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Coronavirus pandemic

COVID-19 vaccine trials show it is safe and well tolerated, says Defense Ministry

Eighteen volunteers took part in the vaccine trials

© Russian Defense Ministry/TASS

MOSCOW, July 15. /TASS/. The vaccine tested at the Burdenko Main Military Clinical Hospital is safe and well tolerated, the Russian Defense Ministry told reporters on Wednesday.

"The available data based on laboratory and instrumental research makes it possible to say that the vaccine is safe and well tolerated," the ministry said.

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Russia developing 17 potential COVID-19 vaccines

Eighteen volunteers took part in the vaccine trials. Their vital signs were within normal limits for 28 days after the vaccination. No adverse events, complaints about health, complications or side effects were recorded, the ministry noted.

According to the Defense Ministry, on the 42nd day after the first vaccination, volunteers will have to return to the hospital for the final medical examination and diagnostics.

In early June, the Russian Defense Ministry said that two groups of volunteers had been selected for clinical trials of the vaccine. The first group included military servicemen, while the second one is comprised of civilians. The experiment is being conducted by the Russian Defense Ministry in collaboration with the Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology.

The group of military servicemen consists of 50 people, including five women. There are also 10 medical workers among them.

On June 30, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that research on a new coronavirus vaccine should be completed by the end of July.

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Russia got the support of 129 countries in a November 20 vote in New York at the 40th plenary session of the UN General Assembly

Russia interested in security of Baltic undersea infrastructure — embassy in Denmark

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Russia uses aerial bombs to destroy Ukrainian positions near DPR’s Konstantinovka — source

According to the report, at least 15 Ukrainian servicemen were killed as a result of the attack

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

Bulgarian politician sees Oreshnik missile strike as wake-up call for peace

"European politicians need to think twice about what they do next, especially since Donald Trump, who will take office in two months, replacing the current White House occupant, has already expressed his commitment to the policy of peace," Krasimir Karakachanov said

German chancellor reiterates decision not to send Taurus missiles to Ukraine

Olaf Scholz stated that only the Social Democratic Party of Germany could maintain a balance between caution and clear support for Ukraine

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

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Zelensky shook up by Russia’s response to permission to attack it — Lavrov

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World has not seen such chaos, brutality since World War II — Kim Jong Un

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

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Iran begins installation of three new generations of centrifuges to enrich uranium — TV

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Russian army pushes Ukraine out of Kurakhovo water reservoir’s north shore

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Western countries should 'be afraid, tremble' after Putin's statement — lawmaker

Andrey Kartapolov added that the special military operation in Ukraine "will continue its course until all tasks are completed"

Russia to hold informal UN Security Council meeting on unilateral restrictions

It will be held on November 25

Washington has no plans of updating nuclear posture after Russia’s test of new missile

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US decision to allow missile strikes deep into Russia fuels global escalation — Slovak PM

Robert Fico also rejected the belief that this escalation would not impact "those living far away, in Spain, England, or America"

Kremlin clarifies notification process for Oreshnik missile launch

"An automated warning was sent 30 minutes before the launch," Dmitry Peskov said

North Korean leader warns of growing risk of nuclear war — KCNA

Kim Jong Un added that negotiations with the US only confirmed the North Korean view that Washington’s hostile policy remains unchanged

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

"The US continues to benefit from the Ukrainian crisis, regardless of which administration is in power," Andrey Sushentsov said

Romanian presidential candidate vows to end military aid to Ukraine

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Zelensky begs ‘for his country to be flattened’ — US journalist

"Ukraine should be forever grateful that President Putin is calm, rational and kind - because Zelensky is practically begging for his country to be flattened," American political commentator Jackson Hinkle said

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

The Department of State and other US agencies "should continue to engage our competitors in real and substantive dialogue," Rear Admiral Thomas Buchanan said

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"

US administration chooses to escalate Ukraine conflict — Kremlin

Earlier, Putin stressed that the Ukrainian army is unable to fire the latest Western-made long-range missiles on its own without support from NATO satellite feeds and the involvement of the bloc’s military

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"

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

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

"A diplomatic search for balance and mutual understanding should be the goal, instead of further escalation," Alice Weidel said

Nuclear escalation of Ukraine conflict unlikely, says ex-French envoy

"In my opinion, as long as Russia has an advantage on the battlefield, and at this point it does, the risk of nuclear escalation is low," Jean de Gliniasty poited out

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

"No, there have been no notifications, for Russia has no such obligation with regard to intermediate-range missiles," Dmitry Peskov emphasized

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"

Eliminating best enemy units: Defense Minister visits special op area

Andrey Belousov stressed that Russian troops have accelerated their advance in the special military operation zone and have effectively disrupted Kiev's 2025 military campaign

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"

Biden slams ‘outrageous’ International Criminal Court warrants for Israeli leaders

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Press review: Russia fires missile at Ukraine plant and Biden forgives Kiev $4.65 bln debt

Top stories from the Russian press on Friday, November 22nd

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

"By authorizing long range missiles to strike inside Russia, Biden is committing an unconstitutional Act of War that endangers the lives of all US citizens," Thomas Massie said

Decision on strikes inside Russia seals US puppet Zelensky’s fate — commentator

The New York Times reported earlier, citing sources, that US President Joe Biden had authorized the use of US-made ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles for strikes inside Russia

Ukraine conflict entering decisive phase, Polish PM says

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

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

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

Russian air defenses repulsed all attacks, the Russian president said

Russia fires ballistic, non-nuclear-tipped missile at Ukrainian aerospace plant — Putin

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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"

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

According to th statement, London is promoting new rounds of escalation

China urges restraint after Russia, Ukraine's exchange of attacks — foreign ministry

Lin Jian also reaffirmed Beijing's position on the Ukrainian issue

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

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US, European officials suggest returning nukes to Ukraine — NYT

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Russia encircles largest Ukrainian fortification in southern DPR — security services

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Bundeswehr prepares plan for Operation Germany in case of war with Russia — newspaper

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

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West beginning to realize only part of Ukraine will remain — Lavrov

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Ukraine was warned about possible missile strike — Pentagon

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Oreshnik test aims to persuade West to avoid escalation in Ukraine — media

According to the report, the use of Oreshnik has become "part of a new era of missile warfare"

White House not yet ready to speak on causes of Baltic undersea cable ruptures

Two underwater cables were damaged in the Baltic Sea on November 17 and 18

Russia hammers Ukrainian military-industrial facilities, energy sites over week

Russian forces liberated seven communities in the Donetsk People’s Republic over the past week, the Defense Ministry reported

Kremlin confident Putin's statement got through to US administration

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on November 21 that the United States and its NATO allies had earlier announced that they would authorize Ukraine’s use of long-range weapons to hit inside Russia, after which American and British missiles struck Russian military facilities in the Kursk and Bryansk regions

China holds US responsible for disrupted defense ministers' meeting in Laos

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West irrational, fails to understand it cannot intercept Russia's new missiles — Kneissl

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Ukraine should consider territorial concessions to Russia in return for peace — magazine

Foreign Policy pointed out that Western officials should stop insisting in public speeches on the need to achieve a strategic defeat for Russia

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

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Spokesman Lin Jian highlighted Washington's use of double standards in handling the Israeli-Palestinian conflict within the United Nations

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

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

The Russian president said that "all the goals we set for ourselves are being achieved"

US journalist calls US President Joe Biden’s government 'the fascist state'

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Pentagon sees possibility of sending more antipersonnel landmines to Ukraine

Department of Defense Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh gave no direct answer to the question of how Washington was planning to control Kiev’s use of US landmines

Enemy losses, mercenary intrigue, humanitarian aid: situation in Kursk Region

Over the day, the enemy lost 150 troops, four motor vehicles, an artillery piece and two mortars

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

Internet shutdown possible in Belarus if events of August 2020 recur, Lukashenko says

Belarus faced widespread disruptions to mobile Internet access in 2020 due to the protests that erupted across the country

Putin’s remarks on hypersonic missiles send serious warning to West — Turkish politician

According to the Russian president, it can install a nuclear warhead on this missile, if necessary, Deputy Chairman of Turkey’s Patriotic Party Hakan Topkurulu said

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

According to the security services, Ukrainian troops still have access to several unpaved roads, which are also under Russian fire control

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

Department of Defense Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh also claimed that Washington, while helping Ukraine, is not attempting to turn the conflict into a large-scale regional confrontation that spills beyond the country’s borders

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

It is reported that the conflict in Ukraine, provoked by the West, has acquired elements of global nature

Russia entitled to use weapons against military sites of states attacking it — Duma

"Russia has repeatedly stated that such actions will receive a response – and it will be a stronger one," Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin stressed

US forces strike Houthi sites with seaborne missiles — TV

According to Al Arabiya, US warships fired at least four missiles at Houthi-operated facilities in the Al-Matina area around 90 km south of the province’s administrative center

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

Western air defense systems unlikely to intercept Russian missiles — France’s Le Monde

According to the French military source, Russia's recent use of the Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile should be taken in the context of possible negotiations regarding the ongoing Ukrainian conflict

Putin's speech shows West that Russia won’t waver, is ready for any scenario — expert

Dmitry Suslov pointed to a crucial message in the President's speech: "Russia firmly believes that the West has moved from a proxy war to a direct war" and that the sides are already "in a state of global conflict"

Putin warns West that Russia can respond to any turn of events

"There will always be an answer," the president said

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

Trump nominates Pam Bondi for US attorney general

Former Florida attorney general is smart and tough, and she "will do a terrific job as Attorney General," US president-elect said

Weapons supplied to Ukraine cannot reach Russian territory, Spanish defense minister says

The New York Times reported on November 17 that US President Joe Biden had authorized the use of US-supplied ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles for strikes inside Russia

Signal to West and 'red card': experts weigh in on Putin’s missile launch statements

The important message in Vladimir Putin’s speech was that "Russia does believe that the West has shifted from a proxy-war to direct war" and that the parties find themselves in "a global conflict" now, Dmitry Suslov said

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"

Russian military to warn Ukrainian civilians of future Oreshnik attacks — Kremlin

Earlier, the Russian Armed Forces carried out a precision strike on Ukraine’s Yuzhmash defense industry facility in retaliation for the use of US-and UK-made weapons for strikes on Russia