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US gags anyone daring to speak out against Washington’s official policy — Russian embassy

According to the embassy, "purging the information field of persona non grata is yet another manifestation of the double standards cultivated by the United States"

WASHINGTON, August 12. /TASS/. The US gags anyone who dares to speak out against its official policy, according to a statement released by the Russian embassy in Washington via its Telegram channel on Friday.

"Where is the widely-publicized American freedom of expression? US guardians of democratic values are eager to lecture other countries, criticizing them for suppressing dissent and violating the rights of journalists. However, they gag anyone who dares to speak out against an official policy of Washington," the diplomats said when commenting on Scott Ritter, a former US Marine Corps intelligence officer and former UN Special Commission inspector who regularly criticizes his country’s policy in the Middle East and its actions regarding Ukraine, being blocked on YouTube.

"It is not the first time that global social networks have discriminated against the fighter for freedom of speech," they said, adding that "Twitter used to do the same to him."

"Amid the well-coordinated Russophobes’ choir in the United States, Mr. Ritter is one of the few who try to give an alternative point of view on international issues, provide the audience with an objective opinion about Russia and the special military operation. He is not afraid of deviating from Washington's manuals and opposing the local propaganda. Purging the information field of persona non grata is yet another manifestation of the double standards cultivated by the United States," the embassy noted.

Military operation in Ukraine

Russian politician condemns destruction of dam on Kurakhovo reservoir as Kiev’s terror act

Earlier, military sources told TASS that Ukrainian forces sank their own positions in a low-lying area near Kurakhovo as they blew up the dam, killing at least 10 Ukrainian soldiers

Ukraine aims to call up 1 mln people in eastern areas by end of 2024 — official

According to the plan, 360,000 people are to be mobilized in October; 325,000 and 300,000 in November and December, respectively

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According to Axios, "some of Blinken's senior aides and senior White House officials thought the ultimatum was effective and pushed Israel to change course"

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US military strikes car carrying Houthi rebel leaders — TV

According to the source, the US also carried out strikes at Houthi military targets in this area

Russia to push for release of hostages held by Hamas, senior diplomat says

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Russian naval aircraft hit targets by missiles in drills over Barents Sea

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Russia says Su-35S fighter jets provide cover to bombers, attack aircraft in Kursk Region

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Russian forces steadily advance on Boguslav direction — Belousov

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54 countries vote against resolution on combating ne-Nazism

116 countries, including Azerbaijan, Algeria, Armenia, Belarus, Bolivia, Brazil, China, Cuba, Serbia, and Syria, supported the document

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African countries interested in joining work in BRICS format — Russian MFA

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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"

Africa to become advanced continent, Russian diplomat says

The continent’s development processes are gaining momentum, Mikhail Bogdanov noted

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Russian forces strike Ukrainian military airfields, energy sites over past day

It is reported that the Ukrainian army’s losses in that frontline area over the past 24 hours amounted to 765 personnel, an armored personnel carrier, a motor vehicle and two 122mm D-30 howitzers

Ukrainians play 'radio games' with Russian recon to spread disinfo on attacks — LPR expert

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Russia’s Rubikon unmanned technology center team destroys Ukrainian armor in Kursk area

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Hezbollah reports over 100 Israeli troops eliminated in south Lebanon since October 1

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Houthis say they attacked US aircraft carrier in Arabian Sea

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Group plotting violent coup detained in Kyrgyzstan — interior ministry

According to investigators, the suspects, using a national sports match as a cover, planned "to call for violence, advance anti-constitutional demands, and destabilize the situation"

Russia, China sign cooperation memorandum — Xinhua

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Israel reports eliminating most of Hezbollah arms production sites near Beirut

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The Hungarian prime minister noted that the problem of climate preservation held a prominent place in the Budapest Declaration on the New European Competitiveness

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Russia has written off $20 bln worth of African debts — MFA

Mikhail Bogdanov added that it allows using those debts "to implement socio-economic projects directly in the country"

Russian lower house passes third reading of bill banning child-free propaganda

The legislation stipulates preventing the distribution of information promoting voluntary childlessness online, through the media, movies and advertisements

Africa goes through second 'awakening,' now from neocolonial oppression — Lavrov

"Africa no longer agrees to remain a source of raw materials that are bought and exported mainly to the West," he said

Musk doubles down on his opinion about 'endless war' in Ukraine

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Ukraine’s troops south of Kurakhovo caught in pincers — military sources

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US State Department insists DPRK troops engaged in Russia’s borderline Kursk Region

Patel also insisted that "Russian forces have trained the DPRK soldiers in artillery, in UAV, and basic infantry operations, including trench clearing, which are critical skills for frontline operations"

Czech intelligence warns of crime surge after Ukraine conflict ends

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Thailand receives invitation to become BRICS partner country — diplomatic source

The BRICS group was founded in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India, and China, with South Africa joining it in 2011

Trump to end NATO’s obsession to get on Russian territory — White House ex-strategist

Steve Bannon noted that Trump’s MAGA (Make America Great Again) movement seeks to completely cut funding to Ukraine. According to Bannon, Europe, including Italy, will follow Trump’s lead, and, if "they [Europe and Italy] truly believe what they have been saying in recent years, they should be ready to pay"

FACTBOX: What we know about night-time drone attacks on Russian regions

Overnight, 29 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones were destroyed in the skies over the Kursk, Belgorod, Tver, Bryansk, Penza, and Voronezh regions, the Defense Ministry said

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Top stories from the Russian press on Tuesday, November 12th

Russia supports new UNSC draft resolution on Gaza — envoy

Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya noted that Resolution 2735 was only a tool to gain time for Israel

Police say Russian-made drone without explosives fell down in Moldovan territory

On the same day, the Moldovan foreign ministry accused Russia of violating its air boundaries, slamming this incident as an "unfriendly step"

Trump's planned key appointments

Trump appointed Congressman Michael Waltz (Republican, Florida) as national security adviser

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A retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, Mike Waltz is "a nationally recognized leader in National Security," Donald Trump said

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According to the statement, the "strikes were in response to a rocket attack on US personnel at Patrol Base Shaddadi"

Russia set to deepen cooperation with China in law enforcement — top security official

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West attempted to prevent Russia-Africa ministerial meeting, diplomat says

African countries realized that "this pressure contradicts their own national interests", Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said

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Talks between Putin, Trump before inauguration possible — Kremlin

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The source described the new system as "an absolutely new and unrivalled mobile system of strategic missile defense"

Russia for the first time displays Su-57 jet at China show

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Alexander Lavrentyev also pointed to the potential withdrawal of US troops from Syria

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Russia’s top diplomat pointed to many years of efforts in Ukraine to eradicate the Russian language in education, news media and culture, and to the recent law that bans the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church

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FSB foils attempted terrorist attack on power station in Nizhny Tagil

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Russian forces destroy Ukrainian Stryker armored vehicle in Kharkov Region

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Frank Giletti asked to speed up the commissioning of previously ordered Rafale planes to the armed forces

Houthis attack two US destroyers — Pentagon

Earlier, the Houthi movement’s military spokesman Yahya Saree said that the rebels had delivered rocket and drone strikes on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea

DPR head Pushilin visits Ugledar, says town badly destroyed

Denis Pushilin added that "it is almost impossible to find an undamaged building"

Russian engine maker unveils cutting-edge aircraft engine

"The state-of-the-art 177S engine for tactical aircraft boasts improved characteristics and is of the fifth generation class," the press service said

Top Russian security official hails strategic cooperation with China

Sergey Shoigu noted that Russia-China ties were based on the principles of mutual respect, equality, trust, non-interference in each other’s domestic affairs and support for each other on the issues that the parties found important

Japan remains ready to sign peace treaty with Russia — top diplomat

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Medvedev suggests that Elon Musk launch campaign to amend US Constitution

Article II of the US Constitution stipulates that: "No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President"

Russian advances, Ukrainian losses: situation in Kursk Region

Units of Russia’s Battlegroup North have continued their offensive, defeating Ukrainian formations near several settlements in the Kursk Region

Mi-171A3 helicopter draws interest from partners in China — Russian Helicopters

The helicopter can fly in harsh conditions, particularly those inside the Arctic Circle, where satellite communication coverage is poor

Trump to reverse Biden’s executive orders in first week in office — press secretary

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Combat experience distinguishes Su-57 among fifth-generation fighters

The Russian Defense Ministry said it excellently performed in combat

Medvedev characterizes Great Britain as eternal adversary of Russia

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China puts army on alert in South China Sea

On November 10, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs lodged a protest with the Philippines after Manila implemented a maritime law asserting its exclusive right to tap resources in a 370-kilometer zone off the country’s coast

Kiev should sign peace treaty, but this will spell end of grift for many, billionaire says

"The longer the war goes on, the more territory Ukraine will lose," David Sacks added

Ukraine offers up to 750,000 dollars to Russian pilot for hijacking helicopter — TV

The correspondent also reported that the Ukrainian intelligence officer obtained the phone number of the pilot's wife and persuaded her to leave Russia before the helicopter was hijacked

China-Russia relations reach highest level in history, senior official says

Chen Wenqing stressed that the two countries always adhere to the principles of mutual respect, equality, and mutually beneficial cooperation, strengthening mutual political and strategic trust

Russia keeps building defense capacity despite conflict in Ukraine — Polish general

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Russian senator slams candidate for German chancellorship’s remarks as irresponsible

Konstantin Kosachev also emphasized that talking to Russia in the language of ultimatums "is not only counterproductive, but also short-sighted, especially for Germany"

Ukrainian forces ready to withdraw from Kurakhovo, but no order yet — serviceman

According to the report, the Russian army is "attacking from three sides"

Medvedev warns that EU behavior in struggle with Russia fraught with 'bad scenario'

According to the Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman, European leaders are experiencing "autumn blues" after Donald Trump's victory in the US presidential election

Ukraine issue gets more attention at UN after Trump’s election win — Russian diplomat

"People started actively commenting behind the scenes, making forecasts about where things could go now," Dmitry Polyansky noted

Russian PM to attend UN Climate Change Conference in Baku

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Ukraine retreating fast, delaying peace to result in lost territories — entrepreneur

"The simplest path to peace in Ukraine is to go back to the draft deal signed in Istanbul," David Sacks said

Detentions, blocking of roads: what is known about situation in Abkhazia

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Lavrov to lead Russia’s delegation to G20 summit in Brazil

Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with heads of BRICS media outlets that he will not be attending the G20 summit in Brazil, scheduled for November 18 and 19

Ukraine imposes sanctions on maintenance services of two Moscow airports

The decree, which lists a total of 63 legal entities, sets the restrictions for a period of 10 years

Lukashenko calls for support to developing nations in accessing green technologies

The Belarusian leader emphasized that global action to combat climate change requires a united international effort in practice

Amount of Russian assets frozen in Switzerland unchanged since August — agency

"The total amount of the Russian central bank’s assets immobilized in Switzerland is CHF 7.24 billion," said a spokeswoman for the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs

Russian emergencies chief visits Cuba

The Russian Embassy in Cuba said on its Telegram channel that "the visit aims to strengthen Russian-Cuban cooperation in the sphere of alleviating the aftermath of natural disasters"

Some 300 Germans eager to move to Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod Region — authorities

Among those who are ready to move are technical professionals in the metalworking industry

Hezbollah says it attacked Israeli airbases near Haifa, Tel Aviv

According to the statement, Hezbollah units also delivered a missile strike on Israel’s Tel Nof airbase located 27 kilometers south of Tel Aviv

Breakthrough near Krasnoarmeysk could enable Russian push toward the Dnieper — expert

Markus Reisner noted that many of the Ukrainian units on this section of the frontline are understaffed by 50%

Russian troops secure supply route to Plekhovo in Kursk Region — commander

It is reported that fighting in the settlement itself is taking place at the moment

Two US military bases in Syria come under missiles attacks — TV

According to tAl Mayadeen, at least two attacks targeted a military facility near the Conico gas field in the Deir ez-Zor governorate in a span of one hour

Defense enterprises in Ukraine hiding their employees from mobilization

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Dagestani deminer holds stronghold on his own for several weeks

According to the statement the enemy shelled Zakaria Aliyev almost daily but the Dagestani man’s spirit "turned out to be stronger than any weapon"

Russia supports Mali's appeal to UN Security Council on Kiev's actions — MFA

In August, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger sent a letter to the chairman of the UN Security Council condemning Ukraine's open support of international terrorism, particularly in the Sahel region

22 international flights canceled due to Bali volcano eruption

The eruption of Mount Lewotobi began on November 4

Ukrainian losses, Sudzhansky district head retirement: situation in Kursk Region

Units of the battlegroup continued offensive operations, defeating Ukrainian formations in the areas of the settlements of Daryino, Leonidovo, Malaya Loknya, Nikolayevo-Daryino and Novoivanovka

Russian Security Council secretary meets with senior Chinese official

The meeting involves consultations on security, justice and public order

Countries will line up for Russian gas when US stops exporting LNG — Serbian president

According to Aleksandar Vucic, Washington will use LNG "for the growing consumption of artificial intelligence, electric charging stations and everything else"

Ukraine admits to mismanagement of military personnel

Maria Berlinskaya recounted how Ukraine’s army received tens of thousands of people, including "the smartest managers, the smartest economists, and very good businessmen, for free"

German president approves date for snap parliamentary election

"Based on a current assessment," Steinmeier "considered February 23 as a realistic date for new elections," a presidential spokeswoman told journalists