Moscow, July 24: Archeologists have uncovered a unique funerary monument of the first millennium AD on the territory of Opolye, Suzdal, in Russia.

The discovery of this Finno-Ugric burial ground is a real event for archeologists.

In the excavation around 300 square meters large, there have been unearthed 11 tombs that make it possible to reveal the earlier unknown facts of ancient history.

The monument, dating back to the 3rd-4th centuries, has kept Finnish jewelry and is evidence of a rich militarized society, where cattle breeding played an important role.

All entombments are located in a row. Judging by their size at least four of them are children burials.

Moscow - Venezuela President Hugo Chavez announced new arms purchases from Russia and and agreed an energy partnership with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Tuesday.

"We want peace, but we have to strengthen our defences," the president of the South American nation said at the start of a two-day visit to Moscow, the news agency Interfax reported.

Russian media reports said Chavez, who is known for his anti-US rhetoric, planned to negotiate the purchase of diesel-powered submarines, combat helicopters, tanks and Tor-M1 surface-to-air missiles.

Moscow  - Georgia is to send 400 troops to Afghanistan to help NATO-led forces in the fight against insurgents loyal to the country's former Taliban rulers, reports said Tuesday.

The troops will be deployed in the volatile south of Afghanistan by year's end, where they will be under French and Dutch command, the news agency Interfax reported, quoting the Georgian Defence Ministry.

A defence ministry spokesman in the former Soviet Republic said Georgia had no immediate plans to withdraw any of its 2,000 troops serving with US-led coalition forces in Iraq.

Moscow  - The Russian military is considering deploying long- range bombers to Cuba to counter the perceived threat of the US missile defence shield planned to be based in the Czech Republic and Poland, according to Russian media reports Monday.

"At the moment, there are just thoughts - but that doesn't mean there isn't something concrete behind it," an unidentified officer was quoted Monday as telling Izvestiya newspaper.

Moscow/Gali, Georgia - Georgia's rebel region of Abkhazia on Friday rejected as "unacceptable" an international peace plan for calming escalating tensions in the region.

Moscow/ Tbilisi, Georgia  - German Foreign Minister Frank- Walter Steinmeier arrived in Tbilisi on Thursday in an effort to revive peace talks over simmering conflicts in Georgia's rebel regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

"We don't have any illusions about simple answers, but we cannot stand by without acting on this conflict. That would be irresponsible," Steinmeier told journalist on the flight over.

Steinmeier's task will be to align the views from Georgia with the demands of Moscow and the Russian-backed separatist regions.