December 2019 - Russia Special Weapons News

S Novym Godom! The New Year's Messages Of Soviet And Russian Leaders Over The Decades RFE/RL 31 Dec 2019 -- It is traditionally the highest-rated broadcast of the year on Russian television: the president's annual New Year's greeting, shown in the last minutes before the clocks across Russia's 11 time zones strike midnight.
Putin, Zelenskiy Exchange New Year Wishes, Discuss Another Prisoner Swap RFE/RL 31 Dec 2019 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has spoken with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to discuss another prisoner swap as tensions ease between the two neighbors.
Russian Prime Minister: All Gas Issues With Ukraine Have Been Settled Sputnik 31 Dec 2019 -- Moscow and Kiev have signed documents ensuring the transit of Russian gas via Ukraine starting 1 January 2020, after a long dispute over Ukrainian lawsuits against Gazprom.
Turkish Defence Chief Denies Rift With Russia Over Libya Sputnik 31 Dec 2019 -- Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar has denied there were frictions between Ankara and Moscow over Libya amid Turkey's recent moves to send troops to Tripoli's aid.
Putin Welcomes New Year With A Message Of Unity For Russians RFE/RL 31 Dec 2019 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has rung in the New Year by telling the nation that they are living in tough times, but that Russians will realize their goals if they stick together.
New U.S. Ambassador To Russia Discusses State Of Relations With Counterpart RFE/RL 31 Dec 2019 -- Newly appointed U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan has met with his Russian counterpart, Anatoly Antonov, in Washington.
Navalny 'Completely Pessimistic' About Western Curbs on Russian Corruption VOA 31 Dec 2019 -- After one suspected chemical poisoning, two arrests, 40 days in jail and multiple police raids on his Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) offices nationwide, it's safe to say Russia's most prominent opposition figure has had a rough year.
What Repatriation of French General Might Do for Franco-Russian Ties VOA 31 Dec 2019 -- French President Emmanuel Macron hopes the repatriation of the body of General Charles-Etienne Gudin, who was killed in Russia more than two centuries ago, could play a symbolic role in his diplomatic courting of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Russia Agrees To Short-Term Gas Deal With Belarus Amid Union Push RFE/RL 31 Dec 2019 -- Russia and Belarus have reached an agreement on gas prices for just the first two months of 2020 as the Kremlin pushes for the integration of the two countries.
State Dept Official Slams Russia, China for Joint Naval Drills With Iran, Urges Sanctions on Tehran Sputnik 31 Dec 2019 -- The United States in 2020 will increase sanctions on Iran, which is already in dismal economic shape, US Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook said during a press briefing on Monday.
Russian Terror Suspects In Custody Following U.S. Tip Off RFE/RL 31 Dec 2019 -- Russian authorities said on December 30 that they had taken into custody two suspects in connection with a purported plot to carry out terrorist attacks in St. Petersburg on New Year's Eve that was foiled in part based on an intelligence tip from the United States.
Main foreign policy results of 2019 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 30 Dec 2019-- BUG: the source does not exist in description file
Polish Leader Says Putin's WWII 'Lies' Aimed At Escaping International Pressure RFE/RL 30 Dec 2019 -- Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of "deliberately" lying about the start of World War II in an effort to deflect international pressure over Moscow's much more recent activities.
Price To Pay: Release Of Former Ukrainian Riot Police In Prisoner Swap Sparks Anguish, Debate RFE/RL 30 Dec 2019 -- They were former Ukrainian Interior Ministry crack police officers suspected of taking part in the bloody crackdown on demonstrators at the Euromaidan protests in Kyiv that pushed Moscow-friendly President Viktor Yanukovych from power nearly six years ago, in February 2014.
Zelenskiy Defends Decision To Swap Berkut Fighters With Separatists Amid Tearful Reunions In Kyiv RFE/RL 30 Dec 2019 -- Western leaders and Russia have welcomed a mass prisoner exchange amid efforts to end the five-year war between Kyiv and Russia-backed separatists fighting in Ukraine's east.
Ukraine-Russia Prisoner Swap Draws Criticism VOA 30 Dec 2019 -- Criticism mounted in Kyiv Monday over a controversial prisoner swap with Russian-backed separatists, as it emerged that among the captives exchanged by Ukraine were five riot policemen accused of killing protesters during the 2014 Maidan uprising.
Russia, Ukraine Reach Five-Year Gas-Transit Deal RFE/RL 30 Dec 2019 -- Russia and Ukraine have signed a five-year, $7 billion deal on the transit of Russian natural gas to Europe following intense negotiations ahead of a year-end deadline.
MiG-35 Fighter Jet to Receive New Cockpit Sputnik 30 Dec 2019 -- The export version of the MiG-35 differs from the regular model of the aircraft by the altered geometry of its airframe and an updated system of airborne radar equipment.
Russian Defence Ministry to Get Modernised Su-34M Bombers Under New Contract - Producer Sputnik 30 Dec 2019 -- Russia's United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) will deliver modernized Su-34M frontline bombers to the country's Defence Ministry under a new contract, UAC General Director Yury Slyusar said.
Iran-Russia-China naval drills scared countries seeking insecurity in region: IRGC Press TV 30 Dec 2019 -- Naval maneuvers jointly carried out by Iran, Russia and China in the Sea of Oman and the Indian Ocean have caused fear and horror among those countries attempting to undermine security in the region, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says.
Russia's Foreign Minister Says Either Abide By Iran Nuclear Deal Or Kill It RFE/RL 30 Dec 2019 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said that the United States and the European Union should either comply with the terms of the 2015 nuclear agreement with Tehran, or recognize it as nonexistent.
New Weapons Being Developed for Russia's Su-57 Fighters - Aerospace Manufacturer Chief Sputnik 30 Dec 2019 -- New weapons are currently being developed for Russia's fifth-generation Su-57 fighter jets, Yury Slyusar, the director-general of the Russian aerospace and defence manufacturer United Aircraft Corporation, said on Monday.
Russian Military Police Patrol Syria's Aleppo, Hasakah Provinces Sputnik 30 Dec 2019 -- Russian military police continue patrolling the Syria-Turkey border in the Syrian provinces of Aleppo and Hasakah, Major General Yuri Borenkov, the head of the Defence Ministry's Reconciliation Centre in Syria, said on Sunday.
Ukraine, pro-Russians swap prisoners Press TV 29 Dec 2019 -- The government in Ukraine carries out a prisoner exchange with pro-Russia forces seeking greater autonomy in the Russian-speaking east of the country.
Ukraine, Russia-Backed Separatists Complete Prisoner Swap RFE/RL 29 Dec 2019 -- Ukrainian authorities and Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine have completed what was billed as an "all-for-all" prisoner swap near the village of Horlivka on December 29, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's office said.
Zelensky Says First Part of Normandy Accords Implemented Following Prisoner Exchange Sputnik 29 Dec 2019 -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that the first part of the Normandy accords was successfully implemented following an exchange of prisoners between Kiev and the self-proclaimed people's republics of Lugansk (LPR) and Donetsk (DPR).
Ukraine's Ombudswoman Confirms Start of Prisoner Exchange Between Kiev, Donbass Sputnik 29 Dec 2019 -- Ukraine's ombudswoman, Lyudmyla Denisova, has confirmed that a prisoner exchange between Kiev and the self-proclaimed people's republics of Lugansk (LPR) and Donetsk (DPR) started on Sunday in the Donbass region.
Merkel, Putin Discuss Nord Stream 2, Libya, Syria, And Ukraine RFE/RL 29 Dec 2019 -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed issues from the Baltics to Libya in a wide-ranging telephone conversation on December 29, officials said.
Kremlin: Putin Thanks Trump For Help Thwarting Terrorist Act RFE/RL 29 Dec 2019 -- The Kremlin says Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a telephone conversation initiated by the Russian side, has thanked U.S. President Donald Trump "for information transmitted via the special services that helped prevent the commission of terrorist acts in Russia."
Putin Thanks Trump for Sharing Information That Helped Prevent Terrorist Acts in Russia Sputnik 29 Dec 2019 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin called US President Donald Trump on Sunday to express his gratitude for sharing information via special services that helped to avert terrorist attacks in Russia, the Kremlin said in a statement.
Russian Foreign Ministry Creates New Department on International Cybersecurity Affairs Sputnik 29 Dec 2019 -- The newly established 42nd department of the Russian Foreign Ministry will be dealing with Moscow's bilateral and multilateral affairs on international cybersecurity and their legal framework, the ministry said in a statement.
Commander: All stages of trilateral drills successfully done IRNA 29 Dec 2019 -- Iranian Navy commander Rear-Admiral Hossein Khanzadi said all stages of Iran-Russia-China trilateral drills have been accomplished successfully.
Iran-Russia-China naval drill wraps up IRNA 29 Dec 2019 -- A joint military maneuver of Russia and China with the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Indian Ocean wrapped up on Sunday.
Iran-China-Russia joint drill representing Iran's effort to provide regional security: Amir-Abdollahian ISNA 29 Dec 2019 -- Iranian Parliament's General Director for International Affairs, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian stressed that Iran-China-Russia joint military drill represents Iran's effort to provide regional security and ensure energy transit.
Iran, allies can keep region secure, foreign forces not needed: Commander Press TV 29 Dec 2019 -- Iran and its allies can maintain regional security without any need to foreign forces, says a top Iranian military commander following naval maneuvers jointly carried out by the Islamic Republic, Russia and China in the Sea of Oman and the Indian Ocean.
Navy chief: Iran-Russia-China drill a message to US Press TV 29 Dec 2019 -- Iran's navy commander has said on the sidelines of a landmark joint drill in the Gulf of Oman that the US must leave the region.
Iranian Admiral Reveals What Prompted Russia, China to Join Iran for Tripartite Drills Sputnik 29 Dec 2019 -- The three countries kicked off the first-of-their-kind naval exercises on Friday, with Iranian officials saying that the drills help demonstrate that Iran cannot be isolated.
Czech President Blasts Moscow Over 1968 Invasion Comments RFE/RL 28 Dec 2019 -- Czech President Milos Zeman, who often touts his close relationship with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, has blasted Moscow for protesting against Prague's decision to make the anniversary of the 1968 Soviet-led invasion a memorial day.
US drone conducted reconnaissance near Russia's Crimea: Sputnik Press TV 28 Dec 2019 -- A US drone has reportedly conducted a reconnaissance flight off the Crimean Peninsula despite multiple calls by Russia that the Pentagon halt such operations near the country's territory.
US Drone Conducted Reconnaissance Near Russia's Crimea Airspace Sputnik 28 Dec 2019 -- Foreign aircraft regularly conduct reconnaissance near Russia's borders. They are often seen in the Crimea and Krasnodar Territory, over the Baltic Sea and near Russian bases in Syria.
Zelenskiy Says Ukrainian Prisoner Swap 'Supposed To' Happen On December 29 RFE/RL 28 Dec 2019 -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said that while a prisoner swap is "supposed to" take place on December 29, the list of individuals to be handed over between central Ukrainian authorities and Russia-backed separatists has not been finalized.
Donbass Ombudswoman Reveals Date of Prisoner Exchange Between Kiev and East Ukraine Republics Sputnik 28 Dec 2019 -- The latest prisoner swap between Kiev and Donbass took place at the end of 2017. At that time, the parties agreed to continue the exchange process.
Speed of Russian Kinzhal, Zircon Hypersonic Missiles to Increase to Over 10 Mach - Military Sputnik 28 Dec 2019 -- Russian developers plan to increase the speed of the Kinzhal and Zircon hypersonic missiles to more than Mach 10, or 7,600 miles per hour, Russian Deputy Defence Minister Aleksey Krivoruchko said.
Russian Military Reveals When It Will Start Testing New-Gen S-500 Air Defence System Sputnik 28 Dec 2019 -- The S-500's technical specifications remain shrouded in secrecy, although reports speculate that the system will be capable of destroying targets from distances of up to 600 km away.
Thirty-Five Foreign Launches of ICBMs Detected By Russian Armed Forces' Unified Space System - MoD Sputnik 28 Dec 2019 -- Earlier this week, Russia said that it wants the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) with the US to be extended without preconditions.
Russian Military Police Continue Patrolling Syria's Aleppo Sputnik 28 Dec 2019 -- The Russian military police have conducted patrols of Syria's Aleppo province along two routes, the head of the Russian Defence Ministry's centre for Syrian reconciliation, said on Friday.
Russia says to complete Nord Stream 2 pipeline to Germany before end of 2020 Press TV 28 Dec 2019 -- Russia says it will launched Nord Stream 2 pipeline to Germany before the end of next year, a week after the United States imposed sanctions on major natural gas project, forcing a major contractor to halt work on the last section of the pipe.
Russia Rubs Its Hands At The Prospect Of Profit From Climate Change RFE/RL 28 Dec 2019 -- When it wasn't burning, Siberia was flooding. The permafrost in the Far North continued to melt, and the Arctic ice kept breaking up. But as a year that underscored the troubles in store for Russia from global warming comes to a close, Moscow is making plans to "adapt" to climate change - and seek to profit from it.
WADA Vows 'Utmost Vigor' In Defense Against Russia Doping Appeal RFE/RL 28 Dec 2019 -- The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) says it will defend itself with "utmost vigor" after Russia lodged a formal protest over the agency's decision to ban the country from major sporting events for four years over doping violations, including allegedly faking evidence.
Online News Agency Says Magnitogorsk Blast, Which Killed 39, Was Terrorism, Not Gas Leak RFE/RL 28 Dec 2019 -- Russian investigative journalists claim an explosion last year in the Urals town of Magnitogorsk that killed 39 people was a terrorist attack.
Iran, China, Russia drill in vital waterways for 2nd day Press TV 28 Dec 2019 -- Joint maritime maneuvers, involving the Russian, Chinese and Iranian Navies, have entered their second day in the Indian Ocean and the Sea of Oman.
Iran Launches Naval Drills With Russia, China Amid Tensions With U.S. RFE/RL 28 Dec 2019 -- Iran's navy has launched its first joint maneuvers with Russia and China in the northern part of the Indian Ocean, Iranian state TV reports.
WADA Chief Vows to Defend Decision on Banning Russia in Court of Arbitration for Sport Sputnik 28 Dec 2019 -- President of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Craig Reedie said that the organization had made the right decision on banning the Russian national team from taking part in major sports competitions and vowed to defend the move in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Russian MoD Says Several Nations Preparing Information Attack to Target Russian Military Leadership Sputnik 28 Dec 2019 -- According to the country's defence deputy minister, the information attack is aimed to undermine the Russian society's confidence in the Armed Forces' combat readiness as well as discrediting the efforts on boosting the capabilities of the Russian army.
Avangard changes everything: What Russia’s hypersonic warhead deployment means for the global arms race RT 27 Dec 2019 -- Moscow’s deployment of ‘Avangard’ hypersonic warheads means the US missile defense installations in Europe are now obsolete – and that Washington would have to spend a lot of money it doesn’t have in order to catch up.
European Commission President Criticizes U.S. Nord Stream Sanctions RFE/RL 27 Dec 2019 -- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on December 27 criticized new U.S. legislation that imposes sanctions on European companies building the Russian Nord Stream 2 natural-gas pipeline to Germany.
Naftogaz Receives $2.9 Billion Payment From Gazprom With New Agreement RFE/RL 27 Dec 2019 -- Naftogaz, Ukraine's state-owned gas company, has said it received $2.9 billion from Russia's Gazprom to settle a legal fight, part of a larger deal the two companies reached earlier this month.
Gazprom Completes $2.9 Bln Payment to Ukraine's Naftogaz in Move to Settle Long-Running Gas Dispute Sputnik 27 Dec 2019 -- In February 2018, the Stockholm Arbitration Court ordered the Russian gas giant to pay Naftogaz some $2.56 billion over its alleged failure to ship agreed-upon amounts of gas through the Ukrainian pipeline network en route to Europe. The dispute became a part of the broader conflict between Russia and Ukraine in the wake of the 2014 coup in Kiev.
'Second to None': Turkey May Seek More S-400s Amid Row With US, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Says Sputnik 27 Dec 2019 -- Russia finalised the delivery of all components of the S-400 air defence missile systems to Turkey earlier this year. According to Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, the S-400 will be fully operational in April 2020.
Russia outdoes US with deployment of first hypersonic nuclear-capable missiles Press TV 27 Dec 2019 -- Russia has entered into service its first hypersonic, nuclear-capable "Avangard" missiles, marking a significant upgrade to its combat capabilities, amid an effective arms race with the United States.
Russia Says 'Avangard' Hypersonic-Missile System Now Deployed RFE/RL 27 Dec 2019 -- Russia's Defense Ministry says it has informed President Vladimir Putin that the controversial new hypersonic, intercontinental-range Avangard missile system has been put into service.
Russia's Avangard Hypersonic Missile System Has Entered Into Service: What We Know So Far Sputnik 27 Dec 2019 -- The Avangard is one of half-a-dozen new defence systems unveiled by Moscow in early 2018 as a means of restoring the global strategic nuclear balance amid NATO efforts to press up against Russia's borders and create elements of a ground-based missile shield in Romania and Poland.
Russia Officially Challenges WADA Doping Ban RFE/RL 27 Dec 2019 -- Russia says it has lodged a formal protest to a decision by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to ban that country from major sporting events for four years over doping violations including the alleged faking of evidence.
Russian Church Cuts Ties With Alexandria Patriarchate Over Ukraine Church Recognition RFE/RL 27 Dec 2019 -- The Russian Orthodox Church has cut ties with the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and all of Africa Patriarch Theodore II after he recognized the independence of Ukraine's church from Moscow.
China, Iran, Russia joint drill commonplace IRNA 27 Dec 2019 -- Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang while referring to the beginning of a joint China-Russia-Iran military drill in the Indian Ocean and Sea of Oman said that the drill is a normal military exercise by the three countries.
Iran, Russia, China start joint maritime drill in Indian Ocean, Gulf of Oman IRNA 27 Dec 2019 -- The Islamic Republic of Iran, Russia and China started on Friday their joint military maneuver in the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Oman.
Iran, Russia, China launch joint maritime drills in Indian Ocean, Sea of Oman Press TV 27 Dec 2019 -- Iran, Russia and China have begun a four-day joint maritime exercise in the Indian Ocean and the Sea of Oman area.
Russia, Iran, China Begin Joint Naval Drills in Northern Part of Indian Ocean Sputnik 27 Dec 2019 -- Russia, Iran and China have begun a joint naval exercise in the northern Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Oman, the Iranian Navy said on Friday.
Iran-China-Russia naval drills show broader commitment to secure vital waterways: FM Zarif Press TV 27 Dec 2019 -- Iran says its joint naval drills with China and Russia in the Indian Ocean and the Sea of Oman reaffirm its resolve to secure vital waterways.
Joint Chinese-Iranian-Russian naval drills support balance of power PLA Daily 27 Dec 2019 -- Four departments under China's Central Military Commission (CMC) recently organized three joint supervision panels to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the military training works in CMC organs for the first time.
Russia, Turkey Conduct Joint Patrols in Syrian Province of Aleppo Sputnik 27 Dec 2019 -- Russia and Turkey have conducted joint patrols in Syria's Aleppo province along the Syria-Turkey border, Major General Yuri Borenkov, the head of the Russian Centre for Syrian reconciliation, said on Thursday.
China, Russia, Iran to hold joint naval exercise PLA Daily 27 Dec 2019-- China, Russia and Iran will hold a joint naval exercise from Dec. 27 to 30 in the Gulf of Oman, a Chinese military spokesperson told a press conference Thursday.
Russia Launches Rokot Carrier Rocket, Its Last Space Launch of 2019 Sputnik 27 Dec 2019 -- The rocket is carrying three Gonets-M communication satellites and a Blitz-M technology satellite to orbit and marks Russia's 25th space launch this year.
Poisonings, Assassination, And A Coup: The Secret Soviet Invasion Of Afghanistan RFE/RL 27 Dec 2019 -- Afghanistan's communist President Hafizullah Amin was lying unconscious in his bed.
Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova, Moscow, December 26, 2019 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 26 Dec 2019
The Year Is Ending, But Russia's Sports-Doping Scandal Isn't RFE/RL 26 Dec 2019 -- The storm clouds were gathering, once again casting a pall over the future of Russian sports, and the country's athletes were told to prepare for the best -- even when the worst appeared inevitable.
Russian, Ukrainian State Gas Companies To Meet On Finalizing New Contract RFE/RL 26 Dec 2019 -- The state-owned gas companies of Russia and Ukraine are set to meet in Vienna on December 26 to finalize a new transit contract.
UK Warship Shadows Russian Training Vessel Through English Channel - Reports Sputnik 26 Dec 2019 -- A UK Royal Navy patrol ship escorted a Russian training vessel through the English Channel on Christmas Eve, the Sky News broadcaster reported on Thursday.
Russian military police enter base in Syria's Raqqah as US troops leave Press TV 26 Dec 2019 -- Russian military police have taken control of a base near Syria's northern city of Raqqah only a few days after US servicemen left the site, which lies in a strategic area at a crossroads linking the strategic city with the central and northern regions of the war-ravaged country.
Russian Police Raid Navalny's Office Over Critical Video RFE/RL 26 Dec 2019 -- Russian police have raided the office of opposition politician Aleksei Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) in Moscow, a step he claims is an attempt to disrupt the publication of a damning investigation against the head of Russia's second-largest bank.
Russia's Oldest Rights Group Fined 19th Time Under 'Foreign Agent' Law RFE/RL 26 Dec 2019 -- Russian human rights group Memorial has been fined for the 19th time for violating what critics say is a repressive law designed to stifle civil society and muzzle dissent.
Russia's Aerospace Forces to Receive Large-Scale Deliveries of Su-57 Jets in 2020 - Rostec Sputnik 26 Dec 2019 -- Russia's aerospace forces will receive large-scale deliveries of Su-57 fighter jets starting from 2020, Russia's Rostec State Corporation CEO Sergei Chemezov said Thursday.
Russia Opposes Meddling in Libyan Affairs as Turkey Vows to Send Troops to Conflict-Torn Country Sputnik 26 Dec 2019 -- The Turkish leader approved earlier in the day the memorandum on military cooperation with the Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA), recently ratified by the Turkish parliament. Erdogan has said that Turkey may send its troops to Libya if the GNA makes such a request.
Pentagon Says Monitoring Russia-Iran-China Naval Drills, Will Work to Ensure Freedom of Navigation Sputnik 26 Dec 2019 -- The United States is monitoring joint Iran-Russia-China naval drills in the Indian Ocean and will cooperate with allies to ensure the freedom of navigation, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Robertson said on Thursday.
China to send guided-missile destroyer to joint drills with Iran, Russia Press TV 26 Dec 2019 -- China says it is to dispatch a guided-missile destroyer to the joint naval drills with Iran and Russia -- which are to be held not only to hone the trio's maritime security and anti-piracy prowess, but also to demonstrate their close alliance.
China Assures Naval Drills in Gulf of Oman With India and Russia Unrelated to Regional Tensions Sputnik 26 Dec 2019 -- According to Defence Ministry spokesman, the four-day drills starting this Friday would be "a normal, routine exercise… which is in line with international laws".
NATO to Reportedly 'Rehearse' Military Offensive Against Russia Sputnik 25 Dec 2019 -- The war games are yet another planned NATO military event that closely follows the August withdrawal by the US from the landmark Soviet-American INF Treaty, widely been seen as one of Europe 's major security pillars, since the end of the Cold War era.
Ukraine Launches Criminal Probe Over Russia's Railway Bridge To Crimea RFE/RL 25 Dec 2019 -- Kyiv has launched a criminal investigation after a Russian passenger train arrived in Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula using a controversial, Russian-built bridge.
Navalny Says Ally Was 'Kidnapped' By Army, Sent To Arctic Military Base RFE/RL 25 Dec 2019 -- Russian opposition politician Aleksei Navalny said that one of his allies was "illegally" drafted to the army and was sent to serve at a remote Arctic base, in a move he said amounted to kidnapping.
Russia Floats Out First Yasen-M-Class Nuclear Submarine Sputnik 25 Dec 2019 -- The submarine, designed by the Malakhit Marine Engineering Bureau and built in the northern port city of Severodvinsk, will enter service in the Russian Navy in 2020.
Iran, Russia, China set to hold joint naval drills aimed at safeguarding international trade security Press TV 25 Dec 2019 -- Iran, Russia and China are set to hold joint military drills in the internationals waters of the Indian Ocean and the Sea of Oman with the aim of promoting the security of international trade in the strategic regions, says the spokesman for Iranian Armed Forces.
Roscosmos Says Russia Will Take Part in US Lunar Gateway Space Station Project Sputnik 25 Dec 2019 -- Russia has decided to resume talks on its participation in the US Lunar Gateway space station project, Director General of Russian State Space Corporation Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin said.
Ukraine govt., pro-Russians agree on prisoner swap by year end Press TV 24 Dec 2019 -- The representatives of the government and the pro-Russia forces in Ukraine have agreed to carry out a prisoner exchange by the end of the year, following extensive peace talks in Paris.
At Least 10 Dead In Russian Air Strikes In Syria, War Monitor Says RFE/RL 24 Dec 2019 -- At least 10 people, including six children, have been killed in Russian air strikes on a school sheltering displaced civilians in northwest Syria, a monitoring group said.
Russia 'watching US for new missile deployments in Europe, Asia-Pacific' Press TV 24 Dec 2019 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin says Moscow will closely monitor the potential deployment of short- and intermediate-range missiles by the United States abroad, particularly in Europe and the Asia-Pacific, four months after Washington exited from an arms control treaty with Moscow.
Russia's Most Advanced Fighter Jet Crashes During Training Flight RFE/RL 24 Dec 2019 -- Russian officials say a top-of-the-line fighter jet has crashed during a training flight but that the plane's pilot safely ejected and there was no damage on the ground.
Su-57 Fighter Jet Crashes in Russia's Far East Sputnik 24 Dec 2019 -- The pilot of the Russian S-57 fighter jet safely ejected and was picked up by a Mi-8 helicopter, according to a law enforcement spokesperson.
Putin officially unveils Crimea rail bridge, prompts EU denunciation Press TV 23 Dec 2019 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has officially opened a rail route linking Russia's two biggest cities to Crimea, which rejoined the Russian Federation in 2014.
Amid Western Condemnation, Putin Opens Crimea Bridge To Rail Traffic RFE/RL 23 Dec 2019 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has taken part in a ceremony officially opening a controversial bridge from mainland Russia to the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula to rail traffic.
OSCE Says Ukraine Prisoner Swap Agreed 'By End Of Year' RFE/RL 23 Dec 2019 -- Special OSCE representative in Ukraine Martin Sajdik has announced that a trilateral forum on the ongoing war in eastern Ukraine has "reached an agreement on a mutual release and exchange of conflict-related detainees by the end of the year."
UN: Civilians Caught in Eastern Ukrainian Conflict VOA 23 Dec 2019 -- A report by the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights finds civilians in conflict-torn eastern Ukraine remain at risk of human rights violations and death despite an easing of hostilities between the Ukrainian government and Russian-backed rebels in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions.
British PM Johnson: 'I Was Wrong' – It's Not Possible to Reset Russia Relations RFE/RL 24 Dec 2019 -- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he "was wrong" about Russia and that he no longer believes it is possible to "reset' relations with Moscow amid many differences separating the two countries.
Russia Carries Out Drills To Ensure Internet 'Integrity' RFE/RL 23 Dec 2019 -- Russia has carried out what it described as exercises to ensure the security of its Internet infrastructure as part of measures that activists say could tighten censorship.
Russian PM Says U.S. Sanctions 'No Big Deal' To Nord Stream Gas Project RFE/RL 23 Dec 2019 -- Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has said the contentious Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline might be delayed by a couple months due to fresh U.S. sanctions against the project but there's nothing "catastrophic" about the situation.
Russian Military Receives First Set of Newest S-350 Vityaz Air Defence System Sputnik 23 Dec 2019 -- Russia's Almaz-Antey arms producer has delivered to the Defence Ministry the first set of the newest S-350 Vityaz long-range air defence missile weapon system, the company said on Monday.
Poland, Russia Again In War Of Words Over World War II RFE/RL 23 Dec 2019 -- A war of words has intensified between Poland and Russia over who is to blame for starting World War II, with each accusing the other of distorting history.
In Removal Of Plaques Marking Katyn Massacre, Critics See Russian Campaign To Rewrite History RFE/RL 22 Dec 2019 -- The historic building on Soviet Street is now dedicated to the practice of saving lives. But some still recall a time when it served the opposite purpose.
Russia prepared to include strategic weapons in possible new START with US: FM Lavrov Press TV 22 Dec 2019 -- Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, says his country is ready to include two of its strategic weapons - the heavy Sarmat missile and the Avangard hypersonic missile – in a possible renewal of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) with the United States.
Defiant Lavrov Says U.S. Sanctions Won't Stop Russian Pipelines RFE/RL 22 Dec 2019 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has insisted that the Nord Stream 2 and Turk Stream gas pipeline projects will be launched despite recently announced U.S. sanctions.
Russia Ready to Show Sarmat Missile System to US, Include it in New START Treaty - Lavrov Sputnik 22 Dec 2019 -- Russia has already presented to the United States its new Avangard missile system, and will later show another one, dubbed Sarmat, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Sunday during a televised show.
Russia, Ukraine Disclose Details Of New Gas Transit Deal RFE/RL 21 Dec 2019 -- Officials from Russia and Ukraine have given details on a new five-year deal to transport Russian gas to Europe via Ukraine.
Pompeo Says Russia, China Have 'Blood On Their Hands' For Veto Of Syrian Aid RFE/RL 21 Dec 2019 -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said that Russia and China "have blood on their hands" for vetoing a UN Security Council resolution that would have extended the delivery of cross-border humanitarian aid to war-torn Syria for a year.
Russian Federation's and China's Veto of UNSCR 2449 Aid to Syrian Refugees US Dept. of State 21 Dec 2019 -- "The Russian Federation's and China's veto yesterday of a Security Council resolution that allows for humanitarian aid to reach millions of Syrians is shameful."
Pompeo Slams Russia, China for Opposing Syrian Aid Resolution VOA 21 Dec 2019 -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo denounced Russia and China on Saturday after the two countries vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution on allowing cross-border humanitarian aid to Syria.
Relations Between West, Russia Likely to Remain Antagonistic Next Year VOA 21 Dec 2019 -- In his four-hour, stage-managed year-end news conference Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin went out of his way to back U.S. President Donald Trump in the impeachment saga unfolding in Washington.
Trump approves sanctions against Russia-Europe gas pipeline Press TV 21 Dec 2019 -- US President Donald Trump has signed off on sanctions against companies building a Russian natural gas pipeline to Germany that Washington fears will give Moscow great leverage over European allies.
EU, Russia, Germany lash out at US over imposing sanctions on gas pipeline Press TV 21 Dec 2019 -- The European Union and Russia have lashed out at the United States over its recent move to impose sanction on any firm working on a gas pipeline from Russia into Germany.
Congress Passes More Legislation Aimed At Curbing Russia's Energy Grip On Europe RFE/RL 21 Dec 2019 -- The U.S. Congress has approved legislation to bolster its security and energy cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean, where newly discovered, major natural-gas fields have the ability to reduce Europe's dependence on Russian energy.
Germany Rejects U.S. Legislation That Would Penalize Firms Laying Russia's Nord Stream 2 Pipeline RFE/RL 21 Dec 2019 -- Germany has denounced new U.S. legislation that would impose sanctions on companies helping lay the Nord Stream 2 pipeline from Russia to Europe.
Nord Stream 2 Sanctions Reflect How US, Despite $22 Trillion Debt, Prevents Others From Developing - Moscow Sputnik 21 Dec 2019 -- Earlier US President Donald Trump enacted the $738 billion National Defence Authorization Act (NDAA), a military budget package for the coming year that includes sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.
Trump signs controversial defense bill calling for sanctions against Russia, Turkey People's Daily 21 Dec 2019 -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday signed into law a 738-billion-U.S.-dollar defense bill which includes controversial provisions calling for sanctions against Russia and Turkey.
Russia Says Lab Data It Gave To World Anti-Doping Agency Was Not Tampered With RFE/RL 21 Dec 2019 -- Russia's Investigative Committee has concluded that all materials submitted to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) this year regarding athletes' drug tests were genuine, contrary to WADA's determination that the copy it received of a database from Russia's national drug-testing laboratory was intentionally altered.
More Protests In Minsk Against Closer Integration Between Belarus, Russia RFE/RL 21 Dec 2019 -- Demonstrators gathered again in Minsk to protest plans for greater integration between Belarus and Russia.
Russia, Ukraine Reach Gas-Transit Deal RFE/RL 20 Dec 2019 -- Moscow and Kyiv have reached a preliminary deal on the transit of Russian gas to Europe via Ukraine but ahead of the looming New Year's deadline.
Russia's Roscosmos Approves Preliminary Design of Super Heavy-Lift Launch Vehicle- Rogozin Sputnik 20 Dec 2019 -- Russian State Space Corporation Roscosmos has approved a preliminary design of a super heavy-lift launch vehicle and also appointed the head of the project, Roscosmos Director General Dmitry Rogozin said on Friday.
The Week In Russia: Back In The U.S.S.R. And Putin's Peculiar Way With Words RFE/RL 20 Dec 2019 -- His penchant for sometimes crude jokes and would-be zingers delivered with a smirk notwithstanding, Russian President Vladimir Putin hardly has the reputation of a wordsmith. The pen may be mightier than the sword, but most of Putin's power plays involve the use of force or threat of it: Think military actions in Ukraine and Syria, and clampdowns of protesters across his own country.
Russia Names Suspect Behind Moscow Shooting, Says Death Toll Now Two RFE/RL 20 Dec 2019 -- Russian investigators have identified a man who opened fire on the Moscow headquarters of the Federal Security Service (FSB) as Yevgeny Minyurov, a 39-year-old former security guard.
U.S. Concerned Russia-Backed UN Resolution Will Hurt Online Freedom RFE/RL 20 Dec 2019 -- The United States said a cybercrime resolution sponsored by Russia is an attempt to push state cyber controls and fears it will pass the United Nations General Assembly later this month.
Former U.S. Ambassadors Say Nord Stream 2 Sanctions Bill Pits U.S. Against Germany RFE/RL 20 Dec 2019 -- Two former U.S. ambassadors criticized legislation that seeks to impose sanctions on companies building Russia's $11-billion gas pipeline to Germany, saying it could harm relations between the two NATO countries.
Moscow Worried Over Turkey's Military Cooperation With Libya's GNA - Source Sputnik 20 Dec 2019 -- Moscow is largely concerned over Turkey's possible deployment of troops to Libya and over Ankara's military cooperation agreement with Libya's internationally-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA), a source in the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday.
Canadian Supreme Court Rules Russian Intel Officers' Son Entitled to Citizenship - Filing Sputnik 20 Dec 2019 -- The Supreme Court of Canada ruled on Thursday that Alexander Vavilov, the son of Russian parents deported from the United States for espionage, can keep his previously revoked Canadian citizenship, according to a court document.
Russia, Germany, UK, France underline preserving JCPOA IRNA 20 Dec 2019 -- Representatives of JCPOA member states, including Russia, France, Germany and Britain, discussed JCPOA in Moscow, stressing the need for saving the international deal.
Putin Weighs In on Trump Impeachment, Hints at Staying in Power VOA 19 Dec 2019 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin held his annual press conference with journalists on Thursday – a more than four-hour freewheeling event highlighted by swipes at the push to impeach President Donald Trump and suggestions that an adjustment to Russia's constitution could extend to Putin's hold on power when his current term ends in 2024.
Vladimir Putin's annual news conference President of Russia 19 Dec 2019
Putin Reveals Hardest Moments of His Presidency Sputnik 19 Dec 2019 -- 1 September saw the 15th anniversary of the tragic events in the southern Russian city of Beslan, where more than 300 hostages, including 186 children, were killed after terrorists seized a local school.
From BoJo, Trump and WADA to New START: Key Takeaways From Putin's Big Year-End Presser Sputnik 19 Dec 2019 -- A record 1,895 journalists from around the world gathered at Moscow's World Trade Centre on Thursday in the hope of asking the Russian president about the hot button issues of the day.
Russia's Only Aircraft Carrier Had No Critical Damage in Recent Fire - Ship Manufacturer Sputnik 19 Dec 2019 -- Russia's aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov sustained no critical damage in a recent fire, the incident will not affect the timing of the repairs, Alexey Rakhmanov, the president of the United Shipbuilding Corporation, said Thursday.
Putin: Global Security Will Be Shaken If New START Treaty is Not Extended Sputnik 19 Dec 2019 -- Earlier this month, President Vladimir Putin confirmed Moscow's readiness to extend the Russian-US Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) without any conditions by the year-end.
Deadly Shootout Near FSB Headquarters in Moscow: Everything We Know So Far Sputnik 19 Dec 2019 -- The attack left the area around the intelligence service's headquarters on lockdown.
One Officer Killed, Suspected Gunman Dead After Shooting in Moscow - Federal Security Service Sputnik 19 Dec 2019 -- A criminal case has been opened into an attempt to kill law enforcement agents, the Russian Investigative Committee said.
Fraught Gas Talks Between Russia, Ukraine, EU To Resume In Berlin RFE/RL 19 Dec 2019 -- The next round of natural-gas transit talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the European Union are set to resume in Berlin on December 19.
Swiss Court Orders Russia To Pay Ukraine Oil Firm $44 Million For Crimea Investments RFE/RL 19 Dec 2019 -- The Supreme Court of Switzerland has ruled in favor of Ukraine's state majority-owned Ukrnafta oil production company to recover $44 million in investments from Moscow that were lost as a result of Russia's annexation of Crimea.
WADA doping ban 'not fair, politically motivated,' Russian President Putin says Press TV 19 Dec 2019 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has described as not fair and politically-motivated the four-year ban handed to his country by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) from major sporting events, including the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, over systematic violations.
Global security will be put in jeopardy if New START treaty with US not renewed: Putin warns Press TV 19 Dec 2019 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that nothing can hold back yet another arms race and thus international security will be damaged if the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) with the United States is not renewed.
A Signal Or A Slip Of The Tongue? Putin Remark Adds To Speculation About His Future RFE/RL 19 Dec 2019 -- Somewhere before the request for more money for Yekaterinburg's subway, but after the question about the high cost of flying to the faraway Kamchatka Peninsula, President Vladimir Putin got a couple of politically vital questions during his marathon annual news conference on December 19.
A Chance To Plead: Few Muckrakers At Annual Putin Event RFE/RL 19 Dec 2019 -- Anna Sunitsa arrived in the Russian capital with a dream and a plan. The dream was to get Vladimir Putin's attention, and the plan was to wave a traditional head scarf she had adorned with a sewn-on image of the president's face.
EU Lawmakers Say Russia 'Deliberately' Creating 'Hostile' Atmosphere Toward Civil Society RFE/RL 19 Dec 2019 -- The European Parliament is calling on Russian authorities to repeal the country's controversial law on "foreign agents" and to "stop deliberately creating an atmosphere that is hostile to civil society."
Moscow: Officer killed in lone wolf 'terror attack' on security agency building Press TV 19 Dec 2019 -- An unknown assailant has attacked the headquarters of Russia's domestic security agency in Moscow, killing one of its officers and two other people, in what the agency has billed a "terrorist" incident.
'FSB Member Killed, Five Wounded' In Moscow Shooting RFE/RL 19 Dec 2019 -- Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) says one of its members was killed and five were wounded by an unidentified shooter who opened fire outside its headquarters in central Moscow on December 19.
Bulgarian Poison Probe Focuses On Russian Spy Chief Suspected In Novichok Attack On Skripals RFE/RL 19 Dec 2019 -- Bulgarian officials say an investigation into the attempted assassination of an arms maker is focusing on five suspected Russian agents -- including a Russian military intelligence general alleged to have commanded a team accused in the 2018 Novichok attack in Britain against former Russian spy Sergei Skripal.
Sino-Russian-proposed UN resolution on North Korea 'best plan' at current time Press TV 19 Dec 2019 -- China says its joint proposal with Russia to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) aimed at diffusing tensions between North Korea and the United States is "the best plan," repeating its call on the world body to remove some sanctions on the North in order to break the deadlock between Pyongyang and Washington.
Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova, Moscow, December 18, 2019 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 18 Dec 2019
Iran, Russia warn about Daesh relocation from Mideast to Afghanistan Press TV 18 Dec 2019 -- Security chiefs of Iran and Russia have warned about the deliberate relocation of remnants of the Daesh Takfiri terror group from their former Middle East bastions to Afghanistan.
Russia Seizes Japanese Boats on Poaching Charges VOA 18 Dec 2019 -- Five Japanese fishing vessels were seized Wednesday by Russia in the country's far east – the latest in a series of incidents over fishing rights that lay bare a larger Russo-Japanese territorial dispute dating back to the end of World War II.
Top U.S., Russian Military Leaders Meet to Improve Mutual Communication DoD News 18 Dec 2019 -- The top U.S. military officer met in Switzerland with his Russian counterpart for talks aimed at increasing communication between their nations to reduce risks in conflict areas.
NATO preparing for major conflict: Russian general Press TV 18 Dec 2019 -- A senior Russian military general says the US-led NATO military alliance is preparing its forces for a major conflict, citing an increase in NATO's war games close to Russian borders in the region.
Russia's PAK DA Bomber to Enter Operational Service by 2027 Sputnik 18 Dec 2019 -- The PAK DA, which is being developed by Russian aircraft manufacturer Tupolev, will be capable of operating in stealth mode. The bomber is expected to be capable of conducting flights lasting up to 30 hours.
NATO Drill Scenarios Point to Preparation for Large-Scale Conflict - Russian General Staff Sputnik 18 Dec 2019 -- Scenarios of NATO's intensive military exercises point to the preparation by the alliance for a large-scale military conflict, Chief of Russia's General Staff Valery Gerasimov said as quoted by the Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper.
Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to complete despite US sanctions: Kremlin Press TV 18 Dec 2019 -- Russia has vowed to complete construction of an underwater gas pipeline extending to Europe, despite sanctions planned by the White House that have drawn condemnation from Germany.
US Senate approves Russia-Germany gas pipeline sanctions Press TV 18 Dec 2019 -- The US Senate has approved a bill to impose sanctions on companies that work on a Russian pipeline project set to send gas to Germany.
U.S. Lawmakers Pass Russia Sanctions Bill 'From Hell' RFE/RL 18 Dec 2019 -- A U.S. Senate panel has passed a bill that is designed to punish Russia for its alleged interference in democratic processes abroad as well as "malign" actions in Syria and aggression against Ukraine.
US Senators Warn Nord Stream 2 Contractor of Imminent 'Crushing' Sanctions Sputnik 18 Dec 2019 -- US Senators Ted Cruz and Ron Johnson in a letter to Allseas Group S.A., a company installing deep-sea pipes for Russia's Nord Stream 2, urged it to stop its activities on the project immediately and warned of "crushing" sanctions under the 2020 National Defence Authorization Act if it fails to comply.
US Senate Panel Backs Bill to Sanction Russia's Sovereign Debt, Energy Sector - Spokesman Sputnik 18 Dec 2019 -- The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday advanced a new sanctions bill targeting Russia's sovereign debt and energy sector, a spokesperson for the committee said.
U.S. Senate Approves Nord Stream 2 Gas Pipeline Sanctions RFE/RL 17 Dec 2019 -- The U.S. Senate on December 17 voted overwhelmingly to impose sanctions on companies working on a Russian pipeline in a move likely to be criticized by European nations counting on receiving the project's natural gas.
China, Russia Propose Lifting Sanctions on North Korea for Humanitarian Purposes at U.N. Security Council Radio Free Asia 17 Dec 2019 -- China and Russia Monday made a draft resolution proposing that the U.N. Security Council lift sanctions-mandated bans on North Korean exports of statues, seafood and textiles in what Moscow says is a move to encourage dialogue between Pyongyang and Washington.
Russia proposes own Syria aid resolution to UN Press TV 17 Dec 2019 -- Russia has drafted a resolution outlining the manner of aid delivery to Syria, urging the United Nations to adopt it in place of a Western-backed one, which Moscow finds lacking in terms of transparency.
Russia, Syria navies stage joint military drills in Mediterranean Press TV 17 Dec 2019 -- Russian and Syrian naval forces are holding their first-ever joint military exercises in the Mediterranean Sea with the aim of boosting cooperation in the counter-terrorism battle.
Russian, Syrian Forces Start Joint Exercise in Mediterranean – Rear Admiral Yuldashev Sputnik 17 Dec 2019 -- The Russian and Syrian naval forces are starting joint drills in the Mediterranean on Tuesday, Rear Admiral Alexander Yuldashev, the commander of the military exercises, says.
Russia to Test One of the Most Powerful Guns in the World Sputnik 17 Dec 2019 -- The Malka, one of the most powerful self-propelled artilleries in the world, is a modernised version of the 2S7 Pion ("peony"). It can fire 2.5 rounds per minute, and its ammunition load is eight projectiles -requiring at least 7 people to operate the weapon.
First Test Batch of Russia's New Koalitsiya-SV Self-Propelled Guns Ready Sputnik 17 Dec 2019 -- Russia's Uraltransmash plant (a subsidiary of Uralvagonzavod) has produced the first test batch of new Koalitsiya-SV self-propelled artillery cannons, Uraltransmash Director General Dmitry Semizorov stated.
Big Brother Is Watching: Putin Poster Pun No Laughing Matter For Russian Police RFE/RL 17 Dec 2019 -- Student activists calling themselves "the brigade" say they were just looking to have some fun in Petrozavodsk, the capital of the Karelia region in northwestern Russia.
US Senate Passes Defence Budget Bill Stipulating Sanctions on Nord Stream 2 Sputnik 17 Dec 2019 -- The US Congress passed a defence bill for 2020 on 11 December that includes new sanctions on contractors who are helping build Gazprom's Nord Stream 2 pipeline. The curbs are aimed at preventing its completion, which is still expected this year.
Erdogan, Putin Hold More Discussions on Libya VOA 17 Dec 2019 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke Tuesday with Russian President Vladimir Putin about Libya as Ankara prepares for the possible deployment of soldiers to the war-torn country.
U.S. Senators Request Intelligence Review On Not Extending Nuclear Arms Treaty With Russia RFE/RL 17 Dec 2019 -- Three U.S. senators have asked Joseph Maguire, the acting director of National Intelligence, to conduct an impact assessment of how Russia and China would react if Washington withdraws from the last remaining nuclear arms treaty with Russia.
US rejects China, Russia's call for lifting of some N Korea sanctions Press TV 17 Dec 2019 -- The United States has rejected a proposal by Russia and China to lift some United Nations sanctions on North Korea, saying Pyongyang has yet to make progress toward denuclearization.
China, Russia urge easing of UN sanctions on North Korea Global Times 17 Dec 2019 -- China and Russia have proposed the UN Security Council lift some sanctions on North Korea, which Chinese analysts view as a responsible attitude to help resume talks between North Korea and the US and achieve ultimate denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a flexible manner.
Russia, China Submit UN Resolution to Lift Sanctions on North Korea Sputnik 17 Dec 2019 -- Russia and China have submitted a draft resolution to the UN Security Council to lift sanctions on North Korea and promptly resume the 'six-party' talks, according to the text of the document.
Putin Signs Amendments Allowing Large Fines For 'Foreign Agents' Law Violations RFE/RL 16 Dec 2019 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin on December 16 signed amendments to the Administrative Violations Code that allow hefty fines for violating the controversial law on "foreign agents," which critics say is used to muzzle dissent and discourage the free exchange of ideas and a free press.
Russia, India Start Practical Part of Indra-2019 Joint Exercise - Russian Pacific Fleet Sputnik 16 Dec 2019 -- The practical portion of the bilateral Indra-2019 drills have begun in India, Russian Pacific Fleet spokesman Nikolai Voskresensky said on Monday.
Russia hasn't stopped cooperation Iran in Fordow: Iran Press TV 16 Dec 2019 -- Iran says Russia has not retreated from cooperating with Iran at Fordow enrichment facility, rejecting claims that a recent halt in the Russian contribution has been prompted by US sanctions.
Russia's Sarmat Missile Could Be Armed With Next-Gen Hypersonic Combat Units - Military Sputnik 16 Dec 2019 -- Russia's Sarmat heavy intercontinental ballistic missile will be able to carry next-generation hypersonic combat units in addition to the wide range of existing combat blocks, Russian Strategic Missile Forces commander Col. Gen. Sergei Karakaev said on Sunday.
Can Russia And The U.S. Agree To Keep A Lid On Their Nuclear Arsenals? RFE/RL 15 Dec 2019 -- One major Cold War-era weapons treaty has collapsed. Another, aimed at building trust among the United States, Russia, and other countries, is under severe strain. Washington and Moscow are modernizing their arsenals, building new, more advanced weapons.
Kremlin Spokesman Downplays Improving U.S.-Russian Relations After Lavrov Trip RFE/RL 15 Dec 2019 -- The Kremlin's chief spokeswoman has downplayed the prospects for improving U.S.-Russian relations following meetings by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Washington, D.C.
U.S. Senate Panel To Debate Russian Sanctions Bill 'From Hell' This Week RFE/RL 15 Dec 2019 -- A Senate panel will take up discussion of a hard-hitting Russia sanctions bill at its next business meeting after skipping a vote earlier this month on the controversial legislation.
Russian Corvette Shadowing USS Ross Destroyer in Black Sea – Military Sputnik 15 Dec 2019 -- Russia dispatched a guided missile corvette, Vyshny Volochek, to shadow a US destroyer, USS Ross, after it entered the southwestern Black Sea, the Russian military operations command said Sunday.
Lavrov's Washington Visit Cannot 'Turn the Tide' on US-Russia Crisis – Kremlin Sputnik 15 Dec 2019 -- Even a visit to Washington by such veteran diplomat as Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov cannot relieve tension between the two countries right now, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.
Germany's Top Diplomat Contradicts Putin, Says Russia Never Asked To Extradite Chechen Fighter RFE/RL 15 Dec 2019 -- Germany's top diplomat denied Moscow requested the extradition of an ethnic Chechen before he was murdered in Berlin, contradicting a statement made by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Russia, China slam US 'malicious' intention' over missile test Press TV 14 Dec 2019 -- Two major world powers and strategic partners, Russia and China, say the United States' recent test launch of a nuclear-capable ballistic missile clearly indicates Washington's "malicious intention" for the demise of a landmark arms control treaty with Moscow.
Ukraine, Russia To Continue Gas-Transit Talks RFE/RL 14 Dec 2019 -- Russia's state-controlled energy giant Gazprom and Ukraine's Naftogaz say they will continue talks on the extension of a deal on gas transit from Russia to Europe through Ukrainian territory beyond the end of December, when the current 10-year agreement expires.
Peskov Says There Were Attempts to Hold Tense Talks at Normandy Four Summit Sputnik 14 Dec 2019 -- There were attempts to hold tense conversations at the recent Normandy Four summit but the talks overall took place in a working spirit, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
Russia's Giant Nuclear-Powered Icebreaker Returns From Test Run RFE/RL 14 Dec 2019 -- Russia's nuclear-powered icebreaker Arktika, said to be the world's biggest and most powerful, has returned to St. Petersburg after a two-day test run.
World's Most Powerful Icebreaker Concludes First Sea Trials - Shipyard Sputnik 14 Dec 2019 -- Russian nuclear icebreaker Arktika, the most powerful ship in the world, has completed its three-day sea trials, the press office of the St. Petersburg-based Baltic Shipyard said on Saturday.
Russian Military Police Patrol Syria's Aleppo, Hasakah Provinces Sputnik 14 Dec 2019 -- Russian military police continued on Saturday to patrol Syria's provinces of Aleppo and Hasakah, Major General Yuri Borenkov, the head of the Russian Defence Ministry's Reconciliation Centre in Syria, said.
Belarus To Borrow $500 Million From China As Russia Stalls RFE/RL 14 Dec 2019 -- Belarus plans to borrow $500 million from China to pay down existing debt as talks about a loan from Russia drag on.
US Test of INF-Banned Missile is Proof Washington Has Long Sought to Destroy the Treaty - Kremlin Sputnik 13 Dec 2019 -- The Kremlin believes that Washington's recent test of a ballistic missile banned by the collapsed Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty is a proof that the Unites States has long aimed at destroying the deal, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.
Russia-Turkey Agreement on S-400 Joint Production to Be Signed by April 2020 - Source Sputnik 13 Dec 2019 -- The supply of the second battalion of Russian S-400 air defence missile systems to Turkey supposes joint production and transfer of technologies, a contract on this is to be signed by April 2020, a source in the Turkish defence industry said Friday.
Death Toll Rises To Two After Fire On Russia's Only Aircraft Carrier RFE/RL 13 Dec 2019 -- The death toll in a fire on Russia's sole aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, has risen to two, after a body was found on the vessel by search-and-rescue crews.
The Week In Russia: Putin's Bloodshed Bugbear And Srebrenica In The Donbas RFE/RL 13 Dec 2019 -- When Russian President Vladimir Putin finally acknowledged that he had sent troops into Crimea ahead of Moscow's takeover of the Black Sea peninsula from Ukraine in 2014, he said one of the reasons for the incursion – though he did not use that word or any other that reflects reality very well, at least in the eyes of Kyiv and the West - was "to avoid bloodshed."
US Media Explains Why Russia's New Conventionally-Powered Attack Sub is So Dangerous Sputnik 13 Dec 2019 -- The Russian Pacific Fleet took possession of the Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the latest Project 636.3 Varshavyanka-class attack submarine fitted with Kalibr cruise missile launch capabilities, late last month. The vessel is expected to be commissioned next year.
S-400s Repel 'Enemy Attack' in Russia's Siberia Sputnik 13 Dec 2019 -- The Russian military has continued its programme of beefing up air defence capabilities across the country, recently deploying a modernised variant of the S-300 in Voronezh, a strategic Russian city about 500 km south of Moscow, and announcing plans to re-equip the Northern Fleet with S-400s.
EU Extends Sanctions On Russia For Role In Ukraine Conflict RFE/RL 13 Dec 2019 -- European Union leaders on December 12 decided to prolong economic sanctions on Russia over the ongoing conflict in Ukraine by another six months.
Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova, Moscow, December 12, 2019 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 12 Dec 2019
Russia condemns US pressure on Turkey over S-400 missile systems procurement Press TV 12 Dec 2019 -- Russia has strongly condemned US pressure on Turkey over its purchase of advanced Russian-made S-400 missile defense systems, describing Washington's threats of sanctions over procurement of the military hardware as "unacceptable."
Serviceman Killed In Fire At Russia's Only Aircraft Carrier RFE/RL 12 Dec 2019 -- A serviceman died and an officer was missing after Russia's only aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, caught fire in an Arctic shipyard, the Northern Fleet's press service says.
Russian Northern Fleet Says One Soldier Killed During Fire Response at Admiral Kuznetsov Sputnik 12 Dec 2019 -- One soldier was killed during fire response on the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier in Murmansk, the search for another officer continues, Russia's Northern Fleet said in a statement on Thursday.
Ukraine Welcomes, Germany Rejects Expected U.S. Sanctions On Nord Stream RFE/RL 12 Dec 2019 -- Ukraine has welcomed expected U.S. sanctions on the Russian Nord Stream 2 natural-gas pipeline as"good news," while Germany, the main beneficiary of the project, has rejected the move as "foreign interference."
Moscow Blasts US Senate Push to Dub Russia 'State Terror Sponsor', Says It Reeks of Russophobia Sputnik 12 Dec 2019 -- On Wednesday, the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee advanced a bill to ask the State Department whether it would be appropriate to designate Russia as a 'state sponsor of terrorism' alongside countries including Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria.
Contract on Delivering T-80BMV Tanks to Russian Army Fulfilled - Rostec Sputnik 12 Dec 2019 -- The Russian Defen?e Ministry and Rostec signed the contract for extensive repairs and deep modernisation of the T-80 tanks at the Army-2017 defence forum.
Russia Expels Two Germans From Embassy In Diplomatic Tit-For-Tat RFE/RL 12 Dec 2019 -- Russia has announced the expulsion of two German diplomats in a tit-for-tat response to a similar move by Berlin last week.
German Embassy Employees Declared Personae Non Grata, Ordered to Leave Russia Within 7 Days Sputnik 12 Dec 2019 -- Russia has declared two employees of the German Embassy personae non grata, following a similar move by the country, and they should leave Russia within seven days, the Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.
Vietnam 'Highly Appreciates' Russia's Position on South China Sea Dispute – Parliament Speaker Sputnik 11 Dec 2019 -- In recent decades, China has claimed sovereignty over large swathes of the South China Sea, with five other countries including Vietnam contesting Beijing's claims, leading to political and military tensions between countries in the region.
Moscow, Serbian Media Appear To Mislead With Claims About Cancer Fight, NATO Bombings RFE/RL 11 Dec 2019 -- An agreement for a joint Russian-Serbian effort to fight cancer makes no reference to investigating the possible effects of NATO's bombing of Serbia two decades ago, despite Serbian media claims apparently based on statements by Russia's ambassador to Belgrade.
Senate Panel Passes Bill To Impose Sanctions On Turkey And Russia RFE/RL 11 Dec 2019 -- A U.S. Senate committee has passed legislation with bipartisan support to hit Turkey with sanctions but refrained from voting on a controversial Russian sanctions bill.
In Lavish Wedding Photos, Clues To An Alleged Russian Cyberthief's FSB Family Ties RFE/RL 11 Dec 2019 -- He's been named by the United States and Britain as being the leader of a Russian gang that committed some of the largest cyberthefts in history, an organization known as Evil Corp.
Iran, Russia, Turkey call for restoration of peace to Syria's Idlib Press TV 11 Dec 2019 -- The three mediators of the Astana peace process on Syria – Russia, Turkey and Iran – have expressed their concerns about the presence of Takfiri terrorist groups in Idlib, underlining the need for the restoration of peace to the northwestern Syrian province, which is the last main militant bastion in the Arab state.
Putin, Erdogan Call for Greater Anti-Terrorism Effort in Syria Sputnik 12 Dec 2019 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke in favour of stepping up efforts to combat terrorism in Syria, including in Idlib province, during phone talks on Wednesday, Kremlin's press service reported.
Russia Worried As NATO Boosts Activity at Belarus-Russia Borders - Lavrov Sputnik 11 Dec 2019 -- Moscow is worried about NATO's increased activity along the borders of Belarus and Russia, as well as the decision made at the alliance's summit to increase the military budgets of member countries, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Wednesday.
Russia Not Seeing US Political Will to Extend New START Treaty - Deputy Foreign Minister Sputnik 11 Dec 2019 -- Russia hasn't seen Washington demonstrate the political will to extend the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) as the United States is only studying the possibility of prolonging the last remaining arms control deal between the two countries, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said on Wednesday.
Mi-28 Military Helicopter Crashes in Russia, Two Crew Members Died Sputnik 12 Dec 2019 -- The crash was probably caused by a pilot's mistake or a technical failure, the military source said.
Russian contractor starts work at power plant south of Iran: Official Press TV 11 Dec 2019 -- Iranian officials say a Russian contractor is taking over at a major power plant south of the country which is expected to be built through finances provided by Moscow.
Trump, Pompeo Meet with Russia's Lavrov VOA 10 Dec 2019 -- U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo are meeting Tuesday in Washington with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, with the two nuclear powers discussing the possibility of extending their last remaining major arms control deal.
Trump Warns Russia Of Election Interference, Urges Conflict Resolution In Ukraine RFE/RL 10 Dec 2019 -- U.S. President Donald Trump warned Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov of any "attempts to interfere" in U.S. elections and "urged Moscow to resolve the conflict with Ukraine," a White House readout said of their meeting on December 10 in Washington.
Secretary Michael R. Pompeo and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov At a Press Availability US Dept. of State 10 Dec 2019
Moscow, Kiev agree on 'comprehensive ceasefire' in Eastern Ukraine Press TV 10 Dec 2019 -- The leaders of Russia, Ukraine, France, and Germany have agreed to implement a "full and comprehensive" ceasefire in Eastern Ukraine after top-level negotiations.
Red Lines And Relief: Mixed Feelings In Ukraine After Zelenskiy-Putin Talks RFE/RL 10 Dec 2019 -- Much hype preceded the Paris meeting of Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Vladimir Putin, the first face-to-face talks between the current leaders of Ukraine and Russia on the conflict in eastern Ukraine.
'Low Hanging Fruit' And The Politics Of Perception: Five Takeaways From The Paris Summit On The War In Ukraine RFE/RL 10 Dec 2019 -- Ahead of his first-ever meeting with Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy suggested there was little chance of breakthroughs on the thorniest disputes blocking the path to peace in the Donbas.
'Srebrenica Could Start There' - Putin on Possibility of Border Closure by Ukrainian Military Sputnik 10 Dec 2019 -- The comment comes on the heels of President Putin's meeting with Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky as part of the Normandy Four summit in Paris. This marked the first meeting between the two heads of state since Zelensky assumed office earlier this year.
Russia, Turkey, Iran Hold 14th Round Of Talks On Syria War In Kazakhstan RFE/RL 10 Dec 2019 -- The delegations of Turkey, Iran, and Russia have arrived in Kazakhstan's capital, Nur-Sultan, for two days of trilateral talks, Kazakh Foreign Ministry spokesman Aibek Smadiyarov has told reporters.
First Day of Astana-14 Talks on Syria Kicks Off With Russia-Iran Meeting Sputnik 10 Dec 2019 -- The first day of the 14th round of Astana-format talks on Syria in the Kazakh capital has started with a bilateral meeting between the Russian and Iranian delegations.
Russia 'foiled activities of dozens of terror cells in 2019' Press TV 10 Dec 2019 -- Russia says it has thwarted the activities of nearly 80 cells of "international terrorist organizations" across the country and taken down tens of thousands of websites containing terrorist content in 2019.
Man Sentenced To Life For St. Petersburg Subway Bombing, 10 Others Receive Prison Terms RFE/RL 10 Dec 2019 -- A military court in St. Petersburg has sentenced a man to life in prison for financing a deadly 2017 subway blast, while 10 other defendants in the case received prison terms of between 19 and 28 years.
Russia Blocks Over 50,000 Websites With Terrorism Propaganda in 2019 - Security Service Sputnik 10 Dec 2019 -- More than 50,000 websites containing terrorism propaganda were taken down in Russia in 2019, Federal Security Service (FSB) Director Alexander Bortnikov said.
In Landmark Decision, Russia's Constitutional Court Grants Compensation To Victims Of Repression RFE/RL 10 Dec 2019 -- Russia's Constitutional Court has backed a claim by three Russian women who are fighting for the restitution of homes seized from their families during Stalin-era purges, in a landmark ruling highlighting the lingering effects of Soviet-era crimes.
U.S. Lawmakers Include Russian-Pipeline Sanctions Bill In NDAA As Completion Deadline Approaches RFE/RL 10 Dec 2019 -- U.S. Senate and House committees have agreed to include a bill sanctioning Russia's new natural-gas pipeline to Europe into the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), putting up a potential roadblock to the project's completion.
Former Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov Passes Away at 83 Sputnik 10 Dec 2019 -- Russian politician Yury Luzhkov served as the mayor of Moscow from 1992 to 2010. He was the vice-chairman and one of the founders of the ruling party United Russia.
Yury Luzhkov, Ex-Mayor Who Dominated Moscow For Nearly Two Decades, Is Dead At 83 RFE/RL 10 Dec 2019 -- Yury Luzhkov, the pugnacious former mayor of Moscow who oversaw the transformation of the Russian capital over nearly two decades but whose national political ambitions went unrealized, has died. He was 83.
Putin Says Berlin Murder Victim Was Among Organizers Of Moscow Metro Blast RFE/RL 10 Dec 2019 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin said the ethnic Chechen Georgian national murdered in Berlin this summer had been behind a Moscow metro blast.
Ukraine, Russia Agree On Full Cease-Fire, 'All For All' Prisoner Swap By End Of 2019 RFE/RL 10 Dec 2019 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on December 9 agreed to "commit to a full and comprehensive implementation" of a cease-fire in eastern Ukraine by the end of 2019, a joint communique says.
Putin, Zelenskiy Meet For First Time In Bid To Bring Peace To Eastern Ukraine RFE/RL 09 Dec 2019 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, are meeting for the first time in Paris for long-awaited talks on resolving the military conflict in eastern Ukraine that has left more than 13,000 people dead since 2014.
Normandy Summit Kicks Off in Paris to Advance Ukraine Peace Settlement Sputnik 09 Dec 2019 -- Leaders of Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany will meet in Paris on Monday for a high-stakes summit that will seek to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine after it claimed more than 13,000 lives.
Leaders of Ukraine, Russia, France, Germany to hold summit on Donbass conflict Press TV 09 Dec 2019 -- The presidents of Russia and Ukraine are set to hold their first face-to-face talks in Paris along with leaders of France and Germany as part of renewed four-way efforts to end a deadly conflict in eastern Ukraine.
Ukraine Seeks Court Trial In London To Defend Against Unpaid $3 Billion Eurobond To Russia RFE/RL 09 Dec 2019 -- Ukraine will ask the British Supreme Court on December 9 to not compel it to pay nearly $4 billion in debt to Russia from a Eurobond that Moscow had refused to have restructured when Kyiv's economy nosedived following the Euromaidan pro-democracy movement nearly six years ago.
Russia's Northern Fleet to build Arctic air defense 'dome' with S-400 Press TV 09 Dec 2019 -- Moscow plans to equip all battalions of the Russian Northern Fleet with the S-400 air defense system within several years in a bid to create an air defense "dome" over the Russian Arctic, a naval commander says.
Russian Northern Fleet to Get S-400s to Ensure Air Defence of Arctic Region – Commander Sputnik 09 Dec 2019 -- All battalions of the Russian Northern Fleet will be equipped with S-400 missile defence systems within next several years to ensure air defence of the Arctic region, Vice Adm. Alexander Moiseyev, commander of the fleet, said.
Amid Trump Impeachment Fury, US and Russia Expected to Talk Arms Control VOA 09 Dec 2019 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov heads to Washington for hastily scheduled meetings with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and, possibly, President Donald Trump, on Tuesday.
EU To Start Work On 'Magnitsky' Sanctions Regime RFE/RL 09 Dec 2019 -- European Union foreign ministers have agreed to go ahead with legislation to slap asset freezes and travel bans on human rights violators, a move seen as primarily targeting Russia.
Russia Banned From Competition for 4 Years Over Continuing Doping Scandal VOA 09 Dec 2019 -- The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) unanimously voted Monday to ban Russia from the Olympic Games, the World Cup and other international sporting competitions for the next four years.
WADA Executive Committee unanimously endorses four-year period of non-compliance for the Russian Anti-Doping Agency WADA 09 Dec 2019 -- Today, the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA's) Executive Committee (ExCo) unanimously endorsed the recommendation made by the independent Compliance Review Committee (CRC) that the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) be declared non-compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code (Code) for a period of four years.
Russia warplanes intercept Israeli jets over southern Syria: Report Press TV 09 Dec 2019 -- Russian fighter jets have intercepted Israeli warplanes that were flying over southern Syria, media reports say.
Russian, Syrian Regime Forces Step Up Attacks on Rebel Stronghold Idlib VOA 08 Dec 2019 -- A recent military escalation by Russian and Syrian government forces in the rebel-held northwestern Syrian province of Idlib is likely to continue in the coming weeks, experts say.
Pentagon chief says plans to shift US military focus to Russia, China Press TV 08 Dec 2019 -- Secretary of Defense Mark Esper has said he plans to shift the US military's focus away from the Middle East and toward countering what he characterized as "revisionist powers" of Russia and China.
Russian Defense Minister Says Relations With NATO 'Degrading Every Day' RFE/RL 08 Dec 2019 -- Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has suggested that relations between Moscow and NATO are "not just halted but...degrading every day," citing a falloff that began "about five years ago."
Russia Faces New Olympics Ban In Doping Saga RFE/RL 08 Dec 2019 -- Russia is facing sweeping sanctions in connection with another doping-linked scandal when the executive committee of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) meets on December 9.
Recommendations to WADA Against Russia Infringe on ROC Rights, Autonomy - ROC Head Sputnik 08 Dec 2019 -- Head of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) Stanislav Pozdnyakov said that the Compliance Review Committee's (CRC) recommendations to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in relation to Russia are a direct intervention in the autonomy of the Olympic movement.
Moscow Ready to Cooperate With NATO but Every Year Relations Deteriorate - Russian Defence Minister Sputnik 08 Dec 2019 -- Earlier this week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated after he 26th Meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council in Bratislava that NATO wants to dominate not only the Euroatlantic region but the Middle East as well.
Hundreds Protest In Minsk For Second Day Against Deeper 'Integration' With Russia RFE/RL 08 Dec 2019 -- Hundreds of protesters have gathered in the Belarusian capital on December 8 for a second day to oppose "deepening integration" with Russia, despite warnings from police that they risked possible arrest.
OPEC, Russia Agree To Extend Cuts In Oil Output To Help Boost Prices RFE/RL 07 Dec 2019 -- The OPEC cartel and its partners, including Russia, say they have agreed to cut oil production further as part of efforts to boost prices while global supplies rise amid a worldwide economic slowdown
Pentagon Concerned Russia Cultivating Sympathy Among US Troops VOA 07 Dec 2019 -- Russian efforts to weaken the West through a relentless campaign of information warfare may be starting to pay off, cracking a key bastion of the U.S. line of defense: the military.
Hundreds Protest In Minsk As Putin, Lukashenka Discuss 'Integration' Under Union Treaty RFE/RL 07 Dec 2019 -- Hundreds of people marched through the Belarusian capital on December 7 to protest plans to further integrate with Russia in what correspondents hve called one of the biggest unsanctioned rallies there in recent times.
US Military Claims American Drone Was Downed by Russian Air Defences Near Libya Last Month - Report Sputnik 07 Dec 2019 -- Moscow hasn't yet commented on the incident, but the American military claims that a UAV was hit by either Russian contractors, or by the Haftar-led Libyan National Army (LNA.)
Russia downed American drone in Libya last month: US Army Press TV 07 Dec 2019 -- The US military claims that Russian air defenses shot down an American drone over the Libyan capital last month, demanding Moscow return the aircraft's wreckage.
Under the Chemical Weapons Convention, Nations Act to Prevent Further Use of Deadly "Novichok" Nerve Agents US Dept. of State 06 Dec 2019 -- On March 4, 2018, the Russian Federation used a military-grade nerve agent it developed, frequently referred to as a "novichok," in a brazen assassination attempt on two individuals in Salisbury, the United Kingdom. The attack was the first-ever use of novichoks, which attack the human central nervous system and are deadly.
Russia vows to respond in kind if US deploys INF-covered missiles in Europe Press TV 06 Dec 2019 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says his country will not hesitate to respond to any new deployment of medium-range missiles by the United States in Europe.
Serbia Exploring Possibility of Purchasing Russian MC-21 Sputnik 06 Dec 2019 -- Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Russian President Vladimir Putin met on 4 December at Bocharov Ruchey state residence in Sochi.
No progress in shifting Turkey from Russian S-400 missile system: U.S. defense chief People's Daily 06 Dec 2019 -- U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said Thursday there had been "no movement" with regard to getting Turkey to abandon the Russian S-400 missile system.
Turkey Intends to Solve Problems With US Over S-400 Through Dialogue – Foreign Ministry Sputnik 06 Dec 2019 -- Turkey intends to overcome disagreements with the United States regarding the purchase of Russian-made S-400 air defence systems through diplomatic means, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said at a press conference on Friday, stressing that Ankara has a "sovereign right" to protect itself.
Russian Blogger Zhukov Given Suspended Sentence For 'Inciting Online Extremism' RFE/RL 06 Dec 2019 -- A court in Moscow has handed popular blogger Yegor Zhukov a three-year suspended sentence after finding him guilty of inciting extremism online in a case condemned as politically motivated.
Supporters Credit Public Pressure After Surprise Release Of Acerbic Putin Critic RFE/RL 06 Dec 2019 -- Prosecutors recommended a harsh prison term for the charge he faced: inciting extremism online. Instead, the judge handed Zhukov a three-year suspended sentence with restrictions on Internet use and access to his popular video blog.
The Week In Russia: Famous Last Words RFE/RL 06 Dec 2019 -- Undeniably, President Vladimir Putin's era has been marked and marred by a number of recurring events: terror attacks, deadly disasters in which the human toll has been exacerbated by human error, often committed by officials of the Russian state, and - less lethal but also defining - politically charged trials.
Russia to Never Deploy Medium-Range Missiles in Europe Unless US Does – Lavrov Sputnik 06 Dec 2019 -- Russia will never be the first to deploy medium-range missiles in Europe after the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty ended but will respond in kind if the United States takes this step, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday.
Russian Navy to Commission 'Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky' Submarine, Will Join Pacific Fleet in 2020 Sputnik 06 Dec 2019 -- The Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a Varshavyanka-class (Project 636.3) diesel-electric attack submarine, will be commissioned in 2020, the commander of the Russian Pacific Fleet, Adm. Sergei Avakyants, said.
Russian envoy says all JCPOA parties still committed IRNA 06 Dec 2019 -- Russia's Permanent Representative to the International Organizations in Vienna and the International Atomic Energy Agency Mikhail Ulyanov said despite all difficulties, JCPOA parties comply with commitments.
Russia Upsets Effort to Save 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal VOA 06 Dec 2019 -- Five world powers trying to save their 2015 nuclear deal with Iran from U.S. efforts to overturn it are grappling with a new setback as they meet with Iranian officials in Vienna Friday.
Green Light for BRICS Satellite Amid Space Arms Race Fears Sputnik 05 Dec 2019 -- The plan was first mooted by China to improve co-operation around natural disasters. But it took shape later when BRICS space agencies agreed to build a "virtual constellation of remote sensing satellites".
Putin says US militarization of space can't go unchecked Press TV 05 Dec 2019 -- Russia has expressed concern about the growing militarization of space by the United States and its allies, warning that such hostile measures should be counterbalanced.
U.S. Sanctions, Indicts Hackers With Alleged Russian Intelligence Ties RFE/RL 05 Dec 2019 -- The U.S. Justice Department on December 5 announced computer hacking and bank fraud charges against Russian national Maksim Yakubets, the alleged leader of a cybercriminal organization that has illicitly earned more than $100 million since 2016.
Reward Offer for Information on Russian Cybercriminal Maksim Yakubets US Dept. of State 05 Dec 2019 -- The U.S. Department of State's Transnational Organized Crime (TOC) Rewards Program is offering a reward for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Russian cybercriminal Maksim Yakubets.
Russian National Charged with Decade-Long Series of Hacking and Bank Fraud Offenses Resulting in Tens of Millions in Losses and Second Russian National Charged with Involvement in Deployment of "Bugat" Malware US Dept. of Justice 05 Dec 2019 -- The United States of America, through its Departments of Justice and State, and the United Kingdom, through its National Crime Agency (NCA), today announced the unsealing of criminal charges in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Lincoln, Nebraska, against Maksim V. Yakubets, aka online moniker, "aqua," 32, of Moscow, Russia, related to two separate international computer hacking and bank fraud schemes spanning from May 2009 to the present.
Treasury Sanctions Evil Corp, the Russia-Based Cybercriminal Group Behind Dridex Malware US Treasury 05 Dec 2019 -- Today the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took action against Evil Corp, the Russia-based cybercriminal organization responsible for the development and distribution of the Dridex malware.
US, UK Officials Announce Charges Against 2 Russian Hackers VOA 05 Dec 2019 -- U.S. and British law enforcement officials announced charges against two notorious Russian hackers, accusing them of engaging in a decade-long crime spree that resulted in tens of millions of dollars in losses to victims around the world.
Russia ready to extend New START treaty by year-end: Putin Press TV 05 Dec 2019 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin says his country is ready to "immediately" extend the New START nuclear arms control treaty "without any preconditions" by the end of the year.
Putin Says Russia Is Ready to Extend New START Treaty Without Conditions By Year-End Sputnik 05 Dec 2019 -- The New START treaty between Russia and the US was signed in 2010 and expires in 2021. It regulates the number of nuclear warheads each of the countries can have.
Russia Gives Bulgarian Diplomat 24 Hours To Leave In Tit-For-Tat Move RFE/RL 05 Dec 2019 -- Russia says it is expelling a Bulgarian diplomat five weeks after Sofia declined a visa to the incoming Russian defense attache amid an espionage scandal.
Russia Notifies Bulgarian Ambassador it is Declaring a Bulgarian Embassy Advisor Persona Non Grata Sputnik 05 Dec 2019 -- In October, a Russian diplomat was expelled from Bulgaria over allegedly spying for Moscow and collecting classified data.
Russia Considers Claims of Being Uncooperative on Berlin Murder Probe Baseless - Lavrov Sputnik 05 Dec 2019 -- Russia considers claims on its lack of cooperation on the investigation into a killing of a Georgian national in Germany baseless, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Thursday.
Day Of Reckoning: As Pressure Mounts, Belarusians Balk At Prospect Of Russia Merger RFE/RL 05 Dec 2019 -- His signature helped dissolve the Soviet Union - and he believes his native Belarus has relinquished much of the independence it gained as a result.
Belarus's Lukashenka Touts Equal Partnership With Russia Ahead Of Meeting With Putin RFE/RL 05 Dec 2019 -- Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka has reaffirmed his country's commitment to a strategic partnership with Russia, though there are no talks currently on establishing a joint parliament.
United States Regards Space as Theatre of War - President Putin Sputnik 04 Dec 2019 -- The comment comes as leaders of NATO approved the decision to recognise space as 'potential theatre for operations' at a summit that is currently taking place in London.
Kremlin Favours New Arms Deal Involving Many States Amid Trump's Comments on INF Sputnik 04 Dec 2019 -- Speaking at a NATO summit taking place in London this week, President Trump accused Russia of failing to live up to the INF treaty, calling the accord 'unfair' and 'obsolete'.
Russia responds to Germany's 'groundless' expulsion of diplomats Press TV 04 Dec 2019 -- Moscow says the expulsion of two Russian diplomats from Germany over the allegation of killing a Georgian man in Berlin is "groundless" and "unfriendly."
Germany Expels Two Russians From Embassy In Berlin, Moscow Threatens Retaliation RFE/RL 04 Dec 2019 -- Germany has expelled two Russian diplomats and its federal prosecutors have taken over the case of the slaying of an ethnic Chechen Georgian national in Berlin amid allegations of Russian involvement.
This is What We Know About the Georgian Murdered in Berlin and His Alleged Assassin Sputnik 04 Dec 2019 -- The killing of Georgian national Zelimkhan Khangoshvili in the centre of Berlin has set off a diplomatic row between Russia and Germany.
Moscow Vows Retaliation After Berlin Expells 2 Embassy Employees Over Murder of Georgian National Sputnik 04 Dec 2019 -- German media has reported that the national chief public prosecutor suspects Russian intelligence agencies of having ordered the killing of a former Chechen military commander. The Kremlin has described the allegations as baseless.
Russia, US Spar Over Former Marine Detained on Espionage Charges VOA 04 Dec 2019 -- Russia's Foreign Ministry has accused a former U.S. Marine currently facing charges of espionage of faking health problems and lying about his poor treatment while in custody – comments the U.S. Embassy in Moscow called "pulp fiction."
U.S. Senate Hearing Exposes Partisan Differences Over New Russia Sanctions RFE/RL 04 Dec 2019 -- A hearing in the Senate to discuss U.S. foreign policy towards Russia exposed partisan disagreements over whether to impose new sanctions on a rival power accused of "malign" actions, including interference in foreign elections.
Russians, Italians Charged With Trying To Evade U.S. Sanctions Related To Crimea RFE/RL 04 Dec 2019 -- U.S. federal prosecutors have charged Russian, Italian, and U.S. companies and several employees for allegedly attempting to evade U.S. sanctions that were imposed after Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014.
The Crimea Circumvention: How EU Firms Are Sidestepping Sanctions And Making Money On The Peninsula RFE/RL 03 Dec 2019 -- In December 2014, Serhiy Khodko, a local official under Moscow-installed authorities in Crimea, received a medal from Russia's Defense Ministry "for the return" of the Ukrainian peninsula to Russian control.
Iran, Russia, China to hold joint naval drills on Dec. 27: Iran Navy chief Press TV 03 Dec 2019 -- Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi says Iran will hold joint naval drills with Russia and China in the Indian Ocean later this month.
State Department Says US May Announce Plans on New Start Treaty With Russia Soon Sputnik 03 Dec 2019 -- Last month, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that the extension of the Russian-US Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) is the only way to avoid further erosion of arms control and 'prevent strategic stability degradation.'
Department of Justice Announces Indictment Charging Russians, Italians and Others With Attempting to Evade Security Sanctions US Dept. of Justice 03 Dec 2019 -- A newly unsealed superseding indictment has charged Russian and Italian nationals, a U.S. citizen and various companies in a conspiracy to evade international trade sanctions.
Putin Signs 'Foreign Agents' Law That Threatens Website Closures RFE/RL 03 Dec 2019 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a bill that amends an existing law on media outlets deemed "foreign agents" that critics say is used to muzzle dissent, limit news plurality, and discourage the free exchange of ideas.
Germany Suspects 'Russia Link' To Ethnic Chechen's Killing In Berlin RFE/RL 03 Dec 2019 -- German federal prosecutors are preparing to take over the case related to the slaying of an ethnic Chechen Georgian national in Berlin this summer, according to media reports, amid suspicions that Russian intelligence was involved in the killing.
China-Russia east-route natural gas pipeline operational People's Daily 03 Dec 2019 -- As a landmark project of China-Russia energy cooperation, the China-Russia east-route natural gas pipeline went into operation Monday, a successful example of China's practice of the concept of "mutual benefit and win-win" in international cooperation.
Xi, Putin witness launching ceremony of China-Russia east-route natural gas pipeline People's Daily 03 Dec 2019 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping had a video call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin Monday afternoon, as the two heads of state jointly witnessed the launching ceremony of the China-Russia east-route natural gas pipeline.
Russian Foreign Minister, Azerbaijani President Discuss Karabakh Settlement RFE/RL 02 Dec 2019 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed the frozen conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh with President Ilham Aliyev on the first day of his visit to Azerbaijan on December 2.
Military Source Sheds Light on Cost and Design of New Russian Aircraft Carrier Sputnik 02 Dec 2019 -- The Russian Navy currently possesses only one heavy aircraft cruiser "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" with a displacement of 58,600 tonnes.
Batch Production of Russia's Ka-62 Multirole Helicopters to Start in 2020 - Manufacturer Sputnik 02 Dec 2019 -- Russia's new medium multirole Ka-62 helicopter made its maiden flight in May 2017, and its certification is expected to be finalised in 2020.
Russia to Create New Radar Field Against Cruise Missiles Sputnik 02 Dec 2019 -- At the moment, the country is using several types of early-warning radars, providing long-distance monitoring of airspace against ballistic missile attacks. The military reportedly plans to replace older systems with Voronezh by 2020.
Putin and Xi oversee launch of Russian gas pipeline to China Press TV 02 Dec 2019 -- The leaders of Russia and China have overseen the inauguration of a landmark pipeline project, which is set to be delivering Russian natural gas from Siberia to China, as Beijing and Moscow move to strengthen economic and political relations.
Russia, China Launch 'Historic' Gas Pipeline RFE/RL 02 Dec 2019 -- Russia and China have cemented their cooperation in the energy sphere with the launch of the first gas pipeline linking the world's biggest natural-gas exporter and the second-largest economy.
One In Five Russians 'Willing To Participate In Political Protests' RFE/RL 02 Dec 2019 -- One in five Russians are willing to take part in mass political demonstrations, a new poll shows, in a sign of continued discontent with the country's leaders after a summer marked by demonstrations.
Bomb blast targets Russian armored vehicle in northwestern Syria, three servicemen injured Press TV 02 Dec 2019 -- Three Russian military police officers have sustained slight injuries when an explosion targeted their armored vehicle in Syria's northwestern province of Aleppo, as Russian and Turkish troops were conducting a new joint ground patrol under a deal that stipulates the withdrawal of Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militants from a "safe zone" along Syria's border with Turkey.
Russian, Government Air Strikes Kill 15 Civilians In Northwest Syria RFE/RL 02 Dec 2019 -- At least 15 civilians were killed on December 2 when Syrian and Russian jets hit areas in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib, a monitoring group says.
Defence Ministry Dismisses NYT Report on Russia 'Bombing' Syrian Refugee Camp in August Sputnik 02 Dec 2019 -- The NYT wrote 1 December that "eyewitness photos and videos, flight logs and cockpit tapes obtained by The Times enabled reporters to trace an airstrike on a Syrian camp for displaced families to a Russian pilot."
Russian Police Armoured Vehicle in Syria Targeted by Pipe Bomb - Defence Ministry Sputnik 02 Dec 2019 -- Kobane, officially known as Ayn al-Arab, was one of the centres of the self-proclaimed Kurdish autonomy in Syria's north. The US military left bases near Kobane following the launch of Turkey's Operation Peace Spring. After talks with the Kurds, the Syrian Army entered the city.
Pakistan to Repay $93.5Mln Debt to Russia on Former Soviet Union's Operations Sputnik 02 Dec 2019 -- Russia and Pakistan signed an agreement to settle mutual financial claims and obligations on operations of the former Soviet Union, according to which Pakistan will repay the debt to Russia in the amount of $93.5 million, a Sputnik correspondent reported from the signing ceremony.
FBI Declares Russian Software FaceApp a Counterintelligence Threat Sputnik 03 Dec 2019 -- The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) treats any Russian-developed mobile application, including a popular FaceApp software, as a counterintelligence threat, FBI Assistant Director Jill Tyson said in a letter.
Uzbekistan Faces Choice Between Closer Ties to US, Russia VOA 01 Dec 2019 -- After two decades of disengagement from international entanglements, a newly confident Uzbekistan is seeking a larger role in its Central Asian neighborhood, prompting the United States and Russia to compete for its favor in ways that echo their long-past Cold War rivalry.
Russian Military Police on Patrol in Syria's Aleppo, Raqqa Provinces Sputnik 02 Dec 2019 -- The Russian military police continue patrolling Syria's provinces of Aleppo and Raqqa along the border with Turkey as part of the Russia-Turkey deal over the buffer zone in northern Syria, Major General Yuri Borenkov, the head of the Defence Ministry's Reconciliation Centre in Syria, said on Sunday.

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December 2019 - Russia Special Weapons News