Russian President Vladimir Putin sought to painting his nation as extra united than ever within the wake of a failed armed rise up by the Wagner mercenary group.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky alleged with out offering proof that the Kremlin, by way of the Georgian authorities, is attempting to kill Mikheil Saakashvili, who was the pro-West president of Georgia throughout Russia’s 2008 invasion. Saakashvili is presently imprisoned in Georgia and a citizen of Ukraine. In a courtroom look by way of videoconference, Saakashvili — who has staged a number of starvation strikes in jail — appeared emaciated when he lifted his shirt to disclose his torso.
Right here’s the most recent on the struggle and its ripple results throughout the globe.
As struggle nears Crimea, Russian occupiers try to lure vacationers: Tourism-dependent Crimea is looking forward to a grim summer time vacation season because the struggle grinds on, Francesca Ebel and Natalia Abbakumova report. Many guests, involved by current assaults, are canceling their summer time bookings to the Black Sea peninsula, which Russia illegally annexed from Ukraine in 2014. Crimea accounted for only one p.c of Russian resort bookings this yr, in response to the net reserving portal Ostrovok.ru, down from 3 p.c final yr and 19 p.c from the yr earlier than.
“There are certainly fewer folks in Crimea than typical,” mentioned Nikita Krimskiy, a tour information in Yalta. “Many individuals have been intimidated by navy information and varied ‘fakes.’ They’ve modified their plans and determined to not go to Crimea this season.” Some all-inclusive lodges have lowered their costs by as a lot as 60 p.c. Others have merely determined to not open this summer time. Sixty p.c of Crimean tourism companies misplaced cash final yr, official knowledge exhibits, with mixed losses of $10 million as vacationer income dropped by a couple of third.
Emily Rauhala contributed to this report.