10 h. ago Russian minister found dead in car with gunshot wounds hours after Putin sacked him

Russian minister Roman Starovoit, 53, who was sacked by Vladimir Putin in connection with a corruption probe, was found dead from gunshot wounds at his home in Russia just hours later

Politics

11 h. ago Russian transport minister fired by Vladimir Putin ‘dies by suicide’

Roman Starovoyt’s death came amid ongoing corruption probe into defensive fortifications in Kursk

Events

65 h. ago Donald Trump’s UFC stunt is more than a circus. It’s authoritarian theatre | Karim Zidan

A decade ago I watched MMA being used to curry favor with Putin. Now Trump is using the UFC to project a nationalist cult of masculinity on America’s front lawnTen years ago – before I became an investigative journalist – I found myself working as a color commentator for a Russian mixed martial arts organization bankrolled by an oligarch deep in Vladimir Putin’s orbit.The job took me around the Russian Federation and its neighboring states, allowing me to pursue unique stories that would otherwise have been out of my reach. I met a Latvian fighter who escaped a black magic cult run by his coach, attended an MMA show with the president of Ingushetia (now Russia’s deputy minister of defence), and knocked back vodka shots with ex-KGB officers and Russian oligarchs. Continue reading...

Culture

4 d. ago Putin takes credit for 'founding of United States' in bizarre rant to Trump

US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin had their sixth publicly acknowledged phone call since Trump's return to office, and Putin made some bold claims

Politics

4 d. ago Donald Trump sent chilling WW3 warning by Vladimir Putin as Russia's rhetoric ramps up

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump held a phone call on Thursday, with Putin issuing a chilling warning to Trump over the conflict in Ukraine

Events

1 week ago Change in Nato mindset brought on by Vladimir Putin as much as Donald Trump

Allies agreed to raise defence spending to counter likely prospect of Russian remilitarisation if Ukraine war endsThe price was high, but for now, at least, a crisis in Nato has been averted. Donald Trump may like to take the credit for almost all of the 32 allies agreeing to a sharp increase in defence spending, but the reality is that the dramatic change in the Nato mindset was as much brought on by Vladimir Putin.The Russian president’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 was the first jolt, but there is a second uncomfortable reality. If there is a sustainable ceasefire in Ukraine, it will mean the deployment of a European-led peacekeeping force in the country – and after a while, Russia’s military might will inevitably recover. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Words of War review – Maxine Peake leads line as murdered Putin

Peake stars opposite Jason Isaacs, as Politkovskaya’s husband, in this sentimental look at the life of a woman who, 19 years after her death, remains a folk heroThis British-American co-production offers a dramatised portrait of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya (played by Maxine Peake) who was assassinated in 2006. Politkovskaya’s gutsy, impassioned reporting on the second Chechen war was highly critical of the Kremlin, the Russian army and Vladimir Putin personally. (The fact that she was murdered on his birthday was surely no coincidence.) Nineteen years after her death, she remains a folk hero worldwide for resistances to autocracy, especially given the rise in repression everywhere and constant threats to journalists.Given all that, the film deserves respect for the subject matter, even though this is a pretty basic rendition of Politkovskaya’s story, a little too sticky with hagiographic sentimentality and the cliches of crusading journalist-led movies. It also should be n...

Events

2 w. ago Vladimir Putin hits out at Trump's strikes and says Russia is 'helping' Iranians

Russian leader Vladimir Putin branded the US military strikes against Iran's nuclear sites as an "unprovoked aggression" that has "no justification" as he scrambles to defend his interests in the Middle East

Politics

2 w. ago Iran says it will Vladimir Putin just hours after Donald Trump's nuke sites attacks

Iranian officials have confirmed they will now meet with Russian leader Vladimir Putin following several missile strikes sent over from the US in the early hours

Politics

2 w. ago Iran says it will meet Vladimir Putin just hours after Donald Trump's nuke sites attacks

Iranian officials have confirmed they will now meet with Russian leader Vladimir Putin following several missile strikes sent over from the US in the early hours

Politics

2 w. ago Putin issues WW3 warning and reveals one thing that will trigger NATO conflict

Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin has warned he will use a deadly missile against Germany if the country decides to provide further support to Ukraine, sparking WW3 fears

Events

2 w. ago Europeans may as well start learning Russian if Ukraine does not get more support, Kaja Kallas warns – Europe live

EU foreign policy chief says Russia is a direct threat to Europe and has plan for long term aggressionMeanwhile, Russian president Vladimir Putin is set to take questions from international journalists on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Associated Press reported.Putin scheduled a roundtable session with senior news leaders of international news agencies, including the Associated Press.On Ukraine, the European Union is doing its part here too, not least because Ukraine is Europe’s first line of defence. We know that Russia responds to strength and nothing else.We have to do more for Ukraine, for our own security too.To quote my friend Nato secretary general Mark Rutte: if we don’t help Ukraine further, we should all start learning Russian. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Ukraine left in lurch as Trump rushes out of G7 without meeting Zelenskyy

US president said he had to leave to focus on Israel-Iran conflict, without addressing Russia-Ukraine ceasefireUkrainian diplomats have been left frustrated – and in some cases embittered – at Donald Trump’s refusal to make Ukraine a priority after Volodymyr Zelenskyy flew 5,000 miles to the G7 conference in Canada only for the US president to return home the night before the two leaders were due to meet. Trump said he needed to focus on the Israel-Iran conflict.In a further blow for Kyiv the US vetoed a joint statement on Ukraine from the summit, on the grounds that the wording was too anti-Russian and could compromise negotiations with Vladimir Putin. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago UK pushes for lower Russian oil cap as PM denies coalition of the willing is dead

The Prime Minister said he ‘strongly’ believes that restrictions on the price of Russian crude oil should be increased.

Events

3 w. ago Vladimir Putin's Russian war machine to be hit by new UK sanctions

Keir Starmer is expected to announce the fresh package of sanctions as he appears at the G7 summit in Canada to ratchet up pressure on the Russian leader

Events

3 w. ago Trump reveals Putin called him to wish a happy birthday as president says he pushed Russian leader to end war with Ukraine

President Donald Trump revealed Saturday afternoon that Russian President Vladimir Putin called him to wish him a 'happy birthday' as the president turns 79 today.

Politics

3 w. ago Putin downs more champagne as he gives award to nuclear boss who compared NATO to Hitler

Despite tensions being higher than ever between Russia and Ukraine, Vladimir Putin gathered several Russian officials into a room to award his favourites during a lavish ceremony

Events