Mass escape from Russia with long car queues that formed overnight on the border with Georgia. These are mainly men who intend to leave the country to avoid being forcibly enlisted and sent to fight in Ukraine.
According to the Kremlin, however, this is "magnified" news, while some witnesses say that the line of cars at the Upper Lars checkpoint has reached about 5 kilometers, while another group said that it took seven hours to cross the border.
A man told the BBC that he took his passport and headed to the border without even packing his bags immediately after President Vladimir Putin announced: " I'll break my arm, leg, anything to avoid leaving ."
Meanwhile, in the Russian Far East, in Kamchatka, the first polling stations have opened for the referendum on the annexation of the territories occupied in Ukraine to Russia. Precisely in that area there are numerous displaced persons from the self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Lugansk and the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions.
As for the war operations, Putin - CNN reports - would have given tactical orders directly to the generals operating in the field. This would be an "unusual strategy" for the modern armed forces, which could indicate a "dysfunctional command structure".
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The day by the hour
Izyum: 447 bodies exhumed, including 5 children
In Izyum the exhumation of the inhabitants killed by the Russians and thrown into the mass grave was completed in the evening: 447 bodies, including 5 children, most with signs of violent death and in 30 cases signs of torture. This was stated by the Ukrainian authorities, as reported by Ukrainska Pravda. "After a week of work 447 bodies were taken out of the graves. Of these, 215 were women, 194 men, 5 children and 22 soldiers. There are bodies with a rope around their neck, with their hands tied, with broken limbs and with gunshot wounds. Several men had their genitals amputated ", say the authorities.
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Russia will increase military spending by 43% in 2022
Russian President Vladimir Putin prepares to increase funding for military spending. According to Bloomberg reports, Moscow will invest much more than expected in defense, in light of the course of the war in Ukraine. Military spending will exceed the initial budget planning for 2023 by more than 43%, while that for national security and law enforcement will increase by more than 40%, according to the three-year financial plan. At the moment, Moscow invests almost 5 trillion rubles (84 billion dollars) in the defense sector, equal to 3.3% of its GDP.
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G7: "New sanctions on Russia"
"We are ready to impose new economic costs on Russia, on individuals and entities, inside and outside Russia, who are giving political or economic support to Russia's illegal attempt to change the status of Ukrainian territory." The leaders of the G7 say this in a statement on the referendum in progress in Ukraine.
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G7: "Strong condemnation of Russia's farce referendum"
"We G7 leaders strongly condemn the sham referendums, which Russia tries to use to create a false pretext, to change the status of Ukrainian territorial sovereignty, subject to ongoing aggression from Russia." The G7 members wrote in a note. "These actions clearly violate the charter of the United Nations and international law, and go in the diametrically opposite direction to the rule of law among nations", it continues.
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"Whoever attacks the Donbass attacks Russia"
If in Donbass, where the referendum is being voted today, the yes for union with Russia will win, Moscow
he will consider any attack on this territory as "an attack on his own territory". This was stated by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov quoted by TASS.
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China calls for dialogue: "Ready for a constructive role"
China urges a solution to the crisis in Ukraine through dialogue, on the day of the start of referendums in four occupied regions on joining Russia, and is ready to play a "constructive role" to mitigate the gravity of the situation. Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said about the fears expressed by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres about referendums. "We always argue that the sovereignty and integrity of all countries must be respected, as well as the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and everyone's legitimate security concerns," added Wang.
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Russian bombs on Kharkiv, one dead and two wounded children
Russian bombing in the eastern region of Kharkiv on towns adjacent to the contact line and the border with the Russian Federation. "There are casualties and injuries, including children," Governor Oleh Synyehubov wrote on a telegram. "Three people were injured in Kupyansk, including two seven-year-old children, while a 51-year-old man was killed. Two other civilians were injured in the mine explosion," he added.
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Powerful explosion in the occupied center of Melitopol
Powerful explosion in Melitopol, in the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia region. This was announced by the Ukrainian mayor in exile Ivan Fedorov quoted by UNIAN. The news of the explosion was also confirmed by Russian agencies. "The terror of the occupiers is increasing. At 7 am, a loud explosion rang out in Melitopol, which was well felt by the residents in the city center. People are afraid to leave their homes. The first day of the pseudo vote. -referendum, the occupants need everyone to sit quietly at home ", said the mayor.
(Unioneonline)