Russia

MOSCOW, January 9. /TASS/: Russia maintains strategic initiative in Ukraine and will focus on all-round provisioning of its forces, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said at a conference call with top military brass. He stressed Russia would keep its nuclear triad at a high combat readiness level, develop drone production, introduce new weapons and increase the capabilities of the satellite grouping.

MOSCOW (AP) — A U.S. citizen has been arrested on drug charges in Russia, officials said Tuesday, a move that comes amid soaring Russia-U.S. tensions over Ukraine.

The arrest of Robert Woodland Romanov was reported by the press service of the Moscow courts. It said the Ostankino District Court ruled on Saturday to keep him in custody for two months on charges of preparing to get involved in illegal drug trafficking pending an official investigation. It didn’t offer any details of the accusations.

There was no immediate comment from the U.S. Embassy in Moscow.

MOSCOW, January 5. /TASS/: Thirty-six Ukrainian drones were intercepted and shot down by Russian air defense systems over Crimea and one drone - over the Krasnodar Territory, the Russian defense ministry said.

"On January 5, the Kiev regime’s attempted terrorist attack on facilities in Russia’s territory with the use of fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles was thwarted. Thirty-six Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down and intercepted by air defense systems over Crimea and one unmanned aerial vehicle - over the Krasnodar Territory," it said.

MOSCOW, January 5. /TASS/: Air defense systems have eliminated a Neptune anti-ship missile over the northwestern part of the Black Sea, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

"On January 5, around 12:30 p.m. Moscow time (9:30 a.m. GMT - TASS), an attempt by the Kiev regime was thwarted to carry out a terror attack on targets in the Russian Federation with the use of a Neptune anti-ship missile. Air defense systems on duty detected the Ukrainian missile and eliminated it over the northwestern waters of the Black Sea," the military agency said.

MOSCOW, January 5. /TASS/: Russian President Vladimir Putin may pay a bunch of foreign visits in 2024 and the head of the Russian state has invitations from dozens of countries.

The Kremlin has not yet announced future visits of the Russian President. "I do not exclude but I am trying not to plan anything so far," Putin said earlier, referring to possible visits to friendly nations.

Over past months, the Russian leader received invitations to visit Brazil, Burundi, Vietnam, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Cuba, Mongolia, Thailand, Turkey, and other countries.

MOSCOW (AP) —Russian air defenses downed dozens of Ukrainian drones in occupied Crimea and southern Russia on Friday, officials said, as Kyiv pressed its strategy of targeting the Moscow-annexed peninsula and taking the 22-month war well beyond Ukraine’s borders.

Air raid sirens wailed in Sevastopol, the largest city in Crimea, and traffic was suspended for a second straight day on a bridge connecting the peninsula, which Moscow seized illegally a decade ago, with Russia’s southern Krasnodar region. The span is a crucial supply link for Russia’s war effort.

MOSCOW(AP) — Russia and Ukraine on Wednesday exchanged hundreds of prisoners of war under a deal sponsored by the United Arab Emirates.

Ukrainian authorities said that 230 Ukrainian prisoners of war returned home. Russia’s Defense Ministry said that 248 Russian servicemen have been freed from Ukrainian captivity. The ministry said that the deal was made possible thanks to mediatory efforts by the United Arab Emirates.

There was no immediate acknowledgment from the UAE, which has maintained close business ties to Moscow throughout Russia’s war on Ukraine

MOSCOW, January 2. /TASS/: The Bitcoin prices surged above $45,000 during the trading session for the first time since April 5, 2022, according to Coindesk data.

As of 04:05 a.m. Moscow time, the cost of bitcoin grew by 6.33% to $45,173. By 04:09 a.m. Moscow time, bitcoin continued to grow and was at $45,374 (+6.93%).

MOSCOW, January 2. /TASS/: Russia is closely watching the situation in the wake of an explosion on Roosevelt Island in New York City, Russian Consul General in New York Alexander Zakharov said in a comment for Rossiya-24 television.

"So far, there has been no [information] about any injuries, moreover among Russians, from among students of a university located on that island. We will watch the situation closely," he said.

Calls were received for reports of "a building shaking and explosion" at 5:54 a.m. local time (10:54 a.m. GMT) on Tuesday.

MOSCOW, January 3. /TASS/: Russian air defense forces shot down two Ukrainian Tochka-U missiles and seven Olkha MLRS projectiles over the borderline Belgorod Region, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported.