Avon is investigating reports of leaflets from the Russian Volunteer Corps being distributed in packages containing the brand's products, the company's press service told RIA Novosti. "Avon Russia is checking the information, as the accusations are serious. To date, media reports have been published, but no requests have been received from law enforcement agencies on this issue," Avon representatives said, noting that they intend to cooperate with the authorities.

Update: Shortly after the air raid alert and bridge closure were reported, the operational headquarters of annexed Crimea announced that traffic on the Crimean Bridge had been resumed. An air raid siren was sounded on the Crimean Bridge, TASS reports, citing the operational headquarters of the annexed Crimea. The bridge itself was temporarily closed to traffic. The reasons for the alarm have not been reported.

The Basmanny Court of Moscow has arrested the eighth defendant in the case of the alleged assassination of RT editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan and Ksenia Sobchak, founder of the journalistic project Caution Media. As TASS was told in court, this is a minor who was arrested on charges of hooliganism committed by a group of persons (Part 2 of Article 213 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).

Former military psychologist Timofey Rudenko was detained in a criminal case, his mother, Yulia Kiselyova, told Mediazone. According to her, we are talking about a terrorist article, but what is still unknown. Kiseleva also told reporters that on July 20, the Moscow City Court upheld the decision of the first instance on the fifth consecutive administrative arrest of Rudenko.

Cosmetics company Avon is looking into reports that leaflets from the paramilitary group Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK), which fights for Ukraine, are being distributed in boxes containing the brand’s products, the company told Russian state news agency RIA Novosti. “Avon Russia is investigating the information, as the allegations are of a serious nature.

The Board of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) decided to withdraw Sense Bank from the market and asked the government to nationalize the credit institution, said the head of the NBU, Andriy Pyshny. According to him, the government of Ukraine will decide on the nationalization of the bank on July 21. From the same date, by decision of the NBU board, a temporary administration is introduced in Sense Bank.

The Kremlin has called for people not to forget the achievements of Russian athlete Yelena Isinbayeva, who was criticized for her statement that her military rank is “nominal.” The press secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov noted that the sports community, “not knowing what was being discussed,” is harshly criticizing Isinbayeva, whom they were proud of just recently.

France’s National Court of Asylum has ruled that Russian nationals who left the country due to the threat of mobilization and mobilized men who refused to take part in the war with Ukraine and deserted have the right to refugee status in France. The court referenced E.U. asylum law in its ruling. The law allows for a country to grant asylum status to a person who faces persecution for refusing to participate in a conflict in which crimes could be committed.

The Chinese Consulate-General building in Odesa was damaged during Russia’s overnight attack on the city, reports Odesa regional governor Oleh Kiper. “The aggressor deliberately struck port infrastructure — the surrounding administrative and residential buildings were damaged, as well as the consulate of the People’s Republic of China,” Kiper wrote on Telegram. He also posted photos of the damaged building. The Chinese Consulate-General is located at № 2 Nakhimov Lane, near Odesa’s Port.

Facing another 20 years in prison for ‘extremism,’ Navalny’s courtroom speech urges others to fight the ‘unscrupulous evil’ of the Russian authorities Evgeny Feldman / Meduza The state prosecutor is seeking to sentence Alexey Navalny to 20 years in a special regime colony on charges of “extremism.” The prosecutor also requested that the second defendant in the case, Daniel Kholodny, be sentenced to 10 years in a general regime colony.

Elena Isinbaeva (in the foreground) carries the Russian flag during the opening ceremony of the III World Winter Military Games. February 2017 Russian athlete Elena Isinbaeva on July 17, for the first time, commented on the publication of Spanish journalists that she moved to live on Tenerife.

Russian citizens who left the country due to the threat of mobilization, as well as those mobilized who refused to participate in the war with Ukraine and deserted from the army, are eligible for refugee status in France. The French National Court of Asylum (CNDA) issued the corresponding ruling. In its ruling, the court referred to EU asylum law.

Beginning at midnight on July 21, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry will consider all ships traveling to Black Sea ports in Russia or Russian-occupied territories to be carrying military cargo “with all the corresponding risks.” The Ukrainian Defense Ministry’s warning came in response to a similar announcement by Russia’s Defense Ministry on July 17. Ukraine also banned shipping in the northwestern part of the Black Sea and the Kerch-Yenikale canal.

The European Union imposed sanctions on Dmitry Nozhkin, head of penal colony No. 6 in the Vladimir region, as well as his deputies Yuri Fomin, Danila Sinyukhin and Anatoly Gorshkov. The corresponding decision is published in the Official Journal of the EU ( .pdf ).

Former hacker, computer security specialist Kevin Mitnik died at the age of 59 in Las Vegas, reports The New York Times. His death was confirmed by the representative of the Knowbe4 training company Katie Watman, as well as the computer security company that he founded. Mitnik died of complications that arose due to pancreatic cancer. Craig F.