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Middle East conflict

Israel maintains contact with Russia amid rising tensions with Lebanon, says envoy

Simona Halperin explained that "there are ambassadors and embassies to maintain contact; there are also diplomatic relations between the two countries, which are very important and continue to be maintained"

MOSCOW, October 9. /TASS/. Israel maintains contact with Russia amid rising tensions with Lebanon, Israeli Ambassador to Moscow Simona Halperin told TASS.

"Russia and Israel are in constant contact on the current situation. It’s me who mostly maintains communication here in Moscow. Communication also involves the leadership and officials of the Foreign Ministry and other Russian agencies," the diplomat said, when asked about interaction between the two countries amid Israel’s intensified confrontation with Lebanon.

She explained that "there are ambassadors and embassies to maintain contact; there are also diplomatic relations between the two countries, which are very important and continue to be maintained."

Tensions flared up again in the Middle East on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants staged a surprise attack on Israeli territory from Gaza, killing residents of Israeli border settlements and taking hostages. In response, Israel declared a total blockade of the Gaza Strip, launching air strikes on Gaza as well as some parts of Lebanon and Syria before starting a ground operation in the Palestinian enclave. On September 23, the Israel Defense Forces launched Operation Northern Arrows against the Lebanon-based Hezbollah Shia movement, carrying out massive airstrikes on its military targets. On September 30, Israel announced the start of a limited ground operation in the border areas of southern Lebanon.

Middle East conflict

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According to the agency WAFA , several more people were wounded

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The bombers have undergone a series of ground and flight tests

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Russian forces strike Ukrainian army’s fuel supply sites over past day

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Putin launches third power unit of Udarnaya TPP

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Russian forces advancing in over ten areas in Kursk Region — commander

According to Apty Alaudinov, military is making visible progress

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Ukrainian experts assess damage to Kiev Hydroelectric Power Plant as critical

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Ukrainian army starts using FPV drones to attack individual soldiers — Russian sapper

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Israeli airstrike kills 4 residents of settlement in Mount Lebanon’s region

As the agency reports, 10 other people were injured and later taken to hospitals

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Israel fears full-scale conflict with Iran — newspaper

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US journalist describes Russia’s liberation of Ugledar as "major setback" for Kiev

In Stavros Atlamazoglou opinion, now the Ukrainian military will have to ensure that the Russian forces don’t take advantage of the fall of Ugledar "and create an operational breakthrough in the wider area"

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The crews constantly change positions

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EU ambassadors agree on sanctions against Moldovan opposition, including Gutsul — source

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Russian paratroopers storm Ukrainian strongholds, liberating Kursk Region’s Pokrovsky

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IDF claims elimination of Hezbollah militia member in Syria

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Impossible to assess environmental damage of Nord Stream detonation, German official says

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Western Balkans should join EU, no consensus on other candidates — Orban

The Hungarian prime minister emphasized the importance of Serbia’s accession to the EU

Around 220 projectiles reportedly fired at Israel from Lebanon on October 9 — IDF

A massive missile attack on the city of Kiryat Shmona near the border killed two locals

Foreign mercenaries in Ukraine will not have POW status — Russian military

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Group of Iranian lawmakers asks Security Council to authorize creation of nuclear weapons

Since 2003, a fatwa by the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has outlawed the production of nuclear weapons as contradicting Islam

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Russia’s Mir payment system launched in Nicaragua, so far through one ATM

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Zelensky says his 'victory plan' aims to strengthen Ukraine’s military might

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Oil and gas revenues of Russian budget increase by 49.4% in 9 months

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US national Trevor Reed convicted in absentia in Russia of mercenary activities

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Putin presents highest state award to Belarusian president

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Russia’s forces are advancing in two directions at a time

Zelensky needs to initiate talks with Russia, Ukrainian lawmaker says

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The attack was followed by fire

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Putin launches serial assembly of Lada Aura via videoconference

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Procedure to enter Russia for foreigners not sharing Western values simplified

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Lebanon shells Israel’s north, firing some 90 projectiles

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Israel undermining UN resolutions that granted it UN membership — Russian diplomat

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Argentina, Chile suspended lithium supplies to Russia — official

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Ukraine may start using French fighter jets next year — minister

Sebastien Lecornu specified that the aircraft will have new equipment, in particular air-to-ground combat capabilities

Romania notifies Russia of imminent closure of its consulate general — diplomat

According to Maria Zakharova, this step on the part of Bucharest is conditioned by Russia's decision "to denounce the bilateral intergovernmental agreement on the opening of the mentioned consular institution"

Ukraine ‘slowly losing’ in conflict, EU crisis may consequently worsen — media

Among the most severe consequences for the EU the magazine names the influx of refugees

Second pilot dies of heart attack after emergency landing

The Aeroflot plane, en route from Moscow to Anapa, landed at Platov International Airport at 9.57 a.m.

Croatian summit declaration on Ukraine includes Zelensky’s 'peace plan' — news outlet

The Dubrovnik declaration consists of 17 provisions, which, according to the Nova.rs news outlet, will be discussed by the participants of the summit before signing

EU ambassadors agree on mechanism for 35 billion euro loan to Kiev — EU Council

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Ukraine expects conflict to be over no later than 2025 — Zelensky

Zelensky stated that by November Ukraine expected to prepare a document that would be presented at a new conference on the settlement in the country, but did not specify when this event was planned to be held

Israeli army reports destruction of 500 Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon

Among the targets destroyed were tunnels, military observation posts, weapons depots and other infrastructure

Israel to retaliate Iranian actions by attacking military targets — newspaper

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, key ministers, army and intelligence chiefs decided to focus on "Iranian military facilities," the source told the newspaper, adding that the decision could be changed

NATO's eastern flank ramps up defense spending to Soviet-era levels — Bloomberg

Defense officials in eastern NATO member states emphasize that after upgrading military equipment, their countries faced a lack of skilled personnel

Iran, its allies working toward pact to counter potential US, Israeli attack

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Russia’s Erika Andreeva advances at 2024 WTA Wuhan Open after defeating her sister Mirra

Erika Andreeva, 20, is ranked 70th in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Rankings

Nuclear test ban organization says Iranian seismic event looks like earthquake — diplomat

A 4.5-magnitude earthquake was recorded in Iran’s province of Semnan southeast of the capital Tehran on October 5

Ukraine’s NATO membership impossible, most members understand it — top Hungarian diplomat

Peter Szijjarto said most of his NATO counterparts share his opinion in private conversations behind closed doors

Russian embassy urges US to think about risks of Ukrainian chemical terrorism

According to the diplomatic mission, intelligence data indicates that "Ukraine plans to stage a series of anti-Russia provocations"

Putin, Lukashenko talk after award ceremony — Kremlin

The two heads of state communicated for several hours

Ruling Georgian party accuses EU ambassador of interference in election process

Earlier, Pavel Gerchinsky criticized the ruling party's election videos, which showed footage of the destruction brought by the fighting in Ukraine in contrast to the views of peaceful Georgia

Russia ready for possible hurdles during Nord Stream 2’s operation — diplomat

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced earlier that the pipelaying operation for the first string of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline was successfully completed

Avtovaz starts sales of updated Lada Vesta with ESC

The car also has such options as side airbags, three-level heated front seats, a rear-view camera with dynamic trajectory lines

Russia grateful to Lukashenko for developing ties between two countries — Putin

According to the Russian leader, relations between Moscow and Minsk "are based on the inviolable principles of friendship and good-neighborliness, mutual respect and consideration of each other's interests, and, of course, common history, common moral and spiritual values, strong family and kinship ties between many Russians and Belarusians"

IRGC confirms destruction of numerous Israeli F-35s in Iranian missile strike

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Russia decisively condemns Israeli strike at Damascus — diplomat

Maria Zakharova underscored that Russia "once again urges Israel to respect the sovereignty of states and comply with the basic norms of international law"

West gives Kiev license to destroy Ukrainian people — Russian delegation to HRC

Ilya Barmin drew attention to the "instrumentalization of the subject of technical assistance to countries in the field of human rights by the delegations of the US, the UK, Germany, France and other European countries"

Moldova uses conflict in Ukraine to put pressure on Transnistria

Vadim Krasnoselsky noted that the conflict in Ukraine, which closed its border with Transnistria, "seriously disrupted logistics, complicated the fulfillment of obligations to foreign partners, limited supplies to the republic, and deprived it of some markets"

Putin did not talk to Trump after Trump’s presidential term expired — Kremlin spokesman

The claims about potential contacts between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump first emerged in the excerpts from a book by veteran US investigative journalist Bob Woodward, presented by CNN

Ramstein group meeting likely to take place in Brussels on October 17 — source

It is reported that the possibility to hold consultations at the working level is currently under consideration

Two settlements liberated: situation in Kursk Region

Units of the battlegroup North continued offensive operations and liberated the settlements of Novaya Sorochina and Pokrovsky in the Kursk Region

Share of national currencies in payments within CIS over 85% — Putin

This figure continues growing, the Russian leader noted

Russia offers safe haven for people trying to escape Western liberal ideals

Under the document, such foreign nationals will have the right to apply for temporary residence in Russia "outside the quota approved by the Russian government and without providing documents confirming their knowledge of the Russian language, Russian history and basic laws"

Putin sets task of expanding output of products based on Russian developments

"Including through creating and expanding demand for domestic products - for those goods that we can and should produce ourselves, at home, in Russia, meeting both domestic needs and [the needs] of the world market," the Russian president said

Discord messenger blocked in Russia for violation of laws — regulator

Discord was included into the register of social networks, which obliged it to find and block unlawful content on its own

Ukraine topic 'fading' at UN, no desire to resolve conflict there — senior diplomat

According to Sergey Vershinin, the UN General Assembly’s 79th session "widely discussed ultimatums for Russia, including Zelensky's so-called peace formulas, which are obviously unacceptable"

Russia’s Ambassador to US Anatoly Antonov returns to Moscow

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