Page 74 - Russia

Nato pledges $43 bn military aid, F-16s to Ukraine, eyes membership path

Moreover, the Nato communique also strengthened past language on China, calling it a "decisive enabler" of Russia's war effort in Ukraine

Russian authorities list opposition leader Navalny's widow as 'extremist'

Russian authorities on Thursday put the widow of deceased Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny on a list of terrorists and extremists, continuing a sweeping Kremlin crackdown on the opposition. Earlier this week, a Moscow court ordered the arrest of Yulia Navalnaya, who lives abroad, on charges of alleged involvement in an extremist group. The ruling means that Navalnaya would face arrest if and when she returns to Russia. On Thursday, Russia's Federal Service for Financial Monitoring followed up by adding Navalnaya to its list of terrorists and extremists, a designation that implies restrictions on bank transactions that has been widely used against opposition members. Navalny, the fiercest political foe of Russian President Vladimir Putin, died in February in an Arctic penal colony while serving a 19-year sentence on extremism charges that he had condemned as politically motivated. Authorities said he became ill after a walk but have otherwise given no details on Navalny's ...

India's state refiners in talks for long-term oil import deal with Russia

Nayara Energy and Reliance Industries have already signed term deals for Russian oil imports

Nato expresses concern over deepening relationship between Russia, China

The 32-member NATO expressed concerns on Wednesday over the deepening relationship between Russia and China, and the latter's aggressive behaviour. "The People's Republic of China's (PRC) stated ambitions and coercive policies continue to challenge our interests, security and values. The deepening strategic partnership between Russia and the PRC and their mutually-reinforcing attempts to undercut and reshape the rules-based international order are a cause for profound concern," said the Washington Summit Declaration. "We are confronted by hybrid, cyber, space and other threats and malicious activities from state and non-state actors," said the declaration issued by the heads of state and government participating in the meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) here during which it welcomed Sweden as its 32nd member country. The historic accession of Finland and Sweden makes them safer and the alliance stronger, including in the High North and the Baltic Sea, it ...

PM Modi arrives in Delhi after concluding his visit to Russia, Austria

Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for home on Wednesday after concluding his visit to Russia and Austria, during which he held talks with the top leadership of the two countries and discussed ways to expand bilateral cooperation. "PM @narendramodi emplanes for New Delhi after concluding a successful visit to Austria," the Prime Minister's Office said in a post on X. Modi first travelled to Russia, where he participated in the 22nd India-Russia summit with President Vladimir Putin, in his first trip to Moscow since the Ukraine conflict. During his visit, he told Russian President Putin that a solution to the Ukraine conflict is not possible on the battlefield, and peace talks do not succeed amidst bombs, guns and bullets. The prime minister was on Tuesday officially conferred the 'Order of St Andrew the Apostle' award by President Putin for his contribution to fostering bilateral ties between the two countries. The award was announced in 2019. From Moscow, Modi travelled to Austria

Russia declares The Moscow Times 'undesirable' amid crackdown on criticism

It means the newspaper must stop any work in Russia and it subjects any Russian who cooperates with the paper to up to five years in prison

News updates: India has given Buddha to the world, not war, says PM to Indians in Austria

From Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Austria visit to Mumbai's hit-and-run case, and from Bihar's bridge collapse to bypolls in seven states, catch all the latest news updates here

Strategic independence

Russia visit ticked the right boxes

We never wanted them: Moscow on induction of Indians in Russian Army

Russia on Wednesday said it is hoping for quick resolution of the issue relating to India's call for return of Indians recruited into the Russian Army as support staff and asserted their recruitment was purely a commercial matter. In first comments on the issue from the Russian government, Russia's Charge d'affaires Roman Babushkin said Moscow never wanted the Indians to be part of its Army and their number is insignificant in the context of the conflict. "We are on the same side with the Indian government on the issue... We hope that the issue will be resolved soon," he said at a media briefing while responding to a question. Babushkin's remarks came a day after Russia promised to ensure early release and return to home of the Indian nationals working in the Russian military as support staff after Prime Minister Narendra Modi "very strongly" raised the issue with President Vladimir Putin. Babushkin noted that the issue should not be politicised. "Let us be very clear, we have nev

Russia hails PM Modi's visit to Moscow, calls it 'historic, game-changing'

Prime Minister Modi's visit to Moscow was watched by the whole world and it was evident how significant the trip was, he said, a day after Modi and Putin held summit talks

Decoded: Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle, Russia's highest civilian award

Russia announced its highest civilian award for PM Modi in 2019, for 'exceptional services in promoting special and privileged strategic partnership between Russia and India'

Make no mistake, Russia is failing in this war, says Prez Joe Biden

US President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced a historic donation of air-defence equipment for Ukraine and said Russia is failing in this war. Welcoming leaders of NATO member countries for the historic summit on the occasion of its 75th anniversary, Biden said the United States, Germany, the Netherlands, Romania and Italy will provide Ukraine with the equipment for five additional strategic air-defence systems. In the coming months, the US and its partners intend to provide Ukraine with dozens of additional tactical air-defence systems, he said, adding that the US will make sure that when "we export critical air-defence interceptors, Ukraine goes to the front of the line". "They will get this assistance before anyone else gets it. All told, Ukraine will receive hundreds of additional interceptors over the next year, helping protect Ukrainian cities against Russian missile and Ukrainian troops facing air attacks on their front lines," Biden said. "Make no mistake, Russia is failing i

World can't wait for US election to take action to repel Putin: Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the world must not wait for November to drive back Russia's offensive against his country. Zelenskyy made the remarks while attending this week's summit of NATO leaders in Washington. He said the world was waiting to see what would happen in November, when voters are expected to decide between incumbent President Joe Biden and Republican opponent Donald Trump. But he said there needed to be action before then to defeat Russian President Vladimir Putin in his war against Ukraine. Zelenskyy has proven to be an adept navigator of international relations in defence of his war-ravaged country, publicly cajoling and sometimes loudly complaining to get the military assistance it needs to defend itself against Russia's invasion. But, as he attends the NATO summit, his most coveted prize -- membership in the military alliance -- remains elusive. The European and North American countries making up NATO are in no hurry to admit Ukraine, especially

Russia chairs UN meet condemning its strike on Ukraine children's hospital

UN Security Council members confronted Russia on Tuesday over a missile strike the previous day that destroyed part of Ukraine's largest children's hospital, pouring out condemnations at an emergency meeting chaired by Moscow's own ambassador. Russia denies responsibility for the strike at the hospital, where at least two staffers were killed. France and Ecuador asked for the session at the Security Council, but Russia led it as the current holder of the council's rotating presidency, putting Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia on the receiving end of the criticism. Mr President, please stop this war. It has been going on for too long, Slovenian Ambassador Samuel Zbogar appealed. US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield told colleagues that they were there because Russia, a permanent member of the Security Council, current rotational president of the Security Council, attacked a children's hospital. Even uttering that phrase sends a chill down my spine, she added. Nebenzia characterised the

Russian court orders arrest of oppn leader Navalny's widow who lives abroad

A court in Russia on Tuesday ordered the widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny to be arrested in absentia, during a sweeping Kremlin crackdown on the opposition. Moscow's Basmanny District Court ruled to arrest Yulia Navalnaya, who lives abroad, on charges of alleged involvement in an extremist group. Navalny, the fiercest political foe of Russian President Vladimir Putin, died in February in an Arctic prison while serving a 19-year sentence on extremism charges that he condemned as politically motivated. Authorities said he became ill after a walk but otherwise gave no details. Navalny was imprisoned after returning to Moscow in January 2021 from Germany, where he had been recuperating from the 2020 nerve agent poisoning that he blamed on the Kremlin. Navalnaya has accused Putin of her husband's death and vowed to continue his activities. Russian officials have vehemently denied involvement in the poisoning and death.

PM Modi Embarks on Austria trip, concludes two-day visit to Russia

The Prime Minister interacted with the Indian diaspora at a hotel in Moscow before departing for Austria

Russia war threatens Ukraine's Olympic future; a young gymnast offers hope

When Oleksandra Paskal first took to the mat as a 4-year-old, her rhythmic gymnastics coach saw nothing but potential in a sport where the Olympics is the ultimate goal. Then a Russian missile crushed her summer house in the southern Odesa region, burying her beneath the debris and severing her left leg. Oleksandra's coach, Inga Kovalchuk, prides herself on her ability to spot the future. But it's increasingly clear that Russia's war on Ukraine is demolishing the seeds of a sports culture that was a European powerhouse. Two years after she was injured in May 2022, Oleksandra was among 12 girls diligently following the instructions of their demanding coach. No one paid attention to her prosthetic leg, but although she has even more of the grit and dedication that first caught Kovalchuk's eye, she will never be quite the same. Oleksandra, you do the exercise on full foot, the others on half toes, Kovalchuk told the group. Now 8, the girl who once aimed to compete at the Olympics now

PM Modi awarded Russia's prestigious civilian honour during Moscow visit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on Tuesday officially conferred the 'Order of St Andrew the Apostle' award by Russian President Vladimir Putin for exceptional services in promoting bilateral ties between the two countries. "Honoured to receive the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle. I dedicate it to the people of India," Modi said in a post on X after receiving the award at a ceremony here. Established in 1698 by Tsar Peter the Great in honour of Saint Andrew, the first apostle of Jesus and patron saint of Russia, the Order of St Andrew the Apostle is the highest state decoration of Russia.

Ukrainian boxer sacrifices Olympic dream to fight against Russia's invasion

Maksym Halinichev won silver at the Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires in a match described at the time as two of the best young fighters going for glory. He considered the bout a loss it wasn't gold, after all but it gave him a map for the future. So Halinichev made plans: He would defeat that boxer the next time around. He would teach his daughter the basics of his sport so she could defend herself. And he would win a medal for Ukraine at the Paris Olympics. Halinchev outlined those ambitions as an athlete in an interview for the Ukraine Boxing Federation website in December 2021, as Russian troops were already massing at Ukraine's borders. Asked if he was afraid before a fight, he described his thinking. Fear can influence people in various ways. Some people are paralyzed by it. Some react by becoming more liberated, he said then. If you can control yourself and your body and if you can set yourself the right way, then the fear will retreat. He'll not get to prove that philosophy

Prime Minister Narendra Modi to receive the Order of St Andrew the Apostle

Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi on Tuesday will be ceremoniously presented with the Order of St Andrew the Apostle the First-Called, which was bestowed on him in the year 2019 at St Catherine's Hall of the Moscow Kremlin.The order was presented to the Prime Minister of India for his distinguished contribution to the development of a privileged strategic partnership between Russia and India and friendly ties between the two countries.The Order was established in 1698 by Tsar Peter the Great, in honour of Saint Andrew, the first apostle of Jesus and patron saint of Russia. It is only awarded for the most outstanding civilian or military merit.The Russian Embassy in India had in 2019 said, "On April 12, @narendramodi was decorated with the Order of St Andrew the Apostle for exceptional services in promoting special & privileged strategic partnership between Russia and India and friendly relations between the Russian and Indian peoples. @mfa_russia @MEAIndia @IndEmbMoscow".The Russian