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US citizen Paul Whelan convicted for spying in Russia can be swapped in September

Whelan was sentenced to 16 years behind bars

MOSCOW, July 20. /TASS/. The swap of US national Paul Whelan who was found guilty of spying against Russia and sentenced to 16 years behind bars can take place in September, Whelan’s defense attorney Vladimir Zherebenkov told TASS.

"Whelan can be swapped in September," he noted.

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Espionage convict Paul Whelan not to appeal his sentence

It was earlier reported that Moscow City Court had issued an order to begin Whelan’s sentence for the Lefortovo detention center where he is currently held. On December 28, 2018, former US marine Paul Whelan, who also holds British, Canadian and Irish citizenship, was detained by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) in a room of the Metropol Hotel in Moscow while on an alleged spy mission. The FSB opened a criminal case against him on charges of espionage under Article 276 of the Russian Criminal Code. On June 16, the Moscow City Court found Whelan guilty of spying against Russia and sentenced him to 16 years in prison. Whelan pleaded not guilty dismissing the criminal case as provocation by Russian special services.

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The geography of work in the culture sphere was wider before but "all the horizontal ties are kept," Olga Lyubimova noted

EU border checkpoint closest to Russia’s St. Petersburg to cut its working hours

The changes were attributed to reconstruction works on the Russian side of the checkpoint Ivangorod

No foreign state attacks Iran — TV

Earlier, the media reported, citing a US official, that Israel had launched a missile strike on a site in Iranian territory

US 'not forgetting' to help itself with aid to Ukraine — Kremlin

"In any case, whatever the modality of providing this aid, de facto it is about provoking Ukraine into further hostilities down to the last Ukrainian, putting guarantted money in the pockets of the US," Dmitry Peskov said

Crimea, Donbass to forever remain within Russia, Slovak PM tells national parliament

Robert Fico believes Moscow will win in its confrontation with Kiev

Russian Aerospace Forces strike five militant hideouts in Syria’s Homs

Yury Popov said that aircraft of the so-called international anti-terrorism coalition, led by the United States, continue to set dangerous precedents in skies above Syria

Ukrainians abroad storming embassies to avoid mobilization, Russian diplomat says

On Tuesday, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky signed the mobilization law passed by the Verkhovna Rada (parliament) in the second and final reading on April 11

Nearly half of those present in UN Security Council hall walk out before Israel’s address

israeli Permanent Representative Gilad Erdan was to address the council after Palestinian envoy Riyad Mansour

Shoigu orders additional tank protection sets for Ukraine operation

The minister also inspected the training process in Omsk Armor Engineering Institute

Ukrainian front may collapse this summer — newspaper

According to the newspaper’s assessments, Russia "has never been closer to its goals" in the special military operation zone

Kiev continues to openly announce terrorist attacks on Russia — diplomat

Maria Zakharova also pointed to the fact that Ukraine's special services do not give up attempts to "massacre their former compatriots"

Iran has no plans to immediately retaliate to attack on its soil — agency

"We have not received any external attack, and the discussion leans more towards infiltration than attack," a senior Iranian official reported

Russia can join top three countries by lithium reserves — governor

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Kiev ordered mandatory evacuation from Kharkov Region to accommodate mercenaries

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Iran says drones downed over Isfahan launched from country's territory

"A failed attack with a few quadcopters that were shot down cannot be considered a real attack anywhere in the world," a spokesman for Iran’s Supreme Council of Cyberspace said

Water in Kurgan above dam, breaking records

More than 100 employees of the Russian Ministry of Emergencies are fencing the shores and filling the least reliable dam segments

Pipeline explodes in Kharkov Region

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Switzerland does not suit Russia for negotiations on Ukraine — Lavrov

The Foreign Minister pointed to the fact that Switzerland is on board with all Western sanctions

EU plans to invest first profits from Russian assets in military aid to Kiev

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Ukraine’s military loses positions near Avdeyevka, says DPR

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Iran threatens to attack Israel's "nuclear centers" in case of aggression on its part

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Founder of neo-Nazi cell in Crimea flees to Georgia — source

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Iran done with retaliation, calls for efforts to stop Israel from reckless steps — MFA

According to the minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, in the event that Israel uses force against Tehran's interests, "the Islamic Republic of Iran will not hesitate to use its right to give an immediate and decisive response that will make them regret"

Russia’s defense chief inspects production of tanks, flamethrowers at Siberian enterprise

Sergey Shoigu handed down an instruction for the defense enterprise to ramp up the production of T-80BVM tanks, the Defense Ministry said

Israel to not take responsibility for attack on Iran — newspaper

Israeli sources also said that they did not understand why the Pentagon had leaked information about Israel's involvement in the attack to the media

US House passes procedural vote on Ukraine aid bill

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Situation in Iran’s Isfahan stabilizes after drone attack — media

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Russia ready for Ukraine talks, but not with Zelensky — Lavrov

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Zelensky's formula should be put aside for Ukraine talks, Lavrov says

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Lavrov describes Georgia’s bill on foreign agents as 'mildest of all'

The top Russian diplomat stressed that the Georgian bill on foreign agents suggested only the need to declare funds, if the organization in question received more than 20% of its funding from abroad

Kremlin declines to comment on alleged assassination attempt on Zelensky in Poland

The Security Service of Ukraine announced earlier that in a joint operation with law enforcement agencies in Ukraine and Poland it thwarted an attempt to assassinate Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky

Ukraine turns from sovereign country into Western protectorate, Hungarian PM says

Viktor Orban noted that there should be a buffer zone between NATO and Russia and Ukraine could serve as one

Military base near Iran’s Isfahan hit following attack — newspaper

The sources said that Iranian forces managed to destroy several small drones near the city of Tabriz, about 800 kilometers from Isfahan

Press review: Biden backs aid to Israel, Ukraine and Russia assets giving West legal fits

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Argentina’s NATO partnership bid to let US tighten its grip — expert

According to Andrey Pyatakov, the Argentinian authorities' decision is both a declarative step and evidence of the wish to close economic gaps by expanding military-technical cooperation

US blocks Security Council resolution granting full UN membership to Palestine

A total of 12 countries, including Russia and China, voted in favor of the document

Ukrainian trace obvious in Crocus City Hall attack — Russian prosecutor general

The law enforcement employees exert efforts to identify the instigators of this crime, Igor Krasnov said

CIA chief says Ukraine could lose by end of this year — Politico

William Burns said "there is a very real risk that the Ukrainians could at least put Putin in a position where he could essentially dictate the terms of a political settlement"

Tehran’s two major airports cancel international flights — Mehr

Imam Khomeini International Airport and Mehrabad International Airport suspended their operations until 10:30 a.m. local time

West can’t comprehend Russia’s resilience — Lavrov

"They would have been scared had anyone come down on them with similar ferocity," the Russian foreign minister added

Chinese analyst sees US veto on Palestine as reflection of arrogance, double standards

Wang Wen stated that it’s still very hard to achieve a settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Polish premier refuses to hand over his country’s Patriot systems to Ukraine

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Romania tries to cancel Russian culture by banning films — diplomat

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Swiss parliament votes against joining task force on frozen Russian assets

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Syrian ministry says Israeli jets struck air defense facilities in country’s south

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UN Security Council vote exposes practically full isolation of US — Russia’s UN mission

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Russia, Iran maintain contacts on nuclear security - deputy foreign minister

Sergey Ryabkov said that "very soon, Russia and Iran will have new additional opportunities to discuss the situation in the Middle East in general, as well as details of what is going on there at this point"

Major Western investor accuses Zelensky's office of extorting millions of euros

Arnulf Damerau said that he provided details of the meeting, along with evidence and a list of names of those involved, to US and European intelligence agencies

Hungary to not intervene in Ukrainian conflict on any side, PM says

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Agents in Ukrainian, Poland foil attempt to kill Zelensky, security officials in Kiev say

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Senior Chinese official to take part in conference on security in Russia — diplomat

The conference will take place from April 23 to 25 in St. Petersburg

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According to Bloomberg, Israel informed the United States about its plans to strike Iran within the next 24-48 hours

French, US, British nukes all interwoven — Russian diplomat

Maria Zakharova described France’s decision to place its aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, directly under NATO control as a symbolic move marking the end of "the era of an independent Paris in the international arena"

Hezbollah warns Israel it will fight back if attacks on Lebanon continue

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Russia not to go for settlement on Ukraine based on 'Zelensky formula' — Lavrov

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Ukrainian president admits Russian troops’ advancement

Vladimir Zelensky asked his country’s supporters to provide "everything that helps to hold the frontline," including shells, military vehicles and drones

Russia always prefers talks to fighting, wars, says Lavrov

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Nuclear sites in Iran’s Isfahan province are safe — Tasnim agency

Tasnim refuted foreign media reports about an incident at a nuclear site in Isfahan

Chinese car plant to start production at former Mercedes site in Moscow region in May

Earlier it was reported that the German automobile concern Mercedes-Benz plans to sell its enterprise located in the Solnechnogorsk district of the Moscow region

Russia won’t allow NATO to move closer in Ukraine — Lavrov

There is still no full clarity regarding the future of Ukraine's western regions, the Russian foreign minister went on to say

Security guarantees on Ukraine did not apply to Crimea, Donbass — Lavrov

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One crew member of jet crashed in Stavropol Region killed, search for another continues

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, an Aerospace Forces’ Tu-22M3 bomber crashed after completing a combat mission while returning to the airfield

At least 16 Syrian troops killed in terrorists’ ambush in east Syria — TV

According to the Al Hadath television, a military bus was ambushed by members of the Islamic State terrorist group

Lavrov views situation in Middle East as 'very bad'

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Press review: Ukraine, Israel vie for EU’s attention and Georgia passes controversial bill

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Final statement by G7 top diplomats to call for supplying more air defenses to Kiev

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US blackmails other countries at United Nations — Russian mission

Dmitry Polyansky said "this shameful neocolonial tactics are fully exposed now in the context of Gaza War"

Iran suspends flights above several cities amid reports of air attack — IRNA

Fox News said the Jewish state delivered a limited strike on Iran

Russian forces destroy Ukrainian command post, two S-300 missile launchers over day

Russian forces improved their frontline positions and repelled a Ukrainian army counterattack in the Donetsk area where the enemy lost roughly 590 troops over the past day, the ministry reported

Russia delivers 34 strikes on Ukrainian military infrastructure over week — top brass

The Ukrainian army lost more than 3,550 troops, four tanks and five armored combat vehicles in battles with Russian forces in the Donetsk area over the past week, the ministry reported

Yerevan's refusal to delimit borders with Baku to escalate regional tensions — PM

Nikol Pashinyan pointed out that the demarcation process also involves risks, but they are manageable, after which "Armenia will become ten times stronger"

Two pilots of jet that crashed in southern Russia hospitalized

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Three Ukrainian soldiers swim across Dnieper to surrender to Russian troops — governor

Vladimir Saldo called on other Ukrainian servicemen to switch to the Russian side and request the corresponding assistance

Russian military closely monitors all Ukrainian 'novelties' — Kremlin on UAVs

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