KIEV | Xinhua | Ukraine and Russia carried out their largest prisoner swap since February 2022, the Coordinating Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War said Wednesday. Under the exchange, 230 Ukrainian captives, including six civilians, had been returned from Russian custody, the agency said. Among those freed are …
Read More »Russian air defense intercepts 14 HIMARS, Olkha shells of Ukrainian forces in a day
MOSCOW | TASS | Over the past 24 hours, Russian air defense systems have intercepted 14 HIMARS and Olkha shells, and also destroyed 31 Ukrainian drones, the Russian Defense Ministry reported. “During the day, air defense systems intercepted 14 rockets fired from the HIMARS and Vilkha multiple launch rocket systems. …
Read More »21 killed in Ukrainian shelling attacks on Russia’s border city Belgorod: governor
MOSCOW/KIEV, UKRAINE | Xinhua | The Ukrainian shelling of the Russian border city of Belgorod has caused 21 deaths, including three children, and damage in 30 apartment buildings, Vyacheslav Gladkov, governor of the Belgorod region, said Sunday. “The number of dead has increased to 21 people, of whom three …
Read More »Putin: Russia uninterested in war with NATO
MOSCOW | Xinhua | Russia has no interest in having war with NATO countries, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday. In an interview with a local TV channel, Putin refuted the claims that Russia may attack NATO as “absurd and a figure of speech.” Moscow and NATO countries “have …
Read More »Russia’s gold reserves worth hits new record
ST. PETERSBURG | Xinhua | The value of Russia’s gold reserves has exceeded 150 billion U.S. dollars for the first time in contemporary history, due to the rise in gold prices, RIA Novosti news agency reported on Thursday. The value of Russia’s gold investments in November increased by 2.2 percent, …
Read More »Putin visits UAE, Saudi Arabia to discuss ties, regional issues
Dubai, UAE | Xinhua | Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday paid visits to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia to discuss ties and other issues of common concern. During Putin’s meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi, the two sides explored …
Read More »How the West lost Russia
A visit to Russia and witnessing the lost opportunities for cooperation with the West THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda | This week, I landed in St. Petersburg, my first time to visit Russia, to attend a BRICS conference. There were very few people at the airport, so I went through immigration …
Read More »Russia stays committed to nuclear test ban treaty after withdrawing ratification: foreign ministry
Vladivostok, Russia | Xinhua | Despite withdrawing its ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), Russia remains committed to the treaty and its obligations, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced on Friday. The ministry said in a statement that Russia is still a signatory to the CTBT and will …
Read More »Russia to increase defense spending in 2024: Kremlin
Moscow, Russia | Xinhua | It is necessary for Russia to increase defense spending in 2024, due to the hybrid war that is being waged against the country, the Kremlin said Thursday. “It is clear that such an increase is … absolutely necessary,” local media reported, citing Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry …
Read More »Russia places ICC president on Wanted list
Moscow, Russia | Xinhua | The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs has placed President of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Piotr Hofmanski on the country’s wanted list, local media reported Monday. “Hofmanski Piotr Jozef, Polish. Wanted under an article of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation,” TASS reported, citing …
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