Japan did similar things with their Embassy staff and gear, just prior to Pearl Harbor. | Russia's ambassador to the United States, Anatoly Antonov, is "concluding" his diplomatic mission, Russian agencies reported late on Saturday. "Russian Ambassador to the US, Anatoly Ivanovich Antonov, is concluding his Washington assignment and heading to Moscow," Interfax agency cited a representative of the Foreign Ministry as saying. The envoy will be returning to Moscow within hours.

■ Anatoly Antonov completes term as Russian ambassador to US (RT.com)

■ APPLICATION OF THE CONVENTION ON THE PREVENTION AND PUNISHMENT OF THE CRIME OF GENOCIDE IN THE GAZA STRIP (ORDER OF 26 JANUARY 2024) (.pdf) + APPLICATION INSTITUTING PROCEEDINGS (.pdf)
■ THE EXPRESSION OF HATRED FOR GENTILES (Richard Edmondson/Nahida Izzat) (10/04/14)

7:06 PM EDT -- Alert: Russia just detected 4 IDF F-35 fighter aircraft inbound over the Persian Gulf headed towards Iran!! Iran air defenses on full alert!! Iranian Foreign Minister cancels visit to Damascus and returns to Tehran.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard attacked Israel with more over 200 ballistic missiles on October 1, 2024, targeting vital military and strategic sites. | According to Suleiman Maswadeh, Channel 11's political reporter, Israel's reaction to Iran would be tightly coordinated with the US. "This situation has a high potential for escalation, so it must be managed carefully to avoid surprising Israel's allies in Washington," he cited Israeli officials as saying. ● Maswadeh continued, saying that the incident is the subject of serious talks between the United States and Israel. Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, is scheduled to meet with U.S. President Joe Biden in the next few days. ● Yaron Avraham, the political reporter for Channel 12, went on to say that the expected Israeli reaction is "harsh and fully coordinated with the U.S., likely to be executed within days." He cited officials in the Israeli cabinet who said, "This response is necessary and will exact a heavy toll on Iran's regime."

■ Iran to destroy all Israel gas fields, power plants at once if Tel Aviv makes mistake: Deputy IRGC chief (PressTV)
■ Israel 'prepares response' to Iranian missile attack — official (TRT World)
✅ Washington and London digging their grave as they drive catastrophic war in the Middle East (Strategic Culture)

A number of the victims were transported to the few semi-operational hospitals, while others are still stuck under the rubble as Israeli occupation forces continue to block their path. | On the one year mark of the Israeli genocidal war on the Gaza Strip, the Israeli occupation committed three massacres against Palestinians and their families, murdering 23 and injuring 66 more. ● A number of the victims were transported to the few semi-operational hospitals, while others are still stuck under the rubble as Israeli occupation forces continue to block their path and obstruct all rescue efforts. ● For 365 days, the Israeli occupation has been massacring Palestinian civilians and wreaking havoc in Gaza, raising the death toll to 41,825 civilians killed, and 96,910 more injured.

■ People join rallies across world to condemn Israeli genocide (PressTV)
■ Israel destroyed 79% of mosques, 3 churches during war on Gaza — ministry (MEDIA)
■ American Healthcare Workers Who Volunteered in Gaza Say Over 118,000 Have Been Killed (Antiwar.com)
■ Live: Israel issues evacuation orders for displaced families in central Gaza (MEE)
■ Three massacres during 24 hours in Gaza strip leaving 23 martyrs (SANA)

Ukraine could end up sacrificing land in order to end the conflict with Russia, the former NATO chief has said | Ukraine may have to recognize the loss of some of its territory to Russia in order to achieve peace and security guarantees, Jens Stoltenberg said in his first long interview after stepping down as NATO secretary-general. ● Stoltenberg ended his ten-year tenure as the chief of the US-led alliance on October 1. In a conversation with the Financial Times published on Friday, he said that Kiev may be forced to rethink seeing the restoration of the 1991 borders as a prerequisite for any peace deal.

■ The Julian Assange Show Episode 1: Nasrallah (2012) (Journeyman Pictures) - VIDEO

Israel's 364th-day genocidal war on Gaza has killed 41,788 Palestinians, based on conservative estimates. Separately, Israel's bombardment across Lebanon since October 2023 has killed 2,011 people and uprooted 1.2 million people. | 1736 GMT –– The death toll in Lebanon has surpassed 2,000 after nearly a year of cross-border fighting with Israel, according to a government statement. Lebanese Minister of Environment and coordinator of the Government Emergency Committee Nasser Yassin said the overall number of deaths since October 7 has now risen to 2,011 with 9,535 wounded.

This unprecedented event is yet another example of how far Israel is willing to go to undermine global mediation efforts. | While much of the world's focus remains on the broader regional conflict, this unprecedented political move by Israel has received relatively little attention, underscoring the deepening rift between the Israeli government and the UN at a critical moment. ● On October 2, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz barred Guterres from entering Israel. This ministry said this was in direct response to the Portuguese diplomat's reaction following Iran's missile strike on Tel Aviv, in which he allegedly failed to explicitly name Iran or strongly condemn its actions. [...] However, the situation has sparked significant international attention and condemnation. More global leaders have been criticising Israel's behaviour and siding with Guterres. France for example declared the decision as an "unjustified, serious and counterproductive" move. Similarly, Portugal's President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa lamented this action and asked the Israeli government to reconsider it.

■ Security Council backs UN chief after Israeli rebuke (RT.com)

Palestinian child Razan Barbakh, who is a Thalassemia patient, loses both of her legs and lays helplessly at a local hospital in Gaza Strip while her mother appeals for her treatment abroad. pic.twitter.com/nBqeBqkDBT

— TIMES OF GAZA (@Timesofgaza) October 5, 2024

The Israeli occupation forces continue to commit acts of genocide across the Gaza Strip as the war nears its one-year mark. | Several Palestinians were killed and others injured early this Friday due to airstrikes by Israeli occupation forces targeting areas in Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah in the Gaza Strip. ● Medical sources reported that four Palestinians were murdered and others injured in an attack on a residential home east of Deir al-Balah in the central region of the Strip. ● The Israeli occupation forces also bombed homes and a site sheltering displaced individuals in both Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis, while also dropping incendiary bombs that caused fires in homes in the al-Nuseirat refugee camp. This was accompanied by artillery shelling targeting southern Gaza City.

Israel bombarded south Beirut at least 10 times late Thursday, Lebanese sources said, after it launched its deadliest strike on the occupied West Bank in decades. | The escalating assaults by Israel come as it weighs retaliation for Iran’s barrage of missiles fired at the country, with the United States saying Israel hitting Iranian oil facilities is on the table. Iran said the attack was its response to the killing of Hassan Nasrallah, chief of its ally Hezbollah, and other top figures. ● There was no let-up to Israeli strikes on Beirut, with AFP correspondents in the capital and beyond hearing loud bangs that made buildings shake. The military launched 11 consecutive strikes on Hezbollah’s south Beirut stronghold late Thursday, a source close to the group told AFP, while the official National News Agency (NNA) put the tally at more than 10. The Israeli military said it hit “targets belonging to Hezbollah’s intelligence headquarters in Beirut”. ● Israel’s bombing in Lebanon has killed more than 1,000 people, according to the Lebanese health ministry, and forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes in a nation already mired in economic and political crisis.

■ Iran Considers Sending Troops to Lebanon if Attacked by Israel (Asharq Al-Awsat)
■ Evacuate or else: 'Israel's' 'thoughtful' tactics in Lebanon and Gaza (Al Mayadeen)
■ Iran's Khamenei says October 7 attack was legitimate, so was Iran's strike on Israel (India Today)
■ Civilians bear brunt of Israel's attack on Lebanon, over 1 million impacted: UN (India Today)
■ Πλήγμα του Ισραήλ στο Ιράν: Kλείσιμο των Στενών του Ορμούζ + Παγκόσμια οικονομική κατάρρευση (Pronews.gr)
✅ Biden Is Pushing Israel Towards Larger War (Moon of Alabama)

Civil defence member tries to save a Palestinian baby after being pulled from underneath the rubble of a bombed house in Gaza. pic.twitter.com/xRnbggLjMS

— TIMES OF GAZA (@Timesofgaza) October 3, 2024

Oil price soared on Thursday after US President Joe Biden said the United States was discussing with Israel possible strikes on Iranian oil facilities. | WTI, the US contract, rose by as much as five percent before paring back some gains to sit at around $73 per barrel while Brent, the international benchmark, rose around four percent to $76.81. Biden told reporters at the White House however that he was not expecting Israel to launch any retaliation for Tehran's missile barrage on Israel before Thursday at least. When asked by a reporter if he supported Israel striking Iran's oil facilities, Biden said "we're discussing that. I think that would be a little... anyway." ● A rise in oil prices could be hugely damaging for Biden's Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democrat confronts Republican former president Donald Trump in a November 5 election where the cost of living is a major issue. Biden said he did not expect any immediate action from Israel -- even if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has recently paid little heed to calls for restraint as he targets the Iran-allied Hezbollah militia in Lebanon.

■ Bank of England issues oil price shock warning (RT.com)
■ Biden’s Israel Policy Has Led Us to the Brink of War on Iran (Medea Benjamin)

Reports are flooding-in that "unknown aircraft" have attacked Russia's Hmeimim Airbase in Latakia / Tartus Syria. The battle is ongoing for the past 55 minutes. | Not only did "unknown aircraft" hit a warehouse on the base where an Iranian Plane had just been unloaded, reports also indicate "salvos of ship-launched missiles began hitting the Russian base launched by ships in the Mediterranean Sea." To my knowledge, only the United States and NATO have naval vessels in that part of the Mediterranean. Info is coming in fast, but if the air strikes were carried out by Israel, and the naval missiles by the US, NATO, then World War 3 has just begun.

■ Israel Attacks Russian Airbase in Syria (Hal Turner Show)
■ Massive explosions reported in the vicinity of Hmeimim Air Base (Albawaba)
■ Israel bears all blame for Middle East escalation — Russia’s UN envoy (TASS)

Iran will consider any state that provides its airspace to Israel as an enemy, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said. | Iranian top diplomat expressed hope that "no one will give such permission".

💬 "More than 90% of our missiles reached their targets and were not intercepted. We have already told representatives of other countries that we will consider [an enemy] anyone who provides their airspace to Israel. But I hope that no one will give such permission," Iranian news agency SNN quoted Araghchi as saying.

On Monday, Israel announced the start of a "limited" military ground operation in southern Lebanon, reportedly with no plans to permanently occupy any areas of the country. Since last week, the Israeli Air Force has been carrying out massive strikes against Lebanese Shia movement Hezbollah targets in various parts of the neighboring state. Several targeted airstrikes on Beirut have also been made, killing high-ranking Hezbollah commanders.

■ Iran warns of ‘unconventional response’ in case of new Israeli attack (Al Jazeera)
■ Video: Netanyahu 'running for his life amid Iranian missile attack', here's the truth (Albawaba)
■ Satellite images show damage to Nevatim base from Iranian missiles: AP (Al Mayadeen)
■ Dozens of Israeli officers and soldiers reported killed or wounded in clashes with Hezbollah on Lebanon (Albawaba)(October 2nd, 2024)

An Israeli airstrike targeted a center of the Islamic Health Society in Lebanon's capital Beirut early on Thursday, Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported. | An Israeli airstrike targeted a center of the Islamic Health Society in Lebanon's capital Beirut early on Thursday, Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported. According to the Lebanese TV network's correspondent, several casualties were reported in the Israeli strike on Beirut. ● Later the Ministry of Health said that according to an initial toll, two people were martyred and 11 others were injured in the strike, which struck a building in the Bachoura neighborhood. Three of the casualties were critically injured and succumbed to their wounds later on Thursday, raising the death toll to five. ● Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA) reported that the strike utilized internationally banned white phosphorus bombs on the targeted residential building. ● The strike marks a rare occurrence in the ongoing aggression on Lebanon, as only one other airstrike targeted a building near the Cola Station in the capital. Most Israeli airstrikes have struck and destroyed residential areas in the Southern Suburb of Beirut, which falls under the Mount Lebanon governorate.

The platform has been cooperating with authorities in criminal cases since 2018, its co-founder and chief has revealed | Telegram CEO Pavel Durov revealed on Wednesday that the messenger service has been complying with privacy policies in several countries and has been disclosing information about criminals to authorities for the past six years. ● The Russian tech billionaire has remained unable to leave France after he was arrested in Paris in late August and charged with multiple offenses, such as operating a platform used for organized crime and refusing to cooperate with French authorities. ● Last month, Durov, who is also a co-founder of the company, announced an update to the platform’s Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, which he said would make it clear that IP addresses and phone numbers of those who violate the messenger’s rules “can be disclosed to relevant authorities in response to valid legal requests.”

Jonathan Cook | Western publics are being subjected to an unprecedented campaign of media propaganda to conceal Israel’s true goals as it expands the slaughter [...] Words like “audacious”, “escalation” and “targets” have become tools to conceal meaning, not to illuminate – and for good reason. Because Israel’s actions are so obviously criminal, so obviously horrifying, so obviously genocidal. Language becomes a weapon to hide the truth. ■ The media chorus goes like this: Israel is attacking Lebanon to stop Hezbollah rocket fire and allow the residents of Israel’s most northerly communities to return home. Or in the blunter, Orwellian language of Israeli officials framing this horror show: Israel must “escalate to de-escalate”. ■ Lebanese civilians are paying the heaviest price: some 550 of them were killed in the first day of Israel’s bombing campaign alone. Many tens of thousands have been driven – ethnically cleansed – from the territory of south Lebanon.

lsraeli warplanes target a school to the west of al-Nussairat Camp, Central Gaza Strip. pic.twitter.com/9sE15BkYgK

— TIMES OF GAZA (@Timesofgaza) October 1, 2024

BREAKING: Iraqi militias have issued a statement warning U.S. forces that if Iraqi airspace is used to strike Iran, all U.S. bases will come under attack by these militias. (Hal Turner, see below)| The Chief of Staff of Iran's Armed Forces has warned of hitting all infrastructures in Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories if the Zionists are not leashed. | Referring to Iran's retaliatory attack against the Israeli regime on Tuesday night which was a response to the Israeli regime's continuous crimes in the region and the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, Major General Mohammad Hossein Bagheri said that the Israeli regime's crimes could no longer be tolerated.

💬 "The last two months were two very difficult months for the Iranian nation and the Axis of Resistance," he said, referring to the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and the West's calls on Iran to exercise restraint in order to establish a ceasefire in Gaza.

But the criminal Zionist regime increased its crimes with the support and the green light of the United States, he added. Saying that the IRGC missile operation against Israel achieved its goals in hitting the important Zionist regime's military bases, Bagheri said that despite the Israeli regime's unleashed crimes, Iran only targeted military centers of the Tel Aviv regime. He added that the Mossad headquarters, Nevatim Airbase, and Hatzerim Airbase were the targets.

HAL TURNER ANALYSIS AND COMMENTARY: Today's attack by Iran has been two+ months coming. When Israel bombed Ismail Heniyeh at a building in Tehran, just 750 meters from Iran's Presidential Palace, it was an "attack" upon Iran. They bombed a building in Iran. Iran has a right under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter (and common sense) to hit Israel back. Now, that's what Iran has done. ■ Well, to listen to the Israelis and their cheerleaders, one would think today's military retaliation was "unprovoked." It was NOT unprovoked. Israel bombed a guy in Tehran and now Iran has bombed back. ■ But let's call a spade a spade, Israel has also been bombing Iranian military officers inside Syria for the past two years. Israel has also been bombing Iranian military supply warehouses in Syria for years. And it's always the same excuse "They were going to attack Israel." ■ There was no sign of such a pending attack. There was no actual attack, but whatever Israel dreams up as an excuse, they rely upon to justify their murderous actions. [...] Iran was right to slap Israel; Israel deserved it.

■ Risk of long-feared regional war rises as Israel and Iran swap threats (Al Jazeera)
■ US destroyers intercept Iranian missiles as Mideast crisis intensifies (Defense One)
■ Iran claims ’20 grounded F-35 fighters destroyed’ in Nevatim (Bulgarian Military)
■ Iranian Missiles Strike Israel's F-35 Bases (Simple Flying)
■ Israel struck with hypersonic missiles – Iran (RT.com)
■ Iran hit Israeli intelligence center, 3 of its military bases (Mehr News)
■ Iran's True Promise 2: Hundreds of missiles launched on Israeli bases (Al Mayadeen)
■ Israël face à une nouvelle humiliation militaire au Liban : Le Hezbollah liquide les soldats israéliens
■ Israël interdit le secrétaire général de l’ONU pour sa condamnation jugée trop « Faible » contre l’Iran
■ Attack Drones Launched From Iran; Ballistic Missiles Fired (10/01/24)
✅ Iran Fires a Warning Shot Across Israel's Bow (Mike Whitney)

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange testified during a Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) hearing, and spoke about his U.K. imprisonment at HM Prison Belmarsh and his plea deal with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). Assange said he chose freedom over justice, stating:

💬 I eventually chose freedom over unrealizable justice, after being detained for years and facing a 175 year sentence with no effective remedy…. Justice for me is now precluded, as the U.S. government insisted in writing into its plea agreement that I cannot file a case at the European Court of Human Rights or even a freedom of information act request over what it did to me as a result of its extradition request. I want to be totally clear. I am not free today because the system worked. I am free today because after years of incarceration I plead guilty to journalism. I plead guilty to seeking information from a source. I plead guilty to obtaining information from a source. And I plead guilty to informing the public what that information was. I did not plead guilty to anything else.

💬 President Obama’s Justice Department chose not to indict me, recognizing that no crime had been committed. The United States had never before prosecuted a publisher for publishing or obtaining government information. To do so would require a radical and ominous reinterpretation of the US Constitution…. However, in February 2017, the landscape changed dramatically. President Trump had been elected. He appointed two wolves in MAGA hats: Mike Pompeo, a Kansas congressman and former arms industry executive, as CIA Director, and William Barr, a former CIA officer, as US Attorney General…. CIA Director Pompeo launched a campaign of retribution. It is now a matter of public record that under Pompeo’s explicit direction, the CIA drew up plans to kidnap and to assassinate me within the Ecuadorian Embassy in London and authorized going after my European colleagues, subjecting us to theft, hacking attacks, and the planting of false information.

UPDATE: 500 MISSILES FIRED AT ISRAEL | They also say ballistic missiles in Iran are fueled and on their launchers in Iran. They believe those missiles will be fired in a few short hours, as the attack drones arrive in Israel. Worse, with the launch of so many attack drones, the United States and Israel are now discussing a PRE-EMPTIVE ATTACK UPON IRAN to thwart the perceived ballistic missile launches.

DRONES (Reportedly already launched) from Iran will take 9 Hours to strike Israel.
CRUISE MISSILES (if Launched) Would take 2 Hours to strike Israel.
BALLISTIC MISSILES (if launched) Would take 12 MINUTES to strike Israel.

On April 14 of this year, Russian President Vladimir Putin made public that "Russia will support Iran if the United States attacks Iran soil in support of Israel." This could LITERALLY be the beginning of World War 3. 12:18 PM EDT --Russia to Israel: Withdraw your forces from southern Lebanon immediately.
[...]
4:26 PM EDT ---- Word out of Israel from multiple sources in multiple government offices saying "Israel will launch crippling attacks upon Iran, tonight." IDF announces it will respond to Iranian missile attack tonight, and the result will be “seen by the entire Middle East.” Senior official: Israel will attack Iran extensively tonight. UNCONFIRMED - UNCONFIRMED -- Single report CLAIMING Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, killed. UNCONFIRMED.

■ Iran fires hundreds of missiles at Israeli regime (+VIDEOS) (Mehr News)
■ Iran launches massive missile attack on Israel (VIDEOS) (RT.com)
■ Op. True Promise II: Iran launches hundreds of missiles at Zionist entity, 90% hit targets (PressTV)
■ Resistance groups hail Iran’s missile attack against Israeli regime (PressTV)
■ Ирана назвал целью ракетного удара по Израилю военные объекты (TACC)
■ СБ ООН проведет экстренное заседание по ситуации на Ближнем Востоке 2 октября (Известия)

Pulled from under the rubble, covered in grief and dust; civil defence teams manage to evacuate some survivors following a deadly lsraeli airstrike on northern Gaza Strip. pic.twitter.com/Gi6QXUU2Jr

— TIMES OF GAZA (@Timesofgaza) October 1, 2024

The Jerusalem Post ignites controversy after publishing, then quickly removing, an article suggesting Lebanon is part of Israel's "promised land". | The Israeli broadsheet newspaper The Jerusalem Post attracted controversy online on two fronts — first by publishing an article that entertained the idea of Lebanon being part of "Israel's promised land", and later by taking it down. On September 25, 2024, the newspaper published an article titled "Is Lebanon part of Israel's promised territory?" which sparked controversy online, particularly amid ongoing Israeli air strikes in Lebanohivedn. The strikes, which began the previous Monday, have resulted in over 900 killings, according to Lebanese officials.

■ Is Lebanon part of Israel’s promised territory? (Jerusalem Post)(Archived)(H/T: Moon of Alabama)

Israel has begun its invasion of southern Lebanon as the IDF announced early Tuesday that troops were carrying out “limited” raids aimed at wiping out Hezbollah outposts — the latest stage of the Jewish state’s offensive against the Iran-backed terrorist group. | The boots-on-the-ground operation will see Israeli soldiers take out Hezbollah’s tunnels, rocket launchers and weapons caches along the southern border, all in an attempt to halt the US-designated terror group’s ability to launch daily attacks over the border, Israeli officials have said. The widely expected ground incursion came after Israel mobilized its tanks and troops, and secured a wide stretch of the northern border on Monday. [...] The IDF also deployed air force and artillery units to support troops on the ground.

■ US secretly approved Lebanon escalation – Politico (RT.com)
■ Israeli tanks, artillery conduct heavy fire on Lebanon — report (09/30/24)

Julian Assange tells European lawmakers he ‘chose freedom over an unrealizable justice’ in first public comments since release from prison | Julian Assange, the founder of whistleblower media group WikiLeaks, told European lawmakers on Tuesday his guilty plea to US espionage accusations was necessary because legal and political efforts to protect his freedom were not sufficient. “I eventually chose freedom over an unrealizable justice,” Assange said in his first public comments since his release from prison. Assange, 53, returned to his home country Australia in June after a deal was struck for his release which saw him plead guilty to violating US espionage law, ending a 14-year British legal odyssey.

Andrew Korybko | It’s possible that this scenario was speedily devised sometime in the past month after the aerial phase of the latest Israeli-Lebanese War began. | Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) warned on Tuesday that some NATO countries and Ukraine are preparing a chemical weapons false flag provocation in Syria so as to discredit Russia in the Global South. They specified that “The plan of the operation envisages the militants dropping a mined container with chlorine from a UAV during strikes by the Syrian Armed Forces and the Russian Aerospace Forces on terrorist groups' positions in the Idlib de-escalation zone”, which the White Helmets will then film. ■ The timing is suspicious since it coincides with the start of Israel’s ground operation in Lebanon. Syria isn’t any stranger to chemical weapons false flags so the latest one could have been cooked up in a jiffy by building upon the experience obtained in all the prior ones.

■ West set to stage chemical weapons use by Syria and Russia in Arab republic — SVR (TASS)

"We did not abandon our brothers and sisters but sought to achieve a peaceful resolution to this grave conflict. You know how those talks ended: with lies, deceit, and betrayal by the Western elites, who in that time turned Ukraine into their colony, into a military outpost aimed at Russia," Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a video address. | Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday claimed that Western elites have turned Ukraine into a "military outpost" as the country marks the second anniversary of its illegal annexation of Ukraine's Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia regions. He further accused the West of...

💬 "...systematically instilling hatred and radical nationalism" in Ukraine and providing Kyiv with weapons to prepare its military for a "new war." "The subsequent developments fully confirmed the need for and validity of the special military operation and its genuinely liberating nature," he added.

On Sept. 30, 2022, Russia annexed four Ukrainian regions -- Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson -- following referendums that were widely condemned as illegal by the international community, including Türkiye.

■ Putin just announced Russia’s own Monroe Doctrine (Sergey Poletaev)