• Ukraine refuses to attend FIFA Congress in Moscow

    The Soccer Federation of Ukraine (FFU) announced that it will not send its representatives to the 68th FIFA Congress, which will be held in Russia on June 12-13. According to a post by the FFU’s official website, the decision not to attend was made on April 24 at an FFU executive committee meeting.

    It is within FIFA’s power to place sanctions on Ukraine due to the absence of its representatives at the congress. To avoid this, the FFU announced they would empower the Charge d’Affaires of …

  • Vice-burgomaster of Austrian Linz banned from entering Ukraine after visiting the Crimea

    Ukraine has banned the Vice-burgomaster of the Austrian city of Linz, Detlef Wimmer, from entering the country. Wimmer crossed the state border while visiting annexed Crimea. Russian media reported that Wimmer took part in the so-called “Yalta Economic Forum,” which was organized by the Russian administration of the peninsula.

    “Despite numerous appeals of the Embassy, Vice-burgomaster Detlef Wimmer demonstratively violated Ukrainian sovereignty and participated in the activities of the …

  • PACE recognizes 'Russian occupation of Donbas'

    Evropeyskaya Pravda reports that the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has formally adopted a decision recognizing "the occupation of certain regions of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions by the Russian Federation".

    This recognition is contained in a resolution titled “State of Emergency", concerning derogations occurring under Article 15 of the European Convention on Human Rights. At present, three countries have used this option: Ukraine (after the attack by the Russian …

  • Israel prepared to destroy Russian S-300 missile systems in Syria

    Israeli Minister of Defense Avigdor Lieberman has commented on the possible delivery of Russian S-300 air defense systems to Syria.

    According to Lieberman, Israel’s only concern regarding the systems delivery is which targets the systems may be used against. The Minister stressed that Israel’s problem is not Russia, as Russian air defense systems have already been deployed in Syria and not used against Israel.

    “What's important to us is that the defensive weapons the Russians are giving Syria …

  • Russia claims it repulsed a drone attack on Syria Khmeimim airbase

    Anti-aircraft defenses at the Russia’s Khmeimim airbase in Syria destroyed unknown small-sized air targets that were "far from the airfield", RIA Novosti reported, citing an airbase spokesperson.

    According to the airbase representative, the airborne threats were discovered on April 24 around twilight. "All of the targets were destroyed by the antiaircraft fire means of the Russian airbase," he said. No one was hurt on the base; the facility also suffered no material damage, and has returned “ …