Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed crowds at Moscow's Red Square on Victory Day, emphasizing readiness to combat external threats and showcasing military power. The annual event commemorates the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. Despite a smaller display of soldiers and military gear than last year, Russia is making advances in Ukraine. Putin stressed Russia's commitment to prevent global confrontation but asserted readiness to defend against threats. The event, honoring the 27 million Soviet lives lost in WWII, featured 9,000 participants and 70 military pieces. World leaders including Lukashenko, Tokayev, Rahmon, Berdimuhamedow, Diaz-Canel, Sisoulith, and Embalo were invited.
Troops and tanks are gathering in Moscow for Russia's Victory Day celebrations, coinciding with Putin's latest presidential inauguration following a controversial election. The annual event marks the country's role in defeating Nazi Germany in World War II. The display comes as Russia faces reports of losing 1,000 troops daily in the Ukraine invasion. Putin, attending Easter mass, faces criticism for rocket attacks in Ukraine. Victory Day, on May 9, commemorates Nazi Germany's surrender in 1945. This year's event follows Putin's inauguration, marking his continuation of power since 1999.
Russia celebrates Victory Day to commemorate the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two as tensions rise with the West due to Russian troops advancing against Ukraine. Vladimir Putin speaks at the parade, framing the war as a struggle with the West. The Soviet Union lost 27 million people in World War Two, including many in Ukraine, and eventually defeated Nazi Germany. The current crisis sees Russia controlling parts of Ukraine, facing resistance from Ukraine and the West. The conflict escalates as the risk of a broader nuclear war looms.
Russian President Vladimir Putin accuses the West of risking a global conflict, vows to prevent it, and emphasizes Russia's readiness to defend itself as troops advance in Ukraine. Putin criticizes Western elites for forgetting the Soviet Union's role in defeating Nazi Germany. Ukraine, part of Russia's sphere of influence according to Putin, and the West see the conflict as an imperial land grab. Ukrainian President Zelensky compares Ukraine's defense against Russia to efforts against Nazi Germany. Russia celebrates Victory Day in May, portraying the war as a fight against fascism. Russian strikes in Ukraine injure seven, targeting Kharkiv and power facilities in multiple regions.
Vladimir Putin's fifth presidential inauguration in Russia marks the start of another six-year term, making him the Kremlin's longest-serving leader since Joseph Stalin. The lavish ceremony at the Grand Kremlin Palace highlights Putin's long-standing rule, compared to historical figures like Catherine the Great. International reactions include a detained US soldier in Russia, UK's plans for weapon production for Ukraine, and criticisms of Putin's overwhelming victory in the election. Western governments condemned the outcome as not free or fair.
The Moscow Victory Day Parade (Russian: Парад Победы в Москве, tr. Parad Pobedy v Moskve) refers to the annual military parade of the Russian Armed Forces on Moscow's Red Square on May 9 during the Victory Day celebrations. The most important parade of those being held on May 9 is the one held on Moscow's Red Square, with the President of Russia as the guest of honor and keynote speaker in virtue of his constitutional mandate as Supreme Commander of the Russian Armed Forces. The parade is a commemoration of the capitulation of Nazi Germany to the Red Army, marking the end of the Eastern Front of World War II, known in Russia as the Great Patriotic War.According to anthropologist Sergey Ushakin, modern victory parades are intended to demonstrate the direct and immediate connection of the present with the past and to materialize the connection between generations. Long time parade commander Oleg Salyukov described them as a "celebration for people, not show of militarism" referring to accusations of the parade being used as show of Russian military might.
Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered a harsh speech on Victory Day, accusing the West of hypocrisy and inciting global conflicts, while signaling confidence in Russia's advances in Ukraine. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un expressed firm support and solidarity for Russia on Victory Day, amidst accusations of North Korea transferring weapons to aid Russia in the conflict with Ukraine.
Putin showcases captured British armoured cars and American tanks in an exhibition in Moscow's Victory Park to glorify the invasion of Ukraine. The display includes 30 tanks and war equipment seized from Ukrainian forces, highlighting the country's success against Ukrainian militants and their Western supporters. The exhibition features vehicles from countries like Turkey, Sweden, Czech Republic, South Africa, Finland, Australia, and Austria, alongside Ukrainian combat documents. Amid fears of Ukrainian drone attacks, Russia uses the exhibit to flaunt its military might ahead of the Victory Day parade on May 9th.
Russian President Vladimir Putin was sworn in for his fifth term, becoming Russia's longest-serving leader since Catherine the Great. Many world leaders, including the U.S., boycotted the ceremony due to ongoing scrutiny of Russia's actions in Ukraine. Notable attendees included actor Steve Seagal and Chechnya leader Ramzan Kadyrov. Putin criticized Western aggression and expressed openness to dialogue with the West on equal terms. Some European Union members sent envoys, while key Russian officials attended. Putin prioritized improving lives and preserving traditions in his address. The West boycotted the ceremony amid heightened tensions over the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The 2023 Moscow Victory Day Parade was a military parade held in Red Square, Moscow, Russia, on 9 May 2023, to commemorate Victory Day which celebrates the defeat of Nazi Germany and the end of the Eastern Front of World War II. The event was scaled down due to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine amidst an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin issued by the International Criminal Court in March 2023.
Russia launched more than 70 missiles and drones targeting energy infrastructure in Kyiv and six other cities in Ukraine, aiming to weaken industry and resistance. President Zelenskyy condemned the attack, which caused injuries and power cuts in nine regions. Moscow's actions are seen as attempts to hinder weapon production and lower public morale amidst the ongoing invasion. The assault coincided with Remembrance and Victory over Nazism in World War II Day, preceding Victory in Europe Day, which Russia and Ukraine celebrate on May 9 and May 8 respectively.
Russia, but not President Vladimir Putin, will be invited to the French ceremony in June marking 80 years since the World War II D-Day landings. The decision comes after Putin's actions in Ukraine led to strained ties with the West, including an arrest warrant for war crimes. The French organizers plan to honor the sacrifices of Soviet peoples and Russia's contribution to the 1945 victory, despite not inviting Putin due to Russia's 'war of aggression' in Ukraine.
Russia's Vladimir Putin will be sworn in for a fifth term as president in a Kremlin ceremony boycotted by the US and most EU nations due to concerns over the legitimacy of the election. France and some other EU states are expected to attend, despite Ukraine's plea to halt the Russian war. Russian forces have taken control of settlements in Ukraine, and a Ukrainian weightlifter was killed defending his country. Additionally, an American soldier was detained in Russia, and a Russian journalist faces charges of justifying terrorism.
Vladimir Putin, aged 71, began his fifth term as Russian president in an opulent ceremony at the Kremlin. This marks the start of another six-year tenure for Putin, making him the Kremlin's longest-serving leader since Joseph Stalin. He plans to stay in power until 2030 and has expressed intentions to create a buffer zone in Ukraine. Under his leadership, Russia has become reliant on support from China, Iran, and North Korea, and has turned into a pariah state since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
The 2022 Moscow Victory Day Parade was held in Moscow's Red Square on 9 May 2022.
Pro-Russian rebels in Transnistria, a separatist sliver of Moldova, requested President Vladimir Putin's assistance against alleged threats from Moldova's government. Transnistria, which split from Moldova during the Soviet Union's collapse, remains under Russia's influence, while Moldova aims to join the EU. The congress in Transnistria urged Moscow to safeguard them, raising concerns of destabilizing Moldova's pro-Western leadership. However, the meeting concluded with a plea for protection for Russian nationals in Transnistria without pursuing unification with Russia.
Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Alexei Navalny, warned of Russian President Vladimir Putin's unpredictability and potential use of nuclear weapons in the future. She highlighted Putin's strategy of keeping people in fear and compared the possibility of him using nuclear weapons to his invasion of Ukraine. Navalnaya also discussed Putin's alleged espionage activities in Europe, referencing recent spying scandals and arrests. Despite the risks, she remains determined to overthrow Putin's regime and has called for Western support.
Russia's Defense Ministry announced the capture of two frontline villages in eastern Ukraine, including Kyslivka in the Kharkiv region and Novokalynove in the Donetsk People's Republic. Ukrainian officials are concerned about a potential fresh offensive from Russia in the northeast amidst severe ammunition shortages. Moscow has been making territorial gains in the region, taking advantage of its military superiority as Kyiv awaits critical military aid, with retaliatory strikes launched by Russia against Ukrainian facilities.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy asserted that God had a Ukrainian flag on his shoulder during Orthodox Easter services, calling on Ukrainians to pray for each other and the soldiers on the frontline. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin attended a church service led by Patriarch Kirill, a supporter of the Russian president, where prayers were made for the protection of Russia's borders and an end to the strife with Ukraine.
On 24 February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine in an escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War that started in 2014. The invasion became the largest attack on a European country since World War II. It is estimated to have caused tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilian casualties and hundreds of thousands of military casualties. By June 2022, Russian troops occupied about 20% of Ukrainian territory. From a population of 41 million in January 2022, about 8 million Ukrainians had been internally displaced and more than 8.2 million had fled the country by April 2023, creating Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. Extensive environmental damage caused by the war, widely described as an ecocide, contributed to food crises worldwide.Before the invasion, Russian troops massed near Ukraine's borders as Russian officials denied any plans to attack. Russian president Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" to support the Russian-backed breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk, whose paramilitary forces had been fighting Ukraine in the Donbas conflict since 2014. Putin espoused irredentist views challenging Ukraine's right to exist, and falsely claimed that Ukraine was governed by neo-Nazis persecuting the Russian minority. He said his goal was to "demilitarize and denazify" Ukraine. Russian air strikes and a ground invasion were launched at a northern front from Belarus towards Kyiv, a southern front from Crimea, and an eastern front from the Donbas and towards Kharkiv. Ukraine enacted martial law, ordered a general mobilization and severed diplomatic relations with Russia.Russian troops retreated from the northern front by April 2022 after encountering logistical challenges and stiff Ukrainian resistance. On the southern and southeastern fronts, Russia captured Kherson in March and Mariupol in May after a destructive siege. Russia launched a renewed offensive in the Donbas and continued to bomb military and civilian targets far from the front line, including the energy grid through the winter. In late 2022, Ukraine launched successful counteroffensives in the south and east. Soon after, Russia announced the illegal annexation of four partly occupied regions. In November, Ukraine retook parts of Kherson Oblast, including the city of Kherson itself. In June 2023, Ukraine launched another counteroffensive in the southeast.The invasion was met with international condemnation. The United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution condemning the invasion and demanding a full Russian withdrawal in March 2022. The International Court of Justice ordered Russia to suspend military operations and the Council of Europe expelled Russia. Many countries imposed sanctions on Russia and its ally Belarus, and provided humanitarian and military aid to Ukraine. The Baltic states all declared Russia a terrorist state. Protests occurred around the world, along with mass arrests of anti-war protesters in Russia, which also enacted a law enabling greater media censorship. Over 1,000 companies closed their operations in Russia and Belarus as a result of the invasion. The International Criminal Court (ICC) opened investigations into possible crimes against humanity, war crimes, abduction of children, and genocide. The court issued an arrest warrant for Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova in March 2023, alleging responsibility for the unlawful deportation of children.
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who is the President of Russia. Putin has held continuous positions as president or prime minister since 1999: as prime minister from 1999 to 2000 and from 2008 to 2012, and as president from 2000 to 2008 and since 2012. He is the longest-serving Russian or Soviet leader since Joseph Stalin.Putin worked as a KGB foreign intelligence officer for 16 years, rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel before resigning in 1991 to begin a political career in Saint Petersburg. In 1996, he moved to Moscow to join the administration of President Boris Yeltsin. He briefly served as the director of the Federal Security Service (FSB) and then as secretary of the Security Council of Russia before being appointed prime minister in August 1999. Following Yeltsin's resignation, Putin became acting president and, in less than four months, was elected to his first term as president. He was subsequently reelected in 2004. Due to constitutional limitations of two consecutive presidential terms, Putin served as prime minister again from 2008 to 2012 under Dmitry Medvedev. He returned to the presidency in 2012, following an election marked by allegations of fraud and protests, and was reelected in 2018. In April 2021, after a referendum, he signed into law constitutional amendments that included one allowing him to run for reelection twice more, potentially extending his presidency to 2036.During Putin's initial presidential tenure, the Russian economy grew on average by seven percent per year, driven by economic reforms and a fivefold increase in the price of oil and gas. Additionally, Putin led Russia in a conflict against Chechen separatists, reestablishing federal control over the region. While serving as prime minister under Medvedev, he oversaw a military conflict with Georgia and enacted military and police reforms. In his third presidential term, Russia annexed Crimea and supported a war in eastern Ukraine through several military incursions, resulting in international sanctions and a financial crisis in Russia. He also ordered a military intervention in Syria to support his ally Bashar al-Assad during the Syrian civil war, ultimately securing permanent naval bases in the Eastern Mediterranean. In his fourth presidential term, he launched a significant invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which prompted international condemnation and led to expanded sanctions. In September 2022, he announced a partial mobilization and forcibly annexed four Ukrainian oblasts into Russia. In March 2023, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin for war crimes related to his alleged criminal responsibility for illegal child abductions during the war.Under Putin's rule, Russian political system has been transformed into an authoritarian dictatorship. His rule has been marked by endemic corruption and widespread human rights violations, including the imprisonment and suppression of political opponents, intimidation and censorship of independent media in Russia, and a lack of free and fair elections. Putin's Russia has consistently received low scores on Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index, The Economist Democracy Index, Freedom House's Freedom in the World index, and the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index.
A Russian-guided bomb attack in Ukraine's Kharkiv region resulted in the deaths of two civilians, with injuries to others, as the region continues to face near-constant bombardment from Russian artillery. The attack utilized new powerful guided aerial bombs, causing fires and casualties. Additionally, a 98-year-old woman escaped Russian-occupied territory by walking alone to safety. Ukrainian forces targeted Russian-occupied Crimea with Atacms missiles, and Ukraine seeks accelerated weapon deliveries, including Patriot missile systems from countries like the US. Poland will not protect draft dodgers from Ukrainian military service, and Norway plans to increase aid to Ukraine by 7 billion kroner. Shipping insurers breaching oil price caps on Russia face scrutiny, and Kyiv authorities removed a Soviet-era monument celebrating friendship with Russia.
Ukrainian and Russian forces exchanged drone and artillery fire on Thursday, leaving at least seven dead, regional officials on both sides of the frontline announced. The uptick in civilian deaths came as Russian forces are pressing in hard in the eastern Donetsk region of Ukraine, ahead of events in Moscow on May 9, hailing the Soviet Union's victory in World War II. A Ukrainian attack drone left two dead in the southern region of Zaporizhzhia and two more were killed by Ukranian artillery fire in the southern Kherson region, officials said. The Kremlin claimed to have annexed both regions in late 2022 even though Russian forces are still battling to gain full control over them. "A man and a woman were killed as a result of a strike on a civilian car.
Putinism (Russian: путинизм, romanized: putinizm) is the social, political, and economic system of Russia formed during the political leadership of Vladimir Putin. It is characterized by the concentration of political and financial powers in the hands of "siloviks", current and former "people with shoulder marks", coming from a total of 22 governmental enforcement agencies, the majority of them being the Federal Security Service (FSB), Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, Armed Forces of Russia, and National Guard of Russia. According to Arnold Beichman, "Putinism in the 21st century has become as significant a watchword as Stalinism was in the 20th."The "Chekist takeover" of the Russian state and economic assets has been allegedly accomplished by a clique of Putin's close associates and friends who gradually became a leading group of Russian oligarchs and who "seized control over the financial, media and administrative resources of the Russian state", and restricted democratic freedoms and human rights. According to Julie Anderson, Russia has been transformed to an "FSB state". Mass de-politicization has been described as an important element of Putinism's social course. Mass social involvement being discouraged, politics are reduced to "pure management" left to those who are in power, free from interference by the masses. In exchange for non-involvement in politics, Putinism's social contract offers economic development and an important amount of freedom in private life.Putinism was first used in the article by Andrey Piontkovsky published on 11 January 2000 in Sovetskaya Rossiya, and placed on the Yabloko website on the same day. He characterized Putinism as "the highest and final stage of bandit capitalism in Russia, the stage where, as one half-forgotten classic said, the bourgeoisie throws the flag of the democratic freedoms and the human rights overboard; and also as a war, 'consolidation' of the nation on the ground of hatred against some ethnic group, attack on freedom of speech and information brainwashing, isolation from the outside world and further economic degradation".
Russia defended its veto of a UN resolution calling for the prevention of a nuclear arms race in outer space, challenging the US, Japan, and Western allies to support Moscow's rival resolution for a ban on all weapons in space. The verbal clash at the UN involved accusations of hypocrisy and double standards between Russia and Western nations, with the US citing Russia's possession of anti-satellite weapons and threats to target satellites with nuclear devices. Russia's actions, including threats against British military facilities and drills simulating the use of tactical nuclear weapons, were seen as responses to Western comments on involvement in the Ukraine conflict.
"The Vladimir Putin Interview" is a television interview hosted by the American journalist and political commentator Tucker Carlson with Russian president Vladimir Putin. It premiered on February 8, 2024, on the Tucker Carlson Network and the social media website X (Twitter). It is the first interview with Putin to be granted to a Western journalist since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. In the first three days, the interview had 14 million views on YouTube and 185 million views on Twitter.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has started his fifth term amidst controversy after eliminating political opposition, involvement in the Ukraine conflict, and tightening his grip on power. Recent events include a war in Ukraine, suppression of dissent, and sentencing of activists like Oleg Orlov. Grave sites of Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine further highlight the ongoing tensions.
Red Square (Russian: Красная площадь, romanized: Krasnaya ploshchad', IPA: [ˈkrasnəjə ˈploɕːɪtʲ]) is one of the oldest and largest squares in Moscow, the capital of Russia. It is located in Moscow's historic centre, in the eastern walls of the Kremlin. It is the city's most prominent landmark, with famous buildings such as Saint Basil's Cathedral, Lenin's Mausoleum and the GUM department store. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1990. Red Square has been the scene of executions, demonstrations, riots, parades, and speeches. Almost 73,000 square metres (800,000 square feet), it lies directly east of the Kremlin and north of the Moskva River. A moat that separated the square from the Kremlin was paved over in 1812.
President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus has announced the country's suspension of participation in the Conventional Forces in Europe treaty, signed in 1990 to limit military deployments in Europe. This move allows Belarus to expand its military capabilities, impacting the balance of power in the Euro-Atlantic region. Belarus' intention to become a more active military player is signaled by this decision, which comes after Russia's withdrawal from the treaty in 2023.
The Russo-Ukrainian War is an ongoing international conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which began in February 2014. Following Ukraine's Revolution of Dignity, Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine and supported pro-Russian separatists fighting the Ukrainian military in the Donbas war. The first eight years of conflict also included naval incidents, cyberwarfare, and heightened political tensions. In February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine and began occupying more of the country.In early 2014, the Euromaidan protests led to the Revolution of Dignity and the ousting of Ukraine's pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych. Shortly after, pro-Russian unrest erupted in eastern and southern Ukraine, while unmarked Russian troops occupied Crimea. Russia soon annexed Crimea after a highly disputed referendum. In April 2014, Russian-backed militants seized towns in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region and proclaimed the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) as independent states, starting the Donbas war. The separatists received considerable but covert support from Russia, and Ukrainian attempts to fully retake separatist-held areas failed. Although Russia denied involvement, Russian troops took part in the fighting. In February 2015, Russia and Ukraine signed the Minsk II agreements to end the conflict, but they were never fully implemented in the years that followed. The Donbas war settled into a violent but static conflict between Ukraine and the Russian and separatist forces, with many brief ceasefires but no lasting peace and few changes in territorial control.Beginning in 2021, Russia built up a large military presence near its border with Ukraine, including within neighbouring Belarus. Russian officials repeatedly denied plans to attack Ukraine. Russian president Vladimir Putin expressed irredentist views and denied Ukraine's right to exist. He criticized the enlargement of NATO and demanded that Ukraine be barred from ever joining the military alliance. Russia recognized the DPR and LPR as independent states. On 24 February 2022, Putin announced a "special military operation" to "demilitarize and denazify" Ukraine, claiming Russia had no plans to occupy the country. The Russian invasion that followed was internationally condemned; many countries imposed sanctions against Russia and increased existing sanctions. In the face of fierce resistance, Russia abandoned an attempt to take Kyiv in early April. From August, Ukrainian forces began recapturing territories in the north-east and south. In late September, Russia declared the annexation of four partially-occupied regions, which was internationally condemned. Russia spent the winter conducting inconclusive offensives in the Donbas. In spring 2023, Russia dug into positions ahead of another Ukrainian counteroffensive, which failed to gain significant ground. The war has resulted in a refugee crisis and tens of thousands of deaths.
Since 1999, Vladimir Putin has continuously served as either President (Acting President from 1999 to 2000; 2000–2004, 2004–2008, 2012–2018 and 2018 to present) or Prime Minister of Russia (three months in 1999, full term 2008–2012).During his presidency, he has been a member of the Unity party and the United Russia party. He is also affiliated with the People's Front, a group of supporters that Putin organized in 2011 to help improve the public's perception of United Russia. His political ideology, priorities and policies are sometimes referred to as Putinism.Putin has enjoyed high domestic approval ratings throughout the majority of his presidency, with the exception of 2011–2013 which is likely due to the 2011–2013 Russian protests. In 2007, he was Time magazine's Person of the Year. In 2015, he was designated No. 1 in Time 100, Time magazine's list of the top 100 most influential people in the world. From 2013 to 2016, he was designated No. 1 on the Forbes list of The World's Most Powerful People. The Russian economy and standard of living grew rapidly during the early period of Putin's regime, fueled largely by a boom in the oil industry. However, lower oil prices and sanctions for Russia's annexation of Crimea led to recession and stagnation in 2015 that has persisted into the present day. Political freedoms have been sharply curtailed, leading to widespread condemnation from human rights groups, as well as Putin being described as a dictator.
Vladimir Putin has revamped his $1 billion clifftop palace overlooking the Black Sea, turning it into an opulent residence with a new church and altar, removing features like a strip pole, hookah hall, casino, and 'aqua disco'. Investigative journalists initially linked the palace to corruption, but it was claimed to belong to a childhood friend. The makeover reflects a shift towards traditional values amidst criticism for lavish and inappropriate decor. Putin, inaugurated as Russian president for the fifth time, now has a palace with a blend of antiquity and modern stylings, shedding its previous gaudiness.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan joined other leaders at a meeting of the Eurasian Economic Union in Moscow, where Russian President Vladimir Putin praised the alliance for enhancing economic potential. The gathering included leaders from Cuba, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
The Ukrainian state security service (SBU) revealed a Russian plot involving two agents posing as Ukrainian state guard servicemen who were tasked to kidnap and later assassinate President Zelenskyy along with other high-ranking Ukrainian officials, including Kyrylo Budanov and Vasyl Malyuk. The plot, orchestrated by the FSB, Russia's security service, aimed to launch a missile strike and attack with a drone. The SBU thwarted the plan, with the head of the SBU emphasizing the need to proactively combat such threats.
Russia has placed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his predecessor Petro Poroshenko on its wanted list, citing unspecified criminal charges. The list also includes Gen Oleksandr Pavlyuk, the commander of Ukraine's ground forces. Kaja Kallas, the Prime Minister of NATO and EU member Estonia, is wanted for efforts to remove Soviet-era monuments in Estonia. Russia's laws criminalize the desecration of war memorials, leading to tensions with NATO countries like Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland.
Victory Day parades (Russian: Парад Победы, tr. Parad Pobedy) are common military parades that are held on 9 May in some post-Soviet nations, primarily Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, and formerly Ukraine. They are usually held to honor the traditional Victory Day holiday. In 2015, the Ukrainian government renamed the holiday as "Victory Day over Nazism in World War II" as part of decommunization laws and in 2023 moved the holiday to 8 May.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced plans to visit China in May, which could mark his first foreign trip after extending his rule by six more years. Putin's inauguration is scheduled for May 7. Russia's increasing reliance on China due to economic and diplomatic isolation from the war in Ukraine has led to a surge in Chinese technology sales to Russia for military use. Despite maintaining economic ties, China claims neutrality in the Ukraine conflict and has proposed a peace plan that was rejected by Ukraine's allies.
Belarus, hosting Russian tactical warheads, orders a surprise inspection of tactical nuclear weapon carriers following Putin's drills for Russia's tactical nukes. The inspection will involve Su-25 aircraft and test the planning, preparation, and use of strikes with tactical nuclear warheads, amidst perceived threats of escalation in Europe over Ukraine. Russian drills for the preparation and deployment of non-strategic nuclear weapons are planned in response to Western threats, with Moscow considering increasing its entire missile arsenal as a deterrent.
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (Russian: Вооружённые Си́лы Росси́йской Федера́ции, Vooružjonnyje Síly Rossíjskoj Federácii), commonly referred to as the Russian Armed Forces, are the military of Russia. In terms of active-duty personnel, they are the world's fifth-largest military force, with 1.15 million and at least two million reserve personnel. According to the United States' Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), "Russia plans to expand its active personnel force to 1.5 million by 2026, which will make it the third largest in the world, after China and India." The country has three primary branches of service: the Ground Forces, the Navy, and the Aerospace Forces, as well as two independent arms of service: the Strategic Rocket Forces and Airborne Forces. In addition, the Special Operations Forces Command was established in 2013, with an estimated strength in 2022 of 1,000, possibly with additional supporting staff.In 2023, Russia had the world's third-highest military expenditure, allocating a budget of approximately US$86.4 billion to the military. The Russian Armed Forces maintain the world's largest stockpile of nuclear weapons, and possess the world's second-largest fleet of ballistic missile submarines; they are also one of only three national militaries (alongside those of the United States and China) that operate strategic bombers. With certain exceptions, Russian law mandates one year of military service for all male citizens aged 18–27.In spite of Russia's perceived military strength, as recorded in various assessments, deficiencies have been noted in the country's combat performance on both the tactical and operational scales. According to multiple reports, endemic corruption within the Russian Armed Forces has had a major impact on Russia's ability to effectively project hard power. Amidst the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, severe logistical failures have greatly impacted the operational performance of Russian troops, as different service branches have struggled to coordinate and work together. Continuous shortcomings have led Russia's war effort to suffer extensive setbacks since the initial invasion; the Russian Armed Forces have experienced successive losses of occupied/annexed territory, the large-scale destruction and squandering of their equipment, and a notably high casualty rate. Researchers from the US-funded RAND Corporation have observed that Russia continues to struggle with military professionalization.Directly controlled by the Security Council of Russia, the Russian Armed Forces form part of the country's defence services under Russian law, fulfilling this capacity alongside the Border Guard of the Federal Security Service, the National Guard, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Federal Protective Service, the Foreign Intelligence Service, and the Ministry of Emergency Situations.
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who is the president of Russia.Putin may also refer to:Putin (surname), includes a list of people with the name"Putin" (Randy Newman song), 2016 songPuTin or Puin, Russian brand of vegetable and mushrooms canned goods
President Xi Jinping of China refuted allegations of China's involvement in Russia's war in Ukraine during his visit to Europe, emphasizing that China is actively contributing to peace efforts and opposes using the crisis to provoke a new Cold War. Xi's visit aims to present China's perspective on the conflict, with discussions held in France addressing trade frictions and global ambitions, while also calling for a global Olympic truce and ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. Xi's visit coincides with concerns about dual-use goods exported from China to Russia enabling the conflict.
Vladimir Kara-Murza, a Russian human rights advocate and Kremlin critic serving a 25-year jail term for criticizing Moscow's war in Ukraine, has won the Pulitzer Prize for his passionate columns written from his prison cell in Russia. His wife expressed gratitude for ensuring his voice is heard. Kara-Murza has survived two poisonings and faces harsh conditions in prison under Putin's crackdown. He was charged with treason for denouncing the invasion of Ukraine and is viewed as a symbol of dissent in Russia. The Pulitzer announcement highlighted his warning about the consequences of dissent in Putin's Russia.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov warned that Russia will consider NATO nuclear weapons in Poland as primary targets if deployed there, following Poland's readiness to host such weapons in response to Russia stationing missiles in Belarus. The escalating tensions include Belarus moving combat troops closer to the Polish border, with President Lukashenko cautioning against potential apocalypse from exchanging blows. Russian ally Belarus has also prepared for potential conflict with the movement of troops towards the Polish and Ukrainian borders.
President Andrzej Duda of Poland stated that Poland is prepared to host nuclear arms if NATO decides to deploy weapons in response to Russia reinforcing armaments in Belarus and Kaliningrad. Russia warned of taking steps to ensure its security if Poland hosts the weapons. Discussions about nuclear cooperation between Poland and the United States have been ongoing. In June 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed sending tactical nuclear arms to Belarus. The NATO allies pledged to ensure the credibility and security of the nuclear deterrent mission during the last summit in Vilnius.
Russia's oil and gas industry is struggling with a shortage of manpower as the country's economy is fully mobilised for war, exacerbating a long-standing demographic crunch due to shrinking working-age population. The invasion of Ukraine has intensified the issue, with the industry now competing for workers against the Russian army and weapons manufacturers. Despite the sector's ability to offer high salaries, the state's military contracts pose a challenge,
Russia conducted a significant missile attack on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, deploying 76 air attack weapons, including missiles and drones. The assault targeted power generation and transmission facilities in several Ukrainian regions, resulting in at least three injuries. Moscow's intensified efforts to disrupt Ukraine's energy system come as Ukrainian forces struggle on key frontlines. The attack, which focused on thermal power plants run by DTEK, marks the fifth targeting of the company's infrastructure in a month and a half.
Russia (Russian: Россия, romanized: Rossiya, [rɐˈsʲijə]), or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world by area, extending across eleven time zones. It shares land boundaries with fourteen countries. It is the world's ninth-most populous country and Europe's most populous country. The country's capital as well as its largest city is Moscow. Saint Petersburg is Russia's second-largest city and cultural capital. Other major urban areas in the country include Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Chelyabinsk, Krasnoyarsk, Kazan, Krasnodar and Rostov-on-Don.The East Slavs emerged as a recognised group in Europe between the 3rd and 8th centuries CE. The first East Slavic state, Kievan Rus', arose in the 9th century, and in 988, it adopted Orthodox Christianity from the Byzantine Empire. Rus' ultimately disintegrated, with the Grand Duchy of Moscow growing to become the Tsardom of Russia. By the early 18th century, Russia had vastly expanded through conquest, annexation, and the efforts of Russian explorers, developing into the Russian Empire, which remains the third-largest empire in history. However, with the Russian Revolution in 1917, Russia's monarchic rule was abolished and eventually replaced by the Russian SFSR—the world's first constitutionally socialist state. Following the Russian Civil War, the Russian SFSR established the Soviet Union with three other Soviet republics, within which it was the largest and principal constituent. At the expense of millions of lives, the Soviet Union underwent rapid industrialisation in the 1930s and later played a decisive role for the Allies in World War II by leading large-scale efforts on the Eastern Front. With the onset of the Cold War, it competed with the United States for global ideological influence. The Soviet era of the 20th century saw some of the most significant Russian technological achievements, including the first human-made satellite and the first human expedition into outer space.In 1991, the Russian SFSR emerged from the dissolution of the Soviet Union as the independent Russian Federation. A new constitution was adopted, which established a federal semi-presidential system. Since the turn of the century, Russia's political system has been dominated by Vladimir Putin, under whom the country has experienced democratic backsliding and a shift towards authoritarianism. Russia has been militarily involved in a number of conflicts in former Soviet states and other countries, including its war with Georgia in 2008 and annexation of Crimea in 2014 from neighbouring Ukraine, followed by the further annexation of four other regions in 2022 during an ongoing invasion.Internationally, Russia ranks among the lowest in measurements of democracy, human rights and freedom of the press; the country also has high levels of perceived corruption. The Russian economy ranks 11th by nominal GDP, relying heavily on its abundant natural resources, and 68th by GDP per capita. Its mineral and energy sources are the world's largest, and its figures for oil production and natural gas production rank highly globally. Russia possesses the largest stockpile of nuclear weapons and has the third-highest military expenditure. The country is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council; a member state of the G20, SCO, BRICS, APEC, OSCE, and WTO; and the leading member state of post-Soviet organisations such as CIS, CSTO, and EAEU/EEU. Russia is home to 30 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
This timeline of the Russian invasion of Ukraine covers the period from 1 December 2023 to the present day.
This is a list of known military aid, that has been and will be provided to Ukraine during the Russo-Ukrainian War, particularly during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This list includes delivered equipment, training, intelligence, treatment of soldiers, logistical support as well as financial support to the Ukrainian government unless earmarked for humanitarian purposes. Weapons donated as a result of cooperation between multiple countries are listed separately in each country category.In total aid (military, financial and humanitarian combined), the European Union and its countries have provided the most to Ukraine, according to Kiel Institute, whereas the United States has by far provided the most in military aid. Since January 2022, mostly Western nations have pledged more than $380 billion in aid to Ukraine, including nearly $118 billion in direct military aid to Ukraine from individual countries.Some NATO countries and allies, such as Germany and Sweden, have reversed past policies against providing offensive military aid in order to support Ukraine, while the European Union for the first time in its history supplied lethal arms through its institutions.The Russian government has condemned the supply of military aid to Ukraine. Russia's president Vladimir Putin said that if military aid stopped, Ukraine would not survive for long. The Center for Strategic and International Studies assessed in December 2023 that if the United States stopped sending military aid, European countries could not quickly fill the gap. If this happened, it forecast that Ukraine's defensive capabilities would gradually weaken and Ukraine's frontline would collapse.
Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte expressed readiness to send ground troops to Ukraine for training missions, despite Russia's nuclear threats. Lithuania, a member of NATO and the EU, has parliamentary authorization for this, but Ukraine has not yet requested it. Simonyte believes Russia's view of such deployment as a provocation but doubts Moscow would use nuclear weapons. Simonyte accused Russia of intensifying attacks on Ukraine's civilian infrastructure to provoke refugee movements. Western countries, including France and the UK, are considering sending troops to Ukraine over concerns of Russian aggression.
Staff Sgt. Gordon Black, a 34-year-old U.S. soldier, is being held in Russian custody on theft charges after traveling to Vladivostok from South Korea to see his Russian girlfriend, Aleksandra Vashchuk. Black's mother, Melody Jones, believes her son was lured there by Vashchuk and set up. The U.S. Army is investigating whether Russia's intelligence services targeted Black, who has 16 years of military service. Jones expressed concerns about Vashchuk's influence over her son, describing him as a good soldier fluent in Russian.
In Ukraine, individuals like Anastasiya Sereda are using art to depict their emotions and honor loved ones lost in the war with Russia. Many Ukrainians are grappling with a range of feelings like grief, anger, and fear, while urging for more international backing, particularly in the form of air defenses like U.S.-made Patriot missiles. Russia continues its aggression, pushing Ukrainian troops to retreat from frontline areas. The country faces frequent air attacks targeting infrastructure and civilian areas.
Two Ukrainian security officials have been detained over an alleged Russian assassination plot against President Zelenskiy. About half of the North Korean missiles fired by Russia at Ukraine have failed, raising concerns about the quality of North Korean munitions. Russia's use of North Korean missiles threatens global consensus on deterring North Korea's nuclear program. US plans new sanctions against Russia for violating UN mandates. Romania considers sending Patriot systems to Ukraine. Attack on oil storage depot near Luhansk sparks fire. North Korea sends missiles to Russia, raising suspicions about its munitions quality.
Two-time European weightlifting champion Oleksandr Pielieshenko, who previously served a doping suspension, died while defending Ukraine in the war with Russia at the age of 30. Pielieshenko finished fourth at the 2016 Rio Olympics and was the first Olympian confirmed to have died in the conflict. His death raises questions about Russia's participation in the upcoming Paris Olympics as neutral athletes despite opposition from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The Ukrainian weightlifting community mourns his loss, emphasizing that heroes do not die.
Pro-Russian rebels in Moldova's breakaway region of Transnistria have asked for Russia's help in protecting the territory, citing increased pressure from Moldova. Moldovan politicians deny the accusations and claim Russia is destabilizing the situation. The region, with a significant Russian population, has functioned as an unrecognized state since the Soviet Union's collapse, retaining Soviet symbols and Russian as an official language. Concerns persist that Transnistria could become a flashpoint in Russia's conflict with Ukraine, with recent accusations and military movements heightening tensions.
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski urged Germany to consider reparations for the damage suffered by Poland during World War II, suggesting financial support for survivors, rebuilding historical buildings, and promoting Polish language teaching in Germany. The Tusk government aims to repair relations with Germany, contrasting the previous Law and Justice party's demand for 1.3 trillion in reparations, which Germany rejected. Sikorski emphasized the importance of dialogue with Germany and highlighted the high death toll in Poland during the war. Additionally, he outlined Poland's changed priorities towards the EU, the United States, and supporting Ukraine amidst Russian aggression.
Victory Day is a holiday that commemorates the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in 1945. It was first inaugurated in the 15 republics of the Soviet Union following the signing of the German Instrument of Surrender late in the evening on 8 May 1945 (9 May Moscow Time). The Soviet government announced the victory early on 9 May after the signing ceremony in Berlin. Although the official inauguration occurred in 1945, the holiday became a non-labor day only in 1965, and only in certain Soviet republics.In East Germany, 8 May was observed as Liberation Day from 1950 to 1966, and was celebrated again on the 40th anniversary in 1985. In 1967, a Soviet-style "Victory Day" was celebrated on 8 May. Since 2002, the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has observed a commemoration day known as the Day of Liberation from National Socialism, and the End of the Second World War.The Russian Federation has officially recognized 9 May since its formation in 1991 and considers it a non-working holiday even if it falls on a weekend (in which case any following Monday will be a non-working holiday). The holiday was similarly celebrated there while the country was part of the Soviet Union. Most other countries in Europe observe Victory in Europe Day (often abbreviated to VE Day, or V-E Day) on 8 May, and Europe Day on 9 May as national remembrance or victory days.
The Polish–Soviet War (late autumn 1918 / 14 February 1919 – 18 March 1921) was fought primarily between the Second Polish Republic and the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic before it became a union republic in the aftermath of World War I and the Russian Revolution, on territories which were previously held by the Russian Empire and the Habsburg Monarchy following the Partitions of Poland.On 13 November 1918, after the collapse of the Central Powers and the Armistice of 11 November 1918, Vladimir Lenin's Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic annulled the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (which it had signed with the Central Powers in March 1918) and started moving forces in the western direction to recover and secure the Ober Ost regions vacated by the German forces that the Russian state had lost under the treaty. Lenin saw the newly independent Poland (formed in October–November 1918) as the bridge which his Red Army would have to cross to assist other communist movements and to bring about more European revolutions.At the same time, leading Polish politicians of different orientations pursued the general expectation of restoring the country's pre-1772 borders. Motivated by this idea, Polish Chief of State Józef Piłsudski (in office from 14 November 1918) began moving troops east.In 1919, while the Soviet Red Army was still preoccupied with the Russian Civil War of 1917–1922, the Polish Army moved into territories regarded by many Poles as Polish "Kresy". That year, they took most of present-day Lithuania and Belarus. By July 1919, Polish forces had taken control of much of Eastern Galicia and had emerged victorious from the Polish–Ukrainian War of November 1918 to July 1919. In the eastern part of Ukraine bordering on Russia, Symon Petliura tried to defend the Ukrainian People's Republic, but as the Bolsheviks gained the upper hand in the Russian Civil War, they advanced westward towards the disputed Ukrainian lands and made Petliura's forces retreat. Reduced to a small amount of territory in the west, Petliura was compelled to seek an alliance with Piłsudski, officially concluded in April 1920.Piłsudski believed that the best way for Poland to secure favorable borders was by military action and that he could easily defeat the Red Army forces. His Kiev offensive commenced in late April 1920 and resulted in the takeover of Kiev by Polish and allied Ukrainian forces on 7 May. The Soviet armies in the area, which were weaker, had not been decisively defeated, as they avoided major confrontations and withdrew. The offensive received only meager support from the local population and more Ukrainians joined the Red Army than Petliura's forces.The Red Army responded to the Polish offensive with counterattacks: from 5 June on the southern Ukrainian front and from 4 July on the northern front. On the southern front, the Poles and their allies, equipped with some more advanced weaponry, retreated in an orderly fashion. On the northern front, however, the retreat soon turned into a chaotic and uncoordinated flight. The Soviet operation pushed the Polish forces back westward all the way to Warsaw, the Polish capital, while the Directorate of Ukraine fled to Western Europe. Fears of Soviet troops arriving at the German borders increased the interest and involvement of the Western powers in the war. In mid-summer the fall of Warsaw seemed certain but in mid-August the tide had turned again after the Polish forces achieved an unexpected and decisive victory at the Battle of Warsaw (12 to 25 August 1920). In the wake of the eastward Polish advance that followed, the Soviets sued for peace, and the war ended with a ceasefire on 18 October 1920.The Peace of Riga, signed on 18 March 1921, divided the disputed territories between Poland and Soviet Russia. The war and the treaty negotiations determined the Polish-Soviet border for the rest of the interwar period. Poland's eastern border was established at about 200 km east of the Curzon Line (a 1920 British proposal for Poland's border, based on the version approved in 1919 by the Entente leaders as the limit of Poland's expansion in the eastern direction). The new Polish-Soviet border divided what are today the countries of Ukraine and Belarus.The peace negotiations – on the Polish side conducted chiefly by Piłsudski's opponents and against his will – ended with the official recognition of the two new Soviet republics, the Ukrainian SSR and the Byelorussian SSR, which became parties to the treaty. This outcome and the new border agreed on precluded any possibility of the formation of the Intermarium Polish-led federation of states that Piłsudski had envisaged or of meeting his other eastern policy goals.
The family of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has served in office from 2000 to 2008 and 2012 to the present, comes from the Russian peasantry. Spiridon Putin (1879–1965) was a cook in Gorki, his son Vladimir (1911–1999) participated in World War II, grandson Vladimir (born in 1952) made a career in the KGB and the FSB, in 1999 he became the chairman of the Russian government, in 2000–2008 he served as president of the country which he returned to in 2012.In 1983 Putin married Lyudmila Aleksandrovna Shkrebneva, who gave birth to two daughters, Maria (1985) and Katerina (1986). By 2014, this marriage was annulled.
The Soviet Union, officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. It was a successor state to the Russian Empire that was nominally organized as a federal union of fifteen national republics, the largest and most populous of which was the Russian SFSR; in practice both its government and economy were highly centralized until its final years. As a one-party state governed by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, it was a flagship communist state.The Soviet Union's roots lay in the October Revolution of 1917, which saw the Bolsheviks overthrow the Russian Provisional Government that formed earlier that year following the February Revolution that had dissolved the Russian Empire. The new government, led by Vladimir Lenin, established the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR), the world's first constitutionally socialist state. Persisting internal tensions escalated into the brutal Russian Civil War. As the war progressed in the Bolsheviks' favor, the RSFSR began to incorporate land acquired from the war into nominally independent states, which were merged into the Soviet Union in December 1922. Following Lenin's death in 1924, Joseph Stalin came to power, inaugurating a period of rapid industrialization and forced collectivization that led to significant economic growth, but also contributed to a famine in 1930 to 1933 that killed millions. The forced labour camp system of the Gulag was also expanded in this period. During the late 1930s, Stalin conducted the Great Purge to remove actual and perceived opponents, resulting in mass death, imprisonment, and deportation. In 1939, the USSR and Nazi Germany signed a nonaggression pact despite their ideological incongruence; nonetheless, in 1941, Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union in the largest land invasion in history, opening the Eastern Front of World War II. The Soviets played a decisive role in defeating the Axis powers in 1945, suffering an estimated 27 million casualties, which accounted for the majority of Allied losses. In the aftermath of the war, the Soviet Union consolidated the territory occupied by the Red Army, forming various satellite states, and undertook rapid economic development which cemented its status as a superpower.Following World War II, ideological tensions with the United States eventually led to the Cold War. The American-led Western Bloc coalesced into NATO in 1949, prompting the Soviet Union to form its own military alliance, commonly known as the Warsaw Pact, in 1955. Neither side ever engaged in direct military confrontation, and instead fought on an ideological basis and through proxy wars. In 1953, following Stalin's death, the Soviet Union undertook a campaign of de-Stalinization under the leadership of Nikita Khrushchev, which saw reversals and rejections of Stalinist policies. This campaign caused tensions with Communist China. During the 1950s, the Soviet Union rapidly expanded its efforts in space exploration and took an early lead in the Space Race with the first artificial satellite, the first human spaceflight, the first space station, and the first probe to land on another planet (Venus). The Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962 was the closest the Cold War came to escalating into full-scale nuclear war.The 1970s saw a brief détente in the Soviet Union's relationship with the United States, but tensions emerged again following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. In the mid-1980s, the last Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, sought to reform the country through his policies of glasnost and perestroika. In 1989, various countries of the Warsaw Pact overthrew their Soviet-backed regimes, and nationalist and separatist movements erupted across the entire Soviet Union. In 1991, amid efforts to reform and preserve the country as a renewed federation, an attempted coup d'état against Gorbachev by hardline communists prompted the three most populous and economically developed republics—Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus—to secede from the Union. On December 26, Gorbachev officially recognized the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Boris Yeltsin, the leader of the RSFSR, oversaw its reconstitution into the Russian Federation, which became the Soviet Union's successor state; all other republics emerged as fully independent post-Soviet states.During its existence, the Soviet Union produced many significant social and technological achievements and innovations. It had the world's second-largest economy and largest standing military. An NPT-designated state, it housed the largest arsenal of nuclear weapons in the world. As an Allied nation, it was a founding member of the United Nations as well as one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. Before its dissolution, the USSR was one of the world's two superpowers through its hegemony in Eastern Europe, global diplomatic and ideological influence (particularly in the Global South), military and economic strengths, and scientific accomplishments.
Belarusian authorities have conducted raids to target individuals suspected of extremist activities as part of the political opposition's efforts to establish "people's embassies" abroad. The crackdown, led by authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko, includes searches of apartments and offices of those involved in the opposition. Over 100 individuals may face charges carrying up to seven years in prison. The opposition aims to counter Belarusian state propaganda in 24 countries, including EU states, the UK, Canada, Australia, and Brazil. More than 35,000 people were arrested in response to protests following Lukashenko's controversial re-election in 2020, leading to over 1,400 political prisoners in Belarus.
Historic flooding in the Ural Mountains cities of Orenburg and Orsk in Russia has led to at least seven reported deaths, with authorities denying casualties. Additional evacuations have taken place in Russia's Tyumen region and northern Kazakhstan, affecting over 125,000 people. Agricultural companies in Russia have not faced significant disruptions, with the spring sowing area covering nearly 5 million hectares. President Tokayev of Kazakhstan described the floods as the worst national disaster in 80 years and ordered funds for relief efforts. The Caspian Pipeline Consortium is taking measures to protect its facilities from floods in Kazakhstan's Atyrau region.
Ukraine's female duo, rapper alyona alyona and singer Jerry Heil, embarked on a train journey to Poland before heading to the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden. Despite the ongoing war, they aim to showcase Ukrainian culture and music to the world. The duo emphasized the strength of Ukrainian women and men, using Eurovision as a platform for cultural diplomacy amidst the conflict with Russia, who denies Ukraine's existence as a distinct country before Soviet times.
The Seven Wonders of Russia as determined by a project organized by the newspaper Izvestia, Radio Mayak, and the television channel Russia. The competition took place in three stages from 1 October 2007 through 1 June 2008, with the final results declared in Moscow's Red Square on 12 June 2008.
Germany has recalled its ambassador to Russia, Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, in protest against cyberattacks on the country's government and defense sectors, attributed to a group linked to Russia's military intelligence agency, GRU. The recall came just before Russian President Vladimir Putin's inauguration for his next six-year term, with Germany not sending a representative. The cyberattacks, dating back to 2022, targeted the Social Democratic Party, defense, aerospace, and IT companies, with Germany demanding consequences for these state-sponsored actions.
On 17 March 2023, following an investigation of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, and Maria Lvova-Belova, Russian Commissioner for Children's Rights, alleging responsibility for the war crime of unlawful deportation and transfer of children during the Russo-Ukrainian War. The warrant against Putin is the first against the leader of a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.The 123 member states of the ICC are obliged to detain and transfer Putin and Lvova-Belova if either sets foot on their territory.
Spiridon Ivanovich Putin (Russian: Спиридон Иванович Путин; 19 December 1879 – 19 December 1965) was a Russian chef who was the personal chef of Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin. He was the paternal grandfather of Vladimir Putin.
A presidential election in Russia will be held on 15–17 March 2024. This will be the eighth presidential election in the country. If no candidate receives more than half the vote, a second round will take place exactly three weeks later, on 7 April 2024. The winner is scheduled to be inaugurated on 7 May 2024.In November 2023, former member of the State Duma Boris Nadezhdin became the first person backed by a registered political party to announce his candidacy, running on an anti-war platform. He was followed by incumbent and independent candidate Vladimir Putin in December 2023, who is eligible to seek re-election as a result of 2020 constitutional amendments. Later the same month, Leonid Slutsky of the LDPR, Nikolay Kharitonov of the Communist Party and Vladislav Davankov of New People announced their candidacies.Other candidates also declared their candidacy but were barred for various reasons. Despite passing the initial stages of the process, on 8 February 2024, Nadezhdin was barred from running. The decision was announced at a special CEC session, citing alleged irregularities in the signatures of voters supporting his candidacy. Nadezhdin's status as the only explicitly anti-war candidate is widely regarded as the real reason for his disqualification, although Vladislav Davankov has also promised "peace and negotiations" with Ukraine. With this and Davankov's relatively youthful age contrasting with the aging 71-year-old Putin, he has been described as "the most likely to become the alternative-to-Putin candidate".As was the case in the 2018 presidential election, the most prominent member of the Russian opposition, Alexei Navalny, was barred from running due to a prior criminal conviction seen as politically motivated. Navalny died in suspicious circumstances in February 2024, one month before the election.Many observers do not expect the election to be either free or fair. Instead, they expect the process to be dominated by Putin, who has been accused of increasing political repressions ever since launching his full-scale war with Ukraine in 2022.
Russian newspapers continue to blame Ukraine and the West for the mass shooting at the Crocus City concert hall, even though the Islamic State group has claimed responsibility. The attack resulted in at least 139 deaths and 360 wounded, including 11 children. Russian officials, including President Putin, have accused Ukraine and the West without concrete evidence. Belarusian President Lukashenko suggested the gunmen initially tried to flee to Belarus. The United States and ISIS both deny Russian claims, with social media posting videos of the attackers. Russian authorities have detained 11 suspects, with 8 identities known.
US intelligence agencies have determined that Russian President Vladimir Putin probably did not order the death of jailed opposition leader Alexey Navalny in February, but believe he is ultimately responsible for Navalny's death and brutal conditions in jail. Navalny, Putin's fierce critic, died serving a 19-year sentence after being poisoned with a nerve agent in 2020. US President Joe Biden stated Putin's responsibility without direct ordering accusations. Russian officials deny involvement, attributing Navalny's death to natural causes. Putin won re-election after Navalny's death, with doubts remaining about his direct role in the incident.
The German parliament voted to introduce an annual national veterans' day on June 15 to honor military service members, aiming to give recognition and visibility to veterans. Post-World War II Germany has been cautious of militarism but has gradually embraced a more active military role, with initiatives like modernizing the Bundeswehr. The proposal, supported by various political parties, also emphasizes improved care for wounded military personnel and marks a significant step towards acknowledging the contributions and sacrifices of veterans in Germany.
President Joe Biden and his team pushed for additional aid for Ukraine through public and private efforts, including meetings, phone calls, and briefings with House Speaker Mike Johnson. The administration emphasized the consequences of inaction, particularly highlighting the national security implications for the US and Europe if Russian President Vladimir Putin succeeds. The push for aid began six months ago with briefings to Johnson on Ukraine's battlefield situation, with key officials like Jake Sullivan and Shalanda Young involved in the discussions.
Victory in Europe Day is the day celebrating the formal acceptance by the Allies of World War II of Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces on Tuesday, 8 May 1945; it marked the official end of World War II in Europe in the Eastern Front, with the last known shots fired on 11 May. Russia and some former Soviet countries celebrate on 9 May, as Germany's unconditional surrender entered into force at 23:01 on 8 May Central European Summer Time; this corresponded with 00:01 on 9 May in Moscow Time.Several countries observe public holidays on the day each year, also called Victory Over Fascism Day, Liberation Day, or Victory Day. In the UK it is often abbreviated to VE Day, a term which existed as early as September 1944, in anticipation of victory.
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel addresses rare protests in Cuba over power blackouts and food shortages, blaming the US for provoking unrest amidst the island nation's ongoing economic crisis exacerbated by COVID-19 and US trade embargoes. Diaz-Canel calls for dialogue and peace, dismissing government enemies as attempting to destabilize the situation.
Ukraine ( yoo-KRAYN; Ukrainian: Україна, romanized: Ukraina, pronounced [ʊkrɐˈjinɐ] ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which borders it to the east and northeast. It also borders Belarus to the north; Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary to the west; and Romania and Moldova to the southwest; with a coastline along the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov to the south and southeast. Kyiv is the nation's capital and largest city, followed by Kharkiv, Dnipro and Odesa. Ukraine's official language is Ukrainian; Russian is also widely spoken, especially in the east and south.During the Middle Ages, Ukraine was the site of early Slavic expansion and the area later became a key centre of East Slavic culture under the state of Kievan Rus', which emerged in the 9th century. The state eventually disintegrated into rival regional powers and was ultimately destroyed by the Mongol invasions of the 13th century. The area was then contested, divided, and ruled by a variety of external powers for the next 600 years, including the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Austrian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Tsardom of Russia. The Cossack Hetmanate emerged in central Ukraine in the 17th century marked on maps as "Ukraine, land of the Cossacks", but was partitioned between Russia and Poland, and ultimately absorbed by the Russian Empire. Ukrainian nationalism developed and, following the Russian Revolution in 1917, the short-lived Ukrainian People's Republic was formed. The Bolsheviks consolidated control over much of the former empire and established the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, which became a constituent republic of the Soviet Union when it was formed in 1922. In the early 1930s, millions of Ukrainians died in the Holodomor, a human-made famine. The German occupation during World War II in Ukraine was devastating: 7 million Ukrainian civilians were killed, including most Ukrainian Jews.Ukraine gained independence in 1991 as the Soviet Union dissolved, and declared itself neutral. A new constitution was adopted in 1996. A series of mass demonstrations, known as the Euromaidan, led to the establishment of a new government in 2014 after a revolution. Russia then unilaterally annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula, and pro-Russian unrest culminated in a war in the Donbas between Russian-backed separatists and government forces in eastern Ukraine. Since the outbreak of war with Russia, Ukraine has continued to seek closer ties with the United States, European Union, and NATO. Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.Ukraine is a unitary state and its system of government is a semi-presidential republic. A developing country, it is the poorest country in Europe by nominal GDP per capita and corruption remains a significant issue. However, due to its extensive fertile land, pre-war Ukraine was one of the largest grain exporters in the world. It is a founding member of the United Nations, as well as a member of the Council of Europe, the World Trade Organization, and the OSCE. It is in the process of joining the European Union and has applied to join NATO.
Victory Day is a commonly used name for public holidays in various countries, where it commemorates a nation's triumph over a hostile force in a war or the liberation of a country from hostile occupation. In many cases, multiple countries may observe the same holiday, with the most prominent united celebrations occurring in states that comprised the Allies of World War II, celebrating the defeat of Nazi Germany.
The Republics of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics or the Union Republics (Russian: Сою́зные Респу́блики, tr. Soyúznye Respúbliki) were national-based administrative units of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). The Soviet Union was formed in 1922 by a treaty between the Soviet republics of Byelorussia, Russian SFSR (RSFSR), Transcaucasian Federation, and Ukraine, by which they became its constituent republics of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (Soviet Union).For most of its history, the USSR was a highly centralized state led by its Communist Party despite its nominal structure as a federation of republics; the light decentralization reforms during the era of perestroika (reconstruction) and glasnost (voice-ness, as freedom of speech) conducted by Mikhail Gorbachev as part of the Helsinki Accords are cited as one of the factors which led to the dissolution of the USSR in 1991 as result of the Cold War and the creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States.There were two very distinct types of republics in the Soviet Union: the larger union republics, representing the main ethnic groups of the Union and with the constitutional right to secede from it, and the smaller autonomous republics, located within some of the union republics and representing ethnic minorities. Typically, in regard to governance, autonomous republics were subordinate to the union republics they were located in except for few instances such as the Republic of Nakhichevan.The Karelo-Finnish Soviet Socialist Republic, a relic of the Soviet-Finnish War, became the only union republic to be deprived of its status in 1956. The decision to downgrade Karelia to an autonomous republic within the RSFSR was made unilaterally by the central government without consulting its population. The official basis for downgrading the status of the republic was the changes that had occurred in the national composition of its population (about 80% of the inhabitants were Russians, Belarusians and Ukrainians), as well as the need to reduce the state apparatus, the cost of maintaining which in 1955 amounted to 19.6 million rubles.
EU ambassadors have agreed in principle to use windfall profits from frozen Russian assets, estimated at almost 211 billion euros, to finance arms supplies for Ukraine. The interest, worth up to 3 billion euros per year, will be utilized for this purpose, with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz suggesting that around 90% of these revenues should be allocated to arms purchases for Ukraine. The funds are expected to reach Ukraine soon, with the first 1 billion euros tranche intended for military support by summer.
Belarusian activist Dzmitry Kuchuk has been arrested on charges that could lead to four years in prison for organizing activities against public order. The arrest follows a crackdown on dissent in Belarus, with mass protests against President Alexander Lukashenko's disputed election in 2020 resulting in arrests of over 35,000 individuals. Kuchuk's Green Party was shut down, and he was targeted for his efforts to seek the release of political prisoners. Around 1,400 political prisoners, including Nobel Peace Prize winner Ales Bialiatski, are currently detained in Belarus.
This is a list of international trips made by Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in his position as the 2nd president of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko (also transliterated as Alyaksandr Ryhoravich Lukashenka; born 30 August 1954) is a Belarusian politician who has been the president of Belarus since the office's establishment in 1994. This makes him the longest-serving European president.Before embarking on his political career, Lukashenko worked as the director of a state farm (sovkhoz) and served in both the Soviet Border Troops and the Soviet Army. In 1990, Lukashenko was elected to the Supreme Soviet of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, he assumed the position of head of the interim anti-corruption committee of the Supreme Council of Belarus. In 1994, he won the presidency in the country's inaugural presidential election after the adoption of a new constitution.Lukashenko opposed economic shock therapy during the 1990s post-Soviet transition, maintaining state ownership of key industries in Belarus. This spared Belarus from recessions as devastating as those in other post-Soviet states and prevented the rise of oligarchy. Lukashenko's maintenance of socialist economic model is consistent with the retaining of Soviet-era symbolism, including the Russian language, coat of arms and national flag. These symbols were adopted after a controversial 1995 referendum. Subsequent to the same referendum, Lukashenko acquired increased power, including the authority to dismiss the Supreme Council. Another referendum in 1996 further facilitated his consolidation of power. Lukashenko has since presided over an authoritarian government and has been labeled by the media as "Europe's last dictator". International monitors have not regarded Belarusian elections as free and fair, except for his initial win. The government suppresses opponents and limits media freedom. This has resulted in multiple Western governments imposing sanctions on Lukashenko and other Belarusian officials. Lukashenko's contested victory in the 2020 presidential election preceded allegations of vote-rigging, amplifying anti-government protests, the largest seen during his rule. Consequently, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and the United States do not recognise Lukashenko as the legitimate president of Belarus following the disputed election.Such isolation from parts of the West have increased his dependence on Russia, with whom Lukashenko had already maintained close ties with despite some disagreements related to trade. This has been particularly the case following the rise to power of Vladimir Putin, replacing reformist president Boris Yeltsin. Lukashenko played a crucial role in creating the Union State of Russia and Belarus, enabling Belarusians and Russians to travel, work, and study freely between the two countries. He also reportedly played a crucial role in brokering a deal to end the Russian Wagner Group rebellion in 2023, allowing some Wagner soldiers into Belarus.
The head of Belarus's top security agency, Ivan Tertel, claimed that Belarus prevented attempted drone strikes from Lithuania targeting Minsk and its suburbs. Lithuania's military and Crisis Management Center denied the claim, calling it nonsense and a hostile provocation. Tertel mentioned radicals in Lithuania and Poland producing drones to attack Belarus. Belarus, a close ally of Russia, has not entered the Russia-Ukraine war but has been a springboard for Russian forces. President Lukashenko boasted about defending against attacks from Ukraine or NATO countries.
Emomali Rahmon ([e̞mɔ̝mäˈli ɾähˈmɔ̝̃n]; born Emomali Sharipovich Rahmonov, Tajik: Эмомалӣ Шарипович Раҳмонов, romanized: Emomalí Šarip Rahmon; [e̞mɔ̝mäˈli ʃäˈɾipɔ̝vitʃ ɾähˈmɔ̝nɔ̝w]; (1952-10-05) October 5, 1952, is a Tajik politician who has been serving as 3rd President of Tajikistan since 16 November 1994. Previously he was the Chairman of the Supreme Assembly of Tajikistan, as the de facto head of state from 20 November 1992 to 16 November 1994 (the post of president was temporarily abolished during this period). Since 18 March 1998, he has also served as the leader of the People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan, which dominates the Parliament of Tajikistan. On 30 September 1999, he was elected vice-president of the UN General Assembly for a one-year term.He became widely known in 1992 after the abolition of the post of president in the country, when at the dawn of the civil war (1992–1997) he became Chairman of the Supreme Soviet (Parliament) of Tajikistan as a compromise candidate between communists and neo-communists on the one hand and liberal-democratic, nationalist and Islamist forces (the United Tajik Opposition) on the other.Five times (in the elections of 1994, 1999, 2006, 2013 and 2020), Rahmon won undemocratic presidential elections; in addition, he extended and reformed his powers based on the results of the national constitutional referendums of 1999 and 2003. Since 25 December 2015, Emomali Rahmon has held the lifetime title of Peshvoyi Millat (Tajik: Пешвои Миллат), which means “Leader of the Nation”, in full — “Founder of peace and national Unity — Leader of the Nation”. Following the results of the last national constitutional referendum in 2016, amendments were adopted that lifted the restrictions on the number of re-elections to the post of President of Tajikistan and lowered the age limit for those running for the post of president from 35 to 30 years.Rahmon heads an authoritarian regime in Tajikistan with elements of a cult of personality. Political opponents are repressed, violations of human rights and freedoms are severe, elections are not free and fair, and corruption and nepotism are rampant. Various important government positions are occupied by his family members, such as his 35-year-old son Rustam Emomali, who is the chairman of the country's parliament and the mayor of its capital city, Dushanbe.
The Russians (Russian: русские, romanized: russkiye) are an East Slavic ethnic group indigenous to Eastern Europe, who share a common Russian ancestry, culture, and history. Russian, the most spoken Slavic language, is the shared mother tongue of the Russians; Orthodox Christianity has been their majority religion since the formation of a Russian identity in the Middle Ages. They are the largest Slavic nation and the largest European nation.The Russians were formed from East Slavic tribes, and their cultural ancestry is based in Kievan Rus'. Genetically, the majority of Russians are very similar to their East Slavic counterparts, unlike Northern Russians, who belong to the Northern European Baltic gene pool. The Russian word for the Russians is derived from the people of Rus' and the territory of Rus'. The Russians share many historical and cultural traits with other European peoples, and especially with other East Slavic ethnic groups, specifically Belarusians and Ukrainians.The vast majority of Russians live in native Russia, but notable minorities are scattered throughout other post-Soviet states such as Belarus, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Ukraine, and the Baltic states. A large Russian diaspora (sometimes including Russian-speaking non-Russians), estimated at around 25 million people, has developed all over the world, with notable numbers in the United States, Germany, Brazil, and Canada.
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