The United States and most European Union nations have said they will not send envoys to Tuesday’s inauguration of Vladimir Putin as Russian president. Putin, 71, secured a fifth term in office in a March election that critics said lacked democratic legitimacy. He gained 87.28 percent of the vote, weeks after the sudden death of … Read moreUS, UK, most EU nations to boycott Putin inauguration
Ukraine’s top commander has said Kyiv’s outnumbered troops fell back to new positions west of three villages on the eastern front, where Russia has concentrated significant forces in several locations. Sunday’s statement by Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskii reflected on Ukraine’s deteriorating position in the east, which Kyiv hopes it can stabilise once it receives United … Read moreUkraine pulls back from three villages in east as Russia claims gains
One year ago, Finland abandoned its longstanding tradition of neutrality and became NATO’s 31st member. This entry into the transatlantic military alliance marked a turning point in Finland’s approach to foreign and security policy. It effectively saw Helsinki walking away from its post-WWII approach to Moscow, through which the Nordic country had always sought to … Read moreA year of living less dangerously? Finland’s first 12 months in NATO
The Ukrainian military has said it hit two large Russian landing ships in overnight attacks on the occupied Crimean peninsula as well as other infrastructure used by the Russian navy in the Black Sea. “The defence forces of Ukraine successfully hit the Azov and Yamal large landing ships, a communications centre and also several infrastructure … Read moreUkraine says it hit two Russian landing ships off occupied Crimea
Finland plans to adopt temporary legislation that will allow its border authorities to block asylum seekers seeking to enter its territory from Russia, the government has said. Finland closed all crossings on its 1,340km (830-mile) border with Russia late last year amid a growing number of arrivals who did not possess valid documents to enter … Read moreFinland moves to block asylum seekers from entering via Russia
Thousands gathered to bid a final farewell to Alexey Navalny, many chanting his name and saying they will not forgive Russian authorities for his death as the opposition leader was laid to rest. Crowds of mourners turned up near a church in southern Moscow on Friday, waiting hours to pay their respects to Navalny under … Read moreThousands bid final farewell to Russia’s Alexey Navalny, risking arrest
Andriy’s undermanned squad can only shoot 10 shells a day at encroaching Russian troops because of a dire shortage of ammunition. The 45-year-old suffers from stomach pains, deteriorating eyesight and other consequences of multiple contusions that landed him in hospital several times. Two years ago, Andriy defended Kyiv in the full-scale war’s first weeks until … Read moreBitter but resilient: Ukraine fights on, two years into Russia’s war
Russia has imposed sanctions on 18 British citizens including officials, academics and Russia experts for what Moscow says is an attempt to demonise Russia and fan the war in Ukraine. “We are forced to state that Russophobically charged British representatives do not shy away trying to discredit the constitutional system and socio-political processes in our … Read moreRussia slaps sanctions on British officials, historians and academics
Russia and Ukraine traded deadly aerial attacks on civilian centres in the past week of the war, but Ukraine also scored hits on military and economic infrastructure deep in the Russian heartland, extending its reach to St Petersburg for the first time. Ukrainian military intelligence said it had struck an unspecified military target in St … Read moreDrones attack deep in Russia as Medvedev threatens Ukraine’s ‘existence’
France has denied Russia’s claim that there were French mercenaries in Ukraine after Russia’s Ministry of Defence said its troops had killed “foreign fighters” earlier this week. “France helps Ukraine with supplies of military material and military training, in full compliance with international law, in order to help Ukraine in its fight to defend its … Read moreFrance denies Russian claim of mercenaries in Ukraine