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At least 12 dead in floods caused by torrential rains in Tbilisi

June 15 has been declared a day of mourning over people killed in floods caused by torrential rains in the Georgian capital city Tbilisi

© AP Photo/Sergei Poliakov

TBILISI, June 14. /TASS/. At least 12 people died and 24 are reported missing in floods following hours-long torrential rains in the Georgian capital city of Tbilisi, Georgian Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri said on Sunday.

June 15 has been declared a day of mourning over people killed in floods caused by torrential rains in the Georgian capital city Tbilisi, Prime Minister Irakly Garibashvili said on Sunday.

"Regrettably, there are human losses and on behalf of the government I would like to extend condolences to the families of those dead," he said. "In memory of those people, June 15 has been declared a day of mourning in Georgia,"

According to the Georgian interior ministry, at least 12 people died and 24 more are reported missing in Tbilisi’s biggest flood in the past 50 years. The floods were caused by hours-long torrential rains.

UN secretary general calls on international community to prevent escalation in Red Sea

Following the escalation of the conflict in the Gaza Strip, the Houthis said they would strike Israeli territory and prevent ships affiliated with that country from passing through the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait until the operation in the Palestinian enclave ended

Georgian protests against foreign agent bill reek of US influence — Medvedev

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Ukrainian drone attack damages four houses in Russia’s Voronezh

According to Governor Alexander Gusev, last night the air defenses on duty in the Voronezh Region detected and destroyed several air targets, including three weather probes

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

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

Majority of France opposes confrontation with Russia — expert

Laurent Briard believes that French President Emmanuel Macron crossed a line when he announced he was considering sending French troops to Ukraine

DPR leader reports heaviest fighting near Avdeyevka, Chasov Yar

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

Russian sovereignty over southern Kuril Islands indisputable, diplomat says

Maria Zakharova pointed out that the southern Kuril Islands were an integral part of Russia under international law based on the outcome of World War II

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

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German MFA summons Russian ambassador after detention of espionage suspects — newspaper

Commenting on the men's arrest, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said: "Our security services have prevented possible explosions aimed at undermining our military assistance to Ukraine"

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

Sergey Ryabkov said the US seeks to maintain military superiority in a great variety of areas

Ukrainian military reportedly uses HIMARS rocket launcher to attack Gorlovka

Head of the Donetsk People’s Republic Denis Pushilin also said that an explosive device had detonated in the Kievsky District of Donetsk, injuring a man born in 1964

Russian PM signs off on plan for regions to accommodate evacuees from Palestine

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US asking UNSC members to reject resolution on Palestine, hoping to avoid veto — media

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Georgian president says she will veto law on foreign agents

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Protesters give Georgian government one hour to revoke foreign agents bill

Earlier on Wednesday, Georgia’s parliament passed the foreign agents bill in the first reading

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

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

Israeli Air Force strikes Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon

The IDF also said that its soldiers were forced to open fire in the area in order to "remove an imminent threat"

Ukrainians abroad storming embassies to avoid mobilization, Russian diplomat says

On Tuesday, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky signed the mobilization law passed by the Verkhovna Rada (parliament) in the second and final reading on April 11

Both main US parties threatened Telegram, co-founder says

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

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Maria Zakharova noted that Moscow would not be surprised if it turned out that the US and the EU had imposed their plans on Yerevan

Russian, Turkish senior diplomats discuss situation in Gaza

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

Ukrainian president signs law tightening mobilization rules

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

Russia, CIS partners to hold air defense exercise in 2024

The participants in the exercises will practice interaction in getting ready for and conducting combat operations by aviation and air defense forces that are part of the unified regional air defense system of Russia and Belarus

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

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

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'Iron Dome' can't fully protect from UAV swarms — Chinese expert

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

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

Former Ukrainian MP sees Zelensky turning into 'usurper' after his term expires

The legitimacy of the authorities is a hot button issue in Ukraine, where parliamentary and presidential elections are prohibited during martial law

Slovakia to oppose Ukraine’s NATO membership bid — PM

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

Georgia’s parliament approves first reading of foreign agent bill

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

Kiev continues to openly announce terrorist attacks on Russia — diplomat

Maria Zakharova also pointed to the fact that Ukraine's special services do not give up attempts to "massacre their former compatriots"

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

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

No snap elections before delimiting borders with Azerbaijan, Armenian PM says

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

NATO’s security goals at odds with interests of Central Asian nations — Russian diplomat

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Iran tells US about April 13 attack on Israel, it does not want escalation — top diplomat

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Ukraine attacks ZNPP training center again, drone neutralized

"No one was injured as a result of the attack," the news release said

Russia maintains constructive dialogue with both Iran, Israel — Kremlin

Dmitry Peskov mentioned a recent phone call between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian

US retrieves weapons previously banned under INF treaty — Russian ambassador

Anatoly Antonov emphasized that such steps were another powerful blow to strategic stability

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"

Israel may have used banned white phosphorus munitions while shelling Lebanon — TV

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

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Arnulf Damerau said that he provided details of the meeting, along with evidence and a list of names of those involved, to US and European intelligence agencies

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

"All NATO allies agree that the 9M729 is not compliant with the INF Treaty," the US embassy’s spokesperson said

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

No shelling attacks on Syrian troops were registered over the past 24 hours

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Swiss parliament votes against joining task force on frozen Russian assets

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

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Yevgeny Pogrebnyak said that he was treated well by Russian troops in his captivity

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Over 40 nations want to join BRICS — Russian lawmaker

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Robert Fico believes Moscow will win in its confrontation with Kiev

Russian artillery thwarts Ukrainian army’s rotation near Kupyansk — underground resistance

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Russia bans 235 Australian local government officials from entering country — MFA

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Russian government approves list of unfriendly countries

There are two countries on the list

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West, Kiev indulge in nuclear blackmail by demanding control of ZNPP — Russian MFA

"Without noticing it themselves, they spoke the language of an ultimatum," Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova underlined

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

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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

FSB declassifies documents revealing Ukrainian infiltration of Red Army units during WWII

Russia’s Federal Security Service has made the memo public on the 80th anniversary of the Red Army’s liberation of Western Ukraine

Mystery surrounds dolphin deaths on Black Sea coast, investigation underway

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West militarizes South Caucasus, buries hope for region’s peaceful future — Russian MFA

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Russia-China military-technical cooperation not directed against other states — diplomat

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

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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"

Russia says its forces repel four Ukrainian counterattacks in Kupyansk area

The Ukrainian army losses were up to 70 servicemen, three motor vehicles, a D-30 howitzer, 2 Plastun-3000 electronic reconnaissance stations and a Nota electronic warfare station

US gives nod to Israeli operation in Rafah in exchange for canceling major attack on Iran

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Shoigu visits presentation of over 30 promising weapons, including robotic vehicles

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Press review: Ukraine, Israel vie for EU’s attention and Georgia passes controversial bill

Top stories from the Russian press on Thursday, April 18th

MiG-31I fighters receive air refueling system

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

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

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Russian diplomat challenges France to stop arming Kiev amid Olympic truce talk

According to Maria Zakharova, in order for Moscow to take Macron’s initiative seriously, "practical steps" are needed

Yerevan's refusal to delimit borders with Baku to escalate regional tensions — PM

Nikol Pashinyan pointed out that the demarcation process also involves risks, but they are manageable, after which "Armenia will become ten times stronger"

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

The document also says that the EU and its member states will step up humanitarian support and civil protection assistance to Ukraine

Iran ready to share tech know-how with all SCO members — ambassador to Moscow

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

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

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German police apprehend two suspected Russian spies — media

The Der Spiegel magazine claims that the saboteurs’ targets included military cargo routes

West silent on Ukraine's threats to attack Crimean Bridge — MFA

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Xi Jinping proposes four principles for resolving Ukrainian crisis

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

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Weather balloon neutralized in Russia’s central Kaluga Region — authorities

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Kremlin condemns 'illegal' seizure of villa from Russian businessman

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