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Russia conducts test launches of Kalibr missiles off the coast of Crimea
The submarines “Rostov-on-Don” and “Novorossiysk” from the Russian Black Sea Fleet in annexed Crimea fired Kalibr missiles at ground and above-water targets in the Opuk training area in Black Sea waters, the Russian Defense Ministry press service reported.
“The missiles were fired from a submerged position. During the firing, two practice Kalibr missiles were used. In order to ensure the security of the military exercises and close off the dangerous region, more than 20 combat ships and …
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Ukraine accuses Russian private military company Wagner of involvement in Donbas conflict
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said that the Wagner Group, a Russian private military company, participated in conflicts in the Donbas in 2014, and subsequently in Syria.
“An evidence base has been collected on the activity of Russian soldiers in the Donbas and in Syria, the activity of the Wagner Group. The campaign’s leader is Dmitry Utkin. This project makes it possible for the Kremlin to tell the international community that there are none of its soldiers there [in Eastern Ukraine],” …
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Russia intends to increase military expenditures while reducing healthcare and education spending
The Russian government has proposed to increase total defense spending in 2017 by 179.6 billion rubles - to 3.05 trillion rubles or $52.4 billion (3.3% of GDP), as indicated in a draft amendment to the budget submitted to the State Duma, Rosbalt.ru reports.
The increase in expenses will be for the closed part of the military budget. The expenditures in all other areas, including social policy, education, and healthcare, are planned to be reduced by 54 billion rubles ($938.5 million). …
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Russian Media: BMW intends to build a full cycle plant in Russia
The German company BMW intends to build a full-cycle car assembly plant in Russia, Vedomosti newspaper reports citing a source familiar with BMW management. The probable location for the production facility is the Kaliningrad region.
The Kaliningrad Region is located in a special economic zone (SEZ), whose residents receive budget subsidies covering the costs of customs payments when importing components. As the interlocutor of Vedomosti specifies, welding and tinting of (cars’) bodies will be …
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Budapest: Hungary will not block anti-Russian sanctions
Budapest does not intend to violate European unity over the issue of sanctions against Russia, despite the conflict with Kyiv over education legislation, as stated by Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó in an interview with newspaper Kommersant.
According to him, while the Ukrainian law on education remains in force, Hungary will not support a single Ukrainian initiative or any important for Ukraine issue in any international organization. However, sanctions against the Russian …