Free Republic

Russia’s scaled-down Victory Day military parade showed not only Moscow’s insecurities over possible Ukrainian attacks but also highlighted the country’s depleted military resources due to the conflict, political analysts said. May 9 is a public holiday in Russia when it commemorates the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. It is arguably the most important day in Russia’s public calendar and history, forming a central part of the country’s modern national identity. This year’s military parade through Red Square in Moscow and celebrations around the country were noticeably smaller than in previous years or entirely canceled, with...

Donald Trump launched an unprecedented attack on Vladimir Putin for Russia's role in propping up the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad as he demanded urgent action to help the victims of what he called a "mindless" chemical attack. Syrian opposition activists and rescuers said on Sunday that a poison gas attack on a rebel-held town near the capital had killed at least 49 people, according to local estimates. Mr Trump took to Twitter on Sunday morning to condemn the reports and say that Mr Assad's backers would face a high price.

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Sunday reports of a gas attack in Syria were bogus and any military action taken based on such "invented and fabricated excuses" could lead to severe consequences. "The spread of bogus stories about the use of chlorine and other poisonous substances by (Syrian) government forces continues. Yet another such fabricated piece of information about an alleged chemical attack in Douma appeared yesterday," the ministry said in a statement.