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Trump says Sullivan may be appointed as next US ambassador to Russia

US President Donald Trump said that Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan is "respected very much"

US Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan EPA-EFE/THIBAULT VANDERMERSCH

US Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan

© EPA-EFE/THIBAULT VANDERMERSCH

WASHINGTON, August 20. /TASS/. US Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan may be appointed as the next US ambassador to Russia, US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday at the meeting with Romania's President Kalus Iohannis.

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"He is somebody that is being put up and respected very much," Trump said. "I know that [US Secretary of State] Mike Pompeo likes him very much, and he's very respected. He could very well be [my nominee]," he added.

The New York Times earlier reported that Sullivan is the most likely candidate to replace outgoing ambassador Jon Huntsman. Even though he has "limited diplomatic experience dealing with Moscow," Sullivan earlier participated in US-Russian consultations on strategic stability, where Moscow was represented by Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov.

Several media earlier reported that US envoy for North Korea Stephen Biegun may be appointed as new ambassador to Russia.

Incumbent US Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman resigned earlier this month. He will leave his post on October 3. Huntsman served as ambassador to Moscow since October 2017.

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Russia says its battlegroup West seized better positions

The Russian forces also foiled a counterattack of an assault group of the Ukrainian 80th mechanized brigade in the vicinity of the Krasnoye settlement in the Donetsk People’s Republic

IAEA chief to have working contacts with Rosatom, no meeting with Putin is planned

Rafael Grossi may visit Russia in late May

All-Belarusian People's Assembly adopts new military doctrine, security concept

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Kremlin announces creation of blockchain-based payment system in BRICS

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TASS, SMI2 to launch positive content aggregator on Internet

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Russian Embassy to Austria denied participation in ceremony at Nazi concentration camp

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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

Potential nuclear facilities in Poland to be military target for Russia — senior diplomat

According to Sergey Ryabkov, discussions around the deployment of NATO nuclear facilities in Poland are an "unfolding story"

US military advisers, if sent to Ukraine, won’t come close to frontlines — Pentagon

"United States has no intent of conducting combat operations inside of Ukraine, nor are these forces going to be anywhere near the frontlines," Patrick Ryder said

North Korea to take part in SPIEF — Embassy in Russia

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Russian deputy defense minister detained on suspicion of bribe-taking

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Israel Defense Forces delivers more strikes on Hezbollah infrastructure in Lebanon

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Radioactive cloud from Ukraine’s eliminated munitions drifts to Europe — Security Council

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Ansar Allah strikes one ship every two days, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi said

European Parliament urges EU states to regard Russian presidential vote as illegitimate

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Foreign delegations show great interest in Russian defense products — security official

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Situation at ZNPP remains unpredictable — International Atomic Energy Agency

The situation can take a sudden turn for the worse from one minute to the next, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said

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White House alleges that Russia working on satellite carrying nuclear device

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Russia’s national jurisdiction must be competitive for business — Putin

The President noted that the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, together with other business associations, is doing a lot to relieve the business environment from red tape, helping to simplify or convert administrative procedures and approvals into electronic form, and helping the government improve legislation and control and supervisory activities

Russians not let to Turkish Airlines flights to Mexico due to US pressure on it — diplomat

Sergey Ryabkov noted that such problems exist for Russians using Turkish Airlines flights to other Latin American countries

Swiss conference on Ukraine undermines European security — Russian diplomat

In Maxim Buyakevich words, neither the talks nor their outcome can change the existing political and territorial realities

Crocus City Hall attack funded using cryptocurrency, Russian finance watchdog says

Russia’s Federal Financial Monitoring Service head added that the act of terrorism was intricately planned and it took an international network of conspirators to carry it out

Unemployment rate in Russia remains less than 3% — Putin

The unemployment rate went down in regions and settlements where it was historically high, the head of state stressed

Kiev violates diplomatic relations convention by recruiting mercenaries abroad — diplomat

Maria Zakharova pointed to media reports, according to which Ukrainian embassies in a number of countries are openly campaigning local citizens to join the so-called International Legion of Ukrainian Territorial Defense

Russian children’s commissioner holds first face-to-face talks with Ukrainian counterparts

Maria Lvova-Belova thanked Qatar for setting up a venue for dialogue between Russia and Ukraine regarding children’s interests

West prepares puppet structures in case of coup in Belarus — KGB

Ivan Tertel said various methods were being considered, up to "instigating a forceful seizure by illegal armed groups" being trained in the West and Ukraine

Venezuelan foreign ministry, Russian embassy hold joint conference in Caracas

The event brought together almost 200 diplomats, foreign ministry staffers and experts in international relations

First-ever South Korean citizen arrested for espionage in Russia

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Dardanelles temporarily closed due to fire on board of dry cargo carrier

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Government, business to continue dialog — Kremlin

The President and business representatives are satisfied with outcomes of the meeting, Dmitry Peskov noted

Casualties reported after Ukrainian strike on residential house in Zaporozhye Region city

The rescuers are involved in efforts to clear the rubble of a five-story house on Kuibyshev Street

Press review: NATO flexes muscles near Russian border and South China Sea runs hot

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West’s unwillingness to give up hegemony escalates tensions in world — security official

According to Nikolay Patrushev, this creates conditions for the devaluation of international law and its institutions and the erosion of the UN's central role in resolving global and regional conflicts

Around ten shopping malls in Moscow evacuated over bomb threats

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Fatah accuses Hamas of actions that led to Israeli control of Gaza — report

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Positive trends in Russian economy become stronger — Putin

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Good GDP growth results showed in first months of 2024 — Putin

GDP growth is 6% in average over the first two months, the Russian leader noted

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Serial production of missiles for S-500 air defense systems begins in Russia — source

State trials of S-500 are under way at a testing range in southern Russia

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Andrey Marochko added that the Ukrainians have also intensified artillery and drone attacks at Russian positions

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Ukraine to cease to exist unless it enters into talks, Belarusian president warns

Alexander Lukashenko stressed that his Ukrainian counterpart Vladimir Zelensky should have realistic expectations

Global community condemns use of terrorists in geopolitical struggle — Russian official

Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev noted that the heads of foreign delegations expressed sincere condolences to the Russian people over the casualties of the attack on a concert hall outside Moscow

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Labor productivity requires a significant increase in all sectors of the economy, the President stressed

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US nukes in Poland to become target for Russia should confrontation with NATO occur — MFA

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Kiev may use ATACMS missiles to hit Crimean Bridge — Russian defense ministry official

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West bends sanctions rules when it suits them — Kremlin

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Promotion of Russian brands gives good return — Putin

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Cosmonauts complete spacewalk two hours ahead of schedule

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Transfer of US ATACMS missiles to Ukraine cannot be justified — Russian ambassador

"Neither these missiles nor other weapons can help defeat the Russian Federation," Anatoly Antonov said

Network of international conspirators plotted Crocus terrorist attack — watchdog

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Ukraine turns into testing ground for future world order, says Belarus president

"The largest nuclear powers, albeit indirectly, are actually fighting on Ukrainian territory. And not indirectly," the president of Belarus noted

US government prepares to sign $6-bln contract for arms deliveries to Ukraine — Politico

According to the article, the United States "is putting the finishing touches" on one of its largest Ukraine military aid packages to date, which may be announced on Friday

Global community changing tune about how Ukraine conflict started — security official

According to Nikolay Patrushev, these countries "understand perfectly well who is financing" the Kiev regime

ATACMS shipment proves ‘Zelensky’s formula’ needed in US as ‘smoke and mirrors’ — diplomat

"Washington’s plan is sickeningly simple, as it means dragging everyone under the pretext of ‘peace intentions’ to an empty gathering, while bolstering Zelensky’s terrorist potential," Maria Zakharova said

Blinken’s visit to China meant to shatter Russian-Chinese ties — senior Russian diplomat

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Cosmonauts complete spacewalk two hours ahead of schedule

The cosmonauts fulfilled their tasks way faster than planned, spending four hours and 36 minutes in space

Putin stays in daily contact with Sergey Shoigu, Kremlin spokesman says

Timur Ivanov was arrested by Moscow’s Basmanny Court

Ukraine could send special forces to capture Zaporozhye NPP — politician

According to Vladimir Rogov, the Ukrainian troops are holding drills to cross the Dnieper from the right bank to the left bank and capture a large industrial site

Russian troops wipe out Ukrainian UAV production workshop over past day

The Russian forces improved their frontline positions and inflicted casualties on five Ukrainian army brigades in the Donetsk area over the past day, the Defense Ministry reported

Bolivarian Alliance countries stand for multipolar world — Maduro

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China vows decisive response to US move to deploy intermediate missiles in Asia-Pacific

The Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson stressed that "US steps are posing a major threat to security and stability of regional players"

Houthis say they attacked MSC Darwin vessel in Gulf of Aden

The Houthis also confirmed that the movement will "continue its military operations, impeding the navigation of Israeli vessels in the Red Sea, the Arab Sea and the Indian Ocean"

Kiev troops may strike targets in Crimea with ATACMS missiles — newspaper

The goal "is to put more pressure on Crimea," The New York Times said

West again tried to obstruct international security meeting in Russia — security official

According to Nikolay Patrushev, some representatives planned to attend the meeting, but later succumbed to pressure and refused

Russia needs to boost production of goods based on domestic technologies — Putin

The President undescored that Russia did not plan to produce absolutely everything domestically

US effectively dooms Ukraine by its new decisions, Russian envoy says

"The American aid won’t save Zelensky. New weapons will be destroyed, and the special military operation goals will be achieved," Anatoly Antonov stressed

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

"In any case, whatever the modality of providing this aid, de facto it is about provoking Ukraine into further hostilities down to the last Ukrainian, putting guarantted money in the pockets of the US," Dmitry Peskov said

IN BRIEF: Russian deputy defense minister, entrepreneur arrested for taking bribes

According to the investigation, Timur Ivanov and Sergey Borodin "criminally conspired with third parties" in order to receive a bribe "as providing monetized services when conducting contracted and subcontracted work" for the Defense Ministry