Coronavirus pandemic

23 Dec 2020, 07:49

Crimea reports new weekly high of coronavirus deaths

A total of 144 fatalities were recorded in December

SIMFEROPOL, December 23. /TASS/. As many as 53 coronavirus deaths were recorded in Crimea in the past week, head of the Russian sanitary watchdog in Crimea and Sevastopol Natalya Penkovskaya said at a meeting of the regional anti-coronavirus crisis center on Wednesday.

"As many as 53 coronavirus deaths were recorded in the past week, which is a new weekly high. I would like to point out that 144 fatalities have been recorded in December, compared to 75 deaths in October and 155 in November," she pointed out.

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WHO reports all-time high of 4.6 million coronavirus cases registered in one week

Penkovskaya added that half of the deceased weren't from at-risk groups.

Crimea’s head Sergei Aksyonov wrote on VKontakte earlier that 353 new coronavirus cases had been identified in the region in the previous 24 hours. Crimea’s case tally has exceeded 22,100, while the number of recoveries is nearing 17,000.

The vaccination of medical workers kicked off in the Crimean city of Simferopol on Tuesday. The first 500 doses of the Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine arrived in Crimea on December 8. A mass vaccination campaign is expected to begin in the region in January.

Man shot dead in Odessa helped set fire to Trade Union building in 2014 — report

Ganul is a neo-Nazi and the former security chief of the Odessa cell of Right Sector (designated extremist and banned in Russia), and also the leader of the Street Front grassroots initiative

Yesterday, 09:45

US special envoy Steve Witkoff's plane lands in Moscow — Flightradar

The plane entered Russian airspace from the direction of Latvia

Yesterday, 18:41

Putin’s statement on Ukraine very promising, Trump says

Earlier on Thursday, Putin said at the press conference following his meeting with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko that Russia agrees with with proposals to end military operations as long as they lead to a long-term peace and address the root causes of the crisis

Envoy Kellogg's non-participation in Ukraine talks internal affair of US — Kremlin

"No, I cannot confirm [information on Kellogg's exclusion at Russia's request]," Dmitry Peskov said

Five Russians were onboard ship that collided with tanker off UK coast — embassy

"They did not sustain any injuries in the accident and their health is out of danger," the statement reads

US discussing all options with Russia, Ukraine, Trump’s national security advisor says

Mike Waltz noted that US President Donald Trump is determined to end the conflict

Yesterday, 19:10

Ukrainian troops failed to retreat from Sudzha — commando group’s chief

"These groups are currently being exposed, pursued, and eliminated," he said

Yesterday, 13:25

ECHR finds Ukraine guilty of failing to take steps to prevent 2014 tragedy in Odessa

Also, it is said that the Kiev authorities did not conduct a proper investigation of the events

Putin met Trump’s special envoy Witkoff late on Thursday — Kremlin spokesman

Dmitry Peskov did not specify the topics that Putin and Witkoff had discussed

Two days ago, 11:27

Macron's intention to protect everyone with France's '3-4 nuclear bombs' is funny — Lavrov

The minister also noted that Macron is now trying to present the situation as if Russian President Vladimir Putin did not want to implement the 2015 Minsk agreements

US envoy Witkoff already left Moscow, TASS source confirms

Earlier, Kremlin Aide Yury Ushakov said that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s meeting with Witkoff would take place when everything’s ready for it

Russia sentences at least nine foreign mercenaries for a role in Ukraine’s Kursk incursion

British national James Scott Rhys Anderson, arrested in the Kursk Region, was given 19 years behind bars following a court trial

Yesterday, 18:48

Trump sees no threat of Russia attacking NATO

"I think what this [the special military operation in Ukraine] gets done, it’s done. They're going to all want to go home and rest," the US president added

ECHR’s ruling on 2014 events in Odessa `a glimpse of common sense’ — Kremlin

Earlier, the ECHR ruled against Ukraine which it said had failed to take action to prevent violence and protect lives

Ukraine violates at least 7 articles of ECHR over 11 years — Russian senator

"The terrorist attacks in Donbass, Kursk, Belgorod, and other Russian regions serve as evidence of that," Konstantin Kosachev said

Yesterday, 18:27

Britain tries to wedge itself into Trump's efforts on Ukraine — Russian ambassador

According to Andrey Kelin, he is "unhappy with the significant deviation from the previous course pursued by the Trump administration, because it has followed and continues to follow a different line"

Yesterday, 16:26

Situation on ground rapidly changing in Russia’s favor — Putin

The Russian president especially thanked Russian forces for liberating the town of Sudzha in the Kursk Region

Yesterday, 17:16

Putin certain it was Ukraine that should have been the one to ask for ceasefire

On March 11, delegations from the US and Ukraine convened in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Yesterday, 14:59

Recapture of Sudzha to let Russian forces create buffer zone in Sumy Region — expert

Andrey Marochko explained that with the liberation of the Kursk Region some Russian troops may be redeployed to various areas within the special military operation zone

Yesterday, 17:32

Kiev always lied during previous ceasefires in Ukraine — top Russian diplomat

Lavrov emphasized that Russia "needs a sustainable, lasting peace based on the fact that the root causes of the current situation are eliminated"

Two days ago, 22:18

Trump concedes NATO at war against Russia in Ukraine

US president made the statement at a meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin

Yesterday, 20:59

Members of Hamas, Islamic Jihad leadership discuss Gaza agreement in Doha

The Hamas delegation at the meeting in Doha was headed by Muhammad Darwish

Yesterday, 17:49

IN BRIEF: Russia for truce, but 'nuances' remain — highlights of Putin's remarks to media

Russia will determine the next steps to resolve the conflict in Ukraine "based on how the situation on the ground evolves," the Russian president said

Yesterday, 09:18

Finland, as in 1930s, becomes springboard for aggression against Russia — Patrushev

Nikolay Patrushev pointed out that Moscow had not taken any aggressive actions towards Helsinki in the late 1930s until the very end, even offering a territorial swap

Armenian PM tells Putin that peace treaty talks with Baku have been completed

The Armenian foreign ministry said on March 13 that all the 17 provisions of the treaty had been agreed upon with Azerbaijan and that Yerevan had invited Baku to look at where and when to sign this treaty

Belarus will not join Russia in the near future — Lukashenko

The Belarusian leader believes that the unification of the two states could have occurred back during Boris Yeltsin's presidency

Yesterday, 20:18

Nearly 200 people evacuated from Kursk Region’s Sudzha district

Rescuers accompany citizens to temporary shelters

Yesterday, 16:39

Witkoff to be invited to Kremlin after signal from Putin — presidential aide

Yury Ushakov declined to predict the exact duration of the meeting

Russia’s retaking of Sudzha deals blow to Kiev’s reputation, expert says

The Russian Defense Ministry has said the Battlegroup North retook Sudzha on March 13

Two days ago, 08:13

Lavrov views NATO troops in any capacity in Ukraine as a threat to Russia

According to the foreign minister, under no conditions will Russia tolerate the presence of NATO troops as peacekeepers on Ukrainian soil

China favors lasting peace in Ukraine — Foreign Ministry

Spokeswoman Mao Ning said that Beijing's stance on the Ukrainian issue remains unchanged

EU ambassadors extend sanctions against Russia, removing three deceased Russians from list

Thus, the EU has extended measures against more than 2,400 Russian individuals and legal entities

Yesterday, 16:25

Kiev may use ceasefire to obtain weapons, mobilize troops — Putin

"Maybe, to get weapons. Or, maybe, to train the newly mobilized personnel," the president said

Yesterday, 17:27

Minsk, Moscow share same position on Ukraine settlement — Belarusian president

According to Alexander Lukashenko, neither Minsk nor Moscow are the cause of what is happening in Ukraine and today, "the need is to make agreements"

Putin’s remarks support cautious US optimism about resolving Ukraine crisis — Kremlin

"You must have heard the important statement that President Putin made yesterday. He said in response to questions from reporters that he backed [US President Donald] Trump’s position on the settlement," Dmitry Peskov pointed out

EU offers Kiev membership for ongoing conflict with Russia — Hungarian PM

Viktor Orban elaborated that Ukraine’s rushed accession to the EU would cause irreparable damage to European countries in areas such as the economy, labor market, healthcare, public security, and border protection

Yesterday, 20:57

NATO doors ‘slammed shut’ for Ukraine — lawmaker

Kiev has repeatedly stated its desire to become a full-fledged NATO member state

Yesterday, 18:12

Nationalists-controlled Ukrainian army dangerous for stability in Europe — Kremlin

Dmitry Peskov further emphasized, "If nationalists are in charge of a strong Ukrainian army, what kind of stability can we expect in Europe? What sort of predictability is possible in such a scenario?"

Ukrainian shelling kills four Russian children since early 2025, senior lawmaker reveals

According to Anna Kuznetsova, over the past year, Ukrainian attacks have killed 51 children and injured 296 minors

Yesterday, 16:50

Russia-US energy cooperation will provide Europe with cheap gas — Putin

The Belarusian leader arrived in Moscow on Thursday on an official visit, his first trip since his re-election in January

Yesterday, 19:28

Trump believes US will annex Greenland

The US President added that his country needs Greenland "for international security"

Yesterday, 16:36

It is becoming impossible for Kiev troops to break out of encirclement near Kursk — Putin

"They are leaving their military equipment behind, because there is no way to evacuate it," the president added

Kursk Region has transformed into a Kursk fortress — acting governor

According to Alexander Khinshtein, both the Russian military, who are liberating the region, and volunteers, who are assisting residents of border areas, are part of such a fortress

Yesterday, 19:50

US discussing with Ukraine what territories it will concede — Trump

In the US President's words, "phase one [in the reconciliation process] is the ceasefire"

Belarus will always be on Russia's side — Lukashenko

"If we must make a choice, we will always stand with our Russia," the Belarusian leader emphasized

Oreshnik missile systems to enter service with Belarusian army soon — Lukashenko

Launchers for Oreshnik missiles will be produced in Belarus, the head of state added

Yesterday, 12:27

US realizes what sending 'peacekeepers' to Ukraine may provoke — Foreign Ministry

According to Maria Zakharova, citizens of NATO member states "support and maintain equipment supplied to the Ukrainian army from the West and offer advisory support in conducting and planning operations by the Banderites and terrorist attacks against Russia and its citizens"

Britain does not want peace in Ukraine because of its interest in Odessa seaports — expert

Vladimir Karasev further elaborated that the British authorities were also interested in Ukraine's resources, which have been handed over to them by Vladimir Zelensky under a 100-year agreement

Yesterday, 18:30

London knows NATO presence in Ukraine unacceptable for Moscow — Russian ambassador

Britain, as Kelin pointed out, has made significant investments in its confrontation with Russia over the past few years and continues to actively support the "Ukrainian project," which is "beginning to capsize"

Yesterday, 18:56

Hearing Russia’s positive signals on Ukraine, US does not want to exert pressure — Trump

When asked to comment on the possibility of toughening anti-Russian sanctions, the US president said: "Well, I do have leverage, but I don’t want to talk about leverage"

Yesterday, 20:03

Trump sees no threat of Russia attacking NATO

"I think what this [the special military operation in Ukraine] gets done, it’s done. They're going to all want to go home and rest," the US President added

Moscow university student accused of terrorism; officers seize shotgun, grenades

According to his defense, Riad Safarov’s fellow students filed a misleading statement against him

Yesterday, 23:06

Riyadh says is ready to contribute to normalizing relations between Russia, US — Kremlin

The Russian leader Vladimir Putin thanked the Saudi side

FACTBOX: What we know about night-time attack by drones headed for Moscow

The falling drone debris hit one of the flats in a residential building in western Moscow, leaving no casualties

Yesterday, 12:33

Acts of bestial cruelty committed by Ukrainian military were systemic, Kursk governor says

Alexander Khinshtein further revealed that nearly every evacuated resident had a harrowing story to share about the Ukrainian military's atrocities

Ukraine’s military killed residents in occupied settlements in Kursk Region — materials

Ukrainian militants shot dead civilians in a car at a bus stop on the outskirts of Sudzha and killed a motorcyclist during their occupation, the defense source said

China, Russia, Iran agree to boost coordination within international organizations

The meeting on the Iranian nuclear issue is chaired by Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu

Yesterday, 22:32

Putin holds phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Al Saud — Kremlin

They expressed their satisfaction with the high level of Russian-Saudi cooperation

Yesterday, 17:57

Top Russian diplomat says not interested in EU stance on Ukrainian settlement

Previously, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that instead of searching for peaceful ways of resolving the crisis, the European Union has been declaring plans to boost military and financial assistance to the Kiev government, thus deliberately fueling escalation

Putin’s response to Ukraine ceasefire proposal puts the ball back into US court — expert

Michael Desch, a professor of international relations at the University of Notre Dame expects 'a long diplomatic rally before the match is over'

Yesterday, 20:01

US-Russian talks on Ukraine ‘going okay’ — Trump

The US President called upon Russia to accept the ceasefire proposal several times

Yesterday, 17:41

Trump says his special envoy Witkoff engages in serious discussions on Ukraine

"We have people talking in Russia," the US president said

US vice president confident Trump wouldn’t support sending nukes further east into Europe

JD Vance criticized the previous US administration’s approach

Russian, US leaders to decide on talk timing after Witkoff’s report to Trump — Kremlin

"Both parties recognize that this dialogue is needed," Dmitry Peskov added

Yesterday, 10:00

Press review: Russia, US eye stability as Moscow upholds preconditions for Kiev talks

Top stories from the Russian press on Thursday, March 13th

Yesterday, 13:14

Putin to formulate Russia’s position on temporary ceasefire in Ukraine — Kremlin aide

Negotiations between the delegations of the United States and Ukraine took place in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia on March 11

Yesterday, 10:09

Russian strikes on logistics, not US, behind halt in Ukrainian ATACMS attacks — politician

Yesterday, 16:12

Kursk situation under Russia’s control, Ukrainian battlegroup blocked — Putin

"This is full isolation and full gunfire control," the Russian leader stressed

Finnish court sentences Russian Torden to life in prison — lawyer

"The defense considers the guilt unproven and the verdict politically motivated," Natalya Malgina said

Two days ago, 11:17

Hundreds of Ukrainian troops occupy Sudzha, Russian security official reveals

While some Ukrainian troops have attempted to flee toward the bordering Ukrainian region of Sumy, all roads remain under Russia’s fire control, he said

Yesterday, 17:11

Russia to discuss end to Ukraine conflict based on actual situation — Putin

Negotiations between the delegations of the United States and Ukraine took place in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia on March 11

Russian forces destroy platoon of Ukrainian troops redeployed to Donbass from Kursk

Ukrainian troops are making attempts with the support of reserves to counterattack in that frontline area, the source specified

Yesterday, 16:48

Putin considers possible Ukraine ceasefire control as very complex

"Who will determine where and who has violated a potential ceasefire agreement along 2,000 km?" the Russian leader remarked

Yesterday, 23:31

People considered missing in Russia’s Sudzha among evacuees, Russian commander reveals

According to Akhmat Special Forces Commander Major General Apty Alaudinov, lists of killed civilians will be prepared

Yesterday, 18:49

Interior Ministry to cancel search for 154 people missing in Sudzha, they are alive

The staff at migration departments accept applications from individuals seeking to restore their Russian passports, which are issued within 24 hours without any duties or fees

Trump’s envoy Witkoff is in Moscow, bringing things back for US leader — Waltz

Russian Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov announced that Witkoff would be invited for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 13 when the latter is ready

Yesterday, 17:39

Ukraine to eventually come back to Russia, Belarus — Lukashenko

"They will take both black soil and rare earth materials, and God willing, they will not take away everything else," the Belarusian leader emphasized

Yesterday, 12:46

Ukrainians unlikely to agree to ceasefire — Belarusian president

Talks between US and Ukrainian delegations took place in Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah on Tuesday

Yesterday, 09:37

Kremlin aide reminds Finland it must adhere to international maritime law

According to Nikolay Patrushev, this is also true from a historical perspective

G7 may impose new sanctions against Russia if it refuses ceasefire in Ukraine — Reuters

According to Reuters data, the measures can include oil price ceilings and additional aid to Ukraine

Russian troops complete clearing of woods west of Kurilovka — security agencies

Russian marines note that the remaining Ukrainian forces are putting up fierce resistance, as many servicemen are still unaware of the defeat of the Ukrainian grouping in the occupied territories

Two days ago, 17:14

Russian army creates several kill zones for Ukrainian forces near Sudzha — Marochko

According to the expert, it is "quite heated now" in the battlefields near the city

China, Russia, Iran urge against escalation around Iranian nuclear energy

The parties emphasized the importance of implementing UN Security Council Resolution 2231 in support of the Iran nuclear deal

Ukrainian troops suffering heavy losses near Sudzha in attempt to evacuate NATO equipment

The Ukrainian army has repeatedly attempted without any success to break through into the Sumy Region on armored personnel carriers, armored combat vehicles and pickup trucks

Yesterday, 23:59

Belarusian president to speak before Russian senators on Friday

Alexander Lukashenko is currently staying on an official visit to Moscow

Air defenses down three drones near Moscow, no casualties reported — governor

Emergency response services are working at the site

Russia’s S-500 missile defense system seen as top-notch by US analysts — media

The S-500, produced by the Almaz-Antey defense manufacturer, was designed to destroy all existing and future aerospace attack weapons of a potential enemy across the entire range of altitudes and speeds

Two days ago, 11:42

Lavrov calls European Commission Chief von der Leyen ‘Fuhrer Ursula’

The Russian foreign minister noted that the EC head is mobilizing everybody to re-militarize Europe

Yesterday, 21:28

Italy’s top diplomat says he summoned Russian envoy after statements by MFA spokeswoman

Maria Zakharova earlier said at a briefing that Italian President Sergio Mattarella’s statements that Moscow allegedly threatens Europe with nuclear weapons are false

Yesterday, 15:36

Russia's interests, pursuit of sustainable peace: Moscow's reaction to truce offer

According to Kremlin Aide Yury Ushakov, the proposal does not give Russia anything and is only a chance for Ukraine to regroup its forces

Population of snow leopards increases from 10 to 87 in Russia over ten years

Ali Uzdenov noted that today the snow leopard resides in four regions of Russia: the Altai Republic, Tuva, Buryatia, and the Krasnoyarsk region

Kursk Region’s border buffer zone should be at least 20-30 km wide — expert

Oleg Ivanov also highlighted that the Russian military had already made significant progress in establishing a security zone by liberating populated areas in the Sumy Region from enemy control

Yesterday, 10:35

EU's militarization strategy aims at inciting war — Zakharova

"Armament of countries that are clearly losing their ability to operate effectively is progressing rapidly and excessively. Historically, this has always been referred to as provoking war," Maria Zakharova stated

Biden administration guilty of worsening US-Russian relations, Trump says

On March 13, Russian President Vladimir Putin responded to media inquiries by expressing gratitude to former President Trump for his involvement in the peace negotiations and endorsing the idea of a ceasefire

Two days ago, 15:23

Chechen leader says Operation Pipeline near Sudzha was daring, incredibly effective

Kadyrov also shared a video featuring the Akhmat units’ commandos moving through the gas pipeline as they advanced into enemy territory

Kursk operation turns into a ticking time bomb for Kiev, Russian official says

Igor Kimakovsky explained that the deployment of Ukrainian forces to the Kursk Region had made it possible for Russian troops to advance in the most tactically crucial areas

Yesterday, 15:27

Agreement on in Ukraine to materialize when Russia plays its cards — Lukashenko

"They have strong cards, as [US President Donald] Trump once said, in their hands," the Belarusian president asserted

Press review: Putin backs ceasefire but calls for talks as Russian army shifts Kursk front

Top stories from the Russian press on Friday, March 14th

Yesterday, 13:24

Confiscation of Russian assets in EU poses threat to European assets in Russia — Le Pen

According to Le Pen, the third reason why Russian assets should not be confiscated is that this will pose a threat to the EU's holdings in the Russian Federation

Yesterday, 15:39

Kiev tried to pass off Ukrainian army’s panic escape from Sudzha as regrouping — expert

"And, naturally, after such slaughter, they would hardly want to continue their service under the direction of the Ukrainian military command and Zelensky," Andrey Marochko said

Yesterday, 20:34

UN to welcome ceasefire in Ukraine, hopes for lasting peace — spokesman

Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier said that Russia would agree to a proposal to end hostilities as long as it leads to a long-term peace and addresses the root causes of the crisis