Al-Qaeda Chief blames US for Russia-Ukraine War

AFGHANISTAN, UKRAINE, RUSSIA: Al-Qaeda Leader Ayman al-Zawahri made an appearance in a pre-recorded video to mark the 11th anniversary of the death of his predecessor, Osama bin Laden.

Al-Zawahri says in the video that “US weakness” was the reason that its ally Ukraine became “prey” for the Russian invasion.

The 27-minute speech was released Friday according to the SITE Intelligence group, which monitors militant activity. The leader appears sitting at a desk with books and a gun.

“Here (the US) is after its defeat in Iraq and Afghanistan, after the economic disasters caused by the 9/11 invasions, after the Corona pandemic, and after it left its ally Ukraine as prey for the Russians,” he said.

Al-Zawahri’s whereabouts are unknown. He is wanted by the FBI and there is a US$ 25 million reward for information leading to his capture.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the southeastern port city of Mariupol has been destroyed completely and there is nothing left to fall to Russians, except for its besieged steelworks.

Zelensky, speaking on a video call to the Chatham House think-tank in London, was asked how the fall of the strategic city could affect the course of the conflict.

Meanwhile, Russia added new figures critical of the Kremlin to its list of “foreign agents,” including two exiled allies of jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny and a popular rapper.

The Russian justice ministry added eight people to the list, which now includes more than 160 media outlets and personalities.

– THE HINDUSTAN TIMES, INDIAN EXPRESS, NDTV