Tag: Moscow

  • Russia-Ukraine War: Putin Reshuffles Defense Ministry Amid Gains In Kyiv | world news

    Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday night replaced the current defense minister, Sergei Shoigu, with Andrey Belousov amid Moscow achieving advancements against Kyiv at the warfront, CNN reported.

    Following his dismissal from the position of defense minister, Shoigu has been made secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation and will act as Putin’s deputy in the Military-Industrial Commission of the Russian Federation.

    As per ANI’s report, “Sergei Shoigu was relieved of his post as Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation by presidential decree and was also appointed by decree of the President of the Russian Federation as Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.

    The spokesperson further added that the decision to appoint Belousov is linked to the necessity of incorporating the economy of the security sector into the nation’s economy. Peskov said that the budget of the Russian military department has almost reached the level of the 1980s. He emphasized that although this is not critical, it is significant.

    Belousov, assuming his role at a critical moment, has a diverse professional background, which includes being Russia’s former first deputy Prime Minister. The 65-year-old has also served as an aide to President Vladimir Putin on economic matters, as the Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, as the Director of the Department of Economics and Finance of the Russian Government, as the General Director of the Center for Macroeconomic Analysis and Short-Term Forecasting, and he also worked at the Russian Academy from 1981 to 2006 (until 1991, it was the USSR Academy of Sciences), as reported by ANI citing TASS.

    As per the report, the position of the rest of the heads of security ministers and services remains unchanged.

    The Russia-Ukraine War started in 2022 on February 24 and has entered its third year.

  • Russian Opposition Leader And Vladimir Putin Critic Alexei Navalny Dies In Prison | world news

    MOSCOW: In a shocking political development, Russian Opposition leader Alexei Navalny, a known critic of President Vladimir Putin, has tragically passed away while in prison. The announcement, made by the country’s prison service on Friday, has sent shockwaves across the nation and the international community, raising serious questions about political motivations and accountability. Navalny, a prominent figure known for his relentless criticism of President Vladimir Putin, was serving a lengthy sentence under harsh conditions when news of his death broke. His imprisonment has long been viewed as politically motivated, with many attributing it to Putin’s desire to silence dissent and quash opposition voices.

    Details surrounding Navalny’s death remain murky, with the Kremlin stating it has no information on the cause. This lack of transparency only adds to the suspicion surrounding the circumstances of his passing, fueling speculation of foul play and potential state involvement.

    Throughout his career, Navalny emerged as a vocal advocate for democracy and transparency in Russia. His fearless activism and relentless pursuit of justice garnered widespread support both domestically and internationally, making him a symbol of resistance against authoritarianism.

    Navalny’s demise comes amid a backdrop of ongoing persecution by the Russian government. His previous brushes with death, including a near-fatal poisoning in 2020, underscore the grave risks faced by those who dare to challenge the status quo in Putin’s Russia.

    Despite facing constant threats and intimidation, Navalny remained steadfast in his commitment to exposing corruption and holding those in power accountable. His legacy as a fearless dissident and champion of democracy will endure, inspiring future generations to continue the fight for a free and just society.

    Meanwhile, President Putin’s grip on power shows no signs of loosening. With aspirations for a fifth term in office, he has cemented his status as one of Russia’s longest-serving leaders, wielding unprecedented control over the country’s political landscape.

    As the world mourns the loss of Alexei Navalny, calls for a thorough and impartial investigation into his death grow louder. The international community must demand accountability and justice for this tragic loss, ensuring that those responsible are held accountable for their actions.

  • Breaking: Indian Plane Heading To Moscow Crashes In Afghanistan; Casualties Feared

    As of now, official sources have not provided information on casualties or the cause of the crash.

  • Jaishankar to visit Moscow amid shadow of Ukraine war

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: Despite the conflict in Ukraine dragging and constant pressure from Western nations “to curtail tes with Moscow”, India has affirmed its relationship with Russia. There is strong bilateral trade between the two nations and in a bid to bolster this, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will visit Moscow next week (November 7 to 8). 

    He will meet his counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, and also the trade minister and Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation. Jaishankar and Lavrov met four times in 2021. Besides, Prime Minister Modi and other senior ministers like Defence Minister Rajnath Singh have met their Russian counterparts regularly. Russia announced Jaishankar’s visit last week.

    “The external affairs minister will meet his counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, the foreign minister of Russia. Discussions are expected to cover the entire range of bilateral issues as well as exchange of views on various regional and international developments,” MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said at a media briefing.

    “The external affairs minister will also meet Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation and Minister of Trade and Industry Denis Manturov, his counterpart for the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC),” Bagchi said.

    NEW DELHI: Despite the conflict in Ukraine dragging and constant pressure from Western nations “to curtail tes with Moscow”, India has affirmed its relationship with Russia. There is strong bilateral trade between the two nations and in a bid to bolster this, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will visit Moscow next week (November 7 to 8). 

    He will meet his counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, and also the trade minister and Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation. Jaishankar and Lavrov met four times in 2021. Besides, Prime Minister Modi and other senior ministers like Defence Minister Rajnath Singh have met their Russian counterparts regularly. 
    Russia announced Jaishankar’s visit last week.

    “The external affairs minister will meet his counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, the foreign minister of Russia. Discussions are expected to cover the entire range of bilateral issues as well as exchange of views on various regional and international developments,” MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said at a media briefing.

    “The external affairs minister will also meet Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation and Minister of Trade and Industry Denis Manturov, his counterpart for the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC),” Bagchi said.

  • Bomb threat on flight from Moscow, passengers, crew evacuated 

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: A bomb threat on a flight arriving from Moscow was received by the CISF at the international airport here in the early hours of Friday, police said.

    According to the police, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) received an e-mail warning of a bomb on the flight.

    The flight landed at the Delhi airport between 3 and 4 am, and its 386 passengers and 14 crew members were immediately evacuated, a senior police official said.

    The flight was checked and nothing has been found so far, the official said, adding that the aircraft has been isolated.

    NEW DELHI: A bomb threat on a flight arriving from Moscow was received by the CISF at the international airport here in the early hours of Friday, police said.

    According to the police, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) received an e-mail warning of a bomb on the flight.

    The flight landed at the Delhi airport between 3 and 4 am, and its 386 passengers and 14 crew members were immediately evacuated, a senior police official said.

    The flight was checked and nothing has been found so far, the official said, adding that the aircraft has been isolated.

  • All countries including India need to hold Russia to terms of grain deal: USAID chief 

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: All countries including India need to hold Russia to the terms of the grain exports deal, a senior US official said on Wednesday, days after Moscow agreed to allow the shipping of vital grains from the Ukrainian Black Sea ports.

    The grain agreement, brokered by the UN and Turkey and aimed at averting a global food crisis, was inked on Friday to primarily facilitate the export of around 20 million tonnes of wheat, maize and other grains from Ukraine.

    Visiting US Agency for International Development (USAID) administrator Samantha Power said Russia has to respect the terms of the deal and it is important that “all countries, not only the US, but India” hold Russia to the terms of the deal.

    “So far, what we have seen from the Russian Federation is a string of lies and broken promises, and above all, a string of months and months of devastating attacks on civilian infrastructure. Ukrainians are determined to operationalise this deal,” she said.

    Following its invasion of Ukraine, Russia blocked maritime access to the Ukrainian ports, which resulted in a total halt in the export of millions of tonnes of grains from that country, triggering a global food crisis.

    The US official said this while interacting with the media on the third and final day of her visit to Delhi.

    “The stakes are extremely high. Twenty million tonnes of grains on which the global food supply is going to be influenced remain trapped (in Ukraine),” she said.

    Power said the USAID, the US and European partners have been working side by side with Ukrainian farmers and officials to try to figure out how to get grains and cooking oils out by rail, road or rivers.

    “Around the world, inflation is one of the top topics of conversation. It is absolutely critical that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and his forces let the grains go. Those are the stakes and they are life and death stakes,” she said.

    Referring to the global food and energy crisis, Power, in an address at an event at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) here, said Sri Lanka’s government was the first to fall but there have already been protests related to food and fuel prices in at least 17 countries because of inflationary pressures. “If history is any guide, we know that Sri Lanka’s government will likely not be the last to fall,” she said.

    Power said like India, Ukraine is a global breadbasket, exporting nearly 50 million tonnes of wheat every year.

    “Therefore, it was no surprise that the invasion and the blockade of 20 million tonnes of food trapped still in Ukraine’s ports coincided with the highest prices ever seen on the UN’s Global Food Price Index,” she said.

    Power said the US has just increased its annual USD 1 billion dollar investment in the global food security programme by an additional USD 760 million for this year.

    “Faced with such an extraordinary global food crisis, every country must examine its budgets and policies so that even as we each address domestic needs and contingencies — and we know how significant those needs are in many parts of the world including here. We work together to stave off a much wider catastrophe,” she said.

    NEW DELHI: All countries including India need to hold Russia to the terms of the grain exports deal, a senior US official said on Wednesday, days after Moscow agreed to allow the shipping of vital grains from the Ukrainian Black Sea ports.

    The grain agreement, brokered by the UN and Turkey and aimed at averting a global food crisis, was inked on Friday to primarily facilitate the export of around 20 million tonnes of wheat, maize and other grains from Ukraine.

    Visiting US Agency for International Development (USAID) administrator Samantha Power said Russia has to respect the terms of the deal and it is important that “all countries, not only the US, but India” hold Russia to the terms of the deal.

    “So far, what we have seen from the Russian Federation is a string of lies and broken promises, and above all, a string of months and months of devastating attacks on civilian infrastructure. Ukrainians are determined to operationalise this deal,” she said.

    Following its invasion of Ukraine, Russia blocked maritime access to the Ukrainian ports, which resulted in a total halt in the export of millions of tonnes of grains from that country, triggering a global food crisis.

    The US official said this while interacting with the media on the third and final day of her visit to Delhi.

    “The stakes are extremely high. Twenty million tonnes of grains on which the global food supply is going to be influenced remain trapped (in Ukraine),” she said.

    Power said the USAID, the US and European partners have been working side by side with Ukrainian farmers and officials to try to figure out how to get grains and cooking oils out by rail, road or rivers.

    “Around the world, inflation is one of the top topics of conversation. It is absolutely critical that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and his forces let the grains go. Those are the stakes and they are life and death stakes,” she said.

    Referring to the global food and energy crisis, Power, in an address at an event at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) here, said Sri Lanka’s government was the first to fall but there have already been protests related to food and fuel prices in at least 17 countries because of inflationary pressures. “If history is any guide, we know that Sri Lanka’s government will likely not be the last to fall,” she said.

    Power said like India, Ukraine is a global breadbasket, exporting nearly 50 million tonnes of wheat every year.

    “Therefore, it was no surprise that the invasion and the blockade of 20 million tonnes of food trapped still in Ukraine’s ports coincided with the highest prices ever seen on the UN’s Global Food Price Index,” she said.

    Power said the US has just increased its annual USD 1 billion dollar investment in the global food security programme by an additional USD 760 million for this year.

    “Faced with such an extraordinary global food crisis, every country must examine its budgets and policies so that even as we each address domestic needs and contingencies — and we know how significant those needs are in many parts of the world including here. We work together to stave off a much wider catastrophe,” she said.

  • ‘India should not worry,’ says Russia on strengthening Pakistan tires; Claim to visit Putin

    Russia on Monday said New Delhi should not be worried about its relationship with Pakistan but noted that Moscow is committed to developing ties with Islamabad as it is a member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). Deputy Chief of the Russian mission Roman Babushkin said Russia’s ties with Islamabad are “independent” in nature and that his government is mindful of respecting sensitivities of other countries.

    “We do not think India should be worried,” he said at a media briefing when asked about Russia’s military drills with Pakistan as well as trade cooperation. 

    “Russia is very cautious when it comes to respecting the sensitivities. But at the same time, we regard our relationship with Pakistan as independent in nature and we also have bilateral trade and economic agenda. We are quite committed to develop this relationship further including from the point of view of Pakistan being a partner country in the framework of the SCO,” Babushkin said. “At the same time, we have reached advanced-level exercises with India as well,” he added.