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Around 5 mln foreign tourists to visit Russia this year — deputy PM

Trips to Russia enjoyed the highest demand during the summer season among citizens of China, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, India, Iran, as well as Kuwait, Bahrein and Oman, Dmitry Chernyshenko added

MOSCOW, October 16. /TASS/. Around 5 mln foreign tourists will visit Russia by the end of 2024, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko said, adding that the inbound tourist flow rose 1.5-fold from May to August year-on-year.

"Russia is open for guests from other countries. The number of foreigners we accepted during this summer season is one and a half times higher than in the previous one. In July and August alone around 1 mln tourists visited Russia. We expect around 5 mln [foreign tourists] by the end of the year," he said.

Trips to Russia enjoyed the highest demand during the summer season among citizens of China, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, India, Iran, as well as Kuwait, Bahrein and Oman, Chernyshenko added.

The national tourist product being actively promoted abroad contributes to growth of the inbound tourist flow, he noted. In particular, the marketing strategy and single brand ‘Open Russia’ has been launched this year. Respective work is underway with China, India and Gulf countries. Moreover, 20 additional routes were opened this summer to extend air service with friendly countries.

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Russian airlines to carry 5.4% passengers in April - October 2024

In summer, Russian airlines carried almost 35 mln passengers

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Germany’s Thomas Tuchel appointed as new head coach of England’s national football team

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Erdogan says Palestinians view Israel's founding in 1948 as 'catastrophe'

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Saudi Arabia’s status to be clear after BRICS summit — Kremlin spokesman

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China voices concern about situation on Korean peninsula — MFA

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North Korea says South Korean military behind drone flights over Pyongyang

"The instigators will pay a tough price," Kim Yo Jong noted

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Israel obstructs Gaza ceasefire deal — Qatari premier

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani added that Qatar will continue its efforts aimed at resolving the conflict

West failed to provide enough ammunition to Ukraine, Turkish defense minister says

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Zelensky’s so-called victory plan has two secret annexes that won’t be made public

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Georgia has no plans to participate in 3+3 platform meeting in Istanbul — MFA

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China, Russia, Mongolia ready to boost mutual trust, cooperation — premier

Li Qiang emphasized that this cooperation aligns with shared aspirations and the prevailing global trends

NATO cannot confirm reports about DPRK troops’ involvement in special op — Rutte

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'Nuclear Five' countries meet in New York on October 10, Russian MFA says

Maria Zakharova said that the meeting was held at the level of experts

US unlikely to supply Ukraine with THAAD systems — military analyst

According to Igor Korotchenko, if the THAAD missile defense system "was to be destroyed by the Russian armed forces, it would mean a huge loss of image for the United States"

Zelensky passes off fighting to last Ukrainian as new 'peace plan' — Kremlin

Dmitry Peskov emphasized that there are still possibilities for a peaceful resolution under specific conditions

Qatar will not allow using its territory for attacks on other countries — premier

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Press review: Kim Jong Un dynamites Seoul links and NATO, US lay plans to deter Russia

Top stories from the Russian press on Wednesday, October 16th

Russia-China cooperation on the rise despite external pressure, PM says

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Russian Lancet munition destroys Polish-made Krab howitzer in Kharkov Region — top brass

It is reported that data recorders showed the destruction of a Polish-supplied 155mm Krab self-propelled artillery system of the Ukrainian army by a Lancet loitering munition

Ukraine’s Zelensky rules out territorial concessions in his so-called settlement plan

Other key provisions of the plan include inviting Ukraine to join NATO, allowing the country to strike deep into Russia, increasing arms supplies to Ukraine

US pushes Ukraine to allow mobilization from age of 18 — Ukrainian official

In March 2022, Ukrainian general mobilization applied to men aged 27 years to 60 years, but in April 2024 the permitted mobilization age was reduced to 25 years

Kiev upset about West’s refusal to open ‘second front’ against Russia

Mikhail Podolyak, an adviser to the chief of staff of the Ukrainian president’s office, expressed hope that anti-Russian sanctions will be stepped up

Disabled man missing three fingers, unable shoot gun forced into Ukrainian army

"The command sits in the rear, playing their war games," Vladimir Gavroshenko told the ministry

Russia urges Argentina not to support Kiev by attending Ottawa conference — envoy

Dmitry Feoktistov pointed out that Russia views the conference as a "blatantly anti-Russian project"

EU's 'Potemkin armies' leave Europe vulnerable — Bloomberg

The number of ground troops in NATO’s European member countries declined by 61% in 1994-2024, from two mln to 784,000

Poles shocked by Ukrainians’ luxurious lives — defense minister

Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz expressed support for Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski’s idea to cut social benefits to Ukrainians of draft age living in the EU

Bundestag lawmaker calls Zelensky’s initiative a 'world war plan'

According to Sevim Dagdelen, the German government must deny such an initiative

Ex-Ukrainian security officer says Zelensky okayed terror attacks on Russia

According to Vasily Prozorov, the SBU organizes much more of these kinds of operations than the GUR, although the latter "is far ahead in terms of hyping its activities"

Scholz says ready to discuss Ukrainian settlement with Putin

At the same time, the German cabinet has nothing to say at the moment about the possible telephone conversation between Putin and Scholz

US to avoid shooting down Russian missiles over Ukraine as afraid of war — media

It is reported that several representatives of US President Joe Biden's administration also expressed a similar view

Residents to be obligatory evacuated from Kupyansk in Kharkov Region

According to Oleg Sinegubov, this decision was motivated by "the worsening military situation"

Russian military seizes logistics center south of Chasov Yar

The situation in the outskirts of Chasov Yar has been deteriorating for the Ukrainian unit, according to the source

North Korea blows up roads connecting it to South Korea, Seoul says

"The military is closely monitoring the North Korean military's activities and maintains a firm readiness posture amid strengthened surveillance under South Korea-U.S. cooperation," the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said

President of Nicaragua sees Zelensky as 'spawn of Hitler' for fighting Russia

According to Daniel Ortega, Hitler also believed that his attack on the USSR would be successful, but he underestimated the resilience of the Soviet people

Russia, unlike West, does not interfere in Georgia’s internal affairs — Kremlin

"We see indiscriminate attempts by Western countries to put pressure on the current Georgian authorities and to directly influence the course of the election campaign," Dmitry Peskov stressed

NATO disintegration is just a matter of time, says Politico

It is reported that the only real question the election will resolve for Europe’s security is the timing of NATO’s collapse

Russian army about to breach Ukraine’s logistics in Zaporozhye Region

"Russian forces are operating along three sections of the Vremevsky area," Vladimir Rogov said, adding that Russia’s quick advance in this area was a surprise for Ukrainian troops

French-formed Ukrainian brigade no match for Russia’s military might — expert

"The brigade will not change the course of the conflict as it will be defeated by Russians who use powerful artillery and equipment and have crucial dominance in the air," Alain Corvez pointed out

US, Europe recognize insufficiency of Zelensky's plan — media

Meanwhile, "there’s a fracturing consensus among Western governments about how much of Zelensky’s 'wish list' should be granted," Ishaan Tharoor noted

Sanctions won’t achieve their goal — Russian Prime Minister

Mikhail Mishustin recalled that at the July summit in Astana, Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed that in the current conditions, when rapid and irreversible changes are taking place in the world, the SCO, along with BRICS, is becoming the backbone of the emerging new world order, and the SCO's active proactive position in international affairs is undoubtedly in demand

Pentagon urges not to compare US support to Ukraine, Israel

US Department of Defense Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said that the two conflicts require different capabilities and approaches and "it is a little bit of apples and oranges here"