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Russia and its vaccine ‘unpopular’ in the West due to unfair competition - Kremlin

Russia is not popular in the West in general, Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said

© Anton Novoderzhkin/TASS

MOSCOW, December 19. /TASS/. The West's attitude towards Russia and the Russian Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine is related to competition issues, Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with Rossiya 1 TV channel.

"Russia is not popular in the West in general. Not because it is bad, but because it is becoming too good," Peskov said. "It is very simple: this is competition, not always fair," he added.

On August 11, Russia was the first in the world to register a vaccine against coronavirus named Sputnik V, developed by the Gamaleya National Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology. Later, another Russian vaccine was registered, developed by the Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology Vector. The third vaccine, created by the Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products of Russian Academy of Sciences might be registered soon.

Nord Stream gas leak investigation

International cooperation needed to investigate Nord Stream incidents — Russian diplomat

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Global community condemns use of terrorists in geopolitical struggle — Russian official

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Russian Embassy to Austria denied participation in ceremony at Nazi concentration camp

The embassy said that the Austrian Mauthhausen Committee had also cautioned the organizations of Russian compatriots in Austria against participating in the event

North Korea tests multiple rocket launchers produced at new defense enterprise

Country’s leader Kim Jong Un said the systems feature advanced technologies and "will contribute to strategic changes in the process of strengthening the artillery forces."

Erdogan moves back from May 9 his trip to US — report

The report hasn’t been officially confirmed

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

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

Russian foreign minister to meet with Bolivian counterpart in Moscow

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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

US first caused, now purposefully drags out Ukraine conflict — Shoigu

The Russian top defense official added that in order to achieve its goals, Washington is exerting unprecedented pressure, including on its partners

Bank of Russia keeps key rate at 16% per annum again

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NATO bears direct responsibility for Ukraine crisis — Chinese Foreign Ministry

Spokesman Wang Wenbin stressed that China was not providing weapons to the conflicting parties and strictly controlled dual-use goods, including the export of drones

Radioactive cloud from Ukraine’s eliminated munitions drifts to Europe — Security Council

"An increase in radiation levels has already been registered in Poland," Nikolay Patrushev warned

Ukraine’s army leaves first defensive line in Berdychi near Avdeyevka, says DPR

The Ukrainian military has suffered heavy casualties among personnel and military hardware in that community, Igor Kimakovsky said

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

Crocus City Hall attack funded using cryptocurrency, Russian finance watchdog says

Russia’s Federal Financial Monitoring Service head added that the act of terrorism was intricately planned and it took an international network of conspirators to carry it out

SCO expects Belarus to join the organization very soon — Shoigu

The Russian defense chief is certain that "this is an important moment in strengthening security in the SCO space"

Electricity supplies to China cannot yet be restored to previous levels — Energy Ministry

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

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Fatah accuses Hamas of actions that led to Israeli control of Gaza — report

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US effectively dooms Ukraine by its new decisions, Russian envoy says

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Russian, Chinese militaries interacting stabilizes world processes — top defense official

Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun noted that he wanted to discuss "the most fundamental issues" with his Russian counterpart, given the constraints of time and place

Kiev's attacks on ZNPP may trigger another Chernobyl — Zaporozhye governor

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Russia warns US, NATO against harming its security — diplomat

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Houthis say they attacked MSC Darwin vessel in Gulf of Aden

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US nukes in Poland to become target for Russia should confrontation with NATO occur — MFA

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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 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

One more suspect in Crocus City Hall terror attack arrested — police

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Security concerns mount as radical Islamists flock to Southeast Asia

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu added that establishing a security framework in Eurasia will be an important goal for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization

FSB nabs Neo-Nazi group members in Volgograd Region plotting high-profile terror act

During the questioning, the detainees gave confessionary evidence that sharing the ideas of racial and religious supremacy, they established contact with the ringleaders of the pro-Ukrainian terrorist organization

Kiev confirms pulling back US-made Abrams tanks due to vulnerability to Russian UAVs

Thirty-one American tanks have become "unfit for the classical deployment," Maxim Buzhansky said

Press review: Belarus' new national security strategy and Russia, US butt heads at UN

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Staff shortage cannot be covered by labor migration — Putin

Labor productivity requires a significant increase in all sectors of the economy, the President stressed

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"The main emphasis should be placed on the development of military contacts between the SCO and the CSTO,"the Russian defense minister said

US-oriented structures try to reformat security system in Asia-Pacific region

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu underlined that this is being done by strengthening "military-political structures such as QUAD, AUKUS and the US-Japan-Philippines triad"

Insurers refuse to pay compensation for Nord Stream — Russian envoy to UN

Vasily Nebenzya stressed that insurers conclude on their own that the "explosion at the gas pipelines was made using an explosive devices, willfully and due to political motives," thereby confirming its terroristic nature

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

Chances of Baku-Yerevan conflict settlement higher than ever, Scholz says

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Positive trends in Russian economy become stronger — Putin

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Polish leader cautions NATO allies against provoking Russia

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Global community changing tune about how Ukraine conflict started — security official

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Poland practices transfer of mechanized brigade to Lithuania's Suwalki Corridor area

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Moscow, Minsk pushing for peace even as 'war in the air' — Belarusian official

Pavel Muraveiko stressed that "the leaders of Belarus and Russia are doing everything possible and impossible to ensure peace and security on western borders"

Russia-Europe relations require fresh approach — Kremlin

Russia and Europe are geographically close anyway, Dmitry Peskov noted

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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

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TASS has put together the highlights of Shoigu's speech

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

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All-Belarusian People's Assembly adopts new military doctrine, security concept

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Venezuelan foreign ministry, Russian embassy hold joint conference in Caracas

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Foreign delegations show great interest in Russian defense products — security official

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Israel ready to accept release of fewer than 40 hostages in deal’s first phase — newspaper

According to the report, Israel is willing to acceprt the release of women, men over 50 years old and those seriously ill

Senior security official points to rising tensions on Belarus’ western border

Tensions "have reached a peak where the slightest imbalance can lead either to a serious, high-profile and large-scale provocation or a conflict," Pavel Muraveiko stressed

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

Armenian police arrests people protesting against demarcation with Azerbaijan

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Russian troops destroy 89 Ukrainian UAVs, 5 boats in Kherson area over past day

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West reluctant to punish those responsible for Nord Stream blasts — Russian diplomat

According to Vasily Nebenzya, the situation is as though a year-long probe into a murder yielded a conclusion that "the victim was murdered"

UN bound to stay as unique world organization — Russian ambassador

"If the UN did not exist, it should have been created," Vasily Nebenzya said

Top Chinese diplomat calls for creating conditions for talks on Ukraine

Wang Yi also called for "resolutely opposing attempts to take advantage of the chaos and add fuel to the fire"

Press review: US tries to strong-arm China and Zelensky's bid to bring men home

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Transfer of US ATACMS missiles to Ukraine cannot be justified — Russian ambassador

"Neither these missiles nor other weapons can help defeat the Russian Federation," Anatoly Antonov said

China, US free to have their own friends, partners — President Xi

Beijing sticks to the principle of non-alignment with any blocs, the Chinese leader said and called on Washington "to refrain from teaming up in small groups"

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

The date and location will be announced later

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

Over 3,100 foreign mercenaries fight for Ukraine, most of them from US

The Russian Investigative Committee added that measures are underway to locate their whereabouts and bring them to criminal liability

Swiss conference on Ukraine undermines European security — Russian diplomat

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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

Putin calls impending formation of new cabinet ‘crucial step’

The Russian leader pointed out that it is important to ensure stability and transparency in the Russian socio-political system

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

Negative trends still on rise in US-China relations — top Chinese diplomat

The United States should not cross the red lines with regard to China’s sovereignty and security, Wang Yi added

Top Chinese diplomat says two states only solution to Middle East situation

"The catastrophe in Gaza proves once again that the inability of the Palestinian people to implement their legitimate national rights is the root of the Palestinian-Israeli contradictions and the essence of the Middle East issue," Wang Yi stressed

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

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Russian diplomat accuses US of coordinating Ukraine’s terrorist attacks

Earlier, US President Joe Biden signed a package of bills approved by Congress, which total some $95 bln and include about $61 bln to help Ukraine and $26 bln to support Israel

Europe should be prepared to build relations with Russia post-Ukraine conflict — Macron

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Pelosi's remarks about US protesters undemocratic, Russian diplomat says

On April 25, US police said at least 127 people were arrested during large-scale protests on American university campuses against Israeli actions in the Palestinian enclave

Kremlin spokesman describes European Parliament as 'Russophobic machine'

Dmitry Peskov added that the EP "has turned into a machine brimming with internal contradictions that keeps generating boorish statements"

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

Abrams tanks easy targets for drones — Russian expert

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Russia appreciates Bolivia’s push to defend sovereignty, Lavrov says

The Russian foreign minister said that the sides would exchange opinions on how to develop bilateral relations along the path outlined by Bolivian President Luis Arce and Russian President Vladimir Putin