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Turkey not positive concerning Sweden’s, Finland’s possible joining NATO — Erdogan

The Turkish president stressed that Ankara was following the development of the situation

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Mikhail Klimentyev/Russian Presidential Press and Information Office/TASS

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan

© Mikhail Klimentyev/Russian Presidential Press and Information Office/TASS

ANKARA, May 13. /TASS/. Ankara is not positive concerning Sweden’s and Finland’s possible accession to NATO, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday.

"We are following the development of the situation with Finland and Sweden, but we not positive [about this matter]. Nordic countries are a guesthouse for terrorist organizations," he said, obviously referring to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, which is outlawed in Turkey.

"The previous administrations made a mistake concerning Greece and Greece’s attitude to Turkey is well-known," he noted. "We don’t want Turkey to make another mistake on this matter."

Meanwhile, Turkish political analyst and economist and former trade representative to Russia Aydin Sezer told TASS on Thursday that Ankara would veto Finland’s and Sweden’s admission to NATO being guided by considerations of its national security.

Discussions on Finland’s and Sweden’s possible accession to NATO intensified in early April. The alliance’s key members have supported the idea. Most of Finland’s parliament members have already upheld the idea of joining the bloc. Sweden is also looking at such a possibility. On May 13, an interparty analysis of the situation in the sphere of the security policy will be ready in Sweden and the ruling Swedish Social Democratic Workers’ Party (SAP) will make a decision with regards to joining NATO on May 15.

Daily death toll from Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon nears 60 — health ministry

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Romanian presidential candidate vows to end military aid to Ukraine

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

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

Ukraine conflict entering decisive phase, Polish PM says

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Biden’s decision to use ATACMS against Russia may 'blow up in America’s face' — US expert

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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

NATO enters conflict, Russia has every right to attack its targets now — expert

Col. (Ret.) Lawrence Wilkerson confirmed to TASS that the launch of ATACMS missiles would be impossible without "US/NATO satellite feeds and/or personnel"

Russia encircles largest Ukrainian fortification in southern DPR — security services

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US journalist calls US President Joe Biden’s government 'the fascist state'

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Russia’s reaction to Austrian OMV’s failure to pay for gas justified — MFA

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Captives, Ukrainian losses: situation in Kursk Region

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Russian troops destroy Ukrainian fortification in LPR’s Makeyevka, strengthen positions

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

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

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Putin stays open to contacts to reach 'peaceful track' — Kremlin

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered a televised address to the nation on November 21, announcing that in response to the West’s decision to authorize strategic-depth strikes on Russia, Moscow used its new Oreshnik medium-range hypersonic ballistic missile for the first time

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

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Ukraine was warned about possible missile strike — Pentagon

Department of Defense Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh gave no answer to the question of how could Ukraine prepare for this kind of attack

Russia’s re-election to UNCITRAL confirms its global reputation — Foreign Ministry

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

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US decision to allow missile strikes deep into Russia fuels global escalation — Slovak PM

Robert Fico also rejected the belief that this escalation would not impact "those living far away, in Spain, England, or America"

Zelensky to have no input if Russia, US negotiate, ex-Prime Minister says

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Zelensky’s actions make Ukraine vulnerable to coup, says politician

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Russian military to warn Ukrainian civilians of future Oreshnik attacks — Kremlin

Earlier, the Russian Armed Forces carried out a precision strike on Ukraine’s Yuzhmash defense industry facility in retaliation for the use of US-and UK-made weapons for strikes on Russia

Diplomat mocks US Senator for talking about invading Netherlands

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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

Zelensky fine with conflict continuing due to Western help — Slovak PM

Robert Fico pointed out that "more and more evidence show that the West seeks to prolong the war in Ukraine for various reasons"

Trump seeks to restore peace in entire world — transition team on Putin’s address

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Signal to West and 'red card': experts weigh in on Putin’s missile launch statements

The important message in Vladimir Putin’s speech was that "Russia does believe that the West has shifted from a proxy-war to direct war" and that the parties find themselves in "a global conflict" now, Dmitry Suslov said

IN BRIEF: What Putin said about Russia’s new missile, and Moscow’s response to the West

Moscow used its new Oreshnik medium-range hypersonic ballistic missile in response to the West’s decision to authorize strategic-depth strikes on Russia

Oreshnik test aims to persuade West to avoid escalation in Ukraine — media

According to the report, the use of Oreshnik has become "part of a new era of missile warfare"

Putin’s remarks on hypersonic missiles send serious warning to West — Turkish politician

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Russia hammers Ukrainian military-industrial facilities, energy sites over week

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US forces strike Houthi sites with seaborne missiles — TV

According to Al Arabiya, US warships fired at least four missiles at Houthi-operated facilities in the Al-Matina area around 90 km south of the province’s administrative center

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

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Biden slams ‘outrageous’ International Criminal Court warrants for Israeli leaders

"There is no equivalence - none - between Israel and Hamas," US president said

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The Belarusian leader noted that they want to go to Warsaw

Soyuz rocket carrying Progress MS-29 cargo spaceship blasts off from Baikonur spaceport

Progress MS-29 will deliver 2,487 metric tons of cargo to the orbital outpost, including fuel, drinking water, compressed nitrogen, various equipment, food and clothing

Ukrainian conflict acquires global elements after strikes with Western missiles — Putin

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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

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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

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

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

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Bundeswehr prepares plan for Operation Germany in case of war with Russia — newspaper

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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

China holds US responsible for disrupted defense ministers' meeting in Laos

Wu Qian stated that the United States must immediately correct its mistakes, "honestly respect China’s main interests, and seek to create favorable conditions for high-level contacts between the military of the two countries"

US, European officials suggest returning nukes to Ukraine — NYT

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Weapons supplied to Ukraine cannot reach Russian territory, Spanish defense minister says

The New York Times reported on November 17 that US President Joe Biden had authorized the use of US-supplied ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles for strikes inside Russia

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"

Belarusian president believes humanity is on the brink of World War III

Alexander Lukashenko also emphasized that a real information war has been underway for a long time

Russia to hold informal UN Security Council meeting on unilateral restrictions

It will be held on November 25

Russia’s Oreshnik has no analogues worldwide — Putin

"We know what kind of developments are being carried out there, but this will happen tomorrow or in a year or two, but we have such a system already today," the president said

Any escalation scenario possible in Ukraine conflict — Medvedev

According to the politician, Western nations need to understand that they are fighting on Ukraine’s side

Russia's Oreshnik missile poses significant threat to West, Turkish expert warns

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West launched missiles targeting Russia’s Bryansk, Kursk Regions — Putin

Russian air defenses repulsed all attacks, the Russian president said

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Russian army pushes Ukraine out of Kurakhovo water reservoir’s north shore

According to Igor Kimakovsky, the only road the Ukrainian armed forces could use to leave the city is under Russia’s control

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"

US makes mistake by destroying INF Treaty — Putin

The Russian leader stressed that the United States made a mistake by unilaterally destroying the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 2019 under a far-fetched pretext

Enemy has no countermeasures for Russia’s Oreshnik missile — Putin

Speaking in a televised address, the head of state assured that Russia will issue notifications before using this type of missile

Kremlin clarifies notification process for Oreshnik missile launch

"An automated warning was sent 30 minutes before the launch," Dmitry Peskov said

Russian air defense deflects attacks with Western missiles — Putin

"As a result, the goals that the enemy apparently set have not been achieved," the Russian leader said

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

German politician slams Ukraine’s ‘irresponsible’ strike on Russia with UK-made missiles

"A diplomatic search for balance and mutual understanding should be the goal, instead of further escalation," Alice Weidel said

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

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West beginning to realize only part of Ukraine will remain — Lavrov

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Ukrainian frontline may 'collapse' under onslaught of Russian forces — BBC

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Tehran to launch new centrifuges in response to IAEA anti-Iran resolution — statement

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US missile defense base in Poland long among Russian army’s targets — Foreign Ministry

Maria Zakharova stated that the US-NATO construction project, ongoing for nearly a decade with complete disregard to Russian security concerns, has consistently been a focus of Russia's attention

Putin warns West that Russia can respond to any turn of events

"There will always be an answer," the president said

US administration chooses to escalate Ukraine conflict — Kremlin

Earlier, Putin stressed that the Ukrainian army is unable to fire the latest Western-made long-range missiles on its own without support from NATO satellite feeds and the involvement of the bloc’s military

Japanese lawmaker praises Putin's restraint amid decision to strike deep into Russia

Top EU diplomat Josep Borrell confirmed that the US administration had lifted restrictions for US-supplied missiles to be used for strikes up to 300 kilometers inside Russia

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"

Russia interested in security of Baltic undersea infrastructure — embassy in Denmark

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Moscow hopes West will thoroughly analyze Russia's nuclear doctrine — ambassador

Andrey Kelin also recalled that the policy of the Russian leadership enjoys the full support and confidence of the country's population

Eliminating best enemy units: Defense Minister visits special op area

Andrey Belousov stressed that Russian troops have accelerated their advance in the special military operation zone and have effectively disrupted Kiev's 2025 military campaign

Russian embassy warns UK about dangers of calling for Moscow’s ‘defeat’

According to th statement, London is promoting new rounds of escalation

Western nations should take Putin's statement seriously, warns Hungarian PM

Viktor Orban recalled that Russia has "one of the most powerful armies in the world, which boasts the most advanced, most powerful weapons"

Putin says Oreshnik missile system cutting-edge innovation by Russia, not Soviet byproduct

The Russian Defense Ministry announced earlier in the day that the country’s latest Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile hit all the targets at a major Ukrainian military-industrial enterprise in Dnepr (Dnepropetrovsk) with its MIRVed warheads

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

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Russia hit Ukrainian military-industrial facility in response to use of Western missiles

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Oreshnik can reach targets across entire Europe — missile troops commander

"Based on the tasks and the range of this weapon, it can hit targets across entire Europe, which sets it apart from other high-precision long-range weapons," Sergey Karakayev said

Zelensky shook up by Russia’s response to permission to attack it — Lavrov

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

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NATO deployment to Ukraine would mark its entry into the war, Russian diplomat warns

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West builds up military presence near Russia’s Arctic borders — presidential aide

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German chancellor reiterates decision not to send Taurus missiles to Ukraine

Olaf Scholz stated that only the Social Democratic Party of Germany could maintain a balance between caution and clear support for Ukraine

China against double standards in international law — Foreign Ministry

Spokesman Lin Jian highlighted Washington's use of double standards in handling the Israeli-Palestinian conflict within the United Nations

Iran begins installation of three new generations of centrifuges to enrich uranium — TV

The decision was reportedly made in response to the anti-Iran resolution of the International Atomic Energy Agency