Free Republic

Europe is preparing to occupy the tiny nation of Moldova with the first group of Nato troops ready for a "landing" in Ukraine's Odessa, Russian news agency Sputnik reported on Tuesday, citing the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR). Moldovan authorities, meanwhile, have arrested 74 people in connection with an alleged Moscow-backed plot to stage a mass uprising in the former soviet European nation. Is Moldova becoming the latest flashpoint in Europe's battle with Russia? The raids come ahead of Moldova's September 28 elections, amid claims of rigging, Russian backing for a party, and Putin's alleged plot to "hijack the polls"....

Russia’s gasoline sales hit a two-year low on Tuesday as Ukrainian drone strikes and surging harvest-season demand intensify the country’s fuel shortage. Data from the St. Petersburg Exchange, reported by Kommersant on Wednesday, shows that sales of A-92 petrol dropped 21.7 percent to 15,600 metric tons on Tuesday, the lowest level since 2023. Sales of A-95 petrol fell 15.5 percent to 12,060 tons compared with the previous day, bringing total gasoline sales on the exchange down 19.1 percent to 27,700 tons. The sharp decline comes amid unscheduled shutdowns at several large Russian refineries, as Kyiv reportedly escalated its campaign against...

The Kremlin claims that Russian President Vladimir Putin survived a massive drone attack on his helicopter last week. On Tuesday Putin was visiting the Kursk region when his helicopter was 'virtually at the epicenter of repelling a large-scale attack by the enemy's drones,' said Yury Dashkin, commander of a Russian air defense division, according to the state news agency TASS. 'Therefore, we simultaneously conducted an air defense battle and ensured the safety of the presidential helicopter’s flight in the air,' Dashkin said. The Kursk region borders Ukraine, with Moscow claiming that it had driven Ukrainian forces out of the area...