Russia-backed Syrian safe zones plan goes into effect
A deal hammered out by Russia, Turkey and Iran to set up "de-escalation zones" in mostly opposition-held parts of Syria went into effect in the early hours of Saturday.
A deal hammered out by Russia, Turkey and Iran to set up "de-escalation zones" in mostly opposition-held parts of Syria went into effect in the early hours of Saturday.
A day after Donald Trump's first call as president with Russia's Vladimir Putin, leading congressional Republicans made clear they oppose any attempt by the new administration to wipe away U.S. penalties imposed on Moscow by the Obama White House.
The attack was the deadliest single incident for the Russian military since its involvement in Syria's civil war.
MOSCOW — Russian warplanes and troops stationed at Russia's air base in Syria started leaving for home on Tuesday after a partial pullout order from President Vladimir Putin the previous day, a step that raises hopes for progress at the newly reconvened U.N.-brokered peace talks in Geneva.
A homemade explosive device brought down a Russian passenger plane over Egypt last month, the head of Russia's FSB security service said Tuesday, telling President Vladimir Putin it's now clear the crash that killed 224 people was a "terrorist" act and offering a $50 million reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible.
Details of a new Russian submarine-launched nuclear torpedo have been shown on state-controlled TV, a secret the Kremlin said should never have been aired. Some observers, however, saw it as a deliberate leak.
Syrian troops backed by Russian airstrikes advanced against insurgents in the center of the country as President Vladimir Putin defended Moscow's intervention in the conflict, saying it would aid efforts to reach a political settlement.
Iran has granted permission for Russian planes to fly over its territory en route to Syria, Russian news agencies reported Wednesday, a bypass needed after Bulgaria refused overflights amid signs of a Russian military buildup in Syria.
Russia is poised to use its armed forces to expand further into former Soviet states, Georgia's president said Tuesday, calling on the West never to accept any Russian aggression.
In defiance of those in Moscow eager to curb his powers, Chechnya's strongman leader told his security forces to open fire on Russian federal troops if they tried to operate in the region without his approval.