Russia & CIS

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev gave an interview to Russian leading TV channels. In the interview, Medvedev summed up the results of the outgoing year and shared his views and expectations for the future. Commenting on the attack of the Turkish Air Force on the Russian Su-24 aircraft, he said that Turkey had given grounds for the war

While Russia only recently revealed evidence of Turkey’s involvement in terrorist oil smuggling, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow has long known about the issue, but until recently did not want to believe that Ankara was as deeply involved as it seems to be.

Although Russia offers plenty of opportunities to take a break from traditional Islamic customs, the country's federal tourism body launched a "halal-friendly" tour of the Russian winter to visitors of Gulf Arab states more used to the surrounding desert.

Baku Court of Grave Crimes on Wednesday passed a decision on the arrest of Rafig Alishov, the former head of the Gobustan district executive authority.

A reception was held in honor of the President.

Former head of the now defunct Yukos energy company Mikhail Khodorkovsky said Wednesday that he is considering seeking asylum in the United Kingdom among other scenarios in light of the new charges he may face in Russia.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has made a statement.

On December 9 Azerbaijan's Defense Minister, colonel-general Zakir Hasanov received newly appointed ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of Korea Kim-Chang-Gyu.

Leyla Yunus has been released from jail.

The captain of the Emergency Situations Ministry’s fire-fighter ship "Vikhr-9", inner service Lieutenant-Colonel Vyacheslav Sergeyevich Kryuchkov, who died on Dec.8 of a heart failure, has today been buried in Baku.

US Secretary of State John Kerry said Wednesday he would head to Moscow next week to meet Russian leaders and try to build momentum for a push to end Syria's civil war, AFP reports.

Azerbaijan is set to change the name and provisions of the article that prescribes responsibility for illegal gatherings, demonstrations and rallies, and toughen penalties for such acts.

A mass attack against the enemy is under preparation.

Memorial services for the victims of the Russian A321 airliner crash in Egypt will be held in Moscow and St. Petersburg on Wednesday, which is the 40th day since the tragedy, an important date for Orthodox Christians.

Turkish authorities have introduced new rules for issuance of work permit to Russian journalists in the territory of the country.

Defense Ministry has disseminated an information.

The PACE Monitoring Committee has appointed Australian parliamentarian Stefan Schennach as the new co-rapporteur on Azerbaijan.

The Russian government hopes to shrink inflation to 6.4 percent in 2016, believes in economic growth, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Wednesday.

Investigations of the flight recorders of the Russian Su-24 Fencer bomber jet downed by Turkish forces will be conducted with foreign experts that the Russian Defense Ministry will determine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday.

24-year-old Garik Avanyesyan.