The Russian Foreign Ministry says that Israel, Saudi Arabia, and several other countries would like to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SOC), which was founded by Russia and China, among others.

“In our portfolio today we have applications from Israel, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and masses of other countries that want to join the SOC’s activity in one way or another, in one capacity or another,” said Russian special presidential representative Bakhtier Khakimov, as cited by …

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that the full cooperation of the European Union with Russia would not be possible until it implements the Minsk agreements, reports Interfax-Ukraine.

"The Minsk agreements must be implemented... before that, the opportunities for cooperation will not be at the same level we would like them to be," said Merkel at a joint press conference with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda. According to the German Chancellor, the parties discussed this issue at the …

Russia has deployed a squadron of Forpost reconnaissance and targeting drones in the annexed Crimea, the Russian newspaper Izvestia reported.

The drones have been stationed near Sevastopol and will fall under the 318th mixed aircraft regiment of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet as of this spring. The drones can carry out reconnaissance and provide targeting information for ship missile systems, Bastion coastal systems, and artillery. They have already been tested in drills at sea.

The Forpost …