Russia will arm a group of disputed islands at the center of a growing debate with Japan with antiship missiles and attack helicopters, the Interfax news agency cited the military general staff as saying Tuesday. Russian P-800 rockets, known as Yakhonts, will be deployed on the islands, which Russia calls the Southern Kuriles and Japan calls the Northern Territories, Interfax quoted an unnamed representative of the general staff as saying. Russia also plans to send Mi-28N battle helicopters to the islands, Interfax cited the representative as saying.

• March 2, 2011

Up to a dozen militants have staged a daring attack on the capital of a southern Russian republic popular with downhill skiers and budget tourists

• February 28, 2011

The Iranian potatoes, oranges and raisins on sale in the bazaars of Astara are not the only signs of the Islamic republic's influence in this Azerbaijani border town.

• February 28, 2011

First, Germany announced that it would suspend its draft, ending one of the touchstones of its post-World War II society. Then Britain and France, frequent rivals since at least the Norman Conquest, announced plans to share military equipment and research. And smaller countries across Europe are cutting defense budgets and shrinking militaries that were never large to begin with.

• February 26, 2011

Russia's parliament approved a deal with the United States on Friday to allow transit for military equipment and personnel across Russia to the NATO force in Afghanistan, easing reliance on Pakistan as a transit route.

• February 26, 2011

James Appathurai, special representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia of NATO, will discuss the regional problems, as well as the frozen conflicts with US officials next week, APA’s US correspondent reports.

• February 26, 2011

Last week Kamitsuki Toyohisa, the Japanese Foreign Ministry counselor for European Affairs, said that the relationship between his country and Russia is "at its worst point in decades."

• February 25, 2011

Russia's decision to plough more than 400 billion pounds into upgrading its armed forces is motivated by a fear of China and radical Islam on its southern borders.

• February 25, 2011