American journalist Evan Gershkovich appeared in a Moscow court on April 18th to appeal his detention on espionage charges. Gershkovich, the first U.S. journalist to be detained in Russia since the Cold War, is facing up to 20 years in prison if convicted. U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan has expressed his hope that Gershkovich will be released soon, and the Wall Street Journal and the Committee to Protect Journalists have both called for his immediate release. Gershkovich’s appeal hearing is set to continue on April 20th.
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Vladimir Putin visited command posts of the Kremlin’s forces fighting in Ukraine on Tuesday, chairing meetings with his military top brass in an apparent demonstration of authority. The visit is seen as a show of support for the Kremlin’s forces in Ukraine, and is likely to be seen as a sign of Russia’s commitment to the separatists in the conflict which has killed over 10,000 people since April 2014.
U.S. Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy visited detained American journalist Evan Gershkovich in a Moscow prison on Monday, reporting that he is in good health. The FSB has yet to provide evidence to support the charges against Gershkovich, and the U.S. Embassy has condemned the arrest and called for his immediate release, which has been widely supported by international media organizations and human rights groups.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu met in Moscow to discuss their countries' close military cooperation, which includes the exchange of useful information and joint exercises. This marks Li's first overseas trip since taking on the role of Defense Minister last month, and follows the US' 2018 sanctions against him for transactions with Russia's state-controlled arms exporter. The meeting is seen as a sign of the strong relationship between Russia and China, which has been further strengthened since Russia sent troops into Ukraine.
Vladimir Kara-Murza, a prominent Kremlin critic, was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Monday by a Moscow court for treason and denigrating the Russian military. His arrest and sentencing have been widely condemned by human rights groups and international organizations, including the US Ambassador to Moscow and the European Union. Kara-Murza has twice survived poisonings he blamed on the Kremlin and in his final statement said he remains proud of standing up to Russian President Vladimir Putin's "dictatorship."
Vladimir Kara-Murza, a prominent Kremlin critic and Russian human rights advocate, was sentenced to 25 years in prison on charges of treason and denigrating the Russian military by a Moscow court. His detention has been widely condemned as a politically motivated move to silence dissent, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the European Union expressing their deep concern over the ruling.
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu in Moscow on Sunday, praising the “very productive” visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping last month and noting that relations between Russia and China are developing well in all areas. Li Shangfu said that the relations between Moscow and Beijing “have very strong relations, that far surpass the military-political alliances of the Cold War.” The meeting is the latest sign of the deepening ties between Russia and China, which have increased their military cooperation in recent years.
The United States, Russia, and China have all called for an end to the violence in Sudan, where officials have reported dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries. The UN has expressed its concern and urged all parties to cease hostilities and engage in dialogue. The Sudanese military and the Rapid Support Forces have yet to agree to a ceasefire.