WORLD BRIEFING: August 27, 2023
Today marks 550 days since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine
Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin confirmed dead after genetic analysis of bodies found in plane crash, Russian officials say. Ten passengers and crew were aboard the private Enbrarer jet that crashed Wednesday in the Tver region. Russian officials have said that an explosion on board brought the aircraft down.
Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa has been elected to a second term with 52.6% of the vote, the electoral commission says. However, the opposition claimed there had been widespread vote-rigging and international observers said the vote fell short of democratic standards. Mr Mnangagwa is only Zimbabwe's third president. A 2017 coup against veteran ruler Robert Mugabe put him in charge. Zimbabweans still face high inflation, poverty and a climate of fear. When he first became president, Mr Mnangagwa - known as "The Crocodile" for his ruthlessness - promised a new start for his country's people - BBC
Indonesia, the world’s fourth most populous country and South-east Asia’s largest economy, declined to join the BRICS as Joko Widodo appears cautious about adhering to an increasingly China-dominated club, according to one report. It was highly expected to be among the six countries added at the recent summit in Johannesburg. Argentina was one of the countries not expected to be invited to join in the round. Nicolas Foster, a political adviser, wrote on LinkedIn: “As an Argentine citizen, I do hope my country does not join the club of autocracies. Instead of praising dictators and invaders, Latin America shall look towards developed, capitalist democracies!”
Chinese President Xi Jinping made a surprise stop in Urumqi on way back from BRICS, doubling down on Xinjiang policy: Prioritize social stability, anti-terrorism, Sinocize Islam, resolutely teach Uyghurs the Chinese language, redirect locals to seek jobs in the mainland, and counter negative press
Read my wrap up piece on BRICS for CNN Opinion here
WAR IN UKRAINE
One of Ukraine's most celebrated fighter pilots and two other airmen have been killed in a mid-air crash. Andrii Pilshchykov won fame taking part in dogfights over Kyiv during the early phase of Russia's invasion. The Ukrainian military called the airmen's deaths "painful and irreparable" losses, and paid tribute to Pilshchykov as a pilot with "mega knowledge and mega talent". The crash involved two L-39 training planes flying over northern Ukraine. An investigation is under way into whether flight preparation rules were not correctly followed, resulting in Friday's crash in Zhytomyr Oblast. The region is west of the capital, Kyiv, and hundreds of miles from the frontline. President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the deaths in his nightly video address, saying that his country would "never forget anyone who defended the free skies of Ukraine". - BBC
A new Bellingcat investigation IDs at least 10 ships that have surreptitiously visited Sevastopol to load up on stolen Ukraine grain. Previously these ships were likely going to Syria and Turkey, but now appears Iran is a destination for some. Bellingcat found that the ships turned off their tracking equipment to evade detection
Ukraine has become the largest minefield in the world because of the Russian invasion. About 1/3 of the country - 174,000 square kilometers, is contaminated with all kinds of mines and munitions. That's about as much as all the Baltic States put together.
The Aug. 23 strike on an a Russian anti-aircraft system in Crimea used a "new, completely modern" Ukrainian missile, Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, said on Aug. 26. Danilov was speaking to Ukrainske Radio about the attack on the missile defense system in Olenivka on the northwestern tip of Russian-occupied Crimea. The Ukrainian-made missile worked "flawlessly," he said. The blast wiped out a Russian S-400 air defense system. According to Ukrainian intelligence, the entire system was destroyed, along with all missiles and personnel. The S-400 anti-aircraft system could strike targets in air, on land, and at sea, and had the ability to hit aerial targets up to 250 miles away. The day after the strike, Ukrainian forces landedin Maiak, five kilometers from Olenivka, and raised the Ukrainian flag as part of a join operation between the Navy and intelligence units - Kyiv Independent