Russia

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Russian Athletes Get OK for 2026 Olympics, With a Catch

'Independent Neutral Athletes' must pass military vetting

(Newser) - Russian athletes have been cleared to compete at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, but—once again—there's a catch: They'll do so under a neutral flag, as decided by the International Olympic Committee on Friday. The ruling keeps in place the same restrictions seen for the...

UK Spy Agency's New Recruiting Tool: 'Silent Courier'

MI6 rolls out portal on the dark web to bring in spies from Russia, elsewhere

(Newser) - Britain's MI6 is taking an unconventional step to bolster its intelligence ranks, rolling out a secure dark-web portal aimed squarely at attracting would-be spies—especially those inside Russia. Dubbed "Silent Courier," the platform is designed to make it easier for potential recruits, wherever they may be,...

Estonia Accuses Russia of 'Brazen' Airspace Breach

Estonia says Russian jets lingered in its airspace for 12 minutes

(Newser) - Estonia slammed Russia for breaching its airspace on Friday, saying three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets crossed into Estonian territory over the Gulf of Finland for about 12 minutes. It was not, however, the first breach in 2025, though it was the most substantial violation, per the country. As Foreign...

On Last Day of His 11K-Mile Solo Ride, an Arrest

French cyclist Sofiane Sehili detained by Russia on final day of attempt to break world record

(Newser) - French endurance cyclist Sofiane Sehili was on the verge of smashing a world record with a solo ride across Eurasia—until his journey ended not in triumph but in a Russian jail, just over 100 miles from the finish line. On Sept. 2, the day of his arrest, Sehili,...

Denmark to Invest in Long-Range Weapons

Prime minister cites ongoing threat from Russia, which denounced the purchase, in announcement

(Newser) - Denmark is ramping up its military with new long-range precision weapons, signaling a sharp shift in defense strategy amid rising concerns over Russia's threat to Europe. The move marks the country's most significant arms investment to date, even as leaders stress there's no immediate danger at...

Navalny Was Poisoned Before Dying, Widow Says

Yulia Navalnaya says outside labs examined biological samples, urges them to release results

(Newser) - Alexei Navalny's widow says new lab results point to poisoning as the cause of the Russian opposition leader's death in a remote Arctic prison, reports CBS News , upping the pressure on authorities who've shared little about the circumstances. Yulia Navalnaya announced Wednesday that Navalny's team...

US Officers Make Surprise Appearance at Belarus War Games

Defense minister told US officers they could inspect 'whatever is of interest to you'

(Newser) - US military officers made an unexpected appearance at joint Russian-Belarusian war games on Monday, getting an up-close look at the "Zapad-2025" drills as guests of Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin. The officers, who were among delegates from 23 nations—including NATO members Turkey and Hungary—were told by...

Why Soldiers Are Covering Tanks in Cages and Rubber

Crews resort to makeshift armor and inventive fixes to keep drones at bay

(Newser) - When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, tanks on both sides looked exactly as you'd expect them to—heavy, low-slung, and designed to withstand frontal assaults. But as the war ground on, these armored vehicles began sprouting makeshift cages, nets, spikes, and dangling chains, all signs of a rapidly...

Poland Isn't Messing Around After Russian Drone Invasion

Country invokes NATO's Article 4, calls emergency UN Security Council meeting after drone incursion

(Newser) - The United Nations Security Council is set for an emergency session at Poland's request after shooting down Russian drones that crossed into Polish airspace, a move that Poland's president described as a test of both Poland and NATO's readiness. Following the incident—the first armed response...

Trump Makes New Move to Pressure Russia on Ukraine

President is reportedly mulling 100% tariffs on China, India, but only if the EU does the same

(Newser) - President Trump is reportedly urging the European Union to act with the US in slapping China and India with tariffs as high as 100%, in a bold move meant to pressure Russia over its war in Ukraine. Trump made the demand of EU officials during a Tuesday meeting, where...

Polish PM: 'A Line Has Been Crossed' With Russian Drones

Poland says it shot down Russian drones violating its airspace, upping tension in already tense region

(Newser) - Poland said early Wednesday that multiple Russian drones entered and were shot down over its territory with help from NATO allies, describing the incident as an "act of aggression" carried out during a wave of Russian strikes on Ukraine. Several European leaders said they believed Russia was intentionally escalating...

Russian Attack Kills Dozens of Ukrainians Collecting Pensions

At least 24 killed, 19 injured

(Newser) - A Russian glide bomb struck a village in eastern Ukraine as people stood in line in the open air Tuesday morning to collect their monthly pension, the AP reports. The blast killed at least 24 people and injured 19 others, the Ukraine Emergency Service said. The Russian glide bomb on...

Putin Wants a Moscow Meet. Zelensky Has Other Ideas

'Come to Kyiv," Ukrainian leader said Friday about possible gathering to talk Russia's war on Ukraine

(Newser) - Volodymyr Zelensky has RSVP'd to Vladimir Putin's "invite" for him to head to the Russian capital to discuss ways to end that country's invasion of Ukraine, and it's a no. "I can't go to Moscow when my country's under missiles, under attack,...

West's Troops Would Be Fair Targets, Putin Warns

Macron rallies allies to commit to postwar security plans

(Newser) - Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a blunt warning on Friday that he would consider any Western troops deployed to Ukraine to be "legitimate targets" for strikes. His comments were a response to Ukraine's allies, led by French President Emmanuel Macron, attempting to piece together postwar protections for...

Trump Sends China Warm Regards Paired With a Jab

As Xi, Putin, and Kim take in military parade

(Newser) - It was a big day in China on Wednesday as President Xi Jinping attended a sprawling military parade in Beijing flanked by Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un, and President Trump offered some not-exactly-well-wishes to mark the occasion. He wrote on Truth Social :
  • "May President Xi and the
...

In China, a 'Show of Solidarity' Against the US

Putin hails dear friend Xi as North Korea's Kim arrives by train

(Newser) - Russia's Vladimir Putin and China's Xi Jinping continued presenting a strong united front to the world—and seemingly to President Trump in particular—on Tuesday.
  • Putin, in China for a summit of the 10-nation Shanghai Cooperation Organization, praised Xi as his "dear friend" and said relations between
...

Russia Blamed as EU Chief's Plane Loses GPS Access

After navigation blackout in Bulgaria, pilot had to use paper maps to land

(Newser) - A plane carrying European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was forced to land using paper maps after suspected Russian GPS jamming disabled navigation systems at a Bulgarian airport on Sunday. Sources tell the Financial Times that the jet lost all electronic navigational aids as it neared the airport,...

Xi, Putin, and Modi Send Message to US

India cozies up to China, Russia at summit where US policy is rebuked

(Newser) - At a summit in Tianjin, eastern China, on Monday, the leaders of China, Russia, and India offered a carefully choreographed show of unity aimed at the West. Cameras caught Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, and Narendra Modi exchanging handshakes and laughter, with Modi at one point linking hands with Xi...

Russia Launches Major Strikes as Ukraine Hits Oil Refineries

Former parliament speaker reported slain in Lviv

(Newser) - Explosions lit up the night across Ukraine as Russia launched a sweeping aerial assault, while Ukrainian drones targeted key Russian oil refineries in a dramatic escalation of cross-border attacks. The attacks took place against a backdrop of calls for tougher international sanctions as peace efforts remain stalled. Russia launched...

Report: Russian Drones Are Tracking Supplies to Ukraine

Surveillance flights raise alarms over potential sabotage on European routes used by US

(Newser) - US and European officials say Russian surveillance drones are being flown over key military supply routes in eastern Germany, gathering intelligence that could help Moscow's sabotage efforts in its war in Ukraine. The activity along routes used by the US and its allies, described as "straight-up espionage"...

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