Russian Foreign Ministry: UN Human Rights Council has become platform for settling political scores
The Russian Foreign Ministry’s deputy director of Humanitarian Cooperation and Human Rights, Grigory Lukyantsev, accused the UN Human Rights Council of becoming a platform for lambasting certain countries and settling political scores, TASS reported.
"We have to note that the Council’s agenda has become an instrument for promoting conjunctural interests of several countries and groups. Discussions more and more often turn to settling political scores, mentorship, defamation of states. Moreover, …
Plants indirectly owned by Ukrainian President receive contracts worth $2.5 from state companies
The Leninska Kuznia plant, which is indirectly owned by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, received two contracts for the repair of ships totaling 64.02 million hryvnia ($2.5 million), Nashi Groshi reported with reference to the Prozorro system (an online system tracking Ukrainian Government expenditures, purchases and tenders). It was reported that the State Enterprise Maritime Search and Rescue Service ordered an overhaul of marine hardware and hull structures of the rescue ship Sapphire …
Biden condemns Russia's creation of joint military force with Abkhazia
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden has condemned Russia’s ratification of a treaty on establishing a joint armed force with Abkhazia, a breakaway region in Georgia, according to a White House statement.
During a phone conversation with Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili, Biden “reiterated U.S. support for Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.”
On Wednesday, the Russian State Duma ratified the agreement establishing a joint armed …
U.S. reconnaissance aircraft flies over Russia's naval base in Syria, another over Kaliningrad
A U.S. Air Force reconnaissance aircraft flew over Russia’s Baltic Sea exclave of Kaliningrad on Saturday, Interfax reported, citing websites that track the movement of military aircraft.
A U.S. RC-135W with tail number 62-4139 reportedly took off from RAF Mildenhall in the U.K. and flew off the coast of Kaliningrad.
Also on Saturday, a U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft with tail number 168 761 flew over Russia’s Tartus naval base in Syria.
The Poseidon, which took off from the …
Lithuanian army to receive new AXMC sniper rifles
The Lithuanian army has received new AXMC sniper rifles, which have twice the range of the weapons that are currently in the army’s arsenal, Delfi reported, with reference to the Lithuanian Ministry of National Defense.
The sniper rifles purchased for EUR 1.3 million from the UK manufacturer Accuracy International will be distributed among battalions and training facilities by the end of 2016. The distinctive feature of the AXMC sniper rifle is that it can use bullets of two calibers – 338 …