Russia bombs multiple Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv
KYIV: Russia bombed cities across Ukraine during rush hour on Monday morning, killing civilians and destroying infrastructure in apparent revenge strikes after President Vladimir Putin declared an explosion on the bridge to Crimea to be a terrorist attack. Missiles tore
Russia opens cases against Google over data storage
MOSCOW: Russia’s communications regulator Roskomnadzor said it had opened administrative cases against Alphabet Inc’s (GOOGL.O) Google and six other foreign technology companies for alleged violations of personal data legislation. Moscow has clashed with Big Tech over content, censorship, data and
Russia bans entry of British PM Boris Johnson
Kyiv, Ukraine: Russia’s foreign ministry has banned Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, Ben Wallace and 10 other British government members from entering the country. The ministry said on Saturday the decision was made “in view of the unprecedented hostile action by
Russia warns US of ‘consequences’ of Ukraine military aid: reports
MOSCOW: Russia has formally complained to the United States over its military aid to Ukraine, warning of “unpredictable consequences” if shipments of advanced weaponry go forward, US media reported. In a diplomatic note this week, Moscow warned the United States
Russia says US interfering in Pakistan’s internal affairs
MOSCOW: Russia says the United States is interfering in Pakistan’s internal affairs while Prime Minister Imran Khan is being punished for visiting Russia. According to details, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova reacted to the threatening letter by saying that
West, Russia mull nuclear steps in a ‘more dangerous’ world
WASHINGTON: Russia’s assault on Ukraine and its veiled threats of using nuclear arms have policymakers, past and present, thinking the unthinkable: How should the West respond to a Russian battlefield explosion of a nuclear bomb? The default U.S. policy answer,
Russia fires hypersonic missiles in Ukraine
MOSCOW: Russia said on Sunday it has again fired its newest Kinzhal hypersonic missiles in Ukraine, destroying a fuel storage site in the country’s south. The Russian defence ministry also said it killed more than 100 members of Ukrainian special
Russia bars entry to Biden and Canada’s Trudeau
MOSCOW: Russia said it had put U.S. President Joe Biden, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and a dozen top U.S. officials on a “stop list” that bars them from entering the country. Alongside Biden, U.S. officials on the list included
Russia says West trying to push it into default
MOSCOW: Russia accused the West of seeking to push it into an “artificial default” through unprecedented sanctions over Ukraine, but vowed to meet its debt payments. Russia is due to make an interest payment on its external debt later this
Russia says half of its reserves are frozen
MOSCOW: Russia said that it was counting on China to help it withstand the blow to its economy from Western sanctions, which it said had frozen nearly half of its gold and foreign currency reserves. “We have part of our
Russia warns West of $300 per barrel oil
DUBLIN: Western countries could face oil prices of over $300 per barrel and the possible closure of the main Russia-Germany gas pipeline if governments follow through on threats to cut energy supplies from Russia, a senior minister said. Oil prices
Visa, Mastercard block Russian financial institutions
WASHINGTON: US payment card firms Visa and Mastercard have blocked multiple Russian financial institutions from their network, complying with government sanctions imposed over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Visa said it was taking prompt action to ensure compliance with applicable sanctions,
Russia banned by FIFA, UEFA from all int’l football competitions
FIFA have confirmed the suspension of Russia’s national teams from international football and all club sides from Fifa and Uefa competitions until further notice. Russia were due to play Poland on 24 March in Europe’s World Cup qualifying play-off semi-finals,
Russia ready for talks with Ukraine in Belarus: Report
MOSCOW: A Russian delegation has arrived in Belarus for talks with Ukraine, a Kremlin spokesperson was quoted by the Ifax news agency as saying on Sunday, the first negotiations since Russia started its invasion on Feb. 24. Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov
Russia capture Airfield near Kyiv
Kyiv: Russian and Ukrainian forces were on Thursday battling for an airbase on the northern outskirts of Kyiv after dozens of attack helicopters swooped south from Belarus towards the capital. Russian airborne troops seized control of the Gostomel airfield, but Ukraine’s
Russian warship chases off US sub near Pacific islands
MOSCOW: A Russian anti-submarine destroyer chased off a US submarine near the Kuril Islands, forcing it to leave the country’s territorial waters, Moscow said amid raging tensions over Ukraine. A Pentagon spokesman in a comment, said only: “We are aware
Russia starts Belarus military drills
MOSCOW: Russia started the active phase of military drills in Belarus on Thursday as Britain launched new diplomacy in a standoff over Ukraine, warning Moscow that going to war with its neighbour would be disastrous for Russia, Ukraine and Europe.
Russia preparing full-scale invasion of Ukraine: US
WASHINGTON: United States intelligence assessments say Russia is stepping up preparations for a large-scale invasion of Ukraine and has now put in place 70 percent of the forces it would need for such an attack, US officials said. Russia has
UK warns Russia of sanctions if Ukraine is invaded
LONDON: UK urged Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday to “step back from the brink” over Ukraine, warning that any incursion would trigger sanctions against companies and people with close links to the Kremlin. The United States and Britain are
Russia-Ukraine standoff
US President Joe Biden has warned there is a distinct possibility Russia might invade Ukraine in a few months. The United States and Russia have kept the door to diplomacy open but huge gaps remain while there is a clear
Britain considering major NATO deployment amid Ukraine crisis
LONDON: Britain is considering making a major NATO deployment as part of a plan to strengthen Europe’s borders in response to Russia massing troops on the border with Ukraine, the government said. Britain has said that any Russian incursion into
US troop alert ‘escalating tensions’: Russia
MOSCOW: Russia on Tuesday accused the United States of ratcheting up tensions over Ukraine after Washington put several thousand troops on alert for possible deployment to boost NATO. The West is accusing Russia, which has massed 100,000 troops on the
China, Russia block US bid to sanction North Koreans
NEW YORK: China and Russia delayed a US bid to impose UN sanctions on five North Koreans, as Pyongyang suggested it may resume tests of nuclear weapons and long-range missiles. The move by China and Russia came ahead of a
Russia completes 10,000-troop drills near Ukraine
MOSCOW: Russia has announced that more than 10,000 troops had finished month-long drills near Ukraine, amid Western accusations that Moscow was plotting an invasion of its ex-Soviet neighbour. The defence ministry said in a statement that the drills for Southern
Russia fines Google of $98m over content breach
MOSCOW: A Moscow court has said it was imposing a fine on Alphabet’s Google $98m for what it said was a repeated failure to delete content Russia deems illegal, the first revenue-based penalty of its kind in Russia. Moscow has
Russian anti-satellite missile test endangers space station: NASA
WASHINGTON: An anti-satellite missile test Russia conducted on Monday generated a debris field in low-Earth orbit that endangered the International Space Station and will pose a hazard to space activities for years, US officials said. The seven-member space station crew
Pakistan to host Troika Plus meeting on Afghanistan today
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will host a Troika Plus meeting with senior diplomats from the United States, China, and Russia to discuss the situation in neighboring Afghanistan. According to the foreign office, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi will inaugurate the meeting. About
Russian opposition leader Navalny wins EU’s Sakharov Award
BRUSSELS: The European Parliament on Wednesday awarded jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny the acclaimed Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. The award, named after Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov, recognises individuals who have made an “outstanding contribution to protecting freedom of
Moscow holds plans to recognise Taliban government
MOSCOW (Reuters): Russia, China, and Pakistan are willing to provide aid to Afghanistan, the Russian foreign ministry, however, Moscow said it was not yet ready to recognise the Taliban government. The promise of humanitarian aid and economic support came after
Russia suspends its mission at NATO after expulsion of diplomats
MOSCOW: In a tit-for-tat move, Russia has suspended its mission at NATO and ordered the closure of the alliance’s office in Moscow after the expulsion of Russian diplomats. Earlier this month, NATO withdrew the accreditation of eight Russian officials to