Author: admin
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Macron Says Putin Must ‘Return to the Table’ for Ukraine Talks
Russian President Vladimir Putin must “return to the table” to discuss making peace in Ukraine, French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday, adding that he thought Kyiv would have to negotiate with him at some point. “Today, first of all, Vladimir Putin must stop this war, respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity and come back to the table […]
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UN General Assembly Condemns Russia ‘Illegal Annexation’ of Ukraine Land
The United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday overwhelmingly voted to condemn Russia’s annexation of parts of Ukraine after Moscow vetoed a similar effort in the Security Council. The General Assembly approved the resolution with 143 in favor and five against but 35 nations abstained including China, India, South Africa and Pakistan despite a major US […]
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Over 90K ‘Irrecoverable Losses’ Suffered by Russian Soldiers in Ukraine: iStories
Over 90,000 Russian soldiers have died, cannot be accounted for, or have suffered such serious injuries that they are unable to return to service, independent Russian media project iStories reported on Wednesday, citing sources close to the Kremlin. The figure falls roughly in line with estimates made by the Pentagon and other Western governments in […]
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Putin Says ‘Ball in EU’s Court’ on Restarting Nord Stream Deliveries
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday said his country was a reliable energy supplier and blamed the West for disruptions on the market at an energy forum in Moscow. After the Nord Stream pipelines connecting Russia to Europe were damaged by explosions, Putin said “the ball was in the EU’s court” to resume deliveries. “If […]
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In Latvia, Putin’s War on Russian Media Plays Out on the Big Screen
Viewers in Latvia’s capital of Riga came out last week to see a screening of “F@ck This Job,” a documentary about independent Russian broadcaster TV Rain (Dozhd) and its struggle to survive Vladimir Putin’s war on the independent media. It was directed and narrated by Vera Krichevskaya, a co-founder of TV Rain with Sindeeva, who […]
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Kremlin, Musk Deny Meeting Before Controversial Ukraine Peace Plan Tweet
The Kremlin on Wednesday denied reports that Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin before he tweeted his proposal for ending the war in Ukraine. The U.S. billionaire sparked controversy last week when he tweeted a proposed peace deal involving re-running referendums on annexation under UN supervision in Moscow-occupied areas; […]
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Russian Cities Scrap New Year Festivities as War Encroaches on Everyday Life
Dozens of Russian cities have canceled or scaled back planned New Year’s Eve celebrations as the war strains local budgets and calls grow for money to be diverted to mobilized Russian soldiers lacking basic equipment and supplies. “After Feb. 24, most people believed it [the war] would not affect them personally. But now it will […]
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Russia’s Military Mobilization Targets the Homeless, Poor – Reports
Russian authorities are mobilizing men from the country’s most vulnerable groups to send to the front in Ukraine, the independent Mediazona news website reported Tuesday. In Moscow, security officers have taken men to military enlistment centers from charity centers for the homeless and needy as well as hostels where labor migrants live, Mediazona reported. The […]
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Russia Opens Criminal Case Over Note Left on Grave of Putin’s Parents
Authorities in St. Petersburg have launched criminal proceedings against a pensioner who allegedly placed a handwritten note wishing death to Russian President Vladimir Putin on the grave of his parents. Irina Tsybaneva, 60, was arrested at her St. Petersburg home on Monday on charges of “desecration of the bodies of the dead and their burial […]
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Russia-Germany Oil Pipeline Partly Shut After Leak
The Druzhba oil pipeline linking Russia and Germany has been partly shut after a leak was discovered in Poland, the Polish PERN operator said on Wednesday. “The cause of the incident is not known for the moment. Pumping in the affected line was immediately stopped. Line 2 of the pipeline is functioning normally,” the operator […]
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Russia Says Arrested 8 Suspects in Crimean Bridge Blast
Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said it has arrested eight suspects in last week’s apparent attack that tore apart the Crimean Bridge and killed three people, Interfax reported Wednesday. Five Russians, three Ukrainians and one Armenian were detained over their alleged involvement in the Oct. 8 explosion that collapsed a road segment and caused a […]
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Putin Tells IAEA’s Grossi Moscow is ‘Open to Dialogue’ on Ukraine Nuclear Plant
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday told UN nuclear agency chief Rafael Grossi he was “open to dialogue” on Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in territory controlled by Moscow’s forces in southern Ukraine. In televised comments with Grossi ahead of their meeting in Saint Petersburg, Putin told the IAEA chief he was “ready to discuss all […]
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Explainer: Is the Belarus-Russia ‘Joint Military Group’ a Threat to Ukraine?
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko claimed Monday that Ukraine was readying an attack on Belarus and announced the formation of a “joint military group” with Russia. “Ukraine is not just discussing but planning strikes on the territory of Belarus,” Lukashenko, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, said during a meeting with security officials, according […]
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Russia Adds Meta to List of ‘Terrorist and Extremist’ Orgs
Russia has added U.S. tech giant Meta to its list of “terrorists and extremist” organizations, according to state financial watchdog Rosfinmonitoring’s database. Moscow banned Meta products Facebook and Instagram in March after authorities accused the company of tolerating “Russophobia” during Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine, making the popular social media platforms inaccessible to Russian users […]
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Startup Pollsters Challenge Accepted Wisdom on Russians’ War Support
The day Russia invaded Ukraine, social entrepreneur and political activist Alexei Minyaylo gathered his friends and partners to brainstorm how to “end this madness.” The answer came quickly: public opinion polling. “The authorities always use polls to create the illusion of a majority and that’s a very powerful social mechanism,” Minyaylo told The Moscow Times. […]
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Oil Exports Helping Cushion Russian Economy – IMF
Russia’s recession will be less severe than expected due to oil exports and relatively stable domestic demand, according to the latest International Monetary Fund forecasts released on Tuesday. While the IMF estimates Russia’s economy to have contracted by 21.8% during the second quarter at a quarterly annualized rate, for the year as a whole the Russian […]
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Ukraine Says Returned 37 Children ‘Deported’ to Russia
Kyiv has returned home dozens of Ukrainian children who had been taken to Russia amid Moscow’s invasion, Ukraine’s ministry for reintegrating temporarily occupied territories said Tuesday. The 37 children were “forcibly removed” from the Kharkiv region of northeastern Ukraine at the end of August and taken to the southern Russian town of Kabardinka, the ministry […]
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Nissan to Exit Russian Market, Sell Assets to Moscow
Japanese automaker Nissan will sell its Russian assets – including a factory in St. Petersburg – to the Russian government, the Industry and Trade Ministry said Tuesday. The Kommersant business daily reports that the Japanese car manufacturer’s departure follows a similar scheme as French automaker Renault, which exited the Russian market in May. Russian car […]
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Russians Buy Books on Nazi Germany, WWII Following Mobilization Call
Russians are increasingly buying books about Nazi Germany and World War II following President Vladimir Putin’s “partial” mobilization of civilian reservists for the war in Ukraine. Sales of books about World War II surged by 20% despite an overall decline in book sales across Russia, the Kommersant business daily reported Tuesday, citing leading bookstores and […]
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Silicon Valley Billionaire Milner Renounces Russian Citizenship
Billionaire Silicon Valley investor Yuri Milner said Monday he had renounced his Russian citizenship. “My family and I left Russia for good in 2014, after the Russian annexation of Crimea. And this summer, we officially completed the process of renouncing our Russian citizenship,” the Moscow-born Milner tweeted. Milner, founder of the internet investment firm DST Global and […]
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Putin Seeks Escalation with Ukraine Missile Blitz – Experts
With Russia firing a hail of missiles into Ukraine on Monday and Belarus making fresh threats against Kyiv, President Vladimir Putin is seeking to escalate the nearly eight-month war and compensate for humiliating recent losses, Western analysts say. According to Ukrainian authorities, 41 out of 75 missiles were intercepted, but the remainder struck cities around the country, […]
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UN Bracing for more Displacements After Russian Strikes in Ukraine
The United Nations refugee chief on Monday warned more people will be forced to flee their homes in Ukraine after Russian missiles rained down on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities. Moscow earlier on Monday unleashed the biggest wave of strikes across Ukraine in months in retaliation for an explosion this weekend that damaged a key […]
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Ukraine Denounces Russia as ‘Terrorist State’ in UN Meeting
Ukraine denounced Russia as a “terrorist state” at an urgent United Nations General Assembly meeting Monday following its neighbor’s latest attacks, as Western powers sought to underscore Moscow’s isolation. The UN called the debate to discuss Russia’s declared annexation of four partly occupied Ukrainian regions, but the debate was overshadowed by strikes on Kyiv and […]
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Biden Condemns ‘Utter Brutality’ of Russian Missile Strikes
U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday condemned Russia’s missile strikes on Ukrainian cities, saying they “demonstrate the utter brutality” of Vladimir Putin’s “illegal war.” “The United States strongly condemns Russia’s missile strikes today across Ukraine,” Biden said in a statement. “These attacks killed and injured civilians and destroyed targets with no military purpose,” he said. […]
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Lines, Delays But Little Panic in Crimea After Bridge Blast
A giant explosion that damaged the Crimean Bridge — a key route between mainland Russia and annexed Crimea — over the weekend has jammed traffic and delayed supply shipments but appeared Monday to be having little effect on day-to-day life on the peninsula. “People have been living on a powder keg since Feb. 24 and […]
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In Photos: Russian Missiles Pummel Cities Across Ukraine
Cities across Ukraine were slammed by Russian missiles Monday morning, sending civilians scrambling for cover as Moscow hit back for an attack on its bridge to annexed Crimea that it blames on Kyiv. At least 11 people have been killed and dozens injured in the strikes, which Russian President Vladimir Putin said were targeting Ukrainian […]
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Russian, U.S. Troops in Syria Share ‘Rare Moment’ of Congeniality
U.S. and Russian troops exchanged friendly greetings and posed for pictures together over the weekend on a northeast Syria highway in a rare display of congeniality between the rival forces. Both Washington and Moscow have troops on the ground in Syria backing opposing sides of the war that has ravaged the Middle Eastern country since […]
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Jailed Kremlin Critic Kara-Murza Receives European Rights Award
Jailed Kremlin critic Vladimir Kara-Murza received the Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize for “outstanding actions of civil society in the protection of human rights around the world.” The prize was awarded during the opening of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE)’s autumn session in Strasbourg on Monday. Kara-Murza, an outspoken critic of […]
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Putin Vows More ‘Severe’ Attacks After Russian Missiles Batter Ukraine
Russian forces launched a barrage of fatal bombardments across Ukraine early on Monday and President Vladimir Putin vowed even more “severe” retaliation against Kyiv. The biggest wave of strikes across Ukraine in months killed at least 11 people nationwide, and was apparent retaliation for an explosion this weekend that damaged a key bridge linking Russia […]
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Belarus Says Forming Joint Military Group with Russia
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said Minsk and Moscow have agreed to deploy a joint regional group of military forces in response to alleged “aggravations” on Belarus’ western border, Belarusian state media reported Monday. “Given the worsening of the situation on the western borders of the Union State, we agreed to deploy a regional group of […]
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‘Just the Beginning’: Russian Pro-War Voices Hail Ukraine Strikes
Russian pro-war bloggers and officials hailed Monday’s air strikes on cities across Ukraine, with many calling the attacks the first step of Moscow’s retaliation to last week’s humiliating blast on the Crimean Bridge. Some 80 Russian missiles slammed into 16 Ukrainian cities early Monday, including a number of cities in western Ukraine as well as […]
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Moscow Stock Exchange Down Nearly 12% at Opening
The Moscow stock exchange plunged nearly 12% in early trading on Monday following multiple strikes on Ukrainian cities and a weekend explosion that partially destroyed the bridge connecting Crimea to Russia. The benchmark ruble-denominated MOEX index dropped 11.9% to 1,780.39 points at 9:03 a.m., briefly falling below the 1,800 mark for the first time since […]
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In Georgia’s Capital, a Young Russian Rock Group Hopes to Thrive in Exile
“Prisoners of conscience in the hands of bandits and thieves / Order will be disturbed in reality, not in dreams / The force of pressure will push the spring of freedom,” ring out the lyrics to “Right Now,” a new song by Russian rockers Mirolyubivnoye Morye (“Peaceful Sea”). “Peace to all, not war / In […]
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In Georgia’s Capital, a Young Russian Rock Group Hopes to Thrive in Exile
“Prisoners of conscience in the hands of bandits and thieves / Order will be disturbed in reality, not in dreams / The force of pressure will push the spring of freedom,” ring out the lyrics to “Right Now,” a new song by Russian rockers Mirolyubivnoye Morye (“Peaceful Sea”). “Peace to all, not war / In […]
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Russian Divers To Examine Crimea Bridge
Divers were to inspect the waters beneath the Crimea bridge on Sunday a day after a huge blast damaged Russia’s key road and rail link to the annexed peninsula, killing three people. “We are ordering the examination by divers, they will start work from six in the morning,” Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin told state media […]
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Fresh Missile Strike on Ukraine City Kills 17: Council
An overnight Russian missile strike killed 17 people in Zaporizhzhia, local authorities said on Sunday, in the latest deadly attack to hit the southern Ukrainian city that President Volodymyr Zelensky called “absolute evil.” “After night missile attack on Zaporizhzhia, at least 20 houses and about 50 multi-storey buildings were damaged. 17 people died, as of […]
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Crimea Bridge Reopens to Car Traffic After Blast: Authorities
The bridge linking Moscow-annexed Crimea to the Russian mainland has reopened to car traffic after it was heavily damaged by an explosion, the Russian-installed head of the peninsula said on Saturday. “Road traffic has begun on the Crimea bridge,” Sergei Aksyonov, the Moscow-backed leader of Crimea, said on Telegram. He added that there are “full […]
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Russia Names New General to Lead Ukraine Offensive After Setbacks
Russia on Saturday appointed a new general to lead the Ukraine offensive after Moscow suffered a series of military setbacks that triggered criticism of the army’s leadership. The Russian defense ministry said General Sergei Surovikin had been appointed “commander of the Joint Grouping of Forces in the areas of the special military operation,” using the […]
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Kurnik: A Wedding Dish for One Hen of a Bride
Today if you said a woman looked like chicken, she’d be deeply offended. But in the olden days in central Russia, a chicken was good omen at a wedding. Comparing a bride to a hen was considered a kind thing to say and a blessing for the upcoming marriage. Chickens were a traditional part of […]
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Russia Says 3 Killed in Crimea Bridge Blast
Russian investigators Saturday said three people were killed after a truck exploded on its bridge linking Moscow-annexed Crimea to the mainland, adding that the owner of the vehicle had been identified. “According to preliminary information, three people were killed,” Russia’s investigative committee said in a statement. It said they were likely to be “passengers of […]
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Russia Labels Star Rapper Oxxxymiron a ‘Foreign Agent’
Russia on Friday labeled superstar rapper Oxxxymiron, popular among young Russians, a “foreign agent,” according to the interior ministry’s website. Oxxxymiron, the stage name of 37-year-old Miron Fyodorov, has called the Kremlin’s Ukraine offensive a “catastrophe and a crime.” His name was added to a register of “foreign agents” — a term used to crack […]
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Гойда! They Shouted. Say What?
Гойда: let’s go (maim and kill) Last Friday there was a big event on Red Square in Moscow to celebrate (sic) the new Russian regions (sic), i.e., Ukrainian land annexed (on paper) by Russia. One of the headliners was Ivan Okhlobystin, an actor-cum-Orthodox-priest-cum-political-rabblerouser, who got the crowd worked up shouting what he described as старорусское […]
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St. Petersburg Scraps New Year’s Celebrations to Buy Supplies for Mobilized Soldiers
Authorities in St. Petersburg have called off the city’s official New Year’s and Christmas celebrations and plan to reallocate the funds to the Russian military, the city government announced Friday. The move comes amid widespread reports of newly mobilized Russian soldiers lacking equipment, uniforms and medical supplies. Russia’s second-largest city will scrap all its traditional […]
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10 Bolshoi Dancers Suspended for Tashkent Performance
Ten top dancers at the Bolshoi Theater have been suspended for a month after performing at a gala in Uzbekistan, Russian media reported this week. The dancers, including stars such as Vladislav Lantratov and Yevgenia Obraztsova, were flown to Tashkent by the Foundation for the Development of Culture and Art of Uzbekistan. Dancers regularly perform […]
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Dutch Arrest Man for Allegedly Selling Microchips to Russia
Dutch authorities have arrested a man on suspicion of selling microchips to Russia in breach of sanctions imposed by the West over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, officials said on Friday. The microchips, sold to companies and other bodies in Russia, could be used for military purposes, the Dutch financial and fiscal crime investigation service (FIOD) said. The 55-year-old […]
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Charges Dropped in Russia’s First Criminal Draft-Dodging Case
Prosecutors in the southern Russian city of Penza dropped all charges in what would have been the first criminal case for evading Moscow’s “partial” mobilization, human rights lawyer Pavel Chikov said Friday. “The Prosecutor’s Office…recognized the decision to initiate [criminal] proceedings as illegal,” Chikov wrote on his Telegram channel. “The suspect received the right to […]
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UN Rights Council to Monitor Russia in Historic Move
The UN Human Rights Council on Friday agreed to monitor the rights situation in Russia, marking the first-ever resolution focused on violations inside the country. The 47-member top UN rights body accepted the draft text presented by all European Union countries with the exception of Hungary, with 17 nations voting in favor of appointing a […]
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Frozen Fish and Limitless Cabbage: How Russia is Motivating Draftees
When even money and patriotism are insufficient to inspire Russians to sign up to fight in Ukraine, it’s time to bring out the big guns such as food staples. At least three Russian regions are promising to reward the families of new recruits with livestock, fish and vegetables since President Vladimir Putin ordered the mobilization […]
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Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian Rights Defenders Awarded Nobel Peace Prize
The Norwegian Nobel Committee on Friday awarded the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize to Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian human rights champions. Russia’s Memorial group, Ukraine’s Center for Civil Liberties and jailed Belarusian rights activist Ales Bialiatski share this year’s prestigious award. “They have made an outstanding effort to document war crimes, human rights abuses and the […]
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‘God Put You in Power’: Russian Orthodox Leader Tells Putin on 70th Birthday
The head of the Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill said Friday that Vladimir Putin’s reign over Russia had been mandated by God, congratulating the Kremlin chief on his 70th birthday. “God put you in power so that you could perform a service of special importance and of great responsibility for the fate of the country […]
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Putin Confronted by Kremlin Insider Over Ukraine, U.S. Intel Reportedly Tells Biden
An unnamed member of President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle has directly confronted him over mistakes and mismanagement of the war in Ukraine, The Washington Post reported Friday, citing U.S. intelligence. The insider’s confrontation and identity were reportedly included in U.S. President Joe Biden’s daily intelligence briefing and shared with other U.S. officials. The individual’s identity could […]
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Muted Festivities for Putin’s 70th Birthday Amid War, International Isolation
Russian President Vladimir Putin will mark his 70th birthday Friday with little fanfare as the war in Ukraine, which has killed tens of thousands and plunged Russia into economic and international isolation, continues to rage. In past years, Putin has celebrated by taking foreign trips, hiking in Siberia with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu or playing […]
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Moscow Fumes Over ‘Monster’ Zelensky’s Preemptive Strike Calls
Russian officials voiced anger over Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s remarks Thursday on preventive strikes that his spokesman later said had been misinterpreted. Zelensky appealed for the international community to “do preemptive strikes” instead of “waiting for Russian nuclear strikes” when asked about NATO’s role in the conflict in an address to an Australian think tank. […]
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Russians Land in Alaska to Seek Asylum: U.S. Authorities
Two Russians who landed in a remote part of rural Alaska are seeking asylum in the United States, politicians in the far northern state said Thursday. The pair landed just weeks after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an unpopular mobilization of citizens in a bid to turn the tide on his faltering invasion of Ukraine. […]
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Kremlin-Installed Official in Ukraine Slams Russian Military Leaders Over Mounting Losses
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 […]
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In Photos: Russian Conscripts Undergo Basic Training
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 […]
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Belarus Leader Bans Price Rises to Tackle Inflation
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. […]
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Jailed Kremlin Critic Kara-Murza Charged With ‘Treason’
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 […]
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Russian Elite Voices Anger at Military Leadership
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 […]
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Russians in Venice: Not Invited, Not Shunned
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 […]