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Lavrov says he knows Pentagon chief is interested in meeting with Shoigu

The Russian top diplomat pointed out it was important to understand what the US mean by "normality"

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu Anton Novoderezhkin/TASS

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu

© Anton Novoderezhkin/TASS

MOSCOW, September 9. /TASS/. US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper is interested in a meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday after a 2+2 meeting of Russian and French foreign and defense ministers.

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"I know that when the chiefs of the general staffs had a telephone conversation last time, the US general said Mr. Esper would like to establish contact with his Russian counterpart," Lavrov said.

"Normality" the US way

Commenting on the Pentagon chief’s statement that Russia should behave "as a more normal country" Lavrov said it was important to understand in the first place what is ‘normal’ from the viewpoint of the US counterparts, Esper in particular.

"If he really said this, then I can only remark that he urged us to act as a normal country, and not as the United States," Lavrov said. "Otherwise we would be acting the way the United States does — bombing Iraq and Libya in violation of international law and earmarking millions in our government budget for intervention in the affairs of other countries, the way the US Congress did by instructing the US Department of State to spend 20 million dollars a year on advancing democracy in Russia."

In this connection Lavrov recalled the United States’ attitude to Ukraine.

"We would be supporting an anti-constitutional armed coup, the way the United States and its closest allies did in February 2014, when the Ukrainian opposition under the pressure of radicals and neo-Nazis disrupted the agreement signed by the respectable EU member-countries," Lavrov said.

Shoigu agreed with this remark. "It’s hard to add anything to this," he said.

Russia to hold informal UN Security Council meeting on unilateral restrictions

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Moscow hopes West will thoroughly analyze Russia's nuclear doctrine — ambassador

Andrey Kelin also recalled that the policy of the Russian leadership enjoys the full support and confidence of the country's population

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According to Sumantra Maitra, Washington’s move will not improve Kiev’s situation

Ukrainian frontline may 'collapse' under onslaught of Russian forces — BBC

According to the experts, Ukraine’s incursion into Russia’s borderline Kursk Region turned out to be a "strategic catastrophe" amid "manpower shortages"

US is now at war with Russia, Ritter says

According to former US intelligence officer Scott Ritter, the United States "is a direct party to the invasion and occupation of Russian soil," because it helped Kiev plan its incursion into the Kursk Region

Weapons supplied to Ukraine cannot reach Russian territory, Spanish defense minister says

The New York Times reported on November 17 that US President Joe Biden had authorized the use of US-supplied ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles for strikes inside Russia

Preliminary data shows anti-ship missile downed over Sevastopol waters — official

Governor Mikhail Razvozhayev said that all emergencies services currently work in the high alert mode

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According to Dmitry Suslov, retaliatory measures may include the handover of more advanced weapons to the forces "that are directly fighting against the US, particularly, in the Middle East"

Russian air defense deflects attacks with Western missiles — Putin

"As a result, the goals that the enemy apparently set have not been achieved," the Russian leader said

Decision on strikes inside Russia seals US puppet Zelensky’s fate — commentator

The New York Times reported earlier, citing sources, that US President Joe Biden had authorized the use of US-made ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles for strikes inside Russia

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Washington has no plans of updating nuclear posture after Russia’s test of new missile

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West launched missiles targeting Russia’s Bryansk, Kursk Regions — Putin

Russian air defenses repulsed all attacks, the Russian president said

US Congressman urges to impeach Biden for allowing strikes deep into Russia

"By authorizing long range missiles to strike inside Russia, Biden is committing an unconstitutional Act of War that endangers the lives of all US citizens," Thomas Massie said

Trump to continue using Ukraine to contain Russia — Valdai program director

"The US continues to benefit from the Ukrainian crisis, regardless of which administration is in power," Andrey Sushentsov said

China holds US responsible for disrupted defense ministers' meeting in Laos

Wu Qian stated that the United States must immediately correct its mistakes, "honestly respect China’s main interests, and seek to create favorable conditions for high-level contacts between the military of the two countries"

Enemy has no countermeasures for Russia’s Oreshnik missile — Putin

Speaking in a televised address, the head of state assured that Russia will issue notifications before using this type of missile

Putin orders protection of critical infrastructure, including Crimean Bridge — Kremlin

Kiev has not accepted the legitimate results of the 2014 referendum, in which the people of Crimea and Sevastopol voted to become part of Russia, and is displeased by the operation of the Crimean Bridge, which connects the Kerch Strait with the Krasnodar Region

Final test launch of Russia's new RS-26 Rubezh ballistic missile successful — designer

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US missile defense base in Poland long among Russian army’s targets — Foreign Ministry

Maria Zakharova stated that the US-NATO construction project, ongoing for nearly a decade with complete disregard to Russian security concerns, has consistently been a focus of Russia's attention

Kiev suffering fiasco on entire front line — aide to DPR head

Igor Kimakovsky said that "if the West is not physically involved in this war, that is, if NATO is not involved, then Ukraine is actually losing"

Russia’s re-election to UNCITRAL confirms its global reputation — Foreign Ministry

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Biden's decision to use ATACMS on Russia threatens to kill Americans — Tucker Carlson

The journalist also criticized US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson (a Republican representing the state of Louisiana) for "not even mentioning it in public or in leadership meetings" with factions in the lower house of Congress

Zelensky begs ‘for his country to be flattened’ — US journalist

"Ukraine should be forever grateful that President Putin is calm, rational and kind - because Zelensky is practically begging for his country to be flattened," American political commentator Jackson Hinkle said

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Dmitry Peskov chose not to respond to a question about whether Russia has proof that UK-made Storm Shadow missiles had been used against it

Canada neglects its sovereignty by approving transfer of land mines to Kiev — diplomat

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Trump seeks to restore peace in entire world — transition team on Putin’s address

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NATO supports Ukraine not out of charity but for its own strategic interests — deputy head

Boris Ruge argued that NATO now has hundreds of thousands of troops that could be deployed to the alliance's eastern flank or elsewhere within ten days

Zelensky admits Ukraine can't fight its way back to 1991 borders

Vladimir Zelensky also talked about the Crimean Peninsula, stating that Kiev is ready to "bring Crimea back diplomatically"

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"Once again, a chance to free the hostages, who include Russian nationals, has been missed," the statement reads

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The likelihood of a direct armed conflict with NATO is increasing because some individuals in the alliance are ready to raise the stakes ahead of Trump’s inauguration, Andrey Bystritsky emphasized

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Department of Defense Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh also claimed that Washington, while helping Ukraine, is not attempting to turn the conflict into a large-scale regional confrontation that spills beyond the country’s borders

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US strategic forces ready for Biden-Trump transition — Pentagon

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The mood in international markets was mainly neutral

Ukraine was warned about possible missile strike — Pentagon

Department of Defense Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh gave no answer to the question of how could Ukraine prepare for this kind of attack

Ukrainian special services assemble unit for sabotage attacks in Kupyansk — official

According to Yevgeny Lisnyak, the special services threaten people with criminal charges of collaborationism if they refuse to join the unit

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Russia to hold informal UN Security Council meeting on unilateral restrictions

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Ex-German chancellor never expected Russia to tolerate Ukraine’s NATO membership — memoir

Angela Merkel added that another fallacy was the belief that the status "would act as a deterrent," and that Moscow "would accept these developments without taking action"

US, NATO decision on strikes continues policy of escalation — Putin

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Media from unfriendly states will be admitted to Putin's annual press conference — Kremlin

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Russia to address NATO’s engagement in strikes deep inside country — SVR

Sergey Naryshkin observed that the military and political elites in the West are increasingly recognizing the gravity of Russia's intentions and the need for greater caution in their actions

Japanese lawmaker praises Putin's restraint amid decision to strike deep into Russia

Top EU diplomat Josep Borrell confirmed that the US administration had lifted restrictions for US-supplied missiles to be used for strikes up to 300 kilometers inside Russia

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Russia encircles largest Ukrainian fortification in southern DPR — security services

"The enemy positioned in the fortified area in Velikaya Novoselka in the south of the DPR is already trapped in a kill zone," the source said

Biden's decision on missile strikes on Russia is his 'last gasp' — Japanese lawmaker

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Russia not obliged to notify anyone about launch of intermediate-range missile — Kremlin

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US journalist calls US President Joe Biden’s government 'the fascist state'

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Russia fires ballistic, non-nuclear-tipped missile at Ukrainian aerospace plant — Putin

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Xi Jinping calls for unification of more voices for peace in Ukraine

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Russian troops raise flag in central Kurakhovo in Donetsk region — politician

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Russian envoy to international organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov pointed out that from September 23 to November 12, the Russian servicemen suppressed 556 drones near the plant and Energodar

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Trump may soon start talks with Russia following Biden’s decision on ATACMS — news agency

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