Latest news with #RussianAmbassador
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Finland summons Russian ambassador over alleged air breach
Finland summoned Russia's ambassador on Monday after two Russian military aircraft allegedly violated Finnish airspace near the southern coast last week. The incident has ramped up rising tensions as Helsinki deepens its NATO integration and bolsters defenses against potential threats along its shared border with Russia. The suspected breach was off the coast of Porvoo, some 50 kilometers (30 miles) east of Helsinki, and is under investigation by Finnish authorities. The country's defense ministry first reported the incident on Friday. "The foreign ministry of Finland has today summoned the ambassador of Russia and requested an explanation regarding the suspected violation of airspace," the ministry said in a post on X. The Foreign Ministry of Finland has today summoned the Ambassador of Russia and requested an explanation regarding the suspected violation of airspace. — MFA Finland 🇫🇮 (@Ulkoministerio) May 26, 2025 Finland, which joined NATO in 2023 after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, shares a 1,340-kilometer (830-mile) border with Russia. Since joining the alliance, Helsinki has warned of increased security threats and has pledged to boost defense readiness. Moscow has repeatedly criticized Finland's accession to NATO and warned of repercussions. Last week, Finland's Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen told the AFP news agency the country was "closely monitoring and assessing Russia's activities and intentions." That followed satellite images published by the New York Times indicating expanded Russian military infrastructure near the border. Hakkanen said Russia's moves to strengthen its armed forces in the area were "not a surprise to Finland." In April, Finland announced plans to raise defense spending to at least 3% of GDP by 2029 and restructure its military to respond to evolving threats. The news came as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz traveled to Finland to attend a summit with the prime ministers of Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland. Edited by Wesley Dockery
Arab News
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Finland summons Russian ambassador over suspected airspace violation: ministry
HELSINKI: Finland's foreign ministry said on Monday it had summoned the Russian ambassador over suspicions that two Russian military aircraft violated its airspace last week. Finland, which dropped decades of military non-alignment to join NATO in 2023, following Russia's fully-fledged invasion of Ukraine, has a 1,340-kilometer (830-mile) border with Russia. The defense ministry reported on Friday there had been a suspected airspace violation off the coast of Porvoo, around 50 kilometers (30 miles) from the capital, Helsinki. It said an investigation into the incident was ongoing. 'The foreign ministry of Finland has today summoned the ambassador of Russia and requested an explanation regarding the suspected violation of airspace,' the ministry said in a post on X. Moscow has repeatedly warned Finland of repercussions since it joined NATO. Last week, Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen told AFP that Finland was 'closely monitoring and assessing Russia's activities and intentions.' He was commenting after the New York Times published satellite images appearing to show an expansion of Russian military infrastructure near the border. Hakkanen said in an email that Russia's moves 'to strengthen its armed forces have not come as a surprise to Finland.' Helsinki has increased its military investments and preparedness since joining NATO. In April, it announced it would boost defense spending to at least three percent of GDP by 2029 and reform its defense forces to tackle security threats.
Bloomberg
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Finland Summons Russia's Ambassador After Violation of Airspace
Finland summoned the Russian ambassador to provide an explanation for a recent suspected violation of airspace. The Foreign Ministry announced the summons in a post on X on Monday. Two Russian military aircraft were suspected to have flown without permission in Finnish airspace on the Gulf of Finland on Friday, the government said separately, without providing details. The Border Guard is investigating the incident.
Arab News
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Russia jails Australian man for 13 years for fighting on Ukraine's side
The court had ruled that he had taken part in combat operations against Russian troops MOSCOW: Russia has sentenced an Australian citizen to 13 years in a maximum security prison for fighting alongside Ukrainian forces, state prosecutors in a part of eastern Ukraine controlled by Russia said on Jenkins, 33, was found guilty by a court of participating in an armed conflict as a mercenary, a statement from the prosecutors court had ruled that he had taken part in combat operations against Russian troops between March and December media reported last year that Jenkins, a teacher from Melbourne, was serving alongside Ukraine's military when he was captured by Russian January, Australia summoned the Russian ambassador over what turned out to be false reports that Jenkins had been killed after being captured by Russia.
Daily Mail
16-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Russia sends Aussie to jail for fighting alongside Ukrainian forces
Russia has sentenced an Australian citizen to 13 years in a maximum-security prison for fighting alongside Ukrainian forces. Oscar Jenkins, 33, was found guilty by a court for taking part in an armed conflict as a mercenary, a statement from prosecutors said on Friday. The court had ruled he had taken part in combat operations against Russian troops between March and December 2024. Australian media reported in 2024 that Jenkins, a teacher from Melbourne, was serving alongside Ukraine's military when he was captured by Russian forces in December. In January, Australia summoned the Russian ambassador over what turned out to be false reports that Jenkins had been killed after being captured by Russia before he was confirmed alive in Russian captivity a fortnight later. That footage showed Mr Jenkins dressed in a heavy coat, beanie and army gear, answering questions - believed to be from a Russian captor. He was asked to confirm his identity and the date in English, claiming it was January 17, 2025. 'Tell us about your health condition, about your mood. Are you okay?' the man filming asked. 'I would like more freedom,' Jenkins replied. 'I feel a bit weak. I've lost a lot of weight. I have a broken arm still, I think, and my hand is not good.' The man behind the camera said Mr Jenkins was a prisoner of war from the 66th Mechanised Brigade of the armed forces of Ukraine. 'You are alive, so the information about your death is not right?' the cameraman asked. 'Correct,' Mr Jenkins answered. In February, footage emerged that appeared to show Russian soldiers performing medical tests on Mr Jenkins' emaciated body and joking that he was 'not dead'. The Russian joked that Mr Jenkins' blood pressure would be 'zero' if he was dead, according to a translation by the ABC. He was then instructed to remove his beanie. 'Everything is okay. He is alive and I think he will [be] better,' the cameraman said. News of his prisoner status first made headlines in December after footage emerged of the Australian being paraded in front of a Russian soldier. Mr Jenkins at the time told the camera he'd been fighting with Ukrainian forces in the Donbas region. Russian authorities confirmed Mr Jenkins would be trialled for his alleged role with Ukrainian forces in April. 'The Prosecutor's Office of the Lugansk People's Republic approved the indictment in the criminal case against 33-year-old citizen of the Commonwealth of Australia Oscar Charles Augustus Jenkins,' Russian authorities said. Mr Jenkins was accused of entering Ukraine in February 2024 and engaging in combat against Russian forces from March to December, during which he allegedly received monthly payments ranging from $11,000 to $15,000, according to the indictment cited by local media. Once the indictment was signed off, the case was escalated to the Supreme Court of the Lugansk People's Republic. 'A citizen of Australia, on his own initiative, in order to receive material remuneration, arrived on the territory of Ukraine to participate as a mercenary in an armed conflict with the Russian Federation on the side of enemy troops,' local Russian authorities alleged. Ukrainian ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko has previously said his government added Jenkins to its list of prisoners of war and would negotiate for his release in an exchange. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said Australia has made representations to Ukraine, including a one-on-one discussion he had with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. In March, British citizen James Scott Rhys Anderson was sentenced to 19 years in prison by a Russian court for fighting for Ukraine, after being captured in November in the Kursk region. He was convicted on charges of terrorism and 'mercenary activities'. Unlike prisoners of war, who are protected under the Geneva Convention, foreigners fighting for Ukraine are labeled 'mercenaries' by Moscow and can be prosecuted under Russian law.
