Amid the shift of the United States embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, the Kremlin has said that it feared that opening could fuel tensions in the Middle East.

The move of shifting US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem is being followed after the United States president Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The announcement was well received by Israel but was criticised by international media.&nbsp

News agency Reuters reported Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov saying that "Yes, we have such fears," when he was asked if the Kremlin was concerned the move could increase tensions in the wider region.

Meanwhile, President Trump's daughter Ivanka reached yesterday to inaugurate the US embassy on Monday evening amid high security.

Around 1,000 police officers will be positioned around the embassy for the inauguration, said spokesman Micky Rosenfeld.

The inauguration will be attended by nearly 800 guests which will be led by US Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan.

Sullivan called the embassy "a long overdue recognition of reality."

May 14th also marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of Israel.

Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov said that 'Yes, we have such fears,' when he was asked if the Kremlin was concerned the move could increase tensions in the wider region

Amid the shift of the United States embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, the Kremlin has said that it feared that opening could fuel tensions in the Middle East. The move of shifting US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem is being followed after the United States president Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The announcement was well received by Israel but was criticised by international media. News agency Reuters reported Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov saying that "Yes, we have such fears," when he was asked if the Kremlin was concerned the move could increase tensions in the wider region. Meanwhile, President Trump's daughter Ivanka reached yesterday to inaugurate the US embassy on Monday evening amid high security. Around 1,000 police officers will be positioned around the embassy for the inauguration, said spokesman Micky Rosenfeld. The inauguration will be attended by nearly 800 guests which will be led by US Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan. Sullivan called the embassy "a long overdue recognition of reality." May 14th also marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of Israel.

US Jerusalem embassy opening could fuel Middle East tensions: Kremlin

If there were any doubts about Vladimir Putin's physical fitness, these would have been dispelled as television images recorded him walking through seemingly endless corridors in the Kremlin, for his inauguration on Monday as President of Russia for the fourth time. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
The Western media snidely labelled the ceremony a coronation, noting the manner of his election, that he never stepped outside the Kremlin grounds unlike earlier, pointing to the absence of foreign VIPs. Doubtless, Putin can live with that. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
India would have been represented at the level of Ambassador Pankaj Saran at least, if not at the political level. &nbsp;Although much water has flown down the Moscow River and the Yamuna, there is recognition in either country of the diplomatic and political capital they have invested in each other. 
&nbsp; 
Putin is well aware of this, but he is perhaps the last generation of Russian leaders who are committed to the India relationship.&nbsp;Putin, says Nandan Unnikrishnan of the Observer Research Foundation, genuinely likes India and sees potential benefit for his own country in India's growth story. &nbsp;Alas, that growth story faltered somewhere down the line and even as it shows signs of reviving, Russia stumbled on the obstacle course of geopolitics. 
&nbsp; 
Before we examine that, let's look at some indicators of the India-Russia relationship in the Putin era:

<ul>
	<li>Bilateral trade is an abysmal $11 bn&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Russia's share in India's arms purchases has fallen from 79% to 62% in the last five years</li>
	<li>While Russia still tops the arms table for India, the US and Israel have moved into second and third spots and could rise further</li>
	<li>Russia's ties to China are rousing concerns in South Block that Moscow may end up as Beijing's rather shabby cousin</li>
	<li>Russia's ties with Pakistan are also growing</li>
	<li>Russia is supplying frontline weaponry to China, which could end up passing on some to its 'Iron Brother' Pakistan</li>
</ul>

&nbsp; 
Russia insists there's no problem, there's no conflict, India would like to believe but China and Pakistan represent realities that are impossible for South Block to ignore.&nbsp;Yes, Putin has authorised the sale of the S-400 missile defence system to India, also the lease of another nuclear-powered submarine knowing full well that they are for use against China. &nbsp;But he's also selling Su-35 fighter jets to China which are the equivalent of India's Su-30MKI. 
&nbsp; 
Then there's Afghanistan where Russia, China and Pakistan appear on the same side of the fence. &nbsp;Russia insists it wants to cover its flanks from radical Islam and therefore the need to open contacts with the Taliban. &nbsp;Fair enough. &nbsp;But the doubts don't go away. &nbsp;Doubts too in Moscow about India's chin wagging with the Americans and where it's going. 
&nbsp; 
So when the two sides meet there's lots to talk about. Geopolitics, as I mentioned earlier, maybe partly to blame. Russia's re-emergence as a pole in the Arab world has discomfited America. Earlier Russia's annexation of Crimea and its role in Ukraine have added to bad blood. US sanctions are biting and Russia finds itself being driven closer to China. 
&nbsp; 
India has to tread carefully through this minefield. South Block finds strategic value in the Russian connection but this is Putin's last tenure and succession issues will increasingly preoccupy him. A generational change is on the Russian horizon which means uncertainty. India will watch but is not going to wait for the new man in Moscow. It will maintain its course trusting the Russian connection will fall into place.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

India would like to believe but China and Pakistan represent realities that are impossible for South Block to ignore.

If there were any doubts about Vladimir Putin's physical fitness, these would have been dispelled as television images recorded him walking through seemingly endless corridors in the Kremlin, for his inauguration on Monday as President of Russia for the fourth time. The Western media snidely labelled the ceremony a coronation, noting the manner of his election, that he never stepped outside the Kremlin grounds unlike earlier, pointing to the absence of foreign VIPs. Doubtless, Putin can live with that. India would have been represented at the level of Ambassador Pankaj Saran at least, if not at the political level. Although much water has flown down the Moscow River and the Yamuna, there is recognition in either country of the diplomatic and political capital they have invested in each other. Putin is well aware of this, but he is perhaps the last generation of Russian leaders who are committed to the India relationship. Putin, says Nandan Unnikrishnan of the Observer Research Foundation, genuinely likes India and sees potential benefit for his own country in India's growth story. Alas, that growth story faltered somewhere down the line and even as it shows signs of reviving, Russia stumbled on the obstacle course of geopolitics. Before we examine that, let's look at some indicators of the India-Russia relationship in the Putin era: Bilateral trade is an abysmal $11 bn Russia's share in India's arms purchases has fallen from 79% to 62% in the last five years While Russia still tops the arms table for India, the US and Israel have moved into second and third spots and could rise further Russia's ties to China are rousing concerns in South Block that Moscow may end up as Beijing's rather shabby cousin Russia's ties with Pakistan are also growing Russia is supplying frontline weaponry to China, which could end up passing on some to its 'Iron Brother' Pakistan Russia insists there's no problem, there's no conflict, India would like to believe but China and Pakistan represent realities that are impossible for South Block to ignore. Yes, Putin has authorised the sale of the S-400 missile defence system to India, also the lease of another nuclear-powered submarine knowing full well that they are for use against China. But he's also selling Su-35 fighter jets to China which are the equivalent of India's Su-30MKI. Then there's Afghanistan where Russia, China and Pakistan appear on the same side of the fence. Russia insists it wants to cover its flanks from radical Islam and therefore the need to open contacts with the Taliban. Fair enough. But the doubts don't go away. Doubts too in Moscow about India's chin wagging with the Americans and where it's going. So when the two sides meet there's lots to talk about. Geopolitics, as I mentioned earlier, maybe partly to blame. Russia's re-emergence as a pole in the Arab world has discomfited America. Earlier Russia's annexation of Crimea and its role in Ukraine have added to bad blood. US sanctions are biting and Russia finds itself being driven closer to China. India has to tread carefully through this minefield. South Block finds strategic value in the Russian connection but this is Putin's last tenure and succession issues will increasingly preoccupy him. A generational change is on the Russian horizon which means uncertainty. India will watch but is not going to wait for the new man in Moscow. It will maintain its course trusting the Russian connection will fall into place. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: China a worry, India needs to reset ties with President Putin

The former Russian double agent and his daughter, who are recovering in a UK hospital from a deadly nerve agent poisoning, will be offered new identities and repatriated to the US with the help of the CIA, a media report has claimed.

Sergei and Yulia Skripal are said to no longer be in a critical condition at a hospital in Salisbury, where they have been treated since being discovered slumped on a bench in the Wiltshire town in south-west England on March 4.

British intelligence officials at MI6 have had discussions with their counterparts in the CIA about resettling the father and daughter, 'The Sunday Times' reported.

"They will be offered new identities," the newspaper quoted a senior figure from the UK political establishment as saying.

Both victims are said to be conscious and ready to help investigators with their inquiries into the nerve agent attack, which the UK government believes was masterminded by the Kremlin.

For Britain to help the pair, a senior police officer is expected to issue the Skripals with a so-called "Osman warning", a formal notification that intelligence suggests there is a real and immediate "threat to life".

They could then be placed under a witness protection programme on the basis that the pair hold key evidence about a possible motive for the attack.

That could involve moving them to a "safe house" and being given round the clock armed police protection as well as new identities.

Security sources told the newspaper that Britain would want to ensure their safety by relocating them with one of the "five eyes" countries, the UK's intelligence-sharing partnership which includes the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Yulia, 33, a Russian citizen, has reportedly rejected demands by the Russian embassy in London to offer her and her father with consular support, a move that has convinced British officials she might move to the West permanently, the report said.

While her 66-year-old father is also awake now, British officials have warned that life for the Skripals "would likely never be the same again" and that they could have injuries that would "require ongoing medical care".

Meanwhile, UK foreign secretary Boris Johnson accused Opposition Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn of being "the Kremlin's useful idiot" for refusing to blame Russia for the poison plot.

Johnson said the Labour leader was playing "Putin's game" by refusing to say "unequivocally&nbspthat the Russian state was responsible".

"There is only one thing that gives the Kremlin succour and lends false credibility to its propaganda onslaught. That is when politicians from the targeted countries join in. Sadly, I am driven to the conclusion that Jeremy Corbyn has joined this effort," he wrote in 'The Sunday Times.

A Labour party spokesperson hit back, claiming that the minister had "made a fool of himself and undermined the government" by misrepresenting the findings of the Porton Down laboratory on the source of the nerve agent.

The lab had said last week it was not the scientists' responsibility to pinpoint the origin of the military-grade Novichok but only its type, contradicting Johnson's claim that scientists were "categorical" the deadly nerve agent came from Russia.

"Jeremy Corbyn has repeatedly said the evidence points to Russia being responsible, directly or indirectly, and that the Russian authorities must be held to account on the basis of evidence," the Labour spokesperson said.

The Russian government has repeatedly denied being responsible for the poisoning of the Skripals, as diplomatic relations between Moscow and the West took a turn for the worst with a number of countries expelling Russian diplomats as a show of support for the UK.

Moscow has said it wants the UK to "engage constructively" with the request for its UK ambassador Alexander Yakovenko to hold face-to-face talks with Johnson.

But the UK Foreign Office has branded the move as a "diversionary tactic".

"Now, after failing in their attempts in the UN and international chemical weapons watchdog this week and with the victims' condition improving, they seem to be pursuing a different diversionary tactic. We will, of course, consider their request and respond in due course," a Foreign Office spokersperson said.&nbsp

The former Russian double agent and his daughter, who are recovering in a UK hospital from a deadly nerve agent poisoning, will be offered new identities and repatriated to the US with the help of the CIA

The former Russian double agent and his daughter, who are recovering in a UK hospital from a deadly nerve agent poisoning, will be offered new identities and repatriated to the US with the help of the CIA, a media report has claimed. Sergei and Yulia Skripal are said to no longer be in a critical condition at a hospital in Salisbury, where they have been treated since being discovered slumped on a bench in the Wiltshire town in south-west England on March 4. British intelligence officials at MI6 have had discussions with their counterparts in the CIA about resettling the father and daughter, 'The Sunday Times' reported. "They will be offered new identities," the newspaper quoted a senior figure from the UK political establishment as saying. Both victims are said to be conscious and ready to help investigators with their inquiries into the nerve agent attack, which the UK government believes was masterminded by the Kremlin. For Britain to help the pair, a senior police officer is expected to issue the Skripals with a so-called "Osman warning", a formal notification that intelligence suggests there is a real and immediate "threat to life". They could then be placed under a witness protection programme on the basis that the pair hold key evidence about a possible motive for the attack. That could involve moving them to a "safe house" and being given round the clock armed police protection as well as new identities. Security sources told the newspaper that Britain would want to ensure their safety by relocating them with one of the "five eyes" countries, the UK's intelligence-sharing partnership which includes the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Yulia, 33, a Russian citizen, has reportedly rejected demands by the Russian embassy in London to offer her and her father with consular support, a move that has convinced British officials she might move to the West permanently, the report said. While her 66-year-old father is also awake now, British officials have warned that life for the Skripals "would likely never be the same again" and that they could have injuries that would "require ongoing medical care". Meanwhile, UK foreign secretary Boris Johnson accused Opposition Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn of being "the Kremlin's useful idiot" for refusing to blame Russia for the poison plot. Johnson said the Labour leader was playing "Putin's game" by refusing to say "unequivocally&nbspthat the Russian state was responsible". "There is only one thing that gives the Kremlin succour and lends false credibility to its propaganda onslaught. That is when politicians from the targeted countries join in. Sadly, I am driven to the conclusion that Jeremy Corbyn has joined this effort," he wrote in 'The Sunday Times. A Labour party spokesperson hit back, claiming that the minister had "made a fool of himself and undermined the government" by misrepresenting the findings of the Porton Down laboratory on the source of the nerve agent. The lab had said last week it was not the scientists' responsibility to pinpoint the origin of the military-grade Novichok but only its type, contradicting Johnson's claim that scientists were "categorical" the deadly nerve agent came from Russia. "Jeremy Corbyn has repeatedly said the evidence points to Russia being responsible, directly or indirectly, and that the Russian authorities must be held to account on the basis of evidence," the Labour spokesperson said. The Russian government has repeatedly denied being responsible for the poisoning of the Skripals, as diplomatic relations between Moscow and the West took a turn for the worst with a number of countries expelling Russian diplomats as a show of support for the UK. Moscow has said it wants the UK to "engage constructively" with the request for its UK ambassador Alexander Yakovenko to hold face-to-face talks with Johnson. But the UK Foreign Office has branded the move as a "diversionary tactic". "Now, after failing in their attempts in the UN and international chemical weapons watchdog this week and with the victims' condition improving, they seem to be pursuing a different diversionary tactic. We will, of course, consider their request and respond in due course," a Foreign Office spokersperson said.

Poisoned Russian spy, daughter to be offered new identities: Report

As Vladimir Putin starts his fourth Kremlin term, authorities are turning up the heat on popular websites and apps ostensibly to fight terrorism but analysts say the real motive is to muzzle critics.

A move this week to block the strongly encrypted messenger Telegram, less than a month after Putins crushing poll win, marks a new stage in the crackdown launched after his previous victory in 2012.

Telegram, which has 200 million users and is ironically the go-to messaging app for top Kremlin officials, was specifically designed by Russian developers to circumvent the Kremlins security forces.

Putin has gradually brought media, primarily television, under state control since the early 2000s.

Experts say the Kremlin recognises the internet as the principal threat to its domination and one of the last refuges of free speech -- especially after it helped fuel unprecedented mass demonstrations when Putin returned to the presidency six years ago after four years as prime minister.

"The Kremlin got scared and responded with an attack on internet freedoms," said Andrei Soldatov, editor-in-chief of Agentura.Ru, a site monitoring the security services.

In the summer of 2012, Russia created a blacklist of sites showing child pornography or drug use and also those deemed to be "extremist" -- a term vague enough to include opposition activism. The professed intention of the move was to protect children from harmful content online.

Two years later, the parliament unleashed a barrage of new anti-terrorist laws, including a ruling that blogs with more than 3,000 viewers per day must face the same strict regulations as news media.

Since then, Russian and foreign internet providers have been legally obliged to store the data of their Russian users in Russia.

This led to the blocking of professional networking site LinkedIn, which did not comply.

Subsequently, new legislation citing terror threats has forced all "distributors of information" -- including boggers and even social media platform VK (formerly VKontakte), its owner Mail.Ru, and internet giant Yandex -- to retain all user data for six months and provide it to the authorities on request.

Under the latest measure imposed late last year, the authorities are able ban VPN services that allow users to bypass Russian site blocks by simulating a connection from another country.

This legislative onslaught has been widely used against the opposition, who are ignored by mainstream news media but are active online.

Rights groups have also been hit hard.

The blog and website of the main opposition figure, Alexei Navalny, have been blocked partially or completely several times over his calls for street protests or exposes of official corruption.

Sites used by the opposition organisation of former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who now lives in London, were also blocked after they were designated "undesirable" -- a new term for foreign entities that has also been used against the foundation of the US financier George Soros.

"The purpose is to spread fear, (to) make people think that the state controls everything and that you cant hide anywhere, that all data can be collected," said Sarkis Darbinyan, a lawyer and director of a digital rights centre in Moscow.

But Russia cannot simply impose a local version of Chinas "Great Firewall" cutting off all access to sites, he said.

"Unlike China, where the internet was constrained since the beginning, Russian internet started off as very free," he said.

Ultimately global players like Facebook, Twitter, Google, WhatsApp and Telegram who want to operate in Russia will have to comply with state restrictions or get blocked, he said, adding its only "a matter of time."

Navalnys anti-corruption investigations have got millions of views on YouTube and social media, and last year helped mobilise tens of thousands to take to the streets in anti-Kremlin protests. Most of the demonstrators were young people who communicate online.

Opposition figures "find new ways of working: they go over to cloud services, widely use social media such as Facebook and Twitter, and inform people how to get round blocks," said Artyom Kozlyuk, director of internet rights NGO Roskomsvoboda.

But he said he had already observed a "slow process of enslavement" among internet users with many realising "that its better not to publish anything risky so as to avoid the attention of special services and prosecutors."

Russian and foreign internet providers have been legally obliged to store the data of their Russian users in Russia

As Vladimir Putin starts his fourth Kremlin term, authorities are turning up the heat on popular websites and apps ostensibly to fight terrorism but analysts say the real motive is to muzzle critics. A move this week to block the strongly encrypted messenger Telegram, less than a month after Putins crushing poll win, marks a new stage in the crackdown launched after his previous victory in 2012. Telegram, which has 200 million users and is ironically the go-to messaging app for top Kremlin officials, was specifically designed by Russian developers to circumvent the Kremlins security forces. Putin has gradually brought media, primarily television, under state control since the early 2000s. Experts say the Kremlin recognises the internet as the principal threat to its domination and one of the last refuges of free speech -- especially after it helped fuel unprecedented mass demonstrations when Putin returned to the presidency six years ago after four years as prime minister. "The Kremlin got scared and responded with an attack on internet freedoms," said Andrei Soldatov, editor-in-chief of Agentura.Ru, a site monitoring the security services. In the summer of 2012, Russia created a blacklist of sites showing child pornography or drug use and also those deemed to be "extremist" -- a term vague enough to include opposition activism. The professed intention of the move was to protect children from harmful content online. Two years later, the parliament unleashed a barrage of new anti-terrorist laws, including a ruling that blogs with more than 3,000 viewers per day must face the same strict regulations as news media. Since then, Russian and foreign internet providers have been legally obliged to store the data of their Russian users in Russia. This led to the blocking of professional networking site LinkedIn, which did not comply. Subsequently, new legislation citing terror threats has forced all "distributors of information" -- including boggers and even social media platform VK (formerly VKontakte), its owner Mail.Ru, and internet giant Yandex -- to retain all user data for six months and provide it to the authorities on request. Under the latest measure imposed late last year, the authorities are able ban VPN services that allow users to bypass Russian site blocks by simulating a connection from another country. This legislative onslaught has been widely used against the opposition, who are ignored by mainstream news media but are active online. Rights groups have also been hit hard. The blog and website of the main opposition figure, Alexei Navalny, have been blocked partially or completely several times over his calls for street protests or exposes of official corruption. Sites used by the opposition organisation of former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who now lives in London, were also blocked after they were designated "undesirable" -- a new term for foreign entities that has also been used against the foundation of the US financier George Soros. "The purpose is to spread fear, (to) make people think that the state controls everything and that you cant hide anywhere, that all data can be collected," said Sarkis Darbinyan, a lawyer and director of a digital rights centre in Moscow. But Russia cannot simply impose a local version of Chinas "Great Firewall" cutting off all access to sites, he said. "Unlike China, where the internet was constrained since the beginning, Russian internet started off as very free," he said. Ultimately global players like Facebook, Twitter, Google, WhatsApp and Telegram who want to operate in Russia will have to comply with state restrictions or get blocked, he said, adding its only "a matter of time." Navalnys anti-corruption investigations have got millions of views on YouTube and social media, and last year helped mobilise tens of thousands to take to the streets in anti-Kremlin protests. Most of the demonstrators were young people who communicate online. Opposition figures "find new ways of working: they go over to cloud services, widely use social media such as Facebook and Twitter, and inform people how to get round blocks," said Artyom Kozlyuk, director of internet rights NGO Roskomsvoboda. But he said he had already observed a "slow process of enslavement" among internet users with many realising "that its better not to publish anything risky so as to avoid the attention of special services and prosecutors."

Kremlin cracking down on internet to muzzle critics, say experts

The planned delivery of Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile batteries to Turkey has been brought forward to July 2019, the Turkish undersecretary for defence industries said, from the first quarter of 2020.

Turkey and Russia signed the S-400 accord in December, finalising a deal which deepened military ties between NATO member Turkey and the Kremlin.

The deal, reportedly worth some $2.5 billion, has worried the West because the system cannot be integrated into NATO's military architecture.

"We brought forward the delivery date in the accord signed with Russia to provide the S-400 system and got a date of July 2019," Turkish Undersecretary for Defence Industries Ismail Demir wrote on Twitter overnight.

His comment came after the two countries' presidents held talks&nbsp;on Tuesday&nbsp;and marked the official start of work to build Turkey's $20 billion first nuclear power station at Akkuyu on its Mediterranean coast.

Turkey and Russia signed the S-400 accord in December, finalising a deal which deepened military ties between NATO member Turkey and the Kremlin

The planned delivery of Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile batteries to Turkey has been brought forward to July 2019, the Turkish undersecretary for defence industries said, from the first quarter of 2020. Turkey and Russia signed the S-400 accord in December, finalising a deal which deepened military ties between NATO member Turkey and the Kremlin. The deal, reportedly worth some $2.5 billion, has worried the West because the system cannot be integrated into NATO's military architecture. "We brought forward the delivery date in the accord signed with Russia to provide the S-400 system and got a date of July 2019," Turkish Undersecretary for Defence Industries Ismail Demir wrote on Twitter overnight. His comment came after the two countries' presidents held talks on Tuesday and marked the official start of work to build Turkey's $20 billion first nuclear power station at Akkuyu on its Mediterranean coast.

Turkey says Russian S-400 missile delivery brought forward to July 2019

Kremlin&nbsp;on Friday said that it was not Russia that unleashed diplomatic war with the West following the mass expulsion of US envoys.

New agency AFP quoted President Vladimir Putin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov telling journalists that "Russia did not unleash any diplomatic war."

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/poisoned-former-russian-spy-skripals-daughter-is-no-longer-critical-hospital-127116">Poisoned former Russian spy Skripal's daughter is no longer critical&nbsp;</a>

A Kremlin spokesman said: "Russian President Vladimir Putin still favours mending ties with other countries, despite a decision to expel scores of Western diplomats."&nbsp;

The spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said he disagreed with the US government's assessment that Russia's decision to expel 60 U.S. diplomats showed Moscow was not interested in diplomacy.

He also added,&nbsp;"Russia never initiated any exchange of sanctions."

Meanwhile, Russia expelled two Dutch diplomats over spy poisoning, Dutch envoy told Russian TASS news agency.

The <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russian-action-to-expel-60-us-diplomats-marks-further-deterioration-in-bilateral-ties-white-house-127156">White House </a>&nbsp;reacting to the mass expulsion had said that "Russia's decision to&nbsp;<a href="http://cmsuat.wionews.com/world/russia-to-expel-60-american-diplomats-close-consulate-in-st-petersburg-foreign-minister-lavrov-127144">expel 60 American diplomats and order closer to the US Consulate</a>&nbsp;in St Petersburg marks a further deterioration in bilateral ties".

Russia on Thursday announced expulsion of 60 American diplomats and decided to close the consulate in Saint Petersburg in a retaliatory move&nbsp;against coordinated moves by Britain and its allies over spy poisoning in the&nbsp;UK.

Trump administration had announced last week that it has expelled 60 Russian diplomats and decided to shutdown the consulate in Seattle.

Russian ambassador Sergey Lavrov said that the US ambassador had been informed of "retaliatory measures".

"They include the expulsion of the equivalent number of diplomats and our decision to withdraw permission for the functioning of the US consulate general in Saint Petersburg," Lavrov said.

"The measures would be reciprocal ... They include expulsion of the equivalent number of diplomats and they include our decision to withdraw our agreement to allow the United States' general consulate to operate in St. Petersburg," Lavrov added.

The Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova had earlier said the charges against Russia that it was behind the poisoning of an ex-spy in Salisbury, UK was "<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/spy-poisoning-row-charges-politically-motivated-says-russia-127094">politically motivated</a>".

"We have answered all the questions raised by UK," the Russian foreign minister had said at a press conference in Moscow.

&nbsp;

<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mwa3XoYI10s" width="560"></iframe>

President Vladimir Putin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told journalists 'Russia did not unleash any diplomatic war' adding 'Russia never initiated any exchange of sanctions'

Kremlin on Friday said that it was not Russia that unleashed diplomatic war with the West following the mass expulsion of US envoys. New agency AFP quoted President Vladimir Putin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov telling journalists that "Russia did not unleash any diplomatic war." Also read: Poisoned former Russian spy Skripal's daughter is no longer critical A Kremlin spokesman said: "Russian President Vladimir Putin still favours mending ties with other countries, despite a decision to expel scores of Western diplomats." The spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said he disagreed with the US government's assessment that Russia's decision to expel 60 U.S. diplomats showed Moscow was not interested in diplomacy. He also added, "Russia never initiated any exchange of sanctions." Meanwhile, Russia expelled two Dutch diplomats over spy poisoning, Dutch envoy told Russian TASS news agency. The White House reacting to the mass expulsion had said that "Russia's decision to expel 60 American diplomats and order closer to the US Consulate in St Petersburg marks a further deterioration in bilateral ties". Russia on Thursday announced expulsion of 60 American diplomats and decided to close the consulate in Saint Petersburg in a retaliatory move against coordinated moves by Britain and its allies over spy poisoning in the UK. Trump administration had announced last week that it has expelled 60 Russian diplomats and decided to shutdown the consulate in Seattle. Russian ambassador Sergey Lavrov said that the US ambassador had been informed of "retaliatory measures". "They include the expulsion of the equivalent number of diplomats and our decision to withdraw permission for the functioning of the US consulate general in Saint Petersburg," Lavrov said. "The measures would be reciprocal ... They include expulsion of the equivalent number of diplomats and they include our decision to withdraw our agreement to allow the United States' general consulate to operate in St. Petersburg," Lavrov added. The Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova had earlier said the charges against Russia that it was behind the poisoning of an ex-spy in Salisbury, UK was "politically motivated". "We have answered all the questions raised by UK," the Russian foreign minister had said at a press conference in Moscow.

President Putin still favours mending ties with other countries despite expulsion of diplomats: Kremlin

Britain&#39;s accusations that Moscow was behind the poisoning of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal in England &quot;border on banditry&quot;, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying by RIA news agency on Sunday.&nbsp;

&quot;We are stating that this is quite unprecedented - international affairs bordering, maybe, on banditry. What stands behind this? Is it Britain`s internal problems or the problems of Britain`s cooperation with its allies or something else Looks like this is not our business,&quot; RIA quoted Peskov as saying by RIA on an NTV programme.

Moscow has denied responsibility for the March 4 attack on Skripal and his daughter, the first known offensive use of a nerve toxin in Europe since World War Two. Britain expelled 23 Russians as a result and Moscow retaliated by ordering out the same number of Britons.

Britain expelled 23 Russians as a result and Moscow retaliated by ordering out the same number of Britons

Britain's accusations that Moscow was behind the poisoning of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal in England "border on banditry", Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying by RIA news agency on Sunday. "We are stating that this is quite unprecedented - international affairs bordering, maybe, on banditry. What stands behind this? Is it Britain`s internal problems or the problems of Britain`s cooperation with its allies or something else Looks like this is not our business," RIA quoted Peskov as saying by RIA on an NTV programme. Moscow has denied responsibility for the March 4 attack on Skripal and his daughter, the first known offensive use of a nerve toxin in Europe since World War Two. Britain expelled 23 Russians as a result and Moscow retaliated by ordering out the same number of Britons.

British accusations over Skripal poisoning 'border on banditry': Kremlin

The Kremlin said on Monday that London would either have to back up its assertions that Russia was behind the poisoning of a former spy and his daughter in Britain with evidence or apologise &quot;sooner or later.&quot;

Earlier, Kremlin said that UK&#39;s accusations that Putin ordered the Salisbury nerve agent attack were &ldquo;shocking and unforgivable&rdquo;.

Britain had accused Russia of being responsible for the use of a Soviet-era nerve agent called Novichok which was used to poison Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a conference call with reporters that Britain&#39;s allegations were &quot;difficult to explain... groundless and slanderous&quot;.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov had said repeatedly that Moscow would retaliate soon for the expulsion of 23 Russian diplomats by Theresa May.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Peskov repeated denials that Russia had ordered the attack on Sergei Skripal, a former Russian double agent, and his daughter, Yulia, in Salisbury.&nbsp;

&ldquo;Any references to our president is nothing other than shocking and unforgivable from the point of view of diplomatic behaviour,&rdquo; he said.

President Vladimir Putin on Sunday rubbished claims that Russia poisoned a former spy in Britain, on the eve of international chemical weapons experts heading to Britain to probe the attack.

&quot;It&#39;s complete drivel, rubbish, nonsense that somebody in Russia would allow themselves to do such a thing ahead of elections and the World Cup,&quot; Putin told supporters after winning a fourth term as president.

&quot;We have destroyed all chemical weapons,&quot; he added, rejecting Britain&#39;s claim that only Moscow could be behind the nerve agent attack on former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.

Putin said Russia is &quot;ready to take part in the investigation&quot;, although earlier on Sunday British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson accused the Russians of &quot;smug sarcasm and denial&quot; in response to the accusations.

Earlier, Kremlin said that UK's accusations that Putin ordered the Salisbury nerve agent attack were 'shocking and unforgivable'

The Kremlin said on Monday that London would either have to back up its assertions that Russia was behind the poisoning of a former spy and his daughter in Britain with evidence or apologise "sooner or later." Earlier, Kremlin said that UK's accusations that Putin ordered the Salisbury nerve agent attack were “shocking and unforgivable”. Britain had accused Russia of being responsible for the use of a Soviet-era nerve agent called Novichok which was used to poison Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a conference call with reporters that Britain's allegations were "difficult to explain... groundless and slanderous". Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov had said repeatedly that Moscow would retaliate soon for the expulsion of 23 Russian diplomats by Theresa May. Speaking to reporters on Friday, Peskov repeated denials that Russia had ordered the attack on Sergei Skripal, a former Russian double agent, and his daughter, Yulia, in Salisbury. “Any references to our president is nothing other than shocking and unforgivable from the point of view of diplomatic behaviour,” he said. President Vladimir Putin on Sunday rubbished claims that Russia poisoned a former spy in Britain, on the eve of international chemical weapons experts heading to Britain to probe the attack. "It's complete drivel, rubbish, nonsense that somebody in Russia would allow themselves to do such a thing ahead of elections and the World Cup," Putin told supporters after winning a fourth term as president. "We have destroyed all chemical weapons," he added, rejecting Britain's claim that only Moscow could be behind the nerve agent attack on former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia. Putin said Russia is "ready to take part in the investigation", although earlier on Sunday British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson accused the Russians of "smug sarcasm and denial" in response to the accusations.

Kremlin asks UK for evidence on spy attack allegations

In power for almost two decades, Vladimir Putin predictably won a fourth Kremlin term in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/putin-wins-fourth-term-with-739-of-vote-36284" target="_blank">Russia&#39;s presidential election</a> on Sunday, extending his long rule for another six years.

With no successor and no political competition, what are the possible scenarios when his term ends in 2024?

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/vladimir-putin-russias-post-soviet-tsar-36287" target="_blank">Vladimir Putin &mdash; Russia&#39;s post-Soviet tsar</a>

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/putin-wins-fourth-term-with-739-of-vote-36284" target="_blank">Putin wins&nbsp;</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/putin-wins-fourth-term-with-739-of-vote-36284" target="_blank">fourth</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/putin-wins-fourth-term-with-739-of-vote-36284" target="_blank">&nbsp;term with 76.67% of&nbsp;</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/putin-wins-fourth-term-with-739-of-vote-36284" target="_blank">vote</a>

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/vladimir-putin-a-brief-profile-of-the-russian-president-728" target="_blank">Vladimir Putin: A brief profile of the Russian president</a>

Leaving power&nbsp;

Without constitutional reform, Putin will not be able to run for the fifth time -- Russian law forbids serving more than two consecutive terms.

Putin, who will turn 72 in 2024, could decide to leave the Kremlin after 24 years in power, making way for a successor.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russian-president-vladimir-putin-in-10-dates-35556" target="_blank">10 key dates in Vladimir Putin&#39;s political journey</a>

Russian politics is currently dominated by infighting between rival clans of technocrats and the &quot;siloviki&quot; -- representatives of the security services and the army.&nbsp;

&quot;There is already a fight for influence,&quot; said independent analyst Nikolai Petrov. &quot;Nobody will wait passively, each group will try to promote its interests,&quot; he added.&nbsp;

In a recent interview with American TV channel NBC, Putin said he has been thinking of a potential successor since 2000.

&quot;There is no harm in thinking about it but at the end of the day it will be the Russian people who decide.&quot;&nbsp;

But in making sure no one can compete with him, no political personality is currently popular enough to succeed Putin. Many analysts say Putin leaving power in six years is unlikely.&nbsp;

Switching roles&nbsp;

One way Putin could continue ruling Russia after 2024 is to stay in power in a different role.&nbsp;

The Russian strongman could revisit his move from 2008, which saw him put forward Dmitry Medvedev as president while he himself became prime minister before returning to the Kremlin in 2012.&nbsp;

&quot;Putin may prepare the regime for a transfer of power. But not from Putin to another president but from Putin to Putin in some other role,&quot; said Petrov.&nbsp;

But memories of mass protests in Moscow when Putin switched back with Medvedev and returned to the Kremlin may put the Russian leader off this option.&nbsp;

Putin&#39;s age also makes this scenario problematic. In 2030, the next time Putin is constitutionally allowed to run for another term, he will be 78.&nbsp;

President for life&nbsp;

Putin could choose to follow China&#39;s Xi Jinping in abolishing presidential term limits, thus allowing him to remain president for life.&nbsp;

&quot;I don&#39;t think he will refuse power in 2024 even if he has had enough, he is (already) visibly tired,&quot; said political analyst Dmitry Oreshkin.&nbsp;

&quot;He can&#39;t leave because he does not believe that anyone will protect him,&quot; he added, saying that Putin has built a system in which everything depends on who is at the top.&nbsp;

So far, Putin has ruled out ruling Russia for life.&nbsp;

&quot;I never changed the constitution, especially for it to benefit me and I do not have this kind of intention today,&quot; he told NBC in March.&nbsp;

Oreshkin said Putin does not want to be remembered for changing the constitution and that if he were to remain president for life, it would be done &quot;more elegantly&quot; than in China.

Vladimir Putin, who will turn 72 in 2024, could decide to leave the Kremlin after 24 years in power, making way for a successor

In power for almost two decades, Vladimir Putin predictably won a fourth Kremlin term in Russia's presidential election on Sunday, extending his long rule for another six years. With no successor and no political competition, what are the possible scenarios when his term ends in 2024? Also read: Vladimir Putin — Russia's post-Soviet tsar Also read: Putin wins fourth term with 76.67% of vote Also read: Vladimir Putin: A brief profile of the Russian president Leaving power Without constitutional reform, Putin will not be able to run for the fifth time -- Russian law forbids serving more than two consecutive terms. Putin, who will turn 72 in 2024, could decide to leave the Kremlin after 24 years in power, making way for a successor. Also read: 10 key dates in Vladimir Putin's political journey Russian politics is currently dominated by infighting between rival clans of technocrats and the "siloviki" -- representatives of the security services and the army. "There is already a fight for influence," said independent analyst Nikolai Petrov. "Nobody will wait passively, each group will try to promote its interests," he added. In a recent interview with American TV channel NBC, Putin said he has been thinking of a potential successor since 2000. "There is no harm in thinking about it but at the end of the day it will be the Russian people who decide." But in making sure no one can compete with him, no political personality is currently popular enough to succeed Putin. Many analysts say Putin leaving power in six years is unlikely. Switching roles One way Putin could continue ruling Russia after 2024 is to stay in power in a different role. The Russian strongman could revisit his move from 2008, which saw him put forward Dmitry Medvedev as president while he himself became prime minister before returning to the Kremlin in 2012. "Putin may prepare the regime for a transfer of power. But not from Putin to another president but from Putin to Putin in some other role," said Petrov. But memories of mass protests in Moscow when Putin switched back with Medvedev and returned to the Kremlin may put the Russian leader off this option. Putin's age also makes this scenario problematic. In 2030, the next time Putin is constitutionally allowed to run for another term, he will be 78. President for life Putin could choose to follow China's Xi Jinping in abolishing presidential term limits, thus allowing him to remain president for life. "I don't think he will refuse power in 2024 even if he has had enough, he is (already) visibly tired," said political analyst Dmitry Oreshkin. "He can't leave because he does not believe that anyone will protect him," he added, saying that Putin has built a system in which everything depends on who is at the top. So far, Putin has ruled out ruling Russia for life. "I never changed the constitution, especially for it to benefit me and I do not have this kind of intention today," he told NBC in March. Oreshkin said Putin does not want to be remembered for changing the constitution and that if he were to remain president for life, it would be done "more elegantly" than in China.

Russia's Putin wins yet another term but what happens in 2024?

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny said voter turnout in the presidential election on Sunday (March 18) was lower than in 2012.

Citing data collected by activists monitoring the polls, Navalny contradicted the Russian Central Election Commission only hours ago announced some regions had exceeded turnout numbers recorded for 2012.

Opponents of Russian President Vladimir Putin alleged that voters were being compelled to show up at polling stations in a Kremlin drive to ensure Putin&#39;s likely win is not tarnished by a low turnout

Navalny, who is barred from running in the race, said his supporters monitoring the vote reported people being bussed to polling stations by their employers making the morning turnout the highest in Russian history.

In the lead up to the vote Kremlin officials privately acknowledged some voters were reluctant to show up and vote, even if they support Putin, because they believe his victory is already a foregone conclusion.

Talking to journalists in his observers&#39; headquarters on Sunday, Navalny said he was pleased so many had chosen to not vote in an election he had urged his supporters to boycott. Navalny said a decision on whether or not to hold a mass rally protesting the election will be made by Sunday evening.

Opinion polls give Putin, the incumbent, support of around 70 percent, or nearly 10 times the backing of his nearest challenger.

Another term will take him to nearly a quarter century in power - a longevity among Kremlin leaders second only to Soviet dictator Josef Stalin.

Citing data collected by activists monitoring the polls, Navalny contradicted the Russian Central Election Commission only hours ago announced some regions had exceeded turnout numbers recorded for 2012

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny said voter turnout in the presidential election on Sunday (March 18) was lower than in 2012. Citing data collected by activists monitoring the polls, Navalny contradicted the Russian Central Election Commission only hours ago announced some regions had exceeded turnout numbers recorded for 2012. Opponents of Russian President Vladimir Putin alleged that voters were being compelled to show up at polling stations in a Kremlin drive to ensure Putin's likely win is not tarnished by a low turnout Navalny, who is barred from running in the race, said his supporters monitoring the vote reported people being bussed to polling stations by their employers making the morning turnout the highest in Russian history. In the lead up to the vote Kremlin officials privately acknowledged some voters were reluctant to show up and vote, even if they support Putin, because they believe his victory is already a foregone conclusion. Talking to journalists in his observers' headquarters on Sunday, Navalny said he was pleased so many had chosen to not vote in an election he had urged his supporters to boycott. Navalny said a decision on whether or not to hold a mass rally protesting the election will be made by Sunday evening. Opinion polls give Putin, the incumbent, support of around 70 percent, or nearly 10 times the backing of his nearest challenger. Another term will take him to nearly a quarter century in power - a longevity among Kremlin leaders second only to Soviet dictator Josef Stalin.

Turnout lower than 2012 election despite Kremlin efforts - Navalny

Russia expelled 23 British diplomats on Saturday in a carefully calibrated retaliatory move against London, which has accused the Kremlin of orchestrating a nerve toxin attack on a former Russian double agent and his daughter in southern England.

Escalating a crisis in relations, Russia said it was also shutting down the activities of the British Council, which fosters cultural links between the two countries, and Britain&#39;s consulate-general in St. Petersburg.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said it was giving the 23 British diplomats one week to leave the country.

The move, which was tougher than expected, followed Britain&#39;s decision on Thursday to expel 23 Russian diplomats over the attack in the English city of Salisbury which left former Russian spy Sergei Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia Skripal, 33, critically ill in hospital.

Moscow announced the measures on the eve of a presidential election which incumbent Vladimir Putin should comfortably win. Putin has cast his country as a fortress besieged by hostile Western powers with him as its defender, and state media is likely to portray the anti-British move in that context.

The Foreign Ministry said Moscow&#39;s measures were a response to what it called Britain&#39;s &quot;provocative actions and groundless accusations&quot;. It warned London it stood ready to take further measures in the event of more &quot;unfriendly steps&quot;.

Relations between London and Moscow have crashed to a post-Cold War low over the Salisbury attack, the first known offensive use of a nerve agent in Europe since World War Two.

The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned the British ambassador, Laurie Bristow, to a meeting on Saturday morning in central Moscow at its Stalin-era headquarters during which he was informed of the retaliatory measures.

Bristow told reporters afterwards that Britain had only expelled the Russian diplomats after Moscow had failed to explain how the nerve toxin had got to Salisbury.

&quot;We will always do what is necessary to defend ourselves,&quot; the ambassador told reporters.

Britain&#39;s foreign ministry said it had anticipated Russia&#39;s response and the National Security Council would meet early next week to consider next steps.

&quot;Our priority today is looking after our staff in Russia and assisting those that will return to the UK,&quot; it said in a statement.

&quot;Russia&rsquo;s response doesn&rsquo;t change the facts of the matter - the attempted assassination of two people on British soil, for which there is no alternative conclusion other than that the Russian State was culpable.&quot;

War of words

Russia&#39;s response was more robust than expected. The closure of the British Council&#39;s Moscow office will sever cultural ties, while that of the consulate-general in St Petersburg will end Britain&#39;s diplomatic presence in Russia&#39;s second city.

Russian news agencies cited politicians in Russia&#39;s upper house of parliament as welcoming the move to close the British Council, alleging it had been used as a cover by British spies.

British lawmaker Tom Tugendhat, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, said the move to close the organisation&#39;s office would hurt the Russian people.

&quot;It&rsquo;s a great shame for the Russian people that they&rsquo;re closing the British Council which has done an awful lot to educate Russian people in the English language and to help them get jobs and opportunities around the world,&quot; he told the BBC.

Amid calls from British politicians across the spectrum to take further action against Russia, former British ambassador to Russia, Sir Roderic Lyne, told the BBC that Britain should avoid getting dragged into a prolonged show down with Russia.

&quot;I don&rsquo;t think it would be sensible to get dragged down into a mud wrestling battle with a gorilla,&quot; Lyne said.

Russia has complained that Britain has failed to provide any evidence of its involvement in the Salisbury attack and has said it is shocked and bemused by the allegations.

Britain has escalated a war of words with Russia over the incident in recent days. On Friday, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said it was overwhelmingly likely that Russian President Vladimir Putin himself had made the decision to use a military-grade nerve toxin to strike down Skripal.

Britain, the United States, Germany and France have jointly called on Russia to explain the attack, while U.S. President Donald Trump has said it looks as if the Russians were behind it.

Russia has said is open to cooperation with Britain, but has refused Britain&#39;s demands to explain how Novichok, a nerve agent developed by the Soviet military, was used against the Skripals.

Skripal, a former colonel in the GRU who betrayed dozens of Russian agents to British intelligence, and his daughter have been critically ill since March 4, when they were found unconscious on a bench.

A British policeman was also poisoned when he went to help them and remains in a serious but stable condition.

Russian investigators said on Friday they had opened a criminal investigation into the attempted murder of Yulia Skripal and offered to cooperate with British authorities.

Russia offered some cooperation to British authorities after the 2006 London murder of ex-KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko too.

Britain said the assistance in that case was not enough, and in 2016, a judge-led inquiry concluded that Putin had probably approved Litvinenko&#39;s murder, something Moscow denies.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said it was giving the 23 British diplomats one week to leave the country.

Russia expelled 23 British diplomats on Saturday in a carefully calibrated retaliatory move against London, which has accused the Kremlin of orchestrating a nerve toxin attack on a former Russian double agent and his daughter in southern England. Escalating a crisis in relations, Russia said it was also shutting down the activities of the British Council, which fosters cultural links between the two countries, and Britain's consulate-general in St. Petersburg. The Russian Foreign Ministry said it was giving the 23 British diplomats one week to leave the country. The move, which was tougher than expected, followed Britain's decision on Thursday to expel 23 Russian diplomats over the attack in the English city of Salisbury which left former Russian spy Sergei Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia Skripal, 33, critically ill in hospital. Moscow announced the measures on the eve of a presidential election which incumbent Vladimir Putin should comfortably win. Putin has cast his country as a fortress besieged by hostile Western powers with him as its defender, and state media is likely to portray the anti-British move in that context. The Foreign Ministry said Moscow's measures were a response to what it called Britain's "provocative actions and groundless accusations". It warned London it stood ready to take further measures in the event of more "unfriendly steps". Relations between London and Moscow have crashed to a post-Cold War low over the Salisbury attack, the first known offensive use of a nerve agent in Europe since World War Two. The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned the British ambassador, Laurie Bristow, to a meeting on Saturday morning in central Moscow at its Stalin-era headquarters during which he was informed of the retaliatory measures. Bristow told reporters afterwards that Britain had only expelled the Russian diplomats after Moscow had failed to explain how the nerve toxin had got to Salisbury. "We will always do what is necessary to defend ourselves," the ambassador told reporters. Britain's foreign ministry said it had anticipated Russia's response and the National Security Council would meet early next week to consider next steps. "Our priority today is looking after our staff in Russia and assisting those that will return to the UK," it said in a statement. "Russia’s response doesn’t change the facts of the matter - the attempted assassination of two people on British soil, for which there is no alternative conclusion other than that the Russian State was culpable." War of words Russia's response was more robust than expected. The closure of the British Council's Moscow office will sever cultural ties, while that of the consulate-general in St Petersburg will end Britain's diplomatic presence in Russia's second city. Russian news agencies cited politicians in Russia's upper house of parliament as welcoming the move to close the British Council, alleging it had been used as a cover by British spies. British lawmaker Tom Tugendhat, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, said the move to close the organisation's office would hurt the Russian people. "It’s a great shame for the Russian people that they’re closing the British Council which has done an awful lot to educate Russian people in the English language and to help them get jobs and opportunities around the world," he told the BBC. Amid calls from British politicians across the spectrum to take further action against Russia, former British ambassador to Russia, Sir Roderic Lyne, told the BBC that Britain should avoid getting dragged into a prolonged show down with Russia. "I don’t think it would be sensible to get dragged down into a mud wrestling battle with a gorilla," Lyne said. Russia has complained that Britain has failed to provide any evidence of its involvement in the Salisbury attack and has said it is shocked and bemused by the allegations. Britain has escalated a war of words with Russia over the incident in recent days. On Friday, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said it was overwhelmingly likely that Russian President Vladimir Putin himself had made the decision to use a military-grade nerve toxin to strike down Skripal. Britain, the United States, Germany and France have jointly called on Russia to explain the attack, while U.S. President Donald Trump has said it looks as if the Russians were behind it. Russia has said is open to cooperation with Britain, but has refused Britain's demands to explain how Novichok, a nerve agent developed by the Soviet military, was used against the Skripals. Skripal, a former colonel in the GRU who betrayed dozens of Russian agents to British intelligence, and his daughter have been critically ill since March 4, when they were found unconscious on a bench. A British policeman was also poisoned when he went to help them and remains in a serious but stable condition. Russian investigators said on Friday they had opened a criminal investigation into the attempted murder of Yulia Skripal and offered to cooperate with British authorities. Russia offered some cooperation to British authorities after the 2006 London murder of ex-KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko too. Britain said the assistance in that case was not enough, and in 2016, a judge-led inquiry concluded that Putin had probably approved Litvinenko's murder, something Moscow denies.

Russia expels 23 British diplomats as crisis over nerve toxin attack deepens

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/kremlin-furious-as-britain-blames-putin-for-ex-spy-attack-36103">Kremlin furious as Britain blames Putin for ex-spy attack</a>

Britain provoked Russia&#39;s wrath on Friday by directly implicating Vladimir Putin in the poisoning attack on an ex-double agent, with the Kremlin saying the claims were &quot;shocking and unforgivable&quot;.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/oscars-chief-being-investigated-for-sexual-harassment-report-36105">Oscars</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/oscars-chief-being-investigated-for-sexual-harassment-report-36105"> chief being investigated for sexual harassment: Report</a>

John Bailey, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the body which hands out the Oscars, is being investigated for sexual harassment, Variety reported on Friday.ntarian, experts lambast Pakistan for sheltering terrorists

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/european-parliamentarian-experts-lambast-pakistan-for-sheltering-terrorists-36107">European parliamentarian, experts lambast Pakistan for sheltering terrorists</a>

Experts and a Member of European Parliament (MEP) have shown concern over the growing extremism and terrorism in Pakistan, which are hurting not only the country but also the Western nations.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/turkish-air-strike-hits-hospital-in-syrias-afrin-monitor-medics-36110">Turkish air strike hits </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/turkish-air-strike-hits-hospital-in-syrias-afrin-monitor-medics-36110">hospital</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/turkish-air-strike-hits-hospital-in-syrias-afrin-monitor-medics-36110"> in Syria&#39;s Afrin: Monitor, medics</a>

A Turkish bombing raid struck the main hospital in the Kurdish-controlled Syrian town of Afrin, killing sixteen civilians, a monitor said.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/call-data-records-case-nawazuddin-siddiquis-lawyer-arrested-36108">Call data records case: Nawazuddin Siddiqui&#39;s lawyer arrested</a>

The Thane Crime Branch of the Mumbai Police on Friday arrested the lawyer of actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Rizwan Siddiqui, for allegedly obtaining the call data records of the actor&#39;s wife from private detectives.

&nbsp;

Kremlin furious as Britain blames Putin for ex-spy attack Britain provoked Russia's wrath on Friday by directly implicating Vladimir Putin in the poisoning attack on an ex-double agent, with the Kremlin saying the claims were "shocking and unforgivable". Oscars chief being investigated for sexual harassment: Report John Bailey, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the body which hands out the Oscars, is being investigated for sexual harassment, Variety reported on Friday.ntarian, experts lambast Pakistan for sheltering terrorists European parliamentarian, experts lambast Pakistan for sheltering terrorists Experts and a Member of European Parliament (MEP) have shown concern over the growing extremism and terrorism in Pakistan, which are hurting not only the country but also the Western nations. Turkish air strike hits hospital in Syria's Afrin: Monitor, medics A Turkish bombing raid struck the main hospital in the Kurdish-controlled Syrian town of Afrin, killing sixteen civilians, a monitor said. Call data records case: Nawazuddin Siddiqui's lawyer arrested The Thane Crime Branch of the Mumbai Police on Friday arrested the lawyer of actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Rizwan Siddiqui, for allegedly obtaining the call data records of the actor's wife from private detectives.

WION morning news brief, March 17, 2018

Russian voters are set to propel Vladimir Putin to another term as president in an election on Sunday, giving him credit for standing up for Russia against Western governments that view him as a dangerous autocrat.

Opinion polls show Putin, 65, with a commanding election lead, all but guaranteeing him another term that will take him to nearly a quarter century in power -- a longevity among Kremlin leaders second only to Josef Stalin.

The only thing that could dampen Putin&#39;s poll triumph is if voter apathy at a predictable contest leads to a low turnout, or if the minority of Russians who vocally oppose him take to the streets to protest against what they see as an undemocratic farce.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russian-president-vladimir-putin-in-10-dates-35556" target="_blank">Russian President Vladimir Putin </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russian-president-vladimir-putin-in-10-dates-35556" target="_blank">in</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russian-president-vladimir-putin-in-10-dates-35556" target="_blank"> 10 dates</a>

In an election campaign where Putin has benefited from glowing coverage on mainstream television, he has cast himself as the only person who can defend Russia&#39;s national interests in a hostile world.

&quot;We will withstand this onslaught,&quot; Svetlana Andrus, a ribbon round her neck in the colours of the Russian flag, said during a rally in Moscow in support of Putin. &quot;We will support our country and Vladimir Vladimirovich (Putin).&quot;

Putin&#39;s supporters point to Russia&#39;s military intervention in Syria and its annexation of Ukraine&#39;s Crimea region in 2014 as proof of his patriotic credentials. They say U.S. and European sanctions imposed over the Ukraine crisis are a price worth paying.

A row with Britain over allegations the Kremlin used a nerve agent to poison a Russian double agent in a sleepy English town -- denied by Moscow -- has not dented his standing.

BOYCOTT CAMPAIGN

A March 9 survey by state-run pollster VTsIOM gave Putin, who was first elected president in 2000, support of 69 percent. His nearest rival Pavel Grudinin, the Communist Party&#39;s candidate, is on just 7 percent.

Another candidate, Ksenia Sobchak, a TV presenter and family friend of Putin, has upended expectations by robustly criticising the Kremlin, but she has only 2 percent support, the same survey showed.

Kremlin officials acknowledge that Putin&#39;s dominance could turn people off voting. A low turnout would dent his legitimacy within the ruling elite, founded in part on his ability to command popular support.

In Yekaterinburg, an industrial city in the Ural mountains, unemployed 38-year-old Sergei Khaziev described the election as a &quot;circus performance which for some reason is described as elections... I won&#39;t turn out this time.&quot;

The first politician in years to challenge the Kremlin&#39;s grip on power, Alexei Navalny, is not on the ballot. He was barred because of a corruption conviction he says was fabricated by the Kremlin.

Navalny, who uses social media to whip up anger among his mainly young followers over official corruption, is pushing an election boycott.

&quot;Our boycott campaign is working,&quot; he said this week. As evidence, Navalny pointed to a drive by officials to encourage people to turn out to vote by offering discounted food at polling stations. He also said state officials were applying pressure on civil servants and students to vote.

BURDENS OF OFFICE

Though winning another term is virtually assured, governing Russia for another six years will throw up plentiful challenges.

Buffeted by lower oil prices and the effect of Western sanctions, Russia&#39;s gross domestic product expanded by only 1.5 percent last year, well below the robust growth Russians had come to expect in the earlier years of Putin&#39;s rule.

Putin has spoken of the need to revive economic growth but the steps that many economists prescribe - especially shrinking the state&#39;s role in the economy - are resisted by those in the president&#39;s circle who owe their status and wealth to the state.

His next term may also be overshadowed by uncertainty over his plans once it ends. Term limits bar him from running for another consecutive term, and Putin has said he will not change the constitution to extend his time in office.

Sources inside Russia&#39;s ruling elite say they anticipate he will repeat the manoeuvre he deployed in 2008, the last time he faced term limits, when a loyal lieutenant took over the presidency while Putin governed from behind the scenes.

If Putin, who will be 71 when his next term ends, wants a peaceful retirement, however, he will have to try to engineer a succession. That risks unleashing simmering tensions between rival groups in the ruling elite.

Voting starts in the far east of the vast Russian Federation at 8 am local time (2000 GMT on Saturday) and will roll westwards over 11 time zones, with polling booths in the Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad due to close at 1900 GMT on Sunday.

Opinion polls show Putin, 65, with a commanding election lead, all but guaranteeing him another term that will take him to nearly a quarter century in power — a longevity among Kremlin leaders second only to Josef Stalin.

Russian voters are set to propel Vladimir Putin to another term as president in an election on Sunday, giving him credit for standing up for Russia against Western governments that view him as a dangerous autocrat. Opinion polls show Putin, 65, with a commanding election lead, all but guaranteeing him another term that will take him to nearly a quarter century in power -- a longevity among Kremlin leaders second only to Josef Stalin. The only thing that could dampen Putin's poll triumph is if voter apathy at a predictable contest leads to a low turnout, or if the minority of Russians who vocally oppose him take to the streets to protest against what they see as an undemocratic farce. Also read: Russian President Vladimir Putin in 10 dates In an election campaign where Putin has benefited from glowing coverage on mainstream television, he has cast himself as the only person who can defend Russia's national interests in a hostile world. "We will withstand this onslaught," Svetlana Andrus, a ribbon round her neck in the colours of the Russian flag, said during a rally in Moscow in support of Putin. "We will support our country and Vladimir Vladimirovich (Putin)." Putin's supporters point to Russia's military intervention in Syria and its annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region in 2014 as proof of his patriotic credentials. They say U.S. and European sanctions imposed over the Ukraine crisis are a price worth paying. A row with Britain over allegations the Kremlin used a nerve agent to poison a Russian double agent in a sleepy English town -- denied by Moscow -- has not dented his standing. BOYCOTT CAMPAIGN A March 9 survey by state-run pollster VTsIOM gave Putin, who was first elected president in 2000, support of 69 percent. His nearest rival Pavel Grudinin, the Communist Party's candidate, is on just 7 percent. Another candidate, Ksenia Sobchak, a TV presenter and family friend of Putin, has upended expectations by robustly criticising the Kremlin, but she has only 2 percent support, the same survey showed. Kremlin officials acknowledge that Putin's dominance could turn people off voting. A low turnout would dent his legitimacy within the ruling elite, founded in part on his ability to command popular support. In Yekaterinburg, an industrial city in the Ural mountains, unemployed 38-year-old Sergei Khaziev described the election as a "circus performance which for some reason is described as elections... I won't turn out this time." The first politician in years to challenge the Kremlin's grip on power, Alexei Navalny, is not on the ballot. He was barred because of a corruption conviction he says was fabricated by the Kremlin. Navalny, who uses social media to whip up anger among his mainly young followers over official corruption, is pushing an election boycott. "Our boycott campaign is working," he said this week. As evidence, Navalny pointed to a drive by officials to encourage people to turn out to vote by offering discounted food at polling stations. He also said state officials were applying pressure on civil servants and students to vote. BURDENS OF OFFICE Though winning another term is virtually assured, governing Russia for another six years will throw up plentiful challenges. Buffeted by lower oil prices and the effect of Western sanctions, Russia's gross domestic product expanded by only 1.5 percent last year, well below the robust growth Russians had come to expect in the earlier years of Putin's rule. Putin has spoken of the need to revive economic growth but the steps that many economists prescribe - especially shrinking the state's role in the economy - are resisted by those in the president's circle who owe their status and wealth to the state. His next term may also be overshadowed by uncertainty over his plans once it ends. Term limits bar him from running for another consecutive term, and Putin has said he will not change the constitution to extend his time in office. Sources inside Russia's ruling elite say they anticipate he will repeat the manoeuvre he deployed in 2008, the last time he faced term limits, when a loyal lieutenant took over the presidency while Putin governed from behind the scenes. If Putin, who will be 71 when his next term ends, wants a peaceful retirement, however, he will have to try to engineer a succession. That risks unleashing simmering tensions between rival groups in the ruling elite. Voting starts in the far east of the vast Russian Federation at 8 am local time (2000 GMT on Saturday) and will roll westwards over 11 time zones, with polling booths in the Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad due to close at 1900 GMT on Sunday.

Putin rides 'Russia First' wave towards election victory

President Vladimir Putin has said in an interview that he &quot;couldn&#39;t care less&quot; if fellow Russian citizens sought to meddle in the 2016 US presidential election, insisting such efforts could not be tied to the Kremlin.

&quot;Why have you decided the Russian authorities, myself included, gave anybody permission to do this?&quot; Putin asked in the often-combative interview with NBC television released yesterday.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller is conducting a wide-ranging investigation to determine whether President Donald Trump&#39;s campaign colluded with Moscow to help elect him.

Last month Mueller indicted 13 Russian nationals and three Russian companies for allegedly backing Trump&#39;s campaign, maligning his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton and engaging in other election interference. 
&quot;So what if they&#39;re Russians?&quot; Putin said of the allegations.

&quot;There are 146 million Russians. So what?... I don&#39;t care. I couldn&#39;t care less... They do not represent the interests of the Russian state.&quot;

Mueller issued a 37-page indictment against the Russians but Putin indicated he has seen no evidence thus far that the alleged meddling broke any US law.

&quot;Are we the ones who imposed sanctions on the United States? The US imposed sanctions on us,&quot; he said.

&quot;We in Russia cannot prosecute anyone as long as they have not violated Russian law... At least send us a piece of paper... Give us a document. Give us an official request. And we&#39;ll take a look at it.&quot;

America&#39;s leading intelligence agencies concluded last year that Putin himself had directed a broad intelligence effort to influence the US election to undermine Clinton&#39;s campaign and boost Trump&#39;s chances, but Trump has repeatedly denied colluding with Moscow.

The Russian leader also rejected those assessments.

&quot;Could anyone really believe that Russia, thousands of miles away... Influenced the outcome of the election? Doesn&#39;t that sound ridiculous even to you?&quot; Putin asked.

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, when he announced the Russian indictment, said it made no judgment on whether the alleged Russian propaganda campaign altered the outcome of the election which Trump won. 
&quot;It&#39;s not our goal to interfere. We do not see what goal we would accomplish by interfering. There&#39;s no goal,&quot; Putin said.

Trump himself has repeatedly shied away from condemning Russia over the alleged meddling.

US intelligence chiefs last month said Russian attempts to meddle in US politics are continuing unabated -- and pose a threat to mid-term congressional elections in November.&nbsp;

He insisted that such efforts could not be tied to the Kremlin

President Vladimir Putin has said in an interview that he "couldn't care less" if fellow Russian citizens sought to meddle in the 2016 US presidential election, insisting such efforts could not be tied to the Kremlin. "Why have you decided the Russian authorities, myself included, gave anybody permission to do this?" Putin asked in the often-combative interview with NBC television released yesterday. Special Counsel Robert Mueller is conducting a wide-ranging investigation to determine whether President Donald Trump's campaign colluded with Moscow to help elect him. Last month Mueller indicted 13 Russian nationals and three Russian companies for allegedly backing Trump's campaign, maligning his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton and engaging in other election interference. "So what if they're Russians?" Putin said of the allegations. "There are 146 million Russians. So what?... I don't care. I couldn't care less... They do not represent the interests of the Russian state." Mueller issued a 37-page indictment against the Russians but Putin indicated he has seen no evidence thus far that the alleged meddling broke any US law. "Are we the ones who imposed sanctions on the United States? The US imposed sanctions on us," he said. "We in Russia cannot prosecute anyone as long as they have not violated Russian law... At least send us a piece of paper... Give us a document. Give us an official request. And we'll take a look at it." America's leading intelligence agencies concluded last year that Putin himself had directed a broad intelligence effort to influence the US election to undermine Clinton's campaign and boost Trump's chances, but Trump has repeatedly denied colluding with Moscow. The Russian leader also rejected those assessments. "Could anyone really believe that Russia, thousands of miles away... Influenced the outcome of the election? Doesn't that sound ridiculous even to you?" Putin asked. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, when he announced the Russian indictment, said it made no judgment on whether the alleged Russian propaganda campaign altered the outcome of the election which Trump won. "It's not our goal to interfere. We do not see what goal we would accomplish by interfering. There's no goal," Putin said. Trump himself has repeatedly shied away from condemning Russia over the alleged meddling. US intelligence chiefs last month said Russian attempts to meddle in US politics are continuing unabated -- and pose a threat to mid-term congressional elections in November.

Russia President Putin 'couldn't care less' about US election interference

A Russian transport plane crashed on landing at an airbase in Syria Tuesday, the defence ministry said, killing all 39 people on board in one of the deadliest incidents since Moscow&#39;s intervention in the country&#39;s war.

The ministry said the 33 passengers and six crew members were all military personnel, in a statement carried by news agencies, revising up an earlier toll of 32.

&quot;The reason for the crash according to preliminary information could have been a technical fault,&quot; the ministry said, adding that the plane had not come under fire according to a report from the ground.&nbsp;

The transporter was around 500 metres (yards) from the runway at the Hmeimim airbase in western Syria, according to the defence ministry.

President Vladimir Putin expressed &quot;deep condolences to the families and loved ones of those killed in the crash and also to all of the military over the loss of their comrades&quot;.&nbsp;

Putin, who is on a trip in the Urals region, spoke to Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on the phone about the accident, according to the Kremlin.

A commission will investigate the causes of the crash, the defence ministry said.

The Investigative Committee, which covers major incidents, also announced a probe into possible safety breaches, saying the plane was carrying out a planned flight.

- Red Army Choir - 
The accident is the second greatest loss of life for Russia since Moscow&#39;s intervention in the war.

In December 2016, a military plane carrying the famed Red Army Choir to Syria crashed after taking off from Sochi, killing all 92 people on board.

Moscow began conducting air strikes in Syria in September 2015, and its intervention has swung the nearly seven-year conflict firmly in favour of the forces of President Bashar al-Assad.&nbsp;

Putin made a surprise visit to Hmeimim in December where he ordered the start of a pullout of Russian troops, saying their task in the war-torn country had been largely completed.

Three battalions of military police and officers of the Russian Centre for Reconciliation would remain in Syria, as well as two Russian bases, Shoigu said on a subsequent trip.

Antonov-26 planes are used by the military in Syria for internal flights transporting troops and supplies between provinces, Kommersant business daily reported.

The planes have also been used on press tours.

&#39;Black boxes found&#39; 
The transport plane crashed and burst into flames near the highway that connects Damascus to Latakia on Tuesday, the pro-Kremlin daily newspaper Izvestiya reported, adding that the black box flight recorders had been found.

Tuesday&#39;s crash brings Russia&#39;s official military losses in the Syrian war to 84.&nbsp;

The most recent officially acknowledged military loss in battle in Syria was last month when a Russian pilot was killed after his plane was downed over Idlib province.

Russia has also acknowledged that five of its citizens were killed in a US-led coalition bombing in the eastern Deir Ezzor province on February 7, in the first admission of non-military Russian personnel killed in combat.

Moscow also said &quot;several dozen&quot; were wounded in the coalition strike.

The United States said its strike killed at least 100 regime and allied fighters and various reports indicated a death toll of up to several hundred Russians from the strike.

Russian nationals are regularly reported to be serving as paid mercenaries in Syria and taking on dangerous missions that often lead to casualties.

However, officials deny this and serving as a mercenary is illegal under Russian law. &nbsp;

Moscow&#39;s Syrian air base Hmeimim has been targeted in several attacks.

The military said that two drones carrying explosives attacked the base in January without causing any casualties.

On New Year&#39;s Eve last year, a mortar attack on the base killed two Russian soldiers.

In the most recent accident at the base, a Sukhoi military jet crashed while trying to take off in October, killing two crew members.

The defence ministry said the 33 passengers and six crew members were all military personnel, in a statement carried by news agencies, revising up an earlier toll of 32

A Russian transport plane crashed on landing at an airbase in Syria Tuesday, the defence ministry said, killing all 39 people on board in one of the deadliest incidents since Moscow's intervention in the country's war. The ministry said the 33 passengers and six crew members were all military personnel, in a statement carried by news agencies, revising up an earlier toll of 32. "The reason for the crash according to preliminary information could have been a technical fault," the ministry said, adding that the plane had not come under fire according to a report from the ground. The transporter was around 500 metres (yards) from the runway at the Hmeimim airbase in western Syria, according to the defence ministry. President Vladimir Putin expressed "deep condolences to the families and loved ones of those killed in the crash and also to all of the military over the loss of their comrades". Putin, who is on a trip in the Urals region, spoke to Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on the phone about the accident, according to the Kremlin. A commission will investigate the causes of the crash, the defence ministry said. The Investigative Committee, which covers major incidents, also announced a probe into possible safety breaches, saying the plane was carrying out a planned flight. - Red Army Choir - The accident is the second greatest loss of life for Russia since Moscow's intervention in the war. In December 2016, a military plane carrying the famed Red Army Choir to Syria crashed after taking off from Sochi, killing all 92 people on board. Moscow began conducting air strikes in Syria in September 2015, and its intervention has swung the nearly seven-year conflict firmly in favour of the forces of President Bashar al-Assad. Putin made a surprise visit to Hmeimim in December where he ordered the start of a pullout of Russian troops, saying their task in the war-torn country had been largely completed. Three battalions of military police and officers of the Russian Centre for Reconciliation would remain in Syria, as well as two Russian bases, Shoigu said on a subsequent trip. Antonov-26 planes are used by the military in Syria for internal flights transporting troops and supplies between provinces, Kommersant business daily reported. The planes have also been used on press tours. 'Black boxes found' The transport plane crashed and burst into flames near the highway that connects Damascus to Latakia on Tuesday, the pro-Kremlin daily newspaper Izvestiya reported, adding that the black box flight recorders had been found. Tuesday's crash brings Russia's official military losses in the Syrian war to 84. The most recent officially acknowledged military loss in battle in Syria was last month when a Russian pilot was killed after his plane was downed over Idlib province. Russia has also acknowledged that five of its citizens were killed in a US-led coalition bombing in the eastern Deir Ezzor province on February 7, in the first admission of non-military Russian personnel killed in combat. Moscow also said "several dozen" were wounded in the coalition strike. The United States said its strike killed at least 100 regime and allied fighters and various reports indicated a death toll of up to several hundred Russians from the strike. Russian nationals are regularly reported to be serving as paid mercenaries in Syria and taking on dangerous missions that often lead to casualties. However, officials deny this and serving as a mercenary is illegal under Russian law. Moscow's Syrian air base Hmeimim has been targeted in several attacks. The military said that two drones carrying explosives attacked the base in January without causing any casualties. On New Year's Eve last year, a mortar attack on the base killed two Russian soldiers. In the most recent accident at the base, a Sukhoi military jet crashed while trying to take off in October, killing two crew members.

39 dead in Russian plane crash at Syria base: Kremlin

The Kremlin on Friday rejected US allegation that Russia violated its treaty obligations. The Trump administration had previously accused the Putin regime to have been developing destabilising weapons system for nearly a decade.&nbsp;

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders on Thursday noted the same shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced an array of new nuclear weapons.

Putin announced that the new weapons system could hit almost any point in the world and is capable of evading a US-built missile shield.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied any breach of international arms control pacts by Russia.&nbsp;

&quot;Russia does not plan to get dragged into any arms race,&quot; said Peskov.&nbsp;

(With inputs from Reuters)&nbsp;

Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied any breach of international arms control pacts by Russia

The Kremlin on Friday rejected US allegation that Russia violated its treaty obligations. The Trump administration had previously accused the Putin regime to have been developing destabilising weapons system for nearly a decade. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders on Thursday noted the same shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced an array of new nuclear weapons. Putin announced that the new weapons system could hit almost any point in the world and is capable of evading a US-built missile shield. Meanwhile, Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied any breach of international arms control pacts by Russia. "Russia does not plan to get dragged into any arms race," said Peskov. (With inputs from Reuters)

Russia does not plan to get dragged into any arms race: Spokesperson

The United States on Thursday accused Moscow of openly breaching Cold War-era treaties by developing what Russian President Vladimir Putin called a new generation of &quot;invincible&quot; hypersonic weapons and submarines.

Putin unveiled the new arsenal earlier Thursday in a state of the nation address, challenging Washington to a new arms race ahead of a presidential election that will all but certainly confirm his grip on power.

Putin left his usual Kremlin perch to this year speak from a nearby exhibition centre -- allowing him to show a series of video montages of missiles crossing mountains and oceans, heading over the Atlantic before striking the US eastern seaboard.

He quoted a speech he gave in 2004, vowing that Russia would develop a new generation of weaponry, a promise that he said he has now fulfilled.

&quot;No one really wanted to talk to us basically. No one listened to us then. Listen to us now,&quot; Putin said, prompting a standing ovation from the audience of top officials, lawmakers and celebrities.

He presented Russia&#39;s military efforts as a response to recent actions by the United States, which last month unveiled plans to revamp its own nuclear arsenal and develop new low-yield atomic weapons.

&#39;Cheesy&#39; attack video 

The State Department expressed outrage at Putin&#39;s presentation and his &quot;cheesy&quot; animated video of warheads over US soil -- and said the Russian leader had confirmed long-held allegations about his program.

&quot;It was certainly unfortunate to have watched the video animation that depicted a nuclear attack on the United States,&quot; spokeswoman Heather Nauert told reporters.

&quot;That&#39;s something that we certainly didn&#39;t enjoy watching. We don&#39;t regard that as the behaviour of a responsible international player,&quot; she added.

&quot;President Putin has confirmed what the United States government has known for a long time but that Russia has denied prior to this,&quot; she added.

&quot;Russia has been developing destabilizing weapons systems for more than a decade in direct violation of its treaty obligations.&quot;

Specifically, Nauert said that Moscow had proven itself in violation of the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), through its development of ground-launched cruise missiles.

The Pentagon reacted with more equanimity, with a spokesman insisting that the US military remains &quot;fully prepared&quot; to react to &quot;anything that comes our way.&quot; &nbsp;

The United States has long accused Russia of breaching the INF treaty and, while it is modernizing its own nuclear arsenal, says that it remains in compliance with the terms of the Cold War accord.

The spat came as relations between the powers lie frozen at levels not seen since the Cold War over the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria and accusations that Moscow interfered in the US presidential election in 2016.

Also Thursday, the US formally approved the sale of Javelin anti-tank missiles to Ukraine, which is fighting a Russian-backed insurgency in the east of the country.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency said Ukraine has asked President Donald Trump&#39;s US administration for permission to buy 210 missiles and 37 launchers at a cost of around $47 million

&#39;Fantastic&#39; submarines&nbsp;

In a speech that ran almost two hours, Putin showed tests of a new missile system that he said could fly at 20 times the speed of sound and manoeuvre up and down and is not owned by any other country.&nbsp;

&quot;This makes it absolutely invincible for any forms of air and missile defence,&quot; he boasted, calling it an &quot;ideal weapon.&quot;

Russia has also developed unmanned underwater devices that move much faster than submarines and torpedoes and can carry nuclear warheads, Putin said, adding: &quot;It&#39;s just fantastic!&quot;

Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu later said Russian arms would be able to &quot;overcome all existing anti-missile systems&quot; such as those the US intends to deploy in eastern Europe and South Korea.

&quot;This anti-missile &#39;umbrella&#39; turns out to be a bit &#39;leaky&#39;,&quot; he said in comments released by his ministry.

Putin, who has led Russia for almost two decades and is seeking in the March 18 election a historic fourth Kremlin term that would extend his rule to 2024, also laid out a number of domestic measures in the speech.

Putin has refused to take part in TV debates with other candidates, but the address suggested cutting poverty and improving the environment would be among the top goals of his expected new six-year term.

- &#39;Unacceptable&#39; poverty - 
The 65-year-old vowed to cut the country&#39;s &quot;unacceptable&quot; poverty rate in half over six years but said 22 million fewer Russians were now living below the poverty line than when he was first elected president.

Putin, who coughed throughout the speech and was forced to pause to drink, was given an ecstatic reception in the hall during the televised address but some online comments were less complimentary.

&quot;The old man only perked up when he was talking about how he can destroy the world. A moment of truth!&quot; former Kremlin advisor Gleb Pavlovsky said on social media.

Despite Putin&#39;s campaign promises when he returned to the Kremlin in 2012 after four years as prime minister, his last term was marked by a fall in living standards and Russia&#39;s international isolation.

Boosted by a slavish media and foreign military adventures such as the annexation of Crimea in 2014, his approval rating remains sky-high and official polls suggest he will take almost 70 percent of the vote on March 18.

Putin unveiled the new arsenal earlier Thursday in a state of the nation address, challenging Washington to a new arms race ahead of a presidential election that will all but certainly confirm his grip on power.

The United States on Thursday accused Moscow of openly breaching Cold War-era treaties by developing what Russian President Vladimir Putin called a new generation of "invincible" hypersonic weapons and submarines. Putin unveiled the new arsenal earlier Thursday in a state of the nation address, challenging Washington to a new arms race ahead of a presidential election that will all but certainly confirm his grip on power. Putin left his usual Kremlin perch to this year speak from a nearby exhibition centre -- allowing him to show a series of video montages of missiles crossing mountains and oceans, heading over the Atlantic before striking the US eastern seaboard. He quoted a speech he gave in 2004, vowing that Russia would develop a new generation of weaponry, a promise that he said he has now fulfilled. "No one really wanted to talk to us basically. No one listened to us then. Listen to us now," Putin said, prompting a standing ovation from the audience of top officials, lawmakers and celebrities. He presented Russia's military efforts as a response to recent actions by the United States, which last month unveiled plans to revamp its own nuclear arsenal and develop new low-yield atomic weapons. 'Cheesy' attack video The State Department expressed outrage at Putin's presentation and his "cheesy" animated video of warheads over US soil -- and said the Russian leader had confirmed long-held allegations about his program. "It was certainly unfortunate to have watched the video animation that depicted a nuclear attack on the United States," spokeswoman Heather Nauert told reporters. "That's something that we certainly didn't enjoy watching. We don't regard that as the behaviour of a responsible international player," she added. "President Putin has confirmed what the United States government has known for a long time but that Russia has denied prior to this," she added. "Russia has been developing destabilizing weapons systems for more than a decade in direct violation of its treaty obligations." Specifically, Nauert said that Moscow had proven itself in violation of the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), through its development of ground-launched cruise missiles. The Pentagon reacted with more equanimity, with a spokesman insisting that the US military remains "fully prepared" to react to "anything that comes our way." The United States has long accused Russia of breaching the INF treaty and, while it is modernizing its own nuclear arsenal, says that it remains in compliance with the terms of the Cold War accord. The spat came as relations between the powers lie frozen at levels not seen since the Cold War over the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria and accusations that Moscow interfered in the US presidential election in 2016. Also Thursday, the US formally approved the sale of Javelin anti-tank missiles to Ukraine, which is fighting a Russian-backed insurgency in the east of the country. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency said Ukraine has asked President Donald Trump's US administration for permission to buy 210 missiles and 37 launchers at a cost of around $47 million 'Fantastic' submarines In a speech that ran almost two hours, Putin showed tests of a new missile system that he said could fly at 20 times the speed of sound and manoeuvre up and down and is not owned by any other country. "This makes it absolutely invincible for any forms of air and missile defence," he boasted, calling it an "ideal weapon." Russia has also developed unmanned underwater devices that move much faster than submarines and torpedoes and can carry nuclear warheads, Putin said, adding: "It's just fantastic!" Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu later said Russian arms would be able to "overcome all existing anti-missile systems" such as those the US intends to deploy in eastern Europe and South Korea. "This anti-missile 'umbrella' turns out to be a bit 'leaky'," he said in comments released by his ministry. Putin, who has led Russia for almost two decades and is seeking in the March 18 election a historic fourth Kremlin term that would extend his rule to 2024, also laid out a number of domestic measures in the speech. Putin has refused to take part in TV debates with other candidates, but the address suggested cutting poverty and improving the environment would be among the top goals of his expected new six-year term. - 'Unacceptable' poverty - The 65-year-old vowed to cut the country's "unacceptable" poverty rate in half over six years but said 22 million fewer Russians were now living below the poverty line than when he was first elected president. Putin, who coughed throughout the speech and was forced to pause to drink, was given an ecstatic reception in the hall during the televised address but some online comments were less complimentary. "The old man only perked up when he was talking about how he can destroy the world. A moment of truth!" former Kremlin advisor Gleb Pavlovsky said on social media. Despite Putin's campaign promises when he returned to the Kremlin in 2012 after four years as prime minister, his last term was marked by a fall in living standards and Russia's international isolation. Boosted by a slavish media and foreign military adventures such as the annexation of Crimea in 2014, his approval rating remains sky-high and official polls suggest he will take almost 70 percent of the vote on March 18.

US accuses Russia of breaching treaties with 'invincible' weapons

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday (January 30) that a US&nbsp;report on people close to the Kremlin might damage the image of Russian firms, businessmen and officials and that everyone in it had been de facto labelled an enemy of the United States.

The US&nbsp;Treasury Department named major Russian businessmen including the heads of the two biggest banks, metals magnates and the boss of the state gas monopoly on a list of oligarchs close to the Kremlin.

&quot;Publication of such a wide list of everything and everyone could potentially damage the image and reputation of our firms, our businessmen, our politicians, and of members of the leadership,&quot; said Peskov.

He said Russia would analyse the US&nbsp;report before drawing further conclusions and said the report was unprecedented.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that a US report on people close to the Kremlin might damage the image of Russian firms, businessmen and officials

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday (January 30) that a US report on people close to the Kremlin might damage the image of Russian firms, businessmen and officials and that everyone in it had been de facto labelled an enemy of the United States. The US Treasury Department named major Russian businessmen including the heads of the two biggest banks, metals magnates and the boss of the state gas monopoly on a list of oligarchs close to the Kremlin. "Publication of such a wide list of everything and everyone could potentially damage the image and reputation of our firms, our businessmen, our politicians, and of members of the leadership," said Peskov. He said Russia would analyse the US report before drawing further conclusions and said the report was unprecedented.

US 'oligarch list' may damage image of Russian firms: Kremlin

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-government-to-move-supreme-court-seeking-temporary-ban-on-sealing-drive-31227">Delhi government to move Supreme court to seek &#39;temporary ban&#39; on sealing drive</a>

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said today his government will move to the Supreme Court seeking a &quot;temporary ban&quot; on the ongoing sealing drive in Delhi, after his meeting with BJP leaders on the issue ended in hostility.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-oligarch-list-may-damage-image-of-russian-firms-kremlin-31224">US &#39;oligarch list&#39; may damage image of Russian firms: Kremlin</a>

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday (January 30) that a US report on people close to the Kremlin might damage the image of Russian firms, businessmen and officials and that everyone in it had been de facto labelled an enemy of the United States.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/icc-u-19-world-cup-2018-india-trounces-pakistan-to-enter-finals-31174">ICC U-19 World Cup 2018: India trounces Pakistan to enter finals</a>

A massive victory for team India, as they trounced Pakistan by 203 runs in the semifinals. Now, India will face Australia in the finals of ICC U-19 World Cup.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/puerto-rice-to-allow-adoption-for-non-married-couples-31213">Puerto Rico to allow adoption for non-married couples</a>

Puerto Rico passed a law that will now allow non-married couples to adopt children in the socially conservative US territory.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/china-has-bigger-footprint-than-russia-for-covert-activities-cia-chief-pompeo-31207">China has bigger footprint than Russia for covert activities: CIA chief Pompeo</a>

In a freewheeling interview with the BBC, Central Intelligence Agency(CIA) director Mike Pompeo said China has much &quot;bigger footprint&quot; to carry out covert activities than Russia.

Delhi government to move Supreme court to seek 'temporary ban' on sealing drive Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said today his government will move to the Supreme Court seeking a "temporary ban" on the ongoing sealing drive in Delhi, after his meeting with BJP leaders on the issue ended in hostility. US 'oligarch list' may damage image of Russian firms: Kremlin Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday (January 30) that a US report on people close to the Kremlin might damage the image of Russian firms, businessmen and officials and that everyone in it had been de facto labelled an enemy of the United States. ICC U-19 World Cup 2018: India trounces Pakistan to enter finals A massive victory for team India, as they trounced Pakistan by 203 runs in the semifinals. Now, India will face Australia in the finals of ICC U-19 World Cup. Puerto Rico to allow adoption for non-married couples Puerto Rico passed a law that will now allow non-married couples to adopt children in the socially conservative US territory. China has bigger footprint than Russia for covert activities: CIA chief Pompeo In a freewheeling interview with the BBC, Central Intelligence Agency(CIA) director Mike Pompeo said China has much "bigger footprint" to carry out covert activities than Russia.

WION Evening News Brief, January 30, 2018

Russian President Vladimir Putin called for &quot;pragmatic cooperation&quot; in his New Year wishes to US President Donald Trump, the Kremlin said on Saturday.&nbsp;

In a statement on the Russian president&#39;s New Year wishes to world leaders, the Kremlin said Putin told Trump that &quot;a constructive Russian-American dialogue is especially needed to strengthen strategic stability in the world&quot;.&nbsp;

According to the statement, Putin said that &quot;mutual respect&quot; should be &quot;a base to develop relations&quot; between the two countries.&nbsp;

&quot;This would allow us to move towards building pragmatic cooperation, orientated on the long term,&quot; the statement quoted Putin as saying.&nbsp;

The Russian president also sent messages to other heads of state, including the leaders of former Soviet countries, France&#39;s Emmanuel Macron, Germany&#39;s Angela Merkel and Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad.&nbsp;

In his wishes to the Syrian leader, with whom he met with during a surprise visit to Russia&#39;s Syrian air base Hmeimim earlier this month, Putin &quot;expressed sincere hope that key changes for the better will continue in Syria in the new year&quot;.&nbsp;

The statement added that Putin told Assad &quot;Russia will continue to show all kind of support to the Syrian Arab Republic in order to protect its state sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity&quot;.&nbsp;

Russia became involved in the Syrian conflict in September 2015, when it began an aerial campaign in support of Assad&#39;s military. Putin ordered a partial withdrawal of the Russian army from Syria earlier this month.&nbsp;

The Kremlin said Putin told Trump that 'a constructive Russian-American dialogue is especially needed to strengthen strategic stability in the world'

Russian President Vladimir Putin called for "pragmatic cooperation" in his New Year wishes to US President Donald Trump, the Kremlin said on Saturday. In a statement on the Russian president's New Year wishes to world leaders, the Kremlin said Putin told Trump that "a constructive Russian-American dialogue is especially needed to strengthen strategic stability in the world". According to the statement, Putin said that "mutual respect" should be "a base to develop relations" between the two countries. "This would allow us to move towards building pragmatic cooperation, orientated on the long term," the statement quoted Putin as saying. The Russian president also sent messages to other heads of state, including the leaders of former Soviet countries, France's Emmanuel Macron, Germany's Angela Merkel and Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad. In his wishes to the Syrian leader, with whom he met with during a surprise visit to Russia's Syrian air base Hmeimim earlier this month, Putin "expressed sincere hope that key changes for the better will continue in Syria in the new year". The statement added that Putin told Assad "Russia will continue to show all kind of support to the Syrian Arab Republic in order to protect its state sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity". Russia became involved in the Syrian conflict in September 2015, when it began an aerial campaign in support of Assad's military. Putin ordered a partial withdrawal of the Russian army from Syria earlier this month.

Putin calls for 'pragmatic cooperation' in New Year wishes to Trump

Opposition leader Alexei Navalny announced on Wednesday a series of rallies across Russia in January to press home his call for a boycott of next year&#39;s presidential election, a move likely to draw a sharp response from the Kremlin and police.

Navalny unveiled his plan hours after President Vladimir Putin, who polls suggest is a shoo-in for re-election, registered his candidacy at the central election commission ahead of the March 18 vote.

The commission ruled on Monday that Navalny was not eligible to run against Putin due to a suspended prison sentence.

A furious Navalny, who says the sentence was part of a fabricated case designed to thwart his political ambitions, responded by calling for an election boycott. That prompted the Kremlin to demand an investigation to determine whether his statement broke the law.

On Wednesday, Navalny upped the ante, saying he and his supporters would organise nationwide rallies on Jan. 28 in 85 towns and cities, including Moscow and St Petersburg, to support his call for an election boycott.

&quot;We refuse to call the reappointment of Putin an election,&quot; Navalny said in a statement on his website.

&quot;We are not going to vote and will convince everyone around us not to vote. We are going to campaign (for a boycott) with all our might.&quot;

Turnout

A boycott could pose a problem for the Kremlin which is keen to ensure a high turnout in the election to help confer legitimacy on Putin&#39;s expected victory amid some signs of apathy among voters.

Under Russian law, the time and place of rallies must be agreed with the authorities who have often declined to authorise them in the past, citing conflicting events or security concerns. When the opposition has gone ahead anyway, the police have broken up rallies by force and detained attendees.

Polls show that Putin, who has led Russia for 18 years as either president or prime minister, is on course to comfortably win another six-year term, allowing him to rule until 2024, when he&#39;ll turn 72.

The former KGB officer is running as an independent, a move seen as a way of strengthening his image as a &quot;father of the nation&quot; rather than as a party political figure.

The ruling United Russia party, which he once led and which controls three quarters of seats in the lower house of parliament, has said it will support him, as will Just Russia, a pro-government centre-left group.

Allies laud Putin for restoring national pride and expanding Moscow&#39;s global clout with interventions in Syria and Ukraine.

But Navalny says Putin has been in power too long and that his support is artificially maintained by a biased state media and an unfair system which excludes genuine opponents.

Navalny has made a name for himself by successfully leveraging social media and conducting high profile corruption investigations into senior officials. He has also organised some of the biggest anti-government protests in years.

Opinion polls, whose accuracy Navalny dismisses, put his support in single digits while giving Putin an approval rating of around 80 percent.

Opposition leader Alexei Navalny announced on Wednesday a series of rallies across Russia in January to press home his call for a boycott of next year's presidential election, a move likely to draw a sharp response from the Kremlin and police.

Opposition leader Alexei Navalny announced on Wednesday a series of rallies across Russia in January to press home his call for a boycott of next year's presidential election, a move likely to draw a sharp response from the Kremlin and police. Navalny unveiled his plan hours after President Vladimir Putin, who polls suggest is a shoo-in for re-election, registered his candidacy at the central election commission ahead of the March 18 vote. The commission ruled on Monday that Navalny was not eligible to run against Putin due to a suspended prison sentence. A furious Navalny, who says the sentence was part of a fabricated case designed to thwart his political ambitions, responded by calling for an election boycott. That prompted the Kremlin to demand an investigation to determine whether his statement broke the law. On Wednesday, Navalny upped the ante, saying he and his supporters would organise nationwide rallies on Jan. 28 in 85 towns and cities, including Moscow and St Petersburg, to support his call for an election boycott. "We refuse to call the reappointment of Putin an election," Navalny said in a statement on his website. "We are not going to vote and will convince everyone around us not to vote. We are going to campaign (for a boycott) with all our might." Turnout A boycott could pose a problem for the Kremlin which is keen to ensure a high turnout in the election to help confer legitimacy on Putin's expected victory amid some signs of apathy among voters. Under Russian law, the time and place of rallies must be agreed with the authorities who have often declined to authorise them in the past, citing conflicting events or security concerns. When the opposition has gone ahead anyway, the police have broken up rallies by force and detained attendees. Polls show that Putin, who has led Russia for 18 years as either president or prime minister, is on course to comfortably win another six-year term, allowing him to rule until 2024, when he'll turn 72. The former KGB officer is running as an independent, a move seen as a way of strengthening his image as a "father of the nation" rather than as a party political figure. The ruling United Russia party, which he once led and which controls three quarters of seats in the lower house of parliament, has said it will support him, as will Just Russia, a pro-government centre-left group. Allies laud Putin for restoring national pride and expanding Moscow's global clout with interventions in Syria and Ukraine. But Navalny says Putin has been in power too long and that his support is artificially maintained by a biased state media and an unfair system which excludes genuine opponents. Navalny has made a name for himself by successfully leveraging social media and conducting high profile corruption investigations into senior officials. He has also organised some of the biggest anti-government protests in years. Opinion polls, whose accuracy Navalny dismisses, put his support in single digits while giving Putin an approval rating of around 80 percent.

After polls suggest Putin shoo-in for re-election, Oppn leader calls election boycott rallies

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that he would seek a new term in office as an independent candidate.&nbsp;

Russia goes to the polls in March.&nbsp;

Putin added that he was hoping for support from more than one party.&nbsp;

Reuters reported Putin, 65, as telling an annual news conference that Russia&#39;s political system must be competitive but that the opposition lacked a strong candidate to challenge him because his opponents, while creating a lot of noise, had very little to offer the nation.

He said he was hoping for support from more than one party

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that he would seek a new term in office as an independent candidate. Russia goes to the polls in March. Putin added that he was hoping for support from more than one party. Reuters reported Putin, 65, as telling an annual news conference that Russia's political system must be competitive but that the opposition lacked a strong candidate to challenge him because his opponents, while creating a lot of noise, had very little to offer the nation.

Putin says will seek new term, as independent candidate

There has to date been no confirmation from any Russian government agencies that there was an incident on Russian soil that could have caused raised levels of pollution from a radioactive isotope, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.

Russia&rsquo;s meteorological service said on Tuesday it had measured pollution of the ruthenium 106 isotope at nearly 1,000 times normal levels in the Ural mountains.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russia-denies-nuclear-incident-after-contamination-reports-24768" target="_blank">Also read: Russia denies nuclear leak after reports of radioactive pollution</a>

Russia?s meteorological service said Tuesday it had measured pollution of the ruthenium 106 isotope at nearly 1,000 times normal levels in the Ural mountains

There has to date been no confirmation from any Russian government agencies that there was an incident on Russian soil that could have caused raised levels of pollution from a radioactive isotope, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday. Russia’s meteorological service said on Tuesday it had measured pollution of the ruthenium 106 isotope at nearly 1,000 times normal levels in the Ural mountains. Also read: Russia denies nuclear leak after reports of radioactive pollution

No proof that Russia was source of radioactive pollution, says Kremlin

The Kremlin said on Thursday that a possible meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump in Vietnam this week was still under discussion, but that nothing had yet been agreed.

Russian news agencies cited Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov earlier on Thursday as saying that the two leaders would meet on Friday at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Vietnam.

But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a conference call with reporters that the time, place and format of such a meeting was still being discussed and that a Friday meeting was only a possibility.

&quot;As for the content of the meeting, there is no agreed agenda,&quot; said Peskov.

Given that both Trump and Putin will attend the APEC summit, Peskov said that their paths would cross one way or another.

Russian news agencies cited Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov earlier on Thursday as saying that the two leaders would meet on Friday at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Vietnam.

The Kremlin said on Thursday that a possible meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump in Vietnam this week was still under discussion, but that nothing had yet been agreed. Russian news agencies cited Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov earlier on Thursday as saying that the two leaders would meet on Friday at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Vietnam. But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a conference call with reporters that the time, place and format of such a meeting was still being discussed and that a Friday meeting was only a possibility. "As for the content of the meeting, there is no agreed agenda," said Peskov. Given that both Trump and Putin will attend the APEC summit, Peskov said that their paths would cross one way or another.

Possible Putin-Trump meeting in Vietnam still under discussion: Kremlin

For a man who&nbsp;brags about his wealth&nbsp;Donald Trump has gone to great lengths to keep his financial&nbsp;status an absolute secret. Every presidential candidate for the last 40 years has published their tax returns. Trump has refused, over and over, and he and his team have repeatedly&nbsp;<a href="http://www.vox.com/2017/1/22/14351062/kellyanne-conway-trump-tax-returns">lied </a>about the reason for doing so (<a href="https://www.rawstory.com/2016/08/watch-eric-trump-flail-wildly-as-he-tries-to-explain-why-his-dad-wont-release-tax-returns/" target="_blank">his son Erik said, essentially, releasing his tax returns was inadvisable because it would&nbsp;subject them&nbsp;to public scrutiny</a>).

Donald Trump asked&nbsp;a foreign government to hack into an American politicians private emails&nbsp;on live TV&nbsp;before&nbsp;millions of people during the presidential debate, but publish one page of his&nbsp;tax return&nbsp;he threatens to sue.&nbsp;When nearly forced to prove his wealth, Trump has repeatedly declined.

While Trump did publish a&nbsp;financial disclosure form, required by law,<a href="http://thepoliticus.com/content/bombshell-trump-lied-his-financial-disclosures-has-massive-debt"> he made an immense lie</a>: The document reveals that companies he owns are $300&nbsp;million in debt, but actually a&nbsp;New York Times investigation&nbsp;determined that in reality this figure is more than twice as large, at $650 million. He is beholden&nbsp;to a wide range of financial backers, including ones he has criticised publicly.&nbsp;

Who funds Donald Trump, and what does this mean?

&nbsp;

A brief look at his Deutsche Bank history

To understand Trump, follow the money. This is inherently difficult, because Trump goes to enormous&nbsp;lengths to keep his money secret&nbsp;despite projecting&nbsp;the image of a&nbsp;self-made billionaire&nbsp;enriched&nbsp;by savvy&nbsp;deal-making.&nbsp;Really, his father was a New York real estate tycoon, handy when starting out, and for more than a&nbsp;decade Donald received money for&nbsp;putting his name on stuff <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/steveolenski/2015/11/24/donald-trumps-real-secret-to-riches-create-a-brand-and-license-it/#3fef3d0e26e7">other people produce</a>.

But what we do know about&nbsp;his finance&nbsp;tells us important something, and puts into sharp relief the importance of what we do not know.

American banks stopped lending money to Donald Trump in the late 1980s and early &#39;90s, around the time he declared $900 million in losses as <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/12/nyregion/donald-trump-atlantic-city.html" target="_blank">Trump casino-related businesses kept&nbsp;going bankrupt.</a> American banks considered him a major liability.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>On December 23, a few weeks before Trump was to enter the White House,&nbsp;Deutsche Bank settled,&nbsp;managing&nbsp;to cut&nbsp;the threatened $14 billion penalty roughly in half to&nbsp;$7.2 billion. Just yesterday, Deutsche Bank was fined another $690 million for its role in a &ldquo;mirror trade&quot;&nbsp;scam that laundered&nbsp;$10 billion, illegally moving the money outside of Russia.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=On December 23, a few weeks before Trump was to enter the White House,?Deutsche Bank settled,?managing?to cut?the threatened $14 billion penalty roughly in half to?$7.2 billion. 


Just yesterday, Deutsche Bank was fined another $690 million for its role in a ?mirror trade?scam that laundered?$10 billion, illegally moving the money outside of Russia." target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

He was funded by Russian oligarchs, billionaires nearly overnight after seising for their own private wealth&nbsp;the state assets of the newly-collapsed former Soviet Union.&nbsp;The German Deutsche Bank also stepped in.

Last March,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/when-donald-trump-needs-a-loan-he-chooses-deutsche-bank-1458379806">The Wall Street Journal</a> reported that, just since 1998, Deutsche Bank has &ldquo;led or participated in loans of at least $2.5 billion to companies affiliated with Trump,&rdquo; not including one billion in loan commitments to Trump-related businesses.

Trump&nbsp;got into a large fight with Deutsche Bank when the US housing bubble burst in 2009.&nbsp;Trump tried to avoid paying back a&nbsp;$334&nbsp;million loan, saying the subprime mortgage crash constituted a &ldquo;force majeure&rdquo;, an unforeseeable catastrophe, like an act of god. He even attacked the bank,&nbsp;saying their lending practices played a role in the collapse--he sued them&nbsp;for $3 billion in damages. The bank sued him back, saying he issued&nbsp;a personal guarantee that he&#39;d pay $40 million in case his company couldn&#39;t pay them back. They were forced to negotiate.&nbsp;They settled, but the bank was soured on Donald Trump. &quot;He was a persona non grata after that,&quot; said a banker who worked on the deal, the Wall Street Journal reports.

This matters, because right now&nbsp;Donald Trump still owes the private arm of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-12-22/deutsche-bank-s-reworking-a-big-trump-loan-as-inauguration-nears" target="_blank">Deutsche Bank roughly $300 million.</a>&nbsp;And Deutsche Bank has had major problems lately.

From a November 9 Wall Street Journal post: &quot;Right now Deutsche Bank is facing a host of tricky issues in the US, including the threatened $14 billion penalty over mortgage-bond investigations that would seriously damage the bank&#39;s capital base. There is also a probe related to equity trades for wealthy clients in Russia, a country Mr Trump appears friendly towards. The bank [Deutsche Bank]&nbsp;declined to comment.&quot;

On December 23, a few weeks before Trump&nbsp;entered the White House,&nbsp;Deutsche Bank settled,&nbsp;managing&nbsp;to cut&nbsp;the threatened $14 billion penalty roughly in half to&nbsp;$7.2 billion.

Just <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/deutsche-bank-fined-about-630-million-over-alleged-10-billion-russia-money-laundering-scam-11930">yesterday</a>, Deutsche Bank was fined another $690 million for its role in a &ldquo;mirror trade&quot;&nbsp;scam that laundered&nbsp;$10 billion, illegally moving this&nbsp;money outside of Russia.

&nbsp;

Early, still releveant cause for&nbsp;fear

Regarding the settlement, perhaps the outgoing Obama administration wanted to get what they could while they could,&nbsp;fearing that a Trump administration would be more amenable to forgive Deutsche Bank, for something else in return.

Given that we know Trump was funded for years by<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/1/9/1618540/-Was-Donald-Trump-bailed-out-of-bankruptcy-by-Russia-crime-bosses">&nbsp;Putin-approved oligarchs</a>, that his bank of choice is also connected in a major way to Russian money laundering stands out.&nbsp;

It&#39;s speculation, but the lack of concrete facts here is&nbsp;Trump&#39;s fault: &nbsp;The onus is on him&nbsp;to clear this up, which he could overnight.&nbsp;But given both his&nbsp;scandalous refusal to publish finance&nbsp;records his predecessors&nbsp;considered par for the course,&nbsp;and&nbsp;his absolute refusal to divest from his private business empire while serving in public office, nobody should expect sudden&nbsp;transparency.

The former CEO of oil giant ExxonMobil&nbsp;Rex Tillerson, just confirmed as&nbsp;US Secretary of State, worried observers because he opposed sanctions against Russia after Russia annexed Crimea, sanctions that were stopping his company from making at least<a href="https://www.rt.com/business/363131-exxon-lost-billion-russia-sanctions/" target="_blank"> one billion dollars</a>.&nbsp;

Experts believed&nbsp;Trump remaining in charge of a <a href="https://www.wired.com/2017/01/kim-albrecht-trump-data-viz/?mbid=social_twitter#slide-3" target="_blank">vast international business empire </a>put him in&nbsp;gross violation of the &quot;emoluments clause&quot; in the US constitution the very second he took office, and Russia&#39;s&nbsp;actions since have only validated fears.

&nbsp;

Recent reasons&nbsp;to worry: Trump and Igor Sechin CEO of&nbsp;Rosneft, Russia&#39;s state oil company

The notorious unverified dossier (adjudged serious enough that US intelligence briefed both then-President Obama and Trump&nbsp;on it)&nbsp;alleging&nbsp;Russia had recorded enough material on Trump to &quot;compromise&quot;, or blackmail, him also contained perhaps <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/carter-page-trump-russia-igor-sechin-dossier-2017-1">an even more important allegation</a>:&nbsp;Igor Sechin, CEO of Rosneft, Russia&#39;s state oil company, offered Trump-ally Carter Page a 19 per cent stake in the $130-billion&nbsp;company in exchange for lifting US sanctions against Russia.

Page was an early Trump adviser, who &quot;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/carter-page-trump-russia-igor-sechin-dossier-2017-1">took a leave of absence</a>&quot; after his trip to Russia came to light. The Trump campaign denied it ever worked with him, Business Insider reports.

Regarding Russian sanctions, Trump said: If you get along and if Russia is really helping us, why would anybody have sanctions if somebody&#39;s doing some really great things?&quot;

Just l<a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-rosneft-privatisation-insight-idUSKBN1582OH">ast week, in &quot;one of its largest privatisations since the 1990s&quot;,&nbsp;Russia sold a 19.5&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;stake in Rosneft, and&nbsp;because of the&nbsp;highly&nbsp;opaque structure of the deal&nbsp;nobody knows who bought it</a>. Some commentators have&nbsp;noticed that the&nbsp;19.5 per cent&nbsp;sale looks like the 19 per cent alluded to in the unverified dossier, plus a brokerage fee.&nbsp;

A&nbsp;few days ago, the Kremlin escalated its attack on Ukraine with apparent confidence&nbsp;that the US president would not object.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Independence?

When Trump-appointed regulators deal&nbsp;with Deutsche Bank, will they&nbsp;advance&nbsp;the interests of the United States or the Trump Organization? Ditto for Trump and Russia.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Must-read <a href="https://twitter.com/washingtonpost">@washingtonpost</a>: &quot;Trump is sworn in, rockets fall on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ukraine?src=hash">#Ukraine</a>&quot; <a href="https://t.co/GT8UeDoey0">https://t.co/GT8UeDoey0</a>
&mdash; John McCain (@SenJohnMcCain) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenJohnMcCain/status/826787097407344640">February 1, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Donald Trump&nbsp;campaigned on being an indepedently wealthy candidate unbeholden to&nbsp;interests. But he is keeping very large and important secrets. Just as he once was considered by&nbsp;Deutsche Bank, if he were to disclose what is really going on, many current&nbsp;supporters would likely change their mind&nbsp;and also consider Trump&nbsp;a&nbsp;&quot;persona non grata&quot;.&nbsp;&nbsp;

(WION)

Trump has received funding from Russia, which is now amping up war in Ukraine, and Deutsche Bank, guilty lately of major financial crimes

For a man who brags about his wealth Donald Trump has gone to great lengths to keep his financial status an absolute secret. Every presidential candidate for the last 40 years has published their tax returns. Trump has refused, over and over, and he and his team have repeatedly lied about the reason for doing so (his son Erik said, essentially, releasing his tax returns was inadvisable because it would subject them to public scrutiny). Donald Trump asked a foreign government to hack into an American politicians private emails on live TV before millions of people during the presidential debate, but publish one page of his tax return he threatens to sue. When nearly forced to prove his wealth, Trump has repeatedly declined. While Trump did publish a financial disclosure form, required by law, he made an immense lie: The document reveals that companies he owns are $300 million in debt, but actually a New York Times investigation determined that in reality this figure is more than twice as large, at $650 million. He is beholden to a wide range of financial backers, including ones he has criticised publicly. Who funds Donald Trump, and what does this mean? A brief look at his Deutsche Bank history To understand Trump, follow the money. This is inherently difficult, because Trump goes to enormous lengths to keep his money secret despite projecting the image of a self-made billionaire enriched by savvy deal-making. Really, his father was a New York real estate tycoon, handy when starting out, and for more than a decade Donald received money for putting his name on stuff other people produce. But what we do know about his finance tells us important something, and puts into sharp relief the importance of what we do not know. American banks stopped lending money to Donald Trump in the late 1980s and early '90s, around the time he declared $900 million in losses as Trump casino-related businesses kept going bankrupt. American banks considered him a major liability. On December 23, a few weeks before Trump was to enter the White House, Deutsche Bank settled, managing to cut the threatened $14 billion penalty roughly in half to $7.2 billion. Just yesterday, Deutsche Bank was fined another $690 million for its role in a “mirror trade" scam that laundered $10 billion, illegally moving the money outside of Russia. × He was funded by Russian oligarchs, billionaires nearly overnight after seising for their own private wealth the state assets of the newly-collapsed former Soviet Union. The German Deutsche Bank also stepped in. Last March, The Wall Street Journal reported that, just since 1998, Deutsche Bank has “led or participated in loans of at least $2.5 billion to companies affiliated with Trump,” not including one billion in loan commitments to Trump-related businesses. Trump got into a large fight with Deutsche Bank when the US housing bubble burst in 2009. Trump tried to avoid paying back a $334 million loan, saying the subprime mortgage crash constituted a “force majeure”, an unforeseeable catastrophe, like an act of god. He even attacked the bank, saying their lending practices played a role in the collapse--he sued them for $3 billion in damages. The bank sued him back, saying he issued a personal guarantee that he'd pay $40 million in case his company couldn't pay them back. They were forced to negotiate. They settled, but the bank was soured on Donald Trump. "He was a persona non grata after that," said a banker who worked on the deal, the Wall Street Journal reports. This matters, because right now Donald Trump still owes the private arm of Deutsche Bank roughly $300 million. And Deutsche Bank has had major problems lately. From a November 9 Wall Street Journal post: "Right now Deutsche Bank is facing a host of tricky issues in the US, including the threatened $14 billion penalty over mortgage-bond investigations that would seriously damage the bank's capital base. There is also a probe related to equity trades for wealthy clients in Russia, a country Mr Trump appears friendly towards. The bank [Deutsche Bank] declined to comment." On December 23, a few weeks before Trump entered the White House, Deutsche Bank settled, managing to cut the threatened $14 billion penalty roughly in half to $7.2 billion. Just yesterday, Deutsche Bank was fined another $690 million for its role in a “mirror trade" scam that laundered $10 billion, illegally moving this money outside of Russia. Early, still releveant cause for fear Regarding the settlement, perhaps the outgoing Obama administration wanted to get what they could while they could, fearing that a Trump administration would be more amenable to forgive Deutsche Bank, for something else in return. Given that we know Trump was funded for years by Putin-approved oligarchs, that his bank of choice is also connected in a major way to Russian money laundering stands out. It's speculation, but the lack of concrete facts here is Trump's fault: The onus is on him to clear this up, which he could overnight. But given both his scandalous refusal to publish finance records his predecessors considered par for the course, and his absolute refusal to divest from his private business empire while serving in public office, nobody should expect sudden transparency. The former CEO of oil giant ExxonMobil Rex Tillerson, just confirmed as US Secretary of State, worried observers because he opposed sanctions against Russia after Russia annexed Crimea, sanctions that were stopping his company from making at least one billion dollars. Experts believed Trump remaining in charge of a vast international business empire put him in gross violation of the "emoluments clause" in the US constitution the very second he took office, and Russia's actions since have only validated fears. Recent reasons to worry: Trump and Igor Sechin CEO of Rosneft, Russia's state oil company The notorious unverified dossier (adjudged serious enough that US intelligence briefed both then-President Obama and Trump on it) alleging Russia had recorded enough material on Trump to "compromise", or blackmail, him also contained perhaps an even more important allegation: Igor Sechin, CEO of Rosneft, Russia's state oil company, offered Trump-ally Carter Page a 19 per cent stake in the $130-billion company in exchange for lifting US sanctions against Russia. Page was an early Trump adviser, who "took a leave of absence" after his trip to Russia came to light. The Trump campaign denied it ever worked with him, Business Insider reports. Regarding Russian sanctions, Trump said: If you get along and if Russia is really helping us, why would anybody have sanctions if somebody's doing some really great things?" Just last week, in "one of its largest privatisations since the 1990s", Russia sold a 19.5 per cent stake in Rosneft, and because of the highly opaque structure of the deal nobody knows who bought it. Some commentators have noticed that the 19.5 per cent sale looks like the 19 per cent alluded to in the unverified dossier, plus a brokerage fee. A few days ago, the Kremlin escalated its attack on Ukraine with apparent confidence that the US president would not object. Independence? When Trump-appointed regulators deal with Deutsche Bank, will they advance the interests of the United States or the Trump Organization? Ditto for Trump and Russia. Must-read @washingtonpost: "Trump is sworn in, rockets fall on #Ukraine" https://t.co/GT8UeDoey0 — John McCain (@SenJohnMcCain) February 1, 2017 × Donald Trump campaigned on being an indepedently wealthy candidate unbeholden to interests. But he is keeping very large and important secrets. Just as he once was considered by Deutsche Bank, if he were to disclose what is really going on, many current supporters would likely change their mind and also consider Trump a "persona non grata". (WION)

Analysis: Trump, Russia and Deutsche Bank?Links that raise many, many questions

The Kremlin said on Monday it was too early to talk about any possible deals with the United States over sanctions on Russia, but that President Vladimir Putin could meet US&nbsp;President Donald Trump before the G20 in July.

Putin and Trump spoke by phone on Saturday and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call on Monday the exchange had been a good one.

&quot;(But) it&#39;s hardly possible to talk about any kind of deals (over sanctions),&quot; said Peskov.

&quot;To start with we must fix the date and time of a meeting between the two presidents. Aides are working on this now,&quot; he said, adding that a meeting could happen before a G20 summit scheduled to take place in Hamburg on July 7-8.

Peskov said that Putin and Trump had not discussed sanctions in their phone call on Saturday, their first conversation since Trump&#39;s inauguration.

But, he said: &quot;We have seen a readiness to solve difficult problems through dialogue, which President Putin has long been calling for and unfortunately in previous years did not find a response (to).&quot;

Peskov said that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi would attend the St Petersburg International Economic Forum in June.

(Reuters)

Putin and Trump spoke by phone on Saturday and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday the exchange had been a good one

The Kremlin said on Monday it was too early to talk about any possible deals with the United States over sanctions on Russia, but that President Vladimir Putin could meet US President Donald Trump before the G20 in July. Putin and Trump spoke by phone on Saturday and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call on Monday the exchange had been a good one. "(But) it's hardly possible to talk about any kind of deals (over sanctions)," said Peskov. "To start with we must fix the date and time of a meeting between the two presidents. Aides are working on this now," he said, adding that a meeting could happen before a G20 summit scheduled to take place in Hamburg on July 7-8. Peskov said that Putin and Trump had not discussed sanctions in their phone call on Saturday, their first conversation since Trump's inauguration. But, he said: "We have seen a readiness to solve difficult problems through dialogue, which President Putin has long been calling for and unfortunately in previous years did not find a response (to)." Peskov said that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi would attend the St Petersburg International Economic Forum in June. (Reuters)

Putin and Trump could meet before G20 in July: Kremlin

The Kremlin said on Friday it regarded NATO&#39;s suggestion that Russia posed a threat as absurd, saying it hoped that common sense would prevail at the military alliance&#39;s summit in Warsaw. 
 
The Kremlin spoke out after US President Barack Obama urged NATO leaders to stand firm against a resurgent Russia over its 2014 seizure of Ukraine&#39;s Crimea. 
 
Friday&#39;s summit is expected to formally agree to deploy four battalions in the Baltic states and eastern Poland, a move the alliance says is meant to deter possible Russian aggression. 
 
&quot;It is absurd to talk about any threat coming from Russia at a time when dozens of people are dying in the centre of Europe and when hundreds of people are dying in the middle east daily,&quot; Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesman, told reporters. 
 
&quot;You have to be an absolutely short-sighted organisation to twist things in that way,&quot; said Peskov, saying Russia hoped common sense and an understanding of the need to avoid confrontation would prevail. 
 
Russia was open for talks and cooperation with NATO, Peskov added, and did not want to cast the alliance as an enemy. But he complained of NATO soldiers and planes operating close to Russia&#39;s borders. 
 
&quot;We aren&#39;t the ones getting closer to NATO&#39;s borders,&quot; he said. 
 
(Reuters)

Friday's summit is expected give formally nod to deploy four battalions in the Baltic states and eastern Poland

The Kremlin said on Friday it regarded NATO's suggestion that Russia posed a threat as absurd, saying it hoped that common sense would prevail at the military alliance's summit in Warsaw. The Kremlin spoke out after US President Barack Obama urged NATO leaders to stand firm against a resurgent Russia over its 2014 seizure of Ukraine's Crimea. Friday's summit is expected to formally agree to deploy four battalions in the Baltic states and eastern Poland, a move the alliance says is meant to deter possible Russian aggression. "It is absurd to talk about any threat coming from Russia at a time when dozens of people are dying in the centre of Europe and when hundreds of people are dying in the middle east daily," Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesman, told reporters. "You have to be an absolutely short-sighted organisation to twist things in that way," said Peskov, saying Russia hoped common sense and an understanding of the need to avoid confrontation would prevail. Russia was open for talks and cooperation with NATO, Peskov added, and did not want to cast the alliance as an enemy. But he complained of NATO soldiers and planes operating close to Russia's borders. "We aren't the ones getting closer to NATO's borders," he said. (Reuters)

Kremlin says NATO talk of Russian threat absurd, short-sighted

The Kremlin said today it believed that the recent attack on Istanbul airport could be a result of Turkish and European security services ignoring Moscow&#39;s signals about suspected &quot;terrorists&quot; hiding in Turkey and Europe. 
 
&quot;Over the past many years, the Russian side has informed our Turkish and European colleagues that persons suspected of being linked to terrorism, find shelter both in Turkey and in a number of other European countries,&quot; Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a conference call with journalists. 
 
&quot;In most cases such signals from the Russian side have not been given proper attention or any reaction by our colleagues. To our regret, these (Istanbul attacks) can be a consequence of such disregard,&quot; he added.&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters)

In most cases such signals from the Russian side have not been given proper attention or any reaction by our colleagues: Kremlin spokesman

The Kremlin said today it believed that the recent attack on Istanbul airport could be a result of Turkish and European security services ignoring Moscow's signals about suspected "terrorists" hiding in Turkey and Europe. "Over the past many years, the Russian side has informed our Turkish and European colleagues that persons suspected of being linked to terrorism, find shelter both in Turkey and in a number of other European countries," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a conference call with journalists. "In most cases such signals from the Russian side have not been given proper attention or any reaction by our colleagues. To our regret, these (Istanbul attacks) can be a consequence of such disregard," he added. (Reuters)

'Istanbul attack could be result of Turkey, EU ignoring Moscow's signals'

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has written to Russian leader Vladimir Putin to apologise over the shooting down of a Russian air force jet by Turkey&#39;s military, the Kremlin said today. 
 
After the Russian jet was shot down in November last year near the Syrian-Turkish border, Russia imposed trade restrictions on Ankara. Putin had said they would not be lifted unless Erdogan apologised over the incident. 
 
There was no immediate comment from Ankara. 
 
In a statement, the Kremlin said Putin had received a letter from Erdogan &quot;in which the Turkish leader expressed his desire to resolve the situation connected to the downing of a Russian military aircraft.&quot; 
 
&quot;The letter states, in particular, that Russia is a friend to Turkey and a strategic partner, with which the Turkish authorities would not wish to spoil relations,&quot; the Kremlin statement said. 
 
It cited Erdogan as saying in the letter: &quot;I want to once again express my sympathy and deep condolences to the family of the Russian pilot who died and I say: &#39;I&#39;m sorry.&#39;&quot; 
 
The Turkish Lira firmed to 2.9330 against the US Dollar from 2.9430 beforehand after the Kremlin said Erdogan had expressed his regret. 
 
(Reuters)

Russia imposed trade restrictions on Ankara after the incident and had said they will not be lifted unless Erdogan apologised

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has written to Russian leader Vladimir Putin to apologise over the shooting down of a Russian air force jet by Turkey's military, the Kremlin said today. After the Russian jet was shot down in November last year near the Syrian-Turkish border, Russia imposed trade restrictions on Ankara. Putin had said they would not be lifted unless Erdogan apologised over the incident. There was no immediate comment from Ankara. In a statement, the Kremlin said Putin had received a letter from Erdogan "in which the Turkish leader expressed his desire to resolve the situation connected to the downing of a Russian military aircraft." "The letter states, in particular, that Russia is a friend to Turkey and a strategic partner, with which the Turkish authorities would not wish to spoil relations," the Kremlin statement said. It cited Erdogan as saying in the letter: "I want to once again express my sympathy and deep condolences to the family of the Russian pilot who died and I say: 'I'm sorry.'" The Turkish Lira firmed to 2.9330 against the US Dollar from 2.9430 beforehand after the Kremlin said Erdogan had expressed his regret. (Reuters)

Kremlin says Turkey apologised to Putin over plane incident

British singer Elton John told a concert in Moscow he still wanted to meet President Vladimir Putin to discuss his concerns about gay rights and AIDS in Russia, despite the Kremlin leader not having time to meet him this time round.

John, performing at a luxury shopping and&nbsp;entertainment&nbsp;centre in the Russian capital on Monday night as part of a world tour, sounded disappointed about not getting to meet Putin, but said he would return to try to see him.

&quot;As some of you may know I hoped to meet with President Putin on this trip,&quot; said John, whose music has been popular in Russia since the Soviet era, told the audience.

&quot;Although it wasn&#39;t possible, I&#39;m deeply grateful to him for inviting me to discuss some serious issues in Russia including LGBT, HIV and AIDS, and I very much hope we will find time in future to meet.&quot;

Putin&#39;s spokesman said last week that the Russian leader&#39;s schedule did not match up with John&#39;s, but that a meeting might take place &quot;next time.&quot; Putin had to fly to Kazakhstan on Tuesday morning for a meeting.

In September Putin phoned the singer, who has used his status as one of the world&#39;s most famous gay celebrities to push for equal rights for homosexuals around the world, to say he would be willing to meet up after John, 69, requested a meeting.

Western governments and human rights activists have criticised the Russian authorities for their treatment of gay people, and John has previously spoken out against a 2013 law banning the dissemination of &quot;gay propaganda&quot; among young Russians.

Putin has said he is not prejudiced against gay people.

John has also expressed alarm about the scale of Russia&#39;s AIDS epidemic.

The number of people registered HIV-positive passed the 1 million mark earlier this year and the country&#39;s top AIDS specialist warned the rate of infection had reached record levels.

British singer Elton John told a concert in Moscow he still wanted to meet President Vladimir Putin to discuss his concerns about gay rights and AIDS in Russia, but the Kremlin leader didn't have time

British singer Elton John told a concert in Moscow he still wanted to meet President Vladimir Putin to discuss his concerns about gay rights and AIDS in Russia, despite the Kremlin leader not having time to meet him this time round. John, performing at a luxury shopping and entertainment centre in the Russian capital on Monday night as part of a world tour, sounded disappointed about not getting to meet Putin, but said he would return to try to see him. "As some of you may know I hoped to meet with President Putin on this trip," said John, whose music has been popular in Russia since the Soviet era, told the audience. "Although it wasn't possible, I'm deeply grateful to him for inviting me to discuss some serious issues in Russia including LGBT, HIV and AIDS, and I very much hope we will find time in future to meet." Putin's spokesman said last week that the Russian leader's schedule did not match up with John's, but that a meeting might take place "next time." Putin had to fly to Kazakhstan on Tuesday morning for a meeting. In September Putin phoned the singer, who has used his status as one of the world's most famous gay celebrities to push for equal rights for homosexuals around the world, to say he would be willing to meet up after John, 69, requested a meeting. Western governments and human rights activists have criticised the Russian authorities for their treatment of gay people, and John has previously spoken out against a 2013 law banning the dissemination of "gay propaganda" among young Russians. Putin has said he is not prejudiced against gay people. John has also expressed alarm about the scale of Russia's AIDS epidemic. The number of people registered HIV-positive passed the 1 million mark earlier this year and the country's top AIDS specialist warned the rate of infection had reached record levels.

Elton John tells Russians he still wants to meet Putin to discuss gay rights

kremlin

Kremlin, News on Kremlin, stories on Kremlin, articles on Kremlin, Kremlin stories at Wion, Kremlin news, Kremlin latest news