Eastern Europe / News
Putin apologises for Azerbaijan Airlines disaster amid missile speculation
Russian President Vladimir Putin has apologised to Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev for what he termed a "tragic incident."
Iran gains observer status in Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union
Iran was granted observer status in the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) during the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council meeting held in St Petersburg on December 27.
Russian missiles blamed for downing of Azerbaijan Airlines passenger jet
Thirty eight killed as Flight J2-8243 engulfed by fireball on crash-landing. Twenty nine survive after back of plane breaks off during impact.
Damage of key infrastructure on the seabed of the Baltic raises security concerns, calls for Nato involvement
Estonia’s Elisa Eesti AS and CITIC Telecom CPC reported late on December 25 outages in three submarine communication cables between Estonia and Finland, the EstLink2.
Did Russia shoot down the Azal passenger plane that crashed in Kazakhstan?
Confusion reigns over what on December 25 brought down the Azal passenger plane, killing 38 of 72 people on board. Some evidence points to a bird strike, other evidence to a Russian missile.
Plane crashes in Kazakhstan on Baku-Grozny flight with nearly 70 onboard
An Azerbaijan Airlines flight traveling from Baku to Grozny crashed in Kazakhstan with nearly 70 passengers onboard on December 25. Two dozen survivors are in a critical condition, according to reports.
Russia sentences dual US-Russian citizen to 15 years on espionage charges
A Moscow court has sentenced US citizen Gene Spector to 15 years in prison on espionage charges.
Sanctioned Russian cargo ship sinks in Mediterranean after explosion
A sanctioned Russian cargo vessel, Ursa Major, has sunk in the Mediterranean Sea between Spain and Algeria.
Slovakia’s Fico in surprise visit to Putin in Moscow
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico made a surprise trip to Moscow on December 22 to hold rare face-to-face talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as he seeks to secure gas deliveries ahead of the end of the Ukrainian gas transit deal next week.
Russian Muslims allowed to have four wives, religious council rules
Muslim men in Russia will be allowed to take up to four wives in religious marriages, the Council of Ulema – part of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims – has decreed.
Russian long-haul driver murdered in northern Iran
Iranian authorities are investigating the death of a Russian citizen who was found with gunshot wounds in the northern province of Gilan.
North Korea’s missile support to Russia raises alarms at UN
North Korea’s involvement in supplying ballistic missiles to Russia for use in Ukraine has become a matter of serious international concern, as fresh evidence suggests that the regime is capable of producing and transferring missiles within months
Ukraine invasion was ‘spontaneous’ and unplanned, Putin claims
Russian President Vladimir Putin has described his decision to invade Ukraine in February 2022 as “spontaneous,” admitting the operation was carried out with minimal preparation.
Bulgaria’s interim PM Glavchev refuses to sign 10-year military support deal with Ukraine
Gerb also backs away from Ukraine deal as it seeks to secure pro-Russian Bulgarian Socialist Party as a coalition partner.
Azerbaijan’s Aliyev lines up with Russia and Trump, admits Georgia interference
Azerbaijan’s president voices rightwing narratives and slams Western meddling in Rossiya Segodnya interview.
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North Korean troops face heavy losses in Russia-Ukraine War as conflict intensifies
North Korean soldiers fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine have suffered significant losses, with “several hundred” killed or wounded during combat in the Kursk region.
Uzbek national arrested in Moscow bombing that killed Russian chemical defence chief Kirillov
Russian authorities have detained a 29-year-old Uzbek national suspected of organising the assassination of Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, head of the Russian military’s chemical and biological defence forces.
Uzbekistan’s Moscow embassy “clarifying” details on man detained after scooter-bomb assassination of Russian general
Speed of arrest of Uzbek suspect will inevitably prompt some scepticism over whether the accused is a scapegoat.
Russia sells stakes in Kazakhstan uranium JVs to China
Move kicks off debate on whether move illustrates a loss of Kremlin influence in Central Asia.
North Korean troops suffer casualties in Ukraine conflict
North Korean soldiers have been reported killed or wounded while fighting alongside Russian forces in the Kursk region of Russia, according to US officials.