Putin Arrives in Beijing Seeking Diplomatic, Economic Support from ‘Dear Friend’ Xi

President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing for talks with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Tuesday, seeking diplomatic and economic support from a key ally as his war in Ukraine drags on and Russia’s dependence on China grows.  The Kremlin hopes to secure major commodity contracts, agreements to share cutting-edge technologies and an official declaration of…

Ukraine Says Strikes Russian-Occupied Airfields in East

Ukraine’s military said Tuesday that it struck Russian-controlled airfields in occupied eastern and southeastern territories overnight. Russian pro-war military bloggers backed up Kyiv’s claims, while Kremlin-backed officials in the occupied areas said the attacks were unsuccessful. Russia’s Defense Ministry has not commented on the reported strikes, which could not be independently verified, on airfields under its control.…

Russian Ships Seen Unloading N. Korean Cargo Near Ukraine in ‘Likely’ Arms Shipment

Two Russian ships owned by U.S.-sanctioned companies were seen transporting what are believed to be North Korean munitions in recent months, a British security think tank reported Monday, citing dozens of high-resolution satellite images. The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) warned that the alleged emerging supply route could have “profound consequences for the war in Ukraine and…

Shoigu Says ‘Confident’ in Situation in Ukraine

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told President Vladimir Putin on Monday that the military had improved its position in Ukraine despite Ukrainian counteroffensives throughout the year.  Speaking in a televised meeting, Shoigu said Ukraine had suffered heavy losses after beginning their June counteroffensive, with Russian forces destroying hundreds of tanks and over 1,500 armored vehicles.…

Russian Lawyers Call on Authorities to End Harassment of Legal Community

Russia’s legal community has called on authorities to stop “harassing and intimidating lawyers and obstructing their professional activities” following the arrests of three lawyers of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny. Human rights project Perviy Otdel published a statement, signed by at least 365 lawyers, activists and public figures as of Monday, saying that the rights…

New Video Shows Russian Drone ‘Bakery’

Russian state media on Sunday profiled a bakery 400 kilometers south of Moscow that doubles as a drone-manufacturing plant. The Russian government daily Rossiiskaya Gazeta first reported on the Tambov Bakery’s drone production in March this year. The publication said at the time the bakery started assembling unmanned aerial vehicles, dubbed “Bekas,” on an urgent request from…

Russia Distances Itself From Fatal Stabbing of Teacher in France

Russia’s Embassy in Paris has denied links to the suspect of a deadly school stabbing that the French government described as an Islamist terrorist attack, state-run media reported Monday. Police in France named Friday’s suspected perpetrator as Mohammed Moguchkov, 20, who was born in the predominantly Muslim republic of Ingushetia in Russia’s North Caucasus. Moguchkov reportedly…

Russian Governor Denounced for Saying ‘We Didn’t Need’ Ukraine War

A Russian pro-war activist has accused the governor of a region 3,000 kilometers from Moscow of “discrediting” the military’s actions in Ukraine during a Q&A session, media reported Sunday. Khanty-Mansiisk autonomous district Governor Natalia Komarova said “We didn’t need” Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine when asked about ill-equipped troops during a meeting with constituents Saturday. Local activist…

Russia Puts Exiled Pussy Riot Lawyer on Wanted List for Spreading ‘War Fakes’ — TASS

Russian authorities have placed exiled former lawyer and popular YouTube personality Mark Feygin on their wanted list on accusations of violating wartime censorship laws, the state-run TASS news agency reported Monday. Russia’s Interior Ministry earlier in the day listed Feygin in its database of wanted persons without indicating which crime he is suspected of. An anonymous…

Europe’s Top Rights Body Urges Members to Declare Russia ‘Dictatorship,’ Putin ‘Illegitimate’

Europe’s top human rights body on Friday passed a resolution calling on its members to no longer recognize President Vladimir Putin as Russia’s legitimate leader after his fourth term in office ends next year.  The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) said Putin’s 23-year rule as either president or prime minister “has turned the Russian…

Anti-Drone Protection, Internet Disruptions in Bishkek as Putin Seeks to Restore Influence Among Allies

President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Kyrgyzstan is an attempt to stem the erosion of the Kremlin’s diminishing regional influence as its failures in Nagorno-Karabakh and 20-month war in Ukraine make allies increasingly uneasy, experts told The Moscow Times. With the two-day visit — Putin’s first foreign trip since being indicted by the International Criminal Court…

Russian Police Raid Homes of Navalny’s Lawyers

Russian law enforcement authorities have raided the homes of lawyers representing jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, his allies said on Friday, detaining at least one of the lawyers in the latest crackdown against opposition  Leonid Volkov, a longtime Navalny ally, said the imprisoned activist’s lawyers Vadim Kobzev, Igor Sergunin and Alexei Lipster — whose apartments were…

World Olympic Body Suspends Russia Over Admission of Ukraine Regional Organizations

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said Thursday it had suspended Russia’s national Olympic body with “immediate effect” for violating the territorial integrity of Ukraine’s membership. “The Russian Olympic Committee is no longer entitled to operate as a National Olympic Committee, as defined in the Olympic Charter, and cannot receive any funding from the Olympic movement,”…

Netherlands Probes Yandex Taxi App Over Fears of FSB Data Sharing – Bloomberg

Dutch authorities are investigating Yandex’s ride-hailing app Yango over fears that it could share European customers’ data with Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), Bloomberg reported Wednesday. The Dutch Data Protection Authority confirmed the probe into Yango after Finland in August temporarily suspended user data transfers to Russia, a move prompted by a new law in…

‘Increased’ Threat From Russia Against Critical Infrastructure – Finland

The threat of Russian operations against Finland’s critical infrastructure “has increased” since the country joined NATO, the Finnish intelligence service said Thursday as Helsinki investigates potential sabotage of its natural gas pipeline. “The threat of espionage and influencing operations against critical infrastructure has increased,” Antti Pelttari, the director of the Finnish Security Intelligence Service (Supo), told…

400 Russians Seek Evacuation From Besieged Gaza Strip

Around 400 Russian nationals are seeking to evacuate the Gaza Strip as the Israeli military continues to bombard the coastal enclave in retaliation to Hamas’ surprise attack, Russia’s diplomatic mission in Palestine said Thursday. Alia Zaripova, the spokeswoman for Russia’s representative mission in Ramallah, said Moscow was working to evacuate its citizens from the besieged territory,…

Russian Bishop Known as ‘Putin’s Confessor’ Named Head of Crimea Diocese

Russia’s Orthodox Church on Wednesday appointed a bishop who is reputed to be President Vladimir Putin’s spiritual adviser to head the diocese of annexed Crimea. The church’s governing body published a ruling transferring Metropolitan Tikhon (Shevkunov) from the Diocese of Pskov and Porkhov, which he has headed since 2018, to the Crimean Diocese. Metropolitan Tikhon was filmed…

Russian Court Fines Memorial Co-Chair for ‘Discrediting’ Army

A Russian court on Wednesday fined veteran rights campaigner Oleg Orlov 150,000 rubles ($1,500) for “discrediting” the Russian Armed Forces. Orlov, who serves as co-chair of the Memorial human rights group, was found guilty of repeatedly  “discrediting” Russia’s military over his public opposition to the war in Ukraine. Under wartime censorship laws, the charges can carry…

5 Injured in Moscow Metro Collision

Updated with new injury count.  A train operator and at least four other people were injured when two metro cars collided in southeastern Moscow early Wednesday, according to local authorities and state media. “A train without passengers was being transferred to the depot when it rolled into a train waiting at the Pechatniki metro station,”…

Putin Expresses Concern Over ‘Catastrophic Increase’ in Israel-Gaza Death Toll

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday voiced concern over the “catastrophic increase” in the number of civilians killed since fighting between Israel and the Hamas militant group erupted over the weekend.  During a telephone call with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, “emphasis was placed on the sharply worsening situation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict zone,” the…

European Football Body UEFA Upholds Russian Youth Team Ban

The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has ruled to keep Russia’s Under-17 team banned from international competitions following backlash from some of the organization’s members, The Associated Press reported Tuesday. UEFA and the world football authority FIFA banned Russian clubs and national teams from competitions days after Russia invaded Ukraine last year. Last month, UEFA…

Pro-Russia Japanese MP Resigns From Party Over Moscow Trip

A pro-Russia Japanese lawmaker left his opposition party Tuesday after facing criticism for making a surprise visit to Moscow and declaring his support for Russia in its war against Ukraine.  Muneo Suzuki, a former parliamentary vice-minister of foreign affairs, submitted a letter of resignation to the center-right opposition Japan Innovation Party, the party’s secretary-general Fumitake…

Russian Court Upholds U.S. Journalist Gershkovich’s Extended Detention

A Moscow court has rejected Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich’s appeal against the extension of his pre-trial detention on widely criticized spying charges, Interfax reported Tuesday. Gershkovich, 32, a U.S. citizen and former Moscow Times journalist, was in August ordered to stay in pre-trial detention until Nov. 30. He challenged that ruling, having lost two…