U.S. efforts to negotiate the freedom of a former Marine held in Russia as part of the swap involving basketball star Brittney Griner were thwarted by Moscow’s demand for the release of a convicted murderer held in Germany, according to a top U.S. official and media reports. The swap of Griner for convicted Russian arms…
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Sunday that it was imperative the Kremlin “clear” Kurdish forces from northern Syria. Erdogan has been threatening to launch a new incursion into northern Syria to push out Kurdish forces he blames for a November bomb blast that killed six people in Istanbul. A…
Russia’s ex-president Dmitry Medvedev said on Sunday the country was ramping up production of new-generation weapons to protect itself from enemies in Europe, the United States and Australia. “We are increasing production of the most powerful means of destruction. Including those based on new principles,” Medvedev said on messaging app Telegram. “Our enemy dug in…
In Russia’s rural villages, there are very few cultural institutions. Oftentimes, there is only a single library and a single House of Culture (community center for arts and culture). Because libraries are free to visit, they are crucial in low-income regions where people can’t afford to spend money on culture and education. In addition to…