14:58
11.6.2014
15:08
11.6.2014
15:46
11.6.2014
A new line of T-shirts featuring Putin's image has gone on sale at a department store on Moscow's Red Square. The designers said their work was inspired by the Russian president's "numerous victories on the international stage" in recent months. One portrays Putin vacationing, drink in hand, in Crimea. Others refer to him as "The Politest Of People" in a reference to the "polite people" euphemism Putin used to describe Russian soldiers who occupied Crimea in February. The campaign was organized by a group called "Vsyo Putyom" ("It's All Right"), a pun on the Russian leader's name. (Video by RFE/RL's Russian Service)
15:56
11.6.2014
The Kremlin is denying that Russian officials have been invited to further gas talks by EU Commissioner Oettinger, according to Interfax:
There are no plans for the nearest future of holding top-level meetings or talks between Russia and Ukraine mentioned by European Energy Commissioner Gunther Oettinger; no proposals to this end have been made, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov has said.
"The Russian side has not received invitations to meetings or talks," he said.
No meetings or talks are planned for today or the nearest future, he said.
"The Russian side has not received invitations to meetings or talks," he said.
No meetings or talks are planned for today or the nearest future, he said.
16:29
11.6.2014
Somebody's feeling pretty good about those new Moscow-to-Simferopol flights!
17:16
11.6.2014
17:23
11.6.2014
Statesmanlike?
18:20
11.6.2014
The Russian Foreign Ministry says Lavrov -- in a phone conversation with his U.S. counterpart -- has again called for a halt in the Ukrainian military operations in the southern and eastern parts of the country. ITAR-TASS reports:
In a telephone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday, June 11, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stressed the need for Kiev to stop its army operation in the south-east of Ukraine as soon as possible.
He called for "coordinating the terms of ceasing fire, solving urgent humanitarian problems and starting a truly national dialogue on the future system in Ukraine".
"Special emphasis was put on the importance of direct talks between the conflicting Ukrainian sides in order to come to agreement on all these tracks," the Foreign Ministry said.
He called for "coordinating the terms of ceasing fire, solving urgent humanitarian problems and starting a truly national dialogue on the future system in Ukraine".
"Special emphasis was put on the importance of direct talks between the conflicting Ukrainian sides in order to come to agreement on all these tracks," the Foreign Ministry said.
18:31
11.6.2014
The "Luhansk People's Republic" is appealing to Russia and a handful of other countries to recognize its independence, according to a Russian report quoting the separatist group's "supreme council."
The ITAR-TASS news agency quotes the council saying the document was "adopted Tuesday" and seeks "recognition of the LNR as a sovereign and independent state."
Aside from Russia, the 15 countries include Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, China, Serbia, Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua, according to ITAR-TASS.
18:44
11.6.2014
Here's video of Oleh Tsaryov, a Ukrainian lawmaker from the Party of Regions who abandoned his presidential campaign and is an active voice for greater autonomy for the south and east -- and is accused by authorities in Kyiv of separatism -- visiting a hospital in Luhansk.