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Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Updated at:

Hamas hands over Russian hostage to ICRC – Hamas spokesman

According to the press secretary of the head of the political bureau of the movement, Ismail Haniya, Taher al-Nunu, this decision was made in response to the efforts of Russian President Vladimir Putin

© Yusef Mohammed/TASS

CAIRO, November 26. /TASS/. Hamas has handed over a Russian hostage to representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Taher al-Nunu, a spokesman for senior Hamas official Ismail Haniyeh, told TASS.

"Hamas has released aa hostage who has Russian citizenship in response to the efforts of Russian President Vladimir Putin," he said. "The hostage was handed over to the Red Cross not long ago."

"In response to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s efforts and in recognition of Russia’s position in support of Palestine, Hams has released a hostage with Russian citizenship," according to a statement posted on his Telegram channel.

According to earlier reports, Hamas is holding two Russian women.

Hamas announced on November 22 that an agreement on a four-day humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip had been reached through the mediation of Qatar and Egypt. The agreement stipulates the release of 50 women and children under the age of 19 who are held in Gaza in exchange for the release of 150 women and children under the age of 19 from Israeli prisons.

A four-day ceasefire came into force in the Gaza Strip from 8:00 a.m. local time (5:00 a.m. GMT) on November 24.

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Vladimir Putin Palestine Israel Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Palestine Red Crescent Society warns of looming famine in Gaza Strip

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NATO unable to prevent GPS jamming in Baltic region — retired Polish general

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Putin appoints Russian new government

This is the first Russian government formed under the new procedure envisaged by the 2020 constitutional amendment

Ukrainian commanders flee Kupyansk, leaving covering force — Russian lawmaker

The Kharkov direction is the most important and challenging frontline area for Russian troops, Viktor Vodolatsky pointed out

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

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US seeking to throw Balts, Poles, Germans, French ‘into fire of war’ — Medvedchuk

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UNSC meeting on Western weapons supplies to Kiev to be held on May 20 — Russian mission

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Russian diplomat puts blame for Kiev’s crimes on West

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Some Westerns consider large-scale military conflict possible — intelligence service

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Countries of ‘global billion’ don’t view Earth as common home of humanity — Putin

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Georgian government members could face sanctions over ‘erosion of democracy’ — US official

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Mikhail Bogdanov and Nazih el-Nagari pointed to the necessity of an immediate ceasefire in the Palestinian enclave and stable humanitarian aide to the enclave’s population

Russia seeking comprehensive, just settlement of Ukraine conflict — Putin

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US to reassess ties with Georgia if foreign agents bill becomes law — White House

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Supply of munitions for special military operation currently sufficient — Zolotov

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

Press review: New Russian government taking shape and Georgia's path to EU gets cloudy

Top stories from the Russian press on Tuesday, May 14th

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"

Putin’s informal meeting with Xi Jinping seen as most important part of his trip to China

According to Russian Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov, this communication will revolve around the subject of Ukraine

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

The Kremlin noted that "it is planned to sign a joint statement of the heads of state following talks and a number of bilateral documents"

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

Heads of more than 20 Russian regions to attend EXPO in Harbin — presidential aide

Yury Ushakov noted that according to the plan, "interregional agreements should also be signed at this time"

Cost of BREST fast reactor construction estimated at $1.3 bln, says Rosatom

The high cost of the project is particularly due to the growth of prices for materials

Putin, Xi to sign document on closer bilateral partnership — Kremlin aide

According to Yury Ushakov, the 30-page document will "note the special nature of our bilateral relations, outline ways for the further development of the entire spectrum of bilateral ties"

Kiev reports difficult situation in Kharkov region

This direction has been strengthened, Ukraine's President Vladimir Zelensky said

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

Russian, Chinese leaders to exchange views on cooperation within UN — Kremlin aide

Among other priorities, Yury Ushakov cited cooperation within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization

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"

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

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

Russian air defenses down several projectiles near Sevastopol, Belbek airfield

The city’s Governor Mikhail Razvozhayev noted that there had been no reports of damage to civilian infrastructure

Share of Russia’s oil supplies to China and India up by 1 p.p. in March — OPEC

China's oil imports in March increased by 4% compared to February and amounted to 11.6 million barrels per day, according to OPEC estimates

Air defenses shoot down several air targets over Belgorod region — governor

Vyacheslav Gladkov said that in the village of Krasny Oktyabr in the Belgorodsky district windows were smashed and roofs and facades damaged in three private households

Belarus says Ukraine keeping up to 120,000 troops near border between countries

Konstantin Molostov said Belarus is taking "appropriate measures" in response to the actions of Ukraine

Putin and Xi Jinping will discuss new initiatives in energy sector — presidential aide

Yury Ushakov recalled that the volume of Russian oil supplies to China increased by 14% to 101.6 billion tons, while pipeline gas increased to 22.7 billion cubic meters

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"

Economic interaction will be priority at meeting of Russian and Chinese leaders — aide

Presidential aide for international affairs Yury Ushakov recalled that Russia last year moved up to fourth place among China's counterparties

Switzerland conference on Ukraine aims to issue ultimatum to Russia — Lavrov

Sergey Lavrov stressed that "the conference has long been the talk of all those who are trying to defeat Russia on the battlefield"

Putin-Xi meeting to be held in '1+4' format on each side — Kremlin aide

According to Yury Ushakov, the meeting will take place after a gala concert dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the countries and the opening of the Years of Culture of Russia and China

US Congress has evidence of Biden family’s involvement in terrorism — Ukrainian politician

Andrey Derkach pointed out that "the criminal case that was initiated against Burisma was being actively investigated under [Ukrainian] Prosecutor General [Viktor] Shokin [in 2014-2016]"

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

Apart from that, in Yury Popov's words, one violation of the deconfliction protocols of December 9, 2019 was reported in Syria in the past 24 hours

Capital flow from Russia to Central Asia to intensify ‘anti-sanctions immunity’ — expert

Central Asian countries expect an increase in Russia’s economic presence in the region, Rustam Khaydarov said

Some Russian border guards to stay in Armenia — Bortnikov

Alexander Bortnikov also noted that Russian border guards will protect Armenia's border with Turkey and Iran

Russia knows how to achieve large-scale goals, Putin says

Moscow prioritizes increasing people’s well-being in terms of economic development, the Russian President said in an interview with the Chinese news agency Xinhua

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

Law banning import of Russian uranium to US wreaks havoc on system — expert

Speaking about numerous statements on allocation of financing for the creation of additional capacities on uranium enrichment, it is unclear what is behind those statements, editor-in-chief of the Geoenergetika.ru online magazine Boris Martsinkevich noted

Blinken says current special military operation stage critical for Kiev

According to the US secretary of state, Russia is "ramping up another offensive against Ukraine, at Kharkov and across the east"

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

Russia-China relations reach highest-ever level, getting increasingly stronger — Putin

Trade relations between Moscow and Beijing are developing at a fast pace, the Russian President noted

Heads of economic agencies, Roscosmos to join Russia’s delegation in China

Yury Ushakov noted that he would also join the delegation, and apart from him the presidential administration will be represented by deputy heads of the presidential administration Maksim Oreshkin and Dmitry Peskov

Russian-Chinese partnership shows resilience to any external pressure — Kremlin aide

Yury Ushakov emphasized that 2024 is an anniversary year from the standpoint of establishment of the Sino-Russian diplomatic relations

Putin highlights successful trade between Russia, China

"Over the past five years, we have doubled the Russia-China turnover: it reached $227.8 billion last year, against $111 billion in 2019," the Russian leader said

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

Russian troops liberate Bugrovatka community in Kharkov Region over past day

Russian forces improved their frontline positions and inflicted casualties on ten Ukrainian army brigades in the Donetsk area where the enemy lost more than 520 troops over the past day, the Defense Ministry reported

Picking China for Putin’s first visit reflects 'personal chemistry' with Xi Jinping — aide

"This tradition is a clear evidence of the high level of bilateral relations and priority attention, paid to the Russian-Chinese partnership by both sides," Yury Ushakov noted