Lavrov asks European states to influence US for sake of preserving INF Treaty

Moscow addressed its partners with a proposal for discussing all INF Treaty-related issues within the Russia-NATO Council earlier

MILAN, December 7. /TASS/. The European countries must influence the United States for the sake of preserving the Intermediate Nuclear Force Treaty, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told a news conference following a meeting of the OSCE foreign ministers on Friday.

"My counterparts, including Germany’s Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, have expressed concern over this situation [the United States’ pullout from the INF Treaty]. If they are really concerned, then they must probably influence their ally - the United States - to persuade the Americans to come to the negotiating table and start discussing the issue in a concrete way, and not accuse us groundlessly across the Atlantic," Lavrov said. "We are prepared for such a discussion."

He recalled that Moscow had addressed its partners with a proposal for discussing all INF Treaty-related issues within the Russia-NATO Council, but the alliance’s member-states refused to do that.

"We suggested the INF Treaty issue be considered by the Russia-NATO Council," Lavrov said. "Our NATO counterparts found that not suitable. Incidentally, they had plugged all channels of communication between Russian and NATO military. It is very hard to remain in such a position, if you wish to be understood well.".

Source: ITAR-TASS 08-12-2018

Court will decide future of detained Ukrainian sailors, says Russia's top diplomat

Lavrov stated that the detained Ukrainian sailors have violated international and Russian laws.

MILANO, December 7. /TASS/. The future of Ukrainian sailors, detained late last month for allegedly violating a Russian state border, will be decided after a court trial, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Friday.

"As soon as the investigation is over, a court trial will follow," Lavrov told journalists. "We will be able to speak about ways of facilitating their fate or of reaching an agreement on definite steps only after the court brings out its decision."

Russia’s top diplomat added that the Ukrainian sailors "are currently under an investigation, Russia’s High Commissioner for Human Rights [Tatyana Moskalkova] is in permanent contact with them, they have an access to [Ukrainian] Consular services, they are feeling well and nothing poses a threat to their health."

Lavrov stated that the detained Ukrainian sailors have "violated the international and Russian laws."

"They have illegally entered the territorial waters of Russia, never left them, refused to reply to requests," the minister said. "This is a crime recognized by any country."

"For instance, there is a directive regarding the state border between the United States and Mexico to shoot to kill anyone attempting to cross it illegally," he said. "We [Russia] have never acted this way."

On November 25, three Ukrainian naval ships violated the procedure for passing through Russia’s territorial waters while sailing from the Azov to the Black Sea.

After having breached the Russian border, the three Ukrainian warships were warned by Russia’s maritime security forces to stop. The intruding vessels ignored the demands, thereby evoking a chase involving gunfire in the Kerch Strait whereupon three Ukrainian navy sailors ended up lightly wounded.

They were later given medical assistance. Consequently, the Ukrainian warships were detained and brought to Kerch. A criminal case has been opened into the violation of the Russian state border.

Russia has branded Ukraine’s stunt a provocation, while the Ukrainian authorities have exploited the incident to impose martial law. The European Union and NATO have called for de-escalating the situation.

The Ukrainian ships’ crew members, 24 Ukrainian nationals, have been arrested until January 25, 2019, and transferred from Crimea’s Simferopol to Moscow earlier this month.

Source: ITAR-TASS 07-12-2018

Russian diplomat says evidence points to Kiev beefing up military might in Donbass

The Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman also drew attention to the announcement of the start of drills in the Zaporozhye, Kherson and Chernigov regions, and also the training of reservists.

MOSCOW, December 5. /TASS/. The Kiev regime is building up its military presence in the Donbass region, indicated by the information surfacing, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday.

“For the sake of holding on to power, the current rulers in Kiev, the Kiev regime is ready to do anything, even going as far as unleashing a new blitzkrieg in the South-East. Unfortunately, information has started to surface more and more on the likelihood of the use of force by the Ukrainian military in Donbass. The Kiev regime is using an information noise screen to try to shift the world’s attention towards its own provocation in the Kerch Strait, which the regime is painting as some “Russian aggression” in order to deploy substantial offensive hardware to the region,” the Russian diplomat said.

"Some days ago, social networks posted photos of armored units deployed to Mariupol. Besides, efforts are underway to deploy Ukrainian military personnel to the conflict zone from assault and paramilitary brigades, which underwent intensive training in November with the active involvement of US, Canadian and British instructors at practice ranges in the Zhitomir and Lvov regions. Specialists from private military companies were spotted along the engagement line and they conducted training for the personnel of the Ukrainian special forces with the aim of carrying out offensive operations," the diplomat pointed out.

The Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman also drew the journalists’ attention to the announcement of the start of military drills in the Zaporozhye, Kherson and Chernigov regions, and also the training of reservists.

On November 27, Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, endorsed President Pyotr Poroshenko’s decree on imposing a 30-day martial law from November 28 in the Vinnitsa, Lugansk, Nikolayevsk, Odessa, Sumy, Kharkov, Chernigov, Donetsk, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions, as well as Ukraine’s territorial waters in the Sea of Azov. Initially, Poroshenko sought to impose martial law for 60 days, but this put into question holding the March presidential election and sparked a public outcry.

The pretext for the decision to declare martial law was an incident in the Kerch Strait on November 25, when three Ukrainian warships, en route from Odessa to Mariupol, illegally crossed Russia’s state border, entered Russia’s territorial waters and started performing dangerous maneuvers.

Despite the repeated warnings and demands to stop, the Ukrainian vessels continued their way, forcing Russia to use weapons. All three Ukrainian ships were detained in the Black Sea. Three Ukrainian servicemen were wounded and received medical assistance. Their lives are currently not under threat. A criminal case has been launched over the violation of Russia’s state border. Moscow slammed the incident as a provocation.

Source: ITAR-TASS 05-12-2018

Russia to hold over 4,000 war games in 2019, says defense chief

The Russian Defense Ministry plans to hold more than 4,000 drills and roughly 8,500 practical combat training events throughout 2019.

MOSCOW, December 4. /TASS/. The Russian Defense Ministry plans to hold more than 4,000 drills and roughly 8,500 practical combat training events throughout 2019, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on a conference call on Tuesday.

"Next year is going to be extremely busy. Over 4,000 various types of drills and nearly 8,500 practical combat training events are scheduled. The main focus will be placed on applying expertise in the use of troops in today’s armed conflicts and training commanders to effectively address non-standard tasks," the minister stated.

Shoigu added that the Defense Ministry would continue to practice snap combat readiness checks. "This form of monitoring makes it possible to pinpoint problems that are not very visible in everyday life," he stressed.

On December 3, the Russian Armed Forces shifted to its winter schedule of training. The defense chief noted that a lot of preparatory work had been done in the army before the start of the new training period.

The conference call with the defense minister was held at the National Defense Control Center, and was attended by area and combat arms commanders, as well as representatives of the leadership of the Republic of Tatarstan, and the Primorsky and Smolensk Regions.

As for his meeting with regional representatives, Shoigu addressed possible solutions regarding the social problems of servicemen and their families, along with the development of the Young Army movement, and progress in constructing and arranging Patriot Park branches in their regions.

Source: ITAR-TASS 04-12-2018

Ukrainian military servicemen detained in Black Sea charged with violating Russian border

According to the lawyer of one of the detained, the charges were brought right after their arrest.

MOSCOW, December 3. /TASS/. The Ukrainian military servicemen and Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) officers detained in the Kerch Strait have been charged with violating Russia’s border, Nikolai Polozov, the lawyer of one of the detained Ukrainians, told TASS.

"Charges were brought right after their arrest. All of them are charged with violating the Russian border under Article 322.3 of the Russian Criminal Code," the lawyer said.

According to Polozov, he hasn’t met with his client Denis Gritsenko since the latter was arrested.

"I haven’t met with my client yet, I don’t know whether any documents have been sent to Moscow and who is conducting the investigation," the lawyer added.

Source: ITAR-TASS 03-12-2018

Ukraine’s government divides country by declaring martial law, Putin says

Russian President Vladimir Putin said martial law was declared in 10 Ukrainian regions where the current authorities do not have much support.

BUENOS AIRES, December 1. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that by declaring martial law in the country’s ten regions, the Ukrainian government has divided the country into two parts.

"They declared martial law in ten regions, those where the current president does not have a lot of support," the Russian leader told reporters. "This means that Ukraine’s current government has divided the country into two parts - one that can be trusted and one that cannot."

The Russian leader noted that Ukraine had not declared martial law before, when the events in the country were much more dire, and added that Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko’s decision is related to the upcoming elections in the country.

Putin noted that Kiev is not interested in resolving the conflict in Donbass, especially by peaceful means. "The analysis of recent events related to this incident or the Black Sea provocation, and what we see in Donbass, shows that the current government of Ukraine is not interested in the regulation of the situation as a whole, especially by peaceful means," Putin told reporters. "This is a party of war, and while they remain in power, all tragedies of this sort and war will continue."

Putin reminded of the tragic events that took place at Odessa’s Trade Unions House, which are not currently under investigation. "There is no investigation - just silence," the Russian leader stated.

He said that Russia will simplify the process of obtaining citizenship for Ukrainians and will not impose any entry restrictions. "No, we will not impose any restrictions on Ukrainian citizens. Moreover, we will on the contrary take the path of liberalization and simplify the process for Ukrainian citizens and stay on our territory and obtain Russian citizenship, if some of them want to do this," Putin told a press conference.

On November 30 Kiev banned Russian men aged from 16 to 60 from entering Ukraine.

Source: ITAR-TASS 02-12-2018

Russian military successfully test advanced missile of ballistic missile defense system

Missile Defense Task Force Commander said, that "the new antimissile missile proved out its specifications after a series of testing and successfully implemented the task by hitting the ‘target’".

MOSCOW, December 1. /TASS/. The Russian military successfully carried out the launch of an upgraded missile of a ballistic missile defense system at the Sary-Shagan Range in Kazakhstan, the Russian Defense Ministry press service reported on Saturday.

"A combat unit of the Air Defense and Missile Defense Forces of the Aerospace Force successfully carried out another test launch of the advanced missile of the Russian ballistic missile defense system," the report says.

Missile Defense Task Force Commander Sergei Grabchuk said, as quoted by the press service, that "the new antimissile missile proved out its specifications after a series of testing and successfully implemented the task by hitting the ‘target’ with the given accuracy."

In late August the successful test launch of a new missile of the Russian missile defense was reported. The test launches of the new missile were also carried out in February, April and July 2018.

Source: ITAR-TASS 01-12-2018