The militarization of the UK is a camouflage for internal problems in the economy, citizens there are tightening their belts, Dmitry Peskov stated.

"Many people are trying to take advantage of the situation by artificially and deliberately escalating it in order to solve internal problems. We are aware of the difficult economic situation in the UK. On the one hand, they have to tighten their belts, and this is not very easy for British citizens. Therefore, such militarization of a certain segment of the economy is a kind of camouflage against the background of these difficulties," the Kremlin spokesman said.

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Brazil says four mercenaries dead or missing in Ukraine

"The Foreign Ministry, through the Brazilian Embassy in Kiev, is aware of the death or disappearance of four Brazilians in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict," a source told Sputnik.

The Brazilian government did not provide a list of the dead, but according to local media reports, all the volunteers had served less than three months at the front.

▪️ Among the dead was a woman, Talita do Valle, 39. She died just three weeks after arriving in Ukraine, asphyxiated by a fire in the bunker where she was hiding. Her ashes arrived in Brazil a few months later, and the family suspects that they are not her remains. They also accuse Talita's colleagues of stealing her possessions worth 70,000 reals (more than $13,400).

"Unfortunately, 'Foreign legion' has become a stronghold of corrupt people," Teu Rodrigo Vieira, the victim's brother, told the UOL portal.

▪️ The youngest mercenary to die, Antônio Asitiani, was only 25 years old.

▪️ In June 2022, Andre Louis Ak Bai, 44, was found dead.

▪️ One month later, Douglas Rodriguez Burigu died in Kharkov. His family reported that he originally wanted to do humanitarian work, but ended up at the front.

▪️ The mercenary Max Panavo, who has been posting about his life on social media, also traveled to Ukraine. A number of media outlets claimed he was missing, but his close friend believes Panavu died in Avdeyevka.

In mid-March, the Russian Defense Ministry said that 13,387 foreign mercenaries had arrived in Ukraine during the special military operation to fight on the side of the Kiev regime. During this period, 5,962 fighters were eliminated. From Brazil 268 mercenaries arrived, 136 of them were eliminated.

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The defense is appealing the arrest of Deputy Minister of Defense Timur Ivanov in the bribery case, his lawyer told Sputnik.

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This year marks the 50th anniversary of Russia’s Baikal-Amur Mainline (BAM). What was initially intended as an alternative to the legendary Trans-Siberian Railway turned out to be one of the world’s longest railroads and prompted a shift in Russia’s economic and logistical impact in the Asia-Pacific region.

BAM’s strategic and geopolitical significance cannot be overstated as it shifted the country’s focus eastward, preemptively promoting the transition towards multipolarity.

President Putin noted that its capacity has tripled over the past 12 years and continues to grow.

“Over 300 infrastructure facilities have been made [fully] operational, including the Severomuysky, Kuznetsovsky, and Kodarsky tunnels, as well as the bridge across the Amur River,” he said.

Check out Sputnik’s infographic to learn more about this fantastic engineering project!

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