Afghan drug traffic most serious threat to post-Soviet states — Russian official

"Iran will face the consequences for its actions," IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi said

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

"If Israel and its Western supporters want to further escalate the conflict, we are ready to take additional defensive measures to protect our legitimate interests," Hussein Maliki said

Vasily Nebenzya said Russia was calling on the International Atomic Energy Agency to name the source of attacks

According to the source, the owner of the drone is being questioned by law enforcement

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

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

According to the report, Israel’s war cabinet will meet on April 16 for a third straight day

Earlier, the Federation Council’s budget and financial markets committee recommended that the amendment on an increase in MET on gold from June 1 to December 31, 2024 be approved

According to preliminary information, the suspect was interacting with unknown individuals in Ukraine and agreed to set fire to relay boxes on the Trans-Siberia Railway for money

The German chancellor is in China on an official visit from April 14-16

"Azerbaijan increasingly characterizes human rights disputes with Armenia as attempts to challenge Azerbaijani sovereignty or territorial integrity and claims that this case is an obstacle to peace between the two countries," Yeghishe Kirakosyan stressed

According to the draft agreement, seen by the agency, the parties would have extended security guarantees to merchant vessels in the Black Sea, as they committed not to strike or search them as long as they had declared a non-military cargo

Three violations of the deconfliction protocols of December 9, 2019 linked with the flights by the US-led coalition unmanned aerial vehicles were reported in Syria in the past 24 hours

Top stories from the Russian press on Tuesday, April 16th

According to the report, Riyadh and Abu Dhabi tried to remain neutral in the escalating conflict in the Middle East

The IAEA director general said he plans to visit Tehran in the next few weeks

According to Vladimir Saldo, during the night there was a strike on the Ukrainian troops' landing zone on the right bank of the Dnieper River, nine boats and up to 20 militants were destroyed

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

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"

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov, in turn, said that Russian President Vladimir Putin has not yet received an official invitation

Like the ICBM, the carrier rocket is intended for launches from a mobile launching platform

Meanwhile, Slovakia supports Ukraine’s accession to the European Union

Vladimir Saldo added that troops use at their discretion the possessions of the people who used to live in these apartments

US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Joe Biden had made it clear that the United States would not take on a combat role in Ukraine

The complex of measures (plan) to stimulate Russian investment activity in Belarus was also signed

"If Western missions were attacked, you would not hesitate to retaliate and prove your case in this room. Because for you, everything that concerns Western missions and Western citizens is sacred and must be protected," Vasily Nebenzya said

The presidential certificate is a 100x70mm maroon leather-bound booklet inscribed with the Russian emblem and the words "President of the Russian Federation" in gold on its cover

The report said the Israeli retaliation will be "limited in scope"

Dmitry Peskov stated that China "maintains quite high diplomatic activity" on the Ukrainian track

Yury Borisov noted that SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket was used no more than ten times

"If Iran ends up with the number of missiles and drones necessary to sustain this level of action for a week, they will have exhausted Israel's ability to defend itself," Scott Ritter said

It was possible to establish that the Ukrainian servicemen were tasked with hitting Orthodox sites in the region aide to the head of the Donetsk People's Republic Igor Kimakovsky said

The personnel and equipment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were also defeated in 129 districts

The Chinese leader had an in-depth exchange of views on the Ukrainian crisis with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who is on an official visit to Beijing

"We are continuing our efforts to prevent further escalation," the US official said

It is noted that US officials believe the military benefits of Ukraine’s air raids on Russian oil refineries are "of questionable value," since "the strikes do little to diminish Russia’s war-fighting abilities"

According to German Galushchenko, the issue has been discussed, and "everyone is quite positive about it"

The Georgian Interior Ministry said that one police member was injured

"Undoubtedly, everything that is going on today, carries a direct threat to nuclear safety," Renat Karchaa reiterated

Zhang Ming noted that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has transformed from a regional to transregional multifaceted association at this point

General agreement includes organizing the production of the brand’s products in Russia and gradually increasing the level of localization

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

Rustaveli Avenue has been opened for traffic

Izzat al-Rishq noted that Israel’s attempts to release its hostages held by radicals in the Gaza Strip have failed and "there is no alternative to a real deal on this matter with Palestinian groups"

Stanislav Beryozkin was taken to a hospital to undergo thorough examination, with all the required tests made

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

Guido Crosetto didn’t specify whether the currency he meant was dollars or euros

Ebrahim Raisi opined that the UN Security Council and the organization as a whole "failed to fulfill their minimum legal obligations to condemn the [Israeli] attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus"

According to the sources, Israel is now focused on how to respond to the Iranian attack

Vladimir Zelensky admitted that Ukraine had no chance of winning victory without support from the West

"The strike was carried out with ODAB-500 high-explosive aerial bombs with a universal planning and correction module," the Russian Defense Ministry reported

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

It is noted that the two leaders also discussed the latest escalation in the Middle East

Iran’s Bavar-373 long-range mobile air defense system, believed to be an equivalent of Russia's S-300 systems, will become operational by the year-end

The Russian president has ordered that migration policy be overhauled taking into account the national interests and security of the population, and the importance of preserving Russia’s culture and language, Nikolay Patrushev reiterated

Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani described the Israeli attack on the Iranian embassy’s consulate department in Syria on April 1 as a strategic mistake

According to German Galushchenko, the value of the damage is being verified and could reach billions of dollars

According to the FSB, the detainee had departed for Ukraine after the launch of the special military operation where he was recruited by an SBU officer in October 2023

According to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko, many of such measures have already been announced

Rafael Grossi calls for attacks on ZNPP to stop as they raise safety risks

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian made the statement as he spoke by phone with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi

US House Speaker Mike Johnson announced the plans in a private meeting with GOP lawmakers on Monday, Politico said

The spacecraft’s first flight is planned for 2028, Yury Borisov said

This was reported by a representative of law enforcement agencies

The Russian Embassy in Tehran keeps the issue under special control, Maria Zakharova said

"There has to be painstaking work from behind the scenes that is not seen or known, then it makes sense," the former Austrian foreign minister

Previously, former US Secretary of Defense Advisor Douglas Macgregor said that the failure of the US Administration in the Ukrainian conflict has already disrupted the balance in Europe, strengthening Russia’s positions

The London Metal Exchange’s ban on Russian aluminum, copper and nickel produced after April 13, 2024 leaves the Shanghai Futures Exchange as the only major commodities bourse in the world to accept Russian shipments of the three metals

Russian troops suffered no casualties, the Russian Defense Ministry reported

The French leader stressed that Israel was responding to a terrorist attack

Andrey Rudenko emphasized that Russia is providing all necessary assistance in the meaningful preparation of the summit in Astana

The vast majority of respondents have a positive attitude to developments in the field of future technologies, but only 23% consider Russia to be a leader in this field

According to the the Russian presidential press service, "Vladimir Putin said all parties would hopefully show a reasonable degree of constraint to avoid a new bout of tensions"

"The Biden administration on the eve of the presidential election does not need this at all," Alexander Maryasov noted

According to Russian Foreign Ministry Ambassador-at-Large Rodion Miroshnik, over that period, Ukrainian troops fired "at least 1,362 munitions" at civilian facilities

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin added that the record-high indicator of mutual trade turnover is $45.2 bln

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"

The Russian Foreign Ministry has repeatedly emphasized previously that similar drills and patrols are held in strict compliance with international law

It was reported eaerlier that Turkey had negotiated for two months with Russia and Ukraine on a deal to ensure the safety of merchant vessels in the Black Sea

Vyacheslav Volodin cited data from the US Treasury Department, according to which the country's budget deficit in March amounted to $236 bln

According to Herzi Halevi, the Israeli military was well-prepared for the Iron Shield operation to counter the Iranian attack

According to the Defense Ministry, Russian troops took better positions in the Donetsk area over the past day

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

Igor Kimakovsky said that the Ukrainian combat group in Chasov Yar is suffering heavy casualties

Yoav Gallant held discussed with the participants in the meeting a number of measures that need to be taken as part of the preparations for the operation in Rafah with a focus on the evacuation of civilians and expanding activities linked with the delivery of food and medical equipment to the Gaza Strip

According to Yair Lapid, Israeli allies "smell this weakness," too

Rafael Grossi reminded the Security Council that last year he outlined the principles of ensuring safety at the ZNPP to avert the danger of a nuclear incident and called on Russian and Ukraine to observe them

According to Christelle Neant, French specialists are engaged to operate these howitzers in Ukraine as Ukrainian mobilized soldiers lack relevant skills and time to learn how to use them

The talks are being held within the framework of a letter sent earlier by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to the presidents of Turkey, Russia and Ukraine

"We, both sides, and you can take it from me - as I meet with colleagues from NASA, would hate to lose this cooperation," Yury Borisov noted

The previous all-time high exchange price for cocoa beans was recorded on March 26, when it reached $10,080 per ton

The drones neutralized by the air defenses included a Mavic-3 UAV and three Baba-Yaga drones carrying improvised explosive devices manufactured with the use of anti-tank aerial bombs and mines

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

"Such actions harm the intra-Yemeni settlement, undermining the efforts of international and regional mediators," Dmitry Polyansky noted

Russian reconnaissance teams have repeatedly observed the Ukrainian military using ambulances and other civilian vehicles for transporting troops and armaments to combat areas, Vladimir Saldo said

This figure includes frozen assets of individuals and legal entities included in the sanctions list, such as cash, corporate investments, and yachts

"They not only completely gave away Zelensky's regime, but also confessed to their own complicity in these irresponsible bombardments," said Vasily Nebenzya

The hearing took place amid a heated debate between representatives of the ruling Georgian Dream - Democratic Georgia party and the opposition

Kioumars Heydari said the Israeli Air Force's bombardment of the Iranian consulate in Damascus on April 1 was an "attack on the territory" of the republic, while "the mission of the armed forces is to defend the national territory, so the enemy was given a resolute response"