|AKORDANIAN TELEGRAPH AGENCY|AkopTA|READ-ONLY|

[Akordania]

---

---

AkopTA
--
"The Voice of the Republic."

---

---

[ENG][РУС][DEU][ESP][中文]

ABOUT US: Established in 1992, AkopTA remains Akordania's premier news-reporting agency; boasting a highly dedicated staff who preside over dozens of trusted publications, shows, and social media pages- all of which have been conveniently made available in five different languages. AkopTA touches on a diverse range of topics concerning the Akordanian citizen, including: sports, politics, agriculture, business, home life and popular culture.

---

---

CURRENT OUTLETS:
Voice of the People|Голос народа
AkopTA's feature talk show, hosted by political pundit Arseni Igorovich Podkopyaev. A recap of the show, along with related stories are published weekly in a newspaper bearing the same name.

The Locker Room|Раздевалка
A men's magazine dedicated to the science of sports, along with engrossing interviews with the nation's top athletes. Ice hockey, football, wrestling, and gymnastics (as well as each of their respective rising stars) are the most popular sports in Akordania, and consequently remain the focus.

Akordanian Woman|Akopдaнская
A women's magazine centered around fashion, celebrity gossip and dating.

The Homestead|Усадьба
A monthly paper discussing the rigors and merits of life in rural Akordania. Readers often submit letters to the editors for husbandry-related advice.

Faith and Family|Вера и Семья
A monthly paper dedicated to Akordanian home life. Household maintenance, childcare, nutrition, and the importance of religion in the home are discussed at length.

Big Boss|Большая шишка
Derived from a roughly translated slang term, "Big Boss" is yet another popular men's publication focusing primarily on shrewd financial practices, relationship advice, and the virtues of entrepreneurship. It also features tasteful centerfolds of Akordania's resident beauties.

Adventure Zone|Зона Приключение
A children's magazine divided up into three separate cartoons that chronicle the lives of silly animal characters. An important life lesson is revealed at the conclusion of each segment.

Republican Front|Республиканский фронт
A radical ultranationalist paper, delivered weekly to a massive subscriber base. Topics range from xenophobic conspiracy theories to survivalism and the concept of Akordanian identity. The Republican Front, despite some public uproar, now also presides over a nightly radio show hosted by former university professor Vladimir Vladimirovich Gavrilov.

[Akordania]

---

10 August,
2020
7.40 ВЭК

REPUBLICAN FRONT

---

---

TENSIONS SKYROCKET AMID CHERNYSHEV ASSASSINATION; CAPILEAN CITIZENS IDENTIFIED AS KILLERS

---

In an act of what can only be called terrorism, five Capilean nationals were apprehended and charged with the assassination of Akordanian patriot Grigory Illyushovich Chernyshev earlier this morning after a nearly two hour long standoff with local authorities. Although there are still many questions to be asked, our understanding of the incident is as follows: at approximately 0330 this morning, Chernyshev, driven by a chauffeur, stopped at the intersection of Tverskaya and Victory- mere blocks from his office. As the light turned green, the road ahead was blocked by an unregistered SUV. According to accounts from responding officers, it was evident by the tire marks on the road that Chernyshev's driver was cognizant of the impending threat and attempted to veer around, before being cut off by yet another 4x4. Gunmen in the passenger seats of both vehicles proceeded to open fire on the vehicle with precise volleys, before initiating staggered reloads and resuming the engagement; displaying excellent discipline and consequently a military background of some kind.

The assassins, having taken stock of their sickening work, proceeded to speed down Victory Street until they were intercepted by a quick-reaction force composed of special Militsiya at around 0340. Heavy gunfire erupted between both sides for several minutes, resulting in the heroic deaths of two Akordanian officers. The assassins abandoned their vehicles, having spent most of their ammunition, and retreated into a nearby apartment complex under close pursuit by the authorities; losing one man in the process. It is still unknown at this time how or why the quick-reaction force was present in the area at the time of the shooting. The Grekhovsk office of the Militsiya declined to comment.

The gunmen halted their retreat upon reaching the third floor and proceeded to barricade themselves within a utility room. The pursuing Militsiya paused their advance at the stairwell; taking care to evacuate civilians from the building before establishing a 360 around the perimeter of the complex. The standoff persisted until around 0530, when, in a final realization of their waning time on this Earth, the apparent leader of the terrorists (an "Oswald Drach") elected to surrender. The four surviving members of the Capilean kill squad are now in the joint custody of the Militsiya and UGB.

Taking into account their status as Capilean citizens, proficiency with small arms, and knowledge of small team tactics, there remains only one pressing question: why?

The answer is remarkably simple. Chernyshev was an outspoken critic of the formal alliance between Akordania and the Capilean Reich, and as an official advisor to President Yukashenko, remained a constant threat to its security. He was often quoted as being "highly suspicious" of the Reich's motives, and found their ethnocentric policies to be "deeply concerning". Such policies could also provide a potential explanation for the usage of Capilean nationals over local opposition or criminal elements for the assassination, besides the obvious consideration for professionalism.

Although there has yet to be a statement released from Veroykne, the alliance is surely doomed. The killing of national hero Chernyshev was indeed grievous, but the idea of foreign sleeper cells being able to reach out and murder additional members of our government at will is far more terrifying. Undoubtedly this crew of fascist mercenaries are a part of a much broader, more intricate network of foreign spies and homegrown traitors. Only time will tell if these cowards will be uprooted and brought to justice before the Akordanian people. More importantly, how will Walther Nemetz be held accountable? Until then, the Republican Front will remain the top source for further developments.

-Vladimir Vladimirovich, Your Advocate

[Akordania]

---

12 August,
2020
7.40 ВЭК

REPUBLICAN FRONT

---

THE MOTHERLAND UNDER SIEGE

---

My dear readers: understand that while we are still reeling from the loss of a national hero at the hands of our alleged allies, they go on about their daily business...reveling in their heavily embellished successes (all of which, of course, is spoonfed to them by their bloated propaganda machine). As the family of Grigory Illyushovich Chernyshev quake with equal parts grief and rage while the priest performs the funerary rites, Reichsleiter Nemetz- vainglorious as he is with his chest full of fake medals- cackles at our inaction.

What happened to the Yukashenko of old? A leader once revered for his strength, decisiveness, and uncompromising advocacy of the Akordanian people? I fear our president, seduced by the prospect of economic expansion and regional power projection, has been played for a fool. Worse, yet, I'm afraid that deep down we all anticipated this result.

Fundamentally, we bear stark differences to our ally...irreconcilable differences. In a blatant disregard for our past, we chose to come the aid of a nation that propagates ethnocentrism, xenophobia, and militarism. Now, my dear readers, as you know I have no qualms with a nation that safeguards its culture from foreign influence. I do, however, find it reprehensible when a nation deliberately undermines its neighbors- its ALLIES- to achieve that end.

The most infuriating aspect of this has certainly been the lack of accountability. A government official is murdered in broad daylight, prompting many days' worth of extensive media coverage, and yet we're all supposed to just carry on in blissful ignorance? Veroykne has been mute- as has Saxtonburg. For a nation that prides itself on its unstoppable conventional war machine, the Capileans certainly seem more partial to working in underhanded and slimy ways. Reichsleiter Nemetz, from one man to another, I ask: where is the honor in your actions? I would be interested to know how Capilean citizens would react to their leader's usage of such cowardly tactics, and if they would even agree that such measures were necessary in the first place? I'd wager they'd be just as disgusted.

Dear readers, we simply cannot allow this attack to go unanswered. It is our DUTY as Akordanians to take to the streets; first to demand transparency and recognition. This will surely be a hard fought battle, but if there is any shred of pride left in our President, he will ultimately hear out his countrymen. Once we have achieved open condemnation, Chernyshev's killers must be publicly tried; their Capilean citizenship should naturally be a point of focus. Upon receiving the verdict, these fascist mercenaries must be executed. The aforementioned events, having barely qualified as justice, should merely act as a starting point for a lengthy and well-earned retribution.

-Vladimir Vladimirovich, Your Advocate

[Akordania]

---

18 August,
2020
7.40 ВЭК

VOICE OF THE PEOPLE!

---

---

LAST NIGHT'S RECAP: GAVRILOV OF REPUBLICAN FRONT MAKES ANTI-YUKASHENKO OUTBURST, DEMONSTRATIONS COMMENCE NATIONWIDE, NEMETZ DENIES ALLEGATIONS

---

Last night's installment of Voice of the People was not one to be missed as our host Arseni Igorovich tackled Akordania's recent controversies in an extended segment; opening a heated discourse among the audience. Though there was much to be discussed, Arseni was adamant about keeping the focus on the Chernyshev tragedy, as well as what he believed to be highly inappropriate responses to the event; most notably, a fiery editorial written by Professor Gavrilov of the Republican Front. Arseni was quick to declare the article a "slanderous, incoherent, and borderline treasonous raving against our President and Akordania's international partners", adding that, "Professor Gavrilov should be held totally accountable for the unrest across Akordania's major cities". Although Arseni Igorovich's condemnation may come across as harsh, there is no doubt as to the correlation between the printing of the article and the near-immediate assemblages of the nation's fringe. As of this morning, Gavrilov has yet to issue an official statement. In the eyes of many, his silence may as well be open approval of unlawful gatherings. Could it be that he is directly responsible for this coordinated hooliganism?

In typical fashion, the respective Militsiyas of Veroykne, Grekhovsk, and Smirnivsk have enacted swift countermeasures to stifle the unrest. Despite such a powerful initial response from authorities, Gavrilov's anarchist fan base has stiffly resisted; engaging in prolonged and bloody clashes on a daily basis. During the open discourse, an audience member expressed concern over the matter...declaring such widespread chaos to be a dangerous precedent. Arseni Igorovich was quick to reassure her, however; emphasizing the fact that the agitators are a radical faction, a microscopic minority among the many law-abiding citizens of the Republic. In his own words, "I'm always curious, do these people have jobs? Don't they have wives and children at home they should be providing for at such times of the day? Where is their shame? If the Militsiya don't show them the boot for rioting, they surely should for being bums!" Despite the uproar of laughter, Arseni persisted, adding: "No, no, I'm not kidding! I find their lack of shame far more offensive than their crummy demonstrations! Now that is a precedent we should be worried about. You know there is something wrong with our culture when our men are shirking their duties to go out and holler about conspiracies instead of earning a living."

Our host then veered to the topic of Walther Nemetz; leader of Akordania's closest ally, the Capilean Reich. Yesterday, Nemetz spoke on the Chernyshev assassination in an exclusive interview with Florian Henning- a correspondent of Reich publication Der Sieger. When asked about the accusations leveled at him by the Republican Front, Nemetz vehemently denied involvement, stating that such an action would be in direct opposition to his goals for an open alliance. He added that the Reich's intelligence services had no knowledge of the killing; arguing that such methods are more in line with that of the Germans, who orchestrated the execution of his own family at the height of Klaus' War. Nemetz humbly expressed condolences for the loss of Chernyshev, and reaffirmed his commitment to the Akordanian-Capilean alliance; offering up the aid of his own intelligence services and vocalizing his desire for an in-person meeting with Sergei Maksimovich. Remarking on their personal relationship, Nemetz spoke highly of our President as both a leader and a friend. Although much of the crowd felt moved by the Reichsleiter's words during the open forum, Arseni Igorovich remained stony-faced. In what would be his final statement before the show's conclusion, he took a firm stance: "Although I do respect Walther Nemetz as a leader and warrior, I have no intention of softening over a few words of praise. I will await Sergei Makimsovich's response, as I have and always will do, prior to rendering a final judgement."

In light of such a compelling point, there is no doubt that all Akordanians now find themselves wondering what our President is thinking himself, and when (or if) he intends upon finally addressing the matter.

[Akordania]

---

20 August,
2020
7.40 ВЭК

VOICE OF THE PEOPLE!

---

---

MASS MELEES IN SMIRNIVSK: VAZKH STUDENT GROUP SPEARHEADING ANTI-CAPILEAN DEMONSTRATIONS

---

Disarray has seized the streets of Akordania's major cities in the past several days as various groups aligned with the Republican Front have organized massive demonstrations in protest of the Akordanian-Capilean alliance. Although there are only sporadic clashes with Militsiya in the cities of Veroykne and Grekhovsk, Smirnivsk has seen the eruption of unbridled violence between local authorities and the Vazkh student group known as the "Nepromokayemyy Student Assembly". Bearing the namesake of the region's formidable mountain range, the NSS have continually resorted to hooliganism in an effort to intimidate local policymakers. The NSS were met with a most unwelcome response by the regional government through the deployment of several hundred local Omonovtsy.

Top: Members of the Special Purpose Mobile Unit (ОМОН/OMON) haul away agitators near Yukashenko Stadium.
Bottom: An agitator, later identified as Sofia Niyazova, argues with officers.

Days of unchallenged mob rule were stifled in a matter of hours as OMON took the reins in place of the overwhelmed and undermanned Smirnivsk Militsiya. As the day came to a close, small gangs of agitators roamed the streets aimlessly as they were repelled from their original demonstration point at Yukashenko Stadium with rubber bullets and tear gas. Many dozens of others were arrested and are expected to face charges. In her first public appearance (by way of social media), the self-proclaimed leader of NSS- a 33 year old university professor by the name of Sofia Niyazova- cited the day''s events as a "barbaric response on the part of the governor, done entirely out of fear of his master, Yukashenko." She continued by offering her support to associated organizations in Grekhovsk and Veroykne; calling for them to employ similar methods of agitation against their local authorities and "to never let them rest."

While this blatantly anti-Capilean, anti-Yukashenko sentiment has gained quite a lot of momentum in Smirnivsk, there has yet to be any public engagement from the organizations responsible for demonstrations elsewhere. It is unknown if they are all directly linked through a formal network, or are simply rallying under the banner of Gavrilov's Republican Front. Regardless, the governor of Smirnivsk Oblast, war hero and activist Artyom Kovalenko, has set an iron precedent for law enforcement response going forward. When asked about Niyazova's comments, Governor Kovalenko responded with a grin: "Professor Niyazova equates the maintenance of law and order with some kind of sycophantic game, which I believe is telling of her mental state. Her followers would do well to take notice of this. I surely hope that we can come to a peaceful resolution soon, before the professor gets anyone hurt with her delusions." In spite of such an offering on the part of the governor, it would seem Professor Niyazova has no intention of coming to the negotiation table.