Page 2 - Russia

Top Putin aide to lead Russian delegation for AI Impact Summit in New Delhi

Russian President Vladimir Putin's senior aide Maxim Oreshkin will lead a large delegation for the AI Impact Summit being held in New Delhi from Monday. India is set to host the AI Impact Summit 2026, a high-profile gathering of global leaders and industry heavyweights in Artificial Intelligence from February 16-20 at New Delhi's 'Bharat Mandapam,' bringing together policymakers, industry leaders and technology innovators. Oreshkin, who is deputy chief of the Kremlin staff and economic aide to President Putin, is set to lead the Russian delegation to the India AI Impact Summit 2026. This (choice of sending Oreshkin) highlights a strategic push for AI collaboration between the two nations, a Kremlin source told PTI, adding, the delegation will focus on secure, trusted, and sovereign AI, with active engagement in discussions on AI governance, technology, and partnerships within BRICS and other platforms. In an interview to BRICS TV Network on February 9, Russian Foreign Minister Sege

Russia poisoned Alexei Navalny with dart frog toxin, European nations say

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was poisoned by the Kremlin with a rare and lethal toxin found in the skin of poison dart frogs, five European countries said Saturday. The foreign ministries of the UK, France, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands said analysis of samples taken from Navalny's body "conclusively confirmed the presence of epibatidine." It is a neurotoxin found in the skin of dart frogs in South America that is not found naturally in Russia, they said. A joint statement said: "Russia had the means, motive and opportunity to administer this poison." The five countries said they were reporting Russia to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons for a breach of the Chemical Weapons Convention. The announcement came as Navalny's widow, Yulia Navalnaya, attended the Munich Security Conference in Germany as the second anniversary of Navalny's death approaches. Navalny, who crusaded against official corruption and staged massive anti-Kremlin protests

Dollar trade with US aligns with Russia's national currency policy: Kremlin

The trade with the US in dollars does not contradict Russia's principle policy of use of national currencies in foreign transactions, the Kremlin said Saturday. Russia switched to the use of national currencies in foreign trade after its USD and Euro accounts were frozen by the West following the outbreak of the 2022 conflict with Ukraine and has been pushing for a global de-dollarisation trend. In an interview to the state-run TASS news agency, the Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov pointed that the dollar is the national currency of the United States, so its use in transactions with Washington will not conflict with the principle of transitioning to national currencies. "In general, yes," the Kremlin spokesman agreed with the thesis about the dollar as the national currency in Russian-American trade and that its use will not fundamentally affect Russia's interactions with its current partners. Amid reports of bilateral negotiations to expand economic cooperation between Moscow an

Next round of peace talks on Ukraine is set for next week: Kremlin

Kremlin says next Ukraine peace talks will be held next week, as reports suggest a possible US-proposed trilateral meeting in Miami

India pulls out of Russian-backed Mali lithium project over security risks

Both sources, who were directly involved in the decision-making, sought anonymity because the discussions were confidential

Kremlin memo maps US-Russia economic ties, including dollar reset

At the heart of the offer is Russia's return to the dollar settlement system, a move which would mean a stunning reversal of Kremlin policy and, potentially, a dramatic shake up for global finance

Why is Russia recruiting workers from India and Sri Lanka?

Russia is facing one of the worst labour shortages in decades. With millions of workers missing from its economy, Moscow is increasingly turning to India, Sri Lanka

Russian govt attempts to block Meta's WhatsApp, promotes state-backed app

Initially, authorities slowed down the app, but the latest move is more serious and wide-ranging

Ukraine agrees to host another round of US-mediated talks with Russia

President Donald Trump's envoys are intensifying efforts to end Russia's full-scale invasion against Ukraine as it approaches its fifth year and the question of territories is the key sticking point

US' curbs on Venezuela oil business unfairly target Russia: Lavrov

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Russia would clarify the situation with Washington

Russia turns to India for workers as Ukraine war deepens labour shortage

In 2021, 5,000 work permits were approved for Indian nationals but last year, almost 72,000 permits were okayed for Indians

Russia, Iran accuse Elon Musk's Starlink of violating international law

The Starlink service has become a key communication link for Ukrainians fighting against Russia's invasion, as well as Iranian opposition forces that took to the streets last month

US seeking to block India, BRICS from buying Russian crude oil: Lavrov

Russia has accused the US of attempting to prevent India and other countries from buying Russian oil, saying Washington is using a wide range of "coercive" measures, including tariffs, sanctions and direct prohibitions, to fulfil its objective of global economic dominance. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also accused the US of using "unfair methods" to suppress competitors by imposing sanctions on Russian oil companies. "(The US) is attempting to control our trade, investment cooperation, and military-technical ties with major strategic partners, such as India and other BRICS members," Lavrov said in an interview with TV BRICS on Monday. He said that the West is reluctant to relinquish its formerly dominant positions. "With the arrival of the (US President Donald) Trump administration, this struggle to suppress competitors became particularly pronounced and open," he said. Lavrov said that Russia accepted America's proposal on Ukraine during the Alaska talks between President Vladim

Russia needs 11 million workers by 2030: Can Indians fill the labour gap?

Russia estimates the economy needs 11 million more laborers by the end of the decade

Russia will actively support BRICS agenda presented by Indian chair: Lavrov

Russia will actively support India's chairmanship of BRICS with its current agenda, which is "modern, highly-relevant" with an emphasis on counter-terrorism and energy security, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday. India formally assumed on January 1, 2026, the chairmanship of BRICS, a 10-member bloc comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, along with five new members. "India's chairmanship, in my view, presents a modern, highly relevant agenda that addresses today's challenges while preparing for the future. We will actively support it," Lavrov said in an interview with TV BRICS International Network ahead of Russian Diplomats' Day, marked on February 10. The foreign minister said that India places particular emphasis on counter-terrorism, which remains highly relevant. "Terrorist activities are observed in Afghanistan, along its borders, and along the IndiaPakistanAfghanistan corridor, as well as in other hotspots," he said. "This priority is particula

A START for multilateralism: Nuclear proliferation needs a global treaty

The US and Russia currently account for 90 per cent of all nuclear weapons. But there are now a total of nine nuclear-armed states, which collectively account for 12,241 warheads as of January 2025

Best of BS Opinion: Trade deals a positive, but more reforms required

Today's Best of BS Opinion explores India's trade deals, RBI's stance amid base-year revisions, co-operatives' regulatory dilemma, equity market challenges, and Russia's wilderness in history

The Oak And The Larch: Russian history through a prism of woods and trees

A new book traces how Russia's forests shaped its history, literature and power - from religious exiles and empire-building to gulags, nationalism and climate change

Ukraine imposes sanctions on foreign suppliers for Russian missiles

"Producing this weaponry would be impossible without critical foreign components, which the Russians continue to obtain by circumventing sanctions," Zelenskiy said on X

Power cuts, uncertainty hit Ukraine businesses amid Russian attacks

It is pre-dawn in the historic Podil district of the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, and warm light from the Spelta bakery-bistro's window pierces the darkness outside. On a wooden surface dusted with flour, the baker Oleksandr Kutsenko skilfully divides and shapes soft, damp pieces of dough. As he shoves the first loaves into the oven, a sweet, delicate aroma of fresh bread fills the space. Seconds later, the lights go out, the ovens switch off, and darkness envelops the room. Kutsenko, 31, steps outside into the freezing night, switches on a large rectangular generator, and the power kicks back in. It's a pattern that will be repeated many times as the business struggles to keep working through the power outages caused by Russia's bombing campaign on Ukraine's energy grid. "It's now more than impossible to imagine a Ukrainian business operating without a generator," said Olha Hrynchuk, the co-founder and head baker of Spelta. The cost of purchasing and operating generators to overcome ..