In a major diplomatic blow for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Russia and China joined the Security Council on Wednesday in voicing support for U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan's bid to end violence that has brought Syria to the brink of civil war.

• March 20, 2012

Syria imported nearly six times more weapons in 2007-2011 than in the previous five-year period, with Russia accounting for 72 percent of the arms supplies to President Bashar Assad’s regime, an international research institute said Monday.

• March 16, 2012

The US has asked Russia to carry an ultimatum to the leaders of Iran, warning that upcoming six-nation talks on the Iranian nuclear program will be the "last chance" for progress before it pursues a military option, the leading Moscow daily Kommersant reported today (in Russian).

• March 15, 2012

The Russian Defense Ministry has settled its debt to Kyrgyzstan for keeping its military bases in that country, the Kyrgyz Defense Ministry told Interfax on Saturday.

• March 3, 2012

Tajikistan's ambassador to Russia says his country expects Russia to pay rent for bases it uses on Tajik territory.

• February 29, 2012

Military officials of Kazakhstan, Russia, Tajikistan and China discussed arms reduction at the border during a special seminar in Astana, the press-service of the Kazakh Defence Ministry said on Wednesday.

• February 29, 2012

Russia plans to repay its $15 million debt to Kyrgyzstan for the lease of military facilities until the end of February, Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said on Monday.

• February 27, 2012

Russia has modernized two radars in Syria and Lebanon that could threaten U.S. or Israel’s ability to launch a surprise attack against Syria and Iran, Israeli DEBKAfile portal said on Monday.

• February 27, 2012