Russia

UFA, June 18. /TASS/: Russia expects that the attack on oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz won’t spark war and the perpetrators will be found, Director of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service Sergey Naryshkin told an Ufa international meeting of high representatives overseeing security issues.

"We hope that this won’t result in a difficult phase of a conflict and in military actions," Naryshkin said. "The situation requires a careful investigation and the true mastermind behind this very dangerous provocation should be identified," he stressed.

MOSCOW, June 17. /TASS/: Using Russian equipment and software to manage the country's power grids is necessary to protect the energy system from cyber criminals, the press service of the Russian Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Media told TASS on Monday.

MOSCOW, June 18. /TASS/: Over 40 forest fires are blazing on the territory of 4,800 hectares in Russia, the press service of the Aerial Forest Protection Service said on Tuesady.

"As of 12am on 18 June 2019, 42 forest fires are reported on the territory of over 4,800 hectares, with active firefighting efforts underway," the press service said.

UFA, June 18. /TASS/: The preparations of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s visit to Russia may begin during the July working visit to Caracas by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, Venezuelan Ambassador to Russia Carlos Rafael Tortosa told TASS.

MOSCOW, June 17. /TASS/: Washington still hasn’t put forward any proposals on a meeting between Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Donald Trump of the United States that is supposed to take place during the upcoming G20 summit, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

MOSCOW, June 17. /TASS/: The Russian national football team will play its 2020 UEFA Euro Cup group stage qualifying match against the team from Scotland in October at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, the press service of the Russian Football Union (RFU) announced on Monday.

The qualifier between the Russian and Scottish national teams at the 81,000-seat capacity stadium, which hosted matches of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, is scheduled to kick off at 9:45 p.m. Moscow time on October 10.

MOSCOW, June 17. /TASS/: Both Russia and the United States are still interested in extending the Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (the New START Treaty), Leading Researcher at the Institute for USA and Canadian Studies, ex-Chief of the Main Staff, former First Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Strategic Missile Force, retired Colonel-General Viktor Yesin told TASS on Monday.

MOSCOW, June 17. /TASS/: Moscow is very much interested in boosting investment cooperation with Seoul, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference following talks with his South Korean counterpart Kang Kyung-Wha on Monday.

"As for strengthening positive trends, we have paid special attention to the prospects of implementing major investment projects, particularly given the role of the joint commission on trade, economic, scientific and technical cooperation," he said.

MOSCOW, June 17. /TASS/: Washington’s attempts to again accuse Russia of carrying out above the "zero yield" nuclear tests are unacceptable and have no grounds, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Monday.

"The United States continues making unfounded accusations over Russia’s violation of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty," the ministry said, commenting on the June 13 statement of the Defense Intelligence Agency.

YUZHNO-SAKHALINSK, June 16. /TASS/: The incident with the attacks on tankers in the Gulf of Oman may undermine global economy, and convincing evidence is needed in order to avoid unfounded accusations, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Earlier, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo blamed Iranian authorities for the attacks on the oil tankers, noting that this assessment was based on intelligence and the analysis on the weapons allegedly used in the attack.