Russia to create four artificial islands in the Arctic

According to the decree signed by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and published on Saturday, June 17 on the Russian government's website, four artificial islands will be created in the Kola Bay of the Barents Sea.  

A center will be built on these artificial islands for the manufacture of marine complexes for production, storage and shipment of liquefied natural gas, as well as repair and maintenance of marine equipment and equipment used to develop offshore oil and gas condensate fields. …


Military Registration office in the annexed Crimea asked a Jehovah's Witnesses follower to change his beliefs

The Military Commission of the Bakhchisaray district of the annexed Crimea demanded a conscript-follower of the Jehovah’s Witnesses to provide “documentation of his change of belief”, as stated on the Russian Jehovah's Witnesses’ website.

It was reported that in early June, the Military Registration and Enlistment Office denied the young man the right to alternative services, stating he must change his beliefs.

The organization's website has also published a copy of the draft notice, in which …


Media: Iran and China will hold joint naval exercises

Servicemen of the Chinese and Iranian Navies will hold joint exercises in the Strait of Hormuz, Mehr agency reports. It was reported that the destroyer Chang Chung, the supply vessel Chao Hu, the Jin Zhou rocket frigate and a helicopter will take part in the exercises that will be held on June 19.

According to Mehr, the parties intend to demonstrate their military potential and share their experience.

At present, the Chinese fleet is located in the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas with the …


UNICEF: 750,000 children in Donbas could be cut off from drinking water

Almost 750,000 children in Eastern Ukraine could be cut off from clean drinking water as a result of military actions in areas where important facilities of civil infrastructure are located, a representative of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said, as reported by the UN News Center.

“Nearly 3 million people in eastern Ukraine rely on water infrastructure that is now in the line of fire. We expect more families will be cut off from safe drinking water, putting children at severe risk of disease, …


Long-term support plan for Ukraine to be presented at Eastern Partnership Summit

A long-term plan of support for Ukraine (the so-called “Marshall Plan for Ukraine”) will be presented at the Eastern Partnership Summit in November, Lithuanian MP Andrius Kubilius told the newspaper Segodnya in an interview.

“We will present the ‘Marshall Plan for Ukraine’ at the Eastern Partnership Summit in November, where, we hope, mention of this document will appear in the final declaration of the summit,” he said.

“We are working towards there being not only a declaration, but also real …