Contents tagged with Russia

  • Lavrov: Putin agreed to allow representatives of Germany and France to monitor the Kerch Strait

    Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s request to send German and French observers to the Kerch Strait, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Interfax-Ukraine reports.

    "Chancellor Angela Merkel asked the President to allow German specialists to come to the region of the Kerch Strait over a month ago and to see how the navigation is done, taking into account that safety regulations should be observed... and President Putin agreed immediately,” …

  • German Foreign Minister is convinced that Nord Stream 2 pipeline cannot be stopped

    US sanctions can force Western companies to withdraw from the Nord Stream 2 project, but this will not prevent Russia from completing the construction of the gas pipeline, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas claims. 

    Maas asserted that the construction of the disputed Nord Stream 2 from Russia to Germany will not be stopped even by the US sanctions. "No one can disrupt this project. US sanctions can lead to the withdrawal of Western companies from it, including German concerns. This, however, …

  • Kremlin sees no obstacles for ‘sovereign internet’ in Russia

    The Russian Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media or MinComSvyaz “sees no obstacles” for the draft law on “sovereign Runet [ Russian internet],” stated MinComSvyaz Deputy Minister Oleg Ivanov at the expanded session of the State Duma Committee on information policy, Kommersant reports. 

    “It is clear that the issue is relatively new and innovative but a broader discussion at least on second reading is needed. For now, we do not see any comments that would prevent us …

  • Ukraine: Russia exported over one million archaeological artifacts from the Crimea

    A representative of the Ministry of Temporarily Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons of Ukraine, Sergey Mokrenyuk stated that Russia exported at least a million archaeological artifacts from the annexed Crimea, since 2014.

    “According to minimal estimates, Russia exported at least a million artifacts,” said Mokrenyuk.

    According to him, the Ukrainian Ministry is recording such violations and the persons involved may be held accountable, which can include imposing appropriate …

  • Putin promises Vucic $1.4 billion to help extend TurkStream pipeline through Serbia

    Russia is ready to invest $1.4 billion into Serbia’s economy in order to construct the TurkStream gas pipeline through the country, RBC news agency reports. 

    “We are ready to invest the necessary resources, which are approximately $ 1.4 billion,” said Russian President Vladimir Putin at a press conference with his Serbian colleague, Aleksandar Vucic. Putin added that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has supported the idea to extend the pipeline to Europe. 

    Earlier, in an interview with …

  • Putin discusses risk of exporting Russian gas to Europe through Ukraine

    In a press conference after meeting with Serbian President Aleksander Vučić, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke about the risk of transiting Russian gas to Europe through Ukraine.

    According to Putin, the Russian delegation to the trilateral gas meeting in Brussels will bring up this issue.

    “The management of Gazprom will be in Brussels next week, and will discuss a number of collaboration matters. Incidentally, [they will also discuss] transit through Ukraine, taking into account the …

  • Baltic states and Poland push for 'Azov sanctions package' against Russia

    The Baltic states and Poland are advocating that new sanctions be imposed on Russia in connection with its capturing of Ukrainian sailors near the Kerch Strait, said Estonian Foreign Minister Sven Mikser, as reported by Interfax-Ukraine.

    “Estonia’s position is that the countermeasures, the sanctions on Russia in connection with the situation in the east of the country and the illegal annexation of Crimea, must be maintained until the inflicted damage has been compensated, until Russia returns …

  • German Foreign Minister to fly to Moscow and Kyiv for talks

    On Friday 18 January, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas will travel to Moscow for talks with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, and then to Kyiv to meet with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin, Deutsche Welle reports.

    In Kyiv, the ministers will discuss the situation in the Donbas and the progress of reforms in Ukraine. No other details of Maas’s visit to Ukraine were given.

    In Moscow, the central topic of the negotiations will be the future of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces …

  • Four Russian bobsledders banned for two years for doping

    Four Russian bobsledders, Aleksander Zubkov, Aleksander Kasjanov, Ilvir Khuzin and Aleksei Pushkarev were found guilty of committing an Anti-Doping Rule Violation and have been disqualified from international competition for two years, reported the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation or IBSF. 

    The restrictions against the bobsledders begin on the day of their provisional suspension, December 19 for Zubkov and December 13 for the other three athletes. During this period, they are not …

  • Media: Serbian authorities detain a person suspected of planning Putin's assassination

    Serbian security forces detained a man in the town of Novi Pazar in  Southern Serbia, who was suspected of being a militant of Islamic State, reports the Serbian news outlet the Informer citing its source. Serbian Security forces suspect him of plotting to assassinate Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

    According to the newspaper Kurir, 21-year-old Armin Alibashevich was detained by police on January 15. A scoped rifle was found in his backpack, leading the police and the Security Intelligence …