Defense Ministry Denies Thailand’s Unfounded Allegations Over Landmine Incident | Cambodian Government Responds to Thailand’s Diplomatic Actions Amid Border Tensions | PM: Cambodian Armed Forces Courageously Defending Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity | Cambodian Condemns Thailand's Aggressive Military Operations in Border Tension Areas | Cambodia Condemns Thai Military Aggression, Urges Immediate Withdrawal | Cambodian Ministry of National Defense Releases Timeline of Border Clashes on July 24, 2025 | Thailand Launches Airstrikes on Cambodian Military Targets, Prompting Regional Anxiety | Cambodian Army Asserts Right to Self-Defence Following Thai Incursion | Hun Sen Commands Military Operations Alongside Prime Minister Hun Manet, Denies Reports of Fleeing, Says Spokesperson | Cambodian Military Claims Control of Ta Krabey, Ta Moan Thom Temples Amid Border Clashes | PM Hun Manet Urges Calm and Respect Amid Ongoing Border Clashes with Thailand | Government Spokesperson: Thailand Using Landmine Allegations as Pretext for Invasion | Border Conflict Escalates: Cambodian and Thai Forces Continue Clashes as of 6 PM | Cambodia Condemns Thai Military for Violating World Heritage Site, Calls for Immediate Action | Cambodia Condemns Thai Military Attacks and Cluster Bombing on Border Areas, Vows Firm Response | BREAKING: Heavy Thai Assault on Ta Moan Thom Temple as Cambodian Forces Resist Fiercely | US Calls for Immediate End to Cambodia-Thailand Border Conflict | TOP NEWS: Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, As ASEAN Chair, Urges Cambodia and Thailand to Consider Ceasefire | UN Urges Restraint as Tensions Mount at Thailand-Cambodia Border | Thailand Seeks Diplomatic Solutions Amid Escalating Border Clashes with Cambodia; Cambodia Condemns Airstrikes | Nation Unites in Humanitarian Effort: Blood Donation Drive Supports Emergency Preparedness Amid Border Tensions | Thailand Rejects International Mediation in Ongoing Cambodia Border Conflict | Cambodia Reports Intensified Thai Attacks and Condemns Use of Cluster Munitions in Urgent Third Briefing of the Day | Cambodia Responds Firmly as Day Two of Border Skirmishes Unfold | BREAKING NEWS: Prime Minister Hun Manet Clarifies Cambodia’s Position on Ceasefire Proposal Amid Border Tensions | BREAKING NEWS: Cambodia Denounces Thailand’s Military Actions as Violations of Sovereignty and International Law | UN Urges Restraint as Thailand-Cambodia Clashes Displace Thousands; Security Council Holds Emergency Meeting |
Defense Ministry Denies Thailand’s Unfounded Allegations Over Landmine Incident | Cambodian Government Responds to Thailand’s Diplomatic Actions Amid Border Tensions | PM: Cambodian Armed Forces Courageously Defending Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity | Cambodian Condemns Thailand's Aggressive Military Operations in Border Tension Areas | Cambodia Condemns Thai Military Aggression, Urges Immediate Withdrawal | Cambodian Ministry of National Defense Releases Timeline of Border Clashes on July 24, 2025 | Thailand Launches Airstrikes on Cambodian Military Targets, Prompting Regional Anxiety | Cambodian Army Asserts Right to Self-Defence Following Thai Incursion | Hun Sen Commands Military Operations Alongside Prime Minister Hun Manet, Denies Reports of Fleeing, Says Spokesperson | Cambodian Military Claims Control of Ta Krabey, Ta Moan Thom Temples Amid Border Clashes | PM Hun Manet Urges Calm and Respect Amid Ongoing Border Clashes with Thailand | Government Spokesperson: Thailand Using Landmine Allegations as Pretext for Invasion | Border Conflict Escalates: Cambodian and Thai Forces Continue Clashes as of 6 PM | Cambodia Condemns Thai Military for Violating World Heritage Site, Calls for Immediate Action | Cambodia Condemns Thai Military Attacks and Cluster Bombing on Border Areas, Vows Firm Response | BREAKING: Heavy Thai Assault on Ta Moan Thom Temple as Cambodian Forces Resist Fiercely | US Calls for Immediate End to Cambodia-Thailand Border Conflict | TOP NEWS: Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, As ASEAN Chair, Urges Cambodia and Thailand to Consider Ceasefire | UN Urges Restraint as Tensions Mount at Thailand-Cambodia Border | Thailand Seeks Diplomatic Solutions Amid Escalating Border Clashes with Cambodia; Cambodia Condemns Airstrikes | Nation Unites in Humanitarian Effort: Blood Donation Drive Supports Emergency Preparedness Amid Border Tensions | Thailand Rejects International Mediation in Ongoing Cambodia Border Conflict | Cambodia Reports Intensified Thai Attacks and Condemns Use of Cluster Munitions in Urgent Third Briefing of the Day | Cambodia Responds Firmly as Day Two of Border Skirmishes Unfold | BREAKING NEWS: Prime Minister Hun Manet Clarifies Cambodia’s Position on Ceasefire Proposal Amid Border Tensions | BREAKING NEWS: Cambodia Denounces Thailand’s Military Actions as Violations of Sovereignty and International Law | UN Urges Restraint as Thailand-Cambodia Clashes Displace Thousands; Security Council Holds Emergency Meeting |

US Hockey Player Brennen Menell Granted Russian Citizenship by President Putin

In a surprising move, Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved a request for Russian citizenship from American hockey player Brennen Menell, who currently plays as a defenseman for Dynamo Moscow.

Minnesota native Brennen Menell, a prominent defenseman for the Dynamo Moscow hockey team, has been granted Russian citizenship by President Vladimir Putin, as per a presidential decree issued on Thursday. The 26-year-old former National Hockey League (NHL) player made headlines when he was traded by a Belarusian team to Dynamo Moscow in September last year. Menell further solidified his commitment to the Russian team by signing a three-year contract extension in April.

Interestingly, Menell will not be required to relinquish his US citizenship to hold a Russian passport. This has been exemplified in the case of American action-movie star Steven Seagal, who obtained Russian citizenship in 2016 and continues to retain his US citizenship. Similarly, other notable figures like US boxing legend Roy Jones Jr. have chosen to maintain dual citizenship.

Before making his mark in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), Menell's career took off in North America's Western Hockey League after going undrafted by the NHL. He later secured a contract with his hometown NHL team, the Minnesota Wild, in 2017. While he shined as an all-star defenseman for the Wild's American Hockey League affiliate in Iowa, he only appeared in five games with the NHL club before deciding to join Dinamo Minsk in 2020. Since then, Menell has thrived in the KHL, boasting an impressive record of eight goals and 64 assists in 102 games.

Interestingly, Menell isn't the only North American hockey player seeking Russian citizenship. According to a Russian media report, Canadian-born Brendan Leipsic, a forward playing for SKA Saint Petersburg, has penned a letter to President Putin requesting citizenship. Leipsic lost his contract with the NHL's Washington Capitals in 2020 due to "misogynistic" comments made on social media.

The decision of foreign hockey players seeking Russian citizenship has been praised by hockey legend Viacheslav Fetisov, who is a former NHL star and currently serves in the Duma. Fetisov lauded Leipsic's move, emphasizing the positive implications for Russia. He expressed that such decisions challenge the West's propaganda and indicate a willingness to embrace Russian identity freely.

As the hockey world observes these unique developments, the granting of Russian citizenship to an American hockey player highlights the growing global appeal of the KHL and the increased interest of North American players in Russia's thriving hockey scene.



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