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Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has addressed swirling rumors about his declining health with a cryptic message on mortality. -snip- In a video published Tuesday, Kadyrov said in a voiceover that he "increasingly hears gossip about my illness," but didn't confirm or deny whether his health was deteriorating. "They say that I am dying, I have little time left," the Chechen leader said. "Firstly, illness and death are the path of every person. No one living has passed this road. Secondly, it is not illness or threat that shortens life. Its length is determined only by the one who gave breath."...

The price of potatoes in Russia has soared by 52% since the start of the year, according to new figures. Imports have failed to offset the poor harvest last year, which saw the total potato crop decline by 12%, according to Reuters. Heavy rain and a frosty spring this year has hit potato farmers, made worse by the fact the area of the country seeded for the crop was reduced after the bumper 2023 harvest which drove down prices. According to Kommersant daily data, potatoes have tripled in price in the supermarkets compared to 2024, reaching a record high of...

Russian and US leaders Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump have discussed a direct contact between Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy among other topics, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, APA reports citing TASS. "Certainly, the parties touched upon the issue of direct contact and the topic of continuing consultations between Russia and Ukraine," he said when asked whether the leaders discussed any potential high-level talks. Peskov noted that communication between Moscow and Kyiv has been reestablished and is currently ongoing. "Russians and Ukrainians are now engaged in dialogue," he said. "These contacts have been revived, which is quite important at this...

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin and his American counterpart, Donald Trump, will speak by phone on Monday evening. During a press conference in Moscow on Monday, Peskov confirmed that the call is scheduled for 5 p.m. Moscow time (GMT1400). According to him, the purpose of the call is to discuss the outcomes of the recent Russia-Ukraine talks held in Istanbul last week. Peskov described the upcoming contact as "important," noting that the leaders will also discuss future communications between the two countries.

President Donald Trump said he may travel to Turkey for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, as he doesn’t believe President Vladimir Putin would show if he isn’t there. "I don’t know if he’s showing up," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. "I know he would like me to be there. And that's a possibility." -snip- The president noted that he has a "full day" scheduled in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Thursday, and he’d planned on sending Secretary of State and interim national security advisor Marco Rubio. But, he added, "I don't know that [Putin] would be there...

Important events are developing on the international political scene - according to Keith Kellogg, the US special representative for Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin may personally participate in the Russia-Ukraine talks scheduled for May 15 in Istanbul. If this happens, it is possible that US President Donald Trump will also attend the meeting. Kellogg explained this proposal as follows: "We hope that President Putin will also go to the talks. If so, then President Trump may also come to Istanbul. This will be a completely unexpected, historic meeting," he told reporters. Hope and pressure from Trump's visit According to a...

Vladimir Putin will not show up for peace talks because his 25-year stranglehold on Russia ends if he yields, experts say. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has agreed to an offer of direct talks aimed at achieving peace, but Moscow said it would refuse to honour a ceasefire before and during any meeting. The showdown was tentatively set for Istanbul with US President Donald Trump saying he would show up, but the meeting has yet to be confirmed. The apparent foot-dragging by the Kremlin was seen as a deliberate ploy to continue a bloody war with its neighbour that has rumbled...

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan have been carrying out intense diplomacy in the past few days following increased hopes for the resumption of talks between Russia and Ukraine in Türkiye. Erdoğan will receive NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on May 13 in Ankara before the latter chairs the informal NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Antalya on May 14 and 15. Erdoğan and Rutte are expected to discuss the agenda of the NATO meeting and the efforts to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. Erdoğa spoke with Zelensky on late May 12 and emphasized the significance...

Putin could reject his own offer to Zelensky. UKRAINE is now piling the pressure on Russia as Vladimir Putin stays silent on his own offer to meet for peace talks on Thursday. Moscow's bungle has seen Volodymyr Zelenksy take up Vlad's offer to for a face-to-face meet in Istanbul for long-awaited negotiations between the two leaders. But the Kremlin has gone deathly silent as Putin weighs rejecting the offer he sent to the Ukrainians. Zelensky has filled the dead air and now said he will definitely go to Istanbul - but will only meet with his counterpart Putin and not...

Trump ‘thinking about’ joining Ukraine peace talks in Turkey Donald Trump said he could join Russia and Ukraine for talks on ending the war in Turkey on Thursday. The US president said on Monday that he was “thinking” of flying to Istanbul for negotiations after visits to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. “I was thinking about flying over. I don’t know where I’m going to be on Thursday. I’ve got so many meetings, but I was thinking about actually flying over there. There’s a possibility of it, I guess, if I think things can happen, but we’ve...

US President Donald Trump has described the upcoming May 15 meeting between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul as "very important," APA reports. Speaking to journalists, Trump expressed hope for a positive outcome from the talks between Moscow and Kyiv representatives. "The Thursday meeting with Russia and Ukraine is very important. I’ve been very insistent on making this meeting happen. I believe something good could come out of it," he said.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call, according to Türkiye’s Presidential Communications Directorate, News.Az reports. It was noted that the parties discussed Turkiye-Russia relations, regional and global issues. Erdogan expressed his satisfaction with Putin's statement on the resumption of Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Istanbul, and stressed that Turkiye is ready to host the discussions. The Turkish President also noted that a window of opportunity for peace has opened, and that ensuring a ceasefire will create the necessary environment for peace talks.

A full rehearsal for the Moscow Victory Day Parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War (May 9, 1945 – 2025) took place at Red Square on May 7. The Việt Nam People’s Army (VPA) contingent was also among the several foreign armed forces invited by the Russian Government to take part in this famous parade. This is a major event honouring the historic victory of the then Soviet Union, affirming the indomitable will and solidarity of the Soviet people and progressive forces worldwide in the fight against fascism. The organising committee commended the VPA...

At the invitation of President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, President of Mongolia Khurelsukh Ukhnaa is attending the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War. On May 8, 2025, President of Mongolia Khurelsukh Ukhnaa and President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin held an official meeting. At the Meeting, on behalf of the State, Government, and people of Mongolia, President of Mongolia Khurelsukh Ukhnaa extended congratulations to President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and the people of the Russian Federation on the historic occasion of the 80th anniversary of the...

Leader of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov has requested to be relieved of his duties, he told Chechnya Today news agency, APA’s Russia bureau reports citing lenta.ru. Kadyrov made the remarks in response to circulating rumors about his possible resignation. “I myself am asking to be relieved of my duties. Someone else will have their own initiative, their own vision. I hope that my request will be supported,” Kadyrov said. The Chechen leader did not specify who he had specifically addressed regarding his dismissal.

Russia said on Sunday that Chinese President Xi Jinping will arrive in the country’s capital Moscow on an official visit, as it is set to host ceremonial events marking the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory in World War II next week. A statement by the Kremlin said that Xi will pay an official visit to Moscow between May 7-10, at the invitation of his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, where he will take part in Victory Day events in the country’s capital.

US President Donald Trump's misplaced tariff policies are hurting America's allies but will fail to tank the Chinese economy, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Thursday. -snip- In a tongue-in-cheek post on Telegram on Labor Day, Medvedev, who serves as deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, argued that Trump deserved an "exemplary labor" award for "starting the tariff battle." The US's neighbors, as well as its allies in Europe, were "suffering" and "crying" from the duties imposed by Washington, he wrote. "They are all in a really bad position, facing the need to bow down in a ritual known...

A senior Iranian military official has accused President Donald Trump of stoking domestic unrest and destabilizing the global order through what he called aggressive policies, warning that the United States is speeding toward international decline under his leadership. Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi described Trump's conduct as "destructive and unlawful"—a sharp rebuke delivered just as critical nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington face fresh delays. Newsweek has reached out the U.S. State Department and Iran's foreign ministry for comment. -snip- Safavi, top military adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said on Friday that Trump's conduct is fueling America's...

THE brutal torture prison where sick Putin's pawns mutilated a Ukrainian journalist has been revealed. -snip- Upon arrival many receive a “welcoming” procedure known as “reception”, where guards punch, kick and beat them relentlessly with batons. The chief medic of a Ukrainian marine brigade who arrived at the prison in 2022, Volodymyr Labuzov, said: “This is a sacred ritual for them. "Blindfolded, with your hands tied and your head bowed low, you are ordered to walk, and every dog standing there considers it necessary to hit you with something.” But Labuzov said this was just the start of a string...

An airfield belonging to Russian forces in occupied Crimea has been left in flames after a devastating Ukrainian drone strike, according to reports. Footage shared online purportedly shows the fire at Kacha airfield following a huge round of strikes from Kyiv's forces. Reports suggest Ukraine launched a massive aerial bombardment overnight on the Ukrainian peninsula, which has been occupied by Russian forces since 2014 and illegally annexed by Moscow. Loud explosions were heard near the Saky airfield in Novofedorivka, as well as at the Belbek air base near Sevastopol. A missile base in the Hvardiiske area was also reported to...