Chairman of the Russian State Duma Committee on Defense and ex-commander of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, Admiral Vladimir Komoedov, confirmed Russia’s plans to deploy nuclear-capable Iskander missiles to Kaliningrad, Interfax reported.

"Kaliningrad is our advanced outpost on the western borders, the main base of the Baltic Fleet, which is surrounded by NATO countries on all sides. This is a special area and we must continue to strengthen the air component, [and] increase the amount of modern …

Italy may delay the extension of sanctions against Russia, which had been previously approved by EU ambassadors, wrote Brussels Radio Liberty correspondent Rikard Jozwiak, on Twitter.

According to him, the reason for the delay is Italy’s desire to include a clause allowing the relationship with Russia to be reconsidered later this year into the EU ruling on continued sanctions.

It should be noted that earlier, Wall Street Journal reporter Laurence Norman also wrote about the possibility that …

After the annexation and militarization of Crimea, it would take just a few hours for Russia to relieve Ukraine of its status of maritime power and to block the country from accessing the Black Sea. This was said by the Deputy Director of the Ukrainian Center for Army, Conversion and Disarmament, Mykhailo Samus, during an interview with Radio Krym.Realii.

“Russia can easily, and within a few hours, block access to the sea for Ukraine and also deprive Ukraine of its maritime power status. We …