Putin On Ukraine -- Same Question, Different Answer
Putin made what appears to be his clearest admission yet that Russia has sent military forces into Ukraine. Asked essentially the same question at his annual news conference in both 2014 and 2015, he gave a slightly different answer this year -- saying "people" were there carrying out military tasks.
Moscow Court Releases Jailed Pro-Ukraine Stunt Performer
MOSCOW -- A Moscow court on December 17 released a Russian man who was jailed after taking part in a stunt in the Russian capital as part of a pro-Ukraine demonstration.
The Moscow City Court reduced Vladimir Podrezov's 27-month jail sentence to 34 months of "freedom limitation," which is similar to a suspended sentence with parole limitations.
Podrezov and four other Russians, including two women, went on trial in August after taking part in a stunt in which a Soviet red star atop a Stalin-era skyscraper was painted yellow and blue -- the colors of the Ukrainian flag.
Four defendants were accused of drawing attention to the painted star and a Ukrainian flag hoisted from it by parachuting from the 176-meter-high building.
They were acquitted in August.
A sixth suspect sought in the case, Ukrainian stuntman Pavlo Ushyvets, escaped to Ukraine.