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European Parliament may demand release of Savchenko, says president

On March 22, Ukrainian MP Nadezhda Savchenko was detained in Kiev

BRUSSELS, March 22. /TASS/. The European Parliament may once again demand the release of Nadezhda Savchenko, this time from Ukrainian jail, its President Antonio Tajani said in reply to a TASS query at a news conference in Brussels on Thursday.

"The European parliament has always advocated the right to the freedom of expression. We intend to look into the facts and demand her release, if needed," Tajani said.

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Ukrainian MP Savchenko arrested in Kiev on charges of coup plotting and terrorism

Earlier on Thursday, MP Savchenko was detained in Kiev after Ukrainian MPs had voted for prosecuting and putting her in police custody. Savchenko is suspected of "colluding to change the constitutional system by force, plotting an attempt on the life of the Ukrainian president, conspiring to carry out a terror attack, assisting the activities of the terrorist organization, the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), carrying, acquiring and transferring firearms."

The former pilot Savchenko had been sentenced in Russia to 22 years in jail over complicity in the killing of two Russian journalists in eastern Ukraine. She spent nearly two years in Russian custody and was pardoned by the Russian president on May 25, 2016.

Savchenko was a member of former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko’s All-Ukrainian Union "Fatherland" or Batkivshchyna party and was elected to the parliament on its party list in 2014 while in Russian custody. However, in late October 2016, she wrote a statement on leaving the party and was excluded from it in mid-December.

The lawmaker was also expelled from Ukraine’s delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and later from the Parliamentary Committee for National Defense and Security.

Savchenko fell into disfavor of Ukraine’s authorities after her private trips to the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics in eastern Ukraine and talks with their leadership.

Houthis attack two commercial ships, US destroyer — statement

Simultaneously, the Air Force conducted two more military operation using a huge number of drones to target a US destroyer in the Gulf of Aden

US shifted conflict in Europe onto EU, NATO shoulders to weaken Russia, says Lukashenko

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Gagauzia against Chisinau’s policy of severing ties with Russia

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US State Department confirms secret shipments of long-range ATACMS missiles to Kiev

Joe Biden directed to send ATACMS to Ukraine in February, the Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the US Department of State Vedant Patel said

Over 14,700 residential houses remain flooded in Russia

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Russia maintains position on 'buffer zone' in Ukraine to counter missile threats

Dmitry Peskov added that the issue of fighting against long-range weapons being supplied to Ukraine and potential strikes on the areas where they are concentrated "is rather under the purview of <…> the armed forces"

Russia’s victory in Ukraine to change course of history in Europe — von der Leyen

Ukraine "is carrying a heavy burden" for the benefit of the EU, and therefore EU member states must "provide Ukraine with means to defend themselves," European Commission president said

Proper humanitarian assistance to Gaza impossible amid hostilities — Russian diplomat

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US incapable of replicating Cold War-era arms race — Valdai club expert

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Central African Republic expects Russia to supply weapons, munitions — defense minister

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Russian forces take Ukrainian strongholds near Klescheyevka under control

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Ukrainian forces refuse to obey Commander-in-Chief Syrsky — CIA ex-analyst

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The US businessman commented on remarks by Gad Saad, a Canadian professor of Lebanese origin, who insisted that "the path that the West is taking will result in civil war"

Annual inflation in Russia gearing down to 7.82% over week — Economy Ministry

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Ukraine turns into testing ground for future world order, says Belarus president

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Russian President said in an interview with Rossiya-1 TV channel journalist Pavel Zarubin

Agreements on security with Iran, Myanmar, Ethiopia to come into force in 2024 — MFA

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Russia ready to cooperate with all interested partners to ensure security — Putin

The Russian leader expressed confidence that the the 12th International Meeting of High Representatives for Security Issues "will bolster cooperation for the mutual benefit of our countries and peoples"

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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Timur Ivanov was arrested by Moscow’s Basmanny Court

Russian court arrests in absentia four foreign agents charged with terrorism

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Four women killed in Zaporozhye Region in Ukrainian drone attack

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Russia, Africa united by common vision on global issues — senior diplomat

Mikhail Bogdanov noted that "the African continent is a dynamically developing part of the world with an enormous growth potential, attractive domestic market and expanding export prospects"

Russia vetoes US-backed UNSC resolution on banning nuclear weapons in outer space

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US arms supplies unable to change situation in Kiev's favor — Kremlin

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Ukraine’s EU accession to require 20% increase in union’s budget — European Commissioner

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Russia dissatisfied with UN’s activity under grain deal — senior diplomat

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West’s unwillingness to give up hegemony escalates tensions in world — security official

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Russian troops wipe out Ukrainian UAV production workshop over past day

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Ukraine attacks ZNPP training center again, drone neutralized

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Ukrainian troops in Kharkov Region lift antennas with kites to get better signal

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Russian athletes have right to decide on Olympic participation — aide

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US military aid for Kiev cannot stop Russian army’s advance — North Korean diplomat

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Radicals, intel services behind terror attacks in various countries, says Putin

The tactics employed by these criminals are becoming increasingly complex and barbaric, the Russian leader pointed out

Russian Navy’s Bastion missile systems practice massive strike in Baltic drills

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Russian children’s commissioner holds first face-to-face talks with Ukrainian counterparts

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Niger would like Russia to train its troops — interior minister says

Mohamed Toumba noted that the training of troops could help in the fight against terrorism

Houthis attack two commercial ships, US destroyer — statement

Simultaneously, the Air Force conducted two more military operation using a huge number of drones to target a US destroyer in the Gulf of Aden

Ukrainian army strikes own surrendering soldiers — POW

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Switzerland unblocks Russia-related assets worth 290 mln Swiss francs

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Russian defense minister dismisses his deputy Ivanov

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Top US diplomat Blinken arrives in Shanghai

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Iran denies reports it pulled some military advisers from Syria — Al Mayadeen

The source denied news media reports on the subject, which appeared earlier

Global community changing tune about how Ukraine conflict started — security official

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Putin informed about detention of Deputy Defense Minister Ivanov

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Kremlin vows to resolve situation with Turkish Airlines refusing service to Russians

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Putin proclaims Odessa Russian city, challenges Ukraine's historical narrative

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Top Russian, Iranian security officials discuss Middle East

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Lukashenko says US rues giving rise to Russia-China alliance

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US draft on nukes in space seeks to go beyond legal framework Russia adheres to — MFA

Maria Zakharova pointed out that Russia reaffirms its "strict commitment" to the international legal obligations under space law

Kremlin vows legal action against US bill on seizing Russian assets

Dmitry Peskov noted that the trial will be "very complex," but will cause severe damage to US economic interests if the US authorities finally approve the bill regarding Russian assets

Russia to retaliate immediately if Kiev gets ATACMS missiles — diplomat

Konstantin Gavrilov also noted that the "manic efforts" of some Western OSCE member countries to isolate Russia "are futile and will backfire on their initiators"

Throughput capacity of Baikal-Amur Mainline surging threefold in twelve years

Shipments over the Eastern Range uniting BAM and the Trans-Siberian railroad is to reach 270 mln metric tons per year over the ten-year period, the head of state said