Putin signs decree naming new Russian government, including replacement of defense minister

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday signed a decree appointing a new government, including replacement of the defense minister with a former deputy prime minister who is an economics expert with no military background. When Putin was inaugurated for a new...

Another top Russian Defense Ministry official is arrested on bribery charges amid Kremlin shake-up

A second senior Russian defense official was arrested on bribery charges, officials said Tuesday, days after President Vladimir Putin replaced the defense minister in a Cabinet shake-up that fueled expectations of more such purges. Lt. Gen. Yury Kuznetsov, the 55-year-old chief of...

A Kremlin shake-up of Russia's Defense Ministry comes at a key moment in the Ukraine war

Standing in his dress uniform in the back of his Aurus convertible, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu was driven around Red Square to review the troops during last week's Victory Day parade. It was to be his last inspection in that role. Over the weekend, President Vladimir Putin...

Putin replaces Shoigu as Russia's defense minister as he starts his 5th term

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday replaced Sergei Shoigu as defense minister in a Cabinet shakeup that comes as he begins his fifth term in office. In line with Russian law, the entire Russian Cabinet resigned Tuesday following Putin’s glittering inauguration in the...

Putin appoints Sergei Shoigu as head of Russia's national security council

Russian President Vladimir Putin proposes replacing Sergei Shoigu as the country's defense minister

Putin reappoints his prime minister, a technocrat who has kept a low political profile

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin reappointed Mikhail Mishustin as the country’s prime minister on Friday, a widely anticipated move to keep on a technocrat who has maintained a low political profile. Mishustin and other technocrats in the Cabinet have been credited...

Moscow court rejects appeal to move to house arrest a deputy defense minister facing bribery charges

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A Moscow court rejected Wednesday an appeal filed by a Russian deputy defense minister's lawyers who sought to have him moved from prison to house arrest as he faces bribery charges. Timur Ivanov, who was in charge of military construction projects, was...

Antony Blinken meets with China's President Xi as US, China spar over bilateral and global issues

BEIJING (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Friday with Chinese President Xi Jinping and senior Chinese officials, stressing the importance of “responsibly managing” the differences between the United States and China as the two sides butted heads over a number of contentious...

Third man is detained in a major bribery case that involves Russia's deputy defense minister

A third man has been detained in a bribery case involving one of Russia's most senior defense officials, Moscow's court service said Thursday. It said businessman Alexander Fomin is suspected of paying bribes to Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov, who was detained Wednesday, as...