Russia’s hypersonic Zircon missile is important for maintaining strategic stability, said Russian President Vladimir Putin at a meeting on the development of the country’s navy, reports RBC news agency.

“This weapon is becoming extremely important for maintaining strategic stability, as well as the destroyers and universal landing ships,” the Russian leader remarked.

According to the president, the rate at which the combat capabilities of the Russian Navy grow will determine whether or not …

Naftogaz CEO Andriy Kobolyev told LigaBusiness in an interview that, in reality, the company has managed to collect $2.1 billion from Gazprom in the form of gas that Ukraine did not completely pay for, in other words 45% of the compensation awarded to Kyiv by the Arbitration Institute in February 2018. Kobolyev noted that the amount went “almost entirely to the Ukrainian budget”. According to him, taking into account the accrued interest, Kyiv is still planning to collect another $3 billion …

Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said that talks between Russia, Ukraine and the European Union on gas transit could take place next week, reports TASS.

The meeting was initially scheduled for December 5. However, Ukrainian Energy Ministry confirmed that this round of negotiations will not take place. The Ukrainian Ministry noted that "the date has not yet been confirmed."

According to Novak, the parties can meet "at any time." The primary condition is that Gazprom and Naftogaz prepare …

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia is ready to extend the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START-3), reports Interfax.

"Russia is ready to immediately, as soon as possible, by the end of this year, without any preconditions, extend the START Treaty so that there would be no further double or triple interpretation of our position. I say it officially," said Putin.

The Russian President noted that the partners have not yet responded to Russia's proposals to extend the START-3 …

Russia is expelling a Bulgarian diplomat in response to the expulsion of a Russian diplomat, who was accused of spying, from Bulgaria. On December 5, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported that Bulgarian Ambassador Atanas Krastin received a note stating that Russia declared Bulgarian diplomat persona non grata on a reciprocal basis, and he must leave the Russian Federation within 24 hours.

The Russian Foreign Ministry reported that the employee of the Bulgarian Embassy in Moscow is expelled in …

The Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine (GPU) has informed the Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague about the summary execution of nine Ukrainian soldiers who were captured by Russian occupation forces during the battles of Ilovaisk and Debaltseve.

“The notice essentially consists of the facts of the extrajudicial executions of nine soldiers from the Armed Forces of Ukraine by members of the pro-Russian organized group Cossack Union Don Army Region …

The commander of the Iranian Navy Hossein Khanzadi called the date of joint military exercises with Russia and China, reports the Iranian Fars News Agency. "The upcoming exercises are called "Maritime Security Belt," and they will be held on December 27, 2019," said Khanzadi.

As expected, naval military drills of the fleets of the three countries will be held in the Indian Ocean. Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that the military exercises "will not be directed …

Ukraine has proposed economically unacceptable terms for gas transit, said Russian President Vladimir Putin at a press conference on Wednesday after meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Moscow, the Kremlin’s press service reports.

“We are prepared to keep Ukrainian transit, we are currently conducting negotiations about it in Vienna. While’s it’s true that the terms offered to us by the Ukrainian transiters are possible, they’re still economically unacceptable. But I hope that it’ …