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Developments in Afghanistan

Taliban declare amnesty for Afghan government officials — agency

Taliban members entered Afghanistan’s capital of Kabul on August 15, meeting no resistance, and took control of the entire city

© AP Photo/Rahmat Gul

MOSCOW, August 17. /TASS/. The Taliban movement (outlawed in Russia) has declared a general amnesty for former Afghan government officials, the Agence France-Presse reported on Tuesday, citing a statement by the Taliban.

"A general amnesty has been declared for all <...> so you should have no doubt about resuming your normal activities," the statement reads.

Taliban members entered Afghanistan’s capital of Kabul on August 15, meeting no resistance, and took control of the entire city. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani left the country. Western countries are evacuating their citizens and diplomatic personnel from Afghanistan.

After taking control of Kabul University and the Education Ministry building, the Taliban announced that women would have the opportunity to study and work but most schools and colleges in Kabul remained closed on Monday. Besides, the Taliban said they had no plans to take revenge on former government officials and law enforcement officers.

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Afghanistan Power transfer in Afghanistan

Middle East conflict

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The Al Arabiya television channel said that, citing a source

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Ukrainian troops struggling to escape being trapped in Lozovaya in Kharkov region — expert

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NATO prepares for war with Russia, Moscow takes these risks into account — senior diplomat

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Putin meets with Federation Council Speaker Matviyenko in Kremlin

The upper chamber of the parliament wrapped up its autumn session

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The Foreign Ministry noted that the facts of discrimination and persecution of Russians are often ignored by the official leadership of countries and international human rights agencies, leading many victims to remain silent

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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

Ukraine's refusal to transit Russian gas will hit EU economies hard — French expert

According to Jacques Sapir, the decision not to extend transit contracts was no surprise given the political landscape

Oreshnik’s launch is sudden, undetectable by satellites — analyst

The range of the Oreshnik system is up to 5,500 kilometers

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Russia ready to normalize relations with US without detriment to its interests — Putin

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Russia’s international reserves are highly liquid foreign assets available with the Bank of Russia and the Russian government

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

Russia to raise issue of Ukrainian strikes on Rylsk at UNSC meeting on Friday — diplomat

Acting Kursk Region Governor Alexander Khinshtein said earlier that the town of Rylsk, located some 120 kilometers west of Kursk, had come under Ukrainian fire

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CENTCOM forces also shot down several Houthi unmanned aerial vehicles and an anti-ship cruise missile over the Red Sea

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

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TASS has gathered the main information about the incident

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According to US Central Command, the incident occurred during airstrikes on Houthi facilities

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The Tatarstan head Rustam Minnikhanov also noted that all operational services worked well when dealing with the aftermath of the drone attack

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Alexander Stepanov emphasized that both Kiev and its Western allies are closely scrutinizing the consequences of the strike on the plant

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

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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

Russia to retaliate against Ukrainian strikes, just as Putin said — Kremlin

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Russian sleeper agents open up about secret trip to 2018 World Cup

The married couple, Artyom Dultsev and Anna Dultseva, returned home as a result of an exchange

Ukraine to halt Russian gas transit on January 1, 2025 — Ukrainian PM

The restart of transit via the Ukrainian gas transportation system is possible at a request of the European Commission if this is not Russian gas, Denis Shmygal said

Perm sub with Tsirkon hypersonic missiles to enter service with Russian Navy in 2026

Test launches of the Tsirkon missiles from the Project 885 Sverodvinsk submarine were conducted in the White Sea on October 4, 2022

Four new Russian regions moving toward self-sufficiency at a rapid pace — Putin

According to the head of state, tax revenues have seen a consistent increase in absolute figures

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

Russian President also said that he had handed down direct instructions to produce and test-fire the Oreshnik hypersonic missile

Oreshnik test launch forces London to take a step back — Russian ambassador

According to Andrey Kelin, the UK’s official reaction to the launch of the Oreshnik missile was rather vague

Yemeni capital city subjected to massive airstrike - TV channel

According to the Al Hadath TV channel, at least three strikes hit Ansar Allah military facilities located in Sanaa, including rebel locations

West should consider Putin's words on Oreshnik missile duel — diplomat

Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova emphasized that the rhetoric about "inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia" is firmly rooted in the mentality of the NATO regimes not at all as hypothetical assumptions

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

Series of explosions rock central Kiev — eyewitnesses

Earlier, Ukrainian media reported about explosions in the capital, and local authorities informed about the work of air defenses

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Mourhaf Abu Qasra becomes top Syrian defense official in transitional government — TV

According to Al Watan newspaper, Abu Qasra was the commander of the military wing of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham movement

Civilian manufacturers ramp up drone production to 40,000 units per month

The Russian Defense Ministry has also purchased more than 100,000 units from small design bureaus and civilian manufacturers, the statement said

Russian missile cruiser Admiral Nakhimov to become world’s strongest warship after upgrade

The heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser Admiral Nakhimov has been under repairs at the Sevmash Shipyard since 1999; real work on the warship has been carried out since 2013

Aleppo taken by 350 militants while 30,000 gov’t troops retreated without fight — Putin

The Russian president recalled that no Russian land troops had been deployed to Syria, with Russia having only an airbase and a naval base

Syrian armed groups to merge into one under auspices of the country's Defense Ministry

Ahmed al-Sharaa, the militant leader of the main group driving the Syrian armed opposition, met with the leaders of the armed groups and discussed with them the new format of the Syrian army

Hungarian PM highlights need to lift sanctions on Russia once Ukraine conflict is resolved

Viktor Obran added, however, that only a couple of EU countries shared Hungary’s position

Russian forces control more than half of Chasov Yar in DPR — expert

Andrey Marochko noted that Russian forces had "slightly advanced" in the northern and southern parts of Chasov Yar

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

Putin suggests Zelensky may flee abroad, says Russia would take him in

"But he will be taken care of by those people whose interests he is serving now," the Russian leader said

Russia to invite World War II allies to next year’s Victory Day parade

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova made the comment following a statement on the subject by Vladimir Putin

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

Putin also took part in the ceremony of opening international airports in Magadan, Cheboksary, and Stavropol

Scholz, German Interior Minister booed during visit to terrorist attack site — newspaper

A protest broke out during the chancellor's and minister's visit, with demonstrators whistling and shouting "Get out!"

Zelensky actually flips the bird to Trump by insulting Putin, Medvedev says

The politician emphasized that "the president of a major country should be extremely polite and amiable"

Civilian industrial complex supplies Russian army with over 65 types of units — top brass

Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov praised the new mechanisms for accelerating the introduction of advanced weapons and equipment developed by the civilian defense industrial complex in the interests of the Russian army

What is known about Russia’s retaliatory strike on Ukraine after attack on Rostov Region

Kiev Mayor Vitaly Klitschko reported the fires in Solomensky and Shevchenkovsky districts

Ukraine loses over 300 troops, two Bradley vehicles in Kursk Region in past day

Eight motor vehicles and two electronic warfare stations were also destroyed? the ministy added

Putin sends greetings on Russia’s Energy Industry Worker’s Day

Russian leader stressed that, thanks to their dedication, 'the industry is becoming more and more high-tech with every new year'

Putin responds to question about Russia's weakness by quoting Mark Twain

The president noted that Russia had become much stronger over the past two or three years as it became a truly sovereign country

Russian troops liberate 10 communities in Donbass region over week — top brass

Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicted more than 3,610 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed six enemy ammunition depots in its area of responsibility over the week

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"

Eight people killed in Israeli strike on school in Gaza Strip

According to the TV channel Al Jazeera, the refugees were housed at a school in the Al-Daraj neighborhood

Ukrainian shelling of Russia’s Rylsk damages 12 buildings — governor

Three of them are not subject to restoration, Alexander Khinshtein said

Air raid alert issued in six Ukrainian regions

Earlier, an air raid alert was declared in the Kiev, Sumy and Chernigov Regions