Page 73 - Vladimir Putin

Ukraine-Russia war: Steel plant defenders, Putin ally in prisoner swap

Ukraine announced a high-profile prisoner swap early Thursday that culminated months of efforts to free many of the Ukrainian fighters who defended a steel plant in Mariupol during a long Russian siege. In exchange, Ukraine gave up an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. President Volodymr Zelenskky said his government had won freedom from Russian custody for 215 Ukrainian and foreign citizens. He said many were soldiers and officers who had faced the death penalty in Russian-occupied territory. Russia officials didn't immediately confirm or otherwise comment on the swap. Of the total, 200 Ukrainians were exchanged for just one man pro-Russian opposition leader Viktor Medvedchuk, who is Ukrainian. The 68-year-old oligarch escaped from house arrest in Ukraine several days before Russia's invasion on February 24 but was recaptured in April. He faced up to life in prison on charges of treason and aiding and abetting a terrorist organization for mediating coal purchases for the .

Why Vladimir Putin's desperate military call-up won't win the Ukraine war

Vladimir Putin announced that a series of referendums on joining Russia would be held in the conquered territories of eastern Ukraine this week

UK's PM Liz Truss slams Putin for turmoil, hails queen in debut UNGA speech

British Prime Minister Liz Truss has accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of making "saber-rattling threats" to cover his failed invasion of Ukraine, as she prepared to tell the United Nations that its founding principles were fracturing because of aggression by authoritarian states. In her debut speech to the UN General Assembly on Wednesday night, Truss will call the war in Ukraine a battle for "our values and the security of the whole world," and extol the late Queen Elizabeth II as a symbol of everything the U.N. stands for. The text of the speech was released in advance by Truss' office. Responding to a statement from Putin that he was mobilizing reservists and would use everything at his disposal to protect Russia an apparent reference to his nuclear arsenal -- Truss accused the Russian leader of "desperately trying to justify his catastrophic failures". "He is doubling down by sending even more reservists to a terrible fate," the speech said. "He is desperately trying t

Biden attacks Putin, calls for global resolve to stand against aggression

US President Joe Biden took his attack on Russia to the UN General Assembly's high-level meeting accusing it of making nuclear threats while waging a "brutal war" against Ukraine

'Not a bluff': Vladimir Putin calls up 300,000 reservists to take on West

President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday ordered a partial mobilisation of some 300,000 reservists after the Russian military suffered a series of setbacks in the raging conflict with Ukraine, saying the move was essential to protect Russia's sovereignty as the "West is seeking to weaken, divide and finally destroy this country." Putin made the announcement in a televised address to the nation in which he also said that Russia will use all the means at its disposal to protect its territory, warning the West that "this is not a bluff". Ahead of his much-anticipated address, Putin had signed an Executive Order for the call-up to start the mobilisation immediately. Since early September, Ukraine forces have swiftly recaptured large swaths of land in Ukraine's Kharkiv region that Russian troops took over in early weeks of the war which began on February 24. The stretched-out frontline, the constant shelling of Russian borderline areas by the Ukrainian military and attacks on liberated ...

Rupee sheds 0.3% as US dollar soars ahead of Fed's policy statement

Putin's call for partial mobilisation hits risk appetite in currency market

Oil gives up gains as soaring US dollar offsets Putin's troop mobilisation

Brent futures were 10 cents, or 0.1%, lower at $90.52 a barrel by 10:13 a.m. EDT (1413 GMT), while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell 28 cents, or 0.3%, to $83.66.

Gold regains some poise on latest Russia jitters; focus on Fed rate hike

Spot gold was up 0.7% at $1,674.79 per ounce by 1205 GMT. U.S. gold futures rose 0.7% to $1,683.

Rupee closes at new low ahead of near-certain big Fed rate-hike

The mobilisation of troops by Russian President Vladimir Putin piled on more pressure on the rupee, already weighed by the surging dollar index

US-India in talks to reduce country's dependence on Russian arms, energy

Russia is "no longer a reliable weapons supplier", and Indians are "coming to understand" that they could benefit from finding other suppliers, an official of the US State Department said

Putin mobilises 300,000 more troops, wields Ukraine nuclear threat

"Those who are trying to blackmail us with nuclear weapons should know that the wind patterns can also turn in their direction," the president said, accusing the US and allies of seeking to "destroy"

Dollar hits two-decade high as Putin rattles markets before Fed rate hike

Putin ordered Russia's first mobilisation since World War Two, warning the West that if it continued what he called its "nuclear blackmail" that Moscow would respond with might of all its vast arsenal

Ukraine conflict: Putin announces partial mobilisation for Russian citizens

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday announced a partial mobilisation in Russia as the war in Ukraine reaches nearly seven months. Putin's address to the nation comes a day after Russian-controlled regions in eastern and southern Ukraine announced plans to hold votes on becoming integral parts of Russia. The Kremlin-backed efforts to swallow up four regions could set the stage for Moscow to escalate the war following Ukrainian successes on the battlefield. The referendums, which have been expected to take since the first months of the war, will start Friday in the Luhansk, Kherson and partly Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions. Putin said he has signed a decree on the partial mobilisation, which is due to start on Wednesday. We are talking about partial mobilisation, that is, only citizens who are currently in the reserve will be subject to conscription, and above all, those who served in the armed forces have a certain military specialty and relevant ...

PM Modi was right when he said not the time for war: French prez at UNGA

French President Emmanuel Macron told world leaders at the UN General Assembly session that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was right when he told Russian President Vladimir Putin that this is not the time for war. Modi, who met Putin last week on the sidelines of the 22nd meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Uzbekistan's Samarkand, had told the Russian leader that "today's era is not of war". He has spoken to Putin several times over the phone regarding this issue and underlined the importance of democracy, diplomacy and dialogue. "Narendra Modi, the prime minister of India was right when he said the time is not for war. It is not for revenge against the West or for opposing the West against the East. It is the collective time for our sovereign equal states to cope together with challenges we face," Macron said during his address at the General Debate of the 77th Session of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday. "This is why there's an urgent need to develop a new contract

Russian prez Putin meets Bosnian Serb separatist leader, praises Serbia

Bosnian Serb separatist leader Milorad Dodik met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Tuesday days after he endorsed Moscow's aggression against Ukraine, Russian and Serbian media reported. During a rare visit to Moscow by a politician from Europe, the Russian president praised his country's "strategic partnership" with Serbia. The visit came amid repeated warnings from the European Union that Serbia must align its foreign policies with the bloc if it really wants to become a member. Serbia is the only nation seeking EU membership that has refused to join Western sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine. Dodik, a Serb member of Bosnia's tripartite presidency, has frequently met with Putin, especially ahead of elections when he wants to show to the highly pro-Russian Bosnian Serb electorate that he has Putin's support. Dodik last met Putin in June, months after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February. Bosnia has a general election on October 2 in which Dodik

Four Ukraine separatist regions plan votes to join Russia, says report

Russian-controlled regions of eastern and southern Ukraine announced plans Tuesday to start voting this week to become integral parts of Russia. The concerted and quickening Kremlin-backed efforts to swallow up four regions could set the stage for Moscow to escalate the war following Ukrainian successes on the battlefield. The scheduling of referendums starting Friday in the Luhansk, Kherson and partly Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions came after a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin said the votes are needed and as Moscow is losing ground in the invasion it began nearly seven months ago, increasing pressure on the Kremlin for a stiff response. Former President Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy head of Russia's Security Council chaired by Putin, said referendums that fold regions into Russia itself would make redrawn frontiers irreversible and enable Moscow to use any means to defend them. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba denounced the votes as a sham

Russia triggers plan to formally annex occupied Ukrainian regions

Four Russia-occupied regions announce referendum plans; votes will be held on whether to become part of Russia; Ukraine and the West regard votes as sham and illegal

'We want all of this to end': Putin to Modi on Russia-Ukraine conflict

Russian President Vladimir Putin has told Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he is aware of India's concerns over his country's conflict with Ukraine, and wanted the war to end.

This era not of war, PM Narendra Modi tells Vladimir Putin at SCO meet

Russian prez says he understands India's position, concerns

Today's era is not of war, says PM Modi to Russian President Putin

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday pushed Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the conflict in Ukraine, saying "today's era is not of war" even as he called for finding ways to address the global food and energy security crisis. Modi also underlined the importance of democracy, dialogue and diplomacy during a bilateral meeting with Putin that took place on the sidelines of the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in this Silk Road city. "Today the biggest worry before the world, especially developing countries, is food security, fuel security, fertilisers. We must find ways on these problems and you will also have to consider it. We will get an opportunity to talk about these issues," Modi said in his opening remarks. On his part, Putin told Modi that he was aware of India's concerns over the Ukraine conflict and that Russia will do everything possible to end it as soon as possible. "I know about your position on the conflict in Ukraine. I know about