Russian officials on Monday denounced comments made by French President Emmanuel Macron in an interview where he said that Moscow was becoming subservient to China.
The Bulgarian Prime Minister on Thursday (Dec 29) criticised Russia for putting Bulgarian journalist Christo Grozev, who investigated Russian dissident Alexei Navalny's poisoning, in 2020 on a "wanted" list. According to the information published by the Russian interior ministry, Grozev the chief investigative journalist for Bellingcact news outlet is "wanted under an article of the Criminal Code."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in his night video address warned that Russia might try to do something ugly, as the country prepares to mark its 31st Independence Day from Soviet rule. In other news, Pakistan’s media regulating body has banned live broadcasts of former PM and PTI leader Imran Khans’ speeches after being accused of threatening a police officer and a female magistrate. Finally, Albania has detained three foreign nationals: one Ukrainian and two Russians trying to enter the Gramsh military facility.
Russia claimed that it had seized control of Ukraine’s second-largest power plant in the eastern Donetsk region during the battle there. In other news, over a period of two years, as the epidemic spread around the world, Wuhan served as the virus’s epicenter. Recently, one district in Wuhan has been placed under lockdown by Chinese authorities after four COVID-19 cases were reported. Health officials in Jiangxia district issued an order for residents to stay at home while mass testing is being conducted.
Contender for the post of United Kingdom's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, has vowed a tough stance against China whom he said was the "number one threat" to domestic and global security. Reportedly, this comes after his rival Liz Truss accused him of being weak on China and Russia.