Russia

MOSCOW, February 14. /TASS/: The Russian State Duma (lower house of parliament) Commission on Foreign Interference in Russia’s Internal Affairs will track how the US administration spends budget funds allocated for countering "Russian propaganda," first deputy head of the United Russia parliamentary fraction Adalbi Shkhagoshev told TASS on Friday.

MOSCOW, February 13. /TASS/: Head of the Russian State Space Corporation Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin expects new US Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan to attend the launch of the Soyuz MS-16 manned spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS) scheduled for April 9.

"The [next] manned space launch will take place in early April. We expect the presence of a NASA delegation and the US ambassador [to Russia]," Rogozin told reporters on Thursday.

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will meet his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu in Munich on Sunday on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, the Interfax news agency reported on Friday.

On Thursday evening, Russia’s foreign ministry criticized statements from Ankara about Syria’s Idlib, after Turkey said it would use force against rebel groups violating a ceasefire in the region.

MOSCOW, February 13. /TASS/: A court in Rostov has sentenced Doctor of Technical Science Alexei Temirev, of Novocherkassk, to 7.5 years in a maximum security penitentiary for high treason. The court’s press-service told TASS Temirev’s trial was fast-tracked.

"The court found Temirev guilty under article 275 of the Criminal Code (High Treason) and sentenced him to seven years and six months in a maximum security penitentiary. Also, Temirev’s freedom will be restricted for one year after the prison term," the court’s spokeswoman said.

MOSCOW, February 13. /TASS/: Russian President Vladimir Putin has great respect for the Ukrainian people, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Thursday.

"President Putin has always had great respect for the Ukrainian nation," Peskov stressed, adding that Putin has stated the same on numerous occasions.

"Unfortunately, this has not been reciprocated by previous Ukrainian leaders," the spokesman stated.

TOMSK, February 13. /TASS/: The upgraded T-90M Proryv tank, developed by UralVagonZavod (UVZ), might be displayed to the public during the Army 2020 forum, UVZ CEO Alexander Potapov said.

"I think we will see them [T-90M] soon. This year, we have 75th anniversary of the Victory [over Nazism during the Great Patriotic War], the 100th anniversary of tank building industry, and the Army forum," Potapov said.

In early February, UVZ press service said that the company already commenced shipping the upgraded T-90M tanks to the military, in accordance with the contract.

MOSCOW, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Defense Ministry denied in a statement on Wednesday the accusations of attacks on civilians in Idlib.

"The activities of the Russian military and, above all, the Russian Center for the Reconciliation of the warring parties in the Idlib de-escalation zone, are carried out solely on the basis of the Sochi agreements," the Ministry's Zvezda broadcasting service said.

MOSCOW, February 12. /TASS/: President Vladimir Putin marked positive trends in Russia’s macroeconomic indicators and instructed the government to launch a new investment cycle, which will help the national economy grow above the global average.

"Our common main task is to make economic growth more solid, high-quality and sustainable, taking into account external challenges and risks," the head of state said at a meeting on economic issues on Wednesday.

MOSCOW, February 12. /TASS/: Russian President Vladimir Putin and Italy’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte held a phone conversation to exchange views on the situation in Libya, the Kremlin press service said on Wednesday.

"A substantive exchange of views was held on the situation in Libya, including in the context of implementing the outcome of the January 19 international conference in Berlin," the press service said.

MOSCOW, February 12. /TASS/: The second Angara-A5 heavy carrier missile is scheduled for delivery to Plesetsk Cosmodrome (Arkhangelsk Region) in March-April this year, says Alexey Varochko, Director of the Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center, the maker of the missile.

"We have a goal: March-April - the machine [Angara-A5] goes to the Cosmodrome," Varochko told Russian Veterans Union and Russian Military Commanders Club during their visit to the Center.