International
Russia Spending an Estimated $900 Million a Day on Ukraine War
As Russia continues its invasion in Ukraine, the heavy toll taken by Russia’s economy could be felt for years to come.
Russia’s invasion is now in its third month, and sustaining the military offensive requires approximately $900 million a day, Sean Spoonts, editor-in-chief of SOFREP, a media outlet focused on military news, told Newsweek.
Several factors play into that heavy price, according to SOFREP’s estimate. That includes paying the Russian soldiers who are fighting in Ukraine; providing them with munitions, bullets and rockets; and the cost to repair lost or damaged military equipment. Russia also must pay for the thousands of critical weapons and cruise missiles that have been fired during the war, which run about $1.5 million apiece, according to Spoonts.
Those figures don’t take into consideration how much Russia may have lost financially because of the severe economic sanctions imposed on it after launching the invasion in late February. Those sanctions may remain in place even if Russia withdraws its troops, according to the White House.
Many believed Russia would quickly rout Ukraine soon after the invasion, given its military superiority. However, Russia has not had much military success up to this point. Forces have failed to take control of the capital city of Kyiv and struggled in other major cities. Pentagon press secretary John Kirby has pointed out that every move by Russian forces has been met with strong resistance by the Ukrainians.
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“All I can tell you is that the Russians have not made the kind of progress in the Donbas and the south that we believe they wanted to make. We do believe they’re behind schedule,” Kirby said.
Russia’s failures come at a great cost to Russia both financially and in terms of loss of life, although the Kremlin has been hesitant to release numbers about military casualties. A study released two weeks after Putin’s announcement found that direct losses from the war has cost Russia about $7 billion.
The economic sanctions imposed on the country as a result of their invasion has had devastating impacts on the country, likely to be felt by Russian citizens for decades to come, according to a March 14 report from CNBC.
The Russian economy could be set back by as much as 30 years as the Russian ruble has collapsed, according to CNBC’s report, with some believing that Russia’s standard of living could be lowered for the next five years.
The Institute for International Finance, a financial think-tank representing firms in over 70 countries, states that the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) will likely fall by 15 percent this year, according to Business Insider.
Ukraine also dealt a difficult blow to Russia in April with the sinking of the Moskva, a Russian warship and flagship of the navy, and an estimated $750 million loss, according to Forbes Ukraine.
The publication reported in April that Ukraine destroyed more than 5,000 pieces of Russian equipment since the war began, but that the Moskva was by far the most expensive target.
Despite the massive cost of weaponry, Kirby said there is evidence that Russian forces have not been hitting their intended targets with precision-guided missiles. He said a multitude of factors could be responsible, including possible incompetence on behalf of operators.
Meanwhile, there are growing concerns that President Vladimir Putin may use May 9—which is celebrated as Victory Day in the country and marks the defeat of Nazi Germany—to formally declare war on Ukraine. However, Russian officials are denying those reports, with a Kremlin spokesperson saying that “there is no chance of that.”
Ukraine also faces a heavy economic impact due to Russia’s invasion. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said it will require hundreds of billions of dollars in order to repair the damage done to the country’s economy and infrastructure, The Wall Street Journal reported, estimating $600 billion this week.
Newsweek
International
American man arrested for beating tourist to death at Ireland hotel
American man arrested for beating tourist to death at Ireland hotel
A 30 year old American man whose name was not given by security officials, has been arrested for beating up a 60 year old tourist to death at the Ballyfin Demesne hotel in Laois, Ireland.
The Irish police force commonly known as ‘Garda Síochána’ announced that the incident occurred in the late hours of Tuesday, November 12.
Ballyfin Demesne hotel, is a popular luxury five-star hotel located in Laois, Ireland and special guests such as Kanye West, Kim Kardashian, George Clooney e.t.c had made use of the hotel in times past.
The victim was discovered unconscious in the late hours of Tuesday, November 12 and was then rushed to the hospital were he died due to severe beating inflicted on him by the culprit.
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Independent local councilor James Kelly stated that nearby communities were ‘stunned’ upon learning about the incident at the renowned hotel.
He said, “There would be a lot of staff from the area and they’re totally shocked by what has happened here.
“It’s something we didn’t think we’d be waking up to this morning.”
The police also noted that a senior officer has been assigned to lead the investigation and an incident room has been set up at Portlaoise Garda Station, Ireland.
Furthermore, a family liaison officer will be designated to assist the family of the deceased.
International
FBI raids home of crypto platform Polymarket CEO, after accurate prediction of Trump win
FBI raids home of crypto platform Polymarket CEO, after accurate prediction of Trump win
The Federal Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday carried out a raid at the home of Shayne Coplan, CEO of cryptocurrency prediction outlet Polymarket.
Authorities seized Mr Coplan’s phone during the raid, according to New York Post which first reported the incident.
Mr Coplan, 26, has been running the famous platform for bets throughout the 2024 presidential election in the United States.
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It wasn’t immediately clear why the search was conducted, but Polymarket promptly said it might be due to its activities during the election. Users on the platform had correctly predicted Donald Trump was going to defeat Kamala Harris. The company paid out a substantial amount to winners following the election.
“This is obvious political retribution by the outgoing administration against Polymarket for providing a market that correctly called the 2024 presidential election,” a spokesperson for Polymarket said in a statement from its headquarters in New York. “Polymarket is a fully transparent prediction market that helps everyday people better understand the events that matter most to them, including elections.”
It was unclear whether or not the FBI would be filing charges after the raid.
FBI raids home of crypto platform Polymarket CEO, after accurate prediction of Trump win
International
Two dead, buildings destroyed in American factory explosion
Two dead, buildings destroyed in American factory explosion
Two employees of Givaudan sense colour, a factory known for making colourings for beverages, located in Louisville, Kentucky, United States (US) were killed in an explosion that took place at the company’s facility.
The factory reported that the incident which took place on Tuesday, November 12 in the afternoon have also destroyed buildings around the company.
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Louisville Mayor, Craig Greenberg stated that firefighters managed to rescue and evacuate numerous individuals from the site, including some who sustained life-threatening injuries.
He also confirmed that all employees present at the plant during the explosion have been accounted for.
Earlier reports indicated that at least 11 workers were hospitalized.
The cause of the explosion is still under investigation.
Two dead, buildings destroyed in American factory explosion
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