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Developments in eastern Ukraine

Another exchange of prisoners between Kiev and DPR, LPR might take place in early March

KIEV, February 22. /TASS/. Another exchange of prisoners between the Kiev authorities and militias of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR) may take place in early March, Markiyan Lubkovsky, and adviser to the chief of Ukraine’s Security Service, said on Sunday.

"We have information that there are more people to be released. So, we expect another exchange of prisoners may take place in early March," he said in an interview with a Ukrainian television channel.

On Saturday, 52 militias were exchanged for 139 Ukrainian troops in Donbass. One Ukrainian serviceman opted to stay in Donetsk.

The prisoner exchange operation was organized by Viktor Meevedchuk, a humanitarian envoy at the Contact Group on Ukraine.

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Eastern Ukraine

G7 countries to continue examining possible ways of using frozen Russian assets

G7 countries are also set to take measures to counter alleged attempts to circumvent its price cap on Russian oil

Russia to scrap moratorium on intermediate missiles if US deploys them anywhere — MFA

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Protesters give Georgian government one hour to revoke foreign agents bill

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Russian investigators start inquiry into financing of terrorism by US, NATO officials

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Russian Aerospace Forces destroy three militant hideouts in Syria’s Homs

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Russia assumes that Security Council will soon return to Gaza ceasefire issue — diplomat

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Ukraine to lose at least 10 mln citizens over mobilization law — political scientist

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Hezbollah fires rockets at Israeli barracks in Shebaa Heights

Anti-tank guided missiles hit an artillery battery in Al-Samak in the Kfarchouba hills

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According to Denis Pushilin, it is too early to say when the city could be liberated

EU summit urges to provide air defense systems and all necessary military aid to Kiev

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Roscosmos chief notes high quality of Vostochny space center’s construction

Yury Borisov said that the space facility’s launch pad bore practically no visible signs of the recent Angara-A5 carrier rocket’s launch

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Nikol Pashinyan said about it, replying to a question from a resident of the borderline village of Berkaber about the necessity to hold snap elections before delimiting the border with Azerbaijan

Iran withdraws officers out of Syria due to Israel’s potential strike — newspaper

The report said that the Lebanese Shiite Hezbollah movement is also reducing the number of its officers in Syria

Nuclear field turns into dangerous tool of psychological war, Russian diplomat warns

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Russian software sales soaring over last four years — Minister

The number of employees in IT companies increased by 1.5 times over four years, Maksut Shadaev said

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G7 seeks to accelerate supplying air defenses to Ukraine — sources

The Kiev regime has long insisted on Western partners supplying it with more effective air defenses

Russian Prosecutor General's Office ready to share anti-terrorist experience with Cuba

Russia is also interested in exchanging views on topical issues of mutual interest, including human rights and measures to counter crime

Peacekeepers fully accomplish mission in Karabakh, Russian senator says

According to a statement signed by the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia on November 9, 2020, a Russian peacekeeping contingent was deployed to Nagorno-Karabakh

White House effectively rules out option for US forces to intercept Russian missiles

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

US deploying missiles in Philippines to endanger global security — Russian envoy

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"

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The Turkish leader also announced talks with Hamas politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh in Turkey on April 20

Xi Jinping proposes four principles for resolving Ukrainian crisis

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

Georgian president says she will veto law on foreign agents

According to Salome Zourabichvili, she is certain that the parliamentary majority will override her veto

EU isolated in its ‘blossoming garden,’ reluctant to let strangers in — Russian diplomat

Vasily Nebenzya also pointed at the European Union’s double standards with regard to refugees from Ukraine and the Global South

Israel plans to send 'painful message' to Iran in response to attack — newspaper

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

Russian security chief urges measures against 'ethnic enclaves' in Russia

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The Russian Emergency Situations Ministry is assigned to oversee the process of sending the evacuees to their respective regions in accordance with an annex to the directive

Israel planned to strike back at Iran on April 15, but decided to postpone, Axios reports

Israel told the US administration about the decision to wait, according to a US official

Russian industrial producers’ prices up 2.4% in March — statistics

In chemicals production, prices edged up by 26.8% for ethers, organic peroxides, epoxides, acetals and semiacetals and their derivatives

Press TV reports all of Iran's hypersonic missiles hit intended targets in Israel

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

Kiev’s attacks on Zaporozhye nuke plant result of impunity encouraged by US

Sergey Ryabkov stressed that the attacks on the nuclear facility "must be stopped"

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Crimea, Donbass to forever remain within Russia, Slovak PM tells national parliament

Robert Fico believes Moscow will win in its confrontation with Kiev

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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

Ukrainian president admits Russian troops’ advancement

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Erdogan once again denounces Israel as terrorist state that committed genocide

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US retrieves weapons previously banned under INF treaty — Russian ambassador

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Press review: Iran fires back at Israel and Russia, West spar over AI rulebook

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US assured Israel that Iranian drones will be intercepted — US journalist Hersh

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Israel says its jets attacked Hezbollah air defense site in eastern Lebanon

I"DF soldiers recently carried out strikes to eliminate "an immediate threat" in the Qawqaba area in southern Lebanon," Israel Defense Forces said

Water level in Kurgan to hit historical maximum in few days

The government of the Kurgan Region has arranged the work on providing financial assistance to the victims in the emergency zone

Russian security official vows 'well-deserved' punishment for those behind Crocus attack

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Envoy reports dozens of Russians killed in Ukrainian attacks in past week

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

US believes that Russia tested 9M729 missile for range beyond 500 km

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Russian government approves list of unfriendly countries

There are two countries on the list

Swiss parliament votes against joining task force on frozen Russian assets

The group contains US finance and justice ministers, representatives of Australia, the UK, Germany, Italy, Canada, France, Japan, as well as the European Commission

Press review: Israel mulls response to Iran's strike and Ukraine plays shot-caller with US

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

Almost 3,000 shots fired at Russia’s Kursk Region during military operation

The region's governor Roman Starovoit said 50 apartment buildings, 975 single-family homes, two stores, seven social and cultural buildings have been restored in the region since the beginning of the special operation

Severstal to unveil Q1 dividend recommendation on April 23

The quarterly cycle of information disclosure is convenient for the company as a matter of principle, Nikita Klimantov noted

Russian, Turkish senior diplomats discuss situation in Gaza

"The meeting focused on the situation in the region," said in the statement

Iran may break through Israel’s air defenses in major attack by drones, missiles — expert

Iran has the region’s largest arsenal of ballistic missiles, estimated to number in the low thousands, Behnam Ben Taleblu noted

UN concerned about 'increasingly dangerous rhetoric' in Middle East, official says

On the evening of April 13, Iran launched drones and missiles towards Israel in response to what it called "repeated crimes," including an attack on the consular office of the Iranian Embassy in Damascus

Ukraine turns from sovereign country into Western protectorate, Hungarian PM says

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

Ukrainian front may collapse this summer — newspaper

According to the newspaper’s assessments, Russia "has never been closer to its goals" in the special military operation zone

Humanitarian efforts in Gaza doomed without durable ceasefire — Russia’s UN envoy

Vasily Nebenzya is convinced that the work of the UNRWA is indispensable under these circumstances

New US bill calls for $26 bln in assistance to Israel

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Over 40 nations want to join BRICS — Russian lawmaker

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Number of people convicted of high treason in Russia last year revealed

In 2022, 16 individuals were convicted of high treason and one was convicted of spying

Russian state companies invested almost $10.72 bln into digitalization — Minister

The most important is the fact that Russian solutions account for more than 85% of expenses, Maksut Shadaev noted

Top British diplomat refused to recognize Voronezh and Rostov as part of Russia — source

After Truss’ statements urging Moscow to move its forces, located on Russia’s soil, away from the border with Ukraine, Sergey Lavrov asked his British counterpart if she recognized Russia’s sovereignty over the Voronezh and Rostov Regions

China to act over possible US measures for alleged support of Russian defense sector

"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

EU leaders urge to adopt proposal on using incomes from frozen Russian assets for Ukraine

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

Former Ukrainian PM points to motive behind mobilization exception for law enforcement

Nikolay Azarov noted that currently, law enforcement’s main job in Ukraine was to tighten the screws on the country’s population

Putin points to high risk of new epidemic outbreaks

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"

Romania now hosts as many as 11 F-16 jets for training of Ukrainian pilots

The ministers expressed their willingness to find a way for the center to continue to operate beyond 2025

Slovakia to oppose Ukraine’s NATO membership bid — PM

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

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

According to the minister, Russia is interested in increasing the role of the BRICS states in the international monetary, financial and trading systems, developing interbank cooperation, expanding the use of national currencies and creating its own exchange

India's new ambassador to Russia discusses high-level bilateral visits with Lavrov

"Ambassador Vinay Kumar paid a courtesy call on [Russian] Foreign Minister H.E. Mr. Sergey Lavrov," the embassy said on its X page

Russian forces pummel Ukrainian army, equipment in 133 areas over past day

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

US not going to be in armed conflict with Russia — official

The President of the United States has made that very clear

Turkish foreign minister urges West to stop Israel, prevent war in region

"The US and Western countries should stop Israel, tell it "Stop!" and prevent the conflict from spilling over," Hakan Fidan said

Georgia’s parliament approves first reading of foreign agent bill

Protests against the bill have been held outside the parliament building since Monday

Russia restores gasoline production after decline — Energy Ministry

The increase in motor gasoline production in mid-April is associated with production recovery after a local drop due to unscheduled repairs at refineries

Russia shares counter-UAV experience with CIS

In February-March 2024, the Military Aerospace Defense Academy held training of CIS specialists in counter-drone fight

EU vows new sanctions against Iran, calls on Mideast conflict parties to show restraint

The European Union is also poised to impose new sanctions on Iran, related to drones and missiles

Iranian president warns of 'terrible response' to any action against country

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"