ZeroFox Physical Security Intelligence Daily Brief - February 17, 2024

ZeroFox Physical Security Intelligence Daily Brief - February 17, 2024

ZeroFox physical security experts collect, curate, and analyze information derived from open and proprietary sources for comprehensive context of the circumstances surrounding global events. Here is today’s daily roundup of major developments.

Brief Highlights

• Outspoken Figure’s Death Deprives Russia of Leading Opposition Voice
• Greek Farmers Decide to Take their Protests to Athens and Expand Roadblock Campaign
• Protesting Serbian Villagers Halt Chinese Mining Company’s Production

Outspoken Figure’s Death Deprives Russia of Leading Opposition Voice

Russian opposition activist and the most prominent critic of President Vladimir Putin, Aleksei A. Navalny, has reportedly died after a fall in prison. Navalny was imprisoned in a remote penal colony in the Arctic, apparently in a bid to isolate him from influential political-activism circles. Russia’s Federal Penitentiary Service disclosed that the 47-year-old activist lost consciousness and died after a walk.

Greek Farmers Decide to Take their Protests to Athens and Expand Roadblock Campaign

On February 15, after rejecting government concessions, Greek farmers angry about high production costs announced that they would launch a roadblock campaign and bring their protests to Athens. Following a national meeting of farmer unionists near Larissa in central Greece, representatives announced that protesters would drive their tractors to the capital for a rally on February 20. Rizos Maroudas, a union organizer, stated that farmers in other parts of Greece planned to block highways, harbors, and border crossings on that day.

Protesting Serbian Villagers Halt Chinese Mining Company’s Production

On February 14, villagers protesting over environmental degradation forced Chinese mining company Zijin Copper to temporarily halt production at a mine in eastern Serbia by blocking the access road. Zijin Copper, the Chinese mining giant, announced that it had temporarily halted production at the Novo Cerovo mine in eastern Serbia after villagers in Krivelj blocked the road. The blockade had cut off the mine's raw material supply, and all remaining diesel, explosives, and other supplies had been exhausted. Protesters claim that local roads have been converted into industrial roads, preventing safe traffic flow.