A senior Kremlin-installed official in Ukraine’s partially occupied Kherson region lashed out at Russian military officials Thursday, a rare example of full-throated criticism from an official as Moscow faces mounting military losses to Kyiv. “Many are saying that the Defense Minister — who allowed things to come to this — should simply shoot himself like…
On Sept. 21, President Vladimir Putin announced the “partial” mobilization of Russia’s military reservists, sparking numerous protests across the country from those who did not imagine they would be affected by the war. Just two weeks later on Wednesday this week, Putin was forced to admit that mistakes had been made with the execution of…
Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko on Thursday banned price increases with immediate effect to curb galloping inflation in the former Soviet country. Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus with an iron fist since 1994, is known for folksy eccentricities and radical suggestions, such as drinking a shot of vodka daily to ward off the coronavirus. “From Oct.…
Jailed Kremlin critic Vladimir Kara-Murza faces up to 20 years in prison on newly levied charges of “treason,” the state-run TASS news agency reported Thursday, citing his lawyer Vadim Prokhorov. The latest charges against Kara-Murza, 40, are based on alleged evidence of “longtime cooperation with a NATO state,” TASS cited a source in Russia’s Federal Security…
A growing list of failings and defeats in Ukraine have spawned angry outbursts from Russia’s elite, who still support the “military operation” but have gone as far as to suggest army chiefs should face the firing squad. Before September saw a series of battlefield reversals, public criticism of the army was rare. The offensive had…
The Venice Film Festival has always favored Russian cinema. The films of directors Andrei Konchalovsky and Alexander Sokurov were given awards here, and it’s where Andrei Tarkovsky began his international career. So the absence of Russian filmmakers at the festival this year was noticeable. But their absence probably was not due to a boycott of…
The European Union on Thursday adopted a fresh round of sanctions on Russia in response to Moscow’s annexation of four Ukrainian territories, which was legally finalized by President Vladimir Putin this week. “This new sanctions package against Russia is proof of our determination to stop Putin’s war machine and respond to his latest escalation with…
Russian regions experiencing the highest rates of poverty have mobilized the largest share of conscripts to be sent to fight in Ukraine, according to a report published by two teams of independent Russian investigative journalists on Wednesday. At least 213,200 conscripts from 53 Russian regions have been recruited in the two weeks since Russian President…
The Kremlin said Thursday that an OPEC+ decision to sharply cut production was designed to stabilize global oil markets, after Washington said the move was a concession to Moscow. “The decisions that were taken were aimed at stabilizing oil markets,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. He said it was proof that “some countries understand the…
A joke on social media proposing that Czechs seize the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad has gone viral, sparking mirth as well as anger from those taking it as real. “Time to split Kaliningrad so that our Czech brothers have access to the sea,” a Pole identifying himself as “Papiez internetu” (pope of the internet) tweeted…
A SpaceX rocket carrying a Russian crew member blasted off from Florida Wednesday on a voyage that carries significant symbolism as war rages in Ukraine. Anna Kikina, the only female cosmonaut in service, is part of the Crew-5 mission, which also includes one Japanese and two American astronauts. “Let’s do this,” said Nicole Mann, commander…
A new piece of street art in a Tbilisi underpass is a play on the classic Soviet “The Motherland Calls” poster from World War II. But instead of holding the military oath as in the original, the woman is clutching a Georgian khinkali dumpling. And instead of the patriotic slogan, the caption now reads, “Hurry,…
The United States believes “elements” within the Ukrainian government are responsible for the car bomb assassination of a far-right ideologue’s daughter in Russia, The New York Times reported Wednesday, citing a closely held U.S. intelligence assessment. The daring Aug. 20 attack that killed journalist Daria Dugina outside Moscow demonstrated Kyiv’s ability to carry out sabotage…
Recently mobilized Russian soldiers are decrying “inhumane” conditions, weapons shortages and mistreatment by officers, according to video published by the independent news website The Insider on Wednesday. Footage of new recruits sleeping on the floor, being armed with outdated rifles and ordered to source their own supplies appeared almost immediately after President Vladimir Putin announced…