Category: News

Many Russian media outlets have been hacked, with anti-war messages being placed on their websites, as Russia continues its massive, unprovoked attack on Ukraine. Twitter accounts historically associated with Anonymous, the amorphous online activist community that first grabbed global attention about a decade ago, claimed it was behind the hacker attack. Among the media outlets …

Read more “Russian Media Sites Hacked; Anonymous Claims Responsibility”

The U.S. Treasury made its strongest moves yet to sever Russia’s access to its assets, the White House said Monday, with measures aimed at both the Russian Central Bank and the Russian Direct Investment Fund. The moves leave Russia staring down its second week of its brazen invasion of neighboring Ukraine under heavy diplomatic and …

Read more “US Moves to Sever Russian Access to Dollars”

Russia’s future in the World Cup teetered on a knife-edge Monday after FIFA plans to allow them to play on neutral territory were dismissed as “unacceptable” by rivals, plunging the qualifying process for football’s showpiece event into chaos. Governing body FIFA warned that they were considering the ultimate sanction against Russia as punishment for their …

Read more “Russia Facing World Cup Exile After ‘Unacceptable’ FIFA Plan  “

Ordinary Russians faced the prospect of higher prices and crimped foreign travel as Western sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine sent the ruble plummeting, leading uneasy people to line up at banks and ATMs on Monday in a country that has seen more than one currency disaster in the post-Soviet era. The Russian currency plunged …

Read more “Ruble Plummets as Sanctions Bite, Sending Russians to Banks”

Britain will intensify a crackdown on what Prime Minister Boris Johnson called “dirty money” by introducing the government’s Economic Crime Bill to parliament on Monday, a step brought forward in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The much-delayed legislation comes as many opposition lawmakers and those in the governing Conservative party have called on Johnson’s …

Read more “Britain Widens Russian ‘Dirty Money’ Crackdown With New Law “

Belarusians voted Monday to allow the country to host nuclear weapons and Russian forces permanently, results showed, part of a package of constitutional reforms that also extended the rule of leader Alexander Lukashenko. The referendum was held Sunday as the ex-Soviet country’s neighbor Ukraine is under attack from Russian troops and delegations from Moscow and …

Read more “Belarus Votes to Give Up Non-nuclear Status”

FIFA drew a swift backlash from European nations for not immediately expelling Russia from World Cup qualifying Sunday and only ordering the country to play without its flag and anthem at neutral venues under the name of its federation — the Football Union of Russia. Protesting against FIFA’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Poland …

Read more “Euro Backlash as FIFA Refuses to Expel Russia From Football”

Emergency Special Session of UN General Assembly to be held Monday  …

Balancing relations with the West and Russia will become a harder challenge for New Delhi …

Russia hosting the 2018 World Cup, the scandal-plagued 2014 Winter Olympics and Gazprom’s sponsorship of the Champions League were powerful tools for the country’s global image and gained Vladimir Putin prestige amongst the Russian population. However, the Russian president’s decision to invade Ukraine has resulted in destroying the warm global afterglow and experts believe it could cost …

Read more “Sporting Sanctions Can Land Significant Blow on Putin, Say Experts”

The European Union plans to take the unprecedented step of funding weapons purchases for Ukraine, EU officials said on Feb. 27 as the bloc announced a raft of new sanctions in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.  The EU’s plan to fund weapons purchases will use millions of euros to help buy air-defense systems, anti-tank …

Read more “EU to Finance Weapons Purchases For Ukraine, Ban Russian Media”

U.S. citizens should consider leaving Russia immediately on commercial flights, the State Department said Sunday, citing an increasing number of airlines canceling flights and countries closing their airspace to Russia after its invasion of Ukraine. “U.S. citizens should consider departing Russia immediately via commercial options still available,” said a security alert dated Feb. 27 on …

Read more “US Urges Its Citizens to Consider Leaving Russia Immediately”

Thousands of people are fleeing war in eastern Ukraine for the relative safety of its western border with Poland, only to find that a punishing new ordeal awaits. By Sunday afternoon, an unmoving line of cars, buses and trucks stretched for 35 km (22 miles) from the border crossing at Shehyni, all packed with people …

Read more “Stuck for Days in Their Cars, Ukrainians Wait to Flee”

Two Russian billionaires, Mikhail Fridman and Oleg Deripaska, called for an end to the conflict triggered by President Vladimir Putin’s assault on Ukraine, with Fridman calling it a tragedy for both countries’ people. Billionaire Fridman, who was born in western Ukraine, told staff in a letter that the conflict was driving a wedge between the …

Read more “Two of Russia’s Billionaires Call for Peace in Ukraine “

People around the world rally in solidarity with Ukraine and protest against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. …

Tens of thousands of Ukrainians are arriving in Eastern Europe, fleeing the Russian invasion of their homeland. Experts predict between 1 million and 5 million could enter the European Union in coming weeks. This time, countries such as Poland are opening doors that were previously closed to others seeking asylum. Grabbing any form of transportation …

Read more “Europe Begins Welcoming Ukrainian Refugees”

Russian troops continue to battle Ukrainian defense forces and citizen soldiers for control of Kyiv, the capital, and other cities Sunday, the fourth day of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. …

 Belarusians cast ballots Sunday in a constitutional referendum that the country’s authoritarian leader called to cement his 27-year old grip on power, even as he offers the country’s territory to his ally Russia to invade Ukraine. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who has edged even closer to Russia amid crippling Western sanctions over his crackdown on …

Read more “Belarus Holds Constitutional Vote as Crisis in Ukraine Rages “

Russian troops continued to battle Ukrainian defense forces and citizen soldiers for control of Kyiv, the capital, and other cities Sunday, the fourth day of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Sunday Russian troops entered Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, where they encountered heavy resistance. Ukraine’s top prosecutor, Iryna Venediktova, said the Russian forces have been unable to …

Read more “Ukrainian, Russian Troops Continue Battle for Control of Kyiv”

Fears are mounting that Russian forces will turn more to targeting critical civilian infrastructure and mount indiscriminate shelling as the defenders of Kyiv maintain their resistance and hold ground despite redoubled Kremlin efforts to subjugate Ukraine’s capital. Some critical civilian infrastructure has already been hit and the Ukrainian military said it intercepted a missile heading …

Read more “Fears of Indiscriminate Russian Shelling Mount as Ukraine Battles On”

China refused to join its close friend, Russia, in vetoing a U.S.-backed resolution in the U.N. Security Council deploring Russia’s attack on Ukraine. China abstained on the motion but also made statements that could be extremely disappointing to Moscow. Zhang Jun, China’s U.N. ambassador, called for respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine as …

Read more “Has China Turned its Back on ‘Best Friend’ Russia?”

For full coverage of the crisis in Ukraine, visit Flashpoint Ukraine. The latest developments of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, all times EST: 12:05 a.m.: A BBC reporter talks to women making Molotov cocktails in a park in Ukraine. 12:01 a.m.: Protests continue in Australia. Some information in this report came from The Associated …

Read more “Latest Developments in Ukraine: Feb. 27”

The United Nations Security Council is due to vote Sunday to call for a rare emergency special session of the 193-member U.N. General Assembly on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which would be held on Monday, diplomats said. The vote by the 15-member council is procedural so none of the five permanent council members – Russia, …

Read more “UN Security Council Plans Vote to Call General Assembly Meeting on Ukraine”

In a sea of blue and yellow flags and banners, protesters around the world showed their support for the people of Ukraine on Saturday and called on governments to do more to help Kyiv, punish Russia and avoid a broader conflict. Several hundred people marched through heavy rain in Sydney chanting “Ukraine will prevail,” while …

Read more “Waving Ukrainian Flags, War Protesters Rally Around World”