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Conflict in Syria

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Choice of experts for OPCW investigation team violates UN Charter — Russian envoy

The issue is that most members of the team come from NATO states, according to the Russian permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna

Russian Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov Mikhail Metzel/TASS

Russian Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov

© Mikhail Metzel/TASS

VIENNA, April 26. /TASS/. The fact that most members of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Investigation and Identification Team come from NATO countries violates the United Nations Charter, Russian Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov wrote on Twitter.

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"We have reasons to believe that an absolute majority of members of the Investigation and Identification Team come from NATO countries, which is a violation of the UN Charter and the Chemical Weapons Convention. If this is not true, the OPCW leadership must pronounce itself openly on this principled matter," the tweet reads.

The OPCW Investigation and Identification Team released its first report on April 8, blaming the Syrian authorities for using chemical weapons in March 2017. According to the report, "on March 24, 2017, an Su-22 military airplane belonging to the 50th Brigade of the 22nd Air Division of the Syrian Arab Air Force, departing from Shayrat airbase, dropped an M4000 aerial bomb containing sarin in southern Ltamenah, affecting at least 16 persons." Russia’s mission to the OPCW said that the report was flawed and lacked credibility.

The OPCW in 2018 decided to create an investigation team at the initiative of the United States and the United Kingdom in order to identify those responsible for the use of chemical weapons. Russia strongly opposed the move saying that the Chemical Weapons Convention did not provide for the establishment of such a group and giving additional powers to the group would amount to encroaching on the prerogatives of the United Nations Security Council.

Fixed Ulyanov’s position at 12:43.

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Syrian conflict

Military operation in Ukraine

Swiss conference on Ukraine undermines European security — Russian diplomat

In Maxim Buyakevich words, neither the talks nor their outcome can change the existing political and territorial realities

Moscow slams NATO drills near Russian borders as inflammatory

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Kiev violates diplomatic relations convention by recruiting mercenaries abroad — diplomat

Maria Zakharova pointed to media reports, according to which Ukrainian embassies in a number of countries are openly campaigning local citizens to join the so-called International Legion of Ukrainian Territorial Defense

West views Europe as potential theater of military operations — Lukashenko

The number of operational and combat training activities in Poland and the Baltic states increases every year, the Belarusian President noted

US government prepares to sign $6-bln contract for arms deliveries to Ukraine — Politico

According to the article, the United States "is putting the finishing touches" on one of its largest Ukraine military aid packages to date, which may be announced on Friday

Reinforced Ukrainian battlegroup fails to break through Russian defenses in DPR — expert

Andrey Marochko added that the Ukrainians have also intensified artillery and drone attacks at Russian positions

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Yury Chikhanchin pointed out that the perpetrators of the attack were provided with money, weapons, transportation and ammunition

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Iran calls on BRICS states to facilitate ceasefire in Gaza Strip

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US military advisers, if sent to Ukraine, won’t come close to frontlines — Pentagon

"United States has no intent of conducting combat operations inside of Ukraine, nor are these forces going to be anywhere near the frontlines," Patrick Ryder said

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According to Nikolay Patrushev, this creates conditions for the devaluation of international law and its institutions and the erosion of the UN's central role in resolving global and regional conflicts

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According to Nikolay Patrushev, these countries "understand perfectly well who is financing" the Kiev regime

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Fatah also said Hamas is currently seeking to become part of the Palestine Liberation Organization, but is doing this "only to preserve itself and survive"

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Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev noted that the heads of foreign delegations expressed sincere condolences to the Russian people over the casualties of the attack on a concert hall outside Moscow

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There is confirmed evidence of his connections with French secret services

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Russia’s international reserves are highly liquid foreign assets available with the Bank of Russia and the Russian government

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"There is a preliminary stage of agreeing that both sides are ready to enter into negotiations," Roman Chekushov specified

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Expert groups from the two countries continue their work

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"I think that Beijing understands this perfectly well and will not even pretend being ready to reach any agreements with the Americans to the detriment of Russia’s interests," Sergey Ryabkov said

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Maria Zakharova warned that if US nuclear weapons were deployed to Northern Europe, "the security of the countries hosting these weapons will by no means get stronger, but on the contrary be harmed"

Swiss conference on Ukraine undermines European security — Russian diplomat

In Maxim Buyakevich words, neither the talks nor their outcome can change the existing political and territorial realities

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According to the French leader, when building relations with Russia, Europe needs to rely upon its own strong security system

Russia to hold next international security meeting in 2025 — top security official

The date and location will be announced later

Russia’s advanced technology helps use unguided munitions as precision bombs

Gefest system analyzes data of the Glonass satellite navigation grouping on the mutual location of the aircraft and the target

Russians not let to Turkish Airlines flights to Mexico due to US pressure on it — diplomat

Sergey Ryabkov noted that such problems exist for Russians using Turkish Airlines flights to other Latin American countries

Kremlin announces creation of blockchain-based payment system in BRICS

Work will continue to develop the Contingent Reserve Arrangement, primarily regarding the use of currencies different from the US dollar," the Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov pointed out

Hungary sees Ukraine conflict entering new phase, NATO involvement rising

According to the minister Gergely Gulyas, the North Atlantic Alliance "wants to provide financial assistance, as well as supply weapons and train Ukrainian soldiers"

Russian troops wipe out Ukrainian UAV production workshop over past day

The Russian forces improved their frontline positions and inflicted casualties on five Ukrainian army brigades in the Donetsk area over the past day, the Defense Ministry reported

West again tried to obstruct international security meeting in Russia — security official

According to Nikolay Patrushev, some representatives planned to attend the meeting, but later succumbed to pressure and refused

Ukraine could send special forces to capture Zaporozhye NPP — politician

According to Vladimir Rogov, the Ukrainian troops are holding drills to cross the Dnieper from the right bank to the left bank and capture a large industrial site

Good GDP growth results showed in first months of 2024 — Putin

GDP growth is 6% in average over the first two months, the Russian leader noted

Senior Russian senator expects participants in Swiss summit to reject Zelensky’s proposals

Konstantin Kosachev expressed hope that countries to attend the summit would be able to make it clear that any peace initiatives should be discussed with Moscow

Press review: NATO flexes muscles near Russian border and South China Sea runs hot

Top stories from the Russian press on Wednesday, April 24th

European Parliament urges EU states to regard Russian presidential vote as illegitimate

The resolution passed in a 493-11 vote, with 18 abstentions

Casualties reported after Ukrainian strike on residential house in Zaporozhye Region city

The rescuers are involved in efforts to clear the rubble of a five-story house on Kuibyshev Street

IAEA chief to have working contacts with Rosatom, no meeting with Putin is planned

Rafael Grossi may visit Russia in late May

Bank of Russia keeps key rate to prevent inflation from being double-digit, Putin says

According to the head of state, such risks still exist

Russian children’s commissioner holds first face-to-face talks with Ukrainian counterparts

Maria Lvova-Belova thanked Qatar for setting up a venue for dialogue between Russia and Ukraine regarding children’s interests

Ukrainian army strikes own surrendering soldiers — POW

Andrey Babenko said that after a crash course in Britain he had been sent to the frontline near Liman

West bends sanctions rules when it suits them — Kremlin

Dmitry Peskov noted that, "according to some parameters, companies in Europe and other regions can hardly maintain their competitiveness if they completely abandon our products"

Russia’s national jurisdiction must be competitive for business — Putin

The President noted that the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, together with other business associations, is doing a lot to relieve the business environment from red tape, helping to simplify or convert administrative procedures and approvals into electronic form, and helping the government improve legislation and control and supervisory activities

No response from West to killing of Izvestia war reporter Eremin — diplomat

The Russian war correspondent died of wounds suffered from a strike by a Ukrainian FPV drone on April 19

Russia ready to cooperate with all interested partners to ensure security — Putin

The Russian leader expressed confidence that the the 12th International Meeting of High Representatives for Security Issues "will bolster cooperation for the mutual benefit of our countries and peoples"

US shifted conflict in Europe onto EU, NATO shoulders to weaken Russia, says Lukashenko

The Belarusian leader specified that the US had organized the conflict in Europe, in this case in Ukraine, and "shifted it onto the shoulders of the European Union and NATO, promising to help with money"

Ukraine turns into testing ground for future world order, says Belarus president

"The largest nuclear powers, albeit indirectly, are actually fighting on Ukrainian territory. And not indirectly," the president of Belarus noted

Russia says its battlegroup West seized better positions

The Russian forces also foiled a counterattack of an assault group of the Ukrainian 80th mechanized brigade in the vicinity of the Krasnoye settlement in the Donetsk People’s Republic

Kiev may use ATACMS missiles to hit Crimean Bridge — Russian defense ministry official

Russian military will do its utmost to repel such attacks, Apty Alaudinov said

Potential nuclear facilities in Poland to be military target for Russia — senior diplomat

According to Sergey Ryabkov, discussions around the deployment of NATO nuclear facilities in Poland are an "unfolding story"

Bolivarian Alliance countries stand for multipolar world — Maduro

"ALBA can be among the founders of a new world, a new international multipolar order," the Venezuelan president stressed

US 'not forgetting' to help itself with aid to Ukraine — Kremlin

"In any case, whatever the modality of providing this aid, de facto it is about provoking Ukraine into further hostilities down to the last Ukrainian, putting guarantted money in the pockets of the US," Dmitry Peskov said

Ukrainian opposition demands parliament speaker's resignation over pro-Hitler remarks

The speaker’s shocking remarks sparked outrage among the public

Musk concurs that civil war looming in West

The US businessman commented on remarks by Gad Saad, a Canadian professor of Lebanese origin, who insisted that "the path that the West is taking will result in civil war"

Ukraine to cease to exist unless it enters into talks, Belarusian president warns

Alexander Lukashenko stressed that his Ukrainian counterpart Vladimir Zelensky should have realistic expectations

China vows decisive response to US move to deploy intermediate missiles in Asia-Pacific

The Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson stressed that "US steps are posing a major threat to security and stability of regional players"

Cosmonauts complete spacewalk two hours ahead of schedule

The cosmonauts fulfilled their tasks way faster than planned, spending four hours and 36 minutes in space

West prepares puppet structures in case of coup in Belarus — KGB

Ivan Tertel said various methods were being considered, up to "instigating a forceful seizure by illegal armed groups" being trained in the West and Ukraine

Detained deputy defense minister suspected of taking grand bribe of over $10,000

This charges carries a punishment of up to 15 years behind bars

Russia’s strategic bombers get latest data transfer systems

The qualifying flight tests of aircraft with the installed communications systems have been completed, according to the CEO of Ruselectronics Holding Company