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Conflict in Syria

Turkey deploys 50 tanks to border with Syria — TV

The Turkish General Staff is preparing for a new military operation in Syria

© Ersin Ercan/DHA via AP

MOSCOW, December 29. /TASS/. The Turkish General Staff has deployed about 50 tanks to the Syrian border amid the preparation for a new military operation in Syria, TV channel Haberturk reported on Saturday.

The tanks were deployed yesterday morning under the command of the 20th armored brigade in the city of Sanliurfa. The equipment was deployed from Hatay Province. It was reported that in the future military equipment will be located directly on the Syrian border.

Read also

Top diplomat: Turkey plans to enter Syria’s areas east of Euphrates as soon as possible

During the last several weeks Ankara has been reinforcing garrisons and army units with armored and support vehicles and artillery weapons. It is linked to the preparation for a new military operation of Turkey in Syria in the Manbij area, which entered its active stage following US President Donald Trump's declaration of the upcoming withdrawal of the American forces from Syria. Manbij is one of the largest Kurdish centers in eastern Syria, and Ankara believes that Kurds should leave it and give the city to the Arab population of the country.

The Kurdish troops tried to refrain from direct confrontation with the Syrian government and did not support the opposition, demanding autonomy. The Kurds found themselves in isolation facing the threat of the Turkish invasion and addressed Damascus for help on Friday, suggesting that the army should occupy the regions in Manbij controlled by them. The Syrian General Staff reported on Friday that the government forces entered Manbij, but the Turkish side did not comment on this information.

On December 12, the Turkish president reported the intention to start an operation in the coming days against the Kurdish People’s Protection Units and the Democratic Union, which Ankara considers to be the Syrian branch of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River. Before that, Turkey already held two military operations on Syrian territory: Operation Euphrates Shield and Operation Olive Branch, as a result of which a buffer zone of security was created between the bordering cities of Azaz and Jarabulus, and the Afrin region, which is populated by Kurds, was occupied.

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Syrian conflict

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Ukrainian president admits Russian troops’ advancement

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Russian forces destroy Ukrainian command post, two S-300 missile launchers over day

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Russia restores gasoline production after decline — Energy Ministry

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

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Georgia’s parliament approves first reading of foreign agent bill

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US retrieves weapons previously banned under INF treaty — Russian ambassador

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Russian sovereignty over southern Kuril Islands indisputable, diplomat says

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German MFA summons Russian ambassador after detention of espionage suspects — newspaper

Commenting on the men's arrest, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said: "Our security services have prevented possible explosions aimed at undermining our military assistance to Ukraine"

Iran to review nuclear doctrine in case of Israeli aggression — IRGC

Ahmad Haghtalab pointed out that the Iranian Army and other security forces protect Iranian nuclear facilities using the most advanced equipment, so "national nuclear centers are completely safe"

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

Robert Fico believes Moscow will win in its confrontation with Kiev

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

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

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

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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"

Ukraine to lose at least 10 mln citizens over mobilization law — political scientist

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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

Shoigu tests commando vehicle, calls for additional machineguns

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

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

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

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

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

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

Georgian president says she will veto law on foreign agents

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

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

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MiG-31I fighters receive air refueling system

Another source said MiG-31I differs from previous MiG-K option by "different engines, avionics and missiles"

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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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Kazem Jalali noted that Iran had demonstrated its ability to ensure security and nudge the region toward a de-escalation

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

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

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Germany fails to present evidence in case of espionage suspects — Russian embassy

The Russian embassy has called attempts to probe into the alleged involvement of Russian special services in the development of rumored plans for attacks on military facilities in Germany "absurd and ridiculous"

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"

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

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

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

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

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

"China always opposes the illegal unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States and will continue to take necessary measures to firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises," Liu Pengyu said

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

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

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

Investigators have established that the funds that were received through commercial organizations, such as the oil and gas company Burisma Holdings operating in Ukraine, have been used to carry out terrorist acts in Russia and abroad

Ukraine attacks ZNPP training center again, drone neutralized

"No one was injured as a result of the attack," the news release said

Kiev lacks both troops and equipment near Chasov Yar in DPR, says retired general

Military commanders of Ukrainian army brigades "lack both personnel and the required amount of equipment" while Russian troops enjoy a considerable superiority, especially in artillery, Sergey Krivonos noted

Ukrainian military reportedly uses HIMARS rocket launcher to attack Gorlovka

Head of the Donetsk People’s Republic Denis Pushilin also said that an explosive device had detonated in the Kievsky District of Donetsk, injuring a man born in 1964

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

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

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

Pipeline explodes in Kharkov Region

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

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Industrial building damaged, civilian injured after drone crash in Russia’s Rostov Region

On Thursday night, air defenses destroyed three drones near Kamensk-Shakhtinsky in the Rostov Region

Both main US parties threatened Telegram, co-founder says

"So we got two letters that said: whatever we do, we would be violating the US Constitution," Pavel Durov said

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

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

According to the minister, Russia is interested in increasing the role of the BRICS states in the international monetary, financial and trading systems, developing interbank cooperation, expanding the use of national currencies and creating its own exchange

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

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

The Ukrainian army used the outbuilding as an ammunition depot, which accommodated about 15 fighters at the time of the air strike, spokesman Sergey Lebedev specified

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

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

Cooperation between Moscow and Beijing in the military-technical sphere contributes to enhancing security of Russia and China and "is not directed against third countries," Maria Zakharova stressed

Iran completed operation, to respond with greater force if needed — envoy to Russia

On the evening of April 13, Iran launched drones and missiles toward Israel in response to what it called "repeated crimes" from Tel Aviv, including the attack on the consular office of the Iranian Embassy in Damascus ascribed to Israel

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

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"

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

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

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"

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

Russian government approves list of unfriendly countries

There are two countries on the list

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

Colombian president displays interest in country’s entry into BRICS

Brazilian leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva welcomed Gustavo Petro’s initiative, "being committed to promotion of Colombia’s candidacy"

Ukraine convicts 12th world chess champion for recognizing Donetsk, Lugansk republics

The two other State Duma members mentioned in the verdict alongside Karpov are Viktor Kazakov and Georgy Karlov

Russia says its forces repel four Ukrainian counterattacks in Kupyansk area

The Ukrainian army losses were up to 70 servicemen, three motor vehicles, a D-30 howitzer, 2 Plastun-3000 electronic reconnaissance stations and a Nota electronic warfare station

North Korean leader arrives at public event in Aurus luxury car gifted by Putin

On April 10, the vehicle was also spotted when the North Korean leader visited Kim Jong Il Military and Political Academy

Agents in Ukrainian, Poland foil attempt to kill Zelensky, security officials in Kiev say

The agency said it and the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine informed their Polish counterparts about the alleged assassination attempt

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

According to Maria Zakharova, in order for Moscow to take Macron’s initiative seriously, "practical steps" are needed