Russia

MOSCOW, Oct 3 (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Tuesday that Russia had not abandoned a moratorium on nuclear testing, and dismissed a suggestion by the editor of a state television channel that Moscow should detonate a thermonuclear device in Siberia as a warning to the West.

President Vladimir Putin, who rules the world's biggest nuclear power, has repeatedly cautioned the West that any attack on Russia could provoke a nuclear response.

MOSCOW, October 2. /TASS/: The Russian stock indices grew at the beginning of the main session on the Moscow Exchange.

As of 10:20 a.m. Moscow time, the MOEX index rose by 0.53% to 3,149.91 points, the RTS index went up by 0.38% to 1,011.4 points.

At the opening of trading, the MOEX index grew by 0.27% to 3,141.69 points, the RTS index edged down 0.04 to 1,007.96 points.

The dollar-to-ruble rate grew by 0.14% to 98.1 rubles, the euro rate added 0.4% and amounted to 103.76 rubles, the yuan exchange rate decreased by 0.19% to 13.467 rubles.

MOSCOW, October 2. /TASS/: The dollar surpassed 99 rubles on the Moscow Exchange for the first time on August 15.

As of 14:23 Moscow time, the dollar exchange rate rose to 99.075 rubles (+1.13%).

By 14:42 Moscow time, the dollar reached 98.83 rubles (+0.9%). At the same time, the euro rose by 0.71%, to 104.05 rubles, and the yuan added 0.44%, rising to 13.55 rubles.

MOSCOW, October 2. /TASS/: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will hold separate talks with the president and top diplomat of Abkhazia and the president and foreign minister of South Ossetia in Sochi on October 3, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"On October 3, Sochi will host Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s separate bilateral talks and trilateral negotiations with Abkhazian President Aslan Bzhania and Foreign Minister Inal Ardzinba, as well as with South Ossetian President Alan Gagloyev and Foreign Minister Akhsar Dzhioyev," the statement reads.

SOCHI, October 2. /TASS/: The upcoming year of 2024 will mark a pivotal turning point as regards determining the scope of further weapons supplies to Ukraine as the US gears up for its presidential election showdown, Richard Sakwa, professor emeritus of Russian and European politics at the University of Kent (UK) and honorary professor of political science at Moscow State University, told TASS.

MOSCOW, October 2. /TASS/: The expansion of Russia's cooperation with Latin America and the Caribbean is not to the liking of Washington and other capitals, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said on the sidelines of the Russia-Latin America parliamentary conference.

MOSCOW, Oct 2 (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Monday it believed a decision by U.S. Congress to pass a stopgap funding bill that omitted aid for Ukraine was a temporary setback for Kyiv, but forecast war fatigue in the West would grow and increasingly split opinion.

Congress passed legislation on Saturday which extended funding for more than a month to avoid a government shutdown but did not include any aid for Kyiv, despite Washington's status as Ukraine's biggest financial and military backer.

MOSCOW, September 29. /TASS/: The development of transport communications and logistics is important for Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, Moscow hopes to continue this work, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

KAZAN, September 29. /TASS/: Moscow is alarmed by attempts by non-regional players to intensify their activities in and around Afghanistan, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in a written address to the participants in the Moscow format consultations on Afghanistan now taking place in Kazan.

MOSCOW, September 29. /TASS/: Russia stands for Latin America to be strong, independent and successful, and is willing to develop bilateral cooperation for this purpose, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the Russia - Latin America International Parliamentary Conference.