Musk has been in contact with Putin, Russian officials since 2022, WSJ reports
Former and current European, U.S., and Russian officials told the WSJ that Musk held conversations with Putin and other high-ranking Kremlin officials since late 2022.
Vladimir Putin
Putin seemingly acknowledges presence of North Korean troops in Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared to indirectly acknowledge reports of North Korean troops in Russia when speaking to foreign journalists on Oct. 24. He referred to the mutual defense clause in Russia and North Korea’s newly signed security treaty.
Uzbekistan refuses to join Eurasian Economic Union, which includes Russia
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin arrived in Tashkent in August to hold talks with Uzbek officials about potentially joining the EAEU, which Russian President Vladimir Putin has called the new "center of a multipolar world."
Opinion: Putin’s drone strategy shows the cracks in Russia’s war machine
Russia shot down one of its own drones — a large and stealthy S-70 — after it flew uncontrolled into Ukrainian territory in early October, sparking speculation about how Moscow lost control of this valuable asset so publicly. It’s an unforced error that will be keenly felt in Moscow, whose high
North Korean troops dispatch was secret clause of Moscow-Pyongyang pact, WSJ reports
The secret clause reportedly allowed North Korea to send the first 1,000 of its soldiers to Ukraine to gain military experience. More North Korean troops are expected to be engaged, the source told the WSJ.
Many Russians support Putin despite favoring opposing policies, survey shows
Around 61% of Putin's supporters said they favored peace in Ukraine under mutual concessions, according to the poll conducted by the independent Levada Center between Sept. 10 and 17.
Torn apart by infighting, without a plan, what comes next for Russia’s opposition?
When Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny died in an Arctic penal colony in February 2024, the country’s liberal dissidents vowed to carry on their mission: to end the rule of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Eight months on, however, and Russia’s opposition is bitterly divided, with little to no
As the Baltics raise the alarm about Russia, Washington still not listening
For Zygimantas Pavilionis, a member of the Lithuanian parliament, history is repeating itself: The Kremlin’s military sights are set on Europe beyond Ukraine and the U.S. is not listening to warnings from the Baltics. “In Europe, they listen to the Baltics, but in America, they are so arrogant
Alexei Navalny's widow Yulia says she will run for president if she can return to Russia
"I will participate in the elections… as a candidate" when the time is right, Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny told the BBC in an interview published on Oct. 21.
Navalny's prison diaries to be published posthumously this week
The memoir, "Patriot," is compiled from the Russian opposition leader's prison diaries and was edited in part by his widow, Yulia Navalnaya. The book will be released in 22 languages, including Russian.
Trump blames Zelensky, Biden for Russia's invasion of Ukraine
While Trump was quick to blame U.S. and Ukrainian leadership for the full-scale war during an interview on Oct. 17, he made no mention of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Scholz says he is open to talk to Putin about peace in Ukraine
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz emphasized that he would speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin "if asked" but stressed that no decisions would be made without the input of Ukraine or other Western allies.
Trump declines to say if he’s spoken to Putin since leaving office, media reports
Former President Donald Trump on Oct. 15 declined to confirm if he had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin since leaving office in 2021 but said, "If I did, it’s a smart thing."
This is how North Korean troops could be used in Russia’s war in Ukraine
Russia's war in Ukraine may have reached a new stage this week, with reports that North Korea has moved from supplying Moscow with weapons to sending its own troops. A Western diplomat familiar with the matter told the Kyiv Independent on Oct. 15 Pyongyang has sent 10,000 soldiers to
North Korea has sent 10,000 soldiers to Russia, Western source says
As Russia and North Korea deepen military ties, Western diplomats and experts stress that it shows Moscow's increasing need for resources to continue waging its costly war in Ukraine.
Opinion: The Russian opposition needs to stop blaming Putin and start confronting Russia's violent imperial legacy
“What’s the point of a world without Russia in it?” asked a well-known politician, now a wanted war criminal, back in 2018. A less prominent Russian figure echoed this sentiment in 2024, though less threateningly, when he remarked, “The disintegration of Russia would be a catastrophe, not only for
Trump implies Putin told him about his designs for Ukraine
"It (Ukraine) was the apple of his eye; he used to talk about it. But I said, 'You're not going in, and he wasn't going in," Donald Trump said on Oct. 14.
Brazil must arrest Putin if he attends G20, Ukraine's Prosecutor General says
In light of "information that Putin may attend the G20 summit in Brazil, I would like to reiterate that it's an obligation for the Brazilian authorities as a state party of the Rome Statute to arrest him if he dares to visit," Prosecutor General Andrii Kostin said.
Putin submits treaty on strategic partnership with North Korea to parliament
Among the tenets of the treaty is a stipulation that either country must provide military assistance to the other in the case of an attack. The treaty was first signed by Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in June 2024.
North Korean soldiers are reportedly in Ukraine — here's what we know
Editor's note: This article has been updated to include President Volodymyr Zelensky's Oct. 14 statements regarding North Korea. President Volodymyr Zelensky on Oct. 14 said that Russia plans to involve North Korea directly in the full-scale war against Ukraine over the coming months. Russia's plans for the fall and winter
Russia hasn't received request for Scholz-Putin call, Kremlin claims
The statement came two days after German Foreign Minister Annalenna Baerbock said that Russian President Vladimir Putin is not willing to speak with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz about brokering peace in Ukraine.
Lukashenko claims Russian nuclear realignment was long overdue
Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko, in a comment to a Russian reporter, said that recent changes to Russia's nuclear weapons policy were long overdue and would likely "cool the ardor" of Western nations.
Belarus Weekly: Russian drones cross into Belarus as Lukashenko was flying
One of three Russian drones that crossed into Belarus as Alexander Lukashenko was flying from his residence crashed in a populated area, witnesses of the crash arrested. Poland expresses support for Lithuania's ICC Referral over Lukashenko's alleged crimes. Seven defendants sentenced in absentia to 25 years in prison for damaging
Putin meets with Iranian President Pezeshkian for first time
"We are actively working together in the international arena and our assessments of events taking place in the world are often very close," Russian President Vladimir Putin said of the meeting.
Putin visits Turkmenistan for regional forum, meeting with Iran's president
Russian President Vladimir Putin began his visit to Turkmenistan on Oct. 11, speaking at an international forum attended by Central Asian leaders and the president of Iran.
Opinion: Putin’s war? The case for Russia’s collective responsibility in Ukraine
Referring to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine simply as “Putin’s war” is quite common, but this framing is misleading. It oversimplifies the invasion, affects allies’ perceptions, and fuels Russian propaganda. By focusing solely on the actions of Russian President Vladimir Putin, blame for this brutal aggression is shifted away
White House has 'serious concerns' about alleged Trump-Putin calls
"Let's not forget, it is concerning, especially when we know the former president was lobbying against more aid for Ukraine — to Ukraine to defend themselves against Russia's aggression," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.
Opinion: The West cannot use its values to make sense of Russia
During the last decade, Western governments, analysts, and media personalities have struggled to understand Russia’s actions and renewed imperial aggression in Ukraine – especially as the invasion has turned into a quagmire that the Kremlin appears unable to escape. Since 2022, one-third of Russia’s prized Black Sea Fleet has
We can't solve war in Ukraine without solving Belarus, Tsikhanouskaya says in exclusive interview
Editor's note: The interview has been edited for clarity. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is stuck between a rock and a hard place. Despite receiving popular support during the 2020 elections, the Belarusian opposition leader was kicked out of her country, her supporters were jailed en masse, while the country she wanted to
Anne Applebaum: Russia is ‘one of the world’s most unstable autocracies’
Democratic nations have grappled with a range of pressing issues in recent years, including the inherent flaws of long-established political systems, the erosion of international alliances, and global economic challenges, all while autocracies have been gaining power by exploiting this instability. American journalist and historian Anne Applebaum’s latest book,
Trump reportedly spoke with Putin as many as 7 times after leaving White House
Former U.S. President Donald Trump also secretly sent Putin COVID-19 test devices for personal use at the start of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, according to journalist Bob Woodward's book.
Two months into Ukraine’s Kursk offensive, anger in Russia's border regions fuels war support
Ever since Ukraine launched a lightning incursion deep into Russia territory in early August, Yan, a local resident in the city of Kursk, has been volunteering at a local drop-off point, helping to distribute clothes and bedding. "The number of people arriving at the humanitarian aid points every week is
Three years of reporting, funded by our readers.
Millions read the Kyiv Independent, but only one in 10,000 readers makes a financial contribution. For our third birthday this November, we're looking for 1,000 new members to fund our mission and to help us prepare for what 2025 might bring. We’re relying on you.
Help us get 1,000 new members!
(Updated: )
Most popular
Editors' Picks
Kremlin finds new enemies to target — Russians without kids
With Scholz's government in shambles, conservative rival touts more decisive Ukraine strategy
Ukraine reacts warily to Trump appointments as Russia’s war rages on
