Russian teen sentenced for anti-war graffiti and poetry
A Russian court has sentenced 19-year-old Darya Kozyreva to nearly three years in prison for protesting the war in Ukraine using poetry and graffiti.
The Kremlin has declined to comment on the Azerbaijani Airlines plane crash in Kazakhstan, saying that they are waiting for the official investigation results.
On December 27, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded to a question regarding Azerbaijani reports that Russian air defenses had downed an Azerbaijani Airlines plane. When asked about a demand from Azerbaijani parliament member Rasim Musabekov for an apology from Russia, Peskov reiterated the Kremlin's position, stating that no comment could be made until the official investigation concludes.
Peskov said, "Of course, we have seen it. But I repeat once again that I have nothing to add to what I have already said. The investigation of this aviation incident is underway. And until conclusions of this investigation, we do not consider ourselves free to make any assessment and will not do it."
He further emphasized that only aviation authorities could assess the incident, stating, "We have our aviation authorities that can do it. It is only they who can provide any information. As for us, we do not consider ourselves free to comment on it."
While the Kremlin has declined to comment on the specifics of the crash, Azerbaijani government sources have shared new details. Preliminary findings suggest the plane, en route from Baku to Grozny, was struck by the Russian Pantsir-S air defense system as it approached Grozny. Russian electronic warfare systems are believed to have disabled the aircraft’s communication systems, causing it to disappear from radar while in Russian airspace and reappear near the Caspian Sea.
Russian sources have confirmed that, at the time of the crash, air defense forces were engaged in efforts to shoot down Ukrainian UAVs over Chechnya. Khamzat Kadyrov, head of the Chechen Security Council, confirmed a drone attack on Grozny on December 25, although he reported no casualties or damage. This raised questions about why Russian airspace was not closed to civilian aircraft during this time.
Further reports indicate that the Grozny airport, as well as airports in Makhachkala and Mineralnye Vody, denied the plane permission to land. The flight crew, disoriented by the air defense fire and electronic warfare, was advised to land in Aktau, Kazakhstan. Some speculate that the recommendation was aimed at forcing the plane into the Caspian Sea, eliminating all witnesses.
Azerbaijani officials do not suggest the attack was intentional but are calling on Russia to take responsibility for the incident and conduct a full investigation to hold those accountable.
The Russian ruble has emerged as the top-performing currency globally in 2025, registering an impressive 38% appreciation against the US dollar since the beginning of the year, according to a report by Bloomberg.
A small plane crashed near Kopake, New York, on April 13, killing at 6 people. The Mitsubishi MU-2B aircraft, carrying six people, went down under unclear circumstances. This marks the second aviation accident in New York in a week, raising safety concerns.
Several regions in Ukraine faced heightened alert on Palm Sunday, as reports of explosions and missile threats drew public attention and official responses.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for April 16th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Severe rainfall on April 17 led to flooding and landslides in the Piedmont region, prompting a large-scale emergency response from over 400 firefighters.
The British steel industry is grappling with its most significant crisis in decades, as the government has been forced to intervene in an emergency bid to save the country's last operational blast furnaces at British Steel.
Police in Pakistan have detained nearly 180 people following a series of incidents involving KFC restaurants in several major cities.
The leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council and Central Asian countries will come together on May 5 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, marking a major milestone in relations between the two sides.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman has confirmed that the second round of talks between representatives of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America will be held in Rome this Saturday.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is scheduled to hold talks with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi in Moscow.
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