On August 21, during a meeting in Minsk with Russian President Vladimir Putin's aide, Vladislav Surkov, US Special Representative to Ukraine Kurt Volker suggested that Moscow consider relocating negotiations on the Donbas from Minsk to Belgrade, Novosti Donbassa (News of Donbass) news website reported, citing its own source.

Surkov refused, said the website’s source.

It is noted that the potential relocation of the negotiations to another city would be connected to the increase in cases of …

Russian President Vladimir Putin has instructed the Russian government, in conjunction with the Ministry of Defense of the country and Kremlin-controlled executive bodies of the annexed Crimea and Sevastopol, to take action regarding pensions for Russian citizens who previously served in the Ukrainian armed forces.

As reported on the Kremlin's website, this order by Putin was among the items approved following his trip to the annexed Sevastopol on August 18-20.

In particular, Putin instructed …

Best Buy, one of the largest electronics retailers in the US, has refused to sell the program produced by Kaspersky Lab due to fears that the producer is influenced by the Russian government, The Verge reports.

A representative of Best Buy confirmed that the decision had been made to take Kaspersky products off the shelves, but did not offer any details.

The company has not conducted its own investigation, its decision to stop selling the products was based on media reports, statements of …

The marine protection ship Grigory Kuropyatnikov conducted a planned survey of Ukraine’s exclusive (marine) economic zone in the gas deposit region, during which it documented further violations by Russia, the Ukrainian State Border Services reported. The survey was done at all the active deposits in the northwest part of the Black Sea – Shtormove, Arkhangelsk, Golitsynsk and Odessa.

“The goal of the interdepartmental group was to verify the received information concerning the initiation of …

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius urged Russia to cancel the planned Zapad 2017 large-scale military exercises in NATO’s eastern flank, DW.com reports.

“We are concerned by the fact that Moscow has relocated 4,000 systems capable of carrying nuclear weaponry to Belarus, and at least 30,000 soldiers. This dangerous saber-rattling must stop,” Linkevičius said in an interview with Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland.

According to him, the Russian figures of only 12,000 drill participants …

Germany has refused to pay Poland additional reparations for damages inflicted during the Second World War. "From the point of view of the federal government, there is no basis for and legal effectiveness in questioning the refusal of reparations in 1953," said official German government official Steffen Seibert, reports Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

According to Seibert, Germany has already been held accountable for the "unthinkable crimes" committed by the Nazis during the war. In addition, …

The Russian Ambassador sent a note to the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and the Polish Foreign Ministry in connection with the demolition of the Mausoleum of the Red Army Soldiers in the Polish city of Trzcianka (Wielkopolska Voivodship), as stated by the head of the Ministry of Defense of Russia on the memorialization of those killed in the defense of the Fatherland, Vladimir Popov, Interfax reports.

"The Polish authorities, without the notification and consent of the Russians, …

An unauthorized rally of the group "For a Peaceful Belarus" was held in Minsk, protesting the Russia-Belarus joint military exercises Zapad 2017, as reported on the tut.by website.

More than 100 people took part in the rally, including opposition politicians and activists. After it ended, those present on the square adopted a resolution. In particular, the protesters opposed the idea of Belarus being “drawn into a confrontation” between Russia and Ukraine.

The exercises will be held at …