The case of Paul Whelan, an ex-Marine who served in Iraq, is the latest twist in Russia’s faltering relations with the West.
Russia
Russia won’t let me go. I became fascinated by Russia as a boy when my parents gave me a 700-page book of Russian fairy-tales one Christmas. The fact the Soviet Union was closed, far away and America’s mortal enemy added to the country’s mystique. I devoured every book on Russia I could get my hands on. When I went to college, I started studying Russian.
What continues to intrigue me is that no matter how close I get to Russia and Russians, I always end up feeling like a foreigner. Despite all the western influence, Russia preserves its distinctiveness, belonging to neither Europe nor Asia. For me, it remains the most rewarding place to work as a journalist.
Putin Backs Maduro, As Kremlin Critics Cheer U.S. Support For Venezuela’s Opposition
If Cuba was the Kremlin’s closest ally in Latin America during the Cold War, now it’s Venezuela, whose vast oil wealth gives Russia direct influence over an OPEC member.
Young Russian Musicians Struggle Under Government Scrutiny
“We have a lot in common with people our age around the world,” said Nikolai Kostylev. “I’m more like some guy my age in Mexico than my neighbor who’s two generations older.”
Russians Pay Last Respects To Human Rights Defender Lyudmila Alexeyeva
“Thanks to the dignity of such people, our country still has dignity,” said Nikita Orlov, 49, a corporate manager. “Thanks to such people, we are alive.”
In Russia, A Dairy Owner Dreams Of Delivering Cheese To Vladimir Putin
“Russians are like a spring,” said Oleg Sirota. “The more you push them down, the stronger they bounce back up.”
Russians Honor Victims Of Stalin’s Purges Outside Moscow Security Headquarters
“It’s important to remember so what happened then can never repeat itself,” said Yekaterina Ivanova, 34. “That’s why I’ve come with my child, so she can understand from her earliest years how important it is.”
What Trump’s Threat To End A U.S.-Russia Nuclear Arms Treaty Means For Putin
“For Russia’s military-industrial complex and security services, the INF Treaty was always like a bullfighter’s red cape; it symbolized the country’s defeat in the Cold War.”
Latest Collateral Damage In U.S.-Russia Spat: An Anglo-American School Is Shut
One-hundred-forty schoolchildren in St. Petersburg became the latest victims of the chill in U.S.-Russian relations when they were forced out of their school.
Russia’s Multinational Military Exercise Last Week Was A Dry Run For Bigger War Games
“We see how geopolitical risks are increasing, and that’s why we’re uniting to repel any threat from any direction,” said Russian Lt. Gen. Alexander Lapin.
‘Better Than Super’: Russia Reacts To Trump-Putin Summit In Helsinki
After four years of getting short shrift by his U.S. counterparts, Putin was standing with Trump, who lavished him with the praise, respect and awe normally heard only on Russian state TV.
