• Russia dissatisfied with exchange between Ukraine and Croatia on best practices for the integration of occupied territories

    The Russian Foreign Ministry believes that Croatia's plans to share its experience of peaceful reintegration of occupied territories with Ukraine will not contribute to the settlement of the conflict in the Donbas. The Russian Foreign Ministry’s Department of Information and Press stated this in comments connected with statements on the revitalization of the Croatian working group on cooperation with Ukraine.

    "We have paid attention to the statements made at the level of the heads of …

  • The activity of Russian military aircraft has increased near Finland ‘s border

    In both the Gulf of Finland and the Baltic Sea there has been an increase in the activity of Russian military aircraft noted in recent days, as reported by Yle news agency, citing the Finnish Air Force.

    “In recent days, in the region of both the Gulf of Finland and the Baltic Sea, there has been an increase in the Russian military aircraft activity. The Hornet Finnish fighters went aloft to intercept Russian aircraft yesterday and today. At the same time, it was noted that there were no …

  • Russia to create four artificial islands in the Arctic

    According to the decree signed by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and published on Saturday, June 17 on the Russian government's website, four artificial islands will be created in the Kola Bay of the Barents Sea.  

    A center will be built on these artificial islands for the manufacture of marine complexes for production, storage and shipment of liquefied natural gas, as well as repair and maintenance of marine equipment and equipment used to develop offshore oil and gas condensate fields. …

  • Military Registration office in the annexed Crimea asked a Jehovah's Witnesses follower to change his beliefs

    The Military Commission of the Bakhchisaray district of the annexed Crimea demanded a conscript-follower of the Jehovah’s Witnesses to provide “documentation of his change of belief”, as stated on the Russian Jehovah's Witnesses’ website.

    It was reported that in early June, the Military Registration and Enlistment Office denied the young man the right to alternative services, stating he must change his beliefs.

    The organization's website has also published a copy of the draft notice, in which …

  • Media: thousands of Russian soldiers are currently stationed in the Donbas

    The total number of military personnel from the Russian Armed Forces who are active in the separatist-held territories of Eastern Ukraine is currently 5-6 thousand, wrote journalist and military expert Yuriy Butusov on ZN.UA news website.

    “Nominally assigned to the command posts, the local separatists carry out, in the best case, the functions of students and ‘advisers’, or are otherwise ‘talking heads’ for propaganda. Russian mercenaries are the linchpins in all the military subdivisions of …