Events in Russia

[sToRmR1dR]

Russian Aerospace Defense Forces to receive S-400 and Pantsir-S missile systems

The Russian Defense Ministry said that by the end of 2018, the share of modern military equipment for the Aerospace Defense Forces will stand at 70 percent

Russia's Aerospace Defense Forces will soon a regimental unit of S-400 Triumpf missile systems and three divisional units of Pantsir-S missile systems, Russian Defense Ministry's department of information and communications said on Wednesday.

"The Aerospace Defense Forces have received three S-400 Triumf missile systems this year for delivery to air defense units of military districts. We are expecting another regimental unit of this system to be delivered as soon, along with three divisional units of Pantsir-S missile systems supplied in accordance with the State Defense Order 2018," the defense ministry said.

The ministry noted that by the end of 2018, the share of modern military equipment for the Aerospace Defense Forces will stand at 70 percent.


Advanced long-range missile for S-400 system accepted for service in Russia

A source says the 40N6 long-range surface-to-air missile of the S-400 Triumf system has been accepted for service in the Russian Army

The 40N6 long-range surface-to-air missile of the S-400 Triumf system has been accepted for service in the Russian Army, a source in the domestic defense industry told TASS on Thursday.

"The 40N6 long-range missile [the 40N6E as its export version] has been accepted for service. All the necessary documents were signed in September, after which the Defense Ministry started the purchases of these missiles," the source said.

"Overall, more than a thousand of 40N6 missiles are planned to be purchased under the state armament program through 2027 to provide newly formed and rearm existing S400 regiments of the Aerospace Force with them," the source added, noting that a total of 56 S-400 battalions were planned to be established in the Aerospace Force under this program.

In July, another source in the Russian defense industry told TASS about the successful completion of state joint trials of the 40N6 missile.

New missile

The 40N6 is a surface-to-air very long-range missile designed to strike early warning and electronic warfare aircraft, airborne command posts, strategic bombers and hypersonic cruise and ballistic missiles.

According to official data, the missile’s destruction range is up to 380 km for aerodynamic targets and up to 15km for ballistic weapons at an altitude ranging from 10 m to 35 km. The average flight speed is 1,190 m/s. Thanks to its new homing head, the missile can destroy aircraft beyond the boundaries of the radio visibility of ground-based radars.

The missile was developed by the Fakel machine-building design bureau and is being serial-produced by the Avangard Moscow Machine-Building Enterprise. The missile was expected to enter service in the early 2010s but its trials lingered on.

The missiles that were previously in service with the S-400 system (9M96, 48N6 and 48N6DM) were capable of striking targets at a distance of up to 250 km.

The Patriot PAC-3, the US longest-range surface-to-air system, is capable of striking targets at a distance of up to 80-100 km.


Russia to expand military-technical cooperation with Mongolia

According to the Russian defense minister, Russian-Mongolian relations can be described as traditionally good-neighborly

Russia will expand military-technical cooperation with Mongolia, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said on Thursday.

He has earlier arrived in Ulan Bator with an official visit. "We value the fact that Mongolia considers developing cooperation with Russia among its most important foreign policy priorities. We confirm our goal to use the accumulated potential in a most effective manner to expand military and military-technical cooperation," Shoigu said at talks with his Mongolian counterpart Nyamaagiin Enkhbold.

According to the Russian defense minister, Russian-Mongolian relations can be described as traditionally good-neighborly. "They [bilateral relations] have a long history and develop consistently in the economic and humanitarian sphere. Our countries have similar approaches to resolving the most pressing issues on the internaitonal agenda," Shoigu added.

He also expressed gratitude for Mongolia's active participation in events organized by the Russian Defense Ministry in 2018. "Among them are celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the Red Army, Moscow Conference on International Security, the session of the Council of Defense Ministers of CIS [Commonwealth of Independent States] countries, International Army Games and International Military-Technical Forum 'Army'," Shoigu said noting that this is already his fourth meeting with Enkhbold this year.

"It is pleasant to note that the agreements reached at our talks in Moscow and Kyzyl are already being implemented. We are ready to exchange opinions on relevant issues of cooperation in the military and military-technical spheres," Shoigu said.


Putin affirmed that Moscow ready to improve relations with Washington "any moment"

He stated the meetings with the US leader "were rather positive than negative"

Russian President Vladimir Putin believes that US President Donald Trump is determined to stabilize relations with Russia and stated Moscow’s readiness to develop relations.

"Were our meetings with President Trump harmful or useful? I believe that despite the attempt to discredit these meetings, they were rather positive than negative," said the head of state at a session of the Valdai Discussion Club. "It is better to communicate and contact with each other than quarrel incessantly," he said.

"In my opinion, the current [US] president is set for some sort of stabilization and smoothing out of Russian-American relations. Let’s see how the situation will develop further. Anyway, we are ready for it any moment," the Russian leader affirmed.


Putin says Japanese PM refused to sign peace treaty, but Russia ready for dialogue

According to the Russian leader, the signing of a peace treaty would significantly contribute to mutual confidence

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe believes it is impossible to sign a peace treaty with Russia before resolving the territorial issue, as Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested in September on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum.

"We later attended the youth judo tournament and continued the discussion in an informal setting. He said this approach was unacceptable for Japan today, we need first to resolve the fundamental issues related to these territories and then talk about a peace treaty. This is also a possibility, but we have made no headway for 70 years now, and there is no end in sight," Putin said at a plenary session of the Valdai International Discussion Club.

The Russian president explained that Moscow had never suggested giving up efforts to resolve the territorial issue. According to the Russian leader, the signing of a peace treaty would be conducive to raising the level of confidence between the two countries and result in accelerating the solution of territorial problems.

Putin also raised the issue of anti-Russian sanctions imposed by Japan. "For our part, we create, are trying to create the necessary conditions, while Japan has imposed sanctions on us. Do you believe this is this a step aimed at enhancing confidence?" the Russian leader pointed out.

However, Russia is ready to continue this dialogue, Putin stressed. "We are talking about enhancing confidence. We are talking about the possibility of signing a peace treaty, achieving some compromises on the territorial issues that Japan constantly raises, although we believe they do not exist. Nevertheless, we do not reject this dialogue. At the request of Prime Minister Abe we create conditions for Japanese citizens’ visits to these territories," the president added.

Putin noted that Russia and Japan discussed the joint economic activities on the southern Kuril Islands. "That’s a good idea. However, [this project] is being implemented fairly slowly. That’s the question, but we are ready to continue working," he concluded.


Globalized senseless violence on social media helped spawn Kerch shooting — Putin

On October 17, a student went on a shooting rampage, detonated a bomb at the Kerch Polytechnic College in Crimea, and later committed suicide

The college shooting tragedy that shook the Crimean city of Kerch can be linked to globalization that has made senseless violence readily available to young people over social networks and the Internet, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a plenary session of the Valdai International Discussion Club.

Yesterday’s tragedy is apparently the result of globalization, among other factors, strange as it may seem. We see that on social media and on the Internet, whole communities have been created there, all founded on the well-known tragic events at schools in the United States," Putin pointed out.

According to the Russian leader, this was the result of an insufficient global response to the changing conditions throughout the world, particularly in cyberspace.

"That means that we do not create essential, inspiring and meaningful content for young people, so they seize upon this surrogate heroism. That results in tragedies similar to this one," Putin stressed.

On Wednesday, a local student, armed with a rifle, went on a shooting rampage and detonated a bomb on the campus of the Kerch Polytechnic College in Crimea. The shooter later turned the gun on himself and committed suicide. Subsequently, a criminal case was initially opened on terrorism charges, but was later reclassified as murder.

Twenty-one people died because of the shooting and explosion at the Kerch technical college, including the gun-wielding teenage attacker who ended up taking his own life. Around 50 people were taken to local hospitals, with ten of them in intensive care units in grave condition.

Three days of mourning have been declared in Crimea as of Thursday.


Russia not considering military response to western sanctions, PM says

Medvedev believes that "the tightening of the screws in the sanctions stand-off will end in nothing good"

Russia is not considering a military response to western sanctions against Moscow, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said in an interview with Euronews TV Channel, adding that asymmetrical steps are possible.

"This is absolutely out of the question in the contemporary world. We are a responsible state and a permanent member of the UN Security Council," he said when asked whether Moscow could react to sanctions using military measures. "These issues (imposing retaliatory measures) fall within the terms of reference of the country’s supreme authority. These issues are within the competence of the country’s president," Medvedev added.

Russian PM did not specify how Moscow could respond to western restrictions. "There are various forms of response in today’s world, including, as I said, asymmetrical responses. This is not necessarily military in nature. It is not necessary to respond to economic threats or economic racket with adequate economic means. This is what it is," he noted.

Medvedev believes that "the tightening of the screws in the sanctions stand-off will end in nothing good." "Sanctions against the Soviet Union (although we are not the Soviet Union and although the Russian state has other values, we are, nevertheless, the legal successors to the Soviet Union) were announced 10 times during the 20th century," he said, asking a rhetorical question: "Did it change the Soviet Union's policy in any respect?"

As an example, Prime Minister mentioned China, against which sanctions were used, though it never changed the course followed by the country’s political leadership. "Sanctions are an absolutely counter-productive idea," Medvedev stressed.

"We understand that, for example, the extent of the integration, or mutual dependence of the Russian and US economies is insignificant. American businesses are not much affected by the sanctions that the United States has imposed on our country because the amount of trade is modest. But European businesses have been hit hard because the amount of trade is huge," he said.

According to Medvedev, the trade turnover with the United States is around $20 bln now. "This is nothing. The amount of trade with the European Union is much more significant, as the European Union accounts for 45% of our trade. This figure runs into the hundreds of billions of euros. I will just give you one example. After the sanctions were imposed, our trade with the European Union all but halved, plunging from 430 billion euros to 220-230 billion euros at some point. So my question is: what losses has Europe incurred? Europe lost jobs. It lost revenue. It lost confidence in developing even small regions which, in one way or another, were centred on trade with our country," PM said.

"This is why sanctions are a bad approach. Actually, we keep saying this, but we did not initiate them, and we are not the ones that can end them," he emphasized.

Medvedev suggests that "sanctions against the banking sector are, in fact, a declaration of trade war." "These are the hardest sanctions. But without a doubt, we will be able to overcome this kind of pressure," he said, adding that sanctions tend "to upset international order, including the international economic order."

"Currently there are trade wars - this is what they are, as a matter of fact - between the United States and China, between the United States and the European Union and between the United States and Iran. Some of the sanctions target our country. It begs the question: does the international trading system stand to gain from this? Have the countries become better off? Or are businesses feeling more comfortable?" Medvedev said. "Yes, some domestic policy objectives can be achieved in the short term (using sanctions)," he noted.


Putin on attempts to block RT: Russia winning race in ‘hearts and minds’ campaign

"We only have one [global] media outlet, but even if it triggers such heartburn and agony that it could influence hearts and minds, then this means that we are winning this competition," he emphasized

If the West is trying to block Russia's RT television channel, this means Russia is winning the ‘hearts and minds’ of global audiences, President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.

"What is going on in certain countries where they operate? They are being shut down. This means they (these countries) are afraid of competition," Putin told a session of the Valdai Discussion Club. "If conditions are being set to obstruct their exercising direct functions as a media outlet, and problems are being created for them, then this means that we are winning," Putin stressed.

He said Russia had no global media outlets like BBC, Fox News, CNN. "We only have one media outlet, but even if it triggers such heartburn and agony that it could influence hearts and minds, then this means that we are winning this competition," he emphasized.

Putin noted that the Russian television channel was not among the French leadership’s favorites. "If I have a chance to be there, in Paris, I will come by to see how you work if you invite me," the president said to Margarita Simonyan, Editor-in-Chief of RT, who was seated in the audience.


Training aircraft L-39 crashes in Russian Krasnodar region, fate of pilots unknown

Two pilots ejected from an L-39 trainer aircraft that has crashed in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region, a source from region’s emergency services told TASS.

"The pilots ejected, nobody was injured," he said, adding that there had been two pilots on board.

 

[angelburst29]

18/10/2018 - Crimea attack: was more than one person involved?
Crimea attack: was more than one person involved?

Published on Oct 18, 2018 (2:00 min.)

As Crimea mourns the death of 20 people at Kerch college, some of the pupils who were there during the attack, think there was more than one person involved.

It's after an explosive device was detonated in the polytechnic and 18-year-old Vladislav Roslyakov ran through the school on a shooting rampage, killing his fellow pupils and wounding around 40 of them.

Eyewitness says, "There wasn't just one attacker, there were several of them, because shots were coming from several directions. We were being executed. My friend told me that when she was running away, she saw how bodies were falling just behind her".

The Investigative Committee says it was still working to establish the motive that recalled similar shooting sprees carried out by students in U.S. schools.

The eyewitness adds, "I didn't know him in person, but I was told that he was quiet, didn't talk to anybody, had no friends, [but] had no problems in conversations. Friends say that they never expected anything like this from him. They [friends] believe that it was a "fake" he just couldn't do it. But yes, he bought ammo and weapons. Someone has promised "A pile of gold" to him, and he believed it", and that he was just framed. Because even after he killed himself, the shooting continued, there was more than one person".

Stunned residents gathered as Orthodox priests sang prayers in the street, leading a memorial service near the college.

Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, prompting international condemnation and Western sanctions, but since then there have been no major outbreaks of violence on the peninsula.

Galina Polonskaya, Euronews says, "Since early in the morning, citizens of Kerch have come here, to the makeshift memorial erected near the college. People have put flowers, pray and express their sorrow for the victims of this terrible tragedy".


18/10/2018 - Authorities searching for possible accomplice in Crimea School attack
Authorities searching for possible accomplice in Crimea school attack

People lay flowers for the victims during a church service in Kerch, Crimea, on Oct. 18, 2018, after a student opened fire at a technical college in the Russian-annexed Crimea city of Kerch.Andrey Petrenko

MOSCOW — Authorities on the Crimean Peninsula were searching for a possible accomplice of the student who carried out a shooting and bomb attack on a vocational school, killing 20 people and wounding more than 50 others, an official said Thursday.An 18-year-old student, who later killed himself, was initially believed to be the only one to have been involved in the carnage at the Kerch Polytechnic College on Wednesday.

Authorities haven't provided a motive for the shooting, and teachers and classmates described the attacker as a shy man who had few friends.But Kremlin-appointed Crimean chief Sergei Aksyonov told Russian news agencies on Thursday that it is possible that the attacker, identified as Vyacheslav Roslyakov, had an accomplice." The point is to find out who was coaching him for this crime," he said. "He was acting on his own here, we know that. But this scoundrel could not have prepared this attack on his own, in my opinion and according to my colleagues."

Residents of the Black Sea city of Kerch brought flowers and toys to a makeshift memorial outside the school on Thursday morning. Many were in tears and struggled to speak.

Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine in 2014. Wednesday's attack was by far the worst by a student in Russia, raising questions about school security in the country. The Kerch Polytechnic College had only a front desk with no security guards. Russia's National Guard said Thursday that it has deployed officers and riot police to all schools and colleges in Kerch in the aftermath of the attack.

The death toll from the shooting climbed by one to 20 on Thursday after one of the wounded died in a hospital, and the first victim will be buried later in the day. Dozens remain hospitalized in Kerch, and at least 10 people with severe injuries will be airlifted to top Russian hospitals for surgery, Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova said. Most of the people killed died from gunshot wounds, and those who ended up hospitalized have injuries from a blast from an improvised explosive device that was packed with shrapnel. "The kids' muscles have been 'minced' with small metal objects," Skvortsova said. "Those who have their organs ripped apart, we are finding metal balls in kidneys, intestines, in blood vessels. That is how powerful the blast was."Skvortsova spoke of the severity of injuries some of the victims have sustained." Some people have feet, lower legs missing," she said.

The school attack in Kerch was the greatest loss of life in school violence in Russia since the Beslan attack by Chechen separatists in 2004, in which 333 people were killed during a three-day siege, many of them children, and hundreds of others were wounded. Since Crimea's annexation, Russian authorities have repeatedly warned of a terrorism threat coming from unnamed Ukrainian nationalists as well as ethnic Tatars, an indigenous Crimean people. But despite acts of public defiance and rallies, both groups haven't been engaged in any violent activities in Crimea. Russia has fairly strict gun legislation. Civilians can own only hunting rifles and smoothbore shotguns and must undergo significant background checks.

Roslyakov had only recently received a permit to own a shotgun and bought 150 cartridges just a few days ago, according to local officials. Asked about possible plans to further restrict gun ownership in Russia, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov urged caution and said the government would wait for the results of the investigation.


Crimea carnage: Shooting heard as college massacre unfolds

Published on Oct 17, 2018 (1:35 min.)

Mobile phone footage filmed by a student shows the shooting at Kerch Polytechnic College in Crimea as it unfolded on Wednesday.
According to the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations, at least 19 people were killed and 50 more injured at the attack.
READ MORE: https://on.rt.com/9gp6


Crimea Terror Suspect Used “Reich” Alias Online

Published on Oct 17, 2018 (8:31 min.)

Anya Parampil reports on the latest developments out of Kerch, Crimea, where on Wednesday an armed assailant bombed a college and stormed a building, killing at least 19 people. Reports have emerged suggesting the suspect, Vladislav Roslyakov, admired serial killers and used the alias “Vladislav Reich” online. Former Pentagon official Michael Maloof joins Anya to discuss the news as well as how Nazi sentiment in Ukraine has strengthened since the US-backed coup in 2014.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Putin says his love of Russia has grown far stronger over recent years

Putin said he had not known Russia well enough until he started working at the federal level

Russian President Vladimir Putin says his love of Russia has grown far stronger over the recent years.

"As for Russia and my attitude, dare I say it that my love of Russia has grown far stronger over the recent years," the president told a session of the Valdai International Discussion Club on Thursday when asked whether his view of Russia has changed since the club started its activity 15 years ago.

Putin said he had not known Russia well enough until he started working at the federal level. "I saw what a great and powerful country it is. What powerful historical and moral roots it has," Putin stressed.

He said he had not learned this from books dating back to the Great Patriotic War (that the then Soviet Union fought against Nazi Germany in 1941-1945), but saw for himself how great and wise the Russian people were. "And that is why I am saying without any exaggeration that my love of Russia has grown far stronger," the Russian leader said.

Focusing on the situation around Russia, Putin noted that the global community had always helped Russia, sending humanitarian aid at difficult times. "This is good, we are grateful to our partners for this. I am saying this without a hint of irony. But as it was emerging as an evident and influential competitor in international affairs, obstacles to its development began to appear. This is certainly understandable from the point of view of logic of relations on the global arena. Who wants to see a strong contender?" Putin noted.

He also stressed that despite a host of threats, the world is becoming more balanced. "This is because multi-polarity of the world is taking shape. This is good for Russia, as well as for our partners across the globe. I hope very much that we will surmount today’s difficulties, will establish a dialogue with all our partners and participants in the international activity, we will be strengthening from inside, and this will give us a possibility to establish full-value relations with our partners on the international arena," he summed up.


Putin to Poroshenko: Don’t be like Georgia’s Saakashvili, who lost vast territories

Ukraine pursues the same policy against its own people that cost Georgia to lose territory after then-leader Mikhail Saakashvili’s war on Ossetia, Russian President Vladimir Putin said, warning Kiev not to go down the same road.

“The Ukrainian authorities are not just leading the situation into a deadlock, they are pursuing an anti-state and anti-national policy,” the Russian leader said, speaking at the Valdai Club plenary session in the Russian southern city of Sochi. He then compared Kiev’s actions to the policy of Saakashvili, whose military forces attacked the self-proclaimed Republic of South Ossetia back in 2008.

“These criminal actions resulted in Georgia losing control over vast parts of its territory,” Putin said, adding that it was the result of Saakashvili’s policy. The 2008 Georgian offensive prompted Russia to launch a “peace enforcement” operation against Georgia. The conflict ended up with South Ossetia and another Georgian region –Abkhazia– declaring independence from Georgia, which de-facto lost control over both territories.

Like Saakashvili, the current Ukrainian government still strives to resolve the ongoing Ukrainian conflict by force instead of fulfilling the Minsk Agreements, Putin said, adding that “it has become clear for everyone” that Kiev “does not abide by the agreements and has no intention to do so.”

The Russian leader then warned the Ukrainian authorities against “following in Saakashvili’s footsteps” and said that he hopes it does not come to the same sort of scenario. Putin added that “assassinating … people’s representatives” in the self-proclaimed Donbass republics is a “bad way” to seek peace with these regions. He apparently was referring to the recent murder of the head of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), Aleksandr Zakharchenko, which local authorities blamed on the Ukrainian security service, the SBU.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1035563894302015488

Russia is very much interested in restoring normal relations with Ukraine, Putin stressed. However, Kiev continues to “trade only Russophobia and anti-Russian sentiments” while the Ukrainian economy crumbles, being constantly “rocked by internal political crises,” he added.


Putin hails development of Russia-China relations

The Russian leader also believes that trade problems between the United States and China give Russia new opportunities to enter the Chinese market

Russia is working on implementation of the agreements with China and is satisfied with the way relations with its neighbor develop, President Vladimir Putin told Yang Jiechi, member of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Political Bureau, meeting him after a session of the Valdai International Discussion Club on Thursday.

"We in Russia will be working to implement the agreements that we arrived at during a visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Vladivostok for the Eastern Economic Forum," he said. "We can be pleased with the way our relations develop. We rate highly the additional efforts towards the development of Russian-Chinese relations that we and Chinese friends make," Putin said.

Putin believes that trade problems between the United States and China give Russia new opportunities to enter the Chinese market. He also said that Russia plans to take the new open niches on the Chinese market.

Responding to questions from participants in the Valdai International Discussion Club, Putin noted that, due to problems between the US and China, President Xi Jinping’s initiative One Belt, One Road becomes even more relevant because all economic constraints, on the one hand, put pressure on the global economy and markets, but on the other hand create certain "windows of opportunity."

"This means that Russia can get an additional niche," the President said.

For example, he mentioned supplies of soybeans to China from the United States.

"So now we will be gradually entering this market with our soybeans and let the Chinese partners produce soybeans in the Far East if they want to invest their money," the Russian leader said.

Aircraft construction is another possible area of cooperation, he noted.

"China was a huge buyer of Boeing’s, we have now stepped up work with them to create a wide-body long-range aircraft, we will move further towards creating a heavy large helicopter, we will work together on a space program," Putin said.

He singled out cooperation in the military-technical sector.

"We have a huge turnover in the field of military-technical cooperation, and we agreed that we will be engaged not only in sales, but also in technology exchange. We are also interested in this not to the detriment of our security," the head of the Russian state stressed.

Among other projects, he called the development of infrastructure and transport routes.

"Of course, we are interested in developing Trans-Siberian railroad and Baikal Amur mainline, we expect that the freight traffic will increase four times by rail, the freight traffic along the Northern Sea Route (via the Arctic Ocean - TASS) will grow to 80 million tonnes," Putin said.


Putin arrives in Uzbekistan for state visit

The Russian leader is scheduled to hold talks on Friday with his Uzbek counterpart Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Tashkent

Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in Uzbekistan for a state visit.

The Russian leader is scheduled to hold talks on Friday with his Uzbek counterpart Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Tashkent. The two presidents plan to sign a number of bilateral documents and also attend the Russian-Uzbek forum on interregional cooperation.

Besides, the leaders will jumpstart the construction of the first nuclear power plant in Uzbekistan by Russia’s state-run corporation Rosatom in a video conference mode. According to Kremlin Aide Yuri Ushakov, the ceremony would be one of key elements of the Russian leader’s visit to Tashkent.

Last time Putin paid a visit to Uzbekistan in June 2016. He also arrived in the Central Asian country in September that year to pay tribute to the country’s late first President Islam Karimov.

Mirziyoyev paid a state visit to Russia in April 2017. Since September 2016, the two presidents have had six meetings, including the previous one in late September at the summit of the Commonwealth of Independent States in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

Last year, Russian-Uzbek trade grew 34% to $3.7 bln, and in January-July 2018 trade turnover exceeded the levels of the similar period of last year by 32.1%.

Russia mainly imports from Uzbekistan textiles, food, agricultural raw materials, chemical industry goods, rubber, equipment and vehicles. Russia’s accrued investments in Uzbekistan’s economy have reached $8.7bln. Such Russian companies as Lukoil, Gazprom and Vympelkom are working in the country.


Russia, Uzbekistan ink agreements worth $27 bln at interregional forum

An agreement has been reached on setting up 79 joint ventures, 23 trading houses and creating 20 wholesale distribution centers in Uzbekistan

Russia and Uzbekistan have signed agreements to the tune of $27 bln during the two countries’ first interregional forum underway in Tashkent, Uzbekistan’s Economy Ministry reported on Friday.

"Nearly 800 trade and investment agreements and memorandums worth about $27 bln have been signed during the first Russian-Uzbek interregional cooperation forum," the ministry said.

An agreement has been reached on setting up 79 joint ventures, 23 trading houses and creating 20 wholesale distribution centers in Uzbekistan, the ministry added.


Russia demands from Oslo immediate release of Russian senator

The Russian diplomats in Oslo are in contact with Mikhail Bochkaryov

Russia demands from Norway that Russian national Mikhail Bochkaryov be immediately released from custody and all charges fabricated against him lifted, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a commentary on Thursday.

The ministry made the statement in comments on Norwegian Police Security Service’s appealing against the ruling of the Oslo city court to release the Russian national.

"Our diplomats in Oslo stay in constant touch with Bochkaryov and are taking all measures to protect the legitimate rights and interests of the Russian national," it said. "Colleagues from the Federation Council (upper house of parliament) have passed a letter of support for him. We once again demand an immediate release of Bochkaryov and lifting of all accusations fabricated against him," the ministry stressed.

On September 23, the Russian Embassy in Norway confirmed Russian citizen’s detention at Oslo Airport on September 21. According to the Norwegian side, Bochkaryov had been allegedly spying while attending a seminar at Norway’s parliament.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Training aircraft L-39 crashes in Russian Krasnodar region, fate of pilots unknown

Two pilots ejected from an L-39 trainer aircraft that has crashed in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region, a source from region’s emergency services told TASS.

"The pilots ejected, nobody was injured," he said, adding that there had been two pilots on board.

Pilots of Russia’s lost training jet L-39 jet may be dead — source

However there has been no official confirmation of the pilots’ death yet

The pilots of Russia’s military training jet L-39 Albatros, which crashed in the Sea of Azov on Thursday afternoon may be dead, a source in the Defense Ministry’s inquiry probing into the emergency said on Friday.

"There has been no official confirmation of the pilots’ death yet. The pilots or their bodies have not been found so far, but miracles don’t happen. The site of the crash has been established accurately. The plane’s fragments and one parachute have been found there. But the parachute’s pilot is missing," the source said, adding that too much time had elapsed since the L-39’s crash and there were no chances the pilots might stay afloat for so long.

According to earlier reports, the plane crashed during a training flight at about 17:00 Moscow time on Thursday. Technical failure is a likely reason. The plane carried no weapons. Both pilots are believed to have ejected themselves. According to the source, the L-39 had taken off from the airdrome of a naval aviation pilots’ retraining center in Yeysk.

The training plane L-39 Albatros was developed in Czechoslovakia. It performed the first flight in 1968. In 1972, it was selected as the main training plane for the military pilots of the Warsaw Treaty Organization’s member-states. Russia’s flight schools still use it as the main plane to train cadets.


Russia and Uzbekistan sign economic cooperation program

Russia’s Lukoil and Uzbekneftegaz signed a memorandum of understanding

Russia and Uzbekistan signed an economic cooperation program for 2019-2024 and a plan of action on its implementation, as well as agreed to cooperate in the fields of science, education and mineral resource management following the talks between presidents of the two countries, Vladimir Putin and Shavkat Mirziyoyev, on Friday.

Russia’s Lukoil and Uzbekneftegaz signed a memorandum of understanding.

The Russian and Uzbek governments signed a cooperation program in the cultural and humanitarian field for 2019-2021.

The sides also agreed to cooperate in the textile, garment and knitwear industries, as well as collaborate at the level of labor ministries and national guards of the two states.


Russia ready for joint arms manufacturing projects in Uzbekistan

Putin recalled that Russia was selling weapons to Uzbekistan at domestic prices

Russia is prepared for launching joint weapons manufacturing projects in Uzbekistan, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday.

"We are ready to develop military-technical cooperation - not just supplies of weapons and modern military hardware, but also joint manufacturing of this hardware at Uzbekistan’s industrial enterprises," Putin said at Russian-Uzbek talks.

He recalled that Russia was selling weapons to Uzbekistan at domestic prices.


Russian president, Italian prime minister to meet on October 24

The development of Russian-Italian cooperation, the situation in Syria and Libya will be in the focus of the meeting between Vladimir Putin and Giuseppe Conte, the Kremlin says

The state and prospects of the development of Russian-Italian cooperation in various spheres, the situation in Syria and Libya will be in the focus of the meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte which is due to be held on October 24 in Moscow.

"It is intended to discuss the state and prospects of the development of Russian-Italian cooperation in various areas and share opinions on the current international and regional problems, including the situation in Syria and Libya," the Kremlin’s press service reported on Friday.

"A meeting between Putin and Conte with the heads of Italy’s leading enterprises was also planned," the press service added.

Some bilateral documents will be signed after the official events.


Russian man freed in Norway to fly to Moscow on Saturday

Russian citizen Mikhail Bochkaryov, who was released from detention in Norway, plans to fly to Moscow on Saturday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

"On October 19, M.A. Bochkaryov, a member of staff of the Federation Council [upper house of Russia’s parliament] who was detained in Oslo on September 21, was released from prison," the ministry said. "Now, he is staying in Russia’s embassy in Norway. Russian diplomats are giving him all necessary assistance."

"Tomorrow, he is planning to fly to Moscow," the foreign ministry said.

 

[angelburst29]

A total of 73 people were injured this week in a shooting at a college in Crimea's Kerch, with 47 requiring medical help, Crimea's medical emergencies center told Sputnik on Sunday.

21.10.2018 - Crimea College Shooting: Number of injured stands at 73 - Health Authority
Crimea College Shooting: Number of Injured Stands at 73 – Health Authority

"The total number of the injured stands at 73. Forty-seven of them were hospitalized," a spokesperson for the regional center said.

The spokesperson statement comes following earlier reports that bomb and gun attack that occurred on Wednesday on Kerch Polytechnic claimed 21 lives, including 16 teenagers and five staffers.

Some of the critically wounded were urgently airlifted to other cities. Forty-six people are receiving help at 11 clinics across Crimea, in the neighboring Kuban region and in Moscow. Fifteen patients in serious condition were taken to Simferopol, a major city in Crimea.

Earlier this week, the fourth-year student, identified as Vladislav Roslyakov, killed 21 people and wounded over 50 others in a bomb and gun attack that started inside the canteen at Kerch Polytechnic College.

The shooting was initially treated as a terrorist attack but was later reclassified as a mass murder. The gunman killed himself inside the college library.


20.10.2018 - Crimea College Shooter acted alone after almost 2 years of Preparations - Source
Crimea College Shooter Acted Alone After Almost 2 Years of Preparations – Source

The student who opened fire inside a college in the Crimean city of Kerch acted alone in the mass shooting, which took him almost two years to prepare, a police source told Sputnik on Saturday.

"The gunman acted alone, he prepared for this alone. There are no runaway shooters… He was preparing for this since January 2017," the source with a local law enforcement agency said.

Meanwhile, two teenage girls hurt in the shooting will be flown to Moscow soon to continue their treatment, regional authorities said Saturday.

"Medical specialists from Moscow flew to Crimea to consult those injured and determine their treatment plan… They decided to send two female patients… to Moscow clinics," the Crimean government said in a statement.

Some of the critically injured were airlifted to Moscow on Wednesday after a bomb and gun attack on the vocational school for teenagers in the city of Kerch.

Shooting in Kerch
The fourth-year student, identified as Vladislav Roslyakov, killed 21 people and wounded over 50 others in a bomb and gun attack that started inside the canteen at Kerch Polytechnic College.


18.10.2018 - Photos from Inside Kerch College after deadly blast released
Photos From Inside Kerch College After Deadly Blast Released

A fourth-year student at a college in Kerch detonated an explosive device inside the educational institution on October 17. After shooting several employees and fellow students, the perpetrator committed suicide. The incident took the lives of 20 people and left some 50 more injured.

Ruptly has published the first photos from Kerch Polytechnic College where a student killed 20 people by detonating a homemade explosive device and opening fire with a gun. Photos, compiled in a small video clip, show the extensive damage that the blast caused to the building's interior, with windows and mirrors shattered, the entrance wrecked and blood in the building's rooms.

Published on Oct 18, 2018 (0:32 min.)

 

[angelburst29]

Globalized senseless violence on social media helped spawn Kerch shooting — Putin

On October 17, a student went on a shooting rampage, detonated a bomb at the Kerch Polytechnic College in Crimea, and later committed suicide

The college shooting tragedy that shook the Crimean city of Kerch can be linked to globalization that has made senseless violence readily available to young people over social networks and the Internet, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a plenary session of the Valdai International Discussion Club.

Yesterday’s tragedy is apparently the result of globalization, among other factors, strange as it may seem. We see that on social media and on the Internet, whole communities have been created there, all founded on the well-known tragic events at schools in the United States," Putin pointed out.

According to the Russian leader, this was the result of an insufficient global response to the changing conditions throughout the world, particularly in cyberspace.

"That means that we do not create essential, inspiring and meaningful content for young people, so they seize upon this surrogate heroism. That results in tragedies similar to this one," Putin stressed.

I would say, President Putin is making "a vital point" about "Globalized senseless violence" in our schools. Here's an incident in France that has gone viral on social media:

An appalling video showing a student in a French school threatening a teacher with a dummy ‘gun’ in class has shocked France.

Mon Oct 22, 2018 - France in Shock as VIDEO of Student Threatening Teacher with ‘Gun’ in Class Goes Viral
Farsnews

Questions are being raised about the regularity of such incidents and the authorities’ response, RT reported.

The viral footage, initially distributed on Snapchat, shows a class in a school in Creteil commune in the Southeastern suburbs of Paris. A male student stands in the middle of the classroom and threatens the teacher with an object that looks like a gun, and demands that she write ‘present’, not ‘absent’ in the attendance list. In the background, there is another student making obscene gestures at the camera.

French media report that the gun was “an airsoft type” ball gun or a toy gun – which wouldn’t be capable of hurting the teacher. In spite of the shocking situation, the teacher seems unperturbed, as though it’s not the first time this has happened.

Following the incident, the teacher filed a complaint and two 16-year-old students were taken into custody, according to French media. The student who made the obscene gestures was soon released, while the main perpetrator is in custody and will stand before a juvenile court on Sunday.

The story caused shock and outrage on social media, with people raising questions regarding the punishment for the students, whether the teacher’s reaction was appropriate, and how the authorities should respond. “I hope they will be severely punished,” one person wrote.

The mayor of the city of Nancy, Laurent Henart, expressed “condemnation and indignation.” The educational community should take exceptional measures “to ensure security” in schools, he tweeted.

French President Emmanuel Macron called the incident “unacceptable” and urged the ministries of interior and education to handle the case.

“Every day, teachers are insulted,” one person commented under Macron’s post. Another person said teachers have to deal with violence, insults, and threats almost every day. “Should we get used to this free daily violence? The New World of Macron!” one person asked.

Marine Le Pen, the president of France’s National Rally (formerly Front National), tweeted that the teacher looked relatively calm. The absence of an immediate report and complaint by the school “suggests that this type of incident is regular,” she wrote.


22 Oct, 2018 - France in shock as VIDEO of student threatening teacher with ‘gun’ in class goes viral
France in shock as VIDEO of student threatening teacher with ‘gun’ in class goes viral

An appalling video showing a student in a French school threatening a teacher with a dummy ‘gun’ in class has shocked France. Questions are being raised about the regularity of such incidents and the authorities’ response.

The viral footage, initially distributed on Snapchat, shows a class in a school in Creteil commune in the southeastern suburbs of Paris. A male student stands in the middle of the classroom and threatens the teacher with an object that looks like a gun, and demands that she write ‘present’, not ‘absent’ in the attendance list. In the background, there is another student making obscene gestures at the camera.

Published on Oct 21, 2018 (0:46 min.)

French media report that the gun was “an airsoft type” ball gun or a toy gun – which wouldn’t be capable of hurting the teacher. In spite of the shocking situation, the teacher seems unperturbed, as though it’s not the first time this has happened.

Following the incident, the teacher filed a complaint and two 16-year-old students were taken into custody, according to French media. The student who made the obscene gestures was soon released, while the main perpetrator is in custody and will stand before a juvenile court on Sunday.

The story caused shock and outrage on social media, with people raising questions regarding the punishment for the students, whether the teacher’s reaction was appropriate, and how the authorities should respond. “I hope they will be severely punished,” one person wrote.

The mayor of the city of Nancy, Laurent Henart, expressed “condemnation and indignation.” The educational community should take exceptional measures “to ensure security” in schools, he tweeted.

French President Emmanuel Macron called the incident “unacceptable” and urged the ministries of interior and education to handle the case.

“Every day, teachers are insulted,” one person commented under Macron’s post. Another person said teachers have to deal with violence, insults, and threats almost every day. “Should we get used to this free daily violence? The New World of Macron!” one person asked.

Marine Le Pen, the president of France’s National Rally (formerly Front National), tweeted that the teacher looked relatively calm. The absence of an immediate report and complaint by the school “suggests that this type of incident is regular,” she wrote.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Kremlin expects Bolton to explain Trump's statement on US exit from INF treaty

Kremlin expects that US National Security Adviser John Bolton will provide an explanation for US President Donald Trump’s statement concerning the US exiting the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty), Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday.

"In light of these statements, we would like to receive a detailed explanation from the US," he said in response to the question about whether this issue is on the agenda for the upcoming talks with Bolton in Moscow.

According to Peskov, this issue has been raised earlier during negotiations. "(Russian President Vladimir Putin) has repeatedly said that de facto, the US is undertaking actions that blur the articles of the agreement and violate the articles of the agreement. But Putin has always said that scrapping this document would cause damage to global security and stability," the Kremlin spokesman stressed.

According to him, certain issues concerning this agreement still exist, which the Russian leader has pointed out several times. "Many countries in Asia and other regions are developing such systems, which can be classified as intermediate-and short-range missiles. However, Russia and the US remain the two key countries responsible for global security and stability," Peskov added.

At the same time, the spokesman said it is too early to make conclusions on how Trump’s statements may affect the prolongation of the New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty). "In this case, hypothetical discussions are possible, but not quite suitable," he said. "I will repeat that we have to wait for concrete steps from Washington. So far, an intention was expressed, but no concrete actions have backed this intention."

On Saturday, US President Donald Trump said that Washington would withdraw from the INF Treaty because Russia was violating the terms of the agreement. At the same time, he did not rule out signing a new agreement on intermediate-range nuclear forces with Moscow and Beijing if Russia and China provide guarantees of halting the production of such weapons.

The INF Treaty was signed between the Soviet Union and the United States on December 8, 1987 in Washington, DC. The US accused Russia of violating the agreement for the first time in July 2014. Later, Washington repeated the claims on many occasions, while Moscow rejected them, also accusing the US of developing and deploying missiles and missile defense elements prohibited by the treaty.


Patrushev Meets With Bolton, Discuss INF Treaty Amid US Plans to Exit It

Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev met on Monday with US National Security Adviser John Bolton in Moscow to discuss a number of security issues, including the future of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, the press service of the Russian Security Council said.

"In the context of US President Donald Trump's recent announcement of US intention to withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, the Russian side has again voiced its principal position on the importance of maintaining the treaty in force, and has also voiced its readiness to work together on eliminating the mutual claims related to the implementation of this treaty," the press service said in a statement.

The Russian top security official underlined that a possible US withdrawal might undermine the international security system.

"It has been emphasized that the termination [of the treaty] would be a heavy blow for the entire international legal system of non-proliferation and arms control," the statement said.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1054032135995224065

The talks took place days after US President Donald Trump announced that Washington mulled to exit from the treaty over the alleged Russian violations of the agreement.

Other Issues on Agenda

The sides also discussed extending the New START treaty by five years after 2021.

The Russian Security Council said Patrushev and Bolton substantively discussed the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), the Open Skies Treaty, the Convention on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the Convention on the Prohibition of Biological and Toxin Weapons.

In addition, both sides voiced a number of initiatives, the implementation of which could contribute to creating an atmosphere of trust and strengthening cooperation between Moscow and Washington.

The statement said the Patrushev-Bolton meeting was an important step to implement agreements reached during the talks between Russian and US presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump in Helsinki.

Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev and US National Security Adviser John Bolton discussed at their meeting in Moscow the situation with the Iran deal, Syria, Afghanistan and Ukraine, as well as the nuclear issue of the Korean Peninsula and international treaties, the Russian Security Council said in a statement Monday.

"Nikolai Patrushev and John Bolton touched upon issues of further development of the situation around the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on the Iranian nuclear program, discussed the situation in Syria, Afghanistan and Ukraine, as well as the nuclear issue of the Korean Peninsula," the statement said.

The Russian Security Council noted that the meeting was held in a constructive and businesslike atmosphere. Both sides reaffirmed interest in the resumption of Russian-American contacts through the relevant ministries and security bodies in the area of combating terrorism, drug-trafficking and illegal migration.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1053337595067985920

In addition, Patrushev and Bolton voiced a number of initiatives whose implementation could contribute to promoting an atmosphere of trust and strengthening cooperation between Russia and the United States. They also agreed to continue the bilateral dialogue between the security councils of the two countries.


US National Security Adviser Bolton arrives for talks with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov

US National Security Adviser John Bolton arrived on Monday night at the Russian Foreign Ministry in central Moscow for an official meeting with Russian top diplomat Sergey Lavrov.

According to a TASS correspondent, the upcoming meeting between the high-ranking US security official and Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov would be held between the closed doors.

Before arriving for a meeting with the Russian top diplomat, US National Security Advisor Bolton held almost a five-hour meeting with Secretary of the Russian Security Council Nikolai Patrushev.

Bolton began his two-day working visit to Moscow on Monday. His visit is seen as a continuation of dialogue in the Bolton-Patrushev format. Their first meeting took place in Geneva on August 23 and yielded positive results as the sides agreed to resume contacts between the two countries’ defense and foreign policy officials and the top brass.

The program of Bolton’s official visit to in Moscow also includes talks with officials from the Russian Foreign Ministry as well as a meeting with Russian president’s foreign policy aide, Yury Ushakov.

Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced earlier that Bolton’s meeting with President Vladimir Putin was also a possibility. Peskov stated that the Kremlin expects Bolton to provide explanations to US President Donald Trump’s statement regarding the United States withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty).

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Lavrov, Bolton discuss strategic stability, Syria, Ukraine, North Korea

Issues of strategic stability, the situation in Syria, in Ukraine and in Afghanistan, as well as aspects of the settlement on the Korean Peninsula were the focus of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s talks with visiting US National Security Adviser John Bolton, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

"The sides exchanged views on topical international problems, including the situation around Syria and Afghanistan, the conditions in Ukraine and on the Korean Peninsula," the foreign ministry said. "They also discussed prospects for cooperation between our countries, including in the interests of finding solutions to regional conflicts, efficient fight against terrorism and maintaining strategic stability." The 90-minute meeting was held behind closed doors.

Earlier on Monday, Bolton held talks with Secretary of the Russian Security Council Nikolai Patrushev. Among other things, they discussed the situation around the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty) in the light of US plans to withdraw from the deal.


Putin to meet with US national security advisor on October 23

Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet on Tuesday with US National Security Advisor John Bolton to hear clarifications on many topics, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"The president will meet with Bolton on Tuesday," Peskov said. "The meeting will be important, clarifications will have to be heard on a great number of topics," he adding noting that "there are many more questions than answers."

On Monday, Bolton met with Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev. Talks lasted for five hours and concerns issues of Russian-US bilateral relations, matters of strategic stability and global security, disarmament and arms control, acute regional crises. The press service of the Russian Security Council described the meeting was business-like and constructive.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also held talks with Bolton on Monday. Consultations lasted for 90 minutes behind closed doors. The sides did not make any statements before or after the meeting.

Peskov said earlier that the Kremlin hopes to receive clarifications from John Bolton on US President Donald Trump's statements about withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Putin, Bolton reach preliminary arrangement on Russia-US summit, says Kremlin aide

During his upcoming trip to Paris, Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet with his US counterpart Donald Trump, Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov said on Tuesday.

"A preliminary agreement on the possibility of contacts between the two presidents in Paris during events marking centenary of the end of WWI was reached during consultations of (US National Security Adviser John) Bolton with representatives from our foreign policy and military-political team. Our president confirmed this arrangement during his talks with Bolton," Ushakov told reporters.

He said that under the plans "the presidents will hold a bilateral meeting" after festivities in Paris. He said the summit is planned for November 11. Ushakov said the length of the talks depends on the presidents. "This will be a normal bilateral meeting," he added.


Putin suggests meeting with Trump in Paris on November 11

The Russian President has suggested he could meet Donald Trump in Paris in early November at an event commemorating the end of the First World War. It was mentioned in talks with US National Security Advisor John Bolton in Moscow.

“It would be helpful to continue a direct dialog with the US president on the sidelines of international events that are scheduled to take place in the near future, in Paris, for example,” Putin told Bolton during a meeting in the Kremlin as he spoke about his potential talks with Trump.

Putin referred to an event marking the 100th anniversary of the end of the WWI, which is expected to take place in Paris on November 11.

Bolton, in turn, told Putin that the US president “would be glad” to meet him in Paris. He also agreed that Moscow and Washington should continue dialog.

Putin praised his last meeting with Trump, which took place in Helsinki on July 16. It was “useful, partially tough … but eventually constructive” he said adding that he does not understand why the summit was met with such a negative reaction in the US. “It is startling to see that the US is taking absolutely unprovoked steps against Russia, which we cannot call friendly,” he said.

Russian president, Italian prime minister to meet on October 24

The development of Russian-Italian cooperation, the situation in Syria and Libya will be in the focus of the meeting between Vladimir Putin and Giuseppe Conte, the Kremlin says

Italian prime minister arrives on state visit to Russia

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has arrived on a state visit to Russia, a TASS correspondent reports.

His plane landed at Moscow’s Vnukovo-2 airport on Tuesday evening.

On October 24, Conte will meet with Russia President Vladimir Putin. According to Putin’s adviser, Conte and Putin are expected to discuss bilateral relations and international problems.

The visit is expected to yield a number of economic agreements, Italy’s Ambassador to Russia Pasquale Terracciano told TASS earlier.

 

[angelburst29]

An odd report of Russian Soccer Fans in Rome:

October 23, 2018 - Russian Soccer Fans hurt in Rome metro escalator accident: media
Russian soccer fans hurt in Rome metro escalator accident | Reuters


A part of the underground escalator damaged where some of CSKA Moscow supporters were injured in Rome, Italy, October 23, 2018. Vigili del Fuoco /via REUTERS

An escalator in a Rome metro station broke on Tuesday, injuring 20 people, most of them CSKA Moscow soccer fans, Italian police said.

One person was seriously hurt in the accident at the city-centre Repubblica station, they said.

State television RAI broadcast a video of the incident that showed a packed escalator suddenly speed up, hurtling people down the stairs. Italian media said some soccer supporters were trapped between the metal plates of the steps.

The station was full of Russian fans at the time as they headed towards Rome’s Olympic Stadium where CSKA Moscow were due to play AS Roma in the Champions League later on Tuesday.

La Repubblica website said the escalator broke after singing and chanting fans started to jump up and down on it.

 

[youlik]

Мое личное "событие в России". Вчера первый раз в живую видел президентский "Кортеж". Прежние кортежи, когда тузы ездили на "ЗИЛ" и на Мерседес, я видел несколько раз, а вот этот новый "Кортеж" - первый раз.

Translation
My personal "event in Russia". Yesterday for the first time in live saw presidential "Cortege". The old tuples, when the aces went to the " ZIL "and Mercedes, I saw a few times, but this new "Cortege " - the first time.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Putin suggests meeting with Trump in Paris on November 11

The Russian President has suggested he could meet Donald Trump in Paris in early November at an event commemorating the end of the First World War. It was mentioned in talks with US National Security Advisor John Bolton in Moscow.

Agenda of meeting between Putin and Trump in Paris requires clarification - Ryabkov

Agenda of the meeting between the presidents of Russia and the United States, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, which is expected to be held in Paris on November 11, still needs to be clarified, but Moscow is expects full-format and extremely practical conversation, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told TASS.

Earlier, Aide to the Russian President Yury Ushakov said that Moscow and Washington had reached a preliminary agreement on holding a meeting of heads of state on the sidelines of events marking the 100th anniversary of the end of the World War I.

"A preliminary agreement on a meeting in Paris on November 11 has been reached. And we proceed from the fact that this will be a full-length meeting. That is, this is not a quick meeting, or a meeting on the go," Ryabkov said.

When asked whether the summit would have a fixed agenda, Ryabkov said "The agenda is subject to additional discussion". "We are in favor of the most practical substantive conversation," he added.


US to make arrangements for Trump-Putin meeting in Paris on November 11 - Bolton

Washington will make arrangements for a meeting between the US and Russian leaders, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, in Paris on November 11, visiting US National Security Adviser John Bolton told a news conference on Tuesday summing up the results of his visit to Moscow.

"President Putin said in the opining of the meeting today when the press was there that it would be useful to continue direct dialogue with the president of the United States, primarily on the fields of international events that will take place in the near future, for example in Paris. Of course if the American side is interested in these contacts," he said.

"And I said ‘yes,’ President Trump would be looking forward to meeting him in Paris, so we will make the precise arrangements on that," he said.

After Putin’s meeting with Bolton earlier on Tuesday, Russian president’s aide Yuri Ushakov said that an agreement had been reached to organize a Russian-US summit in Paris on November 11 on the sidelines of the 100th anniversary celebration of the armistice after World War I.

Italian prime minister arrives on state visit to Russia

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has arrived on a state visit to Russia, a TASS correspondent reports.

His plane landed at Moscow’s Vnukovo-2 airport on Tuesday evening.

On October 24, Conte will meet with Russia President Vladimir Putin. According to Putin’s adviser, Conte and Putin are expected to discuss bilateral relations and international problems.

The visit is expected to yield a number of economic agreements, Italy’s Ambassador to Russia Pasquale Terracciano told TASS earlier.

Putin, Medvedev to meet with Italian Prime Minister and discuss bilateral cooperation

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev will meet on Wednesday with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, currently on a state visit to the Russian Federation at the invitation of the Russian leader.

Aide to the Russian President Yury Ushakov told reporters that the Russian leader and Italian Prime Minister will meet in Moscow to discuss bilateral cooperation and international issues. He added that this would be Putin’s first contact with the current head of the Italian government.

On the same day, Medvedev and Conte are expected to meet. According to the press service of the Russian Prime Minister, the parties will discuss implementation of major joint projects, as well as topical issues of the Russian-Italian trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian cooperation, progress of major joint projects in the energy sector, industry, high technology and other areas.

According to the Russian government, in January-August 2018, the trade turnover between Russia and Italy amounted to $17.4 bln, which is 14.8% more than in the same period a year earlier. In particular, Russian exports reached $6.9 bln (an increase of 10.9%), imports - $10.5 bln (an increase of 11.8%).

An odd report of Russian Soccer Fans in Rome:Russian soccer fans hurt in Rome metro escalator accident | Reuters

An escalator in a Rome metro station broke on Tuesday, injuring 20 people, most of them CSKA Moscow soccer fans, Italian police said.

Thirty fans of CSKA Moscow football club were injured in an escalator collapse in Rome Metro in the center of the city before the UEFA Champions League football match against the Italian Roma, the Russian Embassy in Rome told Sputnik on Tuesday.

"We received information about 30 injured people, seven of them were carried away on a stretcher, they are in serious condition, five are in a moderate condition, 18 had left the station themselves, they had light injuries," a spokesperson for the diplomatic mission said.

Two Russians injured underwent emergency surgery, the Russian Embassy said. "Three people are at Policlinico Umberto I. Two Russians underwent a surgery," the Embassy said on Twitter.

"All victims have been identified. [Russian] Diplomats visited them in two Rome clinics. They found out there were Ukrainian citizens among them," the spokesperson said.

“Fifteen Russians are receiving help in Rome’s six clinics, three of them are in serious condition. Four Ukrainians were also hospitalized,” Maxim Butlai from the embassy told Sputnik.

Rome's public prosecutor and transport authorities are investigating the cause of the collapse at the Repubblica metro station. Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi said witnesses reported fans had been jumping and dancing on the escalator. However, a video circulated online showed the escalator suddenly speed up before its bottom collapsed.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1054812908402683905

Metro station Repubblica has been closed after the accident.

The fans arrived in the Italian capital to see a match between Russia’s CSKA Moscow and Italy’s Roma in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League. Roma defeated CSKA 3-0, with two goals scored by Edin Dzeko and the third by Cengiz Under.

 

[angelburst29]

Agenda of meeting between Putin and Trump in Paris requires clarification - Ryabkov

Agenda of the meeting between the presidents of Russia and the United States, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, which is expected to be held in Paris on November 11, still needs to be clarified, but Moscow is expects full-format and extremely practical conversation, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told TASS.

Earlier, Aide to the Russian President Yury Ushakov said that Moscow and Washington had reached a preliminary agreement on holding a meeting of heads of state on the sidelines of events marking the 100th anniversary of the end of the World War I.

"A preliminary agreement on a meeting in Paris on November 11 has been reached. And we proceed from the fact that this will be a full-length meeting. That is, this is not a quick meeting, or a meeting on the go," Ryabkov said.

Wed. October 24, 2018 - Russia and US discussed possible Putin visit to Washington: Kremlin
Russia and U.S. discussed possible Putin visit to Washington: Kremlin | Reuters


Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia October 23, 2018. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

Russia and the United States have discussed the possibility of President Vladimir Putin visiting Washington next year, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.

Peskov said that such a possibility was briefly touched upon during a visit by U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton to Moscow this week. No specific plans had yet been arranged, Peskov told reporters on a conference call.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Putin plan to meet in Paris next month, officials said on Tuesday, their first encounter since a summit in Helsinki that unleashed a storm of criticism that Trump was cozying up to the Kremlin.

Slideshow (20 Images)
Trump adviser tells Putin: We'll quit arms control treaty you're breaking | Reuters

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Putin, Medvedev to meet with Italian Prime Minister and discuss bilateral cooperation

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev will meet on Wednesday with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, currently on a state visit to the Russian Federation at the invitation of the Russian leader.

Aide to the Russian President Yury Ushakov told reporters that the Russian leader and Italian Prime Minister will meet in Moscow to discuss bilateral cooperation and international issues. He added that this would be Putin’s first contact with the current head of the Italian government.

Putin notes long-standing benevolent and constructive relations between Russia and Italy

Russia and Italy continue to develop their relations despite the difficult external conditions, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte.

"There have been very constructive, and also benevolent, relations between Russia and your country during the recent years and decades, which are supported by almost all political forces both in Italy and in the Russian Federation," Putin said at the beginning of the meeting. "Despite the hard times today, we’ve never lost the high level of political contacts," the Russian president added.

The president also expressed regret that "Italy lost its positions on the Russian market as an economic partner to a certain extent," but stressed that the volume of the trade-economic ties of the two countries remains high. Italy is ranked sixth in the Russian foreign trade turnover, "and we have seen a stable growth of the trade turnover in the last two years," Putin said.

"We are very happy to see you, talk about the state of our relations and lay out the prospects of the development of the Italian-Russian ties in the near future and in the long run," Putin stressed.


Putin thanks Italy for helping Russian fans hurt in Rome metro escalator accident

Russian President Vladimir Putin has thanked Italy’s authorities for their assistance to Russian fans, who were injured when an escalator in a Rome metro station collapsed on Tuesday.

"I would like to convey through you the words of gratitude to the mayor of Rome and medical personnel, who are providing assistance to Russian football fans hurt during the accident in the Rome metro," Putin told Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte at their meeting in the Kremlin on Wednesday.

The escalator accident occurred at a Rome metro station ahead of the UEFA Champions League group stage match between Italy’s Roma and Russia’s CSKA on Tuesday. During the rush hour, the escalator accelerated suddenly, and then stopped. According to preliminary data, nearly 30 people were injured and 19 of them were hospitalized, most of them were Russian fans.

The official cause of the accident has not been revealed.


Conte invites Putin to visit Italy

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to pay a visit to Italy in the near future.

"I will begin our meeting with a suggestion. My wishes are as follows: I would very much like you to visit Italy in the near future," the prime minister said opening the talks with Putin in the Kremlin. "You haven’t visited us for a long time. I would not like the Italian people to get the impression that you do not pay proper attention to it," he added smiling.

Conte noted that Russia and Italy had been able to maintain the quality and volume of relations, which is a confirmation of the fact that the ties between the two countries are strong. "One of the objectives of my visit is to once again study and see how we could develop the potential of our ties and relations," he noted.

Earlier in the day, Conte had a meeting with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.

The Russian president and the Italian prime minister will also hold a meeting attended by delegation members on Wednesday and meet with the CEOs of the leading Italian enterprises. Some bilateral documents are expected to be signed as well.


Russia's security chief warns of growing terrorist activity in Siberia

Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev has noted a growing level of terror activity and a high probability of the infiltration of international terrorists in Siberia’s regions.

"The issues we will study today are also important for providing security for citizens and the state. It is caused by the growing level of terrorist activity in the region and the high probability of the infiltration of members of international terrorist organizations in Siberian regions, as well as the growth of the intensity of labor migration from the Central Asian countries," Patrushev said at a conference in Novosibirsk on Wednesday.

The Siberian Federal District launched 56 criminal cases for terror-related crimes in the nine months of 2018, he said. Russian Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative in the Siberian Federal District Sergei Menyailo noted that the number of such crimes grew by 70% compared to the same time frame last year, whereas the average level across the country dropped by 10.5%.

"The incoming information shows that facilities located in the district’s entities are in the sight of international terrorist and extremist organizations," the Security Council secretary stated.

He noted that the activity of intelligence services in light of this should be preventive and be aimed at eliminating the causes and conditions that contribute to the commitment of terror attacks.

The Security Council secretary reported that in the first half of 2018 prosecutors detected more than 9,000 violations of counter-terrorism laws in Siberia. In addition, more than one-third of facilities - mainly cultural, sports and religious facilities - and territories in the district failed to comply with the anti-terrorism security requirements, which is due, in particular, to the lack of funds in regional and local budgets, the Security Council secretary said.

 

[thorbiorn]

The story about increased terrorist activity in Siberia is also carried by rt.com Siberia in crosshair of int. terrorist groups’: Security chief warns of growing extremist activity Probably one can not rule out that some of the crashes that have happened are due to sabotage, even though some are just plain mechanical or human failures.

Here is a video of the meeting between President Vladimir Putin and Bolton

Putin comments on the white eagle logo of the US. It begins around minute 3:37