Extraordinary statement from Putin this morning that breaks a two decade-long pact between the Kremlin and the Russian people:
You can get on with their lives while we're do whatever we live on the international stage.
The mobilisation decree published this morning is incredibly vague, making it possible to call up millions of Russian men including millions of university graduates who received junior officer ranks years ago as part of their studies to be engineers etc.
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A thin and gaunt Alexei Navalny at an appeal hearing just now - first time we saw him at the high security prison he was moved to earlier this month.
The video link was still on during a recess in the hearing so Navalny was able to chat with the court room.
Asked about conditions at his new prison he said "everything is super, mega-high security" but the food there is "so much better" than at his previous colony.
Asked to give more details about his new prison, Navalny said he's still adjusting and that he and the prison administration are "engaged in an array of legal debates".
It's been more than 48hrs since the Moskva sank with 500 people aboard. We still haven't seen any photos/videos of the rescued crew.
What is most stunning we haven't seen a single wife or mother going public about the loss, demanding answers from the Russian government.
I've been covering Russia for 14 and I have seen space for public debate shrinking every year and people getting increasingly scared of speaking out but the level of fear we're seeing now is unmatched.
If you wonder why it's stunning for Russia, please google "Kursk submarine."
My dispatch from Taganrog where evacuees found themselves on a train station for a potential 1,300 kilometre ride. The Rostov region can't take in any more people.
📸 @maksim_babenko telegraph.co.uk/world-news/202…
One evacuee relief co-ordinator suggested a good reason to travel on from Rostov was the likelihood of a long crisis. “We’re in it for a haul. This is not going to end any time soon," said Lidia Kovalenko who herself was a refugee in 2014.
📸 @maksim_babenko
A few dozen kilometres to the west, over 300 people were busy setting up a reception centre on the Azov Sea this weekend.
“This moment is crucial: It’s been too long. We have to go somewhere: Russia has to welcome us."
📸 @maksim_babenko
Devastating news from Minsk: the Belarusian foreign ministry has stripped dozens of locals journalists working for foreign media of their press accreditation, affecting the entire bureaus of Reuters, AP, AFP, Deutsche Welle. 1/2
This basically means that they could be arrested and charged if they’re caught on the streets reporting. Hard to process the impact this decision will have. 2/2
Belarusian MFA credentials were a rare thing for journalists to rely on to keep them safe. All bets are off now.
Moscow Mayor Sobyanin drops the bomb and orders a full lockdown in Moscow - on a four hours’ notice. No walks outside, even physical exercises are allowed.
Two and a half hours to the full lockdown in Moscow: