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Contact Group to discuss security issues, prisoners release in Minsk

KIEV, November 8. /TASS/. Members of the Contact on the settlement in eastern Ukraine will discuss security issues and release of prisoners, Darya Olifer, a spokesperson for Kiev’s envoy to the group, Leonid Kuchma, said on Tuesday.

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Contact Group supports disengagement of forces in Donbass — official

"The meeting (will be held) tomorrow. The issues on the agenda - security and hostages," the Ukraine 112 TV network quotes her as saying.

Acting Foreign Minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), Natalya Nikonorova, said earlier in the day that the DPR government hopes that Kiev studied the results of the Normandy Four talks in Berlin, and this will make it possible to make progress at the next Contact Group meeting in Minsk on November 9.

On Wednesday, November 9, the Belarusian capital will host the meetings of the Contact Group’s four working subgroups. Their results will be summed up by Contact Group members.

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Ukraine crisis Eastern Ukraine

Lukashenko invites South Africa’s Ramaphosa to visit Belarus

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Earlier, Russia vetoed a draft resolution at the UN Security Council prepared by the United States and Japan on the non-deployment of nuclear weapons in space

Scholz asks allies to find additional air defense capabilities for Ukraine

Germany is the second largest arms supplier to Ukraine after the US

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"

Builders from Azerbaijan participate in BAM upgrade — Putin

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Russia has many questions for UN chief, Russia’s envoy says

Vasily Nebenzya said that he has "good personal relations" with the secretary general

Kremlin spokesman describes European Parliament as 'Russophobic machine'

Dmitry Peskov added that the EP "has turned into a machine brimming with internal contradictions that keeps generating boorish statements"

Russian gas production to gain 4.6% in 2024 — Economy Ministry

Pipeline gas exports are forecast to edge up by 7% to 108 bln cubic meters

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

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Russia fights West’s sanctions at UN for the sake of developing countries — envoy to UN

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Better situation for peace in Ukraine, threats to Belarus: new statements by Lukashenko

The head of state accused Washington of preparing a "Belarusian liberation army" and reiterated Minsk's readiness to "defend its country"

Athens hold official hand-over ceremony of 2024 Olympic Flame to France

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Musk concurs that civil war looming in West

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Official hand-over ceremony of 2024 Olympic Flame kicks off in Athens

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Russia, India plan to launch ‘green corridor’ project in trade shortly

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One more suspect in Crocus City Hall terror attack arrested — police

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Russia may abolish gold export duty from June 1 — Finance Ministry

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Putin calls impending formation of new cabinet ‘crucial step’

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Worst human rights situation currently observed in US, North Korean Foreign Ministry says

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Tourists discover fragment of Iranian missile in Israeli desert

According to the report of the IDF press office, the discovered missile was of "surface-to-surface" type

Wreckage of US MQ-9 Reaper drone is of interest to Russian defense industry — Rostec

According to the US version of events, a pair of Russian Su-27 aircraft intercepted the MQ-9 while it was on a recon mission and dumped their fuel several times toward the drone

Russian Economy Ministry expects trade balance surplus to decline

Exports of goods are expected to drop to $419.7 bln this year. Imports are forecast to grow to $315.7 bln in 2024

Russian subsidiary of JP Morgan scaling up Russian assets

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Charles III to return to public duties soon — Buckingham Palace

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Erdogan moves back from May 9 his trip to US — report

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Regulators close US’ Republic First Bank — FDIC

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation signed an agreement with Fulton Bank to assume all of the closed bank’s deposits and on purchase of all its assets.

Polish leader cautions NATO allies against provoking Russia

Andrzej Duda slammed the reported instances of Russian missiles entering Poland's airspace as "a Russian provocation"

Bank of Russia does not rule out keeping key rate at current levels until year's end

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Abrams tanks easy targets for drones — Russian expert

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Erdogan’s May 9 visit to US postponed to more convenient date — Foreign Ministry

"The high-level dialogue between Turkey and the US will continue," the spokesman Oncu Keceli said

DPRK supports Russia in defending sovereignty, security — ambassador

The North Korean ambassador Sin Hong Chol praised the "sincere and excellent friendly relations" between Russian President Vladimir Putin and DPRK leader Kim Jong Un

French neo-Nazi ringleader liquidated near Avdeyevka — sources

There is confirmed evidence of his connections with French secret services

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Lithuania’s prime minister warns US may curtail aid to Ukraine

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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

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

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

Russia grateful to DPRK for unconditional support of special operation in Ukraine — MFA

Ivan Zhelokhovtsev said that the agreements that were reached during the DPRK leader's visit to Russia represent "evidence of the mutual desire of the sides to consistently implement and expand the rich heritage" that was passed down from previous generations

UN bound to stay as unique world organization — Russian ambassador

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Spokesman Wang Wenbin stressed that China was not providing weapons to the conflicting parties and strictly controlled dual-use goods, including the export of drones

Ship receives damage in missile attack off Yemeni coast — UKMTO

The Master has reported two attacks

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

SCO expects Belarus to join the organization very soon — Shoigu

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

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

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Poland practices transfer of mechanized brigade to Lithuania's Suwalki Corridor area

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US can send Ukraine Patriot air defense systems currently deployed in other regions

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Russian troops destroy 89 Ukrainian UAVs, 5 boats in Kherson area over past day

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Medvedev warns that Russia’s default may entail Europe’s default

Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council added that the European Union’s financial system is not very stable and people are losing confidence

EAEU trade turnover reaches record high level of $8.7 bln in 2023 — Russian Prime Minister

The trade turnover between Russia and Belarus reached 4 trillion rubles ($43.8 bln)

West reluctant to punish those responsible for Nord Stream blasts — Russian diplomat

According to Vasily Nebenzya, the situation is as though a year-long probe into a murder yielded a conclusion that "the victim was murdered"

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

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

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

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Police checks reports of bomb allegedly planted at Russian embassy in Brazil — newspaper

The Russian embassy has not yet commented on the situation

Blinken’s visit to China meant to shatter Russian-Chinese ties — senior Russian diplomat

"I think that Beijing understands this perfectly well and will not even pretend being ready to reach any agreements with the Americans to the detriment of Russia’s interests," Sergey Ryabkov said

Shoigu talks about ties with NATO, attacks on Zaporozhye NPP as he attends SCO meeting

TASS has put together the highlights of Shoigu's speech

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

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

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

Alrosa may leave Catoca project in Angola — Finance Ministry

Alrosa is working in Angola since 1992

Russia invites all countries to develop North - South transport corridor — Putin

"The North-South transport corridor should become an example of the broadest international cooperation," the Russian leader said

About 20% of weapons sent to Kiev end up on black market – Russia’s UN mission

Dmitry Polyansky said that some of the weapons supplied to Kiev are "in the darknet, which means that it is available to anyone"

Staff shortage cannot be covered by labor migration — Putin

Labor productivity requires a significant increase in all sectors of the economy, the President stressed

International cooperation needed to investigate Nord Stream incidents — Russian diplomat

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Over 60% of Russian companies continue using Microsoft services

57% of companies replaced at least one foreign service with a Russian one over the past few years, the analysts noted

Miguel Salgado’s ‘Shame’ wins main prize at Moscow International Film Festival

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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

Russia-Europe relations require fresh approach — Kremlin

Russia and Europe are geographically close anyway, Dmitry Peskov noted

Hamas fighters have destroyed more than 400 Israeli vehicles — group’s senior member

Abu Ubaida, a spokesman for the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, said the brigades had completely or partially destroyed 135 units of Israeli military equipment over the past three days

US’ Blinken to visit Israel amid rising tensions between two countries — NYT

Israel’s military upcoming operation in Rafah will also be on agenda, the New York Times reported

Most countries in Global South wary of growing NATO influence — Lavrov

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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

Diplomatic relations with Canada may be downgraded if Russian assets seized — ambassador

"All options are on the table, we will be guided by common sense and Russia’s interests," Russian Ambassador to Canada Oleg Stepanov said