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Russia ahead of US, Canada in maintaining Arctic presence — report

The report noted Russia’s leadership in the ability to navigate Arctic waters, operating a fleet of more than 30 icebreakers, including nuclear-powered ones

NEW YORK, February 3. /TASS/. Russia’s vast network of Arctic military bases and ports, its latest weapons and the world's largest icebreaker fleet give the country an edge over the US and Canada in the frigid seas, the Wall Street Journal reported.

North America lacks military infrastructure in its far North, according to the newspaper. Created in 1958, the joint US-Canada North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, uses satellites, ground-based radars and air force bases that have fallen out of date. America’s existing sensors would be overwhelmed by Russia’s new hypersonic missiles.

The US has no Arctic deepwater ports to serve heavy container ships, the report said. Canada has just one deepwater port offering access to the Arctic Ocean, which lies about 800 kilometers south of the Arctic Circle.

The Wall Street Journal said that most of Alaska doesn’t have roads or railways, complicating access to the Far North. Airports in remote spots have runways of packed earth or gravel, making them unsuitable for commercial cargo planes or jet aircraft.

The report noted Russia’s leadership in the ability to navigate Arctic waters, operating a fleet of more than 30 icebreakers, including nuclear-powered ones. The US runs only three polar icebreakers, one of which is 50 years old and another that was sidelined in 2024 after an onboard fire. Washington and Ottawa plan to jointly buy more icebreakers to police the region.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has designated the development of the Arctic as an indisputable priority for the country due to the region’s importance for the defense, logistics and energy sectors. According to the Russian Ministry of Transportation, as of the beginning of 2024, the national icebreaker fleet incorporated 41 icebreakers, including 34 diesel-electric ones and 7 nuclear-powered ones. In November, Russia set afloat the world’s most powerful icebreaker: the Project 22220 nuclear-powered icebreaker Chukotka. In December, the country put into operation the Yakutia nuclear-powered icebreaker, which had been set afloat in 2022.

US-Ukraine talks on crisis settlement in Berlin were 'confidential' — German daily

According to the report, the negotiations were conducted very secretly with journalists having no access at all to information about the particular level of the talks between the officials

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Sri Lanka views interrupted Russian oil supplies, says ambassador

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West erodes traditional values — Russian Foreign Ministry

"The deliberate erosion of these foundations and the relentless attempts by the neoliberal elite of the West to impose alien approaches on other nations are deeply disturbing," Kirill Logvinov, director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Department of International Organizations, said

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An air raid warning is currently in effect for the Sumy Region

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An air raid warning is currently in effect for the city

Jose Antonio Kast wins Chilean presidential election

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The US president said the conflict in Ukraine "doesn’t really affect the United States, unless it got out of control"

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The European Commission and the Belgian government made no comments on such news so far

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The Ukrainian president stressed that his own family remained in Kiev

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Ukrainian attack leaves almost 30,000 customers without power in Zaporozhye Region

Balitsky noted that energy personnel were "working non-stop" to restore supplies as soon as possible, but the weather was complicating repair efforts

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According to Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, "there is a one million percent guarantee that it’s impossible"

IDF raids leave one dead, two wounded in West Bank — TV

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FIDE votes to lift restrictions on Russian players

The Assembly has not yet made a final decision

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Among them are citizens of Australia, the United Kingdom, Latvia, Lithuania, the United States, Ukraine, and Japan

Kremlin spokesman critical of NATO chief’s remark about preparations for war

This must be a statement by a person from the generation that has forgotten what World War II was like, noted Dmitry Peskov

Extremist Ukrainian database Mirotvorets doxes chiefs of two Russian sports federations

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Ukrainian forces facing huge losses in Kharkov Region — Russian security officer

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Number of injured in shooting at Brown University grows to nine

The shooter is yet to be detained

Sydney beach shooting death toll rises to 12 — authorities

Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon designated the attack as a "terrorist incident"

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It is a direct step toward entering the war, Viktor Orban said

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Syrian security forces carry out operation against Islamic State near Palmyra — media

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Washington’s position is certainly very important here, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said

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Dmitry Peskov said that there was a detailed exchange of opinions

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A shooting attack on innocent people during a religious celebration is a great tragedy, said Maria Zakharova

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Transport and industrial facilities were also damaged

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Two of them were shot down over the Leningrad Region and one over the Moscow Region

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"What a double-dealing," Yury Ushakov said

Russian senator calls Merz's words recognition of major geopolitical shift

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Russian Foreign Minister said that "It was obvious 20 years ago"

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According to Novosti Live, Vladimir Zelensky plans to comment on the progress of the negotiations on Monday

MFA calls EU authorities 'thimbleriggers' after indefinite freezing of Russian assets

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Russian Defense Ministry to receive new serial Ilyushin Il-112V aircraft from 2023

Fico describes Ukraine as ‘black hole’ swallowing billions of euros

According to the Slovak prime minister, the European Union is currently in crisis

Israeli drone strikes on southern Lebanon leave three dead — health ministry

Drones attacked cars near the village of Jwaya in the border district of Tyre and on the highway between the towns of Safed and Baraashit, the statement said

Russia hands over another 1,200 bodies of Ukrainian servicemen to Ukraine — source

Kiev has not handed over a single body to the Russian side

Belgium demands EU countries halt investment agreements with Russia — media

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Medvedev rejects accusations of Russia’s ‘disproportionate use of force’

There were several explosions in Kiev this night

Sales of Russian IT solutions almost double in three years — PM Mishustin

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FIDE to consult with IOC on lifting sanctions against Russians

Sixty-one participants voted in favor of lifting all restrictions on Russian chess players, while 51 opposed the measure

Russia delivers massive overnight strike on Ukrainian military-industrial sites

Kiev loses 1,355 troops along engagement line in past day

Trump says threatened Thailand and Cambodia with new duties

US President said he was sure that the duties is an important tool in the foreign policy for his administration

Top Iranian diplomat to meet with Lavrov, lawmakers during visit to Russia — official

In Belarus, Abbas Araghchi will meet with President Alexander Lukashenko, Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov, and other top officials

Thailand ready for cooperation to settle conflict with Cambodia

The Thai Armed Forces Joint Press Center stressed that Thai actions in the conflict with Cambodia are "within the framework of self-defense under international law, guided by the principles of necessity, proportionality, and distinction, and in strict compliance with the Rules of Engagement, with operations directed solely at military targets"

Severstal delists from London Stock Exchange since August 22 — company

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Trump admits looming difficulties for Republicans at midterm elections

US President also said that he had brought multibillion-dollar investments for the United States, though it is unclear when the money would start working

Australian police arrest two more people over Sydney terrorist attack

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Russia welcomes FIDE’s decision to reinstate Russian chess players’ rights — Peskov

"We deeply appreciate this decision made following the vote of the General Assembly," Russian presidential spokesman said

Russian delegation arrives in Washington for G20 sherpa meeting — envoy

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US uses lighting bombs after attack by ISIS militants on patrol in Palmyra — TV

"American planes dropped lighting bombs in the sky over the city," Syria TV reported

India may impose retaliatory duties on US over tariffs on car imports — WTO

The safeguard measures will affect $2,895 million worth of relevant goods from India to the United States annually

North Korean combat engineers clear mines on over 40,000 hectares in Russia’s Kursk Region

This is invaluable help in the work, without which our borderline territory cannot be rebuilt, Governor Alexander Khinshtein said

US, Ukraine achieve ‘a lot of progress’ at talks in Berlin, says US special envoy Witkoff

"Representatives held in-depth discussions regarding the 20-point plan for peace, economic agendas, and more," ha said

Japan to suspend support of new solar parks — newspaper

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US hindering Venezuela to sell its oil, supply it to Cuba — Cuban foreign ministry

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Russian air defenses down 290 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones in past day

Also air defenses downed four smart bombs

Russia’s SME sector could drive non-commodity export growth — PM

According to Mikhail Mishustin, the government will allocate 1.5 bln rubles to further encourage small and medium-sized enterprises to expand into international markets

Russia to strongly object to changes to Ukraine peace plan — Kremlin aide

Yury Ushakov pointed out that Moscow had not seen the proposals yet

Putin, Erdogan discuss highly sensitive issues in Ashgabat — Kremlin

The meeting in Turkmenistan lasted for about one and a half hours

Floods in Bangladesh leave at least 67 killed

The overall number of families left homeless is 605,767, and 306,741 people are now housed in 3,615 shelters together with 32,830 cattle

Turkey's position on Gaza settlement remains unchanged - Erdogan

The Turkish government has repeatedly emphasized the need to resolve the Palestinian crisis through a two-state solution

Companies plan to transport cargo worth $1.1 trillion along Northern Sea Route — minister

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Western actions on BiH have most negative impact on situation in Balkans — Lavrov

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