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Conflict in Syria

Three civilians killed during US landing in Syrian Deir Ez-Zor — agency

Along with the US military, the fighters from Kurdish units of the Syrian Democratic Forces engaged in the anti-terrorist operation

BEIRUT, December 13. / TASS /. US Air Force helicopters have landed on the east bank of the Euphrates River in the province of Deir Ez-Zor, opening intense fire on residential buildings and outbuildings, the SANA news agency said on Monday, noting that at least three civilians had been killed while there are reports of others being injured.

Along with the US military, the fighters from Kurdish units of the Syrian Democratic Forces engaged in the anti-terrorist operation. They stormed several houses, where the terrorists were hiding, taking prisoners with them.

On December 7, a similar operation took place in Ash-Shukheil, where, according to the agency, American troops captured a group of civilians and took them away in an unknown direction. The US anti-terrorist coalition has not provided any explanation.

Kurdish formations, supported by the Western coalition, currently control most of the Syrian provinces of Haseke and Raqqa as well as the northeastern regions of Deir Ez-Zor. Since 2015, the American leadership has deployed some nine military bases in the region. Damascus considers the US military presence as an illegal occupation.

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Syrian conflict

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Russia entitled to use weapons against military sites of states attacking it — Duma

"Russia has repeatedly stated that such actions will receive a response – and it will be a stronger one," Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin stressed

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Biden’s actions on Ukraine meant to 'muck things up' for Trump — Lavrov

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Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said it in an interview

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Top stories from the Russian press on Thursday, November 21st

West irrational, fails to understand it cannot intercept Russia's new missiles — Kneissl

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Press review: Russia fires missile at Ukraine plant and Biden forgives Kiev $4.65 bln debt

Top stories from the Russian press on Friday, November 22nd

Good relations between Moscow, Riyadh helping oil market stability — Medvedev

"Our friends are living in the Arab world," the politician noted

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Ukraine should consider territorial concessions to Russia in return for peace — magazine

Foreign Policy pointed out that Western officials should stop insisting in public speeches on the need to achieve a strategic defeat for Russia

Turkey’s desire to be gas hub important for energy security — Russian official

Russia will continue developing pipe gas supplies and will "continue supplying competitive energy resources to partners and the whole world," Pavel Sorokin noted

Putin's speech shows West that Russia won’t waver, is ready for any scenario — expert

Dmitry Suslov pointed to a crucial message in the President's speech: "Russia firmly believes that the West has moved from a proxy war to a direct war" and that the sides are already "in a state of global conflict"

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Decision on strikes inside Russia seals US puppet Zelensky’s fate — commentator

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Western countries should 'be afraid, tremble' after Putin's statement — lawmaker

Andrey Kartapolov added that the special military operation in Ukraine "will continue its course until all tasks are completed"

China urges restraint after Russia, Ukraine's exchange of attacks — foreign ministry

Lin Jian also reaffirmed Beijing's position on the Ukrainian issue

Lukashenko tells Putin situation is "starting to get tense with Wagner"

The Belarusian leader noted that they want to go to Warsaw

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

Apart from that, one violation of the deconfliction protocols of December 9, 2019 linked with the flights by the US-led coalition unmanned aerial vehicles was reported

Japanese government refrains from commenting on Russia’s latest hypersonic missile

At the same time, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi once again criticized Russia’s actions in Ukraine

North Korean leader warns of growing risk of nuclear war — KCNA

Kim Jong Un added that negotiations with the US only confirmed the North Korean view that Washington’s hostile policy remains unchanged

Russia fires ballistic, non-nuclear-tipped missile at Ukrainian aerospace plant — Putin

According to the president, the missile is code-named Oreshnik, which can roughly be translated as hazel bush

Russia inflicts damage on gas production facilities used for Ukraine’s defense industry

Energy facilities backing Ukrainian defense industry extensively attacked

Bank of Russia lifts official dollar rate to 102.58 rubles for November 23-25

The Central Bank said on June 13 that it would fix official dollar and euro rates against the ruble on the basis of reports of banks on results of transactions in the over-the-counter currency market

Russian forces successfully advancing in all areas in special military op zone — Putin

The Russian president said that "all the goals we set for ourselves are being achieved"

Russia uses aerial bombs to destroy Ukrainian positions near DPR’s Konstantinovka — source

According to the report, at least 15 Ukrainian servicemen were killed as a result of the attack

Kremlin confident Putin's statement got through to US administration

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on November 21 that the United States and its NATO allies had earlier announced that they would authorize Ukraine’s use of long-range weapons to hit inside Russia, after which American and British missiles struck Russian military facilities in the Kursk and Bryansk regions

US admiral says Washington should be ready for talks with Russia, China

The Department of State and other US agencies "should continue to engage our competitors in real and substantive dialogue," Rear Admiral Thomas Buchanan said

Russia shelters over 30,000 people fleeing from Ukrainian shelling — commissioner

Tatyana Moskalkova said that, according to the Ministry of Emergency Situations, 112,337 people had been evacuated from the Kursk Region alone

Ex-German chancellor never expected Russia to tolerate Ukraine’s NATO membership — memoir

Angela Merkel added that another fallacy was the belief that the status "would act as a deterrent," and that Moscow "would accept these developments without taking action"

Russian forces cut off key Ukrainian supply route in Velikaya Novoselka, DPR

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US not seeking confrontation with Russia, but will continue assistance to Kiev — Pentagon

Department of Defense Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh also claimed that Washington, while helping Ukraine, is not attempting to turn the conflict into a large-scale regional confrontation that spills beyond the country’s borders

Russian ambassador says UK prime minister doesn’t understand situation in Ukraine

Turning to the Labour Party’s domestic policies, Andrey Kelin said Starmer’s plans to spur the economy were "not met with applause by the population

US, European officials suggest returning nukes to Ukraine — NYT

US officials believe that ramping up weapons supplies to Ukraine is unlikely to change the situation in the combat zone short term, but it may help Kiev strengthen its stance in case a truce is reached

Commissioning of Oreshnik and new developments: Putin’s meeting with defense specialists

Here are the key statements, made during the meeting

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

Russia not obliged to notify anyone about launch of intermediate-range missile — Kremlin

"No, there have been no notifications, for Russia has no such obligation with regard to intermediate-range missiles," Dmitry Peskov emphasized

Enemy losses, mercenary intrigue, humanitarian aid: situation in Kursk Region

Over the day, the enemy lost 150 troops, four motor vehicles, an artillery piece and two mortars

Oreshnik missile to go into serial production, Putin says

The president stressed that given the weapon’s special power, it "will be provided precisely to the Strategic Missile Forces"

Internet shutdown possible in Belarus if events of August 2020 recur, Lukashenko says

Belarus faced widespread disruptions to mobile Internet access in 2020 due to the protests that erupted across the country

Russia forced to roll out new weapons as West fuels conflict, Minsk says

According to Belarusian Security Council State Secretary Alexander Volfovich, "the West does not support peace, it supports war"