Russia

Read recent news stories and current events about Russia on Newser.com

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Trump to Zelensky: 'Can You Hit Moscow?'

President asked the question in a phone call

(Newser) - The Financial Times reports a notable detail from a phone call between President Trump and Ukraine leader Volodymyr Zelensky earlier this month. It came in the form of a question from Trump:
  • "Volodymyr, can you hit Moscow?" the president asked, according to the newspaper's sources. "Can you
...

Putin-Linked Conductor Catches Ire of Navalny Widow

Russian leader's ally is set to perform at Italian festival, and Yulia Navalnaya isn't having it

(Newser) - Yulia Navalnaya, widow of late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, is urging Italy to revoke an invitation extended to Valery Gergiev, a conductor with strong Kremlin ties, to perform at a major music festival later this month. Gergiev, known for his decades-long alliance with Vladimir Putin, is set to...

Will a Dangerous Cold War Vestige Come Roaring Back?

6 nations move to exit global land mine ban amid security fears

(Newser) - Europe's borders could soon bristle once again with land mines, as several nations move to abandon a decades-old treaty banning the deadly weapons in response to rising tensions with Russia. The New York Times takes a look at the possible return to a Cold War-era tactic and the...

Rubio Joins Trump in Criticism of Russia

'We need to see a roadmap' on ending the war, says secretary of state

(Newser) - Marco Rubio has joined his boss in criticizing Russia over its failure to end the war with Ukraine. The secretary of state on Thursday aired his concerns after meeting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of a regional summit in Malaysia, reports Politico . "It was a...

European Court: Russia Was Behind Downing of MH17

It delivers judgments against Russia in four cases brought by Ukraine

(Newser) - Europe's top human rights court delivered damning judgments Wednesday against Russia in four cases brought by Kyiv and the Netherlands accusing Moscow of atrocities in Ukraine dating back more than a decade—among them the downing of Flight MH17. Reading the decisions in a packed courtroom in Strasbourg, Court...

After Trump Blasts Putin's Bulls---, Russia Goes Bigger

Some 728 drones were launched overnight

(Newser) - Ukraine endured its largest aerial assault to date just hours after President Trump lashed out at Vladimir Putin and reversed his stance on military support for Kyiv . The BBC cites President Zelensky as saying 728 drones and 13 missiles were launched by Russia overnight. The AP reports Lutsk, which...

Sources Say Trump Is Mulling a Big Move on Ukraine Defense

US said to be considering sending another Patriot air-defense system to Kyiv

(Newser) - Amid renewed Russian attacks on Ukraine, the White House is weighing whether to send Kyiv another coveted Patriot air-defense system—a move that could signal a major shift in US military support and put pressure on Moscow. Two officials tell the Wall Street Journal the Trump administration has asked...

Days After Pausing Weapons to Ukraine, Trump Does a 180

President indicates defensive weapons will be sent to Kyiv

(Newser) - Days after pausing weapons deliveries to Ukraine, US President Trump said Monday that the US would be sending more arms to the country. The AP calls it an "abrupt change in posture." Speaking to reporters after the latest Russian attacks on Ukraine, Trump said, per Reuters , "We'...

Russia's Transport Minister Found Dead Hours After Firing

Investigators believe Roman Starovoit killed himself

(Newser) - Russian's transport minister was found dead from a gunshot wound in an apparent suicide, investigators said Monday—news that broke hours after the Kremlin announced he had been dismissed by President Vladimir Putin.
  • The Kremlin did not give a reason for the firing of Roman Starovoit, who served as
...

Official's Infamous Waltz With Putin Still Defines Her

Guardian explores former Austrian foreign minister's Karin Kneissl's controversial move

(Newser) - When Karin Kneissl was serving as Austria's foreign minister in 2018, she wasn't exactly a household name even in her own country. A "marginal figure" is how Amanda Coakley describes her in a profile at the Guardian . Then came the move that put her on the world'...

What 'Kyiv Endured Last Night' Was an 'Act of Terror'

Russia launches biggest aerial assault on capital since it invaded

(Newser) - Kyiv endured its most intense barrage of Russian drone strikes yet, just hours after Vladimir Putin dismissed a US-brokered truce bid. The BBC reports the overnight strikes targeted nearly every district in the Ukrainian capital, sending air raid sirens blaring for more than eight hours, with President Zelensky calling...

Russia Becomes First to Recognize Taliban Rule

Government has been isolated, largely over its restrictions on women and girls

(Newser) - Russia on Thursday became the first country to formally recognize the Taliban's government in Afghanistan since it seized power in 2021, after Moscow removed the group from its list of outlawed organizations . The Russian Foreign Ministry announced that it had received credentials from Afghanistan's newly appointed Ambassador Gul...

Kim Jong Un Makes a Beachy Tourism Bet

The Wonsan Kalma resort had originally been due to open in 2019

(Newser) - North Korea has unveiled its latest attempt to boost its struggling economy: the Wonsan Kalma beach resort, a sprawling location on its eastern coast that opened Tuesday. The move highlights Kim Jong Un's ongoing bet on tourism as an economic lifeline amid strict international sanctions—though with a...

Russia Fires 60 Missiles, 477 Drones and Decoys

Ukraine calls it the biggest aerial attack of the invasion

(Newser) - Russia launched its biggest aerial attack against Ukraine overnight, a Ukrainian official said Sunday, part of an escalating bombing campaign that has further dashed hopes for a breakthrough in efforts to end the 3-year-old war. Russia fired a total of 537 aerial weapons, including 477 drones and decoys and 60...

North Korea Takes Step Toward 'Tourist Culture'

Wonsan Kalma beach resort to welcome domestic tourists starting next month

(Newser) - North Korea is rolling out a new beach resort on its east coast, hoping to draw tourists—and much-needed revenue—into one of the world's most secretive nations. Leader Kim Jong Un hailed the Wonsan Kalma resort as one of the country's "greatest feats" of the...

Putin: Trump Had No 'Justification' to Hit Iran

But it was unclear if Russia would provide any military assistance to its Mideast ally

(Newser) - Vladimir Putin offered his first public remarks about the US strikes on longtime Russian ally Iran on Monday—and he's not happy about them. But how that might translate into help for Tehran remained unclear.
  • "The absolutely unprovoked aggression against Iran has no basis and no justification,"
...

Russian Economy 'on the Brink of Recession'

Sectors other than the military are stagnating

(Newser) - Russia's economy is "on the brink of going into a recession," the country's economy minister said Thursday. Economy Minister Maxim Reshetnikov delivered the warning at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, an annual event in Russia's second-largest city designed to highlight the country's economic...

Finland Makes New Move to Defend Itself From Russia

Nation votes to exit treaty on land mines, which critics say may put lives at risk

(Newser) - Finland's Parliament voted overwhelmingly on Thursday to pull out of a major international treaty on antipersonnel land mines, or APLs, as the Nordic country seeks to boost its defenses against an increasingly assertive Russia next door. Finland, which joined NATO in 2023, shares an 830-mile land border with Russia...

As Israel Pounds Iran, Ally Russia 'Nowhere to Be Found'

Russia is 'nowhere to be found' as Israel continues to attack one of its Mideast partners

(Newser) - It's been nearly a week since Israel launched its attacks on Iran, and one of the latter nation's staunchest allies is "nowhere to be found," New York Times . Russia so far has declined to weigh in on the conflict other than some "phone calls and...

North Korean Workers Will Help Rebuild Russian Region

North Korea will reportedly send 5K construction workers to Kursk region

(Newser) - In a striking show of deepening ties, North Korea is set to send 5,000 construction workers to help rebuild Russia's war-damaged Kursk region, reports the New York Times . Russian official Sergei Shoigu, a close Putin aide, made the announcement Tuesday following a meeting with North Korean leader...

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