Russia

MOSCOW, November 4. /TASS/. Dialogue between nations on the basis on common interests will help settle problems between states and cooperate in the interests of all nations, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday at a ceremony of decorating foreign nationals with Russian state awards for their contribution to the development of relations with Russia.

The ceremony was timed to mark Russia’s national holiday, Unity Day, on November 4.

MOSCOW, October 30. /TASS/. The festival of the world’s greatest clowns will be held in the Big St. Petersburg State Circus (a branch of the Russian State Circus Company) in early December, the company said on its official Instagram page on Tuesday.

"The Big St. Petersburg Circus on the Fontanka River will open its doors at the festival of the world’s best clowns at the beginning of December. This grand and beautiful event will be a wonderful start for beginning celebrations to mark the circus’ centenary," the report said.

MOSCOW, October 31. /TASS/. During a joint Russian-Pakistani military exercise, Friendship-2018, Russian special forces and their Pakistani colleagues practiced an operation against a sabotage and reconnaissance group operating in mountainous terrain, the press service of the Southern Military District said on Wednesday.

"The personnel performed its reconnaissance tasks wearing advanced combat gear, Ratnik," a spokesperson said.

HAVANA, October 31. /TASS/. The contract on supplying Russia’s S-400 missile systems to India has been signed in rubles, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov said on Wednesday.

"The contract has been signed in rubles," Borisov said.

Earlier reports said Russia would switch to settlements in national currencies instead of the dollar with its partners in military and technical cooperation.

MOSCOW, October 28. /TASS/. Moscow will find the ways to reduce the damage from the US sanctions and then to become independent from them, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with the program "Moscow. Kremlin. Putin" on Rossiya 1 TV channel.

"As for sanctions, this is a separate issue," Lavrov said. "In any case, we will find the opportunities to do so to minimize the damage from them, and some time later to stop being dependent on what they try to blackmail us."

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.

MOSCOW, October 24./TASS/. The US has not offered evidence of Russia’s violations of the INF treaty, but has already violated the treaty itself, President Vladimir Putin told a news conference after talks with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Wednesday.

"What is a formal pretext for a possible withdrawal of our partners from the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty? Accusing us of its violation. However, no evidence is offered as usual. Meanwhile, the US has already violated it," by deploying in Romania the Aegis Ashore Missile Defense System, Putin said.

MOSCOW, October 24. /TASS/. Thirteen agreements were signed on sidelines of talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister of Italy Giuseppe Conte.

The Russian Ministry of Natural Resources signed a memorandum of understanding in the environment protection and sustainable development sphere with its Italian counterpart. The Government of Moscow Region inked an agreement with the Italian food company Barilla. The Kaluga Region signed an agreement with Techint.

MOSCOW, October 24. /TASS/. Moscow sees threats to Russian security in Washington's actions, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said on Wednesday.

MOSCOW, October 25. /TASS/. Meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin was fruitful marking the beginning of friendship, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said in an interview with TASS First Deputy Director General Mikhail Gusman.

"I am very pleased with the visit," he said. "I was received with wonderful hospitality, that was a very warm welcome. I would say that friendly relations have emerged as well. At the end, before saying good-bye, we told each other about that."