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Russia-France Mistral dispute

Kremlin says Egypt’s rumored sale of Mistrals for $1 is ‘utter nonsense’

Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov earlier refuted these reports as well

© Michel Plassar/TASS

MOSCOW, October 21. /TASS/. Polish Defense Minister Antoni Macierewicz’s claims Egypt may agree to sell two amphibious helicopter carriers Mistral to Russia for a token sum of one dollar are "utter nonsense" as the sources cited by the Polish defense ministry are not reliable, Russian president’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.

Read also

Russian Defense Ministry says Egypt’s rumored sale of Mistrals to Russia for $1 'nonsense'

"I don’t think these sources are reliable. I think that it can be explained by a background of heightened commotion reigning in Warsaw in the recent time. Regrettably, not all are capable of coping with such a backdrop or adequately react to it. It is utter nonsense," Peskov said in an interview with the Rossiya-24 television channel.

Earlier, Macierewicz said that Egypt was prepared to sell to Russia for a token sum of one dollar the two Mistral ships, originally built in France for Russia. The ships in question were eventually sold to Cairo after Paris refused to hand them over to Moscow. Macierewicz, notorious for his critical remarks about Russia, claims he has obtained information about preparations for the handover of Mistrals to Russia from reliable sources.

Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov refuted these reports saying they are "nothing but TGIF nonsense."

France had signed a contract with Russia for building two Mistral ships for the Russian Navy in the summer of 2011. In 2014, Paris froze the delivery of both ships over the situation in Ukraine. The contract was eventually severed in August 2015. Under the agreed arrangement Russia was to have back about 949 million euros and also the Russian equipment installed on the ships. After that France was free to use the ships at its sole discretion.

Egypt agreed to buy the Mistrals shortly afterwards. Moscow and Cairo are currently discussing the supply of communication and control systems for the Mistrals.

Read also

France hands over first Mistral helicopter carrier to Egypt

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Dmitry Peskov Mistral

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Zelensky begs ‘for his country to be flattened’ — US journalist

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Russia not obliged to notify anyone about launch of intermediate-range missile — Kremlin

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Lukashenko tells Putin situation is "starting to get tense with Wagner"

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Trump to continue using Ukraine to contain Russia — Valdai program director

"The US continues to benefit from the Ukrainian crisis, regardless of which administration is in power," Andrey Sushentsov said

US warships fire more missiles at Houthi sites in Yemen — source

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US forces strike Houthi sites with seaborne missiles — TV

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US decision on strikes inside Russia stems from malice rather than strategy — journalist

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Andrey Kelin also recalled that the policy of the Russian leadership enjoys the full support and confidence of the country's population

Soyuz rocket carrying Progress MS-29 cargo spaceship blasts off from Baikonur spaceport

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Russian forces successfully advancing in all areas in special military op zone — Putin

The Russian president said that "all the goals we set for ourselves are being achieved"

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Russian troops liberate Dalneye community in Donbass region over past day

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NATO enters conflict, Russia has every right to attack its targets now — expert

Col. (Ret.) Lawrence Wilkerson confirmed to TASS that the launch of ATACMS missiles would be impossible without "US/NATO satellite feeds and/or personnel"

US journalist calls US President Joe Biden’s government 'the fascist state'

Earlier, Tucker Carlson said that Joe Biden's approval of long-range missile strikes by the Ukrainian army deep inside Russia could threaten US people

West launched missiles targeting Russia’s Bryansk, Kursk Regions — Putin

Russian air defenses repulsed all attacks, the Russian president said

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Moscow used its new Oreshnik medium-range hypersonic ballistic missile in response to the West’s decision to authorize strategic-depth strikes on Russia

Russia’s reaction to Austrian OMV’s failure to pay for gas justified — MFA

The company stated it would seek damages amounting to 230 million euro for failing to receive the contracted volume of gas from the Russian company for delivery to Germany

US Congressman urges to impeach Biden for allowing strikes deep into Russia

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Pentagon sees possibility of sending more antipersonnel landmines to Ukraine

Department of Defense Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh gave no direct answer to the question of how Washington was planning to control Kiev’s use of US landmines

Canada neglects its sovereignty by approving transfer of land mines to Kiev — diplomat

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NATO deployment to Ukraine would mark its entry into the war, Russian diplomat warns

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Russia to address NATO’s engagement in strikes deep inside country — SVR

Sergey Naryshkin observed that the military and political elites in the West are increasingly recognizing the gravity of Russia's intentions and the need for greater caution in their actions

NATO supports Ukraine not out of charity but for its own strategic interests — deputy head

Boris Ruge argued that NATO now has hundreds of thousands of troops that could be deployed to the alliance's eastern flank or elsewhere within ten days

Russia fires ballistic, non-nuclear-tipped missile at Ukrainian aerospace plant — Putin

According to the president, the missile is code-named Oreshnik, which can roughly be translated as hazel bush

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Russian envoy to international organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov pointed out that from September 23 to November 12, the Russian servicemen suppressed 556 drones near the plant and Energodar

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Russia to use revenues from frozen assets of Western investors — Finance Minister

Tit-for-tat measures will be implemented after receiving information about unfriendly actions of Western countries, Anton Siluanov noted

Ukrainian conflict acquires global elements after strikes with Western missiles — Putin

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Japanese lawmaker praises Putin's restraint amid decision to strike deep into Russia

Top EU diplomat Josep Borrell confirmed that the US administration had lifted restrictions for US-supplied missiles to be used for strikes up to 300 kilometers inside Russia

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Russian ambassador says UK prime minister doesn’t understand situation in Ukraine

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EU considers ICC warrants against Netanyahu, Gallant as binding — foreign policy chief

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The likelihood of a direct armed conflict with NATO is increasing because some individuals in the alliance are ready to raise the stakes ahead of Trump’s inauguration, Andrey Bystritsky emphasized

Preliminary data shows anti-ship missile downed over Sevastopol waters — official

Governor Mikhail Razvozhayev said that all emergencies services currently work in the high alert mode

US missile defense base in Poland long among Russian army’s targets — Foreign Ministry

Maria Zakharova stated that the US-NATO construction project, ongoing for nearly a decade with complete disregard to Russian security concerns, has consistently been a focus of Russia's attention

China holds US responsible for disrupted defense ministers' meeting in Laos

Wu Qian stated that the United States must immediately correct its mistakes, "honestly respect China’s main interests, and seek to create favorable conditions for high-level contacts between the military of the two countries"

Residents of Kupyansk, Kovsharovka in Kharkov Region returning to their homes

People are refusing to go to safer places because of Ukraine's unwillingness to provide basic sanitation for refugees

Press review: US lets Kiev use anti-personnel mines and Iran may halt uranium enrichment

Top stories from the Russian press on Thursday, November 21st

No Western sanctions to limit Russia’s foreign trade — minister

All restrictions that Western countries impose affect themselves in the first place, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov added

Russian stock market indices in the red on Thursday — market data

The mood in international markets was mainly neutral

Russia ready to assist Serbia in building oil pipeline via Hungary — Transneft

"This will make it possible for them to be more independent in oil supplies and significantly increase volumes of oil delivered to the territory of Serbia for internal consumption," Vice President Vladimir Kalanda said

Moscow won’t allow US to silence UNSC as Washington backs Israel — Russian UN envoy

According to Vasily Nebenzya, the Security Council should "bring peace, stability and prosperity to the Middle East"

Ukraine was warned about possible missile strike — Pentagon

Department of Defense Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh gave no answer to the question of how could Ukraine prepare for this kind of attack

Turkey seeks justice against Israel for genocide in Gaza — Erdogan’s Party

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The Russian Armed Forces have completed the destruction of a Ukrainian battlegroup blocked in the area of the Olgovskaya wood

US vote at UNSC rejected chance of stopping 'horrific bloodshed' in Gaza, Russian MFA says

"Once again, a chance to free the hostages, who include Russian nationals, has been missed," the statement reads

ATACMS missiles unlikely to keep Kiev from losing conflict — American expert

Daniel Davis also noted that "continuing to ignore reality" would only increase "the ultimate cost of losing" the conflict for Ukraine

Xi Jinping calls for unification of more voices for peace in Ukraine

"We need to bring together more voices of peace and pave the way for a political solution to the Ukrainian crisis," Chinese president said

Trump may soon start talks with Russia following Biden’s decision on ATACMS — news agency

According to Andreas Kluth, the decision on ATACMS may have been another attempt by the current Washington administration to provide Ukraine with support until the president-elect comes to power

Russia hit Ukrainian military-industrial facility in response to use of Western missiles

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Weapons supplied to Ukraine cannot reach Russian territory, Spanish defense minister says

The New York Times reported on November 17 that US President Joe Biden had authorized the use of US-supplied ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles for strikes inside Russia

Russian air defense deflects attacks with Western missiles — Putin

"As a result, the goals that the enemy apparently set have not been achieved," the Russian leader said

Biden's decision on missile strikes on Russia is his 'last gasp' — Japanese lawmaker

Earlier, Muneo Suzuki emphasized on his blog that the decision that this decision by Biden on the tail-end of his presidency looked like "a last gasp"

Russian troops raise flag in central Kurakhovo in Donetsk region — politician

Russian army units have advanced much farther into the city’s northern part, in particular, along the southern bank of the Kurakhovo reservoir, Vladimir Rogov specified

Kiev suffering fiasco on entire front line — aide to DPR head

Igor Kimakovsky said that "if the West is not physically involved in this war, that is, if NATO is not involved, then Ukraine is actually losing"

Bank of Russia’s officials hit by US sanctions

The head of the financial monitoring and currency control service of the Russian Central Bank was also added to black lists

Russian army pushes Ukraine out of Kurakhovo water reservoir’s north shore

According to Igor Kimakovsky, the only road the Ukrainian armed forces could use to leave the city is under Russia’s control

Biden’s decision to use ATACMS against Russia may 'blow up in America’s face' — US expert

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Russian forces push Ukrainian troops 10 km away from Lisichansk in LPR — expert

Russian troops have taken new lines and positions northwest of Zolotaryoka as a result of successful operations

US admiral says Washington should be ready for talks with Russia, China

The Department of State and other US agencies "should continue to engage our competitors in real and substantive dialogue," Rear Admiral Thomas Buchanan said