Latest news with #UnitedRussia
Al Manar
4 days ago
- Politics
- Al Manar
Moscow Calls Kyiv's Peace Demand ‘Unconstructive' as It Pushes for Closed-Door Talks
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Thursday dismissed Ukraine's demand for the immediate release of Russia's draft memorandum on a potential peace settlement, calling the request 'unconstructive.' He stressed the importance of creating a conducive environment for serious, closed-door negotiations. 'Russia has proposed a meeting in Istanbul next Monday to begin discussing settlement proposals. In this context, insisting on the immediate handover of documents is counterproductive. Either there is a readiness to negotiate, or a different stance must be adopted,' Peskov told reporters. Peskov emphasized that Moscow refuses to discuss the content of the documents publicly, citing the need for confidentiality in such sensitive matters. He reiterated Russia's support for continued direct negotiations with Ukraine. ❗️ Ukraine still hasn't responded to June 2 Istanbul talks proposal — Kremlin spox Peskov He added that Russia will not publicly discuss Ukraine's settlement details — RT (@RT_com) May 29, 2025 No Putin–Trump Talks Planned, Channels Remain Open Commenting on US–Russia relations, Peskov noted there are currently no plans for a new conversation between President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump. However, he said communication lines remain open, and a call could be quickly arranged if necessary. He also referenced Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's statement on Wednesday, outlining Moscow's proposal for renewed talks with Ukraine, including a memorandum detailing Russia's position on the conflict's core issues. Lavrov: Russia Open to Dialogue Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reaffirmed Moscow's openness to dialogue, even with nations led by adversarial governments. 'We have never refused dialogue, even with countries adopting hostile positions against Russia, whether at the regional or local level,' Lavrov said during a meeting of the United Russia party's International Cooperation Committee. Separately, the Foreign Ministry confirmed Lavrov had discussed preparations for the upcoming June 2 negotiations in Istanbul with US counterpart Marco Rubio during a phone call. Lavrov stated that Russia had drafted a comprehensive memorandum addressing the root causes of the conflict, arguing that any viable resolution must tackle these issues in a credible and lasting manner. Russia Rejects Ukraine's Demand for Immediate Disclosure of Peace Proposal as 'Unconstructive' Russian Forces Capture New Towns in Donetsk and Kharkiv, Inflict Heavy Losses On the battlefield, the Russian Defense Ministry announced the capture of three additional towns as part of its ongoing military campaign launched in February 2022. In a statement, the ministry reported that units from the Western Group of Forces seized Stroyevka in Kharkiv, Southern forces took control of Gnatovka, and Central forces captured Shevchenko Pervoye in the Donetsk People's Republic. Russian MoD releaeses footage from recently-liberated Gnatovka in the Donetsk Republic — RT (@RT_com) May 29, 2025 The statement added that Russian strikes targeted Ukrainian troop concentrations across several regions, resulting in over 630 Ukrainian military casualties. It also reported the destruction of armored vehicles, artillery systems, ammunition depots, and strategic infrastructure, including drone manufacturing facilities and fuel stations. Air defense systems reportedly intercepted seven US-supplied JDAM guided bombs and shot down 132 Ukrainian drones. The Russian military operation, which began on February 24, 2022, is officially framed by Moscow as an effort to 'protect the people of Donbas,' whom it claims have faced years of persecution by Ukrainian authorities. The Defense Ministry also stated that Russian forces had repelled Ukraine's counteroffensive, despite extensive Western military and financial support to Kyiv. Russian forces reportedly destroyed large quantities of NATO-supplied equipment, including German Leopard 2 tanks and US and British armored vehicles.
Time of India
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Selfies from the front: Inside the 'VIP' brigade for ambitious Russian officials
For the past three years, many young men in Russia have been doing everything they can to avoid getting sent to fight in the war against Ukraine. But some Russians are enthusiastically signing up for service in what President Vladimir Putin has called the battle for his nation's survival by joining a drone brigade offering short stints far from the fighting. Pro-war Russian bloggers have described the unit, Kaskad, as a "sinecure for officials." Based in an undisclosed location in a part of Ukraine occupied by Russia, it provides a career boost to politically minded recruits, according to Kremlin watchers and military analysts who call Kaskad a "VIP unit." Thousands of men have been called up to fight in Ukraine since 2022 and have been kept at the front as a terrible toll mounts by the day. But stints with Kaskad tend to be short-term. And given it's a drone unit away from the front lines, the chances of being put in danger's way are relatively small, analysts say. Officials assigned to the unit usually stay three to eight months, get plenty of photo ops with automatic rifles and return to their jobs with a hero's welcome, according to numerous social media posts in which recruits have documented their deployments, and accounts pieced together by analysts. "Enlistment with Kaskad allows elite figures to sidestep statutory military service requirements with guaranteed safety and potentially curry favor with Kremlin," Britain's defence ministry said last year. More than 270 pro-Kremlin regional lawmakers and 200 members of the youth wing of governing United Russia party have served in the Russian army in Ukraine, said Andrei Turchak, the party's chairman. At least six members of parliament, dozens of pro-Kremlin youth activists and even one cosmonaut have done so in Kaskad. In Nov, 12 senior members of United Russia's youth wing in St Petersburg joined Kaskad on the same day. Among them was Aleksandr Malikov, who promptly updated his profile picture on social media, which shows a clean-shaven man, wearing sunglasses and cradling an automatic rifle, standing in front of a building with shattered windows and smoldering rubble. Just a few months earlier, Malikov was documenting his life as a local council member. Malikov described his decision to enlist as a patriotic duty but declined to describe his role at Kaskad. "Here, I keep on doing the same thing I've been doing for many years: supporting my country and taking an active role where I'm needed." Dmitri V Sablin, a longstanding member of parliament, has been commanding Kaskad since 2022. In 2023, a camouflage-clad Sablin introduced a Kaskad team to reporters. Footage showed two soldiers launching a combat drone from a field and others monitoring drone flights on a computer from a bunker. Kaskad has at least 54 crews operating 10 types of reconnaissance and combat drones along the front line, Sablin said. Stints in Kaskad have been helpful for the careers of some of its veterans. Yevgeny Pervyshov, for instance, was a low-ranking member of parliament when he joined Kaskad in Nov 2022. After his stint with the brigade, he was spotted by Putin at a televised meeting and offered a job. In Nov, Pervyshov became the first Ukraine war veteran to be appointed as a governor.
India Gazette
23-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
Committed to strategic partnership, says Leonid Slutsky about India-Russia ties
By Suchitra Mukherjee Moscow [Russia], May 23 (ANI): Leonid Slutsky, Chairman of the Duma Committee on International Affairs, described a landmark meeting between Indian and Russian parliamentary delegations, marking a new chapter in the strategic relationship between the two nations. The session saw full representation from all parliamentary parties on both sides, underlining the shared commitment to parliamentary diplomacy and further strengthening bilateral ties. 'The meeting between the delegations of the Indian Parliament ended with members of both Houses being represented. All parliamentary parties working in the Houses of the Indian Parliament were represented. On our side, all five parliamentary parties working in the State Duma were also represented at a high level. I chaired, also with me, my colleagues were received by Vladimir Vladimirovich Vasilyev, the leader of the United Russia parliamentary majority faction, and Vladimir Vladimirovich personally heads the friendship group with the Indian Parliament.' He continued, 'Vasily Ivanovich Piskaryov, chairman of the Security Committee, also represents United Russia, one of the leaders of Just Russia, my first deputy on the committee, Alexei Vasilyevich Chepa, my colleague Anna Skroznikova of New People, and Kazbek Taisaev of the CPRF.' Discussions during the meeting focused on the ongoing strategic interaction between Russia and India. Slutsky highlighted how this partnership has been recognized at the highest levels, referencing recent communications between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as well as high-level talks between foreign ministers of both countries. He stressed the mutual desire to deepen ties, particularly within global platforms and integration blocs. 'We talked about the strategic interaction between Russia and India, which was previously noted in a telephone conversation between the President of Russia and Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi. Moreover, on May 2, Sergei Viktorovich Lavrov, our Foreign Minister, whom we congratulate on his high award, the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, and India's Minister of External Affairs Jaishankar spoke about the same,' Slutsky said. Slutsky added, 'We remain committed to the course of strategic partnership between our countries, to cooperation in the most important interstate platforms, in integration blocs, first of all BRICS, and we will increase this bilateral cooperation, including through parliamentary diplomacy. And, of course, we are committed to peace and strongly condemn terrorism.' A key moment in the meeting was the Russian delegation's message of condolence and solidarity with India after the recent terrorist attack in South Kashmir. The two sides also agreed to boost cooperation on multiple fronts, including inter-party relations and specialised committees. 'We expressed our deepest condolences to the Indian side in connection with the heinous terrorist attack in South Kashmir on April 22. We agreed to increase inter-parliamentary cooperation, which was facilitated by the recent visit to India by the Chairman of the State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, in the format of inter-party cooperation, in the format of cooperation between specialized committees, in the format of friendly relations and invariably the closest professional cooperation, which today the parliaments of Russia and India need equally,' Chairman of the Duma Committee on International Affairs said. He added, 'So today's meeting is an important check of the clock and, perhaps, a kind of transition of inter-parliamentary cooperation between our countries to a somewhat higher orbit. We will synchronise our watches, we will meet more often, we will work more often, and we are sure that this will contribute to the thesis that the 21st century will be the century of parliamentary diplomacy. A very important visit, very important and fruitful negotiations.' Earlier yesterday, the Indian delegation met Sheikh Nahyan Mabarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Co-Existence in the UAE, who conveyed his deep condolences for the Pahalgam terrorist attack. The Indian side used the opportunity to draw attention to the perpetration of cross-border terrorism and Pakistan's efforts to sow social disharmony in India. Throughout its visit, the all-party Indian delegation has consistently projected a message of national unity and a resolute stance against terrorism in all forms. The delegation's global outreach aims to reinforce India's policy of zero tolerance for terrorism and mobilise broader support from international partners. Following the Pahalgam attack, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, conducting precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu-Kashmir (PoJK). The Indian Armed Forces also responded to further Pakistani aggression by targeting airbases. The military escalation led to an understanding to halt further action after a direct call between Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations and his Indian counterpart. (ANI)
Bloomberg
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Bulgaria Far Right Party Signs Accord With Putin's United Russia
Bulgaria's largest far-right party has signed a cooperation agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party, deepening anti-establishment ties with Moscow in the European Union's most pro-Russian nation. The leaders of Revival have for years echoed Kremlin talking points on geopolitics, while dismissing charges that they're pro-Moscow. They have called for Bulgaria to renegotiate its membership of the European Union and to leave the NATO military alliance, while opposing the bloc's support to Ukraine, with one Revival leader pressing territorial claims on the country in January.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pro-Russian party in Bulgaria agrees to "exchange ideas" with Putin's political party
Bulgaria's pro-Russian Vazrazhdane (Revival) party has signed a cooperation and equal partnership agreement with United Russia, the political faction run by Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin. Source: Euractiv, an EU-focused news and analysis website, as reported by European Pravda Details: Vazrazhdane announced the signing of the agreement in a press release about its delegation's visit to Moscow, made at the invitation of the Kremlin's party. "The agreement provides for the exchange of experience, ideas and political practices between the two parties, and is an important positive step towards the restoration of full-fledged Bulgarian-Russian relations," the political party said. The deal was formalised by Tsoncho Ganev, Deputy Chairman of Vazrazhdane and Deputy Speaker of the Bulgarian parliament, and Vladimir Yakushev, First Deputy Chair of Russia's Federation Council, the upper house of the Russian legislature. Vazrazhdane sees no issue with Russia declaring Bulgaria an enemy state following the onset of the war in Ukraine while continuing to maintain ties with Putin's political party. Background: Representatives of this party also visited Russia a year ago. In March, the pro-Russian and Eurosceptic Velichie party was elected to parliament in Bulgaria after a partial recount of votes in the October elections. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
