Tag: Belarus

  • Live: US says it will provide cluster munitions to Ukraine

    Live: US says it will provide cluster munitions to Ukraine

    The United States announced Friday that it will provide cluster munitions to Ukraine for the first time as Kyiv’s forces push ahead with a counteroffensive against Russian forces. Follow our live blog for the latest updates on the war in Ukraine. All times are Paris time (GMT+2). 9:05pm: The US will provide cluster munitions to…

  • The Finnish bank gave oligarch Rotenberg permission to withdraw funds just before the sanctions came into effect

    The Finnish bank gave oligarch Rotenberg permission to withdraw funds just before the sanctions came into effect

    Rotenberg was allowed to withdraw his funds in April 2022 when he promised not to transfer them to Russia or Belarus.

  • EU warns against unstable and dangerous Russia in wake of mutiny

    EU warns against unstable and dangerous Russia in wake of mutiny

    The EU will on Thursday discuss the repercussions of the Wagner Group’s aborted rebellion in Russia as they look at further its aid to Ukraine in the wake of Moscow’s invasion. NATO chief head Jens Stoltenberg is also set to meet with the bloc. Elsewhere, Ukraine held drills in Zaporizhzhia in preparation for radiation leaks…

  • Time ‘to welcome Sweden as a full member of NATO’, says Stoltenberg

    Time ‘to welcome Sweden as a full member of NATO’, says Stoltenberg

    NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Wednesday he has called a meeting of senior officials from Turkey, Sweden and Finland on July 6 to try to overcome Turkish objections to Sweden joining the military organisation. “The time is now to welcome Sweden as a full member of NATO,” Stoltenberg told reporters as he announced the date…

  • Ukraine, China, migration – the EU summit tackles a series of sticky issues

    Ukraine, China, migration – the EU summit tackles a series of sticky issues

    Paris – The war in Ukraine remains high on the agenda as EU leaders meet on Thursday and Friday in Brussels, just days after the Wagner group’s short-lived revolt in Russia. Other hot-button issues to be discussed include European defence, relations with China and immigration. Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin’s rebellion last weekend has added a…

  • Live: Macron hosts NATO’s Stoltenberg for talks in Paris

    Live: Macron hosts NATO’s Stoltenberg for talks in Paris

    French President Emmanuel Macron hosted NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg for talks in Paris on Wednesday ahead of a summit of NATO leaders in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius in July. The leaders’ meeting came after NATO said on Tuesday it was ready to defend itself against any threat from “Moscow or Minsk”, after Belarus…

  • So Putin created his own monsters

    So Putin created his own monsters

    The dramatic events of the weekend, when the private army Wagner group appeared to launch an armed rebellion against the Putin regime, are interpreted by many as Vladimir Putin has begun to lose control of his empire. The Wagner group and its leader Yevgeny Prigozhin have been important tools for the Russian state when it…

  • Putin says Wagner mutineers can join Russian army or ‘go to Belarus’

    Putin says Wagner mutineers can join Russian army or ‘go to Belarus’

    Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the nation about Wagner’s aborted rebellion on Monday, thanking soldiers and mercenaries for avoiding bloodshed and stating that Wagner mutineers could either join the army or “go to Belarus”. Earlier, the mercenary group’s chief Yevgeny Prigozhin defended his actions in an audio statement, claiming he did not aim to overthrow…

  • Live: Putin says Wagner mutineers can join army or ‘go to Belarus’

    Live: Putin says Wagner mutineers can join army or ‘go to Belarus’

    In Russian President Vladimir Putin’s second address to his nation on Monday evening since the short-lived Wagner rebellion took place over the weekend, he said Wagner mutineers could join the army or ‘go to Belarus’. Earlier, Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin defended his short-lived rebellion in an audio statement, claiming he did not aim to overthrow…

  • Wagner group withdraws from Russian positions after ending rebellion

    Wagner group withdraws from Russian positions after ending rebellion

    Russian paramilitary Wagner group pulled its fighters from Rostov-on-Don, where they had seized the military headquarters, the regional governor said on Sunday. Wagner head Yevgeny Prigozhin halted his troops’ advance on Moscow late Saturday and said he would leave for Belarus to avoid facing charges. Follow our blog to see how the day’s events unfolded.…

  • Belarus faces chemical castration of pedophiles

    Belarus faces chemical castration of pedophiles

    Proposed changes to the Criminal Code foresee coercive treatment of child offenders, says the Public Prosecutor’s Office Belarus plans to include chemical castration in its program for treating pedophiles as part of an action plan to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation, the General Prosecutor’s Office said. The agency announced the move on Telegram…

  • Live: Ukraina anklagar Ungern för att spärra tillgång till överförda krigsfångar

    Live: Ukraina anklagar Ungern för att spärra tillgång till överförda krigsfångar

    Kiev anklagade i måndags Ungern för att spärra tillgång till elva ukrainska krigsfångar som Ryssland överlämnade till EU-landet. Strejker från Ukraina drabbade de ryska gränsregionerna Kursk och Belgorod tidigt på måndagen och skadade sju personer, inklusive ett barn, sade lokala guvernörer. Följ vår liveblogg för den senaste utvecklingen i kriget i Ukraina. Alla tider är…

  • Russian family crashes through border post in attempt to escape EU

    Russian family crashes through border post in attempt to escape EU

    A man was arrested by the Polish border guard, while his wife and three children managed to escape into Belarus A Russian family made a desperate attempt to flee the EU on Wednesday, crashing through a border post on the border between Poland and Belarus. The attempt was partially successful, as a Russian woman and…

  • Driving in Russia more challenging: Changes to motor insurance

    Driving in Russia more challenging: Changes to motor insurance

    However, the conditions of foreign insurance policies can bring unpleasant surprises to Finnish motorists, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland has even recommended to avoid traveling to Russia and Belarus altogether. Motor insurance is mandatory throughout Europe, including in Russia and Belarus. However, insurance coverage and compensation vary considerably from country to country.…

  • Marini’s border fence arouses laughter: “Hiha dog park fence”

    Marini’s border fence arouses laughter: “Hiha dog park fence”

    However, the photo of the completed pilot section of the fence caused ridicule and confusion on Twitter, as the reality of the fence seemed to differ significantly from the conceptual images published last fall. Critics have hailed the structure as a “skirted kindergarten fence” and a “garden fence”, mocking the gap between the planned and…

  • How the Soviet Union won World War II

    How the Soviet Union won World War II

    The Soviet Union had to pay a heavy price for victory in the most terrible conflict in human history. More than 27 million of its own citizens died in the war and vast territories, from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea, were literally reduced to scorched earth. Nazi Germany managed to attract human and…

  • Arrest of Gonzalo Lira: Another blow to press freedom in Ukraine

    Arrest of Gonzalo Lira: Another blow to press freedom in Ukraine

    As reported by Ukrainian media, the SBU statement accuses Lira of publicly justifying Russia’s armed attack, denying or glorifying alleged Russian war crimes, and undermining Ukraine’s top military and political leadership and defense forces. On May 5, the SBU website published a Ukrainian-language statement “The SBU arrested a foreign blogger in Kharkiv who denied the…

  • Dödlig rysk missil attack slår mot ukrainska museet

    Dödlig rysk missil attack slår mot ukrainska museet

    En rysk missil träffade på tisdagen en museibyggnad i den ukrainska staden Kupiansk, i Charkiv-regionen, och dödade minst två personer, skadade ett tiotal personer och begravde andra under spillrorna. Ukrainas president Volodymyr Zelensky fördömde Moskvas “barbariska metoder” och sa att Ryssland försökte radera Ukrainas historia och kultur. Läs vår liveblogg för att se hur alla…

  • Finnish motor insurances are no longer valid in Russia from June

    Finnish motor insurances are no longer valid in Russia from June

    This means that motor insurance policies issued in Finland, other EEA countries or Switzerland will no longer be valid in Russia and Belarus in June. Some insurance companies have already stopped issuing green cards for travel to these countries. “All green cards issued for travel to Russia and Belarus expire at the beginning of June.…

  • G7 warns "heavy costs" Russia’s war in Ukraine against countries helping

    G7 warns "heavy costs" Russia’s war in Ukraine against countries helping

    – We will strengthen our coordination to prevent and respond to third parties supplying weapons to Russia and continue to act against those who materially support Russia’s war against Ukraine, the statement said. Top diplomats from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States, as well as the European Union, also condemned Russia’s…

  • IKEA replacement opens first store in Russia

    IKEA replacement opens first store in Russia

    The Swedish furniture giant closed stores and sold factories to local buyers due to Ukraine-related pressure The first furniture store for Belarusian furniture maker Swed House, which sells home goods designed to look like IKEA products and is poised to fill the void left by the Swedish giant, opened its doors in Moscow on Saturday.…

  • IKEA stand-in opens its first store in Russia

    IKEA stand-in opens its first store in Russia

    The Swedish furniture giant closed stores and sold factories to local buyers due to Ukraine-related pressure Russia’s first store of Belarusian furniture maker Swed House, which sells home goods designed to look like IKEA products and is poised to fill the void left by the Swedish giant, opened its doors in Moscow on Saturday. The…

  • Finland becomes NATO member as Russia warns of countermeasures

    Finland becomes NATO member as Russia warns of countermeasures

    Finland officially became the 31st member of NATO on Tuesday, after completing ratification in well under a year – the fastest membership process in the alliance’s recent history. As Western allies strengthen ties, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview published on Tuesday that Russia may get “tough” with a hostile European Union.…

  • WTA roundup: Top seed Elise Mertens falls in Bogota

    WTA roundup: Top seed Elise Mertens falls in Bogota

    Mirjam Bjorklund of Sweden upset No. 1 seed Elise Mertens of Belgium 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 (3) in the first round at the Copa Colsanitas on Tuesday in Bogota, Colombia. Björklund took advantage of Mertens’ 19 double faults and broke her serve five times in eight situations. Elina Avanesyan of Russia demolished fifth seed Sara Errani…

  • Live: Finland becomes a NATO member as Russia warns of countermeasures

    Live: Finland becomes a NATO member as Russia warns of countermeasures

    Finland officially became the 31st member of NATO on Tuesday, completing ratification in well under a year – the fastest membership process in the alliance’s recent history. As Western allies strengthen ties, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview published Tuesday that Russia could get “tough” with a hostile EU. Follow our live…

  • Bucha must become ‘symbol of justice’, says Ukraine’s Zelensky

    Bucha must become ‘symbol of justice’, says Ukraine’s Zelensky

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday called for Bucha to become a “symbol of justice” on the one-year anniversary of Russia’s withdrawal from the town now synonymous with war crimes allegations. His visit to the martyred town came after Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said Russia could place intercontinental nuclear missiles in his country, “if necessary”.…

  • How Finland’s accession increases NATO’s defense against Russia

    How Finland’s accession increases NATO’s defense against Russia

    BRUSSELS, Belgium — Finland becoming a NATO member adds a potent military to the alliance and a strategic piece that can better help defend the alliance’s vulnerable eastern flank from potential Russian attacks, officials and analysts say. When President Vladimir Putin launched his war against Ukraine, part of Moscow’s justification was the claim that it…

  • India is operationalizing a new resident mission in Vilnius, Lithuania

    India is operationalizing a new resident mission in Vilnius, Lithuania

    New Delhi [India]March 31 (ANI): India operationalized the new resident mission in Vilnius, Lithuania with effect from Friday. “Pleased to share that Embassy of India, Vilnius has started operations today. Our domestic mission will further strengthen India-Lithuania partnership,” Foreign Minister S Jaishankar tweeted. The coordinates of the new embassy are: Embassy of India, Vilnius, Hilton…

  • Live: The UN nuclear chief visits the power plant in Zaporizhzhia

    Live: The UN nuclear chief visits the power plant in Zaporizhzhia

    Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), is expected to visit the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine on Wednesday. He described the situation there as “very dangerous” on Tuesday, a day after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Zaporizhzhia region. Follow our live blog for the latest…

  • The UN Security Council votes against the Russian resolution on Nord Stream sabotage

    The UN Security Council votes against the Russian resolution on Nord Stream sabotage

    New York [US]March 28 (ANI): The UN Security Council did not support the Russian-Chinese resolution on the international investigation into Nord Stream sabotage on Monday, Russian news agency TASS reported. The resolution was supported by 3 countries, with zero votes against and 12 countries abstaining from voting. The resolution thus did not receive the nine…

  • The UNSC is to vote on a resolution on the Nord Stream sabotage investigation

    The UNSC is to vote on a resolution on the Nord Stream sabotage investigation

    New York [US]March 27 (ANI): The UN Security Council will on Monday vote on a Russian-Chinese draft resolution on an international investigation into sabotage of the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines, Russian news agency TASS reported. The text of the draft proposes that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres establish an international independent commission…

  • Wag the Bear: How a Danish NGO helps deliver the truth to Russians via YouTube

    “You want answers/I want the truth!/You can’t handle the truth!” Only in the 2023 version of ‘A Few Good Men’, where Jack Nicholson portrays the Russian state and a Danish NGO, The WHY Foundationwill be played by Tom Cruise. That leaves the jury as to the people of Russia, who, courtesy of the NGO, can…

  • Finnish customs’ reports are at their peak in terms of regulatory crimes and drug seizures for violation of anti-Russian sanctions

    Finnish customs’ reports are at their peak in terms of regulatory crimes and drug seizures for violation of anti-Russian sanctions

    The social effects of Customs’ crime prevention have exceeded 100 million euros, and most of the violations are related to sanctions against Russia and Belarus. Supervisory director Hannu Sinkkonen said that the number of violations of regulations has increased significantly, and last year more than 300 cases were taken into preliminary investigation. Sinkkonen also stated…