Latest news with #RussianThreat
Russia Today
20-07-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
EU working hard to portray Russia as ‘devil incarnate'
The EU is demonizing Russia in order to keep the Ukraine conflict running as Brussels still has not given up hope of suppressing Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said. In May, the EU adopted the €150 billion Security Action for Europe (SAFE) instrument to support members that are willing to invest in defense. The move came as part of a larger military buildup drive that began in the bloc after the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022 with the goal of countering what it perceives as the 'Russian threat'. Moscow has dismissed claims that it intends to attack NATO countries as 'nonsense,' saying that Western politicians are seeking to scare their populations to justify increased military spending. In an interview with journalist Pavel Zarubin released on Sunday, Peskov said the EU 'is creating an enemy for itself, doing focused, professional work both in their own society and abroad in order to portray Russia as the devil incarnate... in order to ensure the continuation of the conflict, in order to suppress Russia.' The Kremlin spokesman added that there are discussions underway in the EU 'about who will be paying for the feast.' Earlier this week, several EU countries rejected a plan proposed by US President Donald Trump for European NATO member states to buy American weapons for Ukraine. 'Thank God the anti-Russian and militaristic ecstasy does not have universal backing' in the bloc, Peskov said. Moscow has warned against supplying Western weapons to Ukraine, arguing that they only prolong the conflict and increase the risk of a direct clash between Russia and NATO. In the interview, Peskov noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin 'has repeatedly spoken about his desire to bring the Ukrainian settlement on to a peaceful path as quickly as possible.' Russia has stated that it is ready to negotiate peace with Ukraine, though it has accused Kiev and its Western backers of not being interested in finding a long-term solution that addresses the root causes of the conflict.
Telegraph
19-07-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Trump is not responding forcefully enough against Russia
President Donald Trump is getting serious about the Russian threat. After pledging new arms shipments to Ukraine and threatening crippling secondary tariffs if Russia does not sue for peace in fifty days, Trump blasted Russian President Vladimir Putin's peace entreaties as 'all talk and no action.' Despite these castigations, Trump maintained hope that Putin might make moves towards peace in Ukraine before the fifty-day mark. This optimism does not reflect the current mood in the Kremlin. Trump's major announcement was greeted with relief rather than alarm in Moscow. The Moscow Stock Exchange increased by 2.7 per cent and the Russian rouble rose 0.8 per cent against the Chinese yuan. Russian officials feared sweeping new sanctions and were pleased to see that Trump was only willing to impose largely unenforceable tariffs against the BRICS countries. The rhetoric emanating from Putin's coterie of hardliners was as confrontational as ever. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev threatened to strike Western countries if they escalated the Ukraine War. Rossiya-1 defence commentator Igor Korotchenko implored Russia to intensify its strikes on Ukrainian critical infrastructure and expressed hope that these attacks would force Ukraine's capitulation within fifty days. The Russian military is converting this bellicose rhetoric into aggressive actions. On July 16, Russia fired over 400 missiles and drones on Ukraine's energy infrastructure. Russia has amassed 160,000 forces around Kupiansk in Kharkiv and the Donetsk battlegrounds of Pokrovsk and Kostiatynivka. A large-scale Russian summer offensive in eastern Ukraine is expected to commence within days. These warning signals indicate that Trump is not responding forcefully enough against Russia. A genuine maximum pressure approach is needed to compel Putin to accept a peace agreement in Ukraine. This maximum pressure strategy should consist of three interrelated components. The first is the removal of loopholes in the sanctions regime that provide Russia with the resources it needs to prosecute further aggression. Although Rosatom is involved in the occupation of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and has assisted Iran's civilian nuclear energy programme, the US has refrained from sanctioning it. This exemption has helped Rosatom leverage its labyrinthine corporate structure and allegedly finance Russia's defence industry. Instead of imposing secondary tariffs on importers from Russia, the US should impose targeted sanctions on refineries that produce Russian oil. Vaibhav Raghunanda, an analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, estimates that these sanctions would deprive the Kremlin of $750 million in annual tax revenues. Shadow fleet sanctions also need to intensify until the estimated 600 tankers that Russia uses are designated. The US needs to coordinate with the EU on curbing Russian sanctions evasion loopholes in their formative stages. The sanctions regime is fundamentally reactive in nature, and this allows Russia to hone its circumvention tactics before Western powers can respond. The second is the broadening of the array of weapons that reach Ukraine. Trump's Nato ally-funded arms package will most likely include a Patriot Air Defence battery and ATACM long-range missiles. While $10 billion in arms supplies sounds like a lot, it is important to emphasise that Patriot batteries cost $1 billion to build, their interceptor missiles cost $3.7 million each and ATACMs cost $1 million per missile.
Al Bawaba
19-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Bawaba
Putin's next target after Ukraine exposed by spy ring bust
Published July 19th, 2025 - 11:39 GMT ALBAWABA - A major British newspaper, The Telegraph, has warned that after the war in Ukraine ends, Russian President Vladimir Putin could turn his attention to the UK as his next main target. This comes after British intelligence agencies said they knew about Russian spy networks in the UK. The study says that the Kremlin wants to stop the UK's armed support for Ukraine, cause more disagreements within the UK, and carry out acts of mischief and hacking to make things more expensive for London on the home front. Recent events, like a warehouse fire in London and an arson attack on a DHL center in Birmingham, may have something to do with Russian military intelligence agents, the story says. The Telegraph makes it clear that Moscow's main tool for political fighting is spying and spreading false information. Recently, six Bulgarians were found guilty of spying for Russian intelligence in the UK and across Europe. This case brings to mind that case. The newspaper also talked about at least six proven or attempted murders that have happened in the UK since Vladimir Putin took office. These crimes are thought to have been planned by Russia's GRU. — The Telegraph (@Telegraph) July 19, 2025 The study says that Russia took advantage of the war in Gaza, which got worse in 2023, by using fake social media accounts to boost support for the Palestinians in the UK. It is said that the goal of this effort was to stir up public anger and change government choices. As threats from Russia and other unfriendly states have grown, British authorities have had to reorganize their intelligence resources. MI5 Director Ken McCallum has admitted that terrorist efforts have been slashed in order to focus on these new threats. The piece says that the UK needs to do more than just defend itself, even with these problems. The Telegraph says, "Defense alone is not enough—we must fight fire with fire," which means taking tougher steps against the Russian spy services that go beyond economic penalties. The report uses a comment from the UK Foreign Office to prove that Russia is still attacking but in secret. It suggests that Britain should change its policy to quietly counter Moscow's efforts to undermine the country. The paper sees this recognition as a good sign that people in Britain are starting to stand up to Russian invasion on their land. © 2000 - 2025 Al Bawaba (
Russia Today
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Another NATO member pulls out of landmine treaty
Finland has formally withdrawn from an international treaty that bans the use of anti-personnel landmines (APLs), the country's Foreign Ministry announced on Thursday. It said the United Nations has been notified of the decision, which will enable the Nordic country to reintroduce landmines into its military stockpile in six months. Drafted in 1997, the Ottawa Treaty prohibits the use, stockpiling, production, and transfer of APLs due to their long-term threat to civilians. While 164 nations have ratified the treaty, major military powers such as the US, China, and Russia have not joined. Finland acceded to the treaty in 2012, but its government began preparing to withdraw earlier this year, citing a growing security threat from Russia. Last month, the Finnish parliament overwhelmingly approved the decision. 'The decision to withdraw from the Convention is based on Finland's defense needs in the deteriorated security environment,' the Finnish Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Finland's withdrawal comes shortly after four other NATO members – Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland – announced similar decisions earlier this year. In a joint statement issued in late March, the countries cited heightened military threats from Russia as justification for the move. The Kremlin has consistently denied any aggressive intentions toward NATO, claiming that the Ukraine conflict was provoked by the military bloc's eastward expansion. At the same time, Moscow has stated that it shares the goals and principles of the Ottawa Convention, but considers joining it impractical. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, 'anti-personnel mines remain an effective and low-cost means of securing Russia's borders.'
Daily Mail
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
UK should 'actively prepare' for WAR on British soil amid Russia, Iran and North Korea threat, ministers are warned - as new national security strategy sets out China 'challenge'
The UK should 'actively prepare' for a direct attack on British soil in a potential 'wartime scenario' for the first time in many years, the Government has warned. In a national security strategy published today, ministers said the UK now finds itself in 'an era in which we face confrontation with those who are threatening our security'. It highlighted Russian cyber attacks and sabotage against the UK, Iranian hostile activity on British soil, and other adversaries 'laying the foundations for future conflict'. This includes them 'positioning themselves to move quickly to cause major disruption to our energy and or supply chains,' the strategy said. It added: 'For the first time in many years, we have to actively prepare for the possibility of the UK homeland coming under direct threat, potentially in a wartime scenario.' The strategy aims to protect the UK at home and abroad, and also invest more in artificial intelligence (AI) and defence. Sir Keir Starmer said the UK is 'facing daily challenges on the home front' with Britain targeted by 'very, very frequent and very, very serious' cyberattacks. The Prime Minister, speaking to Sky News at a NATO summit in The Hague, added: 'We have to guard properly against those threats, and we will do so.' While the national security strategy outlined the threat from Russia, Iran and North Korea, it also highlighted the 'challenge' of China as a global actor. The PM met soldiers during a visit to a Dutch marine training centre, as part of the UK-Netherlands Joint Amphibious Force in Rotterdam, on the sidelines of the NATO summit China is a 'sophisticated and persistent threat' but freezing the UK's relations with Beijing is 'not an option', Foreign Secretary David Lammy told MPs this afternoon. In a statement to the House of Commons, Mr Lammy outlined the findings of the Government's examination of the UK-China relationship. The 'China audit' recommended increasing Britain's 'resilience and readiness' towards the Asian superpower and the Government's ability to engage with Beijing. As part of the national security strategy, a summary of the audit set out how 'China's espionage, interference in our democracy and the undermining of our economic security have increased in recent years'. But it also noted how ministers are seeking a 'trade and investment relationship' with China to boost the UK economy. Mr Lammy told MPs that in the past decade China has delivered a third of global economic growth, becoming the world's second largest economy. Together with Hong Kong, it is the UK's third largest trading partner, the Foreign Secretary added. 'Not engaging with China is therefore no choice at all,' he said. 'China's power is an inescapable fact.' Mr Lammy said the audit painted a 'complex picture' but 'the UK's approach to China will be founded on progressive realism, taking the world as it is, not as we wish it to be'. The Foreign Secretary faced claims that the Government was going 'cap in hand' to China to bail out the British economy. Tory shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel said: 'It has taken the Government a year to produce this audit, which seemingly fails to set out any kind of serious strategic framework. 'I think it's fair to say we know why: because the Government – and in fact the Foreign Secretary has touched on this – has gone cap in hand to China to bail out its terrible handling of the British economy. 'It is setting up its closer economic ties with China while knowing very well that British businesses here are struggling, not just when it comes to competing against China, but actually struggling to absorb the weight of Labour's own regulatory costs in this country.' Mr Lammy was also forced to assure MPs that there are 'no grubby deals' with China on any issue, including the proposed 'super-embassy' in London. Former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith told the Foreign Secretary: 'I'll give him a quick audit now of exactly what should have been. 'China threatens Taiwan, has invaded the South China Sea, it's having massive disputes with the Philippines, genocide, slave labour, organ harvesting, transnational repression, taxes Hong Kong dissidents here, Hong Kong dissidents under threat constantly, cyber-attacks on the UK, supports Myanmar in their oppressive military regime, supports Russian's invasion of Ukraine, it also supports North Korea and Iran and has trashed the Sino-British treaty on Hong Kong, it has arrested Jimmy Lai, it has sanctions on UK MPs and it thieves all the IPs on private companies. 'What a record to balance, what? Against some potential trade?' He added: 'In the course of this embassy decision, it was said quite clearly in the media that China would not apply again after the refusal of Tower Hamlets (Council), unless they received assurances from the UK Government. 'Can he now tell me that they have not received any assurances, or have they received private assurances that they will get what they want and get this embassy?' Mr Lammy responded: 'Let me just express respect for (Sir Iain's) experience in relation to the China threat and also that he is subject to sanctions that I have consistently raised with China, noting that recently it lifted sanctions against members of the European Parliament and I pressed them recently to do the same. 'Let me assure him that there are no grubby deals on any issues and certainly not in relation to the embassy – and I reject any suggestion of anything other.'
