• Chinese companies limit raw material exports to Russian pharma amid sanctions

    Amid a backdrop of international sanctions, Chinese companies are reportedly limiting shipments of raw materials to Russian pharmaceutical manufacturers. This development comes as a result of the latest restrictions that target specific trade codes related to intermediates, assets, and reagents now barred from entering Russia. The information was shared by Alexander Semenov, president of the Russian pharmaceutical company Aktivny Komponent, during remarks at the BIOTECH-PROM 2024 forum, …

  • Massive fire engulfs Feodosiya oil terminal following Ukrainian strike on Crimea

    A massive fire erupted following a drone strike allegedly by Ukrainian forces, targeting an oil depot in Feodosia within annexed Crimea. The blaze, ongoing for over a day, necessitated the evacuation of 1,047 residents, as confirmed on Tuesday, October 8, by Igor Tkachenko, the Moscow-appointed head of the city's administration. According to Tkachenko, residents of Chernomorskaya promenade and the Blizhnie Kamyshi area were forced to leave. Firefighters continue to battle the flames, he added. …

  • Fierce battles in Toretsk: Russian forces make gains as Ukraine fights to hold key defensive positions

    The Toretsk direction has recently become the hottest spot on the entire eastern front. Unlike in Vuhledar, Russian forces have deeply entrenched themselves straight into Toretsk but are not making moves on the flanks, though defending the city remains a significant challenge. Is there hope to hold the city?

    On June 18-19, 2024, Russian troops began a slow push toward Toretsk in the Donetsk region, initially capturing nearby settlements like Zalizne, Sjeverne, Zhelanne, Serhiyivka, and …

  • Putin's 72nd birthday: sparse greetings highlight shift in global alliances

    In a repeat of last year, leaders of the BRICS nations did not extend birthday wishes to Vladimir Putin. Notably this year, amidst ongoing geopolitical tensions following the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Russian president received the fewest birthday greetings from foreign heads of state. Among world leaders, only Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a phone call to Putin, while others opted for sending telegrams, reported on Monday, October 7th, by the news outlet Agentstvo, …

  • Ukrainian Security Service detains key Kremlin propagandist in Moldova

    The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), in conjunction with international partners and the State Border Guard Service, has detained Dmitry Chistilin, a Ukrainian citizen and Kremlin ideologist, in Moldova. Since 2016, Chistilin has been publishing a series of "analytical materials" justifying Russia's invasion of Ukraine and advocating for the "integration" of temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories into the Russian Federation.

    SBU reported that Chistilin was apprehended during a special …

  • Putin abandons beloved Sochi residence over drone attack fears

    Russian president Vladimir Putin has reportedly stopped visiting his favored residence, "Bocharov Ruchey" in Sochi, fearing a potential Ukrainian drone attack, reports Proekt.

    Proekt discloses that prior to launching his full-scale war against Ukraine, Putin spent about one month annually at "Bocharov Ruchey," primarily during the "velvet season" in the fall. It was a tradition for him to celebrate the birthday of former gymnast Alina Kabaeva, mother of his two sons, at this location on May 12. …

  • Ukrainian Forces launch successful strike on Crimea's largest oil terminal in Feodosia

    The Ukrainian Armed Forces have launched a strike on a maritime oil terminal in the temporarily occupied city of Feodosia, Crimea. This attack has been confirmed by Ukraine's General Staff of the Armed Forces. "An enemy maritime oil terminal in temporarily occupied Feodosia, AR Crimea, was struck successfully overnight," the statement read.

    "A fire was reported in the area. The extent of the damage is being assessed," it continued. The General Staff further explained that this attack was made …

  • Russian activist Ildar Dadin, fighting for Ukraine, killed in Kharkiv region

    Russian activist Ildar Dadin, who fought under the call sign "Gandhi" for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, has died in the Kharkiv region. This was confirmed on Sunday, October 6, by former Russian State Duma deputy Ilya Ponomarev, who resides in Ukraine. Ponomarev is linked to the "Freedom of Russia Legion," a group composed of Russians fighting in the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

    "From the start of the war, he tried to reach the front lines to fight against Putinism. Initially, the Freedom of Russia …

  • Israel delivers advanced missile warning system 'Tzeva Adom' to Ukraine amid rising drone and missile threats

    Israel has handed over the Tzeva Adom (the Read Light) missile warning system to Ukraine, a sophisticated technology designed to track missile and drone launches with precise trajectory calculations, pinpointing impact coordinates, said Israeli Ambassador to Ukraine, Michael Brodsky, in an interview with Zerkalo Nedeli. He noted the lengthy process, spanning several months, which has now reached completion. "We fulfilled our promises and transferred everything that was required to the Ukrainian …

  • Slovak PM Fico seeks extension of Russian gas transit through Ukraine

    As Slovakia braces for potential disruptions in oil and gas deliveries from Ukraine in early 2025, Prime Minister Robert Fico has launched efforts to persuade Kyiv to maintain transit of Russian gas, according to a report by Aktuality. Fico underlined that Slovakia does not stand in the way of Ukraine’s ambition to join the European Union.

    In a high-stakes initiative aimed at averting energy supply challenges, Fico plans to use a joint government meeting between Slovakia and Ukraine on October …