Heads of the self-proclaimed DPR and LPR, Alexander Zakharchenko and Igor Plotnitskiy released through official channels, a statement on the start of a “humanitarian assistance program” in Donetsk and Luhansk regions which are under the control of Kyiv.

In their statement the separatists accused the Ukrainian authorities of “the tyranny of civil-military dictatorial administrations,” ”atrocities of the National Guard battalions,” and the “deployment of the Ukrainian armed forces’ personnel and …

Russian presidential aide Vladislav Surkov was not opposed to the annexation of the Crimea by the Russian Federation. This was stated by Vladimir Putin's press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, reported Snob.

"It was not known to me that someone was against it," said Peskov.

Earlier in February, former State Duma Deputy Denis Voronenkov, who recently acquired Ukrainian citizenship, said that Surkov was against the idea of ​​annexing Crimea and the decision on it "was taken by one man."

As reported, …

The statements by the head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), Alexander Zakharchenko, about the possibility of capturing the Donbas by military means were made as a result of emotional tensions in the region, which were provoked by Kyiv, as expressed by a Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, on Friday, February 17th, Lenta.ru reports. He stressed that this position is not in line with the Minsk Agreements.

"On the other hand, perhaps it really is, unfortunately, the emotional …

The government of Finland will increase annual military spending by 55 million euros from the current level of 2.4 billion euros, Euobserver reports. After 2021, Finland will increase military spending by another 150 million euros annually.

These steps are in connection with an increase in military tension in the Baltic region and Russia's actions in eastern Ukraine. "Russia is trying to strengthen their status as a world power and expressed its intention to create a security system based on …

The Deputy Head of the Just Russia party in the State Duma, Oleg Nilov, suggested sending State Duma Deputy and a famous singer, Iosif Kobzon, with the Alexandrov Ensemble, to Kyiv to represent Russia at the Eurovision competition, as reported by TASS.

"Russia has agreed to participate again... My suggestion is, God grant health to Iosif Davydovich, and send him along with the Alexandrov Ensemble," Nilov said, speaking on behalf of the Just Russia faction.

The Eurovision Song Contest 2017 …