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European officials warn Russian veterans could play a role in Moscow’s shadow war
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European officials warn Russian veterans could play a role in Moscow’s shadow war

by Martin Fornusek

Europe must ban entry to all Russian veterans of the war against Ukraine or face a surge in crime rates and hybrid attacks, Estonian officials have warned. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna warned that battle-hardened "ex-prisoners and rapists" could flood Europe after the war and carry out nefarious activities on behalf of Russian intelligence. To boost common security, Tallinn proposed a blanket Schengen entry ban for Russian veterans during a meeting of European foreign ministers on

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Thursday, February 5

New START expires, frees US, Russia from decades of nuclear arms restrictions

"If it expires, it expires," U.S. President Donald Trump said in his interview with The New York Times when asked about his intentions to extend the New START treaty that officially ended on Feb. 5. The expiration would put an end to the last bilateral agreement limiting Russian and U.S. nuclear arsenals — a combined 80% of the world's total. Russia's President Vladimir Putin announced his support for extending the treaty in September. "We consider this a very important topic," said Kremlin s

U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., U.S. on Feb. 5, 2026.

As Russian losses in Ukraine mount, the Kremlin strains to avoid full mobilization

As casualties in Ukraine continue to mount, the Kremlin is seeking new sources of manpower while trying to avoid the political shock of full mobilization. Just days before the New Year, Russian leader Vladimir Putin signed laws expanding military conscription. The changes allow year-round drafting and authorize the use of reservists to guard critical infrastructure. At the same time, a growing trend is drawing attention — the share of ethnic Russians among the dead is rising, as is the number

A military parade takes place on Red Square in Moscow, Russia, on May 9, 2025

Kyiv power plant struck in Feb. 3 Russian attack will take 'no less than 2 months' to repair, Mayor Klitschko says

Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated. Parts of east Kyiv could be without heating for at least two months, officials have warned. On Feb. 5, Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko announced that repairs on the Darnytsia Thermo-Electric Station would take "no less than two months," even barring new strikes. The Darnytsia thermal power station supplied heating to 1,100 apartment buildings on the eastern side of Kyiv and came under attack on Feb. 3, resulting in what Klitschko te

EU ambassador pushes back on criticism of Europe's decision-making

The Kyiv Independent’s Oleksiy Sorokin speaks with Katarina Mathernova, the European Union Ambassador to Ukraine, after Russia's large-scale missile and drone attack on Kyiv during one of the coldest days of the winter, leaving parts of the city without heat and electricity.

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The Kyiv Independent’s coverage of news on Russia. Spanning eleven time zones across Eastern Europe and Asia, Russia has an estimated population of 146 million people. Russia’s capital city is Moscow, which is home to almost one in 10 Russians. Russia’s official currency is the Russian Ruble.

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