Page 119 - Russia

Moscow makes bid to woo tourists, Foreign Tourist Card in the works

To woo tourists from across the world, the Moscow City Tourism Committee is taking several measures and to address payment-related issues the Russian government is planning to come out with a virtual 'Foreign Tourist Card', that will enable cashless payments for various services. During the Covid pandemic the tourist flow to Moscow had dropped significantly. However, the number of Indian tourists visiting Moscow is slowly witnessing an uptrend and with tourist-friendly measures like e-visa this number is likely to grow in the coming months. "We are still on our way to restore the flow of Indian tourists in Moscow like it used to be before the pandemic. Before the pandemic, there was very steady growth like 12-15 per cent on a y-o-y basis," said Bulat Nurmukhanov, Head of International Cooperation Division of Moscow City Tourism Committee. Travelling to Moscow has now become easier as tourists from India and 54 other countries can apply for an electronic visa to enter Russia from ...

Thwarted attacks on Crimea bridge, which was briefly closed: Russia

Russia's Defence Ministry said early Saturday that its forces destroyed three Ukrainian naval drones being used in an attempt to attack a key bridge linking Russia to Moscow-annexed Crimea, forcing its temporary closure for a third time in less than a year. One naval drone was destroyed late Friday and two others early Saturday morning, according to Russia's Defence Ministry. There was no immediate comment from Ukrainian officials. A key supply route for Kremlin forces in the war with Ukraine, the Kerch bridge has come under repeated attack since Russia launched its full-scale invasion. An explosion in October, which Russian authorities said was caused by a truck bomb, left three people dead. A further attack on the bridge in July, killing a couple and seriously wounding their daughter, left a span of the roadway hanging perilously. The bridge connecting Crimea and Russia carries heavy significance for Moscow, both logistically and psychologically, as a key artery for military and

Vladimir Putin to meet Turkish counterpart Erdogan on September 4

Their talks come a week before Turkey and the United Nations seek to revive a Ukraine grain export deal that aided ease a global food crisis

Russia deploys ICBM that Putin says will make enemies 'think twice'

The head of Russia's Roscosmos space agency said Friday that the country has deployed an advanced intercontinental ballistic missile that President Vladimir Putin once said will make Russia's enemies think twice. Agency head Yuri Borisov said Sarmat missiles have been placed on combat duty, according to Russian news agencies. Further details were not reported. The Sarmat is one of several advanced weapons whose development Putin announced in 2018. The silo-based missile, capable of carrying multiple nuclear warheads, is intended to replace the R-36 ICBMs that are known by the NATO reporting name of Satan. The Sarmat reportedly has a short initial launch phase, allowing little time for surveillance systems to track it. In 2022, about two months after sending troops into Ukraine, Putin said the Sarmat would reliably ensure the security of Russia from external threats and make those who, in the heat of aggressive rhetoric, try to threaten our country, think twice.

Nobel body invites back Russia, Belarus, Iran and far-right leader

Vidar Helgesen (pictured), the executive director of the private foundation said in a statement that there was a global trend in which 'dialogue between those with differing views is being reduced.'

Crude oil prices rises to highest in over 7 months on supply worries

Russia, the world's second-largest oil exporter, has already agreed with OPEC+ partners to cut oil exports next month, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said

G20 Summit: Russia aims to become 'reliable' supplier of energy resources

Russia will seek to confirm its status as a "reliable and guaranteed supplier" of energy resources and export products to the world at the G20 Summit, the foreign ministry here has said as it confirmed the attendance of foreign minister Sergey Lavrov in New Delhi for the key meeting. Lavrov will attend the meeting instead of President Vladimir Putin, the ministry said, indicating that the Russian foreign minister could also discuss the issue of the grain deal during his bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the G20 summit to be held on September 9 and 10. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February last year, the US-led Western countries have imposed crippling sanctions on Moscow, including a price cap on Russian oil by G7-plus nations, in order to reduce its ability to finance the war on Ukraine. The West has also criticised Russia for violating the Black Sea grain deal with Kyiv which would prevent crucial grain exports from Ukraine from reaching the world markets. At the G20

Russia's Foreign Minister Lavrov will attend G20 Summit in New Delhi

Under India's presidency, the G20 (Group of Twenty) Summit is scheduled to take place on September 9 and 10

India's crude oil imports from Russia down 24% MoM, lowest in 7 months

Indian refiners also cut shipments from Iraq, another top supplier, by 10% on the month in August to 848,000 barrels a day

Russia vetoes UN Security Council resolution on sanctions against Mali

Russia has vetoed the United Nations Security Council resolution, drafted by France and UAE, on sanctions against Mali, TASS has reported.Thirteen Security Council members voted in favour of a resolution to extend the UN sanctions and independent monitoring for another year. Russia cast a veto, while China abstained from voting on Wednesday.The sanction regime, which has been in place since 2017, was proposed to be extended until August 31, 2024. Russia is adamant that this extension should be the final one.Before the vote, Russian Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya stated that it would be counterproductive to adopt the resolution proposed by the United Arab Emirates and France "not only in terms of ensuring the efficiency of the sanction regime but also for the peace process in Mali" given Bamako's official request to lift the sanctions regime, as reported by TASS, the Russian news agency.Later on Wednesday, the Security Council's 15 members cast votes on the two ...

'Premeditated villainous act' says Prigozhin's plane crash report: Kremlin

Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov's remarks came in response to a media query on Wednesday about whether the investigation could feature an international dimension

Putin, Kim traded letters as Russia looks for munitions from N Korea: US

The White House on Wednesday said that it has new intelligence that shows Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have swapped letters as Russia looks to North Korea for munitions for the Ukraine war. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby detailed the latest finding just weeks after the White House said that it had determined that Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu during a recent visit to Pyongyang called on North Korean officials to increase the sale of munitions to Moscow for its war in Ukraine. Kirby said that Russia is looking for additional artillery shells and other basic materiel to shore up Russia's defence industrial base. The Biden administration has repeatedly made the case that the Kremlin has become reliant on North Korea, as well as Iran, for the arms it needs to fight its war against Ukraine. North Korea and Iran are largely isolated on the international stage for their nuclear programmes and human rights records.

Deliberate wrongdoing among possible causes of crash: Kremlin on Prigozhin

The Kremlin said Wednesday that deliberate wrongdoing is among the possible causes of the plane crash that killed mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin last week. Speaking to reporters during his daily conference call, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov noted that different versions of what happened exist and are being considered, including let's put this way, deliberate wrongdoing. He urged reporters to wait until the probe by the Russian Investigative Committee is concluded, and said there can't be an international investigation into it. The committee said last week it has opened a criminal case on charges of flight safety violations, a standard charge used in plane crash investigations in Russia when there is no immediate reason to suspect foul play. A business jet carrying Prigozhin, founder and leader of the private military force Wagner, and his top lieutenants crashed halfway between Moscow and St. Petersburg last Wednesday, killing all 10 people on board. The crash occurred .

Planning to open manufacturing facility in Russia soon: Trivitron Group CEO

Apart from our joint venture in Russia, we are investing heavily in the US, where we already have infrastructure, including factories and R&D setups, said Ganjoo

Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin's funeral held privately in Russia

The Wagner founder's funeral took place "in a closed format," according to Concord Management, the company Prigozhin owned

Wagner chief's funeral held privately in Russia 'in closed format'

There were "no people in military uniform at the ceremony," Agentstvo reported citing an employee of the cemetery

Kremlin says Putin not planning to attend Wagner chief Prigozhin's burial

Russian President Vladimir Putin is not planning to attend the funeral of mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin following his death in a plane crash, the Kremlin said Tuesday. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov wouldn't say where or when the chief of the Wagner Group military company would be buried, although some Russian media suggested it could take place as early as Tuesday in Prigozhin's home city of St Petersburg. St Petersburg's Fontanka news outlet and some other media said Prigozhin, 62, will likely be put to rest at the Serafimovskoye cemetery, which has previously been used for high-profile military burials. On Tuesday, heavy police cordons encircled the cemetery, where Putin's parents are also buried. Increased police presence was also reported at some other city cemeteries. Prigozhin's top lieutenants, who died in Wednesday's crash alongside him, were also expected to be buried in St Petersburg. The country's top criminal investigation agency, the Investigative Committee, ...

China remains Russia's backer, despite it bogging down in Ukraine

Although Russia predictably denied culpability for bringing the private aircraft down, the Chinese government was even more circumspect

Putin conveys to PM his inability to attend G20; Lavrov to represent Russia

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin who conveyed his inability to attend the G20 Summit here next month and informed that Russia would be represented by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the Prime Minister's Office said. During their telephonic conversation, the two leaders also reviewed progress on a number of issues of bilateral cooperation and exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual concern, including the recently concluded BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, a statement issued by the PMO said. President Putin conveyed his inability to attend the G20 Summit in New Delhi on September 9-10. While expressing an understanding of Russia's decision, PM Modi thanked President Putin for Russia's consistent support of all initiatives under India's G20 Presidency, the PMO said. The two leaders agreed to remain in touch, the statement said.

Wait for official word on Russian participation in G20 Summit: Envoy Alipov

Russian envoy to India Denis Alipov on Monday said that the Presidential office will soon announce who will represent his country