The parent company of Japanese casualwear giant Uniqlo on Monday defended a decision to keep Russian stores open even as rivals Zara and H-M suspended operations in the country following its invasion of Ukraine.

Tadashi Yanai, president of Uniqlo operator Fast Retailing, said the conflict should not deprive people in Russia of clothing, a basic

Domestic crackdown

Over 4,600 people in 65 cities across Russia were detained Sunday at protests against Moscow's military operation in Ukraine, an independent monitor said, on the 11th day of the invasion.

OVD-Info, which monitors detentions at opposition protests, said more than 13,000 protesters have been detained at anti-war protests across

The head of Russia’s Orthodox Church appeared to blame liberal Western values — drawing particular attention to gay pride parades — for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in his Sunday sermon.

President Vladimir Putin ordered the deadly “special operation” in Ukraine on Feb. 24 to “demilitarize and denazify” the pro-Western country after recognizing easte

'Murder, deliberate murder' 

Ukraine's President Volodymr Zelensky raged against the growing destruction and death toll, accusing Russian troops of "murder, deliberate murder" in an address.

"We will not forgive, we will not forget, we will punish everyone who committed atrocities in this war on our land," he said. "There will be no quiet place on