Russia to Invite Nuland to Commission Probing US Bio Lab Activity in Ukraine - Diplomat

An invitation is being prepared to be dispatched, Director of the Foreign Ministry’s Department for Non-Proliferation and Arms Control Vladimir Yermakov said

US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland AP Photo/Susan Walsh

© AP Photo/Susan Walsh

MOSCOW, April 30. /TASS/. Russia will send an invitation to some American officials, including Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland, to a session of the parliamentary commission investigating the activity of US biological laboratories in Ukraine, Director of the Foreign Ministry’s Department for Non-Proliferation and Arms Control Vladimir Yermakov told TASS on Saturday.

"An invitation to American officials and representatives of companies who have relation to military biological activity being conducted in bio labs in Ukraine with the US assistance is being prepared to be dispatched. In particular, there are plans to call Senior Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland as one of the witnesses to a session of the parliamentary commission of the Russian Federal Assembly investigating such activity," the high-ranking Russian diplomat said.

Russia has resources to fulfil debt obligations, default is ruled out, regulator says

However, there are difficulties with payments, head of the Bank of Russia Elvira Nabiullina noted

MOSCOW, April 29. /TASS/. Russia’s Finance Ministry has all the resources to fulfill its obligations, any default is out of the question, head of the Bank of Russia Elvira Nabiullina said after a meeting of the Board of Directors of the regulator on Friday.

"Concerning the Finance’s Ministry’s obligations on debts, I would like to reiterate that the ministry has the resources, and economically, there can be no question of any default," she said.

However, Nabiullina admitted that there are difficulties with payments.

"I hope that all this will end up successfully," she added.

Earlier, IMF European Department Director Alfred Kammer said that the low level of Russian sovereign debt and market conditions reduce the risks for the Russian government in case of a possible technical default.

According to the data of the Russian Finance Ministry, as of February 1, 2022, Russia's external public debt amounted to $59.5 billion, including debt on external bond loans - $38.97 billion. In total, the Russian Federation has 15 active bond loans with maturity periods from 2022 to 2047.