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Putin to abstain from sending 2023 well-wishes to Biden, other `unfriendly’ leaders

Earlier, the president’s message of Christmas and New Year well-wishes to foreign heads of state and government was posted on the Kremlin website

MOSCOW, December 30. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin will not wish either his US counterpart Joe Biden or other `unfriendly’ leaders a Happy New Year, as none of them ever send their wishes, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.

When asked if Putin will congratulate Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz or French President Emmanuel Macron, Peskov said, "No, he won’t."

"These vis-a-vis of ours never send any well-wishes themselves, and we actually maintain no communication with them, given the unfriendly steps they have been taking, so the president will not send them his congratulations," he clarified.

Putin’s message of Christmas and New Year well-wishes to foreign heads of state and government was posted on the Kremlin website on Friday. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Serbian President Alexander Vucic are the only European leaders who have received such telegrams from Putin, with Orban being the only EU leader on the list.

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Almost 440,000 Russians sign up for military service this year — Medvedev

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Russia’s Ursa Major ship sinks in Mediterranean with 14 out of 16 crew members rescued

According to the Crisis Management Center, on-duty personnel at the center, as well as at the Russian Transport Ministry and overseas diplomatic missions, are monitoring the situation

Twelve people killed in blast at explosives manufacturing plant in Turkey — TV channel

In turn, the governor’s press service reported that the incident occurred along the line of primers

Russian forces gain control over road between Gulyaypole, Velikaya Novosyolka — official

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Trump's plan to seize Panama Canal to cause migration, poverty — Colombian president

Gustavo Petro emphasized Colombia's backing for Panama in defending its sovereignty

Russia bans cryptocurrency mining in 10 regions until 2031, restricts in three more

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South Korea’s opposition threatens to impeach acting president on December 24

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Ukrainian attacks kill 11 Russian civilians, leave over 60 injured in past week — MFA

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France announces new cabinet, with foreign and defense ministers keeping their jobs

Bruno Retailleau also stayed on as interior minister

Trump’s son posts image showing father buying Canada, Greenland on Amazon

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More than 20 countries show interest in BRICS — Kremlin aide

Yury Ushakov noted that uncontrolled expansion of the association would break its backbone

Russia, Iran talk four points for Rasht-Astara project implementation — Deputy PM

According to Vitaly Savelyev, the Iranian side has taken on commitments to provide a land buyout schedule

Assad allegedly hands list of military targets over to Israel before leaving Syria — media

According to the Turkish newspaper, the former Syrian president did it to ensure his own safety

Deployment of Moldovan troops to Transnistria to violate settlement accords — expert

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Houthis say attacked US aircraft carrier in Red Sea, shot down US fighter jet

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Russia has every right to protect its interests in Ukraine — Republika Srpska leader

"Moscow has a legitimate right to defend its interests and the interests of the 15 million Russians who formerly lived in Ukraine and now reside in the four regions that have joined the Russian Federation," Milorad Dodik said

Russian citizen may face death penalty for drug distribution in Bali

Indonesian authorities suspect that the detainee was involved in drug distribution and received payment in cryptocurrency

Putin travels to St. Petersburg for informal CIS summit

On Tuesday, the Russian leader is scheduled to meet with President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon

Georgia became inconvenient for 'friends' after rejecting Ukrainian scenario — official

According to Kakha Kaladze, the country faced unprecedented pressure because of this

US engages Pentagon contractors who worked in Ukraine in Senegal — top brass

According to Major General Alexey Rtishchev, Washington is using African countries' economic problems in the health sector to build up its military and biological research

IN BRIEF: What is known about blast at former plant in Russia’s Khakassia Region

According to the latest data, two people were killed

Russia not closing its border with Estonia — MFA

Russian border crossings near the Estonian border are functioning as usual, Maria Zakharova said

Russian drone operators use air ramming to down 4 Ukrainian copters in Kharkov Region

UAV operators of the battle group North continue to be on round-the-clock duty in the sky over Kharkov Region and identify reconnaissance and strike drones of the Ukrainian militants

Russian cargo ship sinks between Spain, Algeria — newspaper

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Kremlin sums up Russia’s presidency in BRICS

According to Kremlin Aide Yury Ushakov, what is special about the Russian presidency is that Moscow had to support the work of BRICS in a new, expanded format, "to make sure that the new members of the group harmoniously fit into the customary arrangements, customary ways of interaction"

Russian embassy refutes reports on Sudan’s refusal to host Russian base

Some Western media outlets reported earlier, citing anonymous Sudanese intelligence sources, that Khartoum had allegedly annulled an agreement with Moscow on placing a Russian naval logistics support base due to potential US sanctions

Kremlin releases Putin’s work agenda in St. Petersburg

Putin is scheduled to hold an informal CIS summit on Wednesday

Sandu takes office as Moldova’s president for her second term

Parliamentarians, members of the Constitutional Court, and foreign diplomats attended her inauguration

Ukraine may cease to exist by 2034 — Russian security official

Dmitry Medvedev noted that Ukraine will never join NATO

IDF eliminates chief of Hamas Security Mechanism directorate

Prior to the strike measures had been taken to mitigate risks for civilians, the IDF said

Roscosmos, NASA synchronize timeframes for completion of ISS — CEO

There are plans to start conducting manned flights to the new Russian Orbital Station about the same time when Russia exits the ISS program, chief executive of the Russian state space corporation Yury Borisov noted

Countries involved in US bio-control system become dependent on US — Russian military

"The result of this selective support is the transition to American personnel training standards, transfer and generalization of information on the biological situation, the degradation of national health care systems," the statement reads

Biden signs $895 bln US defense budget for 2025

The US House of Representatives approved the project on December 11, the Senate - on December 18

Russian cancer vaccine to be free of charge — top oncologist

It is planned to launch it in general circulation in early 2025

Russian warship shoulders responsibility for rescue operation after cargo ship sinks

The Spanish Maritime Rescue Service is currently staying in the area of the accident in order to remove floating objects that can pose a danger to navigation and to check whether the marine environment might have been polluted

Over 250 Russian residents injured by Ukraine’s attacks in November

Over 40 were killed, Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Foreign Ministry Rodion Miroshnik said

Russian forces liberate one more settlement in Donetsk People’s Republic

According to the report, battlegroup Center made Ukraine suffer roughly 610 casualties and lose two tanks in the Donetsk People’s Republic

Ukrainian deserters abroad are hunted through Interpol — parliament member

"The percentage of those who have left their newly formed brigades is the highest," Ruslan Gorbenko said

Two-thirds of Russians dissatisfied with 2024, survey reveals

Russians most often attribute their negative emotions regarding the past year to economic hardships and rising prices, while citing family events as positive highlights

EU project is over, its integration potential depleted, expert says

"If any new country joins it, at maximum, it could be Montenegro somewhere around 2030," Oleg Bondarenko noted

Germany's new chancellor may lead the West in standoff with Moscow — expert

At the same time, Oleg Bondarenko said, without affordable energy resources, the decline of the German economy will continue with no chance of stopping in the foreseeable future

Moldovan president plans military operation in Transnistria — Russian intel agency

According to the SVR, Maia Sandu recently convened a meeting on energy security issues with senior government officials

Four GLONASS navigation satellites ready for launch — Roscosmos head

Yury Borisov added that over the past year, Roscosmos has expanded its Earth remote sensing constellation by introducing high-resolution observation satellites, including a Resurs-P satellite and a Kondor radar imaging satellite

Situation with gas supplies from Russia to Europe difficult — Kremlin

"You have heard the Ukrainian side’s statement and you know the position of the European countries that continue purchasing Russian gas and that consider it necessary for normal operation of their economy," Dmitry Peskov said

Biden considers new sanctions against Russian energy sector — The Washington Post

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Ukraine’s military attempts six UAV attacks on Melitopol in Zaporozhye Region overnight

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Russia continues special military op because Ukraine refuses talks — Kremlin

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Russian expert suspects Ursa Major sank due to act of sabotage

Alexander Stepanov remarked that such attacks are virtually impossible to identify and track down

Syria may see economic upturn, Russian expert says

Vitaly Naumkin is certain that Syria will be able to eliminate to some extent the failures that stemmed from the fact the previous regime was unable to use the resources, because the Americans would not let it

Skoda, Volkswagen to recall over 55,000 cars in Russia — regulator

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Ebola virus samples were smuggled from Africa to US — Russian Defense Ministry

"According to a report by an international panel of experts involved in fighting the 2014 Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone, company personnel concealed the fact that Pentagon employees were involved in the work," Major General Alexey Rtischev said

Ukraine intensifies shelling of Kremennaya fourfold due to Russian successes — expert

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Air defenses are in operation, and at least six aerial targets have been shot down

Kremlin announces countries to become BRICS partners from January 1

According to Yuri Ushakov, the confirmations of readiness to become a BRICS partner country have been received from Belarus, Bolivia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda and Uzbekistan

Putin bestows order upon Hermitage director general

The head of the State Hermitage Museum now has the full set of Orders for Merit to the Fatherland

Fico’s visit to Russia perfect slap in Zelensky’s face, Slovak politician says

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Russia’s FPV drone Gortenzia with fiber-optic cable control used in military operation

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Russian forces pound Ukrainian military airfields, ammo depots over past day — top brass

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Press review: US, Israel aim to curb Turkey’s gains while Moscow, Tehran strengthen ties

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US ramping up biological warfare presence in Africa — Russia’s top brass

Major General Aleksey Rtishchev said that branches of the US National Naval Military Medical Center are stationed in Ghana and Djibouti where active work is carried out in natural disease foci, isolation and sequencing of pathogens

Russia evacuates 4,000 Iranian fighters from Syria at their request — Putin

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Syria’s Interior Ministry calls on members of former regime to hand over their arms

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US reconnaissance drone flies over Poland near Russian border

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Russian forces take control of Severny neighborhood in Chasov Yar — Donbass region head

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Mute Egede stressed that Denmark should continue to be open to cooperation and trade with the whole world, especially with its neighbors

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Israeli Defense Minister admits his country's involvement in assassination of Hamas Leader

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Russian Ambassador-at-Large Rodion Miroshnik said that the enemy has fired nearly 82,700 various types of ammunition at Russian regions

Russian Defense Ministry identifies over 30 more people connected to US biolabs in Africa

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Press review: Kiev escalates attacks as payments ease for Russian raw material buyers

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Former Austrian minister names 4 suspect countries in connection with Nord Stream sabotage

Asked what countries could be behind the attack, Karin Kneissl replied that, like in an Agatha Christie novel, "there are many suspects in this imaginary room"

Serious conflict between Israel, Turkey possible — Russian expert

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Germany fails to admit its policy of support to Ukraine falters — Russian envoy

"The ambition to impose a ‘strategic defeat’ on Russia has fallen out of favor, even among hardline political figures, given the unfeasibility of such an outcome," Sergey Nechayev said

CIA station in Kiev targeted in recent Russian attack, military expert reveals

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Israel attacks Kamal Adwan hospital in Gaza with suicide robots

There are about 400 civilians in the medical facility, including newborn babies Al Jazeera reported

US system on biological risks tested in Ukraine works in Africa — Russian ministry

According to Major General Alexey Rtishchev, this system has been successfully tested in Ukraine and Georgia

Is Gaddafi's gloom prophecy in regard to Europe bound to be fulfilled?

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Over 150 spontaneous graves found in Popasnaya in LPR

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Lukashenko announces upcoming meeting with Putin and official visit to China

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Mercenary from Norway faces criminal charges for incursion into Kursk Region

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Russia and Pakistan to be connected by direct railway line — minister

"By the end of March, we are planning the first train - the first cargo train to leave Russia for Pakistan," Awais Leghari said

Shelling on Donetsk decreases as frontline shifts — DPR head

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According to reports, fourteen crew members were rescued and two are missing

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Major General Alexey Rtishchev said that relevant comments were posted in the European and American media, as well as on information portals in the Middle East region

Group of foreign mercenaries taken out in Velikaya Novosyolka in Donbass region

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Trump’s election victory changed Western approach to Ukrainian conflict, adviser says

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Kiev considers negotiations with Russia inevitable, Ukrainian official says

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According to the Russian Foreign Ministry's Situation and Crisis Center, the Ursa Major, built in 2009 and owned by a company called SK-Yug, sank after an explosion in the engine room