Russia
Putin says Russians voted 'with their hearts' to let him extend rule
The Kremlin has hailed the landslide victory as a triumph for Putin, but critics said the vote was illegal and illegitimate.
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Putin thanks Russians for 'support and trust' after vote
Putin reiterated that the amendments were necessary as they "improve the political system and fortify social guarantees".
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Russian voters back reforms allowing Putin to stay until 2036
With just over 85% of ballots counted after the end of seven days of voting, 77.8% of voters had supported the reforms, according to election commission figures cited by Russian state agencies.
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Initial results show Russians give Putin the right to extend his rule until 2036
Partial results, announced five hours before polls closed, indicate the former KGB officer will win the right to run for two more terms.
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Top Democrats ask US spy chiefs for briefing on Russia bounty reports
The New York Times report, which has been confirmed by several American and British media outlets, said that US intelligence concluded that a Russian military intelligence unit offered rewards to Taliban-linked militants to kill troops of the US-led coalition in Afghanistan.
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Russia's opposition flounders as Putin changes constitution
From liberal reformers to Communists, Kremlin critics say the vote -- which started last week and ends on Wednesday -- is a thinly veiled attempt to keep Putin, 67, in power for life.
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Russians cast early votes in ballot to extend Putin's rule
Election officials say they are opening polls ahead of the official 1 July vote to avoid overcrowding that could spread coronavirus infections.
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Russia stages grand WWII parade ahead of vote on Putin reforms
President Vladimir Putin hailed the Soviet Union's role in World War II praising the Red army for liberating Europe, ending the Holocaust and saving Germany from Nazism, adding it was 'our duty to keep this in mind'.
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Russia and Europe trade barbs over WWII narratives
As Russia's relationship with Europe has deteriorated over the wars in Syria and Ukraine and claims of political interference, accusations of historical revisionism are deepening the chasm.
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US, Russia arms talks start with little hope of accord
US President Donald Trump insists that China should be involved in the talks on New START, the treaty that caps US and Russian nuclear warheads, because he says up until now Beijing has had a free pass to do as it likes in developing its weapon systems.
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Russia not welcome at G7, Canada's Trudeau says
Russia was expelled from what was then the G8 in 2014 when Trump’s predecessor, Barack Obama, was US president, after Moscow annexed the Crimea region from Ukraine.
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Coronavirus lockdown eases in Moscow as cases fall in Russian capital
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin last week told President Vladimir Putin he would relax some lockdown rules in the Russian capital, which has a population of 12.7 million, and that an array of shops could reopen.
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Putin makes Kremlin appearance as virus restrictions ease
The 67-year-old has worked remotely over the past few weeks from his Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, chairing meetings with officials by video conference.
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Trump to withdraw US from 'Open Skies' treaty
The US leader said Moscow had not stuck to its commitments under the 18-year-old pact, which was designed to improve military transparency and confidence between the superpowers.
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China tightens Russia border checks, approves coronavirus vaccine trials
Russia has become China’s largest source of imported cases, with a total of 409 infections originating in the northern neighbour.
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Putin extends non-working period to end of April to curb coronavirus
Since Monday Russians have had a period of national non-working days when they are still entitled to full pay in a bid to reduce transmission of the virus.
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Russia's top coronavirus doctor who met Putin tests positive
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov swiftly told Russian news agencies that Vladimir Putin took regular tests and there was no reason to worry about his health.
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Oil prices extend losses on price war, virus fallout
Last week's price war began after Saudi Arabia and other members of an informal alliance of major crude producers led by the OPEC oil cartel pushed for an output cut to combat the impact of the virus outbreak.
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Allies back Putin as critics denounce 'president for life' plan
A day after voting for a package of Putin-backed constitutional amendments -- including a last-minute addition to "reset" his presidential terms -- the lower house State Duma gave its final approval on Wednesday.
