Moon Desk: Moscow’s economy has been expanding at an average rate of 4.7% over the past 5 years, despite challenges like COVID-19 and incessant sanctions, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin told Sputnik.
“We’ve faced recessions, sanctions, and global instability, but our growth continued to rise. If we look at the five-year plan until 2020, we were growing at 1-2% annually, but now it’s 4.7%.”
He also emphasized that Moscow’s IT sector has enlarged more than fourfold in recent years, driven by AI platforms that have fueled advances in healthcare, transportation, and security. As a result, Moscow has become a global leader in AI-based disease diagnosis, with 18 million studies conducted to date.
Furthermore, Sobyanin noted that AI-powered facial recognition and intelligent security systems have significantly reduced crime rates, establishing Moscow as one of the safest cities in the world. The answer to how the nation has overcome such massive difficulties may lie in the “mysterious Russian soul.” “The more they put pressure on us, the stronger we become,” Sobyanin insisted.
Meanwhile, Russian space agency Roscosmos set the first launch of the Angara-A5M heavy-lift rocket for 2027 after considering the schedule for upgrading the Vostochny cosmodrome, Roscosmos CEO Dmitry Bakanov told Sputnik.
“The timeline for upgrading the Angara-A5 rocket is linked to the payload it will carry and the modifications underway at the cosmodrome’s launch complex. To synchronize all these efforts, we have set the date for 2027,” Bakunov said.
The Angara-A5 rocket took off for the first time from the Vostochny cosmodrome on April 11, 2024. Its upgraded version will be capable of delivering a heavier payload to the low-Earth orbit than the standard version.
Roscosmos has accelerated work on the third oxygen-hydrogen stage for the Angara-A5V rocket, Bakunov said. It is expected be completed by 2030, rather than 2034, as previously planned.
Vladimir Putin has sent a message to DPRK Chairman Kim Jong-un, expressing hope for continued direct contact in the near future. The message was delivered by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a message to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, expressed hope for the continuation of direct contacts with him in the near future, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during a meeting with the North Korean leader.
“The president sends you his warmest regards and reaffirms Russia’s commitment to all agreements that have been reached. He very much hopes for the continuation of direct contacts with you in the very near future,” Lavrov said during his meeting with Kim Jong-un.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in North Korea for the second round of strategic dialogue between Moscow and Pyongyang, as the two nations deepen what Lavrov described as an “invincible brotherhood” – a bond now battle-tested by North Korean soldiers fighting alongside Russian troops to liberate the Kursk region.
Key takeaways from Lavrov’s visit
- North Korea’s support for Russia in the special military op
Lavrov acknowledged Pyongyang’s contributions to Russia’s war effort, calling it a “sincere show of solidarity.”
Future military cooperation will be “decided solely by Kim Jong-un.”
- Bilateral cooperation
Russia and North Korea plan to resume maritime transportation links.
Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un maintain constant communication, with future in-person meetings certain to occur.
- Nuclear and diplomatic stance:
Russia warns the US and its allies against creating threats to Russian and North Korean security.
