Section: Voice of America (USA)
Kerry to Visit Ukraine, Germany
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will travel to Ukraine and Germany next week for talks with officials, including Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Friday that Kerry will travel to Kyiv, where he will meet with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. The meeting comes amid heightened tensions...
New Clashes in Eastern Ukraine Leave 12 Dead
At least 12 people have died in eastern Ukraine within the past day, in clashes between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russia separatists. Local officials said at least seven civilians were among the victims of Friday’s violence, the latest in a month of clashes after a cease-fire ruptured at the beginning of the year. The latest battles have...
Pro-Kremlin Youth Group Creatively Promotes ‘Patriotic’ Propaganda
As Russia’s President Vladimir Putin faces international pressure over Ukraine and a failing economy, unofficial domestic groups are rallying to his support. One such youth organization, CET, or Network, uses creative multimedia to appeal to Russia’s urban youth with patriotic propaganda. VOA’s Daniel Schearf reports....
Britain Demands Explanation of Russian Bombers Flying Near Airspace
Britain summoned Russia’s ambassador Thursday to explain why two Russian Bear long-range bombers flew close to British airspace, forcing British authorities to divert civil aircraft. The Foreign Office said in a statement that Royal Air Force (RAF) Typhoon jets were scrambled to intercept the Russian bombers, which were in a “U.K. area of...
Belarus Backtracks After Spooking Market With Debt Restructuring Talk
Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko spooked bond markets on Thursday by speaking of a possible restructuring of $4 billion of Belarussian foreign debt falling due this year, then softened his comments to refer only to refinancing. During a marathon news conference the veteran Belarussian leader made the bombshell comment that Belarus might...
HRW: Security Measures Erode Human Rights Worldwide
The international organization Human Rights Watch says world governments make a serious mistake when they sacrifice human rights in the name of tightening security measures. In its annual review of global human rights released Thursday, the group said Nigeria, Iraq, Syria, Israel and the United States are among the nations using security concerns...
Rebels Press Assault in Eastern Ukraine
Fighting continued Thursday in the northern sector of the former cease-fire line in eastern Ukraine as Russian-backed rebels pressed their offensive aimed at moving the line farther west. The battle has left Popasna, and many other towns in the Luhansk region, on edge. The mayor says about a quarter of the population of 22,000 has fled, including...
Russia Warns West of ‘Big Catastrophe’ Over Ukraine
Moscow’s envoy to European security watchdog OSCE urged the United States and Europe on Thursday to stop supporting the “party of war’” in Ukraine and warned a “big catastrophe” could lie ahead, according to Russia’s Foreign Ministry. “I would like to appeal to the representatives of countries that have influence on...
Strains in US-Russia Relations Predate Current Crisis
There are signs of increased strains in U.S. relations with Russia. On Monday, the U.S. accused three Russian citizens in the United States of having ties to a Russian spy ring, a charge Russia denies. The charges follow stepped up U.S. criticism of Russia for what Western powers say is Moscow’s continued support of separatists in Ukraine....
Kyiv, Moscow Trade Barbs Over Escalation of Conflict in E. Ukraine
Russia and Ukraine again blamed each other Wednesday for the conflict in eastern Ukraine. Speaking to reporters in Kyiv, military spokesman Andriy Lysenko described the situation as tense, adding that pro-Russian rebels are attacking the army on all fronts. The spokesman also said that the hostilities have intensified in Debaltseve, a strategic...
