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US special envoy Steve Witkoff has drawn criticism in Washington after describing Russian president Vladimir Putin as a “humanitarian” following Moscow’s release of American citizen Stephen Hubbard.
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Witkoff → log → Hubbard
Republican senator Thom Tillis criticised Witkoff in a post on X: “WTF, Steve?
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Tillis → criticise → X
Donald Trump declined to endorse or reject the envoy’s description, saying “I wouldn’t say anything one way or the other.”
Meanwhile, Russian ballistic missile attacks have struck several parts of Kyiv overnight on Thursday, injuring six people and damaging residential buildings, a car service station, a medical facility and a restaurant.
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attacks → decline → buildings
At least 13 explosions were reported in less than eight minutes during one wave of strikes around 3am local time, according to The Kyiv Independent.
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explosions → report → Independent
Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said: “In the same district, debris also hit another private residential building.
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debris → say → building
Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday he was willing in principle to resume talks with Ukraine and the US next month, but would want to focus on security guarantees for Russia after the conflict ends, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said.
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Ushakov → say → Russia
Witkoff faces criticism over Putin ‘humanitarian’ remarks
US special envoy Steve Witkoff has drawn criticism from Washington after describing Russian president Vladimir Putin as a “humanitarian” following Moscow’s release of American citizen Stephen Hubbard.
Republican Senator Thom Tillis criticised Witkoff in a post on X: “WTF, Steve?
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Tillis → face → X
Donald Trump declined to endorse or reject the envoy’s description, saying “I wouldn’t say anything one way or the other”.
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I → decline → anything
Vice president JD Vance defended Witkoff, saying: “I agree with Steve Witkoff saying something nice to a person who just released an American hostage.”
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who → defend → hostage
Hubbard, 74, a former teacher who had spent more than four years in Russian detention on charges of fighting as a mercenary for Ukraine, was released as Witkoff met Putin.
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Witkoff → spend → Putin
Hubbard has denied these accusations.
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Hubbard → deny → accusations
Trump said the release required no concessions from Washington.
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release → say → Washington
He wrote on social media: “The United States, out of respect for President Trump, was not required to give anything in return – an unprecedented situation for Russia …
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States → write → Russia
Russia frees American Stephen Hubbard after over 4 years behind bars
Russia on Wednesday freed an American who had been jailed for more than four years on charges of fighting as a mercenary in Ukraine, a deal completed during a visit by a top US envoy and at a time when president Donald Trump has taken a series of actions meant to benefit Moscow.
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Trump → free → Moscow
Trump told reporters at the White House that he had asked Russian president Vladimir Putin during a recent call to free Stephen Hubbard and that, unlike previous releases, the US did not have to give up anyone in return.
“He is the happiest man around,” Trump said of Hubbard, describing the 74-year-old retired teacher from Michigan as a “very high-quality, innocent man”.
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Trump → tell → man
Hubbard’s legal team denied the Russian accusations, saying he was not involved in any military activity.
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he → deny → activity
The release occurred during a visit to St Petersburg by US envoy Steve Witkoff, who in a face-to-face interaction with Putin praised the Russian leader as a “humanitarian” as the men held talks about Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and as Trump simultaneously pushes Kyiv to make a deal that stops the fighting.
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that → occur → fighting
Kremlin says peace proposals lack ‘substance’
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proposals → say → substance
The Kremlin has cast doubt on the peace proposals to end the war in Ukraine, saying proposals put forward by Kyiv and European leaders lack “substance”.
US special envoy Steve Witkoff met Russian president Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg on Wednesday after holding talks with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders in Oslo.
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said Moscow was “in principle, ready to resume” trilateral talks in mid-November, but added that “there wasn’t really much substance in them”.
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Moscow → cast → them
US president Donald Trump said the negotiations were “the closest we’ve been” to ending the war, while Zelensky backed an early resumption of three-way talks.
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Zelensky → say → talks
Witkoff described his meeting with Putin as “constructive”, but said “there is still important work left to do”.
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Witkoff → describe → Putin
Trump hails Putin for releasing US citizen Stephen Hubbard
Donald Trump has posted on Truth Social to celebrate Vladimir Putin’s decision to release Stephen Hubbard, a US citizen who was formally designated as wrongfully detained in Russia for four years.
“Stephen is on his way back home and will soon be with his family.
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Stephen → hail → family
The United States, out of respect for President Trump, was not required to give anything in return – an unprecedented situation for Russia,” the post read.
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post → require → Russia
Hubbard’s release comes after a number of US concessions towards Russia in recent weeks, including a deal signed by Trump to obtain diesel from Moscow.
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release → come → Moscow
Nonetheless, Trump claimed that “there was no ‘swap’ necessary for this release”.
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Trump → claim → release
“Welcome home Stephen, it’s great to have you back,” the statement quoted Trump as saying.
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statement → welcome → Trump
Kremlin says journalists from 'unfriendly' countries to be allowed to attend Putin's annual presser
Journalists from countries Russia considers “unfriendly” will be allowed to attend president Vladimir Putin’s annual year-end press conference in December, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
“
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Peskov → say → December
They will attend.
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They → attend → ?
Yes, [we will invite them] – as we always do,” Peskov told Russian state news agency TASS when asked whether media outlets from countries deemed unfriendly by Moscow would be invited.
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outlets → invite → Moscow
The annual press conference will once again be combined with Putin’s “Direct Line” call-in show, during which he answers questions from Russian citizens.
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he → combine → citizens
The combined event, known as “Direct Line with Vladimir Putin: Year in Review”, will be held for the fifth time this year.
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event → combine → time
The format was first introduced in 2020 during the Covid pandemic and revived in 2023.
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format → introduce → 2023
Russia designates countries including the US, UK and EU member states as “unfriendly”, largely in response to sanctions imposed on Moscow following its invasion of Ukraine.
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Russia → designate → Ukraine
The exact date for the press conference has not been announced yet
Starlink access in Ukraine a decision for Musk, not White House, Rubio says
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that decisions regarding Ukraine's access to Starlink were up to its parent company SpaceX and Elon Musk, not the White House.
"I'm not aware that we knew about this decision beforehand.
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we → announce → decision
But that's irrelevant," Rubio told reporters during a trip to India on Wednesday.
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Rubio → tell → Wednesday
Six injured as Kyiv rocked by explosions
Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the city was under attack from Russian ballistic missiles, in a post on Telegram.
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city → injure → Telegram
Four people are being treated in hospital.
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people → treat → hospital
Russian Su-30 fighter jet crashes in Kaliningrad region
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jet → crash → region
A Russian Su-30 fighter jet has crashed in the Kaliningrad region, Russian agency Interfax reported on Wednesday, citing the defence ministry.
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Interfax → crash → ministry
It quoted the ministry as saying the crash occurred during a training flight, but did not specify the cause.
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crash → quote → cause
…and 5 more, not listed.
The Aporia
