Journalist Milashina and lawyer Nemov arrive in Moscow after attack in Chechnya, OSCE recognises Wagner PMC as terrorists

The war in Ukraine has been raging on for 497 days. The ISW believes it is unlikely that Russia will generate a radiation incident at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

Novaya Gazeta journalist Elena Milashina and lawyer Alexander Nemov arrive in Moscow after having been beaten up in Chechnya.

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly recognises Wagner PMC as a terrorist organisation. The European Court of Human Rights rules Moscow’s facial recognition system violates the right to privacy.

Putin discusses the economy with Prime Minister Mishustin.

Kyiv’s Motherland Monument illuminated with the US flag for 4 July.

Read our top headlines about the events that unfolded overnight in Novaya Gazeta Europe’s round-up.

ISW: Russia unlikely to generate radiation incident at Zaporizhzhia NPP

It is currently unlikely that Russia will cause a radiation incident at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP), analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) say. 

Russian and Ukrainian officials have escalated their rhetoric surrounding the ZNPP: Russia has accused Ukraine of acting irresponsibly and setting conditions for a possible false-flag attack, while Ukraine’s military claims that Russia might be preparing a provocation at the plant.

However, the ZNPP’s reactors were designed to withstand significant damage, the ISW noted. “Such provocative Russian statements <...>  are likely part of a Russian wider information operation meant to accuse Ukraine of irresponsibility at the ZNPP ahead of the upcoming NATO summit and dissuade Ukrainian forces from conducting counteroffensive operations against occupied Zaporizhzhia [Region].”

The ISW also said that Ukrainian armed forces appear to be focusing on creating an asymmetrical attrition gradient that conserves Ukrainian manpower at the cost of a slower rate of territorial gains, while gradually wearing down Russian manpower and equipment.

The experts point out that the current pace of Ukrainian operations is not indicative of a stalemate; nor does it demonstrate that Ukraine cannot retake large areas.

Novaya Gazeta journalist Milashina and lawyer Nemov arrive in Moscow after attack in Chechnya

Novaya Gazeta journalist Elena Milashina and lawyer Alexander Nemov who were beaten up yesterday in Chechnya have arrived in Moscow and are being treated at a local hospital.

Milashina and Nemov were severely beaten up in Chechnya in the early hours of 4 July. Nemov recounted that the attackers threatened to shoot them and pointed a gun at their heads. Milashina fainted multiple times and suffered several broken fingers.

The two arrived in the Chechen capital Grozny for the sentencing of Zarema Musaeva, mother of persecuted human rights activists, who was kidnapped by Chechen law enforcement in January. Musaeva has been condemned to 5,5 years in prison, which is the sentence that the state prosecution sought for her.

Putin and Mishustin discuss Russia’s economy

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin reported on the state of the Russian economy during a nocturnal meeting with Vladimir Putin.

“The country’s economy continues to recover steadily. <...> In five months, we have had GDP growth of 0.6% and, what is especially important, it is up 5.4% from last May”, Mishustin said. He assured that economic indicators are rising in spite of anti-Russian sanctions. The government is confident that the annual GDP growth will exceed  2% provided no “force majeure” circumstances occur.

Putin said Russia’s economic performance was “better than expected”.

OSCE Parliamentary Assembly recognizes Wagner PMC as a terrorist organisation

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly adopted a resolution recognising the Wagner PMC as a terrorist organisation. 

“The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly determines that the actions of the Wagner Group on behalf of the Russian government can rightly be characterised as terroristic in nature and intent, and that the designation of the Wagner Group as a terrorist organisation by national authorities is therefore justified,” the document reads.

The resolution also said that, following Vladimir Putin’s acknowledgement of the PMC’s funding, “the Russian state is responsible for the acts of the Wagner Group abroad”.

The Assembly also condemned the Belarusian government for supporting Wagner PMC and allowing it to build a military base on its territory, “endangering the entire region of the Baltic countries”.

The Assembly called on all OSCE members to use the legal tools at their disposal to suppress the activities of the Wagner PMC, including listing it as a terrorist organisation.

European Court of Human Rights rules Moscow’s facial recognition system violates right to privacy

In the case of Glukhin v. Russia the European Court of Human Rights ruled that the facial recognition system operating in Russia violates the right to respect for private life and freedom of expression

Nikolay Glukhin travelled on Moscow’s underground in August 2019 with a life-sized cutout of Konstantin Kotov, who was imprisoned for 4 years for taking part in protests. The cardboard figure was holding a banner saying “Are you nuts? I am Konstantin Kotov, and I face 5 years in prison for peaceful protests”. A few days later, Glukhin was detained at the exit of the underground and fined for failing to notify the authorities of his demonstration. 

The police told Glukhin that they had found him using surveillance cameras with facial recognition systems. The ECHR found that in this case the Russian authorities had violated two articles of the Convention on Human Rights: the right to privacy and to freedom of expression.

Glukhin was awarded €16,200 in compensation. In its decision, the court cited the OVD-Info report “How the authorities use cameras and facial recognition against protesters”.

Motherland Monument in Kyiv illuminated in colours of US flag

The stars and stripes were projected onto the Motherland Monument in the Ukrainian capital on Tuesday night to celebrate the United States’ Independence Day. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also marked the day and congratulated the US.

“Only the brave gain their independence, and only the best of the brave are able to pass on that freedom from generation to generation. We are honoured to be an ally of such dreams, courage and freedom”, he wrote in his Telegram channel.