Feature

Feature

(Adds details, background, Lavrov and Gryzlov quotes in paras 2-8)

Al Qaeda in Iraq has confirmed that two...

Al Qaeda in Iraq has confirmed that two of its senior leaders had been killed a week ago by the U.S. and Iraqi troops, U.S. media reported on Sunday.

Anatoly Korolev and Dmitry Kosyrev, RIA Novosti commentators

A new business law will allow fugitive Russian...

A new business law will allow fugitive Russian businessman Mikhail Gutseriyev, the former head of oil firm RussNeft, to return to Russia, a business daily reported on Monday.

A new round of talks on U.S. poultry supplies...

A new round of talks on U.S. poultry supplies to Russia, suspended since January over new Russian safety requirements, will start on March 1, Russia"s chief sanitary official said on Friday.

Another round of talks between Moscow and...

Another round of talks between Moscow and Washington on a new strategic arms deal will open in Geneva on Monday, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Friday.

A number of odd events happened throughout...

A number of odd events happened throughout Ukraine as the country was voting in a presidential election runoff on Sunday. These included topless girls protesting and a voter eating his ballot paper.

A online letter to Russia"s ruling tandem...

A online letter to Russia"s ruling tandem of Dmitry Medvedev and Vladimir Putin protesting the closure of the torrent.ru file-sharing website continued to attract signatures on Saturday.

A Russian presidential aide on Friday highlighted...

A Russian presidential aide on Friday highlighted how Moscow"s concerns had been dealt with by some of the key provisions of the new Russian-U.S. arms control pact.

A smell of char was the reason for a Washington-Moscow...

A smell of char was the reason for a Washington-Moscow passenger airliner emergency landing in Azores earlier in the week, a spokeswoman for United Airlines said.

A Tu-204 plane en route from the Egyptian...

A Tu-204 plane en route from the Egyptian resort of Hurghada performed an emergency landing one km from Moscow"s Domodedovo airport, a police source told RIA Novosti on Monday.

A Tu-204 plane with nine people onboard...

A Tu-204 plane with nine people onboard performed an emergency landing one km from Moscow"s Domodedovo airport, an airport spokeswoman told RIA Novosti on Monday.

A U.S. security spokesman assured reporters...

A U.S. security spokesman assured reporters on Friday that Moscow and Washington had overcome their "historical" differences.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko...

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Tuesday he is weary of work and would feel "no fear" if his successor were to be found, the Belta news agency said.

British programmer Peter Moore, 36, who...

British programmer Peter Moore, 36, who had been in captivity in Iraq for two and a half years, arrived back in Britain on Friday.

Canadian Space Agency is planning to build...

Canadian Space Agency is planning to build two bases for launching rockets carrying space tourists, the Russian Space Agency Roscosmos said citing the information agency Canadian Press.

Dick Advocaat will be paid less than his...

Dick Advocaat will be paid less than his predecessor Guus Hiddink as coach of the Russian national side, the head of Russian football"s governing body has said.

Dunkin" Donuts plans to open dozens of outlets...

Dunkin" Donuts plans to open dozens of outlets in Moscow more than a decade after it had to withdraw from the Russian market, a respected Russian business daily said on Tuesday.

Eleven men from Russia"s North Caucasus...

Eleven men from Russia"s North Caucasus republic of Ingushetia have been charged with involvement in the November 2009 deadly bombing of a high-speed Moscow-St. Petersburg train, a Russian daily said on Thursday.

Gazprom Neft, the oil producing arm of Russian...

Gazprom Neft, the oil producing arm of Russian energy giant Gazprom, said on Wednesday its U.S. GAAP net profit decreased 35% year-on-year in 2009 to $3.01 billion.

Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal will hold consultations...

Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal will hold consultations in the Russian Foreign Ministry early next week, ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said Thursday.

Israeli aircraft bombed up to six targets...

Israeli aircraft bombed up to six targets in the Gaza Strip in the early hours of Friday after a Palestinian rocket attack killed a civilian in southern Israel.

KOROLYOV (Moscow Region), October 2 (RIA...

KOROLYOV (Moscow Region), October 2 (RIA Novosti) - The U.S. firm Space Adventures said on Friday it will be able to send two space tourists into orbit on Soyuz spacecraft from 2012 onwards.

Los Angeles County District Attorney"s Office...

Los Angeles County District Attorney"s Office has said in a statement it would file charges related to Michael Jackson"s death on Monday.

Maintaining macroeconomic stability and...

Maintaining macroeconomic stability and balancing the budget are key areas for Russia"s economic development in the next two years, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday.

Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the former head of...

Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the former head of the Yukos oil giant, said on Monday new charges of oil and oil revenue embezzlement against him were as implausible as an encounter with aliens.

Military preparation training should be...

Military preparation training should be reintroduced in all Russian schools to increase patriotism in youth, the country"s chief military prosecutor said in an interview with a Russian government daily to be published on Thursday.

Moscow and Minsk will soon reach an agreement...

Moscow and Minsk will soon reach an agreement resolving differences over the supply and transit of Russian oil in 2010, the Russian energy minister said.

MOSCOW, April 6 (RIA Novosti) - Three Russians...

MOSCOW, April 6 (RIA Novosti) - Three Russians and two Ukrainians are among the crew of the German container vessel Hansa Stavanger captured by Somali pirates, the Sovfracht Maritime Bulletin reported on Monday.

MOSCOW, August 13 (RIA Novosti) - Russian...

MOSCOW, August 13 (RIA Novosti) - Russian warships, led by the Ladny frigate, are continuing the search for a Russian-crewed cargo ship missing in the Atlantic since August 1, the Navy said in a statement on Thursday.

MOSCOW, August 26 (RIA Novosti) - Russia"s...

MOSCOW, August 26 (RIA Novosti) - Russia"s Foreign Ministry has said that the Arctic Sea cargo ship, earlier reported to have gone missing before being found with hijackers on board, was constantly monitored throughout the incident.

MOSCOW, December 12 (RIA Novosti) - A missile...

MOSCOW, December 12 (RIA Novosti) - A missile frigate from Russia's Baltic Fleet is continuing its duty to protect commercial ships from Somali pirate attacks near the Horn of Africa, a Navy spokesman said on Friday.

MOSCOW, February 18 (RIA Novosti) - The...

MOSCOW, February 18 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian Navy has handed over to Yemen 10 Somali pirates detained several days ago off the Horn of Africa, Capt. 1st Rank Igor Dygalo told RIA Novosti on Wednesday.

MOSCOW, July 28 (RIA Novosti) - Russia"s...

MOSCOW, July 28 (RIA Novosti) - Russia"s Kruzenshtern sailing ship has concluded its participation in an international regatta of tall ships, and is currently heading for Iceland"s capital Reykjavik.

MOSCOW, June 17 (RIA Novosti) - Russia"s...

MOSCOW, June 17 (RIA Novosti) - Russia"s Black Sea Fleet will not take part in any joint naval exercises involving Georgian warships, a senior Russian military official said on Wednesday.

MOSCOW, May 12 (RIA Novosti) - Somali pirates...

MOSCOW, May 12 (RIA Novosti) - Somali pirates can be prosecuted under Russian laws, a Russian deputy general prosecutor said on Tuesday.

MOSCOW, November 12 (RIA Novosti) - Russian...

MOSCOW, November 12 (RIA Novosti) - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said the country must set up a research and technological development center similar to the Silicon Valley in the United States.

MOSCOW, October 10 (RIA Novosti) —...

MOSCOW, October 10 (RIA Novosti) — India and Russia will extend their strategic and military partnership when they sign a new military cooperation agreement in December, an Indian daily said on Saturday.

MOSCOW, September 10 (RIA Novosti) - The...

MOSCOW, September 10 (RIA Novosti) - The Arctic Sea dry cargo ship will soon be handed over to Malta, but Russian investigators will need a few more days to complete work on board the vessel, investigators said on Thursday.

MOSCOW, September 19 (RIA Novosti) - Investigators...

MOSCOW, September 19 (RIA Novosti) - Investigators have not found any "compromising" cargo on board the Arctic Sea vessel, a spokesman for the Investigative Committee of the Russian Prosecutor General"s Office said on Saturday.

Moscow will take further steps to protect...

Moscow will take further steps to protect the rights and interests of Russian businessman and alleged arms dealer Viktor Bout facing new charges in the United States, the Foreign Ministry"s spokesman said on Friday.

NATO has refused to set up a Russia-NATO...

NATO has refused to set up a Russia-NATO working group on Afghanistan and will not allow Moscow to participate in its internal discussion of the situation, Russia"s NATO envoy said on Tuesday.

Nord Stream AG and two German environmental...

Nord Stream AG and two German environmental organizations have agreed on measures to protect the Baltic Sea, the gas pipeline operator said Friday.

North Korea has redenominated its national...

North Korea has redenominated its national currency, the won, taking two zeros off the nominal value of banknotes in a bid to curb inflation and fight black-market currency trading.

Now that the U.S. and Russia signed a new...

Now that the U.S. and Russia signed a new nuclear agreement in Prague on April 8, the world can turn its attention to other nuclear conundrums.

Police in south Russian have detained the...

Police in south Russian have detained the hacker responsible for the broadcast of a hardcore porn clip on a central Moscow advertising screen last month, a paper said on Tuesday.

Road accidents in China decreased by 10.1%...

Road accidents in China decreased by 10.1% in 2009 against the last year, with the death toll and the number of injured dropping by 7.8 % and 9.8% respectively, Xinhua news agency said.

Russia and NATO chiefs of general staffs...

Russia and NATO chiefs of general staffs will meet on Tuesday to discuss a 2010 military cooperation plan for the first time since the improvement in ties between Russia and the alliance.

Russia argued on Friday against the "endless"...

Russia argued on Friday against the "endless" continuation of sanctions against North Korea, saying they should be revoked once they have had their effect.

Russia could help Slovakia modernize its...

Russia could help Slovakia modernize its fleet of Soviet-made combat helicopters, a Russian presidential aide said on Tuesday.

Russia could start tests of its fifth-generation...

Russia could start tests of its fifth-generation fighter in late 2009 or early 2010, a deputy prime minister said on Wednesday.

Russia is ready to help Poland organize...

Russia is ready to help Poland organize events to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Katyn massacre of Polish prisoners of war by the Soviet Union, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has approved...

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has approved the country"s new military doctrine which includes the option of using nuclear strikes against potential aggressors.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will...

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will announce on Thursday the establishment of a joint venture between Russian automaker Sollers and Italy"s car giant Fiat, a Russian business daily said on Tuesday.

Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said...

Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said Tuesday he could quit his post following Russia"s poor performance at the Vancouver Olympics but added it would be to no avail.

Russia"s crude oil output grew 1% year-on-year...

Russia"s crude oil output grew 1% year-on-year in January-November 2009 to 451.63 million metric tons (3.3 billion barrels), the Energy Ministry said on Wednesday.

Russia"s Federal Security Service (FSB)...

Russia"s Federal Security Service (FSB) has detained suspects in connection with recent bomb attacks and identified their organizers, the FSB director said on Thursday.

Russia"s GDP decrease in 2009 will exceed...

Russia"s GDP decrease in 2009 will exceed the forecasted earlier figure of 8.5%, the Russian finance minister said on Wednesday.

Russia"s preparations for the 2014 Winter...

Russia"s preparations for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi are on schedule, with some 60 billion rubles due to be spent on them this year, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday.

Russia"s RIA Novosti news agency and the...

Russia"s RIA Novosti news agency and the European Union office in Russia have opened a contest for Russian online journalists from regional and national media and Internet bloggers.

Russia"s sports ministry responded to the...

Russia"s sports ministry responded to the country"s Olympic failure by creating a new deputy minister post "personally responsible" for the training of athletes for the Sochi 2014 Games.

Russia urged Israel on Wednesday to end...

Russia urged Israel on Wednesday to end settlement construction in occupied Palestinian territories and lift the blockade of the Gaza Strip to pave the way for the restart of peace talks.

Russia will have to build port facilities...

Russia will have to build port facilities if it decides to purchase a French Mistral helicopter carrier for the Russian Navy, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Vladimir Popovkin said.

Sales of new cars in Russia plummeted 49%...

Sales of new cars in Russia plummeted 49% in 2009 from the previous year"s record high to 1.46 million vehicles, the Association of European Businesses (AEB) reported on Thursday.

st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }

TALLINN, August 25 (RIA Novosti) - The suspected...

TALLINN, August 25 (RIA Novosti) - The suspected hijackers of the Arctic Sea merchant ship were the victims of "political games," a relative of one of the men in custody has said.

The amount of cars imported to Russia declined...

The amount of cars imported to Russia declined in 2009 by 74.3% year-on-year, the federal customs service said on Monday.

The bombs that went off on a railway track...

The bombs that went off on a railway track in the Republic of Dagestan in Russia"s North Caucasus can be seen as the continuation of the recent terrorist attacks in Russia, a high-placed security officer said.

The dust cloud from the volcano in Iceland...

The dust cloud from the volcano in Iceland does not pose a threat to Russia or the Russian people, a spokeswoman from Russia"s Emergencies Ministry said on Friday.

The flow of magma of the Icelandic Eyjafjallajokull...

The flow of magma of the Icelandic Eyjafjallajokull volcano has decreased 10 times in comparison with the first hours of its eruption, scientists from the Geophysics Institute of the University of Iceland said on Wednesday.

The high-tech business park the Kremlin...

The high-tech business park the Kremlin is setting up near Moscow as the Russian "Silicon Valley" may get unprecedented privileges to expedite its development, a Russian business daily reported on Tuesday.

The Kyrgyz opposition has formed a government...

The Kyrgyz opposition has formed a government of national confidence led by ex-foreign minister Roza Otunbayeva, the AKIpress news agency reported on Wednesday.

The next Russia-EU Summit will take place...

The next Russia-EU Summit will take place in Rostov-on-Don on May 31 and June 1, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday.

The number of U.S. service personnel killed...

The number of U.S. service personnel killed in Afghanistan since military operations began in 2001 has reached 1,000, the icasualties.org web site reported on Tuesday.

The upcoming tests of Russia"s troubled...

The upcoming tests of Russia"s troubled Bulava ballistic missile will determine whether it will be put in service with the Russian Navy or scrapped, a senior Navy commander said.

Two Russian Tu-95MS Bear strategic bombers...

Two Russian Tu-95MS Bear strategic bombers that carried out a routine patrol mission over the Pacific and the Sea of Japan were shadowed by an array of Japanese warplanes, the Defense Ministry said on Thursday.

Ukraine"s president-elect Viktor Yanukovych...

Ukraine"s president-elect Viktor Yanukovych will be sworn in to office February 25 despite an intention by Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, who was his main presidential contender, to contest his victory in court, the Ukrainian parliament decided on Tuesday.