North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on his way home after concluding a trip to Russia's Far East
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is on his way home from Russia at the end of a six-day trip that triggered global concerns about weapons transfer deals between the two countries locked in separate standoffs with the West.
North Korea's Kim Jong Un inspects Russian bombers and a warship on a visit to Russia's Far East
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has inspected Russia’s nuclear-capable bombers, hypersonic missiles and an advanced warship on a trip to Russia’s Far East that has sparked concerns about an arms alliance that could fuel President Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine.
White House says Putin and Kim Jong Un traded letters as Russia looks for munitions from North Korea
The United States, the United Kingdom, South Korea and Japan are urging North Korea to halt arms negotiations with Russia following revelations Russian and North Korean talks on a weapons sale are advancing.
Armed rebellion by Wagner chief Prigozhin underscores erosion of Russian legal system
Russia’s rebellious mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin walked free from prosecution for his June 24 armed mutiny, and it’s still unclear if anyone will face any charges in the brief uprising against the military or for the deaths of the soldiers killed in it.
Amid infighting among Putin's lieutenants, head of mercenary force appears to take a step too far
For months, the head of the Wagner private military contractor bombarded Russia’s top military leaders with expletive-ridden insults in a rift that has weakened the country’s forces amid the war in Ukraine.
UN nuclear agency to probe Russia claim of `dirty bombs'
The U_N_ nuclear chief says he is sending inspectors to two locations in Ukraine where Russia alleged that activities related to the possible production of “dirty bombs” was taking place and expects them to reach a conclusion “in days -- very fast.”.
Russia's defense chief warns of 'dirty bomb' provocation
Russia’s defense chief has alleged that Ukraine was preparing a “provocation” involving a radioactive device, a stark claim that was strongly rejected by Ukrainian and British officials amid soaring tensions as Moscow struggles to stem Ukrainian advances.
Sliver of hope: Kremlin sees a diplomatic path on Ukraine
The Kremlin is signaling it is ready to keep talking with the West about security grievances that led to the current Ukraine crisis, offering hope that Russia might not invade its beleaguered neighbor within days as the U.S. and Europe increasingly fear.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/EY4F7HTD7RGPDGKUBNP5QYKSDM.jpg)
Russia criticizes US refusal to hold quick Putin-Biden call
In this photo made available on Sunday, March 21, 2021, Russian President Vladimir Putin looks at a photographer in a taiga forest in Russia's Siberian region. Putin and Russia Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu are spending the weekend in Siberia, said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. In taking a tough stance on Russia, Biden has said the days of the U.S. “rolling over” to Putin are done. Last week, the U.S. national intelligence director’s office released a report finding that Putin authorized influence operations to help Trump’s reelection bid. The Biden administration warned that Russia would face sanctions soon over its attempt to influence the election and the massive SolarWinds hacks.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/D4Y3OAEJBRDIXF45E6NAWLKY2Q.jpg)
Putin to get coronavirus vaccine shot in Russia on Tuesday
Putin said he will get vaccinated against the coronavirus on Tuesday, months after widespread vaccination has started in Russia. (Alexei Druzhinin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)MOSCOW – President Vladimir Putin said he will get a coronavirus vaccine shot on Tuesday, several months after widespread vaccination started in Russia. Putin, 68, told a meeting with government officials and vaccine developers on Monday that he will get his shot “tomorrow,” without specifying which coronavirus vaccine out of the three authorized for use in Russia he will take. Dozens of countries have approved the use of Sputnik V and signed deals with Russia to get shipments of the shot. Even despite deliberate discrediting of our vaccine, various hoaxes and sometimes outright nonsense, more states all around the world express interest in our vaccine," Putin said.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/AFV2SQYMSBBG5BCJ7B7LCBGZ3U.jpg)
Azerbaijani leader: Cease-fire may improve Armenia relations
Ethnic Armenians return to a normal life after a Russia-brokered cease-fire was signed between Armenia and Azerbaijan. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)MOSCOW – The president of Azerbaijan said Saturday he hopes the ceasefire that ended a six-week war with Armenia this month will lead to improving relations between the countries. The delegation, which included Russia's foreign and defense ministers, also visited the Armenian capital, Yerevan. Russia and Azerbaijan also agree on the need to create conditions for ethnic conciliation in the region, Lavrov said. Azerbaijan has been angered to discover the wholescale ruination of towns that came under Armenian control in the 1990s war.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/PZGECBZXZBHNXIP5WQSXKXCNCY.jpg)
Russian spymaster accuses US of fomenting Belarus protests
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko speaks during a meeting with the country's political activists in Minsk, Belarus, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2020. Sergei Naryshkin, director of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service, claimed in a statement carried by Russian news agencies Wednesday that the U.S. has funded the Belarusian opposition and encouraged the protests. The Belarusian opposition has condemned Moscow for offering the Belarusian strongman a financial lifeline, warning that it would tarnish future ties between the countries. “Lukashenko is the legitimate president of Belarus,” Peskov said in a conference call with reporters. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu arrived in Belarus Wednesday for talks on deepening military cooperation.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/SPPUSCG5FVC7TGL634CPXYOMEM.jpg)
UN: No vaccine to be endorsed before its safe and effective
I would like to assure the public that WHO will not endorse a vaccine thats not effective and safe, Tedros said. Russia became the first country in the world to approve a COVID-19 vaccine in August after licensing a shot that had only been tested in several dozen people. On Friday, Russian scientists published data from early studies suggesting their vaccine was safe and prompted an antibody response, but the results were limited and experts said the shot had not yet proven to work. The Russian vaccine, known as Sputnik V, is now being tested in about 40,000 people and is being offered in parallel to key workers like doctors and teachers. China has reportedly begun inoculating some high-risk groups with one of its experimental coronavirus vaccine while the large studies to prove its efficacy and safety are ongoing.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/4T2C7GHPFFHV5OCZBFQTKLXCFA.jpg)
Russia publishes virus vaccine results, weeks after approval
Scientists said the frozen vaccine would be suitable for current global vaccine supply chains while the freeze-dried version could be used in hard-to-reach areas. In the context of regulatory approval, the design and size of (an early) study is not anywhere near sufficient for widely recognized standards of approval. It remains unclear whether they were among the volunteers in clinical trials or accessed the vaccine in some other way. Michael Head, a senior research fellow in global health at Britains University of Southampton, agreed the Russian vaccine appeared to be promising, but that further studies were needed. Head was not linked to the Russian research.