Section: The Japan Times (Japan)
Putin’s massive military drills intended to send message to West on Ukraine
Mammoth Russian military drills ordered by President Vladimir Putin from the Pacific to the Black Sea are designed to send a message to the West: keep your distance and don’t overplay your hand on Ukraine, observers say. Since the start of the Ukraine crisis more than a year ago, Russia has flexed its muscles with […] The post Putin’s...
Weary of Russian invasion, nervous Poles join volunteer militias
Spurred by the war in Ukraine, growing numbers of Poles are joining volunteer paramilitary groups to get basic military training and prepare to defend their homeland from what some see as a looming Russian invasion. The Polish government has kept its distance from the unofficial civilian militias but, with anxieties about Moscow’s...
As Ukraine burns, West’s snub of Russian WWII events hightlights Moscow’s faltering global standing
Seventy years ago they crushed Nazi Germany together but raging tensions over Ukraine mean Russia’s former World War II allies in the West will snub the Kremlin’s showcase victory anniversary celebrations. As top Western leaders give President Vladimir Putin’s Red Square parade on May 9 the cold shoulder, the guest list of those...
EU agrees on keeping Russia sanctions until Ukraine peace terms met
European Union leaders agreed on Thursday that economic sanctions imposed on Russia will stay in place until a Ukraine peace deal is fully implemented, effectively extending them to the end of the year if need be. The compromise reached at an EU summit in Brussels maintains EU unity on sanctions against Moscow over its role […] The post EU agrees...
Foul stench in rebel-held east Ukraine as war hits water treatment
Fighting in east Ukraine has interfered with water treatment, producing a foul stench from the taps that aid workers say could bring health risks. “The water has gone bad,” said Raisa Prilipko, head of a Donetsk orphanage that gives shelter to 21 preschool children. “We remove sediment and boil water, we filter it to minimize […] The post Foul...
Russian TV documentary shows Putin in charge, willing to defend his people at all costs
Even while Russian President Vladimir Putin was still mysteriously absent, state television delivered a clear message for Russians and foreigners alike: Putin remains in charge and ready to use military power to safeguard the interests of Russia and Russians. A lavish 2½-hour documentary on Russia’s annexation of Crimea aired late Sunday,...
Fighting rages near Donetsk airport despite Ukraine cease-fire
Heavy machine gun and light artillery fire pounded a district of Donetsk, the biggest city of eastern Ukraine, on Monday and pro-Russian rebels said there had been no lull in the fighting since a February cease-fire. The Spartak district, adjacent to the city’s now-flattened airport, is one of several sites in eastern Ukraine to have […]...
Ukrainians leave, citing rebel area mismanagement
Looking out over the several hundred cars lined up to cross into Russia from rebel-held eastern Ukraine, Vladimir curses the separatist authorities who he says are forcing people to venture out of the rebel stronghold in search of basic needs. In contrast to the highly publicized Russian humanitarian aid convoys that roll into rebel-held...
Putin mulled putting nuclear forces ‘on alert’ over Crimea
Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was ready to put the country’s nuclear forces on alert as he sought to annex Crimea last year after the fall of a Moscow-backed government in Kiev. In a nearly three-hour documentary aired on state TV in Russia on Sunday a year after the takeover of the Black Sea […] The post Putin mulled putting...
U.S. to send Ukraine drones, more aid, but no lethal weapons
The United States announced Wednesday that it is sending small unarmed drones, armored Humvees and other assistance to Ukraine in its fight against Russian-backed separatists. Lethal weapons were not included, to the dismay of some U.S. lawmakers. The White House said President Barack Obama is still considering whether to send weapons to...
