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Articles by AFP

‘Rare Earths’ for Aid: Ukraine’s Minerals Threatened by War

U.S. President Trump said he wanted to negotiate an agreement in which Kyiv guarantees supplies of the specific category of rare earth metals.
2 Min read

Navalny Family Mulls Taking France To European Court – Lawyer

Alexei and Oleg Navalny took Yves Rocher to court in France over alleged false accusations but their complaint was dismissed by the courts.
2 Min read

Trump Eyes Ukraine Deal Exchanging Rare Earths for Aid

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had floated such an idea last October as part of his "victory plan" for ending the war with Russia.
1 Min read

Russia Tells Hamas to ‘Keep Promises’ on Hostage Release

Russia has called for the release of dual Russian-Israeli citizen Alexander Trufanov and Maxim Herkin, an Israeli man from the Donbas area of Ukraine with...
2 Min read

Russian Missile Attack Hits Odesa, Wounding 7

Photos showed rescuers wheeling a woman on a stretcher outside the Bristol, a five-star hotel in a 19th-century building.
2 Min read

EU Renews Russia Sanctions After Hungary Stalling

Hungary's Viktor Orban has repeatedly delayed previous decisions on EU sanctions on Russia over the invasion of Ukraine before eventually approving them...
2 Min read

Zelensky Warns Putin Wants to 'Manipulate' Trump on Ukraine

Putin had earlier praised Trump as a "smart" leader who might have prevented the conflict from starting.
3 Min read

Ukraine Orders Children To Evacuate From Northeastern Towns

The towns and villages affected are near Kupiansk, a town that Russia has tried to capture for months where fighting is raging around its outskirts.
3 Min read

Russia Rejects U.K. Accusations of Targeting Undersea Cables

"Such threats never come from Russia," Moscow's Embassy in London said.
2 Min read

Kyiv Claims Russian Forces Killed 6 Captured Ukrainian Troops

Kyiv said it was notifying international rights groups of the latest alleged Russian war crime.
1 Min read

Russians Launch Campaign To Find Loved Ones Behind Front Line

Residents of the Kursk region have for months accused authorities of not doing enough to secure their loved ones.
2 Min read

U.K. Minister Warns Putin as Royal Navy Tracks Russian ‘Spy Ship'

Defense Secretary John Healey said the vessel was being "used for gathering intelligence and mapping the U.K.'s critical underwater infrastructure."
2 Min read

Russia Blasts U.S. Reinstatement of Cuba on Terror List

Russia's Foreign Ministry called the move unjustified because Cuba is an active participant in "international cooperation on counterterrorism."
1 Min read

Ukrainian Army Hits Russian Military, Industrial Sites in Overnight Barrage

Explosions rocked chemical plants, oil refineries and warehouses across Russia, a source in Ukraine’s SBU security services said.
3 Min read

Russia, Iran to Sign ‘Comprehensive Strategic Partnership’ Treaty – Kremlin

Putin signed a similarly named treaty with North Korea last year, further strengthening his alliance with Pyongyang.
2 Min read

Finland To Keep Russian Border Shut, Extend Contested Law

The government said the border closure and new law have had the desired effect, noting that "instrumentalized migration has ceased for now."
2 Min read

Ukraine Says Conducting Combat Operations in Russia’s Kursk Region

The Ukrainian army statement backtracked on a claim it had launched a fresh offensive in the border area.
2 Min read

Swedish Navy Recovers Anchor of Tanker Suspected of Baltic Sea Cable Damage

The oil tanker, which allegedly belongs to Russia's "shadow fleet," is suspected of damaging four underwater telecoms cables and one power cable.
2 Min read

Russia ‘Shares Grief’ Over Tibet Earthquake, Putin Tells Xi

The devastating earthquake in Tibet killed at least 95 people and collapsed "many buildings," Chinese state media reported.
1 Min read

Ukraine Says Clinging On to Part of Key Town Russia Says Captured

The Ukrainian army reported "active" fighting in the "urban area of Kurakhove" a day after Moscow said it seized the town.
2 Min read

Baltic Sea Telecoms Cables Repaired After Suspected Sabotage

Experts and politicians have said recent actions targeting vital infrastructure are part of a hybrid war between Russia and Western countries.
1 Min read

Tensions Rise Between Moldova and Russia as Transnistria Fears Electricity Collapse

The tiny breakaway republic bordering Ukraine has been unable to provide heating and hot water to residents since Moscow cut off gas supplies to Moldova...
3 Min read

Russia 'Guilty' Over Downed Azerbaijan Plane, Aliyev Says

Azerbaijan's president, who is close to Putin, said Russia's "concealment" of the causes and "delusional versions" being put forward "cause us justifiable...
2 Min read

Blinken Says Russia Plans To Share Advanced Satellite Tech With N. Korea

Blinken said that the U.S. also believed that Russia "may be close" to formally accepting North Korea's status as a nuclear power.
1 Min read

Russia Says Captured Key Eastern Ukrainian Town of Kurakhove

The capture of Kurakhove would be a key advance after months of steady gains in the area.
3 Min read

Russian Gas Cut-Off Sparks More Blackouts in Breakaway Moldovan Region

The tiny breakaway republic bordering Ukraine has been unable to provide heating and hot water to its residents since Wednesday.
2 Min read

Russia Says Ukraine Fired U.S.-Made Missiles at Belgorod Region

"These actions by the Kyiv regime, which is supported by Western curators, will be met with retaliation," the Defense Ministry said.
2 Min read

North Korea’s Kim Hails ‘Dearest Friend’ Putin in New Year Message

Kim sent "warm greetings of best wishes to the fraternal Russian people and all the service personnel of the brave Russian army."
2 Min read

Russian Police Arrest Suspect in General’s Killing

Investigators said the man, a citizen of Uzbekistan, claimed he had been “recruited by Ukrainian special forces.”
2 Min read

‘Several Hundred’ North Korean Casualties in Russia’s Kursk – U.S. Official

"These are not battle-hardened troops. They haven't been in combat before," the official said.
2 Min read

U.S. Says Not Involved in Killing of Russian General Behind ‘Atrocities'

"I can tell you that the United States was not aware of it in advance and was not involved," the State Department's spokesman said of Igor Kirillov's killing...
1 Min read

Kremlin Critic Kara-Murza Denies Mother Was Poisoned in Germany

"Mum is indeed in the hospital in Berlin, but the suspicions of poisoning and heart attack have proven incorrect, thank God," Vladimir Kara-Murza wrote...
1 Min read

Russian Military’s Chemical Weapons Chief Killed in Moscow Blast

Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov is the most senior military official to be killed in a bomb attack since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
3 Min read

Syria’s Islamists Say Under Orders to Stay Away From Russian Forces

The Kremlin previously admitted that the fate of its remaining bases in Syria was unclear.
2 Min read

Moscow Says ‘Part’ of Its Diplomatic Personnel in Syria Evacuated By Plane

"The Russian Embassy in Damascus continues to function," the press release said.
1 Min read

Russian Inflation Ticks Up Amid Ruble Woes

Prices rose 8.9% on an annual basis last month, up from 8.5% in October and more than double the state's 4% target.
2 Min read

Ukraine Hits Russian Border Regions, Sets Oil Depot Ablaze

The strikes come after President Volodymyr Zelensky said air defense should save lives “and not gather dust in storage bases.”
2 Min read

Russia’s Medvedev in Beijing for Talks With Chinese Leaders

"The visit to China by Mr. Medvedev... is an important high-level exchange between China and Russia," China's foreign ministry spokeswoman said.
1 Min read

Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Strike Toll Rises to 8, Rescue Operation Underway

The attack on Zaporizhzhia was the latest in an intensifying series of strikes on southern Ukraine, reinforcing fears of a new Russian offensive in the...
2 Min read

Russian Economy Shows Signs of Slowdown, Top Banker Warns

Sberbank CEO German Gref cautioned the Central Bank against "overshooting" its rates policy, making it "harder to return to the rails of economic growth...
2 Min read

Russia Says Seized EU-Bound Cocaine Haul Worth Millions

The suspects were caught loading 570 kilograms of the illegal substance into a container intended for shipment to the EU, Russia's FSB said.
1 Min read

Russia Takes Villages in Key Areas of East Ukraine Front

One of the villages is located near the embattled supply hub of Pokrovsk and another near the industrial town of Kurakhove.
1 Min read

Moscow Says Russia, Iran, Turkey in ‘Close Contact’ Over Syria Conflict

The Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman said Russia was "actively working with international partners to ensure the rapid stabilization of the situation in...
2 Min read

Russia Says Test-Fired Missiles in Eastern Mediterranean Drills

The tests come as Russia's ally Syria loses ground to Islamist rebels.
1 Min read

Kyiv Says Repelled Russian Push Over East Ukrainian River

The Oskil River has long been a de facto front line across the east of the war-scarred country.
2 Min read

Danish Brewer Carlsberg Sells Russian Business

The move comes a day after President Vladimir Putin signed a decree ending state control of the business.
1 Min read

Russian Attacks on West Ukraine Trigger Power Cuts

Russia has recently stepped up strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, seen as a bid to knock out crucial power supplies through the winter and sap...
1 Min read

Russia’s November Advance in Ukraine Largest Since March 2022 – AFP Analysis

Kremlin forces advanced over 725 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory — equivalent to the size of Singapore.
2 Min read

Russia Says West Wants Ukraine Ceasefire To Rearm Kyiv

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was speaking as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was on a surprise visit to Kyiv, where he held talks with President Volodymyr...
1 Min read

Putin Shelves ‘World Friendship Games’ Meant to Rival Olympics – Decree

The decree said that the World Friendship Games were postponed "until a special decision" by the Russian president.
1 Min read

Russia Says Bombing Anti-Government Forces in Syria

Jihadists and their Turkish-backed allies reached Aleppo, pressing a lightning offensive against forces of the Iranian- and Russian-backed government.
1 Min read

Sanctioned Russia Sells Shares in Angolan Diamond Mines

Russia's diamond giant Alrosa was until now a joint owner of Angola's Catcoa mine, the fourth-largest in the world, and Luele mine, in partnership with...
1 Min read

Ukraine Says Russia Returned More Than 500 Soldiers’ Bodies

Russia and Ukraine have been exchanging bodies and prisoners of war since the first months of the conflict — with casualties estimated to be high on...
1 Min read

South Korea Scrambles Jets as Chinese, Russian Warplanes Approach

Five Chinese and six Russian military aircraft entered and exited the Korea Air Defense Identification Zone in the East Sea and South Sea, Seoul's Joint...
2 Min read

‘Angela, Forgive Me’: Putin Denies Intentionally Scaring Merkel With Dog

The former German chancellor accused Putin of inviting the pet to their 2007 meeting as a "demonstration of power" and taking glee in her discomfort in...
1 Min read

Russia Begins Second Trial Against Ukraine War Denouncer

Alexei Gorinov has been brought for a new trial on accusations of "justifying terrorism," a move that will likely see his seven-year sentence extended...
2 Min read

Chemical Weapons Watchdog Says Banned Gas Found in Ukraine Samples

It is the first time the use of a riot control gas has been confirmed in areas where active fighting is taking place in Ukraine, the OPCW said.
2 Min read

Russian Prosecutors Demand 12 Years in Jail for Journalist’s Lawyer

Lawyer Dmitry Talantov was previously on the defense team of prominent journalist Ivan Safronov, who was jailed for 22 years on treason charges.
2 Min read

Russia To Stop Delivering Gas to Austria – Energy Company

Austria has long been heavily dependent on Russian gas, but its environment minister Leonore Gewessler insisted the energy supply was secure.
1 Min read

Russian Sentenced to 24 Years for Army Office Arson Attempts

The 24-year sentence is one of the longest handed down for such an offense.
2 Min read

Russia’s Shoigu To Visit China Next Week

The former defense minister will visit China for "consultations on strategic security issues" with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
1 Min read

Putin Finalizes North Korea Defense Deal

The deal comes amid reports that Pyongyang has dispatched thousands of troops to fight against Ukraine.
1 Min read

Russia Suffers Worst Month for Casualties in Ukraine – U.K. Defense Chief

An average of around 1,500 Russian soldiers were killed or injured per day in October, U.K. Chief of the Defense Staff Tony Radakin said.
1 Min read

Russia and Ukraine Launch Biggest Drone Attacks of War Yet

Authorities said they downed 34 Ukrainian drones targeting Moscow, the largest attempted attack on the capital since the full-scale invasion.
3 Min read

Putin Promises Africa ‘Total Support’ in Anti-West Pitch to Continent

The conference with African officials is another chance for Russia to promote its vision of a "multipolar world" a month after it hosted the BRICS summit...
3 Min read

Putin Says 'Ready' to Talk With 'Courageous' Trump

"I take this opportunity to congratulate him," Putin said following Trump's election victory.
1 Min read

Russian Attack on Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Kills 4, Wounds 40

Russian forces have stepped up their attacks in Zaporizhzhia in recent days and are making rapid advances in the industrial territory of Donetsk.
2 Min read

Russian Engineer Jailed for 16 Years on Ukraine Spying Charges

Danil Mukhametov, an engineer at the Uralvagonzavod tank manufacturer, was accused of "giving Ukrainian special services military and technical information...
1 Min read

Estonia Wants to Ban Russian Residents From Voting

Various Estonian political parties since the Russian invasion of Ukraine have proposed excluding Russians and Belarusians from elections, fearing foreign...
1 Min read

Russian Rights Official Says Dissent Crackdown Part of ‘Sanitary Measures’

Rights groups say hundreds of Russians are currently in prison for their political beliefs, with many warning that the figures are under-counted.
2 Min read

Ukraine Probes Reports Russia Shot at Civilians in Frontline Town

A video posted on Telegram by a Ukrainian army unit purported to show Russian forces opening fire on a civilian vehicle in the embattled frontline town...
1 Min read

Putin Says Ball in Washington’s Court on U.S.-Russia Ties

Putin also refused to confirm or deny reports that North Korea had deployed troops to Russia.
3 Min read

China’s Xi Hails Russia Ties in ‘Chaotic’ World in Putin Talks

The Chinese leader met with President Vladimir Putin at the BRICS summit in Kazan.
1 Min read

Russia Jails Oscar-Nominated Film Producer in Absentia

Alexander Rodnyansky left the country shortly after it sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022 and has been an outspoken critic of the Kremlin's offensive...
1 Min read

Ukraine Drones Target Major Russian Explosive Plant

The Sverdlov plant in the Nizhny Novgorod region is one of Russia's largest manufacturers of military explosives.
2 Min read

Serbian President Speaks to Putin for First Time in 2.5 Years – Presidency

Serbia, a European Union candidate, has refused to impose sanctions on Russia, maintaining close and friendly relations — but Vucic has had limited bilateral...
2 Min read

Zelensky’s Nuclear Arms Comments ‘Dangerous Provocation’ – Putin

The Ukrainian leader had said "either Ukraine will have nuclear weapons, which will protect us, or we must have some kind of alliance."
1 Min read

Ukraine Says Russia to Deploy 10K North Korean Troops

Zelensky has previously accused North Korea of sending troops to Russia's army but this was the first time he gave an exact figure.
2 Min read

Russia Could Be Able To Attack NATO by 2030 – German Intelligence

A direct confrontation between Moscow and the U.S.-led military alliance was "becoming an option for Russia," BND foreign intelligence chief Bruno Kahl...
2 Min read

‘Innocent’ British Nerve Agent Victim Caught in Global Murder Plot – Inquiry

Dawn Sturgess's death followed a failed poison attack against former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal, which the U.K. said was "highly likely" to have...
3 Min read

Russian Court Orders Arrest of CNN Journalist for Kursk Reporting

Moscow has launched several criminal proceedings against Western journalists who had produced reports from the Kursk region after Kyiv's surprise August...
1 Min read

Russia Sentences Siberian to 18 Years for Arson Attack on Army Office

Moscow saw a wave of arson attacks on military enlistment offices after Putin ordered an unpopular mobilization in 2022, as well as mysterious fires on...
2 Min read

Russia and Iran Hail 'Close' World Views

"Relations with Iran are a priority for us, they are developing very successfully," Putin told his Iranian counterpart.
2 Min read

Russia Calls U.S. Actions in Asia ‘Destructive’ at ASEAN Summit

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Washington of being behind a "militarization" of Japan and attempting to turn other countries against Russia and...
1 Min read

Russia Says Struck Ukraine’s Patriot Air Defense System Launchers

The Russian Defense Ministry said its forces struck "two Patriot launcher stations made in the U.S." as well as a control station and radar set that are...
2 Min read

Kremlin Says Trump Sent Putin Covid Tests as Part of International Cooperation

U.S. journalist Bob Woodward wrote in his latest book that Trump secretly sent Covid test kits to Putin despite a U.S. shortage during the pandemic.
1 Min read

Kremlin Rejects ‘Fake’ Report North Koreans Fighting in Ukraine

Earlier reports said that six North Korean military officers had been killed in a Ukrainian missile attack on Russian-occupied territory near Donetsk.
2 Min read

Consumer Goods Giant Unilever Finally Exits Russia

Unilever said that it had offloaded the subsidiary to Arnest Group, a Russian manufacturer of perfume, cosmetics and household products, for an undisclosed...
1 Min read

Russia Says Two Kursk Region Villages Recaptured From Ukraine

Russia has rarely claimed any recaptured territory since Ukraine launched its offensive into the Kursk region on Aug. 6.
1 Min read

Kremlin Denies Trump, Putin Spoke 7 Times Since 2021

The book "War" by famed reporter Bob Woodward said Trump retains a personal relationship with Putin even as he campaigns for another term.
2 Min read

Ukraine Claims Strike on Depot Storing North Korean Ammo

The United States and its allies have accused North Korea of providing ammunition and missiles to Russia for its war in Ukraine.
2 Min read

U.K. Sanctions Russian Army Commander Over Ukraine Chemical Weapons Claims

Britain and the U.S. have accused Russia of using the toxic agent chloropicrin against Ukrainian troops in violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention...
2 Min read

Putin To Meet Iran President in Turkmenistan on Friday – News Agencies

"This meeting has great significance both for discussing bilateral issues as well as, of course, discussing the sharply escalated situation in the Middle...
1 Min read

Moscow Arrests Man for ‘LGBT Propaganda’ and ‘Satanism'

Russia banned what it called the "international LGBT movement" in November last year.
1 Min read

Ukraine Says Hit Crimea Oil Terminal, Russia Claims Gains

Kyiv has ramped up strikes targeting Russia's energy sector in recent months.
2 Min read

Russia Sentences Crimean to 14 Years on Treason Charges

Separately, Russia also opened a criminal case against a street sweeper in the Urals who supported a man imprisoned for an arson attack on an army draft...
2 Min read

Beached Orcas Rescued Off Russian Coast

The cetaceans — two adults and two young — had been stranded since Wednesday on the shore of the Kamchatka peninsula.
1 Min read

Russia Tries Independent Election Monitor Co-Chair

Grigory Melkonyants is the co-chair of Golos, which monitors electoral campaigns and regularly denounces vote rigging.
2 Min read

Service Station Blast Kills 9 in Russia’s Dagestan

Almost 120 rescuers were working at the scene south of Dagestan's capital Makhachkala.
1 Min read

Putin Proposes Broader Criteria for Using Nuclear Arms

Under the proposed rules, Russia would consider any attack by a non-nuclear country supported by a nuclear power as a joint attack by both.
2 Min read