Igor “Strelkov” Girkin, former “defense minister” of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), has admitted that the investigators of the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 catastrophe have intercepted a phone call from 2014 between him and then “prime minister” of the DPR Alexander Borodai. Girkin published his reaction to the recording on VKontakte, a Russian social network.

The Joint Investigation Team’s (JIT) report mentions an intercepted phone call from August 13, 2014, in which …

In May 2019, the family of the Cossack Grigory Tsurkanu received a death certificate for him, even though he had been considered only “missing” until then, Kommersant reports, citing its own sources.

In 2017, Tsurkanu, a mercenary from the Wagner private military company (PMC), was captured in Syria by Islamic State (IS) fighters. His whereabouts and status are still unknown. According to the newspaper, this situation resulted in “financial and domestic difficulties” for Tsurkanu’s relatives. …

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said that he will not sign any of the documents on further integration with Russia if they contravene the Belarusian constitution, BelTA reports.

“Not a single one of the documents will be signed if they contravene the constitution and fundamental principles of life of our society. And the most important principles are independence and sovereignty,” he said.

According to Lukashenko, Belarus and Russia can sign no roadmaps until they have dealt with …

Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany Andriy Melnyk reported that German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas will visit Ukraine on November 18-19.

"On November 18-19, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas will visit Ukraine. It is his second trip to Kyiv in the last five months. We appreciate the support of our German partners," Melnyk wrote on Twitter.

Earlier, Maas said that there are "positive indicators" from Ukraine after Zelensky's election as the President.

Earlier, it was reported that the Czech …

The contract between Russia and Saudi Arabia for the supply of S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems, signed in 2017, has not yet entered into force, said Maria Vorobyeva, a spokeswoman for the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSVTS). She added that the conditions for its implementation are being discussed.

"A contract for the supply of S-400 Triumph missile defense systems was signed with Saudi Arabia in 2017. We are currently discussing mutually acceptable conditions for the …

Even though the recent tests of the Russian reconnaissance drone Orion in Syria were called successful, and the drone itself is being prepared for adoption by the Russian Army, the drone's test flight over the Ryazan Oblast in Russia was a complete failure, as it fell apart. Prior to disintegrating in the air, the drone cut down a pine tree and almost hit the high-rise buildings, reports Telegraph news channel Gallifreyan technology.

The control over the drone was reportedly lost causing …

Norwegian citizen Frode Berg has been deported from Russia to the Norwegian Embassy in Lithuania, reports the press service of the Norwegian government. Berg was convicted in Russia for espionage.

Norwegian citizen Berg, as well as two Lithuanians Yevgeny Mataitis and Aristidas Tamosaitis, who were convicted in Russia for espionage, were exchanged for two Russian citizens Nikolai Filipchenko and Sergei Moisejenko.

The exchange took place on the Lithuanian-Russian border. The day before, …

Russia will return to Ukraine the ships detained during the conflict in the Kerch Strait, reports Kommersant, citing two informed sources.

According to the newspaper's interlocutors, the countries are at the final stage of negotiations. Parties already agreed on the date and exact place of the transfer of the ships.

Sources say that the return of the ships will take place at sea, not in port. Three Russian tugs will tow the vessels to an agreed point where three Ukrainian tugs will meet them. …