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Russia and Belarus to unify economies
Russia and Belarus have agreed to establish a unified Tax Code and Civil Code within the Union State format, the Russian newspaper Kommersant reports.
The program of economic integration between Russia and Belarus was signed at the beginning of September, but was not publicized until now. The program envisages the partial unification of the two countries’ economic systems starting in January 2021.
This will involve a unified Tax Code, foreign trade regime and Civil Code, a unified record of …
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Kremlin confirms that ‘CIA agent’ Smolenkov worked in Russian embassy in USA
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova has confirmed that former Russian presidential administration employee Oleg Smolenkov, whom CNN considers a CIA agent, also worked in the Russian embassy in the US. She added that she did not know him personally, and that he was involved in economic matters.
“At some point in his career he worked in our embassy in Washington. I have no more to comment on that. I did not know him personally, our paths did not cross. The only thing I know …
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Putin offers S-400 missile systems to Saudi Arabia after drone attack
Saudi Arabia could buy Russian S-400 aerial defense systems to protect itself, proposed Russian President Vladimir Putin, as cited by the TASS news agency.
All that the Saudi authorities need to do is to “make a wise government decision” and buy the systems, which will “reliably protect all of Saudi Arabia’s facilities and infrastructure,” the Russian president remarked. He pointed out that Iran has already purchased S-300 systems and Turkey has bought S-400s.
When asked by reporters whether …
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Volker: No Donbas elections until Russian troops are withdrawn
US Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker said that Ukraine’s international partners will not pressurize it to hold elections in the Donbas while there are still Russia-controlled forces in the region.
“I don’t see a scenario where Ukraine is pushed toward holding elections while the territories remain occupied. The ‘Steinmeier Formula can only be implemented after elections have been held,” Volker told the TV channel 1+1 in an interview.
He said that in order to hold free and fair …
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Russia’s Gazprom starts selling gas to itself
Following the declining demand for Russian gas in Europe, plummeting spot prices at gas hubs and a whopping cash gap in the budget, the Russian gas monopoly Gazprom has resorted to selling gas to itself, finanz.ru reports.
In the first half of the year, the company’s gas exports to Europe fell by 8.9%. In the first six days of August, the export volume had dropped by as much as 22%.
Russia’s Interfax news agency reports that Gazprom has been assisted by a mysterious client, which bought …