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... Russian soldiers gunning down the Ukrainians who had already surrendered.
... Russia has abducted many thousands of Ukrainian children. Some were told they were being sent on vacation, only to end up in Russia. The scale of abductions only became clear when the Ukrainian army began liberating Russian-occupied areas. Large numbers of children had apparently disappeared, victims of a criminal plan devised by Moscow.
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Russia invites Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and other terrorist groups to Moscow - Feb 19, 2024
Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said over the weekend that Russia invited Palestinian factions to meet in Moscow at some point in late February, the latest Russian move to increase its influence in a post-October 7 world. Moscow hosted a Hamas delegation already in October, as Hamas sought to do outreach to Moscow. In October of 2023, Hamas delegation, led by senior Hamas member Mousa Abu Marzouk, met in Moscow with the Russian and Iranian deputy foreign ministers, Mikhail Bogdanov and Ali Bagheri Kani.
Palestinian Authority has been increasingly open to Hamas, since October 7. Hamas seeks to increase its influence in the West Bank - for instance, in trying to get prisoners from other factions exchanged for hostages.
Speculation that a weakened Hamas may be willing to form a partnership with the Fatah-led PA - to govern Gaza and the West Bank jointly - have been revived by a Russian invitation for Palestinian factions to meet in Moscow on 26 February.
Russian TASS reports that Kremlin invited 14 Palestinian groups, including Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), for meetings from February 29 to March 2.
This shows another attempt by Moscow to ratchet up international pressure for ceasefire - Moscow is looking for ways to try and assert influence at a crucial juncture in Israel-Hamas war. Current assessment in Jerusalem is that it will take another two months to defeat Hamas in Rafah and other areas in Gaza. ...
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'Birds of a feather...'
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