Putin claims Russian economy faring higher than expected
Russian President Vladimir Putin said late Tuesday that the country’s economy was exceeding expectations, following an update from Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.
During a gathering on the Kremlin, Mishustin reported that GDP growth may top 2% in 2023 while inflation may not exceed 5% annually. The International Monetary Fund has projected 0.7% GDP growth this 12 months after a 2.1% contraction in 2022.
In accordance with a transcript on the Kremlin’s website, Putin said “at the least in the meanwhile” that the outcomes were “higher than previously expected, higher than predicted.”
Russia has been on the receiving end of several waves of sweeping economic sanctions from Ukraine’s allies for the reason that unprovoked invasion of its neighbor in February 2022.
— Elliot Smith
Russia and Ukraine trade attack plot accusations at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant
Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is seen as Russian militaryâs presence at nuclear power plant continues, on August 11, 2022, in Zaporizhzia, Ukraine.
Metin Aktas | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday that he had warned French President Emmanuel Macron that Russia was planning “dangerous provocations” on the Moscow-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.
“Now we’ve information from our intelligence that the Russian military has placed objects resembling explosives on the roof of several power units of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Perhaps to simulate an attack on the plant. Perhaps they’ve another scenario,” Zelenskyy added alongside the video posted on Twitter.
“But in any case, the world sees – cannot but see – that the one source of danger to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is Russia and nobody else.”
Russian troops seized the ability station, Europe’s largest nuclear facility, within the early days of the invasion in February 2022, and each side have since continuously accused each other of endangering it via shelling.
Russian state news agencies quoted an advisor to Russia’s nuclear network as claiming that the Ukrainian military is planning to attack the station using “long-range precision equipment and kamikaze attack drones,” though no evidence was offered in support of this allegation.
— Elliot Smith
Ukraine claims destruction of Russian unit; Moscow alleges civilian casualties
Ukraine’s military claimed late on Tuesday to have destroyed a Russian unit in Makiivka, a Moscow-held territory within the Donetsk region.
“In consequence of precision firing by Defence Forces units, one other formation of Russian terrorists within the temporarily occupied Makiivka ceased to exist,” the strategic communications office for Ukraine’s Armed Forces said on the Telegram messaging app, alongside a video of apparent explosions in the gap.
The Russian-installed head of the region, Denis Pushilin, claimed on Telegram that the Ukrainian shelling had resulted in civilian casualties.
“Late within the evening, the enemy launched fierce attacks on residential areas and the hospital complex of the Chervonogvardeisky district of Makeevka. The blast wave was felt by the vast majority of residents of Makeevka and Donetsk,” Pushilin said.
“For the time being, 25 victims are known, including two children wounded: a woman 2 years 9 months old. and a 7 12 months old boy.”
Neither claim could possibly be independently verified. For the reason that start of the Russian invasion, each side have accused each other of targeting civilians and denied doing so themselves.
— Elliot Smith
Not less than 31 wounded, including nine children, in Russian shelling on Ukraine
Not less than 31 people, including nine children, were wounded in Russian shelling on the small town of Pervomaiskyi in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region, officials said Tuesday.
The windows of multi–story buildings were smashed and cars were set alight within the shelling which occurred at 1:35 p.m. Kyiv time, Kharkiv regional governor Oleh Synehubov wrote on the Telegram messaging app.
Russia didn’t immediately comment on the incident and CNBC was unable to independently confirm the reports.
— Karen Gilchrist
Russia claims ‘certain contacts’ with U.S. over detained reporter Gershkovich
Russia said Tuesday that “certain contacts” had been made with the U.S. regarding the detention of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.
Speaking a day after U.S. ambassador Lynne Tracy visited Gershkovich in a Moscow prison, the Kremlin said that it didn’t have the desire to make its conversations with the U.S. public.
“We said that there are particular contacts on this matter, but we don’t have the desire to make them public, they have to be carried out and continued in complete silence,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, in line with a Reuters translation.
“As for the legal right to consular contacts, this right, after all, should be ensured on each side.”
Russia has accused Gershkovich of espionage, something he denies.
— Karen Gilchrist
Voice recording said to be of Wagner’s Prigozhin surfaces
Wagner mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin appears to have resurfaced on social media after being exiled to Belarus since his failed rebel 11 days ago.
A voice recording said to be of Prigozhin was posted on the Grey Zone Telegram page — an account supportive of Russian mercenaries, with greater than 500,000 subscribers.
NBC News is unable to authenticate the audio message.
“Today, greater than ever, we want your support. Thanks for that,” the voice said.
“I need you to grasp that our “March of Justice” was geared toward fighting traitors and mobilizing our society. And I feel we’ve achieved a whole lot of it,” it added.
“Within the near future, I’m sure that you’ll see our next victories on the front. Thanks guys!”
NBC’s Moscow bureau said the voice does sound like Prigozhin’s, but that he’s speaking more slowly than usual.
The mercenary leader has not been seen in public for the reason that rebellion 11 days ago.
— Karen Gilchrist
NATO extends Stoltenberg’s mandate for a 12 months after failing to agree on recent leader
NATO on Tuesday agreed to increase Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s term by an additional 12 months after members were unable to agree on a recent leader.
Stoltenberg, 64, who has been within the role since 2014, said he was honored by the choice, despite recently saying he had no plans to stay in situ beyond his current term, resulting from end October 1.
Stoltenberg’s reappointment had been widely expected since last month. Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said last week that “the brand new NATO secretary-general is the nice old NATO secretary-general.”
Kallas was one candidate under discussion to exchange Stoltenberg, alongside Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, though neither candidate drew sufficient support.
The extension of Stoltenberg’s term comes one week before NATO leaders gather in Vilnius, Lithuania, for his or her annual summit.
— Karen Gilchrist