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Crimea and Sevastopol

Russia starts integrating Crimean ports into transport system

New sea hubs, defense facilities will be taken into account while integrating

© ITAR-TASS/Alexandr Rumin

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Work to integrate the Crimean Peninsula into Russia’s economic, financial, credit, legal, state power, military conscription and infrastructure systems is actively underway now that Crimea has accessed to the Russian Federation.

Despite Moscow’s repeated statements that the Crimean referendum on secession from Ukraine was in line with the international law and the UN Charter and in conformity with the precedent set by Kosovo’s secession from Serbia in 2008, the West and Kiev have refused to recognize the legality of Crimea’s reunification with Russia.

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Crimea and Sevastopol

Georgian foreign ministry condemns pressure on its diplomats abroad

According to earlier reports, Georgia’s ambassadors to Bulgaria, Italy, the Netherlands, the United States tendered their resignation amid protests in Tbilisi

Pentagon has nothing to announce on possible talks between Russia, US defense chiefs

Belousov and Austin had a phone call on July 12

Russia not closing its border with Estonia — MFA

Russian border crossings near the Estonian border are functioning as usual, Maria Zakharova said

At least 21 killed in post-election violence in Mozambique

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Serious conflict between Israel, Turkey possible — Russian expert

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Damascus warns Iran against sowing chaos in Syria — foreign minister

Iran should not interfere in Syria's internal affairs, the minister of foreign affairs in Syria’s transitional government Asaad Hassan al-Shibani said

Russia continues special military op because Ukraine refuses talks — Kremlin

"It is important for us to achieve all the goals that we face in ensuring the security of our country," Dmitry Peskov emphasized

Russia’s Velikiye Luki submarine dives to depth of 100 meters as part of tests

Upon completion of the underwater part of the test, the crew of the Velikiye Luki took the submarine to the surface and continued to carry out operations in accordance with the plan

US ramping up biological warfare presence in Africa — Russia’s top brass

Major General Aleksey Rtishchev said that branches of the US National Naval Military Medical Center are stationed in Ghana and Djibouti where active work is carried out in natural disease foci, isolation and sequencing of pathogens

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Greece continues to ship munitions to Ukraine en masse — website

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Putin bestows order upon Hermitage director general

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Passenger plane crashes near Kazakhstan's Aktau — Emergencies Ministry

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Russian embassy refutes reports on Sudan’s refusal to host Russian base

Some Western media outlets reported earlier, citing anonymous Sudanese intelligence sources, that Khartoum had allegedly annulled an agreement with Moscow on placing a Russian naval logistics support base due to potential US sanctions

Over 100 people involved in extinguishing jet fire at drilling rig in southern Urals

The accident posed no threat to nearby settlements

CIS countries share common approaches to resolving global issues — Putin

Among other things, "members of the Commonwealth have been increasing cooperation in the fight against extremism, transborder crime, and drug trafficking, and everyday activities and contacts between security agencies have been established," the Russian president said

Russia to react to Ukrainian settlement proposals in line with national priorities — MFA

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov highlighted that Vladimir Putin's June 14 comments "by and large did not impose conditions"

Biden’s last aid package to Kiev won’t contribute to Ukraine’s security — Russian diplomat

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Former Austrian minister names 4 suspect countries in connection with Nord Stream sabotage

Asked what countries could be behind the attack, Karin Kneissl replied that, like in an Agatha Christie novel, "there are many suspects in this imaginary room"

Ukrainian deserters abroad are hunted through Interpol — parliament member

"The percentage of those who have left their newly formed brigades is the highest," Ruslan Gorbenko said

Lavrov cautions against challenging Russia's resolve

The top Russian diplomat remarked that Russian President Vladimir Putin had extensively addressed this matter during his combined year-end press conference and Q&A session on December 19, among other instances

Armenian premier says will skip CIS meeting in St. Petersburg due to COVID-19

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Kremlin admits legal action over transfer of $1 bln from Russian assets to Ukraine

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Putin offers condolences to Azerbaijani president over plane crash near Aktau

"Overall, we are expressing deepest condolences to those who lost their near and dear in this air disaster," Dmitry Peskov said

Russian scientists have lots of new ideas in nuclear sphere — researcher

Mikhail Kovalchuk also reiterated that for a long time, Russia has been and remains a guide for other countries in the sphere of developing technologies, including space

Pakistani forces attack Afghan province just across border

Taliban-controlled Afghan Defense Ministry condemned the attack, saying it violated international law and didn’t represent a solution to any issue

Europe should support Sino-Brazilian initiative on Ukraine — Swiss newspaper

The article’s author believes that Russa’s absence during the peace conference in Burgenstock, Switzerland, was 'a crucial mistake'

Twenty-eight people survive passenger plane crash in Kazakhstan — Emergencies Ministry

It is confirmed that two children were injured

Press review: Ukraine eyes missile programs as EU considers new sanctions on Russia

Top stories from the Russian press on Wednesday, December 25th

Germany's new chancellor may lead the West in standoff with Moscow — expert

At the same time, Oleg Bondarenko said, without affordable energy resources, the decline of the German economy will continue with no chance of stopping in the foreseeable future

Without Ukrainian transit, gas to become much more expensive for Europe — expert

According to Karin Kneissl, in some households, people are already paying more for electricity and heating than for their rent

Online platform for sales of drones, spare parts launched in Russia in test mode

The platform will offer propellers, frames, engines, communication systems, the head of the United Russia party’s central executive committee Alexander Sidyakin said

Russia says Su-35S fighter jets provide cover to Aerospace Forces in Kursk Region

Also, one aircraft used onboard weapons systems to detect enemy air defense sites, according to the ministry

Shelling on Donetsk decreases as frontline shifts — DPR head

Denis Pushilin noted that shelling in Donetsk’s Kirovsky and Petrovsky districts is expected to diminish further once Kurakhovo is liberated

Russian forces pound Ukrainian military airfields, ammo depots over past day — top brass

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

United Kingdom’s defense expenditures up by 14% in past decade — The Times

According to the article, Iran’s military budget grew by 57%, China’s - by 60% and Russia’s - by 34% in the reported period

Plane crashed near Aktau was diverted to Makhachkala due to fog in Grozny

It is reported that this was a routine flight initially scheduled to arrive in Grozny

Assassination attempt on defense executive thwarted near Moscow — FSB

The attackers’ activities were coordinated by Ukrainian special service agents through foreign internet messengers, as evidenced by data retrieved from seized communication devices, the FSB added

Turkey’s, US defense chiefs discuss Syria, security issues

A conversation took place between National Defense Minister Yasar Guler and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin

Over 150 spontaneous graves found in Popasnaya in LPR

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According to the report, the plane crew had to perform several maneuvers to dodge it

Top German officials pressured by Biden to strengthen anti-Russian coalition in EU — Dodik

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Russian forces gain control over road between Gulyaypole, Velikaya Novosyolka — official

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Zelensky defines essence of next summit on Ukraine in four-letter explicit word — Lavrov

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FACTBOX: Shelling of Lgov in Russia’s Kursk Region

The attack resulted in the deaths of three individuals, with a fourth victim passing away from injuries at the hospital shortly afterward

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Azerbaijani president on his way back home from Russia after AZAL plane crash

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Scientists present Russia's first 50-qubit cold atom quantum computer — MSU

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Hostilities in Ukraine to end in 2025 — Hungary’s Orban predicts

The Hungarian prime minister recalled that America and Europe spent about 300 billion euros on the war in Ukraine

Russian air defenses eliminate 59 Ukrainian drones over various regions overnight

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According to Karin Kneissl, Russia doesn’t want to trigger any nuclear war

Continued terror attacks by Kiev to be met with increasingly tougher response — Lavrov

The top Russian diplomat expressed disappointment that virtually none of the Western nations have joined Russia’s condemnation of these attacks, including the leaders of international organizations like the UN, OSCE, or UNESCO

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Earlier, the Israeli army press office reported that air-raid sirens sounded in several areas of central Israel following the launch of a missile from Yemen

Armored vehicle with Israeli commanding officers blown up in West Bank

The rest of the passengers in the vehicle did not get injured

Azerbaijan publishes list of passengers on board crashed plane in Kazakhstan

Media reports say that at least 28 people have survived

Sunken tankers violated seasonal maritime traffic restrictions — authority

A number of tankers of the ships' owner Volgatransneft did not have a license for transporting dangerous cargoes in inland waters

Syria’s new authorities rename hospitals named after ex-president’s family members

Some of them were named after Bashar Assad’s brother Bassel, who died in a car crash in 1994

Russia’s 2,000th R-7 rocket delivers Resurs-P remote sensing satellite into orbit

Resurs-P satellites are designed for the Earth’s remote sensing and for regional and local monitoring of its surface

Trump doesn’t want repeat of Minsk agreements — Kellogg

He expressed hope that the US president-elect will be able to achieve a settlement of the conflict in Ukraine in a "relatively near term."

Putin to hold informal CIS summit in St. Petersburg

An informal meeting before the New Year is a long-standing tradition of the Commonwealth

Syria’s Interior Ministry calls on members of former regime to hand over their arms

According to transitional Interior Minister Mohamed Abdel Rahman, the government has set a deadline for the handover of weapons held by members of the former regime and the public

Russian forces increasing pressure on Ukrainian troops near Belogorovka in LPR — expert

Unfavorable weather has made things worse for the enemy in that sector of the line of engagement, Andrey Marochko said

Russian cancer vaccine to be free of charge — top oncologist

It is planned to launch it in general circulation in early 2025

Pope Francis opens Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica

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Mercenary from Norway faces criminal charges for incursion into Kursk Region

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

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Ukraine’s army attacks Russia’s borderline Belgorod Region with over 50 UAVs in past day

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Russia not to deviate 'one bit' from its main conditions in talks on Ukraine — speaker

"Certainly, the negotiation process will begin next year, without any doubt, but in my opinion it will be very complex," Valentina Matviyenko stressed

Twenty-five people survive passenger plane crash in Kazakhstan — Emergencies Ministry

According to the report, twenty-two people have been taken to a hospital

Biden considers new sanctions against Russian energy sector — The Washington Post

According to the newspaper’s sources, possible options also include revoking the license that allows banks to handle transactions with Russian energy resources

Shopping mall in Russia’s North Caucasus city of Vladikavkaz catches fire after explosion

Regional head Sergey Menyailo said that the blast had killed a woman inside the building

Sandu takes office as Moldova’s president for her second term

Parliamentarians, members of the Constitutional Court, and foreign diplomats attended her inauguration

Assad allegedly hands list of military targets over to Israel before leaving Syria — media

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Trump’s son posts image showing father buying Canada, Greenland on Amazon

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Ukraine’s General Staff reports tense frontline situation

The most difficult situation for Ukrainian troops is observed in the Krasnoarmeisk (Pokrovsk), Kurakhovo and Vremevka frontline areas

Four GLONASS navigation satellites ready for launch — Roscosmos head

Yury Borisov added that over the past year, Roscosmos has expanded its Earth remote sensing constellation by introducing high-resolution observation satellites, including a Resurs-P satellite and a Kondor radar imaging satellite

Deployment of Moldovan troops to Transnistria to violate settlement accords — expert

On April 15, 2013, two explosions, with 12 seconds in between, happened in Boston’s downtown, near the finish line of the traditional marathon

Russian troops liberate Novy Trud community in Donbass region over past day

Russia’s Battlegroup South inflicted roughly 245 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed six enemy howitzers in its area of responsibility over the past day, the Defense Ministry reported

Denmark to strengthen control over Greenland after Trump’s words — top defense official

Denmark plans to increase the number of personnel at the Joint Arctic Command in the Greenlandic capital of Nuuk

Russia doesn’t need ceasefire in Ukraine, it needs legally binding guarantees — Lavrov

According to the foreign minister, these agreements should be aimed at eliminating the root causes of the Ukrainian conflict

Russian expert suspects Ursa Major sank due to act of sabotage

Alexander Stepanov remarked that such attacks are virtually impossible to identify and track down

Putin's principles of Ukrainian settlement stem from international law — Lavrov

The top Russian diplomat drew attention to the fact that "the Kiev regime plays into the hands the West, which needs to remove such a strong competitor as Russia from the international scene"

Situation with gas supplies from Russia to Europe difficult — Kremlin

"You have heard the Ukrainian side’s statement and you know the position of the European countries that continue purchasing Russian gas and that consider it necessary for normal operation of their economy," Dmitry Peskov said

Georgia became inconvenient for 'friends' after rejecting Ukrainian scenario — official

According to Kakha Kaladze, the country faced unprecedented pressure because of this

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According to emergency services, the incident was caused by a household gas explosion

Initiative along entire frontline in Russian forces’ hands — Polish general

According to Waldemar Skrzypczak, Russian troops' daily advances amount to 1-2 kilometers (0.6-1.2 miles)