“POYEKHALI!” (Поехали! in Russian), meaning “Off we go!” or “Let’s go!” became a popular expression in the World after 12 April, 1961. The informal phrase was used by Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin, a Russian pilot and a cosmonaut, at the moment of rocket launch as his capsule, Vostok 1, lifted off from Tyuratam test range in Kazakhstan (now the Baikonur Cosmodrome) in the Soviet Union by then. The 27-years-old USSR citizen, Flight Major Gagarin. successfully completed one orbit of Earth...

TODAY, the world marks the 60th anniversary of the first man in space, Yuri Gagarin in a historical event that kicked off the era of human space­flight that continues to this day. The world’s first space­ship, Vostok, with a man on board, was launched into orbit from the Soviet Union on 12 April 1961. The pilot space-navigator of the satellite-spaceship Vostok was a citizen of the USSR, Flight Major Yuri Gagarin. To the world of 1961, this was a thrilling announcement, as on April 12,...

The Second World War did not happen overnight, nor did it start unexpectedly or all of a sudden. And German aggression against Poland was not out of nowhere. It was the result of a number of tendencies and factors of the world policy of that time. All pre-war events fell into place to form one fatal chain. But, undoubtedly, the main factors that predetermined the greatest tragedy in the history of mankind were state egoism, cowardice, appeasement of the aggressor who was gaining strength,...

75 years have passed since the end of the Great Patriotic War. Several generations have grown up over the years. The political map of the planet has changed. The Soviet Union that claimed an epic, crushing victory over Nazism and saved the entire world is gone. Besides, the events of that war have long become a distant memory, even for its participants. So why does Russia celebrate the 9 th of May as the biggest holiday? Why life almost comes to a halt on June 22? And why does one feel a...

BRITISH rock musician Roger Wa­ters, one of the founders of Pink Floyd, in the program Afshin Rattanzi Going Underground on RT said that it was the Russian people who defeated the Nazis and won the Second World War for the rest of the world. “We pay too little attention to the fact that it was the Russians who de­feated the Nazis and won the Second World War for the rest of the world. It’s not the brave British or the forces that came to the aid of the North Atlan­tic, but the Russian...

75 years have passed since the end of the Great Patriotic War. Several generations have grown up over the years. The political map of the planet has changed. The Soviet Union that claimed an epic, crushing victory over Nazism and saved the entire world is gone. Besides, the events of that war have long become a distant memory, even for its participants. So why does Russia celebrate the 9th of May as the biggest holiday? Why life almost comes to a halt on June 22? And why does one feel a...

IF you happened to be walking down a street in Russia on June 12 one notable thing would be very clear to a visitor: Celebra­tions that display the sense of patriotism for Russia. Almost 30 years ago the Russian Federation was born on that particular date. Known today as Russia Day, the National Day of the Russian Federation is usually marked to commemorate the Declaration of Sovereignty of the Russian Federation which was formally adopted on 12 June 1990. It symbolises the...

The Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation urges the parliaments of foreign States and the peoples of the world to once again appreciate the invaluable achievement of the human civilization, which is the Victory of the Anti-Hitler Coalition and all its allies in World War II against their common enemy, Nazis, and their accomplices. Noting the particular importance of the Anti-Hitler Coalition as a unique historical example of States with different political...

FOR Russians, the young and the old, there is one most popular public holiday - the Victory Day in WW2, celebrated on May 9 to commemorate the surrender of Nazi Germany in 1945. “The holiday was first inaugurated in the Soviet Union, following the signing of the German Instrument of Surrender late in the evening on May 8, 1945, after midnight, thus on May 9 Moscow Time.” For Russian people, though it is a sombre day as they remember those who lost their life fighting for their country,...

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has been awarded Russia’s 75th anniversary Victory medal for his major contribution in commemorating Soviet soldiers, who died in 1945 during Korea’s liberation, the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang wrote on its Facebook page. "In accordance with the Russian president’s decree, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission Kim Jong-un was presented with the anniversary medal "75 years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945" for his major personal...

In Russia, the end of World War II and the defeat of nazism isn’t celebrated on the 8th of May but on the 9th of May. Indeed, when the armistice was signed between the Allied and the Nazi leadership, it was already May 9th in Russia. Nowadays, the 9th of May is one of the most important day in Russia and in the lives of many Russians (if not the most important). Indeed, if in Western Europe the end of World War II is celebrated through official ceremonials and bank holiday, in Russia...

RUSSIAN Minister of Foreign affairs, Sergey Lavrov said his country is committed to support international peace and security by preventing Nuclear Weapons. He explained this recently as the world marks the 75 th anniversary of the United Nations and 50 th anniversary of Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). Lavrov (pictured) said, Kremlin is happy that in the 20th century the world did its best to ensure strategic stability which prevented tragedies. ...

A Russian state-run television channel is airing the names of the nearly 13 million Soviet soldiers killed in World War II in the weeks leading up to the 75th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany. The project is a collaboration between Russia’s Defense Ministry and Memory of the People, an internet database that documents the conflict that Russia calls the “Great Patriotic War.” By airing the names, Rossia 24 said it aims to remember all the heroes of World War II...

Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia – popularly known as RUDN (acronym from its Russian name Rossiysky Universitet Druzhby Narodov) – is a renowned, world-class educational and research institution in Moscow. It celebrates its 60th Anniversary from 5-7 February culminating in a grand concert at the Kremlin Palace of Congress presided by Russia’s President Vladimir Putin. In keeping with Russia’s socialist tradition of helping developing countries, Premier Nikita Khrushchev opened...

After colonial empires in Africa collapsed, Moscow did all it could to make “African comrades” embrace socialism – but the romance didn’t last long. “During yet another crisis in Angola we used to transport weapons there via planes and ships, there were tons of it,” one Russian military specialist said while describing how much assistance the USSR provided to Angola’s socialist government during the civil war in the 1970s. It’s hard to overestimate how much attention Moscow paid to...

Plans are underway to enhance the railway transport in major cities and revamp the old railway lines that connect the country's regions. According to Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa, the government is determined to improve the domestic railways especially in cities of Dar es Salaam, Mwanza, Dodoma, Arusha, Mbeya and Tanga. Premier Majaliwa who is in Russia to represent President John Magufuli in the Russia-Africa Summit that commenced here yesterday was talking to Russian Railways...

VLADIMIR Putin has sent warm greetings to African leaders, business people and partici­pants early October, signal­ing that everything is set for the first Russia-Africa Summit in Sochi, south­ern coastal city of Russia. The message reads, in part: “Today, the countries of Africa are well on their way towards social, economic, scientific and techno­logical development, and are playing a significant role in international affairs. They are strengthening mutually ben­eficial integration...

For the first time in many decades, Russia and Africa will hold a historical summit this year in Sochi, Russia from October 22-24. This event is especially important given that Soviet Union (USSR) and Russia as its successor were close allies of African nations during the latter's struggle for independence from colonialism. The new development relations between Russia and Africa are strategically important and mutually beneficial to both sides. The economic potential for...

Russia and India plan to launch joint development and production of military equipment, spare parts and components, according to the statement "Through trust and partnership to new heights of cooperation" signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the outcomes of their talks in Vladivostok on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF). "The sides have declared their commitment to boosting cooperation in the defense sphere, including...

Beijing, Monday China and Russia have been forging new ties with Africa, a continent in which the United States has struggled to assert itself under President Donald Trump. Beijing has long prioritized its relationship with the continent, a frequent stop for Chinese diplomats and investors, and the People’s Republic has increasingly sought to boost engagement in the defense sector as well. On Sunday, the first China-Africa Peace and Security Forum brought together nearly 100 senior...