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Fico shot multiple times, undergoes five-hour operation — doctors

Slovak Defense Minister Robert Kalinak, confirmed that doctors had managed to stabilize Robert Fico’s condition overnight

BRATISLAVA, May 16. /TASS/. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot multiple times and doctors performed a five-hour operation on him, the Dennik N newspaper quoted the director of the Roosevelt Hospital in Banska Bystrica where Fico is now staying, Miriam Lapunikova, as saying, adding that he is still in intensive care.

"The operation on Robert Fico lasted five hours. It was performed by two teams of doctors - surgeons and traumatologists. The patient had multiple gun-shot wounds," Lapunikova specified.

Fico, 59, is no longer in a life-threatening condition, Reuters reported citing Lapunikova. Slovak Defense Minister Robert Kalinak, a close ally of Fico, who is in the hospital, confirmed that doctors had managed to stabilize Fico’s condition overnight. "Unfortunately, the condition continues to be very serious," Reuters quoted the minister as saying.

Juraj Cintula, a 71-year-old resident of the Slovak town of Levice, was charged with attempted murder and may face 25 years to life imprisonment, the TA3 TV channel said.

According to the Slovak authorities, the attack was politically motivated.

The shooting was the first attack on a politician in Slovakia’s history and Europe’s first assassination attempt in the past 38 years after Olof Palme, the then Prime Minister of Sweden, was shot dead in downtown Stockholm on February 28, 1986.

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"An automated warning was sent 30 minutes before the launch," Dmitry Peskov said

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Commissioning of Oreshnik and new developments: Putin’s meeting with defense specialists

Here are the key statements, made during the meeting

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State Department says Russia, China maintain forward momentum in bilateral relationship

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According to him, the alliance is "fully engaged" in the Ukrainian conflict

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Oreshnik can reach targets across entire Europe — missile troops commander

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US expects Russia-North Korea cooperation to be formidable challenge in coming years

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Lukashenko grants asylum to Schmidt persecuted on political grounds by Poland

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Russia forced to roll out new weapons as West fuels conflict, Minsk says

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Zelensky to have no input if Russia, US negotiate, ex-Prime Minister says

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Decision on strikes inside Russia seals US puppet Zelensky’s fate — commentator

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Bundeswehr prepares plan for Operation Germany in case of war with Russia — newspaper

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Oreshnik missile to change course of Ukrainian conflict, Medvedev believes

Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said it in an interview

US admiral says Washington should be ready for talks with Russia, China

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Signal to West and 'red card': experts weigh in on Putin’s missile launch statements

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West builds up military presence near Russia’s Arctic borders — presidential aide

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Ukraine was warned about possible missile strike — Pentagon

Department of Defense Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh gave no answer to the question of how could Ukraine prepare for this kind of attack

Zelensky fine with conflict continuing due to Western help — Slovak PM

Robert Fico pointed out that "more and more evidence show that the West seeks to prolong the war in Ukraine for various reasons"

Gazprombank’s UnionPay cards no longer serviced in several countries

Trump to tap Richard Grenell as US special envoy on Ukraine — agency

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US not seeking confrontation with Russia, but will continue assistance to Kiev — Pentagon

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Diplomat mocks US Senator for talking about invading Netherlands

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Putin’s remarks on hypersonic missiles send serious warning to West — Turkish politician

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Biden’s decision to use ATACMS against Russia may 'blow up in America’s face' — US expert

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Taiwan reports 25 Chinese aircraft, 7 ships approaching island

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Any escalation scenario possible in Ukraine conflict — Medvedev

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Zelensky shook up by Russia’s response to permission to attack it — Lavrov

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State Department says US-India relations hit some headwinds due to Russia, BRICS

Kurt Campbell said that it is important to 'keep attention on the horizon'

US, West have no capabilities to intercept new Russian hypersonic missile — expert

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West irrational, fails to understand it cannot intercept Russia's new missiles — Kneissl

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