Tag: Russia

Russia-Ukraine War: Buhari approves N3.5bn for evacuation of Nigerians from Ukraine

Aminu Imam

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the sum of N3, 535,150,000 ($8.5million) for the evacuation of Nigerians from war-torn Ukraine. This was announced yesterday, by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiyya Umar Farouk. Farouk, who briefed newsmen immediately after the Federal Executive Council, (FEC) meeting, said the money was to evacuate at least 500 nationals stranded in Ukraine. This is coming on the heels of condemnation from many Nigerians following the government’s adamancy towards evacuating Nigerian students and citizens following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia…

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Russia: Putin puts nuclear forces on high alert

Aminu Imam

…Cites sanctions as reason Russian President, Vladimir Putin, has ordered his military command to put his country’s deterrence forces – a reference to units which include nuclear arms – on high alert, citing aggressive statements by North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) leaders and economic sanctions against Moscow. Putin, who made the disclosure in a televised address, said, “As you can see, not only do Western countries take unfriendly measures against our country in the economic dimension – I mean the illegal sanctions that everyone knows about very well – but…

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“Take over power…it’ll be easier to reach agreement with you” – Putin to Ukrainian army

Aminu Imam

Russian President Vladimir Putin has called on the Ukrainian military to seize power in their country. Speaking yesterday, during a televised address, Putin told the Ukrainian military it would be “easier for us to make a deal with you” than with “this gang of drug addicts and neo-Nazis”. He accused the Ukrainian leadership of using civilians as “human shields”. “I once again appeal to the military personnel of the armed forces of Ukraine: do not allow neo-Nazis to use your children, wives, and elders as human shields,” he said. “Take…

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Putin says ‘no other way’ to defend Russia other than invading Ukraine

Aminu Imam

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Moscow had no other choice but to invade Ukraine to ensure Russia’s security, speaking hours after his army crossed his ex-Soviet neighbour’s borders. “What was happening left us with no choice”, the Russian leader said, during a televised meeting with business representatives, adding that “we had no other way of proceeding”. In a video grab taken from a handout footage made available yesterday, on the official website of the Russian President (kremlin.ru), President Vladimir Putin addresses the nation at the Kremlin in Moscow.…

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Russia’s COVID-19 vaccine ‘records success’ in early trials

Ishaku Yohanna

President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, has announced the country’s approval for the COVID-19 vaccine named “Sputnik V” – a reference to the world’s first artificial satellite launched by the Soviets on October 4, 1957. Developed by Moscow’s Gamaleya Institute, the vaccine has been received with cautious optimism across the world. While some health experts say Russia skipped the third and most crucial stage of testing the drug before declaring it fit for human use, the country insists that it followed due health protocol. The World Health Organisation, which asked Russia…

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Russia to roll out COVID-19 vaccine in September ahead of the West

Ishaku Yohanna

A top government official has revealed that Russia could make available a vaccine for the treatment of the Coronavirus disease as early as September. This announcement is coming after Russia had denied that hackers working for the country’s intelligence agency tried to steal sensitive data from researchers in the UK, US and Canada.  Russia is the fourth-most affected country in the world with more than 750,000 COVID-19 cases. The head of the Russian wealth fund, while stating that a deal has been agreed with AstraZeneca to manufacture a COVID-19 vaccine…

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