Amid the fallout from U.S. sanctions on Russia's Gazprombank affecting Turkey, Ankara is urging Washington to lift the restrictions specifically for the Turkish side. According to the Turkish newspaper Hürriyet, this topic was raised on December 13 during discussions in Ankara with an American delegation led by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

The publication reminds us that the U.S. administration imposed sanctions on Gazprombank to hinder Russia's use of the international financial …

A fire erupted at an oil depot in Oryol following a drone attack, the Astra news outlet reported, citing local residents. At least one fuel tank was set ablaze. Video footage released shows a raging fire with a column of black smoke billowing from the depot’s facilities. The governor of the Oryol region, Vasily Klychkov, stated on his Telegram channel that the blaze has been contained and no casualties have been reported.

According to Klychkov, a total of 11 drones were shot down overnight in …

Russia has begun pulling its military forces from Syria, according to media reports and satellite imagery. Reuters, citing an anonymous source within the Syrian security forces, reports that on Saturday, a cargo plane departed Russia’s Khmeimim Airbase in Latakia province for Libya. The source, whose affiliation with either Assad’s security services or the new regime remains unspecified, indicated that more flights are expected in the coming days. Cargo helicopters have also been spotted at the …

In a high-stakes case involving allegations of corruption and fraud, the Second Western District Military Court has announced sentences for those implicated in the embezzlement scandal surrounding secret underground bunker construction for the Ministry of Defense. According to TASS, former deputy director of LLC "Atlas," Dmitry Pipko, and former general director of LLC "M-Stroy," Andrey Epifantsev, received sentences of seven years and three years in a general regime penal colony, with fines of …

Russian businesses face increased payment scrutiny as UAE banks are now blocking and delaying transactions linked to Russian companies amidst a fresh wave of U.S. sanctions. These new restrictions add to the immense challenges the Russian economy faces due to Western-imposed sanctions, tightening the financial noose as overseas anti-sanction "hubs" fall apart under the threat of secondary sanctions.

The UAE had emerged as a crucial financial "hub" for Russian entities, facilitating their trade …

Bashar al-Assad and his family have been granted asylum in Russia on "humanitarian grounds." While there are no official photos yet of Assad settling into his new surroundings, speculation is rife about what he might owe Vladimir Putin for this hospitality and who his new neighbors might be, Digi 24 reports.

Columnist Mark Galeotti suggests that the discredited Syrian ruler will make his home in Barvikha, an upscale enclave for Russia's affluent near Moscow. Historically, this area housed …

In a push from Moscow to assert Russia's indispensability to Ukraine, Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian president, suggests that Ukrainians need to "tame the pride of their distinctiveness."

Russian policymakers have advised Ukraine to "curb its pride and stop opposing everything Russian" to avoid disappearing from the world's map. These remarks come from Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Russia's Security Council and former president, in an article for "International Affairs" magazine. …

In a recent briefing held on Friday, December 13, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed the possibility of a truce with Ukraine, acknowledging for the first time that European troops might be deployed in Ukraine. According to Peskov, Russia is seeking not just a ceasefire, but peace that will follow the fulfillment of all Moscow's conditions.

When asked about the idea of sending a European contingent to Ukraine to uphold a potential ceasefire, Peskov stated, "All of this can and should …