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Military operation in Ukraine

Ukraine’s parliament bans Russian music and import of books from Russia, Belarus

The bill was registered with the Verkhovna Rada on June 14

KIEV, June 19. /TASS/. Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada, or national parliament, has voted for banning the import and distribution of books and other printed products from Russia and Belarus, a Ukrainian lawmaker said on Sunday.

"Parliament has banned the import and distribution of books and other printed products from Russia," Belarus and from territories that are not controlled by Kiev," Yaroslav Zheleznya wrote on his Telegram channel.

Apart from that, in his words, the lawmakers also supported the ban on playing Russian music in Ukrainian media and public places.

The bill on banning books by Russian authors and restricting imports of printed products from Russia and Belarus was registered with the Verkhovna Rada on June 14.

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Military operation in Ukraine

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

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

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

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Shoigu orders additional tank protection sets for Ukraine operation

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

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

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

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Lavrov views situation in Middle East as 'very bad'

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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

West wants to make Transnistria hotbed of tension — Lavrov

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According to Bloomberg, Israel informed the United States about its plans to strike Iran within the next 24-48 hours

Israeli Air Force attacks airfield in southern Syria during strike on Iran

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

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West, Kiev indulge in nuclear blackmail by demanding control of ZNPP — Russian MFA

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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"

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West frightens voters by 'Russian threat' to win elections — Lavrov

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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

Iran threatens to attack Israel's "nuclear centers" in case of aggression on its part

Ahmad Haqtalab argued that Israel had been conducting "subversive and terrorist activities" against the Islamic republic's nuclear infrastructure for year

EU plans to invest first profits from Russian assets in military aid to Kiev

"I think that the decision has been taken by the member-states - all 27 have agreed that we use the windfall profits following our proposal," Ursula von der Leyen said

Russia always prefers talks to fighting, wars, says Lavrov

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Major Western investor accuses Zelensky's office of extorting millions of euros

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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

Tehran’s two major airports cancel international flights — Mehr

Imam Khomeini International Airport and Mehrabad International Airport suspended their operations until 10:30 a.m. local time

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

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

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

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

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

"This military whirlpool can drag Europe to the bottom. Brussels is playing with fire and angering God," the Hungarian prime minister said

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

According to the media outlet, "the US administration will support the plan for a military operation in Rafah put forward earlier," which provides for dividing the city into numbered sectors that will be mopped up one by one

Iran intends to bolster military cooperation with Russia — envoy to Moscow

Kazem Jalali noted that Iran had demonstrated its ability to ensure security and nudge the region toward a de-escalation

Kiev continues to openly announce terrorist attacks on Russia — diplomat

Maria Zakharova also pointed to the fact that Ukraine's special services do not give up attempts to "massacre their former compatriots"

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Israel to not take responsibility for attack on Iran — newspaper

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

Ukrainians abroad storming embassies to avoid mobilization, Russian diplomat says

On Tuesday, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky signed the mobilization law passed by the Verkhovna Rada (parliament) in the second and final reading on April 11

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Tasnim refuted foreign media reports about an incident at a nuclear site in Isfahan

Russian Aerospace Forces strike five militant hideouts in Syria’s Homs

Yury Popov said that aircraft of the so-called international anti-terrorism coalition, led by the United States, continue to set dangerous precedents in skies above Syria

Russia delivers 34 strikes on Ukrainian military infrastructure over week — top brass

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

Romania tries to cancel Russian culture by banning films — diplomat

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Water in Kurgan above dam, breaking records

More than 100 employees of the Russian Ministry of Emergencies are fencing the shores and filling the least reliable dam segments

Swiss parliament votes against joining task force on frozen Russian assets

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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

CIA chief says Ukraine could lose by end of this year — Politico

William Burns said "there is a very real risk that the Ukrainians could at least put Putin in a position where he could essentially dictate the terms of a political settlement"

Hezbollah warns Israel it will fight back if attacks on Lebanon continue

The Lebanese Shiite organization "would not accept that the Israelis transgress the rules of engagement that are currently set in the south" of Lebanon

Ukrainian front may collapse this summer — newspaper

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

According to Faustin-Archange Touadera, since becoming the president, his actions have been guided by the need "to modernize the army and take into account new challenges"

Sounds in Isfahan due to air defense work to repel attacks by suspicious objects — general

According to Iranian media reports, three drones were downed by air defenses in the skies over the city of Isfahan

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

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

Zelensky's formula should be put aside for Ukraine talks, Lavrov says

"One should clearly support the need to seek solutions that take into account the balance of security interests and ensure the indivisibility of security," the top Russian diplomat underlined

Two pilots of jet that crashed in southern Russia hospitalized

The plane crashed in a field in the Krasnogvardeysky district of southern Russia’s Stavropol Region

Russia can join top three countries by lithium reserves — governor

Infrastructure is required to implement the investment project, both power transmission lines and the railroad, Andrey Chibis noted

Israel assesses effectiveness, consequences of strike on Iran — media

A spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces declined to comment on the reports of the strike

Nord Stream AG's refusal to pay compensation destroys Western insurance system — diplomat

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Russia will not 'shake up' relations with Argentina due to its partnership with NATO — MFA

According to Sergey Ryabkov, Russia and Argentina maintain a good dialogue at various levels

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

Kiev ordered mandatory evacuation from Kharkov Region to accommodate mercenaries

Evacuation campaigns are regularly organized by the Kiev government, under the pretext of security issues

Moscow-based embassies of NATO countries helped anti-government groups, Lavrov says

The top Russian diplomat also spoke about the detention in Germany of two people suspected of spying for Russia

Effort to grant full UN membership to Palestine will continue — Russian mission

"The UN history has precedents when states were not admitted on their first try. The number of attempts is not limited," Nadezhda Sokolova said

No foreign state attacks Iran — TV

Earlier, the media reported, citing a US official, that Israel had launched a missile strike on a site in Iranian territory

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

"In any case, whatever the modality of providing this aid, de facto it is about provoking Ukraine into further hostilities down to the last Ukrainian, putting guarantted money in the pockets of the US," Dmitry Peskov said

Agents in Ukrainian, Poland foil attempt to kill Zelensky, security officials in Kiev say

The agency said it and the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine informed their Polish counterparts about the alleged assassination attempt

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

Robert Fico believes Moscow will win in its confrontation with Kiev

Argentina’s NATO partnership bid to let US tighten its grip — expert

According to Andrey Pyatakov, the Argentinian authorities' decision is both a declarative step and evidence of the wish to close economic gaps by expanding military-technical cooperation

Chinese car plant to start production at former Mercedes site in Moscow region in May

Earlier it was reported that the German automobile concern Mercedes-Benz plans to sell its enterprise located in the Solnechnogorsk district of the Moscow region

Situation in Iran’s Isfahan stabilizes after drone attack — media

According to the news agency, all reports about fires or explosions have nothing to do with reality

US blocks Security Council resolution granting full UN membership to Palestine

A total of 12 countries, including Russia and China, voted in favor of the document

Putin sees increasing life expectancy as key policy goal for Russia

The Russian leader stressed that "it’s crucial to continue paying great attention to the prevention and treatment of diseases, particularly through the most advanced and cutting-edge methods"

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

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

On April 10, the vehicle was also spotted when the North Korean leader visited Kim Jong Il Military and Political Academy

UN Security Council vote exposes practically full isolation of US — Russia’s UN mission

Vasily Nebenzya described the US veto as a "fruitless attempt to stop the inexorable course of history"

At least 16 Syrian troops killed in terrorists’ ambush in east Syria — TV

According to the Al Hadath television, a military bus was ambushed by members of the Islamic State terrorist group

Russia, Iran maintain contacts on nuclear security - deputy foreign minister

Sergey Ryabkov said that "very soon, Russia and Iran will have new additional opportunities to discuss the situation in the Middle East in general, as well as details of what is going on there at this point"