Contents tagged with Russia
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Ukrainian and German Foreign Ministers to discuss freeing of Ukrainian prisoners held captive in Russia
The German Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sigmar Gabriel is set to visit Ukraine on January 3- 4 this year. During his visit, Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Pavlo Klimkin plans to discuss with him the issue of the release of Ukrainian political prisoners detained in Russian prisons.
As the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine reports, "the role of Germany, together with France, under the Normandy format in countering Russian aggression will be a key subject of the …
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Bulgaria will not break off MiG maintenance deal with Russia
The anti-monopoly service of Bulgaria refused to annul the government’s deal with the Russian aircraft construction company MiG. The demand of the Ukrainian company Ukrinmash was thus rejected, Reuters reported on Tuesday January 2 with reference to a statement by the Bulgarian anti-monopoly regulator. The decision can be challenged within three days.
In December 2017, the Bulgarian Defense Ministry commissioned MiG to service 15 old fighters. The four-year deal was estimated at a value of $50. …
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Russia considers creating cryptocurrency for payments between BRICS and EEU countries
The Bank of Russia is considering the possibility of introducing a supranational digital currency within the BRICS or the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), Central Bank first deputy chairperson Olga Skorobogatova told reporters, Finanz.ru reports.
“We are continuing the work to investigate this matter. A matter which seems to us advisable to discuss on with our colleagues is the possibility of introducing a supranational digital currency in EEU territory or within the BRICS. There are many …
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Russia increases export duty on oil by $6.4 per ton
Beginning January 1, the export duty on oil in Russia has increased by $6.4 per ton, rising from $105 to $111.4.
As Interfax reports, citing information from the Ministry of Economic Development, the preferential duty rate on crude oil from Eastern Siberia, the Caspian fields and Prirazlomnoye field will remain at zero, based on a new formula adopted within the framework of a tax maneuver for the oil sector. Beginning January 1, the duty on high-viscosity crude Increased to $17.9 from $16.8 in …
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Media: Russian billionaires dispose of assets ahead of US sanctions
Russian oligarchs have begun to dispose of assets ahead of the publication of the US Finance Ministry’s report on businessmen who are close to the Kremlin and may be placed under sanctions.
As TASS reported with reference to information from the London Stock Exchange, at the end of December a large block of shares in the Petropavlovsk gold-mining company was sold by billionaire Viktor Vekselberg, who is number 10 on the Russian Forbes list with $12.4 billion.
The Petropavlovsk shares were …
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Russia: external interference in Iran’s affairs is inadmissible
The Russian Foreign Ministry believes that mass unrest in Iran should be considered part of the country’s internal affairs, Russia’s TASS news agency reports. The Foreign Ministry also expressed hope that the situation will develop without bloodshed in the future.
"External interference destabilizing the situation is inadmissible," the Foreign Ministry added.
Protests across a number of major Iranian cities began on Thursday, December 28, in Meshed. The demonstrators took to the streets, …
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Russia has exhausted its Reserve Fund
As of January 1, 2018, the Reserve Fund of Russia no longer exists. In early December there was about $17 billion remaining in the fund, but it was decided that it would be combined with the National Welfare Fund and all additional revenues from the oil and gas industry would be sent there, reports news agency Rosbalt.
The reserve fund was established in 2008. It was to become a source to finance the budget deficit in the event of a sharp drop in treasury revenues. At its peak - in mid-2008 - …
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The Kremlin announces that Putin would meet with Netanyahu soon
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have agreed to hold a meeting "shortly," the Press Secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov stated, Interfax reports.
According to Peskov, the meeting of the leaders of the two countries is needed to "discuss current bilateral relationships and exchange views on various international and regional issues." He also said that during the conversation, Putin congratulated Netanyahu on the New Year. "The leaders …
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Putin gives a raise to the Prosecutor General and to the Head of the Russian Investigative Committee
Russian President Vladimir Putin gave a 4% salary increase to Prosecutor General Yury Chaika and Head of the Investigative Committee Alexander Bastrykin. The relevant decrees are published on the legal information website and take effect on January 1, 2018.
According to a declaration that Bastrykin published in May, in 2016, the Head of the Investigative Committee earned 7.9 million rubles or $136,986 while in 2015 he earned 8.4 million rubles or $145,656. His wife’s declared income in 2016 …
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Five airports in Russia evacuated over fake bomb threats
On Sunday, December 31, passengers and staff of five airports in Russia were evacuated over false bomb threats in the buildings.
Policemen had to evacuate passengers and employees at Kemerovo airport in the morning in order to check on a bomb threat report. No explosive device was found, and the airport resumed normal operations. However, one flight from Kemerovo to Moscow was delayed, reports Interfax.
On Sunday evening in local time, Magadan airport was also evacuated over reports of a bomb …