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World oil prices

OPEC+ discusses extending oil production limits deal by 6, 9 months — Iraqi oil minister

"Whatever the agreement will be, we will support it," the minister said

OPEC headquarters in Vienna EPA/LISI NIESNER

OPEC headquarters in Vienna

© EPA/LISI NIESNER

VIENNA, November 28. /TASS/. OPEC and non-OPEC countries are discussing extension of the oil production limiting agreement by 6 or 9 months, Oil Minister of Iraq Jabbar al-Luaibi told reporters on Tuesday.

"We hope to reach an agreement. Terms of nine and six months will be discussed tomorrow," the minister said.

"Whatever the agreement will be, we will support it, but we are certainly for the extension," he added.

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Outbound tourist flow from Russia rises by 17% in 2024 — association

At the end of 2024, the top 5 most popular foreign destinations for Russians included Turkey, Egypt, UAE, Thailand, and China, with trips to these countries accounting for nearly 85% of sales

Putin agrees 'Russian world' now faces war

The Russian leader also agreed with Sergey Mironov, head of the "A Just Russia - For Truth" faction in the Duma, who said that "the birth rate is insufficient, because the matter concerns extinction"

Russia has confidence in its weapons, senior diplomat says

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov also stressed that the recent developments had shown that the US policy of establishing a system of increasingly layered missile defenses was wrong

Two freight trains collide at Trans-Baikal Railways, traffic suspended

Both freight trains loaded with coal collided at the Bushulei-Zhireken railway section

Latest nuclear-powered sub Arkhangelsk to join Russian Navy by yearend

The Arkhangelsk submarine was rolled out from the slipway of the Sevmash Shipyard on November 29, 2023 for completing its construction afloat

IN BRIEF: What is known about drone attack on residential buildings in Kazan

TASS has gathered the main information about the incident

Aleppo taken by 350 militants while 30,000 gov’t troops retreated without fight — Putin

The Russian president recalled that no Russian land troops had been deployed to Syria, with Russia having only an airbase and a naval base

US Navy cruiser mistakenly downs F/A-18 fighter over Red Sea

According to US Central Command, the incident occurred during airstrikes on Houthi facilities

Hungarian PM highlights need to lift sanctions on Russia once Ukraine conflict is resolved

Viktor Obran added, however, that only a couple of EU countries shared Hungary’s position

Russia to retaliate against Ukrainian strikes, just as Putin said — Kremlin

"Russia’s position is well known, it was voiced by Putin back in St. Petersburg," Dmitry Peskov stressed

Putin responds to question about Russia's weakness by quoting Mark Twain

The president noted that Russia had become much stronger over the past two or three years as it became a truly sovereign country

Ukraine launches over 18 strikes on Russia’s Belgorod Region in past day

Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said that the Borisovsky district was attacked by a UAV, with the roof of a private house being damaged

Magdeburg attacker may be charged with murder of 5, attempted murder of 205 — prosecutor

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Putin to extend New Year greetings to peoples of several unfriendly countries — Kremlin

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AI can help generate personalized cancer vaccines in an hour — Russia’s vaccine chief

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No real impulses for organization of Putin-Trump meeting so far — Kremlin spokesman

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NATO prepares for war with Russia, Moscow takes these risks into account — senior diplomat

According to Alexander Grushko, NATO's general course poses a danger both to Russia and to the entire architecture of global and regional security

PREVIEW: Putin expected to unveil several transport facilities

According to Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Putin has several closed-door meetings slated for December 22

Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger take armies to maximum alert — declaration

"The College of national leaders closely follows the deceiving maneuvers, initiated by the French junta, who declares the shutdown of its military bases only to replace them with another, less visible mechanism, which pursues the same neo-colonial goal," says the statement

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Dmitry Peskov added that it is not planned to issue any joint statements

CIA station in Kiev targeted in recent Russian attack, military expert reveals

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Ukraine loses over 300 troops, two Bradley vehicles in Kursk Region in past day

Eight motor vehicles and two electronic warfare stations were also destroyed? the ministy added

Syrian development help prevent regional war — Syria’s new leader

Ahmed аl-Sharaa expressed hope for building strategic relations with Lebanon

Lavrov describes attack by insurgents in Syria as carefully planned

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Civilian manufacturers ramp up drone production to 40,000 units per month

The Russian Defense Ministry has also purchased more than 100,000 units from small design bureaus and civilian manufacturers, the statement said

Putin calls Oreshnik missile development ‘an historic event’ for space rocket industry

Russian President also said that he had handed down direct instructions to produce and test-fire the Oreshnik hypersonic missile

Putin opens new transport infrastructure sites in Russian regions via video link

Putin also took part in the ceremony of opening international airports in Magadan, Cheboksary, and Stavropol

Response to Ukrainian attack on Russia’s Rylsk to come shortly — Russia’s UN envoy

Vasily Nebenzya warned as he denounced the attack as yet another unambiguous step by the Kiev regime toward escalation

Kiev takes out its anger for military defeats on Russian people — diplomat

Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also emphasized that Moscow is outraged by the hypocritical silence of the West and its media on the terrorist attacks in Russia

Putin holding talks with visiting Slovak PM

According to Putin’s press secretary, the meeting is being held one-on-one

Assad allegedly hands list of military targets over to Israel before leaving Syria — media

According to the Turkish newspaper, the former Syrian president did it to ensure his own safety

Moldovan president plans military operation in Transnistria — Russian intel agency

According to the SVR, Maia Sandu recently convened a meeting on energy security issues with senior government officials

Damage to Portuguese Embassy in Kiev caused by Ukrainian air defense — Russian diplomats

Reporters are ramping up Russophobia, distorting the facts while writing on this matter, the Russian Embassy in Portugal said

Russian 'soldier of the future' combat gear tested in Syria

The Ratnik is a system of advanced protective and communication equipment, weapons and ammunition

Ukrainian army launches long-range missiles at Donetsk

Air defenses are in operation, and at least six aerial targets have been shot down

Crew, passenger of An-2 plane crashed in Kamchatka satisfactory — medics

All three of them are in satisfactory condition, but it is too early to talk about their discharge, the regional hospital staff said

Top Turkish diplomat calls for listing anti-Syrian sanctions

According to Hakan Fidan, during his contacts with al-Sharaa he "saw the Syrian leadership’s strong will and commitment in this area,"

Proposal to duel with West response to claims of Oreshnik missile vulnerability — Kremlin

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Commander Makarov was killed in fighting to repel Ukrainian attack — ministry

Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov also informed of the death of the deputy commander of the army corps for military-political work, Colonel Yevgeny Brovko, who led the efforts of the personnel

Ukraine's refusal to transit Russian gas will hit EU economies hard — French expert

According to Jacques Sapir, the decision not to extend transit contracts was no surprise given the political landscape

Taiwan to set up drone testing facility for global market

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Serbia will never joint anti-Russian sanctions, deputy prime minister vows

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Press review: EU imposes new anti-Russian sanctions and Russia braces for NATO conflict

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Russian cancer vaccine to be free of charge — top oncologist

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Press review: Putin outlines Russia's future goals and Tehran faces energy blackout riots

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According to the source, various trials of core components of Poseidon underwater drones, including the nuclear power

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Drone attack triggers fire at fuel infrastructure facility in Russia’s Oryol Region

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Press review: Who benefits from Russian general's murder as Trump lacks Kremlin strategy

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Gazprom to replace European sales market with new export destinations, says Italian expert

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Syria’s new government wants to build strategic relations with Turkey

Ahmed al-Sharaa also said he will not "tolerate uncontrolled arms trafficking" across the country

ISS orbit raised ahead of launching Soyuz manned spacecraft

As preliminary data suggest, the ISS orbit was raised by 2.3 km to 416.43 km above the Earth’s surface

Oreshnik’s launch is sudden, undetectable by satellites — analyst

The range of the Oreshnik system is up to 5,500 kilometers

Israeli delegation discussing in Doha ways of reaching deal om Gaza — TV

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Strike on SBU control center response to Russian general’s assassination, expert says

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West should consider Putin's words on Oreshnik missile duel — diplomat

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Trump nominates billionaire Feinberg as US Deputy Secretary of Defense

The president-elect called Feinberg an "extremely successful businessman"

Almost 20 drones downed over four Russian regions, Black Sea last night

According to Russia's Defence Ministry, attempts to conduct attacks against facilities on Russian soil were thwarted

Trump to rely on forces that brought him to power — Russian presidential aide

Nikolay Patrushev agreed that Trump, when he was still a candidate, "made many statements critical of the destructive foreign and domestic policies pursued by the current administration"

Trump appoints TV producer Burnett as special envoy to UK

The new special envoy will be in charge of trade and investment issues, as well as the cultural exchange between the two countries

Oil supplies to Hungary via Druzhba pipeline resume — top Hungarian diplomat

Reuters reported earlier that oil supplies to Belarus and EU countries via Druzhba had been suspended on December 19 due to technical problems

Turkish president calls on West to stop Israel in Syria before it’s too late

"All international mechanisms need to be effectively employed in order to prevent Israel from exploiting the situation in Syria," Recep Tayyip Erdogan said

Russian troops liberate two communities in Donbass area, Kharkov Region over past day

Russia’s Battlegroup Center inflicts 480 casualties on Ukrainian army over past day

Ukrainian troops struggling to escape being trapped in Lozovaya in Kharkov region — expert

In general, "quite active hostilities" are taking place near Dvurechnaya and Lozovaya in the Kupyansk sector of the line of engagement, Andrey Marochko noted

Arkhangelsk nuclear submarine ready to join Russian Navy — Sevmash Shipyard CEO

Project 885M nuclear-powered submarines carry Oniks and Kalibr-PL cruise missiles as their basic strike weapons

An-2 plane missing in Kamchatka located, survivors found — regional emergencies ministry

According to the press service of the regional Emergencies Ministry, all three people onboard the plane survived the emergency landing

Massacre staged by retreating Ukrainian troops in Selidovo — report

According to Maxim Grigoryev, videos of interviews with witnesses and preliminary forensic examination of the bodies indicate that most of the victims are elderly women

Slovak PM thanks Putin in Russian for meeting with him

This was Putin’s first personal meeting with Fico since 2016

Hungary wants to maintain ties with Russia under its economic neutrality policy — PM

Victor Orban also said that hopes for the development of economic cooperation with the United States after President-elect Donald Trump takes office

Ukraine may cease to exist by 2034 — Russian security official

Dmitry Medvedev noted that Ukraine will never join NATO

Key rate, inflation and criticism of Central Bank: statements by regulator’s chief

The Bank of Russia has taken a pause in raising the key rate, though a long period of tough monetary policy will be required to bring inflation back to the target

Father of conscript who killed 8 in Siberia asks son to cooperate with investigators

The father said that his son would like the unit where he had served to be disbanded

Topic of Russian gas transit expected to be discussed by Putin, Slovak PM

"We’d better wait for the meeting to end to learn what they discussed," he Dmitry Peskov said

Magnitude 5.3 earthquake rocks South Africa

No injuries or damage were reported

Russia considers launching direct flights with Brazil, Malaysia, Pakistan — Minister

Roman Starovoyt noted that Russia is holding negotiations with many airlines from friendly countries

Georgian president demands appointing snap elections within week

Salome Zourabichvili also promised to announce her further plans on Monday

Oreshnik test launch forces London to take a step back — Russian ambassador

According to Andrey Kelin, the UK’s official reaction to the launch of the Oreshnik missile was rather vague

Hungary wants to preserve relations with Russia as part of economic neutrality — Orban

The prime minister underscored that, "the more serious the problems in Europe are, the more decisively the economic relations in all other markets should be promoted"

Russia ready to normalize relations with US without detriment to its interests — Putin

The previous generation of Russian politicians chose the course towards the country’s destruction for the sake of joining the so-called civilized world but this was what the West wanted, President Vladimir Putin

Press review: Israel and Hamas near a truce while Zelensky drafts a new negotiation plan

Top stories from the Russian press on Thursday, December 19th

Kalashnikov improves combat capabilities of Vikhr-1 aviation missile

"I will not comment on that in any further detail, it is our client’s prerogative," Kalashnikov CEO Alan Lushnikov said

Death toll from Israeli strikes on Gaza Strip exceeds 45,200 — health ministry

More than 107,600 people received wounds

Russia declassifies intel about France’s plans to send 2,000 troops to Ukraine

SVR Director Sergey Naryshkin said on March 19 that Paris was already preparing to send some 2,000 troops to Ukraine

Group of foreign mercenaries taken out in Velikaya Novosyolka in Donbass region

The military said that a conversation in a foreign language was intercepted by radio intelligence before visual control over the group was established

Musk believes Germany’s Scholz should step down after car drives into crowd in Magdeburg

Meanwhile, Scholz will visit Magdeburg to assess the situation later on Saturday

Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger reaffirm withdrawal from ECOWAS irreversible

"The College of national leaders considers the attempt to prolong the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from ECOWAS yet another attempt that would allow the French junta and its lackeys to continue planning and carrying out actions, aimed at destabilization of the Sahel Alliance," says the joint statement

Russian missile cruiser Admiral Nakhimov to become world’s strongest warship after upgrade

The heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser Admiral Nakhimov has been under repairs at the Sevmash Shipyard since 1999; real work on the warship has been carried out since 2013

NATO spies study damage from Oreshnik at Yuzhmash — expert

Alexander Stepanov emphasized that both Kiev and its Western allies are closely scrutinizing the consequences of the strike on the plant

Zelensky actually flips the bird to Trump by insulting Putin, Medvedev says

The politician emphasized that "the president of a major country should be extremely polite and amiable"

Kiev to face more destruction after its UAV attack on Kazan, Putin warns

"We will not only restore the damage that some attempt to cause to us but will also move forward even at a faster pace as we are doing now," Russian President said

Ten dead dolphins found in Russia’s Krasnodar region following oil spill

Additionally, mass beaching of Azov Sea harbor porpoises has been reported in Novorossiysk, some 60-70 km (32-42 nautical miles) from Anapa, where the oil spill occurred, Tatyana Belei highlighted

Air raid alert issued in six Ukrainian regions

Earlier, an air raid alert was declared in the Kiev, Sumy and Chernigov Regions

Press review: South Korean president impeached as Ukraine turns to foreign mercenaries

Top stories from the Russian press on Monday, December 16th