The U.S. and Global Security Review - Blog by Michael Novakhov

The recent creation of the Eurosceptic far-right faction Europe of Nations and Freedom (ENF) by Marine Le Pen, the leader of French party National Front, means there is a new and more powerful pro-Kremlin caucus in the European Parliament. ENF members consistently push Moscow’s interests in committees and plenary sessions, while masking their actions by saying they are lobbying the needs of interest groups.

Europe’s New Pro-Putin Coalition: the Parties of ‘No’
Monday August 3rd, 2015 at 4:17 PM

With the formation in June of the Europe of Nations and Freedom group in the European Parliament, Marine Le Pen created a new force willing to back the interests of the Kremlin in the EU. Although ENF accounts for only 5 percent of all MEPs (751), by gathering more than 25 members the faction received certain rights and powers, as well as a significant budget, which will allow it to boost the existing institutional and lobbying power of Putin-friendly representatives.

In total, up to 20 percent of all MEPs currently vote at times in the interests of Putin’s Russia: in addition to ENF, there is the strongly pro-Russian far-left group European United Left — Nordic Green Left (GUE-NGL); Nigel Farage’s Eurosceptic group Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy (EFDD); and various non-affiliated members of the parliament. At the same time as these groups advance Kremlin interests, they accuse their pro-European opponents of being puppets of the United States, thereby bolstering Russian President Vladimir Putin’s cause of trying to undermine Euro-Atlantic relations.

The Benefits of Political Opportunism

ENF was created on June 15 and currently its caucus consists of 38 members representing 8 different nationalities. More than half of them hail from France and are members of Le Pen’s National Front party. Other members represent various Eurosceptic far-right parties across Europe, including the Dutch Party for Freedom (PVV), the Belgian Vlaams Belang (“Flemish Interest”), the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ), the Polish Congress of the New Right (KNP), and the Italian Lega Nord.

Le Pen and PVV leader Geert Wilders failed to form an alliance after the 2014 European Parliament elections, but this time they were able to do so. In order to form a caucus in the European Parliament, 25 MEPs from at least one-quarter of the member states must join. The group was initially reluctant to include far-right parties that leaders considered to be anti-Semitic and neo-Nazi—namely, Greece’s Golden Dawn and Hungary’s Jobbik—but they did accept members of Polish far-right party Congress of the New Right, which used to be even more extreme than Jobbik until it expelled its controversial leader, Janusz Korwin-Mikke. Another step that helped the alliance form was the acceptance of Janice Atkinson, who had been expelled from the United Kingdom Independent Party (UKIP) by leader Nigel Farage over fraud allegations. In an even more surprising move, Le Pen’s group recruited a Romanian member of the European Parliament who is under investigation for corruption, Laurentiu Rebega, who claimed that he wanted Roma and Romanian to be differentiated in Europe and for Romanian citizens to “benefit from the same treatment as other Europeans, without being systematically stigmatized.” Having included the Romanian MEP, the new group contained just over 5 percent of the total number of MEPs in the parliament, which granted them even more privileges.

With its current number of members, the group is less fragile than previous far-right groups. Although the ENF caucus is extremely new and could be short-lived, it represents a breakthrough for the European far-right—and, most importantly, for Marine Le Pen, who has never shied away from showing her admiration for Putin. Last year, she received a $11.7 million loan from a Kremlin-linked bank, which helped her to finance the campaign for the 2014 European Parliament elections in France in which National Front came in first with 25% of votes.

Figure 1. The political factions of the European Parliament as of July 24, 2015, with the number of MEPs and the percentage they represent inside the EP.

European United Left — Nordic Green Left (GUE-NGL)
Greens/European Free Alliance (G-EFA)
Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D)
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE)
European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR)
Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy (EFDD)
Europe of Nations and Freedoms (ENF)
Non-attached Members (NI)

Having a parliamentary group at one’s disposal has certain advantages. First, the group canaccumulate total funds of up to €20 million ($22 million) during its mandate. Second, if the group includes at least 5 percent of mandates (see Figure 1) it receives certain privileges, such as more speaking time at plenary sessions, the ability to propose amendments during plenary sessions, more influential positions in the parliamentary committees, and its own secretariat, relieving it of the need to depend on the European Parliament’s personnel. It will also gain more rapporteur roles, which is crucial to the legislative proccess. Rapporteurs present reports containing proposals for resolutions or legislative amendments adopted by a parliamentary committee to the plenary for voting. Overall, the group will have a stronger (but, of course, still limited) political impact by having the ability to influence policy decisions on many levels.

Finally, with abundant financial resources and a more extensive network and institutional impact, ENF will now be able to finance the far-right infrastructure more efficiently both in individual nations and in Europe overall.

Plenary Votes: Declaration of Loyalty to Russia

Given ENF’s evident sympathy toward Putin’s regime, it is easy to assume that this sentiment is reflected in the group members’ voting patterns. In order to determine whether the far-right MEPs who are now part of the group showed support for Putin’s Russia before the new caucus was formed (we will refer to them as “pre-ENF” MEPs), we examined their votes on six Russia-related decisions. These include votes on the Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine, a resolution criticizing Russia for its aggression in Eastern Ukraine, a resolution condemning the murder of Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov, and others.

According to our data, in 93 percent of cases the pre-ENF members voted “no” in Russia-related decisions, which essentially suited Russian interests (see figures 2 and 3 below1). To compare, the radical-left group GUE/NGL voted “no” in 78 percent of cases, while the EFDD group did so in 67 percent of cases. It would therefore be logical to conclude, as others have done before, that there is a pro-Putin coalition in the European Parliament consisting of anti-EU and radical parties. This is not only because opposition parties generally go against mainstream decisions. For example, the Green Party is not a member of the grand coalition, but they voted “no” only in 15 percent of Russia-related votes. David Cameron’s softly Eurosceptic alliance ECR voted “no” in only 5 percent of cases, while mainstream parties—the social democratic S&D, the liberal ALDE, and the center-right EPP—did so in 3 percent, 3 percent and 1 percent of cases, respectively.

Figure 2: The share of “no” votes in select Russia-related decisions2. These decisions include:

1. Strategic military situation in the Black Sea basin following the illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia (June 11, 2015)
2. State of EU-Russia relations (June 10, 2015)
3. Murder of Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov and the state of democracy in Russia (March 12, 2015)
4. Macro financial assistance to Ukraine (March 19, 2015)
5. EU-Ukraine Association Agreement (September 17, 2014)
6. Situation in Ukraine (July 17, 2014)

Certainly the high ratio of “no” votes by the fringe groups is partially due to the fact that they are composed of anti-establishment parties, and therefore their agenda is to oppose the mainstream parties in the European Parliament. But this does not mean that their pro-Kremlin stance should be considered a mere act of unthinking contrarianism. The pro-Kremlin votes of these MEPs are consistent; the members show support at the plenary sessions and in the committees (see figure 3); and they hold high-level meetings with Russian stakeholders and make public pro-Kremlin and pro-Putin statements. Their pro-Russian and anti-European position can be easily exploited and abused by the Russian regime.

Figure 3: Number of ENF members in the European Parliament’s committees (prior to ENF formation)3

Figure 4: Institutional powers used by select pre-ENF MEPs in committees to support Kremlin interests

Defending Europeans from Europe: Activity in the Committees

ENF’s ability to promote Kremlin interests can be seen in the activities of certain MEPs who exhibited strong pro-Russian attitudes in the European institutional framework. National Front members Bernard Monot, Marie-Christine Arnautu, Jean-Luc Schaffhauser, Edouard Ferrand and Aymeric Chauprade are current ENF MEPs who have seats in various committees (see Figures 3 and 4) and have taken stances in line with the Kremlin’s interests. Figure 4 shows that the pre-ENF members were strongly opposed to the sanctions against Russia.

Edouard Ferrand, who is a member of the Agricultural and Rural Development Committee, voiced opposition to the sanctions and called for them to be lifted during a plenary session, arguing that farmers were the main victims of the measures. Similarly, Arnautu lamented the fact that truck drivers had lost their jobs due to the sanctions. It should be noted that while farmers have suffered losses due to the sanctions, they receive enormous support from the European Union in the form of subsidies: 30 percent (!) of EU expenditures are allocated to support agriculture. The anti-EU right-wing politicians usually fail to mention this fact. They appear to be defending certain interest groups, but in fact they are representing Russia’s political and policy interests.

Aymeric Chauprade is one of the most adamant pro-Russian politicians, and his parliamentary activity reflects his support for Putin’s interests. During a parliamentary debate on the resolution regarding the state of EU-Russia relations, a resolution that was highly critical of Russia and included a reference to the Kremlin’s support of European far-right forces, Chauprade argued that the resolution was inaccurate when it said that Russia takes “deliberate actions aimed at destabilizing its neighbors through illegal trade embargos or the conclusion of integration treaties with separatist and breakaway [entities].” In an interview with state TV channel Russia 24, Chauprade said that sanctions against Russia were in no way objective and that the majority of MEPs represented U.S. interests rather than the will of their own people.

In a vote on the European Energy Security Strategy resolution drafted by the Industry, Research and Energy Committee, Jean-Luc Schaffhauser said that Europe was acting against its own interests by “obeying the United States’ order and starting a war against Russia.” The resolution emphasized the need for EU members to reduce energy dependence and pursue energy diversification to counter Russian aggression by strengthening the “EU’s resilience to external pressures.”

Finally, Matteo Salvini, leader of the Italian Lega Nord, opposed a resolution authorizing financial assistance to Ukraine. The resolution said that Ukraine was suffering due to an “undeclared hybrid war and trade restrictions from Russia,” but he argued that the resolution waged a “trade war” against Russia and “fuels wars.” Salvini has expressed a pro-Russian point of view on other issues as well, including with a vote against the “State of EU-Russia Relations” resolution (he said he considered Russia a “strategic partner”) and his refusal to condemn the Kremlin over the murder of Boris Nemtsov, claiming that Europe itself was undemocratic and “instigates war and violence.”

The Politics of “No”

While the new group in the European Parliament will almost certainly not be a game-changer in European politics, it is a valuable asset for Putin’s Kremlin. The Russian government and its cronies apply a broad range of “pull factors” on ENF and the other two Kremlin-friendly caucuses, the far-left GUE-NGL and the anti-EU EFDD, to keep them loyal, ranging from diplomatic support to financial and political carrots. These groups’ pro-Russian position is largely ideological in nature, part and parcel of their rejection of the European status quo. They are the “parties of no” that vote against the mainstream and the establishment. But this does not diminish the importance of their pro-Kremlin stance. On the contrary, given that Eurosceptic attitudes are widespread in the European Union, these groups serve as influential dancing partners for Putin. According to the latest Eurobarometer survey from fall 2014, 37 percent of EU citizens were pessimistic about the future of Europe.

Given the often dualistic nature of political debate—in which one is either “for” or “against” something, has to vote “yes” or "no“—disillusionment with the EU could become a “push factor” for voters, driving them away from a united Europe and toward Russia, one of the main critics of European values. It does not mean that Euroscepticism should be automatically regarded as pro-Putinism. But widespread pessimism about the EU project and a general erosion of trust in Europe helps Putin to promote his regime’s ideology and interests more effectively. The latest example of this trend is public opinion in Greece, where a recent Gallup poll indicated higher approval of the Russian leadership than of the European leadership. Given the harsh terms of the latest Greek bailout deal and the new Greek-Russian plans for a gas pipeline—and the fact that Greek ruling parties base their image on harsh criticism of the EU and sympathy toward Putin—Russia could start to seem like an attractive counterpoint to Europe for Greeks. This will most certainly help Russia increase its disruptive influence in Europe.

This analysis is a part of the joint project of the Political Capital Institute and the Institute of Modern Russia. The calculations have been made by the Political Capital Institute’s experts.

References:

We did not include the new Romanian MEP, given that he is an odd one out: he is an ex-S&D member, not an ex-independent.
“No” in every case means either voting against a resolution critical of Russia (e.g., condemning the murder of Nemtsov), or against a measure that runs counter to Kremlin interests (e.g., the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement). There have been a number of important analyses in the past relating to some of these decisions, including this one by Anton Shekhovtsov.
This figure reflects the current distribution, which took place before the ENF was formed. The MEPs remain in their respective committees but are now part of the ENF group.

Read the whole story

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Встреча Контактной группы в Минске закончилась без видимых результатов - ИА REGNUM
Monday August 3rd, 2015 at 4:15 PM

ДОНБАСС

Встреча Контактной группы в Минске закончилась без видимых результатов
ИА REGNUM
Минск, 3 Августа 2015, 22:29 — REGNUM В Минске завершился очередной раунд переговоров Контактной группы по Украине. Об этом в понедельник, 3 августа, сообщает министерство иностранных дел Украины. Перед переговорами Контактной группы прошли заседания ...
Десятый час продолжаются переговоры по Украине в МинскеРИА Новости
В Минске завершилось заседание Контактной группы по УкраинеПервый канал
Украинское «правительство в изгнании» пообещало ДНР и ЛНР широкую автономиюНТВ.ru
Взгляд -Ведомости
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‘Malvertisements’ Undermine Internet Trustby webdesk@voanews.com (Doug Bernard)
Monday August 3rd, 2015 at 4:04 PM

A new form of digital malicious software that preys on users' implicit trust in major online brands, such as YouTube or Adobe, is rapidly spreading across the Internet. Worse yet, these "malvertisements" may soon become the primary means of distributing what is known as malware, leaving users with little or no defense, a new study says. Researchers at the digital security firm RiskIQ will release their study Tuesday at the annual Black Hat cybersecurity and hacking convention in Las Vegas. The RiskIQ researchers monitored more than 2 billion Web pages and 10 million mobile apps over the past year. They found that the incidence of malvertising on those sites jumped by a whopping 260 percent from last year. The number of unique malvertisements also grew from year-ago levels by 60 percent. "Malvertisements is a combination of ‘malware’ and ‘advertisements,' or simply malware that comes through an advertisement," said James Pleger, RiskIQ's research director and the report's author. "The litmus test for me is, first, if it’s something I don’t want on my computer, and second, if it was delivered through an advertisement, then it’s malvertising." Hiding in plain sight For most users, a malvertisement would look as legitimate and indistinguishable as any of the other thousand-odd online ads offered up daily on websites, blogs and social networks. Malvertisements' "hiding-in-the-open" nature makes them effective at skirting our built-up skepticism of online trickery, Pleger said. Among the most popular malvertisements currently are pop-up ads advising users to update their software from a trusted service, such as Adobe’s popular Flash player. "So you go to a common website, and you get a pop-up with an ad that says your Flash is out of date," Pleger said. "... This isn’t actually Flash telling you it’s out of date; it’s an ad on the website that actually delivers malware. People click on that and they’re easily tricked into downloading it." Complicating matters, some malvertisements employ what are known as "drive-by exploit kits," which can deliver malware through software security holes without the user having to click on a link or download anything. As soon as an ad loads onto a computer, smartphone or tablet, the device is infected. Online advertising 'ecosystem' Perhaps the biggest challenge in tracking down and eliminating malvertising is what Pleger calls the "vast, complex ecosystem" that creates online ads in the first place. Think of the cyber-ad space this way: Each site you visit gathers as much information on you as it can: you identity, your social media activity, your friends, the other websites you visit and what you search for. All that information and more is collected and then shared across a labyrinthine web of marketing firms, allowing advertisers to instantly create highly tailored and customized ads just for you. That, for example, is how Facebook knows you’re shopping for gym shoes, because earlier you were searching Amazon for the exact same thing. It also explains how the host sites often inadvertantly can play host to malvertising, even while trying to combat it. "Security was an afterthought in this ad world," Pleger said. "This retargeting of ads almost makes a perfect platform for malvertising. You can actually use malvertisements to target specific types of users you’re interested in infecting. This is why it's a huge issue for users." Beware, mobile users Pleger expects malvertising will continue to surge in the coming year. He predicts the attacks increasingly will target mobile devices. "As more people are mobile, it’s a little easier to target them and they’re a little more used to some of the ad content in there," Pleger told VOA. "We’re going to see a shift toward mobile and an increase in general of malvertising." While cybersecurity firms and e-commerce sites such as Amazon scramble to keep up with the evolving malvertisement threat, users can develop a few commonsense habits to try to keep devices clean. One of the best, said Pleger, is regularly updating a computer’s operating systems and applications. "The important thing, when you update your software, is that you go to that vendor’s website," Pleger said. "You don’t wait for pop-ups but proactively update [the device] yourself." Other good cyber-hygiene habits include creating strong passwords and using different passwords between various programs. That said, history proves that many users pay lip service to those suggestions, but rarely actually employ them.

Read the whole story

· · ·

Шойгу объявил о создании в России Воздушно-космических сил - УНИАН
Monday August 3rd, 2015 at 4:04 PM

Russia, Putin And Putinism

УНИАН

Шойгу объявил о создании в России Воздушно-космических сил
УНИАН
Министр обороны России Сергей Шойгу заявляет, что с 1 августа на территории страны начал действовать новый вид Вооруженных сил – Воздушно-космические силы, передает Радио Свобода. "Формирование Воздушно-космических сил путем объединения Военно-воздушных сил и ...
В России указом Президента созданы Воздушно-космические силыПервый канал
В России на боевое дежурство заступил новый вид Вооруженных силРБК
Авиацию, ПВО, ПРО и космос собрали в Воздушно-космические силы РоссииРИА Новости
Интерфакс -ИА REGNUM -Свободная пресса
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Russia creates Aerospace Forces by merging military branches - Yahoo News
Monday August 3rd, 2015 at 4:03 PM

Yahoo News

Russia creates Aerospace Forces by merging military branches
Yahoo News
President Vladimir Putin has launched an ambitious program of modernizing Russia's military arsenals. The Kremlin has been keen to show off the nation's military muscle amid tensions with the West over Ukraine. Shoigu said that the military has ...
Russia Creates Aerospace ForcesRadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty
Guarding Space: Russia Creates a New Branch of the Armed Forces – AerospaceSputnik International
Russian Military Merges Air Force and Space CommandThe Moscow Times (registration)

all 14 news articles »

Next Page of Stories

Page 2

Russia says security forces kill 14 Islamist militants - Reuters
Monday August 3rd, 2015 at 4:03 PM

Russia, Putin And Putinism

Deutsche Welle

Russia says security forces kill 14 Islamist militants
Reuters
Moscow is struggling to quell an insurgency by militants who have proclaimed a caliphate in the North Caucasus, a patchwork of mainly Muslim republics on Russia's southern rim, where separatists fought two wars in the 1990s. NAK said the rebels killed ...
Russia says kills six suspected militants in North CaucasusYahoo News
Russia Says Eight Militants Killed in North CaucasusWall Street Journal
Russia 'kills eight "Islamic State" militants' close to ChechnyaDeutsche Welle
Vatican Radio
all 98 news articles »

US Congressional Delegation led by Pelosi to visit Ukraine and Italy
Monday August 3rd, 2015 at 4:02 PM

NATO operations, securoty cooperation, and economic ties are high on agenda

To Defeat Russia, Ukraine Creates Muslim Military Unit Made Up Of Crimean Tatars - International Business Times
Monday August 3rd, 2015 at 4:02 PM

International Business Times

To Defeat Russia, Ukraine Creates Muslim Military Unit Made Up Of Crimean Tatars
International Business Times
Ukraine will create a unit of Muslim soldiers to protect the Crimean border and monitor imports and exports amid an increasingly violent battle with pro-Russian rebels, a Ukraine leader said Monday. The Muslim battalion will be formed of Crimean Tatars ...
Ukraine launches Islamization by creating Muslim BattalionPravda
Crimean Tatars gather in Ankara to discuss Ukrainian crisisToday's Zaman
Poroshenko: Crimea to have status of national-territorial autonomy within UkraineUkraine Today
Interfax
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BBC: Ukraine rebels kill four troops in heavier shelling
Monday August 3rd, 2015 at 4:02 PM

Ukraine says pro-Russian rebels have killed four of its soldiers and injured 15 in the past 24 hours.

The escalation came just hours before the latest round of talks on ending the conflict. The heaviest shelling was reported near rebel-held Donetsk.

На Прикарпатье произошла серия загадочных пожаров
Monday August 3rd, 2015 at 4:01 PM

На Прикарпатье произошла серия загадочных пожаров

Жители уверены – это поджог

Der Spiegel: Сомнительные связи Порошенко
Monday August 3rd, 2015 at 4:01 PM

«Жить по-новому» было написано на плакатах. Порошенко пообещал порвать с практикой, когда в Украине богатые бизнесмены покупают политическое влияние для того, чтобы зарабатывать еще больше денег.

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Page 3

Russia Creates Aerospace Forces by Merging Military Branchesby webdesk@voanews.com (Associated Press)
Monday August 3rd, 2015 at 3:56 PM

Russia has merged several branches of its military into the Aerospace Forces - a reorganization aimed at enhancing coordination and efficiency, officials said Monday. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the decision offers "the optimal way of improving the system of the nation's aerospace defense." The new branch will include the nation's air force, air defense, anti-missile and space forces. Shoigu said that its creation has been prompted by the increasing importance of air and space components in modern warfare. The air force chief, Col.-Gen. Viktor Bondarev, has been put in charge of Aerospace Forces. President Vladimir Putin has launched an ambitious program of modernizing Russia's military arsenals. The Kremlin has been keen to show off the nation's military muscle amid tensions with the West over Ukraine. Shoigu said that the military has received about 200 new planes and helicopters, and is to get the same number this year. He also mentioned a plan to repair and upgrade 108 of the air force's 125 airfields by 2020. While pilot training has steadily increased in recent years as part of the Kremlin's efforts to beef up the military, a recent spate of crashes of combat aircraft has raised concerns about safety standards. Sunday's crash of a Mi-28 helicopter gunship from an elite aerobatic squadron, which killed its pilot during an air show, was the seventh military crash this summer.

Read the whole story

· ·

«Если решение Обамы подтвердится в ходе боевых действий, мы увидим катастрофический сценарий для Сирии» - Коммерсантъ
Monday August 3rd, 2015 at 3:56 PM

Коммерсантъ

«Если решение Обамы подтвердится в ходе боевых действий, мы увидим катастрофический сценарий для Сирии»
Коммерсантъ
Авиация США сможет атаковать правительственные войска Сирии. Соответствующий указ подписал президент Барак Обама, сообщает The Wall Street Journal. По информации издания, наносить авиаудары будет можно, только если сирийские власти будут нападать на вооруженные ...
Лавров назвал контрпродуктивным заявление США о авиационной поддержке сирийской оппозицииГазета.Ru
Лавров: слова США об авиаподдержке боевиков в Сирии - контрпродуктивныРИА Новости
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Дни.Ру -Взгляд -Новости Америки
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Russia to Investigate Athletics Doping Claims - Newsweek
Monday August 3rd, 2015 at 3:55 PM

Newsweek

Russia to Investigate Athletics Doping Claims
Newsweek
Russia doping allegations Russia's Sergey Kirdyapkin passes Buckingham Palace in the men's 50km race walk during the London 2012 Olympic Games at The Mall August 11, 2012. Kirdyapkin won the gold in 2012, but was banned by Russia's anti-doping ...
Russia has been singled out over doping, claims former athletics coachThe Guardian
Russia athletics says examining new doping accusationsThe West Australian
Doping crisis: Russia and Kenya reject drugs claims as a smear campaignThe Independent
Daily Mail -Yahoo! Maktoob News
all 1,190 news articles »

Центр тяжести перемещается в космос: в России создан новый вид войск - Вести.Ru
Monday August 3rd, 2015 at 3:54 PM

Вести.Ru

Центр тяжести перемещается в космос: в России создан новый вид войск
Вести.Ru
Россия завершила создание нового вида войск. Как сообщил глава Минобороны Сергей Шойгу, ВВС, ПВО и воздушно-космическая оборона теперь объединены в Воздушно-космические силы. Именно они займутся всем, что связано с безопасностью страны и в воздухе, и в космосе.
В России на боевое дежурство заступил новый вид Вооруженных силРБК
Авиацию, ПВО, ПРО и космос собрали в Воздушно-космические силы РоссииРИА Новости
Шойгу объявил о создании в России Воздушно-космических силУНИАН
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To Defeat Russia, Ukraine Creates Muslim Military Unit Made Up Of Crimean Tatars - International Business Times
Monday August 3rd, 2015 at 3:54 PM

International Business Times

Radio Liberty: Russian poll shows strong support for internet censorship
Monday August 3rd, 2015 at 3:54 PM

45% of respondents support the idea of blocking the websites of foreign media outlets

Next Page of Stories

Page 4

AP: Russia creates Aerospace Forces to merge military branches
Monday August 3rd, 2015 at 3:53 PM

Kremlin launches ambitious program of modernizing Russia's military arsenals

Russia Says Security Forces Kill 14 Islamist Militantsby Reuters <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com>
Monday August 3rd, 2015 at 3:52 PM

Russia's Federal Security Service forces killed eight Islamic State militants on Sunday and six other Islamist rebels on Monday.

IMF Says Western Sanctions Could Cut 9 Percent Off Russia's GDP by Reuters <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com>
Monday August 3rd, 2015 at 3:52 PM

Russia's economy is showing signs of stabilization after slumping under pressure from Western financial sanctions and Russian counter-measures.

Radio Liberty: Ex-PM Azarov, in Moscow, proclaims 'Salvation Committee' for Ukraine
Monday August 3rd, 2015 at 3:52 PM

Azarov says former lawmaker from Yanukovych's defunct Party of Regions would be his choice for Ukraine's president

Ambassador: Canada helps Ukraine prevent Russian militants' spread into its territory
Monday August 3rd, 2015 at 3:51 PM

Canadian Ambassador speaks to Ukrainian news outlet Apostrophe about Ukraine crisis

Western sanctions are hitting Russia harder than anyone realised by Reuters
Monday August 3rd, 2015 at 3:51 PM