Support The Moscow Times!

News From Russia: What You Missed Over the Weekend

Migrants in a tent camp on the Belarusian-Polish border. Oksana Manchuk / Belta / TASS

Migrant crisis

Poland warned of a possible large breakthrough of migrants Sunday after detaining 50 people mainly from the Middle East who had crossed the heavily guarded EU and NATO border Saturday.

British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss on Sunday urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to intervene in the crisis that has left thousands of migrants trapped on the Belarus-Poland border. Putin brushed aside accusations of bearing responsibility for the crisis and pointed the finger at Western policies in the Middle East.

Western response

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian about "concerning" Russian military activity taking place "in and near Ukraine," the State Department said late Sunday.

Western allies have voiced mounting alarm over recent Russian troop movements near the country's border with Ukraine.

S-400s to New Delhi

Russia has launched deliveries of its advanced S-400 defense systems to India, the head of Russia’s arms exports arm told news agencies Sunday.

Moscow has vowed to accelerate the S-400 shipments to New Delhi following tense standoffs with China and Pakistan in contested border regions.


					S-400 defense systems.					 					mil.ru
S-400 defense systems. mil.ru

Checkmate fighter

Russia has also launched construction of several prototypes of its cutting-edge AI-powered stealth fighter jet dubbed “The Checkmate,” the head of Russia’s aircraft corporation told news agencies Sunday. 

The Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Plant in Far East Russia is carrying out the construction of several versions of the fifth-generation light single-engine Sukhoi fighter jet. “The Checkmate’s” developers tout the $30-million aircraft’s ability to attack up to six targets simultaneously on land, air or sea while also carrying drones. 

‘Young Putin’

Rapper and fashion mogul Kanye West proclaimed himself a “young Putin” in an interview with the Revolt TV digital cable that aired late Friday.

"I am Putin. I am young Putin. ... I realized that I was Vladimir when I realized that culture is an oil, culture is an energy. And I am the king of culture for the past 20 and the next 2,000 years."

West, who legally changed his name to Ye this year, has referenced the Russian president on previous occasions, including tweeting out in 2020 a photo of Putin wrestling a judo sparring partner to the ground.

AFP contributed reporting.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more