FILE - Ukrainian servicemen prepare to fire at Russian positions from a U.S.-supplied M777 howitzer - Sputnik International

UPDATES: US Seeking Audit Services in Ukraine to Document Spending of Nearly $15Bln of Aid

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Russia launched the special military operation back in February, after the people's republics of Donetsk and Lugansk (DPR and LPR) appealed for help to defend themselves against Ukrainian attacks.
Earlier in the day, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a constitutional law, officially approving the accession of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics as well as Kherson region and Zaporozhye region, to Russia.
This comes after referendums, where the residents of the four territories overwhelmingly supported the motion to join the Russian Federation amid constant attacks by Ukrainian forces.
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01:04 GMT 06.10.2022
US Pressuring Brazil, Urging It to Impose Anti-Russian Sanctions - Russian Ambassador
BRASILIA (Sputnik) - The United States is putting pressure on Brazil, trying to persuade it to impose sanctions against Russia, but fruitlessly, Russian Ambassador to the Latin American country Alexey Labetsky told Sputnik.
"Certainly. We see it very well," Labetsky said, when asked if the West is pressuring Brazil.
"We are aware that the collective West and, primarily, Washington are trying to convince the Brazilians that it is necessary to impose sanctions against our country. They have not achieved any effect so far," he said.
22:16 GMT 05.10.2022
Russian Ambassador to US Antonov Says Plans to Visit Viktor Bout Next Week
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov plans to visit Russian businessman Viktor Bout, who is serving a 25-year prison term in the United States, next week, and then meet with Russian nationals Alexander Vinnik and Roman Seleznev.
“I plan to personally visit Viktor Bout in a week. Permission for this has been received. I hope no artificial obstacles will be created by the American side. In late October - early November, I would like to see Alexander Vinnik, who is in a prison in California, and then I plan to visit Roman Seleznev,” Antonov said on Russia's Channel One.
Bout was arrested in Thailand on a US request in 2008 as a result of an operation of US security services and handed over to the United States. He is serving his term in a US prison on charges of conspiracy to murder US citizens and financially supporting terrorism. Bout has denied all accusations.
22:06 GMT 05.10.2022
US Seeking Audit Services in Ukraine to Document Spending of Nearly $15Bln of Aid - Notice
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States is seeking audit and monitoring services to document the outcomes of nearly $15 billion of assistance provided to Ukraine amid its ongoing conflict with Russia, according to a Request for Information notice published by the US Department of State.
"This Request for Information (RFI) notice is issued as part of market research being conducted by the US Department of State and the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs to seek expressions of interest from small businesses capable of providing the services needed for documenting, monitoring and evaluating the outcomes of $14.8 billion in Ukraine Supplemental assistance," the notice said on Wednesday.
The State Department will award a contract to a firm for one base year with an option of a two-year extension and expects it to start this Fall, the notice said.
Such an audit firm will also be obliged to submit quarterly reports to the US Congress, including with respect to any future amounts of assistance approved for Ukraine by US lawmakers, the notice said.
The interested firms must also be able to fulfill their contractual obligations by using methods that can mitigate the substantial risk of corruption in Ukraine, the notice added.
The State Department emphasized that the notice itself is published for information and planning purposes and should not be considered as a Request for Quote/Proposal or a promise to issue a solicitation in the future.
In September, the State Department Office of Inspector General (OIG) launched a project to audit the humanitarian assistance sent to Ukraine amid Russia’s special military operation.
The United States has committed more than $16.8 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s special military operation in the country on February 24.
21:37 GMT 05.10.2022
EU May Complete Work on Eighth Sanctions Package Against Russia on Thursday - Source
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The European Union can complete the technical procedure for implementing the eighth package of sanctions against Russia on Thursday, a source told Sputnik.
According to the source, the new sanctions package will be published in the official magazine of the European Union after the procedure is completed on Thursday and will come into force.
Last week, a source told Sputnik that the EU Permanent Representatives Committee (COREPER) approved the eighth sanctions package on September 30, adding that COREPER may also announce the ninth package of sanctions immediately after publishing the eighth.
Last week, the European Commission said it had prepared a fresh round of sanctions against Russia in light of the referendums in the Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics (DPR, LPR) and the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions. The eighth package is expected to introduce new import and export bans and a price cap on oil, as well as target Russia's IT and cybersecurity industry, travel and other industries.
On September 30, Russian President Vladimir Putin and the heads of the DPR, LPR, as well as Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, signed agreements on the accession of these territories to Russia, following referendums that showed that an overwhelming majority of the local population supported becoming part of Russia.
21:35 GMT 05.10.2022
Russia, US Conducting Talks on Prisoner Swap Through Agreed Channel - Russian Ambassador
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia and the United States are conducting talks on a prisoner exchange through agreed channels, Russian Ambassador to Washington Anatoly Antonov said.
"As for talks on the exchange of prisoners, they are being conducted through special channels agreed upon by the presidents of our two countries in Geneva last year. We assume that in this area it is necessary to act in a calm, professional manner," he said on Russia's Channel One.
21:35 GMT 05.10.2022
Russia Ultimately Became Washington's Adversary - Ambassador
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov said that Russia had finally acquired the status of an adversary for Washington, no one in the United States had a mood for dialogue now.
"Of course, it's bitter that no one in Washington today is talking about stabilizing or developing bilateral relations. Russia here has unequivocally acquired the status of an adversary, one of the very monsters that must be destroyed," Antonov told Russia's Channel One.
"The task is to exhaust our country, to bring it to its knees, to force it to comply with the orders of the West, to prevent us from speaking with other states on an equal footing," the ambassador added.
He drew attention to the fact that at present "all spheres of interaction are frozen, starting with culture, sports, and ending with the issue of strategic stability."
"Today, we have only crumbs of the rich heritage that we received from our predecessors. Space can be counted here. The volume of interaction in the field of nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction remains minimal, we should mention, of course, the so-called deconfliction in Syria, where our military contact on the situation on the ground in order to prevent unintended collisions," the ambassador said.
20:07 GMT 05.10.2022
US Pushing Countries at UN to Back Draft Resolution Condemning Russia Referendums - Source
UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) - The United States and its western allies are trying to convince other countries to support a draft UN General Assembly resolution condemning Russia for integrating four former Ukrainian regions, a source told Sputnik on Wednesday.
"The United States and its partners are now actively trying to persuade as many countries as possible to support the draft resolution on referendums," a source in one of the national delegations said.
According to another source, Russia proposes holding a secret ballot on the Western draft resolution, which would reduce the number of countries voting in favor.
Albania and Ukraine have requested an UNGA Emergency Special Session in the wake of the accession referendums. The session will be held on Monday.
18:29 GMT 05.10.2022
UN Welcomes Russian Statement on Security Guarantees for Yelenovka Mission - Spokesperson
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomes the statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry about Moscow's readiness to provide security guarantees for a United Nations mission to the Yelenovka prison in the Donetsk People's Republic, spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Wednesday.

"We even had the Secretary General’s own conversation with the most senior Russian leadership and that sort of statement, we very much welcome," Dujarric said during a press briefing.

The United Nations is trying to ensure at the working level that all details are worked out, Dujarric added.

The UN spokesperson's statement came in response to a question about the statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry that Moscow is ready to provide safety guarantees for the Yelenovka mission.

The parties to the conflict in Ukraine have already been in discussions with the United Nations to finally dispatch the fact-finding mission.

The UN fact-finding mission is meant to investigate the attack on the Russia-controlled jail that killed 53 Ukrainian prisoners of war in July.
18:27 GMT 05.10.2022
Czech Exports of Military Equipment to Ukraine Hit $1.9Bln in 2022
The export of military equipment from the Czech Republic to Ukraine this year reached 47 billion Czech korunas ($1.9 billion), including military assistance worth 4.2 billion Czech korunas, local media reported on Wednesday, citing Czech Defense Minister Jana Cernochova.

Earlier in the day, Cernochova held talks with representatives of the Czech defense industry. The Czech government has also approved the next shipment of weapons to Ukraine, referring to heavy equipment.

Cernochova refused to provide more detailed information for security reasons, the Ceske Noviny newspaper reported. She noted, though, that the current military and political situation could help Czech defense enterprises to regain their leading positions of 1920-1930s, the period between the first and second world wars, the report said.

Russia launched its special military operation in Ukraine on February 24, after the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR) appealed for help in defending themselves against Ukrainian provocations. In response to Russia's operation, Western countries have rolled out a comprehensive sanctions campaign against Moscow and have ramped up lethal weapons supplies to Ukraine.
18:26 GMT 05.10.2022
EU Ready for Diplomatic Solution on Ukraine If Circumstances Allow - Borrell
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that the EU planned to launch a mission to train the Ukrainian military in mid-October, but at the same time assured of the EU's readiness to seek a diplomatic solution to the conflict in Ukraine, "should the circumstances return to do so in a meaningful way."

"At the next Foreign Affairs Council on 17 October, I hope we can formally launch our training mission for Ukrainian armed forces. At the same time, we remain ready to pursue a diplomatic solution, should the circumstances return to do so in a meaningful way," Borrell said in a blog post.
18:25 GMT 05.10.2022
IAEA: Preparations Underway at Zaporozhye NPP to Restart 1 of 6 Disabled Reactors
Preparations are underway to restart one of the six reactors at the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant (ZNPP), which were previously shut down due to the shelling. the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Wednesday.

"IAEA experts at the site learnt that the ZNPP plans to restart one of its six reactors which are currently all in cold shutdown. Senior Ukrainian operating staff informed IAEA experts present at the ZNPP that preparations are under way to start unit 5 at reduced power to produce steam and heat for the needs of the plant. It will take some time to complete all preparations, including those related to necessary systems and equipment, before reactor operations can resume," the IAEA said in a statement.

The last operating reactor at the ZNPP was switched off after a shutdown of the central power supply on September 11. At the moment, all six reactors are in a state of cold shutdown.

Earlier on Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed to place the ZNPP under the control of Russian institutions. All ZNPP employees will be transferred to the new operating organization with the preservation of wages and social guarantees. The new operator will also oversee the work to access the damage and restore the infrastructure in the near future.
18:24 GMT 05.10.2022
Investigators working on the scene of the car accident that left journo and political analyst Daria Dugina dead. August 21, 2022, Moscow region. - Sputnik International, 1920, 05.10.2022
World
US Thinks Ukraine Authorized Car Bomb Assassination of Russian Journalist Darya Dugina - Reports
18:24 GMT 05.10.2022
M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) - Sputnik International, 1920, 05.10.2022
Analysis
Military Expert: Pentagon Threats Against Crimea Are Mere Rhetoric, Part of Info Warfare
14:43 GMT 05.10.2022
President Putin Brings ZNPP Under Russian Administration

"To the Government of the Russian Federation: a) to ensure the acceptance into federal property of the facilities for the use of atomic energy of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant and other property necessary for the implementation of its activities; b) to take measures aimed at creation of a federal state unitary enterprise "Zaporozhye NPP" in order to ensure the safety of the facilities for the use of atomic energy of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant," the decree read.

13:30 GMT 05.10.2022
Head of Bosnian Serbs Dodik Backs Donbass' Right to Self-Determination Regardless of Western Countries' Opinion

"Peoples have the right to hold referendums. As far as I understand, the Russian people live on this territory, and they have the right to decide and make a decision. This decision should simply be respected, and nothing more," Dodik said.

Dodik pointed to "double standards" in that the referendums serving the interests of the United States, in particular, enjoy the support of its Western allies, as was the case in Kosovo.

"Now Russia has done something very important — it has restored the principles of the UN Charter and the right of peoples to self-determination, which is the highest principle of international law," Dodik said, adding that "Russia does not need to look around for whether or not other countries have recognized the results."

13:09 GMT 05.10.2022
Russian MoD Holds Briefing on Special Military Operation in Ukraine
13:01 GMT 05.10.2022
President Putin: Referendum Results Are Clear and Unquestionable

"The result, of course, is more than convincing, and this result is absolutely transparent and not subject to any doubt," Putin stressed.

12:54 GMT 05.10.2022
IBA Allows Russian, Belarusian Boxers to Compete Under National Flags
The International Boxing Association (IBA) announced Wednesday that Russian and Belarusian athletes would be allowed to return to the ring and compete under their national flags.
This reverses the IBA board of directors’ March 4 decision to bar Russian and Belarusian boxers from international competitions over the conflict in Ukraine. Ukrainian boxers were allowed to compete starting Tuesday.

"Both Russian and Belarus teams will be able to perform under their flags, and the national anthems will be played in case they win a gold medal," the statement read.

IBA said it believed that politics should not have any influence on sports and referred to its obligation to ensure equal treatment towards athletes, regardless of their nationality and residence. The technical officials of Russia and Belarus will also be back in the competitions.
12:53 GMT 05.10.2022
Moscow Ready to Consider Creation of Safe Zone Around ZNPP, Goals Announced by IAEA Head Grossi Fully Coincide With Russia’s, Envoy Says
Moscow is ready to study the possibility of creating a safe zone around the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant (NPP), the goals announced by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi completely coincide with the Russian ones, Mikhail Ulyanov, Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia's permanent representative to the IAEA, told Sputnik on Wednesday.

"We are ready to study it [the idea of the IAEA] The goals formulated by Mr. Grossi completely coincide with our position, nuclear facilities of this kind, like peaceful nuclear power plants, should be protected from attacks. Here we have complete unanimity — you cannot open fire from such objects, you cannot shell such objects," Ulyanov said on the sidelines of the OPEC+ meeting in Vienna.

The diplomat added that it is necessary to coordinate "specific details — both geographical and other substantive ones."
12:09 GMT 05.10.2022
MoD: Russian Forces Strike Ukrainian Neo-Nazi and Mercenary Units in Kharkov Region, DPR
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