Alexei Navalny, a prominent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, appeared in court on Monday to face new charges of extremism that could extend his prison term by decades. The trial is expected to last several days, with a verdict expected in the coming weeks. Navalny has denied the charges, calling them "absurd" and "politically motivated."
Posts tagged as “Kremlin”
Moscow was hit by an unprecedented drone attack Tuesday morning, with the Russian defense ministry saying that all of the enemy drones were downed. This attack comes weeks after an alleged drone attack on the Kremlin itself and following days of deadly Russian bombardment against civilians in Kyiv. The attack is a dramatic display of the Kremlin's war increasingly coming home and is a reminder of the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia since 2014, when Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula.
China's special envoy to Europe is visiting Ukraine, Russia, and other European countries this week as tensions between Ukraine and Russia remain high. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is on a diplomatic offensive to secure military aid from France, Germany, and the UK, while his troops are making gains against the Kremlin. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak praised Ukraine's bravery and promised to give them hundreds more missiles and attack drones. China is seeking to play a role in the conflict, though it is unclear what that role will be.
The FBI has successfully disrupted a 20-year-old malicious software network used by the Russian government to spy on hundreds of computers across 50 countries. The agency used a digital tool called "Perseus" to turn the malware's functionality against itself and force the program to self-destruct on infected computers. Senior law enforcement officials said the FBI's court-authorized neutralization of the Kremlin-backed hackers in the U.S. succeeded, disabling the malware on an undisclosed number of American computers.
On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the nation on Victory Day, calling for unity against the West's "untamed ambitions" and warning of a "real war" against Russia. His speech was met with a standing ovation from the crowd and mixed reactions from the international community. The future of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine remains uncertain, but Putin's speech has made it clear that he is determined to protect his nation.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, known as "Putin's chef", has withdrawn his Wagner mercenary forces from the battle for Bakhmut in Ukraine due to a lack of military support. This follows a US official's comments that ammunition shortages were a pressing concern for Moscow. Prigozhin posted an expletive-laden rant on social media before announcing the withdrawal, raising questions about Russia's ability to sustain offensive operations in Ukraine this year.
The United States has denied any involvement in a purported drone attack on Russian President Vladimir Putin, with John Kirby from the National Security Council stating that "Mr. Peskov is lying." Former intelligence officers, diplomats, military officials and analysts have expressed skepticism about Russia's narrative, and unnamed U.S. officials are working to determine whether the attack was orchestrated by Kyiv or a pro-Ukraine rogue group, or a false flag operation by the Kremlin. NBC News has viewed two videos of the incident, and the investigation is ongoing.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made an unannounced visit to the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Thursday, one day after Russia accused the United States of being behind an alleged drone attack. The ICC recently issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for alleged war crimes in Ukraine. Zelenskyy's visit is likely related to the warrant, as he was in The Hague to discuss the matter with the ICC and the International Court of Justice.