tass--2020-09-02--Netflix may double its market share in Russia thanks to NMG partnership - expert

MOSCOW , September 2 .
/TASS/ .
The partnership between Netflix and Russia ’ s National Media Group ( NMG ) will allow the service to double its share in the Russian market in the coming years through localization and an increase in the volume of Russian-language content , according to CEO of TelecomDaily Denis Kuskov .
`` Netflix has excellent content , but more adaptation is needed for the Russian viewer , '' he told TASS on Wednesday .
`` If NMG helps in this , then Netflix 's share can grow .
In the next two to three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of the market , if NMG is very actively helping .
However , this year the share of Netflix is unlikely to change and will remain at 4 % , '' he added .
Position on the online cinemas market is now determined by the volume of exclusive content and its localization , Head of Content Review Sergey Polovnikov said .
According to him , the growth of services such as Okko , Start , and Premier is driven primarily by exclusives .
Netflix is doing well with its own releases , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ viewer , he believes .
`` A partnership with NMG is an excellent option for Netflix , since NMG has stakes in TV channels , as well as rights to … a huge library of foreign , theatrical content , which Netflix lacked a bit , as the company mainly focuses on its own exclusives .
It does not have many Russian movies , and a partnership with NMG can change this at the snap of a finger , '' Polovnikov told TASS .
Earlier on Wednesday , Netflix and NMG announced a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , will allow to localize the US service in Russia .
The holding becomes the official operator of Netflix and will provide Russian viewers with access to Netflix service and content entirely in Russian .
According to Broadband TV News , the Russian-language version of Netflix will appear in mid-October .

MOSCOW, September 2. /TASS/. The partnership between Netflix and Russia’s National Media Group (NMG) will allow the service to double its share in the Russian market in the coming years through localization and an increase in the volume of Russian-language content, according to CEO of TelecomDaily Denis Kuskov.
"Netflix has excellent content, but more adaptation is needed for the Russian viewer," he told TASS on Wednesday. "If NMG helps in this, then Netflix's share can grow. In the next two to three years, the service can expect 7-8% of the market, if NMG is very actively helping. However, this year the share of Netflix is unlikely to change and will remain at 4%," he added.
Position on the online cinemas market is now determined by the volume of exclusive content and its localization, Head of Content Review Sergey Polovnikov said. According to him, the growth of services such as Okko, Start, and Premier is driven primarily by exclusives. Netflix is doing well with its own releases, but it lacks content for the Russian viewer, he believes.
"A partnership with NMG is an excellent option for Netflix, since NMG has stakes in TV channels, as well as rights to … a huge library of foreign, theatrical content, which Netflix lacked a bit, as the company mainly focuses on its own exclusives. It does not have many Russian movies, and a partnership with NMG can change this at the snap of a finger," Polovnikov told TASS.
Earlier on Wednesday, Netflix and NMG announced a partnership, which, among other things, will allow to localize the US service in Russia. The holding becomes the official operator of Netflix and will provide Russian viewers with access to Netflix service and content entirely in Russian. According to Broadband TV News, the Russian-language version of Netflix will appear in mid-October.


tass--2020-09-02--Big Norilsk Expedition’s scientists finalize field works

MOSCOW , September 2 .
/TASS/ .
Scientists from 14 research institutes of the Russian Academy of Sciences ’ Siberian Branch finalized the field stage of the Big Norilsk Expedition and begin laboratory tests and analyses , the expedition ’ s press service said on Wednesday .
“ During the field works , the scientists have collected on the Taimyr a few thousand samples of water and soil , organisms , they took various measurements , ” the press service said .
“ Now , they will be working at laboratories at the institutes in Novosibirsk , Tomsk , Barnaul @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be working there for at least three months to process the collected material.
” The scientists want to learn exact contours of the contamination spot from the accident at the power plant near Norilsk in May , they want to find or disclaim presence of oil products in organisms , to restore chronology of Taimyr ’ s man-made contaminations , to follow up changes in feed bases of birds , fish and animals , to analyze conditions of the perennially frozen ground , and to solve many other scientifically important tasks .
At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experts will prepare a report , which is expected in December .
“ The expedition ’ s scientific result would be something more than a complex image of consequences from a certain event or events , ” Chairman of the Academy of Sciences ’ Siberian Branch Valentin Parmon said .
“ We must create comprehensive models of sustainable and safe cooperation between people and the Arctic ’ s environment , we must present to authorities and big companies smart strategies for the nature ’ s exploitation and development of resources in this macro @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia.
” The scientist pointed to an effective cooperation between the Siberian Branch and Nornickel in organization of this expedition , which has not limited its studies by areas neighboring the power plant , but which observed far-away places to make sure the collected material and results of its tests would serve interests of companies , doing business in the Arctic .
During the field works , the expedition participants did not face any problems with transport , fuel , equipment or anything else , he added .
The Siberian Branch of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time in recent years has sent to the Taimyr Peninsula , at the invitation of Nornickel , a big scientific expedition to conduct a large-scale examination of the area .
Scientists will use the expedition ’ s results to present suggestions for industrial companies , working in the Arctic , on how to preserve the nature .
The expedition ’ s key points are watersheds of the Rivers Pyasina , Norilka and Ambarnaya , and Lake Pyasino .
The expedition ’ s term is five months – from July to November .
Before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ research institutes of the Academy of Sciences ’ Siberian Branch have collected samples of soils , plants and sediments , and now they work on tests at the institutes ’ labs .
First results may be expected in November-December , 2020 .

MOSCOW, September 2. /TASS/. Scientists from 14 research institutes of the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Siberian Branch finalized the field stage of the Great Norilsk Expedition and begin laboratory tests and analyses, the expedition’s press service said on Wednesday.
“During the field works, the scientists have collected on the Taimyr a few thousand samples of water and soil, organisms, they took various measurements,” the press service said. “Now, they will be working at laboratories at the institutes in Novosibirsk, Tomsk, Barnaul, Yakutsk and Norilsk. They will be working there for at least three months to process the collected material.”
The scientists want to learn exact contours of the contamination spot from the accident at the power plant near Norilsk in May, they want to find or disclaim presence of oil products in organisms, to restore chronology of Taimyr’s man-made contaminations, to follow up changes in feed bases of birds, fish and animals, to analyze conditions of the perennially frozen ground, and to solve many other scientifically important tasks. At the end of this work, the experts will prepare a report, which is expected in December.
“The expedition’s scientific result would be something more than a complex image of consequences from a certain event or events,” Chairman of the Academy of Sciences’ Siberian Branch Valentin Parmon said. “We must create comprehensive models of sustainable and safe cooperation between people and the Arctic’s environment, we must present to authorities and big companies smart strategies for the nature’s exploitation and development of resources in this macro region, which is most important for Russia.”
The scientist pointed to an effective cooperation between the Siberian Branch and Nornickel in organization of this expedition, which has not limited its studies by areas neighboring the power plant, but which observed far-away places to make sure the collected material and results of its tests would serve interests of companies, doing business in the Arctic. During the field works, the expedition participants did not face any problems with transport, fuel, equipment or anything else, he added.
About expedition to Taimyr
The Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences for the first time in recent years has sent to the Taimyr Peninsula, at the invitation of Nornickel, a big scientific expedition to conduct a large-scale examination of the area. Scientists will use the expedition’s results to present suggestions for industrial companies, working in the Arctic, on how to preserve the nature.
The expedition’s key points are watersheds of the Rivers Pyasina, Norilka and Ambarnaya, and Lake Pyasino. The expedition’s term is five months – from July to November. Before end of August, experts from 14 research institutes of the Academy of Sciences’ Siberian Branch have collected samples of soils, plants and sediments, and now they work on tests at the institutes’ labs. First results may be expected in November-December, 2020.


tass--2020-09-02--COVID-19 cases surpass 31,580 in Serbia

COVID-19 cases surpass 31,580 in Serbia

BELGRADE , September 2 .
/TASS/ .
Coronavirus cases in Serbia have risen by 99 over the past day to 31,581 , while the death toll has climbed to 716 , the country ’ s Health Ministry said on Wednesday .
According to the ministry , one person died in the past 24 hours , with the mortality rate standing at 2.27 % .
As many as 39 patients are on ventilators in intensive care units .
In the past 24 hours , 8,752 people were tested for COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus .
A day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one-day cases .
As many as 500 COVID-19 patients are currently being treated in hospitals .
A total of 947,298 people have been tested since the coronavirus outbreak .
The average age of the patients ranges between 30 and 50 .
Pneumonia is registered in 70 % of all the cases .
Serbia declared the state of emergency in 20 cities and municipalities .
In late December 2019 , Chinese officials notified the World Health Organization ( WHO ) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases of the novel coronavirus - named COVID-19 by the WHO - have been reported in every corner of the globe , including Russia .
On March 11 , 2020 , the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic .

BELGRADE, September 2. /TASS/. Coronavirus cases in Serbia have risen by 99 over the past day to 31,581, while the death toll has climbed to 716, the country’s Health Ministry said on Wednesday.
According to the ministry, one person died in the past 24 hours, with the mortality rate standing at 2.27%. As many as 39 patients are on ventilators in intensive care units. In the past 24 hours, 8,752 people were tested for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
A day before, the ministry reported about 76 one-day cases. As many as 500 COVID-19 patients are currently being treated in hospitals. A total of 947,298 people have been tested since the coronavirus outbreak.
The average age of the patients ranges between 30 and 50. Pneumonia is registered in 70% of all the cases. Serbia declared the state of emergency in 20 cities and municipalities.
In late December 2019, Chinese officials notified the World Health Organization (WHO) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, in central China. Since then, cases of the novel coronavirus - named COVID-19 by the WHO - have been reported in every corner of the globe, including Russia. On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic.


tass--2020-09-02--Germany’s claims over Navalny are another campaign against Russia, diplomat says

MOSCOW , September 2 .
/TASS/ .
The German government ’ s claims over the affair of Russian blogger Alexei Navalny are another information campaign targeted against Russia , Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on the program 60 Minutes on the Rossiya-1 television channel .
`` Instead of thorough investigation and scrupulous joint work with the aim of obtaining authentic results our partners prefer to make more public statements without presenting any facts .
All this is another information campaign , '' she said .
`` What is most important and sad at the same time is that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was demonstrated very clearly - the available mechanisms of legal interaction for obtaining genuine results , '' Zakharova said .
She recalled that on August 27 the Russian Prosecutor-General ’ s Office dispatched an official request for legal assistance based on the findings of the Russian Interior Ministry ’ s investigators but has not received any response to this day .
`` The German government turned the microphone on and said what it said .
As far as we understand , the target audience of today ’ s statements were the European Union @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prohibition of Chemical Weapons was mentioned for some reason as well .
All this was done instead of what should have been done first thing - a reply to the query from the Russian Prosecutor-General ’ s Office , '' Zakharova said .
Alexei Navalny was taken to the hospital in Omsk on August 20 after he felt sick on a plane en route from Tomsk to Moscow .
He sank into a coma and was put on a lung ventilator .
Later he was delivered to Berlin ’ s Charite hospital , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of intoxication in the patient ’ s blood .
The medics now say that the symptoms of intoxication are gradually easing .
The German Cabinet of Ministers on Wednesday said that German toxicologists had identified traces of a Novichok class agent in Navalny ’ s body .
Berlin asked Moscow to clarify the circumstances of the incident and promised to inform the Russian ambassador on the results of tests .
The German Cabinet ’ s spokesperson , Steffen Seibert , said Germany would inform the EU , NATO and the OPCW on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ together with its partners would take measures depending on Moscow ’ s response .
He said nothing , though , about what such measures might be like .

MOSCOW, September 2. /TASS/. The German government’s claims over the affair of Russian blogger Alexei Navalny are another information campaign targeted against Russia, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on the program 60 Minutes on the Rossiya-1 television channel.
"Instead of thorough investigation and scrupulous joint work with the aim of obtaining authentic results our partners prefer to make more public statements without presenting any facts. All this is another information campaign," she said.
"What is most important and sad at the same time is that our partners openly neglect - today it was demonstrated very clearly - the available mechanisms of legal interaction for obtaining genuine results," Zakharova said.
She recalled that on August 27 the Russian Prosecutor-General’s Office dispatched an official request for legal assistance based on the findings of the Russian Interior Ministry’s investigators but has not received any response to this day.
"The German government turned the microphone on and said what it said. As far as we understand, the target audience of today’s statements were the European Union and NATO. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons was mentioned for some reason as well. All this was done instead of what should have been done first thing - a reply to the query from the Russian Prosecutor-General’s Office," Zakharova said.
Navalny affair
Alexei Navalny was taken to the hospital in Omsk on August 20 after he felt sick on a plane en route from Tomsk to Moscow. He sank into a coma and was put on a lung ventilator. Later he was delivered to Berlin’s Charite hospital, where doctors said they had found traces of intoxication in the patient’s blood. The medics now say that the symptoms of intoxication are gradually easing.
The German Cabinet of Ministers on Wednesday said that German toxicologists had identified traces of a Novichok class agent in Navalny’s body. Berlin asked Moscow to clarify the circumstances of the incident and promised to inform the Russian ambassador on the results of tests.
The German Cabinet’s spokesperson, Steffen Seibert, said Germany would inform the EU, NATO and the OPCW on the latest findings concerning the Navalny incident and together with its partners would take measures depending on Moscow’s response. He said nothing, though, about what such measures might be like.


tass--2020-09-02--French-German move to reform WHO may be presented in October, says envoy

MOSCOW , September 2 .
/TASS/ .
France and Germany ’ s move to reform the World Health Organization ( WHO ) could be officially presented in October , Russia ’ s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva Gennady Gatilov said in an interview with TASS First Deputy Director General Mikhail Gusman on Wednesday .
`` In spite of the US and its closest allies ’ criticism of the WHO , the overwhelming majority of member states stand up for preservation of the organization so that it can continue to play an upper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he said .
`` Along with this , there are initiatives on how to reform the WHO .
The other day , a so-called French-German move was announced .
It was discussed by experts within the framework of the EU so far , but it can not be ruled out that in October , the move will be officially presented at the October session of the Executive Board . ''
In August , Reuters reported citing official sources that Germany and France want to reform the WHO in order to give it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two countries believe that the WHO ’ s key goals in preventing pandemics and helping nations to combat them are not backed by sufficient funding and legal authority .
It is reported that WHO experts should be given an opportunity to independently investigate and assess outbreaks in the shortest possible time .

MOSCOW, September 2. /TASS/. France and Germany’s move to reform the World Health Organization (WHO) could be officially presented in October, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva Gennady Gatilov said in an interview with TASS First Deputy Director General Mikhail Gusman on Wednesday.
"In spite of the US and its closest allies’ criticism of the WHO, the overwhelming majority of member states stand up for preservation of the organization so that it can continue to play an upper hand, including against the coronavirus," he said.
"Along with this, there are initiatives on how to reform the WHO. The other day, a so-called French-German move was announced. It was discussed by experts within the framework of the EU so far, but it cannot be ruled out that in October, the move will be officially presented at the October session of the Executive Board."
In August, Reuters reported citing official sources that Germany and France want to reform the WHO in order to give it more money and more power. The two countries believe that the WHO’s key goals in preventing pandemics and helping nations to combat them are not backed by sufficient funding and legal authority. It is reported that WHO experts should be given an opportunity to independently investigate and assess outbreaks in the shortest possible time.


tass--2020-09-02--German foreign ministry shares no evidence of Navalny poisoning with Russian ambassador

MOSCOW , September 2 .
/TASS/ .
Russia ’ s Ambassador to Germany Sergei Nechaev has not received any evidence @ @ @ @ @ Office that blogger Alexei Navalny had been poisoned , Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova @ @ @ @ @ on Rossiya ’ 1 channel on Wednesday .
`` Do you think that Ambassador Mr. @ @ @ @ @ the question that lots of people are concerned about now : Where are the facts @ @ @ @ @ , where are merely any data ?
I ’ ll answer , ‘ Yes , @ @ @ @ @ do you think he received from the German counterparts ?
None .
No facts , @ @ @ @ @ , no materials , no references .
Absolutely nothing , '' she said .
Nechaev @ @ @ @ @ the German Federal Foreign Office where he was notified about Berlin ’ s stance on @ @ @ @

MOSCOW, September 2. /TASS/. Russia’s Ambassador to Germany Sergei Nechaev has not received any evidence from the German Federal Foreign Office that blogger Alexei Navalny had been poisoned, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a televised interview on Rossiya’1 channel on Wednesday.
"Do you think that Ambassador Mr. Nechaev asked his German counterparts the question that lots of people are concerned about now: Where are the facts, where are the formulas, where are merely any data? I’ll answer, ‘Yes, he did.’ What answer do you think he received from the German counterparts? None. No facts, no data, no formulas, no materials, no references. Absolutely nothing," she said.
Nechaev had been earlier summoned to the German Federal Foreign Office where he was notified about Berlin’s stance on the Navalny case.


tass--2020-09-02--Russia’s intelligence keeps an eye on situation in Belarus, Western plans

`` We keep a close watch on the situation .
We are in touch with the Belarussian special services .
We keep in focus on everything that is happening on the Western side - the ideas that exist there and the plans being made - and inform our colleagues , '' Naryshkin said .
MOSCOW , September 2 .
/TASS/ .
Russia ’ s foreign intelligence service SVR keeps a close watch on the current developments in Belarus , as well as the West ’ s plans for that country , and maintains permanent contact with the Belarussian special services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media on Wednesday .
Earlier , Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko dismissed as impermissible any foreign intervention in the country ’ s internal affairs and promised a firm rebuff .
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov earlier said that at a meeting with US First Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Beegan he drew attention to the fact some countries were unhappy about stabilization in Belarus .
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the Foreign Ministry interpreted current actions by the United States and a number of EU countries as interference in the internal affairs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ample evidence to confirm this .
Belarus held a presidential election on August 9 .
According to the Central Election Commission , the incumbent , Alexander Lukashenko , received 80.1 % of the votes .
Lukashenko ’ s rival Svetlana Tikhanovskaya collected 10.12 % .
She did not recognize the election returns .
Shortly after that she moved to neighboring Lithuania , where she has been since then .
The election returns triggered mass demonstrations in several Belarussian cities .
During the first days of protests there were clashes with police .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calling for further protests .
The authorities say the illegal demonstrations must be brought to an end .

"We keep a close watch on the situation. We are in touch with the Belarussian special services. We keep in focus on everything that is happening on the Western side - the ideas that exist there and the plans being made - and inform our colleagues," Naryshkin said.
MOSCOW, September 2. /TASS/. Russia’s foreign intelligence service SVR keeps a close watch on the current developments in Belarus, as well as the West’s plans for that country, and maintains permanent contact with the Belarussian special services, SVR Director Sergei Naryshkin told the media on Wednesday.
Earlier, Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko dismissed as impermissible any foreign intervention in the country’s internal affairs and promised a firm rebuff. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov earlier said that at a meeting with US First Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Beegan he drew attention to the fact some countries were unhappy about stabilization in Belarus. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the Foreign Ministry interpreted current actions by the United States and a number of EU countries as interference in the internal affairs of Belarus, adding that there was ample evidence to confirm this.
Belarus held a presidential election on August 9. According to the Central Election Commission, the incumbent, Alexander Lukashenko, received 80.1% of the votes. Lukashenko’s rival Svetlana Tikhanovskaya collected 10.12%. She did not recognize the election returns. Shortly after that she moved to neighboring Lithuania, where she has been since then. The election returns triggered mass demonstrations in several Belarussian cities. During the first days of protests there were clashes with police. The opposition’s Coordination Council has been calling for further protests. The authorities say the illegal demonstrations must be brought to an end.


tass--2020-09-02--United Shipbuilding Corporation to prepare design documents for Polyarny complex in 2021

MURMANSK , September 2 .
/TASS/ .
United Shipbuilding Corporation ( USC ) will prepare design documents for the construction of the Polyarny maritime complex in Russia ’ s Arctic region by the end 2021 , President of USC Alexei Rakhmanov told TASS on Wednesday .
USC plans to build the complex in the Murmansk region on the site of the SRZ-10 ship repairing yard ( part of the USC ) .
`` Currently , we are conducting a survey and working out the design documents [ for the construction of the Polyarny marine complex ] .
Until we get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planning and surveying activities taking into account all the details , we will not comment on this topic for the time being .
We plan to finish it [ design and survey work ] by the end of next year , 2021 , '' Rakhmanov said .
In November 2019 , the government of the Murmansk Region and USC signed a cooperation agreement , which implies the creation of the Polyarny complex in the Murmansk Region on the basis of the SRZ-10 ship repairing yard .
According to the regional government , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with berths for mooring and anchorage , unload , receive , store and ship fish products , deeply process raw materials supplied to the shore , provide fishermen with supply services , maintenance and shipbuilding , production and repair of fishing gear and technical equipment of ships .
When signing an agreement with the Murmansk region in November 2019 , Rakhmanov noted that the creation of the marine economic complex based on a shipyard is a very good example of diversification and an important milestone on the way to successful coexistence of civil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the complex will help the Murmansk region solve the problem of the lack of the required volume of capacities for the repair of civil vessels , he said .

MURMANSK, September 2. /TASS/. United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) will prepare design documents for the construction of the Polyarny maritime complex in Russia’s Arctic region by the end 2021, President of USC Alexei Rakhmanov told TASS on Wednesday.
USC plans to build the complex in the Murmansk region on the site of the SRZ-10 ship repairing yard (part of the USC).
"Currently, we are conducting a survey and working out the design documents [for the construction of the Polyarny marine complex]. Until we get a positive conclusion on the results of planning and surveying activities taking into account all the details, we will not comment on this topic for the time being. We plan to finish it [design and survey work] by the end of next year, 2021," Rakhmanov said.
In November 2019, the government of the Murmansk Region and USC signed a cooperation agreement, which implies the creation of the Polyarny complex in the Murmansk Region on the basis of the SRZ-10 ship repairing yard.
According to the regional government, the Polyarny maritime complex will provide fishing vessels with berths for mooring and anchorage, unload, receive, store and ship fish products, deeply process raw materials supplied to the shore, provide fishermen with supply services, maintenance and shipbuilding, production and repair of fishing gear and technical equipment of ships.
When signing an agreement with the Murmansk region in November 2019, Rakhmanov noted that the creation of the marine economic complex based on a shipyard is a very good example of diversification and an important milestone on the way to successful coexistence of civil and military enterprises. The construction of the complex will help the Murmansk region solve the problem of the lack of the required volume of capacities for the repair of civil vessels, he said.


tass--2020-09-02--Only Russia can answer some questions in Navalny case, says Merkel

BERLIN , September 2 .
/TASS/ .
Russia ’ s authorities need to answer questions related to the Alexei Navalny @ @ @ @ @ Merkel said on Wednesday .
`` There are serious questions that only the Russian government @ @ @ @ @ pointed out .
The German government said earlier that Navalny had been poisoned with the @ @ @ @

BERLIN, September 2. /TASS/. Russia’s authorities need to answer questions related to the Alexei Navalny incident, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday.
"There are serious questions that only the Russian government can answer," she pointed out.
The German government said earlier that Navalny had been poisoned with the Novichok nerve agent.


tass--2020-09-02--Germany calls on Russia to investigate Navalny case

BERLIN , September 2 .
/TASS/ .
The German Foreign Ministry summoned Russian Ambassador Sergei Nechayev to inform him of @ @ @ @ @ the Alexei Navalny case , German top diplomat Heiko Maas said on Wednesday .
`` @ @ @ @ @ called for clarifying the circumstances… in full transparency , '' he said .
`` We @ @ @ @ @ ] and will immediately inform… our partners in the EU and NATO , '' Maas @ @ @ @ @ German foreign minister , Berlin will work together with its partners to figure out `` @ @ @ @ @ which will depend `` on how Russia acts . ''

BERLIN, September 2. /TASS/. The German Foreign Ministry summoned Russian Ambassador Sergei Nechayev to inform him of Berlin’s position on the Alexei Navalny case, German top diplomat Heiko Maas said on Wednesday.
"We have once again explicitly called for clarifying the circumstances… in full transparency," he said. "We strongly condemn [what happened] and will immediately inform… our partners in the EU and NATO," Maas added.
According to the German foreign minister, Berlin will work together with its partners to figure out "an appropriate reaction," which will depend "on how Russia acts."


tass--2020-09-02--Northern Fleet, Russian Geographic Society’s expedition sails around Novaya Zemlya

MURMANSK , September 2 .
/TASS/ .
The expedition team of the Northern Fleet and the Russian Geographic Society sailed around the Novaya Zemlya archipelago and is ready to return to the Fleet ’ s main naval base - Severomorsk , the Northern Fleet ’ s press service said .
`` Participants in the complex expedition to the Novaya Zemlya archipelago , which the Northern Fleet continues jointly with the Russian Geographic Society and the Russian Arctic National Park , have sailed around the archipelago ’ s islands on board the MB-12 towboat and arrived to the final destination - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` From there , the expedition kicked off almost three weeks ago .
< … > Now , the expedition participants will change for the Yauza vessel heading for the Northern Fleet ’ s main naval base - Severomorsk .
They will arrive there in a few days . ''
According to the press service , the last few days were complicated for the researchers though fruitful .
On the Lomonosov Cape , they found an old house , and on the Pakhtusov Island - two more houses , a warehouse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and in addition to those objects - two anchors on the coastline .
All the historic artefacts , found during the expedition , would be delivered to St. Petersburg ’ s Museum of Arctic and Antarctic .
The expedition worked in complicated weather conditions , the press service added .
Within a few days , experts had to work in thick fog , where visibility was just a few meters .
The team had to cancel a few trips ashore because of too many polar bears around .

MURMANSK, September 2. /TASS/. The expedition team of the Northern Fleet and the Russian Geographic Society sailed around the Novaya Zemlya archipelago and is ready to return to the Fleet’s main naval base - Severomorsk, the Northern Fleet’s press service said.
"Participants in the complex expedition to the Novaya Zemlya archipelago, which the Northern Fleet continues jointly with the Russian Geographic Society and the Russian Arctic National Park, have sailed around the archipelago’s islands on board the MB-12 towboat and arrived to the final destination - Belushya Guba," the press service said. "From there, the expedition kicked off almost three weeks ago. <…> Now, the expedition participants will change for the Yauza vessel heading for the Northern Fleet’s main naval base - Severomorsk. They will arrive there in a few days."
According to the press service, the last few days were complicated for the researchers though fruitful. On the Lomonosov Cape, they found an old house, and on the Pakhtusov Island - two more houses, a warehouse, a sauna and four burials, and in addition to those objects - two anchors on the coastline. All the historic artefacts, found during the expedition, would be delivered to St. Petersburg’s Museum of Arctic and Antarctic.
The expedition worked in complicated weather conditions, the press service added. Within a few days, experts had to work in thick fog, where visibility was just a few meters. The team had to cancel a few trips ashore because of too many polar bears around.


tass--2020-09-02--About 20 Black Sea Fleet warships involved in drills off Crimea’s coast

ROSTOV-ON-DON , September 2 .
/TASS/ .
The Black Sea Fleet is holding force-on-force tactical drills with about 20 warships and over 20 aircraft and helicopters at the Opuk training range in Crimea as part of preparations for the Kavkaz-2020 strategic exercise , the press office of Russia ’ s Southern Military District reported on Wednesday .
The drills were observed by Southern Military District Commander Army General Alexander Dvornikov , the press office said .
`` Southern Military District Commander Army General Alexander Dvornikov assessed the operations of the crews of large amphibious assault ships and marine infantry units @ @ @ @ @ @ @ force-on-force tactical drills at the Opuk combined arms training range in Crimea .
The drills involve about 20 warships and support vessels , around 200 items of military and special hardware and over 20 aircraft and helicopters of the Black Sea Fleet ’ s naval aviation , '' the statement says .
Marine infantry involved over 40 BTR-82A armored personnel carriers to seize the sea coast .
From the opposite side , the Crimean coast was defended by units of the Fleet ’ s army corps , the press office specified .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the integrated command post .
`` The command and control of the multiservice grouping of the Fleet ’ s forces , aircraft and coastal defense troops was ensured by the skillful employment of automated systems that help unite control posts of all formations and military units involved in the drills in a single network , '' the press office quoted Dvornikov as saying .
The commander also drew attention to the ability of tactical groups ’ commanders to promptly control all attached formations of various branches of troops .
The force-on-force tactical drills @ @ @ @ @ @ @ practice range in Crimea as part of preparations for the Kavkaz-2020 strategic command and staff drills .
The Crimean exercise will last until the end of the week .

ROSTOV-ON-DON, September 2. /TASS/. The Black Sea Fleet is holding force-on-force tactical drills with about 20 warships and over 20 aircraft and helicopters at the Opuk training range in Crimea as part of preparations for the Kavkaz-2020 strategic exercise, the press office of Russia’s Southern Military District reported on Wednesday.
The drills were observed by Southern Military District Commander Army General Alexander Dvornikov, the press office said.
"Southern Military District Commander Army General Alexander Dvornikov assessed the operations of the crews of large amphibious assault ships and marine infantry units of the Black Sea Fleet during the force-on-force tactical drills at the Opuk combined arms training range in Crimea. The drills involve about 20 warships and support vessels, around 200 items of military and special hardware and over 20 aircraft and helicopters of the Black Sea Fleet’s naval aviation," the statement says.
Marine infantry involved over 40 BTR-82A armored personnel carriers to seize the sea coast. From the opposite side, the Crimean coast was defended by units of the Fleet’s army corps, the press office specified.
The commander noted professional actions by officers of the integrated command post. "The command and control of the multiservice grouping of the Fleet’s forces, aircraft and coastal defense troops was ensured by the skillful employment of automated systems that help unite control posts of all formations and military units involved in the drills in a single network," the press office quoted Dvornikov as saying.
The commander also drew attention to the ability of tactical groups’ commanders to promptly control all attached formations of various branches of troops.
The force-on-force tactical drills are running at the Opuk combined arms practice range in Crimea as part of preparations for the Kavkaz-2020 strategic command and staff drills. The Crimean exercise will last until the end of the week.


tass--2020-09-02--Russian, Indian navies to practice joint security operations in Andaman Sea

NEW DELHI , September 2 .
/TASS/ .
The Russian and Indian Navies will hold joint drills in the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal on September 4-5 to practice joint security operations at sea , the Indian media reported on Wednesday .
As India ’ s PTI news agency reported , the Indra drills were earlier planned in Vladivostok but were postponed over the coronavirus pandemic .
Instead of that , a decision was made to hold non-contact drills at sea .
According to PTI ’ s data , the Russian Navy will be represented by the large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vinogradov and the tanker Boris Butoma in the naval maneuvers .
The Indian Navy will send the guided missile destroyer Rajput , the frigate Sahyadri and the tanker Shakti to participate in the drills .
The program of the drills envisages joint maneuvering , artillery fire against naval and air targets and the exercises for seeking out surface and underwater targets and other operations .
In July , the Indian Navy held joint maneuvers with the US Navy carrier group led by the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Nimitz in the area of the Andaman @ @ @ @

NEW DELHI, September 2. /TASS/. The Russian and Indian Navies will hold joint drills in the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal on September 4-5 to practice joint security operations at sea, the Indian media reported on Wednesday.
As India’s PTI news agency reported, the Indra drills were earlier planned in Vladivostok but were postponed over the coronavirus pandemic. Instead of that, a decision was made to hold non-contact drills at sea.
According to PTI’s data, the Russian Navy will be represented by the large anti-submarine warfare ships Admiral Tributs and Admiral Vinogradov and the tanker Boris Butoma in the naval maneuvers. The Indian Navy will send the guided missile destroyer Rajput, the frigate Sahyadri and the tanker Shakti to participate in the drills.
The program of the drills envisages joint maneuvering, artillery fire against naval and air targets and the exercises for seeking out surface and underwater targets and other operations.
In July, the Indian Navy held joint maneuvers with the US Navy carrier group led by the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Nimitz in the area of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.


tass--2020-09-02--Navalny’s condition continues to improve

BERLIN , September 2 .
/TASS/ .
Alexei Navalny , who is receiving treatment at Berlin ’ s Charite hospital @ @ @ @ @ remains in serious condition , the hospital said in a statement on Wednesday .
`` @ @ @ @ @ were the result of cholinesterase inhibition following a confirmed poisoning event , continues to improve @ @ @ @ @ improvement is the gradual recovery of cholinesterase activity , '' the statement reads .
`` @ @ @ @ @ treated in an intensive care unit and remains on a ventilator .
Recovery is likely @ @ @ @ @ is still too early to gauge the long-term effects which may arise in relation to @ @ @ @ @ the hospital added .

BERLIN, September 2. /TASS/. Alexei Navalny, who is receiving treatment at Berlin’s Charite hospital, continues to improve but remains in serious condition, the hospital said in a statement on Wednesday.
"The patient, whose symptoms were the result of cholinesterase inhibition following a confirmed poisoning event, continues to improve. The reason for this improvement is the gradual recovery of cholinesterase activity," the statement reads. "Alexei Navalny continues to be treated in an intensive care unit and remains on a ventilator. Recovery is likely to be lengthy. It is still too early to gauge the long-term effects which may arise in relation to this severe poisoning," the hospital added.


tass--2020-09-02--Belarus approves asymmetric list of sanctions against Baltic countries

`` Yesterday , we coordinated proposals for asymmetric sanctions against corresponding persons in Lithuania , Latvia and Estonia .
They have been approved , '' he said .
`` Should any other countries introduce sanctions , we will take the corresponding proportionate measures and make an adequate response . ''
MOSCOW , September 2 .
/TASS/ .
Belarus has adopted an asymmetric list of sanctions towards the Baltic countries in response to the measures earlier taken against Minsk , Belarussian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei told a news conference in Moscow .
Those on the retaliatory sanction list , Makei said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intervened in the internal state affairs of Belarus and made corresponding unacceptable statements , including political ones , and made concrete proposals for providing financial support for the authorities ’ opponents . ''
`` We find this absolutely impermissible , '' Makei said .
`` We interpret this as intervention in the internal affairs of our state and on that basis we prepared this asymmetric sanction list . ''
`` We are not going to make it public , '' Makei said .
`` But believe me , there are enough persons from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be born in mind that within the Union State with Russia we have a common list of undesirable persons .
This is to make them stop to think . ''
Earlier , the Baltic countries introduced sanctions against 30 Belarussian officials .
A five-year entry ban was imposed on Lukashenko , the ministers of internal affairs and justice , the prosecutor-general , presidential staff officials , Central Election Commission members and law enforcers .

"Yesterday, we coordinated proposals for asymmetric sanctions against corresponding persons in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. They have been approved," he said. "Should any other countries introduce sanctions, we will take the corresponding proportionate measures and make an adequate response."
MOSCOW, September 2. /TASS/. Belarus has adopted an asymmetric list of sanctions towards the Baltic countries in response to the measures earlier taken against Minsk, Belarussian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei told a news conference in Moscow.
Those on the retaliatory sanction list, Makei said, are those who "in reality intervened in the internal state affairs of Belarus and made corresponding unacceptable statements, including political ones, and made concrete proposals for providing financial support for the authorities’ opponents."
"We find this absolutely impermissible," Makei said. "We interpret this as intervention in the internal affairs of our state and on that basis we prepared this asymmetric sanction list."
"We are not going to make it public," Makei said. "But believe me, there are enough persons from the three Baltic states. It should be born in mind that within the Union State with Russia we have a common list of undesirable persons. This is to make them stop to think."
Earlier, the Baltic countries introduced sanctions against 30 Belarussian officials. A five-year entry ban was imposed on Lukashenko, the ministers of internal affairs and justice, the prosecutor-general, presidential staff officials, Central Election Commission members and law enforcers.


tass--2020-09-02--Russia not in talks with ICRC on delivery of its coronavirus vaccine, says envoy

MOSCOW , September 2 .
/TASS/ .
Moscow has not been holding talks with the International Committee of the Red @ @ @ @ @ deliveries of the Russian coronavirus vaccine as aid to the nations in need , Russia @ @ @ @ @ United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva Gennady Gatilov said in an interview @ @ @ @ @ General Mikhail Gusman on Wednesday .
`` There are no negotiations with the Red Cross @ @ @ @ @ the diplomat said answering a relevant question .
`` Despite the fact that the ICRC @ @ @ @ @ the problem like any other UN specialized agency . ''
Gatilov added that Moscow was @ @ @ @ @ additional financial aid .
`` In particular , a possibility of a target contribution of @ @ @ @ @ the Red Cross in addition to the regular annual contribution is being considered , '' @ @ @ @ @ 500,000 will be channeled to combat the pandemic .
`` .

MOSCOW, September 2. /TASS/. Moscow has not been holding talks with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) about deliveries of the Russian coronavirus vaccine as aid to the nations in need, Russia’s Permanent Representative to United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva Gennady Gatilov said in an interview with TASS First Deputy Director General Mikhail Gusman on Wednesday.
"There are no negotiations with the Red Cross on the vaccine," the diplomat said answering a relevant question. "Despite the fact that the ICRC is really interested in solving the problem like any other UN specialized agency."
Gatilov added that Moscow was discussing with the ICRC the additional financial aid.
"In particular, a possibility of a target contribution of about 500,000 Swiss francs to the Red Cross in addition to the regular annual contribution is being considered," he said. "Those 500,000 will be channeled to combat the pandemic.".


tass--2020-09-02--Polar Urals’ glacier melts away

Polar Urals’ glacier melts away

TASS , September 2 .
/TASS/ .
Moscow State University 's ( MSU ) glacier , which in the middle of the 20th century was announced the Urals ’ longest and second biggest glacier , melted away , press service of the government of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Region said , commenting on results of the expedition to the Polar Urals ’ glaciers , organized by the Research Center for Arctic Studies and MSU .
`` When we saw the glacier last time , in 2010 , there still remained a big layer of ice .
However , the glacier was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the neighboring lake was absorbing it .
On the pictures tourists made over the next few years you can still see that some part of the glacier did remain .
This year , it has melted away , '' the press service quoted the university ’ s representative Mikhail Ivanov , an expert in geography , as saying .
According to the press service , the area of neighboring lakes around another glacier , the Polar Urals ’ biggest one , named after the Academy of Sciences ’ Institute of Geology ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the thawing ice compared to 2018 .
`` Following studies of ice nuclei inside the moraine [ any glacially formed accumulation of unconsolidated glacial debris , soil and rock , which forms a dam for water coming from thawing glaciers - TASS ] we will evaluate risks of hazardous natural calamities , including glacier high waters , and will see whether annual monitoring of the lakes would be necessary , '' the press service added .
`` Scientists plan to return to the IGAN glacier in April 2021 , to measure the ice @ @ @ @ @ @

TASS, September 2. /TASS/. Moscow State University's (MSU) glacier, which in the middle of the 20th century was announced the Urals’ longest and second biggest glacier, melted away, press service of the government of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Region said, commenting on results of the expedition to the Polar Urals’ glaciers, organized by the Research Center for Arctic Studies and MSU.
"When we saw the glacier last time, in 2010, there still remained a big layer of ice. However, the glacier was practically separated from the accumulation zone, and the neighboring lake was absorbing it. On the pictures tourists made over the next few years you can still see that some part of the glacier did remain. This year, it has melted away," the press service quoted the university’s representative Mikhail Ivanov, an expert in geography, as saying.
According to the press service, the area of neighboring lakes around another glacier, the Polar Urals’ biggest one, named after the Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Geology (IGAN), has grown due to the thawing ice compared to 2018.
"Following studies of ice nuclei inside the moraine [any glacially formed accumulation of unconsolidated glacial debris, soil and rock, which forms a dam for water coming from thawing glaciers - TASS] we will evaluate risks of hazardous natural calamities, including glacier high waters, and will see whether annual monitoring of the lakes would be necessary," the press service added. "Scientists plan to return to the IGAN glacier in April 2021, to measure the ice and calculate mass balance."


tass--2020-09-02--Military chiefs from Russia and Belarus discuss bilateral cooperation

MOSCOW , September 2 .
/TASS/ .
Chief of Russia ’ s General Staff Army General Valery Gerasimov held a telephone conversation with his Belarusian counterpart Major-General Alexander Volfovich to discuss the prospects of bilateral military cooperation , the Russian Defense Ministry reported on Wednesday .
`` The chiefs of the General Staffs of the Russian and Belarusian Armed Forces discussed the state and the prospects of bilateral military cooperation and also the pace of preparations for the Slavic Brotherhood joint drills , '' the ministry said in a statement .
The Belarusian Defense Ministry reported earlier on Wednesday that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both countries had also discussed preparations for the Kavkaz-2020 strategic command and staff exercise that would run on the territory of Russia .
The Kavkaz-2020 ( Caucasus-2020 ) command and staff drills will run in Russia ’ s south in September this year .
There were plans to involve troops from six countries in the maneuvers , including member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization ( SCO ) and the Collective Security Treaty Organization ( CSTO ) .
However , India ’ s Defense Ministry announced in late August that its troops would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic and related difficulties , including logistics issues .
The Slavic Brotherhood drills traditionally involve troops from Russia , Serbia and Belarus .
The maneuvers with the troops from the three countries were held for the first time in Russia in 2015 .
They were subsequently conducted in Serbia in November 2016 and in Belarus in June 2017 .
In 2018 , the Slavic Brotherhood exercise was held in Russia again .
Last year , the exercise took place on the territory of Serbia .

MOSCOW, September 2. /TASS/. Chief of Russia’s General Staff Army General Valery Gerasimov held a telephone conversation with his Belarusian counterpart Major-General Alexander Volfovich to discuss the prospects of bilateral military cooperation, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on Wednesday.
"The chiefs of the General Staffs of the Russian and Belarusian Armed Forces discussed the state and the prospects of bilateral military cooperation and also the pace of preparations for the Slavic Brotherhood joint drills," the ministry said in a statement.
The Belarusian Defense Ministry reported earlier on Wednesday that the chiefs of the General Staffs from both countries had also discussed preparations for the Kavkaz-2020 strategic command and staff exercise that would run on the territory of Russia.
The Kavkaz-2020 (Caucasus-2020) command and staff drills will run in Russia’s south in September this year. There were plans to involve troops from six countries in the maneuvers, including member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). However, India’s Defense Ministry announced in late August that its troops would not participate in the drills, citing the pandemic and related difficulties, including logistics issues.
The Slavic Brotherhood drills traditionally involve troops from Russia, Serbia and Belarus. The maneuvers with the troops from the three countries were held for the first time in Russia in 2015. They were subsequently conducted in Serbia in November 2016 and in Belarus in June 2017. In 2018, the Slavic Brotherhood exercise was held in Russia again. Last year, the exercise took place on the territory of Serbia.


tass--2020-09-02--Completion of Nord Stream 2 project should not depend on Navalny case — German cabinet

BERLIN , September 2 .
/TASS/ .
The German government believes that it is inappropriate to link the implementation of Nord Stream 2 with the situation around blogger Alexei Navalny , Ulrike Demmer , deputy government spokesperson and deputy head of the Press and Information Office of the Federal Government announced on Wednesday .
She referred to the words of German Chancellor Angela Merkel , who said last week that Nord Stream 2 should be completed .
`` From the Chancellor 's point of view , it would be inappropriate to link this project , which is being implemented on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ situation around Navalny , `` Demmer said .
She noted that the project has `` political background . ''
In particular , according to her , it is necessary to ensure the transit of Russian gas through the territory of Ukraine .
Navanly was hospitalized in Omsk on August 20 after his health deteriorated rapidly during his flight from Tomsk to Moscow .
In the hospital , he remained in a coma and was plugged to a ventilator .
Later , he was transferred to the Charite clinic in Berlin .
The Charite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of intoxication .
Currently , the intoxication symptoms recede , the medics say .
On Wednesday , the German Cabinet claimed that Navalny `` without doubt '' was poisoned by a substance from the notorious Novichok family .
The Nord Stream 2 project envisages the construction of two pipeline strings with a total capacity of 55 bln cubic meters per year from the coast of Russia through the Baltic Sea to Germany .
To date , 93.5 % of Nord Stream 2 has been finished .
The construction was suspended at the end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Allseas stopped work due to US sanctions .
The German government repeatedly spoke in favor of the project .
However , Berlin pointed out that Ukraine should retain the role of a gas transit country in the future .

BERLIN, September 2. /TASS/. The German government believes that it is inappropriate to link the implementation of Nord Stream 2 with the situation around blogger Alexei Navalny, Ulrike Demmer, deputy government spokesperson and deputy head of the Press and Information Office of the Federal Government announced on Wednesday.
She referred to the words of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who said last week that Nord Stream 2 should be completed.
"From the Chancellor's point of view, it would be inappropriate to link this project, which is being implemented on the part of business, with the situation around Navalny, " Demmer said.
She noted that the project has "political background." In particular, according to her, it is necessary to ensure the transit of Russian gas through the territory of Ukraine.
Navanly was hospitalized in Omsk on August 20 after his health deteriorated rapidly during his flight from Tomsk to Moscow. In the hospital, he remained in a coma and was plugged to a ventilator. Later, he was transferred to the Charite clinic in Berlin. The Charite medics announced that they had discovered traces of intoxication. Currently, the intoxication symptoms recede, the medics say.
On Wednesday, the German Cabinet claimed that Navalny "without doubt" was poisoned by a substance from the notorious Novichok family.
The Nord Stream 2 project envisages the construction of two pipeline strings with a total capacity of 55 bln cubic meters per year from the coast of Russia through the Baltic Sea to Germany. To date, 93.5% of Nord Stream 2 has been finished. The construction was suspended at the end of 2019 when the Swiss pipe-laying company Allseas stopped work due to US sanctions.
The German government repeatedly spoke in favor of the project. However, Berlin pointed out that Ukraine should retain the role of a gas transit country in the future.


tass--2020-09-02--WHO reform should be carried out after pandemic is over, says Russian envoy

MOSCOW , September 2 .
/TASS/ .
The World Health Organization ( WHO ) should be reformed after the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva Gennady Gatilov @ @ @ @ @ with TASS First Deputy Director General Mikhail Gusman on Wednesday .
`` Any United Nations @ @ @ @ @ , may face the need for reform , but not right now .
The most @ @ @ @ @ is to defeat the pandemic and after that , it will be possible to discuss @ @ @ @ @ ’ s activities , '' he pointed out .
According to the Russian envoy , @ @ @ @ @ be on improving the organization ’ s ability to respond to health emergencies .
`` @

MOSCOW, September 2. /TASS/. The World Health Organization (WHO) should be reformed after the coronavirus pandemic is over, Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva Gennady Gatilov said in an open interview with TASS First Deputy Director General Mikhail Gusman on Wednesday.
"Any United Nations body, including the WHO, may face the need for reform, but not right now. The most important thing at the moment is to defeat the pandemic and after that, it will be possible to discuss ways to improve the organization’s activities," he pointed out.
According to the Russian envoy, "the focus needs to be on improving the organization’s ability to respond to health emergencies.".


tass--2020-09-02--Russian diplomats wait for reply from Germany to prosecutors’ request for data on Navalny

MOSCOW , September 2 .
/TASS/ .
Moscow continues to wait for a reply to the request filed by the Russian Prosecutor General ’ s Office for information about the treatment of blogger Alexei Navalny , his diagnosis and results of the medical examination , the Russian Foreign Ministry told TASS on Wednesday commenting on the German cabinet ’ s statement that Navalny had been exposed to a Novichok-class nerve agent .
`` We are waiting for a reply to the request by the Prosecutor General ’ s Office , '' the foreign ministry said .
Earlier in the day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Steffen Seibert said that at the initiative of the Charite hospital the Bundeswehr ’ s special laboratory had carried out toxicological analysis of Alexei Navalny ’ s test samples .
The analysis provided indisputable proof of the presence of a Novichok class nerve agent , he said .
Seibert added that Chancellor Angela Merkel held a meeting with some ministers and agreed a number of steps in the light of the latest data .
According to the spokesman , the German Foreign Ministry is to inform Russia ’ s ambassador on the results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , NATO and the OPCW will also be briefed about Navalny .
Navalny was rushed to hospital in the Siberian city of Omsk on August 20 after collapsing on the Tomsk-Moscow flight .
He was in a coma and was put on a ventilator in the intensive care unit .
On August 22 , he was airlifted to the German hospital Charite .
On August 24 , German doctors said that indicators of cholinesterase inhibitors had been found in his body .
The doctors added that his life was out of danger but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not be ruled out .

MOSCOW, September 2. /TASS/. Moscow continues to wait for a reply to the request filed by the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office for information about the treatment of blogger Alexei Navalny, his diagnosis and results of the medical examination, the Russian Foreign Ministry told TASS on Wednesday commenting on the German cabinet’s statement that Navalny had been exposed to a Novichok-class nerve agent.
"We are waiting for a reply to the request by the Prosecutor General’s Office," the foreign ministry said.
Earlier in the day, the German Cabinet’s Spokesperson Steffen Seibert said that at the initiative of the Charite hospital the Bundeswehr’s special laboratory had carried out toxicological analysis of Alexei Navalny’s test samples. The analysis provided indisputable proof of the presence of a Novichok class nerve agent, he said. Seibert added that Chancellor Angela Merkel held a meeting with some ministers and agreed a number of steps in the light of the latest data. According to the spokesman, the German Foreign Ministry is to inform Russia’s ambassador on the results of the tests. The European Union, NATO and the OPCW will also be briefed about Navalny.
Navalny was rushed to hospital in the Siberian city of Omsk on August 20 after collapsing on the Tomsk-Moscow flight. He was in a coma and was put on a ventilator in the intensive care unit. On August 22, he was airlifted to the German hospital Charite. On August 24, German doctors said that indicators of cholinesterase inhibitors had been found in his body. The doctors added that his life was out of danger but long-term complications for his nervous system could not be ruled out.


tass--2020-09-02--Kremlin unware of Germany’s claims Navalny was poisoned with Novichok class agent

MOSCOW , September 2 .
/TASS/ .
The Kremlin is unaware of the German authorities ’ conclusions that blogger Alexei Navalny was allegedly poisoned with the Novichok class substance , Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told TASS on Wednesday .
`` No , such information was not brought to our notice , '' the Kremlin spokesman said , replying to a question about whether the Kremlin was aware of these conclusions .
The German government claimed earlier on Wednesday that Russian blogger Alexei Navalny was `` beyond doubt '' affected by a Novichok class chemical agent .
As the German @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the media , the Bundeswehr ’ s special laboratory had carried out toxicological analysis of Navalny ’ s test samples at the initiative of the Charite hospital and `` the analysis provided indisputable proof of the presence of a Novichok class nerve agent . ''
He added that Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday held a conference with a number of ministers and agreed a number of steps in the light of the latest data .
He also said that the German Foreign Ministry would inform Russia ’ s ambassador on the results of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the EU , NATO and the OPCW ( the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons ) about the latest data and the situation around Navalny .

MOSCOW, September 2. /TASS/. The Kremlin is unaware of the German authorities’ conclusions that blogger Alexei Navalny was allegedly poisoned with the Novichok class substance, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told TASS on Wednesday.
"No, such information was not brought to our notice," the Kremlin spokesman said, replying to a question about whether the Kremlin was aware of these conclusions.
The German government claimed earlier on Wednesday that Russian blogger Alexei Navalny was "beyond doubt" affected by a Novichok class chemical agent.
As the German Cabinet’s Spokesperson Steffen Seibert told the media, the Bundeswehr’s special laboratory had carried out toxicological analysis of Navalny’s test samples at the initiative of the Charite hospital and "the analysis provided indisputable proof of the presence of a Novichok class nerve agent."
He added that Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday held a conference with a number of ministers and agreed a number of steps in the light of the latest data.
He also said that the German Foreign Ministry would inform Russia’s ambassador on the results of the tests and that Germany would tell the EU, NATO and the OPCW (the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons) about the latest data and the situation around Navalny.


tass--2020-09-02--Vladimir Potanin tops Forbes list of Russia’s richest businessmen again, Forbes reports

`` In recent days , Norilsk Nickel 's securities have been rising : now they are trading at 20,150 rubles per share ( by 2:00 p.m. Moscow time ) , at the close on August 28 , they were trading at 19,364 rubles per share .
The reason for the growth is quarantine restrictions that hamper the supply of non-ferrous metals from other countries - leaders in production , '' the magazine reports .
MOSCOW , September 2 .
/TASS/ .
Vladimir Potanin , head and beneficiary of Norilsk Nickel , topped the Forbes list of Russia ’ s richest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Forbes Real Time .
On August 5 , his fortune was estimated at $ 24 bln .
The family of Suleiman Kerimov , which owns the Polyus gold mining company , with a fortune of $ 23.8 bln ranks second on the list .
In early August , the Kerimov family topped the list for the first time .
The top three is closed by the chairman of the board of directors and the main shareholder of the NLMK group , Vladimir Lisin ( $ 22.6 bln ) .
As of 3:50 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are up 1 % compared to the closing level of previous trading - to 20,172 rubles per share .
Norilsk Nickel is the world 's largest producer of nickel and palladium , the leading producer of platinum , cobalt , copper and rhodium in the world .
The company also produces gold , silver , iridium , selenium , ruthenium , and tellurium .
Production units of Norilsk Nickel Group are located at the Norilsk Industrial District , on the Kola Peninsula and Zabaykalsky region in Russia as well as in Finland and @ @ @

"In recent days, Norilsk Nickel's securities have been rising: now they are trading at 20,150 rubles per share (by 2:00 p.m. Moscow time), at the close on August 28, they were trading at 19,364 rubles per share. The reason for the growth is quarantine restrictions that hamper the supply of non-ferrous metals from other countries - leaders in production," the magazine reports.
MOSCOW, September 2. /TASS/. Vladimir Potanin, head and beneficiary of Norilsk Nickel, topped the Forbes list of Russia’s richest businessmen again, according to the data from Forbes Real Time. On August 5, his fortune was estimated at $24 bln.
The family of Suleiman Kerimov, which owns the Polyus gold mining company, with a fortune of $23.8 bln ranks second on the list. In early August, the Kerimov family topped the list for the first time. The top three is closed by the chairman of the board of directors and the main shareholder of the NLMK group, Vladimir Lisin ($ 22.6 bln).
As of 3:50 pm Moscow time, Norilsk Nickel shares are up 1% compared to the closing level of previous trading - to 20,172 rubles per share.
Norilsk Nickel is the world's largest producer of nickel and palladium, the leading producer of platinum, cobalt, copper and rhodium in the world. The company also produces gold, silver, iridium, selenium, ruthenium, and tellurium. Production units of Norilsk Nickel Group are located at the Norilsk Industrial District, on the Kola Peninsula and Zabaykalsky region in Russia as well as in Finland and South Africa.


tass--2020-09-02--Germany claims blogger Navalny was poisoned with Novichok class agent

BERLIN , September 2 .
/TASS/ .
Germany ’ s cabinet claimed on Wednesday that German military toxicologists had found traces of a nerve agent of the Novichok family in the body of blogger Alexei Navalny .
Berlin called on Moscow to explain the incident with Navalny and promised to inform the Russian ambassador on results of the lab tests .
Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told TASS that the Kremlin was unaware of the German authorities ’ conclusions that blogger Alexei Navalny was allegedly poisoned with the Novichok toxic agent .
The Russian Foreign Ministry pointed out that Moscow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Germany to a request filed by the Russian Prosecutor General ’ s Office for information about Navalny .
Earlier , Russia had reiterated that it was interested in investigating the incident .
A source told TASS that Russian forensic experts had not found any poisonous or toxic chemicals in Navalny ’ s system and on his belongings .
Moreover , during an inquiry the police had found no evidence of intentional infliction of bodily harm to Navalny .
The German Cabinet ’ s spokesperson Steffen Seibert said that Germany will brief the European @ @ @ @ @ @ @ latest information on the incident with Navalny and will `` discuss an appropriate joint response with the partners in the light of the Russian response . ''
However , he did not elaborate on what steps could be taken .
Nevertheless , a few hours prior to this announcement , German government spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer said that it was inappropriate to link the implementation of Nord Stream 2 with the situation around Navalny .
She referred to the words of German Chancellor Angela Merkel , who said last week that Nord Stream 2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should be completed .
Navalny was rushed to a local hospital in the Siberian city of Omsk on August 20 after collapsing on the Tomsk-Moscow flight .
He fell into a coma and was put on a ventilator in the intensive care unit .
On August 22 , he was airlifted to the German hospital Charite .
On August 24 , German doctors said that indicators of cholinesterase inhibitors had been found in his body .
The doctors added that his life was not in danger but long-term complications for his nervous system @ @ @ @ @ @

BERLIN, September 2. /TASS/. Germany’s cabinet claimed on Wednesday that German military toxicologists had found traces of a nerve agent of the Novichok family in the body of blogger Alexei Navalny. Berlin called on Moscow to explain the incident with Navalny and promised to inform the Russian ambassador on results of the lab tests.
Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told TASS that the Kremlin was unaware of the German authorities’ conclusions that blogger Alexei Navalny was allegedly poisoned with the Novichok toxic agent. The Russian Foreign Ministry pointed out that Moscow was still waiting for a reply from Germany to a request filed by the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office for information about Navalny. Earlier, Russia had reiterated that it was interested in investigating the incident. A source told TASS that Russian forensic experts had not found any poisonous or toxic chemicals in Navalny’s system and on his belongings. Moreover, during an inquiry the police had found no evidence of intentional infliction of bodily harm to Navalny.
The German Cabinet’s spokesperson Steffen Seibert said that Germany will brief the European Union, NATO and the OPCW about latest information on the incident with Navalny and will "discuss an appropriate joint response with the partners in the light of the Russian response." However, he did not elaborate on what steps could be taken.
Nevertheless, a few hours prior to this announcement, German government spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer said that it was inappropriate to link the implementation of Nord Stream 2 with the situation around Navalny. She referred to the words of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who said last week that Nord Stream 2 is a purely economic project and it should be completed.
Navalny was rushed to a local hospital in the Siberian city of Omsk on August 20 after collapsing on the Tomsk-Moscow flight. He fell into a coma and was put on a ventilator in the intensive care unit. On August 22, he was airlifted to the German hospital Charite. On August 24, German doctors said that indicators of cholinesterase inhibitors had been found in his body. The doctors added that his life was not in danger but long-term complications for his nervous system could not be ruled out.


tass--2020-09-02--Google pays 1.5 mln rubles ($20,149) fine for poor filtering of banned content

MOSCOW , September 2 .
/TASS/ .
Google paid a fine of 1.5 ml rubles ( $ 20,149 ) for poor filtering of banned content in the search engine , a spokesperson with the Tagansky court told TASS .
`` Google has paid a fine of 1.5 mln rubles .
The court received the relevant notices and a receipt , '' the court said .
In August , the Magistrates ' Court of the Tagansky District of Moscow ruled to impose a 1.5 million rubles on Google for a repeated violation related to insufficient search engine filtering of prohibited content @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s telecom and media watchdog ( Roskomnadzor ) drew up a protocol on an administrative offense against Google for insufficient measures to exclude prohibited content from search results .
According to the regulator , Google selectively filtered search results , and more than a third of links from the unified register of prohibited information are saved in the search .
According to the current legislation , operators of search engines are obliged to exclude links to Internet pages with prohibited information from search results .
To do this , they must connect to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contains a list of such pages .
Earlier , Google was already fined in Russia for 500,000 and 700,000 rubles ( $ 6,718-9,405 ) for non-compliance with the Russian legislation .

MOSCOW, September 2. /TASS/. Google paid a fine of 1.5 ml rubles ($20,149) for poor filtering of banned content in the search engine, a spokesperson with the Tagansky court told TASS.
"Google has paid a fine of 1.5 mln rubles. The court received the relevant notices and a receipt," the court said.
In August, the Magistrates' Court of the Tagansky District of Moscow ruled to impose a 1.5 million rubles on Google for a repeated violation related to insufficient search engine filtering of prohibited content.
In early July, Russia’s telecom and media watchdog (Roskomnadzor) drew up a protocol on an administrative offense against Google for insufficient measures to exclude prohibited content from search results. According to the regulator, Google selectively filtered search results, and more than a third of links from the unified register of prohibited information are saved in the search. According to the current legislation, operators of search engines are obliged to exclude links to Internet pages with prohibited information from search results. To do this, they must connect to the Federal State Information System, which contains a list of such pages.
Earlier, Google was already fined in Russia for 500,000 and 700,000 rubles ($6,718-9,405) for non-compliance with the Russian legislation.


tass--2020-09-02--Current developments set Belarus’s relations with Europe back by many years — top diplomat

MOSCOW , September 2 .
/TASS/ .
Current developments in Belarus have set the country ’ s relations with some European states back by many years , Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei said at a joint press conference with Russian top diplomat Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday .
`` Long before the election , when we met with our European partners and discussed the possible scenarios , we agreed that street protests and violent demonstrations would set our relations back by many years .
Unfortunately , this is what happened .
Everyone agreed back then that we should not let it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Belarusian foreign minister stressed that Minsk had reached an understanding with its European partners that `` any election , even a bad one , will move the country forward . ''
`` Unfortunately , we have to deal with what ’ s happened and our partners are now calling for some peaceful and quiet revolutions , while in fact , any revolution eventually leads to bloodshed , '' Makei said .
Belarus held its presidential election on August 9 .
According to the Central Election Commission ’ s data , incumbent President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote , while Svetlana Tikhanovskaya , his main rival , garnered 10.12 % .
Tikhanovskaya refused to recognize the election results and left for Lithuania .
Protests erupted in the country 's capital of Minsk and several other cities following the presidential vote , leading to clashes between protesters and law enforcement officers .
The opposition ’ s Coordination Council keeps calling on the country ’ s people to carry on with protests , while the authorities are emphasizing the need to put an end to unauthorized activities .

MOSCOW, September 2. /TASS/. Current developments in Belarus have set the country’s relations with some European states back by many years, Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei said at a joint press conference with Russian top diplomat Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday.
"Long before the election, when we met with our European partners and discussed the possible scenarios, we agreed that street protests and violent demonstrations would set our relations back by many years. Unfortunately, this is what happened. Everyone agreed back then that we should not let it happen," Makei pointed out.
The Belarusian foreign minister stressed that Minsk had reached an understanding with its European partners that "any election, even a bad one, will move the country forward." "Unfortunately, we have to deal with what’s happened and our partners are now calling for some peaceful and quiet revolutions, while in fact, any revolution eventually leads to bloodshed," Makei said.
Belarus held its presidential election on August 9. According to the Central Election Commission’s data, incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko received 80.1% of the vote, while Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, his main rival, garnered 10.12%. Tikhanovskaya refused to recognize the election results and left for Lithuania. Protests erupted in the country's capital of Minsk and several other cities following the presidential vote, leading to clashes between protesters and law enforcement officers. The opposition’s Coordination Council keeps calling on the country’s people to carry on with protests, while the authorities are emphasizing the need to put an end to unauthorized activities.


tass--2020-09-02--Russia ready to provide all data on its coronavirus vaccine to WHO

MOSCOW , September 2 .
/TASS/ .
Russia is ready to provide all the necessary data on its coronavirus vaccine to the World Health Organization ( WHO ) , Russia ’ s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Geneva office and other Geneva-based international organizations Gennady Gatilov said in an open interview with TASS First Deputy Director General Mikhail Gusman on Wednesday .
Russia ’ s Geneva office is providing assistance in establishing contacts between the N. F. Gamaleya Federal Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology , the Russian Direct Investment Fund and the WHO specialized agencies on the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Our scientists , our specialists are ready , as they have told us , to provide all the necessary information on the vaccine , in particular , the data on clinical trials .
Our people , our experts are acting in close contact with the specialized unit of the WHO Secretariat on the prequalification issues , '' he said .
This coordination will help draw other countries into the process of producing the vaccine and attract investments needed for the vaccine ’ s large-scale production , Gatilov said .
Head of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dmitriev earlier said that the deliveries of the Russian-made coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V to foreign markets might begin in November - December 2020 .
On August 11 , Russia registered the world ’ s first vaccine against the novel coronavirus .
The vaccine dubbed Sputnik V was developed by the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology and its clinical trials were successfully completed in June-July .

MOSCOW, September 2. /TASS/. Russia is ready to provide all the necessary data on its coronavirus vaccine to the World Health Organization (WHO), Russia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Geneva office and other Geneva-based international organizations Gennady Gatilov said in an open interview with TASS First Deputy Director General Mikhail Gusman on Wednesday.
Russia’s Geneva office is providing assistance in establishing contacts between the N. F. Gamaleya Federal Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology, the Russian Direct Investment Fund and the WHO specialized agencies on the coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V, the envoy said.
"Our scientists, our specialists are ready, as they have told us, to provide all the necessary information on the vaccine, in particular, the data on clinical trials. Our people, our experts are acting in close contact with the specialized unit of the WHO Secretariat on the prequalification issues," he said.
This coordination will help draw other countries into the process of producing the vaccine and attract investments needed for the vaccine’s large-scale production, Gatilov said.
Head of Russia’s Direct Investment Fund Kirill Dmitriev earlier said that the deliveries of the Russian-made coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V to foreign markets might begin in November - December 2020.
On August 11, Russia registered the world’s first vaccine against the novel coronavirus. The vaccine dubbed Sputnik V was developed by the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology and its clinical trials were successfully completed in June-July.


tass--2020-09-02--Final decision on Russia’s State Council’s location still pending — Kremlin

MOSCOW , September 2 .
/TASS/ .
The final decision on the location of the State Council of Russia has not been made yet , Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists Wednesday , adding that Russian President Vladimir Putin will voice his opinion in due time .
This was Peskov 's comment on a remark made earlier by Pavel Krasheninnikov , chairman of the State Duma ( parliament 's lower house ) Committee on State Building and Legislation , that the State Council will be headquartered in Moscow , but will be able to hold visiting meetings .
`` Nothing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no final decisions yet , '' he said .
`` The president will voice his opinion in due time , especially considering that the State Council is now celebrating its 20th anniversary . ''
According to Peskov , there is no public discussion on this matter yet .
He asked the journalists to wait until the work on the corresponding bill begins in the parliament .
The spokesman also recalled that Putin was the initiator of the State Council in its current form 20 years ago .
The bill on the State Council @ @ @ @ @ @ @ upcoming autumn session of the parliament .
According to the Russian Constitution , the president appoints the Council in a bid to ensure a coordinated functioning and interaction of the bodies of power and to determine the main directions of the country ’ s domestic and foreign policy .
The Council is expected to include the governors , representatives of both chambers of the parliament and the prime minister .
Membership of the prosecutor general and the chairman of the Accounts Chamber is currently under discussion .

MOSCOW, September 2. /TASS/. The final decision on the location of the State Council of Russia has not been made yet, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists Wednesday, adding that Russian President Vladimir Putin will voice his opinion in due time.
This was Peskov's comment on a remark made earlier by Pavel Krasheninnikov, chairman of the State Duma (parliament's lower house) Committee on State Building and Legislation, that the State Council will be headquartered in Moscow, but will be able to hold visiting meetings.
"Nothing has been fixed yet, there are no final decisions yet," he said. "The president will voice his opinion in due time, especially considering that the State Council is now celebrating its 20th anniversary."
According to Peskov, there is no public discussion on this matter yet. He asked the journalists to wait until the work on the corresponding bill begins in the parliament. The spokesman also recalled that Putin was the initiator of the State Council in its current form 20 years ago.
The bill on the State Council is expected to be introduced during the upcoming autumn session of the parliament. According to the Russian Constitution, the president appoints the Council in a bid to ensure a coordinated functioning and interaction of the bodies of power and to determine the main directions of the country’s domestic and foreign policy. The Council is expected to include the governors, representatives of both chambers of the parliament and the prime minister. Membership of the prosecutor general and the chairman of the Accounts Chamber is currently under discussion.


tass--2020-09-02--Military chiefs from Russia, Belarus discuss preparations for joint drills

MINSK , September 2 .
/TASS/ .
Chiefs of the General Staff of Belarus and Russia Alexander Volfovich and Valery Gerasimov held a telephone conversation to discuss the issues of bilateral military cooperation and preparations for joint drills , the press office of the Belarusian Defense Ministry reported on Wednesday .
`` The sides discussed the current state of bilateral military cooperation , including the preparations for the joint Belarusian-Russian-Serbian exercise Slavic Brotherhood-2020 that will run on the territory of Belarus and the Kavkaz-2020 strategic command and staff drills ( that will take place on the territory of Russia ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement .
The Kavkaz-2020 ( Caucasus-2020 ) command and staff drills will run in Russia ’ s south in September this year .
There were plans to involve troops from six countries in the maneuvers , including member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization ( SCO ) and the Collective Security Treaty Organization ( CSTO ) .
However , India ’ s Defense Ministry announced in late August that its troops would not participate in the drills , citing the pandemic and related difficulties , including logistics issues .
The Slavic Brotherhood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Serbia and Belarus .
The maneuvers with the troops from the three countries were held for the first time in Russia in 2015 .
They were subsequently conducted in Serbia in November 2016 and in Belarus in June 2017 .
In 2018 , the Slavic Brotherhood exercise was held in Russia again .

MINSK, September 2. /TASS/. Chiefs of the General Staff of Belarus and Russia Alexander Volfovich and Valery Gerasimov held a telephone conversation to discuss the issues of bilateral military cooperation and preparations for joint drills, the press office of the Belarusian Defense Ministry reported on Wednesday.
"The sides discussed the current state of bilateral military cooperation, including the preparations for the joint Belarusian-Russian-Serbian exercise Slavic Brotherhood-2020 that will run on the territory of Belarus and the Kavkaz-2020 strategic command and staff drills (that will take place on the territory of Russia)," the press office said in a statement.
The Kavkaz-2020 (Caucasus-2020) command and staff drills will run in Russia’s south in September this year. There were plans to involve troops from six countries in the maneuvers, including member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). However, India’s Defense Ministry announced in late August that its troops would not participate in the drills, citing the pandemic and related difficulties, including logistics issues.
The Slavic Brotherhood drills traditionally involve troops from Russia, Serbia and Belarus. The maneuvers with the troops from the three countries were held for the first time in Russia in 2015. They were subsequently conducted in Serbia in November 2016 and in Belarus in June 2017. In 2018, the Slavic Brotherhood exercise was held in Russia again.


tass--2020-09-02--Austrian diplomat declared persona non grata left Russia

VIENNA , September 2 .
/TASS/ .
Austrian diplomat declared by Russia ’ s Foreign Ministry persona non grata has @ @ @ @ @ Austria Press Agency reported on Wednesday .
According to the agency , `` a staff @ @ @ @ @ embassy in Moscow declared by Russia ’ s Foreign Ministry persona non grata in retaliation @ @ @ @ @ . ''
On August 25 , the Austrian Foreign Ministry informed TASS that Austrian authorities @ @ @ @ @ expel a Russian diplomat whose activity in their opinion contradicted the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic @ @ @ @ @ embassy in Vienna called this decision groundless and detrimental to the constructive Russian-Austrian relations .
@ @ @ @ @ the same day stated that Russia , using a tit-for-tat principle , declared a diplomat @ @ @ @ @ Moscow persona non grata .
On August 27 , the Russian diplomat declared by the @ @ @ @ @ left Austrian territory , a diplomatic source in Vienna told TASS .

VIENNA, September 2. /TASS/. Austrian diplomat declared by Russia’s Foreign Ministry persona non grata has left Russian territory, the Austria Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
According to the agency, "a staff member of Austria’s embassy in Moscow declared by Russia’s Foreign Ministry persona non grata in retaliation has also already left Russia."
On August 25, the Austrian Foreign Ministry informed TASS that Austrian authorities had made a decision to expel a Russian diplomat whose activity in their opinion contradicted the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. Russia’s embassy in Vienna called this decision groundless and detrimental to the constructive Russian-Austrian relations. The Russian Foreign Ministry on the same day stated that Russia, using a tit-for-tat principle, declared a diplomat at the Austrian embassy in Moscow persona non grata.
On August 27, the Russian diplomat declared by the Austrian authorities persona non grata left Austrian territory, a diplomatic source in Vienna told TASS.


tass--2020-09-03--Lukashenko thanks Russia for support amid external aggression

Lukashenko said that at a certain point Belarus found itself faced with external aggression face to face and thanked Russia @ @ @ @ @ otherwise his country would have a hard time .
`` No mistakes must be permitted @ @ @ @ @ aware that there is a red line nobody is allowed to step over .
Should @ @ @ @ @ will react to this in strict compliance with our laws .
Please let the people @ @ @ @ @ not criticize me too much for being too lax .
There is no laxity .
@ @ @ @ @ although many ( our neighbors in particular ) would like us to collapse , '' @ @ @ @ @ Belarussian leader as saying .
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin arrived in Minsk on Thursday @ @ @ @ @ meeting with Lukashenko .
Talks with Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko , who met him at @ @ @ @ @ later in the day .
The Russian prime minister ’ s trip to Minsk precedes @ @ @ @ @ take place when Lukashenko visits Russia within two weeks .

Lukashenko said that at a certain point Belarus found itself faced with external aggression face to face and thanked Russia for support, adding that otherwise his country would have a hard time.
"No mistakes must be permitted. You should be well aware that there is a red line nobody is allowed to step over. Should that happen, naturally we will react to this in strict compliance with our laws. Please let the people know that. May they not criticize me too much for being too lax. There is no laxity. The country keeps working, although many (our neighbors in particular) would like us to collapse," the news agency quotes the Belarussian leader as saying.
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin arrived in Minsk on Thursday. He is holding a meeting with Lukashenko. Talks with Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko, who met him at the airport, are due later in the day. The Russian prime minister’s trip to Minsk precedes summit talks, scheduled to take place when Lukashenko visits Russia within two weeks.


tass--2020-09-03--Lukashenko says Belarus deployed half of its army along borders

MINSK , September 3 .
/TASS/ .
Belarus has been forced to deploy actually a half of its army on western borders due to the tense situation , Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Thursday .
`` You see what is happening in our country .
We see what is happening around Russia , '' the news agency BelTA quoted Lukashenko as saying at a meeting with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin .
`` We have been forced to respond , seeing NATO ’ s unfriendly steps near our borders .
There is all the evidence proving that , no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the deployment of US and other units from the depth of their NATO territory towards the borders of Belarus , especially F-16 planes .
In my estimate , they have redeployed 16 or 18 aircraft , '' Lukashenko said .
`` We have deployed actually a half of our Belarusian army , '' he said .
`` We have actually placed under control the western borders with Lithuania and Poland .
And , as I frequently say , we have actually encircled Grodno to counter these threats .
Perhaps , this demonstration has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As the Belarusian president said , `` there will be no calm life but Belarus is full of resolve to safeguard its sovereignty and independence .
`` .

MINSK, September 3. /TASS/. Belarus has been forced to deploy actually a half of its army on western borders due to the tense situation, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Thursday.
"You see what is happening in our country. We see what is happening around Russia," the news agency BelTA quoted Lukashenko as saying at a meeting with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.
"We have been forced to respond, seeing NATO’s unfriendly steps near our borders. There is all the evidence proving that, no matter what excuses they may make: the deployment of US and other units from the depth of their NATO territory towards the borders of Belarus, especially F-16 planes. In my estimate, they have redeployed 16 or 18 aircraft," Lukashenko said.
"We have deployed actually a half of our Belarusian army," he said.
"We have actually placed under control the western borders with Lithuania and Poland. And, as I frequently say, we have actually encircled Grodno to counter these threats. Perhaps, this demonstration has yielded its result," Lukashenko said.
As the Belarusian president said, "there will be no calm life but Belarus is full of resolve to safeguard its sovereignty and independence.".


tass--2020-09-03--Lukashenko says he plans to dot the i’s at meeting with Putin in Moscow

MINSK , September 3 .
/TASS/ .
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko at a forthcoming meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin is going to dot the i ’ s as far as sensitive issues of bilateral relations are concerned .
`` We ’ ve agreed with Russia ’ s president that after your visit to Belarus and after yesterday 's meeting of the foreign ministers we will hold such a meeting in Moscow and dot the i ’ s regarding all those issues which are very sensitive and painful for both countries , '' Lukashenko said at a meeting with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday .
`` Two brotherly countries - Russia and Belarus - have now agreed on many issues they were unable to agree before .
You and the Belarusian prime minister have done a great job to bring our positions closer together and to agree on many issues , '' Lukashenko said .
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin arrived in Minsk for talks on Thursday .
After a meeting with Lukashenko he is scheduled to hold negotiations with Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko , who earlier met Mishustin at the airport .
The Russian prime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top-level talks , due within the framework of the Belarusian president ’ s visit to Russia within two weeks .

MINSK, September 3. /TASS/. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko at a forthcoming meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin is going to dot the i’s as far as sensitive issues of bilateral relations are concerned.
"We’ve agreed with Russia’s president that after your visit to Belarus and after yesterday's meeting of the foreign ministers we will hold such a meeting in Moscow and dot the i’s regarding all those issues which are very sensitive and painful for both countries," Lukashenko said at a meeting with visiting Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on Thursday.
"Two brotherly countries - Russia and Belarus - have now agreed on many issues they were unable to agree before. You and the Belarusian prime minister have done a great job to bring our positions closer together and to agree on many issues," Lukashenko said.
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin arrived in Minsk for talks on Thursday. After a meeting with Lukashenko he is scheduled to hold negotiations with Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko, who earlier met Mishustin at the airport. The Russian prime minister’s visit to Minsk precedes top-level talks, due within the framework of the Belarusian president’s visit to Russia within two weeks.


tass--2020-09-03--Kremlin has no detailed information Navalny incident might have been faked

MOSCOW , September 3 .
/TASS/ .
The Kremlin has no detailed information yet regarding Belarus ’ statement the row @ @ @ @ @ Alexei Navalny might have been a result of a fake .
`` For now , @ @ @ @ @ '' Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said when asked for a comment on Belarusian President @ @ @ @ @ about an intercepted conversation between Warsaw and Berlin indicating that Navalny ’ s poisoning was @ @ @

MOSCOW, September 3. /TASS/. The Kremlin has no detailed information yet regarding Belarus’ statement the row over alleged poisoning of blogger Alexei Navalny might have been a result of a fake.
"For now, we have no details," Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said when asked for a comment on Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s statement about an intercepted conversation between Warsaw and Berlin indicating that Navalny’s poisoning was a fake.