Page 3 - Russia

Syria insurgents breach second largest city of Aleppo, say fighters

Syrian armed groups launched a large-scale attack on areas controlled by government forces and seized territory in northwestern Syria, opposition groups said Thursday. The government and its allies responded with airstrikes and shelling to ward off the insurgent advances, activists said. The violence has displaced thousands of families, and forced aid groups to suspend some of their services. Volunteers with the Syrian Civil Defence, known as the White Helmets, said at least 18 people, including three children and two women, were killed in two different villages in western Aleppo following airstrikes. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, said the airstrikes were from Russian warplanes. Syria's armed forces said Thursday the offensive was led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, which controls much of northwest Syria and is a violation of a de-escalation agreement. It said the attacks are ongoing and have targeted a number of villages and military bases. Turkey, which

Russian defence minister visits North Korea for talks to boost ties

Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov arrived in North Korea on Friday for talks with North Korean military and political leaders as the countries deepen their cooperation over Russia's war in Ukraine. In announcing the visit, Russia's Defence Ministry didn't say whom Belousov would meet or the purpose of the talks. North Korean state media didn't immediately confirm the visit. Belousov, a former economist, replaced Sergei Shoigu as defence minister in May after Russian President Vladimir Putin started a fifth term in power. Photos released by the Defense Ministry showed Belousov walking alongside North Korean Defense Minister No Kwang Chol on a red carpet at a Pyongyang airport. North Korean military officials were seen clapping under a banner that read, Complete support and solidarity with the fighting Russian army and people. Belousov noted after his arrival that military cooperation between the countries is expanding. He applauded a strategic partnership agreement signed by

Desertion a major issue with Ukraine's forces in its war with Russia

Desertion is starving the Ukrainian army of desperately needed manpower and crippling its battle plans at a crucial time in its war with Russia, which could put Kyiv at a clear disadvantage in future ceasefire talks. Facing every imaginable shortage, tens of thousands of Ukrainian troops, tired and bereft, have walked away from combat and front-line positions to slide into anonymity, according to soldiers, lawyers and Ukrainian officials. Entire units have abandoned their posts, leaving defensive lines vulnerable and accelerating territorial losses, according to military commanders and soldiers. Some take medical leave and never return, haunted by the traumas of war and demoralized by bleak prospects for victory. Others clash with commanders and refuse to carry out orders, sometimes in the middle of firefights. This problem is critical, said Oleksandr Kovalenko, a Kyiv-based military analyst. This is the third year of war, and this problem will only grow. Although Moscow has also b

Russia could strike 'decision-making centres' in Kyiv, says Putin

Russian attacks have not so far struck government buildings in the Ukrainian capital. Kyiv is heavily protected by air defences, but Putin says Russia's Oreshnik hypersonic missile

Russia's labour shortage spreads as defence sector cuts down staff

Heavy recruitment by the armed forces and defence industries has drawn workers away from civilian enterprises, as has emigration, pushing unemployment to a record low of 2.3 per cent

Russia's plane shortage hinders air travel as wartime wages boost demand

Rostec, whose subsidiary United Aircraft Corporation controls almost all of Russia's major aircraft producers, appears still far from making that dream a reality

Trump nominates Keith Kellogg as special envoy to Ukraine and Russia

Keith Kellogg is expected to play a key role in peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine if both nations agree to talks

Jaishankar slams Western criticism of India's purchase of Russian oil

Criticising Europe's selective approach, Jaishankar asked why Europe has itself not cut its businesses with Russia

Ukraine says Russian attack sets new record for number of drones used

Russia launched 188 drones against most regions of Ukraine in a nighttime blitz, the Ukrainian air force said Tuesday, describing it as a record number of drones deployed in a single attack. Most of the drones were intercepted, according to the air force, but apartment buildings and critical infrastructure such as the national power grid were damaged. No casualties were immediately reported in the 17 targeted regions. Russia has been hammering civilian areas of Ukraine with increasingly heavy drone, missile and glide bomb attacks since the middle of the year. At the same time, Russia's army has largely held the battlefield initiative for the past year and has been pushing hard in the eastern Donetsk region where it is making significant tactical advances, according to Western military analysts. Ukraine faces a difficult winter, with worries about the reliability of the electricity supply amid Russia's attacks and how much US support it can count on next year after President-elect .

JSW Steel, SAIL in discussions with Mongolia for coking coal shipments

JSW Steel, the country's biggest steelmaker by capacity, plans to buy 2,500 metric tons, while SAIL aims to import 75,000 metric tons of the steelmaking raw material from Mongolia

Russian forces advance in Ukraine at fast pace, moving into Kurakhove

The report noted recent confirmed battlefield gains near Vuhledar and Velyka Novosilka, which are in the Donetsk region

Russia vows stronger ties with Afghanistan, says US should help rebuild

Taliban leaders asked Shoigu to help them ease the pressure imposed by US sanctions against the Kabul government

Russia solely responsible for concerns over N Korean troops in Ukraine: US

In response to the reports of Russia's recruitment efforts of Yemeni mercenaries for the war, Miller expressed the US's concerns over it as well as Russia's broader efforts to bolster its forces amid

Highlights: Mankind Pharma gets GST order with penalty of Rs 29.1 million

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HSBC stops processing all Russia, Belarus payments for retail customers

A message sent from the bank to its personal banking customers and seen by Reuters said the lender has 'made the decision to stop processing payments' from the two countries

Russia supplied air defence missiles to N Korea in return for troops: Seoul

Russia has supplied air defence missiles to North Korea in exchange for sending its troops to support Russia's war efforts against Ukraine, a top South Korean official said Friday. The US, South Korea and Ukraine say North Korea sent more than 10,000 troops to Russia in October, some of whom have recently began engaging in combat. It has been unclear what Russia would give North Korea in return. Shin Wonsik, national security adviser for President Yoon Suk Yeol, told a SBS TV program Friday that South Korea has found Russia provided missiles and other equipment to reinforce its air defence network for Pyongyang, the capital. Many observers say North Korea likely feels the urgent need to boost its air defence capabilities for the capital after the North last month accused South Korea of dropping propaganda leaflets over Pyongyang. North Korea threatened to take military action if leaflets were again dropped. South Korea's military has refused to confirm whether or not it was behind t

S Korea finds Russia supplied missiles to North Korea in return for troops

A top South Korean official says Russia has supplied anti-air missiles to North Korea in exchange for it sending troops. The US, South Korea and others say North Korea has sent more than 10,000 troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine. What Russia would give North Korea in return has been the focus of keen attention. National Security Director Shin Wonsik told a SBS TV programme Friday that South Korea has found Russia has provided anti-air missiles and other equipment to reinforce its air defence network for Pyongyang, the capital. Shin says Russia has also give diverse economic assistance to North Korea. Seoul and Washington have voiced worries about possible Russian transfers of sensitive nuclear and missile technology to North Korea.

World War-3 officially begins: claims Ukraine's former commander-in-chief

Participation of North Korean soldiers, use of Iranian drones and weapons from China are 'unmistakable signs' of the conflict's broader international dimensions, said Valery Zaluzhny

Highlights: ICC issues arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Israel's defense minister & Hamas official

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US sanctions Gazprombank, 50 Russian banks & 15 officials over Ukraine war

The Biden administration had previously decided not to levy sanctions against the bank for fear of roiling global energy markets