Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] The Federal Security Service showed a video recording of the detention of people who were preparing attacks, including on schools.
The FSB conducted raids in 81 regions. Six people, including one woman, were detained. Security forces conducted raids in private and apartment buildings.
Weapons, including firearms, components for making homemade bombs, and symbols of terrorist organizations were confiscated from the detainees. On one of the laptops, security forces found a video recording of a terrorist attack.
As reported by the Regnum news agency, the FSB established that the detainees were involved in preparing armed attacks on educational institutions in Moscow and Tyumen. They were also involved in preparing violent actions in Kemerovo, Rostov-on-Don and Yoshkar-Ola.
Commentary by Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin is in italics:
[ColonelCassad] FSB officers conducted a special operation to detain Telegram channel admins who were engaged in propaganda of Nazism and terrorism in Telegram. In total, 57 people were detained in 81 regions of the Russian Federation. Some of those detained turned out to be connected with Ukrainian special services.
Anonymity on the Internet is an illusory thing. When necessary, everyone is perfectly identified, found and dragged to the police station for a heart-to-heart talk.
OFFICIAL FROM THE "BLOODY KGB".
The FSB, together with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Investigative Committee and the Russian National Guard, carried out "preventive and preventive measures aimed at preventing the spread of the ideology of violence, mass murder and suicide among young people" in 81 Russian regions, according to a report from the FSB Public Relations Center received by RBC.
As a result, law enforcement officers stopped the activities of 57 administrators of channels and chats in Telegram who were spreading neo-Nazi and terrorist ideology.
"Correspondence with Ukrainian curators was found in the detainees' communication devices, containing instructions on how to conduct sabotage and terrorist activities, and the production and use of means of terror. Investigative bodies are making procedural decisions," the FSB said.
According to the report, preventive measures were also taken against 305 minors "who fell under the influence of foreign moderators promoting destructive ideology."
In addition, six people involved in preparing armed attacks on educational institutions in Moscow and Tyumen, as well as violent actions in Kemerovo, Rostov-on-Don and Yoshkar-Ola were detained. During searches at their places of residence, components for making homemade explosive and incendiary devices, bladed weapons, plans for preparing armed attacks, symbols and propaganda materials of neo-Nazi and terrorist organizations were seized, the FSB Public Relations Center reports.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Korrespondent] The enemy is actively accumulating forces for a large-scale attack on Ukraine, US officials tell reporters.
Against the backdrop of peace talks in Turkey, the Russian army is preparing a new offensive in Ukraine, foreign media outlets report, citing American officials.
Moreover, as the Defense Forces Command states, the enemy has already begun the summer campaign, hiding behind statements about negotiations. More details – later in the story.
ACCUMULATION OF FORCES
The Financial Times was the first to report on the possible offensive on May 13. Citing undisclosed Ukrainian intelligence officials, the outlet said Russia appeared to be preparing a major offensive, moving troops to key positions on the front.
The FT also cited data from OSINT community DeepState that Russian forces have seized more territory in the east of Donetsk this week, particularly around the cities of Pokrovsk and Toretsk, which are hotbeds of fighting.
CNN made a similar statement today . Two American officials familiar with the latest U.S. assessments told reporters that Russia is amassing forces on the front lines for a new offensive. Moscow's goal remains unchanged: to seize more Ukrainian territory. A broader attack is likely expected in eastern Ukraine, the media outlet notes.
"Putin will try to seize any land he can get, all the way to the outskirts of Kyiv. The Russians will do everything they can to get everything they can," the second U.S. official added in comments to the channel.
THE SITUATION ON THE FRONT LINES
The preparations come amid a serious shortage of Ukrainian troops on the battlefield. U.S. assessments suggest that Ukraine’s drone capabilities and the effectiveness of its minefields are a significant deterrent to Russia, despite its significant manpower advantage – both in eastern Ukraine and in Russia’s Kursk region, where Ukrainian troops still hold a foothold.
Russia is also facing difficulties in raising the necessary number of troops as both sides continue their war of attrition, CNN notes.
Additionally, the first official told CNN that there is no indication that North Korea is currently capable of significantly increasing its military presence in Ukraine after losing thousands of soldiers in the fighting.
However, for weeks, U.S. assessments have shown little change in Russia's military goals, which still include seizing most of Ukrainian territory, even as the Donald Trump administration calls on the Kremlin to agree to a 30-day cease-fire and begin meaningful peace talks.
START OF THE SUMMER OFFENSIVE
CNN previously reported that surveillance footage has shown Ukrainian forces for weeks that Russia is moving significant troops and equipment to positions just a few dozen kilometers from the front line.
The Kharkov task force also confirms this information. Moreover, the Russians are building up their forces, and the summer offensive campaign has actually already begun.
"The occupiers are currently building up their forces. In fact, the enemy's summer offensive operation has begun, so I would not count on a ceasefire in the near future," said Pavel Shamshin, a representative of the Kharkov operational-tactical group of troops, on the air of the telethon.
According to him, the situation is especially tense in the area of the settlement Liptsy in the Kharkiv region. There, the Russians have launched an assault with armored vehicles, including tanks. Motorcycles and infantry are also attacking.
The situation is also difficult in the area of the village of Dvurechnaya near the Oskol River: the occupiers are transferring infantry to the right bank. The Russian army has been tasked with expanding the bridgehead to Kupyansk from the north.
The Volchansk direction also remains hot, where assault operations take place daily.
The military man recalled that Moscow has never kept its promises to cease fire.
"I wouldn't go into detail about what they say on the other side. When we deal with Russians, we need to understand several things. Russians always lie in the public space. If they don't lie, they manipulate. If they don't manipulate, they're going to lie. We must perceive all their statements in this way," Shamshin explained.
The military man believes that simulating negotiations is a common tool of the invaders.
"Everyone saw the delegates they sent to the negotiations in Istanbul. They are some kind of no-names, and I don't think it's worth taking this seriously," Shamshin added.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Korrespondent] ZSU deters Russian attacks in southern and eastern Ukraine.
A third of the enemy attacks are concentrated in the Pokrovsky direction. Eight combat clashes are currently ongoing there.
Since the beginning of the current day, there have been 73 combat clashes between the Ukrainian army and the Russian invaders on the front. This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in an operational report as of 16:00 on Thursday, May 15.
Thus, in the Kharkov direction, our soldiers repelled five enemy attacks in the areas of Vovchansk, Glubokoe and in the direction of Vysokaya Yaruga and Kudiyevka.
In the Kupyansk direction, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are repelling two assaults towards Peschanoye and in the Kruglyakovka area.
In the Liman direction, the invading army carried out eight attacks near Redkodub, Kolodyazev and in the directions of Novoplatonovka, Novy Mir, Zelenaya Dolina. Two of them are still ongoing.
In the Seversky direction, the occupying forces are trying to advance near Belogorovka, Grigoryevka and Verkhnekamyansky. One battle is still ongoing.
In the Kramatorsk direction, the occupiers advanced four times in the areas of Chasovy Yar and Kurdyumovka. Two clashes continue.
In the Toretsk direction, one assault was repelled in the Toretsk area.
In the Pokrovsk direction, the Russians organized 27 attacks near the settlements of Malinovka, Mirolyubovka, Elizavetovka, Lisovka, Novosergeevka, Udachnoye, Novoaleksandrovka, Andreyevka and in the directions of Zorya, Staraya Nikolaevka. The defense forces repelled 19 enemy assaults, and eight more clashes are still ongoing.
In the Novopavlovsk direction, the enemy attempted to break through the defense of the Ukrainian Armed Forces 11 times in the areas of the settlements of Bogatyr, Konstantinopol, Privolnoye and Volnoye Pole. Seven combat clashes are still ongoing.
In the Orekhov direction, our defenders repelled two assaults in the areas of Malye Shcherbaki and Stepovoye.
In the Kursk direction, eight armed clashes have occurred since the beginning of the day, four of which are ongoing.
Let us recall that on May 14, 168 combat clashes took place on the front in 24 hours, almost half of which were in the Pokrovsky direction.
The Russian army lost more than 1,200 fighters killed and wounded. The total number of losses of the Russian Federation is approaching 1 million people.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[NewsFront] 21:06 Crew of the 152mm 2S19 Msta-S self-propelled gun of the Vostok group of forces destroyed artillery position of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the South Donetsk direction. 20:36 During the operation to liberate Mirolyubovka, assault units of the 5th Motorized Rifle Brigade of the Center group, after a powerful artillery barrage and airstrikes on enemy fortifications broke through to enemy positions.
The enemy was forced to retreat, having suffered serious losses in manpower and equipment.
19:57 Servicemen of the 29th Guards Combined Arms Army of the "East" group of forces are smashing positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the area of the settlement of Bogatyr in the South Donetsk direction.
18:53 Calculations of air cover for assault units of the "West" group using FPV drones destroyed three Baba Yaga-type attack drones of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
17:40 Units of the 5th Army of the "East" group of forces liberated the settlement of Volnoye Pole in the South Donetsk direction –MAP.
16:42 Ka-52M crew struck a command post and launch site for Ukrainian Armed Forces drones in the area of responsibility of the Center group of forces.
15:10 Crews of 152mm 2S19 self-propelled howitzers "Msta-S" and towed 152mm howitzers "Msta-B" of the "North" group destroyed UAV launch points, mortar crews and enemy manpower in the Khar'kov direction.
15:05 Destruction of the 142nd Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine using FAB-1500 in the city of Pokrovsk, –video.
14:19 Sappers of the "Center" group of troops continue to destroy mines and unexploded ordnance in liberated settlements in the Krasnoarmeysk direction.
13:15 Servicemen of the assault units of the 67th Motorized Rifle Division of the 25th Combined Arms Army of the "West" group of forces participated in active offensive actions. After the liberation of Torskoye from Ukrainian formations, our assault troops installed flags of the Russian Federation in the settlement.
12:31 Summary of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation on the progress of the special military operation as of May 15, 2025
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue to conduct a special military operation.
Units of the North group of forces inflicted losses on concentrations of manpower and equipment of the mechanized, airborne assault brigades, two assault regiments of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and two territorial defense brigades in the areas of the settlements of Ryzhevka, Atynskoye, Iskriskovshchina, Bunyakino, Belopolye and Bessalovka in the Sumy region.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost over 165 servicemen, three combat armored vehicles, 11 cars and six field artillery guns. Two electronic warfare stations were destroyed.
As a result of active actions by units of the West military group, the settlement of Torskoye in the Donetsk People's Republic was liberated.
Defeat was inflicted on formations of three mechanized, airmobile, assault brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, a territorial defense brigade and a national guard brigade in the areas of the settlements of Podliman, Druzhelyubovka, Olgovka, Andreyevka, Kupyansk, Palamarevka, Nechvolodovka in the Khar'kov region and Raigorodok in the Donetsk People's Republic.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost up to 240 servicemen, two armored combat vehicles, including a US-made M-113 armored personnel carrier, 11 vehicles, four artillery pieces, and three ammunition depots.
The units of the "Southern" group of troops occupied more advantageous lines and positions. They defeated the manpower and equipment of two mechanized and mountain assault brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the areas of the settlements of Seversk, Fedorovka, Verolyubovka, Konstantinovka, Ivanopolye, Pleshcheyevka, Grigorovka and Chasov Yar of the Donetsk People's Republic.
The enemy lost up to 245 servicemen, a tank, five armored combat vehicles, including a US-made M-113 armored personnel carrier, eight cars, and five field artillery pieces. Two electronic warfare stations and an ammunition depot were destroyed.
The settlement of Novoaleksandrivka in the Donetsk People's Republic has been liberated by decisive actions of units of the "Center" group of forces.
The formations of the mechanized, assault, and ranger brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the naval infantry brigade were defeated in the areas of the settlements of Razino, Novoolenovka, Novaya Poltavka, Dimitrov and Petrovskoye of the Donetsk People's Republic.
The enemy's losses amounted to over 515 servicemen, six armored combat vehicles, 10 cars and three artillery pieces.
Units of the "East" group of forces continued to advance into the depths of the enemy's defense. They defeated the manpower and equipment of two mechanized brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and a territorial defense brigade in the areas of the settlements of Bogatyr, Volnoye Pole of the Donetsk People's Republic, Temirovka, Chervone in the Zaporizhia region and Berezove in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost over 160 servicemen, three armored combat vehicles, four cars, two field artillery pieces and an electronic warfare station.
Units of the Dnepr group of forces defeated formations of two mechanized brigades, three coastal defense brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, a naval infantry brigade and three territorial defense brigades in the areas of the settlements of Shcherbaki, Mala Tokmachka, Novodanilovka, Kamenskoye in the Zaporizhia region, Nikolaevka, Antonovka and Ponyatovka in the Kherson region.
Up to 75 servicemen, three vehicles, an artillery piece and an electronic warfare station were destroyed.
Operational-tactical aviation, strike unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops and artillery of the groups of troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation inflicted damage on infrastructure facilities of military airfields, ammunition depots, as well as temporary deployment points of units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and foreign mercenaries in 149 districts.
The Black Sea Fleet destroyed an unmanned boat in the Black Sea.
Air defense systems shot down eight US-made JDAM guided aerial bombs and 169 aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles.
In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, the following have been destroyed:
662 aircraft,
283 helicopters,
57,275 unmanned aerial vehicles,
605 anti-aircraft missile systems,
23,339 tanks and other armored combat vehicles,
1,563 multiple launch rocket system combat vehicles,
24,911 field artillery pieces and mortars,
35,489 units of special military vehicles.
12:07 As a result of active actions by units of the West military group released settlements of Torskoye and Novoaleksandrivka of the Donetsk People's Republic.
10:56 In the border forest areas in the north of the Sumy district of the Ukrainian region of the same name, Russian intelligence attacked enemy dugout.
The coordinates were transmitted to the UAV operators for fire destruction, who destroyed the target with an anti-tank mine dropped from the copter.
10:18 Rubicon Center specialists continue to defeat unmanned aerial vehicles of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the area of the special military operation.
09:27 Druzhkovskoye direction
Units of the South Group of Forces continue their offensive and have made significant progress north of Kalinovo.
The enemy positions north of Krutaya ravine were taken and units of the 20th Motorized Rifle Division reached Gnatovka and Zarya from the west.
Our units advanced into the plantings north of Alexandropol and northeast of Novoyelenovka (Novoolenovka) in the direction of Yablonovka (Yablonovka).
The battles for Pravdovka (Staraya Nikolaevka) and Romanovka continue
. 09:07 Tankers of the "Center" group destroyed Ukrainian Armed Forces positions in the Krasnoarmeysk direction
07:34 Changes to map over the past 24 hours:
Advance north of Novoyelenovka➡️
Mikhaylovka has been liberated
Expansion of the control zone in the village of Bogatyr
Adjustment of the control zone in our favor in the area of Popovka and Grafovka
Russian Armed Forces approached the Zarya settlement
Advance in the Shevchenko area
Control zone west of Novoyelenovka has been expanded
Advance between Kalinovo and Sukha Balka
Expansion of the control zone north of Kotlyarovka
07:09 During the past night, air defense systems on duty destroyed two Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles of the airplane type over the territories of the Rostov and Belgorod regions.
06:05 The crews of the 152mm Giatsint-B guns of the Dnepr force group accuratelythey beaton objects of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
I can't imagine a statement more intended to anger the Russians.
[Regnum] The United States of America won World War II. This was stated by US President Donald Trump on May 15.
"They celebrated in Russia, they celebrated in France, except for us. We didn't celebrate. But we won this war. Without our help, they (other participants in the conflict. - Ed.) would have spoken German and maybe a little Japanese," the American leader emphasized during a speech to troops at the Al Udeid Air Base.
He also added that the United States won World War I as well.
Earlier, on May 1, the American leader proclaimed November 11 as Victory Day in World War I and May 8 as Victory Day in World War II on his social network Truth Social. According to Trump, the United States won both wars, having put in more effort than anyone else in the world. He also added that the country did not celebrate these achievements because there were no leaders who knew how to organize it.
In January, he said that " Russia helped the US " win World War II, losing 60 million people. Although the US opened a second front only in 1944, and the USSR's losses, according to official data, are estimated at about 27 million people.
Press Secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov, commenting on the words of the head of the White House, recalled that it was the Soviet Union that bore the brunt of the fight against fascism and the people of the USSR paid the heaviest price for it. The military actions in which millions of people died took place on another continent for the United States. At the same time, Russia remembers the help of the United States.
The Kremlin spokesman stressed that the number of victims announced by Trump does not correspond to official data, but expressed hope that Americans will share the joy of celebrating the 80th anniversary of Victory.
The official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, recalled that former US President Franklin Roosevelt personally pointed out the decisive contribution of the USSR to the victory in World War II.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] Two vessels sank on the Lena River in the Zhatai backwater of Yakutia. Footage of the incident was shared on May 15 by the Yakutsk-Sakha Information Agency (YSIA).
Preliminary, the ship was thrown into tow due to ice movement. The second vessel was without fuel and crew, and was being prepared for disposal. No casualties were reported.
A working group from the government of Yakutia went to the scene of the incident: Minister of Civil Defense and Public Safety Dmitry Lepchikov, Acting Minister of Transport and Road Facilities Anatoly Potapov, and Deputy Minister of Ecology, Nature Management and Forestry Anatoly Alekseev.
It was previously noted that the ice drift on the Lena River reached the Kangalassy microdistrict in Yakutsk. A sharp increase in the water level in the river has also been recorded.
[Daily Mail, where America get its news] Both NATO and Russia scrambled warplanes in a dramatic clash above the Baltic after a major standoff over a tanker in Vladimir Putin's shadow fleet.
Estonian forces sought to board the 'Gabon-flagged' oil tanker Jaguar using a patrol vessel and helicopter, as well as a surveillance watercraft.
The Russian-bound ship is suspected of being used by Moscow as part of its shadow fleet to avoid international sanctions.
It was sanctioned by Britain on Friday.
NATO aircraft - including Polish MiG-29s - were scrambled as the vessel refused to cooperate.
Russia also deployed a Su-35S fighter jet which allegedly violated Estonian airspace as it sought to provide cover for the fleeing Jaguar.
In dramatic video, the plane belonging to NATO-member Poland was seen tailing the Russian Su-35 over the Gulf of Finland, which is part of the Baltic Sea.
In separate footage, a Russian voice on the bridge of the tanker accused the Estonians of being 'clowns' as they tried and failed to board the vessel.
The standoff comes as Putin was a no-show in Istanbul for peace talks with Ukraine on Thursday, prompting criticism that the Russian leader was not serious about ending the three-year-long conflict.
The tanker ultimately anchored near Gogland Island in the eastern Baltic Sea.
Footage shows the high drama in one of the most tense regions in the world amid disputes between Russia and NATO over Ukraine.
'This is how we're greeted with helicopters,' said a voice -apparently Russian - on the tanker.
'They're demanding we anchor.'
A message is heard saying: 'This is Estonian warship Papa 6732.
'Your request will be denied.
'Follow my instructions. Immediately change course to 105. Over.'
A voice from the tanker in Hindi says: 'That looks like our drone in front….'
A Russian voice demands: 'Go on, hit it running….'
Referring to the Estonians, he says: 'What a bunch of clowns!'
The Estonian vessel comes close to the tanker seeking to swerve it to the right.
An Estonian A139 helicopter and an M-28 Skytruck plane of the Estonian defence forces were then seen circling the vessel.
Boasting a success against the West, pro-Kremlin news outlet Izvestia reported: 'Despite this show of force, the Estonian authorities were unable to stop the vessel.
'The Jaguar ultimately reached Gogland Island …. a Russian-controlled territory in the Gulf [of Finland], and resumed its route to Primorsk'.
Russian outlet News-Pravda reported, 'Sailors from the Baltic Republic [Estonia] twice tried to land troops from a helicopter.'
After the extraordinary clash, NATO state Estonia summoned the Russian Chargé d'Affaires in Tallinn, Lenar Salimullin, who was handed a note of protest, accusing the Putin warplane of violating the republic's airspace.
‘From Estonia's point of view, this is a very serious and regrettable incident that is in no way unacceptable,' said Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna.
He demanded that Russia 'must face tougher, faster sanctions' .
The tanker had been near Naissaar Island, off Tallinn, when the Estonian Navy communicated with it by radio at 1530 GMT on Tuesday, said Commander Ivo Vark.
It was sailing 'without a nationality' and Estonia 'had an obligation to verify the vessel's documents and legal status', he said.
'The vessel denied cooperation and continued its journey toward Russia... given the vessel's lack of nationality, the use of force, including boarding the vessel, was deemed unnecessary.'
Estonia escorted it until the vessel reached Russian waters.
Estonia's Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur said the ship was sent from Estonian to Russian territorial waters to prevent a threat to his country's critical infrastructure.
'The issue was the ship's flag state, and our most important goal was to ensure the security of critical infrastructure. This was achieved,' he claimed.
The 800-ft long Jaguar is a crude oil tanker reportedly sailing under the flag of Gabon.
The Equasis database suggested the ship changed its name and flag state at the beginning of February.
According to this data its name is now Argent and its flag state is Guinea-Bissau.
Putin uses a vast network of non-Russian tankers - called a shadow fleet - to avoid oil sanctions.
The stand-off over the Baltic Sea today come a day after satellite images emerged showing a build up of Russian forces just miles from the Finnish border, with evidence that Moscow has been establishing troop accommodation, aircraft infrastructure and other new facilities at key military bases.
Signs that Moscow is sending weapons and troops to the area come following claims, including from Finland's Prime Minister and German intelligence, that Putin is gearing up for a lengthy conflict with the West.
A Finnish government report cited in news outlet Iltalehti in December states that Helsinki considers an attack on Finland, Norway, Sweden and the Baltic states to be a possibility.
'Russia is strengthening its military presence and activities in its northwestern direction in all operational environments as quickly as possible,' the report warns.
NATO sources who spoke to the newspaper reportedly said that Moscow has been rehearsing an attack on the bloc's eastern flank and outlined a threat assessment of where could be targeted.
A coordinated attack involving a number of Russian units could simultaneously strike the Norwegian coast, Finland's south and Lapland region, the Swedish island of Gotland and even break into Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, the sources are quoted as saying.
But experts have suggested that Putin is more likely to opt for small-scale attacks, designed to cause chaos within NATO as it would be forced to grapple over whether to honour its mutual defence pact or allow Russia to take territory to avoid a full-scale European war.
It also comes as Putin sent aides and deputy ministers to hold peace talks with Ukraine in Turkey today.
The Russian leader on Sunday proposed direct negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky had said he would be waiting for the Kremlin leader.
But after keeping the world guessing for days about Putin's plans, the Kremlin late on Wednesday named a lower-level delegation that did not include the president and was described by Kyiv's European allies as a snub.
It was unclear how Ukraine - which has so far not publicly committed to send anyone to talks in Istanbul or to name a delegation - would respond.
Zelensky - who has said he will not speak to anyone on the Russian side except Putin - would make a decision about the talks after meeting Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan later on Thursday in Ankara.
There was confusion in Istanbul, where reporters were gathered near the Dolmabahce palace that the Russians had specified as the talks venue.
A Ukrainian official said there had been no agreement on when talks might begin.
Turkish officials have given no information on the time or location, but Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said he hoped the talks would open a new chapter.
The Ukrainian leader had goaded Putin earlier this week by questioning if he was brave enough to show up.
The Kremlin says Putin - who is also under threat of even tighter European sanctions to 'suffocate' Russia's economy - does not respond to ultimatums.
Putin's initial proposal came after more than three months of diplomacy kickstarted by US President Donald Trump, who promised during his campaign to end the devastating war swiftly.
The Trump administration in recent weeks indicated that it might walk away from the peace effort if there was no tangible progress soon.
Trump had pressed for Putin and Zelensky to meet in Istanbul but said Thursday he wasn't surprised that Putin was a no-show.
He brushed off Putin's decision to not take part in the talks.
'I didn't think it was possible for Putin to go if I'm not there,' Trump said during a roundtable in Doha, Qatar
The US and Western European leaders have threatened Russia with further sanctions if there is no progress in halting the fighting.
#4
If Estonians and Poles think they can interfere with shipping in international waters, what makes them any different from the Houthis?
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
05/16/2025 12:57 Comments ||
Top||
#5
Ah, er, arrrgh, that robust Russian repartee...
"Argent calling! All canines on hunt
For a bear, you are, every one, runt,
And political science
Demands your alliance
Be known from this moment as 'FRONT!'"
Too easy, maybe, for y'all, as ABEL a crew of acronym solvers as ever sailed the seven seas. Or at least the 4Cs. Though possibly not the CCCP's.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. [Regnum] Trilateral talks with the participation of representatives of Russia, Ukraine and Turkey will be held in Istanbul on Friday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry reported.
"Tomorrow there will be another series of meetings in different formats. These are the United States, Ukraine, Turkey. Also on the agenda are trilateral talks between the Russian Federation, Ukraine and Turkey," TASS quotes a source from the Turkish Foreign Ministry as saying.
According to the source, it is not yet clear whether the meeting will take place in a four-party format with the participation of the United States, Russia, Ukraine and Turkey.
As reported by the Regnum news agency, the Turkish agency Anadolu wrote earlier that a meeting of delegations from Russia, Ukraine, the United States and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan could take place on Friday.
The talks in Istanbul were scheduled for May 15.
The Russian negotiating team, led by Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, has been in Istanbul since Thursday morning. The head of the Kiev regime, Volodymyr Zelensky, only announced in the afternoon that he would send a delegation to the talks, stating that its main goal was to achieve a ceasefire. The negotiators will be led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.
Medinsky stressed that Russia sees the upcoming dialogue in Istanbul as a continuation of the peace process that was interrupted in 2022 by Ukraine. Moscow intends to achieve long-term peace and eliminate the main causes of the conflict.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced in March that he was ready to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine, but for this to happen, a number of nuances must be taken into account. There are questions about who will monitor the ceasefire and whether the Ukrainian military is ready to follow Kiev's orders, he noted.
[RIA] Russia will be expecting the Ukrainian side, which is due to arrive for the meeting in Istanbul, tomorrow from 10 a.m., Russian Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky told reporters.
"Tomorrow morning, literally from 10 am, we will be waiting for the Ukrainian side, which should arrive for the meeting," he said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin previously proposed that Ukraine resume direct talks without preconditions in Istanbul on May 15. The head of state did not rule out that the parties could reach a ceasefire agreement during the talks. As the press secretary of the Russian president Dmitry Peskov stated, Russia is determined to seriously search for ways to achieve a long-term peaceful settlement. According to him, the goals of the proposed talks with Ukraine are to eliminate the root causes of the conflict and ensure Russia's interests.
An informed source told RIA Novosti that the negotiations between the delegations of the Russian Federation and Ukraine are expected to take place in the same place as in 2022 - in the working office of the administration of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the center of Istanbul.
The Russian delegation is headed by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky. It also includes Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Mikhail Galuzin, Chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation Igor Kostyukov, and Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin.
According to the press secretary of the Russian president Dmitry Peskov, the Russian delegation has been in Istanbul since the morning and is waiting for the representatives of Ukraine.
Medinsky said in Istanbul that the Russian official delegation was approved by Putin's order and has all the necessary competencies and powers to conduct negotiations. The Russian delegation is set on a constructive mood, on finding possible solutions and points of contact, and the task of direct negotiations with the Ukrainian side is to sooner or later establish long-term peace by eliminating the basic root causes of the conflict, Medinsky said.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
[Regnum] Trilateral talks with the participation of representatives of Russia, Ukraine and Turkey will be held in Istanbul on Friday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry reported.
