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Developments in eastern Ukraine

Death toll in east Ukraine mine blast reaches 34

The blast occurred at the Zasyadko coal mine in the center of Donbas region early Wednesday while 230 miners were underground

© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

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Putin orders to deliver targeted aid to families of Ukraine mine explosion victims

MOSCOW, 6 March. /TASS/. The death toll from a suspected methane gas explosion at a coal mine in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk has risen to 34, a local medical official said on Friday.

The chief doctor of the Donetsk Burns centre, Emil Fistal, told the Donetsk news agency that one more person died in hospital on Friday.

The blast occurred at the Zasyadko coal mine early Wednesday while 230 miners were underground.

The Zasyadko mine is a coal producing enterprize in the center of the Donbas region, Ukraine's industrial and coal-producing heartland. It was put into operation in 1958. The mine, which is considered particularly dangerous for its high methane content, has a history of fatal accidents. The most serious one took the lives of 101 miners in November 2007. A further 52 workers were killed there in early December that same year, and five miners were killed in another episode later that month.

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Eastern Ukraine

Kiev confirms pulling back US-made Abrams tanks due to vulnerability to Russian UAVs

Thirty-one American tanks have become "unfit for the classical deployment," Maxim Buzhansky said

Kiev may use ATACMS missiles to hit Crimean Bridge — Russian defense ministry official

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

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The Russian defense chief is certain that "this is an important moment in strengthening security in the SCO space"

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

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

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

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

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TASS, SMI2 to launch positive content aggregator on Internet

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

China vows decisive response to US move to deploy intermediate missiles in Asia-Pacific

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

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US government prepares to sign $6-bln contract for arms deliveries to Ukraine — Politico

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Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun noted that he wanted to discuss "the most fundamental issues" with his Russian counterpart, given the constraints of time and place

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The Russian top defense official added that in order to achieve its goals, Washington is exerting unprecedented pressure, including on its partners

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Kremlin vows to resolve situation with Turkish Airlines refusing service to Russians

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

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

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

Russian troops wipe out Ukrainian UAV production workshop over past day

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

Houthi leader says group attacked more than 100 ships in Red, Arabian seas so far

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

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"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

SCO should unite against foreign attempts to trigger revolutions — Shoigu

"The main emphasis should be placed on the development of military contacts between the SCO and the CSTO,"the Russian defense minister said

Russian cosmonauts begin first spacewalk in 2024

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

Global community changing tune about how Ukraine conflict started — security official

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

Armenian police arrests people protesting against demarcation with Azerbaijan

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

Ukrainian opposition demands parliament speaker's resignation over pro-Hitler remarks

The speaker’s shocking remarks sparked outrage among the public

Venezuelan foreign ministry, Russian embassy hold joint conference in Caracas

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

Ukraine could send special forces to capture Zaporozhye NPP — politician

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

West prepares puppet structures in case of coup in Belarus — KGB

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

Pelosi's remarks about US protesters undemocratic, Russian diplomat says

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

Kremlin announces creation of blockchain-based payment system in BRICS

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

Europe should be prepared to build relations with Russia post-Ukraine conflict — Macron

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

Hungary sees Ukraine conflict entering new phase, NATO involvement rising

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

FSB nabs Neo-Nazi group members in Volgograd Region plotting high-profile terror act

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

Russian defense chief points to West’s double standards on right to self-defense

In this regard, Sergey Shoigu mentioned the operation that Tehran carried out "in retaliation for a blatant attack on the Iranian consulate building in Damascus"

North Korea tests multiple rocket launchers produced at new defense enterprise

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."

Kiev violates diplomatic relations convention by recruiting mercenaries abroad — diplomat

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

Right to secession from USSR was ‘time bomb’ under its statehood — Putin

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

US-oriented structures try to reformat security system in Asia-Pacific region

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"

Network of international conspirators plotted Crocus terrorist attack — watchdog

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

Iran calls on BRICS states to facilitate ceasefire in Gaza Strip

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

Russian court arrests in absentia four foreign agents charged with terrorism

"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

Reinforced Ukrainian battlegroup fails to break through Russian defenses in DPR — expert

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

Space station’s orbit raised by 1 km — Roscosmos

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

Transfer of US ATACMS missiles to Ukraine cannot be justified — Russian ambassador

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

Over 3,100 foreign mercenaries fight for Ukraine, most of them from US

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

IAEA chief to have working contacts with Rosatom, no meeting with Putin is planned

Rafael Grossi may visit Russia in late May

Positive trends in Russian economy become stronger — Putin

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

Casualties reported after Ukrainian strike on residential house in Zaporozhye Region city

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

Ukraine turns into testing ground for future world order, says Belarus president

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

Ukraine had to negotiate agreements with Russia with ‘three masters’ — Russian envoy

"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 diplomat accuses US of coordinating Ukraine’s terrorist attacks

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

Israel ready to accept release of fewer than 40 hostages in deal’s first phase — newspaper

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

Bolivarian Alliance countries stand for multipolar world — Maduro

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

Russian foreign minister to meet with Bolivian counterpart in Moscow

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

US 'not forgetting' to help itself with aid to Ukraine — Kremlin

"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