Russia’s Victory Day has had an evolving makeover during President Vladimir Putin’s reign. Increasingly militarizing the commemorative holiday, with more advanced military hardware showcased and political twists added, Vladimir Putin and his choreographers have weaponized the memory of the Great Patriotic War. Using the massive wartime sacrifice as a cultural reference point to blame the … Read more
V Ladimir Putin’s forces are losing heavily in Ukraine and he cannot “win the war to achieve a settled outcome,” Britain’s former ambassador to Moscow said on Thursday. Sir Andrew Wood, the UK’s top diplomat in Russia from 1995 to 2000, stressed that Ukrainians would not forget “what he has done and what his forces … Read more
Italy’s Prime Minister Mario Draghi on Tuesday urged the EU to embrace a “pragmatic federalism” that would include ditching national vetoes and could involve treaty change. “We need a pragmatic federalism that encompasses all areas affected by ongoing transformations — from the economy to energy to security,” Draghi told the European Parliament in his first … Read more
BERLIN — Finland and Sweden “can count” on Germany’s support should they decide to join the NATO alliance, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Tuesday, adding that both countries were already benefitting from EU military protection in case of an attack. Speaking at Schloss Meseberg, the chancellor’s retreat north of Berlin, Scholz said that Russia’s invasion of … Read more
T he United Nations has confirmed that an operation to evacuate people from a besieged steel plant in Mariupol has begun. UN humanitarian spokesman Saviano Abreu said on Sunday that the effort to bring people out of the sprawling Azovstal steel plant is being conducted in collaboration with the International Committee for the Red Cross … Read more
V Ladimir Putin’s military chief General Valery Gerasimov is thought to be going forward towards the war zone because Russia’s military campaign in eastern Ukraine is struggling so badly, western officials said on Friday. The move by Gen Gerasimov, Chief of General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, is thought to be an attempt to … Read more
R ussian forces are paying a high price for “limited” territorial gains in the battle for the Donbas, according to British defense chiefs. In its latest intelligence update on the war in Ukraine, the UK’s Ministry of Defense said there had been heavy fighting around the cities of Lysychansk and Severodonetsk in the Luhansk region … Read more
BERLIN — The German parliament on Thursday instructed the government to boost military support for Ukraine and sent pointed warnings to China and Serbia over their support for Russia. However, the vote was overshadowed by increasing quarrels between the government and opposition in recent days over whether Chancellor Olaf Scholz remains committed to his recent … Read more
Ukraine’s air defenses have also not been “suppressed” by Mr Putin’s invasion, which was launched on February 24, leaving Russian planes and helicopters flying over the country “at risk”. These failures meant Russian air activity is “primarily focused” on the south and east of the country, with “very limited air access” in the north and … Read more
V Ladimir Putin has warned Russia will carry out “lightning fast” counterstrikes on any nations interfering with his invasion of Ukraine in his latest nuclear threat to the West. The Russian leader made the threat in an address to the Council of Legislators in St Petersburg. Speaking to lawmakers, he warned: “If someone intends to … Read more