Russia has just sentenced a 17 year old girl to 3.5 years hard labour for her anti-war social media posts. She’s the second minor to be given a real prison term for anti-Kremlin views.

Slovakia's public broadcaster 'shall get under direct political influence,' RTVS director-general Ľuboš Machaj warned today.

Many journalists wore black today in protest over what they see as Fico's attempt to extend influence over media.
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Employees of Slovakia's national broadcaster RTVS have dressed in black in protest at the government's announcement it will abolish the organisation by June and replace it with another.

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Photo: Dennik N/Tomáš Benedikovič

Story:
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Viac v článku ⬇️
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Rishi Sunak’s justification for increased defence spending, citing a challenge from an “axis of authoritarians”, echoes current American thinking, described in my column this week on.ft.com/3Qgshm0

“The names of likely new bosses that are floating around are the same people that had previously strongly attacked the principles of editorial independence,” said journalist I. Brada. Pro-Russian and conspiracy figures seem likely to set new standards.
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Slovakia is risking a fresh rift with EU institutions as a controversial bill on public service media is heading for government approval on Wednesday — raising suspicions about Hungary-inspired policies on media and democracy. By Lucia Virostkova

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The Russian press has turned on US House Speaker Mike Johnson with insults such as “total scatterbrain”, “brainwashed” & “the look of a traitor.” Which shows that House approval of the $61bn aid package for Ukraine has struck a raw nerve in Moscow. #ReadingRussia

Minister T. Drucker na otázku študentky na súťaži Štúrovo pero vo Zvolene o neúčasti koaličných politikov v diskusiách TV Markíza: Nám v Hlase-SD sa to nepáči, nesúhlasíme s tým a budeme to rešpektovať do konca mája.

Slovakia's government refused to join the Czech ammunition initiative for Ukraine. In 48 hours, Slovaks crowdfunded nearly €2 million, and more is coming. This is President Caputova, offering her support

A western national security official told me that his job felt increasingly like being an arms dealer because he spent so much time on the phone, trying to get people to send weapons to Ukraine

At least 11 people have been killed, 22 wounded as a result of a triple Russian Iskander missile attack on the city centre of Chernihiv in northern Ukraine. Ukraine urgently needs more air defence to protect its civilians
📷 DSNS.GOV.UA

Tbilisi now #Georgia #NoToRussianLaw 🇬🇪🇪🇺

Raiffeisenbank, which has made billions in Russia since the invasion of Ukraine despite pledging to leave, is shocked – shocked! – to find its Russian bank is hiring thousands of people for its ambitious growth plans there:

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Feng Yujun, one of the China's leading Russianists and a professor at Peking University: Russia is sure to lose in Ukraine – The Economist

Four reasons why Russian Federation will lose to Ukraine, according to Feng Yujun:

🔹 The first is the level of resistance and national…

How Putin’s regime is openly purchasing influence in neighboring countries, using tactics inspired by the Soviet system of sovzagranbanki (Soviet foreign banks).
Irina Borogan and me for CEPA

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For 20 years, I've been following Viktor #Orbán 's path in #Hungary . It's time to explain how the one-time liberal lawyer became the 'saviour of Christian Europe and leader of the international right'. Or has he?

Thank you Follow the Money EU for the opportunity. ftm.eu/articles/facin…

Už třetím rokem umírají nevinní lidé kvůli ruské agresi, Ukrajina proto stále potřebuje naši pomoc. Ujistil jsem prezidenta Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський, že Česko bude i nadále podporovat Ukrajinu všemi možnými prostředky. Tedy nejen dodávkami munice ve spolupráci se zahraničními partnery, ale i…

Today, Ukraine was subjected to another mass bombing. Many people died and the critical infrastructure destroyed. The main goal of the russian terrorists is to hurt as many people as possible. Break and destroy everything they can. Real evil, which cannot be justified.

Latest more intense Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, power plants, civilians and rescuers are a response to Western hesitancy and inaction. 'Escalation fear', refusal to supply Ukraine with more weapons embolden Russia to double down. Only strength can stop it