Contents tagged with Russia

  • Kobyakov: Belarus is dissatisfied with the quality of Russian oil

    The quality of Russian oil supplied to Belarus has recently deteriorated, said Belarusian Prime Minister Andrei Kobyakov, in an interview with RIA Novosti. He noted that there is a constant discussion between Moscow and Minsk on issues related to the supply of raw materials. According to Kobyakov, both parties are generally on the same page, but disagreements do arise, Rosbalt reported.

    "For example, we would want for the oil that arrives in Belarus through the pipeline to be of higher quality, …

  • Russia is no longer on the list of the EU's top three trading partners

    In 2015, the Russian share of the total trade volume of the EU shrank to 6%, putting it in fourth place. Deutsche Welle reported that Eurostat financial data show Switzerland climbing to third place while the US and China continue to hold the top two spots."Starting from 2013, Russia’s share of the total trade volume with the EU has dramatically decreased,” the Eurostat report stated, from 284.6 billion euros down to 210 billion in 2014. The report also detailed the US share in total trade at 18 …

  • Belarus hopes Russia will agree to simultaneously raise the retirement age in 2017

    As Belarusian Prime Minister Andriy Kobyakov stated in an interview with RIA Novosti, Russia and Belarus discussed the topic of raising the retirement age. “In Minsk, we hope that Moscow will make a decision on the simultaneous increase of the retirement age in Russia and Belarus in 2017,” he said. “However, there are no agreements on this joint action,” he added.

    "We expect that our partners will make the appropriate decisions. There was a discussion about this. However, there are no …

  • Naftogaz breaks with Gazprom

    Naftogaz of Ukraine has no plans to resume purchasing gas from PJSC Gazprom after April 1, 2016, because the price of gas offered by the Russian company for the second quarter of 2016 is higher price than what is offered to Naftogaz by European suppliers, the press service of the Ukrainian company stated.

    It was reported that Gazprom has refused to extend their “winter package” agreement with Naftogaz, that defined the transition conditions for the purchase of Russian gas for Ukraine. …

  • Freight traffic between Poland and Russia may be suspended

    The transport of goods between Russia and Poland may be temporarily suspended if the parties fail to agree on permit quotas for 2016, according to the Deputy Head of the Russian Ministry of Transport, Mukola Asaul, as reported by RIA Novosti."As for the permit quota, the number of permit forms for the current year, an agreement has not been reached. The debate continues and there is the likelihood that we will not reach a mutually acceptable solution and freight transport may be temporarily …

  • Media: Zakharchenko was denied entry into Russia using his DPR passport

    The head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, Alexander Zakharchenko, could not cross the Russian-Ukrainian border using a “DPR passport” at a checkpoint in the Rostov region. 62.ua learned from a source close to the leadership of the republic that the situation eased only after Zakharchenko showed his Ukrainian passport. After that, Russian border guards let him into the territory of the Russian Federation.

    62.ua pointed out that the head of the DPR had recently promised to " …

  • Agricultural production in Crimea decreased by almost half in 2015

    The harvest of vegetables and fruits in the Crimea in 2015 was nearly half of its average prior to the annexation of Crimea by Russia, according to political analyst and founder of the Free Crimea project, Taras Berezovets, as reported by Krym.Realii."Indicators of agricultural production are impressive. 213,000 tons of vegetables and 66,000 tons of fruit were produced in 2015. Before the occupation there were between 380,000 and 480,000 tons of vegetables and no less than 100,000 tons of …

  • Criminal proceedings initiated against Duma Deputy for criticizing Putin

    The Investigation Committee of Russia has initiated its second case against the Deputy of the Kursk Regional Duma, Olga Lee, for bringing accusations against Russian President Vladimir Putin and criticizing his actions. According to the Investigation Committee’s website, the case was filed under part 1 of article 282, “Inciting hatred or enmity.”According to the investigation, Lee posted her remarks on her Vkontakte social network page and published videos of her performances on the web that, …

  • Putin announces military conscription for 155,000 Russians

    Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on conscription of 155,000 citizens liable for military service. This is reported on the official web portal of legal information of the Russian Federation.

    "To be implemented from April 1 to July 15, 2016, the conscription of Russian citizens between the ages of 18 to 27 years, that are not in reserve and are liable to ... conscription, numbering 155 thousand people," says the statement.

    In the Spring of 2015, 150,000 people were called up for …

  • President of Poland: Russia must withdraw from Crimea

    Poland does not want a return to the Cold War, according to Polish President Andrzej Duda. Relations with Russia "must return to the way geopolitical relations were before the annexation of the Crimea," he added, according to his press service."We must demand the return to pre-annexation geopolitical relations. This means that Russia should withdraw from the Ukrainian peninsula," Duda said at the National Press Club in Washington, while visiting the US to attend the Washington Summit on Nuclear …