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Direct Line and Vladimir Putin's Press Conference

'Year-End Recap with Vladimir Putin' captures 63.1% of TV audience — Mediascope

The survey took into account viewers over four years of age in cities with a population of at least 100,000 people

MOSCOW, December 18. /TASS/. The share of TV viewers in major Russian cities who watched Russian President Vladimir Putin's combined Direct Line Q&A session and year-end press conference amounted to 63.1% of the total TV audience, the press service of the Mediascope company told TASS.

The audience share (the average number of people who watched the TV program, expressed as a percentage of the total TV audience) totaled 63.1% across all channels. The broadcast rating (average number of people who watched the TV program, expressed as a percentage of the total population of the studied audience) reached 10.7%.

The survey took into account viewers over four years of age in cities with a population of at least 100,000 people. Six TV channels carried the event - Channel One, Rossiya-1, Rossiya-24, NTV, Solovyov Live and Mir. Almost all TV channels started broadcasting at 12:07 p.m. Moscow time on December 14. The broadcast ended at 4:11 p.m. or 4:12 p.m.

The president’s last direct line was held in 2021, when the viewership was 58.6%. In 2020, the figure was 54.6%, in 2019 - 50.1%.

The combined Direct Line Q&A session and year-end press conference of Russian President Vladimir Putin was held on December 14. The event, called "Year-End Recap with Vladimir Putin," lasted four hours and three minutes. During this time, the head of state commented on more than 80 appeals and questions from citizens and journalists.

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Direct Line and Vladimir Putin's Press Conference

Emergencies Ministry medivacs nine Russian citizens injured in Aktau flight crash

Their condition is assessed as grave, said Viktor Belinsky, an anesthesiologist and resuscitator at the ministry’s rescue center

Nine killed in shootout with law enforcers in Syria’s Tartus — TV

According to the report Al Hadath, the operation was aimed at detaining a high-ranking former officer of the previous government

Denmark to strengthen control over Greenland after Trump’s words — top defense official

Denmark plans to increase the number of personnel at the Joint Arctic Command in the Greenlandic capital of Nuuk

Russia’s oil industry to be 90% independent of technology import in 2-3 years — Deputy PM

Alexander Novak noted that Russia will achieve leadership in a number of areas, including the extraction of hard-to-recover gas deposits

Russia doesn’t need ceasefire in Ukraine, it needs legally binding guarantees — Lavrov

According to the foreign minister, these agreements should be aimed at eliminating the root causes of the Ukrainian conflict

Russia has no illusions that Ukraine conflict can be resolved easily — top diplomat

"We have never stated that the incoming administration of [US President-elect Donald] Trump will necessarily give a start to negotiations on global security, on Ukraine," Sergey Lavrov noted

Baku, Yerevan can jointly initiate dissolution of OSCE Minsk Group — diplomat

The spokeswoman went on to say that the stalemate began when Western countries de-facto blocked the work in this format

CIA station in Kiev targeted in recent Russian attack, military expert reveals

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Former Austrian minister believes EU ignored message Russia sent with Oreshnik missile

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29 people had been hospitalized

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Russian Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov said earlier that Washington had not contacted Moscow in order to discuss the possibility of a visit by Trump’s Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg and communication with him

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The emergencies ministry has published the official list of Kazakh citizens who perished in the crash

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Russian forces gain control over road between Gulyaypole, Velikaya Novosyolka — official

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Development of gas pipeline route from Russia to China via Kazakhstan launched — Deputy PM

The capacity of the new gas pipeline should be 45 billion cubic meters per year, Alexander Novak said

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The top Russian diplomat expressed disappointment that virtually none of the Western nations have joined Russia’s condemnation of these attacks, including the leaders of international organizations like the UN, OSCE, or UNESCO

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Russian forces increasing pressure on Ukrainian troops near Belogorovka in LPR — expert

Unfavorable weather has made things worse for the enemy in that sector of the line of engagement, Andrey Marochko said

Annual inflation in Russia gearing up to 9.7% over week — Economy Ministry

In the food sector, prices growth rates declined to 0.76% during the reporting week

Australia contacts Russia regarding captured mercenary — diplomat

Maria Zakharova emphasized that "Canberra obediently follows in the footsteps of the collective West, which pursues a Russophobic policy"

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According to Kazakh Deputy Transport Minister Talgat Lastayev, data will be retrieved from flight recorders during the investigation, and interviews will be conducted with eyewitnesses and air controllers

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The top Russian diplomat drew attention to the fact that "the Kiev regime plays into the hands the West, which needs to remove such a strong competitor as Russia from the international scene"

US ramping up biological warfare presence in Africa — Russia’s top brass

Major General Aleksey Rtishchev said that branches of the US National Naval Military Medical Center are stationed in Ghana and Djibouti where active work is carried out in natural disease foci, isolation and sequencing of pathogens

Serious conflict between Israel, Turkey possible — Russian expert

"It’s important to note that the primary development in this context is the markedly increased role of non-Arab states in the region, particularly two key players," Vitaly Naumkin said

Nothing new in US statements on strategic stability dialogue — MFA

"By declaring on the one hand the intention to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia, and on the other hand, the readiness to discuss ways of maintaining stability, Washington deprives the hypothetical dialogue of a meaningful basis," Maria Zakharova said

Group of Syrian law enforcement officers ambushed in Tartus, 14 killed — minister

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Sunken tankers violated seasonal maritime traffic restrictions — authority

A number of tankers of the ships' owner Volgatransneft did not have a license for transporting dangerous cargoes in inland waters

Russian fighters control about 40% of Terny in Donetsk region, military expert says

Andrey Marochko added that Russian servicemen have advanced east of Yampolovka, bringing the distance between that village and Russia’s frontline positions to less than 1.2 miles

Almost 90 children reunited with relatives in Ukraine - commissioner

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Shelling on Donetsk decreases as frontline shifts — DPR head

Denis Pushilin noted that shelling in Donetsk’s Kirovsky and Petrovsky districts is expected to diminish further once Kurakhovo is liberated

Scientists present Russia's first 50-qubit cold atom quantum computer — MSU

The experiment that allowed testing the supercomputer prototype took place on December 19, the Moscow State University said

Russian MFA says West plots campaign to stoke protest sentiment in Belarus

According to Maria Zakharova, Russia regards the social, political and economic situation in Belarus as stable

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Maria Zakharova noted that "under such a scenario, the Russian peacekeeping presence in the region will be jeopardized"

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Russian forces break through Ukrainian defense lines in Kharkov Region — expert

Marochko added that the operation allowed Russian troops to "expand their zone of control" in the area

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Benjamin Netanyahu promised that "this lesson would be learned throughout the Middle East"

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Maria Zakharova was commenting on remarks by IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi who claimed that Iran may develop nuclear weapons

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Russia to donate 1 million euro to UN Climate Convention

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Russia sees US recommendation for its citizens to leave Belarus as provocation — MFA

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Nine Russian nationals survive, seven killed in plane crash in Kazakhstan

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Greece continues to ship munitions to Ukraine en masse — website

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Russian investigators initiate criminal case into terror attack on borderline town

The Ukrainian armed forces carried out a strike on the town of Lgov in the Kursk Region on December 25

CIS countries share common approaches to resolving global issues — Putin

Among other things, "members of the Commonwealth have been increasing cooperation in the fight against extremism, transborder crime, and drug trafficking, and everyday activities and contacts between security agencies have been established," the Russian president said

Russian forces pound Ukrainian military airfields, ammo depots over past day — top brass

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PREVIEW: Putin to participate in Eurasian Economic Union summit near St. Petersburg

The meeting’s participants are expected to discuss guidelines for future integration processes and efforts to develop the union’s free trade zone

Trump’s son posts image showing father buying Canada, Greenland on Amazon

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Drone launched from Yemen falls in south Israel

No reports of damage or casualties have been received so far

Ursa Major freighter was not overloaded, owner says

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Russia practically eliminates remnants of Ukraine’s Air Force — source

The source said that attempts to recruit more pilots in Poland and other Eastern European countries were not particularly successful

Russia’s 2,000th R-7 rocket delivers Resurs-P remote sensing satellite into orbit

Resurs-P satellites are designed for the Earth’s remote sensing and for regional and local monitoring of its surface

Press review: US, Israel aim to curb Turkey’s gains while Moscow, Tehran strengthen ties

Top stories from the Russian press on Tuesday, December 24th

Russia expects from Abkhazia to honor obligations on Russian investments

"And we hope that in conclusion of early presidential election, and it is set in Abkhazia for February 15, 2025, a leader will be elected that will continue working on progressive development of Abkhazia and bilateral relations with close ties with our country," Zakharova added

Ukraine’s General Staff reports tense frontline situation

The most difficult situation for Ukrainian troops is observed in the Krasnoarmeisk (Pokrovsk), Kurakhovo and Vremevka frontline areas

Former Austrian minister names 4 suspect countries in connection with Nord Stream sabotage

Asked what countries could be behind the attack, Karin Kneissl replied that, like in an Agatha Christie novel, "there are many suspects in this imaginary room"

Azerbaijani president on his way back home from Russia after AZAL plane crash

According to the press service, Ilham Aliyev has ordered the relevant government agencies to investigate the causes of the crash and take urgent action

Kremlin admits legal action over transfer of $1 bln from Russian assets to Ukraine

"Such illegal actions, including the transfer of this billion, may surely prompt legal action. And we will surely use all possibilities in the future to protect our rights and the rights to our property," Dmitry Peskov noted

One of two power cables between Estonia, Finland fails for an unknown reason

Two sets of underwater high-voltage direct current power cables connect Finland and Estonia

Azerbaijan Airlines says its ill-fated jet underwent full examination in October

The aircraft’s crew chief, Igor Kshnyakin, clocked more than 15,000 hours of flight time

Five Palestinian journalists killed in Israeli strike on central Gaza — TV

According to the report, the Israeli military struck a vehicle of the Quds News Network, parked outside the al-Awda hospital in the Nuseirat refugee camp

Russia’s Chechnya ships 200 ‘Jihad mobile’ vehicles for special military operation

The authorities of Chechnya handed over 200 "Jihad mobile"

Putin offers condolences to Azerbaijani president over plane crash near Aktau

"Overall, we are expressing deepest condolences to those who lost their near and dear in this air disaster," Dmitry Peskov said

Launch of Russia’s Bion-M biosatellite scheduled for March 25 — manufacturer

The spacecraft, taking 75 mice and 1,500 drosophila flies, as well as plants and microorganisms to space, was initially planned to blast off on September 1, 2024

Azerbaijan Airlines suspends flights from Baku to Grozny, Makhachkala

Flights to other destinations are being made as scheduled, the air carrier said

Russian emergencies minister expects more natural disasters due to climate change

The Russian emergencies minister, Alexander Kurenkov, added, that weather anomalies are becoming more and more frequent

Mine removal at Donetsk airport to start in 2025 — official

In 2014, the Donetsk airport was one of the hottest spots of the confrontation between Ukrainian forces and Donbass militias

Over 30 killed during mass escape of prisoners from Mozambique jail — authorities

A total of 1,534 prisoners, including 29 terrorism convicts, escaped