The latest: 2 Russian Peacekeepers Killed in Armed Attack in Georgia’s Breakaway Province

03.08.2006
2 Russian Peacekeepers Killed in Armed Attack in Georgia’s Breakaway Province
Two Russian peacekeepers in Georgia’s breakaway region of Abkhazia have been killed in an attack on a bus, the unrecognized republic’s Interior Ministry said Thursday.

03.08.2006
Russia Allocates Millions in Funds for Development of Islands Wanted by Japan
The Russian government has backed a 17 billion-rouble ($630m) plan to develop the Kuril Islands in the Pacific Ocean. The draft plan for 2007-2015 aims to improve the islands’ energy and transport infrastructure, including the construction of an all-weather airport.

03.08.2006
Ukraine’s President Signs Unity Pact With Pro-Russian Rival
President Viktor Yushchenko signed a national unity pact Thursday with his former Orange Revolution rival, paving the way for Viktor Yanukovych to become prime minister, but a Parliament vote was put off one day to allow more time for talks on a coalition.

03.08.2006
Germany Defends Jailed Russian Tycoon Khodorkovsky’s Rights
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has described the conditions in which one-time Russian oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky is being held in a Siberian prison as “unacceptable”.

03.08.2006
Jealous Policeman Opens Fire at Subway Station Killing 2, Shoots Self
A Ukrainian police officer killed two people and wounded one at a subway station in the city of Harkrov before shooting himself, a local police service representative said.

03.08.2006
Maria Sharapova Loses Suit Against Movie Production Company
A federal judge ruled against tennis star Maria Sharapova on Wednesday, saying a Florida production company was entitled to market a documentary on her despite her agents’ attempts to halt distribution.

03.08.2006
Russian Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Hits Target on Kamchatka Peninsula
Russia has successfully test launched an intercontinental ballistic missile from its northern space-vehicle launching site, Plesetsk. The intercontinental Topol class ballistic missile (CC-25 under Western standards) was launched on Thursday at 1:38 p.m. Moscow time from a mobile launching installation, sources from the northern cosmodrome said.

03.08.2006
Russia Schedules Japanese Space Tourist’s Launch on September 14
Japan’s first space tourist, Daisuke Enomoto, will blast off on board a Russian spaceship headed for the International Space Station on September 14.

03.08.2006
Ukraine Buys $201M Worth of Nuclear Fuel From Russia
Ukraine’s national atomic energy generating company Energoatom has transferred $201 million to Russia’s TVEL for fresh nuclear fuel it received from the beginning of 2006.

03.08.2006
Russia Urges Iran to Meet Nuclear Deadline
Russia said Thursday that Iran must respect an August 31 deadline set by the UN Security Council for it to suspend uranium enrichment in order to avoid possible sanctions.

03.08.2006
Russia Prepares for 250-Day Manned Flight to Mars
The Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medical and Biological Problems plans to start a 520-day ground experiment to simulate a manned flight to Mars at the end of 2007.

03.08.2006
Stolen Items From Russia’s Hermitage Museum Worth Over $130 mln — Art Dealer
Art dealers estimate the 220 items stolen from Russia’s famous Hermitage museum could be worth over $130 million. The missing items include scores of icons mounted in gold and silver frames, silver vases, watches and jewellery.

03.08.2006
Russia Rejects NHL Transfer Deal
Russia will not sign a transfer agreement with the National Hockey League just weeks after ratifying the deal, the country’s ice hockey chief said on Wednesday. The country’s top sports official said the proposed agreement was not in the best interest of Russian clubs.

03.08.2006
Soviet-built Miniature Moscow Goes on Sale in Russian Capital
A miniature replica of the Soviet-era Russian capital goes on sale this week in Moscow, at a starting price of $380,000. Built in 1977 to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution, the diorama travelled the world before 1980. The Russian government has so far shown no interest in the unique monument.

03.08.2006
Israel Approves of Russia’s Position on Middle East Conflict--Envoy
Israel sees Russia’s position on the war in the Middle East as well weighted and balanced, Israel’s ambassador to Moscow said at a press conference, citing statements made at the July G8 summit in St. Petersburg.

03.08.2006
Ukraine’s Yushchenko Forced to Name Rival as Prime Minister
Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko proposed opposition leader Viktor Yanukovich as prime minister in the early hours of Thursday in a deal that is likely to hand over huge powers to his pro-Moscow rival. The deal ends four months of political deadlock in which Ukraine has had only a caretaker government.

03.08.2006
UN Lowers Risk Level for Russia’s Restive Chechnya Province
The United Nations has improved the security assessment of the situation in Chechnya, thus allowing wider access to the North Caucasus republic for aid agencies, Prague Watchdog has learned from a well-informed source in the region.

03.08.2006
Belarus Diplomat Expelled From Latvia
Latvian authorities have declared the first secretary of the Belarussian Embassy persona non grata, and asked him to leave the country within 24 hours, the Latvian Foreign Ministry has said.

03.08.2006
NATO Membership Could Improve Ties With Russia — Georgia’s Saakashvili
Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili said Wednesday that joining NATO could improve his country’s troubled relations with Russia. “Russia has very good relations with most NATO members, like France, Germany. We want good relations with Russia,” he told the press in Warsaw where he met with President Lech Kaczynski.