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Coronavirus pandemic

Coronavirus situation tense across Russia, though growth rate on decline, says watchdog

To date, 2,375,546 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia, with 1,859,851 patients having recovered from the disease

MOSCOW, December 3./TASS/. The coronavirus situation remains tense across Russia, although the growth rate is decreasing, Russia’s chief sanitary doctor Anna Popova said on Thursday.

"Of course, the situation is tense, it is obvious. The growth rate is declining but the overall number of daily reported cases remains rather big," Anna Popova, head of the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing, said in an interview with Nailya Asker-zade for Vesti news program on Rossiya-1 television on Thursday.

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Hungary-EU dialogue on Russian COVID-19 vaccine did not go smoothly — Russian envoy

According to her, the spread of the virus can be stopped only when all people will observe the necessary precautionary rules. "This is a new coronavirus, it has come in its due season. It behaves as though it owns the place, since it was the first to get into the population exactly in its autumn-winter season," she added. "We are likely to have some of it in spring as well. The spread will be stopped only when we all observe the simple precautionary and preventive measures," she summed up.

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. According to the latest global statistics, over 64.5 million people have been infected worldwide and about 1.5 million deaths have been reported.

To date, 2,375,546 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia, with 1,859,851 patients having recovered from the disease. Russia’s latest data indicates 41,607 fatalities nationwide. Earlier, the Russian government set up an Internet hotline to keep the public updated on the coronavirus situation.

About 30 events in 26 countries to be held as part of Russian Film Festival — minister

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

No plans for pauses in fighting if talks on Ukraine begin, Lavrov says

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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

West wants to make Transnistria hotbed of tension — Lavrov

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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

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

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Lavrov speaks of West’s agony, Russia’s approach to any future talks with Kiev

The Russian foreign minister also described Armenia and Russia as more than formal allies

Shoigu orders additional tank protection sets for Ukraine operation

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Kiev continues to openly announce terrorist attacks on Russia — diplomat

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Moscow-based embassies of NATO countries helped anti-government groups, Lavrov says

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MiG-31I fighters receive air refueling system

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Russia knows French military instructors working in Ukraine — Lavrov

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Russia always prefers talks to fighting, wars, says Lavrov

The first Russian-Ukrainian negotiations after the launch of Moscow’s special military operation in Ukraine took place in Belarus in early March 2022 but the talks yielded no tangible results

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

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Lavrov views situation in Middle East as 'very bad'

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The agency said it and the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine informed their Polish counterparts about the alleged assassination attempt

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

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"

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

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

"I think that the decision has been taken by the member-states - all 27 have agreed that we use the windfall profits following our proposal," Ursula von der Leyen said

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

Lavrov says Borrell let it slip that Europe ‘fighting against Russia’

Russia’s top diplomat noted that Josep Borrell may made the statement in a moment of weakness

West, Kiev indulge in nuclear blackmail by demanding control of ZNPP — Russian MFA

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

Earlier, the media reported that one of the strikes hit Tha'lah Military Airbase, with several explosions going off there

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"

Ukrainian front may collapse this summer — newspaper

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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

Switzerland does not suit Russia for negotiations on Ukraine — Lavrov

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

Top stories from the Russian press on Thursday, April 18th

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

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

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"One should clearly support the need to seek solutions that take into account the balance of security interests and ensure the indivisibility of security," the top Russian diplomat underlined

Romania tries to cancel Russian culture by banning films — diplomat

"The National Film Archive of Romania, for political reasons, broke the lease agreements for cinema halls with Russian embassy in Bucharest, which provided for the private screening of the Russian films "The Time of the First" and "The Challenge," Maria Zakharova said

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

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Iran intends to bolster military cooperation with Russia — envoy to Moscow

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Israel assesses effectiveness, consequences of strike on Iran — media

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

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US blackmails other countries at United Nations — Russian mission

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

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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

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

Vasily Nebenzya described the US veto as a "fruitless attempt to stop the inexorable course of history"

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

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French president says creating Israeli-type air defense network for Ukraine impossible

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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

Pipeline explodes in Kharkov Region

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Kiev ordered mandatory evacuation from Kharkov Region to accommodate mercenaries

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Colombian president displays interest in country’s entry into BRICS

Brazilian leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva welcomed Gustavo Petro’s initiative, "being committed to promotion of Colombia’s candidacy"

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

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

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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

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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

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

Ahmad Haqtalab argued that Israel had been conducting "subversive and terrorist activities" against the Islamic republic's nuclear infrastructure for year

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

Ukraine’s military loses positions near Avdeyevka, says DPR

Igor Kimakovsky said that Ukrainian forces suffered heavy casualties among personnel and military hardware, including Western equipment

Sounds in Isfahan due to air defense work to repel attacks by suspicious objects — general

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Top stories from the Russian press on Friday, April 19th

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US did not 'endorse' Israel’s retaliatory attack, but was warned about it — TV

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

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

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

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

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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

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