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Finland begins air patrols of border with Russia
Helsinki has decided to monitor the border from the air in order to combat illegal infiltration into its territory from the Russian Federation.
To do this, border guards will use helicopters and aircraft, reports YLE.
Forests in the east and north, where border guards are less likely to be protected compared to other Finnish territories, will be particularly carefully patrolled.
Earlier it was reported that Finland has become more likely to grant asylum to Russians.
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DPR militants involved in ‘coup’ in Abkhazia
The administration of the Abkhazian President, Raul Khajimba, accused members of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) of the coup attempt, reports Interfax.
Abkhazia’s officials are trying to determine how these people arrived and stayed in the region.
According to the publication Echo of the Caucasus, one of the organizers of the rally on January 8-9, which led to protesters capturing Khajimba’s administration office, was Ahra Avidzba, aka "Abkhaz" who fought against Ukraine as part …
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Swiss Court orders Russia to pay Ukrainian companies $80 million for lost Crimean assets
The Swiss Federal court upheld a decision by the Geneva International Court of Arbitration that required Russia to pay more than $80 million to 12 Ukrainian companies as compensation for the damage caused to them as a result of the annexation of Crimea, reports Swiss Info.
Thus, the Swiss Federal Court rejected the appeals of the Russian authorities in connection with the decision taken by the International Court of Arbitration in Geneva last April.
In one of the appeals, the Russian …
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Russian gas deliveries to Europe drop by 20 percent
Gazprom started 2020 by significantly reducing its gas deliveries to Europe. During the first eight days of January, Russian gas exports dropped by 20%, writes Kommersant, citing statistics from gas operators.
Transit through Ukraine has dropped by nearly two thirds, from 262 to 91 million cubic meters per day. On January 7, Gazprom supplied only half the average volume stipulated by its transit contract with Ukraine (180 million cubic meters), even though it will still have to pay for the …
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Iraq resumes negotiations on purchase of Russian S-300 aerial defense systems
Iraq has resumed its talks with Russia on the purchase of Russian S-300 anti-air systems, RIA Novosti reports, citing Mohammed Ridha, head of Iraq’s parliamentary defense and security committee.
According to the Iraqi MP, negotiations should have been resumed a long time ago, and the systems should have been purchased already. Ridha noted that he does not know exactly which stage the talks are currently at, but they have definitely been approved by the Iraqi government. However, he said that …