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Kremlin blocks the bill legalizing Russian private military companies
The Russian government has refused to support a bill to legalize private military companies (PMCs) in Russia, Interfax reports. The relevant revocation was sent to the State Duma.
The Cabinet of Ministers said that the bill goes against Russia’s constitution. Section 5 article 13 of the Russian constitution prohibits the creation and activity of public unions whose goals and activities are directed at the creation of armed formations. Article 71 stipulates that matters of defense and security, …
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Russia's Gazprom and Ukraine's Naftogaz begin negotiating contracts termination
Last week, Russia’s Gazprom and Ukraine’s Naftogaz began negotiations on the contracts termination for the supply and transit of gas. According to Interfax, this was announced by Alexander Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Gazprom.
"Yes, indeed, last week the meeting between Gazprom and Naftogaz took place. The negotiation on the procedure of contracts termination for the supply and transit of gas has begun," he said. Medvedev added that Gazprom notified the Ukrainian company of its …
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President Dodon calls expulsion of Russian diplomats from Moldova an 'anti-Russian provocation'
Moldovan President Igor Dodon has condemned the expulsion of Russian diplomats from Moldova as an “anti-Russian provocation."
He wrote this in Facebook in a comment on the decision by the Moldovan Ministry of Foreign Affairs to declare three Russian diplomats persona non grata.
"I express my profound indignation at the decision of the Government to expel Russian diplomats from the Republic of Moldova. I categorically condemn this as a new anti-Russian provocation," Dodon said.
The President …
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Kyiv bans entry to 23 Russians expelled from UK
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has placed an entry ban on the 23 Russians who were expelled from the UK in connection with the poisoning of former intelligence agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter, as announced in statement of the SBU’s website.
“SBU head Vasyl Hrytsak said that their activity is a brazen mockery of one of the key functions of the diplomatic representation determined by the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961 – to promote friendly relations between …
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Germany issues all permits for construction of Nord Stream 2
Nord Stream 2 AG received permission to build and operate the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline in Germany’s economic zone, reports Interfax-Ukraine.
“The Federal Office for Shipping and Hydrography issued a permit for the construction of a 30-kilometer section in accordance with the Mining Law of the Federal Republic of Germany,” the construction company reported.
Earlier, on January 31, the Stralsund Mining Authority authorized the construction and operation of the offshore section of the Nord …
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U.S. troops prevent a confrontation with Russians in Syria
U.S. troops prevented a confrontation with Russian military in Syria similar to the one that resulted in the death of Russian mercenaries from a United States air strike in February. Secretary of Defense James Mattis stated this on Tuesday, March 27.
“Russian elements” moved along the line of demarcation to the east of the Euphrates River, to the territory where parties can conduct operations,” Mattis said. However, he said that they came too close to the positions of U.S. soldiers. Chairman …
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Moldova to expel Russian diplomats
Moldova has declared three Russian diplomats personae non gratae, who must leave the country within seven days, as reported by the press service of the Moldovan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration.
On March 27, Moldova’s Foreign Ministry summoned Russian Ambassador Farid Mukhametshin. He was given a verbal protest note, according to which three Russian diplomats were declared personae non gratae and ordered to leave the country within a week.
The decision was made by the …
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Polish Foreign Ministry: Act on the Institute of National Remembrance doesn’t pose a threat to Ukrainians
Ukraine’s glorification of people that Poland considers criminals has been contributing to national enmity between the two countries and it continues to poison Ukrainian-Polish relations, as stated by the Deputy Foreign Minister of Poland, Bartosz Cichocki in an interview with Evropeiska Pravda.
As an example, the diplomat spoke of the incident when a Polish nurse tore up a Ukrainian document after seeing that the place of registration was Stepan Bandera Street.
The diplomat emphasized, "This …
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UNESCO says the situation with historical heritage sites in Crimea has deteriorated
UNESCO has published a report on the situation in the annexed Crimea which shows a deteriorating situation on the peninsula, as reported by the Press Service of Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The document notes gross violations by the Russian authorities in protecting cultural heritage in the Crimea. In January, Ukraine called on UNESCO to take urgent measures to prevent the threat of destruction of the Khan Palace in Bakhchysarai. However, the so-called "restoration works" in the Khan …
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Ukrainian Security Service: Moscow ordered Russian soldiers stationed in Donbas to hand over their passports
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has published audio recordings of intercepted phone calls made by separatist from the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR).
“The SBU has acquired repeated evidence of the presence of Russian soldiers in the illegal armed formations of the so-called D/LPR. In the audio recordings of the terrorists’ phone calls that were intercepted by the SBU, one can hear an order from Moscow to immediately hand over the Russian citizenship passports of all …