Russia

MOSCOW, January 21. /TASS/: Russia is ready to defend its legitimate security interests, but there are no grounds to take its actions as an attempt to form some kind of exclusive zone of influence, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement released on Friday in response to media questions received at the press conference of Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

"Russia, like the United States and other countries, has legitimate interests, in particular in the field of security," the ministry noted.

MOSCOW, January 21. /TASS/: Russia will make serious political decisions, if the US reply to Moscow’s proposals on security guarantees is disappointing, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said in a live broadcast on the Rossiya-24 TV Channel on Friday.

"There is no formal and written reply from the United States and NATO to our proposals yet. If this reply is disappointing, we will have to make serious political decisions, about which our president warned the opponents from the other side, including publicly," the senior Russian diplomat said.

MOSCOW (AP) — Daily new coronavirus infections in Russia reached an all-time high Friday and authorities blamed the highly contagious omicron variant, which they expect to soon dominate the country’s outbreak.

Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova on Friday noted “intensive spread of the omicron variant” and said the authorities “expect it to become the dominating” variant driving the outbreak. The state coronavirus task force Golikova heads reported 49,513 new infections on Friday — the highest yet in the pandemic.

VORONEZH, January 20. /TASS/: It is planned to increase the Russian fleet of Sukhoi Superjet 100 to 192 jets by the end of the year, Deputy Industry and Trade Minister Oleg Bocharov said at a meeting headed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin devoted to the development of civil aircraft construction on Thursday.

"It should be noted that Russian aircraft producers have started working with carriers more closely, which is a surprising experience, thanks for the support. We plan to increase the fleet of demanded Superjet aircraft to 192 jets by the end of the year," he said.

MOSCOW, January 20. /TASS/: Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine have been stepping up their military presence along the Union State’s borders, forcing Russia and Belarus to respond appropriately to such incendiary acts, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a news briefing on Thursday.

MOSCOW, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Russia on Thursday dismissed warnings that the United States could restrict electronics supplies if Moscow attacks Ukraine, saying any such measures would mostly hurt the manufacturers.

Washington has threatened wide-ranging sanctions to deter Russian President Vladimir Putin from invading Ukraine after Moscow massed tens of thousands of troops near its neighbour. Russia denies planning a new military offensive. 

MOSCOW, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Russian-backed separatists in east Ukraine would expect Russia's army to fight with them against Ukrainian government forces if Moscow follows through on a parliamentary proposal to recognise their independence, a pro-Kremlin lawmaker said on Thursday.

Alexander Borodai made the comment after 11 lawmakers proposed that parliament ask President Vladimir Putin to recognize the independence of the breakaway Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia accused the West on Thursday of plotting “provocations” in Ukraine even as it blames Moscow of planning aggressive military action in the neighboring country.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova alleged that Ukrainian and Western claims of an imminent Russian attack on Ukraine were a “cover for staging large-scale provocations of their own, including those of military character.”

“They may have extremely tragic consequences for the regional and global security,” Zakharova said.

MOSCOW, January 19. /TASS/: The Iranian side has handed over to Moscow a draft agreement on strategic cooperation for a 20-year period, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said on Wednesday following talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

MOSCOW, January 19. /TASS/: The current situation is calm, but fragile in Libya, so the international community should help the country on its way towards national reconciliation, Stephanie Williams, Special Adviser of the United Nations Secretary-General on Libya, said in an interview with TASS.

"The situation in Libya is calm but fragile. And in this I think it’s relay in common on the entire international community to help the Libyans and also to encourage them to continue and energize their efforts towards national reconciliation and transitional justice," she said.