Russia

BELGRADE - Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik denied on Friday the claims that he had intended to use Russian support during the annexation of Crimea to secede RS from Bosnia-Herzegovina, and that Serbia's Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic had stopped him.

BELGRADE - The good cooperation between the Ohio National Guard and the Serbian Armed Forces will be improved, including in the field of emergency situations, Serbian Defence Minister Bratislav Gasic and Ohio National Guard Commander Maj. Gen. Deborah Ashenhurst said on Friday.

Serbian Railways receives Russian machines

RUMA -- State-owned company Serbian Railways (Železnice Srbije) has received 31 construction machines from Russia.

This completed the delivery of 103 machines in total, which are meant to speed up the repairs and construction of railroads in the country as part of a Russian of a USD 800 million loan.

RUMA - The Serbian national railway company Zeleznice Srbije received on Friday 31 construction machines from Russia, completing the delivery of 103 machines in total, which are meant to speed up the repairs and construction of railroads in the country, all thanks to a Russian loan of USD 800 million.

Milorad Dodik, President of Republika Srpska, has denied claims that he planned to declare the independence from Bosnia of the mainly Serbian entity with Russian support - just after Russia annexed the Crimea from Ukraine.

Gas supplies from the Russian Federation to Romania were cut by 5 percent this Friday from the planned amount, with the Russian side offering no motivation, Minister-delegate for Energy Razvan Nicolescu told AGERPRES.

"Kosovo to introduce sanctions against Russia"

PRIŠTINA -- The government in Priština led by outgoing Prime Minister Hashim Thaci "plans to introduce sanctions against Russia," according to media reports.

This would be done "guided by the moves of the European Union," the Albanian-language daily Express writes on Friday.

Prime Minister Victor Ponta admitted on Friday that Romania is being affected by the sanctions against Russia, but he added Romania must meet its commitments and assume the responsibility to show that nobody may change the international law.

Austria announced Thursday a 15% decrease in deliveries of Russian gas.

It is yet to be established if the reason for the decline was technical, such as a damaged compressor station, or political.

At the same time, sources of Austrian energy group OMV said it had been informed by Russian partners about a supply reduction.

Stronger China-Russia ties "against external risks"

DUSHANBE -- China and Russia should strengthen their ties against the rise of "external risks", Chinese President Xi Jinping has said.

He made the comments in his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.