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Maslenitsa festivities: Moscow bids farewell to winter

This year, Maslenitsa Festival is held from February 21 till March 1 at 29 venues all over Moscow

Photo {{sliderIndex+1}} from 10

Maslenitsa scarecrows installed near the Kremlin for Maslenitsa Festival in Moscow

© EPA-EFE/YURI KOCHETKOV

Actors in scary masks and bear costumes performing during the Maslenitsa Festival near Red Square in Moscow

© EPA-EFE/YURI KOCHETKOV

Bulgarian folk musicians performing in Moscow

© EPA-EFE/YURI KOCHETKOV

Pancakes cooked during the 2020 Moscow Maslenitsa Festival in Manezhnaya Square in Moscow

© Sergei Bobylev/TASS

Tourists walking at a holiday market during Maslenitsa celebrations in front of the Historical Museum on Revolution Square near the Kremlin Wall in Moscow

© AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko

An actor dressed in folk costume sitting next to a bread oven during the Maslenitsa Festival in Moscow

© EPA-EFE/YURI KOCHETKOV

Bulgarian folklore musicians performing near Red Square in Moscow

© EPA-EFE/YURI KOCHETKOV

Cooking pancakes during the 2020 Moscow Maslenitsa Festival in central Moscow

© Sergei Bobylev/TASS

The festival is held from February 21 till March 1 at 29 venues all over the city

© Sergei Bobylev/TASS

People in ethnic costumes taking part in the 2020 Moscow Maslenitsa Festival in central Moscow

© Sergei Bobylev/TASS

Maslenitsa is a traditional Eastern Slavic religious and folk holiday marking the end of winter that dates back to the pagan times. Maslenitsa is celebrated during the last week before Great Lent, preceding Orthodox Easter. This year, Maslenitsa Festival is held from February 21 till March 1 at 29 venues all over Moscow.

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US not seeking confrontation with Russia, but will continue assistance to Kiev — Pentagon

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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

German politician slams Ukraine’s ‘irresponsible’ strike on Russia with UK-made missiles

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The president stressed that given the weapon’s special power, it "will be provided precisely to the Strategic Missile Forces"

Captives, Ukrainian losses: situation in Kursk Region

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

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US-led coalition aircraft violate Syrian airspace ten times in past day

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Russian forces cut off key Ukrainian supply route in Velikaya Novoselka, DPR

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

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Japanese government refrains from commenting on Russia’s latest hypersonic missile

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Western nations should take Putin's statement seriously, warns Hungarian PM

Viktor Orban recalled that Russia has "one of the most powerful armies in the world, which boasts the most advanced, most powerful weapons"

Russia’s steel production plunged in October — WSA

China produced 81.9 mln metric tons in October, up 2.9% on an annualized basis

Good relations between Moscow, Riyadh helping oil market stability — Medvedev

"Our friends are living in the Arab world," the politician noted

Turkey’s desire to be gas hub important for energy security — Russian official

Russia will continue developing pipe gas supplies and will "continue supplying competitive energy resources to partners and the whole world," Pavel Sorokin noted

Any escalation scenario possible in Ukraine conflict — Medvedev

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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

Zelensky fine with conflict continuing due to Western help — Slovak PM

Robert Fico pointed out that "more and more evidence show that the West seeks to prolong the war in Ukraine for various reasons"

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"

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Ukrainian defense line in Donbass may soon collapse — expert

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IN BRIEF: What Putin said about Russia’s new missile, and Moscow’s response to the West

Moscow used its new Oreshnik medium-range hypersonic ballistic missile in response to the West’s decision to authorize strategic-depth strikes on Russia

Russian air defense deflects attacks with Western missiles — Putin

"As a result, the goals that the enemy apparently set have not been achieved," the Russian leader said

West builds up military presence near Russia’s Arctic borders — presidential aide

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Ukraine conflict entering decisive phase, Polish PM says

According to Donald Tusk, "no one knows how the conflict will end"

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

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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

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

Oreshnik missile to change course of Ukrainian conflict, Medvedev believes

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

US, West have no capabilities to intercept new Russian hypersonic missile — expert

"There is more in the Russian arsenal than many believe," said Karin Kneissl, the former Foreign Minister of Austria

Lukashenko grants asylum to Schmidt persecuted on political grounds by Poland

The head of state also approved citizenship applications from foreign nationals and stateless persons residing in the country

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

Ukrainian frontline may 'collapse' under onslaught of Russian forces — BBC

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

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

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

Russian strategic missile forces to be equipped with advanced weapon by 95%

"A large-scale investment program for expanding production capacities at defense sector organizations is being implemented", Vasily Tonkoshkurov said

Russia's Oreshnik missile poses significant threat to West, Turkish expert warns

These missiles pose a threat not only to Ukraine but also to the entire Western world, including continental Europe and Great Britain, Abdullah Agar stressed