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Conflict in Syria

Media: US military trucks loaded with arms heading from Syria to Iraq

On Wednesday, Trump said that the United States had defeated Islamic State in Syria, which was the only reason for the US troops being there, so all US troops would be pulled out of Syria

© AP Photo/Hussein Malla

ANKARA, December 20. /TASS/. The United States has started pulling out weapons from Syria on trucks after Washington’s decision to withdraw US troops from that country, the Turkish TV channel Haberturk said on Thursday.

The US trucks advanced towards the Iraqi border in early hours of Thursday. The channel said that the trucks might carry the weapons, which had been earlier handed over to the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (or the YPG) to fight against the Islamic State terrorist group (outlawed in Russia).

Ankara views as a mistake Washington’s decision to supply the Kurdish units in Syria with arms. Turkey links the YPG to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, which it has listed as a terrorist group, and claims that the US weapons might be later used against Turkey.

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Pentagon confirms US pulls out troops from Syria

On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump said that the United States had defeated ISIS (Islamic State) in Syria, which was the only reason for the US troops being there, so all US troops would be pulled out of Syria. According to US officials, the US would withdraw its entire force of 2,000 service members from Syria within 60 to 100 days. Along with this, US Department of Defense Spokesperson Dana White stressed that "the campaign against ISIS is not over" and that the United States "will continue working with our partners and allies to defeat ISIS wherever it operates."

Washington launched a military operation against Islamic State in Iraq in June 2014 and in Syria in September 2014.

Trump’s decision to pull the troops from Syria has startled not only US allies, including in the Middle East, but also members of the US Congress. Some influential senators of both parties have opposed Trump’s step.

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Syrian conflict

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Ukraine, not Russia, posing a threat to the Baltic region — Kremlin

Two underwater cables were damaged in the Baltic Sea on November 17 and 18

Six European countries accuse Russia of allegedly attacking security architecture

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Russia to use revenues from frozen assets of Western investors — Finance Minister

Tit-for-tat measures will be implemented after receiving information about unfriendly actions of Western countries, Anton Siluanov noted

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Zelensky admits Ukraine can't fight its way back to 1991 borders

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Russian diplomat accuses West of using coercive measures to punish certain countries

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Japanese lawmaker urges global condemnation of decision on missile strikes on Russia

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Russian forces gain foothold in central Chasov Yar in DPR — expert

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Russian army traps Ukrainian troops in Chasov Yar — intelligence center

The official reported that fighters from the 98th Airborne Division were engaged in fierce battles

Ukrainian frontline may 'collapse' under onslaught of Russian forces — BBC

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Russian embassy warns UK about dangers of calling for Moscow’s ‘defeat’

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Bitcoin price exceeds $96,000, sets new historical record — Binance platform

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Putin sends message to those seeking to 'add fuel to fire' before Trump’s return — expert

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Russia to address NATO’s engagement in strikes deep inside country — SVR

Sergey Naryshkin observed that the military and political elites in the West are increasingly recognizing the gravity of Russia's intentions and the need for greater caution in their actions

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Ex-German chancellor never expected Russia to tolerate Ukraine’s NATO membership — memoir

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Belarusian security agency says Minsk aware of Poland’s efforts to prepare terrorist cells

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Russia must be able to defend itself — Erdogan on revised nuclear doctrine

The Turkish leader reiterated that "both Russia and Ukraine are Turkey’s neighbors"

Gallup poll shows sharp decline in Ukrainian support for American policies

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Canada neglects its sovereignty by approving transfer of land mines to Kiev — diplomat

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Russia’s revised nuclear doctrine makes defeat over its army impossible — SVR chief

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The United States continues to modernize its nuclear triad, Lin Jian noted

Russian forces dislodge Ukrainian troops from half of positions in Kurakhovo in DPR

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Russian troops raise flag in central Kurakhovo in Donetsk region — politician

Russian army units have advanced much farther into the city’s northern part, in particular, along the southern bank of the Kurakhovo reservoir, Vladimir Rogov specified

NATO enters conflict, Russia has every right to attack its targets now — expert

Col. (Ret.) Lawrence Wilkerson confirmed to TASS that the launch of ATACMS missiles would be impossible without "US/NATO satellite feeds and/or personnel"

Captives, Ukrainian losses: situation in Kursk Region

Over the day, the enemy lost more than 150 people, while five Ukrainian servicemen surrendered

Russian State Duma passes law on federal budget for 2025-2027

According to the document, federal budget revenues are forecast to be 40.296 trillion rubles ($404.8 bln) in 2025, 41.84 trillion rubles ($420.3 bln) in 2026, and 43.154 trillion rubles ($433.5 bln) in 2027

US decision on missile strikes aimed at provoking Russia, expert says

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US sees no preconditions for Russia to use nuclear weapons — news agency

According to the report, the updated nuclear doctrine did not come as a surprise for Washington

Ukraine conflict moves towards NATO-Russia direct clash — expert

Commenting on Ukraine's long-range missile strikes on Russian territory, Elena Basile remarked, "US President Joe Biden has decided to make the task of resolving the Ukraine conflict even more difficult for his successor"

Russian troops advance in areas north, south of Velikaya Novoselka in DPR — official

Earlier, Vladimir Rogov stated that a successful offensive by the Russian Armed Forces north of Velikaya Novoselka could allow them to encircle the settlement

UK police say no video evidence of Russians’ involvement in Salisbury case

According to the report, CCTV cams were not installed on Christie Miller road in Salisbury

Media from unfriendly states will be admitted to Putin's annual press conference — Kremlin

The last Direct Line Q&A session and year-end press conference was held on December 14, 2023

US missile defense base in Poland long among Russian army’s targets — Foreign Ministry

Maria Zakharova stated that the US-NATO construction project, ongoing for nearly a decade with complete disregard to Russian security concerns, has consistently been a focus of Russia's attention

Railroad development to strengthen ties with foreign partners — Russian PM

Mikhail Mishustin added that "it is necessary to modernize border crossings in coming years, including introduction of practice of electronic paperwork"

Moscow won’t allow US to silence UNSC as Washington backs Israel — Russian UN envoy

According to Vasily Nebenzya, the Security Council should "bring peace, stability and prosperity to the Middle East"

Ukraine’s former top commander sought to blow up Turkish Stream pipeline, report says

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NATO supports Ukraine not out of charity but for its own strategic interests — deputy head

Boris Ruge argued that NATO now has hundreds of thousands of troops that could be deployed to the alliance's eastern flank or elsewhere within ten days

Newly arrived Ukrainian soldiers rob, loot in Kharkov Region’s Kupyansk

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US decision on strikes inside Russia stems from malice rather than strategy — journalist

According to Sumantra Maitra, Washington’s move will not improve Kiev’s situation

Trump to continue using Ukraine to contain Russia — Valdai program director

"The US continues to benefit from the Ukrainian crisis, regardless of which administration is in power," Andrey Sushentsov said

West’s decision on missile strikes gives Russia free hand to attack NATO bases — expert

According to Dmitry Suslov, retaliatory measures may include the handover of more advanced weapons to the forces "that are directly fighting against the US, particularly, in the Middle East"

Russian army pushes Ukraine out of Kurakhovo water reservoir’s north shore

According to Igor Kimakovsky, the only road the Ukrainian armed forces could use to leave the city is under Russia’s control

Rubicon center drones hit Ukrainian equipment in Russia's Kursk Region

The Russian Defense Ministry released footage showing the destruction of the enemy equipment

Russian troops liberate Ilyinka community in Donbass region over past day

Russia’s Battlegroup South inflicted roughly 500 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed five enemy ammunition depots in its area of responsibility over the past day

At least 66 people killed in Gaza Strip by an Israeli strike — Al Jazeera

It was also reported that over 100 people were wounded

Press review: Uranium costs soar as Moscow updates nuclear doctrine and US OKs attacks

Top stories from the Russian press on Wednesday, November 20th

Putin previously warned about Kiev's attempts to blow up TurkStream pipeline — Kremlin

According to the newspaper, Zaluzhny was so enthusiastic about the Nord Stream pipelines sabotage that he "even wanted to expand" the operation

Russia encircles largest Ukrainian fortification in southern DPR — security services

"The enemy positioned in the fortified area in Velikaya Novoselka in the south of the DPR is already trapped in a kill zone," the source said

French Foreign Ministry refuses to disclose number of SCALP missiles shipped to Ukraine

Ministry Spokesman Christophe Lemoine also avoided answering if Paris supports strikes with these missiles on Russian territory, only saying that the missiles were shipped to Ukraine, and Ukraine

Russia counts on West's responsibility in nuclear deterrence issues — Kremlin

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin decreed to update the country’s nuclear doctrine, the Basic Principles of the State Policy of the Russian Federation on Nuclear Deterrence

Putin orders protection of critical infrastructure, including Crimean Bridge — Kremlin

Kiev has not accepted the legitimate results of the 2014 referendum, in which the people of Crimea and Sevastopol voted to become part of Russia, and is displeased by the operation of the Crimean Bridge, which connects the Kerch Strait with the Krasnodar Region