Latest news with #Belorussian
The Guardian
06-05-2025
- The Guardian
Country diary: I inhaled a whiff of wolf urine – it was the true essence of wilderness
This place, which straddles two eastern European countries, has a reputation as the continent's last primeval forest – a glimpse of a world before it was smothered in ourselves and the homolith. To arrive at night is to tunnel through trees for mile after mile without end. And this, you realise, represents a fraction of the whole. Because beyond the border the Belorussian section of Białowieża is larger still. Overall, it extends to 149,000 hectares, but there is a further buffer forest of 131,000 hectares. To imagine this whole: take all of the RSPB's reserves in Britain, place them contiguously, then lay them end to end with all the 46 Wildlife Trusts' reserves and cover it largely in trees. They would still be less in area than Białowieża. You'd still only have an impression of it in a generic sense, of seeing it in the dark, so to speak. It is during the day that you can separate the trees from the wood, when the wealth of detail and experience is so great it's almost overwhelming; such as the black woodpecker drinking sap at the tree base and flying off with its forest‑piercing kreee-kreee call; the male bison locking horns, their breath thickened around them as musty clouds in the sub-zero morning air; the sight of a pine marten caught in a shaft as an arc of glistening fur against the forest shadow. I couldn't capture Białowieża as just one image, but maybe I can render the magic of the place as a smell. While we were inside the national park's pristine core, our obligatory guide noticed a raised post, and pointed out that such sites are used by wolves for scent-marking. There are five packs in the Polish side. With leaves he mopped up the moisture and held it for us to experience. Wolf piss possesses the most powerful natural odour I think I've ever encountered, and I only wish I could include a scratch-and-sniff with this column to convey it. Weirdly, however, noxious as it was, once the withdrawal instinct was done, an equally compelling reaction ensued: to sample it again. It was the stench of wolves, but it was the perfume of European wilderness, (largely) unmediated by our species. Under the Changing Skies: The Best of the Guardian's Country Diary, 2018-2024 is published by Guardian Faber; order at and get a 15% discount
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukraine's 'chaotic' withdrawal from Russia, in its soldiers' words
Until just over a week ago, Artem Kariakin and his unit were making regular trips across Ukraine's border into the Russian town of Sudzha. He shows me video taken with a phone of their very last trip, as Ukrainian forces retreated from Russia's Kursk region. It shows them making their way past dozens of burnt out military and civilian vehicles. A soldier armed with a shotgun, their last line of defence, scans the horizon for Russian drones. Out of nowhere, one flies towards the back of their truck. Sparks fly, but they keep on going. Artem says they were lucky - the explosive charge was not big enough to stop them. Another truck nearby was less fortunate. It was already in flames. Artem admits Ukraine's retreat from Sudzha, the largest town Ukraine held in Kursk, was "not well organised". "It was pretty chaotic," he tells me. "Many units left in disarray. I think the problem was the order to withdraw came too late." It wasn't helped, he says, because units were operating without proper communications. The Starlink satellite systems they normally rely on didn't work inside Russia. The 27-year-old soldier still views the Kursk offensive as broadly successful. Artem says it forced Russia to divert its forces from the east. Most of Ukraine's troops still managed to escape in time – even if for many it was on foot. But he believes Ukraine's surprise incursion into Russian territory, launched last August, was too deep and too narrow - relying on just one main road for supplies and reinforcements. While Artem and his men were fleeing for their lives, US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin were talking by phone about trying to bring the war to an end. Artem says he finds that "absurd". "To me these calls between Trump and Putin are just surreal," he says. "Trump wants to end the war because he promised to do it - and Putin wants to deceive Trump to continue his war. I can't take their conversations seriously." Artem, whose home is in the now Russian-occupied Luhansk region, tells me he feels disappointed with the US and Trump. "What can I feel when they just want to give away my home?" Artem says he never believed that Putin would be willing to trade any part of Russia for Ukraine's occupied territories. But he still believes the Kursk offensive was important to protect its own border. Ukrainian troops may have been forced to retreat, but they still occupy high ground just over the border with Sumy. Ukraine is continuing its cross-border raids – not just into Kursk, but Belgorod too. Serhiy's assault battalion helps plan these attacks – finding a way through Russian minefields and anti-tank obstacles known as "dragon's teeth". We joined him on a night-time mission to locate and recover armoured vehicles in need of repairs. It's the safest time to move close to the Russian border. Serhiy himself is no stranger to Russia: he was born there. He now has Belorussian citizenship, but he chose to fight for Ukraine. He justifies Ukraine's incursions into his former home. Russia too, he says, has been trying to create a buffer zone inside Ukrainian territory. Travelling in his Ukrainian-made armoured vehicle, Serhiy still lists the likely threats, now we are less than 10km from the Russian border: glide bombs, rockets and artillery, and drones fitted with thermal imaging cameras. His own vehicle is fitted with electronic counter-measures to jam enemy drones, but even those won't work against drones operated via fibre optic wires. Those can't be stopped, though on some routes Ukraine has now erected netting to try to catch the drones before they can hit their target. Our original search near the Russian border for a damaged US-made Bradley armoured vehicle is abandoned when Serhiy receives intelligence that Russian drones are operating nearby. Instead, he tries to locate another broken-down Bradley where the risks will be smaller. He and his driver still have to overcome obstacles along the way. Trees and branches lie strewn across their path – remnants from a recent Russian air strike. We see several more explosions in the distance, briefly turning the night sky orange. Serhiy eventually finds his broken-down Bradley. It's already been retrieved from the battlefield across the border and has been loaded onto a lorry to be taken back for repairs. The Bradley commander confirms to me that they've been fighting in Russia. He describes the situations across the border as "difficult, but we're holding on". The Bradley is another reminder of Ukraine's reliance on US military support. That now seems less certain with Trump's focus on peace talks. Serhiy says it's already clear to him that there's "haggling behind Ukraine's back". I ask Serhiy if he thinks European nations can fill any void left by the US. Is a European "coalition of the willing" enough to guarantee Ukraine's security? "I think if America doesn't help Ukraine, then a ceasefire will be agreed soon - but on extremely unfavourable terms for Ukraine," Serhiy replies. "Europe clearly cannot resolve this conflict alone. They're not strong enough. They've been focussing on their own economies instead of thinking about security." Serhiy says he wants the war to end. Like many Ukrainians, he would like to see peace - but not at any price. Additional reporting by Volodymyr Lozkho and Anastasiia Levchenko Reassurance, not peacekeeping: What Ukraine coalition force will and won't do Rosenberg: Trump-Putin call seen as victory in Russia 'Everything is finished': Ukrainian troops relive retreat from Kursk
BBC News
20-03-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Ukraine's 'chaotic' withdrawal from Russia, in its soldiers' words
Until just over a week ago, Artem Kariakin and his unit were making regular trips across Ukraine's border into the Russian town of shows me video taken with a phone of their very last trip, as Ukrainian forces retreated from Russia's Kursk region. It shows them making their way past dozens of burnt out military and civilian vehicles.A soldier armed with a shotgun, their last line of defence, scans the horizon for Russian drones. Out of nowhere, one flies towards the back of their truck. Sparks fly, but they keep on says they were lucky - the explosive charge was not big enough to stop truck nearby was less fortunate. It was already in admits Ukraine's retreat from Sudzha, the largest town Ukraine held in Kursk, was "not well organised"."It was pretty chaotic," he tells me. "Many units left in disarray. I think the problem was the order to withdraw came too late."It wasn't helped, he says, because units were operating without proper communications. The Starlink satellite systems they normally rely on didn't work inside Russia. The 27-year-old soldier still views the Kursk offensive as broadly successful. Artem says it forced Russia to divert its forces from the east. Most of Ukraine's troops still managed to escape in time – even if for many it was on he believes Ukraine's surprise incursion into Russian territory, launched last August, was too deep and too narrow - relying on just one main road for supplies and Artem and his men were fleeing for their lives, US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin were talking by phone about trying to bring the war to an end. Artem says he finds that "absurd"."To me these calls between Trump and Putin are just surreal," he says. "Trump wants to end the war because he promised to do it - and Putin wants to deceive Trump to continue his war. I can't take their conversations seriously."Artem, whose home is in the now Russian-occupied Luhansk region, tells me he feels disappointed with the US and Trump. "What can I feel when they just want to give away my home?" Artem says he never believed that Putin would be willing to trade any part of Russia for Ukraine's occupied territories. But he still believes the Kursk offensive was important to protect its own border. Ukrainian troops may have been forced to retreat, but they still occupy high ground just over the border with is continuing its cross-border raids – not just into Kursk, but Belgorod too. Serhiy's assault battalion helps plan these attacks – finding a way through Russian minefields and anti-tank obstacles known as "dragon's teeth".We joined him on a night-time mission to locate and recover armoured vehicles in need of repairs. It's the safest time to move close to the Russian himself is no stranger to Russia: he was born there. He now has Belorussian citizenship, but he chose to fight for Ukraine. He justifies Ukraine's incursions into his former home. Russia too, he says, has been trying to create a buffer zone inside Ukrainian in his Ukrainian-made armoured vehicle, Serhiy still lists the likely threats, now we are less than 10km from the Russian border: glide bombs, rockets and artillery, and drones fitted with thermal imaging cameras. His own vehicle is fitted with electronic counter-measures to jam enemy drones, but even those won't work against drones operated via fibre optic wires. Those can't be stopped, though on some routes Ukraine has now erected netting to try to catch the drones before they can hit their original search near the Russian border for a damaged US-made Bradley armoured vehicle is abandoned when Serhiy receives intelligence that Russian drones are operating nearby. Instead, he tries to locate another broken-down Bradley where the risks will be and his driver still have to overcome obstacles along the way. Trees and branches lie strewn across their path – remnants from a recent Russian air strike. We see several more explosions in the distance, briefly turning the night sky eventually finds his broken-down Bradley. It's already been retrieved from the battlefield across the border and has been loaded onto a lorry to be taken back for Bradley commander confirms to me that they've been fighting in Russia. He describes the situations across the border as "difficult, but we're holding on". The Bradley is another reminder of Ukraine's reliance on US military support. That now seems less certain with Trump's focus on peace talks. Serhiy says it's already clear to him that there's "haggling behind Ukraine's back".I ask Serhiy if he thinks European nations can fill any void left by the US. Is a European "coalition of the willing" enough to guarantee Ukraine's security? "I think if America doesn't help Ukraine, then a ceasefire will be agreed soon - but on extremely unfavourable terms for Ukraine," Serhiy replies."Europe clearly cannot resolve this conflict alone. They're not strong enough. They've been focussing on their own economies instead of thinking about security."Serhiy says he wants the war to end. Like many Ukrainians, he would like to see peace - but not at any reporting by Volodymyr Lozkho and Anastasiia Levchenko
Egypt Independent
20-03-2025
- Politics
- Egypt Independent
Turkey moves closer to endless Erdogan rule as biggest rival detained
CNN — Turkish police have detained the strongest rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a move that experts say is aimed at removing all possible contenders ahead of the next presidential election and further stretching his rule. The Istanbul Mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, was detained as part of corruption and terror investigations in a move the opposition condemned as politically motivated. Some 100 others connected to the mayor were also detained, including elected Istanbul district mayors Resul Emrah Sahan and Murat Calik. The wave of arrests comes after a months-long crackdown on the opposition in Turkey. In November, Human Rights Watch lambasted Erdogan for removing several elected opposition mayors and replacing them with government-appointed ones. Murat Somer, politics professor at Ozyegin University in Istanbul, said the Istanbul mayor's detention was part of a political transformation Turkey is undergoing. Erdogan's Turkey is moving from 'an open autocratic regime to a Russian or Belorussian style, fully authoritarian, autocratic regime,' Somer told CNN, adding that this appears to be a 'very well planned and orchestrated effort that started last fall.' Whether the opposition will be able to survive this effort is yet to be seen. Imamoglu said that he would not back down. 'We are up against huge bullying,' the two-time mayor said in a video filmed from his walk-in closet shortly before his arrest. 'But I will not back down. I love you all. I entrust myself to the people. I will be standing tall,' he said in the video that was posted Wednesday on X. In a separate message, Imamoglu's wife Dilek said that 'those who do not want to lose in the next ballot box have made this move,' referring to Erdogan and his camp. 'Too much of a threat' Imamoglu, one of Turkey's most popular political figures, was the major threat to Erdogan. Erdogan extended his rule into a third decade after winning a knife-edge presidential election in 2023, securing a second term. His party did not, however, secure the key city of Istanbul, where he was mayor before becoming president, which remains in the hands of his rival Imamoglu and the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP). After winning a second term, Erdogan was bent on taking back the city in March 2024 municipal elections, which saw Imamoglu again emerge victorious by 51.14 percent of the vote, beating Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AK Party) candidate. He had been elected Istanbul mayor in 2019. People gather in front of the CHP Headquarters protesting the detention of CHP Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu in Ankara, Turkey on Wednesday.'Erdogan sees in Imamoglu a key challenger,' Soner Captagay, a senior fellow and director of the Turkish Research Program at the DC-based Washington Institute for Near East Policy, told CNN. Both leaders hail from the Black Sea coast, and just as Erdogan used his Istanbul mayorship in the 1990s to convince voters that he can run Turkey well, 'Imamoglu has created the same brand,' he said. 'This was too much a threat for Erdogan and he decided to nip it in the bud.' Imamoglu is on a trajectory to one day lead the country. Some polls had said that if he ran for president against Erdogan, Imamoglu would secure more votes. 'Imamoglu is extremely popular,' Somer said adding that Imamoglu has been particularly skilled at drawing support, even from traditionally pro-Erdogan camps. 'This is of course extremely threatening to Erdogan,' Somer said. His arrest came just days before the CHP was scheduled to hold a primary election, where Imamoglu was expected to be chosen as its presidential candidate for the next round of presidential polls. It also comes after Istanbul University said on Tuesday it had annulled Imamoglu's degree over irregularities. Candidates must hold a university degree to run for president in Turkey. In response to his arrest, the CHP called for protests by the party's headquarters and provincial offices across the country. The CHP's leader, Ozgur Ozel, called Imamoglu's detention 'a coup attempt against our next president.' Meanwhile, Erdogan's allies have defended the crackdown. Erdogan's ally and leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), Devlet Bahceli, rejected calling Imamoglu's detention a coup, adding that calling to the streets in protest of his arrest is 'political corruption that has gone mad and lost its level of reason and morality.' Bahceli also insisted that the Turkish judiciary is 'independent, impartial and objective.' A third presidential term? Experts say that Erdogan is likely trying to extend his rule into a third term. According to the constitution presidents are only allowed to run for two terms. To circumvent this rule, Erdogan will have to either amend the constitution or call early elections. To change the constitution, Erdogan will need the support of the CHP, the second largest party in Turkey's Grand National Assembly after Erdogan's AK Party, boasting more than 130 members of parliament. The AK Party has more than 270 seats. A constitutional amendment requires a vote of two-thirds majority in parliament. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attends a press conference in Ankara, Turkey on February 18. Adem Altan/AFP/Getty Images Erdogan previously amended the constitution in a 2017 referendum that transformed Turkey's parliamentary system into a powerful executive presidency, granting Erdogan sweeping powers. The president may also call early elections, which would grant him at least another five years of rule, as his second term would be incomplete. In order to actually run for president in early elections, parliament will have to make the call, according to Article 116 of the constitution. But any election that includes the opposition with Imamoglu as its head risks seeing Erdogan's defeated, experts say. 'If they allow the opposition to fully participate in the elections, they will lose. They realize that,' Somer said, adding that Erdogan is likely seeking to eliminate the opposition before calling early elections and changing the constitution, which Somer said Erdogan has been preparing for by co-opting politicians to back the idea. Captagay said that Erdogan may, however, miscalculate, as 'arresting your top opponent never works out well.' Erdogan was himself arrested in 1999 by the then-secular regime. He later went on to win massive popularity. 'Imamoglu's arrest might increase sympathies for him and can frame him as a nationally known political hero, just as Erdogan's arrest did for him in 1999,' Captagay said, adding that Erdogan may have inadvertently bolstered his political nemesis.
CNN
19-03-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Turkey moves closer to endless Erdogan rule as biggest rival detained
Turkish police have detained the strongest rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a move that experts say is aimed at removing all possible contenders ahead of the next presidential election and further stretching his rule. The Istanbul Mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, was detained as part of corruption and terror investigations in a move the opposition condemned as politically motivated. Some 100 others connected to the mayor were also detained, including elected Istanbul district mayors Resul Emrah Sahan and Murat Calik. The wave of arrests comes after a months-long crackdown on the opposition in Turkey. In November, Human Rights Watch lambasted Erdogan for removing several elected opposition mayors and replacing them with government-appointed ones. Murat Somer, politics professor at Ozyegin University in Istanbul, said the Istanbul mayor's detention was part of a political transformation Turkey is undergoing. Erdogan's Turkey is moving from 'an open autocratic regime to a Russian or Belorussian style, fully authoritarian, autocratic regime,' Somer told CNN, adding that this appears to be a 'very well planned and orchestrated effort that started last fall.' Whether the opposition will be able to survive this effort is yet to be seen. Imamoglu said that he would not back down. 'We are up against huge bullying,' the two-time mayor said in a video filmed from his walk-in closet shortly before his arrest. 'But I will not back down. I love you all. I entrust myself to the people. I will be standing tall,' he said in the video that was posted Wednesday on X. In a separate message, Imamoglu's wife Dilek said that 'those who do not want to lose in the next ballot box have made this move,' referring to Erdogan and his camp. Imamoglu, one of Turkey's most popular political figures, was the major threat to Erdogan. Erdogan extended his rule into a third decade after winning a knife-edge presidential election in 2023, securing a second term. His party did not, however, secure the key city of Istanbul, where he was mayor before becoming president, which remains in the hands of his rival Imamoglu and the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP). After winning a second term, Erdogan was bent on taking back the city in March 2024 municipal elections, which saw Imamoglu again emerge victorious by 51.14% of the vote, beating Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AK Party) candidate. He had been elected Istanbul mayor in 2019. 'Erdogan sees in Imamoglu a key challenger,' Soner Captagay, a senior fellow and director of the Turkish Research Program at the DC-based Washington Institute for Near East Policy, told CNN. Both leaders hail from the Black Sea coast, and just as Erdogan used his Istanbul mayorship in the 1990s to convince voters that he can run Turkey well, 'Imamoglu has created the same brand,' he said. 'This was too much a threat for Erdogan and he decided to nip it in the bud.' Imamoglu is on a trajectory to one day lead the country. Some polls had said that if he ran for president against Erdogan, Imamoglu would secure more votes. 'Imamoglu is extremely popular,' Somer said adding that Imamoglu has been particularly skilled at drawing support, even from traditionally pro-Erdogan camps. 'This is of course extremely threatening to Erdogan,' Somer said. Turkey's local elections on Sunday marked the biggest election defeat for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's party, as the main opposition group claimed victory in key cities including Istanbul and Ankara. CNN's Scott McLean reports. His arrest came just days before the CHP was scheduled to hold a primary election, where Imamoglu was expected to be chosen as its presidential candidate for the next round of presidential polls. It also comes after Istanbul University said on Tuesday it had annulled Imamoglu's degree over irregularities. Candidates must hold a university degree to run for president in Turkey. In response to his arrest, the CHP called for protests by the party's headquarters and provincial offices across the country. The CHP's leader, Ozgur Ozel, called Imamoglu's detention 'a coup attempt against our next president.' Meanwhile, Erdogan's allies have defended the crackdown. Erdogan's ally and leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), Devlet Bahceli, rejected calling Imamoglu's detention a coup, adding that calling to the streets in protest of his arrest is 'political corruption that has gone mad and lost its level of reason and morality.' Bahceli also insisted that the Turkish judiciary is 'independent, impartial and objective.' Experts say that Erdogan is likely trying to extend his rule into a third term. According to the constitution presidents are only allowed to run for two terms. To circumvent this rule, Erdogan will have to either amend the constitution or call early elections. To change the constitution, Erdogan will need the support of the CHP, the second largest party in Turkey's Grand National Assembly after Erdogan's AK Party, boasting more than 130 members of parliament. The AK Party has more than 270 seats. A constitutional amendment requires a vote of two-thirds majority in parliament. Erdogan previously amended the constitution in a 2017 referendum that transformed Turkey's parliamentary system into a powerful executive presidency, granting Erdogan sweeping powers. The president may also call early elections, which would grant him at least another five years of rule, as his second term would be incomplete. In order to actually run for president in early elections, parliament will have to make the call, according to Article 116 of the constitution. But any election that includes the opposition with Imamoglu as its head risks seeing Erdogan's defeated, experts say. 'If they allow the opposition to fully participate in the elections, they will lose. They realize that,' Somer said, adding that Erdogan is likely seeking to eliminate the opposition before calling early elections and changing the constitution, which Somer said Erdogan has been preparing for by co-opting politicians to back the idea. Captagay said that Erdogan may, however, miscalculate, as 'arresting your top opponent never works out well.' Erdogan was himself arrested in 1999 by the then-secular regime. He later went on to win massive popularity. 'Imamoglu's arrest might increase sympathies for him and can frame him as a nationally known political hero, just as Erdogan's arrest did for him in 1999,' Captagay said, adding that Erdogan may have inadvertently bolstered his political nemesis. CNN's Gul Tuysuz, Helen Regan, Sandi Sidhu and Ipek Yezdani contributed reporting.
