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Ukrainian delegation at PACE will insist on keeping sanctions on Russia, Pushkov says

Another PACE session will be held in Strasbourg on January 26-28

© ЕРА/THIERRY SUZAN

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Naryshkin doubts if Russia should stay at PACE in 2015 if stripped of powers

MOSCOW, January 20. /TASS/. The Ukrainian delegation at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) will insist on keeping West’s sanctions on Russia, head of the international affairs committee of the State Duma Alexey Pushkov said on Tuesday.

“Judging by the Ukrainian representative’s statements at the monitoring commission meeting in Paris, the Ukrainian delegation at PACE will press for keeping sanctions on Russia,” he twitted on Tuesday.

Another PACE session will be held in Strasbourg on January 26-28.

At its April 2014 session, PACE stripped the Russian delegation of the right to vote until January 2015 and excluded it from all Assembly’s management bodies for Crimea’s reunification with Russia. Russian lawmakers then walked out of the session in protest and refused to further participate in the PACE work. Since then, the Russian delegation has not attended the Assembly’s summer and autumn sessions in Strasbourg.

In mid-November 2014, Naryshkin told the press that the Russian delegation was ready to return to the full-format participation in PACE’s work in 2015, adding that in his opinion, PACE has huge potential to help in overcoming the current crisis of political trust in Europe. He also urged his foreign colleagues to renew the Assembly’s agenda, removing all unimportant questions, and adding those that are of primary importance.

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Resolution prepared to deprive Russia of rights in PACE again

In January 2015, the powers of all delegations at PACE are to be formally reapproved.

On December 18, 2014 the Duma Council made a decision to include in Russia’s PACE delegation Duma speaker Sergey Naryshkin and his deputy Sergey Zhelezhnyak. This means that in accordance with the procedural rules, Naryshkin as the delegation’s permanent member can attend the PACE January session that will raise the issue of the return of Assembly powers to Russia.

Naryshkin said on Monday that he was considering “an optimistic scenario of PACE action (towards Russia’s delegation).” “But if other opinion prevails, as for myself, I doubt the expediency of continuation of our work at PACE — at least during 2015,” he said.

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PACE Sergey Naryshkin Alexey Pushkov

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Lavrov says Borrell let it slip that Europe ‘fighting against Russia’

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Russia can join top three countries by lithium reserves — governor

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

Vladimir Saldo called on other Ukrainian servicemen to switch to the Russian side and request the corresponding assistance

Russia, Iran maintain contacts on nuclear security - deputy foreign minister

Sergey Ryabkov said that "very soon, Russia and Iran will have new additional opportunities to discuss the situation in the Middle East in general, as well as details of what is going on there at this point"

Iran says drones downed over Isfahan launched from country's territory

"A failed attack with a few quadcopters that were shot down cannot be considered a real attack anywhere in the world," a spokesman for Iran’s Supreme Council of Cyberspace said

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

israeli Permanent Representative Gilad Erdan was to address the council after Palestinian envoy Riyad Mansour

Nord Stream AG's refusal to pay compensation destroys Western insurance system — diplomat

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Iran intends to bolster military cooperation with Russia — envoy to Moscow

Kazem Jalali noted that Iran had demonstrated its ability to ensure security and nudge the region toward a de-escalation

CIA chief says Ukraine could lose by end of this year — Politico

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MiG-31I fighters receive air refueling system

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Kiev ordered mandatory evacuation from Kharkov Region to accommodate mercenaries

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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

Shoigu orders additional tank protection sets for Ukraine operation

The minister also inspected the training process in Omsk Armor Engineering Institute

Hungary to not intervene in Ukrainian conflict on any side, PM says

Viktor Orban believes the first phase of the conflict, which included proposals on sending troops to Ukraine, is over

Crimea, Donbass to forever remain within Russia, Slovak PM tells national parliament

Robert Fico believes Moscow will win in its confrontation with Kiev

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 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

Israel to not take responsibility for attack on Iran — newspaper

Israeli sources also said that they did not understand why the Pentagon had leaked information about Israel's involvement in the attack to the media

Iran suspends flights above several cities amid reports of air attack — IRNA

Fox News said the Jewish state delivered a limited strike on Iran

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

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

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North Korean leader arrives at public event in Aurus luxury car gifted by Putin

On April 10, the vehicle was also spotted when the North Korean leader visited Kim Jong Il Military and Political Academy

US blocks Security Council resolution granting full UN membership to Palestine

A total of 12 countries, including Russia and China, voted in favor of the document

Military base near Iran’s Isfahan hit following attack — newspaper

The sources said that Iranian forces managed to destroy several small drones near the city of Tabriz, about 800 kilometers from Isfahan

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

Putin sees increasing life expectancy as key policy goal for Russia

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

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

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US blackmails other countries at United Nations — Russian mission

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Sounds in Isfahan due to air defense work to repel attacks by suspicious objects — general

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Press review: Ukraine, Israel vie for EU’s attention and Georgia passes controversial bill

Top stories from the Russian press on Thursday, April 18th

Effort to grant full UN membership to Palestine will continue — Russian mission

"The UN history has precedents when states were not admitted on their first try. The number of attempts is not limited," Nadezhda Sokolova said

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"They would have been scared had anyone come down on them with similar ferocity," the Russian foreign minister added

Moscow-based embassies of NATO countries helped anti-government groups, Lavrov says

The top Russian diplomat also spoke about the detention in Germany of two people suspected of spying for Russia

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

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, an Aerospace Forces’ Tu-22M3 bomber crashed after completing a combat mission while returning to the airfield

Israel assesses effectiveness, consequences of strike on Iran — media

A spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces declined to comment on the reports of the strike

Nuclear sites in Iran’s Isfahan province are safe — Tasnim agency

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West frightens voters by 'Russian threat' to win elections — Lavrov

The top Russian diplomat pointed out that the anti-Russian rhetoric of Western politicians in power intensifies as the elections approach

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

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Colombian president displays interest in country’s entry into BRICS

Brazilian leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva welcomed Gustavo Petro’s initiative, "being committed to promotion of Colombia’s candidacy"

Switzerland does not suit Russia for negotiations on Ukraine — Lavrov

The Foreign Minister pointed to the fact that Switzerland is on board with all Western sanctions

Russian Aerospace Forces strike five militant hideouts in Syria’s Homs

Yury Popov said that aircraft of the so-called international anti-terrorism coalition, led by the United States, continue to set dangerous precedents in skies above Syria

Syrian ministry says Israeli jets struck air defense facilities in country’s south

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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"

Iran done with retaliation, calls for efforts to stop Israel from reckless steps — MFA

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Situation in Iran’s Isfahan stabilizes after drone attack — media

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Romania tries to cancel Russian culture by banning films — diplomat

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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

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

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"

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

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The exact location of the damaged pipeline or the causes of the incident is not reported