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Cargo turnover of Russian seaports will exceed 900 mln tons in 2023 — Transport Ministry

In turn, Deputy Head of the Russian Presidential Administration for Supporting the Activities of the State Council of the Russian Federation, Alexander Yurchik, noted that in 2023, a steady increase in cargo turnover of all ports was ensured by 7% compared to the previous year

MOSCOW, December 22. /TASS/. The cargo turnover of Russian seaports will exceed 900 million tons by the end of 2023, which will be an absolute record in the entire history of the USSR and Russia, Vitaly Klyuev, head of the department of state policy in the field of maritime and inland water transport of the Transport Ministry, said on Friday.

"By the end of the outgoing year, we expect the turnover of the country’s seaports to reach the milestone of 900 million tons. This is a record figure - neither the Soviet Union as a whole nor Russia has ever reached this figure before," he said at a joint meeting of the board of the Federal Agency for Sea and Inland Water Transport (Rosmorrechflot) and the Public Council under Rosmorrechflot.

In turn, Deputy Head of the Russian Presidential Administration for Supporting the Activities of the State Council of the Russian Federation, Alexander Yurchik, noted that in 2023, a steady increase in cargo turnover of all ports was ensured by 7% compared to the previous year.

The cargo turnover of Russian seaports in pre-pandemic 2019 was 840.3 million tons. In 2022, cargo turnover reached 841.5 million tons.

US oil reserves rise by 2.1 mln barrels over week — Department of Energy

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Press review: US to maintain aid to Israel while Kiev regime faces challenge to retain it

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US plans to remove 'arrogant' Zelensky and stage 2025 elections in Ukraine — SVR

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Ukraine aims to call up 1 mln people in eastern areas by end of 2024 — official

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Gazprom says EU artificially destroys gas demand to the detriment of its own economy

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Russian diplomat hails Odessa woman as defender of truth after flag protest

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Russian president himself deals with issue of Ukraine, there is no special envoy — Kremlin

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Crimean amateur astronomer discovers new comet in solar system

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Kiev may offer Trump resources, partial rotation of US troops in Europe — official

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Trump to rely on forces that brought him to power — Russian presidential aide

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"

Trump to zero in on fragmenting BRICS, Ukraine to take back seat — expert

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US missile defense base in Poland to defend US, Europe alike — Polish foreign minister

Radoslaw Sikorski also expressed hope that the base will never go into action

Elections can be held in various ways, Lavrov on Ukrainian situation

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Chancellor Scholz opposes assistance to Ukraine at expense of Germany’s future

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Russian Battlegroup North artillery units hit Ukrainian weapons, manpower in Kursk Region

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Finnish government requests EU sanctions exemption for Russian owners of sports arena

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Su-57 fighter jet shows exceptional performance in Russia’s special op, senior official

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Ukraine targets medics and journalists as priorities — military doctor

Santa noted that the medic’s red cross draws the attention of Ukrainian troops, so affiliation patches on uniforms must blend in, and identifying marks are also not applied to evacuation vehicles

Russia inks first deals to deliver Su-57 fifth-generation fighter to foreign customers

Alexander Mikheyev also explained the expectations and effect of the demonstration of Russian military hardware at Airshow China in Zhuhai

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Kiev's Western allies begin to acknowledge need for territorial concessions — report

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What is known about Sevastopol car blast

Sevastopol Governor Mikhail Razvozhayev did not rule out the possibility that the incident was the result of sabotage

Court sentences ‘Russian Volunteer Corps’ members to life in prison in absentia

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Trump does not rule out he may run in next US presidential election

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Russia open for contacts with Trumps’ team on Syria — Russian diplomat

Alexander Lavrentyev stressed that all parties to the conflict must be involved in talks so that a lasting peace in Syria could be achieved

Russia ready for contacts with Trump administration, ball is in US court — Lavrov

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People evacuated from Brazil’s Supreme Court after blast nearby — agency

According to Reuters, Brasilia’s military police confirmed that a body was found near the court building

Russian researchers discover previously unknown ancient tomb near Great Pyramid in Egypt

According to the statement, so far, a small hole has been cleared, through which one can see the remains of a wooden, painted sarcophagus, intact ceramic vessels—typically used for supplies the deceased would need in the afterlife—and other items lying in the burial chamber

US shells for handful of Kiev’s Pion howitzers no game-changer — expert

Ukraine ran out of the Soviet-made ammunition for this type of artillery pieces back in 2022

Man who died in blast in Brasilia tried to carry bomb into court building

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South Korea to support Ukraine in response to Russia-North Korea alliance — president

As Yoon Suk Yeol said, the reported dispatch of North Korean servicemen to participate in Russia’s special military operation "poses a serious security threat not only to the Korean Peninsula and Europe but also to the entire world"

US has no technical need to conduct nuclear tests, senior official says

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ISS orbit raised by almost 5 km before launch of Progress MS-29 spacecraft — Roscosmos

According to preliminary information, the ISS’s average orbit was increased by 4.9 km to 417.2 km above Earth

Borrell calls on EU to play ‘military role’

"Trump's re-election should make it clear to us that Europe should bolster its security and take its destiny into its own hands," EU’s outgoing top diplomat said

Russian Su-34 bomber strikes Ukrainian troops in borderline Kursk area

Russian tactical aircraft pilots conduct sorties at any time of day or night in any weather conditions, using various armament

Russia, US have many annoyances, it is hard to pick worst one — Kremlin spokesman

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Ukraine and Germany also discussed further defense cooperation

Trump's planned key appointments

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First S-550 air defense systems enter service in Russia — source

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Russian troops liberate Rovnopol community in Donbass region over past day

Russia’s Battlegroup North destroyed an UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) production workshop of the Ukrainian army and inflicted roughly 110 casualties on enemy troops in its area of responsibility in the Kharkov Region over the past day

Most Russians say special op doesn't bleed into their daily life

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Kiev wants to mobilize 160,000 people to survive until Trump's inauguration — MP

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Ukrainian forces ready to withdraw from Kurakhovo, but no order yet — serviceman

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US views Russia as present-day threat, Trump may prioritize containing China — Lavrov

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At least ten Ukrainian troops were killed

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Over the day, the enemy lost more than 450 troops, two tanks, three IFVs, two M113 armored personnel carriers, 33 armored combat vehicles, five artillery pieces, including a Krab self-propelled howitzer, a Crotale multiple rocket launcher, and 49 motor vehicles

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Western efforts to vilify Russia climax, Moscow fights back — MFA

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Japan remains ready to sign peace treaty with Russia — top diplomat

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Russia to collaborate with Arab nations for Middle East de-escalation — diplomat

"A call was made to the international community to contribute to the achievement of this goal," Maria Zakharova added

Countries will line up for Russian gas when US stops exporting LNG — Serbian president

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Pilot lauds thrust, aerodynamics of smooth-flying Su-57 fighter jet

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Too early to talk about meeting between Assad, Erdogan — Russian diplomat

"Certain communication is maintained between the defense ministers, in the four-lateral format," Alexander Lavrentyev said

Putin discussed Ukraine with Saudi crown prince — Kremlin

"The sides indeed touched upon the topic of the conflict. We have nothing more to say," Dmitry Peskov said

Russian troops storm into Kupyansk outskirts in Kharkov Region — military expert

Troops from various Russian army units are engaged in battles in the outskirts of Kupyansk, Andrey Marochko said

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Zelensky will lead Ukraine to civil or nuclear war rather than surrender power, legislator

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Explosion of Kurakhovo reservoir dam disrupts water supply

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European Commission gives ‘positive assessment’ for payment of 4.1 bln euros to Kiev

The commission concluded that Ukraine had satisfactorily fulfilled the nine agreed reform indicators for this payment

Ukrainian intel officers in Syria to be eliminated as terrorists’ accomplices — diplomat

According to Alexander Lavrentyev, there are "in fact Russian troops stationed" in Syria

Trump to end NATO’s obsession to get on Russian territory — White House ex-strategist

Steve Bannon noted that Trump’s MAGA (Make America Great Again) movement seeks to completely cut funding to Ukraine. According to Bannon, Europe, including Italy, will follow Trump’s lead, and, if "they [Europe and Italy] truly believe what they have been saying in recent years, they should be ready to pay"

Grossi oversteps authority by talking about freeze of Ukraine conflict — Russian MFA

The Russian diplomats also said that IAEA experts will stay at the ZNPP as long as Russia deems their presence there necessary

Trump’s victory to make Seoul reconsider shipping arms to Ukraine — news agency

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US administration always seeks to weaken Russia — Lavrov

The foreign minister pointed out that the Americans had long declared the idea that "there should be no country in the world more influential than the United States"

Demographic crisis threatens Ukraine’s viability as state — think tank

Ukraine’s "overall population had declined to 29 million people in 2023 - compared to 48.5 million in 2001," Responsible Statecraft writes

Next-gen Su-57 shows strength of Russia’s defense sector — diplomat

Maria Zakharova pointed out that military experts had praised the "unmatched capabilities" the plane displayed at the Airshow China in Zhuhai

Russia keeps building defense capacity despite conflict in Ukraine — Polish general

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Erdogan praises Russia, China for backing arms embargo on Israel

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Baltic Sea will never turn into 'NATO lake' — Russian MFA

Maria Zakharova emphasized that the Baltic Sea "will always be a common space for all of the region’s countries without exception"

Iraqi Shiites say they attacked ‘vital targets’ in Israel

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Lukashenko tells Putin situation is "starting to get tense with Wagner"

The Belarusian leader noted that they want to go to Warsaw

Israel achieves its goals in conflict with Hamas, time to 'end the war' — Blinken

"Israel, by the standards it set itself, has accomplished the goals that it set for itself," the US Secretary of State noted

Russian troops secure ground near Novodarovka, Rovnopol in Zaporozhye Region — official

On November 13, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that the Russian Armed Forces had liberated the settlement of Rovnopol in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), located near the administrative border with the Zaporozhye Region

Businessmen in Germany, Russia again eager to interact more, says executive

Ulf Schneider expressed his gratitude to representatives of the Russian business community for their continued efforts to involve Western businessmen in work in Russia despite the challenging political climate

Russian Marines destroy Challenger 2 tank with FPV drone in Kursk Region

Previously, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that the enemy lost 10 tanks in the Kursk region in the past 24 hours

Turkey invited to join BRICS as a partner state, says minister

Omer Bolat recalled that at the last BRICS summit in Kazan, the sides "considered the applications of Turkey and several other countries"

Lavrov likens proposals to freeze Ukraine crisis to worse version of Minsk agreements

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Clear Zelensky won't be the one to decide about talks with Russia, says Lavrov

"Russian President Putin has repeatedly said that we have never refused to negotiate," the Russian foreign minister reiterated

Press review: Trump forms foreign policy team and Europe sets course for militarization

Top stories from the Russian press on Wednesday, November 13th

West criticizes Russia's growing ties with Caspian region countries — presidential aide

Nikolay Patrushev emphasized that the United States and the European Union are making "efforts to dismantle relations between these states, undermine their political and trade cooperation”

Tehran to retaliate against anti-Iran resolutions at IAEA — official

Tehran views the approach of the United States and the European troika to the situation surrounding Iran's nuclear program as hostile

Russia to ensure parity in response to US missile defense system in Poland — Kremlin

Dmitry Peskov emphasized that by placing the missile defense system in Poland, the United States is bringing its military infrastructure closer to Russia in an attempt to curb its potential

54 countries vote against resolution on combating ne-Nazism

116 countries, including Azerbaijan, Algeria, Armenia, Belarus, Bolivia, Brazil, China, Cuba, Serbia, and Syria, supported the document

US denies possession of extraterrestrial technologies

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Russia has written off $20 bln worth of African debts — MFA

Mikhail Bogdanov added that it allows using those debts "to implement socio-economic projects directly in the country"

There is chance to stop war in Middle East under Trump — Russian diplomat

"It is too early to talk about this because we should wait at least for the president’s inauguration," Alexander Lavrentyev noted

Medvedev characterizes Great Britain as eternal adversary of Russia

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Trump plans to appoint special envoy on Ukraine to hold peace talks with Russia — TV

According to the source, the job is not expected to be a salaried role

Trump’s return to power unlikely to change US approach to Ukraine crisis — Lavrov

Washington will always seek to control everything that is happening within NATO’s orbit, especially on NATO territory, the Russian foreign minister said