In a decree published on the Kremlin’s website, Russian President Vladimir Putin has allowed the Russian military to block the territories and waters around protected facilities to stop attempts of illegal infiltration.

The explanatory note to the document says that the Russian National Guard protects the waters of the Kerch Strait, the bridge over it and the water area around the Russian power grid link with Crimea.

In addition, according to Putin's decree, the military can cordon these …

Self-proclaimed Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko said that Moscow promised Minsk "economic assistance" amid new EU sanctions. On Thursday, July 1, Lukashenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin took part in the plenary session of the VIII Forum of the Regions of Belarus and Russia. Because of the pandemic, the event was held over video conference.

According to Lukashenko, before the meeting he and Putin had a telephone conversation, during which they agreed to "update" some "economic …

Russian President Vladimir Putin said he did not see any urgency in meeting with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky but did not refuse it.

"Why meet with Zelensky, if he gave his country under full external management. Key issues of Ukraine's life are solved not in Kyiv, but in Washington, partly - in Berlin and Paris. What's there to talk about? Nevertheless, I do not refuse meetings of this kind, we just need to understand what to talk about," Putin said during the annual TV program " …

The Russian diesel submarine Kolpino, which can carry Kalibr cruise missiles, began the exercises in the Black Sea amid the international military maneuvers Sea Breeze 2021, which are headed by Ukraine and the United States and attended by other NATO members and their partners.

"During the complex exercise, the submariners worked out algorithms for the management of the submarine during both regular and emergency surfacing and submerging, performed submerging to different depths with a maximum …

Ukraine intends to do everything possible to involve the United States in negotiations on a peaceful settlement in the Donbas, said the Head of the Ukrainian Presidential Administration, Andriy Yermak, RBC-Ukraine reports.

In his view, the current "Normandy format" requires transformation and expansion.

"We are confident that today there is a real chance for the United States to engage in the negotiation process. And it can give its result. And Ukraine will do everything possible for this," …

The incident with the British destroyer HMS Defender approaching the coast of Crimea in the Black Sea is a planned provocation of London and Washington, but even if the Russian armed forces destroyed the ship, the world would not be on the verge of World War III, said Russian President Vladimir Putin during the annual TV program "Direct Line with Putin".

According to him, the destroyer approaching the shores of Crimea has political and military components. It took place a few days after the …

The 2019 scandal, when Russia supplied chlorine-contaminated oil to Europe, is repeating itself again.

On Monday, June 28, Russian oil giant Transneft reported the discovery of 350,000 tons of substandard oil in one of the tanks of the Mukhanovo Oil Pumping Station in the Samara region.

As two years ago, the oil contains chloride compounds, which are used in drilling, washing of oil wells, as well as to increase the life of reservoirs.

At a permissible rate of 6 ppm (parts per million), the …

The Czech Republic demanded that Russia pay compensation for damages caused by explosions at ammunition depots in Vrbetice in 2014, reported the Czech Foreign Ministry.

Deputy Foreign Minister of the Czech Republic Martin Smolek gave the Russian Ambassador to Prague, Aleksandr Zmeyevsky, a note, which speaks about the international responsibility of the Russian Federation and the demand to fully compensate for the damage caused by the explosions in Vrbetica.

According to the news outlet Idnes. …