International commission intentionally drags out Boeing crash investigation — FM spokesman

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

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

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

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

The first Konteiner radar went on combat duty in the Volga area region of Mordovia on December 1, 2019

The two other State Duma members mentioned in the verdict alongside Karpov are Viktor Kazakov and Georgy Karlov

The IMF revised upward its forecast for Russian GDP growth to 3.2% in its next report on global economic prospects

The Russian embassy has called attempts to probe into the alleged involvement of Russian special services in the development of rumored plans for attacks on military facilities in Germany "absurd and ridiculous"

Dmitry Kireyev noted that the rate of HIV-positive people was different across Russian regions, depending on the number of intravenous drug users

According to materials in the case, the accused man has a residence permit in Ukraine, where his wife lives, and Kyrgyz citizenship

Maria Zakharova noted that Moscow would not be surprised if it turned out that the US and the EU had imposed their plans on Yerevan

"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

Peter Szijjarto lamented that NATO allies had been demonstrating conflicting intentions, plans and proposals that may prompt them to "cross some lines that have until recently been regarded as red"

The traditional event of lighting the Olympic flame was attended by Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach, President of the Greek National Olympic Committee Spyros Capralos and other officials

Murmansk authorities said earlier that the capacity of the port of Lavna under construction on the western coast of the Kola Bay is planned to be involved in transshipping export cargoes from Belarus

More than 100 employees of the Russian Ministry of Emergencies are fencing the shores and filling the least reliable dam segments

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"

Russian Presidential Commissioner for Children’s Rights Maria Lvova-Belova said that Ukraine and Western countries were doing everything in order to demonize Russia’s image

According to Governor Alexander Gusev, last night the air defenses on duty in the Voronezh Region detected and destroyed several air targets, including three weather probes

According to Sergey Naryshkin, the French Army is "visibly concerned" over the growing number of French citizens killed in Ukraine

Maria Zakharova said it was "absurd" to say Russia nurtured any aggressive plans about Ukraine

Sergey Denisenko is reportedly married with two dependent infants and two underage children, having no previous criminal record

"There are increasingly fewer people willing to discuss this subject with Kiev’s envoys, let alone going there," Rodion Miroshnik stressed

Commenting on the men's arrest, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said: "Our security services have prevented possible explosions aimed at undermining our military assistance to Ukraine"

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"

"In any case, whatever the modality of providing this aid, de facto it is about provoking Ukraine into further hostilities down to the last Ukrainian, putting guarantted money in the pockets of the US," Dmitry Peskov said

Russian troops suffered no casualties, the Russian Defense Ministry reported

The agency said it and the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine informed their Polish counterparts about the alleged assassination attempt

Russian troops took better frontline positions in the Donetsk area over the past day, the ministry reported

Softline expects to get an update on access to the US corporation’s products shortly

The exact location of the damaged pipeline or the causes of the incident is not reported

Earlier reports said that the airport suspended temporarily inbound flights due to strong rains, while departures from the air harbor continued

Restrictions have been imposed on Sayyed Javad Musavi, commercial director of the Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group (SHIG), which is responsible for the Iranian ballistics program

Top stories from the Russian press on Monday, April 15th

OJSC Gazprom Transgaz Belarus is a 100% subsidiary of PJSC Gazprom in the Republic of Belarus

More than 13% of the capital's residents have already participated in the online voting

According to Sergey Ryabkov, Russia and Argentina maintain a good dialogue at various levels

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

The previous meeting of the Presidential Council on Interethnic Relations was held in May 2023

According to the minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, in the event that Israel uses force against Tehran's interests, "the Islamic Republic of Iran will not hesitate to use its right to give an immediate and decisive response that will make them regret"

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

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

Anastasia Rastorgueva, General Director of Altan, noted that the manufacturer of the Uslada confectionery products has already received commercial orders during the preparation stage of the exhibition

Dmitry Peskov underscored that Moscow has already made its position clear on this matter

According to Grigory Karasin, many BRICS members share the opinion that the association should be in no hurry to adopt a strict charter, "seeing how counterproductively and even provocatively the European Union is acting"

"China always opposes the illegal unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States and will continue to take necessary measures to firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises," Liu Pengyu said

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

"The Israeli forces carry out strikes at humanitarian forces, block their access, slow down the cargo clearance," Vasily Nebenzya said

The MOEX Russia Index edged up by 0.49% to 3,456.24 points, the RTS Index surged by 0.27% to 1,165.53 points

The real effective ruble rate edged down by 0.3% against the dollar and dropped by 0.8% against the euro

"The support for Ukraine remains steady. It is firm," Kristalina Georgieva noted

The issue has been facing legal complications of confiscation of frozen Russian assets so far

Most airlines stopped canceling flights and were able to partially restore their regular flight schedule, the Chief Operating Officer noted

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

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

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"

On April 10, the vehicle was also spotted when the North Korean leader visited Kim Jong Il Military and Political Academy

Following the escalation of the conflict in the Gaza Strip, the Houthis said they would strike Israeli territory and prevent ships affiliated with that country from passing through the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait until the operation in the Palestinian enclave ended

Top stories from the Russian press on Thursday, April 18th

Earlier, Russian delegation presented evidence at a session of the UN Security Council that the maternity hospital in question had long been seized by the Azov battalion and other radicals and all expectant mothers and all nurses had been driven out of it

Robert Fico believes Moscow will win in its confrontation with Kiev

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"

Haikou tops the list, followed by Chongqing in southwest China and Sanya is in third place

Brazilian leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva welcomed Gustavo Petro’s initiative, "being committed to promotion of Colombia’s candidacy"

It is reported that the US has benefited from more favorable conditions in terms of energy prices, something that has been quite a serious factor for Europe, not a positive factor for Europe

Laurent Briard believes that French President Emmanuel Macron crossed a line when he announced he was considering sending French troops to Ukraine

The Russian defense minister has given his instructions to speed up the introduction of promising weapons that have been tested in the special military operation zone into service with the Russian Army

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"

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

"I think that the decision has been taken by the member-states - all 27 have agreed that we use the windfall profits following our proposal," Ursula von der Leyen said

Alexander Lukashik stressed that the Russian Foreign Ministry translates these documents, if necessary, and uses diplomatic correspondence in unfriendly countries

According to Vyacheslav Gladkov, about five houses, a passenger car and an administrative building sustained damage

According to the official, Japan is trying to "question North Korea’s sovereignty using such wording as 'nuclear and rocket issues'"

The situation at the line of engagement in Donbass escalated on the morning of February 17.

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

According to the official, the investigation established that Mikhail Maurov planned to travel to Ukraine to join the ranks of a right-wing Ukrainian organization called the Freedom of Russia Legion

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

According to Rada Deputy Speaker Alexander Korniyenko, some of the law’s provisions will take effect after its publication, while most of them will enter into force in a month

Russian officials have previously noted that the United States is abusing its obligations as a host country by denying visas to representatives or officials attending international events at UN sites

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

Sergey Aksenov noted that the increase in budget revenues helped use a large amount of funds on the development of priority areas, including environmental protection, education, health care, and road construction

"Without noticing it themselves, they spoke the language of an ultimatum," Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova underlined

The claimant's lawyer informed earlier that the court had sent the decision and all the necessary documents translated into English to the respondents

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

Sergey Ryabkov pointed out that the West "is ignoring elementary and, as a matter of fact, absolutely obvious principles," such as the idea that a nuclear power "can never be defeated"

The report did not specify which facilities in Israel had been attacked with hypersonic missiles

The area for the terminal to transship Belarusian potash fertilizers, where the capacity of the port of Lavna under construction and railroad approaches to it, have already been selected, Andrey Chibis noted

The Russian president pointed out that Moscow’s "program of assistance to the African countries in sanitary and epidemiological well-being provides for the delivery of ten mobile high-containment biological laboratories"

The regulator also noted the increase in agricultural animals export by 2.2 times as of the end of the first quarter of 2024

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

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

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

The previous intergovernmental agreement dated December 23, 1998 on checkpoints through the Kazakh-Russian state border will cease to have effect on the effective date of the new document

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

On the evening of April 13, Iran launched dozens of drones and missiles toward Israel in response to what it called "repeated crimes" from Tel Aviv, including the attack on the consular office of the Iranian Embassy in Damascus ascribed to Israel

Agency pointed out that its experts stationed at the ZNPP reported hearing the sounds of artillery fire on Saturday morning at near distance or further away

"According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, opium poppy cultivation and opium production in Afghanistan has decreased by 95%, yet opioids, such as heroin and opium, as well as Afghan-made methamphetamine, are still flowing into Tajikistan," the official said

Maria Zakharova also highlighted Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s recent US visit, adding that "it was yet again accompanied by anti-Russian outbursts"