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Conflict in Syria

Lavrov: Disagreements inside Islam cannot prevail in Syria

MONTREUX, January 22. /ITAR-TASS/. Disagreements inside Islam cannot prevail in Syria, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at the Geneva II Peace Conference on Syria currently underway in Montreux, Switzerland.

“We’re concerned about the growing exit of Christians for whom this land has been their own home for 2,000 years. Christians live in Syria in peace and accord with the Arab and other brothers,” Lavrov said.

Russia “values the friendly relations with Arab and all Moslem states. It wants the Islamic world to be united and to play one of the important roles in the polycentric system of international relations”, the Russian minister said.

“We’re guided by these principles by developing partnership with the League of Arab States, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf,” he added.

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Igor Kimakovsky said that Ukrainian forces suffered heavy casualties among personnel and military hardware, including Western equipment

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Argentina applies for status of NATO’s global partner

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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

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Viktor Orban noted that there should be a buffer zone between NATO and Russia and Ukraine could serve as one

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Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Israel will "most likely" respond to the recent Iranian attack

US veto for Palestinian membership proves Washington’s anti-Palestinian stance — Hamas

The movement called upon the international community to "break free from Washington’s influence and support the struggle of the Palestinian people"

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Infrastructure is required to implement the investment project, both power transmission lines and the railroad, Andrey Chibis noted

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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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Shoigu orders additional tank protection sets for Ukraine operation

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Polish premier refuses to hand over his country’s Patriot systems to Ukraine

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Russia’s defense chief inspects production of tanks, flamethrowers at Siberian enterprise

Sergey Shoigu handed down an instruction for the defense enterprise to ramp up the production of T-80BVM tanks, the Defense Ministry said

France-Russia relations hit rock bottom — ex-envoy to Paris

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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US names lack of reforms as reason to block Palestinian membership resolution

US deputy envoy Robert Wood also noted that "Hamas - a terrorist organization - is currently exerting power and influence in Gaza, an integral part of the state envisioned in this resolution"

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

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Swiss parliament votes against joining task force on frozen Russian assets

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UN Security Council vote exposes practically full isolation of US — Russia’s UN mission

Vasily Nebenzya described the US veto as a "fruitless attempt to stop the inexorable course of history"

Russian chief prosecutor suggests agreement with Venezuela’s supreme audit body

Igor Krasnov reiterated the importance of control over anti-corruption measures and related legislation

Kiev continues to openly announce terrorist attacks on Russia — diplomat

Maria Zakharova also pointed to the fact that Ukraine's special services do not give up attempts to "massacre their former compatriots"

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

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

MiG-31I fighters receive air refueling system

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

Investigation into Crocus terrorist attack underway, traces lead to Ukraine — diplomat

Maria Zakharova noted the need to "wait for official information from the investigation"

Chinese car plant to start production at former Mercedes site in Moscow region in May

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Russia, Iran maintain contacts on nuclear security - deputy foreign minister

Sergey Ryabkov said that "very soon, Russia and Iran will have new additional opportunities to discuss the situation in the Middle East in general, as well as details of what is going on there at this point"

US blocks Security Council resolution granting full UN membership to Palestine

A total of 12 countries, including Russia and China, voted in favor of the document

Palestinian envoy says Israel plans to destroy Palestine

"This is a plan of extremist government", Permanent Observer of Palestine to the UN Riyad Mansour said

Palestine’s full UN membership more urgent now than ever before — China’s envoy

Fu Cong denied claims that direct talks with Israel are a vital precondition for Palestine’s UN membership

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"

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Israel assesses effectiveness, consequences of strike on Iran — media

A spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces declined to comment on the reports of the strike

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

Shoigu visits presentation of over 30 promising weapons, including robotic vehicles

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Tehran’s two major airports cancel international flights — Mehr

Imam Khomeini International Airport and Mehrabad International Airport suspended their operations until 10:30 a.m. local time

Palestinian president says US veto immoral, runs counter to global community’s will

In Mahmoud Abbas' opinion, Washington’s foreign policy constitutes "an outrageous aggression against the international law"

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

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"