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Russia to celebrate Day of Local Self-Government for the first time

Russia will mark Day of Local Self-Government on Sunday following presidential decree

MOSCOW, April 21 (Itar-Tass) - Russia will mark Day of Local Self-Government on Sunday following presidential decree on increasing the role and significance of the institute of local self-government, development of democracy and civil society signed in June 2012.

“On April 21, 1875 Empress Catherine II issued a grant-charter to several Russian cities that marked the beginning of development of Russian legislation on local self-government,” Vladimir Putin said in his greeting to participants in IV All-Russian Council of Local Self-Government last summer.

"The most sensitive issues that determine the quality of people’s everyday life are solved exactly at the level of local self-government bodies. They include housing and utilities, provision of local amenities in towns and villages and development of common infrastructure,” Putin emphasized.

Other important tasks, Putin said, are to select highly-qualified experts and strengthen the financial independence of local self-government bodies.

The Russian State Duma or parliament’s lower house held an All-Russian conference of local self-government in Moscow last Saturday.

"I am convinced that the role and significance of local self-government in modern Russia should seriously increase. The most important thing is to strengthen the financial basis of local self-governance,” Alexander Zhukov, the first vice-speaker of the Russian State Duma, said.

Terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall

Afghan Foreign Ministry condemns terrorist attack on Crocus City Hall outside Moscow

The ministry’s Spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi said, that considers it a blatant violation of all human standards

Blast rocks military base south of Baghdad — Reuters

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Nearly half of those present in UN Security Council hall walk out before Israel’s address

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US-led coalition’s aircraft violate Syrian airspace 13 times in past day

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

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Hungarians in western Ukraine should get their rights back, Budapest says

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

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Major Western investor accuses Zelensky's office of extorting millions of euros

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Proposals on Russian assets confiscation undermine financial system — Finance Minister

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Russia knows French military instructors working in Ukraine — Lavrov

At the same time, the top Russian diplomat pointed out that "there is information that not only French mercenaries, but also instructors, maybe even together, but along with some other representatives of military and special services of European countries are working there [in Ukraine]"

World’s anti-doping agency WADA still waits for Russia’s 2023 financial contribution

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Russian military base may appear in CAR’s eastern region — President Touadera

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The man set himself on fire

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Ukrainian drone damages energy infrastructure in Russia’s Kaluga Region

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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

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It has reached 911 centimeters

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UN secretary general urges Azerbaijan, Armenia to normalize relations

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Lavrov says Borrell let it slip that Europe ‘fighting against Russia’

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

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Ukrainian shelling kills pregnant woman in Russia’s Belgorod Region — governor

Vyacheslav Gladkov added that the attack had shattered the windows of several houses and damaged their facades and roofs

Russian Cabinet expands list of perfumery, cosmetic products subjected to import duty

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Blasts were also reported in the city of Dnepr and the Kiev-controlled city of Zaporozhye