No Ukraine Contact Group meeting as Ukraine refuses to attend — Russian lawmaker

Maria Zakharova pointed to media reports, according to which Ukrainian embassies in a number of countries are openly campaigning local citizens to join the so-called International Legion of Ukrainian Territorial Defense

Wang Yi also called for "resolutely opposing attempts to take advantage of the chaos and add fuel to the fire"

"ALBA can be among the founders of a new world, a new international multipolar order," the Venezuelan president stressed

The goal "is to put more pressure on Crimea," The New York Times said

The top diplomats are to discuss bilateral ties, political dialogue, ways of broadening cooperation in various sectors and improving the legislative and contractual framework

According to Vladimir Rogov, the Ukrainian troops are holding drills to cross the Dnieper from the right bank to the left bank and capture a large industrial site

Earlier, US President Joe Biden signed a package of bills approved by Congress, which total some $95 bln and include about $61 bln to help Ukraine and $26 bln to support Israel

Spokesman Wang Wenbin stressed that China was not providing weapons to the conflicting parties and strictly controlled dual-use goods, including the export of drones

According to Dmitry Stefanovich, in order to prevent a new unbridled arms race, it is necessary to work on strategic stability as well as the sphere of arms control

Yury Chikhanchin pointed out that the perpetrators of the attack were provided with money, weapons, transportation and ammunition

According to preliminary information, the average altitude of the orbital outpost was increased to 414.8 km above the Earth’s surface

During the questioning, the detainees gave confessionary evidence that sharing the ideas of racial and religious supremacy, they established contact with the ringleaders of the pro-Ukrainian terrorist organization

Positive agenda promotion mechanisms should appear in Russia, SMI2 CEO Yury Belousov said

"An increase in radiation levels has already been registered in Poland," Nikolay Patrushev warned

The rescuers are involved in efforts to clear the rubble of a five-story house on Kuibyshev Street

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

The Russian leader expressed confidence that the the 12th International Meeting of High Representatives for Security Issues "will bolster cooperation for the mutual benefit of our countries and peoples"

On April 25, US police said at least 127 people were arrested during large-scale protests on American university campuses against Israeli actions in the Palestinian enclave

Apart from that, IDF fighter jets delivered strikes on Hezbollah infrastructure in the area of Kfarchouba in southern Lebanon and in Markaba

Earlier, a delegation from the Moscow Zoo headed by its head Svetlana Akulova arrived in Pyongyang on April 22

The President ordered to expand the public finance planning level to cover six instead of three years

Rescue craft were promptly sent to the ship, fire extinguishing started, the crew was evacuated

The United States should not cross the red lines with regard to China’s sovereignty and security, Wang Yi added

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu underlined that this is being done by strengthening "military-political structures such as QUAD, AUKUS and the US-Japan-Philippines triad"

The head of state stressed that companies implementing projects can already use special support measures, and the state will expand these business opportunities

The Russian forces also foiled a counterattack of an assault group of the Ukrainian 80th mechanized brigade in the vicinity of the Krasnoye settlement in the Donetsk People’s Republic

The resolution passed in a 493-11 vote, with 18 abstentions

The US businessman commented on remarks by Gad Saad, a Canadian professor of Lebanese origin, who insisted that "the path that the West is taking will result in civil war"

State trials of S-500 are under way at a testing range in southern Russia

Dmitry Peskov noted that, "according to some parameters, companies in Europe and other regions can hardly maintain their competitiveness if they completely abandon our products"

According to the French leader, when building relations with Russia, Europe needs to rely upon its own strong security system

The adoption of a new military doctrine instead of the one that has been in force since July 2016 stems from the need for adaptation to the changed military-strategic situation

"The largest nuclear powers, albeit indirectly, are actually fighting on Ukrainian territory. And not indirectly," the president of Belarus noted

Comprehensive mechanisms require to be worked out, the head of state noted, responding to a proposal to add new tools to support of congress and exhibition activities

The Russian forces improved their frontline positions and inflicted casualties on five Ukrainian army brigades in the Donetsk area over the past day, the Defense Ministry reported

"We have heard President Putin say publicly that Russia has no intention of deploying nuclear weapons in space. If that were the case, Russia would not have vetoed this resolution," Jake Sullivan stressed.

Russian military will do its utmost to repel such attacks, Apty Alaudinov said

"The court has selected a measure of restraint for Garry Kasparov, Gennady Gudkov, Yevgenia Chirikova and Ivan Tyutrin, charged with establishing and heading a terrorist society, funding terrorist activity and justifying it publicly," the court said

In Maxim Buyakevich words, neither the talks nor their outcome can change the existing political and territorial realities

The date and location will be announced later

Country’s leader Kim Jong Un said the systems feature advanced technologies and "will contribute to strategic changes in the process of strengthening the artillery forces."

The 12th International Meeting of High Representatives for Security Issues took place in St. Petersburg on April 23-25

Labor productivity requires a significant increase in all sectors of the economy, the President stressed

The number of operational and combat training activities in Poland and the Baltic states increases every year, the Belarusian President noted

The unemployment rate went down in regions and settlements where it was historically high, the head of state stressed

Each fourth transaction made via the system from January to March 2024 was associated with payments for goods and services, the regulator said

Timur Ivanov was arrested by Moscow’s Basmanny Court

According to the head of state, such risks still exist

According to Nikolay Patrushev, these countries "understand perfectly well who is financing" the Kiev regime

Ivan Tertel said various methods were being considered, up to "instigating a forceful seizure by illegal armed groups" being trained in the West and Ukraine

"Neither these missiles nor other weapons can help defeat the Russian Federation," Anatoly Antonov said

Andrey Marochko added that the Ukrainians have also intensified artillery and drone attacks at Russian positions

Top stories from the Russian press on Thursday, April 25th

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani called for a complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza

Fatah also said Hamas is currently seeking to become part of the Palestine Liberation Organization, but is doing this "only to preserve itself and survive"

Maria Lvova-Belova thanked Qatar for setting up a venue for dialogue between Russia and Ukraine regarding children’s interests

Rafael Grossi may visit Russia in late May

The Houthis also confirmed that the movement will "continue its military operations, impeding the navigation of Israeli vessels in the Red Sea, the Arab Sea and the Indian Ocean"

The Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson stressed that "US steps are posing a major threat to security and stability of regional players"

The situation can take a sudden turn for the worse from one minute to the next, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said

Alexander Lukashenko stressed that his Ukrainian counterpart Vladimir Zelensky should have realistic expectations

According to the article, the United States "is putting the finishing touches" on one of its largest Ukraine military aid packages to date, which may be announced on Friday

According to the minister Gergely Gulyas, the North Atlantic Alliance "wants to provide financial assistance, as well as supply weapons and train Ukrainian soldiers"

According to the report, Israel is willing to acceprt the release of women, men over 50 years old and those seriously ill

"Despite unprecedented challenges we face in recent years, positive trends are becoming stronger in national economy," the head of state said

"Washington’s plan is sickeningly simple, as it means dragging everyone under the pretext of ‘peace intentions’ to an empty gathering, while bolstering Zelensky’s terrorist potential," Maria Zakharova said

According to Sergey Ryabkov, discussions around the deployment of NATO nuclear facilities in Poland are an "unfolding story"

"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

According to Nikolay Patrushev, some representatives planned to attend the meeting, but later succumbed to pressure and refused

Tensions "have reached a peak where the slightest imbalance can lead either to a serious, high-profile and large-scale provocation or a conflict," Pavel Muraveiko stressed

Oleg Kononenko and Nikolay Chub are expected to spend 6 hours and 52 minutes outside the orbital outpost

The 27th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum will be held on June 5-8, 2024

According to Nikolay Patrushev, this creates conditions for the devaluation of international law and its institutions and the erosion of the UN's central role in resolving global and regional conflicts

Russia’s international reserves are highly liquid foreign assets available with the Bank of Russia and the Russian government

"The impression is that Warsaw is maniacally seeking to attract even more attention from military planners in the Russian General Staff," Maria Zakharova added

The head of state accused Washington of preparing a "Belarusian liberation army" and reiterated Minsk's readiness to "defend its country"

The Russian Investigative Committee added that measures are underway to locate their whereabouts and bring them to criminal liability

"Battlegroup Dnepr units conducted active counterbattery warfare and destroyed enemy drones, manpower and equipment on the right bank of the Dnieper River," Governor Vladimir Saldo said

Russia has "very constructive and friendly relations" with Turkey, Dmitry Peskov stressed

Earlier, demonstrators in several regions of Armenia tried to block highways, including international ones

"The American aid won’t save Zelensky. New weapons will be destroyed, and the special military operation goals will be achieved," Anatoly Antonov stressed

"It is very difficult to negotiate with those who are unable to make decisions, even if they want, they can’t, and only act as a side to a difficult conflict," Vladimir Medinsky explained

Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev noted that the heads of foreign delegations expressed sincere condolences to the Russian people over the casualties of the attack on a concert hall outside Moscow

Vyacheslav Volodin pointed to a law recently passed by Sweden’s parliament enabling minors to transition without surgery that a national survey showed was disapproved by 59% of citizens

The text of the Declaration of the Creation of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the subsequent 1924 USSR Constitution contained the right of free secession from the Union, the Russian President pointed out

Top stories from the Russian press on Wednesday, April 24th

The President undescored that Russia did not plan to produce absolutely everything domestically

"I think that Beijing understands this perfectly well and will not even pretend being ready to reach any agreements with the Americans to the detriment of Russia’s interests," Sergey Ryabkov said

Konstantin Gavrilov also noted that the "manic efforts" of some Western OSCE member countries to isolate Russia "are futile and will backfire on their initiators"

"The catastrophe in Gaza proves once again that the inability of the Palestinian people to implement their legitimate national rights is the root of the Palestinian-Israeli contradictions and the essence of the Middle East issue," Wang Yi stressed

Work will continue to develop the Contingent Reserve Arrangement, primarily regarding the use of currencies different from the US dollar," the Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov pointed out

The speaker’s shocking remarks sparked outrage among the public

Russia’s Federal Financial Monitoring Service head added that the act of terrorism was intricately planned and it took an international network of conspirators to carry it out

"United States has no intent of conducting combat operations inside of Ukraine, nor are these forces going to be anywhere near the frontlines," Patrick Ryder said

GDP growth is 6% in average over the first two months, the Russian leader noted

Ansar Allah strikes one ship every two days, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi said

There is confirmed evidence of his connections with French secret services

The cosmonauts fulfilled their tasks way faster than planned, spending four hours and 36 minutes in space

The event brought together almost 200 diplomats, foreign ministry staffers and experts in international relations

The embassy said that the Austrian Mauthhausen Committee had also cautioned the organizations of Russian compatriots in Austria against participating in the event