A leading Ukrainian newspaper on Monday claimed that a second attempt to assassinate Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy had been foiled. According to The Kyiv Post, a group of 25 people led by the Russian special services was captured near the Slovakia-Hungary border. “Their goal was the physical elimination of the Ukrainian president,” the newspaper tweeted. On March 4, The Times had reported that Zelenskyy dodged three assassination attempts in the last week of February.
EU to end golden passport schemes, targets Russians
The European Commission called on EU governments on Monday to end national programmes to sell citizenship to investors, also known as golden passports schemes, and urged them to suspend the sale of visas to Russians and Belarusians. The move follows a new push from the European Parliament to shrink and regulate the multi-billion-euro citizenship and visa industry which lawmakers consider a security risk.
Russia-China relations at strongest level ever: Lavrov
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday said Russia's relations with China were at their strongest level ever, at a time when the West is seeking to isolate Moscow with unprecedented sanctions. Beijing has repeatedly voiced opposition to the sanctions, insisting it will maintain normal economic and trade exchanges with Russia, and has refused to condemn Moscow's actions, but the government is wary of Chinese firms running afoul of sanctions.
Radio host asks ‘uncle’ Putin to invade Kazakhstan, fired
A Kazakh radio station fired one of its presenters on Monday after she said “we will call in Uncle Vova if you talk too much” in a heated Facebook debate, a reference to Russian President Vladimir Putin and the idea that Russia could invade. Kazakhstan, a former Soviet republic, shares the world's second-longest land border with Russia and has close economic and political ties with Moscow.
Russia looking to accept gas payments in rubles
The Kremlin on Monday said Russia was working out methods for accepting payments for its gas exports in roubles and it would take decisions in due course should European countries refuse to pay in the Russian currency. EU leaders on Friday failed to agree on a short-term solution to the energy market crunch.
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