Without waiting for the results of the State Duma’s discussion of a package of counter-sanctions, the Russian government has banned the State Corporation for Space Activities, Roskosmos, and the state nuclear energy corporation, Rosatom, from making contracts with companies from countries that uphold anti-Russian sanctions.

The newspaper Kommersant reported with reference to a source in parliament and to the directors of the state corporations that the decision was intended as a response to …

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has released a list of mercenaries from the Wagner Private Military Company (PMC) who were transported to Syria by the Russian Navy, as announced in a statement by SBU head Vasyl Hrytsak, the department’s press service reports.

“Despite the statements by the Russian Defense Ministry concerning the supposed ‘unsuitability’ of the Varyag cruiser for transporting personnel and equipment, the SBU is disclosing a list of Wagner PMC mercenaries who were secretly …

A Russian officer was wounded while accompanying a group of UN security officers into the Syrian city of Douma, Kommersant reported, citing sources in Damascus. The work of the OPCW inspectors to investigate the chemical attack has once again been delayed.

The article notes that Russia’s Defense Ministry has been unable to acquire a prompt comment.

On April 18, Reuters reported that UN security staff had come under fire in Douma.

On April 16, the US accused Russia of not giving international …

Minister of Internal Affairs Arsen Avakov said in an interview with Ukrayinska Pravda online on Monday that Ukrainian armed forces would incur enormous losses in a military confrontation with Russia. According to him, if Russia decides to undertake a military operation in the Donbas, losses can be catastrophic for both sides. At the same time, Avakov recognized that neighboring countries have different balance of forces.  

“Yes, we also have new missiles and many other things. However, it will …

On Wednesday night, April 18, the Russian government extended by two days the period of validity of the agreement between US airlines and Russia about the flights over the territory of the Russian Federation. The current contract expired that night. As stated by US State Department Press Secretary Heather Nauert, the representatives of the State Department held a meeting with the leadership of the airlines to “prevent any disruption" in air traffic.

According to Nauert, earlier, the Russians …

Ukraine is ready to provide Russian troops with a corridor for withdrawing from Transnistria, the special representative for the Transdniestrian settlement, Viktor Kryzhanovskiy stated. The diplomat said that Kyiv will provide Russian troops with a corridor immediately, as soon as the Russians are ready to begin the withdrawal process.

"Our position is unchanged. We will provide the territory. We will ensure the unhindered and safe withdrawal of Russian troops and ammunition from the territory …

Ukraine is able to receive a new tranche of 2 billion dollars in May-June 2018 from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), as stated by Ukrainian Finance Minister Oleksandr Danylyuk in Washington following a meeting at the IMF headquarters, Interfax-Ukraine reports.

According to Danylyuk, Ukraine can receive another IMF loan for $2 billion if the terms of cooperation under the Extended Fund Facility program are fulfilled, which is part of the Anti-Corruption Court law.

  “We now have several …

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said on Tuesday that Russia plans to use some technical solutions developed for the aerospace industry by Canadian-American businessman Elon Musk.

He stressed that the severance of cooperation with the US in space and the cessation of rocket engine deliveries to the United States, both of which the State Duma proposed within the framework of a new law on retaliatory sanctions, would be a shot in the foot.

"The Americans still fly on our Soyuz ships; …