Eastern Europe / News
US secretly sent long-range missiles to Ukraine in February
The US secretly sent Ukraine long-range missiles in February ahead of the new $61bn aid package on April 20 that Kyiv used for the first time this week.
Russia already treating Bosnia’s Republika Srpska as an independent state
Use of Republika Srpska’s flag alongside national flags at St Petersburg conference seen as a possible green light by Russia for Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik’s secession plans.
Russian Deputy Defence Minister suspected of treason, say reports
Russian Deputy Defence Minister Timur Ivanov, arrested on April 23 on charges of bribery, may actually have been arrested for treason, independent Russian media has reported.
Tajikistan striving to convince the world that it can contain terrorism
Dushanbe’s strategy ignores underlying sources of radicalisation.
Russian oil depo at Yartsevo in the Smolensk region set on fire by Ukrainian drone attack
Ukraine drones hit and set on fire the RosNeft oil depot in the Yartsevo, Smolensk region as the sun began to rise on April 24.
Czech prosecutors indict former president's top aide for embezzlement
Vratislav Mynar was at the centre of many of the scandals surrounding Milos Zeman's two terms as president.
President Duda says Poland 'ready' to host nuclear weapons
Government queries president's comments, while Moscow attacks them as "provocative".
Russian hypersonic aircraft scientist sentenced to prison for treason
Alexander Kuranov, a top Russian scientist once at the forefront of hypersonic technology development, has been sentenced to a seven-year prison sentence for high treason.
SEFE concerned as Russia targets gas storage tanks in Ukraine
German gas trader SEFE has expressed concern over recent Russian attacks targeting Ukraine's largest underground storage facility with a capacity of 30bcm.
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Czechia paid five times more for energy imports from Russia than it spent on aid to Ukraine
The amount of money Czechia spent on Russian energy imports until the end of 2023 could finance more than three weeks of Russian fighting in Ukraine.
Russia's AvtoVAZ to start exporting Lada cars to Iran in 2024
Russian carmaker AvtoVAZ is set to return to the Iranian market after a 25-year hiatus, the company’s president, Maxim Sokolov, has said, ignoring Middle East tensions.
Russian missile attack kills over a dozen people in Chernihiv, Ukraine
At least 14 people were killed and over 60 others injured, including two children, as Russian forces launched a devastating missile attack on the city of Chernihiv on the morning of April 17, according to reports from the Prosecutor General's Office
Pro-Kremlin Voice of Europe resumes operations from Kazakhstan
Media platform that has promoted far-right EU politicians was expelled from Czechia last month.
Russian peacekeeping forces reportedly leaving Nagorno-Karabakh
Withdrawal would be a significant shift in the post-conflict landscape of the South Caucasus.
Russia pushes Iran to release its sailor from captured Israeli container ship
Iranian authorities said they would provide Russian embassy officials with access to its citizen who was captured as part of the crew of the Israeli-owned MSC Aries.
Russia’s war economy boosted by rising oil prices
Brent crude oil prices remained near a six-month high this week, hovering around $90 per barrel amidst fears of an oil price spike driven by escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
US Speaker Johnson releases preliminary details of a new $43bn Ukraine aid package
US Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has released preliminary details of a new aid package for US allies that he says could be put to a vote this week.
UK, US ban trading in Russian aluminium, copper, nickel
The London Metal Exchange (LME) and Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) have blocked the trade of aluminium, copper and nickel produced by Russia, the UK government announced late on April 12.
Tajik foreign minister hits out at Russia’s apparent torturing of terrorism accused
"Use of torture in form of bodily mutilation unacceptable. Price of confessions extracted this way well known to everyone," says Sirojiddin Muhriddin.
Iran's attempt at a "Goldilocks retaliation" strike on Israel was designed to fail, but tensions remain high
Iran launched its first ever direct military attack on Israel on April 13 after decades of proxy war hostilities. As the dust settles the following morning, the attack seems to have failed with only seven missiles penetrating Israel’s defences.