Latest news with #TheMoscowTimes
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Russia Accused of Staging Attack on Putin's Helicopter
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A claim that President Vladimir Putin's helicopter faced a combat incident during his visit to the Kursk region was concocted by Russia's authorities, it has been reported. Russia's Defense Ministry said that during Putin's trip to the border region where Kyiv previously staged an incursion, his aircraft came under fire from Ukrainian drones. But citing current and former Russian officials, The Moscow Times reported that this narrative was pushed by authorities to convince the public that Putin was making the same sacrifices for his country as ordinary citizens. Newsweek has contacted the Kremlin and the Russian Defense Ministry for comment. Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on May 28, 2025, in Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on May 28, 2025, in Moscow. Getty Images Why It Matters Russian authorities highlighting that not even Putin was immune to the threat posed by Ukraine could be a strategy to shore up support for the war he started in Ukraine. What To Know Russian state media reported how on May 20, Putin paid his first visit to Kursk since Ukraine launched its attack on the region that borders Ukraine. The trip was undertaken in secrecy and only publicized after he returned to Moscow. The Russian Defense Ministry said the helicopter he was in was at the center of a massive Ukrainian drone attack, commander of Russia's air division Yuri Dashkin told Russian state television. Dashkin said that all the drones were repelled during the trip in which Putin spoke to volunteers and visited the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, which is under construction. However, The Moscow Times said that the statement was part of a "PR stunt" to show that as ordinary Russians bear the domestic brunt of the drone war which has canceled flights and hit facilities deep inside Russian territory, Putin is also making sacrifices. Citing unnamed officials, The Moscow Times said Putin's safety was ensured at the highest level and his security detail involves hundreds of officers from agencies including the Presidential Security Service, the FSB, the National Guard and the Interior Ministry. Putin's trips are planned months in advance and he never flies alone, especially near combat zones, it added. On trips unrelated to the war, his plane is typically accompanied by military fighter jets and so the incident as outlined by authorities in which his helicopter came under fire would be an egregious security failure, the publication said, citing military expert Ivan Stupak. Ukraine's Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security denied the reports that Putin's helicopter came under Ukrainian attack. What People Are Saying The commander of Russia's air division Yuri Dashkin: "The president's helicopter was actually in the epicenter of repelling a massive attack by enemy drones." An unnamed Russian official per The Moscow Times: "If all this really happened, then the president wasn't just in danger from enemy drones. There was a real danger that his helicopter could have accidentally been shot down by Russian air defenses." What Happens Next Despite Moscow's claims it had retaken control of all of Kursk, fighting is ongoing with Russian forces not advancing in their offensive operations, according to the Institute for the Study of War. Meanwhile, drones will continue to be an important feature for Ukraine on the battlefield and for targeting Russian military infrastructure.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Kremlin staged drone attack on Putin's helicopter
A claim by the Russian Defence Ministry that Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin was "in the epicentre of a drone attack" has turned out to be a staged performance by the Kremlin. Source: The Moscow Times, an independent Amsterdam-based news outlet Details: Russian state media claimed earlier this week that when Putin visited Kursk Oblast for the first time since the hostilities began in the area, his helicopter came "under fire from Ukrainian drones". In reality, this was not a combat incident but a meticulously staged event. Four sources within the government and the Kremlin told The Moscow Times that security officials promoted this shocking and "risky" episode in the media to convince Russians that their leader is not hiding behind others, but is also supposedly taking risks and making sacrifices. Amid regular drone strikes, chaos at airports and mobile communication outages, this televised stunt was intended to portray Putin as someone who "shares the dangers" with the country and thus sends a message to the public – "war is war". The Moscow Times reported that Putin had indeed visited Kursk Oblast, to which, according to the official narrative, he had travelled by helicopter. In fact, the oblast is frequently targeted by Ukrainian attacks. However, the sources said Putin's security had been ensured at the highest possible level. "No one would ever allow such criminal negligence. Not even in a nightmare," said one official close to Putin's administration and familiar with his security system. The Moscow Times reported that the "sensational claim" that Putin's helicopter had found itself "in the epicentre of a large-scale enemy drone attack" was disseminated by the Russian Defence Ministry via the state-run VGTRK television channel. Kremlin-aligned reporters did not accompany Putin on this trip, nor did a professional filming crew. The footage was captured by other individuals, including a security officer, two informed sources told The Moscow Times. Background: Earlier, Ukraine's Centre for Strategic Communications and Information Security denied claims that Putin's helicopter came under attack from the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Russia's Kursk Oblast. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Putin orders seizure of companies that fail to fulfil defence contracts
Russian leader Vladimir Putin has signed a decree allowing companies that fail to fulfil state contracts during martial law to be placed under external management. Source: The Moscow Times, an independent Amsterdam-based news outlet Details: The document states that in such cases, shareholders are deprived of control and the functions of the head of the company are transferred to a structure proposed by Russia's Ministry of Industry and Trade. The decision applies to companies in the aviation and shipbuilding sectors that produce civilian goods, their contractors, as well as manufacturers of military equipment working with foreign clients. The Russian authorities have intensified efforts to confiscate private property since the start of the full-scale war against Ukraine. Russia's Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov said that the authorities have nationalised assets worth RUB 2.4 trillion (over US$26.5 billion). In 2024 alone, Russia seized nearly 70 companies with a total revenue of RUB 807.6 billion (over US$8.9 billion) and assets worth RUB 544.7 billion (over US$6 billion). The largest of these include companies belonging to the former owner of Yugra Bank, Alexei Khotin (over RUB 100 billion – more than US$1.1 billion), the car dealer Rolf (RUB 68 billion – over US$750 million) and the Chelyabinsk Electrometallurgical Plant (RUB 61 billion – around US$680 million). Background: Russia plans to complicate or completely block the return of assets to foreign companies that left the country after the start of the full-scale war. Putin stated that companies which "slammed the door" and left the Russian market will not be allowed to buy back their assets at low prices or reclaim their former market positions. Russian business representatives met with Robert Agee, the President and CEO of the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia, to discuss the lifting of sanctions in certain sectors of the economy. US President Donald Trump's special envoy for special missions, Richard Grenell, held closed-door talks in Switzerland on the possible supply of Russian gas to Germany via Nord Stream 2. The United States and Russia are discussing the possibility of economic cooperation in the Arctic, including natural resource exploration and the use of new trade routes. Putin ordered his Cabinet of Ministers to prepare for the return of Western companies to the Russian market. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Russia loses ground as China offers cheaper nuclear power plants to Kazakhstan
China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) has proposed building two nuclear power plant units in Kazakhstan with a total capacity of 2.4 GW for US$5.47 billion – nearly half the previously estimated cost. Source: The Moscow Times, an independent Amsterdam-based news outlet Details Following negotiations, the Kazakh side "expressed interest in learning from China's experience in ensuring nuclear and water-ecological safety at all stages of the nuclear power plant project". CNNC not only offers a lower price but is also ready to share technologies and allow Kazakhstan full control over the nuclear fuel cycle. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has announced its readiness to cooperate with Kazakhstan on the project. Other shortlisted contenders for the construction of the nuclear plant in Kazakhstan include Russia's Rosatom, South Korea's KHNP and France's EDF. The data of Kazakhstan's Ministry of Energy shows that the project was previously estimated at US$10-15 billion. The government had warned that due to rising material and service costs, the amount could increase by 1.5 times. Kazakhstan has the world's second-largest uranium reserves and controls 43% of global uranium production through the company Kazatomprom. The country previously operated a nuclear power plant – the Shevchenko plant – built during the Soviet era, which was decommissioned in 1999 due to the risk of weapons-grade plutonium production. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Russia expected to lose 10% of its coal exports
Russia's coal industry, which has plunged into a deep crisis after the European Union imposed an embargo on coal supplies and the decline in global prices, is not expected to recover within the next five years. Source: The Moscow Times, an independent Amsterdam-based news outlet, citing an industry outlook by Neft Research, an analytics and consultancy group specialising in global fuel markets Details: By 2030, Russia's seaborne coal exports, which account for over 80% of total coal exports, are projected to fall by 10% compared to 2024 levels, amounting to 150 million tonnes. In 2024, seaborne exports had declined by 7.5% year-on-year, while total exports dropped by 9%. Analysts attribute the drop in exports to falling global coal prices. These prices are expected to decrease by 5-20% compared to last year's level by 2030, due to slower demand growth in Asia. As a result, shipments through Far Eastern ports are expected to grow by 27% by 2030, reaching 118.7 million tonnes, while exports in the western direction will fall by 40%. Ports in the Baltic Sea and Murmansk Oblast will be operating at less than 35% capacity. Shipments via Baltic and Arctic ports will drop fourfold, to 11 million and 2.9 million tonnes per year respectively. Exports through southern ports will remain stable at 17.8 million tonnes, due to proximity to markets in India and Türkiye. Only exporters of coking coal are expected to maintain profitability. Sales of thermal coal and anthracite, which is in demand on the Chinese market, will remain unprofitable. This situation may cause coal mining companies that produce massive grades of coal underground to leave the market, Neft Research concluded. Background: Western sanctions and difficulties with exports to Asia have triggered a major crisis in Russia's coal industry. In April 2025, China's imports of Russian coal dropped by 13% year-on-year, to 7.4 million tonnes. Global prices for thermal coal have fallen to their lowest level since 2020. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
