• Deputy Chair of Duma's Economic Committee Proposes Fixed Exchange Rate

    The Deputy Chair of the Economic Committee of the Russian Duma, Sergey Kalashnikov, told RIA Novosti that the Russian Central Bank has to cancel the convertibility of the Ruble and set a fixed exchange rate in relation to the dollar and main reserve currencies. The preferable rate would be 40 rubles per dollar.

    According to Kalashnikov, if the exchange rate is fixed, a black market in currency exchange would inevitably emerge in the country. However, that would not be as harmful to the …

  • Ukrainian Intelligence: Russia Continues to Supply Arms to Separatists

    Officers of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation are providing training for militants in Torez according to the Intelligence Agency.

    "On a training ground near Torez, they are training tank and mechanized infantry units. There are assault troops practicing offensive maneuvers under the leadership of senior officers of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation who have recently arrived in Torez," the statement said.

    In addition, Russia continues to supply pro-Russian separatists in the …

  • Ukraine Expands List of Banned Russian Goods

    The Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk indicated that the government has approved the expansion of the list of Russian goods that are subject to sanctions, as reported by LigaBusinessInform.

    "Today, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has decided to expand the list of goods that are prohibited from being imported from the Russian Federation. It's an addition that consists of more than seventy items. This is a countermeasure to the economic aggression of the Russian Federation, and we …

  • Tests Show Irregular Levels Of Metal in Kara-Murza's Body

    Test results on prominent journalist Vladimir Kara Murza show irregular levels of heavy metals in his system. Kara-Murza mysteriously and famously fell ill in May 2015 due to unknown causes at the time. As his condition steadily worsened and and he received more medical attention, many began to speculate that he may have been poisoned—a standard tactic that has been employed on Russian activists before. His lawyer, Vadim Prokhorov, said that the medical test results have been submitted to the …

  • US Commandos Help Train Ukrainian Special Forces

    The U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, Geoffrey Pyatt and the Commander of the U.S. Special Forces in Europe, Gregory Lengyel, attended training in Khmelnytsky, where US Special Forces instructors are working with the Special Forces of Ukraine as part of the "Joint Multinational Training Group – Ukraine," the US Embassy in Kiev said.

    The Embassy reiterated that the training is being held at the invitation of the Ukrainian government. At the same time, since 2014 the U.S. has provided Ukraine with $266 …

  • John Kerry and Sergei Lavrov meet in Zurich

    The head of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Sergei Lavrov, and the U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, met in the Swiss city of Zurich for the first bilateral negotiations of the year. The meeting was a prelude to the Syrian negotiations to be held in Geneva on January 25th.

    Earlier, the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, Mikhail Bogdanov, said that Lavrov and Kerry would also discuss the situation in Ukraine and the implementation of the Minsk Agreements in eastern Ukraine. The issues regarding …

  • Dutch Prime Minister to Promote EU-Ukraine Association Agreement

    The EU-Ukraine Association Agreement is on the agenda of the EU Dutch Presidency, said the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, in the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday.

    "We need this agreement. On the one hand, the agreement regulates the free trade zone. But at the same time, this agreement also addresses the stability at the borders of the European Union,” Rutte said while answering questions after the presentation of the Netherlands presidential program to the EU. …

  • Reports Allege That Chechen People Are Forced To Display Support for Kadyrov

    There have been reports from the Russian Republic of Chechnya that government officials, teachers and students throughout the territory are being compelled to show support for the Chairman of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov.

    The Russian online edition Znak reported that the employees of the Ministry of National Policy, External Relations, Press and Information of Chechnya and its subordinate offices there were ordered to attend a flash mob on Thursday and rally in Grozny, the Chechen …

  • Protesters Surround Parliament Building in Moldova

    In Moldova, supporters of the opposition parties gathered in protest at the Parliament building in Chisinau on January 20th after lawmakers voted to approve a new government headed by a new pro-European Prime Minister, Pavel Filip. According to some reports, protesters also attempted to break into the Parliament building.

    On Wednesday, the Moldovan Parliament approved a new pro-European government, ending a political crisis that lasted months. 57 out of 101 deputies voted for a government …

  • Russian Duma Speaker Calls on EU to Impose Sanctions against Ukraine

    The Speaker of the Russian State Duma, Sergey Naryshkin, invited the leading European countries to punish Kiev for their failure to comply with the Minsk Agreements, as reported by the Russian media on Tuesday, January 19th.

    At the opening of the spring session of the State Duma, Naryshkin stated that "the position of France and Germany, presiding over the OSCE this year, will become completely constructive and objective.  The advocates of extending anti-Russian sanctions will realize that …