UNITED24 - Make a charitable donation in support of Ukraine!

Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)


January 2004 Russia Special Weapons News



  • Russian nuclear exports up in 2003 PLA Daily 30 Jan 2004 -- Russia's exports of nuclear products increased by 400 million US dollars to hit three billion US dollars in 2003, Atomic Energy Minister Alexander Rumyantsev said Thursday.
  • Russian official: Moscow`s stands close to Washington`s on Iran`s nuclear programs IRNA 30 Jan 2004 -- A Russian official told Russia`s Interfax News Agency on condition of anonymity on Friday that the Russian Federation`s stands on Iran`s nuclear programs are getting close to Washington`s.
  • Russian minister says Iran-Russia cooperation transparent IRNA 30 Jan 2004 -- Russian Atomic Energy Minister Alexander Rumyantsev said on Thursday that the nuclear cooperation between Iran and Russia are quite transparent while adding that both counties are well determined to go ahead with the nuclear cooperation.
  • Moscow, Seoul call for early multilateral talks over DPRK's nuclear issue PLA Daily 29 Jan 2004 -- Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov and his South Korean counterpart Ban Ki-moon called on Wednesday for the earliest holding of a new round of six-party talks on the nuclear issue of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
  • Powell reiterates US call on Russia to pull bases out of Georgia PLA Daily 29 Jan 2004 -- Visiting US Secretary of State Colin Powell reaffirmed a US call on Tuesday for Russia's withdrawal of forces from the former Soviet Caucasus republic of Georgia.
  • Russia to resume talks with Georgia on military bases PLA Daily 29 Jan 2004 -- Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov promised Wednesday that Moscow would resume talks with Tbilisi on the withdrawal of its military bases in Georgia.
  • US, Russia Discuss Halting Spread of WMDs RFE/RL 29 Jan 2004 -- The Undersecretary of State John Bolton has begun talks in Moscow aimed at convincing Russia to sign onto the U.S. initiative on halting the spread of weapons of mass destruction.
  • RUSSIA / POWELL VOA 26 Jan 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and U-S Secretary of State Colin Powell say the U-S-Russian relationship remains strong, despite some disagreements. The two leaders held broad discussions Monday on a host of issues in the bilateral relationship, as well as key international issues.
  • RUSSIA / FRANCE VOA 23 Jan 2004 -- France's foreign minister startled his Russian hosts during a speech in Moscow on Friday in which he said the ongoing conflict in Chechnya can end only through political dialogue. The comments came near the end of his two-day visit to Russia.
  • RUSSIA/CHECHNYA VOA 22 Jan 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed his envoy for human rights in Chechnya, turning over the task of overseeing the issue to Chechen President Akhmad Kadyrov. The move is sparking renewed concern about the potential for ongoing violations in the separatist region.
  • UN Official 'Concerned' By Moscow's Plans For Chechens RFE/RL 21 Jan 2004 -- The UN has issued a statement in Geneva expressing concern about Russia's planned closure of camps in Ingushetia housing thousands of refugees from the Chechen war.
  • Russia/India: Both Sides Happy As Defense Deal Is Signed RFE/RL 20 Jan 2004 -- Moscow and New Delhi today signed a $1.6 billion deal finalizing India's purchase of a refurbished Russian aircraft carrier, fighter jets, and helicopters. Observers say it's a sweet agreement for both sides, allowing Russia to bolster its sagging arms industry and India its regional strategic capacity.
  • INDIA DEFENSE VOA 20 Jan 2004 -- India has signed deal to purchase an aircraft carrier and 12 fighter jets from Russia, after nearly a decade of negotiations. But the deal also comes as India strengthens ties with the United States.
  • Russia: Investigation Into Death, Illnesses Of Soldiers Is Cold Comfort To Hospitalized Conscripts RFE/RL 19 Jan 2004 -- One Russian conscript recently died from pneumonia and dozens of others are hospitalized in the Russian Far East after they reportedly stood outside for hours on an airfield waiting for their plane to refuel. The case is far from exceptional, according to conscripts, their families, and human rights organizations. They say the Russian armed forces routinely fail to ensure adequate medical and health care for soldiers.
  • Russian defense minister arrives on an official visit to India IRNA 19 Jan 2004 -- Russian Defense minister Sergei Ivanov arrived here on a three-day official visit to India Monday evening.
  • RUSSIA / INDIA VOA 19 Jan 2004 -- Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov is in India for three days of talks that Russian and Indian defense sources say could result in an agreement for India to purchase a Russian aircraft carrier.
  • RUSSIA/SAUDI ARABIA VOA 18 Jan 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has called on Saudi Arabia for help in dealing with the ongoing war in mostly-Muslim Chechnya, the breakaway region located in southern Russia.
  • RUSSIA/MILITARY VOA 16 Jan 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin is calling for a high-level investigation into an outbreak of pneumonia among a group of new Russian conscripts on their first deployment. The recruits were travelling to the Russian far east and became ill after they were left to stand for hours in freezing temperatures.
  • RUSSIA/MILITARY VOA 16 Jan 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin is calling for a high-level investigation into an outbreak of pneumonia among a group of new Russian conscripts on their first deployment. The recruits became ill after they were left to stand for hours in freezing temperatures.
  • US military base deployment in Eastern Europe worries Russial PLA Daily 16 Jan 2004 -- Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said Thursday that Russia is "concerned" over the likelihood of United States military bases being deployed in Eastern Europe close to Russian territory.
  • EU hopes Russia to withdraw bases from Georgia PLA Daily 16 Jan 2004 -- The European Union high representative for common foreign and security policy Javier Solana called on Russia to withdraw its military bases from Georgia in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi on Thursday, Russian news agencies reported.
  • Caucasus: Russia May Be Stalling Any Withdrawal From Georgian Bases RFE/RL 15 Jan 2004 -- Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov yesterday reiterated that Moscow has no intention of speeding up the process of withdrawing its forces from its two remaining bases in Georgia. His statements follow indications that the U.S. would consider partial financing of the withdrawal. Experts agree that Russia is trying to stall more than it is trying to haggle over terms.
  • Date for six-party talks uncertain: Russian official PLA Daily 15 Jan 2004 -- Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losyukov said Wednesday that it is still too early to decide a date for a second round of six-party talks on Korean nuclear issue.
  • Russia insists on accord with Georgia before troops pullout PLA Daily 15 Jan 2004 -- Russia said Wednesday that it will offer funds for the pullout of its military bases from Georgia, but an agreement must be reached between the two sides before that.
  • Georgia hopes for compromise with Russia on troop withdrawal PLA Daily 15 Jan 2004 -- Georgian Foreign Minister Tedo Japaridze said Wednesday that Tbilisi hopes to reach a compromise with Moscow on the pullout of Russian troops from Georgia, Interfax news agency reported.
  • Defense Minister Says Russia Will Not Hurry Withdrawal From Georgia RFE/RL 14 Jan 2004 -- Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov today said Russia will not hurry to pull its forces out of Georgia.
  • Russia welcomes DPRK readiness for freezing nuclear activities PLA Daily 14 Jan 2004 -- Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov welcomed on Tuesday the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) readiness to freeze its nuclear activities and urged the United States to respond "constructively."
  • RUSSIA / GEORGIA VOA 14 Jan 2004 -- Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov has ruled out speedy withdrawal of Russia soldiers from Georgia, saying the pullout would have to be carried out under a formal treaty.
  • Georgia: Washington Willing To Finance Russian Troop Withdrawal RE/RL 13 Jan 2004 -- A top U.S. official today said that Washington is prepared to finance the withdrawal of Russian troops remaining in the former Soviet republic of Georgia.
  • Russian official dismisses reports of arms deliveries to Iraq PLA Daily 13 Jan 2004 -- A Russian government official on Monday refuted recent reports by American and British media claiming Russia had secretly exported military equipment to Iraq.
  • U.S. Still Concerned over Alleged Russian Equipment Sales to Iraq Washington File 12 Jan 2004 -- State Department spokesman Adam Ereli said the United States continues to have an "ongoing discussion" with Russia over alleged Russian sales of proscribed military equipment to Iraq.
  • RUSSIA / KAZAKHSTAN VOA 10 Jan 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin is in neighboring Kazakhstan, where he and his Kazakh counterpart agreed to extend a rental agreement for the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The two leaders are also discussing terrorism.
  • Kazakhstan: Putin Visit To Focus On Baikonur, CIS, Oil Resources RFE/RL 09 Jan 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin begins a two-day visit to Kazakhstan today. Several bilateral agreements are to be signed during his visit, including two extending and specifying the terms for Russia's continued use of the Baikonur cosmodrome.
  • Russia praises DPRK's willingness to freeze nuclear program PLA Daily 09 Jan 2004 -- A senior Russian official said Thursday Pyongyang's latest statement of freezing its nuclear program is "an important and serious step, which should not be left without response," Itar-Tass news agency reported.
  • India, Russia clear decks for sale of aircraft carrier PLA Daily 05 Jan 2004 -- After weeks of hard negotiations, India has cleared the acquisition of the 45,000-ton aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov from Russia, according to the Press Trustof India (PTI).
  • China, Russia favor early second round of DPRK talks PLA Daily 06 Jan 2004 -- Both China and Russia favor a soonest possible holding of the second round of six-party talks on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s nuclear program, the Chinese embassy here said Monday.



NEWSLETTER
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list