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President Zelensky says he returns to Ukraine

The Ukrainian president paid visits to a number of countries in recent weeks

MOSCOW, May 23. /TASS/. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has announced that he returned from his foreign tour and visited the combat zone on Tuesday.

He posted photos of himself with a group of marines on Telegram but did not specify the area he had visited.

The Ukrainian president paid visits to a number of countries in recent weeks. On May 13, he made a trip to Rome and the Vatican, where he was received by Pope Francis. Zelensky met with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in London on May 14. On the same day, he visited Berlin. After returning to the Ukrainian capital of Kiev for a few days, he went to Saudi Arabia on May 19 to attend an Arab League summit. From there, he headed to the Japanese city of Hiroshima to take part in a Group of Seven (G7) summit.

On May 22, Zelensky released a video address, saying that he planned to hold more meetings and talks in Ukraine in the coming weeks.

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Russia, China eyeing new gas route via Kazakhstan — Novak

Consideration of the route is at the initial phase, the Russian official said

54 countries vote against resolution on combating ne-Nazism

116 countries, including Azerbaijan, Algeria, Armenia, Belarus, Bolivia, Brazil, China, Cuba, Serbia, and Syria, supported the document

Lavrov outlines Moscow’s approach to Ukrainian crisis during visit to UAE — ministry

Lavrov arrived in Abu Dhabi to take part in the Sir Bani Yas international peace and security forum

Developments in Kursk Region: Ukrainian fighters suffer losses, face charges in Russia

Ukraine lost more than 100 servicemen, a tank, an armored fighting vehicle, four motor vehicles, two D-30 122-mm howitzers, a mortar and an electronic warfare station over the past day

FACTBOX: Putin, Scholz hold phone talks first time in two years

The talks were initiated by Berlin

German chancellor calls for peace talks with Ukraine in phone call with Putin

Olaf Scholz also highlighted "Germany’s unwavering determination" to support Kiev "for as long as it takes”

Gaza radicals post new video of hostage identifying himself as Russian national Trufanov

The man pointed out that the hostages' lives "are in grave danger every day," and recalled the country’s religious obligation to ransom the hostages

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The fire in a safe house for women in the city of Odintsovo near Moscow has been put out

Russia awaits Trump’s proposals on Ukrainian settlement — Lavrov

"Russia's position was clearly worded by the Russian president on June 14, 2024," Sergey Lavrov stressed

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Viktor Medvedchuk added that there was no unified position in the West regarding the situation in Ukraine

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US President-elect Donald Trump announced earlier that Musk and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy would lead the Department of Government Efficiency in his new administration

Ukrainian army attacks Kharkov Military-Civil Administration car with drones

The car's chassis, body, and cabin were badly damaged in the attack

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Russia routs Brunei 11:0 in friendly football match

That is the biggest ever victory for the Russian team

Outgoing US administration should end military support for Ukraine — Hungary’s Orban

Viktor Orban believes it would be only fair and just for the outgoing Biden administration to reduce military support for Ukraine as power changes hands

Russia always fulfilled its trade obligations, ready to cooperate with Germany — Putin

"It was underscored that Russia has always been committed to its treaty and contractual obligations in the energy sector and is ready for mutually beneficial cooperation if the German side shows interest in this," the statement says

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Opposition members made several attempts to break into the parliament building and managed to enter the square in front of parliament

Putin-Scholz phone conversation was arranged promptly — Kremlin spokesman

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Russian troops liberate five communities in Donbass region, Kharkov area over week

Russia’s Battlegroup South inflicted more than 4,715 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed 10 Western-made artillery guns in its area of responsibility over the past week, the Defense Ministry reported

One third of Mariupol residents, who fled to Ukraine, already returned

Lack of due support, and accommodation issues, are the reason

Russia, US have many annoyances, it is hard to pick worst one — Kremlin spokesman

Earlier, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Baku

Kremlin comments on possible return of Japanese, European cars to Russia

No official statements have been received so far from European automakers regarding the return to the Russian market, Dmitry Peskov noted

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Over the day, the enemy lost more than 430 troops, ten tanks, two infantry fighting vehicles, 19 armored combat vehicles, 33 motor vehicles, one Anklav-N electronic warfare station

France wraps up training of new Ukrainian brigade — minister

The brigade is equipped with French weapons

Russia's liberation of Stepanovka in DPR spells trouble for Ukrainian troops in Kurakhovo

Earlier, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that the Russian Armed Forces had liberated the settlement of Stepanovka in the DPR

Baltic Fleet’s patrol ship Neustrashimy returns to Baltiysk after long-distance campaign

Neustrashimy spent more than four months at sea and sailed approximately 30,000 nautical miles

German government confirms death of ten Germans in Ukraine since February 2022

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Russian forces capture 10 km of LPR border — military expert

On October 16, Andrey Marochko informed TASS that Ukrainian forces were still operating near three key towns in the LPR’s west: Svatovo, Kremennaya, and Lisichansk

Scholz's call to Putin speaks of intention to learn Russia's position firsthand — Kremlin

The conversation took place at the initiative of the German side

UAE’s accession to BRICS to strengthen coordination with Russia on global problems

Russian foreign ministet Sergey Lavrov visited the United Arab Emirates and talked with his colleague Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Russia's newest Su-57 fighter jet superior to China's new J-35 — test pilot

Sergey Bogdan emphasized that the newest Russian fighter was a "magnificent platform for a future generation of configurations, just as the Su-27 aircraft in its heyday"

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The Russian foreign minister arrived in Abu Dhabi to take part in the Sir Bani Yas international peace and security forum and has already held a series of bilateral meetings

Ukrainian intel officers in Syria to be eliminated as terrorists’ accomplices — diplomat

According to Alexander Lavrentyev, there are "in fact Russian troops stationed" in Syria

North Dakota governor to head Interior Department, newly-formed Energy Council — Trump

The president-elect said the National Energy Council would bring together all departments and agencies involved in the permitting

US missile defense site to defend Poland from Russia too — Polish minister

At the same time, the official evaded a direct question of whether the facility is capable of protecting country from missiles

Lukashenko tells Putin situation is "starting to get tense with Wagner"

The Belarusian leader noted that they want to go to Warsaw

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According to Sue Gough, the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, an office at the US Department of Defense that investigates unidentified anomalous phenomena, "is continuing its review of the historical record of US government UAP programs"

Finland seizes over 30 more real estate properties owned by Russian government

The value of these confiscated apartments is more than ten million euros, the agency said

Opposition halts talks with officials in Abkhazia, plans to build up forces

Protesters seized control of key government buildings in the country’s capital earlier

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In terms of weapons, the plan will focus on production in Ukraine and cooperation with partners

Putin proclaims Odessa Russian city, challenges Ukraine's historical narrative

At the same time, the president noted that once upon a time "Vladimir Lenin gave away the whole of Ukraine when he created the Soviet Union"

Clear Zelensky won't be the one to decide about talks with Russia, says Lavrov

"Russian President Putin has repeatedly said that we have never refused to negotiate," the Russian foreign minister reiterated

Bank of Russia sets dollar rate at 100 rubles for November 16-18

The official yuan rate is fixed at 13.80 rubles

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"He [Scholz], like another lame duck in the US - Joe Biden, has nothing to offer," Prof. Thomas Eger of the University of Cologne told the Bild newspaper

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The Ukrainian battlegroup’s supplies have been impaired in the Kurakhovo area after Russian forces placed a road section west of that community under their gunfire control, Andrey Marochko clarified

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According to the source, Vladimir Zelensky told Scholz that the conversation with Putin "will only help to reduce the isolation" of Russia

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Yury Borisov provided a brief report about what the National Project consisted of, its main objectives, tasks and expected outcomes

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The soldiers studied the hardware, including the drones’ electronics, internal systems and rules of operation

Trump picks campaign spokesperson for White House press secretary

Karoline Leavitt served as an assistant press secretary during Trump's first presidential term

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"Russia's proposals are well known and outlined, in particular, in a June speech at the Russian Foreign Ministry," the Russian president said

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FACTBOX: Abkhazian leader leaves capital amid opposition’s demands for polls

TASS compiled main facts about the situation in the country

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Ukrainian troops surrender as Russian forces advance — captive

Alexander Rapolyuk noted that they had originally been sent to the Kursk Region under the pretext of replacing their comrades, but upon arrival, they found that the servicemen they were meant to replace had already been killed

Artillery shell hits office of UN peacekeepers in Lebanon

There was no injury among peacekeepers, but only minor damages to the gym, UNIFIL said

Polish foreign minister confirms meeting with European counterparts to discuss Ukraine, US

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski added that apart from the top diplomats from France and Germany, Warsaw also invited Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiga

Israel hits nuclear research facility in Iran, Axios claims

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International experts at ZNPP regularly hear sounds of explosions nearby — IAEA chief

The IAEA also said it was aware of a media report that a resident in the nearby town of Enerhodar

Gazprom says EU artificially destroys gas demand to the detriment of its own economy

As for global gas demand, gas consumption in January-October increased by 80 bln cubic meters year-on-year, the company noted

Trump to rely on forces that brought him to power — Russian presidential aide

Nikolay Patrushev agreed that Trump, when he was still a candidate, "made many statements critical of the destructive foreign and domestic policies pursued by the current administration"

Women’s shelter near Moscow catches fire, six injured

In its statement, the Russian emergencies ministry named "a short circuit in an electric heater" as a potential cause

Musk doubles down on his opinion about 'endless war' in Ukraine

Earlier, the entrepreneur opined that the bloodshed in Ukraine would end soon

Armenia’s statements indicate its reluctance to take part in CSTO events — diplomat

When asked about Yerevan’s possible participation in the upcoming CSTO events, including a summit on late November, Alexander Pankin said that this question should be addressed to the Armenian side

China receives first batch of Russian S-400 missile systems — source

Russia’s S-400 Triumf is designed to destroy aircraft, cruise and ballistic missiles, including medium-range missiles, and surface targets

US does not fulfill LNG contracts for Europe worth tens of billions of dollars — Gazprom

In addition, the United States is influencing the global gas market with its verbal interventions regarding the possible withholding of LNG supplies to China, as well as a temporary suspension of the issuance of export licenses, Deputy Head of the Department - Head of the Directorate at Gazprom Kirill Polous said

IN BRIEF: What is known about situation in Abkhazia

In order to stabilize the situation, President Aslan Bzhania decided to withdraw from the parliament a bill on the ratification of the agreement with Russia on the implementation of investment projects by Russian legal entities on the territory of the republic

Scholz, Putin agree to maintain contact — source in German cabinet

It is reported that Scholz expressed concern over reports about the alleged deployment of North Korean servicemen to Russia

Iran assures US it had no plans to assassinate Trump — media

Tehran sent this written message in a bid to reduce tensions between Iran and the United States amid growing instability in the Middle East, the report says

Press review: Switzerland open to hosting Putin-Trump talks as NATO and EU back Ukraine

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Ukrainian people don't need support promised by Scholz after talks with Putin — Lavrov

Commenting on the Russian side's assessment of the conversation, the top diplomat emphasized that there is already a corresponding comment from the Kremlin

Only plan Zelensky should be thinking about is 'plan of surrender' — opinion

In a video address on November 14, the Ukrainian president unveiled a ten-point plan covering the issues of security, energy, weaponry, production in Ukraine, and cooperation with allies

Russian Rubicon drones strike Ukrainian trench shelters

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Hypothetical Russia-US arms treaty needs to take other threats into account — Pentagon

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Putin congratulates Gazprom on completion of work on Nord Stream 2

The gas pipeline is ready for operation, the Russian President said

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Lebanon receives draft ceasefire agreement with Israel from US — newspaper

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Putin states degradation of Russian-German relations due to Berlin’s policy — Kremlin

After 2022, Berlin has been pursuing an openly unfriendly policy against Russia, supporting the anti-Russian sanctions

Abkhazian president leaves capital after opposition’s ultimatum

At present, Aslan Bzhania is staying in his home village of Tamysh

Gazprom has the right to stop gas supplies to Moldova due to country’s debts — Moldovagaz

Chairman of the Board of the Russian-Moldovan gas distribution company Vadim Cheban noted that he was not aware of any plans by the Russian gas holding to take advantage of this opportunity

Russian troops organizing logistics, ammo delivery in Kupyansk outskirts — military expert

"Logistics is being organized to enable our troops to retain their positions they are trying to secure," Andrey Marochko explained

Abkhazian President Aslan Bzhania refuses to step down amid riots

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Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand become BRICS partner countries — Russian MFA

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Abkhazian president leaves interior ministry’s building

Aslan Bzhania headed to the village of Tamysh, his press service told TASS

Abkhazia’s opposition demands cancelation of investment agreement, president’s resignation

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Russia inks first deals to deliver Su-57 fifth-generation fighter to foreign customers

Alexander Mikheyev also explained the expectations and effect of the demonstration of Russian military hardware at Airshow China in Zhuhai

Russia introduced temporary restrictions on enriched uranium exports to the US

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Chechen leader reports eliminating Ukrainian troops in Sumy Region

According to Ramzan Kadyrov, fighters from the 34th Akhmat-Russia motorized rifle regiment conducted reconnaissance using unmanned aerial vehicles