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By Kester Kenn Klomegah *
MOSCOW (IDN) — Despite various official efforts, including regular payment of maternal capital to stimulate birth rates and regulating migration policy to boost the population, Russia is reportedly experiencing decreasing population. According to the Federal State Statistics Service, Russia's population currently stands at approximately 144 million, down from 148.3 million.
Viewpoint by Jonathan Power*
LUND, Sweden (IDN) — Who won the Second World War? If you go to the United Kingdom people will answer, we did, led by Winston Churchill. If you visit the USA people will say, we did, led by Franklin Roosevelt. If you go to Russia, people will say the Soviet Union did, led by Stalin.
They can’t all be right. All three did to an extent, in as much as all three went flat out to defeat Hitler’s Germany.
The following excerpts are from a newly-released, 220-page book titled “No Comment – and Don’t Quote me on That”, a rich collection of political anecdotes, both serious and hilarious, reflecting over 40 years of reporting from the United Nations*
By Thalif Deen
UNITED NATIONS, (IDN) — The United Nations, along with the 193 diplomatic missions located in New York, have long been veritable battlegrounds for spying, wire-tapping and electronic surveillance.
By Kester Kenn Klomegah*
MOSCOW (IDN) — Over the past few years, Russia's sphere of influence in Africa has been strengthening and broadening with much focus on helping to maintain peace and security and making an investment in exploiting natural resources in Africa. The first historic Russia-Africa summit held in October 2019 has further and concretely laid out a comprehensive roadmap with which to forge a future relationship with the continent.
By Kester Kenn Klomegah*
MOSCOW (IDN) — President Vladimir Putin has praised the entire healthcare system, and particularly the hard-working team of scientists and specialists from different institutions for their efforts at research and creating a series of vaccines for use against the coronavirus both at home and abroad. Three vaccines already registered in Russia, two of them—Sputnik V and EpiVacCorona—are produced in large quantities by Russian pharmaceutical companies and are currently used for vaccination. It is planned to roll out another one: CoviVac.
Viewpoint by Jonathan Power*
LUND, Sweden (IDN) — History and events have not been kind to Russia. Napoleon’s invasion, revolution, two world wars, Hitler’s invasion, Stalin’s communism and, most recently, the expansion of NATO, have shattered the Russian people’s equilibrium and self-regard time and time again.
At the end of the Cold War and with agreement on the NATO-Russia Founding Act it seemed that big steps towards a new kind of future were being taken. First, Russia would have a seat at NATO's table. Later it would join NATO. Later still, the European Union. Some said this would happen over ten years, others twenty.
By Kester Kenn Klomegah*
MOSCOW (IDN) — The Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) says it is working very hard to continue to prioritise the interests of Russian entrepreneurs in all its dealings. One of the ways the organisation is doing this is by strengthening its international ties.
Already, the CCI has successfully established 76 operational business councils with 76 countries. They involve representatives of the Russian business community and those from the relevant state.
Viewpoint by Somar Wijayadasa*
NEW YORK (IDN) — The United States-Russia relations that flourished for decades—even during the Cold War—and benefited both parties have irreversibly damaged.
Tensions between the two superpowers escalated over allegations that range from the Russian interference in US elections, the SolarWinds cyberattacks, and Washington's demands that Russia free the jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.
Russia vehemently denies all allegations and admonishes the US that Navalny’s case is purely an internal matter.
By Kester Kenn Klomegah*
MOSCOW (IDN) — More and more African countries are registering Russia's Sputnik V vaccine. The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) said in a statement that Angola, Djibouti and the Republic of Congo (DRC) have officially authorized Russia's coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V for mass use to fight the COVID-19 in their respective countries. It is health assistance aimed at stopping the further spread of the pandemic on the continent.
By Kester Kenn Klomegah*
MOSCOW (IDN) — Russia faces vaccine production challenges to meet the increasing market demand and to make prompt delivery on its current pledges to external countries. As vaccine production and distribution intensifies, rivalry and competition strengthen and the fight for market share and its associated disinformation abound worldwide.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly indicated that in order to boost sustainable supplies, the country has to build its domestic production capacity while, at the same time, searching for production partnership in foreign countries.
IDN-InDepthNews offers news analyses, features, reports and viewpoints that impact the world and its peoples. It has been online since 2009. Its network spans countries around the world.