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Military operation in Ukraine

Biden invites Zelensky to visit White House on December 12 — press service

According to the press secretary, the two leaders "will discuss Ukraine’s urgent needs and the vital importance of the United States’ continued support at this critical moment"

WASHIINGTON, December 11. /TASS/. US President Joe Biden has invited his Ukrainian counterpart, Vladimir Zelensky, to visit the White House on December 12, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

"President Biden has invited President Vladimir Zelensky of Ukraine to the White House for a meeting on Tuesday, December 12 to underscore the United States’ unshakeable commitment to supporting the people of Ukraine," she said in a statement.

According to the press secretary, the two leaders "will discuss Ukraine’s urgent needs and the vital importance of the United States’ continued support at this critical moment."

Zelensky’s previous visit to Washington took place on September 21. The Ukrainian president arrived in the US capital city from New York where he took part in the 78th session of the UN General Assembly.

Tags

Ukraine United States Joseph Biden Vladimir Zelensky Military operation in Ukraine

Middle East conflict

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Medvedev characterizes Great Britain as eternal adversary of Russia

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Russian frigate carrying hypersonic weapons embarks on first deployment in distant waters

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

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Russian troops liberate Rovnopol community in Donbass region over past day

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There is chance to stop war in Middle East under Trump — Russian diplomat

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The Baalbeck-Hermel Province in northeast Lebanon reported two people killed and 11 injured

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

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Russia open for contacts with Trumps’ team on Syria — Russian diplomat

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Kiev wants to mobilize 160,000 people to survive until Trump's inauguration — MP

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Press review: Trump forms foreign policy team and Europe sets course for militarization

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Medvedev warns that EU behavior in struggle with Russia fraught with 'bad scenario'

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Trump announces appointment of senior White House officials

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Trump to end NATO’s obsession to get on Russian territory — White House ex-strategist

Steve Bannon noted that Trump’s MAGA (Make America Great Again) movement seeks to completely cut funding to Ukraine. According to Bannon, Europe, including Italy, will follow Trump’s lead, and, if "they [Europe and Italy] truly believe what they have been saying in recent years, they should be ready to pay"

Russia to ensure parity in response to US missile defense system in Poland — Kremlin

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Ukrainian losses, Sudzhansky district head retirement: situation in Kursk Region

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Kiev's Western allies begin to acknowledge need for territorial concessions — report

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Baltic Sea will never turn into 'NATO lake' — Russian MFA

Maria Zakharova emphasized that the Baltic Sea "will always be a common space for all of the region’s countries without exception"

Czech intelligence warns of crime surge after Ukraine conflict ends

More than 380,000 people, mostly women and children, have fled Ukraine to the Czech Republic since February 24, 2022

US administration always seeks to weaken Russia — Lavrov

The foreign minister pointed out that the Americans had long declared the idea that "there should be no country in the world more influential than the United States"

ISS orbit raised by almost 5 km before launch of Progress MS-29 spacecraft — Roscosmos

According to preliminary information, the ISS’s average orbit was increased by 4.9 km to 417.2 km above Earth

Russia to hold Astana-format summit in 2025 — Russian diplomat

Alexander Lavrentyev noted that despite the fact that the exact date of the summit has not yet been agreed upon, meetings in the Astana format are held regularly at other levels

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

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

West to face 'devastating' response if it allows Kiev to strike deep into Russia — MFA

According to Maria Zakharova, Ukrainian social media accounts are meanwhile speculating that the Zelensky regime plans to present the received Western missiles as Ukrainian, changing the labels to use the weapons to attack Russia

First S-550 air defense systems enter service in Russia — source

The source described the new system as "an absolutely new and unrivalled mobile system of strategic missile defense"

Russian citizenship approvals down 44% since January — ministry

According to Irina Volk, police are also clamping down on groups and individuals that help bring people into the country illegally, leading to a 2.5-fold increase in the detection and preliminary investigation of such crimes

People evacuated from Brazil’s Supreme Court after blast nearby — agency

According to Reuters, Brasilia’s military police confirmed that a body was found near the court building

Lebanon deal won't happen unless Israel given right to eradicate Hezbollah — Katz

Israel Katz pointed out that the goals of the war in the north are to disarm Hezbollah, to push its forces past the Litani River deep within Lebanese territory, and to make it possible for the residents of Israel’s north to come back to their homes

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Too early to talk about meeting between Assad, Erdogan — Russian diplomat

"Certain communication is maintained between the defense ministers, in the four-lateral format," Alexander Lavrentyev said

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Ukraine and Germany also discussed further defense cooperation

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Maria Zakharova pointed out that military experts had praised the "unmatched capabilities" the plane displayed at the Airshow China in Zhuhai

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Russian Battlegroup North artillery units hit Ukrainian weapons, manpower in Kursk Region

"Crews of D-30 122mm howitzers of the Battlegroup North’s artillery unit struck Ukrainian artillery and mortar systems and manpower in a Kursk Region’s border area," the Russian defense ministry said

Trump plans to appoint special envoy on Ukraine to hold peace talks with Russia — TV

According to the source, the job is not expected to be a salaried role

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Lavrov to hold talks with visiting Colombian foreign minister

The ministers will discuss the current status and future prospects of bilateral cooperation in political, trade-economic, and cultural-humanitarian fields

Iraqi Shiites say they attacked ‘vital targets’ in Israel

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Trump’s return to power unlikely to change US approach to Ukraine crisis — Lavrov

Washington will always seek to control everything that is happening within NATO’s orbit, especially on NATO territory, the Russian foreign minister said

Attempts being made to drag Syria into armed confrontation in Middle East — diplomat

According to Alexander Lavrentyev, the top priority today is to prevent such attempts

US views Russia as present-day threat, Trump may prioritize containing China — Lavrov

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Russia elected to UN Committee for Program and Coordination

Apart from that, director of the Russian foreign ministry’s personnel department Andrey Ivanov, was approved as a member of the International Civil Service Commission in 2025-2027

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"

DPR head Pushilin visits Ugledar, says town badly destroyed

Denis Pushilin added that "it is almost impossible to find an undamaged building"

US missile defense base in Poland to defend US, Europe alike — Polish foreign minister

Radoslaw Sikorski also expressed hope that the base will never go into action

Trump 'demonstrates affinity' for Russian President Vladimir Putin — newspaper

Former Trump advisers have already backed his idea of cutting aid to Ukraine to force Kiev into talks with Russia, according to The Hill

Ukraine aims to call up 1 mln people in eastern areas by end of 2024 — official

According to the plan, 360,000 people are to be mobilized in October; 325,000 and 300,000 in November and December, respectively

Russian forces strike Ukrainian military airfields, energy sites over past day

It is reported that the Ukrainian army’s losses in that frontline area over the past 24 hours amounted to 765 personnel, an armored personnel carrier, a motor vehicle and two 122mm D-30 howitzers

Ukrainian losses: situation in Kursk Region

Over the day, the enemy lost more than 450 troops, two tanks, three IFVs, two M113 armored personnel carriers, 33 armored combat vehicles, five artillery pieces, including a Krab self-propelled howitzer, a Crotale multiple rocket launcher, and 49 motor vehicles

Kalashnikov holding starts supplies of civilian drones

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Kremlin spokesman denies media reports of phone call between Putin, Trump

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US has no technical need to conduct nuclear tests, senior official says

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Explosion of Kurakhovo reservoir dam disrupts water supply

Roman Pukalov noted that the blast killed many fish in the reservoir, washed away fertile soil, and inundated potentially hazardous sites, including cemeteries, cattle burial grounds, and fertilizer depots

Ukraine's Kurakhovo Reservoir dam blast to help, not hurt Russian troops — expert

At least ten Ukrainian troops were killed

Ukrainian forces ready to withdraw from Kurakhovo, but no order yet — serviceman

According to the report, the Russian army is "attacking from three sides"

Russia set to deepen cooperation with China in law enforcement — top security official

Russia is seeking to consolidate efforts toward fighting extremism, terrorism and transnational crime both bilaterally and multilaterally, Sergey Shoigu specified

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

The Belarusian leader noted that they want to go to Warsaw

Russia has written off $20 bln worth of African debts — MFA

Mikhail Bogdanov added that it allows using those debts "to implement socio-economic projects directly in the country"

Israel delivering strikes on refugee camps in Gaza — TV

At least ten people have been killed, Al Jazeera reported

Russian forces gain foothold near Kupyansk as Kiev begins to retreat

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin noted two significant blockages of Ukrainian troops near Kupyansk, involving more than 15,000 military personnel

Russia says its FPV drones disrupted Ukrainian troops rotation in Sumy Region

The ministry provided live-recording footage showing direct hits on Ukrainian military vehicles

Discussion of coal export quotas continues — Russian Energy Ministry

"We would like to note that the rise in any tariffs adversely affect profitability during the period of low international coal prices," the ministry said

Press review: UK and French leaders discuss Ukraine as the dollar continues to climb

Top stories from the Russian press on Tuesday, November 12th

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

Two injured in bridge collapse in Crimea

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US plans to remove 'arrogant' Zelensky and stage 2025 elections in Ukraine — SVR

"At the initial stage, it is planned to encourage entities within the Ukrainian civil society under their control, through US 'democratization' foundations and think tanks, to come up with a corresponding initiative," the statement reads

Damascus may count on joining BRICS after Syrian crisis is settled — Russian diplomat

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Russian diplomat hails Odessa woman as defender of truth after flag protest

Yelena Chesakova attempted to hang the Russian flag on the pedestal of the dismantled monument of Catherine the Great in Odessa, taken down in 2022, in October of this year

Lavrov likens proposals to freeze Ukraine crisis to worse version of Minsk agreements

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Chancellor Scholz opposes assistance to Ukraine at expense of Germany’s future

According to the German chancellor, Berlin’s assistance to Kiev should not affect the retirement benefits of German citizens

Israel achieves its goals in conflict with Hamas, time to 'end the war' — Blinken

"Israel, by the standards it set itself, has accomplished the goals that it set for itself," the US Secretary of State noted

Bank of Russia sets dollar rate at 98.37 rubles for November 14

The official yuan rate is fixed at 13.60 rubles

Russian Su-34 bomber strikes Ukrainian troops in borderline Kursk area

Russian tactical aircraft pilots conduct sorties at any time of day or night in any weather conditions, using various armament

Not all Republicans support Trump in refusing further military aid to Kiev — newspaper

According to the news outlet, Congressman Mike Waltz, who is being considered by Trump for the post of national security adviser, is in favor of lifting restrictions on the use of Western long-range missiles to attack Russia