• Georgian PM predicts Russia will abandon recognition of Abkhazian and South Ossetian independence

    The Georgian Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for Relations with Russia, Zurab Abashidze, believes that sooner or later Russia will withdraw its recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states.

    "I believe that it is possible, and it will be so in the end. I do not know whether it will happen this year or in five years, but I'm sure that it will happen sooner or later," Abashidze said in an interview with Tbilisi television company Starvision.

    According to the Special Envoy, "it ( …

  • Hackers acting in the interest of Russia stood behind US doping report leak

    The US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) confirmed that hackers from the group Fancy Bear acting in the interest of Russia stood behind the leak of the draft report dedicated to the treatment of athletes involved in the Nike Oregon Project, which aims to popularize long distance running. The relevant statement of USADA representatives was cited by Reuters on Saturday the 25th of February.

    “USADA can confirm that it has prepared a report in response to a subpoena from a state medical licensing body …

  • Russia extends Mongolia a 100 billion ruble loan

    Representatives of Russia and Mongolia held talks on economic cooperation.

    According to the head of the Mongolian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Tsendiyn Munkh-Orgil, the Russian side promised to provide the country a preferential short term loan in the amount of 100 billion rubles.

    “The Mongolian side adheres to the position of the joint implementation of major infrastructure, energy projects, as well as for the Ulan Bator Railway from the preferential credit of the Russian Federation,” said …

  • Thousands protest in Belarus against the 'tax on parasitism'

    Thousands of people in a number of Belarusian cities protested on Sunday the 26th of February against the “tax on parasitism”, introduced by presidential decree “to prevent social dependency”. According to BelaPAN’s report, the protest took place in Vitebsk, Babruysk, Baranavichi and Brest.

    In the first two cities, a total of around 2000 people came out onto the streets. Roughly 300 people attended the protest in Baranavichi. Anatoly Lebedko, chairman of the United Civil Party of the …

  • Merkel's ally: NATO should confront Russia from a position of strength

    Germany must increase defense expenditures to be able to, jointly with its NATO allies, oppose Russia from a position of strength, Chairman of the Christian Democrats Party in the Bundestag Volker Kauder said, Deutsche Welle reported.

    “Unfortunately, Russia under President Putin is trying to destabilize Europe every day. It must be opposed from a position of strength, but this does not mean going back to the ‘Cold War,’” said  Kauder.

    He further noted that German increases in defense …