Russia-Ukraine war news: Russia accused of trying to kill Georgia ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky alleged that the Kremlin was utilizing the Georgian authorities in an try to kill Mikheil Saakashvili, who was the pro-West president of Georgia throughout Russia’s 2008 invasion. Zelensky referred to as on Tbilisi to cease the “demonstrative execution” of Saakashvili, who’s imprisoned in Georgia, and switch him to Ukraine — the place he’s a citizen — “for the necessary treatment and care.” In a court docket look through video convention, Saakashvili appeared emaciated when he lifted his shirt to reveal his torso.
There is “heavy fighting” on the entrance traces in Ukraine’s east, Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar stated Monday. In a Telegram publish, Zelensky said final week was “difficult on the frontline. But we are making progress.” Ukraine is within the midst of a counteroffensive to regain territory captured by Russia.
Here’s the most recent on the war and its ripple results throughout the globe.
As war nears Crimea, Russian occupiers are trying to lure vacationers: Tourism-dependent Crimea is wanting forward to a grim summer season vacation season because the war grinds on, Francesca Ebel and Natalia Abbakumova report. Many guests, involved by current assaults, are canceling their summer season bookings to the Black Sea peninsula, which Russia illegally annexed from Ukraine in 2014. Crimea accounted for less than 1 p.c of Russian lodge bookings this yr, in accordance to the web reserving portal Ostrovok.ru, down from 3 p.c final yr and 19 p.c from the yr earlier than.
“There are indeed fewer people in Crimea than usual,” stated Nikita Krimskiy, a tour information in Yalta. “Many people were intimidated by military news and various ‘fakes.’ They have changed their plans and decided to not go to Crimea this season.” Some all-inclusive resorts have lowered their costs by as a lot as 60 p.c. Others have merely determined not to open this summer season. Sixty p.c of Crimean tourism companies misplaced cash final yr, official information exhibits, with mixed losses of $10 million as vacationer income dropped by a couple of third.
