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PACE to send 42 observers to early presidential elections in Ukraine

May 25, PACE members will meet with presidential candidates, officials of the Central Electoral Commission, civic society activists and mass media executives

© EPA/SERGEY DOLZHENKO

STRASBOURG, May 15. /ITAR-TASS/. Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe will dispatch 42 observers to the Ukraine’s highly controversial early presidential election, which the incumbent authorities in Kiev plan holding May 25 despite an ongoing armed punitive operation against supporters of federalization in the eastern regions of the country.

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Naryshkin: Ukrainian crisis may worsen if presidential elections fail to take place May 25

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Ukraine crisis Ukraine PACE Ukraine presidential elections

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The organization believes that the states that deploy nuclear weapons on their territory are "consenting to be party to mass murder of civilians"

Russia has significant amount of West’s funds in case of confiscation of its assets

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Militants cornered in Nalchik open fire when told to surrender — authorities

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Ukrainian forces refuse to obey Commander-in-Chief Syrsky — CIA ex-analyst

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Ukrainian military’s shelling leaves two civilians wounded in DPR in past day

The Ukrainian armed forces carried out 22 attacks on residential areas in the Donetsk People’s Republic

US expert says more ATACMS won't alter battlefield dynamics in Ukraine

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US can ship weapons to Ukraine within few days if funding approved — Pentagon

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West battlegroup destroys two Ukrainian drones, hit over 170 Ukrainian army’s facilities

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Russian troops destroy four boats with Ukrainian assault force on Dnieper River

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US using human rights topics to shake political situation in Russia — embassy

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Ukrainian army strikes own surrendering soldiers — POW

Andrey Babenko said that after a crash course in Britain he had been sent to the frontline near Liman

NATO has no plans to deploy nuclear forces in Poland — Stoltenberg

NATO Secretary General did not immediately understand the reporter’s question, forcing the reporter to explain that they were referring to the idea of deploying nuclear weapons in Poland

Russia scraps plans to hold Immortal Regiment march in 2024 amid security threats

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Turkey will not join sanctions against Russia — Erdogan

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Lavrov states West’s growing concern about BRICS plans to develop own financial tools

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Russian Foreign Ministry gives Israeli ambassador talking-to over critical remarks

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Russian troops liberate Novomikhailovka community in DPR — top brass

Russia’s Battlegroup West repulsed four Ukrainian army counterattacks over the past day, the Defense Ministry reported

EU may sanction 10 firms for allegedly shipping weapons tech to Russia — Bloomberg

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Value of frozen Russian assets in Switzerland drops to $6.36 bln over the year

The Swiss authorities pointed out that the value of assets of the Bank of Russia "may fluctuate in either direction, notably as a result of valuation changes on frozen securities, bank charges and exchange rate movements"

Mexicans, Colombians recruited in US jails to be deployed in Ukraine — SVR

Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service said that in case the inmates agree to this "mission," "they are promised full amnesty, reckoning they would never come back"

Over 280 recovered from mass grave at hospital in Khan Yunis — TV

The operation to recover bodies of people killed in Israeli bombardments continues in the city

Weapons for new US package for Kiev yet to be found — Ukrainian ambassador

Oksana Markarova explained that $4 billion worth of weapons that was to be provided under the previous decisions still remained undersupplied

Speakers of EU parliaments back idea of creating rapid response forces

The speakers praised the EU initiative to have its own military capability to "defend the security of its people, their interests and democratic values"

Any potential peace deal to reflect Ukraine’s capitulation — Russia’s UN mission

"However, you have nothing to worry about, as Ze’s Ukraine has blown its chances for such a favorable outcome, and therefore any possible deal will now reflect its capitulation," Russian First Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Dmitry Polyansky said

Ukrainian army loses 444,000 troops during military operation — Shoigu

According to the Russian defense minister, the liberation of several residential settlements in Donbass, disclosed Kiev attempts to prevent the collapse of the front

Detained deputy defense minister suspected of taking grand bribe of over $10,000

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Russia presents world’s first hydrogen-fueled luxury car at Innoprom exhibition

The unique vehicle was built on the basis of the Aurus Senat luxury car

US again forbids Russian diplomats from laying flowers to ‘Spirit of Elbe’ plaque — envoy

"Last December, our diplomats were not allowed to visit the National Ford Richardson Cemetery in Anchorage," Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov noted

One more Ukrainian drone shot down over Belgorod Region — defense ministry

The Kiev regime’s attempted terrorist attack on facilities in Russia’s territory with the use of a fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle was thwarted

Ukraine lost best fighters near Artyomovsk, retired general says

Sergey Krivonos added that relocation of troops from one direction to another will not solve Ukrainian forces’ problems, and that each fighter should be used according to their specialization

Russia to incorporate US nuke scenario in Poland in its military planning — diplomat

"Poland’s authorities make no secret of their striving to lean closer on the US nuclear weapons deployed in Europe and are actively using these ambitions in their hostile Russian policy," Maria Zakharova stressed

Russia increases its fertilizer output by around 20% in January

By December 2023, the figure increased by 0.7%

Azerbaijanian leader says reaching peace with Armenia by November 'quite realistic'

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Republika Srpska president praises Moscow-Banja Luka relations, favors strengthening them

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Russia invites all countries to develop North - South transport corridor — Putin

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US has no idea what to do about Zelensky — Seymour Hersh

According to the journalist, the decision to conduct the operation was made by US President Joe Biden personally, following nine months of discussions with White House national security advisers

Russian missile cruiser Varyag enters Mediterranean Sea

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Putin proclaims Odessa Russian city, challenges Ukraine's historical narrative

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Russian envoy, authorities of Afghanistan call for unfreezing of Afghan assets

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"Russian Deputy Defense Minister Timur Vladimirovich Ivanov was detained on suspicion of committing a crime under part 6, article 290 of the Russian Criminal Code," the Russian Investigative Committee said

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Moldovan authorities seize large sums of money from opposition activists

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Destroyed TV tower in Kharkov carried Ukrainian air defense coordination device — official

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Severstal reports 13% net profit growth under IFRS in Q1 2024

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US Abrams tanks, Bradley APCs unloaded in Greece — report

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Russian-Kazakh commission discusses border demarcation issues

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Russia’s top brass reports destroying US-made Hawk air defense system in Ukraine operation

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Beijing condemns US hypocrisy around Ukraine conflict

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Russian forces take Ukrainian strongholds near Klescheyevka under control

Apty Alaudinov posted a drone video footage of elimination Ukrainian personnel and Russian forces capturing enemy trenches

Baku cannot turn blind eye to France, India, Greece arming Armenia — President Aliyev

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Calls for joint use of nuclear weapons with US dangerous — ICAN

The organization believes that the states that deploy nuclear weapons on their territory are "consenting to be party to mass murder of civilians"

Gaza settlement crucial for Islamic world, Erdogan believes

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Prime Minister said that it is possible if proponents of peace, not war, win the June elections to the European Parliament and the US Presidential elections in November

Ukrainian connection to Crocus terrorist attack undeniable — ex-SBU officer

Vasily Prozorov noted that the perpetrators could have been eliminated once they crossed the border

UN chief describes current state of climate as ‘preview of disaster’

Antonio Guterres stressed that the world community must reduce global greenhouse emissions by 43% by 2030 compared to 2019

Lenin Museum in Finland's Tampere to shut down in November

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FSB raids terrorist cell in Dagestan that funded, armed Crocus City Hall attackers

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West balancing on edge of direct military confrontation between nuclear powers — Lavrov

According to the top Russian diplomat, it is especially concerning that the three Western nuclear powers are among the key sponsors of the Kiev regime and the main initiators of various inflammatory moves

Several Ukrainian drones destroyed over Kursk Region

Apart from that, according to Roman Starovoit, Ukrainian troops staged several shelling attacks on the Kursk Region

US authorities prepare military aid for Ukraine worth $1 bln — Reuters

The aid package includes vehicles, Stinger man-portable air defense system munitions, HIMARS rockets, 155-mm artillery shells, TOW and Javelin anti-tank missiles and other weapons that could be "used at the battlefield immediately"

Azerbaijani president accuses West of seeking to draw vision lines in South Caucasus

"That is why we expressed our concern over the unprecedented meeting in Brussels between the European Commission president, the US secretary of state, and the Armenian prime minister," Ilham Aliyev stressed

Ukraine no longer sovereign state, says Hungarian Prime Minister Orban

Viktor Orban also stated that it was imperative to return to the negotiating table as peace talks represent the only means of saving lives

Russian presidential envoy visits Afghanistan to discuss political cooperation

Russian presidential envoy for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov met with Deputy Prime Minister for political issues Abdul Kabir, Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, and Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani

North Korea stages first combined tactical drill simulating nuclear counterattack — KCNA

The drill’s main purpose is to demonstrate the reliability, superiority, might and diverse means of the DPRK's nuclear force

France preparing contingent of 2,000 troops to be sent to Ukraine — intelligence chief

According to Sergey Naryshkin, the French military "fears that such a large military unit cannot be transferred and stationed in Ukraine unnoticed"

37 Russian, Ukrainian children receive treatment in Qatar — diplomat

Qatari Foreign Ministry Spokesman Majed Al-Ansari said that ten families from Ukraine, including 16 children, and ten families from Russia, including 21 children, arrived in Doha on April 18

Kremlin vows legal action against US bill on seizing Russian assets

Dmitry Peskov noted that the trial will be "very complex," but will cause severe damage to US economic interests if the US authorities finally approve the bill regarding Russian assets

Hamas threatens that hostages remaining in Gaza may go missing

Spokesman for the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades Abu Ubaida emphasized that at the moment "the ball is in the court of Israel's allies," but "time and opportunities are limited"

Modern weapons make up 82% in Russian air defense troops — Shoigu

"The Kiev regime has failed to achieve the goals of its counteroffensive prepared by NATO instructors," the defense minister said

Current Russian turn eastward possible owing to Baikal-Amur railway — Putin

BAM personifies giant labor and courage of two million very young people from across the entire Soviet Union, the Russian leader said

Most agents at Security Service of Ukraine set on war with Russia — former officer

Vasily Prozorov said that "it is extremely difficult to count on any better judgement on their part"

Four women killed in Zaporozhye Region in Ukrainian drone attack

The local emergencies services stressed that the car was targeted deliberately

Flow of cargo traffic via North-South transport corridor to reach 60-100 mln tons

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Ukrainian presidential office confirms London’s agrement to Zaluzhny as ambassador

Verkhovna Rada legislator Alexey Goncharenko said on Monday that the UK had granted its agrement to the Ukrainian former Commander-in-Chief