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Developments in Afghanistan

All Russians who wished to leave Afghanistan have been evacuated — ambassador

"A total of 360 people boarded four charter flights yesterday," Dmitry Zhirnov noted

© Russian Ministry of Defense Press Office/TASS

MOSCOW, August 26. /TASS/. All Russian citizens who wished to leave Afghanistan have been evacuated, Russia's ambassador in Kabul, Dmitry Zhirnov, said on the Rossiya-24 round-the-clock television news channel on Thursday.

"All those who wished to leave have left. A total of 360 people boarded four charter flights yesterday. They had been unable to leave the country since June, because the direct air link was disrupted for technical reasons," Zhirnov said.

The chief of the Russian diplomatic mission said that some 100 people remaining in Afghanistan "have not expressed a collective wish to be evacuated yet."

"If more people would like to leave, but have been unable to get here on time - I've been told that several people failed to come here for logistic reasons - we will try to help them, too, and to reserve some opportunity," Zhirnov said.

The Taliban movement (outlawed in Russia) entered Kabul on August 15 without encountering any resistance and had the city under control within a matter of hours. Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani left the country. He said he did so to prevent bloodshed. The Western countries have been evacuating their citizens and embassy personnel.

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Afghanistan Power transfer in Afghanistan

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Le Figaro removes statement about France authorizing strikes against Russia

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Scott Ritter says US decision to allow attacks deep into Russia proves West’s desperation

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According to sources, many in Trump's team are reportedly disappointed

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According to Maria Zakharova, Ukrainian social media accounts are meanwhile speculating that the Zelensky regime plans to present the received Western missiles as Ukrainian, changing the labels to use the weapons to attack Russia

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Swedish minister in charge of gender equality suffers from bananaphobia

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Trump to zero in on fragmenting BRICS, Ukraine to take back seat — expert

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Russia’s top diplomat Sergey Lavrov to participate in G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro

According to Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, the minister will hold a series of bilateral talks and meetings on the summit’s sidelines

German envoy doubts time is ripe for talks on Ukraine ceasefire

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Sahra Wagenknecht pointed out that the US decision to strike deep into Russia is another step towards a major war

Kremlin says decision to launch ATACMS missiles deep into Russia 'escalation of tensions'

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Energy facilities backing Ukrainian defense industry extensively attacked

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Secret prisons in Ukraine overseen by Western intelligence — former SBU officer

Alexander Mazur stressed that all the information is reported to the top officials

Kursk Region’s newspaper editor-in-chief killed in Ukrainian drone attack on her car

Apart from that, in his words, a newspaper employee and a police officer received wounds

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According to Andrey Marochko, from November 9 to November 15, the battlegroups North, West and South destroyed 32 Ukrainian tanks, 75 field artillery guns and over 320 different combat vehicles

Western intelligence services operate in Ukraine since 2005 — former security officer

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US, West use Ukraine as ‘strike force’ against Russia, says North Korean leader

"The global situation is approaching the dangerous threshold," Kim Jong Un said

Strikes on Ukrainian military sites to prevent launch of missiles — Russian lawmaker

According to Andrey Kartapolov, Russia "will definitely" respond to such a decision by Western countries

US military industrial complex seeks to unleash World War III — Donald Trump Jr.

"The Military Industrial Complex seems to want to make sure they get World War 3 going before my father has a chance to create peace and save lives," he said

US-made projectile strikes to destroy ties between Moscow, Washington — Duma speaker

Vyacheslav Volodin added that these weapons "may cause damage but it will not change the situation on the battlefield"

Paris, London authorize strikes inside Russia — newspaper

According to Le Figaro, Kiev "will be able to use SCALP/Storm Shadow missiles for these purposes"

Fico’s adviser says special military operation underway between US, Russia

Military and financial support provided to Ukraine is not a way of solving the crisis, Mazgut said

Netherlands regrets leak of Biden’s decision on strikes inside Russia

Meanwhile, the Netherlands has repeatedly stated that it imposes no restrictions on the use or range of weapons, including F-16 fighter jets, the country is supplying to Kiev

Putin has already voiced his position strikes inside Russia with US weapons — diplomat

Earlier The New York Times reported that US President Joe Biden has allowed to use US-supplied long-range missiles, known as the Army Tactical Missile Systems, or ATACMS, to strike inside Russia

Russian troops liberate DPR's Leninskoye, Makarovka

Russian army hits Ukrainian energy facilities

Trump may pressure Ukraine to end war with Russia, Turkish expert suggests

According to Ilter Turan, Ukraine lacks the capacity to sustain its confrontation with Russia for an extended period without support from the US and Europe

Russia could deploy new weapons if Ukraine hits Russia with US missiles, warns senior MP

"It is not out of the question that new weapons systems, which have not yet been used against Ukraine, could be employed," Vyacheslav Volodin said

Biden authorizes use of US long-range weapons to strike inside Russia — media

According to the report, it is not ruled out that Joe Biden may allow to use American missiles to deliver strikes not only on the Kursk Region but also elsewhere in Russia

Russia sees 'freezing' of Ukraine conflict as unacceptable, Kremlin spokesman says

"The conditions that President Putin laid out in June remain fully relevant," Dmitry Peskov said

Scholz describes his phone call with Putin as important and detailed

"The conversation was detailed but revealed that little has changed in the Russia president’s views. This is not good news," Scholz said

Pentagon chief believes Ukraine conflict will be resolved through talks

Pentagon chief said that following a meeting with his Australian and Japanese counterparts

US approving strikes inside Russia not to alter outcome of conflict — Polish minister

Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz added that this decision needed to be made much earlier to have any impact on the battlefield situation

Army specialists helping Rosatom secure Zaporozhye nuke plant - official

A regiment of radiation, chemical and biological protection troops has been additionally deployed to the plant

German defense minister calls for trying to build dialogue with Russia on Ukraine

Boris Pistorius, however, noted that he sees no changes in Moscow’s course

US is now at war with Russia, Ritter says

According to former US intelligence officer Scott Ritter, the United States "is a direct party to the invasion and occupation of Russian soil," because it helped Kiev plan its incursion into the Kursk Region

Europe’s financial, military resources depleted due to Ukraine situation — Fico’s adviser

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiga said earlier that the total military help from the US and European states to Kiev had exceeded 100 bln euro

US decision to allow strikes inside Russia could trigger global war — Serbian deputy PM

Aleksandar Vulin stressed that such an action leads to "devastating consequences for the global community"

Top diplomat says no change in France's position on attacks deep into Russia

Earlier, The New York Times reported, citing sources, that Biden had authorized strikes from Ukrainian territory deep into Russia using ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles

Biden sets stage for WW3 by letting use US weapons to attack deep into Russia — senator

Earlier, The New York Times reported, citing sources, that US President Joe Biden had authorized strikes from the territory of Ukraine deep into Russia with ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles

54 countries vote against resolution on combating ne-Nazism

116 countries, including Azerbaijan, Algeria, Armenia, Belarus, Bolivia, Brazil, China, Cuba, Serbia, and Syria, supported the document

Hostages taken in restaurant in Paris suburb — TV

Meanwhile, Le Figaro reported that the perpetrator stated his intention to commit suicide

Russian army traps Ukrainian troops in Chasov Yar — intelligence center

The official reported that fighters from the 98th Airborne Division were engaged in fierce battles

US should not get involved in disputes in South China Sea — Xi

Separatist activities in Taiwan are incompatible with peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, Xi Jinping added

Trump likely to revoke Biden's authorization to attack deep into Russia — magazine

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US-led coalition aircraft violate Syrian airspace 12 times in past day

Apart from that, two violations of the deconfliction protocols of December 9, 2019 linked with the flights by the US-led coalition unmanned aerial vehicles were reported

Biden administration tries to prevent Trump from ending war in Ukraine — expert

Wang Wen called the next few months a "high-risk period" in the conflict

US communicates its decision to authorize Kiev to strike inside Russia 3 days ago — Axios

These weapons were authorized for use in the Kursk Region only, the news outlet said

G20 summit in Brazil brings together over 40 countries — president

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov represents Russia at the event

Top Hungarian diplomat blames West for trying to expand war in Ukraine

Peter Szijjarto pointed out that "the supporters of war in Washington and Brussels have launched a final, desperate attack on the new reality"

Actions by Abkhazia’s opposition suggest attempt to seize power

Justice Minister Anri Bartsits emphasized that President Aslan Bzhania had already proposed a perfectly legal solution to resolve the current political crisis

Situation with strikes deep inside Russia dangerous, as West may get involved — Kremlin

Dmitry Peskov said that "these strikes are carried out by those countries that give permission, because targeting, other maintenance is not done by Ukrainian servicemen"