Russia says the main cause of the deadly incident on board a submersible which killed 14 crew on Monday was a fire in the battery compartment. Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu also said the top-secret military craft was nuclear-powered but the…
Russia expects Nigerians to apply for scholarship, says attaché (Guardian)
The Embassy of Russia in Nigeria has urged Nigerians to explore opportunity through application for the ongoing Russian Government Scholarship programme, to improve themselves educationally. Press Attaché of the Embassy, Mr. Ivan Lydkin, made the call on Wednesday in Abuja…
India signs $3 bn submarine deal with Russia (Guardian)
India has signed a $3 billion deal to lease a third Russian nuclear-powered submarine for 10 years, giving Delhi a boost in the Indian Ocean against arch-rivals Pakistan and China, media reports said. The deal — which according to the…
Two killed and 40 arrested in ‘gay purge’ in Russian republic (Metro)
Two people have been killed and 40 arrested in a ‘crackdown’ on gay people in a Russian republic where gay people have been tortured and held in concentration camps. The predominantly Muslim region of Chechnya launched a new ‘purge’ on…
Russia demands explanation over US snub to space chief (Guardian)
Russia’s space agency on Saturday demanded an explanation after NASA put off a planned visit to the United States by Russia’s controversial space chief. Dmitry Rogozin, a firebrand nationalist politician known for his anti-Western rhetoric, was set to visit the…
Mikhail Popkov: Russian ex-cop jailed for 56 more murders (BBC)
A Siberian policeman described as Russia’s most prolific mass murderer in modern times has been given a second life sentence. Mikhail Popkov, 53, murdered 55 women and a policeman near Irkutsk between 1992 and 2007. He was already in jail…
Ex-Trump aide ‘helpful’ to Russia probe (BBC)
The special counsel investigating alleged Russian collusion in the 2016 US election will not be pursuing a jail sentence for former national security adviser Michael Flynn. Mr Flynn has admitted lying to the FBI. But in a memo, Robert Mueller…
IAAF upholds Russia’s ban from athletics into 2019 (BBC)
Russian athletes will remain banned from international competitions after the IAAF upheld the country’s suspension into 2019. Athletics’ governing body banned Russia in November 2015 because of evidence of state-sponsored doping. The ban will remain in place until samples and…
First Soyuz rocket launches since failure (BBC)
Three astronauts have blasted off on the first manned Soyuz rocket launch since a dramatic failure in October. Astronauts from Russia, the US and Canada left from Kazakhstan on a mission bound for the International Space Station at 17:30 (11:30…
Sea clash staged by Ukraine, says Putin (BBC)
Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused Ukraine’s leader, Petro Poroshenko, of trying to boost his ratings ahead of 2019 elections with a naval confrontation off Crimea. Russian FSB border guards opened fire on two Ukrainian gunboats and a tug before…