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Ukrainian authorities taking steps needed for getting IMF assistance - IMF head

Christine Lagarde stressed that the IMF would immediately start co-operation with the Ukrainian authorities

© ERA / ITAR-TASS / VALDA KALNINA

WASHINGTON, April 13, /ITAR-TASS/. The leadership of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) believes that the Ukrainian authorities are taking steps that are needed for starting to get the fund’s assistance, IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde said on Saturday.

The IMF members ask hard questions about what the fund is doing for Ukraine and how mush and when its programme will be started, she told reporters after a meeting of the fund’s management body - the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC).

Lagarde stressed that the IMF would immediately start co-operation with the Ukrainian authorities and was working as fast as it could. She said the fund had an agreement on the measures necessary for financing the country’s needs. Ukraine’s authorities are taking the preliminary steps that they should take for the assistance programme to be considered by the fund’s leadership.

Lagarde expressed the hope that such programme would be approved by the end of April.

Gazprom delivering 42.4 mln cubic meters of gas to Europe through Ukraine via Sudzha

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North Korean agriculture committee’s delegation sets off on visit to Russia

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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

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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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"

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

According to the president, this step will help strengthen his country’s defense potential and contribute to bolstering the national armed forces’ capabilities

Ukrainians abroad storming embassies to avoid mobilization, Russian diplomat says

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Russian economy positively influences neighboring countries — Deputy PM

In 2023 the Russian economy has demonstrated remarkable resilience and growth, Alexey Overchuk said

Russian government increases customs duties on beer from unfriendly countries

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

The Russian foreign minister also described Armenia and Russia as more than formal allies

Two pilots of jet that crashed in southern Russia hospitalized

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

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Victor Gumenny said the advanced systems may solve the tasks of air-space defence and may fight hypersonic weapons

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

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"

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

Recommendations on opportunities of using frozen Russian assets in interests of Ukraine will be presented before the G7 summit in June 2024

UN secretary general urges Azerbaijan, Armenia to normalize relations

Stephane Dujarric noted that the secretary general "encourages the parties to continue the delimitation and demarcation of the remaining sections of the border and tackle all outstanding bilateral issues toward achieving full normalization of relations."

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

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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

Unidentified man attempts suicide outside courthouse where Trump trial is underway

The man set himself on fire

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

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

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Grossi ignores ‘elephant in the room’ in Zaporozhye nuke plant situation — Russian envoy

Dmitry Polyansky noted that the IAEA chief is being very cautious about the issue of attacks on the nuclear facility

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

Bentley came to Donbass from the United States in 2014

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

US President Joe Biden announced on January 25 that Washington would hand over 31 M1 Abrams tanks to the Kiev regime

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

US House passes procedural vote on Ukraine aid bill

It cannot be ruled out that the House of Representatives may pass this package as early as Saturday

Russian military closely monitors all Ukrainian 'novelties' — Kremlin on UAVs

Earlier, it was reported that Ukraine had developed a UAV with a range of up to 3,000 kilometers

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

The Russian foreign minister emphasized that the situation on the ground had changed significantly

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

US gives nod to Israeli operation in Rafah in exchange for canceling major attack on Iran

According to the media outlet, "the US administration will support the plan for a military operation in Rafah put forward earlier," which provides for dividing the city into numbered sectors that will be mopped up one by one

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

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

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

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

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

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Izvestia correspondent Semyon Eremin killed in special operation zone

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

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Ukrainian drone damages energy infrastructure in Russia’s Kaluga Region

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

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

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

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

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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

Russia knows French military instructors working in Ukraine — Lavrov

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

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BRICS looking at creating common digital payment platform

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said that BRICS nations have already established a special channel for information exchange between their central banks

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

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

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

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Air defenses repel Ukrainian drone attack in Russia’s Smolensk Region — governor

Vasily Anokhin urged local residents to remain calm and refrain from filming air defenses in operation.

Explosions reported in several Ukrainian regions

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Putin signs law on holding World Friendship Games

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

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Global economy’s condition improving — Russian Deputy PM

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

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