themoscowtimes--2020-04-16--Russia Tested Anti-Satellite Missile, U.S. Says

Russia tested an anti-satellite weapon capable of destroying satellites in low orbit on Wednesday , U.S. Space Force chief Gen. John Raymond said , accusing Moscow of threatening U.S. space assets .
The direct-ascent anti-satellite missile test “ provides yet another example that the threats to U.S. and allied space systems are real , serious and growing , ” he said .
In February , Raymond said a pair of Russian satellites had been following an American satellite in an “ unusual and disturbing ” manner .
“ This test is further proof of Russia ’ s hypocritical advocacy of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrict the capabilities of the United States while clearly having no intention of halting their counterspace weapons programs , ” Raymond said .
Moscow has not yet commented on the U.S. Space Force ’ s claim .
U.S. intelligence officials believe that Russia has conducted seven anti-satellite missile tests , the last coming in December 2018 .
Analysts say Russia ’ s latest anti-satellite weapon launch from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome north of Moscow late Wednesday did not appear to hit any satellites .
Previous tests by other space powers , including China in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said to have added dangerous debris to the cluttered low Earth orbit and pose a danger to other satellites .
U.S. President Donald Trump established the Space Force , an independent military branch under the Air Force , in December .
Trump signed an executive order earlier this month allowing commercial and the extraction of other resources in space .
The Kremlin later denounced the idea of space colonization .

Russia tested an anti-satellite weapon capable of destroying satellites in low orbit on Wednesday, U.S. Space Force chief Gen. John Raymond said, accusing Moscow of threatening U.S. space assets. The direct-ascent anti-satellite missile test “provides yet another example that the threats to U.S. and allied space systems are real, serious and growing,” he said. In February, Raymond said a pair of Russian satellites had been following an American satellite in an “unusual and disturbing” manner.
Russia’s DA-ASAT test, capable of destroying #sats in Low Earth Orbit, is an example of growing threats to U.S. & Allied #Space systems. U.S. is ready, committed to #deter aggression & #defend the Nation & our Allies from hostile acts in space. https://t.co/lnazsiv8iU — Gen. Jay Raymond (@SpaceForceCSO) April 16, 2020
“This test is further proof of Russia’s hypocritical advocacy of outer space arms control proposals designed to restrict the capabilities of the United States while clearly having no intention of halting their counterspace weapons programs,” Raymond said. Moscow has not yet commented on the U.S. Space Force’s claim. U.S. intelligence officials believe that Russia has conducted seven anti-satellite missile tests, the last coming in December 2018. Analysts say Russia’s latest anti-satellite weapon launch from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome north of Moscow late Wednesday did not appear to hit any satellites.


themoscowtimes--2020-01-07--Russian Orthodox Leader Rails Against ‘Foreign’ Domestic Violence Law

Russia scrapped criminal punishments for first-time domestic abuse offenses in 2017 .
A series of high-profile murder and domestic violence cases has pushed lawmakers to begin work toward overturning that decision last fall , but the new law ’ s progress has faced several delays .
Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill has accused lawmakers who seek to re-criminalize domestic abuse of “ borrowing ” the draft law , as well as the concept of domestic violence , from abroad .
Patriarch Kirill , in an interview marking Orthodox Christmas , linked the proposed domestic violence bill to “ a desire to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what exists in other countries.
” “ The adoption of these laws in foreign countries seems to create a certain dependence on these foreign innovations in the minds of our lawmakers , ” he told the state news channel Rossia 24 .
“ Any intrusion into family matters from outside carries significant negative consequences , ” the influential Russian Orthodox Church leader said in the interview published Tuesday .
Using language that had partly delayed the new domestic violence bill , he noted that “ we must protect the family first.
” Activists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ published text last month after lawmakers shifted its stated purpose from “ saving the victim ” to “ protecting the family.
” Other experts said the published text contained a “ very vague ” definition of domestic violence and scrapped needed details on provisions for restraining orders .
Patriarch Kirill ’ s opposition to re-criminalizing domestic violence is shared by vocal conservative groups , who have staged several rallies and signed open letters urging President Vladimir Putin to block the bill since the fall .
Putin himself has said he has “ mixed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first-time domestic violence offenses .
The bill ’ s authors now expect a newly revised version to be submitted to Russia ’ s lower house of parliament , the State Duma , in late January .

Russia scrapped criminal punishments for first-time domestic abuse offenses in 2017. A series of high-profile murder and domestic violence cases has pushed lawmakers to begin work toward overturning that decision last fall, but the new law’s progress has faced several delays.
Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill has accused lawmakers who seek to re-criminalize domestic abuse of “borrowing” the draft law, as well as the concept of domestic violence, from abroad.
Patriarch Kirill, in an interview marking Orthodox Christmas, linked the proposed domestic violence bill to “a desire to bring our Russian laws in line with what exists in other countries.”
“The adoption of these laws in foreign countries seems to create a certain dependence on these foreign innovations in the minds of our lawmakers,” he told the state news channel Rossia 24.
“Any intrusion into family matters from outside carries significant negative consequences,” the influential Russian Orthodox Church leader said in the interview published Tuesday.
Using language that had partly delayed the new domestic violence bill, he noted that “we must protect the family first.”
Activists who co-authored the re-criminalization bill criticized its published text last month after lawmakers shifted its stated purpose from “saving the victim” to “protecting the family.”
Other experts said the published text contained a “very vague” definition of domestic violence and scrapped needed details on provisions for restraining orders.
Patriarch Kirill’s opposition to re-criminalizing domestic violence is shared by vocal conservative groups, who have staged several rallies and signed open letters urging President Vladimir Putin to block the bill since the fall.
Putin himself has said he has “mixed feelings” about reinstating criminal punishments for first-time domestic violence offenses.
The bill’s authors now expect a newly revised version to be submitted to Russia’s lower house of parliament, the State Duma, in late January.


themoscowtimes--2020-01-07--Putin Makes Rare Visit to Syria, Meets Assad Amid Middle East Tensions

The visit comes at a time of heightened regional tension , when Assad 's other main military ally Iran has said it will retaliate against the United States for the killing of an Iranian general .
Vladimir Putin met Bashar al-Assad in Damascus on Tuesday , the Russian leader 's second trip to Syria since Moscow intervened decisively on the Syrian president 's behalf in a civil war .
Qassem Soleimani , who was one of the key figures in Syria 's civil war as the architect of Iranian military operations in the Middle East , had just arrived in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by a U.S. drone Friday at Baghdad airport .
Russian and Iranian support have helped Assad win back nearly all territory from rebels who tried to overthrow him during the civil war that began nearly nine years ago .
Putin told Assad that much had been done to restore Syrian statehood , while Assad thanked Putin for his assistance in restoring peaceful life in Syria , Interfax reported , citing the Kremlin .
Putin will visit several facilities in Syria during the trip , it added .
Syrian state news agency SANA showed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shook Assad 's hand and said they had listened to a military presentation by the head of Russian forces in Syria .
Putin 's previous trip to Syria was in 2017 when he visited Russia ’ s Hmeymim air base .

The visit comes at a time of heightened regional tension — Assad's other main military ally, Iran, has said it will retaliate against the United States for the killing of an Iranian general in a drone strike.
Vladimir Putin met Bashar al-Assad in Damascus on Tuesday, the Russian leader's second trip to Syria since Moscow intervened decisively on the Syrian president's behalf in the country's civil war.
Qassem Soleimani, who was one of the key figures in Syria's war as the architect of Iranian military operations in the Middle East, had just arrived in Iraq from Syria when he was killed by a U.S. drone on Friday at Baghdad airport.
Russian and Iranian support has helped Assad win back nearly all the territory lost to rebels who tried to overthrow him during the civil war that began nearly nine years ago.
Syrian state news agency SANA showed a photograph of Putin smiling as he shook Assad's hand and said they had listened to a military presentation by the head of Russian forces in Syria.
Putin and Assad discussed recent developments in the region and plans to "eliminate terrorism" in the Idlib region, one of the last pieces of Syrian territory held by anti-Assad insurgents, SANA reported.
Putin also delivered greetings to Russian forces in Syria.
Accompanied by Assad, Putin visited the Old City of Damascus including, the 8th-century Umayyad mosque and an ancient church.
"I think Putin is there to reinforce the Russian position in Syria and with the person of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, especially as Iran's position has been indelibly weakened, since Soleimani was essentially Iran in Syria," said David Lesch, an expert on Syria.
Though Iran and Russia worked together to beat back the anti-Assad insurgency, tensions have occasionally surfaced between them on the ground, where analysts say they have been vying for influence.
Putin is due to hold talks on Wednesday with President Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey, which has sent forces into much of northern Syria to beat back Kurdish-led forces that had been backed by the United States.
Putin's previous trip to Syria was in 2017, when he visited Russia's Hmeymim air base.
Putin told Assad that much had been done to restore Syrian statehood, while Assad thanked Putin for his assistance in restoring peaceful life in Syria, Russia's Interfax news agency reported, citing the Kremlin. Putin will visit several facilities in Syria during the trip, it added.
Soleimani, the Iranian general killed last week, had played a critical role in supervising Iran-backed ground forces to support the Syrian government during the war and coordinated with Moscow ahead of its intervention in 2015.


themoscowtimes--2020-01-07--8 Migrants Killed in Moscow Greenhouse Fire

At least eight migrants have been killed in a greenhouse fire southeast of Moscow , emergency officials told Interfax on @ @ @ @ @ out in the Moscow region district of Ramenskoye and spread across an area of 240 @ @ @ @ @ hours of the day , authorities said .
A statement on the Emergency Situations Ministry @ @ @ @ @ the flames more than eight hours after arriving .
It did not specify the number @ @ @ @ @ victims .
An unnamed emergency official told Interfax that all eight of those killed were @ @ @ @ @ deputy emergency minister Anatoly Suprunovsky , however , identified the victims as Vietnamese nationals , @ @ @ @ @ the Mash Telegram channel .
One person was reported to have been hospitalized with injuries @ @ @ @ @ yet been identified .
Authorities believe the fire started as a result of faulty wiring @

At least eight migrants have been killed in a greenhouse fire southeast of Moscow, emergency officials told Interfax on Tuesday.
The blaze broke out in the Moscow region district of Ramenskoye and spread across an area of 240 square meters in the early hours of the day, authorities said.
A statement on the Emergency Situations Ministry website said firefighters fully extinguished the flames more than eight hours after arriving.
It did not specify the number or the nationality of the victims.
An unnamed emergency official told Interfax that all eight of those killed were citizens of Tajikistan.
Acting deputy emergency minister Anatoly Suprunovsky, however, identified the victims as Vietnamese nationals, according to video published by the Mash Telegram channel.
One person was reported to have been hospitalized with injuries.
Investigators have opened a criminal case into negligent death, Interfax reported.
The victims have not yet been identified. Authorities believe the fire started as a result of faulty wiring.


themoscowtimes--2020-01-07--Russian Clinic Treated Mercenaries Injured in Secret Wars Abroad

A St. Petersburg clinic that is run and partly owned by people with ties to President Vladimir Putin has provided medical treatment to Russian mercenaries injured abroad , according to three people with knowledge of military contractors being treated , a clinic employee , a reporter ’ s witness account and company records .
The previously unreported medical treatment for private military contractors wounded in combat overseas , including in Libya and Syria , shows fighters have received indirect support from the country 's elite even as the Kremlin denies they fight abroad on its behalf .
Under Russian law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report combat injuries to the police for investigation and it 's illegal for a Russian citizen to participate in armed conflict as a mercenary .
The clinic is owned by large insurance company AO Sogaz , which counts among its senior officials and owners relatives of Putin and others linked to the president , according to the SPARK database , which aggregates data from business registries .
The clinic ’ s general director , Vladislav Baranov , also has a business relationship with Putin ’ s elder daughter , Maria .
Reuters has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the treatment of military contractors .
Reached by phone , Baranov said : “ Forget about our clinics , that ’ s my advice for you.
” In response to written questions , he said : “ I don ’ t want to communicate with you.
” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said : “ We have no information on this at all.
” The Defense Ministry , Sogaz and Putin ’ s daughter did not respond to requests for comment .
Russian private military contractors have clandestinely fought in support of Russian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other media have previously reported .
The contractors are recruited by a private military group known as Wagner Group whose members are mostly ex-service personnel .
Wagner fighters were also deployed in Libya to support eastern commander Khalifa Haftar , according to two former Wagner military contractors .
Haftar is battling against the internationally recognized government in Tripoli .
The Russian state denies it uses mercenaries and has said those fighting in Ukraine and Syria are volunteers .
Putin has said that Russian private military contractors were present in Syria , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they have nothing to do with the Russian state or its army and have the right to work in any country as long as they do n't violate Russian law by taking part in combat .
Putin , when asked at his annual news conference on Dec. 19 about the presence of Russian mercenaries in Libya , said : “ Do you believe what Western media report ?
Do you believe everything ?
” Russia , he added , was in contact with both Libya ’ s internationally recognized prime minister , Fayez @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a cigarette in the clinic ’ s backyard in late October , Alexander Kuznetsov said he had been to Libya and that Russians there were `` fighting international terrorism to protect Moscow 's interests . ''
He sported bandages and attached to his arm was a metal device that is an external metal fixation device of the type used to treat complex bone injuries .
He declined to discuss his injuries .
A former Wagner fighter who was treated at the clinic and another private military contractor , when presented with a photograph @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commander of a Wagner Group assault unit who had been injured while fighting in Libya .
Kuznetsov confirmed he was a private military commander , but did n't specify for which group .
The clinic , which opened in 2010 , is one of a string of private medical facilities Sogaz has opened across Russia , according to the company ’ s website .
The Sogaz clinic has offered services to Wagner fighters since at least 2016 , according to the former Wagner fighter who was treated at the clinic .
He said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in recent years in the same clinic along with five or six other wounded mercenaries .
He had sustained the injury in Syria , he said .
Another Wagner contractor had received medical treatment at the Sogaz clinic after also being severely wounded in Syria , his mother said .
In both cases , medical services were free of charge for the fighters , the contractor and the mother said .
They said they did not know who covered the expenses .
The mother said that one of the medical services her son @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she learned from medical documents .
Reuters didn ’ t review these documents and was unable to confirm this .
Asked who was paying for his treatment , Kuznetsov , the injured commander , also said he did not know .
Sogaz provides Russian army personnel and members of Russia 's National Guard with life and health insurance , according to an official government database of state contracts .
Putin ’ s elder daughter is co-founder and a board member of another business that the clinic ’ s general director Baranov is also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called AO Nomeko , according to company records in the SPARK database and the company ’ s website .
Nomeko lists the Sogaz unit that runs the clinic treating mercenaries as one of its “ partners ” on its website , without providing more specifics .
She has previously pursued a biomedical career specializing in the endocrine system and did so using a married name , Faassen , Reuters has reported .
Putin ’ s daughter now uses Vorontsova as her last name , according to references to her previously published research articles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ institute where she works .
Maria has not publicly confirmed being Putin 's daughter and the Russian president says little about his family life .
A police department in charge of St. Petersburg did not respond to a request for comment about whether the clinic had reported treatment of fighters injured overseas .
Sogaz ’ s deputy chief executive is Mikhail Putin , who according to local media is a son of one of Putin ’ s cousins .
The Kremlin has confirmed he is a distant relative of the president .

A St. Petersburg clinic that is run and partly owned by people with ties to President Vladimir Putin has provided medical treatment to Russian mercenaries injured abroad, according to three people with knowledge of military contractors being treated, a clinic employee, a reporter’s witness account and company records. The previously unreported medical treatment for private military contractors wounded in combat overseas, including in Libya and Syria, shows fighters have received indirect support from the country's elite even as the Kremlin denies they fight abroad on its behalf. Under Russian law, all medical organizations are obliged to report combat injuries to the police for investigation and it's illegal for a Russian citizen to participate in armed conflict as a mercenary.
The clinic is owned by large insurance company AO Sogaz, which counts among its senior officials and owners relatives of Putin and others linked to the president, according to the SPARK database, which aggregates data from business registries. The clinic’s general director, Vladislav Baranov, also has a business relationship with Putin’s elder daughter, Maria. Reuters has no evidence of the daughter's involvement in the treatment of military contractors. Reached by phone, Baranov said: “Forget about our clinics, that’s my advice for you.” In response to written questions, he said: “I don’t want to communicate with you.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “We have no information on this at all.” The Defense Ministry, Sogaz and Putin’s daughter did not respond to requests for comment. Russian private military contractors have clandestinely fought in support of Russian forces in Syria and Ukraine, Reuters and other media have previously reported. The contractors are recruited by a private military group known as Wagner Group whose members are mostly ex-service personnel.
Wagner fighters were also deployed in Libya to support eastern commander Khalifa Haftar, according to two former Wagner military contractors. Haftar is battling against the internationally recognized government in Tripoli. The Russian state denies it uses mercenaries and has said those fighting in Ukraine and Syria are volunteers. Putin has said that Russian private military contractors were present in Syria, but that they provided security services and that they have nothing to do with the Russian state or its army and have the right to work in any country as long as they don't violate Russian law by taking part in combat. Putin, when asked at his annual news conference on Dec. 19 about the presence of Russian mercenaries in Libya, said: “Do you believe what Western media report? Do you believe everything?” Russia, he added, was in contact with both Libya’s internationally recognized prime minister, Fayez al-Serraj, and Khalifa Haftar. Wagner Group's founder, Dmitry Utkin, couldn’t be reached for comment. Wounded commander Smoking a cigarette in the clinic’s backyard in late October, Alexander Kuznetsov said he had been to Libya and that Russians there were "fighting international terrorism to protect Moscow's interests." He sported bandages and attached to his arm was a metal device that is an external metal fixation device of the type used to treat complex bone injuries. He declined to discuss his injuries. A former Wagner fighter who was treated at the clinic and another private military contractor, when presented with a photograph of Kuznetsov, identified him as the commander of a Wagner Group assault unit who had been injured while fighting in Libya. Kuznetsov confirmed he was a private military commander, but didn't specify for which group. The clinic, which opened in 2010, is one of a string of private medical facilities Sogaz has opened across Russia, according to the company’s website. The Sogaz clinic has offered services to Wagner fighters since at least 2016, according to the former Wagner fighter who was treated at the clinic. He said he had been treated for an injury in recent years in the same clinic along with five or six other wounded mercenaries. He had sustained the injury in Syria, he said.
news Russian Mercenaries Linked to Gruesome Syrian Torture and Beheading Video Read more
Another Wagner contractor had received medical treatment at the Sogaz clinic after also being severely wounded in Syria, his mother said. In both cases, medical services were free of charge for the fighters, the contractor and the mother said. They said they did not know who covered the expenses. The mother said that one of the medical services her son had received cost $10,000, something she learned from medical documents. Reuters didn’t review these documents and was unable to confirm this. Asked who was paying for his treatment, Kuznetsov, the injured commander, also said he did not know. Sogaz provides Russian army personnel and members of Russia's National Guard with life and health insurance, according to an official government database of state contracts. Ties to Putin Putin’s elder daughter is co-founder and a board member of another business that the clinic’s general director Baranov is also general director of, a medical company called AO Nomeko, according to company records in the SPARK database and the company’s website. Nomeko lists the Sogaz unit that runs the clinic treating mercenaries as one of its “partners” on its website, without providing more specifics. She has previously pursued a biomedical career specializing in the endocrine system and did so using a married name, Faassen, Reuters has reported. Putin’s daughter now uses Vorontsova as her last name, according to references to her previously published research articles on the website of the medical research institute where she works. Maria has not publicly confirmed being Putin's daughter and the Russian president says little about his family life. A police department in charge of St. Petersburg did not respond to a request for comment about whether the clinic had reported treatment of fighters injured overseas. Sogaz’s deputy chief executive is Mikhail Putin, who according to local media is a son of one of Putin’s cousins. The Kremlin has confirmed he is a distant relative of the president.


themoscowtimes--2020-01-07--Nigerian Pirates Abduct 2 Russian Sailors, Embassy Says

Two Russian sailors have been captured by pirates off the coast of Nigeria , the state-run RIA Novosti news agency @ @ @ @ @ Russian Embassy in Abuja .
The two Russian crew members of the Ambika oil dredger @ @ @ @ @ men on Jan. 2 alongside a third crew member from India , Nigeria ’ s @ @ @ @ @ Sunday .
An ensuing firefight between the pirates and a Nigerian Navy rescue squad ended @ @ @ @ @ rescue personnel .
`` Two Russians and an Indian were abducted from the Ambika vessel @ @ @ @ @ measures to secure their release , ” RIA quoted the Russian Embassy in Abuja as @ @ @ @ @ that the sailors are in “ satisfactory ” condition .
The pirates left behind five @ @ @ @ @ Times reported , while two rescue personnel survived the firefight .

Two Russian sailors have been captured by pirates off the coast of Nigeria, the state-run RIA Novosti news agency reported Tuesday, citing the Russian Embassy in Abuja.
The two Russian crew members of the Ambika oil dredger were abducted by unidentified armed men on Jan. 2 alongside a third crew member from India, Nigeria’s Premium Times newspaper first reported Sunday. An ensuing firefight between the pirates and a Nigerian Navy rescue squad ended with the deaths of four rescue personnel.
"Two Russians and an Indian were abducted from the Ambika vessel and the embassy is taking measures to secure their release,” RIA quoted the Russian Embassy in Abuja as saying. The embassy added that the sailors are in “satisfactory” condition.
The pirates left behind five crew members, the Premium Times reported, while two rescue personnel survived the firefight.
Update: The sailors have since been released and plan to return home “in the near future,” the Russian Embassy said in a statement late Wednesday.


themoscowtimes--2020-01-07--Russian Archaeologists Uncover Rare Amazon Warrior Women Burial

Archeologists have for the first time discovered three generations of ancient Amazon women warriors buried in a single tomb around 2,500 years ago in present-day Russia .
Experts say the women warriors , who belonged to a nomadic people that dominated Eurasia called the Scythians , may have inspired the Amazons depicted in Greek mythology .
A Russian Academy of Sciences expedition has in the past decade uncovered the graves of 11 young Scythian Amazons in southwestern Russia , lead archeologist Valery Gulyayev said .
“ We [ are coming ] across burials with four Amazons of such different ages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in a press release last month announcing the early results of the decade-long expedition in the Voronezh region .
The youngest of the buried Amazons was aged 12-13 , the Academy of Sciences ’ institute of archeology said .
Two of the three older women were about 20-25 and 30-35 when they died .
The 30-35 year old Scythian warrior was buried alongside a bronze mirror , two spears and a glass bead bracelet .
She was buried in a pose called the “ horseman , ” with her legs positioned to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The oldest woman warrior was around 40-50 years old , an age that Gulyayev says is past the average life expectancy for ancient Scythians .
She was buried with an ornate golden headdress that Gulyayev said was uniquely well-preserved .
“ We have come across an enigma : we have two women in their prime of life , one is a teenager and the other is a woman quite old for the Scythian epoch , ” Gulyayev said .
Other items that were found buried with the warrior women include more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pieces of horse harnesses and horse bridle hooks .
The four Amazon women warriors were afforded the same burial rites as their male counterparts , Gulyayev said .
Several vessels found alongside some of the remains helped the archaeologists date their burial period to the fourth century B.C .
“ It is not clear how they could die at the same moment… There are some marks of the tuberculosis and brucellosis , but these illnesses can not cause death simultaneously , ” Gulyayev said .
“ That is why we still can not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and why four women of different ages were buried at the same time , ” he said .

Archeologists have for the first time discovered three generations of ancient Amazon women warriors buried in a single tomb around 2,500 years ago in present-day Russia. Experts say the women warriors, who belonged to a nomadic people that dominated Eurasia called the Scythians, may have inspired the Amazons depicted in Greek mythology. A Russian Academy of Sciences expedition has in the past decade uncovered the graves of 11 young Scythian Amazons in southwestern Russia, lead archeologist Valery Gulyayev said.
The four Amazon women warriors were afforded the same burial rites as their male counterparts, lead archeologist Valery Gulyayev said. RAS Institute of Archeology
“We [are coming] across burials with four Amazons of such different ages for the first time,” Gulyayev said in a press release last month announcing the early results of the decade-long expedition in the Voronezh region. The youngest of the buried Amazons was aged 12-13, the Academy of Sciences’ institute of archeology said. Two of the three older women were about 20-25 and 30-35 when they died. The 30-35 year old Scythian warrior was buried alongside a bronze mirror, two spears and a glass bead bracelet. She was buried in a pose called the “horseman,” with her legs positioned to look like she’s on horseback. The oldest woman warrior was around 40-50 years old, an age that Gulyayev says is past the average life expectancy for ancient Scythians. She was buried with an ornate golden headdress that Gulyayev said was uniquely well-preserved. “We have come across an enigma: we have two women in their prime of life, one is a teenager and the other is a woman quite old for the Scythian epoch,” Gulyayev said.


themoscowtimes--2020-01-07--Russia's VTB Sues Mozambique State Firm at Center of $2B Debt Scandal

The filing , dated Dec. 23 , names as defendants the Mozambique state and Mozambique Asset Management , which took a $ 535 million loan from VTB as part of a costly project that U.S. authorities say was an elaborate front for a bribery and kickback scheme .
Russian state lender VTB has filed a lawsuit in Britain 's High Court against a Mozambican government company it lent hefty sums to as part of a project now at the center of a $ 2 billion debt scandal , an online court filing shows .
It says the case relates to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but does not elaborate .
It provides no further information other than that VTB Capital , the investment banking arm of VTB , is being represented by law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer .
It does not state whether the case relates to the loan , which Mozambique and VTB had been trying to restructure .
The deputy head of the legal department of VTB Capital said in October the loan represented a `` significant exposure '' it expected to be repaid .
VTB did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Office said it was waiting for formal notification of the lawsuit .
The debt scandal has already sparked a series of court cases spanning London , New York and South Africa , ensnaring global investment bank Credit Suisse , three of its former bankers , Mozambique 's former finance minister and a past president 's son .
However this is the first time any of the cases have involved VTB .
Russia and Mozambique strengthened ties throughout 2019 , with President Filipe Nyusi visiting the nation in August .
Credit Suisse and VTB @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 2 billion for the project , encompassing tuna fishing , maritime security and shipyard development .
Hundreds of millions of dollars went missing , while the benefits never materialized .
Mozambique did not disclose some of the loans , which were guaranteed by the state .
The International Monetary Fund and other donors cut off support when they came to light in 2016 , triggering a currency collapse and sovereign debt default .
It remains on the hook for the money , the largest chunk of which now sits in a restructured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenge the guarantee related to a $ 622 million loan from Credit Suisse , also in a London court .

The filing, dated Dec. 23, names as defendants the Mozambique state and Mozambique Asset Management, which took a $535 million loan from VTB as part of a costly project that U.S. authorities say was an elaborate front for a bribery and kickback scheme.
Russian state lender VTB has filed a lawsuit in Britain's High Court against a Mozambican government company it lent hefty sums to as part of a project now at the center of a $2 billion debt scandal, an online court filing shows.
It says the case relates to "general commercial contracts and arrangements" but does not elaborate. It provides no further information other than that VTB Capital, the investment banking arm of VTB, is being represented by law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.
It does not state whether the case relates to the loan, which Mozambique and VTB had been trying to restructure. The deputy head of the legal department of VTB Capital said in October the loan represented a "significant exposure" it expected to be repaid.
VTB did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment, and Mozambique's Attorney General's Office said it was waiting for formal notification of the lawsuit.
The debt scandal has already sparked a series of court cases spanning London, New York and South Africa, ensnaring global investment bank Credit Suisse, three of its former bankers, Mozambique's former finance minister and a past president's son.
However this is the first time any of the cases have involved VTB. Russia and Mozambique strengthened ties throughout 2019, with President Filipe Nyusi visiting the nation in August.
Credit Suisse and VTB provided or arranged a total of around $2 billion for the project, encompassing tuna fishing, maritime security and shipyard development. Hundreds of millions of dollars went missing, while the benefits never materialized.
Mozambique did not disclose some of the loans, which were guaranteed by the state. The International Monetary Fund and other donors cut off support when they came to light in 2016, triggering a currency collapse and sovereign debt default.
It remains on the hook for the money, the largest chunk of which now sits in a restructured eurobond. The country is trying to challenge the guarantee related to a $622 million loan from Credit Suisse, also in a London court.


themoscowtimes--2020-01-06--Kremlin Says Merkel, Putin to Discuss Middle East Crisis in Moscow

German Chancellor Angela Merkel will travel to Russia on Jan. 11 for talks with President Vladimir Putin on the crisis triggered by the killing of top Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani in a U.S. air strike , the Kremlin press service said .
The Kremlin said Merkel is traveling to Russia at Putin 's invitation and that the two leaders also plan to discuss the situations in Syria , Libya and Ukraine .
Merkel 's spokesman said German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas would accompany her on the trip .
Soleimani , viewed as the second most powerful man in Iran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday by a U.S. drone .
The attack has taken long-simmering U.S.-Iranian hostilities into uncharted waters and stoked concerns about a major conflagration .
Putin and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron already discused their concerns over the killing of Soleimani in a phone call Friday .
According to the Kremlin , the phone call was initiated by the French leader .
The statement said Macron and Putin agreed that U.S. actions have the potential to seriously aggravate the situation in the Middle East .
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu also held telephone talks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iran 's chief of general staff over the killing of Soleimani , local news agencies reported Monday , citing the Russian Defense Ministry .
Shoigu and the Head of Turkey 's National Intelligence Organization Hakan Fidan discussed possible joint actions to reduce tensions in the region , Interfax cited the Defense Ministry as saying .

German Chancellor Angela Merkel will travel to Russia on Jan. 11 for talks with President Vladimir Putin on the crisis triggered by the killing of top Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani in a U.S. air strike, the Kremlin press service said.
The Kremlin said Merkel is traveling to Russia at Putin's invitation and that the two leaders also plan to discuss the situations in Syria, Libya and Ukraine.
Merkel's spokesman said German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas would accompany her on the trip.
Soleimani, viewed as the second most powerful man in Iran, was killed at Baghdad airport last Friday by a U.S. drone.
The attack has taken long-simmering U.S.-Iranian hostilities into uncharted waters and stoked concerns about a major conflagration.
Putin and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron already discused their concerns over the killing of Soleimani in a phone call Friday.
According to the Kremlin, the phone call was initiated by the French leader. The statement said Macron and Putin agreed that U.S. actions have the potential to seriously aggravate the situation in the Middle East.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu also held telephone talks with Turkey's national intelligence chief and Iran's chief of general staff over the killing of Soleimani, local news agencies reported Monday, citing the Russian Defense Ministry.
Shoigu and the Head of Turkey's National Intelligence Organization Hakan Fidan discussed possible joint actions to reduce tensions in the region, Interfax cited the Defense Ministry as saying.


themoscowtimes--2020-01-06--Russia Plans to ‘Adapt’ to Climate Change

Climate change is warming Russia at a faster rate than the rest of the world , the country ’ s environment ministry said last summer .
Economists have predicted that Russia stands to reap benefits from hotter temperatures , primarily through expanded navigation and exploration in the Arctic .
Russia ’ s government has published a plan of action that outlines 29 broad measures to both mitigate damage and take advantage of opportunities created by climate change .
Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev ’ s approval of a “ first-stage ” plan of action for 2020-2022 indicates the government ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problem , according to AFP .
The plan published Saturday acknowledges that warmer temperatures pose risks to public health , endanger permafrost areas and increase the likelihood of natural disasters .
The wide-ranging document includes “ preventive ” ( dam construction , drought-resistant crop use ) and “ post-crisis ” ( temporary resettlement , evacuations , vaccinations ) climate adaptation plans .
Government agencies are instructed to devise sector-specific adaptation plans by Sept. 30 , 2021 , including plans for transport , energy and housing .
“ At the same time , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ create new opportunities for the national economy , ” the plan of action states .
The outlined “ positive ” side effects stemming from climate change include reduced energy consumption , expanded agricultural areas and easier navigation in the Arctic .
A 2023-2025 plan of action is expected to replace the latest document by late 2022 , according to its tentative schedule .
The plan ’ s publication comes as 2019 was declared the hottest year on record in Russia and Moscow experienced its warmest December in more than a century .
Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in September .

Climate change is warming Russia at a faster rate than the rest of the world, the country’s environment ministry said last summer. Economists have predicted that Russia stands to reap benefits from hotter temperatures, primarily through expanded navigation and exploration in the Arctic.
Russia’s government has published a plan of action that outlines 29 broad measures to both mitigate damage and take advantage of opportunities created by climate change.
Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev’s approval of a “first-stage” plan of action for 2020-2022 indicates the government’s official recognition of climate change as a problem, according to AFP.
The plan published Saturday acknowledges that warmer temperatures pose risks to public health, endanger permafrost areas and increase the likelihood of natural disasters.
The wide-ranging document includes “preventive” (dam construction, drought-resistant crop use) and “post-crisis” (temporary resettlement, evacuations, vaccinations) climate adaptation plans.
Government agencies are instructed to devise sector-specific adaptation plans by Sept. 30, 2021, including plans for transport, energy and housing.
“At the same time, the ongoing changes in Russia’s climate create new opportunities for the national economy,” the plan of action states.
The outlined “positive” side effects stemming from climate change include reduced energy consumption, expanded agricultural areas and easier navigation in the Arctic.
A 2023-2025 plan of action is expected to replace the latest document by late 2022, according to its tentative schedule.
The plan’s publication comes as 2019 was declared the hottest year on record in Russia and Moscow experienced its warmest December in more than a century. Russia formally adopted the 2015 Paris climate agreement in September.


themoscowtimes--2020-01-06--For Russia Regional Coverage, Look to These 9 Independent Media

Regional issues took center stage in Russia in 2019 — from trash protests in the north to contested elections in the Far East , from border disputes in the North Caucasus to the effects of climate change in Siberia .
As Russians increasingly turn their attention to local problems , independent media organizations have stepped in to provide critical coverage outside Moscow .
Many of these local outlets are online-based and reader-supported — helping them survive despite new government restrictions , fines and hacking attacks .
Here is a selection of nine important media outlets that are covering Russia ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news website based in Russia 's third-largest city of Novosibirsk that has a network of journalists across Siberia .
In 2019 , the news outlet covered important local environmental stories including the pollution of Lake Baikal , protests against a coal mine in the Kuzbass region and the disastrous effects of Siberia ’ s forest fires and floods in the summer .
In recent years , its employees have survived attacks and intimidation , including an assault in 2018 on a journalist covering local elections in Khakassia , as well as an attack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chief outside his office in 2015 .
Znak.com is an independent news website that provides important regional and national coverage from its headquarters in Yekaterinburg in the Urals .
It was founded in 2012 and since then has become one of Russia ’ s most-cited online media ( in ninth place for 2018 ) .
In the past year , Znak.com stood out for its coverage of protests in Yekaterinburg against the construction of an Orthodox church in a popular public square — which was later put on hold .
Fontanka is one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media outlets based outside Moscow .
Based in St. Petersburg , the website is known for both local news coverage and investigations that resonate across the country .
Over the past year , Fontanka has published widely read investigations into cases of torture in prisons , elections violations in St. Petersburg and the activities of the Wagner private military contractor .
The 7x7 website is based in the city of Syktyvkar and specializes in news from Russia ’ s northwestern , central , Volga and Ural regions .
It self-identifies as a “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activists and bloggers to write about important local issues .
Journalists from the outlet have often been targeted by the authorities .
Earlier this month , a 7x7 correspondent was fined for allegedly participating in a local branch of the Open Russia organization , which authorities have labeled as an “ undesirable organization.
” 7x7 previously recieved a fine for publishing an interview discussing drug legalization that it helped pay with the help of a crowdfunding campaign .
Based in : Moscow and other regions Takie Dela is a web portal run by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aims to attract public attention to under-covered social issues across Russia .
Its journalists write about disadvantaged groups including people with disabilities , homeless people , migrants , victims of domestic violence and hospital patients .
Together with the Need Help charity , the portal has helped direct tens of millions of rubles in donations to important social causes .
MediaZona is a Moscow-based media outlet that covers court cases as well as news related to Russia 's law enforcement , penal system and human rights compliance .
It was founded in 2014 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ art group and is largely funded through donations .
MediaZona is best known for its live updates on court hearings and over the past year it has extensively covered cases of prison torture , domestic violence and political persecution .
Novye Kolesa is based in Russia ’ s Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad and is known for its investigations into local corruption .
Igor Rudnikov , the chief editor of the newspaper , was released this June after spending more than a year and a half in jail for allegedly extorting money from Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that critics say was fabricated .
In 2018 , the paper was temporarily forced to go out of print after local publishers and distributors refused to print or sell it .
It returned to print earlier this month .
The Chernovik newspaper covers social and political news in the North Caucasus republic of Dagestan .
In October 2019 , security forces searched its editorial office as part of a criminal case against Chernovik journalist Abdulmumin Gadzhiev , who was placed in pre-trial detention on charges of financing terrorism .
In protest , three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a slogan saying : “ I Am / We Are Abdulmumin Gadzhiev.
” Vesma Today is based in Magadan in Russia ’ s Far East and covers political events in the region , including investigations into local corruption .
In October 2019 , its editor Andrei Grishin was beaten by two men at the entrance of his home .

Regional issues took center stage in Russia in 2019 — from trash protests in the north to contested elections in the Far East, from border disputes in the North Caucasus to the effects of climate change in Siberia. As Russians increasingly turn their attention to local problems, independent media organizations have stepped in to provide critical coverage outside Moscow. Many of these local outlets are online-based and reader-supported — helping them survive despite new government restrictions, fines and hacking attacks.
MT
Here is a selection of nine important media outlets that are covering Russia’s regions: Tayga.info Based in: Novosibirsk, Siberia Tayga.info is an independent news website based in Russia's third-largest city of Novosibirsk that has a network of journalists across Siberia. In 2019, the news outlet covered important local environmental stories including the pollution of Lake Baikal, protests against a coal mine in the Kuzbass region and the disastrous effects of Siberia’s forest fires and floods in the summer.
Vkontakte / Vladivostok
In recent years, its employees have survived attacks and intimidation, including an assault in 2018 on a journalist covering local elections in Khakassia, as well as an attack on the outlet’s editor in chief outside his office in 2015. Znak.com Based in: Yekaterinburg, Urals Znak.com is an independent news website that provides important regional and national coverage from its headquarters in Yekaterinburg in the Urals. It was founded in 2012 and since then has become one of Russia’s most-cited online media (in ninth place for 2018). In the past year, Znak.com stood out for its coverage of protests in Yekaterinburg against the construction of an Orthodox church in a popular public square — which was later put on hold. Fontanka.ru Based in: St. Petersburg Fontanka is one of Russia’s most influential online media outlets based outside Moscow. Based in St. Petersburg, the website is known for both local news coverage and investigations that resonate across the country. Over the past year, Fontanka has published widely read investigations into cases of torture in prisons, elections violations in St. Petersburg and the activities of the Wagner private military contractor. 7x7 Based in: Syktyvkar, republic of Komi The 7x7 website is based in the city of Syktyvkar and specializes in news from Russia’s northwestern, central, Volga and Ural regions. It self-identifies as a “horizontal media,” giving space to activists and bloggers to write about important local issues. Journalists from the outlet have often been targeted by the authorities. Earlier this month, a 7x7 correspondent was fined for allegedly participating in a local branch of the Open Russia organization, which authorities have labeled as an “undesirable organization.” 7x7 previously recieved a fine for publishing an interview discussing drug legalization that it helped pay with the help of a crowdfunding campaign. Takie Dela Based in: Moscow and other regions Takie Dela is a web portal run by the “Need Help” charity which aims to attract public attention to under-covered social issues across Russia.


themoscowtimes--2020-01-06--‘Chernobyl’ Scores Best Miniseries Golden Globe

“ This was a fantastic material and great opportunity .
It starts with the script and ends with the script , ” said Skarsgard in accepting his award .
Stellan Skarsgard also won a Globe for his role in “ Chernobyl ” in the best supporting actor in a series or television motion picture category .
Its writer and creator Craig Mazin accepted the Globe before an audience of film and television stars at the Beverly Hilton Hotel Sunday night .
BEVERLY HILLS -- The victor was “ Chernobyl ” at the 77th annual Golden Globe awards as it bested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or motion picture made for television category .
The film ’ s other performers , Jared Harris and Emily Watson , failed to score Globes .
The epic story became the critics ’ favorite the moment it was released last year .
For the golden statuette it competed with “ Catch-22 , ” by George Clooney ; “ Fosse/Vernon , ” a Broadway bio ; and “ The Loudest Voice , ” another real-life tale .
“ Chernobyl ” established its creator Mazin as a serious storyteller .
For this comedy screenwriter , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sequels , “ Chernobyl ” proved to be the opportunity of a lifetime .
“ On behalf of the hundreds of artists and crafts people from Lithuania , the U.K. , France , Ireland , Sweden , Finland , Russia , Denmark , Germany , Spain , Iceland and Ukraine , plus exactly three Americans , who worked so passionately to bring you this production , I thank you , ” Mazin said .
“ Sometimes , the only thing that can make us see past our differences is tragedy .
Tragedy doesn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It makes a mockery of them .
It comes in a plume of deadly smoke that drifts over Ukrainians , and then Belarussians and then across all of Europe , ” he told The Moscow Times .
“ Sometimes , it ’ s art that helps us best understand these moments in history , ” he added .
“ So many of you have been part of the ‘ Chernobyl ’ conversation and I am deeply grateful for that.
” The evenings other top winners included war epic “ 1917 ” as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Time…in Hollywood ” as best comedy .
This article has been updated with a report from our correspondent .

“This was a fantastic material and great opportunity. It starts with the script and ends with the script,” said Skarsgard in accepting his award.
Stellan Skarsgard also won a Globe for his role in “Chernobyl” in the best supporting actor in a series or television motion picture category.
Its writer and creator Craig Mazin accepted the Globe before an audience of film and television stars at the Beverly Hilton Hotel Sunday night.
BEVERLY HILLS--The victor was “Chernobyl” at the 77th annual Golden Globe awards as it bested its competitors in the best limited series or motion picture made for television category.
The film’s other performers, Jared Harris and Emily Watson, failed to score Globes.
The epic story became the critics’ favorite the moment it was released last year. For the golden statuette it competed with “Catch-22,” by George Clooney; “Fosse/Vernon,” a Broadway bio; and “The Loudest Voice,” another real-life tale.
“Chernobyl” established its creator Mazin as a serious storyteller. For this comedy screenwriter, best-known for the zany “Hangover” sequels, “Chernobyl” proved to be the opportunity of a lifetime.
“On behalf of the hundreds of artists and crafts people from Lithuania, the U.K., France, Ireland, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Denmark, Germany, Spain, Iceland and Ukraine, plus exactly three Americans, who worked so passionately to bring you this production, I thank you,” Mazin said.
“Sometimes, the only thing that can make us see past our differences is tragedy. Tragedy doesn’t care about our borders. It makes a mockery of them. It comes in a plume of deadly smoke that drifts over Ukrainians, and then Belarussians and then across all of Europe,” he told The Moscow Times.
“Sometimes, it’s art that helps us best understand these moments in history,” he added. “So many of you have been part of the ‘Chernobyl’ conversation and I am deeply grateful for that.”
The evenings other top winners included war epic “1917” as the best drama and “Once Upon A Time…in Hollywood” as best comedy.
This article has been updated with a report from our correspondent.


themoscowtimes--2020-01-06--News From Russia: What You Missed Over the Weekend

Russia has resumed limited oil supplies to Belarus days after Moscow halted crude deliveries to Minsk over stalled talks over deeper integration .
Russia is ready to supply Belarus with crude oil on the same terms as in 2019 , Bloomberg cited a person familiar with Russia ’ s position as saying .
Russia ’ s government has published a plan of action outlining 30 measures to “ lower the losses and use the advantages ” of climate change .
The “ first-stage ” two-year plan acknowledges that warmer temperatures pose risks to public health , endanger permafrost and increase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Positive ” side-effects from climate change include less energy consumption , expanded agricultural areas and easier navigation in the Arctic .
Russia has started European gas deliveries to Bulgaria , Greece and North Macedonia through the new TurkStream pipeline to Turkey , Bulgaria 's Bulgartransgaz said , as Moscow looks to reduce shipments via Ukraine .
Russian gas producer Gazprom started shipping about 3 billion cubic meters of gas to Bulgaria via TurkStream on Jan. 1 , replacing a route that passed through Ukraine and Romania .
Dozens of closely parked cars sank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of water collapsed in Russia ’ s Far East .
No injuries were reported among the ice fishermen who had parked too close together , and rescuers as of Monday had pulled all the cars out of the Voyevoda Bay on Russky Island near the Pacific city of Vladivostok .

Oil deliveries
Russia has resumed limited oil supplies to Belarus days after Moscow halted crude deliveries to Minsk over stalled talks over deeper integration.
Russia is ready to supply Belarus with crude oil on the same terms as in 2019, Bloomberg cited a person familiar with Russia’s position as saying.
Climate action
Russia’s government has published a plan of action outlining 30 measures to “lower the losses and use the advantages” of climate change.
The “first-stage” two-year plan acknowledges that warmer temperatures pose risks to public health, endanger permafrost and increase the likelihood of natural disasters. “Positive” side-effects from climate change include less energy consumption, expanded agricultural areas and easier navigation in the Arctic.
TurkStream
Russia has started European gas deliveries to Bulgaria, Greece and North Macedonia through the new TurkStream pipeline to Turkey, Bulgaria's Bulgartransgaz said, as Moscow looks to reduce shipments via Ukraine.
Russian gas producer Gazprom started shipping about 3 billion cubic meters of gas to Bulgaria via TurkStream on Jan. 1, replacing a route that passed through Ukraine and Romania.
Sunken cars
Dozens of closely parked cars sank through the ice after a frozen expanse of water collapsed in Russia’s Far East.
No injuries were reported among the ice fishermen who had parked too close together, and rescuers as of Monday had pulled all the cars out of the Voyevoda Bay on Russky Island near the Pacific city of Vladivostok.
Includes reporting from Reuters.


themoscowtimes--2020-01-04--Russia's Lavrov, Iran's Zarif Discuss Soleimani Killing

Russia 's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif over the phone on Friday to @ @ @ @ @ 's military chief Qassem Soleimani , the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement .
@ @ @ @ @ over the killing , '' the statement said .
`` The ministers stressed that such @ @ @ @ @ grossly violate the norms of international law . ''

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif over the phone on Friday to discuss the killing of Iran's military chief Qassem Soleimani, the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.
"Lavrov expressed his condolences over the killing," the statement said. "The ministers stressed that such actions by the United States grossly violate the norms of international law."


themoscowtimes--2020-01-03--Putin and Macron Discuss Concerns Over U.S. Killing of Top Iranian General Soleimani – Kremlin

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron expressed their concerns in a phone call over the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ Major-General Qassem Soleimani , according to a statement on the Kremlin ’ s website Friday @ @ @ @ @ on Friday killed Soleimani , head of the elite Quds Force and architect of Iran @ @ @ @ @ the Middle East , in an airstrike at the Baghdad airport .
According to the @ @ @ @ @ was initiated by the French leader .
The statement said Macron and Putin agreed that @ @ @ @ @ to seriously aggravate the situation in the region .
Earlier , Russia ’ s Foreign @ @ @ @ @ Novosti news agency that the killing of Soleimani would increase tensions in the Middle East @ @ @ @ @ Russian officials voiced similar sentiments and criticized U.S. actions in Iraq .
The two leaders @ @ @ @ @ in Libya and Syria during their conversation , the statement said .

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron expressed their concerns in a phone call over the U.S. killing of Iran’s Major-General Qassem Soleimani, according to a statement on the Kremlin’s website Friday evening.
The U.S. early on Friday killed Soleimani, head of the elite Quds Force and architect of Iran's spreading military influence in the Middle East, in an airstrike at the Baghdad airport.
According to the Kremlin, the phone call was initiated by the French leader. The statement said Macron and Putin agreed that U.S. actions have the potential to seriously aggravate the situation in the region.
Earlier, Russia’s Foreign Ministry told the state-run RIA Novosti news agency that the killing of Soleimani would increase tensions in the Middle East, while a number of Russian officials voiced similar sentiments and criticized U.S. actions in Iraq.
The two leaders also discussed the political situation in Libya and Syria during their conversation, the statement said.


themoscowtimes--2020-01-03--Russian Senator Calls U.S. Killing of Top Iranian General ‘Worst Case Scenario,’ Expects New U.S.-Ir

Russian Senator Calls U.S. Killing of Top Iranian General ‘Worst Case Scenario,’ Expects New U.S.-Iran Clashes

Soleimani , who led the foreign arm of the Revolutionary Guards and played a key role in fighting in Syria and Iraq , had acquired celebrity status at home and abroad .
The U.S. early on Friday killed Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani , head of the elite Quds Force and architect of Iran 's spreading military influence in the Middle East , in an airstrike at Baghdad airport .
Russian Senator Konstantin Kosachev has called the U.S. killing of a key Iranian military commander “ the worst-case scenario , ” and said he believed that Iranian retribution “ will not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the world is now “ confronted with a new reality.
” “ This is very difficult news , a harbinger of new clashes between the Americans and radical Shiites in Iraq , ” said Senator Kosachev , who is the chairman of the Russian Federation Council 's foreign affairs committee , in an interview with the state-run RIA Novosti news agency .
“ But I will be glad to be proved wrong because wars are easy to start , but very difficult to end.
” Zakharova told the Rossia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reality entails the killing of a representative of a government of a sovereign state , an official , these actions are completely devoid of any legal basis.
” Russia 's Foreign Ministry told RIA in a separate interview that the killing of Soleimani would increase tensions in the Middle East .
“ We consider the killing of Soleimani as the result of an American missile strike in the vicinity of Baghdad to be a bold step that will lead to increased tension throughout the region .
Soleimani was devoted to protecting Iran 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Foreign Ministry as saying .
Lawmaker Leonid Slutsky , who chairs the State Duma ’ s International Affairs Committee , said the killing would lead to an escalation of tension .
“ The Americans have crossed the red line , and this time the consequences could be severe , ” he told RIA .
Senator Kosachev posted on his Facebook page that he believed the U.S. had “ bombed ” all hopes of controlling the Iranian nuclear program , and that Tehran could now push ahead with the creation of nuclear weapons , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planning to do so before.
” Dmitri Trenin , a prominent Russian foreign policy expert and head of the Moscow Carnegie Center , said he believed the killing of Soleimani will further heighten tensions in the Persian Gulf .
“ The killing of Soleimani will not deter Iran .
More likely it will further escalate the situation in the region , starting with Iraq , ” Trenin said on Twitter .
Russia and Iran have been key allies of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during the country 's civil war .
The two countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drills at the end of last month in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Oman .

Soleimani, who led the foreign arm of the Revolutionary Guards and played a key role in fighting in Syria and Iraq, had acquired celebrity status at home and abroad.
The U.S. early on Friday killed Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani, head of the elite Quds Force and architect of Iran's spreading military influence in the Middle East, in an airstrike at Baghdad airport.
Russian Senator Konstantin Kosachev has called the U.S. killing of a key Iranian military commander “the worst-case scenario,” and said he believed that Iranian retribution “will not take long,” while Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the world is now “confronted with a new reality.”
“This is very difficult news, a harbinger of new clashes between the Americans and radical Shiites in Iraq,” said Senator Kosachev, who is the chairman of the Russian Federation Council's foreign affairs committee, in an interview with the state-run RIA Novosti news agency.
“But I will be glad to be proved wrong because wars are easy to start, but very difficult to end.”
Zakharova told the Rossia 24 television channel that “this new reality entails the killing of a representative of a government of a sovereign state, an official, these actions are completely devoid of any legal basis.”
Russia's Foreign Ministry told RIA in a separate interview that the killing of Soleimani would increase tensions in the Middle East.
“We consider the killing of Soleimani as the result of an American missile strike in the vicinity of Baghdad to be a bold step that will lead to increased tension throughout the region. Soleimani was devoted to protecting Iran's national interests,” RIA quoted the Foreign Ministry as saying.
Lawmaker Leonid Slutsky, who chairs the State Duma’s International Affairs Committee, said the killing would lead to an escalation of tension.
“The Americans have crossed the red line, and this time the consequences could be severe,” he told RIA.
Senator Kosachev posted on his Facebook page that he believed the U.S. had “bombed” all hopes of controlling the Iranian nuclear program, and that Tehran could now push ahead with the creation of nuclear weapons, “even if it wasn’t planning to do so before.”
Dmitri Trenin, a prominent Russian foreign policy expert and head of the Moscow Carnegie Center, said he believed the killing of Soleimani will further heighten tensions in the Persian Gulf.
“The killing of Soleimani will not deter Iran. More likely it will further escalate the situation in the region, starting with Iraq,” Trenin said on Twitter.
Russia and Iran have been key allies of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during the country's civil war. The two countries, together with China held joint naval drills at the end of last month in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Oman.
Reuters contributed reporting to this article.


themoscowtimes--2020-01-03--Russia Halts Oil to Belarus, but Transit to Europe Still Flowing

Russia has halted oil supplies to refineries in Belarus , the Belarusian state energy firm said on Friday , amid a new contract dispute that is also threatening large Russian oil deliveries to Western Europe crossing the country .
Belarus 's state firm Belneftekhim said deliveries had been halted as of Jan. 1 .
Two trading sources told Reuters Russian oil transit to Europe via Belarus was so far continuing uninterrupted .
Europe receives around 10 percent of its oil via the transit link , known as the Druzhba pipeline , which can supply more than 1 million barrels per @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Slovakia , Hungary and the Czech Republic .
Moscow and Minsk have had several oil and gas spats over the past decade , in what has been described as a love-hate relationship between presidents Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko .
Putin and Lukashenko have repeatedly toyed with the idea of political integration of the countries , but the autocratic Belarusian leader who came to power in 1994 has backtracked repeatedly .
Russia has cut subsidies to Belarus over many years and is now charging close to international prices for oil and gas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Deliveries have been suspended ... Plants are reducing their workload to the technical minimum , '' a spokesman for Belneftekhim said .

Russia has halted oil supplies to refineries in Belarus, the Belarusian state energy firm said on Friday, amid a new contract dispute that is also threatening large Russian oil deliveries to Western Europe crossing the country.
Belarus's state firm Belneftekhim said deliveries had been halted as of Jan. 1.
Two trading sources told Reuters Russian oil transit to Europe via Belarus was so far continuing uninterrupted.
Europe receives around 10 percent of its oil via the transit link, known as the Druzhba pipeline, which can supply more than 1 million barrels per day to countries including Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and the Czech Republic.
Moscow and Minsk have had several oil and gas spats over the past decade, in what has been described as a love-hate relationship between presidents Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko.
Putin and Lukashenko have repeatedly toyed with the idea of political integration of the countries, but the autocratic Belarusian leader who came to power in 1994 has backtracked repeatedly.
Russia has cut subsidies to Belarus over many years and is now charging close to international prices for oil and gas, but contracts negotiations are often protracted.
"Deliveries have been suspended... Plants are reducing their workload to the technical minimum," a spokesman for Belneftekhim said.


themoscowtimes--2020-01-03--Kyiv Post: Moscow Says it Issued Nearly 200,000 Russian Passports in Ukraine’s Donbass

Eight months after simplifying the procedure of acquiring a Russian passport for residents of Ukraine ’ s eastern Donbass region , Russia announced that it has granted over 196,000 citizenships to Ukrainians .
The figures came from the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs , the Russian TASS news agency reported on Jan. 1 .
Moscow says it is protecting the Russian-speaking population in Ukraine , a claim that Kiev and its Western partners hotly contest .
In April 2019 , Russia announced it would offer citizenship to Donbass residents through a simplified procedure , a provocative move that sparked outrage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over 136,000 Ukrainians living in the separate backed parts of Donbass and about 60,000 residents of Ukrainian-controlled areas have become Russian citizens since April .
The agency reported that over 200 Ukrainians were denied Russian passports .
They include people previously deported from Russia and individuals with an outstanding criminal conviction or who are currently being prosecuted in or outside Russia .
Earlier , on Dec. 9 , Russian Interior Minister Vladislav Kolokoltsev told Russian news agency Interfax that 125,000 Donbass residents had acquired Russian citizenship at that time .
He also said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had applied to receive Russian passports .

Eight months after simplifying the procedure of acquiring a Russian passport for residents of Ukraine’s eastern Donbass region, Russia announced that it has granted over 196,000 citizenships to Ukrainians.
The figures came from the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Russian TASS news agency reported on Jan. 1.
Moscow says it is protecting the Russian-speaking population in Ukraine, a claim that Kiev and its Western partners hotly contest. In April 2019, Russia announced it would offer citizenship to Donbass residents through a simplified procedure, a provocative move that sparked outrage in Ukraine.
According to TASS, over 136,000 Ukrainians living in the separate backed parts of Donbass and about 60,000 residents of Ukrainian-controlled areas have become Russian citizens since April.
The agency reported that over 200 Ukrainians were denied Russian passports. They include people previously deported from Russia and individuals with an outstanding criminal conviction or who are currently being prosecuted in or outside Russia.
Earlier, on Dec. 9, Russian Interior Minister Vladislav Kolokoltsev told Russian news agency Interfax that 125,000 Donbass residents had acquired Russian citizenship at that time. He also said that, since April, 160,000 Ukrainians had applied to receive Russian passports.


themoscowtimes--2020-01-03--Will Russia Enforce Its New Internet Laws in 2020?

Popular Russian video blogger Nastya Ivleyeva asked Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev at his end-of-year press conference in early December if the new sovereign internet law will lead to YouTube being banned in the country .
“ I think you understand how I will answer that question , ” said Medvedev , chuckling .
“ The purpose of the law is to keep us from being cut off from the World Wide Web – if anyone is thinking of doing that.
“ By “ anyone ” he most certainly meant the USA .
It ’ s been two months since Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the right to cut Runet — the Russian part of the internet — off from the rest of the online world .
Not much has changed , despite fears that the new legislation would usher in an era of strict control .
Experts say the Russian legal and administrative systems contains enough loopholes and delays to ensure that other controversial laws coming into full force in 2020 will also have little effect .
Mikhail Klimarev , director of the nonprofit Internet Defense Society , pointed out that Russian lawmakers have been trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since 2012 .
“ I do n't think that will change in 2020 , on the contrary , more laws will probably be passed - which will not work .
That 's it , '' he said .
The sovereign internet law contains a bundle of measures .
Internet service providers ( ISPs ) will have to install equipment that gives Russia ’ s internet watchdog Roskomnadzor access to all Russian internet traffic , most likely through a technology called Deep Packet Inspection ( DPI ) that will allow the authorities to track @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knowing .
Russia will also build a seperate Domain Name System ( DNS ) — an internet phonebook that decides which website you reach when you enter a domain into your web browser — that will serve as a parallel structure to the global DNS maintained by ICANN , a U.S. NGO headquartered in Los Angeles .
But according to Russian media reports , DPI technology is still being tested in the Urals with the authorities still undecided on how to proceed , and the DNS won ’ t be ready until Jan. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ critics of the law like Roskomsvoboda , an NGO fighting against internet regulation , see it as the latest in a series of attacks on internet freedom in Russia , and media reported during this summer ’ s mass protests in Moscow that the Kremlin was blocking mobile internet connections .
This sovereign internet law wasn ’ t the only intervention of the Russian authorities into Runet in 2019 .
In October Russia ’ s leading internet service developer , Yandex , lost $ 1 billion from its valuation when its shares plummeted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kremlin is planning to limit foreign ownership in tech companies .
Yandex swiftly announced plans to restructure the company .
But while the big battle may be over , it won ’ t be the last one , according to Carnegie ’ s Tatyana Stanovaya .
The internet industry , which accounts for about 4 % of Russian GDP , will have to adapt to changing circumstances to stay innovative under the watch of the Kremlin .
It ’ s also the sector most likely to be affected by brain drain : A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showed that half of young Russians are thinking about leaving the country .
Other legislation is targeting foreign software .
The so-called “ law against Apple ” which comes into force on July 1st 2020 means that non-Russian producers of gadgets like smartphones and smart TVs will have to preinstall Russian-made apps .
Apple representatives have already said they do not consider the Russian market to be strategically significant , so the company might exit the market entirely .
Also , the fines are small enough for tech companies to absorb them for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increasing prices or leaving the market altogether , which would drive Russians abroad to buy their smartphones at lower prices .
In another sign that control is being tightened , Russia ’ s big ISPs are preparing to register the IMEIs — the unique numbers on every gadget — of each imported smartphone and tablet , Russian news agency TASS reported in November .
But again , the system is being tested in a pilot project , with a start date in 2020 .
In 2019 it also became clear that , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it might leak , after personal data from thousands of Sberbank and Beeline customers became available to the public during the course of one week in October .
And what about the Great Russian Encyclopedia ?
Will it oust Wikipedia in Russia ?
President Vladimir Putin called for the change at a forum in November and the project has 2 billion rubles ( $ 31 million ) in funding .
Sergey Kravets , director of the Russian equivalent of “ Encyclopedia Britannica , ” announced during a presentation in Ufa in November that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ version in autumn of 2022 .
The coming year will show if Russia is going to enforce the internet and tech laws it already has , or just forget about them as they fall through loopholes .
This isn ’ t without precedent — a 2017 law states that VPNs should block access to websites that are forbidden on Russian territory .
As of today , this isn ’ t the case .
As Medvedev himself told Ivleyeva during his press conference : `` Bans are ineffective .
Also , within the Internet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ''

Popular Russian video blogger Nastya Ivleyeva asked Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev at his end-of-year press conference in early December if the new sovereign internet law will lead to YouTube being banned in the country. “I think you understand how I will answer that question,” said Medvedev, chuckling. “The purpose of the law is to keep us from being cut off from the World Wide Web – if anyone is thinking of doing that.“ By “anyone” he most certainly meant the USA. It’s been two months since Russia passed the sovereign internet law giving it the right to cut Runet — the Russian part of the internet — off from the rest of the online world. Not much has changed, despite fears that the new legislation would usher in an era of strict control.
Experts say the Russian legal and administrative systems contains enough loopholes and delays to ensure that other controversial laws coming into full force in 2020 will also have little effect. Mikhail Klimarev, director of the nonprofit Internet Defense Society, pointed out that Russian lawmakers have been trying to regulate the Russian part of the internet since 2012. “I don't think that will change in 2020, on the contrary, more laws will probably be passed - which will not work. That's it," he said. The sovereign internet law contains a bundle of measures. Internet service providers (ISPs) will have to install equipment that gives Russia’s internet watchdog Roskomnadzor access to all Russian internet traffic, most likely through a technology called Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) that will allow the authorities to track, watch and filter traffic without users knowing. Internet phonebook Russia will also build a seperate Domain Name System (DNS) — an internet phonebook that decides which website you reach when you enter a domain into your web browser — that will serve as a parallel structure to the global DNS maintained by ICANN, a U.S. NGO headquartered in Los Angeles. But according to Russian media reports, DPI technology is still being tested in the Urals with the authorities still undecided on how to proceed, and the DNS won’t be ready until Jan. 1, 2021. That said, critics of the law like Roskomsvoboda, an NGO fighting against internet regulation, see it as the latest in a series of attacks on internet freedom in Russia, and media reported during this summer’s mass protests in Moscow that the Kremlin was blocking mobile internet connections. This sovereign internet law wasn’t the only intervention of the Russian authorities into Runet in 2019. In October Russia’s leading internet service developer, Yandex, lost $1 billion from its valuation when its shares plummeted 18% on the news that the Kremlin is planning to limit foreign ownership in tech companies. Yandex swiftly announced plans to restructure the company. But while the big battle may be over, it won’t be the last one, according to Carnegie’s Tatyana Stanovaya.


themoscowtimes--2020-01-03--Russia’s Oil Output Hits Post-Soviet High Despite OPEC+ Deal

The country consistently failed to meet its quota last year , overshooting its target in nine of the 12 months , Bloomberg calculations show .
The Energy Ministry has come up with various explanations for producing above the target — from the limitations of a harsh climate to technical issues after the Druzhba oil-contamination crisis .
The 11th consecutive year of output growth underscores the reality of Russia ’ s cooperation with the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries .
Despite being one of the architects of the original 2016 deal , Moscow has a poor record of fulfilling its pledged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from its allies to do better .
Russia ’ s crude oil and condensate output hit a post-Soviet high last year even as it curbed production under an agreement with OPEC .
Russia produced 560.2 million tons of oil in 2019 , up 0.8 % from the previous year , preliminary data from the Energy Ministry ’ s CDU-TEK unit show .
That ’ s equivalent to 11.25 million barrels a day , according to Bloomberg calculations .
Russia produced a record 11.416 million barrels a day in 1987 , BP Plc data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia pledged to cut output by 228,000 barrels a day from the October 2018 baseline of 11.418 million barrels a day .
That allocation will change this month after OPEC and its allies agreed in December to deepen their cuts .
Saudi Arabian Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman has urged the laggards in the deal to carry their share of the burden .
The kingdom is making the deepest cuts in the group .
Russia has agreed to deepen its reductions by 70,000 barrels a day to about 300,000 a day in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and monthly production calculations will exclude a type of light oil called condensate , potentially making it easier to hit its cuts target .
Energy Minister Alexander Novak has denied that the change is a loophole allowing Russia to pump more oil and still claim compliance .
While Russia ’ s official statistics don ’ t yet provide a breakdown for crude and condensate , the ministry will regularly inform analysts , the media and OPEC about the composition of its output , according to Novak .
Russia has also started making noises @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
When ministers meet next in March , the group will have been restricting output for more than three years , compared with an initial plan for six months .
During the meeting , Russia may bring up the issue of exiting the agreement , Novak said in an interview to state TV network Rossiya24 last month .
“ Oil production cuts can ’ t be eternal , ” Novak said , adding that Russia needs to defend its global market share and let its oil companies develop new projects .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on exiting ” the accord , he said .
Ending the deal would allow Russia to deploy about 500,000 barrels a day of spare production capacity , which could pave the way for a new output record in 2020 .

The country consistently failed to meet its quota last year, overshooting its target in nine of the 12 months, Bloomberg calculations show. The Energy Ministry has come up with various explanations for producing above the target — from the limitations of a harsh climate to technical issues after the Druzhba oil-contamination crisis .
The 11th consecutive year of output growth underscores the reality of Russia’s cooperation with the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. Despite being one of the architects of the original 2016 deal, Moscow has a poor record of fulfilling its pledged production cuts and has come under pressure from its allies to do better.
Russia’s crude oil and condensate output hit a post-Soviet high last year even as it curbed production under an agreement with OPEC.
Russia produced 560.2 million tons of oil in 2019, up 0.8% from the previous year, preliminary data from the Energy Ministry’s CDU-TEK unit show. That’s equivalent to 11.25 million barrels a day, according to Bloomberg calculations. Russia produced a record 11.416 million barrels a day in 1987, BP Plc data show.
Under the OPEC+ deal, Russia pledged to cut output by 228,000 barrels a day from the October 2018 baseline of 11.418 million barrels a day. That allocation will change this month after OPEC and its allies agreed in December to deepen their cuts.
New фrrangements
Saudi Arabian Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman has urged the laggards in the deal to carry their share of the burden. The kingdom is making the deepest cuts in the group.
Russia has agreed to deepen its reductions by 70,000 barrels a day to about 300,000 a day in the first quarter. But its baseline and monthly production calculations will exclude a type of light oil called condensate, potentially making it easier to hit its cuts target.
Energy Minister Alexander Novak has denied that the change is a loophole allowing Russia to pump more oil and still claim compliance. While Russia’s official statistics don’t yet provide a breakdown for crude and condensate, the ministry will regularly inform analysts, the media and OPEC about the composition of its output, according to Novak.
Russia has also started making noises about the future of the OPEC+ alliance. When ministers meet next in March, the group will have been restricting output for more than three years, compared with an initial plan for six months. During the meeting, Russia may bring up the issue of exiting the agreement, Novak said in an interview to state TV network Rossiya24 last month.
“Oil production cuts can’t be eternal,” Novak said, adding that Russia needs to defend its global market share and let its oil companies develop new projects. “We will gradually need to make a decision on exiting” the accord, he said.
Ending the deal would allow Russia to deploy about 500,000 barrels a day of spare production capacity, which could pave the way for a new output record in 2020.


themoscowtimes--2020-01-02--Turkish Parliament Approves Bill Allowing Libya Troop Deployment

Turkey 's parliament on Thursday passed a bill that allows troop deployment to Libya , Parliament Speaker Mustafa Sentop said , paving the way for increased military cooperation despite criticism from opposition lawmakers .
Sentop said the legislation passed with an 325-184 vote in the parliament , where President Tayyip Erdogan 's ruling AK Party and its nationalist allies hold a majority .
All major opposition parties in the assembly voted against the bill .
Analysts and officials say Ankara is unlikely to immediately send troops , but rather military advisers and equipment .
A senior Turkish official said last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Turkey , and Reuters reported that Ankara is also considering sending allied Syrian fighters to Tripoli as part of the planned military support .
On Wednesday , Vice President Fuat Oktay said the bill served a symbolic role that Ankara hoped would be a `` deterrent '' to the parties , and that Turkey may not send troops if Haftar 's forces halted their offensive and pulled back .
`` The deployment will likely start with military advisers , increased ( drones ) , and special operations that would work with the Libyan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a former Turkish diplomat who is chairman of the think-tank Center for Economics and Foreign Policy Studies .
`` The hope would be that the Turkish military may not itself be involved in military action , '' he said .
Erdogan 's ruling AK Party and its nationalist allies are expected to back the legislation on Thursday despite opposition from the other major parties that say military support would cause Libya 's conflict to spread across the region and endanger Turkey 's safety .
Ankara signed a military cooperation accord with Tripoli in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prevent Libya sliding into `` chaos . ''
It is also meant to protect Turkish private investment in Libya and bolster Turkey 's offshore energy claims in the Mediterranean .
But it could also put Turkey at odds with the other foreign players in Libya 's war and in the region .
The Arab League is the latest to warn against the deployment of foreign fighters in the North African country .
Earlier Erdogan said that Turkey will not stay silent over Russian-backed mercenaries supporting Khalifa Haftar in Libya , as Moscow voiced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Libya in support of Haftar 's enemies .
`` Ankara sees its involvement in Libya as a symbol of its new status as a regional power , '' said Asli Aydintasbas , senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations .
`` The idea is , to be at the big table , you need to be present on the ground . ''

Turkey's parliament on Thursday passed a bill that allows troop deployment to Libya, Parliament Speaker Mustafa Sentop said, paving the way for increased military cooperation despite criticism from opposition lawmakers.
Sentop said the legislation passed with an 325-184 vote in the parliament, where President Tayyip Erdogan's ruling AK Party and its nationalist allies hold a majority. All major opposition parties in the assembly voted against the bill.
Analysts and officials say Ankara is unlikely to immediately send troops, but rather military advisers and equipment.
A senior Turkish official said last week Turkey may train Libyan soldiers in Turkey, and Reuters reported that Ankara is also considering sending allied Syrian fighters to Tripoli as part of the planned military support.
On Wednesday, Vice President Fuat Oktay said the bill served a symbolic role that Ankara hoped would be a "deterrent" to the parties, and that Turkey may not send troops if Haftar's forces halted their offensive and pulled back.
"The deployment will likely start with military advisers, increased (drones), and special operations that would work with the Libyan military," said Sinan Ulgen, a former Turkish diplomat who is chairman of the think-tank Center for Economics and Foreign Policy Studies.
"The hope would be that the Turkish military may not itself be involved in military action," he said.
Erdogan's ruling AK Party and its nationalist allies are expected to back the legislation on Thursday despite opposition from the other major parties that say military support would cause Libya's conflict to spread across the region and endanger Turkey's safety.
Ankara signed a military cooperation accord with Tripoli in November and has said it would help prevent Libya sliding into "chaos." It is also meant to protect Turkish private investment in Libya and bolster Turkey's offshore energy claims in the Mediterranean.
But it could also put Turkey at odds with the other foreign players in Libya's war and in the region. The Arab League is the latest to warn against the deployment of foreign fighters in the North African country.
Earlier Erdogan said that Turkey will not stay silent over Russian-backed mercenaries supporting Khalifa Haftar in Libya, as Moscow voiced concerns over possible Turkish military deployment to Libya in support of Haftar's enemies.
"Ankara sees its involvement in Libya as a symbol of its new status as a regional power," said Asli Aydintasbas, senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. "The idea is, to be at the big table, you need to be present on the ground."


themoscowtimes--2020-01-02--Ukraine and Russia Can Deal When They Must But Peace Isn’t Close

Quickfire agreements on energy and the Kremlin-backed war that erupted after Vladimir Putin annexed Crimea show Ukraine and Russia can increasingly look past their differences to strike deals .
The natural-gas pact agreed late Monday , which ended fears of disruptions to European Union supplies , comes a day after the former allies ’ second prisoner swap in four months .
EU diplomats , mediating in both cases , may feel they ’ re making headway in easing tensions more than five years after the conflict in eastern Ukraine rekindled Cold War animosity and brought a barrage of sanctions against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meet at all — let alone reach consensus on hot-button issues like these — marks undoubted progress .
It ’ s been driven by pragmatism and a readiness to compromise under EU and U.S. pressure , including the Trump administration ’ s sanctions against Russia ’ s Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project .
The gas deal was necessary as transit contracts ran down .
Putin wants sanctions relief and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has prioritized ending a war that ’ s killed more than 13,000 people .
The fundamental question -- whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going nowhere without concessions regarded as impossible by one side or another .
The standoff with Moscow over Ukraine ’ s desire to join the EU and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization will remain a headache for world powers from Brussels to Washington .
“ The events of the past several years have created significant changes in how the two governments and their people relate to one another , and to the rest of Europe , ” said Alex Brideau , an analyst at Eurasia Group .
“ Recent developments help ease tension @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that relationship.
” The EU will nevertheless breathe a sigh of relief after the accord was signed to ensure flows of gas through Ukraine from Russia ’ s Gazprom for the next five years .
Supplies to the region have been cut twice during in the past 13 years at times of peak demand because of financial and political disputes between the two neighboring states .

Quickfire agreements on energy and the Kremlin-backed war that erupted after Vladimir Putin annexed Crimea show Ukraine and Russia can increasingly look past their differences to strike deals.
The natural-gas pact agreed late Monday, which ended fears of disruptions to European Union supplies, comes a day after the former allies’ second prisoner swap in four months. EU diplomats, mediating in both cases, may feel they’re making headway in easing tensions more than five years after the conflict in eastern Ukraine rekindled Cold War animosity and brought a barrage of sanctions against Russia.
That Ukraine and Russia now meet at all — let alone reach consensus on hot-button issues like these — marks undoubted progress. It’s been driven by pragmatism and a readiness to compromise under EU and U.S. pressure, including the Trump administration’s sanctions against Russia’s Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project.
The gas deal was necessary as transit contracts ran down. Putin wants sanctions relief and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has prioritized ending a war that’s killed more than 13,000 people.
The fundamental question -- whether Ukraine leans east or west — is going nowhere without concessions regarded as impossible by one side or another. The standoff with Moscow over Ukraine’s desire to join the EU and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization will remain a headache for world powers from Brussels to Washington.
“The events of the past several years have created significant changes in how the two governments and their people relate to one another, and to the rest of Europe,” said Alex Brideau, an analyst at Eurasia Group. “Recent developments help ease tension, but they don’t reset that relationship.”
Ensure flows
The EU will nevertheless breathe a sigh of relief after the accord was signed to ensure flows of gas through Ukraine from Russia’s Gazprom for the next five years. Supplies to the region have been cut twice during in the past 13 years at times of peak demand because of financial and political disputes between the two neighboring states.