vilnius, lithuania — Lithuania blamed Moscow on Wednesday for an overnight attack by a hammer-wielding assailant on an exiled top aide to late Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny outside the aide’s home in Vilnius. President Gitanas Nauseda said the attack on Leonid Volkov was clearly planned and tied to other provocations against Lithuania, which is a member of NATO and the European Union. “I can only …
Russia Steps Up Spy War on West
Russia has relaunched its spy operations against the West since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, according to analysts. Henry Ridgwell has more from London. …
US Providing $300 Million in New Ukraine Military Aid
pentagon — The United States is providing a new round of military aid for Ukraine valued at up to $300 million, the first such announcement since late December, in what defense officials have called an “ad hoc” package made possible through U.S. Army procurement savings. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan announced the 55th presidential drawdown authority (PDA) package at the White House on Tuesday and said …
Turkey Faces Balancing Act With Somalia, Ethiopia
Turkey’s new naval agreement with Somalia places the Turkish navy in a strategically vital region, underlining Ankara’s growing naval ambitions. However, analysts warn that the agreement threatens to escalate current tensions with Somalia’s neighbor Ethiopia. Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul. …
On Ukraine’s Front Lines, Ammunition Dwindling
Ukrainian front-line forces are suffering from a worrying shortage of ammunition. Repeated delays in aid from Western allies, particularly from the United States, has drastically reduced the number of Ukrainian artillery attacks against Russian positions. In some places, the number of shells fired has been reduced tenfold. Yan Boechat has the story from Ukraine’s Donbas region. Field producer: Nikol Goldman. …
Technology Aids Probe Into Alleged Russian War Crimes in Ukraine
A group of media and research organizations are investigating reported war crimes committed by Russia since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In some cases, the teams use unique technologies to look for evidence. Evgeny Maslov has the story, narrated by Anna Rice. VOA footage by Vladimir Badikov. …
Internet Personality Tate Brought to Romanian Court on UK Arrest Warrant
Bucharest, Romania — Internet personality Andrew Tate was arrested for 24 hours in Romania on a British warrant, his PR representative said on Tuesday, and the Bucharest Court of Appeals was set to decide on whether to extradite him. Tate and his brother Tristan were detained on allegations of sexual aggression dating back to 2012-15, which they “categorically” deny, his PR team said. The warrant was …
Reports: South Korean Held in Russia for Spying was a Missionary
SEOUL, South Korea — A South Korean citizen arrested in Russia on suspicion of espionage was a missionary who supported North Korean laborers based in Russia’s Far East, South Korean media reports said on Tuesday. The man, named as Baek Won-soon, was transferred from Vladivostok to Moscow and is accused of handing over classified information to foreign intelligence agencies, Russian state news agency Tass reported. Baek, …
Intelligence Community Report Warns Lawmakers About US Disengagement From Ukraine
In its annual global threats assessment report Monday, the U.S. intelligence community told lawmakers that the war in Ukraine is at a turning point whose outcome will depend on American assistance. VOA’s congressional correspondent Katherine Gypson has more from the Senate, where lawmakers called on the House to take up the $95 billion foreign aid bill. …
US Intelligence Chiefs Deliver Grim Warning for Ukraine
WASHINGTON — The frozen military conflict between Ukraine and Russia is starting to thaw and will likely tilt in Moscow’s favor if the United States fails to quickly come through with additional military aid, according to top U.S. intelligence officials, in a grim assessment delivered to U.S. lawmakers. Monday’s warning comes nearly a month after the U.S. Senate voted in favor of a stand-alone foreign aid …
NATO Headquarters Raises Swedish Flag, Strengthening Baltic Region Against Russian Threat
As Sweden officially joined the NATO alliance Monday, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said it shows every nation has the right to, in his words, “choose the path of freedom and democracy.” He added that Ukraine is currently fighting for those values. Henry Ridgwell reports. …
Despite Sanctions, Russia’s Economy Continues to Grow
In the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the United States and Europe imposed significant economic sanctions on Russia. But two years into the war, Moscow’s economy remains resilient. Liliya Anisimova has the story, narrated by Anna Rice. VOA footage by Andrey Degtyarev. …
Britain’s Princess Kate Apologizes for Editing Family Photo That Fueled Rumors About Her Health
London — Kate, Princess of Wales, apologized Monday for “confusion” caused by her editing of a family photo released by the palace — an image of Kate and her children that was intended to calm concern and speculation about the British royal’s health but had the opposite effect. Several news agencies that initially published the photo, including The Associated Press, withdrew the image over concerns about …
Why Did Ireland’s Referendums on Family, Women Fail?
Dublin, Ireland — Irish voters’ rejection of proposals to reword constitutional clauses on family roles and the duties of women has left politicians searching for answers. Prime Minister Leo Varadkar had presented the vote, conducted on International Women’s Day on Friday and tallied Saturday, as a chance to remove “very old-fashioned, very sexist language about women” from the constitution. But a proposal to expand the definition …
In Swiss Alps, Major Search Continues for 6 Missing Ski Hikers
Geneva — The “major rescue operation” aimed at finding six Swiss ski hikers wanted since Saturday in the Swiss Alps must continue overnight, but the danger of avalanches is complicating operations, police said Sunday. The six people are aged 21 to 58 and five of them are members of the same family. They are “actively sought on the Zermatt-Arolla hiking route,” which is in the canton …
Moldova Faces Multiple Russian Threats as It Seeks EU Membership
CHISINAU, Moldova — The past two years have been the hardest and most tumultuous for European Union candidate Moldova in more than three decades as it faces threats from Russia in multiple spheres of public life, the country’s foreign minister says. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, its neighbor Moldova has faced a litany of crises that have at times raised fears the country is also …
Netherlands Opens Holocaust Museum; Israeli President’s Presence Causing Concern
AMSTERDAM — The Netherlands’s National Holocaust Museum is opening on Sunday in a ceremony presided over by the Dutch king as well as Israeli President Isaac Herzog, whose presence is prompting protest because of Israel’s deadly offensive against Palestinians in Gaza. The museum in Amsterdam tells the stories of some of the 102,000 Jews who were deported from the Netherlands and murdered in Nazi camps, as …
Turkey Struggles to Stop Violence Against Women
istanbul — Muhterem Evcil was stabbed to death by her estranged husband at her workplace in Istanbul, where he had repeatedly harassed her in breach of a restraining order. The day before, authorities detained him for violating the order but let him go free after questioning. More than a decade later, her sister believes Evcil would still be alive if authorities had enforced laws on protecting …