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Decision by Fitch to leave Russia’s rating unchanged well expected, positive - MinFin

MOSCOW, July 4. /TASS/. International rating agency Fitch’s decision to confirm Russia’s rating at the investment level BBB-had been well expected, the director of the government debt and public financial assets department at the Ministry of Finance, Konstantin Vyshkovsky, has told TASS, adding it was a positive move.

"Everything is good. Just as we had anticipated," he said on Friday.

Fitch on Friday confirmed Russia’s investment rating at BBB-, outlook negative. Experts polled by TASS shortly before that said they expected precisely that decision by Fitch, the sole of the world’s largest agencies that still kept Russia’s rating at the investment level.

Originally, Fitch had the intention of revising Russia’s sovereign rating on April 17, but after a meeting with Finance Minister Anton Siluanov the agency’s experts refrained from instant decisions and took a pause for in-depth analysis of the situation in the Russian economy and finance. Siluanov then said the Russian Finance Ministry had not expected Fitch would reconsider the rating.

The two other agencies: Standard&Poor’s and Moody’s cut Russia’s rating to BB+ and Ba1 respectively.

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

American Abrams tanks vulnerable even to Soviet-era weapons, says expert

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More explosions reported across Ukraine

Another explosion rocked the Kiev-controlled city of Zaporozhye

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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

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

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Unidentified man attempts suicide outside courthouse where Trump trial is underway

The man set himself on fire

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

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

Russia knows French military instructors working in Ukraine — Lavrov

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Kiev ordered mandatory evacuation from Kharkov Region to accommodate mercenaries

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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

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

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

There is still no full clarity regarding the future of Ukraine's western regions, the Russian foreign minister went on to say

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Armenia has to define CSTO’s zone of responsibility on its territory, says Lavrov

On March 12, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that Yerevan asked its CSTO partners to answer where the CSTO's zone of responsibility in the republic was

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

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

Russia can join top three countries by lithium reserves — governor

Infrastructure is required to implement the investment project, both power transmission lines and the railroad, Andrey Chibis noted

Russian economy proves resilience amid large-scale sanctions — IMF

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

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

According to the president, this step will help strengthen his country’s defense potential and contribute to bolstering the national armed forces’ capabilities

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

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.

Russian government increases customs duties on beer from unfriendly countries

This measure is not a prohibitive one and will make it possible to make competitive conditions equal for Russian producers, the ministry said

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

Russian military closely monitors all Ukrainian 'novelties' — Kremlin on UAVs

Earlier, it was reported that Ukraine had developed a UAV with a range of up to 3,000 kilometers

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

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Lavrov labels way West ramping up sanctions against Russia as mindless

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

The top Russian diplomat referred to a swindling trick used by a thimblerigger who puts a small round object, such as a ball or pea, under one of three thimbles or cups and asks the player to guess under which the object is, while unfairly manipulating this object

Russia's revenues from oil exports remain high despite price ceiling — IMF

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Moscow demands international organizations condemn killing of Russian war correspondent

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

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

Ararat Mirzoyan also said that Yerevan is currently making efforts to expand cooperation with the European Union and the United States

Ukrainians abroad storming embassies to avoid mobilization, Russian diplomat says

On Tuesday, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky signed the mobilization law passed by the Verkhovna Rada (parliament) in the second and final reading on April 11

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

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Russia ready for Ukraine talks, but not with Zelensky — Lavrov

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

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

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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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US House passes procedural vote on Ukraine aid bill

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Drones downed over Isfahan cause no damage, says Iranian foreign minister

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

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BRICS looking at creating common digital payment platform

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

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Russian air defenses down Ukrainian drone over Belgorod Region

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

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Gazprom delivering 42.4 mln cubic meters of gas to Europe through Ukraine via Sudzha

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Izvestia correspondent Semyon Eremin killed in special operation zone

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Israeli aviation strikes towns in Gaza Strip

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West wants to make Transnistria hotbed of tension — Lavrov

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Court arrests another man accused of blowing up car of former SBU officer in Moscow

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Ukrainian national detained at Russian-Georgian border for suspected espionage

He may face up to 20 years in jail

US gives nod to Israeli operation in Rafah in exchange for canceling major attack on Iran

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Kremlin spokesman offers condolences over death of Izvestia war correspondent

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UN secretary general urges Azerbaijan, Armenia to normalize relations

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

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It has reached 911 centimeters

Blast rocks military base south of Baghdad — Reuters

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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

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

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Proposals on Russian assets confiscation undermine financial system — Finance Minister

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

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