• Lavrov: OSCE monitors can be allowed to carry personal firearms

    Moscow does not mind if OSCE observers carry personal firearms, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

    “Russia is ready to offer a compromise and agree that the OSCE observers stationed at the front line in eastern Ukraine carry personal arms,” Lavrov said during an interview with the Russian “Saturday News” TV program.

    “We said, as long as this helps the common objective, we are ready to give our consent that the group of observers who will be monitoring the contact line and the …

  • Netherlands to present report on weapon used to bring down MH17

    According to a press release by the international investigation team, Holland’s Prosecutor’s office, which is heading the joint investigation team determining the cause of the Malaysian passenger plane crash in the Donbas, will present a report on the weapon which was used to attack the airliner.

    The report will not constitute the final results of the investigation, Prosecutors said. Despite the noticeable progress in the investigation, they still don’t have enough information to provide a …

  • Volunteer army will be formed in Poland to combat Russian threat

    Poland will establish a volunteer army detachment to help prevent threats from Russia, Spiegel Online reports referring to the Foreign Ministry official responsible for paramilitary groups, Grzegorz Kwasniak.

    According to an official, the goal of establishing the new group is to prepare for a possible hybrid war, like the one Russia is waging against Ukraine.

    It is expected that the establishment of a paramilitary group will begin in September. It will consist of 35,000 volunteers that will …

  • Merkel: Sanctions against Russia will be lifted when Ukraine gains control over its borders

    Sanctions against Russia will be lifter only after Ukraine gains full control over its borders, as stated by German Chancellor Angela Merkel during the Congress of the Christian Democratic Union,  Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung rerported.

    “I am convinced that Russia is slowly moving towards integration into the common European economic zone from Vladivostok to Lisbon,” Merkel said.

    “At the same time, despite the aspirations of the EU to accept Russia into the common European economy, we …

  • Ukraine and NATO held joint seminar on defense industry reform

    For the first time Ukraine and NATO held a joint seminar on defense industry reform, during which the transformation of the domestic military-industrial complex and the possibility of Ukraine's cooperation with the Alliance were discussed, as reported by the press service for Ukroboronprom.

    The seminar was held on June 1st at the Hetman Petro Sahaidachnyi National Army Academy. The event was attended by the members of the NATO International Staff, representatives of Ukroboronprom, the …

  • Merkel's advisor: It's too early to lift sanctions on Russia

    The discussion surrounding the cancellation of EU sanctions against Russia is premature, as stated by the German Chancellor's foreign policy advisor, Christoph Heusgen, Deutsche Welle reports. "If the current situation stays the same, I see no reason for sanctions not to be extended for another six months," Heusgen said.

    He indicated that the removal of restrictive measures on Russia is connected to the implementation of the Minsk Agreements. At the same time, according to Heusgen, the Minsk …

  • NATO exercises begin in the Baltic Sea

    The Naval exercise, BALTOPS 2016, led by NATO started on June 3rd in the southern part of the Baltic Sea near the coasts of Sweden, Denmark and Poland, Delfi.lt reports. BALTOPS (Baltic Operations) exercises have been carried out since 1971. In 2016, training will be held from June 3rd to the 18th. They began on Friday in the Estonian waters of the Baltic Sea.

    A total of 50 ships from 18 NATO nations and alliance partners will take part in the maneuvers, as well as 60 aircraft, helicopters and …

  • Russia will not supply offensive weapons to Iran

    Russia will not supply offensive weapons to Iran despite Tehran’s interest in purchasing Russian tanks and fighter jets, the CEO of Rostec Corporation, Sergey Chemezov, stated during an interview with Kommersant.

    According to him, sanctions, which were imposed by the UN Security Council, prohibit the of supply such weapons to Iran. At the same time, Chemezov reported that supplies of armaments that aren’t subject to these restrictions, such as air defense systems, will continue.  

    In …

  • Russian warship spotted near Latvian maritime border

    The Armed Forces of Latvia recorded Russian warship near the borders of the country, the National Armed Forces of Latvia reported on Twitter. On Friday, a Russian frigate of the latest class of corvettes of the Russian Navy, the Stergushchy (Watchful) class, was detected 4.5 nautical miles from Latvian waters, the statement read.

    Since the start of the conflict in Ukraine and the deterioration of relations between Russia and the West, Russian warships and aircraft have been increasingly …

  • US State Deparment calls for ending human rights violations in eastern Ukraine

    The US State Department has called on Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine to stop human rights abuses, while at the same time appealing to the Ukrainian Government to investigate cases of human rights violations that were referred to in a recent UN report.

    This was stated by Deputy Spokesman of the State Department Mark Toner during a daily briefing on Friday.

    "We once again call on the so-called authorities in the separatist-controlled areas to cease their human rights abuses, …