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Estonia vows not to ‘give into pressure’ over Russia's Sputnik news agency uproar

Earlier on Thursday, Russian Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko said that Russia will take reciprocal measures if the Estonian authorities continue the same policy toward Sputnik journalists

Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu EPA-EFE/Zoltan Mathe

Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu

© EPA-EFE/Zoltan Mathe

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TALLINN, December 27. /TASS/. The Estonian authorities will not give in to pressure in the situation around Russia's Sputnik news agency, Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu said on Thursday.

"Estonia will not give in to pressure exerted by any foreign state in issues that pertain to the impartial enforcement of laws on the country's territory," Reinsalu wrote on his official Facebook account.

"When it comes to the situation with Sputnik, the Estonian authorities are implementing the European Union's sanctions policy in accordance with Estonian legislation, among others concerning several citizens of the Russian Federation who support the aggression against Ukraine," he added.

Earlier on Thursday, Russian Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko said that Russia will take reciprocal measures if the Estonian authorities continue the same policy toward Sputnik journalists. Matviyenko said that such actions against the Sputnik news agency will negatively impact Russian-Estonian relations.

On Thursday, the Russian Federation Council sent letters to OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Desir and Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatovic, calling on them to exert influence on the Estonian authorities to stop attempts to restrict the work of the Sputnik news agency.

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Maria Zakharova noted that the Russian Embassy in Helsinki has sent requests to clarify the situation

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North Korean leader warns of growing risk of nuclear war — KCNA

Kim Jong Un added that negotiations with the US only confirmed the North Korean view that Washington’s hostile policy remains unchanged

Putin stays open to contacts to reach 'peaceful track' — Kremlin

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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"

Russian forces cut off key Ukrainian supply route in Velikaya Novoselka, DPR

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Zelensky fine with conflict continuing due to Western help — Slovak PM

Robert Fico pointed out that "more and more evidence show that the West seeks to prolong the war in Ukraine for various reasons"

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Russia’s reaction to Austrian OMV’s failure to pay for gas justified — MFA

The company stated it would seek damages amounting to 230 million euro for failing to receive the contracted volume of gas from the Russian company for delivery to Germany

West builds up military presence near Russia’s Arctic borders — presidential aide

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Oreshnik can reach targets across entire Europe — missile troops commander

"Based on the tasks and the range of this weapon, it can hit targets across entire Europe, which sets it apart from other high-precision long-range weapons," Sergey Karakayev said

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

Biden’s actions on Ukraine meant to 'muck things up' for Trump — Lavrov

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Russian forces gain foothold in Chasov Yar’s industrial zone — expert

The units of the Ukrainian armed forces have created "a very serious defense line" along the railroad and along one of the streets of the settlement, military expert Andrey Marochko told TASS

Biden’s decision to use ATACMS against Russia may 'blow up in America’s face' — US expert

According to Daniel Davis authorizing US long-range weapons to be used against Russia is "foolhardy to the highest order," "especially because there is no military upside for doing so"

US, West have no capabilities to intercept new Russian hypersonic missile — expert

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Robert Fico also rejected the belief that this escalation would not impact "those living far away, in Spain, England, or America"

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State Department says Russia, China maintain forward momentum in bilateral relationship

Moscow and Beijing 'have maintained forward momentum in their bilateral relationship', Kurt Campbell said

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

The Belarusian leader noted that they want to go to Warsaw

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Russian forces liberated seven communities in the Donetsk People’s Republic over the past week, the Defense Ministry reported

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Moscow used its new Oreshnik medium-range hypersonic ballistic missile in response to the West’s decision to authorize strategic-depth strikes on Russia

Ukraine conflict entering decisive phase, Polish PM says

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Russian air defense deflects attacks with Western missiles — Putin

"As a result, the goals that the enemy apparently set have not been achieved," the Russian leader said

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