Russia

MOSCOW, November 23. /TASS/: The Russian State Duma at its Wednesday session approved the second reading of a bill banning propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations, pedophilia and information capable of causing someone to seek gender reassignment surgery.

About 400 legislators, including Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, are among the bill’s authors. As Volodin noted during the meeting, the bill is being approved exclusively in the interests of Russians. "We should do everything in order to protect our children and those who want to lead a normal life," he emphasized.

MOSCOW, November 22. /TASS/: Moscow and Havana will continue to strengthen their alliance and defend freedom, equality and justice, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday.

During the unveiling ceremony of a monument to Fidel Castro in Moscow, which was attended by visiting Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, the Russian president said that the friendship between their countries is the shared heritage of the two nations.

"Jointly, we will continue to strengthen our union and defend the great values of freedom, equality and justice," Putin said.

MOSCOW, November 22. /TASS/: European countries have destabilized the global LNG market and lowered global energy security, the Russian gas holding Gazprom said on Tuesday.

NOVO-OGAREVO, November 22. /TASS/: The importance of the Northern Sea Route will increase manifold and the development of northern regions will support Russia's future to a significant degree, President Vladimir Putin said at a flag raising ceremony on board the Ural icebreaker and the Yakutia icebreaker launch.

SOCHI (Russia), Nov 22 (NNN-KBC) — The 12th edition of the Atomexpo international forum, a major event in the global nuclear industry, opened Monday at the Park of Science and Art Sirius in the city of Sochi, Russia.

The forum which is an exhibition and business platform for discussing the current state of the nuclear industry, was finally held three and half years after the previous edition in 2019.  The break had been occasioned by disruptions caused by the Covid-19 outbreak.

ST PETERSBURG, Russia, Nov 22 (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday touted Russia's Arctic power at a flag-raising ceremony and dock launch for two nuclear-powered icebreakers that will ensure year-round navigation in the Western Arctic.

Presiding via video link from the Kremlin at the launch ceremony in the former imperial capital of St Petersburg in northern Russia, Putin said such icebreakers were of strategic importance for the country.

MOSCOW, November 21. /TASS/: Russian President Vladimir Putin is preparing to take part in a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council to be held in Bishkek on December 9. The format of his participation will be announced later, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday.

MOSCOW, November 21. /TASS/: Russia’s COVID-19 case tally rose by 4,662 over the past day to 21,540,891, the anti-coronavirus crisis center reported on Monday.

As many as 448 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 in Russia over the past day, 30.1% fewer than in the previous day. The number of hospitalized patients declined in 51 regions, while in 16 other regions the figure increased. A day earlier, 641 people were rushed to hospitals.

MOSCOW, November 21. /TASS/: A high "yellow" terrorist threat level in the Belgorod Region has been extended until December 6, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Monday.

"The ‘yellow’ terrorist threat level has been extended for another 2 weeks. It will remain effective in the Belgorod Region until December 6," he wrote on his Telegram channel.

MOSCOW, November 21. /TASS/: Ukraine does not have the resources to attack Crimea, while the West will not help Kiev in this adventure, the chairman of the Federation Council’s committee on defense and security, Viktor Bondarev, said on Monday.

"Ukraine has neither the resources, nor the military potential, nor the support of the Crimeans for its promised offensive on the peninsula. Also, the West will not take any real steps to help Ukraine in this adventure. The Kiev authorities will not go beyond the level of rhetoric," Bondarev wrote on his Telegram channel.