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  • MIL-OSI Russia: Dmitry Chernyshenko: The creation of fundamental models makes Russia a leader in the field of artificial intelligence

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Dmitry Chernyshenko opened the plenary session of the VII International Scientific Forum

    May 15, 2025

    Dmitry Chernyshenko opened the plenary session of the VII International Scientific Forum

    May 15, 2025

    Dmitry Chernyshenko opened the plenary session of the VII International Scientific Forum

    May 15, 2025

    Dmitry Chernyshenko opened the plenary session of the VII International Scientific Forum

    May 15, 2025

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    Dmitry Chernyshenko opened the plenary session of the VII International Scientific Forum

    The Plekhanov Russian University of Economics is hosting the 7th International Scientific Forum “Step into the Future: Global Foresight, Artificial Intelligence, and Strategic Leadership.” It is dedicated to the development of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and achieving Russia’s strategic leadership in the context of globalization and geopolitical challenges.

    Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko opened the plenary session on the topic of international foresight – a joint study to update priority areas of fundamental and exploratory research in the field of AI within the framework of strategic objectives defined by the President and the Government.

    The Deputy Prime Minister called the words of President Vladimir Putin a strategic guideline: “Our direct responsibility is to participate equally in the global race to create strong AI.” He emphasized that it is necessary to agree at the Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, as well as at regional and international sessions: what goals should be “hit” so that Russia remains a leader among other countries in strong AI. The Ministry of Economic Development and the Ministry of Education and Science are preparing a unified research program in the field of AI, within the framework of which funds will be allocated for research that falls within the foresight areas. Universities must definitely get involved in the work.

    According to Dmitry Chernyshenko, AI is already changing our professional landscape, especially in those areas in which flagship AI research centers (RCs) operate: transport and logistics, construction and smart city, medicine, industry, etc.

    “We need to look ahead and foresee which niches are most in demand by our economy. There are areas where we can help with developments in the field of artificial intelligence that meet our Russian specifics, including cultural, social, and technological ones. To do this, we need to create domestic datasets. The groundwork is already in place, we need to popularize our “data lakes”. Collaboration between universities and students is an ideal support for creating domestic datasets as part of an educational program and research projects. Not only is the technology itself changing, there is a shift in the paradigm of thinking,” the Deputy Prime Minister noted.

    He also added that the world is constantly looking for improvements. The pace requires not just watching, but getting involved: “We are proud that Russia is one of the few countries that has its own fundamental AI models. This is a great achievement.”

    The top 15 models of the MERA benchmark, which was created and is being run by the Russian Alliance in the field of AI, include models from several members of the AI Alliance. According to the Deputy Prime Minister, there is healthy competition for leadership within the Russian AI community – this is the path to development, as is world-class collaboration, which does not stop in science.

    The state already supports 12 research centers in the field of AI. Now the selection of flagship RCs of the third wave is underway, and an assessment by experts is underway.

    Dmitry Chernyshenko emphasized the role of science in advancing frontiers in various fields, such as the study of matter, vaccines, and cancer drugs.

    “On the instructions of the President, the International AI Alliance together with SAPFIR are currently working on preparing an international foresight. We are targeting two tracks: foresight in Russia and abroad. We are conducting a foreign foresight to synchronize our watches with the international community and set up cooperation. Third-wave AI centers are focused specifically on foresight areas. After holding individual foresight sessions, a pool of proposals will be formed to update the composition of sub-areas and research tasks,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.

    In conclusion, Dmitry Chernyshenko noted the need to include universities in the organization of the international scientific foresight and instructed them to organize such discussions by inviting foreign experts, scientists and researchers from the field of AI. Each of the invited universities will have time to hold its own foresight session from May to September 2025. The results of the discussions will be consolidated by SAPFIR under the leadership of the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia. The results are planned to be presented to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

    Rector of the Plekhanov Russian University of Economics Ivan Lobanov thanked the Government and Dmitry Chernyshenko personally for their trust and emphasized that the university pays special attention to the development of AI. According to him, Plekhanov University is always in the vector of fulfilling the tasks set by the President and the Government, so the university plans to actively implement the announced approaches and solutions.

    “Today, Plekhanov Russian University of Economics is one of the flagships of the development of the artificial intelligence industry in Russia, we are actively integrating AI into the educational process. The Center for Advanced Research in Artificial Intelligence was created at Plekhanov University, which is engaged in scientific research in the field of explainable and generative AI, implements AI in the field of medicine, develops security solutions based on neural networks, and applied research is also conducted in the Educational and Scientific Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence, Neurotechnology and Business Analytics. Plekhanov Russian University of Economics trains highly qualified specialists in the field of AI, big data and machine learning, and our students test the use of AI in the educational process, learn to work with data and train neural network models,” the rector said.

    The forum brought together leading experts from Russia and abroad, including representatives of the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia, specialized scientific institutes, large companies and international organizations. The event was also attended by First Deputy Minister of Economic Development Maxim Kolesnikov, Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration for the Development of Information and Communication Technologies and Communications Infrastructure Oleg Khorokhordin, Director of the Strategic Agency for Support and Formation of AI Developments Tatyana Soyuznova, representatives of Sberbank PJSC, the Alliance in the Sphere of Artificial Intelligence Association, and the Union of Chinese Entrepreneurs in the Russian Federation.

    The key organizers of foresight in Russia are the International AI Alliance, which includes 17 industry associations from 14 countries, including the Russian AI Alliance, and the Strategic Agency for Support and Formation of AI Developments (SAPFIR), created on the basis of the Skolkovo Foundation in early 2025.

    It is planned that the results of the foresight will be summed up at the annual conference “Journey into the World of Artificial Intelligence” at the end of 2025.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Azerbaijan’s ICT Sector Production Grew 7.8% in January-April 2025

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Baku, May 15 /Xinhua/ — In January-April 2025, the information and communication technology (ICT) sector of Azerbaijan showed a 7.8 percent year-on-year growth, reaching a production volume of 716 million manats /1 US dollar is equal to 1.7 Azerbaijani manats/, the State Statistics Committee of Azerbaijan reported on Thursday.

    In April, the volume of production in the sector amounted to 190.5 million manat, which is 9 percent more year-on-year.

    According to official data, the share of ICT in the country’s GDP in the first four months of the year was 1.8 percent. Azerbaijan’s total GDP for the reporting period amounted to 39.31 billion manats, an increase of 0.9 percent compared to the same period in 2024. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China has always firmly supported UN peacekeeping activities: Chinese Defense Minister

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BERLIN, May 15 (Xinhua) — Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun said at a meeting in Berlin that China supports the reform and transformation of United Nations peacekeeping operations.

    Speaking at the 2025 UN Peacekeeping Ministerial Meeting on Wednesday, Dong Jun said China has always been a strong supporter and constructive participant in UN peacekeeping operations, noting that such missions bring hope for peace to people suffering from the chaos of war.

    Expressing China’s commitment to building a community with a shared future for mankind and promoting universal security and prosperity, Dong Jun stressed that China supports the reform and transformation of UN peacekeeping operations. He put forward a six-point proposal to strengthen global peacekeeping efforts.

    The Chinese Defense Minister pointed out that China hopes to work with all parties to implement the Global Security Initiative, upholding the principles of solidarity, cooperation and common benefit in resolving security issues.

    He stressed the need for continued support for the central role of the UN and its important role in maintaining peace and security throughout the world.

    China will step up its efforts in UN peacekeeping operations, Dong Jun said, calling on all countries to provide them with firm support.

    The minister stressed that China is willing to support the training of professional peacekeepers, adding that the Chinese side will hold high-level strategic seminars and new training courses to help participating countries enhance their operational capabilities.

    China intends to optimize the composition and capabilities of its reserve peacekeeping forces and promote continuous innovation in UN peacekeeping operations by facilitating the use of new technologies, Dong Jun said.

    During his visit, the Chinese Defense Minister held talks with the UN Secretary General and Deputy Secretary General, and with defense ministers from countries such as France, Germany, Italy and Nepal. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Turkish FM Meets Russian Delegation Ahead of Istanbul Peace Talks

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    ISTANBUL, May 15 (Xinhua) — Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with the Russian delegation for peace talks with Ukraine, led by Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, in Istanbul on Thursday.

    The meeting took place behind closed doors at around 21:00 local time /18:00 GMT/ at the presidential residence Dolmabahce.

    According to the Turkish Foreign Ministry, talks between Moscow and Kiev are scheduled for May 16. They will be attended by delegations from Russia, Ukraine, headed by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, and the United States, headed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

    H. Fidan is also expected to take part in the talks.

    Russian President Vladimir Putin on May 11 proposed resuming direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul, which were interrupted three years ago. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China’s Vice Premier Calls for High Level of S&T Independence to Promote High-Quality Development

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    WUHAN, May 15 (Xinhua) — Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang has stressed the need for China to accelerate its achievement of a high level of scientific and technological self-sufficiency, build a modernized industrial system, and promote high-quality development.

    Ding Xuexiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks during an inspection tour of Hubei Province in central China from May 12 to 14.

    After visiting three scientific and technological enterprises, he noted the central role of enterprises in scientific and technological innovation and called for more innovation resources to be directed to enterprises, helping them overcome difficulties and problems.

    According to the Vice Premier of the State Council, it is necessary to deepen the integration of scientific and industrial innovation, expand high-quality scientific and technological supply, improve the stability and safety of production and supply chains, and accelerate the transition of industry to high-tech, intelligent and environmentally friendly production.

    At Huazhong University of Science and Technology and Jiufengshan Laboratory, Ding Xuexiang learned about the innovative higher education system and the development of scientific journals. He emphasized the importance of strengthening the links between basic research, technological development and practical application, pointing to the need to solve key and common technological problems and to more widely apply scientific achievements into practice.

    During the inspection of the Gezhouba Dam, Ding Xuexiang said that restoring the ecological environment of the Yangtze River should remain a priority. He called for strengthening wastewater and solid waste management, promoting green upgrading of shipping equipment, and reducing pollutant emissions at source to protect the river’s water quality. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Another Nanjing Massacre Survivor Dies in China, Leaving Only 26 Survivors of the Tragedy

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    NANJING, May 15 (Xinhua) — Nanjing Massacre survivor Xie Guiying, born in September 1924, passed away on Thursday at the age of 100, bringing the total number of registered survivors of the tragedy to 26, according to the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Museum in east China’s Jiangsu Province.

    The Nanjing Massacre occurred after the Japanese occupation forces captured the city of Nanjing, then the capital of China, on December 13, 1937. Over a period of six weeks, the invaders killed about 300,000 Chinese civilians and unarmed soldiers. The tragedy is considered one of the most barbaric episodes of World War II.

    In 1937, before Japanese troops entered Nanjing, where Xie Guiying’s family lived, her mother took her and her siblings and fled the city, leaving her father to guard their home. After Japanese troops entered Nanjing, they killed Xie Guiying’s father.

    After these events, the girl’s mother was left to take care of the children alone. Xie Guiying almost died three times. There is a clearly visible scar on her forehead from hitting her head on a rock, which appeared when Japanese soldiers dragged her along the ground.

    During her lifetime, Xie Guiying often attended events held at the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Museum, hoping that the public would always remember this historical disaster.

    “Our country is now becoming stronger and our life is better, and we owe this to the Chinese Communist Party,” she said.

    Six Nanjing Massacre survivors, including Xie Guiying, have died since the beginning of this year, and the number of people who can share personal memories of the Nanjing Massacre is dwindling.

    In 2014, the National People’s Congress of China declared December 13 as National Remembrance Day for the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre.

    The testimonies of Nanjing Massacre survivors, preserved by the Chinese government, are recorded in both written and video form. In 2015, these documents were added to the UNESCO Memory of the World Register. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: In Belarus, real disposable cash income of citizens has increased by 12 percent in three months since the beginning of 2025 — Belstat

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    MINSK, May 15 (Xinhua) — In Belarus, real disposable income of citizens in January-March 2025 increased by 12 percent compared to the same period last year. The relevant information was published on Thursday by the Belarusian National Statistical Committee (Belstat).

    In the total volume of monetary income, wages accounted for 64.7 percent, transfers to the population (pensions, benefits, scholarships, etc.) – 22.4 percent, income from entrepreneurial and other income-generating activities – 7.6 percent, income from property and other income – 5.3 percent.

    Data on real disposable income are presented net of taxes, fees and contributions, and adjusted for the consumer price index for goods and services. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China’s decision not to approve Taiwan region’s participation in 78th WHA session received broad support from international community – Chinese MFA

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, May 15 (Xinhua) — China’s decision not to approve the Taiwan region’s participation in the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA) has found broad support and understanding in the international community, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Thursday.

    Lin Jian made the remarks at a regular press briefing, commenting on media reports that Taiwan has not yet received an invitation to attend the 78th session of the WHA, which opens on May 19. The diplomat noted that China’s position on Taiwan’s participation in international organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), is consistent and clear.

    “This issue should be resolved in accordance with the one-China principle, which is also a fundamental principle affirmed by UN General Assembly (GA) Resolution 2758 and WHA Resolution 25.1,” Lin Jian noted.

    According to him, the Chinese region of Taiwan has no basis, no reason, and no right to participate in the WHA without the permission of the central government, and due to the stubborn separatist position of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration in Taiwan, there is no longer a political basis for the Taiwan region to participate in the WHA.

    In order to uphold the one-China principle and uphold the seriousness and authority of the relevant UNGA and WHA resolutions, China has decided not to approve the Taiwan region’s participation in this year’s WHA session, Lin Jian said.

    He recalled that for quite some time now, the DPP administration and individual countries have been openly trying to turn back the wheel of history by deliberately distorting and challenging UNGA Resolution 2758 in an effort to challenge the one-China principle.

    “Such actions, in fact, challenge not only China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, but also international justice, broad international consensus and the post-war international order,” the official representative emphasized.

    As Lin Jian noted, China’s decision not to approve the Taiwan region’s participation in this year’s WHA session has won broad support and understanding from the international community, and this convincingly demonstrates that adhering to the one-China principle meets the aspirations of the people and the general trend of the times, and is a generally recognized truth.

    “The international community’s commitment to the one-China principle is unquestionable and cannot be shaken. Whatever the DPP administration says or does, it will not change the fact that Taiwan is part of China, nor will it stop the historical trend toward China’s inevitable and final reunification,” Lin Jian concluded, adding that “Taiwan independence” is a dead end, and any provocations by its supporters are doomed to failure. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: V. Zelensky refused to participate in Russian-Ukrainian negotiations in Istanbul

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    ANKARA, May 15 (Xinhua) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said at a press conference held at the Ukrainian Embassy in Turkey on Thursday that he will not personally participate in the talks with the Russian side in Istanbul, but the Ukrainian side will send a high-level delegation to them.

    V. Zelensky arrived in Ankara at midday on May 15, after which he held several hours of closed-door talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at his residence. He then made the above statement at a press conference at the Ukrainian embassy.

    He said that the Ukrainian delegation would be headed by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and would include representatives of military and intelligence agencies. It is not yet clear when the talks will take place – May 15 or 16.

    The head of the Russian delegation to the talks with Ukraine, Vladimir Medinsky, said on Thursday: “We view these talks as a continuation of the peace process in Istanbul, which, unfortunately, was interrupted by the Ukrainian side three years ago. Our official delegation has been approved by a presidential decree, and it has all the necessary competencies and powers to conduct negotiations.”

    “The delegation is set on a constructive mood, on finding possible solutions and points of contact. The goal of direct negotiations with the Ukrainian side is to sooner or later establish long-term peace by eliminating the basic root causes of the conflict,” the head of the Russian delegation emphasized. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Pakistan, India agree to extend ceasefire until May 18: Pakistani FM

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    ISLAMABAD, May 15 (Xinhua) — Pakistan and India held talks on Thursday and agreed to extend the current ceasefire until May 18, Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said.

    Speaking in parliament, he said that earlier on Thursday, the two countries’ militaries had contacted each other and decided to extend the ceasefire, followed by a transition to political dialogue.

    “The initial ceasefire agreement concluded on May 10 was in effect until May 12. It was then extended until May 14, and now until May 18,” I. Dar told parliamentarians.

    He added that so far, military-level talks have played an important role in maintaining the ceasefire, and comprehensive political talks will begin after May 18.

    “Comprehensive and result-oriented negotiations will be held with India. The aim is not to recognize anyone’s superiority, but to resolve issues on the basis of equality,” the Pakistani Foreign Minister stressed.

    Tensions between the two countries escalated in the early hours of May 7 when India carried out airstrikes on several targets in Pakistan following an armed attack last month in Pahalgam in Indian-controlled Kashmir, where unidentified militants killed 26 civilians.

    After several days of fierce fighting, the parties agreed to a ceasefire on May 10, which was then extended in stages. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Chinese Premier Stresses Sustainable Economic Growth, High-Quality Development

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, May 15 (Xinhua) — Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Thursday stressed the importance of using the stability and long-term growth of domestic economic circulation to guard against the uncertainty of international circulation, and called for promoting the country’s sustainable and long-term economic growth and high-quality development.

    Li Qiang made the remarks at a State Council meeting on strengthening domestic circulation, chaired by State Council Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang.

    China needs to coordinate its strategy of expanding domestic demand and deepening supply-side structural reforms, and strengthen effective links between domestic and international markets, Li Qiang said.

    The head of the Chinese government stressed that in order to strengthen domestic economic circulation, it is necessary to focus on four aspects: efficient allocation of resources, deep integration of scientific and technological and industrial innovation, building self-sufficient and complete industrial and supply chains, and maintaining a dynamic balance between supply and demand.

    Li Qiang called for providing targeted and effective assistance to the country’s foreign trade enterprises, stimulating employment in various ways, identifying the potential for stimulating consumption, increasing effective investment, and coordinating development and security.

    The Premier of the State Council stressed that all departments and regions should strengthen the planning and implementation of policies, strengthen the coordination of work, and do everything possible to stimulate market vitality and social creativity. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China issues guidelines to push ahead with urban renewal campaign

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, May 15 (Xinhua) — China will vigorously and steadily push forward urban renewal projects, according to a policy document released Thursday.

    The document, released by the General Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council, aims to make significant progress in the urban renewal campaign by 2030. It sets goals to improve safety conditions, enhance service efficiency, enhance living environments, develop business models and protect cultural heritage.

    It is noted that efforts should focus on strengthening and renovating existing buildings, including in older residential areas, while optimizing infrastructure such as parking, charging stations, fire protection and communications.

    According to the document, the renewal and reconstruction of old commercial areas, industrial zones and villages within the city will be promoted. It is supposed to create multi-level and comprehensive networks of public services to meet the everyday needs of the population.

    The directive emphasizes the need for accelerated construction and reconstruction of gas, water, drainage, sewer, underground heating communications and utility tunnels, as well as active construction of public fire-fighting facilities and improvement of transport infrastructure.

    In addition, requirements have been formulated for the restoration of urban ecosystems and the protection of the historical and cultural heritage of cities.

    The document provides for the creation of a mechanism for implementing urban renewal programs, improving land use policies, and developing a housing safety management system throughout the entire life cycle. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The Russian delegation in Istanbul is determined to find possible solutions and points of contact – head of the delegation V. Medinsky

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Moscow, May 15 (Xinhua) — The Russian delegation views the talks with Ukraine as a continuation of the peace process in Istanbul, which was interrupted in 2022, Vladimir Medinsky, head of the Russian delegation at the talks with Ukraine, said on Thursday.

    “We view these negotiations as a continuation of the peace process in Istanbul, which, unfortunately, was interrupted by the Ukrainian side three years ago. Our official delegation was approved by the presidential decree, and it has all the necessary competencies and powers to conduct negotiations,” V. Medinsky said.

    “The delegation is set on a constructive mood, on finding possible solutions and points of contact. The task of direct negotiations with the Ukrainian side is to sooner or later reach the establishment of long-term peace, eliminating the basic root causes of the conflict,” the head of the Russian delegation emphasized.

    Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking to journalists in the Kremlin on the night of May 11, proposed that the Ukrainian side resume direct negotiations, interrupted in 2022, without preconditions. It was proposed to begin the dialogue on May 15 in Istanbul. Later on May 11, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed to V. Putin on the social network X to hold a personal meeting in Turkey on May 15 to resolve the Russian-Ukrainian armed conflict. He added that Ukraine also expects a full and long-term ceasefire starting on May 12. On Wednesday, V. Putin approved the composition of the Russian delegation for negotiations with Ukraine, headed by Russian presidential aide V. Medinsky. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The leading engineering school of SPbPU summed up the results of two and a half years of work

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    The Advanced Engineering School “Digital Engineering” of Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University (PISH SPbPU) presented the results of its work for 2024 and long-term development plans at the Council for the consideration of issues and coordination of the activities of the PISH chaired by the Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation Valery Falkov.

    The flagship project of the Ministry of Education and Science “Advanced Engineering Schools” has been implemented since 2022. Currently, 50 such schools have been created within its framework, and by 2030, on the instructions of Russian President Vladimir Putin, their number should be increased to 100. Starting this year, the first 30 schools from 15 regions, including PISh SPbPU, according to the terms of the project, are moving to a new stage of financing – after three years of budget financing, they will switch to off-budget and will work at the expense of funds attracted from industrial partners.

    The first 30 advanced engineering schools are moving to a new qualitative level of development. The results presented by the university teams show that together we have managed to create an effective model for integrating education, science and production. The next stage for the first wave of schools will be scaling up their activities. Everything necessary for this is available: modern equipment, competencies, established contacts with industrial partners. It is important that regional authorities pay great attention to the development of advanced engineering schools in their cities, understanding their value for strengthening relations between higher education and the real sector of the economy, emphasized the head of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science Valery Falkov.

    Today, 12 master’s programs are implemented at PIS SPbPU. From 2022 to 2024, the enrollment of students in the master’s programs of PIS SPbPU increased by 2.5 times, and the enrollment in the Applied Mechanics program became the largest in Russia – 68 people. In 2024, the first graduation of master’s students took place, and all graduates were employed at industrial partner enterprises, in partner universities, structural divisions of SPbPU and PIS SPbPU, as well as in companies in the high-tech sector of the economy.

    Also, PISh SPbPU has developed and is implementing 53 programs of additional professional education (APE) for managers and engineering personnel of such companies as T Plus, Inter RAO, Power Machines, Severstal, companies of the United Aircraft Corporation (PJSC United Aircraft Corporation, Ilyushin Aviation Complex, Yakovlev, JSC AeroKomposit), UEC, UEC-Aviadvigatel, UEC-Klimov, etc.

    The program of the Advanced Engineering School of SPbPU “Digital Engineering” allowed us to open many new modern laboratories and scientific and educational spaces at our university, develop and launch new master’s and additional professional education programs in relevant engineering areas. I would like to note that the Advanced Engineering School of SPbPU also expanded its effective and systematic interaction with industrial partners – high-tech companies and corporations. In addition, it was at the Advanced Engineering School “Digital Engineering” that the qualified partnership model was successfully tested, which formed the basis of the SPbPU Development Program until 2030 and in the long term until 2036. Formed teams with competencies and experience in solving breakthrough scientific and technological problems, the created scientific and scientific-technological reserve and the established effective qualified partnership with industry will help us make a breakthrough in the scientific and technological sphere, aimed at ensuring the technological leadership of our country, – commented the rector of Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, chairman of the St. Petersburg branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences Andrey Rudskoy.

    Over the past 2.5 years, the SPbPU Advanced Engineering School has made a significant contribution to the development of the university’s infrastructure. From 2022 to 2025, 11 research and educational spaces were opened in the SPbPU Advanced Engineering School, and six more are planned to be opened by 2030.

    The Advanced Engineering School “Digital Engineering” of the St. Petersburg Polytechnic University is one of the most successful engineering schools, which is confirmed by the growth in the number of master’s programs and continuing education programs, the number of R & D projects implemented in the interests of high-tech companies and the successful employment of graduates. All this together has a positive effect on the overall qualification growth of the professional workshop of design engineers and developers. In fact, the SPbPU PISh makes a significant contribution to building up the intellectual potential of the Northern capital. It is important to note that the scientific and technological groundwork of the Advanced Engineering School “Digital Engineering” formed the basis of the Strategy and Development Program of the Polytechnic University until 2030, in particular one of the key scientific and technological areas “Systemic Digital Engineering”, – noted the Vice-Governor of St. Petersburg Vladimir Knyaginin.

    The delegation of the Advanced Engineering School of SPbPU “Digital Engineering” included: the head of the SPbPU Office of Technological Leadership Oleg Rozhdestvensky, the vice-governor of St. Petersburg Vladimir Knyaginin, the director of the department of scientific and technical activities of JSC TVEL Alexey Shishkin, the first vice-rector of SPbPU Vitaly Sergeev, the director of the center for additional professional education of the SPbPU PISh Sergey Salkutsan.

    As for developments, from 2022 to 2025, PISh SPbPU implemented more than 70 projects and attracted more than 1.8 billion rubles under commercial contracts for R&D and the provision of scientific and technological services commissioned by the high-tech industry.

    Several large-scale projects were completed by specialists of the SPbPU PISh at the orders of various companies that are part of the Rosatom State Corporation. In the field of digital modeling, the school’s specialists were the first to create the architecture and digital models for a digital twin of a vitrification furnace for high-level radioactive waste. In 2024, at the order of the Composite Division of the Rosatom State Corporation, engineers developed a pilot industrial technology for the production of filaments from continuous carbon fiber based on thermoplastics and delivered ultra-high-performance installations to the Rosatom State Corporation – 12 km of filament/hour.

    By order of JSC TVEL (Fuel Division of the State Corporation Rosatom), specialists from the Engineering Center (CompMechLab®) of the SPbPU PISh developed digital twins of fuel assemblies of water-cooled nuclear reactors of the TVS-K PWR and TVS VVER types. Over three years of work, engineers from the St. Petersburg Polytechnic University developed virtual test benches and ranges (VIS and VIP) for tetrahedral (TVS-K PWR) and hexagonal (TVS VVER) fuel assemblies: VIS “Gidrodinamika”, VIS “Prochnost”, VIP “Bezopasnost – TUK” and VIP “Bezopasnost – OR SUZ”.

    Using digital systems engineering technologies, the school’s specialists performed comprehensive strength calculations of the ice-resistant fixed platform LSP “A” structures for the Kamennomysskoye-Sea gas field, guaranteeing the reliability of the structure for a period of 100 years of operation.

    Also among the significant achievements is the development of improved sports sleds with improved aerodynamic characteristics for the Russian athlete, three-time world champion and two-time winner of the World Cup in luge Roman Repilov; the development and production of an optimal composite fairing for a modernized two-seater motor paraglider for the famous traveler Fyodor Konyukhov.

    In 2024, the Advanced Engineering School of SPbPU achieved significant success in the field of unmanned aircraft systems, winning the competition of the ANO “FC BAS” as part of the implementation of the state Strategy for the Development of Unmanned Aviation of the Russian Federation and signed a contract for “Development of a system for constructing virtual test stands and virtual test sites, conducting digital tests of unmanned aerial vehicle elements based on a single digital platform for the development and use of UAS digital twins.”

    We would also like to note the development of the Digital Platform for the development and application of digital twins CML-Bench® as a whole as one of the key tools for the implementation of knowledge-intensive multidisciplinary projects. In full accordance with the strategic state objectives of ensuring technological leadership of domestic high-tech products, the development of the Digital Platform CML-Bench® is aimed at active integration with the engineering software of Russian vendors, and in 2024 the platform was certified according to the sixth level of trust of the FSTEC and compliance with the requirements for state information systems of the third class, which provide the ability to process information constituting a commercial secret and information “For official use only”.

    The implementation of the socio-economic development initiative “Advanced Engineering Schools” in the period from 2022 to 2024 was carried out within the framework of the federal project “Advanced Engineering Schools” of the state program “Scientific and Technological Development of the Russian Federation”. Since 2025, the continuity of the activities of the project “Advanced Engineering Schools” was ensured by including them in the federal project “Universities for the Generation of Leaders” of the national project “Youth and Children”.

    In accordance with the Order of the Government of the Russian Federation dated May 26, 2022 No. 1315-r, Vice-Rector for Digital Transformation of SPbPU Alexey Borovkov joined the Council for Grants for Providing State Support for the Creation and Development of Advanced Engineering Schools. In order to avoid a conflict of interest, Alexey Ivanovich did not take part in the presentation and evaluation of the development results of the Advanced Engineering School “Digital Engineering” of SPbPU, of which he is the head.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Israeli airstrikes kill at least 80 in Gaza, cripple cancer hospital

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    GAZA, May 15 (Xinhua) — At least 80 Palestinians were killed and dozens wounded in Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip on Thursday, Palestinian medical and institutional sources said.

    The shelling of the town killed 54 people, including women and children, according to a press statement issued by Nasser Hospital in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis.

    Gaza’s European Hospital, the only medical facility in the Palestinian enclave that provides cancer care, was put out of action by recent Israeli airstrikes, according to health officials in the Palestinian enclave.

    The attacks by the Jewish state “caused significant damage to infrastructure, in particular sewer lines, damaged department buildings and destroyed roads leading to the hospital,” the authorities said in a press statement.

    Medical sources also told Xinhua that another 26 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City and other areas in the northern part of the enclave.

    On May 13, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that the Jewish state’s military would enter the Gaza Strip “with full force” in the coming days to continue the defeat of the Hamas movement.

    Israel resumed full-scale military action in Gaza on March 18, ending a two-month truce. Since then, 2,876 Palestinians have been killed and more than 7,800 wounded, according to health officials in the enclave.

    The total number of Palestinians killed since the current round of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict began on October 7, 2023, reached 53,010 as of Thursday, according to official statistics from Gaza’s health authorities. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: World’s largest car carrier, built by China, sets off on maiden voyage

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    SHANGHAI, May 15 (Xinhua) — China’s self-built car carrier Anji Ansheng, the world’s largest by cargo capacity, departed from Shanghai Port on Thursday evening on its maiden voyage, carrying nearly 7,000 Chinese-made vehicles to Europe.

    The car carrier’s departure from Shanghai marked a new milestone for Chinese shipbuilding as the Anji Ansheng broke the world’s largest cargo-carrying capacity record set just weeks earlier by Chinese auto giant BYD’s Shenzhen. The Shenzhen previously held the title of the world’s largest car carrier in operation. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Iraq: Concluding Statement of the 2025 IMF Article IV Mission

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    May 15, 2025

    A Concluding Statement describes the preliminary findings of IMF staff at the end of an official staff visit (or ‘mission’), in most cases to a member country. Missions are undertaken as part of regular (usually annual) consultations under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, in the context of a request to use IMF resources (borrow from the IMF), as part of discussions of staff monitored programs, or as part of other staff monitoring of economic developments.

    The authorities have consented to the publication of this statement. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. Based on the preliminary findings of this mission, staff will prepare a report that, subject to management approval, will be presented to the IMF Executive Board for discussion and decision.

    An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission, led by Mr. Jean-Guillaume Poulain, met with the Iraqi authorities in Amman and Baghdad during May 4–13 to conduct the 2025 Article IV consultation. The following statement was issued at the end of the mission:

    A highly uncertain global environment, falling oil prices, and acute financing pressures, are taking a toll on economic activity and exacerbating Iraq’s existing vulnerabilities, calling for urgent measures to preserve fiscal and external stability. These include containing the fiscal deficit by mobilizing non-oil tax revenues and reining in the public wage bill, completing the restructuring of state-owned banks, and promoting private sector growth, by reforming the labor market, improving the business environment, enhancing governance and fighting corruption. Building on recent progress, the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) should continue modernizing the banking system and supporting private banks in expanding their corresponding banking relationships.

    Recent Economic Developments, Outlook and Risks

    The non-oil sector grew at a slower pace last year and inflation remained subdued. Following a very strong growth of 13.8 percent in 2023, Iraq’s non-oil GDP is expected to have considerably moderated to 2.5 percent in 2024, driven by a slowdown in public investment and in the services sector, as well as a weaker trade balance. The agriculture, manufacturing, and construction sectors remained resilient, benefiting from post-drought recovery, expanded refining capacity, and strong growth in credit to households. The decline in oil production weighed on overall growth, which contracted by 2.3 percent for the year. Inflation dropped to 2.7 percent by end-2024, amid lower food price inflation and liquidity absorption from the CBI.

    The fiscal position has deteriorated, along with external balances. The 2024 fiscal deficit is estimated at 4.2 percent of GDP, compared to 1.1 percent in 2023, reflecting rising spending on wages and salaries and energy purchases. Financing constraints have led to reemergence of arrears notably in energy and capital expenditure. On the external front, the current account surplus narrowed sharply from 7.5 percent to 2 percent of GDP, due to a surge in goods imports. Nonetheless, external buffers remain strong, with reserves at US$100.3 billion at end-2024—covering over 12 months of imports.

    Non-oil growth is projected to remain subdued in 2025 amid a challenging global environment and financing constraints. Non-oil GDP is projected to slow down to 1 percent this year as the impact of falling oil prices and financing constraints weigh on government spending and consumer sentiment. The current account is expected to weaken considerably in 2025 primarily due to declining oil export revenues. The deterioration in the external position is projected to weigh on foreign reserves.

    Policy Priorities

    Iraq’s vulnerabilities have increased in recent years due to a large fiscal expansion. Beside weighing on prospects of private sector-led growth, current public employment policies and resulting wage costs are unsustainable given Iraq’s low non-oil tax base. Accordingly, dependence on oil revenues has worsened, and the oil price required to balance the budget increased to around $84 in 2024, up from $54 in 2020.

    These challenges have been exacerbated by the sharp decline in oil prices in 2025, requiring an urgent policy response. In the very short-term, the authorities should review current and capital spending plans for 2025 and limit or postpone all non-essential expenditure. At the same time, there may be scope to increase non-oil revenues by revising customs duties as well as introducing or raising excise taxes. The authorities should also explore options to diversify the creditors base for increasing financing availability. Monetary financing of the deficit should be avoided as it could fuel inflation, drain FX reserves, and weaken the CBI’s balance sheet.

    More broadly, a sizable fiscal consolidation is needed to mitigate macro-fiscal risks, ensure debt sustainability, and rebuild fiscal buffers. On the revenue side, besides customs duties and excise taxes, there is scope to gradually reform personal income tax by limiting exemptions and increasing rates. Strengthening tax administration—through digitalization, improved enforcement, and better collection—is essential. A more effective tax administration should allow for eventually introducing a general sales tax. On the spending side, curbing current expenditures, particularly via comprehensive wage bill reforms, limiting mandatory hiring, and adopting attrition rule, would yield significant savings. Recent efforts to better target the public distribution system are welcome, but there is scope to further improve targeting and eventually shift to cash-based social safety nets. Finally, it is urgent to reform the public pension system through raising the retirement age and reducing both the accrual and replacement rates is needed to enhance its sustainability.

    Implementing these reforms would also create fiscal space to increase capital spending. Expanding non-oil investment, especially in trade and transportation infrastructure should help economic diversification. Substantial investments are also required to modernize the electricity sector and develop natural gas resources, both of which are essential for improving energy security and reducing dependence on gas imports. Improved procurement, public financial management, and corruption control would enhance the effectiveness of any additional public investment.

    Further efforts are needed to mop up excess liquidity in order to improve monetary policy transmission. While the CBI has made progress in absorbing excess liquidity, additional adjustments could enhance the effectiveness of the framework. Key measures include increasing the issuance of CB-bills, focusing on the short maturity (14-day) at the policy rate, revising size limits on individual banks’ bids, and improving liquidity forecasting tools and practices. To safeguard its balance sheet and preserve credibility, the CBI should continue to avoid financing the government deficit.

    The mission commended the CBI for the successful transition to the new trade finance system. Trade finance is now fully processed by commercial banks through their correspondent banking relationships. This has also supported the recent decline in the spread between the official and parallel market exchange rates. Nonetheless, further efforts are needed to further reduce the spread, including by imposing Iraqi dinar usage for car and real estate transactions, improving customs controls to curb smuggling, and simplifying FX access.

    While initial steps to reform state-owned banks are encouraging, broader efforts are needed to strengthen the financial sector. The restructuring plan for state-owned banks should be finalized without delay, encompassing treatment of non-performing loans, and recapitalization needs. In parallel, the mission welcomed progress in digitalization and the authorities’ intention to undertake a comprehensive banking sector overhaul. Reforms should include enhancing corporate governance, digital infrastructure, and cybersecurity, while promoting a stronger role for private banks. Efforts to enhance AML/CFT measures by tackling the deficiencies identified in the MENAFATF Mutual Evaluation report should continue.

    Chronic power shortages, electricity losses and excessive tariff subsidization continue to weigh on the economy. Addressing inefficiencies in the electricity sector is important for fiscal sustainability and improving productivity. In 2024, distribution losses reached 55 percent, driven by theft and illegal connections, leading to significant financial losses. The authorities are deploying smart meters and have introduced other measures to enhance billing and collection. However, progress should be accelerated. Once collection substantially improves, achieving cost recovery will also require electricity tariff increases, with carefully calibrated subsidies targeted to low-income users. Recent disruptions in electricity imports from Iran further underscore the need for diversified supply and the development of gas projects.

    Combating corruption and governance weaknesses is imperative to support economic development. Steps taken in the implementation and upgrade of the national anticorruption strategy and the improvements in corruption perception indices are positive developments. However, corruption remains a significant hurdle for growth. Strengthening accountability frameworks for the operation of state-owned and private enterprises in the oil, electricity and construction sectors is critical, and thorough compliance with Extractives Industries Transparency Initiative standards and the enactment of the law on Transparency and Access to Information should be prioritized. Additionally, aligning anticorruption legal frameworks with international covenants and best practice, and strengthening the independence of the judiciary are essential for effective enforcement and for the protection of economic rights.

    A comprehensive structural reform agenda is essential to unlock growth potential. The mission estimates that a comprehensive set of reforms covering the labor market, business regulation, the financial sector and governance could double non-oil potential GDP growth over the medium term. On labor market, priorities include increasing labor force participation, particularly among women, by improving female education and further reducing barriers to their work and mobility, and reforming public sector hiring, which distort labor markets and reduce productivity. Efforts to better align skills with labor market needs should intensify. More generally, simplifying regulations and reducing bureaucratic impediments in e.g. business registration or tax administration should increase participation in the formal economy and help private sector development.

    The mission would like to thank the Iraqi authorities and various stakeholders for their excellent hospitality and cooperation and candid discussions during the mission.

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Mayada Ghazala

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/05/15/mcs-iraq-concluding-statement-of-the-2025-imf-article-iv-mission

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Tariff baiting will not be able to stop China’s intensive development – Consul General of the PRC in Khabarovsk Jiang Xiaoyang

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Vladivostok, May 15 (Xinhua) — Tariff baiting will not be able to stop China’s intensive development, and the US attempts to change fundamental trends in the Chinese economy and undermine China’s development through extreme pressure and tariff blackmail are doomed to failure, said Jiang Xiaoyang, China’s Consul General in Khabarovsk.

    “Recently, the US government, ignoring widespread opposition both at home and abroad, has been increasingly wielding the tariff baton on the world stage, primarily targeting China. China has clearly demonstrated its determination to resist and its willingness to stand firm. As the world’s second-largest economy and second-largest consumer market, China has a solid economic foundation, obvious advantages, and huge development potential,” Jiang Xiaoyang wrote in an article published in the Pacific Star on May 13.

    The Chinese diplomat is convinced that the stability of the political course serves as a reliable support for China in countering the trade war imposed by the United States. By adhering to the principles of “protecting international norms and steadily promoting openness,” China demonstrates the strategic determination and responsibility of a great power. “We have long predicted a new round of pressure from the United States. A series of emergency measures have already demonstrated their effectiveness, and we still have enough room to adjust political instruments,” Jiang Xiaoyang points out.

    China’s robust foreign trade has a strong ability to withstand risks, he continued. In 2024, China’s total import and export volume reached 43.85 trillion yuan (about 6.16 trillion US dollars), setting another historical record. In terms of trade turnover, China has ranked first in the world for the seventh consecutive year. China has more than 230 countries and regions as trading partners, with China becoming the main trading partner for more than 150 of them. Having signed 23 free trade agreements with 30 countries and regions, China is actively building a global network of high-standard free trade zones. In addition, in recent years, China has consistently implemented the strategy of diversifying import and export markets. Last year, the share of trade with countries that joined the Belt and Road Initiative in China’s total foreign trade exceeded 50 percent.

    A large domestic market provides a reliable backbone for the Chinese economy in withstanding external shocks. Chinese President Xi Jinping noted: “The Chinese economy is an ocean, not a small pond.” The super-large market with a population of over 1.4 billion people has tremendous development stability, powerful potential, and ample room for strategic maneuver. In recent years, China has accelerated the formation of a new “dual circulation” model, which has contributed to the steady strengthening of the domestic demand base. In 2024, the total retail sales of consumer goods in the country reached 48.8 trillion yuan (about 6.85 trillion US dollars), an increase of 3.5 percent year on year. The consumer market shows a tendency to expand in scale, optimize the structure, and actively develop new forms of consumption.

    Jiang Xiaoyang emphasizes that the complete industrial system is a powerful pillar of China’s economic development. China has the most comprehensive and large-scale industrial system in the world, covering all UN industrial categories and almost all major industrial products. The country is able to ensure a stable supply of various types of industrial products with high efficiency and low cost. China ranks first in the world in terms of production volumes of more than 40 percent of the 500 major industrial products of global significance. China has already formed complete production and supply chains in sectors such as new energy vehicles and electronic information.

    The diplomat points out that scientific and technological innovation is a key driving force behind the high-quality development of the Chinese economy. In recent years, China has been consistently building industrial industries of the future and making breakthroughs in key technologies. New achievements are constantly being reported in the field of scientific and technological innovation, and new industries of strategic importance are rapidly developing. Last year, Chinese enterprises made new breakthroughs in many fields, including artificial intelligence, aerospace, integrated circuits, big data, and 5G. The added value of large and medium-sized high-tech manufacturing increased by 8.9 percent, and the added value share of key industries of the digital economy in GDP reached 10 percent.

    China has consistently followed the path of peaceful development and adhered to the strategy of opening up based on mutual benefit and win-win. Today’s China has both a strong will to safeguard its core interests and a broad outlook on deepening reform and opening up.

    According to Jiang Xiaoyang, China and Russia are good neighbors, sincere friends and reliable partners. Mature, solid and stable Sino-Russian relations are not affected by temporary factors, and remain an unchangeable element in a changing and turbulent world. The development of cooperation between China and Russia relies on such advantages as strong political trust, perfect interaction mechanisms, deep popular support and broad development prospects.

    “We are willing to further deepen all-round cooperation with the Russian side, expand mutual openness, share innovative achievements, and promote the security, stability, and smoothness of global industrial and supply chains through high-level Chinese-Russian cooperation, so as to jointly advance the building of a more beautiful world,” Jiang Xiaoyang concludes the article. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Trade de-escalation between China and the US is positive news for global trade — Russian Foreign Ministry

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Moscow, May 15 /Xinhua/ — Trade de-escalation between China and the United States is positive news for global trade, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday.

    Recently, China and the United States held high-level trade and economic talks in Geneva, Switzerland, and issued a joint statement. The talks reached an important consensus on significantly reducing bilateral tariff levels. Both sides reached a number of agreements, which were reflected in the joint statement.

    “The trade de-escalation between China and the US is positive news for global trade,” said M. Zakharova, answering questions at a briefing. “This step largely reduces the fears that have grown in recent months about a global economic recession due to the reduction in the volume of international trade in goods, including due to the sharp increase in mutual tariffs.”

    According to M. Zakharova, a positive effect is already noticeable in the form of stabilization of global financial markets and restoration of supply chains of products that were hit hardest by the “tariff tornado.”

    The official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry added that the agreements reached by China and the United States on the creation of a mechanism for economic and trade consultations could in the future serve as a basis for developing balanced decisions in the trade and economic sphere that would take into account the interests of the two countries.

    “Such a dialogue, built on the principles of pragmatism and, of course, mutual respect, is capable of setting constructive parameters for the further development of bilateral relations in this area,” concluded M. Zakharova. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: In Kyrgyzstan, the growth of prices and tariffs since the beginning of the year amounted to 2.2 percent.

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BISHKEK, May 15 (Xinhua) — In January-April 2025, the growth of consumer prices and tariffs in Kyrgyzstan compared to December 2024 amounted to 2.2 percent, the country’s National Statistical Committee reported on Thursday.

    At the same time, prices for food products and non-alcoholic beverages increased by 3.9%, for alcoholic beverages and tobacco products by 2.3%, tariffs for services provided to the population by 1.1%, while prices for non-food products, on the contrary, decreased by 0.3%.

    An increase in consumer prices and tariffs in January-April of this year compared to December of the previous year was observed in all regions of the republic.

    As noted, in April of this year, compared to the previous month, the growth of consumer prices and tariffs in the country amounted to 0.4 percent. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: “Real School of Life”: HSE Students Take Part in BRICS Youth Summit

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –

    Photo: Higher School of Economics

    In April, the next BRICS Youth Innovation Summit was held in Cape Town, South Africa. Our country was again represented by students from the Higher School of Economics. The event was organized by the South African BRICS Youth Association (SABYA).

    The BRICS Youth Summit 2025 was held under the theme “Innovating the Future: Technologies for Sustainable Development and Social Well-being”. It provided a new generation of innovators with the opportunity to address global challenges through collaborative technological solutions that promote sustainable development and social equality in the BRICS countries and the entire Global South. The summit was attended by over 50 delegates from 12 countries, as well as 50 observers from various institutions and organizations in South Africa.

    As in the previous year, the selection of HSE delegates was carried out by the Centre for International Student Mobility and Educational Projects of the Internationalisation Directorate. The organisers not only provided HSE students with a unique opportunity to participate in the summit free of charge, but also covered all expenses for their stay in Cape Town during the event.

    The delegation included the following students:

    Diana Fakhritdinova, OP “Economics and statistics“;

    Mary Oganesyan, OP “Economics and statistics“;

    Anna Danilova, OP “Pharmaceutical law and healthcare“.

    The participants shared their impressions of the summit, communication with representatives of different countries and African nature.

    Diana Fakhritdinova and Meri Oganesyan presented their joint project Just.Display in the category “Digital Transformation for Economic Growth” and won a prize.

    “Mary and I were lucky enough to attend the BRICS Youth Summit, which this year took place in the bright and memorable Cape Town. Sending our application rather at random, we did not expect to receive a positive response from the selection committee. But as soon as it arrived, we immediately started preparing the presentation of our project,” said Diana Fakhritdinova. “We have been developing the Just.Display project since school. It is an effective solution for managing advertising and information screens. It is a modern platform that provides instant content updates on any digital media — from single screens to large-scale networks. The system combines a simple interface, mobility in management and technology at the level of high corporate standards. Today, our solution is used in such organizations as the Skolkovo Technopark, the Donstroy development company, and others. We continue to improve the product and develop our name in the market, offering clients a reliable, scalable and intuitive solution for operational management.

    We are proud that we were able to present our project at such a representative event. A lot of effort and energy was invested in the preparation, and it was completely justified. Finding ourselves surrounded by proactive participants and organizers, we immediately felt how serious the level of the summit was. Everyone shared ideas and stories of their projects – useful, thoughtful and truly significant. It was cool to see how startups created by the same students are already bringing tangible benefits and striving for more.

    On the day of the presentations, the atmosphere became calmer: everyone had already met, the excitement had subsided a little. We presented our project, showing what our team is capable of, confidently answered the jury’s questions and eagerly awaited the results. Third place was a real surprise for us, especially considering that we were the youngest participants of the summit.

    Mary and I would like to sincerely thank HSE and Center for International Student Mobility and Educational Projects Directorates of Internationalization for the support, knowledge and opportunities that give us self-confidence and help us develop not only in our studies but also in real projects. Special thanks to the director of the center Valeria Vadimovna Sokolova for her support and assistance at all stages of preparation and participation in the summit.

    Such events are a real school of life. We returned home with an incredible amount of insights, connections, skills and knowledge. We were lucky to meet a huge number of proactive people, and we have already started developing collaborations with some of them.”

    Anna Danilova presented her project in the category “Artificial Intelligence and Big Data for Social Good”. “My project was dedicated to the use of artificial intelligence in healthcare. Its main goal is to ensure the availability of the system for any segment of the population and the population of any territorial remoteness in order to improve the level of health and well-being,” says the student. – According to our idea, the algorithm works together with a medical specialist and currently acts only as an auxiliary element, not the main one. We are setting up the algorithm in order to increase the accuracy of diagnostics and the objectivity of the assessment, and would like to further track whether artificial intelligence can replace medical specialists in general and in which specific areas this is possible.

    I really liked the projects of Chinese colleagues who propose using artificial intelligence to automate the harvesting of fruits and vegetables. I also heard from my roommate from South Africa about interesting projects in the field of technological support for food security. It was interesting to listen to the ideas of guys from different countries, taking into account the peculiarities of their mentality and the culture of the country in which they live and implement their ideas.

    My project was positively received by the participants, some even wrote and learned details and opportunities for cooperation after the summit. For me, this trip was a real discovery, as it is a completely different country and culture. I made many new acquaintances from the BRICS countries, with some of them we exchanged numbers to continue communication in the future.

    What I also liked about the summit was that there were guys who were just starting to implement their project, and there were those who had already implemented it and were implementing new ideas. It turned out to be a kind of mutual work: newcomers share fresh ideas with those who are more experienced, and the more experienced share useful comments and recommendations on project implementation.

    The section winners got the opportunity to go to St. Petersburg for the International Economic Forum in June. I hope that I will be able to meet the guys who took first place at the summit again, but this time in Russia.

    In addition to the event itself, our trip to the Cape of Good Hope with the girls created a huge layer of impressions for us. On the way there, we stopped by boat to look at Cape fur seals, saw penguins, ostriches and other representatives of the fauna. We also managed to visit several local restaurants and try local fish. But most of all, we were amazed by the cape itself, from where a magnificent view opened up that cannot be compared with anything else.”

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Seminar for Central Asian Educators Opens in Urumqi

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, May 15 (Xinhua) — A seminar for teachers from Central Asian countries has opened at Xinjiang Normal University, the university’s website reported.

    This is the first event held at the Central Asian branch of the Global Institute for Teacher Education. The seminar was announced at the 1st China-Central Asia Education Ministers’ Meeting.

    The workshop is designed to enhance participants’ ability to understand and apply artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and promote the deep integration of digital and intelligent technologies and pedagogy.

    The seminar was attended by 30 teachers from Central Asian countries. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Sitora Khisorieva, a teacher from Tajikistan, said that she was interested in mastering methods of applying the latest achievements in digital and intellectual technologies in pedagogical practice.

    On the same day, Professor Song Jihua of Beijing Normal University gave a lecture at the seminar entitled “The Age of Artificial Intelligence and International Education and Teaching.”

    Founded in 1978, Xinjiang Normal University is located in Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. So far, it has helped establish three Confucius Institutes in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China slams US for abusing export controls on Huawei chips

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, May 15 (Xinhua) — China’s Ministry of Commerce on Thursday condemned the United States for abusing export controls on Ascend chips developed by Chinese tech company Huawei, vowing to take strong measures to protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies.

    “The US has abused its export controls and imposed stricter restrictions on Chinese chip products based on baseless allegations,” said Chinese Ministry of Commerce spokesperson He Yongqian, commenting on a recent US claim that the use of Huawei’s Ascend chips anywhere in the world violates US export controls.

    She further noted that the US actions seriously violate the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies, seriously threaten the stability of the chip industrial chain and supply chain, and seriously undermine market rules and the international trade and economic order.

    The restrictions will also not be conducive to the long-term, mutually beneficial and sustainable cooperation between the two countries’ companies for their further development, she said, demanding that the US immediately correct its wrongdoings, promising to take decisive steps to protect the rights and interests of Chinese companies. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: “Polytech Dome-2025”: Anti-terrorist training held at the university

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    The Polytechnic University held a comprehensive training session on anti-terrorist protection of facilities and the territory “Polytechnic Dome-2025”. Similar training sessions are held at the university regularly, their goal is to practice actions in emergency situations, test the functionality of warning systems, improve interaction with law enforcement agencies, municipal, district and city services, security and law enforcement agencies.

    The training was attended by employees of the Civil Security Department, cadets of the Military Training Center and employees of the security organization “U-Piter”, the student fire and rescue squad “Pyotr Velikiy”, representatives of the Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Kalininsky District, the demining group of the OMON “Bastion” of the Russian Guard for St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region, the non-departmental security department for the Kalininsky District, representatives of Legion LLC, the rescue corps of the St. Petersburg University of the GPS EMERCOM of Russia named after E. N. Zinichev.

    The training consisted of five stages. The first stage involved a simulated armed attack on the university campus. Suddenly, two people appeared on the platform in front of the NIC – one with a backpack, and the other with a machine gun (their roles were played by activists of the Military History Club “Our Polytechnic”. Then the events developed so quickly that at some point it seemed that this was no longer a training session. The armed criminal fired a burst at a peacefully standing group of students. They rushed into the building. The security guards barricaded the door and reported the attack to the University Security Center. There, the duty officer already knew about what had happened (one of the Polytechnic employees called after noticing the armed men), he pressed the panic button, passed the information to the chairman of the commission for the prevention and elimination of emergency situations and fire safety (KChS and OPB) of the Polytechnic, the vice-rector for security, the head of the Civil Security Department, the head of the civil defense department. The duty unit of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region, the UFSB of Russia for St. Petersburg and Leningrad region and other emergency services.

    While the criminals were unsuccessfully tugging at the door handle, a Rosgvardia car appeared in the distance. Noticing it, one of the guys dropped his backpack and ran away. The second, left alone, started shooting back – only the cartridges flew off to the sides. But the patrol group of the Kalininsky District Rosgvardia Non-Departmental Security Department managed to twist him quite harshly, search him and disarm him. Then the hypothetical terrorist was put in the car and driven away.

    But the abandoned backpack remained and aroused suspicion. The National Guard assumed that it contained a homemade explosive device. The OMON Bastion group was called in to defuse the mines, and the dangerous area was cordoned off.

    A mobile device for localizing explosive objects, “FONTAN-2”, was taken out of the NIK and installed to prevent fragments from flying apart. At this time, employees of the engineering and technical department of the OMON “Bastion” arrived with a dog handler and a mine-detection dog Chiba. To prevent a possible remote detonation, the group deployed a “Pelena-12” radio jammer. Based on the dog’s behavior, the dog handler realized that there really was an explosive device in the backpack. It was detonated using the ETsV-14 destroyer installed on the MRK-15 mobile robotic complex.

    For reliability, the explosion site was also examined by a specialist in a special protective suit “Kupol”, which can withstand an explosion of up to 1.5 kg in TNT equivalent. After that, forensic experts could begin the case.

    The second and third stages of the training involved practicing actions in the event of a drone threat and attack. FPV drones suddenly appeared over the heads of the training participants and spectators. The duty administrator of the CBU turned on the alert: “Attention! Threat of attack by an unmanned aerial vehicle!” A siren wailed over the campus. But the signal about the attack had already been conveyed to law enforcement agencies.

    The police squad that arrived managed to suppress one of the drones with an electronic warfare system – an anti-drone gun, and the second one managed to drop a grenade on a specially parked old passenger car before being destroyed. An explosion was heard, and a fire started, and with it the fourth stage of the training.

    A combat fire brigade arrived to put out the fire – two units of the 34th fire and rescue unit. Soon only foam remained from the flames and smoke.

    At the final stage of the exercise, representatives of the rescue corps of the E. N. Zinichev University of the Russian Emergencies Ministry in St. Petersburg showed off their skills. Before the ambulance arrived, they treated wounds and applied bandages to victims of gunshot and high-explosive shrapnel wounds.

    At the end of the training, SPbPU Vice-Rector for Security Alexander Airapetyan thanked all the participants, noted the high organizational level of the event and emphasized the importance of practical preparation for emergency situations.

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    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: China-Singapore Joint Maritime Exercise Promotes Cooperation, Enhances Joint Capabilities: Chinese Defense Ministry

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, May 15 (Xinhua) — The ongoing joint maritime exercise between China and Singapore is of great significance to further deepening practical cooperation and enhancing joint maritime capabilities, Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Jiang Bin said Thursday.

    The exercise, dubbed China-Singapore Cooperation 2025, runs from May 9 to 16 at Singapore’s Changi Naval Base and in the waters and airspace east of Singapore.

    Under the joint command and planning of the two sides, the tasks of firing at sea targets from naval artillery, replenishing supplies at sea, joint search and rescue and other operations were practiced, Jiang Bin said.

    He added that the exercises allowed testing the ability of the participating forces to carry out military-tactical command coordination and joint actions.

    The exercises, the fourth in a row, also included seminars, ship visits, and cultural and sports events. -0-

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: China International Fair for Trade in Services to be held in Beijing in September

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, May 15 (Xinhua) — The 2025 China International Fair for Trade in Services will open in Beijing on Sept. 10, Zhao Qizhou, an official with the Beijing Bureau of Commerce, announced at a press conference on Thursday.

    Starting this year, the fair will be held annually on the second Wednesday of September, he added.

    The upcoming fair will be held in the 3 square kilometer Shougang Park, the venue for the 2022 Winter Olympics.

    The fair’s honorary guest country will be Australia. The event will last only five days – the first three days are for professional visitors, and the last two – for the general public.

    The fair is organized by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China and the People’s Government of Beijing. The event covers sectors such as finance, culture, tourism, education, sports, supply chain and medical services.

    The China International Fair for Trade in Services, which was first held in 2012, brings together enterprises from all over the world.

    Last year, it was attended by representatives of more than 450 Fortune 500 companies, other leading global companies, representatives of 85 countries and international organizations. -0-

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: Beijing and Minsk connected by regular freight service as part of China-Europe railway transportation

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, May 15 (Xinhua) — A train carrying 55 containers departed from Beijing for Minsk on Thursday morning, marking the opening of regular rail service between the capitals of China and Belarus.

    The train carries 293 tons of auto parts and other goods manufactured in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region from Beijing to Minsk

    The train will cross the Chinese-Mongolian border at the Ereenhot checkpoint and reach its destination in 15 days.

    The launch of the new Beijing-Minsk flight is expected to facilitate the entry of large Chinese-made goods into the global market and enhance their influence in the international market. At the same time, it will also contribute to ensuring smooth trade in the Belt and Road countries and promoting their economic prosperity. -0-

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: The world’s largest ro-ro vessel was delivered to a customer in China

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    SHANGHAI, May 15 (Xinhua) — The world’s largest ro-ro vessel Anji Ansheng was delivered to its customer in Shanghai on Thursday.

    The vessel, which can carry up to 9,500 cars, was built by SAIC Anji Logistics Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of SAIC Motor Corporation Limited. The giant car carrier features high load-carrying capacity and high energy efficiency.

    Later on Thursday evening, the Anji Ansheng, loaded with more than 7,000 SAIC MG passenger cars and other new energy vehicles (NEVs), will set off for Europe. -0-

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: China urges US to suspend Section 232 tariffs

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, May 15 (Xinhua) — China has called on the United States to suspend its tariff measures imposed as a result of the Article 232 investigation as soon as possible, He Yongqian, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce, said Thursday.

    Speaking at a press conference, He Yongqian noted that the US’s Section 232 tariff measures on imported automobiles, steel and aluminum, as well as its Section 232 investigation into imported pharmaceuticals, are typical manifestations of unilateralism and protectionism.

    Such actions not only harm the rights and interests of other countries and undermine the rules-based multilateral trading system, but also do not benefit the US’s own industry, the spokeswoman for the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said.

    China calls on the US to end the Article 232 tariff measures as soon as possible and properly address the concerns of all parties concerned through equal dialogue, He Yongqian concluded. -0-

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: V. Zelensky arrived in Turkey, while V. Putin decided not to participate in peace talks in Istanbul

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    ANKARA, May 15 (Xinhua) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived here on Thursday to meet his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan amid renewed diplomatic efforts to end the conflict in Ukraine.

    His visit to Turkey follows calls from Russian President Vladimir Putin to resume stalled peace talks in Istanbul.

    V. Zelensky stated that he is ready to take part in direct peace talks with Russia in Istanbul, but only on the condition that V. Putin also takes part in them.

    “I am waiting for who will arrive from Russia, and then I will determine what steps Ukraine should take. The signals from them in the media are not convincing yet,” V. Zelensky said late on Wednesday.

    However, the Kremlin announced that Putin would not join the Russian delegation at the talks in Istanbul on Thursday, and Russia would be represented by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky.

    Speaking at an informal NATO meeting in Antalya, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said: “The talks that will take place in Istanbul will probably allow us to open a new page.”

    The last direct talks between Ukraine and Russia took place in Istanbul in March 2022, but the parties failed to agree on a cessation of hostilities. –0–

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