Kremlin vows to respond to diplomatic expulsions
The Kremlin says it will respond soon to the recent expulsions of more than 130 Russian diplomats from Western nations.
Russia
Iran Shielding Military Facilities in Syria By Building Them Near Russian Assets
According to reports, citing Israeli security officials, Iran is attempting to shield military facilities in Syria from attack by building them in close proximity to Russian assets.
Mattis: U.S. Nearly Bombed Russians in Syria a Second Time
U.S. military forces in the Middle East nearly bombed a group of Russian mercenaries working with pro-government forces in Syria for a second time, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis revealed Tuesday.
Trump expels 60 Russian officials over nerve-agent attack in Britain
President Trump expelled 60 Russian intelligence officers Monday and closed Russia’s consulate in Seattle, joining European allies in punishing Moscow for the poisoning of a former Russian spy in Britain.
Informant provided FBI evidence Russia aided Iran nuclear program during Obama years
A former undercover informant says he provided evidence to the FBI during President Obama’s first term that Russia was assisting Iran’s nuclear program even as billions in new U.S. business flowed to Moscow’s uranium industry.
Nerve agent attack: Dozens of Russian diplomats expelled across globe
More than 130 Russian diplomats have been ordered to leave capital cities across the globe, as the West unites behind Britain over the Salisbury nerve agent attack.
Australia to expel two Russian diplomats over UK nerve agent attack
Australia is expelling two Russian diplomats in response to a nerve agent attack in England that the British government has blamed on Moscow, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said on Tuesday.
Germany and France promise new Russia sanctions
Germany and France are to impose new sanctions on Russia over the UK gas attack, with some measures due as early as Monday (26 March).
‘Lone DNC Hacker’ Guccifer 2.0 Slipped Up and Revealed He Was a Russian Intelligence Officer
Guccifer 2.0, the ‘lone hacker’ who took credit for providing WikiLeaks with stolen emails from the Democratic National Committee, was in fact an officer of Russia’s military intelligence directorate (GRU), The Daily Beast has learned. It’s an attribution that resulted from a fleeting but critical slip-up in GRU tradecraft.
White House national security team fingered in Trump’s Putin call leak
The White House national security team, already facing calls for the ouster of top adviser H.R. McMaster, was tagged by a key lawmaker with leaking confidential notes ordering President Trump not to congratulate Russian President Vladimir Putin for his election win.
Senators suspect Comey lied and plotted to double-cross Trump, seek second special counsel
A plan of action for how a second special counsel can investigate the FBI and Justice Department is spelled out in a point-by-point letter submitted by two Republican senators.
Putin Overwhelmingly Wins Another 6 Years as Russian Leader
Vladimir Putin rolled to a crushing re-election victory Sunday for six more years as Russia’s president, and he told cheering supporters in a triumphant but brief speech that ‘we are bound for success.’
Mueller Broadens Russia Probe, Demands Documents from Trump Organization
Special counsel Robert Mueller is broadening his investigation into possible collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign, subpoenaing the Trump Organization to hand over documents.
US, Germany and France blame Russia for nerve agent attack
The leaders of the US, France, Germany have joined Britain’s prime minister in blaming Russia for the attempted murder of former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in a nerve agent attack earlier this month.
U.S. Sanctions Russian Intelligence Services
The Trump administration on Thursday imposed economic sanctions on 19 Russians and two Russian intelligence agencies for their role in the 2016 election meddling and costly cyber attacks and penetrations.
Trump administration blames Russian hackers with targeting energy grid, critical infrastructure
Russian government hackers have spent the last two years waging cyberattacks against U.S. government entities and multiple critical infrastructure sectors, the Trump administration said Thursday, marking the first time the White House has officially accused the Kremlin of attempting to breach its power grid amid rising tensions between Washington and Moscow.
With ‘new mandate,’ emboldened Putin to expand Russia’s adventurism abroad
There’s little suspense about Sunday’s Russian presidential election, but a lot of questions — and concerns — over what Vladimir Putin might do next with another six-year term in his pocket and a string of unresolved confrontations with the West.
U.K. expels 23 Russian diplomats over spy poisoning
Britain will expel nearly two dozen Russian diplomats, sever high-level bilateral contacts with Moscow and take both open and covert action against Kremlin meddling after the poisoning of a former spy, the prime minister said Wednesday, plunging U.K.-Russian relations into their deepest freeze since the Cold War.
Rep. Trey Gowdy splits with Republicans on Russian targeting of Clinton campaign
Rep. Trey Gowdy, South Carolina Republican, has broken from his GOP colleagues on the House Intelligence Committee regarding their conclusion that Russia didn’t prefer President Trump over Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton during the 2016 White House race.
Russia says U.S. plans to strike Damascus, pledges military response
Russia said on Tuesday it had information that the United States planned to bomb the government quarter in Damascus on an invented pretext, and said it would respond militarily if it felt Russian lives were threatened by such an attack.