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Middle East and North Africa

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US hits 84 of 85 targets in Iraq and Syria — CNN

According to the TV channel, targets "were destroyed or functionally damaged"

© Sergey Savostianov/TASS

NEW YORK, February 5. /TASS/. The United States hit 84 of 85 targets during its strikes in Iraq and Syria, CNN reported on Sunday, citing a preliminary analysis by the Pentagon.

According to the TV channel, 84 targets "were destroyed or functionally damaged.".

A complete post-strike analysis is still underway, but one official said there are no indications that members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were killed as part of the operations, CNN noted.

On the night of February 3, the US launched a string of strikes on pro-Iranian militias deployed in certain border areas of Iraq and Syria. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that the airstrikes, which hit more than 85 targets, targeted the Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC, elite units of the Iranian armed forces) and related groups.

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China rejects US sanctions for ties with Russia, pledges to protect its companies — envoy

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Russian troops destroy 9,700 artillery guns in Ukraine operation — top brass

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German defense minister speaks up against any no-fly zones over Ukraine — agency

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West alarmed over plummeting support for Zelensky — Russian intelligence

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Ukraine cannot provide heavy vehicles to new recruits — Forbes

The universal mobilization has been repeatedly prolonged in Ukraine since February, 2022

Ukraine sustains roughly 100 casualties in Russian artillery fire near Avdeyevka

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Ukraine peace brokers should take note Zelensky’s legitimacy expired — Russia’s UN envoy

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Russian government to allocate $414.59 mln to support business in Novorossiya in June

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Russia’s Progress space freighter to deliver over 2,500 kg of cargo to orbital outpost

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Zvezda shipyard floats overhauled Ikrutsk nuclear submarine

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World misses new opportunity to prevent arms race in space due to US, says diplomat

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Around thousand Russians forced to leave Latvia due to discrimination — MFA

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EU escalates theft to status of foreign policy instrument — Russian envoy

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Rasisi’s helicopter passenger twice called to say he was feeling bad — senior diplomat

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Press review: Political fallout from Raisi's death and Zelensky's term officially over

Top stories from the Russian press on Tuesday, May 21st

Russian troops leveling out frontline in Kharkov area — local administration

Volchansk is strategically important and that it why the Ukrainian army is bringing in "very serious forces" and "trying to counterattack," Vitaly Ganchev said

One more Ukrainian drone shot down over Belgorod Region — defense ministry

Kiev attempted attack on facilities in Russia’s territory with the use of a fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle was thwarted, it said

Iranian late foreign minister to be buried in Tehran on May 23

Raisi’s helicopter crashed in Iran’s province of East Azerbaijan on May 19

Up to 38 competence centers created in Russia to replace foreign software — Prime Minister

Mikhail Mishustin told Iranian participants at CIPR that some solutions could be useful for them

Military exercise on preparation, use of tactical nuclear weapons kicks off in Russia

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ICC making mockery of international law by seeking Netanyahu’s arrest — expert

Herman Zakharyayev stressed that both Russia and Israel are pursuing an independent foreign policy and are resolving their geopolitical problems

Bank of Russia lowers dollar rate on May 22 to 90.41 rubles — regulator

The official yuan exchange rate was lowered by 5 kopecks to 12.46 rubles