Russia

President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed Friday to do everything to defeat Russia this year, as the first highly sought Leopard battle tanks arrived in Ukraine on the anniversary of Europe's largest conflict since World War II.The German-made Leopard tanks from Warsaw rolled in to help Ukraine repel Russian troops as Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki visited Kyiv to send a "clear and measurable signal of further support."Poland will send more tanks soon, Morawiecki said, also offering to train Ukrainian pilots to fly F16 jets, as Western allies underlined their unwavering support.The United States ramped up sanctions on Moscow, this time targeting the country's banks, military industry and semiconductor access, while the Group of Seven industrialized nations threatened embargo busters with "severe costs.Russia remained defiant, with former president Dmitry Medvedev insisting that his country is ready to push its offensive "to the borders of Poland."Tensions were also building on Ukraine's border with Moldova.
Moscow, claiming Kyiv is plotting to invade the breakaway region of Transnistria, has promised to respond.
Moldova denied any threat from Ukraine.Zelensky said Ukraine will prevail if the West keeps to its pledges on weaponry and financial contributions."If partners respect all their promises and deadlines, victory will inevitably await us," Zelensky said during a press conference that started with a minute of silence.Earlier Friday, he said in a statement that Ukraine "will do everything to gain victory this year" while Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said his army was gearing up for a counteroffensive.'Spirit is strong'A year ago to the day, Russian President Vladimir Putin stunned the world by sending troops across the border, a move seen as punishment for Kyiv's pivot to the West.The war has devastated swathes of Ukraine, displaced millions, turned Russia into a pariah in the West and, according to Western sources, caused more than 150,000 casualties on each side.Demonstrators protesting against Moscow's aggression marched in cities across Europe to mark the invasion anniversary.In Berlin, activists placed a Russian tank wreck in front of the Russian embassy.Crowds fell silent for a minute from Tallinn to London while key buildings across Europe were draped or lit up in the blue and yellow colors of the Ukrainian flag.A year ago, Russian troops sought to rapidly install a pro-Moscow regime in Ukraine but failed to conquer Kyiv and subsequently suffered defeats in northeastern and southern Ukraine.Since October, Russia has pummelled Ukraine's energy infrastructure, causing power shortages for millions over winter.In a recent Ukrainian poll, nearly one in five said they had lost a loved one in the war.Despite the daily trials, many Ukrainians refuse to be cowed.In Bucha, where Russia has been accused of widespread atrocities, 64-year-old Galyna Gamulets recalled coming under fire from Russian troops for "more than two weeks."She voiced pride in her nation and said that "we will succeed" in repelling the invaders.New sanctionsThe West, which has imposed increasingly stringent sanctions on Russia and boosted humanitarian aid and arms supplies for Ukraine, unveiled more help on Friday.The United States announced sweeping sanctions not only aimed at Russia but also hitting "over 200 individuals and entities" across Europe, Asia and the Middle East that are supporting Moscow's war.After a video call, G7 allies warned that "third countries or other international actors who seek to evade or undermine our measures" must "cease providing material support to Russias war, or face severe costs".The new aid package from Washington came days after President Joe Biden arrived in Kyiv on a historic visit and pledged new arms deliveries.Along with contributions from Sweden and Portugal, Germany said it has managed to cobble together a battalion of modern Leopard 2 tanks for Ukraine.On Thursday, the United Nations voted overwhelmingly to demand Russia "immediately" and "unconditionally" withdraw its troops from Ukraine.But key players China and India abstained, as fears rose in the West that Beijing was considering arming Russia.China has sought to position itself as a neutral party while maintaining close ties with Russia.Releasing a 12-point position paper on Friday, Beijing urged Ukraine and Russia to hold peace talks as soon as possible and said all territorial sovereignty should be respected.Zelensky said he was planning to meet China's President Xi Jinping after Beijing's call for peace talks, noting that Beijing's paper appeared to show "there is respect for our territorial integrity, security issues."Moscow said it "highly values" China's contribution but insisted that any conflict settlement must recognize Russia's control over four Ukrainian regions it annexed.Western allies were cautious in their reception of China's plan, with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier saying it was "still doubtful" if Beijing sincerely wanted to play a constructive role in seeking peace.NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said Beijing simply "doesn't have much credibility because they have not been able to condemn the illegal invasion of Ukraine."'Miracles happen'On the frontline in eastern Ukraine, Kyiv troops' morale remained high."God is helping us.
Nobody thought that Ukraine would hold," said a soldier who goes by the call sign "Cook" in the eastern region of Donetsk.
"I know that miracles happen,"Despite military setbacks and sanctions, Putin, 70, has refused to back down, accusing the West of supporting neo-Nazi forces and claiming Russia's survival was at stake."We are protecting people's lives, our native home," Putin said in his state of the nation address on Tuesday.
"And the goal of the West is endless power."Putin's assault on Ukraine and mobilization of reservists have sparked what might be Russia's largest mass exodus since the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917.But with television propaganda in overdrive, many Russians have rallied behind Putin despite economic trouble and multiplying casualties."The country is really changing for the better," said Lyubov Yudina, a 48-year-old security guard in Moscow.But Ruslan Melnikov, a 28-year-old teacher, was dejected.
"I don't see any future now."





Unlimited Portal Access + Monthly Magazine - 12 issues


Contribute US to Start Broadcasting - It's Voluntary!


ADVERTISE


Merchandise (Peace Series)

 


Trump Says He’s ‘Very Unhappy’ With Putin Call, Hints at New Sanctions


Russia Removes Peace Symbol from School Textbook Cover


[Russia] - Head of Moscow Region's Azerbaijani Diaspora Stripped of Russian Citizenship


Russia Adds 14-Year-Olds to ‘Terrorists and Extremists’ List


[Russia] - What Ukraine Is Missing as U.S. Holds Back Air Defense and Battlefield Weapons


[Russia] - Russian Firms Seek North Korean Translators to Support Influx of Workers


[Russia] - Dutch and German Intelligence Say Russia Increasingly Uses Chemical Weapons in Ukraine


[Russia] - Russia Carries Out 8th Prisoner Exchange With Ukraine Since Istanbul Talks


[Russia] - Professionals: Russia Recognizing Taliban Rule in Afghanistan Largely a Symbolic Move


Storm Batters St. Petersburg With High Winds, Rising Water Levels


St. Petersburg Naval Parade Canceled Over Security Concerns – Fontanka


[Russia] - Russian Car Market Expected to Contract by 24% This Year


[Russia] - Transneft Vice President Dies in Apparent Fall From Window, Reports Say


Russia Launches Largest Air Attack Since Invasion as Ukrainian Drone Strike Kills Woman in Rostov


Russia Becomes First Country to Recognize Taliban Government


Chechnya's Dependence on Federal Funding Hits New High


No Way Home: The Exiled Russian Speakers Fighting Their Own War in Syria


[Russia] - Russian Tycoons Earn Record $20 Billion in Dividends Amid Recession Worries


[Russia] - Russians Report Nighttime Police Raids in Azerbaijan as Tensions Flare


Former Kremlin-Backed Mayor of Luhansk Killed in Explosion


Putin Congratulates Trump on U.S. Independence Day During Hourlong Call


[Russia] - Russian-Made Jet Prices Soar as Moscow Struggles to Ditch Boeing and Airbus


Teen Facing Death Threats From Family Disappears in Ingushetia, Rights Group Says


Britain Links Azerbaijani Traders With Rosneft Ties to Russia’s Shadow Fleet


[Russia] - Russian Deputy Navy Commander Killed in Kursk Region


Russia Moves to Nationalize Country’s Third-Largest Gold Mining Firm


Orenburg Mayor Resigns to Continue Military Service in Ukraine


Durov Hints at Anti-Telegram Smear Campaign as Russia Readies Homegrown Competitor


FSB Arrests Woman Who Tried to Place Bomb Under Defense Worker’s SUV


[Russia] - Elderly Woman Killed in Ukrainian Drone Strike on Lipetsk Region


Emergency Contraceptives Disappear from Russian Pharmacies – Vyorstka


[Russia] - Putin Signs Decree Seeking to Lure Foreign Investors Into Russian Stock Market


Khakassia Governor Vetoes Local Government Reform Bill


[Russia] - From Plane Crash to Deadly Arrests: What's Behind the Russia-Azerbaijan Standoff


[Russia] - Kids of Russian Soldiers Increasingly Placed in State Care, Regional Officials Say


Russian Companies See Sharp Rise in Wage Arrears


Putin Praises Kyrgyzstan for ‘Special Status’ of Russian Language


Azerbaijani and Russian Investigators in ‘Constant Contact’ Amid Diplomatic Crisis


Russia’s Natural Gas Exports to Europe Plunge to Historic Lows


Security Forces Raid Russia's Third-Largest Gold Producer Over Environmental, Safety Violations


[Russia] - Kremlin Welcomes Halt in U.S. Arms Shipments to Ukraine


Fatal Car Crash Sparks Anti-Roma Protests in Saratov Region


Foreign Automakers Scale Back New Model Launches in Russia


Anti-War University Student in St. Petersburg Released From Prison


Russia Eyes Industrial Levy to Shield Domestic Producers and Plug Budget Gaps


[Russia] - Yekaterinburg Court Places 6 Azerbaijanis in Pre-Trial Detention Amid Cold-Case Probe


[Russia] - Macron Urges Ukraine Ceasefire in First Call With Putin Since 2022


[Russia] - Taliban Diplomat to Take Role as Moscow Ambassador


Russia’s VTB Reports Increase in Overdue Retail Loans


[Russia] - Kremlin Launches Online Bot Campaign to Defend Steep Utility Rate Increases


[Russia] - Su-34 Crashes During Training Flight in Central Russia


[Russia] - Russia to Disconnect Foreigners Who Have Not Submitted Biometric Data From Mobile Internet


[Russia] - Ex-Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov Sentenced to 13 Years in Prison


Kremlin Dismisses Trump Envoy’s Claim That It Is Stalling Peace Talks


[Russia] - Russian Manufacturing Activity Sees Sharpest Decline Since Early Months of Ukraine Invasion


[Russia] - Azerbaijan Launches Murder Probe After Autopsy Finds Brothers Died From Beatings in Russian Police Custody


[Russia] - Russia's Top Ferroalloy Producer to Cut Workweek Amid Metallurgy Crisis


[Russia] - Russia Now Occupies All of Ukraine's Luhansk Region, Kremlin-Installed Official Says


[Russia] - Ukrainian Drone Attack on Izhevsk Kills 3 and Wounds Dozens More


[Russia] - Ukrainian Drone Attack on Izhevsk Kills and Wounds Multiple People


[Russia] - Kim Jong Un Honors North Korean Soldiers Killed Fighting for Russia


[Russia] - Significant Kuzbass Coal Mine Halts Operations, Leaving Hundreds Without Pay


Financial Insecurity Is Russians' Top Reason Not to Start a Family & Poll


[Russia] - Leading Russian Coal Producer to Receive State Support Amid Deepening Industry Crisis


Mariupol Children Undergo Pro-Russian Indoctrination at St. Petersburg ‘Wellness Camps’


Prosecutors Seek Criminal Charges Against YouTuber Yury Dud Over ‘Foreign Agent’ Law Violations


[Russia] - Sberbank Approves Record $10Bln Dividend Payout


[Russia] - Government Price Caps Put Russia's Breadmakers in Jeopardy, Producer Warns


‘Jesus of Siberia’ Cult Leader Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison


FSB Recruits Ukrainian Teenagers for Espionage and Sabotage – FT


[Russia] - Samara Region Police Open 'Nazi Rehabilitation' Probe After Teenagers Sing Ukrainian Song


Russian Advances Toward Sumy Continue – WSJ


Russia Moves to Limit Exemptions for Military Conscripts


[Russia] - Lavrov Warns West Against Backing 'Color Revolution' in Serbia as Protests Heat Up


[Russia] - Azerbaijan-Russia Rift Deepens After Deaths of Azeri Men in Police Arrests