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Military operation in Ukraine

Mercenaries fighting in Ukraine’s Sumy region mostly come from Colombia — Russian security

Foreign mercenaries are taking part in hostilities having no documents on them

MOSCOW, July 1. /TASS/. There are mostly Colombians among foreign mercenaries fighting for Ukraine in the Sumy sector of the front line, a Russian security officer told TASS.

"Naturally, foreign mercenaries, too, are active in the Sumy direction. They are mostly illegal Colombian workers, and there are also nationals of other Latin American countries, as well as natives of Great Britain, Poland and even Japan there," the Russian officer said.

Foreign mercenaries are taking part in hostilities having no documents on them and their remnants are no different from the bodies of fallen Ukrainian militants, he added.

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Ukraine Military operation in Ukraine

Military operation in Ukraine

Ukrainian forces stretched thin in DPR, Russian commander says

Alexey Vereshchagin, commander of the Nevsky reconnaissance-assault brigade of Battlegroup South’s volunteer corps said that his "brigade’s zone of responsibility covers the city of Soledar, as well as the Kramatorsk and Druzhkovka area"

US uses lighting bombs after attack by ISIS militants on patrol in Palmyra — TV

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Analyst expects EU to cease to exist as global political entity by 2023

The idea of "a united Europe from Lisbon to Vladivostok" will ultimately give way to the reality of a divided, militarized, and economically weak continent

Russia hands over another 1,200 bodies of Ukrainian servicemen to Ukraine — source

Kiev has not handed over a single body to the Russian side

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According to sources in the government and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, the decision was made over concerns about environmental damage and the negative attitude of the local population

Explosions reported in Ukraine’s Odessa Region

Air raid warnings are currently in effect for the Odessa, Nikolayev, and Sumy regions

Ukraine launches major drone attack on Rostov Region overnight — governor

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Ukrainian forces stretched thin in DPR, Russian commander says

Alexey Vereshchagin, commander of the Nevsky reconnaissance-assault brigade of Battlegroup South’s volunteer corps said that his "brigade’s zone of responsibility covers the city of Soledar, as well as the Kramatorsk and Druzhkovka area"

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Russian Foreign Minister said that "It was obvious 20 years ago"

Russia focuses on US instead of Europe in terms of Ukraine peace process — Kremlin

The Europeans are playing their own game, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said

Russian delegation arrives in Washington for G20 sherpa meeting — envoy

The first meetings will take place on December 15-16, Russian Foreign Ministry Ambassador-at-Large Marat Berdyev said

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Alexander Shchetinin, director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Latin American Department, noted that Venezuela "is currently under overt political pressure and military blackmail"

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According to the report, the loss of control over ionizing radiation sources was qualified as a radiation accident

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Yury Ushakov pointed out that Moscow had not seen the proposals yet

Australian police arrest two more people over Sydney terrorist attack

According to The Sydney Morning Herald, police detained two men at a residence belonging to one of the attackers

Sydney beach shooting death toll rises to 12 — authorities

Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon designated the attack as a "terrorist incident"

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Hungarian, Polish foreign ministers exchange heated remarks on Russian assets online

The spat started with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s post, which stated that the EU leaders’ decision to seize Russian assets without consulting Hungary violates numerous laws and is "a declaration of war"

EU leaders want to drag all of Europe into war with Russia — Hungarian top diplomat

Peter Szijjarto noted that Budapest intends to "stay away from this"

Russia provides necessary support to Venezuela, common sense must prevail — MFA

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Syrian security forces carry out operation against Islamic State near Palmyra — media

According to Syria TV, the US-led coalition is also carrying out arrests in Palmyra and surrounding areas in response to the shooting

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According to the report, Vladimir Zelensky instructed Verkhovna Rada lawmakers to "develop a draft law on the possibility of holding elections during martial law"

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Nigeria denies reports that supertanker seized by US is Nigerian

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West erodes traditional values — Russian Foreign Ministry

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Dmitry Peskov said that there was a detailed exchange of opinions

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Russia welcomes FIDE’s decision to reinstate Russian chess players’ rights — Peskov

"We deeply appreciate this decision made following the vote of the General Assembly," Russian presidential spokesman said

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The European Commission and the Belgian government made no comments on such news so far

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Kiev loses 1,355 troops along engagement line in past day

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Washington’s position is certainly very important here, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said

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Dmitry Peskov added that the Minsk Agreements were in fact a staged plan that had been signed by all parties, including Poroshenko

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An air raid warning is currently in effect for the city

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Medvedev rejects accusations of Russia’s ‘disproportionate use of force’

There were several explosions in Kiev this night

US, Ukraine hold difficult talks in Berlin — WSJ

The talks lasted five hours and will continue on Monday

Russia starts using Force reconnaissance drone, resistant to electronic warfare

The device is equipped with thermal imaging equipment and can work around the clock

Zelensky blackmails Western handlers to get them secure his re-election — Russian diplomat

Vladimir Zelensky’s presidential powers expired on May 20, 2024

Russian air defenses down 290 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones in past day

Also air defenses downed four smart bombs

Top Iranian diplomat to meet with Lavrov, lawmakers during visit to Russia — official

In Belarus, Abbas Araghchi will meet with President Alexander Lukashenko, Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov, and other top officials

Thailand ready for cooperation to settle conflict with Cambodia

The Thai Armed Forces Joint Press Center stressed that Thai actions in the conflict with Cambodia are "within the framework of self-defense under international law, guided by the principles of necessity, proportionality, and distinction, and in strict compliance with the Rules of Engagement, with operations directed solely at military targets"

Chile’s new President Kast hints on difficult times for his country

The country's financial situation is bad, Antonio Kast said

Trump admits looming difficulties for Republicans at midterm elections

US President also said that he had brought multibillion-dollar investments for the United States, though it is unclear when the money would start working

Seizure of Russian assets to backfire on EU — Hungarian PM

It is a direct step toward entering the war, Viktor Orban said

FIDE to consult with IOC on lifting sanctions against Russians

Sixty-one participants voted in favor of lifting all restrictions on Russian chess players, while 51 opposed the measure

About 10,000 mercenaries fighting for Kiev regime killed in Ukraine — ex-intel officer

However it is difficult to give the exact number of mercenaries killed in Ukraine, noted Vasily Prozorov

At Berlin talks, Zelensky refuses economic zone in Donbass, troop withdrawal — newspaper

European countries disagree with Washington's position, believing that the issue of territories is not subject to discussion until Ukraine receives security guarantees

Ukraine conflict could lead to World War III, Trump warns

The US president said the conflict in Ukraine "doesn’t really affect the United States, unless it got out of control"

'Paranoid' Hegseth removes Driscoll from Ukraine talks — media

According to the newspaper, Hegseth saw Driscoll as exceeding his authority during the Ukraine talks

Explosions damage energy infrastructure in Ukrainian city of Odessa — authorities

Transport and industrial facilities were also damaged

Ukrainian soldiers frozen to death at Liman positions in Kharkov Region — defense source

Battlegroup North fighters found the frozen bodies of Ukrainian soldiers who had died from hyperthermia at two out of six positions they seized

Press review: NATO divided over Ukraine’s status and US-Venezuela conflict escalates

Top stories from the Russian press on Friday, December 12th

US forces conduct operation on ship traveling from China to Iran — WSJ

After the goods were confiscated, the ship continued on its way, the newspaper said

Putin, Erdogan discuss highly sensitive issues in Ashgabat — Kremlin

The meeting in Turkmenistan lasted for about one and a half hours

Man who stopped Sydney attacker turns out to be local fruit shop owner

Ahmed Al Ahmed’s cousin told 7News that he was injured during the struggle and taken to hospital, where he is awaiting surgery

Israeli drone strikes on southern Lebanon leave three dead — health ministry

Drones attacked cars near the village of Jwaya in the border district of Tyre and on the highway between the towns of Safed and Baraashit, the statement said

Trump vows retaliation over attack on US-Syrian patrol

The US President said that "in Syria, there will be a lot of damage done to the people that did it"

FIDE votes to lift restrictions on Russian players

The Assembly has not yet made a final decision

Russia tests prototype of Ariadna non-satellite navigation system — NTI Fund

The NTI Fund specified that, unlike other domestic solutions and foreign analogues, the technology offers precise positioning of up to 15-20 cm

FACTBOX: Russia hit by 130 Ukrainian drones overnight, one injured in Rostov Region

Residential buildings and two cars sustained damage

Rob Reiner, his wife found dead in their Los Angeles home — TV

The People magazine stated that the American actor and his wife were killed by their son, Nick

Sri Lanka views uninterrupted Russian oil supplies, says ambassador

The Sri Lanka State Oil Corporation is currently holding negotiations both on LNG and on the modernization of the oil refinery, Shobini Gunasekera said

Jose Antonio Kast wins Chilean presidential election

According to the Election Commission, Kast secured 58.61% of the vote

G20 emphasized reliance on UN Charter, as Russia proposed — MFA

Russia's ambassador-at-large Marat Berdyev said this includes adherence to core principles such as maintaining friendly relations among nations and safeguarding human rights for all, regardless of race, gender, language, or religion

Authorities of Sri Lanka ask Russia for additional aid amid Ditva cyclone — ambassador

According to Shobini Gunasekera, the scale of destruction in the country is unprecedented and there is enormous work ahead to be done in order to provide assistance, reconstruction, and resettlement

NATO needs to prepare for global naval challenge from Russia, analysts say

The report adds that scenarios for a crisis "often focus on an escalation in what is a single strategic direction stretching from the Baltic Sea to the Kara Sea"

Kremlin spokesman critical of NATO chief’s remark about preparations for war

This must be a statement by a person from the generation that has forgotten what World War II was like, noted Dmitry Peskov