speech service

Azure AI Speech

A managed service offering industry-leading speech capabilities such as speech-to-text, text-to-speech, speech translation, and speaker recognition.

Quickly develop high-quality voice-enabled apps

Build voice-enabled apps confidently and quickly with the  Speech SDK . Transcribe speech to text with high accuracy, produce natural-sounding text-to-speech voices, translate spoken audio, and use speaker recognition during conversations. Explore with a no-code experience and create custom models tailored to your app with  Speech studio .

Industry-leading quality

Get state-of-the-art speech to text, lifelike text to speech, and award-winning speaker recognition.

Compliant and secure

Your data stays yours—your speech input is not logged during processing.

Customizable voices and models

Create custom voices, add specific words to your base vocabulary, or build your own models.

Flexible deployment

Run Speech anywhere, in the cloud or at the edge in containers.

Convert speech to text

Quickly and accurately transcribe audio in more than 100 languages and variants. Gain customer insights with call center transcription, improve experiences with voice-enabled assistants, capture key discussions in meetings and more.

Give your app a voice

Use text to speech to create apps and services that speak conversationally. Create natural-sounding  audio content , improve accessibility with read-aloud functionality, and create custom voice assistants.

Translate speech in real time

Translate audio from more than 30 languages and customize translations for your organization's specific terms—all in your preferred programming language.

Verify and recognize speakers

Confirm a person's identity or recognize who's speaking in a meeting by adding speaker verification and identification to your app.

Activate your assistant or IoT device with a custom keyword

Create a custom keyword for IoT devices and voice-enabled assistants to set your brand apart—making it more personal, personable, and secure.

Add voice commands for hands-free scenarios

Build a touchless, voice-first experience to improve safety and support back-to-work scenarios.

Comprehensive security and compliance, built in

Microsoft invests more than $1 billion annually on cybersecurity research and development.

We employ more than 3,500 security experts who are dedicated to data security and privacy.

Azure has more certifications than any other cloud provider. View the comprehensive list .

Flexible pricing gives you the power and control you need

Pay for only what you use, with no upfront costs. With Speech, pay as you go based on:

• The number of hours of audio you transcribe or translate for speech to text and speech translation.
• The number of characters you convert to audio for text to speech
• The number of transactions for Speaker Recognition

Get started with an Azure free account

After your credit, move to  pay as you go  to keep building with the same free services. Pay only if you use more than your free monthly amounts.

Trusted by companies of all sizes

AT&T delights customers with immersive experiences

AT&T is showcasing its 5G network with an immersive experience that allows customers to talk directly to Bugs Bunny.*

*LOONEY TUNES and all related characters and elements © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (s21)

Progressive brings Flo directly to customers

Progressive used Custom Neural Voice to build a natural-sounding, virtual version of Flo to help customers with everything from getting a free car insurance quote to general insurance questions.

KPMG streamlines call transcription

KPMG uses Speech to Text to transcribe and catalog thousands of calls, reducing compliance costs for its clients by as much as 80 percent.

Motorola helps first responders access vital data

Motorola Solutions helps first responders in the field access vital information with a voice-first virtual assistant.

Speech documentation and resources

Get started with ai speech.

Browse the  documentation

Take the  Microsoft Learn Speech course

Explore popular developer resources

Checkout our sample code and SDKs

Build speech models quickly with  Speech studio Stack Overflow

Start building with AI Services

Speech therapy that makes your home a classroom

Partner with an experienced speech therapist online for live, 1-on-1 sessions from home — with weekly practice activities and support to reach your goals faster.

We’re here to help with all of your communication needs.

How is your child's communication developing let's find out.

Our quick screener is tailored by age, from infancy through adulthood, and covers all areas of communication development. Learn whether you or your child could benefit from a speech therapy evaluation.

Research shows kids learn best at home from the people they love

So we bring live speech therapy and personalized curriculum into your living room.

Because when practice happens at home, progress happens faster.

Together, we make this possible!

1 Get matched

Your child is matched with a speech therapist who's experienced in their needs and flexible with your family’s schedule.

2 Begin sessions

Your speech therapist will develop a custom treatment plan, and they’ll regularly meet with you and your child for fun and interactive online sessions.

3 Practice during the week

You’ll have everything you need to make practice a part of daily life with fun and easy home exercises, video lessons, and ongoing texting support with your therapist.

4 Track your progress

Follow your child’s goals and progress week-to-week as you get closer to graduation.

Learn more about how we help using effective, affordable care

Meet our super talented speech therapists.

With 60+ speech therapists on our team, we’ll find you the perfect match.

Why kids, families, and adults love Expressable.

"Robin is amazing! She has made my daughter feel comfortable throughout the entire process! She was always open to try new techniques and adjust the process to find what clicked with my daughter."

Robin helped this client improve their sound production and overall conversational speech.

"We had the most perfect therapist, Fabine. She was joyful, patient, encouraging and always enthusiastic. Our daughter quickly mastered the work and was discharged months earlier than we expected! We liked the twice a week format. It was clearly more beneficial than once a week, in person. Additionally, the homework helped us support her new sounds at home."

Fabine helped this client reach age-appropriate sound production to effectively communicate their thoughts and ideas.

"Inga gave me hope in a world of false diagnoses. She was beyond sweet and caring with my son. The screen did not make the session feel distant or dry, it felt very familiar and every week we looked forward to it."

Inga helped this client improve their language abilities and increase vocabulary so he could express his wants and needs with ease.

"I can say without a doubt that Amanita changed my life for the better and I now feel much more comfortable and confident. She was helpful from the first appointment in recognizing my lateral lisp and devising ways to help me correct it."

Amanita helped this client improve their lisp by producing clear articulation of speech sounds like "r," "s," and more.

"She was always there when I needed her and was always listening to me. I felt comfortable with her from the start. She help me regain my confidence within myself."

Fabine helped this client use targeted strategies to reduce their stutter and build confidence talking in different settings.

"Arch is amazing with my son. She has really helped him with his speech and is so patient and caring. She has made speech fun for him, and he has made significant improvements since working with Arch. We are thankful for Arch and the excellent program Expressable offers."

Archana helped this client speak more clearly to reach communication milestones typical for his age.

Accessing care should be a breeze. See our coverage options.

Any questions?

Communication is one of our most vital, life-long skills. Speech therapy can help children reach communication milestones appropriate for their age; clearly articulate their thoughts, feelings, and ideas; comprehend the language of others; and develop socially. It also contributes to their academic success and emotional well-being. Plus so much more!

The first step is to schedule an evaluation with a speech therapist. They’ll assess your child’s communication development and make a professional recommendation as to whether your child could benefit from speech therapy.

There is no minimum age. Communication skills begin developing in infancy. Building strong language skills in very young children can set the foundation for strong communication and literacy skills later on. Speech therapy is particularly important for children who aren’t reaching age-appropriate communication milestones, or who are experiencing difficulties such as stuttering or a lisp. Because speech and language patterns become more ingrained over time, the earlier speech errors can be corrected, the better the outcomes are likely to be.

The duration of speech therapy is different for everyone, and it depends on several factors. This includes the type of speech disorder or communication challenge, the frequency of speech therapy sessions, how often you and your child practice the skills taught in speech therapy at home, your child’s age, any underlying medical conditions, and more.

Most children love online speech therapy! Many become more attentive with online learning, and they prefer the interactivity of online exercises and communication. Plus, there are many effective strategies that speech therapists use to engage children online. Expressable’s model of care also focuses on the most important component of improving children’s speech and language skills: the involvement of their parent or caregiver. When parents are actively involved in their child’s care, that leads to faster progress. Our therapists work directly with caregivers to teach them techniques and strategies they can use in their child’s everyday life.

Speech therapy sessions are focused on each client’s care plan, and the activities done during sessions always relate to those goals. So, if a person is in speech therapy to better pronounce the /s/ sound, they’ll begin by learning how to make the sound by itself and work up to practicing it in conversation. Or if someone wants to improve the quality of their voice, their speech therapist will teach them appropriate breathing and vocal exercises. The therapist will aim to do as many trials of each exercise as possible, in order to make the most of each session.

Your speech therapist will constantly be measuring and assessing your response to these exercises. When needed, they’ll make changes to your treatment plan to help you make progress as quickly as possible. Regardless of your goals, your speech therapist will always provide practice activities to complete at home between sessions.

Expressable currently accepts many of the largest insurance companies, and we’re actively working on contracting with new plans across the country. We also offer affordable private pay options and accept HSAs/FSAs for those who do not have insurance coverage or prefer to pay out-of-pocket.

Learn more about All Topics

Watch learning jump (leap spring hop) from your sessions into the real world..

Learn more about All topics

King Charles greets public in first major public event since cancer diagnosis

• Royal family
• Sunday 31 March 2024 at 6:48pm

Charles was seen shaking hands with members of the public once the service was over , ITV News' Martha Fairlie reports

The King attended a church service on Easter Sunday in his most significant public appearance since he was diagnosed with cancer .

He was seen shaking hands with members of the public once the service was over.

The Princess of Wales and her family did not attend.

Charles, 75, joined the Queen and other members of the royal family at the annual Easter Mattins Service at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on Sunday.

The Easter service comes just over a week after Kate released an emotional video message disclosing that she had started a course of preventative chemotherapy.

She, the Prince of Wales and their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, who all attended last year , are missing the service on Sunday.

The family are spending the Easter holidays together as they adjust to Kate’s diagnosis , which was discovered in post-operative tests after major abdominal surgery .

The King’s attendance at church will be seen as a move to reassure the public after the shock news about his daughter-in-law .

But the service was a smaller version of the annual gathering, with fewer members of the royal family, as the King has paused public-facing duties while he continues treatment for cancer himself .

He was described by the Palace as being “so proud” of the princess for her courage in speaking out, and is said to be in “the closest contact with his beloved daughter-in-law”.

The Archbishop of Canterbury wished the King and Princess of Wales well in his Easter sermon at Canterbury Cathedral on Sunday.

Justin Welby encouraged the congregation to “pray” for Charles and Kate and commended their “dignity” in responding to the diagnosis.

Mr Welby also praised the royals’ “lack of selfishness” in speaking of their health .

The King’s treatment for cancer was announced at the start of February, but he has been carrying out low-key official duties behind palace walls.

Arrivals at the chapel’s Galilee Porch are often watched by staff living at Windsor, who usually gather on a grassy bank nearby or watch from their doorsteps.

Queen Elizabeth II is buried in the church’s tiny King George VI Memorial Chapel, with the Duke of Edinburgh and her parents George VI and the Queen Mother. Their names are inscribed on a new black stone slab set in the floor.

This is the Royal Rota - our weekly podcast about the royal family, with ITV News Royal Editor Chris Ship and Producer Lizzie Robinson

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Russia-Ukraine war – live: Putin to give shock G20 speech as Moscow troops desert Donetsk frontline

• Oops! Something went wrong. Please try again later. More content below

Vladimir Putin will set out Russia ’s view of the “deeply unstable world situation” in a shock G20 speech this week, the Kremlin has said, as Ukraine claimed growing numbers of Moscow’s troops were deserting the frontline in Donetsk .

Ukraine’s military has been bracing for a “third wave” of Russian assaults on the key city of Avdiivka – but a spokesperson claimed Moscow was being forced to rely increasingly on penal recruits and reservists due to its soldiers refusing to take part in casualty-heavy assaults.

Further south, Kyiv ’s forces claimed to have pushed Mr Putin’s forces three to eight kilometres back on the banks of the Dnipro River , in what would mark the first significant advance by Kyiv’s forces months into a grindingly slow counteroffensive.

Ukrainian and Russian forces have been entrenched on opposite sides of the vast waterway in Kherson for more than a year, until Kyiv claimed last week to have finally established multiple footholds on the river’s eastern bank.

Ukrainian army pushing Russian forces back at Dnipro river

Russia launches waves of drone strikes on Kyiv for second night

Cluster bombs in battle for Avdiivka fuelling stalemate on frontline, says UK

Ukraine establishes 'several bridgeheads' on eastern bank of Dnipro

Russia lodges protest against Finnish ambassador as country threatens more borders will close

04:00 , Alexander Butler

Russia’s foreign ministry has said it has lodged a formal protest with the Finnish ambassador in Moscow over the closure of four busy border crossings between Russia and Finland.

On Saturday, Finland closed crossings on the shared border in a bid to halt the flow of asylum seekers that it says was instigated by Moscow.

Only four crossing points remain open, which the Russian foreign ministry said has impacted tens of thousands of people in both countries.

Russian drones target Kyiv as UK Defense Ministry says little chance of front-line change

03:00 , Alexander Butler

Russian drones targeted Kyiv on Sunday as the British Defense Ministry said there were “few immediate prospects” for major change along the Ukrainian front line as the war enters its second winter.

Russia launched 20 Iranian-made Shahed drones overnight, targeting the Ukrainian capital and the Cherkasy and Poltava regions, according to a military statement. Ukrainian anti-aircraft systems shot down 15 of the drones.

The overnight strike on Kyiv is the second attack on the Ukrainian capital in 48 hours, said the city’s Military Administration spokesperson, Serhii Popko.

NATO committed to Bosnia's territorial integrity condemns 'malign' Russian influence

01:00 , Alexander Butler

NATO supports Bosnia‘s territorial integrity and is concerned by “malign foreign interference,” including by Russia, in the volatile Balkans region that went through a devastating war in the 1990s, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Monday.

Sarajevo is the first stop on Stoltenberg’s tour of Western Balkan countries that will also include Kosovo, Serbia and North Macedonia.

“The Allies strongly support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia-Herzegovina,” Stoltenberg told reporters. “We are concerned by the secessionist and divisive rhetoric as well as malign foreign interference, including Russia.”

At least 11,000 children in ‘re-education’ camps in Russia, UK ministry of defence says

00:01 , Alexander Butler

Russia is holding at least 11,000 Ukrainian children across 43 “re-education” camps, the UK ministry of defence said.

“At least 11,000 Ukrainian children are reportedly being detained at 43 re-education camps across Russia, thousands of miles from home. Their simple right to life and liberty is being impacted,” the ministry said on X.

At least 11,000 Ukrainian children are reportedly being detained at 43 re-education camps across Russia, thousands of miles from home. Their simple right to life and liberty is being impacted. #StandWithUkraine pic.twitter.com/Dk7Lh9E935 — Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) November 20, 2023

Russia bars Moldovan nationals, summoning ambassador

Monday 20 November 2023 22:00 , Alexander Butler

Russia barred entry to a number of officials from Moldova on Monday and complained about moves by its pro-European government to block Russian media outlets ahead of local elections earlier this month.

The moves were the latest in a series of acerbic exchanges between the two sides and allegations by Moldova that Russia has been exerting pressure on the ex-Soviet state’s affairs and President Maia Sandu’s drive to join the European Union.

A Russian foreign ministry statement said Moldovan Ambassador Lilian Darie was summoned to be told of the decision.

“The Moldovan side was presented with a decisive protest in connection with the continuing politically motivated persecution of Russian media in Moldova, including the blocking of access to their Internet sites,” a ministry statement said.

The US is with Ukraine ‘for the long haul’, defence secretary tells Zelensky

Monday 20 November 2023 20:13 , Alexander Butler

US defence secretary Lloyd Austin said the country remains behind Ukraine as it continues its war with Russia. It comes after announcing a further package of defensive aid worth $100m.

“The message that I bring you today is that the United States of America is with you. We will remain with you for the long haul,” Mr Austin said.

He added: “I think they are prepared for combat in the winter. They did a great job last year. This year we expect them to be, just based on what President Zelensky has said, them to be even more aggressive.”

Ukrainian sniper ‘breaks world record after killing Russian solider nearly 2.5 miles away’

Monday 20 November 2023 18:12 , Alexander Butler

A Ukrainian sniper claims to have broken the world record by killing a Russian soldier almost 2.5 miles away, with a custom rifle called ‘Lord of the Horizon’, Holly Evans reports.

The previous record was held by a Canadian special operations sniper at a distance of 2.2 miles in Iraq in 2017.

In a press statement, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said: “The SBU sniper set a world record for a successful shot.

“He hit a Russian soldier from an incredible distance.

“SBU snipers are changing the rules of world sniping, demonstrating the ability to work effectively at fantastic distances.”

Ukrainian sniper ‘breaks world record after killing solider nearly 2.5 miles away’

Full report: Russia puts Ukrainian winner of Eurovision Song Contest on wanted list

Monday 20 November 2023 17:14 , Andy Gregory

Russia has placed a Ukrainian singer who won the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest on its wanted list, state news agencies reported Monday.

The independent news site Mediazona said singer Susana Jamaladinova was charged under a Russian law adopted last year which outlaws spreading so-called fake information about the war in Ukraine.

Russia puts Ukrainian winner of Eurovision Song Contest on wanted list

Volodymyr Zelensky meets with Lachlan Murdoch in Kyiv

Monday 20 November 2023 16:46 , Andy Gregory

Volodymyr Zelensky has met Fox Corp chief executive Lachlan Murdoch in the Ukrainian capital, in what Kyiv described as a “very important signal” of support at a time when global media attention has shifted from the war in Ukraine.

“The Head of State thanked Lachlan Murdoch for his visit and emphasised that it is a very important signal of support at the time when the world’s attention is blurred by other events,” the Ukrainian president’s office said.

Mr Zelensky was quoted by his office as saying it was vital to keep the world’s attention focused on the war in Ukraine, adding: “For us, for our warriors, this is not a movie. These are our lives. This is daily hard work. And it will not be over as quickly as we would like, but we have no right to give up and we will not.”

Fox News journalist Benjamin Hall, who was badly wounded covering the war in Ukraine last year, and Sun journalist Jerome Starkey were also invited to the meeting with Rupert Murdoch’s eldest son, who was named the sole chair of News Corp in September.

ICYMI: Zelensky invites Trump to Ukraine after claims he could stop war in 24 hours

Monday 20 November 2023 16:24 , Andy Gregory

Opinion | Ukrainian victory is all but certain – so long as its allies do not seek a ‘way out'

Monday 20 November 2023 16:03 , Andy Gregory

In this Independent Voices piece, James Nixey of Chatham House writes:

Calling the war a stalemate is an obvious example of self-defeat: if it is believed that Ukraine cannot win the war, then Ukraine will not be given weapons to win the war which, in turn, means … they will not win the war. It takes rare political courage to imagine Ukraine’s victory, although EU officials Ursula von der Leyen and Josep Borrell have managed this.

Ukraine’s EU accession, likely and in progress, and Nato accession, less likely in times of war and very dependent on US backing, will be a hollow victory if its resources dry up. Russia has had a poor war – its Black Sea fleet has retreated from Crimea, meaning it will have problems defending the peninsula, and Ukraine’s counter-offensive at Avdiivka has been costly for Russia.

But Russia can absorb costs like no other. Its industry is war-mobilised and its soldiers are dispensable, replaceable commodities. Depopulation and brain drain are problems for another day and arguably affect Ukraine more. Nor should a bad plan be mistaken for a bad army that does not learn from its mistakes. Russia does. And it may have been forced to turn to North Korea to fill a “munitions gap”, but that too has worked.

Vladimir Putin’s ideology is delusional of course, but he remains deeply committed to seeing his war through to a successful conclusion: “all in” and long since recovered from the Prigozhin affair, he surely believes he can win.

But it also remains the case that a Ukrainian victory is possible – more than possible. In fact, it is all but certain; but only if Western countries do not “get tired”, do not look for a “way out”, and if Ukraine is given the tools to finish the job.

Russia’s plan B in Ukraine is working – the West must not turn away now

‘Double standards’ in Israel-Hamas conflict have ‘undermined fight' for Ukraine, says Varadkar

Monday 20 November 2023 15:38 , Andy Gregory

Irish premier Leo Varadkar has said there is “double standards” from the EU and some Western powers in relation to Israel and Palestine.

The Taoiseach said the stance of some Western countries in response to the Israel-Hamas war had “undermined the fight” to garner support for Ukraine as it battles against the ongoing Russian invasion.

Here is the full report:

Varadkar raises concerns about EU ‘double standards’ on Israel and Palestine

Kyiv hoping for Poland talks over lorry driver protests

Monday 20 November 2023 15:09 , Andy Gregory

Kyiv hopes to hold a new round of talks with Poland and the European Union this week to resolve an issue with Polish lorry drivers holding protests to block border crossings, a Ukrainian trade representative has said.

“This week we hope to have negotiations in a trilateral format,” Taras Kachka told broadcasters.

Yesterday, some 3,000 mostly Ukrainian lorries – including those carrying fuel and humanitarian aid – were caught on the Polish side of the border due to a more than 10-day blockade by Polish hauliers, Ukrainian officials said.

The hauliers are protesting against what they see as government inaction over a loss of business to foreign competitors since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

US defence secretary meets with Zelensky in Kyiv

Monday 20 November 2023 14:32 , Andy Gregory

US defence secretary Lloyd Austin has said he was “honoured” to meet Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky during a surprise visit to Kyiv today – his second since April 2022.

Washington will “continue to support Ukraine’s urgent battlefield needs and long-term defence requirements”, Mr Austin said.

I was honored to meet with President @ZelenskyyUa in Kyiv today to reaffirm the United States’ steadfast support for Ukraine. We, along with our allies and partners, will continue to support Ukraine’s urgent battlefield needs and long-term defense requirements. pic.twitter.com/Odv6ClgcrP — Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (@SecDef) November 20, 2023

Russia places Eurovision winner on its wanted list

Monday 20 November 2023 14:03 , Andy Gregory

Russia has placed the 2016 winner of the Eurovision Song Contest on its wanted list.

An Interior Ministry database lists Ukrainian singer Susana Jamaladinova – who uses the stage name Jamala, and is of Crimean Tatar descent – as being sought for violating a criminal law, Russian state news agencies reported.

She won the Eurovision contest with the song “1944,” whose title refers to the year the Soviet Union deported Crimean Tatars en masse. Russia protested the song being allowed in the competition, saying it violated rules against political speech. But the song made no specific criticism of Russia or the Soviet Union.

The independent news site Mediazona said Ms Jamaladinova was charged under a Russian law adopted last year to outlaw the spread of so-called fake information about the Ukraine war.

Watch: Lazarus Project star says series predicted Russia-Ukraine war

Monday 20 November 2023 13:35 , Andy Gregory

Top Ukrainian cyber defence officials sacked amid corruption probe

Monday 20 November 2023 13:22 , Andy Gregory

Ukraine has sacked two high-ranking cyber defence officials amid a probe into alleged embezzlement, a senior government official said.

Yurii Shchyhol, head of the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine (SSSCIP), and his deputy, Viktor Zhora, were dismissed by the government, cabinet chief Taras Melnychuk said on Monday.

The firings coincided with an announcement by anti-corruption prosecutors that they were investigating officials in cyber defence positions over their alleged roles in a six-person plot to embezzle 62 million Ukrainian hryvnia (£1.38m) in 2021.

Prosecutors did not identify either official by name, and the SSSCIP did not immediately respond to a written request for comment.

Jailed Russian nationalist Girkin hopes to challenge Putin in presidential elections

Monday 20 November 2023 12:56 , Andy Gregory

Pro-war Russian nationalist Igor Girkin has announced that he wants to run for president – despite understanding the upcoming March election will be “sham” with the winner already clear.

Mr Girkin – who is in custody awaiting trial for inciting extremism – has repeatedly said Russia faces revolution and even civil war unless Vladimir Putin’s military top brass fight the war in Ukraine more effectively.

A former FSB officer who helped annex Crimea in 2014 and organise pro-Russian militias in eastern Ukraine, Mr Girkin said before his arrest that he and his supporters were entering politics.

“I understand perfectly well that in the current situation in Russia, participating in the presidential campaign is like sitting down at a table to play with card sharps,” he said in a letter published on Telegram entitled: “I am going to run.”

Mr Girkin said that he did not think that he would be allowed to take part in the election, but hoped that his attempt to unite patriotic forces would disrupt the Kremlin’s plan for a “sham election” in which “the only winner is known in advance”.

Analysis | Russia’s plan B in Ukraine is working – now is not the moment for the West to turn away

Monday 20 November 2023 12:27 , Andy Gregory

In this Independent Voices piece, James Nixey – director of Chatham House’s Russia and Eurasia Programme – writes:

When Italy’s prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, was fooled recently by two well-known Russian “comics” – surely paid-up Kremlin agents – into saying she was “tired” of the war in Ukraine and that everyone would soon be looking for a “way out”, too many of her counterparts in the West would have tacitly agreed (and perhaps sympathised: she is hardly the first to be pranked by these two).

But Ms Meloni deserves no sympathy. She thought she was talking to the head of the African Union Commission so this should have been a chance to exercise statecraft and reason with the supposed representative from the Global South and argue that Russia’s war in Ukraine is nothing if not colonialist itself – a desperate attempt to maintain its empire.

But Ms Meloni’s admission was worse than just not showing moral leadership. She was also playing into Russia’s hands by parroting its narrative: being tired and looking for a way out of the war is precisely what Vladimir Putin now wants from the Western world.

Nato concerned by secessionist rhetoric and Russian influence in Bosnia

Monday 20 November 2023 11:58 , Andy Gregory

Jens Stoltenberg has said Nato is concerned by secessionist rhetoric and Russian influence in Bosnia, after months of Serb leaders increasingly saying they want to split and join Serbia.

Bosnia emerged from civil war in 1995 with a federal structure uniting a Serb-dominated republic and a federation of Croats and Bosniak Muslims. But the leader of Serbian entity, Milorad Dodik, has increasingly said in recent months that he aims to secede and join neighbouring Serbia.

“We are concerned by secessionist and divisive rhetoric as well as ... foreign interference including Russia,” the Nato chief told reporters in Sarajevo, during a tour of the western Balkans region.

“This undermines the stability and hampers reform,” Mr Stoltenberg said, adding that all political leaders must work to preserve unity, build national institutions and achieve reconciliation.

Nato had deployed about 60,000 troops in Bosnia after the war, which were replaced by an EU peacekeeping force in 2004. Last year, the EU almost doubled its size to 1,100 troops, amid fears that instability from the Ukraine war could spill over to the western Balkans.

Putin to address G20 summit this week, Kremlin says

Monday 20 November 2023 11:15 , Andy Gregory

Vladimir Putin will set out Russia’s view of what it sees as the “deeply unstable world situation” when he addresses an upcoming virtual G20 summit, the Kremlin has said.

Russian state TV presenter Pavel Zarubin said on his Telegram channel on Sunday that it would be the “first event in a long time” including both the Russian president and Western leaders.

According to the state RIA news agency, the G20 virtual summit will be held on Wednesday.

Russia relying on penal recruits to stem increase in deserters on Donetsk frontline, Ukraine claims

Monday 20 November 2023 11:06 , Andy Gregory

Growing numbers of Russian soldiers are deserting the frontline in Donetsk, Ukraine’s military has claimed as it braces for a long-awaited “third wave” of attacks by Moscow’s forces in Avdiivka.

The Institute for Study of War think-tank cited Ukrainian Colonel Oleksandr Shtupun as saying that Russia may soon intensify artillery preparations for the new wave of assaults on the strategically key city.

Moscow’s forces have not actively used heavy military equipment Avdiivka in recent days, have decreased aviation use in the area, and are increasingly using infantry, he said, claiming that Russia’s significant losses mean only 10 to 15 percent of some detachments’ original personnel remain.

In remarks on Sunday, Mr Shtupun claimed there were growing numbers of Russian deserters and personnel who refuse to conduct offensive operations, leading Russian commanders to use physical force and barrier troops to push Russian forces to fight, with an increased reliance on mobilised reservists and penal recruits.

EU sanctions tend to have ‘boomerang effect’, Russia claims

Monday 20 November 2023 10:54 , Andy Gregory

The Kremlin has claimed that European Union sanctions tend to have a “boomerang effect”, as Moscow faces the prospect of an EU ban on imports of Russian diamonds.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday that such a move had been anticipated for a long time, but was likely to backfire.

“As a rule, it turns out that a boomerang effect is partially triggered: the interests of the Europeans themselves suffer. So far, we have been able to find ways to minimise the negative consequences of sanctions,” he claimed.

EU diplomatic sources told Reuters last week that the proposal under discussion was to ban direct diamond imports from Russia from 1 January, and to implement a traceability mechanism by March which would prevent imports of Russian gems processed in third countries.

Exclusive: Andriy Shevchenko urges the world not to forget Ukraine

Monday 20 November 2023 10:29 , Andy Gregory

On the morning of 24 February 2022 – a date etched in every Ukrainian’s mind – Andriy Shevchenko was woken by a phone call from his mother. She told him through tears that Russia was invading. Shevchenko was in London, where he lives with his wife and four sons; his mother and wider family were in Ukraine, under attack.

Shevchenko has barely slept since. “It’s almost impossible,” he says. “It’s going to be almost two years since the full war started, and every day I wake up, check the phone – what’s the news? Are we going to be attacked in Kyiv? Are we going to be attacked in a different city? How many drones? How many rockets? Where have the rockets hit? And then, talking to my friends – who’s dead? It’s a normal day for us.”

Shevchenko is using his platform as one of Europe’s greatest footballers, a Ballon d’Or winner and a Chelsea cult hero to keep the spotlight on Ukraine at a time when the world’s attention has turned to the Middle East. In the West, the initial shock caused by Russia’s invasion has subsided, and a sense of normalisation has crept in. He is understandably worried that Ukraine’s cause might be forgotten.

“I hope not,” he says. “Because for us, it’s everything. For us, it’s exist or not exist.”

Our senior sports writer Lawrence Ostlere has the full exclusive interview here:

Andriy Shevchenko on Ukraine: ‘Every day I wake up, check the phone. Who’s dead?’

Kremlin ‘deeply regrets’ Finland’s border closures

Monday 20 November 2023 10:08 , Andy Gregory

The Kremlin has said it deeply regrets Finland’s decision to close crossings along the two countries’ vast border on Saturday.

Finland closed four crossings on Saturday in a bid to halt the flow of asylum-seekers, having accused Moscow of funnelling migrants to the frontier in retaliation for Helsinki’s ascension to Nato and increased Western military cooperation since the invasion of Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov denied Finland’s accusation on Monday and insisted that Russian border guards were carrying out their duties in line with the rules.

Asked about the closure of the four crossings, Mr Peskov told reporters: “This causes nothing but deep regret, because we had long-standing, very good relations with Finland, pragmatic, based on mutual respect.

“And of course, we regret that these relations were replaced by such an exclusively Russophobic position, which the leaders of this country began to espouse,” he said.

Moscow protest shows lengthy Russian deployments to frontline ‘unsustainable’, says UK

Monday 20 November 2023 09:44 , Andy Gregory

Protests in Moscow by the wives of Russian soldiers show that their lengthy deployments to the front line are increasingly viewed as unsustainable, Britain’s Ministry of Defence suggested.

Russian wives and mothers have been making daily online appeals protesting against the conditions of their loved ones’ service since the invasion of Ukraine last February.

“However, Russia’s draconian legislation has so far prevented troops’ relatives from coalescing into an influential lobbying force, as soldiers’ mothers did during the Afghan-Soviet War of the 1980s,” said the ministry”.

But on 7 November, they held a rare street protest in Moscow’s central Teatralnya Square, unfurling banners demanding the rotation of their partners away from the frontline.

Police broke up the protest within minutes, according to the ministry, which added: “However, the protestors’ immediate demand is notable.

“The apparently indefinitely extended combat deployments of personnel without rotation is increasingly seen as unsustainable by both the troops themselves and by their relatives.”

US defence secretary’s visit to Kyiv is his first since early months of war

Monday 20 November 2023 09:21 , Andy Gregory

US defence secretary Lloyd Austin has made an unannounced visit to Kyiv today, as he pushes to keep money and weapons flowing to Ukraine.

Mr Austin travelled by train from Poland, and is scheduled to meet with senior Ukrainian officials.

It marks his second trip to Kyiv – with his first having taken place in April 2022, just two months after Russia’s invasion.

Two killed in Kherson after Russia shells parking lot, officials say

Monday 20 November 2023 08:55 , Andy Gregory

Two people have been killed this morning after Russian forces shelled a parking lot in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, according to officials.

Regional prosecutors said they had opened a war-crimes investigation into the artillery strike, which occurred at around 9am and injured one other person.

Kherson governor Oleksandr Prokudin said the two dead were drivers for “a private transport business”.

Images posted on Telegram showed firefighters dousing cars that had been blasted apart, one day after a separate strike on the city wounded five people, including a 3-year-old girl.

Russian forces have regularly shelled Kherson from across the Dnipro River since the city was liberated last November by Ukrainian troops – who are now seeking to push Moscow’s troops away from the river after establishing a foothold on the opposite bank.

Second drone in as many days shot down near Moscow as Russia and Ukraine exchange attacks on capitals

Monday 20 November 2023 08:29 , Andy Gregory

Russia and Ukraine sent drones targeting each other’s capital cities over the weekend in signs of renewed intensity for their aerial warfare, my colleague Arpan Rai reports.

Drones were shot down on both Saturday and Sunday in areas around Kyiv and Moscow. Air defence systems for both sides intercepted attacks and no casualties were reported.

Multiple drones that were heading for Moscow and Russia’s border areas on Sunday were downed by Russian air defence systems over the weekend, officials said.

Kyiv has promised to wage a major drone campaign against Russia this winter, as bad weather conditions make it difficult to conduct operations on the ground.

Russia under Ukraine’s drone attack for two nights in row as Moscow remains on target

Zelensky dismisses Ukraine’s military medical chief

Monday 20 November 2023 08:11 , Andy Gregory

Volodymyr Zelensky has dismissed Major General Tetiana Ostashchenko as the commander of Ukraine’s medical forces, as he demanded rapid changes in the operations of the country’s military medical system.

“In today’s meeting with defence minister [Rustem] Umerov, priorities were set,” the Ukrainian president said in his nightly address on Sunday. “There is little time left to wait for results. Quick action is needed for forthcoming changes.”

He added: “The task is clear, as has been repeatedly stressed in society, particularly among combat medics, we need a fundamentally new level of medical support for our soldiers.”

A wide range of improvements are needed, Mr Zelensky said – from better tourniquets, to improvements in digitalisation and communication.

Ms Ostashchenko was replaced by Major General Anatoliy Kazmirchuk, head of a military clinic in Kyiv.

US defence secretary arrives in Kyiv

Monday 20 November 2023 07:45 , Andy Gregory

US secretary of defence Lloyd Austin has arrived for a visit in Kyiv.

I just arrived in Kyiv to meet with Ukrainian leaders. I’m here today to deliver an important message – the United States will continue to stand with Ukraine in their fight for freedom against Russia’s aggression, both now and into the future. pic.twitter.com/1D96aeeACl — Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (@SecDef) November 20, 2023

Two killed as grenade explodes in Kyiv apartment

Monday 20 November 2023 07:26 , Andy Gregory

A Ukrainian soldier and a woman died when a grenade exploded in an apartment in Kyiv, injuring a second man, police said.

Explosives technicians and investigators were working at the scene of Sunday’s explosion in the Dniprovskiy district, Kyiv police said in a statement.

“A citizen contacted the police with a report that an explosion rang out in a neighbouring apartment,” they added.

Earlier this month, an aide to Ukraine’s commander-in-chief, General Valery Zaluzhnyi, died when a grenade given to him as a birthday gift blew up.

An orphaned teenager who was taken to Russia early in the Ukraine war is back home with relatives

Monday 20 November 2023 07:00 , Holly Evans

An orphaned Ukrainian teenager who was taken to Russia last year during the war in his country returned home after being reunited with relatives in Belarus on his 18th birthday Sunday.

Bohdan Yermokhin was pictured embracing family members in Minsk in photographs shared on social media by Russia’s children’s rights ombudswoman, Maria Lvova-Belova.

Andrii Yermak, the head of the Ukrainian president’s office, confirmed that Yermokhin had arrived back in Ukraine and shared a photo of him with a Ukrainian flag. Yermak thanked UNICEF and Qatari negotiators for facilitating Yermokhin’s return.

Read the full article here

Putin could face new war crime case as evidence suggests starvation of Ukraine was pre-planned

Monday 20 November 2023 05:30 , Holly Evans

Russia was actively preparing to steal grain supplies and starve the Ukrainian population of food for months before Vladimir Putin ordered last year’s invasion, according to new evidence compiled by human rights experts.

When Russian tanks did roll across the border on 24 February 2022 they deliberately targeted grain-rich areas and food production infrastructure first, the new report by international human rights law firm Global Rights Compliance found.

GRC found that Russia’s defence contractor began purchasing trucks to transport grain, as well as three new 170-metre bulk carrier cargo ships, as early as December 2021, evidence of advance planning for the pillage of Ukrainian food resources “on an unprecedented scale”.

Putin could face new war crime case over ‘planned’ starvation of Ukraine

Wife of twice-poisoned Briton held in Kremlin prison fears ‘time is running out’

Monday 20 November 2023 04:30 , Holly Evans

The wife of a British-Russian national held in a Krelimn prison says she fears time is running out, and has called for the UK to take more urgent action to free him.

Vladimir Kara-Murza survived two near-fatal poisonings, in 2015 and 2017, which resulted in organ failure and polyneuropathy, a condition that causes nerve damage.

The Vladimir Putin critic was jailed for 25 years in April this year on charges of treason and spreading “false information” about Russia’s war in Ukraine .

Zelensky calls for rapid operation changes and sacks commander

Monday 20 November 2023 03:30 , Holly Evans

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday demanded rapid changes in the operations of Ukraine’s military and announced the dismissal of the commander of the military’s medical forces.

Zelensky’s move was announced as he met Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, and coincided with debate over the conduct of the 20-month-old war against Russia, with questions over how quickly a counteroffensive in the east and south is proceeding.

“In today’s meeting with Defence Minister Umerov, priorities were set,” Zelensky said in his nightly video address. “There is little time left to wait for results. Quick action is needed for forthcoming changes.”

Zelensky said he had replaced Major-General Tetiana Ostashchenko as commander of the Armed Forces Medical Forces.

“The task is clear, as has been repeatedly stressed in society, particularly among combat medics, we need a fundamentally new level of medical support for our soldiers,” he said.

This, he said, included a range of issues -- better tourniquets, digitalisation and better communication.

Umerov acknowledged the change on the Telegram messaging app and set as top priorities digitalisation, “tactical medicine” and rotation of servicemen.

Plight of one Ukraine village illustrates toll of Russia’s invasion

Monday 20 November 2023 02:30 , Holly Evans

Kamianka lies in a charming valley of bright flowers and lush trees. It used to be portrayed as a model village for a contented life in rural idyll. It was also a place of archaeological and geological lure, with its rare bronze age and Scythian sites and Jurassic limestone cliffs attracting visitors from afar.

The settlement , set in a sleepy hollow, was established in the 18th century by a count from the Tsar of Russia ’s court who had returned from Britain with new methods of farming and an English bride. Keen to put his new knowledge into practice, he allocated land, built a mill, constructed roads and funded a church and a school.

But Kamianka, in eastern Ukraine , also has a dark history of violence.

Read the full article from Kim Sengupta here

Russia’s plan B in Ukraine is working – now is not the moment for the West to turn away

Monday 20 November 2023 01:30 , Holly Evans

hen Italy ’s prime minister, Giorgia Meloni , was fooled recently by two well-known Russian “comics” – surely paid-up Kremlin agents – into saying she was “tired” of the war in Ukraine and that everyone would soon be looking for a “way out”, too many of her counterparts in the West would have tacitly agreed (and perhaps sympathised: she is hardly the first to be pranked by these two).

But Ms Meloni deserves no sympathy. She thought she was talking to the head of the African Union Commission so this should have been a chance to exercise statecraft and reason with the supposed representative from the Global South and argue that Russia ’s war in Ukraine is nothing if not colonialist itself – a desperate attempt to maintain its empire.

Russia, with an abundance of chutzpah and an absence of shame, claims that it is the West that is being colonialist in forcing its designs on Kyiv (even supposedly “Nazi-ruled Kyiv”). You have to apply to join Nato and the EU, of course, but facts like these are irrelevant.

Read the full article from James Nixey here

Moscow mayor says air defence units intercept drone targeting city

Monday 20 November 2023 00:30 , Holly Evans

Air defence units in Moscow intercepted a drone targeting the city on Sunday, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said.

Sobyanin, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said units in the Elektrostal district in the capital’s east had intercepted the drone.

According to preliminary information, falling debris resulting from the operation had caused no casualties or damage, Sobyanin said.

UK defence ministry say ‘few immediate prospects’ for change along front line

Sunday 19 November 2023 23:30 , Holly Evans

Russian drones have targeted Kyiv as the British Defence Ministry said there were “few immediate prospects” for major change along the Ukrainian front line as the war enters its second winter.

Russia launched 20 Iranian-made Shahed drones overnight, targeting the Ukrainian capital and the Cherkasy and Poltava regions, according to a military statement.

Ukrainian anti-aircraft systems shot down 15 of the drones.

He said that the drones attacked Kyiv from different directions in waves that were “constantly changing vectors”.

Preliminary reports indicated no casualties or critical damage, he said.

Around 3,000 trucks stuck at Ukrainian border due to Polish drivers' blockade

Sunday 19 November 2023 22:30 , Holly Evans

bout 3,000 mostly Ukrainian trucks were stuck on the Polish side of the border as of Sunday morning due to a more than 10-day blockade by Polish truckers, Ukrainian authorities said.

Polish truckers earlier this month blocked roads to three border crossings with Ukraine to protest against what they see as government inaction over a loss of business to foreign competitors since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Ukrainian officials said last week Kyiv and Warsaw had again failed to reach an agreement to stop the protest.

For over 10 days, Ukrainian drivers have been blocked at the Polish border. Thousands of people are forced to live in difficult conditions with limited food, water, and fuel. Ukraine cares about its people wherever they are. Our team has already gone to the border and is… pic.twitter.com/kzn1KGLrug — Oleksandr Kubrakov (@OlKubrakov) November 19, 2023

“For over 10 days, Ukrainian drivers have been blocked at the Polish border. Thousands of people are forced to live in difficult conditions with limited food, water and fuel,” Oleksandr Kubrakov, Deputy Ukraine’s Prime Minister, said on X, formerly Twitter.

He said trucks were backed up more than 30 kms (18.6 miles)towards the Yahodyn crossing, more than 10 kms towards Rava-Ruska, and more than 16 kms towards the Krakivets crossing.

Russia and Iran call for ceasefire in Gaza

Sunday 19 November 2023 21:30 , Holly Evans

Russia and Iran’s foreign ministers on Sunday called for a ceasefire in Gaza and said that urgent assistance must be given to the civilian population there.

Russia said Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke to Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian at the request of Tehran.

“During the conversation, main attention was focused on the current situation in the zone of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict,” Russia’s foreign ministry said.

Ukrainian teen returns to Ukraine after being taken to Russia from occupied Mariupol

Sunday 19 November 2023 20:39 , Holly Evans

Ukrainian teenager who was taken to Russia from the occupied city of Mariupol during the war and prevented from leaving the country earlier this year returned to Ukraine on Sunday.

Bohdan Yermokhin, who turned 18 on Sunday, appealed to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy this month to help bring him back to Ukraine. In March, he tried to leave Russia for Ukraine via Belarus, but was stopped and sent back.

“I believed I would be in Ukraine, but not on this day,” Yermokhin told Reuters while eating at a petrol station after crossing into Ukraine.

“This is a very pleasant gift, to put it in the right way. The emotions are overwhelming, all good, with the notion that Ukraine needs me.”

Zelenskiy welcomed Yermokhin’s return in his nightly video address.

“Many attempts were made to help him. I am happy everything worked out,” he said, expressing thanks to Ukrainian officials, international organisations, and particularly the U.N. Children’s Fund, UNICEF, and authorities in Qatar for help in mediation.

Hungary’s Orban says Ukraine ‘light years away’ from joining EU

Sunday 19 November 2023 19:30 , Athena Stavrou

Hungary’s prime minister has said Ukraine is “light years away” from joining the European Union, further signalling that his government is likely to present a roadblock to Kyiv’s ambitions to join the bloc.

Speaking at a biannual congress of his nationalist Fidesz party, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said he and his government would “resist” talks scheduled for mid-December on whether to formally invite Ukraine to start membership negotiations.

Admitting a new country requires unanimous approval from all existing member countries, giving Mr Orban a powerful veto.

Mr Orban said afterwards that standing in the way of Ukraine joining the EU would be one of his government’s top priorities in the coming months.

“Our task will be to correct the mistaken promise to start negotiations with Ukraine, since Ukraine is now light years away from the European Union,” Mr Orban said.

ICYMI: In Russia, more Kremlin critics are being imprisoned as intolerance of dissent grows

Sunday 19 November 2023 18:45 , Athena Stavrou

Russia under President Vladimir Putin has been closing in on those who challenge the Kremlin. Protesters and activists have been arrested or imprisoned, independent news outlets have been silenced, and various groups have been added to registers of “foreign agents” and “undesirable organizations.”

The crackdown has been going on for years.

Full report:

In Russia, more Kremlin critics are being imprisoned as intolerance of dissent grows

Ukraine ‘preparing for winter attacks'

Sunday 19 November 2023 18:00 , Athena Stavrou

Ukraine is preparing for further attacks on their energy grid this winter.

In his nightly address on Saturday, Ukrainian president Zelensky said that the “closer we are to winter, the more Russians will try to make the strikes more powerful.”

Zelenksy has previously raised concerns over Russian attacks on Ukraines energy grid - which became a prime target last year.

Volodymyr Kudrytskiy, the head of energy firm Ukrenergo, told local media: “All of us energy workers and defence forces are preparing to repel possible Russian attacks on the energy infrastructure this winter.”

Thousands of Ukrainian children forcefully taken to Belarus via Russia, study finds

Sunday 19 November 2023 17:15 , Athena Stavrou

Thousands of children from Ukraine aged between six and 17 years old have been forcefully transferred to 13 facilities across Belarus since Russia ‘s invasion last year , a study by Yale University has found.

The Humanitarian Research Lab at Yale School of Public Health found that the transfer of 2,442 children was “directly overseen” by Belarusian president Aleksandr Lukashenko – a key ally of Russian president Vladimir Putin .

Ukrainian teen who was taken to Russia from occupied Mariupol returns to Ukraine

Sunday 19 November 2023 16:30 , Athena Stavrou

A Ukrainian teenager who was taken to Russia from the occupied city of Mariupol during the war and prevented from leaving the country earlier this year returned to Ukraine on Sunday.

Ukraine says 20,000 children have been illegally transferred to Russia since the full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, with some being put up for adoption. Kyiv says this is a war crime, an allegation denied by Russia, which says it was protecting children in a war zone.

Yermokhin, an orphan from the Ukrainian city of Mariupol that was captured by Moscow’s troops during the first year of the war, was taken to Russia and placed in a foster family in the Moscow region.

On Sunday, Reuters correspondents at Kortelisy, a Ukrainian village near the border with Belarus, saw Yermokhin driven into Ukraine from the border in a van. Asked if he was glad to be back in Ukraine, Yermokhin said “yes”.

🇺🇦Bohdan Yermokhin is in Ukraine! Together with other state authorities, the team of the Office of the Ombudsman worked out a way to return the boy within the framework of the implementation of the approved @bkb_ua action plan of the President of Ukraine @ZelenskyyUa pic.twitter.com/0wGh9fQtI4 — Dmytro Lubinets (@lubinetzs) November 19, 2023

Putin to take part in G20 summit

Sunday 19 November 2023 15:45 , Athena Stavrou

Russian president Vladimir Putin is expected to take part in a virtual G20 summit next week, according to local media.

The conference is set to be hosted by India and happen on Wednesday, as reported by Russian news agency TASS, citing the TV channel ‘Russia-1’.

Putin did not attend the last two G20 meetings in India in September and Indonesia last year. He has taken few trips outside Russia since the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for the Russian leader over the unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children.

Latest pictures from Ukraine

Sunday 19 November 2023 15:03 , Athena Stavrou

Sunday 19 November 2023 14:20 , Athena Stavrou

Despite slow progress, the War in Ukraine has not reached a stalemate.

Ukraine’s forces can only win if the West shows a renewed commitment to forcing Russia out, James Nixey writes:

Around 3,000 trucks stuck at Ukrainian border

Sunday 19 November 2023 13:19 , Athena Stavrou

About 3,000 mostly Ukrainian trucks were stuck on the Polish side of the border as of Sunday morning due to a more than 10-day blockade by Polish truckers, Ukrainian authorities said.

“For over 10 days, Ukrainian drivers have been blocked at the Polish border. Thousands of people are forced to live in difficult conditions with limited food, water and fuel,” Oleksandr Kubrakov, Deputy Ukraine‘s Prime Minister, said on X, formerly Twitter.

Ukrainian grain brokers said last week Ukraine‘s shipments of food by road decreased 2.7% in the first 13 days of November due to difficulties on the Polish border caused by a drivers’ strike.

Sunday 19 November 2023 12:05 , Athena Stavrou

The Ukrainian army said on Sunday that it has pushed Russian forces back “three to eight kilometres” from the banks of Dnipro river.

If confirmed, it would be the first meaningful advance by Kyiv’s forces months into a disappointing counteroffensive.

“Preliminary figures vary from three to eight kilometres, depending on the specifics, geography and landscape design of the left bank,” army spokeswoman Natalia Gumenyuk told Ukrainian television Sunday, without specifying whether Ukraine’s military had complete control of the area or if the Russians had retreated.

Ukrainian and Russian forces have been entrenched on opposite sides of the vast waterway in the southern Kherson region for more than a year, after Russia withdrew its troops from the western bank last November.

Ukrainian forces have staged multiple attempts to cross and hold positions on the Russian-controlled side -- with officials in Kyiv finally reporting a “successful” breakthrough last week.

‘Greater fighting capacity' of Ukrainian recruits trained by UK

Sunday 19 November 2023 11:54 , Athena Stavrou

A Ukrainian military spokesperson has said recruits trained in the UK’s Interflex training course have a “greater fighting capacity”.

Operation Interflex was launched by the UK Armed Forces in June 2022 to develop and better prepare Ukrainian soldiers. Recruits spend five weeks in the UK receiving intense training.

The UK’s Ministry of Defence posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that 30,000 Ukrainians have been trained through Op Interflex.

They shared a comment from a Ukrainian armed forces spokesperson that said: “We notice the greater fighting capacity of the servicemen and women of the Armed Forces of Ukraine who completed the Interflex training course.”

"We notice the greater fighting capacity of the servicemen and women of the Armed Forces of Ukraine who completed the Interflex training course."- Maj Gen Oleksii Taran, Armed Forces of Ukraine. 30,000 Ukrainians have been trained through Op Interflex. 🇺🇦 #StandWithUkraine pic.twitter.com/S2Z3nvUe4L — Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) November 19, 2023

Five hurt in Russian shelling in Kherson, Ukraine says

Sunday 19 November 2023 10:56 , Athena Stavrou

Five people including a 3-year-old girl were injured in Russian artillery shelling of Kherson on Sunday morning, Ukrainian interior minister Ihor Klymenko said.

“All of them sustained shrapnel wounds. The child and the grandmother were walking in the yard. Enemy artillery hit them near the entrance,” Klymenko said on the Telegram messaging app.

Russian troops abandoned Kherson and the western bank of the Dnipro River in the region late last year, but now regularly shell those areas from positions on the eastern bank.

Reuters could not independently confirm the report.

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His Royal Highness had a pre-recorded message during a church service before Easter Sunday, where he spoke about trying to lead by example.

King Charles  spoke about friendship and service during his first speech since  Kate Middleton’s   cancer diagnosis was revealed on Thursday, March 28. The king’s remarks were pre-recorded and played during a Maundy Thursday service at Worcester Cathedral in England. He spoke about the importance of friendship and leading through service during the emotional message.

At the start of the speech, Charles expressed his disappointment that he would not be able to physically be there for the service, before sharing a story about Jesus. “Ladies and gentlemen, it is for me a great sadness that I cannot be with you all today. The Maundy Service has a very special place in my heart. It has its origin in the life of our Lord, who knelt before his disciples and to their great surprise, washed their travel-weary feet,” he said. “As we have just heard, in doing so, he deliberately gave to them and to us all an example of how we should serve and care for each other.”

While speaking about the many organizations that help people across the U.K. and the “kindness” of different people who service their communities, Charles spoke about how friendship is very important during difficult times. “We need and benefit greatly from those who extend the hand of friendship to us, especially in our time of need,” he said.

As he concluded, he spoke about how he tries to follow in Jesus’ footsteps as he offered an Easter message to the congregation. This act of worship here in Worcester Cathedral reminds me of the pledge I made at the beginning of the coronation service to follow Christ’s example not to be served but to serve. That, I have always tried to do and continue to do with my whole heart. It is my special prayer today that our Lord’s example of serving one another might continue to inspire us and to strengthen all our communities,” he said. “May God bless you all this Easter.”

The speech came over a month after Charles announced that he had been diagnosed with cancer, after undergoing a procedure for an enlarged prostate. While undergoing treatment, he’s continued to make occasional public appearances .

Charles’ Easter message also came about a week after his daughter-in-law Kate Middleton revealed that she’d also been diagnosed with cancer. A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said that he’s very supportive of the Princess of Wales amid her own health battle. “[The king] is so proud of Catherine for her courage in speaking as she did,” they said in a statement to  Entertainment Tonight. 

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40 facts about elektrostal.

Written by Lanette Mayes

Modified & Updated: 02 Mar 2024

Reviewed by Jessica Corbett

Elektrostal is a vibrant city located in the Moscow Oblast region of Russia. With a rich history, stunning architecture, and a thriving community, Elektrostal is a city that has much to offer. Whether you are a history buff, nature enthusiast, or simply curious about different cultures, Elektrostal is sure to captivate you.

This article will provide you with 40 fascinating facts about Elektrostal, giving you a better understanding of why this city is worth exploring. From its origins as an industrial hub to its modern-day charm, we will delve into the various aspects that make Elektrostal a unique and must-visit destination.

So, join us as we uncover the hidden treasures of Elektrostal and discover what makes this city a true gem in the heart of Russia.

Key Takeaways:

• Elektrostal, known as the “Motor City of Russia,” is a vibrant and growing city with a rich industrial history, offering diverse cultural experiences and a strong commitment to environmental sustainability.
• With its convenient location near Moscow, Elektrostal provides a picturesque landscape, vibrant nightlife, and a range of recreational activities, making it an ideal destination for residents and visitors alike.

Known as the “Motor City of Russia.”

Elektrostal, a city located in the Moscow Oblast region of Russia, earned the nickname “Motor City” due to its significant involvement in the automotive industry.

Home to the Elektrostal Metallurgical Plant.

Elektrostal is renowned for its metallurgical plant, which has been producing high-quality steel and alloys since its establishment in 1916.

Boasts a rich industrial heritage.

Elektrostal has a long history of industrial development, contributing to the growth and progress of the region.

Founded in 1916.

The city of Elektrostal was founded in 1916 as a result of the construction of the Elektrostal Metallurgical Plant.

Located approximately 50 kilometers east of Moscow.

Elektrostal is situated in close proximity to the Russian capital, making it easily accessible for both residents and visitors.

Known for its vibrant cultural scene.

Elektrostal is home to several cultural institutions, including museums, theaters, and art galleries that showcase the city’s rich artistic heritage.

A popular destination for nature lovers.

Surrounded by picturesque landscapes and forests, Elektrostal offers ample opportunities for outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, and birdwatching.

Hosts the annual Elektrostal City Day celebrations.

Every year, Elektrostal organizes festive events and activities to celebrate its founding, bringing together residents and visitors in a spirit of unity and joy.

Has a population of approximately 160,000 people.

Elektrostal is home to a diverse and vibrant community of around 160,000 residents, contributing to its dynamic atmosphere.

Boasts excellent education facilities.

The city is known for its well-established educational institutions, providing quality education to students of all ages.

A center for scientific research and innovation.

Elektrostal serves as an important hub for scientific research, particularly in the fields of metallurgy, materials science, and engineering.

Surrounded by picturesque lakes.

The city is blessed with numerous beautiful lakes, offering scenic views and recreational opportunities for locals and visitors alike.

Well-connected transportation system.

Elektrostal benefits from an efficient transportation network, including highways, railways, and public transportation options, ensuring convenient travel within and beyond the city.

Famous for its traditional Russian cuisine.

Food enthusiasts can indulge in authentic Russian dishes at numerous restaurants and cafes scattered throughout Elektrostal.

Home to notable architectural landmarks.

Elektrostal boasts impressive architecture, including the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord and the Elektrostal Palace of Culture.

Offers a wide range of recreational facilities.

Residents and visitors can enjoy various recreational activities, such as sports complexes, swimming pools, and fitness centers, enhancing the overall quality of life.

Provides a high standard of healthcare.

Elektrostal is equipped with modern medical facilities, ensuring residents have access to quality healthcare services.

Home to the Elektrostal History Museum.

The Elektrostal History Museum showcases the city’s fascinating past through exhibitions and displays.

A hub for sports enthusiasts.

Elektrostal is passionate about sports, with numerous stadiums, arenas, and sports clubs offering opportunities for athletes and spectators.

Celebrates diverse cultural festivals.

Throughout the year, Elektrostal hosts a variety of cultural festivals, celebrating different ethnicities, traditions, and art forms.

Electric power played a significant role in its early development.

Elektrostal owes its name and initial growth to the establishment of electric power stations and the utilization of electricity in the industrial sector.

Boasts a thriving economy.

The city’s strong industrial base, coupled with its strategic location near Moscow, has contributed to Elektrostal’s prosperous economic status.

Houses the Elektrostal Drama Theater.

The Elektrostal Drama Theater is a cultural centerpiece, attracting theater enthusiasts from far and wide.

Popular destination for winter sports.

Elektrostal’s proximity to ski resorts and winter sport facilities makes it a favorite destination for skiing, snowboarding, and other winter activities.

Promotes environmental sustainability.

Elektrostal prioritizes environmental protection and sustainability, implementing initiatives to reduce pollution and preserve natural resources.

Home to renowned educational institutions.

Elektrostal is known for its prestigious schools and universities, offering a wide range of academic programs to students.

Committed to cultural preservation.

The city values its cultural heritage and takes active steps to preserve and promote traditional customs, crafts, and arts.

Hosts an annual International Film Festival.

The Elektrostal International Film Festival attracts filmmakers and cinema enthusiasts from around the world, showcasing a diverse range of films.

Encourages entrepreneurship and innovation.

Elektrostal supports aspiring entrepreneurs and fosters a culture of innovation, providing opportunities for startups and business development.

Offers a range of housing options.

Elektrostal provides diverse housing options, including apartments, houses, and residential complexes, catering to different lifestyles and budgets.

Home to notable sports teams.

Elektrostal is proud of its sports legacy, with several successful sports teams competing at regional and national levels.

Boasts a vibrant nightlife scene.

Residents and visitors can enjoy a lively nightlife in Elektrostal, with numerous bars, clubs, and entertainment venues.

Promotes cultural exchange and international relations.

Elektrostal actively engages in international partnerships, cultural exchanges, and diplomatic collaborations to foster global connections.

Surrounded by beautiful nature reserves.

Nearby nature reserves, such as the Barybino Forest and Luchinskoye Lake, offer opportunities for nature enthusiasts to explore and appreciate the region’s biodiversity.

Commemorates historical events.

The city pays tribute to significant historical events through memorials, monuments, and exhibitions, ensuring the preservation of collective memory.

Promotes sports and youth development.

Elektrostal invests in sports infrastructure and programs to encourage youth participation, health, and physical fitness.

Hosts annual cultural and artistic festivals.

Throughout the year, Elektrostal celebrates its cultural diversity through festivals dedicated to music, dance, art, and theater.

Provides a picturesque landscape for photography enthusiasts.

The city’s scenic beauty, architectural landmarks, and natural surroundings make it a paradise for photographers.

Connects to Moscow via a direct train line.

The convenient train connection between Elektrostal and Moscow makes commuting between the two cities effortless.

A city with a bright future.

Elektrostal continues to grow and develop, aiming to become a model city in terms of infrastructure, sustainability, and quality of life for its residents.

In conclusion, Elektrostal is a fascinating city with a rich history and a vibrant present. From its origins as a center of steel production to its modern-day status as a hub for education and industry, Elektrostal has plenty to offer both residents and visitors. With its beautiful parks, cultural attractions, and proximity to Moscow, there is no shortage of things to see and do in this dynamic city. Whether you’re interested in exploring its historical landmarks, enjoying outdoor activities, or immersing yourself in the local culture, Elektrostal has something for everyone. So, next time you find yourself in the Moscow region, don’t miss the opportunity to discover the hidden gems of Elektrostal.

Q: What is the population of Elektrostal?

A: As of the latest data, the population of Elektrostal is approximately XXXX.

Q: How far is Elektrostal from Moscow?

A: Elektrostal is located approximately XX kilometers away from Moscow.

Q: Are there any famous landmarks in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal is home to several notable landmarks, including XXXX and XXXX.

Q: What industries are prominent in Elektrostal?

A: Elektrostal is known for its steel production industry and is also a center for engineering and manufacturing.

Q: Are there any universities or educational institutions in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal is home to XXXX University and several other educational institutions.

Q: What are some popular outdoor activities in Elektrostal?

A: Elektrostal offers several outdoor activities, such as hiking, cycling, and picnicking in its beautiful parks.

Q: Is Elektrostal well-connected in terms of transportation?

A: Yes, Elektrostal has good transportation links, including trains and buses, making it easily accessible from nearby cities.

Q: Are there any annual events or festivals in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal hosts various events and festivals throughout the year, including XXXX and XXXX.

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Role-based access control for Speech resources

• 4 contributors

You can manage access and permissions to your Speech resources with Azure role-based access control (Azure RBAC). Assigned roles can vary across Speech resources. For example, you can assign a role to a Speech resource that should only be used to train a custom speech model. You can assign another role to a Speech resource that is used to transcribe audio files. Depending on who can access each Speech resource, you can effectively set a different level of access per application or user. For more information on Azure RBAC, see the Azure RBAC documentation .

A Speech resource can inherit or be assigned multiple roles. The final level of access to the resource is a combination of all role permissions.

Roles for Speech resources

A role definition is a collection of permissions. When you create a Speech resource, the built-in roles in the following table are available for assignment.

Speech service architecture differs from other Azure AI services in the way it uses Azure control plane and data plane . Speech service is extensively using data plane comparing to other Azure AI services, and this requires different set up for the roles. Because of this some general Cognitive Services roles have actual access right set that doesn't exactly match their name when used in Speech services scenario. For instance Cognitive Services User provides in effect the Contributor rights, while Cognitive Services Contributor provides no access at all. The same is true for generic Owner and Contributor roles which have no data plane rights and consequently provide no access to Speech resource. To keep consistency we recommend to use roles containing Speech in their names. These roles are Cognitive Services Speech User and Cognitive Services Speech Contributor . Their access right sets were designed specifically for the Speech service. In case you would like to use general Cognitive Services roles and Azure generic roles, we ask you to very carefully study the following access right table.

Whether a role can list resource keys is important for Speech Studio authentication . To list resource keys, a role must have permission to run the Microsoft.CognitiveServices/accounts/listKeys/action operation. Please note that if key authentication is disabled in the Azure Portal, then none of the roles can list keys.

Keep the built-in roles if your Speech resource can have full read and write access to the projects.

For finer-grained resource access control, you can add or remove roles using the Azure portal. For example, you could create a custom role with permission to upload custom speech datasets, but without permission to deploy a custom speech model to an endpoint.

Authentication with keys and tokens

The roles define what permissions you have. Authentication is required to use the Speech resource.

To authenticate with Speech resource keys, all you need is the key and region. To authenticate with a Microsoft Entra token, the Speech resource must have a custom subdomain and use a private endpoint . The Speech service uses custom subdomains with private endpoints only.

Speech SDK authentication

For the SDK, you configure whether to authenticate with a Speech resource key or Microsoft Entra token. For details, see Microsoft Entra authentication with the Speech SDK .

Speech Studio authentication

Once you're signed into Speech Studio , you select a subscription and Speech resource. You don't choose whether to authenticate with a Speech resource key or Microsoft Entra token. Speech Studio gets the key or token automatically from the Speech resource. If one of the assigned roles has permission to list resource keys, Speech Studio authenticates with the key. Otherwise, Speech Studio authenticates with the Microsoft Entra token.

If Speech Studio uses your Microsoft Entra token, but the Speech resource doesn't have a custom subdomain and private endpoint, then you can't use some features in Speech Studio. In this case, for example, the Speech resource can be used to train a custom speech model, but you can't use a custom speech model to transcribe audio files.

• Microsoft Entra authentication with the Speech SDK .
• Speech service encryption of data at rest .

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Queen Camilla Makes History As She Takes King Charles’s Place at Royal Maundy Service

The monarch voiced his “great sadness” over missing the event

The queen consort arrived at Worcester Cathedral for the church service looking elegant in a cozy white coatdress, brown fur hat, beige suede boots, and black leather gloves. She accessorized with large diamond earrings and two gold brooches in the shape of blooming flowers, with sapphires at the middle.

The Royal Maundy, a tradition dating back to at least the 13th century, takes place each spring on Maundy Thursday, the day before Good Friday. During the service this morning, Camilla distributed “Maundy money” to a select group of Christian worshippers to thank them for their work within the church.

While Charles, as reigning king of England and the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, would normally lead the service, he was unable to do so today due to his illness. He did, however, send an audio message voicing his regret at missing the important event.

The message, which played during the service, started with a reading from the King James Bible, and was followed by a personal message from Charles.

“Ladies and gentlemen, it is, for me, a great sadness that I cannot be with you all today,” he said. “The Maundy service has a very special place in my heart. It has its origin in the life of Our Lord who knelt before his disciples and, to their great surprise, washed their travel-weary feet. And, as we have just heard, in doing so he deliberately gave to them and to us all an example of how we should serve and care for each other. In this country we are blessed by all the different services that exist for our welfare. But over and above these organizations and their selfless staff, we need and benefit greatly from those who extend the hand of friendship to us, especially in a time of need.”

The king is undergoing outpatient treatment for cancer , and has said he will return to his duties as soon as he is able. Harper’s Bazaar has reported that Charles has felt “frustrated” by his condition, and anxious to get back on his feet and do what he loves: work. As he recovers, he and the royal family—including his daughter-in-law Princess Kate, who is also being treated for cancer —are set to have a “a smaller-scale” Easter , Bazaar learned.

Later in his audio message, Charles praised the recipients of the Maundy money and spoke of his oath to serve the British people for as long as he may live.

“The 150 men and women who have been chosen today to receive the Maundy money from my wife are wonderful examples of such kindness, of going way beyond the call of duty, and of giving so much of their lives to the service of others in their communities,” he said. “This act of worship, here in Worcester Cathedral, reminds me of the pledge I made at the beginning of the coronation service: to follow Christ’s example ‘not to be served but to serve.’ That I have always tried to do and continue to do, with my whole heart. It is my special prayer today that Our Lord’s example of serving one another might continue to inspire us and to strengthen all our communities. May God bless you all this Easter.”

Rosa Sanchez is the senior news editor at Harper's Bazaar, working on news as it relates to entertainment, fashion, and culture. Previously, she was a news editor at ABC News and, prior to that, a managing editor of celebrity news at American Media. She has also written features for Rolling Stone, Teen Vogue, Forbes, and The Hollywood Reporter, among other outlets. 

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King Charles stresses importance of friendship 'in a time of need' after Princess Kate cancer diagnosis

LONDON — King Charles III delivered an Easter message Thursday stressing the importance of friendship, “especially in a time of need” — his first public remarks since Kate, the Princess of Wales , revealed she had become the second senior royal to be diagnosed with cancer .

The pre-recorded audio message comes ahead of the king’s attend ance at a service on Easter Sunday , in what will be his most significant public appearance since his own cancer diagnosis in February.

Charles, 75, was heard at a traditional Maundy Thursday service at Worcester Cathedral, near Birmingham in the West Midlands, some 130 miles northwest of London.

He spoke of how Jesus set an “example of how we should serve and care for each other,” and how “we need and benefit greatly from those who extend the hand of friendship to us, especially in a time of need,” according to the Press Association, a British news agency that typically reports royal announcements.

Buckingham Palace confirmed Wednesday that the king will attend the Easter Mattins Service at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle — one of the most important spiritual events in the royal calendar.

The king did not address his daughter-in-law’s health directly or name her in his brief personal message on Thursday. But royal watchers may interpret his words in the context of the ongoing family health crisis.

He also delivered a Bible reading.

The king did not appear in person at Thursday’s event — instead Queen Camilla deputized for him. Charles has stepped back from public engagements on medical advice.

The king’s public relations team also released a new picture of the monarch sitting at a desk in Buckingham Palace’s 18th Century Room, apparently recording his address into a microphone.

Charles has spoken of how touched he is by the outpouring of messages and cards from well-wishers from across the United Kingdom and beyond as he undergoes treatment for cancer, the exact type and stage of which the palace has not disclosed.

The king released a statement after Kate revealed her diagnosis last Friday, saying that he had become closer to his daughter-in-law through their shared hospital stays.

The king was “so proud of Catherine for her courage in speaking as she did,” the statement said.

The Royal Maundy service is part of the king’s role as the head of the Anglican Church. The monarch hands out specially made coins in white and red purses to 75 men and 75 women to reward them for good deeds such as charity work, a reference to the king’s age. Camilla performed that role on Thursday.

The event symbolizes the Last Supper, when Jesus washed the feet of disciples the day before Good Friday. The custom dates back to 600 A.D. and the coins have been in use since 1662, when Charles II distributed Maundy money.

Charles attended last year’s service at York Minster, following a tradition set by Queen Elizabeth II to hold it in different places across the U.K., not just in London.

The king continues to work behind the scenes while receiving treatment for cancer. On Tuesday, he met community and faith leaders from the Windsor Leadership charity at Buckingham Palace, and he continues to hold a weekly audience with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, albeit on at least one occasion by phone .

Patrick Smith is a London-based editor and reporter for NBC News Digital.

Gov. Hochul confronted by mourner at NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller’s wake, crowd applauds as she leaves

G ov. Kathy Hochul was filmed being confronted by an emotional mourner on her way out of a short visit to the wake for slain NYPD hero Jonathan Diller Friday afternoon – with bystanders applauding as she made her exit.

The unidentified man dressed in a black suit gestured firmly and was visibly agitated as he spoke to the Democratic lawmaker, according to footage of the incident.

The tense clash received support from a group of onlookers gathered outside the venue, who clapped as the mourner as the blank-faced governor shuffled back to her car.

Hochul — who had asked the NYPD, the NYPD Police Benevolent Association, and the Nassau County Police Benevolent Association ahead of time about attending — arrived at the Massapequa Funeral Home on Long Island for the second day of viewing around 1:45 p.m..

While at the emotional event, Hochul had an “animated” conversation with Diller’s  29-year-old widow, Stephanie, one witness told The Post.

“[It looked] like she was telling [Hochul] off,” they said of the tense exchange. “It didn’t look like the widow had a kind word to say.”

Hochul left immediately after that, the individual claimed.

Another source, however, said they saw the governor having a “short, respectful conversation” with the devastated family.

“She greeted the family members, then walked out,” they told The Post, noting that she was inside for “10 to 15 minutes.” 

“It was a brief respectful visit. She was not asked to leave,” the source added of the incident outside.

It was initially believed that the governor was asked to leave, in a telling reflection of the leader’s frosty reception.

Sources said Hochul discussed “policy” with the grieving family. Progressive policies, such as bail reform, have been blamed for Diller’s tragic death.

Hochul’s brief stop came one day after former President Donald Trump paid his respects at the first day of viewings – where he stayed for around 40 minutes.

The real estate mogul – who told The Post he was invited to the wake by the family – spent time talking to Stephanie and even met the couple’s young son, Ryan. 

Ahead of Friday’s proceedings, Diller’s brother-in-law shared  a stirring image of Trump embracing a woman in the family line-up .

“No words needed,” Jonathan McAuley, who is also an NYPD officer, captioned the post. 

Trump referred to the murdered cop as a “great officer, top of his class.”

“I said something has to come out of it, and the only thing that you could really think that could come out of it is we get stronger and tougher so this doesn’t keep happening,” he told The Post of his conversation with Stephanie.

In the days since Diller’s killing, Hochul has come under fire as the face of controversial bail reform, which law enforcement blames for the rise in recidivism. 

Despite her own efforts to roll back the reforms, Hochul has failed to cut down the changes that many argue allow violent criminals onto the street and put cops and everyday New Yorkers at risk.

The prime suspect in Diller’s murder – 34-year-old Guy Rivera – has at least 21 prior arrests and did a five-year prison stint.

At the time of the shooting, Rivera was seated in a Kia driven by 41-year-old Lindy Jones, who was previously convicted of attempted murder but was let loose on $75,000 bail for an illegal gun charge last spring.

Mayor Eric Adams – a former NYPD captain – lashed out at Albany for its lackadaisical approach to bail reform and recidivism at a somber press conference on Tuesday.

“What’s interesting is that our practices, laws and policies are not going after these issues,” Hizzoner said.

“We’ve always had a problem with recidivism, it’s always been a problem but we’ve really never zeroed in on it with case after case,” he told reporters.

Ahead of the weekend services, Sergeants Benevolent Association President Vincent J. Vallelong also wrote a scathing letter warning members of City Council not to show their faces.

“Adrienne Adams, Jumaane Williams and their cohorts should stay home,”  he told The Post, namechecking the two local lawmakers who pushed the council to reject Mayor Eric Adams’ veto on the “How Many Stops” Act in January.

“They detest cops and have no appreciation for what they do. They should stay home and not pretend they are grieving. They have caused enough heartbreak and destruction,” Vallelong insisted, adding that their presence “is a stain on the legacy of a true hero who made the ultimate sacrifice.”