Latest news with #Zvezda
Reuters
23-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Supplies from Russia's sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 plant curbed by lack of tankers, source says
LONDON, May 23 (Reuters) - Russia's Arctic LNG 2 plant, currently under U.S. sanctions, has shut down its first production train because reservoirs are full in the absence of tankers to load, a source close to the matter told Reuters on Friday. Russia's Novatek <( opens new tab, which owns a 60% stake in the plant, did not respond to a request for comment. Located on the Gydan peninsula that juts into the Kara Sea, the plant had been set to become one of Russia's largest LNG plants, with eventual output of 19.8 million metric tons per year between three trains. Shortages of ice-class gas ships and Western sanctions over Russia's war in Ukraine has left Novatek behind schedule for cargoes of the super-chilled gas. Novatek has said that 15 Arc7 ice-class tankers to transport LNG from Arctic projects will be built at the Zvezda shipyard. The source said on Friday that the first Arc7 from Zvezda is expected to be delivered to Russia's leading tanker group, Sovcomflot ( opens new tab, between August and September.
Saudi Gazette
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
A day of confusion and chaos as Russia and Ukraine agree to first direct talks in 3 years
ISTANBUL — After five days of confusion over Russian President Vladimir Putin's proposal for direct talks with Ukraine, the day they were supposed to begin initially brought only more of the same: a seven-hour stakeout on the banks of the Bosphorus, an unruly scrum at the Russian consulate, and finally a decision from Ukraine's president that may open a new chapter in this intractable conflict. The chaotic scenes that unfolded in Istanbul on Thursday set the tone for a difficult road ahead. As the world's media descended in the morning on the Dolmabahçe Palace in Istanbul, Ukraine still hadn't confirmed it would take part or given any signals as to the makeup of its delegation, and a source from the Turkish foreign ministry told CNN there was 'no scheduled meeting yet.' Instead, with the Kremlin confirming to CNN that Putin definitely would not show up, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the capital, Ankara. 'Waiting is better than knowing the result,' joked Stanislav Ivashchenko, a correspondent with the Russian defense ministry channel Zvezda, waiting among the coffee-fueled crowds of journalists. 'Everyone is tired of this,' he told CNN, referring to the war in Ukraine, 'but, we will defend our position.' Russia's dogged defense of its position is a key reason the Russian president unexpectedly proposed these talks five days ago. Faced with an ultimatum from Kyiv and its allies to sign on to a 30-day ceasefire or face major new sanctions, Putin chose a third path. 'We are proposing to the Kyiv authorities to renew the negotiations, that they cut off' in 2022, he told journalists in a briefing early Sunday. And so, to reinforce that point, he picked the same city that hosted some of those early peace talks – Istanbul – and, he revealed late Wednesday, the same lead negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, a former culture minister and chairman of Russia's Military-Historical Society. 'The delegation is committed to a constructive approach,' Medinsky said in a brief appearance Thursday afternoon at the Russian consulate, in which he took no questions. The media scrum was so intense that consular officials could be overheard threatening to cancel the briefing if journalists didn't calm down. Medinsky claimed the direct talks were to 'establish long-term peace, eliminating the root causes of the conflict.' The use of the phrase 'root causes,' which for Russia run the gamut from Ukraine's NATO ambitions all the way to its existence as a sovereign state, was a reminder of just how distant a deal could be. And yet, to complicate things further, Russia and Ukraine are now balancing their own interests with their relationship with Donald Trump. The US president once again Thursday dangled the prospect of his own attendance at the talks, saying 'if something happened' he would consider going on Friday. White House envoys Keith Kellogg and Steve Witkoff are already slated to be in Istanbul on Friday. And Zelensky made no attempt to hide Trump was a key part of his eventual decision to engage with Russia. Emerging from his meeting with Erdogan in late afternoon, he said he would not only send a delegation to Istanbul, but it would be led by a higher-ranking official than the Russian side – Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, 'out of respect for President Trump.' Russia is also watching closely for Trump's next move, still holding out hope for that promised reset in relations. And Trump may have raised those hopes Thursday, telling reporters as he arrived in Abu Dhabi, 'nothing's gonna happen until Putin and I get together.' Former Russian diplomat Boris Bondarev, who left his post in Geneva in 2022, said he believes a meeting with Trump would be a major win for Putin, while he remains uninterested in meeting with Zelensky. 'Two great powers should sit together and discuss how inferior countries should live under their umbrella,' he told CNN in an interview from Switzerland. 'That's how he sees the world. That's why Zelensky doesn't fit.' — CNN
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
A day of confusion and chaos as Russia and Ukraine agree to first direct talks in 3 years
After five days of confusion over Russian President Vladimir Putin's proposal for direct talks with Ukraine, the day they were supposed to begin initially brought only more of the same: a seven-hour stakeout on the banks of the Bosphorus, an unruly scrum at the Russian consulate, and finally a decision from Ukraine's president that may open a new chapter in this intractable conflict. The chaotic scenes that unfolded in Istanbul on Thursday set the tone for a difficult road ahead. As the world's media descended in the morning on the Dolmabahçe Palace in Istanbul, Ukraine still hadn't confirmed it would take part or given any signals as to the makeup of its delegation, and a source from the Turkish foreign ministry told CNN there was 'no scheduled meeting yet.' Instead, with the Kremlin confirming to CNN that Putin definitely would not show up, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the capital, Ankara. 'Waiting is better than knowing the result,' joked Stanislav Ivashchenko, a correspondent with the Russian defense ministry channel Zvezda, waiting among the coffee-fueled crowds of journalists. 'Everyone is tired of this,' he told CNN, referring to the war in Ukraine, 'but, we will defend our position.' Russia's dogged defense of its position is a key reason the Russian president unexpectedly proposed these talks five days ago. Faced with an ultimatum from Kyiv and its allies to sign on to a 30-day ceasefire or face major new sanctions, Putin chose a third path. 'We are proposing to the Kyiv authorities to renew the negotiations, that they cut off' in 2022, he told journalists in a briefing early Sunday. And so, to reinforce that point, he picked the same city that hosted some of those early peace talks – Istanbul – and, he revealed late Wednesday, the same lead negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, a former culture minister and chairman of Russia's Military-Historical Society. 'The delegation is committed to a constructive approach,' Medinsky said in a brief appearance Thursday afternoon at the Russian consulate, in which he took no questions. The media scrum was so intense that consular officials could be overheard threatening to cancel the briefing if journalists didn't calm down. Medinsky claimed the direct talks were to 'establish long-term peace, eliminating the root causes of the conflict.' The use of the phrase 'root causes,' which for Russia run the gamut from Ukraine's NATO ambitions all the way to its existence as a sovereign state, was a reminder of just how distant a deal could be. And yet, to complicate things further, Russia and Ukraine are now balancing their own interests with their relationship with Donald Trump. The US president once again Thursday dangled the prospect of his own attendance at the talks, saying 'if something happened' he would consider going on Friday. White House envoys Keith Kellogg and Steve Witkoff are already slated to be in Istanbul on Friday. And Zelensky made no attempt to hide Trump was a key part of his eventual decision to engage with Russia. Emerging from his meeting with Erdogan in late afternoon, he said he would not only send a delegation to Istanbul, but it would be led by a higher-ranking official than the Russian side – Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, 'out of respect for President Trump.' Russia is also watching closely for Trump's next move, still holding out hope for that promised reset in relations. And Trump may have raised those hopes Thursday, telling reporters as he arrived in Abu Dhabi, 'nothing's gonna happen until Putin and I get together.' Former Russian diplomat Boris Bondarev, who left his post in Geneva in 2022, said he believes a meeting with Trump would be a major win for Putin, while he remains uninterested in meeting with Zelensky. 'Two great powers should sit together and discuss how inferior countries should live under their umbrella,' he told CNN in an interview from Switzerland. 'That's how he sees the world. That's why Zelensky doesn't fit.'
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Factbox-Putin and Xi to mark WW2 victory amid war in Ukraine
By Vladimir Soldatkin and Guy Faulconbridge MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia marks on Friday the 80th anniversary of the Soviet and allied victory over Nazi Germany, though there are fears that Ukraine may seek to disrupt the most hallowed celebration in the Russian calendar. Here is some information on who is expected to attend the celebrations, security arrangements and other details. WHO IS GOING? Twenty-nine leaders, including China's President Xi Jinping and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, are expected to attend, the Kremlin said. "Despite the hostile attitude towards Russia from a number of Western countries, we are very successfully holding a very large-scale event," said Yuri Ushakov, the Kremlin's top foreign policy adviser. ADVERTISEMENT The Kremlin's list of expected attendees includes the leaders of the former Soviet republics of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Also expected are the leaders of Bosnia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, China, Congo, Cuba, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Guinea–Bissau, Laos, Mongolia, Myanmar, Palestinian Territories, Serbia, Slovakia, Venezuela, Vietnam and Zimbabwe. The leaders of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, two rebel regions considered by most of the world to be part of Georgia, are also expected. Western leaders from key allied victors in World War Two such as British Prime Keir Starmer will not attend, though some U.S. veterans will join the parade. Russian state broadcaster 'Zvezda' said U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio might attend but the Kremlin said it had no information on his plans. Ukraine has invited senior EU leaders and officials to Kyiv. WHAT HAPPENS AT THE CELEBRATION? ADVERTISEMENT At the parade on Red Square, Russian soldiers goose-step to World War Two marching songs, roar to their commanders and drive military hardware such as intercontinental ballistic missiles and tanks past Lenin's Mausoleum. Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech, usually surrounded by veterans. Russia's defence minister inspects the thousands of troops who march past, while fighter jets, trailing smoke in the white, blue and red of the Russian tricolour, roar overhead. WILL IT BE SAFE? After three days of major Ukrainian drone attacks on Moscow, there are fears that the parade could be disrupted, though the Kremlin has said the military is doing everything it can to ensure maximum security. Russia has developed myriad electronic "umbrellas" over Moscow and key installations, with additional advanced internal layers over strategic buildings, and a complex web of air defences to shoot down drones before they reach the Kremlin in the heart of the capital. ADVERTISEMENT The Kremlin brands Ukraine's attacks as acts of terrorism. Ukraine says it is simply fighting back after three years of deadly Russian attacks. Security is extremely tight in Moscow. The Kremlin said there would be disruption to mobile phone signals while even some sports clubs in the centre have cut back opening hours and warned clients that there will be searches. Putin has proposed a 72-hour ceasefire that will run on May 8, May 9 and May 10. The Kremlin has said it will abide by the ceasefire but will respond if Ukraine attacks. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has called the proposed ceasefire pointless, and instead suggested an unconditional ceasefire over at least 30 days in line with a U.S. proposal launched in March. HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR RUSSIA - AND CHINA? The Soviet Union lost 27 million people in World War Two, including many millions in Ukraine, but pushed Nazi forces back to Berlin, where Adolf Hitler committed suicide and the red Soviet Victory Banner was raised over the Reichstag in May 1945. ADVERTISEMENT For many Russians - and for many other peoples of the former Soviet Union - May 9 is the most sacred date in the calendar, and Putin, bristling at what he says are attempts by the West to belittle the Soviet victory, has sought to use memories of World War Two to unite Russian society. Chinese Communist Party historians say China's casualties in the 1937-1945 Second Sino-Japanese War were 35 million. The Japanese occupation caused the displacement of as many as 100 million Chinese people and significant economic hardship, as well as the 1937 Nanjing Massacre, during which an estimated 100,000 to 300,000 victims were killed. WHY IS IT ON MAY 9? Nazi Germany's unconditional surrender came into force at 11:01 p.m. on May 8, 1945, marked as "Victory in Europe Day" by Britain, the United States and France. In Moscow it was already May 9, which became the Soviet Union's "Victory Day" in what Russians call the Great Patriotic War of 1941-45. HAS IT ALWAYS BEEN THIS WAY IN RUSSIA? After victory, Soviet leader Josef Stalin decreed a holiday, and the first victory parade on Red Square, featuring captured German insignia, was held on June 24, 1945. May 9 was a normal working day from 1947 until 1965, when then-Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev ordered a 20th anniversary parade on Red Square, featuring veterans and historical weaponry. Others were held in 1985, 1990 and 1995. The occasion for showing off modern Soviet military hardware was parades held on Red Square on Nov. 7 each year before the assembled Communist Party Politburo to mark the anniversary of Vladimir Lenin's Bolshevik Revolution in 1917. Since 2008, Victory Day has become an occasion not only to honour the sacrifices of a previous generation, which are seared into older Russians' folk memory, but also to burnish an image of post-Communist Russia restored to its former greatness. (Writing by Guy Faulconbridge; Editing by Gareth Jones)
Straits Times
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Putin and Xi to mark WW2 victory amid war in Ukraine
Russian armoured infantry carriers, including fighting vehicles BMP-1AM Basurmanin, drive along a road on the day of a rehearsal for a military parade, which marks the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, in central Moscow, Russia, May 7, 2025. REUTERS/Anton Vaganov MOSCOW - Russia marks on Friday the 80th anniversary of the Soviet and allied victory over Nazi Germany, though there are fears that Ukraine may seek to disrupt the most hallowed celebration in the Russian calendar. Here is some information on who is expected to attend the celebrations, security arrangements and other details. WHO IS GOING? Twenty-nine leaders, including China's President Xi Jinping and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, are expected to attend, the Kremlin said. "Despite the hostile attitude towards Russia from a number of Western countries, we are very successfully holding a very large-scale event," said Yuri Ushakov, the Kremlin's top foreign policy adviser. The Kremlin's list of expected attendees includes the leaders of the former Soviet republics of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Also expected are the leaders of Bosnia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, China, Congo, Cuba, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Guinea–Bissau, Laos, Mongolia, Myanmar, Palestinian Territories, Serbia, Slovakia, Venezuela, Vietnam and Zimbabwe. The leaders of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, two rebel regions considered by most of the world to be part of Georgia, are also expected. Western leaders from key allied victors in World War Two such as British Prime Keir Starmer will not attend, though some U.S. veterans will join the parade. Russian state broadcaster 'Zvezda' said U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio might attend but the Kremlin said it had no information on his plans. Ukraine has invited senior EU leaders and officials to Kyiv. WHAT HAPPENS AT THE CELEBRATION? At the parade on Red Square, Russian soldiers goose-step to World War Two marching songs, roar to their commanders and drive military hardware such as intercontinental ballistic missiles and tanks past Lenin's Mausoleum. Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech, usually surrounded by veterans. Russia's defence minister inspects the thousands of troops who march past, while fighter jets, trailing smoke in the white, blue and red of the Russian tricolour, roar overhead. WILL IT BE SAFE? After three days of major Ukrainian drone attacks on Moscow, there are fears that the parade could be disrupted, though the Kremlin has said the military is doing everything it can to ensure maximum security. Russia has developed myriad electronic "umbrellas" over Moscow and key installations, with additional advanced internal layers over strategic buildings, and a complex web of air defences to shoot down drones before they reach the Kremlin in the heart of the capital. The Kremlin brands Ukraine's attacks as acts of terrorism. Ukraine says it is simply fighting back after three years of deadly Russian attacks. Security is extremely tight in Moscow. The Kremlin said there would be disruption to mobile phone signals while even some sports clubs in the centre have cut back opening hours and warned clients that there will be searches. Putin has proposed a 72-hour ceasefire that will run on May 8, May 9 and May 10. The Kremlin has said it will abide by the ceasefire but will respond if Ukraine attacks. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has called the proposed ceasefire pointless, and instead suggested an unconditional ceasefire over at least 30 days in line with a U.S. proposal launched in March. HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR RUSSIA - AND CHINA? The Soviet Union lost 27 million people in World War Two, including many millions in Ukraine, but pushed Nazi forces back to Berlin, where Adolf Hitler committed suicide and the red Soviet Victory Banner was raised over the Reichstag in May 1945. For many Russians - and for many other peoples of the former Soviet Union - May 9 is the most sacred date in the calendar, and Putin, bristling at what he says are attempts by the West to belittle the Soviet victory, has sought to use memories of World War Two to unite Russian society. Chinese Communist Party historians say China's casualties in the 1937-1945 Second Sino-Japanese War were 35 million. The Japanese occupation caused the displacement of as many as 100 million Chinese people and significant economic hardship, as well as the 1937 Nanjing Massacre, during which an estimated 100,000 to 300,000 victims were killed. WHY IS IT ON MAY 9? Nazi Germany's unconditional surrender came into force at 11:01 p.m. on May 8, 1945, marked as "Victory in Europe Day" by Britain, the United States and France. In Moscow it was already May 9, which became the Soviet Union's "Victory Day" in what Russians call the Great Patriotic War of 1941-45. HAS IT ALWAYS BEEN THIS WAY IN RUSSIA? After victory, Soviet leader Josef Stalin decreed a holiday, and the first victory parade on Red Square, featuring captured German insignia, was held on June 24, 1945. May 9 was a normal working day from 1947 until 1965, when then-Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev ordered a 20th anniversary parade on Red Square, featuring veterans and historical weaponry. Others were held in 1985, 1990 and 1995. The occasion for showing off modern Soviet military hardware was parades held on Red Square on Nov. 7 each year before the assembled Communist Party Politburo to mark the anniversary of Vladimir Lenin's Bolshevik Revolution in 1917. Since 2008, Victory Day has become an occasion not only to honour the sacrifices of a previous generation, which are seared into older Russians' folk memory, but also to burnish an image of post-Communist Russia restored to its former greatness. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
