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Developments in eastern Ukraine

Russia supports ceasefire in Ukraine - Lavrov

MOSCOW, June 22. /ITAR-TASS/. Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry have discussed the situation in Ukraine in the context of a peace plan, unveiled by Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko on June 20.

In a telephone conversation with Kerry on Sunday, Lavrov said Russian President Vladimir Putin had given an assessment to the peace plan.

“Russia always supported ceasefire. This is only the first step. The key task is to start a dialogue without ultimatums. It is necessary to take into account the interests of those who really control the situation in Ukraine’s southeast,” the Russian Foreign Ministry says.

Lavrov said Kiev, finally, must take a constructive position on the price for Russian gas.

Lavrov and Kerry also discussed the situation in Iraq that had aggravated due to the attacks by the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant terrorist group.

They confirmed the commitment to stepping up efforts aimed at countering growing terrorism.

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Foreign policy Russian Foreign Ministry Eastern Ukraine

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Ukrainian troops attempt counterattacks on Vasilyevka direction in Zaporozhye Region

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Roman Starovoyt noted that Russia is holding negotiations with many airlines from friendly countries

Georgian president demands appointing snap elections within week

Salome Zourabichvili also promised to announce her further plans on Monday

Russian 'soldier of the future' combat gear tested in Syria

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Russian forces liberate one more settlement in Donetsk People’s Republic

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Tehran, Moscow could sign partnership agreement in January 2025 — Iranian MFA

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Fico’s visit to Russia perfect slap in Zelensky’s face, Slovak politician says

The MEP said that Fico stands for Slovak interests in Russia, "even in spite of the warmongers in Brussels"

Senior Russian MP hopes that Trump really wants peace in Ukraine

"Such an achievement would serve his interests as the incoming US president," Leonid Slutsky noted

Press review: South Korean president impeached as Ukraine turns to foreign mercenaries

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Trump’s election victory changed Western approach to Ukrainian conflict, adviser says

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Kiev takes out its anger for military defeats on Russian people — diplomat

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Jet fire reported at drill hole in Russia’s Orenburg Region

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Moldovan president plans military operation in Transnistria — Russian intel agency

According to the SVR, Maia Sandu recently convened a meeting on energy security issues with senior government officials

Hungary wants to maintain ties with Russia under its economic neutrality policy — PM

Victor Orban also said that hopes for the development of economic cooperation with the United States after President-elect Donald Trump takes office

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Taiwan to set up drone testing facility for global market

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NATO spies study damage from Oreshnik at Yuzhmash — expert

Alexander Stepanov emphasized that both Kiev and its Western allies are closely scrutinizing the consequences of the strike on the plant

Expert calls countries benefiting most from anti-Russia sanctions

"For some post-Soviet countries, the sanctions imposed against Russia served as a strong impetus for economic growth," Alexey Bobrovsky said

Trump nominates billionaire Feinberg as US Deputy Secretary of Defense

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Crew, passenger of An-2 plane crashed in Kamchatka satisfactory — medics

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Ukrainian troops struggling to escape being trapped in Lozovaya in Kharkov region — expert

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Putin, Slovak PM discuss bilateral relations, energy — Kremlin

Dmitry Peskov remarked that Russian-Slovak bilateral relations had significantly deteriorated due to actions taken by the previous Slovak leadership

Gazprom to replace European sales market with new export destinations, says Italian expert

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Lukashenko announces upcoming meeting with Putin and official visit to China

The Belarusian president pointed out that the coming year is expected to be difficult for a number of reasons

Houthis say attacked US aircraft carrier in Red Sea, shot down US fighter jet

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Russia declassifies intel about France’s plans to send 2,000 troops to Ukraine

SVR Director Sergey Naryshkin said on March 19 that Paris was already preparing to send some 2,000 troops to Ukraine

Russia starts humanitarian electricity supplies to Abkhazia — minister

Abkhazia’s state-run energy company Chernomorenergo said that there will be just two two-hour shutdowns

Situation with gas supplies from Russia to Europe difficult — Kremlin

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Slovak PM thanks Putin in Russian for meeting with him

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Turkish president calls on West to stop Israel in Syria before it’s too late

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Oreshnik’s launch is sudden, undetectable by satellites — analyst

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Response to Ukrainian attack on Russia’s Rylsk to come shortly — Russia’s UN envoy

Vasily Nebenzya warned as he denounced the attack as yet another unambiguous step by the Kiev regime toward escalation

Hungary wants to preserve relations with Russia as part of economic neutrality — Orban

The prime minister underscored that, "the more serious the problems in Europe are, the more decisively the economic relations in all other markets should be promoted"

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

Proposal to duel with West response to claims of Oreshnik missile vulnerability — Kremlin

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin thus meant that the Oreshnik missile is a generation ahead of all existing weapons, while not being a nuclear weapon itself