Check out the small print on Sunak's defence pledge - includes money spent on Ukraine, Middle East/Yemen, parts of the intelligence budget too

So this takes defence spending on govt math to 2.32% of GDP - meaning that lifting to 2.5% by 2030 is not so dramatic

From Kharkiv: a city under aerial attack. Regular bombing, electricity short, air defences non-existent, politicians anxious - but for now only a small number of residents leaving. Can it hold without US aid?

theguardian.com/world/2024/apr…

“Thank God Demidenko was there to help us.” How Russia tortured and killed a volunteer whose house near the border was the last stop for nearly 1000 Ukrainians escaping the country as part of a modern day underground railroad. Read Pjotr Sauer theguardian.com/world/2024/apr…

Alexander Demidenko, a 61-year-old Russian volunteer who helped Ukrainian citizens in Russia return to Ukraine has died in jail, his friend said. Journalists previously published photos displaying signs of torture on Demidenko's body
meduza.io/en/news/2023/1…

'Our son spent his 32nd birthday in prison. He has missed out on so much. Family celebrations. Holidays. Soccer games. He's missed all of it. And he's still there.' We stand with Evan and his brave family and call for his immediate release. #IStandWithEvan

Via the Reliable Sources newsletter: This is the stop-in-your-tracks front page of Friday's Wall Street Journal, marking the one-year anniversary of Evan Gershkovich's detention (cnn.it/3TBLHme)

Despite the hardship, Evan remains strong and defiant

'Release him now. He's a journalist who was doing his job.' Our report from Moscow about US journalist Evan Gershkovich. He was arrested in Russia one year ago this week. Producer Ben Tavener BBC News (UK)

ладно, мы с Andrey Zakharov нашли одного из ваших фсбшников. вернее его нашла нехта, а мы установили личность.

на фото действительно два одинаковых человека. дальше нехта пишет, что мужик фсбшник потому что... получал награду в спортцентре в подмосковье, где располагается часть СВР

Evan Gershkovich, our dear friend falsely accused by Russia of spying, had his pre-trial detention extended by three months today. Friday will mark the first anniversary of Evan's arrest which he has spent in the notorious Lefortovo jail. It's sickening. Free Evan

Ребята кто может кинуть мне тот самый рисунок кота с надписью ‘где текст’ 🙏

In Russia, the same Telegram channel that published video of Wagner paramilitaries sledgehammering a defector to death is now posting government troops slicing off ears and electrocuting captives. Another of Prigozhin’s legacy in Russian military, along with recruiting from jails

This is such an important piece. A few thoughts follow in a 🧵

Russians behaving barbarically is not new. Torture videos are not new. What is new is a government proudly committing and posting acts of mutilation and torture both publicly and as a warning. theguardian.com/world/2024/mar…

Russian officials and the Kremlin propagandists cheered and celebrated such abominable actions against suspects. As I said earlier, torture is a trademark of the Russian army and security services.

“What is different now is the clear demonstrative nature of the torture,” said Tanya Lokshina, the Europe and Central Asia associate director at Human Rights Watch.
Story with Andrew Roth
theguardian.com/world/2024/mar…

Likely Russia has given medals to the soldiers who filmed themselves torturing the Islamist gunmen who killed 137 at Crocus City. Then they auctioned off the knife. A spiral of pain, an orgy of violence. Story w Pjotr Sauer theguardian.com/world/2024/mar…

There are numerous signs that failing to prevent Friday’s attack was in large part down to a catastrophic security failure on the part of Russian authorities, write Shaun Walker Pjotr Sauer Andrew Roth theguardian.com/world/2024/mar…

Spoke to a survivor of the Crocus City Hall who described seeing a woman trying to talk to the attacker before being shot at point-blank range. 'I looked beside me and I saw many people covered in blood.”
With Andrew Roth
theguardian.com/world/2024/mar…

Latest on the attack in Moscow — 60 dead, scores wounded, horrendous scenes at the Crocus City concert hall of gunmen firing point blank into wounded concertgoers. theguardian.com/world/2024/mar…

Some personal news I am the royals correspondent now theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/m…