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More than 11,000 people gather for rallies in Moscow Region in support of Crimea

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Over 46,000 people rally across Russia in support of Russians in Ukraine

KRASNBOGORSK, March 13. /ITAR-TASS/. More than 11,000 people gathered for rallies in the city of Zhukovsky, Serpukhov and some districts of the Moscow Region to express support for Crimea, the Moscow regional governor's press service said on Thursday,

The meetings unanimously expressed solidarity with Crimean people, the press service said.

Meetings were planned for Thursday in Noginsk and Kolomna and for March 14 in Krasnogorsk, Mytishchi and Reutov. Actions in support of Crimean people will be also held in Balashikha, Vlasikha, Lyubertsy, Podolsk and Khimki. About 25,000 people are expected to come for the rallies, organizers say.

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

Security guarantees on Ukraine did not apply to Crimea, Donbass — Lavrov

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West wants to make Transnistria hotbed of tension — Lavrov

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

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Russian industrial producers’ prices up 2.4% in March — statistics

In chemicals production, prices edged up by 26.8% for ethers, organic peroxides, epoxides, acetals and semiacetals and their derivatives

China’s Russian oil imports rise by 13% in first quarter of 2024 — customs

In monetary terms, Russian oil exports to China increased by 17.9% to $13.858 bln in the first quarter of the year

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

Russia’s top diplomat noted that Josep Borrell may made the statement in a moment of weakness

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Swiss parliament votes against joining task force on frozen Russian assets

The group contains US finance and justice ministers, representatives of Australia, the UK, Germany, Italy, Canada, France, Japan, as well as the European Commission

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

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

Sites for practicing ways to counter drones to be set up at all Russian testing grounds

Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu has visited a testing ground in the Moscow Military District where new models of small arms developed with the participation of snipers who carried out missions in the special military operation zone were presented

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

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

Arnulf Damerau said that he provided details of the meeting, along with evidence and a list of names of those involved, to US and European intelligence agencies

Israeli troops continue raids in West Bank — TV

According to Al Jazeera, Israeli security forces have killed at least five people over the past 24 hours

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

The conference will take place from April 23 to 25 in St. Petersburg

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

Russian Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin said in February that the Russian side had agreed with WADA to pay the membership fee for the year of 2023

Armenia’s relations with Russia not at their highest — top diplomat

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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

Unidentified man attempts suicide outside courthouse where Trump trial is underway

The man set himself on fire

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

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Blast rocks military base south of Baghdad — Reuters

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Grossi ignores ‘elephant in the room’ in Zaporozhye nuke plant situation — Russian envoy

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Russian government increases customs duties on beer from unfriendly countries

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French, US, British nukes all interwoven — Russian diplomat

Maria Zakharova described France’s decision to place its aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, directly under NATO control as a symbolic move marking the end of "the era of an independent Paris in the international arena"

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

Vladimir Saldo called on other Ukrainian servicemen to switch to the Russian side and request the corresponding assistance

Kremlin declines to comment on alleged assassination attempt on Zelensky in Poland

The Security Service of Ukraine announced earlier that in a joint operation with law enforcement agencies in Ukraine and Poland it thwarted an attempt to assassinate Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky

Two pilots of jet that crashed in southern Russia hospitalized

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Global economy’s condition improving — Russian Deputy PM

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S-500 system to be supplied to Armed Forces after 2015

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

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

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

"The effect of the customs duty totaling 35%, renewed in December 203 in respected of imported perfumery, cosmetics and home care products will cover certain new positions of these products from unfriendly countries," the ministry said

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

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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."

BRICS looking at creating common digital payment platform

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

Donald Tusk said that German Chancellor’s call to send more air defense systems to Kiev had no relation to Poland, provided the country's geographical position near the frontline

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West can’t comprehend Russia’s resilience — Lavrov

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It has reached 911 centimeters

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Russian defense chief checks implementation of orders to develop drones

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Israeli aviation strikes towns in Gaza Strip

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

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

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

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Shoigu orders additional tank protection sets for Ukraine operation

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FACTBOX: Collective Security Treaty Organization

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Iran threatens to attack Israel's "nuclear centers" in case of aggression on its part

Ahmad Haqtalab argued that Israel had been conducting "subversive and terrorist activities" against the Islamic republic's nuclear infrastructure for year

Russia has significant amount of West’s funds in case of confiscation of its assets

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

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

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Ukrainian POW exposes poor battlefield performance of NATO-supplied Javelins, NLAWs

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

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Lavrov labels way West ramping up sanctions against Russia as mindless

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

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No plans for pauses in fighting if talks on Ukraine begin, Lavrov says

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