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Lukoil, KazMunayGas to start exploration at Caspian Zhenis block within one year

Lukoil and KazMunayGas made an agreement on principles for the Zhenis block in the Kazakhstani sector of the Caspian Sea on June 5, 2018

BAKU, March 17. /TASS/. Russia’s oil major Lukoil and Kazakhstan’s KazMunayGas have set up a joint venture to conduct exploration at the Zhenis block in the Caspian Sea and will start exploration within a year, Kazakhstan’s Energy Minister Kanat Bozumbayev told reporters on Sunday.

"This year," he said when asked when the companies plan to start exploration at the block, adding that the two companies have already had direct talks and are about to enter into the subsoil use contract.

Bozumbayev also said that currently Lukoil’s participation in exploration of another Caspian block is under discussion, adding that he expects the documents to be signed in the first half of 2019.

Lukoil and KazMunayGas made an agreement on principles for the Zhenis block in the Kazakhstani sector of the Caspian Sea on June 5, 2018.

The Zhenis block is located in the Kazakhstani sector of the Caspian Sea at a depth of 75-100 meters. The distance to the shore is 80 kilometers and to the port of Aktau (Kazakhstan) - 180 kilometers. The license area totals 6,848 square kilometers.

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Moscow used its new Oreshnik medium-range hypersonic ballistic missile in response to the West’s decision to authorize strategic-depth strikes on Russia

West irrational, fails to understand it cannot intercept Russia's new missiles — Kneissl

The former Austrian foreign minister stressed that she "counted on rational Western decision-makers, but irrationality is unfortunately on the rise among them"

Russian strategic missile forces to be equipped with advanced weapon by 95%

"A large-scale investment program for expanding production capacities at defense sector organizations is being implemented", Vasily Tonkoshkurov said

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Internet shutdown possible in Belarus if events of August 2020 recur, Lukashenko says

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US journalist calls US President Joe Biden’s government 'the fascist state'

Earlier, Tucker Carlson said that Joe Biden's approval of long-range missile strikes by the Ukrainian army deep inside Russia could threaten US people

US admiral says Washington should be ready for talks with Russia, China

The Department of State and other US agencies "should continue to engage our competitors in real and substantive dialogue," Rear Admiral Thomas Buchanan said

Trump to tap Richard Grenell as US special envoy on Ukraine — agency

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Russia entitled to use weapons against military sites of states attacking it — Duma

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Moscow and Beijing 'have maintained forward momentum in their bilateral relationship', Kurt Campbell said

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Russia fires ballistic, non-nuclear-tipped missile at Ukrainian aerospace plant — Putin

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Russia encircles largest Ukrainian fortification in southern DPR — security services

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West builds up military presence near Russia’s Arctic borders — presidential aide

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US, European officials suggest returning nukes to Ukraine — NYT

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Here are the key statements, made during the meeting

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Maria Zakharova noted that the Russian Embassy in Helsinki has sent requests to clarify the situation

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Angela Merkel added that another fallacy was the belief that the status "would act as a deterrent," and that Moscow "would accept these developments without taking action"

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Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said it in an interview

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Top EU diplomat Josep Borrell confirmed that the US administration had lifted restrictions for US-supplied missiles to be used for strikes up to 300 kilometers inside Russia

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Putin to address parliament next year, preparations underway — Kremlin

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Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered a televised address to the nation on November 21, announcing that in response to the West’s decision to authorize strategic-depth strikes on Russia, Moscow used its new Oreshnik medium-range hypersonic ballistic missile for the first time

Russia forced to roll out new weapons as West fuels conflict, Minsk says

According to Belarusian Security Council State Secretary Alexander Volfovich, "the West does not support peace, it supports war"

Tehran to launch new centrifuges in response to IAEA anti-Iran resolution — statement

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Mira Rapp-Hooper mentioned the US administration’s version, according to which North Korea has allegedly sent troops to engage in active combat in Ukraine

Ukraine loses up to 160 troops in battlegroup East’s responsibility area — top brass

Units of the Russian battlegroup East continue fulfilling military tasks in the area of the special military operation

Russia’s Oreshnik has no analogues worldwide — Putin

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German politician slams Ukraine’s ‘irresponsible’ strike on Russia with UK-made missiles

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Lukashenko tells Putin situation is "starting to get tense with Wagner"

The Belarusian leader noted that they want to go to Warsaw

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Ukraine conflict entering decisive phase, Polish PM says

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Eliminating best enemy units: Defense Minister visits special op area

Andrey Belousov stressed that Russian troops have accelerated their advance in the special military operation zone and have effectively disrupted Kiev's 2025 military campaign

Russia, CSTO partners to discuss West’s authorization of strikes on Russia — TASS source

"A top-level session of the CSTO Collective Security Council will be held in the near future, and this matter will naturally be addressed", the source told TASS

Putin’s remarks on hypersonic missiles send serious warning to West — Turkish politician

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Russian forces gain foothold in Chasov Yar’s industrial zone — expert

The units of the Ukrainian armed forces have created "a very serious defense line" along the railroad and along one of the streets of the settlement, military expert Andrey Marochko told TASS

Russia’s reaction to Austrian OMV’s failure to pay for gas justified — MFA

The company stated it would seek damages amounting to 230 million euro for failing to receive the contracted volume of gas from the Russian company for delivery to Germany

Russia's Oreshnik missile poses significant threat to West, Turkish expert warns

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Russia’s re-election to UNCITRAL confirms its global reputation — Foreign Ministry

Russia got the support of 129 countries in a November 20 vote in New York at the 40th plenary session of the UN General Assembly

Zelensky shook up by Russia’s response to permission to attack it — Lavrov

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Signal to West and 'red card': experts weigh in on Putin’s missile launch statements

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Bulgarian politician sees Oreshnik missile strike as wake-up call for peace

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Russian air defense deflects attacks with Western missiles — Putin

"As a result, the goals that the enemy apparently set have not been achieved," the Russian leader said

Israel carries out four strikes on building in Beirut

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Putin’s recent statements reflect long-standing policy, expert says

Putin’s position can be traced back to his 2007 address at the Munich Security Conference, Tiberio Graziani says

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Robert Fico pointed out that "more and more evidence show that the West seeks to prolong the war in Ukraine for various reasons"

Good relations between Moscow, Riyadh helping oil market stability — Medvedev

"Our friends are living in the Arab world," the politician noted

Any escalation scenario possible in Ukraine conflict — Medvedev

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US to impose export restrictions against up to 200 Chinese firms — agency

According to Reuters, the Commerce Department plans to publish the new regulations "prior to the Thanksgiving break"

Ukraine should consider territorial concessions to Russia in return for peace — magazine

Foreign Policy pointed out that Western officials should stop insisting in public speeches on the need to achieve a strategic defeat for Russia

Houthis say they attacked Israeli military base with hypersonic missile

The Israel Defense Forces said on Thursday evening that it had intercepted a missile launched from Yemen before it entered the Israeli airspace

Western countries should 'be afraid, tremble' after Putin's statement — lawmaker

Andrey Kartapolov added that the special military operation in Ukraine "will continue its course until all tasks are completed"

Biden’s actions on Ukraine meant to 'muck things up' for Trump — Lavrov

According to the Russian foreign minister, such behavior is "typical of the Democrats"