The latest: Russia Puts $10 Million Bounty on Heads of Killers of Iraqi Embassy Staff

30.06.2006
Russia Puts $10 Million Bounty on Heads of Killers of Iraqi Embassy Staff
Russia offered a $10 million reward Friday for information on the killers of five Russian Embassy staff workers in Iraq, according to a report. The offer came two days after President Vladimir Putin ordered special services to hunt down and “destroy” those responsible for the deaths.

30.06.2006
No Iran Missile Experts Receiving Training in Russia — Top Defense Official
Russia’s defense minister denied Friday U.S. media reports that Iranian missile specialists were trained at an aerospace university in southern Russia.

30.06.2006
U.S. to Muffle Critics on Russia’s Democracy Backsliding in Exchange for Deal on Iran — Report
A meeting of G8 Foreign Ministers this week showed that the United States is ready to mute its criticism of Moscow on questions of democracy in exchange for Russian support on the Iranian nuclear issue, a leading newspaper said Friday.

30.06.2006
Russian Lawmakers Pass Bills Cementing Kremlin Power
Russia’s lower house of parliament gave its final approval Friday to two election bills that critics say are aimed at further cementing the Kremlin’s grip on power.

30.06.2006
Russian Defense Minister Says Ukraine Supplied Cruise Missiles to Iran, China
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov has said that Ukraine had supplied cruise missiles to Iran and China in what he called a blatant violation of the missile technologies nonproliferation agreement.

30.06.2006
Uzbekistan Deports Canadian Activist to China for Possible Execution
Uzbekistan confirmed on Friday it had deported to China a Canadian rights activist — an ethnic Uighur accused of terrorism by Beijing — despite calls from Ottawa for his return.

30.06.2006
Russia Urges US-led Coalition to Help it Track Down Diplomats’ Killers
Moscow wants the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq to help it track down those behind the killing of five Russian diplomats, a Foreign Ministry source said Friday.

30.06.2006
Russian Parliament Approves Easier Registration for Foreigners
The State Duma has facilitated the migration registration of foreign citizens in Russian territory. A corresponding draft law was adopted by the Duma on Friday after the third and final reading.

30.06.2006
Twenty More Countries Can Develop Weapons of Mass Destruction
Besides five universally recognized nuclear powers, plus India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea, which claim to have weapons of mass destruction but which have not been recognized, another 20 countries of the world have the potential to develop weapons of mass destruction, Sergei Ivanov, Russian Defense Minister, told a press conference today.

30.06.2006
Russia Reports Successful Training Launch of Ballistic Missile
Russia successfully launched a Tula ballistic missile on Friday, firing it from the Barents Sea to Kamchatka in the far east as part of combat training, the navy said.

30.06.2006
Rice, Lavrov Caught Undiplomatic Over Lunch Ahead of G8 Summit
Russia’s Lavrov and his U.S. counterpart exchanged undiplomatic remarks in Moscow on Thursday, an inadvertent audio feed from a closed-door lunch has revealed.

30.06.2006
Former Russian Nuclear Minister Claims He Is Ready to Die to Keep His Nation’s Secrets
In a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, former nuclear minister Yevgeniy Adamov has claimed he was ready to die in order to prevent disclosure of state secrets which could happen if Adamov is extradited to the United States.

30.06.2006
Opposition Leader Kasyanov Blames Arcelor Bid Failure on Putin Regime
Mikhail Kasyanov, Russia’s former Prime Minister and a vocal critic of the Kremlin, sees political motives behind Severstal’s failure to merge with the European steelmaker Arcelor.

30.06.2006
G8 Foreign Ministers Meet Ahead of Summit, Democracy in Russia Off Agenda
The Group of Eight foreign ministers held extensive discussions on Iran, the latest Mideast crisis and a range of other international issues in a day of meetings in Moscow on Thursday. The state of democracy in Russia was not on their agenda.

30.06.2006
Chechen Warlord Named New VP in Russia’s Rebellious Province
Chechnya’s new separatist leader has named warlord Shamil Basayev, wanted by Russia for a series of heinous terrorist attacks, as his vice president in a move that could signal a radicalization of the Chechen rebel movement.

30.06.2006
Russia’s Putin Hails Expanding Business Ties With Turkey
President Vladimir Putin on Thursday praised Russia’s growing economic ties with Turkey, telling his visiting Turkish counterpart that new opportunities are opening for electric and atomic energy projects.

30.06.2006
Ukraine Braced for Italy Challenge
Ukraine coach Oleg Blokhin said his side will be looking for a win against Italy in the World Cup quarter-final on Friday, as they have nothing to lose. “We are going to aim for victory,” he said.

30.06.2006
Officials in Russia, Belarus Still Pin Hopes on Union
Russia and Belarus could hold a referendum on a constitution for a joint state as soon as this fall, a senior Russian official said Thursday.