• Tillerson: Deploying peacekeepers in Donbas a priority for US

    US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that, in order to resolve the conflict in the Donbas, the US considers it a priority to reach an agreement on the deployment of a UN peacekeeping mission there.

    A statement to this effect was made by the head of the US foreign policy department on Wednesday, December 6, the day before the planned talks with his Russian colleague Sergey Lavrov, DW reports.

    “Russia has long resisted the idea of bringing in peacekeeping forces, but now they have agreed,” …

  • Russia bans reporters of Voice of America and Radio Liberty from entering State Duma

    Representatives of the media outlets Voice of America and Radio Liberty, which are recognized as foreign agents, have been banned from entering the Russian State Duma.

    As Interfax reported, the relevant decision was made by the lower house of parliament.

    413 MPs voted in favor of the ban, 38 refrained from voting, and LDPR Deputy Spokesperson Igor Lebedev voted against it.

    “I think that this is an extremely hasty and premature decision. With one hand we advocate attempts to normalize …

  • Putin announces complete defeat of ISIS in Syria

    The forces of the Islamic State have been completely defeated in Syria, stated Russian President Vladimir Putin, citing a report of Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu, reports Interfax.

    “Two hours ago, the Minister of Defense reported that the operations on the eastern and western bank of the Euphrates have been completed with the complete defeat of the terrorists,” Putin said.

    He noted that there may still be isolated areas of resistance.

    “But in general, the combat at this stage and in …

  • Putin announces he will run in 2018 election

    Russian President Vladimir Putin, at a meeting with employees of the GAZ car plant in Nizhny Novgorod, said he would run for office in March 2018, reported Vedomosti.

    "I will be a candidate in the presidential elections,” Putin told one of the workers of the GAZ car plant. In turn, the worker asked Putin to give the workers such a gift and assured him that they would all support him.

    This  will be Putin’s fourth term.

    Earlier, others other candidates announced their intention to run for the …

  • Media: Kremlin considers establishing special bonds to allow Russian oligarchs to bring their wealth back to Russia

    A special refund mechanism for returning money back to Russia may be developed for businessmen who fear new sanctions.  The plan envisages special bonds in currencies with high yield.

    The idea was initiated on December 5th by a group of wealthy Russians who have assets abroad, Reuters reports. The newspaper cites anonymous sources in the state-owned companies and in the financial markets, one of whom describes the idea as absurd. The refunds would be issued in foreign currency bonds with …