Russian armed forces have liberated the settlement of Zybino in the Kharkov region, the Russian Defence Ministry announced on Friday, 17 April 2026, marking another territorial gain in the ongoing special military operation in Ukraine. According to an official statement from the ministry, units of the Sever battlegroup were responsible for the advances, having also…
The Russian Aerospace Forces have successfully launched a Soyuz-2.1b medium-lift launch vehicle carrying satellites designated for the Russian Defence Ministry from the Plesetsk Space Centre in the Arkhangelsk Region, the Ministry of Defence confirmed on Friday, 17 April 2026. According to an official statement issued by the ministry, an Aerospace Forces space crew conducted the…
Russian President Vladimir Putin has underscored the enduring and distinctive nature of Moscow’s relations with the member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), describing the bonds as rooted in decades of shared history, humanitarian cooperation, and deep economic interdependence. Speaking on Friday during a meeting with permanent representatives of the Russian Security Council,…
WASHINGTON — United States President Donald Trump declared on Friday that Israel has been formally prohibited by Washington from continuing its bombardment campaign against Lebanon, marking a striking and direct intervention by the United States into the conduct of its closest Middle Eastern ally’s military operations. “Israel will not be bombing Lebanon any longer. They…
Israel has carried out multiple strikes on southern Lebanon in the immediate aftermath of a ceasefire agreement coming into force, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed on Saturday, 18 April 2026 — raising urgent questions about the durability of the truce brokered under United States auspices. In a statement published on Telegram, the IDF claimed…
The United States military is preparing to intercept and seize commercial vessels and oil tankers affiliated with Iran in international waters beyond the Middle East theatre, according to a report published on Saturday by The Wall Street Journal, citing serving US officials. The planned operations are expected to be executed within the coming days and…
BRATISLAVA — Slovakia may exercise its right to block Ukraine’s accession to the European Union should the ongoing energy and transit dispute between Bratislava and Kyiv continue to deteriorate, Tibor Gašpar, Deputy Speaker of the Slovak Parliament, warned in a statement issued on Sunday. Speaking directly to the matter, Gašpar stated: “Ukraine does not risk…
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has issued an unequivocal ultimatum to both Brussels and Kyiv: Budapest will maintain its veto on the European Union’s proposed €90 billion ($105 billion) loan package to Ukraine until oil deliveries via the Druzhba pipeline — known as the Friendship pipeline — are physically and verifiably restored, irrespective of any…
TEHRAN — Iran’s military command announced on Sunday that a United States rescue mission aimed at recovering the pilot of a downed F-15E fighter-bomber has ended in failure, with Iranian air defences shooting down two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and a C-130 military transport aircraft in the south of Isfahan province. Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesperson for…
The escalating conflict in the Middle East and the United States Navy’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz are prompting serious reconsideration of global maritime trade corridors, with the Northern Sea Route (NSR) emerging as a candidate for long-term strategic diversification, according to the Korea Arctic Shipping Association. Subeom Choi, secretary general of the Korea…