All articles tagged with #kremlin
Russian mid- and lower-level officials privately warn Vladimir Putin’s political system may have no future amid waning public support and the protracted war in Ukraine, though those closest to Putin feel relatively secure; economists warn the economy may not withstand a prolonged conflict, and the Kremlin is tightening internet controls to curb dissent.
Russian President Vladimir Putin will travel to Beijing May 19-20 to meet Xi Jinping, a visit timed to the 25th anniversary of the Russia–China treaty and coming days after Donald Trump’s trip to China. The Kremlin says they will discuss strengthening their partnership and regional issues, with Putin also set to discuss economic and trade cooperation with Premier Li Qiang as Moscow continues to lean toward Asia amid Western sanctions.
A US-brokered ceasefire through Victory Day appears fragile as Russia and Ukraine trade blame after deadly drone strikes: Kyiv says Moscow attacked and violated the truce, while Moscow accuses Ukraine of violations. In the last 24 hours, one person was killed and three wounded in Zaporizhzhia, seven wounded in Kherson, and a nine-story Kharkiv block was damaged; Ukraine also said it shot down 27 drones. The ceasefire, secured with Donald Trump’s involvement, remains precarious as both sides warn the other could breach it.
Russia and Ukraine traded blame as a fragile US-brokered ceasefire was rocked by deadly drone strikes, with both sides accusing the other of violations while Donald Trump said the truce would pause fighting through Victory Day; reports of casualties in Kherson and Kharkiv and a Russian drone attack damaging a Kharkiv apartment block underscored how fragile the agreement remains.
A Kremlin factional clash widens as ex-propagandist Ilya Remeslo defects from pro-Putin ranks, claiming broad elite discontent and suggesting a power struggle between Kiriyenko’s administration and the FSB. With falling approval, tightened internet controls, and security fears amid drone attacks, the situation signals growing internal pressure on Putin ahead of elections, echoing late-Soviet-era turmoil.
A European intelligence dossier obtained by CNN says the Kremlin has tightened Putin's security—installing home surveillance for close aides, double-screening visitors, restricting travel, and limiting phones—in response to assassinations and alleged coup plots; Sergei Shoigu is tagged as a coup risk, while Putin has limited movements, used pre-recorded appearances and bunkers, and the report notes Kremlin unease amid Ukraine war setbacks and domestic strains, though many details are difficult to independently verify.
A prominent Russian influencer’s video urging President Vladimir Putin to address real, worsening conditions in Russia went viral (over 20 million views) and drew Kremlin attention. Viktoria Bonya warned that pressure on ordinary Russians could push society toward unrest, describing people as a 'coiled spring.' The Kremlin said it was aware of the message and working to address the issues, amid broader talk of internet restrictions and ahead of parliamentary elections.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied reports that President Vladimir Putin urged Russian oligarchs to fund the Ukraine war, saying any call for a large sum was a participant’s personal decision. The Financial Times cited unnamed sources; the piece notes Russia’s budget deficit and rising military spending. Reports highlighted Suleyman Kerimov as naming a 100 billion rubles contribution, with Bell noting others supported the idea and that the initiative may have originated with Putin. Peskov said the businessman justified it by ties to the state. Putin also warned oligarchs against wasting windfall oil profits.
President Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin for about an hour to discuss the Iran war; Putin described the talk as frank and businesslike and offered ideas for a quick political and diplomatic settlement, with the conversation also touching on Venezuela and the global oil market, and emphasizing Russia’s role as a reliable energy supplier and the possibility of diverting gas to other markets if European buyers change course.
At the Munich Security Conference, Britain and European allies said Navalny was killed by a toxin derived from epibatidine, found on his body two years after his death in a Siberian penal colony, and argued only the Russian state had the means, motive and opportunity to carry out the poisoning. Moscow denied the claim as misinformation. Navalny’s widow welcomed the findings, the UK has informed the OPCW of a suspected Chemical Weapons Convention breach, and the case—following his 2020 Novichok poisoning and 2024 death—continues to heighten tensions over Russia’s political opposition.
Russia seized and sold Domodedovo airport for about half its asking price, with Sheremetyevo winning the auction at roughly $880 million. The deal highlights a Kremlin-led wave of asset nationalizations amid Western sanctions and a weakened economy, underscoring Russia’s growing international isolation and depressed aviation traffic.
President Putin hosted Syria's Ahmed al-Sharaa at the Kremlin to discuss preserving Russia's two remaining bases in Syria—Hmeimim and Tartus—as Moscow seeks to maintain influence amid the Assad–Sharaa dynamics, and despite closer ties, the asylum for Assad and recent troop withdrawals keep the future of Moscow's military footprint in Syria uncertain.
Hungarian PM Viktor Orban accused Ukraine of meddling in Hungary’s parliamentary elections and threatening Hungary’s EU bid, vowing to resist pressure and not back down. Kyiv replied through Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, rejecting the accusations and claiming Orban is acting to serve Moscow and undermine Ukrainians, including ethnic Hungarians in Transcarpathia.
The Kremlin says a lasting Ukraine peace hinges on resolving the eastern territorial issue, as Putin meets with Trump’s envoys and Zelenskyy at Davos to push a deal, with trilateral talks in the UAE on the horizon and Ukraine urging stronger Western action.
Russia’s Vladimir Putin has reportedly been invited to join Donald Trump’s UN-backed “Board of Peace” for Gaza’s reconstruction, a Kremlin review of the invitation said. Belarus’s Alexander Lukashenko was also named among invitees, along with other world leaders. The board, chaired by Trump, is tied to a plan to demilitarize and rebuild Gaza, with seats potentially tied to a $1 billion contribution. Putin’s possible inclusion would mark a rare return to the international stage amid the Israel-Hamas conflict.