Russia

MOSCOW, October 25. /TASS/. A New York Times article claiming that Russian intelligence agencies are allegedly eavesdropping on US President Donald Trump’s cellphone calls amuses the Kremlin, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"Nowadays, we tend to get amused at such publications," he noted.

OSLO, Oct. 25 (Xinhua) -- With around 50,000 participants from 31 countries, NATO on Thursday launched its biggest military exercise since the end of the Cold War in Norway, as Russia has complained the alliance's levels of military activities near its borders.

All 29 NATO member nations and its partners Sweden and Finland, with around 250 aircraft, 65 vessels and up to 10,000 vehicles, will take part in the exercise, dubbed Trident Juncture 2018, from Oct. 25 to Nov. 7.

MOSCOW, October 24. /TASS/. ZALA AERO, part of the Kalashnikov Group, has demonstrated a new device of satellite navigation signal suppression for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) at the Interpolytex-2018 security exhibition, the Kalashnikov press office reported on Wednesday.

"The compact module is placed under an unmanned aerial vehicle’s wing and suppresses the signal of satellite navigation systems within a radius of up to 5km, and also blocks the operation of all devices that use satellite navigational systems for navigation," the Kalashnikov press office said.

MOSCOW, October 22. /TASS/. Russia’s foreign ministry sees it as one of its priorities to reach visa-free travel agreements with as many countries as possible, Deputy Foreign Minister Yevgeny Ivanov, who is in charge of consular issues, said on Monday.

MOSCOW, October 20. /TASS/. Mikhail Bochkaryov, a member of staff of the Russian Federation Council (upper house of parliament) has told journalists upon returning to Moscow from Oslo that he did not have any doubts about the favorable resolution of the situation.

The press service of the Russian Federation Council said earlier that Borchkaryov returned to Moscow from Oslo on Saturday after the Norwegian court had ordered to release him from custody. He was welcomed at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport by his son and colleagues.

MOSCOW, October 21. /TASS/. The landmark Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty) apparently stonewalls Washington’s plans for total domination, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told TASS commenting on US President Donald Trump’s statement on plans to ditch the 1987 arms control agreement with Russia.

"At first glance, I can say that apparently the INF Treaty creates problems for pursuing the line towards the US total domination in military sphere," Ryabkov said.

MOSCOW, October 21. /TASS/. Washington’s withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty) will spark an arms race, but Russia’s response would be adequate and in the framework of its financial potential, Russian State Duma (lower house of parliament) Defense Committee Chairman and former Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Airborne Troops Vladimir Shamanov said.

MOSCOW, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- The United States is fabricating a pretext to once again impose its "notorious sanctions" against Russia, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Saturday.

Ryabkov made the remarks after the U.S. Department of Justice on Friday charged Russian national Elena Khusyaynova "for her alleged role in a Russian conspiracy to interfere in the U.S. political system, including the 2018 midterm election."

MOSCOW, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Russian officials said Sunday that the U.S. statement on its intention to withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty) could be seen as "blackmail," warning that cancelling the treaty would be very dangerous.

Head of the Russian Federation Council's International Affairs Committee Konstantin Kosachev said that the INF Treaty stipulates a unilateral pullout is only possible under "exceptional circumstances" with their substantiation within six months.

MOSCOW, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend a summit on Syria with leaders of Turkey, Germany and France, the Kremlin said Friday.

"The parties plan to exchange views on the Syrian problems, including promotion of the political settlement process, further steps in the interests of strengthening security and stability, creating conditions for the return of refugees and restoring the socio-economic infrastructure," it said in a statement.