MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday said there was “nothing unusual” about US President-elect Donald Trump’s call to boost America’s nuclear capability. “As concerns the new president-elect of the United States Mr Trump, there is nothing new here. During his election campaign he spoke about the necessity of strengthening the nuclear component of the United States, to strengthen the armed forces. There is nothing unusual here,” Putin said at his annual press […]
Tag: Russia
Putin says Aleppo recapture ‘very important’ for Syria: agencies
MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — President Vladimir Putin said Friday the recapture of the devastated city of Aleppo by Syrian regime forces was a “very important” step towards stabilizing the war-torn country. “The liberation of Aleppo from radical elements is a very important part of the normalization in Syria, and I hope, for the region overall,” Putin told defense minister Sergei Shoigu in a meeting, Russian news agencies reported. The Syrian army said late Thursday that […]
Russia bids farewell to slain Turkey envoy
by Maria Antonova Agence France Presse MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — Russia on Thursday laid to rest its envoy Andrei Karlov after a packed memorial ceremony in Moscow for the diplomat who was assassinated by an off-duty policeman in Ankara this week. Dozens of colleagues and relatives attended the ceremony for Karlov, the ambassador to Turkey whose death Moscow labelled an act of terror. Russian President Vladimir Putin laid red roses at the foot of Karlov’s […]
Putin urges Russian nuclear weapons boost
by Maria ANTONOVA MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday called for the country to reinforce its military nuclear potential and praised the army’s performance in its Syria campaign. In a speech that recapped military activities in 2016,Putin said the army’s preparedness has “considerably increased” and called for continued improvement that would ensure it can “neutralize any military threat”. “We need to strengthen the military potential of strategic nuclear forces, especially with […]
OSCE warns of ‘massive upsurge in violence’ in Ukraine
by Dmitry ZAKS Agence France-Presse KIEV, Ukraine (AFP) – A top monitor for the conflict in Ukraine warned Thursday that a “massive upsurge in violence” has pushed fighting between Kiev’s forces and pro-Russian rebels to levels not seen in months. The statement by Alexander Hug of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) came a day after the body hailed progress toward a New Year’s truce agreement that must still be approved by […]
Plane with body of slain Russian envoy lands in Moscow
MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — A Russian plane carrying the body of the ambassador assassinated in Turkey landed on Tuesday in Moscow, met by the top Russian and Turkish diplomats. Andrei Karlov’s coffin and his widow traveled back to Russia after the veteran diplomat was shot dead by a 22-year-old Turkish policeman at an art exhibit in Ankara on Monday in what Moscow called an “act of terror”. TV footage from the Vnukovo airport showed Karlov’s […]
Russia joins probe into Turkey envoy murder
by Adem ALTAN with Stuart WILLIAMS in Istanbul Agence France-Presse ANKARA, Turkey (AFP) – Russian investigators arrived in Turkey on Tuesday to probe the assassination of Moscow’s ambassador at an Ankara art show, as both sides pledged the murder would not damage improving relations. Veteran diplomat Andrei Karlov was shot nine times in the back by off-duty Turkish policeman Mevlut Mert Altintas at the art gallery opening of a show of Russian photography on […]
Putin says ambassador murder is ploy to wreck Syrian peace process
MOSCOW, Russia (Reuters) — Russian President Vladimir Putin held a special meeting in the Kremlin to discuss the murder of Russian ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov on Monday (December 19). “The committed crime is obviously a provocation designed to spoil normalisation of Russia-Turkey relations and derailing peace process in Syria which is actively promoted by Russia, Turkey, Iran and other countries interested in reconcilement of inter-Syria conflict,” Putin said. Putin also said he had a […]
UN condemns Russian envoy’s murder
UNITED NATION, United States (AFP) — The UN Security Council on Monday strongly condemned the murder of the Russian ambassador in Turkey while Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he was appalled by “this senseless act of terror.” Ambassador Andrei Karlov was shot dead while attending an art exhibition in Ankara by a Turkish policeman who shouted “Don’t forget Aleppo” and “Allahu akbar” (God is great). The council said in a unanimous statement that it “condemned in […]
Turkey policeman assassinates Russia envoy in Ankara
by Adem Altan with Stuart WILLIAMS in Istanbul Agence France Presse ANKARA, Turkey (AFP) — A Turkish policeman crying “Aleppo” and “Allahu Akbar” shot dead Russia’s ambassador to Turkey in Ankara on Monday, prompting a vow from President Vladimir Putin to step up the fight against “terrorism.” Andrei Karlov died of his wounds after the shooting in an Ankara exhibition center, which came on the eve of a key meeting in Moscow between the Russian, […]
Assassination in Turkey: what we know so far
Agence France-Presse ISTANBUL, Turkey (AFP) – The Russian ambassador to Ankara was shot dead in a brazen attack by a Turkish policeman in a cultural centre on Monday in what both sides branded an “act of terror.” The assassination, by a sharp-suited gunman shouting “Don’t forget Aleppo”, came after days of protests in Turkey over Russia’s role in Syria and on the eve of a unprecedented meeting of the foreign ministers of Turkey, Russia and […]
Russian ambassador shot dead in Turkey attack
by Fulya OZERKAN and Stuart WILLIAMS Agence France-Presse ISTANBUL, Turkey (AFP) – A Turkish policeman crying “Aleppo” and “revenge” shot dead Russia’s ambassador to Turkey at an art exhibition in Ankara on Monday, in what Moscow said was a “terrorist act”. Andrei Karlov died of his wounds after the shooting, which occurred on the eve of a key meeting between the Russian, Turkish and Iranian foreign ministers on the Syria conflict. Dramatic television footage showed […]





