All posts tagged: Russian

Indian captain faces 10 years in jail after UK raid on ‘Russian oil tanker’: What’s the case?

Indian captain faces 10 years in jail after UK raid on ‘Russian oil tanker’: What’s the case?

The Indian high commission in London is closely monitoring the case of Captain Ajay Pant, a merchant navy officer from Uttarakhand’s Nainital who is in judicial custody in the United Kingdom after being arrested over an alleged breach of British sanctions on Russian oil shipments. UK’s dramatic helicopter operation on Russian-linked tanker lands Indian captain in legal trouble (X/@GenGJenkinsRM) According to an official release issued on Thursday, the High Commission informed Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami about the latest developments through a letter, reported news agency PTI. What is the case? The case centres on 38-year-old Captain, Ajay Pant, who was serving as the master of MV Smyrtos, a tanker that British authorities allege was part of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” used to circumvent Western sanctions on Russian oil. On June 14, the vessel, reportedly carrying around 98,000 tonnes of crude oil, was intercepted in the English Channel during a joint operation by the UK National Crime Agency (NCA) and the British Armed Forces, reported news agency AFP. In what British authorities described as …

How Ukraine is using drones to disrupt Russian supply lines and fuel convoys

How Ukraine is using drones to disrupt Russian supply lines and fuel convoys

Ukraine’s military has opened a new front in its war against Russia, not through a major ground offensive, but by systematically targeting the logistics network that keeps Russian troops supplied. A growing fleet of domestically produced mid-range drones is striking fuel convoys, military trucks, trains, bridges and supply depots deep behind the front lines, creating what Ukrainian officials describe as a “logistical lockdown” aimed at weakening Russia’s offensive capabilities, CNN reported. According to a CNN analysis of around 150 geolocated strikes against Russian fuel tankers, trucks and other vehicles, the campaign has intensified significantly since early May. The strikes, documented by open-source researchers and the platform’s OSINT team, are concentrated across southern Ukraine and occupied Crimea, though analysts believe many more attacks have gone unrecorded. pic.twitter.com/CARe4Da9v2 — Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) June 18, 2026 The effort reflects a shift in Ukrainian strategy. Rather than focusing solely on Russian troops and equipment at the front, Kyiv is increasingly targeting the infrastructure and supply routes that sustain Moscow’s war effort. Ukraine’s expanding drone arsenal At the centre …

A night of Jai Rus and Jai Hind: Inside Russian Day celebrations in Delhi

A night of Jai Rus and Jai Hind: Inside Russian Day celebrations in Delhi

On Thursday evening, Russia Day celebrations in the Capital turned into a vibrant evening as diplomats and dignitaries gathered to mark the occasion. Russian Ambassador to India, Denis Alipov and Chief guest and Foreign Secretary, Vikram Misri (Photo: Manoj Verma/HT) The Russian Ambassador to India, Denis Alipov, surprised the audience by starting his speech in Hindi. He said: “Deviyon and sajjanon, Roos ke rashtriya din ke avsar mein aap sabhi ka hardik swagat evam abhinandan karta hoon,” and congratulated PM Narendra Modi for making history as India’s longest-serving continuously elected Prime Minister. Transitioning to global affairs, Ambassador Alipov spoke about the international landscape, stating, “The world is currently undergoing what may be the most significant structural transformation in modern history. We are witnessing a shift from a hierarchical system that benefited only a limited number of states to a multipolar world order. This transformation is irreversible, though it is not without its challenges… Jai Rus, Jai Hind.” Chief guest and Foreign Secretary, Vikram Misri, reciprocated the warmth, as he said, “India and Russia share a …

Russian cab driver refused money from Raj Kapoor’s grandson Nikhil Nanda amid snow storm: ‘Realised his impact’

Russian cab driver refused money from Raj Kapoor’s grandson Nikhil Nanda amid snow storm: ‘Realised his impact’

Raj Kapoor’s fame knew no boundaries. Apart from being a superstar in India, the legendary actor-filmmaker enjoyed immense popularity in Russia, something that his grandson experienced during his time in the United States. Recently, Nikhil Nanda, son of Raj Kapoor’s daughter Ritu Nanda, spoke about the moment he realised his maternal grandfather’s popularity overseas. Nikhil Nanda recalled his memories of grandfather Raj Kapoor. Nikhil on bond with Raj Kapoor Speaking on Shrishti Sahu’s podcast, Nikhil recalled his bond with Raj Kapoor and how his mother would take him to Mumbai during summer breaks to meet his maternal side of the family. Nikhil admitted that while growing up, he never saw Raj Kapoor as a star, but simply as his grandfather. Raj Kapoor fan refused to take cab fare Nikhil Nanda recalled that he truly understood the magnitude of Raj Kapoor’s popularity when he was studying at the University of Pennsylvania in the United States. Recalling the incident, he said, “I realised who Raj Kapoor was when I was in college. When I went to the …

Tamil director Bharathiraja’s masterpiece movie ‘Mudhal Mariyathai’: a Russian connection and initial misgivings

Tamil director Bharathiraja’s masterpiece movie ‘Mudhal Mariyathai’: a Russian connection and initial misgivings

Actors Sivaji Ganesan and Radha in the Tamil film ‘Mudhal Mariyathai’ | Photo Credit: The Hindu Archives One of diretor Bharathiraja’s masterpieces,Mudhal Mariyathai, which portrayed the love between an ageing hero and a young woman, had its genesis in the love story of Russian writer Fyodor Dostoevsky and Anna Snitkina, who was 25 years younger than him. Thespian Sivaji Ganesan and Radha played the lead roles in the film adaptation of the story. The song Vettiveru Vaasam Vedalapullai Nesam, composed by Ilaiyaraaja, encapsulated the story in a nutshell. Also Read: Bharathiraja passes away, tributes pour in R. Selvaraj, Tamil film story writer and a close associate of Bharathiraja, recalls: “Initially, everyone was quick to write off the film as a flop. Producer and writer Panchu Arunachalam said the horse would lose the race. Music director Ilaiyaraaja also had reservations about the film’s success. But the movie proved everyone wrong and became a major hit,” said Selvaraj. Ilaiyaraaja himself later recalled his initial misgivings about the project. Yet, all the songs — Andha Nilavathaan Naan Kaiyila …

Would like to end sanctions waivers on Russian oil: Rubio

Would like to end sanctions waivers on Russian oil: Rubio

Washington: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that America would like to end the general licence allowing countries, including India, to purchase Russian oil “as soon as possible”. While testifying before the US Senate, Rubio avoided making a firm commitment on ending the licence stating that the decision would be made on the basis of prevailing circumstances. The Russian oil tanker Anatoly Kolodkin near the port of Matanzas, northwestern Cuba, on March 31, 2026. (AFP) “Ultimately it’s a decision that’s made by the Treasury but I will tell you it depends on the circumstances at the time. We would like to end it as soon as you possibly can because the underlying policy of this country has been to sanction their oil. These are time-limited waivers for the purpose of opening up more global supply,” said Rubio when asked if the Trump administration would commit to ending the general licence, which is set to expire later in June. In March this year, the Trump administration issued two 30-day licences which allowed the …

US looks to end waiver on Russian oil purchase, says Rubio | Here’s how it will hit India

US looks to end waiver on Russian oil purchase, says Rubio | Here’s how it will hit India

The United States is looking to end its waiver that has allowed the purchase of Russian oil, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio testifies during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing (AFP) India is among the key countries that have benefited from the US waiver, as it allowed New Delhi to resume its purchase of Russian oil. Follow LIVE updates on the US-Iran war US looks to end ‘time-limited’ waiver Rubio, appearing for a US Congress hearing, stated that the current waiver on Russian oil was “time-limited” and established in order to ease the disruption caused by the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing conflict between the US-Israel and Iran. “We would like to end it as soon as we possibly can because the underlying policy of this country has been to sanction their oil. These are time-limited waivers for the purpose of opening up more global supply,” Rubio told the Committee. The US first announced the waiver in March. Since then, the …

NADA finds unused syringes and Russian medicines during checks at wrestling trials

NADA finds unused syringes and Russian medicines during checks at wrestling trials

2 min readUpdated: May 31, 2026 10:48 PM IST Unused syringes and Russian medicines were found in the bag of a support staff member when the National Anti-Doping Agency’s (NADA) Intelligence and Investigations (I&I) unit conducted random checks during the Asian Games wrestling trials at the SAI Center in Lucknow on Sunday. National camps have a strict no-needle policy. However, a NADA official said they were unable to identify the owner of the bag as nobody had come forward to claim it following the random checks. “We don’t know who the bag belongs to, but we have made a report and sent it to our office,” one of the NADA officials told The Indian Express on the condition of anonymity. “After we checked the bag, it has been unattended and nobody has claimed it yet.” The medicines listed on the report were: Neoton (Неотон), Pregma 75, and Atorbet, according to the official.The SAI center hosts the men’s wrestling camp. “Today, for the trials, a lot of kids have come, and we don’t know who is …

Ukranian GM on fleeing the Russian invasion, accepting Candidates invite with 7 days notice and more

Ukranian GM on fleeing the Russian invasion, accepting Candidates invite with 7 days notice and more

Anna Muzychuk remembers the panic she felt when the sirens went off on a frigid February day four years ago. The war was on their doorstep. Anna, one of Ukraine’s best grandmasters, had been living in the east Ukrainian city of Lviv with her sister, grandmaster Mariya Muzychuk, when Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine. The sirens that wailed in Lviv that morning were enough to shatter the perception that the Muzychuk sisters harboured: that Lviv was safe, because it was far on the eastern corner of the country. “It was very scary. I was in a state of the biggest shock in my life,” Anna tells The Indian Express as she recollects the day she and her sister made one of the hardest decisions of their life: to leave their home behind. “When the war started, I did hear all the sirens, I did see all the explosions… a few times, the bombs fell very close to my apartment. I was in Ukraine when places near me were hit and I saw people dying, …

BRICS: PM meets Russian, Iranian, South African, and Brazilian foreign ministers

BRICS: PM meets Russian, Iranian, South African, and Brazilian foreign ministers

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday met several foreign ministers attending the BRICS Foreign Ministers` Meeting in New Delhi, including Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola and Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira. The meetings took place on the sidelines of the BRICS Foreign Ministers` gathering being hosted in the Indian capital. Prime Minister Modi also joined the visiting ministers and delegates for the official BRICS family photo, which brought together representatives of member countries and partner nations participating in the high-level diplomatic engagement. Earlier in the day, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar welcomed Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at Bharat Mandapam for the BRICS Foreign Ministers` meeting, marking a key diplomatic engagement. The EAM also welcomed other Foreign Ministers and representatives from the member and observer nations to the venue in the national capital ahead of the much-anticipated meeting. Jaishankar first received Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong, who will be representing the country in place of Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is currently in …