Reactions as Vladimir Putin secures a fifth term as Russia’s president after tightly controlled vote

Vladimir Putin secured an unprecedented fifth term as president of Russia Monday, as the election commission announced the results of a vote in which he faced no serious challenges and which happened amid the strictest crackdown on opposition and free speech since Soviet times. Putin claimed his overwhelming margin was proof that Russians had placed … Read more

How Russia’s grab of Crimea 10 years ago led to war with Ukraine and rising tensions with the West

A decade ago, President Vladimir Putin seized Crimea from Ukraine, a bold land grab that set the stage for Russia to invade its neighbor in 2022. The quick and bloodless seizure of the diamond-shaped peninsula, home to Russia’s Black Sea fleet and a popular vacation site, touched off a wave of patriotism and sent Putin’s … Read more

Ukraine launches far-ranging drone attacks on the final day of Russia’s presidential vote

Ukraine launched a new massive wave of drone attacks Sunday as Russians cast ballots on the final day of a presidential vote set to extend President Vladimir Putin’s rule for another six years. The Russian Defense Ministry reported downing 35 Ukrainian drones overnight, including four in the Moscow region. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said a … Read more

Ukraine launches far-ranging drone attacks on final day of Russia’s presidential vote

Ukraine launched a new massive wave of drone attacks Sunday as Russians cast ballots on the final day of a presidential vote set to extend President Vladimir Putin’s rule for another six years. The Russian Defense Ministry reported downing 35 Ukrainian drones overnight, including four in the Moscow region. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said there … Read more

Ahead of Russia’s Election, Evgenia Kara-Murza Stares Down Putin

For many Russians, March 1 was a day of mourning. The memorial service for Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who perished weeks earlier in a remote Arctic penal colony, was being held in a small church on the outskirts of Moscow. Despite the heavy police presence and in defiance of the Russian government’s warnings against … Read more

What to know about Russia’s presidential election, with Putin sure to win

In a three-day election that leaves no room for doubt, Russian President Vladimir Putin is poised to win a fifth term on Sunday, allowing him to stay in power until 2030 — and, should he run again, to 2036. But many analysts believe the 71-year-old autocrat will rule this nation of 146 million people for … Read more

Austria expels 2 diplomats from Russia’s Embassy in Vienna. An official says it’s related to spying

VIENNA — Austria said on Wednesday it has ordered two diplomats from Russia’s Embassy in Vienna to leave the country. An Austrian official said the expulsions were related to spying activities. The Foreign Ministry said in a brief statement that the two Russian diplomats had “engaged in acts incompatible with their diplomatic status” and have … Read more

Russia’s glide bombs give its air force new power in Ukraine

KYIV — Russia’s air force has dramatically boosted its effectiveness in the Ukraine war with its increased use of “glide bombs,” contributing to Moscow’s recent battlefield successes, according to Western experts. The plentiful Soviet-era bombs, which carry up to a half-ton of explosives, have been fitted with wings and guidance systems to fly long distances … Read more

Russia’s new guided bomb inflicts devastation and heavy casualties on the Ukrainian front lines

Russia has begun using a powerful aerial bomb that has decimated Ukrainian defenses and tilted the balance on the front lines. It has done so by converting a basic Soviet-era weapon into a gliding bomb that can cause a crater fifteen meters wide. The bomb is the FAB-1500, essentially a 1.5-tonne weapon of which nearly … Read more

Democrats probe Russia’s alleged use of SpaceX Starlink in Ukraine

The Starlink photo is seen on a mobile device with Ukraine on a map in the background in this illustration photo in Warsaw, Poland on 21 September, 2022. STR | Nurphoto | Getty Images House Democrats Robert Garcia, D-Calif. and Jamie Raskin, D-Md, sent a letter to SpaceX demanding transparency from the defense contractor following … Read more