| September 2008 |
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Russia is not considering the possibility of letting South Ossetia, recently recognized as an independent state by Moscow, become a part of the country, the prime minister said Thursday. 
Russia's foreign minister said on Thursday he will soon visit the two Georgian breakaway regions recently recognized by Russia to discuss the opening of diplomatic missions there. 
Two Russian Tu-160 Blackjack strategic bombers that landed in Venezuela on Wednesday are scheduled to return home on September 15 but will stay on if Venezuela gives its approval, Russia's Air Force said on Thursday.

The U.S. ambassador to Russia rejected on Thursday claims by the Russian leadership that U.S. warships recently delivered arms to Georgia under the guise of humanitarian aid. 
Russia respects the sovereignty of its neighbors and has no intention of annexing any territories, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Thursday, amid criticism over Russia's actions in Georgia. 
President Dmitry Medvedev said Thursday that Russia would make the modernization of its armed forces a priority in light of the recent military conflict with Georgia. 
The United States is ready to restart missile-defense talks with Russia later this month, the U.S. ambassador to Russia said on Thursday. 
A day after the Large Hadron Collider was successfully switched on in Switzerland, a Russian scientist said Russia could build its own collider. 
Russia will continue talks with Warsaw on the deployment of elements of a U.S. missile shield in Poland, the Russian foreign minister said on Thursday. 
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov denied Thursday that South Ossetia was planning to join Russia. 
An Orthodox church in Moscow held a service on Thursday attended by the U.S. ambassador and senior Russian officials to mark the seventh anniversary of the terrorist attacks in the U.S. 
Two Russian Tu-160 Blackjack strategic bombers that landed in Venezuela on Wednesday are expected to return home on September 15, Russia's Air Force said on Thursday. 
Georgia's breakaway republic of Abkhazia is seeking to join the CIS and the Russia-Belarus Union State, the republic's president said on Thursday. 
Over 20 Su-27 Flanker fighters will conduct live firing drills at a practice range in the Volga-Urals military district on September 15-21, an Air Force spokesman said on Thursday. 



