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Russia’s embassy confirms tanker seized in Nigerian waters

Earlier, the maritime security director of Denmark-based Risk Intelligence told AP that the crew members from Russia, Georgia and the Philippines were probably held by an armed group for ransom

© AP Photo/Christine Nesbitt

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Russia condemns terrorist attack in Nigeria

RABAT, February 4. /TASS/. Russia’s embassy in Nigeria confirmed on Thursday that the Greek-owned oil tanker Leon Dias has been hijacked in the Gulf of Guinea.

"The nationalities of the crew are currently being specified," the press attache of the Russian embassy in Nigeria, Artem Romanov, told TASS.

Earlier on Thursday, the maritime security director of Denmark-based Risk Intelligence, Dirk Steffen, told The Associated Press that the crew members from Russia, Georgia and the Philippines were probably held by an armed group for ransom.

Russia to make every effort to release sailors held hostage in Nigeria

Moscow will make every effort to release Russian sailors held hostage in Nigeria, Russian Foreign Ministry’s official spokesperson Maria Zakharova told a briefing on Thursday.

"Russian diplomats are actively working on this. Our direct responsibility is to assist Russian citizens," Zakharova said.

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

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

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Russian stock indices rising on Friday

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

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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

Russian defense chief checks implementation of orders to develop drones

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Russian government increases customs duties on beer from unfriendly countries

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

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UN secretary general urges Azerbaijan, Armenia to normalize relations

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Israeli aviation strikes towns in Gaza Strip

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

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

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

Vladimir Saldo called on other Ukrainian servicemen to switch to the Russian side and request the corresponding assistance

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

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Switzerland does not suit Russia for negotiations on Ukraine — Lavrov

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West wants to make Transnistria hotbed of tension — Lavrov

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

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

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

He also revealed that some weapon batches contained anti-armor systems whose service life had expired

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

Bentley came to Donbass from the United States in 2014

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"

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

Blast rocks military base south of Baghdad — Reuters

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

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

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

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

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

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Shoigu orders additional tank protection sets for Ukraine operation

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French, US, British nukes all interwoven — Russian diplomat

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West can’t comprehend Russia’s resilience — Lavrov

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

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Russia won’t allow NATO to move closer in Ukraine — Lavrov

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Ukrainian drone damages energy infrastructure in Russia’s Kaluga Region

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Russian economy proves resilience amid large-scale sanctions — IMF

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Israeli troops continue raids in West Bank — TV

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

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

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

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Russia was the fourth largest LNG supplier to China after Australia (6.3 mln tons)

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

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

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

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BRICS looking at creating common digital payment platform

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Iran may target Israeli nuclear center in Dimona in case of Israel’s attack — TV

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

The law enforcement employees exert efforts to identify the instigators of this crime, Igor Krasnov said

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

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

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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

Izvestia correspondent Semyon Eremin killed in special operation zone

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World’s anti-doping agency WADA still waits for Russia’s 2023 financial contribution

Russian Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin said in February that the Russian side had agreed with WADA to pay the membership fee for the year of 2023