Vladimir Putin's surprise move to allow himself to remain as president until 2036 caught even many Kremlin insiders off guard, leaving some feeling deceived by his motivation for changing the constitution. His sudden reversal — approving a plan that he'd long publicly resisted — was ...
Pioneer to pariah: Russia's first woman in space criticized over amendment to extend Putin's power
Valentina Tereshkova was hailed as a hero when she became the first woman in space in 1963. Now 83, she has became a hate figure for some Russians after putting forward a constitutional amendment that could allow President Vladimir Putin to stay in power until ...
Allies back 'reset' that could keep Putin in Kremlin until 2036
President Vladimir Putin's allies on Wednesday backed reforms that could allow him to stay in the Kremlin until 2036, but critics accused him of seeking to usurp power and called for protests. A day after voting for a package of Putin-backed constitutional amendments — including ...
Russian parliament backs changing constitution to let Putin reign on
The Russian lower house of parliament on Wednesday gave its definitive and overwhelming approval to constitutional changes that allow Vladimir Putin to run for president again in 2024, something the current constitution forbids. The 450-seat State Duma, the lower house of parliament, voted in favor ...
Russia and Turkey reach cease-fire deal in northwestern Syria
The presidents of Russia and Turkey said they reached agreement on a cease-fire to begin at midnight Thursday in northwestern Syria, where escalating fighting had threatened to put forces from the two countries into direct conflict. The deal struck by Russian President Vladimir Putin and ...
For Putin, victory in Syria is personal as well as political
When Turkey's president visited Russia last summer, the sun shone as he shared ice cream and admired fighter jets with a friendly President Vladimir Putin. But ahead of Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to Moscow on Thursday, clouds have gathered, with the pair in a standoff ...
Erdogan's options narrow as Russia presses Syrian crisis to Turkey's doorstep
With nearly 1 million displaced Syrians massing near the Turkish border in the face of a Syrian government military offensive, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's options are narrowing. He feels blindsided by Russia's push into Syria's Idlib region and the risk of full-blown conflict is ...
Russia conducts first ship-based hypersonic missile test, TASS reports
Russia successfully test-launched its Tsirkon (Zircon) hypersonic cruise missile from a military vessel for the first time early last month, the TASS news agency said on Thursday, citing two military sources. President Vladimir Putin talked up hypersonic missiles in a March 2018 speech, saying they ...
Erdogan rules out even 'smallest step back' in Syria's Idlib
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday vowed Turkey would not take the "smallest step back" in an escalating stand-off with Damascus and Russia over the northern Syrian region of Idlib. Meanwhile, a meeting between Erdogan and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, is expected to take ...
Turkey's president accused Russia of committing "massacres" in its support of the Syrian government on Wednesday, escalating a war of words as more Turkish reinforcements arrived on the ground. Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened to strike Syrian regime forces "everywhere" if its soldiers come under renewed ...
Russian public's trust in Putin falls to six-year low despite high approval rating
The Russian public's trust in President Vladimir Putin fell to its lowest in six years last month, the Levada opinion pollster said on Wednesday, despite the Russian leader's approval rating remaining high. Putin's approval rating dropped sharply following an unpopular move to raise the pension ...
