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Middle East and North Africa

Russia sends 44-tonne humanitarian aid to Syria’s Latakia

MOSCOW, December 10. /ITAR-TASS/. Russia has sent a 44 tonne humanitarian consignment to Syria, Emergencies Ministry spokesperson Irina Rossius told Itar-Tass on Tuesday.

“Today two planes of the Emergencies Ministry, Il-76 and Il-62, left the airfield in Ramenskoye near Moscow for Latakia. They will deliver camp furniture, tents, beds, blankets, dishware, food preserves, medicines and essentials,” she said.

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Middle East and North Africa Foreign policy

Iran intends to bolster military cooperation with Russia — envoy to Moscow

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

EU leaders urge to adopt proposal on using incomes from frozen Russian assets for Ukraine

The EU, the US, Japan and Canada have frozen Russian assets worth a total amount of around $300 bln

German police apprehend two suspected Russian spies — media

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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

Nord Stream AG's refusal to pay compensation destroys Western insurance system — diplomat

"The West is not only taking state assets and private property, but also threatening to destroy the major civilian infrastructure facilities, which were built with investments and then miraculously blown up, and they have now threatened insurance," Maria Zakharova said

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

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According to the report, the area around the discovered balloon was cordoned off and residents of nearby houses were evacuated

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Earlier on Wednesday, Georgia’s parliament passed the foreign agents bill in the first reading

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Russia’s Federal Security Service has made the memo public on the 80th anniversary of the Red Army’s liberation of Western Ukraine

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

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Russian forces improved their frontline positions and repelled a Ukrainian army counterattack in the Donetsk area where the enemy lost roughly 590 troops over the past day, the ministry reported

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

'Iron Dome' can't fully protect from UAV swarms — Chinese expert

According to Wei Dongxu, Tehran's firepower can cover most of the Middle East region, representing a fierce and precise long-range retaliatory means

Ukrainian military under constant gunfire by Russian troops near Urozhainoye, says POW

Yevgeny Pogrebnyak said that he was treated well by Russian troops in his captivity

Russian sovereignty over southern Kuril Islands indisputable, diplomat says

Maria Zakharova pointed out that the southern Kuril Islands were an integral part of Russia under international law based on the outcome of World War II

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Anatoly Antonov has urged the US "not to open Pandora's Box" and follow Russia’s suit "by taking all necessary steps to ensure global stability and predictability"

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The document also says that the EU and its member states will step up humanitarian support and civil protection assistance to Ukraine

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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

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

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"The meeting focused on the situation in the region," said in the statement

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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"

Russian government approves list of unfriendly countries

There are two countries on the list

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Ukraine turns from sovereign country into Western protectorate, Hungarian PM says

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

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Major Western investor accuses Zelensky's office of extorting millions of euros

Arnulf Damerau said that he provided details of the meeting, along with evidence and a list of names of those involved, to US and European intelligence agencies

Swiss parliament votes against joining task force on frozen Russian assets

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

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US asking UNSC members to reject resolution on Palestine, hoping to avoid veto — media

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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

Georgia’s parliament approves first reading of foreign agent bill

Protests against the bill have been held outside the parliament building since Monday

Press review: US throws Russia New START curveball and Washington's aid balancing act

Top stories from the Russian press on Wednesday, April 17th

Mystery surrounds dolphin deaths on Black Sea coast, investigation underway

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Russia’s advanced radar in Kaliningrad to monitor entire territory of Europe — source

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Ukrainian military reportedly uses HIMARS rocket launcher to attack Gorlovka

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

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Funding needs to be restored to UNRWA before end of investigation — Russia’s UN envoy

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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"

Iran withdraws officers out of Syria due to Israel’s potential strike — newspaper

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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

Putin points to high risk of new epidemic outbreaks

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Ukraine’s military loses positions near Avdeyevka, says DPR

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Nikol Pashinyan said about it, replying to a question from a resident of the borderline village of Berkaber about the necessity to hold snap elections before delimiting the border with Azerbaijan

Russia to scrap moratorium on intermediate missiles if US deploys them anywhere — MFA

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Press review: Ukraine, Israel vie for EU’s attention and Georgia passes controversial bill

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

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

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Press TV reports all of Iran's hypersonic missiles hit intended targets in Israel

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

Robert Fico believes Moscow will win in its confrontation with Kiev