US newspaper report, denied by mercenary group’s leader, says locations were offered in exchange for a withdrawal near Bakhmut.

• May 16, 2023

Zelenskyy secures pledges of further arms as Ukraine prepares to step up assaults against Russian occupiers.

• May 16, 2023

Russia’s Victory Day celebration on Tuesday was the last time the Belarusian leader was seen in public.

• May 16, 2023

Drone attacks come as UN nuclear chief also warns of ‘dangerous situation’ around Zaporizhzhia power plant and Wagner chief appeals for relief in Bakhmut.

• May 8, 2023

Chief Yevgeny Prigozhin says the group has been promised as much ammunition and weaponry as needed to carry on the offence.

• May 8, 2023

Concerns growing about the safety of the Zaporizhizhia nuclear power plant as civilians ordered to evacuate.

• May 8, 2023

As the war enters its 439th day, we take a look at the main developments.

• May 8, 2023

By Yeghia TASHJIAN, Beirut-based regional analyst and researcher, columnist, "The Armenian Weekly”

The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), a 7,200 kilometre model of ship network, rail and road project, was initiated in 2000 by Russia, Iran and India to facilitate trade between India, Russia and Europe. Azerbaijan, Armenia and other countries joined the initiative in 2005. This transport corridor aims to reduce the delivery time of cargo from India to Russia and Northern Europe to the Persian Gulf and beyond. Compared to the sea route via the Suez Canal, this route’s distance shrinks by more than half, which brings the term and cost of transportation down. If the present delivery time on this route is over six weeks, it is expected to decrease to three weeks through this corridor.
In my March 2021 analysis “Armenia and India’s Vision of ‘North-South Corridor’: A Strategy or a ‘Pipe Dream?’” I warned that Armenia’s inability to play an active transit role between Russia/Europe and Iran/India will isolate the republic from regional trade. Between 2005-2018, Armenia did little to finalize the north-south strategic highway connecting its northern border to the southern border, mainly due to public corruption and carelessness. READ MORE

• May 5, 2023