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St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2016

Russia and Italy made $1.3 bln worth contracts at SPIEF — Putin

Italy is now fifth among Russian trade partners

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Italy’s Prime Minister Matteo Renzi Mikhail Klimentyev/TASS

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Italy’s Prime Minister Matteo Renzi

© Mikhail Klimentyev/TASS

ST. PETERSBURG, June 17. /TASS/. Russia and Italy executed contracts in the amount of $1.3 bln at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday at the press conference with Italy’s Prime Minister Matteo Renzi on the sidelines of the SPIEF.

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"Personal participation of Mr. Renzi in this event supported the high representation level of Italian business circles. Contracts with participation of the Italian business totaling over $1.3 bln were signed on sidelines of the Forum today," Putin said.

Italy is now fifth among Russian trade partners, Putin said. However, the bilateral trade contracted last year and continues declining in 2016 because of the economic situation and political restrictions, the Russian president added.

Energy is the main area of cooperation between the countries, the Russian Head of State said. "We on the whole see high prospects for localization of Italian companies’ production facilities in the Russian territory. We saw today in the course of talks that our Italian partners are interested in that," Putin said.

Italian companies also show interest in cooperation in the sphere of space, innovations and infrastructural projects, Putin added.

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Foreign policy SPIEF 2016

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Potential nuclear facilities in Poland to be military target for Russia — senior diplomat

According to Sergey Ryabkov, discussions around the deployment of NATO nuclear facilities in Poland are an "unfolding story"

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Andrey Marochko added that the Ukrainians have also intensified artillery and drone attacks at Russian positions

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West bends sanctions rules when it suits them — Kremlin

Dmitry Peskov noted that, "according to some parameters, companies in Europe and other regions can hardly maintain their competitiveness if they completely abandon our products"

All-Belarusian People's Assembly adopts new military doctrine, security concept

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Some 4,500 tickets sold in only two days for 2024 BRICS Games in Russia’s Kazan

According to the ministry, ticket prices range between 100 and 300 rubles

Russian deputy defense minister detained on suspicion of bribe-taking

"Russian Deputy Defense Minister Timur Vladimirovich Ivanov was detained on suspicion of committing a crime under part 6, article 290 of the Russian Criminal Code," the Russian Investigative Committee said

Houthi leader says group attacked more than 100 ships in Red, Arabian seas so far

Ansar Allah strikes one ship every two days, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi said

Russia’s national jurisdiction must be competitive for business — Putin

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US incapable of replicating Cold War-era arms race — Valdai club expert

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Russia to retaliate immediately if Kiev gets ATACMS missiles — diplomat

Konstantin Gavrilov also noted that the "manic efforts" of some Western OSCE member countries to isolate Russia "are futile and will backfire on their initiators"

US government prepares to sign $6-bln contract for arms deliveries to Ukraine — Politico

According to the article, the United States "is putting the finishing touches" on one of its largest Ukraine military aid packages to date, which may be announced on Friday

US shifted conflict in Europe onto EU, NATO shoulders to weaken Russia, says Lukashenko

The Belarusian leader specified that the US had organized the conflict in Europe, in this case in Ukraine, and "shifted it onto the shoulders of the European Union and NATO, promising to help with money"

Crocus City Hall attack funded using cryptocurrency, Russian finance watchdog says

Russia’s Federal Financial Monitoring Service head added that the act of terrorism was intricately planned and it took an international network of conspirators to carry it out

Russia says its battlegroup West seized better positions

The Russian forces also foiled a counterattack of an assault group of the Ukrainian 80th mechanized brigade in the vicinity of the Krasnoye settlement in the Donetsk People’s Republic