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Israeli premier says Iran ‘dangerously close' to creating nuclear bomb

Iran is enriching uranium at an unprecedented rate and moving dangerously close to getting their hands on nuclear weapons, Naftali Bennett said

LONDON, June 12. /TASS/. The Iranian government is ‘dangerously close’ to obtaining a nuclear weapon, which necessitates a tougher response from the West, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennet said in an interview to The Telegraph, published on Sunday.

"Iran is enriching uranium at an unprecedented rate and moving dangerously close to getting their hands on nuclear weapons," Bennett told The Telegraph. "Without pressure from the west, the Islamic regime in Iran could get their hands on a nuclear bomb very soon. The world must take a firm stance and tell the Islamic regime in Iran: no nukes, no sanctions. Iran’s nuclear program won’t stop until it’s stopped."

On June 8, the IAEA Board of Directors adopted a resolution criticizing Iran for refusing to explain the origin of uranium particles at three undeclared sites. A total of 30 Council member states voted in favor of the resolution; Russia and China voted against, while India, Libya and Pakistan abstained. Prior to the vote, the Iranian Foreign Ministry noted that adoption of such resolution will disrupt the negotiations process on restoration of the nuclear deal, and vowed to provide a decisive and proportional response after the resolution was adopted.

In 2015, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany signed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with Iran in order to overcome the crisis around Tehran’s nuclear research. Previous US President Donald Trump made a decision to withdraw from this agreement in 2018. Current US leader Joe Biden repeatedly sent signals about Washington’s readiness to return to the Nuclear Deal. Russia, the UK, Germany, China, the US and France have been holding talks with Iran in Vienna on restoration of the JCPOA in its initial state since April last year.

Israeli-Palestinian conflict

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Sergey Lavrov underlined that "all this will be for the benefit of democratization of international relations, when everyone will take his place in world affairs by right"

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Ukrainian commanders trading blame with each other over defeats near Kharkov — NYT

Many in Ukraine reportedly believe that their country’s situation in the conflict with Russia has significantly worsened

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Russia’s S-300PS in Tajikistan confirm combat readiness

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Sergey Lavrov underscored that "the duo of Moscow and Beijing plays the most important balancing role in global affairs"

Russian troops liberate Bugrovatka community in Kharkov Region over past day

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Fit nation: Russia to see widespread increase in people exercising by 2036 — official

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Russia’s Dnepr group destroys 15 Ukrainian watercraft on Dnieper’s right bank

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Alexander Grushko discussed with Deputy Foreign Minister of Egypt Khalid Emara in Cairo "the processes of formation of a multipolar world, key trends in the evolution of international relations, and the changing role of international organizations and associations"

Experts of Ukraine’s Energoatom inspecting Belene NPP equipment for purchase — news portal

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Sullivan, Austin, Brown spend 90 minutes discussing military assistance with Ukrainians

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Biden signs decree banning uranium imports from Russia — White House

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Head of Main Personnel Directorate of Russia’s Defense Ministry Yuri Kuznetsov detained

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NATO countries waging proxy war against Russia — Russian diplomat

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Russian troops destroy Ukrainian army positions in area bordering Belgorod Region

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According to Sergey Naryshkin, the French Army is "visibly concerned" over the growing number of French citizens killed in Ukraine

Georgian legislature to pass foreign-agents bill in final reading on May 14 — PM

According to Irakli Kobakhidze, it "will play a crucial role in ending the so-called polarization that was imposed from the outside"

Putin, Xi to discuss strategic partnership, sign documents — Kremlin

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Viktor Zolotov also said the National Guard had started to take delivery of heavy equipment

Motor rifle troops in Urals receive upgraded T-72B3M tanks

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Shoigu to oversee Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, not head it — Kremlin

Dmitry Peskov added that the service is headed by Dmitry Shugayev

Blinken arrives in Kiev to discuss US aid to Ukraine — Reuters

According to the report, US Secretary of State "hopes to send a strong signal of reassurance to the Ukrainians who are obviously in a very difficult moment"

Russia’s onslaught on Kharkov may compel Ukraine to truce — NYT

On May 11, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported liberating several populated localities in the Kharkov Region

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Other heads of security ministries and services, as well as Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, will retain their posts in the government

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Detention of US citizens caused by their violations of law — Kremlin spokesman

Dmitry Peskov added that "each case includes its own circumstances, its own details, so it is unlikely that any generalizations could be made here"

Tula Region governor becomes presidential aide — Kremlin

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Kremlin says no mechanisms in place to exchange info on Nord Stream sabotage with Kiev

Dmitry Peskov added that Kiev's information about the Nord Stream explosions, if it is of any value at all, "is something that the Dutch, the Swedes and others should scrutinize"

Western strikes on Yemen have no excuse — Russia’s ambassador to UN

Vasily Nebenzya also noted the failure of attempts "to justify this aggression by Security Council Resolution 2722 or by references to the right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter"

Russian air defense systems destroy 25 Vampire MLRS shells over Belgorod region

It was reported earlier that multiple explosions were heard in Belgorod after the missile threat was declared, according to a TASS correspondent

50 Russians killed, nearly 190 wounded in Ukraine’s shelling attacks in past week

According to Russian Foreign Ministry’s Ambassador at Large Rodion Miroshnik, Ukrainian troops used foreign-made drones, Czech-, Turkish-, and US-made projectiles, including ATACMS missiles

If West wants to solve Ukraine conflict on battlefield, 'so be it' — Lavrov

Sergey Lavrov reiterated that Russia was ready to negotiate peace not only in words, but also in deeds

Armenian opposition leader Bagrat Galstanyan calls for more protests across country

He said that the opposition movement "will increase pressure across the entire country, from the north to the south"

Russian troops destroy over 16,000 armored vehicles in Ukraine operation — top brass

Russian troops improved their frontline positions and inflicted casualties on the Ukrainian army in the Kharkov area over the past day, the ministry reported

North Korean delegation arrives in Russia’s Primorsky Region — news agency

Bilateral exchanges between Russia and North Korea have intensified since the second half of 2012

Europeans go for broke seeing risk of collapse for Kiev in special op situation — Kremlin

According to Peskov, currently, "the moment is crucial."

Russia, China want to be leaders in establishing democratic world order — Lavrov

Sergey Lavrov stressed that Moscow and Beijing "are not the only ones who want to reform the international system, promote the establishment of a multipolar world order that would reflect the real weight of states"

Maxim Oreshkin promoted to deputy chief of Kremlin staff

Oreshkin has served as presidential aide since 2020 and was Russia's economic development minister in 2016-2020

US Secretary of State plans to visit Kiev — Politico

Antony Blinken will travel to Ukraine this week, the newspaper reported

Egypt threatens to end its mediation between Israel, Hamas — WSJ

The officials said Egypt is also blocking any humanitarian aid trucks from entering Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing

Nikolay Patrushev to oversee shipbuilding as presidential aide — Kremlin Spokesman

In 1974, Patrushev graduated from the Leningrad Shipbuilding Institute - currently known as the St. Petersburg State Marine Technical University

Blinken arrives in Ukraine amid nervousness over special military op — Kremlin

According to a statement released earlier by the US State Department press service, Antony Blinken intends to discuss the situation on the battlefield and issues of military support to Kiev

Part of Burisma’s bribe used to sponsor army of drones for Ukrainian forces — politician

"Under a classified court ruling, this money was transferred to a military unit of the Ukrainian defense ministry’s main intelligence directorate," Andrey Derkach said

State Duma approves deputy prime ministers of the Russian government

On May 7, the day of Vladimir Putin’s inauguration, the Russian government resigned, in accordance with the law

Press review: Russia installs new defense minister and Ukrainian terror in Belgorod

Top stories from the Russian press on Monday, May 13th

Nominee for Russian defense chief urges need to outpace Ukrainian army in technology

"It is necessary to generalize the experience of applying new technologies and, correspondingly, test new forms and methods of warfare," Andrey Belousov added

Lavrov, Libyan representatives discuss resuming intergovernmental commission

Parties expressed "mutual interest in establishing and strengthening mutually beneficial multifaceted cooperation, the Russian Foreign Ministry said

Death toll in Sunday’s apartment building collapse in Belgorod climbs to 16

Belgorod and its surroundings were subjected to massive Ukrainian shelling on May 12

Kremlin calls US ban on import of Russian uranium as 'manifestation of unfair competition'

"Our nuclear industry is one of the most advanced in the world. We will continue to develop this industry," Dmitry Peskov stressed

Russian official lauds defense industry as world’s most powerful in basic arms output

Denis Manturov noted that the geopolitical situation was prompting the need constantly to improve operational characteristics of armaments and military hardware

Conflict between Russia, Ukraine may last about 10 years — Polish foreign minister

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US, NATO policy in Central Asia fraught with danger of 'color revolutions' — diplomat

Mikhail Galuzin stressed that Russia was and is a reliable partner of Central Asian countries

Nord Stream saboteurs prepped in Ukraine, Romania — Ukrainian politician

According to Andrey Derkach, they trained on the South Stream, rented a large yacht, and then they were taken to Poland

West would try to exhaust Russia’s resources in potential conflict — Naryshkin

According to Sergey Naryshkin, the West is also seeking to force Russia to stop its anti-NATO efforts

Kharkov authorities acknowledge advance of Russian troops

The head of the military administration cited the delay in Western arms deliveries as the reason for the Ukrainian forces' failures

Ukrainian military redeploys reserves towards Kharkov

"Depending on the development of the situation the build-up of the group will continue," according to the report

Central Asian countries aware of risks of joining anti-Russian sanctions — diplomat

"Apparently, overseas and in Brussels they naively think that Central Asian countries will not resist this Western expansion," Mikhail Galuzin stated

Dyumin, Patrushev, Yampolskaya et al. — who joined Russia’s renewed presidential staff

Alexey Dyumin, who quit the post of the Tula Region’s governor, and Nikolay Patrushev, who left the post of secretary of the Security Council, have become new aides to the Russian leader

Putin to visit China May 16-17 — Kremlin

The visit to China will be Putin’s first foreign visit after his re-election as the Russian president, and, as Russian Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov said earlier, will be a "reciprocal step to the first official visit of President Xi Jinping which took place last year also following his re-election"

Forum on future of BRICS countries may be held in 2025

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Fire on motor ship in Russia’s Arkhangelsk extinguished

The North-Western Transport Prosecutor's Office organized a probe into the incident

Formidable Sarmat: Satan’s successor that can pierce any defense

TASS’ military analyst fills us in on one of the greatest secrets of Russia’s defense industry

Putin reappoints Ushakov, Medinsky as his aides — Kremlin

Larisa Brycheva was appointed presidential aide - head of the presidential state legal department, Dmitry Kalimulin will be presidential aide - head of the presidential reference office, Dmitry Shalkov will serve as presidential aide - head of the presidential control department

Russian robotic drone jammers shield evacuation groups in Ukraine operation

The innovation was prompted by the existence of gray zones in areas of combat operations that are dangerous for groups to evacuate wounded personnel, Denis Oslomenko noted

State Duma approves Mikhail Mishustin as Chairman of Russian Government

Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin thanked State Duma lawmakers for approving his candidacy for the prime minister’s office

Russia to invite numerous global South leaders to BRICS summit — Lavrov

The top Russian diplomat recalled that the participants in last year's BRICS summit in Johannesburg (South Africa) decided to form a new category of partner countries, which "will largely replace the BRICS+ format that has existed so far"

Aerospace Forces receive new Su-35S fighters

Su-35S have passed ground and flight trials and flew from Komsomolsk-on-Amur to the deployment airfield

Sea-launched Bulava ICBM accepted for service in Russian Armed Forces

Currently, Russia’s Northern and Pacific Fleets operate seven strategic subs of this type built by the Sevmash Shipyard in Russia’s northwest