Tag: Putin

Moscow, – The Kremlin in Moscow, has confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin, would not attend next week’s G20 Summit in Bali. However, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, would travel for the meeting of the 20 major industrialised nations on the Indonesian island. Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov disclosed this to the Russian state news agency TASS, on Thursday. Earlier, an Indonesian official had also hinted that the Russian president would not be attending the Bali meeting. Putin had long left open his participation in the meeting, scheduled to hold between Nov. 15 and Nov. 16. (dpa/NAN)

Moscow, – Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday said he was introducing martial law in four Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine that Moscow claimed as its own territory. In televised remarks to members of his Security Council, Putin also instructed the government to set up a special coordinating council under Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin to work with Russia’s regions to boost Moscow’s war effort in Ukraine. The moves, nearly eight months into the war, marked the latest escalation by Putin to counter a series of major defeats at the hands of Ukrainian forces since the start of September. They came on the same day that Russian-installed officials in Kherson, one of the four occupied regions, told civilians to leave some areas as soon as possible in anticipation of an imminent Ukrainian attack. Putin said the measures he was ordering would increase the stability of the economy, industry, and production in support of what Russia calls its special military operation. “We are working on solving very complex, large-scale tasks to ensure a reliable future for Russia, the future of our people,” he …

!By Our Reporter Sergey Nechayev, Russia’s Ambassador to Germany told state-owned media on Friday that Germany had “crossed” a red line by proving arms to Ukraine. “Supplying the Ukrainian regime with German weapons is not only against Russian servicemen, but also against the Donbas civilians,” Nechayev told RT.  “It is certainly the red line which the German authorities should not have crossed.” The ambassador’s comments come one day after German defense officials pledged weapons and equipment for Ukraine  as it faced backlash at home and abroad for not doing more. Two multiple-launch rocket systems, known as MARS II, 200 missiles and 50 Dingo armored personnel carriers will be sent to Ukraine, Defense News confirmed Thursday afternoon. Germany will also work to finalize a swap with fellow NATO member Greece that will see Berlin send Athens 40 Marder infantry fighting vehicles, as Greece deploys 40 of its BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine, Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht reportedly confirmed. The announcement is not the first time Germany has appeared to backtrack its stance on sending more aid to Ukraine after suggesting its …

By Chris Udochukwu Moscow will press on with its military action in Ukraine until reaching its goals, were the words of Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday as it mocked Western attempts to drive Russia into a corner with sanctions. Putin told at an annual economic forum in the far-eastern port city of Vladivostok that the main goal behind sending troops into Ukraine was protecting civilians in the east of that country after eight years of fighting. “It wasn’t us who started the military action, we are trying to put an end to it,” Putin said, reaffirming his argument that he sent troops into Ukraine to protect Moscow-backed separatist regions in Ukraine, which have fought Ukrainian forces in the conflict that erupted in 2014 following Russia’s annexation of Crimea. “All our action has been aimed at helping people living in the Donbas, it’s our duty and we will fulfill it until the end,” he said. Putin charged that Russia has strengthened its sovereignty in the face of Western sanctions, which he said bordered on an aggression. “Russia has resisted the …

Moscow – UN Secretary General António Guterres called on the Russian leadership to end the war in Ukraine and to allow the UN to help evacuate people from the besieged city of Mariupol during a visit to Moscow on Tuesday in which he met President Vladimir Putin. “It is my deep conviction that the sooner we end this war, the better,” Guterres told reporters after an hours-long discussion with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov before meeting later with Putin. It was Guterres’ first visit to Russia since the war broke out in late February. He visits Kiev later in the week. As the war grinds into its third month and the human suffering escalates, there has been growing criticism that the 72-year-old should take a more active role in ending the fighting. Guterres said Moscow has repeatedly laid out its “many grievences” about the international community. But “one thing was true and obvious” about the current crisis: “We do not have Ukrainian troops in the territory of the Russia Federation, but have Russian troops in the territory of Ukraine.” Lavrov, who …

United States former President Trump on Tuesday called Russia’s recognition of two breakaway territories in eastern Ukraine a “genius” move ahead of its military invasion. In an interview on “The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show,” Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recognition of the Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics in eastern Ukraine on Monday was “smart” and “pretty savvy.” “I went in yesterday, and there was a television screen, and I said, ‘This is genius,’” he said. “Putin declares a big portion of the Ukraine — of Ukraine — Putin declares it as independent. Oh, that’s wonderful.” “I said, ‘How smart is that?’ He’s going to go in and be a peacekeeper,” added Trump, who regularly praised and sought close ties with Putin during his time in office. “That’s the strongest peace force. We could use that on our southern border. That’s the strongest peace force I’ve ever seen. There were more army tanks than I’ve ever seen. They’re going to keep peace, all right.” Following his recognition of the two Donbas areas, which are controlled by Russian-backed separatists, …

MOSCOW – President Vladimir Putin stepped up Russia’s push for influence in Africa days before he hosts a summit with African leaders, saying on Monday that Moscow can offer help without political conditions unlike what he cast as the exploitative West. The Kremlin has said it expects 47 African leaders to converge on the Black Sea city of Sochi for the Oct. 23-24 event, Moscow’s first Russia-Africa summit and part of an ambitious push for influence and business in Africa. Putin on Monday gave the clearest idea yet of his pitch to African countries, warning of rising competition over Africa and accusing the West of intimidating African countries to exploit their resources. “We see how an array of Western countries are resorting to pressure, intimidation and blackmail of sovereign African governments,” Putin said in an interview with the TASS news agency. He did not name specific countries, but said he was referring to countries that used to be colonial powers on the continent. “They are using such methods to try to return lost influence and dominance in their former colonies …