The Russian Invasion

Russian invasionRussian reactions
Russian blockade of media dismissed as nonsense

The Kremlin's move to block 81 European media outlets from Russia is facing criticism from the West.

The Russian announcement comes after the EU announced in May that it was suspending the broadcasting activities of the Russian state media within the Union. Moscow says the European media are being blocked because they "systematically spread disinformation" about the invasion of Ukraine.

"It is total nonsense," writes European Commission Vice President Vera Jourova on X.

Among those carried are Sveriges Television and Sveriges Radio.

- It will be even more difficult to conduct free and independent journalism about developments in Russia, says Sveriges Radio's CEO Cilla Benkö.

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The Russian InvasionThe Battles
Large prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine

Russia and Ukraine have exchanged 90 prisoners of war each in an exchange negotiated by the United Arab Emirates, reports AFP.

"Today 90 of our citizens are returning home [...] We do not forget anyone who is held captive in Russia," writes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on X.

The exchange is also confirmed by the Russian Ministry of Defense, which writes that the prisoners have been flown to Moscow, where they will undergo medical examinations.

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Zelensky fires top army and state bodyguards

On Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi announced that he is firing Yuri Sodol, one of the army's most senior commanders, and replacing him with Brigadier General Andriy Hnatov. This is reported by AFP.

Zelenskyy did not give a reason for the shakedown, but it comes after Azov Battalion commander Bogdan Krotevych accused Sodol of incompetence and asked the SBU security service to investigate him.

On Monday, the president also ordered a purge of the state bodyguard force as it got a new chief, according to Reuters.

This is after the SBU announced last month that it had arrested two employees suspected of collaborating with Russia and planning to assassinate Zelensky and other high-ranking Ukrainian figures.