Press review: EU mulls Russia-linked tanker seizures as US deal opens Venezuela oil access

Press review: EU mulls Russia-linked tanker seizures as US deal opens Venezuela oil access Top stories from the Russian press on Monday, August 31st© AP Photo/Virginia MayoMOSCOW, August 31. /TASS/. The EU is considering a naval mission to intercept tankers linked to Russia in the Baltic and North seas; a US-Venezuela oil deal would give Washington increased control of Venezuela’s vast reserves; and Iceland’s rejection of renewed EU accession talks deals a blow to Brussels’ ambitions in the North Atlantic. These stories topped Monday’s newspaper headlines across Russia. Izvestia: EU considers naval mission to seize Russia-linked tankers Brussels is considering setting up a special naval mission to seize tankers linked to Russia, Izvestia has learned. The proposed European mission would be deployed in the Baltic and North seas. Launching the initiative would require unanimous approval by the EU Council, which experts say may prove difficult to obtain. Earlier, the European Union had already redirected its IRINI mission in the Mediterranean toward combating sanctions evasion. Russian authorities have repeatedly stressed that, if necessary, they are prepared to provide military escorts for commercial vessels. "The EU is discussing a more offensive approach to combating the so-called shadow fleet. The creation of a special naval mission for the union is under consideration. In that case, for obvious geographic reasons, the easiest areas for the EU to target would be the Baltic and North seas," Fernand Kartheiser, a member of the European Parliament from Luxembourg, told Izvestia. A European source told Izvestia that the "creation of a new mechanism to combat sanctions evasion" is under discussion. According to another source, a proposal to create the new mission could be announced in the fall. If launched, a naval mission in the Baltic would constitute a serious violation of freedom of navigation and would effectively amount to a naval blockade, Thierry Mariani, a member of the European Parliament, told Izvestia. "This would be yet another step toward a conflict with Russia at a time when the EU should be doing exactly the opposite: seeking peace rather than generating new pretexts for escalation," the politician said. According to Tigran Meloyan, analyst at the HSE Center for Mediterranean Studies, one possible measure Moscow could take in response to the initiative would be to establish a permanent regional naval task force capable of deploying unmanned aerial, surface and underwater systems to continuously track the maritime activities of NATO countries in the Baltic Sea and protect tankers carrying Russian cargo from attempts to seize them in raids. The detention of vessels by EU countries could ultimately turn against them, director of the First European Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry Artyom Studennikov told the newspaper. Fernand Kartheiser emphasized that the EU remains heavily dependent on imports of Russian fossil fuels at precisely the moment when it is "discussing the enforcement of its sanctions against these energy commodities on the high seas." In addition, the EU’s pressure on third countries will hurt its international standing and could lead to retaliatory measures by those states, the politician believes. Vedomosti: US deal brings Venezuela’s vast oil reserves within Washington’s reach The United States now controls 65 bln barrels of Venezuelan oil under an agreement with Venezuela, United States President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social. According to him, the deal gives the US preferential control, secured with the involvement of private businesses. The US president also emphasized that the agreement did not require any expenditure by American taxpayers. He called the deal historic, saying it more than doubles US oil reserves and will allow gasoline prices for Americans to be significantly lowered for an extended period. According to Trump, the agreement was approved on the US side by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and on the Venezuelan side by the country’s interim president, Delcy Rodriguez. Experts interviewed by Vedomosti say the deal is mutually beneficial and would give Caracas a way out of international isolation. According to Rodriguez herself, the deal is set to run for 25 years and will allegedly bring in around $209 bln for Venezuela. She emphasized that, at an oil price of $65 per barrel, the country’s treasury will receive $19 from every barrel sold. In addition, CNBC reports that the Venezuelan government is preparing licenses for foreign companies to explore oil fields and extract crude. The US-Venezuela deal is gradually opening up the Venezuelan market to American oil companies, director of the Institute for Latin American Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences Dmitry Rosenthal told Vedomosti. Caracas is already working on a new legal framework for the fuel and energy sector to ease the entry of foreign companies, which, for the first time in many years, will allow foreign firms to operate independently, the analyst noted. The oil agreement between the United States and Venezuela is a mutually beneficial deal, making it incorrect to portray the Venezuelan side as a victim, energy expert Kirill Rodionov noted. According to him, Venezuela’s oil industry suffered severe losses during the years of Hugo Chavez’s and Nicolas Maduro’s rule, with oil production falling threefold. A way out of the crisis is possible only through a radical improvement in external conditions and a change in the sanctions environment surrounding Venezuela, the analyst noted. In Rodionov’s view, without the US deal, Venezuela’s oil industry would have continued to remain stagnant, while the government would have lost billions of dollars in revenue. "The US-Venezuela deal reflects the formation of a new architecture in the global oil market, while also giving the Latin American republic an opportunity to break free of international isolation," the expert said. Izvestia: BRICS at crossroads as India’s chairmanship puts bloc’s expansion to the test Less than two weeks remain before the key BRICS event at which the grouping will outline its objectives for the coming year. The 18th BRICS summit will be held in New Delhi on September 12-13. Dozens of world leaders are expected to attend, representing both member states and partner countries. The group has continued to expand in recent years, and the upcoming meeting will show whether the new participants have managed to integrate fully into its work. So far, their adaptation has faced a number of structural and, at times, geopolitical challenges. At the same time, interest in BRICS remains strong. Thailand may be one of the most likely candidates for full membership, Izvestia has learned. Moscow views Bangkok’s desire to become a full BRICS member positively. "From the outset, the Russian side regarded the Kingdom as a strong candidate. Thailand is an influential Southeast Asian state," the Russian Embassy in Bangkok said. According to Elena Pyltsina, senior research fellow at the Center for the Study of Vietnam and ASEAN at the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of China and Contemporary Asia, obtaining full BRICS membership would broaden Thailand’s foreign-policy options, allowing Bangkok to balance more flexibly among the various centers of global power. Thailand’s potential accession would not conflict with the interests of the group’s other members, Pavel Shaternikov, research fellow at the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Primakov Institute of World Economy and International Relations, told Izvestia. He stressed that BRICS is not an international organization in the conventional sense, but rather an informal forum whose nature is more akin to that of the G7. However, BRICS expansion is not necessarily going to take place during India’s chairmanship. The issue of integrating the grouping’s new participants appears to have come to the forefront. As a result, Thailand is unlikely to obtain full BRICS membership in the near future, although its application remains promising. For Bangkok, its current partner status offers an opportunity to become more deeply integrated into the grouping’s mechanisms, while for Moscow, it provides an additional channel for deepening ties with one of Southeast Asia’s key states, Izvestia writes. Vedomosti: Iceland’s EU vote highlights limits of Brussels’ northern expansion push According to preliminary results from the August 29 referendum on whether to resume negotiations on Iceland’s accession to the European Union, 47.2% of voters supported continuing the talks, while 52.8% voted against, broadcaster RUV reported. The referendum had a turnout of 82%, but is advisory by nature, although the authorities had pledged to take its results into account. Had the vote produced a result favorable to European integration, a second referendum and approval of Reykjavik’s application by all EU member states would have been required. Experts told Vedomosti the referendum’s failure reflects a deep internal divide over the economic and political costs of EU membership. Iceland first applied for EU membership in July 2009 amid the global financial crisis. The main sticking point was the EU’s strict fishing quotas. The application was formally withdrawn in 2015. The current proponents of renewing Iceland’s drive toward European integration are members of the Social Democratic Alliance. Icelandic Foreign Minister Thorgerdur Katrin Gunnarsdottir cited US actions in Venezuela and Washington’s repeatedly stated intentions to gain control over Greenland among the factors behind the concerns. The influence of US President Donald Trump and his rhetoric over Greenland on efforts to revive Iceland’s EU accession bid should not be overemphasized, junior research fellow at MGIMO University’s Institute for International Studies Evgeny Pankov told Vedomosti. However, pro-European forces capitalized on the issue. The social democrats who initiated the referendum represent the interests of residents of the Reykjavik metropolitan area, including those dissatisfied with inflation and high mortgage rates - EU membership was expected to ease these problems. Opposition to European integration comes primarily from farmers and the fishing industry in the provinces. The risk that the referendum would fail has now become reality, with signs of this becoming apparent in the final days before the vote. At the same time, even a victory for the initiative to resume negotiations would have provided an extremely weak mandate for making major decisions in the future, the expert continued. Regardless of the outcome, the social democrats’ initiative has split Icelandic society, Pankov believes. For the EU, reviving Iceland’s European integration process is primarily a political issue. It would allow Brussels to reinforce its territorial claims in the face of competitors - the United States and the United Kingdom - and secure a role in the North Atlantic, providing access to the Arctic, head of the Regional Problems and Conflicts Sector at the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Primakov Institute of World Economy and International Relations Pavel Timofeev said. For the European public at home, negotiations with Iceland were an opportunity to show that the EU’s integration project remains sought after, he added. Nezavisimaya Gazeta: Western pivot could leave Armenia more dependent on Turkey and Azerbaijan The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, chaired by the Kyrgyz Republic, will be held in Bishkek on August 31-September 1, 2026. Russian and Armenian leaders Vladimir Putin and Nikol Pashinyan are expected to have a difficult conversation on the sidelines of the summit, Nezavisimaya Gazeta writes. Among other issues, they are expected to discuss Yerevan’s European integration and the criminal prosecution of the pro-Russian opposition. Their meeting will take place against the backdrop of Turkey and Azerbaijan’s expanding influence in the South Caucasus, with the leaders of both countries also traveling to Kyrgyzstan. According to Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, Moscow insists that its Armenian counterparts should not pursue European integration at the expense of cooperation within the Eurasian framework. Putin will also discuss with Pashinyan the arrest of Armenia’s second president, Robert Kocharyan, and other Armenian opposition leaders who advocate friendly relations with Russia. Ushakov noted that Moscow is concerned about Yerevan’s actions. Meanwhile, the SCO summit will bring together the leaders of 17 countries, including the presidents of Azerbaijan and Turkey, Ilham Aliyev and Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Observers routinely identify them as among the main beneficiaries of the restructuring of the security architecture in the South Caucasus. In addition, EU representatives are advising Armenia to link up with Turkey’s energy system in order to reduce its dependence on Russia. "Turkey and Azerbaijan are actively involved in the process of driving Russia out of the South Caucasus. At present, in the context of Armenian-Russian relations, they are playing roughly the same role that they once played in pushing Russia out of Georgia during the rule of Mikhail Saakashvili. It is no secret that without economic, energy, and political support from Ankara and Baku, Tbilisi would hardly have been able to withstand such a sharp break in relations with Russia. In Armenia’s case, we see that the tandem of these two Turkic states, with active support from the United States and the EU, is seeking to become the leading force in the region," head of the Analytical Center for Strategic Studies and Initiatives (ACSSI) Hayk Khalatyan told Nezavisimaya Gazeta. According to the expert, Washington and Brussels believe that bolstering Turkey’s position in the South Caucasus serves their strategic interests, as it would automatically weaken Russia and Iran in the region. Moreover, in the longer term, Turkey could emerge as a competitor to Russia and China in Central Asia. "Against this backdrop, Pashinyan’s statements about closer ties with the EU and the United States may be nothing more than a facade behind which Armenia is being transformed into a satellite of Turkey and Azerbaijan," Khalatyan concluded. TASS is not responsible for the material quoted in these press reviews Press review: CIA chief's Moscow visit raises questions as Russia warns UK of retaliationTop stories from the Russian press on Friday, August 28thRead moreWithout additional $6.75 billion, Ukraine unable to pay its militaryMaintaining combat operations at the current level will require around $20 billionRead moreNATO military activities in Arctic may lead to catastrophic consequences — LavrovThe foreign minister said NATO's Operation Arctic Sentry involves intensive military preparations in close proximity to Russia's northern bordersRead moreKiev’s mobilization plans show Ukraine lies about battlefield losses — mediaThe head of Vladimir Zelensky’s office earlier said that Ukraine needed to recruit at least 30,000 people a month to maintain troop strengthRead moreOmsky-107 vessel runs ashore near Istanbul after being attacked by Ukraine — agencyAccording to the agency, the crew evacuated from the ship in lifeboats following the attack Read moreUncrewed boat found off Turkish Samsun province coast — agencyThe site has been cordoned offRead moreIsrael won't put up with Turkey's military presence in Syria — NetanyahuThe Israeli prime minister said that the prior warnings on the issue were not heard "clearly enough"Read more30 vessels not let pass through Strait of Hormuz without Iran’s permit in past weekCurrently, navigation through the Strait of Hormuz is only possible upon an agreement with the Iranian side and after paying corresponding feesRead more237 people saved from sunken vessel off northern Cyprus — authoritiesAccording to Prime Minister of the unrecognized Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Unal Ustel, all of those rescued are in satisfactory conditionRead morePutin begins long, busy trip — Kremlin spokesmanThe Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit will be held in Bishkek on August 31 and September 1 Read morePutin says Russia holds world's second-largest coal reservesThe Russian leader noted that coke, iron ore, and other minerals remain one of the foundations of the national economy todayRead moreUS seriously considers use of nuclear weapons in Europe — Russian MFAAccording to Andrey Belousov, Washington’s efforts to initiate discussions on Russia’s non-strategic nuclear weapons serve to divert international attention from what he described as the threat posed by US nuclear weapons stationed in EuropeRead moreSix drones taken down while approaching Moscow — mayorSergey Sobyanin says first responders are working on the crash siteRead moreMoscow, Bishkek cooperate fruitfully in various areas — Russian president"Relations between our countries are developing dynamically in the spirit of strategic partnership and alliance," Vladimir Putin saidRead moreNumber of wounded in Belgorod missile attack rises to 16Acting Governor Alexander Shuvayev reported that three more people wounded in the missile attack sought medical aidRead moreRussian forces liberate Rubezhnoye, Novoandreyevka, take control of KhrapovshchinaRussian forces also struck Ukrainian fuel and energy facilities and logistics centers used by Ukrainian forces over the past day, the Russian Defense Ministry saidRead moreNumber of AI agents going out of control peaks in July — British newspaperThe study notes that the number of such incidents nearly doubled compared to the previous monthRead morePutin-Trump-Zelensky summit possible only at end of talks — Kremlin spokesmanDmitry Peskov said there have been calls for organizing a Putin-Trump-Zelensky summit for quite some time nowRead moreTanker struck by projectile off Oman — UKMTONo casualties or environmental impact are reported at this timeRead moreWoman dies in hospital after minibus runs over group of people in southern SiberiaThree children were seriously injuredRead moreMedvedev declares Russia's drone supremacy over rest of worldIt is because of the dramatic developments taking place in Russia amid the military conflict, the Russian security council deputy chairman saidRead moreUS sole factor destabilizing Strait of Hormuz — Iranian Foreign MinistryThe Iranian Foreign Ministry added it will respond to all US actions with "a crushing blow"Read morePutin to hold meeting on Far East’s development on sidelines of Eastern Economic ForumBefore attending the Eastern Economic Forum, Russian president will pay a visit to Kyrgyzstan, which will host a Shanghai Cooperation Organization summitRead moreUS redirected 83 ships since resuming maritime blockade of IranThe US military also disabled three and boarded two vesselsRead moreFACTBOX: 239 drones downed, Ukrainian strikes on homes, logistics center in YekaterinburgAir defenses destroyed 12 Ukrainian drones over the Voronezh Region during the night, Governor Alexander Gusev saidRead moreAngelina Jolie arrives in Ukraine — news agencyAccording to UNIAN news agency, the actress visited Lvov and TernopolRead morePress review: CIA chief's Moscow visit raises questions as Russia warns UK of retaliationTop stories from the Russian press on Friday, August 28thRead moreIceland deals blow to EU’s dreams of expanding northward — news outletBefore the referendum, European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos engaged in a flurry of media activityRead moreNo restrictions on air traffic in Gulf countries imposed — air traffic controllersEarlier in the day, Iran’s missile attack on US ships in the Strait of Hormuz was reportedRead moreCIA chief proposes Putin-Trump-Zelensky meeting during visit to Moscow — AxiosAccording to the news outlet, John Ratcliffe also sought to determine whether talks with Ukraine could be resumed with US mediationRead moreKazakhstan’s parliament votes to reappoint Bektenov as prime ministerOljas Bektenov’s candidacy, proposed by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, was supported by 137 of the 145 deputies presentRead moreDeath toll from northern Nepal flooding exceeds 900Nearly 4,200 people, including 592 foreign nationals, remain missingRead moreGeorgia’s Kulevi oil refinery stops processing Russian oilThe refinery has switched to processing oil from Kazakhstan and Libya, the media outlet bm.ge reportedRead moreKazakhstan’s parliament votes to appoint Karin as vice presidentErlan Karin’s candidacy, proposed by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, was supported by 141 of the 145 deputies presentRead moreNo meeting between Putin, CIA director in Moscow — Kremlin spokesmanRussian President Vladimir Putin did not meet with CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Putin’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov saidRead moreRussia readies to strike Ukraine’s energy sites to retaliate attacks on its infrastructureAt the same time, Russian servicemen continued to launch coordinated strikes against Ukrainian military-industrial facilities that support the Ukrainian military overnight, the ministry emphasizedRead moreNo links between Putin’s meetings with Lukashenko to CIS chief’s visit — KremlinRussian-Belarusian relations constitute an absolutely different dimension, which in no way depends on contacts with the Americans, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov saidRead moreEnergy cooperation always on agenda of Russian-Chinese contacts — KremlinThis is mutually beneficial cooperation, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov saidRead moreJordan intercepts eight Iranian missiles — Petra news agencyThe type of the missiles is unknownRead moreUS to use Venezuelan oil to replenish its strategic reserves — TrumpThe ‘topping out’ process will begin very shortly, and is a gift from Venezuela to the people of the United States, US President wrote on his Truth Social platformRead moreSpecial op, security in Europe more important for Russia than ties with overseas countriesRussian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov told this Vesti host Pavel Zarubin Read moreWarehouse fires, damage to energy facility: situation in UkraineAn energy facility was damaged in the Chernigov Region in northern Ukraine, regional administration head Vyacheslav Chaus saidRead moreRussia adds over 100 mln carats to diamond reserves since start of yearHead of Rosnedra Oleg Kazanov noted that reserve additions are driven not only by new deposits but by additional geological exploration and the reassessment of existing depositsRead moreBelgium blocks new attempt to expropriate Russian assets — minister"This door is closed", stressed Belgian Defense and Foreign Trade Minister Theo FranckenRead moreRussia still open to talks on Ukraine, but there are no conditions for them — KremlinDmitry Peskov commented on whether President Vladimir Putin could discuss the possibility to continue the work of negotiating groups on Ukraine in Istanbul at a meeting with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip ErdoganRead moreNorthern Fleet task force departs on long Arctic missionThe fleet will practice measures to ensure safety of Russian navigation via the Northern Sea Route, Captain 2nd Rank Alexander Zinovyev saidRead morePutin to lay out Russia’s position on referendum on EU to Armenian PM — KremlinEach top-level contact is important, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov saidRead moreFate of 99 people on board the vessel remains unknown — Kyrenia mayorMayor Murat Shenkul stated that Turkish Cypriot authorities have so far managed to contact 159 of the 258 people who were on boardRead moreSix people died in catamaran accident off coast of Northern Cyprus — TVAlso 172 others were rescued, TRT Haber reportedRead moreEU needs Russia as ‘external enemy’ to collect more taxes — KremlinKremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that voters do not like thisRead moreUS to impose sanctions on Iran every week — Treasury secretaryScott Bessent added that banks cooperating with Iran will be the first targetRead moreUkraine’s defeat drawing nearer every day; Kiev understands this — KremlinKremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated that the Kiev regime is receiving and will continue to receive"an even more than adequate response" to its attacks on civilian sectors of the Russian economyRead moreDenmark suspends issuance of residence permits to Ukrainians of mobilization ageAccording to parliamentary documents, the proposal was approved by 98 votes to 11Read moreRussia to respond to hostile actions of its opponents, including asymmetrically — LavrovThe foreign minister said that Russia favors constructive dialogue but, if necessary, will defend "national interests by all available means"Read moreIran’s supreme leader calls on all Muslim countries to stand up to USMojtaba Khamenei pointed out that the US and Israel are at war not only with Iran and its regional allies, but also with all Muslims, "including the peoples of West Asia and North Africa"Read moreIRGC says supertanker hits mines in Strait of Hormuz — agencyThe vessel attempted to use an "illegal route" in the southern part of the Strait of HormuzRead moreBlocking extradition of Ukrainian to prove Kiev’s fault in Nord Stream sabotage — lawmakerAccording to Steffen Kotre, the Ukrainian military "does not have carte blanche to sabotage German or European energy infrastructure"Read moreRussia has good prospects for cooperating with BRICS partners in Far North — LavrovThe foreign minister added that Russia is also ready to develop cooperation in the Arctic with Belarus and other partners and allies in the CISRead morePutin briefed on CIA director visit’s results — Kremlin spokesmanJohn Ratcliffe arrived in Russia on August 25Read moreRussia begins mass production of Volna Kupol Garant EW system — defense sourceAccording to the source, the Volna has become a factor affecting not only the special military operation zone, but also having global influenceRead moreMOEX Index up as morning trading session opensAs of 7:10 a.m. Moscow time the MOEX Index was up by 0.04% at 2,115.81 pointsRead moreErez crossing not to be opened for deliveries to Gaza — Israeli PM’s officeAdviser Dmitri Gendelman emphasized that media reports on the matter are not trueRead moreKiev increasingly losing on battlefield — US journalistRussian forces continue to liberate territories, Christopher Helali said Read moreIceland’s current government not to initiate EU accession talks — PMKristrun Frostadottir said a referendum on resuming the negotiations cannot be held "every one or two years"Read more241 people saved from sunken vessel off northern Cyprus — authoritiesThe search for 18 more continuesRead moreRussia ready to resume Arctic Council’s work, but if partners work in good faith — LavrovThe foreign minister said Russia is also "prepared for the scenario currently being pursued by NATO countries within the organization," implying attempts to discuss issues without its participationRead moreImpact of Russia’s strikes on Ukrainian army’s infrastructure visible — Kremlin spokesmanRussian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov stressed that Russia is targeting only military facilitiesRead moreRussia’s Ivan Papanin patrol ship can break through solid ice up to 1.7 m thick — captainKirill Tkachenko emphasized that the ship is capable of handling even thicker iceRead moreMan hijacks plane in Hungary, directs it toward Paks NPP — mediaAfter being intercepted, the plane crashed onto a sunflower fieldRead moreGold futures drop below $4,450 per troy ounce first time since August 19By 2:59 a.m. GMT, the decline slowed down, with gold trading at $4,472.4 per troy ounceRead moreFinnish citizens outraged by their president’s policy toward Russia — politicianArmando Mema emphasized that the direction in which Stubb is leading Finland "remains uncertain and very dangerous"Read moreTwo, killed, two wounded in US strike on Iran’s Larak island — agencyAccording to the report by Tasnim, no official comments are available at the momentRead morePentagon chief Hegseth considers running for president — NBCBut Sean Parnell, the Pentagon’s assistant for public affairs, denied this, the TV channel saidRead moreAnthropologists to carry out genetic test of Grand Prince Dmitry Donskoy’s relicsDeputy Director General for Research at the Moscow Kremlin Museums Andrey Batalov said that the age of the person and the grand prince matchedRead moreIran’s Fars news agency reports about explosions in JordanNo other details are known at this pointRead moreTokayev appoints Karin as Kazakhstan’s vice president, Bektenov as prime ministerErlan Karin previously served as the first deputy head of the presidential administration, and before the new constitution took effect, he was state counsellorRead moreIranian lawmaker warns US of retaliation over Middle East escalationEbrahim Azizi noted that the United States will pay "a heavier price"Read moreKiev reluctant to engage in true settlement — Kremlin spokesmanRussian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov commented a proposal to organize a trilateral meeting between Putin, Donald Trump, and Vladimir ZelenskyRead morePutin may have brief conversation with UN chief on SCO summit’s sidelinesNo separate meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres is planned on the sidelines of the AShanghai Cooperation Organization summit, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov saidRead moreUS strikes two missile launchers on Iran’s Larak island — mediaAccording to a US official cited by Axios correspondent Barak Ravid, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces were seen preparing to launch rockets with sea mines into the Strait of HormuzRead moreAll options on table to sanction China for ties with Iran — US Treasury secretaryScott Bessent also said he would hold talks with his Chinese counterparts during the meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bank chiefs Read moreKiev troops shell DPR 25 times in past day, civilian woundedSix residential buildings, four civil infrastructure sites, as well as cars and trucks were damagedRead moreDeath toll from flooding in northern Nepal up to 788 — policeAlso 2,752 people have been injured or rescuedRead moreOzon sorting center comes under attack in Belgorod, several people injuredEmployees were evacuated Read moreKiev loses 9,600 soldiers, mercenaries in special op zone last week — expertAndrey Marochko added that over the past week, the Russian military also destroyed nearly 6,000 unmanned aerial vehicles, three uncrewed boats, three tanks, 47 field artillery gunsRead moreGunmen tried to enter hotel housing AES parliament members — Russian ambassadorViktor Voropayev attended a gala dinner at the hotel on the evening of August 28 for lawmakers taking part in the parliamentary sessionRead moreRussia advancing along entire frontline in special op’s zone — Kremlin spokesmanThe dynamic is absolutely positive for Russia, Dmitry Peskov saidRead moreMaduro posts photo of him in prisonVenezuelan President addressed it to his grandchildren and childrenRead moreIran’s IRGC reports destroying US fighter jet deployment sites in Jordan — TasnimEarlier, it was reported that a series of explosions was heard on Jordan’s territoryRead morePlacido Domingo to perform with Russian conductor Yuri Bashmet in MoscowThe concert’s program will feature musical pieces of different genres, which Domingo has performed over the course of his 60-year careerRead moreTop Vatican diplomat says his visit to Moscow underscores commitment to dialogueThe trip took place on August 24-28Read morePutin to travel to Bishkek to attend SCO summitThe Russian leader’s schedule includes attending the SCO Council of Heads of States, a meeting in the SCO+ format, and bilateral talks with his counterpartsRead moreFACTBOX: Russian strikes on Ukrainian logistics centers, seaports: What is knownTASS has compiled the key facts about the strikes on facilities in Ukraine.Read moreUS convinced that Iceland referendum results to have no effect on NATO membershipDepartment of State spokesman Tommy Pigott said that the US is looking forward "to strengthening our partnership with Iceland on all fronts"Read moreAt least two killed, 12 injured in Ukraine’s attack on BelgorodA man and a 16-year old teenager were killed in the territory of an enterprise, acting governor of the Belgorod Region Alexander Shuvayev saidRead moreUkrainian interceptor drones powerless against new Russian jet-powered UAVs — newspaperWelt TV correspondent Christoph Wanner stated that Ukraine "has not yet kept pace with the development of these technologies for its own interceptor drones," and "the problems are now evident"Read moreRussia’s Alexandrova, Medvedev advance to second round of US OpenThe players defeated McCartney Kessler and Hugo Gaston respectivelyRead moreNATO attempts to use Arctic to contain Russia — LavrovThe Russian foreign minister noted that Russia favors constructive dialogue in all regions of the world but, when necessary, will defend its national interests "by all available means"Read moreKalashnikov to unveil model of its latest AK-12+ assault rifle at Eastern Economic ForumThe weapon will be on display in the Voin Center pavilion at the Far East Street exhibitionRead moreTrump's 'Greenland plan' aims to bring Arctic under US control — presidential adviserAnton Kobyakov opined that this project was an alternative to the NSR from the Pacific Ocean to the North AtlanticRead moreUS is unlikely to achieve quick military victory in Iran — newspaperAccording to The New York Times, airstrikes have not helped Washington accomplish its goalsRead more