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Aktau protesters demand higher salary, mourning for riot victims

Over 400 protesters, including several dozens of “quite aggressively driven young people aged from 20 to 30 years” gathered on the square on Sunday

ASTANA, December 19 (Itar-Tass) —— First Deputy Prime Minister Umirzak Shukeyev, who heads the governmental commission investigating the riots in Zhanaozen that the president instructed to form, met with the protesters on the square in Aktau, local media reported.

Over 400 protesters, including several dozens of “quite aggressively driven young people aged from 20 to 30 years” gathered on the square on Sunday.

About 500 policemen and the troops were controlling the situation on the square.

Deputies from the senate of Kazakh parliament from the Mangystau Region Mikhail Bortnik and Bakhtybai Chelpekov addressed to the protesters. However, they failed to establish the constructive dialogue with them, local media reported.

The protesters from the Karazhanbasmunai Company have made demands for a higher salary and a day of mourning over the dramatic events in the city Zhanaozen on December 16.

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

Izvestia correspondent Semyon Eremin killed in special operation zone

The tragedy occurred near the village of Priyutnoye located on the border of the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Zaporozhye Region

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

Ararat Mirzoyan also said that Yerevan is currently making efforts to expand cooperation with the European Union and the United States

Proposals on Russian assets confiscation undermine financial system — Finance Minister

Russia urges the International Monetary Fund to resume the effort of improving the global monetary and financial system, Anton Siluanov noted

Lavrov labels way West ramping up sanctions against Russia as mindless

According to the foreign minister, Russia has decided not to depend on the West in all spheres, including those in which it can limit the country's development

Russia can join top three countries by lithium reserves — governor

Infrastructure is required to implement the investment project, both power transmission lines and the railroad, Andrey Chibis noted

Armenia has to define CSTO’s zone of responsibility on its territory, says Lavrov

On March 12, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that Yerevan asked its CSTO partners to answer where the CSTO's zone of responsibility in the republic was

Switzerland does not suit Russia for negotiations on Ukraine — Lavrov

The Foreign Minister pointed to the fact that Switzerland is on board with all Western sanctions

Participation in ‘Columbine’ movement may result in life sentence — Prosecutor General

Earlier, the "Columbine" movement was recognized a terror group

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

The Ukrainian army lost more than 3,550 troops, four tanks and five armored combat vehicles in battles with Russian forces in the Donetsk area over the past week, the ministry reported

Global economy’s condition improving — Russian Deputy PM

The process is largely driven by increasing contribution of developing countries, Alexey Overchuk said

World’s anti-doping agency WADA still waits for Russia’s 2023 financial contribution

Russian Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin said in February that the Russian side had agreed with WADA to pay the membership fee for the year of 2023

MTS Bank IPO double oversubscribed — source

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Death toll in Gaza Strip since tensions escalated exceeds 34,000 — Health Ministry

It is reported that just over the past 24 hours alone, 42 people have been killed and 63 wounded

US-led coalition’s aircraft violate Syrian airspace 13 times in past day

Two shelling attacks on the positions of Syrian government army by the Jabhat al-Nusra groups were reported in the Idlib de-escalation zone

Putin signs law on holding World Friendship Games

Funding will be provided from the federal, regional and local budgets, as well as taxes from gambling transferred to the organizer

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

According to Faustin-Archange Touadera, since becoming the president, his actions have been guided by the need "to modernize the army and take into account new challenges"

Russian forces destroy Ukrainian command post, two S-300 missile launchers over day

Russian forces improved their frontline positions and repelled a Ukrainian army counterattack in the Donetsk area where the enemy lost roughly 590 troops over the past day, the ministry reported

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

Iran suspends flights above several cities amid reports of air attack — IRNA

Fox News said the Jewish state delivered a limited strike on Iran

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

Military commanders of Ukrainian army brigades "lack both personnel and the required amount of equipment" while Russian troops enjoy a considerable superiority, especially in artillery, Sergey Krivonos noted

Two pilots of jet that crashed in southern Russia hospitalized

The plane crashed in a field in the Krasnogvardeysky district of southern Russia’s Stavropol Region

Two people killed in borderline Belgorod Region in Ukrainian drone attack — governor

According to Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov, a private residence in the village of Poroz caught fire when the unmanned aerial vehicles dropped two explosive devices

Russia to begin next week clinical trials of anti-COVID-19 vaccine for children

This is for the age group of 6 to 11 years old

Blast rocks military base south of Baghdad — Reuters

According to the news agency, one PMF fighter was killed and six were wounded

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

Ivan Paskar is charged with illegally transporting explosive substances, but he does not recognize his guilt

Ukrainian drone damages energy infrastructure in Russia’s Kaluga Region

There are no casualties, Governor Vladislav Shapsha said

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

Bentley came to Donbass from the United States in 2014

Russia’s export duty on wheat to be $37.42 per metric ton from April 24

The floating duty on Russian grain exports is effective from June 2, 2021

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

Russian economy proves resilience amid large-scale sanctions — IMF

The IMF states that the restrictions led to the need to rebuild the economy

No foreign state attacks Iran — TV

Earlier, the media reported, citing a US official, that Israel had launched a missile strike on a site in Iranian territory

Founder of neo-Nazi cell in Crimea flees to Georgia — source

According to the official, the investigation established that Mikhail Maurov planned to travel to Ukraine to join the ranks of a right-wing Ukrainian organization called the Freedom of Russia Legion

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

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Ukrainian POW exposes poor battlefield performance of NATO-supplied Javelins, NLAWs

He also revealed that some weapon batches contained anti-armor systems whose service life had expired

North Korea conducts new anti-aircraft missile test — KCNA

A power test of a super-large warhead designed for "Hwasal-1 Ra-3" strategic cruise missile was held as well

West wants to make Transnistria hotbed of tension — Lavrov

According to the top Russian diplomat, the leaders who rule countries where they claim to be from while holding foreign passports "will not enjoy support and authority for long"

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

Vladimir Saldo called on other Ukrainian servicemen to switch to the Russian side and request the corresponding assistance

Russia’s defense chief inspects production of tanks, flamethrowers at Siberian enterprise

Sergey Shoigu handed down an instruction for the defense enterprise to ramp up the production of T-80BVM tanks, the Defense Ministry said

Crimea, Donbass to forever remain within Russia, Slovak PM tells national parliament

Robert Fico believes Moscow will win in its confrontation with Kiev

Over 40 nations want to join BRICS — Russian lawmaker

According to Grigory Karasin, many BRICS members share the opinion that the association should be in no hurry to adopt a strict charter, "seeing how counterproductively and even provocatively the European Union is acting"

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

Earlier in its report on the development of the world economy, the IMF noted that Russian oil is sold on the world market mainly above the price ceiling that the West tried to set

French, US, British nukes all interwoven — Russian diplomat

Maria Zakharova described France’s decision to place its aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, directly under NATO control as a symbolic move marking the end of "the era of an independent Paris in the international arena"

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

The Russian Foreign Minister noted that "Ukrainian negotiators came and said that, for example, on the issue of maneuvers with the participation of third countries, let's replace the wording 'if all guarantor countries agree' with 'unless the majority agrees'"

Major Western investor accuses Zelensky's office of extorting millions of euros

Arnulf Damerau said that he provided details of the meeting, along with evidence and a list of names of those involved, to US and European intelligence agencies

Senior Chinese official to take part in conference on security in Russia — diplomat

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Language policy of Moldovan government is Russophobic — head of Gagauzia region

Evgenia Gutsul was referring to the demand the People's Assembly of Gagauzia made for Moldovan legislators to uphold the status of Russian as the language of interethnic communication in the region

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

The law enforcement employees exert efforts to identify the instigators of this crime, Igor Krasnov said

Russian stock indices rising on Friday

The MOEX Russia Index edged up by 0.44%, the RTS Index surged by 1.13%

Ukrainians abroad storming embassies to avoid mobilization, Russian diplomat says

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Military base near Iran’s Isfahan hit following attack — newspaper

The sources said that Iranian forces managed to destroy several small drones near the city of Tabriz, about 800 kilometers from Isfahan

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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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Ukraine’s new ethnic minorities law insufficient to protect Magyars — Hungarian president

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West frightens voters by 'Russian threat' to win elections — 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

S-500 system to be supplied to Armed Forces after 2015

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Hungarians in western Ukraine should get their rights back, Budapest says

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

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Russia knows French military instructors working in Ukraine — Lavrov

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Chinese analyst sees US veto on Palestine as reflection of arrogance, double standards

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

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US House passes procedural vote on Ukraine aid bill

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US 'not forgetting' to help itself with aid to Ukraine — Kremlin

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

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Swiss parliament votes against joining task force on frozen Russian assets

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North Korean leader arrives at public event in Aurus luxury car gifted by Putin

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

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Shoigu orders additional tank protection sets for Ukraine operation

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NATO discussing transfer of ‘deep precision strike capabilities’ to Ukraine — Stoltenberg

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

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Russia not to go for settlement on Ukraine based on 'Zelensky formula' — Lavrov

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Final statement by G7 top diplomats to call for supplying more air defenses to Kiev

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

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BRICS’ expansion makes it much stronger — senior Russian diplomat

Egypt, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Ethiopia, became full-fledged members of BRICS from January 1, 2024

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

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West can’t comprehend Russia’s resilience — Lavrov

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Russian government increases customs duties on beer from unfriendly countries

This measure is not a prohibitive one and will make it possible to make competitive conditions equal for Russian producers, the ministry said

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

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

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One crew member of jet crashed in Stavropol Region killed, search for another continues

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

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

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BRICS looking at creating common digital payment platform

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Russia bans 235 Australian local government officials from entering country — MFA

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EU ministers to discuss use of Russian assets for Ukraine on April 22 — EU official

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Drones downed over Isfahan cause no damage, says Iranian foreign minister

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Russia to scrap moratorium on intermediate missiles if US deploys them anywhere — MFA

Sergey Ryabkov said the US seeks to maintain military superiority in a great variety of areas

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

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No plans for pauses in fighting if talks on Ukraine begin, Lavrov says

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Russia’s advanced radar in Kaliningrad to monitor entire territory of Europe — source

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Ukraine’s military loses positions near Avdeyevka, says DPR

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