Russia

ST. PETERSBURG, April 20. /TASS/: The Russian Geographical Society (RGS) continued the Trans-Polar Railroad expedition to install geo-thermal equipment in the Yamalo-Nenets and Krasnoyarsk regions. Collected data will be used to evaluate the expediency of the project to build a railway line between Korotcheyevo, Igarka and Norilsk, RGS’s press service said in a statement.

MOSCOW, April 20. /TASS/: The arrival of the latest S-350 anti-aircraft missile systems for Russia’s Aerospace Force and its Navy will boost the efficiency of the country’s defense against cruise missiles fourfold, according to the article posted on the website of the Defense Ministry’s Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper on Monday.

MOSCOW, April 20. /TASS/: A Russian fighter jet was scrambled from the Hmeymim air base in Syria to shadow a US reconnaissance plane flying over the neutral waters of the Mediterranean Sea towards Russia’s military facilities, the Defense Ministry of Russia reported on Monday.

NOVO-OGARYOVO, April 20. /TASS/: The coronavirus epidemic continues to spread, but Russia’s preventive measures have contained it, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday.

"The situation is still challenging, and unfortunately, the epidemic spread continues and the number of citizens, who contract the coronavirus, is on the rise," Putin told a meeting to discuss the sanitary and epidemiological situation in Russia.

20 April 2020; MEMO: A Russian news agency close to President Vladimir Putin criticised Syrian regime President, Bashar Al-Assad, describing him as “weak”, adding he cannot rule a country ravaged by corruption.

The Federal News Agency, owned by businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin who is known as “Putin’s chef”, added in a report published a few days ago that rampant corruption in Syria hinders cooperation between Damascus and Moscow.

20 April 2020; MEMO: Russia has confirmed its rejection of Israel’s plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank, stressing that this would undermine the settlement of the conflict on the basis of a two-state solution, and especially the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

MOSCOW, April 19. /TASS/: Some 60% Muscovites with a confirmed coronavirus infection are showing no symptoms, compared with 40% a week ago, the anti-coronavirus crisis center reported on Sunday.

MOSCOW, April 19. /TASS/: The role of international interaction in combating the novel coronavirus and the demand in this cooperation is growing, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with "Moscow. Kremlin. Putin" program on Rossiya-1 TV channel.

"Here it’s impossible to distance from each other. On the contrary, the importance and demand in communication is only growing," Peskov said.

"Our countries cooperate. And the heads of state have contacts. And they provide mutual assistance and exchange information," the Kremlin spokesman noted.

MOSCOW, April 19. /TASS/: Russia’s National Wealth Fund will amount to nearly 7 trillion rubles ($94.6 bln) by the end of 2020 with all planned spending and these reserves will be enough until 2024 under the current oil prices, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said on Sunday.

"Given all expenses of this year, by the end of the year we expect some 7 trillion rubles in the National Wealth Fund. If we look at the oil prices today, this resource will be enough for us until 2024," Siluanov told "Moscow. Kremlin. Putin" program.

MOSCOW, April 16. /TASS/: The Russian Army has received the first 2S7M ‘Malka’ 203mm self-propelled artillery gun, the press office of the state hi-tech corporation Rostec reported on Thursday.

"Uraltransmash (part of Uralvagonzavod Group within the state hi-tech corporation Rostec) has delivered the first 2S7M ‘Malka’ upgraded self-propelled artillery gun to the Defense Ministry of Russia. The upgraded weapon has received new running gear and electronics, which have significantly enhanced its performance characteristics," the press office said in a statement.