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Closer partnership between Moscow and Minsk irks Washington — Russian embassy

According to the embassy, we paid attention to the statements by State Department Spokesperson Ned Price at a briefing on December 19

WASHINGTON, December 20. /TASS/. Closer cooperation between Russia and Belarus irks the United States which has been trying to isolate both countries, the Russian embassy in Washington said in a statement on Monday.

According to the embassy, "We paid attention to the statements by State Department Spokesperson Ned Price at a briefing on December 19. The official, among other things, went as far as to say that the words of [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin about the lack of interest of the Russian Federation to absorb anyone, should be perceived as `an extreme irony’. He then simply refocused the narrative back to the favorite topic of the Russian `invasion’ of Ukraine. Such statements by the official representative of the administration are de-facto interference in the internal affairs of the Union State."

"The comprehensive and mutually beneficial cooperation between Russia and Belarus has been tested by time and is based on the sincere friendship of the fraternal peoples of the two countries," Russian diplomats emphasized. "In conditions when we are under unprecedented pressure from the collective West led by the United States, the natural reaction is to further deepen partnership. Apparently, this development causes irritation in the United States, which does not abandon its attempts to isolate the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus in the international arena," they added.

The United States still cannot or does not want "to admit that not all states are ready to live according to the fictitious `rules’ imposed by Washington. Hoping to maintain its dominant position, the US is trying to drive wedges into Russia's relations with its neighbors. Of course, this shall not be achieved under any circumstances," the Russian embassy concluded.

On Monday, the Russian head of state held talks with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko. The Russian delegation included Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov, Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov, and Roscosmos CEO Yury Borisov.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a televised address on February 24 that in response to a request by the heads of the Donbass republics he had made a decision to carry out a special military operation in Ukraine. Following this, Washington introduced sweeping sanctions against Moscow. Restrictions were also imposed on Belarus, which, the United States said, supported the Russian operation.

Military operation in Ukraine

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

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French Foreign Ministry refuses to disclose number of SCALP missiles shipped to Ukraine

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

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FACTBOX: What is known about Russian nuclear deterrence policy

The first Russian nuclear doctrine was ratified and published by decree of Russian President Vladimir Putin on April 21, 2000

Potential adversaries, criteria for use: Russia’s revised nuclear doctrine

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West fails to bring Ukrainian issue to forefront of G20 summit agenda — Lavrov

The Russian foreign minister stressed that "no one from the countries of the world majority, the Global South, supported it"

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Viktor Orban asserted that the government’s mission is to prevent Hungary from being dragged into the Ukrainian conflict

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It was also reported that over 100 people were wounded

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Russian army traps Ukrainian troops in Chasov Yar — intelligence center

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

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The Belarusian leader noted that they want to go to Warsaw

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Press review: Biden OKs long-range missile use as backlash to Scholz’s Putin call grows

Top stories from the Russian press on Monday, November 18th

Biden's decision to use ATACMS on Russia threatens to kill Americans — Tucker Carlson

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

US gives Ukraine green light to use Storm Shadow for strikes deep inside Russia — media

According to the newspaper, although these are British missiles, their successful use is impossible without American guidance systems

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

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Israel could annex West Bank in two weeks, journalist Hersh says

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Official declines to say if US gives Ukraine targeting data for Storm Shadow missiles

US State Department Spokesman Matthew Miller also declined to discuss the presumed first strike on Russia with the missiles

Putin ready for talks on Ukraine, including with Trump — Kremlin

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Ukraine creates 'sabotage manual' showing former citizens how to get Russia — lawmaker

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Allowing Ukraine to strike deep inside Russia with US weapons irresponsible — Slovak PM

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US sees no preconditions for Russia to use nuclear weapons — news agency

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

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Belarusian security agency says Minsk aware of Poland’s efforts to prepare terrorist cells

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Freezing Ukrainian conflict unacceptable for Russia, says Kremlin

"It is important for us to achieve our goals, which are well known to everyone," Dmitry Peskov emphasized

Normal interaction between Russia and Sweden will not resume yet — Russian ambassador

Sergey Belyaev also highlighted the worsening situation for Russian diplomatic missions in Stockholm

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

Russian forces dislodge Ukrainian troops from half of positions in Kurakhovo in DPR

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Media from unfriendly states will be admitted to Putin's annual press conference — Kremlin

The last Direct Line Q&A session and year-end press conference was held on December 14, 2023

Russian troops liberate Ilyinka community in Donbass region over past day

Russia’s Battlegroup South inflicted roughly 500 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed five enemy ammunition depots in its area of responsibility over the past day

Ukraine conflict moves towards NATO-Russia direct clash — expert

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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"

US is now at war with Russia, Ritter says

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Russian stock indices falling on Wednesday — market data

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Russia’s revised nuclear doctrine makes defeat over its army impossible — SVR chief

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Trump's new presidency will be fundamentally different from his first — expert in the US

"It is therefore reasonable to expect him to govern for the next four years in a more emboldened, assertive way, and many of his outsider cabinet picks are indicative of precisely that kind of approach," the analyst believes

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

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

Ukraine has around 50 ATACMS missiles — The Times

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

Ukraine’s former top commander sought to blow up Turkish Stream pipeline, report says

According to the media, Valery Zaluzhny was so thrilled when he learned of plans to sabotage the submarine Nord Stream pipelines across the Baltic Sea that he sought to expand that operation

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

"Ukraine should be forever grateful that President Putin is calm, rational and kind - because Zelensky is practically begging for his country to be flattened," American political commentator Jackson Hinkle said

Moscow’s response to strikes with Western arms on Russian soil to be felt — diplomat

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

Pentagon official admits US arsenals shrinking amid Ukraine, Mideast crises

Сommander of United States Indo-Pacific Command Samuel Paparo emphasized he was speaking about "the stocks of the United States of America, and the high end capabilities of the United States of America"