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AMO auto plant launches truck production at Volvo’s former Kaluga facility

Production plans call for turning out 2,000 Next trucks at the plant in 2024, a source in the regional government said

KALUGA, December 14. /TASS/. With truck production at Volvo’s former facility in Kaluga, south of Moscow, now up and running, domestic automaker AMO, part of the Industrial Investments group, plans to produce 2,000 trucks under the Next make in 2024, a TASS correspondent reported from the Kaluga plant’s recommissioning ceremony.

"The team has been up to the challenge; the management of Industrial Investments stuck to the schedule despite the complicated situation. And today the enterprise is ready to get into top gear, putting the entire production cycle into operation. As we expected, 2023 has become a sweeping year for the relaunch of the region’s automobile manufacturers," Kaluga Region Governor Vladislav Shapsha said at the ceremony.

Production plans call for turning out 2,000 Next trucks at the plant in 2024, a source in the regional government said.

As of the launch date, 18 units were being assembled. Plans call for commencing production of 50 units by the year-end. The Kaluga facility is expected to produce 12 large-tonnage, high-traction trucks per day in 2024.

It was announced in September 2022 that Sweden’s Volvo Group was considering various options for closing down its operations in Russia, including a partial sale of the business. The Kaluga Region government supported the relaunching of abandoned enterprises, as a result of which the Industrial Investments group took over ownership of the auto plant. In October 2023, Shapsha announced the change in ownership and plans for the first trucks to roll off the assembly line this year.

US’ new military aid package for Ukraine to be worth $375 mln — agency

According to Reuters, the new package will include patrol boats, additional munitions for high-mobility artillery rocket systems

Kiev and EU open joint defense innovation office — Ukrainian Defense Minister

According to him, the so-called IT coalition of 13 countries has already attracted more than 70 million euros for the needs of Ukraine

Israel to continue operations in northern areas until all residents return to their homes

On September 17, the Israeli military political cabinet said that the return of residents, who were evacuated from Israeli settlements near the border with Lebanon amid Hezbollah shelling attacks, was added to the list of official objectives of Israel’s military campaign

Hezbollah confirms death of its commander in airstrike on Beirut

Together with Ibrahim Aqil at least six commanders of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force died in the airstrike

Attempts made to provoke Hezbollah with aim of US interference in war — Lavrov

Lavrov pointed put that without this, recurrent outbreaks of violence will never stop in the Middle East

Sixteen drones eliminated over Russia’s Bryansk Region

Governor Alexander Bogomaz said earlier that the Russian Defense Ministry’s air defense forces were repelling a massive drone attack

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

According to commander of the Akhmat special forces unit Apty Alaudinov, the situation is under control

Serbian citizens sincerely appreciate Putin - deputy PM

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Over 6,200 Kursk Region residents evacuated from border areas over week

Around 11,000 people are currently staying in temporary accommodation centers across 32 Russian regions

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The six-party platform for regional cooperation in the South Caucasus was initiated by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in late 2020

Senior Hezbollah commander killed in Beirut was injured in Sep 18 walkie-talkie blast — TV

Ibrahim Aqil was appointed to replace Fuad Shukr, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike on the southern suburb of Beirut on July 30

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

Israel wants no war with Lebanon — ambassador to UN

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Putin instructs authorities to support small producers of drones

The Russian leader noted that products manufactured by small enterprises, including drones, are not inferior in quality to those made by large ones

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

Russia's newest satellites to change course of Ukrainian conflict — former UN inspector

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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

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

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

"No doubt, such voyages of representatives of the aggressive military bloc do not contribute to regional stability and security," Maria Zakharova said

Russian Supreme Court upholds Navalny verdict

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The top Russian diplomat noted that he had good relations with many of his Israeli counterparts

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

Theft of Russian assets to nullify trust towards EU — MFA

Maria Zakharova pointed out that the European Union had lost independence

Turkish banks want to stop transactions with Russia, transfer them to one bank — source

The issue reportedly concerns private and state-owned Turkish banks that do not have foreign partners, mainly Western ones

Ten Ukrainian drones destroyed over Russia’s Bryansk Region — governor

There are no casualties or damage

Gas reserves in European USG facilities approach 93.5%

Gas injections into UGS facilities slowed significantly in September to the lowest level since 2011

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

Scholz says Germany not to send Kiev missiles ‘capable of reaching as far as Moscow’

German Chancellor emphasized the need to explore ways in order to peacefully resolve the Ukraine 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"

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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Top stories from the Russian press on Thursday, September 19th

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

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

Tver region governor says no serious injuries in drone attack on Toropets

Earlier reports said a fire occurred at the scene where drone fragments fell in Toropets

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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"

Ukrainian troops attack two settlements in Russia’s Belgorod region, leaving no casualties

Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov added that in the settlement of Murom, the Shebekinsky district, the windows of a private house were broken out, the roof and fence were damaged due to a drone attack

Russia welcomes normalization of Iran’s relations with Arab countries — Lavrov

It is in the interests of both Iran and its Arab countries to establish "friendly, normal, goods relations," Russian Foreign Minister added

Up to 62 flights of Ukrainian drones reported near ZNPP every day — Russian diplomat

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

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Hezbollah attacks Israeli military headquarters in Ein-Zeitim

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

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Hezbollah commanders wanted to repeat October 7 in northern Israel — General Staff

The IDF said that it had conducted a targeted strike in Beirut, adding that Ibrahim Aqil, a military commander of Hezbollah’s militia, was killed along with other top brass

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In total, the enemy has lost over 11,800 servicemen since fighting began in the region

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

Ukraine's budget deficit next year will reach 19.4% of GDP

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Physicists from Russia to be banned from Large Hadron Collider from December 1 — Nature

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

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Russia fully ready to defend its interests in Arctic — Lavrov

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

EU plans to extend the freeze of Bank of Russia’s assets for 36 months from January 2025

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The Russian military repelled three attempts by the Ukrainian military to break through the border near Novy Put, Malaya Obukhovka and Medvezhye

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

Ukrainian drones attack Kamenka-Dneprovskaya in Zaporozhye Region

"Another cynical attack by terrorists for whom nothing is sacred," Governor Yevgeny Balitsky said

Ukrainian forces in difficult situation in Kursk Region, try gain foothold — commander

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

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"We have not organized such a large-scale international event in quite a long time," Yury Ushakov underlined

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

Fourteen dead in Beirut airstrike - Lebanese Health Ministry updates casualty statistics

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

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Russia calls on UN to give honest assessment of sanctions' impact on Syria — envoy

Vasily Nebenzya stressed that Russia was waiting for the UN to "send a clear signal to Western donors regarding the need to lift unilateral illegal sanctions and actively support long-term development reconstruction"

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Russian forces take control of two settlements in Kursk Region

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Kadyrov send two more Cybertucks to special military operation zone

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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"

Transformer damaged in Ukrainian attack on Energodar, Zaporozhye NPP safety jeopardized

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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

Press review: Israel declares new phase of war and Russia boosts drone production

Top stories from the Russian press on Friday, September 20th

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Strikes at Beirut and shelling of Lebanon: escalation on Lebanese-Israeli border

The IDF has also intensified the hostilities in the northern direction and started carrying out massive airstrikes at Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon

Russian prime minister approves list of countries imposing destructive attitudes

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

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

Ursula von der Leyen stressed that 35 billion euros is the part which the European countries will contribute to the 45 billion euro loan approved by the G7 in Italy in the summer

Report on alternative payment systems will be prepared by BRICS summit in Kazan — Lavrov

The Russian foreign minister also drew attention to the growth of trade in national currencies between Russia and other countries

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

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

Ukraine is still facing the question of the legitimacy of power in the absence of parliamentary and presidential elections, which cannot be held during martial law

US carries out mock electronic launch of Minuteman III ICBM

Such test deployments of Minuteman III missiles without an actual launch are being carried out twice a year at various air bases, the statement says

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"

UN human rights commissioner slams blasts in Lebanon as war crime

The UN official called for bringing those behind these blasts to responsibility under international law and protecting civilians in conflict zoes

US to step up efforts to limit Russia’s fuel exports, defense imports – White House

Sanctions and export controls are "our tools", US Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economics Daleep Singh said

US’ new military aid package for Ukraine to be worth $375 mln — agency

According to Reuters, the new package will include patrol boats, additional munitions for high-mobility artillery rocket systems

Businessman probably related to exploding gadgets in Lebanon missing in Norway

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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

US volunteer Russel Bentley missing in Donetsk killed — RT editor-in-chief

Bentley came to Donbass from the United States in 2014

Six Hezbollah elite unit Radwan commanders killed by Israel’s airstrike o Beirut

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Ukrainian forces create concentration camps in Russian border areas — diplomat

Maria Zakharova pointed out that one of the Ukrainian prisoners of war reported an attack on a passenger train being prepared in the Kursk Region

Twenty Hezbollah commanders killed in Israeli strike on Beirut — Axios

The news website cited a senior Israeli official who confirmed that Israel had not informed the US in advance of the preparations for the attack on Beirut, "but briefed senior US officials on the matter immediately after it was carried out"

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