Updates on Russia, Ukraine and Moldova

The Russian opposition: A Russian dissident who is the co-founder and co-leader of the Memorial Foundation, a 2022 Nobel Peace Prize-winning organization, was sentenced to prison last week for criticizing Russian aggression against Ukraine. The Nobel Committee accused the Russian Federation of attempting to silence critics. Longtime Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin is an ex-Soviet intelligence officer who is trying to restore the Soviet Union/Russian Empire. Although only a few were allowed in the church for the funeral Mass yesterday for Alexei Navalny, the center-right leader for the cause of liberty and representative government in Russia who died under harsh imprisonment for his political opposition, thousands of Russians gathered outside the church, in the Russian winter and amid heavy police presence, after the Kremlin had warned that protesters would face prosecution. The mourners chanted that Russia would be free and other anti-Putin statements. There were relatively few arrests there, but across Moscow and another 18 cities, there have been over a hundred arrests, as the freedom of peaceful assembly is not tolerated. Many Russians are continuing to pay their respects at Navalny’s grave. As I had posted, over 400 Russians were arrested after protesting the death of Navalny, the biggest protests since the first six months after Russia’s aggression against Ukraine two years ago. Thousands were prosecuted and given harsh prison sentences after those protests. As I have posted, Putin will allow only non-critical opponents in the upcoming presidential elections, but the Russian opposition is a witness to the Kremlin’s oppression gives hope and honor to the Russian people. Israeli support for Ukraine: Israel announced last week that it is supplying defense aid to Ukraine. Israel has grown concerned about Russia’s closeness to Iran, which exports Islamist revolution and is the worst state sponsor of terrorism in the world, including Hamas and the Islamic Jihad, who murdered over a thousand Israelis in October. Russia is allied with Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Lebanese terrorist organization, in support of the tyrannical Assad regime of Syria’, Iran main ally. The United States, Canada, most European States, and several East Asian States have imposed sanctions on Russia and many have supplied humanitarian or even defense aid to Ukraine. Russian aggression was widely condemned around the world, including overwhelmingly through the United Nations, but most States try to maintain diplomatic neutrality. The shift in Israel’s position toward a more pro-Ukrainian stance is encouraging. Russian attacks on the West to influence elections: Italy’s intelligence agencies issued a report accusing Russia of being the most active actor in hybrid attacks against Italy and the West, using espionage, cyberattacks, disinformation, and the manipulation of migratory flows, particularly aimed at influencing the upcoming European parliamentary elections. Russia has particularly been trying lately to undermine Western support for Ukraine. Release of Ukrainian children kidnapped by Russia: A Vatican envoy who is the head of the Italian Bishops Conference was able to get Russia to release many children kidnapped from Ukraine, one of many documented war crimes committed by the Russians. Thousands of children, as well as adults, remain in Russia. The papal envoy has been trying to mediate an end to the war. The return of kidnappees has been a priority of the Holy See, in addition to the ending the war. Russian interference in Moldova: The Russian speaking separatists in the breakaway Moldovan region of Transnistria, on the border with Ukraine have request diplomatic recognition as a show of support from Russia. Russia maintains troops there against Moldova’s wishes. The U.S. and its allies support Moldovan sovereignty. Moldova, which, like Ukraine is a former Soviet Republic, is concerned about a Russian invasion, as Putin claims a right to protect Russian-speakers as an excuse to restore the Soviet Empire. Moldova seeks membership in the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.