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'caught red-handed'

Russia, Ukraine Expel Diplomats as Tensions Soar

The detention of a Ukrainian consul in St. Petersburg comes at a time of global concern of a repeat of Moscow's 2014 aggression.

Russia to Close Parts of Black Sea for 6 Months

The move was swiftly condemned by Ukraine and the EU.

act of solidarity

Poland Expels Three Russian Diplomats Over 'Hostile Actions'

Poland's move is the latest show of support for the U.S. after Britain summoned the Russian ambassador earlier in the day.

speedy expansion

Russia's Yandex to Launch Rapid Delivery in France

The "Russian Google" is also gearing up to start operations in London.

UK Summons Russian Ambassador Over 'Malign Activity'

The move comes just hours after fresh sanctions and the expulsion of Russian diplomats were announced by the U.S.

dismissive attitude

Russian Intelligence Calls U.S. Cyber Attack Claims 'Nonsense'

"Reading this nonsense is an occupation of little interest," the SVR said of the U.S. executive order.

Armenia Says Wants More Russian Troops on Its Soil

"The Armenian-Russian military alliance is pivotal for ensuring Armenia's security," Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said.

Simmering conflict

Growing Russia-Ukraine Tensions: A Timeline

Tensions between Ukraine and Russia, have intensified dramatically since the start of the year.

Biden Warns Putin on Ukraine, Proposes U.S.-Russia Summit

In a phone call, U.S. President Joe Biden urged Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to ease mounting tensions with Ukraine.

Gross negligence

Russia Detains 2 After Huge St. Petersburg Fire

Investigators said that building management "knew for a fact" that the premises could not be operated.

Russia Space Chief Blasts U.S. for Omitting Gagarin in Post

"A**holes. Superpowers do not behave that way," Roscosmos head Dmitry Rogozin wrote.

MILITARY PRESENCE

Kremlin Says Not Moving Toward War With Ukraine

In recent weeks fighting has intensified between Ukraine's army and pro-Russian separatists controlling two regions in the country's east.

'OUR COMMON REGION'

Ukraine-Russia Crisis Must be Resolved Peacefully – Erdogan

Erdogan said Turkey aims "to ensure the Black Sea remains a sea of peace and cooperation."

criminal inquiry

Russian Agents Raid Home of Investigative Journalist

"What is happening now to Roman Anin is a story of revenge," his colleagues said.

unwelcome visitors

Navalny Supporters Jailed For Penal Colony Protest

The supporters had gathered outside the colony on Tuesday to demand access to the jailed Kremlin critic.

widening options

Germany's Bavaria Plans to Buy Sputnik V Vaccine

The southern state will receive 2.5 million doses of the vaccine once it is approved by EU regulators.

'symmetrical measure'

Russia Warns Could Block Zoom If It Prohibits Government Use

The U.S. platform could be replaced by Russia's Sferum video-conferencing system, officials say.

Russian Director Pulls Film From Festival Over Navalny Nomination

He denounced the award given to Navalny's "journalistic project that one can consider a political act but can in no way be judged through the lens" of...

Russia Hails 'Successful' Start to Talks to Save Iran Nuclear Deal

Russia said talks aimed at salvaging an international agreement on Iran's nuclear programme got off to a "successful" start on Tuesday.

Navalny Says Continuing Hunger Strike Despite Cough, Fever

Navalny went on a hunger strike last week after complaining of inadequate medical treatment.

'bitter consequences'

Ukraine Denies Killing of Child in Attack on Separatists

Russian investigators accuse Ukraine of violating legislation aiming to protect civilians in times of war.

early negotiations

Austria in Talks to Buy 1M Sputnik V Doses

Austria launched the talks to buy Russia's coronavirus vaccine despite it not yet being approved by EU regulators.

production pact

Chinese Firm to Make 60M Doses of Russia's Sputnik Vaccine

The amount of vaccine produced will be enough to vaccinate some 30 million people, Sputnik V's backers said.

Armenia PM to Resign Ahead of Snap Election to Defuse Crisis

Political unrest erupted in the Caucasus country after Pashinyan signed a Russian-brokered ceasefire with Azerbaijan.

high-profile hack

'Russian Hackers' Again Target German MPs — Report

Hackers used phishing emails to access the computers of federal and regional lawmakers.

deadly flare-up

Ukraine Says 4 Soldiers Killed in Separatist Shelling

16 Ukrainian servicemen have now been killed since fresh fighting broke out in February.

Climate Emergency

Russia Sees Record High Average Temperatures in 2020: Institute

Russia in 2020 saw record high average temperatures and a record drop of summer ice cover on its Arctic maritime route

Navalny in 'Strong' Pain, Team Fears for His Life: Lawyer

"Everyone is afraid for his life and health," lawyer Olga Mikhailova said in remarks on Dozhd television.

To Infinity and Beyond

Russia Launches More UK Telecom Satellites into Space

The Soyuz-2.1b rocket with British communication satellites launched from the Vostochny cosmodrome on Thursday morning.

constitutional reforms

Russian Deputies Back Law to Prolong Putin's Rule

The bill officially resets the number of terms served by current and former presidents.

French Police Seek Russian Consulate Employee Over Bike Thefts

A Russian citizen is suspected of selling dozens of stolen bikes while on the job.

‘Absolutely necessary’

Norway Blocks Sale of Rolls-Royce Engine Maker to Russian Group

NATO member warns sale would have strengthened Russia’s military capacity and would be contrary to Norway’s security interests.

Empire Strikes Back

Kremlin Critic Navalny Says Prison Like Being a 'Stormtrooper'

Alexei Navalny compared his daily routine in prison to that of a stormtrooper in Star Wars in an Instagram post on Monday.

Indian Firm to Make 200M Doses of Russia's Sputnik V

The deal marks the second agreement between Sputnik V's developer and Indian drug manufacturers in a week.

Russia Puts 38 Foreign Satellites Into Orbit

The launch was twice postponed from Saturday due to technical issues.

PESSIMISTIC OUTLOOK

Russia's Top Envoy in UK Brands Diplomatic Ties 'Nearly Dead'

Ambassador Andrei Kelin also criticised Britain's decision to bolster its nuclear stockpile.

Putin Pilots Bumpy All-Terrain Rig on Siberian Holiday

Putin routinely appears on state television participating in outdoor pursuits to project the image of a healthy and robust leader.

EMERGENCY CONSULTATIONS

Russia's U.S. Envoy Returns to Moscow After 'Killer' Row

Diplomatic relations between Moscow and Washington are at a new low.

illegal services

U.S. Sentences Russian, North Macedonian in Cyber Fraud Case

Both convicts were members of the "Infraud Organization," a marketplace for stolen personal data.

Indian Drugmaker to Produce 200M Doses of Russia's Sputnik V

Sputnik V's developer said the agreement "will help widen access to the vaccine on a global scale."

illegal shipment

Mexico Seizes 'Fake' Sputnik Vaccines Bound for Honduras

Sputnik V developers say the fake batch was "possibly aimed at discrediting" the vaccine.

Russia's Washington Envoy to Return to Moscow Saturday – Embassy

Russia's Embassy in Washington warned that bilateral ties were on the brink of "collapse."

STRAINED RELATIONS

Russia Recalls Washington Envoy After Biden Comments

U.S. President Joe Biden said in an interview that Russia would "pay a price" for meddling in U.S. elections and agreed that Putin is a "killer."

'duty to protect'

Russia Bans Insults Against WWII Veterans

The move follows a court ruling that found opposition leader Alexei Navalny guilty of defaming a veteran.

Russia Deploys Giant Space Telescope in Lake Baikal

Russian scientists on Saturday launched one of the world's biggest underwater space telescopes

Sputnik V in Eastern Europe: Propaganda Tool or Godsend?

Sputnik V's spread has led EU chief Charles Michel to say vaccines should not be used for propaganda purposes.

steady business

Russia's Arms Sales in 2020 'Successful' Despite Pandemic

The figures make arms sales one of the country's only industries to come out unscathed from the pandemic.

Russia Says Foiled 'Terror' Attack in North Caucasus

A militant suspect planning a terror attack in Dagestan was killed during the operation.

Russia Says Twitter Not Removing 'Banned' Information

Roskomnadzor says Twitter failed to comply with the request to delete child pornography, pro-drug and suicide content.

Russian Miner Nornickel Pays Record $2Bln Fine for Arctic Oil Spill

Vladimir Potanin, the company's main shareholder, recently said that Norilsk Nickel had "learnt an important lesson" from the catastrophe.

Russian Retailer Launches Facial Recognition Payments

The scheme is backed by Visa and Sberbank, and will be rolled out to 3,000 stores by the end of the year.

Vaccine Diplomacy

EU Medical Official Warns of Sputnik Jab 'Russian Roulette'

Last week the Amsterdam-based European Medicines Agency (EMA) launched a rolling review of the Sputnik V vaccine.

U.S. Accuses Russia of Blocking 'Accountability' Over Syria’s Chemical Weapons

The new U.S. envoy to the United Nations took aim at Russia for defending Bashar al-Assad's regime despite its use of chemical weapons.

Russia Demands Explanation From Facebook Over Blocked Accounts

Facebook disabled over 500 accounts allegedly used in the campaign against pro-Navalny protesters.

Hashtag hijacking

Facebook Derails Russian Effort to Mislead Pro-Navalny Protesters

The tech giant said it had discovered a deceptive campaign on Instagram aimed at suppressing turnout at rallies.

Austrian Ex-Minister Who Danced With Putin Gets Rosneft Nomination

Austria's former foreign minister has been nominated to the Rosneft board as an independent director.

Navalny Says 'Everything Fine' in Message From Jail

Navalny said he was not aware of what was happening in the world and has not yet managed to get any books from the jail library.

EU Says Bloc Will Not Lift Sanctions on Russia Over Ukraine

European Council chief Charles Michel is on a two-day visit to Ukraine.

As Oil Prices Rally, Familiar Russia-Saudi Tensions Set to Rise

The OPEC+ oil cartel is set for a fresh showdown over its post-pandemic strategy to balance prices and production.

Delivery for EU

Slovakia Receives First Shipment of Russia's Sputnik V Vaccine

Shipment arrived Monday afternoon and the country's prime minister said he would sidestep EU approval rules to start using the vaccines.

VACCINE DIPLOMACY

Struggling Czech Republic Turns to Russian Jabs After EU Delays

President Milos Zeman said he personally requested a batch of Russia's Sputnik V vaccines in a letter to Vladimir Putin.

Russia Launches its First Arctic Monitoring Satellite

The 'Arktika' space system is designed to monitor the climate and environment in the Arctic region.

CONTROVERSIAL ELECTION

Moscow Mayor Scraps Vote on Soviet Secret Police Chief Statue

Sergei Sobyanin said the statue election was "increasingly turning into a confrontation between people holding different views."

Biden Says U.S. Will 'Never' Accept 'Aggressive' Russia's Crimea Annexation

Biden's statement marked the seventh anniversary of the Russian invasion of the peninsula.

UNKNOWN LOCATION

Alexei Navalny Moved From Jail – Lawyer

Kremlin critic's team say they have received no information about where he is being taken.

Espionage Suspect

German Man Charged for Spying at Bundestag for Russians — Prosecutors

A German man is facing espionage charges for passing PDF files with the floor plans of parliamentary properties to Russian secret services.

video surveillance

Moscow To Expand Metro Facial Recognition Network

Cameras that recognize faces and track fast movements will be installed across the city's metro system.

Pointing Fingers

Russia's Lavrov Slams West for Pandemic 'Selfishness'

Lavrov accused Western countries of having a "desire to take advantage of the pandemic to punish 'undesirable' governments."

Russian Fugitive Nabbed in Bali After Dramatic Escape

Andrey Kovalenko's dash for freedom came as officials readied to deport him back to Russia on an Interpol warrant.

U.S. Says 18 Western Companies Have Pulled Out of Nord Stream 2

Biden pledges more cooperative approach with Germany over controversial Gazprom pipeline.

Exposed Espionage

Swede Charged With Spying for Russia

A Swedish tech consultant has been charged with espionage for allegedly selling information about truckmaker Scania and Volvo Cars to Russia.

charity initiative

Russia Starts Giving Coronavirus Vaccine To Homeless

Russian homelessness NGO has launched vaccination initiatives in Moscow and Saint Petersburg.

3 Dead in Russian Mining Giant's Arctic Accident

Three workers died during repair works at a processing plant owned by Norilsk Nickel.

Russia Detects First Case of H5N8 Avian Flu in Humans

Russian scientists have already informed the World Health Organization about the case.

Russia Says Registers Third Coronavirus Vaccine

Moscow promised to introduce the new jab to the population by March.

CLEARED FOR DEPARTURE

Russian Flights to Egypt's Sinai to Resume Five Years After Deadly Jet Attack

An Egyptian official said Russia will resume flights to Egypt's Red Sea resorts in March after the lifting of 2015 ban.

contentious remarks

Latvia Bans Russian TV Host Over Hitler Remarks

Pro-Kremlin spin doctor Vladimir Solovyov called Hitler "a very brave man" during a live broadcast.

Prosecuted opponent

Lukashenko Rival in Court as Belarus Sees New Crackdown

Former presidential hopeful Viktor Babaryko stands accused of corruption and money laundering.

illegal crossing

Turkey Detains Russian IS Suspect at Syria Border

Five Russian nationals were arrested during an attempted escape to neighboring Syria.

'brazen attacks'

Belarusian Police Mount Raids on Journalists, Activists

The searches were part of a probe into mass protests against President Alexander Lukashenko.

Virus Evolution

Russian Scientists Probe Prehistoric Viruses Dug From Permafrost

The Siberia-based lab leading the study also developed Russia's second coronavirus vaccine.

security enhancement

Iran, Russia Start Joint Naval Drill in Indian Ocean

Joint exercises will include a drill simulating ship abduction and fighting fires.

Russian Magnate Potanin Breaks Wealth Record Despite Pollution Fine

Russia's richest man Vladimir Potanin has set a new wealth record with his fortune passing the $30 billion threshold.

Kazakhstan To Roll Out First Locally Produced Sputnik Vaccine

Kazakhstan's Karaganda Pharmaceutical Complex has been granted a production certificate for Russia's coronavirus vaccine.

'SEVERAL similarities'

French Cyber Agency Reveals Suspected Russian Hacks

Several blue-chip organizations hacked between 2017-2020, French officials say.

Arrested Billionaire Banker Tinkov Switches Focus to Cancer Foundation

The Tinkoff Bank founder said he no longer has “the motivation to do business.”

Bali Police Hunt Russian Wanted by Interpol

Andrei Kovalenko escaped from a detention center after receiving a visit from a Russian female friend.

'POTENTIAL OPPONENTS'

Putin Accuses West of Using Navalny to 'Contain' Russia

The Russian president suggested the wave of protests recently held across the country had been fed from abroad.

PRODUCTION DEAL

Russia Gives Serbia Green Light to Manufacture Sputnik V Vaccine

Serbia received its first batch of Russian vaccines in January, and now has "preliminary approval" to produce them itself.

Rosneft Posts 80% Profit Slump in Pandemic-Hit 2020

Oil giant managed to remain in the black for the year, while some foreign competitors posted losses.

Fighting Outbreak

2 Ukrainian Soldiers Killed in Clashes with Separatists

The deaths took place during the worst recent outbreak of fighting in the long-simmering conflict.

PROPORTIONATE RESPONSE

Russia Warns Will Respond if EU Imposes New Sanctions

EU members are set to debate whether the levy new sanctions against Russia later this month.

vaccine diplomacy

Ukraine Bans Coronavirus Vaccines From 'Aggressor' Russia

The Ukrainian government banned the registration of Russian vaccines despite its failure to source Western-made jabs.

ESCALATING FINES

Russia Fines Radio Free Europe $150K Under 'Foreign Agent' Law

Russia's communications regulator warned the final bill could still increase.

Moscow Court Orders Psych Exam for Former U.S. Marine

U.S. Marine Trevor Reed was sentenced to nine years in prison for allegedly hitting a Moscow law enforcement officer while drunk.

EMPLOYMENT CRISIS

Russia Eyes Measures to Tackle Migrant Labor Shortage

Close to half of all migrants living in Russia before the pandemic have left the country.

Russia's Virus Caseload Passes 4 Million

Russia has been battered by a second wave of infections but has held back on reimposing lockdowns like other European countries.

SLOW AND STEADY

Russia's Growth Too Slow to Catch Advanced Economies – IMF

Lower oil prices and sanctions mean Russia will struggle to make up the difference with richer peers.

EU Will Propose 'Concrete' Sanctions Against Russia

A number of eastern European countries have called for punitive measures over the jailing of Alexei Navalny.

Kalashnikov Maker Targets Hipsters with 'Gadget Gun'

"The task is to attract that part of the audience who was born with gadgets and cannot imagine themselves without them," said the group's director.