Russia strongly condemned the US seizure of an oil tanker on Thursday, signaling a further chill in relations between Moscow and Washington that could spill over into other areas and hurt President Donald Trump’s efforts to persuade Russia to end its nearly four-year war in Ukraine. Wednesday’s capture of the Russian-flagged tanker in the North … Read more
Russia continues to adapt and evolve its copies of the long-range one-way attack drone Shahed-136, known locally as Geran, now arming it with a man-portable air defense system (MANPADS). These are more commonly referred to as shoulder-launched heat-seeking missiles. The development follows an earlier version of the drone that carries a single R-60 air-to-air missile, … Read more
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — President Volodymyr Zelensky named Ukraine’s military intelligence chief Friday as his new chief of staff, a move that comes as the U.S. leads a diplomatic effort to end Russia’s nearly 4-year-old invasion. Announcing the appointment of General Kyrylo Budanov, Zelensky said Ukraine must focus on security issues, developing its defense and … Read more
As far as the Russians were concerned, they had taken their man. Denis Kapustin, one of the leading anti-Putin Russians fighting on behalf of Ukraine, was pronounced dead on December 27, killed by a drone on the southern front. He had long been hunted by Moscow and the price on his head reflected this: Russian … Read more
It appeared, at least superficially, to have been one of the best face-to-face meetings between Presidents Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky, their sixth in a year in which this relationship has reached breaking point and requires regular and painstaking repair. The mood as they emerged from the dining room at Mar-a-Lago was conciliatory. Zelensky was … Read more
When Vladimir Putin made a four-day trip to visit Xi Jinping in September, he addressed his Chinese counterpart as “dear friend”. Speaking to Xi at a vast orchid exhibition in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, the Russian president claimed their ties were “at an unprecedented level”. Certainly, on the surface, it appears that China’s … Read more
KIIV, Ukraine (AP) — Initial drafts of U.S. proposals for a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia meet many of Kiev’s demands, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday, although he suggested that neither side in the nearly four-year war will get everything they want in talks to reach a deal. “In general, it seems quite … Read more
Russia has accused Ukraine of carrying out a series of high-profile attacks against prominent Russians since Moscow invaded its neighbor nearly four years ago. While Kiev has hinted at its involvement in some cases, Ukrainian officials have often stopped short of publicly claiming responsibility. In other cases, they denied any involvement. A Russian general was … Read more
Two NATO nations’ intelligence services suspect Russia is developing a new anti-satellite weapon to target Elon Musk’s Starlink constellation with destructive clouds of shrapnel in orbit, with the aim of curbing Western space superiority that has aided Ukraine on the battlefield. Intelligence findings seen by The Associated Press say the so-called “area effect” weapon would … Read more
MOSCOW (AP) — President Vladimir Putin stressed Friday that Moscow’s troops are advancing on the battlefield in Ukraine and expressed confidence that the Kremlin will achieve its military goals if Kiev does not agree to Russia’s terms in peace talks. Speaking at the tightly orchestrated annual news conference, which lasted about 4 1/2 hours, Putin … Read more