Russia

6 Nov 2019; MEMO: The Russian Foreign Ministry said yesterday that Iran’s decision to start the fourth step to reduce its nuclear obligations under the 2015 deal is a “logical” result of the stagnation in resolving problems related to the agreement.

MOSCOW, November 3. /TASS/. The Russian world and culture are always open to cooperation and collaboration, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday at an awarding ceremony at the Kremlin timed to coincide with Day of National Unity.

The head of state awarded some foreign nationals for merits in strengthening peace, friendship, cooperation and understanding between the nations.

MOSCOW, Nov 5 (NNN-SPUTNIK) — Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin said Tuesday that Russia was ready to assist in talks between Damascus and Kurds on the SDF joining the Syrian government army.

“We have repeatedly said that we support the dialogue between Kurdish representatives and the central authorities in Damascus and consider the Kurds as an integral part of Syrian society,” Vershinin told reporters.

MOSCOW, November 1. /TASS/. The United States seems to be seeking to break down the entire system of strategic stability, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told Rossiya-24 TV channel on Friday.

"The Americans’ recent actions suggest an idea that they would be glad to wreck the entire system of international treaties, at least in the sphere of strategic stability and arms control," Lavrov said.

MOSCOW, November 3. /TASS/: Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev considers joint naval exercises between Russia and ASEAN possible, he said in an interview with Bangkok Post on the eve of the ASEAN Business Investment Summit and the 14th East Asia Summit.

MOSCOW, November 3. /TASS/: The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) does not look for new members to join the organization, forming a single economic and cultural space is much more important, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said in an interview with Bangkok Post on the eve of the ASEAN Business Investment Summit and the 14th East Asia Summit.

MOSCOW, November 3. /TASS/: The upgraded BMP-2M infantry fighting vehicle equipped with the Berezhok combat module will complete state tests by December 1, 2019, a source in the military-industrial complex told TASS.

"The BMP-2M with the Berezhok combat module is a deep modernization of the BMP-2 in service. Currently, state tests of the newest vehicle are underway, they should be completed by December 1," the source said.

MOSCOW, November 2. /TASS/: The Zaliv Ameriki tanker has been tugged to the port of Nakhodka in Russia’s Far East after an onboard explosion, a spokesman for the Federal Agency of Maritime and River Transport told TASS on Saturday.

"The tanker that was damaged by an explosion has been towed to the shore and anchored in the port of Nakhodka," the spokesman said, adding that the tanker’s air tightness is intact and it has no exterior damages while its interior premises are severely damaged.

MOSCOW, November 2. /TASS/: The launch of three Gonets satellites in 2021 will be conducted on the Soyuz-2.1 rocket, not the Angara carrier, a source in the press service of Russia’s State Space Corporation Roscosmos told TASS on Saturday.

"The launch of Gonets space vehicles planned for 2021 will be conducted on the Soyuz-2.1 carrier rocket. Previously the launch of those space vehicles were planned on the Angara carrier rocket," the source said. Soyuz-2.1 carrier rockets have been fully adjusted for Gonets satellites, the source added.

MOSCOW, November 1. /TASS/: Russian military cannot confirm yet that Islamic State (IS, terrorist organization banned in Russia) leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was killed as was announced earlier by the United States, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told Rossiya-24 TV channel on Friday.