Press review: US sanctions bill may hamper Ukraine talks as Russian parliament vote opens

Press review: US sanctions bill may hamper Ukraine talks as Russian parliament vote opens Top stories from the Russian press on Friday, September 18th© Kent Nishimura/Getty ImagesMOSCOW, September 18. /TASS/. The sweeping US sanctions may hinder Ukraine talks, the Kremlin warned as Russian voters go to polls. Meanwhile, the EU is putting forward Ukraine for a proposed European Security Council. These stories topped Friday's newspaper headlines across Russia. Izvestia: US bill on 'sanctions from hell' on Russia may hamper Ukraine talks The White House will use the latest bill on additional sanctions on Russia passed by the US Congress as an instrument of pressure, experts say. However, using it in the context of a spike in oil prices could further destabilize energy markets. The largest buyers of Russian oil and gas, such as India, have displayed no willingness to follow Washington's instructions. Meanwhile, preparations for a new trilateral meeting on Ukraine are ongoing: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres supports holding talks at the UN General Assembly High-level Week 2026 in New York City. Read alsoKremlin comments on US 'sanctions from hell,' their impact on Ukrainian settlement The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, which the US House of Representatives approved on September 16 with 262 to 159 lawmakers voting in favor of the measure, would only hamper the Ukrainian settlement process if introduced, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned on Thursday. The upper chamber of parliament voted for the document last month, and the vote at Congress has now sent it to President Donald Trump for his signature. Against the backdrop of rising oil prices due to the Middle East conflict, Washington will act cautiously so as not to further destabilize energy markets, Tigran Meloyan, an analyst at the HSE Center for Mediterranean Studies, told Izvestia. In his opinion, the Trump administration may use the measure as a pretext to impose tariffs on countries that have nothing to do with trade with Russia. In addition, the document provides for the expansion of powers to impose sanctions on Iran's energy and weapons sectors - these provisions were proposed by Trump himself. Trump will use the threat of tariff imposition as a political lever to pressure the sides to engage in active talks, Yegor Toropov, an analyst at the Higher School of Economics, argued. Even if the latest US trade restrictions on Russia are actually imposed, certain trade categories will probably be excluded from the sanctions regime under the pretext of their critical importance for the American economy, the expert believes. Meanwhile, UN chief Guterres voiced his backing for holding trilateral talks during the UNGA High-level Week between September 22 and 28. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is planning to meet with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at this venue. Russia’s top diplomat stressed earlier that Moscow is ready for another round of talks on Ukraine and that it "has something to say." A new potential round of talks will enable the parties to coordinate their positions and make their positions clear, said Oleg Karpovich, department head at the Diplomatic Academy of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations. Izvestia: Parliamentary election opens in Russia This weekend, from September 18 to 20, 450 State Duma seats will be contested, eight governors and members of parliaments of various levels will be elected nationwide. Residents of Kamchatka and Chukotka have already cast their first ballots. Ten parties which have nominated more than 4,300 candidates, including participants in the special military operation, will vie for seats in the lower house of the Federal Assembly. For the first time ever, the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR), and the Kherson and Zaporozhye Regions, where martial law is in effect, will take part in the parliamentary election. Also, as many as 333 polling stations will be open abroad. Read alsoFACTBOX: Single Voting Day in Russia Ten parties are running in the Duma election, namely the ruling United Russia party, the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF), the Liberal Democratic Party of the Russian Federation (LDPR), New People, A Just Russia - For Truth, the Party of Pensioners for Social Justice, the Communists of Russia, Rodina, the Party of Direct Democracy, as well as the Greens Ecological Party. A total of 4,300 candidates from these parties, including more than 180 participants in the special military operation, have been registered. In an address to the nation ahead of the election, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that everyone’s vote will be a small contribution to the protection of national interests. On July 1, the number of eligible Russian voters stood at 111 million, of them over 4 million have chosen to vote online. This time around, online voting will take place in 33 regions. By restricting the voting of Russians, a number of European countries plan to demonstrate their negative attitude toward Russian politics and elections, Yegor Sergeyev, a senior researcher at the Institute of International Studies at MGIMO University, told Izvestia. According to him, European authorities understand that the votes cast by Russians abroad are unlikely to significantly affect the overall election result. At that, unfriendly European countries treat Russia and its citizens differently, the expert added. In France, for one, four polling stations will be open - in Paris, Strasbourg, Marseille and Villefranche-sur-Mer. The Fifth Republic takes a softer stand on some of the anti-Russian measures discussed at the EU, Yegorov noted. Nezavisimaya Gazeta: EU seen pitching Ukraine up for new NATO The European Union will involve Ukraine in a planned European Security Council, a certain analogue of NATO that doesn’t perhaps include the United States, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in her State of the EU address on Wednesday. Some US politicians and military leaders, too, view Ukraine as a flagship asset of the North Atlantic Alliance. Former CIA director David Petraeus, who recently visited Kiev, called Russia a "shared threat" to the alliance as he stated that Ukraine is essentially fighting a war on behalf of NATO and that the West must support it. His remark runs counter to the policy line being pursued by US President Donald Trump who has been pushing for ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Trump’s peace push in no way overrides the opinion of a range of US military leaders that Russia is an enemy of NATO. Finland, for one, is building a TNT production facility with US support. The new plant will produce explosives to serve the needs of Finland and NATO as it will also provide long-term support to Ukraine, the Nordic country’s defense chief, Antti Hakkanen said. "The Americans share intelligence data with Kiev and supply IT technology to its armed forces. Washington is ready to continue to sell Patriot interceptor missiles to Ukraine at the request from Europe and the EU, AI-powered drones among other modern weapons. Therefore, Trump’s rhetoric about putting an end to the conflict is empty words. The US earns as it encourages the EU to support Ukraine and works to reduce Russia’s defense capabilities," military expert and retired Colonel Nikolay Shulgin told Nezavisimaya Gazeta. Ukrainian Finance Minister Sergey Marchenko has acknowledged that Kiev will need more than $52 billion in international financial assistance in 2027. According to Vladimir Zelensky, Ukraine has secured approximately $20 billion in financial commitments from its Western partners and is in talks to bridge the remaining deficit. Amid the financial issues facing Ukraine, its army is struggling to hold the front, Shulgin continued. "Kiev is trying to deliver long-range strikes inside Russia. But these attacks cannot cause substantial damage to Russia’s military capabilities thanks to effective air defenses," he concluded. Kommersant: Arctic Council increasingly losing form September 19 will mark the 30th anniversary of the Arctic Council, once a powerful regional structure that was even considered a de facto "shadow Arctic government." The organization is not in its best form ahead of the anniversary: since seven of its Western member countries refused to cooperate with Russia, the group’s previously rigorous activities have largely ground to a halt, and the Council itself is increasingly viewed globally as a mechanism lacking an exclusive mandate. Before, member countries of the Arctic Council were wary of claims against the Arctic from countries outside the region as they considered it their exclusive zone of influence. Players outside the region, such as China and India, could only seek the role of observer countries with quite modest rights and powers. Against the background of the Ukraine conflict and a major diplomatic freeze, Russia has increasingly embraced cooperation with extra-regional countries, including BRICS nations, in the polar realm. Countries outside the region themselves, including China and India, have been more active in expressing their interest in participating in affairs in the region which they are eying for logistics, among other reasons. The situation in the Strait of Hormuz and broader instability regarding southern deep-sea transit are driving interest in trans-Arctic routes among many nations. At the same time, amid confrontation between Western Arctic states, all seven of which are now NATO members, and Russia in the region, once called an area of cooperation, is increasingly transforming into a hotbed of tensions. For the time being, the Arctic Council remains relevant to all its member countries, including Russia, Irina Strelnikova, an associate professor of the School of International Regional Studies at HSE University and a member of the Valdai International Discussion Club, told Kommersant. "It was established to address critical practical tasks regarding the region's development, the protection of its unique ecosystem, and support for its indigenous peoples. The council lost its effectiveness not because it failed to handle these tasks, but because Western nations introduced issues into its work that had absolutely nothing to do with its agenda," the expert said. "Even as the Council is not in its best form ahead of its anniversary, it still matters to Arctic countries as it legitimizes their exclusive rights to govern the region and prevents attempts to internationalize it," she added. And it’s too early to create alternative mechanisms, Strelnikova argued. "The Arctic Council simply needs to go back to fulfilling its original functions," she concluded. Vedomosti: Experts pencil in continued Fed tightening On September 16, the US Federal Reserve increased its benchmark interest rates by 0.25 percentage points to 3.75-4% for the first time since 2023, and the market expects at least one more hike later this year and continued monetary tightening in 2027. The Fed’s new forecast sees rates returning to where it stood before the latest meeting, or 3.6%, only in 2029. Experts interviewed by Vedomosti said that global regulators are embracing the era of high rates. Dmitry Kulikov, senior director of the regional ratings group at ACRA, expects the Fed to almost certainly raise its rates once more and said two more are highly likely to come by the year-end. The combination of effects from rising energy prices and utility tariffs as well as labor market conditions and the frenzy of investment in AI, which will only increase its productivity later on, points to more monetary tightening, the expert told Vedomosti. Wednesday’s rate hike is unlikely to be the last, Olga Belenkaya, head of Macroeconomic Analysis at Finam Financial Group, said in agreement. In her view, there is a high probability of at least one or two more rate hikes before the end of this year and in the first quarter of 2027. The era of zero or low rates in key global economies has come to an end, economist Yegor Sunin, the author of the TruEcon channel on Telegram, argued. And it happened about two years ago, post COVID-19 and large-scale fiscal stimulus. In the next few years, global central banks will gradually tighten monetary policy, the expert believes. "Many global central banks will feel the pressure from dollar rates, and other markets too will likely embrace monetary tightening," Kulikov agrees. However, even this may not be enough, Susin warned, as global regulators will not act too aggressively to mitigate the consequences of the war in the Middle East, the fuel crisis and rising inflation. TASS is not responsible for the material quoted in these press reviews Press review: EU chief calls for arming bloc and Middle East conflict hits global economyTop stories from the Russian press on Thursday, September 17thRead moreTrump says to make 'big decision' on Iran as war at pivotal pointThe US president said the United States "is approaching a critical juncture in the Iran war over whether to restart massive attacks in an effort to bring the conflict to a close"Read moreFACTBOX: Single Voting Day in RussiaIntroduced in 2005, Single Voting Day is the designated voting date in Russia for elections at various levelsRead moreEU, NATO risk turning hybrid war against Russia into traditional one — envoy to OSCEDmitry Polyansky noted that the combat potential is also increasing in the European Union itselfRead moreThree-day voting in Russia’s State Duma elections begins in PhuketRussian Consul General in Phuket Egor Ivanov said that "around 40,000 tourists from Russia currently arrive 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to the newspaper, such agreements could show the seriousness of Washington’s intention to reset relations with MoscowRead moreGeran drones destroy Ukrainian radar stations, electronic warfare systemThe Russian Defense Ministry reported that a P-19MA radar station and a dome electronic warfare system had been destroyedRead moreEU to transfer 3.3 bln euros to Ukraine for missiles, drones on September 18European Commission President Von der Leyen also recalled that the EU approved funding for Patriot systems for Ukraine Read moreNATO already concerned by Von der Leyen’s security initiatives — PoliticoNATO diplomats told the newspaper that "the allies were not formally briefed by the EU" on the proposalRead moreUkrainian forces attack DPR settlements 31 times over past day, casualties reportedThree civilians were killed and 15 wounded, including four childrenRead moreRussian special forces commander calls demographic situation in Ukraine criticalThe Ukrainian people will probably hardly be able to recover from such losses, Lieutenant General Apty Alaudinov saidRead moreIran’s UN mission objects to US designation for IAEA Board membershipAccording to the Iranian delegation, having the United States on the global nuclear body’s Board "would create a structural conflict of interest," undermine its neutrality, and further erode confidence in the IAEA itselfRead moreOver 1.5 mln Russian voters cast ballots onlineA total of more than four million people registered on the federal platform to vote remotelyRead moreTrump says to discuss Iran with regional allies at UNThe US president intends to meet with representatives of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and OmanRead moreUS seeks to sell Saudi Arabia 48 fighter jets for $24.3 blnFor each fighter jet, the United States will provide a Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 engine, as well as one additional spare engine, along with secure communications, navigation, and encryption equipmentRead moreRussia won’t go for truce without tackling root causes of Ukraine crisis — envoy to OSCEDmitry Polyansky pointed out that Moscow's conditions for halting the hostilities are well known and remain unchangedRead moreRussia now has every right to end Ukrainian conflict on its terms — Brazilian expertAccording to Pepe Escobar, "NATO has unleashed a terrorist war" against Russia, as due to Western action "Russian civilian infrastructure and civilians are being attacked"Read moreNATO recon aircraft flying over Poland parallel to Kaliningrad Region borderThe source noted that while the aircraft typically operates in the Baltic region and can circle the Russian territory, its Thursday’s flight path is quite rareRead moreRussian tanks outperform Western counterparts in all conditions — Russian soldierThe senior armored group instructor from the Russian Battlegroup South said that Russian tanks perform more effectively in freezing temperatures and demonstrate high off-road mobilityRead moreRussian Geran-4 Seeker UAVs hit two dry cargo ships at Odessa port on September 17The strikes were launched to limit the enemy’s ability to transport weapons and military equipment, the Russian Defense Ministry reportedRead moreSlovak PM announces plans to visit Ukraine on FridayRobert Fico shared that his visit will last several hours after which he will return home on Friday night, without elaboratingRead moreUS ready to approve delivery of ten missiles for Patriot from Germany to Ukraine"Ukraine seeks to acquire these systems to bolster its air defense capability against ongoing Russian attacks," and "Ukraine already possesses munitions of the same type," the State Department addedRead moreGerman chancellor says unconditional transatlantic friendship may be overFriedrich Merz stressed that Germany should seize the opportunity now emergingRead moreNATO rehearsing scenarios for blockading Kaliningrad, isolating St. Petersburg — MFAAccording to Yulia Zhdanova, NATO’s drive to escalate tensions around the Kaliningrad Region was confirmed the previous day by Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, who called on the alliance to step up exercises near the Russian region’s borderRead moreRussia's annual inflation slows to 6.2% as of September 14 — PutinSpeaking at a meeting on economic issues, the head of state noted that consumer price growth has been on a downward trend since the second quarter of last yearRead moreTrump needs to decide what to do with US troops in Middle East — AxiosAccording to the report, the US president previously ordered the army to maintain the current troop levels in the Middle East until the end of the year to remain prepared for a possible resumption of full·scale combat operations against IranRead moreF·16 fighter jet crashes in Michigan — TVThe aircraft’s pilot was hospitalized and is in stable conditionRead moreAir defenses down another 15 drones flying toward MoscowA total of 35 UAVs have been destroyed on approach to the Russian capitalRead moreRussian Foreign 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Somalia and Pakistan, which abstained from voting on the US-drafted resolutionRead moreRussia presents report proving Kiev staged Bucha incidentThe report includes documents, unveiling the truth behind the event, as well as eyewitness testimonyRead moreRussia says report on Bucha falsification to be submitted to international courtsA report on the falsification of events in Bucha will be submitted to the Russian law enforcement agencies, international courts, and organizations, Maria Zakharova saidRead moreSlovak PM worried about 'pretext' in the making leading to major NATO-Russia conflictRussian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has repeatedly stated that Moscow has no intention of attacking Western countries and no reason to do soRead moreUkrainian forces suffer record losses — Polish prime ministerDonald Tusk added that if this trend continues, the winter in Ukraine "could indeed prove catastrophic"Read moreRussia’s Su-57E fighter demonstrates exceptional flight range with internal tanks — RostecThe state corporation noted that the flight was completed with a single stopover, after which the aircraft still had enough fuel for another 1,000 kmRead moreRussians’ level of trust in Putin exceeds 74% — pollsterThe Russian government’s work is approved by 48.3% of respondentsRead moreRussia immediately declared in 2022 that events in Bucha were provocation — MFARussian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova recalled that after the falsification, Bucha became a "place of pilgrimage" for Western leaders, heads of international organizations and Western journalistsRead moreIran never to capitulate, already controls military situation in region — journalistBrazilian international journalist and Eurasian geopolitical analyst Pepe Escobar said that the war is impossible to settleRead moreExpert says Moldova seeks to bring Gagauzia, Transnistria under control with Kiev’s help"In fact Gagauzia has found itself in a situation similar to that of Transnistria, as the 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added that the global security situation is "getting more dangerous"Read moreWest stands to gain from breaking Russia, Belarus apart — LukashenkoHe said that it is not Belarus, but the resource·rich lands further to the east that are the main target of the Western elitesRead moreSituation in Kiev looks like regime’s end is near — French colonelPeople in Ukraine are being snatched off the streets to be sent to the front with virtually no training, Herve Carresse saidRead moreIran proposes suspending IAEA Board membership for US — statementJointly with Israel, the US "conducted 18 waves of attacks against Iran’s peaceful safeguarded nuclear facilities," the Iranian diplomats addedRead moreRussian forces strike metallurgical enterprises, Ukraine’s energy facilitiesThe Russian army also hit Ukraine’s military-industrial complex, the Defense Ministry reportedRead moreKremlin comments on US 'sanctions from hell,' their impact on Ukrainian settlementThe Kremlin is monitoring how the situation around the bill passed by the House of Representatives on US "sanctions from hell" on Russian oil and gas exports last night will unfoldRead moreOil refinery fire in Yaroslavl Region, 641 drones: aftermath of attack on Russian regionsAn electrical substation was damaged by falling debris, causing power outages in four districts of Rostov-on-DonRead moreSaudi Arabia strikes Yemen almost 40 times over day, Houthis claimRead moreFirst polling stations for State Duma elections open in Kamchatka and ChukotkaThe elections will be monitored by 385 public observers on the peninsulaRead moreNew US sanctions bill puts Russia's trade partners in crosshairs — RSPP deputy headDespite the threat, Alexander Murychev noted that Russian businesses have already adapted to ongoing restrictionsRead moreTop Russian security official comments on Western plans in South Caucasus, Armenia crisisSergey Shoigu noted that Western countries are only out to tap the resources of the South CaucasusRead moreIran 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ambassadorRussian Ambassador to Germany Sergey Nechayev pointed out that the situation is complicated not only by the reduction in the number of polling stations, but also by the unfavorable anti-Russian rhetoric being artificially fueled in GermanyRead moreBears kill ten people in Russia since start of yearA bear attacked a man in the village of Khurtaga in the Shukhalan locality of the Buryatia Region on September 7Read moreRussia projects 2% budget deficit even under conservative oil price estimate — PutinOpening a meeting on the economy, the head of state noted that this fiscal gap remains manageable under the current macroeconomic assumptionsRead moreWhite House develops strategy for post-war containment of Iran — AxiosThe plan, still in the early stages of drafting, is intended to guide the US approach to the Middle East after the Iran war ends and in the final two years of Trump's termRead moreState Department admits US troops face Arctic gear problemsJulia Nesheiwat, nominee for US Ambassador-at-Large for the Arctic, said Washington still lacks the necessary capabilities in the regionRead moreUkraine loses about 1,260 troops in special military op zone in past day — top brassThe Russian army struck three dry cargo ships and a ferry used to deliver military cargo to Ukrainian troops in the port of Chernomorsk in the Odessa Region, the Defense Ministry reportedRead moreFirst State Duma polling stations in Southern Federal District open in Astrakhan RegionThe Astrakhan Region election commission said that voters in the region are electing not only State Duma deputies but also deputies to the Astrakhan Region DumaRead moreFrench politicians’ claims about Russia’s weakness absurd, false — de GaullePierre de Gaulle noted that Russia’s economy grew by 10% between 2023 and 2025 and that the Russian Armed Forces control more than 20% of the territory of the former UkraineRead moreRussia to raise issue of Bucha falsification on OSCE platform — permanent representative"The report will definitely be presented in Hofburg," Dmitry Polyansky saidRead moreRussian stock market closes lower as major indices drop within 2%The MOEX Index slid 1.57% to close at 2,248.87 points, while the RTS Index fell 1.97% to 838.3 pointsRead moreExternal forces seek to use Georgia, Ukraine for their own interests — officialMayor of Tbilisi Kakha Kaladze emphasized that the opposition is engaged in hostile activities against the countryRead moreEbola outbreak shows encouraging signs of improvement — WHOA total of 903 patients showing symptoms of the disease are currently in hospitals and medical isolation facilitiesRead moreWest actively prepares for war against Russia, spreads myth of Russian threat — LavrovThe Russian foreign minster added that Western countries accuse Moscow of undermining European valuesRead moreThree civilians killed, 10 injured in Ukrainian attacks on DPR in past dayA residential property, three civilian infrastructure facilities, special equipment and diesel locomotives were also damagedRead moreFirst voters arrive at polling stations as elections begin in RussiaVideo surveillance footage shows voters approaching election commission members’ desks within the first minutes after polling stations openedRead moreState Duma elections begin in Russia’s Siberian regionsVoting will take place at 1,852 polling stationsRead morePutin extends 2014 food embargo until 2029The food embargo, introduced in response to the unfriendly actions of the West, applies to products from the US, the EU, Australia, Norway, and CanadaRead moreWestern professionals flee Kiev army, untrained mercenaries fill this niche — Russian MFARodion Miroshnik, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Ambassador-at-Large, said that professionals decided to flee because they realized it was "by no means a safari-like adventure"Read moreUS issues visas to Iran’s president, foreign minister to participate in UN session — APThe Iranian delegation is smaller than last yearRead moreSoyuz-2.1b carrier rocket successfully launched from Plesetsk spaceport — Defense MinistryA combat crew of Space Troops of the Russian Aerospace Forces launched Soyuz-2.1bRead moreElections on single voting day kicks off in Russia’s Central Federal DistrictThe single voting day to elect lawmakers to the 9th Russian State Duma is taking place on September 18-20Read moreAzov militants passed off as civilians allegedly killed in Bucha — Ukraine tribunalMaxim Grigoriyev noted that the memorial plaques in Bucha list the names of the people who were not residents of the city and were members of the Azov unitRead moreUS not to levy tariffs on China before Trump meets Xi — BloombergDonald Trump assumes that the Chinese leader will arrive in Washington on September 24Read moreWest launches campaign to disrupt Russians’ voting — ZakharovaMaria Zakharova assured that the Russian Foreign Ministry "is in constant contact with all its missions abroad on this issue"Read moreKiev’s attempts to disrupt election campaign in Russia fail — OSCE envoyDmitry Polyansky said that Kiev sought to turn the Russian people against the government and disrupt the upcoming parliamentary vote by targeting facilities inside Russia with drones and missilesRead moreAll polling stations across Russia open as normal — top election officialAccording to Ella Pamfilova, only some minor issues aroseRead moreIN BRIEF: Top Russian diplomat on West preparing for war, Moscow’s response to challengesEurope’s support for the Nazi regime in Kiev is a disgrace, Sergey Lavrov saidRead moreEuropeans increasingly voice support for Russia distrusting Western media — de GaulleHead of the Foundation for Peace and Friendship Among Peoples Pierre de Gaulle noted that people no longer believe the mainstream media and understand perfectly well that they are being lied toRead moreTrump plans first meeting with Delcy Rodriguez on UNGA sidelines — AxiosNo final decision on the meeting has been made, the news portal saidRead moreHomes damaged in southern Russia as air defenses down 629 drones overnightOver five private houses and eight apartment buildings were damaged in the southern Rostov Region, Governor Yury Slyusar saidRead moreIndia to take necessary measures following US adoption of Russia-Iran sanctions act — MFAAccording to the statement, India remains firmly committed to ensuring energy securityRead moreTribunal says has evidence Ukraine deliberately killed own citizensChairman Maxim Grigoryev added that in this respect Ukraine had "surpassed" Hitler and GoebbelsRead moreFSB thwarts sabotage attack on gas pipeline in North CaucasusAccording to Russia’s Federal Security Service, the man, a native of Ukraine’s Chernigov Region, established contact with a Ukrainian Security Service officer in 2024Read moreUkraine’s NABU, SAPO have 1,000 hours of recordings on Zelensky, associates — AzarovFormer Ukrainian Prime Minister Nikolay Azarov stressed that active work on Vladimir Zelensky’s inner circle has begunRead moreCosmonauts aboard ISS address Russians on first day of electionsRoscosmos cosmonaut Pyotr Dubrov noted that people are electing for the next several years a key element of the system of representative government, those who will largely determine the development of RussiaRead moreRussia calls on the West at UN to halt dangerous actions regarding IranVasily Nebenzya noted that the only way to resolve disputes is through "political and diplomatic efforts based on taking into account the interests of all parties and the legitimate rights of Tehran"Read moreF-16 fighter jet that crashed in US struck bird beforehand — NYPFollowing the incident, local authorities ordered an evacuation within a one-mile radius of the fighter jet’s wreckageRead more