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Anti-Russian sanctions

EU works on penalties against Russian diamond industry

The EU member states are trying to block means of circumventing the anti-Russian sanctions, the president of the European Council added

NEW DELHI, September 8. /TASS/. The EU countries are actively working on sanctions against the Russian diamond industry, President of the European Council Charles Michel said at a press conference in the Indian capital.

In addition, according to Michel, the EU member states are trying to block means of circumventing the anti-Russian sanctions.

The New York Times previously reported that the Group of Seven countries, as well as EU member states, intend to completely ban the purchase of diamonds from the Russian Federation.

The United States banned the import of rough diamonds from Russia last year, as well as diamonds cut in the Russian Federation. However, as the publication points out, such a limited approach leaves room for circumvention. So far, the EU has not applied diamond sanctions due to opposition from Belgium, whose economy is heavily dependent on the gem trade. Under the new restrictions, the embargo would also apply to gems mined in Russia but cut in other countries.

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Sanctions vs. Russia EU

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Western handlers beginning to dump Zelensky — Ukrainian politician

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Western analysts describe Russia's Oreshnik as longest-range weapon ever used in Europe

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Putin believes that US President-elect Trump’s life may be in danger

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Russian troops liberate four communities in Donetsk area, Kharkov Region over week

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Putin approves purchase of Russian Elevator Company from French grain trader Louis Dreyfus

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Scholz shares details of talks with Putin, Zelensky says

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UK continuing arms supplies to Kiev fraught with conflict of nuclear powers — diplomat

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Russian forces wipe out five ATACMS launchers using Iskander missiles

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Russian aerospace forces eliminate at least 20 militants in Syria’s Aleppo, Idlib

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Case against Ukrainian militants, Ukrainian losses: situation in Kursk Region

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Serbia lauds development of bilateral ties with Russia — Serbian parliament

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Zelensky reshuffles Ukrainian military command

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Ukrainian army says desertion main reason for loss of Ugledar

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Bilateral exchanges between Russia, North Korea their own business — Chinese MFA

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Syrian government army hits militants’ positions in southern Idlib — newspaper

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Russia to continue gathering evidence about Kiev’s chemical crimes — diplomat

According to Vladimir Tarabrin, Russia’s mission to the OPCW has submitted more than 30 notes to the organization, and they are available to the general public

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Jackson Hinkle also pointed out that the US authorities are no friend of "freedom-loving American patriots"

Clashes between protesters, police break out in Georgian capital

Police officers are using tear gas, trying to push protesters back

Kiev's defeatist rhetoric may be masking planned attacks on Russia — expert

The enemy may be trying to lull us into a false sense of security by saying that their situation is bad, only to hit us by surprise, Andrey Marochko said

Russian passengers on Antarctica cruise liner with engine failure go on hunger strike

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Russia's opponents see Finland as springboard in case of open conflict — politician

Leonid Slutsky noted that the current and previous leadership of Finland has been and remains engaged "on the lower turn of the sine wave, which is now marked by a sharp cooling of bilateral relations"

West deploying troops to Ukraine to up ante in fight with Russia — senior diplomat

Mikhail Galuzin described such plans as provocative and noted that they "confirm the West’s intention to continue its profound engagement in a direct standoff with Russia"

Putin’s congratulations to Trump can be viewed as official — spokesman

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Syrian army eliminates hundreds of terrorists, repelling their attack on Aleppo, Idlib

The Syrian army command reported on November 28 that units of the Jabhat al-Nusra extremist group had staged a large-scale attack on Syria’s northern governorates the day prior

Press review: Russia to mass-produce Oreshnik missiles and EU gas prices reach record high

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According to Alexander Stepanov, the deployment makes sense in a situation where the Pentagon continues to project its military presence on Russia's eastern borders

Gazprom revises investments estimate for 2024 upward by 8%

The cash flow from operations reached $15.6 bln subject to an adjustment for a change of deposits with banks

Ukrainian forces follow Russian troops’ example to use fiber optics drones, Putin says

The head of state is confident that there will be a quick response from the Russian side

Foreign fighters involved in terrorist attacks in Aleppo, Idlib provinces — Syrian army

The Syrian Armed Forces’ General Command warned that "terrorist organizations are spreading misleading information, news and videos on their platforms aimed at intimidating citizens"

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"Everything here is much deeper than a decision to send a peacekeeper mission," Dmitry Peskov said

Press review: CSTO discusses Russian weapons as US and Russia continue prisoner talks

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"The most important outcome of the summit was the signing of a new fundamental interstate document - the Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Russia and North Korea," Andrey Belousov stressed

Russia winning in Ukrainian conflict, Polish national security chief says

"The Russian side unquestionably holds both the initiative and the advantage on the battlefield," Head of the Polish National Security Bureau Jacek Siewiera said

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NATO growing more inclined to freeze Ukraine conflict — Russia’s SVR

"NATO has been unfolding training centers in Ukraine in an effort to train at least 1 million mobilized Ukrainians," the SVR highlighted

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The rifle is reliable with precise and dense fire

Oreshnik’s massive strike comparable to nuclear weapons — Putin

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Sending EU troops to Ukraine to make peace settlement impossible — Austrian lawmaker

Harald Vilimsky noted that the joint deployment of European troops will further escalate the security situation in Europe

Niger receives delivery of military equipment from Russia — TV

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Georgia suspends consultations on launch of EU accession talks until 2028

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US mercenary in-absentia arrest, Ukrainian losses: situation in Kursk Region

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Nikolay Patrushev said that in a situation like this Russia should firmly defend its position and prepare tools for the "comprehensive management of maritime activities aimed at ensuring national interests"

Putin signs law on taxation of digital currencies

According to the law, digital currency is recognized as property

Romania, Poland, Germany, UK plan to divide Ukraine — Russia's foreign intel

"A total of 100,000 so-called peacekeepers are planned to be sent to Ukraine," the SVR noted

Russia against sending OPCW reps to probe into chemical incidents in Ukraine — diplomat

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Russia not going to leave strikes deep inside country unanswered — Putin

"As I have repeatedly said, we will always respond," the president emphasized

West refuses to accept proof of Ukraine’s use of chemical weapons — Russian envoy

Vladimir Tarabrin noted that instead, the West is trying to present Russia as violating the Chemical Weapons Convention

Lavrov clarifies Russia's position on Ukraine crisis to foreign diplomats — MFA

"Participants in the roundtable exchanged views on the conflict and other pressing international topics," the ministry stated

Russia may block agenda of US Security Council presidency next month — mission to UN

First Deputy Permanent Representative of Russia to the UN Dmitry Polyansky said that the US may try to complicate life for the successors to the presidency

Bank of Russia lowers official dollar rate to 107.74 rubles for November 30 - December 2

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

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NATO spies study damage from Oreshnik at Yuzhmash — expert

Alexander Stepanov emphasized that both Kiev and its Western allies are closely scrutinizing the consequences of the strike on the plant

Medvedev says Zelensky's fate won't be pretty if Ukraine faces second Maidan

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Borrell calls for preventing consolidation of whole world against West

The EU diplomatic chief once again tried to portray Russia as an "imperialist" power that allegedly poses "an existential threat" to the EU, if the EU wishes to achieve victory in Ukraine

Press review: Energy talks as Putin visits Astana and Biden requests more aid for Kiev

Top stories from the Russian press on Thursday, November 28th

Police use water cannons against protesters at Tbilisi rally

The protesters were throwing eggs and firecrackers at the policemen

Closure of Russian consulates general in Poland possible, ambassador says

"Anything is possible, so we have long been prepared for any eventuality," Sergey Andreyev noted

Russians wipe out three Ukrainian strongholds, over 20 Azov fighters in advance on Kharkov

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Russia works on transforming '3+3' platform into organization — senior diplomat

Mikhail Galuzin stressed that the '3+3' regional cooperation platform is important for harmonizing the interests of all countries of the region

Russian scientists to develop computer working at ‘speed of light’ by 2027 — researcher

"In the next two years, we plan to create a working prototype with processing speed of over 10 to the power of 19 operations per second, which significantly exceeds the current global level," Alexander Sergeyev said

Hungarian PM’s office rules out his trip to Moscow for 80th anniversary of Victory

Gergely Gulyas was commenting on the decision of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico to go to the Russian capital to celebrate the anniversary of Victory at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin

Global wine production to be lowest since 1961 this year

"Climate problems in both hemispheres have again become the main cause for the drop of the global output," the International Organization of Vine and Wine said

Russia’s top diplomat slams NATO for discussions of preemptive strikes on Russia

"These claims were made by some admiral. Absolutely reckless. They have a lot of high-ranking military officials who have never even seen real battle," Sergey Lavrov stated

Oreshnik becomes serious problem for Ukraine — Polish general

According to Waldemar Skrzypczak, satellite reconnaissance failed to detect the launch and flight of this missile

Paris grants Netanyahu immunity for Lebanon ceasefire role, French magazine says

The report indicates that shortly after the ICC issued its warrant, Macron had a phone conversation with Netanyahu, in which he acknowledged that Paris was obliged to respect the ICC and cooperate fully

Over 70 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes on Beit Lahiya in Gaza Strip — TV

According to the report, local residents tried to evacuate the wounded and the bodies of those killed to a nearest hospital but Israeli forces delivered another strike on the vicinity of the collapsed house

Ukrainian servicemen abandon military units due to fear of Russian army — official

Kiev is constantly losing control over populated areas because "tens of thousands of tired and desperate Ukrainian servicemen are leaving their positions to flee in an unknown direction," the agency reported

Unidentified UAVs continue to appear over US Air Force bases in UK — newspaper

On Tuesday, about 60 British military experts were stationed at US airbases across the UK to operate a counter-UAV system to operate a counter-UAV system designed to detect, track and destroy them

Decision-making centers in Kiev could be targeted in Oreshnik strikes — Putin

The Russian leader also mentioned military facilities and defense industry enterprises as possible targets

Syrian government forces attacking terrorist headquarters in Idlib, Al-Dana — media

The Syrian army command reported on November 28 that units of the Jabhat al-Nusra extremist group had staged a large-scale attack on Syria’s northern governorates the day prior

Hungarian PM sounds alarm over presence of US, French troops in Ukraine

Additionally, the news that Russia used its latest Oreshnik high-precision ballistic missile, which has significant destructive power, to destroy Yuzhmash, a Ukrainian defense plant in Dnipro (previously known as Dnepropetrovsk), is alarming, Viktor Orban stressed

Britain’s MI6 chief admits London's involvement in covert operations in Ukraine

According to Richard Moore, the cost of supporting Kiev was "well known"

No turning back on BRICS independent payment system

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Debt burden of Russian stands at 11% of total households income — Central Bank

"This is a comfortable level, so we do not see any risks at large," Deputy Governor of the Bank of Russia Philipp Gabuniya said

Russian football chief disappointed national team left off 2026 World Cup draw list

"Until the decision is reversed, our team will have no chance to participate in international competitions," Alexander Dyukov said

Kiev troops attempted to kill British mercenary who surrendered to Russians — officer

In his words, they fired conventional 120mm mortar rounds, silent munitions and at least one FPV drone with a fragmentation charge

Putin declares Kazakhstan visit a success

The Russian leader pointed out that Kazakhstan is more than just a trusted ally of Russia

Russia’s export duty on wheat to be $34.71 per metric ton from December 4

The export duty rate for wheat and meslin is calculated based on an indicative price of $223.8 per metric ton