Rachel Amran

Aug 8, 2024 | yahoo.com | Rachel Amran

Rachel Amran, The Kyiv Independent news deskAugust 8, 2024 at 6:17 PM·1 min readEditor's Note: This is a developing story and is being updated. Strong explosions and fires were reported in Rylsk in Kursk Oblast overnight on Aug. 9, Russian-affiliated Telegram channels reported. Residents allegedly heard four explosions in the village of Stepanovka. The cause of the explosion is not yet known. Ukrainian forces crossed the border into Kursk Oblast on Aug. 6, resulting in clashes on Russian soil.

Aug 8, 2024 | kyivindependent.com | Rachel Amran

Polish authorities detained former Open Russia activist Igor Rogov on charges of preparing an explosion. Rogov will reportedly face three months of pre-trial detention.  The former activist was initially arrested on July 19 in the Polish city of Katowice, where he was studying on scholarship, local media reported.

Aug 8, 2024 | kyivindependent.com | Rachel Amran

The United Arab Emirates introduced a ban on ships bearing the flag of the African nation of Eswatini, signaling further restrictions on "shadow fleet" vessels carrying Russian oil, Bloomberg reported on Aug. 8. Russia's "shadow fleet" is a group of older and often uninsured vessels used by Russia to ship out its oil while avoiding international sanctions. Ships carrying the flag of Eswatini have transported oil for Russia.

Aug 5, 2024 | kyivindependent.com | Rachel Amran

An explosion reported at an Avangard plant in Bashkortostan, Russia, killed three people, RFE/RL reported on Aug. 5. The plant belongs to Rostec, the Russian state-owned arms manufacturer. Hungary will not face oil shortages due to Ukraine's decision to block Lukoil PJSC's crude transit, according to Zsolt Hernadi, CEO of Hungarian oil and gas conglomerate MOL Group.

Aug 1, 2024 | kyivindependent.com | Rachel Amran

Freed U.S. prisoners arrived in Maryland during the late hours of Aug.1, where they were greeted by U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Turkey's National Intelligence Organization confirmed on Aug. 1 that 26 prisoners had been exchanged by Russia and the West. The exchange was carried out in Ankara. Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan were released by Russia in a multi-country prisoner exchange.