Russian forces have held a military exercise to practice repelling massive air strikes by adversaries. It comes amid a standoff between Moscow and the West over Ukraine's NATO ambitions.
Interfax cited Russia’s Western Military District as saying on Monday about 1,000 troops took part in the operation.
Russia has amassed tens of thousands of troops at staging posts close to Ukraine and demanded that its southern neighbour not be admitted to NATO and that no offensive weapons be deployed there or in other neighbouring countries.
Some troops have started returning to permanent bases after drills near Ukraine.
Russia’s deployment of tens of thousands of troops to the north, east and south of Ukraine had fuelled fears in Kyiv and Western capitals that Moscow was planning an attack.
Russia denies any such plans, stressing it needs pledges from the West – including a promise from NATO not to expand the alliance eastward towards Russian borders – because its own security is threatened by Ukraine’s growing ties with the Western alliance.
Iran’s Minister of Industries, Mines and Commerce Abbas Aliabadi says Iran has turned into a…
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said Ukraine abandoned a draft peace treaty with Russia in…
The UN human rights office has voiced concern about the detention of hundreds of students…
The members of the academic board, students and employees of Tehran University held a rally…
Russia repelled a wave of attempted Ukrainian drone strikes on oil refineries and energy infrastructures…
The Israeli army has destroyed 70% of water wells in the northern Gaza Strip amid…