Russia to launch serial production of breakthrough Armata tank in 2022

According to Russian Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov, the tank’s state trials will come to a close next year.

MOSCOW, July 5. /TASS/. The serial production of Russia’s latest T-14 ‘Armata’ tank will begin next year, Russian Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov told TASS on Monday.

"The [tank’s] state trials will come to a close next year. It will actively go into serial production from next year," the minister said.

The Armata is a heavy tracked standardized platform serving as the basis to develop a main battle tank, an infantry fighting vehicle, an armored personnel carrier and some other armored vehicles.

The T-14 tank based on the Armata platform was shown to the public for the first time at Red Square’s Victory Day Parade on May 9, 2015. The new combat vehicle features fully digitized equipment, an unmanned turret, and an isolated armored capsule for the crew.

Source: ITAR-TASS 05-07-2021

Russian aircraft conduct training fights above Black Sea amid NATO exercise

An international naval exercise codenamed Sea Breeze-2021 is being held in the Black Sea with NATO countries and Ukraine taking part.

SEVASTOPOL, July 3. /TASS/. The naval aviation of Russia’s Black Sea fleet, jointly with the Southern Military District air forces, carried out training flights above the Black Sea amid the Sea Breeze 2021 exercises of NATO and its partners in the region, the Black Sea fleet’s press service said in a statement on Saturday.

"Plane crews of the Black Sea fleet’s naval aviation and air defense units, jointly with the Southern Military District’s aviation, carried out training flights above the Black Sea, practicing missile and bomb attacks on vessels of a notional enemy. The Black Sea fleet’s naval aviation was represented by Su-30SM multirole fighter jets and Su-24M front-line bombers, the Southern Military District - by Su-34 fighter bombers and Su-27 air superiority fighter jets," the statement says.

As part of the exercises, a Be-12 amphibious aircraft carried out target reconnaissance in the Black Sea. A notional enemy’s naval task force was imitated by two large landing ships, the Saratov and the Orsk.

At the moment, an international naval exercise codenamed Sea Breeze-2021 is being held in the Black Sea with NATO countries and Ukraine taking part. This largest naval exercise in more than 20 years will last till July 10. The drills are expected to involve about 4,000 personnel, 40 warships, boats and auxiliary vessels and over 100 vehicles, including armored ones.

Source: ITAR-TASS 03-07-2021

Belgorod nuclear sub begins its first sea trials — source

The nuclear submarine is to be handed over to the ordering party in late 2021

ST. PETERSBURG, June 26. /TASS/. Russia’s Belgorod special-purpose nuclear-powered submarine of Project 09852 began the manufacturer’s sea trials in the White Sea, a shipbuilding industry source told TASS on the sideliens of the International Maritime Defence Show 2021.

"On June 25, the Belgorod nuclear sub took to the White Sea for the first time, for the manufacturer’s sea trials," he said.

According to the source, state trials will begin once the manufacturer’s trials are completed.

"The nuclear submarine is to be handed over to the ordering party in late 2021," he said.

The Sevmash shipyard’s press service refrained from any comments on the issue.

Earlier, a source close to the Russian Defense Ministry said the special-purpose nuclear sub is to enter service with Russia’s Pacific Fleet.

The Belgorod is the first carrier of the Poseidon strategic unmanned underwater craft. It has to deliver a retaliation nuclear strike at the potential adversary in case it attacks first. The Belgorod was floated out on April 23, 2019.

Source: ITAR-TASS 26-06-2021

Key rate decline to 0% in Russia will push inflation up to double digits, says regulator

There would be several severe consequences at once: first, the fall of the ruble’s exchange rate, second, businesses would stop investing in development, Russian Central Bank Chief Elvira Nabiullina said.

MOSCOW, June 21. /TASS/. The decline of the key rate to 0% in Russia by the example of developed countries will result in inflation rising to double digits and the fall in the ruble’s exchange rate, Russian Central Bank Chief Elvira Nabiullina said in an interview with the Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper.

"Those would definitely be double figures. There would be several severe consequences at once: first, the fall of the ruble’s exchange rate as people would take savings to foreign exchange, second, businesses would stop investing in development, since long-term predictability is very important for that," she said when asked about the consequences of the key rate’s decline to 0%.

The board of directors of the Bank of Russia raised the key rate for the second time in a row - by 0.5 percentage points to 5.5% per annum at its meeting earlier this month, noting that it will possibly go up in the future. The recovery of the Russian and global economies faster than expected, as well as proinflationary risks, were the reasons of such a decision, the regulator explained.

Source: ITAR-TASS 21-06-2021

Two missing, 24 injured in Yalta after heavy rains — mayor

Crimea was battered by torrential rains and gusts of the northwest wind.

SIMFEROPOL, June 20. /TASS/. Two people remain unaccounted for and 24 were injured after floods caused by torrential rains in the Crimean city of Yalta, Mayor Yanina Pavlenko said.

"24 [people have been injured], two are missing and one dead. None of them are tourists. All injuries are slight ones," she said.

According to earlier reports, 19 people were injured and one was killed. A woman was reported as missing, a search for her is under way.

On Thursday night, Crimea was battered by torrential rains and gusts of the northwest wind. A regional state of emergency was declared. The floods hit the resort city of Kerch and eastern regions of the peninsula. In the south of Crimea, the city of Yalta faced over 135 mm of precipitation. Yanina Pavlenko, the head of Yalta’s administration, said that the city had not witnessed such heavy rain since 1922, when the city had over 190 mm of precipitation. As many as 26,200 customers were left without electricity.

As a result, hundreds of houses all over the republic were damaged. 13 hotels were flooded in Yalta, with evacuation ordered in two of them. Beach infrastructure was damaged as well. At the moment, post-disaster recovery efforts are under way in many areas, including works to clear debris and resume electricity, water and gas supplies.

Source: ITAR-TASS 20-06-2021

Russia to exit Open Skies Treaty on December 18 — statement

Russia has notified all the member states about its decision to withdraw from the Open Skies Treaty six months after sending a notice, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

MOSCOW, June 18. /TASS/. Russia will completely withdraw from the Treaty on Open Skies on December 18, 2021, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday.

"Russia has notified all the member states about its decision to withdraw from the Open Skies Treaty six months after sending a notice. Therefore, this will occur on December 18, 2021," the statement says.

Following the federal law "On the Denunciation of the Treaty on Open Skies by the Russian Federation" that has entered into force and in compliance with the established procedure, Moscow has sent notices to Hungary and Canada as the document’s depository states and to the other member states through the embassies in the corresponding capitals, the Foreign Ministry said.

"A request has been sent to the depository states of the Treaty on Open Skies to immediately inform all the member states of the corresponding notice and convene within the shortest time possible stipulated in the Treaty (i.e. in 30 days) a conference of the member states to examine the consequences of Russia’s exit," the document reads.

The situation with the Treaty on Open Skies shows that the attempts to achieve unilateral advantages while ignoring Moscow’s interests and concerns hold no prospects, the Russian Foreign Ministry stressed.

"The history of the Open Skies Treaty makes it possible to draw at least two conclusions. Firstly, the attempts to secure unilateral advantages while ignoring Russia’s interests and concerns are doomed to failure. Secondly, the intent that the West’s ‘technical supremacy’ will make it possible to outstrip and marginalize Russia is also failing," the statement says.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has called on Western partners to realize that they will fail to ensure their security without taking the security interests of Russia and its allies into account.

"We will always find an effective response. But it is still better to work constructively together on strengthening European and global security, relying, in particular, on the experience of the years-long fruitful cooperation of the states within the framework of the Treaty on Open Skies," the statement reads.

Russia has done everything for preserving the Treaty and it is the United States that bears full responsibility for its collapse, the document says.

As the Russian Foreign Ministry pointed out, the Americans actively favor transparency in the military field "only in the cases when they expect to secure some advantages of their own through it."

"However, when it comes to openness measures regarding their own territory, they backtrack and begin creating obstacles for the fulfillment of these accords, without thinking either about European security or their allies’ concerns or the assessment of their ability to honor agreements," the statement says.

Source: ITAR-TASS 19-06-2021

Russian radars track over 50 foreign spy planes and drones near state borders over week

No violations of the Russian state border were allowed.

MOSCOW, June 18. /TASS/. Russian radars tracked 54 foreign aircraft that conducted air reconnaissance near Russia’s state borders over the past week, the Russian Defense Ministry’s Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper reported on Friday.

The paper’s infographics show that 49 foreign spy planes and five drones conducted air reconnaissance along Russia’s state borders in the past week. All the flights by foreign spy aircraft were tracked by Russian radar stations.

No violations of the Russian state border were allowed, the paper said.

Source: ITAR-TASS 18-06-2021

Russian troop movements near Ukrainian border mentioned at Putin-Biden summit — Kremlin

"We, however, are acting on our own territory," Dmitry Peskov pointed. He also noted that drills with the American troops and American hardware were taking place along the Russian borders

MOSCOW, June 17. /TASS/. The Russian troop movements near the Ukrainian border were mentioned at the summit of Russian and US Presidents Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden in Geneva but no accusations are ever made at the highest level, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the Ekho Moskvy radio station on Thursday.

"It was mentioned. It was mentioned as a factor that the Americans do not like. On the other hand, President Putin stresses each time in this regard that dear friends, we can talk with you in any way and on anything in this context, but the reality is that you discuss the territory of the Russian Federation with us while your troops fly from America near Russian territory, which is taking place now," the Kremlin spokesman said, responding to a question about whether Washington had voiced another complaint at the summit over Russian troop movements near the Ukrainian borders.

Drills with the American troops and American hardware are taking place along the Russian borders, Peskov noted. "All these events are taking place near our borders. We, however, are acting on our own territory," the Russian presidential spokesman emphasized.

Responding to a question about whether any accusations had been made at the Russia-US summit, Peskov stated: "No accusations are made at the highest level. There can be no talk about that. I cannot speak on behalf of other presidents but if you try to accuse President Putin of anything, he will respond with reason and forcefully," the Kremlin spokesman explained.

The head of the Russian state communicates with his counterparts quite correctly, Peskov noted, adding that this was an implied rule of inter-state communication.

"He represents such a state as Russia, after all. On the other hand, the person sitting next to him is a man with extensive experience, who has lived all his life in American politics and represents such a major state as the United States," the Kremlin spokesman said.

Source: ITAR-TASS 17-06-2021

Russia to develop two-seat Su-57 fifth-generation fighter for exports

By 2028, the number of Su-57 fighters in the Russian Armed Forces will grow to 76.

KOMSOMOLSK-ON-AMUR, June 16. /TASS/. The Russian Defense Ministry and the Sukhoi Design Bureau are planning to develop a two-seat Su-57 fifth-generation fighter in its export configuration, Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov said on Wednesday.

"There is interest in this aircraft and, in my view, it will grow with every passing year as our Russian Army is supplied with this model. Foreign customers at first look at how a particular weapon of the Russian Armed Forces operates. The Defense Ministry and the Sukhoi Design Bureau have plans to develop a two-pilot aircraft that will boost the export demand for this model … and it may create additional demand," the vice-premier said during his working trip to the Primorye Region in the Russian Far East.

CEO of Russia’s state arms seller Rosoboronexport Alexander Mikheyev said in early June that five Southeast Asian countries were displaying interest in the latest Su-57 fifth-generation fighter.

The Sukhoi Su-57 is a Russian-made fifth-generation multirole fighter designated to destroy all types of air, ground, and naval targets. The Su-57 fighter jet features stealth technology with the broad use of composite materials, is capable of developing a supersonic cruising speed, and is furnished with the most advanced onboard radio-electronic equipment, including a powerful onboard computer (the so-called electronic second pilot), the radar system spread across its body and some other innovations, in particular, armament placed inside its fuselage.

The Su-57 took to the skies for the first time on January 29, 2010. Compared to its predecessors, the Su-57 combines the functions of an attack plane and a fighter jet while the use of composite materials and innovation technologies and the fighter’s aerodynamic configuration ensure the low level of radar and infrared signature.

The plane’s armament will include, in particular, hypersonic missiles. The fifth-generation fighter jet has been successfully tested in combat conditions in Syria.

The Russian Armed Forces received the first Su-57 fighter in 2020. Russia’s Aerospace Force will get 22 Su-57 fighters by late 2024, and their number in the Russian Armed Forces will grow to 76 by 2028.

Source: ITAR-TASS 16-06-2021

Russia’s upgraded grenade launcher to get capability to hit tank from 1,000 m distance

Specialists will increase the weapon’s accuracy with new sights

MOSCOW, June 15. /TASS/. The Bazalt Research and Production Association (part of the Techmash Group within the state tech corporation Rostec) is working on upgrading the RPG-7V2 grenade launcher to boost its firing accuracy, Bazalt Design Bureau Chief Nikolai Sereda told reporters on Tuesday.

"The RPG-7V2 has already been accepted for service but an upgrade, even for this weapon, is currently underway under a contract with Russia’s Defense Ministry to boost its firing accuracy," he said.

Specialists will increase the grenade launcher’s accuracy with new sights. Today, the RPG-7V2 boasts an accuracy of around 40-50 cm per 150 meters of the direct fire range, Sereda noted.

"There is the need to fire to longer ranges, up to a kilometer. And it must hit a tank at such a distance. Currently, the accuracy at such ranges goes beyond the tank’s dimensions. That is why a need has emerged to increase this accuracy to get the capability to hit the target and strike the tank even at a distance of up to 1 km. The firing accuracy is up to five meters," he said.

The legendary Soviet RPG-7 grenade launcher will celebrate its 60th anniversary on June 15, 2021. The work on the anti-tank weapon began in 1958. On June 15, 1961, an order was signed to accept the grenade launcher for service together with the PG-7V high-explosive charge. Today the RPG-7 grenade launcher is operational in over 80 countries of the world. Many countries also serial-produce both this grenade launcher and its munitions.

Russian tech firm launches serial production of latest rounds for RPG-7V2 grenade launchers

The Bazalt Research and Production Association has launched the serial production of the latest rounds for the RPG-7V2 grenade launcher with the unconventional method of striking enemy manpower, Sereda said.

"Another munition for the RPG-7V2 has now been developed. It has the O1 designation [the serial production], has passed state trials, and uses unconventional methods of striking and disabling enemy manpower," he said.

Despite its long service life, the legendary PRG-7 grenade launcher has bright prospects, he said.

"I believe that this grenade launcher has a big future at least for the next 30 years, which is linked with upgrading the grenade launcher itself and developing ever new rounds that enhance it," he stressed.

For his part, head of the Defense Ministry’s 204th military representative office Colonel Leonid Maslennikov emphasized that the RPG-7 with its new rounds was a third-generation grenade launcher.

"The new rounds have boosted the scope of the grenade launcher’s application. Today these are not only anti-tank munitions but also thermobaric and fragmentation charges that strike both the enemy’s armor and manpower," he said.

Rostec to develop more efficient munitions for RPG-7 grenade launcher

A new series of rounds 30% more efficient than previous munitions will be ready for the RPG-V2 grenade launcher in two years, the head of the Bazalt Design Bureau said.

"As for rounds, more advanced munitions 20-30% more efficient than their predecessors are undoubtedly being created for the modified RPG-7V2 grenade launcher. A whole series of rounds is being developed. The timeframe [for the work’s completion] is at the earliest possible date, and I believe that we can offer it in two or three years," he noted.

Specialists are working on boosting the munitions’ armor-piercing, thermobaric and fragmentation effect, Sereda said.

"More effective rounds will be capable of hitting a really full range of targets on the battlefield: from openly deployed manpower to most advanced armored vehicles, including those with reactive armor," he said.

The munitions for the RPG-7 grenade launcher available today are capable of striking a whole range of targets: from enemy tanks and helicopters to manpower. The RPG-7 grenade launcher has actually turned from an anti-tank weapon into a more versatile one for striking various targets on the battlefield, he stressed.

Source: ITAR-TASS 15-06-2021

Russian watchdog demands that Facebook delete post insulting WWII veterans

Publication of clearly offensive information that insults Russia’s military glory or offends WWII veterans constitutes a criminal offense in Russia.

MOSCOW, May 29. /TASS/. Russia’s Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology, and Mass Media (Roskomnadzor) demanded that US company Facebook delete an Instagram post that insults the memory of World War II veterans, the watchdog said on its website on Friday.

"Roskomnadzor has sent a letter to Facebook Inc top management, demanding that content insulting the memory of World War II veterans be deleted," the watchdog said. "The governmental agency found the unlawful post on the Instagram social network, owned by Facebook."

According to Roskomnadzor, publication of clearly offensive information that insults Russia’s military glory and memorable dates, or desecrates military glory symbols, or offends WWII veterans constitutes a criminal offense in Russia and is subject to criminal proscution.

Source: ITAR-TASS 29-05-2021

Russia has overcome the crisis in aircraft construction, says prime minister

As a confirmation, Mikhail Mishustin mentioned the MC-21 aircraft, which is among the best passenger aircraft of this category.

MOSCOW, May 22./TASS/. Russia has managed to cope with the difficulties in the aircraft industry emerging after the disintegration of the Soviet Union, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin told Knew Knowledge Marathon on Saturday.

As a confirmation, the prime minister mentioned the MC-21 aircraft, which is among the best passenger aircraft of this category. The Soviet Union was among the global leaders on the track of aircraft construction, Mishustin reiterated. However, it found itself in a crisis following the collapse of the Soviet Union, with a revival beginning only in the 2000s.

"Our country has managed to overcome the difficulties, and the MC-21 plane is an evidence," Mishustin said. "A really good aircraft was designed, the best among the passenger airlines of this type," he stressed. The prime minister praised Irkut Corporation, chief designer Konstantin Popovich and Alexander Inozemtsev, who led the work to design the engine.

In December 2020, MC-21-300 made the first flight with Russian PD-14 engines. The new aircraft is to replace Tu-154, Tu-134 and Yak-42 operated by the Defense Ministry, the Federal Security Service and the Emergencies Ministry.

Source: ITAR-TASS 22-05-2021

Immortal Regiment online march brings together 5 million participants

Online marches started in the Russian regions at 15:00 local time.

MOSCOW, May 9. /TASS/. Around five million people have taken part in the nationwide Immortal Regiment march online, including some 2.5 million this year, the press service of the Immortal Regiment national social patriotic movement said on Sunday.

"We have stopped receiving applications for the participation in the Immortal Regiment online march. Around 2.5 new applications were added to the last year’s more than 2.5 million participants," it said.

Online marches started in the Russian regions at 15:00 local time. According to the organizers, applications filed before 10:00 a.m. on May 7 and approved by moderators were broadcast on Victory Day, May 9. "The duration of the march differs in different regions, depending on the number of applications," the press service added.

In Moscow, the online march was broadcast on around 300 urban screens in Moscow, as well as on the Ostankino TV Tower, in metro and in a number of shopping malls. In regions, it was broadcast on local television.

Applications filed on May 7 and 8 will be broadcast on the march’s online resources on May 10, and applications lodged on May 9 could be seen on May 11.

It is planned to hold an Immortal Regiment march in a traditional offline format on June 24, 2021, the day when the first Victory Parade took place in Moscow 76 years ago.

The Immortal Regiment movement was first launched in the city of Tyumen in West Siberia in 2007 and was initially called "Victors’ Parade." It acquired its current name in 2012 in Tomsk, and in 2013 it involved 120 cities. The movement officially became nationwide in 2015.

By now, the Immortal Regiment march has spread beyond Russia.

Source: ITAR TASS 10-05-2021

Russian fighter scrambled to intercept US spy plane over Chukchi Sea - defense ministry

The Russian border was not violated.

MOSCOW, May 6. /TASS/. A Russian MiG-31 fighter jet was scrambled to intercept a US Air Force RC-135 strategic reconnaissance plane over the Chukchi Sea, Russia’s National Defense Management Center reported on Thursday.

"A MiG-31 fighter from the Pacific Fleet’s air defense quick reaction alert forces was scrambled to identify an aerial target and prevent Russia’s state border violation," the Center said. "The crew of the Russian fighter identified the aerial target as a US Air Force strategic reconnaissance aircraft RC-135 and escorted it over the Chukchi Sea," it said.

The Russian state border was not violated by the US spy plane, the National Defense Control Center stressed.

"After the US reconnaissance plane moved away from Russia’s state border, the Russian fighter safely returned to its home airfield," the Center said. "The entire flight of the Russian Su-30SM fighter proceeded in strict compliance with the international rules of using the airspace. The Russian border was not violated.".

Source: ITAR-TASS 06-05-2021

Wartime ammunition cache found in Crimea

The mortar shells date back to the period of 1941-1944.

SIMFEROPOL, April 29. / TASS /. An ammunition cache dating from World War II was found near the water storage located near the Frontovoye village in eastern Crimea, the Russian Border Service of the Federal Security Service’s regional department reported on Thursday.

"During the inspection of this area, two dozen 82 mm mortar shells were unearthed, which had been there since the active hostilities period of 1941-1944," the press service stated.

Border guards and police officers cordoned off the scene and mounted a watch. "Deactivation and destruction of ammunition will be carried out by the Emergencies Ministry’s branch in the Republic of Crimea," the Federal Security Service noted.

Source: ITAR-TASS 29-04-2021

Russia to lay out six warships and submarines on occasion of WWII Victory Day

The exact dates of laying down the latest warships have not been defined yet, according to the source.

MOSCOW, April 27. /TASS/. Russian shipbuilders will celebrate Victory Day on May 9 by laying down six warships and submarines, a source in the domestic shipbuilding industry told TASS on Tuesday.

"In early May, two Project 955A Borei-A-class strategic nuclear-powered missile-carrying underwater cruisers, two Project 20380 corvettes and two Project 636.3 submarines will be laid down," the source specified.

Two strategic underwater cruisers will be laid down at the Sevmash Shipyard, two corvettes at the Amur Shipbuilding Plant and two Varshavyanka-class conventional subs at the Admiralty Shipyard (all these enterprises are part of Russia’s United Shipbuilding Corporation). The exact dates of laying down the latest warships have not been defined yet, the source said.

The Sevmash Shipyard will lay the keels of the strategic underwater cruisers Dmitry Donskoi and Knyaz Potyomkin while the Admiralty Shipyard will lay down the submarines Mozhaisk and Yakutsk (the 5th and 6th vessels in a series of six Project 636.3 subs for the Russian Pacific Fleet). The corvettes expected to be laid down at the Amur Shipbuilding Plant have not received their names yet, the source said.

The press offices of the United Shipbuilding Corporation and its subordinate enterprises declined to comment on this information.

This year, Russia’s Victory Parade on Moscow’s Red Square to mark the 76th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War will involve over 12,000 troops, about 190 combat vehicles and 76 aircraft: 53 planes and 23 helicopters.

Source: ITAR-TASS 27-04-2021

Russia to expel five Polish diplomats in response to Warsaw’s actions

On April 15, Poland declared three Russian diplomats personae non gratae.

MOSCOW, April 16. /TASS/. Russia will expel five Polish diplomats in response to Warsaw’s actions, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement published on Friday.

"By the way, we noted how quick Warsaw was to chime in with the US administration, demanding that three Russian diplomats leave Poland. In turn, five Polish diplomats will be expelled from Russia," the ministry said.

On April 15, Poland declared three Russian diplomats personae non gratae.

Source: ITAR-TASS 17-04-2021

Moscow court arrests Ukrainian intelligence colonel for terrorism in absentia

In April last year, Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) apprehended two people, suspected of espionage for Ukrainian military intelligence.

MOSCOW, April 9. /TASS/. Moscow’s Lefortovo Court arrested the head of Ukrainian Military Intelligence Kherson Division commander Oleg Akhmedov in absentia, court press service told TASS Friday.

"The court ruled to put Akhmedov O.A. into custody for two months since his apprehension or extradition to Russia. He was charged in absentia with [terror attack, carried out by a group of people under prior conspiracy]," the court said.

In April last year, Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) apprehended two people, suspected of espionage for Ukrainian military intelligence. The spy group included a Ukrainian citizen and a Russian Armed Forces servicewoman, who, according to investigation, handed over a state secret to the Ukrainian military intelligence in 2017-2018. Criminal cases were initiated against them over charges of espionage and treason.

During the investigation, one suspect reportedly disclosed that they created stashes with explosives and ammo in Crimea under the order of Colonel Oleg Akhmedov of the Kherson military intelligence division.

According to Russian counter-intelligence, Akhmedov recruited and curated both suspects, who planned a number of sabotages on social and military infrastructure on the Russian territory.

Source: ITAR-TASS 10-04-2021

Kremlin concerned about possible resumption of full-scale military activities in Ukraine

It will pose a threat to Russia’s national security, the Kremlin spokesman said.

MOSCOW, April 9. /TASS/. The Kremlin is concerned about the possible resumption of full-scale military activities in Ukraine, which would threaten Russia’s national security, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday.

"There are concerns that Ukraine’s civil war will resume. And if a civil war with full-scale military activities resumes near our borders, it will pose a threat to Russia’s national security," he emphasized.

"The current developments and Ukraine’s behavior in general create the risk of full-scale military activities. It is clear from various statements that Kiev does not completely reject the idea of using force to resolve its issue with the southeast," Peskov said.

He noted that the situation was extremely unstable along the line of contact in Donbass.

Tensions in Donbass started rising in late February, though the parties made an agreement on additional measures to ensure the ceasefire in July 2020. Intense shooting resumed on the line of contact, resulting in casualties to both sides. Ukraine said that Donbass was to blame, while the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics stressed that Kiev’s failure to implement the July agreement was the reason for escalating tensions.

Source: ITAR-TASS 09-04-2021

Russia’s MiG-31 fighter intercepts Norwegian spy plane over Barents Sea

The Russian fighter’s crew identified the air target as a Falcon 20.

MOSCOW, April 7. /TASS/. A Russian MiG-31 fighter jet intercepted a Norwegian Air Force Falcon 20 reconnaissance aircraft over the Barents Sea, Russia’s National Defense Control Center reported on Wednesday.

"On April 7, 2021, Russian airspace control systems detected an air target over the territory of Norway approaching Russia’s state border. A MiG-31 fighter from the Northern Fleet’s air defense quick reaction alert forces was scrambled to identify the air target and prevent it from violating the Russian state border," the Center said in a statement.

"The Russian fighter’s crew identified the air target as a Norwegian Air Force Falcon 20 radio-technical reconnaissance and electronic warfare aircraft and shadowed it over the Barents Sea," the statement says.

After the foreign spy plane flew away from Russia’s state border, the Russian fighter safely returned to its home airfield, the Center said.

The Russian fighter’s flight proceeded in strict compliance with the international rules of using the airspace, the National Defense Control Center stressed.

"No violations of the Russian state border were allowed," it said.

Source: ITAR-TASS 07-04-2021

Five-year-old killed in DPR in Ukrainian drone strike - militia

One woman received wounds and was taken to hospital.

DONETSK, April 3. /TASS/. A child was killed in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) in a Ukrainian drone strike, the DPR People’s Militia wrote on the Telegram channel.

According to the DPR defense agency, Ukrainian troops dropped an explosive device from an unmanned aerial vehicle onto an inhabited locality in the DPR.

"At that moment two civilians were in their yard. As a result of Ukrainian militants’ criminal actions, a child born in 2016 was killed, while a local woman born in 1954 received wounds and was taken to hospital where she was provided with the required medical treatment," the DPR People’s Militia said in a statement.

The Donetsk news agency reported citing the DPR militia that the tragic accident took place in Aleksandrovskoye outside the town of Yenakievo.

The DPR defense agency pointed out that it was the second civilian death in the DPR from shelling by the Kiev forces in the past few weeks after an escalation along the contact line in Donbass. On March 22, the DPR reported that a civilian was killed by a Ukrainian sniper in a settlement in the west of Donetsk.

The DPR People’s Militia called on the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to document the strike delivered by Ukraine’s Armed Forces and to urge Ukraine to investigate into the incident so as to identify those responsible and to hold them accountable.

Source: ITAR-TASS 04-04-2021

Over 50 battalion tactical groups to fight enemy drones in southern Russia drills

As an important stage of the control check, the troops will live-fire guns as part of reconnaissance and fire systems.

ROSTOV-ON-DON, April 2. /TASS/. Over 50 battalion tactical groups of Russia’s Southern Military District will practice fighting enemy drones jointly with electronic warfare and air defense forces in drills, the District’s press office reported on Friday.

"Over 50 battalion tactical groups and tactical groups of the branches of the Southern Military District’s troops will practice interaction with electronic warfare and air defense units during a control check for the purpose of defense against unmanned aviation strikes," the press office said in a statement.

As the press office of the Southern Military District specified for TASS, the drills involve 50 battalion groups numbering 15,000 personnel.

The drills will also aim to assess the operations of the Southern Military District’s battalion tactical groups during their marches to the areas of multiservice force training grounds and command and control of attached army and assault aviation forces, in particular, when motor rifle units accomplish their tasks as part of a tactical airborne assault force, the statement says. As an important stage of the control check, the troops will live-fire guns as part of reconnaissance and fire systems. Tactical-level commanders will demonstrate their independence in solving the general battle plan and the ability to make outpacing, unconventional and surprise decisions for the enemy that allow seizing and retaining the initiative in a battle, the press office said. "The control check of the Southern Military District’s troops aims to raise the level of combat and operational training and improve the methods and forms of conducting drills, classes and exercises, taking into account the situation within the area of responsibility," the statement says.

Source: ITAR-TASS 03-04-2021

Over 12,000 troops to march across Moscow’s Red Square in WWII Victory Parade on May 9

Also, more than 190 weapon systems and 76 aircraft are planned to be involved in the military parade.

MOSCOW, March 25. /TASS/. Over 12,500 personnel will participate in the military parade on Moscow’s Red Square on May 9 to celebrate the 76th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Thursday.

"Over 12,500 personnel, more than 190 weapon systems and 76 aircraft are planned to be involved in the military parade in Moscow on May 9," the defense chief said at the ministry’s board meeting.

The parade’s mechanized column will include 35 types of new and modernized military hardware, he specified.

Timely measures have helped prevent the spread of the coronavirus infection among the personnel of parade units, he said.

"This was largely facilitated by the compliance with the established requirements: only those who have been vaccinated and have COVID-19 antibodies are admitted to the training and its provision," the defense chief said.

The preparations for the May 9 military parade on Moscow’s Red Square "are in full swing," the defense minister said.

Source: ITAR-TASS 25-03-2021

Russian ambassador thanks US citizens for letters with apologies for Washington’s moves

Anatoly Antonov said he was 'deeply touched' by those letters.

WASHINGTON, March 20. /TASS/. Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov on Friday thanked US citizens who had sent to the Russian embassy letters expressing support for friendly Russian-US relations and apologizing for Washington’s ill-considered moves towards Moscow.

"I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the citizens of the United States who have sent to the Embassy letters in support of the development of friendly relations between Russia and the United States. Many people expressed their disagreement and apologized for the ill-considered statements about the Russian Federation made recently from Washington," Antonov said in a statement, posted on the embassy’s Facebook page.

"I am deeply touched by the caring and active position of ordinary Americans who understand that dialogue between our countries should be based on mutual respect and equality. This approach of U.S. citizens indicates that a potential for normalizing ties between the peoples of Russia and the United States is still there," he continued.

"I hope that the Administration will heed the voices of the voters and discontinue its course aimed at further devastation of the already excessively confrontational relations," the ambassador added.

Interviewed on the ABC television network on Wednesday US President Joe Biden said that the Russian leadership would have to "pay a price" for Moscow’s alleged intervention in US elections. Moreover, Biden replied in the affirmative, when asked if he regarded Putin as a "killer."

The Russian Embassy in the United States said on Facebook on Wednesday that "on March 20, Ambassador of Russia to the United States Anatoly Antonov is leaving for Moscow for consultations." Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement that Antonov had been invited to Moscow for consultations on ways to mend Russia-US ties.

Source: ITAR-TASS 20-03-2021

Kiev forces launch drone strike on Donetsk republic, DPR’s mission says

The Kiev forces launched a drone from the Ukrainian-controlled Vodyanoye village, the DPR’s mission noted.

DONETSK, March 14. /TASS/. Ukraine’s Armed Forces dropped an improvised explosive device from a drone near the Leniskoye village in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic’s south, the Donetsk News Agency reported on Sunday citing the DPR’s mission to the Joint Center for Ceasefire Control and Coordination.

The incident occurred at 12:15 p.m. Moscow Time. The Kiev forces launched a drone from the Ukrainian-controlled Vodyanoye village, the DPR’s mission noted.

Earlier on Sunday, the DPR mission reported that Ukraine’s forces shelled the Donetsk republic twice the previous day, firing 14 munitions. On Saturday, the DPR’s people's militia informed that it had shot down the Ukrainian forces’ drone which was used to adjust fire on the Luganskoye village to the south of Donetsk.

Source: ITAR-TASS 14-03-2021

MiG-29K fighters go on combat duty on Russian Arctic archipelago for first time

The experimental combat duty increases the zone of controlled airspace over the Northern Sea Route, according to the Northern Fleet’s press office.

MOSCOW, March 12. /TASS/. The crews of deck-based MiG-29K fighters have gone on experimental combat duty on the Novaya Zemlya archipelago in the Arctic for the first time, the Northern Fleet’s press office reported on Friday.

"The replacement of the flight personnel and MiG-31BM fighters of a seperate composite aviation regiment took place at the Northern Fleet’s Rogachyovo airfield. They were replaced for the first time by pilots of deck-based MiG-29K fighters of the 100th shipborne aviation regiment of the Northern Fleet’s Air Force and Air Defense Army," the press office said in a statement.

The experimental combat duty by pilots of the Northern Fleet’s Air Force and Air Defense Army on the Novaya Zemlya archipelago expands the area of employing the Fleet’s fighter aviation in the Arctic and increases the zone of controlled airspace over the Northern Sea Route, the statement says.

An anti-aircraft missile regiment of the Northern Fleet’s 45th Air Force and Air Defense Army armed with S-400 ‘Triumf’ surface-to-air missile systems assumed combat duty on the Novaya Zemlya archipelago several years ago.

The 100th shipborne aviation regiment is outfitted with generation 4+ MiG-29K fighters. The regiment’s pilots participated in the long-distance deployment of the Northern Fleet’s carrier group in the Mediterranean Sea led by Russia’s heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov.

Source: ITAR-TASS 12-03-2021

Diplomat dismisses rumors that Russia will soon withdraw from Council of Europe

Russia is set to actively cultivate cooperation with the organization and its member-states, said Russia’s Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe Ivan Soltanovsky.

PARIS, February 28. /TASS/. Twenty-five years after joining the Council of Europe Russia is set to actively cultivate cooperation with the organization and its member-states, and the rumors on its imminent withdrawal are unfounded, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe Ivan Soltanovsky told TASS on Sunday.

"The media regularly circulate rumors without any real basis that Russia will soon withdraw from the Council of Europe. Such escalation of the situation does not benefit the common cause," Soltanovsky stated.

The diplomat noted that although the coronavirus situation has seriously limited the possibilities for physical contacts, this did not hinder plans on arranging a trip of Secretary General of the Council of Europe Marija Pejcinovic Buric to Russia in October 2020.

In December, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Hendrik Daems paid a brief visit to Moscow and is planning on returning to Russia in the near future. In February, Director General of Human Rights and Rule of Law of the Council of Europe Christos Giakoumopoulos visited Moscow.

"Despite the pandemic, contrary to the wishes of Russophobes, we keep working in full, defending Russian national interests, despite the noticeably increased pressure on our country, including on European international platforms. The key to success is confidence in one's own righteousness, calmness and an over-the-horizon vision of prospects," he stated.

Over the past 25 years of its membership in the Council of Europe Russia has made a real contribution to the organization’s work and is ready to expand cooperation to address new pan-European challenges, especially in the fight against COVID-10 and vaccination, Soltanovsky told. "Of course, we consider fight against the coronavirus pandemic in the world as a priority issue. We are ready to cooperate with the CoE in the field of vaccination and stand for ensuring equal access for everyone to certified vaccines on the European continent," Soltanovsky said.

The diplomat sees a great potential of cooperation in the fields of artificial intelligence, ecology, biotechnology, in which "a great deal of expertise has been accumulated."

"In general, the number of pan-European challenges and threats is on the rise, new technologies do not only make life easier for the population, but also go hand in hand with inevitable human rights violations, attempts to manipulate and impose restrictions by developers, providers and Internet giants. Finding worthy solutions is possible only through joint efforts," he stressed.

Source: ITAR-TASS 28-02-2021

Putin: Special Operations Forces established in response to challenges of the time

Russian President has congratulated the military personnel and veterans of Russia’s Special Operations Forces on their professional holiday.

MOSCOW, February 27. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated the military personnel and veterans of Russia’s Special Operations Forces on their professional holiday.

"Russia’s Special Operations Forces were established in response to the challenges of the time, to serious changes in the nature of military threats and methods of warfare. You have successfully gone through the difficult stage of formation and combat coordination, relying on the unique school of the Russian special forces as well as the cutting-edge approaches to military strategy and tactics," reads the message of congratulations posted on the Kremlin website on Saturday.

The president stressed that the Russian Armed Forces had "unique capabilities for solving problems of particular importance and complexity." "We have seasoned, experienced fighters who are ready to act in a non-standard situation anywhere in the world, if their country’s interests and security require such action," he noted.

"I am sure that you will be able to stand up to any combat mission, even that of the most challenging nature, because Special Operations Forces members are brave and unfaltering people with unbending will, true patriots of their Fatherland," the head of state stressed.

Putin thanked them for their military service and wished success and good health to their families. "Best wishes to the honored veterans who stood at the origins of the Special Operations Forces," the president noted.

Special Operations Forces Day was established by the decree of Russian President Vladimir Putin of February 26, 2015, in recognition of their merits in the successful resolution of the crisis situation in Crimea in the spring of 2014.

Source: ITAR-TASS 27-02-2021

Trawler dead in the water in Barents Sea, with its main engine failed

There are no threat to the lives of the ship’s crewmembers, a spokesman for Russia’s Marine and River Transport Agency told.

MOSCOW, February 21. /TASS/. Russia’s emergencies ministry has confirmed that a fishing trawler with a crew of ten has lost way in the Barents Sea.

"On February 21, we received information that the main engine of the Polaris № МК0355 small trawler has failed in the Barents Sea, near the Rybachy Peninsula in the Murmansk region, were it was fishing. The trawler has a crew of ten," the press service of the Russian emergencies ministry told TASS on Sunday.

"The crewmembers are in satisfactory condition," the press service said, adding that a rescue ship is heading to the area.

A source in the local emergencies agencies told TASS earlier in the day that the Polaris trawler had been dead in the water in the Barents Sea, with its main engine failed.

The ship is owned by Nord West Fleet Company.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for Russia’s Marine and River Transport Agency told TASS there are no threat to the lives of the ship’s crewmembers.

"The weather in the area is good, with air temperatures of nine degrees below zero, the wind of 12 meters e second and no icing. There is no threat to the crew.

Source: ITAR-TASS 22-02-2021

Over 50 flights delayed, several cancelled in Moscow airports due to snowfall

Two flights have been cancelled and 36 delayed in Domodedovo.

MOSCOW, February 13. /TASS/. More than 50 flights have been delayed or arrived behind schedule, another three have been cancelled in Moscow on Saturday due to heavy snowfall, according to the data on online boards of the city’s airports.

As of 8:40 am Moscow time, 21 flights have been delayed in Sheremetyevo, and five - in Vnukovo. Two flights have been cancelled and 36 delayed in Domodedovo, whereas in Zhukovsky one flight has been cancelled and one delayed.

A heavy snowfall started in Moscow in the second part of Thursday and may last until February 14.

Source: ITAR-TASS 13-02-2021

Russia expels Swedish, Polish, German diplomats for attending unauthorized rallies

They were summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry on Friday.

MOSCOW, February 5. /TASS/. Russia has declared a Swedish, a Polish and a German diplomat personae non gratae because of their participation in the January 23 unauthorized rallies in Moscow and St. Petersburg, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

"In compliance with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of April 18, 1961, diplomats who took part in unauthorized rallies have been declared personae non gratae. They must leave Russia as soon as possible," the ministry said.

According to the ministry, Sweden’s, Poland’s and Germany’s ambassadors were summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry on Friday over these incidents.

"The Russian side expects that Sweden’s, Poland’s and Germany’s diplomatic missions and their personnel will strictly abide by international law," the ministry stressed.

Source: ITAR-TASS 06-02-2021

Firefighters battling major blaze in Siberian city found dead

The victims were 46-year-old Anatoly Jhalnerchik, 45-year-old Alexey Puzyryov and 27-year-old Maxim Ryabtsev.

MOSCOW, February 4. /TASS/. Rescuers found the bodies of firefighters who died while extinguishing a fire in the building of an auto parts warehouse in Russia’s Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, the country’s Emergencies Ministry told TASS on Thursday.

"The bodies of firefighters who died when fulfilling their duty have been found," the ministry’s press service stated.

Head of Russia’s Emergencies Ministry Yevgeny Zinichev expressed condolences to the relatives and friends of the deceased firefighters. The victims were 46-year-old Anatoly Jhalnerchik, 45-year-old Alexey Puzyryov and 27-year-old Maxim Ryabtsev. Jhalnerchik and Puzyryov had wives and children. Besides, a worker also died, whose name was not specified. "The ministry will provide comprehensive assistance and support to the victims’ families," the press service noted.

Currently, the Emergencies Ministry’s psychologists are working with relatives of the dead firefighters.

A fire was reported at an auto parts warehouse in Krasnoyarsk at about 10:39 a.m. local time (06:39 a.m. Moscow Time) on Wednesday. The fire covered up to 3,500 square meters. The first unit of firefighters containing three people that was sent to search for those missing at the warehouse became disoriented in the building due to heavy smoke. Then they ran out of oxygen, the building collapsed and they were killed. The fire was put out early on Thursday.

Head of the Russian Emergencies Ministry Yevgeny Zinichev has ordered to set up a special commission to investigate the causes of the fire. A group of experts has been sent to the scene led by Deputy Emergencies Minister Ilya Denisov. Furthermore, two criminal cases have been opened - the crime resulting in the involuntary manslaughter of two or more people and fire safety requirements violation.

Source: ITAR-TASS 04-02-2021

Russian radars track 27 foreign spy planes and three drones near state borders over week

According to the Russian Defense Ministry’s Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper, no violations of the Russian state border were allowed.

MOSCOW, January 29. /TASS/. Russian radars tracked 30 foreign aircraft that conducted air reconnaissance near Russia’s state borders over the past week, the Russian Defense Ministry’s Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper reported on Friday.

The paper’s infographics show that 27 foreign spy planes and three drones conducted air reconnaissance along Russia’s state borders in the past week.

The flights by foreign spy aircraft were tracked by Russian radar stations. No violations of the Russian state border were allowed, according to the newspaper, which cited information from the Russian Defense Ministry.

Also, one MiG-31 fighter jet was repaired and delivered to the troops under the defense procurement plan, the infographics show.

Last month, Aerospace Force Deputy Commander-in-Chief Lieutenant-General Andrei Yudin reported that Russian air defense quick reaction alert forces detected and intercepted over 1,300 foreign spy planes in 2020.

According to Yudin, the Russian fighter aircraft from air defense quick reaction alert forces were scrambled over 170 times in 2020 to intercept foreign planes near Russia’s borders.

Source: ITAR-TASS 29-01-2021

Anti-ship system Bastion conducts drills in Crimea as US destroyer visits Black Sea

The Bastion battalion performed a set of standard tasks and drills in field conditions.

SEVASTOPOL, January 28. /TASS/. A mobile coastal defense anti-ship system Bastion has carried out a march to a deployment site in Crimea within the framework of an exercise being held against the backdrop of the US destroyer Donald Cook’s visit to the Black Sea, the Black Sea Fleet’s information support office said on Thursday.

Combat crews arrived in the designated area, readied the systems for combat and carried out preparations for virtual fire. The Bastion battalion performed a set of standard tasks and drills in field conditions, the news release says.

In the next phase of the battalion’s drills the Donald Cooke Bastion battalion will practice cooperation with a Black Sea frigate. Fifteen vehicles and 100 troops are participating in the exercise.

The mobile system Bastion armed with anti-ship missiles Oniks was authorized for service in 2010.

According to the International Institute of Strategic Studies, the Russian Navy has 40 such systems. One Bastion battalion is capable of defending more than 600 of the coast. Oniks missiles have a range of up to 500 kilometers. Firing positions may be as far as 200 kilometers away from the coastline.

Russia’s National Defense Command Center said on Saturday the Black Sea Fleet was monitoring the US destroyer USS Donald Cook. Previously the destroyer visited the Black Sea on November 23 last year. The Black Sea Fleet tracked its movements then, too.

Source: ITAR-TASS 28-01-2021

New Kalibr-armed ship to join Russia’s Black Sea Fleet on January 30

The event will be attended by the Black Sea Fleet command.

MOSCOW, January 22. /TASS/. On January 30, Russia’s Black Sea Fleet will be reinforced with a small missile ship Graivoron, equipped with the Kalibr-NK universal missile complex, Russian Defense Ministry announced Friday.

"A ceremony to commission the Graivoron into the Black Sea Fleet will take place in Sevastopol," the Ministry said, adding that the event will be attended by the Black Sea Fleet command.

"Ships of this project have increased displacement and are armed with precision long-range missile weapons - the Kalibr-NK universal missile system, intended for destruction of naval and coastal targets," the Ministry of Defense said.

The Graivoron will become the fourth Project 21631 ship in the Black Sea. There are already three ships of this project in the Fleet: the Vyshniy Volochek, the Orekhovo-Zuyevo and the Ingushetia.

Source: ITAR-TASS 23-01-2021

Russia to supply air defense systems Pantsir-S1 to Myanmar

The command of Myanmar’s armed forces has shown interest in other advanced weapon systems of Russian manufacture.

NAY PYI TAW, January 22. /TASS/. Russia will supply to Myanmar a batch of missile and artillery air defense systems Pantsir-S1, unmanned aerial vehicles Orlan-10E and radars.

The agreement was signed at a ceremony attended by Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu, who is in Myanmar on an official visit, and the Commander-in-Chief of Myanmar’s armed forces, Min Aung Hlaing. Russia’s Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin inked the agreement for Russia.

Since 2001 a legal and regulatory base has been created for effective and mutually beneficial military-technical cooperation, which makes steady progress. Russia has supplied to Myanmar 30 planes MiG-29, twelve combat training jets Yakolev-130, ten helicopters Mi-24 and Mi-35P, eight air defense missile systems Pechora-2M and also radars, armored vehicles and artillery pieces. A contract has been concluded for providing six Sukhoi-30SME planes. Some have been delivered already.

Military hardware undergoes repairs and maintenance at Myanmar’s joint special center for all types of equipment, both aircraft and armored vehicles.

Bilateral cooperation saw intensive development over the past five years. Myanmar’s delegations regularly participate in the international army games and combat training activities. Last year Myanmar’s contingent took part in the Kavkaz-2020 exercise. Also, in 2018 an inter-governmental agreement was concluded on simpler procedures for Russian naval ships visiting Myanmar’s ports.

The command of Myanmar’s armed forces has shown interest in other advanced weapon systems of Russian manufacture.

Source: ITAR-TASS 22-01-2021