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RUSSIA'S ECONOMY

Russian economy to stay "at the bottom" without reforms — official

"I think that our economy needs certain decisiveness. We postpone important reforms. This will also serve as postponement of economic growth," former Finance Minister Alexey Kurdin said

Former finance minister, chairman of the Committee for Civil Initiatives, Alexei Kudrin Artyom Korotayev/TASS

Former finance minister, chairman of the Committee for Civil Initiatives, Alexei Kudrin

© Artyom Korotayev/TASS

MOSCOW, May 21. /TASS/. Russian economy will not start growing and will remain "at the bottom" if authorities do not start structural reforms, former Finance Minister, deputy chairman of the Presidential Economic Council Alexey Kurdin said on Saturday.

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"We can say that ‘the bottom’ was already passed. It is most likely that we are still somewhere close though. Unfortunately, since the old economic model has expired while the new model has not been formed yet, we will remain ‘at the bottom’ even after passing this ‘bottom’," Kudrin said in the "News on Saturday" TV program.

Kudrin stressed that Russian economy now needs some decisive actions from the authorities. "I think that our economy needs certain decisiveness. We postpone important reforms. This will also serve as postponement of economic growth," he noted.

On Friday Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia passed the bottom of the economic crisis in 2015. Russian Economic Development Minister Alexey Ulyukayev noted that Russian economy has emerged from recession over six months ago.

According to Russia’s Rosstat statistics service, the country’s GDP has decreased by 1.2% in physical terms in the first quarter of 2016 compared to the same period of time last year. Russia’s GDP fell by 3.7% in 2015. According to official forecasts, GDP will decrease by 0.2% in 2016 while economy starts to grow already in 2017.

PhosAgro posts 7% rise in production of agrochemicals to record 3 mln tons for Q1

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Water level in Kurgan to hit historical maximum in few days

The government of the Kurgan Region has arranged the work on providing financial assistance to the victims in the emergency zone

Russian artillery thwarts Ukrainian army’s rotation near Kupyansk — underground resistance

The Ukrainian army used the outbuilding as an ammunition depot, which accommodated about 15 fighters at the time of the air strike, spokesman Sergey Lebedev specified

Russian government approves list of unfriendly countries

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Gasoline output in Russia up 12.1% week-on-week on April 1-7 to 845,900 tons — statistics

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US deliberately fuels tensions in Asia — Russian envoy to Washington

According to Anatoly Antonov, the United States are creating new closed groups and military-political alliances in the Asia-Pacific region and this way "are trying to return the world to the worst times of the Cold War and brinkmanship on the brink of a nuclear conflict"

Ukraine turns from sovereign country into Western protectorate, Hungarian PM says

Viktor Orban noted that there should be a buffer zone between NATO and Russia and Ukraine could serve as one

Almost 3,000 shots fired at Russia’s Kursk Region during military operation

The region's governor Roman Starovoit said 50 apartment buildings, 975 single-family homes, two stores, seven social and cultural buildings have been restored in the region since the beginning of the special operation

DPR leader reports heaviest fighting near Avdeyevka, Chasov Yar

According to Denis Pushilin, it is too early to say when the city could be liberated

Russia restores gasoline production after decline — Energy Ministry

The increase in motor gasoline production in mid-April is associated with production recovery after a local drop due to unscheduled repairs at refineries

UN concerned about 'increasingly dangerous rhetoric' in Middle East, official says

On the evening of April 13, Iran launched drones and missiles towards Israel in response to what it called "repeated crimes," including an attack on the consular office of the Iranian Embassy in Damascus

US retrieves weapons previously banned under INF treaty — Russian ambassador

Anatoly Antonov emphasized that such steps were another powerful blow to strategic stability

Crimea, Donbass to forever remain within Russia, Slovak PM tells national parliament

Robert Fico believes Moscow will win in its confrontation with Kiev

US assured Israel that Iranian drones will be intercepted — US journalist Hersh

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Over 40 nations want to join BRICS — Russian lawmaker

According to Grigory Karasin, many BRICS members share the opinion that the association should be in no hurry to adopt a strict charter, "seeing how counterproductively and even provocatively the European Union is acting"

VTB CEO calls for SWIFT to be fully abandoned in payments

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Press review: US throws Russia New START curveball and Washington's aid balancing act

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Russia to scrap moratorium on intermediate missiles if US deploys them anywhere — MFA

Sergey Ryabkov said the US seeks to maintain military superiority in a great variety of areas

Iran may break through Israel’s air defenses in major attack by drones, missiles — expert

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Hamas grateful to Erdogan for his support — TV

The Turkish leader also announced talks with Hamas politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh in Turkey on April 20

Russian investigators start inquiry into financing of terrorism by US, NATO officials

Investigators have established that the funds that were received through commercial organizations, such as the oil and gas company Burisma Holdings operating in Ukraine, have been used to carry out terrorist acts in Russia and abroad

Putin points to high risk of new epidemic outbreaks

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Xi Jinping proposes four principles for resolving Ukrainian crisis

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Ukrainian front may collapse this summer — newspaper

According to the newspaper’s assessments, Russia "has never been closer to its goals" in the special military operation zone

Roscosmos chief notes high quality of Vostochny space center’s construction

Yury Borisov said that the space facility’s launch pad bore practically no visible signs of the recent Angara-A5 carrier rocket’s launch

Yerevan's refusal to delimit borders with Baku to escalate regional tensions — PM

Nikol Pashinyan pointed out that the demarcation process also involves risks, but they are manageable, after which "Armenia will become ten times stronger"

Number of people convicted of high treason in Russia last year revealed

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'Iron Dome' can't fully protect from UAV swarms — Chinese expert

According to Wei Dongxu, Tehran's firepower can cover most of the Middle East region, representing a fierce and precise long-range retaliatory means

G7 countries to continue examining possible ways of using frozen Russian assets

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Israel may have used banned white phosphorus munitions while shelling Lebanon — TV

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Slovakia to oppose Ukraine’s NATO membership bid — PM

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Russian forces pummel Ukrainian army, equipment in 133 areas over past day

Russian troops took better frontline positions in the Donetsk area over the past day, the ministry reported

Top British diplomat refused to recognize Voronezh and Rostov as part of Russia — source

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EU isolated in its 'blossoming garden,' reluctant to let strangers in — Russian diplomat

Vasily Nebenzya also pointed at the European Union’s double standards with regard to refugees from Ukraine and the Global South

New US bill calls for $26 bln in assistance to Israel

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Ukrainian president admits Russian troops’ advancement

Vladimir Zelensky asked his country’s supporters to provide "everything that helps to hold the frontline," including shells, military vehicles and drones

Russian software sales soaring over last four years — Minister

The number of employees in IT companies increased by 1.5 times over four years, Maksut Shadaev said

Iran withdraws officers out of Syria due to Israel’s potential strike — newspaper

The report said that the Lebanese Shiite Hezbollah movement is also reducing the number of its officers in Syria

Ukrainian military under constant gunfire by Russian troops near Urozhainoye, says POW

Yevgeny Pogrebnyak said that he was treated well by Russian troops in his captivity

Israel planned to strike back at Iran on April 15, but decided to postpone, Axios reports

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Georgia’s parliament approves first reading of foreign agent bill

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Hezbollah fires rockets at Israeli barracks in Shebaa Heights

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Russia bans 235 Australian local government officials from entering country — MFA

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Russian, Turkish senior diplomats discuss situation in Gaza

"The meeting focused on the situation in the region," said in the statement

Shoigu tests commando vehicle, calls for additional machineguns

The Russian defense minister "personally tested the special transportation vehicle and its running qualities"

EU leaders urge to adopt proposal on using incomes from frozen Russian assets for Ukraine

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Iran says it won’t prevent return of Russian sailor from seized ship — MFA

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Former Ukrainian MP sees Zelensky turning into 'usurper' after his term expires

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Russian security chief urges measures against 'ethnic enclaves' in Russia

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Turkish foreign minister urges West to stop Israel, prevent war in region

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Israel says its jets attacked Hezbollah air defense site in eastern Lebanon

I"DF soldiers recently carried out strikes to eliminate "an immediate threat" in the Qawqaba area in southern Lebanon," Israel Defense Forces said

Protesters give Georgian government one hour to revoke foreign agents bill

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Swiss parliament votes against joining task force on frozen Russian assets

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Former Ukrainian PM points to motive behind mobilization exception for law enforcement

Nikolay Azarov noted that currently, law enforcement’s main job in Ukraine was to tighten the screws on the country’s population

Shoigu visits presentation of over 30 promising weapons, including robotic vehicles

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Israeli Air Force strikes Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon

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Iranian president warns of 'terrible response' to any action against country

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Funding needs to be restored to UNRWA before end of investigation — Russia’s UN envoy

"Investigation should be objective and based not only on data provided by Israel but also on Palestinian information", Vasily Nebenzya said

Press TV reports all of Iran's hypersonic missiles hit intended targets in Israel

The report did not specify which facilities in Israel had been attacked with hypersonic missiles

G7 countries to prevent Iran from producing, purchasing weapons

The G7 finance ministers and Central Bank chiefs also condemned "the unprecedented attack against Israel by Iran"

Georgian president says she will veto law on foreign agents

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Russian PM signs off on plan for regions to accommodate evacuees from Palestine

The Russian Emergency Situations Ministry is assigned to oversee the process of sending the evacuees to their respective regions in accordance with an annex to the directive

China to act over possible US measures for alleged support of Russian defense sector

"China always opposes the illegal unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States and will continue to take necessary measures to firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises," Liu Pengyu said

Georgian protests against foreign agent bill reek of US influence — Medvedev

"The experienced and all-too-familiar Hollywood touch can be seen behind these rallies," the politician pointed out

Decision on peacekeepers’ pullout made by top leadership of Azerbaijan, Russia — official

"The defense ministries of Azerbaijan and Russia are taking the necessary measures to implement the decision," Hikmet Hajiyev added

Kiev’s attacks on Zaporozhye nuke plant result of impunity encouraged by US

Sergey Ryabkov stressed that the attacks on the nuclear facility "must be stopped"

Russia’s advanced radar in Kaliningrad to monitor entire territory of Europe — source

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Ukraine’s military loses positions near Avdeyevka, says DPR

Igor Kimakovsky said that Ukrainian forces suffered heavy casualties among personnel and military hardware, including Western equipment

Ukrainian drone attack damages four houses in Russia’s Voronezh

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