Russia

Russia closes German consulate in St Petersburg after drone dispute

Russia closed a German consulate general in St Petersburg following Berlin's decision to close a Russian consulate and accusations that the Kremlin had attempted a drone attack at a German airport.

'No Kremlin in Berlin' protesters oppose BSW demonstration
 Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un (L) shaking hands during their meeting at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Amur region on September 13, 2023.

North Korea and Russia open their first road bridge, a symbol of expanding ties

A Norwegian flag flutters over building in Oslo, Norway May 31, 2017.

Russia warns US missile system deployment in Norway threatens to reset strategic dialogue to zero

 THEN-PRESIDENT Shimon Peres sings ‘Hatikva’ with Israeli youngsters, 2008.

Israel should consider changing Hatikvah as its national anthem - opinion


EU planning to expand sanctions against Russia, foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas says

"For autumn, I am putting forward the most far-reaching sanctions listings since the start of the war," she told the German daily newspaper, Die Welt.

European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and European Commission Vice-President Kaja Kallas looks on ahead of the start of a meeting under the European defense and foreign ministers format in Brussels, Belgium, December 1, 2025.

Renewed Moscow-Damascus flights signal revival of ties after Assad's fall - analysis

Syria is expanding its airline network, adding flights from numerous countries over the past year as Damascus seeks to reconnect with the region and Europe.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa shake hands during a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow on January 28, 2026.

NATO fighter shoots down suspected Russian drone that illegally entered Romanian airspace

"Additional details regarding Sunday’s incident remain under investigation, but the drone appears to be Russian," said NATO spokesperson US Army Colonel Martin O'Donnell.

ILLUSTRATIVE: Firefighters and law enforcement work at the site of an explosion at a residential block of flats following a drone hit close to the border with Ukraine, in Galati, Romania, May 29, 2026.

North Korea, Russia reaffirm ties on Korean Liberation Day, as Kim sends Putin more troops

The North Korean leader expressed hope for the future of ties that had "carried forward the history of common struggle for justice and precious traditions of friendship."

 Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attend a meeting in Beijing, China September 3, 2025.

Turning Turkey’s double bind against it: How Israel is outsmarting Erdogan - opinion

The 1920 Treaty of Sèvres and the Ottoman collapse are behind Ankara’s fear of losing power; Jerusalem knows that regional bilateral agreements back Erdogan into a corner

Members of Turkey’s Presidential Guard Regiment.

Latvia issues air threat alert, rescinds after fighter jets shoot down drone

Finland, which also shares a border with Russia, imposed a temporarily restricted area for aviation and maritime traffic.

National flag flutters over Latvian central bank headquarters in Riga, Latvia April 9, 2019.

Poland says it arrested Russian hired to kill 'inconvenient' Ukrainian-American citizen

The Russian was detained on August 7 and had been recruited to kill a man who was "inconvenient to the Putin regime," Polish Prime Minister Tusk told journalists.

This photograph taken on February 13, 2025 shows the view of the Kremlin's towers with Moscow's International Business Centre (Moskva City) in the background in Moscow.

Senators press Rubio, Bessent on lack of counter-evasion sanctions on Russia

The US last imposed major sanctions on Russia in October 2025, when the Treasury Department targeted Russian oil companies Rosneft and Lukoil.

(File Photo) Marco Rubio and Scott Bessent arrive before US President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Britain's King Charles III and Queen Camilla participate in an arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on April 28, 2026.

Ukraine has retaken 745 sq km in 'precision' operation this year, Zelensky says

Ukraine's military has sought to heap pressure on Moscow's war effort in recent months, counterattacking on parts of the 1,200-km front and striking logistics and energy infrastructure.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade, Serbia, August 8, 2026.

Zelensky halts drone strikes on Black Sea oil tankers in Russian port after demand from US VP Vance

Ukraine agreed to not target non-Russian ships, so long as they were not sanctioned by Ukraine or carrying any Russian cargo.  

A member of "Timur's Special Forces Unit" of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine waits on a military boat next to Snake Island, also known as Zmiinyi Island, located in the Black Sea, on August 14, 2025.