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Defense Ministry's News Agency Ready to Go

Russia's Defense Ministry has completed work on its own information agency, Zvezda, RIA Novosti reported Thursday.

Irina Rossius, the former press secretary for the Emergency Situations Ministry, will head the new agency, which shares its name with a separate state-run television channel and radio station, the news agency reported, citing a source in the Defense Ministry.

The news agency's focus will be military news, and the primary target audience will be Internet users. About 500 people will be employed on Zvezda's staff.

The report did not say when the agency would be launched.

The ministry announced its decision to set up Zvezda last December, though the finish date — early 2014 — was pushed back due to delays.

See also:

Russian Defense Ministry to Establish Military Zone in the Arctic

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