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PUTIN'S ANNUAL PRESS CONFERENCE

Russia working on ‘antidote’ against other countries’ future hypersonic weapons — Putin

The Russian president recalled that the United States had worked on the concept of a quick disarming strike by precision weapons on command posts

Russian President Vladimir Putin Alexei Nikolsky/Russian Presidential Press and Information Office/TASS

Russian President Vladimir Putin

© Alexei Nikolsky/Russian Presidential Press and Information Office/TASS

MOSCOW, December 17. /TASS/. Russia is currently working on systems of countering hypersonic weapons, which other countries still do not have, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at his annual press conference on Thursday.

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Putin says Russian hypersonic weapons’ existence impacts global situation

The Russian president recalled that the United States had worked on the concept of a quick disarming strike by precision weapons on command posts.

"Precision weapons are available but there are no hypersonic weapons yet. They will create them, of course. This is absolutely obvious and, as I have already said, we are preparing for this. You have now asked about what we are working on. We are working, among other things, on the ‘antidote’ against future hypersonic weapons in other countries, in the world’s other leading armies. I am confident that we will do that and we are on the right way," Putin said.

Chief of Russia’s Air Defense Forces Lieutenant-General Alexander Leonov earlier said that the S-300 surface-to-air missile system had proven its capability of destroying hypersonic targets during military-technical experiments.

The latest S-500 air defense system currently being developed in Russia will also be capable of striking hypersonic targets. The work on the S-500 is set to be completed in 2021. The S-500 is currently undergoing state trials.

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

According to the president, this step will help strengthen his country’s defense potential and contribute to bolstering the national armed forces’ capabilities

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

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West wants to make Transnistria hotbed of tension — Lavrov

According to the top Russian diplomat, the leaders who rule countries where they claim to be from while holding foreign passports "will not enjoy support and authority for long"

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

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

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

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Putin signs law on holding World Friendship Games

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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

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

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

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The Foreign Minister pointed to the fact that Switzerland is on board with all Western sanctions

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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

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

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Moscow International Film Festival kicks off

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Stoltenberg said NATO believes Ukraine has the right to strike "legitimate military targets" inside Russia

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

The top Russian diplomat referred to a swindling trick used by a thimblerigger who puts a small round object, such as a ball or pea, under one of three thimbles or cups and asks the player to guess under which the object is, while unfairly manipulating this object

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

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Shoigu orders additional tank protection sets for Ukraine operation

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Russia’s export duty on wheat to be $37.42 per metric ton from April 24

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BRICS looking at creating common digital payment platform

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said that BRICS nations have already established a special channel for information exchange between their central banks

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

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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

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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

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

According to the president, this step will help strengthen his country’s defense potential and contribute to bolstering the national armed forces’ capabilities

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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

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

Russia ready for Ukraine talks, but not with Zelensky — Lavrov

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Sergey Ryabkov said the US seeks to maintain military superiority in a great variety of areas

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He also said that the US military contacted Russia and the United Kingdom while evaluating the potential of the Iranian attack

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Wang Wen stated that it’s still very hard to achieve a settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

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Kremlin declines to comment on alleged assassination attempt on Zelensky in Poland

The Security Service of Ukraine announced earlier that in a joint operation with law enforcement agencies in Ukraine and Poland it thwarted an attempt to assassinate Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky

Final statement by G7 top diplomats to call for supplying more air defenses to Kiev

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Swiss parliament votes against joining task force on frozen Russian assets

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Iran suspends flights above several cities amid reports of air attack — IRNA

Fox News said the Jewish state delivered a limited strike on Iran

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

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

The Russian Foreign Minister noted that "Ukrainian negotiators came and said that, for example, on the issue of maneuvers with the participation of third countries, let's replace the wording 'if all guarantor countries agree' with 'unless the majority agrees'"

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

There is still no full clarity regarding the future of Ukraine's western regions, the Russian foreign minister went on to say

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

Ahmad Haghtalab said on April 18 that Tehran has identified the location of Israel's "nuclear centers" and will be ready to destroy them in case the Jewish state responds to the recent Iranian attack on Israeli military facilities

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

"The effect of the customs duty totaling 35%, renewed in December 203 in respected of imported perfumery, cosmetics and home care products will cover certain new positions of these products from unfriendly countries," the ministry said

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

"This military whirlpool can drag Europe to the bottom. Brussels is playing with fire and angering God," the Hungarian prime minister said

Russian industrial producers’ prices up 2.4% in March — statistics

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

Ukrainian drone damages energy infrastructure in Russia’s Kaluga Region

There are no casualties, Governor Vladislav Shapsha said

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

Military base near Iran’s Isfahan hit following attack — newspaper

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West can’t comprehend Russia’s resilience — Lavrov

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Hungary to not intervene in Ukrainian conflict on any side, PM says

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Izvestia correspondent Semyon Eremin killed in special operation zone

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Global economy’s condition improving — Russian Deputy PM

The process is largely driven by increasing contribution of developing countries, Alexey Overchuk said

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

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North Korea conducts new anti-aircraft missile test — KCNA

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