2 Apr, 2025 09:48

Ukrainian drone raid hits Russian residential blocks – officials(PHOTOS/VIDEO)

Two people were injured and dozens evacuated after a UAV strike damaged two buildings in the city of Taganrog

A Ukrainian drone raid damaged residential buildings in the southern Russian city of Taganrog late on Tuesday, injuring two civilians and forcing the evacuation of dozens, according to local officials.

The drones sparked fires at a nine-story building and a seven-story block, according to acting Rostov Region Governor Yury Slusar.

“Two people sustained minor injuries, including burns and cuts. They are now being treated,” he said. “Fortunately, there are no fatalities.”

One drone was found lodged in a tree nearresidential buildings, according to Taganrog Mayor Svetlana Kambulova.

Slusar announced a state of emergency in the city – which is 80km from the Ukraine conflict front line – following the attack.

Emergency crews temporarily evacuated 85 residents from one affected building. By Wednesday morning, city officials said residents were allowed to return after specialists determined there was no structural threat and utilities remained intact.

Videos circulating on social media showed the moment of a nighttime explosion meters away from one of the buildings. Another clip depicted a fire in a yard and damaged cars parked nearby. Kabulova released several pictures depicting the building’s damaged facade with shattered windows.

Russia has repeatedly accused Ukraine of using artillery and drones to strike civilian infrastructure and residential buildings, particularly in areas close to the front line. The recent strikes also come as Russia and the US have engaged in active talks to find a settlement on the Ukraine conflict.

Last month, following a phone call with US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to a 30-day moratorium on strikes targeting energy infrastructure. Moscow, however, has said that Kiev violated the deal almost immediately. Despite this, Russian officials have signaled that Moscow will abide by the partial ceasefire, arguing that it serves as a signal of improving US-Russia ties.

https://www.rt.com/russia/615133-ukrainian-drone-raid-taganrog/

2 Apr, 2025 13:28

Visit by Putin envoy to Washington ‘possible’ – Kremlin

It was earlier reported in the Western media that Kirill Dmitriev will meet Donald Trump’s Ukraine negotiator Steve Witkoff later this week

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s economic envoy, Kirill Dmitriev,could visit Washington in the near future, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has confirmed.

It was earlier reported in the Western media that Dmitriev, who heads up Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, could travel to the US later this week for talks with President Donald Trump’s negotiator for settling the Ukraine conflict, Steve Witkoff.The meeting will reportedly aim to further “strengthen relations between the two countries as they seek to end the war in Ukraine.”

Asked to confirm the reports, Peskov said on Wednesday that “such a visit is possible,”without offering further details or dates. He added thatMoscow continues to communicate with Washington “through various channels” on both diplomatic issues and the Ukraine conflict.

Dmitriev earlier responded to the reports on his travel plans with a post on X, writing “maybe,”and adding:“What if improved relations are exactly what the world needs for lasting global security and peace?”

The official took part in last month’s Russian-US talks in Saudi Arabia, where both sides agreed to begin normalizing relations. Since then, Moscow and Washington have worked on a potential diplomatic settlement of the Ukraine conflict,reaching limited progress with a partial ceasefire agreement. Russia, however, has accused Ukraine of violating the truce almost immediately, claiming that multiple facilities covered by the agreement were attacked by Ukrainian drones over the past two weeks.

Moscow insists that any settlement of the conflict must address its root causes, including NATO expansion, and would require Ukraine’s neutrality, demilitarization, and denazification.

https://www.rt.com/russia/615135-visit-putin-envoy-us/

1 Apr, 2025 18:54

Ukraine not honoring energy ceasefire agreement – Lavrov

Kiev has repeatedly attacked Russia’s energy infrastructure despite the truce being in effect, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said

Ukraine has repeatedly breached the US-brokered partial ceasefire and continued to attack Russian energy infrastructure, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said.

The top diplomat spoke to reporters on Tuesday,revealing details of an extended meeting of Russia’s Security Council held earlier in the day.During the meeting, Defense Minister Andrey Belousov briefed President Vladimir Putin on the status of the energy ceasefire, Lavrov revealed.

“Belousov said that the moratorium is not being observed, Russian energy facilities have been attacked all this time, perhaps with a break of one or two days, and he listed all the facilities that were targeted by Ukrainian drones over the period, including last night,” the top diplomat said, adding that he offered the president a similar take on the situation around the agreement.

The energy truce was proposed by US President Donald Trump during a phone call with Putin back on March 18. The Russian president agreed to the proposal, immediately ordering a halt to such attacks by Russia. The Russian military said it had to shoot down seven kamikaze drones that were already en route to energy facilities in Ukraine to implement the president’s order.

Last week, Moscow revealed a comprehensive list of energy facilities subject to the truce, which took effect on March 18 and will last for 30 days. The agreement may be prolonged beyond the period should both sides agree.

The facilities covered under the agreement include gas and oil processing and storage facilities, including pumping stations and pipelines, electricity producing and distribution sites, nuclear power plants, and the dams of hydroelectric plants.

Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky publicly backed the idea of the truce shortly after it was first announced, and appeared to reiterate his commitment to implement it once again last week.While the Ukrainian leader even described it as a diplomatic “victory” for the country, he never publicly mentioned any relevant orders to the Ukrainian military.

“We do not hit their energy. They do not hit our energy. I think there will be a million questions and details, but today it sounds like this: each side does not use the corresponding weaponry against the energy of both sides,” Zelensky said last week.

Moscow has repeatedly accused Kiev of violating the truce, claiming that multiple facilities covered by the deal have been attacked by Ukrainian drones since March 18. Russia has noted that if either party violates the deal, the other can consider itself free from the obligations.

(Ok Lavrov is involved now, I don’t think Trump Admin is ignoring Kiev, they are, both sides trying to figure out how to stop Zelenskyy and the Mafia from blowing up all the nuclear plants I think both sides are working on plans, is my guess.)

https://www.rt.com/russia/615109-ukraine-energy-ceasefire-breach/

2 Apr, 2025 12:49

World leaders secretly talking to Putin – Vucic

At least two top officials have maintained contact with the Russian leader, the Serbian president has claimed

Several global leadershave secretly maintained contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin despite the Western campaign to isolate Moscow, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has claimed.

In an interview with talk show host Mario Nawfal on Tuesday,Vucic said that he had not personally met his Russian counterpart since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. “When we agreed upon the fact that it was not done in adherence with international public law, I didn’t see Putin for three years,” he noted.

However, many leaders maintained behind-the-scenes communication, Vucic alleged.“I know at least two big leaders that were speaking secretly to him– because, of course, I still have my friends in the Kremlin and in some other countries as well.”

While Vucic did not name the leaders who supposedly spoke with Putin behind the scenes, hestressed that it was not Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer, or Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico,all of whom have not concealed their communication with the Russian president.

Vucic said that he would meet with Putin on May 9 during his visit to Moscow to attend the Victory Day parade marking the Soviet Union’s triumph over Nazi Germany in World War II.

The Serbian leader also reminisced about his last meeting with Putinin late 2021, mere weeks before hostilities erupted between Moscow and Kiev. “After I left [Putin’s] office, I said publicly that I expected very difficult times… Nobody believed me,”Vucic said.

He explained that while the Russian leader usually speaks at length about events in the post-Soviet republics,this time the topic was exhausted in 45 seconds. “I knew he had made a decision,” Vucic said.

Nehammer held in-person talks with Putin over the Ukraine conflict in April 2022, later saying it was “not a friendly visit.” Orban came to Russia in July 2024 to further what he referred to as a “peace mission.” Meanwhile, the Putin-Fico talks in December focused on Ukraine’s refusal to extend the gas transit agreement with Russia. The issue had been a major concern for Slovakia, which is highly dependent on Russian energy.

US President Donald Trump has also engaged with Putin in an effort to settle the Ukraine conflict.(so that was before he was reelected. Rt seems to slip in relevant details that may be missed.)

In addition, despite wide-ranging sanctions, Russia has continued to host major diplomatic and economic events, including the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in July and the BRICS Forum in Kazan in October.

https://www.rt.com/news/615140-world-leaders-secretly-talking-putin/

DOGE volunteer: This made my jaw drop

DOGE volunteer and Valor CEO Antonio Gracias joins 'Fox & Friends' to discuss the government agency's Social Security findings.

5:03

https://youtu.be/gnNVo8pOE74