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About 1.7 million Syrian refugees willing to return home - reconciliation center

According to the UN Refugee Agency, about 6.675 million registered Syrian refugees are temporarily living in 45 countries

MOSCOW, March 16. /TASS/. About 1.7 Syrian refugees, officially registered in foreign countries, are willing to return to their homeland, the Russian center for reconciliation of conflicting sides and refugee migration monitoring in Syria said in a daily bulletin on Saturday.

"It is estimated that 1,712,264 Syrian nationals in ten countries voiced their desire to come back home. Since September 30, 2015, in total 389,735 Syrians have returned to their homes from abroad," the bulletin said.

According to the UN Refugee Agency, about 6.675 million registered Syrian refugees are temporarily living in 45 countries. Of those, Turkey hosts more than a half, or 3.6 million people, Lebanon - about one million Syrians and another 700,000 are staying in Jordan.

"Syria’s government is making active efforts to increase the efficiency of the process for the return of Syrian refugees from foreign states," the center added.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Perm sub with Tsirkon hypersonic missiles to enter service with Russian Navy in 2026

Test launches of the Tsirkon missiles from the Project 885 Sverodvinsk submarine were conducted in the White Sea on October 4, 2022

Eight people killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza Strip — TV

According to Al Jazeera, Israeli forces shelled a residential building in Deir al-Balah and a downtown Khan Yunis

Embassies of 12 countries closed in North Korea amid shortage of goods

All foreign personnel of international humanitarian organizations have also left, the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang said

Eight people killed in Israeli strike on school in Gaza Strip

According to the TV channel Al Jazeera, the refugees were housed at a school in the Al-Daraj neighborhood

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

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

US confirms strikes on Houthi command posts in Yemen

CENTCOM forces also shot down several Houthi unmanned aerial vehicles and an anti-ship cruise missile over the Red Sea

Ukrainian shelling of Russia’s Rylsk damages 12 buildings — governor

Three of them are not subject to restoration, Alexander Khinshtein said

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

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

Magnitude 5.3 earthquake rocks South Africa

No injuries or damage were reported

What is known about Russia’s retaliatory strike on Ukraine after attack on Rostov Region

Kiev Mayor Vitaly Klitschko reported the fires in Solomensky and Shevchenkovsky districts

Slovak PM to visit Moscow for talks with Putin, Serbian president says

"Robert Fico will travel to visit Putin as a European countries leader," Aleksandar Vucic said

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

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

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

Putin meets with Federation Council Speaker Matviyenko in Kremlin

The upper chamber of the parliament wrapped up its autumn session

Kremlin mum on reports about Slovakian prime minister's plans to visit Moscow

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said earlier that the Slovak prime minister intended to hold talks with Putin on December 23 amid Vladimir Zelensky's refusal to extend gas transit through Ukraine

Four new Russian regions moving toward self-sufficiency at a rapid pace — Putin

According to the head of state, tax revenues have seen a consistent increase in absolute figures

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

The ministry clarified that Ukraine launched a missile strike against the Kamensky Integrated Plant in the Rostov Region using six US-made ATACMS missiles and four Storm Shadow cruise missiles

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

Mourhaf Abu Qasra becomes top Syrian defense official in transitional government — TV

According to Al Watan newspaper, Abu Qasra was the commander of the military wing of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham movement

Russia-US dialogue on Ukraine can be conducted on different platforms — senior diplomat

Everything depends on its content and the approach of the team of US President-elect Donald Trump are important, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said

Possible arrival of new Russian envoy before Trump’s inauguration depends on US — diplomat

"However, since he is a very prominent and experienced diplomat, I think the host country should have no doubt that he will show a high level of professionalism and his efforts will aim to at least slightly improve bilateral relations," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov noted

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

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

TASS has gathered the main information about the incident

Putin holding talks with visiting Slovak PM

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

Houthis say attacked US aircraft carrier in Red Sea, shot down US fighter jet

According to the Houthi spokesman, the strike on US vessels was delivered with the use of "eight cruise missiles and 17 drones"

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

Ukraine’s General Staff admits tense situation along entire frontline

The Ukrainian military also admitted the Russian army’s supremacy in terms of military equipment and the size of personnel

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

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

According to Alexander Stepanov, strikes are systematic efforts to gradually wipe out the military capabilities of Ukraine

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Civilian industrial complex supplies Russian army with over 65 types of units — top brass

Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov praised the new mechanisms for accelerating the introduction of advanced weapons and equipment developed by the civilian defense industrial complex in the interests of the Russian army

Syrian armed groups to merge into one under auspices of the country's Defense Ministry

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

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Maximal costs of Nord Stream pipeline repair to be 633 mln euro

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Russia to raise issue of Ukrainian strikes on Rylsk at UNSC meeting on Friday — diplomat

Acting Kursk Region Governor Alexander Khinshtein said earlier that the town of Rylsk, located some 120 kilometers west of Kursk, had come under Ukrainian fire

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

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According to the Al Hadath TV channel, at least three strikes hit Ansar Allah military facilities located in Sanaa, including rebel locations

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According to John Mearsheimer, Russia has become much stronger over the past two to three years because it has managed to become "a truly sovereign country"

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

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Airborne troops from Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr wipe out enemy position in Kherson region

A Russian airborne crew hit the target by firing a 120-mm mortar gun on a Ukrainian temporary position

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

Mother of missing US reporter thanks Putin for promising help in locating her son

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

Russian forces control more than half of Chasov Yar in DPR — expert

Andrey Marochko noted that Russian forces had "slightly advanced" in the northern and southern parts of Chasov Yar

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

Brazil unveils BRICS logo for 2025

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

Top stories from the Russian press on Friday, December 20th

Russia to invite World War II allies to next year’s Victory Day parade

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Syria's new authorities appoint Asaad Hassan al-Shibani as foreign minister

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Artyom military plant reportedly on fire after explosions in Kiev

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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

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

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Series of explosions rock central Kiev — eyewitnesses

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

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Putin suggests Zelensky may flee abroad, says Russia would take him in

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Baltic states threaten mass deportation of Russians, take lead in Russophobia — statement

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

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Biden signs bill to fund US government until March 14, 2025

The US Senate and House of Representatives approved the bill a day before

Scholz, German Interior Minister booed during visit to terrorist attack site — newspaper

A protest broke out during the chancellor's and minister's visit, with demonstrators whistling and shouting "Get out!"

Putin agrees 'Russian world' now faces war

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

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Ukraine to halt Russian gas transit on January 1, 2025 — Ukrainian PM

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

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Putin sends greetings on Russia’s Energy Industry Worker’s Day

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Yemen’s Houthis announce hypersonic missile strike at military facility near Tel Aviv

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Top stories from the Russian press on Wednesday, December 18th

German chancellor exasperated by idea of spending frozen Russian assets to help Kiev

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

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

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Air raid alert issued in six Ukrainian regions

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

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