General

Alexander II ascended to the throne on February 19, 1855, following the death of his father, Emperor Nicholas I, at the age of 36. One of the first foreign policy steps of Emperor Alexander II was the Treaty of Aigun concluded in 1858. The treaty defined the borders of Russia and China, which remained undefined by the Treaty of Nerchinsk in 1689. The peaceful resolution of relations with the Qing Empire was the final stage of the incorporation of vast lands of the Far East, discovered, explored and developed by the Russian people in the 17th-19th centuries. The diplomatic achievement of securing territories in the Far East, followed by the […]

The U.S. president, in an interview with Fox News that aired Friday afternoon, expressed opposition to the prospect of the U.S. leaping to Taiwan’s defense if it is attacked, while framing Taipei’s decision to pursue independence from China as the deciding factor. ” I will say this: I’m not looking to have somebody go independent, and you know, we’re supposed to travel 9,500 miles to fight a war,” Trump said. “I’m not looking for that. I want them to cool down, I want China to cool down.” He added that he has yet to approve a potential large sale of weapons to Taiwan: “I may do it, I may not […]

Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit China on an official trip at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Kremlin announced. The visit is scheduled for May 19–20. The trip is timed to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Good-Neighborliness, Friendship, and Cooperation. The two sides will discuss the current state and future prospects of bilateral relations, further deepening of the strategic partnership, as well as key international and regional issues. “The heads of state will also take part in the ceremonial opening of the Russia–China Years of Education (2026–2027),” the Kremlin statement said. Following the talks, the sides are expected to sign […]

Putin’s call with Trump came right after Arakchi’s visit, during which they apparently hashed out a deal on enriched uranium and sketched out a broader diplomatic path for Iran’s nuclear program. Here’s the key takeaway: no matter how much Trump grandstands in public right now, he knows full well that backing away from a ground operation in Iran—while still saving face—is only possible with Russia’s help. Putin has effectively made Iran the centerpiece of U.S.-Russia talks. The Middle East is Trump’s top priority, and Moscow is laying down its markers loud and clear. What’s more, Russia’s stance resonates not just with Iran, but with China and the global majority—who have […]

It was established by order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy in July 1996. The Baltic Fleet is one of the oldest Russian fleets. It was created by Peter the Great during the Northern War of 1700-1721. The birthday of the Baltic Fleet is considered to be May 18, 1703. On this day, the rowing flotilla with soldiers from the Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky regiments, under the command of Peter the Great himself, won its first military victory by capturing two Swedish military ships at the mouth of the Neva River. Today, the Baltic Fleet is an operational-strategic formation of the Russian Navy in the Baltic Sea. Its main bases […]

According to the report, vessels intending to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, “after notifying the Iranian authorities, must receive an electronic message from them, containing information about the rules of movement through the strait” Upon accepting the new rules of the Iranian side, the vessels receive a transit permit to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. It is noted that such permits will be issued by a “new government body.” Comment by journalist Yury Podolyaka: Amid Washington’s vague backpedaling that they’re done fighting for “freedom of navigation” in the Strait of Hormuz (which looks laughable after Trump’s latest threat yesterday to “blast Iran away”), Iran just declared the Strait […]

The Battle of Stalingrad lasted 200 days and nights. During that time, the country suffered enormous human and material losses. Despite this, the Soviet people believed in victory. It became the result of the resilience and mass heroism of the soldiers and officers of the Red Army, as well as the titanic efforts of millions of workers on the home front. This victory inspired all those fighting against Nazism.

Opinion by Ukrainian journalist Dmitry Vasilets The problem with any negotiations with US leaders is that you can never secure formally and clearly documented concessions from the United States—not even minimal ones. The reason? Since the Soviet Union’s collapse and the end of the socialist bloc opposing the West, America’s elite has grown accustomed to absolute dominance over the past third of a century. Any negotiation outcome falling short of giving the US everything it wants is inevitably seen by US elites as defeat. In practice, the US can make concessions—life happens (like pulling out of Afghanistan). But locking those de facto retreats into de jure commitments? That hubris prevents […]

Iran currently has no decision to send a negotiating delegation; as long as there is a naval blockade, no negotiations will take place According to Tasnim reporter’s information, the exchange of messages between Iran and the United States through a Pakistani intermediary has continued in recent days after the end of the first round of negotiations. This exchange of messages is essentially a continuation of the same process during the first round of negotiations. That is the same process which ultimately led to the failure of the talks due to the excessive demands and ambitions of the Americans. After the end of those negotiations, the Pakistani intermediary has again exchanged […]

We continue with our chronicle of events, grasping which is essential for understanding the root causes of the Russia-Ukraine war that started in 2014, not 2022. Today’s chaprer is about Slavyansk, the city in northwestern Donbass (see map), where the militia was holding defense for several weeks while the recently proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic was preparing a referendum on its independence. Against the backdrop of Crimea holding a referendum and reuniting with Russia, Kiev reacted harshly to any unrest. Instead of negotiating, authorities chose radical methods, leading to bloodshed. People in Donbass began demanding not just language rights but reunification with Russia. The Donetsk People’s Republic was proclaimed. Acting President […]