Russia looking into reports about sending of French troops to Ukraine, says Kremlin The Russian Defense Ministry is currently looking into reports about #France sending its troops to #Ukraine, #Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry #Peskov told reporters. "We need to understand here whether this information is correct. Our military is looking into this information," Peskov said, commenting on reports that France had allegedly deployed its combat forces to Ukraine. Earlier, media reports said that France had sent 1,500 troops in support of Ukrainian forces in Slavyansk, citing a statement by Stephen Bryen, a former US Deputy Under Secretary of Defense. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTyuwjkiL1c

The #Kremlin has officially announced the start of the withdrawal of the Russian #peacekeeping contingent (RMK) from #Nagorno-Karabakh. Earlier, footage surfaced on the Internet showing columns of Russian Armed Forces equipment leaving temporary deployment points. Despite the tripartite agreement stipulating that peacekeepers would remain in the region until 2025, questions arose about the RMK's presence after Azerbaijan gained control over Artsakh and the Armenian population completely departed. The gradual reduction of activities commenced last year. 📌 Over the course of three and a half years, Russian Armed Forces soldiers stationed in Nagorno-Karabakh faced numerous challenges, including casualties, provocations from activists on both sides, and significant issues regarding the mission's status. Nevertheless, despite the constrained framework agreements, the lack of a mandate to use force, and Armenia's relinquishment of Artsakh, which led to the unrecognized republic being left unprotected by its ruling circles, it was the Russian peacekeepers who halted the bloodshed and prevented the massacre of the local population. In any case, the RMK servicemen have fulfilled their mission and are now heading home.

"Russian Africa Corps soldiers deployed to Niger, which will challenge U.S. efforts to stay in Niger in the immediate term—undermining the West’s counterterrorism goals—and present long-term opportunities for the Kremlin to create threats that strategically pressure Europe." 🔶️ "The Africa Corps contingent in Niger will likely remain small in the coming months because it lacks the capacity for a bigger deployment due to recruitment issues." 🔶️ "This small footprint will enable Russia to strengthen its influence in Niger and consolidate its logistical network in Africa without significantly affecting the rapidly escalating al Qaeda and Islamic State insurgencies in Niger." 🔶️ "Greater Russian influence and military presence in Niger in the coming years will create several future opportunities for the Kremlin to strategically threaten Europe with energy blackmail, migration influxes, and conventional military threats."

Russia calls invasion of Ukraine a ‘war’ for the first time Shift from ‘special military operation’ blamed by Kremlin on west’s support for Kyiv. The #Kremlin has admitted for the first time that Russia is in a “state of #war” amid a push to increase domestic support for President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine after previously calling it a “special military operation”. Russia has used the Kremlin-mandated euphemism since the full-scale invasion more than two years ago, in an apparent attempt to convey the impression to the Russian public that the fighting was minor and distant, with little effect on daily life. “Yes, it started as a special military operation,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with Russian newspaper Argumenty i Fakty, published on Friday. “But as soon as this gang developed and the collective west started participating in the conflict on the side of Ukraine, for us it became a war,” Peskov said. Speaking to reporters after the interview was published, Peskov clarified that Moscow’s legal definition of the conflict had not changed, “but de facto, in reality, for us it has transformed into a war”, Peskov said.

Kremlin says France’s line of forming coalition to send troops to Ukraine very dangerous #Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has called #France’s line of forming a coalition of countries ready to send troops to #Ukraine very dangerous. "In general, the expansion of the discussion and the persistent activity of Paris in attempts to build a coalition of countries that declare a hypothetical readiness to send a certain contingent, of course, is nothing but a direct line to escalate tensions. This is a dangerous line, very dangerous," the spokesman told reporters. Peskov pointed out that this line "could potentially have very undesirable consequences." "We are watching this very carefully," he emphasized. Earlier, Polish Foreign Minister #Radoslaw Sikorski said during a conference dedicated to the 25th anniversary of Poland's #NATO membership that NATO military personnel are already in Ukraine. At the same time, Sikorski did not clarify which countries' soldiers he was referring to.

West plays with fire, #Kremlin spokesman says about idea of sending #NATO troops to #Ukraine The Western countries are playing with fire when discussing the possibility of sending their troops to Ukraine, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry #Peskov has told the media. He described as dangerous the very fact such an idea was mentioned by French President Emmanuel #Macron. Peskov said that Moscow is hearing "many contradictory statements" from the West about sending NATO troops to Ukraine, but "the very fact of this discussion is dangerous." He pointed out that Macron's statements to the effect that a discussion should begin on this score came amid speculations that the West wants to see Russia suffer a strategic defeat. "They are all playing with fire," Peskov warned. He added that together with German officers’ discussion of strikes on Russia all this leads "to a further degradation of the situation." "Of course, this is extremely irresponsible behavior," Peskov stated. He pointed out that Moscow was keen to achieve its goals and that "Russia is open to political and diplomatic ways of achieving them."

X suspends Yulia #Navalnaya’s account The social media site X, formerly known as Twitter, has suspended the account of Alexey Navalny’s widow, Yulia Navalnaya. "Account suspended. X suspends accounts which violate the X Rules," a notice on her account says. The notice didn’t provide a specific rule that was violated. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov earlier said allegations that Russian President Vladimir Putin could be involved in the death of Alexey Navalny were absolutely unfounded. The spokesman was commenting on a statement by Navalnaya.

Kremlin possesses reliable information on French mercenaries in Ukraine, spokesman says The Kremlin insists it has reliable information about the presence of French mercenaries in Ukraine, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. He added that Paris should do more to better ensure that French citizens stay out of harm’s way. "We still insist that we are in possession of reliable information about the presence of French nationals in Ukraine, French mercenaries <…> and [we] believe that they [the French government] should take much better care of their citizens or, at least, insistently urge them against participating in the criminal activities of the Kiev regime," Peskov stated. He added that the Kremlin is aware of the declarations by French officials who claim that they "cannot do anything" about the issue of French soldiers of fortune on the payroll of the Kiev regime. "We regret this," he said.

'No comment': Peskov on Bild report about Germany’s ‘NATO scenario for war with Russia’ Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov offered no comment on a report in Berlin newspaper Bild that Germany is purportedly developing a scenario for a potential war between NATO and Russia, which is forecast to break out by the summer of 2025. "I would not comment on this Bild report," Peskov said, emphasizing that: "Recently, this newspaper has regularly stooped to publishing various fake news items and canards." Earlier, Bild published an article claiming that the German Defense Ministry considers a "hybrid Russian attack" on NATO's eastern flank as one of the hypothetical scenarios for future developments. The publication cited a purportedly secret document marked "for official use only." Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, commenting on the latest Bild report, dismissed it as "last year's horoscope."