NATO finalizes military build-up to counter Russia
NATO foreign ministers were on Thursday finalizing the alliance’s biggest military build-up since the end of the Cold War to counter what they see as a more aggressive and unpredictable Russia.
Ukraine
US Flies F-22s to Romania as Show of Strength to Russia
The U.S. Air Force on Monday flew in two F-22 Raptor fighter jets to Romania as a show of strength to deter Russian intervention in Ukraine.
Obama and Putin to meet; Syria and Ukraine vie for attention
U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet in New York next week at a time of high tension in Europe and the Middle East, but the Kremlin and the White House disagreed on Thursday over the top priority for the talks.
Russia Seizes More Territory in Ukraine, Eastern Europe with ‘Incremental’ Strategy
Fighting has escalated in Ukraine six months after a ceasefire was supposed to end hostilities, raising fears that Russian-backed separatists could soon launch another offensive as the West focuses on other global crises.
Ukrainian president: Record number of Russian troops on border
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has said there are a ‘record number’ of Russian troops on his country’s border with Russia.
Russia to increase nuclear arsenal as U.S. plans more firepower in Europe
Russia announced Tuesday that it will expand its nuclear arsenal, sparking concerns about a renewed arms race as old Cold War rivals Moscow and Washington plan to increase their military capacity amid rising tensions over Ukraine.
US Ready To Move Heavy Weapons into E. Europe
The Pentagon is “poised” to station heavy weapons for up to 5,000 American troops in several Eastern European and Baltic countries to deter Russian aggression.
U.S. ambassador to U.N. visits Ukraine, slams Russian ‘aggression’
A senior U.S. diplomat, on a visit Thursday to Ukraine, has slammed what she called Russian “aggression” in the country.
U.S., NATO launch mega exercise on Russia’s doorstep
U.S. and NATO partners are escalating their presence of military aircraft, people and ships in Europe for the next two weeks in military exercises that have taken on greater symbolic significance due to the continued Russian advances in East Ukraine.
Russian Military Captures Key Towns in Ukraine
Russian soldiers, tanks and heavy artillery began rolling into southeastern Ukraine in earnest Thursday, the Ukrainian government said, as well-armed detachments captured key towns, burned buildings and sent the underequipped Ukrainian forces into full retreat — a show of military force that the United States now considers an invasion in all but name.
Ukraine Says It Has Captured Russian Soldiers
Ukrainian security services on Monday released video footage purporting to show Russian servicemen who were captured by Ukrainian government forces while fighting alongside pro-Moscow rebels in Ukraine.
Ukraine Crisis: Separatists Trained in Russia
One of the top rebel leaders in eastern Ukraine claims that his forces have recently received 1,200 fighters who had undergone training in Russia. The claim came during a speech to leading rebels, apparently recorded on Friday and posted to YouTube by a pro-separatist media outlet. His language suggested the men had already crossed the border.
Ukraine demands that rebels in Donetsk surrender
Fighting raged in the city of Donetsk on Sunday, as government forces continued to close in on the rebel stronghold and pro-Russian insurgents backed away from an unconditional cease-fire offer that they announced just the day before.
Russia Responds to Sanctions: Bans All U.S. Food, EU Fruit and Vegs
Russia will ban all imports of food from the United States and all fruit and vegetables from Europe, Reuters reported.
NATO Says Russia Massing Troops Along Ukrainian Border
NATO is concerned that Russia has massed 20,000 combat-ready troops along Ukraine’s eastern border and could use the pretext of a humanitarian or peace-keeping mission to invade.
U.S. Releases Images Showing Russian Military Firing into Ukraine
The United States released a series of satellite images Sunday that appear to support its claims that Russian forces have fired across the border into Ukraine to support rebels there, suggesting a new level of direct Russian involvement in the conflict, USA Today reported.
Separatists Hand Over Bodies, Black Boxes from Ukraine Crash Site
A senior Ukrainian separatist leader handled over the remains of nearly 300 victims and the black boxes of the Malaysian Airlines plane downed last week, Reuters reported.
Russia Involved in Malaysian Airline Crash
Russia supplied sophisticated missile launchers to separatists in Eastern Ukraine, a U.S. official told the Washington Post. Meanwhile, separatists prevented international investigators from gaining unfettered access to the crash site on Saturday.
Malaysian Airliner Shot Down Over Ukraine
A Malaysia Airlines plane with 295 people on board was shot down over Ukraine, Sky News reported.
Russia Considers ‘Surgical Strikes’ Against Ukraine
Russia is considering ‘surgical retaliatory strikes’ after a Russian citizen was killed over the weekend, RIA Novosti reported.