Norwegian government expressed concern about the Russian strategic exercises Tsentr-2019 (Center-2019) which should start in late August in the Arctic. “Tsentr-2019 exercises are an alarming sign of the increasingly aggressive behavior of the Northern neighbor (Russia),” stated the Norwegian Defense Ministry on August 6 as cited by DW. Norwegian authorities indicate that the exercise will be held near the coast of the Nordland and Tromsø municipalities.

“The expected Russian drills show that …

The Russian embassy in Tallinn has commented on a decision by the Estonian Foreign Ministry not to recognize Russian passports issued to inhabitants of the Ukrainian Donbas.

“It is regrettable that Estonia continues to persistently fight to lead the race among EU countries on the anti-Russian track. We are convinced that the Estonian authorities’ effective participation in the humanitarian blockade of the Donbas, which for more than five years has been deprived of government and banking …

The Ambassador of Japan in Russia, Touchesa Kazuki, was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry where Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov informed him of the inadmissibility Tokyo’s criticism over the actions of Russia in the Kuril Islands, says Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Earlier, Tokyo criticized the visit of the Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev to the Kuril Islands and protested because of the military drills at Kunashir Island. On August 2 , Dmitry Medvedev …