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Truck crashes into crowd of people at Berlin Christmas market leaving 9 dead

Nine people were killed at Berlin Christmas market, according to the police official Twitter account

© AP Photo/Michael Sohn

A truck plowed into a crowd at a Christmas market in the German capital Berlin on Monday evening killing nine people, the police said.

Just now a truck drove over the sideway at #Breitscheidplatz. Our colleagues report injured people. More information here.
— Polizei Berlin (@polizeiberlin) 19 December 2016

According to a spokesperson of Berlin Fire Department, dozens (up to 50) people may be injured. The driver of the truck with Polish number plates fled the scene.

A suspicious person was arrested near #Breitscheidplatz. Whether it is the driver of the truck, is currently under consideration.
— PolizeiBerlinEinsatz (@PolizeiBerlin_E) 19 December 2016

Later the authorities reported a suspect has been detained.

Truck drives into a crowded Christmas Market in #Germany's #Berlin.
Many people injured. Many unconscious on the ground. Reports of a shot.
— Polla Garmiany (@PollaGarmiany) 19 December 2016

The incident happened at one of Berlin’s most popular Christmas markets, located in the western Charlottenburg district. It is also close to the city’s key shopping street, Kurfuerstendamm, and a famous tourist attraction - Memorial Church.

Russia’s Rosturizm tourism agency has received no information about Russian nationals injured in the suspected attack at a Berlin Christmas market, the agency’s press service says.

"The Federal Agency for Tourism recommends the Russian tourists staying in Germany to be on alert, observe security measures and avoid congestion places."

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Ukraine was warned about possible missile strike — Pentagon

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Zelensky fine with conflict continuing due to Western help — Slovak PM

Robert Fico pointed out that "more and more evidence show that the West seeks to prolong the war in Ukraine for various reasons"

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Russian military to warn Ukrainian civilians of future Oreshnik attacks — Kremlin

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Russian air defense deflects attacks with Western missiles — Putin

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Biden’s actions on Ukraine meant to 'muck things up' for Trump — Lavrov

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US not seeking confrontation with Russia, but will continue assistance to Kiev — Pentagon

Department of Defense Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh also claimed that Washington, while helping Ukraine, is not attempting to turn the conflict into a large-scale regional confrontation that spills beyond the country’s borders

State Department says US-India relations hit some headwinds due to Russia, BRICS

Kurt Campbell said that it is important to 'keep attention on the horizon'

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Nikolay Patrushev agreed that Trump, when he was still a candidate, "made many statements critical of the destructive foreign and domestic policies pursued by the current administration"

Biden’s decision to use ATACMS against Russia may 'blow up in America’s face' — US expert

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Russia hammers Ukrainian military-industrial facilities, energy sites over week

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Zelensky shook up by Russia’s response to permission to attack it — Lavrov

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US, West have no capabilities to intercept new Russian hypersonic missile — expert

"There is more in the Russian arsenal than many believe," said Karin Kneissl, the former Foreign Minister of Austria

US-led coalition aircraft violate Syrian airspace ten times in past day

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NATO enters conflict, Russia has every right to attack its targets now — expert

Col. (Ret.) Lawrence Wilkerson confirmed to TASS that the launch of ATACMS missiles would be impossible without "US/NATO satellite feeds and/or personnel"

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Kremlin confident Putin's statement got through to US administration

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