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Contact Group talks end in Minsk, two more meetings due before yearend

Earlier, the DPR foreign ministry said next Minsk-hosted session is due on December 4

MINSK, November 22. /TASS/. A meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group for the settlement in Ukraine has ended in the capital city of Belarus, Minsk, the foreign ministry of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic said on Thursday.

Earlier, the ministry said the next Minsk-hosted session is due on December 4. Two more meetings of the Contact Group are expected in Minsk before the end of the year, Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Contact Group Martin Sajdik, told reporters after the Thursday meeting. They are scheduled for December 4 and 19, he said.

Sajdik also said a session on Ukraine of the OSCE Permanent Council would be held in Vienna next Thursday. He said he would take part in the session along with Contact Group security subgroup coordinator Ertugrul Apakan.

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Ukraine Belarus

Armenia–Azerbaijan conflict

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US nukes in Poland to become target for Russia should confrontation with NATO occur — MFA

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Mongolia to enter into free trade agreement with EAEU by year-end

Counsellor Delgertsetseg Unubilegt noted that Mongolia and Russia have "a rich history of solidarity and cooperation," though the countries "are under great influence of political and social factors"

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Russia to retaliate immediately if Kiev gets ATACMS missiles — diplomat

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Alexander Pankin noted that during his visit to New York he did not have any talks with UN officials on the Russian-UN memorandum

Russian children’s commissioner holds first face-to-face talks with Ukrainian counterparts

Maria Lvova-Belova thanked Qatar for setting up a venue for dialogue between Russia and Ukraine regarding children’s interests

Russian defense minister dismisses his deputy Ivanov

Timur Ivanov was removed from the office of deputy defense minister of the Russian Federation of the federal government’s civil service

Russia maintains position on 'buffer zone' in Ukraine to counter missile threats

Dmitry Peskov added that the issue of fighting against long-range weapons being supplied to Ukraine and potential strikes on the areas where they are concentrated "is rather under the purview of <…> the armed forces"

Russians not let to Turkish Airlines flights to Mexico due to US pressure on it — diplomat

Sergey Ryabkov noted that such problems exist for Russians using Turkish Airlines flights to other Latin American countries

IAEA chief to have working contacts with Rosatom, no meeting with Putin is planned

Rafael Grossi may visit Russia in late May

West’s unwillingness to give up hegemony escalates tensions in world — security official

According to Nikolay Patrushev, this creates conditions for the devaluation of international law and its institutions and the erosion of the UN's central role in resolving global and regional conflicts

Russian troops wipe out Ukrainian UAV production workshop over past day

The Russian forces improved their frontline positions and inflicted casualties on five Ukrainian army brigades in the Donetsk area over the past day, the Defense Ministry reported

Russia, Africa united by common vision on global issues — senior diplomat

Mikhail Bogdanov noted that "the African continent is a dynamically developing part of the world with an enormous growth potential, attractive domestic market and expanding export prospects"

ATACMS shipment proves ‘Zelensky’s formula’ needed in US as ‘smoke and mirrors’ — diplomat

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Russia ready to cooperate with all interested partners to ensure security — Putin

The Russian leader expressed confidence that the the 12th International Meeting of High Representatives for Security Issues "will bolster cooperation for the mutual benefit of our countries and peoples"

Russia tasked with 'building new world' — Putin

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Top stories from the Russian press on Monday, April 22nd

Ukrainian troops in Kharkov Region lift antennas with kites to get better signal

Military expert Andrey Marochko speculated that the Ukrainian army had to resort to this tactic because the TV tower in Kharkov was damaged

Radioactive cloud from Ukraine’s eliminated munitions drifts to Europe — Security Council

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Ukrainian army short about 150,000-200,000 troops, says Polish general

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Russian Foreign Ministry denies report of consular services ban abroad

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Dust from Sahara turns rain in Ukraine yellow

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13 violations by US-led international coalition’s aircraft recorded in Syria

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AUKUS expansion to turn Asia-Pacific region into 'nuclear minefield' — news agency

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Reinforced Ukrainian battlegroup fails to break through Russian defenses in DPR — expert

Andrey Marochko added that the Ukrainians have also intensified artillery and drone attacks at Russian positions

China vows decisive response to US move to deploy intermediate missiles in Asia-Pacific

The Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson stressed that "US steps are posing a major threat to security and stability of regional players"

Release of new tranche for war to Ukraine by US escalation factor — Lukashenko

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Iran denies reports it pulled some military advisers from Syria — Al Mayadeen

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US has no idea what to do about Zelensky — Seymour Hersh

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Russian tourists flock to North Korea — embassy

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Top brass posts video of Leopard tanks, Bradley combat vehicles seized by Russian troops

The video shows Russian troops examining the enemy tanks and infantry fighting vehicles seized in battles

Gagauzia against Chisinau’s policy of severing ties with Russia

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West bends sanctions rules when it suits them — Kremlin

Dmitry Peskov noted that, "according to some parameters, companies in Europe and other regions can hardly maintain their competitiveness if they completely abandon our products"

Agreements on security with Iran, Myanmar, Ethiopia to come into force in 2024 — MFA

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US State Department confirms secret shipments of long-range ATACMS missiles to Kiev

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Ukrainian forces refuse to obey Commander-in-Chief Syrsky — CIA ex-analyst

Larry Johnson also noted that the Russian forces manage to advance recently despite the slush on the roads

Kremlin vows to resolve situation with Turkish Airlines refusing service to Russians

Russia has "very constructive and friendly relations" with Turkey, Dmitry Peskov stressed

Over 3,100 foreign mercenaries fight for Ukraine, most of them from US

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Bolivian leader decries fresh US military aid for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan

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Belarus has no intentions of launching mobilization, says President Lukashenko

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Lukashenko sees Ukraine conflict posing risks to Belarus

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Europe should be prepared to build relations with Russia post-Ukraine conflict — Macron

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Russia’s victory in Ukraine to change course of history in Europe — von der Leyen

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Russian court arrests in absentia four foreign agents charged with terrorism

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Transfer of US ATACMS missiles to Ukraine cannot be justified — Russian ambassador

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Houthis attack two commercial ships, US destroyer — statement

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Russia presents world’s first hydrogen-fueled luxury car at Innoprom exhibition

The unique vehicle was built on the basis of the Aurus Senat luxury car

Bolivarian Alliance countries stand for multipolar world — Maduro

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Stockmann company to buy Russian business of Hugo Boss — Industry Ministry

All the existing Hugo Boss stores will be reopened in July - August 2024, Russian Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Viktor Evtukhov said

Ukraine could send special forces to capture Zaporozhye NPP — politician

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Armenian police arrests people protesting against demarcation with Azerbaijan

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Putin stays in daily contact with Sergey Shoigu, Kremlin spokesman says

Timur Ivanov was arrested by Moscow’s Basmanny Court

UNSC rejects amendment by Russia, China to resolution on nuclear weapons in outer space

The amendment gained seven votes from countries including Russia and China

Proper humanitarian assistance to Gaza impossible amid hostilities — Russian diplomat

"We are tired to repeat over and over again - amid the US-backed Israeli military operation, which has been going on for more than six months already, adequate assistance to the enclave’s population is simply impossible," Vasily Nebenzya said