النووي الأوكراني وروسيا \ ليفانت نيوز

Multiple missiles hit the center of Ukraine’s capital Kyiv on 10th October 2022. Several other cities in the country’s south and west were also hit by Russian missile strikes. President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia had used Iran-made drones responding to attack on the Kerch Bridge linking Crimea with the mainland

It comes just two days after a blast destroyed part of Russia’s Kerch Bridge, the only bridge linking Russia to the Crimean peninsula. Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed he ordered the strikes on Ukrainian cities, which were carried out by long-range missiles, in response to the bridge attack, and vowed a “harsh response” to any acts threatening Russia.Ukraine has not claimed responsibility for the blast.

Russian President Vladimir Putin called the attack that damaged the huge bridge connecting Russia to its annexed territory of Crimea “a terrorist act” masterminded by Ukrainian special services.

The Kerch Bridge

The Kerch Bridge, which holds important strategic and symbolic value to Russia in its faltering war in Ukraine, was hit a day earlier by what Moscow has said was a truck bomb. Road and rail traffic on the bridge were temporarily halted, damaging a vital supply route for the Kremlin’s forces.

Western responds

French President Emmanuel Macron added to his condemnation of the new wave of Russian strikes across Ukraine, accusing Moscow of deliberately targeting civilians. These "deliberate strikes by Russia on the whole of Ukrainian territory and against civilians, it is a profound change in the nature of this war," he said during a trip to western France, adding that he would bring together his diplomatic and military advisers concerned upon his return to Paris to "take stock" of the situation. In an earlier response to the Russian strikes, he reaffirmed France's commitment to increase military support.

Condemning the attacks, Germany has promised help in repairing damage to civilian infrastructure, including electricity and heating supplies.

"Russia once again has shown to the world what it stands for – it is terror and brutality. Those who are responsible have to be held accountable," said the Commission president.

President Biden said the latest Russian attacks “killed and injured civilians and destroyed targets with no military purpose. They once again demonstrate the utter brutality of Mr. Putin’s illegal war on the Ukrainian people.”“These attacks only further reinforce our commitment to stand with the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes,” Biden said in a statement.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and UK Prime Minister Liz Truss spoke separately to Zelenskiy by phone, condemning the Russian attacks and pledging more economic and military aid to Kyiv.“Putin’s destructive rhetoric and behavior will not diminish our resolve,” a Downing Street spokesperson said. These indiscriminate attacks on civilians are war crimes,” European Council President Charles Michel said in a tweet. The bombing of the

Rules of war

Kerch Bridge - Crimea, is considered a change in the rules of war or the rules of engagement. The war, to the extent of blowing up the bridge, avoided hitting cities, infrastructure and civilian sites, and this means that the bombing of the bridge opens a new page in the confrontation, and it can be considered a declaration of war, at least from the Russian side. It is noteworthy that Russia was subjected to intelligence work to assassinate the daughter of the Russian thinker Dugin, who is close to President Putin.

The succession of the bombing of Nord Stream Lines 1 and 2 in the Baltic Sea with the bombing of the Kerch Bridge means that there are strategic goals on the list of Ukrainian intelligence, which could open Ukraine's appetite for carrying out broader operations from within the principle of parallel intelligence wars and weakening Russia's home front.

Warning message

Russia's military response by bombing the capital of Ukraine, Kyiv and other cities, was a warning message from Russia's point of view, and it can be considered a warning message to the West as well, in order to reduce Western arms supplies to Ukraine.

But despite these threats, it seems that the West continues to provide support to Ukraine, within its pledges within NATO, and this means that the war in Ukraine is likely to be a hybrid war, and this depends on the response of Ukraine and the West to Russia, so that the war remains under control, or turns into a hybrid war.

By :Jassim Mohamad - Bonn

US President Biden’s new Arctic strategy foresees competition with Russia, China Lebanon’s Banking Crisis

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.