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Crisis in Belarus

Over 50 Telegram channels and chats recognized as extremist in Belarus

Nexta was the first Telegram channel to be outlawed by Belarus’ Supreme Court as extremist on October 20, 2020

© Alexey Boldin/Shutterctock/FOTODOM

MINSK, May 24. /TASS/. More than 50 Telegram channels and chats have been recognized as extremist in Belarus, the country’s interior ministry told TASS on Monday.

"As of May 24, thirty Telegram channels and 22 Telegram chats have been recognized as extremist by Belarusian courts," it said.

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The ministry warned that reposting data from these channels and chats is punishable under Belarus’ law. "The storage of extremist material, as well as a subscription to the Telegram channel and chats recognized as extremist are subject to administrative liability," the ministry noted.

Nationwide demonstrations engulfed Belarus following the August 9 presidential election. During the early post-election period, the rallies snowballed into fierce clashes between the protesters and police. According to the country’s authorities, protest activities were coordinated via Telegram channels and groups in messengers and social networks.

Nexta was the first Telegram channel to be outlawed by Belarus’ Supreme Court as extremist on October 20, 2020. Its founder Stepan Putilo and former editor-in-chief Roman Protasevich were faced with charges of organizing mass riots and inciting social hatred.

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Russia developing echeloned system for air and missile defense — expert

Alexander Stepanov pointed out that "this also applies to intermediate-range high-precision systems such as the Tomahawk and other weapons that NATO countries may provide to Ukraine"

Russia strikes Ukrainian military airfields, manpower in 146 areas over past day

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West tired of Ukrainian conflict, while Russia ready to continue it — magazine

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Ukrainian group of 22 servicemen surrenders in Kursk Region — law enforcement officials

Photos and videos of the surrender were also posted by military reporter and expert Boris Rozhin on his Telegram channel

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Western analysts describe Russia's Oreshnik as longest-range weapon ever used in Europe

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Russian forces now control about eight hectares of land near LPR’s Stelmakhovka — expert

Andrey Marochko noted that after liberating Pershotravnevoye in the Kharkov Region and creating a bridgehead there for further advance, the Russian servicemen advanced to the west of the occupied borders

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According to Sergey Ryabkov, BRICS is creating a payment structure that countries of the global majority can use to protect themselves from "hostile states" who want to do them harm

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The Russian president pointed to a tense global situation

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Hungarian PM’s office rules out his trip to Moscow for 80th anniversary of Victory

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Case against Ukrainian militants, Ukrainian losses: situation in Kursk Region

Over the past day, the enemy lost more than 250 men, an infantry fighting vehicle, an armored fighting vehicle, six cars and five mortars

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Oreshnik becomes serious problem for Ukraine — Polish general

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Here are the key points about the strikes on Ukrainian military-industrial facilities

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Press review: CSTO discusses Russian weapons as US and Russia continue prisoner talks

Top stories from the Russian press on Friday, November 29th

Ukrainian media reports plant in Lvov Region destroyed

The plant specializes in manufacturing bits for drilling artesian, oil, and gas boreholes

US cutting aid to become death sentence for Ukraine — Russia’s mission to UN

According to Dmitry Polyansky, the Kiev authorities "have stolen so much in these almost three years that even many Western experts' hair stands on end"

Biden's decision on ATACMS 'not panacea', it will harm Kiev — Defense News columnists

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Bilateral exchanges between Russia, North Korea their own business — Chinese MFA

Mao Ning also stated that she was not aware of the details of Belousov's visit and reiterated that China's position on the Ukrainian crisis remains consistent

Georgian Police pushes protesters from entire Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi

Several people were apprehended

Takeaways from Putin’s Q&A session in Kazakhstan: Oreshnik missile, inflation, ruble

The Russian president also spoke about inflation and the ruble exchange rate, noting that the situation is under control

Russia may block agenda of US Security Council presidency next month — mission to UN

First Deputy Permanent Representative of Russia to the UN Dmitry Polyansky said that the US may try to complicate life for the successors to the presidency

Protests break out in Georgia after ruling party moves to suspend talks with EU

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West should read Russia's transparent nuclear doctrine carefully — top security official

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Zelensky shook up by Russia’s response to permission to attack it — Lavrov

According to the Russian foreign minister, the West is directly involved in the use of long-range weapons against Russia, as not a single missile could be launched without its involvement

Qatar holds negotiations to expand areas of mediation between Russia, Ukraine

"We hold negotiations on other kinds of mediation. Recently, we have started working on the issue of the POWs," Qatari Foreign Ministry Spokesman Majed bin Mohammed al-Ansari added

Chad severs defense cooperation agreement with France — AFP

On April 18, the Chadian authorities sent a letter to the United States, in which they notified Washington about their intent to sever the military agreement

Russian scientists to develop computer working at ‘speed of light’ by 2027 — researcher

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Russia’s top diplomat slams NATO for discussions of preemptive strikes on Russia

"These claims were made by some admiral. Absolutely reckless. They have a lot of high-ranking military officials who have never even seen real battle," Sergey Lavrov stated

West beginning to realize only part of Ukraine will remain — Lavrov

According to the Russian foreign minister, this represents the "confrontational logic" of the West

Iran challenges US, UK, France military capabilities, IRGC general says

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Kiev opposes Washington's demand for lowering draft age — media

A representative of US President Joe Biden's administration had earlier stated that the Ukrainian military is facing a critical manpower shortage

Kiev 'experimented' with using NATO troops in Kursk hostilities — official

Igor Kimakovsky added that the addition of foreign troops didn't help the armed forces of Ukraine because of effective measures taken by Russian intelligence and Aerospace Defense Forces

Biden unlikely to dare to seriously increase military aid to Kiev — expert

"The potential future use of Oreshnik will render ATACMS and Storm Shadow as battle-losing capabilities," a retired British diplomat and former economic counsellor at the British Embassy in Moscow Ian Proud said

No injuries in Ukrainian drone attack on Russia's Krasnodar Region

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Russia's opponents see Finland as springboard in case of open conflict — politician

Leonid Slutsky noted that the current and previous leadership of Finland has been and remains engaged "on the lower turn of the sine wave, which is now marked by a sharp cooling of bilateral relations"

Nuclear arms unable to protect Ukraine, likely to aggravate conflict — Chinese expert

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Russia’s nuclear umbrella extends to post-Soviet security bloc under new doctrine — Shoigu

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Russian forces wipe out five ATACMS launchers using Iskander missiles

In particular, two MLRS launchers and a transporter-loader vehicle were destroyed near the settlement of Tokari, and three HIMARS launchers were taken out near the settlement of Maly Bobrik, the statement reads

Hungarian PM sounds alarm over presence of US, French troops in Ukraine

Additionally, the news that Russia used its latest Oreshnik high-precision ballistic missile, which has significant destructive power, to destroy Yuzhmash, a Ukrainian defense plant in Dnipro (previously known as Dnepropetrovsk), is alarming, Viktor Orban stressed

Israel ready for all-out war should Lebanon ceasefire be disrupted, PM says

"If the agreement is violated, we will proceed to an all-out war," Benjamin Netanyahu told

One in three relocated individuals return to Russia from Ukraine — diplomat

Maria Zakharova pointed out that the Kiev regime itself brands these figures as "terrible"

FACTBOX: What to know about attacks of militants on Syria’s government forces

Russian diplomat says West sought to misrepresent Oreshnik strike, cast it as aggression

Maria Zakharova pointed out that for some, this was obviously a sobering moment, while for others it came as an unexpected surprise

Kiev troops attempted to kill British mercenary who surrendered to Russians — officer

In his words, they fired conventional 120mm mortar rounds, silent munitions and at least one FPV drone with a fragmentation charge

Executioner of Nazi war criminal Eichmann dies in Israel aged 86

The Israeli authorities have long kept his name secret

Russia ready for talks with Ukraine on conditions proposed in June — Putin

The head of state held a meeting with the leadership of the Russian Foreign Ministry in June, where he listed the conditions for talks with Ukraine