Section: The Malaysian Insider (Malaysia)
Ukraine protestors erect mock Putin tombstone
Ukrainian activists, playing on speculation about President Vladimir Putin’s health, erected a mock tombstone to the Russian leader depicting him as the Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler outside the Russian embassy in Kiev on Sunday. The protest was carried out by the Automaidan group, which organised anti-government car processions on...
China building second aircraft carrier
China is building its second aircraft carrier, a senior naval officer has told media, the most explicit confirmation yet of a widely expected move that will boost Beijing’s maritime power. China’s first aircraft carrier was a 300-metre Soviet-era vessel bought from Ukraine and commissioned in September 2012, at the time a milestone...
Third ally of ousted Ukraine leader Yanukovych found dead
A key ally of former Ukraine president Viktor Yanukovych was found dead after an apparent suicide yesterday in the third such case in two weeks. Police said Oleksandr Peklushenko, former governor of the eastern industrial region of Zaporizhzhya, was found dead in his country home after suffering a fatal gunshot wound to the neck. “A…...
EU leaders to tackle Russian disinformation on Ukraine war
European leaders will ask their foreign policy chief next week to draw up a plan to counter Russian “disinformation campaigns” over the conflict in Ukraine, draft conclusions of an EU summit showed. EU leaders, meeting on March 19-20, will give the High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini three months – until their...
US places sanctions on Ukraine separatists, Russian bank
The United States on Tuesday placed sanctions on eight Ukrainian separatists and a Russian bank, warning that recent attacks by rebels armed by Russia violated a European-brokered ceasefire in the war-torn country. The sanctions signal Washington is ratcheting up pressure on Moscow a day after accusing Russia of sending tanks and heavy…...
German chancellor rejects Putin invitation
German Chancellor Angela Merkel will not attend an official ceremony in Moscow on May 9 to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War Two due to tensions of the Ukraine crisis, government officials said on Wednesday. “In light of the developments in Ukraine, it is impossible for Merkel to take part in the traditional military parade...
Russia still arming and training rebel Ukrainians, according to NATO
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday that Russia was still arming and training rebel forces in eastern Ukraine and called for the warring parties to help foreign monitors to reinforce a ceasefire. Asked at a news conference about a US diplomat’s remark that Russian tanks had crossed into Ukraine in recent days, he...
Former Japanese Hatoyama slammed for Crimea visit
The Japanese government sharply criticised a former prime minister today for his visit to the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, saying his action is at odds with Japan’s stance on the Ukraine situation and calling him “grossly imprudent”. Japan disapproves of Russia’s annexation of Crimea, and is concerned that the entry into...
Japan vows to stop gaffe-prone ex-premier visiting Crimea
Japan vowed Tuesday to try to stop a gaffe-prone former prime minister from visiting Crimea to ask its citizens how they feel about being annexed by Russia. A clearly exasperated Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters the government was trying to prevent Yukio Hatoyama from making the trip, amid fears he might muddy the diplomatic…...
Ukraine says rebels attack near Mariupol, Nato deploys Baltics troops
Ukraine accused pro-Russian separatists Monday of using mortars and a tank to fire on government positions near the eastern port of Mariupol in clashes that lasted several hours, violating a nearly month-old ceasefire. The militants fired on Ukraine’s positions and were attempting to “force our contingents from Shyrokyne,” a...
