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Kremlin mum on Putin's possible participation in Davos economic forum

The president has not made any decisions yet

© AP Photo/Markus Schreiber

MOSCOW, January 9. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has not made any decisions on possible participation in the economic forum in Davos yet, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"The president has not made any decisions yet," the Kremlin spokesman said, answering the question on whether the president decided whether he will attend this forum or not.

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Putin may take part in Davos forum — Kremlin

In late December 2018, Peskov said that Putin may take part in the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, but stressed that no decision was taken yet.

In November the forum’s organizers reported that Rusal’s co-owner Oleg Deripaska, Renova Group’s owner Viktor Vekselberg and VTB head Andrei Kostin will not be invited to Davos. The Russian side expressed bewilderment, saying that the absence of Russian representatives will negatively affect the forum itself and the level of discussion there, as well as warned that it will not participate in the WEF at the parliamentary level if terms for the Russian businessmen are not revisited.

The forum’s organizers later changed their position regarding the participation of Russia’s representatives. Then the Russian government stated that the official government delegation will go to Davos due to the lifting of restrictions for the Russian businessmen. The level and the composition of the delegation were not named. The forum is scheduled for January 22-25, 2019.

In mid-December 2019, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told journalists that US President Donald Trump will take part in the WEF.

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

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Russia’s Federal Security Service has made the memo public on the 80th anniversary of the Red Army’s liberation of Western Ukraine

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

Mystery surrounds dolphin deaths on Black Sea coast, investigation underway

Over the past few weeks, local residents have found several dozen dead dolphins

Kremlin condemns 'illegal' seizure of villa from Russian businessman

Dmitry Peskov underscored that Moscow has already made its position clear on this matter

G7 countries to prevent Iran from producing, purchasing weapons

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Argentina applies for status of NATO’s global partner

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Yerevan's refusal to delimit borders with Baku to escalate regional tensions — PM

Nikol Pashinyan pointed out that the demarcation process also involves risks, but they are manageable, after which "Armenia will become ten times stronger"

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

Kiev continues to openly announce terrorist attacks on Russia — diplomat

Maria Zakharova also pointed to the fact that Ukraine's special services do not give up attempts to "massacre their former compatriots"

DPR leader reports heaviest fighting near Avdeyevka, Chasov Yar

According to Denis Pushilin, it is too early to say when the city could be liberated

Ukrainian president admits Russian troops’ advancement

Vladimir Zelensky asked his country’s supporters to provide "everything that helps to hold the frontline," including shells, military vehicles and drones

Russia maintains constructive dialogue with both Iran, Israel — Kremlin

Dmitry Peskov mentioned a recent phone call between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian

Russian government approves list of unfriendly countries

There are two countries on the list

Ukrainian front may collapse this summer — newspaper

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Georgian president says she will veto law on foreign agents

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No snap elections before delimiting borders with Azerbaijan, Armenian PM says

Nikol Pashinyan said about it, replying to a question from a resident of the borderline village of Berkaber about the necessity to hold snap elections before delimiting the border with Azerbaijan

Russia restores gasoline production after decline — Energy Ministry

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Press TV reports all of Iran's hypersonic missiles hit intended targets in Israel

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Funding needs to be restored to UNRWA before end of investigation — Russia’s UN envoy

"Investigation should be objective and based not only on data provided by Israel but also on Palestinian information", Vasily Nebenzya said

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

West silent on Ukraine's threats to attack Crimean Bridge — MFA

Maria Zakharova wondered how the Western public, government agencies and intelligence services would feel if military experts from third countries started openly discussing ways to blow up bridges in Germany and Portugal

Russian PM signs off on plan for regions to accommodate evacuees from Palestine

The Russian Emergency Situations Ministry is assigned to oversee the process of sending the evacuees to their respective regions in accordance with an annex to the directive

Iran withdraws officers out of Syria due to Israel’s potential strike — newspaper

The report said that the Lebanese Shiite Hezbollah movement is also reducing the number of its officers in Syria

Israeli Air Force strikes Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon

The IDF also said that its soldiers were forced to open fire in the area in order to "remove an imminent threat"

Ukrainian president signs law tightening mobilization rules

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New US bill calls for $26 bln in assistance to Israel

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German MFA summons Russian ambassador after detention of espionage suspects — newspaper

Commenting on the men's arrest, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said: "Our security services have prevented possible explosions aimed at undermining our military assistance to Ukraine"

German police apprehend two suspected Russian spies — media

The Der Spiegel magazine claims that the saboteurs’ targets included military cargo routes

EU summit urges to provide air defense systems and all necessary military aid to Kiev

The document also says that the EU and its member states will step up humanitarian support and civil protection assistance to Ukraine

Swiss parliament votes against joining task force on frozen Russian assets

The group contains US finance and justice ministers, representatives of Australia, the UK, Germany, Italy, Canada, France, Japan, as well as the European Commission

Russia says its forces repel four Ukrainian counterattacks in Kupyansk area

The Ukrainian army losses were up to 70 servicemen, three motor vehicles, a D-30 howitzer, 2 Plastun-3000 electronic reconnaissance stations and a Nota electronic warfare station

Pipeline explodes in Kharkov Region

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Xi Jinping proposes four principles for resolving Ukrainian crisis

The Chinese leader had an in-depth exchange of views on the Ukrainian crisis with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who is on an official visit to Beijing

Russia will not 'shake up' relations with Argentina due to its partnership with NATO — MFA

According to Sergey Ryabkov, Russia and Argentina maintain a good dialogue at various levels

Russian, Turkish senior diplomats discuss situation in Gaza

"The meeting focused on the situation in the region," said in the statement

Romania now hosts as many as 11 F-16 jets for training of Ukrainian pilots

The ministers expressed their willingness to find a way for the center to continue to operate beyond 2025

Ukraine turns from sovereign country into Western protectorate, Hungarian PM says

Viktor Orban noted that there should be a buffer zone between NATO and Russia and Ukraine could serve as one

Russian Aerospace Forces destroy three militant hideouts in Syria’s Homs

No shelling attacks on Syrian troops were registered over the past 24 hours

Russian sovereignty over southern Kuril Islands indisputable, diplomat says

Maria Zakharova pointed out that the southern Kuril Islands were an integral part of Russia under international law based on the outcome of World War II

Protesters give Georgian government one hour to revoke foreign agents bill

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Ukraine attacks ZNPP training center again, drone neutralized

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

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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"

Shoigu visits presentation of over 30 promising weapons, including robotic vehicles

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Roscosmos chief notes high quality of Vostochny space center’s construction

Yury Borisov said that the space facility’s launch pad bore practically no visible signs of the recent Angara-A5 carrier rocket’s launch

EU plans to invest first profits from Russian assets in military aid to Kiev

"I think that the decision has been taken by the member-states - all 27 have agreed that we use the windfall profits following our proposal," Ursula von der Leyen said

Iran to review nuclear doctrine in case of Israeli aggression — IRGC

Ahmad Haghtalab pointed out that the Iranian Army and other security forces protect Iranian nuclear facilities using the most advanced equipment, so "national nuclear centers are completely safe"

EU vows new sanctions against Iran, calls on Mideast conflict parties to show restraint

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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"

US assured Israel that Iranian drones will be intercepted — US journalist Hersh

He also said that the US military contacted Russia and the United Kingdom while evaluating the potential of the Iranian attack

Ukraine’s military loses positions near Avdeyevka, says DPR

Igor Kimakovsky said that Ukrainian forces suffered heavy casualties among personnel and military hardware, including Western equipment

Russian artillery thwarts Ukrainian army’s rotation near Kupyansk — underground resistance

The Ukrainian army used the outbuilding as an ammunition depot, which accommodated about 15 fighters at the time of the air strike, spokesman Sergey Lebedev specified

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

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

The first Konteiner radar went on combat duty in the Volga area region of Mordovia on December 1, 2019

Ukrainian military reportedly uses HIMARS rocket launcher to attack Gorlovka

Head of the Donetsk People’s Republic Denis Pushilin also said that an explosive device had detonated in the Kievsky District of Donetsk, injuring a man born in 1964

US retrieves weapons previously banned under INF treaty — Russian ambassador

Anatoly Antonov emphasized that such steps were another powerful blow to strategic stability

Iran ready to share tech know-how with all SCO members — ambassador to Moscow

According to Kazem Jalali, Iran is also in favor of cooperation between universities of all countries of the association

Ukrainian drone attack damages four houses in Russia’s Voronezh

According to Governor Alexander Gusev, last night the air defenses on duty in the Voronezh Region detected and destroyed several air targets, including three weather probes

Humanitarian efforts in Gaza doomed without durable ceasefire — Russia’s UN envoy

Vasily Nebenzya is convinced that the work of the UNRWA is indispensable under these circumstances

Ukrainians abroad storming embassies to avoid mobilization, Russian diplomat says

On Tuesday, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky signed the mobilization law passed by the Verkhovna Rada (parliament) in the second and final reading on April 11

Iran may break through Israel’s air defenses in major attack by drones, missiles — expert

Iran has the region’s largest arsenal of ballistic missiles, estimated to number in the low thousands, Behnam Ben Taleblu noted

MiG-31I fighters receive air refueling system

Another source said MiG-31I differs from previous MiG-K option by "different engines, avionics and missiles"

US asking UNSC members to reject resolution on Palestine, hoping to avoid veto — media

UNSC approval would mean neither "statehood nor self-determination" for the Palestinian people, the State Department argued

Russia expects Armenia to clarify 'military, political accords' with US, EU — diplomat

Maria Zakharova noted that Moscow would not be surprised if it turned out that the US and the EU had imposed their plans on Yerevan

Ukraine to lose at least 10 mln citizens over mobilization law — political scientist

According to Andrey Zolotarev, domestically, the population’s confidence level in President Vladimir Zelensky and state authorities will plummet

Iran threatens to attack Israel's "nuclear centers" in case of aggression on its part

Ahmad Haqtalab argued that Israel had been conducting "subversive and terrorist activities" against the Islamic republic's nuclear infrastructure for year

Israel planned to strike back at Iran on April 15, but decided to postpone, Axios reports

Israel told the US administration about the decision to wait, according to a US official

Weather balloon neutralized in Russia’s central Kaluga Region — authorities

According to the report, the area around the discovered balloon was cordoned off and residents of nearby houses were evacuated

France-Russia relations hit rock bottom — ex-envoy to Paris

Alexander Orlov noted that recently French President Emmanuel Macron "has made a number of questionable moves that have increased the divide" between both countries

Industrial building damaged, civilian injured after drone crash in Russia’s Rostov Region

On Thursday night, air defenses destroyed three drones near Kamensk-Shakhtinsky in the Rostov Region

Putin points to high risk of new epidemic outbreaks

The Russian president pointed out that Moscow’s "program of assistance to the African countries in sanitary and epidemiological well-being provides for the delivery of ten mobile high-containment biological laboratories"

Both main US parties threatened Telegram, co-founder says

"So we got two letters that said: whatever we do, we would be violating the US Constitution," Pavel Durov said

Ukraine convicts 12th world chess champion for recognizing Donetsk, Lugansk republics

The two other State Duma members mentioned in the verdict alongside Karpov are Viktor Kazakov and Georgy Karlov