Tag: Russia
Prepping for War With Russia on the Ice and Snow
Russia-Ukraine War President Trump may be turning relations with NATO and Russia inside out, but winter war games revealed that two militaries’ cooperation was unchanged. President Trump may be turning relations with NATO and Russia inside out, but winter war games revealed that two militaries’ cooperation was unchanged. American soldiers during an Arctic military exercise…
How a Ukrainian Teen Became a Suspected Foot Soldier for Russia
Russia-Ukraine War The teenager faces terrorism charges in an arson attack on an IKEA store in Lithuania. Investigators say it was part of a Russian sabotage campaign. By Andrew Higgins and Tomas Dapkus Reporting from Vilnius, Lithuania, and Warsaw, Poland The job offer, pitched to appeal to a 17-year-old Ukrainian refugee without work, promised a…
A NATO Plane Tracks and Dodges Russia in the Baltic Sea
Russia-Ukraine War The assignment was part of a new program aimed at suspected Russian sabotage. None has occurred since NATO began patrols. The assignment was part of a new program aimed at suspected Russian sabotage. None has occurred since NATO began patrols. Crew members on board an Atlantique 2 monitor an array of computer screens…
Russia and Ukraine Agree to Black Sea Cease-Fire: What to Know
Russia-Ukraine War It remains unclear if the commitments to stop attacks and ensure safe shipping in the Black Sea, which came with many caveats, would happen soon. By Ivan Nechepurenko and Constant Méheut Ivan Nechepurenko reported from Tbilisi, Georgia, and Constant Méheut from Kyiv, Ukraine. Russia and Ukraine have said they are committed to cease…
Russia and Ukraine agree naval ceasefire in Black Sea
Russia and Ukraine have agreed to a naval ceasefire in the Black Sea in separate deals with the US, after three days of peace talks in Saudi Arabia. Washington said all parties would continue working toward a “durable and lasting peace” in statements announcing the agreements, which would reopen an important trade route. They have…
Two women who spied for Russia tracked down and named by BBC
Bulgarian nationals Cvetelina Gencheva and Tsvetanka Doncheva took part in elaborate surveillance operations against people spied on by the cell. Neither woman answered questions when contacted by the BBC. Ms Gencheva, an airport worker, hung up when contacted by phone, and said she did not want to comment on the case in response to a…
Trump admin. cuts funding for program that tracked Ukrainian children abducted by Russia
By Ailsa Chang , Tinbete Ermyas , Marc Rivers Funding for a U.S.-based program that tracks thousands of Ukrainian children allegedly abducted and taken to Russia has been cut and U.S. lawmakers are worried that a database with crucial information has been permanently deleted, according to a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio signed…
Steve Rosenberg: Putin’s conversation with Trump seen as victory in Russia
Judging by some of the headlines today in Russia, Moscow believes that the latest telephone conversation between Presidents Putin and Trump went well – certainly for the Kremlin. “Putin and Trump agreed to work together on Ukraine resolution,” concludes Izvestia. “Record-long Putin-Trump call,” declares Komsomolskaya Pravda. The paper’s website adds: “As things stand Russia has…
Putin urged to prove Russia wants peace ahead of Trump talks
The UK and France have urged Russia’s President Vladimir Putin to prove he wants a peace deal with Ukraine, ahead of talks between Putin and Donald Trump on Tuesday. French President Emmanuel Macron hailed the “courage” of Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenksy in agreeing to a ceasefire proposal, and challenged Russia to do the same. “Enough…
Ukraine ready to accept 30-day ceasefire with Russia
Ukraine has said it is ready to accept an immediate 30-day ceasefire with Russia proposed by the US, after a day of US-Ukraine talks in Saudi Arabia. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he would present the offer to Russia and that “the ball is in their court”. Ukraine’s President Volodomyr Zelensky said it…
Paul Adams: It’s Russia that may now be feeling the pressure
As US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says, “the ball is now in Russia’s court.” This is a significant moment. The joint statement from the US and Ukraine, after a long day of talks in Jeddah, contains several key lines, perhaps none more important than this: “The United States will communicate to Russia that Russian…
Trump’s Embrace of Russia Leaves Europe in Emotional Shock
Russia-Ukraine War news analysis It remains to be seen how far President Trump’s embrace of Russia and abandonment of traditional allies will go. But “the West” may be gone. By Roger Cohen Reporting from Paris For decades a core objective of the Soviet Union was to “decouple” the United States from Europe. Decoupling, as it…
Russia Pushes Back Ukraine’s Offensive With Drones and North Korean Troops
Russia-Ukraine War Russia has retaken about two-thirds of the territory Ukraine seized last summer in the Kursk region of Russia, but at a fearful cost in lives. By Marc Santora Reporting from Kyiv, Ukraine Working together, a new influx of North Korean soldiers and well-trained Russian drone units, advancing under the cover of ferocious artillery…
Trump says Ukraine ‘more difficult’ to deal with than Russia
US President Donald Trump has said he is finding it “more difficult, frankly, to deal with Ukraine” than Russia in attempts to broker peace between the two nations. The US is “doing very well with Russia”, and “it may be easier dealing with” Moscow than Kyiv, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Friday.…
Three Bulgarians guilty of spying for Russia in the UK
Three Bulgarian nationals have been found guilty of spying for Russia, in what police have described as “one of the largest” foreign intelligence operations in the UK. Vanya Gaberova, 30, Katrin Ivanova, 33, and Tihomir Ivanchev, 39, all living in London, were part of a group who carried out surveillance on people and places between…
Meeting Trump at White House, Zelenskyy hopes for continued aid in war with Russia
Joanna Kakissis KYIV — President Trump is set to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House today to sign a preliminary deal to give the U.S. access to Ukraine’s critical raw materials in exchange for possible aid in the future. It’s the first face-to-face meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump since Trump’s inauguration, and…
North Korea Is Sending More Troops to Russia, South Korea’s Spy Agency Says
Russia-Ukraine War The fresh deployment comes after North Korea suffered heavy casualties on the front lines in Russia’s war against Ukraine, the South’s spy agency says. By Choe Sang-Hun Reporting from Seoul Despite the heavy casualties it has suffered in the war between Russia and Ukraine, North Korea appears to have sent more troops to…
Europe Prepares to Face Russia as Trump’s America Steps Back
Russia-Ukraine War European leaders visited Kyiv to mark the war’s third anniversary. The show of solidarity in Ukraine on Monday comes at a head-spinning moment for the continent. By Kim BarkerJeanna Smialek and Steven Erlanger Kim Barker reported from Kyiv, Ukraine, while Jeanna Smialek reported from Brussels and Steven Erlanger reported from Berlin. President Trump…
US sides with Russia in UN resolutions on Ukraine
The US has twice sided with Russia in votes at the UN to mark the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, highlighting the Trump administration’s change of stance on the war. First the two countries opposed a European-drafted resolution condemning Moscow’s actions and supporting Ukraine’s territorial integrity, which was passed by the UN…
Emboldened Kremlin Steps Up Efforts to Seize Businesses in Russia
Russia-Ukraine War The legal onslaught on Moscow’s second-largest airport has been seen as part of the Kremlin’s wartime drive to seize control of key assets still in private hands. By Nataliya Vasilyeva Reporting from Istanbul After the fall of Communism, Russia ushered in capitalism by selling off billions of dollars in state assets. Now, 30…
Reversing U.S. policy, Trump attacks Zelenskyy, blames Ukraine for war with Russia
By Greg Myre , Joanna Kakissis WASHINGTON and KYIV — For the past three years, the U.S. has been Ukraine’s leading supporter in its war with Russia. Yet with a series of blunt comments, President Trump is now sounding more aligned with Russia than Ukraine. Trump, writing on social media, used his strongest language to…
Trump echoes Russia as he upends US position on Ukraine
If there were any lingering doubts about Donald Trump’s view of the Ukraine war and America’s support of Kyiv’s fight against Russia, he put them to rest in stark terms on Wednesday. Lashing out at Volodymyr Zelensky, who less than three years ago received a standing ovation in Congress for his efforts to resist Russia’s…
Russia won’t accept Nato troops in Ukraine, Lavrov says after talks with US
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said his country won’t accept peacekeeping forces from Nato countries in Ukraine under any peace deal, following high-level talks with the US in Saudi Arabia. “Any appearance by armed forces under some other flag does not change anything. It is of course completely unacceptable,” he said. Russia and the…
U.S. and Russia discuss ending Ukraine war, without Kyiv
By Charles Maynes Senior U.S. and Russian delegations gathered for talks in the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh on Tuesday, as the two sides began an initial round of high-stakes negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. The talks build on last week’s phone call between President Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin during…
European Leaders Meet to Discuss Ukraine War as Trump Officials Prepare For Russia Peace Talks
Trump Administration The hastily called gathering was part of a flurry of diplomacy expected to center on Ukraine this week as Trump officials prepare to start talks with Russia on their own. By Catherine Porter and Steven Erlanger Reporting from Paris The leaders of many of Europe’s biggest countries came to Paris on Monday in…
The Fiercest Fighting of the Ukraine War May Be in Russia
Russian soldiers are locked in a fierce battle to reclaim all of the Kursk region from the Ukrainian Army. Both sides view control of Kursk as a crucial element in expected peace talks promised by President Trump. Many residents of the region were forced to flee. An estimated 2,000 to 3,000 Russian civilians remain. The…
Russia, Seeking to Salvage Military Bases, Goes Hat in Hand to Syria
Syria’s Civil War Syria’s Civil War Syria’s Civil War The arrival of the first top Russian diplomat in Damascus since Bashar al-Assad’s fall kicks off negotiations over the fate of Moscow’s bases in Syria. By Paul Sonne and Christina Goldbaum Paul Sonne reported from Berlin, and Christina Goldbaum from Damascus. The time had come to…
Fighting Alongside Russia, North Koreans Wage Their Own War
Russia-Ukraine War Russia-Ukraine War Russia-Ukraine War Ukrainian forces described a different kind of enemy, fighting with unfamiliar tactics and little option to retreat. By Marc Santora and Helene Cooper Marc Santora traveled to the Russian border to meet with Ukrainians fighting North Korean troops in Kursk. Helene Cooper reported from Washington. The North Korean soldiers…
Russia and Ukraine Battle Inside Kursk, With Waves of Tanks, Drones and North Koreans
Russia-Ukraine War Russia-Ukraine War Russia-Ukraine War Ukrainian soldiers are describing fierce clashes as Russian forces try to retake territory in the Kursk region that could be key in eventual cease-fire talks. A destroyed Ukrainian tank on Thursday a few miles from the border with Russia’s Kursk region. By Marc Santora and Liubov Sholudko Photographs by…
Ukraine says it captured two injured North Korean soldiers in Russia
Two wounded North Korean soldiers have been captured as prisoners of war by Ukrainian troops in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday. The two men are receiving “necessary medical assistance” and are in the custody of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) in Kyiv, according to Zelensky. The president said he was…
Ukraine Says It Captured 2 North Korean Soldiers Fighting for Russia
Russia-Ukraine War President Volodymyr Zelensky said the soldiers were captured in the western Kursk region, where Ukraine has been fighting to hold on to territory it seized last summer. By Cassandra Vinograd Reporting from Kyiv, Ukraine The Ukrainian authorities on Saturday announced the capture of two North Korean soldiers in Russia, saying they were the…
Q&A: CIA Chief on how the U.S. intel community handled Russia, China and Mideast
By Mary Louise Kelly , Noah Caldwell , Ashley Brown During his four years at the helm of the Central Intelligence Agency, William Burns has witnessed firsthand a dizzying number of international crises. Early in his tenure, in the summer of 2021, he flew to Kabul to negotiate with the Taliban over the U.S. withdrawal…
Here’s what’s behind Russia cutting off its last gas line to Europe
By Charles Maynes MOSCOW — On the morning of Jan. 1, Russia pumped its last cubic meters of natural gas directly to Europe, ending decades of trade that had benefited all sides — and heated homes — through some of the darkest winters of the Cold War and well into the 21st century. Russia’s invasion…
Russia says it is keeping close eye on Trump’s claim to Greenland
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said Russia is closely monitoring the situation, after US President-elect Donald Trump refused to rule out military action to take Greenland from Denmark. Peskov said the Arctic was in Russia’s “sphere of national and strategic interests and it is interested in peace and stability there”. Trump’s remarks on Greenland –…
European imports of liquefied natural gas from Russia at ‘record levels’
Rystad Energy releases data days after Ukraine stopped flows of Russian gas through its pipelines Europe bought a record amount of liquefied natural gas from Russia last year, data shows, despite EU efforts to ditch the fossil fuels funding Putin’s war chest. Ships carrying 17.8m tonnes of ultra-cold Russian gas docked in European ports in…
32 dolphins have died since an oil spill near southern Russia, experts say
By The Associated Press Thirty-two dolphins have died since fuel oil spilled out of two storm-stricken tankers three weeks ago in the Kerch Strait, which separates the Russia-occupied Crimean Peninsula from Russia’s southern Krasnodar region, an animal rescue group said Sunday. Russia’s Delfa Dolphin Rescue and Research Center said the deaths are “most likely related…
Azerbaijani Anger Over Plane Crash Grows, in Deepening Schism With Russia
Plane Crash in Kazakhstan In the crash’s aftermath, Azerbaijan has unleashed rare and stinging criticism of Russia, with the country’s president saying Moscow’s response has caused “surprise, regret and rightful indignation.” By Anton Troianovski President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan on Monday excoriated Russia for trying to duck responsibility in the downing of an Azerbaijani passenger…
Russia Claims to Seize Key Eastern Ukraine Town of Kurakhove
Russia-Ukraine War Ukraine has largely been driven out of Kurakhove, a battered but strategic town in the Donbas, Russia said. Kyiv’s forces were pressing a renewed offensive in southern Russia. By Marc Santora Reporting from Kyiv, Ukraine Five months after storming across the border into the Kursk region of southern Russia, Ukrainian forces were making…
Ukraine Attacks Kursk Region of Russia Anew
Russia-Ukraine War Ukrainian forces’ assault was in the Russian region where they made a surprise incursion last summer. By Marc Santora Reporting from Kyiv, Ukraine Ukrainian forces went on the offensive in the Kursk region of Russia, Ukrainian and Russian officials said Sunday, in what appeared to be an effort to regain the initiative there…
Ukraine Halts the Flow of Natural Gas From Russia to Europe
Russia-Ukraine War A transnational pipeline was shut down on Wednesday after Kyiv refused to renew a prewar agreement that allowed for the transit of Russian gas through its territory. By Marc SantoraAndrew Higgins and Jenny Gross Marc Santora reported from Kyiv, Ukraine, Andrew Higgins from Warsaw and Jenny Gross from Brussels. The flow of natural…
Zelensky Expresses Hope for 2025, but Russia Presses On With Attacks
Russia-Ukraine War In his New Year’s address, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine urged continued U.S. support. By Marc Santora Reporting from Kyiv, Ukraine Hoping to bolster the resolve of a nation whose heart “is covered in scars” after more than 1,000 days of unrelenting Russian assaults, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine said in his New…
Debate Over U.S. Sanctions on Russia For Ukraine War Intensifies
Russia-Ukraine War The president-elect has said he will use sanctions sparingly while vowing to end the war in Ukraine, renewing questions over their efficacy. By Patricia Cohen Patricia Cohen, based in London, has been covering the sanctions on Russia since the country’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Thousands of far-reaching sanctions have been imposed…
Breakaway Moldovan region cuts heating and hot water as Russia stops gas flow
Supply to Transnistria halted as transit deal between Russia and Ukraine expires The breakaway Moldovan region of Transnistria has cut heating and hot water supplies to households after Russia stopped supplying gas via Ukraine. “There is no heating or hot water,” an employee of local energy company Tirasteploenergo said by phone from Tiraspol, Moldova’s main…
Russia winds down gas supply to Europe via Ukraine as transit deal expires
Exports to cease on New Year’s Day as Europe faces cold snap and higher than usual fall in reserves since September Europe will receive the last Russian gas sent via Ukraine’s pipelines in the early hours of the new year as the continent braces for a plunge in temperatures that could hasten the drain on…
Azerbaijan president blames Russia for shooting down plane on Christmas Day
President Aliyev says Moscow must ‘admit its guilt’ after downing plane, albeit unintentionally, with loss of 38 lives Azerbaijan’s president Ilham Aliyev said the Azerbaijani airliner that crashed last week was shot down by Russia, albeit unintentionally, and criticised Moscow for trying to “hush up” the issue for days. “We can say with complete clarity…
Russia and Ukraine swap at least 300 prisoners in exchange deal
Some of the freed Ukrainians had been held since war’s early days, while Russians were captured in Ukraine’s Kursk offensive Russia and Ukraine have carried out a major prisoner exchange, with at least 150 people from each side returning home before New Year’s Eve, in a swap partly brokered by the United Arab Emirates. “The…
Russia and Ukraine Swap More Than 300 Prisoners Ahead of U.S. Transition
Russia-Ukraine War Exchanges have taken place before, but this deal, involving big numbers on both sides, comes as Trump prepares to take over in Washington, potentially endangering American aid to Kyiv. By Nataliya Vasilyeva Reporting from Istanbul Russia and Ukraine announced on Monday that they had exchanged more than 300 prisoners of war in a…
Russia and Ukraine exchange hundreds of prisoners of war
Russia and Ukraine have exchanged hundreds of prisoners of war in a deal brokered by the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Russian defence ministry said it had swapped 150 Ukrainian soldiers held captive for an equal number of Russian troops. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksy said 189 Ukrainians had returned home. He added that those released…
Where Is Russia Finding New Soldiers? Wherever It Can.
Russia-Ukraine War From murder suspects to immigrants to a former Olympic gold medalist, Russia pressures those it thinks should fight in Ukraine. By Neil MacFarquhar and Milana Mazaeva Russia has ground through repeated waves of soldiers in Ukraine. It lost some of its most experienced troops at the very start of the invasion, then shipped…
As Putin reaches 25 years in power, has he ‘taken care of Russia’?
I will never forget New Year’s Eve 1999. I was working as a producer in the BBC’s Moscow bureau. Suddenly there was breaking news: Russia’s President Boris Yeltsin had stepped down. His decision to resign took everyone by surprise, including the British press corps in Moscow. When the news broke there was no correspondent in…
Azerbaijan’s president says crashed jetliner was shot down by Russia unintentionally
By The Associated Press Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev said Sunday that the Azerbaijani airliner that crashed last week was shot down by Russia, albeit unintentionally, and criticized Moscow for trying to “hush up” the issue for days. “We can say with complete clarity that the plane was shot down by Russia. (…) We are not…
Russia warns against ‘hypotheses’ after Azerbaijan Airlines crash
The Russian government has cautioned against promoting “hypotheses” about the cause of the crash of a Russia-bound passenger plane that killed 38 people in Kazakhstan on Wednesday. Some aviation experts suggested that the Azerbaijan Airlines plane had been hit by air defence systems over the Russian republic of Chechnya and pro-government media in Azerbaijan quote…
The Fall of Bashar al-Assad’s Regime in Syria: A New Chapter Begins
As news of Assad’s departure spread, thousands of citizens poured into the streets of Damascus. Videos and images showed people waving flags, chanting slogans of freedom, and embracing the moment as a turning point for their country.
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has intensified
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has intensified in recent days, with military operations and attacks affecting both front-line areas and regions further afield. Below is a summary of the latest developments:
Russia Turns to Barter to Overcome Western Sanctions
The economic sanctions imposed on Russia following the invasion of Ukraine have forced the country to explore alternatives to maintain its international trade relations. Among these measures, barter has emerged as a key strategy, allowing the direct exchange of goods without relying on money, thereby circumventing international financial restrictions.
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has reached a grim milestone: 1,000 days since its inception
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has reached a grim milestone: 1,000 days since its inception. This period has been marked by widespread destruction, steadfast Ukrainian resistance, and increasing international involvement. Recently, the administration of President Joe Biden authorized Ukraine to use long-range missiles within Russian territory, signifying a pivotal shift in U.S. military support…
Russia Escalates Conflict in Ukraine with the Launch of the Hypersonic Missile ‘Oréshnik’
On November 21, 2024, Russia launched the hypersonic ballistic missile ‘Oréshnik’ for the first time, targeting the Ukrainian city of Dnipro.
North Korea Bolsters Russia in the War Against Ukraine: Troops and Artillery Deployed
North Korea has escalated its support for Russia in the conflict against Ukraine, providing troops and artillery systems in an alliance that has raised international concerns.
North Korea Increases Military Support to Russia in the Ukraine Conflict
In a move that has raised international alarms, North Korea has strengthened its alliance with Russia amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Leaked Russian Peace Plan for Ukraine:
Recently, a document has surfaced revealing Russia’s initial peace proposal during the early days of its invasion of Ukraine. This six-page plan, comprising 18 articles and four pages of annexes, was obtained by the investigative journalism team of Sistema, a program by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.