Page 37 - Russia

UN aviation body indicts Russia for 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines MH17

The International Civil Aviation Organization held Russia accountable for the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, confirming its role in the tragic incident that killed 298 passengers

Russia eyes long-term coal exports to India amid 500-year reserve boost

Russia's coal reserves are enough to meet demand for more than five centuries and the country sees vast potential for cooperation with India, Russian Energy Ministry Officials here have said. The new environment-friendly and safe coal mining hubs will provide up to 250 million tonnes of additional production capacity by 2025, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said in an article. Russia is one of the leading coal suppliers to India by volume, Novak, who holds the rank of Deputy Prime Minister in the Russian cabinet, said. Russian coal production totalled 443.5 million tonnes in 2024, with 196.2 tonnes exported. In the article published in the latest issue of Energy Policy magazine, Novak writes that by 2050, the industry will be made up of high-tech, modern enterprises operating under strict environmental standards. Installed coal-power generation capacity in Siberia and the Far East is expected to reach about 38 GW. We also plan to introduce clean coal' technologies and ...

Russian drones attack Ukraine after Kremlin turns down ceasefire proposal

Russia launched more than 100 Shahed and decoy drones at Ukraine in nighttime attacks, the Ukrainian air force said Monday, after the Kremlin rejected an unconditional 30-day ceasefire in the more than three-year war. There was no response from the Kremlin, meanwhile, to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's challenge for Russia's President Vladimir Putin to meet him for face-to-face peace talks in Turkey this week. The US and European governments have made a concerted push to stop the fighting, which has killed tens of thousands of soldiers on both sides as well as more than 10,000 Ukrainian civilians. Russia's invading forces have taken around one-fifth of Ukraine. In a flurry of diplomatic developments over the weekend, Russia shunned the ceasefire proposal tabled by the US and European leaders but offered direct talks with Ukraine on Thursday. Ukraine, along with European allies, had demanded Russia accept a ceasefire starting Monday before holding peace talks. Moscow ...

Trump's Ukraine peace push coming to a head as Zelenskyy challenges Putin

Following a weekend of hectic diplomacy, Zelenskyy said he will travel to Istanbul on May 15 where Putin has proposed direct negotiations between the two countries

Zelenskyy hopes for ceasefire, says he'll be 'waiting for Putin' in Turkey

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksyy said he is hoping for a full and temporary ceasefire with Russia starting Monday, adding he would be in Turkiye to negotiate with Russian President Vladimir Putin personally. His comments came after US President Donald Trump insisted Ukraine accept Russia's latest offer of holding direct talks in Turkiye on Thursday. Ukraine, along with European allies, had demanded Russia accept an unconditional 30-day ceasefire starting on Monday before holding talks, but Moscow effectively rejected the proposal and called for direct negotiations instead. It was not clear if Zelenskyy was conditioning his presence in Turkiye on the Monday ceasefire holding. We await a full and lasting ceasefire, starting from tomorrow, to provide the necessary basis for diplomacy. There is no point in prolonging the killings. And I will be waiting for Putin in Trkiye on Thursday. Personally. I hope that this time the Russians will not look for excuses, he wrote on X. Trump

Zelenskyy welcomes Russian overtures, insists ceasefire before peace talks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he is pleased to see that Russia is finally engaging with finding an end to the war, but there must be a ceasefire before peace talks can start. Calling it a positive sign, he said that the entire world has been waiting for this for a very long time. And the very first step in truly ending any war is a ceasefire. Russian President Vladimir Putin in remarks to the media overnight effectively rejected the ceasefire proposal and proposed restarting direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on May 15 instead.

1 mn Ukrainian refugees in Poland, yet candidates vow to put poles first

In the early months of 2022, as Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, millions of Ukrainians mostly women and children fled to Poland, where they were met with an extraordinary outpouring of sympathy. Ukrainian flags appeared in windows. Polish volunteers rushed to the border with food, diapers, SIM cards. Some opened their homes to complete strangers. In the face of calamity, Poland became not just a logistical lifeline for Ukraine, but a paragon of human solidarity. Three years later, Poland remains one of Ukraine's staunchest allies a hub for Western arms deliveries and a vocal defender of Kyiv's interests. But at home, the tone toward Ukrainians has shifted. Nearly a million Ukrainian refugees remain in Poland, with roughly 2 million Ukrainian citizens overall in the nation of 38 million people. Many of them arrived before the war as economic migrants. As Poland heads into a presidential election on May 18, with a second round expected June 1, the growing fatigue w

Putin proposes direct talks with Ukraine on May 15 'without preconditions'

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday proposed to restart direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on May 15 "without preconditions". Speaking to reporters in the Kremlin in the early hours of Sunday, Putin proposed to "restart" peace talks Russia and Ukraine held in 2022. His remarks came after leaders from four major European countries threatened to ratchet up pressure on Putin if he does not accept an unconditional 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine that they offered on Saturday in a strong show of unity with Kyiv.

Long-range Russian strikes kill civilians amid ceasefire deadlock

Two months ago, following high-level talks between Ukrainian and American delegations in the Saudi city of Jeddah, the United States proposed an unconditional 30-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly announced on that same day that Ukraine was ready to accept the proposal, provided Russia did the same. The Russian leader balked, saying a temporary break in hostilities would only benefit Ukraine and its Western allies by letting them replenish their arsenals. Since then, Russia has continued its military campaign, maintaining attacks along the roughly 1,000-mile (1,600-kilometer) front line and targeting civilian infrastructure. In some cases, it has stepped up its attacks on residential areas with no obvious military targets. An Associated Press tally based on reports from Ukrainian authorities found at least 117 civilians have been killed and more than 1,000 wounded in Russian aerial attacks since Ukraine announced on March 11 it

European leaders visit Kyiv to show support amid calls for 30-day ceasefire

The leaders of four European countries arrived in Kyiv Saturday in a joint show of support as calls intensify for Russia to agree to a monthlong cease-fire in the war. The leaders of France, Germany, Poland and the United Kingdom arrived together at the train station in Kyiv, where they are expected to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The visit marked the first time the leaders of the four countries have travelled together to Ukraine, while Friedrich Merz is making a first visit to Ukraine as Germany's new Chancellor. Along with President Donald Trump, the European leaders are pushing for Russia to agree to a 30-day ceasefire to allow for peace talks on ending the conflict. We reiterate our backing for the President Trump's calls for a peace deal and call on Russia to stop obstructing efforts to secure an enduring peace, the leaders said in a joint statement.

Ukraine says Russia violating its own 3-day ceasefire, calls it a 'farce'

There was, though, a drop-off in combat activity after the ceasefire announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin came into force in the early hours of Thursday

Russia, China reaffirm comprehensive partnership against US moves

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday reaffirmed their resolve to jointly counter US plans for a "Golden Dome" missile shield and NATO's eastward expansion, which they said are aimed at containing Moscow and Beijing. Xi arrived here on Wednesday for a four-day official visit and will take part in celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany, including the Victory Parade at Red Square on Friday. After over seven-hour-long talks, Putin and Xi signed a joint statement and a package of bilateral intergovernmental and interagency documents. According to the Kremlin, the documents signed include joint statements on global strategic stability, and strengthening cooperation to maintain the authority of international law. In the joint statement on global strategic stability, the two countries said they are convinced that the Golden Dome programme of the US is "deeply destabilising". The recently announced large-scale pro

1 killed as Russia strikes Ukraine on first day of self-declared ceasefire

One person was killed early Thursday in Russian attacks in northeast Ukraine, in the opening hours of a 72-hour ceasefire called by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Another two people were injured after Russian forces dropped guided air bombs in the northeast Sumy region. The bombs were dropped on residential areas near the border, the regional prosecutor's office said on Thursday. Ukraine's Air Force alerted launches of glide bombs and at least one missile in the Sumy region starting at 02:39 am and until early morning on Thursday. Large-scale missile and drone attacks, which have been a near-daily occurrence in Ukraine in recent weeks, were not recorded since 8:30 pm the previous night, according to the Ukrainian Air Force. The ceasefire came into force at midnight on Thursday Moscow time. But smaller-scale Russian attacks persisted elsewhere in the country closer to the frontline, causing civilian casualties. A 55-year-old woman was killed in her home in Mykolaivka community

How Putin uses USSR's victory in WWII to rally support for war in Ukraine

Hardly any other country marks the end of World War II with the same fanfare and fervour as Russia, for which the victory over Nazi Germany 80 years ago remains a source of immense pride and a defining moment of history. Victory Day, celebrated on May 9, is Russia's most important secular holiday, reflecting its wartime sacrifice. But it's also used by the Kremlin to bolster patriotism and regain the superpower prestige it lost when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. President Vladimir Putin, who has ruled Russia for 25 of those 80 years, has turned Victory Day into a key pillar of his tenure and has tried to use it to justify his 3-year-old invasion of Ukraine. He has also sought to underline the failure of Western efforts to isolate Moscow by inviting Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders to the festivities, which this year have been overshadowed by reports of Ukrainian drone attacks targetting Moscow and severe disruptions at the capital's airports, as well as cellphone

Ukrainian drones hit Moscow as foreign leaders gather for Red Square parade

Attacks by Ukrainian long-range drones caused flight disruption at Moscow's main airports for a third straight day on Wednesday as Russia prepared to receive the Chinese president and other foreign leaders for the annual Victory Day military parade in Red Square. Russian flag carrier Aeroflot on Wednesday morning cancelled more than 100 flights to and from Moscow. More than 140 Aeroflot flights also were delayed because of what officials described as the Ukrainian drone threat and amid heightened security measures around the Victory Day events. Russian air defenses repelled an attack by nine drones close to the Russian capital, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said in the early hours of Wednesday. In the evening, Sobyanin reported thwarting 15 more drones targeting Moscow, as flights were restricted in Moscow's airports once again. Though Ukrainian drones have targeted Moscow in the past, the sustained attacks appeared designed to disrupt preparations for the 80th anniversary celebratio

Russian missile-and-drones attack kills 2 people in Ukraine's capital

Russia launched a missile and a barrage of drones targeting the Ukrainian capital before dawn on Wednesday, leaving at least two people dead, Ukrainian officials said. Eight people were also wounded in the attack, including four children, the Kyiv City Military Administration said in a post on Telegram. The attack came ahead of a planned unilateral 72-hour ceasefire in the more than three-year war announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin to coincide with celebrations in Moscow marking Victory Day in World War II. Ukraine has unsuccessfully sought a longer and immediate truce. The Kremlin said the truce, ordered on humanitarian grounds, would start on Thursday and last through Saturday to mark Moscow's defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945. At least one ballistic missile and 28 Russian drones were recorded in the airspace of the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, the administration said. Air Defence forces shot down the missile and 11 drones. A five-story residential building in the ...

Russia to host China, Brazil leaders for 80th anniversary of WWII victory

Russia's President Vladimir Putin is set to host the leaders of China, Brazil and other heads of states for festivities on Friday marking the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. Victory Day, which is celebrated in Russia on May 9, has become the country's most important secular holiday. A massive parade through Red Square and other ceremonies underline Moscow's efforts to project its power and cement the alliances it has forged while seeking a counterbalance to the West amid the 3-year-old war in Ukraine. For Putin, this day is important as a demonstration how broad a coalition backing Russia is, said political analyst Nikolai Petrov. The lineup of leaders coming to Moscow contrasts sharply to some past celebrations that drew top Western leaders at a time of friendlier ties between Russia and the West. The guest list reflects Moscow's priorities Putin described Chinese President Xi Jinping as our main guest at the Victory Day festivities when he discus

With lower oil prices, Putin is more eager to settle Ukraine war: Trump

The price of oil, which drives the Russian economy has fallen around $15 a barrel since the start of the year

EU to set out plan for phasing out Russian gas deals, existing contracts

The EU has a non-binding aim to end its reliance on Russian fossil fuels by 2027, which it set after Moscow's 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine

Russian rouble strengthens vs US dollar, Chinese yuan in thin holiday trade

At 1140 GMT, the rouble was up 2% at 81.1 against the U.S. dollar, LSEG data based on over-the-counter quotes showed