Vladimir Putin hailed Elon Musk as a “genius” and said he was in contact with the tech billionaire as Russia develops its answer to his Starlink satellite internet system.
asserted
Russia → hail → system
The Russian president's remarks came after Ukraine, which uses a version of Starlink as a key component of drone operations and battlefield communications, complained of speed restrictions that hampered its ability to intercept Russian attack drones and forced the cancellation of some operations.
"Just a second, I want to point out this is just our first step.
asserted
this → come → operations
Elon Musk is a genius, he's just a real genius," said Putin during a presentation by minister who claimed that Russia has launched 30 satellites.
asserted
Russia → say → satellites
Meanwhile, Moscow faced an onslaught of drone attacks overnight, its mayor said, prompting authorities to impose temporary flight restrictions at the Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports serving the capital.
asserted
mayor → face → capital
Russia downed most of 613 drones heading towards Moscow overnight, mayor Sergei Sobyanin said.
asserted
Sobyanin → down → Moscow
A US-brokered local ceasefire in southern Ukraine held for a second consecutive day on Wednesday, as an estimated 2,000 people remain stranded in Oleshky.
asserted
people → broker → Oleshky
“30 hours of the ceasefire in Oleshky have passed without a single incident,” Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said.
asserted
ombudsman → pass → incident
Russia strikes a cargo vessel in Black Sea
Russia has struck a cargo vessel in the Black Sea allegedly used by the Ukrainian military, Russian state news agencies reported, citing the defence ministry.
uncertain
agencies → strike → ministry
The ministry claimed the vessel was being used to support Ukraine’s armed forces.
asserted
vessel → claim → forces
Zelensky announces joint air defence project with Netherlands
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has announced plans for a joint air defence project with the Netherlands following talks with Dutch prime minister Rob Jetten and business leaders from both countries.
asserted
Zelensky → announce → countries
The two leaders met executives from Ukrainian and Dutch companies in the defence, energy and software sectors to discuss strengthening economic and technological cooperation.
asserted
leaders → meet → cooperation
His visit came as the Netherlands is preparing a new €500 million military aid package to help Ukraine defend against air attacks.
“Our teams have been tasked with working out a specific air defence project, Bliksem.
asserted
teams → come → project
We have already started this work,” he said in a post on X.
“
asserted
he → start → X.
The package being prepared now, this fall.
asserted
package → prepare → ?
And this is something that truly matters.
asserted
that → matter → ?
In particular, for repelling Russian air attacks,” he added.
asserted
he → repel → attacks
Zelensky reiterated that Ukraine is facing a critical shortage of interceptor missiles for its US-made Patriot air-defense systems.
asserted
Ukraine → reiterate → systems
Putin hails Elon Musk as ‘genius’ weeks after Starlink access slowed down for Ukraine
Vladimir Putin hailed Elon Musk as a “genius” and said he was in contact with the tech billionaire as Russia develops its answer to his Starlink satellite internet system.
It comes just weeks after Ukraine, which uses a version of Starlink as a key component of drone operations and battlefield communications, complained of speed restrictions that hampered its ability to intercept Russian attack drones and forced the cancellation of some operations.
asserted
that → hail → operations
The Russian president made the remark about Mr Musk on Wednesday as he listened to a presentation by digital development minister Maksut Shadayev, who said Russia had launched more than 30 satellites as it builds its own Starlink equivalent.
asserted
it → make → equivalent
"Just a second, I want to point out this is just our first step.
asserted
this → want → ?
Elon Musk is a genius, he's just a real genius," said Mr Putin.
asserted
Putin → say → ?
"Over 5,000 while we are only taking our first steps.
asserted
we → take → steps
But we are proud that we have begun to do this, and started to do it independently," Mr Putin said, adding that the task now was "to move from quality to quantity".
asserted
task → begin → quantity
"We are in close contact with our American partners — including Mr Musk — because it is very important, in orbit, not to get in each other's way and to maintain a certain level of discipline and order," he said.
asserted
he → include → discipline
Starlink, which does not work in Russia, uses a constellation of satellites that orbit far lower than traditional geostationary communications satellites, reducing signal travel time.
asserted
that → work → time
Moscow airports shut as Russia claims to have intercepted 166 drones overnight
Moscow faced an onslaught of drone attacks overnight, the mayor said, prompting authorities to shut down airports.
uncertain
mayor → shut → airports
Russian air defence units intercepted nearly 60 drones bound for the capital over 90 minutes, Sergey Sobyanin said.
asserted
Sobyanin → intercept → minutes
An additional 57 drones were intercepted in Moscow Oblast.
asserted
drones → intercept → Oblast
He later reported another 15 interceptions, with subsequent updates bringing the total number of drones reportedly downed to 166.
uncertain
updates → report → 166
The total number of drones launched remains unclear, as Russian authorities have only reported those intercepted.
uncertain
authorities → launch → those
No casualties or damage have been reported, and the intended targets remain unknown.
asserted
targets → report → ?
Emergency services were deployed to the sites where drone debris fell, Sobyanin said.
asserted
Sobyanin → deploy → sites
Russia's aviation authority imposed temporary flight restrictions at Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports.
asserted
authority → impose → airports
Restrictions were subsequently lifted at Zhukovsky, while those at the other two airports remained in place.
asserted
those → lift → place
Two flights travelling from Istanbul to Moscow were forced to turn back because of restrictions at Vnukovo airport, Russian state news agency TASS reported.
asserted
agency → travel → airport
North Korea sending workers to Russian war factories in violation of UN sanctions, report finds
A Russian network of brokers backed by Pyongyang has been sending North Koreans to work in exploitative conditions in Russia, including at factories producing supplies used in Moscow’s war in Ukraine, according to a new investigation.
uncertain
network → send → investigation
The Hague-based rights group Global Rights Compliance (GRC) said North Korea was pocketing much of the workers’ wages, while labourers were forced to work 12-hour shifts with just two days off a month under threats of punishment against them and their families.
asserted
labourers → base → them
The workers reportedly entered Russia on student visas to circumvent UN sanctions banning the employment of North Korean nationals overseas.
uncertain
workers → enter → nationals
Brokers received commissions of up to 150,000 roubles (£1,400) per worker.
asserted
Brokers → receive → worker
Undercover investigators posing as prospective employers found North Koreans being recruited for production sites, including a factory manufacturing military rations.
asserted
Koreans → pose → rations
…and 18 more, not listed.
The Aporia
