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Russia's parliament speaker to visit Iran

MOSCOW, February 7. /TASS/. Chairman of the Russian State Duma (lower house of parliament) Vyacheslav Volodin plans to make a visit to Iran on April 8-9, as he himself told reporters on Wednesday.

"We are scheduled to visit Iran on April 8-9," Volodin said.

A source in the office of the Duma speaker told TASS that it was going to be an official visit.

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Putin comments on Trump’s threats to impose 100% duties on goods from BRICS countries

The Russian leader noted that the dollar was now used as a tool of political pressure

Russia's test of Oreshnik missile proves lack of trust in West — diplomat

Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier emphasized that the West’s provocative policies could have dire consequences if they further escalate the conflict

Ukraine has lost its chance for NATO membership, a ‘normal’ peace treaty with Russia — MP

"Such things are done from a strong position. Now, Zelensky has led the country to a state where such a position has been lost, regrettably," the Ukrainian lawmaker said

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Imangali Tasmagambetov pointed out that NATO’s attempt to invade Russia and Belarus would be sheer foolishness

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Over 300,000 personnel undergo combat training for Ukraine operation — Russia’s top brass

Military instruction pays special attention to servicemen’s individual training

IN BRIEF: What is known about the situation in South Korea

Earlier, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol announced the imposition of martial law

NATO chief says bloc needs to be sure Ukraine has enough people to send to fight

"We need probably more people to move to the front line," Mark Rutte stressed

Telecommunications cable between Sweden, Finland disrupted, newspaper reports

According to the report, it was a submarine internet cable

Lavrov’s interview with Tucker Carlson turns out very interesting — Russian diplomat

According to Maria Zakharova, the interview is currently being translated and will be released in a couple of days

Russian troops enter Novy Komar settlement in DPR — politician

According to Vladimir Rogov, Russian troops have liberated approximately 20 square kilometers north of Velikaya Novoselka, near the village of Razdolnoye

Developments in Russia’s Kursk Region: arrest of mercenary in absentia, Ukrainian losses

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World is now closer to nuclear war than ever before — US journalist Carlson

No one in Washington "is working to make sure that this conflict doesn’t become a nuclear holocaust," the journalist said

Zelensky says Ukraine tested new types of missiles

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Press review: South Korean crisis deepens as Kremlin rules out talks with Kiev

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Oreshnik missile proves all of Ukraine within Russia’s weapons reach — expert

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Putin points to mass human rights violations, persecution of Church in Ukraine

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South Korea’s national security adviser resigns — Yonhap

Earlier, the agency reported that senior administration officials - including advisers and presidential secretariat staffers - started to resign in the wake of the president’s decision to impose martial law

Georgian president unable to become opposition leader — prime minister

Irakli Kobakhidze recalled that Salome Zourabichvili’s presidential term expires on December 29

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Trump tells Trudeau Canada to become 51st US state if it doesn’t stop migration

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Iraq sends tank units to reinforce border with Syria

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US turned UN Security Council meeting on Syria into political farce — Russia’s UN mission

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Syrian army takes control of Hama city’s outskirts — TV

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Russian forces mopping up Stariye Terny community in Donbass region, says official

Vladimir Rogov said earlier that the liberation of that settlement would deny the Ukrainian army the possibility to relocate units directly between Solntsevka in the north and Kurakhovo

Russia traps Ukrainian forces at Kurakhovo pipe plant — security services

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Putin questions logic behind Volkswagen leaving Russia

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Georgian ruling party leader Garibashvili quits his party — TV

No further details were provided

Opposition party leader Nika Gvaramia detained in Georgia

The police also continue to search the offices of other opposition parties and organizations

Zelensky softens rhetoric on territorial concessions to Russia — web portal

According to the report, the rhetoric has changed as Russian troops break through Ukrainian defenses on their increasingly rapid westward advance

Ukraine leaves first line of defense due to risk of encirclement of Nadiya in LPR — expert

Andrey Marochko noted that the enemy units have begun to rapidly reinforce their positions near the Pershotravnevoye-Raigorodka motor road

Russia hammers Ukrainian military airfield infrastructure over past day — top brass

Russia’s Battlegroup West repelled 10 Ukrainian counterattacks and inflicted roughly 500 casualties on enemy troops in its area of responsibility over the past day

Trump must restore relations with Russia to end Ukraine conflict — expert

Alexander Dynkin described the "the first minimal but extremely necessary steps" for Washington

Lavrov dismisses West's ceasefire idea: 'not a path to peace'

According to the top Russian diplomat, Moscow is ready for an honest discussion

Syrian troops regain control over several districts northeast of Hama

According to the report, pro-government forces managed to advance towards the outskirts of the town of Khanasir

Ukraine to make concessions to Russia under Trump’s plan — agency

It is reported that the US president-elect has yet to establish a working group to develop a peace plan for Ukraine

Syrian forces break through encirclement in coordination with Russian military

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In these conditions, Russia was forced to retaliate, the president stressed

MEP says that Zelensky himself does not believe in military solution in Ukraine

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On November 28, members of the Abkhazian parliament adopted a resolution on setting an early presidential election for February 15, 2025

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According to the Armenian Prime Minister, Yerevan suspended its participation in CSTO because of the absence of the "appropriate reaction" to the "external aggression at the borders of sovereign Armenia in 2021 and 2022"

Tucker Carlson says US embassy in Kiev barred Zelensky from doing interview with him

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Escalation in Syria clearly involves Ukrainians — Foreign Ministry

Maria Zakharova ighlighted reports suggesting that the Kiev regime's security services are collaborating with terrorists, supplying them with drones and sharing expertise in their use

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US journalist Carlson says he arrived in Moscow for interview with Russia’s top diplomat

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South Korean government agrees to lift martial law — Yonhap

In a televised address, the President Yoon Suk Yeol pledged to support the corresponding ruling of the parliament

Top German diplomat says Berlin could send peacekeepers to Ukraine — agency

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South Korea unpredictable, Pyongyang right to worry about its security — Russian diplomat

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"Syria's neighbors should take the necessary measures to prevent terrorists from receiving external assistance," Lieutenant General Mohammad Bagheri said

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Over the past 2-3 years, the Russian economy has fundamentally change, the Russian leader noted

Russian Su-34 bomber destroys Ukrainian armor by glide bombs in Kursk area

The Su-34 frontline bomber delivered the strike by aerial bombs with the unified glide/adjustment module, the ministry specified

Russian Navy, Aerospace Forces launch precision missiles in Mediterranean drills

All the designated targets were engaged by direct hits

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Europe’s preparation for war with Russia is visible through increased defense spending in certain countries, the article says

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Russians to receive a record $66.7 bln in 2024 — VTB

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Bank of Russia assumes possibility of key rate lifting in December

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Syrian forces push militants back from city of Hama — newspaper

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NATO may offer Ukraine deferred membership in 2025, top Portuguese diplomat says

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Russia strongly condemns terrorist incursion in Syria — envoy to UN

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Russia develops new-generation Kedr strategic missiles system

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Russia to hold several conversations on situation in Syria — Foreign Ministry

Syria has been in conflict since 2011

West does not share advanced equipment fearing it may end up in Russia — Ukrainian expert

Maria Berlinskay also recognized the superiority of the Russian army, calling it one of the "strongest armies in the world," and opined that none of the NATO countries would be able to withstand a confrontation with the Russian military

Initiators of South Korean martial law fail to subjugate whole army — TV channel

According to the report, Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun proposed the idea to President Yoon Suk Yeol

Russian Embassy in UK brands Starmer’s hints at talks on Ukraine as hypocritical

The Russian diplomatic mission stressed that "a genuine peace in Ukraine may be achieved exclusively by eradicating the crisis’ root causes, the shaping of which was greatly contributed to by the British and their allies

Russia ready to bury the hatchet with Georgia, needs to see desire from Tbilisi — diplomat

According to Maria Zakharova, Moscow hopes that traditional Georgian wisdom will win out

Oreshnik becomes serious problem for Ukraine — Polish general

According to Waldemar Skrzypczak, satellite reconnaissance failed to detect the launch and flight of this missile

Kremlin spokesman sees no grounds for Russia-Ukraine negotiations so far

Dmitry Peskov added that number of countries have already offered to host such talks, including Qatar

Russian army captures soldiers of Ukrainian presidential brigade

The POWs are currently being kept safe and are receiving all necessary assistance

Russian ombudsman publishes list of 630 POWs Kiev refuses to take back

Tatyana Moskalkova pointed out that these POWs have been in Russian captivity for over one year

Russia 'making gains' along entire frontline, NATO chief says

Mark Rutte once again called on NATO countries to increase weapons supplies to Kiev

Russian forces take up positions in downtown Kurakhovo in DPR — activist

Vladimir Rogov told TASS earlier that Russian troops had moved past the city center in Kurakhovo to fight in the city’s west

Authorities order evacuation from 180 settlements in Ukraine Sumy Region — official

According to Vladimir Artyukh, three evacuation waves have taken place in the Sumy Region since February 2022

Ukrainian army to draft all men soon, officer warns

It is reported that employees of recruitment centers are being reassigned to army positions at the home front

South Korea’s defense minister apologizes to citizens, resigns — media

According to media reports, it was Kim Yong Hyun who advised the president to impose martial law

Settlement of Nadiya in LPR up for grabs as Kiev retreats — Russian expert

Andrey Marochko noted that the Ukrainian army was fighting with all its might to beat back Russian forces near the settlement of Belogorovka, hoping to prevent them from making gains and increasing Russia’s pressure on the northern section of the frontline

FACTBOX: What to know about rupture of telecom cable between Sweden, Finland

The newspaper said the Global Connect fiber optic network suffered a massive failure in Finland

Russian forces take control of LPR administrative border near Stelmakhovka — expert

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Georgian mercenary hit with criminal charges, POWs: situation in Kursk Region

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‘Desperation in the air’ — expert on Kallas’ statement on sending troops to Ukraine

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Nearly third of those identified at protests in Tbilisi are foreigners — ruling party

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