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Embassy diplomats to represent Ukraine at CIS council meeting

Earlier, Ukraine decided to cut short its presidency in the CIS

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin ITAR-TASS/Sergey Fadeichev

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin

© ITAR-TASS/Sergey Fadeichev

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MOSCOW, April 02. /ITAR-TASS/. Diplomats from Ukraine's embassy in Moscow will represent their country at a Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Moscow on April 4 following Ukraine's decision to leave the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Vassily Nebenzya told ITAR-TASS on Wednesday that “At the present moment, the secretariat of the Commonwealth of Independent States reports that nobody will arrive from Kiev. Ukraine will be represented at the [foreign ministers] council meeting by embassy staffers.”

Asked about forthcoming consultations with Ukraine, Nebenzya said Moscow had proposed such contacts. “Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin has invited Ukraine’s First Deputy Foreign Minister Natalya Galibarenko to meet in Minsk on April 2,” he said.

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“Parliament-appointed acting Foreign Minister of Ukraine Andrii Deshchytsia made a statement, in which he said that the arrangement was for April 4, in Minsk. This is not correct, all the more as a meeting in Minsk on April 4 is impossible since Moscow hosts a meeting of the CIS Council of Foreign Ministers,” Nebenzya added.

He said Karasin had invited Ukraine’s first deputy foreign minister to meet in Moscow at the council gathering. “However, as far as I understand, she will not arrive, which means that there will be no meeting on April 4,” Nebenzya said.

On March 19, Ukraine decided to cut short its presidency in the CIS. On March 20, CIS co-ordination institutions permanent representative Ivan Bunechko stepped down as chairman of the Council of CIS Permanent Representatives. Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada, the parliament, registered a bill on the country’s withdrawal from the CIS on March 24.

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

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Iran has no plans to immediately retaliate to attack on its soil — agency

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At least 16 Syrian troops killed in terrorists’ ambush in east Syria — TV

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Military base near Iran’s Isfahan hit following attack — newspaper

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Ukrainian president admits Russian troops’ advancement

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

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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

Ukrainians abroad storming embassies to avoid mobilization, Russian diplomat says

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

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

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"

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

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

Nikol Pashinyan pointed out that the demarcation process also involves risks, but they are manageable, after which "Armenia will become ten times stronger"

Algeria pledges to return to Palestinian membership issue — envoy

"The overwhelming support for Palestine’s membership makes it crystal clear that the State of Palestine is worthy of its rightful place among member states of the United Nations," Amar Bendjama said

French president says creating Israeli-type air defense network for Ukraine impossible

Emmanuel Macron added that Europe’s resources are limited, and the European Union will continue helping Kiev keeping in mind its own reserves

Vehicles, equipment participating in Victory Day parade depart for Moscow — ministry

The final rehearsal of the military parade will take place on May 5

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"

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

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"

Final statement by G7 top diplomats to call for supplying more air defenses to Kiev

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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

Ukrainian front may collapse this summer — newspaper

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

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Hossein Amir-Abdollahian added that prior to the attack, Tehran said that it would not target US military infrastructure in the Middle East "except in a situation where the United States wants to take military measures in support of Israel"

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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

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"

Two pilots of jet that crashed in southern Russia hospitalized

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

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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

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

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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

Three Ukrainian soldiers swim across Dnieper to surrender to Russian troops — governor

Vladimir Saldo called on other Ukrainian servicemen to switch to the Russian side and request the corresponding assistance

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

Shoigu orders additional tank protection sets for Ukraine operation

The minister also inspected the training process in Omsk Armor Engineering Institute

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

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

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

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