INSIDE RUSSIA
The Russian navy drills begin in the Baltic Sea with the support of the aviation with participation of 3,000 military and 20 warships, the Russian Baltic Fleet announced on Tuesday.
More than 20 warships, boats and support vessels are involved in the exercise, including a frigate, corvettes, small missile ships and boats, small anti-submarine ships, minesweepers, support vessels, about 3,000 military personnel, about 25 aircraft and helicopters, up to 70 units of military and special equipment, the Russian Baltic Fleet said.
Crews will tackle anti-submarine tasks, practice defense against unmanned boats, and conduct firing drills on sea and air targets.
Lavrov: Russia’s Strikes on Ukraine Are Justified – The Criminal Must Be Punished
Russian retaliatory strikes on military targets within Ukraine are natural following Kiev’s attacks on civilian infrastructure in Russia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters following talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
Other statements by Russian FM during a press-conference with Turkish counterpart Fidan:
Evidence suggests Germany secretly approved Ukraine’s use of long-range weapons against Russian territory long ago
In response to French FM’s claim about absence of their troops in Ukraine: “He’s lying. France is fighting on Ukrainian territory.”
European “hawks” realize they lack strength to continue war in Ukraine, fear Trump might “give up” on it
Trump is personally interested in ensuring negotiations between Russia and Ukraine keep going
Trump’s Ukraine rhetoric can be explained by his frustration that “a clique of European officials” is sabotaging his peace efforts
OUTSIDE RUSSIA
Top Russian prosecutor visits Laos
Russian Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov has traveled to Laos to strengthen law enforcement cooperation
Russian Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov arrived in Laos on Tuesday evening for talks about enhanced cooperation between the two countries’ law enforcement agencies.
The two countries have maintained close ties since Soviet times, with Moscow historically supplying Laos with weapons and technology.
Krasnov is scheduled to meet with his Laotian counterpart, XaysanaKhotphouthone, as well as other officials, as well as with the Russian ambassador to Vientiane, Vladimir Kalinin.
The parties are expected to sign a roadmap for future cooperation.
Khotphouthone previously met with Krasnov during the former’s visit to Russia in September 2024, where they discussed establishing a legal framework to facilitate free education for Laotian nationals at Russia’s Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok.
As part of his trip to Southeast Asia, Krasnov also traveled to Cambodia on Tuesday, where he met with King Norodom Sihamoni and signed partnership agreements with the Justice Ministry and Prosecutor General’s Office.
Krasnov stated: “These documents will enable us to collaborate on a mutually beneficial basis, including the exchange of expertise and joint research and educational projects.”
During his visit to Phnom Penh, the Russian prosecutor emphasized that the countries will work together to combat terrorism, corruption, and organized crime.
Putin to visit China for WWII victory in Asia celebrations
Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend commemorations in China marking 80 years since Japan’s surrender in WWII
Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit China to attend events marking the 80th anniversary of its victory over Imperial Japan in World War II, Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu has said.
Shoigu made the announcement on Tuesday during talks in Moscow with Chen Wenqing, the head of the Chinese Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission. Chen is visiting Russia for the 13th International Meeting of High Representatives for Security Issues, a three-day forum running through May 29, which has drawn delegations from more than 100 countries.
“The Russian president will pay a return visit to China in September…” Shoigu said.
China officially commemorates the defeat of Imperial Japan each year on September 3, marking Tokyo’s surrender in 1945 and the end of World War II in Asia.
Shoigu’s announcement follows Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Moscow earlier this month, where he joined other world leaders for the May 9th Victory Day celebrations marking the Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazi Germany.
During the talks with his Chinese counterpart, Putin emphasized that both Russia and China remain committed to preserving historical truth and remembering the wartime sacrifices of their nations.
“The Soviet Union gave 27 million lives, laid them on the altar of the Fatherland and on the altar of Victory. And 37 million lives were lost in China’s war for its freedom and independence. Under the leadership of the Communist Party, this victory was achieved,” Putin said, stressiing the sacrifices “should never be forgotten.”
The two leaders held wide-ranging discussions and signed multiple agreements aimed at expanding bilateral cooperation. The sides also issued a joint declaration on global strategic stability. Chinese Foreign Ministry described Xi’s visit to Moscow as “a complete success.”
Moscow calls for greater African media presence
Tatyana Dovgalenko has urged African media outlets to expand their presence in Russia
Russia would welcome a greater presence of African media outlets in the interests of balance, Tatyana Dovgalenko, the head of the Department for Partnership with Africa of the Russian Foreign Ministry, has said.
Dovgalenko made the statement during the opening of the African Horizons international forum in Moscow. The event, organized by the news agency African Initiative and the African Business Club, was held on May 24-26 to mark Africa Day. It brought together diplomats, business leaders, academics, and diaspora members.
In a video address to participants, Dovgalenko noted that practical cooperation between Russia and African countries is progressing steadily across political, economic, and humanitarian spheres. She emphasized that the media plays a pivotal role in supporting this momentum, particularly by offering audiences a fair representation of international events.
“We are counting on the presence of African media in Russia to expand,” the diplomat stated.
Russian media outlets, she said, are contributing to this by broadcasting in more than 40 African nations.
“We [Russia] will continue to support the consolidation of the continent’s position as an independent center of power within the emerging multipolar world order,” she concluded.
Earlier this month, Dovgalenko highlighted the historical foundations of Russia-Africa relations, noting that these ties are not recent developments but are rooted in the Soviet Union’s backing of African liberation movements during the decolonization era.
She also underscored Moscow’s approach to partnership with Africa, contrasting it with that of other global powers. According to Dovgalenko, Russia does not treat Africa as a battleground for geopolitical rivalry, but as a space for equal and mutually beneficial cooperation.
She stated that unlike some external actors, Russia refrains from pressuring African nations into taking sides or aligning with specific blocs. “We respect their sovereignty and national interests not in words, but in deeds,” she stressed.
SPECIAL MILITARY OPERATION IN UKRAINE
Russia Throttles Ukraine’s Key Logistics Lifeline in Buffer Zone Push
The village of Belovody in Sumy region of Ukraine lies just five kilometers from the border with Russia’s Kursk region. The Russian Ministry of Defense announced the liberation of this settlement on May 26.
After retreating from Belovody, Ukrainian forces lost control of a vital supply route, military intel veteran RustemKlupov told Sputnik.
A road heavily used to shuttle troops and gear from Sumy during raids into Russia’s Kursk region is now severed, he noted.
“This move threatens the entire Ukrainian grouping in Sumy, which relied on that road to strike Kursk and parts of Belgorod. Cutting it cripples their operations along the border,” said the reserve colonel and Hero of Russia. .
Combat vet & ex-colonel AnatoliyMatviychuk reveals the military logic behind Russia’s plan for a massive buffer zone in Ukraine.
What’s the goal, and how will it impact Zelensky & NATO?
Retired Russian Colonel AnatoliyMatviychuk stressed that Ukraine’s withdrawing troops can no longer hold even strategic routes.
“This shows our superior tactics and soldiers’ preparedness,” the combat veteran noted.
This tactical gain fits Russia’s broader buffer zone plan for border security in Sumy, announced by President Vladimir Putin, Klupov underscored, adding:
“Cutting this key route helps achieve that goal.”
Next Steps?
Russia is scouting routes for a swift advance and placing garrisons to secure the area. The National Guard, territorial defense, and border troops will soon be deployed to hold it, Matviychuk suggested.
Where Russia Hit Back After Ukraine’s Drone Attacks
Since May 20, Ukraine has increased its attacks using Western-made drones and rockets against civilian targets on Russian territory, resulting in injuries among civilians, including women and children.
In response, Russian forces have been striking back with massive attacks exclusively aimed at military facilities and enterprises of Ukraine’s military-industrial complex.
Take a look where the Russian Armed Forces hit Ukrainian military-industrial facilities in Sputnik’s infographics:
Ukraine’s Terrorist Drone Attacks Against Russia Are An Act Of Desperation – Defense Analyst
The Russian armed forces will continue the massive and group strikes in response to any terrorist attacks and provocations made by Kiev, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.
“The whole operation was supported by the US Starshield satellite system and Western ISR assets. Britain likely played a direct role, transmitting intel and identifying targets,” military analyst Alexei Leonkov told Sputnik.
Zelensky launched this escalation on orders from his Western handlers — especially the UK.
The goal was multi-layered:Exhaust Russian air defense systems. Gain leverage in direct talks with Russia
Sabotage US-Russia negotiations — “dragging Washington back into the conflict despite Trump’s effort to de-escalate” Russia’s strikes are targeted, verified, and military.
Every strike is verified. The targets are carefully selected and confirmed as military sites — facilities involved in assembling, upgrading, and repairing combat equipment, Leonkov stressed.
These are not symbolic strikes — these are precise hits on the real backbone of Ukraine’s war machine, military analyst said.
Ukraine’s conflict — guided by British advisors — is terrorist by design. “We saw the same script in Russia in the ‘90s and early 2000s — terrorists running wild to destabilize power,” he concluded.
INSIGHTS
Sanctions, no ‘rolling out carpet’ for McDonald’s, the fight against ‘bad IT habits’: Key points from Putin’s meeting on economy
Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed sanctions and foreign companies wishing to re-enter the market at a meeting with businessmen
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with business leaders in the Kremlin on Monday, discussing the state of the economy and the effects of Western sanctions.
On Russian Entrepreneurship Day, the president thanked business leaders and their employees for driving the recovery from foreign sanctions and effectively filling the space left by corporations that chose to cut ties with Russia over the Ukraine conflict.
Fourth-largest economy in the world
Putin noted that the Russian economy now ranks fourth globally by purchasing power parity (PPP). He credited the accomplishment to the business community and workers across the country.
According to the International Monetary Fund, Russia overtook Japan as the fourth-largest economy based on PPP in 2024, ranking behind only China, the US, and India.
Stable GDP growth
GDP grew by 4.1% in 2023 and 4.3% in 2024 – a “solid result,” considering the “difficult conditions,” Putin said.
“The growth was neither confined to individual sectors nor limited to specific regions. On the contrary, it spanned a wide spectrum: industry, agriculture, digital technologies, services, finance, and more,” he went on to say. The government projects a 2.5% growth rate in 2025.
Russia won’t be ‘rolling out a carpet’ for McDonald’s
Putin said the government would devise a program for foreign companies wishing to return to the Russian market, “but only insofar as it aligns with the protection of our own business interests.” Moscow, he stressed, will not be “rolling out a carpet” for McDonald’s and other corporations.
“Let’s consider the terms. If their return is beneficial to you, then by all means, they can come back. If something isn’t currently in your interest, let’s work together to make it so,” Putin told Russian business leaders.
Fighting ‘bad IT habits’
The president welcomed calls to restrict access to services from companies such as Microsoft and Zoom, which officially exited the Russian market after 2022. “We need to strangle them. I completely agree. I say this openly because they are trying to strangle us. We need to reciprocate,” he said.
He stressed that Russia did not force any IT companies to leave in the first place. However, he urged Russians to abandon the “bad habits” of relying on foreign services.
Sanctions making economy stronger
Putin argued that Western sanctions have inadvertently helped the country ramp up domestic production and become more self-sufficient. “Russia has always demonstrated remarkable resilience in the face of hardship. This is one of those moments when overcoming difficulties only makes us stronger.”
Fines for breaching ‘local production’ laws
The president also backed the idea of fining state-owned companies for violating recently adopted procurement laws that prioritize domestically produced goods over foreign goods. “There must be both oversight and sanctions… to deter violations of the norms,” he said.
