The Russian government did not wait for the trial of Olesya Krivtsova, a 19-year-old student in the northern city of Arkhangelsk, to even begin before adding her to its list of “terrorists and extremists.”. The designation on January 10 came as Krivtsova spends her second month under house arrest, facing the possibility of more than … Read more
Canadian Tammy Cecco wasn’t a fan of cruising. “The thought of being on a ship with thousands of other people and not being able to get off,” she said, “was something that I wanted to avoid.” That didn’t change when Cecco, a travel magazine publisher, boarded a surprise cruise booked by her husband to renew … Read more
Krasnohorivka, Ukraine CNN — In the town of Krasnohorivka, grim Soviet-era apartment buildings stand nearly but not quite empty, with only a few residents remaining. Blocks on the southern edges of town are burned shells, windows shattered and awnings dangling in the winter breeze. Houses are largely shuttered; their tenants long gone. The central square … Read more
Near Bakhmut, Ukraine CNN — Southwest of the city of Bakhmut, Ukrainian soldiers Andriy and Borisych live in a candle-lit bunker cut into the frozen earth. For several weeks they have been confronting hundreds of fighters belonging to the Russian private military contractor Wagner throwing themselves against Ukrainian defenses. Disguised in a balaclava, Andriy recounts … Read more
Tokyo — China’s growing assertiveness and collaboration with Russia poses a threat not only to Asia but also to Europe, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Wednesday as he sought stronger cooperation and more “friends” for NATO in the Indo-Pacific region. Stoltenberg said China is increasingly investing in nuclear weapons and long-range missiles without providing transparency … Read more
Press play to listen to this article Voiced by artificial intelligence. PARIS — Vladimir Putin is a “radically rational” leader who is betting that Western countries will grow tired of backing Ukraine and agree to a negotiated end to the conflict that will be favorable to Russia, former French President François Hollande told POLITICO. Hollande, … Read more
Press play to listen to this article Voiced by artificial intelligence. Maurizio Geri is a former analyst on the Middle East and North Africa at the NATO Allied Command. He was also previously an analyst for the Italian Defense General Staff. Throughout history, European powers have often descended upon the Prague Castle in the Czech … Read more
Bakhmut, eastern Ukraine — The city of Bakhmut was home to around 70,000 people before it found itself on the front line of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked war to seize Ukrainian territory. Almost 12 months of war have left Bakhmut barely recognizable. Once renowned for sparkling wine, the small city has been reduced to … Read more
An M-109 howitzer reportedly belonging to the Ukrainian army’s 72nd Mechanized Brigade. Ukrainian defense ministry photo Three months after it got wrecked trying and failing to punch through Ukrainian defenses, the Russian navy’s unhappiest marine brigade is back in action. And apparently getting beaten, again. The bewildering and tragic plight of the 155th Marine Brigade … Read more
Near Kreminna, Ukraine CNN — The pine forests near the city of Kreminna have become one of the hottest combat zones in the war in eastern Ukraine. Almost every weapon seems to be at work here, artillery, howitzers, tanks and mortars. But perhaps the most important is the smallest: The reconnaissance drone. Ukrainian and Russian … Read more