The latest: Ukraine Admits Withholding Russian Gas Meant for Europe

24.01.2006
Ukraine Admits Withholding Russian Gas Meant for Europe
A Ukrainian Naftogaz official has admitted Kiev has been withholding some Russian natural gas exports meant for customers in Europe, where several countries have reported falls in gas supplies amid a severe cold weather snap.

24.01.2006
Russia’s Sharapova Reaches Semis at Australian Open
Maria Sharapova became the first Russian tennis player to reach the semi-finals at the Australian Open on Tuesday. In the quarter-finals she beat fellow Russian Nadia Petrova 7-6 6-4.

24.01.2006
President Putin Says Russia and Belarus Need More Integration
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said at a meeting with Belarus President Lukashenko that Russia and Belarus needed further integration.

24.01.2006
Passenger Freezes to Death on Russian Bus
A bus in the Urals city of Ekaterinburg drove for several hours with the body of a man who had frozen to death inside the vehicle.

24.01.2006
Relatives of 62 Spanish Air Crash Victims Seek 60M Euros From Ukrainian Airline
Relatives of 62 air crash victims have made claims for 60 million euros from a Ukrainian airline in a trial that has started in Saragosa, Spain.

24.01.2006
Scientists Say Bird Flu May Spread to Russia From Turkey, China, Indonesia
The bird flu strains that caused an outbreak of the disease among humans in Turkey do not differ much from the virus strains detected in Russia’s Novosibirsk region last year, a Russian scientist said. The virus could spread to Russia from Turkey, as well as Indonesia and China he added.

24.01.2006
Russian Nationalists Demand $180M From Britain for “Spy Row”
Representatives of the ultra-Nationalist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) have said that British authorities should apologize and pay compensation for the activity of the British intelligence services in Moscow.

24.01.2006
Russian Communist Leaders Take Part in Strasbourg Protest March
A protest march against the international condemnation of crimes by totalitarian communist states in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has taken place in Strasbourg with the active participation of Russian communist leaders.

24.01.2006
Russia’s Population Falls by 680,000 People in 2005
Russia’s population decreased by 680,000 people in 2005, according to preliminary data, which represents a 0.5% decrease on last year, Federal Statistics Service says.

24.01.2006
Russian Charges Against UK Secret Service Straight From Spy Movie
It sounds like it might be something out of a James Bond movie, but Russian authorities say it’s very real, indeed. Russian TV has been showing off what looks like a rock, but is actually a sophisticated piece of spying equipment.

24.01.2006
Famous Faces to Adorn Russian, Ukrainian Toilet Paper
A new brand of toilet paper called “Political” will soon appear in Russian and Ukrainian shops. The paper features pictures of several world leaders, including President Vladimir Putin, President George W. Bush, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko and British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

24.01.2006
Russia, U.S. Halt Activities of Adoption Firm Suspected of Human Trafficking
Russia’s Prosecutor General’s office together with the U.S. law enforcement bodies have stopped the activities of an international firm suspected of trading in children.

24.01.2006
New Military Organization Mulled for Caspian Region — Russian Defense Minister
Five littoral Caspian countries may create a military organization to counter the spread of weapons of mass destruction and other threats and challenges, Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said.

24.01.2006
Kyrgyzstan Orders Checks of Foreign NGO Activities
Kyrgyzstan’s justice minister, Marat Kaiypov, has ordered checks of the country’s non-governmental organizations financed from overseas.

24.01.2006
Rescuers Reach Snow-Bound Convoy on Kamchatka
Rescuers on Kamchatka have finally reached a convoy of trucks, which was stranded by a blizzard near Gorely Volcano, 70 kilometers from the region’s capital, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, on Jan. 19. All 18 people are safe and well, although they have spent four days without food.

24.01.2006
Ukraine Should Rebuild Relations With Russia, Aim for EU Entry — Yushchenko
Ukraine’s President Viktor Yushchenko has said the country should rebuild its relationship with Russia fundamentally, though the “main strategic goal” for the country is to enter the European Union, he said.

24.01.2006
UN Official’s SUV Stolen in Moscow
A vehicle belonging to a UN official has been stolen in the Russian capital. The Grand Cherokee was parked by its owner, a Chinese citizen, near his apartment in downtown Moscow, but disappeared on Monday evening.