Europe

MOSCOW, January 22. /TASS/: The safety of Russian cosmonaut Nikolay Chub during his mission on the International Space Station (ISS), scheduled for 2023, has been called into question after the United States refused him an entry visa, Russia’s space agency Roscosmos told reporters on Saturday.

"This situation calls into question the very safety of the Russian cosmonaut’s mission on the ISS and the safety of the Station’s US segment due to the unpreparedness of the Russian cosmonaut in case of an emergency," Roscosmos said.

MOSCOW, January 22. /TASS/: Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the prospects of further interaction within the framework of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in a phone conversation with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, the Kremlin press service reported on Saturday. The conversation was held at the initiative of the Armenian side.

"Considering Armenia’s current chairmanship of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, the prospects of further interaction within the framework of the CSTO were discussed," the statement said.

MOSCOW, January 22. /TASS/: The Russian government has approved a plan on additional measures against the Omicron coronavirus strain, the press service of the cabinet of ministers reported on Saturday.

"The government began to implement a plan on additional measures on fighting the spread of the new Omicron coronavirus strain in Russia and the preparation of the healthcare system for helping those infected with COVID-19," the statement said.

MOSCOW, January 22. /TASS/: Russia has registered 57,212 new confirmed COVID-19 infections over the past 24 hours, compared to 49,513 the day before, with the total number of infections reaching 11,044,986 cases, the anti-coronavirus crisis center told reporters on Saturday.

According to the crisis center, the relative increase of new infections is at the level of 0.52%. The number of COVID-19 hospitalizations over 24 hours amounted to 9,902 which is 8.4% higher than the day before. The increase occurred in 46 regions.

MOSCOW, Jan 22 (Reuters) - British foreign minister Liz Truss is expected to visit Moscow in February for talks with her Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, the RIA news agency reported on Saturday, citing a diplomatic source.

The planned visit comes amid elevated tensions between Russia and the West over Ukraine. Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made no breakthrough in talks on the issue this week but agreed to keep talking to try to resolve a crisis that has stoked fears of a military conflict. 

PARIS, Jan 22 (Reuters) - European Parliament member Gilbert Collard said on Saturday he is leaving Marine Le Pen's National Rally to join rival far-right presidential candidate Eric Zemmour, becoming the third Le Pen ally in a week to link up with Zemmour.

Last week, Jerome Riviere, head of Le Pen's National Rally group in the European Parliament, and Damien Rieu, parliamentary assistant to another National Rally EU lawmaker, also quit to join Zemmour's ranks. 

BERLIN, Jan 22 (Reuters) - The German government on Saturday distanced itself from comments made by its navy chief after video footage emerged in which the vice-admiral said Russian President Vladimir Putin deserved respect and that Kyiv would never win back annexed Crimea from Moscow.

German Navy Chief Kay-Achim Schoenbach apologized for his "rash" comments, published on YouTube and widely circulated on German media, and called them a mistake.

KYIV, Jan 22 (Reuters) - The first shipment of the United States' $200 million security support package for Ukraine arrived in Kyiv, the U.S. Embassy said on Saturday.

The delivery followed U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to Kyiv this week amid concerns from Kyiv and its Western allies over tens of thousands of Russian troops amassed at the border with Ukraine. Russia denies planning a new military offensive.

Washington approved the $200 million package in December.

MOSCOW, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Political advisers from Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany will hold "Normandy format" talks on eastern Ukraine in Paris on Jan. 25, a source in Russian President Vladimir Putin's administration said on Saturday.

Mykhailo Podolyak, adviser to Ukraine's chief negotiator Andriy Yermak, confirmed that a meeting in Paris was planned but told Reuters a preliminary date had been set for Jan. 26.

The planned talks come amid elevated tensions between Russia and the West over Ukraine.

LONDON, Jan 22 (Reuters) - A British Conservative lawmaker said he would meet police to discuss his accusations that Boris Johnson's government had attempted to "blackmail" parliamentarians who were suspected of trying to force the prime minister from office.

William Wragg, chair of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee and a member of Johnson's ruling party, said on Thursday some Conservatives had faced intimidation and blackmail from government representatives because of their desire to topple Johnson.