Vitaly Shevchenko of #BBCMonitoring writes: 'Russia's commentary on the Marinera saga has been decidedly low-key, as if designed not to antagonise the US or create the impression that Moscow was determined to defend the Russia-flagged tanker.'

#TheGlobalJigsaw latest miniseries on JNIM, a branch of al-Qaeda is worth your time. It's one of the world's deadliest jihadist groups, based in the Sahel,where around 50% of deaths from terrorism were registered last yr. We look into its leaders, its narrative, its modus operandi
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct7yv9
and try to understand its impact on local life and on the region’s complex geopolitics
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct7yvb
With #BBCMonitoring's Jacob Boswall, Collins Nabiswa and Barry Marston

#TheGlobalJigsaw explores some 'solutions' #Russian decision makers are offering, with the help of #BBCMonitoring 's Francis Scarr and Veronika Malinboym - from fiscal incentives to restricting access to abortion to banning propaganda of “childless lifestyle” https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct6r7n

#BBCNews - Russia's soldiers bringing wartime violence back home
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1e7vl01gngo
By #BBCMonitoring 's Vitaly Shevchenko

We looked into the implications of this on #TheGlobalJigsaw too: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct5hlb

V #BBCMonitoring Vitaly Shevchenko:
Ukrainians know that their chances of surviving Russia's assault will be miniscule if US support is cut - and Donald Trump's rhetoric strongly suggests that that is a distinct possibility.

He is also seen as much friendlier towards Russian President Vladimir Putin, and his relationship with Volodymyr Zelensky has been rocky

(Cont.)

V #BBCMonitoring Francis Scarr:
Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he was unaware if the Russian president had plans to congratulate Trump.

"Let us not forget that we are talking about an unfriendly country that directly and indirectly is involved in the war against our state," Peskov told reporters.

But there was also welcome acknowledgement that Trump could significantly reduce the flow of American military aid for Ukraine.

V #BBCMonitoring 's Ghoncheh Habibiazad:

Iranian MPs chanted “Allahu Akbar [God is greatest]”, “Death to Israel” and “Revolutionary IRGC, thank you, thank you” today at the parliament, following Iran’s missile strike on Israel yesterday.

V #BBCMonitoring
#Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali #Khamenei 's comments: the resistance front's attacks on "worn-out and declining" Israel will become "even more powerful".

If you are not sure what he means by 'resistance', #TheGlobalJigsaw explains it here:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0htcwzj

Belated happy #Caturday to all #CatsOfMastodon from the boss lady. She is currently in windowsill-cat position - this is how she does her most intent listening, currently playing the Bonus episode of #TheGlobalJigsaw on #BBCMonitoring 's #Africa operations. She is trying to spot some meowing under the ubiquitous birdsong in this episode - can you hear any? https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0hzv1sb

from the lense of the #IRGC in particular what these groups and allies provide is a screen of responsibility - it provides a means of plausible deniability for #Iran to both engage its enemies militarily and also deny the kind of direct responsibility that perhaps could provoke a broader conflagration.

In the second part of this mini series on the #AxisOfResistance we’ll go to more #BBCMonitoring colleagues - to see how groups linked to the Resistance serve #Iran ’s interests.

A teaser:
cont.

A legendary river with two names - Helmand to Afghans, Hirmand to Iranians - is the focus of #TheGlobalJigsaw this weekend. #BBCMonitoring 's #Iran and #Afghanistan experts follow the twists and turns of the water dispute, fueling the turbulent relationship between the two neighbours.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct5hlf

In case you have missed it last week, on #TheGlobalJigsaw we looked at how water is being used as a weapon of war, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. #BBCMonitoring 's #Russia and #Ukraine experts, Francis Scarr and Sergey Arsentyev deconstruct the narratives around the #Crimean water dispute:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct5hld

V Shayan Sardarizade (of #BBCMonitoring ):
'Images of five men have been widely shared, claiming to show the gunmen responsible for the deadly attack at the #Crocus City Hall near #Moscow .

But the images were first posted in early March, reportedly showing five militants killed during a shoot-out in #Ingushetia .'

V #BBCMonitoring :
While IS claimed the #Moscow #Crocus attack, it has yet to announce which of its branches was responsible

It is likely to claim the attack in the name of its Caucasus province branch, which is one of the least active of IS's global affiliates.

Some analysts have for months now been speculating about the growing ambitions of the IS group's Afghanistan-focused Khorasan province branch (IS-K or ISIS-K), which is believed to have Russian-speaking Central Asians in its ranks

V #BBCMonitoring:
Various Russian Telegram news channels have published footage that shows at least one person having been shot at Crocus City Hall, as well as sounds of shooting and scenes of panic.

Popular pro-Kremlin channel Readovka reported that at least 12 people might have died in the attack, and 50 more were injured.

State RIA Novosti news agency reported that at least three attackers wearing camouflage opened fire at the venue.

V Vitaly Shevchenko, #BBCMonitoring #Russia editor:
'Today saw the largest opposition gathering in Russia since Alexei #Navalny ’s jailing in January 2021.

The fact that it was allowed to happen suggests the #Kremlin may have been worried about the optics.

With no organised opposition to speak of left in Russia - the Kremlin will hope it won't have to worry about Navalny’s cause again. More on Russia before the presidential elex and more from Vitaly:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct6fhn

#TheGlobalJigsaw

Via #FrancisScarr of #BBCmonitoring

« #Russian 'war correspondent' #AndreiMorozov has committed #suicide

A few days ago he said on #Telegram that #Russian forces had lost 16,000 men in the battle for #Avdiivka »

#StopPutin #Ukraine #Russia #war #Murz #GloryToUkraine #SlavaUkraini

Well spotted by #BBCMonitoring 's Francis Scarr:
'Just days after Alexei #Navalny 's death, Vladimir #Putin has signed a decree decorating the deputy director of the #Russian #prison service Valery Boyarinev' he is now a colonel-general (or full general)

https://tass.ru/armiya-i-opk/20029015

#Путин присвоил замдиректора #ФСИН Бояриневу специальное звание генерал-полковника

#BBCMonitoring 's #Russian media analyst Francis Scarr was looking for traces of #Navalny news and drew a blank:
'I've checked the morning news bulletins across Russian state TV today, there has been zero mention of Alexei Navalny.The #Kremlin is doing its best to make his death a complete non-story for the tens of millions of Russians who get their news from its #propaganda machine'
Last night when they broke the news,
'they didn't show his face once and are referring to him as a mere "convict"

V #BBCMonitoring 's @francisscarr - whose job is to watch Russian state TV ... was looking for reports on #Navalny

'Navalny's death is mentioned no less than 41 minutes into the programme with a 35 second report in which the presenter just paraphrases statements from the prisons service and investigations committee'