• Russian fighter jet intercepts American B-52 bomber over Baltic

    A Su-27 fighter jet was dispatched over the Baltic Sea to intercept an American B-52, as reported by the Russian Ministry of Defense.

    The aircraft, which was flying over neutral waters along the Russian border, was detected at around 10:00 Moscow Time. A Su-27 fighter jet from the on duty forces of the Baltic Fleet’s anti-air defense was dispatched to intercept it.

    The Russian Ministry of Defense states that after approaching the plane at a safe distance, the crew of the Su-27 identified it …

  • Media: Assad’s forces continue to attack the opposition in northern Syria

    The forces of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime are continuing to attack the positions of the armed opposition in the regions of Turkmen Mountain and Jabal al-Akrad in the Syrian province of Latakia, news agency Anadolu reports.

    According to the news agency, Syrian state forces are continuing to launch missile and mortar strikes on the areas and villages under opposition control, which is resulting in casualties and destruction.

    Usama Solak, head of the Syrian-Turkmen council mission …

  • Kremlin: Russia will call for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council over US strike on Assad’s forces

    Russia is going to call for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to be convened following the airstrike by the American coalition against pro-government forces in Syria, said the First Deputy of the Federation Council on Defense and Security Committee, Franz Klintsevich, as reported by RIA Novosti.

    Klintsevich stressed that the airstrike by the American military is yet another act of aggression. “The attack by the US-led coalition is the coalition directly entering into open …

  • Media: Hedge funds continue to dump Russian rubles

    American hedge funds are continuing to get rid of investments in rubles, while, at the same time, the price of the Russian currency stays in one place, ignoring the drop in oil prices.

    One week before May 30, major traders at the Chicago exchange reduced bets on the ruble’s growth by 3% on the futures market, Finanz.ru web site reports.

    The number of open contracts on the ruble has been decreasing for five consecutive weeks. Such a prolonged sell-off was last observed on the market in …

  • Defense of the Suwalki Gap will be practiced during NATO’s Iron Wolf 2017 military exercise in Lithuania

    The NATO troops deployed in Lithuania and Poland next week will conduct training on the defense of the so-called Suwalki Gap, through which allied forces might arrive in the event of a military crisis in the Baltic countries, Interfax-Ukraine reports.

    About 1,500 Lithuanian, Polish, British and American servicemen will take part in the maneuvers that will be held on June 17 to 19 and will involve heavy military equipment and helicopters. This operation is part of the international exercise …

  • Russia puts Su-27 fighters in combat readiness state in the Crimea

    Su-27 fighters of the Southern Military District (SMD) were put in the air and flew in pairs, being put on alert in the Crimea and tested for combat readiness, said Colonel Vadim Astafyev, head of the press service of the SMD.

    “Pairs of Su-27 fighters from the 4th Army Air Force unit and Air Defense of the Southern Military District, stationed in the Republic of Crimea, were put in the air by a snap order,” Astafyev said.

    The combat readiness of the pilots of the fighter planes was checked by …

  • President of Lithuania: The main threat to the Baltic countries is 'the existence of Russia and Belarus in the east'

    Lithuania's President Dalia Grybauskaite called the existence of Russia and Belarus in the east a major threat to the Baltic States and Poland. She made this announcement to the local press on June 5 before setting off on a state visit to Estonia.

    The head of the Lithuanian state reminded journalists that the Baltic countries and Poland are the "eastern border area of NATO" and that having Russia and Belarus in the same neighborhood is a threat. The militarization of Kaliningrad region plus …

  • Herashchenko: Ukraine must make an effort to become a NATO member

    First Deputy Chairwoman of the Verkhovna Rada Iryna Herashchenko hopes that Ukraine will become the 30th member of NATO. She expressed her views on Facebook while commenting on Montenegro entering the alliance.

    Herashchenko believes that in 2008, Ukraine lost its chance to get the Action Plan on NATO membership because Russia’s coercion prevented any unity in this issue among political elite.

    “We must wash away this guilt and do everything possible to make Ukraine a NATO member. We must apply …

  • Russian Media: ISIS is pushing through Assad’s Army defense lines into the Syrian city of Deir ez-Zor

    ISIS militants were able to push through the defense lines of the Syrian army units in the city of Deir ez-Zor, as reported by Russia’s Federal News agency, citing sources on the ground.

    A source in Syria told the news agency that ISIS reportedly managed to capture strategic heights on the outskirts of the city, namely al-Sanouf, Al-Syriatel and Um Aboud Hills as well as Panorama roundabout. The agency reports that the military base in the city is still under the control of the 137th brigade …

  • St. Petersburg authorities reject Russia's opposition application for anti-corruption rally

    St. Petersburg authorities rejected all four applications for holding an anti-corruption rally on June 12, which were filed by supporters of the founder of the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), Alexey Navalny. On Monday, June 5, Interfax reported this with reference to the head of the St. Petersburg Navalny campaign headquarters, Polina Kostyleva.

    "We filed four different applications, including for holding the rally on Marsovo Polye and the square near the Bryantsev Youth Theatre. The number …