World News

22:56 02.12.2025

Compromise on Ukraine Still Elusive After Meeting With U.S. Delegation, Kremlin Says Текст: Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yury UshakovsaidWednesday that peace talks in Moscow with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner failed to produce a compromise to end the war in Ukraine, though he called the discussions “useful” and “constructive.” The nearly five-hour meeting, attended by President Vladimir Putin, was Witkoff’s sixth trip to Russia this year and focused on a revised U.S. peace proposal drafted with input from Ukrainian officials. That framework had been seen as a possible breakthrough, but Ushakov’s cautious tone suggested Moscow and Kyiv remain far apart in negotiations. “A compromise solution hasn’t been found yet, but some of the ideas the Americans proposed look more or less acceptable, though they still need to be discussed,” Ushakov told reporters. “Some of the wording they suggested doesn’t work for us.” He said the issue of Ukrainian territory remains “the most important” for Moscow, a clear indication that Putin is unlikely to soften his stance on Russia gaining total control of the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, where Russian forces allegedlycapturedthe key city of Pokrovsk over the weekend. Ushakov described the meeting late Tuesday as an opportunity to discuss in detail the prospects for future talks, adding that Witkoff and Kushner “promised” to travel to Kyiv to brief Ukrainian officials. He said both sides agreed to continue negotiations but offered little on the prospect of a new summit between Trump and Putin. A meeting between the two leaders was originally expected to take place in Hungary in October, but was abruptly canceled after Trump questioned whether high-level talks could yield progress. “As for a possible meeting at the presidential level, that will depend on the progress we’re able to make through the persistent work carried out by our aides and representatives,” Ushakov said. He also hinted that Tuesday’s talks covered far more than Ukraine, saying that those present discussed “vast prospects for future economic cooperation” between the U.S. and Russia. “This had been discussed many times at earlier meetings as well,” Ushakov told reporters. “But this time, we emphasized that if we genuinely want to work together — and there are enormous opportunities — then it’s time to show some real commitment.” The Moscow Times reported in April that the Kremlin ordered major Russian corporations to prepare proposals for economic cooperation with Washington following Trump’s election last year. According to government and business sources, Moscow has sought to link business deals to Ukraine peace talks as a way to push Trump toward a settlement more favorable to Russia. Despite the latest flurry of diplomacy, triggered by the leak of an initial 28-point plan drafted by U.S. and reportedly Russian officials, there is little sign that either Moscow or Kyiv has shifted their positions. Putinsaidlast week that a meeting with Witkoff was necessary to discuss details of the American plan, but in the same breath warned that Russian forces would continue their advance in the Donbas region if Ukraine refused to accept his conditions for a ceasefire. At the same time, Ukraine has indicated that it is not willing to hand over territory it currently controls to Russia. Trump initially gave Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a hard Thanksgiving deadline to accept the latest U.S. peace plan, but later backed away, a pattern that has become common in his attempts to deliver on his promise to end the war.

Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yury UshakovsaidWednesday that peace talks in Moscow with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald...

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20:55 02.12.2025

Russia Orders Underwater Inspections of All Foreign Ships Entering Its Ports Текст: Russia has ordered port operators to carry out underwater inspections of foreign ships for explosive devices and other suspicious items, the Kommersant business dailyreportedTuesday, citing a Nov. 25 government decree. The move follows a presidential order requiring foreign vessels to obtain Federal Security Service (FSB) approval to access Russian ports. Under the new rules, a port captain must notify the FSB within one hour of receiving a request from a foreign ship to enter port and provide details on the vessel’s 10 most recent ports of call. The FSB then has 48 hours to authorize or deny entry and may require an underwater inspection as part of the process. Port operators are responsible for arranging the checks and can seek reimbursement from shipowners for the cost of the procedure. The inspections must be carried out using divers and specialized equipment. Any explosive devices found would be handled by the military or security services. Similar measures were already applied in most northwestern ports over the summer and are now being expanded to ports in the Azov-Black Sea basin, Kommersant reported. According to Russia’s Federal Agency for Sea and Inland Water Transport (Rosmorrechflot), foreign vessels made a total of 26,700 calls at Russian ports in 2024. That includes 4,360 in Novorossiysk, 3,000 in Vladivostok, 2,750 in Ust-Luga, 2,570 in St. Petersburg and 1,670 in Vostochny. While the average cost of an underwater inspection is about 300,000 rubles ($3,900) some ports have raised prices to as much as 1 million rubles ($12,900), one industry source told Kommersant. He noted that the Far East in particular faces a shortage of divers and equipment. Another industry representative said winter operations remain a major concern, saying: “Everyone is nervous about the upcoming ice.” The tightening of controls followsa series of mysterious explosionsaffectingtankers arriving at Russian ports since early 2025.

Russia has ordered port operators to carry out underwater inspections of foreign ships for explosive devices and other suspicious items,...

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18:54 02.12.2025

Court Ruling Clears Path for Russian and Belarusian Skiers to Compete at 2026 Olympics Текст: The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Tuesday overturned a ban that had barred Russian and Belarusian skiers from qualifying for the 2026 Winter Olympics, opening the way for them to compete as neutral athletes. In a statement, the court said that athletes from the two countries who meet the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) criteria for individual neutral athlete status “should be allowed to participate” in qualification events organized by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS). Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyarev welcomed the decision. He called it “the third court ruling in favor of Russia in winter Olympic sports,” referring to earlier cases involving bobsleigh and luge. FIS announced in October that it would exclude Russian and Belarusian competitors from qualification events for the 2026 Winter Olympics, extending a ban first imposed in 2022 after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. While athletes from the two countries had already been shut out of FIS competitions, they hoped to enter the Olympics under a neutral banner. The IOC said in September that Russian and Belarusian athletes could compete in 2026 as neutrals if they met strict conditions, including passing background checks to ensure they had no ties to the military or security services. FIS’s ban aligned with similar positions taken by the international federations for biathlon and luge, though the skating federation allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to attempt to qualify. CAS upheld Russian and Belarusian appeals to the ban on the grounds that FIS statutes “protect individuals from discrimination and require the FIS to be politically neutral,” the court said. At the 2022 Beijing Games, Russian athletes won nearly one-third of all medals in cross-country skiing, though they failed to medal in alpine skiing.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Tuesday overturned a ban that had barred Russian and Belarusian skiers from...

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16:53 02.12.2025

If Europe Wants War With Russia, We Are Ready, Putin Says Текст: Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that Russia was ready for war if Europe seeks one, accusing the continents leaders of trying to sabotage a deal on the Ukraine war before he met with U.S. envoys. The comments came as U.S. President Donald Trumps special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner were in Moscow for high-stakes talks on ending the nearly four-year war, which were preceded by days of intense diplomacy. We are not planning to go to war with Europe, but if Europe wants to and starts, we are ready right now, Putin told reporters in Moscow. They have no peaceful agenda, they are on the side of war, he added, repeating his claim that European leaders were hindering U.S. attempts to broker peace in Ukraine. He added that European changes to Trumps latest plan to end the war aimed solely at one thing — to completely block the entire peace process and put forward demands that are absolutely unacceptable for Russia. Washingtons initial 28-point draft to end the conflict was later amended after criticism from Kyiv and Europe, which viewed it as heeding many of Russias maximalist demands. The plan to end the war is championed by Trump, but European countries fear it risks forcing Kyiv to cave in to Russian demands, notably on territory. Fearing further Russian aggression, Europe has repeatedly said an unfair peace should not be imposed on Ukraine. The Trump envoys are now seeking to finalize the plan with the approval of Moscow and Kyiv.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that Russia was «ready» for war if Europe seeks one, accusing the continent’s leaders...

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14:53 02.12.2025

Majority of Reported Drone Incidents in Europe Not Linked to Russia – Trouw Текст: The vast majority of recent reports of drone activity across Europe have not shown any evidence of Russian involvement, according toanalysisby the Dutch newspaper Trouw, undercutting warnings from some European officials who have suggested Moscow was likely behind the incidents. Out of approximately 60 reported sightings in 11 countries from August to November, only four — in Poland, Romania and Moldova — involved confirmed Russian drones that were either shot down by NATO aircraft or identified through recovered debris, the newspaper reported. Trouw, which reviewed dozens of incidents using the platform Dronewatch, said the origin of 40 reported sightings could not be verified at all, with no visual, radar or debris evidence to confirm a drone’s presence. At least 14 reports were later attributed to ordinary aircraft, helicopters, ships or even stars. A map compiled by Trouw showed three hobby or tourist drones and 11 other objects that were ultimately deemed not to be drones. Those findings jar with recent statements from European officials, including Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen, both of whomsuggestedRussia could be behind suspected drone flights over Scandinavia. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte cautioned in September that the source of the reported sightings remained unclear. The Kremlin has repeatedly denied any involvement. Trouw said the high number of false alarms reflects the difficulty of detecting drones, particularly when reports rely heavily on human observation, as well as heightened public and media sensitivity amid tensions between Russia and the European Union over the war in Ukraine. Several European governments have moved to bolster air defenses in response to the reported sightings. Belgium, for example, has installed new drone-detection systems, while the Netherlands plans to spend up to 2.5 billion euros ($2.9 billion) on mobile weapons platforms, an anti-drone cannon and additional detection and jamming technologies.

The vast majority of recent reports of drone activity across Europe have not shown any evidence of Russian involvement, according toanalysisby...

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22:52 01.12.2025

Russia Claims Capture of Key City of Pokrovsk in Eastern Ukraine Текст: Russia said Monday its forces had captured the city of Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine, a key military logistics hub, as well as the city of Vovchansk in the northeast. The battlefield claims, announced by the Kremlin in a post on Telegram, ups the pressure on Kyiv as it seeks to bring the United States on side in fraught U.S.-led negotiations aimed at ending the war. Pokrovsk, a road and rail hub in the Donetsk region that had around 60,000 inhabitants before the war, has been the target of an intense Russian campaign in recent months. Ukraine sent reinforcements, including special forces troops, to the city last month in a bid to fend off Russias attack. But hundreds of Russian soldiers had managed to infiltrate the city. Russias chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov on Sunday informed [President] Vladimir Putin of the liberation of the cities of Krasnoarmeysk and Vovchansk, the Kremlinsaidon Telegram, using the Russian name for Pokrovsk. The Defense Ministryposteda video purportedly showing Russian soldiers raising their countrys flag over Pokrovsks central square. The capture, if confirmed, would complicate Ukraines supply lines elsewhere on the front and could give Russia a launchpad to advance farther north and west. It would also put a nearby Ukrainian army garrison at risk of being encircled by Russian forces. Vovchansk, located in the Kharkiv region, has been devastated by combat since May 2024. Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov had called its capture an important step toward victory. An AFP analysis of data from the U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) shows that the Russian army last month made its biggest advance in Ukraine since November 2024.

Russia said Monday its forces had captured the city of Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine, a key military logistics hub, as...

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20:51 01.12.2025

Drivers Stranded on Baikal Highway Amid Subzero Weather Текст: Motorists were stranded for several hours in a traffic jam along the snowbound Baikal Highway in southern Siberia, regional authoritiessaidMonday. The backup followed three days of severe weather, with temperatures near minus 30 degrees Celsius(minus 22 degrees Fahrenheit), heavy snowfall and strong winds, according to the federal road agency Rosavtodor. Traffic worsened after several truckers violated road rules, causing accidents that further blocked the highway, a spokesperson from Rosavtodortoldlocal media. At its peak, the jam stretched roughly 100 kilometers (62 miles) along Lake Baikal’s southwestern shore, local media reported,notingthat some families with children wererunning lowon food, water and fuel. Irkutsk region Governor Igor Kobzevsaidemergency crews had deployed a mobile warming and food station, along with six fixed warming points and three fuel stations along the route. Less than an hour before Rosavtodor warned of continuing hazardous road conditions, Kobzev said the jam had been cleared by about 4 p.m. local time. The Baikal Highway, a section of the Trans-Siberian route, links the Irkutsk region to the republic of Buryatia and the Zabaikalsky region. Temperatures below 30 degrees C are forecast to continue through Tuesday, officials from Rosavtodor said.

Motorists were stranded for several hours in a traffic jam along the snowbound Baikal Highway in southern Siberia, regional authoritiessaidMonday....

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18:50 01.12.2025

Ukraine Launches Record Number of Strikes on Russian Oil Refineries in November Текст: Ukraine carried out at least 14 drone attacks on Russian oil refineries in November in a new monthly record, BloombergreportedMonday, citing public statements from both countries. Kyiv has stepped up strikes on Russia’s energy infrastructure since August in a bid to undercut Moscow’s oil revenues, a key source of funding for its war effort. Among the refineries struck was theAfipsky plantnear Krasnodar, one of the largest in southern Russia with an annual capacity of 9.1 million tons. The facility had already been hit in September, when one of its units was damaged. Rosneft’s Ryazan refinery has been offline since mid-November after drones disabled the main refining unit, which accounts for nearly half of its total 17.1-million-ton annual capacity, Reutersreported. Another unit responsible for more than a quarter of output had been shut down following a drone strike on Oct. 24. Lukoil’s Volgograd refinery has also temporarily halted operations after damage to its primary oil processing unit, which is responsible for around 20% of its capacity of 13.7 million tons per year. Drones also hit the Orsknefteorgsintez refinery in Orsk, Orenburg region, located 1,400 kilometers from Ukraine. Russia’s average daily refining volume has fallen to around 5 million barrels per day as a result of the intensified campaign, down from the 5.3-5.5 million barrels per day typically processed in late autumn, Bloomberg cited analytics firm Kpler as saying. Ukraine also launched four strikes on oil-handling facilities at Black Sea ports,causingseveral days of delays in crude shipments after damage to the port of Novorossiysk. Ukrainian unmanned surface vessels targeted two sanctioned tankers carrying Russian oil in the Black Sea at the end of November, Bloomberg reported. Another tanker transporting Russian gasoil washitby explosions off the coast of Senegal late last month.

Ukraine carried out at least 14 drone attacks on Russian oil refineries in November in a new monthly record, BloombergreportedMonday,...

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16:50 01.12.2025

Vice President of Putin’s ‘Personal Cashbox’ Jailed 8.5 Years for Bribery Текст: A judge in St. Petersburg has sentenced Igor Andreev, the vice president of Bank Rossiya, to eight and a half years in prison on charges of bribery, the court’s press servicesaidMonday. Andreev wasarrestedin March 2024 after police investigators said they caught him receiving part of an illicit payment tied to a real estate development scheme. Investigators accused him of creating and controlling the real estate developer SZ Vsevolozhsk, which built an elite housing district northwest of St. Petersburg in the Leningrad region. Andreev was said to have transferred management of SZ Vsevolozhsk to a partner firm whose co-owners paid him personally for favors when doing business with Bank Rossiya. At the time, Andreev also served as the bank’s vice president for investment and headed its subsidiary ABR Development, which helped set up SZ Vsevolozhsk. A judge from the Krasnogvardeyskyi District Court on Monday found Andreev guilty of large-scale commercial bribery and sentenced him to eight years and six months in a maximum-security prison. The court ordered the confiscation of the 29 million rubles ($373,000) he received between December 2022 and March 2024 in exchange for monthly credit-line disbursements from the bank to the developer and imposed an additional fine of 87 million rubles ($1.1 million). Bank Rossiya, Russia’s 14th-largest bank by assets, said it had initiated the internal review that led to Andreev’s arrest. It said it cooperated with law enforcement authorities throughout the investigation. Bank Rossiya was sanctioned following Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 because of its close links to businessmen seen as personal allies of President Vladimir Putin. Investigative journalistssaythe U.S. government refers to Bank Rossiya, where close Putin ally Yury Kovalchuk chairs its board, as “Putin’s personal cashbox.”

A judge in St. Petersburg has sentenced Igor Andreev, the vice president of Bank Rossiya, to eight and a half...

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14:49 01.12.2025

Third Tanker Carrying Russian Oil Hit by Explosions Текст: A tanker carrying Russian oil products suffered four external explosions off the coast of Senegal, BloombergreportedMonday, citing the vessel’s manager Besiktas Shipping. The incident near the Senegalese capital Dakar marks the third case in recent days involving tankers that transport Russian fuel in defiance of Western sanctions. Besiktas Shippingsaidwater started flooding the engine room of the Mersin after the blasts, which took place at 23:45 UTC on Nov. 27. The ship remained stable and its crew members were safe, the company said. It added that no environmental pollution had been detected. The Mersin was carrying gasoil and had made several calls at Russian ports this year, Bloomberg said, citing analytics firm Kpler. The vessel was stabilized after taking on significant water and has been placed under tow and technical supervision, Bloomberg cited Senegal’s port authority as saying. Bloombergs report followsexplosionson Russian shadow-fleet tankers Kairo and Virat in the Black Sea over the weekend. A source in Ukraine’s SBU security service latertoldCNN that the ships were struck by upgraded Sea Baby naval drones in a joint SBU and naval operation. Both ships had been sailing empty and were taken out of service following the explosions.

A tanker carrying Russian oil products suffered four external explosions off the coast of Senegal, BloombergreportedMonday, citing the vessel’s manager...

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