• Kyiv reports that eight Ukrainian soldiers were detained in DPR

    The Joint Forces Operation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that eight Ukrainian servicemen were detained near Donetsk, according a message posted to the Facebook page of the operation’s command.

    This happened near the settlement of Novotroitsk in the early morning of May 22. The detainees were driving a truck near Novotroitsk, but, “deviated from the set route and entered the temporarily occupied territory.”

    At the same time, People's Militia authorities in the self-proclaimed Donetsk …

  • Russian strategic bombers flew twice in two days along Alaska coast

    Two Russian strategic missile carriers Tu-95ms had an 11-hour flight along the coast of Alaska on May 22, reports Russian Ministry of Defence.

    The flight took place over the Chukchi, Bering and Okhotsk seas, and the Russian bombers were escorted by the US Air Force aircraft. The Ministry also stated that on May 21, four Tu-95ms bombers conducted a planned flight with a similar route.

    "Long-range aviation pilots make regular flights over the neutral waters of the Arctic, Atlantic, Black seas, …

  • Russian Khmeimim airbase in Syria comes under attack

    The Khmeimim base operated by the Russian Air Force in Syria was attacked by opposition forces opposing the regime of Bashar al-Assad.

    The Russian State News Agency Novosti reported the shelling of Khmeimim by 17 projectiles from a multiple rocket launcher, referencing a message released by the Russian Ministry of Defense. 

    According to Russian media, nine shells were destroyed by the air defense at the airbase, another eight did not reach the base. the Russian military does not consider it …

  • Ukrainian parliament rejects Zelensky’s proposal to change election system

    At an extraordinary session of Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, convened by President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday 22 May, the MPs voted against the president’s proposed change to the parliamentary election system. Zelensky’s bill proposed to transition from a plurality voting system to a proportional representation system with closed party lists and a lowering of the entry barrier from 5% to 3%.

    Experts expect that the old system will still be used for the Rada’s elections on 21 …

  • Lithuanian parliamentarians urge to recognize the deportation of the Crimean Tatars in 1944 as genocide

     “Crimes” against the Crimean Tatars committed in the USSR should be recognized as a genocide, according to a draft of the resolution registered by Conservatives Audronius Ažubalis and Laurynas Kasčiūnas in the Lithuanian Seimas, as reported by DELFI.

    “There is no statute of limitations for crimes committed during the communist regime,” said Ažubalis. Also, according to the parliamentarians, “oppression, discrimination and violence against the Crimean Tatars began again, five years ago,” when …

  • Estonia accuses Russian Tu-154 aircraft of violating its border

    Estonian military accused the Russian Tu-154 aircraft of violating the Estonian air border last Saturday, reported Estonian Defense Forces.

    The report stated that the Tu-154, belonging to the Russian Navy, entered the country's airspace near the island of Vaindloo without permission and was there for less than a minute.

    It is noted that the transponder of the aircraft was turned on. As the Press-service of the Defense Forces added, the plane had a flight plan, but there was no radio contact …

  • Moscow seeks to increase its presence in Jerusalem

    Russia is trying to regain control of two historical objects in Israel that belonged to it in the past, reports RIA Novosti, citing Sergei Stepashin, head of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society (IOPS) and former prime minister of Russia.

    According to Stepashin, the fate of the Elisabeth and Alexander courtyards, which were built in the 19th century to accommodate Russian pilgrims, has already been discussed on multiple occasions at the highest level with the Israeli authorities. “Thanks to …

  • Poland demands compensation from Russia for dirty oil

    Russia and Poland are currently conducting negotiations on how the chlorine-contaminated oil is to be discharged from the Druzhba pipeline, said Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak, as cited by TASS. Warsaw wants to know how much Russia will be willing to pay if Poland takes on the task of pumping out part of the substandard oil.

    Kozak noted that the matter of cleaning the pipeline has already been resolved with a number of other countries. “Standard oil is already being supplied to …

  • Ukraine imposes duties on cement from Russia, Belarus, and Moldova

    The Interdepartmental Commission on International Trade of Ukraine adopted a decision on May 21 to impose anti-dumping duties on import of cement clinkers and Portland cement from Russia, Belarus, and Moldova reports the Press-service of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (MEDT).

    Anti-dumping duties are imposed in the amount of 114.95% for goods from Russia, 57.03% for the products from Belarus and 94.46% for the goods from Moldova. The duties will be in effect for five years.

    The …

  • US promises Ukraine $2 billion loan guarantees for gas purchases

    The US Secretary of Energy Rick Perry stated at the press conference in Kyiv that the US could provide guarantees to the Ukrainian national gas conglomerate Naftogaz for the placement of Eurobonds for 2 billion US dollars, reports Apostrophe news outlet.

    "This is one of the possible solutions. However, there may be other financial sources. There are different ways to finance the purchase of gas," said Perry.

    As the Chairman of the Board of Naftogaz Andriy Kobolyev previously saida, the …