Russia

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Thursday the country would hold referendum on constitutional changes, the Belta state news agency reported.

Lukashenko, who has faced weekly protests since claiming victory in an Aug. 9 election his opponents say was rigged, did not say when such a referendum would be held.

MOSCOW, December 30. /TASS/: The number of Russian satellites that are used for social, economic and scientific purposes, as well for research and navigation, was increased to 99 in 2020, Russia’s state-run space corporation Roscosmos said in a statement on Wednesday.

"The Russian orbital constellation used for social, economic, scientific and navigational purposes now comprises 99 spacecraft," the statement says.

MOSCOW, December 30. /TASS/: The new version of the Russian multirole helicopter Ansat with the extended flight range has completed the maiden flight, Rostec company says on Wednesday.

The Ansat-M helicopter is fitted with a new fuel system, new avionic equipment enabling to fly in zero visibility condition, and improved directional stability.

MOSCOW, December 30. /TASS/: Two Borei-A-class strategic nuclear submarines for the Russian Navy will be laid down next year, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexei Krivoruchko said in an interview with the Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper.

"The construction of four underwater cruisers of this class is under way, two more will be laid down as part of a new state contract signed this year," he said.

In line with Russia’s current state defense procurement program, a total of 14 Borei-A and Yasen-M nuclear submarines are to be built by 2027, Krivoruchko added.

MOSCOW, December 30. /TASS/: Russian President Vladimir Putin doesn’t give a darn about the situation surrounding the new criminal case against Alexey Navalny, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

According to the Kremlin official, the head of state has other things to focus on, particularly the goals that he and the cabinet are going to tackle.

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia said on Wednesday it had expanded its list of British citizens barred from entering the country in response to what it described as unacceptable and ungrounded sanctions imposed in October over the poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.

In a statement announcing the move, the Russian foreign ministry did not name the individuals it has barred.

MOSCOW, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed developments in relation to the joint Russian-Turkish peacekeeping center in Nagorno-Karabakh and bilateral ties under U.S. sanctions during his meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in Sochi on Tuesday.

MOSCOW, December 29. /TASS/: The situation with the coronavirus in 77 Russian regions has been in the stabilization phase for more than five weeks, Head of the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing Anna Popova reported on Tuesday.

"In 77 regions, the phase of stabilization has continued for over five weeks already. This is a decent forecasting sign," she said at a session of the presidium of the state coordination council to control the coronavirus incidence in the Russian Federation.

SOCHI, December 29. /TASS/: Ankara has taken note of Moscow’s efforts aimed at facilitating the development of a new Syrian constitution, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said following talks with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday.

"We support the initiative to adopt a new constitution in Syria. We can see the results of Russia’s efforts and we support the political process," he pointed out.

SOCHI, December 29. /TASS/: Moscow sees Turkey’s willingness to keep the famed Hagia Sophia and the Church of the Holy Savior, which have been converted into mosques, in respectable condition and guarantee access to these sites to members of all religions, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday following talks with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu.