Russia

MOSCOW, August 17. /TASS/. Russia’s Federal Protection Service (FSO) has trained bodyguards for Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and plans to provide training to Philippine navy officers, Philippine Ambassador to Russia Carlos Sorreta said in an interview with TASS.

According to the Philippine diplomat, training of military personnel is conducted under the military technical cooperation between Moscow and Manila. "It’s part of our defense cooperation agreement, the creation of working groups who will discuss the details and part of their agenda is training," he said.

MOSCOW, August 15. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin will receive member of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Political Bureau Yang Jiechi in his Sochi residence on Wednesday, August 15, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"The president will also receive member of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Political Bureau Yang Jiechi, who is responsible for foreign affairs," he added.

MOSCOW, August 13. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani have discussed Washington’s actions on the global scene, the situation in Syria and bilateral agreements on the sidelines of the Caspian Summit on August 12, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"The situation linked to Washington’s actions was discussed, as well as bilateral Russian-Iranian relations and the situation in Syria - there was a wide variety of issues on the agenda," Peskov said.

MOSCOW, August 13. /TASS/. Russian oil producers will boost crude production next year largely owing to the start of several greenfield projects, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) said in its report on Monday.

"In 2019, Russian oil companies have the potential to increase production through green field development. Incremental production of oil, NGLs and condensate could come from several projects, such as Uvat, East-Siberian, Vankorneft, Messoyakha and Yamal LNG," OPEC said.

MINSK, August 14. /TASS/. A meeting of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Defense Ministers’ Council Coordination Committee will discuss the development of the joint air defense system, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

"The 49th meeting of the CIS Defense Ministers’ Council Air Defense Coordination Committee, scheduled to be held in Minsk on August 14, will particularly discuss ways for the development and improvement of the CIS joint air defense system," the statement reads.

MAGADAN, August 12. /TASS/. The US dollar is becoming a precarious settlement instrument in international trade, Russian First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Anton Siluanov said on Sunday.

MOSCOW, August 12. /TASS/. Russia is ready to ease visa requirements for some categories of Turkish citizens, the Russian foreign ministry said on Sunday ahead of Minister Sergey Lavrov’s visit to Ankara on August 13-14.

"It is planned to discuss aspects of easing visa requirements for the two countries’ nationals. We confirm our readiness for visa liberalization for certain categories of Turkish citizens," the ministry said.

MOSCOW, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan signed an agreement Sunday for collective use of the Caspian sea after two decades of negotiations, the Kremlin said.

The presidents of the five states inked the landmark convention on the legal status of the Caspian Sea at the Fifth Caspian Summit in the Kazakh city of Aktau.

KRONOTSKY NATURE RESERVE /Kamchatka/, August 10. /TASS/. The possible tightening up of economic sanctions against Russia may be treated as a declaration of economic war, which must be responded by all economic, political and other means possible, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said during his visit to the Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula.

During his visit to the Kronotsky State Nature Reserve, Medvedev was asked what sanctions could be imposed on Russia in the future and how they can affect the country’s economy.

MOSCOW, August 7. /TASS/. Russia’s first heavily upgraded Tupolev Tu-22M3M strategic missile-carrying bomber has been outfitted with new radio-electronic equipment, Tupolev Aircraft Company CEO Alexander Konyukhov told TASS on Tuesday.

"As a result of deep modernization, we have actually got a new plane, Tu-22M3M. It features absolutely new onboard radio-electronic equipment," the chief executive said.