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Lavrov to hold talks with Vatican foreign affairs chief in Moscow on August 25 — MFA

Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher will pay a working visit to Russia from August 24 to 28

MOSCOW, August 20. /TASS/. Top Russian diplomat Sergey Lavrov will hold talks in Moscow on August 25 with Paul Richard Gallagher, the Vatican's secretary for international affairs, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing.

"From August 24 to 28, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations of the Holy See and the Vatican's foreign minister, will pay a working visit to Russia. His talks with our country's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov are scheduled for August 25. The meeting will include an exchange of views on the current state and prospects of bilateral cooperation between Russia and the Vatican, as well as interaction at multilateral forums," she said.

The sides will also address international issues of mutual interest, Zakharova noted.

Earlier on Thursday, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that President Vladimir Putin has no meeting with the Vatican official scheduled so far.

Tags

Foreign policy Sergey Lavrov Maria Zakharova

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The Russian government earlier decided to extend the import damper mechanism to diesel fuel, a move intended to provide additional economic incentives for supplying imported diesel to the domestic market if necessary

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Maria Zakharova said that Moscow is "ready to hear Washington’s constructive initiatives" on the settlement

20 Brazilian mercenaries eliminated in special military operation zone

An official in Russian law enforcement structures said that after being recruited via social networks, they came to Colombia and signed contracts with the Ukrainian army

US Golden Dome has offensive capabilities despite defensive claims — envoy

According to Gennady Gatilov, the project envisages "the development and deployment of space-based interceptors"

Iran has enough currency to buy goods, medicine in coming months — Central Bank

Abdolnasser Hemmati says Iran is using "alternative solutions to ensure a sustainable supply of resources"

Civilians injured, 726 UAVs downed: aftermath of attacks on Russian regions

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the Ukrainian drones were intercepted over 19 Russian regions

IN BRIEF: What we know about Russia’s massive attack targeting defense-tech sites in Kiev

Russian forces struck a Fire Point plant, a Kiev-based assembly site owned by the Antonov aircraft manufacturing factory and an arsenal with M-900 thermobaric bombs and munitions for Baba-Yaga drones

Russian forces deliver strike on Antonov plant assembling Lyuty UAVs in Kiev — top brass

The enterprise also developed and manufactured various types of manned aircraft

Russian Emergencies Ministry sends aircraft to Serbia at its request to fight wildfires

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Japan indulging in dangerous experiments in sphere of nuclear policy — Chinese diplomat

Zhang Hanhui noted that Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi avoids clearly stating that her country will not import nuclear weapons

Ukraine cannot sell 61 mln tons of grain due to ports’ shutdowns — Rada deputy

90% of Ukrainian grain used to be exported via sea routes

Trump leaves open possibility of further sanctions on Iran

The US president said "very draconian sanctions" were being considered

Japan seeks to integrate into NATO, Chinese ambassador to Russia says

According to Zhang Hanhui, the official Tokyo's steps are steadily eroding the peaceful nature of the Japanese Constitution

Russian forces hit Ukraine’s military warehouses in Chernomorsk, Yuzhny ports — top brass

Targets were hit on the evening of August 19

Western countries on UNSC refuse to compromise on peace, security issues — Russian envoy

Vasily Nebenzya stated that decisions that are not adopted unanimously do not carry the same weight on the ground as consensus resolutions

Press review: Ukraine conflict fuels EU ultra-right as Trump seeks Iran pressure via Oman

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Ukrainian attack kills one, wounds two civilians in Belgorod Region

The regional emergency headquarters reported that a woman sustained shrapnel wounds to her shoulder, thigh, and knee joint, and was hospitalized

Russia’s key task is transition to sustainable economic development model — Novak

According to the Russian deputy prime minister, this is precisely what the structural transformation plan is aimed at

China, Russia insist that results of WW II regarding Japan are indisputable

Zhang Hanhui says Beijing and Moscow think it essential "to resolutely oppose any erroneous actions or statements aimed at rewriting the history of Japanese colonial aggression"

Some EU countries whipping up Russophobic hysteria to delegitimize elections — diplomat

Maria Zakharova said it was not ruled out that such media campaigns might complicate the situation around the voting

Press review: Ukraine crisis nears peak as Israel-Turkey tensions rise over Syria

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Israel won't put up with Turkey's military presence in Syria — Netanyahu

The Israeli prime minister said that the prior warnings on the issue were not heard "clearly enough"

China calls on Japan not to play with fire on nuclear weapons matters — ambassador

Zhang Hanhui said that a nuclear arms race in the region could erupt at any moment if Tokyo decides to develop nuclear weapons

Japan has enough plutonium to make 5.500 nuclear warheads — Chinese ambassador

Zhang Hanhui concluded that Japan's "transformation into a nuclear power no longer looks like a fantasy"

Russia not going to terminate agreements with NATO, EU, WTO, IMF — envoy

Garry Minkh says these documents can still be used as instruments for dialogue with the West

Liberation of Kudiyevka creates logistical difficulties for Ukrainian troops — official

The Russian Defense Ministry reported that the Kudiyevka settlement was liberated on August 16

US establishes corridor in Strait of Hormuz for covertly transporting oil — news outlet

According to sources cited by Axios, between 15 and 20 tankers pass through the strait’s southern channel along the coast of Oman every day, exporting roughly half of the pre-war level of oil from the Middle East

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Russian forces strike logistics center in Kiev Region with Geran UAVs — top brass

The strike destroyed the target

North Korea’s Kim Yo Jong warns Japan of strike in response to possible threat

Kim Yo Jong stated that the DPRK is closely monitoring Japan’s attempts to build up its military capabilities

Trump says he is only US president to establish contact with Kim

The US president added that Japan, South Korea, and other nations are "a lot safer if I'm president than somebody else is president"

European gas storage facilities could be depleted by April 2027 — Handelsblatt

If the pace of purchases remains unchanged, storage facilities will be only 69% full by November 1, in which case they could be depleted by April, when Europe’s heating season ends, the newspaper said

Russian aircraft to begin firefighting in Serbia on August 20 — group head

Aircraft Commander Andrey Vilkov says the city of Nis "is welcoming us with open arms and wonderful people"

US remains main threat to North Korea’s security — Kim Jong Un’s sister

Kim Yo Jong also noted that Pyongyang attaches no significance to the reduction in joint military exercises with South Korea announced by US President Donald Trump

Russia to respond proportionately to Kiev’s terror attacks — diplomat

Maria Zakharova pointed out that the Kiev regime demonstrated a complete inability to negotiate

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Boosting investment activity is the primary condition for economic growth in Russia, the head of state said

Strike on Abu-Duhur could provoke military clash between Israel, Turkey, Syria — US envoy

According to Tom Barrack, the lack of clear channels of communication between the states could have made the situation "much more serious"

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Abdolnaser Hemmati says that the country has foreign exchange reserves

Collective Security Treaty Organization, CIS border troops drill interaction in crises

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Kusturica slams blocking of his YouTube channel as 'war on truth'

Official reason for the channel's removal was not specified

Ukraine’s losses from port shutdowns exceed $2 bln

Vessel traffic data show that large foreign commercial ships are not entering Odessa, Chernomorsk and Yuzhny

Trump says North Korea has 57 'very powerful' nuclear weapons

Donald Trump added that he would not have allowed it, had he been president earlier

Cuba wants to become BRICS’ full-fledged member — embassy

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Dialogue with US to be fruitless, unless Iran combat ready — Majlis speaker

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said "it is Washington and the war it unleashed that are causing instability in the region and disrupting normal trade routes"

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The US president said that Tehran 'failed' to seize the opportunity to make a deal

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Russia entitled to view UK as party to Ukrainian conflict — Lavrov

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Slavyansk, Kramatorsk, Druzhkovka turned into ‘ghost cities’ by Ukrainian army — expert

Andrey Marochko said that Ukrainian militants are using abandoned civilian facilities for military purposes

US economic pressure threatens entire global financial system — Iran’s MFA

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Ukrainian forces attack minibus on Novorossiya highway in DPR

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Putin has no plans for now to meet with head of Vatican's diplomatic service — Kremlin

Paul Richard Gallagher's visit to Moscow will take place from August 25 to 28

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Readiness to ask no questions led Khmara to defense minister’s seat — DPR politician

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Russia, China to oppose Japan’s attempts to obtain nuclear weapons — Chinese ambassador

Zhang Hanhui also said that Moscow and Beijing think it necessary to "resolutely oppose Japan's accelerated remilitarization"

Kremlin reacts to 'fishing in troubled waters' in Ukraine, potential Wikoff, Kushner visit

Dmitry Peskov stressed that Russia highly values the efforts of all countries that sincerely seek to contribute to settling the Ukraine conflict

Russian Emergencies Ministry aircraft arrives in Serbia to help fight major wildfires

The aircraft landed at Nis airport

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Spokesman Ivan Bigma said that the battlegroup had also destroyed 98 Ukrainian hexacopters and five HIMARS projectiles

Ukraine plans to legalize disposal of missing soldiers' bodies as surgical waste — source

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Russian stocks down as main trading session opens

The yuan exchange rate against the ruble fell by 3.8 kopecks as trading opened

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According to the publication, Mikhail Fyodorov’s words are interpreted in Kiev "as the opening gambit in a potential run for the presidency"

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Andrey Denisov says oil supplies from Russia to China grew by 92% in the first seven months amid the crisis around the Strait of Hormuz

Russia’s ombudswoman sends 60 letters to UN over Kiev's war crimes against civilians

Most of them remain unanswered

New batch of Pantsir-S, Pantsir-SMD systems delivered to troops — Rostec

The system has shown itself as one of the most effective means of countering air targets

Russia reminds Japanese ambassador that it paid huge price for Kurils — MFA

Russia summoned the Japanese ambassador following Tokyo’s protest against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to the Kuril Island of Iturup

With Khmara as defense minister Ukraine to continue sabotage against Russia — MP

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North Korea launches approximately 10 missiles toward Sea of Japan — South Korean military

The Joint Chiefs of Staff stated that they "maintain vigilance for additional launches"

Damage reported at Ufa oil refinery as Russia intercepts 453 Ukrainian drones overnight

A medical university student from India was injured in the attack

Russia exploring railway routes to Indian Ocean — Deputy Prime Minister

Specifically, the so-called eastern bypass of the Caspian Sea is being ramped up

West intends to monitor war financing in Ukraine with help of Khmara, expert says

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UN deputy chief declines to assess Ukraine coordinator’s remarks

Tom Fletcher's statement followed a question about whether he considered Matthias Schmale’s actions to be a violation of Article 100 of the UN Charter, which requires UN staff to be impartial and independent

US fighter jet flies over Baltic Sea near Russia’s Kaliningrad Region — source

The aircraft flew in from Reykjavík, passing through the airspace of Norway and Sweden along the way, and also flying over Poland

Russian forces hit Fire Point facility manufacturing attack drone components in Kiev

The enterprise also assembled and stored boosters used in Flamingo cruise missiles

Netanyahu weighs confrontation with Trump — media

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Ex-deputy head of Zelensky’s office Mudraya detained — lawmaker

Irina Mudraya is currently under an investigative procedure at the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine

Russian troops clear 400 buildings of Ukrainian forces in liberating Vodyanskoye

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the settlement was liberated on August 19

Some 250 drones were flying toward Moscow Region during night

Mayor Sergey Sobyanin says most of them were destroyed at distant locations

Russian troops liberate Vodyanskoye community in Donetsk region over past day — top brass

Russia’s Battlegroup Center inflicted roughly 380 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed six enemy armored combat vehicles in its area of responsibility over the past day, the Defense Ministry reported

Russia’s grain harvest to reach 100 mln metric tons in coming days

Russian Agriculture Minister Oksana Lut noted that the volume harvested this year is higher than last year

Ukrainian army facing serious shortages of Patriot missiles — Russian defense source

The source noted that the global shortage of Patriot interceptor missiles had intensified following their large-scale use in the Middle East

Trump says blockade of Hormuz Strait was successful, now it is open

"No boats have gotten into Iran" since the blockade started, the US president said

Large-scale NATO air force activity recorded near Kaliningrad — Russian war correspondent

Yevgeny Poddubny reported that multiple reconnaissance aircraft operated simultaneously close to the Russian border

Ukraine's cabinet initiates suspensions of Sense Bank leaders amid scandal

The bank is mentioned in newly released recordings by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine

Date for new Russia-US contacts on removing ‘irritants’ being agreed upon — diplomat

Maria Zakharova added that Russia is ready to cooperate with the US partners "to move toward substantive discussions on the issues that are of priority for us"

Kiev building up forces to fight for Dobropolye in Donetsk region — Russian combatant

According to the serviceman, the Russian troops are operating in a coordinated manner, eliminating enemy forces attempting to redeploy to better positions

Japan begins converting ships into aircraft carriers — Chinese ambassador to Russia

For the first time, the country has re-exported Patriot missiles and begun exporting military frigates, Zhang Hanhui noted