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Military operation in Ukraine

One civilian killed in Ukrainian shelling of Belgorod Region — governor

According to Vyacheslav Gladkov, poultry farm was damaged

TASS, December 18. One person was killed and another one was injured when the Belgorod district of the Belgorod Region was shelled by the Ukrainian armed forces, regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov reported on his Telegram on Sunday.

"On the Belgorod region. Unfortunately, there is one dead and one injured. The poultry farm was damaged. I’m heading to the site," he wrote.

Gladkov added that as a result of the shelling the building of the local poultry farm was damaged. Earlier, he reported that four people were injured because of this shelling in Belgorod. The wounded were in moderate condition. The governor also specified that a shell hit a house in Belgorod, two children were in the epicenter. They were miraculously unharmed.

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Military operation in Ukraine

Georgian foreign ministry condemns pressure on its diplomats abroad

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Putin meets with Federation Council Speaker Matviyenko in Kremlin

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All emergency response services are working at the site of the strike

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"Robert Fico will travel to visit Putin as a European countries leader," Aleksandar Vucic said

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Putin agrees 'Russian world' now faces war

The Russian leader also agreed with Sergey Mironov, head of the "A Just Russia - For Truth" faction in the Duma, who said that "the birth rate is insufficient, because the matter concerns extinction"

Nine-months pregnant woman injured in Ukrainian attack on Russia’s Rylsk

According to the latest data, a total of nine people sought medical assistance after the attack

Airborne troops from Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr wipe out enemy position in Kherson region

A Russian airborne crew hit the target by firing a 120-mm mortar gun on a Ukrainian temporary position

Russian cancer vaccine to be free of charge — top oncologist

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Russian troops break through Ukrainian defenses near Oskol Reservoir in Kharkov Region

The new positions will enable Russian troops to advance further in that frontline area and deliver more effective strikes on the enemy, Andrey Marochko specified

West should consider Putin's words on Oreshnik missile duel — diplomat

Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova emphasized that the rhetoric about "inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia" is firmly rooted in the mentality of the NATO regimes not at all as hypothetical assumptions

German police confirm death of four people in Magdeburg Christmas market attack

According to the law enforcement agencies, a total of 205 people suffered injuries, with 41 being in critical condition

Russian diplomats doing their best to release Gaza hostages — ambassador

Anatoly Viktorov expressed his wholehearted support to the family of Yelena Trufanova whose son Alexander is still being held hostage in the Palestinian enclave

IN BRIEF: Magdeburg Christmas market attack kills 11, injuring roughly 80 others

TASS has compiled the key facts behind the deadly attack

Russian forces create bridgehead near Kupyansk-Uzlovoy in Kharkov Region — expert

Ukrainian forces have been shifting significant reserves to this settlement, including fresh recruits with little to no training, to retain Kupyansk

UK unwilling to send military instructors to Ukraine for fear of Russian attacks — media

According to a source, "Russians would target any kind of Western assistance inside Ukraine"

Ukraine's refusal to transit Russian gas will hit EU economies hard — French expert

According to Jacques Sapir, the decision not to extend transit contracts was no surprise given the political landscape

Putin responds to question about Russia's weakness by quoting Mark Twain

The president noted that Russia had become much stronger over the past two or three years as it became a truly sovereign country

Russia recognizes Ukrainian businessman Akhmetov as extremist

According to the Justice Ministry, the Ukrainian businessman belongs to the group which "is based on ideological and property interests clearly aimed against Russia"

Expert predicts Russia, new Syrian authorities to establish strong ties

According to Wu Yihong, Russia will seek to retain its two military facilities in Syria

Trump wants NATO countries to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP — FT

The sources also told the Financial Times that Donald Trump intends to continue the military aid to Ukraine despite the statements he made during his presidential campaign

Russia’s Battlegroup South liberates settlement of Ostrovskogo in DPR — Defense Ministry

"The enemy lost up to 285 troops, two armored combat vehicles, two motor vehicles, a D-30 122 mm howitzer, a US-made M119 105 mm howitzers and five field ammunition depots," the ministry added

Press review: Putin outlines Russia's future goals and Tehran faces energy blackout riots

Top stories from the Russian press on Friday, December 20th

Series of explosions rock central Kiev — eyewitnesses

Earlier, Ukrainian media reported about explosions in the capital, and local authorities informed about the work of air defenses

Russia has no concerns about who attends Trump's inauguration — senior diplomat

According to Sergey Ryabkov, this issue lies "on the periphery" for Moscow, and Russia views it "detachedly"

Orban does not intend to react to Zelensky's provocations, will remain calm

The Hungarian prime minister reiterated that his proposal for a Christmas ceasefire and prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia remains on the table

Ukraine does not consider an option for Christmas ceasefire — Foreign Ministry

Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban proposed a ceasefire and a major exchange of POWs between Russia and Ukraine during Christmas in a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin

NATO prepares for war with Russia, Moscow takes these risks into account — senior diplomat

According to Alexander Grushko, NATO's general course poses a danger both to Russia and to the entire architecture of global and regional security

CIA station in Kiev targeted in recent Russian attack, military expert reveals

According to Alexander Stepanov, strikes are systematic efforts to gradually wipe out the military capabilities of Ukraine

Kremlin spokesman clarifies Putin’s statement about Oreshnik 'duel'

"It is very important to talk about these statements by the president in the context of the question he was asked," Dmitry Peskov pointed out

Russia to raise issue of Ukrainian strikes on Rylsk at UNSC meeting on Friday — diplomat

Acting Kursk Region Governor Alexander Khinshtein said earlier that the town of Rylsk, located some 120 kilometers west of Kursk, had come under Ukrainian fire

Artyom military plant reportedly on fire after explosions in Kiev

The Artyom plant is known for producing air-to-air missiles, as well as equipment for aircraft

First-ever baby conceived using technology that matures eggs outside body born in Peru

The US company Gameto said that the technology allows for minimal hormonal intervention in a woman’s body during the in-vitro fertilization procedure, reducing side effects

Banks find opportunity to work under sanctions — Central Bank chief

It does not mean there will be no such risks in the future but it is very important in this regard for the financial stable to remain stable, Elvira Nabiullina said

Mother of missing US reporter thanks Putin for promising help in locating her son

During a "Direct Line" Q&A session combined with his annual press conference on Thursday, Putin clarified that he had not yet met with Assad after his arrival in Moscow but plans to speak with him

Musk believes Germany’s Scholz should step down after car drives into crowd in Magdeburg

Meanwhile, Scholz will visit Magdeburg to assess the situation later on Saturday

Kiev’s Western patrons complicit in recent attack on senior Russian general — UN envoy

Vasily Nebenzya recalled that Igor Kirillov had repeatedly presented evidence of the military activity of US laboratories in Ukraine

Russian troops liberate 10 communities in Donbass region over week — top brass

Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicted more than 3,610 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed six enemy ammunition depots in its area of responsibility over the week

Heat supply cut off in almost 90 houses in Rylsk in wake of Ukrainian attack — official

According to Alexander Khinshtein, repair teams are working at the site

IN BRIEF: What is known about drone attack on residential buildings in Kazan

TASS has gathered the main information about the incident

Russian public may one day decide to bury Lenin proper, Putin speculates

The Russian president still noted that "today, especially in today’s Russia, we must not do anything that could divide the country"