David R. Sands
Articles by David R. Sands
Joint Sweden, Finland bid for NATO expected within weeks
A joint application from Sweden and Finland to end their longstanding policy of neutrality and apply for NATO membership could be coming in a matter of weeks, according to press reports Monday from both countries. Published April 25, 2022
Russian general hints at broadening war aims
A senior Russian commander for the first time Friday openly suggested the Kremlin's territorial appetite extends beyond Ukraine as the invasion drags on into its third month. Published April 22, 2022
The (chess) kids are all right, judging from these games
Today's games give one fresh hope for the future of chess, with some marvelously creative and daring ideas from two young players who we hope will be giving us such pleasure for years to come. We wrote here last week of Maryland master Bijan Tahmassebi's fine performance finishing in a seven-way tie for first at the recent U.S. National High School Championships in Memphis. Published April 19, 2022
Missing-in-action Russian defense minister surfaces
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, who has been most notable for his absence from the public eye for nearly all of the troubled eight-week invasion of Ukraine, surfaced Monday to defend the operation and insist Russian forces are on track to "liberate" two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine. Published April 19, 2022
Iranian military shows off new drones, hardware in Tehran parade
Iran's military forces showcased a line of new weaponry in a major Tehran parade Monday, even as talks with the U.S. and other powers over Iran's nuclear programs hang in the balance. Published April 18, 2022
Pentagon backs Ukrainian claim that missile sunk Russian Black Sea flagship
U.S. officials said Friday they are increasingly convinced that a Ukrainian missile sank Russia's leading warship in the Black Sea this week, as Ukrainian officials announced that the Russian captain of the massive cruiser Moskva was among those killed in the strike. Published April 15, 2022
Sinking of storied flagship latest blow to Russian war push
An invasion of Ukraine that has not gone according to Russia's plans took another high-profile hit Thursday as the flagship of the Kremlin's Black Sea fleet sank and President Biden hinted he may visit Ukraine in the coming days to bolster the government of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Published April 14, 2022
Boris Johnson fined for breaking COVID rules in Britain’s ‘Partygate’
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and a top Cabinet aide are being fined for a series of social events that violated the Johnson government's own protocols at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, in a scandal that has come to be known as "Partygate." Published April 12, 2022
St. Louis University aces the test at college chess Final Four
We wrote recently about a welcome surge in quality chess programs at colleges around the country, but -- as with college football and hoops -- it's the blue bloods who are still claiming the big prizes for now. Published April 12, 2022
Russian reporter who protested war on the air has new job with German news company
The Russian television reporter who famously held up a poster during a live prime-time news broadcast protesting the war in Ukraine has a new job -- with a major German media company. Published April 11, 2022
Blinken ‘not overly optimistic’ as Iran deal talks drag on
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken said Wednesday he was not "overly optimistic" that the U.S. and Iran can reach a deal to revive the 2015 nuclear deal, after weeks of speculation that a breakthrough in talks in Vienna was imminent. Published April 6, 2022
A Long March in April for Ding Liren, China’s No. 1 chess star
What was supposed to be a marathon has become a sprint for one of the world's best chess players as he hopes for a shot at the world title. Published April 5, 2022
Putin’s approval rate at home soars one month into Ukraine invasion
Western critics say his war is going badly, his economy is staggering and his advisers are misleading him. But Russian President Vladimir Putin's approval numbers at home are shooting up just over one month into his invasion of Ukraine, according to a new poll. Published March 31, 2022
Nakamura nabs slot in tourney to pick next chess title challenger
U.S. GM Hikaru Nakamura, after a long absence from over-the-board competition, has stormed back to snare one of the last two coveted slots on offer in the upcoming Candidates Tournament, the eight-grandmaster chess round-robin that will produce the next challenger to world champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway. Published March 29, 2022
South Korea says North lied about advanced missile test
North Korea did not successfully launch a next-generation intercontinental ballistic missile last week in a test that alarmed and angered the U.S. and its Asian allies, South Korean military officials said Tuesday. Published March 29, 2022
Nobel Prize-winning editor ‘suspends’ publication over Kremlin’s Ukraine reporting ban
Novaya Gazeta, one of the last prominent independent Russian media outlets willing to challenge the government's view of the war in Ukraine, said Monday it will suspend publication after receiving a second warning from the Kremlin about its coverage. Published March 28, 2022
Biden not getting much backup in call for Putin’s ouster
U.S. President Biden's impassioned demand that Russian President Vladimir Putin step down for starting the war in Ukraine -- the climax of an emotional address in Poland over the weekend -- is not getting much support from the allies Mr. Biden is trying to unify for Kyiv. Published March 27, 2022
U.S., South Korea wary of North Korean claims on new ICBM launch
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un says it was a new missile. Steel mill managers and agricultural engineers quoted in North Korea's rigidly censored official press say it was a new missile. Published March 27, 2022
Biden not getting much allied back-up in call for Putin’s ouster
President Biden's impassioned demand that Russian President Vladimir Putin step down for starting the war in Ukraine is not getting much support so far from allies. Published March 27, 2022
Top Zelenskyy aide expresses frustration with NATO summit
A top adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday expressed frustration with the outcome of a series of meetings held by President Biden and other NATO leaders this week, saying many of the military requests Kyiv has been pleading for were not met. Published March 25, 2022
