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Moscow blasts ‘heavy-handed’ Western meddling to drag Macedonia into NATO, EU

In late September, Macedonia's name change referendum was declared void

© Alexander Shcherbak/TASS

MOSCOW, October 4. /TASS/. Western countries are aiming to drag Macedonia into NATO even after a referendum on changing the country’s name was held there, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters on Thursday.

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Macedonia’s name change referendum declared void

The diplomat recalled that on September 30, Macedonia held a referendum on changing its name, which has been declared invalid. "Despite the fact that leading politicians in the EU and NATO member-states openly urged Macedonian citizens to vote in favor [of changing its name], which, we believe is a totally unacceptable practice, all this ended in failure," Zakharova pointed out. "However, they welcomed its results without batting an eyelid. In particular, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg promised to grant Skopje membership in the alliance as early as the beginning of 2019, leaving no doubt that the parliaments of Macedonia and Greece would pass the required decisions.”

"The continuation of heavy-handed outside interference in Macedonia’s internal affairs is evident," the diplomat stressed. "The goal is obvious - to drag Skopje into the alliance at any cost."

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Russia must be able to defend itself — Erdogan on revised nuclear doctrine

The Turkish leader reiterated that "both Russia and Ukraine are Turkey’s neighbors"

Moscow-Washington hotline not in use now — Kremlin spokesman

Dmitry Peskov added that there have been no contacts via this new channel lately

Russia to address NATO’s engagement in strikes deep inside country — SVR

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US missile defense base in Poland long among Russian army’s targets — Foreign Ministry

Maria Zakharova stated that the US-NATO construction project, ongoing for nearly a decade with complete disregard to Russian security concerns, has consistently been a focus of Russia's attention

Kiev suffering fiasco on entire front line — aide to DPR head

Igor Kimakovsky said that "if the West is not physically involved in this war, that is, if NATO is not involved, then Ukraine is actually losing"

Biden's decision to use ATACMS on Russia threatens to kill Americans — Tucker Carlson

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Belarusian security agency says Minsk aware of Poland’s efforts to prepare terrorist cells

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Russian troops have taken new lines and positions northwest of Zolotaryoka as a result of successful operations

Biden's decision on missile strikes on Russia is his 'last gasp' — Japanese lawmaker

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ATACMS missiles unlikely to keep Kiev from losing conflict — American expert

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Trump's new presidency will be fundamentally different from his first — expert in the US

"It is therefore reasonable to expect him to govern for the next four years in a more emboldened, assertive way, and many of his outsider cabinet picks are indicative of precisely that kind of approach," the analyst believes

Ukraine, not Russia, posing a threat to the Baltic region — Kremlin

Two underwater cables were damaged in the Baltic Sea on November 17 and 18

Putin orders protection of critical infrastructure, including Crimean Bridge — Kremlin

Kiev has not accepted the legitimate results of the 2014 referendum, in which the people of Crimea and Sevastopol voted to become part of Russia, and is displeased by the operation of the Crimean Bridge, which connects the Kerch Strait with the Krasnodar Region

No Western sanctions to limit Russia’s foreign trade — minister

All restrictions that Western countries impose affect themselves in the first place, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov added

Russian embassy warns UK about dangers of calling for Moscow’s ‘defeat’

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It was also reported that over 100 people were wounded

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US State Department Spokesman Matthew Miller also declined to discuss the presumed first strike on Russia with the missiles

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French Foreign Ministry refuses to disclose number of SCALP missiles shipped to Ukraine

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Putin confirms Russia’s readiness to assist CAR with security challenges

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Japanese lawmaker urges global condemnation of decision on missile strikes on Russia

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Ex-German chancellor never expected Russia to tolerate Ukraine’s NATO membership — memoir

Angela Merkel added that another fallacy was the belief that the status "would act as a deterrent," and that Moscow "would accept these developments without taking action"

Ukrainian frontline may 'collapse' under onslaught of Russian forces — BBC

According to the experts, Ukraine’s incursion into Russia’s borderline Kursk Region turned out to be a "strategic catastrophe" amid "manpower shortages"

Freezing Ukrainian conflict unacceptable for Russia, says Kremlin

"It is important for us to achieve our goals, which are well known to everyone," Dmitry Peskov emphasized

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China slams US nuclear policy for undermining global stability

The United States continues to modernize its nuclear triad, Lin Jian noted

US uses veto right to block new UN Security Council draft resolution on ceasefire in Gaza

The resolution was drafted by ten non-permanent members of the Security Council and consists of nine paragraphs, the first of which calls for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire respected by all parties

FACTBOX: What is known about UAV attacks on Russian regions

During the night, air defenses intercepted and destroyed two Ukrainian UAVs in the skies over the Rostov and Volgograd regions

Trump may soon start talks with Russia following Biden’s decision on ATACMS — news agency

According to Andreas Kluth, the decision on ATACMS may have been another attempt by the current Washington administration to provide Ukraine with support until the president-elect comes to power

Six European countries accuse Russia of allegedly attacking security architecture

"Moscow's escalating hybrid activities against NATO and EU countries are unprecedented in their variety and scale," the statement reads

US decision on strikes inside Russia stems from malice rather than strategy — journalist

According to Sumantra Maitra, Washington’s move will not improve Kiev’s situation

US Congressman urges to impeach Biden for allowing strikes deep into Russia

"By authorizing long range missiles to strike inside Russia, Biden is committing an unconstitutional Act of War that endangers the lives of all US citizens," Thomas Massie said

Putin’s Q&A session and press conference to be held on one of December Thursdays — Kremlin

"The direct line and press conference are being prepared," Dmitry Peskov said

Press review: Russian air defenses can down Western missiles as EU conducts live exercise

Top stories from the Russian press on Tuesday, November 19th

Defeating Ukrainian forces near Olgovskaya wood, enemy losses: situation in Kursk Region

The Russian Armed Forces have completed the destruction of a Ukrainian battlegroup blocked in the area of the Olgovskaya wood

Russian troops liberate Dalneye community in Donbass region over past day

Russia’s Battlegroup South inflicted roughly 380 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed a British-made howitzer and four US-made artillery guns in its area of responsibility over the past day

Decision on strikes inside Russia seals US puppet Zelensky’s fate — commentator

The New York Times reported earlier, citing sources, that US President Joe Biden had authorized the use of US-made ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles for strikes inside Russia

Lukashenko tells Putin situation is "starting to get tense with Wagner"

The Belarusian leader noted that they want to go to Warsaw

Captives, Ukrainian losses: situation in Kursk Region

Over the day, the enemy lost more than 150 people, while five Ukrainian servicemen surrendered

Zelensky admits Ukraine can't fight its way back to 1991 borders

Vladimir Zelensky also talked about the Crimean Peninsula, stating that Kiev is ready to "bring Crimea back diplomatically"

Russian State Duma passes law on federal budget for 2025-2027

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Xi Jinping calls for unification of more voices for peace in Ukraine

"We need to bring together more voices of peace and pave the way for a political solution to the Ukrainian crisis," Chinese president said

NATO supports Ukraine not out of charity but for its own strategic interests — deputy head

Boris Ruge argued that NATO now has hundreds of thousands of troops that could be deployed to the alliance's eastern flank or elsewhere within ten days

Putin previously warned about Kiev's attempts to blow up TurkStream pipeline — Kremlin

According to the newspaper, Zaluzhny was so enthusiastic about the Nord Stream pipelines sabotage that he "even wanted to expand" the operation

Ukraine’s former top commander sought to blow up Turkish Stream pipeline, report says

According to the media, Valery Zaluzhny was so thrilled when he learned of plans to sabotage the submarine Nord Stream pipelines across the Baltic Sea that he sought to expand that operation

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Russia to use revenues from frozen assets of Western investors — Finance Minister

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Russian troops raise flag in central Kurakhovo in Donetsk region — politician

Russian army units have advanced much farther into the city’s northern part, in particular, along the southern bank of the Kurakhovo reservoir, Vladimir Rogov specified

Humanitarian crisis in Kiev-controlled Kupyansk district of Kharkov Region near critical

According to Yevgeny Lisnyak, the Ukrainian authorities supply water for a short time, once every three days

Press review: US lets Kiev use anti-personnel mines and Iran may halt uranium enrichment

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US is now at war with Russia, Ritter says

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Canada neglects its sovereignty by approving transfer of land mines to Kiev — diplomat

According to Oleg Stepanov, since the authorities of the country have long acted, "especially in security matters, according to the rule 'what Uncle Sam says, so Ottawa will do' and don’t blush about this."

NATO enters conflict, Russia has every right to attack its targets now — expert

Col. (Ret.) Lawrence Wilkerson confirmed to TASS that the launch of ATACMS missiles would be impossible without "US/NATO satellite feeds and/or personnel"

Trump to continue using Ukraine to contain Russia — Valdai program director

"The US continues to benefit from the Ukrainian crisis, regardless of which administration is in power," Andrey Sushentsov said

US strategic forces ready for Biden-Trump transition — Pentagon

"The nuclear forces is ready on January 19, just like it will be ready on January, 20," Rear Admiral Thomas Buchanan said