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Defense chief highlights Iraq’s readiness to respond to external attacks

According to Thabet Muhammad Saeed Al-Abbasi, the Iraqi military prevented a number of attacks on the Kurdistan autonomous region in northern Iraq

DUBAI, January 17. /TASS/. Iraq’s armed forces are ready to respond to external attacks, the country’s Defense Minister Thabet Muhammad Saeed Al-Abbasi said.

"Our forces are ready to respond to external attacks," he pointed out in an interview with the Al-Hadath TV channel.

According to him, the Iraqi military prevented a number of attacks on the Kurdistan autonomous region in northern Iraq. However, Al-Abbasi did not specify who had planned to conduct those attacks.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) carried out ballistic missile strikes on several targets in Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, in the early hours of January 16. According to an IRGC statement, the bombing targeted several terrorist sites in Erbil in response to recent attacks inside Iran. Tehran added that the attack had destroyed "the main headquarters" of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency Mossad in Iraq’s Kurdistan region.

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Military drills

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The Defense Ministry pointed out that at the first stage, the servicemen will have to work out several episodes, including negotiations with suspected terrorists, evacuation of civilians and cleanup of a populated area

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West’s attempts to turn UNGA into pro-Ukrainian show doomed to fail — Russian MFA

"The UN General Assembly always encompasses a very broad agenda," Sergey Ryabkov stressed

Russia firmly committed to principles of UN Charter unlike West — Lavrov

In this context, the foreign minister noted with appreciation that the position of Russia enjoys "the broadest support from like-minded BRICS countries and other states of the world majority"

Rising number of dead foreigners in Ukraine proves West's involvement — envoy to UN

"We have warned from the beginning that those who help the Zelensky clique stay afloat will become our legitimate targets," Vasily Nebezya reminded

Putin has no plans to attend Mexican president's inauguration — Kremlin

Earlier, the Mexican embassy in Moscow stated that the Russian president had received an invitation to Sheinbaum's inauguration ceremony

Russian forces take control of two settlements in Kursk Region

According to Major General Apty Alaudinov, the entire frontline in moving forward, with Ukrainian soldiers surrendering

In case of deep strikes Russia to respond with more powerful weapons — Duma speaker

According to Vyacheslav Volodin, it is crucial for the parliaments of the United States and European countries to "understand and realize what can happen"

Russia ready to give Uzbekistan access to high-precision GLONASS signal — document

The Russian global navigation satellite system is designed to promptly provide navigation information to users of land, sea, air and space

European Parliament calls for arrest warrant for Maduro

The lawmakers recognized Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as the legitimate president of Venezuela and urged EU member countries to do the same

Zelensky may be overthrown if Ukraine fails to hold elections — Ukrainian MP

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Hezbollah fires rockets at seven Israeli barracks

Large-caliber Burkan missiles were used in an attack on the town of Metula and its environs, causing several fires and disrupting power supply to the settlement

Putin extends food embargo on imports from Western countries for two years

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Russia delivers urgent assistance to Mali — portal

The delivery was organized as part of military cooperation between Russia and Mali to boost defense and security ties

Stoltenberg's statements on use of long-range missiles against Russia senseless — MFA

According to the outgoing NATO Secretary-General, Ukraine's use of long-range missiles will not lead to the alliance being drawn into a conflict with Russia

One Ukrainian drone attacks Energodar, another downed — administration

Meanwhile, according to ZNPP communications director Yevgeniya Yashina, no Ukrainian drone attacks have been recorded on the territory of the plant

Zelensky says Ukrainian troops in extremely difficult situation in two DPR areas

The situation on the frontline remains extremely difficult, Ukrainian President said

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It includes the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Japan and other states

Explosions in Lebanon pose interest for Russian intelligence — Kremlin spokesman

According to Dmitry Peskov, Moscow has not discussed the events in Lebanon with regional actors

EU will grant loan to Kiev that will be paid from frozen Russian assets — EC president

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US citizen Zenkovich, convicted in Belarus, asks Lukashenko for pardon

Zenkovich also addressed the US side

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"The Minister of Communications of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan signed this Memorandum, emphasizing the importance and significance of this project for the development of trade and economic relations and cargo transportation in the region," the statement reads

Russian Federation Council Speaker calls detonations in Lebanon a 'heinous attack'

Valentina Matviyenko noted that Russia’s position regarding the ongoing escalation in the Middle East was "clearly stated by the Russian Foreign Ministry and the Russian Representative to the UN"

Putin examines kamikaze drones, unmanned systems at St. Petersburg defense plant

The Russian president was accompanied by Defense Minister Andrey Belousov, First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Maxim Oreshkin and Presidential Aide Alexey Dyumin

Lifting ban on strikes deep into Russia won't help Ukraine much — Pentagon

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov, for his part, said that Moscow was aware of the West's decision to attack deep into Russian territory and to send appropriate signals to Kiev

Russia wants no nuclear war — Lavrov

The foreign minister still assured that Russia possesses weapons "that will have serious implications for the handlers of the Ukrainian regime"

European Parliament urges end to restrictions on strikes on Russia with Western weapons

In addition, the EU member states and NATO allies are asked to "collectively and individually commit to supporting Ukraine militarily, with no less than 0.25% of their GDP annually"

Senior Russian lawmaker warns that calls for long-range strikes open way to nuclear war

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Press review: US shifts rhetoric on Ukraine and walkie-talkie explosions rock Lebanon

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Russian troops entrenched in liberated settlements of Kursk Region’s Sudzha District

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Theft of Russian assets to nullify trust towards EU — MFA

Maria Zakharova pointed out that the European Union had lost independence

Hezbollah fires anti-tank missiles at Israeli positions in Metula

According to the broadcast, at least three of them hit targets

Ursula von der Leyen arrives in Kiev

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Ukrainian servicemen captured: developments in Kursk Region

Over the day, Ukraine lost up to 400 troops and 23 armored vehicles

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Hezbollah attacks Israeli military headquarters in Ein-Zeitim

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Russia to explain risks of cooperation with NATO to post-Soviet countries — MFA

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Russian aviation wipes out base of Ukrainian militants in DPR — expert

The Russian Aerospace Forces delivered a strike with a glide munition

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IN BRIEF: Ex-Ukrainian intel officer’s car blown up in northern Moscow

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Major General Apty Alaudinov added that, on Thursday, he visited the rightmost flank of the Russian troops on the Kursk direction - near cities of Rylsk and Lgov

Russia fully ready to defend its interests in Arctic — Lavrov

The minister to say that NATO is becoming increasingly interested in the Arctic region

West is persuading Ukraine to give up claims to 1991 borders — legislator

Yegor Chernev shared a "feeling" that the Western world is ready to declare as a victory for Ukraine at least the fact that "Kiev has not fallen" and that it "has not lost its sovereignty"

Ukraine's terrorist community growing by recruiting fighters in Syria — diplomat

Citing media information from Syrian sources, the Maria Zakharova said that 250 Ukrainian instructors arrived in Idlib the other day to train militants

Taliban say Afghanistan will now rely only on Sharia law

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West switches to open support for Kiev's terrorist attacks against civilians — MFA

"The West continues to supply arms and money to the Kiev regime, propose pseudo-peace initiatives, and try to rally as many countries as possible to their side," Maria Zakharova said

US mistaken if it thinks nuclear conflict would affect Russia, Europe only — diplomat

Anatoly Antonov reiterated that there must never be a nuclear war and that there can be no winners in any nuclear conflict

Iran warns about pending response to Israel after Hamas leader Haniyeh’s killing

The head of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s office slammed human rights activists for practicing double standards, when they are "silent while 41,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, mostly women and children, have been killed by the cruel Zionist regime"

Kremlin slams Poland's idea to revise Crimea's status 'absurd'

"Russian territory and Russian regions cannot be the subject of any discussion or transfer to anyone," Dmitry Peskov emphasized

Russia will not 'shoot itself in the foot' by halting gas supplies — Lavrov

According to the top Russian diplomat, for many decades, since the times of the Soviet Union, since the 1970s, Moscow has been establishing mutually beneficial cooperation in gas supplies

Peace talks between Russia, Ukraine unlikely to happen in near future — DPR head

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Russia cautions Chisinau against involvement in Ukrainian conflict — Foreign Ministry

Maria Zakharova drew attention to the speculations about Romania's plans for redirecting to Moldova the mobile maintenance stations for F-16 fighter jets received by Bucharest for their subsequent deployment at the Marculesti airbase

Kiev still plans to attack Kursk NPP — Foreign Ministry

Maria Zakharova pointed out that the US and the UK were behind all of Kiev's crimes

Russia deeply concerned by events unfolding in Lebanon — diplomat

Maria Zakharova asserted Russia’s solidarity with the people of Lebanon

Israeli air force attacks around 100 Hezbollah sites in Lebanon in past two hours

The strikes were directed by the IDF intelligence units and the IDF Northern Command, the Israel Defense Forces said

Turkey’s top diplomat confirms Ankara seeks to join BRICS

Ankara always looks for new opportunities to expand its trade and economic cooperation anyway, Hakan Fidan added

Ukraine’s forces in Ugledar virtually encircled — sources

"Most positions around the city, including those at the most important sites and heights are Russian, the whole city is exposed to fire," the sources explained

Hezbollah sets up committees to look into circumstances of gadget explosions

According to the movement’s Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah, experts are analyzing all circumstances surrounding the devices in question

Israel’s explosive gadget operation in Lebanon took 15 years of preparation — ABC

ABC sources confirmed that the Jewish state was involved in the production of these communication devices

Israeli forces kill over 300 radicals in southern Gaza — portal

Besides, they found and destroyed a cache with long-range missiles and an arms depot with sniper rifles

Hezbollah handing out pagers hours before their detonation — agency

The sources said that the Shiite movement did not have any specific suspicions about these pagers and their "checks had been part of a routine 'sweep' of its equipment to find any indications that they were laced with explosives"

Devices blasts in Lebanon make escalation in Middle East conflict inevitable — newspaper

According to columnist Ishaan Tharoor, "Israeli officials have not publicly taken responsibility for the attacks, but have in private in confirmed their hand in them with their interlocutors in Washington"

Russian Baltic Fleet's training ship Smolny makes port call at Equatorial Guinea’s Malabo

The Baltic Fleet’s sailors and cadets will meet with military sailors from Equatorial Guinea to share experience

Situation on Korean Peninsula becomes tenser because of US — North Korean Foreign Minister

Choe Son-hui underscored that "global peace and security are in jeopardy"

Russia’s Akhmat special force destroys military storage facility in Kursk direction

Akhmat also eliminated one armored personnel carrier and one self-propelled artillery weapon, the deputy chief of the Main Military-Political Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces Apty Alaudinov said

Belarus ready to cooperate with Ukraine on same terms as with DPR

Alexander Lukashenko stressed that by cooperating with the DPR, Belarus "is absolutely not violating any international norms"

Medvedev allows use of nuclear weapons by Russia when ‘patience runs out’

The politician underscored that no one really needs a nuclear conflict - it is "a very bad story with a very difficult outcome."

West assists Kiev in striking civilian facilities in Russia — diplomat

In his words, Kiev is not independent from the military point of view, having no material and technical capabilities for independent warfare that involves western weaponry

North Korea convinced Russia to win special military operation in Ukraine — top diplomat

"The North Korean people express their support for the Russian people in their just struggle," Choe Son Hui stressed

North Korean balloon carrying trash crashes again near government complex in Seoul

Police cordoned off the scene, military specialists checked the contents for hazardous substances and removed the debris

First five Baikal aircraft will be delivered in 2026 — minister

"It has been decided that we will switch to the domestic VK-800 engine," Anton Alikhanov said

EP resolution regarding strikes on Russia madness, EU seeks war — French politician

According to Florian Filippot, France should urgently withdraw from the EU and advocate for a peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian conflict

Press review: Hezbollah pagers attack threatens wider war and Russia ready to test nukes

Top stories from the Russian press on Wednesday, September 18th

Russia's military to restore control of all districts of Kursk Region — Kremlin

"The situation in those areas which are under the control of the Ukrainian militants is extraordinary, of course," Dmitry Peskov stated