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Moscow, Riyadh in talks on satellite launch from Saudi Arabian soil

Putin is due to pay a state visit to Saudi Arabia on Monday

© Yuri Smityuk/TASS

RIYADH, October 14. /TASS/. Russia and Saudi Arabia are holding talks on launching a satellite from the kingdom’s soil, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund Kirill Dmitriev told reporters on Monday.

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"Space and high technologies are certainly [being discussed]. There is also an interesting project on launching the satellite from Saudi Arabia’s territory to the orbit, using interesting Russian technologies," the head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is due to pay a state visit to Saudi Arabia on Monday. Some 30 documents are expected to be signed, including both interdepartmental and commercial agreements. The RDIF has announced plans on inking deals with Saudi companies to the tune of more than $2 bln, including deals on space cooperation.

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Roman Starovoyt noted that Russia is holding negotiations with many airlines from friendly countries

Putin responds to question about Russia's weakness by quoting Mark Twain

The president noted that Russia had become much stronger over the past two or three years as it became a truly sovereign country

Ukraine loses over 300 troops, two Bradley vehicles in Kursk Region in past day

Eight motor vehicles and two electronic warfare stations were also destroyed? the ministy added

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Now it takes quite long to build personalized vaccines because computing of how a vaccine should look like uses matrix methods, Alexander Gintsburg said

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According to Andrey Kelin, the UK’s official reaction to the launch of the Oreshnik missile was rather vague

Hungary wants to maintain ties with Russia under its economic neutrality policy — PM

Victor Orban also said that hopes for the development of economic cooperation with the United States after President-elect Donald Trump takes office

Russian forces control more than half of Chasov Yar in DPR — expert

Andrey Marochko noted that Russian forces had "slightly advanced" in the northern and southern parts of Chasov Yar

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Israeli minister’s suggestion of nuclear strike on Gaza raises questions — Russian MFA

Maria Zakharova stressed that such statements by Israeli officials shed light on the true reasons why Tel Aviv was opposing the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East

Ukraine’s General Staff admits tense situation along entire frontline

The Ukrainian military also admitted the Russian army’s supremacy in terms of military equipment and the size of personnel

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According to Putin’s press secretary, the meeting is being held one-on-one

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Trump nominates billionaire Feinberg as US Deputy Secretary of Defense

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Eight people killed in Israeli strike on school in Gaza Strip

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Russia considers launching direct flights with Brazil, Malaysia, Pakistan — Minister

Roman Starovoyt noted that Russia is holding negotiations with many airlines from friendly countries

Lavrov describes attack by insurgents in Syria as carefully planned

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Response to Ukrainian attack on Russia’s Rylsk to come shortly — Russia’s UN envoy

Vasily Nebenzya warned as he denounced the attack as yet another unambiguous step by the Kiev regime toward escalation

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Both freight trains loaded with coal collided at the Bushulei-Zhireken railway section

Russian forces create bridgehead near Kupyansk-Uzlovoy in Kharkov Region — expert

Ukrainian forces have been shifting significant reserves to this settlement, including fresh recruits with little to no training, to retain Kupyansk

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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"

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Hungarian PM highlights need to lift sanctions on Russia once Ukraine conflict is resolved

Viktor Obran added, however, that only a couple of EU countries shared Hungary’s position

Putin to extend New Year greetings to peoples of several unfriendly countries — Kremlin

The Russian president will not congratulate leaders of unfriendly countries, but he will congratulate some individuals and people of several ones, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said

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Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov praised the new mechanisms for accelerating the introduction of advanced weapons and equipment developed by the civilian defense industrial complex in the interests of the Russian army

Almost 20 drones downed over four Russian regions, Black Sea last night

According to Russia's Defence Ministry, attempts to conduct attacks against facilities on Russian soil were thwarted

Syrian development help prevent regional war — Syria’s new leader

Ahmed аl-Sharaa expressed hope for building strategic relations with Lebanon

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The Foreign Ministry noted that the facts of discrimination and persecution of Russians are often ignored by the official leadership of countries and international human rights agencies, leading many victims to remain silent

Death toll from Israeli strikes on Gaza Strip exceeds 45,200 — health ministry

More than 107,600 people received wounds

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As preliminary data suggest, the ISS orbit was raised by 2.3 km to 416.43 km above the Earth’s surface

Musk believes Germany’s Scholz should step down after car drives into crowd in Magdeburg

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Drone attack triggers fire at fuel infrastructure facility in Russia’s Oryol Region

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Massacre staged by retreating Ukrainian troops in Selidovo — report

According to Maxim Grigoryev, videos of interviews with witnesses and preliminary forensic examination of the bodies indicate that most of the victims are elderly women

Ukraine may cease to exist by 2034 — Russian security official

Dmitry Medvedev noted that Ukraine will never join NATO

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Russia declassifies intel about France’s plans to send 2,000 troops to Ukraine

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Aleppo taken by 350 militants while 30,000 gov’t troops retreated without fight — Putin

The Russian president recalled that no Russian land troops had been deployed to Syria, with Russia having only an airbase and a naval base

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TASS has gathered the main information about the incident

Putin opens new transport infrastructure sites in Russian regions via video link

Putin also took part in the ceremony of opening international airports in Magadan, Cheboksary, and Stavropol

Kiev to face more destruction after its UAV attack on Kazan, Putin warns

"We will not only restore the damage that some attempt to cause to us but will also move forward even at a faster pace as we are doing now," Russian President said

Syria’s new government wants to build strategic relations with Turkey

Ahmed al-Sharaa also said he will not "tolerate uncontrolled arms trafficking" across the country

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According to Hakan Fidan, during his contacts with al-Sharaa he "saw the Syrian leadership’s strong will and commitment in this area,"

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Aleksandar Vulin noted that he is "not optimistic about prospects for the United States changing its policy toward Serbia" after the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump

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Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov also informed of the death of the deputy commander of the army corps for military-political work, Colonel Yevgeny Brovko, who led the efforts of the personnel

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NATO prepares for war with Russia, Moscow takes these risks into account — senior diplomat

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"The College of national leaders closely follows the deceiving maneuvers, initiated by the French junta, who declares the shutdown of its military bases only to replace them with another, less visible mechanism, which pursues the same neo-colonial goal," says the statement

Russia to retaliate against Ukrainian strikes, just as Putin said — Kremlin

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Assad allegedly hands list of military targets over to Israel before leaving Syria — media

According to the Turkish newspaper, the former Syrian president did it to ensure his own safety

Turkish president calls on West to stop Israel in Syria before it’s too late

"All international mechanisms need to be effectively employed in order to prevent Israel from exploiting the situation in Syria," Recep Tayyip Erdogan said

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Russia’s Battlegroup South liberates settlement of Ostrovskogo in DPR — Defense Ministry

"The enemy lost up to 285 troops, two armored combat vehicles, two motor vehicles, a D-30 122 mm howitzer, a US-made M119 105 mm howitzers and five field ammunition depots," the ministry added

Gazprom to replace European sales market with new export destinations, says Italian expert

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Putin calls Oreshnik missile development ‘an historic event’ for space rocket industry

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US Navy cruiser mistakenly downs F/A-18 fighter over Red Sea

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Kiev takes out its anger for military defeats on Russian people — diplomat

Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also emphasized that Moscow is outraged by the hypocritical silence of the West and its media on the terrorist attacks in Russia

Oil supplies to Hungary via Druzhba pipeline resume — top Hungarian diplomat

Reuters reported earlier that oil supplies to Belarus and EU countries via Druzhba had been suspended on December 19 due to technical problems

Damage to Portuguese Embassy in Kiev caused by Ukrainian air defense — Russian diplomats

Reporters are ramping up Russophobia, distorting the facts while writing on this matter, the Russian Embassy in Portugal said

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Ukrainian troops struggling to escape being trapped in Lozovaya in Kharkov region — expert

In general, "quite active hostilities" are taking place near Dvurechnaya and Lozovaya in the Kupyansk sector of the line of engagement, Andrey Marochko noted

Houthis say attacked US aircraft carrier in Red Sea, shot down US fighter jet

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Kalashnikov improves combat capabilities of Vikhr-1 aviation missile

"I will not comment on that in any further detail, it is our client’s prerogative," Kalashnikov CEO Alan Lushnikov said

Georgian president demands appointing snap elections within week

Salome Zourabichvili also promised to announce her further plans on Monday

Israeli delegation discussing in Doha ways of reaching deal om Gaza — TV

The Al Arabiya television channel said that, citing a source

West should consider Putin's words on Oreshnik missile duel — diplomat

Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova emphasized that the rhetoric about "inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia" is firmly rooted in the mentality of the NATO regimes not at all as hypothetical assumptions

Three of eight drones that attacked Kazan targeted defense industry facilities — head

The Tatarstan head Rustam Minnikhanov also noted that all operational services worked well when dealing with the aftermath of the drone attack

Russia currently holds upper hand in Ukraine conflict, Indian expert says

Nandan Unnikrishnan pointed out that Russian President Vladimir Putin "has more than once spoken about Russia’s readiness to discuss an end to the conflict"

Russian 'soldier of the future' combat gear tested in Syria

The Ratnik is a system of advanced protective and communication equipment, weapons and ammunition

Putin’s talks with visiting Slovak PM over — Kremlin spokesman

Dmitry Peskov added that it is not planned to issue any joint statements

An-2 plane missing in Kamchatka located, survivors found — regional emergencies ministry

According to the press service of the regional Emergencies Ministry, all three people onboard the plane survived the emergency landing

Air raid alert issued in six Ukrainian regions

Earlier, an air raid alert was declared in the Kiev, Sumy and Chernigov Regions

Russia continues to provide military assistance to Syria — Lavrov

"It is not our business to forecast," he said

Russia has confidence in its weapons, senior diplomat says

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov also stressed that the recent developments had shown that the US policy of establishing a system of increasingly layered missile defenses was wrong

Hungary wants to preserve relations with Russia as part of economic neutrality — Orban

Prime minister underscored that, "the more serious the problems in Europe are, the more decisively the economic relations in all other markets should be promoted"

No real impulses for organization of Putin-Trump meeting so far — Kremlin spokesman

Russian leader said during the press conference that he is ready for a conversation with US president-elect and is ready to meet with him at any moment

Zelensky actually flips the bird to Trump by insulting Putin, Medvedev says

The politician emphasized that "the president of a major country should be extremely polite and amiable"

Press review: EU imposes new anti-Russian sanctions and Russia braces for NATO conflict

Top stories from the Russian press on Tuesday, December 17th

Strike on SBU control center response to Russian general’s assassination, expert says

The ministry clarified that Ukraine launched a missile strike against the Kamensky Integrated Plant in the Rostov Region using six US-made ATACMS missiles and four Storm Shadow cruise missiles

Russian troops liberate two communities in Donbass area, Kharkov Region over past day

Russia’s Battlegroup Center inflicts 480 casualties on Ukrainian army over past day

Father of conscript who killed 8 in Siberia asks son to cooperate with investigators

The father said that his son would like the unit where he had served to be disbanded

Arkhangelsk nuclear submarine ready to join Russian Navy — Sevmash Shipyard CEO

Project 885M nuclear-powered submarines carry Oniks and Kalibr-PL cruise missiles as their basic strike weapons

Ukraine to halt Russian gas transit on January 1, 2025 — Ukrainian PM

The restart of transit via the Ukrainian gas transportation system is possible at a request of the European Commission if this is not Russian gas, Denis Shmygal said

Proposal to duel with West response to claims of Oreshnik missile vulnerability — Kremlin

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin thus meant that the Oreshnik missile is a generation ahead of all existing weapons, while not being a nuclear weapon itself

US wants to destabilize whole region using terrorists in Afghanistan — Shoigu

The defebse minister noted that "instead of working for the reconstruction of Afghanistan after the hasty withdrawal from it, the NATO countries are trying in various ways to restore their military presence in the Central Asian region"