Latest news, headlines and top stories you need to know RIGHT NOW about Russia, the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe.
Russia’s Wagner Group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin has given a rare and revealing interview with pro-Moscow blogger Konstantin Dolgov, fresh off the weekend declaration of victory over Bakhmut in Ukraine’s east.
Poland and Norway have joined the ever-expanding faction of NATO countries that are willing to begin training Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets. The countries’ willingness comes after President Joe Biden gave his approval at last week’s G7 summit in Japan for Europeans to send Western fighters to Ukraine. The policy change occurred after months of debate inside the administration.
On Monday, the U.S. State Department took immediate steps to distance Washington from a cross-border attack in Russia’s Belgorod region by Ukrainian-aligned individuals that occurred over the weekend. “We have made very clear to the Ukrainians that we don’t enable or encourage attacks outside Ukrainian’s borders,” the State Department commented before adding that it is “up to Ukraine to decide how they want to conduct their military operations.”
Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave in to “numerous requests from Orthodox worshippers” and donated the 15th-century “Trinity” icon to the Russian Orthodox Church. The icon is believed to be the work of religious artist Andrei Rublev and many experts and artists advised against the turnover claiming that the church did not have the ability to take care of such a fragile piece of art, voicing concerns that it would eventually be destroyed.
Marine Le Pen, former presidential candidate and leader of the France’s main opposition party, National Rally, declared in the French National Assembly that Crimea is legitimately a part of Russian. “I fully support the referendum, I believe that the people of Crimea have freely expressed their will by voting to reunite with Russia,” Le Pen concluded.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has been outspoken since arriving at the annual Qatar Economic Forum (QEF) about his stance on the war in Ukraine and NATO and the West’s relentless support of Zelensky and the resulting escalations with Russia. Orban has also blatantly stated that the Ukrainians are not able to defeat Russia without the assistance of NATO troops, which the alliance is unwilling to send and which Hungary is staunchly against.
World Leaders Sign Letter To Stop Execution Of Prisoners In Iran
Russian officials have reported renewed conflicts and another attack in the border region of Belgorod. Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly been briefed regarding the attack and resulting casualties in the Grayvoronsky district near the border with Ukraine. Officials in Kyiv have denied the attack claiming that Russian citizens from 2 paramilitary groups were responsible for the attack.