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Coronavirus pandemic

Of 80% vaccination target, 67.8% of Russians get first COVID shot — deputy PM

According to the latest data, the herd immunity rate is 45.7% in Russia

© Kirill Kukhmar/TASS

MOSCOW, October 28. /TASS/. An average of 67.8% of Russians have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine against the target of 80% for the entire adult population in Russia, Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova said on Wednesday.

"As of today, the population vaccinated with the first dose of the target number (80% - TASS) amounts to 67.8% on average in the country," she said at a meeting on mass vaccination with regional officials.

According to the latest data, the herd immunity rate is 45.7% in Russia. The full course of COVID-19 vaccination was received almost 49.2 million times in the country.

The Russian consumer health watchdog (Rospotrebnadzor) said earlier that at least 80% of the adult population needs to be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity in Russia. According to Golikova, it is more than 90 million people.

Russian deputy defense minister detained on suspicion of bribe-taking

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Russian missile cruiser Varyag enters Mediterranean Sea

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Nicaragua, Russia sign declaration to counter illegal sanctions — vice president

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Russia’s advanced radar in Kaliningrad to monitor entire territory of Europe — source

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Oksana Markarova explained that $4 billion worth of weapons that was to be provided under the previous decisions still remained undersupplied

Russian forces take Ukrainian strongholds near Klescheyevka under control

Apty Alaudinov posted a drone video footage of elimination Ukrainian personnel and Russian forces capturing enemy trenches

Ukrainian military’s shelling leaves two civilians wounded in DPR in past day

The Ukrainian armed forces carried out 22 attacks on residential areas in the Donetsk People’s Republic

Russia’s top brass reports destroying US-made Hawk air defense system in Ukraine operation

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Russia invites all countries to develop North - South transport corridor — Putin

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North Korea stages first combined tactical drill simulating nuclear counterattack — KCNA

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US can ship weapons to Ukraine within few days if funding approved — Pentagon

Russian envoy, Sudan's intelligence chief discuss military-political situation in republic

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Russia and friendly countries produce almost 90% of components for Aurus cars — NAMI

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Russian-Kazakh commission discusses border demarcation issues

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

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Russian troops destroy four boats with Ukrainian assault force on Dnieper River

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Four women killed in Zaporozhye Region in Ukrainian drone attack

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US Abrams tanks, Bradley APCs unloaded in Greece — report

The website underscores the great importance of the port of Alexandroupolis for the US and NATO

Baku cannot turn blind eye to France, India, Greece arming Armenia — President Aliyev

"If we see a serious threat to us, we will have to take serious measures," the Azerbaijani President warned

Militants cornered in Nalchik open fire when told to surrender — authorities

According to the press service of the National Antiterrorism Committee, FSB officers were informed about the whereabouts of individuals suspected of terrorist activities

Mobilization law condition for new supplies of arms to Kiev by NATO — source

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Raisi doubts 'Israeli regime' to exist in case of its attack on Iran

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Putin proclaims Odessa Russian city, challenges Ukraine's historical narrative

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Azerbaijanian leader says reaching peace with Armenia by November 'quite realistic'

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Israel retaliates missile launches from Gaza Strip — IDF

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Vasily Prozorov said that "it is extremely difficult to count on any better judgement on their part"

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Vasily Prozorov noted that the perpetrators could have been eliminated once they crossed the border

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Russia recovers black boxes from crashed Tu-22M3 bomber

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Putin signs law on holding World Friendship Games

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Several Ukrainian drones destroyed over Kursk Region

Apart from that, according to Roman Starovoit, Ukrainian troops staged several shelling attacks on the Kursk Region

Ukrainian troops fleeing Ocheretino in small groups, says DPR

"There is one more or less suitable road but it is also being shelled," adviser to the DPR head Igor Kimakovsky said

Russia presents world’s first hydrogen-fueled luxury car at Innoprom exhibition

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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

Detained deputy defense minister suspected of taking grand bribe of over $10,000

This charges carries a punishment of up to 15 years behind bars

De Beers cuts diamond mining due to unsold inventories

The average retail price per carats gained 23% annually in the first quarter to $201

US using human rights topics to shake political situation in Russia — embassy

"Attacks against Russia mainly focused on challenging the legality of the special military operation in Ukraine", the Russian embassy said

US expert says more ATACMS won't alter battlefield dynamics in Ukraine

"There is no magic weapon, there is no series of weapons that could change this" situation for the Ukrainian armed forces, Scott Ritter said

Russian Foreign Ministry gives Israeli ambassador talking-to over critical remarks

According to the ministry, a rebuttal to Simona Halperin’s statements was posted on its official website

Republika Srpska president praises Moscow-Banja Luka relations, favors strengthening them

Milorad Dodik also touched upon the topic of sanctions mentioned by Patrushev earlier

Russian envoy, authorities of Afghanistan call for unfreezing of Afghan assets

The Foreign Ministry noted that the sides discussed "further development of the diverse bilateral cooperation in political and economic areas, and the establishment of the regional cooperation with Afghanistan within the Moscow format"

Moldovan authorities seize large sums of money from opposition activists

Searches conducted in various parts of the country today yielded sums in rubles, leus, and dollars, as well as mobile phones

Russian deputy defense minister detained on suspicion of bribe-taking

"Russian Deputy Defense Minister Timur Vladimirovich Ivanov was detained on suspicion of committing a crime under part 6, article 290 of the Russian Criminal Code," the Russian Investigative Committee said

NATO has no plans to deploy nuclear forces in Poland — Stoltenberg

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Russian presidential envoy visits Afghanistan to discuss political cooperation

Russian presidential envoy for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov met with Deputy Prime Minister for political issues Abdul Kabir, Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, and Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani

Over 280 recovered from mass grave at hospital in Khan Yunis — TV

The operation to recover bodies of people killed in Israeli bombardments continues in the city

Turkey will not join sanctions against Russia — Erdogan

"Firstly, I cannot leave my people to freeze in the winter, and secondly, I cannot completely reboot this industry of ours," Erdogan said

Putin’s inauguration to take place on May 7, senator says

According to the law, the president-elect takes office for six years

Ukraine lost best fighters near Artyomovsk, retired general says

Sergey Krivonos added that relocation of troops from one direction to another will not solve Ukrainian forces’ problems, and that each fighter should be used according to their specialization

UN chief describes current state of climate as ‘preview of disaster’

Antonio Guterres stressed that the world community must reduce global greenhouse emissions by 43% by 2030 compared to 2019

37 Russian, Ukrainian children receive treatment in Qatar — diplomat

Qatari Foreign Ministry Spokesman Majed Al-Ansari said that ten families from Ukraine, including 16 children, and ten families from Russia, including 21 children, arrived in Doha on April 18

Modern weapons make up 82% in Russian air defense troops — Shoigu

"The Kiev regime has failed to achieve the goals of its counteroffensive prepared by NATO instructors," the defense minister said

Calls for joint use of nuclear weapons with US dangerous — ICAN

The organization believes that the states that deploy nuclear weapons on their territory are "consenting to be party to mass murder of civilians"

Hamas threatens that hostages remaining in Gaza may go missing

Spokesman for the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades Abu Ubaida emphasized that at the moment "the ball is in the court of Israel's allies," but "time and opportunities are limited"

Over 14,700 residential houses remain flooded in Russia

The source also said that 38,302 Russians have been evacuated from flooded areas and settlements potentially falling into these zones since the beginning of the spring floods

West balancing on edge of direct military confrontation between nuclear powers — Lavrov

According to the top Russian diplomat, it is especially concerning that the three Western nuclear powers are among the key sponsors of the Kiev regime and the main initiators of various inflammatory moves

US authorities prepare military aid for Ukraine worth $1 bln — Reuters

The aid package includes vehicles, Stinger man-portable air defense system munitions, HIMARS rockets, 155-mm artillery shells, TOW and Javelin anti-tank missiles and other weapons that could be "used at the battlefield immediately"

Attempts are made to turn Moldova into ‘second Ukraine’, Lavrov warns

The Russian foreign minister also said that Chisinau's behavior resembles role-playing

EU may sanction 10 firms for allegedly shipping weapons tech to Russia — Bloomberg

According to the agency, the companies being assessed for potential sanctions are based outside Russia but have links to Russian and Belarussian individuals and firms

Azerbaijani president accuses West of seeking to draw vision lines in South Caucasus

"That is why we expressed our concern over the unprecedented meeting in Brussels between the European Commission president, the US secretary of state, and the Armenian prime minister," Ilham Aliyev stressed

Flow of cargo traffic via North-South transport corridor to reach 60-100 mln tons

The presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan, Vladimir Putin and Ilham Aliyev, met with veterans, builders and employees of the Baikal-Amur Mainline on Monday

Kremlin vows legal action against US bill on seizing Russian assets

Dmitry Peskov noted that the trial will be "very complex," but will cause severe damage to US economic interests if the US authorities finally approve the bill regarding Russian assets

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

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

Mexicans, Colombians recruited in US jails to be deployed in Ukraine — SVR

Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service said that in case the inmates agree to this "mission," "they are promised full amnesty, reckoning they would never come back"

Ukrainian army strikes own surrendering soldiers — POW

Andrey Babenko said that after a crash course in Britain he had been sent to the frontline near Liman

Gaza settlement crucial for Islamic world, Erdogan believes

In his opinion, it would be a mistake to view the Gaza issue solely from the perspective of October 7, 2023, when the Palestinian-Israeli conflict sharply escalated

Eleven Russians dead, 48 injured in Ukrainian strikes over week

Rodion Miroshnik pointed out that over the past week, Ukrainian forces fired "at least 1,278 rounds of ammunition" at the civilian facilities in the border regions