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Bout says he has no plans for participating in any elections for now

It was reported earlier that Viktor Bout would soon be invited to a meeting of the State Duma’s committee on international affairs and the LDPR faction

MOSCOW, December 12. /TASS/. Viktor Bout, who returned to Russia from a US prison several days ago, told the media on Monday that he has no immediate plans for participating in any elections.

"I'm not going to for now," Bout replied when asked whether he would nominate himself or agree to be nominated.

On Monday, the leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, Leonid Slutsky, told the LDPR national congress, timed for the party’s anniversary, handed a membership card to Bout.

Earlier, Slutsky said that Bout would soon be invited to a meeting of the State Duma’s committee on international affairs and the LDPR faction.

The Russian Foreign Ministry reported on December 8 that Viktor Bout, a Russian citizen, who was serving out a prison sentence in the United States on arms trafficking charges, was returning to Russia as a result of a deal with the US to swap him for American basketball player Brittney Griner, who was apprehended in Russia for drug smuggling in February 2022.

Viktor Bout was arrested in Thailand’s capital of Bangkok in 2008 following a sting by US federal agents. He was charged with conspiracy to deliver weapons to a group regarded as a terrorist organization by the United States. In 2010, Bout was extradited to the United States. In April 2012, he was sentenced to 25 years in prison and fined $15 million.

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Russia's domestic policy

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Putin’s recent statements reflect long-standing policy, expert says

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Wu Qian stated that the United States must immediately correct its mistakes, "honestly respect China’s main interests, and seek to create favorable conditions for high-level contacts between the military of the two countries"

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US decision to allow missile strikes deep into Russia fuels global escalation — Slovak PM

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

Russian air defenses repulsed all attacks, the Russian president said

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According to it, the 1,000-page "Operation Germany" plan lists all infrastructure facilities that deserve special protection, and also contains a procedure for defense or "measures to deter Russia on NATO’s eastern flank"

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Zelensky’s actions make Ukraine vulnerable to coup, says politician

"Democratic institutions in the country have been destroyed, rendering dialogue between the government and the people impossible," Viktor Medvedchuk said

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The decision was reportedly made in response to the anti-Iran resolution of the International Atomic Energy Agency

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According to Al Arabiya, US warships fired at least four missiles at Houthi-operated facilities in the Al-Matina area around 90 km south of the province’s administrative center

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

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

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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

Putin’s remarks on hypersonic missiles send serious warning to West — Turkish politician

According to the Russian president, it can install a nuclear warhead on this missile, if necessary, Deputy Chairman of Turkey’s Patriotic Party Hakan Topkurulu said

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China urges restraint after Russia, Ukraine's exchange of attacks — foreign ministry

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Top stories from the Russian press on Friday, November 22nd

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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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Oreshnik can reach targets across entire Europe — missile troops commander

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Putin stays open to contacts to reach 'peaceful track' — Kremlin

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered a televised address to the nation on November 21, announcing that in response to the West’s decision to authorize strategic-depth strikes on Russia, Moscow used its new Oreshnik medium-range hypersonic ballistic missile for the first time

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

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

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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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Andrey Marochko noted that the Russian forces' advances along this stretch of the front are facilitated by their control over an earlier seized strategic position, as "the activities of the assault groups are provided with cover," and "the Russian Armed Forces outnumber Ukrainian units"

Nuclear escalation of Ukraine conflict unlikely, says ex-French envoy

"In my opinion, as long as Russia has an advantage on the battlefield, and at this point it does, the risk of nuclear escalation is low," Jean de Gliniasty poited out

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

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

Western nations should take Putin's statement seriously, warns Hungarian PM

Viktor Orban recalled that Russia has "one of the most powerful armies in the world, which boasts the most advanced, most powerful weapons"

Russian embassy warns UK about dangers of calling for Moscow’s ‘defeat’

According to th statement, London is promoting new rounds of escalation

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"

Oreshnik test aims to persuade West to avoid escalation in Ukraine — media

According to the report, the use of Oreshnik has become "part of a new era of missile warfare"

US, European officials suggest returning nukes to Ukraine — NYT

US officials believe that ramping up weapons supplies to Ukraine is unlikely to change the situation in the combat zone short term, but it may help Kiev strengthen its stance in case a truce is reached

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

Kremlin confident Putin's statement got through to US administration

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on November 21 that the United States and its NATO allies had earlier announced that they would authorize Ukraine’s use of long-range weapons to hit inside Russia, after which American and British missiles struck Russian military facilities in the Kursk and Bryansk regions

Russian forces cut off key Ukrainian supply route in Velikaya Novoselka, DPR

According to the security services, Ukrainian troops still have access to several unpaved roads, which are also under Russian fire control

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"

Captives, Ukrainian losses: situation in Kursk Region

Over the day, the enemy lost more than 150 people, while five Ukrainian servicemen surrendered

Japanese government refrains from commenting on Russia’s latest hypersonic missile

At the same time, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi once again criticized Russia’s actions in Ukraine

Biden’s actions on Ukraine meant to 'muck things up' for Trump — Lavrov

According to the Russian foreign minister, such behavior is "typical of the Democrats"

Zelensky shook up by Russia’s response to permission to attack it — Lavrov

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Tehran to launch new centrifuges in response to IAEA anti-Iran resolution — statement

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Signal to West and 'red card': experts weigh in on Putin’s missile launch statements

The important message in Vladimir Putin’s speech was that "Russia does believe that the West has shifted from a proxy-war to direct war" and that the parties find themselves in "a global conflict" now, Dmitry Suslov said

Washington has no plans of updating nuclear posture after Russia’s test of new missile

"We haven't seen any adjustments that we've observed in their nuclear posture, and we haven't adjusted our nuclear posture in exchange," Department of Defense Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said

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

Belarusian president believes humanity is on the brink of World War III

Alexander Lukashenko also emphasized that a real information war has been underway for a long time

Putin says Oreshnik missile system cutting-edge innovation by Russia, not Soviet byproduct

The Russian Defense Ministry announced earlier in the day that the country’s latest Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile hit all the targets at a major Ukrainian military-industrial enterprise in Dnepr (Dnepropetrovsk) with its MIRVed warheads

North Korean leader warns of growing risk of nuclear war — KCNA

Kim Jong Un added that negotiations with the US only confirmed the North Korean view that Washington’s hostile policy remains unchanged

Russia's Oreshnik missile poses significant threat to West, Turkish expert warns

These missiles pose a threat not only to Ukraine but also to the entire Western world, including continental Europe and Great Britain, Abdullah Agar stressed

Diplomat mocks US Senator for talking about invading Netherlands

Maria Zakharova quoted the US Senator, who called the ICC a "Kangaroo court" and ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan a "deranged fanatic"

West irrational, fails to understand it cannot intercept Russia's new missiles — Kneissl

The former Austrian foreign minister stressed that she "counted on rational Western decision-makers, but irrationality is unfortunately on the rise among them"

Biden slams ‘outrageous’ International Criminal Court warrants for Israeli leaders

"There is no equivalence - none - between Israel and Hamas," US president said

West builds up military presence near Russia’s Arctic borders — presidential aide

According to Nikolay Patrushev, the "imposed sanctions restrictions are aimed at thwarting the implementation of Russia’s Arctic projects"