The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Russia

  • Ahmed Musa eyes Russia’s top scorer’s prize

    Ahmed Musa eyes Russia’s top scorer’s prize

    Super Eagles and CSKA Moscow forward, Ahmed Musa, is looking forward to being crowned the top scorer of the Russian Premier League at the end of the current campaign.

    Speaking with the Russian media ahead of today’s tie against Krasnodar in the 21st round of matches, the former Kano Pillars speed star stressed that he is ready to play in any offensive position CSKA Moscow manager Leonid Slutsky needs him.

    ”I like any position the coach puts me. I am an offensive player. And this is important, and the details are not important. From the edge or on the edge – does not matter,” Musa told sport-express.ru.

    At the moment, the CSKA Moscow ace is the second highest goalscorer in the Russian Premier League. He has acknowledged that the race for the goleador award will be difficult.

    ”It is (a tempting target). But my dreaming of this achievement is not new to me because in Nigeria, I was leading scorer in the championship. But I’m happy that I am among the candidates.

    ”I promise I will work hard to keep up the momentum.Let’s see what place I find myself at the end of the season.The competition will be tough,” Musa said.

    It would be recalled that Musa, who is primarily a winger, has flourished in attack in the current campaign, netting 9 goals in 19 matches for the table topping Moscow-based outfit.

  • Russia, Arab League propose direct Syria talks

    Russia and the Arab League said they want to broker direct talks between the Syrian government and opposition in a bid to end the country’s civil war.

    Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said violence was “a road to nowhere.”

    The move comes as the opposition Syrian National Coalition is due to begin a two-day meeting in Egypt to discuss a framework for a possible solution.

    Some 70,000 people have died since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began in March 2011, the United Nations says.

    The BBC reports that although the Syrian government and the opposition are talking about dialogue, that still seems a distant prospect.

    Mr. Lavrov said the Kremlin and the Arab League wanted to establish direct contact between the Syrian government and the opposition.

    Speaking in Moscow, where he hosted league officials and several Arab foreign ministers, the Russian foreign minister said that sitting down at a negotiating table was the only way to end the conflict without irreparable damage to Syria.

     

  • Russia’s coal mine blast kills nine

    Russia’s coal mine blast kills nine

    An underground explosion at a coal mine in the Komi region of northern Russia has killed at least nine miners, officials told the BBC.

    Rescuers are searching for eight others feared trapped underground. About 250 miners escaped to the surface.

    The explosion at the Vorkutinskaya mine is thought to have been the result of a methane gas build-up.

    Accidents are frequent in Russia’s huge coal mining industry despite recent efforts to improve safety.

    The coal mine outside the city of Vorkuta in the Russian Arctic is operated by the steel-making giant Severstal.

     

  • Russia calls for release of detained sailors

    Russia calls for release of detained sailors

    … Accuses Nigeria of breaking agreement with Moscow

    Russian government on Wednesday called for immediate release of the 15 sailors arrested by the Nigerian Navy for allegedly smuggling arms into the country.

    Nigerian authorities intercepted a ship and arrested its Russian crew on October 23 last year after they found several guns and around 8,500 rounds of ammunition aboard.

    The Russian Foreign Ministry said the sailors were facing a court case initiated “under false pretexts” and that Nigeria broke a promise given to Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that the men would return to Russia before the New Year.

    “We expect that this time around the Nigerian partners will stick to their word and release the Russian sailors in the nearest time without additional conditions and further delays,” Reuters quoted the ministry as saying in a statement on Wednesday.

    The sailors, who were kept in navy custody since their arrest in October, were handed over to the police on Monday.

    “On Monday, we handed over the crew to the police as we have completed preliminary investigations,” Lieutenant Commander Jerry Omodara, spokesman for the Western Naval Command, said by telephone. “The ship and the weapons are still in our custody.”

    The Moran Security Group, the Russian company that owns the confiscated vessel, called the accusations “groundless” and urged Nigeria to release the sailors.

     

  • Oparanozie, Ordega relish Russia deal

    Oparanozie, Ordega relish Russia deal

    AFTER signing the dotted lines with Russian female club, Rossiyanka FC for an undisclosed fee, the duo of Desire Oparanozie and Francesca Ordega have said the desire to improve on their game made them switch to a new club.

    In a brief chat with SportingLife, an obviously excited Ordega expressed her delight with the deal which she said came at the right time.

    “Yes it is true I can confirm this very one. I am grateful to God for making this happen.

    “I have paid my dues and I believe it was the appropriate time for me to take my career abroad. I am happy,” Ordega said.

    The same view was shared by her team mate and compatriot, Oparanozie who is looking forward to kick staring her move with a bang to prove that her World Cup feat was no fluke.

    Both players had fantastic outings at the Japan 2012 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, scoring 7 of the total 9 recorded by the team. Ordega got a hat trick against Italy and the lone goal against Brazil while Oparanozie’s 3 goals came in the matches against South Korea, Mexico and Japan.

    While Ordega plied her trade with Rivers Angels Opanozie was with Delta Queens before her departure.