By Eugene Kogan, Tbilisi-based defence and security expert

There is a preconceived and very inaccurate perception in the West at large that the Russian Military-Industrial Complex (MIC) has and will continue to have difficulties in the coming years because Russia faces domestic economic challenges caused by the low price of oil, continuing economic sanctions imposed by the EU and the US and the breakdown of defence industrial relations with Ukraine.
There is very little understanding in the West that for President Vladimir Putin the issue of rearmament and well-functioning of the MIC are of crucial importance, and that the Russian president is not ready to give up an inch in tenaciously pursuing this ambitious items on his domestic agenda. READ MORE

• September 14, 2017

Britain is considering measures to restrict immigration for all but the highest-skilled EU workers, a leaked government document said, plans some companies called alarming and an opposition lawmaker described as “plainly cruel”.

• September 6, 2017

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan on Tuesday rejected a statement by the five emerging-market BRICS powers that militant groups in Pakistan pose a regional security concern, with its defense minister saying no such group operates freely inside Pakistan.

• September 5, 2017

LONDON/MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian oil major Lukoil is considering selling its Swiss unit Litasco because new U.S. sanctions on Russia will make it harder for the Geneva-based energy trader to raise new funds, industry sources said.

• September 1, 2017

Russian oil major Lukoil is considering selling its Swiss unit Litasco because new U.S. sanctions on Russia will make it harder for the Geneva-based energy trader to raise new funds, industry sources said.

• August 31, 2017

Divisions between Britain and the EU over mapping out their divorce will be laid bare in Brussels next week when the two sides meet for another round of talks whose timetable already looks tight.

• August 26, 2017

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on a visit to Ukraine on Thursday said Washington would keep up pressure on Russia over what he called its aggressive behavior and signaled his personal support for providing weapons to Kiev.

• August 24, 2017

The heads of devolved governments in Scotland and Wales agreed on Tuesday to work together to try to set a common strategy to thwart the threat of an "unashamed" grab of parliamentary power by London after Britain leaves the European Union.

• August 22, 2017