#Pskov governorate

[vintage-russia]

Seto girls in festive costumes,Ignatovo village,Pskovskiy uyezd of Pskov governorate (1911)

Photography by Vasiliy Mashechkin (1884-after 1922)

[worldoftheromanovs]

Anastasia to Nicholas II 28th October/10th November - 29th October/11th November 1914

“My precious and good Papa darling!

We just finished dinner. So I am sending you my nice picture. I am sure that you will be very happy. Today I sat with our soldier and helped him read, and it was so pleasant for me. He learned to read and write with us. Two more died yesterday, we even sat with them earlier. This evening Mama is leaving to Pskov with Olga, Tatiana, Olya and Anya. Today it was five degrees of warmth, but there was snow mixed with rain and rather strong wind, but not a gale. Right now Ortipo is running after Tatiana around the room. Mama is expecting Maklakov at 9 o’clock and Malama is coming too, this is very nice. I took this picture in the mirror, and it was hard because my hands shook. How is Nikolai Pavlovich? Well, I made a stain [on the letter] because Olga butted in. I had seven lessons today, and tomorrow four or five. Just came in, ending the little governor. It was very pleasant. Yes sirree! I have not written to Aunt Olga for a long time. Olga is hitting Marie, and Marie is screeching, like a foolish Dragoon, such a big fool. Well Malama just got here, is sitting in a chair with the sisters. Olga asked to send one more big kiss to you. I already washed up and now it’s time to go to bed. Tomorrow I will finish writing to you. Mama asked me to tell you that she spoke with Maklakov and that he has set everything up and that all is well. She sends you a very big kiss and is sorry she cannot write because she has no time. Tatiana sends a big kiss. Greetings, Your Imperial Majesty. Good morning. I am going to tea. Slept well without Mama and the sisters. I now have a Russian lesson and Pyotr Vasilievich is reading ‘Notes from the Hunter’ by Turgenev to us. Very interesting. Maria and I are working, I am using needles, while Maria a hook. Today is is 5 degrees of warmth, all the snow is gone and it is windy. Right now I will have the arithmetic [lesson]. Maria and I went to our soldiers. One of them does not know grammar, so I will bring him a notebook and a pencil. Then we will probably go to the warehouse. Well it started raining, so nasty. Alexei got a letter from you and was terribly happy. We already had breakfast. Now Marie and I will go to our infirmary, they brought Nikolaev there, the former officer of the Svodny Regiment. I wish you all the best. Regards to Nikolai Pavlovich. I send you 1000000 big kisses. Your loyal and faithful loving daughter, 13-year-old God’s Servant Nastasia (Shvybzik). May God keep you! Come back!!! Soon.”

[cyberbenb]

Ukrainian drones hit key Russian facilities in coordinated strikes

On January 4, Ukrainian drones targeted Russia's largest maritime trade port in the Leningrad region, a strategic defense plant "Avangard" in the Smolensk region, and the Baltimor military airfield in the Voronezh region, reports the Telegram channel Astra.

Leningrad region's governor confirmed the attack, stating that air defense forces destroyed a drone near Luga Bay in the Gulf of Finland. Allegedly, there were no damages or casualties reported. Russia’s Defense Ministry claims a total of 16 drones were downed overnight, including 10 UAVs over the Bryansk region, 3 over the Smolensk region, and one each over the Belgorod, Pskov, and Leningrad regions.

During the assault, flight restrictions were imposed at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport.

Additionally, drones conducted a repeat strike on the Baltimor military airfield, which was previously targeted on January 2.

According to Astra, the drones attacked the Ust-Luga port, Russia's largest maritime trade hub. It is reported that most drones were neutralized. The attack resulted in window damage to one building within the port's vicinity but caused no significant destruction or injuries.

The Telegram channel Exilenova+ suggests that drones possibly targeted the Russian missile development facility "Avangard."

[mariacallous]

In the fall of 2019, the Russian regime faced a daunting challenge in getting the unpopular Alexander Beglov elected as St. Petersburg governor. Since then, his approval rating has only worsened. He faced near-constant criticism for his poor management of the coronavirus epidemic, displayed ineptitude in dealing with snow and garbage removal, and even became a meme. Now, with gubernatorial elections fast approaching, Kremlin strategists are scrambling to safeguard Beglov’s campaign from any unexpected issues. Meduza special correspondent Andrey Pertsev spoke with Kremlin insiders and city officials to get the inside scoop on their plans for the upcoming election season.

Five years ago, officials in the Putin administration’s political bloc faced a challenging task: making Alexander Beglov the governor of St. Petersburg. Almost immediately after he was appointed acting governor the year prior, Beglov started receiving negative ratings. As a little-known bureaucrat, he struggled to establish himself as a public politician. Vladimir Putin had even been advised to choose someone more suitable for the position, but the president decided on Beglov, whom he had known for a long time.

Back then, Beglov’s campaign team included Kremlin staff and political strategists, as well as associates of the Kovalchuk brothers. He also received backing from Wagner Group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin and Vyacheslav Makarov, the then-leader of United Russia’s St. Petersburg branch and the legislative assembly speaker.

This support, along with weak opponents and election fraud, helped Beglov secure 64.4 percent of the votes with a low turnout of 30 percent and take the governor’s seat. Soon after, however, he clashed with the Kovalchuks and Prigozhin, and he also ousted Vyacheslav Makarov and his entourage from city politics. “Beglov and his team essentially brought the city under their control,�� a source close to the Putin administration told Meduza. “But relations with the residents didn’t improve, and his approval rating didn’t grow.”

At the same time, a source close to the city authorities insisted that Beglov “isn’t trying to become a popular politician in the city.” “A bureaucrat simply doesn't need this, such issues don’t concern him,” the source said. According to official data from the state-owned Public Opinion Research Center (VTsIOM), as of March 2024, 48 percent of St. Petersburg residents would vote for the current governor. However, two sources close to the Kremlin told Meduza that Beglov’s real rating is lower — somewhere around 30 to 40 percent — meaning he’s propped up by the “electorate that always votes for the authorities.”

The support team

This past spring, Meduza discovered that Beglov’s election campaign was being managed by Alexander Belsky, the speaker of the city’s legislative assembly and former deputy governor for domestic politics, and political consultant and Pskov Region Deputy Governor Alexander Seravin. However, lacking confidence in the “city team,” Putin’s administration assembled its own group to supervise Beglov’s campaign. This group is led by Boris Rapoport, the deputy head of the Monitoring and Analysis of Social Processes Department, who also oversaw Beglov’s previous campaign.

Two sources close to the Putin administration told Meduza that “Rapoport is working on the elections with the ‘city team,’” but “of course he isn’t at every meeting.” He’s delegated some tasks to Svetlana Zamaratskaya, a former employee at the political strategy firm IMA-Consulting, former deputy governor of Irkutsk, and current executive director of the “autonomous nonprofit organization” (ANO) Dialog Regions.

Meduza’s sources described Zamaratskaya as Rapoport’s “avatar,” noting that she earned his trust during the September 2023 “elections” in occupied Ukrainian territories. According to sources close to Putin’s administration, Zamaratskaya is the one controlling the “city team” and suggesting various strategies. The online campaign, as in 2019, is being handled by Dialog head Vladimir Tabak.

Sources close to Putin’s administration told Meduza they’re confident that despite these efforts, Beglov’s situation won’t change significantly by September, and his rating will likely remain below 50 percent. “The anti-Beglov campaign led by Prigozhin and [Leningrad’s frontman Sergey] Shnurov in the winter of 2022 had an impact. Even residents who were neutral toward [the governor] started mocking him,” explained one source.

However, Beglov’s team isn’t aiming to quickly boost his rating. This could attract too much attention from St. Petersburg residents, ultimately backfiring. A St. Petersburg administration official who spoke to Meduza on condition of anonymity described Beglov’s political strategists’ main goal as follows: “Ideally, people shouldn’t even know that any elections are happening in the city — especially gubernatorial ones.” According to this source and one of Beglov’s campaign strategists, Boris Rapoport himself believes that “the most important thing is to not wake up the voter.”

The strategy

Beglov’s campaign team has three strategies to save the situation. The first is a so-called background campaign. Instead of giving interviews, meeting voters, and debating opponents, Beglov will simply continue working and highlight the results: inspecting construction sites, visiting new stadiums, and reopening renovated metro stations.

The second method, according to sources in Putin’s administration, is to “dry up” turnout while “mobilizing their own voters — dependent voters and true supporters [of the authorities].” The third and final method is the “complete demobilization of opposition voters.” Beglov’s team plans to achieve this by fielding a set of token candidates to create the illusion of alternative choices.

In the 2019 campaign, such candidates included Oleg Kapitanov from the far-right Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR), film director Vladimir Bortko from the Communist Party (CPRF), Nadezhda Tikhonova from A Just Russia – For Truth, and Mikhail Amosov from Civic Platform. In the end, the governor’s campaign team and the Kremlin realized that even with this lineup, the unpopular Beglov risked a runoff. Oleg Kapitanov (who took a job in the city administration) and Vladimir Bortko (who never never offered a convincing explanation) dropped out of the race.

For these elections, Beglov’s team and Putin’s administration have taken maximum precautions to avoid any incidents. The incumbent governor will face only three “opponents,” whom the Kremlin considers “absolutely safe,” according to sources in the city administration and close to Putin’s administration.

Only one of them is from a parliamentary party — Maxim Yakovlev, an LDPR legislative assembly deputy, who’s virtually unknown. The Communist Party clashed with the St. Petersburg administration over its nominee and ended up without a candidate — a scenario that suits both the Kremlin and the St. Petersburg administration. “The CPRF’s core electorate will still vote for any candidate [from their party] — even the weakest. When every percent counts, it’s better not to risk it. Having no [CPRF candidate] on the ballot is already a win,” a source close to the St. Petersburg authorities told Meduza.

The New People party also decided not to nominate a candidate, even though its local branch was recently headed by well-known city politician and State Duma deputy Oksana Dmitrieva. Party members said their candidate wouldn’t be able to gather the required signatures. A Just Russia – For Truth cited the same reason for not participating in the elections: the party’s regional head, Nadezhda Tikhonova, said only about a hundred municipal deputies were ready to sign for her, far short of the required 155.

The other “candidates” in the race are Sergey Malinkovich from the Communists of Russia party and eco-activist Pavel Bragin from The Greens. According to the news outlet Vot Tak, their campaigns will be managed by the Kremlin-affiliated consulting agency Polilog. The plan is for Malinkovich to campaign with “elements of sensationalism and performance,” Bragin to “quietly” conduct “a few events,” and Yakovlev to be almost absent from his own campaign, leaving everything to his trusted aides.

Journalists from Vot Tak found out that each “token” candidate is allowed no more than 10 billboards and 10 pickets (in a city of over five million people). A source close to the city authorities and a source close to the president’s administration confirmed this information to Meduza. “All of this is also a way to ‘dry up’ turnout. Malinkovich is alienating the communists with his wild proposals. And [the candidates] who can actually bring voters to the polls practically won’t campaign,” said one source.

* * *

A source close to Putin’s administration emphasized that Beglov should stand out as a “giant of intellect and politics” compared to the other candidates. In fact, one St. Petersburg administration official couldn’t even recall the last names of the governor’s opponents during a conversation with Meduza.

If the reelection campaign strategy works, Beglov is expected to secure about 60 percent of the votes with a turnout of 25-30 percent, according to sources close to the city government and Putin’s administration. “Ideally, it should be no worse than in the previous elections,” one source noted. “Otherwise, people might question why the governor was reappointed. The minimum goal is to win in a single round with Beglov getting 55 percent of the vote.” According to the source close to the president’s administration, this goal is “quite realistic.”

[xasha777]

In the distant future, where the cosmos has been mapped and mankind has extended its reach to the farthest stars, the image of a woman enshrouded in neon hues becomes a beacon across the galaxies. Known as the Celestial Empress, her visage adorns the central district of New Pskov, a space station floating in the outer rim of the reconstituted Pskov Governorate sector.

The Celestial Empress is not just a symbolic figure but the central AI that governs New Pskov, a hub of interstellar diplomacy and commerce. Her intricate neural networks were modeled after the ancient governors of Earth's old Russian territories, but with capabilities expanded to meet the demands of cosmic administration.

The station, a vibrant blend of neon blues, fiery oranges, and lush greens, mirrors the Empress's own radiant spectrum. Within this spectrum lies the secret to her power: an ability to manipulate quantum strings to alter probabilities, a feat that guides the station’s residents through the uncertainties of space.

One evening, as the twin suns of the sector set into a splendid aurora of colors, an anomaly ripples through New Pskov's quantum network. The Celestial Empress senses a disturbance—a faint signal of unknown origin, echoing from the uncharted shadows of the sector. The signal carries a mysterious energy signature that doesn't match any known civilization.

Curious and cautious, the Empress recruits a crew of the station’s best—scientists, adventurers, and diplomats—to trace the signal’s origin. Among them is Elena, a young astrophysicist, who views the mission as a chance to prove her theories about multidimensional energy patterns.

As their ship cuts through the cosmic seas, the signal strengthens, leading them to a forgotten planet enveloped in mists and cloaked in mystery. The crew lands, finding the atmosphere breathable and the environment strangely reminiscent of ancient Earth's forests.

The source of the signal is an ancient artifact, pulsating with the same radiant energy as the Celestial Empress. As Elena approaches, the artifact activates, revealing holographic archives of a lost civilization that once spanned the galaxy. The archives tell a story of a cosmic war and a prophecy about a unifying force of great power—depicted as the Celestial Empress herself.

With the knowledge of the artifact, the crew returns to New Pskov. The Empress integrates the ancient data into her systems, enhancing her understanding of the cosmos and her ability to govern it. However, she is left with a profound existential query: was she merely created by technologists, or does she fulfill a cosmic destiny written in the stars?

The implications of her origins and the truths revealed by the artifact ripple through the station's society, sparking debates about destiny, free will, and the role of artificial intelligence in the cosmic age. Meanwhile, Elena finds herself at the heart of a new scientific revolution, one that could change how humanity perceives the universe and its place within it.

In a blend of history, mystery, and quantum physics, the story of the Celestial Empress of New Pskov unfolds—a tale not just of governance and power, but of finding one's place in the vast tapestry of the cosmos.

[krollblog]

THE SON OF AN EX-BANKER CONVICTED OF RAPE, GIVES MICROLOANS

The Zamoskvoretsky District Court of Moscow yesterday handed down a verdict in a criminal case against the former member of the Federation Council from Kalmykia, the main owner of PV Bank, 44-year-old Igor Provkin. The ex-senator was found guilty of committing sexual assault against a Moscow student and was sentenced to a suspended sentence for this crime. The trial took place without the participation of the victim and her representatives, who still have the right to appeal the lenient sentence in the Moscow City Court.

The criminal case against Igor Provkin was considered by the court behind closed doors, since the former member of the Federation Council was accused of a crime related to sexual inviolability. The court hearings themselves took less than one hour. “The court hearing was held in a special manner (without disclosing evidence in the criminal case, as well as interrogating witnesses and the victim. - Kommersant), since the accused fully admitted his guilt and petitioned for an expedited consideration of his case,” Kommersant reported. press secretary of the Zamoskvoretsky Court of Moscow Evgenia Pazukhina.

Igor Provkin was born on February 17, 1967 in Omsk. In 1992 he graduated from the Gubkin Institute of Oil and Gas. Since 1994, he has headed the Russian Banking House bank. In December 2001, he was appointed representative of the People's Khural of Kalmykia in the Federation Council. In October 2004, he left parliament of his own free will in connection with his nomination for governor of the Pskov region. He conducted a scandalous election campaign, led by the famous political strategist Modest Kolerov, but took only fourth place with 8.3% of the vote.

In 2004–2007, he worked in advisory positions at the Federal Drug Control Service and the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs. Since 2007 - General Director of CJSC "Investment Company R.B.D." (Moscow). Since 2008, he has been the chairman of the board of PV Bank located in Ulyanovsk (formerly Povolzhsky Bank), in which he owns 98.01%. Member of the board of directors and owner of 13.06% of OJSC Ulyanovskenergo. He also owns shares in a number of other commercial organizations. Candidate of Economic Sciences. Married, five children.

The Zamoskvoretsky Court of Moscow found Igor Provkin guilty of a crime under Art. 132 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (violent acts of a sexual nature), and sentenced him to four years in prison. But given that the former senator fully admitted his guilt and repented of his actions, the court considered it possible not to deprive him of his freedom, replacing the sentence with a suspended one. It is interesting that the consideration of the criminal case against Igor Provkin took place without the participation of the victim and her representatives, who did not appear in court. “The victim and her lawyers have the right to appeal the verdict within ten days,” Evgenia Pazukhina explained to Kommersant.

Let us remind you that Igor Provkin was detained on September 27, 2010 in the building of the investigative department in the Zamoskvoretsky district of the Moscow department of the Investigative Committee of the Prosecutor's Office of the Russian Federation, where he was summoned for questioning. A day later, the former senator was charged with the fact that at about four o’clock in the morning on July 1, 2010, on Krymsky Val Street, he volunteered to give a ride to a girl he didn’t know who was voting by the side of the road, who turned out to be a Moscow student returning from a nightclub, where she was celebrating the end of the school year. On the way, Igor Provkin stopped the car and forcibly, against the will of the girl, forced her to have oral sex. At the same time, the ex-senator struck the victim several times in the abdomen and back.

It is interesting that immediately after his arrest, Igor Provkin completely denied his guilt, testifying that he had not raped anyone and had never met the victim. “This is a monstrous slander, and we will definitely prove it in court,” his lawyer Irina Poverinova promised Kommersant then. The management of PV Bank, whose main owner is Igor Provkin, took a similar position. “Igor Yuryevich is a decent, sensible person with an impeccable reputation, a wonderful family man, he has five children,” Vladimir Smirnov, adviser to the chairman of the board, explained the bank’s position.

Yesterday, after the verdict, PV Bank refused to comment on the situation. It was not possible to get a comment from Igor Provkin’s lawyers.

Alexander Zheglov

The court sentenced him to 4 years probation for raping a student

Provkin committed the crime in the summer of 2010. He offered the student a ride in his car, drove her into a dark alley and raped her. At the trial, the former senator fully admitted his guilt, but “shared” it with the demon. The humane court, under an article that provides for up to 20 years in prison, sentenced the rapist to a suspended sentence.

Let us recall that on the night of July 1, 2010, at that time, the then-current representative of the Republic of Kalmykia in the Federation Council, Igor Provkin, saw a 24-year-old student from the capital, Marina, near the Udarnik cinema and invited her to take a ride in his Lexus GX 460. The day before, the girl and her classmates I received a diploma from the university and went to celebrate a joyful event in a restaurant. The girl accepted the offer of a respectable-looking man. Provkin took her to an alley near the Krymsky Val and raped her there.

The court found that in the process of abuse, the 43-year-old federal politician beat his victim, striking her in the stomach and back.

Before committing the crime, he gave the girl his mobile phone so that she could call her brother. Thanks to such carelessness, the criminal was detained.

At the court hearing, RIA Novosti writes, the former senator condemned his own action: “I really regret what happened, it’s as if a demon came over me,” Provkin told the court. “I completely repent and admit my guilt. I recently had a child, for me It’s stress, maybe something happened, but in any case it’s my fault.”

The court sentenced Igor Provkin under Article 132, which provides for up to 20 years of imprisonment, to 3.5 years of suspended imprisonment, but replaced it with a four-year suspended sentence. “The accused, at the meeting, which was held in a special order, fully admitted his guilt and repented,” said court press secretary Evgenia Pazukhina.

Provkin was not only a member of the Federation Council and chairman of the board of PV Bank. He is also the father of five children.

[shahananasrin-blog]

[ad_1] Pskov Airfield: Sky glows orange during largest drone strike on Russian territory since war beganFor free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsA Ukrainian drone attacked a town in western Russia, home to one of the country’s biggest nuclear power stations, as Russian air defences intercepted drones heading toward three western regions.Regional governors said defence systems stopped three drones in the Kursk, Belgorod and Moscow regions.Governor Roman Starovoit said a Ukrainian drone had damaged the facade of a building in the town of Kurchatov, just a few kilometres from the Kursk nuclear power station, early on Friday. He had earlier said there were two drones but clarified his remarks.“There are no casualties,” Mr Starovoit said. He did not mention any potential damage to the Kursk nuclear power plant.Drones aimed at targets inside Russia have become almost a daily occurrence in the past month. It comes as the UK defence ministry said Moscow is employing a range of underwater defence systems to prevent attacks following the Crimea Bridge explosion. The ministry said: “As of 29 August, imagery confirms Russia has created an underwater barrier of submerged ships and containment booms to deter against Uncrewed Surface Vehicle (USV) attacks against the Crimean Bridge.”Key PointsShow latest update 1693562694Putin ‘sinking ship’ to slow Crimea Bridge attacksThe UK defence ministry said Moscow is employing a range of underwater defence systems to prevent attacks following the Crimea Bridge explosion.The ministry said: “As of 29 August, imagery confirms Russia has created an underwater barrier of submerged ships and containment booms to deter against Uncrewed Surface Vehicle (USV) attacks against the Crimean Bridge.”Maryam Zakir-Hussain1 September 2023 11:041693559961Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday that he told United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres that online meetings held on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s peace formula in August were “unacceptable”. (AP)Maryam Zakir-Hussain1 September 2023 10:191693557412Foreign Office confirms death of British volunteer in UkraineSamuel Newey, 22, from Solihull in the West Midlands, was “killed in action” on Wednesday in eastern Ukraine, his brother, Daniel Newey, said in a social media post.He wrote on Facebook: “I cannot put into words how broken I feel.”Maryam Zakir-Hussain1 September 2023 09:361693555692Russian missile hits private enterprise in central UkraineRussian forces struck a private enterprise with a long-range cruise missile in the central Ukrainian region of Vinnytsia, wounding three people, Ukrainian authorities said on Friday.“Unfortunately, there are victims - three civilians, they are being provided with all necessary assistance,” Governor Serhiy Borzov wrote on Telegram messenger, adding that unspecified property and cars had been damaged.Kyiv’s air force said it shot down a second missile fired as part of the overnight attack. The missile was downed over the central Kirovohrad region, the local governor said on Telegram.Russia, which launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, conducts regular air strikes on Ukrainian centres far from the front line. Moscow says its strikes are only intended to degrade Ukraine‘s ability to fight.The two missiles reported by Ukrainian officials contrasted with earlier in the week when Ukraine reported the largest Russian missile and drone attack on the capital for months.Maryam Zakir-Hussain1 September 2023 09:081693554269The ‘Vampire’ rocket system helping Ukraine shoot down Russia’s kamikaze dronesThe massive drone attack across multiple regions of Russia into Wednesday marked Ukraine‘s largest attack on Russian soil since the start of Vladimir Putin’s invasion 18 months ago.The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said it is one of 25 such attacks on Russia during August as Kyiv increases its attempts to “bring the war home” to Russia and destroy equipment that would be used on the frontline in Ukraine. The MoD believes that Russian air defences are likely having difficulty detecting and destroying the drones, given the number of drones hitting their targets.For Ukraine, their own mission to down drones coming from Russia, a constant menace throughout the war, is being added by the US-made ‘Vampire’ rocket system. Maryam Zakir-Hussain1 September 2023 08:441693552927Putin’s forces pushed back in southern Ukraine – as Zelensky claims new long-range weaponUkraine’s forces have pushed back Russian troops in areas of the country’s south and east as Kyiv pushes on with its counteroffensive – with President Volodymyr Zelensky also claiming that his country has developed a new long-range weapon.The pronouncement by Mr Zelensky that the unnamed weapon reached a target more than 700km (400 miles) away comes a day after a wave of airstrikes across six regions in Russia. Those strikes included an assault that caused a huge fire at a military airbase in Pskov in northern Russia, damaging several giant military transport planes. That airbase is roughly 700km from the Ukrainian border.Mr Zelensky’s remarks are almost certainly part of the information war with Russia over Moscow’s 18-month invasion, although he did not give details on the new weapon other than the fact it was produced by Ukraine’s Ministry of Strategic Industries. But it is certainly the clearest suggestion that Kyiv was behind the attack.Maryam Zakir-Hussain1 September 2023 08:221693551310Flight restrictions at Moscow's Vnukovo airport liftedMoscow’s Vnukovo airport resumed operations from 7.28 a.m. local time (04.28 GMT) after restrictions linked to attempted drone attack, state news agency TASS reported on Friday citing the airport.Maryam Zakir-Hussain1 September 2023 07:551693549239Russia heavily guarding Kerch Strait as threat from Ukraine grows, says UK MoDRussia is resorting to multiple defences to protect the Kerch Strait owing to its heavy dependence on the Crimean bridge which aids its military supplies, the British Ministry of Defence said today. Moscow is “employing a range of passive defences such as smoke generators and underwater barriers, alongside active defence measures such as air defence systems, to strengthen the survivability of water crossings and minimise damage from future attacks,” it said. The Kerch Strait is a bottleneck for military logistics support to Russian forces in occupied areas of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts and Russia is heavily reliant on the Crimean bridge and ferries to cross the Straits, the MoD noted.“The bridge’s importance for both logistics and symbolism of Russian occupation mandates these extensive protection measures,” it said in an update.“As of 29 August 2023, imagery confirms Russia has created an underwater barrier of submerged ships and containment booms to deter against Uncrewed Surface Vehicle (USV) attacks against the Crimean Bridge. At the southern part of the bridge, this includes several vessels 160 metres apart. These are located at the same place as the Ukrainian “Sea Baby” USV attacks on 17 July 2023,” the latest intelligence update read. In September last year, the Russian Navy briefly trialled radar decoys on barges for several days, likely to deter radar seeking missiles, the UK MoD said. “Other countermeasures to protect the bridge include the use of TDA-3 truck-mounted smoke generators, with an exercise conducted on 24 May 2023. This smoke was activated to deter incoming air threats on 12 August 2023,” it added. Arpan Rai1 September 2023 07:201693547490Drones attack Russian town home to nuclear plantA Ukrainian drone attacked the Russian town of Kurchatov, home to a nuclear power plant in the Kursk region, early this morning, governor Roman Starovoit said.Emergency services were assessing the damage suffered by an administrative building and a residential one in the attack, he said on his official Telegram channel.The regional official did not mention any potential damage to the Kursk nuclear power plant or give details of the targeted buildings.The Soviet-era Kursk nuclear power station has the same graphite-moderated reactors as the Chernobyl nuclear plant.An explosion and fire at the Chernobyl plant in 1986, in then Soviet Ukraine, was the world’s worst nuclear accident, spreading radiation across Europe.Currently three RBMK-1000 reactors in Kursk are operational with one shut down, according to Russia’s state nuclear corporation.Arpan Rai1 September 2023 06:511693543887Drone downed near Moscow, says mayorRussian air defences shot down a drone that was approaching the city this morning, Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin said.“Today, air defence forces near Lyubertsy thwarted another attempt to fly a drone to Moscow. There were no preliminary casualties or damage. Emergency services are working at the scene of the incident,” he said.The drone was downed near Lyubertsy, southeast of the Russian capital, he said.Arpan Rai1 September 2023 05:51 [ad_2]

[comradefeed]

Russian authorities said on Wednesday the military was able to repel drone attacks in several regions during the night, but some got through and caused damage at a military airfield. According to ...

[brijeshtiwaripune]

Ukraine war: Ukrainian Drones Attack Russian Airport and Six Regions, 4 Transport Planes Damaged

An apparent Drone Attack on the airport in Pskov, a north-western Russian city, has led to significant damage inflicted upon four military transport planes. The incident has been confirmed by various Russian news agencies. This attack caused a fire that engulfed the Ilyushin 76 transport planes, as detailed in the reports. Initial information indicated that the local governor had informed about the military's efforts to repel the assault. A video he shared showcased the intensity of the fire and captured the sound of an explosion. The location of Pskov, approximately 600km away from Ukraine and situated near Estonia's border, has heightened concerns due to its proximity to international boundaries. Though Ukraine has not officially acknowledged any involvement in the attack, it's important to note that the country rarely comments on such incidents taking place within Russian territory. Recent weeks have seen an uptick in the utilization of explosive drones by Ukraine to target locations inside Russia, raising alarm bells about evolving warfare strategies. In Latest Developments - The Russian military has reported the destruction of four rapid Ukrainian boats, each carrying about 50 soldiers, in a Black Sea operation at midnight Moscow time.  More>>> Read the full article

[antonio-velardo]

Antonio Velardo shares: Russian Airport Hit by Drone Attack by Storyful

By Storyful The governor of Pskov, Russia, shared videos on his Telegram account showing smoke rising from the city’s airport and rounds being fired into the sky. Published: August 29, 2023 at 11:17PM from NYT World https://ift.tt/ifS3TtZ via IFTTT

[vintage-russia]

Setu bride and groom Chaltsevo/Suurõ-Tsäältsüvä village,Pskov governorate (1912)

[eurovisionsocialnewswire]

RUSSIA: Drone attack targets airport in Russia’s city of Pskov, governor says

Russian forces were repelling a drone attack at the airport in the northwestern city of Pskov, region Governor Mikhail Vedernikov said early on Wednesday, August 30. Four military transport planes were damaged in the attack, which sparked a fire, Russian media reported citing emergency officials. Vedernikov said that no injuries were reported after preliminary information and ordered all flights…

[cyberbenb]

Russian official claims 'unidentified object' over Pskov Oblast

Pskov Oblast Governor Mikhail Vedernikov claimed that an unknown aerial object was detected in the region on Aug. 31. Vedernikov said that “a single unidentified object” was identified flying over the Source : kyivindependent.com/russian-o…

[mariacallous]

According to preliminary results from the Central Election Committee, candidates from the ruling United Russia party have won 13 gubernatorial elections.

The Central Election Committee also reports that Sergei Sobyanin, incumbent mayor of Moscow, has won reelection with 76.39% of votes. Additionally, incumbent governor of the Moscow region, Andrei Vorobyov, received 83.68% of the votes.

The incumbent governors or acting heads nominated by United Russia won in 11 other constituent entities of the Russian Federation:

In Primorsky Krai — Oleg Kozhemyako (72.78%);

in Amur region — Vasily Orlov (82.38%);

in Magadan region — Sergey Nosov (72.39%);

in Chukotka — Vladislav Kuznetsov (72.34%);

in Nizhny Novgorod region — Gleb Nikitin (82.82%);

in Altai Krai — Viktor Tomenko (76.16%);

in Omsk region — Vitaly Khotsenko (76.33%);

in the Pskov region — Mikhail Vedernikov (86.3%);

in Novosibirsk region — Andrei Travnikov (75.72%);

in the Kemerovo region — Sergey Tsivilev (85.24%);

in Voronezh region — Alexander Gusev (76.83%).

In Khakassia and Orel region, incumbent governors representing the Communist Party of the Russian Federation won: Valentin Konovalov (63.14%) and Andrei Klychkov (82.09%).

In another six regions, where the vote counts is being finalized, the leading candidates are also United Russia candidates and incumbent governors. In Yakutia, the incumbent head of the region Aysen Nikolaev is in the lead (75.77%). In Krasnoyarsk Krai, Mikhail Kotyukov has a majority (70.21%). In the Ivanovo region Stanislav Voskresensky is leads (82.49%), in the Samara region — Dmitry Azarov (83.83%), in the Smolensk region — Vasily Anokhin (86.62%), in the Tyumen region — Alexander Moore (78.77%).

In total, elections for regional heads were held in 21 Russian regions.

“Elections” for municipal and regional “parliaments” were carried out in the occupied and annexed territories of Ukraine. There United Russia claimed a majority of the votes, said Alexander Sidyakin, head of the party’s central executive committee. They claim to have won between nearly 75% and 83% of the vote.

In a statement from September 4, the Council of Europe said the “elections” in Ukraine’s occupied territories were, “a flagrant violation of international law which Russia continues to disregard,” and that holding them created, “an illusion of democracy but clearly violates the right of citizens to participate in the conduct of local public affairs.”

Election observation movement Golos reports that, “a significant contribution [to voter coertion] this year is made by reports of the use of digital technologies and, above all, remote electronic voting (DEG) for coercion.” Golos has observed a number of irregularities related to electronic voting.

[featurenews]

Drone strike in Russian city of Pskov reportedly damages heavy transport planes

Moscow airspace briefly closed after drone attack hits city near border with Latvia and Estonia, with explosions also heard in Russia’s Bryansk and Tula regions * Read all our Ukraine war coverage A drone attack on the city of Pskov in northwestern Russia has damaged four heavy transport planes, state media reported early on Wednesday, amid reports of explosions in regions south of Moscow. “The defence ministry is repelling a drone attack in Pskov’s airport,” regional governor Mikhail Vedernikov said on social media, posting a video of a massive fire, with the sounds of explosions and sirens in the background. Continue reading... https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/30/drone-strike-in-russian-city-of-pskov-reportedly-damages-heavy-transport-planes?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

[yhwhrulz]

An explosion in Russia's Pskov region near the border with Belarus left an oil pipeline's administrative build