Russia & CIS

Russia has started the renovation of a "conserved" airfield on the Crimean Peninsula to deploy Black Sea Fleet's naval helicopters and drones after 2017, a source in the Sevastopol city administration said Saturday.

Energy Minister stated that Russia will retain its share on the global oil market if an agreement is reached on freezing production.

A new group of MiG-29 and MiG-29S multirole fighter jets as well as a Mi-8MT military transport helicopter have been deployed to the Russian airbase in Armenia, the press service of the Russian Southern Military District said on Saturday.

Minister has signed an order.

Azerbaijan produced oil products worth AZN 178.701 mln in January 2016, down 3.3% from previous year.

Spouses Clooney will attend events on "Armenian genocide".

The PAK FA (T-50), Russia's new fifth-generation fighter, sets new standards of excellence during a routine test flight.

The New-York NYMEX crude price fell $1.13 to $29.64 a barrel.

Russian Deputy Finance Minister said that the steady price of oil at $30 per barrel has stabilized the rate of the Russian ruble on the foreign exchange market over the last few weeks.

The first day of the FIG World Challenge Cup in Artistic Gymnastics has started in Baku, Azerbaijan, on February 19.

According to fleet’s spokesman, the servicemen of Russia’s Northern Fleet have begun comprehensive training to counter terrorism in three regions.

Russian Deputy Minister of Energy Anatoly Yanovsky said Saturday that a decision to provide Iran with a loan has no connection to Tehran’s stance on the feasibility of freezing the oil output.

Russia could consider South Korean proposals on the opening of medical centers in the Russia's Vladivostok Free Port, the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East (Minvostokrazvitiya) said.

While Russia has presented a draft resolution to the United Nations asking all parties to respect Syria’s right to sovereignty, the United States and France have criticized the move as a mere distraction. This is unsurprising given that the US and France are both currently violating Syria’s sovereignty.

Yale professor calls for US to lead in non-proliferation of automated weapons.

French cheese has returned to Russia, after an enterprising farmer invited French cheesemakers from Corsica to his farm where they have passed on the secrets of making fine French cheese.

Russian paratroopers will extensively use training areas located along its western borders for combat training missions, Airborne Forces Commander Col. Gen. Vladimir Shamanov said Friday.

Moscow authorities have evicted the Center for the Adaptation and Training of Refugee Children after its managing organization was declared a foreign agent, said the center's director Olga Nikolayenko.

This week saw an historic meeting between the heads of the Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches. Then, Patriarch Kirill went to visit some penguins.

Kremlin officials insisted the "foreign agent" label did not mean an organization should automatically close its doors, but the moves this month would seem to suggest that position is changing.