2015-10-19 Not Many Syrian Refugees Welcomed in Russia
Tens of thousands of refugees from Syria continue to flee unrest by traveling to Europe and neighboring countries. But many do not seek refuge in Russia, despite longtime political and…
2015-10-16 Turkey Warns US, Russia Not to Arm Kurds in Syria
Turkey is warning the United States and Russia against arming Kurdish fighters in Syria. It says the fighters are linked to what it calls Kurdish terrorists in Turkey. But some…
2015-10-07 Russia, Western Allies Clash Over Syria Bombing
Russia’s defense minister says four Russian warships in the Caspian Sea launched rockets at Islamic State targets in Syria. Russia has been bombing Syria for a week. But reports say…
2015-10-05 Western Nations Criticize Russia’s Air Campaign in Syria
Western countries are strongly criticizing Russia for the type of bombs it is reportedly using to strike Syria. Russia began the airstrikes September 30. Western countries disputed Russia’s targets. Russia…
2015-09-27 Russia Struggles to Replace Foods After Import Ban
Russia is working to replace foreign products with its own goods. The move is aimed at restricting imports from Western countries. The policy resulted from Western nations putting trade limits…
2015-08-25 Poroshenko: Russia Threatening Ukraine’s Independence
Ukraine celebrated its Independence Day earlier this week. The holiday marked an event that signaled the collapse of the Soviet Union, and it still colors Russia’s thinking about Ukraine. Ukrainian…
2015-08-12 Russia Destroys Banned Western Food
The government in Russia is moving forward with efforts to destroy food imports from Western countries. The government banned the imports because of the dispute between Russia and the West…
2015-07-08 Russia Bans Internet Database Archive
Internet users in Russia will no longer be able to make use of a large database of stored webpages. Critics say the new restriction apparently resulted from a single website…
2015-03-12 Older Ukrainians Threatened by War with Russia
Old people in eastern Ukraine are suffering from the conflict between government forces and Russian-supported rebels. The United Nations estimates 60 percent of people displaced by the fighting within the…
2015-01-07 Russia Sees Major Threats from NATO, US
Russia is changing the way it deals with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, also known as NATO. Last month, Russian President Vladimir Putin approved a new military doctrine — a…
2014-12-05 Observers Say Ukraine’s Problems Are Also Russia’s
The pro-European revolution in Ukraine was one of the big stories this year. Ukraine replaced its pro-Russia president with leaders interested in reaching out to the rest of Europe. But…
2014-07-25 US, Russian Oil Partnership Continues Despite Sanctions
The movement of an oil drilling rig into Russian waters in the Arctic is creating problems for the American company that controls it. The move of the drilling equipment center…
2014-05-15 Cross-Dressing Singer Upsets Russia
The results of the recent Eurovision Song Contest caused a strong reaction in Russia. They also worsened relations between Russia and Europe. The Eurovision Song Contest was held last weekend…
2014-04-17 Russia Increases Energy Costs for Ukraine
Hello, once again, and welcome. I’m Jim Tedder in Washington. It’s time to learn and improve your American English and learn about the world at the same time. Today politics…
2014-03-13 Will Crimea Vote To Leave Ukraine and Join Russia?
Hello, and welcome to As It Is from VOA Learning English! I’m Christopher Cruise in Washington. Today on the program, we report on the growing popularity of Pope Francis. Some…