Millions around the world increasingly see America not as a model of democracy but as relying solely on brute force.

Russia must realise its full potential in high-tech sectors such as modern energy technology, transport and communications, space and aircraft building.

Even with the help of anti-Russian propaganda in the mass media, Germany has not succeeded in damaging this sympathy.

Indeed, that is exactly what they [the Arctic convoys] were. We know that the conditions in which they fought were appalling. Time and again they faced death in the name of a common victory and we remember that.

We have a contract for the delivery of the S-300s. We have supplied some of the components, but the delivery hasn't been completed. We have suspended it for now. But if we see that steps are taken that violate the existing international norms, we shall think how we should act in the future, in particular regarding supplies of such sensitive weapons to certain regions of the world.

The stability of the rate is the main issue and the Central Bank manages to ensure it one way or another. This was finally achieved after the Central Bank switched to a floating national currency exchange rate.

The breakup of the Soviet Union is a national tragedy on an enormous scale only the elites and nationalists of the republics gained.