Day: July 8, 2019
-
UNESCO Adds Russia’s Ancient Pskov Churches to World Heritage List
Seventeen unique buildings in the northwest Russian city of Pskov were among the latest cultural gems to join UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites. Pskov is one of Russia’s oldest cities, first mentioned in ancient annals of the 9th century. In the Middle Ages, it was the bustling, wealthy capital of the Pskov Republic, acting…
-
3 Journalists Detained Outside Putin’s Residence
Three Russian opposition media journalists have been detained outside Russian President Vladimir Putin’s residence west of Moscow, the MBKh Media news website reported on Monday. Putin moved into his Novo-Ogaryovo residence in Usovo, a settlement on the Rublyovo-Uspenskoye Highway, during his first presidential term in the early 2000s. MBKh Media said the Federal Guard Service…
-
Russia Celebrates the Ancient Tatar Festival of Sabantui
Sabantui is a summer festival celebrated by Russia’s Bashkir and Tatar ethnic minorities. Dating back to the 7th century, Sabantui — which translates to “plough’s feast” in Turkic languages — began as a festival celebrated by rural farmers ahead of the sowing season. As time went on, it evolved into a national festival for Tatars.…
-
Ukraine Suspects Treason in Scrapped Teleconference With Russia
Ukrainian authorities have opened a criminal case into treason following a now-abandoned proposal for a joint online conference with Russian state television to help end the war in eastern Ukraine. Ukraine’s NewsOne channel and Russia’s state-run Rossia 24 broadcaster planned to host a videolink dialogue between ordinary citizens of the countries before the Ukrainian broadcaster…
-
Russia Approves ‘Shortest’ Europe-China Highway – Reports
The Russian government has approved construction plans for a toll highway that will dramatically cut cargo shipping times between Europe and China, the Vedomosti business daily reported. Russia is pursuing an ambitious infrastructure plan in President Vladimir Putin’s current presidential term, including developing its portion of the strategic China-Western Europe transport corridor. Russia has reportedly…
-
Ukraine’s President Wants to Meet Putin in Minsk
Ukraine’s new president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said on Monday he was ready to meet Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Minsk for talks that he said should also involve Germany, Britain, the United States and France. Relations between Ukraine and Russia have been very strained since Moscow’s annexation of the Crimean peninsula in 2014 and its support…
-
Russian Sailors Killed in Nuclear Sub Fire May Have Averted ‘Global Catastrophe’ – Official
The 14 Russian sailors killed in last week’s nuclear submarine fire may have prevented a “planetary catastrophe,” a high-ranking officer has reportedly said at their funeral ceremony this weekend. The sailors were killed on July 1 when a fire broke out as their deep-water research submarine was surveying the seafloor near the Arctic, the Russian…
-
Georgian TV Host Ignites Backlash for On-Air Putin Insults
A Georgian television host has stirred controversy with profanity-laden remarks against Russian President Vladimir Putin live on air, prompting protests and leading the channel to suspend broadcasting. The controversy occurred amid weeks of violent protests in the former Soviet republic following a visit by a Russian lawmaker. The protests quickly devolved into a double crisis,…
-
Russia to Deport Togolese National Facing Death Penalty at Home
A former presidential guard from the West African nation of Togo who faces the death penalty for helping his country’s opposition will be deported from Russia, Moscow-based activists have said. Russia has for the past five years denied refugee status to Bozobeyidou Batoma, 42, a former member of the Togolese commando guard force, Russia’s Civic…