Contents tagged with Russia

  • Russian journalist: The judge is scared of Savchenko's closing statements

    The final hearing of Ukrainian citizen, Nadiya Savchenko, has been postponed by the judge after the Ukrainian pilot compared Russian President, Vladimir Putin, to Hitler. Anton Naumock, the correspondent of the Russian Bureau of Radio Liberty, stated this during the evening radio broadcast of Krym.Realii.

    According to him, Nadiya Savchenko "has always responded bluntly to any injustice" and that is why the judge has postponed the session on March 9, 2016.

    "She was constantly in altercations …

  • The Kremlin declines to comment on Savchenko's hunger strike

    Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on the hunger strike declared by Nadiya Savchenko, the Ukrainian pilot being charged in a Russian court.

    “I do not want to comment on it. It is not a question that relates to our agenda. Moreover, there is a trial, and certainly some comments from our side would not be allowed,” Peskov said, as reported by Interfax.

    Savchenko declared a hunger strike starting March 3rd after the Donetsk City Court in the Rostov region …

  • German Finance Minister: Putin fears European democratic model

    German Finance Minister, Wolfgang Schäuble, stated that the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, is afraid of the European social and democratic model and therefore is trying to separate EU member States.

    He stated on the 3rd of March, in London, that Russian President Vladimir Putin is afraid of the European democratic model thus, Europe has to resist his attempts to separate EU member states. According to Schäuble, the Russian Government is not concerned about the extension of the European …

  • Expert says the worst is yet to come for the Russian economy

    The head of the Higher School of Economics' Center for Development, Natalya Akindinova, explained that January economic data indicated that the Russian economy has started to worsen.

    “This relates in particular to construction, cargo turnover and trade. The total fall in basic industries in January was 0.4-0.6% lower than December without taking into account seasonal fluctuations. The huge lack of growth has been accumulated in real incomes and consumer demand, and its downside potential has …

  • Russian Gazprom to receive 2 billion euro loan from Chinese bank

    Gazprom and the Bank of China have signed an agreement granting the Russian gas monopoly a €2 billion loan for a period of five years as reported by the press service of the company.

    It is the largest funding deal coming directly from one credit institution in the history of Gazprom. It was also noted by the company that it was the first bilateral loan agreement with the Chinese Bank.

    In August 2015 Gazprom secured a loan from a consortium of Asian Banks for $1.5 billion at LIBOR + 3.5% for …

  • Average salary of Russian federal officials increased by 2 percent last year amid economic crisis

    According to Rosstat, the average monthly salary of civil servants in federal government agencies in Russia had increased by 2% in 2015.  The average is now almost 111,300 rubles.

    The salaries of civil servants within the legislature division rose by 35.2%, which equates to approximately 150,000 rubles.  This amount does not take into account any social payments.  The salaries of employees of the Federation Council increased by 42%, and the salaries of the State Duma employees increased by 30%. …

  • Mayor of Nice says Crimea is Russian territory during visit by Mayor of Yalta

    The mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, met with a delegation from the occupied Crimea and signed a letter of intent with the Administration of Yalta, as stated on Christian Estrosi’s website.

    The delegation of the mayor of Yalta was on an official visit in Nice from February 26 – March 1st. The Ambassador of the Russian Federation to France, Alexander Orlov, was also present at the meeting.

    The delegation’s visit was referred to as symbolic, as it was the "first time since the referendum on …

  • Russia is working on the development of a seventh generation fighter

    Russia is working on the creation of a seventh-generation fighter as stated by Commander-in-Chief of the Aerospace Forces, Colonel General Viktor Bondarev.

    "If we stop now, then we will stop forever. We are working on a sixth and perhaps a seventh generation. I have no right to say more," Bondarev said, as quoted by RIA Novosti.

    Bondarev, according to RBC, specified that the sixth-generation aircraft is being developed both in manned and unmanned variants. How much time may be needed for …

  • Nadiya Savchenko declares hunger strike

    Nadiya Savchenko vowed to go on a hunger strike starting March 3rd after the Donetsk City Court in the Rostov region announced that she would not be given a chance to make her final closing statement during a hearing on Thursday, Dozhd reported.

    "If I am not allowed to have the last word, I will start a dry hunger strike tomorrow," Savchenko claimed, Interfax reported.

    The court postponed her final closing statement until March 9th.

    The day before, the prosecutor’s office asked that the …

  • Ukrainian Intelligence: Six Russian trucks carrying Special Forces members arrived in Donbas

    On the 1st of March, Russian vehicles carrying ammunition and reinforcements arrived in the Donetsk region.  These vehicles consisted of three cars carrying ammunition, six trucks with mortars on board as well as special purpose units.  According to the Ukrainian News, this was reported by the Chief Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.

    “We have confirmed the presence of these Russian military vehicles.  They are transporting arms, military equipment, ammunition …