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Iraq anticipates visit by Lavrov before year end, says envoy

The Ambassador also said that Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi will visit Moscow before the end of the year

MOSCOW, May 15. /TASS/. Iraq expects Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to visit Baghdad before the end of the year, Iraqi Ambassador to Russia Haidar Mansour Hadi Al-Athari told journalists on Wednesday.

He reiterated that the Russian foreign minister earlier received an invitation to visit Baghdad from Iraqi Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohamed Ali Alhakim. "Now we are coordinating the date of the visit through diplomatic channels," the diplomat said, answering a TASS question. "We expect the visit to take place this year.".

The Ambassador said that Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi will visit Moscow before the end of the year. "A visit to Moscow will take place this year, he has received an official invitation from [State Duma lower house Speaker Vyacheslav] Volodin and has accepted it with joy," Hadi said.

"We are now working to coordinate the date for a meeting of the speakers," the diplomat said.

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Armenia–Azerbaijan conflict

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Russia to retaliate immediately if Kiev gets ATACMS missiles — diplomat

Konstantin Gavrilov also noted that the "manic efforts" of some Western OSCE member countries to isolate Russia "are futile and will backfire on their initiators"

Armenian police arrests people protesting against demarcation with Azerbaijan

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Nearly 70 Israeli hostages killed in Gaza, Hamas says

A day earlier, Abu Ubaidah, a spokesman for the Hamas' Izz ad-Din al-Qassam military wing, threatened that hostages held in the Gaza Strip could repeat the fate of Israeli pilot Ron Arad, who was kidnapped 36 years ago

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Russian Foreign Ministry denies report of consular services ban abroad

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Gagauzia against Chisinau’s policy of severing ties with Russia

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US draft on nukes in space seeks to go beyond legal framework Russia adheres to — MFA

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No response from West to killing of Izvestia war reporter Eremin — diplomat

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Russia says its battlegroup West seized better positions

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Ukrainian army strikes own surrendering soldiers — POW

Andrey Babenko said that after a crash course in Britain he had been sent to the frontline near Liman

Ukraine’s draft dodger makes attempt to cross Dniester into Moldova on air mattress

Men of conscription age try to leave the country in every possible way, often putting their lives at risk

Russia discourages use of UN sanctions for interference in African affairs — envoy

Vasily Nebenzya underscored that Russia continues to "make an important contribution to strengthening of African countries’ potential, including UN Security Council and General Assembly"

Modern weapons make up 82% in Russian air defense troops — Shoigu

"The Kiev regime has failed to achieve the goals of its counteroffensive prepared by NATO instructors," the defense minister said

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Kiev may use ATACMS missiles to hit Crimean Bridge — Russian defense ministry official

Russian military will do its utmost to repel such attacks, Apty Alaudinov said

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

Joe Biden directed to send ATACMS to Ukraine in February, the Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the US Department of State Vedant Patel said

Potential nuclear facilities in Poland to be military target for Russia — senior diplomat

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Russian defense minister dismisses his deputy Ivanov

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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"

Press review: Dissecting US aid package to Ukraine and sands of global economy shifting

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US waging hybrid war against Serbs to snuff them out for good — Republika Srpska head

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

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Crocus City Hall attack funded using cryptocurrency, Russian finance watchdog says

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Russia vetoes US-backed UNSC resolution on banning nuclear weapons in outer space

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

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Russia to submit its own resolution on nuclear weapons in outer space to UNSC

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

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Timur Ivanov was arrested by Moscow’s Basmanny Court

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Top stories from the Russian press on Wednesday, April 24th

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

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Global community changing tune about how Ukraine conflict started — security official

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

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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"

Central African Republic expects Russia to supply weapons, munitions — defense minister

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Belarus responds to threats with preventive deterrence measures — defense minister

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US incapable of replicating Cold War-era arms race — Valdai club expert

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Russian court arrests in absentia four foreign agents charged with terrorism

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

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Russia’s top brass reports destroying US-made Hawk air defense system in Ukraine operation

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Musk concurs that civil war looming in West

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Ukraine says Western systems ineffective against Russia's electronic warfare

Maria Berlinskaya emphasized that the real effectiveness was determined in real combat conditions, and not at "some training ground in Texas"

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

Rafael Grossi may visit Russia in late May

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"

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"

Lukashenko sees Ukraine conflict posing risks to Belarus

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Russian court blocks JPMorgan’s funds in VTB lawsuit

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Russia dissatisfied with UN’s activity under grain deal — senior diplomat

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

All-Belarusian People's Assembly adopts new military doctrine, security concept

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Moscow slams NATO drills near Russian borders as inflammatory

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US effectively dooms Ukraine by its new decisions, Russian envoy says

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IN BRIEF: Russian deputy defense minister, entrepreneur arrested for taking bribes

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

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