Russia

Halloween was a day of costumes, candy and all things spooky even in Russia, as Muscovites celebrated like fellow trick-or-treaters around the world, notwithstanding Halloween being irritant for politicians, pro-Kremlin activists and the Orthodox Church

Three earthquakes struck off the coast of Kamchatka in a period of heightened seismic activity in one of the world’s most geologically active regions; a series of quakes measuring up to magnitude 4,8; no reports of damage or injuries, no tsunami alerts

Russia is not committing to a meeting between Ukrainian President Zelensky and President Putin, which US President Trump has encouraged as a next step toward ending the war; Foreign Minister Lavrov argued any meeting should be prepared “gradually”

Despite its 8,8 magnitude, damage caused by the earthquake that struck the Kamchatka peninsula on 30 July was relatively minor; lack of devastation and fatalities was attributed by Kremlin spokesperson to high-quality construction and local preparedness

Ukraine and Russia launched a wave of air attacks along the Black Sea coastline a few hours after direct peace talks between the two nations ended without any breakthrough on a ceasefire

After a two-hour phone call with US President Trump, President Putin revealed no breakthroughs and told reporters he would be ready to negotiate a peace deal with Ukraine, repeating his demand for broad concessions

The 47th Moscow International Film Festival MIFF, one of the oldest in the world having had its first edition in 1935, will open in Moscow tomorrow 17 April; ending on 24 April, it will display dozens of international works including five from Iran

Sahel foreign ministers arrived in Moscow for their first official talks with Russia following the breaking of relations between Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger and traditional western allies, namely France and other EU countries

Russian tennis player Daria Kasatkina will play under the Australian flag after announcing she has changed nationality; currently number 12 in the WTA ranking, she had repeatedly criticised the war in Ukraine

Officials of the United Russia party allegedly donated meat mincers for 8 March to the mothers of Russian soldiers who died on the Ukrainian front; the gesture has caused great controversy as it recalls the sending of soldiers to slaughter

Russia would depend on military aid from North Korea to continue its large-scale offensive on Ukraine, according to extensive intelligence gathering over many months by US, Ukraine and South Korea; 50% of the artillery fired would come from NK