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Military operation in Ukraine

Ukraine, US top diplomats discuss $33 bln aid to Kiev

The Secretary provided an update on plans for U.S. diplomats to return to Ukraine

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba Evelyn Hockstein/Pool Photo via AP

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba

© Evelyn Hockstein/Pool Photo via AP

WASHINGTON, May 1. /TASS/. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba held a phone conversation on Saturday to discuss the return of US diplomats to Ukraine and the US government’s request to Congress to authorize additional aid to Kiev totaling $33 billion.

US Department of State Spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement after the talks: "The Secretary provided an update on plans for U.S. diplomats to return to Ukraine, including initial visits to Lviv this week and plans to return to Kyiv as soon as possible."

In his words, Blinken and Kuleba also "discussed the Administration’s April 28 request to Congress for $33 billion in security, economic, and humanitarian aid" to Ukraine.

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Military operation in Ukraine

Terrorist attacks occur in Iran, Russia due to US support for terrorism — Iran’s top brass

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Russia says its battlegroup West seized better positions

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Russia appreciates Bolivia’s push to defend sovereignty, Lavrov says

The Russian foreign minister said that the sides would exchange opinions on how to develop bilateral relations along the path outlined by Bolivian President Luis Arce and Russian President Vladimir Putin

Kiev confirms pulling back US-made Abrams tanks due to vulnerability to Russian UAVs

Thirty-one American tanks have become "unfit for the classical deployment," Maxim Buzhansky said

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Ukrainian opposition demands parliament speaker's resignation over pro-Hitler remarks

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Kiev's attacks on ZNPP may trigger another Chernobyl — Zaporozhye governor

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Dmitry Peskov noted that, "according to some parameters, companies in Europe and other regions can hardly maintain their competitiveness if they completely abandon our products"

Putin calls impending formation of new cabinet ‘crucial step’

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FSB nabs Neo-Nazi group members in Volgograd Region plotting high-profile terror act

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The Russian defense chief is certain that "this is an important moment in strengthening security in the SCO space"

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Transfer of US ATACMS missiles to Ukraine cannot be justified — Russian ambassador

"Neither these missiles nor other weapons can help defeat the Russian Federation," Anatoly Antonov said

Cosmonauts complete spacewalk two hours ahead of schedule

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Blinken’s visit to China meant to shatter Russian-Chinese ties — senior Russian diplomat

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Space station’s orbit raised by 1 km — Roscosmos

According to preliminary information, the average altitude of the orbital outpost was increased to 414.8 km above the Earth’s surface

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The situation can take a sudden turn for the worse from one minute to the next, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said

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Shoigu talks about ties with NATO, attacks on Zaporozhye NPP as he attends SCO meeting

TASS has put together the highlights of Shoigu's speech

Kremlin vows to resolve situation with Turkish Airlines refusing service to Russians

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Erdogan moves back from May 9 his trip to US — report

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Israel Defense Forces delivers more strikes on Hezbollah infrastructure in Lebanon

Apart from that, IDF fighter jets delivered strikes on Hezbollah infrastructure in the area of Kfarchouba in southern Lebanon and in Markaba

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Russian foreign minister to meet with Bolivian counterpart in Moscow

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Russia needs to boost production of goods based on domestic technologies — Putin

The President undescored that Russia did not plan to produce absolutely everything domestically

NATO bears direct responsibility for Ukraine crisis — Chinese Foreign Ministry

Spokesman Wang Wenbin stressed that China was not providing weapons to the conflicting parties and strictly controlled dual-use goods, including the export of drones

Fatah accuses Hamas of actions that led to Israeli control of Gaza — report

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Russian troops wipe out military train with Western armaments in DPR over past day

Russian troops improved their tactical position and repelled eight Ukrainian army counterattacks in the Avdeyevka area over the past day, the Defense Ministry reported

Armenian police arrests people protesting against demarcation with Azerbaijan

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Swiss conference on Ukraine undermines European security — Russian diplomat

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Foreign delegations show great interest in Russian defense products — security official

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Russian troops destroy 89 Ukrainian UAVs, 5 boats in Kherson area over past day

"Battlegroup Dnepr units conducted active counterbattery warfare and destroyed enemy drones, manpower and equipment on the right bank of the Dnieper River," Governor Vladimir Saldo said

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Russia warns US, NATO against harming its security — diplomat

Maria Zakharova stressed that "the level of nuclear risks have risen dramatically as a result of the West’s destructive policy, which is fraught with a direct military confrontation between nuclear powers"

Security concerns mount as radical Islamists flock to Southeast Asia

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu added that establishing a security framework in Eurasia will be an important goal for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization

Chances of Baku-Yerevan conflict settlement higher than ever, Scholz says

The German chancellor emphasized that Berlin's "offer to lend support in finding a long-term and acceptable solution remains valid"

Insurers refuse to pay compensation for Nord Stream — Russian envoy to UN

Vasily Nebenzya stressed that insurers conclude on their own that the "explosion at the gas pipelines was made using an explosive devices, willfully and due to political motives," thereby confirming its terroristic nature

Reinforced Ukrainian battlegroup fails to break through Russian defenses in DPR — expert

Andrey Marochko added that the Ukrainians have also intensified artillery and drone attacks at Russian positions

Venezuelan foreign ministry, Russian embassy hold joint conference in Caracas

The event brought together almost 200 diplomats, foreign ministry staffers and experts in international relations

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All-Belarusian People's Assembly adopts new military doctrine, security concept

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US government prepares to sign $6-bln contract for arms deliveries to Ukraine — Politico

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Ukrainian army strikes own surrendering soldiers — POW

Andrey Babenko said that after a crash course in Britain he had been sent to the frontline near Liman

Russian defense chief points to West’s double standards on right to self-defense

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Russian Embassy to Austria denied participation in ceremony at Nazi concentration camp

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