The Dispatch

UPDATED: EU can avoid Hungary block on Russian asset plan for Ukraine, Borrell says

The European Union has found a way to use proceeds from frozen Russian assets to buy arms for Ukraine despite hold-ups from Hungary, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said…

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Orthodox priest, multiple police killed in gunmen attack in Russia’s North Caucasus

Gunmen opened fire at a synagogue, an Orthodox church and a police post in attacks across two cities in Russia's North Caucasus region of Dagestan on Sunday, killing an Orthodox…

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Russian air strike causes more damage to Ukraine’s power grid

KYIV, June 20 (Reuters) - Russia launched a new barrage of missiles and drones at Ukraine in the early hours of Thursday, causing "significant" damage to a thermal power plant…

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Ukrainians better treated than others displaced by war, Council of Europe says

Ukrainians who fled their homes to escape Russia's invasion have received better treatment than those displaced by other ongoing wars and emergencies, Europe's top human rights group said on Thursday,…

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Armenia, Azerbaijan trade barbs after France pledges new arms to Yerevan

Armenia and Azerbaijan, trying to work towards a peace treaty after three decades of conflict, traded fresh barbs after France pledged to supply new arms to Yerevan. The two countries…

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Russia in talks with partners on deployment of long-range weapons

Russia is discussing with its closest partners the issue of deploying long-range weapons, TASS state news agency reported on Wednesday, citing Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov. Ryabkov told TASS…

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Russia’s Pacific Fleet begins deployment to exercise involving 40 ships

The Pacific Fleet of the Russian navy will hold exercises between 18 and 28 June in the waters of the Pacific Ocean, the Sea of Japan and the Sea of…

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Russian official says Ukraine pouring troops into contested Kharkiv region

A Russian official said that fighting was gripping parts of Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region which Moscow has been trying to seize and added that Ukraine's military was pouring men and…

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EU agrees on start of accession talks with Ukraine, Moldova

European Union ambassadors agreed to formally to start accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, the Belgian EU presidency said, adding this would take place at intergovernmental conferences on June 25.…

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Ukraine summit strives for consensus, way forward uncertain

Western powers and their allies at a summit in Switzerland denounced Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Sunday, but they failed to persuade major non-aligned states to join their final statement,…

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Putin says Russia will cease fire if Ukraine pulls troops from four regions

President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Russia would cease fire and enter peace talks if Ukraine dropped its NATO ambitions and withdrew its forces from four Ukrainian regions claimed…

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Russia rehearses delivering tactical nuclear weapons with dummy warheads

Russian drills to deploy tactical nuclear weapons for combat involved the special delivery of dummy nuclear warheads to forward storage points and an airfield where they were loaded on to…

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US, Britain, Canada accuse Russia of plot to sway Moldova election

The United States, Britain and Canada accused Russia of carrying out a plot to sway the outcome of the Moldovan presidential election in October and incite protests if a pro-Moscow…

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Russians told to mobilise to inflict ‘maximum harm’ on West in response to sanctions

One of Russia's top security officials called on Thursday for Russians to mobilise to inflict "maximum harm" on Western societies and infrastructure as payback for increasingly tough sanctions being imposed…

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Canada to send 2,000 unarmed rockets, other arms to Ukraine

Canada soon plans to start sending a total of about 2,000 surplus unarmed rockets to Ukraine as well as a selection of other weapons, Defence Minister Bill Blair said on…

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Protests erupt as Armenia nears peace deal with Azerbaijan

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that a peace treaty with Azerbaijan was close to completion, but that his country would not accept Baku's demands that it change its constitution.…

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Russian Nuclear Sub, Frigate Operating Off East Coast of the United States

A nuclear Russian submarine carrying guided missiles with a range of 1,000 nautical miles is operating off the East Coast as part of Russian missile drills in the Atlantic.Kazan, a…

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What are tactical nuclear weapons and why is Russia and its ally Belarus holding drills?

Russia and its ally Belarus are carrying out exercises to practise the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons. What are these weapons, how might they be used and what do we…

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Russia broadens tactical nuclear weapons drills

Russia said on Wednesday that soldiers and sailors from its northern Leningrad military district bordering NATO members Norway, Finland, Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania took part in drills to deploy…

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European banks to provide over €600M in recovery funds for Ukraine

Ukraine is set to receive hundreds of millions of euros from European banks to bolster its economy and eventually rebuild its infrastructure, according to several agreements signed in Berlin on…

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Russia launches missile and drone attack on Kyiv

Russia launched a missile and drone attack on Kyiv early on Wednesday with preliminary information showing there were no injuries or damage in the Ukrainian capital, Ukrainian military said. Ukraine's…

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Russia and Belarus start second stage of tactical nuclear drills

Russian and Belarusian troops have started the second stage of tactical nuclear drills in Russia, Russia's defence ministry said on Tuesday. The ministry said the drills were aimed at ensuring…

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Putin set to visit North Korea

Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit North Korea and Vietnam in the coming weeks, Russia's Vedomosti newspaper reported on Monday, with an official telling Reuters the Vietnam visit was planned…

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Russian politicians revel in EU election defeats for Macron, Scholz

Russian politicians gloated on Monday over heavy defeats for the parties of French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in European Parliament elections, and the Kremlin said right-wing…

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Belarus says it is joining nuclear exercises with Russia

Belarus said on Monday its army was taking part in the second stage of Russian exercises ordered by President Vladimir Putin to practise the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons. The…

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Zelenskiy’s Peace Summit in Switzerland: What to Expect

Switzerland will host a summit on June 15-16 that aims to build broad international support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's peace proposals, which includes the full withdrawal of Russian troops…

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Putin warns of deploying missiles if West arms Ukraine, cites nuclear risk

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday he could deploy conventional missiles within striking distance of the United States and its European allies if they allowed Ukraine to strike deeper…

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Moldovan police stage raids to uncover plot aimed at blocking Interpol

Police in Moldova, aided by French and U.S. colleagues, raided dozens of premises as part of an investigation into an alleged plot to block the actions of Interpol against fugitive…

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Russia ready to strike French military trainers in Ukraine

Russia responded with a new threat of escalation on Tuesday to reports that France could soon send trainers to help the Ukrainian military. “No instructor involved in training the Ukrainian…

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Italy to send second air defence system to Ukraine

Italy will send a second SAMP/T air defence system to Ukraine, its foreign minister said in a radio interview on Monday, responding to Kyiv's pleas for greater help to fend…

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Russia warns US against ‘fatal’ miscalculation in Ukraine

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Monday the United States could face "fatal consequences" if it ignored Moscow's warnings not to let Ukraine use weapons provided by Washington…

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Georgian parliamentary speaker signs ‘foreign agents’ bill into law

Georgia's parliamentary speaker signed into law on Monday a bill on "foreign agents" that has caused a political crisis in the South Caucasus country and drawn sharp criticism from its…

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Biden allows Ukraine to use American weapons to strike targets in Russia

US President Joe Biden has authorised Ukraine to use American-supplied weapons to strike targets in Russia, specifically near the Kharkiv region, according to US officials. One official told BBC News…

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Ukraine says Russia building up forces near Kharkiv region’s north

Russia is building up forces near the northern part of Ukraine's Kharkiv region where it launched an offensive this month, but it still lacks the troop numbers to stage a…

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France could soon announce the sending of military trainers to Ukraine

France could soon send military trainers to Ukraine despite the concerns of some allies and criticism by Russia, and may announce its decision next week during a visit by the…

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Russia says it may take extra nuclear deterrence steps if US puts missiles in Europe/Asia

Russia may take extra steps in the area of nuclear deterrence if the United States deploys intermediate and short-range missiles in Europe and Asia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told…

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Lavrov says China could arrange Russia-Ukraine peace conference

China could arrange a peace conference in which Russia and Ukraine would participate, the RIA news agency cited Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as saying on Thursday. Lavrov said such…

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Russian official says Ukrainian drones can strike deep into Russia but Moscow is safe

Ukrainian drones have the capability of striking up to 2,500 kilometres (1,553 miles) into Russia, but the capital Moscow has been protected from their strikes, a senior Russian airforce official…

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Sweden gives radar surveillance planes to Ukraine air force

Sweden will donate two radar surveillance and command aircraft to Ukraine to boost its defences in the war with Russia, the Swedish government said on Wednesday, its largest aid package…

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Georgian parliament votes to override presidential veto of ‘foreign agent’ bill

Georgia's parliament voted to override a presidential veto of a bill on "foreign agents" that has plunged the South Caucasus country into crisis, ignoring criticism from the West which says…

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EU debates training troops in Ukraine, no common view yet

European Union defence ministers on Tuesday debated the idea of training Ukrainian forces inside the country but did not reach a common position on the sensitive issue, EU foreign policy…

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Putin warns West not to let Ukraine use its missiles to hit Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned the West that NATO members in Europe were playing with fire by proposing to let Ukraine use Western weapons to strike deep inside Russia, which…

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EU’s Borrell asserts Ukraine’s right to strike Russia

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Tuesday urged countries to balance fear of escalation against Ukraine's need to defend itself, saying Kyiv had the right to use Western arms…

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Belgium to send 30 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine by 2028, Swedish plan for Gripen jets to Ukraine put on hold

Belgium has pledged to send 30 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine by 2028, with the first deliveries scheduled to arrive later this year, as the two countries signed a ten-year…

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Polish foreign minister says Poland should not rule out sending troops to Ukraine

Poland should not rule out sending troops to Ukraine, Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said in comments published on Tuesday, as Kyiv struggles to repel Russian advances, but Sikorski did not…

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NATO chief reiterates that West should rethink restrictions on weapons for Ukraine

"By having too many restrictions we are tying one hand of the Ukrainian armed forces on their back," said NATO's Secretary-General. Jens Stoltenberg has urged NATO states to reconsider limits…

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French military instructors to visit Ukrainian training centres soon

Ukraine's top commander said he had signed paperwork allowing French military instructors to visit Ukrainian training centres soon. "I am pleased to welcome France's initiative to send instructors to Ukraine…

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Putin’s fear of rebellion could be behind arrests of Russian generals

Indrek Kannik, head of the International Center for Defense and Security (ICDS), says the arrests of Russia's defense ministry and military leadership may be related to Vladimir Putin's fear of…

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Twelve Moldovan parties clinch pro-Europe pact, but not all back president

Twelve parties in Moldova clinched a pact committing them to act in favour of European Union membership for the ex-Soviet state as the campaign for an October referendum on European…

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Russia’s losses in Ukraine over 500,000 as Kyiv’s strike on nuclear radar causes alarm

Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has led to the death or injury of over half a million Russian soldiers, according to the latest figures from the Ukrainian military. The toll…

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UPDATED: Spain to send Patriot missiles, Leopard tanks to Ukraine in $1.23 billion package

Spain plans to send Patriot missiles and Leopard tanks to Ukraine as part of a 1.13 billion euro ($1.23 billion) weapon package announced last month, El Pais newspaper reported on…

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Russia-Ukraine Conflict: President Zelenskiy’s Plea for Global Peace Summit

Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has issued a heartfelt video plea inviting world leaders to attend a “peace summit” in Switzerland next month, following a tragic Russian attack on a DIY…

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Kharkiv Crisis: Escalating Tensions and International Reactions

Scores of individuals lost their lives or sustained injuries following an aerial bomb strike on a large store in the city of Kharkiv on Saturday afternoon, as confirmed by local…

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Putin wants Ukraine ceasefire on current frontlines

Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to halt the war in Ukraine with a negotiated ceasefire that recognises the current battlefield lines, four Russian sources told Reuters, saying he is…

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Two more Russian officials arrested in widening military corruption probe

Russia has arrested two more top figures - the deputy head of the army's General Staff and a senior procurement official at the defence ministry - in a widening bribery…

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Russia, Moldova’s opposition denounce Romanian PM’s remarks

Russia joined Moldova's leftist opposition in denouncing Romania's prime minister for remarks saying ex-Soviet Moldova's population was made up strictly of Romanians who spoke Romanian. Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu…

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Putin in Belarus to discuss security, tactical nuclear weapon exercises

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Belarus, Moscow's closest ally, for talks with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko expected to focus on security and exercises with tactical nuclear weapons. Minsk…

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