Page 88 - Russia

Russia launches wide aerial attack on energy facilities in Ukraine

Russia launched aerial attacks on energy facilities throughout Ukraine early Wednesday, targeting seven regions with more than 50 missiles as well as drones, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. The attacks also damaged the railway station and tracks in the city of Kherson, across the Dnieper River from Russian-held territory, and injured two people in Brovary, adjacent to the capital Kyiv, officials said. Russia consistently targets Ukraine's energy infrastructure. There was a major aerial attack on energy facilities on April 27 and another a week earlier. In a social media post, Zelenskyy noted that Wednesday's attacks occurred on the day that Ukraine observes the end of European fighting in World War II. Massive missile attack by Nazi Putin on the Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism in the Second World War, Zelensky said.The whole world should clearly understand who is who; The whole world has no right to give Nazism another chance. National electrical grid operator Ukren

Russia strikes energy facilities in air attack on Ukraine, say officials

Power generation and transmission facilities in the Poltava, Kirovohrad, Zaporizhzhia, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Vinnytsia regions were targeted

Belarus launches nuclear drills after Russia announces them amid tensions

Belarus on Tuesday launched drills involving missiles and warplanes capable of carrying tactical nuclear weapons, which close ally Russia has deployed there amid tensions with the West over Ukraine. The Belarusian maneuvers began a day after Russia announced plans to hold similar drills simulating the use of battlefield nuclear weapons in what it cast as a response to statements by Western officials signalling possibly deeper involvement in the war in Ukraine. It was the first time such an exercise had been publicly announced by Moscow. Belarus' Defence Minister Viktor Khrenin said a unit of Iskander short-range missiles and a squadron of Su-25 fighter jets will take part in the drills. The maneuvers, held jointly with Russia, began as Russian President Vladimir Putin was inaugurated to a fifth term on Tuesday, vowing to ensure Russia's security. Last year, Russia moved some of its tactical nuclear weapons into Belarus, which also borders Ukraine and NATO members Poland, Latvia and

CBI arrests 4 for trafficking Indians to Russia-Ukraine conflict zone

The CBI has arrested four people including a contractual translator in the Russian Defence Ministry for their alleged involvement in the human trafficking network that pushed Indians into the Russia-Ukraine war zone, officials said Tuesday. The agency arrested two recruiters, Arun and Yesudas Junior alias Priyan, from Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala on Tuesday, while two other accused, Nijil Jobi Bensam, a contractual employee in Russian Defence Ministry, and Anthony Michael Elangovan, a resident of Mumbai, were arrested on April 24. Bensam and Elangovan are in judicial custody, the CBI said in a late night statement. "Accused Nijil Jobi Bensam was working in the Russian defence Ministry on contract basis as Translator and was one of the key member of the network operating in Russia for facilitating recruitment of Indian nationals in Russian Army," an official in the know of development said. Michael Anthony was facilitating his co-accused Faisal Baba based in Dubai and others based i

Putin starts new six-year term as Russian Prez with challenge to West

Leading opposition figures are in prison or exile, and his best known critic, Alexei Navalny, died suddenly in an Arctic penal colony in February

Putin begins his 5th term today: Key events during his 24 years in power

Significant dates in Vladimir Putin's 24 years in power in Russia: Dec 31, 1999 - In a surprise address to the nation, Russian President Boris Yeltsin announces his resignation and makes Putin, the prime minister he appointed four months earlier, the acting president. May 7, 2000 - After winning election with about 53% of the vote, Putin is inaugurated for his first four-year term. May 11, 2000 - Tax police raid the offices of NTV, a popular independent broadcaster noted for critical coverage of the Kremlin. It is the first salvo in moves against prominent independent media that have characterized the Putin era. Aug 12, 2000 - The submarine Kursk sinks in the Barents Sea with 118 people aboard, setting off the first widespread criticism of Putin, who stayed on vacation early in the crisis and waited five days before accepting Western offers of help. Oct 23, 2002 - Militants from Russia's region of Chechnya take about 850 people hostage at a Moscow theater. Three days later, Russia

Ukraine peace talks should include Russian representatives: China diplomat

Moscow has said it sees no point in Ukraine peace talks in Switzerland, while Kyiv has said it sees no place at the summit, held near the Swiss city of Lucerne, for Russia

Russia defends UN veto on space nuke ban, urges ban on all weapons

Russia on Monday defended its veto of a United Nations resolution urging all nations to prevent a nuclear arms race in outer space, challenging the US, Japan and their Western allies to support Moscow's rival resolution calling for a ban on all weapons in space "for all time". Russia's UN ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, said the United States and Japan, which sponsored the vetoed resolution, are guilty of of hypocrisy and double standards. He accused the U.S. and Western nations more broadly of planning for the military exploration of outer space, including the deployment of weapons, in particular strike combat systems. US deputy ambassador Robert Wood countered, telling the U.N. General Assembly: The truth is that Russia currently has several conventional anti-satellite weapons already in orbit, one of which it tested in 2019. He added Russia has threatened to target satellites with weapons, and said there is credible information that Russia is developing a new satellite carrying a ..

Putin starts new term as President, faces little opposition to Ukraine war

As Putin prepares to be sworn in on Tuesday for another six years as president, the invasion has become part of everyday life for many Russians

Russia to practice tactical nuclear weapon scenario in its military drills

The ministry said the exercise was ordered by President Vladimir Putin and would test the readiness of non-strategic nuclear forces to perform combat missions

Russia will have to increase missile arsenal to deter West, says diplomat

Russia has ramped up weapons production and is now forecast by the United States to manufacture this year more artillery than all of Nato's 32 members combined

Met coal imports from Russia up nearly three-fold in last 3 financial years

Imports of metallurgical coal from Russia have spurted around three-fold in the last three years to around 15.1 million tonnes in 2023-24 mainly due to lower prices while the same from Australia have declined, according to a research firm. Russia's share in India's metallurgical coal imports of 73.2 million tonnes (MT) has risen to around 21 per cent from around 8 per cent in 2021-22, research firm Big Mint said in a statement. The import of metallurgical coal, which includes coking coal and pulverised coal injection (PCI), from Russia, stood at 5.1 MT, accounting for 8 per cent of India's total imports of 65.6 MT of the commodity in 2021-22. Metallurgical coal imports from Russia rose to 11.3 MT in 2022-23, accounting for 16 per cent of 69.9 MT met coal imports in that year. In 2023-24, met coal imports from Russia were 15.1 MT or 21 per cent of total met coal imports of 73.2 MT. Australia, a major supplier of met coal to India, saw a decline in the commodity's exports to India. ..

Putin begins new term, enters into era of extraordinary power in Russia

Just a few months short of a quarter-century as Russia's leader, Vladimir Putin on Tuesday will put his hand on a copy of the constitution and begin another six-year term as president wielding extraordinary power. Since becoming acting president on the last day of 1999, Putin has shaped Russia into a monolith crushing political opposition, running independent-minded journalists out of the country and promoting an increasing devotion to prudish traditional values that pushes many in society into the margins. His influence is so dominant that other officials could only stand submissively on the sidelines as he launched a war in Ukraine despite expectations the invasion would bring international opprobrium and harsh economic sanctions, as well as cost Russia dearly in the blood of its soldiers. With that level of power, what Putin will do with his next term is a daunting question at home and abroad. The war in Ukraine, where Russia is making incremental though consistent battlefield

Russia lists Zelenskyy as 'wanted'; Ukraine calls it act of 'desperation'

Zelenskyy has been added to the "wanted" list "under an article of the criminal code", a claim that the embattled president has denied

Here's how Western sanctions are strangling Russia's Arctic gas ambitions

Russia has long sought to increase its share of the global LNG market, but the war and the subsequent sharp drop in overland exports to Europe have reinforced the importance of these ambitions

Putin's critic warns Kremlin will seize more assets to punish foes

Russia has become increasingly aggressive in seizing assets from local tycoons since the start of the Ukraine war

Russia's Putin plans to meet Xi in China days after his new term begins

Putin last month said he was planning to visit China in May, though he didn't specify the exact dates

US accuses Russia of using chemical weapons, new sanctions imposed

The US has accused Russia of using chemical weapon - Chloropicrin on Ukraine. Watch the video to know more.

Serbia lawmakers elect new govt with pro-Russia ministers sanctioned by US

Serbian lawmakers on Thursday voted into office a new government that reinstated two pro-Russia officials who are sanctioned by the United States, reflecting persistent close ties with Moscow despite the Balkan nation's proclaimed bid to join the European Union. Prime Minister Milo Vucevic's government got backing in a 152-61 vote in the 250-member parliament. The remaining 37 lawmakers were absent. The government includes former intelligence chief Aleksandar Vulin, who has made several visits to Russia in recent months, as one of several vice-premiers, along with Nenad Popovic, another Russia supporter who has faced US sanctions. The foreign minister in the previous government, Ivica Dacic, also a pro-Russia politician, will be in charge of the Interior Ministry in the new Cabinet. The vote followed a heated two-day debate. President Aleksandar Vucic's ruling nationalist conservative Serbian Progressive Party holds a comfortable majority after an election in December that fueled .

Russia prepping to deploy nuclear weapon in space, says US official

US has been unable to convince Russia and China to 'fly a nuclear weapon in space'