Latest Russia government News

Russia’s Supreme Court effectively outlaws LGBTQ+ activism in a landmark ruling
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Russia’s Supreme Court effectively outlawed LGBTQ+ activism on Thursday, the most drastic step against advocates of gay, lesbian and transgender rights in the increasingly conservative country. Ruling in response to a lawsuit filed by the Justice Ministry,...

Russian missile strikes in eastern Ukraine rip through buildings, kill 2 and bury families in rubble
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian missiles tore through apartment buildings in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region, local officials said Thursday, killing at least two people and burying families under rubble as the Kremlin’s forces continued to pound the fiercely contested area with long-range...

Russia's foreign minister faces Western critics at security meeting and walks out after speech
SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) — Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov faced Western critics while attending international security talks Thursday in Northern Macedonia, where he blamed “NATO’s reckless expansion to the East” for war returning to Europe. Lavrov arrived in...

Hungary will not agree to starting EU membership talks with Ukraine, minister says
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungary will not support any European Union proposal to begin talks on making Ukraine a member of the bloc, a government minister said Thursday. Gergely Gulyas, the chief of staff to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, said at a news conference in...

Finland will close its entire border with Russia over migrant concerns
HELSINKI (AP) — Finland said Tuesday it will close its last remaining border crossing with Russia amid concerns that Moscow is using migrants as part of “hybrid warfare” to destabilize the Nordic country following its entry into NATO. Finland already had shut seven of the eight...

Ukraine says spy chief's wife is being treated for poisoning with heavy metals
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The wife of Ukraine’s intelligence chief has been diagnosed with heavy metals poisoning and is undergoing treatment in a hospital, a spokesperson for the agency said Tuesday as the country's war with Russia stretched into its 22nd month. Marianna Budanova is...

Putin accuses the West of trying to 'dismember and plunder' Russia in a ranting speech
MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, in a ranting speech before a presidential election campaign, cast Moscow's military action in Ukraine as an existential battle against purported attempts by the West to destroy Russia. Putin, who has been in power for more...

Tornadoes forecast in the Black Sea region as storm reportedly impacts Russian military operations
Tornadoes were forecast for the Black Sea region on Tuesday, a day after a storm that left more than 2 million people without electricity in Crimea, Russia and Ukraine. A think tank said that the weather also impacted Russian military operations. The storm killed at least 14 people...

Putin signs Russia's largest national budget, bolstering military spending
MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed a national budget for the next three years that increases spending by around 25% and reportedly devotes a record amount to defense as the the country's military operation in Ukraine drags on. The budget foresees...

Russia puts the spokesman for Facebook owner Meta on a wanted list
Russia has added the spokesman of U.S. technology company Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, to a wanted list, according to an online database maintained by the country’s interior ministry. Russian state agency Tass and independent news outlet Mediazona first reported that...
