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Ukraine

Ukraine is the second largest country in Europe after Russia, gaining independence from the Soviet Union and declaring neutrality in 1991. In February 2022, Russia's President Vladimir Putin ordered an invasion of Ukraine under the auspices of a "special military operation" to "de-nazify" the country. The move turned Moscow into a global pariah, and the Ukrainian army - backed financially and militarily by the US and western European countries - continues to fight off the invading forces. Nuclear-armed Russia has warned of consequences if Nato interferes in the war, while strategic ally China urges a peaceful, diplomatic solution.

Capital

Kyiv

Head of State

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Head of Government

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin interacts on August 13 with local residents on Iturup island, one of four islands in the contested chain known as the Kuril Islands. Photo: AFP

Japan

What does the first visit to the Kuril Islands by Vladimir Putin mean for China?

Diplomatic offensive seen to signal growing alignment between Beijing and Moscow to isolate Tokyo ahead of key November summit.

2 hours agovideocam

Nato

Nato jets shoot down foreign drone after it enters Latvian airspace

4 hours ago

Poland

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

13 Aug 2026 - 10:40PM

Russia

Russia’s Putin makes first visit to Kuril Islands claimed by Japan

The Russian president inspected the Pacific fleet on his first trip to the disputed archipelago, prompting Tokyo to consider fresh sanctions and drawing US backing.

14 Aug 2026 - 1:24PM

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin oversees the final stage of the Pacific Fleet’s naval drills from on board a Russian Navy ship off the far eastern Sakhalin Island on Wednesday. Photo: AFP

Ukraine war

Russia warns of global food market ‘chaos’ after Ukraine hits grain terminals

Grain shipments from the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk are currently impossible because of serious damage to terminal infrastructure.

13 Aug 2026 - 9:14AMvideocam

Music

Eurovision to bar countries at war from hosting

No country was singled out, but five countries boycotted this year’s competition over Israel’s participation.

13 Aug 2026 - 4:06AM

Russia

Putin warns of retaliation over Western ‘piracy’ seizures of Russian ships

Russia is believed to be using a fleet of hundreds of ships to evade international sanctions imposed after it invaded Ukraine in 2022.

12 Aug 2026 - 9:16PM

Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting on board a missile cruiser in Russia’s Sakhalin region on Wednesday. Photo: Sputnik/Reuters

North Korea

North Korea missile launch hints at upgraded weapons exports to Russia

North Korea usually reports launches but its silence in the recent tests raises the possibility they involved a top-secret new missile.

12 Aug 2026 - 5:35PM

North Korea

Japan slams North Korea’s ballistic missile firing ahead of US-Seoul drills

Japan’s Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi called the launch a ‘threat to peace and security in our region’.

12 Aug 2026 - 9:24AMvideocam

Ukraine war

Ukraine says Russia fired North Korean missiles in deadly attack

‘The city was struck with North Korean ballistic missiles, Zircons,’ President Zelensky said of the strike on Zaporizhzhia that killed 7.

12 Aug 2026 - 3:30AM

Firefighters work at the site of an overnight Russian missile strike in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine on Tuesday. Photo: Reuters

Diplomacy

Opinion | A strong China is the best hope for the ‘long peace’ to endure

If China’s rise shows it rejects hegemonic ambitions, the hope is that it can make a difference and foster a more peaceful world.

11 Aug 2026 - 8:30PMvideocam

South Korea

South Korea faces quandary over Ukraine’s air defence system request

If South Korea were to agree to Zelensky’s request, it could further strain ties with Russia and impair its own defence, analysts say.

11 Aug 2026 - 8:00AM

Russia

Russia bars anti-war party from parliamentary election

The move by the Supreme Court sidelines the liberal Yabloko party, the only officially registered party that opposes the ‌war in Ukraine.

11 Aug 2026 - 1:36AM

Ukraine war

13 die in Russia during attack by Ukraine 900 km from Moscow: officials

Nizhnekamsk, a major processing and petrochemical centre, was targeted. Nasa satellite images showed heat anomalies that may indicate fire.

10 Aug 2026 - 8:20PMvideocam

Smoke rises in the distance on Monday after what authorities said was a Ukrainian drone attack on the Russian city of Nizhnekamsk. Photo: Social media via Reuters

Ukraine war

Russia and Ukraine exchange strikes, leaving 7 dead and dozens injured

Reciprocal strikes hit Belgorod and Kharkiv while drone incidents in Bulgaria and Moldova highlight war spillover.

10 Aug 2026 - 11:08AM

A clothes shop in Belgorod, Russia damaged during a Ukrainian overnight drone attack. Photo: Reuters

Germany

German arms giant boss says no ‘chickening out’ amid alleged Russian threats

‘These jobs must be done and anyone that can’t take the pressure doesn’t belong in this job,’ Rheinmetall’s Armin Papperger says.

9 Aug 2026 - 1:15PM

Ukraine war

Ukraine denies targeting Bulgaria, as drone explodes near pipeline

The blast caused no casualties, but Bulgarian PM Radev said the device was carrying a ‘significant’ amount of explosives.

9 Aug 2026 - 1:41AMvideocam

Ukraine war

Russian attacks kill 4 in Ukraine, including 3-year-old boy

The child and his grandparents were among the dead after the latest attacks. Kyiv says around 9,000 drones and missiles were fired in July.

8 Aug 2026 - 6:00PMvideocam

Russia

Russia’s sole anti-war party targets coming elections, favours ceasefire

Several of its leaders have been convicted for being critical of the conflict and supporting key opposition figures.

8 Aug 2026 - 11:09AM

Ukraine war

Ukraine’s Zelensky makes first visit to Russia-friendly Serbia

Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic is seeking to balance relations with Moscow against EU pressure, as his country hopes to join the bloc.

8 Aug 2026 - 11:39PMvideocam

China-Japan relations

Is Japan eyeing asymmetric warfare against China in defence shift?

Analysts detect a notable change in emphasis in Tokyo’s latest white paper which they attribute to lessons from Ukraine.

7 Aug 2026 - 6:01PMvideocam

A Japanese destroyer launches a Tomahawk cruise missile during an exercise off the United States on July 28. Photo: Kyodo

Ukraine war

Why Russia’s ballistic missiles are breaking through in Ukraine

Interceptors are running low, warning times are seconds, and only one air-defence system can stop them.

6 Aug 2026 - 1:53PM

A warehouse in Kyiv on fire after a missile strike on Wednesday. Photo: AP

United States

New UK foreign minister dodges questions on his past Trump remarks

Ed Miliband in Washington ignores shouted inquiries about calling the US president an ‘idiot, a racist and a misogynist’.

6 Aug 2026 - 12:55PM

Russia

Russian drone factory boss badly injured in car blast that killed driver

Targeted attack on Uraldronzavod chief outside Yekaterinburg follows series of strikes against defence figures.

6 Aug 2026 - 2:20PM

Russia

Video | Shocking video shows Russian drone stalking Ukrainian man

The video is described as evidence of Russian ‘drone safaris’ believed to be hunting down civilians in Ukraine.

6 Aug 2026 - 11:14AM

01:43

Germany

Explosive drone found near Ukrainian plane at German airport

All flights to Leipzig-Halle airport were diverted for several hours, as police deployed a bomb-disposal robot to remove the detonator.

6 Aug 2026 - 1:47AM

Police forensic technicians work near a Ukrainian aircraft at Leipzig-Halle Airport in Schkeuditz, Germany, on Wednesday. Photo: dpa via AP

Ukraine war

Russian strikes kill 17 in Kyiv region as Ukraine fails to stop missiles

Ukrainians down dozens of drones but zero missiles, prompting urgent calls for ballistic interceptors.

5 Aug 2026 - 5:16PM

The Philippines

Can France help the Philippines overcome its nuclear power baggage?

Paris is ready to share its nuclear energy expertise with Manila as part of efforts to deepen defence cooperation, outgoing envoy says.

5 Aug 2026 - 11:00AM

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Ukraine

What does the first visit to the Kuril Islands by Vladimir Putin mean for China?

Diplomatic offensive seen to signal growing alignment between Beijing and Moscow to isolate Tokyo ahead of key November summit.

Nato jets shoot down foreign drone after it enters Latvian airspace

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

Russia’s Putin makes first visit to Kuril Islands claimed by Japan

The Russian president inspected the Pacific fleet on his first trip to the disputed archipelago, prompting Tokyo to consider fresh sanctions and drawing US backing.

Russia warns of global food market ‘chaos’ after Ukraine hits grain terminals

Grain shipments from the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk are currently impossible because of serious damage to terminal infrastructure.

Eurovision to bar countries at war from hosting

No country was singled out, but five countries boycotted this year’s competition over Israel’s participation.

Putin warns of retaliation over Western ‘piracy’ seizures of Russian ships

Russia is believed to be using a fleet of hundreds of ships to evade international sanctions imposed after it invaded Ukraine in 2022.

North Korea missile launch hints at upgraded weapons exports to Russia

North Korea usually reports launches but its silence in the recent tests raises the possibility they involved a top-secret new missile.

Japan slams North Korea’s ballistic missile firing ahead of US-Seoul drills

Japan’s Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi called the launch a ‘threat to peace and security in our region’.

Ukraine says Russia fired North Korean missiles in deadly attack

‘The city was struck with North Korean ballistic missiles, Zircons,’ President Zelensky said of the strike on Zaporizhzhia that killed 7.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | A strong China is the best hope for the ‘long peace’ to endure

If China’s rise shows it rejects hegemonic ambitions, the hope is that it can make a difference and foster a more peaceful world.

South Korea faces quandary over Ukraine’s air defence system request

If South Korea were to agree to Zelensky’s request, it could further strain ties with Russia and impair its own defence, analysts say.

Russia bars anti-war party from parliamentary election

The move by the Supreme Court sidelines the liberal Yabloko party, the only officially registered party that opposes the ‌war in Ukraine.

13 die in Russia during attack by Ukraine 900 km from Moscow: officials

Nizhnekamsk, a major processing and petrochemical centre, was targeted. Nasa satellite images showed heat anomalies that may indicate fire.

Russia and Ukraine exchange strikes, leaving 7 dead and dozens injured

Reciprocal strikes hit Belgorod and Kharkiv while drone incidents in Bulgaria and Moldova highlight war spillover.

German arms giant boss says no ‘chickening out’ amid alleged Russian threats

‘These jobs must be done and anyone that can’t take the pressure doesn’t belong in this job,’ Rheinmetall’s Armin Papperger says.

Ukraine denies targeting Bulgaria, as drone explodes near pipeline

The blast caused no casualties, but Bulgarian PM Radev said the device was carrying a ‘significant’ amount of explosives.

Russian attacks kill 4 in Ukraine, including 3-year-old boy

The child and his grandparents were among the dead after the latest attacks. Kyiv says around 9,000 drones and missiles were fired in July.

Russia’s sole anti-war party targets coming elections, favours ceasefire

Several of its leaders have been convicted for being critical of the conflict and supporting key opposition figures.

Ukraine’s Zelensky makes first visit to Russia-friendly Serbia

Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic is seeking to balance relations with Moscow against EU pressure, as his country hopes to join the bloc.

Is Japan eyeing asymmetric warfare against China in defence shift?

Analysts detect a notable change in emphasis in Tokyo’s latest white paper which they attribute to lessons from Ukraine.

Why Russia’s ballistic missiles are breaking through in Ukraine

Interceptors are running low, warning times are seconds, and only one air-defence system can stop them.

New UK foreign minister dodges questions on his past Trump remarks

Ed Miliband in Washington ignores shouted inquiries about calling the US president an ‘idiot, a racist and a misogynist’.

Russian drone factory boss badly injured in car blast that killed driver

Targeted attack on Uraldronzavod chief outside Yekaterinburg follows series of strikes against defence figures.

.css-1f6sr3w{color:#727272;}Video | Shocking video shows Russian drone stalking Ukrainian man

The video is described as evidence of Russian ‘drone safaris’ believed to be hunting down civilians in Ukraine.

Explosive drone found near Ukrainian plane at German airport

All flights to Leipzig-Halle airport were diverted for several hours, as police deployed a bomb-disposal robot to remove the detonator.

Russian strikes kill 17 in Kyiv region as Ukraine fails to stop missiles

Ukrainians down dozens of drones but zero missiles, prompting urgent calls for ballistic interceptors.

Can France help the Philippines overcome its nuclear power baggage?

Paris is ready to share its nuclear energy expertise with Manila as part of efforts to deepen defence cooperation, outgoing envoy says.

Opinion | A strong China is the best hope for the ‘long peace’ to endure

Video | Shocking video shows Russian drone stalking Ukrainian man