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Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Russia doing its utmost to ensure release of hostages kept in Gaza — diplomat

Spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces Daniel Hagari said earlier that he had verified data about 229 people abducted and kept by radicals in the Gaza Strip

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova Russian foreign Ministry press service/TASS

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova

© Russian foreign Ministry press service/TASS

TASS. October 29. /TASS/. Russia is sparing no effort for the release of hostage kept by Hamas, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Sunday.

"We are doing our best on all the tracks. First, this is political work in international formats, in the United Nations, to lobby the most important thing - namely, to cease fire, stop violence, to achieve what is generally called de-escalation," she said in an interview with the Voskresny Vecher (Sunday Evening) With Vladimir Soloviov on the Rossiya-1 television channel.

Spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Daniel Hagari said earlier that he had verified data about 229 people abducted and kept by radicals in the Gaza Strip.

Tensions flared up in the Middle East after Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip attacked Israeli territory. Hamas views its attack as a response to Israeli authorities’ steps against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount. Israel declared a total blockade of the Gaza Strip and launched bombardments of the enclave and some areas in Lebanon and Syria. Clashes are also reported in the West Bank.

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Maria Zakharova Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Vladimir Putin's visit to China

Russia, China to continue strengthening military ties — joint statement

The two countries are also set to hold joint naval and air patrols on a regular basis

Yemeni Houthis claim delivering missile strike on US destroyer

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Russian forces advancing daily in special op, everything going according to plan — Putin

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European countries still look up to US — Kremlin

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Putin appoints acting governors of five regions

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President of Slovakia confirms PM Fico’s assailant detained — report

Zuzana Caputova called the attack on Fico an "attack on democracy," adding that such crimes are being motivated by the "hateful rhetoric"

Liberation of Rabotino to accelerate Russian advance in Zaporozhye Region — politician

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The exact dates of the visit are yet to be coordinated

Russia’s new defense minister should pay attention to strategic nuclear forces — expert

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EU agrees to ban access to three Russian media outlets, one European

The measure needs to be approved by the EU foreign ministers

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According to Peskov, currently, "the moment is crucial."

Blinken says Ukraine may engage in talks if Russia shows 'interest'

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Robert Kalinak said that the prime minister had been undergoing surgery for more than 3.5 hours

Putin thanks outbound Russian defense minister for his work

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"The assassination attempt can be blamed only on a political madman, brainwashed by Slovakia's opposition media," Jan Carnogursky stressed

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Afghanistan needs wheat and asks Russia to lower grain prices — minister

Nooruddin Azizi also said that he will work to ensure that exports from Afghanistan are subject to tariff preferences provided for least developed countries

Hezbollah drones attack Israeli military base some 50 km from border with Lebanon

"The operation was carried out in response to the killing of field commander Hussein Makki near Tyre", Hezbollah said on its Telegram channel

Two civilians wounded in shelling attack on Shebekino in Belgorod Region

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Russia hails any peace initiatives for Ukraine — Kremlin spokesman

"We know the situation on the Ukrainian side, which excludes any talks for itself even from the legal point of view," Dmitry Peskov noted

Germany's recalled ambassador to arrive in Russia 'in the near future' — embassy

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Czech president speaks out in favor of halting hostilities in Ukraine

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Discussing Ukrainian settlement without Russia to be empty scholasticism — Kremlin

"It is absolutely useless to discuss security issues that concern us without Russia," Dmitry Peskov stressed

Press review: Putin keeps government core intact and Blinken gives Kiev NATO assurances

Top stories from the Russian press on Wednesday, May 15th

Russia to join ranks of top four global economies — presidential decree

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Ukrainian troops shelling civilians in Kharkov Region villages they were driven from

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General Lapin to command Leningrad Military District, General Kuzovlyov Moscow district

Colonel-General Alexander Lapin previously served as first deputy commander and chief of staff of the Ground Forces

Russian Tor air defense systems effective in destroying Storm Shadow missiles — top brass

Teams of Tor-M2 surface-to-air missile systems of Russia’s Battlegroup East shield first-echelon troops and civilian facilities in the south Donetsk direction

Ukrainian commanders flee Kupyansk, leaving covering force — Russian lawmaker

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Israel hits Hezbollah targets in eastern Lebanon, casualties among civilians reported

One of the missiles hit a three-storey house, killing two civilians, the Al Mayadeen television channel reported

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Casualties were also reported after Israel’s air raid on Gaza’s Daraj neighborhood

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In addition, 23 drone control centers were destroyed and 34 drones shot down or disabled

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According to the Russian leader, Russia and China together uphold the principles of justice and a democratic world order that reflects multipolar realities and a world order based on international law

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Prime Minister of Slovakia shot by 71-year-old assailant — report

The man reportedly owned his weapon legally

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The shooter made a statement right after his detention, saying that he had opposed the government’s policy limiting media freedom

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"He sang a song, ate some pizza and left," Maria Zakharova noted

Russia developing thermal imager for Black Sea Fleet to repel night naval drone attacks

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Slovak PM Robert Fico wounded in shooting — portal

The suspected shooter has been apprehended

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Robert Fico was shot after a cabinet meeting in the city of Handlova in western Slovakia

Putin, Xi sign statement on deepening relations

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Andrey Derkach pointed out that "the criminal case that was initiated against Burisma was being actively investigated under [Ukrainian] Prosecutor General [Viktor] Shokin [in 2014-2016]"

Russia condemns attack on Slovak prime minister — Kremlin spokesman

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Several more people were wounded, the Al Jazeera television channel said

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US imposes sanctions against Russian police training center in Nicaragua

According to Washington, the training center "contributes to anti-democratic actions and repressions from the Ortega-Murillo regime"

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On May 11, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported liberating several populated localities in the Kharkov Region

Putin signs law banning foreign agents’ participation in elections

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Several airborne targets downed approaching Belgorod — governor

Vyacheslav Gladkov added that three houses were damaged in the settlement of Petrovka

Russia's top brass stresses special nature of Russian-Belarusian armed forces relations

"Lieutenant General Viktor Khrenin, Minister of Defense of Belarus, and Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov held a telephone conversation," the Belarusian Defense Ministry's press service reported

WHO chief offers words of support for Slovak PM Fico after assassination attempt

Fico was wounded in a shooting incident that happened after a government meeting in the city of Handlova in the western part of Slovakia

If West wants to solve Ukraine conflict on battlefield, 'so be it' — Lavrov

Sergey Lavrov reiterated that Russia was ready to negotiate peace not only in words, but also in deeds

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No one was hurt, Sevastopol’s governor Mikhail Razvozhayev said

US discusses deployment of Patriot systems in Kharkov with Ukraine — Blinken

Russia’s Defense Ministry reported earlier that Russian troops had liberated several communities in the Kharkov Region

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Kamaz recalls over 23,000 vehicles in Russia

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Russian MFA sees Western media focus on Georgian protests, silence on Armenian rallies

According to Maria Zakharova, Western news media "forgive everything" to protesters in Georgia