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Coronavirus pandemic

No talks underway with Russian vaccine producer, European Commission says

On March 4, the European Medicines Agency announced the start of a rolling review of Sputnik V

© EPA-EFE/OLIVIER HOSLET

BRUSSELS, March 15. /TASS/. No talks are underway between the European Commission and Russian coronavirus vaccine producers, the commission’s Spokesperson Stefan de Keersmaecker told reporters on Monday.

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EU can authorize Russia’s Sputnik V jab not earlier than in May, official says

"No talks are ongoing between an EU team and the Russian vaccine producer," he said in response to a question. "The member states and the commission may decide at any time together to expand the existing vaccine portfolio," the European Commission spokesperson pointed out.

Reuters reported earlier, citing an EU official, that "EU governments were considering launching talks with Sputnik V developers and it would take requests from four EU states to start the process." "Hungary and Slovakia have already bought the Russian shot, the Czech Republic is interested, and the EU official said Italy was considering using the country’s biggest vaccine-producing bioreactor at a ReiThera plant near Rome to make Sputnik V," Reuters added.

On March 4, the European Medicines Agency announced the start of a rolling review of Sputnik V, aimed at assessing its "compliance with the usual EU standards for effectiveness, safety and quality."

Sputnik V has so far been approved in 50 countries with a total population of over 1.3 bln.

Middle East conflict

Lebanese PM calls on US, France to push Israel to withdraw troops from southern Lebanon

Najib Mikati and commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon Aroldo Lazaro Saenz visited the city of Khiam

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Reuters reported earlier that oil supplies to Belarus and EU countries via Druzhba had been suspended on December 19 due to technical problems

Serbia will never joint anti-Russian sanctions, deputy prime minister vows

Aleksandar Vulin noted that he is "not optimistic about prospects for the United States changing its policy toward Serbia" after the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump

Ukraine’s General Staff admits tense situation along entire frontline

The Ukrainian military also admitted the Russian army’s supremacy in terms of military equipment and the size of personnel

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Ukraine may cease to exist by 2034 — Russian security official

Dmitry Medvedev noted that Ukraine will never join NATO

Putin, Slovak PM discuss bilateral relations, energy — Kremlin

Dmitry Peskov remarked that Russian-Slovak bilateral relations had significantly deteriorated due to actions taken by the previous Slovak leadership

Strike on SBU control center response to Russian general’s assassination, expert says

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Hungary wants to preserve relations with Russia as part of economic neutrality — Orban

The prime minister underscored that, "the more serious the problems in Europe are, the more decisively the economic relations in all other markets should be promoted"

Situation with gas supplies from Russia to Europe difficult — Kremlin

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Expert calls countries benefiting most from anti-Russia sanctions

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Putin opens new transport infrastructure sites in Russian regions via video link

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Slovak PM thanks Putin in Russian for meeting with him

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Top Turkish diplomat calls for listing anti-Syrian sanctions

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Kiev considers negotiations with Russia inevitable, Ukrainian official says

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Jet fire reported at drill hole in Russia’s Orenburg Region

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Kiev takes out its anger for military defeats on Russian people — diplomat

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Russia declassifies intel about France’s plans to send 2,000 troops to Ukraine

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Russian troops liberate two communities in Donbass area, Kharkov Region over past day

Russia’s Battlegroup Center inflicts 480 casualties on Ukrainian army over past day

Ten dead dolphins found in Russia’s Krasnodar region following oil spill

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Putin agrees 'Russian world' now faces war

The Russian leader also agreed with Sergey Mironov, head of the "A Just Russia - For Truth" faction in the Duma, who said that "the birth rate is insufficient, because the matter concerns extinction"

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Putin to extend New Year greetings to peoples of several unfriendly countries — Kremlin

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Germany fails to admit its policy of support to Ukraine falters — Russian envoy

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Ukraine launches over 18 strikes on Russia’s Belgorod Region in past day

Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said that the Borisovsky district was attacked by a UAV, with the roof of a private house being damaged

Response to Ukrainian attack on Russia’s Rylsk to come shortly — Russia’s UN envoy

Vasily Nebenzya warned as he denounced the attack as yet another unambiguous step by the Kiev regime toward escalation

Gazprom to replace European sales market with new export destinations, says Italian expert

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Germany does not keep substantive contacts with Russia on Nord Stream case — envoy

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Houthis say attacked US aircraft carrier in Red Sea, shot down US fighter jet

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Turkish president calls on West to stop Israel in Syria before it’s too late

"All international mechanisms need to be effectively employed in order to prevent Israel from exploiting the situation in Syria," Recep Tayyip Erdogan said

Senior Russian MP hopes that Trump really wants peace in Ukraine

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Georgian president demands appointing snap elections within week

Salome Zourabichvili also promised to announce her further plans on Monday

Russia starts humanitarian electricity supplies to Abkhazia — minister

Abkhazia’s state-run energy company Chernomorenergo said that there will be just two two-hour shutdowns

Fico’s visit to Russia perfect slap in Zelensky’s face, Slovak politician says

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Explosion rocks premises of former plant in Russia’s Abakan, killing two

Regional head Valentin Konovalov said that the explosion occurred due to safety violations

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Damage to Portuguese Embassy in Kiev caused by Ukrainian air defense — Russian diplomats

Reporters are ramping up Russophobia, distorting the facts while writing on this matter, the Russian Embassy in Portugal said

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Trump appoints TV producer Burnett as special envoy to UK

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An-2 plane missing in Kamchatka located, survivors found — regional emergencies ministry

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Putin calls Oreshnik missile development ‘an historic event’ for space rocket industry

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Ukrainian army launches long-range missiles at Donetsk

Air defenses are in operation, and at least six aerial targets have been shot down

Envoy blasts Berlin’s move to declare Russian TV reporters security threat as politicized

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Russian forces liberate one more settlement in Donetsk People’s Republic

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Taiwan to set up drone testing facility for global market

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Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger take armies to maximum alert — declaration

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Proposal to duel with West response to claims of Oreshnik missile vulnerability — Kremlin

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin thus meant that the Oreshnik missile is a generation ahead of all existing weapons, while not being a nuclear weapon itself

Air raid alert issued in six Ukrainian regions

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Russia no threat to Finland, Sweden, but ready to counter threats from them — diplomat

Addressing a news conference after the BRICS summit in Kazan earlier this year, Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the West of seeking to expand unfairly and warned that Russia would spare no effort to reverse the situation

Latest nuclear-powered sub Arkhangelsk to join Russian Navy by yearend

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Two freight trains collide at Trans-Baikal Railways, traffic suspended

Both freight trains loaded with coal collided at the Bushulei-Zhireken railway section

Russian cancer vaccine to be free of charge — top oncologist

It is planned to launch it in general circulation in early 2025

Assad allegedly hands list of military targets over to Israel before leaving Syria — media

According to the Turkish newspaper, the former Syrian president did it to ensure his own safety

Hungary wants to maintain ties with Russia under its economic neutrality policy — PM

Victor Orban also said that hopes for the development of economic cooperation with the United States after President-elect Donald Trump takes office

Syria’s new government wants to build strategic relations with Turkey

Ahmed al-Sharaa also said he will not "tolerate uncontrolled arms trafficking" across the country

Ukrainian conflict will end when Kiev’s sponsors see need for peace — Russian diplomat

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