Russia

MOSCOW, April 8. /TASS/: The program of inoculating Russians against the coronavirus may meet its target figures by autumn when a new increase in incidence is possible, Head of the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing Anna Popova said on Thursday.

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine of provocative action in eastern Ukraine that was inflaming the situation there during a phone call with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the Kremlin said on Thursday.

In a readout of the call, the Kremlin said that both sides had voiced concerns about the situation in eastern Ukraine. They also discussed the case of jailed Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny and Libya, the Kremlin said.

MOSCOW, April 7. /TASS/: The Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation does not rule out the possibility of delivering Russian-made unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to Armenia, Federal Service Spokeswoman Valeria Reshetnikova told TASS on Wednesday.

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.

MOSCOW, April 7. /TASS/: The Project 1135 guard ship Ladny has deployed to the sea after repairs, the press office of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet reported on Wednesday.

"The Black Sea Fleet’s guard ship Ladny has deployed to a naval combat training range from Sevastopol after the completion of planned repairs at the ship repair enterprise," the press office said in a statement.

MOSCOW, April 7. /TASS/: No foreign guests will be invited to the May 9 parade on the occasion of the 76th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the media on Wednesday.

"No. This is not a jubilee year. No foreign guests will be invited," Peskov said when asked if invitations to the Victory Parade would be sent to foreign leaders.

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Wednesday appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin to help with the release of prisoners of war who were captured during fighting with Azeri forces during last year’s Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Pashinyan, who travelled to Moscow to meet the Russian leader, also said that he hoped Armenia would be able to acquire large quantities of Russian vaccines against COVID-19.

MOSCOW (AP) — They’re not leaders for life — not technically, at least. But in political reality, the powerful tenures of China’s Xi Jinping and, as of this week, Russia’s Vladimir Putin are looking as if they will extend much deeper into the 21st century — even as the two superpowers whose destinies they steer gather more clout with each passing year.

MOSCOW, April 6. /TASS/: The Tagansky district magistrate’s court of Moscow has fined TikTok 2.6 mln rubles ($34,022) because the social network refused to delete information encouraging teenagers to join an unsanctioned walkout in Moscow, a spokesperson with the Tagansky court's press service told TASS on Tuesday.

MOSCOW, April 6. /TASS/: Final combat readiness checks for the winter training period kicked off in Russian troops, Russia’s Defense Minister Army General Sergei Shoigu said at the ministry’s conference call on Tuesday.

"In accordance with the Armed Forces’ training plan, final checks have begun in military command centers, military units and formations," the defense minister said.