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The US urges Russia to return Crimea to Ukraine
On the occasion of the second anniversary of Russia's annexation of Crimea, US State Department spokesman John Kirby issued a statement which reiterated the US's commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.
"The United States does not accept Russia's 'referendum' on March 16, 2014, and does not recognize an attempt of the annexation of Crimea, which violates the international law," a press release by the United States Foreign Service stated.
Kirby stressed that since …
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Bill on countering Russian propaganda presented in the US Senate
A new bill aimed at strengthening Washington’s efforts in countering propaganda and misinformation spread by Russia, China and other countries, was presented in the US Senate. The bill, entitled Countering Information Warfare Act of 2016, was created in response to calls by the US Congress, European governments and NATO to strengthen forces to counter misinformation campaigns.
The new US legislation, developed by the United States Senator from Ohio, Rob Portman and the United States Senator …
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Russian State Duma considering draft to 'rigorously punish' those who insult the President
A bill is currently being drafted in the Russian State Duma "On protection of honor and dignity of the President of Russia". According to Izvestiya, the initiative was taken by LDPR Duma Deputy Roman Khudyakov.
Today, insults against any Russian official, including the President of the country, are included in the Common Article 319 of the Criminal Code (Insulting the authorities). The article imposes various penalties up to 1 year of correctional labor. The Deputy proposed to elaborate a …
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Ukrainian MFA: Ban of Crimean Tatar Mejlis is reminiscent of forced deportations in 1944
According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign affairs, the attempts of the Russian-Crimean authorities to ban the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People is evidence that Russia is attempting to oust the Crimean Tatars from the occupied Peninsula, Interfax-Ukraine reported.
"We regard the plans for the banishment of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People on the temporarily occupied territory of Crimea to be a deliberate imposition by Moscow of a sentence on the presence of the Crimean Tatar people …
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So-called Donetsk People's Republic begins mass distribution of passports
The self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic has begun to issue its own passports to the population in the separatist areas of the Donetsk region. The leader of the self-proclaimed state and rebel group, of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, Alexander Zakharchenko, called this an important step towards state building, as quoted by Interfax.
According to Zakharchenko, who was one of the first to get the DPR issued document, passports will initially be issued to young people (including 34, …