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Another tanker comes under attack off Turkish coast — Transport Ministry

The ship is proceeding toward Sinop with its engines operating

ISTANBUL, December 2. /TASS/. The tanker Midvolga 2, en route from Russia to Georgia carrying a cargo of sunflower oil, came under attack 80 miles off the coast of Turkey, the country’s Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure reported.

"The tanker Midvolga 2 has reported coming under attack 80 miles from our shores. Currently, all 13 crew members are healthy, and the ship is not requesting assistance. The ship is proceeding toward Sinop with its engines operating," the ministry said.

According to publicly available sources, the 140-meter Midvolga 2 (IMO 9735139, MMSI 273376900) was built in 2014 and sails under the Russian flag. Its home port is the Great Port of St. Petersburg.

Two tankers Kairos and Virat, both sailing under the Gambian flag and heading to Russia without cargo, issued distress signals on November 28 while located 28 and 38 nautical miles, respectively, off the Turkish coast in the Black Sea. A fire broke out in the engine room area aboard Kairos, while the crew of Virat reported hull damage, though no major fire occurred on board.

Middle East conflict

Only Indonesia, Italy ready to join ‘stabilization forces’ in Gaza — Palestinian envoy

Nofal stressed Palestine's interest in quickly completing the first stage of settlement

At least 27 drones taken down over various Russian regions overnight

Two of them were destroyed over the Sea of Azov waters

UN says famine phase overcome in Gaza Strip

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Putin’s 2025 Q&A receives over three million questions, second-most ever

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EU diplomats do not rule out retaliation against Ukrainian elites by angry mob — SVR

The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service said that the Mindich-Zelensky case is undermining Ukraine

Dmitriev calls for resignation of Merz, von der Leyen after failure at EU summit

The Chief Executive Officer of Russian Direct Investment Fund added that Friedrich Merz and Ursula von der Leyen "spent all their political capital, promised results – and delivered a spectacular failure"

Kiev troops shell DPR four times in past day

The attacks targeted the city of Gorlovka and the town of Starobeshevo

FACTBOX: Putin’s statements on EU’s attempts to seize Russian assets

The Russian president noted that if Russian assets are seized, Russia will defend its interests in court and seek to identify jurisdictions that are not dependent on political decisions

Lavrov tells Europe we don't need your help on Ukraine deal, just don't blow it up

"The Russian-American dialogue is based on understandings reached in Alaska," the Russian top diplomat stressed

Ukrainian forces fail to retake parts of Krasnoarmeysk, suffer losses — Putin

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Lawsuit against Euroclear filed in time — Central Bank chief

Elvira Nabiullina said that it is difficult for her to comment on specific arguments prevailing among EU member-countries that did not approve the confiscation of Russian assets

Only Trump can decide on US refusal to negotiate on Ukraine — Rubio

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Russian troops to move westward after liberating Kupyansk-Uzlovoi — Putin

As the president stressed, the Russian troops have been assigned a very important task to eliminate the enemy group on the left bank of the Oskol River

Hundreds of thousands of Russian troops fighting in special military operation — Putin

The Russian leader noted that not all of them planned to build civilian careers after the special military operation

Russia to eliminate threats to Kaliningrad Region should they emerge, says Putin

The Kaliningrad Region is separated from mainland Russia by the borders of European Union countries

Russia to practice tact in protecting compatriots abroad — Putin

The head of state noted that new mechanisms should be introduced to support citizens abroad

Slovak politician considers EU’s decision to refrain from seizing Russian assets sensible

The country’s Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok noted that Slovakia would not act as a guarantor for the EU loan to Ukraine

Kiev counterattacks near Krasnoarmeysk, trying to slow Russian advance — expert

The Russian Defense Ministry announced the liberation of Krasnoarmeysk on December 1

Kiev's lead negotiator holds consultations with Europeans ahead of meeting with US

Rustem Umerov said he would present a report to Vladimir Zelensky following the talks

EU 'war party' to pay Kiev 'reparations' itself — Foreign Ministry

"Brussels did not even notice how absurd the situation had become for the EU," Maria Zakharova stated

Kiev bombed polling stations for Russian elections during special op — Putin

The Russian president recalled that the voters were standing in line at polling stations when shelling began

EU summit undertook to finance military action against Russia — diplomats

"The leaders of the EU Member States have reaffirmed their course towards comprehensive support for the Kiev regime and further escalation of the Ukrainian conflict," the Russian Permanent Mission to the European Union said in a statement

Rubio says US continues to share intelligence information with Ukraine

Marco Rubio commented on the prospects for resolving the Ukrainian crisis

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Route to Slavyansk opens from liberated Seversk — Putin

The head of state recalled that the Russian side had long ago urged the Kiev regime to withdraw its troops from the territories of the republics which do not want to live under nationalist control

Ukrainian soldiers desert due to lack of food, water, clothing — expert

Vitaly Kiselev pointed out that Ukrainian barrier detachments operating within the zone of the special military operation are unable to stem the tide of desertion

US Air Force carries out second wave of attacks on Islamic State sites in Syria — TV

IS sites in the Deir ez-Zor province were the hardest hit, the TV channel said

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Russia, Thailand in talks about use of Mir cards — deputy foreign minister

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Two Russians arrested in Bulgaria at US request — Russian embassy

No official details about the US extradition request are available at this point

Russian stock market indices in the red this Friday — market data

The MOEX Index lost 0.36%, the RTS Index declined by 1.22%

Ukrainian forces execute civilians in Seversk — Hero of Russia

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Putin thanks special services for their work to defend country during special op

The Russian leader also wished the leadership and personnel of special services a happy New Year 2026

Russian army has full strategic initiative in special military operation zone — Putin

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Putin says 3I/ATLAS comet poses no threat to Earth, it can be 'sent to Jupiter' anytime

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Hong Kong influenza seasonal, not epidemic — expert

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36 Ukrainian drones taken down over Russian regions in three hours

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Russia to retaliate possible endorsement of Magnitsky bill

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Trump announces plans to visit Florida, where talks on Ukraine expected

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Kiev's terrorist attacks against ships, energy infrastructure in Black Sea inadmissible

Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin participated via on-line conference in the ministerial meeting of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation

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International Handball Federation to discuss return of Russians

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Crew Dragon with Russian cosmonaut on board to be launched no earlier then Feb. 15 — NASA

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Peace in Ukraine close like never before — US envoy to NATO

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Bank of Russia won’t withdraw its lawsuit against Euroclear over asset freezing

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Britain refuses to expropriate Russian assets after failure of EU summit — FT

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Krasny Liman to be liberated in near future — Putin

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Russia not at war with West, West fights Russia with Ukrainian nationalists’ hands — Putin

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Ukraine investigating corruption mastermind Mindich for treason

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PMs of Belgium, Italy emerge victorious at EU summit on Russian assets — media

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Georgian president calls EU decision to allocate €90 billion to Ukraine bluff

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US drafts $112-billion Gaza reconstruction plan — WSJ

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Economy, special op, taxes most popular topics on social media following Putin’s Q&A

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Possible pause in Russian airstrikes thwarts Kiev's plans to avoid elections — senator

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FACTBOX: S-500 Anti-Aircraft Missile System

The system is being developed with the capability to be operational for the next 25 years

Russia ready to consider halting strikes deep inside Ukraine on election day — Putin

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Bern takes part in EU’s risky plans, though it realizes danger of stealing Russian assets

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Russian embassy in Mali rejects accusations against Africa Corps

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Volvo files application to register three trademarks in Russia

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Putin baffled by NATO Secretary General Rutte's war-with-Russia talk

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WSJ names five key obstacles to peace between Russia, Ukraine

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Brussels will have to repay Ukraine’s debts to Europe, warns Russian diplomat

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Russian diplomat says US Justice Department places her in waiting queue for Epstein files

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Russia negative about discussions on nuclear weapons for Japan — deputy foreign minister

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Investments in Russian economy remain record high — Central Bank

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Putin envisions what Russia might look like in 200 years

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EU €90 bln loan cannot save Ukraine from defeat — Hungarian PM

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Europe will sooner or later have to repay what it steals from Russian assets — Putin

The EU and G7 countries froze approximately 300 billion euros in Russian assets

Hong Kong flu has pandemic potential — virologist

Doctor of medical sciences and virologist Yelena Malinnikova called upon everyone to comply with sanitary and epidemiological guidelines

Russian army continues to advance west of Seversk, Putin says

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International coalition delivers missile strike on IS targets from base in Syria — TV

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Putin’s Direct Line demonstrated that 2025 was successful for Russia — Focus

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