• Georgia accuses Russia of trying to 'legitimize regions that were forcibly taken away’

    While commenting on the reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin intends to visit Sukhumi on August 8, Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili stated that Tbilisi would construct a meaningful response to the illegal actions of Russia, reported the Voice of America. August 8 is the day of the ninth anniversary of the Russian-Georgian war, after which Moscow recognized the independence of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region.

    "These statements, which we heard in connection with the visit …

  • Stoltenberg: NATO is not seeking confrontation with Russia

    NATO hopes for a dialogue with Russia and does not want a confrontation with Moscow, stated the Secretary General of the alliance, Jens Stoltenberg, as reported by RIA Novosti.

    “We do not want a new cold war with Russia, we do not want a confrontation with Russia, so we are acting in a balanced and measured way. We continue to seek a dialogue with Russia, since this is our largest neighbor ... and we must try not to be nervous,” he said.

    According to Stoltenberg, the building up of Russia’s …

  • Russia suspends import of pork from Romania after Deputy Prime Minister Rogozin was denied entry

    Russia imposed a temporary ban on the supply of live pigs and pig products from Romania a few days after Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin was refused entry into the country, reported by Novosti with reference to a statement by Rosselkhoznadzor (Russia’s Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance).

    Russia explained that the reason for the ban on the supply of live pigs and pig products from Romania is the outbreak of African swine fever in the country.

    “ …

  • Ukrainian activist Vladimir Balukh gives final word in Crimean court

    In his speech, Balukh pointed out that the reason for his imprisonment is not the ammunition which was allegedly found in his possession, but his principled position with respect to the “occupation of his homeland”, reported the Crimean Human Rights Group on their website.

    “The origins of this are not at all in some cartridges, not in some substance which the court inexplicably identified as explosive, there is no basis for this at all. The decision has been made to ‘take me out’ since the …

  • Media: Russia freed separatist commander Pogodin out of fear that he could give evidence about those responsible for MH17 crash

    Vadim Pogodin, a militant of the self-proclaimed "Donetsk People's Republic" (DPR) who has been released in the Crimea, could give evidence about the individuals involved in the crash of the MN17 aircraft in the Donbas in the summer of 2014, as reported by Novaya Gazeta. Ukrainian authorities suspect Pogodin of the brutal murder of schoolboy Stepan Chubenko, and have demanded his extradition. However, deputies in Russia, as well as former militant leaders, including Sergei Dubinsky aka Hmuriy ( …