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Appeal Court to start hearing Timoshenko’s challenge on December 1 – lawyer

The Appeal Court will hold a preliminary hearing of the case of ex-Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko on December 1

KIEV, November 29 (Itar-Tass) —— The Appeal Court will hold a preliminary hearing of the case of ex-Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko on December 1, Timoshenko’s lawyer Sergei Vlasenko told reporters on Tuesday.

He said earlier that the appeal would be heard on December 13.

Timoshenko and her defense lodged the appeal with the Pechersky Court on October 25. They challenged the sentence passed on Timoshenko on October 11.

The court sentenced Timoshenko on October 11 to seven years in prison for exceeding her authority in the signing of the gas contracts with Russia in 2009. She was also compelled to pay 1.51 billion hryvni (almost $200 million) to Neftegaz Ukrainy.

A new case against Timoshenko was initiated on October 12. Detectives said that Timoshenko, while being the president of the United Energy Systems of Ukraine private corporation, under conspiracy with other former Prime Minister Pavel Lazarenko wrote off the corporation’s debt to the Russian Defense Ministry worth $405,500,000 to the state budget of Ukraine. The Russian Defense Ministry sent a letter to Ukraine demanding the payment of the debt. Timoshenko chaired the corporation in 1995-1997. She said in June 2011 that there were no debts to the Russian Defense Ministry.

On November 11 the Ukrainian State Tax Service charged ex-Prime Minister, ex-CEO of the Unified Energy Systems of Ukraine Corporation Timoshenko Friday of concealing $165 million revenues, embezzling public funds and dodging over 47 million hryvni (about $6 million) in taxes.

The Timoshenko case caused harsh comments from Europe.

Catherine Ashton, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, speaking on behalf of the Commission, said: “The verdict comes after a trial which did not respect the international standards as regards fair, transparent and independent legal process which I repeatedly called for in my previous statements. This unfortunately confirms that justice is being applied selectively in politically motivated prosecutions of the leaders of the opposition and members of the former government.”.

The European Parliament deplored the conviction of Timoshenko as a violation of human rights and an abuse of the judiciary designed to silence Ukraine’s leading opposition politician.

Bombs with power of 13 kilos of trotyle found in Russia’s Kabardino-Balkaria

An active accomplice of bandits was detained in the search operation and gave confessing testimony

Ukrainian shelling kills pregnant woman in Russia’s Belgorod Region — governor

Vyacheslav Gladkov added that the attack had shattered the windows of several houses and damaged their facades and roofs

Israeli aviation strikes towns in Gaza Strip

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Russian investigators start inquiry into financing of terrorism by US, NATO officials

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Iran may target Israeli nuclear center in Dimona in case of Israel’s attack — TV

Ahmad Haghtalab said on April 18 that Tehran has identified the location of Israel's "nuclear centers" and will be ready to destroy them in case the Jewish state responds to the recent Iranian attack on Israeli military facilities

Iran has no plans to immediately retaliate to attack on its soil — agency

"We have not received any external attack, and the discussion leans more towards infiltration than attack," a senior Iranian official reported

West can’t comprehend Russia’s resilience — Lavrov

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FACTBOX: Collective Security Treaty Organization

The Collective Security Treaty came into force on April 20, 1994 to herald the emergence what would eventually become the Collective Security Treaty Organization. The six member-countries are Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan

West close to sending military to Ukraine, this would 'drag Europe to bottom' — Orban

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Court arrests another man accused of blowing up car of former SBU officer in Moscow

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Russian government increases customs duties on beer from unfriendly countries

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Russia delivers 34 strikes on Ukrainian military infrastructure over week — top brass

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Russia has significant amount of West’s funds in case of confiscation of its assets

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Russian instructors help train over 10,000 Central African troops — CAR president

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Water level of Ishim River in Russia’s Tyumen Region surpasses dangerous mark

It has reached 911 centimeters

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North Korea conducts new anti-aircraft missile test — KCNA

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Izvestia correspondent Semyon Eremin killed in special operation zone

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Russia knows French military instructors working in Ukraine — Lavrov

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Nearly half of those present in UN Security Council hall walk out before Israel’s address

israeli Permanent Representative Gilad Erdan was to address the council after Palestinian envoy Riyad Mansour

Ukrainian trace obvious in Crocus City Hall attack — Russian prosecutor general

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Lavrov says Borrell let it slip that Europe ‘fighting against Russia’

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China’s Russian oil imports rise by 13% in first quarter of 2024 — customs

In monetary terms, Russian oil exports to China increased by 17.9% to $13.858 bln in the first quarter of the year

US agrees to withdraw troops from Niger — Washington Post

The decision was sealed in a meeting between US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and Niger’s prime minister, Ali Lamine Zeine

Moscow International Film Festival kicks off

MIFF President Nikita Mikhalkov, a celebrated Russian film director, declared the festival open, praising the bravery of foreign cultural figures who are visiting Russia at this time

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Lavrov speaks of West’s agony, Russia’s approach to any future talks with Kiev

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Two pilots of jet that crashed in southern Russia hospitalized

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Russian economy proves resilience amid large-scale sanctions — IMF

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Shoigu orders additional tank protection sets for Ukraine operation

The minister also inspected the training process in Omsk Armor Engineering Institute

Ukrainian drone damages energy infrastructure in Russia’s Kaluga Region

There are no casualties, Governor Vladislav Shapsha said

Polish premier refuses to hand over his country’s Patriot systems to Ukraine

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Security guarantees on Ukraine did not apply to Crimea, Donbass — Lavrov

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US House passes procedural vote on Ukraine aid bill

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Number of flooded residential buildings in Russia drops to 16,200

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Proposals on Russian assets confiscation undermine financial system — Finance Minister

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Russia can join top three countries by lithium reserves — governor

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Russia ready for Ukraine talks, but not with Zelensky — Lavrov

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Unidentified man attempts suicide outside courthouse where Trump trial is underway

The man set himself on fire

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Russian economy positively influences neighboring countries — Deputy PM

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KazMunayGas, Sibur, Sinopec sign protocol on plant construction in Kazakhstan

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French president says creating Israeli-type air defense network for Ukraine impossible

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Russian military base may appear in CAR’s eastern region — President Touadera

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Lavrov labels way West ramping up sanctions against Russia as mindless

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Kremlin declines to comment on alleged assassination attempt on Zelensky in Poland

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Kiev lacks both troops and equipment near Chasov Yar in DPR, says retired general

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Armenia’s relations with Russia not at their highest — top diplomat

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BRICS looking at creating common digital payment platform

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Russia’s Battlegroup West repels three attacks in past day, moving to better positions

Units of Battlegroup Center have improved their tactical positions

Russian defense chief checks implementation of orders to develop drones

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Swiss parliament votes against joining task force on frozen Russian assets

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Press review: Biden backs aid to Israel, Ukraine and Russia assets giving West legal fits

Top stories from the Russian press on Friday, April 19th

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US volunteer Russel Bentley missing in Donetsk killed — RT editor-in-chief

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Russia's revenues from oil exports remain high despite price ceiling — IMF

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Putin signs law on holding World Friendship Games

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G7 leaders to decide on Russian assets use — Italian Deputy PM

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Russian air defenses down Ukrainian drone over Belgorod Region

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Sweden’s Duplantis breaks own pole vault world record

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Three Ukrainian soldiers swim across Dnieper to surrender to Russian troops — governor

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American Abrams tanks vulnerable even to Soviet-era weapons, says expert

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Russian Cabinet expands list of perfumery, cosmetic products subjected to import duty

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