Russian mercenaries have withdrawn from the southern city of Rostov after giving a challenge to Russian President Vladimir Putin's authority. This puts an end to their swift progression toward Moscow.

IN PICS | From Wagner group's advance toward Moscow to withdrawal

<p>Yevgeny Prigozhin, the mercenary group Wagner's chief,&nbsp;on Friday, accused Moscow's military leadership of ordering strikes on his camps and killing a "huge" number of forces.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We were ready to make concessions to the defence ministry, surrender our weapons," Prigozhin said in an audio message released by his spokespeople.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Today, seeing that we have not been broken, they conducted missile strikes at our rear camps," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Russian defence ministry has denied Prigozhin's claims of strikes on camps of Wagner&nbsp;forces. As per a report by CNN,&nbsp;Russia’s domestic intelligence service has now&nbsp;opened a criminal case against him.</p>

<h2><strong>There was no need for Russia to invade Ukraine&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Wagner chief also blamed defence minister Sergei Shoigu for starting the war in Ukraine in February last year.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Prigozhin has often accused Shoigu and some other officials during the course of the war, but the latest allegation is significant, as it questions Russia's justifications for invading Ukraine.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a video posted on social media on&nbsp;Friday (June 23), the Wagner chief can be heard saying that Russia did not face any imminent security threat to justify the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a half-hour video released by his press service, Prigozhin&nbsp;said, "The Armed Forces of Ukraine were not going to attack Russia with the NATO bloc. The Russian Defence Ministry is deceiving the public and the president."&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-claims-to-have-rippled-13-cruise-missiles-fired-by-russia-607781">Ukraine claims to have struck down 13 cruise missiles fired by Russia</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>"On 24 February [2022] there was nothing extraordinary happening there. Now the Ministry of Defence is trying to deceive the public, deceive the president and tell a story that there was some crazy aggression by Ukraine, that - together with the whole NATO&nbsp;bloc - Ukraine was planning to attack us," he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The war was needed... so that Shoigu could become a Marshal, so that he could get a second Hero Star… the war wasn't for demilitarising or de-nazifying Ukraine. It was needed for an extra star," he further added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Why did the special military operation begin? ... the war was needed for the self-promotion of a bunch of ba***rds," he added, further blaming Russian military leadership for "poorly planning" the invasion and "embarrassing" because of the setbacks on the battlefield.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-mounts-legal-challenge-to-keep-embassy-site-near-australian-parliament-607792">Russia mounts legal challenge to keep embassy site near Australian parliament</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>He said, "Shoigu killed thousands of the most combat-ready Russian soldiers in the first days of the war. The mentally ill sc**bags decided 'It's okay, we'll throw in a few thousand more Russian men as cannon fodder.&nbsp;They'll die under artillery fire, but we'll get what we want'."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"That's why it has become a protracted war," he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Prigozhin said that the war was also needed to enrich the ruling elite who were not satisfied with the commercial potential of part of Ukraine's Donbas region that Moscow seized control of in 2014 via a proxy separatist force.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He said, "The task was to divide material assets (in Ukraine). There was massive theft in the Donbas, but they wanted more."&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Russian diplomat stages protest as Australia dismisses lease for Moscow embassy&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<h2><strong>Russia 'retreating' from Ukraine attacks&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Wagner's chief also said that Moscow's forces are retreating in Ukraine's east and south following Kyiv's counteroffensive - remarks that are basically contradicting recent assessments by Russian President Vladimir Putin that Ukraine was suffering "catastrophic" losses.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"On the ground now ... the Russian army is retreating on the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson fronts. The Armed Forces of Ukraine are pushing back the Russian army," Prigozhin said on social media.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Last year, just a few days after launching the invasion, Russia claimed that it annexed the southern Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions. &nbsp;</p>

<p>"We are washing ourselves in blood. No one is bringing reserves. What they tell us is the deepest deception," Prigozhin added, referring to the Russian military and political leadership.</p>

<p><em><strong>Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.</strong></em></p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
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Yevgeny Prigozhin, the mercenary group Wagner's chief, on Friday, accused Moscow's military leadership of ordering strikes on his camps and killing a "huge" number of forces.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the mercenary group Wagner's chief, on Friday, accused Moscow's military leadership of ordering strikes on his camps and killing a "huge" number of forces. "We were ready to make concessions to the defence ministry, surrender our weapons," Prigozhin said in an audio message released by his spokespeople. "Today, seeing that we have not been broken, they conducted missile strikes at our rear camps," he added. The Russian defence ministry has denied Prigozhin's claims of strikes on camps of Wagner forces. As per a report by CNN, Russia’s domestic intelligence service has now opened a criminal case against him. There was no need for Russia to invade Ukraine Wagner chief also blamed defence minister Sergei Shoigu for starting the war in Ukraine in February last year. Prigozhin has often accused Shoigu and some other officials during the course of the war, but the latest allegation is significant, as it questions Russia's justifications for invading Ukraine. In a video posted on social media on Friday (June 23), the Wagner chief can be heard saying that Russia did not face any imminent security threat to justify the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In a half-hour video released by his press service, Prigozhin said, "The Armed Forces of Ukraine were not going to attack Russia with the NATO bloc. The Russian Defence Ministry is deceiving the public and the president." Also read: Ukraine claims to have struck down 13 cruise missiles fired by Russia "On 24 February [2022] there was nothing extraordinary happening there. Now the Ministry of Defence is trying to deceive the public, deceive the president and tell a story that there was some crazy aggression by Ukraine, that - together with the whole NATO bloc - Ukraine was planning to attack us," he said. "The war was needed... so that Shoigu could become a Marshal, so that he could get a second Hero Star… the war wasn't for demilitarising or de-nazifying Ukraine. It was needed for an extra star," he further added. "Why did the special military operation begin? ... the war was needed for the self-promotion of a bunch of ba***rds," he added, further blaming Russian military leadership for "poorly planning" the invasion and "embarrassing" because of the setbacks on the battlefield. Also read: Russia mounts legal challenge to keep embassy site near Australian parliament He said, "Shoigu killed thousands of the most combat-ready Russian soldiers in the first days of the war. The mentally ill sc**bags decided 'It's okay, we'll throw in a few thousand more Russian men as cannon fodder. They'll die under artillery fire, but we'll get what we want'." "That's why it has become a protracted war," he said. Prigozhin said that the war was also needed to enrich the ruling elite who were not satisfied with the commercial potential of part of Ukraine's Donbas region that Moscow seized control of in 2014 via a proxy separatist force. He said, "The task was to divide material assets (in Ukraine). There was massive theft in the Donbas, but they wanted more." Watch: Russian diplomat stages protest as Australia dismisses lease for Moscow embassy × Russia 'retreating' from Ukraine attacks Wagner's chief also said that Moscow's forces are retreating in Ukraine's east and south following Kyiv's counteroffensive - remarks that are basically contradicting recent assessments by Russian President Vladimir Putin that Ukraine was suffering "catastrophic" losses. "On the ground now ... the Russian army is retreating on the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson fronts. The Armed Forces of Ukraine are pushing back the Russian army," Prigozhin said on social media. Last year, just a few days after launching the invasion, Russia claimed that it annexed the southern Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions. "We are washing ourselves in blood. No one is bringing reserves. What they tell us is the deepest deception," Prigozhin added, referring to the Russian military and political leadership. Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Wagner chief accuses Russian military of bombing his forces, vows revenge

A Russian diplomat in Canberra, Australia, is staging a sit-in protest on a piece of land near the Australian Parliament, where Moscow plans to build a new embassy. Australia dismissed Russia's lease for the land due to national security concerns, which Russia had held since 2008. The Australian police are monitoring the diplomat, but diplomatic immunity prevents his arrest. The Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, stated that the presence of the protesting diplomat does not pose a national security threat.

Russian diplomat stages protest as Australia dismisses lease for Moscow embassy

<p>Moscow region Governor Andrei Vorobyov on Wednesday said that the Russian forces brought down two drones outside the capital city as they approached a local military unit&nbsp;warehouse, which they say was Ukraine's latest attempt&nbsp;to strike targets inside Russia during the initial phase of Kyiv’s recent counteroffensive.</p>

<p>The third drone's wreckage was found discovered around 20 kilometres (12 miles) away from the site where the drones crashed, reported Russian media. No casualties or damage were reported in the alleged drone attack.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Russia calls it an 'unsuccessful attempt at a terrorist attack'</strong></h2>

<p>The Russian defence ministry said that it was “an unsuccessful attempt at a terrorist attack” by “the Kyiv regime” on its facilities located in the region of Moscow. In a statement, the ministry added that they brought down all three drones by radio-electronic means.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-planning-to-launch-missiles-at-crimea-russia-claims-606594https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-planning-to-launch-missiles-at-crimea-russia-claims-606594">Ukraine planning to launch missiles at Crimea, Russia claims&nbsp;</a></p>

<p>Ukraine, which generally does not confirm attacks it carries out on Russian soil, did not make any immediate comment about the drones which were downed. Earlier, Ukrainian officials emphasised the right of the country to strike any target in response to the invasion of Russia and the war that began in February 2022.</p>

<p>In December, Russia claimed to have shot down drones which were targeted at military air bases in the Ryazan and Saratov regions of western Russia.</p>

<h2><strong>Increasing drone attacks&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>As per reports, many drones have flown deep into Russia on several occasions. In February, a UJ-22 crashed 100 kilometres (60 miles) away from Moscow, after which the Russian capital has allegedly been repeatedly approached by Ukrainian drones.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Last month, the Russian capital was jolted by a drone attack, although it suffered only slight damage. The attack was seen as one of the deepest and most daring strikes by Kyiv into Russia.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In that month, it was the second reported strike on Moscow after Russian authorities claimed that the Kremlin was targeted by two drones.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Ukraine: Counteroffensive leads to advancements in Southern region | Russia-Ukraine War</strong></p>

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<p>During that time, Russian President Vladimir Putin had stated that the air defence of Moscow “worked in a satisfactory way,” but added it was “clear what we need to do to plug the gaps” in the system.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, there was a disruption in the train traffic on the Crimean Peninsula on Wednesday, as per its Russian-installed governor Sergei Aksyonov.</p>

<p>Aksyonov did not specify what led to the disruption, however, some Russian media outlets stated that apparent sabotage operations blew up the rail lines overnight.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Moscow region Governor Andrei Vorobyov on Wednesday said that the Russian forces brought down two drones outside the capital city as they approached a local military unit warehouse, which they say was Ukraine's latest attempt to strike targets inside Russia during the initial phase of Kyiv’s recent counteroffensive.

Moscow region Governor Andrei Vorobyov on Wednesday said that the Russian forces brought down two drones outside the capital city as they approached a local military unit warehouse, which they say was Ukraine's latest attempt to strike targets inside Russia during the initial phase of Kyiv’s recent counteroffensive. The third drone's wreckage was found discovered around 20 kilometres (12 miles) away from the site where the drones crashed, reported Russian media. No casualties or damage were reported in the alleged drone attack. Russia calls it an 'unsuccessful attempt at a terrorist attack' The Russian defence ministry said that it was “an unsuccessful attempt at a terrorist attack” by “the Kyiv regime” on its facilities located in the region of Moscow. In a statement, the ministry added that they brought down all three drones by radio-electronic means. ALSO READ | Ukraine planning to launch missiles at Crimea, Russia claims Ukraine, which generally does not confirm attacks it carries out on Russian soil, did not make any immediate comment about the drones which were downed. Earlier, Ukrainian officials emphasised the right of the country to strike any target in response to the invasion of Russia and the war that began in February 2022. In December, Russia claimed to have shot down drones which were targeted at military air bases in the Ryazan and Saratov regions of western Russia. Increasing drone attacks As per reports, many drones have flown deep into Russia on several occasions. In February, a UJ-22 crashed 100 kilometres (60 miles) away from Moscow, after which the Russian capital has allegedly been repeatedly approached by Ukrainian drones. Last month, the Russian capital was jolted by a drone attack, although it suffered only slight damage. The attack was seen as one of the deepest and most daring strikes by Kyiv into Russia. In that month, it was the second reported strike on Moscow after Russian authorities claimed that the Kremlin was targeted by two drones. WATCH | Ukraine: Counteroffensive leads to advancements in Southern region | Russia-Ukraine War During that time, Russian President Vladimir Putin had stated that the air defence of Moscow “worked in a satisfactory way,” but added it was “clear what we need to do to plug the gaps” in the system. Meanwhile, there was a disruption in the train traffic on the Crimean Peninsula on Wednesday, as per its Russian-installed governor Sergei Aksyonov. Aksyonov did not specify what led to the disruption, however, some Russian media outlets stated that apparent sabotage operations blew up the rail lines overnight. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Russia claims to have shot down three drones outside Moscow, calls it an attack by Ukraine

United Nations has spoken out against Russia stating that the latter has declined the request to aid in the relief efforts in the aftermath of the Kakhovka dam destruction. Earlier, the UN asked Moscow to act in accordance to their obligations under the International Humanitarian Law, while Moscow maintained its allegations against Kyiv.

Dam breach: Russia declines UN aid, latter says, 'obligation under International Humanitarian Law'

<p>A former United States paratrooper and musician was arrested on Sunday (June 11) in Russian capital Moscow on drug charges. He is reported to be in custody at least for two months pending a possible trial.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>What do we know about the court appearance?</strong></h2>

<p>Khamovniki District Court of Moscow has said that the name of the American citizen is Michael Travis Leake, the spelling of his name has since been disputed. The 51-year-old was described as a “former paratrooper and musician” and accused of running a drug dealing business.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He was seen on Russian state television locked in a metal cage. Meanwhile, REN TV has previously shown an image of him being detained on June 6 in Moscow, lying on the floor in his underpants and a t-shirt with his hands restrained behind his back, reported Reuters. The US citizen was reportedly presented in the court on June 10.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/evan-gershkovich-us-journalist-arrested-in-russia-on-charges-of-espionage-denied-bail-583727">Evan Gershkovich: US journalist arrested in Russia on charges of espionage denied bail</a></strong></p>

<p>In a statement, Moscow’s courts of general jurisdiction said, “On June 10, 2023, Moscow's Khamovniki District Court took a measure of restraint against a US citizen.” The message on Telegram added, “The former paratrooper and a musician, who is accused of running a drug dealing business involving young people, will remain in custody until Aug. 6, 2023.”</p>

<p>According to Russian media reports, if convicted, the 51-year-old could face 12 years in prison. The suspicious substance was found at Leake’s apartment, reported REN TV.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>What do we know about the US citizen and his arrest</strong>?</h2>

<p>As per media reports, the US citizen had been living in Russia for some years now. Notably, Leake’s arrest comes amid deteriorating relations between Moscow and Washington as Russia has arrested several US citizens recently.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brittney-griner-breaks-silence-on-return-from-russia-to-play-in-wnba-in-2023-543834">Brittney Griner breaks silence on return from Russia, to play in WNBA in 2023</a></strong></p>

<p>Washington has also accused Moscow of arbitrary detentions of US citizens for use as bargaining chips to secure the release of Russians jailed in the United States. It was not immediately clear if Leake had access to legal counsel.&nbsp;</p>

<p>An anonymous source told Reuters, that the rock group that Leake was a part of had not played a concert since 2019. Additionally, when the US citizen first came to Moscow he worked as an English teacher and helped translate songs for Russian bands, reported Reuters.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>How has the US responded to the arrest?</strong></h2>

<p>A US state department spokesperson said they are aware of the arrest but did not reveal any further details citing privacy concerns. “We are aware of reports of the recent arrest of a US citizen in Moscow. When a US citizen is detained overseas, the department pursues consular access as soon as possible and works to provide all appropriate consular assistance.”&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em><br />
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A former United States paratrooper and musician was arrested on Sunday (June 11) in Russian capital Moscow on drug charges. He is reported to be in custody at least for two months pending a possible trial.

A former United States paratrooper and musician was arrested on Sunday (June 11) in Russian capital Moscow on drug charges. He is reported to be in custody at least for two months pending a possible trial. What do we know about the court appearance? Khamovniki District Court of Moscow has said that the name of the American citizen is Michael Travis Leake, the spelling of his name has since been disputed. The 51-year-old was described as a “former paratrooper and musician” and accused of running a drug dealing business. He was seen on Russian state television locked in a metal cage. Meanwhile, REN TV has previously shown an image of him being detained on June 6 in Moscow, lying on the floor in his underpants and a t-shirt with his hands restrained behind his back, reported Reuters. The US citizen was reportedly presented in the court on June 10. Also read | Evan Gershkovich: US journalist arrested in Russia on charges of espionage denied bail In a statement, Moscow’s courts of general jurisdiction said, “On June 10, 2023, Moscow's Khamovniki District Court took a measure of restraint against a US citizen.” The message on Telegram added, “The former paratrooper and a musician, who is accused of running a drug dealing business involving young people, will remain in custody until Aug. 6, 2023.” According to Russian media reports, if convicted, the 51-year-old could face 12 years in prison. The suspicious substance was found at Leake’s apartment, reported REN TV. What do we know about the US citizen and his arrest? As per media reports, the US citizen had been living in Russia for some years now. Notably, Leake’s arrest comes amid deteriorating relations between Moscow and Washington as Russia has arrested several US citizens recently. Also read | Brittney Griner breaks silence on return from Russia, to play in WNBA in 2023 Washington has also accused Moscow of arbitrary detentions of US citizens for use as bargaining chips to secure the release of Russians jailed in the United States. It was not immediately clear if Leake had access to legal counsel. An anonymous source told Reuters, that the rock group that Leake was a part of had not played a concert since 2019. Additionally, when the US citizen first came to Moscow he worked as an English teacher and helped translate songs for Russian bands, reported Reuters. How has the US responded to the arrest? A US state department spokesperson said they are aware of the arrest but did not reveal any further details citing privacy concerns. “We are aware of reports of the recent arrest of a US citizen in Moscow. When a US citizen is detained overseas, the department pursues consular access as soon as possible and works to provide all appropriate consular assistance.” (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

US citizen arrested in Russia over drug dealing charges

Ukraine has announced that its forces have retaken three villages in the Eastern region of Donetsk. This is the first reported gains of Ukraine's much anticipated counter-offensive which President Zelensky confirmed is now underway.

Russia Ukraine War: Kyiv claims 3 villages taken in Donetsk, Moscow yet to confirm the fall

<p>In what might be the first gains since Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gave the strongest indication yet that Kyiv’s long-awaited pushback of Russian troops has begun,&nbsp;Kyiv announced on Sunday that Ukrainian forces had retaken three villages in the eastern region of Donetsk. Ukraine, on Monday (June 12) also claimed that it&nbsp;recaptured a fourth village in a cluster of settlements in the country's&nbsp;southeast region.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“The settlements of Blahodatne and Makarivka were liberated,” Ukraine's deputy defence minister Hanna&nbsp;Maliar&nbsp;said in an&nbsp;update on Telegram.</p>

<p>A third village,&nbsp;Neskuchne, was also claimed by a Ukrainian army brigade on Sunday, though Kyiv defence leaders are yet to comment on the development. Russian military bloggers have&nbsp;made unofficial reports&nbsp;that Neskuchne has been recaptured by Ukraine's troops, reports CNN.<br />
<br />
Video footage posted online&nbsp;showed soldiers holding up the Ukrainian flag in&nbsp;Donetsk region's Storozheve with the defence minister thanking&nbsp;the 35th Separate Brigade of Marines for regaining control of the village.</p>

<p>This comes after Zelensky said that the “relevant counter-offensive defensive actions are taking place in Ukraine,” on Saturday. “Neskuchne of the Donetsk region is under the Ukrainian flag again,” said the state border guard, along with a video of Ukrainian troops announcing the takeover.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ukrainian soldiers were also seen shouting Kyiv’s traditional battle cries such as “Glory to Ukraine!” and reportedly derided Russian President Vladimir Putin.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-claims-to-repel-attack-by-ukraine-on-black-sea-warship-603188">Russia claims to repel attack by Ukraine on Black Sea warship</a></strong></p>

<p>This was hours after Ukrainian Land Forces announced that soldiers of the 68th Separate Hunting Brigade had retaken the village of Blahodatne in the Donetsk region.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-citizen-arrested-in-russia-over-drug-dealing-charges-603227">US citizen arrested in Russia over drug dealing charges</a></strong></p>

<p>The video showed soldiers hoisting a Ukrainian flag over a destroyed building. The Ukrainian government also has released a video for the third consecutive weekend that subtly acknowledges, without directly mentioning, the summer counteroffensive against Russia. &nbsp;<br />
<br />
The most recent video features Kyrylo Budanov, the head of military intelligence, sitting silently at his desk, gazing into the camera and after 20 seconds or so the words “More to Come” appear, which is followed by the slogan, “Plans Love Silence.” The recurring theme seems to point to the Kyiv government’s efforts symbolising the importance of maintaining silence.</p>

<h2><strong>Russia blows up another dam</strong></h2>

<p>Ukraine has accused Russia of blowing&nbsp;up another dam in the Zaporizhzhia region, following the destruction of the major Nova Kakhovka on Monday, which caused widespread flooding.</p>

<p>Ukraine says the dam was blown up by Russian forces, who have controlled it since February 2022.</p>

<p>Valeriy Shershen, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian military, said Moscow's forces had chosen to blow up a second dam near the village of Novodarivka, which "led to the flooding on both banks of the Mokri Yaly river", Kyiv Independent reported.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Russia, Ukraine prisoner&nbsp;swap</strong></h2>

<p>The Russian defence ministry, on Telegram, announced 94 Russian servicemen “who were in mortal danger” are being released after negotiations and will be taken to medical institutes for examination.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ukraines-counter-offensive-against-russia-under-way-603074">Ukraine's counter-offensive against Russia under way</a></strong></p>

<p>Head of Ukraine’s presidential administration, Andriy Yermak, said 95 Ukrainian troops had been returned by the Russians. The Ukrainian official also said that some of them were injured and among those who returned were also members of the national guard and border guards.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Is Russia taking control of Wagner?</strong></h2>

<p>Yevgeny Prigozhin, chief of Russia's Wagner mercenary, on Sunday, said his fighters would not sign any contract with the country’s Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-says-it-repels-many-attacks-by-ukraine-ukraine-claims-gains-in-bakhmut-603084">Russia says it repels many attacks by Ukraine; Ukraine claims gains in Bakhmut</a></strong></p>

<p>This comes after the Russian defence ministry on Saturday said Shoigu had ordered all “volunteer detachments” to sign contracts with his ministry by the end of the month. According to the defence ministry, it is in a bid to increase the effectiveness of the Russian army.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Ukraine's counter-offensive against Russia underway</h2>

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<p>While no particular group or forces were mentioned by the ministry, the move is being seen as an attempt to take direct control of Wagner. However, Prigozhin, in response to a request for comment on the matter said, “Wagner will not sign any contracts with Shoigu,” adding that the order did not apply to Wagner.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-dam-collapse-zelensky-says-world-shamefully-indifferent-to-disaster-603032">Ukraine dam collapse: Zelensky says world ‘shamefully indifferent’ to disaster</a></strong></p>

<p>This comes as the Wagner chief has repeatedly criticised the Russian military brass for incompetence and deliberately undersupplying Wagner fighters in Ukraine. “Shoigu cannot properly manage military formation,” said Wagner chief.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He also went on to say that his group is well integrated with the Russian military and its effectiveness would be affected if they are required to report to the defence minister.</p>

<h2><strong>Russia said it hit Leopard tanks, Bradley vehicles and Ukrainian fighter je</strong>t</h2>

<p>Earlier, on Sunday, Russia claimed that it destroyed at least seven German-made Leopard tanks and five United States-made Bradley vehicles in the past 48 hours while repelling Ukrainian attacks.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-opposition-failing-to-unite-against-putin-heres-why-603145">Russian opposition leaders meet in Brussels, fail to unite against Putin. Here's why</a></strong></p>

<p>It also later claimed that it had successfully taken down a Ukrainian Su-25 fighter jet in the Kherson region. Russian forces have also repelled three Ukrainian attacks in the Zaporizhzhia region, the ministry said.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
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<em><strong>Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.</strong></em></p>

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In what might be the first gains since Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gave the strongest indication yet that Kyiv’s long-awaited pushback of Russian troops has begun, Kyiv announced on Sunday that Ukrainian forces had retaken three villages in the eastern region of Donetsk.

In what might be the first gains since Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gave the strongest indication yet that Kyiv’s long-awaited pushback of Russian troops has begun, Kyiv announced on Sunday that Ukrainian forces had retaken three villages in the eastern region of Donetsk. Ukraine, on Monday (June 12) also claimed that it recaptured a fourth village in a cluster of settlements in the country's southeast region. “The settlements of Blahodatne and Makarivka were liberated,” Ukraine's deputy defence minister Hanna Maliar said in an update on Telegram. A third village, Neskuchne, was also claimed by a Ukrainian army brigade on Sunday, though Kyiv defence leaders are yet to comment on the development. Russian military bloggers have made unofficial reports that Neskuchne has been recaptured by Ukraine's troops, reports CNN. Video footage posted online showed soldiers holding up the Ukrainian flag in Donetsk region's Storozheve with the defence minister thanking the 35th Separate Brigade of Marines for regaining control of the village. This comes after Zelensky said that the “relevant counter-offensive defensive actions are taking place in Ukraine,” on Saturday. “Neskuchne of the Donetsk region is under the Ukrainian flag again,” said the state border guard, along with a video of Ukrainian troops announcing the takeover. Ukrainian soldiers were also seen shouting Kyiv’s traditional battle cries such as “Glory to Ukraine!” and reportedly derided Russian President Vladimir Putin. ALSO READ | Russia claims to repel attack by Ukraine on Black Sea warship This was hours after Ukrainian Land Forces announced that soldiers of the 68th Separate Hunting Brigade had retaken the village of Blahodatne in the Donetsk region. ALSO READ | US citizen arrested in Russia over drug dealing charges The video showed soldiers hoisting a Ukrainian flag over a destroyed building. The Ukrainian government also has released a video for the third consecutive weekend that subtly acknowledges, without directly mentioning, the summer counteroffensive against Russia. The most recent video features Kyrylo Budanov, the head of military intelligence, sitting silently at his desk, gazing into the camera and after 20 seconds or so the words “More to Come” appear, which is followed by the slogan, “Plans Love Silence.” The recurring theme seems to point to the Kyiv government’s efforts symbolising the importance of maintaining silence. Russia blows up another dam Ukraine has accused Russia of blowing up another dam in the Zaporizhzhia region, following the destruction of the major Nova Kakhovka on Monday, which caused widespread flooding. Ukraine says the dam was blown up by Russian forces, who have controlled it since February 2022. Valeriy Shershen, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian military, said Moscow's forces had chosen to blow up a second dam near the village of Novodarivka, which "led to the flooding on both banks of the Mokri Yaly river", Kyiv Independent reported. Russia, Ukraine prisoner swap The Russian defence ministry, on Telegram, announced 94 Russian servicemen “who were in mortal danger” are being released after negotiations and will be taken to medical institutes for examination. ALSO WATCH | Ukraine's counter-offensive against Russia under way Head of Ukraine’s presidential administration, Andriy Yermak, said 95 Ukrainian troops had been returned by the Russians. The Ukrainian official also said that some of them were injured and among those who returned were also members of the national guard and border guards. Is Russia taking control of Wagner? Yevgeny Prigozhin, chief of Russia's Wagner mercenary, on Sunday, said his fighters would not sign any contract with the country’s Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu. ALSO WATCH | Russia says it repels many attacks by Ukraine; Ukraine claims gains in Bakhmut This comes after the Russian defence ministry on Saturday said Shoigu had ordered all “volunteer detachments” to sign contracts with his ministry by the end of the month. According to the defence ministry, it is in a bid to increase the effectiveness of the Russian army. Ukraine's counter-offensive against Russia underway While no particular group or forces were mentioned by the ministry, the move is being seen as an attempt to take direct control of Wagner. However, Prigozhin, in response to a request for comment on the matter said, “Wagner will not sign any contracts with Shoigu,” adding that the order did not apply to Wagner. ALSO READ | Ukraine dam collapse: Zelensky says world ‘shamefully indifferent’ to disaster This comes as the Wagner chief has repeatedly criticised the Russian military brass for incompetence and deliberately undersupplying Wagner fighters in Ukraine. “Shoigu cannot properly manage military formation,” said Wagner chief. He also went on to say that his group is well integrated with the Russian military and its effectiveness would be affected if they are required to report to the defence minister. Russia said it hit Leopard tanks, Bradley vehicles and Ukrainian fighter jet Earlier, on Sunday, Russia claimed that it destroyed at least seven German-made Leopard tanks and five United States-made Bradley vehicles in the past 48 hours while repelling Ukrainian attacks. ALSO READ | Russian opposition leaders meet in Brussels, fail to unite against Putin. Here's why It also later claimed that it had successfully taken down a Ukrainian Su-25 fighter jet in the Kherson region. Russian forces have also repelled three Ukrainian attacks in the Zaporizhzhia region, the ministry said. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Kyiv recaptures four villages in Donetsk as Ukraine's counter-offensive begins

Here, we bring you the news that is trending across WION's social media platforms - A crocodile made herself pregnant in a rare case of 'Virgin Birth', Explained | How Air India's diverted flight to Russia landed amid row between Moscow, Canada wildfires smoke covers US skies.

Rare case of 'Virgin Birth' | Canada wildfires smoke covers US skies

Intense cross-border shelling between Ukraine and Russia continues into the 16th month of the war. Ukraine force of Russian partisan has now infiltrated a Russian city and captured multiple Russian soldiers.

Russia-Ukraine War: Russia 'thwarts' Ukrainian assault on Donetsk | World News | WION

Russia's President Vladimir Putin has decided to transfer one of the country's holiest icons from a museum to a Moscow cathedral as the Ukraine-Russia standoff drags on, sparking a debate over Putin's increasing reliance on the church.

Russia: President Vladimir Putin orders transfer of trinity to Moscow Cathedral

The pace of price hikes has slowed down to a snail space dropping to its lowest levels since Russia invaded Ukraine right consumer prices in the Eurozone Rose May 6.1 last month compared to more flamboyant seven percent in April it's the slowest dance with inflation since February 2022 when Moscow's Invasion sent Energy prices soaring food prices have decided to cool down their fiery dance moves for the second month in a row on the other hand Energy prices have taken a tumble surprising everyone with their unexpected break dancing skills core inflation has slowed to a four-month low of 5.3 percent.

Inflation Europe whispers slow down amid Russian invasion

<p>In response to Russia's "violations" of the New START nukes deal, the US on Thursday took several countermeasures which included withholding updates on the "status or location of treaty-accountable items such as missiles and launchers," as per a US State Department press release Thursday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin in February this year said that Moscow was halting the nuclear arms control treaty. US and Russia have been under a constant state of friction ever since the war broke out in Ukraine leading both nations to take measures and countermeasures targeting each other.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/indian-scientists-discover-62-plants-that-can-live-without-water-in-western-ghats-599626">Indian scientists discover 62 plants that can live without water in Western Ghats</a></p>

<p>In the Thursday statement, the United States said that the nation will continue to provide Russia with notifications of intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) launches in accordance with the 1988 Ballistic Missile Launch Notifications Agreement. But Washington will not be providing telemetric information on these launches.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Halting inspection activities</strong></h2>

<p>Another countermeasure was US refraining from facilitating New START Treaty inspection activities on its soil. It has done so by revoking existing visas issued to Russian New START Treaty inspectors and aircrew members.</p>

<p>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/mumbai-2611-attack-accused-tahawwur-rana-challenges-extradition-to-india-599609">US: Mumbai 26/11 attack accused Tahawwur Rana challenges order of his extradition to India</a></p>

<p>To put a stop to any such inspection activities in the future also, Washington is also denying pending applications for such visas and is revoking the standing diplomatic clearance numbers issued for Russian New START Treaty inspection airplanes.</p>

<p>"Russia chose not to exercise its right to conduct inspection activities and has also denied the United States its right under the treaty to conduct inspection activities since August 2022, when it refused to accept a U.S. inspection," the statement read.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>What is New START nukes treaty?&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>The treaty was signed in 2010 and was due to expire in 2026. Under the New START treaty's "Biannual Data Exchanges," the two nations are required to provide a declaration of deployed strategic delivery vehicles, launchers and warheads. The number is capped at no more than 1,550 strategic nuclear warheads and 700 land- and submarine-based missiles and bombers to deliver them.</p>

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<p>It is important to note that as per US, the country continues to abide by the treaty’s central limits, and to fulfill all of its New START obligations that have not been included within these countermeasures.</p>

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In response to Russia's "violations" of the New START nukes deal, the US on Thursday took several countermeasures which included withholding updates on the "status or location of treaty-accountable items such as missiles and launchers," as per a US State Department press release Thursday.

In response to Russia's "violations" of the New START nukes deal, the US on Thursday took several countermeasures which included withholding updates on the "status or location of treaty-accountable items such as missiles and launchers," as per a US State Department press release Thursday. This comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin in February this year said that Moscow was halting the nuclear arms control treaty. US and Russia have been under a constant state of friction ever since the war broke out in Ukraine leading both nations to take measures and countermeasures targeting each other. Also Read | Indian scientists discover 62 plants that can live without water in Western Ghats In the Thursday statement, the United States said that the nation will continue to provide Russia with notifications of intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) launches in accordance with the 1988 Ballistic Missile Launch Notifications Agreement. But Washington will not be providing telemetric information on these launches. Halting inspection activities Another countermeasure was US refraining from facilitating New START Treaty inspection activities on its soil. It has done so by revoking existing visas issued to Russian New START Treaty inspectors and aircrew members. Also Read | US: Mumbai 26/11 attack accused Tahawwur Rana challenges order of his extradition to India To put a stop to any such inspection activities in the future also, Washington is also denying pending applications for such visas and is revoking the standing diplomatic clearance numbers issued for Russian New START Treaty inspection airplanes. "Russia chose not to exercise its right to conduct inspection activities and has also denied the United States its right under the treaty to conduct inspection activities since August 2022, when it refused to accept a U.S. inspection," the statement read. What is New START nukes treaty? The treaty was signed in 2010 and was due to expire in 2026. Under the New START treaty's "Biannual Data Exchanges," the two nations are required to provide a declaration of deployed strategic delivery vehicles, launchers and warheads. The number is capped at no more than 1,550 strategic nuclear warheads and 700 land- and submarine-based missiles and bombers to deliver them. Watch | Hollywood star Bruce Willis' daughter Tallulah talks about her father's daily battle with dementia × It is important to note that as per US, the country continues to abide by the treaty’s central limits, and to fulfill all of its New START obligations that have not been included within these countermeasures. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

US halts data sharing, inspection activities in response to Russia's 'violation' of New START nukes deal

<p>Diplomatic relations between Berlin and Moscow continue to deteriorate in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Now, a spokesperson for Germany’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday that Russia&nbsp;has been asked to shut down four consulates operating on its soil. "We have decided to withdraw consent for the operation of four of the five Russian consulates operating in Germany," the spokesperson said.</p>

<p>This comes after the Kremlin imposed tighter limits on Berlin regarding the number of employees Germany’s embassy and cultural institutions can hire in Russia. The ongoing tussle between the two nations has been referred to as a “diplomatic declaration of war” by the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung.</p>

<h2><strong>Tit-for-tat diplomatic strikes</strong></h2>

<p>In April, Moscow placed new limits on people the German embassy and institutes like the Goethe Institute language school can hire in Russia. The rule will go into effect from June 1st, resulting in the expulsion of hundreds of German diplomats, teachers and employees from Russia.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Reuters quoted a source from the German foreign ministry as saying, "This limit, set by Russia for the beginning of June, requires a major cut in all areas of our presence in Russia."</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Poland seizes school run by Russian embassy</strong></p>

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<p>Earlier in April, the two nations had expelled 40 workers from their respective embassies after declaring them personae non grata. Following this, the German foreign ministry in a statement said, “In view of this unilateral, unjustified, and incomprehensible decision, the Federal Government is now concerned with ensuring a minimum presence of intermediaries in Russia while also maintaining a diplomatic presence.”</p>

<h2><strong>Diplomatic standoff between EU and Russia</strong></h2>

<p>Since the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, European nations have expelled several&nbsp;Russian diplomats. In March alone, four European nations expelled at least 40 Russian diplomats suspected of spying.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Russia and Germany are known for having deep cultural and economic links,&nbsp;however, things have turned upside down over the last 15 months. Russia has been accusing Berlin of escalating conflict in Ukraine as the latter in January announced it will send Leopard 2 tanks to the war-torn nation. Following this announcement, Russia accused Germany of abandoning its "historical responsibility to Russia" arising from Nazi crimes in World War Two.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-to-expel-34-out-of-over-90-german-diplomats-working-in-moscow-585173"><strong>Also Read |&nbsp;Russia to expel 34 out of over 90 German diplomats working in Moscow</strong></a></p>

<p>In early May, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced that his nation will back Ukraine "for as long as it is necessary", while further promising military aid worth €2.7bn ($2.9bn).</p>

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Diplomatic relations between Berlin and Moscow continue to deteriorate in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Now, a spokesperson for Germany’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday that Russia has been asked to shut down four consulates operating on its soil.

Diplomatic relations between Berlin and Moscow continue to deteriorate in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Now, a spokesperson for Germany’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday that Russia has been asked to shut down four consulates operating on its soil. "We have decided to withdraw consent for the operation of four of the five Russian consulates operating in Germany," the spokesperson said. This comes after the Kremlin imposed tighter limits on Berlin regarding the number of employees Germany’s embassy and cultural institutions can hire in Russia. The ongoing tussle between the two nations has been referred to as a “diplomatic declaration of war” by the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung. Tit-for-tat diplomatic strikes In April, Moscow placed new limits on people the German embassy and institutes like the Goethe Institute language school can hire in Russia. The rule will go into effect from June 1st, resulting in the expulsion of hundreds of German diplomats, teachers and employees from Russia. Reuters quoted a source from the German foreign ministry as saying, "This limit, set by Russia for the beginning of June, requires a major cut in all areas of our presence in Russia." Watch: Poland seizes school run by Russian embassy × Earlier in April, the two nations had expelled 40 workers from their respective embassies after declaring them personae non grata. Following this, the German foreign ministry in a statement said, “In view of this unilateral, unjustified, and incomprehensible decision, the Federal Government is now concerned with ensuring a minimum presence of intermediaries in Russia while also maintaining a diplomatic presence.” Diplomatic standoff between EU and Russia Since the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, European nations have expelled several Russian diplomats. In March alone, four European nations expelled at least 40 Russian diplomats suspected of spying. Russia and Germany are known for having deep cultural and economic links, however, things have turned upside down over the last 15 months. Russia has been accusing Berlin of escalating conflict in Ukraine as the latter in January announced it will send Leopard 2 tanks to the war-torn nation. Following this announcement, Russia accused Germany of abandoning its "historical responsibility to Russia" arising from Nazi crimes in World War Two. Also Read | Russia to expel 34 out of over 90 German diplomats working in Moscow In early May, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced that his nation will back Ukraine "for as long as it is necessary", while further promising military aid worth €2.7bn ($2.9bn). WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

‘Diplomatic declaration of war’: Russia asked to vacate its four consulates in Germany

<p>Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday claimed that the rare drone attack on Moscow was in “response” to the missile strike against Ukraine's military intelligence agency.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr">Speaking on Russian state television, Putin accused Ukraine of “terrorist activity” and “provoking us to respond with tit-for-tat measures” after the drone struck residential areas early Tuesday morning in Moscow, which he said were meant to “scare Russian citizens by hitting residential buildings.”</p>

<p dir="ltr">“A (Ukrainian) headquarters of military intelligence was struck two or three days ago,” Putin said.</p>

<p dir="ltr">"In response, the Kyiv regime chose a different path to frighten Russians," he added, referring to the attack on Moscow earlier.</p>

<p dir="ltr">Furthermore, Putin vowed to retaliate, which sparked fears in the West that Russia might be using this pretext for its own nuclear use.&nbsp;</p>

<p dir="ltr">The 70-year-old Russian leader said Moscow’s anti-air defences proved “satisfactory” but added that “there is still work to be done”, adding Russia had experienced similar problems at Hmeimim air base during its campaign supporting Bashar al-Assad’s government in the Syrian war.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Is Kyiv taking the war to Moscow? | Russia-Ukraine war</strong></h2>

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<p dir="ltr">The drone attack on Moscow came a day after Russia launched a barrage of aerial attacks on Kyiv, killing at least one person— the fourth attack in three days on Ukraine’s capital.&nbsp;</p>

<p dir="ltr">On Tuesday, Russia claimed that it intercepted all eight of the Ukrainian drones aimed at Moscow and accused Kyiv of a "terrorist attack". There were no reports of deaths, but authorities said that the early morning attack injured two people, one of whom was hospitalised.&nbsp;</p>

<p dir="ltr">Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak denied Kyiv's involvement in the attack, but Moscow has launched a probe into the incident as Russian forensic experts were seen in the capital, collecting what appears to be fragments of a drone.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<h2 dir="ltr"><strong>US says it doesn’t back attacks inside Russia</strong></h2>

<p dir="ltr">The United States on Tuesday said that it doesn't support attacks in Moscow, but added that Russia bore responsibility for the war with Ukraine.</p>

<p dir="ltr">"As a general matter, we do not support attacks inside of Russia. We have been focused on providing Ukraine with the equipment and training they need to retake their own sovereign territory," a State Department spokesperson said.</p>

<p dir="ltr">The spokesperson added that the United States was still assessing what happened in Moscow, where residential buildings were hit for the first time since Russia invaded Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin blamed Kyiv.</p>

<p dir="ltr">(With inputs from agencies)</p>

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Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday claimed that the rare drone attack on Moscow was in “response” to the missile strike against Ukraine's military intelligence agency.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday claimed that the rare drone attack on Moscow was in “response” to the missile strike against Ukraine's military intelligence agency. Speaking on Russian state television, Putin accused Ukraine of “terrorist activity” and “provoking us to respond with tit-for-tat measures” after the drone struck residential areas early Tuesday morning in Moscow, which he said were meant to “scare Russian citizens by hitting residential buildings.” “A (Ukrainian) headquarters of military intelligence was struck two or three days ago,” Putin said. "In response, the Kyiv regime chose a different path to frighten Russians," he added, referring to the attack on Moscow earlier. Furthermore, Putin vowed to retaliate, which sparked fears in the West that Russia might be using this pretext for its own nuclear use. The 70-year-old Russian leader said Moscow’s anti-air defences proved “satisfactory” but added that “there is still work to be done”, adding Russia had experienced similar problems at Hmeimim air base during its campaign supporting Bashar al-Assad’s government in the Syrian war. Is Kyiv taking the war to Moscow? | Russia-Ukraine war The drone attack on Moscow came a day after Russia launched a barrage of aerial attacks on Kyiv, killing at least one person— the fourth attack in three days on Ukraine’s capital. On Tuesday, Russia claimed that it intercepted all eight of the Ukrainian drones aimed at Moscow and accused Kyiv of a "terrorist attack". There were no reports of deaths, but authorities said that the early morning attack injured two people, one of whom was hospitalised. Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak denied Kyiv's involvement in the attack, but Moscow has launched a probe into the incident as Russian forensic experts were seen in the capital, collecting what appears to be fragments of a drone. US says it doesn’t back attacks inside Russia The United States on Tuesday said that it doesn't support attacks in Moscow, but added that Russia bore responsibility for the war with Ukraine. "As a general matter, we do not support attacks inside of Russia. We have been focused on providing Ukraine with the equipment and training they need to retake their own sovereign territory," a State Department spokesperson said. The spokesperson added that the United States was still assessing what happened in Moscow, where residential buildings were hit for the first time since Russia invaded Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin blamed Kyiv. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Vladimir Putin vows ‘response’ to alleged Ukrainian drone attacks on Moscow

Russia unleashes fresh barrage of strikes on Kyiv - this attack comes on the day when the Ukrainian capital Kyiv is marking its Foundation Day. At least one casualty has been confirmed after the strikes took place overnight in several districts in the city.

Russia Ukraine War: At least 1 dead after Russia strikes Ukraine on Kyiv's Foundation Day

<p>In order to secure 'fast' Russian military and civilian movement into Ukrainian territories already under Moscow's control, President Vladimir Putin issued stricter border security orders on Sunday.</p>

<p>Putin said the duty of the border service was to "reliably cover" the lines close to the conflict zone. He made these remarks on Border Guard Day in a message to the border personnel, a division of the Federal Security Service (FSB) of Russia. &nbsp;</p>

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<p>Attacks within Russia have increased in the recent weeks. Most of these attacks are drone strikes on border regions. However, the&nbsp;territory inside Russian borders is not left untouched. For instance, on Saturday, an oil pipeline came under attack in northwest Moscow.</p>

<p>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinas-first-homegrown-passenger-jet-c919-embarks-on-maiden-commercial-flight-597356">China's first homegrown passenger jet C919 embarks on maiden commercial flight</a></p>

<p>In a post on the Kremlin's Telegram handle, Putin said, "It is necessary to ensure the fast movement of both military and civilian vehicles and cargo, including food, humanitarian aid building materials sent to the new subjects of the (Russian) Federation."&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Belgorod shellings&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>As per reports, three people had been hurt by Ukrainian shelling in Belgorod on Saturday.&nbsp;Attacks have destroyed the military, rail, and electricity infrastructure and targeted the Russian borderlands of Kursk and Belgorod. Local local authorities have been blaming Ukraine for these incidents.</p>

<h2><strong>Kyiv denies claims</strong></h2>

<p>Kyiv has never officially accepted blame for assaults within Russia and on Ukrainian territory under Russian control. In fact, Ukraine claimed that destroying infrastructure serves as a prelude to Russia for its intended ground offensive on Kyiv.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Russian-occupied territories</strong>&nbsp;</h2>

<p>The four Ukrainian provinces of Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk, and Donetsk were annexed by Putin last September. Kyiv at the time alleged that the referendums were nothing short of a sham. Notably, the four territories are only partially under Russian authority.</p>

<h2><strong>Russia's fresh drone strikes on Kyiv &nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Local authorities have reported that a fresh drone strike was launched by Russia on Kyiv, overnight.</p>

<p>According to Vitaliy Klitschko, the mayor of Kyiv, a man died when drone debris hit a gas station nearby while another woman suffered injuries. Before a "new drone wave" struck the capital, he claimed that air defences had shot down more than 20 drones that were headed for Kyiv.</p>

<p><strong>Watch | India's new Parliament: PM Modi to inaugurate new Parliament on Sunday | Details</strong></p>

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<p>Later, using early data, Kyiv's military administration claimed that more than 40 drones had been shot down. Air raid alarms were set out earlier on Sunday in 12 Ukrainian areas, from Dnipropetrovsk in the south-east to Volyn in the north-west.</p>

<p>Klitschko advised Kyiv residents to "stay in shelters" in a social media post, noting that the night would be "difficult". He said that at least two high-rise buildings&nbsp;in various parts of the capital were on fire as a result of being struck by drone shards that were falling to the ground.</p>

<h2><strong>Ukraine's counteroffensive</strong></h2>

<p>On Saturday, Ukraine said it was prepared to begin a long-promised counteroffensive to retake land lost to Russia during the war that has now been going on for over a year.&nbsp;The conflict has resulted in a significant number of casualties, displacement of people, and humanitarian challenges. There have been periods of relative calm and ceasefire agreements, but occasional flare-ups of violence have continued. Also, many Ukrainian cities have been brought to ruins due to Russia's war.</p>

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In order to secure 'fast' Russian military and civilian movement into Ukrainian territories already under Moscow's control, President Vladimir Putin issued stricter border security orders on Sunday.

In order to secure 'fast' Russian military and civilian movement into Ukrainian territories already under Moscow's control, President Vladimir Putin issued stricter border security orders on Sunday. Putin said the duty of the border service was to "reliably cover" the lines close to the conflict zone. He made these remarks on Border Guard Day in a message to the border personnel, a division of the Federal Security Service (FSB) of Russia. Also Read | Netherlands: Over 1,500 arrested in protests by Extinction Rebellion climate group Attacks within Russia have increased in the recent weeks. Most of these attacks are drone strikes on border regions. However, the territory inside Russian borders is not left untouched. For instance, on Saturday, an oil pipeline came under attack in northwest Moscow. Also Read | China's first homegrown passenger jet C919 embarks on maiden commercial flight In a post on the Kremlin's Telegram handle, Putin said, "It is necessary to ensure the fast movement of both military and civilian vehicles and cargo, including food, humanitarian aid building materials sent to the new subjects of the (Russian) Federation." Belgorod shellings As per reports, three people had been hurt by Ukrainian shelling in Belgorod on Saturday. Attacks have destroyed the military, rail, and electricity infrastructure and targeted the Russian borderlands of Kursk and Belgorod. Local local authorities have been blaming Ukraine for these incidents. Kyiv denies claims Kyiv has never officially accepted blame for assaults within Russia and on Ukrainian territory under Russian control. In fact, Ukraine claimed that destroying infrastructure serves as a prelude to Russia for its intended ground offensive on Kyiv. Russian-occupied territories The four Ukrainian provinces of Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk, and Donetsk were annexed by Putin last September. Kyiv at the time alleged that the referendums were nothing short of a sham. Notably, the four territories are only partially under Russian authority. Russia's fresh drone strikes on Kyiv Local authorities have reported that a fresh drone strike was launched by Russia on Kyiv, overnight. According to Vitaliy Klitschko, the mayor of Kyiv, a man died when drone debris hit a gas station nearby while another woman suffered injuries. Before a "new drone wave" struck the capital, he claimed that air defences had shot down more than 20 drones that were headed for Kyiv. Watch | India's new Parliament: PM Modi to inaugurate new Parliament on Sunday | Details × Later, using early data, Kyiv's military administration claimed that more than 40 drones had been shot down. Air raid alarms were set out earlier on Sunday in 12 Ukrainian areas, from Dnipropetrovsk in the south-east to Volyn in the north-west. Klitschko advised Kyiv residents to "stay in shelters" in a social media post, noting that the night would be "difficult". He said that at least two high-rise buildings in various parts of the capital were on fire as a result of being struck by drone shards that were falling to the ground. Ukraine's counteroffensive On Saturday, Ukraine said it was prepared to begin a long-promised counteroffensive to retake land lost to Russia during the war that has now been going on for over a year. The conflict has resulted in a significant number of casualties, displacement of people, and humanitarian challenges. There have been periods of relative calm and ceasefire agreements, but occasional flare-ups of violence have continued. Also, many Ukrainian cities have been brought to ruins due to Russia's war. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Putin orders heightened border security as Kyiv faces massive Russian drone attack

<p>The head of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group, which has been spearheading Moscow’s fight in the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, on Thursday (May 25) said his fighters have begun transferring their positions to the Russian army. In Japan, a masked man carrying what appeared to be a hunting rifle and a knife attacked at least four people in the Nagano Prefecture in central Japan. At least three people, one victim and two police officers, were killed, while police are searching for the suspect who is said to be holed up inside a building.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Finally, we also bring you updates from Pakistan political scuffle.</p>

<p><strong>Click on the news headline to read more:</strong></p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/worlds-fourth-largest-economy-germany-enters-recession-596490">World’s fourth-largest economy Germany enters recession</a></p>

<p><img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/05/25/354385-german.jpg?imwidth=1920" /></p>

<p>World’s fourth-largest economy and Europe’s largest, Germany, has entered into recession after the country’s GDP recorded its second quarterly contraction.</p>

<p>The country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from January to March quarter fell by 0.3 per cent, data released by the Federal Statistical Office on Thursday showed. This was the second consecutive drop from the last quarter of 2022, which showed GDP fall of 0.5 per cent. Two consecutive quarters of decline constitute a technical recession.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/man-crashes-car-outside-downing-street-gates-arrested-596502">Man crashes car outside Downing Street gates, arrested; cops lockdown area</a></p>

<p><img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/05/25/354392-crash.jpg?imwidth=1920" /></p>

<p>A man was arrested after he drove his car into the gates outside Downing Street, police said, according to local media reports.</p>

<p>Reports said that UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was inside the Downing Street complex when the incident took place. Whitehall —the main road running past Downing Street —has been put under lockdown by the police.</p>

<p>The armed officers caught the man at the scene on suspicion of criminal damage and dangerous driving. &nbsp;There are no reports of any injuries.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russias-wagner-withdraws-fighters-from-bakhmut-military-to-take-over-ukraine-partially-confirms-596367">Russia's Wagner withdraws fighters from Bakhmut, military to take over; Ukraine partially confirms</a></p>

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<p>The head of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group, which has been spearheading Moscow’s fight in the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, on Thursday (May 25) said his fighters have begun transferring their positions to the Russian army.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The change was seemingly confirmed by Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar who said that Wagner fighters have been replaced by regular soldiers in the outskirts of Bakhmut.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/japan-at-least-three-killed-after-shooting-stabbing-incident-in-nagano-596389">Japan: At least three killed, one injured after shooting, stabbing in Nagano</a></p>

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<p>According to local media reports, a masked man carrying what appeared to be a hunting rifle and a knife, on Thursday (May 25), attacked at least four people in the Nagano Prefecture in central Japan. At least three people, one victim and two police officers, were killed, while police are searching for the suspect who is said to be holed up inside a building.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Hours later, the NHK reported that the person escaped from the building and that some other people might still be inside.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis-djokovic-has-great-chance-of-winning-french-open-2023-in-nadals-absence-john-mcenroe-596461">Tennis: Djokovic has great chance of winning French Open 2023 in Nadal’s absence, feels John McEnroe</a></p>

<p><img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/05/25/354361-djokovic-has-great-chance-of-winning-french-open-in-nadals-absence-mcenroe.jpg?imwidth=1920" /></p>

<p>All eyes are on the forthcoming French Open 2023 edition, which kicks off on May 28 in Paris, France. With no Rafael Nadal -- who announced his decision to withdraw from the tournament due to hip injury -- legendary star John McEnroe feels Novak Djokovic has a great chance of lifting the title at the Roland Garros.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/failure-to-launch-internet-trolls-desantis-after-glitchy-presidential-campaign-twitter-space-596417">'#DeSaster': Internet trolls DeSantis after glitchy campaign launch on Twitter Spaces</a></p>

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<p>He was preparing to launch his campaign to win the Republican Party nomination for US Presidential Election in 2024. He chose a novel platform to make the announcement, Twitter Spaces. Twitter owner Elon Musk himself was part of the stream. But what should have been quite a noteworthy announcement&nbsp;from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis turned into something that made news for the wrong reasons. The Space&nbsp;crashed repeatedly as he&nbsp;made the announcement, or at least tried to. This cast a shadow on the major event&nbsp;DeSantis hoped would boost his ratings.&nbsp;About 678,000 people tuned in to listen when the glitches and&nbsp;crashes took the shine off the announcement. Musk attributed the crashes to the number of listeners and his large following on Twitter.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/scammer-poses-as-friend-using-ai-face-swapping-tech-makes-man-pay-usd-600k-596470">Scammer poses as friend using AI face-swapping tech, makes man pay USD 600k</a><br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p><img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/04/27/348034-ai-scam.png?imwidth=1920" /></p>

<p>Artificial Intelligence (AI) has now very much become part of our lives. In our imagination previously, the concept was limited to scary looking robots trying to topple humanity. But the true power of AI is on display now as it subtly becomes part of our lives and daily tech use. ChatGPT has already shown that AI can write essays, poetry, code and much much more.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/seven-storey-building-catches-fire-in-sydney-over-100-firefighters-battle-towering-flames-596281">Major fire engulfs seven-storey building in Sydney: Over 100 firefighters battle towering flames</a></p>

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<p>More than 100 firefighters battled towering flames and dense smoke from a fire in a seven-storey building that was spreading to adjacent buildings in central Sydney on Thursday (May 25).</p>

<p>"The building is starting to collapse, while the inferno is beginning to spread to several neighbouring buildings, including residential apartments," Fire and Rescue NSW said in a statement, as reported by AFP.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As per the emergency services, more than 100 firemen with 20 fire trucks were "working to contain and extinguish the blaze" on Randle Street near the city's Central Station. At least one close vehicle has been destroyed by fire, they said.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/how-buddhism-helped-tina-turner-walk-out-of-abusive-marriage-596387">How Buddhism helped Tina Turner walk out of an abusive marriage&nbsp;</a></p>

<p><img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2022/12/12/317481-untitled-design-2022-12-12t125447922.jpg?imwidth=1920" /></p>

<p>Tina Turner was often known as the Queen of Rock 'n' roll and was instrumental in heralding R&amp;B as a genre in music. But not many know that she was also a prominent practitioner of Nichiren Buddhism. Over the years, she spoke about how Buddhism had helped her steer her life and find the strength to leave her abusive relationship with her former husband Ike Turner in 1976.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the years since then, Turner was known to recite Buddhist chants daily and made its life philosophy an integral part of her life. Many would recall her interview with Larry King on CNN in 1997 when she spoke about how Buddhism helped her cope and she had even chanted Nam Myoho Renge Kyo for the celebrity host and recited a few prayer lines.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-says-it-has-shot-down-36-russian-drones-596275">Ukraine claims it has shot down 36 Russian drones</a></p>

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<p>Some 36 Iranian-made attack drones launched by Russia were downed, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the country's military claimed on Thursday (May 25). Zelensky alleged that Russia was trying to 'terrorise' Ukraine.</p>

<p>"The enemy continued to terrorise Ukraine by launching 36 Shaheds. None reached their target," Zelensky said in a social media post.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, the Moscow-appointed governor in Russian-annexed Crimea said that six drones were shot down or blocked in the region. Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.&nbsp;</p>


The head of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group, which has been spearheading Moscow’s fight in the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, on Thursday (May 25) said his fighters have begun transferring their positions to the Russian army.

The head of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group, which has been spearheading Moscow’s fight in the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, on Thursday (May 25) said his fighters have begun transferring their positions to the Russian army. In Japan, a masked man carrying what appeared to be a hunting rifle and a knife attacked at least four people in the Nagano Prefecture in central Japan. At least three people, one victim and two police officers, were killed, while police are searching for the suspect who is said to be holed up inside a building. Finally, we also bring you updates from Pakistan political scuffle. Click on the news headline to read more: World’s fourth-largest economy Germany enters recession World’s fourth-largest economy and Europe’s largest, Germany, has entered into recession after the country’s GDP recorded its second quarterly contraction. The country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from January to March quarter fell by 0.3 per cent, data released by the Federal Statistical Office on Thursday showed. This was the second consecutive drop from the last quarter of 2022, which showed GDP fall of 0.5 per cent. Two consecutive quarters of decline constitute a technical recession. Man crashes car outside Downing Street gates, arrested; cops lockdown area A man was arrested after he drove his car into the gates outside Downing Street, police said, according to local media reports. Reports said that UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was inside the Downing Street complex when the incident took place. Whitehall —the main road running past Downing Street —has been put under lockdown by the police. The armed officers caught the man at the scene on suspicion of criminal damage and dangerous driving. There are no reports of any injuries. Russia's Wagner withdraws fighters from Bakhmut, military to take over; Ukraine partially confirms The head of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group, which has been spearheading Moscow’s fight in the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, on Thursday (May 25) said his fighters have begun transferring their positions to the Russian army. The change was seemingly confirmed by Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar who said that Wagner fighters have been replaced by regular soldiers in the outskirts of Bakhmut. Japan: At least three killed, one injured after shooting, stabbing in Nagano According to local media reports, a masked man carrying what appeared to be a hunting rifle and a knife, on Thursday (May 25), attacked at least four people in the Nagano Prefecture in central Japan. At least three people, one victim and two police officers, were killed, while police are searching for the suspect who is said to be holed up inside a building. Hours later, the NHK reported that the person escaped from the building and that some other people might still be inside. Tennis: Djokovic has great chance of winning French Open 2023 in Nadal’s absence, feels John McEnroe All eyes are on the forthcoming French Open 2023 edition, which kicks off on May 28 in Paris, France. With no Rafael Nadal -- who announced his decision to withdraw from the tournament due to hip injury -- legendary star John McEnroe feels Novak Djokovic has a great chance of lifting the title at the Roland Garros. '#DeSaster': Internet trolls DeSantis after glitchy campaign launch on Twitter Spaces He was preparing to launch his campaign to win the Republican Party nomination for US Presidential Election in 2024. He chose a novel platform to make the announcement, Twitter Spaces. Twitter owner Elon Musk himself was part of the stream. But what should have been quite a noteworthy announcement from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis turned into something that made news for the wrong reasons. The Space crashed repeatedly as he made the announcement, or at least tried to. This cast a shadow on the major event DeSantis hoped would boost his ratings. About 678,000 people tuned in to listen when the glitches and crashes took the shine off the announcement. Musk attributed the crashes to the number of listeners and his large following on Twitter. Scammer poses as friend using AI face-swapping tech, makes man pay USD 600k Artificial Intelligence (AI) has now very much become part of our lives. In our imagination previously, the concept was limited to scary looking robots trying to topple humanity. But the true power of AI is on display now as it subtly becomes part of our lives and daily tech use. ChatGPT has already shown that AI can write essays, poetry, code and much much more. Major fire engulfs seven-storey building in Sydney: Over 100 firefighters battle towering flames More than 100 firefighters battled towering flames and dense smoke from a fire in a seven-storey building that was spreading to adjacent buildings in central Sydney on Thursday (May 25). "The building is starting to collapse, while the inferno is beginning to spread to several neighbouring buildings, including residential apartments," Fire and Rescue NSW said in a statement, as reported by AFP. As per the emergency services, more than 100 firemen with 20 fire trucks were "working to contain and extinguish the blaze" on Randle Street near the city's Central Station. At least one close vehicle has been destroyed by fire, they said. How Buddhism helped Tina Turner walk out of an abusive marriage Tina Turner was often known as the Queen of Rock 'n' roll and was instrumental in heralding R&B as a genre in music. But not many know that she was also a prominent practitioner of Nichiren Buddhism. Over the years, she spoke about how Buddhism had helped her steer her life and find the strength to leave her abusive relationship with her former husband Ike Turner in 1976. In the years since then, Turner was known to recite Buddhist chants daily and made its life philosophy an integral part of her life. Many would recall her interview with Larry King on CNN in 1997 when she spoke about how Buddhism helped her cope and she had even chanted Nam Myoho Renge Kyo for the celebrity host and recited a few prayer lines. Ukraine claims it has shot down 36 Russian drones Some 36 Iranian-made attack drones launched by Russia were downed, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the country's military claimed on Thursday (May 25). Zelensky alleged that Russia was trying to 'terrorise' Ukraine. "The enemy continued to terrorise Ukraine by launching 36 Shaheds. None reached their target," Zelensky said in a social media post. Meanwhile, the Moscow-appointed governor in Russian-annexed Crimea said that six drones were shot down or blocked in the region. Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.

Top 10 world news: Man crashes car outside Downing Street gates, stabbing in Japan, and more

<p>Even as the West disapproves of the flourishing ties between Russia and China, the two countries on Wednesday further deepened their strategic relationship during a visit by the Russian Prime Minister to Beijing. Chinese President Xi Jinping also took the opportunity to promise Beijing’s official support for Moscow’s “core interests.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to a readout published by China’s Xinhua news agency, President Xi said that the two nations will “continue to provide each other with firm support on issues concerning each other's core interests and strengthen collaboration in multilateral arenas."</p>

<p>Russian PM Mikhail Mishustin is the highest-ranking Russian official visiting Beijing since the conflict in Ukraine started.</p>

<h2><strong>Ties with China at ‘unprecedented high level’: Russian PM</strong></h2>

<p>The Russian PM on Tuesday said that despite Western pushback, the ties between China and Russia were at an ‘unprecedented high level.’ The Russian leader also claimed that the two nations will reach the $200 billion annual trade turnover milestone ahead of schedule, an indication of the steep rise in Russia’s economic engagement with China in the aftermath of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.</p>

<p>The conflict has put the Russian economy under tremendous pressure, making Moscow economically more dependent on China than ever. Moscow is now counting on massive Asian oil markets in China and India to keep its economy up and running even as Western nations further pile sanctions on Russia-affiliated companies.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Jinping's proposal to Putin to block YouTube in Russia</strong></p>

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<p>"As our Chinese friends say, unity makes it possible to move mountains," the Russian PM said Wednesday. Talking about ties between Russia and China, he added, "They are characterised by mutual respect of each other's interests, the desire to jointly respond to challenges, which is associated with increased turbulence in the international arena and the pressure of illegitimate sanctions from the collective West."</p>

<h2><strong>New pacts signed between Russia and China</strong></h2>

<p>Several bilateral pacts were signed during the visit of the Russian PM to Beijing. Of many memorandums of understanding signed between the two parties, one was about deepening investment cooperation in trade services. Another pact was about the export of agricultural products to China, along with a separate pact on sports cooperation.</p>

<p>The bilateral trade has boomed between Russia and China since the conflict broke out in Ukraine, and the trend is expected to continue in 2023 as well. As per Reuters, Russia’s energy shipments to China are expected to further rise 40 per cent this year. In April, China’s exports to Russia also hit a record high, jumping 153 per cent&nbsp;from a year earlier to $9.6 billion.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russias-lavrov-says-g7-is-bent-on-double-containment-of-russia-and-china-594604"><strong>Also Read |&nbsp;Russia's Lavrov says G7 is bent on "double containment" of Russia and China</strong></a></p>

<p>Meanwhile, China has also stepped up its engagement with European partners as it seeks to walk a fine line between Moscow and Brussels. Xi recently dispatched his special envoy to Ukraine and other European nations. China has also hosted top EU leaders over the past few months in order to boost economic ties with the EU amidst growing hostility with Washington DC.</p>

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Even as the West disapproves of the flourishing ties between Russia and China, the two countries on Wednesday further deepened their strategic relationship during a visit by the Russian Prime Minister to Beijing.

Even as the West disapproves of the flourishing ties between Russia and China, the two countries on Wednesday further deepened their strategic relationship during a visit by the Russian Prime Minister to Beijing. Chinese President Xi Jinping also took the opportunity to promise Beijing’s official support for Moscow’s “core interests.” According to a readout published by China’s Xinhua news agency, President Xi said that the two nations will “continue to provide each other with firm support on issues concerning each other's core interests and strengthen collaboration in multilateral arenas." Russian PM Mikhail Mishustin is the highest-ranking Russian official visiting Beijing since the conflict in Ukraine started. Ties with China at ‘unprecedented high level’: Russian PM The Russian PM on Tuesday said that despite Western pushback, the ties between China and Russia were at an ‘unprecedented high level.’ The Russian leader also claimed that the two nations will reach the $200 billion annual trade turnover milestone ahead of schedule, an indication of the steep rise in Russia’s economic engagement with China in the aftermath of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The conflict has put the Russian economy under tremendous pressure, making Moscow economically more dependent on China than ever. Moscow is now counting on massive Asian oil markets in China and India to keep its economy up and running even as Western nations further pile sanctions on Russia-affiliated companies. Watch: Jinping's proposal to Putin to block YouTube in Russia × "As our Chinese friends say, unity makes it possible to move mountains," the Russian PM said Wednesday. Talking about ties between Russia and China, he added, "They are characterised by mutual respect of each other's interests, the desire to jointly respond to challenges, which is associated with increased turbulence in the international arena and the pressure of illegitimate sanctions from the collective West." New pacts signed between Russia and China Several bilateral pacts were signed during the visit of the Russian PM to Beijing. Of many memorandums of understanding signed between the two parties, one was about deepening investment cooperation in trade services. Another pact was about the export of agricultural products to China, along with a separate pact on sports cooperation. The bilateral trade has boomed between Russia and China since the conflict broke out in Ukraine, and the trend is expected to continue in 2023 as well. As per Reuters, Russia’s energy shipments to China are expected to further rise 40 per cent this year. In April, China’s exports to Russia also hit a record high, jumping 153 per cent from a year earlier to $9.6 billion. Also Read | Russia's Lavrov says G7 is bent on "double containment" of Russia and China Meanwhile, China has also stepped up its engagement with European partners as it seeks to walk a fine line between Moscow and Brussels. Xi recently dispatched his special envoy to Ukraine and other European nations. China has also hosted top EU leaders over the past few months in order to boost economic ties with the EU amidst growing hostility with Washington DC. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Xi Jinping offers support to Moscow on 'core interests' as Russian PM hails 'unprecedented' ties with China

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<p>Loud explosions were heard as Kyiv came under heavy air attack from the Russian side overnight. Authorities on early Saturday informed that falling debris were reported in three districts of the capital city while a residential building's roof caught fire.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko took to Telegram to confirm the reports, adding there was no immediate information about possible victims.</p>

<p>"Fire on the roof of a nine-storey building in one of the residential complexes of Dniprovskyi district," wrote Klitschko.</p>

<p>Serhiy Popko, the head of the civil and military administration of Kyiv suggested the public stay in shelters until an 'all-clear' was granted. Popko stated falling debris was the reason why the building caught fire, adding that more debris&nbsp;fell on several streets in Darnytskyi and Solomyanskyi districts.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Ukrainian Army said drones were headed towards the Kyiv region around 12:45 am local time (2145 GMT Friday) on Saturday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In an attempt to ensure calm, the Ukrainian military released a statement saying air defence systems were active in the Kyiv and Chernihiv regions. American-made Patriot missiles have helped Kyiv spare the kind of destruction that other regions of the country are currently facing.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/patriot-missile-system-in-ukraine-damaged-but-operational-593525"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Patriot missile system in Ukraine damaged but operational</strong></a></p>

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<h2><strong>Similar attack took place earlier this week</strong></h2>

<p>This is not the first instance during the ongoing war when Moscow has conducted overnight strikes on the capital city while the public sleeps. On Thursday as well, the city's military administration reported falling debris that caused the fire in a non-residential building.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to reports at the time, the attack was purportedly carried out by strategic bombers from the Caspian region, perhaps using cruise missiles. Local media reports stated the cruise missiles used were X-101 and X-55 types developed during Soviet times.</p>

<p>The heavy attack on Kyiv comes on the same day President Volodymyr Zelensky headed for the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan.&nbsp;His visit to Japan comes in the backdrop of US granting Kyiv access to&nbsp;advanced fighter jets and training for Kyiv's pilots.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/g7-summit-live-2023-indian-pm-narendra-modi-meets-japanese-pm-fumio-kishida-594292" target="_blank"><strong>ALSO READ | G7 summit LIVE 2023: Indian PM Narendra Modi meets Japanese PM Fumio Kishida</strong></a></p>

<p>According to an AFP report, Zelensky will hold talks with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on the sidelines of the G7 summit. He will also hold separate meetings with US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida as well as India Prime Minister Narendra Modi.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Loud explosions were heard as Kyiv came under heavy air attack from the Russian side overnight. Authorities on early Saturday informed that falling debris were reported in three districts of the capital city while a residential building's roof caught fire.

Loud explosions were heard as Kyiv came under heavy air attack from the Russian side overnight. Authorities on early Saturday informed that falling debris were reported in three districts of the capital city while a residential building's roof caught fire. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko took to Telegram to confirm the reports, adding there was no immediate information about possible victims. "Fire on the roof of a nine-storey building in one of the residential complexes of Dniprovskyi district," wrote Klitschko. Serhiy Popko, the head of the civil and military administration of Kyiv suggested the public stay in shelters until an 'all-clear' was granted. Popko stated falling debris was the reason why the building caught fire, adding that more debris fell on several streets in Darnytskyi and Solomyanskyi districts. The Ukrainian Army said drones were headed towards the Kyiv region around 12:45 am local time (2145 GMT Friday) on Saturday. In an attempt to ensure calm, the Ukrainian military released a statement saying air defence systems were active in the Kyiv and Chernihiv regions. American-made Patriot missiles have helped Kyiv spare the kind of destruction that other regions of the country are currently facing. WATCH | Patriot missile system in Ukraine damaged but operational × Similar attack took place earlier this week This is not the first instance during the ongoing war when Moscow has conducted overnight strikes on the capital city while the public sleeps. On Thursday as well, the city's military administration reported falling debris that caused the fire in a non-residential building. According to reports at the time, the attack was purportedly carried out by strategic bombers from the Caspian region, perhaps using cruise missiles. Local media reports stated the cruise missiles used were X-101 and X-55 types developed during Soviet times. The heavy attack on Kyiv comes on the same day President Volodymyr Zelensky headed for the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan. His visit to Japan comes in the backdrop of US granting Kyiv access to advanced fighter jets and training for Kyiv's pilots. ALSO READ | G7 summit LIVE 2023: Indian PM Narendra Modi meets Japanese PM Fumio Kishida According to an AFP report, Zelensky will hold talks with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on the sidelines of the G7 summit. He will also hold separate meetings with US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida as well as India Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Russia intensifies attack on Ukraine overnight; Kyiv says air defence active

<p>Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Thursday stated that he had agreed to a proposal submitted by Russia to hold talks with the president of Azerbaijan&nbsp;Ilham Aliyev next week in Moscow.<br />
<br />
The negotiations will take place as tensions escalate between the Caucasus neighbours who have been engaged in two wars over disputed territory and who often witness deadly clashes along their border, as the situation generally remains volatile.<br />
<br />
Baku and Yerevan, which remains locked in a territorial conflict, are negotiating a peace agreement as the United States and European Union continue to mediate.<br />
<br />
The diplomatic engagement of the two in the Caucasus has irked Russia, which is a traditional regional power broker.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ | </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/at-least-two-soldiers-killed-in-clashes-on-armenia-azerbaijan-border-ahead-of-peace-talks-591841">At least two soldiers killed in clashes on Armenia-Azerbaijan border ahead of peace talks</a></p>

<p><br />
"We received a proposal from Russia to hold a trilateral meeting at the highest level under the mediation of the president of Russia on May 25. We have accepted that proposal," Pashinyan said at his cabinet meeting in Yerevan.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Armenia and Azerbaijan's foreign ministers to meet in Moscow</strong><br />
&nbsp;</h2>

<p>The foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan on Friday will hold talks in Moscow, which will be hosted by their Russian counterparts.<br />
<br />
The meeting scheduled on Friday follows several rounds of talks which have been led by the United States and the European Union.<br />
<br />
A meeting which will include the foreign ministers of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan "will take place in Moscow on May 19," said Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova while speaking to reporters.<br />
<br />
Two wars were fought by Baku and Yerevan in 2020 and in the 1990s for gaining control over the mostly Armenian-populated region of Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh.<br />
<br />
The hostilities which continued for six weeks in autumn 2020 came to an end with a Russian-brokered ceasefire which saw Armenia cede swathes of area, which was being controlled by it for decades.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH | How India, Russia, China &amp; other SCO countries work to promote regional development | Details</strong></p>

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<p><br />
There has been an increase in Yerevan's frustration over what it calls the failure of Moscow to protect Armenia from Azerbaijan's military threat.<br />
<br />
As Russia remains bogged down in Ukraine and is unwilling to strain ties with Turkey, which is a key ally of Azerbaijan, the United States and European Union have meddled in to steer the talks.<br />
<br />
On Sunday, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Pashinyan met in Brussels for a fresh round of discussions which was hosted by European Council President Charles Michel.<br />
<br />
Another meeting has been scheduled between Pashinyan and Aliyev for June 1 in Moldova and it is likely to involve German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron.</p>

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Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Thursday stated that he had agreed to a proposal submitted by Russia to hold talks with the president of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev next week in Moscow.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Thursday stated that he had agreed to a proposal submitted by Russia to hold talks with the president of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev next week in Moscow. The negotiations will take place as tensions escalate between the Caucasus neighbours who have been engaged in two wars over disputed territory and who often witness deadly clashes along their border, as the situation generally remains volatile. Baku and Yerevan, which remains locked in a territorial conflict, are negotiating a peace agreement as the United States and European Union continue to mediate. The diplomatic engagement of the two in the Caucasus has irked Russia, which is a traditional regional power broker. ALSO READ | At least two soldiers killed in clashes on Armenia-Azerbaijan border ahead of peace talks "We received a proposal from Russia to hold a trilateral meeting at the highest level under the mediation of the president of Russia on May 25. We have accepted that proposal," Pashinyan said at his cabinet meeting in Yerevan. Armenia and Azerbaijan's foreign ministers to meet in Moscow The foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan on Friday will hold talks in Moscow, which will be hosted by their Russian counterparts. The meeting scheduled on Friday follows several rounds of talks which have been led by the United States and the European Union. A meeting which will include the foreign ministers of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan "will take place in Moscow on May 19," said Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova while speaking to reporters. Two wars were fought by Baku and Yerevan in 2020 and in the 1990s for gaining control over the mostly Armenian-populated region of Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh. The hostilities which continued for six weeks in autumn 2020 came to an end with a Russian-brokered ceasefire which saw Armenia cede swathes of area, which was being controlled by it for decades. WATCH | How India, Russia, China & other SCO countries work to promote regional development | Details There has been an increase in Yerevan's frustration over what it calls the failure of Moscow to protect Armenia from Azerbaijan's military threat. As Russia remains bogged down in Ukraine and is unwilling to strain ties with Turkey, which is a key ally of Azerbaijan, the United States and European Union have meddled in to steer the talks. On Sunday, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Pashinyan met in Brussels for a fresh round of discussions which was hosted by European Council President Charles Michel. Another meeting has been scheduled between Pashinyan and Aliyev for June 1 in Moldova and it is likely to involve German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Armenia PM Pashinyan to meet Azerbaijan's president in Moscow

The South Africa's Ground Forces is visiting Moscow he will be holding talks with the Russian counterpart and other officials the South African National Defense Force says the meeting was planned well in advance as part of a long-standing arrangement it added. It was a Goodwill visit at the invitation of the Russian army Russian news agency says South African left General is leading the delegation that discussed issues relating to the military cooperation and interaction reports added that the agreements were reached to further increase cooperation between ground forces in various Fields.

South African army chief visits Moscow for bilateral talks

Moscow acknowledged on Friday that its forces had fallen back north of Ukraine's battlefield city of Bakhmut after a new Ukrainian offensive, in a retreat that the head of Russia's Wagner private army called a rout.

Russia acknowledges retreat north of Bakhmut, Wagner boss calls it a 'rout'

The sun has been shining in Moscow today for the high-profile event. Russia celebrated Victory Day with a parade on May 9. The day commemorates the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. The Russian military holds a parade at Moscow’s Red Square and in other cities to mark the event. One of the other anticipated parts of the parade was President Putin's speech. Addressing the crowd, Putin characterised the war against Ukraine as a war for Russia’s survival and future.

Putin addresses Victory Day parade at Red Square, says REAL WAR has been unleashed

Here we bring you a quick round-up of all the latest news and top headlines from all across the globe - Moscow destroys Kyiv's 22 drones over Black Sea. MIG 21 crashes in India's Rajasthan.

Moscow destroys Kyiv's 22 drones over Black Sea | MIG 21 crashes in Rajasthan

The US has denied Russian claims it masterminded an alleged drone attack on the Kremlin on Wednesday aimed at assassinating President Vladimir Putin. A day after accusing Ukraine of carrying out the alleged attack, Mr Putin's spokesman said it had been done with Washington's support.

Ukraine war: US denies masterminding Moscow drone attack

Here, we bring you the news that is trending across WION's social media platforms - Jesus was single, says the Church of England as it vouches inclusivity for the unmarried, US President Joe Biden to recall Ireland trip while interacting with children at the White House, Shirdi temple authorities deny shutdown report, Moscow decreases Petroleum discount for India.

Jesus was single: Church of England; Biden struggles to recall Ireland trip | Trending on WION

Ukraine is preparing for a major onslaught, it aims to take back the occupied territories and push Russia further back. Moscow too is deploying more firepower to the front lines. Russia-Ukraine war is clearly heating up and at this critical juncture, China throws its hat in the ring.

Ukraine-Russia prepare for new offensive; China says it wants 'political settlement' | WION Pulse

Moscow says it has seen 'practically no results' from a pact with un that aimed to help Russia's grain and fertilizer exports. As per foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, the situation related to the Black Sea grain deal has reached a deadlock. The pact was renewed for 60 days last month. However, Russia has signalled that it may not agree to extend it further unless the West removes obstacles. In July last year, Russia signed a three-year deal in which the UN agreed to help try and remove any obstacles to its grain and fertilizer exports. While those exports are not subject to western sanctions, Moscow says restrictions on payments, logistics and insurance are a barrier to shipments. During a news conference at UN, Lavrov also touched upon Iran nuclear deal negotiations. Lavrov said attempts to add new requirements to the original 2015 Iranian nuclear deal were complicating the process of reviving it. He also said that the fate of the deal does not depend on Iran, Russia or China.

'Situation deadlocked': Russia slams the West over imperiled grain deal

Changing weather patterns seem to be bringing good news for Moscow. After months of bitter cold temperatures, Moscow's residents enjoyed warm spring weather this week. The temperature in Moscow was 4 to 5 degrees celsius above average for this time of year. The weather was also dry and sunny.

Spring weather brings joy to Moscow's residents after months of bitter cold

<p>Russian officials, on Sunday (April 23) said visas were never issued for their country’s media representatives who were supposed to accompany the foreign minister for the upcoming United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting in New York, United States. This comes as Moscow has taken over the presidency of the UNSC&nbsp;in April which Kyiv has said was a “slap in the face”.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Russia fumes over US’ move</strong></p>

<p>Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, on Sunday, took to the messaging app, Telegram and said, “Speaking about the US real treatment of journalists. There are 40 minutes left before their departure. They (journalists) are all at the airport. They have no visas. The US Embassy replied to a our relevant request that ‘they work on it’”.&nbsp;</p>

<p>She added, “It’s an obvious manipulation of the freedom of speech and infringement on the rights of journalists.” Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said, “We won't forget, we will not forgive this,” referring to Washington’s supposed move. He also denounced it as a “stupid” failure of the US to give visas to Russian journalists.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“A country that calls itself the strongest, smartest, freest and fairest, chickened out,” said the Russian foreign minister, as per AFP, adding that this shows “the worth of their solemn assurances on freedom of speech.” This comes as Moscow has strongly tightened conditions to obtain the accreditations needed to get journalist visas in Russia.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Washington is yet to respond to these allegations.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Russian foreign minister is said to chair several UNSC meetings in New York. However, Moscow’s UNSC presidency has drawn criticism from Kyiv which has previously called it a “slap in the face”.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Russia warns of retaliatory steps</strong></p>

<p>Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said, “We will find formats to respond to this so that the Americans remember for a long time that such things must not be done,” he was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Citing a Russian diplomatic source, TASS reported that the US should not doubt that American journalists will feel maximally uncomfortable after Washington’s non-issuance of visas to Russian journalists.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Russian journalists also told news agency TASS that the US embassy in Moscow has not yet returned their passports and claimed they were invited to the embassy on visa-related matters on April 22 before the minister’s departure.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>No plans for Lavrov-Blinken meeting&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>“There are no such plans. As a matter of fact, we have no agenda to be discussed by the ministers at this point,” said Ryabkov, on Sunday, ahead of the Russian delegation’s departure to New York, when asked about a possible meeting between the Russian foreign minister and US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
<br />
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Russian officials, on Sunday (April 23) said visas were never issued for their country’s media representatives who were supposed to accompany the foreign minister for the upcoming United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting in New York, United States.

Russian officials, on Sunday (April 23) said visas were never issued for their country’s media representatives who were supposed to accompany the foreign minister for the upcoming United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting in New York, United States. This comes as Moscow has taken over the presidency of the UNSC in April which Kyiv has said was a “slap in the face”. Russia fumes over US’ move Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, on Sunday, took to the messaging app, Telegram and said, “Speaking about the US real treatment of journalists. There are 40 minutes left before their departure. They (journalists) are all at the airport. They have no visas. The US Embassy replied to a our relevant request that ‘they work on it’”. She added, “It’s an obvious manipulation of the freedom of speech and infringement on the rights of journalists.” Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said, “We won't forget, we will not forgive this,” referring to Washington’s supposed move. He also denounced it as a “stupid” failure of the US to give visas to Russian journalists. “A country that calls itself the strongest, smartest, freest and fairest, chickened out,” said the Russian foreign minister, as per AFP, adding that this shows “the worth of their solemn assurances on freedom of speech.” This comes as Moscow has strongly tightened conditions to obtain the accreditations needed to get journalist visas in Russia. Washington is yet to respond to these allegations. The Russian foreign minister is said to chair several UNSC meetings in New York. However, Moscow’s UNSC presidency has drawn criticism from Kyiv which has previously called it a “slap in the face”. Russia warns of retaliatory steps Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said, “We will find formats to respond to this so that the Americans remember for a long time that such things must not be done,” he was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies. Citing a Russian diplomatic source, TASS reported that the US should not doubt that American journalists will feel maximally uncomfortable after Washington’s non-issuance of visas to Russian journalists. Russian journalists also told news agency TASS that the US embassy in Moscow has not yet returned their passports and claimed they were invited to the embassy on visa-related matters on April 22 before the minister’s departure. No plans for Lavrov-Blinken meeting “There are no such plans. As a matter of fact, we have no agenda to be discussed by the ministers at this point,” said Ryabkov, on Sunday, ahead of the Russian delegation’s departure to New York, when asked about a possible meeting between the Russian foreign minister and US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

‘We will not forgive’: Moscow fumes after US allegedly denied visas to Russian journalists for UN visit

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