Blast near FSB office in Russia's Arkhangelsk Region leaves one person dead

MOSCOW, October 31. /TASS/. The person injured in an explosion near the building of the Federal Security Service’s (FSB) Directorate for the Arkhangelsk Region in Arkhangelsk has died, emergency services told TASS.

"The injured person died during treatment," the source said.

The source specified that the killed person was not a FSB officer; he is being identified. According to earlier reports, an explosion occurred near the building of the Federal Security Service’s (FSB) Directorate for the Arkhangelsk Region. The causes of the explosion are being determined.

Source: ITAR-TASS 31-10-2018

Ukrainian forces shell LPR territory twice over last 24 hours

Since the start of the conflict, the sides have agreed on a ceasefire over 20 times already, but violations keep occurring.

LUGANSK, October 30. /TASS/. Ukrainian forces have shelled the territory of the self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic (LPR) twice over the last 24 hours, LPR people's militia said on Tuesday.

"The settlements of Golubovskoye and Kalinovka came under fire. Ukrainian forces used weapons of infantry fighting vehicles," LuganskInformCenter quoted LPR people's militia as saying.

The last agreement on ceasefire in eastern Ukraine was reached at the Contact Group meeting in Minsk. The ceasefire was supposed to start overnight to September 29, right before the beginning of a school year. Since the start of the conflict, the sides have agreed on a ceasefire over 20 times already, but violations keep occurring.

Source: ITAR-TASS 30-10-2018

Senior Russian diplomat condemns Kiev for condoning neo-Nazism

A diplomat says human rights violations have become a regular occurrence in Ukraine.

MOSCOW, October 29. /TASS/. Human rights violations have become a regular occurrence in Ukraine, as the country’s authorities have been playing along with neo-Nazis, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin said, addressing the Second Moscow International Conference on Countering Anti-Semitism, Racism and Xenophobia on Monday.

"The situation in countries where the state often times condones the spread of neo-Nazi dogma, as well as organizations following these doctrines, raises alarm bells," he stressed. "Ukraine is an perfect example of such a miserable situation, as human rights violations, which run counter to Kiev’s international legal obligations, have become commonplace there," Vershinin added.

"In early October, in addition to the so-called education law, Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada passed the first reading of a discriminatory bill ensuring the use of the Ukrainian language as the state one," the Russian deputy foreign minister went on to say. "This legal initiative is a continuation of Kiev’s policy aimed at the complete Ukrainization of society and will apply to the areas of education, culture, legal proceedings, media and even consumer service. And you know what kind of attitude the Ukrainian authorities have towards events commemorating Nazi collaborators," he emphasized.

"Ukraine’s current legislation does not prohibit the use of the swastika and similar symbols. An article banning the justification of crimes committed by the Nazis and their quislings has been abolished," the senior Russian diplomat pointed out.

Source: ITAR-TASS 29-10-2018

Samarkand electronic warfare systems to be deployed in 13 Russian military units

They will be sent to the Kaliningrad, Murmansk and other areas of northwestern Russia, and also to the Far East’s Primorye Region.

MOSCOW, October 28. /TASS/. Russia’s Defense Ministry plans to deploy 16 Samarkand electronic warfare systems in 13 military units, a document published on the ministry’s state procurement website said on Sunday.

Three types of Samarkand electronic warfare systems will be sent to the Kaliningrad, Murmansk and other areas of northwestern Russia, and also to the Far East’s Primorye Region.

The contract to the tune of 61 mln rubles ($929,000) is due to be implemented by November 10, 2019.

The Northern Fleet received the Samarkand electronic warfare systems in 2017. Samarkand is designed to assess electromagnetic situation, search, detect and analyze radio emissions.

Source: ITAR-TASS 28-10-2018

DPR militia shoots down Ukrainian army’s drone - DPR People’s Militia

It was targeting a DPR military facility.

DONETSK, October 27. /TASS/. Militias of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) have shot down a Ukrainian unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCVA) when it was targeting a DPR military facility, Spokesman for the DPR People's Militia Daniil Bezsonov said on Saturday.

"The Ukrainian side keeps breaching the Minsk accords concerning the use of UCVAs. In the past 24 hours, as the adversary was attempting to deliver a strike on a guarded military facility of the DPR People’s Militia, the air defense force destroyed another unmanned combat aerial vehicle of the Ukrainian Armed Forces," he was cited by the Donetsk news agency as saying.

The agreements adopted at Minsk meetings of the Contact Group seeking peace for eastern Ukraine allow only the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to use UAVs in areas adjacent to the disengagement line in Donbass.

Source: ITAR-TASS 27-10-2018

Putin congratulates Austria’s authorities on National Day

Putin is confident that by working together, the two states will boost fruitful cooperation in various areas for the sake of the countries’ people and in the interest of European security.

VIENNA, October 26. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated Austria’s President Alexander Van der Bellen and Chancellor Sebastian Kurz on Austrian National Day. Putin’s congratulatory messages were passed to them through the Russian embassy in Vienna.

"Please accept my warmest congratulations on Austrian National Day, which marks the day when a constitutional law on permanent neutrality was passed," Putin said. "It is with satisfaction that I note the constructive nature of Russian-Austrian relations. I am confident that by working together, we will boost bilateral dialogue and fruitful cooperation in various areas for the sake of our countries’ people and in the interest of European security and stability. I wish good health and every success to you and prosperity to the Austrian people," the Russian president added.

The Austrian parliament passed the constitutional law on permanent neutrality on October 26, 1955, in order to ensure country’s independence and territorial integrity. The law says that Austria will maintain and protect its neutrality through all available means, will never join any military unions and will not allow foreign states to set up military bases on its territory.

Austria’s declaration of neutrality became possible after the victorious states of World War II had withdrawn their troops from the country in 1955. Since then, Austrian National Day has been celebrated on October 26.

Source: ITAR-TASS 26-10-2018

Krasnodar Region floods leave two dead

Floods have left two people dead and two others injured along with one missing in the Tuapse district of the Krasnodar Region, parts of which were hammered by severe storms.

KRASNODAR, October 25. /TASS/. Floods have left two people dead and two others injured along with one missing in the Tuapse district of the Krasnodar Region, parts of which were hammered by severe storms, Municipal District Head Anatoly Rusin told TASS on Thursday.     

“Two people have been killed – these are residents of the Tuapse district – two others were injured, and one is missing,” he specified.    

On the other hand, local medical services told TASS that two people had been killed and three had been injured in heavy rains in the Krasnodar Region. “According to preliminary information, the bodies of two people were uncovered in the flooded area. The causes for their deaths are being investigated. Three more people were injured,” the source said. There is a search and rescue operation underway for one person who is situated in the inundated area, he said. 

The Russian Emergencies Ministry’s Main Directorate for the Krasnodar Region reported that areas in 19 communities of the Tuapse district and six communities of the Apsheronsk district were partially flooded following a cyclone that swept through the Krasnodar Region, with heavy rains. More than 360 people were evacuated.        

Downpours throughout the Krasnodar Region had previously flooded railway lines, delayed trains and devastated a bridge on the Tuapse-Maikop highway. All services are operating on a round-the-clock basis. In addition, the connection to Sochi via the federal highway was disrupted after a bridge had been partially destroyed.

The Emergencies Ministry earlier issued a warning about floods with thunderstorms, hail and winds that were expected to arrive in the region on October 25 and 26.

Source: ITAR-TASS 25-10-2018