Latest news with #TASS
AsiaOne
2 hours ago
- Politics
- AsiaOne
Zelenskiy accuses Russia of 'another deception' by holding back peace memorandum, World News
KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday (May 29) that Russia was engaging in "yet another deception" by failing to hand over its peace settlement proposal ahead of a potential meeting between Moscow and Kyiv. "Even the so-called 'memorandum' they promised and seemingly prepared for more than a week has still not been seen by anyone," Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address. "Ukraine has not received it. Our partners have not received it. Even Turkey, which hosted the first meeting, has not received the new agenda. "Despite promises to the contrary, first and foremost to the the United States of America, to President (Donald) Trump: Yet another Russian deception." Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday that Moscow had drafted a memorandum outlining a settlement position in the three-year-old conflict in Ukraine. [[nid:718495]] He suggested a second round of direct talks take place on Monday, again in the Turkish city of Istanbul. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who has maintained good ties with both sides, told reporters that Russia's invitation for more talks had heightened Ankara's hopes for peace. "The road to a resolution goes through more dialogue, more diplomacy. We are using all our diplomatic power and potential for peace," Erdogan's office quoted him as saying. In Washington, the White House said Trump, who has been pressing both sides to move towards an agreement, hoped the proposed meeting in Istanbul would go ahead. Kremlin: No word from Kyiv on talks Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that Moscow had received no reply from Kyiv on whether it would attend negotiations on Monday in Istanbul. Russia, Zelenskiy said in his address, was "doing everything to make the meetings hollow" and Ukraine's partners needed to intensify pressure on Moscow. Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said that without being able to review Russia's memorandum, Kyiv would conclude "it is likely filled with unrealistic ultimatums, and they are afraid of revealing that they are stalling the peace process". When asked to comment on Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha's suggestion that Russia should immediately hand over the memorandum, Peskov dismissed the idea as "non-constructive". "Here, you have to either confirm your readiness to continue negotiations or do the opposite," Peskov said. Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova, quoted by TASS news agency, said the composition of the delegation to the next meeting would be unchanged from the first round. The Russian delegation for the first round included an adviser to the president, a top diplomat and senior military and intelligence officials. Zelenskiy had proposed that Russian President Vladimir Putin meet him at the first Istanbul session. Putin did not join, prompting Zelenskiy not to participate and leave a delegation of officials to represent Ukraine. [[nid:718496]]
Irish Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
World's worst serial killer has horrifying motive for killing 90 women
The world's most notorious serial killer has offered a bone-chilling explanation for slaughtering at least 90 women, admitting hacking his latest victim to death with an axe before setting her alight. Mikhail 'Werewolf' Popkov, charged with the savage slaying of Tatyana S, a cleaner, whose body he then torched in Angarsk in 2011, may have a death toll "closer to 200," police insiders claim. The 61 year old former police officer, who targeted females aged between 18 and 50, usually raped his victims prior to killing them with weapons such as axes, hammers, knives, screwdrivers, and spades. At a crime scene near a derelict water pumping station, a shackled Popkov confessed: "I committed the murder." His justification for these monstrous deeds was even more appalling. A law enforcement insider reckons his actual victim count is "closer to 200" as he annually confesses to more murders, aiming to better his jail conditions. Popkov, a married father, unleashed a wave of horror on lone women from 1992 to 2011, predominantly in Angarsk, Russia, reports the Mirror US. His ghastly reason? He sought to "cleanse of prostitutes". Recounting the lead-up to his latest confessed murder, he said: "I was on a bicycle, about to cross the park... I met this woman I didn't know, or she asked me something, and some conversation ensued." The row escalated and resulted in him hitting her with a small axe. When asked if he continued the assault after she fell, he responded: "No, I think I just pushed her over there and she fell over there. Then I stepped back, took out a match, threw a match, it went up in flames." He admitted soaking her in solvent before setting her alight. "And I just got on my bike and took off," Popkov confessed. "I put the axe right on the grass. Who will be looking for her at that time?" If his confession results in a conviction, it would verify at least 90 murders linked to him. Already serving two life sentences plus 10 years the man known as the "Angarsk Maniac" for his bloodcurdling series of killings, his latest victim's body was found in 2011, but wasn't initially connected to Popkov. It is thought to be his last confirmed killing. The Russian Investigative Committee said: "Popkov has admitted his guilt and testified to committing the crime, after which he was transferred [from his high security jail] to the Irkutsk region for the necessary investigative procedures. He has now been charged." Last year, Popkov owned up to three fresh murders in Russia's Primorsky region, a staggering 2,400 miles from Angarsk in Siberia where he carried out most of his horrific crimes. These additional killings took place when he journeyed to Vladivostok, the Russian Pacific port, to purchase second-hand Japanese motors which he then sold back in his home area after quitting the police force. Popkov was found to suffer from homicidal mania, described by TASS as "a condition when a person has an irrational desire to kill someone". Despite this, the serial killer was deemed sane. Despite its moratorium on capital punishment since 1996, Russia refrains from executing even the vilest offenders. In times past, those condemned to death faced execution by gunshot to the back of the head. A macabre clip from Popkov's personal collection depicts him in the nineties, advancing towards the lens with a blade in hand, reciting a post-war children's rhyme about Nazi POWs assaulting locals. "I will slash you. I will beat you. Now it's your turn," he utters with a sinister grin. He often lured his victims with offers of late-night lifts in his cop car, only to drive them to secluded spots where he would assault and murder them, dumping their bare bodies in forests or by roadsides. Popkov once confessed to a judge that he couldn't remember the exact tally of his victims. "I can't say exactly, I didn't keep a record," he stated. However, the mass murderer conceded in court: "I admit my guilt in full.... Committing the murders, I was guided by my inner convictions." Following his arrest in 2012, he informed police that his aim was to "cleanse" the streets of "prostitutes". "They abandoned their husbands and children at home and went out to party as if it was the last day on earth," he expressed. One theory is that an affair his wife Elena had with a coworker may have sparked Popkov's killing spree. Alexey Mulyavin, 52, admitted to having an affair with Elena before her husband embarked on his horrific spree. "He did not catch us red handed, but he learned about it," the man said. "You know, it was a very short affair. We were young. And probably everyone has love affairs at work." Popkov had previously recounted how he found used condoms at his home and suspected Elena of being unfaithful. She refuted the accusations, asserting she allowed friends to use their house for a rendezvous. Popkov said: "This was the impetus for my future. If I had seen the treason with my own eyes, I would perhaps have done everything differently. "Everyone goes through such things differently. Some take it easily and forget, others take it painfully. What happened to me? The worst-case scenario." In 2023, Popkov was sentenced for three previously undisclosed murders in Irkutsk between 1997 and 2003. Two women, aged 25 and 27, were strangled near the Angara River, one of whom was set alight after being soaked in petrol. The third victim was a 31 year old nursery school teacher and mother of two. Despite Popkov's proposition to join Vladimir Putin's war against Ukraine in return for his liberty, his request has been rejected.
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Business Standard
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Russia backs RIC revival, Lavrov says India-China ties show improvement
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Thursday (local time) said that Moscow is 'genuinely interested' in the relaunching of operations within the framework of the Russia-India-China (RIC) format. Lavrov made these remarks in his opening speech at the plenary session of the international public and political conference on forming a single and equitable system of security and cooperation in Eurasia, TASS reported. He added, 'I would like to confirm our genuine interest in the earliest resumption of the work within the format of the troika — Russia, India, China — which was established many years ago on the initiative of (former Russian prime minister) Yevgeny Primakov, and which has organised meetings more than 20 times at the ministerial level since then, not only at the level of foreign policy chiefs, but also the heads of other economic, trade and financial agencies of the three countries.' During his address, Lavrov also alleged that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato) has been trying to lure India into anti-China intrigues. He said, 'I have no doubts that our Indian friends, and I say this based on confidential conversations with them, obviously see this trend that can be deemed as a large provocation.' The RIC troika has been paused since the Galwan clashes between India and China in 2020. Commenting on the border situation between India and China, Lavrov noted, 'As of today, as I understand, an understanding has been reached between India and China on how to ease the situation on the border, and it seems to me that the time has come for the revival of this RIC troika.' India-China ties Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping in October 2024 on the sidelines of the Brics Summit in Russia's Kazan. The meeting between the two leaders was seen as a thaw, during which they expressed a need to improve bilateral relations. The relations between India and China were strained following the Galwan clashes of 2020, leaving 20 Indian soldiers and four Chinese soldiers dead. Following the clashes, India and China stopped patrolling several points along the border in Ladakh to avoid new confrontations.
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Moscow genuinely interested in revival of Russia-India-China troika format: Sergey Lavrov
Moscow is genuinely interested in the revival of activities within the framework of the Russia-India-China (RIC) format, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Thursday. 'I would like to confirm our genuine interest in the earliest resumption of the work within the format of the troika -- Russia, India, China -- which was established many years ago on the initiative of (ex-Russian prime minister) Yevgeny Primakov, and which has organised meetings more than 20 times at the ministerial level since then, not only at the level of foreign policy chiefs, but also the heads of other economic, trade and financial agencies of the three countries,' Lavrov was quoted as saying by TASS . The foreign minister was addressing an international social and political conference on forming a single and equitable system of security and cooperation in Eurasia in the city of Perm in the Ural mountains, where Europe borders with Asia, at the plenary session of the conference. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now Undo 'As of today, as I understand, an understanding has been reached between India and China on how to ease the situation on the border, and it seems to me that the time has come for the revival of this RIC troika,' Lavrov stressed. He also alleged that NATO is blatantly trying to lure India into anti-China intrigues. Live Events 'I have no doubts that our Indian friends, and I say this on the basis of confidential conversations with them, obviously see this trend that can be actually deemed as a large provocation,' Lavrov said. The RIC troika was frozen since the Galwan crisis in June 2020. However, the bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Russia's Kazan in October 2024 was seen as a thaw when the two leaders expressed the need to improve bilateral relations.
NDTV
6 hours ago
- Politics
- NDTV
"Time Has Come": Moscow Seeks Revival Of Russia-India-China Trilateral
Moscow: Moscow is genuinely interested in the revival of activities within the framework of the Russia-India-China (RIC) format, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Thursday. "I would like to confirm our genuine interest in the earliest resumption of the work within the format of the troika -- Russia, India, China -- which was established many years ago on the initiative of (ex-Russian prime minister) Yevgeny Primakov, and which has organised meetings more than 20 times at the ministerial level since then, not only at the level of foreign policy chiefs, but also the heads of other economic, trade and financial agencies of the three countries," Lavrov was quoted as saying by TASS. The foreign minister was addressing an international social and political conference on forming a single and equitable system of security and cooperation in Eurasia in the city of Perm in the Ural mountains, where Europe borders with Asia, at the plenary session of the conference. "As of today, as I understand, an understanding has been reached between India and China on how to ease the situation on the border, and it seems to me that the time has come for the revival of this RIC troika," Lavrov stressed. He also alleged that NATO is blatantly trying to lure India into anti-China intrigues. "I have no doubts that our Indian friends, and I say this on the basis of confidential conversations with them, obviously see this trend that can be actually deemed as a large provocation," Lavrov said. The RIC troika was frozen since the Galwan crisis in June 2020. However, the bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Russia's Kazan in October 2024 was seen as a thaw when the two leaders expressed the need to improve bilateral relations.
