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Georgian presidential elections should be held in 2024 — parliament speaker

Shalva Papuashvili also noted that the parliament will determine the exact date of the election on Tuesday

TBILISI, November 25. /TASS/. The Georgian president's election and inauguration must occur this year, Speaker of Parliament Shalva Papuashvili stated.

"To ensure a five-year presidential term, it is essential that both the election and inauguration happen within this year," Papuashvili explained.

The spokesman also added that the parliament will determine the exact date of the election on Tuesday.

Earlier, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze suggested the presidential election might be held in January 2025. Georgia's current president, Salome Zourabichvili, was elected in 2018 for a six-year term ending this fall. According to recent constitutional amendments, the next president will be elected by a 300-member panel, including parliament members and local authority representatives, after the parliamentary elections on October 26, for a five-year term.

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Middle East conflict

Iranian leader believes Netanyahu deserves ‘death penalty,’ ICC warrant insufficient

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Russia’s updated nuclear doctrine is a signal to the West, Kremlin confirms

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Comprehensive partnership agreement between Russia, Iran to cover defense sphere

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Opposition holds rally in Georgian capital to protest election outcome

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Twelve local residents have been evacuated from the scene

Russian MFA withholds public comment on nominee for new ambassador to US

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin relieved Anatoly Antonov of his duties as Russian ambassador to the US

Ex-German Chancellor considers dialog with Russia necessary to settle conflict in Ukraine

Angela Merkel advised politicians "to be authentic" when building up relations with US President-elect dondald Trump

Progress cargo spaceship docks to ISS

The process was controlled by specialists on the Mission Control Center on Earth and by Roscosmos cosmonauts Ivan Vagner

Weapons supplied to Ukraine cannot reach Russian territory, Spanish defense minister says

The New York Times reported on November 17 that US President Joe Biden had authorized the use of US-supplied ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles for strikes inside Russia

Russian military to warn Ukrainian civilians of future Oreshnik attacks — Kremlin

Earlier, the Russian Armed Forces carried out a precision strike on Ukraine’s Yuzhmash defense industry facility in retaliation for the use of US-and UK-made weapons for strikes on Russia

T-90M tank shows itself as best in the world in real fight — Medvedev

Many experts believe this is the best tank of our time, compared to Western counterparts in particular, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council said

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

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Russia’s Sukhoi jet catches fire while landing in Turkey

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German politician slams Ukraine’s ‘irresponsible’ strike on Russia with UK-made missiles

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Counsellor of the Russian Embassy in Serbia Natalia Klischenkova read the text of the telegram to Kusturica

Kremlin clarifies notification process for Oreshnik missile launch

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

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

The Belarusian leader noted that they want to go to Warsaw

Guterres condemns supply of anti-personnel landmines to Ukraine

The UN Secretary-General urged world leaders to join the Ottawa Convention

Moscow not ruling out Trump’s meeting with North Korean leader

The restart of the negotiating process between the United States and North Korea "on previous conditions appears problematic", Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko said

Georgian presidential elections should be held in 2024 — parliament speaker

Shalva Papuashvili also noted that the parliament will determine the exact date of the election on Tuesday

UK mercenary taken prisoner in Russia’s Kursk area — source

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Senior envoy sees Putin’s statement as signal of Russia’s readiness for military responses

Sergey Ryabkov stressed that Russia has its underlying security interests "that will be ensured by every means that we have at our disposal"

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Zelensky begs ‘for his country to be flattened’ — US journalist

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

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Oreshnik can reach targets across entire Europe — missile troops commander

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Ukrainian strikes inside Russia impossible without Western support — newspaper

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on September 12 that Ukraine was unable to strike inside Russia without the West’s assistance because it would require intelligence data from satellites and flight assignments

Ukraine sustains almost 65,000 casualties from Russia’s Battlegroup North since May

Also, since mid-May, the Ukrainians have sustained at least 2,500 casualties per week from the Battlegroup West which has been active in areas adjacent to the area of the Battlegroup North’s responsibility

Shooting took place near Israeli embassy in Jordan — TV

Adjacent streets are blocked by security forces

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Trump is scheduled to be sworn in as president on January 20, 2025

Kremlin spokesman says EU will look back on its foreign policy under Borrell with shame

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Russia acted responsibly in warning US about Oreshnik missile launch, Kremlin says

The US was notified automatically 30 minutes before the launch by Russia's Nuclear Risk Reduction Center

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Voter turnout in the election stood at 52.41%

Oreshnik missile to change course of Ukrainian conflict, Medvedev believes

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

Russia will respond ‘in every way’ to Seoul’s arms supply to Kiev — MFA

Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Andrey Rudenko called on South Korean to soberly assess the situation and refrain from "reckless steps"

Ukrainian army admits loss of 40% of territories it controlled in Kursk Region — agency

"At most, we controlled about 1,376 square kilometers, now of course this territory is smaller," the source said

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Cyprus submits NATO accession plan to US — report

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Press review: Russia fires missile at Ukraine plant and Biden forgives Kiev $4.65 bln debt

Top stories from the Russian press on Friday, November 22nd

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The Russian Defense Ministry announced earlier in the day that the country’s latest Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile hit all the targets at a major Ukrainian military-industrial enterprise in Dnepr (Dnepropetrovsk) with its MIRVed warheads

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Russian troops mopping up enemy positions in Yelizavetovka in Donbass region — politician

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NATO spies study damage from Oreshnik at Yuzhmash — expert

Alexander Stepanov emphasized that both Kiev and its Western allies are closely scrutinizing the consequences of the strike on the plant

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Gazprombank’s UnionPay cards no longer serviced in several countries

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Kiev has ‘no chance’ of retaking lost territories — Blackwater founder

Erik Prince noted that it was necessary to end the Ukrainian conflict as soon as possible

France, UK will have to pay for their helping Ukraine strike inside Russia — diplomat

Russia’s Permanent Representative to the Vienna-based international organizations Mikhail Ulyanov said that what has been done by the White House is very dangerous

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Maria Zakharova quoted the US Senator, who called the ICC a "Kangaroo court" and ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan a "deranged fanatic"

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Developments in Russia’s Kursk Region: Counselling for residents, enemy’s losses

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Any escalation scenario possible in Ukraine conflict — Medvedev

According to the politician, Western nations need to understand that they are fighting on Ukraine’s side

Russians liberate about 8 square kilometers east of Velikaya Novosyolka in Donbass region

Earlier, Rogov said Russian forces had pushed toward that locality from Novodonetskoye in the southeast and Yasnaya Polyana in the northeast

Pilot killed in cargo plane crash near Lithuanian capital

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NATO pours with weapons prohibited by INF Treaty to Asia — Russian Foreign Ministry

"This vector highlighted as early as by the Republicans was legally formalized under the Democrats administration and resulted in the dramatic surge of militarization in Asia," Andrey Rudenko said

British mercenary claims he was sent to Russia’s Kursk Region against his will

The captive explained that he had served as a private in a battalion for four months

Russia to toughly respond to Japan’s steps against it — Deputy Foreign Minister

According to Andrey Rudenko, Tokyo has no intention to change anything to the positive side

NATO enters conflict, Russia has every right to attack its targets now — expert

Col. (Ret.) Lawrence Wilkerson confirmed to TASS that the launch of ATACMS missiles would be impossible without "US/NATO satellite feeds and/or personnel"

Independent candidate Georgescu leading first round of presidential election in Romania

Georgescu is reserved about Romania’s NATO membership and he has been cautiously pushing for normalization with Russia

Kiev forces lost over 260 troops in Kursk direction in 24 hours — Russian Defense Ministry

During the fighting in the Kursk direction, the enemy lost more than 35,310 servicemen

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

The former Austrian foreign minister stressed that she "counted on rational Western decision-makers, but irrationality is unfortunately on the rise among them"

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

Cooperation with Russia will play important role in upgrade of Indian armed forces — MFA

Answering a question about the supply of Russian S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems to India, Andrey Rudenko stressed that Moscow "strictly fulfills its contractual obligations"

Russian forces eliminate Ukrainian MiG-29 on ground

Additionally, Russian units eliminated one munitions depot

Ukrainian military fires over 50 projectiles at Russia’s Belgorod Region in past day

A self-defense member was injured after drones dropped explosive devices on the village of Gruzskoye in the Borisovsky District; a private house was damaged

Ukraine abandons Selidovo, laying mines in wells — security services

The Ukrainian armed forces used various modified Western-made mines and improvised explosive devices during the process

Warehouse with containers of flammable liquids on fire in Barnaul — Emergencies ministry

As the ministry’s the regional headquarters reported, the area of the fire is 6,000 square meters

Kremlin explains why Oreshnik missile came as surprise

"I am sure that neither of us is even aware right now of any new future developments.", Peskov said

Kremlin sees US-led West ready to do anything to suppress Russia

The situation is "unprecedented," the spokesman told the reporter from the All-Russian State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company

NATO countries engaged in full-fledged war against Russia — Medvedev

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

Russian armed forces defeat Ukrainian assault Battalion Shkval in DPR

Kiev forces lost over 440 troops in battlegroup group West responsibility zone

West beginning to realize only part of Ukraine will remain — Lavrov

According to the Russian foreign minister, this represents the "confrontational logic" of the West

No existing missile defense system can counter Oreshnik — US expert

Theodore Postol also vehemently rejected suggestions that the Oreshnik system represents previous outdated developments of Moscow

Zelensky’s actions make Ukraine vulnerable to coup, says politician

"Democratic institutions in the country have been destroyed, rendering dialogue between the government and the people impossible," Viktor Medvedchuk said

Putin, Turkish president hold phone talks — Kremlin

The leaders also discussed some international issues

Gas supply by Gazprom for Europe through Ukraine totals 42 mcm via Sudzha

The volume of supplies remains the same, despite the failure of Austrian company OMV to pay for Russian gas supplies

Conflict in Ukraine no longer regional war — German defense minister

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on November 21 that strikes on Russian territory with Western long-range missiles had made the conflict in Ukraine a global one

Western air defense systems unlikely to intercept Russian missiles — France’s Le Monde

According to the French military source, Russia's recent use of the Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile should be taken in the context of possible negotiations regarding the ongoing Ukrainian conflict

Europe unable to wage war attrition on Russia — Ukraine’s ex-commander-in-chief

According to Zaluzhny, European countries lack munitions to shoot down air bombs

Russian, North Korean ministers of sport agree on exchanges in 2025 — KCNA

The Russian delegation has toured sports facilities and memorials in Pyongyang and viewed a Taekwondo demonstration

West’s trying to turn Seoul into accomplice of Zelensky regime — Russian Foreign Ministry

Andrey Rudenko stressed that bilateral cooperation between Russia and the DPRK "is built in accordance with the generally recognized norms of international law and is not directed against any third countries"

France only finishes off Ukraine by allowing it to strike inside Russia — diplomat

Zakharova said earlier that no attempts by "French warmongers" would change the outcome of the conflict

US, European officials suggest returning nukes to Ukraine — NYT

US officials believe that ramping up weapons supplies to Ukraine is unlikely to change the situation in the combat zone short term, but it may help Kiev strengthen its stance in case a truce is reached

Russia’s Medvedev warns Europe could face ‘catastrophic damage’ from Oreshnik missile

Medvedev also commented on Vladimir Zelensky’s "resilience plan."

Kremlin accuses Biden’s team of trying to thwart Trump’s efforts for settlement in Ukraine

According to the Kremlin spokesman, the Biden administration continues escalation because it is a "party of war" that sees Ukraine as a tool to fight Russia