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West obstructs fighting COVID pandemic in ‘undesirable’ countries, Lavrov says

In 2020, Russia helped many countries affected by the pandemic - both in bilateral format and through multilateral structures - and it is ready for further cooperation in order to overcome this common distress, Lavrov noted

MOSCOW, December 30. /TASS/. The Western countries seek to use the pandemic to "punish the undesirable governments" by not responding to calls to at least temporarily withdraw a portion of sanctions that complicate the epidemiologic situation in those states, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told TASS.

In 2020, Russia helped many countries affected by the pandemic - both in bilateral format and through multilateral structures - and it is ready for further cooperation in order to overcome this common distress, Lavrov noted.

"This is our difference from a number of Western countries who not only seek to politicize a strictly humanitarian issue of fighting the coronavirus infection, but also to use the pandemic to punish the undesirable governments, by ignoring the UN’s calls to at least temporarily withdraw a portion of unilateral restrictions that complicate the sanitary and epidemiological situation in the corresponding countries," Lavrov noted.

"In this regard, it seems logical that, despite the difficult situation, we were able to develop and increase our friendly cooperation with the majority of the countries of the world in the most wide spectrum of issues this year. Among those countries are our allies, associates and partners from CSTO, EAEU, CIS, BRICS, SCO," the Minister added.

Meanwhile, Lavrov underscored that Russia’s power is in its peaceful, predictable foreign policy course and its readiness to mutually respectful work with all partners.

"We do not play ‘zero sum’ geopolitical games, we do not think in archaic concepts of spheres of influence. on the contrary, we implement the idea that large-scale trans-border problems could only be efficiently resolved by unification, via the principle of solidarity," he added.

At the same time, Russia remains open to a dialogue with the Western colleagues, should they refrain from "mentorship, the policy of blackmailing and ultimatums," the Foreign Minister said. "Both our relations, the international security and the stability in general stand to win from this," Lavrov concluded.

Military operation in Ukraine

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G7 leaders to decide on Russian assets use — Italian Deputy PM

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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

Russia won’t allow NATO to move closer in Ukraine — Lavrov

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Russian investigators start inquiry into financing of terrorism by US, NATO officials

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French president says creating Israeli-type air defense network for Ukraine impossible

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Ukrainian trace obvious in Crocus City Hall attack — Russian prosecutor general

The law enforcement employees exert efforts to identify the instigators of this crime, Igor Krasnov said

Senior Chinese official to take part in conference on security in Russia — diplomat

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KazMunayGas, Sibur, Sinopec sign protocol on plant construction in Kazakhstan

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Iran has no plans to immediately retaliate to attack on its soil — agency

"We have not received any external attack, and the discussion leans more towards infiltration than attack," a senior Iranian official reported

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Victor Gumenny said the advanced systems may solve the tasks of air-space defence and may fight hypersonic weapons

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

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Russian economy proves resilience amid large-scale sanctions — IMF

The IMF states that the restrictions led to the need to rebuild the economy

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

Top stories from the Russian press on Friday, April 19th

Russian stock indices rising on Friday

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

William Burns said "there is a very real risk that the Ukrainians could at least put Putin in a position where he could essentially dictate the terms of a political settlement"

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

FACTBOX: Collective Security Treaty Organization

The Collective Security Treaty came into force on April 20, 1994 to herald the emergence what would eventually become the Collective Security Treaty Organization. The six member-countries are Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan

Lavrov speaks of West’s agony, Russia’s approach to any future talks with Kiev

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Ukraine’s military loses positions near Avdeyevka, says DPR

Igor Kimakovsky said that Ukrainian forces suffered heavy casualties among personnel and military hardware, including Western equipment

Russia not to go for settlement on Ukraine based on 'Zelensky formula' — Lavrov

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NATO discussing transfer of ‘deep precision strike capabilities’ to Ukraine — Stoltenberg

Stoltenberg said NATO believes Ukraine has the right to strike "legitimate military targets" inside Russia

Founder of neo-Nazi cell in Crimea flees to Georgia — source

According to the official, the investigation established that Mikhail Maurov planned to travel to Ukraine to join the ranks of a right-wing Ukrainian organization called the Freedom of Russia Legion

West close to sending military to Ukraine, this would 'drag Europe to bottom' — Orban

"This military whirlpool can drag Europe to the bottom. Brussels is playing with fire and angering God," the Hungarian prime minister said

Number of flooded residential buildings in Russia drops to 16,200

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West wants to make Transnistria hotbed of tension — Lavrov

According to the top Russian diplomat, the leaders who rule countries where they claim to be from while holding foreign passports "will not enjoy support and authority for long"

US volunteer Russel Bentley missing in Donetsk killed — RT editor-in-chief

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Iran may target Israeli nuclear center in Dimona in case of Israel’s attack — TV

Ahmad Haghtalab said on April 18 that Tehran has identified the location of Israel's "nuclear centers" and will be ready to destroy them in case the Jewish state responds to the recent Iranian attack on Israeli military facilities

Kiev ordered mandatory evacuation from Kharkov Region to accommodate mercenaries

Evacuation campaigns are regularly organized by the Kiev government, under the pretext of security issues

Proposals on Russian assets confiscation undermine financial system — Finance Minister

Russia urges the International Monetary Fund to resume the effort of improving the global monetary and financial system, Anton Siluanov noted

Air defenses repel Ukrainian drone attack in Russia’s Smolensk Region — governor

Vasily Anokhin urged local residents to remain calm and refrain from filming air defenses in operation.

UN secretary general urges Azerbaijan, Armenia to normalize relations

Stephane Dujarric noted that the secretary general "encourages the parties to continue the delimitation and demarcation of the remaining sections of the border and tackle all outstanding bilateral issues toward achieving full normalization of relations."

Russia knows French military instructors working in Ukraine — Lavrov

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Russia can join top three countries by lithium reserves — governor

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Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also expressed condolences to Eremin’s family and friends

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Participation in ‘Columbine’ movement may result in life sentence — Prosecutor General

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North Korean agriculture committee’s delegation sets off on visit to Russia

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Russia’s defense chief inspects production of tanks, flamethrowers at Siberian enterprise

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

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Two pilots of jet that crashed in southern Russia hospitalized

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

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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

Blast rocks military base south of Baghdad — Reuters

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Russian defense chief checks implementation of orders to develop drones

All the presented drones and payload were created from domestic composite materials and elements

Russia delivers 34 strikes on Ukrainian military infrastructure over week — top brass

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Israeli aviation strikes towns in Gaza Strip

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BRICS’ expansion makes it much stronger — senior Russian diplomat

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Shoigu orders additional tank protection sets for Ukraine operation

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