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Developments in eastern Ukraine

Donetsk activists seized by security service

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East Ukraine’s Donetsk republic plans to hold sovereignty referendum jointly with Luhansk

DONETSK, April 24. /ITAR-TASS/. The Security Service fo Ukraine (SBU) had seized at least ten federalization supporters in Donetsk alone and had been holding them in custody in Kiev, Denis Pushilin, co-chairman of the board of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, told ITAR-TASS.

Last Friday, activist Leonid Baranov was seized by Kiev's Security Service and taken into the Lukyanovskoye jail in Kiev, where he is held alone in a cell. Previously, Alexei Belousov was seized under similar circumstances. Ten activists were held there, and there were others unknown, he noted. Among them were people who were there accidentally.

Pushilin said that the Donetsk region’s first people's governor Pavel Gubarev also was in the Lukyanovskoye jail.

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Donetsk Eastern Ukraine

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

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Russia bans 235 Australian local government officials from entering country — MFA

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Russia not to go for settlement on Ukraine based on 'Zelensky formula' — Lavrov

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World’s anti-doping agency WADA still waits for Russia’s 2023 financial contribution

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Proposals on Russian assets confiscation undermine financial system — Finance Minister

Russia urges the International Monetary Fund to resume the effort of improving the global monetary and financial system, Anton Siluanov noted

NATO discussing transfer of ‘deep precision strike capabilities’ to Ukraine — Stoltenberg

Stoltenberg said NATO believes Ukraine has the right to strike "legitimate military targets" inside Russia

US assured Israel that Iranian drones will be intercepted — US journalist Hersh

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US House passes procedural vote on Ukraine aid bill

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Russian forces destroy Ukrainian army’s aircraft park near Nikolayev — defense ministry

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Operational tactical group North HQ destroyed, DPR’s People’s Militia

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Switzerland does not suit Russia for negotiations on Ukraine — Lavrov

The Foreign Minister pointed to the fact that Switzerland is on board with all Western sanctions

Russian military base may appear in CAR’s eastern region — President Touadera

According to the president, this step will help strengthen his country’s defense potential and contribute to bolstering the national armed forces’ capabilities

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

US gives nod to Israeli operation in Rafah in exchange for canceling major attack on Iran

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Russia might register coronavirus vaccine by end of summer - expert

Now the development of the vaccine is at the stage of preclinical trials, they might last another month

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

Russia knows French military instructors working in Ukraine — Lavrov

At the same time, the top Russian diplomat pointed out that "there is information that not only French mercenaries, but also instructors, maybe even together, but along with some other representatives of military and special services of European countries are working there [in Ukraine]"

Hungarians in western Ukraine should get their rights back, Budapest says

"The Hungarian community’s opportunities to use its native language in the fields of education, culture, media and self-governance have been significantly limited," Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto specified

Russia’s sanitary watchdog trains African colleagues on using mobile labs

The exercise involved two mobile laboratories based on Kamaz vehicles, which Russian President Vladimir Putin presented to his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni as a gift at the Russia-Africa summit

Russian government increases customs duties on beer from unfriendly countries

This measure is not a prohibitive one and will make it possible to make competitive conditions equal for Russian producers, the ministry said

Russian instructors help train over 10,000 Central African troops — CAR president

According to Faustin-Archange Touadera, since becoming the president, his actions have been guided by the need "to modernize the army and take into account new challenges"

West close to sending military to Ukraine, this would 'drag Europe to bottom' — Orban

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Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, Egypt’s Ambassador talk BRICS cooperation, arms control

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West wants to make Transnistria hotbed of tension — Lavrov

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G7 leaders to decide on Russian assets use — Italian Deputy PM

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Russian economy positively influences neighboring countries — Deputy PM

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Putin signs law on holding World Friendship Games

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

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One crew member of jet crashed in Stavropol Region killed, search for another continues

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Kiev ordered mandatory evacuation from Kharkov Region to accommodate mercenaries

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Iran suspends flights above several cities amid reports of air attack — IRNA

Fox News said the Jewish state delivered a limited strike on Iran

S-500 system to be supplied to Armed Forces after 2015

Victor Gumenny said the advanced systems may solve the tasks of air-space defence and may fight hypersonic weapons

US, UK refuse to discuss document about Israel’s strike on Syria — Russian mission to UN

"The United States and the United Kingdom were reluctant to even discuss it, citing lack of unified approach to the incident during the session," Dmitry Polyansky said

Nearly half of those present in UN Security Council hall walk out before Israel’s address

israeli Permanent Representative Gilad Erdan was to address the council after Palestinian envoy Riyad Mansour

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Zelensky's presidential powers to expire May 21 — Ukrainian legislator

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Iran done with retaliation, calls for efforts to stop Israel from reckless steps — MFA

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Lavrov labels way West ramping up sanctions against Russia as mindless

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Armenia has to define CSTO’s zone of responsibility on its territory, says Lavrov

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Russian military closely monitors all Ukrainian 'novelties' — Kremlin on UAVs

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Russian stock indices rising on Friday

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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

Drones downed over Isfahan cause no damage, says Iranian foreign minister

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Ukrainians abroad storming embassies to avoid mobilization, Russian diplomat says

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West can’t comprehend Russia’s resilience — Lavrov

"They would have been scared had anyone come down on them with similar ferocity," the Russian foreign minister added

Lavrov speaks of West’s agony, Russia’s approach to any future talks with Kiev

The Russian foreign minister also described Armenia and Russia as more than formal allies

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

Revenues from NWF investments in financial assets reach $3.9 bln in 2023

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

Sergey Ryabkov said the US seeks to maintain military superiority in a great variety of areas

Ukrainian president admits Russian troops’ advancement

Vladimir Zelensky asked his country’s supporters to provide "everything that helps to hold the frontline," including shells, military vehicles and drones

No plans for pauses in fighting if talks on Ukraine begin, Lavrov says

The Russian foreign minister emphasized that the situation on the ground had changed significantly

Unidentified man attempts suicide outside courthouse where Trump trial is underway

The man set himself on fire

US 'not forgetting' to help itself with aid to Ukraine — Kremlin

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Ukrainian trace obvious in Crocus City Hall attack — Russian prosecutor general

The law enforcement employees exert efforts to identify the instigators of this crime, Igor Krasnov said

Bank of Russia supports accelerating bill on international cryptocurrency payments

Elvira Nabiullina also noted that more than 98% of financial transactions inside Russia are routed through the Russian equivalent of SWIFT, the Financial Messaging System of the Bank of Russia

Russia’s export duty on wheat to be $37.42 per metric ton from April 24

The floating duty on Russian grain exports is effective from June 2, 2021

Israel may have used banned white phosphorus munitions while shelling Lebanon — TV

On Wednesday night, the Israel Defense Forces press office reported that Israeli fighter jets struck "significant Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure used by the terrorist organization’s aerial defense system" in Lebanon

Izvestia correspondent Semyon Eremin killed in special operation zone

The tragedy occurred near the village of Priyutnoye located on the border of the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Zaporozhye Region

Russia won’t allow NATO to move closer in Ukraine — Lavrov

There is still no full clarity regarding the future of Ukraine's western regions, the Russian foreign minister went on to say

Russia handed over draft agreement to Ukraine on April 15, still no response — diplomat

"Many things, stated both in public space and at the negotiations table, have been immediately debunked by Kiev, sometimes within an hour or even 15 minutes," Maria Zakharova noted

North Korean leader arrives at public event in Aurus luxury car gifted by Putin

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Caucasus Investment Forum to take place in Grozny this year — organizer

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Swiss parliament votes against joining task force on frozen Russian assets

The group contains US finance and justice ministers, representatives of Australia, the UK, Germany, Italy, Canada, France, Japan, as well as the European Commission

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

Donald Tusk said that German Chancellor’s call to send more air defense systems to Kiev had no relation to Poland, provided the country's geographical position near the frontline