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Duma rejects bill to lower parliamentary election barrier from five to 3%

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New parliamentary election law to boost political competition

MOSCOW, February 12. /ITAR-TASS/. The State Duma on Wednesday has turned down a proposed amendment to the Law on election which envisages lowering the parliamentary election barrier from five to 3%.

The Duma rejected the proposed amendment when a bill on the return to a mixed election system was discussed at second reading.

The A Just Russia party had insisted on a lower election barrier (3%), claiming that if passed the amended bill "would promote the liberalization of the election system in Russia," said MP Alexander Tarnavsky from the A Just Russia party during Wednesday's debate.

The Duma has left in force a five-percent parliamentary election hurdle after first reading, pending final voting scheduled for 5.00 pm Wednesday.

Terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall

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

Iran withdraws officers out of Syria due to Israel’s potential strike — newspaper

The report said that the Lebanese Shiite Hezbollah movement is also reducing the number of its officers in Syria

Russia, CIS partners to hold air defense exercise in 2024

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Turkish foreign minister urges West to stop Israel, prevent war in region

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Russian Aerospace Forces destroy three militant hideouts in Syria’s Homs

No shelling attacks on Syrian troops were registered over the past 24 hours

Russia to scrap moratorium on intermediate missiles if US deploys them anywhere — MFA

Sergey Ryabkov said the US seeks to maintain military superiority in a great variety of areas

Ukrainian drone attack damages four houses in Russia’s Voronezh

According to Governor Alexander Gusev, last night the air defenses on duty in the Voronezh Region detected and destroyed several air targets, including three weather probes

Yerevan's refusal to delimit borders with Baku to escalate regional tensions — PM

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Press TV reports all of Iran's hypersonic missiles hit intended targets in Israel

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Russian sovereignty over southern Kuril Islands indisputable, diplomat says

Maria Zakharova pointed out that the southern Kuril Islands were an integral part of Russia under international law based on the outcome of World War II

Lavrov states West’s growing concern about BRICS plans to develop own financial tools

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US assured Israel that Iranian drones will be intercepted — US journalist Hersh

He also said that the US military contacted Russia and the United Kingdom while evaluating the potential of the Iranian attack

FSB declassifies documents revealing Ukrainian infiltration of Red Army units during WWII

Russia’s Federal Security Service has made the memo public on the 80th anniversary of the Red Army’s liberation of Western Ukraine

Georgia’s parliament approves first reading of foreign agent bill

Protests against the bill have been held outside the parliament building since Monday

Press review: US throws Russia New START curveball and Washington's aid balancing act

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Russia says its forces repel four Ukrainian counterattacks in Kupyansk area

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Russia expects Armenia to clarify 'military, political accords' with US, EU — diplomat

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Russian diplomat challenges France to stop arming Kiev amid Olympic truce talk

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Russian, Turkish senior diplomats discuss situation in Gaza

"The meeting focused on the situation in the region," said in the statement

G7 countries to continue examining possible ways of using frozen Russian assets

G7 countries are also set to take measures to counter alleged attempts to circumvent its price cap on Russian oil

G7 countries to prevent Iran from producing, purchasing weapons

The G7 finance ministers and Central Bank chiefs also condemned "the unprecedented attack against Israel by Iran"

EU leaders urge to adopt proposal on using incomes from frozen Russian assets for Ukraine

The EU, the US, Japan and Canada have frozen Russian assets worth a total amount of around $300 bln

Russia’s advanced radar in Kaliningrad to monitor entire territory of Europe — source

The first Konteiner radar went on combat duty in the Volga area region of Mordovia on December 1, 2019

US deploying missiles in Philippines to endanger global security — Russian envoy

Anatoly Antonov has urged the US "not to open Pandora's Box" and follow Russia’s suit "by taking all necessary steps to ensure global stability and predictability"

VTB CEO calls for SWIFT to be fully abandoned in payments

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Protesters give Georgian government one hour to revoke foreign agents bill

Earlier on Wednesday, Georgia’s parliament passed the foreign agents bill in the first reading

Shoigu visits presentation of over 30 promising weapons, including robotic vehicles

The Russian defense minister has given his instructions to speed up the introduction of promising weapons that have been tested in the special military operation zone into service with the Russian Army

Georgian protests against foreign agent bill reek of US influence — Medvedev

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

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New US bill calls for $26 bln in assistance to Israel

The bill also includes a proposal to earmark $2.4 billion to fund US Armed Forces operating in the Middle East in response to threats against Israel

Both main US parties threatened Telegram, co-founder says

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EU summit urges to provide air defense systems and all necessary military aid to Kiev

The document also says that the EU and its member states will step up humanitarian support and civil protection assistance to Ukraine

Crimea, Donbass to forever remain within Russia, Slovak PM tells national parliament

Robert Fico believes Moscow will win in its confrontation with Kiev

DPR leader reports heaviest fighting near Avdeyevka, Chasov Yar

According to Denis Pushilin, it is too early to say when the city could be liberated

Israeli Air Force strikes Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon

The IDF also said that its soldiers were forced to open fire in the area in order to "remove an imminent threat"

US believes that Russia tested 9M729 missile for range beyond 500 km

"All NATO allies agree that the 9M729 is not compliant with the INF Treaty," the US embassy’s spokesperson said

EU vows new sanctions against Iran, calls on Mideast conflict parties to show restraint

The European Union is also poised to impose new sanctions on Iran, related to drones and missiles

EU isolated in its 'blossoming garden,' reluctant to let strangers in — Russian diplomat

Vasily Nebenzya also pointed at the European Union’s double standards with regard to refugees from Ukraine and the Global South

Xi Jinping proposes four principles for resolving Ukrainian crisis

The Chinese leader had an in-depth exchange of views on the Ukrainian crisis with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who is on an official visit to Beijing

US retrieves weapons previously banned under INF treaty — Russian ambassador

Anatoly Antonov emphasized that such steps were another powerful blow to strategic stability

Press review: Ukraine, Israel vie for EU’s attention and Georgia passes controversial bill

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Ukrainian front may collapse this summer — newspaper

According to the newspaper’s assessments, Russia "has never been closer to its goals" in the special military operation zone

West, Kiev indulge in nuclear blackmail by demanding control of ZNPP — Russian MFA

"Without noticing it themselves, they spoke the language of an ultimatum," Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova underlined

No snap elections before delimiting borders with Azerbaijan, Armenian PM says

Nikol Pashinyan said about it, replying to a question from a resident of the borderline village of Berkaber about the necessity to hold snap elections before delimiting the border with Azerbaijan

Israel planned to strike back at Iran on April 15, but decided to postpone, Axios reports

Israel told the US administration about the decision to wait, according to a US official

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The region's governor Roman Starovoit said 50 apartment buildings, 975 single-family homes, two stores, seven social and cultural buildings have been restored in the region since the beginning of the special operation

Slovakia to oppose Ukraine’s NATO membership bid — PM

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Israel may have used banned white phosphorus munitions while shelling Lebanon — TV

On Wednesday night, the Israel Defense Forces press office reported that Israeli fighter jets struck "significant Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure used by the terrorist organization’s aerial defense system" in Lebanon

Russia bans 235 Australian local government officials from entering country — MFA

"Taking into account the fact that Canberra does not intend to give up its anti-Russian course and continues to introduce new sanctions, work on updating the Russian stop list will continue," the ministry said

German police apprehend two suspected Russian spies — media

The Der Spiegel magazine claims that the saboteurs’ targets included military cargo routes

Weather balloon neutralized in Russia’s central Kaluga Region — authorities

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Hossein Amir-Abdollahian added that prior to the attack, Tehran said that it would not target US military infrastructure in the Middle East "except in a situation where the United States wants to take military measures in support of Israel"

West silent on Ukraine's threats to attack Crimean Bridge — MFA

Maria Zakharova wondered how the Western public, government agencies and intelligence services would feel if military experts from third countries started openly discussing ways to blow up bridges in Germany and Portugal

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There are two countries on the list

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Russian artillery thwarts Ukrainian army’s rotation near Kupyansk — underground resistance

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Russian software sales soaring over last four years — Minister

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Ukraine turns from sovereign country into Western protectorate, Hungarian PM says

Viktor Orban noted that there should be a buffer zone between NATO and Russia and Ukraine could serve as one

Russia restores gasoline production after decline — Energy Ministry

The increase in motor gasoline production in mid-April is associated with production recovery after a local drop due to unscheduled repairs at refineries

Ukrainian president signs law tightening mobilization rules

According to Rada Deputy Speaker Alexander Korniyenko, some of the law’s provisions will take effect after its publication, while most of them will enter into force in a month

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Georgian president says she will veto law on foreign agents

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Alexander Orlov noted that recently French President Emmanuel Macron "has made a number of questionable moves that have increased the divide" between both countries

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Iran has the region’s largest arsenal of ballistic missiles, estimated to number in the low thousands, Behnam Ben Taleblu noted

Romania now hosts as many as 11 F-16 jets for training of Ukrainian pilots

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Sergey Ryabkov stressed that the attacks on the nuclear facility "must be stopped"

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Nikolay Azarov noted that currently, law enforcement’s main job in Ukraine was to tighten the screws on the country’s population

Humanitarian efforts in Gaza doomed without durable ceasefire — Russia’s UN envoy

Vasily Nebenzya is convinced that the work of the UNRWA is indispensable under these circumstances

Russia assumes that Security Council will soon return to Gaza ceasefire issue — diplomat

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Ukrainian military under constant gunfire by Russian troops near Urozhainoye, says POW

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Mystery surrounds dolphin deaths on Black Sea coast, investigation underway

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Ukrainian president admits Russian troops’ advancement

Vladimir Zelensky asked his country’s supporters to provide "everything that helps to hold the frontline," including shells, military vehicles and drones

Funding needs to be restored to UNRWA before end of investigation — Russia’s UN envoy

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Majority of France opposes confrontation with Russia — expert

Laurent Briard believes that French President Emmanuel Macron crossed a line when he announced he was considering sending French troops to Ukraine

US asking UNSC members to reject resolution on Palestine, hoping to avoid veto — media

UNSC approval would mean neither "statehood nor self-determination" for the Palestinian people, the State Department argued

US not going to be in armed conflict with Russia — official

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China to act over possible US measures for alleged support of Russian defense sector

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Over 40 nations want to join BRICS — Russian lawmaker

According to Grigory Karasin, many BRICS members share the opinion that the association should be in no hurry to adopt a strict charter, "seeing how counterproductively and even provocatively the European Union is acting"

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Shoigu tests commando vehicle, calls for additional machineguns

The Russian defense minister "personally tested the special transportation vehicle and its running qualities"

Ukrainians abroad storming embassies to avoid mobilization, Russian diplomat says

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Russia maintains constructive dialogue with both Iran, Israel — Kremlin

Dmitry Peskov mentioned a recent phone call between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian

Nearly 18,000 houses flooded in Russia, operational services say

Russian Emergencies Minister Alexander Kurenkov earlier reported to President Vladimir Putin that the spring flood wave had passed Orsk and Orenburg, the water level was dangerous but decreasing

Russia-China military-technical cooperation not directed against other states — diplomat

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Roscosmos chief notes high quality of Vostochny space center’s construction

Yury Borisov said that the space facility’s launch pad bore practically no visible signs of the recent Angara-A5 carrier rocket’s launch

Russian PM signs off on plan for regions to accommodate evacuees from Palestine

The Russian Emergency Situations Ministry is assigned to oversee the process of sending the evacuees to their respective regions in accordance with an annex to the directive

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

Russian forces pummel Ukrainian army, equipment in 133 areas over past day

Russian troops took better frontline positions in the Donetsk area over the past day, the ministry reported

Kiev continues to openly announce terrorist attacks on Russia — diplomat

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Former Ukrainian MP sees Zelensky turning into 'usurper' after his term expires

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Ukraine attacks ZNPP training center again, drone neutralized

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Swiss parliament votes against joining task force on frozen Russian assets

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