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According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, his net worth was most recently driven up by a share sale of his privately held SpaceX, which boosted his wealth by $50 billion to $439.2 billion

US withdrawal from Afghanistan helped rededicate resources for Ukraine — Blinken

Blinken was then asked whether he saw any connection between the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and the start of Russia’s special military operation

Press review: Dubai hosts nuclear powers' meeting as OSCE preps Ukraine for EU and NATO

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

Russia to retaliate to Kiev’s ATACMS missile attack on Taganrog airfield — top brass

The ATACMS missile fragments that fell on the Taganrog military airfield caused injuries among the personnel and no destruction on the ground, the Russian Defense Ministry said

Putin to award state decorations to outstanding Russians in Kremlin

More than 30 people were invited to the ceremony

Putin says 'strong AI' may appear soon

"More and more experts and scientists say that the development of the ability to reason will lead to the emergence of strong artificial intelligence," the Russian leader noted

Seven Ukrainian drones taken down and jammed in Sevastopol — governor

According to the city’s rescue service, no damage was reported in the city, and its airspace is being monitored for threats

US commercial satellites surveyed Russia’s Engels airstrip ahead of Kiev’s strike attempt

Earlier, it was reported that, on Monday morning, Kiev attempted to strike the two airstrips with Soviet-made jet drones in order to disable Russian long-range aviation planes

Russia should become world leader in adopting AI in all areas of life — Putin

According to the Russian leader, the government would do right to blaze a trail with daring examples

Russian troops close in on Ukrainian combat group at Kurakhovo power station in DPR

According to the source, the Ukrainian battlegroup is unsuccessfully trying to leave the power station’s premises

Kremlin vows retaliation after Ukraine’s ATACMS missile attack on Taganrog airfield

According to Spokesman Dmitry Peskov, the response will come when and how Russia thinks fit

Russia comes close to achieving special military operation's goals — intel chief

"Russia holds the initiative in all areas, while the Ukrainian armed forces are on the verge of collapse and the Zelensky regime has lost its legitimacy, along with the ability to make agreements," Sergey Naryshkin pointed out

Zelensky rejects Hungary's proposal to establish Christmas ceasefire with Russia — Orban

The Hungarian prime minister did not specify how the peace proposal was sent to Vladimir Zelensky and, accordingly, how the response was received

West fails to weaken Russia through Ukraine-related sanctions, says Slovak PM

Robert Fico also expressed regret that other European Union countries were reluctant to take note of Bratislava’s stance about the need to launch negotiations

Russian forces strike Ukrainian army, equipment in 141 areas over past day

Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicted roughly 515 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed an enemy ammunition depot in its area of responsibility over the past day

Ukrainian commander acknowledges 'incredibly brutal' situation near Krasnoarmeysk

The Ukrainian General Staff also reported that the "situation on the frontline remains challenging," highlighting the Krasnoarmeysk, Kurakhovo, and Vremevsky areas

West determined to dismember Russia, eliminate its peoples — Security Council’s secretary

According to Nikolay Patrushev, by fueling interethnic discord, the West is creating a real threat to democratic and universal values, security, social stability and the unity of society

Ex-EU official who oversaw seizure of Russian assets suspected of money laundering

According to the publication, Reynders and his wife purchased pre-paid cards to top up their National Lottery player's electronic account all in cash, spending 25,000 euros per year

Ukraine ready to discuss deploying foreign troops within its borders — Ukrainian official

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky admitted that nobody among his allies had discussed this matter in detail

Rock-solid relations and Western machinations: What Medvedev said in China

Cross-party cooperation between the United Russia Party and the Communist Party of China is developing intensively, the Russian senior official pointed out

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. seeks to prove CIA involved in his uncle’s assassination — Axios

According to the sources, to this end, RFK is advocating for his daughter-in-law Amaryllis Fox Kennedy to be appointed First Deputy Director of the CIA. Axios notes that Trump feels like he owes Kennedy Jr. for helping him win the election and wants to pay him back

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

Syrian caretaker government head says his predecessors left economy in ruins

Assad’s government has lost the support of its people, and, therefore, "fell faster than expected," Syria’s new transitional Prime Minister Mohammed al-Bashir said

Chancellor Scholz declares readiness for another phone talk with Putin

According to Olaf Scholz, such conversations are also needed to urge the Russian leader to "withdraw troops so that a foundation for peaceful development can be established"

Russia urges West to end support for Zelensky following attack on IAEA personnel — MFA

Russia also called on the US, the United Kingdom, and their allies to take measures to bring those responsible for the act of provocation to justice

Tomb of Bashar Assad’s father set on fire in Syria, report says

Beside Hafez Assad, who ruled the country from 1971 to 2000, the mausoleum in the town of Qardaha in the Latakia region also holds the tombs of his wife and elder son

Syria's new authorities will deploy security patrols across the country — report

According to the source, the opposition's goal is to "establish a new state based on institutions and law"

Russia’s Alliance for Artificial Intelligence joins international AI-alliance

The document was signed in the presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin

Trump invites Chinese president to his inauguration in Washington — CBS News

It is unclear whether the Chinese leader accepted the invitation, CBS News reported

Kiev rejects peaceful solutions, Putin tells Orban

"Viktor Orban expressed his willingness to contribute to efforts aimed at jointly finding political and diplomatic solutions to the crisis, considering his contacts with several Western leaders," the statement reads

Trump may unravel fresh loan to Kiev by lifting sanctions on frozen Russian assets — NYT

The move would not affect the European portion of the loan

OMV announces termination of contract with Gazprom Export due to suspension of supplies

Prior, OMV received approximately 7,400 MWh per hour, corresponding to approximately 5 TWh per month, at the Austrian Slovakian border, the company added

FACTBOX: Aftermath of UAV attack in Chechen Republic

Air defenses destroyed 16 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones overnight across Russian regions, the Defense Ministry reported

Slovakia stands for normalizing relations with Russia — PM

According to Robert Fico, he opposes the emergence of a new "iron curtain" between Russia and Europe

Syria’s new government set to disband security forces

Syrian armed opposition leader Ahmed al-Sharaa said he is working to "dissolve the security forces of the previous regime and close the notorious prisons"

At least four countries provide assistance to Syria’s armed opposition — Iranian general

In late November, armed opposition units launched a large-scale offensive on positions held by Syrian government forces in the Aleppo and Idlib provinces

Trump unable to resolve Ukraine conflict in 24 hours as he promised — Slovak PM

Robert Fico added that the real actions of the Trump administration will differ from what the politician has previously said

Israel openly acknowledges its role in recent events in Syria — diplomat

According to Maria Zakharova, the United States has also exacerbated the situation in Syria, deliberately imposing sanctions against the country and its people for many years

Ukrainian troops near Novosyolka surrender rather than counterattack

According to the captives, they were tasked with entering the outskirts of the settlement, gaining a foothold, and awaiting assault groups

Russia completed its mission in Syria some time ago — Kremlin

Dmitry Peskov added that "now, we need to proceed based on the realities on the ground"

Hungary, Russia find payment workaround for gas amid sanctions against Gazprombank

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto stressed that "there are no factors on either the Hungarian or Russian side that would prevent us from finding a way out of the current situation"

West may sacrifice Ukraine using its 1938 playbook for Czechoslovakia — Slovak PM

According to Robert Fico, Slovakia has no complaints with the authorities in Kiev, but Bratislava recognizes that Ukraine has fallen victim to Western ambitions to weaken Russia

Texas, California decolonization reflects global shifts, says Russian intel chief

"We are currently witnessing the true decolonization of the Global South, which has come to see itself as a full-fledged political actor rather than a subordinate ‘backyard,’" Sergey Naryshkin noted

New Syrian government to decide on fate of Russia’s military bases — opposition

"The issue of military bases is a sovereign decision of the Syrian state," Mohammed Alloush stated

Kiev says Hungarian premier’s ceasefire proposal makes no sense

Viktor Orban wants to play the role of a man "who can resolve something, to make comments on something," an adviser to the Ukrainian presidential office, Mikhail Podolyak, said

US House of Representatives approves $884-billion defense budget

The Senate is expected to approve the budget next week, and the document will go to US President Joe Biden for signing

Minsk blasts Warsaw for attempting to compromise Belarusian diplomat

According to the ministry, the Polish envoy was warned that "Belarus reserves the right to take any response measures it deems necessary."

Russian sleeper agents open up about secret trip to 2018 World Cup

The married couple, Artyom Dultsev and Anna Dultseva, returned home as a result of an exchange

South Korean president says ready to face impeachment procedure

Yoon Suk Yeol defended his botched martial law decree as a measure to "protect the nation and normalize state affairs" against the opposition that paralyzed the government

Slovak PM vows not to support Ukraine joining NATO

Robert Fico pledged to support Ukraine’s move to join the European Union upon resolving the conflict

Many US partners asking Russia `not to stop halfway’ on Ukraine — SVR chief

The global prestige of Washington is steadily declining, Sergey Naryshkin emphasized

Delegation of Islamic Jihad movement arrives in Cairo for talks on Gaza

The delegation plans to discuss "the process of Gaza ceasefire and prisoner swap negotiations"

Nuclear disarmament cooperation with unfriendly nations unacceptable — diplomat

These countries pursue anti-Russian policies, act aggressively, and supply our enemies with weapons, Sergey Ryabkov said

President Macron to name France’s new premier on Thursday — Les Echos

Among possible candidates, Les Echos named Francois Bayrou, the leader of the centrist Democratic Movement party; Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu and Bernard Cazeneuve, who served as prime minister during the final months of socialist Francois Hollande’s presidency

Russian troops gradually eliminate Ukrainian forces in Kharkov frontline area — official

Vitaly Ganchev added that Russian troops were conducting active operations across the entire Kharkov frontline

Analysts upgrade Russia’s key rate, inflation forecasts — Central Bank

Inflation outlook has been upgraded to 9.2% (+1.5 pp compared to October) for 2024, to 6% (+0.7 pp) for 2025, and to 4.5% (+0.4 pp) for 2026

UN General Assembly adopts resolution demanding immediate ceasefire in Gaza

Unlike Security Council resolutions, General Assembly documents are not legally binding

Ex-Ukrainian officer shocked by high number of foiled terror attacks in Russia

Ukraine developed a major multi-phase operation to carry out the attack, Vasily Prozorov went on to say

Trump did not invite Putin to his inauguration in January — Kremlin

The ceremony will take place on January 20, 2025

Pentagon says Russia could fire Oreshnik missile at Ukraine again within days

According to Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh, the potential strike will not make a strategic impact on the conflict in Ukraine

Zelensky wrong to think that Biden corruption link gives him impunity to do what he wants

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova pointed out that the scale of corruption between the US and Ukraine is truly astonishing

Russian Su-35S fighters cover aircraft in air strikes on Ukrainian army in Kursk area

One of the fighter jets uncovered enemy air defense sites by its weapons suite, the statement added

Press review: Russia's role in Syria questioned and UN hints at a possible SC summit

Top stories from the Russian press on Tuesday, December 10th

Ukraine to lose third of territory, get no invitation to NATO — Slovak PM

Robert Fico also emphasized that the conflict's repercussions would significantly impact Ukraine's internal stability

Two fixed-wing drones downed over Black Sea

The military keeps the situation under control, Sevastopol Governor Mikhail Razvozhayev said

Time magazine to give ‘Person of the Year’ status to Trump — Politico

To celebrate the unveiling of the cover, Trump will ring the opening bell of the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday morning, according to people familiar with the plans

Conversation with Putin took place in most dangerous period of conflict in Ukraine — Orban

The Hungarian prime minister did not specify what issues he had discussed with the Russian president

EU anti-Russia sanctions package includes extension for Prague to import oil products

Slovnaft, one of the largest oil refineries in Central European countries, is located in Bratislava

US could facilitate peace by ordering Ukraine out of Donbass, says Russian diplomat

"Those who expect Russia to make concessions are either poorly informed or have a short memory," Maria Zakharova noted

Russia’s Lifintsev wins gold in 100m backstroke at 2024 World Swimming Championship

The junior world record holder in the 100-meter backstroke clocked the distance in 48.76 seconds to win the gold

Medvedev to meet with senior Chinese officials in Beijing

He will also visit the monument of the Communist Party of China, which opened in 2021 to commemorate the party’s 100th anniversary

OSCE special envoy for Ukraine intends to deepen split in Europe — Foreign Ministry

Maria Zakharova compared Maresh to an environmentalist who "claimed he would pour oil refinery waste into the sea" and to a firefighter who "promised not to stop setting fires"

Syrian opposition’s Cairo Platform to work on new constitution — coordinator

"We should participate in drafting the new constitution in order to implement UN Security Council Resolution 2254," a member of the Syrian Constitutional Committee and the High Committee on Negotiations Firas al-Khalidi said

West could make 'crazy' move to hand over nuclear weapons to Ukraine — National Interest

The transfer of American-made B-61 nuclear bombs appears to be the most likely scenario, the report said

Trump says he considers resolving Ukraine conflict as priority

The US President-elect believes that even though the situation in the Middle East is also important

Israel to maintain presence in Golan Heights buffer zone until it gets security guarantees

The prime minister’s office stressed that Israel’s actions in the Golan Heights area were defensive in nature and stemmed from a government change in Syria

Just a few km of Lugansk People’s Republic territory remain to be liberated — lawmaker

"People from all regions of our huge country are taking part in battles to liberate the remaining tiny piece of the LPR territory," Yury Yurov said

Putin orders Russian forces pullout from Syria

Russia is ready to deal a new blow to terrorists if they again try to break peace in Syria, the president said

Russian forces occupy several high-rise buildings in Donbass region's Kurakhovo — official

"There is fighting near the town hall building but Ukrainian forces still control it," the official said

Hungarian PM lays out his vision for Ukraine resolution in call with Putin — top diplomat

Peter Szijjarto added that the Russian president also clarified his position on the matter, pointing to "obstacles hindering the process" of a peaceful settlement

Syria’s Ba’ath party announces suspension of its work

The party’s ruling body said in a statement, published in its official newspaper, that "party work and activities in all forms and aspects should be paused until further notice"

Erdogan says he and Putin are the only two leaders in world

Turkish President also said that he respects Germany’s former Chancellor Gerhard Schroder

Israel to retain control of entire Jerusalem forever — PM

Jerusalem's status is one of the key issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Moldova following Ukraine’s path, Russian diplomat warns

Maria Zakharova commented on reports of Chisinau signing a defense and security partnership agreement with London

OSCE special envoy for Ukraine plans to prepare Kiev for NATO, EU accession

Petr Maresh is to "maintain close contact with the Ukrainian authorities"

Revenues from West’s frozen assets allocated for support of Russian regions — ministry

The US Department of the Treasury said earlier that a $20 bln loan would be provided to Ukraine and paid in tranches

Israeli tanks spotted 20 kilometers from Damascus — TV

The Israel Defense Forces has yet to comment on the information

EU envoys agree on 15th package of anti-Russia sanctions

The new package adds more persons and entities to the already existing sanctions list, as well as constrains the activity of additional vessels of third states operating to contribute or support actions or policies supporting Russia’s actions against Ukraine

Armed militants kill ten servicemen in southwest Niger

According to AFP, seven more were wounded

Press review: Israel controls Golan Heights as Kiev plans aid summit before Trump’s term

Top stories from the Russian press on Wednesday, December 11th

Oreshnik missiles to eliminate need for nuclear weapons, Putin says

This is why, in President Putin’s words, Russia behaves with caution and even restraint in all areas

Russian economy expected to grow by 3.9% in 2024 — Novak

This is much above the average growth rates globally, the Russian deputy prime minister noted

Russian forces liberate Daryino, Plyokhovo: situation in Russia’s Kursk Region

Over the day, Ukraine lost more than 200 troops, a tank, three Bradley infantry fighting vehicles of US manufacture, seven motor vehicles and six mortars, with one Ukrainian serviceman surrendering as a prisoner of war

Oreshnik launch serves as warning to certain political figures overseas — Ryabkov

"It was also a signal to their European clients, who have completely lost it as well, that Russia means business," the Russian deputy foreign minister added