Vladimir Putin

Biden says Russia committing genocide in Ukraine, Concern over unconfirmed use of chemical weapons

LVIV, Ukraine, April 13 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time that Moscow's invasion of Ukraine amounts to genocide, as President Vladimir Putin said Russia would "rhythmically and…

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Why the U.S. is targeting Putin’s daughters Katerina and Maria

The United States' latest round of sanctions on Russia includes two new targets: Russian President Vladimir Putin's two adult daughters, Katerina and Maria, who U.S. officials believe are hiding Putin's…

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The Ukrainian crisis roundup

April 9 (Reuters) - Ukraine called on civilians in the eastern Luhansk region to flee from Russian shelling after officials said more than 50 civilians trying to evacuate by rail from a…

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Russian state pollster reports Putin’s approval rating soars since he sent troops into Ukraine

The proportion of Russians who trust President Vladimir Putin has risen to 81.6% from 67.2% before he ordered troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24, according to a survey by the…

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EU offers speedy start for Ukraine membership, resuming diplomatic presence in Kyiv

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said the civilian deaths in the Ukrainian town of Bucha showed the "cruel face" of Russia's army and pledged to try to speed…

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Ukraine demands tough global response to train station missile strike

LVIV, Ukraine, April 9 (Reuters) - Ukraine called for more weapons and harsher sanctions after it blamed Russia for a missile attack that killed at least 52 people at a train station…

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The Ukrainian crisis roundup

April 8 (Reuters) - More than 30 people were killed and over 100 wounded in a Russian rocket strike on a railway station packed with women, children and elderly evacuees in eastern…

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UPDATED: Ukrainian President Zelensky to meet EU’s von der Leyen on Friday, Kremlin says Russia has suffered ‘significant losses’

In a show of support, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen traveled to Kyiv on Friday with the bloc's diplomatic chief Josep Borrell for talks with Zelensky. The prospects…

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The Ukrainian crisis roundup

April 7 (Reuters) - Fearing a new offensive in the six-week-old war, Ukraine rushed to evacuate civilians as Russian forces pounded cities and towns in the east and south, and Kyiv called…

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UPDATED: Moscow says Ukraine presented ‘unacceptable’ draft peace deal

April 7 (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday that Kyiv had presented Moscow with a draft peace deal that contained "unacceptable" elements, but that Russia would nonetheless continue talks…

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U.S. imposes sanctions on Russian banks, Putin’s daughters, EU fails to approve sanctions amid questions over coal ban

LVIV, Ukraine, April 7 (Reuters) - Ukraine wants sanctions that are economically destructive enough for Russia to end its war after accusing some countries of still prioritising money over punishment for civilian…

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The Ukrainian crisis roundup

April 6 (Reuters) - Artillery pounded key cities in Ukraine on Wednesday, as its president urged the West to act decisively in imposing new and tougher sanctions being readied against Russia in…

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WSJ reports EU plans sanctions to target Vladimir Putin’s daughters

The Wall Street Journal is carrying a report that a new tranche of European Union sanctions will target the daughters of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The articles stated that the…

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UPDATED: EU will put more sanctions on Russia – Commission head

BRUSSELS, April 6 (Reuters) - The European Union will put more sanctions against Russia on top of the latest package announced on Tuesday, likely including measures against imports of Russian oil, the…

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The Ukrainian crisis roundup

April 3 (Reuters) - Ukraine said its forces had retaken all areas around Kyiv, while the mayor of Bucha near the capital said 300 residents had been killed during a month-long occupation…

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Series of explosions heard in Ukrainian port of Odesa, Atrocities uncovered in Bucha

April 3 (Reuters) - A series of explosions was heard and smoke was seen in Ukraine's southern port city of Odesa in the early hours of Sunday, a Reuters witness said. Odesa…

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The Ukrainian crisis roundup

April 1 (Reuters) - Russian gas was still flowing to Europe on Friday despite a deadline set by President Vladimir Putin to cut it off unless customers start paying in roubles, Moscow's…

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UPDATED: Putin discusses measures to curb internal security threats

April 1 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed additional measures to "avert and neutralise internal security threats" with members of his Security Council on Friday, TASS news agency reported, as Moscow…

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UPDATED: Moscow says Ukraine hit a fuel depot inside Russia

April 1 (Reuters) - Russia accused Ukraine of carrying out an air strike against a fuel depot in the Russian city of Belgorod on Friday, an incident the Kremlin said set an…

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The Ukrainian crisis roundup

March 31 (Reuters) - Ukrainian forces are preparing for new Russian attacks in the east as Moscow builds up troops there after setbacks near the capital Kyiv, said President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who called…

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Russia drafts 134,500 conscripts but says they won’t go to Ukraine

(Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin on Thursday signed a decree ordering 134,500 new conscripts into the army as part of Russia's annual spring draft, but the defence ministry said the call-up had…

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White House and EU officials say Putin misled by ‘yes men’ in military afraid to tell him the truth

Russian President Vladimir Putin was misled by advisers who were too scared to tell him how poorly the war in Ukraine is going and how damaging Western sanctions have been,…

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Ukraine preparing for new Russian offensive in the east

LVIV, March 31 (Reuters) - Ukrainian forces are preparing for new Russian attacks in the east of the country as Moscow builds up its troops there after suffering setbacks near the capital…

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The Ukrainian crisis roundup

March 30 (Reuters) - Russia is promising to scale down military operations around the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, while Ukraine is suggesting it might adopt a neutral status in confidence-building steps that may…

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Ukraine claims Russia has lost 17,300 troops during invasion

Ukraine's armed forces say Russia has lost around 17,300 troops during the invasion, as of today. In its regular update of Russian losses, Ukraine adds more than 600 tanks, 75…

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UPDATED: Scholz to Zelenskiy: Germany ready to act as security guarantor for Ukraine

BERLIN, March 30 (Reuters) - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that Germany is ready to act a security guarantor for Ukraine, said a German government spokesperson in…

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Ukraine isn’t naive, Zelenskiy says after Russian pledge to scale down attack on Kyiv

LVIV, Ukraine/KYIV OUTSKIRTS March 30 (Reuters) - Ukraine reacted with skepticism to Russia's promise in negotiations to scale down military operations around Kyiv and another city as some Western countries expected Moscow…

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Putin not seen ready to compromise ahead of peace talks

VIV/KHARKIV, Ukraine, March 28 (Reuters) - Ukraine and Russia were preparing on Monday for the first face-to-face peace talks in more than two weeks, but a senior U.S. official said Russian President…

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Explainer: How could Russia’s Putin be prosecuted for war crimes in Ukraine?

U.S. President Joe Biden has publicly called Russian President Vladimir Putin a war criminal, but legal experts said a prosecution of Putin or other Russian leaders would face high hurdles…

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Zelenskiy says dealing Russian forces ‘powerful blows’

MARIUPOL/LVIV, Ukraine, March 26 (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy pushed for further talks with Russia as Moscow signalled it was scaling back its ambitions to focus on territory claimed by Russian-backed…

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Putin says Russian culture being ‘cancelled’ like J.K. Rowling

DUBLIN, March 25 (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin on Friday accused the West of trying to cancel Russia's rich musical and literary culture, including composers Pyotr Tchaikovsky and Sergei Rachmaninov, in the…

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The Ukrainian crisis roundup

March 25 (Reuters) - Ukrainian troops are recapturing towns east of Kyiv and Russian forces who had been trying to seize the capital are falling back on overextended supply lines, Britain said,…

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Putin says West trying to cancel Russian culture including Tchaikovsky

March 25 (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin on Friday said the West was trying to cancel Russian culture, including the works of great composers such as Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Dmitry Shostakovich and Sergei Rachmaninov.…

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U.N. General Assembly again overwhelmingly isolates Russia over Ukraine

Almost three-quarters of the U.N. General Assembly demanded aid access and civilian protection in Ukraine on Thursday evening, and criticized Russia for creating a "dire" humanitarian situation after Moscow invaded…

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Ukraine and Russia need peace, says Zelenskiy as Biden heads to Poland

LVIV/MARIUPOL, Ukraine, March 25 (Reuters) - President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday that Ukrainians "need to achieve peace" and halt Russian bombardment that has forced millions to flee to countries like Poland,…

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The Ukrainian crisis roundup

March 24 (Reuters) - Western leaders meeting in Brussels on Thursday will agree to strengthen their forces in Eastern Europe and increase military aid to Ukraine as the Russian assault on its…

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On invasion milestone, Ukraine urges solidarity as Western leaders gather

LVIV/KHARKIV, Ukraine/ BRUSSELS, March 24 (Reuters) - Ukraine's leader called for solidarity on Thursday, a month since Russia's invasion began, warning he would see who sells out at summits in Europe where…

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The Ukrainian crisis roundup

March 23 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden flies to Europe for an emergency NATO summit on Ukraine, where invading Russian troops are stalled, cities are under bombardment and the besieged port…

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Russian reformer Chubais leaves post as Putin’s special representative -source

March 23 (Reuters) - Anatoly Chubais, a veteran Russian reformer, has left his post as President Vladimir Putin's special representative for ties with international organisations, a source familiar with the matter told…

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UPDATED: Putin says Russia will start selling gas to ‘unfriendly countries’ in roubles

March 23 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday Russia would start selling gas to "unfriendly" countries in roubles, after a freeze on Russia's assets by foreign nations had destroyed…

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Ukraine says ‘confrontational’ Russia talks moving forward as West plans more sanctions

LVIV/KYIV, Ukraine, March 23 (Reuters) - Talks between Ukraine and Russia are confrontational but moving forward, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday, as the West plans to announce more sanctions against the…

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The Ukrainian crisis roundup

March 21 (Reuters) - Ukraine defied a Russian demand that its forces lay down arms before dawn on Monday in Mariupol, where hundreds of thousands of civilians have been trapped in a…

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UPDATED: Ukraine and Russia hold more peace talks

LVIV, Ukraine, March 21 (Reuters) - Russian and Ukrainian peace negotiators held a 90-minute video call on Monday and working groups will continue to meet throughout the day, a member of the…

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Ukraine refuses to surrender Mariupol, Zelenskiy presses Israel for weapons

LVIV, Ukraine, March 21 (Reuters) - Ukraine on Monday rejected Russian calls to surrender the port city of Mariupol, where residents are besieged with little food, water and power in a humanitarian…

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The Ukrainian crisis roundup

March 20 (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russia's siege of the port city of Mariupol was "a terror that will be remembered for centuries to come". FIGHTING * Russia struck…

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Zelenskiy says Russia wages ‘terror’, Mariupol says thousands deported

LVIV/ODESA, Ukraine, March 20 (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russia's siege of the port city of Mariupol was "a terror that will be remembered for centuries to come", while local…

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Russian invasion spurs European demand for U.S. drones, missiles

European governments have approached the U.S. government and defense contractors with a shopping list of arms including drones, missiles and missile defenses as the Russian invasion of Ukraine drives renewed…

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Putin ‘in better shape than ever’, Belarus leader says

March 19 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin is healthy, sane and "in better shape than ever", his close ally Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has said in an interview with the Japanese…

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Putin vows Russia will prevail in Ukraine but glitch hinders TV

LONDON (Reuters) -Russian President Vladimir Putin justified the invasion of Ukraine before a packed soccer stadium on Friday but coverage of his speech on state television was unexpectedly interrupted by what the…

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Putin’s warning to ‘traitors’ sends chilling message

Graffiti warnings daubed on the doors of activists in Moscow. A food blogger threatened with up to 15 years in jail for "discrediting" Russia's army. A call to sack a…

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The Ukrainian crisis roundup

March 18 (Reuters) - Russian missiles struck an airport near the western city of Lviv, where hundreds of thousands found refuge from Ukrainian battlefields as Moscow tries to regain initiative in its…

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Russia will never rely on the West again, Says post-1991 ‘illusions’ about the West are over

LONDON, March 18 (Reuters) - Russia has lost any illusions about ever relying on the West and Moscow will never accept a world order dominated by the United States, which is acting…

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Kremlin calls Biden irritable and forgetful, says he insulted Putin

March 18 (Reuters) - The Kremlin on Friday called comments by U.S. President Joe Biden about his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin "personal insults" and said Biden's remarks appeared to have been fuelled by irritation,…

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Russian sanctions over Ukraine grow, Biden to talk to Xi as U.S. warns about China military aid for Ukraine war

KYIV/LVIV, Ukraine, March 18 (Reuters) - Japan and Australia on Friday slapped fresh sanctions on Russian entities as punishment for Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, which the West says has been stalled by…

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The Ukrainian crisis roundup

Here's what you need to know about the Ukraine crisis so far: March 17 (Reuters) - Russian forces in Ukraine were blasting cities and killing civilians but no longer making progress on…

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Kremlin: many people in Russia are showing themselves to be traitors

LONDON, March 17 (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Thursday that many people in Russia were showing themselves to be "traitors" and pointed to those who were resigning from their jobs and…

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Putin should be recognised as war criminal, Ukrainian defence minister tells EU lawmakers

BRUSSELS, March 17 (Reuters) - Ukrainian defence minister Oleksii Reznikov told European Union lawmakers on Wednesday that they should recognise Russian President Vladimir Putin as a war criminal after Russia invaded Ukraine.…

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