Section: The Gulf Today (United Arab Emirates)
Putin unveils controversial statue of Vladimir the Great
MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday unveiled a giant statue by the Kremlin of his namesake Vladimir the Great, a revered leader and Orthodox saint, that has faced criticism from locals and conservationists. The 17-metre monument of Vladimir, the prince who converted modern Russia’s precursor state Kievan Rus to Christianity...
Ukraine, Russia make headway in talks
BERLIN: Ukraine, Germany, France and Russia agreed to draw up a road map in November on how to implement a stalled ceasefire deal for eastern Ukraine, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said after five hours of talks among the leaders of the four countries. The sides also agreed to withdrawals of Ukrainian troops and Russian-backed separatists...
Poroshenko ‘not optimistic’ about Berlin summit
Oslo: Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said on Tuesday he did not have “very high expectations” ahead of a Berlin summit called to discuss peace efforts in his country. “Let’s not have very high expectations on this meeting,” Poroshenko told a joint press conference with Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg in Oslo. “Am I optimistic...
Italy sending troops to Nato mission in Latvia
ROME: Italy will send about 140 troops to join a Nato mission in Latvia set up to boost defences against a possible Russian attack, Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said on Friday. The Western defence alliance agreed in July to deploy military forces in the Baltic states and eastern Poland for the first time and increase air and sea patrols, to...
Russia ‘deploying’ N-capable missiles at Nato doorstep
VILNIUS: Russia is again deploying nuclear-capable Iskander missiles into its Kaliningrad outpost bordering two Nato members, Lithuania said on Saturday, warning the move was aimed at pressuring the West into making concessions over Syria and Ukraine. “Russia is holding military exercises in Kaliningrad, and its scenario includes deployment of...
Ukraine issues Russia travel warning
KIEV: Ukraine warned its citizens on Wednesday against travelling to Russia, saying they were at risk following an increase in harassment and detentions of Ukrainians by Russian security services. The move is further testimony to the breakdown in relations between the one-time allies in the wake of Russia’s annexation of Crimea in early...
Moscow arrests high-ranking Ukrainian spy
MOSCOW: Russia’s FSB security service said on Monday it had arrested a senior Ukrainian intelligence officer for gathering secret information about Russian defence and security bodies. Ties between Moscow and Kiev have been tense since 2014, when, after a popular uprising toppled Ukraine’s pro-Russian president, Russia annexed the...
Ukraine, rebels agree troop pullback in 3 areas: OSCE
MINSK: Negotiators sent by Kiev and pro-Russian rebels on Wednesday for the first time agreed to pull back troops from three areas along the battered front line in east Ukraine. The sides signed a framework agreement for the pull-back in eastern Ukraine, said Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) envoy Martin Sajdik, who is...
Russian embassy in Kiev targeted in firework protest
Kiev: Ukrainian radicals lobbed fireworks at the Russian embassy in Kiev early on Saturday, police said, a day before it was due to open as a polling station for Russia’s parliamentary elections. Video broadcast by Ukrainian media showed about 20 young men with a banner saying “Fireworks today, Grad (multiple rocket launchers) tomorrow.” On...
Ukraine hands back stolen Dutch masterpieces
The Hague: Five stolen 17th and 18th-century masterpieces were handed back to the Netherlands on Friday, foreign ministry officials said, and will soon return to a Dutch museum from where they disappeared 11 years ago. “Ukrainian authorities have handed over five Dutch paintings to the Westfries Museum. The handover has just taken place at the...
