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Serbia won’t back Council of Europe resolution on Ukraine’s territorial integrity — Vucic

Aleksandar Vucic said he expected a negative reaction from the West about the move, but he was ready to face it because Serbia would be expressing its "principled position" related to the UN Charter

BELGRADE, May 12. /TASS/. Serbia will not send any of its top officials to the Council of Europe summit in Reykjavik set to take place on May 16-17 and won’t vote for any resolution on the territorial integrity of Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Friday.

"The Republic of Serbia will be represented at the lowest level. I will not go to Reykjavik, and we will not vote for their resolution [on the territorial integrity of Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia]. We will abstain. This will not prevent its adoption, but they will have to say that it was not adopted unanimously," Vucic said in his address to the nation.

The president said he expected a negative reaction from the West about the move, but he was ready to face it because Serbia would be expressing its "principled position" related to the UN Charter.

"We are ready to support the territorial integrity of Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia, but we are not ready to give up the territorial integrity of Serbia," Vucic stated.

Serbia previously proposed an amendment to the Council of Europe resolution on the territorial integrity of Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova. The amendment would add the line "and all other member states of the Council of Europe."

Aleksandar Vucic greets Chinese leader at Belgrade Airport

The ceremony on the occasion of the visit of the 400-strong Chinese delegation will take place at Palata Srbije

Hamas confirms participation of its delegation in Cairo talks

"A Hamas delegation led by Khalil al-Hayya has arrived in Cairo from Doha to bring the talks on ending Israel’s aggression in Gaza to the logical end, together with the Egyptian and Qatari mediators," the radical group said

Russian government resigns

The cabinet will continue to carry out its duties until a new government is appointed

Insolent western policy makes Russia hold tactical nukes drills — ambassador

"We do not threaten anyone. However, the strategists in Washington and their satellites have gone nuts but must understand that Russia will use all the means to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity in response to the rising stakes," Anatoly Antonov said

What we know about Israel’s military operation in Gaza’s Rafah

The Israeli army announced that it had "eliminated about 20 terrorists" of Hamas since the launch of the operation

Russia wants no country to interfere in its election process — Kremlin spokesman

"We elect out parliament. We elect our president. We vote for the president or don’t want to vote for the president. And we insist that we have the right to do it the way we want to do it," Dmitry Peskov emphasized

Russia signals unfriendly countries by inviting ambassadors to inauguration — diplomat

"We assumed that some of them (ambassadors from unfriendly countries - TASS) would not come, which is what happened in the end," Sergey Ryabkov pointed out

Emergency Ministry employee detained in Kherson Region over collaboration with Ukraine

According to the investigators, he kept improvised explosive devices for sabotage operation

Russian embassy slams ‘unacceptable’ Berlin’s decision to ban Russian flag on May 8-9

"We consider the bans discriminatory and contrary to the spirit of post-war historical reconciliation of the peoples of Russia and Germany," the Russian diplomats pointed out

British envoy reiterates London’s course on aiding Kiev will continue — Foreign Office

British Ambassador to Russia Nigel Casey was warned that any British military facilities and vehicles on Ukrainian territory and beyond may become targets in response to Ukrainian strikes, carried out via British-made weapons

Appeal for Western troops posted on Ukrainian president’s website

A petition needs to be signed by at least 25,000 people to be referred to the president for consideration

Serbian government adopts several documents on cooperation with China

"These documents cover such spheres as infrastructure, agriculture, information and communications, as well as tourism," the government said

FSB declassifies Hitler aide’s testimony how Red Army rescued Allies in Ardennes in 1945

Hitler's former adjutant Otto Guensche was captured during the battle of Berlin in April-May 1945 and, while being kept in custody in an investigative prison in Moscow, presented a firsthand account of what was happening at Hitler's headquarters in the last months of the war

Latvia digging anti-tank ditches on border with Russia, Belarus — media

Kaspars Lazdins noted that once the ditches were ready, the so-called dragon’s teeth barriers would be set up on the border

Russian troops liberate Ocheretino community in DPR — top brass

The Ukrainian army’s losses in the Avdeyevka area over the past 24 hours amounted to 380 personnel, a US-made Abrams tank, two infantry fighting vehicles, including a US-manufactured Bradley

US concocting latest counter-offensive narrative to justify aid to Kiev — DPR head

Denis Pushilin stressed that Ukraine would not be able to launch a new counteroffensive before 2025

US intensifying efforts to find replacement for Zelensky — SVR

It is reported that all those politicians may be sought-after were the situation on the front line to deteriorate sharply or if the need arises to replace Zelensky as soon as possible

Tehran's talks with IAEA chief constructive, Iranian energy head says

Rafael Grossi said the AEOI and the IAEA decided to draw on the March 4, 2023 joint statement as a basis for further talks

Container shipments by Russian Railways add 9.4% in 4M 2024 — company

The increase was the highest in container traffic of lumber and chemical and mineral fertilizers

UK ambassador leaves Russian MFA after being summoned

The diplomat, who spent more than 30 minutes at the ministry, provided no comment as he was leaving

Putin directs to scale up revenues of small technology companies

The share of domestic high-technology goods and services created on own development lines is set to grow by 1.5 times in the total volume of their consumption in the country by 2030 against the level in 2023

Russia values Qatar, Egypt’s mediatory efforts on Gaza — senior diplomat

According to Russian presidential envoy for the Middle East and African countries Mikhail Bogdanov, the Israeli government has not yet given its consent to these proposals

Medvedev gives warning amid talk of deploying Western troops to Ukraine

According to the politician, the cause of the discussion on dispatching Western troops to Ukraine, launched by French President Emmanuel Macron, is a "shameless calculation for political bonus points"

IN BRIEF: Unity, care for people, country-civilization: Putin’s inaugural speech

The atmosphere in society has changed, now "reliability, mutual responsibility, sincerity, decency, nobility and courage" are highly valued, the Russian leader stressed

Expert on inaugural speech: Putin proposes equal dialogue, West will hear these signals

It is stressed that Vladimir Putin proposes a certain general model, a certain general solution to the security system

Putin formally takes office as Russian president for six-year term

After being sworn in, the head of state delivered a speech

Turkish expert says Putin's inauguration speech echoes what he said in Munich years ago

Aydin Sezer recalled that during the Munich Security Conference back in 2007 "Putin said that the unipolar world had no future and a multipolar world order was needed"

Russia must save world from West's insanity — top security official

Nikolay Patrushev believes that Russia "resolutely and consistently defends its cultural sovereignty, history and Russian moral ideals that unite the multinational country"

Modern weapons make up 82% in Russian air defense troops — Shoigu

"The Kiev regime has failed to achieve the goals of its counteroffensive prepared by NATO instructors," the defense minister said

Russian Foreign Ministry tells French ambassador Paris’ policies destructive

Pierre Levy was told that the French authorities' attempts to create some kind of "strategic uncertainty" for Russia with their "irresponsible statements about the possible dispatch of Western military contingents to Ukraine are doomed to fail"

Sweden approves Quran-burning rally ahead of Eurovision Song Contest

In Malmo, two pro-Palestinian demonstrations are planned for May 9 and 11

Belarusian forces to rehearse tactical nuclear strikes as part of snap readiness test

An Iskander missile system battalion and a squadron of Su-25 airplanes are being brought to readiness to perform planned missions

Adidas lost more than 100 mln euro in revenues due to suspension of operations in Russia

Retail stores of the chain were closed on March 14 in Russia

Russian Interior Ministry declares ex-Ukrainian army chief wanted

Ruslan Khomchak served as commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian armed forces from March 27, 2020 to July 27, 2021

Aleksandar Vucic greets Chinese leader at Belgrade Airport

The ceremony on the occasion of the visit of the 400-strong Chinese delegation will take place at Palata Srbije

French Foreign Ministry denies France sent troops to Ukraine

Earlier, media reports said that France had sent 1,500 troops to Ukraine, citing a statement by former US Deputy Under Secretary of Defense Stephen Bryen

Xi Jinping arrives in Serbia on his first visit in eight years

Chinese President began his visit on the day marking the anniversary of the bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade by NATO aircraft

Putin wants number of foreign students in Russia to rise to 500,000 by 2030

According to the Russian Education and Science Ministry, more than 355,000 foreigners are currently studying in Russian universities

Senior Russian diplomat, Libyan general discuss ensuring Libya’s sovereignty

"During a thorough exchange of views on the settlement of the military-political crisis in Libya, the focus was on the task of uniting all patriotic political and religious forces in the interests of ensuring the unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Libyan state," the ministry said

Tornado-S MLRS achieves 100% accuracy with advanced munitions — Defense Ministry

The Tornado-S has inherited all the very best features of its predecessor, such as reliability and cross-country capacity, the ministry said

NATO wants 'hot war' with Russia which may destroy US, Carlson says

According to the journalist, everything that Washington does shows that it wants this war

Press review: China to weather US storm and ATACMS not 'wonder weapons'

Top stories from the Russian press on Saturday, April 27th

US sees no signs indicating Russia’s plans to use nuclear weapons — Pentagon

Department of Defense spokesperson Sabrina Singh said that the United States views the decision to hold a military exercise of this kind as "deeply irresponsible"

Euroclear fighting over 100 lawsuits in Russian courts against investors demanding refund

According to Euroclear's new chief executive Valerie Urbain, the likelihood that the depository will win these cases is quite low

Four single-family houses damaged in Donetsk after Ukraine’s shelling attack

Head of the Donetsk People’s Republic Denis Pushilin said earlier that five civilians were wounded in Ukraine’s attacks in the republic during the day

Russia engages TOS-2 flamethrowers in Ukraine

220mm TOS-2 is a successor to TOS-1A with improved characteristics

Putin may propose candidate for prime minister as early as today — spokesman

Dmitry Peskov recalled that after the inauguration, the Russian government resigned and the members of the Cabinet continued to work in the status of acting ministers

Hamburg branch of AfG seeks to expel party member over trip to Russia as election observer

Olga Petersen had earlier been kicked out AfG’s parliamentary group

Russia hands over last RD-180 rocket engines to US under existing deal

The United States has received 122 RD-180 rocket engines over more than 20 years of cooperation

Only 2.4% of Japanese deem relations with Russia good, more than 50% want them to expand

The number of Japanese people who consider Sino-Japanese relations good has also decreased over the year from 11% to 5.6%

Ukrainian army last weekend tried to regain positions near LPR's Svatovo — expert

Andrey Marochko noted that on Easter Ukrainian troops opened fire on the territory of the LPR and positions of Russian troops

Belarus won’t succumb to provocations or go to war with anyone — president

The Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko doubts that any serious political force in Western Europe wants a military conflict

Claims about Russia’s plans to attack NATO a lie, US intelligence ex-officer says

According to Rebekah Koffler, US intelligence agencies regularly leak classified information to certain media, if it benefits the American political establishment

German envoy recalled from Moscow returns to Berlin — media

On Monday, the German Foreign Ministry said that Minister Annalena Baerbock had decided to recall Alexander Lambsdorff for consultations due to an alleged cyberattack by Russia against the Social Democratic Party of Germany and a number of German enterprises

West shows no will for peace, keeps pumping weapons, money into Kiev — French politician

The way leader of the French Patriots party Florian Philippot sees it, NATO’s sole aim is further escalation

US envoy leaves Russia for certain amount of time — senior Russian diplomat

"The Foreign Ministry was told about this some time before the issue with inviting ambassadors to the inauguration ceremony of the Russian president was resolved," Sergey Ryabkov said

Russian lawmaker sees 'scare effect' in West as Russia prepares for nuclear drills

Vladimir Chizhov insisted that the drills do not mean "the Russian side is ready or intends to use these weapons immediately"

Russia may strike Britain's military facilities if London's threats materialize — MFA

Maria Zakharova described British Foreign Secretary David Cameron’s remark that London considered it legitimate for the Kiev regime to use British weapons for strikes on Russian territory as "something absolutely insane"

US-led coalition’s aircraft violate Syrian airspace 12 times in past day

In a separate development, the Russian official continued, one Syria serviceman was injured by a terrorist sniper near the Trumba settlement in the Idlib governorate

Putin instructs government to adjust existing national projects, develop 11 new ones

The State Council and the Presidential Council for Strategic Development will also participate in the work on national projects

Cuban president hails Putin’s taking presidential office for another term

"March election demonstrated a record-breaking voter turnout," Miguel Diaz-Canel said

Trump develops plan on peaceful resolution in Ukraine — Telegraph

Former US President will not reveal it until the election, the Daily Telegraph reported

US begins Astral Knight 2024 exercise in Europe involving 5,000 troops — Pentagon

The purpose of the exercise is to strengthen collective air and missile defense in Europe

Putin will now use restyled Aurus car — Kremlin

Putin made the first trip on the Aurus exactly six years ago, on May 7, 2018, when he also departed to the inauguration

Aurus Merlon electric motorcycle available for pre-order — acting Deputy PM

The Aurus Merlon made its public debut at the inauguration of the Russian President

New Russian combat equipment in 2024

Diplomats from friendly countries only invited to May 9 parade — Kremlin aide

The heads of structures of the CIS, the Union State of Russia and Belarus, the CSTO, the EAEU, the SCO, "heads of diplomatic missions of friendly states, as well as military attaches from friendly states" have been invited to attend, Yury Ushakov said

Australian Navy’s destroyer, helicopter impede Chinese drills in Yellow Sea — top brass

The Australian side "calls black white and lays the blame on someone else" in its comment on the incident, Zhang Xiaogang noted

Macron denies death of French troops in Ukraine out of fear of protests — SVR head

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

FSB eliminates Ukrainian saboteur who arrived in Russia from Lithuania

The saboteur was caught emptying yet another cache full of weapons outside Gatchina in the Leningrad Region which he was planning to use in an attack at a fuel depot in the Tosno District in the same region

Russia working to bring senior Ukrainian officials before tribunal, diplomat says

According to Rodion Miroshnik, "the official process is underway with the Russian Interior Ministry beginning to determine those to be placed in the defendant pool"

Top UK diplomat knows nothing of repentance, Lavrov says

David Cameron "reiterated his position that British weapons can be used by the Ukrainians to attack any target on Russian territory," the minister emphasized

Russian forces carry out 25 group strikes at energy, military industrial facilities

The Russian Defense Ministry noted that the strikes also hit temporary deployment locations of Ukrainian neo-Nazi militias and foreign mercenaries, as well as concentrations of military vehicles

Putin signs decree setting Russia’s development goals for 2030

The decree is titled On the National Development Goals of the Russian Federation until 2030 and for a Longer Term until 2036

Tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus intended for defense, says Lukashenko

The Belarusian leader stressed that the combat readiness inspection is solely of a defensive nature

France not at war with Russia — Macron

"We are also not seeking a change of power in Russia," the French leader underscored

Russian troops liberate two communities in Ukraine operation over past day — top brass

Russian air defense forces shot down a Ukrainian Su-27 fighter jet and 23 unmanned aerial vehicles over the past day

Detention of US soldier in Russia’s Vladivostok has no relation to espionage — diplomats

Russian Foreign Ministry’s mission in Vladivostok that "not following the case of the US citizen closely"

Advertising campaign launched in Ukraine to enroll volunteers into army

Ukrainians are expected to more actively sign up for "more prestigious and possibly better equipped units"

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

Apart from that, two shelling attacks on positions of Syrian government troops by militants of the Jabhat al-Nusra and Islamic Party of Turkestan groups (both outlawed in Russia) were reported in the Idlib de-escalation zone

Russia to join ranks of top four global economies — presidential decree

The government is tasked to present eleven new National Projects by September 1 of this year

Russian sniper reports elimination of Ukrainian serviceman wearing helmet with SS emblem

He specified that his group took the helmet as proof of the elimination

Dutch MEP congratulates Putin on his inauguration

"Congratulations president Putin and congratulations people of Russia with your president," Marcel de Graaff from the Dutch party Forum for Democracy said

SBU claims it prevented plot to kill Ukrainian president

The SBU reported that two colonels from Ukraine’s state security administration had been arrested for purportedly handing over classified information necessary to carry out assassinations

Macron’s aggressive rhetoric baffles even his allies — diplomat

"Very often France’s allies from the UK and Germany, as we understand, try to get clarifications as to what the French leadership means, without getting a direct answer," Maria Zakharova pointed out

Putin’s inauguration kicks off in Kremlin

The main event will be held at the Grand Kremlin Palace but parts of it will take place outside at Cathedral Square where the Kremlin Presidential Regiment will march following the ceremony

West plotted aggression against Russia on eve of special military operation — top brass

"History repeats itself," Chief of the Russian General Staff’s Main Intelligence Department, Deputy Chief of the General Staff, Hero of Russia Admiral Kostyukov said

Iran ready to share atomic energy technologies with other countries — AEOI chief

"Despite pressure from hegemonic powers to prevent the implementation of Iran’s peaceful nuclear program, the first ICNST received a warm welcome," Mohammad Eslami noted

Russian forces destroy Ukrainian missile solid propellant workshop over past day

Russian troops gained better positions in the south Donetsk area over the past day, the ministry reported

Putin’s schedule of foreign travels almost finalized — Presidential Aide Ushakov

It is noted that this schedule primarily concerns "major summits"

St. Petersburg International Economic Forum

TASS is the official photo host agency of SPIEF 2022

Putin says Russia had to use force to defend people in Donbass as peaceful means failed

"A little later it became clear that we were simply being led around by the nose, and we had to take extraordinary measures to protect these people with military force," the Russian leader said

FACTBOX: Russian President Vladimir Putin’s biography

Since June 12, 2013, Putin has been the leader of the non-governmental movement All-Russia People’s Front, created at his initiative as a coalition of social and political forces

Submarine Severodvinsk carries out underwater launch of Tsirkon missile

On Monday morning, the Defense Ministry said that The Severodvinsk had successfully fired a Tsirkon hypersonic missile from a surface position

Medvedev warns Russia will pull no punches with France in response to Macron

The politician also wrote, "In hostem omina licita," a Latin phrase that can roughly be translated as "everything is legal if it is done to an enemy"

Russia to become technologically independent in key areas — decree

The head of state set the task to increase the level of the gross added value in real terms and the production index in the processing segment of the industry by at least 40% by 2030, compared to the level in 2022

After drone attack on Kremlin Russia has no choice but to eliminate Zelensky — Medvedev

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, according to Dmitry Medvedev, "is not even needed for signing an instrument of unconditional surrender"

Expert: Northern Sea Route may become Russia's biggest revenue source in Arctic

At the initial stage already the experience of successful international transit has proven to be an effective sea cargo transportation by large-tonnage vessels along the Northern Sea Route and thus operators of natural resources' fields may prefer exports by sea to building new pipeline trains

Politician reveals Zelensky, CIA boss eyed assassination plot against Wagner PMC chief

US National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby on January 20 said the US would designate the Wagner company as a "transnational criminal organization" and would soon impose more sanctions on the entity

Press review: Russia flexes nuclear muscle and Israel signals imminent offensive in Gaza

Top stories from the Russian press on Tuesday, May 7th

Russian tech firm ramps up production of glide bombs — CEO

Rostec is "building up the production of air bombs of all calibers and types," Sergey Chemezov said