Russia said on Monday it was ready to negotiate directly with Ukraine, but that recognition of its claims over five Ukrainian regions including Crimea were “imperative” to resolving the conflict. Since launching its Ukraine offensive in February 2022, Russia has seized large parts of four Ukrainian regions and claimed them as its own, in addition … Read more
Russia’s central bank kept borrowing costs at a two-decade high of 21 percent on Friday to combat rampant inflation, despite banks and businesses warning the economy was headed for a slowdown. Prices have been rising quickly across the Russian economy for months, driven up by massive government spending on the Ukraine conflict and deep labour … Read more
The Central Bank of Russia and the country’s Finance Ministry are planning to launch an experimental crypto exchange in the coming days. The step is part of Russia’s roadmap of gradually legalising cryptocurrencies. Finance Minister Anton Siluanov was addressing a ministry meeting this week, when he shed light on the plans, according to reports from … Read more
Russia launched a wave of aerial attacks at Ukraine on Monday in an abrupt end to a fragile 30-hour Easter truce between the two sides. The renewed strikes, confirmed by both Moscow and Kyiv, cast doubt on Donald Trump’s hopes for a broader ceasefire between the two sides, hours after the US President said he … Read more
Russia said Friday that a 30-day pause on Ukrainian energy site strikes has expired, a step away from peace just as Washington threatened to exit ceasefire efforts if progress was not made soon. US President Donald Trump has been pressing Moscow and Kyiv to agree to a truce, but has failed to extract any major … Read more
Australian officials are investigating claims that Russia has requested permission from Indonesia to base strategic surveillance and combat aircraft in the province of Papua — just 1,400 kilometers north of Darwin. The move was first reported by defense journal Janes on Tuesday, which revealed that Russian Security Council Secretary, General Sergei Shoigu, made the request … Read more
Russia said Monday that its missiles hit a meeting of Ukrainian army commanders in Sumy, accusing Ukraine of using civilians as a “human shield” after Kyiv said the attack Sunday killed at least 34 people in one of the deadliest strikes of the entire war. Russia’s attack drew condemnation and accusations of “war crimes” from … Read more
Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff has met Vladimir Putin for talks in Russia – as the US president called on Moscow to “get moving” with ending the war in Ukraine. Mr Witkoff, who has been pressing the Kremlin to accept a truce, visited Mr Putin in St Petersburg after earlier meeting the Russian leader’s … Read more
US envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russia’s top economic negotiator Kirill Dmitriev on Friday, state media reported, the US official’s third visit to the country as Washington pushes for a ceasefire in Ukraine. US President Donald Trump is pressing Moscow and Kyiv to end the more than three-year-long conflict, but has expressed anger at both … Read more
U.S special envoy Steve Witkoff flew to Russia on Friday, the Kremlin said. According to state media, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the trip by President Trump’s envoy, but did not confirm whether he would meet with President Vladimir Putin. The Russian president’s investment envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, met with Witkoff in St Petersburg, Reuters reported, … Read more