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Pentagon seeks repeal of ban on ‘Azov’ funding from US military budget — Lavrov

US President Joe Biden signed the $858 billion defense budget for fiscal year 2023 on Friday

MOSCOW, December 28. /TASS/. The Pentagon is seeking to repeal a ban on funding for the Azov regiment (terror group, outlawed in Russia) from the US military budget, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Russian TV Wednesday.

"When the US Congress was approving its new military budget this year, lawmakers included a ban on any aid - military, material or weapons - to the Azov battalion or the Azov regiment, as they do every time. And every time, the Pentagon objects to this and seeks to have this ban removed from the US budget. That says a lot," Lavrov said.

US President Joe Biden signed the $858 billion defense budget for fiscal year 2023 on Friday. Previously, the bill was approved by Congress. The document provides for at least $800 million worth of military aid for Ukraine and $6 billion for an anti-Russian deterrence initiative in Europe.

Nord Stream gas leak investigation

International cooperation needed to investigate Nord Stream incidents — Russian diplomat

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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"

Polish leader cautions NATO allies against provoking Russia

Andrzej Duda slammed the reported instances of Russian missiles entering Poland's airspace as "a Russian provocation"

Russia fights West’s sanctions at UN for the sake of developing countries — envoy to UN

According to the diplomat, Russia is engaged in "fierce battles on this issue in different committees of the General Assembly"

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

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

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"

Putin’s trip to China will rivet world’s attention, Kremlin spokesman predicts

The countries will jointly announce the time of this trip, Dmitry Peskov said

Russia has many questions for UN chief, Russia’s envoy says

Vasily Nebenzya said that he has "good personal relations" with the secretary general

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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"

About 20% of weapons sent to Kiev end up on black market – Russia’s UN mission

Dmitry Polyansky said that some of the weapons supplied to Kiev are "in the darknet, which means that it is available to anyone"

Over 60% of Russian companies continue using Microsoft services

57% of companies replaced at least one foreign service with a Russian one over the past few years, the analysts noted

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

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

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

Russian troops wipe out military train with Western armaments in DPR over past day

Russian troops improved their tactical position and repelled eight Ukrainian army counterattacks in the Avdeyevka area over the past day, the Defense Ministry reported

Putin calls impending formation of new cabinet ‘crucial step’

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Singapore Airlines resumes flights to Moscow starting from January 20

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UN bound to stay as unique world organization — Russian ambassador

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

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

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Russian Economy Ministry expects trade balance surplus to decline

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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

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

Most countries in Global South wary of growing NATO influence — Lavrov

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Financial watchdog blacklists I/We Sergey Furgal movement as extremist

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Hungary sees Ukraine conflict entering new phase, NATO involvement rising

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French neo-Nazi ringleader liquidated near Avdeyevka — sources

There is confirmed evidence of his connections with French secret services

Istanbul accords could have stopped hostilities in Ukraine — German newspaper

The deal still looks advantageous even after two years of war, Welt am Sonntag said

Charles III to return to public duties soon — Buckingham Palace

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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

US’ Blinken to visit Israel amid rising tensions between two countries — NYT

Israel’s military upcoming operation in Rafah will also be on agenda, the New York Times reported

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

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"

Bank of Russia does not rule out keeping key rate at current levels until year's end

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In this regard, Sergey Shoigu mentioned the operation that Tehran carried out "in retaliation for a blatant attack on the Iranian consulate building in Damascus"

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

The report hasn’t been officially confirmed

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

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"

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

"The American aid won’t save Zelensky. New weapons will be destroyed, and the special military operation goals will be achieved," Anatoly Antonov stressed

Russian gas production to gain 4.6% in 2024 — Economy Ministry

Pipeline gas exports are forecast to edge up by 7% to 108 bln cubic meters

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

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Diplomatic relations with Canada may be downgraded if Russian assets seized — ambassador

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Russia may abolish gold export duty from June 1 — Finance Ministry

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TotalEnergies expects gas price hike if Russian LNG falls under sanctions

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Medicine for Bekhterev’s disease may cause medical tourism to Russia — Health Minister

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US can send Ukraine Patriot air defense systems currently deployed in other regions

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Abrams tanks easy targets for drones — Russian expert

According to Dmitry Kuzyakin, "as long as there is a lack of direct communication between those who make the tanks and who use them, the Abrams will not evolve to meet modern warfare requirements"

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Ingrida Simonyte called for getting ready for such a turn of events right away, and not just watch and wait

International cooperation needed to investigate Nord Stream incidents — Russian diplomat

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EAEU trade turnover reaches record high level of $8.7 bln in 2023 — Russian Prime Minister

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US stops hiding true purpose of sanctions on Moscow, Russian envoy says

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Russia and Europe are geographically close anyway, Dmitry Peskov noted

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Scholz asks allies to find additional air defense capabilities for Ukraine

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Ukraine had to negotiate agreements with Russia with ‘three masters’ — Russian envoy

"It is very difficult to negotiate with those who are unable to make decisions, even if they want, they can’t, and only act as a side to a difficult conflict," Vladimir Medinsky explained

Russia’s natural population decline shrinks by 24% yoy in January-August — statistics

The Federal Statistics Service noted that mortality in the eight months of 2023 decreased by 9.8%, and the birth rate dropped by 2.5%

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

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

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Russia, India plan to launch ‘green corridor’ project in trade shortly

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Zelensky's presidential powers to expire May 21 — Ukrainian legislator

Alexander Dubinsky argues that the only situation where the president can continue to fulfill his duties after the expiration of his term is the period until the president-elected takes office

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

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Blinken’s visit to China meant to shatter Russian-Chinese ties — senior Russian diplomat

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Ship receives damage in missile attack off Yemeni coast — UKMTO

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Maria Zakharova stressed that "the level of nuclear risks have risen dramatically as a result of the West’s destructive policy, which is fraught with a direct military confrontation between nuclear powers"

Police checks reports of bomb allegedly planted at Russian embassy in Brazil — newspaper

The Russian embassy has not yet commented on the situation

Russian diplomat accuses US of facilitating chemical warfare in Ukraine

According to Russian Permanent Representative to the OPCW Vladimir Tarabrin, Russian troops have repeatedly recorded incidents where the Ukrainian army’s used chemical weapons, including riot control agents as means of warfare

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

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Over 10,000 Polish nationals fought in Ukraine in 2022, politician says

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Russian subsidiary of JP Morgan scaling up Russian assets

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

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Russian defense minister dismisses his deputy Ivanov

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Terrorist attacks occur in Iran, Russia due to US support for terrorism — Iran’s top brass

According to the news agency Tasnim, when speaking about NATO eastward expansion, Mohammad Reza Ashtiani emphasized that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states should utilize the SCO potential in order to neutralize common threats

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

Hamas fighters have destroyed more than 400 Israeli vehicles — group’s senior member

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Russia grateful to DPRK for unconditional support of special operation in Ukraine — MFA

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Russian draft UNSC statement on Nord Streams sabotaged by West — Russian diplomat

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