Free Republic

A monument to Soviet dictator Josef Stalin erected in Moscow's metro is stirring debate, with some Russians welcoming it as a historical tribute, but others saying it's a mistake to commemorate someone who presided over so much suffering. -snip- Nearly 700,000 people were executed in Stalin's 1937-38 Great Terror amid show trials and purges of his real and perceived enemies. Many other Soviet citizens were sent to the Gulag, a grim network of prison camps, spread across the world's largest country. The Moscow metro said in a statement that the new version of the monument, which was presented to the...

Drone warfare once again forced Moscow into lockdown on Wednesday as three of the capital’s four airports abruptly suspended operations. Panic rippled through Domodedovo, Zhukovsky and Sheremetyevo as incoming flights were turned away and departures stalled. Sirens blared as air defences scrambled to intercept the latest wave of Ukrainian drones breaching Russian skies. Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed multiple drones were shot down on approach, with emergency crews deployed to the crash sites. Ukraine launched a large-scale drone offensive overnight, targeting multiple regions in Russia. One since-deleted clip from Oryol shared by a Kremlin-aligned Telegram channel appeared to show a flaming...

Going Entebbe on the hostage-taking dictator, right in front of his patron, Vladimir Putin. For Venezuela's fraudulently elected Nicolas Maduro, in Moscow to pay tribute to his patron Vlad Putin, yesterday was kind of embarrassing for both of them. Way under the radar, Secretary of State Marco Rubio had been busy, figuring out a way to make both of them look like weaklings, and with perfect timing, he succeeded: The U.S. welcomes the successful rescue of all hostages held by the Maduro regime at the Argentinian Embassy in Caracas. Following a precise operation, all hostages are now safely on U.S....

Russia will restrict internet access across several regions, including Moscow, during its May 9 Victory Day celebrations this year, as the Kremlin imposes ever-tighter controls over its population. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Wednesday that mobile internet restrictions would be in place in several regions while foreign leaders are in Moscow for the celebrations marking the surrender of Nazi Germany in World War II. Peskov said the restrictions are because Russia has "dangerous neighbors." "These are not disruptions, but restrictions for obvious reasons," he said. "We want the glorious Victory Day to be celebrated at the appropriate level."

The leaders of Cuba, Mongolia and Venezuela arrived in Moscow Wednesday ahead of attending Russia's Victory Day celebrations. Victory Day, which is celebrated in Russia on May 9, has become the country’s most important secular holiday. -snip- Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel are on the guest list which also includes Chinese President Xi Jinping and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

The Kremlin said on Wednesday that Russia was doing everything necessary to ensure the security of upcoming events to mark the victory of the Soviet Union and its allies in World War Two after a series of attempted Ukrainian drone attacks on Moscow. The centerpiece of the commemorations - a military parade on Moscow’s Red Square - is due to be held on Friday and the Kremlin has said it is expecting 29 world leaders to attend, including Chinese President Xi Jinping. Moscow’s mayor Sergei Sobyanin said earlier on Wednesday that Russian air defense forces had downed 14 Ukrainian drones...

Ukraine launched a devastating drone attack on Russia overnight as Vladimir Putin prepares to welcome foreign leaders to celebrate VE Day. The strikes hit Moscow and surrounding Russian regions ahead of a large military parade in the capital on Friday, May 9, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of WW2 in Europe. One target hit by Ukrainian drones was Kubinka military airfield in the west of the city, from which aircraft will launch in a scheduled Red Square flypast. The airfield holds Russian MiG-29 and Su-27 fighter jets as well as Putin’s aerobatic team and is often used for...

Moscow closed all four of its main airports for several hours into Tuesday after state media reported the military had shot down 105 Ukrainian drones overnight. Sergei Sobyanin, the mayor of Moscow, said that at least 19 drones were destroyed on their way to the capital as it prepares for Victory Day celebrations this week. Debris fell on a major avenue in the city's south without causing injuries, Sobyanin wrote on Telegram. Governors in other Russian cities, including Penza and Voronezh, said they had also been targeted by Ukrainian drones. It was the second night in a row that Russia...

Russia says Ukraine has launched an overnight drone attack targeting Moscow for the second night in a row. All four of the capital's major airports have been closed temporarily to ensure safety, Russia's aviation watchdog Rosaviatsia said on Telegram. Moscow's mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, said on social media at least 19 Ukrainian drones had been destroyed before they reached the city "from different directions". He said some of the debris had landed on one of the key highways into the city, but there were no casualties. Ukraine has not yet commented on the reports

Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said Thursday that Israel "had failed to respect" January’s ceasefire agreement in Gaza, as he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, APA reports, citing Al Arabiya. “As you know, we reached an agreement months ago, but unfortunately Israel did not abide by this agreement,” said the ruler of Qatar, a key mediator of the deal. Putin on Thursday told Sheikh Tamim that it was important for Moscow to discuss the Israel-Palestine conflict and the future of Syria during the Qatari ruler’s visit to Moscow.

Aleksandar Vucic cut short his visit to the United States amid health issuesMOSCOW, May 3. /TASS/. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic remains at a military hospital, and the details about his health will be available in the next few days, a source told TASS. "He is at a military hospital. The details about his condition will be known in the next few days," the source shared. Earlier, Vucic cut short his visit to the United States amid health issues and returned to Belgrade where he sought assistance at the Military Hospital. The Serbian leader earlier shared plans to attend the Victory...

Russian state media have reported Thursday that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio may attend Moscow's May 9 celebrations in Red Square to commemorate the end of World War Two. Zvezda, a TV channel of the Russian defense ministry, cited an unnamed diplomatic source that the U.S. might be represented by Rubio at the show piece event for the Kremlin which parades Russian military hardware. Newsweek has contacted the U.S. State Department and the Kremlin for a response.

There will be a parade on May 9, said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, APA’s Moscow correspondent reports. Commenting on threats from Kyiv regarding the May 9 Parade in Moscow, the Kremlin spokesperson called Zelensky's threatening remarks unsuccessful.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not attend the May 9 parade, said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, APA's Moscow bureau reports. According to him, the Indian Prime Minister will not visit Moscow on May 9.

A delegation of United States diplomats arrived in Moscow on Thursday morning for talks on agreeing a ceasefire in the Ukraine War, with a possible call between President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin to follow. America’s Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff flew into Moscow’s Vnukovo airport on Thursday morning, having travelled from Doha, Qatar by way of European airspace on a Gulfstream executive jet. Witkoff and a team of negotiators are in the Russian capital to attempt to hammer out an agreement on the proposed Ukraine War 30-day ceasefire.

The Kremlin said the number of drones shot down over the Moscow region last night is evidence its air defence system "worked well". But not everyone we spoke to in Vidnoye shared that optimism. -snip- This was just one of nearly 100 drones shot down over the Moscow region, which the Kremlin said was evidence that Moscow's air defence system "worked well". But not everyone we spoke to in Vidnoye shared that optimism. "The very fact that it was missed is unpleasant," said Oganes, 30, suggesting the scale of Ukraine's overall attack, which saw Russia shoot down 337 drones in...

Ukraine reportedly launched at least 337 drones into Russia on Tuesday in the largest-yet drone attack of the Moscow-Kyiv conflict, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense. It came just before US and Ukrainian delegations were scheduled to meet for negotiation discussions in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. Russia set the previous drone-attack record a little over two weeks ago, when it launched 267 drones at Ukraine in a single night on Feb. 23. Ukrainian officials have yet to comment on the Russian report.

Behind Broken Borders: Sachs’ Weaponized CompassionJeffrey Sachs, a noted economist and influential figure in global policy circles, has long been celebrated as an architect of sustainable development. Yet behind this polished veneer lies a more unsettling story, one that implicates him in masterminding the invasion of the southern border of the United States and beyond. By co-opting established religious organizations—chief among them Catholic Charities—and harnessing taxpayer dollars, Sachs has effectively weaponized compassion to orchestrate a mass migration crisis. His book, Ethics in Action for Sustainable Development, which carries a foreword by Pope Francis, serves as the blueprint for this operation....

SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Nicholas Dombek, age 54, of Thornhurst, Pennsylvania, Damien Boland, age 48, of Moscow, Pennsylvania, and Joseph Atsus, age 48, of Roaring Brook, Pennsylvania, were convicted on February 7, 2025, for conspiracy to commit theft of major artwork, concealment and disposal of major artwork, and interstate transportation of stolen property, as well as multiple related substantive offense, following a four-week jury trial before United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion.According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Dombek, Boland, and Joseph Atsus were part...

PRESIDENT Donald Trump has denied claims that he will visit Vladimir Putin in Moscow for the May 9 victory day parade. -snip- Trump has rubbished a report he will fly to Russia for Victory Day celebrations on May 9. It comes after French outlet Le Point claimed, citing Russian sources, that the Republican would be in attendance, marking the first visit by a US president since mad Vlad launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. But President Trump was quick to squash the claim, responding "no, I'm not" upon being asked if he was to attend. He also...