Briefly

RUSSIA

Putin says may take Sumy of Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday he does not "rule out" the possibility of seizing the northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy, despite it not being among the regions Moscow has publicly claimed as Russian territory. At the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin suggested Moscow could take Sumy as part of the creation of a "buffer zone "along the border, citing continued shelling from Ukraine. "We have no objective to take Sumy, but in principle I do not rule it out," he said. Ukraine said the comments showed "disdain" for the peace process. When asked why his army was entering areas Moscow did not claim as its own, Putin said: "I consider Russians and Ukrainians to be one people. In that sense, all of Ukraine is ours."

NIGERIA

Netherlands returns 119 looted artifacts

The Netherlands on Saturday handed back to Nigeria 119 precious ancient sculptures, stolen from the former kingdom of Benin more than 120 years ago during the colonial era. Nigeria celebrated the return of the priceless "Benin Bronzes" — metal and ivory sculptures dating back to the 16th to 18th centuries — with a ceremony held at the National Museum in Lagos, showcasing four of them in the museum's courtyard. "These are embodiments of the spirit and identity of the people from which they were taken from," said Olugbile Holloway, director-general of Nigeria's National Commission for Museums and Monuments. "All we ask of the world is to treat us with fairness, dignity and respect." He added that Germany had agreed to return more than 1,000 additional Benin Bronze pieces.

Agencies Via Xinhua