
Moscow says Washington ‘destroyed’ arms control pacts
The Kremlin accused Washington on Wednesday of “destroying” weapons control agreements, after the US said Russia was not complying with their last remaining arms pact, the New START treaty.
The Kremlin accused Washington on Wednesday of “destroying” weapons control agreements, after the US said Russia was not complying with their last remaining arms pact, the New START treaty.
Russians are used to celebrating the New Year — the country’s main holiday — with pomp, joy and high spirits.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that nuclear tensions were rising, though he insisted “we have not gone crazy” and Moscow would not be the first to deploy them in the Ukraine conflict.
Moscow on Thursday described as “un-Christian” recent comments by Pope Francis that Russian ethnic minorities were among the “cruellest” actors in Moscow’s military ranks in Ukraine.
Opposition politician Ilya Yashin, who went on trial in Moscow on Wednesday, risks becoming the latest in a long line of Kremlin critics slapped with heavy jail terms.
Moscow said Monday that Ukraine had nearly completed developing a “dirty bomb,” after Russia’s defence minister in calls with NATO counterparts claimed Kyiv’s forces were planning to deploy the weapon.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Moscow was conducting its nearly eight-month invasion of Ukraine correctly, despite his forces’ early failure to topple Kyiv and a string of recent embarrassing battlefield defeats.
Russian forces launched a barrage of fatal bombardments across Ukraine early Monday, in an apparent retaliation for an explosion that damaged a key bridge to Moscow-annexed Crimea.
President Vladimir Putin called up Russian military reservists on Wednesday, saying his promise to use all military means in Ukraine was “no bluff,” and hinting that Moscow was prepared to use nuclear weapons.
The Philippines has scrapped an order for 16 Russian military helicopters, an official confirmed Wednesday, following reports former president Rodrigo Duterte decided to cancel it due to US sanctions on Moscow.