What happened in the Russia-Ukraine war this week? Catch up with the must-read news and analysis A daring cross-border raid in Belgorod; Russia and China deepen their economic ties The Guardian - AU · May 26, 2023
Russia says it discussed peace prospects for Ukraine with Chinese special envoy President Vladimir Putin told his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in call on Friday that Russia was open to dialogue over Ukraine, the Kremlin said, shortly after Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov welcomed a Chinese peace envoy to Moscow. Reuters · May 26, 2023
Cross-border raid fuels calls for Russia to arm its self-defence forces A cross-border raid into Russia from Ukraine this week has fuelled calls for Moscow to allow local self-defence units to be armed, with one influential lawmaker suggesting a new military border command structure be set up. Reuters · May 26, 2023
Russia acknowledges Vatican peace initiative, says no steps yet for a mission to Moscow Russia has indicated it views Pope Francis’ Ukraine peace initiative positively The Independent UK · May 26, 2023
New case against jailed Kremlin critic Navalny goes to court next week Moscow's city court will hold a hearing on May 31 in a new case against jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, according to official documents posted online, on charges that could keep him in prison for decades. Reuters · May 26, 2023
Russia moves tactical nuclear weapons into Belarus blaming ‘Nato aggression’ Moscow has started moving nuclear weapons into Belarusian territory, in response to what it called a “sharp escalation” on its western border. The Week · May 26, 2023
Russia-Ukraine war live: two dead and 30 injured in Russian attack on Dnipro clinic – as it happened Zelenskiy says rocket attack on Friday morning hit medical facility after night of heavy bombardment across country The Guardian - AU · May 26, 2023
US says Russia cannot win in Ukraine, Moscow sees long war ahead Russia’s former President Dmitry Medvedev said Ukraine war is likely to last decades with bouts of fighting and truces. Al Jazeera · May 26, 2023
Families of 2 University of Idaho stabbing victims file legal claims against city, police, schools BOISE, Idaho — The families of two victims of Moscow’s quadruple homicide have filed notices reserving the right to sue four government entities surrounding the crime. Tribune News Service · May 25, 2023
Russia has started deploying tactical nuclear warheads to Belarus, says Lukashenko On the battlefied in Ukraine, the Wagner mercenary group says it is withdrawing from the eastern city of Bakhmut and will hand over its position to Russian forces The Independent UK · May 25, 2023
US senator hopes Serbia adopts Russia sanctions as Serb spy chief travels to Moscow A U.S. senator says he hopes Serbia adopts Western sanctions against Russia over the invasion of Ukraine, telling the Balkan country that “there is no future” in an alliance with Moscow The Independent UK · May 25, 2023
The Russians out for revenge on Putin The Russian Volunteer Corps and the Freedom of Russia Legion were formed in Ukraine in the wake of Moscow’s invasion. Now, the militias are taking the fight to the Kremlin – and aiming to topple the president. Kim Sengupta reports The Independent UK · May 25, 2023
Russia's Putin sees prospects of settlement between Azerbaijan, Armenia Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said that despite difficulties, he felt Azerbaijan and Armenia were moving towards a settlement to their decades-old conflict over the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. Reuters · May 25, 2023
Russian prosecutor asks court to recognise Nazi WW2 crimes around Moscow as genocide Russian prosecutors have asked a court to recognise crimes committed by Nazi Germany in the Moscow region during World War Two as genocide and believe that around 6.4 trillion roubles ($82.3 billion) in damage was caused, they said on Thursday. Reuters · May 25, 2023
Bangkok Post · May 25, 2023 Mercenaries hand Bakhmut over to Russian military MOSCOW: The head of Russia's Wagner mercenary group said on Thursday his troops had started transferring their positions in the flashpoint eastern Ukraine city of Bakhmut to the Russian military.
The Independent UK · May 25, 2023 Head of Russian private army Wagner says his forces are handing control of Bakhmut to Moscow The head of the Russian private military contractor Wagner claims his forces have started pulling out of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine and handing over control to the Russian military
The Independent UK · May 25, 2023 Companies find it's not so simple to leave Russia; some quietly stay put When Russia invaded Ukraine, companies were quick to respond, some announcing they would get out of Russia immediately
Evening Standard · May 25, 2023 Paramilitary group behind raid from Ukraine into Russia vows more incursions Commander of forces who claim responsibility for raid on Belgorod says ‘yet again there will be a spot where things will get hot’
The Guardian - AU · May 25, 2023 Russia-Ukraine war: Belarus says transfer of nuclear weapons from Russia has begun – as it happened Comments from Alexander Lukashenko, Belarusian president, come as Russia and Belarus sign new deal for storage of nuclear weapons
Al Jazeera · May 25, 2023 Leader of anti-Putin force says expect more Russian border raids Denis Kapustin, self-described leader of the Russian Volunteer Corps, said his unit will raid Russian territory again.
The Independent UK · May 24, 2023 South Africa under more scrutiny over Russian ship as ruling ANC says it would 'welcome' Putin The South African government has come under growing pressure after it declined to release cargo documents relating to the visit by a Russian ship that the United States alleges collected a consignment of weapons for Moscow
The Independent UK · May 24, 2023 Nato chief says Ukraine should not join alliance until Russia’s invasion is over Statement from Jens Stoltenberg comes as US looking into reports its military hardware was used in militia raid on Russian territory
Al Jazeera · May 24, 2023 ‘Where is the logic?’: Georgia will not sanction Russia, says PM Irakli Garibashvili says Georgian citizens and the nation’s economy would suffer if Tbilisi sanctioned Moscow.
Evening Standard · May 24, 2023 Russian private army Wagner Group has lost 20,000 troops in battle for Bakhmut, says leader Yevgeny Prigozhin said about 20 per cent of the 50,000 Russian prisoners recruited to fight in the 15-month war died in the eastern Ukrainian city
Reuters · May 24, 2023 Russian spy chief tells 'meddling West' to go to the devil, forecasts its demise One of Russia's top spy chiefs on Wednesday said the West had sown the seeds of its own destruction by turning away from what he called its core traditions and told it to "go to the devil" and stop interfering in global affairs.