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Why is Ukraine so important to Vladimir Putin?

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from Quora   Elena Gold  ·  Follow Media analyst  13h Why is Ukraine so important to Vladimir Putin? Ukraine is important for Vladimir Putin because he wants to enlarge the territory of the Russian Federation and make Russia an Eurasian empire . The Russian “Eurasianism” paradigm shaped by Alexander Dugin states that Russia cannot be an Eurasian Empire without owning Ukraine. This is what Putin dreams about: “The Russian World from Lisbon to Vladivostok” is the official goal of the Russian state under Vladimir Putin. For the last 200 years, Russia never won a war against a foreign enemy, without the Ukrainians fighting together with the Russians. Ukraine is the largest country in Europe, with the territory fully located in Europe: 603,000 square km. (Russia’s territory in Europe is larger, but Russia is an Eurasian country, with territory both in Europe and Asia.) Geopolitically, Ukraine is the “buffer” separating the countries of the European Union from the aggress...

Former Ukrainian minister detained by anti-corruption authorities while trying to leave the country

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By Sophie Tanno and Svitlana Vlasova, CNN World   PUBLISHED Feb 15, 2026, 10:42 AM ET 3 hr ago A former Ukrainian energy minister has been detained in connection with a major corruption scandal. Pictured, the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP).   Maxim Shemetov/Reuters A former Ukrainian energy minister has been detained in connection with a major corruption scandal while trying to leave the country, authorities said on Sunday. Ukraine’s anti-corruption bureau (NABU) said its detectives “detained the former minister of energy as part of the Midas case,” referencing a wide-ranging investigation into corruption in Ukraine’s energy sector that triggered a major political crisis last year. “Initial investigative actions are ongoing, carried out in accordance with the requirements of the law,” NABU added in a statement, without naming the former minister. The scandal, which centers on alleged kickbacks from contractors including those working to protect critical energy infrastructu...

‘Don Colossus,’ a golden statue of President Trump, waits for its home

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‘Don Colossus,’ a golden statue of President Trump, waits for its home Feb. 10, 2026 at 4:12 pm Miniature versions of the Trump statue, designed by Alan Cottrill, in his studio in Zanesville, Ohio, Jan. 29. At 15 feet tall, the statue of President Donald Trump, mounted on its 7,000-pound pedestal, is about the height of a two-story building — a giant effigy cast in bronze and finished with a thick layer of gold leaf. (Maddie McGarvey/The New York Times) 1 of 6 |  Miniature versions of the Trump statue, designed by Alan Cottrill, in his studio in Zanesville, Ohio, Jan. 29. At 15 feet tall, the statue of... (Maddie McGarvey/The New York Times) More  Skip Ad By  David Yaffe-Bellany The New York Times It’s known as “Don Colossus.” At 15 feet tall, the statue of President Donald Trump, mounted on its 7,000-pound pedestal, is about the height of a two-story building — a giant effigy cast in bronze and finished with a thick layer of gold leaf. For more than a year, the golde...