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Developments in eastern Ukraine

Ukraine self-proclaimed Donetsk republic developing domestic mobile network operator

Ukrainian mobile Kyivstar network operator stops operations in the areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions not controlled by the Kiev authorities

© Grigory Fyodorov/TASS

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MOSCOW, February 5. /TASS/. Authorities of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) have started developing a domestic mobile network operator, DPR Minister of Communications Viktor Yatsenko told a press briefing at the Donetsk News Agency on Thursday.

"The Ministry of Communications has started full-scale work on developing a domestic mobile network operator on the territory of DPR," Yatsenko said. "It will be a national operator. First of all, it will cover the territory of the republic and possibly also territory of the friendly LPR (Luhansk People’s Republic)," he added.

On Wednesday, Ukrainian mobile network operator Kyivstar issued a statement on discontinuing operations on the territory of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions not controlled by the Kiev authorities.

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Eastern Ukraine

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Russian economy proves resilience amid large-scale sanctions — IMF

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Ukrainian POW exposes poor battlefield performance of NATO-supplied Javelins, NLAWs

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Swiss parliament votes against joining task force on frozen Russian assets

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Sergey Shoigu handed down an instruction for the defense enterprise to ramp up the production of T-80BVM tanks, the Defense Ministry said

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

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Iran may target Israeli nuclear center in Dimona in case of Israel’s attack — TV

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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

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

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Water level of Ishim River in Russia’s Tyumen Region surpasses dangerous mark

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

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Press review: Biden backs aid to Israel, Ukraine and Russia assets giving West legal fits

Top stories from the Russian press on Friday, April 19th

Two people killed in borderline Belgorod Region in Ukrainian drone attack — governor

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

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, an Aerospace Forces’ Tu-22M3 bomber crashed after completing a combat mission while returning to the airfield

Ukraine’s military loses positions near Avdeyevka, says DPR

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

US volunteer Russel Bentley missing in Donetsk killed — RT editor-in-chief

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Lavrov labels way West ramping up sanctions against Russia as mindless

According to the foreign minister, Russia has decided not to depend on the West in all spheres, including those in which it can limit the country's development

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

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US-led coalition’s aircraft violate Syrian airspace 13 times in past day

Two shelling attacks on the positions of Syrian government army by the Jabhat al-Nusra groups were reported in the Idlib de-escalation zone

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

Earlier, it was reported that Ukraine had developed a UAV with a range of up to 3,000 kilometers

FACTBOX: Collective Security Treaty Organization

The Collective Security Treaty came into force on April 20, 1994 to herald the emergence what would eventually become the Collective Security Treaty Organization. The six member-countries are Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan

Kiev ordered mandatory evacuation from Kharkov Region to accommodate mercenaries

Evacuation campaigns are regularly organized by the Kiev government, under the pretext of security issues

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

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American Abrams tanks vulnerable even to Soviet-era weapons, says expert

US President Joe Biden announced on January 25 that Washington would hand over 31 M1 Abrams tanks to the Kiev regime

Russian stock indices rising on Friday

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Sites for practicing ways to counter drones to be set up at all Russian testing grounds

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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

CIA chief says Ukraine could lose by end of this year — Politico

William Burns said "there is a very real risk that the Ukrainians could at least put Putin in a position where he could essentially dictate the terms of a political settlement"

About 30 events in 26 countries to be held as part of Russian Film Festival — minister

The geography of work in the culture sphere was wider before but "all the horizontal ties are kept," Olga Lyubimova noted

Ukraine’s new ethnic minorities law insufficient to protect Magyars — Hungarian president

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Izvestia correspondent Semyon Eremin killed in special operation zone

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Ukrainian drones continue to fly over Zaporozhye NPP — press service

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