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Putin initiates economic annexation of Donbas breakaway republics
Russia is taking a significant new step towards the integration of the unrecognized republics of the Donbas into its economic space.
On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree "On providing humanitarian support to the population of certain areas of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions of Ukraine", which gives companies from the so-called Donetsk ansd Luhansk People’s Republics same benefits as Russian companies.
According to the document published on the Kremlin’s website of legal …
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U.S. accuses Russia of 'reckless' tests of anti-satellite weapons
The United States believes that Russia has tested anti-satellite weapons which posed a threat to the International Space Station (ISS), said at a briefing spokesperson for the United States Department of State Ned Price.
“The Russian Federation recklessly conducted a destructive satellite test of a direct-ascent anti-satellite missile against one of its own satellites. The test has so far generated over 1,500 pieces of trackable orbital debris and hundreds of thousands of pieces of smaller …
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European gas prices soar as Germany refuses to certify Nord Stream 2
The European gas market is facing a threat of a new price shock after Germany refused to certify the Nord Stream-2 pipeline and demanded that the operator re-start the 4-month process and relocate assets and personnel related to the German section of the pipeline to Germany.
Germany's Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) announced it was suspending certification of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.
The regulator of the German gas market said it believes that the operator of the pipeline, …
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France and Germany warn Russia against new aggression against Ukraine
Foreign Ministers of France and Germany Jean-Yves Le Drian and Heiko Maas signed a joint statement following the meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. In the document, the Foreign Ministers said Russia would face "serious consequences" if it continues attempts to undermine territorial integrity of Ukraine.
In the joint statement, Germany and France "reaffirmed their firm support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine."
Both ministers called on …
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Russia deploys paratroopers to Belarus
Russia has deployed paratroopers to Belarus as the migrant crisis on Belarus-Poland border escalates and the EU threatens to impose more sanctions against Belarus, which may also affect Russian national airline Aeroflot.
On Friday, as part of a snap combat readiness check several units of the Russian Airborne Troops were sent to the Grodno region for joint tactical exercises with the Belarusian armed forces, Interfax reports citing the press service of the Russian Defense Ministry.
The …