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Coronavirus pandemic

Argentina begins COVID-19 vaccination with Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine

Governor of the province of Buenos Aires Axel Kicillof was among the first ones to get the vaccine shot, Argentina’s Todo Noticias TV channel informed

© AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko

BUENOS AIRES, December 29. /TASS/. Argentina has launched COVID-19 vaccination with a Russian-made vaccine Sputnik V on Tuesday. Governor of the province of Buenos Aires Axel Kicillof was among the first ones to get the vaccine shot, Argentina’s Todo Noticias TV channel informed.

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Inoculation against coronavirus with Sputnik V to begin in Argentina on December 29

The governor left the hospital with a certificate confirming that he was vaccinated against COVID-19.

According to the TV channel, a nurse from the province of Buenos Aires was the first one to get a vaccine jab.

The vaccination campaign will run concurrently in all regions of the country. The major part of vaccine doses from the first batch, 123,000, were sent to the province of Buenos Aires. The capital of Argentina received 23,100 doses.

Earlier, the Russian Direct Investment Fund and the Argentine government signed a contract on the delivery of 10 mln doses of Russia’s Sputnik V. The first batch consisting of 300,000 doses was sent to Argentina on December 24. The day before, the country’s Health Ministry approved the emergency use of the vaccine.

Major Western investor accuses Zelensky's office of extorting millions of euros

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US believes that Russia tested 9M729 missile for range beyond 500 km

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According to Wei Dongxu, Tehran's firepower can cover most of the Middle East region, representing a fierce and precise long-range retaliatory means

Russian Aerospace Forces destroy three militant hideouts in Syria’s Homs

No shelling attacks on Syrian troops were registered over the past 24 hours

Ukraine turns from sovereign country into Western protectorate, Hungarian PM says

Viktor Orban noted that there should be a buffer zone between NATO and Russia and Ukraine could serve as one

Russia to scrap moratorium on intermediate missiles if US deploys them anywhere — MFA

Sergey Ryabkov said the US seeks to maintain military superiority in a great variety of areas

Russian investigators start inquiry into financing of terrorism by US, NATO officials

Investigators have established that the funds that were received through commercial organizations, such as the oil and gas company Burisma Holdings operating in Ukraine, have been used to carry out terrorist acts in Russia and abroad

US retrieves weapons previously banned under INF treaty — Russian ambassador

Anatoly Antonov emphasized that such steps were another powerful blow to strategic stability

Iran withdraws officers out of Syria due to Israel’s potential strike — newspaper

The report said that the Lebanese Shiite Hezbollah movement is also reducing the number of its officers in Syria

G7 countries to prevent Iran from producing, purchasing weapons

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Israeli Air Force strikes Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon

The IDF also said that its soldiers were forced to open fire in the area in order to "remove an imminent threat"

Russian, Turkish senior diplomats discuss situation in Gaza

"The meeting focused on the situation in the region," said in the statement

Georgia’s parliament approves first reading of foreign agent bill

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MiG-31I fighters receive air refueling system

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Crimea, Donbass to forever remain within Russia, Slovak PM tells national parliament

Robert Fico believes Moscow will win in its confrontation with Kiev

Turkish foreign minister urges West to stop Israel, prevent war in region

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Protesters give Georgian government one hour to revoke foreign agents bill

Earlier on Wednesday, Georgia’s parliament passed the foreign agents bill in the first reading

Russian PM signs off on plan for regions to accommodate evacuees from Palestine

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Russian government approves list of unfriendly countries

There are two countries on the list

Russia expects Armenia to clarify 'military, political accords' with US, EU — diplomat

Maria Zakharova noted that Moscow would not be surprised if it turned out that the US and the EU had imposed their plans on Yerevan

Russian forces pummel Ukrainian army, equipment in 133 areas over past day

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Swiss parliament votes against joining task force on frozen Russian assets

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VTB CEO calls for SWIFT to be fully abandoned in payments

The banker stressed that VTB is working as part of a pilot project for the digital ruble, including in the field of cross-border settlements

Ukraine’s military loses positions near Avdeyevka, says DPR

Igor Kimakovsky said that Ukrainian forces suffered heavy casualties among personnel and military hardware, including Western equipment

Ukrainian front may collapse this summer — newspaper

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Israel may have used banned white phosphorus munitions while shelling Lebanon — TV

On Wednesday night, the Israel Defense Forces press office reported that Israeli fighter jets struck "significant Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure used by the terrorist organization’s aerial defense system" in Lebanon

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EU vows new sanctions against Iran, calls on Mideast conflict parties to show restraint

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Russian artillery thwarts Ukrainian army’s rotation near Kupyansk — underground resistance

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US not going to be in armed conflict with Russia — official

The President of the United States has made that very clear

Press review: Ukraine, Israel vie for EU’s attention and Georgia passes controversial bill

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Roscosmos chief notes high quality of Vostochny space center’s construction

Yury Borisov said that the space facility’s launch pad bore practically no visible signs of the recent Angara-A5 carrier rocket’s launch

Russia says its forces repel four Ukrainian counterattacks in Kupyansk area

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Humanitarian efforts in Gaza doomed without durable ceasefire — Russia’s UN envoy

Vasily Nebenzya is convinced that the work of the UNRWA is indispensable under these circumstances

Shoigu tests commando vehicle, calls for additional machineguns

The Russian defense minister "personally tested the special transportation vehicle and its running qualities"

US deploying missiles in Philippines to endanger global security — Russian envoy

Anatoly Antonov has urged the US "not to open Pandora's Box" and follow Russia’s suit "by taking all necessary steps to ensure global stability and predictability"

G7 countries to continue examining possible ways of using frozen Russian assets

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Kiev’s attacks on Zaporozhye nuke plant result of impunity encouraged by US

Sergey Ryabkov stressed that the attacks on the nuclear facility "must be stopped"

France-Russia relations hit rock bottom — ex-envoy to Paris

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Former Ukrainian PM points to motive behind mobilization exception for law enforcement

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Press review: Iran fires back at Israel and Russia, West spar over AI rulebook

Top stories from the Russian press on Monday, April 15th

Israel planned to strike back at Iran on April 15, but decided to postpone, Axios reports

Israel told the US administration about the decision to wait, according to a US official

EU summit urges to provide air defense systems and all necessary military aid to Kiev

The document also says that the EU and its member states will step up humanitarian support and civil protection assistance to Ukraine

Georgian protests against foreign agent bill reek of US influence — Medvedev

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EU isolated in its 'blossoming garden,' reluctant to let strangers in — Russian diplomat

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German police apprehend two suspected Russian spies — media

The Der Spiegel magazine claims that the saboteurs’ targets included military cargo routes

Press review: US throws Russia New START curveball and Washington's aid balancing act

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Majority of France opposes confrontation with Russia — expert

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Russia assumes that Security Council will soon return to Gaza ceasefire issue — diplomat

"Ramadan has passed, and the question of a long-term ceasefire is once again very acute," Vasily Nebenzya said

Ukrainian president signs law tightening mobilization rules

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Over 40 nations want to join BRICS — Russian lawmaker

According to Grigory Karasin, many BRICS members share the opinion that the association should be in no hurry to adopt a strict charter, "seeing how counterproductively and even provocatively the European Union is acting"

West, Kiev indulge in nuclear blackmail by demanding control of ZNPP — Russian MFA

"Without noticing it themselves, they spoke the language of an ultimatum," Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova underlined

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Ukrainian military under constant gunfire by Russian troops near Urozhainoye, says POW

Yevgeny Pogrebnyak said that he was treated well by Russian troops in his captivity

Georgian president says she will veto law on foreign agents

According to Salome Zourabichvili, she is certain that the parliamentary majority will override her veto

FSB declassifies documents revealing Ukrainian infiltration of Red Army units during WWII

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China to act over possible US measures for alleged support of Russian defense sector

"China always opposes the illegal unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States and will continue to take necessary measures to firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises," Liu Pengyu said

Mystery surrounds dolphin deaths on Black Sea coast, investigation underway

Over the past few weeks, local residents have found several dozen dead dolphins

Iran tells US about April 13 attack on Israel, it does not want escalation — top diplomat

Hossein Amir-Abdollahian added that prior to the attack, Tehran said that it would not target US military infrastructure in the Middle East "except in a situation where the United States wants to take military measures in support of Israel"

Almost 3,000 shots fired at Russia’s Kursk Region during military operation

The region's governor Roman Starovoit said 50 apartment buildings, 975 single-family homes, two stores, seven social and cultural buildings have been restored in the region since the beginning of the special operation

US asking UNSC members to reject resolution on Palestine, hoping to avoid veto — media

UNSC approval would mean neither "statehood nor self-determination" for the Palestinian people, the State Department argued

Nearly 18,000 houses flooded in Russia, operational services say

Russian Emergencies Minister Alexander Kurenkov earlier reported to President Vladimir Putin that the spring flood wave had passed Orsk and Orenburg, the water level was dangerous but decreasing

Russia’s advanced radar in Kaliningrad to monitor entire territory of Europe — source

The first Konteiner radar went on combat duty in the Volga area region of Mordovia on December 1, 2019

Russian software sales soaring over last four years — Minister

The number of employees in IT companies increased by 1.5 times over four years, Maksut Shadaev said

Kiev continues to openly announce terrorist attacks on Russia — diplomat

Maria Zakharova also pointed to the fact that Ukraine's special services do not give up attempts to "massacre their former compatriots"

Both main US parties threatened Telegram, co-founder says

"So we got two letters that said: whatever we do, we would be violating the US Constitution," Pavel Durov said

No snap elections before delimiting borders with Azerbaijan, Armenian PM says

Nikol Pashinyan said about it, replying to a question from a resident of the borderline village of Berkaber about the necessity to hold snap elections before delimiting the border with Azerbaijan

Putin points to high risk of new epidemic outbreaks

The Russian president pointed out that Moscow’s "program of assistance to the African countries in sanitary and epidemiological well-being provides for the delivery of ten mobile high-containment biological laboratories"

US assured Israel that Iranian drones will be intercepted — US journalist Hersh

He also said that the US military contacted Russia and the United Kingdom while evaluating the potential of the Iranian attack

Number of people convicted of high treason in Russia last year revealed

In 2022, 16 individuals were convicted of high treason and one was convicted of spying

Slovakia to oppose Ukraine’s NATO membership bid — PM

Meanwhile, Slovakia supports Ukraine’s accession to the European Union

Xi Jinping proposes four principles for resolving Ukrainian crisis

The Chinese leader had an in-depth exchange of views on the Ukrainian crisis with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who is on an official visit to Beijing

Ukrainian president admits Russian troops’ advancement

Vladimir Zelensky asked his country’s supporters to provide "everything that helps to hold the frontline," including shells, military vehicles and drones

Russia restores gasoline production after decline — Energy Ministry

The increase in motor gasoline production in mid-April is associated with production recovery after a local drop due to unscheduled repairs at refineries

Russia maintains constructive dialogue with both Iran, Israel — Kremlin

Dmitry Peskov mentioned a recent phone call between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian

Russia bans 235 Australian local government officials from entering country — MFA

"Taking into account the fact that Canberra does not intend to give up its anti-Russian course and continues to introduce new sanctions, work on updating the Russian stop list will continue," the ministry said

New US bill calls for $26 bln in assistance to Israel

The bill also includes a proposal to earmark $2.4 billion to fund US Armed Forces operating in the Middle East in response to threats against Israel

Russia, CIS partners to hold air defense exercise in 2024

The participants in the exercises will practice interaction in getting ready for and conducting combat operations by aviation and air defense forces that are part of the unified regional air defense system of Russia and Belarus

Israel plans to send 'painful message' to Iran in response to attack — newspaper

According to the report, Israel’s war cabinet will meet on April 16 for a third straight day

Yerevan's refusal to delimit borders with Baku to escalate regional tensions — PM

Nikol Pashinyan pointed out that the demarcation process also involves risks, but they are manageable, after which "Armenia will become ten times stronger"

DPR leader reports heaviest fighting near Avdeyevka, Chasov Yar

According to Denis Pushilin, it is too early to say when the city could be liberated

West silent on Ukraine's threats to attack Crimean Bridge — MFA

Maria Zakharova wondered how the Western public, government agencies and intelligence services would feel if military experts from third countries started openly discussing ways to blow up bridges in Germany and Portugal

Romania now hosts as many as 11 F-16 jets for training of Ukrainian pilots

The ministers expressed their willingness to find a way for the center to continue to operate beyond 2025

Russian diplomat challenges France to stop arming Kiev amid Olympic truce talk

According to Maria Zakharova, in order for Moscow to take Macron’s initiative seriously, "practical steps" are needed

Iran may break through Israel’s air defenses in major attack by drones, missiles — expert

Iran has the region’s largest arsenal of ballistic missiles, estimated to number in the low thousands, Behnam Ben Taleblu noted

Kremlin condemns 'illegal' seizure of villa from Russian businessman

Dmitry Peskov underscored that Moscow has already made its position clear on this matter

Ukraine attacks ZNPP training center again, drone neutralized

"No one was injured as a result of the attack," the news release said

Russia-China military-technical cooperation not directed against other states — diplomat

Cooperation between Moscow and Beijing in the military-technical sphere contributes to enhancing security of Russia and China and "is not directed against third countries," Maria Zakharova stressed

French, US, British nukes all interwoven — Russian diplomat

Maria Zakharova described France’s decision to place its aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, directly under NATO control as a symbolic move marking the end of "the era of an independent Paris in the international arena"