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The president of the IOC defended his plan to include Russian and Belarusian athletes at the Paris Olympics
The Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) has said that it was “disappointed” by the decision of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to allow Russia to participate in the 2024 Olympics, calling it a “political decision”. ROC President Alexander Zhukov said, “It’s obvious…any neutral flag of Russian athletes is stained with blood.” “We’ll…go to the Olympics in…
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Russia launches small drones as air raid sirens ring outside
The Russian-appointed Head of annexed Crimea, Sergey Aksyonov, on Monday said he had “good news”, claiming that Russia’s approaches to what it calls its special military operation in Ukraine “have changed”. According to preliminary data from the Ukrainian State Emergency Service, at least 19 people were killed and 105 others were wounded by Russian missile…
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The US warned against helping Russia’s war, as China hosted the leader of Belarus
The US has said that Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed China’s position on the Ukraine crisis is clear and consistent, advocating a ceasefire, a stop to war and peace talks. Blinken will also visit China in person sometime early next year to follow up on the Xi-Biden meeting. China’s top diplomat will also visit Russia…
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The clock is always louder, so Putin has his back to the wall
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that Russia’s airstrikes in Ukraine’s Luhansk city are an act of “terrorism” and an act of war. Zelenskyy said this while speaking about the attack on his convoy, which killed one person and injured three others. He also said that Russia’s air strikes on the city and other…
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Russia has small nuclear arms that are riskier for Putin and Ukraine
Russia’s decision to suspend participation in New START treaty with the US threatens the viability of the pact and prevents the US from exercising rights under the treaty, the US said. “Russia’s refusal to facilitate inspection activities prevents the US from exercising important rights…and threatens the viability of US-Russian nuclear arms control,” it added. Russia…
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Putin threatens more attacks, and Russia strikes the capital of Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday said that his country could abandon its ” no first use” nuclear weapons doctrine, amid the conflict in eastern Ukraine. Russia has said that it would only use nuclear weapons to defend its homeland. Putin also did not indicate how the fighting might end and did not specify Russia’s…
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The DOJ charges 5 Russian and 2 US people with scheming to violate sanctions
The US has charged a group of Russians and Venezuela’s oil brokers with setting up shell companies to illegally send US military technology to Russia and millions of barrels of Venezuelan oil to Chinese buyers, avoiding US sanctions. Five Russian nationals and two oil brokers for Venezuela are accused of setting up networks of shell…
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Russia’s war in Ukraine is covered live
Ukraine’s military said it killed several Russian troops in the past 24 hours, adding that the number of Russian soldiers shot by the Ukrainian forces rose to “more than 100.” The military added that it has also killed a few Russian mercenaries. However, it did not reveal the names of the casualties. This comes amid…
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The Ukrainian troops are in Seized City
Russia’s Defence Ministry on Friday said that 82 Russian prisoners of war have been returned to Russia following what it said were negotiations with “territories under the control of the Kyiv regime.” The ministry added that the prisoners would be repatriated as a result of negotiations with Ukraine. Russia launched a military offensive against Ukraine…
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The coal challenge
Russia’s natural gas sector, the world’s fifth-largest, will likely be in a worse shape by 2026 than it was at the end of last year, reports said. The country will need to build more shale gas plants to meet its increased demand for crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG), reports further said. Earlier, Russia…
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A spirit that can last is that of Putin’s nemesis
Ukrainian soldiers on Tuesday entered Russia-backed territory in the Donetsk region for the first time since Russia invaded Ukraine in February, according to officials. The operation aims to “neutralise” Russia-backed separatists in the region, the Ukrainian military said in a statement. Russian President Vladimir Putin had said that his forces would withdraw from the region…
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Russia’s economy is hurting despite the bluster of Putin
Russia’s war in Ukraine will reduce its GDP by $190 billion by 2026 compared with the country’s prewar path, according to a Bloomberg Economics report. Russia’s oil export revenues increased by 25% last year to $18.1 billion according to the IEA. However, Russia’s economic output shrank 2.1% last year, according to preliminary estimates from the…
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Two U.S. nationals are charged with trying to Feed Russia’s War Machine
Seven Russian nationals have been charged in the US for conspiring to ship advanced electronics and equipment to Russia in defiance of US sanctions. The accused used a network of shell companies and bank accounts to acquire and ship the goods to Russia, which they can use for military and space-based applications, according to the…
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Russia may abandon its no first use nuclear doctrine, according to Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Russia may officially change its military doctrine of not being the first to use nuclear weapons in a conflict. “The reason you would need a tactical nuclear weapon, low-yield, would be for battlefield use,” he added. This comes after Putin warned of the “increasing” threat of nuclear war.
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Putin stopped Russia’s participation in the last nuclear reduction pact
US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said the US has an “obligation” to stand by Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict with Russia in the country, adding that the US “will continue to stand with Ukraine”. He also called on Ukraine’s new President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to recognise the need to stop the conflict. Zelenskyy has ruled out…
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Missiles that can be fired from the air could protect the Ukrainian power grid
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday announced that around 40,000 sq km of eastern and southern Ukraine will be annexed by Russia. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that his country is “certain” that it will win the war against Russia. The annexation of the area, which is home to a large population of Russian-speaking Ukrainians,…
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Russians are trapped in Putin’s parallel universe and some want out
Russia has blocked 18 Telegram channels and groups that it claimed were “created to conduct Russian military information campaigns, undermine the domestic situation in Ukraine and involve minors in illegal activities.” The police said they had blocked 18 Telegram channels and groups “created to conduct Russian military information campaigns” and “undermine the domestic situation in…
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Putin and Biden are meeting with NATO allies
Russian President Vladimir Putin said that his country and China could reach $200 billion in annual trade by 2020, compared to $185 billion last year. He also said that Ukraine and Belarus, which have been affected by the conflict between Ukrainian troops and Russia-backed separatists, could reach $160 billion and $50 billion respectively. The warring…
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Regardless of India’s own agenda, Ukraine is poised to dominate as G-20 ministers gather
Russia will increase its purchases of Russian energy to protect its own interests as a country with less disposable income, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday. India took over the presidency of the G20 this month and will keep it until next year. Russia has reportedly supplied India with around $13 billion in weapons…
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Some of the Russians want out of Putin’s parallel universe
In a recent four-minute diatribe on the messaging app Telegram, Russian-appointed deputy leader of Ukraine’s occupied Kherson region, Kirill Stremousov, criticised Russian military commanders for allowing “gaps” on the battlefield that had allowed Ukrainian military to make advances in the region. Stremousov alleged that Russian military commanders have allowed Ukrainian military to make advances in…
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A US State Department official says that China is going to release a peace proposal for Ukraine on Friday
The US has said that China is “trying to broadcast and itself in a veneer of neutrality, even as it deepens its engagement with Russia in key ways – politically, diplomatically, economically and potentially in the security realm as well”. It added that China has been providing non-lethal support to Russia for use in the…
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Biden has another up his sleeve in a war of surprises
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday that Russia’s military incursion into Ukraine in April was the “beginning of the end” of his country. The Ukrainian leader further said that Russia’s military incursion into Ukraine was the beginning of the end of his country. Russia had entered Ukraine to support pro-Russian separatists in the provinces…
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Russia may abandon its doctrine of “no first use” of nuclear weapons
Russia’s use of strategic nuclear weapons is extremely unlikely and the West would view them as an improvised nuclear weapon, Bretton-Gordon said. “There are no indications that Russia is preparing to use nuclear weapons,” she added. Russia’s doctrine allows commanders to use tactical nuclear weapons to protect their territory from being lost, Bretton-Gordon further said.
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Why would Putin want a truce?
Two men shot at Russian troops preparing to deploy to Ukraine, killing 11 People’s Republic of China soldiers and wounding 15 others before being killed themselves, Russia’s Defense Ministry said on Monday. The men opened fire on the troops when they were preparing to move into Ukraine, it added. Earlier, President Vladimir Putin had said…
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The new phase of the war may result from Putin’s rage against civilians
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday announced that Russia’s war with Ukraine would continue for at least one more year. He added that his country was ready to support Ukrainian forces if they “successfully” won the battle. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that it’ll be impossible for Ukraine to win the war from Russia in…