‘There is profound disappointment in him’: mood in Russia turns against Putin

Increasingly isolated president is determined to press on with Ukraine war, say well-placed sources, despite ailing economy Vladimir Putin pulled up to a hotel in central Moscow earlier in May in a Russian-made SUV, dressed casually in jeans and a light jacket. Carrying a bouquet of flowers, he walked unhurriedly into the lobby and embraced his former schoolteacher Vera Gurevich, who kissed him on both cheeks. He then helped Gurevich into his car and drove her to dinner at the Kremlin. Conti...

By Pjotr Sauer and Shaun Walker

Cannes Grand Prix Winner Andrey Zvyagintsev Uses Acceptance Speech to Address Putin: ‘Put an End to This Carnage’

Standing at the Cannes podium Saturday night to collect the Grand Prix for “Minotaur,” exiled Russian director Andrey Zvyagintsev used his acceptance speech to issue a direct, personal plea to Vladimir Putin to bring the war to an end. Set in Russia in 2022, “Minotaur” follows Gleb (Dmitriy Mazurov), a successful company director whose carefully […]

By Naman Ramachandran

Putin may lose leverage in Ukraine talks, says Estonian intellegence chief

Russian President Vladimir Putin may lose leverage in peace negotiations with Ukraine in the coming months if current battlefield trends continue, Kaupo Rosin, head of Estonia's Foreign Intelligence Service (VLA), told the U.S. publication CNN.