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Post by Admin on Oct 4, 2016 18:11:52 GMT
In a sharp deterioration of relations, the U.S. on Monday suspended diplomatic contacts with Russia over Syria, while Moscow halted cooperation on a joint program for disposal of weapons-grade plutonium. The U.S. move followed a threat last week from Secretary of State John Kerry after new Russian and Syrian attacks on the city of Aleppo. The State Department said Russia had not lived up to the terms of an agreement last month to restore the cease-fire and ensure sustained deliveries of humanitarian aid to besieged cities. "This is not a decision that was taken lightly," State Department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement. "Unfortunately, Russia failed to live up to its own commitments ... and was also either unwilling or unable to ensure Syrian regime adherence to the arrangements to which Moscow agreed."
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Post by Admin on Oct 23, 2016 18:20:25 GMT
President Vladimir Putin arrived in Berlin Wednesday as European leaders dangle the threat of fresh sanctions over Russia’s role in the bombardment of the Syrian city of Aleppo and raise pressure to revive efforts for peace in eastern Ukraine. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is presiding over a summit with Putin, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and French President Francois Hollande to push for progress implementing a peace agreement in Ukraine. Merkel and Hollande will then confront him over Russia’s intervention in Syria a day after the Kremlin announced a temporary moratorium. “I will do everything with Chancellor Merkel to convince Vladimir Putin to continue with this cease-fire,” Hollande told reporters earlier in Paris. Merkel’s chief spokesman, Steffen Seibert, said the two leaders would raise the Aleppo siege "and who is responsible for them will be clearly pointed out."
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Post by Admin on Oct 27, 2016 18:23:02 GMT
The Russian Embassy in Madrid said Wednesday that Russia has withdrawn its request to Spain to refuel warships expected to take part in air operation in Syria. Russian press attache of the Russian diplomatic mission Vasily Nioradze confirmed that the request had been canceled, but he did not give details. Earlier Wednesday, Britain expressed concern that NATO ally Spain was considering refueling the Russian ships. Madrid was under pressure to refuse to refuel the fleet. The Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov and a group of support vessels had steamed through the North Sea and English Channel in recent days heading to the Mediterranean Sea.
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Post by Admin on Nov 14, 2016 18:31:32 GMT
Aircraft stationed on the decks of Russia’s aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, which recently arrived near Syria’s shores as part of a Russian battle group, have begun carrying out flights aimed at working out interaction with a coastal airfield, the ship’s captain reported. The Russian Northern fleet battle group, consisting of Admiral Kuznetsov, the Pyotr Velikiy battle cruiser, two large anti-submarine ships Severomorsk and Vice-Admiral Kulakov as well as support vessels, arrived in the Mediterranean in early November.
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Post by Admin on Dec 21, 2016 18:34:07 GMT
A gunman has shot dead Russia's ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov, apparently in protest at Russia's involvement in the Syrian conflict. Several other people were reportedly also injured in the attack, a day after protests in Turkey over Russian support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The killer, said to be an off-duty Turkish policeman, opened fire at point blank range as Mr Karlov made a speech. Police later "neutralised" the attacker, Turkish media say. Mr Karlov was rushed to hospital, reports said, but his death was later confirmed by the Russian foreign ministry.
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