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Strait of Hormuz developments

US to start operation to evacuate ships locked up in Hormuz on Monday — Trump

The US president says many countries are concerned about the trade ships stranded in the strait

US President Donald Trump Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

US President Donald Trump

© Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

WASHINGTON, May 4. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump said his country will launch an operation Project Freedom to help ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz to leave its waters.

He wrote on Truth Social that many countries are concerned about the trade ships stranded there because of the conflict with Iran.

"I have told my Representatives to inform them that we will use best efforts to get their Ships and Crews safely out of the Strait. In all cases, they said they will not be returning until the area becomes safe for navigation, and everything else. This process, Project Freedom, will begin Monday morning, Middle East time," Trump said.

Tags

Iran's nuclear program

Tehran’s proposals do not include 15-year enrichment pause — news agency

The proposals also do not include the opening of the Strait of Hormuz before the sides reach the final peace deal

Upper house speaker slams US-Israeli operation against Iran as geopolitical mistake

Valentina Matviyenko emphasized that this intervention has destabilized the Middle East, triggering an energy crisis, yet it ultimately changes nothing

Ukrainian ‘Martian’ UAV stealth capability makes detection tough — security source

Despite these challenges, Russian military personnel on the front lines are destroying AI-powered drones using mobile air defense teams and FPV air defense ambushes, the sourse said

Russia plans permanent naval base in Syria's Tartus — official

Currently Tartus is being used as a logistics facility for Russian ships

Ukraine loses over 360 troops in Kursk area in past day — Russian Defense Ministry

Five soldiers were surrendered, the Russian Defense Ministry said

Iran calls on Saudi Arabia to ‘eject’ US troops from region

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stressed that Iran respects the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and considers it a brotherly nation

Israel to channel $119 bln to develop its own weapons production in 10 years — PM

Simultaneously, Israel will develop groundbreaking Israeli-made aircraft, Benjamin Netanyahu said

Gas reserves in European UGS facilities exceed 94.1%

104.4 bln cubic meters of gas are stored in them

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Putin hopes Bolton’s visit to Moscow will be step towards restoring Russia-US relations

Russian companies invest $4.5 bln in Iran’s oil and gas projects — Minister

"Certain projects are 7-35% implemented," Oil Minister of Iran Javad Owji said

Russian troops liberate two communities in Ukraine operation over past day — top brass

Russia’s Battlegroup North inflicted more than 240 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed two enemy armored combat vehicles in its areas of responsibility, the Defense Ministry reported

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Axios reported that US forces are actively seeking to recover the two pilots of the downed aircraft

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According to Wladysіaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, delays are possible for other types of weapons

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According to the Defense Ministry, 671 aircraft, 284 helicopters, 140,399 unmanned aerial vehicles, 658 anti-aircraft missile systems, 29,127 tanks and other armored combat vehicles

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Pacific Fleet Military Court acquits defendants in Nerpa sub accident case

The defence lawyers for their part expressed satisfaction with the verdict

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We should raise this topic each time we meet with the Ukrainian political leadership, Robert Fico said

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Natural gas production in January-November amounted to 507 bln cubic meters, down 3% year-on-year

EU ambassadors agree 11th package of anti-Russian sanctions — Swedish presidency

The previous package was adopted on February 25 of this year

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Trump said in his latest phone call with Putin on April 29 that a deal on resolving the Ukraine conflict was close

Roscosmos invites NASA chief to Russia

The US Senate unanimously voted to appoint Nelson to the post of NASA chief in late April

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The Finance Minister noted that "the levels of revenue and under-revenue over the past two months are the same"

Trump says Iran’s new peace proposal is unacceptable

According to the US leader, the campaign against Iran is proceeding very well

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According to a decree of the Russian government, the list includes various types of radars and air defense systems, helicopters and planes, ships and boats, and electronic warfare equipment

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According to a report by Le Parisien, over 60% small repair companies received notices of the increase of tariffs from their suppliers

Tehran’s proposals do not include 15-year enrichment pause — news agency

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Iran has fired almost 1,200 ballistic missiles and 4,000 Shahed drones at the Gulf states since the start of the war

Bolivarian Alliance condemns US threats of use of force against Cuba

ALBA appealed to the US government to engage in dialogue without threats and conditions

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According to Andrey Marochko, Russian troops examining the fragments of a downed Ukrainian drone found a different navigation and communication system

US to start operation to evacuate ships locked up in Hormuz on Monday — Trump

The US president says many countries are concerned about the trade ships stranded in the strait

London expands cooperation with Kiev to destabilize Europe — Russian diplomat

Maria Zakharova called Kiev’s promise to provide support to London in case the UK is attacked a "theatre of the absurd"

The new themes of the World Media Summit in 2014 will include media activities in conditions of local wars and revolutions

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Putin to hold bilateral meetings on Victory Day — Kremlin

Zarubin said earlier that on May 9, Putin was expected to meet with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who would be visiting Moscow

Air strikes delivered against militant groups in south Syria — TV

According to sources cited by Al Ekhbariya, an ammunition and drug depot in the Shahba settlement was hit

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The talks between the two presidents will be preceded by Mattarella’s meeting with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev

US military aircraft struck by Iran makes it to Kuwait — TV

Iran also fired at two US UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters conducting a search and rescue operation

Relations between EU, US reach point of no return after troops pullout — Vucic

The Serbian president says that the standoff between Germans and Americans will evolve progressively

Slovak PM sees no prospect for ending Ukraine conflict

Robert Fico criticized the European Union for its 90 billion euro "military loan" to Ukraine

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It won’t save the day for the Ukrainian armed forces, Kherson Region Governor Vladimir Saldo said

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Their assessments were similar. Basically, it’s hard to imagine different assessments of the Kiev regime’s behavior, he said

Putin awards tennis players Andreeva, Shnaider with medal of Order of Merit

The athletes were awarded for their merits in the development of physical culture and sports and for many years of conscientious work

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According to Russia’s top brass, the European branches of Ukrainian drone-production companies are located across eight European countries

Fifty-one drones shot down in Leningrad Region

Governor Alexander Drozdenko says combat operations continue

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Russia publishes unique 1945 Soviet embassy report of Hiroshima bombing

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Mohsen Rezaei has called the United States "the only pirate in the world that possesses aircraft carriers"

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Segezha Group is one of the largest Russian timber holdings with a full cycle of logging and advanced wood processing

Israel, US attack amusement park in central Iran

No information on casualties or damage has been reported yet

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The ministry said that the North battlegroup defeated formations of the Ukrainian mechanized brigade and the air defense brigade in the areas of the settlements of Druzhba, Velikaya Berezka and Kondratovka in the Sumy Region

EU prepares to impose 11th package of sanctions on Russia — official

Mairead McGuinness went on to say that he 11th package of sanctions will focus on circumvention of earlier measures

US still in talks with Iran — Witkoff

US president’s special envoy commented on the state of negotiations

Russia to feature upgraded giant military transport helicopter at Army-2018 forum

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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian invited the world to judge which side engages in terrorism

Iran’s UN mission blasts US for more than five decades of breaching NPT

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Navigation in Bosporus Strait resumed after bulk carrier failure

The Zaltron bulk carrier has been tugged to the Ahirtepe anchorage

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Earlier, State Duma member Mikhail Sheremet had said Russia should declare mobilization for achieving the goals of the special operation in Ukraine

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According to a report by Fars, the document contains Tehran’s requirements and a "clear-cut roadmap" for reaching the agreement

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Andrey Belousov stressed that Russia was closely monitoring production and supply chains related to the weapons the West provided to Ukraine

Ukrainian radical nationalist Yarosh put on international wanted list

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Ukrainian troops attacked the village of Voronok with kamikaze drones, the region’s governor, Alexander Bogomaz, said

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North Macedonia starts purchasing Azerbaijani gas on regular basis — Russian envoy

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Over 3,000 Baltic Fleet troops go on alert in drills in Russia’s westernmost region

The troops practiced carrying out measures against a hypothetical enemy’s subversive and reconnaissance groups, air attack weapons and overcoming notionally contaminated terrain

18th Congress of Communist Party of China opens in Beijing

The 18thCongress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has opened at the Great Hall of the People in the Chinese capital on Thursday

US to drop plans to deploy long-range Tomahawk missiles to Germany — newspaper

Christian Moelling, director of the Berlin-based think-tank Edina, told The Financial Times that rotating out American troops stationed in Germany was "less of a problem" than the cancellation of the plan to deploy a long-range strike capability

BRICS finance ministers failed to agree on creation of BRICS Development Bank

Siluanov said that the finance ministers could not agree on separate issues such as the amount of capital and the size of contributions

Deep freeze breaks 1893 record in St. Petersburg as temperature drops to 21 below zero

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Volunteers join search for lost airplane in Sverdlovsk region

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Yemeni Coast Guard reports armed seizure of tanker in country's waters

Unknown persons headed towards the Gulf of Aden

Russia’s role in Baltic Sea region to dominate Baltic Business Forum

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Energy companies, together with law enforcement agencies and mobile operators, identify points based on the load profile and frequency of requests to the Internet

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No oil product spill was reported, he wrote on Russia’s national messenger Max

Mertz to be blamed until he corrects mistakes or quits — Dmitriev

Earlier, the Pentagon said it will withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany within the next 6-12 months

Kiev loses around 8,010 troops in special op zone over past week

Forces of the Black Sea Fleet destroyed 14 unmanned Ukrainian Navy boats over the past week, the Russian Defense Ministry said

Putin to brief Xi on his contacts with Trump — Kremlin aide

The Russian leader and his Chinese counterpart will also discuss the most important issues related to the Middle East, the upcoming G20 summit in South Africa, and the APEC summit in South Korea

Russia halts its natural gas supplies to Finland

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UAE withdraws from Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries

OAPEC thanked the UAE for the role it played during its membership

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EU seeks to fuel Russophobic campaign to mobilize its forces — Kremlin spokesman

According to Peskov, the Europeans "make moves leading to confrontation."

Over 50 Ukrainian drones shot down over Russian regions in four hours

On-duty air defenses intercepted and destroyed 52 Ukrainian fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles over the Belgorod, Bryansk, Kaluga, Kursk, Oryol, Smolensk, Tula and Moscow regions

Cuban president notes increase of US military threat to unprecedented level

Miguel Diaz-Canel emphasized that any agressor will "face the nation full of determination to defend sovereignty and independence on every centimeter of its national territory"

Iran may begin mothballing its oil wells next week — US treasury secretary

Oil prices will be lower after the US-Israeli war against Iran is over than they were at the beginning of the year, including due to the United Arab Emirates’ decision to withdraw from OPEC, Scott Bessent said

Zelensky sanctions former head of his office Bogdan

Andrey Bogdan currently resides in Austria, where he often criticizes Vladimir Zelensky both publicly and in private conversations, according to Ukrainian media

North Korea’s Kim vows to respond unhesitatingly with nuclear strike if Pyongyang provoked

On December 18, North Korea held successful trials of the Hwasong-18 ICBM in response to hostile actions by the US and South Korea

Ukrainian drone attacks industrial facility in Bryansk Region, worker wounded

The worker was admitted to hospital

Gas price in Europe down below $1,400 per 1,000 cubic meters first since March 1

The total decrease in the gas price since the start of trading has reached 23%

Six civilians injured after Ukraine’s drone attacks on Belgorod Region

A truck driver received shrapnel wounds and was taken to a hospital in the village of Oktyabrsky, the region’s governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, said