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Articles by AFP
marred voting
Fatal Ukrainian Strikes Rock Russia as Vote Cements Putin’s Grip
Putin vowed a harsh response to the assaults and accused Kyiv of trying to "disrupt" his bid for another six-year mandate.
4 Min read
drone attack
2 Dead, 19 Injured in Ukrainian Strike on Russia's Belgorod Region – Governor
Russia's Defense Ministry said 14 drones were destroyed overnight, the latest wave of attacks ahead of the March 15-17 presidential election.
2 Min read
kremlin address
Putin Urges Russians to Vote at 'Difficult' Time for Country
"You realize what a difficult period our country is going through, what complex challenges we are facing on almost all fronts," he said.
1 Min read
air assault
Russian Oil Refinery Set Ablaze in Latest Wave of Drone Attacks
Regions across Russia for a second day in a row came under large-scale drone attacks.
1 Min read
territory gain
Russia Says Captured Village in Ukraine's Donetsk Region
The Russian Defense Ministry said its forces captured the village of Nevelske and had taken up "more favorable lines and positions."
1 Min read
widespread strikes
Ukrainian Drone Attacks Across Russia Set Fuel Depots Ablaze
Russia's Defense Ministry said on Tuesday it had destroyed 25 drones overnight.
2 Min read
military reshuffle
Kremlin Declines to Comment on Naval Chief Sacking Reports
Russian media reported over the weekend that Admiral Nikolai Yevmenov had been replaced by the Northern Fleet commander.
1 Min read
overnight strike
Russian Drone, Missile Attacks on Ukraine Kill 2
Ukraine's air force said Russia launched 37 Iranian-designed Shahed drones and three missiles against its territory overnight.
2 Min read
luhansk region
7 Killed in Separate Incidents in Occupied Ukraine
Five civilians were killed when the bus they were traveling in hit a mine and two more were killed by alleged Ukrainian shelling, authorities said.
1 Min read
wartime censorship
Russia Jails Journalist for Criticizing Ukraine Offensive
In a final statement to the court at a previous hearing, Roman Ivanov said: "Journalism no longer exists in Russia."
2 Min read
Ukraine war
Kremlin Dismisses ICC Arrest Warrants for Military Officers
The Hague-based court accused Lieutenant General Sergei Kobylash and Navy Admiral Viktor Sokolov of targeting Ukraine's power infrastructure.
1 Min read
aerial intercept
Russia Says Intercepted 3 French Aircraft Over the Black Sea
"To prevent a violation of the Russian state border, a Su-27 fighter aircraft was raised into the air," Russia's Defense Ministry said.
1 Min read
lengthy terms
Ukraine Jails 2 Men for Collaboration With Russia
The men were sentenced for passing sensitive information about military targets to Russia to help its invasion.
1 Min read
zaporizhzhia
IAEA Chief To Hold Talks With Putin About Ukraine Nuclear Plant
Rafael Grossi last met Putin in St. Petersburg in October 2022 to discuss safety issues involving the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.
2 Min read
infrastructure strike
Ukraine Attacks Oil Depot in Russian Border Region
Kyiv has ramped up drone attacks on Russia's energy industry in the past three months.
2 Min read
'climate of impunity'
43 Countries Demand International Probe Into Navalny's Death
"Mr. Navalny's unexpected and shocking death is yet another sign of the accelerating and systematic repression in Russia," the EU ambassador said.
2 Min read
'intercepted' talks
Germany Denies Moscow Summoned Ambassador Over Leaked Audio
In the leaked recording, German military officers could be heard discussing how German-made Taurus missiles could be used by Ukraine.
1 Min read
acclaimed novelist
Russia Labels Author Lyudmila Ulitskaya Foreign Agent
The 81-year-old literary icon, who lives in exile, began protesting the Kremlin's authoritarian tendencies in the Soviet era and is a fierce critic of...
2 Min read
kremlin links
France Blames Bedbug Panic on Russian Disinfo
Media had previously reported that French intelligence services concluded there was a link between Moscow and the bedbug panic.
2 Min read
foreign recruits
India Says Around 20 Citizens 'Stuck' in Russian Army
India's Foreign Ministry said last week that an unspecified number of Indian nationals had signed up for "support jobs" in the Russian army.
1 Min read
'democracy criteria'
Sweden Cuts Support for Russian Church After Intelligence Warnings
Sweden's Security Service said Church representatives had also acted in a manner that seemed to encourage "support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine."
2 Min read
kremlin critic
Putin Bears 'Criminal' Blame for Navalny's Death, EU Lawmakers Say
EU lawmakers also called for an "independent and transparent" investigation into the circumstances of the late activist's death.
1 Min read
black sea
Russia Says Thwarted Attack on South Ukraine Coast
"Up to 25" Ukrainian personnel were killed in the attempted landing on the Tendra Spit sandbar in the Black Sea, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
1 Min read
espionage hunt
Russia Sentences Ukrainian to 12 Years for Spying
The defendant was accused of gathering and transferring information about Russia's military presence in a region bordering Ukraine.
1 Min read
flashpoint fears
Pro-Russia Separatists in Transnistria Ask Moscow for 'Protection'
The breakaway region claims that the Moldovan government in Chisinau has unleashed an "economic war" against it.
2 Min read
western diplomats
Ambassadors Pay Homage To Murdered Politician Nemtsov in Moscow
Diplomats brought flowers to the traditional makeshift memorial at the spot where Nemtsov was felled with four bullets.
1 Min read
sumy region
Russian Strike Kills 2 Police Officers in Northeast Ukraine
They were visiting a farm building damaged in a previous attack when Russia "struck again" with artillery, Ukraine's Interior Minister said.
1 Min read
'inevitable' confrontation
Sending Troops to Ukraine ‘Not in the Interest’ of the West – Kremlin
French President Emmanuel Macron had earlier said the option was on the table.
1 Min read
repeated target
Ukraine Drone Kills 3 in Russian Border Village, Official Says
"The Ukrainian army attacked a car with a kamikaze drone on the outskirts of the village of Pochaevo in Grayvoron district," Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav...
1 Min read
russia advancing
Ukrainian Army Says Withdrew From Eastern Village Near Avdiivka
After a year of static frontlines, Russia has in recent weeks been seeking to press its advantage on the battlefield and trying to advance beyond Avdiivka...
1 Min read
uncertain aid
Ukraine’s Victory ‘Depends on You,’ Zelensky Tells West
He also said 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed in two years of war with Russia, in a rare admission of military losses.
2 Min read
politics
Belarus President Lukashenko to Seek Re-Election Next Year
He was speaking on the day Belarus, a neighbor and ally of Russia, held parliamentary elections decried as a sham by the opposition.
2 Min read
partnership
Sri Lanka Scraps Long-Term Visa for Russians, Ukrainians
Just over 288,000 Russians and nearly 20,000 Ukrainians have visited Sri Lanka in the past two years, according to official figures.
1 Min read
end of a saga
Navalny’s Body Given to His Mother, His Team Says
Navalny's family, his allies and numerous cultural and media figures had been calling on officials to release the late activist's body for the past week...
3 Min read
MOTHERS OF MOBILIZED
Arrests at Moscow Protest by Wives of Soldiers Fighting in Ukraine
A video published by SOTA on Telegram showed police detaining two people wearing yellow vests with "Press" written on them.
1 Min read
'history is watching'
U.S. Senate Leader Visits Ukraine Amid Congress Military Aid Impasse
"We are here to show the Ukrainian people that America stands with them," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said during a visit to Lviv.
2 Min read
'final and binding'
Russian Appeal Against Olympic Suspension Dismissed as Moscow Blasts ‘Discrimination’
The IOC suspended the Russian Olympic Committee in October for violating the territorial integrity of the membership of Ukraine.
2 Min read
'without conditions'
Russian Cultural Figures Call for Release of Navalny's Body
More than 25 filmmakers, artists, Nobel Prize winners and opponents of Vladimir Putin have called for the release of the late activist's body.
2 Min read
fraying ties
Armenia Says 'Froze' Participation in Russia-Led Security Bloc
But the Kremlin said later on Friday that it had not received official confirmation that Armenia was leaving the CSTO.
2 Min read
defender of the fatherland day
Emboldened in Ukraine, Russia Marks Patriotic Holiday
Putin hailed the "authentic heroes" fighting in Ukraine on the eve of the second anniversary of the offensive, bolstered by gains against ammunition-starved...
3 Min read
'serious blow'
Ukraine Says Shot Down Russian Spy Plane Over Azov Sea
Videos on social media showed multiple flashes of light on a dark night sky, followed by another showing a large blaze in what appeared to be a rural area...
1 Min read
presidential visit
Biden Holds Poignant Meeting with Navalny’s Daughter, Widow
Biden met with Yulia and Dasha Navalnaya "to express his heartfelt condolences for their terrible loss" and reaffirmed the announcement on Friday of new...
3 Min read
'blood grain'
Latvia Parliament Bans Food Imports From Russia, Belarus
Earlier this month, thousands of farmers demonstrated to call for a ban on Russian grain — which they said was funding the Kremlin's war efforts in Ukraine...
1 Min read
economic pressure
Britain Announces New Sanctions Against Russia Over Ukraine War
The sanctions target arms manufacturers, electronics companies, as well as diamond and oil traders.
2 Min read
advancing westwards
Russia Claims Gains in East Ukraine as 2-Year Mark Approaches
The Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday it captured Pobeda ("victory" in Russian), a small frontline village about five kilometers west of Donetsk city...
2 Min read
occupied area
Ukraine Claims Strike on Russian Training Grounds Near Dnipro River
"The work was carried out quite effectively. At least 60 invaders will definitely not return to their combat positions," a military spokesperson said....
2 Min read
presidential insult
Putin Reacts With Sarcasm to Biden’s ‘SOB’ Remark
"He can't of course say to me: Volodya, well done, thank you [for the endorsement], you've helped me a lot?" Putin joked.
1 Min read
at least 20 killed
Kyiv Says Russia Used N. Korean Missiles in Deadly Attacks on Ukraine
The missiles were used in a late-December attack on the southern Zaporizhzhia region and in January in the capital Kyiv, the SBU said.
1 Min read
vladimir kara-murza
Jailed Kremlin Critic Warns Against ‘Despair’ After Navalny Death
"If we give in to gloom and despair, that's exactly what they want," Vladimir Kara-Murza said.
1 Min read
open-source data
Media Investigation Identifies 45K Russian Soldiers Killed in Ukraine
The BBC Russian service and Mediazona only included the names of soldiers publicly identified in open-source data and warned the real toll may be twice...
1 Min read
13th round
EU Targets Chinese Firms, North Korea in New Sanctions Against Russia
Firms in Turkey and India were also included, as the EU increasingly targets third countries for helping Moscow circumvent sanctions.
2 Min read
anniversary claims
Ukraine Denies Losing Dnipro Bridgehead as Moscow Touts Successes
Putin meanwhile mocked what he called Kyiv's "flight" from the frontline town of Avdiivka.
2 Min read
'illegal acts'
Russian Сourt to Hear Сase Brought by Navalny's Mother
Navalny's allies said an Arctic court would consider a legal case brought by his mother, with the hearing scheduled for March 4.
1 Min read
latin american tour
Russia, Venezuela To Boost Cooperation in Energy, Including Nuclear
Russia's Sergei Lavrov arrived in Venezuela late Monday from Cuba as part of a Latin American tour as Moscow seeks new diplomatic and trading partners...
2 Min read
murky circumstances
Mystery Surrounds Death of Russian Helicopter Deserter
Maxim Kuzminov flew his Mi-8 helicopter into Ukraine in August in a brazen operation, saying he opposed Russia's military offensive.
3 Min read
Dmitry peskov
Kremlin Calls Navalny Widow Accusations 'Unfounded and Vulgar'
Yulia Navalnaya and allies of the late activist have blamed President Vladimir Putin for his death at an Arctic prison last week.
1 Min read
one year in prison
Moscow Court Upholds Detention of U.S. Journalist Gershkovich Until March 30
The decision means Gershkovich will spend at least a year in jail following his shock arrest on March 29, 2023.
2 Min read
news
European Countries Summon Russian Diplomats Over Navalny Death
Germany, Lithuania, Spain, Sweden and the Netherlands were among those saying they had summoned diplomats from Russian embassies. London had done the same...
1 Min read
weighing options
EU Vows To Hold Putin Accountable at Navalny Widow Meeting
EU ministers at the meeting were weighing their — limited — options for inflicting new costs on the Kremlin over Navalny's death.
2 Min read
on the offense
Ukraine Says Russia Attacking With 'Heavy Fire' in South
Senior Ukrainian commander Oleksandr Tarnavsky said that Russia was launching multiple attacks near the village of Robotyne.
2 Min read
anti-protest laws
Russian Courts Hand Jail Terms to Dozens of Navalny Mourners
Police have arrested hundreds of Russians in dozens of cities who came to lay flowers and light candles in his honor at memorials to victims of Stalin-era...
2 Min read
tycoon turned critic
Russia Labels Exiled Banker Tinkov ‘Foreign Agent'
The self-made tycoon renounced his Russian citizenship in 2022 in protest at the conflict, which he called a "massacre."
1 Min read
dispatches from afar
Alexei Navalny’s Last Weeks in an Arctic Prison
Through messages passed through his lawyers, he posted regularly on social media in a characteristically optimistic and light-hearted tone.
3 Min read
holding steady
Russia’s Central Bank Holds Rates Amid High Inflation
Prices rose by 7.4% on an annual basis in January, Russia's federal statistics office said earlier this week — well ahead of the Central Bank's official...
2 Min read
battle for avdiivka
Ukraine Reinforces ‘Extremely Critical’ Frontline Town
Russian forces have laid siege to Avdiivka since last year and its position has grown increasingly precarious in recent days.
3 Min read
rare cooperation
Russia Launches Supply Rocket to ISS
The mission is to take fuel, food and scientific equipment to the seven people currently at the space station.
1 Min read
lukewarm review
Putin Thanks Right-Wing U.S. Journalist for Interview
Yet Putin said he was "not totally satisfied" with the interview, saying that he expected Carlson to be more "aggressive" and was waiting for "difficult...
2 Min read
4d chess?
Putin Says Prefers More ‘Predictable’ Biden Over Trump
Biden is "more experienced. He's predictable, he's an old-school politician," Putin said, batting away questions about Biden's age and health.
2 Min read
rising prices
Russia’s High Inflation Persists in January Data
The Kremlin's sweeping militarization of the economy has helped confound predictions that the campaign could trigger an economic collapse, but has led...
2 Min read
caesar kunikov
Ukraine Says Destroyed Russian Warship in Black Sea
A large ball of smoke and flames could be seen rising from what appeared to be a ship in footage posted by Ukrainian military intelligence.
1 Min read
21-year sentence
Russia Jails U.S. Man for Sexually Abusing Sons
Russian prosecutors accused David Thomas Barnes of sexually abusing his two sons between 2014 and 2018 when they lived in Texas.
1 Min read
civilian deaths
Russian Shelling in Ukraine Kills 5
Meanwhile, Moscow-backed authorities in the partially occupied Luhansk region said Ukrainian shelling killed three people.
1 Min read
risk report
Russia Gaining Upper Hand in Ukraine, Norwegian Intelligence Chief Warns
"Russia is currently in a stronger position than it was a year ago and is in the process of gaining the advantage," Nils Andreas Stensones said.
2 Min read
trade slump
Russian Exports to Europe Down 68% in 2023
Meanwhile, exports to Asia, which has replaced Europe as Russia's main energy client, were up 5.6% to $306.6 billion.
2 Min read
drone attack
Kyiv Destroys 40 Out of 45 Drones Launched by Russia
The announcement comes a day after Ukraine said seven were killed in a Russian attack that set a petrol station ablaze in Kharkiv.
1 Min read
overnight strike
Russian Drone Attack Kills 7 in Ukraine's Kharkiv
The attack on a gas station doused nearby homes with burning fuel, forcing at least 50 people to evacuate.
1 Min read
prisoner swap
Kremlin Refuses to Say If Berlin Park Hitman Was Russian Agent
Putin brought up the case of Vadim Krasikov in the context of ongoing talks to free American reporter Evan Gershkovich.
2 Min read
opening up
First Russian Tourists Post-Covid Arrive in Pyongyang
Moscow and Pyongyang are bolstering ties, with Kim Jong Un making a rare overseas trip to meet President Vladimir Putin in Russia's Far East last September...
3 Min read
personnel reshuffle
Kremlin Says New Ukrainian Commander Will Not Change Conflict
Kyiv on Thursday relieved its top commander, marking the biggest shake-up of its military leadership since the start of the war.
1 Min read
'thwarted' attack
Russia Says Downed 19 Ukrainian Drones Overnight
Russian air defense systems were said to have intercepted and destroyed drones over the Kursk, Bryansk, Oryol and Krasnodar regions.
1 Min read
prisoner exchange
Russia, Ukraine Swap 100 POWs Each
"All of them are ours, all of them are back on their native land," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
1 Min read
phone call
Xi and Putin Reject U.S. 'Interference,' Hail Ties
The two leaders denounced the "U.S. policy of interfering in the internal affairs of other states" during an hour-long call on Thursday.
2 Min read
frontline fight
Russia Throwing Large Numbers of Troops at Ukraine's Avdiivka, Mayor Says
"The situation in some areas is simply unreal," the town's Ukrainian mayor Vitaly Barabash told journalists.
1 Min read
missile strikes
‘Massive’ Russian Air Attack Kills at Least 5 in Ukraine
A strike on the capital Kyiv killed four people when a high-rise building was hit, triggering a large fire and engulfing its top floors in smoke.
3 Min read
request denied
Norway Denies Asylum To Alleged Wagner Deserter
A potentially valuable witness in shedding light on Wagner's reported brutality in Ukraine, Medvedev has had several run-ins with Norwegian authorities...
2 Min read
russian push
Parts of Ukraine’s Avdiivka ‘Critical,’ Official Says
"This does not mean that everything is lost, that everything is very bad. But the enemy is directing [a] very large amount of forces at our city."
1 Min read
undercover agents
Kyiv Says 'Neutralized' Russian Spy Network
Ukraine's general prosecutor said the five current and former intelligence officers were arrested on suspicion of treason.
1 Min read
'pest detection'
Russia Stops Ecuador Banana Imports After U.S. Arms Deal
Quito had agreed to a U.S. weapons deal that will result in Ukraine receiving Soviet-era military equipment from the South American country.
1 Min read
deadly attack
Child Killed in Russian Strike Against Ukraine's Kharkiv Region
Some 30 buildings were damaged in the attack, including cafes, a market, pharmacies and a hotel, Ukrainian law enforcement officials said.
1 Min read
classified info
Bulgaria Detains Anti-Mafia Officer for Spying for Russia
Bulgaria, which has been historically and culturally close to Moscow, has since 2019 expelled dozens of Russian diplomats and diplomatic staff suspected...
2 Min read
deadly attack
Moscow-Backed Officials Killed in Weekend Bakery Strike
Authorities in the Russian-controlled Luhansk region said a local government minister and two deputies were among those killed.
2 Min read
southern hotspot
Zelensky Says Visited Ukraine Southern Frontline Village of Robotyne
Kyiv retook Robotyne from Russian forces last summer but the village continues to be relentlessly attacked by Moscow.
1 Min read
'grave position'
Russia’s Deputy FM Visits Seoul After Diplomatic Row Over N. Korea Comments
The visit comes after Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman blamed heightened tension on the Korean peninsula on the U.S. and its allies, including Seoul...
2 Min read
militarized economy
Russia Has Created 520K New Defense Jobs, Putin Says
The defense sector accounts for much of the sanctions-hit economy's growth.
1 Min read
'outrageous act'
French President Macron Condemns Killing of Aid Workers in Ukraine
Ukrainian officials said the two French nationals were killed and three other foreigners were wounded in the town of Beryslav.
1 Min read
systemic bombardment
Russian Drone Attack in Ukraine Leaves 40K Without Power
Energy provider Ukrenergo said one of its substations in the city of Kryvyi Rih was damaged during the attack.
1 Min read
'de jure and de facto'
Kremlin Hopes Armenia Joining ICC Will Not Affect Relations
Yerevan is now required to arrest Vladimir Putin if he sets foot on Armenian territory, as the ICC issued an arrest warrant for the Russian leader last...
1 Min read
'wrongfully detained'
Russian Court Extends Detention of U.S.-Russian Journalist Kurmasheva
A court in the city of Kazan ruled to keep Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist Alsu Kurmasheva in pre-trial detention until April 5.
2 Min read
air attack
Russia Says Downed 11 Ukrainian Drones Overnight
"Tonight, the Kyiv regime attempted to commit terrorist attacks against structures on Russian territory using drones," the Defense Ministry said.
1 Min read
steadfast defender
Russia Sees NATO as 'Threat,' Kremlin Says Amid Drills
Some 90,000 troops will take part in the NATO military alliance's Steadfast Defender 24 exercise, the biggest since the Cold War.
1 Min read