Page 45 - RusRPTAug22

Ukraine.
Opposition politician and former municipal deputy Ilya Yashin was arrested on July 14 after being charged with spreading fake information about the Russian Armed Forces. The charge relates to a YouTube video in which he mentions the “murder of civilians in Bucha,” where Russia has been accused of war crimes. If found guilty, he may be sentenced to up to 15 years in prison. “The case is politically motivated from the first page to the last,” Yashin said, “They only have a video on Youtube, they didn’t come up with anything else.” The latest arrest occurred on the day he was set to be released from a 15-day sentence for disobeying police orders. In May, he was fined 90,000 rubles ($1,799) for “discrediting” Russian military actions. A supporter of Alexei Navalny, Yashin resigned from his position as chairman of the council of deputies of the Krasnoselsky municipal district in central Moscow last year.
President Vladimir Putin signed into law on July 14 legislation expanding the “foreign agent” label to encompass anyone deemed to have fallen under “foreign influence.” Russia's registry of “foreign agents,” a name with Soviet-era connotations, lists “politically active” people and organizations that Russian authorities determine to have received foreign funding and subjects them to strict auditing requirements. The new law signed by Putin expands the definition of “foreign agents” to those who receive support of any kind, not just money, from abroad. Anyone who has worked with a “foreign agent” or received funding from one will be included in a new Justice Ministry list of people and groups “affiliated with foreign agents.” Under the law, Russia’s state communications watchdog Roskomnadzor now has the authority to block “foreign agent” websites at the Justice Ministry’s request without a court order.
Institute for the Study of War: Russia begins 'volunteer mobilization' to solve soldier shortage issues. The U.S. think tank said in its July 13 report that in an attempt to continue war efforts, but prevent general mobilization, Russia called upon its 85 federal regions (including occupied Sevastopol and Crimea) to create "volunteer battalions" through high pay and benefit incentives. Each region must provide at least one unit with the volunteers, men up to 50 years old, signing up for six month contracts. The experts cited Russian media who confirm the creation or deployment of volunteer battalions in 10 oblasts, including the city of Moscow, in late June and early July.
Russia has stolen $613 million worth of agricultural products from Ukraine since February. According to Roman Neyter, a researcher at the Kyiv School of Economics, this is the estimated worth of the grain and agricultural oils Russia has stolen from Ukraine during the ongoing invasion. The total losses of the agricultural sector from the war can reach $27.6 billion, according to him.
Kyiv School of Economics: Ukraine needs at least $165.1 billion for
45 RUSSIA Country Report October 2020 www.intellinews.com