Russia

Russia’s investigative committee says it is looking into whether Ukraine’s special services were behind the attack A Russian general was killed in a car bomb attack in Moscow on Monday, Russia’s investigative committee said. Lt Gen Fanil Sarvarov, the head of the Russian general staff’s army operational training directorate, died in the incident, the committee … Read more

Fear that confrontation is on the cards as policing of ships becomes more aggressive and Russia challenges Europe The “shadow fleet” used by Russia, Iran and Venezuela to avoid western sanctions and ship cargo to customers including China and India is “exploding” in its scale and scope, and there are concerns that efforts to counter … Read more

Two-year deal will cover most of Ukraine’s needs, but will be secured against EU borrowing rather than Russian assets European Union leaders have decided to provide a massive interest-free loan to Ukraine to meet its military and economic needs for the next two years, after failing to agree on using frozen Russian assets, diplomats said … Read more

Exclusive: Key figures at frozen assets depository among targets of intimidation campaign, say European intelligence agencies Belgian politicians and senior finance executives have been subject to a campaign of intimidation orchestrated by Russian intelligence aimed at persuading the country to block the use of €185bn assets for Ukraine, according to European intelligence agencies. Security officials … Read more

Moscow welcomes White House document critical of the EU as talks to end the Ukraine war enter a key phase The Kremlin has heaped praise on Donald Trump’s latest national security strategy, calling it an encouraging change of policy that largely aligns with Russian thinking. The remarks follow the publication of a White House document … Read more

Vladimir Putin has stalled progress on a peace plan for Ukraine being brokered by Donald Trump’s US and has said he is ‘ready for war’ with Europe ‘if it starts one’. Luke Harding speaks to Lucy Hough Continue reading…

US-led peace push comes as Kyiv says fighting is continuing over important hub US-Russia talks may pile pressure on Kyiv to make concessions, says EU foreign policy chief See all our Ukraine war coverage In parallel to Witkoff’s meeting in Moscow, we will also follow Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s first visit to Ireland. He has arrived in … Read more

US group Dekleptocracy identifies chemicals used for military vehicles’ lubricants and tyres as potential vulnerabilities A US group has identified several obscure but potentially key sanctions it says could seriously disrupt Russia’s war effort in Ukraine after last month’s targeting of the Kremlin’s biggest oil firms. Previous rounds of sanctions have been applied to Russian … Read more