Russia's military invasion of Ukraine continues.
Russian and Ukrainian forces continue to fight in various parts of Ukraine, and many civilians have fled the country.
We will keep you updated on developments regarding the situation in Ukraine on the 27th (Japan time), including the situation of the battle and the diplomacy of the countries involved.
(There is a 7 hour time difference between Japan and Ukraine, and a 6 hour time difference with Moscow, Russia)
Support group considers holding memorial service for Navalny this week, perhaps as a warning from Russian authorities
A spokesperson for a support group for Russian opposition leader Navalny, who died in prison, said on the 26th that they are looking for a venue to hold a memorial service this weekend after his body is handed over to his mother Lyudmila. It was revealed that
On the other hand, authorities are expected to be increasingly wary of the movements of supporters.
Support groups have also said that the authorities were pressuring Lyudmila to secretly bury her body, but Russian Presidential Spokesperson Peskov said on the 26th that the government had "nothing to do with it." denied any involvement.
Meanwhile, a senior support group official said on the 26th that Navalny would be released in exchange for a former operative of the Russian security services imprisoned in Germany, along with two American prisoners imprisoned in Russia. He claimed that he had received information on the 15th of this month that negotiations were in the final stages.
Since Navalny's death was announced the following day on the 16th, support groups have accused President Putin of having decided to kill him.
Regarding this, the British economic newspaper Financial Times cited American and German officials as saying that Navalny's death has made it much less likely that Germany would agree to a prisoner exchange, and that there is no possibility of negotiating for his release. It tells you that there may have been.
On the other hand, in response to an interview with the Financial Times, Russian Presidential Spokesperson Peskov denied the matter, saying, ``We are not aware of any such agreement.''
Meeting of families of Russian soldiers, many voices of dissatisfaction and anxiety about the military's response
A meeting was held in Moscow for the families of Russian soldiers who were dispatched to the battlefield during the invasion of Ukraine, and there were many voices of dissatisfaction and anxiety about the military's response.
About 40 people from all over Russia, including women who lost their husbands, attended a meeting held in Moscow on the 26th by the Committee of Soldiers' Mothers, an NGO that supports soldiers' families.
At the meeting, the person in charge of the Military Prosecutor's Office in Moscow explained about the soldiers' salaries and medical services, and stated that they would like to support the families as much as possible.
In response, family members who attended said things like, ``Even though my son was injured, he wasn't able to receive proper treatment right away,'' and ``Her husband was released from the military even though his time as a contract soldier had ended. There were many voices of dissatisfaction and anxiety, such as "I will not be released."
A woman whose husband's body, who died in August last year, has not yet been returned to his family said, ``The past two years have been like hell, with many people dying and many families being torn apart.I want the body returned.'' , that's all.''
In November of last year, President Putin invited the mothers of soldiers to the presidential residence to listen to their requests, emphasizing his stance of consideration, while another family group called the Council of Mothers and Wives announced that in March of last year, The family's activities are also under increasing pressure, with the government designating them as ``foreign agents,'' meaning foreign spies.
Svetlana Golub, a representative of the NGO, said of her work in this situation: ``It's really unpleasant that there is a lack of respect for mothers in Russia.''
Following the eastern base, the Russian army also seizes control of villages to the west and intensifies its offensive.
The Russian Ministry of Defense announced on the 26th that it had taken control of Lastochkine, a village located west of Audiiivka in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk Oblast.
The Ukrainian military also confirmed its withdrawal from Lastochkine, and General Tarnavsky, who is in command of the unit, emphasized on SNS that they would ``strengthen the defense line to prevent the further advance of the Russian army.''
Russia announced on the 17th of this month that it had taken control of the eastern stronghold of Audi Ivka, which had been the site of a fierce battle, but it appears that it has continued to advance its troops westward and intensify its offensive.
Furthermore, on the 26th, President Putin signed a presidential decree establishing the new "Moscow Military District," which includes the capital Moscow, and the "Leningrad Military District," which includes St. Petersburg, the second city in the northwest, regarding the domestic jurisdiction of the Russian military. Did.
Russia is becoming increasingly wary of Sweden, a Scandinavian country, joining NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) following Finland, and this appears to be a counter-movement.
Meanwhile, the New York Times, a leading American newspaper, reported on the 25th, citing multiple Western and Ukrainian officials, that the United States' CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) has been secretly supporting Ukraine for the past 10 years.
Even after Russia's military invasion, CIA personnel remained in Ukraine and played an important role, conveying information about Russia's attack plans and weapons.
In addition, in the United States, the continuation of military assistance is unclear due to conflict between the ruling and opposition parties, but CIA Director Burns made a top secret visit to Ukraine this month, his 10th time since the invasion, confirming his longstanding close support. We are reporting on the situation.