Germany considers Russia’s claims to the Sea of Azov inappropriate, Chancellor Angela Merkel told Bundestag deputies on Wednesday. She stated that Russia’s seizure of three Ukrainian Navy ships in the Kerch Strait was “a cause for concern.”

“Let us call things by their proper names. We do not accept Russia’s actual claims to the Sea of Azov,” Merkel stated. Nevertheless, Germany rejected the idea of new sanctions for the Kerch incident. At the EU Summit on December 13, Berlin will advocate the …

The two Russian Tu-160 strategic bombers which arrived in Venezuela earlier this week have made a roughly 10-hour flight over the Caribbean Sea, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on Wednesday evening.

The Defense Ministry’s report notes that the Tu-160 missile carriers were accompanied at certain stages of the route by Su-30 fighters as well as F-16s from the Venezuelan Air Force. During the flights, pilots from both countries practiced cooperating in the air.

The Russian military …

Turkish President Recep Erdogan stated that the Turkish army would soon begin a new military operation in northern Syria, Anadolu agency reports.

“Turkey has prevented a major humanitarian crisis in Idlib. Now it is time to destroy terrorists operating to the east of the Euphrates river. Our goal is to destroy the terrorists in the area,” he stated.

By terrorists, Erdogan means the Kurdish National People’s Protection Units (YPG).

“We clearly define YPG militants as terrorists, while Ankara’ …

The Polish Defense Ministry is in talks with the United States on the acquisition of Patriot missile systems and HIMARS artillery rockets systems, stated Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak.

“In March 2018, I signed an agreement with the American side on the purchase of a Patriot missile system. We are currently negotiating on further contracts, for example, the purchase of HIMARS systems. We are waiting for the consent of the US Congress. The State Department has already given consent. …

China is hoping to solve its water deficit in a number of regions with Russia’s help. The Chinese Association for Exchanges and Collaboration between Russia, Eastern Europe, Central Asia and China has already sent the corresponding letter to Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.

One of the options proposed by China is an intergovernmental project to divert water from Russia’s Altai Krai to western China through Kazakhstan. The construction of the water pipeline would cost an estimated $80 …