Latest Politics News — Main events today

CIA Director Ratcliffe Flew to Moscow: What Is Known About the Unannounced Visit and Washington's Request to Kyiv

Politics 08/26/2026, 04:57

CIA Director John Ratcliffe made an unannounced visit to Moscow on August 25 — the first in five years. According to the WSJ, the trip is linked to intelligence on Russia's preparations for mobilization. Washington asked Kyiv for a pause in strikes.

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Russia's "happiness index" plunges to a 15-year low: intelligence names the causes, while officials boast about sending residents to the front

Politics 08/26/2026, 04:51

According to the FIS, Russia's "happiness index" fell by 9 points in a month to a low not seen since 2011. Intelligence links this to the war and the authorities' policies, while officials call the sending of residents to the front patriotism.

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Latvia to ban the import of industrial goods from Russia and Belarus from September 1, including supplies via third countries

Politics 08/26/2026, 04:31

On August 25, the Latvian government fixed the date on which a large-scale ban on the import of industrial goods from Russia and Belarus will take effect — September 1. The restrictions also apply to supplies routed through third countries.

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Ukraine's Chief Rabbi Distances Himself from Markovich's Bail for Mudra and Condemns Surge in Antisemitism

Politics 08/26/2026, 04:26

Ukraine's Chief Rabbi Moshe Asman stated that Rabbi Markovich's bail for former Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Iryna Mudra was a personal initiative, not the community's position, and condemned the surge in antisemitism.

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Trump Picks Kim Jong Un Over Seoul: What Lies Behind the Scaling Back of Military Exercises in Asia

Politics 08/26/2026, 03:43

Trump confirmed his desire to meet with Kim Jong Un in autumn, and North Korea gave a positive response to the talks. Against this backdrop, anxiety is growing in Seoul over statements about the reduction of joint US–South Korea military exercises.

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Trump Claims Full Demining of the Strait of Hormuz and Threatens Iran with the Destruction of Vessels

Politics 08/26/2026, 03:36

Trump stated that all mines in the Strait of Hormuz have been destroyed, threatened Iran with the destruction of mining vessels, and called the strait US territory. The statement came against the backdrop of the new "Economic Exile" operation.

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Kost Bondarenko Raises Funds for 'The Encyclopedia of Late Putin': How a Political Technologist Turned Profiling into Crowdfunding

Politics 08/26/2026, 03:22

Ukrainian political scientist Kost Bondarenko has announced the digital version of 'The Encyclopedia of Late Putin' and launched fundraising for a print run through the closed club Ante Meridiem.

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US Asked Kyiv Not to Strike Moscow During Delegation Visit: Plane Carrying CIA Director Arrived in Russian Capital

Politics 08/26/2026, 02:55

The US, according to sources, asked Kyiv to refrain from strikes on Moscow during the visit of a US delegation. A C-17 aircraft carrying CIA Director Ratcliffe arrived at Vnukovo, which the Kremlin does not confirm.

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CIA Director Secretly Arrives in Moscow: US Asks Ukraine to Pause Strikes During Visit — Axios

Politics 08/26/2026, 02:49

CIA Director John Ratcliffe secretly arrived in Moscow on a US C-17A aircraft. According to Axios and CBS, Washington asked Kyiv to temporarily pause strikes on the Russian capital during the visit.

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Slovakia Foils Napalm Sabotage Plot at Drone Factory: 70 Workers Saved by a Miracle, Three Foreigners Arrested

Politics 08/26/2026, 00:59

Slovak intelligence services prevented a napalm arson attack on a UAV factory in the east of the country, where 70 workers were in the workshop. Three foreigners have been arrested; the trail leads to a foreign client.

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Trump Announces Possible Renaming of Lake Ontario to 'Lake America' Amid Trade Conflict with Canada

Politics 08/26/2026, 00:39

Trump stated on Truth Social that the U.S. is "seriously considering" renaming Lake Ontario to "Lake America" amid the breakdown of trade negotiations and 50% U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods.

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Mid-strikes of the 7th Air Assault Corps are changing the face of the front: how medium-range drones strike logistics near Pokrovsk

Politics 08/26/2026, 00:45

Ukrainian media report that the 7th Air Assault Corps, using mid-strikes — medium-range drones with AI re-homing — is constraining the enemy's logistics on the Pokrovsk axis. Soldiers claim that the occupiers' advance has been halted.

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CIA Director John Ratcliffe Arrives Secretly in Moscow: Boeing C-17 Lands at Vnukovo, Kremlin Denies Meeting

Politics 08/26/2026, 00:24

CIA Director John Ratcliffe arrived in Moscow on a military Boeing C-17 from Riga, CBS reports. A motorcade with diplomatic plates was spotted in the capital, while the Kremlin stated it has no information about the landing and is not planning meetings with the U.S.

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Special flight to Vnukovo: CIA Director Ratcliffe secretly arrives in Moscow on a military C-17 — three scenarios for closed-door talks

Politics 08/26/2026, 00:10

CIA Director John Ratcliffe secretly arrived in Moscow on a military C-17A on August 25. CBS News reports closed-door talks: Ukraine, prisoner exchange, Iran. Neither the White House nor the Kremlin confirmed the visit.

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“A Gift for March 8”: The Kremlin Cooks Up a New Absurd Justification for the Invasion of Ukraine

Politics 08/26/2026, 00:03

Russian leader's advisor Anton Kobyakov claimed that Russia allegedly “preempted an attack” by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, citing “documents” about a plan for Ukraine's invasion on March 8, 2022. There is no independent confirmation of these documents.

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Six-month deadline for housing reform has expired: Cabinet of Ministers has not adopted a single sub-legislative act

Politics 08/25/2026, 23:50

Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers missed the six-month deadline for developing the sub-legislative framework for housing law No. 4751-IX: no mandatory act, including the Strategy through 2033, has been adopted. The parliament intends to fix the implementation deadlines in the government's program of activities.

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Cousin of a deputy from Perm: how a Russian soldier ended up in Ukrainian captivity on the Zaporizhzhia front

Politics 08/25/2026, 23:35

Combatants of the 33rd Separate Assault Regiment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the Zaporizhzhia front captured Russian soldier Dmitry Lomakin, who called himself the cousin of a deputy from Perm and explained his service as a contract signed for the money.

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Vatican, at meeting with Lavrov in Moscow, directly called for an end to the war against Ukraine

Politics 08/25/2026, 23:05

Vatican Archbishop Paul Gallagher, at a meeting with Sergey Lavrov in Moscow on 25 August 2026, directly called for an end to the war against Ukraine. The two sides agreed on humanitarian cooperation, including care for children affected by the war.

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