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Developments in eastern Ukraine

Ukraine needs western arms to achieve peace, says foreign minister

He said Kiev needed elements of anti-tank defense system, transport means and radio transmitters

© AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda

BERLIN, February 21. /TASS/. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavel Klimkin has once again urged the West for arms supplies to Ukraine, saying Kiev needs them to achieve peace.

"Our appeal for supplies of modern defense weapons to Ukraine stays in place," the foreign minister told the German Bild daily. "We need them for peace, not for war," Klimkin said.

He said Kiev needed elements of anti-tank defense system, transport means and radio transmitters.

Read also

Kiev’s compliance with Minsk Accords to better human rights situation — Russian diplomat

The top diplomat also spoke in favour of a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, where Germany could also take part.

"I believe Germany could take on more responsibility in the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis," he said, adding that the Minsk agreements remained "the only path to peace".

On February 12 the Belarussian capital Minsk hosted hours-long overnight talks by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko, French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, as well as a meeting of the Contact Group for Ukraine.

The meetings produced a package of measures to implement the Minsk Accords, such as a ceasefire in certain areas of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions starting from February 15, the pullback of heavy armaments and measures for a long-term political settlement of the situation in Ukraine.

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Eastern Ukraine

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Several Ukrainian drones destroyed over Kursk Region

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

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Moldovan authorities seize large sums of money from opposition activists

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Russian-Kazakh commission discusses border demarcation issues

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Russian troops liberate Novomikhailovka community in DPR — top brass

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Destroyed TV tower in Kharkov carried Ukrainian air defense coordination device — official

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Russia recovers black boxes from crashed Tu-22M3 bomber

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Russian Foreign Ministry gives Israeli ambassador talking-to over critical remarks

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Ukrainian troops fleeing Ocheretino in small groups, says DPR

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Conflict in Ukraine can be over by end of 2025, Hungary’s Orban believes

Prime Minister said that it is possible if proponents of peace, not war, win the June elections to the European Parliament and the US Presidential elections in November

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"If we see a serious threat to us, we will have to take serious measures," the Azerbaijani President warned

Turkey will not join sanctions against Russia — Erdogan

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"The commander of our defense forces has recommended this," Norwegian Defense Minister Bjorn Arild Gram said

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NATO Secretary General did not immediately understand the reporter’s question, forcing the reporter to explain that they were referring to the idea of deploying nuclear weapons in Poland

Flow of cargo traffic via North-South transport corridor to reach 60-100 mln tons

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UN chief describes current state of climate as ‘preview of disaster’

Antonio Guterres stressed that the world community must reduce global greenhouse emissions by 43% by 2030 compared to 2019

Ukrainian army loses 444,000 troops during military operation — Shoigu

According to the Russian defense minister, the liberation of several residential settlements in Donbass, disclosed Kiev attempts to prevent the collapse of the front

Weapons for new US package for Kiev yet to be found — Ukrainian ambassador

Oksana Markarova explained that $4 billion worth of weapons that was to be provided under the previous decisions still remained undersupplied

Republika Srpska president praises Moscow-Banja Luka relations, favors strengthening them

Milorad Dodik also touched upon the topic of sanctions mentioned by Patrushev earlier

Detained deputy defense minister suspected of taking grand bribe of over $10,000

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Putin informed about detention of Deputy Defense Minister Ivanov

Minister Sergey Shoigu was also informed beforehand, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said

Russian envoy, Sudan's intelligence chief discuss military-political situation in republic

Director of Sudan's General Intelligence Service Ahmed Mufadda is currently in Russia to attend the 12th International Meeting of High Representatives for Security Issues

One more Ukrainian drone shot down over Belgorod Region — defense ministry

The Kiev regime’s attempted terrorist attack on facilities in Russia’s territory with the use of a fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle was thwarted

Ukrainian military’s shelling leaves two civilians wounded in DPR in past day

The Ukrainian armed forces carried out 22 attacks on residential areas in the Donetsk People’s Republic

EU may sanction 10 firms for allegedly shipping weapons tech to Russia — Bloomberg

According to the agency, the companies being assessed for potential sanctions are based outside Russia but have links to Russian and Belarussian individuals and firms

Azerbaijani president accuses West of seeking to draw vision lines in South Caucasus

"That is why we expressed our concern over the unprecedented meeting in Brussels between the European Commission president, the US secretary of state, and the Armenian prime minister," Ilham Aliyev stressed

Russia’s UN envoy, Serbian leader discuss coordination on Kosovo at UN

They "exchanged opinions on a wide range of pressing bilateral and international issues while focusing on the situation in the Balkans," the Russian diplomatic mission to the UN said

West balancing on edge of direct military confrontation between nuclear powers — Lavrov

According to the top Russian diplomat, it is especially concerning that the three Western nuclear powers are among the key sponsors of the Kiev regime and the main initiators of various inflammatory moves

Russia presents world’s first hydrogen-fueled luxury car at Innoprom exhibition

The unique vehicle was built on the basis of the Aurus Senat luxury car

Value of frozen Russian assets in Switzerland drops to $6.36 bln over the year

The Swiss authorities pointed out that the value of assets of the Bank of Russia "may fluctuate in either direction, notably as a result of valuation changes on frozen securities, bank charges and exchange rate movements"

Russia’s top brass reports destroying US-made Hawk air defense system in Ukraine operation

Russia’s Battlegroup South inflicted casualties on personnel and equipment of two Ukrainian army brigades and improved its tactical position over the past day, the Defense Ministry reported

Finnish President calls for calmer discourse on Russia — FT

Alexander Stubb called on European countries to "be more like Finland" now, explaining that they need to be "more prepared"

Speakers of EU parliaments back idea of creating rapid response forces

The speakers praised the EU initiative to have its own military capability to "defend the security of its people, their interests and democratic values"

Press review: Biden backs aid to Israel, Ukraine and Russia assets giving West legal fits

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Russia invites all countries to develop North - South transport corridor — Putin

"The North-South transport corridor should become an example of the broadest international cooperation," the Russian leader said

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"However, you have nothing to worry about, as Ze’s Ukraine has blown its chances for such a favorable outcome, and therefore any possible deal will now reflect its capitulation," Russian First Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Dmitry Polyansky said

Lavrov states West’s growing concern about BRICS plans to develop own financial tools

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Russian troops destroy four boats with Ukrainian assault force on Dnieper River

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Throughput capacity of Baikal-Amur Mainline surging threefold in twelve years

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Modern weapons make up 82% in Russian air defense troops — Shoigu

"The Kiev regime has failed to achieve the goals of its counteroffensive prepared by NATO instructors," the defense minister said

Most agents at Security Service of Ukraine set on war with Russia — former officer

Vasily Prozorov said that "it is extremely difficult to count on any better judgement on their part"

Ukrainian army strikes own surrendering soldiers — POW

Andrey Babenko said that after a crash course in Britain he had been sent to the frontline near Liman

Russian envoy, authorities of Afghanistan call for unfreezing of Afghan assets

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Ukrainian connection to Crocus terrorist attack undeniable — ex-SBU officer

Vasily Prozorov noted that the perpetrators could have been eliminated once they crossed the border

De Beers cuts diamond mining due to unsold inventories

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Qatari Foreign Ministry Spokesman Majed Al-Ansari said that ten families from Ukraine, including 16 children, and ten families from Russia, including 21 children, arrived in Doha on April 18

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The aid package includes vehicles, Stinger man-portable air defense system munitions, HIMARS rockets, 155-mm artillery shells, TOW and Javelin anti-tank missiles and other weapons that could be "used at the battlefield immediately"

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"There is no magic weapon, there is no series of weapons that could change this" situation for the Ukrainian armed forces, Scott Ritter said

US has no idea what to do about Zelensky — Seymour Hersh

According to the journalist, the decision to conduct the operation was made by US President Joe Biden personally, following nine months of discussions with White House national security advisers

Eleven Russians dead, 48 injured in Ukrainian strikes over week

Rodion Miroshnik pointed out that over the past week, Ukrainian forces fired "at least 1,278 rounds of ammunition" at the civilian facilities in the border regions

Current Russian turn eastward possible owing to Baikal-Amur railway — Putin

BAM personifies giant labor and courage of two million very young people from across the entire Soviet Union, the Russian leader said

Ukrainian presidential office confirms London’s agrement to Zaluzhny as ambassador

Verkhovna Rada legislator Alexey Goncharenko said on Monday that the UK had granted its agrement to the Ukrainian former Commander-in-Chief

Israel retaliates missile launches from Gaza Strip — IDF

A warning had been issued before the attack calling on people to temporarily evacuate from the area

Gaza settlement crucial for Islamic world, Erdogan believes

In his opinion, it would be a mistake to view the Gaza issue solely from the perspective of October 7, 2023, when the Palestinian-Israeli conflict sharply escalated

More than a hundred Russian companies operating in Cuba — Russian Deputy PM

The work of Russian companies in Cuba will positively influence bilateral trade figures in the near future, Dmitry Chernyshenko stressed

Chinese car plant to start production at former Mercedes site in Moscow region in May

Earlier it was reported that the German automobile concern Mercedes-Benz plans to sell its enterprise located in the Solnechnogorsk district of the Moscow region

Russia and friendly countries produce almost 90% of components for Aurus cars — NAMI

"We developed this car in close cooperation with European, Korean and other foreign partners, but due to certain events we had to abandon this cooperation," Alexander Lebedev pointed out

Press review: Dissecting US aid package to Ukraine and sands of global economy shifting

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Beijing condemns US hypocrisy around Ukraine conflict

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Wang Wenbin reiterated that China "is not an instigator or a party to the Ukrainian crisis and has never fanned the flames of the conflict, not to mention, used the situation for its own purposes"

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Ukrainian forces refuse to obey Commander-in-Chief Syrsky — CIA ex-analyst

Larry Johnson also noted that the Russian forces manage to advance recently despite the slush on the roads

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Kremlin vows legal action against US bill on seizing Russian assets

Dmitry Peskov noted that the trial will be "very complex," but will cause severe damage to US economic interests if the US authorities finally approve the bill regarding Russian assets

Russian forces take Ukrainian strongholds near Klescheyevka under control

Apty Alaudinov posted a drone video footage of elimination Ukrainian personnel and Russian forces capturing enemy trenches

Russia to incorporate US nuke scenario in Poland in its military planning — diplomat

"Poland’s authorities make no secret of their striving to lean closer on the US nuclear weapons deployed in Europe and are actively using these ambitions in their hostile Russian policy," Maria Zakharova stressed

Mobilization law condition for new supplies of arms to Kiev by NATO — source

Arms supplies are only reasonable if a large number of military personnel able to use those weapons in defense and assault operations is available

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

"In any case, whatever the modality of providing this aid, de facto it is about provoking Ukraine into further hostilities down to the last Ukrainian, putting guarantted money in the pockets of the US," Dmitry Peskov said

Switzerland unblocks Russia-related assets worth 290 mln Swiss francs

The total amount of blocked assets of the Russian Federation decreased by 150 million Swiss francs (about $165 million) due to the fact that a number of individuals "were removed from the EU sanctions lists"

Builders from Azerbaijan participate in BAM upgrade — Putin

"Design engineers and construction workers from Azerbaijan built two settlements with terminal facilities during BAM construction - Ulkan and Angoya," the Russian President said

US using human rights topics to shake political situation in Russia — embassy

"Attacks against Russia mainly focused on challenging the legality of the special military operation in Ukraine", the Russian embassy said

Russian deputy defense minister detained on suspicion of bribe-taking

"Russian Deputy Defense Minister Timur Vladimirovich Ivanov was detained on suspicion of committing a crime under part 6, article 290 of the Russian Criminal Code," the Russian Investigative Committee said

Ukraine lost best fighters near Artyomovsk, retired general says

Sergey Krivonos added that relocation of troops from one direction to another will not solve Ukrainian forces’ problems, and that each fighter should be used according to their specialization

Top Russian security official praises Republika Srpska’s principled position on Ukraine

"In this context, we particularly appreciate the principled position against joining the sanctions regime, your firm and consistent line on the Ukrainian crisis is particularly valuable for us," Nikolay Patrushev pointed out

West battlegroup destroys two Ukrainian drones, hit over 170 Ukrainian army’s facilities

The battlegroup’s spokesman Ivan Bigma said that a Gvozdika self-propelled system, nine mortar squads, two Furiya fixed-wing type unmanned aerial vehicles were destroyed

Militants cornered in Nalchik open fire when told to surrender — authorities

According to the press service of the National Antiterrorism Committee, FSB officers were informed about the whereabouts of individuals suspected of terrorist activities

Four women killed in Zaporozhye Region in Ukrainian drone attack

The local emergencies services stressed that the car was targeted deliberately

Senior Russian diplomat warns about proportional response to threats coming from Finland

According to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko, many of such measures have already been announced

France preparing contingent of 2,000 troops to be sent to Ukraine — intelligence chief

According to Sergey Naryshkin, the French military "fears that such a large military unit cannot be transferred and stationed in Ukraine unnoticed"

Raisi doubts 'Israeli regime' to exist in case of its attack on Iran

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Putin signs law on holding World Friendship Games

Funding will be provided from the federal, regional and local budgets, as well as taxes from gambling transferred to the organizer

US again forbids Russian diplomats from laying flowers to ‘Spirit of Elbe’ plaque — envoy

"Last December, our diplomats were not allowed to visit the National Ford Richardson Cemetery in Anchorage," Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov noted

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

US Abrams tanks, Bradley APCs unloaded in Greece — report

The website underscores the great importance of the port of Alexandroupolis for the US and NATO

Putin proclaims Odessa Russian city, challenges Ukraine's historical narrative

At the same time, the president noted that once upon a time "Vladimir Lenin gave away the whole of Ukraine when he created the Soviet Union"

Mexicans, Colombians recruited in US jails to be deployed in Ukraine — SVR

Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service said that in case the inmates agree to this "mission," "they are promised full amnesty, reckoning they would never come back"