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Roscosmos says signed contract with NASA on Soyuz seat for US astronaut

The Soyuz spaceship will be launched to the ISS in the autumn

© Sergei Savostyanov/TASS

MOSCOW, May 12. /TASS/. Russia’s state space corporation Roscosmos and the United States’ National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) have signed a contract for a Soyuz MS seat for a US astronaut in the autumn 2020, Roscosmos press service told TASS on Tuesday.

"A contract was signed today on providing a seat for a US astronaut onboard a Soyuz MS manned spaceship to be launched to the ISS in the autumn of 2020," the press service said, refusing however to disclose the contract’s sum, saying it is "a commercial secret."

NASA said earlier it had finished consultations with Roscosmos on purchasing a seat onboard a Soyuz spaceship to be launched to the ISS in the autumn.

According to NASA’s Stephanie Schierholz, NASA will pay more than 90 million US dollars for a Soyuz seat and corresponding services.

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said on May 1 the sides were close to an agreement on the purchase of a Soyuz seat. The launch is planned for October 2020. He did not rule out that NASA could buy one more seat.

The United States stopped its own manned spaceflights in 2011 when the Space Shuttle program was closed. Since then, NASA astronauts have been taken to the ISS by Russian Soyuz spaceship. Currently, a number of US companies are developing new spacecraft for manned programs.

Russia’s Soyuz rocket delivers Progress MS-29 resupply ship into orbit

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

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According to the experts, Ukraine’s incursion into Russia’s borderline Kursk Region turned out to be a "strategic catastrophe" amid "manpower shortages"

UK police say no video evidence of Russians’ involvement in Salisbury case

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

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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"

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

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

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Putin orders protection of critical infrastructure, including Crimean Bridge — Kremlin

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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"

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

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Zelensky admits Ukraine can't fight its way back to 1991 borders

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US uses veto right to block new UN Security Council draft resolution on ceasefire in Gaza

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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

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

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

The Belarusian leader noted that they want to go to Warsaw

Putin sends message to those seeking to 'add fuel to fire' before Trump’s return — expert

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Trump seeks to restore peace in entire world — transition team on Putin’s address

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

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Russian State Duma passes law on federal budget for 2025-2027

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Russian air defense deflects attacks with Western missiles — Putin

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Elon Musk denies his impact on Trump’s decisions on nominates for cabinet positions

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Russian embassy warns UK about dangers of calling for Moscow’s ‘defeat’

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Railroad development to strengthen ties with foreign partners — Russian PM

Mikhail Mishustin added that "it is necessary to modernize border crossings in coming years, including introduction of practice of electronic paperwork"

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"

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

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Romanian presidential candidate vows to end military aid to Ukraine

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Russian troops liberate Dalneye community in Donbass region over past day

Russia’s Battlegroup South inflicted roughly 380 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed a British-made howitzer and four US-made artillery guns in its area of responsibility over the past day

Moscow-Washington hotline not in use now — Kremlin spokesman

Dmitry Peskov added that there have been no contacts via this new channel lately

Trump's new presidency will be fundamentally different from his first — expert in the US

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Russia’s revised nuclear doctrine makes defeat over its army impossible — SVR chief

According to the latest version of the document, the core principle is that nuclear weapons are a last resort to ensure the protection of the country’s sovereignty

Russia counts on West's responsibility in nuclear deterrence issues — Kremlin

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin decreed to update the country’s nuclear doctrine, the Basic Principles of the State Policy of the Russian Federation on Nuclear Deterrence

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

US decision on missile strikes aimed at provoking Russia, expert says

According to Andrey Sushentsov, Biden is under pressure from Washington’s allies and "the hawks" in his government who believe that the US is not providing enough support to Kiev

Press review: Russian air defenses can down Western missiles as EU conducts live exercise

Top stories from the Russian press on Tuesday, November 19th

Captives, Ukrainian losses: situation in Kursk Region

Over the day, the enemy lost more than 150 people, while five Ukrainian servicemen surrendered

US makes mistake by destroying INF Treaty — Putin

The Russian leader stressed that the United States made a mistake by unilaterally destroying the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 2019 under a far-fetched pretext

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

According to Daniel Davis authorizing US long-range weapons to be used against Russia is "foolhardy to the highest order," "especially because there is no military upside for doing so"

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

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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

Japanese lawmaker urges global condemnation of decision on missile strikes on Russia

Muneo Suzuki described Joe Biden’s decision as "dangerous and provocative"

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

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

Russian air defenses repulsed all attacks, the Russian president said

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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

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

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

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US, NATO decision on strikes continues policy of escalation — Putin

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

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French Foreign Ministry refuses to disclose number of SCALP missiles shipped to Ukraine

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Putin’s Q&A session and press conference to be held on one of December Thursdays — Kremlin

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

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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"

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

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Ukraine has around 50 ATACMS missiles — The Times

According to the report, the Ukrainian military has sufficient launchers that are capable of firing them

Official declines to say if US gives Ukraine targeting data for Storm Shadow missiles

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ICC issues arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant for alleged crimes in Gaza Strip

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

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Ex-German chancellor never expected Russia to tolerate Ukraine’s NATO membership — memoir

Angela Merkel added that another fallacy was the belief that the status "would act as a deterrent," and that Moscow "would accept these developments without taking action"

US strategic forces ready for Biden-Trump transition — Pentagon

"The nuclear forces is ready on January 19, just like it will be ready on January, 20," Rear Admiral Thomas Buchanan said

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Defeating Ukrainian forces near Olgovskaya wood, enemy losses: situation in Kursk Region

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

Putin confirms Russia’s readiness to assist CAR with security challenges

"Both leaders exchanged views on regional issues, focusing on the fight against the terrorist threat and ensuring stability across the Central African Republic," the statement reads

Russian troops liberate Ilyinka community in Donbass region over past day

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US Senate refuses to block arms supplies to Israel

More than 60 out of 100 senators voted against the three corresponding resolutions, while 17 legislators supported them

Russian diplomat accuses West of using coercive measures to punish certain countries

Such measures are aimed at "destabilizing the economic and financial systems of countries that fall out of favor, damaging entire sectors of the economy and destroying global production chains," Sergey Vershinin specified

Biden's decision to use ATACMS on Russia threatens to kill Americans — Tucker Carlson

The journalist also criticized US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson (a Republican representing the state of Louisiana) for "not even mentioning it in public or in leadership meetings" with factions in the lower house of Congress

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

West’s decision on missile strikes gives Russia free hand to attack NATO bases — expert

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Kremlin condemns report on Storm Shadow missile use against Russian targets as escalation

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

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Russian troops advance in areas north, south of Velikaya Novoselka in DPR — official

Earlier, Vladimir Rogov stated that a successful offensive by the Russian Armed Forces north of Velikaya Novoselka could allow them to encircle the settlement

Ukrainian special services assemble unit for sabotage attacks in Kupyansk — official

According to Yevgeny Lisnyak, the special services threaten people with criminal charges of collaborationism if they refuse to join the unit

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"

Humanitarian situation in Gorlovka harsh as Ukraine targets key infrastructure — DPR head

More than 80,000 users were left without power in Gorlovka on Tuesday morning due to the Ukrainian armed forces' shelling

Moscow hopes West will thoroughly analyze Russia's nuclear doctrine — ambassador

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

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

Russian forces dislodge Ukrainian troops from half of positions in Kurakhovo in DPR

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

Turning to the Labour Party’s domestic policies, Andrey Kelin said Starmer’s plans to spur the economy were "not met with applause by the population

Media from unfriendly states will be admitted to Putin's annual press conference — Kremlin

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Enemy has no countermeasures for Russia’s Oreshnik missile — Putin

Speaking in a televised address, the head of state assured that Russia will issue notifications before using this type of missile

Humanitarian crisis in Kiev-controlled Kupyansk district of Kharkov Region near critical

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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