Moscow Times

Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said in televised remarks that Russia stood by India at a time when Western powers backed a military regime, arguing the West's record toward New Delhi has been inconsistent. The comments, made on camera, quickly drew wide attention online, with many echoing his point that India's ties with Moscow are rooted in history rather than convenience.

A Russian newspaper has declared that "the election's over" and it is "time for unpopular measures", a message highlighted by the BBC's Moscow correspondent Steve Rosenberg. The framing suggests the Kremlin may now push through painful economic or policy steps it avoided before the presidential vote, such as tax rises, spending cuts or further mobilisation-related burdens. Observers read it as a signal that Russians will be asked to pay a price now that Vladimir Putin's re-election is secured.

Latvia is drawing international attention after a decisive election win for a politician known for his hardline stance on Russia. German media describe the result as a surprisingly clear course for the NATO country on its eastern flank, underlining Latvia's firm position against Moscow at a time when security along NATO's eastern border remains a top concern in Europe.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz travelled to Kyiv as Russia intensifies strikes on Ukrainian cities. The visit signals continued German support for Ukraine and comes at a sensitive moment in the war, with Moscow escalating aerial bombardments and international attention focused on the sustainability of Western backing. Coverage across major outlets highlights the timing of the trip against the backdrop of worsening attacks on civilian areas.

China and Russia have begun joint military exercises in Chelyabinsk, in Russia's Ural region, and in the Caspian Sea. The announcement spread rapidly online, with users sharing the breaking news and flagging the drills as a fresh signal of deepening military cooperation between Beijing and Moscow at a time of heightened tension with the West.

Ukraine carried out a large drone raid on Russia on Saturday night, with local reports saying several hundred drones were in the air. Two main streams were tracked: one heading toward the Moscow area and another pushing into southern Russia. The scale of the attack has drawn wide attention, with observers following the raids in real time.

Finland's President Alexander Stubb says Russia has grown stronger and that Ukraine's fate is central to Europe's security. His warning underscores concern among NATO's northern members that a weakened or defeated Ukraine would embolden Moscow and leave the continent exposed, placing Kyiv's defense at the heart of any European security architecture.

U.S.-Russia negotiations over the war in Ukraine have expanded to include an oil deal connected to allies of President Trump, according to a New York Times report. The report suggests commercial energy interests are becoming entangled with diplomatic efforts to end the conflict, raising questions about who stands to benefit from any settlement between Washington and Moscow.

Russia's Finance Ministry has started paying some of its employees' salaries in digital rubles, marking the first real-world use of the central bank digital currency for government wage payments. The move is part of Moscow's pilot of the digital ruble, and multiple outlets are covering what it signals about the state's push to expand the currency beyond testing.

SKA Saint Petersburg are playing Admiral Vladivostok in a Kontinental Hockey League match, with the game broadcast live starting at 17:00 Moscow time. Sports outlets are running live coverage and score updates, and Russian hockey fans are following the fixture as part of the ongoing KHL regular season.

The United States has proposed trilateral talks bringing together Russia and Ukraine by the end of October, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The proposal marks a fresh push by Washington toward negotiations to end the war, though it remains unclear whether Moscow and Kyiv will agree to the format or timing.

A New York Times report by correspondent Ivan Nechepurenko documents the hunt for gasoline in Moscow, assessing how severe fuel shortages have become. The shortages follow Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian refineries, which have reduced refining capacity and strained domestic fuel supplies.

Russia's Finance Ministry has paid some of its employees' salaries in the digital ruble, the country's central bank digital currency, for the first time. The move marks a milestone in Moscow's rollout of the ruble CBDC, signalling that government bodies are beginning to use the digital currency for real payroll transactions rather than pilots only.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Russia has struck two bridges in Kyiv six times and called on Ukraine's partners to take decisive action in response. The statement from the Ukrainian foreign ministry draws attention to repeated attacks on civilian infrastructure in the capital and adds to Kyiv's ongoing appeals for stronger support and pressure on Moscow from allied governments.

A New York Times report dated October 3, 2026 links Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff to a proposed oil deal involving Russia. The article is being shared in US politics discussions, with readers weighing the implications of the two envoys' involvement in energy negotiations touching Moscow. Details of the deal's terms and status remain unclear from the shared coverage.

Russia says it has dropped an armed ground robot from an Il-76 transport aircraft for the first time during a military exercise. The demonstration highlights Moscow's push to field unmanned combat systems, though details on the robot's capabilities and performance after landing remain limited, drawing attention from defense observers tracking military robotics.

The New York Times has released a video report titled 'The Search for Gas in Moscow,' examining how residents in the Russian capital are looking for gasoline. The report suggests fuel availability has become a concern in Moscow, drawing attention amid wider discussion of Russia's energy supply situation. Exact details of the shortages and their causes remain unclear from the headline alone.

According to the New York Times, Putin has offered Trump a multibillion-dollar deal involving Russian oil giant Lukoil as a concrete signal to restart relations. The report comes amid US-Russia negotiations over Ukraine, but Zelensky is now reportedly targeting Moscow's refineries, adding a military dimension to the diplomatic maneuvering.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that Ukraine and its allies will only waste time if they pursue compromises with Russia. His comments reflect Kyiv's scepticism toward proposals for negotiated concessions as pressure grows in some Western circles to explore ways to end the war. Supporters echo his view that Moscow cannot be trusted, while others argue some form of settlement will eventually be necessary.

Russia has begun paying government employees' salaries in digital rubles for the first time, marking a milestone for the country's central bank digital currency. The move signals Moscow's push to bring the digital ruble into everyday use, with officials framing it as a step toward modernizing state payments infrastructure.

Ukraine says it will target Russian oil refineries in response to what it calls Moscow's 'new doctrine', with the statement reported by Yahoo. The threat signals Kyiv's intent to keep hitting Russia's energy infrastructure, a campaign that has previously disrupted fuel supplies and export revenues. No further details on timing or scale were given.

Reporting from the New York Times says negotiations between the United States and Russia over ending the war in Ukraine have expanded to include an oil deal linked to allies of Donald Trump, with Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff named in the report. The claim that commercial energy interests are being folded into sensitive peace diplomacy has drawn scrutiny, raising questions about conflicts of interest and who stands to benefit from any settlement between Washington and Moscow.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the United States is planning trilateral talks involving Russia and Ukraine by the end of October. The announcement points to renewed diplomatic efforts to bring the two countries to the same table, potentially with American mediation. Details about the format, timing and agenda of the proposed negotiations have not yet been confirmed by Washington or Moscow.

Loud explosions are being reported in the Moscow region, with Russian air defense forces attempting to shoot down unidentified targets. The reports come amid ongoing Ukrainian drone and missile strikes deep inside Russian territory. No official confirmation has yet been given on what was targeted or whether anything was hit. Residents describe repeated blasts overnight.