WORLD

Moscow, Russia | Xinhua | A Russian Il-80 aircraft, which will serve as a strategic command post in the “doomsday” of a nuclear war, participated in a rehearsal of the upcoming Victory Day parade on Wednesday. Together with strategic bombers and fighters, the Il-80 escorted by two MiG-29 jets flew over …

Rome, Italy | Xinhua | European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday that the European Union (EU) will phase out Russian supply of crude oil within six months and refined products by the end of the year. However, Italy-based analysts said the move — if adopted — would …

Kiev, Ukraine | Xinhua | Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Kiev will not agree to any deal that would lead to a “frozen conflict” with Russia, the Ukrinform news agency reported on Wednesday. “We will not settle for a frozen conflict… I am against it. We will definitely not have …

Moscow, Russia | Xinhua | Any vehicle of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) that arrives in Ukraine with weapons or material for the needs of the Ukrainian armed forces is considered by Russia as “a legitimate target for destruction,” Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Wednesday. Shoigu made the remarks …

Brussels, Belgium | Xinhua | The European Union (EU) will phase out Russian crude oil within six months and refined products by the end of the year, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday, announcing the sixth package of sanctions against Russia. “We now propose a ban on Russian …

Kiev, Ukraine | Xinhua | Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that his country may put the issue of neutral status on a nationwide referendum, the Ukrinform news agency reported Tuesday. If Russia’s desire for Ukraine’s neutral status is one of the provisions of the agreements on ending the conflict, “we are …

Moscow, Russia | Xinhua | Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Tuesday on retaliatory sanctions against individuals and entities in response to their “unfriendly actions” over the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The measures will be taken in retaliation to “the unfriendly actions of the United States, foreign states and international organizations …

Moscow, Russia | Xinhua | Russian President Vladimir Putin urged Western countries to stop supplying Ukraine with weapons during a telephone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday. Putin told Macron about Russia’s efforts in the evacuation of civilians from Mariupol, the Kremlin said in a statement. The Russian president …

Rome, Italy | Xinhua | Italy’s government on Monday adopted a decree that eliminates excise taxes on some forms of natural gas and methane to help tackle surging energy prices due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. According to a statement from the office of Prime Minister Mario Draghi, excise taxes on gasoline, …

Madrid, Spain | Xinhua | The mobile phones of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Defense Minister Margarita Robles were tapped by the Pegasus system, a Spanish official said on Monday. Their phones were subjected to “illegal and external listening” using Pegasus, according to two technical reports from the Spanish National …