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Yavlinsky: Russia must create political alternative in 2016
In an op-ed written for Novaya Gazeta, politician Grigory Yavlinsky examined the year's main events in Russia, highlighting political reprisals against political dissidents, in particular the assassination of Boris Nemtsov.
"The whole theme of this year, the most pressure put on civil society in the last 30 years, the amount of force used in the country and in international relations, is concentrated in the very beginning: the tragedy of February 27th," Yavlinsky wrote, referring to the day on …
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Russia to bolster defense in Armenia
Last week, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and his Armenian counterpart Seyran Ohanyan signed an agreement on the creation of a Joint Regional Air Defense System in the Caucasian Collective Security Region.
“During the talks, we discussed a broad range of issues of cooperation in the military and military-technical spheres. The plans of bilateral cooperation of the defense ministries were signed for the next year,” Shoigu stated.
Armenia is home to two Russian military bases and 4,000-5 …
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Russian ruble hits lowest level in a year
On December 30th, the Russian ruble reached its lowest level against the U.S. dollar in a year, falling to 73 rubles and 20 kopecks to the dollar.
The ruble lost 40 percent of its value last year. Its present value is 20 percent lower than a year ago. This is an indication of how the Russian economy has suffered from Western economic sanctions and falling oil prices.
Russia's economy was hit hard by the sanctions imposed by the United States, the European Union and other countries. The …
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Ukraine introduces a moratorium on payment of $3 billion to Russia
The Ukrainian Government confirmed its decision to impose a moratorium on the payment of debt to the Russian Federation worth $3 billion, that was loaned to the government of Viktor Yanukovych in 2013. In December of 2015, it was recognized as an official debt of Ukraine.
This was said by the Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk during a Cabinet meeting.
"We succeeded in stopping the military aggression of Russia, and now we are stopping the economic, financial and diplomatic …
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FSB agents now allowed to use force against women and children
The State Duma of the Russian Federation passed a bill expanding the Federal Security Service’s (FSB) the power to use weapons. The MPs approved the bill via an emergency order, which was then signed into law by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The new law authorizes officers of the FSB in some cases to use weapons "against women, persons with obvious signs of disability" and minors. The law was posted on the internet via the Russian Federation's official legal portal on Wednesday, December 3 …