Page 24 - Russia

Russian military personnel based in Crimea piloting Iranian drones: US

The US has alleged that Russian military personnel based in Crimea have been piloting Iranian drones and asserted that it will pursue all means to expose, deter and confront Iran's provision of these munitions against the Ukrainian people. John Kirby, NSC Coordinator for Strategic Communications, also claimed that there was clear evidence that Iranian military personnel were on the ground in Crimea. We can confirm that Russian military personnel that are based in Crimea have been piloting Iranian UAVs, using them to conduct strikes across Ukraine, including strikes against Kyiv in just recent days, Kirby told reporters during a conference call here on Thursday. We assess that Iranian military personnel were on the ground in Crimea and assisted Russia in these operations. Russia has received dozens of UAVs so far and will likely continue to receive additional shipments in the future, he said. Furthermore, in light of Russia's ongoing supply shortages, he said the US is concerned tha

Ukraine's vital infrastructure threatened by Russia in war's new phase

When a missile struck a power station less than a mile from his apartment on the outskirts of Kyiv, Oleksander Maystrenko didn't panic, run to a bomb shelter or consider evacuating, even though he lives close to what suddenly has become the Russian military's main target in the war: anything related to Ukraine's vital infrastructure. His neighbours also haven't budged, despite the fact that Tuesday's attack marked by a loud explosion killed three people, severely damaged two facilities inside the plant's compound and temporarily knocked out power to about 50,000 households, according to Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko. We aren't afraid because we aren't just prepared logistically; we are morally prepared, Maystrenko said outside his apartment building, where he and two neighbours sat on a bench and smoked only hours after the attack. This is what the latest phase of Russia's nearly eight-month-old war in Ukraine looks like. Moscow has openly declared its intention to increasingly ..

UCO Bank, Yes Bank in talks with Russia to finalise trade mechanism: Report

Indian lenders UCO Bank and Yes Bank are in talks with their Russian counterparts over a payment mechanism for trade between the two countries

Russia asks Philippines to honour purchase deal of 16 military helicopters

Russia wants the Philippine government to honour a signed contract to purchase 16 military heavy-lift helicopters, which the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte had cancelled due to fears of possible US sanctions. Moscow's ambassador to Manila, Marat Pavlov, told reporters on Wednesday night that the Philippine government has not officially notified Russia of its decision to cancel the deal and a Russian company was proceeding to manufacture the Mi-17 helicopters after the Philippines made an initial payment. Filipino pilots, who would operate the helicopters, have undergone Russian training, he said. The Russian aircraft manufacturer was ready to deliver one of the helicopters in June but unfortunately, it was not accepted by your government, the ambassador said. We are ready to fulfill all our obligations as a reliable partner of the Philippine side in the field of technical military cooperation and we consider that it will also be done by the Philippines, Pavlov .

Russia-Ukraine war: Putin finds himself tested even by most reliable allies

Central Asia remains tethered to Russia through basics like trade and pipelines, and that won't change overnight

Putin declares martial law in four unilaterally annexed regions of Ukraine

Putin also instructed the government to set up a special coordinating council under Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin to work with Russia's regions to boost Moscow's war effort in Ukraine

Spotty policies, Ukraine war darken India's climate change targets

The conflict will hamper further India's slow progress in meeting key goals

Russia's Iran made drones complicate Israel's balancing act with the West

The Iranian-made drones that Russia sent slamming into central Kyiv this week have complicated Israel's balancing act between Russia and the West. Israel has stayed largely on the sidelines since Russia's invasion of Ukraine last February so as not to damage its strategic relationship with the Kremlin. Although Israel has sent humanitarian aid to Ukraine, it has refused Kyiv's frequent requests to send air defense systems and other military equipment and refrained from enforcing strict economic sanctions on Russia and the many Russian-Jewish oligarchs who have second homes in Israel. But with news of Moscow's deepening ties with Tehran, Israel's sworn foe, pressure is growing on Israel to back Ukraine in the grinding war. Israel has long fought a shadowy war with Iran across the Middle East by land, sea and air. Lt. Col. Richard Hecht, a military spokesman, said the suicide drone attack in Ukraine had raised new concerns in Israel. We're looking at it closely and thinking about how

Russian commander admits situation 'tense' in Ukraine's Kherson region

Sergei Surovikin, the new unified Russian battlefield commander in Ukraine, has admitted that the situation in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson is "tense"

India-Russia JV hopes for $5 bn in supersonic missile exports by 2025

The joint venture, with a 50.5% Indian and 49.5% Russian partnership, fits into PM Modi's flagship make-in-India programme

ONGC Videsh making a proposal to retake 20% stake in Russia's Sakhalin-1

ONGC Videsh Ltd, the overseas arm of state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), is making a proposal to retake 20 per cent stake in Russia's Sakhalin-1 oil and gas project in the far east, sources said. Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this month disbanded Exxon Neftegaz - a regional subsidiary of US supermajor ExxonMobil - as operator of the Sakhalin-1 and transferred the project and all of its assets and equipment to a new operator. The other former foreign shareholders in the project - Japan's Sodeco consortium and ONGC Videsh - have to apply to the Russian government to regain their shareholdings in the project. OVL is in the process of applying to regain the 20 per cent stake it held in the project, three sources aware of the matter said. "We want to retain the shareholding and will do all that the local law requires us to do," a source said. Sakhalin-1 is OVL's cash cow and without the project, the company will be a loss-making entity, another source ...

Russian warplane crashes into residential area near Sea of Azov, killing 13

A Russian warplane crashed into a residential area in a Russian city on the Sea of Azov after suffering engine failure, leaving at least four people dead, three of whom died when they jumped from upper floors of a nine-storey apartment building to escape a massive blaze. A Su-34 bomber came down in the port city of Yeysk after one of its engines caught fire during takeoff for a training mission on Monday, the Russian Defence Ministry said. It said both crew members bailed out safely, but the plane crashed into a residential area, causing a fire as tons of fuel exploded on impact. Authorities said at least four residents were killed, six were missing and 25 others were injured, including eight people who were in grave condition. Vice governor of the region, Anna Menkova, said three of the four victims died when they jumped from the upper floors of the building in a desperate attempt to escape the flames, according to the RIA-Novosti news agency. The authorities reserved emergency ro

Attack of the Kamikaze drones: Russia's Iranian wildcard in Ukraine war

The drones loiter and then hit a target precisely, reducing the risk to ground troops

Russia releases 108 captive Ukrainian women in latest prison exchange

Russia has released 108 Ukrainian women as part of the latest prisoner exchange between the two warring countries, authorities in Kyiv confirmed

Putin's war escalation in Ukraine is hastening demographic crash for Russia

Plans by Putin's government had set the goal of starting to reverse the decline in the population in 2022 before growth should resume in 2030

ONGC eyes stake in Russian entity managing Sakhalin 1, says report

India's Oil and Natural Gas Corp plans to take a stake in the new Russian entity that will manage the Sakhalin 1 project in the far east

Ukraine War: What are Kamikaze drones deployed by the Russian military?

As Russia has unleashed a wave of Kamikaze drones on Ukraine for the second time, let's understand what is this weapon and how does it work

Multiple explosions rock Kyiv as Ukraine reports 'Kamikaze' drone attacks

Ukraine's capital city Kyiv was rocked by multiple explosions early on Monday in an attack by "Kamikaze" drones, an Ukrainian official said.Andriy Yermak, head of the presidential office of Ukraine, said kamikaze drones were attacking the city."The Russians think it will help them, but these actions look like desperation," Yermak said in a statement, blaming Russia for the attack, CNN reported.Several residential buildings were damaged in the attack.In a Telegram message, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the "drone attack" caused a "fire in a non-residential building."Kyiv says Moscow has used Iranian-supplied drones in the strikes against Kyiv, Vinnytsia, Odesa, Zaporizhzhia and other cities across Ukraine in recent weeks, and pleaded with Western countries to step up their assistance in the face of the new challenge, CNN reported.At least three explosions were heard in the Ukrainian capital at around 6:45 a.m. local time on Monday as a result of apparent Russian strikes, according ..

Russia military range shooting leaves 11 dead, 15 wounded near Ukraine

The Russian Defense Ministry said that two volunteer soldiers fired at other troops at a Russian military firing range near Ukraine, killing 11 and wounding 15 others, before getting killed. The ministry said in a statement that the shooting took place in the Belgorod region in southwestern Russia that borders Ukraine. It said that the two volunteers from an unnamed ex-Soviet nation fired on other soldiers during target practice and were killed by return fire. The ministry called the incident a terrorist attack.

Russia trying to kill Starlink internet services in Ukraine: Musk

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said that his Starlink is the only internet service left in Ukraine, and Russia is actively trying to kill it too