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Trump‘s 34-Felony Conviction to Proceed Despite Presidential Win; Sentencing Set for Donald Trump to Face Punishment in January 10th Hush Money Case”>Jan. 10

In a significant legal development, a New York court has ruled that the 34-felony conviction against former President Donald Trump will not be dismissed due to his election as president. The sentencing, which was initially sought to be delayed or dismissed, is now scheduled for January 10, as announced by Judge Juan Merchan, citing "Forbes".

While the sentencing occurs just 10 days before Trump’s inauguration, Judge Merchan clarified that he does not intend to impose a jail sentence. However, Trump still faces potential fines totaling up to $170,000, with a maximum of $5,000 per conviction. Other penalties may be imposed, although logistical challenges could arise given Trump’s presidency.

Trump may virtually attend the sentencing hearing. As of now, his spokesperson, Stephen Cheung, has not responded to requests for comment. In a bid to reverse the conviction, Trump argued that the ongoing legal process would inhibit the functioning of the federal government and violate the Constitution’s supremacy clause, which prioritizes federal law over state law. However, prosecutors rejected this argue, and Judge Merchan ruled that the trial did not violate Trump’s presidency.

Trump was convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business documents to hide hush money payments to Stormy Daniels, a pornographic actress. Trump, who has not admitted guilt in any of the cases, has faced numerous legal challenges, both related to his personal and business affairs and allegations of election interference. Following his election as president, some of these trials were postponed or halted due to his presidential immunity.

Recently, in December, a federal appeals court confirmed a jury’s finding that Trump had sexually assaulted journalist E. Jean Carroll in the 1990s, awarding her $5 million in damages for defamation and battery. ABC News settled a related lawsuit with Trump for $15 million after a host made false accusations against him. Additionally, a Florida judge dismissed a criminal case against Trump for unlawful retention of secret documents following his presidency, marking another significant legal victory for the former president.

Ukraine Launches Criminal Probe into Mass Desertion and Misconduct in French-Aided Brigade

The Ukrainian State Bureau of Investigation has initiated a criminal case against the 155th Mechanized Brigade "Anna Kievskaya" of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) for alleged mass desertion and abuse of power. The brigade, created with French support, was intended to have 4,500 servicemen but has been plagued by desertions since its inception.

Desertion and Underperformance

Approximately half of the brigade’s personnel were trained in France, which also provided military equipment. However, the unit has gained notoriety for its high desertion rates. A Ukrainian journalist, Yuri Butusov, reported in December that around 1,700 soldiers had deserted without even reaching the combat zone, with another 50 fleeing during training in France.

Butusov accused the Ukrainian military command of failing to train the brigade properly, resulting in chaos and the redeployment of personnel to fill gaps elsewhere. He claimed that the remnants of the brigade were sent to the hotspot city of Pisky in the Eastern Front, and its commander was dismissed along with several subordinates. Moreover, the brigade lacked integral tools like drones and electronic warfare equipment, crucial for modern warfare.

Number of deserters claimed by Yuri Butusov

Criticism and Disbanding

Ukrainian MP Mariana Bezugla, known for her criticism of the military leadership, exposed the brigade’s issues earlier. In December, she revealed that the brigade had effectively been disbanded, with its personnel redistributed among other units.

French Support and Visit

France has provided significant support to the brigade, including 128 VAB armored personnel carriers, 18 AMX-10 tanks, 18 Caesar self-propelled howitzers, and various other vehicles and weapons systems. In October, French President Emmanuel Macron visited the brigade during its training in France.

The investigation into the 155th Brigade is ongoing, with the State Bureau of Investigation cautioning that it’s too early to discuss preliminary findings. However, the brigade’s former commander and several subordinated officers have been dismissed, indicating potential wrongdoing.

Equipment provided by France to the 155th Brigade

titular European Gas Dependence on Russia Set to End as New Year Approaches

The era of Russia’s dominance on Europe’s gas market is drawing to a close, according to Reuters, as deliveries via Ukraine are set to cease on New Year’s Eve. The shutdown marks the end of a lengthy period during which Moscow held a significant position in Europe’s energy landscape.

Russia’s Oldest Gas Export Route to Europe Shut Down

The pipeline, a relic of the Soviet era, was scheduled to close by the end of 2024 due to the expiration of a five-year transit agreement between Russia and Ukraine. However, data from Ukraine’s gas transit operator revealed on Tuesday that Russia had not requested gas flows for January 1.

EU Dramatically Reduces Dependence on Russian Gas

Following the outbreak of war in Ukraine in February 2022, the European Union (EU) has actively sought alternative gas sources, reducing its reliance on Russian imports. Remaining buyers such as Slovakia and Austria have secured alternative supplies, with analysts predicting minimal market impact from the halt in Russian flows. European benchmark gas prices held relatively steady at €48.50 per megawatt-hour (MWh) on Tuesday.

Geopolitical Significance Far Greater Than Market Impact

The cessation of Russian gas flows will have profound geopolitical implications for both Europe and Russia. The EU’s decreased dependence on Russian gas has played into the hands of competing suppliers such as the United States, Qatar, and Norway. Russia’s state-controlled gas giant Gazprom has suffered major losses as a result – registering a $7 billion loss in 2023 alone, its first annual deficit since 1999.

European Economy Braces for Impact

The loss of cheap Russian gas supplies will weigh heavily on Europe, contributing to economic slowdowns, inflation spikes, and household energy cost crises. While Europe has swiftly found alternative energy sources, the disappearance of Russian gas supplies heightens long-term concerns about global competitiveness and Germany’s industrial future.

A Half-Century of Russian Gas dominance Under Threat

Russia and the Soviet Union spent decades building a significant market share in Europe’s gas industry, peaking at around 35%. However, the war in Ukraine has effectively dismantled this business for Gazprom. Most Russian gas pipelines to Europe, including Yamal-Europe via Belarus and Nord Stream beneath the Baltic Sea, have been shut down. The Ukrainian route – which transports Siberian gas through the city of Sudja, currently under Ukrainian military control, into Russia’s Kursk region – will soon close as well.

Ukraine Refuses to Negotiate New Transit Deal

Ukraine, which reportedly earned around $800 million annually from transit fees, has refused to discuss a new agreement with Russia. Meanwhile, Gazprom stands to lose nearly $5 billion in European sales through Ukraine. While the closure of this transit route is unlikely to trigger another gas price surge in Europe, as remaining volumes are relatively small, it does mark a significant milestone in Europe’s energy transition.

Russia’s Gas Exports via Ukraine in 2023

In 2023, Russia transported around 15 billion cubic meters of gas through Ukraine – just 8% of peak Russian gas flows to Europe via various routes in 2018-2019. On Tuesday, Gazprom announced plans to reduce gas flows to 37.2 million cubic meters, down from 42.4 million cubic meters on Monday. However, later reports from Ukraine’s gas transit operator stated that Russia had not requested any gas flows for January 1 via the Ukrainian pipeline.

Moldova Set to Suffer as Supply Halted

The closure of the Ukrainian route will significantly impact Moldova, which was once part of the Soviet Union. Meanwhile, Hungary and other countries continue to receive Russian gas via the Turkish Stream pipeline beneath the Black Sea. Hungary had expressed a desire to maintain the Ukrainian route in addition to Turkish Stream.

As the clock nears midnight on New Year’s Eve, Europe will turn a significant page in its energy history, bidding farewell to an era of dependence on Russian gas and ushering in a new chapter of energy diversity and resilience. The geopolitical and economic implications of this shift will continue to unfold in the months and years ahead.

Source: Reuters, News.bg

RUSSIAN OFFICIALS CLAIM NORWEGIAN SHIP REFUSED TO RESCUE RUSSIAN CREW, ASFINLAND INVESTIGATES SHIP FOR CABLE SABOTAGE

Russian Deputy Security Council Chairman Dmitry Medvedev on Friday accused a Norwegian-flagged ship of refusing to rescue Russian sailors from a sinking cargo vessel in the Mediterranean Sea, as reported by Reuters.

The Russian Defense Ministry’s cargo ship, Ursa Major, faced problems on Monday and subsequently sank between Spain and Algeria. Fourteen out of its 16-person crew were rescued onto a lifeboat. The ship’s owner, "Oboronlogistika," blamed "terrorist acts" for three explosions that tore the ship apart and punctured its hull.

The Spanish Maritime Rescue Service confirmed they received a distress signal from Ursa Major on Monday and dispatched two ships and a helicopter to the scene.

Medvedev blasted the Oslo Carrier 3, a Norwegian-flagged ship, claiming it refused to take onboard the distressed Russian sailors as their ship sank. "What more needs to be explained? This cannot be forgiven!" Medvedev wrote on his official Telegram channel.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated, "If assistance was indeed not provided to the sailors in distress at sea, this is contrary to all maritime laws and is an outrageous incident that deserves full condemnation."

However, Bulkship Management AS, the company owning Oslo Carrier 3, denied the accusations and stated they had provided assistance. "MRCC (Spanish Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) ordered the captain not to take on board the crew from the distressed ship, as their lifeboat was on its way," they claimed. "The weather was good, no one in the lifeboat was injured, and there was no immediate danger."

Meanwhile, Finnish authorities seized a Russian oil tanker in the Baltic Sea on Thursday, suspecting it of damaging an undersea cable connecting Finland and Estonia the previous day, also disabling four internet lines.

"From our perspective, we are investigating a serious case of sabotage," announced Robin Lardot, director of Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation.

This incident comes as Estonia announced plans to protect its undersea electrical cable, Estlink 1, following the deterioration of another cable connecting it to Finland on Wednesday.

Kazakhstan: Over 60 Onboard After Passenger Jet Crashes</strong></p>”>Azerbaijan Airlines – AZAL | Flight Ticket Booking – Airline Tickets”>Azerbaijan Airlines Jet Crashes in Kazakhstan Amid Route Change and Air Defense Alerts

An aircraft operated by Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) crashed in Kazakhstan on Wednesday after altering its route towards Grozny due to thick fog and local warnings regarding Ukrainian drones, according to Russia‘s aviation authority, Rosaviatsiya, as reported by Reuters.

The incident, involving flight J2-8243 from Azerbaijan’s national carrier, occurred near the Kazakhstan city of Axta, after the plane veered off from a region in Russia where Moscow has been using air defense systems to counter Ukrainian drone strikes in recent months.

Additionally, conditions at Grozny Airport were poor, with heavy fog, and the plane had attempted to land twice unsuccessfully before seeking an alternative airport. The captain was offered landing options at other airports but chose to proceed to Aktau in Kazakhstan. The aviation agency confirmed it would assist in investigations being conducted by Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan to determine the cause of the crash.

Azerbaijan Airlines initial investigations suggest that the crashed flight from Baku to Grozny was subject to "external physical and technical interference," according to Reuters. This announcement came after the head of Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency confirmed that the "Mosquito" regime, a special air defense mode, had been activated in the Grozny Airport area due to Ukrainian drone attacks on civilian infrastructure in Grozny and Vladikavkaz.

In response, Azerbaijan Airlines has suspended flights to four more Russian cities: Vladikavkaz, Nizhny Novgorod, and Saratov, following an earlier decision to temporarily halt flights to seven Russian cities, including Mineralnye Vody, Sochi, Volgograd, Ufa, Samara, Grozny, and Makhachkala.

Citing four Azerbaijani sources, Reuters reported that the plane could have been hit by a Russian air defense system. The incident occurs amidst heightened Russian military activity due to increasing threats from Ukrainian drones in border areas, and could potentially have significant implications for the diplomatic relationship between Moscow and Baku, which have hitherto maintained balanced ties.

The grounding of flights to strategically important cities such as Makhachkala and Grozny further supports the theory that civilian aviation may be at risk in areas of active defensive operations. While Russia insists on concluding the investigation before drawing final conclusions, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan are actively working to clarify the reasons behind the incident.

Turkish President Erdogan Sets Ultimatum for Syrian Kurdish Rebels

In a stark warning, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has given Syrian Kurdish rebels an ultimatum: lay down their arms or face annihilation. Reuters reports that Erdogan has vowed to crush the terror organization that he claims is attempting to create a blood-soaked barrier between Turkey and its Kurdish brethren.

Following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad, Ankara has repeatedly insisted that the Kurdish militia YPG disband. Turkey views the group as having no place in Syria’s future. However, the change in Syria’s leadership has marginalized the country’s main Kurdish factions.

Turkey views the Kurdish militia YPG, the principal component of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), as an offshoot of the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). The PKK has been waging an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984. Both the U.S. and the European Union have designated the PKK as a terror organization. Despite this, Ankara has repeatedly urged its NATO allies to halt their support for YPG.

Erdogan also announced plans to open a Turkish consulate in Aleppo, stating that he expects an increase in border traffic as millions of Syrian migrants begin to return home next summer.

In a recent development, SDF commander Mazloum Abdi acknowledged the presence of PKK fighters in Syria, asserting that they had assisted in the fight against ISIS and would return home if a full ceasefire with Turkey could be brokered.

Meanwhile, Turkey is set to assist in the creation of a new Syrian army, sending specialists to support the effort, as previously reported by News.bg.

As the situation in Syria continues to evolve, Turkey finds itself at the forefront of regional power dynamics, with President Erdogan leading the charge in asserting Turkey’s interests and influence. The coming months will be crucial in determining the fate of Syrian Kurdish rebels and the future of Syria’s political landscape.