• Kyiv: Russian military cadets ‘undergo practice’ in Donbas

    The spokesman for the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, Maxim Prauta stated at a press conference, with reference to data provided by the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine, that the reason for the increase of the frequency of shillings in the Donbas is the arrival of Russia cadets from military academies for field testing.

    “One of the reasons why shelling in the Donbas has intensified is due to the cadets who undergo training and combat shooting tests after finishing higher education …

  • Kremlin warns of ‘toughest response’ if Russian investments in Venezuela are threatened

    Russian Ambassador to Caracas Vladimir Zaemski promised that Moscow's response to attempts of depriving the Russian companies of their investments in Venezuela would be "very tough." The Russian diplomat explained that the actions of Washington and not the Venezuelan government put Russian investments in Venezuela at risk.

    “But they [the risks to Russian investments in Venezuela] are caused, as the example of CITGO clearly demonstrated, by the behavior of Washington and not the Venezuelan …

  • G7 and World Bank urge Ukraine to reinstate illicit enrichment article of Criminal Code

    The Group of Seven and the World Bank have criticized the Constitutional Court of Ukraine’s decision to revoke article 368-2 of the Criminal Code, which deals with illicit enrichment.

    “The recent elimination of the illicit enrichment offence from the criminal code is a serious setback in the fight against corruption in Ukraine. This has weakened the impact of the whole anti-corruption architecture, including the soon to be established High-Anti-Corruption Court, which was expected to rule on a …

  • Media: Another Russian plane flew from Moscow to Caracas

    Nordwind Airlines' Boeing-777 flew from Moscow to Caracas on March 1, then traveled to Uganda and Zanzibar and returned to Venezuela on March 4, wrote Novaya Gazeta with reference to Flightradar24.

    Novaya Gazeta had reported earlier that an  IL-62 board of the Russian Ministry of Defense was seen on its way to Caracas from Moscow on March 3. Flightradar24 recorded only some details of the flight. The crew could turn off the transponder so as not to transmit all the flight coordinates.

    The …

  • Ukrainian Security Service confirms evacuation of DPR tank battalion commander from Donbas

    The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has confirmed that Svetlana Dryuk aka “Veterok”, a former tank battalion commander for the “People’s Militia” of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), has been evacuated to government-controlled territory.

    “The SBU confirms that a mercenary from the Russian illegal armed groups in the Donbas, tank battalion chief of staff Svetlana Dryuk, has been brought into Ukraine-controlled territory,” the SBU’s press department stated.

    According to the …

  • The US extends Crimean sanctions against Russia for another year

    On March 4, according to a statement  submitted by the White House to the Congress and published in the Federal register, US President Donald Trump extended the sanctions that were imposed earlier against Russia because of its actions in Ukraine, specifically the annexation of the Crimea and the situation in the Donbas.

    “The actions and policies of persons that undermine democratic processes and institutions in Ukraine threaten its peace, security, stability, sovereignty and territorial …

  • Kremlin offers the US to start Venezuela negotiations

    The Russian government has started to lose faith in its ability to keep Nicolás Maduro in power in Venezuela, despite the $17 billion Moscow has spent on assistance for the country over the last 12 years.

    When another of Venezuela’s major creditors – China – began negotiations with opposition leader Juan Guaidó, who has been recognized as interim president by the US, EU and 8 Latin American countries, the Russian Foreign Ministry contacted Washington, asking to begin bilateral consultations on …

  • Putin suspends Russia’s participation in Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles Treaty

    Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree on the suspension of Russia’s participation in the Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles Treaty (INF), which was signed between Ronald Raegan and Mikhail Gorbachev in 1987, reads the statement on the Kremlin’s website.

    According to the decree text, the decision was made because of “the United States violation of its obligations under the contract." The Russian Foreign Ministry will have to officially notify the United States and the …

  • Naftogaz: Ukraine will lose its gas transit role after Nord Stream 2 is launched

    Nord Stream 2 will reduce demand for Ukraine's gas transportation system, said Head of Naftogaz Andriy Kobolyev in an interview with Ukrainian Channel 5.

    “We will lose the entire transit. Because there is still the Turkish Stream, which will probably be built and launched by the end of 2019,” Kobolyev said. According to him, Ukraine will lose the deterrent against the “Russian aggression” after Nord Steam 2 is put in operation. “It is necessary to analyze this pipeline in terms of war risks …

  • Russia confirms signing agreement with Ukraine on fishing in the Sea of Azov

    The Russian State Agency of Fisheries of Ukraine reported that Russia signed the Russian-Ukrainian commission agreement on fisheries in the Sea of Azov and the coordination of catch limits.

    "The 30th Russian-Ukrainian commission session agreement on fisheries in the Sea of Azov was signed in February this year. The agreements were reached in the interests of both states," said the report.

    As noted in the press release, the commission determined the limits on catching of aquatic bioresources …