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Crimea and Sevastopol

Declaration of Riga summit ready, wording on Crimea remains — Lithuania’s president

According to previous reports, Armenia and Belarus refused to sign the document that would contain the "annexation of Crimea" wording

Lithuania’s President Dalia Grybauskaite EPA/TASS/STEPHANIE LECOCQ

Lithuania’s President Dalia Grybauskaite

© EPA/TASS/STEPHANIE LECOCQ

RIGA, May 22. /TASS/. The Declaration of the Eastern Partnership summit in Riga is ready and adopted, Lithuania’s President Dalia Grybauskaite told TASS on Friday.

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TASS asked her whether the wording "annexation of Crimea" remained, the president said: "Of course, without it the declarations could not be adopted."

Estonia's PM has confirmed the final statement was adopted with the wording "Crimea annexation."

"The document has been adopted, I am holding it in my hands. Yes, the term "Crimea annexation" has been included in the text," Estonia’s Prime Minister Taavi Roivas said.

According to previous reports, Armenia and Belarus refused to sign the document that would contain such wording. A diplomatic source told TASS that additional consultations were held in Riga on this issue.

The European Union was against removing this wording from the declaration text. Sources said that a proposal was made to include in the text a reference to the position of Belarus and Armenia on this issue.

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Source: some Eastern Partnership summit participants call for clear stance on EU accession

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Crimea and Sevastopol

Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Israel Defense Forces delivers more strikes on Hezbollah infrastructure in Lebanon

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Russia’s national jurisdiction must be competitive for business — Putin

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Russian cosmonauts begin first spacewalk in 2024

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US nukes in Poland to become target for Russia should confrontation with NATO occur — MFA

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

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US military advisers, if sent to Ukraine, won’t come close to frontlines — Pentagon

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Press review: NATO flexes muscles near Russian border and South China Sea runs hot

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

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

Russia ready to cooperate with all interested partners to ensure security — Putin

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"

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

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

Russia’s US-born boxer Johnson to star in TV reality show — promoter

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West again tried to obstruct international security meeting in Russia — security official

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

Azerbaijan, Armenia have installed 20 border markers so far

Expert groups from the two countries continue their work

West bends sanctions rules when it suits them — Kremlin

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"

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Around ten shopping malls in Moscow evacuated over bomb threats

Several malls have already been checked and have resumed routine operations

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

Rafael Grossi may visit Russia in late May

Putin vows maximal predictability for doing business in Russia

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

West’s unwillingness to give up hegemony escalates tensions in world — security official

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

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

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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"

Israel Defense Forces delivers more strikes on Hezbollah infrastructure in Lebanon

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Fatah accuses Hamas of actions that led to Israeli control of Gaza — report

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

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Russia says its battlegroup West seized better positions

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Russia’s strategic bombers get latest data transfer systems

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Kiev troops may strike targets in Crimea with ATACMS missiles — newspaper

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Crocus City Hall attack funded using cryptocurrency, Russian finance watchdog says

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Russia needs to boost production of goods based on domestic technologies — Putin

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US nuclear facilities in Northern Europe to become targets in Russia-NATO clash — MFA

Maria Zakharova warned that if US nuclear weapons were deployed to Northern Europe, "the security of the countries hosting these weapons will by no means get stronger, but on the contrary be harmed"

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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

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

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White House alleges that Russia working on satellite carrying nuclear device

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Russia to hold next international security meeting in 2025 — top security official

The date and location will be announced later

French neo-Nazi ringleader liquidated near Avdeyevka — sources

There is confirmed evidence of his connections with French secret services

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US incapable of replicating Cold War-era arms race — Valdai club expert

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Kremlin announces creation of blockchain-based payment system in BRICS

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Potential nuclear facilities in Poland to be military target for Russia — senior diplomat

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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

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

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

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Press review: US tries to strong-arm China and Zelensky's bid to bring men home

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