Contents tagged with Russia

  • Volker: Russian aggression in Ukraine is a risk for all Europe

    Russian aggression in Ukraine is a risk for all of Europe, said US State Department Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker during a press conference in Vilnius.

    "We are gathered here while the fighting continues on the European continent, from here [to Donbas], which is less than two hours away by plane. This should not have happened at all, and now we must do everything to stop human suffering, as about 10,000 people have already died in the conflict, and millions have been forced to …

  • US introduces sanctions against four Russians over North Korean ties

    The US has added four Russians and one Russian company to the North Korea sanction list, the Ministry of Finance website announced on Tuesday, August 22.

    Russian citizens Irina Huish, Ruben Kirakosyan, Mikhail Pisklin and Andrey Serbin were placed under sanctions. The list also includes Russian company Gefest-M, which the US treasury claims is connected to the Korean Tangun Trading Corporation. As mentioned on the US treasury website, Ruben Kirakosyan is connected to Gefest-M.

    In addition, …

  • Media: Russia will not be able to complete Saint Petersburg - Veliky Novgorod highway before World Cup 2018

    A section of the M-11 highway between Novgorod and St. Petersburg that had to be completed before the 2018 World Cup will not be finished until 2019, stated Maxim Sokolov, the head of the Ministry of Transport, as reported by a local news website, Driver of St. Petersburg.

    The Minister added that this year, only a 200-kilometer section of the highway on the approach to Veliky Novgorod would be open.

    "Another 140 kilometers of the road from Veliky Novgorod to St. Petersburg are in the active …

  • Bulgaria wants to abandon Russian MiG military aircraft

    In response to a statement made by the Bulgarian Minister of Defense, Krasimir Karakachanov, that Bulgaria could abandon purchasing new fighters and repair old Russian MiGs that are used in the Bulgarian army, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev spoke against the repair of Russian MiG-29 fighters insisting on the acquisition of new aircraft that meet NATO standards.  

    "No, absolutely not, we cannot give up buying new fighters for the Bulgarian military. Our aviation should be compatible with the …

  • Ukrainian Security Service uncovers an illegal ring exporting military aircraft parts to Russia

    In the Kharkiv region, the Security Service officers exposed the supply channel of repaired units and equipment for military transport aviation to Russia, as reported by the press service of the SBU (Security Service of Ukraine) on Facebook.

    "Law enforcement officers established that a group of businessmen were using account details of economic entities under their control in Ukraine and the Russian Federation. They registered orders under legitimate Russian business entities, including those …

  • Russian strike forces carry out tactical exercises in annexed Crimea

    The Russian strike forces in annexed Crimea are carrying out tactical exercises, the Russian Defense Ministry press service announced. As reported, a test exercise is being done with a group of mixed strike forces in the Black Sea Fleet.

    “Today, according to the military training plan of the Black Sea Fleet ships, the armed forces have begun tactical exercises,” the report states. The report notes that during the exercises, there are plans to rehearse air bombardment and the launching of …

  • US suspends issuing of nonimmigrant visas in Russia

    Since August 23, the US has suspended the issuance of nonimmigrant visas across Russia, the US Embassy in Russia reported.

    Representatives of the diplomatic mission explained that the issuance of visas will be resumed, but in a reduced amount.

    The Embassy explained that this was due to a decrease in the number of employees at the US Embassy in Russia.

    In addition, starting from September 1, 2017, interviews for US nonimmigrant visas will only be held at the US Embassy in Moscow. Interviews …

  • Putin appoints official from EU sanction list as Russian ambassador to USA

    Russian President Vladimir Putin appointed Deputy Foreign Minister Anatoly Antonov, who has been on the EU sanction list since 2015, as the Russian ambassador to the US.

    Between 2011 and 2016, Antonov worked as the Russian Deputy Defense Minister, and since 2015 he has been on the EU sanction list because of aggression against Ukraine. Antonov has been appointed instead of Sergey Kislyak, who was one of the central figures in the scandal surrounding a possible conspiracy between US President …

  • Putin in Crimea: the influence of the government on the media in Russia has to be minimized

    The creative community must itself filter TV and Internet content, and the state's influence should be minimized in this sphere, declared Russian President Vladimir Putin on August 20 at the Tavidra forum that took place in the annexed Crimea.

    "It would be right if the community itself developed a system of moral and ethical filters, to minimize if not to exclude, but it would be better, of course, to exclude the state’s influence on this process [the media]," Russian News Agency TASS quoted …

  • Assad thanks Russia, Iran and Hezbollah for their support

    Syrian President Bashar al-Assad stated that his army has shattered the West's attempts to overthrow his government, thanks to the help of allies, including Russia, Iran and the Lebanese Hezbollah movement.

    "Their direct support - politically, economically and militarily – has made possible great successes on the battlefield and reduced the losses and hardships of the war," Assad said during a television broadcast on August 20.However, he noted that "the battle continues," and that it's still …