• Putin: Ukraine is unwilling to implement the Minsk Agreements

    Russian President Vladimir Putin, at a meeting with the members of the Security Council in the Crimea, accused Ukraine of its "unwillingness or inability" to implement the Minsk Agreements regarding the settlement of the conflict in the Donbas. According to him, this explains Ukraine’s "provocative acts" in the Crimea.

    At the same time Putin expressed hope that this is not Ukraine’s "final choice" and that "common sense will prevail."

    Putin also stated that Moscow is not going to sever  …

  • WTO rules against Russia on pork ban

    The World Trade Organization has supported the EU in the another trade dispute with Russia, RBC reports.

    The panel of arbitrators at the WTO ruled that Russia’s ban on importing European pork is contrary to the WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures.

    In early, 2014 Russia imposed a ban on imports of live pigs and pig products from all EU countries, referring to the outbreak of African swine fever in Lithuania and Poland.

    The WTO concluded that the ban on pork …

  • Russia's Permanent Representative to NATO: Military buildup in Crimea is not directed against NATO

    The build-up of Russian military forces in the Crimea is not directed at anyone, including NATO. According to RIA Novosti, this was said by Russia's Permanent Representative to NATO, Alexander Grushko.

    “Somehow, there exists a kind of contrived element of intimidation of public opinion if we talk about the perception of what we are doing in the Crimea. NATO is actually well aware that a very serious Russian component has always been present in the Crimea at all times,” Grushko explained. …

  • Russian ships fire cruise missiles at Syria from Mediterranean

    Russian ships launched three cruise missiles from the Mediterranean Sea against targets in Syria. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, an al-Nusra Front command post and base were destroyed.

    Russian ships launched thee Kalibr cruise missiles at targets in Syria. The missiles were fired from ships of the Black Sea Fleet, Zeleny Dol and Serpukhov, located in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. A command post and base belonging to the al-Nusra Front near the village of Dar Taaza were destroyed, …

  • Russian Minister of Sports: Russia may stop funding World Anti-Doping Agency

    Russia may stop financing the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) if the organization will not restore the rights of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) in the near future, the Minister of Sport, Vitaly Mutko, said in an interview with P-Sport.

    "WADA is your system. The laboratory and RUSADA are your organizations. There are foreign experts working at RUSADA and we pay a huge amount of money," Mutko said.

    In November 2015, WADA published a report regarding testing fraud at the anti-doping …