Report: Russia to dismiss more than 35,000 military officers this year

October 1st, 2009 MOSCOW - Russia's military Thursday warned of an increasing militarisation of its southern neighbour Georgia, in a warning coming a day after a European Union report blamed both countries for the brief but bitter war in the summer of 2008. Deputy chief of general staff Anatoly Nogovizin said that since the war, Georgia had boosted its military forces by 4,000 to a current level of 36,000.

September 15th, 2009 MOSCOW - Russia signed Tuesday agreements on military cooperation with the former Georgian republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, a Russian defence ministry spokesman said. Russia recognised the two republics shortly after the end of last August's war with Georgia over South Ossetia, which began when Georgian forces attacked the region in an attempt to bring it back under central control.

September 11th, 2009 Chavez: Venezuela to get rockets from RussiaCARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says he has signed military agreements with Russia and is soon expecting the arrival of some "little rockets." Chavez says the rockets reach up to 186 miles (300 kilometers) and are strictly for defense purposes. Chavez returned Friday from a world tour including a visit to Russia, where he met with President Dmitry Medvedev.

August 21st, 2009 US training could target RussiaTBILISI, Georgia — Georgia's defense minister said Friday that training the U.S. military is giving to the country's soldiers headed to Afghanistan involve skills that could be used in any new outbreak of fighting between Georgia and Russia.

August 18th, 2009 PRAGUE - Russia has expelled two Czech Republic diplomats Tuesday, following a move by Prague to dismiss two Russian diplomats over suspicion of spying. The two countries have been at loggerheads over Czech accusations of Russian spying - mentioned in reports by the Czech BIS secret service - connected to US plans to place parts of a missile defence system in the Czech Republic.

July 30th, 2009 Ousted Honduran president: Military could rebelOCOTAL, Nicaragua — Ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya says disgruntled military officers could rebel "at any moment" against the government installed in a coup. Zelaya says he has information that some soldiers and officers are "repudiating the way in which the military leadership is directing the armed forces." He warns young officers could rebel "at any moment" and force military chief Gen.

July 6th, 2009 US, Russia agree to resume military cooperationMOSCOW — The United States and Russia say they are resuming military cooperation suspended after Russia invaded its smaller neighbor Georgia last year. The expected announcement came Monday, as President Barack Obama and Russian president Dmitry Medvedev (dih-MEE'-tree med-VYEH'-dyev) met for their first summit in Moscow.

July 4th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Russia has agreed to allow American troops and weapons to fly over its airspace on the way to Afghanistan, the New York Times reported Saturday. The breakthrough was to be announced when US President Barack Obama visits in Moscow on Monday and Tuesday.

July 3rd, 2009 MOSCOW - Moscow and Washington will sign deals expanding bilateral military ties and on transit of military supplies via Russia to the American troops in Afghanistan during President Barack Obama's visit to the Russian capital, an official said Friday. The signing of the pacts will reflect "the political decision on the resumption of full-scale military contacts between Russia and the United States", which were frozen after the war between Russia and Georgia over South Ossetia last year, Kremlin aide Sergei Prikhodko has said.

May 29th, 2009 US judge refuses to dismiss 'Day of Prayer' suitMADISON, Wis. — A federal judge has refused to dismiss a lawsuit that claims the National Day of Prayer is unconstitutional.

May 7th, 2009 LUCKNOW - Samajwadi Party (SP) supremo Mulayam Singh Thursday said he will support the party that will dismiss Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati's 'unconstitutional' government in Uttar Pradesh. 'Whichever party will dismiss the unconstitutional government in Uttar Pradesh, we will support them,' Mulayam Singh told reporters after casting his vote at a polling both in his constituency Mainpuri.

May 1st, 2009 Feds to toss charges against pro-Israel lobbyistsALEXANDRIA, Va. — Federal prosecutors are moving to dismiss espionage-related charges against two former pro-Israel lobbyists who had been accused of disclosing classified defense information.

April 20th, 2009 Sri Lanka says 35,000 people flee rebelsCOLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka's president says the army has rescued 35,000 civilians from a sliver of territory controlled by Tamil rebels. President Mahinda Rajapaksa says the civilians were freed from an area in the north designated as a "no-fire" zone that is under rebel control.

April 13th, 2009 MOSCOW - Russia concluded its first weapons deal with Israel, purchasing unmanned spy planes valued at around $49 million, a spokesman for the Russia Defence Ministry in Moscow told daily Izvestiya Monday. According to a military export cited by the paper, the purchase was in reaction to the August 2008 war in the south Caucasus - where Georgia successfully employed such drones against Russia.

January 19th, 2009 MOSCOW - A friendship and cooperation agreement between Russia and the breakaway Georgian province of South Ossetia has come into force, the Russian foreign minister said Tuesday. Sergei Lavrov said Moscow and Tskhinvali would soon sign an array of agreements on cooperation in the military sphere, border protection and trade.