The owner and the manager of a licensed foreign employment agency who were arrested and remanded for allegedly sending Sri Lankans for employment in the Russian army to fight in the Ukraine war, have been further remanded until July 13.

State Minister of Foreign Affairs Tharaka Balasuriya states that Sri Lanka is working closely with the Government of Russia to repatriate Sri Lankans who are working with the Russian forces.

Russia will now require Sri Lanka s Defence Ministry clearance for visit visas of ex-servicemen, says Foreign Minister Ali Sabry.

Lankan soldiers of fortune ‘trapped’ on Russia-Ukrainian front: By Shamindra Ferdinando A high level delegation that included Secretary Defence Gen. (retd.) Kamal Gunaratne is yet to leave for Moscow two weeks after the government announced the move in response to growing reports of ex-Sri Lankan military personnel taking up assignments with the Russian military. State […]

The announcement that India will overtake Japan in nominal gross domestic product in dollar terms in 2025 has shocked Tokyo. Until 2010, Japan had been home to the world’s undisputed second-largest economy, but it’s now on the brink of slipping to fifth place. In estimates released in late April, the International Monetary Fund indicated that […]

By Norman Palihawadane The number of persons arrested and detained for involvement in human smuggling facilitating recruitment of former military personnel to serve on the Russia-Ukraine front increased to nine with the police taking into custody a retired Army Major General and his wife, police said on Friday. Police said that hundreds of ex-servicemen had […]

Conspiracy theories have sprung to life Iran declares five days of mourning  Vice-President Mohammad Mokhber named successor Iranian State media yesterday confirmed the death of the country’s President, Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash in a mountainous area of north-western Iran, along with Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. They were killed after the helicopter they were […]

Sri Lanka’s former Ambassador in Iran M. M. Zuhair has questioned the government’s stand on sending workers to Israel amidst growing international condemnation and isolation of the Jewish State over the Gaza genocide. Apropos ‘Labour Minister: Govt. won’t heed demand for severing diplomatic ties with Israel, halt sending workers,’ carried in the May 16 edition […]

Just days after Chinese President Xi Jinping’s tour of Europe, India’s Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar issued a cautionary message to Indian businesses. Speaking at an event in Kolkata, he highlighted the abnormal situation in Ladakh. He emphasized that the situation at the disputed border cannot be disregarded by any Indian citizen. In 2020, China’s breach […]

by Rajan Philips The attempted assassination of Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico has sent shivers down western spines. In a rare moment of unity, both Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin condemned the shooting. The identity of the arrested shooter has not been made public, but he is believed to be a 71 year old poet […]

State Foreign Affairs Minister Tharaka Balasuriya yesterday (16) disclosed that a high level delegation would be soon leaving for Moscow to inquire into ex-military personnel serving with Russian Army on Russia-Ukraine front lines. The delegation would be led by Defence Secretary General (retd.) Kamal Gunaratne. Balasuriya said that they had received instructions in this regard […]

A British diplomat has been given a week to leave Russia in an escalation of a diplomatic spat over spying. The Russian foreign ministry said in a statement the removal of Capt Adrian Coghill was in response to “unfriendly anti-Russian actions” from Britain. On 8 May the Russian defence attache was expelled from London for […]

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Tharaka Balasuriya said  that President Ranil Wickremesinghe has issued directives to send a specialized delegation to Russia to investigate the welfare of Sri Lankans embroiled in the on-going Russia-Ukraine war. According to the state minister, this delegation will include the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, a former Ambassador to […]

Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in China for a two-day state visit, as the two countries look to further deepen a relationship that has grown closer since Moscow invaded Ukraine more than two years ago. The visit comes days after Russia launched a new offensive in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region, and as it claims […]

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has instructed to send a team comprising the Defence Secretary, a Foreign Ministry official and a former Sri Lankan diplomat to Russia to look into the Sri Lankans who have joined the Russian military in the Ukrainian warfront, State Minister of Foreign Affairs Tharaka Balasuriya said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit China this week, both countries announced, using the first foreign trip of his new six-year term to underscore the deepening partnership with China’s Xi Jinping. China and Russia declared a “no limits”partnership in February 2022 when Putin visited Beijing just days before he sent tens of thousands of troops […]

Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to replace his long-standing ally Sergei Shoigu as defence minister, the Kremlin has announced. The 68-year-old has been in the role since 2012 and is to be appointed the head of Russia’s Security Council. Papers published by the upper chamber of the Russian parliament said  Shoigu will be replaced […]