Russia

Russian lawmakers on Wednesday voted unanimously to ratify a landmark mutual defense pact with North Korea, as Kiev and the West claim Pyongyang sent thousands of troops to fight for Russia against Ukraine.

The agreement formalizes months of deepening security cooperation between the two nations, which were Communist allies throughout the Cold War.

Russia has released a list of 47 countries where, according to the Kremlin, "neoliberal values" are being imposed, which it claims are in conflict with traditional Russian values. The list includes Bulgaria, most EU countries, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, Switzerland, New Zealand, Canada, North Macedonia, Albania, Iceland, and Norway.

The Russian government has published a list of countries deemed to exhibit “destructive behaviors contrary to Russian spiritual and moral values,” which includes Greece and Cyprus. This decision was made under the directive of Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.

Russia said on Sunday that it had thwarted a "massive" Ukrainian drone attack by downing 158 drones across 15 regions, including two over the capital Moscow.

A coal-fired power plant near the city was reported hit, as was an oil refinery within the city boundaries.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has vowed more "retribution" against Russia as he celebrated Independence Day near where his forces launched a surprise offensive into Russian territory two weeks ago.

Kiev said Friday its incursion into Russian territory had advanced, claiming it aimed to force Russia to negotiate on "fair" terms, as Moscow's troops announced new gains in eastern Ukraine.

Two and a half years into Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Kiev's troops last week launched a major counter-offensive into Russia's Kursk region, sending more than 120,000 people fleeing.

At the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Astana, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping have unveiled plans for a new regional security organization aimed at countering NATO's influence.

Born some 20 years ago as their countries joined the European Union, a cohort of young adults has grown up with rights and freedoms as citizens of the bloc that their parents never knew.

Russia's first Moon mission in almost 50 years, the Luna-25 probe, has crashed on the Moon's surface after an unspecified incident during pre-landing maneuvers, the Russian space agency Roscosmos said on Aug. 20.

The crash comes almost a year and a half into Russia's Ukraine offensive that has seen Moscow isolated, with punishing sanctions that have affected its space industry.

Russia will stop the supply of spare parts for Russian and Soviet military equipment to unfriendly countries and will revoke the licenses for the right to repair such equipment. This was reported to Interfax by the head of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSVTS) of Russia, Dmitry Shugaev, quoted by "News in France".