Category: World

The head of Estonia’s foreign intelligence service stated on Monday that there is no evidence suggesting that President Vladimir Putin intends to launch an assault on the Baltic states or NATO, despite increasing alerts from European leaders about the potential for direct conflict between the West and Russia in the coming years. Kaupo Rosin, the […]

Iran successfully launched three domestically developed observation satellites into orbit from Russia on Sunday, as reported by state television. This achievement represents a significant advancement for Tehran’s space program despite ongoing Western sanctions. The Iranian government asserts that its aerospace endeavors are peaceful and adhere to UN Security Council regulations related to its nuclear activities. […]

President Vladimir Putin issued an executive order on Tuesday permitting the military to call up members of its mobilization reserve for “special” gatherings next year, aimed at safeguarding critical infrastructure. The directive instructs the government to compile a list of key facilities that require protection, while the Ministry of Defense is responsible for designating the […]

By 2025, Russia’s engagement in Ukraine had evolved into a protracted war of attrition, with neither party making a significant strategic advancement. The front lines shifted more this year compared to 2023 and 2024; however, Russia’s progress remained sluggish, limited, and highly costly in terms of both resources and human casualties. In an apparent bid […]

Merry Christmas and welcome to Regions Calling, a newsletter from The Moscow Times that explores life outside the Russian capital. In this last edition of the year, we invited our special correspondent Leyla Latypova to reflect on her coverage of the regions in 2025 and highlight one policy, one individual, and one location that had […]

A Moscow court sentenced Galina Timchenko, the exiled founder and publisher of the Latvia-based news agency Meduza, to five years in prison on Friday for charges linked to the outlet’s classification as an “undesirable” organization. Timchenko was convicted in absentia for managing an “undesirable” organization, a label that the General Prosecutor’s Office of Russia assigned […]

On Wednesday, Finnish authorities announced the seizure of a cargo ship suspected of damaging a telecommunications cable that connects Helsinki and Tallinn in the Gulf of Finland. The Finnish Border Guard identified the vessel as the Fitburg, a 132-meter-long cargo ship registered under the flag of St. Vincent and Grenadines. It was en route from […]

On Wednesday, Russia’s Defense Ministry gave its first comprehensive account of an alleged drone strike by Ukraine targeting President Vladimir Putin’s residence in Valdai, asserting that over half of the drones were neutralized hundreds of kilometers away from the estate. Moscow officials assert that Ukraine initiated a major drone operation aimed at Putin’s home located […]

A municipal judge in Moscow has dismissed a class action lawsuit brought against the state media regulator, Roskomnadzor, and the Ministry of Digital Development by a group of WhatsApp and Telegram users in Russia. The judge from the Tagansky District Court determined that activist Konstantin Larionov from Kaluga did not provide sufficient proof that he […]

Residents of villages in the Nizhny Novgorod region of Russia are expressing their frustration over the complete loss of mobile internet access, affecting over 1,500 individuals. Local news outlet NN.ru reported this situation on Thursday. Recent months have seen repeated disruptions to mobile internet services across various regions in Russia, attributed to government-imposed cuts for […]