Russia

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday that he opposes the idea of an unlimited term in office for the country’s leader like the system that existed in the Soviet Union.

Putin’s comment at a meeting with World War II veterans in St. Petersburg came days after he called for constitutional changes that could help him remain in power once his presidential term ends in 2024.

MOSCOW, January 17. / TASS /: Construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline will be completed despite outside pressure and US sanctions against the project, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a response on its website following Acting Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's press conference on summing up the results of Russian diplomacy in 2019. The relevant question was not voiced at the conference.

"Despite ongoing pressure, North Stream 2 will be completed. To the clear-thinking Europeans, the benefits of creating an additional gas export route are obvious," the ministry said.

MOSCOW, January 18. /TASS/: Rosneft Deutschland GmbH, a subsidiary of Rosneft in Germany, has completed the deal to acquire a 3.57% stake in Bayernoil Raffineriegesellschaft mbH from the British BP increasing its shareholding in the refinery to 28.57% from 25%, Russia’s top oil producer said in a statement.

The company will increase its share in the refinery capacity of the Bayernoil to almost 3 mln tonnes per year following the deal.

MOSCOW, January 18. /TASS/: The Moscow authorities have approved a request for a protest rally against recently proposed constitutional amendments, which would involve up to 10,000 people, Moscow’s Department of Regional Security said in a statement.

"The Moscow city authorities have considered and approved a request for a public event in the form of a rally aimed at ‘protesting against the draft constitutional reform’ on Academician Sakharov Avenue, which would involve up to 10,000 people," the statement reads.

MOSCOW, January 18. /TASS/: Russia’s national air carrier Aeroflot decided to carry out Tehran flights only during daylight hours in order to ensure better identification of aircraft and reduce risks, Federal Air Transport Agency chief Alexander Neradko told reporters.

"We believe that in the daytime, there are more chances to identify a plane and there are fewer risks. This is why Aeroflot rescheduled its flights," Neradko said.

At the same time, he pointed out that the agency’s task force on flights over the Middle East continued to monitor the situation in the region.

MOSCOW, January 18. /TASS/: The Ukrainian authorities pursue the policy of forced Ukrainization of the country, violating their commitments to protect human rights, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said in a note on Saturday.

18 Jan 2019; MEMO: The final draft of the agreement to be discussed at the Berlin Conference, which will be held this Sunday, is almost ready according to the Russian Foreign Ministry, which expressed regret over the parties of the conflict’s refusal to meet with one another.

MOSCOW, January 17. /TASS/: Representatives of the US and the Taliban movement (outlawed in Russia) are discussing the details of a joint agreement, Taliban Spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid stated on Friday on Twitter.

MOSCOW, January 17. /TASS/: The crews of MiG-31 interceptor-fighters and Su-24 bombers from the composite air regiment of the Northern Fleet’s Air Force and Air Defense Army performed training flights in adverse weather conditions, the press office of the Western Military District reported on Friday.

MOSCOW, January 17. /TASS/: Russia’s new super-heavy carrier rocket Yenisei will be cheaper than the US Space Launch System (SLS), Head of the State Space Corporation Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin wrote on his Twitter on Friday.

"Our super-heavy rocket will cost considerably less than the American SLS but it is necessary to lay groundwork already today for the solutions that will make the Yenisei even more competitive," he said.