Putin’s standing as global strongman in jeopardy after revolt
Over the past decade, President Vladimir Putin has won friends and admirers worldwide as the embodiment of a strongman, using military interventions in the Middle East and Africa to restore Russia’s role as a world power and promoting himself as an authoritarian alternative to the United States and the West.
The weekend mutiny by the Wagner Group and its chaotic aftermath have jeopardized that image, jolting many assumptions about Putin’s autocratic credentials, Russia’s stability and the likely course of the war in Ukraine.
With events continuing to unfold, it is still too early to tell how badly Putin has been weakened, analysts caution. The Wagner Group could be dismantled and its leader, Yevgeniy Prigozhin, now in exile in neighboring Belarus, could end up detained or killed. Putin may yet launch a broad crackdown against all his critics that could leave him more firmly in control than he was before.
Read the full story here.
Over the past decade, President Vladimir Putin has won friends and admirers worldwide as the embodiment of a strongman, using military interventions in the Middle East and Africa to restore Russia’s role as a world power and promoting himself as an authoritarian alternative to the United States and the West.
The weekend mutiny by the Wagner Group and its chaotic aftermath have jeopardized that image, jolting many assumptions about Putin’s autocratic credentials, Russia’s stability and the likely course of the war in Ukraine.
With events continuing to unfold, it is still too early to tell how badly Putin has been weakened, analysts caution. The Wagner Group could be dismantled and its leader, Yevgeniy Prigozhin, now in exile in neighboring Belarus, could end up detained or killed. Putin may yet launch a broad crackdown against all his critics that could leave him more firmly in control than he was before.
Read the full story here.
Delivering mail in war-ravaged Ukraine: ‘There are still people living here’
HULYAIPOLE, Ukraine — The trio of Ukrainian postal workers — a mail carrier, a driver and a security guard — wait for a lull in the shelling before entering Hulyaipole, a city near the front line where they often make deliveries under fire, zigzagging along bumpy lanes in their small white-and-yellow van. On one particularly hair-raising route, between two neighboring towns, they say a quick prayer, slam the accelerator and race across a mile-long stretch of open road in front of Russian positions.
Clad in bulletproof vests, they make this dangerous journey three times a month, in line with a new wartime schedule organized by Ukraine’s state postal service, Ukrposhta. They deliver not just letters and parcels but also pensions, groceries and medicine for the few residents who still live near Hulyaipole.
“Somebody has to do this job — and nobody wants to do it,” said the mail carrier, Natalia Hrinenko.
Read the full story here.
HULYAIPOLE, Ukraine — The trio of Ukrainian postal workers — a mail carrier, a driver and a security guard — wait for a lull in the shelling before entering Hulyaipole, a city near the front line where they often make deliveries under fire, zigzagging along bumpy lanes in their small white-and-yellow van. On one particularly hair-raising route, between two neighboring towns, they say a quick prayer, slam the accelerator and race across a mile-long stretch of open road in front of Russian positions.
Clad in bulletproof vests, they make this dangerous journey three times a month, in line with a new wartime schedule organized by Ukraine’s state postal service, Ukrposhta. They deliver not just letters and parcels but also pensions, groceries and medicine for the few residents who still live near Hulyaipole.
“Somebody has to do this job — and nobody wants to do it,” said the mail carrier, Natalia Hrinenko.
Read the full story here.
Russian elites brace for sweeping Kremlin investigation of Wagner rebellion
RIGA, Latvia — The Kremlin was in overdrive on Thursday striving to consolidate control and project an image of normalcy as questions swirled about the whereabouts of a top general, and Russia’s elites steeled themselves for a sweeping investigation into last weekend’s mercenary rebellion.
Among those being questioned, according to Russian media and members of the elite, was Gen. Sergei Surovikin, commander of the Russian aerospace forces, who had good relations with Wagner boss Yevgeniy Prigozhin. He reportedly intervened to sort out Prigozhin’s demands for ammunition after complaints that his fighters were poorly supplied.
Some members of the Russian elite, terrified at how close Prigozhin’s fighters got to Moscow and to setting off a civil war, raced to show their loyalty to President Vladimir Putin.
Read the full story here.
RIGA, Latvia — The Kremlin was in overdrive on Thursday striving to consolidate control and project an image of normalcy as questions swirled about the whereabouts of a top general, and Russia’s elites steeled themselves for a sweeping investigation into last weekend’s mercenary rebellion.
Among those being questioned, according to Russian media and members of the elite, was Gen. Sergei Surovikin, commander of the Russian aerospace forces, who had good relations with Wagner boss Yevgeniy Prigozhin. He reportedly intervened to sort out Prigozhin’s demands for ammunition after complaints that his fighters were poorly supplied.
Some members of the Russian elite, terrified at how close Prigozhin’s fighters got to Moscow and to setting off a civil war, raced to show their loyalty to President Vladimir Putin.
Read the full story here.
Cyberattack knocks out satellite communications for Russian military
A satellite communications system serving the Russian military was knocked offline by a cyberattack late Wednesday and remained mostly down on Thursday, in an incident reminiscent of an attack on a similar system used by Ukraine at the start of the war between the countries.
Dozor-Teleport, the satellite system’s operator, switched some users to terrestrial networks during the outage, according to JD Work, a cyberspace professor at the National Defense University. Analyst Doug Madory of Kentik, which monitors online traffic, said one network was taken over by Dozor’s parent company, Amtel-Svyaz, while three others remained down.
Read the full story here.
A satellite communications system serving the Russian military was knocked offline by a cyberattack late Wednesday and remained mostly down on Thursday, in an incident reminiscent of an attack on a similar system used by Ukraine at the start of the war between the countries.
Dozor-Teleport, the satellite system’s operator, switched some users to terrestrial networks during the outage, according to JD Work, a cyberspace professor at the National Defense University. Analyst Doug Madory of Kentik, which monitors online traffic, said one network was taken over by Dozor’s parent company, Amtel-Svyaz, while three others remained down.
Read the full story here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg met in Kyiv with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and members of a new group looking into the environmental consequences of war.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone Friday with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Modi “expressed understanding and support” for Putin’s actions to solidify power in the aftermath of the failed Wagner revolt.
- Ukrainian troops have been outshot tenfold at times because of limited resources, Zaluzhny claimed in the interview.
- The Russian agency in charge of information control and Internet restrictions, Roskomnadzor, said on Friday that it had blocked all media websites controlled by Wagner mercenary group leader Yevgeniy Prigozhin.
- Ukraine’s military is monitoring the situation in Belarus and strengthening Ukrainian defenses in the north, Zelensky said Friday.
More live updates here.
- Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg met in Kyiv with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and members of a new group looking into the environmental consequences of war.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone Friday with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Modi “expressed understanding and support” for Putin’s actions to solidify power in the aftermath of the failed Wagner revolt.
- Ukrainian troops have been outshot tenfold at times because of limited resources, Zaluzhny claimed in the interview.
- The Russian agency in charge of information control and Internet restrictions, Roskomnadzor, said on Friday that it had blocked all media websites controlled by Wagner mercenary group leader Yevgeniy Prigozhin.
- Ukraine’s military is monitoring the situation in Belarus and strengthening Ukrainian defenses in the north, Zelensky said Friday.
More live updates here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- A U.S. official told The Post that they have seen an “increasing need” for cluster munitions, which could help address ammunition shortages in Ukraine.
- Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said he had offered Wagner troops an abandoned military base for housing in Belarus.
- Ukraine’s top military commander, Gen. Valery Zaluzhny, told The Post he needs more of every weapon for the counteroffensive to progress more quickly.
- Earlier this month, CIA Director William J. Burns made a secret visit to Ukraine, where officials revealed an ambitious endgame for the war.
- A Russian missile hit a school in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region on Friday, killing two and injuring six, according to Ukrainian police.
More live updates here.
- A U.S. official told The Post that they have seen an “increasing need” for cluster munitions, which could help address ammunition shortages in Ukraine.
- Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said he had offered Wagner troops an abandoned military base for housing in Belarus.
- Ukraine’s top military commander, Gen. Valery Zaluzhny, told The Post he needs more of every weapon for the counteroffensive to progress more quickly.
- Earlier this month, CIA Director William J. Burns made a secret visit to Ukraine, where officials revealed an ambitious endgame for the war.
- A Russian missile hit a school in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region on Friday, killing two and injuring six, according to Ukrainian police.
More live updates here.
Ukraine faces mines and manpower challenges in offensive’s early weeks
Ukrainian forces are navigating giant minefields and mounting initial attacks on Russian positions along a sprawling front line, U.S. and Ukrainian officials said, as Kyiv takes the first, halting steps of what is expected to be a prolonged and punishing counteroffensive campaign.
Ukrainian officials say they have thus far reclaimed at least 130 square kilometers, or about 50 square miles, in the country’s south from Russian forces, which have spent months hardening fortifications and positioning reinforcements in their bid to protect territory seized since President Vladimir Putin’s 2022 invasion.
President Volodymyr Zelensky last week said that the offensive was moving “slower than desired” since it began this month, but that an operation against an adversary with a deeper arsenal and a far larger force shouldn’t be expected to unfold at an action-movie pace.
Read the full story here.
Ukrainian forces are navigating giant minefields and mounting initial attacks on Russian positions along a sprawling front line, U.S. and Ukrainian officials said, as Kyiv takes the first, halting steps of what is expected to be a prolonged and punishing counteroffensive campaign.
Ukrainian officials say they have thus far reclaimed at least 130 square kilometers, or about 50 square miles, in the country’s south from Russian forces, which have spent months hardening fortifications and positioning reinforcements in their bid to protect territory seized since President Vladimir Putin’s 2022 invasion.
President Volodymyr Zelensky last week said that the offensive was moving “slower than desired” since it began this month, but that an operation against an adversary with a deeper arsenal and a far larger force shouldn’t be expected to unfold at an action-movie pace.
Read the full story here.
Evidence mounts for use of banned mines by Ukrainian forces, rights group says
Ukrainian forces appear to have used rockets to scatter stacks of internationally banned, hand-size antipersonnel land mines over Russian-occupied areas in eastern Ukraine, according to evidence collected by Human Rights Watch.
A report released overnight adds to previous evidence collected by the New York-based rights group suggesting that Ukrainian forces scattered thousands of antipersonnel mines last year, injuring civilians, in violation of the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty, to which Ukraine is a signatory. Russia, which has not signed the treaty, has used antipersonnel mines far more extensively, rights groups say.
The bodyweight-triggered mines in question are considered particularly pernicious and violate international laws of war because they harm soldiers and civilians indiscriminately. Their small size and innocuous appearance can lead to children or other civilians handling them unknowingly.
Read the full story here.
Ukrainian forces appear to have used rockets to scatter stacks of internationally banned, hand-size antipersonnel land mines over Russian-occupied areas in eastern Ukraine, according to evidence collected by Human Rights Watch.
A report released overnight adds to previous evidence collected by the New York-based rights group suggesting that Ukrainian forces scattered thousands of antipersonnel mines last year, injuring civilians, in violation of the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty, to which Ukraine is a signatory. Russia, which has not signed the treaty, has used antipersonnel mines far more extensively, rights groups say.
The bodyweight-triggered mines in question are considered particularly pernicious and violate international laws of war because they harm soldiers and civilians indiscriminately. Their small size and innocuous appearance can lead to children or other civilians handling them unknowingly.
Read the full story here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- Sánchez’s visit to the Ukrainian capital underscores “the priorities of the Spanish presidency and our cooperation,” Zelensky said in his nightly address.
- Discontent in Russia during the war has created a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” for U.S. intelligence, Burns said Saturday.
- The Biden administration is weighing whether to supply Kyiv with cluster bombs.
- Ukraine must show results on the battlefield ahead of a NATO summit this month, Zelensky told Spanish reporters.
- One man was killed and two others were injured by shelling in Zaporizhzhia, according to the head of the regional military administration.
More live updates here.
- Sánchez’s visit to the Ukrainian capital underscores “the priorities of the Spanish presidency and our cooperation,” Zelensky said in his nightly address.
- Discontent in Russia during the war has created a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” for U.S. intelligence, Burns said Saturday.
- The Biden administration is weighing whether to supply Kyiv with cluster bombs.
- Ukraine must show results on the battlefield ahead of a NATO summit this month, Zelensky told Spanish reporters.
- One man was killed and two others were injured by shelling in Zaporizhzhia, according to the head of the regional military administration.
More live updates here.
Exclusive: Ukraine’s top general, Valery Zaluzhny, wants shells, planes and patience
KYIV, Ukraine — For Ukraine’s counteroffensive to progress faster, Gen. Valery Zaluzhny, the top officer in Ukraine’s armed forces, says he needs more — of every weapon. And he is telling anyone who will listen, including his American counterpart Gen. Mark A. Milley as recently as Wednesday, that he needs those resources now.
In a rare, wide-ranging interview with The Washington Post, Zaluzhny expressed frustration that while his biggest Western backers would never launch an offensive without air superiority, Ukraine still has not received modern fighter jets but is expected to rapidly take back territory from the occupying Russians. American-made F-16s, promised only recently, are not likely to arrive until the fall — in a best-case scenario.
Read the full story here.
KYIV, Ukraine — For Ukraine’s counteroffensive to progress faster, Gen. Valery Zaluzhny, the top officer in Ukraine’s armed forces, says he needs more — of every weapon. And he is telling anyone who will listen, including his American counterpart Gen. Mark A. Milley as recently as Wednesday, that he needs those resources now.
In a rare, wide-ranging interview with The Washington Post, Zaluzhny expressed frustration that while his biggest Western backers would never launch an offensive without air superiority, Ukraine still has not received modern fighter jets but is expected to rapidly take back territory from the occupying Russians. American-made F-16s, promised only recently, are not likely to arrive until the fall — in a best-case scenario.
Read the full story here.
Ukraine says Putin is planning a nuclear disaster. These people live nearby.
TOMAKIVKA, Ukraine — The risk of a major disaster at the nearby Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant terrifies Nadiya Hez, who lives in an area that would probably take the brunt of any deadly radioactive fallout.
The nuclear plant has been in continual danger as Russian and Ukrainian troops trade fire in its vicinity, but the chance of a meltdown has increased sharply since the destruction of the Kakhovka dam just downstream. The June 6 breach unleashed a catastrophic flood and jeopardized the supply of water needed to cool the plant’s reactors and spent fuel.
But there have been so many horrors since Russia invaded last year that Hez and others in this Ukrainian town have responded to the threat of a nuclear disaster with a mix of dread and hardened fatalism.
Read the full story here.
TOMAKIVKA, Ukraine — The risk of a major disaster at the nearby Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant terrifies Nadiya Hez, who lives in an area that would probably take the brunt of any deadly radioactive fallout.
The nuclear plant has been in continual danger as Russian and Ukrainian troops trade fire in its vicinity, but the chance of a meltdown has increased sharply since the destruction of the Kakhovka dam just downstream. The June 6 breach unleashed a catastrophic flood and jeopardized the supply of water needed to cool the plant’s reactors and spent fuel.
But there have been so many horrors since Russia invaded last year that Hez and others in this Ukrainian town have responded to the threat of a nuclear disaster with a mix of dread and hardened fatalism.
Read the full story here.
Here's the latest from Ukraine:
- About 700,000 children have been brought into Russian territory from war zones in Ukraine, a lawmaker in Russia’s upper house of parliament said late Sunday.
- Yevgeniy Prigozhin’s Wagner Group will pause hiring mercenaries for a month and his media empire, Patriot Media, will shut down, said Yevgeny Zubarev, the director of the group’s most prominent outlet, the ultranationalist, pro-Kremlin RIA FAN news site.
- Russia has no need for a new wave of mobilization after the withdrawal of Wagner Group forces from Ukraine, Andrey Kartapolov, the head of the defense committee in Russia’s lower house, told the Russian state news agency Tass.
- About 100 nuclear specialists have left Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the mayor of the Russian-occupied town of Enerhodar, Dmytro Orlov, told Ukrainian Radio. Senior Ukrainian officials have stepped up warnings that Russian forces plan to sabotage the plant, the largest such facility in Europe.
More live updates here.
- About 700,000 children have been brought into Russian territory from war zones in Ukraine, a lawmaker in Russia’s upper house of parliament said late Sunday.
- Yevgeniy Prigozhin’s Wagner Group will pause hiring mercenaries for a month and his media empire, Patriot Media, will shut down, said Yevgeny Zubarev, the director of the group’s most prominent outlet, the ultranationalist, pro-Kremlin RIA FAN news site.
- Russia has no need for a new wave of mobilization after the withdrawal of Wagner Group forces from Ukraine, Andrey Kartapolov, the head of the defense committee in Russia’s lower house, told the Russian state news agency Tass.
- About 100 nuclear specialists have left Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the mayor of the Russian-occupied town of Enerhodar, Dmytro Orlov, told Ukrainian Radio. Senior Ukrainian officials have stepped up warnings that Russian forces plan to sabotage the plant, the largest such facility in Europe.
More live updates here.
After mutiny, Kremlin looks to unwind holdings tied to Wagner mercenary boss
RIGA, Latvia — With Moscow still rattled by the Wagner mercenary group’s failed rebellion, the Kremlin has begun the difficult task of dismantling and taking control of Yevgeniy Prigozhin’s sprawling empire, which included not only the shadowy army-for-hire but also a propaganda media wing and internet troll factories infamous for interfering in elections in the United States.
Prigozhin, the St. Petersburg mogul known as “Putin’s chef” because he made billions from government catering contracts to feed soldiers and kindergartners across Russia, has dropped out of sight since agreeing last Saturday to halt his mutiny and go to Belarus. Although Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said Prigozhin had arrived there, he has not been seen.
Read the full story here.
RIGA, Latvia — With Moscow still rattled by the Wagner mercenary group’s failed rebellion, the Kremlin has begun the difficult task of dismantling and taking control of Yevgeniy Prigozhin’s sprawling empire, which included not only the shadowy army-for-hire but also a propaganda media wing and internet troll factories infamous for interfering in elections in the United States.
Prigozhin, the St. Petersburg mogul known as “Putin’s chef” because he made billions from government catering contracts to feed soldiers and kindergartners across Russia, has dropped out of sight since agreeing last Saturday to halt his mutiny and go to Belarus. Although Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said Prigozhin had arrived there, he has not been seen.
Read the full story here.
Celebrated Ukrainian war writer killed in Russian strike on restaurant
The prominent Ukrainian writer Victoria Amelina died Saturday of injuries sustained during a Russian strike on a bustling restaurant last week in eastern Ukraine. She was 37.
Amelina had been receiving treatment at Mechnikov Hospital in Dnipro, Ukraine, according to PEN Ukraine, a freedom-of-expression advocacy group, of which she was a member. She was dining with a group of Colombian writers and journalists at a pizza restaurant in the city of Kramatorsk during the June 27 attack, PEN International said. The Colombian visitors suffered minor injuries.
The writer was known for her two novels, “Fall Syndrome” and “Dom’s Dream Kingdom” — both about contemporary Ukraine — as well as children’s literature. She was awarded the Joseph Conrad Literary Award in 2021 and was a finalist for the European Union Prize for Literature in 2019.
Read the full story here.
The prominent Ukrainian writer Victoria Amelina died Saturday of injuries sustained during a Russian strike on a bustling restaurant last week in eastern Ukraine. She was 37.
Amelina had been receiving treatment at Mechnikov Hospital in Dnipro, Ukraine, according to PEN Ukraine, a freedom-of-expression advocacy group, of which she was a member. She was dining with a group of Colombian writers and journalists at a pizza restaurant in the city of Kramatorsk during the June 27 attack, PEN International said. The Colombian visitors suffered minor injuries.
The writer was known for her two novels, “Fall Syndrome” and “Dom’s Dream Kingdom” — both about contemporary Ukraine — as well as children’s literature. She was awarded the Joseph Conrad Literary Award in 2021 and was a finalist for the European Union Prize for Literature in 2019.
Read the full story here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- The founder of the Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeniy Prigozhin, shared an audio message Monday — his first since calling off his mutiny aimed at the leaders atop Russia’s Ministry of Defense.
- Investigators on Monday launched the International Center for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine, a key step in investigating whether Russia’s war in Ukraine meets the legal definition of the crime of aggression.
- The new center in The Hague is a landmark first step in building a case against Russian officials and a possible precursor to the establishment of a special tribunal.
- About 700,000 children have been brought into Russian territory from war zones in Ukraine, a lawmaker in Russia’s upper house of parliament said.
- One person was killed and 16 others injured in a drone attack on the city of Sumy in northern Ukraine, regional officials said Monday afternoon.
More live updates here.
- The founder of the Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeniy Prigozhin, shared an audio message Monday — his first since calling off his mutiny aimed at the leaders atop Russia’s Ministry of Defense.
- Investigators on Monday launched the International Center for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine, a key step in investigating whether Russia’s war in Ukraine meets the legal definition of the crime of aggression.
- The new center in The Hague is a landmark first step in building a case against Russian officials and a possible precursor to the establishment of a special tribunal.
- About 700,000 children have been brought into Russian territory from war zones in Ukraine, a lawmaker in Russia’s upper house of parliament said.
- One person was killed and 16 others injured in a drone attack on the city of Sumy in northern Ukraine, regional officials said Monday afternoon.
More live updates here.
Here's the latest from Ukraine:
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky alleged that the Kremlin was using the Georgian government in an attempt to kill Mikheil Saakashvili, who was the pro-West president of Georgia during Russia’s 2008 invasion.
- Zelensky called on Tbilisi to stop the “demonstrative execution” of Saakashvili, who is imprisoned in Georgia, and transfer him to Ukraine — where he is a citizen — “for the necessary treatment and care.” In a court appearance via video conference, Saakashvili appeared emaciated when he lifted his shirt to reveal his torso.
- The U.S. ambassador to Russia met with jailed Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich in Moscow’s Lefortovo prison on Monday.
- Ukrainian forces are engaged in “heavy fighting” on the eastern front lines and are making progress in the south, Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said Monday.
More live updates here.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky alleged that the Kremlin was using the Georgian government in an attempt to kill Mikheil Saakashvili, who was the pro-West president of Georgia during Russia’s 2008 invasion.
- Zelensky called on Tbilisi to stop the “demonstrative execution” of Saakashvili, who is imprisoned in Georgia, and transfer him to Ukraine — where he is a citizen — “for the necessary treatment and care.” In a court appearance via video conference, Saakashvili appeared emaciated when he lifted his shirt to reveal his torso.
- The U.S. ambassador to Russia met with jailed Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich in Moscow’s Lefortovo prison on Monday.
- Ukrainian forces are engaged in “heavy fighting” on the eastern front lines and are making progress in the south, Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said Monday.
More live updates here.
As war nears Crimea, Russian occupiers are trying to lure tourists
KYIV, Ukraine — Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula that Russia seized from Ukraine and illegally annexed in 2014, has been targeted in repeated drone attacks against naval targets, railway lines and oil depots.
Moscow accused Kyiv last month of firing British Storm Shadow missiles at a bridge that connects the 10,000-square-mile landmass to southern Ukraine.
But despite the increasing insecurity — and speculation that, as Ukraine steps up its counteroffensive, Kyiv could attempt to take the peninsula back — occupying authorities insist there’s no cause for concern.
The summer tourist season is on.
Read the full story here.
KYIV, Ukraine — Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula that Russia seized from Ukraine and illegally annexed in 2014, has been targeted in repeated drone attacks against naval targets, railway lines and oil depots.
Moscow accused Kyiv last month of firing British Storm Shadow missiles at a bridge that connects the 10,000-square-mile landmass to southern Ukraine.
But despite the increasing insecurity — and speculation that, as Ukraine steps up its counteroffensive, Kyiv could attempt to take the peninsula back — occupying authorities insist there’s no cause for concern.
The summer tourist season is on.
Read the full story here.