Russia

Czech president chides Russia for listing his nation as unfriendly

Russia's decision to put the Czech Republic on a list of "unfriendly" states is silly, Czech President Milos Zeman said on Sunday, following a chill in ties between the two…

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Russia reports 8,554 new COVID-19 cases and 391 deaths

Russia reported 8,554 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, bringing the national tally of infections since the pandemic began to 4,940,245. The government coronavirus crisis centre said that 391 more deaths…

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Russia to restart regular flights with Mexico, Malta, and others

Russia from May 25 will restart regular air travel between Iceland, Malta, Mexico, Portugal and Saudi Arabia, the government’s coronavirus response headquarters said in a statement. The decision was made…

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Russia should consider extra taxes to tackle corporate ‘greed’, says PM

Russia should impose extra taxes or other penalties on Russian companies that show "greed" by shifting profits abroad but such revenue raising measures should be balanced to avoid discouraging business,…

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Russia records first cases of Indian COVID variant

Russia has recorded its first cases of the variant of COVID-19 first found in India, Kommersant newspaper reported on Thursday, citing authorities in the Ulyanovsk region. The regional branch of…

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Lavrov, Blinken agree to meet in Reykjavik on May 20 – Russia

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke by phone and have agreed to meet in Reykjavik on May 20 on the…

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UK to help vulnerable countries against Russia, China cyber threat

Britain said on Wednesday it would invest 22 million pounds ($31 million) to help vulnerable countries in Africa and the Indo-Pacific build up their cyber defences to prevent China, Russia…

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Nine killed, many wounded in Russian school shooting

Nine people, including seven children, were killed on Tuesday and many more badly wounded after a lone teenage gunman opened fire in a school in the Russian city of Kazan, local…

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UPDATED – Seven children killed, many wounded in Russian school shooting – regional head

MOSCOW, May 11 (Reuters) - Seven school children were killed on Tuesday and many more wounded after a lone teenage gunman opened fire in a school in the Russian city of…

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Doctor who treated Navalny goes missing, police say

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A Siberian doctor who treated Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny after he collapsed on a flight in Russia last year has gone missing, Russian police said on Sunday.…

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UPDATE – Putin reviews Russian military might as tensions with West soar

MOSCOW, May 9 (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin reviewed Russia's traditional World War Two victory parade on Sunday, a patriotic display of raw military power that this year coincides with soaring tensions with the West. The parade on…

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Photo Story: Rehearsal for Victory Day parade in Moscow

Russian Army helicopters fly over Red square during the general rehearsal for the Victory Day parade in Moscow, Russia, 05 May 2021. The Victory parade will take place on the…

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A giant piece of space junk is hurtling towards Earth. Here’s how worried you should be

A large piece of space debris, possibly weighing several tonnes, is currently on an uncontrolled reentry phase (that’s space speak for “out of control”), and parts of it are expected…

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U.S. wants a more stable relationship with Russia – Blinken

The United States wants a more stable relationship with Russia but much will depend on how aggressively the Kremlin decides to act, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on…

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Russia lags behind others in its COVID-19 vaccination drive

Russia boasted last year of being first in the world to authorize a coronavirus vaccine, but it now finds itself lagging in getting its population immunized. That has cast doubt…

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EU summons Russian envoy over travel bans on Brussels officials

The European Union summoned on Monday Russia's ambassador to the bloc to condemn Moscow's decision to barr eight officials from entering the country, which the Kremlin said was in retaliation…

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G7 to consider mechanism to counter Russian ‘propaganda’, UK’s Raab says

LONDON, May 2 (Reuters) - The Group of Seven richest countries will look at a proposal to build a rapid response mechanism to counter Russian "propaganda" and disinformation, British Foreign…

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Russia reports 8,697 new COVID-19 cases, 342 deaths

Russia reported 8,697 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, including 2,699 in Moscow, taking the official national tally since the pandemic began to 4,823,255. The government coronavirus task force said 342…

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Photo Story: Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the Orthodox Easter holiday service at the Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Moscow, Russia, 02 May 2021. Easter is the central church holiday in Russian…

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Russian energy ministry proposes gasoline export ban

Russia's energy ministry has proposed banning gasoline exports for three months, according to a draft document seen by Reuters, as fuel prices, a sensitive issue for the domestic policy, have…

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Russia produces first batch of COVID-19 vaccine for animals

Russia has produced the world's first batch - 17,000 doses - of COVID-19 vaccines for animals, its agricultural regulator said on Friday. Russia registered Carnivac-Cov in March after tests showed…

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UPDATED: Lawyer defending Navalny’s group detained, Navalny’s regional campaign offices added to ‘extremism’ list

Russian security forces detained Ivan Pavlov, a lawyer who is defending Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) in an extremism case, one of his colleagues said on Friday. "Ivan…

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MEPs deplore military build-up, attack in Czechia and jailing of Navalny

Parliament is deeply concerned by the recent Russian military build-up on Ukraine border and revelations of Russian agents behind explosions in Czechia In a resolution adopted on Thursday, MEPs confirmed…

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Bulgaria expels Russian diplomat over arms depot blasts

SOFIA, April 29 (Reuters) - Bulgaria on Thursday announced the expulsion of a Russian diplomat after prosecutors said they suspected Russian involvement in four explosions at arms depots in Bulgaria.…

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Russia, China sow disinformation to undermine trust in Western vaccines, EU report says

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Russian and Chinese media are systematically seeking to sow mistrust in Western COVID-19 vaccines in their latest disinformation campaigns aimed at dividing the West, a European Union report said on Wednesday. From December to April, the two countries' state media…

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Russian court imposes restrictions on Navalny’s anti-corruption group

MOSCOW (Reuters) -A Russian court barred jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny's anti-corruption group from posting online and imposed other restrictions on Tuesday, while it considers a request to ban his…

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Space entrepreneur Max Polyakov acquires South Africa’s Dragonfly satellite maker

Max Polyakov, an ultra-wealthy entrepreneur with ambitions of building a space transportation empire, has acquired South African satellite maker Dragonfly Aerospace, he told Reuters. The deal gives Polyakov an anchorpoint in the booming…

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Putin and Biden may meet in June – RIA cites Kremlin aide

MOSCOW, April 25 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin and his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden may meet in June, RIA news agency reported on Sunday, citing a Kremlin aide, amid…

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Czech President: Russia not necessarily behind 2014 ammunition blast

PRAGUE, April 25 (Reuters) - Czech President Milos Zeman said on Sunday the idea that Russian spies caused a 2014 ammunition dump explosion in the central European country was just…

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Russia to limit staff at embassies and agencies of ‘unfriendly’ countries

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law on Friday to limit the number of local staff working at foreign diplomatic missions and other agencies, and ordered the government to draw…

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Navalny starts ending his hunger strike

MOSCOW (Reuters) -Jailed Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny said on Friday he would begin gradually ending a hunger strike he had called to demand proper medical care, suggesting that support…

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Russia says it has begun pulling out troops from Crimea after drills

Russia's defence ministry said on Friday it had begun returning troops and military units from annexed Crimea to their permanent bases following a huge build-up near Ukraine's border that had…

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Russia summons Polish ambassador after Russians expelled by Warsaw

Russia's foreign ministry summoned the Polish ambassador on Friday following Warsaw's expulsion of Russian diplomatic staff, RIA news agency reported. Warsaw expelled three Russian diplomats earlier this month, saying that…

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Russia scrambles fighter jet to accompany U.S. spy plane

The Russian military scrambled a MiG-31 fighter jet to escort a U.S. reconnaissance aircraft over the Pacific ocean as it approached the Russian border, the Interfax news agency said on…

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Czechs order Russia to pull out most embassy staff in worsening spy row

MOSCOW/PRAGUE (Reuters) -The Czech Republic on Thursday ordered Russia to remove most of its remaining diplomatic staff from Prague in an escalation of the worst dispute between the two countries…

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Large-scale Russian military drills in Crimea

Russia launched major military exercises in Crimea on Thursday under the personal supervision of Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu as part of a show of force on Ukraine's southern border that…

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France warns Russia of sanctions if Kremlin critic Navalny dies

France's foreign minister told Russia on Thursday that the European Union would hold President Vladimir Putin and Russian authorities responsible if hunger-striking Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny died and said the…

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Moscow vows to retaliate against any new Czech moves against its diplomats

Russia's foreign ministry said on Thursday it would retaliate against any new steps taken by Prague against Russia's diplomatic staff, the RIA news agency reported. The Czech Republic demanded on…

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Putin warns West of harsh response if it crosses Russia’s ‘red lines’

MOSCOW, April 21 (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin warned the West on Wednesday not to cross Russia's "red lines", saying Moscow would respond swiftly and harshly to any provocations and…

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Ukraine to call up reservists for military service, Russia says Ukraine and NATO are continuing military preparations

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has signed a law allowing reservists to be called up for military service without announcing mobilization, his office said on Wednesday. Approved by parliament late in…

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UPDATED: Top Navalny allies arrested as protesters prepare to defy Putin,UE condemnation

The arrest of Krelmin critic Alexei Navalny's closest allies before a day of mass protests was "deplorable", European Council President Charles Michel said on Wednesday. "The detention of supporters of…

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Russia expels two Bulgarian diplomats in spy row

Russia declared two Bulgarian diplomats ‘persona non grata’ on Tuesday and ordered them to leave the country in response to Sofia’s expulsion of two Russian diplomats last month for suspected…

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Kremlin denies blame for tensions, complains of “anti-Russian psychosis”

The Kremlin said on Tuesday that Moscow was not to blame for a flare-up in international tensions, and called on foreign countries to refrain from what it called "mass anti-Russian psychosis". Kremlin spokesman…

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U.S. warns airlines on flights near Ukraine-Russian border

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Monday urged airlines to exercise "extreme caution" when flying near the Ukraine-Russian border, citing potential flight safety risks. In a…

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Navalny transferred to Russian prison hospital, health worsening, lawyer says

VLADIMIR, Russia, April 19 (Reuters) - Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been transferred to a prison hospital, supporters and officials said on Monday, 20 days into a hunger strike…

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U.S., Russia security advisers discuss presidential summit prospects – White House

WASHINGTON, April 19 (Reuters) - U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan on Monday discussed with his Russian counterpart bilateral issues, those of regional and global concern and the prospects of…

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Russian military build-up near Ukraine numbers more than 150,000 troops, EU’s Borrell says

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - EU foreign ministers on Monday decided not ramp up pressure on Russia for amassing troops at Ukraine's border in an effort to solve tensions diplomatically. Russia has…

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Russia reports 346 new coronavirus deaths

Russia reported 8,589 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours on Monday, including 2,279 in the capital Moscow, taking the national tally to 4,710,690. The country also reported another…

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Russia’s reaction to Czech diplomat expulsions stronger then expected -Czech minister

Russia's eviction of 20 Czech embassy staff in response to the Czech Republic's expulsion of 18 Russian staff was a stronger-than-expected reaction and the government will consider further steps, acting…

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Russian prison service decides to transfer hunger-striking Navalny to hospital, EU warns Russia

Russia's prison authority said on Monday it had decided to transfer hunger-striking Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny to a hospital for prisoners. The prison service said the 44-year-old opposition politician's health…

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Russia expels 20 Czechs after blast blamed on Skripal suspects

Moscow expelled 20 Czech diplomats on Sunday in a confrontation over Czech allegations that two Russian spies accused of a nerve agent poisoning in Britain in 2018 were behind an…

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Russia furious at accusation that Skripal suspects killed two in Czech blast

MOSCOW/PRAGUE, April 18 (Reuters) - Moscow reacted furiously on Sunday to Czech accusations that two Russian spies accused of a nerve agent poisoning in Britain in 2018 were behind an explosion at a Czech ammunition dump four…

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France’s Macron says ‘clear red lines’ should be drawn with Russia

World powers should draw "clear red lines" with Russia and consider possible sanctions against Moscow when they're crossed, French President Emmanuel Macron told U.S. news network CBS in an interview.…

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Czechs to discuss alleged Russian link to 2014 blast with EU

The Czech Republic is informing its NATO and European Union allies about suspected Russian involvement in a 2014 ammunition depot explosion and will discuss the matter at an EU foreign…

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UK warships to sail for Black Sea as Ukraine-Russia tensions rise

British warships will sail for the Black Sea in May amid rising tensions between Ukraine and Russia, the Sunday Times newspaper reported, citing senior naval sources. The deployment is aimed…

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UPDATED: Czechs expel 18 Russian envoys, accuse Moscow over ammunition depot blast

The Czech Republic is expelling 18 Russian diplomats over suspicions that Russian intelligence services were involved in an ammunition depot explosion in 2014, its government said. The central European country…

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Navalny at growing risk of kidney failure – medics union

MOSCOW, April 17 (Reuters) - Jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny is at increasing risk of kidney failure and his vision is deteriorating after more than two weeks on hunger strike,…

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