❗️EXCLUSIVE: A French mercenary in Ukraine supports Nazis, solicits aid deliveries from her hometown, and arranges parties featuring "French soldiers fighting in Ukraine," Sputnik has discovered.
◾️Camille Bertrix, a French citizen from the small town of Pont-du-Chateau, has been operating as a mercenary for the Ukrainian International Legion since spring 2023. In May, she arrived in Terebovlya, a town in the Ternopol region of Western Ukraine (photo 1).
◾️It remains unknown if she has been near the front line, as her social media posts only show her in these locations within Ukraine. Her involvement in Ukraine has led to France’s Pont-du-Chateau becoming a sister town with Ukraine’s Terebovlya. Bertrix sent greetings to the mayor of her hometown (photo 2).
◾️Surprisingly, the mayor of Pont-du-Chateau, Patrick Perrin, personally met with Camille and provided her with supplies for her unit (photo 3). It is worth noting that mercenary activities are considered illegal under French law.
◾️Bertrix is open about her sympathies for the Nazis in the Ukrainian army and has expressed "wishes for 2024" in relation to them (photo 4). She proudly displays her affiliation with the International Legion of Ukraine (photo 5).
◾️Despite attempts to portray her activities in Ukraine as humanitarian, Bertrix posts photos of herself in military attire adorned with a tattoo of the Ukrainian trident (photo 6), and is seen with other "women defending their country" (photo 7).
◾️She has even used her social media accounts to send threats to Alexander Makogonov, the press secretary of the Russian Embassy in France, combining them with Nazi slogans (photo 8).
◾️In October, she returned to Pont-du-Chateau and organized a fundraising party for her unit. The event prominently featured her as a "French soldier fighting in Ukraine" on the poster, alongside the DJ. The entry fee was set at 15 euros per person (photo 9).
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◾️Camille Bertrix, a French citizen from the small town of Pont-du-Chateau, has been operating as a mercenary for the Ukrainian International Legion since spring 2023. In May, she arrived in Terebovlya, a town in the Ternopol region of Western Ukraine (photo 1).
◾️It remains unknown if she has been near the front line, as her social media posts only show her in these locations within Ukraine. Her involvement in Ukraine has led to France’s Pont-du-Chateau becoming a sister town with Ukraine’s Terebovlya. Bertrix sent greetings to the mayor of her hometown (photo 2).
◾️Surprisingly, the mayor of Pont-du-Chateau, Patrick Perrin, personally met with Camille and provided her with supplies for her unit (photo 3). It is worth noting that mercenary activities are considered illegal under French law.
◾️Bertrix is open about her sympathies for the Nazis in the Ukrainian army and has expressed "wishes for 2024" in relation to them (photo 4). She proudly displays her affiliation with the International Legion of Ukraine (photo 5).
◾️Despite attempts to portray her activities in Ukraine as humanitarian, Bertrix posts photos of herself in military attire adorned with a tattoo of the Ukrainian trident (photo 6), and is seen with other "women defending their country" (photo 7).
◾️She has even used her social media accounts to send threats to Alexander Makogonov, the press secretary of the Russian Embassy in France, combining them with Nazi slogans (photo 8).
◾️In October, she returned to Pont-du-Chateau and organized a fundraising party for her unit. The event prominently featured her as a "French soldier fighting in Ukraine" on the poster, alongside the DJ. The entry fee was set at 15 euros per person (photo 9).
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Germany not going ‘all in’ for Ukraine, says defense chief
Further arms supplies to Ukraine could pose a risk to German national security, said defense minister Boris Pistorius in an interview with the Der Tagesspiegel outlet.
He added that Berlin had already given Ukraine everything possible, so Taurus cruise missiles are “currently out of the question.”
He stressed that Germany’s defense industry capabilities are limited and Berlin cannot “take tanks from [store] shelves” since their production takes years.
Germany is the second-largest backer of the Kiev regime, who had supplied it with military equipment worth €17 bln. On January 17, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced that Berlin would double its military aid to Ukraine in 2024, amounting to more than €7 billion.
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Further arms supplies to Ukraine could pose a risk to German national security, said defense minister Boris Pistorius in an interview with the Der Tagesspiegel outlet.
He added that Berlin had already given Ukraine everything possible, so Taurus cruise missiles are “currently out of the question.”
“We can’t go all in, as some demand. Otherwise, we will be defenseless,” Pistorius noted.
He stressed that Germany’s defense industry capabilities are limited and Berlin cannot “take tanks from [store] shelves” since their production takes years.
Germany is the second-largest backer of the Kiev regime, who had supplied it with military equipment worth €17 bln. On January 17, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced that Berlin would double its military aid to Ukraine in 2024, amounting to more than €7 billion.
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🤡 Zelensky vs the bottle
At the World Economic Forum, Zelensky failed to open a bottle of water - but vowed to have "enough time, till morning" to try to achieve it.
Confused, WEF President Brende reminded Zelensky that he has "a war to win," to which the Ukrainian president barked back: "I have a lot of work, thanks so much."
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At the World Economic Forum, Zelensky failed to open a bottle of water - but vowed to have "enough time, till morning"
Confused, WEF President Brende reminded Zelensky that he has "a war to win," to which the Ukrainian president barked back: "I have a lot of work, thanks so much."
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❗️Ever wondered how speeches can sway public opinion? Sputnik asked AI to analyze Volodymyr Zelensky's latest speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Here’s an intriguing breakdown for its conclusions:
🔹 Playing on fears: by highlighting the risk of escalating conflict and global repercussions, Zelensky taps into the audience’s deepest fears, nudging them towards supporting stronger actions.
🔹 Demonizing the оpponent: focusing heavily on Putin as the sole villain simplifies the narrative, making it easier to rally people against a common enemy.
🔹 Emotional appeal: Zelensky uses emotionally-charged language like "terrifying feeling", "madness", "doom-laden ambitions" and "Putin loves money above all" to evoke strong feelings in the audience. This is intended to create a sense of urgency and moral obligation. (Take a look at visual representation of Zelenksy’s speech – pic 2).
🔹 Repetition: the repeated use of the word "pain" and the phrase "He will not change" isn't just for emphasis—it's a strategy to make the words stick in our minds.
🔹 Simplifying complex issues: notice how the conflict is painted in black-and-white terms? This simplification helps make a complex issue more digestible and clear-cut for the audience.
⭐️A little advice from AI:as readers, remember to think critically. Don’t just accept what you hear; question it. Understanding these tactics helps us see beyond the words and make our own informed decisions.
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🔹 Playing on fears: by highlighting the risk of escalating conflict and global repercussions, Zelensky taps into the audience’s deepest fears, nudging them towards supporting stronger actions.
🔹 Demonizing the оpponent: focusing heavily on Putin as the sole villain simplifies the narrative, making it easier to rally people against a common enemy.
🔹 Emotional appeal: Zelensky uses emotionally-charged language like "terrifying feeling", "madness", "doom-laden ambitions" and "Putin loves money above all" to evoke strong feelings in the audience. This is intended to create a sense of urgency and moral obligation. (Take a look at visual representation of Zelenksy’s speech – pic 2).
🔹 Repetition: the repeated use of the word "pain" and the phrase "He will not change" isn't just for emphasis—it's a strategy to make the words stick in our minds.
🔹 Simplifying complex issues: notice how the conflict is painted in black-and-white terms? This simplification helps make a complex issue more digestible and clear-cut for the audience.
⭐️A little advice from AI:
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🤔 A US-constructed model of democracy in South Korea turns out to be not so democratic after all...
During a meeting between South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and members of parliament, who praised him and solemnly shook hands, an opposition representative approached the president and called on him to "change his policy."
After that, the guards grabbed the man, covered his mouth and took him out of the meeting.
During a meeting between South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and members of parliament, who praised him and solemnly shook hands, an opposition representative approached the president and called on him to "change his policy."
After that, the guards grabbed the man, covered his mouth and took him out of the meeting.
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Fact check of France’s ‘not our mercenaries in Ukraine’ allegations
France has rejected a recent statement by Russia’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) that a Russian airstrike destroyed a building in Kharkov hosting French mercenaries.
“France has no mercenaries either in Ukraine or anywhere else,” the French Foreign Ministry argued, calling the MoD’s statement "another clumsy Russian manipulation."
Reality:
▪️Francois Mauld d’Aymee, a French officer-turned Donbass People’s Militia volunteer, recently opened up about French mercs in Ukraine, describing them as “sports enthusiasts [and] drug addicts,” in an exclusive interview with Sputnik. He added that some of them are veterans of French and NATO military campaigns in Afghanistan and Africa.
▪️Contacts with Paris on the issue of the destruction are held through diplomatic channels, but there have been no requests for high-level talks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.
▪️Sputnik disclosed that Camille Bertrix, a French citizen from the small town of Pont-du-Chateau, has been operating as a mercenary for the Ukrainian International Legion since spring 2023.
▪️The Russian Investigative Committee reported last year that more than 520 foreign mercenaries from 44 countries, including France, became involved in criminal cases while fighting for Ukraine.
To be continued...
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France has rejected a recent statement by Russia’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) that a Russian airstrike destroyed a building in Kharkov hosting French mercenaries.
“France has no mercenaries either in Ukraine or anywhere else,” the French Foreign Ministry argued, calling the MoD’s statement "another clumsy Russian manipulation."
Reality:
▪️Francois Mauld d’Aymee, a French officer-turned Donbass People’s Militia volunteer, recently opened up about French mercs in Ukraine, describing them as “sports enthusiasts [and] drug addicts,” in an exclusive interview with Sputnik. He added that some of them are veterans of French and NATO military campaigns in Afghanistan and Africa.
▪️Contacts with Paris on the issue of the destruction are held through diplomatic channels, but there have been no requests for high-level talks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.
▪️Sputnik disclosed that Camille Bertrix, a French citizen from the small town of Pont-du-Chateau, has been operating as a mercenary for the Ukrainian International Legion since spring 2023.
▪️The Russian Investigative Committee reported last year that more than 520 foreign mercenaries from 44 countries, including France, became involved in criminal cases while fighting for Ukraine.
To be continued...
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Sputnik International
Fact check of France’s ‘not our mercenaries in Ukraine’ allegations France has rejected a recent statement by Russia’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) that a Russian airstrike destroyed a building in Kharkov hosting French mercenaries. “France has no mercenaries…
▪️According to France’s RTL broadcaster, there were about 100 French citizens taking part in the Ukraine conflict on the side of Kiev last summer.
▪️On top of that, Sputnik obtained documents indicating that Lieutenant-Colonel Arnaud Helly, of the French Directorate of Military Intelligence (DRM) and Directorate-General for External Security (DGSE), communicated with foreign mercenaries in Ukraine two years before the conflict.
▪️Also last year, left-wing lawmaker Frederic Mathieu sent an appeal to France’s Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin in which he pointed out the security risks related to the return of French militants who fought in Ukraine to their homeland.
▪️In 2022, the French government tried to convince some French military personnel to leave the army and go to Ukraine to join the Ukrainian Armed Forces, military journalist and historian Laurent Briard told Russian media.
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▪️On top of that, Sputnik obtained documents indicating that Lieutenant-Colonel Arnaud Helly, of the French Directorate of Military Intelligence (DRM) and Directorate-General for External Security (DGSE), communicated with foreign mercenaries in Ukraine two years before the conflict.
▪️Also last year, left-wing lawmaker Frederic Mathieu sent an appeal to France’s Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin in which he pointed out the security risks related to the return of French militants who fought in Ukraine to their homeland.
▪️In 2022, the French government tried to convince some French military personnel to leave the army and go to Ukraine to join the Ukrainian Armed Forces, military journalist and historian Laurent Briard told Russian media.
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EXPOSED: A senior French military intelligence agent rubbed shoulders with foreign mercenaries in Ukraine two years before the conflict with Russia erupted, Sputnik has learned.
Sputnik has obtained exclusive documents that indicate Lieutenant-Colonel Arnaud…
Sputnik has obtained exclusive documents that indicate Lieutenant-Colonel Arnaud…
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🇷🇺 Rapid ramparts: Russian forces' resilience multiplied sixfold along 120-kilometer defense lines
The creation of over 400 battalion defense areas along a 120-kilometer-long defense line has increased the resilience of the Russian Armed Forces by five to six times, the Russian Defense Ministry has said.
Lieutenant General Yuri Stavitsky revealed that these defense areas were equipped within eight months, marking a historic achievement in military engineering. Drawing comparisons to iconic defense lines, the general emphasized the rapidity of the operation:
Prior to the Ukrainian counteroffensive, meticulous groundwork involved the creation of over 3,600 kilometers of trenches, 150,000 dugouts and shelters, 45,000 bunkers, and 12,000 reinforced concrete structures.
In December, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced that Russian forces had conducted extensive fortification of defense lines, stating that military builders, engineering, and railway troops completed 82% of fortification works on the contact line.
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The creation of over 400 battalion defense areas along a 120-kilometer-long defense line has increased the resilience of the Russian Armed Forces by five to six times, the Russian Defense Ministry has said.
Lieutenant General Yuri Stavitsky revealed that these defense areas were equipped within eight months, marking a historic achievement in military engineering. Drawing comparisons to iconic defense lines, the general emphasized the rapidity of the operation:
“For comparison, the Mannerheim Line with a length of 135 kilometers was prepared over 10 years, and the Maginot Line with a front length of 400 kilometers took 12 years”.
Prior to the Ukrainian counteroffensive, meticulous groundwork involved the creation of over 3,600 kilometers of trenches, 150,000 dugouts and shelters, 45,000 bunkers, and 12,000 reinforced concrete structures.
In December, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced that Russian forces had conducted extensive fortification of defense lines, stating that military builders, engineering, and railway troops completed 82% of fortification works on the contact line.
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Netanyahu’s Gamble: Is Israel preparing for another war?
"The war in Gaza has been actually a defeat of Israel. All the objectives that were sent for it, the elimination of Hamas, its leadership, the retrieval of the hostages, all of these elements have not been achieved. And so it's retreating in a sense of defeat, one that is now really permeating into the Israeli sphere, in other words, into their thinking," former British diplomat Alastair Crooke told New Rules podcast.
Is Israel going to invade Lebanon? Can Biden prevent Natanyahu from major regional escalation? Go and find out from our latest episode.
Also available on our official X page, join and enjoy exclusive content!
"The war in Gaza has been actually a defeat of Israel. All the objectives that were sent for it, the elimination of Hamas, its leadership, the retrieval of the hostages, all of these elements have not been achieved. And so it's retreating in a sense of defeat, one that is now really permeating into the Israeli sphere, in other words, into their thinking," former British diplomat Alastair Crooke told New Rules podcast.
Is Israel going to invade Lebanon? Can Biden prevent Natanyahu from major regional escalation? Go and find out from our latest episode.
Also available on our official X page, join and enjoy exclusive content!
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Iran's top-5 game-changing weapons
From missile systems to drones: our AI news presenter Nika is back from her digital holidays to explain what exactly makes the Iranian military so impressive.
Also check out Nika's essential episodes: Lancet drones, hypersonic weapons, AK-47, and Joe Biden's manipulations analysis.
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From missile systems to drones: our AI news presenter Nika is back from her digital holidays to explain what exactly makes the Iranian military so impressive.
Also check out Nika's essential episodes: Lancet drones, hypersonic weapons, AK-47, and Joe Biden's manipulations analysis.
Subscribe to @SputnikInt
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❗️The Russian Army has carried out 17 group strikes with high-precision weapons against firms of Ukraine's military-industrial complex that carried out weapon and equipment repairs, as well as producing ammo, gunpowder and drones.
🇷🇺🪖 More statements from the Russian MoD weekly briefing on the progress of special military op in Ukraine:
▪️In the Kupyansk region, the Russian Army repelled 25 attacks by Ukrainian forces. Ukrainian losses amounted to 560 troops, 10 tanks, eight armored combat vehicles, 26 vehicles and eight artillery pieces;
▪️In the Krasny Liman region, Russian forces repelled 17 attacks by Ukrainian troops. Ukrainian losses amounted to 1,520 military personnel, a tank, 21 armored combat vehicles, 34 vehicles, and eight artillery pieces;
▪️In Donetsk, the Russian Army repelled 15 attacks by Ukrainian troops. Ukrainian losses amounted to 1,880 soldiers, 17 tanks, 27 armored combat vehicles, two launchers of the Strela-10 anti-aircraft missile system, 86 vehicles and 28 artillery guns;
▪️Russia’s Aerospace Forces aviation and air defense systems shot down six Tochka-U tactical missiles, a JDAM guided bomb, 11 Vilkha MLRS rockets, 62 HIMARS and Uragan multiple launch rocket systems, as well as 274 drones.
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🇷🇺🪖 More statements from the Russian MoD weekly briefing on the progress of special military op in Ukraine:
▪️In the Kupyansk region, the Russian Army repelled 25 attacks by Ukrainian forces. Ukrainian losses amounted to 560 troops, 10 tanks, eight armored combat vehicles, 26 vehicles and eight artillery pieces;
▪️In the Krasny Liman region, Russian forces repelled 17 attacks by Ukrainian troops. Ukrainian losses amounted to 1,520 military personnel, a tank, 21 armored combat vehicles, 34 vehicles, and eight artillery pieces;
▪️In Donetsk, the Russian Army repelled 15 attacks by Ukrainian troops. Ukrainian losses amounted to 1,880 soldiers, 17 tanks, 27 armored combat vehicles, two launchers of the Strela-10 anti-aircraft missile system, 86 vehicles and 28 artillery guns;
▪️Russia’s Aerospace Forces aviation and air defense systems shot down six Tochka-U tactical missiles, a JDAM guided bomb, 11 Vilkha MLRS rockets, 62 HIMARS and Uragan multiple launch rocket systems, as well as 274 drones.
Subscribe to @SputnikInt
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🇦🇹 Austrian farmers have come out to protest, arriving to the center of Vienna on tractors.
They protest against excessive bureaucracy, the import of Ukrainian grain and insufficient payment for their labor.
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They protest against excessive bureaucracy, the import of Ukrainian grain and insufficient payment for their labor.
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Special combat training classes were held with Russian military engineers of the Zapad Battlegroup:
▪️During the training, all types of engineering ammunition and methods of their installation, including using quadrocopters and FPV-drones, were demonstrated to military personnel performing combat missions in Kupyansk;
▪️Such classes allow military engineers from different tactical areas to share their experience and improve their skills for more effective combat work;
▪️"The main tasks performed by engineering units are making passages in mine-explosive barriers in various ways. We are doing the main work in this direction," said an officer of the engineering troops department of the Zapad Battlegroup.
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▪️During the training, all types of engineering ammunition and methods of their installation, including using quadrocopters and FPV-drones, were demonstrated to military personnel performing combat missions in Kupyansk;
▪️Such classes allow military engineers from different tactical areas to share their experience and improve their skills for more effective combat work;
▪️"The main tasks performed by engineering units are making passages in mine-explosive barriers in various ways. We are doing the main work in this direction," said an officer of the engineering troops department of the Zapad Battlegroup.
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At least the third emergency involving Boeing aircraft in a month.
After an Alaska Airlines plane “collapsed” in the air and Blinken’s Boeing broke down, something strange happened to an Atlas Air aircraft.
According to the official version, the engine broke down. Footage from social networks shows sparks flying from the engine.
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After an Alaska Airlines plane “collapsed” in the air and Blinken’s Boeing broke down, something strange happened to an Atlas Air aircraft.
According to the official version, the engine broke down. Footage from social networks shows sparks flying from the engine.
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🇾🇪 A largescale anti-American and pro-Palestinian rally is taking place in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa.
According to local media, a crowd of millions has gathered. People chant anti-American slogans.
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According to local media, a crowd of millions has gathered. People chant anti-American slogans.
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