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Fight against Islamic state

Iran ready for cooperation with Europe in fighting terrorism — president

TEHRAN, October 4. /TASS/. Iran is ready for cooperation with European countries in fighting terrorism, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday during negotiations with speaker of Croatia’s parliament Josip Leko, who is visiting Tehran.

"Today, violence and terrorism, like a catching disease, have reached Europe already," Press-TV broadcaster quoted the Iranian president. "Thus, everyone should realise the threat from those phenomena."

"Iran has been fighting terrorism effectively and we are ready for cooperation in this sphere with all countries, including members of the European Union," he said.

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UN secretary general urges Azerbaijan, Armenia to normalize relations

Stephane Dujarric noted that the secretary general "encourages the parties to continue the delimitation and demarcation of the remaining sections of the border and tackle all outstanding bilateral issues toward achieving full normalization of relations."

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

Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu has visited a testing ground in the Moscow Military District where new models of small arms developed with the participation of snipers who carried out missions in the special military operation zone were presented

Russia knows French military instructors working in Ukraine — Lavrov

At the same time, the top Russian diplomat pointed out that "there is information that not only French mercenaries, but also instructors, maybe even together, but along with some other representatives of military and special services of European countries are working there [in Ukraine]"

French, US, British nukes all interwoven — Russian diplomat

Maria Zakharova described France’s decision to place its aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, directly under NATO control as a symbolic move marking the end of "the era of an independent Paris in the international arena"

Nearly half of those present in UN Security Council hall walk out before Israel’s address

israeli Permanent Representative Gilad Erdan was to address the council after Palestinian envoy Riyad Mansour

Russian forces destroy Ukrainian command post, two S-300 missile launchers over day

Russian forces improved their frontline positions and repelled a Ukrainian army counterattack in the Donetsk area where the enemy lost roughly 590 troops over the past day, the ministry reported

US House passes procedural vote on Ukraine aid bill

It cannot be ruled out that the House of Representatives may pass this package as early as Saturday

G7 leaders to decide on Russian assets use — Italian Deputy PM

Recommendations on opportunities of using frozen Russian assets in interests of Ukraine will be presented before the G7 summit in June 2024

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

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West wants to make Transnistria hotbed of tension — Lavrov

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Russian military base may appear in CAR’s eastern region — President Touadera

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Ukrainian drones continue to fly over Zaporozhye NPP — press service

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Founder of neo-Nazi cell in Crimea flees to Georgia — source

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Israeli aviation strikes towns in Gaza Strip

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Three Ukrainian soldiers swim across Dnieper to surrender to Russian troops — governor

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Kiev lacks both troops and equipment near Chasov Yar in DPR, says retired general

Military commanders of Ukrainian army brigades "lack both personnel and the required amount of equipment" while Russian troops enjoy a considerable superiority, especially in artillery, Sergey Krivonos noted

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

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Russian stock indices rising on Friday

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Russian economy proves resilience amid large-scale sanctions — IMF

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BRICS looking at creating common digital payment platform

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Russia delivers 34 strikes on Ukrainian military infrastructure over week — top brass

The Ukrainian army lost more than 3,550 troops, four tanks and five armored combat vehicles in battles with Russian forces in the Donetsk area over the past week, the ministry reported

Air defenses repel Ukrainian drone attack in Russia’s Smolensk Region — governor

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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

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

According to Katalin Novak, Hungary’s call for the rights of the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia to be respected should be viewed as a common European demand

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

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

Russia views the West’s encroachment on its assets as "a blatant and shameless theft for the purpose of lining its pockets," Maria Zakharova noted

Russia's revenues from oil exports remain high despite price ceiling — IMF

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Russian economy positively influences neighboring countries — Deputy PM

In 2023 the Russian economy has demonstrated remarkable resilience and growth, Alexey Overchuk said

KazMunayGas, Sibur, Sinopec sign protocol on plant construction in Kazakhstan

Construction of the plant in the Atyrau region is planned to be completed by 2029

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"

Switzerland does not suit Russia for negotiations on Ukraine — Lavrov

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Israeli troops continue raids in West Bank — TV

According to Al Jazeera, Israeli security forces have killed at least five people over the past 24 hours

Russia not to go for settlement on Ukraine based on 'Zelensky formula' — Lavrov

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Court arrests another man accused of blowing up car of former SBU officer in Moscow

Ivan Paskar is charged with illegally transporting explosive substances, but he does not recognize his guilt

Proposals on Russian assets confiscation undermine financial system — Finance Minister

Russia urges the International Monetary Fund to resume the effort of improving the global monetary and financial system, Anton Siluanov noted

French president says creating Israeli-type air defense network for Ukraine impossible

Emmanuel Macron added that Europe’s resources are limited, and the European Union will continue helping Kiev keeping in mind its own reserves

Ukrainian drone damages energy infrastructure in Russia’s Kaluga Region

There are no casualties, Governor Vladislav Shapsha said

Two pilots of jet that crashed in southern Russia hospitalized

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Russia can join top three countries by lithium reserves — governor

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Ukrainian trace obvious in Crocus City Hall attack — Russian prosecutor general

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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

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UN secretary general urges Azerbaijan, Armenia to normalize relations

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Ukrainians abroad storming embassies to avoid mobilization, Russian diplomat says

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Lavrov says Borrell let it slip that Europe ‘fighting against Russia’

Russia’s top diplomat noted that Josep Borrell may made the statement in a moment of weakness

China’s Russian oil imports rise by 13% in first quarter of 2024 — customs

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

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Ukraine’s military loses positions near Avdeyevka, says DPR

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Iran has no plans to immediately retaliate to attack on its soil — agency

"We have not received any external attack, and the discussion leans more towards infiltration than attack," a senior Iranian official reported

Izvestia correspondent Semyon Eremin killed in special operation zone

The tragedy occurred near the village of Priyutnoye located on the border of the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Zaporozhye Region

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

According to Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov, a private residence in the village of Poroz caught fire when the unmanned aerial vehicles dropped two explosive devices

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

West close to sending military to Ukraine, this would 'drag Europe to bottom' — Orban

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Armenia’s relations with Russia not at their highest — top diplomat

Ararat Mirzoyan also said that Yerevan is currently making efforts to expand cooperation with the European Union and the United States

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

Russia’s defense chief inspects production of tanks, flamethrowers at Siberian enterprise

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

NATO discussing transfer of ‘deep precision strike capabilities’ to Ukraine — Stoltenberg

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

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Moscow International Film Festival kicks off

MIFF President Nikita Mikhalkov, a celebrated Russian film director, declared the festival open, praising the bravery of foreign cultural figures who are visiting Russia at this time

Shoigu orders additional tank protection sets for Ukraine operation

The minister also inspected the training process in Omsk Armor Engineering Institute

Russian Cabinet expands list of perfumery, cosmetic products subjected to import duty

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Number of flooded residential buildings in Russia drops to 16,200

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

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

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

Bentley came to Donbass from the United States in 2014

North Korean leader arrives at public event in Aurus luxury car gifted by Putin

On April 10, the vehicle was also spotted when the North Korean leader visited Kim Jong Il Military and Political Academy

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

Polish premier refuses to hand over his country’s Patriot systems to Ukraine

Donald Tusk said that German Chancellor’s call to send more air defense systems to Kiev had no relation to Poland, provided the country's geographical position near the frontline

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

Russian instructors help train over 10,000 Central African troops — CAR president

According to Faustin-Archange Touadera, since becoming the president, his actions have been guided by the need "to modernize the army and take into account new challenges"

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

On March 12, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that Yerevan asked its CSTO partners to answer where the CSTO's zone of responsibility in the republic was

BRICS’ expansion makes it much stronger — senior Russian diplomat

Egypt, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Ethiopia, became full-fledged members of BRICS from January 1, 2024

Drones downed over Isfahan cause no damage, says Iranian foreign minister

It is reported that several drones had been intercepted by the national air defense forces over Isfahan

US agrees to withdraw troops from Niger — Washington Post

The decision was sealed in a meeting between US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and Niger’s prime minister, Ali Lamine Zeine

Lavrov speaks of West’s agony, Russia’s approach to any future talks with Kiev

The Russian foreign minister also described Armenia and Russia as more than formal allies

Participation in ‘Columbine’ movement may result in life sentence — Prosecutor General

Earlier, the "Columbine" movement was recognized a terror group

Unidentified man attempts suicide outside courthouse where Trump trial is underway

The man set himself on fire

Security guarantees on Ukraine did not apply to Crimea, Donbass — Lavrov

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

It has reached 911 centimeters

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

North Korea conducts new anti-aircraft missile test — KCNA

A power test of a super-large warhead designed for "Hwasal-1 Ra-3" strategic cruise missile was held as well

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

Blast rocks military base south of Baghdad — Reuters

According to the news agency, one PMF fighter was killed and six were wounded

Russian defense chief checks implementation of orders to develop drones

All the presented drones and payload were created from domestic composite materials and elements

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

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

Russia’s advanced radar in Kaliningrad to monitor entire territory of Europe — source

The first Konteiner radar went on combat duty in the Volga area region of Mordovia on December 1, 2019