## Russian Forces Suffer Major Losses in Syria, Commander Fired as Hundreds Go Missing

Authored by kyivpost.com

Russian forces are facing significant losses during battles in Syria, prompting Moscow to replace the commander of its troops in the country, Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) reported on Sunday, Dec 1.

In his place, the Kremlin appointed General Alexander Chayko, who had already commanded Russian forces in Syria from 2017 to 2019.

According to Ukrainian intelligence, the commander of the Russian Navy, Admiral Alexander Moiseev, has also appeared at the Russian naval base in Tartus.

The intelligence adds that “after three days of successful offensive actions by pro-Turkish forces in Syria, Russian troops suffered significant losses, with some units of the aggressor state surrounded.

Hundreds of Moscow troops are listed as missing in Syria.”.

According to Kyiv Post sources in the special service, the Khimik group carried out another complex strike on Russian occupation forces in Syria in late July 2024.

This time, the target of the attack was Russian military equipment at the Kuweires airfield, located east of Aleppo. »

### Tens of thousands of soldiers have deserted from Ukraine's army

Authored by euronews.com

Desertion is starving the Ukrainian army of desperately needed manpower and crippling its battle plans at a crucial time in its war with Russia.

Facing every imaginable shortage, tens of thousands of Ukrainian troops, tired and bereft, have walked away from combat and front-line positions to slide into anonymity, according to soldiers, lawyers and Ukrainian officials.

Entire units have abandoned their posts, leaving defensive lines vulnerable and accelerating territorial losses, according to military commanders and soldiers. »

### Yakuza family speaks out against rise in organized crime

Authored by soranews24.com

These efforts also appear to have an unlikely ally in Japan’s vast organized crime network of the yakuza.

Naturally, when crime occurs in an organized fashion like this, all eyes turn to organized crime and Fukuoka Police even raided the Dojin-kai group on suspicion they were involved in yamibaito.

Readers of the news are also divided on whether the yakuza are behind this particular brand of organized crime or not. »

### US returns looted antiquities worth $10 million to India

Authored by cnn.com

The United States has returned more than 1,400 looted artifacts worth $10 million to India as part of an ongoing initiative to repatriate stolen art from countries across South and Southeast Asia, the Manhattan District Attorney’s office announced Wednesday.

Since its creation over a decade ago, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Antiquities Trafficking Unit –– a task force of lawyers, investigators and art experts –– has recovered 5,800 antiquities valued at almost $460 million.

In July, the US and India signed an agreement to protect cultural property by preventing illegal trades and streamlining the process of returning stolen antiquities back to India. »

### Russia’s War Economy Is Hitting Its Limits

Authored by foreignpolicy.com

Now that Donald Trump is returning to a second term as U.S. president, ascertaining the true state of Russia’s war economy is more important than ever.

The apparent resilience of the Russian economy has confounded many strategists who expected Western sanctions to paralyze Moscow’s war effort against Ukraine. »

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