Contents tagged with Russia

  • Kremlin creates committee to oversee integration of Russia and Belarus

    Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree to establish a working group on the integration of Russia and Belarus, RIA Novosti reports.

     Medvedev also announced that Russian Economic Development Minister Maxim Oreshkin would chair the group.

    “Oreshkin will be the head of the group. It will include representatives of all the agencies, not only the government one but also from the State Duma, the Federation Council, and the Chamber of Accounts,” said Medvedev on Friday, December 28th. …

  • Russian ambassador to the US: there are no regular contacts between Lavrov and Pompeo

    During a press briefing, speaking about the relationship between Moscow and Washington, the Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov stated that there are no regular contacts between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and the US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo.

    “Regular contact between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo is not working out, admitted the diplomat. Our proposal for the resumption of the practice of joint meetings between the …

  • Kyiv denies that the entry ban for Russian men had been lifted

    Despite the lifting of martial law, more stringent control over foreigners' entry into Ukrainian territory and firstly Russian citizens will remain. The State Border Service will continue to thoroughly verify the reasons of the trip of each Russian citizen to Ukraine, stated Spokesman for Ukraine's State Border Guard Service Oleh Slobodyan, Radio Svoboda reports. 

    “Women can also take part, for example, in destabilizing activities in the territory of Ukraine and carry out other assignments of …

  • Merkel and Macron demand that Russia release Ukrainian sailors

    German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron demanded that Russia release the Ukrainian sailors who were on board the Ukrainian ships captured last month in the Kerch Strait.

    According to the Ukrainian side, Russia illegally seized two military boats and a tug. Kyiv accused Moscow of military aggression.

    “We demand safe, free and unimpeded transit for all ships through the Kerch Strait and the immediate and unconditional release of all illegally detained Ukrainian …

  • Russia warns US not to interfere in Saudi royal succession

    Russia has warned the US not to attempt to interfere in the order of succession in Saudi Arabia, and has expressed its support for crown prince Mohammad bin Salman despite the accusations that he had the government critic Khashoggi killed. 

    President Putin’s special representative for the Near East said that Prince Mohammed has the full right to the throne after 82 year-old King Salman dies. 

    “Of course we are opposed to interference. The Saudi nation and leaders must deal with such issues …

  • Head of Russian Anti-Doping Agency to Putin: Russian sport may end up in isolation

    If Russia refuses to provide the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) with the data of Russian athletes’ doping samples by December 31, Russian athletes may lose the right to compete abroad, and Russia will not be able to host international competitions, Yury Ganus, the head of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) stated in his address to Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

    According to Ganus, if WADA conditions are not fillfilled, RUSADA will be disqualified in mid-January. "The revocation of …

  • Ukraine strengthens its air defense near the Sea of Azov

    The Head of the Ukrainian Joint Forces Operation (JFO) press center, Vitaliy Sarantsev said that Ukraine has deployed anti-sabotage forces and has strengthened its air defense in near the Azov Sea, UNIAN reports.   He explained that these were necessary preparations against possible Russian threats. Sarantsev did not specify where exactly the new troops are located but he added that additional fortifications were established near the Azov Sea and that communication between joint forces …

  • Kyiv: Russia moving military equipment on the border with Ukraine

    The press secretary of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, Oleh Slobodyan stated that a large column of Russian military equipment and manpower was moving along the Ukrainian-Russian border, 112 Ukraine reported.

    According to him, the border control crossings on the stretch of the border, which is under Ukraine’s control, continue to operate as usual.   “At the same time, we have information on the movement of large columns of military equipment and personnel along the border. Entry …

  • Ukrainian military commander: There are 11,000 Russians fighting in the Donbas 

    There are currently 11,000 Russians in the Donbas in the hybrid Russian regular military formations, said Lieutenant-General Serhiy Nayev, Commander of Ukraine’s Joint Forces Operation in eastern Ukraine, on December 27. 

    “We are aware of the presence of Russian regular military formations in the temporarily occupied territories of the Donetsk and Luhansk provinces – the first and second army corps, with a total size of roughly 32,000 people, 11,000 of whom are Russians. The leadership …

  • All Ukrainian sailors captured by Russia declare themselves as prisoners of war

    Lawyer Mykola Polozov stated that all Ukrainian sailors captured near the Kerch Strait by Russia  said that they are prisoners of war. 

    “As of 12/27/2018 all 24 Ukrainian sailors stated to the investigation that they are prisoners of war,” wrote Polozov on his Facebook page. 

    According to him, the injured sailors Andriy Eider and Andriy Artemenko declared their status as prisoners of war to the investigation on Thursday. 

    On the morning of November 25, Ukraine informed the Russian port of …