Moscow

Russia says it has test-fired anti-ship missiles in the Sea of Japan

Russia's Defense Ministry says Moscow has test-fired anti-ship missiles in the Sea of Japan. The ministry said on Tuesday that two boats launched a simulated missile attack on a mock enemy warship about 100 kilometers (60 miles) away. The ministry said the target was successfully hit by two Moskit cruise missiles. The Moskit, whose NATO reporting name is the SS-N-22 Sunburn, is a supersonic anti-ship cruise missile that has conventional and nuclear warhead capacity. It says the exercise took place in the Peter The Great Bay in the Sea of Japan but does not give more precise coordinates. Japan's Defense Ministry had no immediate response. The US Navy's 7th Fleet did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Russia's economy holds up amid sanctions, but growing challenges test Putin

Western sanctions have hit Russian banks, wealthy individuals and technology imports. But after a year of far-reaching restrictions aimed at degrading Moscow's war chest, economic life for ordinary Russians doesn't look all that different than it did before the invasion of Ukraine. There's no mass unemployment, no plunging currency, no lines in front of failing banks. The assortment at the supermarket is little changed, with international brands still available or local substitutes taking their place. Crowds might have thinned at some Moscow malls, but not drastically. Some foreign companies like McDonald's and Starbucks have been taken over by local owners who slapped different names on essentially the same menu. Economically, nothing has changed, said Vladimir Zharov, 53, who works in television. "I work as I used to work, I go shopping as I used to. Well, maybe the prices have risen a little bit, but not in such a way that it is very noticeable. Russia's economy has weathered th

Kremlin accuses Ukrainian saboteurs of attack inside Western Russia

The Kremlin on Thursday accused Ukrainian saboteurs of crossing into western Russia and firing on villagers. Ukraine denied the claim and warned that Moscow could use the allegations to justify stepping up its own attacks in the ongoing war. The exact circumstances of the alleged attack reported in the Bryansk region were unclear, including what the strategic purpose of such an assault might be. If confirmed, it would be another indication following drone attacks earlier this week that Kyiv may be stepping up pressure against Moscow by exposing Russian defensive weaknesses, embarrassing the Kremlin and sowing unease among Russian civilians. Russian President Vladimir Putin blamed Ukrainian terrorists for an incursion, claiming that they deliberately targeted civilians, including children in "yet another terror attack, another crime. They infiltrated the area near the border and opened fire on civilians, Putin said during a video call. They saw a civilian vehicle with civilians, wit

Moscow opens the 70-km Big Circle Line, longest subway in the world

Moscow has opened the 70-km Big Circle Line (BCL), the longest subway line in the world.

Lessons from a year of war

Nine errors from Moscow, and one thing Kyiv got right

G20 tussles over Ukraine war as West steps up sanctions against Moscow

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen accused Russian officials at the two-day Group of Twenty (G20) meeting in the Indian city of Bengaluru of being "complicit" in war atrocities

UNGA approves nonbinding resolution calling for Russia to leave Ukraine

The UN General Assembly approved a nonbinding resolution on Thursday that calls for Russia to end hostilities in Ukraine and demands the withdrawal of its forces, sending a strong message on the eve of the first anniversary of the invasion that Moscow's aggression must end. The 141-7 vote with 32 abstentions was slightly below the highest vote for the five previous resolutions approved by the 193-member world body since Russia sent troops and tanks across the border into its smaller neighbor on February 24, 2022. The General Assembly has become the most important UN body dealing with Ukraine because the Security Council, which is charged with maintaining international peace and security, is paralysed by Russia's veto power. Its resolutions are not legally binding, unlike Security Council resolutions, but serve as a barometer of world opinion. Foreign ministers and diplomats from more than 75 countries addressed the assembly during two days of debate, with many urging support for th

UN chief Guterres warns 'no time to lose' for ending Russia Ukraine war

General Assembly met for an emergency session with an expected vote on a resolution condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine, UN has called Moscow's action "an affront to our collective conscience"

Russian forces continue to shell Ukraine amid grinding push in east

Russian forces over the weekend continued to shell Ukrainian cities amid a grinding push to seize more land in the east of the country, with Ukrainian officials saying that Moscow is having trouble launching its much-anticipated large-scale offensive there. One person was killed and one more was wounded on Sunday morning by the shelling of Nikopol, a city in the southeastern Dnipropetrovsk region, Gov. Serhii Lysak reported. The shelling damaged four residential buildings, a vocational school and a water treatment facility. In Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city, one person was wounded after three Russian S-300 missiles hit infrastructure facilities overnight, regional Gov. Oleh Syniehubov said. Ukrainian forces also downed five drones four Shahed killer drones and one Orlan-10 reconnaissance drone over the partially occupied Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions on Saturday evening, Kyiv's military reported. The attacks come as Russian forces push to take over more land in the ...

Russia strikes attacks in Ukraine as bombardments gather pace: Kyiv

Russian forces unleashed a barrage of missile and drone strikes against targets in eastern and southern Ukraine early Friday, as a Moscow offensive that has been brewing for days appeared to pick up pace ahead of the one-year anniversary of its invasion. The Kremlin's forces focused their bombardments on Ukraine's industrial east, especially the Luhansk and Donetsk provinces, the Ukrainian military said. Moscow-backed separatists have been fighting Ukrainian forces there since 2014. The barrage struck critical infrastructure in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city in the northeast, and hit energy infrastructure in Zaporizhzhia in the southeast. Air raid sirens went off across much of the country. Zaporizhzhia City Council Secretary Anatolii Kurtiev said the city had been hit 17 times in one hour, which he said made it the most intense period of attacks since the beginning of the full-scale invasion on February 24 2022. The bombardments could be an effort by Russia to soften up ..

Iranian drone maker sanctioned by US for allegedly supplying to Moscow

The US on Friday hit six executives and board members of an Iranian drone manufacturer with sanctions after the firm allegedly supplied Moscow with drones that Russian forces have been using to attack Ukraine. Qods Aviation Industries, a previously sanctioned Iranian defence manufacturer, is alleged to be responsible for the design and production of unmanned aerial vehicles used to conduct strikes on civilians during Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The Treasury Department says the firm changed its name to Light Airplanes Design and Manufacturing Industries in mid-2020 to evade sanctions. The financial penalties imposed by Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control highlight the growing tension between the US and Iran over reviving the 2015 nuclear deal as well as US allegations of Russia and Iran deepening cooperation through shared military assistance as the war rages on. Iran has now become Russia's top military backer, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement. Iran m

India helped in grain deal between Moscow and Kyiv, says EAM Jaishankar

India tried to defuse the situation around Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and quietly helped in the grain deal between Moscow and Kyiv, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said even as he vehemently rejected charges of New Delhi being a war profiteer over its procurement of discounted Russian oil. The external affairs minister also described the cap on the price of Russian crude oil as a Western decision that was taken without any consultations with India, asserting that New Delhi will never automatically sign into what others have cooked up. In an interview to 'Die Press' newspaper of Austria, Jaishankar while replying to a question on the Ukraine conflict, indicated India's readiness to contribute towards defusing the situation. "If we can help, we stand ready. And we have already helped -- very quietly on the grain deal, for example. We also tried to defuse the situation around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant," he said. Jaishankar was asked whether he see

French defence chief vsists Ukraine, pledges army equipment, $212 million

France's defence minister on Wednesday pledged further military support for Ukraine insisting his government's backing is unflagging while efforts are also being made with Moscow to reach an eventual negotiated end to Russia's invasion. French Minister for the Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu said his trip to Kyiv was important to identify the priorities of the Ukrainian defence ministry. France's support will include a 200 million euro (US$212 million) fund that would allow Ukraine to purchase weapons, Lecornu said. Lecornu travelled to Ukraine's capital after a trip to Poland, where he announced a deal Tuesday to sell Poland two French-made military satellites. While France has been less vocal about its military support for Ukraine than the United States and Britain, the country has sent a steady supply of weapons to Ukraine since Russia invaded on Feb. 24. France hosted two aid conferences for Ukraine this month. But many in Ukraine remain critical of Paris' response to the war

US 'containing' others, world should be multi-polar: Russian leader

The world should be multi-polar, but the US attempts to restrain the development of other countries to maintain its hegemony, said Vyacheslav Volodin, Chairman of the Russian State Duma

Russia unleashes missile attacks but Ukraine says most shot down

Russia on Monday unleashed what Ukrainian authorities called the latest massive missile attack across their country, striking homes and buildings, killing civilians, and disrupting electrical power and water supplies in areas notably in the Black Sea port city of Odesa. Ukraine's air force claimed it shot down more than 60 of the 70 missiles fired. Hours earlier, explosions rocked two air bases deep inside Russia, and the Defense Ministry in Moscow said it had shot down two Ukrainian drones attacking the sites, and that three Russian servicemen were killed by falling debris and four others were wounded. The attacks at the bases in the Saratov region on the Volga River and the Dyagilevo base in the Ryazan region in western Russia raised the threat of a dangerous escalation in the war. Kyiv had not commented on the explosions at the Russian bases. Russian President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, drove a car across a bridge linking his country to the Crimean Peninsula following its repai

India's existing deep discounts on Russian crude oil will stay: Officials

A record 24.8 percent of India's crude oil imports came from Russia in the April-September period

What's the effect of Russian oil price cap, ban for western govts?

Western governments are aiming to cap the price of Russia's oil exports in an attempt to limit the fossil fuel earnings that support Moscow's budget, its military and the invasion of Ukraine. The cap is supposed to take effect Monday, the same day the European Union will impose a boycott on most Russian oil its crude that is shipped by sea. The EU was moving closer to a USD 60-per-barrel threshold, but negotiations were still underway on Friday. The twin measures could have an uncertain effect on the price of oil as worries over lost supply through the boycott compete with fears about lower demand from a slowing global economy. Here is what to know about the price cap, the EU embargo and what they could mean for consumers and the global economy: WHAT IS THE PRICE CAP AND HOW WOULD IT WORK? US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has proposed the cap with other Group of 7 allies as a way to limit Russia's earnings while keeping Russian oil flowing to the global economy. The aim: hurt

Russian shelling cuts off power again in liberated Ukrainian city

Russian shelling cut off power in much of the recently liberated Ukrainian city of Kherson on Thursday, just days after it was restored amid Moscow's ongoing drive to destroy key civilian infrastructure as freezing weather sets in. In Kyiv, Mayor Vitali Klitschko warned the capital's millions of residents that they should stock up on water and preserved food to see them through a winter that could prove miserable if more energy infrastructure is damaged. He also urged people to consider leaving the city to stay with friends or family elsewhere, if possible. Trying months lie ahead. The enemy still possesses substantial resources, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said. He added, however, that "signs are accumulating that (Russia) needs a pause at all costs. Ukraine has faced a blistering onslaught of Russian artillery fire and drone attacks since early October. The shelling has been especially intense in Kherson since Russian forces withdrew and Ukraine's army reclaimed t

India asked by sanctions-hit Russia for parts for key sectors: Report

Moscow has sent India a list of more than 500 products for potential delivery including parts for cars, aircraft, and trains

Russia bears responsibility, says Nato as missile strike kills 2 in Poland

The incident roiled financial markets early in the day amid fears that geopolitical tensions may flare up further