Page 23 - Russia

Russia may again block Antarctic marine protections during Australia meet

Call it a cold war. Delegations from Russia and Ukraine are among those meeting in Australia this week to decide the future of Antarctica's pristine waters. Conservationists say new marine protected areas and rules to prevent overfishing are desperately needed, but that Russia could use its veto-like powers to once again block progress. Achieving the required consensus for action among this diverse group of 27, which also includes China, the United States and the European Union, has always been an immense challenge. And when two of the members are at war and relations between China and many Western nations have deteriorated consensus looms as an even bigger obstacle. Just this month, Russian bombing in Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, partially destroyed Ukraine's Antarctic research center. Yet despite the enormous political hurdles, some remain hopeful that scientific arguments will win through. The U.S. is paying more attention to the region under President Joe Biden, and this year ha

Russia, NATO hold nuclear drills as more than 40 Ukraine villages pounded

NATO and Russia's military alike staged planned annual nuclear exercises Wednesday as the Russian president repeated the unfounded claim that Ukraine plans to set off a radioactive dirty bomb. On the battlefront, Russian forces pounded more than 40 Ukrainian villages over the past day. Russian President Vladimir Putin remotely monitored the drills of his strategic nuclear forces, which involved multiple practice launches of ballistic and cruise missiles in a show of force. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to Putin that the exercise simulated a massive nuclear strike retaliating for a nuclear attack on Russia. The Biden administration said Russia provided advance notice of the annual drills. NATO is carrying out its own long-planned annual nuclear exercises in northwestern Europe. Without providing any evidence, in remarks carried by Russian TV, Putin said Ukraine plans to use a so-called dirty bomb' as a provocation and contended the United States was using Ukraine

Russia's VTB Bank opens 'vostro' account in India for rupee-based trade

Russia's No.2 lender VTB said it had opened a special "vostro" account at its Indian branch that would allow for the more active use of Indian rupees in payments under import and export contracts

Russia fires rockets at 40 Ukrainian villages, renews 'dirty bomb' claims

Russia targeted more than 40 villages around Ukraine over the past day, Ukrainian officials said on Wednesday, killing at least two people and sustaining the terror that forces people into air raid shelters each night. Russian forces launched five rockets, 30 air strikes and more than 100 multiple-launch rocket system attacks on Ukrainian targets, the Ukrainian armed forces general staff said. The attacks come as fears are growing that Russia, facing setbacks on the battlefield, could try to detonate a device that uses explosives to scatter radioactive waste in an effort to sow terror. Russia's defence minister called his counterparts from India and China to convey Moscow's concern about a purported Ukrainian plan to use such a so-called dirty bomb, repeating an allegation that Ukraine and the West have strongly refuted. Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu voiced Moscow's concern about possible Ukrainian provocations involving a dirty bomb in the calls with his Indian counterpart, Rajna

Russia recruiting Afghan soldiers trained by US to fight in Ukraine: Report

Afghan commandos who had been trained by Allied forces to fight the Taliban are now being recruited by Russia to fight in Ukraine, a media report said

Kremlin: Putin monitors drills of Russia's nuclear forces amid hostilities

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday monitored drills of the country's strategic nuclear forces involving multiple practice launches of ballistic and cruise missiles, the Kremlin said. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to Putin that the drills were intended to simulate a massive nuclear strike by Russia in retaliation for a nuclear attack on Russia. The exercise comes amid soaring Russia-West tensions over Moscow's actions in Ukraine. The Kremlin said in a statement that all tasks set for the exercise were fulfilled and all the missiles that were test-fired reached their designated targets. Washington has said that Moscow informed it about the drills in advance. The Russian exercise comes amid Moscow's warnings of a purported Ukrainian plot to detonate a radioactive device commonly known as a dirty bomb in a false flag attack to blame Russia. Ukraine and its allies strongly reject the allegation.

Nuclear option should not be resorted to by any side: Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday told his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu that the Ukraine conflict should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy and the nuclear option should not be resorted to by any side. In telephonic talks, Shoigu briefed Singh on the evolving situation in Ukraine, including his concerns about possible "provocations through use of 'dirty bomb'", the defence ministry said. The conversation took place at the initiative of the Russian defence minister amid escalation of hostilities between Russia and Ukraine. "Singh reiterated India's position on the need to pursue the path of dialogue and diplomacy for an early resolution of the conflict," the ministry said. "He pointed out that the nuclear option should not be resorted to by any side as the prospect of the usage of nuclear or radiological weapons goes against the basic tenets of humanity," it said. It said the two ministers also discussed bilateral defence cooperation as well as the deteriorat

Russia, Belarus ambassadors barred from Nobel ceremony in Stockholm

The ambassadors of Russia and Belarus have been excluded from this year's Nobel Prize ceremony in Stockholm because of the war in Ukraine. The Nobel Foundation, a private foundation which administers the prestigious awards, normally invites ambassadors stationed in Sweden to the annual award ceremony on Dec. 10. But due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Nobel Foundation has chosen not to invite the ambassadors of Russia and Belarus to the Nobel Prize ceremony in Stockholm, it said in a statement Tuesday. The foundation also said it would continue its practice of inviting the leaders of all parties in the Swedish Parliament, except the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats. The group, which has sought to distance itself from its far-right roots, won more than 20% of the vote in Sweden's Sept. 11 election to become the country's second biggest political party and a close partner of the new center-right government. The Nobel Foundation said it saw no reason to reconsider its previous

Moscow bans more EU figures from entering nation for anti-Russian actions

The Russian Foreign Ministry barred more persons of the European Union member states from entering Russia in response to their "anti-Russian" actions

Sunak speaks with Zelenskyy; Russia says 'no hopes' for better ties with UK

Newly appointed UK PM Rishi Sunak held a conversation with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskyy and expressed UK's solidarity and support for the Ukrainian people

Vladimir Putin scrambles to boost weapons production for Ukraine war

Russian President Vladimir Putin, facing bureaucratic delays and mounting losses, urged his government Tuesday to cut through bureaucracy to crank out enough weapons and supplies to feed the war in Ukraine, where a Western-armed Ukrainian counteroffensive has set back Russia's forces. In other developments, Ukrainian authorities asked citizens not to return home and further tax the country's battered energy infrastructure, and Western countries mulled how to rebuild Ukraine when the war ends. The Russian military's shortfalls in the eight-month war have been so pronounced that Putin had to create a structure to try to address them. On Tuesday, he chaired a new committee designed to accelerate the production and delivery of weapons and supplies for Russian troops, stressing the need to gain higher tempo in all areas. Russian news reports have acknowledged that many of those called up under a mobilisation of 300,000 reservists Putin ordered haven't been provided with basic equipment .

Russian exports jump over 25% to $431 billion in January-September

Russian exports jumped by 25.4 per cent year on year to $431 billion in the first nine months of 2022, a senior official has said.

Progressive Democrats urge Biden to seek diplomatic solution on Ukraine

The 30 Democrats, led by Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal, said in a letter to Biden that it was in the interest of the US and Ukraine to avert an extended conflict

Foreign pressures, propaganda won't disrupt Iran's pursuit of progress: FM

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has said that foreign "pressures and propaganda" will not disrupt the determination of the Iranian nation and govt in treading the path of progress

Iran signs contract to export 40 homegrown gas turbines to Russia

Iran has signed a contract with Russia to export 40 homegrown gas turbines to the country.

Russian warplane falls on residential building in Siberia; 2 pilots die

A Russian warplane slammed into a residential building in the Siberian city of Irkutsk on Sunday, killing both crewmembers, authorities said. It was the second time in less than a week that a combat jet crashed in a residential area in Russia. The Irkutsk region's governor, Igor Kobzev, said the Su-30 fighter jet came down on a private, two-story building housing two families. He said that there were no casualties on the ground as the building's five residents were out at the moment of the crash. He said the residents would be offered temporary accommodation and compensation. The cause of the crash wasn't immediately known and an official probe has started. On Oct. 17, an Su-34 bomber crashed near an apartment building in the Sea of Azov port of Yeysk and exploded in a giant fireball, killing 15 and injuring another 19. The crashes might reflect the growing strain that the fighting in Ukraine has put on the Russian air force. The United Aircraft Corporation, a state-controlled .

Russian oil logistics in chaos with weeks until EU sanctions bite

With about six weeks until the bloc's measures enter into force, little clarity exists on whether these steps will really suffice to help Russia to get much of its output to fend off a supply shock

Fears over Russian threat looms on Norway's energy infrastructure

Norwegian oil and gas workers normally don't see anything more threatening than North Sea waves crashing against the steel legs of their offshore platforms. But lately they have noticed a more troubling sight: unidentified drones buzzing in the skies overhead. With Norway replacing Russia as Europe's main source of natural gas, military experts suspect the unmanned aircraft are Moscow's doings. They list espionage, sabotage and intimidation as possible motives for the drone flights. The Norwegian government has sent warships, coastguard vessels and fighter jets to patrol around the offshore facilities. Norway's national guard stationed soldiers around onshore refineries that also were buzzed by drones. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre has invited the navies of NATO allies Britain, France and Germany to help address what could be more than a Norwegian problem. Precious little of the offshore oil that provides vast income for Norway is used by the country's 5.4 million inhabitants. ..

Ukraine bombards Russian positions at river crossing; Kherson a fortress

Ukrainian forces bombarded Russian positions in the occupied and illegally annexed southern Kherson region, targeting resupply routes across a major river while inching closer to a full assault on one of the first urban areas Russia captured after invading the country. Russian-installed officials were reported desperately trying to turn the city of Kherson, a prime objective for both sides because of its key industries and major river and sea port, into a fortress while attempting to evacuate tens of thousands of residents. The Kremlin poured as many as 2,000 draftees into the Kherson region one of four Moscow illegally annexed and put under Russian martial law to replenish losses and strengthen front-line units, according to the Ukrainian army's general staff. The Dnieper River figures prominently in the regional battle because it serves critical functions crossings for supplies, troops and civilians; drinking water for southern Ukraine and the annexed Crimean Peninsula; and pow

Ukraine piles pressure on Russian-held Kherson, targets resupply routes

Ukrainian forces piled pressure on Russian positions in occupied Kherson, targeting resupply routes across a major river while inching closer Friday to making a full-scale assault on one of the first urban areas Russia captured after invading the country. As many as 2,000 Russian draftees have poured into the Kherson region - one of four provinces illegally annexed by Moscow - to replenish losses and strengthen units on the front line," according to the Ukrainian army's general staff. The deputy head of the Kremlin-installed regional administration in Kherson, Kirill Stremousov, said Ukrainian shelling of a Dnieper River crossing killed at four civilians late Thursday. Vadim Ilmiyev, the top health official, said 13 others were wounded in the attack. Natalia Humeniuk, a spokesperson for Ukraine's southern operational command, confirmed the Antonivskyi Bridge was struck but only after the start of a 10 p.m. local curfew to avoid civilian casualties. We do not attack civilians and ..