Tag: Crimea

Russia Says It Fires Warning Shots at British Destroyer Near Crimea, UK Denies It

MOSCOW—Russia said on Tuesday it had fired warning shots and dropped bombs in the path of a British destroyer sailing in the Black Sea off the coast of the Crimea peninsula, which Russia seized and annexed from Ukraine. Britain’s Ministry of Defence said no Russian warning shots were fired at the Royal Navy’s HMS Defender,…


Russian-Annexed Crimea Declares State of Emergency Over Floods

MOSCOW—Authorities in Russian annexed Crimea declared a local state of emergency on Thursday after heavy rain caused flooding in parts of the peninsula’s east including the city of Kerch. The flooding affected nearly 300 homes and a city hospital, the emergencies ministry said. Whole streets were submerged in water in parts of the city. In…


Ukraine Charges Putin Ally Medvedchuk With Treason

KYIV, Ukraine—Ukraine has indicted a top opposition figure who is a close ally of Russia’s president with treason and attempts to steal natural resources from Russia-annexed Crimea. Along with the Tuesday indictment of Viktor Medvedchuk, security service agents also searched his house in the capital Kyiv. Prosecutor-General Irina Venediktova said that charges under several articles…


Russian Troops Start Pulling Back From Ukrainian Border

MOSCOW—Russian troops began pulling back to their permanent bases Friday after a massive buildup that has caused Ukrainian and Western concerns. On Thursday, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu declared the sweeping maneuvers in Crimea and wide swaths of western Russia over, and he ordered the military to bring the troops that took part in them…


Russia Orders Troops Back After Massive Drills in Crimea

MOSCOW—Russia’s defense minister on Thursday ordered troops back to their permanent bases following massive drills in Crimea that involved dozens of navy ships, hundreds of warplanes, and thousands of troops in a show of force amid tensions with Ukraine. After watching the drills, Russian Defense Minister Shoigu declared the maneuvers over and ordered the military…


Russia Orders Troop Pullback, but Keeps Weapons Near Ukraine

MOSCOW—Russia’s defense minister on Thursday ordered troops back to their permanent bases following massive drills amid tensions with Ukraine, but said they should leave their weapons behind in western Russia for another exercise later this year. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the Russian pullback along their border. After watching the drills, Russian Defense Minister Sergei…


Ukraine Says Russia Will Soon Have Over 120,000 Troops on Its Borders

KYIV/BRUSSELS—Russia will soon have more than 120,000 troops on Ukraine’s border, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Tuesday, calling for new Western economic sanctions to deter Moscow from “further escalation.” Washington and NATO have been alarmed by the large build-up of Russian troops near Ukraine and in Crimea, the peninsula that Moscow annexed from…


Ukraine Rehearses Repelling Tank Attack Near Russian-Annexed Crimea

KYIV—Ukraine’s armed forces rehearsed repelling a tank and infantry attack near the border of Russian-annexed Crimea on Wednesday, the Ukrainian military said in a statement. The drills came a day after U.S. President Joe Biden phoned Russian President Vladimir to discuss a build-up of Russian troops near eastern Ukraine and in Crimea, among other U.S….