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Russia

The latest news, analysis and opinion on Russia. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

Capital

Moscow

Head of State

President Vladimir Putin

Head of Government

Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin

last updated:

29 November, 2024

Finnish guard ship Turvan on duty in the southern Baltic Sea. Photo: EPA-EFE

Nordic nations

Finland investigates outage of undersea power link to Estonia

The interruption did not affect Finland’s electricity supply.

16 minutes agovideocam

Ukraine war

Zelensky condemns Russia’s ‘inhumane’ Christmas attack on energy grid

6 hours agovideocam

Ukraine war

Ukraine war: Zelensky thanks China for supporting territorial integrity

24 Dec 2024 - 8:15PMvideocam

Ukraine war

Russian cargo ship sinks in Mediterranean after blast, 2 missing

The ship, Ursa Major, owned by Oboronlogistika, was carrying two giant port cranes and was en route to Vladivostok.

24 Dec 2024 - 7:27PM

Russian cargo ship Ursa Major transits the Bosphorus in Istanbul, Turkey. Photo: Reuters

Ukraine war

Russia’s overheated economy is squeezing one of its key China trading channels

Investment in Russia’s railways is to be slashed by nearly a third, complicating trade with China, state media reported.

24 Dec 2024 - 3:52AM

Ukraine war

North Korea suffers more than 3,000 casualties fighting for Russia: Zelensky

South Korea said earlier on Monday that around 1,100 North Korean soldiers have been killed or wounded since entering combat this month.

24 Dec 2024 - 4:08AM

TikTok ban

Trump favours keeping TikTok in US after ‘billions of views’ during election

US president-elect offers strongest signals yet that he opposes a potential exit of TikTok from the US market.

23 Dec 2024 - 3:14PMvideocam

US President-elect Donald Trump at AmericaFest in Phoenix, Arizona, on Sunday. Photo: Reuters

Vladimir Putin

Putin meets Slovakia’s Fico, in rare visit to Russia by an EU leader

The leaders discussed the future of Russian natural gas deliveries, and the conflict in Ukraine.

23 Dec 2024 - 1:40PM

Xi Jinping

Opinion | Trump wants China’s Xi at his inauguration – to help broker peace in Ukraine?

The US president-elect’s unusual invitation to Xi Jinping came after he’d said ‘China can help’ end the Ukraine war.

22 Dec 2024 - 10:00AMvideocam

India

Crude and clout: unpacking the US$13 billion India-Russia oil deal

Analysts suggest New Delhi wants to avoid being eclipsed by Beijing as Russia increasingly relies on China amid a changing world order.

21 Dec 2024 - 3:30PM

Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their meeting in Moscow in July. Photo: EPA-EFE

Hong Kong economy

Letters | Why Southeast Asia is a better bet for Hong Kong tourism

Readers discuss the lacklustre recovery in tourism, why Hongkongers are being lured to KK Park in Myanmar, and the battle for the Global South.

21 Dec 2024 - 11:30AM

Tourists visit Lion’s Point View Pavilion at The Peak in 2023. Photo: Sam Tsang

United States

Outside In | Does Trump’s tariff-happy team realise China is playing weiqi, not chess?

Much depends on how successfully Trump seduces leaders away from multilateral rule-making and how firmly China resists the siren call of bilateralism.

21 Dec 2024 - 8:05AMvideocam

Ukraine war

Ukraine capital hit by Russian missiles after cyberattack

The barrage came hours after Putin said he is willing to meet with US president-elect Trump, who has said he wants to end the war.

20 Dec 2024 - 8:34PMvideocam

Ukraine war

North Korean soldiers take selfie on Ukraine battlefield

20 Dec 2024 - 6:33PM

01:27

China-EU relations

EU finds pursuit of unity hampered by war, trade threats and Trump factor

‘Everyone talks about unity, but actually everybody is out to get the best deal for themselves and to avoid the absolute worst’: diplomat.

20 Dec 2024 - 2:39PMvideocam

European leaders met to discuss strengthening regional cooperation and partnerships at the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Brussels on December 18 . Photo: EPA-EFE

Japan

Japanese ‘trainspotters’ detained in Belarus for spying spark tensions

One expert believes the arrests highlight Belarus’s paranoia near its border with Ukraine.

20 Dec 2024 - 9:30AM

Vladimir Putin

Putin says Russia is ready to compromise with Trump on Ukraine war

Putin also said he was ready to organise another missile launch at Ukraine and see if Western air defence systems could shoot it down.

19 Dec 2024 - 8:48PM

United States

Opinion | How Biden’s memos can ensure continuity in US foreign policy under Trump

For the sake of national security, transition memos must offer a real road map on key specific foreign policy challenges, like the ones Bush did for Obama.

19 Dec 2024 - 8:30PMvideocam

US President Joe Biden with president-elect Donald Trump during a transition meeting at the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on November 13. Photo: White House / Zuma Press Wire / dpa

Science

‘China is in a good phase’: award-winning neuroscientist on why he left Europe

Nikos Logothetis from the International Centre for Primate Brain Research in Shanghai becomes first non-Russian to receive the award.

19 Dec 2024 - 5:16PMvideocam

Ukraine war

Seoul lawmaker says at least 100 North Korean troops killed in Ukraine war

Lee Seong-kweun said about 1,000 troops also injured in Kursk as they lack drone warfare experience.

19 Dec 2024 - 5:37PMvideocam

Hong Kong

Editorial | Cooperate to tackle Hong Kong money laundering

US allegations against Hong Kong are not only misguided but also counterproductive to battling a crime that recognises no borders.

19 Dec 2024 - 6:15AM

Hong Kong customs officers lead away a suspect in a HK$1.6 billion money laundering case in October. Hong Kong is hard at work combating money laundering, which relies on international cooperation to be effective. Photo: Handout

Diplomacy

Opinion | China should seize the moment to promote peace on Korean peninsula

The weakening of the Russia-North Korea alliance, political change in South Korea and Trump’s return create a conducive environment for denuclearisation talks.

19 Dec 2024 - 6:00AMvideocam

Ukraine war

Nato chief wants Ukraine in position of strength for any talks with Russia

Ukraine leader Zelensky is in Brussels to meet European leaders to shore up support for the war against Putin’s forces.

19 Dec 2024 - 5:04AM

Ukraine war

Opinion | How bureaucracy is sabotaging UK’s efforts to aid Ukraine

Generous amounts of military aid have been pledged, but red tape is preventing it from getting to the frontline as quickly as Ukraine needs it.

18 Dec 2024 - 8:30PM

Ukraine war

Russian gets 20 years in jail for trying to poison troops fighting Ukraine

Russia’s security service said the substance that the canteen worker put in the food could have caused acute poisoning.

18 Dec 2024 - 7:00PMvideocam

Russian servicemen attend a military training in southern Russia. Photo: EPA-EFE

Ukraine

Russia detains suspect in killing of top general in Moscow

Suspect was described as an Uzbek citizen who was recruited by Ukrainian intelligence services.

18 Dec 2024 - 8:53PMvideocam

Investigators near a destroyed scooter at the scene on Tuesday. Photo: AP

China-EU relations

TikTok investigated for suspected election interference in Romania

Allegations include ‘recommender systems’ being open to manipulation and influencers not making clear they were paid to promote candidate.

17 Dec 2024 - 7:10PMvideocam

Middle East

Syria’s Golani says rebel factions will be ‘disbanded’, fighters to join army

HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani says ‘Syria must remain united’ following Assad’s ouster.

17 Dec 2024 - 7:40PMvideocam

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