Russia

Read recent news stories and current events about Russia on Newser.com

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Confident Russian Spies Had Lined Up Housing in Kyiv

'Washington Post' details the failures of the FSB in the lead-up to invasion of Ukraine

(Newser) - The Washington Post is out with a series of in-depth stories about the war in Ukraine, and the main one focuses on just how badly Russia's spy agency—the FSB—misread the lead-up to the war. Maybe the most tangible sign of this in the story by Greg Miller...

China's Military Is Joining Russian War Games

PLA confirms it is taking part in massive 'Vostok' joint exercises

(Newser) - Chinese troops will be taking part in Russian war games starting later this month—a not unprecedented move, but one that is getting extra attention because Russia is taking part in a real war in Ukraine and China has been threatening military action against Taiwan. China's defense ministry has...

Brittney Griner Is &#39;Quite Shocked&#39;
Brittney Griner
Appeals Her Sentence
UPDATED
Aug 15, 2022 5:48 AM CDT

Brittney Griner Appeals Her Sentence

Her lawyers in Russia make move amid talks on a possible prisoner swap

(Newser) - (Updated to reflect her appeal.) Lawyers for Brittney Griner have formally appealed her nine-year sentence for drug smuggling in Russia, reports CNN . The WNBA's star's legal team has said the sentence was unusually harsh given the relatively small amount of drugs involved—cannabis oil in vape cartridges....

Russian Police Raid Home of Protesting Journo

This could mark a turn toward harsher punishment for Marina Ovsyannikova

(Newser) - The Russian journalist who was fined , then arrested for speaking out against Russia's war in Ukraine had her door kicked in by Russian security forces in a Wednesday raid, according to media human rights group OVD-Info. Marina Ovsyannikova is now to be taken in front of the Investigative Committee...

Russia Warns Against 'Megaphone Diplomacy' in Griner Case

Officials say prisoner swap must be discussed privately

(Newser) - The first rule of prisoner exchanges is apparently not to talk about prisoner exchanges, according to statements from Russian officials after the sentencing of Brittney Griner. Officials say they're ready to talk about a prisoner exchange for the American basketball star in private, but it's not going to...

Biden: Griner Sentence 'Unacceptable'

President calls on Russia to release the WNBA star immediately

(Newser) - The trial of WNBA star Brittney Griner in Russia ended pretty much the way everyone expected it would on Thursday—with a guilty verdict and a nine-year sentence in a penal colony. Afterward, President Biden denounced the sentence on drug charges. "It's unacceptable, and I call on Russia...

Griner Convicted of Drug Charges in Russian Court
Brittney Griner
Sentenced in Russia
UPDATED
Aug 4, 2022 10:13 AM CDT

Brittney Griner Sentenced in Russia

WNBA star gets 9 years after being found guilty on drug charges

(Newser) - Updated with new details throughout. Brittney Griner has been convicted on drug possession charges in Russia and sentenced to nine years in prison, reports the AP . Before the verdict, an emotional Griner apologized Thursday for her actions, with a prosecutor urging that the American basketball star be convicted and sentenced...

Brittney Griner to Learn Her Fate Within Hours

Russian prosecutors request 9.5-year sentence for WNBA star

(Newser) - Brittney Griner is expected to learn her fate in her drug smuggling case within hours, and Russian prosecutors have made clear they want it to be a harsh one. Prosecutors on Thursday asked a judge to sentence Griner to 9.5 years in prison, just shy of the 10-year maximum,...

Russia's 'Secret First Lady' Finally Added to Sanctions List

Putin's alleged lover, Alina Kabaeva, had dodged US sanctions for months

(Newser) - Update: More than five months after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the woman widely known as Russia's "secret first lady" has been hit with US sanctions. Former Olympic gymnast Alina Kabaeva, 39, was one of 13 Russian nationals added to the sanctions list Tuesday, the Washington Post reports....

This Is the Russian on Offer in Exchange for Britney Griner

Viktor Bout, former Soviet military translator, could pass on intelligence, says pundit

(Newser) - The imprisoned Russian arms dealer the Biden administration has reportedly offered to swap for Russian detainees Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan is known here as the "Merchant of Death." Viktor Bout—who reportedly inspired Nicolas Cage's arms dealer character in 2005's Lord of War—is serving...

Brittney Griner Cites Lack of Translation in Interrogation

She says that much of what was said during her interrogation wasn't translated for her

(Newser) - American basketball star Brittney Griner was back in a Russian court on Wednesday, where she appeared as a witness in her case for the first time. Griner testified about her experience of being arrested at a Moscow airport on Feb. 17 after vape cartridges containing cannabis oil were found in...

Russia Taking Its Toys and Leaving the Space Station

Country's new space chief Yuri Borisov says 'the decision ... has been made'

(Newser) - Russia will opt out of the International Space Station after 2024 and focus on building its own orbiting outpost , the country's newly appointed space chief said Tuesday. Yuri Borisov, who was appointed earlier this month to lead the state-controlled space corporation Roscosmos, said during a meeting with Russian President...

Russia: Our Goal Is to Oust Zelensky

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says administration of Zelensky is an 'absolutely unacceptable regime'

(Newser) - Russia's top diplomat said Moscow’s overarching goal is to topple the government of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, reports the AP , making Russian war aims more explicit as its forces keep pummeling Ukraine with artillery barrages and airstrikes . The remark from Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov comes amid Ukraine'...

Moscow to US: Back Off on Brittney Griner

Official says America must respect Russian drug laws

(Newser) - The US considers WNBA star Brittney Griner to be "wrongfully detained" by Russia. On Thursday, a Russian official scolded the US over that characterization and said America must respect Russia's laws, reports the AP . “If a US citizen was taken in connection with the fact that she...

Europeans Urged to Prepare for Russian Gas Cutoff

Key pipeline has resumed operations with reduced flow

(Newser) - The European Union is urging its members to start cutting back on natural gas to prepare for winter—and a possible end to supplies from Russia. Gas resumed flowing from Russia to Germany through the key Nord Stream 1 pipeline Thursday after 10 days offline for regular maintenance, the New ...

Russia Is Ready to Push Further Into Ukraine: Lavrov

He says the 'geography' of the conflict has changed

(Newser) - Russia is no longer interested in occupying only Ukraine's eastern Donbas region, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with Russian state media published Wednesday. After the US said it would give Ukraine more long-range weapons, Lavrov said that would force the Russian objectives to change, the...

Putin Meets Turkish, Iranian Leaders in Tehran

Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei blames West for war in Ukraine

(Newser) - Russian President Vladimir Putin won staunch support from Iran on Tuesday for his country’s military campaign in Ukraine, with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei saying the West opposes an "independent and strong" Russia. Khamenei said that if Russia hadn’t sent troops into Ukraine, it would have faced an...

Russian Journo Who Protested on State TV in Hot Water Again

Marina Ovsyannikova, who has decried Ukraine war, was briefly detained Sunday by police

(Newser) - A Russian journalist who caused a commotion in March by protesting the war in Ukraine during a state news broadcast was briefly detained over the weekend by authorities. WION reports that Marina Ovsyannikova's social media shared a post Sunday that simply said, "Marina has been detained. Information about...

Zelensky Fires Top Officials After Treason Investigations

People within their departments are suspected, Ukraine president says

(Newser) - As Russian troops pressed their offensive in Ukraine's east, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky fired his state security chief and prosecutor general on Sunday, citing more than 651 criminal proceedings into treason and collaboration by people within their departments and other law enforcement agencies. “In particular, more than 60...

Griner's Lawyers Show Court a Doctor's Note

In letter, doctor recommended WNBA star use medical cannabis for pain

(Newser) - Brittney Griner's trial resumed in Khimki, Russia, on Friday, and a key defense argument tied her apparent use of vape cartridges to her health. Reuters reports that in the fourth hearing for the WNBA star, her lawyers told the court that Griner had been authorized to use medical cannabis...

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