(C) Meduza This story was originally published by Meduza and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . The Real Russia. Today. Thursday, July 4, 2024 — Meduza [1] [] Date: 2024-07-04 The war in Ukraine 🚨 Russian drone attack leaves thousands without power: Russian forces launched 22 drones at Ukrainian territory early Thursday morning, targeting the Kyiv, Chernihiv, Zhytomyr, Sumy, Dnipro, and Poltava regions. Authorities in the Chernihiv region reported that one drone struck a power facility, leaving nearly 6,000 people without power. Ukrainian photographer Maxim Dondyuk began taking photos of the war in Donbas in 2014. After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he worked with many of the world’s largest media outlets, including Time, Der Spiegel, and The New Yorker. When Time chose Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as its Person of the Year in 2022, the magazine sent Dondyuk to photograph him. Now, however, the photographer is unable to go to the front, having run afoul of the Ukrainian authorities: officials in Kyiv disapprove of the public comments Dondyuk has made about events on the battlefield. Meduza special correspondent Lilia Yapparova spoke to Dondyuk about Ukraine’s military censorship and what he has witnessed while documenting the war. The Russian army has launched a new operation near Donetsk in eastern Ukraine. A large contingent of forces previously engaged on the neighboring Avdiivka front has begun an offensive on the city of Toretsk and its numerous satellite settlements. This operation seems to be part of a larger plan to encircle the Toretsk urban area by breaking through from the north via Chasiv Yar (near Bakhmut) and from the south via Ocheretyne (near Avdiivka), with the aim of pushing the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) out of this large section of the Donbas region. An assault directly on Toretsk from the east would compel the Ukrainian command to transfer reserves to the city, thereby weakening the defense on the flanks of this fortified area. The seizure of Avdiivka this winter was executed in exactly the same way. However, this new Russian operation is significantly larger than the one on Avdiivka and poses a greater threat. Meanwhile, the AFU has yet to respond to this danger, focusing instead on trying to seize the initiative in other areas — near Kharkiv and in the forests near Kreminna. We got The Beet. Don’t miss Meduza’s weekly newsletter (separate from the one you’re reading here)! Meanwhile in Russia (and Kazakhstan) ⛓️ Russian commander linked to Bucha massacre reportedly arrested by FSB in fraud case: Kommersant reported on Thursday that Colonel Artyom Gorodilov, commander of Russia’s 83rd Guards Air Assault Brigade, was arrested by Federal Security Service (FSB) officers in the city of Ryazan in connection with large-scale fraud charges. The colonel has reportedly been taken to Moscow and handed over to the Russian Investigative Committee. In December 2022, The New York Times reported that soldiers from Russia’s 234th Guards Air Assault Regiment, which was led by Gorodilov at the time, had participated in the murder of civilians in Bucha. In February 2023, Gorodilov was sanctioned by the U.S. for “his involvement in gross violations of human rights, namely extrajudicial killings.” Kommersant reported on Thursday that Colonel Artyom Gorodilov, commander of Russia’s 83rd Guards Air Assault Brigade, was arrested by Federal Security Service (FSB) officers in the city of Ryazan in connection with large-scale fraud charges. The colonel has reportedly been taken to Moscow and handed over to the Russian Investigative Committee. In December 2022, The New York Times reported that soldiers from Russia’s 234th Guards Air Assault Regiment, which was led by Gorodilov at the time, had participated in the murder of civilians in Bucha. In February 2023, Gorodilov was sanctioned by the U.S. for “his involvement in gross violations of human rights, namely extrajudicial killings.” ⛓️ Russia sentences U.S. citizen to 12.5 years in prison: A Moscow court sentenced U.S. citizen Robert Woodland to 12.5 years in prison on drug-related charges on Thursday. Woodland, who prior reporting suggests was born in Russia and adopted by an American couple at two years old, was arrested in January after he was purportedly caught with 4.5 grams of the drug mephedrone. Russia media has reported that he holds dual U.S.-Russia citizenship. A Moscow court sentenced U.S. citizen Robert Woodland to 12.5 years in prison on drug-related charges on Thursday. Woodland, who prior reporting suggests was born in Russia and adopted by an American couple at two years old, was arrested in January after he was purportedly caught with 4.5 grams of the drug mephedrone. Russia media has reported that he holds dual U.S.-Russia citizenship. 🚫 Russian state news network reportedly bans bird’s-eye-view footage of Mariupol to avoid showing destruction: Journalist Farida Kurbangaleyeva said in an interview with TV Rain on Thursday that employees of the Russian state news channel Rossiya-1 have been told not to show bird’s-eye-view footage of Mariupol on-air because the scale of the city’s destruction could “shock viewers.” Kurbangaleyeva worked as an anchor for Rossiya-1 until the 2014 annexation of Crimea, after which she moved to the Czech Republic. Last week, a Moscow court issued an arrest warrant against her for “justifying terrorism” and spreading “disinformation” about the Russian military. Journalist Farida Kurbangaleyeva said in an interview with TV Rain on Thursday that employees of the Russian state news channel Rossiya-1 have been told not to show bird’s-eye-view footage of Mariupol on-air because the scale of the city’s destruction could “shock viewers.” Kurbangaleyeva worked as an anchor for Rossiya-1 until the 2014 annexation of Crimea, after which she moved to the Czech Republic. Last week, a Moscow court issued an arrest warrant against her for “justifying terrorism” and spreading “disinformation” about the Russian military. 🛫 Orbán reportedly visiting Moscow: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán will visit Moscow on Friday, according to Hungarian journalist Szabolcs Panyi and RFE/RL. The news comes just two days after the Hungarian leader met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv. Neither Hungary nor Russia has officially confirmed the Moscow visit as of this writing. On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin traveled to the Kazakhstani capital of Astana to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit along with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and other members of the 10-nation club. Meduza shares some key quotes from Putin’s press conference following the event. No country can be free without independent media. In January 2023, the Russian authorities outlawed Meduza, banning our work in the country our colleagues call home. Just supporting Meduza carries the risk of criminal prosecution for Russian nationals, which is why we’re turning to our international audience for help. Your assistance makes it possible for thousands of people in Russia to read Meduza and stay informed. Consider a small but recurring contribution to provide the most effective support. Donate here. 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