Thursday, July 16, 2026
Every side of the story
9 stories
Putin used a smaller Victory Day event to frame NATO as a threat and to justify ongoing military policy, a speech that reads differently at home and abroad.
Read the storyAs Moscow announces a pause for Victory Day and Kyiv offers its own open-ended truce, civilian deaths from overnight strikes expose how unilateral pauses are as much about optics as they are about stopping the bloodshed.
Read the storyAustria expelled three Russian diplomats after authorities found rooftop antenna arrays on diplomatic buildings; Western outlets call it a signals‑intelligence operation, while Moscow insists the expulsions are politically motivated.
Read the storyA drone struck a Moscow high-rise days before Victory Day, exposing a widening strike range and clashing official narratives about intent, damage and casualties.
Read the storyArmenia’s two-day diplomatic push with more than 30 European leaders is a strong signal — but symbolism is not the same as structural realignment.
Read the storyA surge of drone strikes hit Russian oil infrastructure and so-called "shadow fleet" tankers, forcing questions about whether Kyiv’s campaign is an effective chokehold or a risky escalation.
Read the storyConflicting claims followed strikes on Russia's Primorsk port and nearby oil tankers. This piece separates frontline narratives from the technical, financial, and environmental realities.
Read the storyNine days before the Venice Biennale was due to open, the event’s entire jury resigned, citing a decision not to consider countries 'whose leaders are currently charged with crimes against humanity'.
Read the storyLithuanian authorities say they have foiled alleged Russian-linked sabotage and murder plots. Early allegations mix concrete arrests with intelligence assessments — a reminder to treat immediate government claims as provisional until courts and independent investigators can verify them.
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