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Johnson to mull options "to mitigate against Russian aggression" in coming days — source

British Prime Minister asked defense and security chiefs to consider further defensive military options in Europe during a high level intelligence briefing on the situation around Ukraine last week

LONDON, January 29. /TASS/. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will consider options this weekend to mitigate alleged "Russian aggression" in Eastern Europe, including through the deployment and strengthening of NATO defense capabilities, an informed source in the circles of the British government told TASS on Friday.

"The Prime Minister asked defense and security chiefs to consider further defensive military options in Europe during a high level intelligence briefing on the situation [around Ukraine] last week," the source said.

"In a meeting at the Ministry of Defense, top military brass set out a range of options to mitigate against growing Russian aggression in the region, including fresh deployments and bolstering of NATO’s defenses. The Prime Minister is considering those options this weekend," the source said without specifying what kind of actions it may concern.

Earlier, the British Prime Minister promised that London would consider the possibility of deploying additional forces in Europe. He said that discussions are currently underway to expand NATO's presence in Romania and Hungary to strengthen the eastern borders of the alliance. However, it was not for the first time that Johnson rejected the possibility of sending British troops or from another NATO country to Ukraine, saying that the country is not part of the alliance.

Recently, claims of Russia’s potential invasion of Ukraine have been echoed quite often in Ukraine and throughout Western countries. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov lambasted such reports as an "empty and groundless escalation of tensions", underscoring that Russia does not pose any threat to anyone. Peskov noted that provocations may happen in order to justify such claims and warned that such attempts will bear the most serious consequences.

North Korea conducts new anti-aircraft missile test — KCNA

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Hungarians in western Ukraine should get their rights back, Budapest says

"The Hungarian community’s opportunities to use its native language in the fields of education, culture, media and self-governance have been significantly limited," Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto specified

Ukraine’s military loses positions near Avdeyevka, says DPR

Igor Kimakovsky said that Ukrainian forces suffered heavy casualties among personnel and military hardware, including Western equipment

West wants to make Transnistria hotbed of tension — Lavrov

According to the top Russian diplomat, the leaders who rule countries where they claim to be from while holding foreign passports "will not enjoy support and authority for long"

One crew member of jet crashed in Stavropol Region killed, search for another continues

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, an Aerospace Forces’ Tu-22M3 bomber crashed after completing a combat mission while returning to the airfield

Language policy of Moldovan government is Russophobic — head of Gagauzia region

Evgenia Gutsul was referring to the demand the People's Assembly of Gagauzia made for Moldovan legislators to uphold the status of Russian as the language of interethnic communication in the region

Iran has no plans to immediately retaliate to attack on its soil — agency

"We have not received any external attack, and the discussion leans more towards infiltration than attack," a senior Iranian official reported

US assured Israel that Iranian drones will be intercepted — US journalist Hersh

He also said that the US military contacted Russia and the United Kingdom while evaluating the potential of the Iranian attack

French, US, British nukes all interwoven — Russian diplomat

Maria Zakharova described France’s decision to place its aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, directly under NATO control as a symbolic move marking the end of "the era of an independent Paris in the international arena"

About 30 events in 26 countries to be held as part of Russian Film Festival — minister

The geography of work in the culture sphere was wider before but "all the horizontal ties are kept," Olga Lyubimova noted

Armenia has to define CSTO’s zone of responsibility on its territory, says Lavrov

On March 12, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that Yerevan asked its CSTO partners to answer where the CSTO's zone of responsibility in the republic was

Three Ukrainian soldiers swim across Dnieper to surrender to Russian troops — governor

Vladimir Saldo called on other Ukrainian servicemen to switch to the Russian side and request the corresponding assistance

Russia to scrap moratorium on intermediate missiles if US deploys them anywhere — MFA

Sergey Ryabkov said the US seeks to maintain military superiority in a great variety of areas

Senior Chinese official to take part in conference on security in Russia — diplomat

The conference will take place from April 23 to 25 in St. Petersburg

Court arrests another man accused of blowing up car of former SBU officer in Moscow

Ivan Paskar is charged with illegally transporting explosive substances, but he does not recognize his guilt

Ukrainian POW exposes poor battlefield performance of NATO-supplied Javelins, NLAWs

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Founder of neo-Nazi cell in Crimea flees to Georgia — source

According to the official, the investigation established that Mikhail Maurov planned to travel to Ukraine to join the ranks of a right-wing Ukrainian organization called the Freedom of Russia Legion

Russia ready for Ukraine talks, but not with Zelensky — Lavrov

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North Korean leader arrives at public event in Aurus luxury car gifted by Putin

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Blast rocks military base south of Baghdad — Reuters

According to the news agency, one PMF fighter was killed and six were wounded

Russia’s defense chief inspects production of tanks, flamethrowers at Siberian enterprise

Sergey Shoigu handed down an instruction for the defense enterprise to ramp up the production of T-80BVM tanks, the Defense Ministry said

Kiev lacks both troops and equipment near Chasov Yar in DPR, says retired general

Military commanders of Ukrainian army brigades "lack both personnel and the required amount of equipment" while Russian troops enjoy a considerable superiority, especially in artillery, Sergey Krivonos noted

BRICS looking at creating common digital payment platform

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Iran suspends flights above several cities amid reports of air attack — IRNA

Fox News said the Jewish state delivered a limited strike on Iran

Switzerland does not suit Russia for negotiations on Ukraine — Lavrov

The Foreign Minister pointed to the fact that Switzerland is on board with all Western sanctions

Moscow International Film Festival kicks off

MIFF President Nikita Mikhalkov, a celebrated Russian film director, declared the festival open, praising the bravery of foreign cultural figures who are visiting Russia at this time

Crimea, Donbass to forever remain within Russia, Slovak PM tells national parliament

Robert Fico believes Moscow will win in its confrontation with Kiev

West can’t comprehend Russia’s resilience — Lavrov

"They would have been scared had anyone come down on them with similar ferocity," the Russian foreign minister added

World’s anti-doping agency WADA still waits for Russia’s 2023 financial contribution

Russian Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin said in February that the Russian side had agreed with WADA to pay the membership fee for the year of 2023

Lavrov says Borrell let it slip that Europe ‘fighting against Russia’

Russia’s top diplomat noted that Josep Borrell may made the statement in a moment of weakness

Russia bans 235 Australian local government officials from entering country — MFA

"Taking into account the fact that Canberra does not intend to give up its anti-Russian course and continues to introduce new sanctions, work on updating the Russian stop list will continue," the ministry said

Russia’s advanced radar in Kaliningrad to monitor entire territory of Europe — source

The first Konteiner radar went on combat duty in the Volga area region of Mordovia on December 1, 2019

Hungary to not intervene in Ukrainian conflict on any side, PM says

Viktor Orban believes the first phase of the conflict, which included proposals on sending troops to Ukraine, is over

Chinese analyst sees US veto on Palestine as reflection of arrogance, double standards

Wang Wen stated that it’s still very hard to achieve a settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Grossi ignores ‘elephant in the room’ in Zaporozhye nuke plant situation — Russian envoy

Dmitry Polyansky noted that the IAEA chief is being very cautious about the issue of attacks on the nuclear facility

Proposals on Russian assets confiscation undermine financial system — Finance Minister

Russia urges the International Monetary Fund to resume the effort of improving the global monetary and financial system, Anton Siluanov noted

Shoigu orders additional tank protection sets for Ukraine operation

The minister also inspected the training process in Omsk Armor Engineering Institute

French president says creating Israeli-type air defense network for Ukraine impossible

Emmanuel Macron added that Europe’s resources are limited, and the European Union will continue helping Kiev keeping in mind its own reserves

US volunteer Russel Bentley missing in Donetsk killed — RT editor-in-chief

Bentley came to Donbass from the United States in 2014

Russia won’t allow NATO to move closer in Ukraine — Lavrov

There is still no full clarity regarding the future of Ukraine's western regions, the Russian foreign minister went on to say

G7 leaders to decide on Russian assets use — Italian Deputy PM

Recommendations on opportunities of using frozen Russian assets in interests of Ukraine will be presented before the G7 summit in June 2024

EU ministers to discuss use of Russian assets for Ukraine on April 22 — EU official

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Russian economy positively influences neighboring countries — Deputy PM

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Lavrov speaks of West’s agony, Russia’s approach to any future talks with Kiev

The Russian foreign minister also described Armenia and Russia as more than formal allies

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The Ukrainian army lost more than 3,550 troops, four tanks and five armored combat vehicles in battles with Russian forces in the Donetsk area over the past week, the ministry reported

US gives nod to Israeli operation in Rafah in exchange for canceling major attack on Iran

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Swiss parliament votes against joining task force on frozen Russian assets

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Ukrainians abroad storming embassies to avoid mobilization, Russian diplomat says

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North Korea conducts new anti-aircraft missile test — KCNA

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Nearly half of those present in UN Security Council hall walk out before Israel’s address

israeli Permanent Representative Gilad Erdan was to address the council after Palestinian envoy Riyad Mansour

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Kremlin declines to comment on alleged assassination attempt on Zelensky in Poland

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NATO discussing transfer of ‘deep precision strike capabilities’ to Ukraine — Stoltenberg

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Ukrainian trace obvious in Crocus City Hall attack — Russian prosecutor general

The law enforcement employees exert efforts to identify the instigators of this crime, Igor Krasnov said

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Ukrainian drones continue to fly over Zaporozhye NPP — press service

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West close to sending military to Ukraine, this would 'drag Europe to bottom' — Orban

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Izvestia correspondent Semyon Eremin killed in special operation zone

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S-500 system to be supplied to Armed Forces after 2015

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Russia’s export duty on wheat to be $37.42 per metric ton from April 24

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Arnulf Damerau said that he provided details of the meeting, along with evidence and a list of names of those involved, to US and European intelligence agencies

Russian government increases customs duties on beer from unfriendly countries

This measure is not a prohibitive one and will make it possible to make competitive conditions equal for Russian producers, the ministry said

Military base near Iran’s Isfahan hit following attack — newspaper

The sources said that Iranian forces managed to destroy several small drones near the city of Tabriz, about 800 kilometers from Isfahan

Polish premier refuses to hand over his country’s Patriot systems to Ukraine

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Russian industrial producers’ prices up 2.4% in March — statistics

In chemicals production, prices edged up by 26.8% for ethers, organic peroxides, epoxides, acetals and semiacetals and their derivatives

Security guarantees on Ukraine did not apply to Crimea, Donbass — Lavrov

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Russia can join top three countries by lithium reserves — governor

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Global economy’s condition improving — Russian Deputy PM

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Ukrainian drone damages energy infrastructure in Russia’s Kaluga Region

There are no casualties, Governor Vladislav Shapsha said

Russian military base may appear in CAR’s eastern region — President Touadera

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Iran may target Israeli nuclear center in Dimona in case of Israel’s attack — TV

Ahmad Haghtalab said on April 18 that Tehran has identified the location of Israel's "nuclear centers" and will be ready to destroy them in case the Jewish state responds to the recent Iranian attack on Israeli military facilities

Unidentified man attempts suicide outside courthouse where Trump trial is underway

The man set himself on fire

US-led coalition’s aircraft violate Syrian airspace 13 times in past day

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Death toll in Gaza Strip since tensions escalated exceeds 34,000 — Health Ministry

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Putin signs law on holding World Friendship Games

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Russia knows French military instructors working in Ukraine — Lavrov

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US 'not forgetting' to help itself with aid to Ukraine — Kremlin

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Russia's revenues from oil exports remain high despite price ceiling — IMF

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Russia has significant amount of West’s funds in case of confiscation of its assets

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American Abrams tanks vulnerable even to Soviet-era weapons, says expert

US President Joe Biden announced on January 25 that Washington would hand over 31 M1 Abrams tanks to the Kiev regime

BRICS’ expansion makes it much stronger — senior Russian diplomat

Egypt, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Ethiopia, became full-fledged members of BRICS from January 1, 2024

Russian instructors help train over 10,000 Central African troops — CAR president

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Final statement by G7 top diplomats to call for supplying more air defenses to Kiev

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Russian economy proves resilience amid large-scale sanctions — IMF

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Russian stock indices rising on Friday

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US House passes procedural vote on Ukraine aid bill

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Kiev ordered mandatory evacuation from Kharkov Region to accommodate mercenaries

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Two pilots of jet that crashed in southern Russia hospitalized

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Russian Cabinet expands list of perfumery, cosmetic products subjected to import duty

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Ukraine’s new ethnic minorities law insufficient to protect Magyars — Hungarian president

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Drones downed over Isfahan cause no damage, says Iranian foreign minister

It is reported that several drones had been intercepted by the national air defense forces over Isfahan