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Japan intends to move step by step towards resolution of Kuril Islands issue

This issue must be resolved as soon as possible, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said

TOKYO, December 1. /TASS/. Japanese authorities intend to move step by step towards the settlement of the Southern Kuril Islands issue and signing a peace treaty with Russia, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said during a meeting with the people of Hokkaido Tuesday.

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New Japanese PM plans to finalize talks on Kuril Islands

"Although 75 years have passed after the war [between Russia and Japan], the problem of the Northern Territories [the Southern Kuril Islands] remains unsolved and the peace treaty is still unsigned. We believe that this issue must be resolved as soon as possible," he said, according to NHK. "In September, during my phone call with Russian President [Vladimir] Putin, I informed him about my intent to reach a closure on this issue without handing it over to the future generations. We intend to move on, step by step, towards the resolution of the issue of the Northern Territories and towards the peace treaty, which is the main course for our country."

Moscow and Tokyo engage in talks on the peace treaty since the end of the World War II in the mid-20th century. The sovereignty of the Southern Kuril islands remains the main obstruction for this process. In 1945, the entire archipelago has become a part of the Soviet Union, but Japan challenges the sovereignty of islands Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan and a group of minor uninhabited islands, known in Japan as Habomai. Russian Foreign Ministry underscored repeatedly that the Russian sovereignty over these islands has international legal ground and could not be challenged.

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The total amount of blocked assets of the Russian Federation decreased by 150 million Swiss francs (about $165 million) due to the fact that a number of individuals "were removed from the EU sanctions lists"

Ukrainian troops in Kharkov Region lift antennas with kites to get better signal

Military expert Andrey Marochko speculated that the Ukrainian army had to resort to this tactic because the TV tower in Kharkov was damaged

US arms supplies unable to change situation in Kiev's favor — Kremlin

Dmitry Peskov pointed out that a year ago the opponents "were telling everyone that they were waiting for the moment Russia would be defeated on the battlefield"

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Moscow slams NATO drills near Russian borders as inflammatory

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Russia’s victory in Ukraine to change course of history in Europe — von der Leyen

Ukraine "is carrying a heavy burden" for the benefit of the EU, and therefore EU member states must "provide Ukraine with means to defend themselves," European Commission president said

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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

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Russian court blocks JPMorgan’s funds in VTB lawsuit

The court also blocked any securities held by JPMorgan’s entities in Russia

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Yury Chikhanchin pointed out that the perpetrators of the attack were provided with money, weapons, transportation and ammunition

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Senior Russian, Tajikistani diplomats talk about fighting terrorists, radicals

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko emphasized the importance of creating a new architecture of Eurasian security as one of the elements of a multipolar world

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The amendment gained seven votes from countries including Russia and China

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Russia vetoes US-backed UNSC resolution on banning nuclear weapons in outer space

The resolution gained 13 votes

Russian defense minister dismisses his deputy Ivanov

Timur Ivanov was removed from the office of deputy defense minister of the Russian Federation of the federal government’s civil service

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

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

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US spends millions of dollars on studying UFOs, 'covers up' information — congressman

Tim Burchett added that "it’s not about little green man or flying saucers, it’s about tens of millions of dollars that our federal government is spending"

Russia ready to cooperate with all interested partners to ensure security — Putin

The Russian leader expressed confidence that the the 12th International Meeting of High Representatives for Security Issues "will bolster cooperation for the mutual benefit of our countries and peoples"

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

Central African Republic expects Russia to supply weapons, munitions — defense minister

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Ukrainian army short about 150,000-200,000 troops, says Polish general

Waldemar Skrzypczak also said it was "a matter of hours" until Kiev received the weapons allocated by the US as part of its latest military aid package

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There were no casualties, egional Governor Igor Artamonov said

Russia to retaliate immediately if Kiev gets ATACMS missiles — diplomat

Konstantin Gavrilov also noted that the "manic efforts" of some Western OSCE member countries to isolate Russia "are futile and will backfire on their initiators"

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

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Ukrainian forces refuse to obey Commander-in-Chief Syrsky — CIA ex-analyst

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US stops hiding true purpose of sanctions on Moscow, Russian envoy says

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Kremlin vows legal action against US bill on seizing Russian assets

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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

US waging hybrid war against Serbs to snuff them out for good — Republika Srpska head

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US will have to take Russia into account and find common ground with it — Putin

Russian President said in an interview with Rossiya-1 TV channel journalist Pavel Zarubin

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Roman Starovoit thanked air defense troops and the regional crisis center and cautioned residents against approaching the drone wreckage if found

Ukraine says Western systems ineffective against Russia's electronic warfare

Maria Berlinskaya emphasized that the real effectiveness was determined in real combat conditions, and not at "some training ground in Texas"

US military aid for Kiev cannot stop Russian army’s advance — North Korean diplomat

The US Congress House of Representatives earlier passed bills on military aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan

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A day earlier, Abu Ubaidah, a spokesman for the Hamas' Izz ad-Din al-Qassam military wing, threatened that hostages held in the Gaza Strip could repeat the fate of Israeli pilot Ron Arad, who was kidnapped 36 years ago

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

Press review: Dissecting US aid package to Ukraine and sands of global economy shifting

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Houthis attack two commercial ships, US destroyer — statement

Simultaneously, the Air Force conducted two more military operation using a huge number of drones to target a US destroyer in the Gulf of Aden

Top Russian, Iranian security officials discuss Middle East

"The parties exchanged views on the situation in the Middle East, confirming their interest in preventing further escalation of tensions," the Russian Security Council reported

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

Russia, Africa united by common vision on global issues — senior diplomat

Mikhail Bogdanov noted that "the African continent is a dynamically developing part of the world with an enormous growth potential, attractive domestic market and expanding export prospects"

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

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

US draft on nukes in space seeks to go beyond legal framework Russia adheres to — MFA

Maria Zakharova pointed out that Russia reaffirms its "strict commitment" to the international legal obligations under space law

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Annual inflation in Russia gearing down to 7.82% over week — Economy Ministry

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Russian deputy defense minister detained on suspicion of bribe-taking

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