Category: Russian Federation

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China condemns Philippines’ violations in South China Sea reefs

    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 22 (Xinhua) — The China Coast Guard (CCG) on Thursday slammed the Philippines’ illegal actions in the Zhubi and Tiexian reefs, calling them a violation of China’s territorial sovereignty and calling on the Philippines to immediately stop such violations.

    On Wednesday, two Philippine service vessels illegally entered waters off Zhubi Reef and Tiexian Reef without permission from the Chinese government, with some personnel illegally landing on Tiexian Reef, BOC spokesman Liu Dejun said.

    According to the official, BOC officers took action against these vessels and boarded the reef to resolve the situation in a professional, standard, reasonable and legal manner.

    However, one of the Philippine ships, ignoring multiple serious warnings from the Chinese side, approached the BOC vessel at a dangerous distance while it was on duty, which led to the collision. Liu Dejun stressed that the Philippine side bears full responsibility for the incident.

    He said China has indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha Islands and adjacent waters, adding that such actions by the Philippines seriously violate China’s territorial sovereignty, are contrary to the Declaration of Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, and undermine peace and stability in the region.

    “We call on the Philippine side to immediately stop such violations. The BOC will continue to carry out law enforcement activities in the maritime area under China’s jurisdiction to legitimately protect China’s sovereignty and rights,” the BOC official concluded. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan to cooperate in the field of investment protection

    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

    ALMATY, May 22 (Xinhua) — The Senate (upper house of parliament) of Kazakhstan has ratified an agreement between the governments of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan on mutual promotion and protection of investments, the Kazinform news agency reported on Thursday.

    The agreement was signed on April 19, 2024, during the official visit of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic to the capital of Kazakhstan, Astana.

    The document defines the procedure and conditions for regulating issues related to the creation of favorable investment conditions for strengthening economic cooperation between the two countries, in particular for investments by one country in the territory of another.

    Kazakhstan is Kyrgyzstan’s third largest trading partner. In 2024, trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $1.71 billion, while exports from Kazakhstan increased by 9.6 percent and amounted to $1.3 billion. According to the National Bank of Kazakhstan, in the first nine months of 2024, foreign direct investment from Kyrgyzstan amounted to $4.8 million, which is 18 percent more than in the same period of 2023. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Coons, colleagues introduce trio of bipartisan bills to advance American nuclear energy

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) has introduced three bipartisan bills in recent days focused on strengthening U.S. nuclear energy policy and international collaboration. The legislation focuses on enhancing civil nuclear exports, financing, and streamlining the nuclear licensing process to reduce red tape.
    “To lower costs for consumers and combat climate change, the U.S. and the rest of the world need to be able to rely on sources of clean and abundant power, including nuclear energy,” said Senator Coons. “Right now, however, barriers that we have erected for domestic and international nuclear development stunt our energy independence here at home and give China and Russia the upper hand abroad. I’m pushing for these three bills because I know how important it is for the United States to on the cutting edge of clean, safe, affordable nuclear power.”
    The three bills Senator Coons has introduced are:
    The Efficient Nuclear Licensing Hearings Act with Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.), which would remove the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) mandatory hearing requirement created by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 without limiting opportunities for public engagement in order to enhance and boost the efficiency of the NRC in reviewing new reactor applications. The text of the bill is available here. 
    The International Nuclear Energy Act with Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), which would support the U.S. domestic nuclear energy industry’s leadership and offset China’s and Russia’s growing influence on international nuclear energy development. The bill would create an office to coordinate nuclear export strategies and financing, promoting regulatory harmonization and standardization, and enhancing safeguards and security. The bill would also form programs to support international nuclear energy collaboration and calls for a cabinet-level biennial summit focused on nuclear safety along with industry and government relationships. The text of the bill is available here.
    The International Nuclear Energy Financing Act with Senator Dave McCormick (R-Pa.), which would encourage more financing for nuclear energy projects to create more U.S. jobs. The legislation would do this by empowering the Treasury to leverage its influence to ensure that international financial institutions support U.S. nuclear exports. The text of the bill is available here.
    Senator Coons is a Co-Chair of the bipartisan Senate Climate Solutions Caucus.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 22 May 2025 Note for Media Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly – Daily update: 22 May 2025

    Source: World Health Organisation

    Health progress despite financial challenges 

    Thursday’s Committee B noted the Results Report 2024, and the financing and implementation of the Programme budget 2024–2025. Member States commended the transparency, and the level of detail provided. At the same time, Member States noted with concern that while some important achievements have been realized, progress is insufficient in reaching the SDG targets. In addition, Member States also advocated for more equitable funding across the Organization. The committee approved decision 78/17 Add.1 and 78/17 Add.2. 

    Delegates welcomed WHO’s Investment Round (IR), which will fund the Organization’s Fourteenth General Programme of Work – 2025–2028 (GPW 14) – its global health strategy for the next four years that has the potential to save 40 million lives if fully funded.  By April 2025, pledges of US$ 1.7 billion had been received. During the Health Assembly at least an additional US $210 million was committed, with further amounts expected. Since the start of the Investment Round, 62 pledges have been made by Member States, with a further 20 pledges by philanthropic organizations. Of the 62 pledgers, 35 had not previously provided voluntary contributions to WHO. 

    The pledges not only assure more sustainable financing but show global solidarity in the face of unprecedented challenges. The committee called for increased efforts to secure predictable, resilient and flexible funding.

    Related Documents:

    •  A78/17 Results report 2024 and financial report and audited financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024
    • A78/17 Add.1 Draft decision: Results report 2024 (Programme budget 2024–2025: performance assessment) and Financial report and audited financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024
    • A78/17 Add.2 Draft decision: Partial and temporary suspension of Financial Regulation VIII, 8.2
    • A78/18 Audited Financial Statements for the year ended
    • A78/36 Results report 2024 (Programme budget 2024–2025: performance assessment) and Financial report and audited financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024
    • A78/INF./3 Voluntary contributions by fund and by contributor, 2024
    •  A78/19 Financing and implementation of the Programme budget 2024–2025
    • A78/20 Financing and implementation of the Programme budget 2024–2025: Reporting on operational efficiencies
    • A78/INF./4 Financing and implementation of the Programme budget 2024–2025 WHO presence in countries, territories and areas
    • A78/21 Sustainable financing: WHO investment round
    • A78/37 Proposed programme budget 2026–2027 – Sustainable financing: WHO investment round (Report of the Programme, Budget and Administration Committee of the Executive Board to the Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly)

    Strengthening health emergency preparedness and response

    On 21–22 May 2025, the World Health Assembly discussed WHO’s work in health emergencies. Over the last year, WHO responded to 51 graded emergencies across 89 countries and territories, including global outbreaks of cholera and mpox – a public health emergency of international concern – as well as multiple humanitarian crises. Working with over 900 partners across 28 health clusters, WHO helped provide health assistance for 72 million people in humanitarian settings. Nearly 60% of new emergencies were climate-related, highlighting the growing health impacts of climate change.

    Member States noted the WHO Director-General’s report on the implementation of the health emergency prevention, preparedness, response and resilience (HEPR) framework. The report outlined progress made in the key areas of collaborative disease surveillance, community protection, safe and scalable care, access to medical countermeasures and emergency coordination, and stressed that insufficient and unpredictable funding poses a significant risk to health systems worldwide.

    Delegates noted the report of the Independent Oversight and Advisory Committee (IOAC) for WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme. The report presents several recommendations to the Director-General aimed at strengthening WHO’s work in emergencies. The chair of the IOAC commended WHO’s leadership – particularly that of Dr Mike Ryan, the outgoing Executive Director of the Health Emergencies Programme, for his pivotal role and contributions to global health.

    The Director-General also reported on Universal Health and Preparedness Review (UHPR) to the Assembly, a unique process for Member States to assess their health emergency preparedness. UHPR was launched in November 2020 as a voluntary, country-led mechanism, in response to early lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Related documents:  

    • A78/13 WHO’s work in health emergencies
    • A78/12 Health emergencies preparedness and response: The Independent Oversight and Advisory Committee for the WHO Health Emergencies Programme
    • A78/9 Strengthening the global architecture for health emergency prevention, preparedness, response and resilience
    • A78/4 Consolidated report by the Director-General (including UHPR)

    International Health Regulations remain a cornerstone of global health security

    Member States noted the Director-General’s report on progress made in implementing the International Health Regulations (2005), which outline the rights and obligations of countries in managing public health events and emergencies that have the potential to cross borders.

    In 2024, WHO assessed over 1.2 million raw signals related to public health risks, identifying and verifying 429 events with potential or actual international public health implications.

    All countries but one provided their self-assessment report to the Assembly. Numerous joint external evaluations, after- and intra-action reviews, and training were conducted to strengthen preparedness and response capacities. 

    Member States recommended to the Assembly the adoption of a decision for the Director-General to notify Palestine of the International Health Regulations (2005). This is a step prior to Palestine expressing interest in becoming a States Party to the Regulations. This follows the resolution approved during the World Health Assembly last year on aligning the participation of Palestine in WHO with its participation in the United Nations.

    The Assembly also noted the Standing Recommendations issued by the Director-General on COVID-19 (valid until April 2026) and mpox (valid until August 2025).

    At last year’s World Health Assembly, Member States adopted historic amendments to the Regulations, drawing on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic. The amendments are expected to come into force in September 2025.

    Related documents:

    • A78/11 Implementation of the International Health Regulations (2005)
    • A78/A/CONF./4 Notifying the International Health Regulations (2005) to Palestine
    • Resolution WHA77.15 (2024): Aligning the participation of Palestine in the World Health Organization with its participation in the United Nations
    • A78/INF./6 Implementation of the International Health Regulations (2005) Extension of the standing recommendations for mpox
    • A78/INF./7 Implementation of the International Health Regulations (2005) Extension of the standing recommendations for COVID-19

    Member States urge research into public health and social measures to control outbreaks and pandemics

    Member States approved a decision related to public health and social measures, urging the strengthening of the research base on these interventions. Public health and social measures are nonpharmaceutical interventions used to reduce the spread of an infectious disease and lower hospitalizations and death. Examples include screening for diseases, personal hygiene measures and changing the way people gather or travel. These measures played an important role in buying time for countries to develop and distribute treatments, diagnostics and vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the evidence base on the effectiveness of these measures remains limited.

    Related documents:

    WHO’s response to health needs in Ukraine and refugee-hosting countries

    Delegates noted the Director-General’s report on the implementation of a resolution on WHO’s response to the health emergency triggered by the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine. In 2024, WHO reached an estimated 4.7 million people with health support in Ukraine and more than 400 000 refugees in neighbouring countries. WHO delivered over US$ 32.5 million worth of medicines, medical equipment and supplies to health facilities across Ukraine, and over US$ 4.9 million worth of supplies and equipment to refugee-hosting countries. Since 24 February 2022, a total of 2254 attacks on health care have been verified, resulting in 710 injuries and 208 deaths.

    Member States voted on related decisions. The draft decision proposed by Ukraine and other countries to continue, among other things, to restore and strengthen Ukraine’s health-care system was approved. Suggested amendments to the draft decision proposed by the Russian Federation and other countries were rejected.

    Related documents:

    • A78/14 Implementation of resolution WHA75.11 (2022) 
    • A78/A/CONF./3 Health emergency in Ukraine and refugee-receiving and -hosting countries, stemming from the Russian Federation’s aggression
    • A78/A/CONF./3 Add.1 Amendments proposed by Belarus, China, Nicaragua and the Russian Federation
    • A78/A/CONF./3 Add.2 Financial and administrative implications for the Secretariat of decisions proposed for adoption by the Health Assembly

    Health conditions in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem

    Delegates noted the Director-General’s report on the current health conditions in the occupied Palestinian territory, with the Gaza Strip facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, with widespread displacement, destruction and death. The health system has been severely degraded by attacks, critical shortages of medicines, supplies and fuel, and restricted access. The report stated that between 1 January 2024 and 28 February 2025, 376 attacks on health care were reported in the Gaza Strip, resulting in 286 deaths and 591 injuries.

    The health crisis in the West Bank has worsened since January 2025, with escalating violence and stricter restrictions on movement impeding access to health care.

    WHO’s response has focused on providing essential health services, public health surveillance, disease prevention and control, provision of supplies and logistics, and partner coordination. The report stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, unrestricted humanitarian access and protection of health.

    Member States noted the report and commended WHO’s efforts towards the continuity of health services under difficult conditions. Delegates approved an accompanying resolution.

    Related documents:

    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI Global: Ukraine: it’s clear right now there are no serious plans for peace

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jonathan Este, Senior International Affairs Editor, Associate Editor

    When it comes to the sincerity, or otherwise, of Vladimir Putin’s apparent willingness to talk peace with Ukraine, the Russian leader has given us plenty of hints. He may insist he wants to see a deal done and an end to the killing. But his insistence that any agreement would have to address the “root causes” of the war is a clear indication that he hasn’t rowed back from his original maximalist war aims. To whit: no Nato membership, a Kremlin-friendly government in Kyiv, ownership of Crimea and control – preferably annexation – of the four provinces of Ukraine presently under Russian occupation.

    Meanwhile his great ally Dmitry Medvedev continues to insist that there are at present no Ukrainian officials who legitimately qualify as partners for negotiation. The Russian national security council secretary claims that Ukraine is a “failed state” whose leaders’ lack of legitimacy, meanwhile, raise “serious questions” about who Russia can conclude any agreement with.

    So when Donald Trump said this week after a two-hour chat with Putin that Russia and Ukraine would “immediately start negotiations” toward a ceasefire, it’s not clear who he thought the Russian president was planning to talk to if, as Putin and his cronies insist, Zelensky and his team are not legitimate. And, from what he had to say about his recent phone call with Putin, it appears that Trump has his eyes more on the sorts of deals that might be done with Russia once this is all cleared up.

    As he posted on his Truth Social platform after talking with Putin: “Russia wants to do largescale [sic] TRADE with the United States when this catastrophic ‘bloodbath’ is over, and I agree. There is a tremendous opportunity for Russia to create massive amounts of jobs and wealth. Its potential is UNLIMITED.”

    Accordingly, he has backed away from his previous willingness to join Europe in imposing fresh sanctions on Russia. Meanwhile Russia continues to hammer Ukraine both on the battlefield and via ever larger drone and missiles attacks against its civilian population.


    Sign up to receive our weekly World Affairs Briefing newsletter from The Conversation UK. Every Thursday we’ll bring you expert analysis of the big stories in international relations.


    The real clue to Trump’s attitude, writes Stefan Wolff, is the order of phone calls on Monday. Before settling down to talk with Putin, the US president put in a call to the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky. Reporting back on the call, Zelensky said he had urged Trump that he mustn’t make any decisions about Ukraine “without us”. Having subsequently spoken at length with Putin, Trump emerged saying in his Truth Social post that Russia and Ukraine will “immediately start negotiations” towards a ceasefire and an end to the war.

    The state of the conflict in Ukraine, May 21 2025.
    Institute for the Study of War

    But Wolff, professor of international security at the University of Birmingham who has written regularly here about the conflict, believes that the fact that Trump added the conditions for peace “will be negotiated between the two parties, as it can only be” suggests he is indeed planning to abandon his peacemaking ambitions. The whole deal was taking far longer than the 24 hours he boasted of during the election campaign last year.

    Where this leaves Europe is unclear, writes Wolff. If it can no longer rely on Washington as a security partner (and the signs aren’t good), then this will require a substantial rethink. Indeed there are signs, with the UK’s recent agreement over security and defence, that minds are increasingly focused on a more self-reliant future. In turn, this has implications for US security. If Europe is compelled to rethink its security relationship with the US it could cut both ways as Washington pivots to face an increasingly aggressive China.




    Read more:
    After another call with Putin, it looks like Trump has abandoned efforts to mediate peace in Ukraine


    Of course, it should have been clear to all concerned not to take Putin at face value over his apparent willingness to talk peace with Zelensky when he failed to turn up to talks in Istanbul at the end of last week. As Natasha Lindstaedt writes here, none of the main players attended the talks, despite plans for Putin, Zelensky and Trump to all meet face-to-face.

    Lindstaedt, an expert in international relations at the University of Essex, describes what for all the world seemed like a bizarre game of bluff – certainly as far as Putin and Trump are concerned. All three leaders had promised to be there, but in the end they all sent intermediaries with the result that nothing of any consequence was agreed. Trump’s aides insisted that if Putin attended he would be there. Then the US president said the reason that Putin hadn’t turned up was because he knew Trump wasn’t going to be there.

    “It’s certainly hard to take peace talks seriously when there is an awkward back-and-forth just about who is going to attend,” Lindstaedt concludes. “And while Trump thinks peace is only possible through bilateral meetings between himself and Putin, it’s clear he can’t even influence Putin to show up to peace talks that the Russian president himself suggested.”




    Read more:
    Putin is testing how far he can push Trump by not turning up for Istanbul talks


    Pie in the sky?

    The US president, meanwhile, has announced plans for an ambitious missile defence system to be called “Golden Dome”. It’s a next-generation system, says Trump, “capable even of intercepting missiles launched from the other side of the world, or launched from space”.

    The plan, for which US$25 billion (£18.6 billion) has been set aside in the US president’s “one big beautiful bill”, presently before the US Congress, calls for a network of surveillance satellites complemented by a separate fleet of offensive satellites that would shoot down offensive missiles soon after lift-off. Trump has estimated this will cost US$175 billion and will be completed by the end of his current four-year term. But other estimates are that it will be much more expensive and take far longer to complete.

    “There has never been anything like this”, the US president said. And indeed there hasn’t, writes Matthew Powell, an expert in air power from the University of Portsmouth. In fact, Powell is deeply sceptical that the technology to enable such an ambitious defence system exists at present. He points to Ronald Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative, which became known by critics, with their tongues in their cheeks, as “Star Wars”, which never really got any further than the drawing board.

    It did, however, have the effect of signalling to the Kremlin and the Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, that the sky would be the limit in terms of US willingness to push the boundaries of defence spending. Powell believes it significantly changed the calculations when it came to the feasibility of continuing the nuclear arms race and may have been responsible for the end of the cold war.




    Read more:
    Golden Dome: what Trump should learn from Reagan’s ‘Star Wars’ missile defence system plan


    Incidentally, the US president’s funding bill scraped through the House of Representatives with 215 votes for and 214 against. In addition to setting aside funds for Golden Dome, the bill, which in its current form adds trillions of dollars to the US debt, has been described by Democrat critics as a “tax scam”. A statement from Democrat leaders said: “This fight is just beginning, and House Democrats will continue to use every tool at our disposal to ensure that the GOP Tax Scam is buried deep in the ground, never to rise again.”

    But how much stomach do the Democrats have for the fight? They’ve had a pretty terrible few months since the election. Their approval rating in March was at 29%, the worst since polling began in 1992. Fernando Pizarro, a lecturer in journalism at City St Georges, University of London, who has several Emmys under his belt for his work on US politics, has cast his eye over some of the leading Democrats who he thinks will spearhead the opposition to the Republicans over the next few years and identifies a few players who could vie for the presidential nomination in 2028.




    Read more:
    The top Democrats leading the fight against Trump’s agenda


    Gaza: situation increasingly desperate

    Meanwhile, after 11 weeks of Israeli blockade of aid to the people of Gaza, limited deliveries have now recommenced in the face of pressure from both the US and increasingly outspoken interventions from the likes of the UK, France and Canada.

    But despite reports that up to 100 trucks are now being allowed into the Gaza Strip, human rights agencies and aid organisations have said that there is a desperate threat of widespread starvation unless the amount of food, fuel and medicine getting through increases exponentially. And fast.

    There is talk of a US-administered programme, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which could be up and running by the end of May and could accelerate the delivery of vital supplies to the civilian population while ensuring it does not does not get into the hands of militants or black marketeers.

    But this scheme has its critics, write Sarah Schiffling and Liz Breen, experts in humanitarian logistics and health service operations at Hanken School of Economics and the University of Bradford respectively. They point to a number of flaws, including the plan to concentrate the secure distribution points in southern and central Gaza, forcing large numbers of people to travel considerable distances for supplies.

    The GHF plan also calls for aid distribution to be coordinated with the Israel Defense Forces, which humanitarian organisations says is a “humanitarian cover for a military strategy of control and dispossession”.

    Schiffling and Breen point out that humanitarian organisations have 160,000 pallets of supplies and almost 9,000 aid trucks ready to be dispatched across the border “as soon as Israel allows it”. Whether Israel will allow it is, of course, another question entirely.




    Read more:
    Israel allows a ‘limited’ amount of aid back into Gaza, where the humanitarian situation is desperate


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    ref. Ukraine: it’s clear right now there are no serious plans for peace – https://theconversation.com/ukraine-its-clear-right-now-there-are-no-serious-plans-for-peace-257388

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China calls on US-invested enterprises to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation: Vice Premier

    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 22 (Xinhua) — China calls on U.S.-funded enterprises to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation with China so as to continue to contribute to the healthy, stable and sustainable development of China-U.S. economic and trade relations, Vice Premier He Lifeng said Thursday.

    He Lifeng, who is also a member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee, made the statement during a meeting with Jamie Dimon, chairman of the board of directors and chief executive officer of the American bank JP Morgan Chase.

    As the Vice Premier of the State Council pointed out, significant progress has been made in the trade and economic negotiations between China and the United States, which has created conditions for the continuation of trade and economic cooperation between the two countries.

    China is currently making efforts to build a unified national market and form a new development pattern while continuing to expand high-level opening up to the outside world, He Lifeng added.

    J. Dimon, for his part, positively assessed the results of the US-Chinese trade and economic negotiations, emphasizing that JP Morgan Chase intends to deepen its presence in the Chinese capital market, to serve transnational companies entering the Chinese market even more effectively, and to promote the development of Chinese companies abroad. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Vice Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China Liu Guozhong visited Belarus and held a meeting of the China-Belarus Intergovernmental Committee on Cooperation

    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 22 (Xinhua) — Member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China Liu Guozhong visited Belarus on May 21-22. During the visit, he met with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, held talks with First Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Nikolai Snopkov and jointly chaired the 6th meeting of the China-Belarus Intergovernmental Cooperation Committee.

    Liu Guozhong conveyed cordial greetings from Chinese President Xi Jinping to A. Lukashenko and noted that under the strategic leadership of the leaders of the two countries, the China-Belarus all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership continues to develop at a high level, and cooperation in various fields bears rich fruit. According to the Vice Premier of the State Council, the Chinese side is ready to work with Belarus to implement the important agreements reached by the leaders of the two countries, provide firm mutual support on issues related to the fundamental interests of the parties, and promote high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road for the benefit of the peoples of both countries.

    A. Lukashenko asked Liu Guozhong to convey sincere greetings to Chairman Xi Jinping and stressed that Belarusian-Chinese relations are a model of mutually beneficial cooperation. As he noted, the Belarusian side firmly adheres to the one-China principle, opposes political manipulation in the issue of tracking the source of COVID-19 and is ready to jointly implement key projects within the framework of the Belt and Road initiative with China, develop productive forces of new quality, and promote the development and rise of the two states.

    The two sides reaffirmed their firm commitment to upholding the outcome of World War II and international justice, opposed hegemonism, bullying and unilateral sanctions, and agreed to jointly advance the three global initiatives and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

    On May 21, the 6th meeting of the China-Belarus Intergovernmental Cooperation Committee was held, during which the parties exchanged views and outlined plans for cooperation in key areas such as economy and trade, science and technology, security, education, culture, customs control and quarantine supervision, and industry. The minutes of the meeting were signed, as well as documents on cooperation in the areas of digital economy, science and technology. In addition, the parties agreed to establish a new subcommittee on industrial cooperation.

    Liu Guozhong also visited a number of sites, including the China-Belarus Industrial Park “Great Stone.” –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Security: 16 Defendants Federally Charged in Connection with DanaBot Malware Scheme That Infected Computers Worldwide

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOS ANGELES – A federal grand jury indictment and criminal complaint unsealed today charge 16 defendants who allegedly developed and deployed the DanaBot malware which a Russia-based cybercrime organization controlled and deployed, infecting more than 300,000 victim computers around the world, facilitated fraud and ransomware, and caused at least $50 million in damage.

    The defendants include Aleksandr Stepanov, 39, a.k.a. “JimmBee,” and Artem Aleksandrovich Kalinkin, 34, a.k.a. “Onix”, both of Novosibirsk, Russia. Stepanov was charged with conspiracy, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, unauthorized access to a protected computer to obtain information, unauthorized impairment of a protected computer, wiretapping, and use of an intercepted communication.

    Kalinkin was charged with conspiracy to gain unauthorized access to a computer to obtain information, to gain unauthorized access to a computer to defraud, and to commit unauthorized impairment of a protected computer. Both defendants are believed to be in Russia and are not in custody.

    According to the indictment and complaint, DanaBot malware used a variety of methods to infect victim computers, including spam email messages containing malicious attachments or hyperlinks. Victim computers infected with DanaBot malware became part of a botnet (a network of compromised computers), enabling the operators and users of the botnet to remotely control the infected computers in a coordinated manner. The owners and operators of the victim computers are typically unaware of the infection.

    The DanaBot malware allegedly operated on a malware-as-a-service model, with the administrators leasing access to the botnet and support tools to client coconspirators for a fee that was typically several thousand dollars a month. The DanaBot malware was multi-featured and had extensive capabilities to exploit victim computers. It could be used to steal data from victim computers, and to hijack banking sessions, steal device information, user browsing histories, stored account credentials, and virtual currency wallet information.

    DanaBot also had the capability to provide full remote access to victim computers, to record keystrokes, and record videos showing the activity of users on victim computers. DanaBot has further been used as an initial means of infection for other forms of malware, including ransomware. The DanaBot malware has infected over 300,000 computers around the world, and caused damage estimated to exceed $50 million.

    DanaBot administrators operated a second version of the botnet that was used to target victim computers in military, diplomatic, government, and related entities. This version of the botnet recorded all interactions with the computer and sent stolen data to a different server than the fraud-oriented version of DanaBot. This variant was allegedly used to target diplomats, law enforcement personnel, and members of the military in North America, and Europe.

    “Pervasive malware like DanaBot harms hundreds of thousands of victims around the world, including sensitive military, diplomatic, and government entities, and causes many millions of dollars in losses,” said United States Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “The charges and actions announced today demonstrate our commitment to eradicating the largest threats to global cybersecurity and pursuing the most malicious cyber actors, wherever they are located.”   

    “The enforcement actions announced today, made possible by enduring law enforcement and industry partnerships across the globe, disrupted a significant cyber threat group, who were profiting from the theft of victim data and the targeting of sensitive networks,” said Special Agent in Charge Kenneth DeChellis of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Cyber Field Office. “The DanaBot malware was a clear threat to the Department of Defense and our partners. DCIS will vigorously defend our infrastructure, personnel, and intellectual property.”

    “Today’s announcement represents a significant step forward in the FBI’s ongoing efforts to disrupt and dismantle the cyber-criminal ecosystem that wreaks havoc on global digital security,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “We are grateful for the coordinated efforts of our domestic and international law enforcement partners in holding cyber criminals accountable, no matter where they operate.”

    An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    If convicted, Kalinkin would face a statutory maximum sentence of 72 years in federal prison, and Stepanov would face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.

    As part of today’s operation, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) agents effected seizures and takedowns of DanaBot command and control servers, including dozens of virtual servers hosted in the United States. The U.S. government is now working with partners including the Shadowserver Foundation to notify DanaBot victims and help remediate infections.

    These law enforcement actions were taken in conjunction with Operation Endgame, an ongoing, coordinated effort among international law enforcement agencies aimed at dismantling and prosecuting cybercriminal organizations around the world.

    Amazon, Crowdstrike, ESET, Flashpoint, Google, Intel 471, Lumen, PayPal, Proofpoint, Team CYMRU, and ZScaler provided valuable assistance.

    The investigation into DanaBot was led by the FBI’s Anchorage Field Office and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, working closely with Germany’s Bundeskriminalamt (BKA), the Netherlands National Police, and the Australian Federal Police. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance.

    Assistant United States Attorney Aaron Frumkin of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section is prosecuting these cases. Assistant United States Attorney James E. Dochterman of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section is handling the forfeiture case.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Canada: G7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors conclude productive meeting in Banff

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    May 22, 2025 – Banff, Alberta – Department of Finance Canada

    Today, G7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors concluded their meeting in Banff, Alberta, which is part of Canada’s 2025 G7 Presidency. The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Finance and National Revenue, and Tiff Macklem, Governor of the Bank of Canada, co-chaired the meeting.

    Ministers and Governors reached agreement on a communiqué which emphasized, above all, the the importance of G7 unity in the face of complex global challenges. In advance of the Leaders’ Summit next month in Kananaskis, Alberta, the meeting included a productive and frank exchange on the global economy, unsustainable global imbalances, and ways to promote growth and productivity.

    Ministers and Governors agreed to:

    • a G7 Financial Crime Call to Action to spur further concrete progress in tackling financial crime, including money laundering and terrorist financing. Canada will contribute $4.8 million in new technical assistance to developing economies so they can contribute to this effort;
    • support the expansion of the World Bank-led Resilient and Inclusive Supply-Chain Enhancement (RISE) Partnership to strengthen the integration of developing countries into critical minerals supply chains. Canada will contribute $20 million to support the expansion of the RISE Partnership, including in Latin America and the Caribbean;
    • address risks stemming from the large increase in low-value shipments imported into G7 markets; and
    • continued unwavering support to Ukraine, an agreement to continue to explore all possible options to hold Russia to account, including further ramping up sanctions, as well as efforts to foster private sector participation in the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine.

    Canada is a stable, reliable, and innovative partner with a wealth of natural resources and expertise. Through our G7 Presidency, we will shape the global agenda – working with allies and partners to grow our economies, defend Canadians’ interests, and address the most pressing global challenges.

    MIL OSI Canada News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Africa Subcommittee Chairman Smith Delivers Opening Remarks at Hearing on the Crisis in Sudan

    Source: US House Committee on Foreign Affairs

    Media Contact 202-321-9747

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Foreign Affairs Africa Subcommittee Chairman Chris Smith delivered opening remarks at a subcommittee hearing titled, “A Dire Crisis in Sudan: A Global Call to Action.” 

    Watch Here

    -Remarks-

    Over the decades, as especially our distinguished panel knows, the people of Sudan have been subjected to unbearable pain, suffering, loss of life, and even slavery. Since the 1990s, I have been a vocal advocate for human rights, democracy, and stability in Sudan. Soon after Republicans took control of the House, I chaired a hearing in 1996 on slavery in Sudan and Mauritania.

    Today, there is a dire crisis again in Sudan, necessitating a global call to action. I went to Khartoum in August of 2005 to meet with President Omar al-Bashir and other government officials, a number of people from the faith community, to press for an end to the genocide in Darfur. The meeting was necessarily contentious. Bashir denied any wrongdoing or complicity in the killings of the Darfur genocide.

    In 2009, however, Bashir was charged by the International Criminal Court with committing war crimes and crimes against humanity. In 2010, he became the first person ever charged with the crime of genocide by the ICC.

    After meetings with Bashir and other government officials, I visited two refugee camps – many of you have done that, many of my colleagues have done that. Those two camps I went to in Darfur were Kalma Camp and I stayed overnight at another called Mukjar in western Darfur. That experience profoundly motivated me to do more to end the mass violence. When our helicopter landed at the remote Mukjar camp, thousands, and I mean thousand, a line was formed of these wonderful people: women and children dancing, clapping, singing beautiful African traditional songs. The people of Darfur have a remarkable generosity and spirit, and it was awe-inspiring.

    Just about everyone I spoke with, especially the women, told me personal stories of rape, senseless beatings, and massacres by the Janjaweed and Sudanese militias. I was deeply impressed by the dedication of the African Union peacekeepers operating under extremely difficult circumstances and urged international partners, including the United States, to better equip them. I was shocked to learn they were receiving a little over $1 a day. It was absurd.

    I went to Secretary Condoleezza Rice upon my return and said, “Please, we’ve got to augment that. We’ve got to increase it. These soldiers are putting their lives on the line. They should not be so grossly underpaid an not getting the kind of things that they need in terms of munitions.”

    In November of 2005, I chaired another hearing on Sudan. It was absolutely clear that the situation in Darfur was a genocide. At that time, over 400,000 killed and over a million displaced. We did stress at that hearing, all of us, that the need for a comprehensive plan that could best contribute to peace and hold those who have murdered, raped, enslaved, and plagued the people of Sudan accountable.

    Meanwhile, Chairman Henry Hyde, Donald Payne, who was my ranking member from New Jersey, Frank Wolf, Tom Lantos, and a number of others pushed the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act that declared that the slaughter in Darfur was genocide, imposed sanctions on malign actors and talked about helping peacekeepers. It was signed into law in October 2006. That law built upon the Sudan Peace Act of 2001 and the Comprehensive Peace in Sudan Act of 2004.

    I also, and I wasn’t the only one, called on the Arab League to leverage its influence over the Sudanese government by encouraging the government to end its military offensive in Darfur and accept the United Nations peacekeeping which was there under the auspices of the AU. They didn’t do it. It was like crickets. We got almost no response at all other than “thank you for raising it.” So here we are again.

    In January 2017, again on this committee, I objected to the Obama administration’s decision to ease sanctions on Sudan. I know it had to have been a tough call. We’re always evaluating when sanctions become counterproductive, so there was an argument to be made. But I thought it was the wrong one because Khartoum’s government continued to commit pervasive human rights violations. At the time, we pointed out the violent government actions against Sudanese citizens in Darfur, Nubia the Nuba Mountains, and Blue Nile, alongside the nationwide persecution of Christians nationwide.

    I was also disappointed in 2024 by the decision to allow Sudanese warlord Abdel Fattah al-Burhan into the country for a meeting with the UN Secretary-General. Burhan, as we all know, has massive amounts of blood on his hands and should never have been allowed into the U.S.

    Yet the Biden administration delayed and denied robust sanctions against both Burhan and Hemedti, delaying until the administration’s final hours. While we were glad they finally did it, many of us believe it should have happened sooner. There will never be peace in Sudan until there is accountability for the atrocities committed by the twin butchers of Darfur.

    Over 18,000 civilian deaths have been committed since 2023, with estimates as high as 150,000, and more than 10 million people displaced. These are not just numerical estimates; it’s evidence of an appalling range of harrowing human rights violations and international crimes. Each murder or displaced civilian is a person with dreams, hopes, and family – a person whose life has been taken or irrevocably changed by these attrocities.

    Both the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are guilty of arbitrary killings, detentions, abductions, rapes—including the rape of children—repression of fundamental human rights, illicit gold mining, and child soldier recruitment.

    Illicit Sudanese gold, which the RSF smuggles through the UAE, is crucial to prevending the continued funding Hemedti’s atrocities and perpetuating this bloody conflict. The RSF’s main international backer is widely reported to be the UAE, which has supplied both weapons and financial support. Other external actors, such as Chad, have been credibly accused of enabling arms transfers and have been implicated in supporting the RSF.

    Domestically, the RSF has allied with non-RSF Janjaweed militias. It is clear that the RSF is grappling with command and control, however, allowing its fighters to rape, pillage, target vulnerable women and children, and to attack civilian infrastructure. This is the opposite of capable government, and such behavior only confirms this to the Sudanese people.

    The SAF has received support from domestic groups including the Al-Bara Battalion—known as the Popular Resistance—which openly espouses a militant Islamist ideology, as well as former rebel groups such as the Sudan Liberation Movement under Minni Minawi and Mustafa Tambour. Externally, the SAF has received support from countries like Egypt, Iran, Qatar, and Turkey. Russia continues to pursue naval access to Port Sudan.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Text adopted – Modification of customs duties applicable to imports of certain goods originating in or exported from the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus – P10_TA(2025)0109 – Thursday, 22 May 2025 – Brussels

    Source: European Parliament

    THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

    Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 207(2) thereof,

    Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

    After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national parliaments,

    Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure(1),

    Whereas:

    (1)  The Union’s imports of urea and nitrogen-based fertilisers from the Russian Federation in 2023 were significant, at 3,6 million tonnes, and increased considerably in 2024 by comparison with 2023. The level of the Union’s imports from the Russian Federation of the agricultural goods covered by this Regulation (the ‘agricultural goods concerned’) is relatively low for most of those goods, but could increase significantly if the current trading conditions persist.

    (2)  The Union’s imports of the fertilisers covered by this Regulation (the ‘fertilisers concerned’) currently reflect a situation of economic dependence on the Russian Federation. Moreover, the imports of the agricultural goods concerned could create a similar and additional economic dependence on the Russian Federation, which should in the present circumstances be prevented and reduced in order to protect the Union’s market and to safeguard the Union’s food security.

    (3)  The Union’s erga omnes common customs duties are the most-favoured-nation tariffs currently applied to imports of the agricultural goods concerned and fertilisers concerned (the ‘goods concerned’). Those tariffs vary greatly at present. Depending on the goods concerned, some tariffs are either set at zero or set very low, while other tariffs are so high that no trade takes place.

    (4)  Continued imports of the goods concerned from the Russian Federation under the current conditions could make the Union vulnerable to coercive actions by the Russian Federation. In particular, a potential increase in imports of the goods concerned from the Russian Federation could disrupt the Union’s market and negatively impact the Union’s producers. It is therefore necessary to take appropriate tariff measures in order to address the Union’s current and potential economic dependence on imports of the goods concerned from the Russian Federation. That should be done by ending the current situation where the goods concerned enter the Union’s market on terms that are as favourable as those applied to goods of other origins that receive most-favoured-nation treatment.

    (5)  At present, imports of the fertilisers concerned from the Russian Federation are already increasing and could increase further and quickly if additional Russian production is re-oriented towards the Union. Such potential increased imports from the Russian Federation would disrupt the Union’s market for the fertilisers concerned and harm the Union’s producers of nitrogen fertilisers, who are already facing difficulties in competing with imports from the Russian Federation because gas prices in the Union remain high. The long-term survival of the Union’s nitrogen fertiliser industry is of crucial importance for the Union’s food security because the Union’s agricultural sector needs the fertilisers concerned in order to produce food. Addressing the growing dependence on imports of the fertilisers concerned from the Russian Federation and preserving the viability of an autonomous Union nitrogen fertiliser industry is therefore vital to ensuring and maintaining the Union’s food security. In order to prevent future dependence on imports of agricultural goods from the Russian Federation, it is also necessary to adjust the tariff levels for the agricultural goods concerned.

    (6)  Tariff measures should also be taken in respect of the Republic of Belarus in order to prevent potential imports to the Union from the Russian Federation being diverted through the Republic of Belarus, given the Republic of Belarus’s close political and economic ties with the Russian Federation. Such diversion of potential imports could happen if the Union’s tariffs on imports of the goods concerned from the Republic of Belarus were to remain unchanged. Imports of the goods concerned that originate in or are exported, directly or indirectly, from the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus to the Union should therefore be subject to higher customs duties than imports from other third countries.

    (7)  Imports from the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus should not benefit from any lower tariffs under the Union’s tariff rate quotas on the basis of most-favoured-nation treatment. The reduced rates set out in the Union’s tariff rate quotas for the goods listed in the Annexes to this Regulation should therefore not apply to goods originating in or exported, directly or indirectly, from the Russian Federation or the Republic of Belarus to the Union.

    (8)  The envisaged increase in customs duties is not expected to affect global food security negatively because the increase in tariffs applies only to imports into the Union and does not affect the goods concerned if they are only transiting through the Union’s territory to third countries of final destination. On the contrary, the envisaged increase in Union import duties could increase the exports of the goods concerned to third countries and increase the availability of supplies in those third countries.

    (9)  At the same time, fertilisers play a significant role for food security as well as for the financial stability of farmers in the Union. It is therefore necessary to ensure predictable and sufficient access to fertilisers, at affordable price levels for farmers in the Union, which should in turn contribute to the stabilisation of agricultural markets. During a transitional period, the proposed measure would stimulate stepping-up production in the Union and allow for the reinforcement of alternative sources of supply from other international partners, minimising the risk that fertiliser prices for farmers in the Union increase substantially. To that end, the Commission should closely monitor the evolution of fertiliser prices on the Union’s market. If fertiliser prices increase substantially, the Commission should assess the situation and take all appropriate actions to remedy such price increase.

    (10)  The envisaged increase in customs duties is consistent with the Union’s external action in other areas, as set out in Article 21(3) of the Treaty on European Union (TEU). The state of relations between the Union and the Russian Federation has greatly deteriorated in recent years and particularly since 2022. That deterioration of relations is due to the Russian Federation’s blatant disregard for international law and, in particular, its unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine. Since July 2014, the Union has progressively imposed restrictive measures on trade with the Russian Federation in response to the Russian Federation’s actions against Ukraine.

    (11)  The Russian Federation is a member of the World Trade Organization (‘WTO’). However, the Union is currently allowed, by virtue of the exceptions that apply under the Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization (‘WTO Agreement’), and in particular Article XXI of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 (security exceptions), to disregard the obligation to accord to goods imported from the Russian Federation most-favoured-nation treatment, and it is not prevented from imposing import duties higher than those contained in the Union’s schedule of tariff commitments on trade in goods, if the Union considers such measures to be necessary in order to protect the Union’s essential security interests.

    (12)  Relations between the Union and the Republic of Belarus have also deteriorated in recent years due to the Republic of Belarus’s disregard for international law, fundamental freedoms and human rights, as well as its support for the Russian Federation’s war of aggression against Ukraine. Since October 2020, the Union has progressively imposed restrictive measures on trade with the Republic of Belarus.

    (13)  The Republic of Belarus is not a member of the WTO. The Union is therefore not obliged, by virtue of the WTO Agreement, to accord to goods from the Republic of Belarus most-favoured-nation treatment and other treatment in line with that Agreement. In addition, existing trade agreements between the Union and the Republic of Belarus allow actions justified on the basis of applicable exception clauses, in particular security exceptions.

    (14)  In order to ensure uniform conditions for the implementation of this Regulation as regards the laying down of arrangements for the monitoring of import volumes, implementing powers should be conferred on the Commission. Those powers should be exercised in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council(2).

    (15)  In accordance with the principle of proportionality, it is necessary and appropriate to lay down rules increasing tariffs on the goods concerned with immediate effect, firstly in order to achieve the basic objective of ensuring that the goods concerned that originate in or are exported, directly or indirectly, from the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus do not disturb the Union’s market for the goods concerned and, secondly, in order to implement the Common Commercial Policy and to reduce the Union’s imports of the goods concerned from the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus in response to concerns that such imports could negatively affect the Union’s internal market and impair the Union’s food security. This Regulation does not go beyond what is necessary to achieve the objectives pursued in accordance with Article 5(4) TEU.

    (16)  In order to prevent further economic dependence of the Union on imports of the goods concerned from the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus, this Regulation should enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union,

    HAVE ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

    Article 1

    1.  Goods classified under the Combined Nomenclature (CN) codes listed in Annex I that are imported into the Union and that originate in or are exported, directly or indirectly, from the Russian Federation or the Republic of Belarus shall be subject to an additional 50 % ad valorem customs duty that is to apply on top of the applicable Common Customs Tariff rate. Such goods originating in or exported, directly or indirectly, from the Russian Federation or the Republic of Belarus shall not be eligible for lower import duties for limited quantities (tariff rate quotas) where those duties apply pursuant to the Union’s obligations under the WTO Agreement or where tariff rate quotas are opened by the Union on another basis.

    2.  Goods classified under the CN codes listed in Annex II that are imported into the Union and that originate in or are exported, directly or indirectly, from the Russian Federation or the Republic of Belarus shall be subject to a customs duty as follows:

    (a)  with regard to the goods falling under CN code 3102:

    (i)  6,5 % ad valorem + 40 EUR/tonne from 1 July 2025 until 30 June 2026;

    (ii)  6,5 % ad valorem + 60 EUR/tonne from 1 July 2026 until 30 June 2027;

    (iii)  6,5 % ad valorem + 80 EUR/tonne from 1 July 2027 until 30 June 2028;

    (iv)  6,5 % ad valorem + 315 EUR/tonne from 1 July 2028;

    (b)  with regard to the goods falling under CN codes 3105 20, 3105 30, 3105 40, 3105 51, 3105 59 and 3105 90:

    (i)  6,5 % ad valorem + 45 EUR/tonne from 1 July 2025 until 30 June 2026;

    (ii)  6,5 % ad valorem + 70 EUR/tonne from 1 July 2026 until 30 June 2027;

    (iii)  6,5 % ad valorem + 95 EUR/tonne from 1 July 2027 until 30 June 2028;

    (iv)  6,5 % ad valorem + 430 EUR/tonne from 1 July 2028.

    3.  Notwithstanding paragraph 2, if cumulative import volumes of goods listed in point (a) or point (b) of that paragraph reach the following thresholds, the Commission shall, within 21 days, impose a duty at the level set out in point (a)(iv) or point (b)(iv), respectively, of that paragraph, for the remaining imports of those goods in the given period:

    (a)  2,7 million tonnes from 1 July 2025 until 30 June 2026;

    (b)  1,8 million tonnes from 1 July 2026 until 30 June 2027;

    (c)  0,9 million tonnes from 1 July 2027 until 30 June 2028.

    4.  The Commission may adopt implementing acts laying down the arrangements for monitoring the import volumes set out in paragraph 3 of this Article. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the advisory procedure referred to in Article 3(2).

    Article 2

    1.  The Commission shall monitor prices applicable in the Union of the goods listed in Annex II for a period of four years from … [the date of entry into force of this Regulation].

    2.  In the event that the price levels of the goods listed in Annex II substantially exceed the 2024 price levels during the period referred to in paragraph 1, the Commission shall assess the situation and take all appropriate actions to remedy such price increase. Such actions may include, where appropriate, a proposal for the temporary suspension of tariffs for those goods imported from and originating in countries other than the Russian Federation or the Republic of Belarus.

    Article 3

    1.  The Commission shall be assisted by the Customs Code Committee established by Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council(3). That committee shall be a committee within the meaning of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011.

    2.  Where reference is made to this paragraph, Article 4 of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 shall apply.

    Article 4

    This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

    In respect of the goods listed in Annex I, this Regulation shall apply from … [four weeks from the date of entry into force of this Regulation].

    This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

    Done at …,

    For the European Parliament For the Council

    The President The President

    ANNEX I

    List of goods referred to in Article 1(1)

    CN code

    Description

    01

    Live animals

    02

    Meat and edible meat offal

    04

    Dairy produce; birds’ eggs; natural honey; edible products of animal origin, not elsewhere specified or included

    05

    Products of animal origin, not elsewhere specified or included

    06

    Live trees and other plants; bulbs, roots and the like; cut flowers and ornamental foliage

    Ex 07

    Edible vegetables and certain roots and tubers, except:

    0713 10 peas (Pisum sativum)

    0713 20 chickpeas (garbanzos)

    08

    Edible fruits and nuts; peel of citrus fruit or melons

    09

    Coffee, tea, maté and spices

    1004

    Oats

    1006

    Rice

    1008 60

    Triticale

    Ex 11

    Products of the milling industry; malt; starches; inulin; wheat gluten, except CN code 1106 10 00

    1209

    Seeds, fruits and spores, of a kind used for sowing

    1210

    Hop cones, fresh or dried, whether or not ground, powdered or in the form of pellets; lupulin

    1211

    Plants and parts of plants (including seeds and fruits), of a kind used primarily in perfumery, in pharmacy or for insecticidal, fungicidal or similar purposes, fresh, chilled, frozen or dried, whether or not cut, crushed or powdered

    1212

    Locust beans, seaweeds and other algae, sugar beet and sugar cane, fresh, chilled, frozen or dried, whether or not ground; fruit stones and kernels and other vegetable products (including unroasted chicory roots of the variety Cichorium intybus sativum), of a kind used primarily for human consumption, not elsewhere specified or included

    1213

    Cereal straw and husks, unprepared, whether or not chopped, ground, pressed or in the form of pellets

    1214

    Swedes, mangolds, fodder roots, hay, lucerne (alfalfa), clover, sainfoin, forage kale, lupines, vetches and similar forage products, whether or not in the form of pellets

    13

    Lac; gums, resins and other vegetable saps and extracts

    1401

    Vegetable materials of a kind used primarily for plaiting (e.g. bamboos, rattans, reeds, rushes, osier, raffia, cleaned, bleached or dyed cereal straw, and lime bark)

    1404 20

    Cotton linters

    1501

    Pig fat (including lard) and poultry fat, other than that falling under headings 0209 or 1503

    1502

    Fats of bovine animals, sheep or goats, other than those falling under heading 1503

    1503

    Lard stearin, lard oil, oleostearin, oleo-oil and tallow oil, not emulsified or mixed or otherwise prepared

    1505

    Wool grease and fatty substances derived therefrom (including lanolin)

    1506

    Other animal fats and oils and their fractions, whether or not refined, but not chemically modified

    1509

    Olive oil and its fractions, whether or not refined, but not chemically modified

    1510

    Other oils and their fractions, obtained solely from olives, whether or not refined, but not chemically modified, including blends of these oils or fractions with oils or fractions falling under heading 1509

    1511

    Palm oil and its fractions, whether or not refined, but not chemically modified

    1513

    Coconut (copra), palm kernel or babassu oil and fractions thereof, whether or not refined, but not chemically modified

    1515 30

    Castor oil and its fractions

    1515 50

    Sesame oil and its fractions

    1515 60

    Microbial fats and oils and their fractions

    1515 90 11

    Tung oil; jojoba and oiticica oils; myrtle and japan wax; their fractions

    1515 90 21

    Crude tobacco-seed oil and its fractions, for technical or industrial uses other than the manufacture of foodstuffs for human consumption

    1515 90 29

    Crude tobacco-seed oil and its fractions, excluding for technical or industrial uses other than the manufacture of foodstuffs for human consumption

    1515 90 31

    Tobacco-seed oil and its fractions other than crude, for technical or industrial uses other than the manufacture of foodstuffs for human consumption

    1515 90 39

    Tobacco-seed oil and its fractions other than crude, excluding for technical or industrial uses other than the manufacture of foodstuffs for human consumption

    1516 10

    Animal fats and oils and their fractions

    1516 20 10

    Hydrogenated castor oil, so-called ‘opal-wax’

    1516 30

    Microbials fats and oils and their fractions

    1517

    Margarine, edible mixtures or preparations of animal, vegetable or microbial fats or oils or of fractions of different fats or oils of Chapter 15, other than edible fats or oils or their fractions falling under heading 1516

    1518 00 10

    Linoxyn

    1520

    Glycerol, crude; glycerol waters and glycerol lyes

    1521

    Vegetable waxes (other than triglycerides), beeswax, other insect waxes and spermaceti, whether or not refined or coloured

    1522

    Degras; residues resulting from the treatment of fatty substances or animal or vegetable waxes

    1601

    Sausages and similar products of meat, meat offal, blood or insects; food preparations based on these products

    1602

    Other prepared or preserved meat, meat offal, blood or insects

    17

    Sugars and sugar confectionery

    18

    Cocoa and cocoa preparations

    19

    Preparations of cereals, flour, starch or milk; pastrycooks’ products

    20

    Preparations of vegetables, fruit, nuts or other parts of plants

    21

    Miscellaneous edible preparations

    22

    Beverages, spirits and vinegar

    2301 10

    Flours, meals and pellets, of meat or offal, unfit for human consumption; greaves

    2302 10

    Bran, sharps and other residues of maize (corn), whether or not in the form of pellets, derived from sifting, milling or other working

    2302 40 02

    Bran, sharps and other residues of rice, whether or not in the form of pellets, derived from sifting, milling or other working, with starch content not exceeding 35 %

    2302 40 08

    Bran, sharps and other residues of rice, whether or not in the form of pellets, derived from sifting, milling or other working, other than with starch content not exceeding 35 %

    2302 50

    Bran, sharps and other residues of leguminous plants, whether or not in the form of pellets, derived from sifting, milling or other working

    2306 90 11

    Oilcake and other solid residues, whether or not ground or in the form of pellets, resulting from the extraction of olive oil, containing 3 % or less by weight of olive oil

    2306 90 19

    Oilcake and other solid residues, whether or not ground or in the form of pellets, resulting from the extraction of olive oil, containing more than 3 % by weight of olive oil

    2307

    Wine lees; argol

    2308 00 11

    Grape marc, whether or not in the form of pellets, of a kind used in animal feeding, not elsewhere specified or included, having a total alcoholic strength by mass not exceeding 4,3 % mas and a dry matter content not less than 40 % by weight

    2308 00 19

    Grape marc, whether or not in the form of pellets, of a kind used in animal feeding, not elsewhere specified or included, other than having a total alcoholic strength by mass not exceeding 4,3 % mas and a dry matter content not less than 40 % by weight

    2308 00 40

    Acorns and horse-chestnuts; pomace or marc of fruit, other than grapes, whether or not in the form of pellets, of a kind used for animal feeding, not elsewhere specified or included

    2309 10

    Dog or cat food, put up for retail sale

    2309 90 10

    Fish or marine mammal solubles, of a kind used in animal feeding

    2309 90 33

    Preparations, including premixes, of a kind used in animal feeding, containing glucose, glucose syrup, maltodextrine or maltodextrine syrup of subheadings 1702 30 50, 1702 30 90, 1702 40 90, 1702 90 50 and 2106 90 55 but containing no starch or containing 10 % or less by weight of starch and containing not less than 10 % but less than 50 % by weight of milk products

    2309 90 35

    Preparations, including premixes, of a kind used in animal feeding, containing glucose, glucose syrup, maltodextrine or maltodextrine syrup of subheadings 1702 30 50, 1702 30 90, 1702 40 90, 1702 90 50 and 2106 90 55 but containing no starch or containing 10 % or less by weight of starch and containing not less than 50 % but less than 75 % by weight of milk products

    2309 90 39

    Preparations, including premixes, of a kind used in animal feeding, containing glucose, glucose syrup, maltodextrine or maltodextrine syrup of subheadings 1702 30 50, 1702 30 90, 1702 40 90, 1702 90 50 and 2106 90 55 but containing no starch or containing 10 % or less by weight of starch and containing not less than 75 % by weight of milk products

    2309 90 43

    Preparations, including premixes, of a kind used in animal feeding, containing glucose, glucose syrup, maltodextrine or maltodextrine syrup of subheadings 1702 30 50, 1702 30 90, 1702 40 90, 1702 90 50 and 2106 90 55 and containing more than 10 % but not more than 30 % by weight of starch and containing not less than 10 % but less than 50 % by weight of milk products

    2309 90 49

    Preparations, including premixes, of a kind used in animal feeding, containing glucose, glucose syrup, maltodextrine or maltodextrine syrup of subheadings 1702 30 50, 1702 30 90, 1702 40 90, 1702 90 50 and 2106 90 55 and containing more than 10 % but not more than 30 % by weight of starch and containing not less than 50 % by weight of milk products

    2309 90 53

    Preparations, including premixes, of a kind used in animal feeding, containing glucose, glucose syrup, maltodextrine or maltodextrine syrup of subheadings 1702 30 50, 1702 30 90, 1702 40 90, 1702 90 50 and 2106 90 55 and containing more than 30 % by weight of starch and containing not less than 10 % but less than 50 % by weight of milk products

    2309 90 59

    Preparations, including premixes, of a kind used in animal feeding, containing glucose, glucose syrup, maltodextrine or maltodextrine syrup of subheadings 1702 30 50, 1702 30 90, 1702 40 90, 1702 90 50 and 2106 90 55 and containing more than 30 % by weight of starch and containing not less than 50 % by weight of milk products

    2309 90 70

    Preparations, including premixes, of a kind used in animal feeding, containing no starch, glucose, glucose syrup, maltodextrine or maltodextrine syrup but containing milk products

    24

    Tobacco and manufactured tobacco substitutes; products, whether or not containing nicotine, intended for inhalation without combustion; other nicotine containing products intended for the intake of nicotine into the human body

    2905 43

    Mannitol

    2905 44

    D-glucitol (sorbitol)

    3301

    Essential oils (terpeneless or not), including concretes and absolutes; resinoids; extracted oleoresins; concentrates of essential oils in fats, in fixed oils, in waxes or the like, obtained by enfleurage or maceration; terpenic by-products of the deterpenation of essential oils; aqueous distillates and aqueous solutions of essential oils

    3501

    Casein, caseinates and other casein derivatives; casein glues

    3502

    Albumins (including concentrates of two or more whey proteins, containing by weight more than 80 % whey proteins, calculated on the dry matter), albuminates and other albumin derivatives

    3503

    Gelatin (including gelatin in rectangular (including square) sheets, whether or not surface-worked or coloured, and gelatin derivatives; isinglass; other glues of animal origin, excluding casein glues of heading 3501

    3504

    Peptones and their derivatives; other protein substances and their derivatives, not elsewhere specified or included; hide powder, whether or not chromed

    3505

    Dextrins and other modified starches (e.g. pregelatinised or esterified starches); glues based on starches, dextrins or other modified starches

    3809 10

    Finishing agents, dye carriers to accelerate the dyeing or fixing of dyestuffs and other products and preparations (e.g. dressings and mordants), of a kind used in the textile, paper, leather or like industries, not elsewhere specified or included, with a basis of amylaceous substances

    3824 60

    Sorbitol other than that of subheading 2905 44

    4101

    Raw hides and skins of bovine (including buffalo) or equine animals (fresh, or salted, dried, limed, pickled or otherwise preserved, but not tanned, parchment-dressed or further prepared), whether or not dehaired or split

    4102

    Raw skins of sheep or lambs (fresh, or salted, dried, limed, pickled or otherwise preserved, but not tanned, parchment-dressed or further prepared), whether or not with wool on or split, other than those excluded by note 1(c) to Chapter 41

    4103

    Other raw hides and skins (fresh, or salted, dried, limed, pickled or otherwise preserved, but not tanned, parchment-dressed or further prepared), whether or not dehaired or split, other than those excluded by note 1(b) or note 1(c) to Chapter 41

    4301

    Raw fur skins (including heads, tails, paws and other pieces or cuttings, suitable for furriers’ use), other than raw hides and skins of heading 4101, 4102 or 4103

    5001

    Silkworm cocoons suitable for reeling

    5002

    Raw silk (not thrown)

    5003

    Silk waste (including cocoons unsuitable for reeling, yarn waste and garneted stock)

    5101

    Wool, not carded or combed

    5102

    Fine or coarse animal hair, not carded or combed

    5103

    Waste of wool or of fine or coarse animal hair, including yarn waste but excluding garneted stock

    5201

    Cotton, not carded or combed

    5202

    Cotton waste (including yarn waste and garneted stock)

    5203

    Cotton, carded or combed

    5301

    Flax, raw or processed but not spun; flax tow and waste (including yarn waste and garneted stock)

    5302

    True hemp (Cannabis sativa L.), raw or processed, but not spun; tow and waste of true hemp (including yarn waste and garneted stock)

    ANNEX II

    List of goods referred to in Article 1(2)

    CN code

    Description

    3102

    Mineral or chemical fertilisers, nitrogenous

    Ex 3105

    Mineral or chemical fertilisers containing two or three of the fertilising elements nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium; other fertilisers; goods of Chapter 31 in tablets or similar forms or in packages of a gross weight not exceeding 10 kg, except:

    3105 10 00 – Goods of Chapter 31 in tablets or similar forms or in packages of a gross weight not exceeding 10 kg

    3105 60 00 – Mineral or chemical fertilisers containing the two fertilising elements phosphorus and potassium

    (1) Position of the European Parliament of 22 May 2025.
    (2) Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 February 2011 laying down the rules and general principles concerning mechanisms for control by Member States of the Commission’s exercise of implementing powers (OJ L 55, 28.2.2011, p. 13, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2011/182/oj).
    (3) Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 October 2013 laying down the Union Customs Code (OJ L 269, 10.10.2013, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2013/952/oj).

    MIL OSI Europe News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: “Eternal Deposits”: Development of Endowments in Russia Discussed at Polytechnic University

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    The Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University hosted the Eternal Deposits Assembly and the Endowment EXPO exhibition, organized by the National Endowment Association with the support of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation.

    The plenary session was opened by the Vice-Rector for Youth Policy and Communication Technologies of SPbPU Maxim Pasholikov.

    “The topic of endowments is in demand now, in recent years we have seen its rebirth, and the issues that the National Endowment Association raises, initiating various sessions and events, certainly influence the development and promotion of endowments,” Maxim Aleksandrovich noted in his welcoming speech. “These issues are related to motivational co-financing, and to the attraction of state corporations, and to the involvement of society as a whole in charity. I think many of you will agree that there is romance in the topic of endowments, because we are talking about eternal capital, about the fact that the result may appear not in a year or two, but in fifty or a hundred years, and our descendants will receive it. That is why our business seems so romantic and especially valuable to me.”

    Svetlana Lavrova, Chairperson of the Board of the National Endowment Association, agreed that there is a certain romanticism in the fact that an endowment, on the one hand, is important for the financial market, and on the other hand, it supports the non-profit sector, ensuring its sustainability and independence.

    “The financial sector is interested in finances, and the beneficiaries of all this are simply people,” Svetlana Nikolaevna explained. “The development of endowments balances the interests of business and society.”

    Director of NAE Alexey Anisin presented statistics on the endowment industry for 2024 and the dynamics of its development since 2011. Targeted capital is created to support universities, schools, sports associations, and cultural institutions. Today, there are already 407 of them, 360 are registered, and the volume of funds in endowments, according to management companies, amounted to 155.5 billion rubles.

    Alexey Anisin noted that this year the number of Assembly participants and partners has increased significantly: We held the First Assembly “Eternal Deposits” in 2023. Last year we decided to make exhibition “Endowment EXPO”. We invited not only endowment funds, but also management companies, universities, schools, museums. We realized that those people who, especially in the regions, are engaged in this topic, lack a community, communication, because if in Moscow, in St. Petersburg there are many endowments, there is a certain professional circle where people communicate, then in the regions it is much more difficult. The industry itself is not yet sufficiently represented in the media field. An important function of such an exhibition is to tell the widest possible circle of people, including donors, about the endowment.

    The plenary session was also attended by the co-founder and president of the Rybakov Foundation Ekaterina Rybakova, the general director of the Potanin Foundation Oksana Oracheva, the director of the Federal Center for Cultural Heritage Our Norilsk, and a member of the board of the National Association of Ecologists Anna Makukha.

    On the first day of the assembly, discussions were held on the tracks “Basics and Reviews”, “Consultations and Special Events” and “Special Sessions”, where participants discussed issues of investing and developing endowments in various fields.

    Maxim Pasholikov, Vice-Rector for Youth Policy and Communication Technologies at SPbPU, gave a presentation at the “University Endowment Review” track. He shared his experience of attracting funds to the Polytechnic’s endowment funds (there are currently six of them), and then the audience exchanged examples and ideas for filling their endowments. Maxim Pasholikov separately said that since this year, the monitoring system of the Ministry of Education and Science’s “Priority-2030” program has included an indicator of the effectiveness of attracting funds to endowment funds, so the universities participating in the program have an additional incentive to develop alumni communities, partnerships and other mechanisms for increasing endowment funds.

    At the end of the first day of the Assembly, the winners and prize winners of the Eternal Contribution Prize were awarded. The ceremony was hosted by Associate Professor of the Higher School of Law and Forensic Science of the Humanitarian Institute of St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, winner of the competition and recipient of the Eternal Contribution-2022 Prize Artem Klinitsky.

    In 2025, the special prize of the organizing committee of the award was received by a team of authors, which included Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor of the Higher School of International Relations and the Higher School of Social Sciences of the Humanities Institute of SPbPU Ilya Sidorchuk, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor of St. Petersburg State University Evgeny Rostovtsev and a student of the Humanities Institute of the Polytechnic University Svetlana Danilova.

    The study by the co-authors is dedicated to the Society for Assistance to Students of the Imperial St. Petersburg University and the importance of endowment capital in its activities.

    “The society was founded in 1873 and up until the revolution it successfully coped with its tasks,” said Ilya Viktorovich. “We came to the conclusion that there were many ways to support the society and raise funds, for example, membership fees, charity concerts. But, as practice has shown, the most effective was the use of perpetual deposits. It was thanks to them that it became possible to implement such projects as the construction of a sanatorium in Yevpatoria and the organization of a student canteen, which fed many needy young people for free.”

    “As they said today on one of the tracks, time goes by, but many students are still forced to look for money for clothing, food, housing, education, especially in the humanities, where there are fewer and fewer budget places every year,” added Svetlana Danilova. “That is why our work is relevant, and this historical experience can be useful.”

    Photo archive

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: A representative of SPbGASU spoke about the use of artificial intelligence in course design at a conference in China

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Andrey Surovenkov at the conference

    Head of the Department of Architectural Design, Associate Professor of SPbGASU Andrey Surovenkov spoke at the forum of the International Alliance of Architectural and Technological Universities of the Silk Road (SRIAATU) at Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology (China). As reported by the Head of the International Activities Department of SPbGASU Shuainat Akhmadulaeva, our university is a partner of this university and a member of the alliance, which opens up new opportunities for interaction in the field of education and science.

    “The annual international conference attracts employees of universities from many countries with its relevant agenda: the topics raised are understandable and close to all participants. Our university is interested in exchanging experience and discussing important aspects, so it is participating in the conference for the second year in a row,” explained Shuainat Akhmadulaeva.

    This year, the conference “Joint Construction and Innovation along the Silk Road: Writing a New Chapter in Green Architecture of the Silk Road” discussed priority areas of cooperation between universities of the Silk Road countries in the field of construction science and technology, integration and development of educational innovations. In his speech, Andrey Surovenkov considered the advantages and risks of using artificial intelligence in the development of course projects in the discipline “Architectural Design”.

    “New tools are increasingly coming into architectural design, greatly accelerating and simplifying the work of an architect. But they come to education much later – only after they have become firmly established in business. For example, the computer-aided design system (CAD) came to the university only in the 2002/2003 academic year, when it was already fully used in real design. On the one hand, this is logical, since students begin to use only those design tools that have received recognition from business and have been tested in practice. On the other hand, without an understanding of how to work with new tools needed by a modern specialist, competencies are not fully acquired. At the same time, students are quite actively mastering new technologies and are already beginning to use AI when creating course projects. It is difficult to prohibit this, and it is also unnecessary. Therefore, it is better to identify possible areas of application of AI in course design and the boundaries within which this technology can be used in a dialogue with students, so as not to harm the acquisition of other important competencies. At the same time, it is already important for teachers to understand the principles of neural networks: what they are most often used for, and how it is possible to distinguish a picture drawn by a neural network from a picture made by a specialist,” explained Andrey Surovenkov.

    Andrey Viktorovich prepared his report with a team of students and identified a fairly large number of neural networks that are already successfully used in developing ideas and refining three-dimensional images. Seven neural networks were selected that were tested by students during design or received positive feedback in professional communities. The main options for using these neural networks in developing course projects were also identified: editing and improving three-dimensional images, selecting materials, searching for possible ideas during design.

    “This technology can facilitate and speed up the design process. Especially since it is developing very quickly. Currently, the neural network “operator” has to form the correct request to get a more or less suitable solution, but in two or three years, neural networks will learn to fully communicate with a person, understanding what he wants to get. However, as futurologists wrote, AI will free people from routine, giving them time for creativity. It seems that it is the creativity of the neural network that they are trying to take away from us. Therefore, the main danger for students is to become not a full-fledged specialist, but simply an operator of the neural network. To prevent this from happening, it is important to learn to design independently,” Andrey Surovenkov summed up.

    It should be noted that Andrey Surovenkov is participating in this conference for the second time. The topics he raises find a wide response from colleagues from different countries.

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: Wave of Russian tourism gains momentum in China

    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 22 (Xinhua) — China and Russia have declared 2024-2025 as the Years of Culture. Diverse humanitarian exchanges between the two countries have become an important bridge for deepening bilateral relations and strengthening friendship between the peoples of both countries. The growing flow of tourists from Russia to China has become a bright stroke in the picture of humanitarian interaction between the two countries.

    As reported by the newspaper “Kitayskaya Kultura”, at a recent presentation of tourism resources in the Beidaihe district of Qinhuangdao City (Hebei Province, Northern China), a representative of the Russian side noted that the golden beaches and warm sun of this region are very popular with Russian tourists, expressing hope for even closer cooperation in the future.

    By the end of 2024, Beidaihe’s foreign tourist flow was 30.9 thousand people-times, of which 24.5 thousand people-times were Russian citizens. Since the beginning of 2025, friendly artistic competitions and other events aimed at attracting even more Russian tourists have been held here.

    “We will definitely bring more Russians to Weihai!” said representatives of 31 Russian tour operators during a familiarization tour of the Huancui District of Weihai City in Shandong Province /East China/, during which they visited the local iconic structure – the “Gate of Happiness”. Charter flights from Vladivostok and Khabarovsk to Shandong are expected to launch in July this year, and the current tour operators’ visit is aimed at developing new tourist routes.

    As of October 2024, China and Russia have established 167 pairs of sister city relations between cities and provinces, which has contributed to the rapid development of tourism.

    According to the Chinese travel platform Ctrip, during the May holidays of this year, bookings of tours to China for tourists from Russia increased by 213 percent year-on-year.

    The number of Russian tourists on Hainan Island /South China/ is also growing rapidly. Factors such as affordable prices, quality service, developed resort infrastructure and a variety of tourist programs contribute to the active growth of sales of relevant tourist products.

    A large number of Russians arrive in the city of Heihe in Heilongjiang Province /Northeast China/ every day. They visit local restaurants and intangible cultural heritage workshops. A regular visitor to the city, Natalia, noted that she likes traditional Chinese medicine methods – acupuncture and massage. “I have even mastered some techniques and now give massages to my family members.”

    The growing tourist flow is stimulating the modernization of services. “In April, we received 36 groups of 258 Russian tourists, and in May we expect 19 groups of 184 people,” said Li Fan, head of the international department of Tianma International Travel Service in Zhangjiajie, Hunan Province, Central China. Since the beginning of the year, the number of Russian tourists in this company has increased by 50 percent compared to the same period last year. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Lightning: China, France should jointly safeguard international trade rules and world economic order, practice true multilateralism – Xi Jinping

    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

    Xinhua | 22.05.2025

    Key words: China-France

    Source: Xinhua

    Lightning: China, France should jointly safeguard international trade rules and world economic order, practice true multilateralism – Xi Jinping Lightning: China, France should jointly safeguard international trade rules and world economic order, practice true multilateralism – Xi Jinping

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Lightning: Xi Jinping calls on China, France to be reliable forces to uphold international order, open forces to promote global growth, and progressive forces to lead multilateral cooperation

    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

    Xinhua | 22.05.2025

    Key words: China-France

    Source: Xinhua

    Flash: Xi Jinping calls on China, France to be reliable forces to uphold international order, open forces to promote global growth, and progressive forces to lead multilateral cooperation Flash: Xi Jinping calls on China, France to be reliable forces to uphold international order, open forces to promote global growth, and progressive forces to lead multilateral cooperation

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: Goodbye, school: the last bell rang at the Pre-University of the State University of Management

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

    On May 21, 2025, the last bell rang for 11th grade students of the Pre-University of the State University of Management.

    This year, the theme of the holiday was a train journey. And before departure, the rector of the State University of Management Vladimir Stroyev addressed the assembled students, their parents and teachers with a welcoming speech.

    “Two years have flown by and today you are already standing on the threshold of a new adult life. But the path of a graduate is not over yet, the most important thing is ahead – passing the Unified State Exam. As a parent, I myself went through this exciting stage and I want to wish you to worry less, because it is definitely impossible not to worry at all. Believe in your children, our Pre-University provides one of the best educations that Moscow has at the high school level. I am sure that the children will cope with all the tests with dignity and in a month we will award them with prizes and medals. I wish you all to pass the Unified State Exam with a hundred points and enter the State University of Management, because the guys from the Pre-University are already familiar with the university, know the basics of the first year and will be able to easily adapt to study,” concluded Vladimir Stroyev.

    The students of the Pre-University themselves prepared a festive concert, where they performed large-scale dance numbers, humorous skits, live performances of songs by groups and a choir, as well as live playing of musical instruments. In addition, the guys prepared several videos about their life during their studies at the Pre-University and humorous questions about teachers.

    The class teachers also came up on stage with their wishes and congratulations in return, which they read out without hiding their tears.

    Marina Grigorieva, Director of the Pre-University of the State University of Management, also congratulated the graduates.

    “I am very touched by your performance, I want to say that I love you very much too. I wish all your dreams come true: from little unicorns to presidents of large holding companies,” Marina Yuryevna admitted.

    The GUU Pre-University started working in 2020. The training is free of charge in the following term profiles: socio-economic, humanitarian and technical (IT-oriented). Depending on the choice, schoolchildren study in depth mathematics, English, computer science, information technology, social studies, economics, law, which in the future allows them to easily and successfully enter the GUU or any university in the country.

    More photos from the event in our VK community.

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: On guard of the HR brand: the HR forum named after A.Ya. Kibanov has started its work at the State University of Management

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

    On May 21, 2025, the State University of Management’s Information Technology Center hosted the grand opening of the XVI All-Russian Interuniversity Personnel Forum named after A.Ya. Kibanov, which will last from May 21 to 23, 2025.

    The concept of this year’s forum is based on the images of Russian heroes, personifying strength, reliability and dedication to their work. Inspired by these images, the forum organizers presented the HR brand as a fortress that must be carefully guarded and strengthened.

    Vladimir Stroev, Rector of the State University of Management, addressed the participants of the event with a welcoming speech.

    “It is no coincidence that the forum is held every year at the State University of Management: the Department of Human Resources Management of our university is the oldest in Russia and the USSR, its founder Ardalyon Yakovlevich Kibanov is a pioneer in this field. Moreover, our department is known throughout the country and many of its graduates, who today hold high positions and often visit our university, confirm that it is still the leader in its field. I urge everyone to actively participate in the forum events and remember that you are the future of this field, and the policy and success of companies will directly depend on your work,” Vladimir Vitalyevich noted.

    Also at the opening of the forum, the head of the Department of Human Resources Management of the State University of Management Rafik Ashurbekov spoke, emphasizing the importance and practical significance of the forum.

    “Today we are opening the doors of the sixteenth forum, which has already become a good tradition for the State University of Management. I would like to note that every year our meetings are becoming more and more large-scale and significant. This time, more than 400 participants from 41 Russian universities have gathered here, 19 teams will compete in the Olympiad, and the forum already has 11 partners. This indicates a great interest in the field and a desire to exchange experience. The program will allow everyone to find something useful for themselves. Young people are the driving force that will allow us to make positive changes in the field of personnel management,” concluded Rafik Ashurbekovich.

    After the official part, the conference “HR Bogatyrs: Protection of corporate values and strength of spirit in personnel management” began.

    The invited experts did not just give presentations, but also had a dialogue with Polina Druzhinina, a student of the HR Department of the State University of Management and the host of the podcast “HR in the Heart”. The guests discussed the modern cultural code, HR brand, the country’s HR scientific potential, the role of corporate culture, the possibilities of neural networks in HR management and other topical issues.

    Also on the first day of the forum, the first stage of the student Olympiad “Human Resources Management: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow” began, where teams competed for victory in the quest “Corporate Tales”.

    The second stage of the Olympiad will take place on May 22 – teams will have to complete a practical case from the partner company ANCOR and present their work to a competent jury. In addition, the Competition of Innovative Projects in Personnel Management and Labor Economics for students and postgraduates will begin on this day, the final of which will take place in the form of a battle of the competition finalists on May 23.

    Also on May 22, within the framework of the forum, the Educational and Methodological Section on the training of specialists in the field of personnel management “Effective methods of training specialists in personnel management” will be held, in which representatives of various universities that train students in the field of “Personnel Management” will take part.

    The A. Ya. Kibanov Personnel Forum is an annual unique discussion platform that brings together students, young scientists, teachers and experts in the field of personnel management and labor economics in Russia and abroad. Its main goal is to develop the theory and practice of personnel management, improve personnel technologies, and promote the development of innovative solutions in the field of personnel management and intellectual resources of modern organizations.

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    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Country Development Strategy and the Role of Statistics: GUU and Mosstat Held a Joint Forum

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

    On May 22, 2025, the Information Technology Center of the State University of Management hosted the forum “Statistics of Modernity: Challenges and Opportunities”, organized jointly with the Office of the Federal State Statistics Service for Moscow and the Moscow Region (Mosstat).

    The Vice-Rector of the State University of Management Dmitry Bryukhanov addressed the audience with a welcoming speech.

    “It is nice that such a large-scale and significant event is taking place on the territory of our university. The data provided by statistics is the basis for management decisions, and the State University of Management trains personnel for the Russian economy. Our interaction with partners today is not limited to the event, we will also continue to plant an alley of famous statisticians in order to popularize this area in such an informal way,” Dmitry Yuryevich noted.

    The head of Mosstat, Leonid Kalimullin, expressed gratitude to the rector of the State University of Management for the provided venue and organizational assistance in holding the forum, as well as the lilac alley as a tribute to the memory of statisticians. In his speech at the plenary session, he also recalled the historical date that the organization is celebrating this year.

    “This June will mark 190 years of statistics in Moscow and the Moscow Region. For almost two centuries, we have been collecting and preserving the history of our country in figures and facts that help leaders make important management decisions aimed at improving the lives of citizens. This is our main role. I would like to note the close cooperation with the State University of Management in terms of recruiting young specialists. As part of project-based learning at the university, of which we have been participating for the second year, many interesting and high-quality projects have been implemented together with students, for which we are also grateful,” admitted the head of Mosstat.

    Deputy Head of the Federal State Statistics Service Sergei Egorenko spoke about the main indicators of the Development Strategy of Russia and the role of statistical agencies in its implementation.

    “The topic of our meeting is more relevant than ever. In December 2024, the development strategy of Russia was approved, and less than a month ago, the plan for its implementation. One of the points talks about creating a digital platform to ensure the quality and completeness of data analysis. This is what we have been talking about in recent years, that statistics should be made convenient for citizens and widely used, and also to improve statistical literacy in the country,” emphasized Sergey Egorenko.

    Also taking part in the plenary session were Pavel Smelov, Director General of the Center for Strategic Research, Dmitry Faikov, Head of the Analytics and Internal Communications Department of the Russian Federal Nuclear Center – All-Russian Research Institute of Experimental Physics, Anna Vedernikova, Deputy Director General of the Center for Strategic Research, and Elena Pryakhina, Head of the Department of Information Statistical Resources and Technologies of the Interstate Statistical Committee of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

    After the speeches, the guests went to plant trees on the Alley of Statisticians, which was laid out at the State University of Management in 2024, where they were met by the rector of the State University of Management Vladimir Stroyev.

    “Last year we started a good tradition – planting an alley of statisticians on the territory of our university – and today we will continue it. The oldest department in Russia and the USSR for training young specialists and managers in the field of statistics for a variety of fields operates at the State University of Management. This is our profile. And the choice of the State University of Management for planting the alley by the heads and specialists of federal and regional statistical bodies once again confirms the high role of our university in this field,” Vladimir Stroyev noted.

    The final part of the forum was the work of the participants in three thematic sections dedicated to the digital transformation of the statistical system, data quality standards and the human resources potential of the industry.

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  • Two galaxies seen in a ‘joust’ preceding a cosmic mega-merger

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Astronomers have observed two distant galaxies – both possessing roughly as many stars as our Milky Way – careening toward each other before their inevitable merger at a time when the universe was about a fifth its current age, a scene resembling two knights charging in a joust.

    The galaxies, observed using two Chile-based telescopes, were seen as they existed about 11.4 billion years ago, approximately 2.4 billion years after the Big Bang event that initiated the universe.

    At the heart of one of the galaxies resides a quasar, a highly luminous object powered by gas and other material falling into a supermassive black hole. The intense radiation across the electromagnetic spectrum unleashed by the quasar is seen disrupting clouds of gas and dust, known as molecular clouds, in the other galaxy.

    It is molecular clouds that give rise to stars. But the effects of the quasar’s radiation turned the clouds in the affected region into “only tiny dense cloudlets that are too small to form stars,” said astrophysicist Sergei Balashev of the Ioffe Institute in Saint Petersburg, Russia, co-lead author of the study published on Wednesday in the journal Nature.

    This is the first time such a phenomenon has been observed, Balashev said.

    Stars form by the slow contraction under gravity of these clouds, with small centers taking shape that heat up and become new stars. But the galaxy affected by the quasar’s radiation was left with fewer regions that could serve as such stellar nurseries, undermining its star formation rate.

    The interaction between the two galaxies reminded the researchers of a medieval joust.

    “Much like jousting knights charging toward one another, these galaxies are rapidly approaching. One of them – the quasar host – emits a powerful beam of radiation that pierces the companion galaxy, like a lance. This radiation ‘wounds’ its ‘opponent’ as it disrupts the gas,” said astronomer and co-lead author Pasquier Noterdaeme of the Paris Institute of Astrophysics in France.

    Supermassive black holes are found at the heart of many galaxies, including the Milky Way. The researchers estimated the mass of the one that serves as the engine of the quasar studied in this research at about 200 million times that of our sun.

    The intense gravitational strength of the supermassive black hole pulls gas and other material toward it. As this stuff spirals inward at high speed, it heats up due to friction, forming a disk that emits extremely powerful radiation in two opposite directions, called biconical beams.

    The ultraviolet light from one of these beams is what played havoc with the gas in the companion galaxy.

    This supermassive black hole is much more massive than the one at the center of the Milky Way – called Sagittarius A*, or Sgr A* – which possesses roughly 4 million times the mass of the sun and is located about 26,000 light-years from Earth. A light-year is the distance light travels in a year, 5.9 trillion miles (9.5 trillion km).

    The researchers used the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, or ALMA, to characterize the two galaxies and used the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope, or VLT, to probe the quasar as well as the gas in the companion galaxy.

    The configuration of the galaxies as viewed from the perspective of Earth enabled the researchers to observe the radiation from the quasar passing directly through the companion galaxy.

    Most galactic mergers that have been observed by astronomers occurred later in the history of the universe.

    “Galaxies are typically found in groups, and gravitational interactions naturally lead to mergers over cosmic time,” Noterdaeme said. “In line with current understanding, these two galaxies will eventually coalesce into a single larger galaxy. The quasar will fade as it exhausts the available fuel.”

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Rector of SPbPU Andrey Rudskoy awarded with Gratitude from the President of Russia

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    At the 20th St. Petersburg International Book Fair, which is taking place in our city, the rector of the Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University Andrei Rudskoy was awarded the Gratitude of the President of Russia for his participation in the creation of the book “Putin in the Mirror of Time. Biography Milestones and Chronicles of the Era.” The award was presented by the Governor of St. Petersburg Alexander Beglov and the President of the Russian Book Union Sergei Stepashin.

    The book, co-authored by historian Alexander Myasnikov and journalist Sergei Dmitriev, is a biography of Vladimir Putin, supplemented with unique photographs and historical information.

    Andrey Rudskoy noted: It is a great honor to receive the Gratitude of the President of Russia from the hands of the Governor of St. Petersburg Alexander Dmitrievich Beglov and the President of the Russian Book Union Sergey Vadimovich Stepashin. Our joint work with Sergey Nikolaevich Dmitriev and Alexander Leonidovich Myasnikov “Putin in the Mirror of Time” has found a worthy assessment among a wide range of readers, and for us this is the main indicator that we are making our contribution to the creation of the chronicle of modern Russia, telling about the key events and achievements of the country. It is undoubtedly pleasant that the award ceremony took place within the framework of the XX St. Petersburg International Book Salon, where the Polytechnic Publishing House is traditionally represented.

    The book “Putin in the Mirror of Time. Milestones of the Biography and Chronicles of the Era” is a large-scale work covering key moments in the life and political career of Vladimir Putin. The publication not only covers biographical milestones, but also offers a deep analysis of the era in which the Russian president managed to return the country to its status as a great power. Through the prism of presidential documents, speeches and messages to the Federal Assembly, the authors recreate a vivid and dynamic chronicle of the events that defined modern Russia.

    Let us recall that the 20th anniversary St. Petersburg International Book Fair opened today on Palace Square. It will last four days. Last year, it was visited by more than half a million people.

    The SPbPU Publishing and Printing Center (POLITEKH-PRESS) traditionally becomes an active participant in the Book Salon. At the stand, the company presents a wide range of products: new books of the current year, exclusive series of postcards and flip calendars with picturesque views of St. Petersburg and the Polytechnic University. Guests can also purchase a variety of souvenirs.

    This year, special attention is paid to the current topics of the Book Salon. The events and exposition of POLITEKH-PRESS are dedicated to the Year of the Defender of the Fatherland and the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory. This is reflected in the special design of the stand with information posters called “Polytechnicians for Victory”, which tell about the role of the university staff and students during the war.

    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: Heavy rains cause flooding in some cities in Hunan province

    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

    CHANGSHA, May 22 (Xinhua) — Heavy rains have caused flooding in some cities in central China’s Hunan Province since Wednesday evening.

    Heavy rains hit the cities of Zhangjiajie and Changde in Hunan Province, and some counties subordinate to these cities experienced particularly heavy rainfall.

    In Shejiaping Township, Taoyuan County, Changde City, continuous rainfall has caused flooding. Local authorities have taken measures to evacuate people to ensure their safety.

    The Hunan Provincial Meteorological Service issued an orange alert for heavy rain on the morning of May 22.

    Let us recall that China has a four-tier weather warning system, with the highest level of danger indicated by red, followed in descending order by orange, yellow and blue. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Two killed in landslides in southwest China

    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

    GUIYANG, May 22 (Xinhua) — Two people were killed in landslides in southwest China’s Guizhou Province on Thursday, the provincial government said.

    It should be recalled that two landslides on the same day hit Changshi Township and Gowa Township in Dafang County, administratively subordinate to Bijie City, leaving 2 and 19 people trapped under the rubble, respectively.

    The National Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Commission has activated a Level 4 emergency response in response to the recent severe floods and geological disasters in Guizhou Province, especially the landslides in Bijie City.

    The Committee sent a working group to the affected areas to assess the situation, provide recommendations and assist local authorities in meeting the basic needs of people affected by the disaster.

    Guizhou provincial authorities activated Level 2 geological disaster response at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, while the Ministry of Natural Resources decided to raise the geological disaster response level from Level 3 to Level 2 at 11 a.m. on the same day, sending a task force to the area to lead the search and rescue operation.

    The ministry called on local agencies to quickly dispatch task forces to assist the search and rescue operation and provide technical support for the rescue work. It also called for enhanced monitoring and early warning. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Chinese and Central Asian Youth Discuss Friendship and Cooperation in Shaanxi Province

    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 22 (Xinhua) — Representatives of Chinese youth and Central Asian students studying in northwest China’s Shaanxi Province recently gathered to share their experiences and deepen mutual understanding and friendship, the Sanqing Dushibao newspaper reported.

    The event took place on May 17 in Xi’an (the capital of Shaanxi Province). More than 20 young people from China and Central Asian countries took part in it.

    Nastya from Kazakhstan, who is studying Business Chinese at Xi’an Jiaotong University, noted that intercultural exchanges bring her new knowledge.

    “I enjoy experiencing the charm of different cultures through humanitarian exchange events and actively organizing sports competitions so that young people from different countries have more opportunities for deep interaction,” she said.

    Elnura Mambetova from Kyrgyzstan, a doctoral student in Chinese language and Chinese culture dissemination at Shaanxi Normal University, has been fascinated with Chinese culture since childhood. After graduating from university in Kyrgyzstan, she worked as a Chinese language teacher at one of the universities in Kyrgyzstan, and then moved to China for further education.

    “I can personally feel how the friendship between the countries of Central Asia and China is becoming deeper and deeper,” she said.

    Wang Lewei, a student at Xi’an Foreign Studies University, spent a year in Kazakhstan as an exchange student. “In Kazakhstan, my local friends took me sightseeing and invited me to traditional festivals. I realized that language is the key to culture,” he said, expressing his desire to become an envoy of friendship between China and Kazakhstan.

    Shaanxi Province, relying on its rich educational resources, has been actively developing humanitarian exchanges with Central Asian countries in recent years. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Harbin International Economic and Trade Fair serves as a platform for promoting regional cooperation between China and Russia

    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

    HARBIN, May 22 (Xinhua) — The 34th Harbin International Economic and Trade Fair, which recently concluded in the city of Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, has injected new impetus into cooperation between the Chinese border province and Russian regions.

    One of the main topics of the event, which took place from May 17 to 21, was regional cooperation between China and Russia.

    The Heilongjiang Province is separated from some Russian regions only by the Heilongjiang River /Amur/. “The Amur does not simply divide us, but on the contrary, connects us. This is a connection of two neighbors,” noted the acting governor of the Jewish Autonomous Region /JAR/ Maria Kostyuk, calling the Heilongjiang Province the only such strategic partner for the JAR.

    M. Kostyuk participated in the Harbin International Trade and Economic Fair for the first time in the capacity of the head of the region. Previously, she had visited the exhibition many times when she worked in the mayor’s office of the city of Birobidzhan.

    “We worked together with our sister city Hegang in Heilongjiang Province not only on exchanging businessmen, but also introducing businesses to each other’s territory so that we could have very proper cooperation. For the second year in a row, Birobidzhan and Hegang have presented a joint exposition at the Harbin International Trade and Economic Fair,” she noted.

    In addition to Hegang and Birobidzhan, sister city relations have been established between Chinese and Russian cities such as Heihe and Blagoveshchensk, as well as Tongjiang and Bogdanovich, which helps to unlock the potential for cooperation between the border areas of the two countries.

    “In terms of humanitarian cooperation, the Amur Region is the leader among other regions of Russia in terms of the number of Russian-Chinese joint events, just as the Heilongjiang Province is among Chinese regions,” emphasized the Governor of the Amur Region Vasily Orlov in an interview with the media on the sidelines of the 34th Harbin International Trade and Economic Fair.

    “We have more than 200 events. They are held annually, there are very bright, iconic ones that have become the calling card of our cities – Blagoveshchensk and Heihe, as well as the Amur Region and Heilongjiang Province,” he explained, expressing hope that in the future the level of these events will increase through the involvement of additional partner regions on both sides.

    Both leaders of Russian regions also noted the dynamics of development of cooperation with Heilongjiang Province in such areas as agriculture, logistics and tourism.

    On the sidelines of the current Harbin International Trade and Economic Fair, the Russian Export Center (REC) organized another festival-fair “Made in Russia.” It featured products from over 100 Russian manufacturers from 50 regions of the country.

    During the festival-fair, specialized negotiations on the B2B model were also held between Chinese and Russian companies, which, according to REC General Director Veronika Nikishina, provided a unique opportunity to establish important business contacts and expand the horizons of cooperation.

    REC is organizing a similar festival-fair on the sidelines of the Harbin International Trade and Economic Fair for the second time. As part of the event, a Made in Russia retail store also opened in Harbin.

    “I think that candies and chocolates made in Russia have a unique and rich taste, and they are inexpensive. Our whole family likes them very much,” said one shopper surnamed Sun.

    “We opened the first warehouse distribution center in Suifenhe, Heilongjiang Province, with an area of over 4,500 square meters, to supply and continuously provide the Made in Russia retail chain with original and high-quality Russian products,” explained V. Nikishina, noting that from the point of view of the extensive development of the national brand, the Chinese market is one of the most important and promising in the world.

    According to M. Kostyuk, residents of China and Russia are always interested in communicating with each other as neighbors and close people. “We already have experience of long-term cooperation with border cities of Heilongjiang Province. We must also go together today along one path in order to develop our mutual cooperation,” she summarized. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Shenzhou-20 crew members perform first spacewalk /detailed version-1/

    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 22 (Xinhua) — The crew of China’s Shenzhou-20 manned space mission aboard the Tiangong space station successfully completed the first round of extravehicular activity on Thursday, the China Manned Space Administration (CMSA) said.

    The three Chinese astronauts, Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie, worked for about eight hours and completed the mission at 16:49 Beijing time with the support of a ground support team.

    Chen Dong and Chen Zhongrui, who are in charge of spacewalk operations, exited through the node module of the Tianhe core module, marking the first time astronauts have exited the station through this module since the space station entered the application and development phase.

    The astronauts installed the space debris protection device, previously removed through the cargo airlock and moved to a temporary position using a robotic manipulator, in its designated location.

    During the extravehicular activity, the astronauts also inspected and maintained the station’s external equipment. According to the CMSA, all crew members returned safely to the main module. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The 4th Meeting of Heads of Ministries and Departments Responsible for the Development of Physical Culture and Sports of the SCO Member States was held in Harbin

    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 22 (Xinhua) — The 4th Meeting of Heads of Ministries and Departments Responsible for the Development of Physical Culture and Sports of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Member States was held in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, on Wednesday, according to the official website of the General Administration of Physical Culture and Sports of the People’s Republic of China.

    The event was attended by SCO Deputy Secretary General Akhmad Saidmurodzoda and heads of ministries and departments for physical culture and sports of the SCO member states. At the meeting, the heads of delegations of the SCO member states discussed strengthening cooperation in the field of sports competitions, the sports industry, winter and traditional sports.

    Gao Zhidan, Director General of the General Administration of Sports of the People’s Republic of China, said at the meeting that sports cooperation is an important part of cultural exchanges within the organization and plays an active role in promoting rapprochement and mutual understanding between the peoples of its member countries.

    Noting that China is willing to cooperate with all parties to further deepen sports exchanges among SCO member states, he added that the country will actively promote the construction of the China-SCO Winter Sports Demonstration Zone to make new and greater contributions to promoting the building of a closer SCO community with a shared future.

    The meeting adopted the “Protocol of the 4th Meeting of the Heads of Ministries and Departments Responsible for the Development of Physical Culture and Sports of the SCO Member States.” The parties agreed that the next such event will be held in Kyrgyzstan. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: In January-April 2025, cargo turnover through the Alashankou checkpoint increased by 6.1%.

    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 22 (Xinhua) — Alashankou border crossing in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region allowed a total of 9.657 million tons of import and export cargo into and out of the country in the first four months of this year, up 6.1 percent year-on-year, local media reported, citing data from Alashankou Customs.

    The range of goods imported through the said checkpoint during the reporting period mainly consisted of iron ore and its concentrate, iron alloys and frozen meat. At the same time, exports were mainly represented by electromechanical and high-tech products, clothing and accessories and other products.

    In January-April of this year, the volume of cargo transportation via the Alashankou railway checkpoint continued to grow, accounting for more than 50 percent of the total cargo turnover via Alashankou. At the same time, the volume of cargo passing through the Alashankou automobile border crossing increased by 42.1 percent year-on-year.

    The city of Alashankou is located in the Bortala-Mongolian Autonomous Region of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. On its territory there is a road and railway checkpoint of the same name on the border with Kazakhstan. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China to Establish 23 More Professional Universities

    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 22 (Xinhua) — China’s Ministry of Education on Thursday announced a plan to approve the establishment of 32 undergraduate higher education institutions, including 23 vocational universities.

    The move underscores China’s increased focus on developing technical and vocational education to produce skilled professionals, as outlined in a national education development plan released earlier this year.

    The policy document calls for the creation of more high-quality professional undergraduate universities with unique specializations, as well as a gradual increase in the number of applicants.

    The Chinese Ministry of Education also called on the public to express their suggestions on the establishment of these educational institutions. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Chinese Premier to Visit Indonesia, Attend ASEAN-GCC-China Summit in Malaysia

    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 22 (Xinhua) — Chinese Premier Li Qiang will pay an official visit to Indonesia from May 24 to 26 at the invitation of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, and attend the ASEAN-GCC-China summit in Kuala Lumpur from May 26 to 28 at the invitation of Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia, which holds the rotating chairmanship of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Thursday. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News