Category: News

Photo: Sputnik/Ekaterina Shtukina

Ankara gave Moscow ground for war, but Russia has refused to respond ‘symmetrically’, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev told journalists answering the question on Russian Su-24 downing by Turkish F-16 over Syria.

Photo: Russian Defence Ministry

The Russian submarine Rostov-on-Don fired a salvo of Kalibr cruise missiles from the Mediterranean Sea against ISIS targets in Syria, reports.

Istanbul Public Prosecutor’s Office accepted an indictment against 26 suspects on Wednesday in the murder case of Armenian-Turkish journalist Hrant Dink and referred it to Istanbul 14th High Criminal Court, reports.

The Criminal Court will decide whether to approve of the indictment or return it. In case of an approval, the 26 suspects will stand a trial at the court.

Terror and Organized Crimes Prosecutor Gökalp Kökçü submitted the indictment to Istanbul the Public Prosecutor’s Office in October, requesting the arrests of alleged suspects, for forming an organization to commit crimes, deliberate killing, and forgery on documents.

Suspects include the former Istanbul Police Department Chief, Celalettin Cerrah and former Istanbul Police Intelligence Department Head, Engin Dinç.

The indictment submitted by Kökçü for approval was returned two times by the prosecutor’s office due to incomplete documents, but was finally approved on Wednesday.

Dink, then editor-in-chief of the Armenian Agos newspaper, was shot dead by a teenager on Jan. 19, 2007 outside his office in Istanbul. Dink drew the ire of hardline Turkish nationalists in his lifetime, as he was one of the most outspoken voices calling for a debate to start on the controversial Armenian genocide issue. He received numerous death threats before his murder and faced several lawsuits for “denigrating Turkishness,” an act punishable with prison terms, for his articles and editorials on the mass deaths of Armenians in 1915.

The role of police officers and public officials in the plot to kill the Dink had come to light as a new investigation focused on an alleged cover-up of the murder by officials linked to the Gülen Movement, which is accused of attempts to overthrow the government.

On December 9 Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan had a phone conversation with Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office.

Issues related to the situation at the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and the line of contact between the armed forces of Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan were discussed.

The Armenian Defense Minister informed Ambassador Kasprzyk about the provocations incited by the Azerbaijani side and the retaliatory measures taken by the Armenian side during the referendum on Constitutional amendments and the following days.

Mr. Ohanyan expressed his concern over the continuous attempts of the rival to destabilize the situation, emphasizing that on the eve the Azerbaijani side used a tank to fire in the direction of the Armenian positions, which threatens to raise the tension to a new level.

The Armenian Defense Minister stressed the importance of the targeted reaction of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs for keeping Azerbaijan within the limits of the logic of the negotiation process.

Ambassador Kasprzyk, in turn, voiced concern over the current situation and pledged to take relevant steps.

Reuters has included Armenian photographer Vahram Baghdasaryan’s photo in its 2015 .

The pictured was captured during the #ElectricYerevan protests against the power price hike in Armenia.

Armenian retired Major Garik Marutyan, born in 1977, has been arrested on charges of treason, the National Security Service informs.

NSS says Marutyan, who had long worked as head of different intelligence units, established contacts with Azerbaijani special services operating in Turkey through Facebook and provided them with secret information against pay.

A criminal case has been launched under Article 299.1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia. Investigation is under way.

Committed to a long-established tradition, WBO Middleweight Champion Arthur Abraham, has arrived in Armenia to celebrate his victory with relatives, friends and the Armenian people.

Arthur Abraham last won a split decision over Martin Murray on November 21 at the TUI Arena in Hannover.

Abraham says he had studied the opponent and was intentionally allowing Murray to attack.

Speaking of his recent “Champion of Berlin-2015” Award, the boxer said it was important for him.

Arthur Abraham told reporters in Armenia he married a few months ago, but tried to keep it secret.

The boxer said he’ll have another bout by the end of the year and will stay in professional boxing for another two years.

US rock band Eagles of Death Metal have appeared on stage in Paris, less than a month after deadly attacks during their performance in the French capital, the BBC reports.

The band took to the stage to perform at the end of a U2 concert at the AccorHotels Arena.

“They were robbed of their stage three weeks ago and we would like to offer them ours tonight,” said singer Bono.

Ninety of the 130 people who died in the 13 November attacks were killed at the concert at the Bataclan venue.

Bono embraced Eagles of Death Metal singer Jesse Hughes ahead of an emotional joint rendition of Patti Smith’s People Have The Power.

EODM then performed I Love You All The Time.

An appearance by the Eagles of Death Metal at the 16,000-capacity arena had been heavily rumoured.

AP Photo/ SERGEY PONOMAREV

Seven of Russia’s advanced Mi-24 Hind attack helicopters and Mi-8MT Hip transport helicopters have been deployed to a Russian air base in Armenia, the Southern Military District (SMD) said Tuesday, reports.

An additional batch of helicopters is expected to reach the base by the end of the year, the SMD said.

“The Russian air base Erebuni, Armenia, received a batch of modern helicopters – Mi-24P attack and Mi-8MT transport helicopters,” SMD’s press service said.

The helicopters will sit alongside the MiG-29 fighters at the air base, the SMD said, adding that pilots would begin helicopter flights in a month.

The district’s Erebuni base was formed in 1995 and the MiG-29 Fulcrum multirole fighters were deployed there in 1998, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. In July 2001, the units at Erebuni were incorporated into an air division of the Russian 102nd Military Base in Gyumri, Armenia.