Russia

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In Kosovo Visit, Gates Walks a Fine Line With Russia

But defense sec says US troops will remain

(Newser) - The US will maintain its current troop levels in Kosovo until at least the end of 2009, according to Defense Secretary Robert Gates. His trip to Kosovo is the first by an American cabinet member since the republic declared independence in February. The move of support is meant to show...

Russia Drops $5.4B on Iceland's Imploding Economy

Nordic nation pegs exchange rates, nationalizes another bank

(Newser) - Iceland is in talks to receive a $5.43 billion loan from Russia to stave off economic collapse, as the tiny Nordic country nationalized yet another bank and fixed its currency's to the euro. An oversized banking system has left Iceland dangerously exposed to market gyrations, and the prime minister...

Some Georgians Doubt Russia Means to Leave

Troops build military road even as Friday pullout deadline looms

(Newser) - The fact that Russian troops continue to upgrade a dirt road that connects a town near Georgia’s capital with the capital of the breakaway area of South Ossetia has many Georgians in the area believing Moscow isn’t serious about Friday’s deadline to withdraw troops, the Christian Science ...

7 Russian Soldiers Dead in South Ossetia Blast

Moscow silent amid fingerpointing as ceasefire is tested

(Newser) - A bomb that killed seven Russian soldiers today in the breakaway Georgian region of South Ossetia is threatening the uneasy peace there, the Telegraph reports, though Moscow has thus far remained silent on the matter. The area was the focus of a 5-day war in August, and the rebels controlling...

Russia Lets EU Monitors Into Georgia Buffer Zone

Unarmed patrol allowed near, but not in South Ossetia

(Newser) - Russian troops allowed unarmed EU monitors into the buffer zone around South Ossetia for the first time today, after France helped negotiate a truce between Russia and Georgia. The blue-beret-sporting French troops spent 90 minutes touring the heavily guarded area, the Guardian reports. The EU will be sending its monitors...

Palin Out of Loop on State Defense: Air Force

Despite pose, Palin not informed when Russian bombers approach Alaska

(Newser) - Sarah Palin doesn't get a phone call when US jets are scrambled to intercept Russian bombers off Alaska—despite her hints to the contrary, a NORAD spokesman told the New York Daily News yesterday. "She doesn't have any role," said the major. "The commander does not call...

Chavez Building Reactor With Russian Support

Only for 'peaceful purposes,' Chavez insists

(Newser) - In his latest challenge to Washington, Venezuela's president Hugo Chavez has announced that his nation is developing a nuclear reactor—with Russian support, Reuters reports. "We are interested in development of nuclear energy, of course for peaceful purposes—for medical purposes, for  electricity," Chavez said yesterday at a...

Resurgent Russia Vows to Beef Up Military

'Colossus' created with $1B Venezuela military loan, oil deal

(Newser) - Russia signed a $1 billion military loan deal with Venezuela yesterday while pledging to upgrade its own military, the New York Times reports. The country plans to ratchet its defense budget back up to Cold War levels next year and intends to have new warships built by 2020. President Dmitry...

One Place Stalin Can Win a Popularity Contest? Russia

Some may have tampered with web ballot, but brutal leader in Kremlin's top 12

(Newser) - An effort to celebrate Russian nationalism has turned up an uncomfortable number of votes for Josef Stalin, the Wall Street Journal reports. The dictator blamed for the deaths of millions of Russians often led during 3 months of Internet balloting for the nation’s top historical figure, but was pushed...

Private Firms Hope to Haul NASA's Space Cargo

And US agency wants their help

(Newser) - Hauling crew and equipment between earth and the international space station is expensive work, and NASA is looking to private entrepreneurs to pick up some of the slack, the Washington Post reports. Among the front-runners is Elon Musk, a founder of Paypal, who has seen his three prototype shuttles crash...

Georgia: Russian Spy Plane Downed

Moscow denies sending camera-equipped drone

(Newser) - Georgia says it shot down a Russian military drone yesterday just south of South Ossetia, the Moscow-backed breakaway province. Moscow officials deny the charge and have called the episode "the latest media provocation" by Georgia to "destabilize the situation," Reuters reports.

Russian Warships Head to Venezuela for 'Training'

Chavez says coordinated exercise is 'warning' to US

(Newser) - Russian warships left this morning for coordinated training exercises with the Venezuelan navy, the AFP reports. The group, consisting of a nuclear-powered guided-missile cruiser, anti-submarine ship, and supporting craft, were seen firing artillery on the open ocean in tests. Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez said the deployment was a “warning”...

Russia Snubs US, Sells Arms to Iran

Rice blasts belligerence as Moscow sells surface-to-air missiles

(Newser) - Defying the objections of the United States, Russia has announced plans to sell military hardware to Iran and Venezuela. In the latest escalation of the diplomatic standoff between Russia and the West, the state arms exporter will sell anti-aircraft systems to the two countries, the Times of London reports. "...

Rice: Russia Aimed for Georgia Overthrow

US broadside comes as Moscow refuses to allow observers into South Ossetia

(Newser) - US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice blasted Russia today as “increasingly authoritarian at home and aggressive abroad,” accusing Moscow of trying to overthrow the Georgian government during its recent invasion, the Guardian reports. The harshest US condemnation of Russia yet comes as Moscow refuses to allow European observers...

Palin's Right—That Is Russia Over There

Perhaps not from Palin's house, but Alaska does offer viewing spots

(Newser) - If the Republicans lose in November, Sarah Palin may just want to walk on over to Russia to escape the media frenzy. Turns out you can really see America’s "next-door neighbors" from US shores. The Alaskan island Little Diomede and Russia's Big Diomede are a mere 2½ miles...

Stocks Plunging, Russia Closes Market

Micex falls 10%

(Newser) - Russia shut down trading for the second day in a row after the benchmark Micex index plummeted 10%, Bloomberg reports. The Finance Ministry announced that it was pouring $44 billion into Russia’s three top banks, Sberbank, VTB, and Gazprombank. But foreign investors have pulled $35 billion from Russia’s...

Georgian Tapes Imply Russia Started War

Troops may have entered South Ossetia before Georgia attack

(Newser) - Although the bloodshed has ended, Georgia and Russia are still fighting—over which nation was the aggressor in last month's conflict. The Georgian government, which insists that Russia invaded its territory, has released tapes of intercepted phone calls implying that a Russian regiment entered South Ossetia 24 hours before Georgia...

Ukraine Faces Early Election as Coalition Falls

Feuding between pro-Western leaders leads to collapse

(Newser) - The government of Ukraine collapsed today after a falling out between the country's two pro-Western leaders, Bloomberg reports. President Viktor Yushchenko pulled his party out of the government of PM Yulia Tymoshenko last week after she tried to strip him of some of his powers. While Tymoshenko could try to...

Ukraine Leaders Face Off Over Georgia War

President blasts Russia, attacks prime minister's silence

(Newser) - Russia’s war with Georgia has dangerously exacerbated tensions in Ukrainian politics, with President Viktor Yushchenko slamming Russia’s actions while Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko has kept mum, the Los Angeles Times reports. Standing firm for Georgia, Yushchenko called the prime minister's lack of action “high treason and political...

Engine Failure Cited in Russian Jet Crash

(Newser) - A Russian investigator says today's crash of a passenger jet that killed 88 people was most likely caused by failure of one of the Boeing-737-500's two engines. The plane was on its approach to land amid low cloudcover when it crashed into an unpopulated area of a central Russian city,...

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