Ukraine has received a fresh peace initiative from the United States, requiring the country to surrender territories under Russian control and significantly reduce its military strength by over half. These conditions closely align with Moscow’s long-standing requests, as revealed by a senior Ukrainian official privy to the details of the proposal in a statement to […]
Category: World
Belarus Releases 31 Ukrainian Nationals in Lukashenko-Trump Agreement
Belarus, a close ally of Russia, announced the pardon of 31 Ukrainian citizens, as reported by state television on Saturday. This decision is part of an agreement made between President Alexander Lukashenko and U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump has urged Belarus to release political prisoners during discussions with Lukashenko, who has been in power since […]
Russian Forces Reclaim Kupiansk Amid Putins Command Post Visit
On Thursday, the Russian military announced that it has once again regained control of Kupiansk, an important stronghold for Ukraine situated in the eastern Kharkiv region, where Russian forces have been making gradual progress. Ukraine had previously taken back this eastern railway center in September, after it had been seized by Russian troops on the […]
Putin Announces Visa-Free Travel for Chinese Citizens to Russia
On Tuesday, President Vladimir Putin announced that citizens of China will soon be able to visit Russia visa-free, following the recent decision by Beijing to eliminate visa requirements for Russian travelers. Since September, Russians have had the opportunity to travel to China without a visa for stays of up to 30 days, a part of […]
Moscow Man Sentenced to 25 Years for GRU Colonel Car Bombing Attempt
A military court in Moscow sentenced a Russian man to 25 years in prison on Thursday for planting a car bomb that caused serious injuries to a military intelligence officer and his spouse last year. Yevgeny Serebryakov was charged with placing an explosive device beneath the vehicle of a GRU colonel, who independent media identified […]
State Duma Passes 2026-28 Budget and Tax Increase Bills Текст: State Duma lawmakers on ThursdaypassedRussia’s three-year federal budget and a package of tax increases, bills aimed at shoring up government revenues as spending on the war against Ukraine remains a top priority for the Kremlin. Under the budget plan, the government expects revenue of 40.3 trillion rubles ($491.7 billion) next year and spending of 44 trillion rubles ($548.3 billion), leaving a projected deficit of 3.8 trillion rubles ($47.3 billion). Defense and national security will account for roughly 38% of all spending in 2026, or 16.8 trillion rubles ($209.5 billion), which is slightly lower than in the previous two years but still far above pre-war levels. Lawmakers sought to highlight funding for domestic programs, including more than 10 trillion rubles ($124.6 billion) for family support measures and 50 billion rubles ($623 million) for a state-backed charity foundation that assists soldiers fighting in Ukraine and their families. Although overall spending will remain broadly stable, budget allocations reveal that the Kremlin’s priorities continue to lie in foreign policy and defense. Alongside the budget plan, the State Duma approved a series of tax changes aimed at closing the fiscal gap created by soaring military expenditures and falling oil and gas revenues under Western sanctions. Russia’s value-added tax (VAT) will increase to 22% from 20%, a move expected to raise consumer prices higher. Economists, including those at the Financial Ministry, havesaidthey anticipate a modest rise in inflation as the VAT hike takes effect starting next year. More small businesses will also be swept into the tax system. The annual revenue threshold for companies required to pay VAT will drop from 60 million rubles ($732,000) to 10 million rubles ($122,000). Some lawmakers havewarnedthat the change could strain small businesses and individual entrepreneurs, many of whom earn less than 200,000 rubles ($2,500) a month after taxes and salaries. Economists estimate the full package, which also includes a new levy on betting company profits, could bring in nearly 3 trillion rubles ($35 billion) in additional revenue. State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said Thursday that lawmakers had approved the federal budget and tax hikes “under difficult circumstances,” citing more than 30,000 sanctions imposed on Russia and what he called “unfriendly actions” by the EU targeting Russian assets. The 2026-28 budget passed with 349 votes, while 56 lawmakers — mostly from the Communist Party — abstained. Only one deputy, Anton Krasnoshantov of the ruling United Russia party, was recorded as voting against the bill, though his “no” vote was allegedly the result of a technical error. The federal budget and tax bills now head to the Federation Council, where they are expected to receive swift approval before being sent to President Vladimir Putin’s desk for his signature.
On Thursday, lawmakers in the State Duma passed Russia’s federal budget for the next three years, along with a series of tax hikes designed to bolster government revenues amid continued priority spending on the war in Ukraine by the Kremlin. The proposed budget anticipates government revenues of 40.3 trillion rubles ($491.7 billion) for the upcoming […]
Power Outages Worsen in Occupied Donetsk as Ukrainian Strikes Target Energy Infrastructure
Almost two-thirds of energy consumers in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, which is under occupation, were left without electricity on Tuesday following a second consecutive night of Ukrainian strikes targeting local energy facilities, as reported by officials aligned with the Kremlin. Denis Pushilin, the Moscow-backed leader of the Donetsk region, described the overnight strikes […]
Airports Poised for Reopening as Russian Authorities Await Military Green Light
On Friday, Russian civil aviation officials announced that all airports that were closed following the onset of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine are ready to reopen, pending final approval from the Defense Ministry. In February 2022, flights were halted at 11 airports located in southern and central Russia due to safety concerns after President Vladimir […]
Trumps Ultimatum: Zelensky Must Embrace Controversial Peace Proposal by November 27
On Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump encouraged Ukraine to accept his administration’s proposal to end the conflict with Russia by surrendering territory, asserting that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would “have to be okay with it.” “He’s going to have to accept it, and if he doesn’t, then they should continue fighting,” Trump remarked to reporters […]
Pipeline Explosion Near Omsk Triggers Industrial Gas Supply Cuts
An explosion occurred on a significant underground gas pipeline close to the Siberian city of Omsk on Tuesday, creating a towering fireball that prompted several industrial facilities to shut off their gas supply, as reported by regional authorities. The fire ignited in a field near Rostovka, approximately 10 kilometers (6 miles) to the west of […]