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Denmark Says Russia Has Conducted Sabotage Attacks Against Its Defense Firms
Russia has begun sabotage operations against Danish companies supplying Ukraine after concluding that broader disruption efforts failed to curb Western military support for the country, a Danish intelligence official said on Wednesday.
Years After His Death, Vladimir Zhirinovsky Lives Rent-Free in Russians’ Heads
In late September, President Vladimir Putin took a moment at a meeting with parliamentary party leaders to remember a familiar face missing from this year’s State Duma elections: Vladimir Zhirinovsky. “I would like to say that we certainly miss him, especially under the current circumstances.
EU Approves Record Sanctions Expansion Targeting 1.6K Russian Citizens and Entities
The European Union has agreed to blacklist more than 1,600 people and entities in the single largest expansion of its sanctions regime against Russia since the beginning of the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, diplomats said Wednesday.
Latvia Moves to Expel Russian Journalist Leonid Ragozin, Delfi Reports
Late last month, Latvian Interior Minister Jānis Dombrava said Ragozin's actions could "be regarded as ones aimed at steering Western public opinion in a direction favorable to Russia."
Russian Who Swam to Lithuania to Seek Asylum Gets 6 Years in Russian Prison After Return
A Russian man who swam across the Neman River to Lithuania seeking asylum was sentenced to six years in prison after Lithuanian authorities returned him to Russia, media reported.
Rosatom Takes Full Control of Transport Conglomerate Delo Group in $900M Buyout
Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom has completed its acquisition of founder Sergei Shishkarev’s remaining 51% stake in transport conglomerate Delo, both parties announced Wednesday.
Kremlin Says France's Test Nuclear Launch Is Part of 'Dead End' Anti-Russia Strategy
The Kremlin said on Wednesday that France’s test launch of a nuclear-capable missile showed that Europe was building its defense identity around confrontation with Russia, describing the strategy as a “dead end.”
Northern Russia’s Yamalo-Nenets Offers 1M-Ruble Bounty for Downed Drones
Authorities in northwestern Russia’s Yamalo-Nenets autonomous district have established a reward of 1 million rubles ($11,700) for reservists who successfully shoot down enemy drones.
Second Prison Guard Dead After Failed Inmate Escape Attempt in North Caucasus
A Russian prisoner who was extradited from Georgia last month was shot dead after attempting to escape a transport train in the North Caucasus last week, killing two prison guards and injuring two others.
Kim Jong Un Wishes Putin ‘Victory and Glory’ on His 74th Birthday
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un wished President Vladimir Putin “victory and glory” on his 74th birthday Wednesday, pledging to deepen ties as Pyongyang continues to support Russia’s war in Ukraine. “My dearest friend, Comrade Vladimir Putin, please accept my most heartfelt and warm congratulations and best wishes on the occasion of your birthday,” Kim wrote in a telegram published by North Korea’s state-run Korean Central News Agency.
U.S. Embassy Urges Citizens to Leave Russia Over Siberian Plague Suspicions
Public health officials insist there is no active public health crisis, and the WHO says that no cases have been recorded in Irkutsk.
At Least 24 Killed in Ukraine, Zelensky Condemns One of Russia's Most 'Vile Strikes'
Russia pounded Ukraine with waves of missiles and drones in one of its most “vile strikes” on Wednesday, President Volodymyr Zelensky said, killing at least 24 people, including children, and damaging industrial facilities and energy infrastructure.
Sochi Closes Beaches After Drone Attack Sets Oil Tanker Ablaze
Authorities in Russia’s Black Sea resort city of Sochi and the neighboring federal territory of Sirius closed beaches after a tanker caught fire offshore following a reported attack by naval drones, officials said Tuesday.
Russia Drops Criminal Case Against Children’s Hospice Founder Lida Moniava
Russian investigators have dropped a criminal case against Lida Moniava, a prominent advocate for critically ill children’s care, after finding no grounds for prosecution, her supporters said Tuesday, citing her lawyer.
Putin Orders Priority Rail Transit for Russian Grain – Kommersant
President Vladimir Putin has ordered Russian Railways to give priority to export grain shipments across the national rail network as Ukrainian drone attacks cut off southern shipping hubs, according to the Kommersant business newspaper.
Russia Investigates Contaminated Dog Vaccine Linked to Mass Pet Deaths
Russian authorities have launched a criminal investigation into the use of forged quality certificates during the distribution of a popular canine vaccine blamed for the deaths of dozens of dogs over the summer, the Prosecutor General’s Office said Tuesday.
Kremlin Launches Preparations for Putin’s Annual ‘Direct Line’ Call-In Show
The Kremlin said Tuesday that it had launched preparations for President Vladimir Putin’s annual press conference and “Direct Line” call-in show. “We’re preparing in the same way as last year and previous years, in a combined format,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters during a daily briefing, confirming his previous comments made on Sunday. “It will be both a Direct Line and an annual major press conference of the head of state,” Peskov said.
Russians in ICE Detention Plan Hunger Strike to Protest Poor Conditions
More than 50 detainees, including Russian citizens, are planning to launch a hunger strike this week to protest what they have described as unbearably harsh conditions at one of the largest U.S. immigration detention centers, according to three people familiar with the matter.
Kremlin Warns Lithuania Lifting Nuclear Arms Ban Risks Escalation
The Kremlin on Tuesday warned that a preliminary decision by NATO member Lithuania to lift a constitutional ban on hosting nuclear arms on its territory could lead to a new round of escalation in the region.
Russia Holds Major Nuclear Accident Drill at Beloyarsk Plant
More than 1,000 people began a two-day emergency exercise at Russia’s Beloyarsk nuclear power plant on Tuesday, testing how staff and emergency services would respond to simultaneous accidents at two reactors.
Head of Russian Military’s Patriot Park Arrested in Bribery Probe
Law enforcement authorities have detained the head of Russia’s military theme park, Patriot Park, on bribery charges, media outlets reported and the Defense Ministry confirmed on Monday evening.
Irkutsk Maternity Hospital Screens Patients for Plague After Lab Worker’s Death
A maternity hospital in Siberia’s Irkutsk region has started screening pregnant patients for possible plague exposure and restricting visitors following the death of a local anti-plague institute employee, the independent outlet Lyudi Baikala (People of Baikal) reported Monday.
2 Killed in Massive Ukrainian Drone Attack on Moscow
A massive Ukrainian drone attack on the Moscow region overnight killed two people and ignited a fire at a major fuel depot overnight, authorities said, and media reported Tuesday.
Moscow Court Jails Ex-Sochi Mayor for 15 Years in Prison in Corruption Case
A Moscow judge has sentenced Alexei Kopaygorodsky, the former mayor of the Black Sea resort city of Sochi, to 15 years in maximum-security prison for corruption, state media reported Monday, citing the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office. Kopaygorodsky, 41, served as mayor from September 2019 until May 2024, when he abruptly resigned, citing a transition to a federal post.
Kremlin Downplays Estonia’s Troop Shift to Border, Plays Up Russia’s Intelligence Capabilities
The Kremlin on Monday said Russia’s intelligence services were capable of monitoring military movements along the country’s borders, brushing aside reports that Estonia is shifting troops closer to the Russian border. “There should be no doubt that our Defense Ministry and other relevant services possess the necessary intelligence to properly monitor and assess the situation around our borders,” spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters during a daily briefing.
Russia Sentences ‘Masyanya’ Creator to 4 Years in Absentia Over Anti-War Cartoon
Investigators said the show’s 2023 episode “Idoliada” contained calls for Russian servicemen to surrender, desert and disobey their commanders.
Soviet TV Hypnotist Anatoly Kashpirovsky Dies at 87
Anatoly Kashpirovsky, the Soviet-era hypnotist whose televised “healing sessions” drew enormous audiences in the late 1980s, died on Saturday in Moscow at the age of 87. “Anatoly Mikhailovich passed away from advanced cancer that had spread to his lungs and brain,” Kashpirovsky’s nephew Yury Mamayev told state media. “There was multiple organ failure, meaning that the affected organs simply stopped functioning as a result of the cancer,” the TASS news agency quoted Mamayev as saying.
Ovechkin to Launch His Own Beer Brand in Russia
Washington Capitals star Alexander Ovechkin plans to launch his own beer brand in Russia with a producer owned by Arnest, a group that has rapidly expanded by buying the Russian businesses of departing Western companies.
Krasnodar Mayor Resigns After Contentious Tenure
Naumov’s four-year tenure was marked by local protests and controversies over infrastructure and urban planning decisions.
Officials Seek to Reassure Public After Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute Worker’s Death
Russian health authorities maintain that the health situation in Siberia’s Irkutsk region remains stable amid concerns surrounding the death of a lab worker at a local anti-plague facility, state media reported Sunday.
Dozens Detained at Moscow Communist Party Rally
Moscow police detained around 60 people on Sunday during a Communist Party rally commemorating the 1993 constitutional crisis, after the event spiraled into a protest against alleged fraud during last month’s parliamentary elections.
Russia Says It Hit Kyiv Bridge, 2 Vessels in Black Sea
Russia hit on Sunday the Northern bridge over the Dnipro river in Kyiv, targeting a route used to transport troops and military cargo, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
OPEC+ Agrees to Keep November Oil Output Targets Steady
OPEC+ agreed to keep oil production targets steady for November at a meeting on Sunday, the producer group said, in line with expectations that further output policy adjustments are unlikely until next year. Seven core members of the group comprising the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies including Russia made the decision for November in a brief online meeting on Sunday.
Russia to Intensify Strikes on Ukraine After Zelensky Interview
Russia will intensify strikes on Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Sunday, responding to an interview with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in which he vowed increased attacks on Russian refineries. The ministry said Russian forces would step up attacks on military facilities, defense industry sites and related infrastructure in Kyiv and elsewhere in Ukraine.
Germany's Merz Arrives in Kyiv to the Sound of Sirens and Explosions
The sound of air raid sirens and explosions rang out in Ukraine’s capital Kyiv on Sunday as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived for a visit to show support for President Volodymyr Zelensky amid escalating Russian attacks.
Ukraine Will Hit Russian Refineries in Response to Moscow's ‘New Doctrine’ of Airstrikes
Ukraine will double down on attacking Russian oil refineries in response to a new policy of airstrikes by Moscow designed to force people to abandon Kyiv and other cities, but will not target civilians, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Russia Pledges to Continue Massive Strikes on Kyiv, Urges Foreign Diplomats to Leave City
Russia said on Saturday it would continue to carry out targeted retaliatory strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities and urged foreign nationals and diplomats to leave the capital.
U.S.-Russia Talks on Ukraine Involve Multi-Billion Dollar Oil Deal, NYT Reports
The Trump administration’s talks with Russia on ending the war in Ukraine have expanded to include a multibillion-dollar oil deal that would benefit Middle Eastern business executives with ties to U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the New York Times reported on Saturday.
Ex-Deputy Governor Who Planned to Fight in Ukraine Gets 14 Years for Military Supplies Theft
A Russian court sentenced a former deputy governor of the southern Krasnodar region to 14 years in prison for abuse of authority and organizing the theft of supplies intended for troops fighting in Ukraine, the regional courts’ press service said.
Lukashenko Vows Belarus’ Full Support for Putin on Ukraine
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko reaffirmed his alignment with Russia over its war in Ukraine on Friday, despite highlighting nuances in his own perspective on the conflict.
Nearly 200 People Under Observation After Irkutsk Lab Worker Dies From Plague
Health authorities in Siberia’s Irkutsk region have placed nearly 200 people under medical observation after a laboratory worker died from plague, according to media reports and a statement by a regional leader Friday.
Ex-German Chancellor Schröder Joins Board of German Chain in Russia
Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder has joined the supervisory board of Hyperglobus, the Russian arm of the German superstore chain Globus, business media reported Friday.
Russia Jails Indigenous Buryat Activist 20 Years in Absentia
A military court in Russia’s Zabaikalsky region sentenced Indigenous Buryat activist Marina Khankhalaeva to 20 years in prison in absentia for organizing an extremist group and participating in a terrorist organization, Buryatia’s Interior Ministry announced Friday. Khankhalaeva, 53, is a U.S.-based opera singer and the founder of Tusgaar Buryad-Mongolia, an exiled movement advocating for the Siberian republic of Buryatia’s independence from Russia.
U.S. Blacklists Russia’s A7 Payment Platform Over Alleged Sanctions Evasion
The Treasury accused the A7 network of enabling Iran and others to bypass Western banking restrictions.
Russia Will Consider Partial Lifting of Diesel Export Ban in Case of Overproduction, Novak Says
Russia said on Friday it would consider a partial lifting of diesel export restrictions in case of overproduction, raising the prospect of a possible reprieve for global fuel markets strained by war and supply shortages.
Here's How Russia Plans to Pay for the Ukraine War in 2027
Russia plans to raise defense spending to a post-Soviet high next year while cutting civilian programs and increasing taxes, signaling that the Kremlin is bracing for a prolonged war in Ukraine despite saying it is ready for peace talks.
Fire Sweeps Historic St. Petersburg Mansion
The blaze broke out shortly after 8 p.m. at the Miller Mansion in central St. Petersburg, across from St. Isaac's Cathedral.
Ukrainian Drones Target Volgograd, Krasnodar Industrial Sites
Ukrainian drone attacks targeted industrial facilities in southern Russia’s Volgograd and Krasnodar regions, officials and media reported Friday.
7 Reported Killed in Explosion at Ammunition Plant Near Moscow
Seven people were killed in an explosion at a chemical plant in Russia’s Moscow region, the Telegram news channel Shot reported, as emergency crews responded to a fire at the facility.
Putin Says World Is Living Through a Dangerous Moment, Warns West Not to Escalate
President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday the world was living through a dangerous moment and warned the West not to escalate a standoff over Ukraine by threatening the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, which Moscow has made clear it would defend with nuclear weapons if necessary.
Legendary Striker Artyom Dzyuba Indicates Likely Retirement at 38
Artyom Dzyuba, Russia’s all-time leading scorer and former national football team captain, said Thursday that his professional playing career was likely over.
Kremlin Regrets U.S. Still Links Economic Ties to Peace in Ukraine
Russia believes it could already be working with the United States on mutually beneficial economic projects, the Kremlin said Thursday, calling it unfortunate that Washington was linking progress on such initiatives to a settlement of the conflict in Ukraine. “Regretfully, as before, the Americans link this entire process, despite the obvious benefit, to the Ukrainian settlement,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters during a daily briefing. “They say that first comes the settlement, and only then the implementation of projects.
Russian Orthodox Church Denies That Troops Lost Medieval Warrior Prince’s Relics in Ukraine
Pro-war Telegram channels reported that Russian forces may have lost the relics during a withdrawal in Ukraine’s Donetsk region.
Jailed Gulag Historian in Stable But Precarious Condition After Suspected Stroke, Source Says
Jailed gulag historian Yury Dmitriev is in stable condition after a suspected stroke, but concerns remain over his access to adequate medical care, a person familiar with his case told The Moscow Times on Thursday.
Russian Military Court Orders Senior Training Official Held in Custody
A Moscow military court has ordered a senior Russian general responsible for military training facilities and equipment held in pre-trial detention in a criminal case whose details have not been disclosed, the Kommersant newspaper reported.
Russia Expels ‘Group’ of Hungarian Diplomats in Tit-for-Tat Move
Budapest previously expelled 10 Russian diplomats for activities incompatible with their status, wording that is often used as a euphemism for spying.
Government Submits 3-Year Budget to State Duma as 2026 Deficit Set to Reach $88Bln
The Russian government on Wednesday submitted its three-year draft federal budget for 2027-29 to the State Duma, with this year’s deficit nearly doubling from previous projections, amid soaring war spending.
Russian Pro-War Writers Say State Has Failed Them
Russian writers who back Moscow’s war in Ukraine have complained that they lack state backing and struggle to reach a broad readership, the Ostorozhno Novosti news outlet reported.
Zabaikalsky Region Offers Bounties for Bears as Human Encounters Rise
Authorities in Russia’s Far East Zabaikalsky region have introduced a bounty for bear culling in the region to curb the sharp rise in dangerous encounters with humans. The regional ministry of natural resources on Thursday offered a reward of 15,000 rubles ($180) for every bear hunted.
Vatican Envoy Discusses Humanitarian Issues, Visits POWs in Russia, Foreign Ministry Says
Papal envoy Cardinal Matteo Zuppi discussed humanitarian issues in the Ukraine war in talks with Russian officials and visited Ukrainian prisoners of war, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.
Russian Regions Turn to Residents and Businesses to Fund Bomb Shelters
Authorities in several Russian regions are turning to residents and businesses to pay for bomb shelters and protection against drone attacks, local media reported, as the country restores its civil defense infrastructure amid the war in Ukraine.
Russia Draws Up Measures to Control Bear Population After Spate of Deadly Attacks
The Russian government said on Wednesday it was drawing up urgent measures to control the population of brown bears that has spiraled out of control in some regions, with at least 22 people killed in attacks.
St. Petersburg Plans Officials’ Pay Raises Amid Budget Cuts
Payments to Russian troops fighting in Ukraine and their families would also rise.
Yabloko Leader Demands Investigation After Political Analyst Was Reportedly Tortured During Arrest
Yabloko party Chairman Nikolai Rybakov said Wednesday that he formally asked Russian law enforcement authorities to investigate reports that independent political analyst Alexander Kynev was beaten and tortured following his arrest in Moscow last week.
Moscow Sends Nuclear Warning to NATO as Tensions Rise in the Baltic
Russia has warned NATO that it is willing to resort to the use of nuclear weapons if the Western military alliance tries to enforce a blockade of the Kaliningrad region, a Russian exclave bordering the Baltic Sea.
Garry Kasparov and Ilya Ponomaryov Targeted in Alleged Assassination Plot in U.S., Report Says
A Russian intelligence network planned to assassinate exiled opposition figures Garry Kasparov and Ilya Ponomaryov in the United States this summer, the Spanish newspaper El Mundo reported Tuesday.
Kremlin Denies Talks on Freeing Political Prisoners for U.S. Sanctions Relief
The Kremlin on Wednesday dismissed press reports that it was discussing the release of political prisoners in exchange for easing U.S. sanctions.
Ex-Dagestan Head Sergei Melikov Appointed Senator From Bryansk Region
Sergei Melikov, the former head of the republic of Dagestan, has been appointed as a senator from the western Bryansk region in Russia’s upper-house Federation Council. Melikov, a member of the ruling United Russia party, replaced Vadim Dengin, a member of the far-right Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR) who ran for the lower-house State Duma in this month’s elections.
Government Extends Diesel Export Ban Until End of October
Russia has extended its ban on diesel exports for fuel producers until Oct. 31, the government said on Wednesday, adding further strain to a global energy market already rattled by the wars in Ukraine and Iran.
Bodies of Missing Crew Members Found After Fishing Boat Fire Near Kamchatka
Police investigators said Wednesday that they recovered the remains of four missing crew members of a Russian fishing vessel that caught fire near the Far Eastern Kamchatka peninsula.
Ye Shows in St. Petersburg Officially Canceled After Weeks of Conflicting Reports
The shows, originally scheduled for Oct. 10 and 11 at Gazprom Arena, triggered immediate backlash from conservative Russian politicians due to Ye’s past public support of Nazism.
Ksenia Maximova Went From Top Model to Anti-War Activist to London Councillor. Now She’s Wanted By Russia
Ksenia Maximova was ranked among the world’s 50 most successful models in the 2000s, but today is better known as a prominent figure in Russia’s anti-war movement in London. Since 2022, Maximova has worked to support Ukraine, help anti-war Russian emigres and refugees in Britain and collaborated with the Russian Anti-War Committee.
At Least 6 Crew Members Confirmed Dead After Military Plane Crashes in Amur Region
Six crew members on board a Russian military aircraft that crashed in the Far Eastern Amur region were killed, Russia’s Defense Ministry said Tuesday.
Russia Tightens Cash Outflow Limits to Neighboring Countries
Individuals are now prohibited from taking more than $11,900 in cash to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Russian Summer Air Travel Fell Amid Surge in Daily Drone Attacks
Russian airlines recorded a 7% drop in passenger traffic during the summer travel season, as a surge of daily Ukrainian drone attacks disrupted operations at dozens of airports across the country, the Interfax news agency reported Tuesday.
Putin Envoy, U.S. Officials Discussed Ukraine War and Energy Initiatives, U.S. Official Says
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy Kirill Dmitriev held “constructive” talks with U.S. officials on ending the Ukraine war, including possible U.S.-Russia energy initiatives in the postwar period, a U.S. official said on Tuesday.
Kremlin Denies Orchestrating Arson Attack at Estonian Robotics Plant
Estonia claimed Russia was behind a fire that broke out at Milrem Robotics, which supplies unmanned ground vehicles to Ukraine.
Putin Orders Russian Army to Increase Troop Size to 1.55M
President Vladimir Putin signed an executive order on Monday that raises the strength of the Russian military by 15,500 personnel, bringing the total number of active-duty servicemen to 1.55 million.
Fire at Pyrotechnics Factory in Yaroslavl Region Kills 14
Fourteen people were killed in a fire at a pyrotechnics factory in the Yaroslavl region on Monday, state media reported, citing emergency services.
Government Raises 2027 Military Spending by 27%, Budget Documents Show
Russia plans to spend 17.1 trillion rubles ($202.58 billion) on defense in 2027, around 27% more than the 13.5 trillion rubles originally budgeted and the highest figure since the start of the war in Ukraine in 2022, government documents seen by Reuters showed on Monday.
Russia Has a Budget Problem. Borrowing Its Way Out Won't Be So Simple
Russia’s government debt stands at about 19% of gross domestic product, a figure President Vladimir Putin uses to reassure Russians as the country’s budget deficit widens. The federal budget deficit reached 5.8 trillion rubles ($68.4 billion), or 2.5% of gross domestic product, in the first eight months of 2026, exceeding the 3.8 trillion rubles ($44.8 billion) planned for the entire year. “There is a deficit, but it is not critical given that we have one of the lowest levels of government debt in the world,” Putin said in early September.
Kremlin Seizes Russian Subsidiary of German Retailer Metro
President Vladimir Putin signed an executive order on Monday that places the Russian subsidiary of German retailer Metro AG under “temporary management” of the state.
Book Publisher Individuum Shuts Down After LGBTQ+ ‘Extremism’ Trials
The book publisher Individuum has announced its closure following the criminal prosecution of its senior managers on so-called LGBTQ+ “extremism” charges. “The publishing house Individuum, which was founded in 2015, will cease to exist 11 years later,” editor-in-chief Alexei Kiselyov said in a statement on Monday. He did not explain the reasons behind the decision, describing the closure as “sudden, but not unexpected.” Kiselyov said the books Individuum has been working on in recent months will be released through other publishers.
EU Sanctions Russian Officials Involved in Crackdown Against Yabloko
The European Union on Monday imposed sanctions against 10 Russian officials over the exclusion of the liberal Yabloko party from this month’s parliamentary elections and the recent criminal prosecution of its senior members.
Sacked Army General Appointed Tatarstan’s Deputy PM
Colonel General Alexander Lapin, a controversial Russian military commander dismissed from service last year following battlefield setbacks in Ukraine, has been appointed deputy prime minister of the republic of Tatarstan, officials said Monday, where he will oversee regional policy supporting war veterans and their families.
Over Half a Million People in Russia’s Far East Left Without Water
A major utility outage has cut off running water to more than 650,000 people in the Far Eastern Primorsky region, local emergency officials said Monday.
Russian Government Suspends Audits for Companies Targeted in Ukrainian Attacks
Russia’s government is suspending routine state inspections of companies whose property has been damaged in Ukrainian attacks, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Grigorenko said Monday, describing the temporary measure as a way to reduce bureaucratic red tape during recovery efforts.
Russia Hits Ukraine’s Largest Mobile Provider, Strikes Data Centers
Russia hit the headquarters of Kyivstar, Ukraine’s largest mobile service provider, on Sunday, the company told local media, as Moscow continued a bombardment of Ukrainian data centers and communications infrastructure.
Russian and German FMs Meet for First Time Since Ukraine Invasion
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met his German counterpart Johann Wadephul on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on Saturday, their countries’ first talks at foreign minister level since before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Evan Gershkovich Says His Arrest in Russia Was Carefully Planned FSB Sting
U.S. reporter Evan Gershkovich, in his first detailed published account of his arrest in Russia in 2023, says he was the victim of an elaborate sting operation by the FSB security service.
Russia Can Restart 80% of Black Sea Grain Export Terminals if Attacks Stop – Analysis
Russia could quickly restart up to 80% of its grain terminal capacity in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov if diplomatic efforts to halt mutual attacks by Russia and Ukraine result in a ceasefire, a Reuters analysis of industry data showed on Friday.
St. Petersburg Courts and Moscow Universities Evacuate Following Bomb Threats
Similar evacuations were reported at more than a dozen universities throughout Moscow on Thursday, Russian media reported.
U.S. Proposed New Round of Ukraine Peace Talks in UAE, Zelensky Says
The United States has proposed that the United Arab Emirates host a trilateral meeting with Ukraine and Russia to discuss efforts to end the war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday.
Moscow Police Arrest Political Expert Alexander Kynev on Drug Charges
Political consultant and elections expert Alexander Kynev has been arrested in Moscow on drug charges, the exiled news outlet Mediazona reported Friday.
United Russia Wins Record State Duma Majority in Elections Dubbed as the ‘Most Uncompetitive’ in Modern History
Russia’s ruling party, United Russia, won a record number of seats in the lower-house State Duma, election officials announced Friday in confirming the final results of the country’s first wartime parliamentary elections, an outcome that was all but predetermined in Russia’s tightly controlled political system, where true opposition had been barred from the ballot and public criticism of the war remains illegal.
At Least 2 Killed as Ukraine Strikes Industrial Sites Across Russia
At least two people were killed as Ukraine launched another nightly round of drone strikes across Russia, regional authorities said early Friday, as two oil refineries were reported to have been hit during the air barrage.
Regions Calling: Russia’s Got a Bear Problem
Hello and welcome to Regions Calling, your guide to developments from beyond the Russian capital by The Moscow Times.
State Duma Creates New AI Oversight Committee
Russia’s lower-house State Duma is creating a new committee to oversee artificial intelligence, e-commerce and drone development, officials announced Thursday.
Finance Ministry Unveils 2027 Budget Draft With Fresh Tax Hikes to Fund War Deficit
Russia’s Finance Ministry submitted its draft budget proposal for 2027 on Thursday, introducing a fresh round of tax increases on passive income, e-commerce and corporate windfalls as Moscow struggles to fund soaring military spending.
Krasnodar Region Declares State of Emergency as Ukrainian Strikes Cripple Grain Exports
Southern Russia’s Krasnodar region has declared a state of emergency following weeks of intense Ukrainian strikes against Black Sea ports and shipping infrastructure, which have hobbled export routes and left local farms overflowing with unsold grain, authorities said.
Belarus Claims It Foiled ‘Sabotage’ Plot Targeting Russia
The KGB security service of Belarus said Thursday that it intercepted a group of individuals who were preparing a sabotage attack against a “strategic facility” in neighboring Russia. “The implementation of the sabotage plan was disrupted at the preparation stage,” the KGB said in a statement, claiming the plot was coordinated from neighboring Ukraine.
Kremlin Weighs U.S. Invitation for Putin to Attend G20 Summit in Miami
The Kremlin said Wednesday it appreciates an invitation from the United States for President Vladimir Putin to attend the upcoming G20 summit in Miami, Florida, and will consider whether to accept.