Section: Newsweek (USA)
‘Ultimate’ Putin Cartoon Goes Viral in Russia
A short Norwegian cartoon depicting possible scenarios to explain the mysterious 11-day disappearance of Russian president Vladimir Putin earlier this month, has gone viral, attracting over 900,000 views, almost all of which have come from the former Soviet Union. The cartoon, which is just under a minute long and entitled Where Did Putin Go?...
Ultra-Nationalist Ukrainian Battalion Gears Up For More Fighting
The far-right Azov battalion, whose symbol resembles a black swastika on a yellow background, is preparing to defend the port city of Mariupol in southeastern Ukraine against a widely expected attack by pro-Russian separatists. The 1,000 strong ultra-nationalist militia has a reputation as a fierce pro-government fighting force in the almost...
‘Fake’ Crimean Prosecco Outrages Italian Producers
A farmers’ association in Italy are outraged that wine-makers in Crimea are producing “fake” prosecco. Domenico Bosco, wine representative for the Rome-based farmers group Coldiretti, says Crimean prosecco is cheaper than the Italian one, offering up unfair competition to the authentic brand and deceiving customers, since it is sold with...
Poland Prepares for ‘Hybrid War’ Amidst Russian Threat
Poland is facing a security crisis in the wake of the war in neighbouring Ukraine, and has the potential to become embroiled in a “hybrid war” with Russia – involving propaganda and “information aggression” – according to one of Poland’s most senior generals Stanisław Koziej. General Koziej, who heads the Polish...
Polish Army to Test 12,000 Reservists
Poland has called up its army reservists to immediately report to their nearest military unit in a surprise readiness test, which will recur throughout the coming year and will test 12,000 reserve officers. According to the Polish Ministry of Defence a group of 500 reservists was called up to participate in this first cycle of exercises and the...
Rebels in Ukraine ‘Not Russia’s Puppets’, Says Putin Aide
The Kremlin has limited control over pro-Russian rebels in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region, according to Russian president Vladimir Putin’s aide Dmitry Peskov. Anti-Kiev armed groups, the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic, currently control large swathes of land in the area. Speaking...
Latvia Plans Military Exercises for University Students
University students in Latvia could be given rudimentary military training, according to the country’s minister of defence Raimonds Vējonis, who spoke to Latvian TV channel LNT. Vējonis said he had instructed the command of the national armed forces to begin planning the system that would need to be put in place for the eventual inclusion...
European Far-Right Parties Call for End to ‘Cold War’ Against Russia
Far-right and nationalist parties from across Europe convened in St Petersburg on Sunday, condemning the pro-Ukrainian government in Kiev and calling for an end to the sanctions imposed on Russia by the west. The event, called the International Russian Conservative Forum, was organised by pro-Kremlin party Rodina and involved 400 participants...
Russia Targets Danish Warships With Nuclear Weapons
Danish warships could become targets for Russian nuclear missiles if Denmark joins NATO’s missile defence system, Russia has warned, in comments that have sparked outrage in Copenhagen. Russia’s ambassador to Denmark, Mikhail Vanin, made the comments in an opinion piece published by the Danish national newspaper Jyllands-Posten, on...
Who Really Killed Boris Nemtsov?
No Hollywood director could have framed the grim scene better—or freighted it with more symbolism. On a drizzly Moscow night, a gunman follows Boris Nemtsov, a prominent political critic, and his girlfriend across a lonely bridge. Six shots are fired. As the victim lies bleeding, the domes of St. Basil’s Cathedral and the Kremlin tower...
