.

Wednesday

Wednesday Afternoon Update: Fed Hikes, Russia-China Lovefest, No Trump Indictment Yet

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Donald Trump

Federal Reserve

General

History

Israel

Morning Wire

Podcast

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) slammed President Biden for his fecklessness in foreign policy, snapping that Biden “has put a kick me sign on the back of Uncle Sam.”
Cotton spoke of China’s attempts to become a power broker of diplomacy, Biden’s first year in office in which he appeased Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Biden’s tenure permitting Saudi Arabia to cozy up to Iran.
“Over the last two years, Joe Biden has put a kick me sign on the back of Uncle Sam,” Cotton began. “That’s just another lesson. When America recedes from the world, we don&#8217;t get peace and tranquility. We get chaos and war and adversaries acting against our interest.”
“Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping are anti-American dictators,” he declared. “They didn’t need Joe Biden to give them overlapping interests, but Joe Biden has given them opportunity to exploit America&#8217;s receding from the world. You look in China, for instance. Joe Biden came into office saying China is not a competitor of ours, and what do we get? Them sending a spy balloon across America and rattling sabers against Taiwan or in Russia. Joe Biden spent his first year in office appeasing Vladimir Putin, and what do we get? We get the first or the biggest land war in Europe since WWII, and we get them downing our aircraft drone over the Black Sea.”
“These kind of weak actions provoke and beget more aggression from our adversaries,” he opined, “and now you see Xi Jinping strutting across the world stage and trying to establish himself as a broker of peace among countries. It just gets back to the basic rules of foreign affairs: either you run the show or the show runs you. We&#8217;ve been used to running the show for decades, but under Joe Biden we’re increasingly letting others run the show and let it run against us.”
After Fox News host Martha MacCallum pointed out that John Kirby, the coordinator for strategic communications at the National Security Council, admitted that Biden had no plans to speak to Jinping, Cotton asserted, “Again, this is an example of what happens when you recede from the world. Barely two years ago, former President Trump had helped broker peace for instance between Israel on the one hand and Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates and other Arab and African nations. We were hoping two years ago that we’d soon get a peace agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia brokered by the United States. Instead, under Joe Biden what we received is a normalization agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran.”
“All of these countries around the world that prefer to work with America, that have been longstanding partners of America like Saudi Arabia, like the United Arab Emirates, like Bahrain or Qatar on Jordan or Egypt have security needs. They have threats that they face primarily from Iran. Those security needs don&#8217;t go away when America goes away or when the Democratic Party turns its back on longstanding allies because they don&#8217;t like the fact that some of these countries oppose President Obama&#8217;s nuclear deal with Iran or that they worked with President Trump. Those security needs will be filled by other countries, our adversaries like China,” he concluded.
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Oversight of the Department of Justice

‘Has Put A Kick Me Sign On The Back Of Uncle Sam’: Cotton Rips Biden’s Weak Foreign Policy

Cotton Rips Biden’s Weak Foreign Policy

Communist China

Foreign Policy

Iran

Joe Biden

Politics

Saudi Arabia

Tom Cotton

Chinese leader Xi Jinping is putting on a show of solidarity with Russian President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/vladimir-putin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vladimir Putin</a> with his three-day state visit to Moscow that began on Monday.
The Kremlin said on Tuesday that Xi is spending his time in Russia&#8217;s capital negotiating and signing statements with Putin that <a href="http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/70748" target="_blank" rel="noopener">seek to strengthen economic cooperation</a> between their nations over the next decade — ties which offer Putin a lifeline after Western nations levied sanctions against Russia for its war in Ukraine.
In regard to the conflict, which has been going on for more than a year now, a joint statement Xi and Putin signed voiced support for &#8220;the international community to support constructive efforts&#8221; toward &#8220;<a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/xi-jinping-vladimir-putin-back-peace-talks-ukraine-war-blame-nato-no-offer-withdraw-china-russia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">responsible dialogue</a>.&#8221;
Russia began what it called a “special military operation” in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, in an ongoing conflict that has led to tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of millions of people.
The United States government, which has led a coalition of countries in instituting the financial penalties against Russia and sending Ukraine billions of dollars of lethal aid, rejected such calls for a ceasefire now as one that would <a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-china-xi-putin-ukraine-war-2f0d035942cfca14ae5a42d82f5e8627" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cement Russia&#8217;s hold on territory its forces had taken</a>. The U.S. announced on Monday that it would send Ukraine an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-sending-another-350-million-to-ukraine-blinken-warns-world-should-not-be-fooled-by-china-russia-peace-talks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">additional $350 million</a> in ammunition, weapons, and military vehicles.
Xi and Putin previously met just before the invasion of Ukraine began when they touted a &#8220;no limits&#8221; <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/22/china/china-ukraine-russia-reaction-united-nations-intl-hnk/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">friendship</a> between their countries. Building upon that bond this week, <a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/putin-xi-highlight-boosting-russian-chinese-cooperation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Xi declared</a> &#8220;political mutual trust is deepening&#8221; between their two countries and &#8220;common interests are multiplying.&#8221;
The White House dismissed the notion that the world is witnessing the formation of an alliance as Xi and Putin held their latest round of talks. &#8220;I wouldn&#8217;t go so far to call it an alliance,&#8221; National Security Council spokesman John Kirby <a href="https://twitter.com/DailyCaller/status/1638259992376537147" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told reporters</a>. China and Russia have grown closer &#8220;over years now,&#8221; he insisted.
The high-level talks in Moscow come shortly after the International Criminal Court <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-international-criminal-court-issues-arrest-warrant-for-vladimir-putin-for-abducting-children-war-crimes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">issued an arrest warrant</a> for Putin for alleged war crimes during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, in particular the abduction of children, and the Russian leader&#8217;s visit to the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/putin-visits-russian-occupied-mariupol" target="_blank" rel="noopener">captured city of Mariupol</a>.
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Xi is expected to call Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for the first time since the war began following his visit to Moscow, <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-xi-jinping-vladimir-putin-meet-in-russia-400d39e1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to The Wall Street Journal</a>. Meanwhile, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida made an <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/21/world/europe/japan-kishida-ukraine.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unannounced visit</a> to Ukraine on Tuesday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and China’s President Xi Jinping

Xi Flaunts China’s ‘Deepening’ Bond With Russia During Talks With Putin

Xi Flaunts China's 'Deepening' Bond With Russia During Talks With Putin

Xi Jinping

Russian pop star Dima Nova was found dead from drowning on Sunday after criticizing Russian President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/vladimir-putin">Vladimir Putin</a>. He was 34.
Born Dmitry Svirgunov, Nova founded the popular electronic group Cream Soda — whose song &#8220;Aqua Disco&#8221; became an anthem for anti-war protests in Russia, <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/russia-cream-soda-drowning-vladimir-putin-palace-volga-1789145">Newsweek</a> reported.
In the song, the pop group called out Putin over his alleged $1.3 billion mansion. The song was commonly heard at protests against the country both before and after Russia&#8217;s invasion into Ukraine. These protests became known as &#8220;Aqua Disco Parties.&#8221;
According to the song&#8217;s lyrics, &#8220;[Aqua disco]&#8221; is a wild hedonistic pool party for one,&#8221; <a href="https://www.calvertjournal.com/articles/show/12472/akvadiskoteka-putin-palace-meme-comedy-pop-video-anthem-protest-song-overnight">Calvertjournal.com</a> reported. One of the lyrics read,  &#8220;The king of leisure,/ I will feel super here.&#8221; Another read, &#8220;Aqua Disco,/ Here I am by the word super,/ Add duper.&#8221;
The report cited an article in a Russian news website People Talk that said Nova fell through the ice while crossing the Volga river in the Yaroslavl region, north east of Moscow. Svirgunov was not alone – he was reportedly with his brother Roma and a couple friends.
The translated caption next to Cream Soda&#8217;s <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CqCq2i-NOo5/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;ig_rid=59954fcd-01c9-4ee8-bbe5-8ad0a4c084b8">post</a> on Instagram about Dima&#8217;s death and another person in the accident read, &#8220;An official introduction took place today at 9:00. Dima and Goshi are no more.&#8221;
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<a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CqCq2i-NOo5/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by CREAM SODA (@creamsodamusic)</a>
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&#8220;We had a tragedy last night,&#8221; the pop group&#8217;s post explained, the outlet noted. &#8220;Our Dima Nova, in the company of friends, was walking along the Volga and fell under the ice.&#8221;
&#8220;The Ministry of Emergency Situations are still looking for his brother Roma and friend, Gosha Kiselev,&#8221; it added. &#8220;Aristarchus, our friend who also fell under the ice, was caught, but could not be saved. As soon as we have information from the Ministry of Emergency Situations, we will inform you.&#8221;
&#8220;Aqua Disco&#8221; was not only heard at protests against Russia in the early days of the war but also at demonstrations against the jailing of Russian opposition leader <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/alexei-navalny">Alexei Navalny</a> in 2021, the outlet <a href="https://www.calvertjournal.com/articles/show/12472/akvadiskoteka-putin-palace-meme-comedy-pop-video-anthem-protest-song-overnight">noted</a>.
At the time, thousands of protestors were arrested by police during the protests, which were not sanctioned by Russian officials, the report noted.

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<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/xi-jinping" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chinese leader Xi Jinping</a> arrived in Moscow Monday to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on what Beijing labeled a “mission of peace.”
The visit underscores strengthening ties between the two powerful nations and comes as Xi is trying to negotiate a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. The U.S. has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/white-house-rejects-china-brokered-ceasefire-in-ukraine">opposed a ceasefire</a> called for by Xi and expressed concerns that a Beijing-brokered peace pact would be one-sided in favor of Russia, which <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ukraine-russia-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invaded Ukraine</a> over a year ago.
&#8220;I am very glad, at the invitation of President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, to come back to the land of our close neighbor,&#8221; Xi said, according to Russian-state-run news service TASS. &#8220;I am sure my visit will be fruitful.&#8221;
After touching down, Xi was greeted on a red carpet as a military band played the two countries&#8217; anthems. Xi hailed a &#8220;new era&#8221; and said his first state visit to Russia since the start of the war would give &#8220;new momentum&#8221; to relations. The visit is China&#8217;s strongest show of support for Russia since the war began on February 24, 2022.
Xi was scheduled to talk informally with Putin Monday ahead of a formal dinner, then hold peace negotiations on Tuesday. The U.S. and the rest of NATO are watching the visit closely, and Russia is touting it as evidence it has a powerful ally as it has become isolated from the West.
Xi has also reportedly reached out to Ukrainian President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/volodymyr-zelensky" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Volodymyr Zelensky</a>, although details on that were also unclear. Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang spoke with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba in a phone call last week.
U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters last week the Biden administration believes a ceasefire would work against Ukraine.
“While that sounds perfectly reasonable and it sounds like a good thing, a ceasefire right now would basically ratify Russia’s conquest. Russia would basically be free to use that ceasefire to further entrench its positions in Ukraine, to rebuild their forces, refit them, re-man them, retrain them so that they can then restart attacks at a time of their choosing.”
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The meeting comes a day after Putin made a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/putin-visits-russian-occupied-mariupol" target="_blank" rel="noopener">surprise visit to Mariupol</a>, a Russian-occupied city in southern Ukraine where he spoke briefly with supporters.

Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin

Xi Hails ‘New Era’ As He Arrives In Moscow In Bid To Broker Ukraine Peace Deal

Xi Hails 'New Era' As He Arrives In Moscow In Bid To Broker Ukraine Peace Deal