• Hungary's 'Christmas Ceasefire' plan rejected by Ukraine amid tensions Over Orban's Kremlin ties

    Ukraine has firmly rejected Hungary's proposal to organize a phone call between Prime Minister Viktor Orban and President Volodymyr Zelensky. The Budapest initiative, put forward after Orban's conversations with Putin, aimed at achieving a "Christmas ceasefire" and "mass prisoner exchange," was met with skepticism in Kyiv.

    Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó stated that Ukraine "in an unprecedented diplomatic gesture" firmly but politely declined the call. However, analysts note that …

  • Ukrainian Forces repel major Russian assault on Siversk salient

    On December 14, Russian forces launched a major assault from three directions on the Siversk salient, but were met with significant resistance from Ukrainian defenders, reported Ukrainian journalist Yuriy Butusov.

    "Russian troops attacked the Siversk salient with mechanized battle groups from three directions. More than 400 assault soldiers, up to 30 armored vehicles, 13 buggies, and 60 motorcycles, supported heavily by artillery and drones, targeted our forces to the north, east, and south of …

  • Environmental catastrophe unfolds: two Russian tankers break apart, fuel oil spills off Crimea's coastline

    In a grim development off the coast of Crimea, two Russian tankers split in half and are now sinking, spilling fuel oil into the sea. The incident involving the "Volgoneft 212" has claimed at least one sailor's life and threatens to reach the scale of an ecological disaster.

    On the morning of December 15, near the shores of the temporarily occupied Crimea, a severe accident took place involving two Russian tankers—"Volgoneft-212" and "Volgoneft-239". The stormy sea shattered both vessels in …

  • Ukraine launches second drone attack in a week on Grozny's Kadyrov police regiment

    On Sunday morning, December 15, drones launched a second attack in a week on the Chechen capital of Grozny, according to Russian media reports.

    Local residents reported hearing loud explosions at around 7:45 a.m. Dramatic footage circulated online, showing UAVs crashing onto the premises of the Kadyrov Police Regiment. Other drones were seen against the backdrop of a significant column of smoke. Automatic gunfire can be heard in the videos, suggesting attempts to shoot the drones down. …

  • Turkey seeks U.S. exemption from Gazprombank sanctions amid energy dependency concerns

    Amid the fallout from U.S. sanctions on Russia's Gazprombank affecting Turkey, Ankara is urging Washington to lift the restrictions specifically for the Turkish side. According to the Turkish newspaper Hürriyet, this topic was raised on December 13 during discussions in Ankara with an American delegation led by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

    The publication reminds us that the U.S. administration imposed sanctions on Gazprombank to hinder Russia's use of the international financial …

  • Ukrainian drones target fuel depot in Russia's Oryol region, sparking major fire

    A fire erupted at an oil depot in Oryol following a drone attack, the Astra news outlet reported, citing local residents. At least one fuel tank was set ablaze. Video footage released shows a raging fire with a column of black smoke billowing from the depot’s facilities. The governor of the Oryol region, Vasily Klychkov, stated on his Telegram channel that the blaze has been contained and no casualties have been reported.

    According to Klychkov, a total of 11 drones were shot down overnight in …

  • Russia begins withdrawal of military forces from Syria

    Russia has begun pulling its military forces from Syria, according to media reports and satellite imagery. Reuters, citing an anonymous source within the Syrian security forces, reports that on Saturday, a cargo plane departed Russia’s Khmeimim Airbase in Latakia province for Libya. The source, whose affiliation with either Assad’s security services or the new regime remains unspecified, indicated that more flights are expected in the coming days. Cargo helicopters have also been spotted at the …

  • Former Russian executives sentenced in secret bunker embezzlement case

    In a high-stakes case involving allegations of corruption and fraud, the Second Western District Military Court has announced sentences for those implicated in the embezzlement scandal surrounding secret underground bunker construction for the Ministry of Defense. According to TASS, former deputy director of LLC "Atlas," Dmitry Pipko, and former general director of LLC "M-Stroy," Andrey Epifantsev, received sentences of seven years and three years in a general regime penal colony, with fines of …

  • UAE banks halt transactions for Russian companies amid U.S. pressure

    Russian businesses face increased payment scrutiny as UAE banks are now blocking and delaying transactions linked to Russian companies amidst a fresh wave of U.S. sanctions. These new restrictions add to the immense challenges the Russian economy faces due to Western-imposed sanctions, tightening the financial noose as overseas anti-sanction "hubs" fall apart under the threat of secondary sanctions.

    The UAE had emerged as a crucial financial "hub" for Russian entities, facilitating their trade …

  • Assad seeks sanctuary in Russia: a new addition to Moscow's 'collection' of exiled leaders

    Bashar al-Assad and his family have been granted asylum in Russia on "humanitarian grounds." While there are no official photos yet of Assad settling into his new surroundings, speculation is rife about what he might owe Vladimir Putin for this hospitality and who his new neighbors might be, Digi 24 reports.

    Columnist Mark Galeotti suggests that the discredited Syrian ruler will make his home in Barvikha, an upscale enclave for Russia's affluent near Moscow. Historically, this area housed …