Russia Financial News

United Nations Security Council is likely to vote on Tuesday on an Algerian push for the 15-member body to demand an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, said diplomats, a move the United States signaled it would veto. Algeria put forward an initial draft resolution more than two weeks ago. But U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield quickly said the text could jeopardize «sensitive negotiations» aimed at brokering a pause in the war.

Russian President Vladimir Putin personally sent congratulatory messages to his troops An ‘artificial deficit’ of arms for Ukraine risks giving Russia breathing space, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on withdrawing troops from Avdiivka. He further highlighted the need for artillery and long-range weapons.

Antony Blinken and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, Jaishankar emphasized India's commitment to maintaining relationships with both the United States and Russia amid ongoing geopolitical challenges. In response to inquiries about India's foreign policy objectives, particularly amidst perceptions of a transition from “non-alignment to multi-alignment," Jaishankar said, “Is that a problem, why should that be a problem? If I am smart enough to have multiple options, you should be admiring me.

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny's spokesperson, Kira Yarmysh, has confirmed his death and demanded that his body be handed over to his family «immediately.» Yarmysh accused Russian officials of lying in order to delay the process, CNN reported. Yarmysh's statement comes after Russian prison service said that Russian President Vladimir Putin's critic Navalny died on Friday after he felt unwell during a walk in his prison and fell unconscious. The cause of his death is not clear.

Vladimir Putin's grip on power. On Saturday, Navalny's mother, Lyudmila, and his lawyer were refused access to his body after arriving at the remote Siberian prison colony where he had been held, his spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh said. "It's obvious that the killers want to cover their tracks and are therefore not handing over Alexei's body, hiding it even from his mother," Navalny's team said in a post on Telegram.

By Nathan Layne and Gram Slattery

DUBAI (Reuters) -Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis claimed responsibility on Saturday for an attack on the oil tanker M/T Pollux, which U.S. officials said the previous day had been hit by a missile.

Alexei Navalny, the Russian President Vladimir Putin's high-profile critic allegedly has passed away in a prison surrounded by the most security. An Oscar-winning documentary film has been made about him.

(Corrects to remove erroneous reference to Italy about to approve new aid package for Ukraine)

Alexei Navalny's spokesperson confirmed on Saturday that the Russian opposition leader had died at a remote Arctic penal colony and said he was «murdered», but it is unclear where his body is. An official note handed to Navalny's mother stated that he died at 2:17 pm local time on Friday, Kira Yarmysh said. She added that an employee of the prison colony said that Navalny's body was taken to the nearby city of Salekhard as part of a probe into his death.

Alexei Navalny's mother was told on Saturday that Russia's most prominent opposition leader had been struck down by «sudden death syndrome» and that his body would not be handed over to the family until an investigation was completed, his team said. Navalny, a 47-year-old former lawyer, fell unconscious and died on Friday after a walk at the «Polar Wolf» penal colony in Kharp, about 1,900 km (1,200 miles) northeast of Moscow, where he was serving a three-decade sentence, the prison service said.

Navalny's death was ascertained, his mother was told on Saturday that Russian leader was struck down by "sudden death syndrome" and that his body would not be handed over to the family until an investigation was completed, his team was quoted by Reuters as saying. Navalny's death brought back into focus other critics and foes of Putin who died in "mysterious" circumstances. Here's a look at some other foes of Russian President Putin and their “mysterious fate": Yevgeny Prigozhin and the top lieutenants of his Wagner private military company were killed in a plane crash in August 2023.

Reuters reported quoting Navalny's team. The 47-year-old former lawyer's team even said that his body would not be handed over to the family until an investigation was completed. On Friday, the prison service had said that prison service was unconscious and died after a walk at the ‘Polar Wolf’ penal colony in Kharp – about 1,900 km (1,200 miles) northeast of Moscow – where he was serving a three-decade sentence.

UNITED NATIONS: Underlining the need for comprehensive reform of the Security Council, India has questioned how much longer can the will of five permanent members of the powerful UN body continue to override the collective voice of the world organisation's 188 member states. India's Permanent Representative at the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj, speaking at the Inter-Governmental Negotiations on Security Council Reform on Friday, stressed that “equity" must be the cornerstone of global efforts to reform the 15-nation UN body. “Equity demands that every nation, irrespective of its size or power, be afforded an equal opportunity…to shape global decision-making,” she said, adding that “Our question therefore is how much longer will the will of five members continue to override the collective voice of 188 member states?”.

BERLIN (Reuters) — German defence company Rheinmetall plans to open an ammunition factory in Ukraine as part of a joint venture with a Ukrainian partner, it said on Saturday.

By John Irish

By Krisztina Than

By Jessica DiNapoli

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris said that U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration stood ready to support Ukraine in its war with Russia for “as long as it takes” and would push for Russia to pay damages to Ukraine following the end of the war.

The vast expanse of the maritime domain has long served as a conduit for global interaction, linking nations across continents. As such, navies worldwide have played a pivotal role as ambassadors, representing their countries’ diplomatic endeavors on the international stage. Situated strategically, the Indian subcontinent has historically been a hub for trade and international relations, facilitating the exchange of cultures, resources, assets, and ideas. In this context, the Indian Navy has emerged as a cornerstone of India’s efforts to maintain diplomatic relations with other nations, both militarily and diplomatically.

Ukraine to be held up by political brinksmanship, Vice President Kamala Harris said Saturday, as wrangling in Congress blocks $60 billion worth of military backing. «As it relates to our support for Ukraine, we must be unwavering and we cannot play political games,» she said, next to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky at a press conference.