Author: Steven Sahiounie

The Russian military has accused the United States of provoking tensions in the region, due to increased flights of strategic-bombers and spy planes over the Black Sea.As a result of increased activity of the US Air-Force over Crimea and the Black Sea, Col.-Gen. Sergei Rudskoi, head of the Russian General Staff’s main operational department, warned the United States and said that the “US and NATO carry full responsibility for a possible escalation.”The bombers which flew as close as 11 km near the Russian border, simulated missile strikes at Russian facilities in its southern region, according to the General.However, the US…

President Xi Jinping and the Communist Party’s Central Committee have announced a new plan to take more control of the private sector in the country.The 5000-word statement put an emphasis on greater involvement of party members in private companies to ‘rejuvenate’ the nation and boost law abidance and moral standards.“We must also see that socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era, the scale of the private economy has continued to expand, risks and challenges have increased significantly, the values and interests of the private economy have become increasingly diverse, and the united front work of the private economy…

The Chinese State Council released on Friday a white paper titled “China’s Armed Forces: 30 Years of UN Peacekeeping Operations” to lay out the country’s achievements and expectations with regard to its contribution to the UN peacekeeping operations (UNPKOs).“China has always resolutely safeguarded the UN-centered international system and the basic norms governing international relations underpinned by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and worked with countries around the world to uphold multilateralism, equity and justice. China takes concrete actions to safeguard world peace and has actively participated in the UNPKOs” the preface to the document read.The authors throw…

US Assistant Secretary of State for Proliferation Christopher Ford will urge members of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to adopt a Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement for civilian power generation during a September 21-24 policy conference, while pressing for a nuclear-free North Korea and for new limits on Iran’s production of nuclear fuel, the State Department said in a press release.“The US delegation will highlight the ongoing threats posed by the Iranian and North Korean nuclear programs,” the release said on Friday.The release restated the US goal of a “complete denuclearization” of the Korean Peninsula and criticized Iran over what it…

The United States may work out a deal on Syrian oil with local Kurds and withdraw the troops that guard the reserves, US President Donald Trump told reporters on Friday.“We will make a determination. We will probably be dealing with the Kurds on the oil. We’ll see where it all ends up and will be out,” Trump said during a White House briefing.The US troops, jointly with the Arab-Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces, maintain control over a part of northeastern Syria, concentrating around the oil and gas fields in the provinces of Al-Hasakah and Deir ez-Zor.Trump first announced the possible deal…

The US-led coalition to defeat the Islamic State terror group (banned in Russia) plans to deploy Bradley fighting vehicles to northeast Syria to protect its troops, Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) spokesman Col. Wayne Marotto said in a press release on Friday.“CJTF-OIR plans to position mechanized infantry assets, including Bradley Fighting Vehicles, to Syria to ensure the protection of Coalition forces and preserve their freedom of movement so they may continue Defeat Daesh operations safely,” Marotto said in the release.Source: Sputnik

Violent clashes erupted between members of the Syrian Al-Akidat Tribe and the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), after civilians, including women, were killed when the latter opened fire with their machine guns on a boat in the Euphrates River, which was carrying citizens trying to reach the areas controlled by the Syrian government to receive free treatment in its hospitals.According to Sputnik Arabic, who quoted local sources in the countryside of Deir Ezzor, the Al-Akidat Tribe’s forces managed to capture a number of the SDF’s sites along the eastern Euphrates after clashes with light weapons in the town of Al-Shuhail.One…

The United States’ anti-missile systems, already deployed in Romania and currently underway with deployment in Poland, might be used not only for their declared defensive purposes but also as an offensive weapon, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with Sputnik on Friday.“There are many alarming trends. One way in which such destabilizing factors manifest is, of course, the US’ withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty and the already officially declared intention to deploy such missiles not only in Asia but apparently in Europe as well. At least the anti-missile systems that are now deployed in…

The frequency of Russian fighter jets scrambled to accompany foreign aircraft over the Black Sea has increased by 21 percent year-on-year, the chief of the Russian General Staff’s Main Operational Directorate, Col. Gen. Sergey Rudskoy said.“The number of flights of fighter jets from the air force on duty increased by 21 percent compared to last year,” Rudskoy said at a briefing.Thus, 27 Russian fighter jets were scrambled to protect the airspace over the Black and Azov seas in September, and anti-aircraft missile systems were put on combat alert, Rudskoy added.The period of stay for NATO warships in the Black Sea…

The People’s Republic of China sent 18 military planes, including fighter-jets, over the Taiwan strait in a show of force, during a closed-visit of the US envoy to Taiwan.This comes after deteriorating relations between China and the United States, as US lawmakers have recently introduced a bill to end the one-China policy.Under Secretary of State, Keith Koch, visited Taiwan to discuss economic growth and energy independence and met with various business leaders in the country.The Defense Minister of Taiwan confirmed the news, stating that the Chinese military flew two strategic-bombers and 16 fighter-jets over the strait in a second show…