The Varyag missile cruiser belonging to the Pacific Fleet and the Admiral Tributs large anti-submarine ship held anti-aircraft missile firings in the Sea of Japan, the Fleet’s press office reported on Monday.
"The crews of the Fleet’s Guards Order of Nakhimov Missile Cruiser Flagship Varyag and the Admiral Tributs large anti-submarine warship held planned drills in the Sea of Japan, where air defense launches of the Fort, Klinok and Osa anti-aircraft missile systems against high-speed flying targets as part of the final inspection for the summer training period were carried out," the report says.
Target missiles launched from small missiles and anti-submarine ships were fired upon. "In total, 10 missile launches were carried out as part of practical actions," the press service reported. Twelve warships and support vessels of the Pacific Fleet were provided to the exercise, they carried out tasks to close the area of rocket firing.
The Varyag missile cruiser belongs to the Project 1164 class. The main armament of the cruiser comprises 16 anti-ship missiles of the P-1000 Vulkan complex with a range of at least 700 kilometers. The cruiser is protected from enemy planes, helicopters and missiles by the S-300F Fort and Osa-M anti-aircraft systems, as well as AK-630 caliber 30 mm six-barreled artillery mounts. The ships are equipped with two five-tube 533-mm caliber torpedo launchers, two rocket-propelled bomb launchers designed to fight enemy submarines, and a helicopter. The arsenal also contains an AK-130 artillery launcher with 130-mm caliber rapid-firing guns, the firing range is 23 km.
Sergey Lavrov called on European Union and the United States to make real efforts to resolve the Kosovo issue at a press conference in Belgrade on Sunday following talks with Aleksandar Vucic.
Russia remains invariably in favour of resolving this matter based solely on UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and it be found as part of a direct dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, and this final decision be submitted to the UN Security Council for approval.
Russia remains invariably in favour of resolving this matter based solely on UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and it be found as part of a direct dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, and this final decision be submitted to the UN Security Council for approval. "President Putin has repeatedly underscored, and this remains our unwavering position, that we will accept any decision that suits Serbia and the Serbian people. of course, we are concerned by the provocation in northern Kosovo in late September. we appreciated the restraint and firmness of the Serbian leadership and personally President Vucic, "which made it possible to overcome this crisis and to put an end to the Kosovars’ provocative actions," Lavrov said.
"In our contacts with the European Union, we invariably talk about Brussels’ responsibility for the intermediary functions initiated by it, which the EU received by the resolution of the UN General Assembly. it is time to act upon the agreements that were reached long time ago in particular, back in 2013, on creating Serbian municipalities in Kosovo. conniving with the Kosovars’ attempts to “drag out” this decision, which is vital for the Serbian population of Kosovo, does not reflect well on the EU," he added.
Also, Russia presume that US will also use their influence - which is significant - on Pristina in order to ensure the normal course of the negotiating process and come to agreements that will be in line with UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and suit Serbia.
Sergey Lavrov exchanged views with President Vucic on the situation in the Balkans in general. "We operate on the premise that Serbia remains the most important factor of peace and stability in this region and its opinion should be taken into account in any negotiation format and discussions,"Minister noted.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Sunday, after talks with Sergey Lavrov, he hopes his country will receive Russian gas at a maximally advantageous price.
"What kind of pressure is Russia exerting on us? It is us to exert pressure on Russia, asking it to give us gas at the most advantageous price. We are asking and using pressure. As for guarantees, I have a promise from [Russian Foreign Minister] Sergey [Lavrov] and [Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri] Borisov that they will speak with President [of Russia Vladimir] Putin and will do their best to offer the most advantageous price to us. I am telling you now: I know Putin and we will have the best price. I have not yet spoken with him, I only plan to do it, but we will have the lowest price. I know this man," he said after talks with visiting Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
"I am thankful to our Russian friends. I asked Minister Lavrov, I asked Borisov, I asked President Putin, and I am not ashamed to say that, and I hope Serbia will have the lowest gas price in Europe. I make no secrete about it, my duty is to advocate the interests of my people. The crisis is much more serious than some may think. Gas prices will go up across entire Europe, everywhere," Vucic said.
"Luckily, we were bold enough to build a gas pipeline. It is good luck! If we had not built the gas pipeline with the Russian side, what would we do now? The only thing I could do then was to take a rope and hang myself here," he said.
"If we had not built the gas pipeline with the Russian side, what would we do now ? The only thing I could do then was to take a rope and hang myself here," Vucic stressed.
Vucic said on Saturday that Serbia was in talks with Russia, seeking to keep the gas price at 270 US dollars per 1,000 cubic meters in the first six months of 2022.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov said at a meeting of the intergovernmental commission in Serbia on October 7 that he hoped a long-term gas contract with Serbia would be signed before the end of 2021.
Visiting Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is having a meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Sunday.
The talks are being held at the presidential palace, where the Russian delegation came immediately after arriving in Belgrade.
At the beginning of the talks, Lavrov and Vucic welcomed each other on the background of the two countries’ flags and continued the meeting behind closed doors.
However, judging by the statements of both sides after the talks, they talked about the upcoming meeting between Vucic and Putin, about the Russian vaccine, about gas contracts and, of course, about the situation in Kosovo.
The agricultural sector has become one of the flagships of the Russian economy and keeps developing actively, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a video address on the occasion of the Agriculture and Processing Industry Workers' Day, celebrated in Russia on the second Sunday of October.
"The Russian agrarian sector is developing actively and dynamically. Today, it is one of the flagships of our economy. Who would have imagined this just a few years ago? This success is a result of your effort in the first place," the president said in his address to agriculture sector workers.
In his words, advanced technologies are actively used by the Russian agricultural sector, and its products are competitive both domestically and internationally.
Russia is ready to help Europe overcome the energy crisis, but it must understand the reasons that led to the current situation, as well as the need for reciprocal steps, Sergey Lavrov said on Friday.
"Gazprom is fulfilling all its obligations [to European countries] not only in full but even in excess," Lavrov said. "We are ready to help Europe overcome this crisis, but Europe must also recognize the need for reciprocal steps," the minister added.
Lavrov added that Washington is trying to sabotage Russian-EU energy cooperation. "The United States bluntly says that cooperation with Russia is contrary to the interests of Europe's energy security. They want to flat out drive a wedge between us in this area and to whittle down our interdependence," he stressed.
The top diplomat acknowledged Europe's dependence on Russian supplies. "But we also depend to a large extent on those who buy this gas," he added.
According to an annual tradition, Sergey Lavrov held a meeting with the best MGIMO alumni on their first day at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
"I feel in my heart (I cannot put it otherwise) that you have joined a tightly-knit “home” that maintains continuity and always strives to provide mentorship in the best and bureaucracy-free sense of the word," Lavrov said.
"We are a family, which does not mean that we are not highly focused on our responsibilities," he added.
The minister noted that the newly arrived young diplomats will work at an important period in the history of Russia and the world.
'The situation in the world is not getting any simpler, which only adds excitement, to be honest. It makes us think creatively and keeps us mindful of the main goal of our foreign policy which is to ensure the most favourable external conditions for our country’s internal development. This is the main content of the Foreign Policy Concept of the Russian Federation as approved by President Vladimir Putin in 2016. Time flies. We are now updating this strategic document. I have no doubt that everyone in their area of work, in their respective departments, will contribute to forming common approaches and foreign policy strategies at the present stage," Lavrov stressed.
Russia recommends to Danish partners try and restore Russian-Danish relations, which were practically destroyed through their efforts, and launch specific initiatives to strengthen trust and to reduce the potential for conflict in the Baltic Sea, given the unprecedented buildup of NATO activity in that region, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday at the briefing.
Russia have to draw your attention to the Danish authorities’ consistent advocacy of anti-Russian approaches towards establishing interaction in the Baltic Sea region.
Denmark’s Defence Minister Trine Bramsen noted at the conference Baltic Sea Security towards 2035 in Copenhagen that the security situation in the Baltic Sea noticeably degraded over the last 30 years. she attributed this to the idea that Russia allegedly “has chosen a path different from the European one” and “behaves aggressively.”
"The Danish side failed as usual to provide arguments in support of its groundless accusations," Zakharova added.
Jens Stoltenberg's stunt revoking accreditation of staff at the Russian Permanent Mission to NATO looks absolutely ridiculous amid their rhetoric about the need to maintain a dialogue and to resume Russia-NATO Council meetings, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday at the briefing.
"This is hypocrisy at its finest," she added.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg made a decision to terminate the accreditation of eight employees from the Russian Permanent Mission to NATO in Brussels. We were officially notified of this on October 6. Thus, Russian mission’s membership will be cut in half on October 31.
'This NATO step surprised us, but was not unexpected. The arrogance of it was surprising since no official explanations or reasons for doing so were provided. The media unleashed a slanderous campaign including multiple examples of fake news and direct disinformation coming from NATO," Zakharova noted.
"This stunt by NATO looks absolutely ridiculous amid their rhetoric about the need to maintain a dialogue and to resume Russia-NATO Council meetings. This is hypocrisy at its finest. On the one hand, they proclaim the need to interact and call for cooperation. On the other hand, they reduce the number of our Permanent Mission employees. To top it off, they spread misinformation without offering any explanation, she stressed.
Moscow warns the UK against provoking a cyber arms race, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday, commenting on UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace, who said that London will carry out cyberattacks against hostile states that would attempt to harm the United Kingdom - including against Russia.
"We urge our opponents not to lose their heads and not to provoke a new cyber arms race," she said.
"For many years, the idea of a necessity to ramp up offensive means in informational and cyberspace has been introduced in NATO member states’ public conscience, under the pretext of countering threats allegedly coming from our country - not Russia alone, but Russia gets mentioned, probably, more often than any other state," the diplomat noted.
Zakharova underscored that Russia consistently opposed the militarization of the informational space and advocated using the information and communication technologies for peaceful goals only.
"This is our priority. We repeatedly proposed - to our British partners, in particular - to hold bilateral expert consultations. However, London prefers such hostile, aggressive and simply unbalanced statements and groundless outbursts at Russia to constructive specialized contacts," she added.
"Moscow proposes to cooperate on the entire spectrum of international informational security issues instead of resorting to aggressive rhetoric," the diplomat concluded.
On October 7, on his birthday, Vladimir Putin is holding a meeting with the permanent members of the Security Council on the issue of Russia’s internal stability and security.
Taking part in the meeting were Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko, State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, Deputy Secretary of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev, Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Anton Vaino, Secretary of the Security Council Nikolai Patrushev, Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Director of the Federal Security Service Alexander Bortnikov, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service Sergei Naryshkin and Special Presidential Representative for Environmental Protection, Ecology and Transport Sergei Ivanov.
Putin predicted the European energy crisis of 2021 back in 2010.
You are giving up Russian gas, you do not want to develop nuclear energy ... what are you going to heat with wood ? After all, you will have to go to our Siberia for firewood, ”joked Vladimir Putin at a meeting with German business in 2010. The joke turned out to be prophetic.
Drills to practice new methods of conducting combat operations were central to the Russian-Belarusian strategic exercise Zapad-2021, in which some new weapon systems, such as attack robots, were used for the first time, Sergey Shoigu said on Wednesday.
"Central to the exercise were new forms and methods of conducting combat operations with due regard for the special features of current local wars and armed conflicts. Many things were tested in practice," Shoigu said while reviewing the results of the exercise.
In part, he said that for the first time an airborne battalion of the newest BMD-4M combat vehicles was parachuted at night in bad weather.
"Twenty one Ilyushin-76MD military transport planes parachuted 30 combat vehicles of a new generation," Shoigu said.
Military topographers tested the capabilities of the unified software system Kaleidoskop.
"It allowed for creating a 3D image of virtual combat space, thus making it possible to more accurately study the situation and drastically reduce the time commanders need to make decision," Shoigu said.
For effective fire adjustment and also for meeting the needs of reconnaissance groups unmanned aerial vehicles were used on a wide scale.
"A system of putting out of order a swarm of a hypothetical enemy's attack drones at a distance was employed successfully," Shoigu said.
At proving grounds near Kaliningrad attack robotized systems Platforma-M were used for the first time.
"Remote-controlled tracked robots performed quite well in coping with the task of destroying enemy manpower in urban conditions. At the Mulino proving ground reconnaissance and fire support robots Uran-9 and Nerekhta were used in the combat formations of combined arms units," Shoigu said.
"Military command and control bodies practiced operation in the field at five proving grounds in Belarus and nine proving grounds in Russia. The Baltic Fleet's forces were dealing with their combat training tasks in the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Finland," he added.
In the first nine months of 2021, Gazprom increased its supplies, or should I say transit volumes through Ukraine, by more than eight percent, Vladimir Putin said at a meeting on the development of energy sector on Wednesday.
"I have to say that there has been all kinds of speculation on Ukraine’s gas transit system and deliveries through this country. I would like to reiterate that under the contract we have to pump 40 billion cubic metres of gas through Ukraine’s gas transit system per year. In the first nine months of 2021, Gazprom increased its supplies, or should I say transit volumes through Ukraine, by more than eight percent. We have every right to believe that we will exceed our contractual obligations in terms of gas transit through Ukraine," he added.
Further increasing these volumes does not make economic sense for Gazprom, since costs will also be higher. It is much cheaper to supply gas using the new pipelines, saving us about $3 billion per year for the supply volumes in question.
In addition, Putin informed those who actually care about preserving the environment, instead of just using this as a political weapon, "that the new pipelines that were launched over the past years or are about to become operational can reduce CO2 emissions 5.6 times thanks to their new equipment.
Accordingly, supply volumes go up, while emissions go down. This has to do with the superior characteristics of these pipelines enabling them to pump gas at a higher pressure," he stressed.
"Everyone must know this," Russian President summed up.
The current situation in the European energy market is another vivid example that hasty and moreover politically charged steps are unacceptable in any area, especially in matters of energy supply, the sustainable operation of enterprises, on which the sustainability of businesses and the well-being and quality of life of millions of people directly depend, Vladimir Putin said at a meeting on the development of energy sector on Wednesday.
Putin invited the participants of the meeting to make proposals about what Russia could do to stabilize the global energy market.
"we are ready to work on it and would like this work to be done on a purely commercial basis, taking into account the interests of all parties involved in this process," the head of state said.
The European Commission (EC) made a mistake when it curtailed long-term contracts and switched to gas trading on the stock exchange, Vladimir Putin said at a meeting on energy sector development on Wednesday.
"The practice of our European partners has once again confirmed that they make mistakes," he said.
"We spoke with the previous line-up of the European Commission, and all of its activities were aimed at curtailing the so-called long-term contracts. It was aimed at the transition to gas exchange trading. It turns out, and today it has become absolutely obvious, that this policy was wrong," Putin concluded.
He explained that such a policy did not take into account the peculiarities of the gas market due to a large number of uncertainties.
"[As a result] consumers, in particular, fertilizer producers are losing price targets altogether. All this leads to disruptions and, as I said, to an imbalance," Putin went on.
The head of state recalled that now the price of gas in Europe had broken its all-time high.
"Today it is already heading to $2,000 per 1,000 cubic meters - more than a tenfold rise above the average price of last year," Putin concluded.
Earlier on Wednesday, it was reported that the price of gas in Europe rose to a new all-time high exceeding $1,900 per 1,000 cubic meters. Later on, in the course of the trading, the gas price dropped below $1,450 per 1,000 cubic meters.
Iran is prepared for prompt resumption of negotiations in Vienna on restoring the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action for the Iranian nuclear program, Sergey Lavrov told a news conference following talks with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir Abdollahian on Wednesday.
"The world community is waiting for the United States to return to the legal space of the nuclear deal and to cancel the illegal restrictions against Iran and against all of its trading and economic partners," he said.
"We regard as hopeless and futile attempts by some countries to link the JCPOA with Tehran's consent to compromise on some issues having nothing to do with the deal," Lavrov stressed.
He pointed out that the situation in the region must be discussed beyond the JCPOA framework collectively at one negotiating table.
"This approach constitutes the basis of Russia's concept of security in the Persian Gulf. This document was made public at the UN General Assembly and the UN Security Council. We are calling upon the Iranian and Arab friends to keep moving closer together along the road of mutual discussions and coordination of any issues in response to the existing concerns," he added.
Negotiations have been underway in Vienna since April by Iran and the international quintet (Russia, Britain, Germany, China, and France) on restoring the Iranian nuclear deal to its original form. The sides have been discussing the issue of cancelling US sanctions against Iran, Tehran's compliance with its commitments in the nuclear sphere and the United States' return to the JCPOA.
Representatives from the countries that are parties to the agreement have been also holding separate consultations with US emissaries without Iran taking part. Originally the delegates had hoped to be through with this work at the end of May, and then in the first day of June. On September 21, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said the talks on restoring the nuclear deal to the full extent would begin in Vienna within several weeks.
Russian cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov, actress Yulia Peresild and film director Klim Shipenko have moved from the Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft to the International Space Station, as follows from an online broadcast on the Roscomos website.
They were welcomed by ISS commander Thomas Pesquet and other crewmembers, including Russia's Oleg Novitsky and Pyotr Dubrov.
The Soyuz-2.1a launch vehicle blasted off from Baikonur at 11:55 Moscow time on Tuesday. Automated docking with the ISS failed and the operation had to be performed manually.
The Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft brought to the ISS cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov, actress Yulia Peresild and film director Klim Shipenko, who will film scenes for what is to become the world's first full-length movie shot in outer space. It will be a story of a female doctor who agrees to go on a space mission to save a cosmonaut's life.
Fuel markets in Europe are in turmoil and panic because of speculation over climate change and investment cuts, Vladimir Putin highlighted on Tuesday.
"You see what’s going on in Europe, the hysteria and that mess on the markets. Why? Simply because nobody takes it seriously. Some speculate on the issue of climate change, while someone else underestimates something, and yet another one starts cutting back investments in the extractive industries," President Putin said at a cabinet meeting.
The transition to de-carbonization of the economy must be smooth, the head of state said. "We, our country, have all the capabilities of avoiding such mistakes. We are witnessing the result of some unbalanced decisions, unbalanced development and dramatic ups and downs. The European energy market clearly demonstrates this," Putin noted.
Russia celebrate a good holiday, Teacher's Day, Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday, at the meeting with winners and finalists of Russia Teacher of the Year contest.
"I wish all the best to you, to all Russian teachers on this wonderful day. it is always filled with joyful, positive emotions and kind words, the smiles of your pupils, their parents, your colleagues, and sincere feelings of gratitude for your noble work, for your effort, for what you are doing for the country, for its future – everything you do, undoubtedly, directly affects its future, and this contribution cannot be overestimated," Putin added.
To highlight the importance of the teaching profession for Russian society, 2023, when country will be marking the 200th anniversary of the birth of Konstantin Ushinsky, the founding father of Russian pedagogy, will be the year of teachers and mentors. This will be the Year of the Teacher.
Russia, just as many other countries, feels all the climate change-related threats and risks, Vladimir Putin said at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
"Climate change is a global problem. Just as many other countries, we see and feel all the threats and risks involved, such as desertification, soil erosion, and thawing permafrost, which constitutes about 60% of our territory," Putin said.
Moreover, Putin went on to say, Russia's average annual temperature is rising 2.5 times faster than the global one. "Over ten years it has been up by nearly 0.5 degrees. In the Arctic the warming rate is still higher," he recalled.
All this determines Russia's conscious, serious approach to the problem of global warming, Putin added.
Russia diligently complies with all of its obligations and provides support for the corresponding international initiatives and will keep doing so in the future.
"In the first place, this concerns the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement," he explained.
It is too early to assess the future dialogue with Japan following the formation of a new government, Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference on Monday.
"It is premature to speak how the newly elected government will influence anything, since it has been just formed, negotiated and approved. Moreover, as Japan’s new Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced that the parliamentary elections will be held in the near future. As far as I understand, the current team will primarily prepare for these elections," he said.
The Russian foreign minister mentioned that he had experience of cooperation with Kishida, when the latter held the post of Japan’s foreign minister. "We developed quite constructive relations, frank ones. I note that during his work as Japanese foreign minister at the request of the Russian President and the Japanese Prime Minister we established the concept of joint economic activity on the islands of the southern part of Kuril Ridge. We will see how much we can ensure succession in this and other areas of Russian-Japanese cooperation," Lavrov said.
On Monday, Fumio Kishida was elected by both houses of the nation's parliament to become Japan's 100th prime minister by a majority vote. The election of a new prime minister was held because of the expiration of the powers of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga who replaced Shinzo Abe following his sudden resignation last year.
Russia hopes that Turkey will be guided by the principles of respect to Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity it has repeatedly declared, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday after talks with his Egyptian counterpart, Sameh Shoukry.
"As for the statement by Mr. [Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim] Kalin, I’d rather cite the statement by President [of Turkey Recep Tayyip] Erdogan who has said publicly more than once that Syria is an independent state and that Turkey will fully respect its sovereignty and territorial integrity. That is why, in the context of final settlement, we will proceed from the fact that Turkey will stick to this very position," he said, commenting on Kalin’s statement that Turkey had the same right to be present in Syria as Russia and the United States.
Speaking about foreign armed presence in Syria, Lavrov recalled United Nations Security Council Resolution 2254, which reiterates Syria’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. "Under this resolution, only those armed forces that were invited by the legitimate government of Syria, a United Nations member, have the right to be present in that country. Naturally, it applies to US units. By the way, along with the regular army, there are numerous so-called private military companies. This should also be taken into account," he noted.
The crewed spacecraft Soyuz MS-19 carrying cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov, actress Yulia Peresild and film director Klim Shipenko has jettisoned the third stage of the Soyuz-2.1a space rocket and begun autonomous flight to the International Space Station, the announcer said at the Baikonur cosmodrome.
The Soyuz-2.1a rocket blasted off from Baikonur at 11:55 Moscow time. It will take two orbits around the Earth (approximately three hours and 17 minutes) to approach the ISS. The docking with the Rassvet module is due at 15:20 Moscow time.
Peresild and Shipenko have been training for the flight since May. They studied space hardware, improved their physical fitness and underwent psychological training. They are going to the ISS to shoot a space drama under the working title Challenge, telling the story of a female doctor who agrees to go into space to save a cosmonaut's life. Taking part in filming the feature film episodes will be Russian cosmonauts Anton Shkaplerov, Oleg Novitsky and Pyotr Dubrov.
Peresild and Shipenko will stay in orbit for 12 days to return to the Earth by the Soyuz MS-18 spacecraft together with cosmonaut Oleg Novitsky, who has been on the ISS since April. Novitsky will get back to the Earth on October 17, while Shkaplerov and Dubrov will spend another 174 days in space.
The Russian crewmembers are to welcome the arrival of crewed spacecraft Soyuz MS-20 with space tourists and Soyuz MS-21 with cosmonauts, cargo spacecraft Progress MS-18, and nodal module Prichal and make three spacewalks to integrate the multi-purpose research module Nauka with the ISS.
One of Shkaplerov's tasks is to test a new composite radiation protection material. As follows from information available on the website of the Russian space corporation Roscosmos, the Russian crew are to make at least 30 experiments in space biology, physiology, materials processing, remote sensing of the Earth and cosmic rays physics.
Gasprom has started filling with gas the first string of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, the pipeline operator said on Monday.
"This string will be gradually filled to build the required inventory and pressure as a prerequisite for the later technical tests," the company said.
"Previously, the first string of the pipeline underwent pre-commissioning activities to assure the pipeline integrity. This included the internal inspection by special devices (pipeline inspection gauges), as well as external visual and instrumental surveys of the pipeline. Nord Stream 2 will inform further technical steps in due time," the gas pipeline operator said.
"Pre-commissioning steps for the second string are ongoing," the pipeline operator added.
The pipeline was "built and independently certified according to applicable technical and industry standards to ensure reliable and safe operations," the Nord Stream 2 AG said.
Russia is interested in building up multifaceted cooperation with Egypt in all spheres, Sergey Lavrov said at a joint press conference following talks with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry.
'We welcomed the dialogue between our defence ministries and security councils and noted the positive effects of regular meetings between our foreign and defence ministers in the 2+2 format. we have agreed to make arrangements to hold the next such meeting early next year," Lavrov said.
Despite a certain decline in mutual trade last year, the growth trend resumed early this year. we agree that the restoration of positive growth will be promoted by the full-scale resumption of flights between Russian cities and the Egyptian Red Sea resorts in August 2021.
"We talked about the importance of large joint investment projects, namely the construction of the El Dabaa nuclear power plant and the establishment of a Russian industrial zone in Egypt," Lavrov added.
Both minister talked at length about a number of current issues.
"Our countries are committed to the central role of the UN and to respect for the norms of international law during the settlement of existing crises and conflicts, including in the Middle East and Africa. we have agreed to continue our close interaction on issues on the agenda of the UN and other multilateral forums," Russian minister noted.
Sergey Lavrov and his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry discussed the withdrawal of all foreign armed forces from Libya on Monday, the top Russian diplomat told a press conference on Monday.
"We touched upon the issue of the withdrawal from the country of all non-Libyan armed groups and military units. We have a clear position: these steps must be taken in stages and must be synchronized in time in order to avoid the risk of violating the existing balance of forces, owing to which a ceasefire has been maintained in Libya for already over a year," Lavrov told the news conference after the talks.
The top diplomat also stressed the role of Russia and Egypt in preparations for the Libyan national elections scheduled for December 24. According to him, it was emphasized at the talks that "further work towards unified government agencies and work to re-create the unified armed forces is needed." The top diplomats also confirmed the important role of the UN Support Mission in Libya.
Sergey Lavrov met with Foreign Minister of Egypt Sameh Shoukry in Moscow on Manday.
"We meet regularly. I am sincerely grateful for your hospitality in Cairo last April. I hope we will reciprocate it today," Lavrov said.
Ten days ago, they had a brief meeting in New York and managed to discuss current issues regarding the activities of the UN General Assembly.
Ten days ago, they had a brief meeting in New York and managed to discuss current issues regarding the activities of the UN General Assembly. "This was a useful conversation. now we will have an opportunity to discuss in more detail all aspects of our bilateral relations, especially regional and international problems, Lavrov added.
This frequency of Russian-Egyptian contacts reflects the quality of relations sealed in the Treaty on Comprehensive Partnership and Strategic Cooperation that was signed by presidents of both countries and entered into force in January 2021.
"We will also discuss a schedule for our upcoming contacts, including an important mechanism we must create in the near future, notably, the two+two meetings of our defence and foreign ministers," Lavrov concluded.
Moscow appreciate the fact that you have decided to visit the Russian Federation on your first visit abroad in the capacity of Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, Sergey Lavrov said during his opening remarks during talks with Alen Simonyan.
This reflects the high level of Russian-Armenian allied relations.
This reflects the allied nature of our relations and strategic partnership. "I am aware of the packed schedule of your visit, and this highlights the current level of our relations," Lavrov added.
Lavrov expressed hope for the resumption of full-scale parliamentary cooperation in connection with the parliamentary elections held in Russia and the beginning of the work of the new composition of the State Duma of the Russian Federation.
The Northern Fleet’s Severodvinsk nuclear-powered submarine has successfully conducted its first test launch of the Tsirkon hypersonic missile in the Barents Sea, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Monday.
The launch was performed at a hypothetical sea target in the waters of the Barents Sea. According to objective control’s data, the missile’s trajectory matched the set parameters and it hit the hypothetical target," the military agency reported. According to the Defense Ministry, "the trial launch of the Tsirkon missile from the nuclear-powered submarine was deemed successful."
The Tsirkon missile’s launch was conducted from the water surface position.
On September 30, a source in the military-industrial complex told that the first trial launch of the underwater version of the Tsirkon hypersonic missile would be conducted from the Severodvinsk nuclear-powered submarine in October. Depending on the outcome, the second launch from the underwater position at a sea target is being planned for November.
On July 19, it was reported that the Project 22350 lead frigate Admiral Gorshkov had successfully launched the Tsirkon hypersonic missile at a land target at a speed of Mach 7 and at a distance beyond 350 kilometers. According to the military agency, the frigate launched the missile from the waters of the White Sea. The land target was located on the coast of the Barents Sea.
Russia, unlike the United States, is free from ideological biases or taboos in interactions with foreign policy partners, Sergey Lavrov said at the 29th Assembly of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy.
"Unlike the United States, we don’t have ideological biases, ideological taboos in our relations with foreign partners. However, this is actually our advantage - methodological and practical, since it allows us to play an active mediating role in resolving the conflicts that we consider important to keep on the agenda, to maintain contacts with all players without exceptions," the minister said.
Lavrov stressed that Russia will always defend international law, the central role of the United Nations in the global arena. "Multilateral associations with the participation of Russia are playing an increasing role not only in shaping the regional agenda but also in defining global development trends," the Russian Foreign Minister added. According to him, the results of the latest summits of BRICS, CSTO, and SCO clearly show the growing importance of these structures.
All obstacles preventing the certification of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine against coronavirus by the World Health Organization (WHO) have been removed, Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said at a briefing in Geneva on Saturday.
Summarizing the results of his meeting with WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus where, among others, the procedure of including Sputnik V in the list of vaccines recommended by the organization for the Emergency Use Listing for fighting the coronavirus infection was discussed, the Russian health minister said: "The position of the Russian Federation on promoting and registering the Russian Sputnik V vaccine was heard. we have completely resolved all issues to date."
'The applicant company involved in certifying the Sputnik V vaccine with the WHO has to sign a number of documents, submit some additional paperwork - this is an administrative procedure after all - and this will be reviewed," he explained. "As of today, all the barriers have been removed. So we do not see today any obstacles for further work. And this was confirmed to us by the WHO Director General," the Russian health minister concluded.
Ghebreyesus thanked the Russian health minister for the visit saying the meeting was constructive. In his Twitter he emphasized that the WHO Emergency Use Listing process for the vaccines against coronavirus was discussed, among others. He thanked Russian health minister for the "visit and constructive meeting," writing "thank you" in Russian.
To date, the WHO has recommended seven vaccines against coronavirus for the Emergency Use Listing. Additionally, 13 other applications are at the various stages of the review process, including the Russian Sputnik V and EpiVacCorona vaccines.
New AUKUS alliance between the US, the UK, and Australia as well as the four-sided dialogue on security between the US, Japan, India, and Australia (Quad) are directed at eroding the long-standing universal formats of cooperation in the Asia-Pacific Region existing under the auspices of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Sergey Lavrov said at the 29th Assembly of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy on Saturday.
The Russian top diplomat noted, "one of the most fashionable trends today is the so-called Indo-Pacific strategies that are invented by the United States," in particular, AUKUS and Quad.
"All of this follows the line of eroding the universal formats in the Asia-Pacific Region which existed for the past decades under the auspices of ASEAN," he noted.
The minister named "East Asian summits, the ASEAN security forum, meetings of ASEAN defense ministers and partners, the so-called ASEAN+, and a number of other formats based on the principle of consensus among such universal formats.
"All of them involved all key countries of this region without exception, including China, India, Japan, and the Russian Federation on the basis of equality and mutual consideration of interests," he continued.
Georgy Romanov, a descendant of the House of Romanovs, and his wife, Italian citizen Rebecca Bettarini, wed in St. Petersburg’s Saint Isaac’s Cathedral Friday.
According to the Russian Imperial House, this is the first wedding of a House representative to take place in Russia in over 100 years. Romanov and Bettarini — who converted to Orthodox Christianity and was christened Viktoria Romanovna in July 2020 — officially registered their marriage in a Moscow registry office in late September.
The ceremony was attended by several hundred guests from several countries, including Duke Michael of Wuerttemberg, Duke of Anjour Louis Alphonse de Bourbon, the last king of Bulgaria Simeon Borisov von Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Prince Joachim Louis Napoleon Murat, Prince Philipp and Princess Isabelle of Lichtenstein, and others.
Georgy Mikhailovich Romanov is a son and an heir of the Russian Imperial House head Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna of Russia, the only child of Vladimir Kirillovich Romanov and Duchess Leonida Georgiyevna Bagration of Mukhrani. The legitimacy of Maria Vladimirovna’s title of Grand Duchess is challenged by the other line of descendants of House Romanov, who trace their bloodline to Emperor Nicholas I’s grandson, Grand Duke Nikolay Nikolayevich.
Russia and Belarus, are smart enough to set up a union of two independent, sovereign states that will be even stronger than a single entity. this issue [of losing independence and joining Russia] is not on the agenda at all, Alexander Lukashchenko said in interview with CNN correspondent Matthew Chance on Thursday.
"It is an invention of the collective West as they say here,” the head of state said.
Aleksander Lukashenko stressed that in fact Belarus has long been an outpost of the Belarus-Russia Union State: “We have actually created a common army in the western direction. A joint armed force with the Belarusian army as its core. in the event of a conflict we will receive the support of all Russian military forces deployed in the western direction. we don’t hide it. I am not trying to scare you. I just remind you that this is what we talk about all the time.”
“Therefore, all these speculations that Belarus will be turned into an outpost are unfounded. if necessary, this outpost will be established within a month,” the head of state added.
The approach of the Ukrainian authorities to the settlement of the conflict in Donbass and the protection of human rights and the rights of ethnic minorities continues to be of serious concern to Russia, Deputy Director of the Information and Press Department Alexey Zaytsev said on Friday, at the briefing.
The most recent meeting of the Contact Group and its subgroups on the settlement of the crisis in eastern Ukraine took place online on September 28-29. the lack of specific agreements between the parties to the conflict – Kiev, Donetsk and Lugansk – came as an unpleasant, but no longer surprising, outcome of these meetings. the Ukrainian negotiators have once again shown an unwillingness to fulfill their obligations under the Minsk agreements.
Kiev’s policy of sabotaging the Minsk Package of Measures is reflected in their legislative activities. earlier, we discussed the draft law On the Principles of State Policy during the Transition Period, which was submitted to the Verkhovna Rada in August and which directly contradicts the Minsk agreements. this draft law was not discussed with Donetsk or Lugansk. there was no mention of the region’s special status or fundamental rights, nor amnesty for its residents. notably, the most recent report released by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on September 23, 2021 said that “the bill does not meet international standards, does not provide a ... focus on the protection of victims.”
Kiev’s contemptuous disregard for Donbass residents is further illustrated by the situation on the line of contact. the data provided by the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission testify to new military preparations by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. the engineering work they carried out this summer is categorised as an offensive action under the Ceasefire Reinforcement Measures adopted in July 2020. recently, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valery Zaluzhny, said that the Ukrainian military could open return fire without the approval of the country’s leadership. he reiterated that Ukrainian sniper groups had arrived at the line of contact. this contradicts the above document’s provisions. as a result, the number of shelling attacks has been up and the number of victims, including civilians, has increased as well. the UN OHCHR report explicitly states that areas outside the Kiev regime’s control account for 77 percent of the fatalities.
Ukraine residing abroad also have to deal with this. Ukrainian consular offices refuse to provide consular services to their citizens from eastern Ukraine and direct them to Russian consulates which is egregious practice for a consular office.
"Of course, Russian diplomats are trying to help them to the best of their ability and legal capacity, since Ukrainians are not strangers to us," Diplomat added.
Kiev’s hostility towards its own citizens can be seen throughout Ukraine where discrimination against the Russian-speaking and ethnic Russian population continues unabated. people are deprived of the opportunity to live in their native linguistic and cultural environment. UN experts point out that despite the presence in the Constitution of Ukraine of guarantees of free development, use and protection of the Russian and other languages of ethnic minorities, the use of the Russian language is practically outlawed in the country, and “internet bullying and calls for violence, as well as threats and intimidation are used against those who express positive opinions about the Russian language or otherwise express views regarded as pro-Russian.”
Residents of Ukraine are increasingly faced with mockery over the memory of their ancestors on the part of neo-Nazis and nationalists, and the distortion of history of the lands that are part of Ukraine today.
'We have repeatedly expressed all the above and other concerns on earlier occasions. however, Kiev ignores us and the recommendations issued by international agencies. we call on Ukraine’s Western curators, primarily the United States and the EU, to pay close attention to the years-long humiliation and destruction of its own population by the Kiev regime and to persuade the Ukrainian authorities to end the fratricidal war in Donbass and the massive human rights violations, including discrimination against ethnic minorities," Zaytsev noted.
Russia are observing with concern the growing tension in Tajik-Afghan ties amid the tough rhetoric of the two countries’ leaders. there have been reports of both sides pulling armed forces towards the common border. according to the information from the Taliban, in Afghanistan’s border province of Takhar alone there are tens of thousands of special forces fighters. Russia calls on Dushanbe and Kabul to search for mutually acceptable options to resolve the situation, Russian diplomat Alexey Zaytsev said on Friday.
Afghanistan is also facing socioeconomic challenges. A decrease in cash turnover has been noted, and the country’s banking sector is paralysed. an overwhelming majority of public sector employees, including the Taliban military personnel, do not receive their salaries. the deplorable state of the national economy has resulted in a sharp rise in prices, while industrial production has declined. "In these conditions, we have taken note of the decision by the US Treasury Department to allow state institutions, international and nongovernmental organisations to provide humanitarian aid to Afghanistan.
We view this as a positive signal, especially since the United States bears the bulk of the responsibility for the developments taking place in Afghanistan today. a positive response from the Taliban has already followed," Zaytsev added.
Moscow also note another statement made by Taliban official spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid about the intention to stop drug trafficking from Afghanistan. Russia hopes the Kabul leadership will take active efforts to counter the Afghan drug threat.
Russia noted a statement by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in which he blamed Russia for obstructing the annual OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting (HDIM), Deputy Director of the Information and Press Department Alexey Zaytsev said on Friday, at the briefing.
Moscow consider his statement as yet another attempt to distort reality. since the beginning of this year, when the participants began consultations on coordinating the agenda and modalities of the Warsaw meeting, Russia has clearly outlined its priorities and consistently pursued them during the talks.
Russia insisted on including an item on the need to counter neo-Nazism and the glorification of Nazism on the agenda because of the aggravation of these problems in the OSCE space. in addition, we wanted the meeting in Warsaw to be organised in line with established practice. the equal and non-discriminatory access of all participants, including NGOs, is an indispensable condition for this.
The refusal of Sweden, as the current OSCE Chair, and Western partners to consider Russia’s proposals is perplexing, particularly when they ignore the increase in neo-Nazi activity and the glorification of Nazis and their accomplices. we believe that without a discussion on this important subject the meeting would block monitoring of the deteriorating human rights situation, something Mr Blinken accuses Russia of. 'We would like to emphasise that Russia has done all it can to resolve any problems with regard to holding the Warsaw meeting. In this context, we believe that attempts to cast our position as obstructive are dishonest and harmful to the spirit of partnership and cooperation in the OSCE," Zaytsev stressed.
