Contents tagged with Russia
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Lithuania suspects celebrities of working for KGB
The Genocide and Resistance Research Center of Lithuania says that the well-known Lithuanian actor, People’s Artist of the USSR, Donatas Banionis, who passed away in 2014, as well as the Lithuanian violinist and conductor, People’s Artist of the USSR Saulius Sondeckis, who died in 2016, worked for the KGB during the Soviet period, reported by Delfi news agency, citing a statement by the center.
The statement claims that Banionis worked in the KGB under the alias “Bronos”, and provided …
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Russian airbase in Syria comes under drone attack
Russian airbase in Khmeimim came under attack by makeshift drones, reports Directorate 4 Telegram channel.
Several drones were reportedly shot down by the Russian military. The damage caused by the attack is not known. However, multiple makeshift drones carrying explosives can break into the perimeter of the base and drop their loads on the equipment stored outdoors.
Ahrar Al-Alawi(Alawite rebels) group took responsibility for the recent attacks on the Russian airbase. The group vowed to …
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Human rights advocate: About 5,000 Crimean residents were illegally conscripted into the Russian army
As of the end of 2017, about 5,000 residents of the annexed Crimea were called for service in the Russian army, as there has been a tendency to increase the number of recruits, stated a member of the Crimean Human Rights Group, Irina Sedova, on Krym.Realii radio.
According to her, the Crimean authorities began to bring criminal cases for evasion from service in the Russian army.
"We are developing recommendations on how to react in such situations. The main loophole is not to be listed on a …
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Russian media: mortars used in bombardment of Russian airbase in Syria were brought from Turkey
The Russian military base in Syrian Khmeimim was shelled using an 82-millimeter automatic mortar Vasilek (Cornflower), writes Russian newspaper Vestnik Mordovii (Herald of Mordovia) quoting military experts.
The mortar has a small weight (just over 630 kilograms) that allows to place it, for example, in a minivan, and high rate of fire (up to 120 shots per minute). Vasilek can fire in single and automatic mode using four-round clips. It can use high-explosive, armor-piercing and smoke shells, …
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Ukrainian Politician: in 2014 Kyiv considered detonating gas transit pipeline connecting Russia to Europe
The Deputy Minister for Temporarily Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons of Ukraine, Yuriy Hrymchak, stated on ZIK TV that in 2014-2015, the Ukrainian authorities considered blowing up the Russian gas pipeline that goes through the entirety of Ukraine and brings gas into the countries of Europe.
“Look at 2014-2015.. Do you think there were no plans to blow up the gas transmission system? <...> I am telling you about the plans at the state level,” Hrymchak said.
According to …
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Carnegie Center: Putin and Russian Patriarch at odds over Ukraine
Disagreements have emerged between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kirill of Moscow, Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), following the start of the conflict in eastern Ukraine. This was noted by Andrey Pertsev, researcher from the Carnegie Moscow Center, as reported by Voice of America.
“It has long been known that the president and the patriarch’s relations became strained after the start of the Ukrainian crisis and the conflict in the Donbas,” the researcher observes. …
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Russia was a major coal supplier to Ukraine in 2017
In 2017, Ukraine imported over 19 million tons of coal, most of which came to the country from Russia, reported Lb.ua news agency with reference to the data of Ukraine's State Fiscal Service.
It is noted that Ukraine paid more than $2.7 billion for coal. Russian coal imports in 2017 cost $1.5 billion or 56.57% of the total supply, followed by US supplies worth $682 million or 24.85%, and Canadian coal worth $182 million or 6.64%. Other countries have also delivered coal to Ukraine, all worth $3 …
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Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs calls trip to Russia a 'one-way ticket'
In a Twitter post, the Consular Service of the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has called travel by Ukrainians to Russia a "one-way ticket".
"Travel by Ukrainians to Russia is often a one-way ticket. [This is] confirmed and documented. So is it worth risking your own freedom and causing suffering to your relatives? " the Consular Service’s post reads. The message was attached to a warning by the Security Service of Ukraine against travel to Russia.
The Security Service of Ukraine ( …
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Kremlin accuses the US of involvement in the attack on Khmeimim military base in Syria
The attack on the Khmeimim air base in Syria was a result of the failure of the Syrian military and the increased activity of the American special services that are “working with the militants”, as stated by the first deputy chairman of the Defense and Security Committee of the Federation Council, Franz Klintsevich, during a broadcast of NSN news.
"This only happened because our troops were withdrawn, and there were just enough of them left to keep the military base functioning. What was …
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Putin extends restrictions on transit of Ukrainian goods through Russia
President Vladimir Putin has extended a decree prohibiting the transit of goods from Ukraine to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan through Russian territory until June 30. The corresponding document was posted on the online portal for legal information.
The Russian President signed the decree on December 30, but it appeared on the portal on Thursday, January 4.
In 2016, Putin modified his decree limiting the transportation of Ukrainian goods through Russia to include a total ban the transit of goods …