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Russian commander says Black Sea Fleet is capable of destroying enemy landing forces
TASS reports that the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia, Valery Gerasimov, stated that the Black Sea Fleet of Russia “is capable of destroying enemy landing forces in ports of their landing.” Gerasimov did not specify which ports or what country he was referring to but he noted that enemy landing forces “should not reach the Black Sea coast of the Crimea wherever they are coming from.”
Gerasimov stressed that the Black Fleet of Russia uses the Bastion coastal defense …
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A member of the US House of Representatives believes that Ukraine will join NATO
A member of the US House of Representatives, Marcy Kaptur, stated in her interview with Ukrinform that powerful bipartisan political support of Ukraine from the US Congress and US administration will not deteriorate after the presidential elections in the United States, regardless of the winner. According to her, the issue of Ukraine, Russia and eastern and central Europe is an ongoing issue for the US electoral campaign.
Kaptur also expressed confidence that Ukraine will become a member of …
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Klimkin: There wont be negotiations until Russia withdraws from eastern Ukraine
During a meeting with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Germany and France, Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Jean-Marc Ayrault, the Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Pavlo Klimkin, stated that Ukraine needs a guarantee that Russia will implement the Minsk Agreements in order to continue the work in the Normandy format. According to Klimkin, Ukraine wants to see clear and coherent steps from Russia in order for the conflict in the Donbas to be resolved.
“We fully understand that we need a …
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Russian Finance Ministry proposes decreasing funding for state media
The Russian News Agency, TASS, the Federal State Unitary Enterprise, Rossiya Segodnya, RT (Russia Today) and the All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company (VGTRK) may lose part of their subsidies. The Russian Ministry of Finance called these changes preliminary estimates. The government plans to reduce the cost of public media over several years.
The Russian Ministry of Finance has proposed to reduce funding for public media in the budget for 2017 - 2019, as reported by …
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Estonian authorities concerned that some of the country's residents don't see Russia as a threat
The Estonian government may lose control over the northeast region of the country where the Russian-speaking population prevails, in the event of a conflict with Russia. Ilmar Raag, advisor to the government on psychological defense, together with other contemporaries, authored a report that explained the risks.
In winter, the Governmental Commission for Security was presented with a secret analysis of the situation in Ida-Viru county in the northeastern part of the country. The report spoke …
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Russia forms a new army in the southwest
The Russian Defense Ministry is creating a new combined-arms army and a 150th motorized rifle division in the south-west.
Interfax stated that the Head of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, General Valery Gerasimov, told reporters that the command of these units have been involved in the strategic Caucasus-2016 command-staff exercises.
“The commanders and staff of the future 150th division and the future command of the army that we are creating this year in the south-west …
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French and German Foreign Ministers: We do not recognize the annexation of Crimea
The German Minister of Foreign Affairs, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Marc Ayrault, said that their countries do not recognize the annexation of Ukrainian Crimea by Russia.
"Concerning the second question, about the legitimacy of the elections to the State Duma in Crimea, as my colleague Ayrault said, we do not recognize and will not recognize the annexation of Crimea," Frank-Walter Steinmeier said, answering a question by a correspondent of LB.u as …
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Moscow urges Kyiv to respond to separatists' unilateral ceasefire
Moscow has urged Kyiv to respond to the ‘silence’ mode initiative of Donetsk and Luhansk in order for a long-term ceasefire to be implemented in Donbas. This was reported by the press service of the Foreign Ministry of the Russian Federation.
The ministry noted that the decision of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and the Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR) to declare this ceasefire is an important step in stabilizing the situation.
“We regard this decision as an important and …
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French Foreign Minister announces signing of document to begin withdrawal of troops from eastern Ukraine
Next week an agreement may be signed on the withdrawal of troops from three pilot areas, as stated by the French Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development, Jean-Marc Ayrault, at a joint briefing with the Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Pavlo Klimkin, and the Foreign Minister of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
"Turning to security issues, I want to say that next week there will be an important phase, which may at the same time give us both consolidation of these …
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Despite Russia's objections, the IMF will provide Ukraine with $1 billion
On Wednesday, the Board of Directors of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) issued a positive decision on the allocation of financial assistance to Ukraine. This was announced by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.
“The IMF Board of Directors have just now adopted a positive decision to extend the program of cooperation with Ukraine and to allocate financial assistance,” Poroshenko posted on Twitter.
The press service of the Ukrainian President quoted Poroshenko as saying that this …