Moscow Expels ‘More Than 20’ German Diplomats

The Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman on Saturday announced the expulsion of “more than 20” German diplomats as a retaliatory measure for the “mass expulsion” of Russian embassy staff from Berlin.  Maria Zakharova told state-run television Zvezda that Moscow had decided to expel “more than 20” diplomats. Her statement came shortly after her ministry denounced “another…

Russia Replaces Baltic, Pacific Fleet Commanders

Russia has appointed new commanders of both its Baltic and Pacific fleets, the state-run Interfax news agency reported Friday, citing sources.   Admiral Viktor Liina, the former commander of Russia’s Baltic Fleet, will now head the country’s Pacific Fleet headquartered in the Far East port of Vladivostok, according to Interfax.  Liina’s predecessor in the Pacific, admiral Sergey Avakyants,…

Russia Says Completes Snap Pacific Drills

Russia said Thursday that it had finished snap navy drills in the Pacific, stressing its forces were ready to repel “aggression” during an armed conflict at sea. Last week Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the country’s Pacific Fleet, headquartered in the port of Vladivostok, had launched surprise combat drills as tensions rage with the West…

EU ‘Done’ With Russia Sanctions – FT

The European Union does not plan to significantly expand sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, The Financial Times reported Thursday, citing unnamed EU officials. Further penalties on Russia’s economy would likely meet vetoes EU member states that “can’t live without” Russian industries like nuclear energy, according to the newspaper. “We are done,” the…

Russian Navy Removes Pacific Fleet Commander

The commander of the Russian Navy’s Pacific Fleet has been removed from his post, President Vladimir Putin’s envoy to the Russian Far East said Thursday. The reshuffle was announced a week after the Pacific Fleet was ordered to stage surprise combat drills to repel a theoretical enemy landing. Presidential envoy Yury Trutnev said Admiral Sergei Avakyants,…

Russian Social Media Flooded With Army Recruitment Ads – Report

At least 53,000 army recruitment advertisements have appeared on the Russian social media outlet VKontakte since the beginning of March, according to a report by Novaya Gazeta Europe. The figure represents a seven-fold increase compared to Russia’s largely unsuccessful recruitment campaign for volunteer soldiers last summer, according to Novaya Gazeta Europe’s calculations. Recruitment advertisements have appeared…

Ukraine Receives First Batch of Patriot Missile System

Kyiv said Wednesday it had received the first shipments of the American-made Patriot surface-to-air missile system and deployed light-armored fighting vehicles sent by France as it prepares for a major counter-offensive against Russian forces in eastern Ukraine.  “Today, our beautiful Ukrainian sky becomes more secure because Patriot air defense systems have arrived in Ukraine,” Ukrainian…

Sanctions-Hit Russia Wary of Over-Reliance on Chinese Tech – Bloomberg

Russian officials have raised concerns about excessive reliance on Chinese technologies after losing access to sophisticated components due to Western sanctions, Bloomberg reported Wednesday, citing European officials familiar with the document. Chips, network devices and electronics were assessed to be areas of particular vulnerability to Chinese dependence, according to the document that Bloomberg said was…

‘Join Forces’ Against Sanctions ‘Blackmail,’ Urges Russia’s Lavrov

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called Tuesday for like-minded countries to “join forces” against the “blackmail” of Western sanctions, as the longtime diplomat continued his tour of Latin America. Discussing Russia’s war on Ukraine with counterpart Yvan Gil in Caracas, Lavrov referred to allies Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua as countries “that choose their own path.”…

Absolut Vodka Halts Exports to Russia

The maker of Sweden’s Absolut vodka said Tuesday it was suspending all exports to Russia after calls to boycott the brand flared up in Sweden. Stephanie Durroux, chief executive of The Absolut Company, said in a statement that the company is exercising its “duty of care toward our employees and partners, we cannot expose them…

Russia Opens New Criminal Case Against Navalny After Prison ‘Provocation’

The Russian authorities have opened a fresh criminal case against Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny after staging a “provocation” against the politician at a penal colony where he is serving his nine-year prison sentence, his press spokesperson said Tuesday.  The prison authorities, according to spokesperson Kira Yarmysh, placed a convict “with personal hygiene problems” in Navalny’s…

Evan Gershkovich’s Interviewee Detained in Russia – Reports

Russian law enforcement authorities have detained an activist and PR expert who was among people to be interviewed by U.S. journalist Evan Gershkovich before his arrest last month on disputed spying charges, the Kommersant newspaper reported Tuesday. Footage that emerged on messaging app Telegram showed Russian security officers storming Yaroslav Shirshikov’s apartment, arresting him and…

Russia Says Surveillance System Helping to Find Draft Dodgers

The Russian military has begun using Moscow’s vast video surveillance system to find conscripts who evade compulsory service, Moscow’s chief draft officer Maxim Loktev told state-run news agency TASS on Tuesday. “Moscow’s video surveillance systems are being used to determine a conscript’s residence,” said Loktev.  He added that workplaces and educational establishments will also provide…

Putin Visits Occupied Ukraine Territories

Updates with Agentsvo reporting on visit timing and Peskov comments.  Russian President Vladimir Putin has visited occupied Ukrainian territories for the second time since launching a full-scale invasion, the Kremlin said Tuesday. Putin visited a military headquarters in Ukraine’s Kherson region in the south, as well as a Russian National Guard headquarters in the Luhansk…

Russia Says Repels Ukrainian Incursion Attempt

Russia said Monday that it had repelled an “illegal” Ukrainian attempt to infiltrate Russian territory in the southern border region of Bryansk, 11 days after reporting a similar incident. “The intruder stepped on a mined protection line, which Russian armed forces created to prevent infiltrations of Russian territory and to ensure the security of residents…

Frustration With Russia Grows in Armenia

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has sent shock waves across the former Soviet Union, with Moscow’s traditional partners seeking allies elsewhere.  Armenia, which for decades has relied on Russia for military and economic support and even hosts a Russian military base, serves as a key illustration of Moscow’s diminishing regional influence. Many in Armenia today say…

Timetable Glitch Forces Vnukovo Airport to Deny Return of Direct Flights to Georgia

Direct flights between Moscow and the Georgian capital Tbilisi appeared Friday on flight schedules at Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport, despite ban introduced by Russia in 2019 on air travel to the South Caucasus country, according to media reports. Vnukovo airport’s new flight schedule online showed daily flights between Tbilisi and Moscow, with Georgian Airlines indicated as…