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Crisis in Belarus

Tikhanovskaya urges Belarusian workers to carry on with strikes

The opposition leader named the strikes a legal and effective method of fighting

Svetlana Tikhanovskaya Valery Sharifulin/TASS

Svetlana Tikhanovskaya

© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

MINSK, August 21. /TASS/. Former Belarusian presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya in her video address on YouTube has urged the workers of the country’s enterprises to continue and expand the strikes.

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"Workers of Belaruskali, the Minsk Tractor Plant, Grodno Azot, and other enterprises! The future of Belarus, which also means the future of our children depends now on your unity and your determination. So I am asking you to continue and to expand the strikes. Don’t get intimidated. Get united," she said.

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Belaruskali plant’s strike committee did not cancel strike — trade union

She named the strikes a legal and effective method of fighting. She added that "millions have already been donated to the support foundations." Among the goals of strikes she again noted the necessity "to end violence, to release political prisoners and to conduct transparent, free and honest elections."

In Belarus, where the presidential election was held on August 9, mass protest rallies of those disagreeing with the election results have been continuing. In the early days these rallies were accompanied by clashes between protesters and law enforcement forces. Employees of large enterprises expressed dissatisfaction with the situation, holding rallies with demands to conduct a new election. According to the final results of the Central Election Commission, incumbent president of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko got 80.1% of the vote. Svetlana Tikhanovskaya who was considered his main opponent, came second with 10.12%. She refused to recognize the election results. Later Tikhanovskaya left for Lithuania and announced that she was ready to become the nation’s leader. Despite the calls of the opposition, Belarusian industrial enterprises lately have been functioning as usual, the protest activity has decreased significantly.

Middle East conflict

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West irrational, fails to understand it cannot intercept Russia's new missiles — Kneissl

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Zelensky shook up by Russia’s response to permission to attack it — Lavrov

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Russia's Oreshnik missile poses significant threat to West, Turkish expert warns

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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

Oreshnik can reach targets across entire Europe — missile troops commander

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Weapons supplied to Ukraine cannot reach Russian territory, Spanish defense minister says

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Ukrainian defense line in Donbass may soon collapse — expert

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Russia forced to roll out new weapons as West fuels conflict, Minsk says

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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"

Russian forces successfully advancing in all areas in special military op zone — Putin

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US, West have no capabilities to intercept new Russian hypersonic missile — expert

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Russia entitled to use weapons against military sites of states attacking it — Duma

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Putin’s recent statements reflect long-standing policy, expert says

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Zelensky fine with conflict continuing due to Western help — Slovak PM

Robert Fico pointed out that "more and more evidence show that the West seeks to prolong the war in Ukraine for various reasons"

Internet shutdown possible in Belarus if events of August 2020 recur, Lukashenko says

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Western countries should 'be afraid, tremble' after Putin's statement — lawmaker

Andrey Kartapolov added that the special military operation in Ukraine "will continue its course until all tasks are completed"

US to impose export restrictions against up to 200 Chinese firms — agency

According to Reuters, the Commerce Department plans to publish the new regulations "prior to the Thanksgiving break"

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German politician slams Ukraine’s ‘irresponsible’ strike on Russia with UK-made missiles

"A diplomatic search for balance and mutual understanding should be the goal, instead of further escalation," Alice Weidel said

Oreshnik missile to go into serial production, Putin says

The president stressed that given the weapon’s special power, it "will be provided precisely to the Strategic Missile Forces"

Russia’s re-election to UNCITRAL confirms its global reputation — Foreign Ministry

Russia got the support of 129 countries in a November 20 vote in New York at the 40th plenary session of the UN General Assembly

Russian strategic missile forces to be equipped with advanced weapon by 95%

"A large-scale investment program for expanding production capacities at defense sector organizations is being implemented", Vasily Tonkoshkurov said

Russia hammers Ukrainian military-industrial facilities, energy sites over week

Russian forces liberated seven communities in the Donetsk People’s Republic over the past week, the Defense Ministry reported

Press review: US lets Kiev use anti-personnel mines and Iran may halt uranium enrichment

Top stories from the Russian press on Thursday, November 21st

Russia fires ballistic, non-nuclear-tipped missile at Ukrainian aerospace plant — Putin

According to the president, the missile is code-named Oreshnik, which can roughly be translated as hazel bush

Captives, Ukrainian losses: situation in Kursk Region

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

Kremlin confident Putin's statement got through to US administration

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on November 21 that the United States and its NATO allies had earlier announced that they would authorize Ukraine’s use of long-range weapons to hit inside Russia, after which American and British missiles struck Russian military facilities in the Kursk and Bryansk regions

Russian forces gain foothold in Chasov Yar’s industrial zone — expert

The units of the Ukrainian armed forces have created "a very serious defense line" along the railroad and along one of the streets of the settlement, military expert Andrey Marochko told TASS

WIPO members adopt Riyadh Design Law Treaty

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Russia not obliged to notify anyone about launch of intermediate-range missile — Kremlin

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State Department says Russia, China maintain forward momentum in bilateral relationship

Moscow and Beijing 'have maintained forward momentum in their bilateral relationship', Kurt Campbell said

West builds up military presence near Russia’s Arctic borders — presidential aide

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Tehran to launch new centrifuges in response to IAEA anti-Iran resolution — statement

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US, European officials suggest returning nukes to Ukraine — NYT

US officials believe that ramping up weapons supplies to Ukraine is unlikely to change the situation in the combat zone short term, but it may help Kiev strengthen its stance in case a truce is reached

US admiral says Washington should be ready for talks with Russia, China

The Department of State and other US agencies "should continue to engage our competitors in real and substantive dialogue," Rear Admiral Thomas Buchanan said

Press review: Russia fires missile at Ukraine plant and Biden forgives Kiev $4.65 bln debt

Top stories from the Russian press on Friday, November 22nd

Zelensky begs ‘for his country to be flattened’ — US journalist

"Ukraine should be forever grateful that President Putin is calm, rational and kind - because Zelensky is practically begging for his country to be flattened," American political commentator Jackson Hinkle said

Ukraine should consider territorial concessions to Russia in return for peace — magazine

Foreign Policy pointed out that Western officials should stop insisting in public speeches on the need to achieve a strategic defeat for Russia