Page 85 - Russia

Amid Russian gains in the Ukraine war, Putin overhauls defence ministry

The timing of Putin's recent moves is most likely a sign that he has greater confidence about his battlefield prospects in Ukraine and his hold on political power as he begins his fifth term as prez

Ukraine has taken back control in embattled Kharkiv region: Zelenskyy

Ukrainian forces have secured combat control of areas where Russian troops entered the northeastern Kharkiv region earlier this month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. Our soldiers have now managed to take combat control of the border area where the Russian occupiers entered, Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address on Friday evening. Zelenskyy's comments appeared to be at odds with those made by Russian officials. Viktor Vodolatskiy, a member of Russia's lower house of parliament, said Russian forces now controlled more than half of the town of Vovchansk, three miles (five kilometres) inside the border, Russian state news agency Tass reported Friday. Vovchansk has been a flashpoint for fighting since Russia launched an offensive in the Kharkiv region on May 10. Vodolatskiy was also quoted as saying that, once Vovchansk was secured, Russian forces would target the cities of Sloviansk, Kramatorsk and Pokrovsk in the neighbouring Donetsk region. No independent ...

G7 to explore ways of using frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine

The G7 and its allies froze some $300 billion of Russian assets shortly after Moscow invaded its neighbour in February 2022

Indian film industry to increase film shootings, screenings in Russia

Film production and distribution companies in Russia are wooing Indian filmmakers and promoting their movies

Russian military officials are being arrested. All you need to know

The arrests began after President Vladimir Putin began his fifth term and shuffled his ally, longtime Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, into a new post

India to get next-gen nuclear fuel this summer, says Russian official

A full-scale discussion took place on the perspective areas of the Russian-Indian cooperation in the nuclear field

US to provide Ukraine with $275 mn in military aid amid Russian advances

This marks the fourth installment of military assistance for Ukraine since the passing of a long-awaited foreign aid bill by Congress last month

Putin arrives in neighbouring Belarus for two-day state visit with key ally

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived Thursday in Belarus for a two-day visit as part of several foreign tours to kick off his fifth term in office, underscoring close ties with a neighboring ally that has been instrumental in Russia's war effort in Ukraine. Putin traveled to China earlier this month, and is expected in Uzbekistan on Sunday. Earlier on Thursday, the Russian president hosted Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa in the Kremlin. In Belarus, Putin is to hold talks with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko. Lukashenko greeted him on the tarmac, and then the two sat down for a short conversation at the airport, the Kremlin reported. Lukashenko promised to discuss security issues at the forefront, and tomorrow we will discuss economic issues together with our colleagues from the governments. The Belarusian leader on Thursday appointed a new chief of the country's military general staff in a move that analysts say is aimed at showing the Kremlin the utmost

Norway further tightens its restrictions on the entry of Russians

Norway on Thursday said it will further tighten its restrictions on the entry of people from Russia, saying those with tourist visas issued by Norway before regulations were tightened in 2022 or issued by another European country will be barred from entering the Scandinavian country as of next week. Justice Minister Emilie Enger Mehl said the tightening was a response to Russia's illegal war of aggression against Ukraine. Norway has a 198-kilometer (123-mile) -long border with Russia in the Arctic. Last week, Aftenposten, a major Norwegian daily, said Norway's domestic security agency, known by the acronym PST, was worried that Russians involved in intelligence gathering were entering at the sole border crossing at Storskog near the town of Kirkenes. Inger Haugland, head of counterespionage for PST, said Wednesday that "Russia now sees itself benefiting from carrying out sabotage in European countries in order to weaken Ukrainian defense capabilities. He gave no further details. O

Deputy Russian military chief of staff jailed for large-scale bribery

A deputy chief of the Russian military general staff has been arrested on charges of large-scale bribery, Russian news reports said Thursday, the latest in a series of bribery arrests of high-ranking military officials. The arrest of Lt Gen Vadim Shamarin followed the arrest this week of Maj Gen Ivan Popov, a former top commander in Russia's offensive in Ukraine, also on bribery charges. In April, Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov was arrested for bribery. Ivanov was a close associate of Sergei Shoigu, whom President Vladimir Putin dismissed as defense minister soon after Putin's inauguration to a new term in May. Lt Gen Yury Kuznetsov, head of the defense ministry's personnel directorate, was arrested on bribery charges two days after Shoigu was replaced. Shamarin is also the head of the defense ministry's main communications directorate. He is being held in custody for two months, Russian news agencies cited a military garrison court as saying, but other details of the case we

The East wind blows harder

The global power balance is shifting as China and Russia assert dominance in technology and diplomacy

Govt pursuing customs mutual recognition agreements with nations: CBIC

India has signed mutual recognition agreements (MRAs) with customs authorities of seven nations and is actively pursuing negotiations for such pacts with other countries, a top official said. The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs and the Federal Customs Service, Russia, this month signed the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) MRA to provide reciprocal benefits to accredited and trusted exporters of both signatories in the clearance of goods by the customs authorities of the importing country. "The CBIC and the Federal Customs Service, Russia signed the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Mutual Recognition Agreement, which is a major trade facilitation boost for Indian importers and exporters. While this is the 7th MRA that has been signed by Indian Customs, negotiations are being actively pursued with many other Customs' administrations," CBIC Chairman Sanjay Kumar Agarwal said in a communication to field formation. The AEO programme enables Customs administration to ...

Russia proposes revising borders of territorial waters in Baltic Sea

Ministry proposed adjusting the border around Russian islands in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland and around Kaliningrad

Russia waging shadow war on West that needs collective response: Estonia PM

Perched on the open ramp at the rear of a British Chinook helicopter, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas flew home from the annual Spring Storm military exercises, pleased to see NATO allies cooperating. But she later said that other types of warfare were on her mind. Her nation, which borders Russia, has seen a rise in sabotage, electronic warfare and spying all blamed on Moscow. As the war in Ukraine turns in Russia's favor, defenses are being bolstered in the front-line nations of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, as well as in Finland and Poland. Kallas says Russia is carrying out a shadow war against the West. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda urged vigilance, saying Tuesday he had information that acts of sabotage can happen again. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said at least nine people were recently arrested on suspicion of beatings and arson, allegedly directed by Russia's secret services, and described them as Ukrainian, Belarusian and Polish nationals, some from th

US assesses Russia's launched space weapon in path of American satellite

Russia deployed this new counterspace weapon into the same orbit as a US government satellite

Russia starts nuclear drills amid West's deepening role in Ukraine

Russia's Defense Ministry said Tuesday it began a round of drills involving tactical nuclear weapons. The exercises were announced by Russian authorities this month in response to remarks by senior Western officials about the possibility of deeper involvement in the war in Ukraine. It was the first time Russia has publicly announced drills involving tactical nuclear weapons, although its strategic nuclear forces regularly hold exercises. According to the ministry's statement, the first stage of the new drills envisioned practical training in the preparation and use of non-strategic nuclear weapons, including nuclear-capable Kinzhal and Iskander missiles. The maneuvers are taking place in the Southern Military District, which consists of Russian regions in the south, including on the border with Ukraine; Crimea, illegally annexed from Ukraine in 2014; and four Ukrainian regions that Russia illegally annexed in 2022 and partially occupies. The drills were announced on May 6, with the

Yellen urges German banks to boost compliance with US sanctions on Russia

"Russia continues to procure sensitive goods and to expand its ability to domestically manufacture these goods. We must remain vigilant and be more ambitious," Yellen said

UNSC rejects Russia-backed resolution on banning weapons in space

The United States said Monday that Russia last week launched a satellite that could be part of weaponizing space, a possible future global trend that members of the United Nations Security Council condemned even as they failed to pass a measure against it. The Security Council resolution drafted by Russia rivaled one backed by the U.S. and Japan that failed last month. The rival drafts focused on different types of weapons, with the U.S. and Japan specifying weapons of mass destruction. The Russian draft discussed all types of weapons. The U.S. and its allies said the language that the 15-member council debated on Monday was simply meant to distract the world from Russia's true intention: weaponizing space. The culmination of Russia's campaign of diplomatic gaslighting and dissembling is the text before us today," U.S. deputy ambassador Robert Wood told the council. Russia's U.N. ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, denied that his nation was trying to mislead the world. Backed by China a

Russia is China's top oil supplier for 12th month in April, volumes up 30%

Imports from Saudi Arabia, which was last China's biggest supplier in April 2023, were 6.34 million tonnes, or 1.54 million bpd, down 25 per cent from a year earlier

Ukraine, Russia exchange drone attacks while Russia advances in east

Russia reported some 60 drones and several missiles shot down over its territory overnight into Sunday, with Ukraine in turn saying it destroyed over 30 Russian drones. Russia's renewed offensive continues to play out in Ukraine's war-ravaged northeast. Russian air defences shot down 57 Ukrainian drones over its southern Krasnodar region overnight Saturday, the Russian Defence Ministry said Sunday morning. Local military officials said drone debris hit an oil refinery in the town of Slavyansk-on-Kuban, but there was no fire or damage. Local news outlet Astra published videos appearing to show an explosion at the refinery as it was hit by a drone. The videos could not be independently verified. Nine long-range ballistic missiles and a drone were destroyed over the Russia-occupied Crimean Peninsula, following Friday morning's massive Ukrainian drone attack that cut off power in the city of Sevastopol. A further three drones were shot down over the Belgorod region, which borders Ukrai