Around Moscow

Around Moscow

A 400 million-euro ($570 mln) contract has...

A 400 million-euro ($570 mln) contract has been signed for the delivery of Russian MiG-29 fighters for the Myanmar Air Force, a source close to Russia"s arms export monopoly told a business daily on Wednesday.

Adults in Scotland annually drink the equivalent...

Adults in Scotland annually drink the equivalent of 46 bottles of vodka each, Sky News reported Sunday citing a new study.

A group of four unidentified assailants...

A group of four unidentified assailants robbed a bank in St. Petersburg in northwest Russia of almost 3.5 million rubles ($115,000), a police source said on Sunday.

Another victim of bombings in the Moscow...

Another victim of bombings in the Moscow metro has died, bringing the total death toll to 40, a spokesman for the Russian health ministry said on Friday.

A second wave of economic crisis is unlikely...

A second wave of economic crisis is unlikely in Russia but the country is braced for a long period of recovery after the global financial meltdown, a senior Central Bank official said on Wednesday.

BRUSSELS, January 7 (RIA Novosti) - Bulgaria...

BRUSSELS, January 7 (RIA Novosti) - Bulgaria has offered the European Commission to reanimate its Kozloduy nuclear power plant, mothballed over EU accession requirements, the Belgian Libre Belgique newspaper reported on Wednesday. The Bulgarian proposal is being viewed as a way to ensure European energy security amid the gas conflict between Moscow and Kiev, which halted Russian natural gas transit via Ukraine earlier on Wednesday. Other East European states are also seeking to reduce energy dependence on Russia. Lithuania, which receives Russian gas via Belarus, is also seeking to extend the life of the second reactor of its Ingalina nuclear power plant, while Poland insists that the construction of the Nabucco pipeline project to pump Caspian gas to Europe bypassing Russia be sped up, the paper said. The authorities at the Belgian port of Zeebrugge, which has a large liquefied gas storage facility, said it could meet gas demand in Western Europe. Zeebrugge, one of Europe"s major gas terminals, receives liquefied gas shipped from Qatar and Algeria, and also has two pipelines pumping gas from Norway and Britain. The Russian gas monopoly said that so far this year, European consumers had failed to receive more than 86 million cubic meters of gas, tapped by Ukraine. Russia demanded that Ukraine make up the volume from its own reserves. Kiev closed on Wednesday the fourth, final gas pipeline pumping Russian gas to Europe. The latest closure added Austria, the Czech Republic, Romania and Slovakia to the growing list of countries receiving no Russian gas. The three other pipelines were closed on Tuesday, ending deliveries via Ukraine to Hungary, Serbia, Macedonia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece, and Bosnia. Supplies to Italy, Poland, France and Slovenia are seriously disrupted.

Bulgaria is holding informal talks with...

Bulgaria is holding informal talks with the United States on hosting elements of a U.S. missile shield on its soil, the U.S. ambassador to the East European country said Friday.

Fans of Russian skater Evgeni Plushenko...

Fans of Russian skater Evgeni Plushenko, who hoped to become the first repeat men"s Olympic gold medalist since 1952, but won silver in the free skate at the Vancouver Games, will award the skater and his coach "people"s" gold medals, the initiator of the award has said.

Foreign investment in Russia declined 21%...

Foreign investment in Russia declined 21% in 2009 to $81.9 billion, the country"s top statistics body Rosstat said on Saturday.

Former owners of the defunct Russian oil...

Former owners of the defunct Russian oil company Yukos have won a crucial ruling in The Hague allowing them to seek $100 billion in damages from the Russian government, The Financial Times reported.

Former President of the International Olympic...

Former President of the International Olympic Committee Juan Antonio Samaranch, who steered the IOC for over two decades (1980-2001) in the times of political boycotts, bribery and doping scandals, passed away on Wednesday afternoon at the Quiron Clinic in his native Barcelona at the age of 89.

Gas extraction from shale deposits, seen...

Gas extraction from shale deposits, seen as an alternative to conventional gas production, still remains commercially unprofitable, the energy program director of Greenpeace Russia said on Tuesday.

Gazprom said on Thursday it will extend...

Gazprom said on Thursday it will extend a contract on gas supplies to Western Europe via Poland until 2045, while gas supplies to Poland may be increased to 11 billion cu m from this year.

Gazprom"s gas exports declined 13.4% in...

Gazprom"s gas exports declined 13.4% in 2009, year-on-year, to 205.8 billion cu m amid reduced natural gas demand, the Russian energy giant said on Monday.

German alpine skier Maria Riesch won her...

German alpine skier Maria Riesch won her second gold medal during the Vancouver Olympic games.

Global nuclear security can only be ensured...

Global nuclear security can only be ensured if "all states have effective national [nuclear security] systems", a Russian presidential aide said Sunday.

Global oil markets will face a shortage...

Global oil markets will face a shortage of oil as the global economy exits recession and supply fails to keep pace with recovery in demand, a Russian business daily reported on Tuesday, citing Goldman Sachs" analysts.

India may join Russia"s nuclear center of...

India may join Russia"s nuclear center of a low-enriched uranium (LEU) reserves project in Angarsk, the chairman of India"s Atomic Energy Research Commission said.

Iran began final preparations for the production...

Iran began final preparations for the production of 20%-enriched nuclear fuel at the Natanz plant, Reuters said on Tuesday citing an Iranian nuclear official.

Israel"s Airports Authority on Tuesday launched...

Israel"s Airports Authority on Tuesday launched a pilot "self check-in" automated security system for passengers traveling abroad, a national daily said.

KALININGRAD, September 10 (RIA Novosti)...

KALININGRAD, September 10 (RIA Novosti) - A new cathedral in Kaliningrad in Russia's westernmost region will contribute to friendship in the Baltic Sea area, President Vladimir Putin said Sunday.

MOSCOW, April 30 (RIA Novosti) - Suspected...

MOSCOW, April 30 (RIA Novosti) - Suspected pirates seized by a Russian warship off the Somali coast earlier this week could be tried in Russia, media said on Thursday.

MOSCOW, August 18 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian...

MOSCOW, August 18 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian frigate Ladny has freed the Arctic Sea cargo ship in the Atlantic without firing a single shot and eight suspected hijackers have been detained, Russia"s defense minister said on Tuesday.

MOSCOW, August 18 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian...

MOSCOW, August 18 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian frigate Ladny has freed the Arctic Sea cargo ship in the Atlantic without firing a single shot and arrested eight alleged hijackers, Russia"s defense minister said on Tuesday.

MOSCOW, August 1 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's...

MOSCOW, August 1 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's expedition aimed at symbolically claiming a vast section of the Arctic is approaching the point where the first-ever dive below the North Pole is to be made.

MOSCOW, August 7 (RIA Novosti) - The results...

MOSCOW, August 7 (RIA Novosti) - The results of the Russian North Pole mission last week should be central to the country's case for ownership of a vast section of the Arctic, President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday.

MOSCOW, August 8 (RIA Novosti) - Studying...

MOSCOW, August 8 (RIA Novosti) - Studying the geological samples taken from the North Pole seabed during Russia's symbolic expedition last week could take six months, a Russian Academy of Sciences spokesman said Wednesday.

MOSCOW, December 16 (RIA Novosti) - Russian...

MOSCOW, December 16 (RIA Novosti) - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and the NATO chief will on Wednesday meet in Moscow to discuss the situations in Afghanistan and Iran, a European security treaty and other issues, a Kremlin source said.

MOSCOW, February 8 (RIA Novosti) - Hearings...

MOSCOW, February 8 (RIA Novosti) - Hearings in the civil court case against McDonalds" for a burn caused by a cup of coffee began in the Butyrsky court of Moscow, lawyer Maxim Dombrovitsky, who represents the interests of injured Olga Kuznetsova, said. The company is sued for 100,000 rubles ($1=28.12R) According to Mr. Dombrovitsky, the representatives of McDonalds" intend to bring 14 witnesses to the next court session, "who can confirm that medical assistance was allegedly offered to Ms. Kuznetsova." The defense also intends to present a number of additional proofs at the hearing, he continued. According to Mr. Dombrovitsky, his client is seeking compensation for first and second degree burns caused by the spilled coffee. Ms. Kuznetsova is also demanding 500 rubles for medical treatment. The plaintiff is also demanding that a penalty of 100,000 rubles be imposed on the restaurant as compensation for moral damage. Mr. Dombrovitsky said that in the McDonalds" in the town of Khimki, near Moscow, his client overturned a tray after being hit by the entrance door and spilled hot coffee on herself. The respondents have not pleaded guilty in this action, since the cups with coffee bear a warning inscription saying that coffee is hot, Mr. Dombrovitsky added. The McDonalds" report, received by RIA Novosti, contains a similar statement. The report also makes it clear that the company "regrets that a burn was received" but "does not see any faulty actions by the McDonalds staff which caused the damage." There are world precedents of actions filed against McDonalds. The most famous trial, named The Case of McDonalds" Coffee, became widely publicized after in February 1992, 79-year-old Stella Liebek from the state of New Mexico in the U.S. got a third degree burn from hot coffee. She sued McDonalds, and the court ruled that the latter pay $2.9 million to her. However, this sum was later reduced to $640,000.

Moscow is undaunted by Poland"s decision...

Moscow is undaunted by Poland"s decision to base U.S. surface-to-air missiles closer to Russian borders, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday.

MOSCOW, January 23 (RIA Novosti) - A British...

MOSCOW, January 23 (RIA Novosti) - A British company has developed a water cannon which could be used to prevent pirates from boarding commercial ships at sea, the BBC reported.

MOSCOW, January 2 (RIA Novosti) - Two people...

MOSCOW, January 2 (RIA Novosti) - Two people were killed and four injured when over 40 cars collided in Germany"s southwest near the city of Freiburg due to heavy fog, the DPA news agency reported citing local police.

MOSCOW, May 20 (RIA Novosti) - Russia"s...

MOSCOW, May 20 (RIA Novosti) - Russia"s Admiral Panteleyev destroyer is escorting a convoy comprising five Russian and foreign merchant vessels through the Gulf of Aden, a Russian Navy spokesman said on Wednesday.

MOSCOW, May 24 (RIA Novosti) - The European...

MOSCOW, May 24 (RIA Novosti) - The European Union welcomes Russia"s commitment to the ongoing international fight against terrorism financing and money laundering, the deputy head of the European Commission"s delegation in Moscow said Thursday. Paul Vandoren said the European Commission and the Council of Europe will contribute 3.5 million euros ($4.5 million) through 2010 on a program to assist Russia in its continuing enforcement efforts. Alexander Seger, the head of the Council of Europe"s technical cooperation division in the Department of Crime Problems, said that Russia and the EU already have considerable experience working together to stop financial crimes. Russia is an active participant in the international fight against money laundering and a full-fledged member of the Egmont Group, he said, referring to the coordinating body for international financial intelligence units (FIUs) formed in 1995 to promote and enhance international cooperation in anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism financing. He said that international money laundering and terrorism financing registered a 15-fold increase in 2006 and early 2007 over previous years, although he did not cite any specific figures for Russia.

MOSCOW, October 29 (RIA Novosti) - A 9-month-old...

MOSCOW, October 29 (RIA Novosti) - A 9-month-old boy whose skin reportedly reveals verses from the Koran from time to time, will be brought to Moscow"s main mosque on Saturday, the head of the Islamic Cultural Center said on Thursday.

MOSCOW. (Viktor Danilov-Danilyan for RIA...

MOSCOW. (Viktor Danilov-Danilyan for RIA Novosti) - Developed countries' obligations on the Kyoto Protocol will come into force on February 16.

NASA has given the final go-ahead for the...

NASA has given the final go-ahead for the launch of the U.S. space shuttle Discovery to the International Space Station (ISS) scheduled for April 5, NASA said on its website on Saturday.

Nord Stream has secured 3.9 billion euros...

Nord Stream has secured 3.9 billion euros ($5.3 billion) in financing allowing it to start building a pipeline to pump Russian natural gas to Europe under the Baltic Sea, The Financial Times reported on Tuesday.

NOVOROSSIISK, August 24 (RIA Novosti) -...

NOVOROSSIISK, August 24 (RIA Novosti) - The Arctic Sea merchant vessel, recently freed from hijackers by a Russian missile frigate, is being towed by a tugboat to the south Russian port of Novorossiisk, a port official said on Monday.

Over 1,300 firefighters and rescuers will...

Over 1,300 firefighters and rescuers will be on duty in the Russian capital as Muscovites will be celebrating New Year, a deputy head of the Moscow firefighting service said.

Photographers and moviemakers staged demonstrations...

Photographers and moviemakers staged demonstrations at Uzbek embassies in Moscow and Paris on Thursday in support of Uzbek photographer Umida Akhmedova, who has faced prosecution in her homeland over her "non-conformist" art.

Russia and India signed on Friday a host...

Russia and India signed on Friday a host of high-profile deals during Prime Minister Vladimir Putin"s working visit to the country.

Russia is expected to lower oil export duty...

Russia is expected to lower oil export duty on its Urals blend from the current $270.7 to $253.7 per metric ton from March 1, following trends on global oil markets, a Finance Ministry official said on Monday.

Russia is not offended by the lack of an...

Russia is not offended by the lack of an invitation to attend a G8 meeting of finance ministers in Canada on February 5-8, Deputy Finance Minister Dmitry Pankin said on Wednesday.

Russian and NATO Chiefs of Staffs will meet...

Russian and NATO Chiefs of Staffs will meet in Brussels on January 26 for the first time since the improvement in ties between Russia and the alliance, Russia"s envoy to NATO said on Wednesday.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander...

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Zhukov, who has earlier said he was ready to stand as a candidate for the post of president of the Russian Olympic Committee, officially registered his candidacy for the post on Tuesday.

Russia needs a modern, efficient and well...

Russia needs a modern, efficient and well organized military, President Dmitry Medvedev said on Thursday.

Russian GDP growth this year could exceed...

Russian GDP growth this year could exceed the official forecast of 3.1% and reach 4%, Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin said on Tuesday.

Russian investigators searched the Moscow...

Russian investigators searched the Moscow office of U.S. high-tech corporation Hewlett-Packard on a request from Germany, Russia"s Investigative Committee said on Wednesday.

Russian multi-billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov...

Russian multi-billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov plans to launch mass production of inexpensive electric cars in Russia and has already received the backing of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, a business daily reported on Wednesday.

Russian opposition newspaper Novaya Gazeta...

Russian opposition newspaper Novaya Gazeta has said it was the target of a hacker attack after its web site crashed on Tuesday.

Russian pawnshops increased lending to individuals...

Russian pawnshops increased lending to individuals by 18% in 2009 as banks were unwilling to extend loans to citizens over the high risk of defaults, a respected business daily reported on Wednesday.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev will meet...

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev will meet for talks with his Czech counterpart Vaclav Klaus during a visit to Prague on April 8, a Russian presidential aide said.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on...

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Tuesday unveiled a new package of anti-crisis measures aimed at doubling state support for small and medium business to 23 billion rubles ($780 million) in 2010.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will...

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will visit Austria on April 24-25, a Russian government source said on Friday.

Russian prosecutors have asked the United...

Russian prosecutors have asked the United States to pass on information about corrupt practices at German auto giant Daimler AG to help investigate allegations of bribery in Russia, the prosecutor general said on Wednesday.

Russian specialists have helped almost 150...

Russian specialists have helped almost 150 people affected by the Chilean earthquake since they arrived to the devastated country, a Russian emergencies ministry spokeswoman said on Sunday.

Russia"s $2.2 billion loan agreement with...

Russia"s $2.2 billion loan agreement with Venezuela is not tied to arms purchases, a Russian deputy finance minister said on Friday ahead of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin"s visit to the South American state.

Russia"s budget deficit rose to 4.9% of...

Russia"s budget deficit rose to 4.9% of GDP in January-November 2009 from 4.7% in September-October, the Finance Ministry reported on Wednesday.

Russia"s drug control chief said on Thursday...

Russia"s drug control chief said on Thursday he had a problem with NATO"s reluctance to eliminate opium plantations in Afghanistan.

Russia"s economy could grow by as much as...

Russia"s economy could grow by as much as 4-4.5% in 2010 compared with the government"s forecast of 3-3.5%, an Economic Development Ministry official said on Tuesday.

Russia"s envoy to NATO Dmitry Rogozin is...

Russia"s envoy to NATO Dmitry Rogozin is expected to take part in a bike show to commemorate Soviet soldiers killed in Belgium during World War II.

Russia"s Olympic Committee on Tuesday accepted...

Russia"s Olympic Committee on Tuesday accepted the resignation of its head Leonid Tyagachev over the country"s poor showing at the Vancouver Winter Olympics.

Russia"s Post Service has proposed changing...

Russia"s Post Service has proposed changing the country"s International Post customs to round-the-clock operations to expedite postal deliveries to Russia, following delay complaints by global postal operators, a business daily reported on Wednesday.

Russia will send two more planes with 40...

Russia will send two more planes with 40 metric tons of humanitarian aid to quake-devastated Haiti, the emergencies ministry said on Sunday.

Russia will set aside 40 metric tons of...

Russia will set aside 40 metric tons of low-enriched uranium by the end of this year to provide guaranteed services of the nuclear fuel cycle, Russia"s civilian nuclear power chief said on Monday.

Talks on introducing visa-free travel between...

Talks on introducing visa-free travel between Russia and the European Union are hindered by political issues, Russia"s EU envoy said on Friday.

The construction of the Russia-China oil...

The construction of the Russia-China oil pipeline will be finished by the end of this year, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said on Sunday.

The European Union"s Lisbon treaty, aimed...

The European Union"s Lisbon treaty, aimed at streamlining institutions and raising the bloc"s global standing, came into force on Tuesday.

The International Court of Justice opened...

The International Court of Justice opened on Tuesday hearings on the legitimacy of Kosovo"s unilateral declaration of independence from Serbia.

The Japanese government"s position on the...

The Japanese government"s position on the South Kuril Islands is counterproductive to dialogue on the territorial issue, a senior Russian MP said on Tuesday.

The Kyrgyz president will be deprived of...

The Kyrgyz president will be deprived of immunity from prosecution when the country"s interim authorities sign a document that effectively replaces the constitution, RFE/RL"s Russian service said on Friday, quoting a top provisional government official.

The Middle East Quartet of international...

The Middle East Quartet of international mediators during a meeting in Moscow has called on the Israeli government to freeze all settlement activity in East Jerusalem.

The new Russian-U.S. arms reduction pact...

The new Russian-U.S. arms reduction pact, to be signed on April 8 in Prague, will face problems on its way to ratification, Russian daily Kommersant said on Monday.

The number of police killed in a suicide...

The number of police killed in a suicide bomb attack in Russia"s North Caucasus Republic of Dagestan has risen to seven, after a police officer died from blood loss, Russian TV channel NTV reported on Wednesday.

The Russian-British joint oil venture TNK-BP...

The Russian-British joint oil venture TNK-BP has confirmed its readiness to sell a huge Siberian gas field after several years of attempts to recoup its investments, a business daily reported on Wednesday.

The Russian Navy ideally needs to have at...

The Russian Navy ideally needs to have at least 50 nuclear-powered submarines, a high-ranking Navy officer said during a live interview with Ekho Moskvy radio station on Saturday.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said...

Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said on Friday that he was mostly satisfied with his visit to Russia and that Ukraine will only buy as much Russian gas as it needs.

U.S. President Barack Obama has finally...

U.S. President Barack Obama has finally brought America closer to European universal healthcare systems. It took him almost a year to persuade Congress to approve his healthcare reform. The House approved it by a majority of only seven votes (219 to 212) on March 21. The amended bill will be submitted to the Senate but this will be a sheer formality, since the Senate is dominated by Democrats and the endorsement procedure has already been agreed upon.