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Lavrov says BRICS starts preparatory process for expansion

Russia's top diplomat stressed that both Argentina and Iran were worthy and respected candidates

© Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service/TASS

ASHGABAT, June 28. /TASS/. Argentina and Iran are worthy of joining BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), the preparatory process for the bloc's expansion has been launched, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters on Tuesday following a meeting of foreign ministers of the Caspian states.

"Of course, both Argentina and Iran are worthy and respected candidates, as well as a number of other countries that are also mentioned in the discussions," the minister said, responding to a question from TASS.

According to Lavrov, the decision to join BRICS will be determined by consensus. "The most important thing is that the preparatory process has been launched," the Russian foreign minister stressed, "The main criterion here will be to ensure further effectiveness and increase the practical impact of the bloc’s work".

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Military operation in Ukraine

IN BRIEF: What Putin said about Russia’s new missile, and Moscow’s response to the West

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Russian troops advance in areas north, south of Velikaya Novoselka in DPR — official

Earlier, Vladimir Rogov stated that a successful offensive by the Russian Armed Forces north of Velikaya Novoselka could allow them to encircle the settlement

China slams US nuclear policy for undermining global stability

The United States continues to modernize its nuclear triad, Lin Jian noted

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The journalist also criticized US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson (a Republican representing the state of Louisiana) for "not even mentioning it in public or in leadership meetings" with factions in the lower house of Congress

Russian forces successfully advancing in all areas in special military op zone — Putin

The Russian president said that "all the goals we set for ourselves are being achieved"

Preliminary data shows anti-ship missile downed over Sevastopol waters — official

Governor Mikhail Razvozhayev said that all emergencies services currently work in the high alert mode

Kremlin condemns report on Storm Shadow missile use against Russian targets as escalation

Dmitry Peskov chose not to respond to a question about whether Russia has proof that UK-made Storm Shadow missiles had been used against it

US missile defense base in Poland long among Russian army’s targets — Foreign Ministry

Maria Zakharova stated that the US-NATO construction project, ongoing for nearly a decade with complete disregard to Russian security concerns, has consistently been a focus of Russia's attention

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Bank of Russia’s officials hit by US sanctions

The head of the financial monitoring and currency control service of the Russian Central Bank was also added to black lists

US is now at war with Russia, Ritter says

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Biden’s decision to use ATACMS against Russia may 'blow up in America’s face' — US expert

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"There will always be an answer," the president said

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Zelensky begs ‘for his country to be flattened’ — US journalist

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Russia to address NATO’s engagement in strikes deep inside country — SVR

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According to Yevgeny Lisnyak, the special services threaten people with criminal charges of collaborationism if they refuse to join the unit

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The Russian Armed Forces have completed the destruction of a Ukrainian battlegroup blocked in the area of the Olgovskaya wood

US Congressman urges to impeach Biden for allowing strikes deep into Russia

"By authorizing long range missiles to strike inside Russia, Biden is committing an unconstitutional Act of War that endangers the lives of all US citizens," Thomas Massie said

Japanese lawmaker praises Putin's restraint amid decision to strike deep into Russia

Top EU diplomat Josep Borrell confirmed that the US administration had lifted restrictions for US-supplied missiles to be used for strikes up to 300 kilometers inside Russia

Zelensky admits Ukraine can't fight its way back to 1991 borders

Vladimir Zelensky also talked about the Crimean Peninsula, stating that Kiev is ready to "bring Crimea back diplomatically"

Russian air defense deflects attacks with Western missiles — Putin

"As a result, the goals that the enemy apparently set have not been achieved," the Russian leader said

Biden's decision on missile strikes on Russia is his 'last gasp' — Japanese lawmaker

Earlier, Muneo Suzuki emphasized on his blog that the decision that this decision by Biden on the tail-end of his presidency looked like "a last gasp"

NATO supports Ukraine not out of charity but for its own strategic interests — deputy head

Boris Ruge argued that NATO now has hundreds of thousands of troops that could be deployed to the alliance's eastern flank or elsewhere within ten days

US forces strike Houthi sites with seaborne missiles — TV

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Romanian presidential candidate vows to end military aid to Ukraine

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Residents of Kupyansk, Kovsharovka in Kharkov Region returning to their homes

People are refusing to go to safer places because of Ukraine's unwillingness to provide basic sanitation for refugees

NATO enters conflict, Russia has every right to attack its targets now — expert

Col. (Ret.) Lawrence Wilkerson confirmed to TASS that the launch of ATACMS missiles would be impossible without "US/NATO satellite feeds and/or personnel"

US not seeking confrontation with Russia, but will continue assistance to Kiev — Pentagon

Department of Defense Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh also claimed that Washington, while helping Ukraine, is not attempting to turn the conflict into a large-scale regional confrontation that spills beyond the country’s borders

Enemy has no countermeasures for Russia’s Oreshnik missile — Putin

Speaking in a televised address, the head of state assured that Russia will issue notifications before using this type of missile

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During the night, air defenses intercepted and destroyed two Ukrainian UAVs in the skies over the Rostov and Volgograd regions

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Russian envoy to international organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov pointed out that from September 23 to November 12, the Russian servicemen suppressed 556 drones near the plant and Energodar

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Russia to use revenues from frozen assets of Western investors — Finance Minister

Tit-for-tat measures will be implemented after receiving information about unfriendly actions of Western countries, Anton Siluanov noted

Russia ready to assist Serbia in building oil pipeline via Hungary — Transneft

"This will make it possible for them to be more independent in oil supplies and significantly increase volumes of oil delivered to the territory of Serbia for internal consumption," Vice President Vladimir Kalanda said

Trump seeks to restore peace in entire world — transition team on Putin’s address

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US journalist calls US President Joe Biden’s government 'the fascist state'

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Ex-UK Labor party leader wants PM to clarify situation with Storm Shadow missiles

Jeremy Corbyn called for de-escalation of the situationin Ukraine and the search for a diplomatic solution to achieve peace

Russian State Duma passes law on federal budget for 2025-2027

According to the document, federal budget revenues are forecast to be 40.296 trillion rubles ($404.8 bln) in 2025, 41.84 trillion rubles ($420.3 bln) in 2026, and 43.154 trillion rubles ($433.5 bln) in 2027

Russian forces push Ukrainian troops 10 km away from Lisichansk in LPR — expert

Russian troops have taken new lines and positions northwest of Zolotaryoka as a result of successful operations

Russia hit Ukrainian military-industrial facility in response to use of Western missiles

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EU considers ICC warrants against Netanyahu, Gallant as binding — foreign policy chief

According to Josep Borrell, the situation in the Gaza Strip "is apocalyptic," and "there are no more words" to describe it

Weapons supplied to Ukraine cannot reach Russian territory, Spanish defense minister says

The New York Times reported on November 17 that US President Joe Biden had authorized the use of US-supplied ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles for strikes inside Russia

Canada neglects its sovereignty by approving transfer of land mines to Kiev — diplomat

According to Oleg Stepanov, since the authorities of the country have long acted, "especially in security matters, according to the rule 'what Uncle Sam says, so Ottawa will do' and don’t blush about this."

Press review: US lets Kiev use anti-personnel mines and Iran may halt uranium enrichment

Top stories from the Russian press on Thursday, November 21st

Russian stock market indices in the red on Thursday — market data

The mood in international markets was mainly neutral

Russia fires ballistic, non-nuclear-tipped missile at Ukrainian aerospace plant — Putin

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Press review: Russian air defenses can down Western missiles as EU conducts live exercise

Top stories from the Russian press on Tuesday, November 19th

Russia’s re-election to UNCITRAL confirms its global reputation — Foreign Ministry

Russia got the support of 129 countries in a November 20 vote in New York at the 40th plenary session of the UN General Assembly

Moscow hopes West will thoroughly analyze Russia's nuclear doctrine — ambassador

Andrey Kelin also recalled that the policy of the Russian leadership enjoys the full support and confidence of the country's population

Xi Jinping calls for unification of more voices for peace in Ukraine

"We need to bring together more voices of peace and pave the way for a political solution to the Ukrainian crisis," Chinese president said

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"

Kiev suffering fiasco on entire front line — aide to DPR head

Igor Kimakovsky said that "if the West is not physically involved in this war, that is, if NATO is not involved, then Ukraine is actually losing"

US sanctions against Gazprombank will not affect gas supplies to Hungary — Ministry

The United States introduced sanctions against Gazprombank earlier today

Ex-German chancellor never expected Russia to tolerate Ukraine’s NATO membership — memoir

Angela Merkel added that another fallacy was the belief that the status "would act as a deterrent," and that Moscow "would accept these developments without taking action"

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

The Belarusian leader noted that they want to go to Warsaw

US decision on missile strikes aimed at provoking Russia, expert says

According to Andrey Sushentsov, Biden is under pressure from Washington’s allies and "the hawks" in his government who believe that the US is not providing enough support to Kiev

NATO deployment to Ukraine would mark its entry into the war, Russian diplomat warns

According to Maria Zakharova, the Estonian minister is inciting other NATO members to engage in a venture that is "bound to fail"

Soyuz rocket carrying Progress MS-29 cargo spaceship blasts off from Baikonur spaceport

Progress MS-29 will deliver 2,487 metric tons of cargo to the orbital outpost, including fuel, drinking water, compressed nitrogen, various equipment, food and clothing

Newly arrived Ukrainian soldiers rob, loot in Kharkov Region’s Kupyansk

According to Lisnyak, local residents report that Ukrainian military personnel are stealing furniture, transformers, construction materials and humanitarian aid remaining in the settlements, and then selling it to private business owners

Russian troops liberate Dalneye community in Donbass region over past day

Russia’s Battlegroup South inflicted roughly 380 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed a British-made howitzer and four US-made artillery guns in its area of responsibility over the past day

Ukraine has around 50 ATACMS missiles — The Times

According to the report, the Ukrainian military has sufficient launchers that are capable of firing them

West launched missiles targeting Russia’s Bryansk, Kursk Regions — Putin

Russian air defenses repulsed all attacks, the Russian president said

Putin’s Q&A session and press conference to be held on one of December Thursdays — Kremlin

"The direct line and press conference are being prepared," Dmitry Peskov said

Ukrainian conflict acquires global elements after strikes with Western missiles — Putin

It is reported that the conflict in Ukraine, provoked by the West, has acquired elements of global nature

Russia not obliged to notify anyone about launch of intermediate-range missile — Kremlin

"No, there have been no notifications, for Russia has no such obligation with regard to intermediate-range missiles," Dmitry Peskov emphasized

Putin orders protection of critical infrastructure, including Crimean Bridge — Kremlin

Kiev has not accepted the legitimate results of the 2014 referendum, in which the people of Crimea and Sevastopol voted to become part of Russia, and is displeased by the operation of the Crimean Bridge, which connects the Kerch Strait with the Krasnodar Region

US decision on strikes inside Russia stems from malice rather than strategy — journalist

According to Sumantra Maitra, Washington’s move will not improve Kiev’s situation

US makes mistake by destroying INF Treaty — Putin

The Russian leader stressed that the United States made a mistake by unilaterally destroying the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 2019 under a far-fetched pretext

Trump may soon start talks with Russia following Biden’s decision on ATACMS — news agency

According to Andreas Kluth, the decision on ATACMS may have been another attempt by the current Washington administration to provide Ukraine with support until the president-elect comes to power

Ukraine was warned about possible missile strike — Pentagon

Department of Defense Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh gave no answer to the question of how could Ukraine prepare for this kind of attack

Putin confirms Russia’s readiness to assist CAR with security challenges

"Both leaders exchanged views on regional issues, focusing on the fight against the terrorist threat and ensuring stability across the Central African Republic," the statement reads

Putin sends message to those seeking to 'add fuel to fire' before Trump’s return — expert

The likelihood of a direct armed conflict with NATO is increasing because some individuals in the alliance are ready to raise the stakes ahead of Trump’s inauguration, Andrey Bystritsky emphasized

IN BRIEF: What Putin said about Russia’s new missile, and Moscow’s response to the West

Moscow used its new Oreshnik medium-range hypersonic ballistic missile in response to the West’s decision to authorize strategic-depth strikes on Russia

Russia’s reaction to Austrian OMV’s failure to pay for gas justified — MFA

The company stated it would seek damages amounting to 230 million euro for failing to receive the contracted volume of gas from the Russian company for delivery to Germany