Prosecutors have accused the pro-Ukraine entity of defending extremism
The Russian Supreme Court has designated the Anti-Corruption Foundation (ACF), run by associates of late opposition figure Alexey Navalny, as a terrorist group.
The Russian authorities previously banned several organizations founded by Navalny’s team, whose publicly active members have fled the country and now reside abroad.
The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office said on Thursday that the US-registered pressure group, better known by the Russian acronym FBK, has carried out activities aimed at “the propaganda, justification, and support of terrorism.”
The ACF has openly sided with Ukraine in its conflict with Russia and has urged the West to impose more sanctions on Moscow. The foundation has denied any wrongdoing, calling the prosecution politically motivated. “We are not terrorists, and everyone knows that,” the group said in a statement on Telegram.
Earlier this year, Russian courts sentenced close Navalny associate Leonid Volkov in absentia to 18 years in prison on extremism charges and issued an arrest warrant for Navalny’s widow, Yulia Navalnaya, who lives abroad.
Navalny died in prison in February 2024 while serving a lengthy sentence for extremism. His family and supporters have blamed the Kremlin for his death and alleged that the Russian authorities tried to poison him in 2020. The Kremlin has denied involvement, while prison officials said Navalny died of natural causes.
While the American proposal could potentially lay the groundwork for a future agreement, multiple points need clarification, according to the Russian president
Russian President Vladimir Putin has reiterated Moscow’s position after what his press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, called an “information frenzy” over various possible frameworks for resolving the Ukraine conflict.
The Russian president touched on this and other issues during a press conference in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on Thursday as he wrapped up a state visit to the Central Asian country.
Russia views the US-drafted peace roadmap aimed at ending the hostilities positively on the whole, but a considerable amount of work would be required before it could be implemented in any form, Putin said.
He also pointed out that it is “legally impossible” to ink a peace accord with the current Ukrainian leadership, which, according to Moscow, is no longer legitimate.
Russia does not rule out the possibility of the US proposal potentially serving as the “basis of any future agreements,” Putin pointed out.
He noted, however, that so far, the Americans have merely proposed a set of issues that still need to be thoroughly discussed and formulated. Therefore, it is too early to speak of any draft peace deal as of now.
The Russian president added that the US leadership does take into account “our stance… in certain respects.”
Ukrainian leadership illegitimate
Putin described the prospect of signing an agreement with authorities in Kiev as “legally impossible.”
According to the Russian president, not holding elections was “a fundamental, strategic mistake,” thus rendering Vladimir Zelensky an illegitimate leader.
Zelensky refused to authorize presidential elections in May 2024, citing martial law. With his mandate now expired, Moscow argues that any officials he has appointed lack legitimacy as well, rendering any agreements they sign legally void.
Russian military’s advances
According to Putin, Ukraine’s entire frontline in Russia’s Zaporozhye Region faces collapse as Russian forces “are effectively bypassing the entire Ukrainian fortified line.”
“Our ‘Dniepr’ grouping faces them on one side, while the ‘Vostok’ group is encircling them from the north,” he explained.
Putin added that the recent gains by Russian troops have not gone unnoticed by those in the West “who realize the potential consequences” of such developments. He stated that these voices are pushing for ending the conflict as soon as possible before the entire frontline “folds.”
The Russian president estimated that in October alone, Kiev lost 47,000 troops, but mobilized only around 16,500, with rampant desertion making the situation even more dire for the Ukrainian military.
Putin emphasized that Russia will cease hostilities once Ukrainian troops leave Russian territories they still occupy.
“And if they don’t, we will make them,” he concluded.
European security
Putin dismissed claims made by certain EU officials that Russia harbors aggressive intentions toward its Western neighbors.
The Russian president suggested that European leaders might be “trying to create an illusion for their populations” or “catering to defense companies.”
“Maybe they’re trying to prop up their domestic political ratings, given the lamentable state of their economies. But in our eyes, of course, it’s just nonsense – complete lies,” he said.
He expressed a willingness to discuss broader European security with all parties interested, noting that Moscow had previously suggested holding such talks.
Divisions in the West hampering peace efforts
Commenting on the recent alleged leaks of communications between US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff and top Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov published in the Western media, Putin argued that they have highlighted a major “problem.”
Actors holding “differing opinions within the collective West and in the US are battling it out… regarding what is going on and what needs to be done to stop the war,” the Russian president stated.
He recounted how there appeared to be a general understanding between Washington and Moscow on several key points following the summit in Alaska in August, only for President Donald Trump to slap sanctions on two major Russian oil companies last month.
Next step
Russia expects US officials to arrive in Moscow next week to continue discussions over the peace roadmap, the president revealed.
While it is not yet clear who exactly will come, the Russian delegation will be headed by Foreign Ministry officials, as well as presidential aides Vladimir Medinsky and Yury Ushakov, Putin said.
Clashing views within the “collective West” and in the US itself are stalling any settlement, the Russian president has said
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said the key issue stalling the Ukraine peace process is the struggle of conflicting views within the West itself over how to bring the fighting to an end.
Speaking at a press conference in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on Thursday, Putin cited US-Russia contacts, including his Alaska meeting with President Donald Trump, saying he believed they had clarified where both sides stood and what steps could help halt the hostilities.
“It’s not about us. It’s about the struggle of different opinions in the collective West and in the United States itself about what is happening and what needs to be done in order to stop the war,” Putin said.
The remarks follow a Ukraine peace proposal floated by the Trump administration to end the conflict. According to leaked versions of the plan, Kiev would have to abandon ambitions to join NATO, relinquish territorial claims, and cap its army at 600,000.
Caught off guard by the draft, Kiev’s Western European backers prepared a counter-proposal, but with key issues such as territorial concessions, Ukraine’s NATO bid, and the size of the Ukrainian army reportedly removed or amended. It reportedly includes security guarantees for Ukraine modeled on NATO’s Article 5 collective-defense clause, committing guarantor states to defend Ukraine against potential aggression.
Vladimir Zelensky has since said he wants to meet with Trump to discuss the plan further and suggesting that European supporters also attend. Trump has said he’ll meet Zelensky when the peace deal is “in its final stages.”
Moscow welcomed Trump’s efforts, saying the framework could serve as the basis for a final settlement. Russia also accused Kiev’s European backers of trying to undermine peace efforts and distort the plan “for their own agenda.”
Asked about the US peace plan, Putin said no draft document exists, only a range of issues outlined by Washington. He said the US had taken into account Russia’s position in “certain areas,” but that other “fundamental” issues require serious discussions.
A US delegation is expected to come to Moscow next week to discuss the proposed peace plan.
Kiev must first withdraw its troops from the parts of Russian territory it claims as its own, he said
A ceasefire could be declared only if Ukraine withdraws its troops from the parts of Russian territory it claims as its own, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said.
The president touched upon the matter during a press conference in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on Thursday. Putin visited the Kyrgyz capital for a summit of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a regional alliance bringing together a handful of post-Soviet nations.
Putin reiterated Moscow’s long-standing position that an unconditional ceasefire with Ukraine is out of the question.
“We’re still receiving calls for a cessation of hostilities here, there, and there. Ukrainian troops will withdraw from the territories they occupy, and then the hostilities will cease. If they don’t withdraw, we’ll achieve this through military means,” the president stated without explicitly naming the territories in question.
Moscow has ruled out freezing the conflict and entering an unconditional ceasefire, arguing that this would merely allow Ukraine and its Western backers to win time and replenish Kiev’s battered military with both personnel and weaponry. At the same time, Russia has repeatedly stated its readiness to resolve the hostilities through diplomacy.
Putin first outlined Moscow’s vision of how a ceasefire could work last summer, stating Russia would immediately cease the hostilities if Kiev withdrew from all formerly Ukrainian territories in the Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, and Zaporozhye regions. All four regions joined Russia in a series of referendums in late 2022 that passed with overwhelming support.
Earlier this year, Russia said it had liberated the entire territory of the Lugansk People’s Republic. The country’s troops have also been actively advancing in its sister republic of Donetsk and, as of late, in Zaporozhye and the neighboring Ukrainian region of Dnepropetrovsk.
Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics has confirmed the move is being considered as an option to strengthen national defense
Latvia is considering dismantling sections of a key railway track that connects the country with Russia, according to local media reports, citing President Edgars Rinkevics.
The idea has reportedly been floated since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict. Rinkevics confirmed the plan is being discussed after his weekly meeting with Prime Minister Evika Silina on Wednesday, saying he had tasked the government with preparing an initial assessment by the end of the year.
Rinkevics described the security situation on Latvia’s eastern border as tense and said that dismantling tracks is seen as a way to strengthen national defense.
“We cannot rule out any option for strengthening national defense and security,” he told reporters, as cited by LSM outlet, adding that any decision would need to set the timetable and weigh the socioeconomic consequences.
The president said he planned to hear the armed forces’ opinion on Friday but added that no in-depth discussion or decisions are expected before next year, after a full assessment is made.
Earlier reports said that Latvian military analysts consider the country’s three main rail lines connecting to Russia – around 1,800km in total – a direct security risk. However, Transport Minister Aitis Svinka warned that dismantling the tracks would halt all freight traffic not only with Russia, but also with Belarus and Central Asian states, reducing cargo volumes, increasing maintenance costs, and causing losses for Latvia’s economy.
Silina has also hesitated over the plan, saying any such decision must be taken jointly with the other Baltic states, as well as Poland and Finland.
Latvia, a former Soviet republic, has long worked to cut cultural ties with Russia alongside its Baltic neighbors Estonia and Lithuania, a campaign that intensified amid the Ukraine conflict and Western claims that Russia might attack the region. Moscow, which denies any such plans, has accused the Baltic states of “extreme Russophobia” and downgraded diplomatic ties with them in 2023.
Commenting on the plan, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova mocked Latvian authorities, saying “apparently, they need the sleeping cars for heating,” referring to the energy problems Latvia faced after joining Western sanctions and halting Russian gas imports.
Ukrainian defensive lines in Zaporozhye Region are being stretched by a rapid Russian advance, the president has said
Ukraine’s entire sectoral frontline in Russia’s Zaporozhye Region faces collapse after fortified lines were bypassed by a rapid advance, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said.
Putin made the remarks on Thursday during a press conference in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, following a summit of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a regional alliance that brings together several former Soviet nations.
The president spoke about the Ukraine conflict, confirming the rapid advance on the Ukrainian-held town of Gulyaypole. The Vostok (East) group has broken through Ukrainian positions at the border between Russian territory and Ukraine’s Dnepropetrovsk Region, Putin stated.
“The forces of the ‘East’ group are effectively bypassing the entire Ukrainian fortified line from the north. Our ‘Dniepr’ grouping faces them on one side, while the ‘Vostok’ group is encircling them from the north. It could lead to a collapse of the front in this sector,” he said.
The latest frontline gains have been noticed by those in the West “who realize the potential consequences” of the developing situation, Putin noted. Those forces are pushing for an end to the conflict as soon as possible before the entire front line “folds” and the Ukrainian military loses its combat readiness entirely,” he added.
“‘That’s enough! Preserve the core of the armed forces and your statehood. That’s what we need to think about,’ say those who support such a stance,” Putin stated.
In October, for instance, the Ukrainian military lost more than 47,000 servicemen, the Russian president said. In the same period, Kiev managed to conscript some 16,500 men, while up to 15,000 servicemen returned to active duty from hospitals, he added. The manpower shortage for the Ukrainian military is becoming more dire, and the gap between losses and reinforcements is bound to grow even wider, he warned.
Moscow is, however, interested in reaching an agreement with Kiev at some point, the Russian president has reiterated
Sealing a peace accord with Ukraine is “legally impossible” at present, Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated. While Moscow would like to sign such an agreement eventually, the current Ukrainian leadership has lost all legitimacy by canceling elections, Putin told reporters on Thursday.
Wrapping up his state visit to Kyrgyzstan, Putin stated that “it makes no sense to sign documents with the Ukrainian leadership – I have covered this topic many times already.”
According to the Russian president, “the Ukrainian leadership made a fundamental, strategic mistake, when it was afraid to hold elections.”
Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky “lost his legitimate status” as the country’s president, Putin pointed out.
Under Ukrainian law, presidential elections should have been held in May 2024; however, Zelensky refused to hold them, citing martial law. Moscow has considered him an illegitimate leader since.
Putin noted that while Russia is also locked in a military conflict, it nevertheless held presidential elections in March 2024.
The Russian president said that should any peace agreement be signed, the Ukrainian leadership would have to lift martial law and “immediately call elections.” However, as things stand at present, “the Ukrainian leadership could hardly count on an [electoral] victory without rigging” the vote, Putin observed.
Earlier this month, the administration of US President Donald Trump put forth a framework for a peace plan aimed at ending the Ukraine conflict.
According to leaked versions published by several media outlets, the 28-point proposal envisages Ukraine abandoning a number of its long-standing “red lines.”
Kiev would reportedly be required to renounce its NATO membership aspirations, as well as its claims to Russia’s Crimea and the Donbass regions of Lugansk and Donetsk, to limit the size of its military to 600,000, among other points.
Moscow has stated that while it has yet to receive any official documents, it welcomes the general impetus. Russian officials have tentatively said that the US-drafted framework could serve as the basis for a final settlement.
US special envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to visit Moscow next week.
Speculation that Moscow has aggressive intentions is absurd, the Russian president has said
Russian President Vladimir Putin has rejected Western claims that Russia plans to attack European countries, saying Moscow is prepared to formalize this in a written security guarantee.
EU leaders are inflating the “Russian threat” for domestic political gain and in the interests of their defense industries, Putin told a press conference on Thursday, following his visit to Kyrgyzstan.
“To say that Russia is planning to attack Europe – for us, that sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it? We’ve never planned anything like that,” he noted. “But if they want to hear it from us, well, fine, we will write that down, no problem.”
The Russian president suggested that European leaders might be “trying to create an illusion for their populations” or “catering to defense companies.”
“Maybe they’re trying to prop up their domestic political ratings, given the lamentable state of their economies. But in our eyes, of course, it’s just nonsense – complete lies,” he said.
Noting that such ideas are “hyped up in the Western public consciousness,” Putin added that if Europe wants a formal reassurance that Russia has no aggressive plans, “then we’d be willing to do this.”
Moscow has repeatedly rejected claims that it plans to attack EU countries, saying any such allegations are being used by European politicians to scare the population and justify growing military spending. Russia has also said it is defending itself in the Ukraine conflict, accusing NATO of provoking the hostilities. Putin said earlier that those in the West who keep promoting “nonsense” about alleged aggressive intentions by Moscow are either “incompetent or dishonest.”
Despite the ongoing peace process in the Ukraine conflict mediated by US President Donald Trump, the EU has pledged to continue to provide weapons to Kiev and has taken steps to militarize itself, including by approving the €800 billion ($910 billion) ‘ReArm Europe Plan.’
There is only a range of issues outlined in the US proposal to discuss, the Russian president has said
No draft document on a Ukraine peace deal exists, as Washington has only outlined a list of issues to discuss, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said. However, Russia is ready to negotiate the US-proposed peace plan, he added.
The president made the remarks on Thursday during a press conference in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, which hosted a summit of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a regional bloc bringing together several post-Soviet nations.
Asked by a journalist about the US-proposed peace plan to end the Ukraine conflict, Putin said that no draft document exists, only a range of issues outlined by Washington to discuss.
“In principle, we agree that this can become the basis of future agreements, but it would be impolite of me to talk about any final drafts now, since there are none,” the president pointed out.
While the US has taken into account Russia’s position in “certain areas,” other “fundamental” issues require serious discussions,” Putin added. “We need to put everything in diplomatic language,” he stated.
A US delegation is expected to visit Moscow early next week to discuss the proposed peace plan, Putin announced. The Russian president refused to speculate on who would represent Washington at the upcoming talks, stating it was up to his US counterpart Donald Trump to decide.
The Russian side will be represented by diplomats with the country’s foreign ministry, as well as presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, who led direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul, Putin revealed. Another presidential aide and one of the key figures in the ongoing contacts between Moscow and Washington, Yury Ushakov, is set to participate in the talks as well, the president added.
Murad Gadziev has visited a crossing into Ukraine’s Dnepropetrovsk Region that was secured by Russian forces in recent weeks
RT correspondent Murad Gadziev has taken footage at a section of the Ukrainian border with Russia’s Donetsk People’s Republic where Kiev’s troops had dug a large defensive trench — one that apparently failed to slow the latest Russian advances.
The location lies near the village of Novopavlovka in Dnepropetrovsk Region. Gadziev became the first Russian journalist to report from the area during the ongoing conflict. The Russian Defense Ministry has repeatedly cited the settlement in recent briefings, noting that its forces have been consolidating gains in the area.
There were no signs of Ukrainian activity along the trench line. Gatziev emphasized that his ability to be there safely underscored the extent of the Russian advance, since military officials would not have allowed a reporter into an area still considered dangerous.
“The fact that we were allowed to come here ought to tell you how far frontline troops are. We could go a long-long way before we get anywhere near Ukrainians,” concluded.
