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Conflict in Syria

Russia and China share stances on Syria crisis

Earlier, Russia, Iran and Turkey agreed to set up four de-escalation zones in Syria

© AP Photo/Hassan Ammar

MOSCOW, May 26./TASS/. Moscow and Beijing have the same stances on the Syrian settlement, Russia and China support the Astana format of negotiations, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said after talks with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Friday.

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"We exchanged opinions on a wide range of issues pertaining to key regional and global problems," the minister said.

"We have coinciding approaches to the situation in Syria, including within the context of supporting the Astana platform, where an agreement was reached to create de-escalation zones in Syria," the top diplomat said

Implementation of this concept "will become a major instrument in maintaining the ceasefire, ensuring humanitarian access and creating more favorable conditions for the start of an inclusive intra-Syrian dialogue in Geneva," Lavrov pointed out.

De-escalation zones

On May 4, Russia, Iran and Turkey agreed to set up four de-escalation zones in Syria. Under a memorandum signed at the talks in Astana, the four zones are Idlib province and some parts of neighboring provinces (Aleppo, Latakia and Hama), an area north of Homs, Damascus’s suburb Eastern Ghouta, and a number of provinces in southern Syria - Daraa and Al-Quneitra.

Read also

Russia, Turkey and Iran map out de-escalation zones in Syria

In those areas, combat operations, including flights by military aircraft, are outlawed as of May 6.

The memorandum was concluded for six months with chances of automatic prolongation for another six months. Russia’s Defense Ministry said earlier that the fight against Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist groups (outlawed in Russia - TASS) would be continued inside and around those zones.

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Foreign policy Sergey Lavrov Syrian conflict

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Russia acted responsibly in warning US about Oreshnik missile launch, Kremlin says

The US was notified automatically 30 minutes before the launch by Russia's Nuclear Risk Reduction Center

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

Kremlin explains why Oreshnik missile came as surprise

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Kiev forces lost over 260 troops in Kursk direction in 24 hours — Russian Defense Ministry

During the fighting in the Kursk direction, the enemy lost more than 35,310 servicemen

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Moscow not ruling out Trump’s meeting with North Korean leader

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UK mercenary taken prisoner in Russia’s Kursk area — source

"A mercenary from Britain has been taken prisoner in the Kursk area," the person said

Ex-German Chancellor considers dialog with Russia necessary to settle conflict in Ukraine

Angela Merkel advised politicians "to be authentic" when building up relations with US President-elect dondald Trump

France, UK will have to pay for their helping Ukraine strike inside Russia — diplomat

Russia’s Permanent Representative to the Vienna-based international organizations Mikhail Ulyanov said that what has been done by the White House is very dangerous

Trump to tap Richard Grenell as US special envoy on Ukraine — agency

Grenell would play a key role in Trump's efforts to halt the conflict if he is ultimately selected for the post

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US, European officials suggest returning nukes to Ukraine — NYT

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Zelensky shook up by Russia’s response to permission to attack it — Lavrov

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Russian MFA withholds public comment on nominee for new ambassador to US

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Ukrainian defense line in Donbass may soon collapse — expert

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Developments in Russia’s Kursk Region: Counselling for residents, enemy’s losses

Doctors, including psychologists, are working with the Kursk Region residents that returned from Ukraine

State Department says US-India relations hit some headwinds due to Russia, BRICS

Kurt Campbell said that it is important to 'keep attention on the horizon'

Ukraine hopes to see US peace plan in January

Zelensky said he doesn’t know when he will be able to meet with Trump but this will obviously happen after his inauguration

Oreshnik can reach targets across entire Europe — missile troops commander

"Based on the tasks and the range of this weapon, it can hit targets across entire Europe, which sets it apart from other high-precision long-range weapons," Sergey Karakayev said

West irrational, fails to understand it cannot intercept Russia's new missiles — Kneissl

The former Austrian foreign minister stressed that she "counted on rational Western decision-makers, but irrationality is unfortunately on the rise among them"

Diplomat mocks US Senator for talking about invading Netherlands

Maria Zakharova quoted the US Senator, who called the ICC a "Kangaroo court" and ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan a "deranged fanatic"

Signal to West and 'red card': experts weigh in on Putin’s missile launch statements

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Russia’s Medvedev warns Europe could face ‘catastrophic damage’ from Oreshnik missile

Medvedev also commented on Vladimir Zelensky’s "resilience plan."

Cyprus submits NATO accession plan to US — report

Nicosia reportedly asked to buy some military equipment from Washington as part of a three or five-year agreement, and sought help in bringing Cyprus’ military capabilities to NATO standards

NATO pours with weapons prohibited by INF Treaty to Asia — Russian Foreign Ministry

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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

Ukraine should consider territorial concessions to Russia in return for peace — magazine

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

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US, Europe openly side with Kiev by supplying it with weapons — top Turkish diplomat

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Putin congratulates Serbian film director Kusturica with seventieth birthday

Counsellor of the Russian Embassy in Serbia Natalia Klischenkova read the text of the telegram to Kusturica

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Opposition holds rally in Georgian capital to protest election outcome

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Kremlin doesn’t see Trump’s future term through ‘rose-colored glasses’ — spokesman

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Western air defense systems unlikely to intercept Russian missiles — France’s Le Monde

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Commissioning of Oreshnik and new developments: Putin’s meeting with defense specialists

Here are the key statements, made during the meeting

Europe unable to wage war attrition on Russia — Ukraine’s ex-commander-in-chief

According to Zaluzhny, European countries lack munitions to shoot down air bombs

34 rounds fired by Ukrainian troops at Kherson Region’s left bank settlements

Apart from that, according to the governor, shelling attacks were stages on the settlements of Golaya Pristan, Aleshki, Gornostayevka, Kairy, Obryvki, Zavodovka, and Sergeyevka

Conflict in Ukraine no longer regional war — German defense minister

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on November 21 that strikes on Russian territory with Western long-range missiles had made the conflict in Ukraine a global one

Putin to address parliament next year, preparations underway — Kremlin

"Certainly, it is being prepared in advance, this is a lengthy process," the Kremlin official said

Press review: Uranium costs soar as Moscow updates nuclear doctrine and US OKs attacks

Top stories from the Russian press on Wednesday, November 20th

Gazprombank’s UnionPay cards no longer serviced in several countries

Kiev been pushed by West toward aggression against own population for 8 years — diplomat

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Zelensky to have no input if Russia, US negotiate, ex-Prime Minister says

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Enemy losses, mercenary intrigue, humanitarian aid: situation in Kursk Region

Over the day, the enemy lost 150 troops, four motor vehicles, an artillery piece and two mortars

Kremlin clarifies notification process for Oreshnik missile launch

"An automated warning was sent 30 minutes before the launch," Dmitry Peskov said

Putin, Turkish president hold phone talks — Kremlin

The leaders also discussed some international issues

Russian servicemen control 30% of Chasov Yar in DPR — expert

According to military expert Andrey Marochko, 10% of the territory is the so-called grey zone

Cooperation with Russia will play important role in upgrade of Indian armed forces — MFA

Answering a question about the supply of Russian S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems to India, Andrey Rudenko stressed that Moscow "strictly fulfills its contractual obligations"

Progress cargo spaceship docks to ISS

The process was controlled by specialists on the Mission Control Center on Earth and by Roscosmos cosmonauts Ivan Vagner

Russia will respond ‘in every way’ to Seoul’s arms supply to Kiev — MFA

Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Andrey Rudenko called on South Korean to soberly assess the situation and refrain from "reckless steps"

Russia to toughly respond to Japan’s steps against it — Deputy Foreign Minister

According to Andrey Rudenko, Tokyo has no intention to change anything to the positive side

Russian forces eliminate Ukrainian MiG-29 on ground

Additionally, Russian units eliminated one munitions depot

Strike with Oreshnik missile was a timely and effective response to the West — Kremlin

Dmitry Peskov added that by authorizing strikes deep into Russia with its missiles, the US administration ignored Russian President Vladimir Putin's warnings about the possible consequences

Putin says Oreshnik missile system cutting-edge innovation by Russia, not Soviet byproduct

The Russian Defense Ministry announced earlier in the day that the country’s latest Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile hit all the targets at a major Ukrainian military-industrial enterprise in Dnepr (Dnepropetrovsk) with its MIRVed warheads

Kremlin accuses Biden’s team of trying to thwart Trump’s efforts for settlement in Ukraine

According to the Kremlin spokesman, the Biden administration continues escalation because it is a "party of war" that sees Ukraine as a tool to fight Russia

Oreshnik missile to change course of Ukrainian conflict, Medvedev believes

Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said it in an interview

Senior envoy sees Putin’s statement as signal of Russia’s readiness for military responses

Sergey Ryabkov stressed that Russia has its underlying security interests "that will be ensured by every means that we have at our disposal."

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

"Ukraine should be forever grateful that President Putin is calm, rational and kind - because Zelensky is practically begging for his country to be flattened," American political commentator Jackson Hinkle said

Western countries should 'be afraid, tremble' after Putin's statement — lawmaker

Andrey Kartapolov added that the special military operation in Ukraine "will continue its course until all tasks are completed"

Russia’s Oreshnik has no analogues worldwide — Putin

"We know what kind of developments are being carried out there, but this will happen tomorrow or in a year or two, but we have such a system already today," the president said

Zelensky’s actions make Ukraine vulnerable to coup, says politician

"Democratic institutions in the country have been destroyed, rendering dialogue between the government and the people impossible," Viktor Medvedchuk said

West beginning to realize only part of Ukraine will remain — Lavrov

According to the Russian foreign minister, this represents the "confrontational logic" of the West

NATO countries engaged in full-fledged war against Russia — Medvedev

According to him, the alliance is "fully engaged" in the Ukrainian conflict

Kremlin spokesman says missiles like Oreshnik are developed in secrecy

Dmitry Peskov said that he himself did not know about this work before Russian President Vladimir Putin announced it

Russian military to warn Ukrainian civilians of future Oreshnik attacks — Kremlin

Earlier, the Russian Armed Forces carried out a precision strike on Ukraine’s Yuzhmash defense industry facility in retaliation for the use of US-and UK-made weapons for strikes on Russia

France only finishes off Ukraine by allowing it to strike inside Russia — diplomat

Zakharova said earlier that no attempts by "French warmongers" would change the outcome of the conflict