Contents tagged with Russia
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Russian media: US citizen Paul Whelan may have been collecting information on a Russian intelligence agency
The US citizen Paul Whelan, who was arrested in Moscow on suspicion of spying, is believed by the investigation to have been collecting information about one of the Russian intelligence agencies. This could have been the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU), the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) or the Federal Security Service (FSB), a source close to the investigation told the Russian news outlet Dozhd.
According to the source, the FSB started investigating Whelan in May 2018, during his …
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Russian military say they are monitoring USS Donald Cook in the Black Sea
The Russian military stated that they are monitoring the presence of USS Donald Cook in the Black Sea, reported the National Defense Management Center of Russia on January 19.
“Forces of the Black Sea Fleet started monitoring the US Navy’s guided missile destroyer USS Donald Cook right after it entered the waters of the Black Sea,” Interfax cites the center as saying. The US naval destroyer is currently being followed by the Pytlivy, a Russian Black Sea Fleet patrol vessel.
Russia stated …
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Head of Russian national rating agency fired for pessimistic views
Yekaterina Trofimova will be stepping down from her position as the head of ACRA, the largest national rating agency in Russia that was founded by the Central Bank in 2015.
The dismissal of Trofimova, who has headed ACRA since its creation, was announced by Karl Johansson, chairman of the company’s board of directors.
The news was confirmed by two sources familiar with the situation.
Intended as a replacement for international ratings agencies, which dropped Russia’s rating to “junk status” …
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Norway detains Russian citizen suspected of terrorism
The Oslo District Court made a decision to arrest a 20-year-old Russian for a month. The Russian man allegedly attacked a woman with a knife at a supermarket. The victim’s condition is critical, reported Aftenposten.
Ola Lunde, a lawyer from Bashkortostan, claims his client's personality as inadequate. According to the lawyer, the Russian man is convinced that all Christians deserve death.
“Detention is necessary for the public. I can state this regardless of the fact that I am his lawyer,” …
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Russian military began patrolling around the Syrian Manbij
Russia conducts independent and joint patrols around the Syrian city of Manbij located in the north-east of the Aleppo Governorate. According to the local sources of the Turkish news agency Anadolu, Russian military patrol independently in some places and “together with the so-called el-Bab Military Council formed by YPG forces” in other places.
The footage of the Anatolian Agency captures the military in armored vehicles with the Russian flag patrolling around the town of Arima. In addition, …
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President of Belarus Lukashenko refuses to use Russian rubles as common currency
Belarus is not against having a single currency with Russia, but it should not be the Russian currency, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko stated on Friday at a meeting dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Belarusian diplomatic service.
“We do not mind a common currency, but it should be a common currency, not the currency of the Central Bank of Russia. There should be an emission center on equal terms,” TASS quoted Lukashenko as saying.
Lukashenko said that Belarus is ready to …
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Lavrov: Putin agreed to allow representatives of Germany and France to monitor the Kerch Strait
Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s request to send German and French observers to the Kerch Strait, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Interfax-Ukraine reports.
"Chancellor Angela Merkel asked the President to allow German specialists to come to the region of the Kerch Strait over a month ago and to see how the navigation is done, taking into account that safety regulations should be observed... and President Putin agreed immediately,” …
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German Foreign Minister is convinced that Nord Stream 2 pipeline cannot be stopped
US sanctions can force Western companies to withdraw from the Nord Stream 2 project, but this will not prevent Russia from completing the construction of the gas pipeline, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas claims.
Maas asserted that the construction of the disputed Nord Stream 2 from Russia to Germany will not be stopped even by the US sanctions. "No one can disrupt this project. US sanctions can lead to the withdrawal of Western companies from it, including German concerns. This, however, …
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Kremlin sees no obstacles for ‘sovereign internet’ in Russia
The Russian Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media or MinComSvyaz “sees no obstacles” for the draft law on “sovereign Runet [ Russian internet],” stated MinComSvyaz Deputy Minister Oleg Ivanov at the expanded session of the State Duma Committee on information policy, Kommersant reports.
“It is clear that the issue is relatively new and innovative but a broader discussion at least on second reading is needed. For now, we do not see any comments that would prevent us …
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Ukraine: Russia exported over one million archaeological artifacts from the Crimea
A representative of the Ministry of Temporarily Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons of Ukraine, Sergey Mokrenyuk stated that Russia exported at least a million archaeological artifacts from the annexed Crimea, since 2014.
“According to minimal estimates, Russia exported at least a million artifacts,” said Mokrenyuk.
According to him, the Ukrainian Ministry is recording such violations and the persons involved may be held accountable, which can include imposing appropriate …