DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal sign Brazilian Malcom
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

July 26 (Reuters) - Brazilian winger Malcom has joined Al-Hilal from Russian side Zenit Saint Petersburg, the Saudi Arabian club announced on Wednesday. The Brazilian winger, who joined Zenit in 2019 from Barcelona, was the Russian Premier League's top scorer last season with 23 goals as his club won the title. Al Hilal also sought to sign Lionel Messi, with the Argentine great ultimately deciding to join Major League Soccer side Inter Miami. Al Hilal are the most decorated club in Saudi Arabia and Asia having won 66 trophies and hold the record for league and Asian Champions titles with 18 and four respectively. Boosting the squad is a priority for the Riyadh-based club, who have lost their league and Champions League crowns.

Persons: Malcom, Al, Hilal, Alexandr Medvedev, Kalidou Koulibaly, Sergej Milinkovic, Savic, Ruben Neves, Al Hilal, Lionel Messi, Mohamed Yossry, Shady Amir, Pritha Sarkar Organizations: Al, Zenit Saint Petersburg, Saudi Arabian, Twitter, RIA Novosti, Zenit, Russian Premier League's, Argentine, Major League Soccer, Inter Miami, League, Thomson Locations: Hilal, Russian, Saudi, Senegal, Serbia, Barcelona, Saudi Arabia, Al, Asia, Riyadh

☆ Philippines stun co-hosts New Zealand with Wellington win
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Amy Tennery | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] Soccer Football - FIFA Women's World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 - Group A - New Zealand v Philippines - Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand - July 25, 2023 Philippines' Sarina Bolden celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/Amanda PerobelliWELLINGTON, July 25 (Reuters) - Forward Sarina Bolden headed the winner as the Philippines spoiled co-hosts New Zealand's party with a stunning 1-0 victory in their Women's World Cup Group A clash on Tuesday. The Philippines lost 2-0 to Switzerland in their opening match and looked to be an easy mark for the Football Ferns, who were coming off their first-ever World Cup win over former champions Norway and looking to book a spot in the last 16. Instead, the Philippines secured their own first World Cup win to keep alive their hopes of progressing in their debut tournament. Bott looped a cross into the box but Hannah Wilkinson, the hero of New Zealand's opening win on Thursday, sent her header over the bar. The Philippines close out their Group A against 1995 winners Norway on Sunday, while New Zealand face Switzerland.

Persons: Sarina Bolden, Amanda Perobelli WELLINGTON, Striker Bolden, Victoria Esson, Katie Bowen, Ria Percival's, Olivia McDaniel, C.J, Bott, Hannah Wilkinson, Wilkinson, Jacqui Hand, Carleigh Frilles, Grace Jale, McDaniel, Amy Tennery, Nick Mulvenney Organizations: Soccer Football, FIFA, Wellington Regional, Football Ferns, Norway, New Zealand, Victoria, Ferns, Thomson Locations: New Zealand, Zealand, Philippines, Wellington , New Zealand, Switzerland, New, Wellington

☆ Russia-Africa summit to discuss Moscow's grain and fertiliser exports - RIA
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

July 25 (Reuters) - Russia and nations taking part in this week's Russia-Africa summit will discuss Moscow's grain and fertilisers exports, Oleg Ozerov, ambassador at large at the Russian foreign ministry, told the state RIA news agency in remarks published on Tuesday. Last week, Russia withdrew from the year-long Black Sea grain deal that ensured the safe export of Ukrainian grains, saying that Russia's conditions for the extension of the deal had been ignored. The U.N-brokered grain deal had allowed Ukraine to export grain from its Black Sea ports, despite the war, to alleviate a global food crisis. This week, President Vladimir Putin said Moscow can replace Ukrainian grain both commercially and free of charge. On Monday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on Russia on Monday to return to the Black Sea grain deal.

Persons: Oleg Ozerov, Ozerov, Vladimir Putin, Antonio Guterres, Lidia Kelly, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: Russian Federation, UN, Thomson Locations: Russia, Africa, St . Petersburg, Moscow, Ukraine, Melbourne

☆ Russia launches criminal probe into death of journalist in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The committee said on its website that "armed Ukrainian formations targeted and deliberately fired at a group of Russian journalists" working near Pyatikhatka, in Ukraine's southeastern Zaporizhzhia region. It did not specify the type of weapons or munitions used, but said Rostislav Zhuravlev, a journalist for RIA state news agency, was killed. It said his RIA colleague and journalist Konstantin Mikhalchevsky, and two employees of Izvestia newspaper, Roman Polshakov and Dmitry Shikov, were injured. Ukraine, which received supplies of cluster munitions from the United States this month, has vowed to use them only to dislodge concentrations of enemy soldiers. Both sides have used cluster munitions during Russia's 17-month invasion of Ukraine.

Persons: Rostislav Zhuravlev, Konstantin Mikhalchevsky, Polshakov, Dmitry Shikov, Zhuravlev, Elaine Monaghan, Chris Reese Organizations: Russia's, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Russian, Pyatikhatka, Ukraine's, Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, United States

☆ War reporter's death prompts Russian outrage over Ukraine's alleged use of cluster bombs
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Rostislav Zhuravlev, correspondent for Russia's RIA news agency, poses for a picture at an unknown location in this picture released July 22, 2023. Cluster bombs are in the spotlight after Ukraine received supplies of them from the United States this month. The dead Russian journalist was named as Rostislav Zhuravlev, a war correspondent for state news agency RIA. The entire measure of responsibility will be shared by those who supplied cluster munitions to their Kyiv protégés," she said. Ukraine has pledged to use cluster munitions only to dislodge concentrations of enemy soldiers.

Persons: Rostislav Zhuravlev, Yevgeny Shilko, Maria Zakharova, John Kirby, Konstantin Kosachyov, Leonid Slutsky, Mark Trevelyan, Caleb Davis, Olena, Frances Kerry Organizations: RIA, RIA Novosti, REUTERS, Deutsche Welle, Reuters, Russian Foreign Ministry, Kyiv, House, Russian, Rights Watch, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Ukrainian, Moscow, German, United States, Zaporizhzhia, Russian, . U.S

IMPORTED ASSEMBLY KITSAfter a chaotic decade following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia encouraged Western carmakers to build factories. "Undoubtedly, the expansion of Chinese carmakers on the Russian market will continue," said Andrey Olkhovsky, the head of dealership chain Avtodom. It is a radical change of fortunes for Chinese carmakers in Russia. Production of Chinese vehicles only began in Russia in 2019 with the arrival of Chinese automotive company Great Wall Motor (601633.SS). LESS LOCAL INPUTUnder the partnership with Chinese firms, less of the production at former Western factories is currently conducted in Russia, the sources said.

Persons: Jetour, Maxim Shemetov, Moscow's, Sergei Sobyanin, French carmaker, JAC, Sehol, Moskvich, capitalising, Vladimir Bespalov, Vladimir Putin, Andrey Olkhovsky, Olkhovsky, Wall, Sollers, Avtovaz, Denis Manturov, Gleb Stolyarov, Alexander Marrow, Zhang Yan, Daniel Flynn Organizations: REUTERS, French, French carmaker Renault, Moscow Automobile Factory, JAC Motors, Reuters, Renault, Nissan, Russia's Industry, Trade Ministry, Wall, Chery, Geely, HK, Argo, Ford Transit, Nissan's St, Lada, China's FAW Group's, FAW, Western, Trade, Thomson Locations: Lyubertsy, Moscow Region, Russia, Soviet, Moscow, Anhui, Ukraine, Soviet Union, Western, Tula, Autostat, Tatarstan, Nissan's, Nissan's St Petersburg, St Petersburg, Leningrad, Japan, Europe, China, Shanghai

CNN —Russian tour operators are pleading with vacationers to Crimea not to make decisions “based on emotions,” as Ukraine’s strike on the Crimea bridge on Monday played havoc on travel between the occupied Ukrainian peninsula and Russia. Hundreds of cars were waiting Tuesday to cross the bridge both to and from Crimea, and Russian-backed officials were encouraging drivers to travel along the land route through occupied southern Ukraine. Or we shift their reservations in Crimea to later dates.”Road traffic over the Crimea bridge resumed overnight over one of the bridge’s four lanes, but there is heavy traffic. TASS reported that bus services from Rostov, in southern Russia, to Crimea had been restored – via southern Ukraine, rather than over the Crimea bridge. A tourist from the Russian city of Rostov told the Russian tourism website Tourdom about her experience driving to Crimea.

Persons: “, ” Elena Bazhenova, ”, ” Bazhenova, Multitour, ” Kizey, Viktor Korotaev, ” Denis Pushilin, ” Ilya Umansky Organizations: CNN, Russian Union of Tourist Industry, Tourists, AP Rail, Novosti, TASS, Russian Union of Travel Industry, Crimean Locations: Russian, Crimea, Ukrainian, Russia, Ukraine, Kerch, Russia’s Krasnodar, –, Krasnodar Territory, Moscow, Ukraine’s Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Mariupol, Donetsk People’s Republic, Chonhar, Ukraine’s Kherson, Rostov, Alushta

☆ Live updates: Russia's war in Ukraine, Crimea Bridge incident
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Kathleen Magramo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Rail traffic across the Crimean Bridge continues to operate albeit with delays after an apparent attack halted road traffic on the structure early Monday, a Moscow-backed official said. Russian state-run news agencies RIA Novosti and TASS also reported that rail traffic on the bridge is continuing to operate with delays. The nearly 12-mile bridge, also known as the Kerch Bridge, is the longest in Europe and carries both road and rail traffic between the annexed Crimean peninsula and Russia. It also serves as a vital logistical node for Moscow's military in its war against Ukraine. A widely circulating video of significant damage to one of the bridge’s road spans appears to have been captured this morning from a train passing on the parallel rail bridge.

Persons: ” Vladimir Konstantinov Organizations: State Council of, RIA Novosti, TASS, Ukraine Locations: Moscow, Republic of Crimea, Russian, Kerch, Europe, Crimean, Russia

This is how Komsomolskaya School Number 1 is marking the opening of a new school desk, a so-called “hero desk” emblazoned with the face and biography of one of Russia’s war dead, once a pupil at this very school. The desks are part of a pan-Russian initiative called the “New School Project” and are funded by “United Russia,” a staunchly pro-Putin party. As of early May, United Russia said there were more than 14,000 desks in 9,000 schools across the country. Local news reports suggest some schools use the desks to reward good behavior or good grades. The desks across the country are standardized: green, with military photographs, a biography, medals awarded (often posthumously) and the soldier’s date of death.

Persons: It’s, ”, Gennady Alexandrovich Pavlov, Chuvashia, Gennady Pavlov, Russia’s, Daniil Ken, ” Ken, Sergei Shoigu, Ken, Alena Arshinova, Olga, Sergey Kravtsov, Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Medvedev, there’s, “, ‘, Tatyana Chervenko, Chervenko, Mikhail Stepanov, ’, Stepanov, Wagner, “ Artyomovsk Organizations: CNN, New, “ United, Putin, Teachers ’ Alliance, Russian Ministry of Defense, State Duma, United, Kyiv, Russian, Russia’s Security, Novosti, Ministry Locations: Russian, Chuvashia, Russia, “ United Russia, United Russia, Ukraine, Hostomel, Kyiv, United States, State, St . Petersburg, Simferopol, Crimea, “, Leningrad, ”, Moscow, Virginia, Khabarovsk, Russia’s, Ukrainian, Bakhmut

☆ Why the Crimean Bridge is so important to Vladimir Putin
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Lauren Kent | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Also known as the Kerch Bridge, it holds personal value for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Here’s what you need to know:Why is the bridge so important to Russia? The Kerch Bridge is strategically important because it links Russia’s Krasnodar region with Crimea, which was illegally annexed by Russia from Ukraine in 2014. Rail traffic across the Crimea bridge is continuing to operate on Monday, albeit with delays, according to video on social media, a Russian official and Russian state media. A widely circulating video, which appears to have been captured this morning from a train passing on the parallel rail bridge, shows significant damage to one of the bridge’s road spans.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Putin, Staff, ” Vladimir Konstantinov, Boris Rozhin, “, ” Putin, Dmitry Peskov, Marat Khusnullin, Ukraine Andrii Yusov, ”, ” Yusov Organizations: CNN, CNN Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukrainian military’s, State Council of, Novosti, TASS, Russian, Ukraine’s Security, Defense Intelligence Locations: Russia, Ukrainian, Ukraine, Moscow, Kerch, Crimea, Russian, Kyiv, Krasnodar, Europe, Kherson, Republic of Crimea

☆ Russian tourists flee Crimea after attack on landmark bridge
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Andrew Osborn | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/4] A train moves along the Crimean Bridge, a section of which was damaged by an alleged overnight attack, as seen from the city of Kerch, Crimea, July 17, 2023. State-run news agency RIA said a tailback of more than 5 km (3 miles) had formed as Russian tourists made for home - using the Chonhar bridge, which was briefly put out of action by a missile attack last month. Moscow blamed the attack on the Crimean bridge, the second since Russia sent its armed forces into Ukraine, on Kyiv. HOLIDAY CANCELLATIONS MOUNT UPKyiv says Russian tourists - more than 9 million of whom visited in 2021 - have no business holidaying on seized territory, especially while Ukraine is being bombed. The 19-km (12-mile) Crimean Bridge, a prestige project for President Vladimir Putin, is the route most Russian tourists choose to reach the peninsula, as well as a supply route for the Russian army in Ukraine.

Persons: Alexey Pavlishak, RIA, Vladimir Saldo, Elena Bazhenova, Crimea's, Ilya Umansky, Vladimir Putin, Andrew Osborn, Kevin Liffey Organizations: REUTERS, Kyiv, Russian Union of Travel Industry, Thomson Locations: Kerch, Crimea, Ukraine, Russia, MOSCOW, State, Moscow, Kyiv, Ukrainian, Russian, Ukraine's Kherson, Simferopol

☆ Russia investigating if this week's North Korean test missile crashed in its waters
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/5] Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile is launched from an undisclosed location in North Korea in this image released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency on July 13, 2023. KCNA via REUTERSJuly 15 (Reuters) - Russia is investigating whether a North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile crashed in its waters during a test launch on Wednesday, state media quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko as saying. The test was condemned by the United States, South Korea and Japan, but Russia's Rudenko said it was a reaction to actions by Washington and its allies which "actually provoke North Korea to build up its defence power". U.N. Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari said on Thursday that the latest North Korean missile flight lasted about 74 minutes and travelled over 1,000 km (625 miles). Khiari said it crashed into the sea within Russia's exclusive economic zone but close to Japanese waters.

Persons: Andrei Rudenko, Russia's Rudenko, U.N, Khaled Khiari, Khiari, David Evans Organizations: North, Korean Central News Agency, KCNA, REUTERS, North Korean, RIA, TASS, United Nations, . Security, Korean, Reuters, Thomson Locations: North Korea, Russia, United States, South Korea, Japan, Washington, China

☆ Russian diplomats berate US, NATO over Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

July 11 (Reuters) - The U.S. is pushing NATO to the "most unfavourable" confrontation with Moscow with the decisions expected from the alliance's summit in Lithuania this week, while Kyiv's allies are "losing" in Ukraine, Russian diplomats said late on Monday. The Kremlin has been angered by the expected solidarity with Ukraine at the NATO summit which starts on Tuesday, saying Kyiv's potential membership in the alliance would be a threat to Russia and Moscow will react clearly and firmly. Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov said the United States is preparing anti-Russian decisions at the NATO summit. Konstantin Gavrilov, a Vienna-based Russian diplomat and a senior Russian security negotiator, told the Russian RIA state news agency in an interview the West is "losing" in Ukraine. "Both the United States and NATO understand that time is not working for them.

Persons: Anatoly Antonov, Antonov, Konstantin Gavrilov, Gavrilov, Lidia Kelly, Lincoln Organizations: NATO, Diplomats, Russian Federation, Reuters, Thomson Locations: U.S, Moscow, Lithuania, Ukraine, Russia, Russian, United States, Vilnius, Lithuanian, Vienna, Bakhmut, Melbourne

While NATO members agree Kyiv cannot join during the war, they have disagreed over how quickly it could happen afterwards and under what conditions. Negotiations have also focused on what conditions Ukraine would have to meet to join NATO and how its progress should be tracked, diplomats say. "I am absolutely certain that we will have unity and a strong message on Ukraine," Stoltenberg told reporters. Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February last year prompted Nordic neighbours Finland and Sweden to abandon decades of military non-alignment and apply to join NATO. Sweden, backed by Stoltenberg and many NATO members, said it had kept all its undertakings to Turkey on the issue.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, General Stoltenberg, Stoltenberg, Maria Zakharova, Tayyip Erdogan, Ulf Kristersson, Erdogan, Kristersson, Ronald Popeski, Lidia Kelly, Stephen Coates Organizations: NATO, Diplomats, Alliance, Twitter, Russian Foreign, Nordic, Kurdistan Workers Party, EU, European Union, Thomson Locations: VILNIUS, Vilnius, Sweden, Lithuanian, Ukraine, Moscow, Eastern Europe, Russia, United States, Germany, NATO, Finland, Turkey, Ankara, Swedish

☆ Russia said it was blindsided by Turkey after Zelenskyy left the country with formerly imprisoned Azov battalion members
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Five Ukrainian soldiers returned from Turkey, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced. Many of these troops who held the line by hiding in bunkers and tunnels under the Azovstal steel plant were Azov battalion members. A prisoner swap organized with the help of Turkey and Saudi Arabia in September allowed hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers to return home. Zelenskyy announced part of the agreement included that five commanders of the Azov battalion who led the charge in Mariupol would remain in Turkey until the war concluded. As for the other Azov soldiers captured in Mariupol, 22 are currently facing trial in Russia after the country designated the battalion as a terrorist group.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Turkey's Erdogan, Vladimir Putin, Zelenskyy, Dmitry Peskov, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Peskov, Erdogan, Putin Organizations: Service, Ukrainian National Guard, Twitter, Reuters, Kremlin, Azov, Human Rights Watch, Geneva Convention Locations: Turkey, Russia, Wall, Silicon, Azov, Ankara, Mariupol, Russian, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, Geneva

☆ Ukraine says it is advancing near eastern city of Bakhmut
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

KYIV, July 7 (Reuters) - Ukraine said on Friday its troops had advanced by more than a kilometre near the eastern city of Bakhmut in the past day of fighting against Russian forces. General Oleksander Syrskyi, who is in charge of Ukraine's land forces, also said Ukrainian troops were pushing forward in the direction of Bakhmut. A spokesperson for the armed forces general staff said Ukrainian forces had had "partial success" near the village of Klishchiivka, just southwest of Bakhmut. Ukrainian military analysts have said that securing Klishchiivka would help Ukraine take back Bakhmut, which was captured by Russian forces in May after months of fighting. Russia still holds Bakhmut but Ukrainian forces hope to encircle the city.

Persons: Serhiy Cherevatyi, Oleksander Syrskyi, Pavel Polityuk, Anna Pruchnicka, Timothy Organizations: Russian, Timothy Heritage, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Bakhmut, Kyiv, Klishchiivka, Ukrainian, Moscow, Russia

☆ Russia and Ukraine announce prisoner exchange
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/4] Former prisoner of war embraces her children Renat and Varvara as they return home after being illegally taken to Russia, in an unknown location in Ukraine, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in this handout picture released July 6, 2023. Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of... Read moreJuly 6 (Reuters) - Russia and Ukraine announced a prisoner of war exchange on Thursday involving the return of 45 soldiers from each side. Russia's defence ministry said that 45 Russian servicemen had been returned from Ukrainian custody, the Russian news agency RIA reported. Andriy Yermak, the head of Ukraine's presidential staff, said 45 service personnel and two civilians had been returned to Ukraine. Russia and Ukraine have periodically exchanged groups of prisoners in the course of the war, now in its 17th month.

Persons: Renat, Varvara, Read, Andriy Yermak, Yermak, Dmytro Lubinets, Lubinets, Alexander Marrow, Anna Pruchnicka, Timothy Organizations: Headquarters, Reuters, Timothy Heritage, Thomson Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Russian, Mariupol

☆ Russia says it struck Ukrainian forces near Bakhmut
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

July 5 (Reuters) - Russia said on Wednesday its forces had struck three Ukrainian army groups near Bakhmut, amid conflicting reports about fighting in the area. Since then, the Russian army in the area has come under fierce pressure from Ukrainian forces who threaten to encircle it. The Russian defence ministry made no comment in its daily briefing on reports that Russian forces have retreated from the village of Klishchiivka southwest of Bakhmut, which a Russian-installed official in eastern Ukraine denied. Ukraine has said its forces have had "partial success" in the Klishchiivka area. Russia's RIA news agency cited a Russian army source as saying that Russian forces had successfully repelled a Ukrainian attack there without retreating and were finishing off the remainder of Ukrainian troops in the area.

Persons: Russia's Wagner, Mark Trevelyan Organizations: Reuters, Thomson Locations: Russia, Bakhmut, Russian, Klishchiivka, Ukraine

☆ Russia, Ukraine differ in accounts of fighting near Bakhmut
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Ukraine's Deputy Defence Minister, Hanna Maliar, also reported fierce fighting further north around the town of Lyman, recaptured by Ukrainian forces late last year. Russia's Wagner mercenary group captured the shattered eastern city of Bakhmut in May after 10 months of fighting. The Russian army in the area has since come under fierce pressure from Ukrainian forces who threaten to encircle it. FIGHTING TO CONTROL VILLAGE NEAR BAKHMUTUkraine has said its forces have had "partial success" in the Klishchiivka area. She said Russian forces were trying to advance near Lyman but were gaining no ground in any single direction nearby.

Persons: Sofiia, Hanna Maliar, Russia's Wagner, Oleskandr Musiyenko, Klishchiivka, Maliar, Mark Trevelyan, Jamie Freed Organizations: Infantry Brigade, REUTERS, Ukraine's, Defence, Ukraine's NV, Reuters, Facebook, Russia's Tass, Tass, Thomson Locations: Ukrainian, Ukraine, Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Russia, Lyman, Russian, Klishchiivka, BAKHMUT Ukraine, Bohdanivka, Donetsk, Makiivka

Four Ukrainian drones were shot down by Moscow air defences while a fifth was jammed and crashed into the Odintsovo district of the Moscow region, the Russian defence ministry said. Ukraine almost never publicly claims responsibility for attacks inside Russia or on Russian-controlled territory in Ukraine. High-profile drone attacks deep inside Russia, the world's largest country, have increased over recent months with attacks on the Kremlin in May and on Russian oil infrastructure last month. After May's drone attack on the capital, President Vladimir Putin said Ukraine was trying to scare and provoke Russia, adding that the capital's air defences would be strengthened. "At this moment, the attacks have been repelled by air defence forces," Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on his Telegram messaging channel.

Persons: Maria Zakharova, Vladimir Putin, Sergei Sobyanin, Lidia Kelly, Guy Faulconbridge, Robert Birsel Organizations: Kyiv, United Arab, UN Security, Kremlin, Thomson Locations: Moscow Russia, Kyiv MOSCOW, Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Odintsovo, Kaluga, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Kubinka, United States, Britain, France, Kyiv, Melbourne

CNN —Elena Milashina, a prominent Russian journalist who uncovered the horrific crackdown on gay men in Chechnya, was severely beaten alongside a lawyer in an attack in the southern Russian republic, according to her employer Novaya Gazeta. Russia’s human rights commissioner, Tatyana Moskalkova, “agreed to intervene in the situation on the request of the editorial office,” Novaya Gazeta said. Moskalkova also said she asked the Commissioner for Human Rights in Chechnya to ensure the safety of the journalist. Following her reporting on a crackdown on gay men in Chechnya in 2017, Muslim clerics in Chechnya called for “retribution” against her and other journalists. The country has a checkered record on gay rights, breaking up gay pride marches and passing anti-gay propaganda laws.

Persons: CNN — Elena Milashina, Alexander Nemov, Elena, Alexander, ” “ Elena Milashina, “, Nemov, Milashina, Musaeva, Ramzan Kadyrov, Dmitry Peskov, Vladimir Putin, Tatyana Moskalkova, Moskalkova, ‘, Sergey Babinets, ”, Marie Struthers, Kadyrov Organizations: CNN, Novaya Gazeta, Milashina, Human, Novosti, Human Rights, Amnesty Locations: Russian, Chechnya, Grozny, Novaya, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Russia

☆ Prominent female Russian journalist and lawyer brutally attacked in Chechnya
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( Andrew Osborn | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Yelena Milashina, a well-known journalist for the Novaya Gazeta newspaper, was travelling to the Chechen capital Grozny from the local airport with Alexander Nemov, a lawyer, when they were attacked. There was no immediate comment from Ramzan Kadyrov, a close ally of Putin who rules Chechnya, a mainly Muslim southern region. But Soltayev, the Chechen rights official, was cited by the RIA news agency as calling the attack "a provocation" against the Chechen authorities. DEATH THREATSSome Russian lawmakers and officials in Moscow condemned the attack and demanded an investigation. Kadyrov denies rights abuses, saying such allegations are fabricated by ill-wishers trying to discredit Chechnya and its authorities.

Persons: Yelena Milashina, Alexander Nemov, Milashina, Mansur Soltayev, Nemov, Vladimir Putin, Ramzan Kadyrov, Putin, Mokhmad, Kadyrov, Zarema, Musayeva, Dmitry Muratov, Muratov, Andrew Osborn, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: Novaya Gazeta, Kremlin, RIA, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson Locations: Russian, Chechnya, Grozny, Moscow, Russia, Soviet, Milashina, Chechen

☆ Ukrainian Writer Victoria Amelina Dies After Kramatorsk Strike
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( Cassandra Vinograd | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

KYIV, Ukraine — Victoria Amelina, one of Ukraine’s best known young writers, has died from injuries sustained in a Russian missile strike on a crowded restaurant in eastern Ukraine. Her death brought to 13 the number of civilians killed in the attack on the Ria Lounge restaurant in the city of Kramatorsk on June 27. Ms. Amelina was dining with a Colombian delegation when the missile ripped into the restaurant. “Doctors and paramedics in Kramatorsk and Dnipro did everything they could to save her life,” the writers’ group PEN Ukraine said in a statement late Sunday. Days before the attack, Ms. Amelina had attended the Kyiv Book Arsenal, a large literary festival in Ukraine’s capital.

Persons: Victoria Amelina, Amelina Organizations: Victoria, Ria, Colombian, PEN, Arsenal Locations: KYIV, Ukraine, Russian, Kramatorsk, Dnipro, PEN Ukraine, Kyiv

☆ Putin has an invitation to visit Cuba, says Russian ambassador
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MOSCOW, July 3 (Reuters) - Russia's ambassador to Cuba said President Vladimir Putin had an invitation to visit the Communist-run island but that it was too early to talk about preparations for such a trip, the state RIA news agency said. "Vladimir Vladimirovich (Putin) has an invitation, but I don't know how his plans will be lined up," Ambassador Viktor Koronelli told RIA. "The president of Cuba was in Moscow not long ago, in November of last year, so no real time has passed." Cuba had welcomed 66,000 tourists from Russia so far this year and Aeroflot's resumption of regular flights would probably mean a total of 100,000 Russian tourists visit the islands in 2023, Koronelli said. "I would like to say again that Russia can always rely on Cuba, all our aspirations and will," he told Putin, according to a Kremlin transcript.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Vladimir Vladimirovich, Putin, Viktor Koronelli, Koronelli, Miguel Diaz, Canel, Raul Castro, Guy Faulconbridge, Andrew Osborn Organizations: Communist, Kremlin, Thomson Locations: MOSCOW, Cuba, Moscow, Russia, Cuban

☆ Russian ex-arms dealer freed for Brittney Griner to run for far-right party in local vote
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

July 2 (Reuters) - A Russian arms dealer freed last December in a prisoner swap for U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner has been chosen as the candidate of a far-right party for a seat in a Russian regional legislature, state news agency RIA reported on Sunday. RIA cited an official in Russia's ultra-nationalist Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR)'s local organisation as saying that Bout had been nominated as a candidate for the legislative assembly of the Ulyanovsk region in central Russia. Bout publicly joined the LDPR following his return to Russia. Despite its name, the LDPR holds far-right, ultra-nationalist views and strongly supports President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. Lugovoi has served as an LDPR member of Russia's national parliament since 2007.

Persons: Brittney Griner, Viktor Bout, RIA, Bout, Griner, Vladimir Putin's, Andrei Lugovoi, Alexander Litvinenko, Lugovoi, Felix Light, Gareth Jones Organizations: U.S, Liberal Democratic Party, U.S . Department of Justice, Thomson Locations: Russian, United States, Ulyanovsk, Russia, Thailand, Washington, Ukraine, Britain

Search resuls for: "RIA"

25 mentions found