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France’s Jacques Chirac, iconic political titan passes away

Jacques Chirac served as French president for 12 years (1995-2007), twice as prime minister and three times as mayor of Paris

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Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev and French Prime Minister Jacques Chirac, 1975

© Vladimir Musaelyan, Alexander Konkov/TASS

French Prime Minister Jacques Chirac in Moscow, 1987

© Viktor Budan, Valentin Kuzmin/TASS

The USSR Chairman of the Council of Ministers Nikolai Ryzhkov and French Prime Minister Jacques Chirac meeting at the airport, 1987

© Viktor Budan, Valentin Kuzmin/TASS

French Prime Minister Jacque Chirac talking to Soviet nuclear physicist and Nobel laureate Andrei Sakharov, 1987

© Valentin Kuzmin/TASS

Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and Mayor of Paris Jacques Chirac, 1985

Russian President Boris Yeltsin and French President Jacques Chirac with their spouses, 1995

© Anatoly Morkovkin/TASS

French President Jacques Chirac and Russian President Boris Yeltsin are seen during a meeting, 1997

© Alexander Chumichev/TASS

Presidents of Russia and France Vladimir Putin and Jacques Chirac pictured during fishing, 2001

© Sergei Velichkin/TASS

Russian President Vladimir Putin, French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder talking in Hotel Rus in the town of Svetlogorsk, Russia's Kaliningrad Region, 2005

© Vladimir Rodionov)/TASS

Russian President Vladimir Putin, French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are seen during a meeting, 2006

© Vladimir Rodionov/TASS

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev greeting former French President Jacques Chirac before a dinner at the restaurant of the House of Writers, Moscow, 2008

© Dmitry Astakhov/TASS

Former French President Jacques Chirac has passed away at the age of 86. From 1995 to 2007, Chirac served as France’s head of state, in addition to being a two-time prime minister and having thrice been elected as mayor of Paris. Chirac made over 300 foreign visits, including more than ten visits to Russia. A huge fan of Russian literature, in his youth, Chirac learned Russian and even translated a chapter of Alexander Pushkin’s novel Eugene Onegin into French. The former French president was awarded the State Prize of the Russian Federation and the Order for Merit to the Fatherland. Here's a look back at his visits to the USSR and Russia throughout the years.

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All extracurricular activities and events in schools and kindergartens of Kitakyushu have been cancelled

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Putin orders rescue efforts after two oil tankers run aground off Crimea — Kremlin

The Russian leader also ordered to set up a governmental working group led by Deputy Prime Minister Davelyev, Dmitry Peskov said

Storm-beaten oil tankers were carrying nearly 9,000 tons of mazut — emergencies service

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Georgian president declares she will not give up presidency

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Russian forces liberate Vesyoly Gai, Pushkino in Donbass region

Russian forces also destroyed four US-made Patriot missile launchers, Russia’s Defense Ministry said

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FBI official thinks "there has been a slight overreaction” to the situation

Ukrainian command prohibits soldiers to retreat from Velikaya Novosyolka in Donbass region

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Poland imposes sanctions on Russian billionaire Oleg Boiko

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Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said it at the 22nd United Russia party congress.

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Israel not interested in confrontation with Syria — Netanyahu

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Putin meets with former President of Kazakhstan Nazarbayev

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The protesters demand the resignation of the government and a new parliamentary election

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By now, almost all the protesters have left the area, a TASS correspondent said

Georgia’s president-elect suggests incumbent president resign if she is against govt

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Smart drone return technology created in Russia — developer

Astron-Aero plans to test the technology in September