Kremlin has confirmed Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich's role in peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. Well, Ukraine has also urged not to sanction Abramovich.

Kremlin confirms role of Russian oligarch Abramovich in peace talks

The Kremlin dismissed a remark by U.S. President Joe Biden on Saturday that Vladimir Putin "can not remain in power," saying it was up to Russians to choose their own president.

Asked about Biden's comment, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Reuters: "That's not for Biden to decide. The president of Russia is elected by Russians. "

A White House official said Biden, who was speaking in Warsaw, had not been calling for "regime change" in Russia, but his point was that "Putin cannot be allowed to exercise power over his neighbours or the region".

Peskov did not immediately respond to a follow-up request for reaction to the White House clarification.

Watch | Joe Biden delivers remarks from Warsaw, says Putin is strangling democracy &amp; World order

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Biden has stepped up personal attacks on Putin since the Russian president ordered the invasion of Ukraine last month, and the Kremlin has replied by questioning the U.S. leader's state of mind.

Last week, it accused Biden of making "personal insults" towards Putin after he labelled him a "war criminal" and a "murderous dictator", and said his remarks appeared to have been fuelled by irritation, fatigue, and forgetfulness.

Dmitry Rogozin, the outspoken head of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, suggested mockingly on social media that the clarification of Biden's latest remarks had come from the White House medical unit.

Rogozin has previously derided what he called "Alzheimer's sanctions" imposed on Russia by the United States over the war in Ukraine, which Moscow calls a special military operation.

The Kremlin dismissed a remark by U.S. President Joe Biden on Saturday that Vladimir Putin "can not remain in power," saying it was up to Russians to choose their own president.

The Kremlin dismissed a remark by U.S. President Joe Biden on Saturday that Vladimir Putin "can not remain in power," saying it was up to Russians to choose their own president. Asked about Biden's comment, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Reuters: "That's not for Biden to decide. The president of Russia is elected by Russians. " A White House official said Biden, who was speaking in Warsaw, had not been calling for "regime change" in Russia, but his point was that "Putin cannot be allowed to exercise power over his neighbours or the region". Peskov did not immediately respond to a follow-up request for reaction to the White House clarification. Watch | Joe Biden delivers remarks from Warsaw, says Putin is strangling democracy & World order Biden has stepped up personal attacks on Putin since the Russian president ordered the invasion of Ukraine last month, and the Kremlin has replied by questioning the U.S. leader's state of mind. Last week, it accused Biden of making "personal insults" towards Putin after he labelled him a "war criminal" and a "murderous dictator", and said his remarks appeared to have been fuelled by irritation, fatigue, and forgetfulness. Dmitry Rogozin, the outspoken head of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, suggested mockingly on social media that the clarification of Biden's latest remarks had come from the White House medical unit. Rogozin has previously derided what he called "Alzheimer's sanctions" imposed on Russia by the United States over the war in Ukraine, which Moscow calls a special military operation.

Kremlin says it's not for Biden to say if Putin stays in power

It is "foolish" to believe that&nbsp;Western&nbsp;sanctions&nbsp;against Russian businesses could have any effect on the Moscow government, Russian ex-president&nbsp;and deputy head of security council Dmitry&nbsp;Medvedev&nbsp;was quoted as saying on Friday.

The&nbsp;sanctions&nbsp;will only consolidate the Russian society and not cause popular discontent with the authorities,&nbsp;Medvedev&nbsp;told&nbsp;Russia's&nbsp;RIA news agency in an interview.

The West has imposed an array of&nbsp;sanctions&nbsp;on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine, but one month into the war, the&nbsp;Kremlin&nbsp;says&nbsp;it will continue the assault until it accomplishes its goals of Ukraine's "demilitarisation and denazification".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-us-president-joe-biden-mistakenly-refers-to-defense-secretary-lloyd-austin-as-secretary-of-state-465613">Watch: US President Joe Biden mistakenly refers to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin as secretary of state</a>

Some of the&nbsp;sanctions&nbsp;have specifically targeted billionaire businessmen believed to be close to&nbsp;President&nbsp;Vladimir Putin.

"Let us ask ourselves: can any of these major businessmen have even the tiniest quantum of influence of the position of the country's leadership?"&nbsp;Medvedev&nbsp;said.

"I openly tell you: no, no way."

Medvedev&nbsp;said there are several grounds under which Russia has the right to use nuclear weapons, including an attack on the country or encroachment on infrastructure as a result of which&nbsp;Russia's&nbsp;nuclear deterrent forces would be paralysed.

That demonstrated&nbsp;Russia's&nbsp;"determination to defend the independence, sovereignty of our country, not to give anyone a reason to doubt even the slightest that we are ready to give a worthy response to any infringement on our country, on its independence," he said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-heavy-casualties-distraught-russian-troops-turn-on-own-commander-run-him-over-says-report-465590">After heavy casualties, distraught Russian troops turn on own commander, run him over, says report</a>

However, negotiations - even in the most difficult situations such as those around Ukraine - are Moscow's preferred path to proceed, he added.

Medvedev&nbsp;said opinion polls showed three-quarters of Russians supported the&nbsp;Kremlin's decision to carry out a military operation in Ukraine and even more supported&nbsp;President&nbsp;Vladimir Putin.

While downplaying the economic impact of&nbsp;sanctions,&nbsp;Medvedev&nbsp;said the Russian government will have to find "adequate solutions" on its own to spur the development of the aircraft, automotive and IT industries, among others.

"Now, it will be more difficult to tackle those issues, but on the other hand, we cannot rely on anyone,"&nbsp;Medvedev&nbsp;said. "In this case, we will have to solve those problems ourselves."

He lashed out at those Russians who spoke against the invasion while staying outside Russia.

"You can be dissatisfied with some of the authorities' decisions, criticise the authorities - this is normal," he said.

"But you cannot take a stand against the state in such a difficult situation, because this is treason."

Thousands of people were earlier this month detained at Russia-wide protests against Putin's invasion of Ukraine, according to an independent protest monitoring group.

Watch |&nbsp;Russia: Complete focus on liberating Ukraine's Donbas region

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-complete-focus-on-liberating-ukraines-donbas-region-465606/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

It is "foolish" to believe that Western sanctions against Russian businesses could have any effect on the Moscow government, Russian ex-president and deputy head of security council Dmitry Medvedev was quoted as saying on Friday.

It is "foolish" to believe that Western sanctions against Russian businesses could have any effect on the Moscow government, Russian ex-president and deputy head of security council Dmitry Medvedev was quoted as saying on Friday. The sanctions will only consolidate the Russian society and not cause popular discontent with the authorities, Medvedev told Russia's RIA news agency in an interview. The West has imposed an array of sanctions on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine, but one month into the war, the Kremlin says it will continue the assault until it accomplishes its goals of Ukraine's "demilitarisation and denazification". Also read | Watch: US President Joe Biden mistakenly refers to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin as secretary of state Some of the sanctions have specifically targeted billionaire businessmen believed to be close to President Vladimir Putin. "Let us ask ourselves: can any of these major businessmen have even the tiniest quantum of influence of the position of the country's leadership?" Medvedev said. "I openly tell you: no, no way." Medvedev said there are several grounds under which Russia has the right to use nuclear weapons, including an attack on the country or encroachment on infrastructure as a result of which Russia's nuclear deterrent forces would be paralysed. That demonstrated Russia's "determination to defend the independence, sovereignty of our country, not to give anyone a reason to doubt even the slightest that we are ready to give a worthy response to any infringement on our country, on its independence," he said. Also read | After heavy casualties, distraught Russian troops turn on own commander, run him over, says report However, negotiations - even in the most difficult situations such as those around Ukraine - are Moscow's preferred path to proceed, he added. Medvedev said opinion polls showed three-quarters of Russians supported the Kremlin's decision to carry out a military operation in Ukraine and even more supported President Vladimir Putin. While downplaying the economic impact of sanctions, Medvedev said the Russian government will have to find "adequate solutions" on its own to spur the development of the aircraft, automotive and IT industries, among others. "Now, it will be more difficult to tackle those issues, but on the other hand, we cannot rely on anyone," Medvedev said. "In this case, we will have to solve those problems ourselves." He lashed out at those Russians who spoke against the invasion while staying outside Russia. "You can be dissatisfied with some of the authorities' decisions, criticise the authorities - this is normal," he said. "But you cannot take a stand against the state in such a difficult situation, because this is treason." Thousands of people were earlier this month detained at Russia-wide protests against Putin's invasion of Ukraine, according to an independent protest monitoring group. Watch | Russia: Complete focus on liberating Ukraine's Donbas region

Western sanctions won't sway Kremlin, says Russia's former president Dmitry Medvedev

With Moscow working hard to wipe out any and every remaining pocket of dissent, a Russian court on Tuesday found jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny guilty on charges of embezzlement.

The charges could see Navalny's sentence being significantly extended.&nbsp;

As reported by AFP, "Navalny committed fraud -- the theft of property by an organised group," said judge Margarita Kotova.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/is-navalny-a-terrorist-russia-adds-kremlin-critic-allies-to-terrorists-list-us-eu-condemn-the-move-447614">Is Navalny a terrorist? Russia adds Kremlin critic, allies to 'terrorists' list; US, EU condemn the move</a>

He was also found guilty on a lesser charge of contempt of court.&nbsp;Navalny has denied&nbsp;the charges.

Last year, Navalny, one of President Vladimir Putin's most vocal domestic critics, was jailed on old fraud charges after surviving a poison attack with Novichok nerve agent, which he blames on the Kremlin.

On Tuesday, Navalny was tried on additional embezzlement and contempt of court charges at the prison colony outside Moscow, where he has already been incarcerated for two-and-a-half years.

Researchers allege that Navalny stole several million dollars in donations given to his political organisations for personal use.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/alexei-navalnys-team-calls-for-civil-disobedience-to-protest-ukraine-invasion-457900">Alexei Navalny's team calls for civil disobedience to protest Ukraine invasion</a>

Last week, the prosecutor requested that Navalny's sentence be extended to 13 years and that he be put into a "strict regime" prison colony, where he would face harsher conditions.

While a conviction on corruption charges can result in up to ten years in prison, a conviction on contempt of court can result in up to six months in jail.

Additionally, he was ordered to pay a fine of 1.2 million rubles ($11,500 or 10,500 euros).

Russia restricted access to Twitter, Facebook and Instagram this month, as well as blocked the websites of several independent news outlets as part of its effort to control the information available to its domestic audience.

Watch |&nbsp;Russia files new charges against Alexei Navalny

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-files-new-charges-against-alexei-navalny-453677/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

In addition, Russia is increasing pressure on independent media and NGOs, declaring many of them "foreign agents" while others themselves have ceased operating for fear of prosecution.&nbsp;

Media outlets closed down in response to a new law that proposed up to 15 years in jail for spreading "fake news" about what Russia calls its "military operation" in Ukraine.

(With inputs from agencies)

With Moscow working hard to wipe out any and every remaining pocket of dissent, a Russian court on Tuesday found jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny guilty on charges of embezzlement.

With Moscow working hard to wipe out any and every remaining pocket of dissent, a Russian court on Tuesday found jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny guilty on charges of embezzlement. The charges could see Navalny's sentence being significantly extended. As reported by AFP, "Navalny committed fraud -- the theft of property by an organised group," said judge Margarita Kotova. Also read | Is Navalny a terrorist? Russia adds Kremlin critic, allies to 'terrorists' list; US, EU condemn the move He was also found guilty on a lesser charge of contempt of court. Navalny has denied the charges. Last year, Navalny, one of President Vladimir Putin's most vocal domestic critics, was jailed on old fraud charges after surviving a poison attack with Novichok nerve agent, which he blames on the Kremlin. On Tuesday, Navalny was tried on additional embezzlement and contempt of court charges at the prison colony outside Moscow, where he has already been incarcerated for two-and-a-half years. Researchers allege that Navalny stole several million dollars in donations given to his political organisations for personal use. Also read | Alexei Navalny's team calls for civil disobedience to protest Ukraine invasion Last week, the prosecutor requested that Navalny's sentence be extended to 13 years and that he be put into a "strict regime" prison colony, where he would face harsher conditions. While a conviction on corruption charges can result in up to ten years in prison, a conviction on contempt of court can result in up to six months in jail. Additionally, he was ordered to pay a fine of 1.2 million rubles ($11,500 or 10,500 euros). Russia restricted access to Twitter, Facebook and Instagram this month, as well as blocked the websites of several independent news outlets as part of its effort to control the information available to its domestic audience. Watch | Russia files new charges against Alexei Navalny In addition, Russia is increasing pressure on independent media and NGOs, declaring many of them "foreign agents" while others themselves have ceased operating for fear of prosecution. Media outlets closed down in response to a new law that proposed up to 15 years in jail for spreading "fake news" about what Russia calls its "military operation" in Ukraine. (With inputs from agencies)

Russia's brutal repression of dissent: Kremlin critic Navalny found guilty of embezzlement

As Russia and Ukraine conflict continues to escalate, the Kremlin said on Monday (March 14) that it may still opt to take control of large cities in Ukraine.&nbsp;

News agencies have reported that the Russian military is advancing steadily towards several major urban hubs in its pro-Western neighbour.&nbsp;

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, "Putin gave orders to hold back on any immediate assault on large cities because the civilian losses would be large."&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/at-least-85-children-killed-100-wounded-so-far-in-ukraine-says-attorney-general-462201">At least 85 children killed, 100 wounded so far in Ukraine, says attorney general</a>

Peskov added that the defence ministry, however, "does not rule out the possibility of putting large cities, which are already almost fully encircled, under its full control".&nbsp;

Peskov said that exceptions would be made for areas "used for humanitarian evacuations. "US and EU leaders it seems are forcing Russia towards an assault of large Ukrainian cities to hold our country responsible for civilian deaths," he added.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Peskov further denied reports that Russia has asked China for military aid. He said that Russia has the potential to conduct an operation in Ukraine, and has not asked for assistance from other countries.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-orthodox-church-announces-split-with-moscow-over-ukraine-invasion-462186">Russian Orthodox church announces split with Moscow over Ukraine invasion</a>

Financial Times newspaper cited US officials on Monday and claimed that Russia had asked China for military ​equipment to ​support its operation in Ukraine.&nbsp;

Peskov told reporters, "Newspapers are now writing a lot, you should not take it as a primary source. Russia has an independent potential to continue the operation, as we said, it is developing according to the plan and will be completed on time and in full."&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;Two killed in Kyiv suburbs after being hit by artillery shelling

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(With inputs from agnencies)

As Russia and Ukraine conflict continues to escalate, the Kremlin said on Monday (March 14) that it may still opt to take control of large cities in Ukraine. News agencies have reported that the Russian military is advancing steadily towards several major urban hubs in its pro-Western neighbour.

As Russia and Ukraine conflict continues to escalate, the Kremlin said on Monday (March 14) that it may still opt to take control of large cities in Ukraine. News agencies have reported that the Russian military is advancing steadily towards several major urban hubs in its pro-Western neighbour. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, "Putin gave orders to hold back on any immediate assault on large cities because the civilian losses would be large." ALSO READ | At least 85 children killed, 100 wounded so far in Ukraine, says attorney general Peskov added that the defence ministry, however, "does not rule out the possibility of putting large cities, which are already almost fully encircled, under its full control". Peskov said that exceptions would be made for areas "used for humanitarian evacuations. "US and EU leaders it seems are forcing Russia towards an assault of large Ukrainian cities to hold our country responsible for civilian deaths," he added. Meanwhile, Peskov further denied reports that Russia has asked China for military aid. He said that Russia has the potential to conduct an operation in Ukraine, and has not asked for assistance from other countries. ALSO READ | Russian Orthodox church announces split with Moscow over Ukraine invasion Financial Times newspaper cited US officials on Monday and claimed that Russia had asked China for military equipment to support its operation in Ukraine. Peskov told reporters, "Newspapers are now writing a lot, you should not take it as a primary source. Russia has an independent potential to continue the operation, as we said, it is developing according to the plan and will be completed on time and in full." WATCH | Two killed in Kyiv suburbs after being hit by artillery shelling × (With inputs from agnencies)

Ukraine under attack: Kremlin doesn't rule out taking 'full control' of major Ukraine cities

Moscow has opened a case against Facebook's parent company Meta for calling for ''murder'' of Russians.

Russia's Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said it was launching an investigation "due to illegal calls for the murder of Russian nationals by employees of the American company Meta." &nbsp;

The Kremlin threatened to shut down Facebook owner Meta Platforms in Russia on Friday, following a Reuters report that the company had issued guidelines temporarily easing a ban on calls for political violence to allow some Facebook or Instagram posts that encourage killing invading Russian troops.

According to internal emails sent to content moderators, the guidelines would even allow posts that call for the death of Russian President Vladimir Putin or Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

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"We are issuing a spirit-of-the-policy allowance to allow T1 violent speech that would otherwise be removed under the Hate Speech policy when: (a) targeting Russian soldiers, EXCEPT prisoners of war, or (b) targeting Russians where it's clear that the context is the Russian invasion of Ukraine (e.g., content mentions the invasion, self-defense, etc.)," it said in the email.

"We are doing this because we have observed that in this specific context, 'Russian soldiers' is being used as a proxy for the Russian military. The Hate Speech policy continues to prohibit attacks on Russians," the email stated.

"We don't want to believe the Reuters report - it is just too difficult to believe," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"We hope it is not true because if it is true then it will mean that there will have to be the most decisive measures to end the activities of this company."

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/what-does-aftermath-of-russian-invasion-look-like-for-ukraine-459414">What does aftermath of Russian invasion look like for Ukraine?</a>

"As a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, we have temporarily made allowances for forms of political expression that would normally violate our rules like violent speech such as 'death to the Russian invaders.' We still won't allow credible calls for violence against Russian civilians," a Meta spokesperson said in a statement.

The calls for the leaders' deaths will be allowed unless they contain other targets or have two indicators of credibility, such as the location or method, one email said, in a recent change to the company's rules on violence and incitement.

Citing the Reuters story, Russia's embassy in the United States demanded that Washington stop the "extremist activities" of Meta.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ukraine-claims-to-capture-russias-pantsir-s1-missile-system-is-it-a-rich-catch-461275" hreflang="en">Ukraine claims to capture Russia's Pantsir-S1 missile system; is it a rich catch?</a>

"Users of Facebook &amp; Instagram did not give the owners of these platforms the right to determine the criteria of truth and pit nations against each other," the embassy said on Twitter.

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Russian Embassy in the US: Noted the <a href="https://twitter.com/Reuters?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Reuters</a> message that the <a href="https://twitter.com/Meta?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Meta</a> permitted to post calls for violence against the Russian leadership &amp; our military personnel on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Facebook?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Facebook</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Instagram?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Instagram</a>. <a href="https://t.co/REv9dnA5rv">https://t.co/REv9dnA5rv</a>
— Russia in India 🇷🇺 (@RusEmbIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/RusEmbIndia/status/1502133128587997184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Prosecutors have asked a Russian court to designate Facebook's parent organisation Meta Platforms as an "extremist organisation," Interfax reported on Friday.

The state prosecutor also asked Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor to restrict access to Meta's Instagram social networking service.

Previously, Roskomnadzor said it cut access to Twitter and Facebook in line with a decision by the prosecutor general’s office.

In blocking Facebook, Roskomnadzor cited its alleged “discrimination” of the Russian media and state information resources.&nbsp;

The agency said in a statement that the restrictions introduced by Facebook owner Meta on the Russian news channel RT and other state-controlled media violate Russian law.

(With inputs from agencies)

Moscow has opened a case against Facebook's parent company Meta for calling for ''murder'' of Russians. Russia's Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said it was launching an investigation "due to illegal calls for the murder of Russian nationals by employees of the American company Meta.

Moscow has opened a case against Facebook's parent company Meta for calling for ''murder'' of Russians. Russia's Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said it was launching an investigation "due to illegal calls for the murder of Russian nationals by employees of the American company Meta." The Kremlin threatened to shut down Facebook owner Meta Platforms in Russia on Friday, following a Reuters report that the company had issued guidelines temporarily easing a ban on calls for political violence to allow some Facebook or Instagram posts that encourage killing invading Russian troops. According to internal emails sent to content moderators, the guidelines would even allow posts that call for the death of Russian President Vladimir Putin or Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. "We are issuing a spirit-of-the-policy allowance to allow T1 violent speech that would otherwise be removed under the Hate Speech policy when: (a) targeting Russian soldiers, EXCEPT prisoners of war, or (b) targeting Russians where it's clear that the context is the Russian invasion of Ukraine (e.g., content mentions the invasion, self-defense, etc.)," it said in the email. "We are doing this because we have observed that in this specific context, 'Russian soldiers' is being used as a proxy for the Russian military. The Hate Speech policy continues to prohibit attacks on Russians," the email stated. "We don't want to believe the Reuters report - it is just too difficult to believe," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. "We hope it is not true because if it is true then it will mean that there will have to be the most decisive measures to end the activities of this company." Also see | What does aftermath of Russian invasion look like for Ukraine? "As a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, we have temporarily made allowances for forms of political expression that would normally violate our rules like violent speech such as 'death to the Russian invaders.' We still won't allow credible calls for violence against Russian civilians," a Meta spokesperson said in a statement. The calls for the leaders' deaths will be allowed unless they contain other targets or have two indicators of credibility, such as the location or method, one email said, in a recent change to the company's rules on violence and incitement. Citing the Reuters story, Russia's embassy in the United States demanded that Washington stop the "extremist activities" of Meta. Also see | Ukraine claims to capture Russia's Pantsir-S1 missile system; is it a rich catch? "Users of Facebook & Instagram did not give the owners of these platforms the right to determine the criteria of truth and pit nations against each other," the embassy said on Twitter. Russian Embassy in the US: Noted the @Reuters message that the @Meta permitted to post calls for violence against the Russian leadership & our military personnel on #Facebook & #Instagram. https://t.co/REv9dnA5rv — Russia in India 🇷🇺 (@RusEmbIndia) March 11, 2022 × Prosecutors have asked a Russian court to designate Facebook's parent organisation Meta Platforms as an "extremist organisation," Interfax reported on Friday. The state prosecutor also asked Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor to restrict access to Meta's Instagram social networking service. Previously, Roskomnadzor said it cut access to Twitter and Facebook in line with a decision by the prosecutor general’s office. In blocking Facebook, Roskomnadzor cited its alleged “discrimination” of the Russian media and state information resources. The agency said in a statement that the restrictions introduced by Facebook owner Meta on the Russian news channel RT and other state-controlled media violate Russian law. (With inputs from agencies)

Moscow opens case against Meta for calling for 'murder' of Russians

Which assets of Russian President Vladimir Putin can be seized due to Ukraine invasion?

Western&nbsp;sanctions&nbsp;will never make&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;change its position on&nbsp;Ukraine, the Kremlin said on Tuesday.

Responding to a barrage of Western&nbsp;sanctions&nbsp;over&nbsp;Russia's invasion of&nbsp;Ukraine, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said: "They are counting on forcing us to change our position. This is out of the question."

Peskov told reporters that President Vladimir Putin had been briefed on the first round of talks between&nbsp;Russian and Ukrainian officials on Monday but it was too early to judge the outcome.

There were no plans for talks between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, he said, adding that Moscow still recognised Zelenskiy as&nbsp;Ukraine's leader.

Zelenskiy, he said, could prevent further casualties if he gave the command to lay down arms.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-to-pursue-ukraine-offensive-until-all-goals-achieved-457787">&nbsp;Russia to pursue Ukraine offensive until all 'goals achieved'</a>

Ukraine&nbsp;has refused to surrender and its forces have put up strong resistance to&nbsp;Russia's assault from the north, east and south, which Moscow describes as a special operation to demilitarise and "denazify" the country - a justification dismissed by Kyiv and the West as war propaganda.

Peskov dismissed allegations of&nbsp;Russian strikes on civilian targets and the use of cluster bombs and vacuum bombs as fakes. He categorically denied that&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;had committed war crimes.

Ukraine&nbsp;says&nbsp;large numbers of civilians have been killed. Peskov said, without providing evidence, that Ukrainian nationalist groups were using people as human shields.

Peskov declined to comment on whether the Kremlin considers the capital Kyiv to be under the control of Nazis, referring the question to the&nbsp;Russian military.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-as-ukraine-withstands-russian-assault-children-sing-kyiv-anthem-in-bomb-shelter-457801">&nbsp;Watch: As Ukraine withstands Russian assault, children sing Kyiv anthem in bomb shelter</a>

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Russia's Ukraine invasion: How Ukrainians are fighting back

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&nbsp;

Western sanctions will never make Russia change its position on Ukraine, the Kremlin said on Tuesday. Responding to a barrage of Western sanctions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said: "They are counting on forcing us to change our position.

Western sanctions will never make Russia change its position on Ukraine, the Kremlin said on Tuesday. Responding to a barrage of Western sanctions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said: "They are counting on forcing us to change our position. This is out of the question." Peskov told reporters that President Vladimir Putin had been briefed on the first round of talks between Russian and Ukrainian officials on Monday but it was too early to judge the outcome. There were no plans for talks between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, he said, adding that Moscow still recognised Zelenskiy as Ukraine's leader. Zelenskiy, he said, could prevent further casualties if he gave the command to lay down arms. Also read | Russia to pursue Ukraine offensive until all 'goals achieved' Ukraine has refused to surrender and its forces have put up strong resistance to Russia's assault from the north, east and south, which Moscow describes as a special operation to demilitarise and "denazify" the country - a justification dismissed by Kyiv and the West as war propaganda. Peskov dismissed allegations of Russian strikes on civilian targets and the use of cluster bombs and vacuum bombs as fakes. He categorically denied that Russia had committed war crimes. Ukraine says large numbers of civilians have been killed. Peskov said, without providing evidence, that Ukrainian nationalist groups were using people as human shields. Peskov declined to comment on whether the Kremlin considers the capital Kyiv to be under the control of Nazis, referring the question to the Russian military. Also read | Watch: As Ukraine withstands Russian assault, children sing Kyiv anthem in bomb shelter Watch | Gravitas: Russia's Ukraine invasion: How Ukrainians are fighting back

Kremlin: Russia won't budge under sanctions pressure over Ukraine

The United States Treasury Department said on Monday that the country has banned all US transactions with Russia's central bank effective immediately.

"This action effectively immobilises any assets of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation held in the United States or by US persons, wherever located," the Treasury said of the measure taken in coordination with Western allies.

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The Biden administration estimates that the move could impact “hundreds of billions of dollars” of Russian funding. Its officials said Germany, France, the UK, Italy, Japan, European Union and others will join the US in targeting the Russian central bank.

Experts believe that the move will severely limit Russia's ability to defend the ruble and prop up its economy.

The Russian currency plunged about 30 per cent against the US dollar Monday after Western nations announced moves to block some Russian banks from the SWIFT international payment system and to restrict Russia’s use of its massive foreign currency reserves.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/central-bank-of-russia-hikes-key-rate-to-20-from-95-amid-sanctions-457421" hreflang="en">Central Bank of Russia hikes key rate to 20% from 9.5% amid sanctions</a>

While the SWIFT move will hinder Russian banks from communicating with international peers, analysts say limiting the use of more than $630 billion in international reserves could prove even costlier for Russia.

In addition to sanctions, the US and Germany announced they will send Stinger missiles to Ukraine among other military supplies.&nbsp;

The European Union, founded to ensure peace on the continent after World War II, is supplying lethal aid for the first time, including anti-tank weapons and ammunition.

In response, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, "The shipments of weapons and munitions to the Ukrainian territory in our opinion could and will be a very dangerous and destabilising factor which will not in either case contribute to peace and the restoring of order in Ukraine."

Peskov called the imposition of sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin "absurd", and said that the Russian president was "quite indifferent about it."

"Everyone knows that the President doesn't have any assets apart from the ones he declares every year - a trailer, a flat, some bank deposits maybe," he said.

(With inputs from agencies)

The United States Treasury Department said on Monday that the country has banned all US transactions with Russia's central bank effective immediately. "This action effectively immobilises any assets of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation held in the United States or by US persons, wherever located," the Treasury said of the measure taken in coordination with Western allies.

The United States Treasury Department said on Monday that the country has banned all US transactions with Russia's central bank effective immediately. "This action effectively immobilises any assets of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation held in the United States or by US persons, wherever located," the Treasury said of the measure taken in coordination with Western allies. The Biden administration estimates that the move could impact “hundreds of billions of dollars” of Russian funding. Its officials said Germany, France, the UK, Italy, Japan, European Union and others will join the US in targeting the Russian central bank. Experts believe that the move will severely limit Russia's ability to defend the ruble and prop up its economy. The Russian currency plunged about 30 per cent against the US dollar Monday after Western nations announced moves to block some Russian banks from the SWIFT international payment system and to restrict Russia’s use of its massive foreign currency reserves. Also read | Central Bank of Russia hikes key rate to 20% from 9.5% amid sanctions While the SWIFT move will hinder Russian banks from communicating with international peers, analysts say limiting the use of more than $630 billion in international reserves could prove even costlier for Russia. In addition to sanctions, the US and Germany announced they will send Stinger missiles to Ukraine among other military supplies. The European Union, founded to ensure peace on the continent after World War II, is supplying lethal aid for the first time, including anti-tank weapons and ammunition. In response, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, "The shipments of weapons and munitions to the Ukrainian territory in our opinion could and will be a very dangerous and destabilising factor which will not in either case contribute to peace and the restoring of order in Ukraine." Peskov called the imposition of sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin "absurd", and said that the Russian president was "quite indifferent about it." "Everyone knows that the President doesn't have any assets apart from the ones he declares every year - a trailer, a flat, some bank deposits maybe," he said. (With inputs from agencies)

Ukraine invasion: United States Treasury bans transactions with Russia’s Central Bank

Kremlin on Monday said that Russia will ride out the sanctions imposed by the United States, the United Kingdom, European Union and other countries.

"The Western sanctions on Russia are hard, but our country has the necessary potential to compensate the damage," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists.&nbsp;

He added that "today Putin will be working on economic questions" and meeting key ministers.&nbsp;

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"The economic reality has significantly changed, let's put it this way," he said, adding that Russia had taken steps to prepare for it.

"Russia has been systematically preparing for quite a long time for possible sanctions, including the heaviest sanctions that we are now facing," he said.&nbsp;

The Western-led response to the invasion has been sweeping, with sanctions that effectively cut off Moscow's major financial institutions from successive Western markets sending Russia's rouble currency down 30 per cent&nbsp;against the dollar on Monday.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-ukraine-start-first-talks-since-moscow-assault-457449">Russia, Ukraine start first talks since Moscow assault</a>

While they hope to curb Putin’s aggression after he unleashed Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II, the measures also risked pushing an increasingly cornered Putin closer to the edge.

“It’s going to ripple through their economy really fast,” said David Feldman, a professor of economics at William &amp; Mary in Virginia. “Anything that is imported is going to see the local cost in currency surge. The only way to stop it will be heavy subsidisation.”

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ukraine-attack-wars-in-europe-since-fall-of-berlin-wall-457392" hreflang="en">Ukraine attack: Wars in Europe since fall of Berlin Wall</a>

Russia’s central bank sharply raised its key interest rate Monday in a desperate attempt to shore up the currency and prevent a run on banks. The bank hiked the benchmark rate to 20 per cent&nbsp;from 9.5 per cent.&nbsp;

The Russian government will have to step in to support declining industries, banks and economic sectors, but without access to hard currencies like the US&nbsp;dollar and euro, they may have to result to printing more rubles. It’s a move that could quickly spiral into hyperinflation.

The ruble slide recalled previous crises. The currency lost much of its value in the early 1990s after the end of the Soviet Union, with inflation and loss of value leading the government to lop three zeros off ruble notes in 1997. Then came a further drop after a 1998 financial crisis in which many depositors lost savings and yet another plunge in 2014 due to falling oil prices and sanctions imposed after Russia seized Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula.

(With inputs from agencies)

Kremlin on Monday said that Russia will ride out the sanctions imposed by the United States, the United Kingdom, European Union and other countries. "The Western sanctions on Russia are hard, but our country has the necessary potential to compensate the damage," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists.

Kremlin on Monday said that Russia will ride out the sanctions imposed by the United States, the United Kingdom, European Union and other countries. "The Western sanctions on Russia are hard, but our country has the necessary potential to compensate the damage," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists. He added that "today Putin will be working on economic questions" and meeting key ministers. "The economic reality has significantly changed, let's put it this way," he said, adding that Russia had taken steps to prepare for it. "Russia has been systematically preparing for quite a long time for possible sanctions, including the heaviest sanctions that we are now facing," he said. The Western-led response to the invasion has been sweeping, with sanctions that effectively cut off Moscow's major financial institutions from successive Western markets sending Russia's rouble currency down 30 per cent against the dollar on Monday. Also read | Russia, Ukraine start first talks since Moscow assault While they hope to curb Putin’s aggression after he unleashed Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II, the measures also risked pushing an increasingly cornered Putin closer to the edge. “It’s going to ripple through their economy really fast,” said David Feldman, a professor of economics at William & Mary in Virginia. “Anything that is imported is going to see the local cost in currency surge. The only way to stop it will be heavy subsidisation.” Also see | Ukraine attack: Wars in Europe since fall of Berlin Wall Russia’s central bank sharply raised its key interest rate Monday in a desperate attempt to shore up the currency and prevent a run on banks. The bank hiked the benchmark rate to 20 per cent from 9.5 per cent. The Russian government will have to step in to support declining industries, banks and economic sectors, but without access to hard currencies like the US dollar and euro, they may have to result to printing more rubles. It’s a move that could quickly spiral into hyperinflation. The ruble slide recalled previous crises. The currency lost much of its value in the early 1990s after the end of the Soviet Union, with inflation and loss of value leading the government to lop three zeros off ruble notes in 1997. Then came a further drop after a 1998 financial crisis in which many depositors lost savings and yet another plunge in 2014 due to falling oil prices and sanctions imposed after Russia seized Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula. (With inputs from agencies)

'Russia will compensate the damage': Kremlin on Western sanctions

The official website of the Kremlin, the office of Russian President Vladimir Putin, kremlin.ru, was down on Saturday. This comes after there were reports of denial of service (DDoS) attacks on various other Russian government and state media websites.

The websites were down after Ukraine's vice prime minister said that it had launched an 'IT army' to combat Russia in cyberspace.&nbsp;

A newly discovered piece of destructive software was found circulating in Ukraine on Wednesday. According to researchers at the cybersecurity firm ESET, this impacted hundreds of computers.

Meanwhile, 'Anonymous,' a cyber hacker group, declared a "cyberwar" against Putin's administration as it launched a full-scale invasion of Kyiv amid the continuing Russia-Ukraine conflict. The hacking collective's goal, according to international media, is to deactivate several Russian government websites.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-ukraine-war-hackers-group-anonymous-declares-cyber-war-on-moscow-456598">Also read |&nbsp;Russia-Ukraine war: Hackers' group 'Anonymous' declares 'cyber war' on Moscow</a>

A social media account purporting to represent the group wrote on Thursday that "The Anonymous collective is officially in cyberwar against the Russian government."

The "Anonymous collective has taken down the website of the Russian propaganda channel RT News," it added, confirming the RT.com hack.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the Russian government's websites, the Kremlin, the Duma, and the Ministry of Defense were all hit by the hacker collective's 'cyberattack.'

(With inputs from agencies)

The official website of the Kremlin, the office of Russian President Vladimir Putin, kremlin.ru, was down on Saturday. This comes after there were reports of denial of service (DDoS) attacks on various other Russian government and state media websites.

The official website of the Kremlin, the office of Russian President Vladimir Putin, kremlin.ru, was down on Saturday. This comes after there were reports of denial of service (DDoS) attacks on various other Russian government and state media websites. The websites were down after Ukraine's vice prime minister said that it had launched an 'IT army' to combat Russia in cyberspace. A newly discovered piece of destructive software was found circulating in Ukraine on Wednesday. According to researchers at the cybersecurity firm ESET, this impacted hundreds of computers. Meanwhile, 'Anonymous,' a cyber hacker group, declared a "cyberwar" against Putin's administration as it launched a full-scale invasion of Kyiv amid the continuing Russia-Ukraine conflict. The hacking collective's goal, according to international media, is to deactivate several Russian government websites. Also read | Russia-Ukraine war: Hackers' group 'Anonymous' declares 'cyber war' on Moscow A social media account purporting to represent the group wrote on Thursday that "The Anonymous collective is officially in cyberwar against the Russian government." The "Anonymous collective has taken down the website of the Russian propaganda channel RT News," it added, confirming the RT.com hack. Meanwhile, the Russian government's websites, the Kremlin, the Duma, and the Ministry of Defense were all hit by the hacker collective's 'cyberattack.' (With inputs from agencies)

Russia-Ukraine war: Kremlin's official website down after 'cyber war' on Moscow declared

Amid rising Russia and Ukraine tensions, a&nbsp;blast was heard early on Monday in the centre of the city of&nbsp;Donetsk, which is held by Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, Reuters reported citing a witness.&nbsp;

So far, the origin of the blast was unclear.

As per reports, people evacuated from the Moscow-backed breakaway region of Donetsk wait for trains in the southwestern Russian town of Taganrog, to move deeper into the country.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/did-russia-give-orders-to-attack-ukraine-us-media-cites-intel-inputs-that-were-apparently-known-to-biden-454927">Did Russia give orders to 'attack' Ukraine? US media cites intel inputs that were apparently known to Biden</a>

It is important to note that the Moscow-backed separatists have accused Ukraine of planning an offensive into their enclave, and ordered a general mobilisation.&nbsp;

US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed in principle to a summit over Ukraine. The news about the crucial summit was revealed by French President Emmanuel Macron, who held a telephonic conversation with the Russian leader on Sunday (February 20).&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Kremlin on Monday (February 21) said that it is "premature" to organise the Biden-Putin summit over Ukraine.

"It's premature to talk about any specific plans for organising any kind of summits," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, adding that no "concrete plans" had been put in place for a meeting.&nbsp;

Russia has placed more than 150,000 troops near Ukraine's borders in recent weeks, the United States and Western allies have estimated.&nbsp;

US official told reporters Friday, insisting on anonymity that "forty to fifty per cent (of those troops) are in an attack position. They have uncoiled in tactical assembly in the last 48 hours".&nbsp;

Reports have also quoted a US official, who on Sunday said that Biden's assertion that Putin has made the decision to roll Russian forces into Ukraine was based on intelligence that Russian front-line commanders have been given orders to begin final preparations for an attack.&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;Explosions heard in Ukraine's Donetsk, OSCE calls for security meet to discuss de-escalation

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Amid rising Russia and Ukraine tensions, a blast was heard early on Monday in the centre of the city of Donetsk, which is held by Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, Reuters reported citing a witness.

Amid rising Russia and Ukraine tensions, a blast was heard early on Monday in the centre of the city of Donetsk, which is held by Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, Reuters reported citing a witness. So far, the origin of the blast was unclear. As per reports, people evacuated from the Moscow-backed breakaway region of Donetsk wait for trains in the southwestern Russian town of Taganrog, to move deeper into the country. ALSO READ | Did Russia give orders to 'attack' Ukraine? US media cites intel inputs that were apparently known to Biden It is important to note that the Moscow-backed separatists have accused Ukraine of planning an offensive into their enclave, and ordered a general mobilisation. US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed in principle to a summit over Ukraine. The news about the crucial summit was revealed by French President Emmanuel Macron, who held a telephonic conversation with the Russian leader on Sunday (February 20). Meanwhile, Kremlin on Monday (February 21) said that it is "premature" to organise the Biden-Putin summit over Ukraine. "It's premature to talk about any specific plans for organising any kind of summits," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, adding that no "concrete plans" had been put in place for a meeting. Russia has placed more than 150,000 troops near Ukraine's borders in recent weeks, the United States and Western allies have estimated. US official told reporters Friday, insisting on anonymity that "forty to fifty per cent (of those troops) are in an attack position. They have uncoiled in tactical assembly in the last 48 hours". Reports have also quoted a US official, who on Sunday said that Biden's assertion that Putin has made the decision to roll Russian forces into Ukraine was based on intelligence that Russian front-line commanders have been given orders to begin final preparations for an attack. WATCH | Explosions heard in Ukraine's Donetsk, OSCE calls for security meet to discuss de-escalation ×

Ukraine crisis: Explosion reportedly hits Donetsk airport area; Kremlin says Biden-Putin summit 'premature'

President Vladimir Putin of Russia is flexing his military and diplomatic muscle in a tense standoff with the West over Ukraine, projecting power and occasional menace in his pursuit of global influence. But the recent abduction of a 52-year-old diabetic woman in central Russia has made clear that Putin still has vexing challenges in his own backyard that require a skillful political juggling act.

The woman, Zarema Musayeva, was dragged from her apartment building in her slippers and pushed into a black SUV after men who identified themselves as police officers forced their way into her apartment and punched her husband, Sayda Yangulbayev, a 63-year-old retired federal judge from Chechnya, and their lawyer.

The men had said they were supposed to take the couple to Chechnya, more than 1,100 miles away, to be questioned as witnesses in a fraud case, but it soon became clear that Musayeva’s abduction was part of a hunt for two of their sons, prominent government critics who had infuriated Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov.

Now, three weeks later, Yangulbayev has fled Russia with his daughter, fearing for their safety, and Musayeva is being detained, charged with assaulting a police officer, although her lawyers say she can “hardly walk.” Kadyrov has vowed to “take care of" the family, saying “there’s a place waiting for Yangulbayev’s family, either in jail or under the ground."

The episode has laid bare — not for the first time — the pitfalls of the devil’s bargain Putin has made with Kadyrov, a ruthless leader who exerts almost total control in Chechnya, a turbulent, predominantly Muslim region in the North Caucasus with a population of 1.4 million.

The Chechen leader’s brutal excesses are part of an array of domestic difficulties facing Putin, even as he takes an increasingly aggressive stance on the world stage, amassing troops on Ukraine’s border and seeking to rewrite the European security architecture.

Putin oversees an underperforming economy centered almost solely on oil and commodities. He has had to crack down on Russian dissidents like Alexei Navalny, driving many into exile with the threat of imprisonment. He has suppressed media criticism and tried to rewrite Russian history by liquidating the most prominent human rights group in Russia, whose work exposed the brutalities of the Soviet era.

Kadyrov delivers strong electoral support for Putin while stamping out separatist sentiment and political dissent in his region. In return, he is rewarded with a lavish budget and the ability to govern Chechnya as his personal fief, persecuting those who disagree with him with impunity.

But the public nature of Musayeva’s abduction — and the Kremlin’s tacit acceptance of it — has upset that balance. Family members recorded the kidnapping and posted it almost immediately on social networks, horrifying Russians who chafe at Putin’s indulgence of Kadyrov.

“Putin made an agreement with Kadyrov and gave him the Chechen people as serfs,” said Ilya Yashin, a Russian opposition politician who wrote a report on the Chechen leader in 2016 after the assassination of another opposition leader, Boris Nemtsov, in Moscow. The abduction, he said, constituted a power play that showed Kadyrov is above the law.

The reaction in Russia has hardly sidetracked Putin from his single-minded pursuit of his strategic goals. But it has provided a troubling domestic backdrop. In recent weeks, the Chechen leader’s actions have been a major story in Russia’s independent media. A petition initiated by Yashin to remove Kadyrov as Chechen leader has drawn 200,000 signatures.

This was not the first time Chechen forces have effectively operated outside their region — Kadyrov’s allies are believed to be responsible for the murders of his critics in Russia and in Western Europe. But this incident, in the city of Nizhny Novgorod, only 260 miles from Moscow, showed that “the geography of these abductions is expanding,” said Olga Sadovskaya of the Russia-based Committee Against Torture.

Musayeva’s sons Abubakar, 29, and Ibragim, 27, say they believe their mother was arrested because authorities could not reach them after they fled abroad, fearing they would be tortured and even killed.

Abubakar Yangulbayev, a human rights lawyer with the Committee Against Torture, has been a thorn in Kadyrov’s side because of the organization’s work exposing human rights abuses in Chechnya. Ibragim Yangulbayev is widely believed to be behind the popular Telegram channel 1ADAT, which advocates for Chechnya’s independence from Moscow and publishes materials that insult Kadyrov and the government.

“This is a hostage-taking with the demand that specific people — me and my brother — return to Chechnya to be lynched by Kadyrov,” Abubakar Yangulbayev said in a video interview from an undisclosed European city where he had sought protection. “This is typical terrorist behavior.”

Tanya Lokshina, of Human Rights Watch, said Musayeva’s forced return to Chechnya was “consistent with the long-standing pattern of collective punishment by which the Chechen leadership persecutes entire families, even distant relatives, for the alleged actions of one of their members.”

Chechen authorities pointed to a vitriolic Feb. 2 rally in the capital of Grozny that they say drew hundreds of thousands of people — an unverified number — as a sign of support for Kadyrov’s hardline approach against the Yangulbayevs. Participants cursed the family and burned photographs of them.

“That’s how Mr. Kadyrov shows the Kremlin that he is in control,” Lokshina said, referring to the rally.

Both brothers say they can be of more assistance to their mother from abroad. Human rights advocates say the charge against Musayeva is a dubious way of keeping her in detention for at least two months, despite the fact that, according to Russian law, diabetics cannot be held in special detention centers. In a hearing before the Chechen Supreme Court on Thursday, she asked to be held under house arrest, saying, “I am dying quietly.” Her request was denied. She faces up to 10 years in prison.

The actions against the Yangulbayev family and their supporters drew only a muted response from the Kremlin. After Putin met Kadyrov in Moscow last week, the Kremlin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, said the two men “discussed economic matters” and added that “topics related to the work of law enforcement agencies were touched upon,” without any elaboration, or condemnation.

Before that meeting, Kadyrov had branded Elena Milashina, a prominent journalist who writes about human rights abuses in Chechnya, and the head of the Committee Against Torture, Igor Kalyapin, “terrorist accomplices” because of their support for the Yangulbayevs. He said Chechen authorities “have always liquidated terrorists and their accomplices” and asked law enforcement bodies why no criminal cases had been opened against them.

Peskov said the comments constituted the Chechen leader’s “personal opinion.”

Some critics interpret the Kremlin’s silence on the issue as a sign of vulnerability for Putin’s government.

“This suggests that in the fight with Mr. Kadyrov, relatively speaking, the federal government is weak, and this weakness is felt and understood,” by the Kremlin, said Sadovskaya of the Committee Against Torture.

Many analysts say Putin simply does not care about Chechnya’s actions, no matter how brutal, as long as no one close to him is targeted.

Moscow fought two wars against Chechen separatists, from 1994-96 and 1999-2009, in which more than 160,000 people were killed.

Kadyrov fought alongside his father against Russia in the first Chechen war, but both defected to the Russian side during the second, becoming influential power brokers. The wars are seen today as a turning point for post-Soviet Russia because the crackdown against Chechnya boosted Putin’s image, facilitating his rise to power, and effectively put an end to the period of openness and liberalism that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Kadyrov’s father, Akhmad, became Chechnya’s first president but was assassinated in 2004. His son assumed the role in 2007, shortly after turning 30. Since then, his combination of coercive violence and the unconditional support of Putin have kept him in power.

He regularly pulls in more than 95% of the vote in elections. He advocates a conservative interpretation of Islam that suppresses women’s rights, and his security forces have orchestrated mass roundups of LGBTQ people.

“Chechnya is a classic dictatorial state led by a crazy tyrant who uses the law only for personal gain,” Abubakar Yangulbayev said. “And every year Putin says that Kadyrov is a great guy.”

His brother Ibragim, who advocates independence for Chechnya, said he believed Kadyrov was a “pure project of the Kremlin,” used to suppress the dissent of people like him, who seek independence from Moscow’s rule.

“Putin put Kadyrov in power in order to keep Chechnya forcibly in such a state that Chechnya would not think about independence at all,” he said, which is why his henchmen “kidnap people who say what they think.”

President Vladimir Putin of Russia is flexing his military and diplomatic muscle in a tense standoff with the West over Ukraine, projecting power and occasional menace in his pursuit of global influence.

President Vladimir Putin of Russia is flexing his military and diplomatic muscle in a tense standoff with the West over Ukraine, projecting power and occasional menace in his pursuit of global influence. But the recent abduction of a 52-year-old diabetic woman in central Russia has made clear that Putin still has vexing challenges in his own backyard that require a skillful political juggling act. The woman, Zarema Musayeva, was dragged from her apartment building in her slippers and pushed into a black SUV after men who identified themselves as police officers forced their way into her apartment and punched her husband, Sayda Yangulbayev, a 63-year-old retired federal judge from Chechnya, and their lawyer. The men had said they were supposed to take the couple to Chechnya, more than 1,100 miles away, to be questioned as witnesses in a fraud case, but it soon became clear that Musayeva’s abduction was part of a hunt for two of their sons, prominent government critics who had infuriated Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov. Now, three weeks later, Yangulbayev has fled Russia with his daughter, fearing for their safety, and Musayeva is being detained, charged with assaulting a police officer, although her lawyers say she can “hardly walk.” Kadyrov has vowed to “take care of" the family, saying “there’s a place waiting for Yangulbayev’s family, either in jail or under the ground." The episode has laid bare — not for the first time — the pitfalls of the devil’s bargain Putin has made with Kadyrov, a ruthless leader who exerts almost total control in Chechnya, a turbulent, predominantly Muslim region in the North Caucasus with a population of 1.4 million. The Chechen leader’s brutal excesses are part of an array of domestic difficulties facing Putin, even as he takes an increasingly aggressive stance on the world stage, amassing troops on Ukraine’s border and seeking to rewrite the European security architecture. Putin oversees an underperforming economy centered almost solely on oil and commodities. He has had to crack down on Russian dissidents like Alexei Navalny, driving many into exile with the threat of imprisonment. He has suppressed media criticism and tried to rewrite Russian history by liquidating the most prominent human rights group in Russia, whose work exposed the brutalities of the Soviet era. Kadyrov delivers strong electoral support for Putin while stamping out separatist sentiment and political dissent in his region. In return, he is rewarded with a lavish budget and the ability to govern Chechnya as his personal fief, persecuting those who disagree with him with impunity. But the public nature of Musayeva’s abduction — and the Kremlin’s tacit acceptance of it — has upset that balance. Family members recorded the kidnapping and posted it almost immediately on social networks, horrifying Russians who chafe at Putin’s indulgence of Kadyrov. “Putin made an agreement with Kadyrov and gave him the Chechen people as serfs,” said Ilya Yashin, a Russian opposition politician who wrote a report on the Chechen leader in 2016 after the assassination of another opposition leader, Boris Nemtsov, in Moscow. The abduction, he said, constituted a power play that showed Kadyrov is above the law. The reaction in Russia has hardly sidetracked Putin from his single-minded pursuit of his strategic goals. But it has provided a troubling domestic backdrop. In recent weeks, the Chechen leader’s actions have been a major story in Russia’s independent media. A petition initiated by Yashin to remove Kadyrov as Chechen leader has drawn 200,000 signatures. This was not the first time Chechen forces have effectively operated outside their region — Kadyrov’s allies are believed to be responsible for the murders of his critics in Russia and in Western Europe. But this incident, in the city of Nizhny Novgorod, only 260 miles from Moscow, showed that “the geography of these abductions is expanding,” said Olga Sadovskaya of the Russia-based Committee Against Torture. Musayeva’s sons Abubakar, 29, and Ibragim, 27, say they believe their mother was arrested because authorities could not reach them after they fled abroad, fearing they would be tortured and even killed. Abubakar Yangulbayev, a human rights lawyer with the Committee Against Torture, has been a thorn in Kadyrov’s side because of the organization’s work exposing human rights abuses in Chechnya. Ibragim Yangulbayev is widely believed to be behind the popular Telegram channel 1ADAT, which advocates for Chechnya’s independence from Moscow and publishes materials that insult Kadyrov and the government. “This is a hostage-taking with the demand that specific people — me and my brother — return to Chechnya to be lynched by Kadyrov,” Abubakar Yangulbayev said in a video interview from an undisclosed European city where he had sought protection. “This is typical terrorist behavior.” Tanya Lokshina, of Human Rights Watch, said Musayeva’s forced return to Chechnya was “consistent with the long-standing pattern of collective punishment by which the Chechen leadership persecutes entire families, even distant relatives, for the alleged actions of one of their members.” Chechen authorities pointed to a vitriolic Feb. 2 rally in the capital of Grozny that they say drew hundreds of thousands of people — an unverified number — as a sign of support for Kadyrov’s hardline approach against the Yangulbayevs. Participants cursed the family and burned photographs of them. “That’s how Mr. Kadyrov shows the Kremlin that he is in control,” Lokshina said, referring to the rally. Both brothers say they can be of more assistance to their mother from abroad. Human rights advocates say the charge against Musayeva is a dubious way of keeping her in detention for at least two months, despite the fact that, according to Russian law, diabetics cannot be held in special detention centers. In a hearing before the Chechen Supreme Court on Thursday, she asked to be held under house arrest, saying, “I am dying quietly.” Her request was denied. She faces up to 10 years in prison. The actions against the Yangulbayev family and their supporters drew only a muted response from the Kremlin. After Putin met Kadyrov in Moscow last week, the Kremlin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, said the two men “discussed economic matters” and added that “topics related to the work of law enforcement agencies were touched upon,” without any elaboration, or condemnation. Before that meeting, Kadyrov had branded Elena Milashina, a prominent journalist who writes about human rights abuses in Chechnya, and the head of the Committee Against Torture, Igor Kalyapin, “terrorist accomplices” because of their support for the Yangulbayevs. He said Chechen authorities “have always liquidated terrorists and their accomplices” and asked law enforcement bodies why no criminal cases had been opened against them. Peskov said the comments constituted the Chechen leader’s “personal opinion.” Some critics interpret the Kremlin’s silence on the issue as a sign of vulnerability for Putin’s government. “This suggests that in the fight with Mr. Kadyrov, relatively speaking, the federal government is weak, and this weakness is felt and understood,” by the Kremlin, said Sadovskaya of the Committee Against Torture. Many analysts say Putin simply does not care about Chechnya’s actions, no matter how brutal, as long as no one close to him is targeted. Moscow fought two wars against Chechen separatists, from 1994-96 and 1999-2009, in which more than 160,000 people were killed. Kadyrov fought alongside his father against Russia in the first Chechen war, but both defected to the Russian side during the second, becoming influential power brokers. The wars are seen today as a turning point for post-Soviet Russia because the crackdown against Chechnya boosted Putin’s image, facilitating his rise to power, and effectively put an end to the period of openness and liberalism that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union. Kadyrov’s father, Akhmad, became Chechnya’s first president but was assassinated in 2004. His son assumed the role in 2007, shortly after turning 30. Since then, his combination of coercive violence and the unconditional support of Putin have kept him in power. He regularly pulls in more than 95% of the vote in elections. He advocates a conservative interpretation of Islam that suppresses women’s rights, and his security forces have orchestrated mass roundups of LGBTQ people. “Chechnya is a classic dictatorial state led by a crazy tyrant who uses the law only for personal gain,” Abubakar Yangulbayev said. “And every year Putin says that Kadyrov is a great guy.” His brother Ibragim, who advocates independence for Chechnya, said he believed Kadyrov was a “pure project of the Kremlin,” used to suppress the dissent of people like him, who seek independence from Moscow’s rule. “Putin put Kadyrov in power in order to keep Chechnya forcibly in such a state that Chechnya would not think about independence at all,” he said, which is why his henchmen “kidnap people who say what they think.”

How a Chechen abduction exposes Putin’s problems at home

A new report has claimed that Russia can earn $13 billion annually by regulating cryptocurrency.

Published by Moscow-based news outlet 'The Bell,' the report suggests that taxes should imposed on exchanges and intermediaries, as well as income from investments.

A piece of similar advice was given by Finance Ministry official Ivan Chebeskov who said Russia should regulate the crypto market, not ban it.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/how-much-tax-is-imposed-on-cryptocurrency-in-different-countries-worldwide-449585">Also see |&nbsp;How much tax is imposed on cryptocurrency in different countries worldwide?</a>

President Vladimir Putin has asked Russian politicians and the central bank to reach consensus, following a clash over how much control is needed on cryptocurrencies as they gain traction in Russia.

Russia has argued for years against cryptocurrencies, saying they could be used in money laundering or to finance terrorism. It eventually gave them legal status in 2020 but banned their use as a means of payment.

The central bank last week said financial stability, citizens' wellbeing and its monetary policy sovereignty were all under threat.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-proposes-ban-on-crypto-use-mining-446390/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The bank proposed preventing financial institutions from carrying out any operations with cryptocurrencies and said mechanisms should be developed to block transactions aimed at buying or selling cryptocurrencies for fiat currencies.

The central bank said it would work with regulators in countries where crypto exchanges are registered to collect information about the operations of Russian clients. It pointed to steps taken in other countries, such as China, to curb cryptocurrency activity.

In September last year, China intensified its crackdown on cryptocurrencies with a blanket ban on all crypto transactions and mining, hitting bitcoin and other major coins and pressuring crypto and blockchain-related stocks.

Kremlin had estimated the Russian cryptocurrency market at more than 16.5 trillion rubles ($214 billion), which is around 12 per cent of the total value of global crypto market capitalisation.

Russia is the world's third-largest player in bitcoin mining, behind the United States and Kazakhstan, though the latter may see a miner exodus over fears of tightening regulation following unrest earlier this month.

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are "mined" by powerful computers that compete against others hooked up to a global network to solve complex mathematical puzzles, a process that requires heavy use of electricity.

This year, Russia plans to test a digital rouble to facilitate payments for individuals and businesses and try to make its currency more global in the face of Western sanctions.

(With inputs from agencies)

A new report has claimed that Russia can earn $13 billion annually by regulating cryptocurrency. Published by Moscow-based news outlet 'The Bell,' the report suggests that taxes should imposed on exchanges and intermediaries, as well as income from investments.

A new report has claimed that Russia can earn $13 billion annually by regulating cryptocurrency. Published by Moscow-based news outlet 'The Bell,' the report suggests that taxes should imposed on exchanges and intermediaries, as well as income from investments. A piece of similar advice was given by Finance Ministry official Ivan Chebeskov who said Russia should regulate the crypto market, not ban it. Also see | How much tax is imposed on cryptocurrency in different countries worldwide? President Vladimir Putin has asked Russian politicians and the central bank to reach consensus, following a clash over how much control is needed on cryptocurrencies as they gain traction in Russia. Russia has argued for years against cryptocurrencies, saying they could be used in money laundering or to finance terrorism. It eventually gave them legal status in 2020 but banned their use as a means of payment. The central bank last week said financial stability, citizens' wellbeing and its monetary policy sovereignty were all under threat. The bank proposed preventing financial institutions from carrying out any operations with cryptocurrencies and said mechanisms should be developed to block transactions aimed at buying or selling cryptocurrencies for fiat currencies. The central bank said it would work with regulators in countries where crypto exchanges are registered to collect information about the operations of Russian clients. It pointed to steps taken in other countries, such as China, to curb cryptocurrency activity. In September last year, China intensified its crackdown on cryptocurrencies with a blanket ban on all crypto transactions and mining, hitting bitcoin and other major coins and pressuring crypto and blockchain-related stocks. Kremlin had estimated the Russian cryptocurrency market at more than 16.5 trillion rubles ($214 billion), which is around 12 per cent of the total value of global crypto market capitalisation. Russia is the world's third-largest player in bitcoin mining, behind the United States and Kazakhstan, though the latter may see a miner exodus over fears of tightening regulation following unrest earlier this month. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are "mined" by powerful computers that compete against others hooked up to a global network to solve complex mathematical puzzles, a process that requires heavy use of electricity. This year, Russia plans to test a digital rouble to facilitate payments for individuals and businesses and try to make its currency more global in the face of Western sanctions. (With inputs from agencies)

How Russia can earn $13 billion annually by regulating cryptocurrency?

Kremlin on Monday expressed its displeasure over Britain's plan to target Russian companies to deter Russia from invading Ukraine. The Kremlin vowed that it will retaliate if need be.

"This is a very worrying statement from London, &nbsp;not only for our companies. This demonstrates a fair amount of unpredictability on the part of London and is a cause for serious concern for international financial structures," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

He called it an "undisguised attack on business."

"Essentially, the British cabinet is threatening its big businesses, among other things. The Anglo-Saxons are massively ramping up tensions on the European continent."

Moscow will respond with "retaliatory measures" if Russian companies are targeted, Peskov added.

"These measures will be based on our own interests," he said without providing further details.

British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said on Sunday that UK was going to unveil new sanctions legislation. She said that doing so would widen country's toolbox so &nbsp;"any company of interest to the Kremlin and the regime in Russia" could be targeted.&nbsp;

Russia curently has more than 100,000 of its troops stationed at its border with Ukraine. Though Russia claims that it does not have invasion in mind, various statement from the Russian side have been taken to be suggesting otherwise.

Russia is fiercely against Ukraine joining the NATO. It wants assurance from the West that Ukraine, a former Soviet state, would never be included in the alliance.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Kremlin on Monday expressed its displeasure over Britain's plan to target Russian companies to deter Russia from invading Ukraine. The Kremlin vowed that it will retaliate if need be.

Kremlin on Monday expressed its displeasure over Britain's plan to target Russian companies to deter Russia from invading Ukraine. The Kremlin vowed that it will retaliate if need be. "This is a very worrying statement from London, not only for our companies. This demonstrates a fair amount of unpredictability on the part of London and is a cause for serious concern for international financial structures," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. He called it an "undisguised attack on business." "Essentially, the British cabinet is threatening its big businesses, among other things. The Anglo-Saxons are massively ramping up tensions on the European continent." Moscow will respond with "retaliatory measures" if Russian companies are targeted, Peskov added. "These measures will be based on our own interests," he said without providing further details. British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said on Sunday that UK was going to unveil new sanctions legislation. She said that doing so would widen country's toolbox so "any company of interest to the Kremlin and the regime in Russia" could be targeted. Russia curently has more than 100,000 of its troops stationed at its border with Ukraine. Though Russia claims that it does not have invasion in mind, various statement from the Russian side have been taken to be suggesting otherwise. Russia is fiercely against Ukraine joining the NATO. It wants assurance from the West that Ukraine, a former Soviet state, would never be included in the alliance. (With inputs from agencies)

Kremlin expresses displeasure over UK plans of new sanctions

Kremlin on Monday said that it was alarmed by US-backed push to supply arms to Ukraine and claimed that reports in US media about Russia planning to attack Ukraine were disinformation campaign.&nbsp;

Ukraine's military intelligence has told Military Times news outlet that more than 92,000 Russian troops were massed around Ukraine's borders and were preparing to attack latest by early February.

Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine's military intelligence said such an attack would probably involve air strikes, artillery and armoured attacks followed by airborne assaults in the east, amphibious assaults in Odessa and Mariupol, and a smaller incursion through Belarus.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the idea of a possible Russian attack and said that Moscow itself was being targeted in a disinformation campaign.

"This is whipping up tension and is another attempt to present Russia as the one threatening the process of settling the situation (in eastern Ukraine)." said Peskov.

"And of course we cannot rule out that this is cover for aggressive dreams that Kyiv may have. I mean aggressive dreams about a possible desire to solve the problem in the south-east by force."

Ukraine's ties with Russia collapsed in 2014 after Moscow backed separatists who seized a swath of eastern Ukraine, territory that Kyiv says it wants back. Russia also annexed Ukraine's Crimean peninsula that same year.

Peskov accused Ukraine of what he said were provocative actions.

"Kyiv is itself building up its forces, Kyiv is being helped to build up its forces, Kyiv is being supplied with a significant amount of weapons, including modern high-tech weapons," Peskov told reporters.

"And we are observing this with great alarm, knowing the significant influence of extreme-minded politicians in Ukraine," he said.

Ukraine says it is upgrading its combat capabilities to defend itself against new possible Russian aggression.

(With inputs from agencies)

Kremlin on Monday said that it was alarmed by US-backed push to supply arms to Ukraine and claimed that reports in US media about Russia planning to attack Ukraine were disinformation campaign.

Kremlin on Monday said that it was alarmed by US-backed push to supply arms to Ukraine and claimed that reports in US media about Russia planning to attack Ukraine were disinformation campaign. Ukraine's military intelligence has told Military Times news outlet that more than 92,000 Russian troops were massed around Ukraine's borders and were preparing to attack latest by early February. Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine's military intelligence said such an attack would probably involve air strikes, artillery and armoured attacks followed by airborne assaults in the east, amphibious assaults in Odessa and Mariupol, and a smaller incursion through Belarus. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the idea of a possible Russian attack and said that Moscow itself was being targeted in a disinformation campaign. "This is whipping up tension and is another attempt to present Russia as the one threatening the process of settling the situation (in eastern Ukraine)." said Peskov. "And of course we cannot rule out that this is cover for aggressive dreams that Kyiv may have. I mean aggressive dreams about a possible desire to solve the problem in the south-east by force." Ukraine's ties with Russia collapsed in 2014 after Moscow backed separatists who seized a swath of eastern Ukraine, territory that Kyiv says it wants back. Russia also annexed Ukraine's Crimean peninsula that same year. Peskov accused Ukraine of what he said were provocative actions. "Kyiv is itself building up its forces, Kyiv is being helped to build up its forces, Kyiv is being supplied with a significant amount of weapons, including modern high-tech weapons," Peskov told reporters. "And we are observing this with great alarm, knowing the significant influence of extreme-minded politicians in Ukraine," he said. Ukraine says it is upgrading its combat capabilities to defend itself against new possible Russian aggression. (With inputs from agencies)

Alarmed by US arms push for Ukraine, says Kremlin

The Kremlin on Sunday&nbsp;slammed the United States for&nbsp;whipping up tensions&nbsp;over the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

''This hysteria is being whipped up artificially,'' said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

"Those who have brought their armed forces from overseas are accusing us of unusual military activity on our own territory. That is, the United States."

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He even suggested that Ukraine was probably looking for a way to solve its own problems by force.

It comes after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he has "real concerns about Russia's unusual military activity" near the ex-Soviet country.

He had said ''We don't know what President Putin's intentions are. But we do know what's happened in the past.''

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/blinken-expresses-real-concerns-over-russia-on-ukraine-430836" hreflang="en">Blinken expresses 'real concerns' over Russia on Ukraine</a>

''We know the playbook of trying to cite some illusory provocation from Ukraine or any other country and using that as an excuse for what Russia plans to do all along,'' Blinken added.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Ukrainian officials have been making similar statements for nearly two weeks.

Ukraine's army has been locked in a simmering conflict with pro-Russian separatists in two breakaway regions bordering Russia since 2014 after Moscow annexed Crimea from Ukraine.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Kremlin on Sunday slammed the United States for whipping up tensions over the Russian invasion of Ukraine. ''This hysteria is being whipped up artificially,'' said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

The Kremlin on Sunday slammed the United States for whipping up tensions over the Russian invasion of Ukraine. ''This hysteria is being whipped up artificially,'' said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. "Those who have brought their armed forces from overseas are accusing us of unusual military activity on our own territory. That is, the United States." He even suggested that Ukraine was probably looking for a way to solve its own problems by force. It comes after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he has "real concerns about Russia's unusual military activity" near the ex-Soviet country. He had said ''We don't know what President Putin's intentions are. But we do know what's happened in the past.'' Also read | Blinken expresses 'real concerns' over Russia on Ukraine ''We know the playbook of trying to cite some illusory provocation from Ukraine or any other country and using that as an excuse for what Russia plans to do all along,'' Blinken added. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Ukrainian officials have been making similar statements for nearly two weeks. Ukraine's army has been locked in a simmering conflict with pro-Russian separatists in two breakaway regions bordering Russia since 2014 after Moscow annexed Crimea from Ukraine. (With inputs from agencies)

Hysteria is being whipped up artificially, says Russia over Ukraine conflict

Russia's ambassador to the European Union was quoted as declaring on Thursday that the country is not planning a military invasion of Ukraine, after Moscow alarmed the West with a large soldier build-up near the Ukrainian border.

In an interview with the German newspaper Die Welt, Vladimir Chizhov stated that Russia intended to support Russian-speaking people and compatriots in other countries, but that Moscow has never stated that it wished to use military methods to do so.

"Russia has no intention of attacking any country.I can tell you that no Russian soldiers are ready to invade Ukraine at this time," Vladimir Chizhov said. 
 
Watch | Tensions run high between Russia and West over Ukraine; no in-person meet between Biden, Putin

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In a standoff with the US over Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that Russia had no place to retreat and would be obliged to respond harshly unless the West withdrew its "aggressive line."&nbsp;

Putin delivered his remarks to military officers as Russia sought for a quick response from the US and NATO to its demands for a binding set of security guarantees from the West presented last week.&nbsp;

Russia's ambassador to the European Union was quoted as declaring on Thursday that the country is not planning a military invasion of Ukraine, after Moscow alarmed the West with a large soldier build-up near the Ukrainian border.

Russia's ambassador to the European Union was quoted as declaring on Thursday that the country is not planning a military invasion of Ukraine, after Moscow alarmed the West with a large soldier build-up near the Ukrainian border. In an interview with the German newspaper Die Welt, Vladimir Chizhov stated that Russia intended to support Russian-speaking people and compatriots in other countries, but that Moscow has never stated that it wished to use military methods to do so. "Russia has no intention of attacking any country.I can tell you that no Russian soldiers are ready to invade Ukraine at this time," Vladimir Chizhov said. Watch | Tensions run high between Russia and West over Ukraine; no in-person meet between Biden, Putin In a standoff with the US over Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that Russia had no place to retreat and would be obliged to respond harshly unless the West withdrew its "aggressive line." Putin delivered his remarks to military officers as Russia sought for a quick response from the US and NATO to its demands for a binding set of security guarantees from the West presented last week.

Moscow is not planning an attack against any country: Russian envoy

The Kremlin said on Friday that Russia and the United States had a tentative date and time for a video summit between Vladimir&nbsp;Putin&nbsp;and Joe Biden in the coming days, but that Moscow was waiting for Washington to finalise it.

Kremlin advisor Yuri Ushakov said&nbsp;Putin&nbsp;plans to tell Biden about a proposal for security guarantees that would halt the NATO military alliance's eastward expansion and end what Moscow describes as threatening weapons deployments to Russia's neighbours, including Ukraine.

"Given the tense situation, there is now an urgent need to provide us with appropriate guarantees. It simply cannot go on like this," Ushakov told reporters at a briefing.

The United States, its NATO allies and Ukraine accuse Moscow of massing troops near the Ukrainian border, and Kyiv says it fears Russia is planning an attack. Moscow denies plans to invade Ukraine, and accuses Kyiv of building up its own forces to attack territory held by pro-Russian separatists.

Russia has been pushing for top-level talks with the United States for weeks&nbsp;and has floated the idea of seeking legally-binding security guarantees from the West.

Ushakov repeated Russia's denials that it is being aggressive along the Ukrainian frontier.

"It's nonsense, there is no escalation," said Ushakov. "We have the right to move around troops on our own territory, there is absolutely no escalation (by us)."

Ushakov said any talks with Biden would take place after&nbsp;Putin&nbsp;travels to India next week.

"We have a concrete date and time for this video conference. I think it's better to wait for final agreement from the Americans. But this meeting in the format of a video conference is being fairly actively prepared," he said.

At the talks,&nbsp;Putin&nbsp;and Biden could also discuss agreements they reached at their first summit in Geneva in June, Ushakov said. Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, Syria and strategic stability might also be raised, he said.

The Kremlin said on Friday that Russia and the United States had a tentative date and time for a video summit between Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden in the coming days, but that Moscow was waiting for Washington to finalise it.

The Kremlin said on Friday that Russia and the United States had a tentative date and time for a video summit between Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden in the coming days, but that Moscow was waiting for Washington to finalise it. Kremlin advisor Yuri Ushakov said Putin plans to tell Biden about a proposal for security guarantees that would halt the NATO military alliance's eastward expansion and end what Moscow describes as threatening weapons deployments to Russia's neighbours, including Ukraine. "Given the tense situation, there is now an urgent need to provide us with appropriate guarantees. It simply cannot go on like this," Ushakov told reporters at a briefing. The United States, its NATO allies and Ukraine accuse Moscow of massing troops near the Ukrainian border, and Kyiv says it fears Russia is planning an attack. Moscow denies plans to invade Ukraine, and accuses Kyiv of building up its own forces to attack territory held by pro-Russian separatists. Russia has been pushing for top-level talks with the United States for weeks and has floated the idea of seeking legally-binding security guarantees from the West. Ushakov repeated Russia's denials that it is being aggressive along the Ukrainian frontier. "It's nonsense, there is no escalation," said Ushakov. "We have the right to move around troops on our own territory, there is absolutely no escalation (by us)." Ushakov said any talks with Biden would take place after Putin travels to India next week. "We have a concrete date and time for this video conference. I think it's better to wait for final agreement from the Americans. But this meeting in the format of a video conference is being fairly actively prepared," he said. At the talks, Putin and Biden could also discuss agreements they reached at their first summit in Geneva in June, Ushakov said. Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, Syria and strategic stability might also be raised, he said.

Putin, Joe Biden set to conduct video summit: Kremlin

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said that Kiev has uncovered a coup plot involving Russian citizens.

According to him, ''We have challenges not only from the Russian Federation and possible escalation - we have big internal challenges. I received information that a coup d'etat will take place in our country on December 1-2.''

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ukraine-troops-hold-drill-amid-border-tensions-warns-russia-against-invasion-432114/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

He said Russia was sending "very dangerous" signals with troop movements on the border.

"We are in full control of our borders and are fully prepared for any escalation," Zelenskiy said.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/what-will-happen-if-russian-troops-invade-ukraine-431684">What will happen if Russian troops invade Ukraine?</a>

Calling the claim an "absolute lie," Kremlin denied any role in any coup plot.

Zelenskiy has also accused business magnate Rinat Akhmetov of joining Russia's coup plot.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/death-toll-in-russian-mine-tragedy-jumps-to-52-six-rescue-workers-among-the-dead-432005">Also read |&nbsp;Death toll in Russian mine tragedy jumps to 52, six rescue workers among the dead</a>

In response, Akhmetov said "The information made public by Volodymyr Zelenskiy about attempts to draw me into some kind of coup is an absolute lie. I am outraged by the spread of this lie, no matter what the president's motives are."

"As a Ukrainian citizen, the country's biggest investor, taxpayer, and employer, I will continue to defend a free Ukraine, a free economy, democracy, and freedom of speech."

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg has warned that "if Russia uses force against Ukraine, that will have costs, that will have consequences".

Ukraine, which wants to join the NATO military alliance, has blamed Moscow for supporting separatists in a conflict in its east since 2014.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said that Kiev has uncovered a coup plot involving Russian citizens. According to him, ''We have challenges not only from the Russian Federation and possible escalation - we have big internal challenges.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said that Kiev has uncovered a coup plot involving Russian citizens. According to him, ''We have challenges not only from the Russian Federation and possible escalation - we have big internal challenges. I received information that a coup d'etat will take place in our country on December 1-2.'' He said Russia was sending "very dangerous" signals with troop movements on the border. "We are in full control of our borders and are fully prepared for any escalation," Zelenskiy said. Also see | What will happen if Russian troops invade Ukraine? Calling the claim an "absolute lie," Kremlin denied any role in any coup plot. Zelenskiy has also accused business magnate Rinat Akhmetov of joining Russia's coup plot. Also read | Death toll in Russian mine tragedy jumps to 52, six rescue workers among the dead In response, Akhmetov said "The information made public by Volodymyr Zelenskiy about attempts to draw me into some kind of coup is an absolute lie. I am outraged by the spread of this lie, no matter what the president's motives are." "As a Ukrainian citizen, the country's biggest investor, taxpayer, and employer, I will continue to defend a free Ukraine, a free economy, democracy, and freedom of speech." NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg has warned that "if Russia uses force against Ukraine, that will have costs, that will have consequences". Ukraine, which wants to join the NATO military alliance, has blamed Moscow for supporting separatists in a conflict in its east since 2014. (With inputs from agencies)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy says Russia is planning coup against him

The Kremlin on Wednesday said a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Joe Biden before the end of the year was a realistic possibility, as Moscow-Washington relations languish at post-Cold War lows.

"In one form or another (a meeting) is quite realistic," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said when asked whether the meeting could take place this year.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/president-putin-wont-attend-cop26-climate-summit-at-glasgow-kremlin-422349">Also Read |&nbsp;President Putin won't attend COP26 climate summit at Glasgow</a>

At least four leaders from the Group of 20 wealthy nations look set to miss this month's summit in Rome that hosts Italy had hoped would be an in-person event, diplomats and officials said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Tuesday that he would definitely not attend the October&nbsp;30-31 meeting, the third leader to formally pull out after Japan's new prime minister Fumio Kishida and Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

Putin and Kishida have said they will follow proceedings via video link, while a spokesman for Obrador said he would send Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard in his place.

Other countries have yet to make official announcements, but a diplomatic source in Rome said Chinese President Xi Jinping was unlikely to come. There was also uncertainty over whether Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro would show up.

By contrast, US President Joe Biden has confirmed he will come, with the leaders of Argentina, Australia, Canada, Britain, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, South Korea, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the European Union also all expected.

Kishida is staying home because Japan is holding a general election on Oct. 31, while Obrador has rarely travelled abroad since taking charge of Mexico in 2018. He skipped the last in-person G20 summit held in Japan in 2019 before COVID-19 hit.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted by the RIA news agency as saying Putin's decision was driven by the continued COVID-19 pandemic, with Russia registering record deaths and new cases in recent days.

Putin briefly self-isolated last month after dozens of people in his entourage were diagnosed with the virus. Last week, after coughing repeatedly at a government meeting, Putin said he had caught a cold.

The Kremlin on Wednesday said a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Joe Biden before the end of the year was a realistic possibility, as Moscow-Washington relations languish at post-Cold War lows.

The Kremlin on Wednesday said a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Joe Biden before the end of the year was a realistic possibility, as Moscow-Washington relations languish at post-Cold War lows. "In one form or another (a meeting) is quite realistic," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said when asked whether the meeting could take place this year. Also Read | President Putin won't attend COP26 climate summit at Glasgow At least four leaders from the Group of 20 wealthy nations look set to miss this month's summit in Rome that hosts Italy had hoped would be an in-person event, diplomats and officials said. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Tuesday that he would definitely not attend the October 30-31 meeting, the third leader to formally pull out after Japan's new prime minister Fumio Kishida and Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. Putin and Kishida have said they will follow proceedings via video link, while a spokesman for Obrador said he would send Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard in his place. Other countries have yet to make official announcements, but a diplomatic source in Rome said Chinese President Xi Jinping was unlikely to come. There was also uncertainty over whether Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro would show up. By contrast, US President Joe Biden has confirmed he will come, with the leaders of Argentina, Australia, Canada, Britain, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, South Korea, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the European Union also all expected. Kishida is staying home because Japan is holding a general election on Oct. 31, while Obrador has rarely travelled abroad since taking charge of Mexico in 2018. He skipped the last in-person G20 summit held in Japan in 2019 before COVID-19 hit. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted by the RIA news agency as saying Putin's decision was driven by the continued COVID-19 pandemic, with Russia registering record deaths and new cases in recent days. Putin briefly self-isolated last month after dozens of people in his entourage were diagnosed with the virus. Last week, after coughing repeatedly at a government meeting, Putin said he had caught a cold.

Meeting between Putin, Biden possible before the end of the year: Kremlin

The Kremlin on Monday described Russia's Covid fatality toll as "high" and the country's vaccination rate as "unacceptably" low, even as it rejected new restrictions so as to protect the economy.

Officials on Monday registered 957 new deaths from Covid-19 over 24 hours, bringing the country's total fatalities to 217,372,&nbsp;the highest toll in Europe even as authorities are accused of downplaying the severity of Russia's outbreak.

Under a broader definition of deaths linked to the virus, the Rosstat statistics agency said Friday that by the end of August more than 400,000 people in Russia had died with the coronavirus.&nbsp;

The growing toll from the virus comes as Russia's jab drive has stalled. As of Monday, just over 30 percent of Russians had been fully vaccinated, according to the Gogov website, which tallies Covid-19 data from the regions.

"Yes, indeed, the level of vaccinations we have is small, unacceptably small," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, saying that this is the reason for "such a high mortality rate."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-zealand-health-workers-teachers-told-no-jab-no-job-419841">Also read |&nbsp;New Zealand health workers, teachers told 'no jab, no job'</a>

But he dismissed the notion that authorities could do more, saying they had done everything to give the public the chance to "save their lives by getting vaccinated".

The Kremlin's task, he added, is to balance limiting the spread of the virus with ensuring that "the economy continues working".

While several Russian-developed jabs have been available for months, authorities have struggled to inoculate a vaccine-sceptic population.

Independent polls show that more than half of Russians do not plan to get a shot.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/african-regional-bloc-loses-92-per-cent-tourism-earnings-due-to-covid-419833">Also read |&nbsp;African regional bloc loses 92 per cent tourism earnings due to Covid</a>

The surging infections have come without any real pandemic restrictions to limit the spread, though several regions have re-introduced QR codes for access to public places.&nbsp;

Capital Moscow has so far withheld from bringing back restrictions, but on Monday announced that it would open two dozen sites around the city where residents could get free express tests.

Officials said the additional sites would allow authorities to "completely avoid the introduction of severe restrictions" and "not harm the city's economy".

The Kremlin on Monday described Russia's Covid fatality toll as "high" and the country's vaccination rate as "unacceptably" low, even as it rejected new restrictions so as to protect the economy.

The Kremlin on Monday described Russia's Covid fatality toll as "high" and the country's vaccination rate as "unacceptably" low, even as it rejected new restrictions so as to protect the economy. Officials on Monday registered 957 new deaths from Covid-19 over 24 hours, bringing the country's total fatalities to 217,372, the highest toll in Europe even as authorities are accused of downplaying the severity of Russia's outbreak. Under a broader definition of deaths linked to the virus, the Rosstat statistics agency said Friday that by the end of August more than 400,000 people in Russia had died with the coronavirus. The growing toll from the virus comes as Russia's jab drive has stalled. As of Monday, just over 30 percent of Russians had been fully vaccinated, according to the Gogov website, which tallies Covid-19 data from the regions. "Yes, indeed, the level of vaccinations we have is small, unacceptably small," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, saying that this is the reason for "such a high mortality rate." Also read | New Zealand health workers, teachers told 'no jab, no job' But he dismissed the notion that authorities could do more, saying they had done everything to give the public the chance to "save their lives by getting vaccinated". The Kremlin's task, he added, is to balance limiting the spread of the virus with ensuring that "the economy continues working". While several Russian-developed jabs have been available for months, authorities have struggled to inoculate a vaccine-sceptic population. Independent polls show that more than half of Russians do not plan to get a shot. Also read | African regional bloc loses 92 per cent tourism earnings due to Covid The surging infections have come without any real pandemic restrictions to limit the spread, though several regions have re-introduced QR codes for access to public places. Capital Moscow has so far withheld from bringing back restrictions, but on Monday announced that it would open two dozen sites around the city where residents could get free express tests. Officials said the additional sites would allow authorities to "completely avoid the introduction of severe restrictions" and "not harm the city's economy".

Kremlin decries 'high' COVID-19 deaths, rejects new measures

Russian President Vladimir Putin has gone into self-isolation. Putin's inner circle at Kremlin has tested positive for the Wuhan Virus. Palki Sharma gets you a report.

Gravitas: Wuhan Virus breaches Kremlin

Dozens of people in Vladimir Putin's entourage have tested positive for the coronavirus , the Russian leader said on Thursday, as his country struggles with high infection rates and a vaccine-sceptic population.

Earlier this week, 68-year-old Putin cancelled all in-person events and said he was self-isolating after announcing an outbreak in the Kremlin.

"Cases of the coronavirus were detected in my inner circle. Not just one or two but several dozen people," Putin said, speaking via video link at a meeting of a Moscow-led security alliance.

Putin had been due to attend the meeting of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) in Tajikistan's capital Dushanbe in person, but said Tuesday he would instead join remotely.

Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Thursday told reporters that the outbreak was mainly among members of Putin's security detail.

He added that "practically everybody" who works with Putin is vaccinated.

While it remains unclear how long Putin will be in quarantine, Peskov said he will be self-isolating for "at least" another week.

News of the extent of the outbreak at the Kremlin comes a day before parliamentary elections open Friday in Russia.

They are staggered over three days to limit the spread of the virus.

Authorities have gone to great lengths to protect Putin— who said he has been vaccinated with Russia's homegrown Sputnik V jab— since the start of the pandemic.

Foreign leaders, journalists and officials have all had to self-isolate before meeting the longtime Russian leader.

Putin this week met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and athletes returning from the Tokyo Paralympic Games, just before the Kremlin said he was self-isolating.

Highest European death toll

Russia has the fifth-highest number of recorded COVID cases, according to an AFP tally, and has struggled to rein in infections despite easy access to vaccines.

According to the latest figures, the country has recorded more than seven million cases and 195,835 deaths, the highest death toll in Europe.

Infections have been falling in recent days after a spike this summer, but health officials still reported 19,594 new cases and 794 new deaths on Thursday.

Authorities have struggled with a vaccine-sceptic population, with independent polls showing that a majority of Russians do not plan to be inoculated.

As of Thursday, about 40.2 million of Russia's 146 million people had been fully vaccinated, according to the Gogov website, which tallies Covid data from the regions.

Russia has several homegrown vaccines freely available to the public, but does not distribute any Western-made jabs.

Sputnik V has been approved in dozens of countries, including European nations, but is still pending approval from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Western regulators.

Moscow, the epicentre of Russia's outbreak, and a host of regions have introduced mandatory vaccination measures to speed up the inoculation drive, and Putin has repeatedly called on Russians to get vaccinated.

The Kremlin initially set a goal of fully inoculating 60 percent of Russia's population by September, but later dropped that target even though free jabs have been available since early December.

Russian authorities have been accused of vastly downplaying the effects of the pandemic and, after a tight first lockdown in 2020, have refrained from introducing new restrictive measures.

Dozens of people in Vladimir Putin's entourage have tested positive for the coronavirus , the Russian leader said on Thursday, as his country struggles with high infection rates and a vaccine-sceptic population.

Dozens of people in Vladimir Putin's entourage have tested positive for the coronavirus , the Russian leader said on Thursday, as his country struggles with high infection rates and a vaccine-sceptic population. Earlier this week, 68-year-old Putin cancelled all in-person events and said he was self-isolating after announcing an outbreak in the Kremlin. "Cases of the coronavirus were detected in my inner circle. Not just one or two but several dozen people," Putin said, speaking via video link at a meeting of a Moscow-led security alliance. Putin had been due to attend the meeting of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) in Tajikistan's capital Dushanbe in person, but said Tuesday he would instead join remotely. Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Thursday told reporters that the outbreak was mainly among members of Putin's security detail. He added that "practically everybody" who works with Putin is vaccinated. While it remains unclear how long Putin will be in quarantine, Peskov said he will be self-isolating for "at least" another week. News of the extent of the outbreak at the Kremlin comes a day before parliamentary elections open Friday in Russia. They are staggered over three days to limit the spread of the virus. Authorities have gone to great lengths to protect Putin— who said he has been vaccinated with Russia's homegrown Sputnik V jab— since the start of the pandemic. Foreign leaders, journalists and officials have all had to self-isolate before meeting the longtime Russian leader. Putin this week met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and athletes returning from the Tokyo Paralympic Games, just before the Kremlin said he was self-isolating. Highest European death toll Russia has the fifth-highest number of recorded COVID cases, according to an AFP tally, and has struggled to rein in infections despite easy access to vaccines. According to the latest figures, the country has recorded more than seven million cases and 195,835 deaths, the highest death toll in Europe. Infections have been falling in recent days after a spike this summer, but health officials still reported 19,594 new cases and 794 new deaths on Thursday. Authorities have struggled with a vaccine-sceptic population, with independent polls showing that a majority of Russians do not plan to be inoculated. As of Thursday, about 40.2 million of Russia's 146 million people had been fully vaccinated, according to the Gogov website, which tallies Covid data from the regions. Russia has several homegrown vaccines freely available to the public, but does not distribute any Western-made jabs. Sputnik V has been approved in dozens of countries, including European nations, but is still pending approval from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Western regulators. Moscow, the epicentre of Russia's outbreak, and a host of regions have introduced mandatory vaccination measures to speed up the inoculation drive, and Putin has repeatedly called on Russians to get vaccinated. The Kremlin initially set a goal of fully inoculating 60 percent of Russia's population by September, but later dropped that target even though free jabs have been available since early December. Russian authorities have been accused of vastly downplaying the effects of the pandemic and, after a tight first lockdown in 2020, have refrained from introducing new restrictive measures.

Russian president Vladimir Putin says 'several dozen people' within the Kremlin inner circle have COVID-19 

Russia&nbsp;has blocked the&nbsp;websites&nbsp;of two media and one human rights group&nbsp;linked&nbsp;to self-exiled&nbsp;Kremlin&nbsp;critic&nbsp;Mikhail&nbsp;Khodorkovsky&nbsp;as authorities turn up the heat on the opposition ahead of parliamentary polls.

Russian internet watchdog Roskomnadzor has restricted access to the&nbsp;websites&nbsp;of Open Media and MBKh Media, as well as the website of the Pravozashchita Otkrytki human rights group following a request from prosecutors, they said.

Both the rights group and Open Media said on Thursday they were&nbsp;shutting down to shield staff from possible prosecution.

In a statement on Twitter, Open Media, which was founded in 2017 with&nbsp;Khodorkovsky's financial backing, said that Russian authorities did not want critical media. "But at least we tried," it said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kremlin-says-biden-is-wrong-to-say-that-russia-only-has-nuclear-weapons-and-oil-401191">Also read |&nbsp;Kremlin says Biden is wrong to say that Russia only has nuclear weapons and oil</a>

A number of independent media organisations and groups have been banned in&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;in recent months as part of an increasing crackdown on the opposition ahead of parliamentary elections in September&nbsp;

Open&nbsp;Russia, an opposition group founded&nbsp;Khodorkovsky, was designated an "undesirable" organisation in&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;in 2017 in line with a law targeting foreign groups accused of political meddling. In May, the group said it was closing to protect its members from prosecution.

Khodorkovsky, who owned the oil giant Yukos before he was convicted in two controversial cases and spent a decade behind bars, now lives abroad.

In July, authorities outlawed Proekt, one of the country's last independent media outlets that focused on in-depth reporting into the wealth of&nbsp;Russia's elite including President Vladimir Putin.&nbsp;

The same month the media regulator blocked 49&nbsp;websites&nbsp;linked&nbsp;to jailed&nbsp;Kremlin&nbsp;critic&nbsp;Alexei Navalny including his main website navalny.com.

Russia's parliamentary vote will be held from September 17 to September 19.

On Wednesday, international monitors said they would not send observers to&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;for the September election because of a limit on numbers imposed by Russian authorities.

Russia has blocked the websites of two media and one human rights group linked to self-exiled Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky as authorities turn up the heat on the opposition ahead of parliamentary polls.

Russia has blocked the websites of two media and one human rights group linked to self-exiled Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky as authorities turn up the heat on the opposition ahead of parliamentary polls. Russian internet watchdog Roskomnadzor has restricted access to the websites of Open Media and MBKh Media, as well as the website of the Pravozashchita Otkrytki human rights group following a request from prosecutors, they said. Both the rights group and Open Media said on Thursday they were shutting down to shield staff from possible prosecution. In a statement on Twitter, Open Media, which was founded in 2017 with Khodorkovsky's financial backing, said that Russian authorities did not want critical media. "But at least we tried," it said. Also read | Kremlin says Biden is wrong to say that Russia only has nuclear weapons and oil A number of independent media organisations and groups have been banned in Russia in recent months as part of an increasing crackdown on the opposition ahead of parliamentary elections in September Open Russia, an opposition group founded Khodorkovsky, was designated an "undesirable" organisation in Russia in 2017 in line with a law targeting foreign groups accused of political meddling. In May, the group said it was closing to protect its members from prosecution. Khodorkovsky, who owned the oil giant Yukos before he was convicted in two controversial cases and spent a decade behind bars, now lives abroad. In July, authorities outlawed Proekt, one of the country's last independent media outlets that focused on in-depth reporting into the wealth of Russia's elite including President Vladimir Putin. The same month the media regulator blocked 49 websites linked to jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny including his main website navalny.com. Russia's parliamentary vote will be held from September 17 to September 19. On Wednesday, international monitors said they would not send observers to Russia for the September election because of a limit on numbers imposed by Russian authorities.

Russia blocks websites linked to Kremlin critic Khodorkovsky

The Kremlin said on Wednesday that US&nbsp;President Joe Biden's assessment of Russia as only having nuclear weapons and oil was wide of the mark and betrayed a lack of knowledge about the country.

Biden made the remark on Tuesday during a speech in which he warned that if the United States ended up in a "real shooting war" with a "major power" it could be the result of a significant cyber attack on the country, highlighting what Washington sees as growing threats posed by Russia and China.

Biden boasted that the US&nbsp;intelligence services were superior to their Russian counterparts and said Putin had "a real problem."

"... He’s sitting on top of an economy that has nuclear weapons and oil wells and nothing else. Nothing else. Their economy is, what?, the eighth smallest in the world now, largest in the world? He knows he’s in real trouble, which makes him even more dangerous, in my view," said Biden.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it looked as though Biden, who gave the speech while visiting the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), had tailored his message for his country's intelligence community and wanted to make an impression.

Peskov said the United States was an opponent of Russia even though efforts to normalise ties were underway. Senior US&nbsp;and Russian officials began talks on Wednesday on strategic nuclear stability.

Peskov also rejected Biden's allegations that Russia was already interfering in the United States' 2022 mid-term elections.

The Kremlin said on Wednesday that US President Joe Biden's assessment of Russia as only having nuclear weapons and oil was wide of the mark and betrayed a lack of knowledge about the country.

The Kremlin said on Wednesday that US President Joe Biden's assessment of Russia as only having nuclear weapons and oil was wide of the mark and betrayed a lack of knowledge about the country. Biden made the remark on Tuesday during a speech in which he warned that if the United States ended up in a "real shooting war" with a "major power" it could be the result of a significant cyber attack on the country, highlighting what Washington sees as growing threats posed by Russia and China. Biden boasted that the US intelligence services were superior to their Russian counterparts and said Putin had "a real problem." "... He’s sitting on top of an economy that has nuclear weapons and oil wells and nothing else. Nothing else. Their economy is, what?, the eighth smallest in the world now, largest in the world? He knows he’s in real trouble, which makes him even more dangerous, in my view," said Biden. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it looked as though Biden, who gave the speech while visiting the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), had tailored his message for his country's intelligence community and wanted to make an impression. Peskov said the United States was an opponent of Russia even though efforts to normalise ties were underway. Senior US and Russian officials began talks on Wednesday on strategic nuclear stability. Peskov also rejected Biden's allegations that Russia was already interfering in the United States' 2022 mid-term elections.

Kremlin says Biden is wrong to say that Russia only has nuclear weapons and oil

Russia on Friday reported the highest number of coronavirus related deaths in the last 24 hours for the fourth successive day as the country continues to grapple with the virus.

Amid the spike in numbers, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the lockdown wasn't discussed while emphasising the importance of vaccination.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/covid-19-russia-allows-booster-shots-6-months-after-vaccination-394926/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"Nobody wants any lockdowns, and yes, it is not up for debate," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Saint Petersburg which has been hosting European Championship matches including Spain vs Switzerland quarter-final later on Friday reported 101 fatalities even as Moscow grapples with the Delta variant which the city Mayor said was responsible for over 90 per cent of COVID-19 cases.

Moscow Mayor Sobyanin has imposed strict virus rules as he ordered majority of Moscowvites to stay home and those in the service industry to vaccinate themselves.

The country reported over 23,000 new COVID-19 infections with Moscow registering over 6,890 cases. Reports say hospitalisations in the Russian capital has skyrocketed amid explosive growth&nbsp;in virus cases.

Russia has been slow to vaccinate its citizens with just &nbsp;2.6 million people inoculated with the first dose out of a population of 146 million.

Saint Petersburg has witnessed 100 deaths per day this week amid the European Championship matches even as authorities ordered 50 per cent capacity limit on stadiums and restaurants to close between 2am and 6pm with restrictions on the number of people attending public events.

The World Health Organization(WHO) had earlier warned about the crowds should be monitored during the Euro 2020 matches as they enter and leave the stadium even as UEFA said it was following the COVID-19 guidelines.

The Russian capital had offered one-dose of Sputnik Light jab to millions of migrants even as it continued to inoculate citizens with the Sputnik V vaccine. The Sputnik V was registered in August last year, the country has not approved any foreign vaccines.

Putin while acknowledgin he had taken the Sputnik V vaccine had said on Wednesday: "Thank God, we don't have such tragic situations after vaccinations like AstraZeneca or Pfizer."

(With inputs from Agencies)

 
&nbsp;

Russia on Friday reported the highest number of coronavirus related deaths in the last 24 hours for the fourth successive day as the country continues to grapple with the virus.

Russia on Friday reported the highest number of coronavirus related deaths in the last 24 hours for the fourth successive day as the country continues to grapple with the virus. Amid the spike in numbers, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the lockdown wasn't discussed while emphasising the importance of vaccination. Watch: "Nobody wants any lockdowns, and yes, it is not up for debate," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. Saint Petersburg which has been hosting European Championship matches including Spain vs Switzerland quarter-final later on Friday reported 101 fatalities even as Moscow grapples with the Delta variant which the city Mayor said was responsible for over 90 per cent of COVID-19 cases. Moscow Mayor Sobyanin has imposed strict virus rules as he ordered majority of Moscowvites to stay home and those in the service industry to vaccinate themselves. The country reported over 23,000 new COVID-19 infections with Moscow registering over 6,890 cases. Reports say hospitalisations in the Russian capital has skyrocketed amid explosive growth in virus cases. Russia has been slow to vaccinate its citizens with just 2.6 million people inoculated with the first dose out of a population of 146 million. Saint Petersburg has witnessed 100 deaths per day this week amid the European Championship matches even as authorities ordered 50 per cent capacity limit on stadiums and restaurants to close between 2am and 6pm with restrictions on the number of people attending public events. The World Health Organization(WHO) had earlier warned about the crowds should be monitored during the Euro 2020 matches as they enter and leave the stadium even as UEFA said it was following the COVID-19 guidelines. The Russian capital had offered one-dose of Sputnik Light jab to millions of migrants even as it continued to inoculate citizens with the Sputnik V vaccine. The Sputnik V was registered in August last year, the country has not approved any foreign vaccines. Putin while acknowledgin he had taken the Sputnik V vaccine had said on Wednesday: "Thank God, we don't have such tragic situations after vaccinations like AstraZeneca or Pfizer." (With inputs from Agencies)

'Nobody wants a lockdown': Coronavirus related deaths spike in Russia

Considering the increasing awareness about vaccines against coronavirus, Russia’s Kremlin has warned people that those who do not get vaccinated might get discriminated against in workplaces.

The Kremlin warned that the discrimination against people who are not vaccinated will, at one point, eventually come in and that can lead to these people finding it difficult to get a job.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-situation-aggravated-in-some-areas-says-russian-president-putin-393021">Coronavirus situation aggravated in some areas, says Russian President Putin</a>

"The reality is such that discrimination will inevitably set in. People without vaccination or immunity will not be able to work everywhere. It is not possible. It will pose a threat to those around them," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

This warning has come a little after the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, warned an alarming increase in number of coronavirus cases in a few regions of Russia. Meanwhile, the authorities are urging people to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-regions-announce-fresh-covid-19-curbs-amid-surge-in-cases-391630">Russian regions announce fresh COVID-19 curbs amid surge in cases</a>

The Kremlin also claimed that the increase in covid cases is a result of people’s reluctance to get vaccinated and "nihilism".

To lure people into getting vaccinated against the deadly coronavirus, Russian authorities are offering people a chance at winning new cars and flats. However, the people who are not getting vaccinated are also being threatened with loss of earnings and even dismissal from their jobs.

Considering the increasing awareness about vaccines against coronavirus, Russia’s Kremlin has warned people that those who do not get vaccinated might get discriminated against in workplaces.

Considering the increasing awareness about vaccines against coronavirus, Russia’s Kremlin has warned people that those who do not get vaccinated might get discriminated against in workplaces. The Kremlin warned that the discrimination against people who are not vaccinated will, at one point, eventually come in and that can lead to these people finding it difficult to get a job. Also read | Coronavirus situation aggravated in some areas, says Russian President Putin "The reality is such that discrimination will inevitably set in. People without vaccination or immunity will not be able to work everywhere. It is not possible. It will pose a threat to those around them," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. This warning has come a little after the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, warned an alarming increase in number of coronavirus cases in a few regions of Russia. Meanwhile, the authorities are urging people to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Also read | Russian regions announce fresh COVID-19 curbs amid surge in cases The Kremlin also claimed that the increase in covid cases is a result of people’s reluctance to get vaccinated and "nihilism". To lure people into getting vaccinated against the deadly coronavirus, Russian authorities are offering people a chance at winning new cars and flats. However, the people who are not getting vaccinated are also being threatened with loss of earnings and even dismissal from their jobs.

People without vaccines will have lack of job options, warns Russia's Kremlin

Russian opposition politician Dmitry Gudkov said on Sunday, he had left Russia after receiving warnings by people close to the Kremlin that he would be arrested if he stayed in the country. 
 
A former member of the Russian parliament, Gudkov, 41, was detained by Russian law enforcement officials on Tuesday over allegations he failed to pay a debt on a rented property, which he denies. 
 
He was released from custody on Thursday but remains a suspect in a criminal case. A group of Kremlin opponents, many of them allies of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, have fled the country due to the latest crackdown on the opposition after street rallies to demand Navalny's release. 
 
Gudkov said the true purpose of the probe was barring him from the September parliamentary election. 
 
"I`m approaching Kyiv where I have long-planned meetings and TV appearances," he posted on his Telegram account. 
 
"Several sources close to the presidential administration circle said that if I do not leave the country, my fake criminal case would be taken further to the point of my arrest," he said. 
 
The Kremlin has said recent arrests of politicians, such as Gudkov have nothing to do with politics, and denies trying to clear the field of political opponents. 
 
Gudkov said on Sunday, he would make a decision later about his further plans. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Russian opposition politician Dmitry Gudkov said on Sunday, he had left Russia after receiving warnings by people close to the Kremlin that he would be arrested if he stayed in the country.

Russian opposition politician Dmitry Gudkov said on Sunday, he had left Russia after receiving warnings by people close to the Kremlin that he would be arrested if he stayed in the country. A former member of the Russian parliament, Gudkov, 41, was detained by Russian law enforcement officials on Tuesday over allegations he failed to pay a debt on a rented property, which he denies. He was released from custody on Thursday but remains a suspect in a criminal case. A group of Kremlin opponents, many of them allies of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, have fled the country due to the latest crackdown on the opposition after street rallies to demand Navalny's release. Gudkov said the true purpose of the probe was barring him from the September parliamentary election. "I`m approaching Kyiv where I have long-planned meetings and TV appearances," he posted on his Telegram account. "Several sources close to the presidential administration circle said that if I do not leave the country, my fake criminal case would be taken further to the point of my arrest," he said. The Kremlin has said recent arrests of politicians, such as Gudkov have nothing to do with politics, and denies trying to clear the field of political opponents. Gudkov said on Sunday, he would make a decision later about his further plans. (With inputs from agencies)

Kremlin critic Gudkov leaves Russia fearing new arrest

Former Russian lawmaker and Kremlin critic Gennady Gudkov said on Thursday that Russian authorities had opened a criminal case against him over ammunition found at his apartment. Gudkov lives abroad.

The pistol ammunition was found in a safe during a police search of Gudkov's apartment in Russia. The search was carried out over an unrelated criminal case this week. He said it was an award he received in 2005 and that the police had been earlier informed about it.

There was no official confirmation of the criminal case from law enforcement.

The action has come amid a broad crackdown on the Kremlin's political opponents. The 64-year-old, who lives in European Union member state Bulgaria, accused authorities of opening the case to stop him from being able to return to Russia.

His son, Dmitry Gudkov, who is a prominent opposition politician, was detained in Moscow on Tuesday over an allegedly unpaid debt on a rented property dating from several years ago. His father said his son had nothing to do with that debt.

A Moscow court had been expected on Thursday to consider the terms of pre-trial custody for Dmitry. However, no hearing had begun by early evening and he was due to be released from custody at 1640 GMT unless it took place, his lawyer said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Former Russian lawmaker and Kremlin critic Gennady Gudkov said on Thursday that Russian authorities had opened a criminal case against him over ammunition found at his apartment.

Former Russian lawmaker and Kremlin critic Gennady Gudkov said on Thursday that Russian authorities had opened a criminal case against him over ammunition found at his apartment. Gudkov lives abroad. The pistol ammunition was found in a safe during a police search of Gudkov's apartment in Russia. The search was carried out over an unrelated criminal case this week. He said it was an award he received in 2005 and that the police had been earlier informed about it. There was no official confirmation of the criminal case from law enforcement. The action has come amid a broad crackdown on the Kremlin's political opponents. The 64-year-old, who lives in European Union member state Bulgaria, accused authorities of opening the case to stop him from being able to return to Russia. His son, Dmitry Gudkov, who is a prominent opposition politician, was detained in Moscow on Tuesday over an allegedly unpaid debt on a rented property dating from several years ago. His father said his son had nothing to do with that debt. A Moscow court had been expected on Thursday to consider the terms of pre-trial custody for Dmitry. However, no hearing had begun by early evening and he was due to be released from custody at 1640 GMT unless it took place, his lawyer said. (With inputs from agencies)

Russia: Kremlin critic, ex-lawmaker says criminal case opened against him 

Following EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell statement that the bloc was monitoring whether&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;was systematically refusing to let European airlines land if they avoided Belarus. The Kremlin on Friday said&nbsp;that&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;was working to resolve what it called technical issues thrown up by a decision by some European airlines to skirt Belarusian airspace when flying to and from&nbsp;Russia.

The European Union has urged its airlines to avoid Belarus and has moved to close its own airspace to Belarusian carriers amid outrage over Sunday's interception of a Ryanair RYA.I jet en route to Lithuania from Greece, and the arrest of a dissident journalist on board.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/belarus-plane-crisis-tightens-lukashenkos-awkward-embrace-of-putin-387605">Belarus plane crisis tightens Lukashenko’s awkward embrace of Putin</a>

Josep Borrell had while speaking to journalists, said "We don't know if it is case by case, specific cases, or is a general norm from the Russian authorities in order to make the European planes overfly Belarus,".

Russia&nbsp;on Thursday withheld clearance for an Austrian Airlines Vienna-Moscow flight plan avoiding Belarus - a day after failing to approve a revised Air France&nbsp;Paris-Moscow route. Both flights were cancelled.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/airlines-re-route-to-avoid-belarus-opposition-says-journalist-beaten-387395">Airlines re-route to avoid Belarus, opposition says journalist beaten</a>&nbsp;

It did allow an Austrian Airlines Vienna-Moscow flight to bypass Belarusian airspace on Friday however, the TASS news agency cited the company as saying, and allowed in other foreign carriers on Thursday.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the problems were purely technical in nature and that the issue should not become an irritant in EU-Russia&nbsp;ties.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/un-aviation-body-may-probe-belarus-plane-forced-landing-incident-387881">UN aviation body may probe Belarus plane forced landing incident</a>

Russia's federal aviation agency Rosaviatsiya has told airlines that changes to routes from Europe to&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;due to the political row over Belarus may result in longer clearance times due to more such requests.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Following EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell statement that the bloc was monitoring whether Russia was systematically refusing to let European airlines land if they avoided Belarus.

Following EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell statement that the bloc was monitoring whether Russia was systematically refusing to let European airlines land if they avoided Belarus. The Kremlin on Friday said that Russia was working to resolve what it called technical issues thrown up by a decision by some European airlines to skirt Belarusian airspace when flying to and from Russia. The European Union has urged its airlines to avoid Belarus and has moved to close its own airspace to Belarusian carriers amid outrage over Sunday's interception of a Ryanair RYA.I jet en route to Lithuania from Greece, and the arrest of a dissident journalist on board. Also Read | Belarus plane crisis tightens Lukashenko’s awkward embrace of Putin Josep Borrell had while speaking to journalists, said "We don't know if it is case by case, specific cases, or is a general norm from the Russian authorities in order to make the European planes overfly Belarus,". Russia on Thursday withheld clearance for an Austrian Airlines Vienna-Moscow flight plan avoiding Belarus - a day after failing to approve a revised Air France Paris-Moscow route. Both flights were cancelled. Also Read | Airlines re-route to avoid Belarus, opposition says journalist beaten It did allow an Austrian Airlines Vienna-Moscow flight to bypass Belarusian airspace on Friday however, the TASS news agency cited the company as saying, and allowed in other foreign carriers on Thursday. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the problems were purely technical in nature and that the issue should not become an irritant in EU-Russia ties. Also Read | UN aviation body may probe Belarus plane forced landing incident Russia's federal aviation agency Rosaviatsiya has told airlines that changes to routes from Europe to Russia due to the political row over Belarus may result in longer clearance times due to more such requests. (With inputs from agencies)

France, Australian flight cancellations were due to 'technical issues,' says Russia

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