Russia

MOSCOW, April 5. /TASS/. Moscow hopes that a military scenario won’t be implemented in Libya and the crisis will be ironed out by a political and diplomatic means, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday.

"We hope this scenario won’t be fulfilled," the diplomat stressed. "We believe that the crisis will be sorted out by a political and diplomatic means. We have been making every effort for this over the past several years," she noted.

MOSCOW, April 4. /TASS/. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s statement comparing Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hitler and IS (outlawed in Russia) shows his lack of education, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated during Thursday’s briefing.

"This statement is more stupid than inappropriate," she stated. "Many Western politicians are notorious for their absurd and stupid statements that have no relation to facts. They are simply ignorant."

KOROLYOV /Moscow Region/, April 4. /TASS/. The Progress MS-11 resupply ship has docked to the International Space Station (ISS) after using an ultra-short flight scheme. The flight lasted slightly over 3 hours and 20 minutes, Russia’s Mission Control reported on Thursday.

"The Progress MS-11 space freighter docked with the orbital station in an automated mode at 5:22 p.m. Moscow time," the Flight Control Center said, specifying that the resupply ship had arrived at the Pirs docking module.

3 Apr 2019; DW: German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy, Peter Altmaier (above right), said on Wednesday that he saw great potential for future cooperation with Russia despite "political differences."

"The Russian automotive market continues to be a key market for German car manufacturers. The opening of the first plant of Mercedes-Benz Cars in Russia is a landmark for the commitment of Mercedes-Benz in Russia, but also that of German ventures in Russia overall," Altmaier said.

MOSCOW, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and visiting Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Wednesday agreed to further develop the strategic partnership of the two countries and enhance their comprehensive cooperation in various fields.

The two leaders discussed at their first meeting a wide range of key issues on the bilateral agenda, according to a joint statement of the presidents published on the Kremlin's website.

MOSCOW, April 1. /TASS/. Members of the first crew of the US Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft have arrived at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in the Moscow Region in order to complete training, the center’s website informed on Monday.

"Today, NASA astronauts Nicole Mann, Mike Fink and Barry Whitmore were introduced to the leadership and the employees of the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center. The astronauts are getting ready for the first test flight of the International Space Station within the crew of the Starliner spacecraft," the message informed.

MOSCOW, April 1. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have discussed military cooperation issues over the phone, the Kremlin press service reported following telephone conversation initiated by Israel.

"[The parties] discussed pressing bilateral issues, including military contacts, and the situation in the Middle East region," the press service said.

KRASNOYARSK, April 1. /TASS/. Russia’s aluminum producer Rusal has fully resumed supplies of primary aluminum to the United States and Europe to the level prior to US sanctions, Chief Executive Officer Evgenii Nikitin said in an interview with TASS at the Krasnoyarsk Economic Forum on Monday.

"The volume (of supplies to Europe and US - TASS) has been fully resumed on aluminum. It has not been resumed on alloys, though we are working towards that," he said.

CEO noted that the company continues resuming supplies to all export markets in pre-sanctions volumes.

MOSCOW, March 30 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Foreign Ministry on Saturday warned the United States against further interfering in Venezuela's domestic affairs and stirring up speculations about Russia conducting military operations in the South American country.

"We recommend that the United States stop threatening Venezuela, strangling its economy and pushing it towards civil war, which is in open violation of international law," the ministry's spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement.

ANTALYA /Turkey/, March 29. /TASS/. Moscow and Ankara has agreed to step up work to establish Syria’s Constitutional Committee in cooperation with the UN, the Syrian government and the opposition, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters on Friday at a joint news conference with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu following a meeting of the Joint Strategic Planning Group.