In a concerning development, Ukraine’s security service has issued a warning about an alleged “false flag” attack being prepared by Russia at an oil refinery in Belarus. According to the service, the planned strike on the Mozyr plant aims to implicate Ukrainian saboteurs, possibly with the intention of drawing Belarus into the ongoing conflict. The claims are based on information obtained from various sources, including a captured Russian serviceman. The attack is believed to be orchestrated by a “sabotage and intelligence group” comprising Russian Armed Forces personnel and members of the Wagner mercenary group. The security service emphasises that any invader crossing the Ukrainian border will be met with a swift response from their security and defence forces.
In a separate development, Russia and China have been conducting joint navy exercises in the Bering Sea. The drills involved practising tactics to detect and destroy submarines. As the two nations strengthen their military ties, concerns have been raised about the potential implications for the war in Ukraine. China has been accused of clandestinely supplying Moscow with weapons, although it denies such claims and has presented itself as a neutral party. Despite this, China has previously offered a peace plan to Russia and Ukraine, proposing a way to resolve the ongoing conflict.
In a shocking revelation, Kyiv’s human rights commissioner reported that at least eight Ukrainian babies have been illegally taken abroad by a criminal gang involved in child trafficking. The gang targeted vulnerable women facing financial difficulties and offered them money to give birth using foreign sperm donors under the pretext of surrogate motherhood. The babies’ birth certificates indicated foreign customers, providing them with legal grounds to take the children out of the country. The commissioner expressed concern about the increasing risk of human trafficking during the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, in Russia, a proposed bill aims to introduce prison terms for individuals evading military service. Those found guilty could face a fine of up to half a million rubles or imprisonment for up to five years. Amid rumours of a new wave of mobilisation this fall, the defence ministry has been actively recruiting more men for military service, setting up booths near metro stations and business centres, and displaying advertisements throughout Moscow.
