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Ukraine begins military exercises for defending against armed aggression
The Rubizh 2016 strategic command and staff exercises for defending the country against armed aggression have begun throughout Ukraine. As reported on Tuesday by the general staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on its official Facebook page, military administrative bodies at strategic and operational-strategic levels, and also certain military units from all sectors of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, are involved. “The command and control organizations will train to command troops in armed …
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Bundestag Deputy: Germany should abandon Nord Stream II
The Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the German Bundestag and member of the Christian Democratic Union, Norbert Röttgen, stated in his commentary to RND that Germany should refuse to participate in implementing the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which Russia wants to lay on the bottom of the Baltic Sea.
“The Federal Government should give up its stated position that the Nord Stream 2 is not a political project but purely business,” Röttgen said. “Poland, the Baltic …
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Kyiv raises issue of returning control of Debaltseve to Ukraine
Ukraine has raised the issue of regaining control over Debaltseve. The issue was brought up during a video conference between the Trilateral Contact Group and representatives of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and the Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR).
“Ukraine specifically drew attention to the provisions of a memorandum dated the 19th of September 2014. It stated that Ukraine would have control over Debaltseve. It also presumed that the conflict would stop at where the contact …
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Putin, Merkel, and Hollande to discuss Syria after Normandy format meeting
After today’s Normandy format meeting between the leaders of Russia, Germany, France, and Ukraine to discuss the situation in the Donbas, Russian President Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and French President François Hollande will discuss the war in Syria, RIA Novosti reported.
According to Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov, “Today the president [Putin] will travel to Berlin on a working meeting… of the Normandy format, which will include Putin, Hollande, Merkel, and Poroshenko… …
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Syrian Parliament recognizes Crimea as part of Russia
The Syrian government has recognized the Crimea as part of Russian territory, as stated by the Speaker of the Syrian Parliament, Hadiyeh al-Abbas, in an interview with Sputnik.
“We recognize that the Crimea is an integral part of Russia,” al-Abbas said, stressing that relations between Damascus and Moscow continue to be strengthened in all areas, especially political, economic, and social ties.
According to al-Abbas, the Crimea was part of the Soviet Union, and "because of the events that …