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Man nabbed for Comelec bomb threat

NBI FACEBOOK PAGE

THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested a man who allegedly incited violence on social media by encouraging the bombing of Commission on Elections (Comelec) sites in region 7, just a day after the country held its midterm elections on May 12.

In a memorandum dated May 14 from the NBI Central Visayas Regional Office, authorities said they were alerted on the afternoon of May 13 about a Facebook post that read: “5 million reward to BOMB all COMELEC site[s] @highlight.”

The post rapidly gained online traction, with at least 120 shares and several comments, raising alarm among law enforcement and election officials.

The suspect was taken into custody without resistance. During initial questioning, he admitted to publishing the post, though authorities have yet to determine his motives and whether others may have been involved.

The arrest comes amid heightened security measures following the May 12 midterm elections, in which Filipinos cast their votes for senators, congressional representatives, and local officials.

The Comelec, along with law enforcement agencies, has reiterated its zero-tolerance policy for election-related violence and disinformation, including that spread online. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

BIR seizes 81,000 illicit vapes

PHILIPPINE STAR/EDD GUMBAN

THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) on Thursday said it confiscated more than 81,000 illicit vape pods worth over P543.74 million in tax liabilities in a Bulacan raid.

In a statement, the BIR said vape pods were found in a residential compound in Marilao, which contained 406 master cases under the brand “TEAM PAPA.”

The discovered products did not have the mandatory BIR-issued excise stamps, in clear violation of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, it said.

Illicit trade of tobacco products eats away the collection of excise taxes, which saw decline in recent years.

Data from the BIR reported that the tobacco tax component of excise taxes declined by 0.35% to P134.43 billion last year, against the P176 billion collected in 2021.

“These criminals are now hiding in houses and villages, thinking that we cannot reach them. Think again.” BIR Commissioner Romeo D. Lumagui Jr. said.

“We call on everyone to report all forms of illicit vape. They are hiding in villages. They are hiding in residential compounds. Once reported and verified, the BIR will raid these locations and file cases against these criminals,” he added. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante

Gov’t workers to receive bonus — DBM

BW FILE PHOTO

GOVERNMENT workers, including military and uniformed personnel, will start receiving their mid-year bonuses starting May 15, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said on Thursday.

In a statement, the DBM said the total budget for the mid-year bonus this year amounted to P63.70 billion.

Of this amount, P47.59 billion will be for civilian personnel, while P16.11 billion for military/uniformed personnel.

DBM Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said the funds for the mid-year bonus were released to implementing agencies in January.

Under Budget Circular No. 2017-2, eligible personnel must have rendered at least four months of service from July 1 of the immediately preceding year to May 15 of the current year.

They must still be in government service as of May 15 with at least a satisfactory performance rating.

The bonus applies to all positions—regular, casual, contractual, appointive, or elective—across all branches of government, constitutional offices, state universities and colleges, government-owned or -controlled corporations, and local government units.

Eligible uniformed personnel include military personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines under the Department of National Defense and uniformed personnel of the Philippine National Police, Philippine Public Safety College, Bureau of Fire Protection, and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology of the Department of Interior and Local Government.

Also covered are personnel of the Philippine Coast Guard of the Department of Transportation, and National Mapping and Resource Information Authority of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante

Traders back newly elected Maguindanao del Norte execs 

COTABATO CITY — Chinese traders were elated with the election of a governor in the fledgling Maguindanao del Norte province who can speak their language and a vice governor who is a businessman.

Tucao Ong Mastura, who is of mixed Moro and Chinese descent, and Marshall Ibrahim Sinsuat were proclaimed as first ever elected governor and vice governor of the barely two-year-old Maguindanao del Norte, respectively, at the venue of the canvassing of election returns in Datu Odin Sinsuat town in the province on Wednesday afternoon.

Mr. Mastura and Mr. Sinsuat aspired for the two elective posts as official candidates of the United Bangsamoro Justice Party of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, whose officials are together managing the now five-year-old Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), the creation of which is a concession to their erstwhile revolutionary organization as part of the government-MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) peace compact.

Members of the Chinese communities in Cotabato City, the seat of the BARMM government, and in nearby towns in Maguindanao del Norte told reporters on Thursday that they are certain that Mr. Mastura and Mr. Sinsuat, whose families are engaged in businesses, will both focus on programs needed to boost the investment potentials of the province.

A number of Chinese merchants in Cotabato City, the regional capital of BARMM, had stated on Facebook their optimism on improvements soon in the business climate of Maguindanao del Norte with a governor who is close to them and a vice governor whose clan has large-scale fishing ventures in their hometown, Datu Blah Sinsuat, in the western coast of the province.

Mohammad Omar Pasigan, chairman of the Bangsamoro Regional Board of Investments, had told reporters that Chinese businessmen and their spouses had campaigned for Mr. Mastura and Mr. Sinsuat owing to their being connected with the business sectors in Central Mindanao. — John Felix M. Unson

NU Lady Bulldogs eye three-peat despite Belen and Solomon exit

ALYSSA SOLOMON (left) and Bella Belen — UAAP

SO now, is the key to the city safe and sound without the queen?

That would remain as the biggest question in National University (NU)’s  queendom amidst an impending departure of their two royalties — ironically when the school just established the coveted dynasty in the UAAP women’s volleyball.

Three-time MVP Mhicaela “Bella” Belen and last season’s Finals MVP Alyssa Solomon had played their final games as the Lady Bulldogs in epic fashions, delivering NU’s second straight and third overall title in the last four seasons with a 2-0 sweep of modern day rival De La Salle University at the close of the UAAP Season 87.

The feat fulfilled the Lady Bulldogs’ bid as the best collegiate volleyball program in the country on Friday — albeit they already are in the high school scene where Ms. Belen and company came — but for some, it just produced more questions than answers.

Will there be enough firepower left in NU to defend its throne next season? Who will rise to the challenge to fill the big shoes left by Mmess. Belen and Solomon? Is the three-peat possible without them? Are the up-and-coming players ready to fend off the wrath of La Salle and the rest of the pack?

“Hopefully, more championships just like in pro,” said coach Sherwin Meneses, a champion in his debut year with the Lady Bulldogs.

Mr. Meneses is a seven-time champion in the PVL, best known as the author behind the Creamline dynasty that just clinched a Grand Slam last year. He’s fully aware that building one would require more than just court smarts, skills and talents.

Friday’s battle landscape also includes massive forces outside the Taraflex, making it one of the biggest factors in building or protecting a winning tradition.

And even before its championship feat, NU has unleashed a first move to secure its future, landing former University of Santo Tomas captain Jaila Adrao for NUNS as her bridge to the UAAP women’s next season.

Led by Finals MVP Harlyn Serneche and Best Outside Spiker Denesse Daylisan, NUNS also regained the girls’ volleyball title for its seventh overall title for the second-most in UAAP history.

Then there’s Vange Alinsug, the unheralded third member of NU’s triumvirate who rose to the occasion with a Co-Finals MVP award with libero Shaira Mae Jardio in the women’s play.

Mmess. Alinsug, Jardio and two-time Best Setter Lams Lamina will inherit the mantle of leadership with young stars Arah Panique, Celine Marsh, Alexa Mata and Abegail Pono, who are all products of NUNS’ own dynasty in high school with Mmess. Belen and Solomon.

And this early, Ms. Alinsug and company assured their readiness for the bigger role as NU shoots for a three-peat next season.

For Mmess. Belen and Solomon, that’s all they wanted for a fitting swan song — knowing that their beloved alma mater is in great hands as they go turn professional either here or abroad. — John Bryan Ulanday

Phoenix, Ginebra gun for Magic Four slot as they clash in Philippine Cup

BARANGAY GINEBRA GIN KINGS — FACEBOOK.COM/PBAOFFICIAL

Games on Friday
(PhilSports Arena)
5 p.m. – Converge vs NorthPort
7:30 p.m. – Phoenix vs Ginebra

BARANGAY Ginebra and Phoenix seek to boost their respective positioning as they clash on Friday in the PBA Philippine Cup at the PhilSports Arena.

The Gin Kings (3-2) aim to grab a share of third and fourth with idle San Miguel Beer (4-2) and firm up their status inside the “Magic 4” which comes with a twice-to-beat incentive in the quarterfinals.

For the Fuel Masters, it’s about fanning their drive for the Last 8. Sitting at No. 9, the squad can crack the cutoff line and dislodge eighth-running defending champion Meralco (3-5) with an upset of the Gin Kings in the 7:30 p.m. tiff.

Coach Tim Cone’s Ginebra troops have sharpened up their defense recently and showed this is an 85-66 blowout of Converge in their duel in Pampanga.

“I thought we played a much more detailed (defensive) game (against Converge), which was important for us. That’s what is going to get us to the playoffs and make us play well there,” he said.

Meanwhile, the sixth-running FiberXers (4-3) eye a quick rebound in their bid to stay within range of the Top 4 when it takes on slumping NorthPort (1-4) at 5 p.m.

The beatdown at the hands of Ginebra was an eye-opener in Pampanga that coach Franco Atienza hoped would make them wiser moving forward.

Even without injured gunner Arvin Tolentino, the Batang Pier showed they could compete. In their last appearance, they dominated Meralco but blinked first in a down-to-the-wire finish and absorbed a 104-105 heartbreaker.

Notes: Possible sanctions loom as the PBA looks into the commotion that marred on Wednesday’s game between Magnolia and Meralco. Commissioner Willie Marcial said the technical committee is reviewing videos of the incident that saw Meralco’s Cliff Hodge giving a hard foul on Magnolia’s Zav Lucero that resulted in an altercation between the two and triggered a bench-clearing scrum. “Pinatawag natin yung involved parties tomorrow (Friday), around three or four of them,”said Marcial, whose office is expected to slap penalties after hearing the side of those involved. Hodge was assessed a flagrant foul penalty one infraction for his wrestling-style takedown of Lucero after losing ball possession with 2:16 left in the game that the unbeaten Hotshots handily won, 117-92. “I was trying to stop the fastbreak layup. It is what it is. I’m not the ref, so… the guys decided what it’s gonna be, so it’s okay,” Mr. Hodge said. The Fil-am bruiser also claimed that during the ruckus, a Magnolia assistant coach whom he didn’t name “head-butted” him. “The assistant coach head-butted me in my face. I don’t know if they didn’t see it or whatever, but I guess that’s okay for them.” — Olmin Leyba

Larga Pilipinas returns with 10,000 cyclists, six-stage race from Cabanatuan to Baguio City

“WE’RE expecting to surpass the 10,000 participants we had when we last hosted Larga Pilipinas in 2018,” said Larga operations director Snow Badua during Thursday’s race launch at the Red Dynasty Seafood and Hotpot Restaurant in Manila.

A TOTAL of 10 professional teams and over 10,000 cyclists seeing action in the category events will spice up the Larga Pilipinas when it returns with a short but sweet six-stage race unfurling in Cabanatuan on Aug. 2 and ending in Baguio City on Aug. 7.

“We’re expecting to surpass the 10,000 participants we had when we last hosted Larga Pilipinas in 2018,” said Larga operations director Snow Badua during Thursday’s race launch at the Red Dynasty Seafood and Hotpot Restaurant in Manila.

“We’re calling it a people’s race and a race for all so everybody, from newbies to pros, can participate,” he added.

Larga chair Froi Dayco said there are five teams that had already confirmed their participation — Go for Gold, Excellent Noodles, Standard Insurance-Navy, D-Reyna Orion Cement, and reigning Tour of Luzon team champion Metro Pacific Tollways Drivehub.

“We’re open to foreign teams also if they want to,” he said.

Race chief commissaire Sunshine Joy Vallejos said Larga would be a climber’s paradise since four stages will be ascents.

The first two stages will be relatively flat ones — 197-kilometer Cabanatuan-Cabanatuan Stage One and 146-km Cabanatuan-Mangaldan Stage Two — before they go climbing the rest of the way via the 146-km Mangaldan-Bayombong Stage Three, 95.2-km Bayombong-Banaue Four, 83.1-km Banague-Sagada Stage Five and , finally, 142-km Sagada-Baguio Stage Six.

“This is practically a race for climbers,” said Ms. Vallejos, who is in charge of PhilCycling’s elite races.

They will navigate a total of 809km of flat, rolling hills and numerous ascents in this event backed by Viva Premier Gaming, 888 Horsemen Group Inc., Red Dynasty Seafood and Hotpot Restaurant, Phenom Sportswear, Starhorse Shipping Lines, Chickyfam, Midas Smart Resources Corp., PCSO Scracth it, Go for Gold, Surecom Wireless Communication and Colbi’s Best and sanctioned by PhilCycling.

Mr. Dayco also announced they will implement a rule where in only three of the seven riders per team will be counted instead of the usual four done in past races like the Tour of Luzon and the defunct Ronda Pilipinas.

Also, participants will brace not just the unpredictable road conditions and searing heat, but also another of nature’s elements — the rains.

“We’re hoping and praying to the cycling gods to give us good weather this August,” said Mr. Dayco. — Joey Villar

Eala-Gauff tandem bows to Errani-Paolini duo in three sets

ALEX EALA and Coco Gauff fumbled a huge lead in the first set and ultimately bowed to reigning champion Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini of Italy, 5-7, 6-3, 7-10, in the doubles’ quarterfinals of the 2025 Italian Open on Thursday in Rome.

The Filipina-American tandem built a 5-3 lead in the opener but was blanked the rest of the way and not even its second-set retaliation proved enough against the Italian duo’s finishing kick in the tiebreaker.

Mmess. Eala and Gauff, unranked in the clay tourney as their first-ever team-up, came as close to 6-7 in the decider until the third-seeded Italian pair put on a 3-1 ender for the gritty win in one hour and 36 minutes.

The young duo could have scored a sweep if not for a meltdown in the first set by allowing a 4-0 blast for a tough 5-7 defeat.

Mmess. Errani and Paolini, the No. 8 duo in the world, will face Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider of Russia for a seat in the finale of the tourney they ruled last year.

World No. 3 Ms. Gauff, meanwhile, scored a 6-4, 7-6(5) win over Ms. Andreeva to make the singles’ Final Four against China’s Zheng Qinwen, who stunned world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka of Russia, 6-4, 6-3.

Ms. Eala, WTA No. 70, crashed out of the tourney as early as Round 1 with a 6-0, 6-1 near shutout against world No. 27 Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine.

The Filipina sensation, who will turn 20 on May 23, shifts her focus to a much-awaited Grand Slam main draw debut on May 24 to June 8 in Paris. — John Bryan Ulanday

Celtics rout Knicks in Game 5, send series back to New York

DERRICK WHITE scored a game-high 34 points and the Boston Celtics extended their season by beating the visiting New York Knicks 127-102 on Wednesday in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

The Knicks lead the best-of-seven series 3-2 heading into Friday’s Game 6 in New York.

White shot 7-for-13 from 3-point territory and made 9 of his 11 free-throw attempts. Boston sank 22 of its 49 shots from behind the 3-point arc (44.9%) and outscored New York 68-43 in the second half.

The Celtics received 26 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds from Jaylen Brown. Luke Kornet added 10 points, nine rebounds and seven blocked shots and Payton Pritchard came off the bench to make five 3-pointers and score 17 points.

“We made winning plays on both ends of the floor,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. “They made enough plays to win. Gave us another chance to play.”

It was Boston’s second playoff game without Jayson Tatum, who had surgery on Tuesday to repair a ruptured right Achilles tendon. Tatum also missed Game 2 of Boston’s first-round series against Orlando, which the Celtics won 109-100.

Josh Hart scored a team-high 24 points for New York, which shot 29-of-81 from the field (35.8%). Jalen Brunson collected 22 points and six assists, but he fouled out with 7:19 to play. Brunson was called for his fifth foul with 2:45 remaining in the third quarter.

“That we didn’t play for 48 minutes,” said Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau when asked what stood out on Wednesday. “We didn’t play tough with the lead. Can’t afford to do that.”

The Knicks received 19 points and eight rebounds from Karl-Anthony Towns.

Boston’s Kristaps Porzingis was limited to one point in 12 minutes and didn’t play in the second half.

“He couldn’t breathe,” Mazzulla said. “If we absolutely needed him, we would have been able to go to him and rely on him.”

New York led 32-30 after one quarter and the game was tied at 59 at halftime. An 11-0 run capped by a Pritchard 3-pointer put the Celtics up 81-68 with 7:10 left in the third and Boston held a 91-76 advantage entering the fourth.

The Celtics led by as many as 28 in the final 12 minutes.

It was Boston’s first victory at home in the series. — Reuters

Mavs win lottery

What a season the Mavericks have had. Fresh off a finals run, they began the 2024-25 season with heightened expectations. Then halfway through their campaign, they figured on trading away their foundational piece ostensibly to set themselves up for sustained success. While they contended that they took one step back to move two steps forward, however, just about everybody else branded their deal with the Lakers as the worst in National Basketball Association history. And so pilloried was their move — pushed by general manager Nico Harrison and okayed by owner Patrick Dumont — to send generational talent Luka Doncic packing that their projected recovery was seen to take much, much longer than they believed.

As things turned out, the Mavericks needed a mere three months to get themselves back on track. The other day, they lucked into the number one overall pick in the upcoming draft. Never mind that they had a mere 1.8% chance of claiming the privilege, and that ridiculous twists of fate had them picking 11th instead of 12th; they would have needed to trade places with the Bulls had the latter won the coin flip, or had Josh Giddey not made an ultra-low-probability halfcourt shot to win against the Lakers in an otherwise meaningless late-March encounter.

And so the Mavericks literally got to win the lottery, and, if nothing else, put themselves in prime position to offset the nine-figure losses they were likely to absorb following Doncic’s departure. After all, Cooper Flagg is not just any top prospect; in the last 20 years, only Doncic, Anthony Davis, and Zion Williamson have had better projections per the draft model of ESPN’s Kevin Pelton. Needless to say, the good fortune was met with incredulity; NBA circles entertained conspiracy theories as if billionaire franchise holders would act against self-interest and simply agree to give the opposition major ammunition.

As narrative-fitting as the thought of the Commissioner’s Office rigging results may be, there is just no way a machine juggling 14 balls can spew four to come up with a favored combination. In any case, what’s done is done, and the Mavericks now truly have reason to view the horizon with optimism. Assuming Davis stays healthy enough and fellow All-Star Kyrie Irving’s recovery from an anterior cruciate ligament injury goes as well as expected, they admittedly have the personnel to contend in the deep, deep West. Not that Harrison and Dumont are off the hook for not getting commensurate return vice Doncic. All the same, fans have cause to smile and, perhaps, move on.

 

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.

Putin, Trump to skip peace talks on Ukraine

RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN — KREMLIN.RU-COMMONS.WIKIMEDIA.ORG

WASHINGTON/ISTANBUL — US President Donald J. Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin indicated they would not attend what could be the first direct peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv in three years on Thursday, with the Kremlin sending instead a group of experienced technocrats.

Mr. Putin on Sunday proposed direct negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul on Thursday “without any preconditions.” Late on Wednesday, the Kremlin said the delegation would include presidential adviser Vladimir Medinsky and Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin, but Mr. Putin’s name was not on the list.

After the Kremlin’s delegation announcement, a US official said Mr. Trump, who is on a three-nation tour of the Middle East, would not attend. The US leader had said earlier that he was considering the option to participate.

While Mr. Putin had never confirmed he would attend in person, the absence of the Russian and US presidents lowers the expectations for a major breakthrough in the war that Russia started in February 2022.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had challenged Mr. Putin to attend the talks “if he’s not afraid,” in an apparent contest to show Mr. Trump who wants peace more, Ukraine or Russia.

While the Kyiv leader was on his way to Turkey late on Wednesday, a Ukrainian official said, he had said he would take part in the talks only if Mr. Putin attended.

In his nightly video address on Wednesday, Zelensky said that Ukraine would decide on its steps for peace talks in Turkey once there was clarity on Mr. Putin’s participation.

“The answers to all questions about this war — why it started, why it continues — all these answers are in Moscow,” Mr. Zelensky said. “How the war will end depends on the world.”

Mr. Trump wants the two sides to sign up to a 30-day cease-fire to pause Europe’s biggest land war since World War II, and a Russian lawmaker said on Wednesday there could also be discussions about a huge prisoner of war exchange.

Mr. Zelensky backs an immediate 30-day cease-fire, but Mr. Putin has said he first wants to start talks at which the details of such a cease-fire could be discussed.

MORE SANCTIONS ON RUSSIA?
Mr. Trump, who is growing increasingly frustrated with both Russia and Ukraine as he tries to push them towards a peace settlement, said he was “always considering” secondary sanctions against Moscow if he thought it was blocking the process.

US officials have spoken about possible financial sanctions as well as potential secondary sanctions on buyers of Russian oil.

The US delegation to Turkey included Secretary of State Marco Rubio and senior envoys Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said early on Thursday he had met with Mr. Rubio to share Mr. Zelensky’s peace vision and “coordinate positions during this critical week.”

Mr. Medinsky and Mr. Fomin, part of the Russian delegation, took part in the last set of negotiations between the two sides in the first weeks of the war. Other senior military and intelligence officials were also part of the Thursday delegation.

Direct talks between negotiators from Ukraine and Russia last took place in Istanbul in March 2022, a month after Mr. Putin sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in what he calls a “special military operation” to root out neo-Nazis.

Ukraine and its allies say the invasion was an unprovoked, imperial-style land grab.

With Russian forces grinding forward in Ukraine and now controlling about a fifth of the country, the Kremlin chief has offered few, if any, concessions so far. In his proposal at the weekend, he said that the talks in Turkey would be aimed at a durable peace.

He specifically mentioned the 2022 talks and the failed draft deal.

Under that deal, among others, Ukraine would have agreed to permanent neutrality in return for security guarantees from the five permanent members of the UN Security Council: Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, and other nations including Belarus, Canada, Germany, Israel, Poland and Turkey, according to a draft seen by Reuters.

But officials in Kyiv say agreeing to Ukrainian neutrality is a red line they will not cross. — Reuters

An aide, a diplomat and a spy: Who is Putin sending to Turkey?

Army soldier figurines are displayed in front of the Ukrainian and Russian flag colors background in this illustration taken, Feb. 13, 2022. — REUTERS/DADO RUVIC/ILLUSTRATION

ISTANBUL — Who is Russian President Vladimir Putin sending to the peace talks with Ukraine that the Kremlin chief himself proposed

Just over an hour before Moscow’s midnight on May 14, the Kremlin published the names of those who would attend.

• Vladimir Medinsky, Kremlin aide. To head the delegation.

Born in Soviet Ukraine, Medinsky helped lead the 2022 peace talks which ultimately failed.

Educated at Moscow State Institute of International Relations, Mr. Medinsky was behind a new history textbook for schools which reflect Mr. Putin’s historical view: pride at the achievements of the superpower Soviet Union, indignation at the humiliations of the Soviet collapse, and acclaim for the “rebirth” of Russia under the former KGB spy’s rule which began on the last day of 1999.

He is chairman of the ultra-patriotic Russian Military Historical Society.

• Mikhail Galuzin, deputy foreign minister

Oversees relations with the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), a grouping of former Soviet republics.

Educated at Moscow State University’s Institute of Asian and African Studies. Speaks fluent Japanese and English.

• Igor Kostyukov, director of Russian military intelligence, known as GRU, or more recently as simply GU. The GRU is one of the most powerful intelligence agencies in the world.

Kostyukov was the first naval officer to head GRU.

• Alexander Fomin, deputy Defense minister. Took part in the 2022 talks on Ukraine.

Additionally, Mr. Putin approved a list of experts for the negotiations.

• Alexander Zorin, first deputy chief of information of the directorate of the General Staff. Born in Soviet Ukraine. Helped lead Russian intervention in the Syrian civil war. Known for seeking to reconcile sides.

• Yelena Podobreyevskaya, deputy head of the Kremlin directorate for humanitarian policy.

• Alexei Polishchuk, director of the foreign ministry’s CIS department dealing with Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova.

• V. Shevtsov, deputy head of the main directorate for international military cooperation at the Defense Ministry.

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