News

Putin’s grip over Russia not to be loosen anytime soon

By 902 0

Since the disintegration of erstwhile Soviet Union, Russia is under the tight grip of Vladimir Putin – the dictatorial leader who knows little nothing about the need to tolerate dissent.

Mr. Putin treats Russia as his property. He has successfully brought the entire country under his direct control, breaking the backbone of all who has stood against his aggressive triumph. He is fearless, intolerant and also merciless. For him, any attack against his politics is an attack against his country, Russia.

Lately, he has brought in some interesting changes to the country. He has made the Russian government resign and injected more powers into the country’s lawmaking house. In addition, he has strengthened the Russia council – which is the body of Russian governors.

Though the measures sound impressive, when these are observed closely it is seen that the President’s ambition to sustain his control over his country is what that sits beneath his new plans.

Putin’s Russia faces many challenges at this moment – in the economical as well as in the military front.

Russia needs to find an urgent solution to its stagnated growth. The European country can no longer turn its back on the criticism raised against the country – from inside as well as from outside.


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News

Russia to revamp its system

By 865 0

Russia is preparing to bring huge changes in its system. The Russian PM has announced his decision to dissolve his government. He has called his decision to dissolve the government as a step to facilitate the smooth implementation of the proposed changes. It seems that his council of ministers was kept in dark about the decision till the formal announcement.

The new changes will make the position of the President weaker than the Parliament. Those will also increase the strength of the Russian council presently headed by Vladimir Putin.

Mr. Putin is about to exist from the officer of the President of Russia in the near future. The latest arrangement is seen as a measure to sustain his clout over the Russian establishment.

Mr. Putin was beside the PM as a silent participant when the latter has announced his big decision to the people of the country.

Clearly, the Russia President has no plan to release his country from his tight clutches.

Technically, since the disintegration of the then Soviet Union, Russia is under the command of this ex-Spy.

Whenever the constitution of the country has come as a hindrance to his ascendance in various forms, such as the presidential term limit, he has brilliantly used various loopholes, such as the provision to switch the position with the PM, to continue his dominance over the country.

This time is also not different.

Already, all the political opponents of Mr. Putin have dismissed the proposed changes as a sham.

To implement the changes, the President needs the support of the people of the country. That is Russia is going to see a referendum in the near future. Not any time since the year 1993 the country has seen a referendum. In such a note, it is a positive step. It is also good to verify how much acceptance Mr. Putin has in his country.

Nonetheless, not many are happy with the announcement. Many of the political opponents of the Russian establishment have expressed their doubt in the ability of the present Russia to conduct a transparent referendum to understand whether the people of the country are happy with the proposed changes.


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News

Russia, Turkey call for ceasefire in Libya

By 817 0

Russia and Turkey – the two prime European powers – have called for the end of conflict in the North African country of Libya.

Though the two superpowers back rival sides in the conflict, they, it seems, are on the same side on their opinion that the conflict in Libya should end soon.

Turkey recently sent their military force to assist the UN-backed government in the North American country, which is under the threat of a powerful rebel force.

The prime rival of the UN-backed government in Libya is a rebel force led by General Khalifar Haftar.

Turkey accuses Russia of supporting the rebel group led by the general by not asking their mercenaries to stop providing support to the group – an allegation Russia denies strongly.

Recently, Germany warned that the conflict in Libya might turn much worse than what happened in Syria if it was not checked timely.

Libya is very close to the European continent. There is no doubt that the Europe has many things to worry about the developments in the Libyan region.

It seems that Germany is very keen about bringing the situation in the North African region back to normal.

The west has a role in the destabilisation of this region. Undoubtedly, it has the responsibility to bring peace back to this region.


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News

Russian young anti-government activist forcibly conscripted

By 953 0

Ruslan Shaveddinov, the young anti-government activist, has been forcibly conscripted by the Russian military force.

Russia’s prime opposition leader Alexei Navalny has condemned the, so called, forced conscription of the young leader.

He alleged that his employee was abducted from his house by the Russian military and taken to a remote Russian military camp.

In Russia, military service of 12 months is compulsory for all citizens aged between 18 and 27. It is exempted in rare cases.

Mr. Navalny said Mr. Shaveddinov had a credible medical ground to be exempted from the compulsory military service.

He has been forcefully taken to the military base, a day after a Russian court dismissed the medical ground presented by the young leader to exempt him from the compulsory military service.

Mr. Navalny, under whom the conscripted leader worked a press secretary, said that his lawyers would approach the court, demanding the release of his employee.


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Crime News

Russia publicises identity of FSB attacker

By 901 0

Russia has released the identity of the person who attacked the Federal Security Service (FSB) headquarters and killed an official.

The Russian authority has identified the attacker as Yevgeny Manyurov. The details about the attacker has been publicised through a Russian state-run newspaper. The attacker is said to be a loner as well as a gun enthusiast.

The exact reason why he has attacked the FSB headquarters is unknown at this moment. An investigation to clear the dark air surround the attack is on.

At least five persons have been injured in the attack. Among the five, there is also a civilian. The injured persons are at the stage of recovering.

The FSB is the internal intelligence agency of Russia. Like the KGB, the force has enormous importance in the country.

Russia considers the attack on the FSB as a very serious issue.

The attack was gunned down during the incident.


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International Relations News

Russia, China ask UN to free North Korea from economic sanctions

By 1003 0

The European country of Russia and the communist country of China have asked the United Nations to free the iron curtain country of North Korea from the clutches of economic sanctions.

All talks, conducted so far between the US and North Korea to bring peace to the Korean peninsula, have gone unsuccessful.

Russia and China are close partners of North Korea. They always stand with their all-time partner.

The International sanctions make it difficult for Beijing and Moscow to support Pyongyang – which is at present under a severe economic crisis.

Though China and Russia demand a complete removal of sanctions, if the UN gives a slight relaxation to North Korean’s coal, iron, iron ore and textile exports, they may agree without pushing anything further.

North Korea recently upgraded its nuclear capacity further. It asked the US to come up with a feasible agreement within this year.

Actually, Russia and Chine present the new demand as a humanitarian concern. The demand is presented as an effort to improve the standard of living of the people of the iron curtain country of North Korea.

It is yet to see whether the issue will be viewed though humanitarian angle or through security angle by the United Nations – more accurately, the other core members of the UN.


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News

British media exposes Putin’s fake saviour image

By 955 0

What Russia wants its citizens to believe is that Vladimir Putin is the solution to all their problems.

Russian media, controlled by the government, often runs glorified stories on how people in the country get chance to appeal directly to their president and get their issues solved.

In the video published by a renowned media house based in the United Kingdom, two different testimonies capable enough to expose the fake face of the Russian president are included.

The first testimony is of a woman live in Khakassia located in Eastern Siberia. In the video, she is seen recounting how her fire-affected village was repaired by the government swiftly when she appealed to the president directly.

Contrary to the first testimony, what the second testimony gives is a different story. The second testimony is of another woman whose husband was jailed by the Putin-led government. Her testimony describes how her husband, a police enforcement officer, was illegally imprisonment by the government on the fake charges of corruption and official secrete revelation for his attempt to expose the nexus between the criminal gangs and the political system though his online handle – unlike the first woman who approached the state-run media to express her grievance.


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News

Ukraine breaths relief

By 979 0

As a high-level conference between Russia and Ukraine has concluded positively, Kyiv has breathed relief.

In the crucial meeting, Volodymyr Zelensky has represented Ukraine and Vladimir Putin his country, Russia.

The meeting has been mediated by France and Germany. Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron have represented their countries respectively.

Both Russia and Ukraine has agreed to sign a cease fire agreement. The agreement is expected to bring peace to the eastern region of Ukraine, which is at present under the clutches of a rebel force supported by Russia.

Moscow and Kyiv have also decided to swap all those who have been booked in connection with the military action in the eastern region of Ukraine.

Despite all these, the meeting has remained silent on some of the very sensitive issues, like the Ukraine’s longstanding demand of making the eastern region of the country free from the clutches of Russia.

Ukraine has also refused to comment on the Russian demand that a key rebel held territory in the eastern region of Ukraine should be declared as a special territory. It has also declined to speak on the demand that the members of the rebel force who has secured the control of some regions in the eastern region of Ukraine should be awarded amnesty.


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News

Russia introduces bill that curtails freedom of speech

By 879 0

Russian President Vladimir Putin has introduced a controversial bill that can reduce the freedom of speech to a level in which it is almost unrecognisable.

The newly introduced law empowers the country the right to register bloggers, journalists and social media users as foreign agents.

That simply means the Russians who use the social media platforms to criticise the Putin’s government are at the risk of falling into the list of foreign agents.

The bill is also a clear threat to the Russian journalists who do not buy the idea of the projection of Mr. Putin as a leader who should not be criticised.

Mr. Putin’s Russia is known for its opposition to the idea of the freedom of speech and expression.

The present Russia is one of the very few countries which are almost completely intolerant towards dissent.

It often suppresses dissent with force. The new bill is seen as a latest method to suppress the possibility of the emergence of dissent.


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Crime News

Serbia foils Russian spy attempt

By 916 0

Serbia has claimed that it has foiled a spy attempt made by its neighbour Russia. The details of the aforesaid attempt have been publicised by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

He said that the incident would not affect the relation between his country, Serbia, and Russia.

Notably, the Serbian President has showed no interest to blame his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. Instead of that, he has tried to give a clean chit to the Russian Supremo.

He said that the Russian President might not be aware about the plan made by the Russian spy agency.

The statement of the Serbian President is considered as a calculated move to avoid the ire of the Russian Supremo.

Serbia is located close to Russia. Serbia also has close ties with Russia – especially in the economic front.

It is not the first time an Russian spy attempt has been caught red-handed.

Anyway, what lies hidden in the statement of Serbia is a clear warning that it would not allow anyone to intrude into its internal affairs.


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