Author: Steven Sahiounie

Ex-convicts will be freed and deployed to the “hottest” parts of the front against Russia. Days after Vladimir Putin authorized a special military operation to demilitarize and “denazify” Ukraine last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared that Ukraine will release war veterans from its jails and deploy them to the “hottest” regions of the front to battle Russia. In an address on Monday, Zelensky said a morally difficult position was approved to release war veterans with real combat experience to “make amends for their guilt” in the hottest spots of the conflict. He added that the focus now is on “defense,” citing…

Despite President Zelensky wanting entry fast-tracked, the bloc isn’t talking accession yet, top diplomat says The European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell said on Monday that membership for Ukraine is currently “not on the agenda,” with the Russian offensive a more pressing issue. Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelensky asked the EU for Kiev’s “immediate accession.” Speaking before a meeting of the bloc’s defense ministers, Borrell told reporters that his immediate focus was to “provide an answer for the coming hours, not the coming years.” While he did not rule out membership, Borrell said that providing military assistance to Ukraine was a more pressing…

Non-essential embassy staff can leave Russia, Secretary of State said Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on Monday the full suspension of operations at the US embassy in Belarus. He also said US diplomats in Russia were authorized by the department to leave the country, with only essential personnel staying behind. “We took these steps due to security and safety issues stemming from the unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces in Ukraine,” the US official said. The department said it had “no higher priority than the safety and security of US citizens,” including its employees and their families. The embassy in…

Written by Piero Messina It’s the usual Western double standard. An international legion against the Russian army will be created. The wish of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is coming true. “All foreigners who wish to join the resistance to the Russian occupiers and protect world security are invited by the Ukrainian authorities to join the defense forces”, reads a note from the Ukrainian presidency, which specifies that a special unit will be set up under the name of “International Legion” and that potential volunteers will be able to join by going to the Ukrainian embassies of their countries. The appeal to…

The Russian president ordered the nation’s nuclear deterrence forces to be placed on high alert Sunday following “aggressive statements” from NATO related to the Russian military operation in Ukraine. Earlier, UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss warned that if Russia wasn’t “stopped” “in Ukraine,” the situation could escalate into a conflict with NATO.Russia’s ground, air and submarine-based nuclear deterrent forces have begun standby alert duty with reinforced personnel, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu has informed President Putin. “The Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation, Army General Sergei Shoigu, has reported to Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation…

Immediate ceasefire and withdrawal of troops are crucial negotiation matters The key question of the negotiations for Kiev is to achieve immediate ceasefire and withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian territory, President Zelensky’s office announced as peace talks begin in Belarus. Kiev’s delegation on Monday arrived at the Ukraine-Belarus border to take part in the negotiations with the Russian delegation. The Ukrainian delegation came in two helicopters, as reported by the Russian agency Ria Novosti. On Monday morning, the Belarusian Foreign Ministry published a photo of the room for the negotiations, announcing the site was prepared. The Russian delegation, headed by…

Pyongyang accused Washington of pursuing “military supremacy” at the expense of Moscow’s “legitimate” security demands North Korea’s Foreign Ministry has defended Russia and blamed the United States’ behavior as the “root cause” of the conflict in Ukraine, in its first official response to Moscow’s ongoing military offensive. “The root cause of the Ukrainian crisis also lies in the high-handedness and arbitrariness of the US,” a commentary posted to North Korea’s Foreign Ministry website on Saturday reads. The statement argues that Washington has pursued “military supremacy in disregard of the legitimate demand of Russia for its security.” It accuses the US of unjustifiably interfering in…

US President Joe Biden warned Thursday that any nation that doesn’t condemn Moscow’s military operation in Ukraine would be “stained by association.” On Friday, US media reported that US officials had held six urgent meetings with senior Chinese officials to try to force Beijing to pressure Russia into changing course.The United States should “ask itself” who is to blame for the Ukraine crisis, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian has suggested. “The US should ask itself who’s the one that started all this?” Zhao tweeted, accompanying his post with photo of Uncle Sam pouring fuel on a Ukraine in flames…

On Thursday, Russia began a special operation to demilitarise Ukraine, responding to calls from the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics for help in countering the aggression of Ukrainian forces.RIA Novosti, Zvezda and TVC journalists came under fire from Ukrainian forces in the south of the DPR in the village of Pishchevik (about 20 kilometres from Mariupol); nobody was injured, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported.The fire raid occurred at 14:32. At least 10 missiles were fired. The journalists managed to leave the territory and get out of the impact zone.A Ukrainian UAV was spotted in the sky after Russian journalists were…

This announcement comes just minutes after the deadline previously set by the Russian delegation for the negotiations with Ukraine to begin expired.Ukraine’s delegation is heading to Gomel in Belarus for the negotiations with Russia, President Putin’s aide and head of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Medinsky, said.The talks are expected to take place in the Gomel region at the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, Belta news agency reported.Russia is ready for negotiations and is waiting for the Ukrainian delegation to arrive in Gomel, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.”As you know, President [of Belarus Alexander] Lukashenko had a phone call with President [of Ukraine Volodymyr]…