Russian news: September 30th, 2008!

Moscow, Seoul to Become Strategic Partners:
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, who is in Moscow now, had a meeting with Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev yesterday, September 29, 2008. The key result of that get-together was the agreement to proceed to another level in bilateral relations, the one of strategic partnership.

Russian nuclear submarine makes 30-day trip under Arctic ice:
A Russian Delta-III class ballistic missile submarine has successfully sailed from a naval base in northern Russia to the Pacific Ocean under the Arctic ice floe, a Navy spokesman said on Tuesday. Ryazan is a Project 667BDR Delta III class strategic nuclear submarine, which entered service with Russia’s Northern Fleet in 1982. It has a crew of 130 and can travel underwater without coming to the surface for up to 90 days.The submarine is armed with 16 R-29RM (SS-N-23 Skiff) ballistic missiles with a range of 8,000 km (about 5,000 miles).

Medvedev pledges further economic, security assistance for Abkhazia:
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has pledged to continue security and economic assistance for Abkhazia, the Kremlin press service said on Tuesday.

Opinion poll says only 31% of Russians use Internet:
A poll conducted by the All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center has shown that two-thirds of Russians do not use the Internet.

Over 100 in hospital with meningitis in northern Russia:
A total of 101 people have been hospitalized with suspected aseptic meningitis in the northern Russian city of Arkhangelsk, the local emergencies department said Tuesday.

Lavrov Calls for New European Security Treaty:
Russia advocates negotiating a new treaty on European and Atlantic security that will cover NATO, the EU, OSCE as well as the security structures of the post-Soviet territory, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced at the news conference in New York.

Belarus Parliament without Opposition:
The preliminary results of the Belarusian parliamentary elections were announced yesterday. Contrary to expectations, no representatives of the opposition were elected to the body. Observers from the OSCE severely criticized the elections. The recent warming of relations between Minsk and the West now looks problematic, but Moscow should be happy with the new parliament, which it expects to recognize the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.