Page 53 - RusRPTAug24

Zelenskiy on MH17 crash: Russian responsibility for it is inevitable "It's been 10 years since the day when Russian killers shot down the MH17 passenger plane in the Ukrainian sky. The whole world saw then who came to wage war against Ukraine and that Russian evil is a threat not only to us. 298 people were killed, including 80 children. Citizens of a dozen countries from different parts of the world," President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.
Ukraine signs long-term security deals with Czechia, Slovenia. Prague and Ljubljana will provide Ukraine with long-term military and non-military assistance.
Germany seeks to increase defence spending over threat of Russian aggression, defence minister says. The agreed budget will see an increase in defence spending by 1.2bn euros (nearly $1.4bn), while German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius requested a 6.7bn euros (nearly $7.3bn) increase, according to Tagesspiegel.
Russia announces willingness to help Georgian ruling party stay in power. Andrei Klimov, Deputy Chairman of Russia's Federation Council, stated that Russia is prepared to assist Georgia's ruling party, "Georgian Dream," in retaining power if requested.
EU approves its first-ever military support for Armenia. The Council of the European Union for the first time approved assistance under the European Peace Facility (EPF) to support the Armenian Armed Forces with 10mn euros ($10.8mn), according to the council's July 22 statement.
Second front of conflict with Russia to open in Georgia if opposition comes to power — PM "By November after the elections, I can assure you that not in two, three or four months, but in days, Georgia will turn into the second front," Irakli Kobakhidze said
On July 28, French authorities arrested a Russian citizen allegedly planning to “destabilize” the Paris Olympic Games. He was detained after police searched his apartment in central Paris at the request of the French Interior Ministry. There, they found evidence of “pro-Russian operations” and connections to the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB). Although police did not release any details of the plan, a source in the French state prosecution service said the man was “organizing events likely to lead to destabilization during the Olympic Games” as well as “passing intelligence to a foreign power in order to arouse hostilities in France.” Prosecutors clarified that the alleged plot was not a terror attack and is being investigated by counter-espionage specialists rather than an anti-terrorist division.
The police have not released the name of the suspect, but a joint investigation by The Insider, Der Spiegel, and Le Monde identified the man as 40-year-old
53 RUSSIA Country Report August 2024 www.intellinews.com