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Court softens punishment for Khodorkovsky, Lebedev to 11 years in jail

Under the latest court ruing, Lebedev will be set free in August 2014, and Khodorkovsky in October 2014

Photo ITAR-TASS

Photo ITAR-TASS

MOSCOW, December 20 (Itar-Tass) — The presidium of the Moscow City Court on Thursday reduced the prison term for former Yukos CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky and former director of the Menatep company Platon Lebedev, convicted for theft of oil and money laundering, to 11 years.

The court thereby brought the verdict by the Khamovniki district court, passed within the second Yukos case, in accordance with effective legislation which envisions softer penalties in a number of penal code articles.

At the same time, the presidium turned down the lawyers' supervisory appeal requesting to overturn the second verdict and drop the criminal case or release Khodorkovsky and Lebedev on time already served.

The prosecutor had asked the court to cut the sentence by one year and nine months to 11 years and three months in a general regime penitentiary.

Under the latest court ruing, Lebedev will be set free in August 2014, and Khodorkovsky in October 2014.

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

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Musk concurs that civil war looming in West

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ATACMS shipment proves ‘Zelensky’s formula’ needed in US as ‘smoke and mirrors’ — diplomat

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Kremlin vows to resolve situation with Turkish Airlines refusing service to Russians

Russia has "very constructive and friendly relations" with Turkey, Dmitry Peskov stressed

Potential nuclear facilities in Poland to be military target for Russia — senior diplomat

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Iran calls on BRICS states to facilitate ceasefire in Gaza Strip

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani called for a complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza

Ukraine had to negotiate agreements with Russia with ‘three masters’ — Russian envoy

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Ukrainian opposition demands parliament speaker's resignation over pro-Hitler remarks

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China vows decisive response to US move to deploy intermediate missiles in Asia-Pacific

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US government prepares to sign $6-bln contract for arms deliveries to Ukraine — Politico

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Polish leader cautions NATO allies against provoking Russia

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West prepares puppet structures in case of coup in Belarus — KGB

Ivan Tertel said various methods were being considered, up to "instigating a forceful seizure by illegal armed groups" being trained in the West and Ukraine

Network of international conspirators plotted Crocus terrorist attack — watchdog

Yury Chikhanchin pointed out that the perpetrators of the attack were provided with money, weapons, transportation and ammunition

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The unemployment rate went down in regions and settlements where it was historically high, the head of state stressed

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Tensions "have reached a peak where the slightest imbalance can lead either to a serious, high-profile and large-scale provocation or a conflict," Pavel Muraveiko stressed

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The Russian leader expressed confidence that the the 12th International Meeting of High Representatives for Security Issues "will bolster cooperation for the mutual benefit of our countries and peoples"

Foreign delegations show great interest in Russian defense products — security official

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The resolution passed in a 493-11 vote, with 18 abstentions

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The rescuers are involved in efforts to clear the rubble of a five-story house on Kuibyshev Street

US-oriented structures try to reformat security system in Asia-Pacific region

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu underlined that this is being done by strengthening "military-political structures such as QUAD, AUKUS and the US-Japan-Philippines triad"

Russian, Chinese militaries interacting stabilizes world processes — top defense official

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Thirty-one American tanks have become "unfit for the classical deployment," Maxim Buzhansky said

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Dardanelles temporarily closed due to fire on board of dry cargo carrier

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Russian Embassy to Austria denied participation in ceremony at Nazi concentration camp

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Radioactive cloud from Ukraine’s eliminated munitions drifts to Europe — Security Council

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There is confirmed evidence of his connections with French secret services

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Crocus City Hall attack funded using cryptocurrency, Russian finance watchdog says

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

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Cosmonauts complete spacewalk two hours ahead of schedule

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Promotion of Russian brands gives good return — Putin

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US incapable of replicating Cold War-era arms race — Valdai club expert

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Kiev may use ATACMS missiles to hit Crimean Bridge — Russian defense ministry official

Russian military will do its utmost to repel such attacks, Apty Alaudinov said

Kiev troops may strike targets in Crimea with ATACMS missiles — newspaper

The goal "is to put more pressure on Crimea," The New York Times said

FSB nabs Neo-Nazi group members in Volgograd Region plotting high-profile terror act

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SCO expects Belarus to join the organization very soon — Shoigu

The Russian defense chief is certain that "this is an important moment in strengthening security in the SCO space"

Security concerns mount as radical Islamists flock to Southeast Asia

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu added that establishing a security framework in Eurasia will be an important goal for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization

Ukrainian army strikes own surrendering soldiers — POW

Andrey Babenko said that after a crash course in Britain he had been sent to the frontline near Liman

Russia says its battlegroup West seized better positions

The Russian forces also foiled a counterattack of an assault group of the Ukrainian 80th mechanized brigade in the vicinity of the Krasnoye settlement in the Donetsk People’s Republic

Serial production of missiles for S-500 air defense systems begins in Russia — source

State trials of S-500 are under way at a testing range in southern Russia

Negative trends still on rise in US-China relations — top Chinese diplomat

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Europe should be prepared to build relations with Russia post-Ukraine conflict — Macron

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Kiev violates diplomatic relations convention by recruiting mercenaries abroad — diplomat

Maria Zakharova pointed to media reports, according to which Ukrainian embassies in a number of countries are openly campaigning local citizens to join the so-called International Legion of Ukrainian Territorial Defense

Press review: US tries to strong-arm China and Zelensky's bid to bring men home

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Russian international reserves up $2.5 bln in one week exceeding $603.2 bln — Central Bank

Russia’s international reserves are highly liquid foreign assets available with the Bank of Russia and the Russian government

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Venezuelan foreign ministry, Russian embassy hold joint conference in Caracas

The event brought together almost 200 diplomats, foreign ministry staffers and experts in international relations

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Pelosi's remarks about US protesters undemocratic, Russian diplomat says

On April 25, US police said at least 127 people were arrested during large-scale protests on American university campuses against Israeli actions in the Palestinian enclave

Houthi leader says group attacked more than 100 ships in Red, Arabian seas so far

Ansar Allah strikes one ship every two days, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi said

Russia needs to boost production of goods based on domestic technologies — Putin

The President undescored that Russia did not plan to produce absolutely everything domestically

Reinforced Ukrainian battlegroup fails to break through Russian defenses in DPR — expert

Andrey Marochko added that the Ukrainians have also intensified artillery and drone attacks at Russian positions

North Korea tests multiple rocket launchers produced at new defense enterprise

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