{{dayPoint.date | date : 'd MMMM yyyy'}}

{{newsPoint.title}}

{{newsPoint.title+ ' '}}

{{newsPoint.subtitle}}

Special forces exercise with US, UK, Spanish troops begins in Georgia

The exercise was organized by the US Special Operations Command Europe and the Georgian Armed Forces’ Special Operations Forces

TBILISI, May 13. /TASS/. The multinational special forces military exercise Trojan Footprint 2026 (TFP26) has begun in Mukhrovani, Georgia, at the Special Operations Command base, the Georgian Defense Ministry’s press service reported.

"This is the fourth time that the multinational exercise is being held in Georgia. It involves military personnel from special operations units of Georgia, Spain, Poland, Romania, the United States, and the United Kingdom," the statement reads.

The Georgian Defense Forces are represented at the maneuvers by a ranger battalion of the Special Operations Command, the eastern and western special operations battalions, volunteer units, reconnaissance companies of the Georgian National Guard, and personnel from the territorial reserve, the ministry added.

The exercise was organized by the US Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR) and the Georgian Armed Forces’ Special Operations Forces.

Strait of Hormuz developments

Settlement is only possible if US accepts Iran's demands — Iranian MP

Alaeddin Boroujerdi emphasized that following the strikes Iran had endured, it was in no position to capitulate to American demands

US uses UAV lessons of Ukraine real time — Pentagon

According to Pete Hegseth, the Pentagon is doing everything to "learn the lessons of Ukraine and other battlefields"

US Energy Department estimates oil output decline in Middle East in April at 10.5 mln bpd

The report assumes that the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed until late May, with shipping traffic beginning to pick up in June

Russian stock market closes with major indices up

The MOEX Index approached 2,700 points

Enemy country can be destroyed in one fell swoop of Sarmat missile — military analyst

Igor Korotchenko said that the Sarmat ICBM is capable of carrying 10 or more high-yield nuclear warheads and has a sophisticated suite of missile defense penetration capabilities

West seeks to ban Russian gas and oil in order to 'punish' Moscow — Lavrov

The Russian foreign minister expressed confidence that India understands what is really happening

Another strike hits area near Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in Iran

One of the facility’s security guards was killed, Iran’s AEOI said

China calls on UNSC to constructively facilitate peace in Middle East — envoy to Russia

"The situation in the Middle East is currently at a turning point between war and peace," Zhang Hanhui said

Ukrainian troops lose around 875 personnel in special op over past 24 hours — top brass

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the enemy lost up to 145 troops in the responsibility zone of the Battlegroup North

IN BRIEF: Lavrov speaks of US plans to control energy flows, Western neocolonialism

The West uses unscrupulous methods to prevent countries from purchasing Russian oil, the Russian foreign minister said

Russia's Sarmat ICBM has a range of 35,000 km — Putin

The missile can move not only on a ballistic but also on a suborbital trajectory, the Russian president said

US leader to visit China for first time in 9 years to discuss trade, Iran, Taiwan

Donald Trump’s previous Beijing trip occurred in 2017

US seeks to push Russian companies out of global markets, Africa, Balkans — Lavrov

The United States has adopted a series of doctrinal documents, one of which proclaims that the United States must dominate global energy markets, the Russian foreign minister said

India firmly resists Western pressure, its demands to stop buying Russian oil — Lavrov

India has repeatedly stated it will independently decide from whom to buy energy resources, the Russian foreign minister said

Return of 3,700 POWs and families reunited: Putin meets with Moskalkova

The head of state stressed that Russia and Ukraine should continue working at the level of ombudspersons to ensure the reunification of families with children

Soviet people, having defeated fascism, shaped world — Dodik

Milorad Dodik pointed out that the Serbs lost "more than the British, Americans, and French combined" in WWII

Further phases of BRICS expansion will follow, says South African president

It is noted that the membership will take effect from January 1, 2024

Donbass Dome system neutralizes four drones in Donetsk People’s Republic

The UAVs were destroyed within 24 hours

At least 13 people killed in Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon — health ministry

14 people were injured

Germany’s drone deal with Ukraine to make it complicit in Russia strikes — expert

Alexander Stepanov added that Western European countries can be considered Kiev’s high-tech military-industrial echelon

Hormuz crisis may impact Europe more than anyone else — Russia’s Lavrov

The foreign minister said Russia "traditionally honors its commitments under any deal", adding that Western traditions are different

US may resume operations in Strait of Hormuz or take more serious action — Trump

The US president reiterated that Iran’s response to new US proposals to end hostilities was "totally unacceptable"

West’s hybrid war accelerates closer ties between Moscow, Muslim countries — Russian MFA

Kirill Sapozhenkov noted that Russia aimed to become not just an attractive partner for those nations but also a reliable political ally

Islamabad requests US to suspend operation in Strait of Hormuz — ambassador

Faisal Niaz Tirmizi expressed hope that both sides will come to an understanding and a solution acceptable to both of them and the entire world will be reached

US unlikely to start ground operation in Iran, rather to step up bombing — senator

According to Jack Reed, if Washington wanted to deploy ground troops, there would be very discreet special operations

Strait of Hormuz closure has led to global oil shortage of 1 bln barrels — UAE minister

Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber called for the restoration of navigation through the strait

Russia’s Battlegroup North UAV units destroy over 55 Ukrainian Starlink stations in May

The head of the 11th Army Corps’ UAV planning and countermeasures department, call sign "Karta" noted that the antennas were discovered during airborne reconnaissance both along the line of contact and behind enemy lines

Ukraine faces military collapse this year — retired US Army officer

David T. Pyne believes the EU cannot be trusted to negotiate a peace agreement ending NATO’s proxy war with Russia

US wants to restore Nord Streams, buy them from Europeans for next to nothing — Lavrov

Washington intends to do this in order to subsequently dictate its own gas prices, the Russian foreign minister indicated

Press review: Iran, US edge closer to renewed war and Russia flexes missile muscles

Top stories from the Russian press on Wednesday, May 13th

Putin’s China visit creates window of opportunity for Russia-China-US dialogue — expert

Shanghai International Studies University professor Yang Cheng emphasized that although this is not a direct dialogue between these three countries, some indirect dialogue will still take place

US president flies to Beijing with Elon Musk, Nvidia CEO — Reuters

Russian President Vladimir Putin previously said Moscow benefits from constructive cooperation between Beijing and Washington

Russia’s Western 'friends' become closer to it following Sarmat launch — Medvedev

The Security Council deputy chairman also posted a video of the Russian Defense Ministry’s test results

IN BRIEF: What we know about UAV attack on Orenburg and damage to apartment building

Governor Yevgeny Solntsev quoted the emergency services as saying that there were no casualties

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

Sweden sends home detained Caffa cargo ship crew — Russian embassy

Sweden detained the Guinea-flagged cargo ship Caffa, en route from Casablanca to St. Petersburg, on March 6

Top Cuban diplomat slams US’ alleged offer of $100 mln in humanitarian aid as lie

Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla noted that he wished to know "how this money is going to be distributed in Cuba and when it is officially offered to the Cuban authorities"

Sarmat tests confirm Russia capable of deterring any enemy — analyst

Igor Korotchenko emphasized that the test had confirmed all the specified characteristics of the Sarmat ICBM and the correctness of the applied circuit design solutions

Iran sets forth five conditions to resuming negotiations with US — agency

According to Fars, the five conditions are to stop hostilities on all fronts, particularly in Lebanon, to lift the anti-Iranian sanctions, to unblock Iran’s immobilized assets, to compensate for the war-related damage, and to recognize Iran’s right to sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz

Russia calls on West to stop interfering in Bosnia-Herzegovina’s affairs — UN envoy

"Any attempts to misinterpret the Dayton provisions will have catastrophic consequences for Bosnia and Herzegovina and the entire Western Balkans region," Vasily Nebenzya emphasized

Trump says may come to Russia this year

The US president said that he would do whatever is necessary for a settlement in Ukraine

Russia, China prevent new round of escalation in Middle East at UN — ambassador

According to Zhang Hanhui, Chinese and Russian positions during the vote were based on the principles of objectivity and fairness

Battlegroup West destroys 17 Ukrainian ground robots, 77 heavy drones over past day

Group press center head Leonid Sharov added that the battlegroup also destroyed 48 drone control points and 2 Starlink terminals

Lavrov heads to India to discuss Middle East crisis, future of BRICS

Russian Foreign Minister will also likely discuss the Ukraine situation and settlement prospects

US-Israeli strike on humanitarian aid aircraft in western Iran reported

The Civil Aviation Organization of the Islamic Republic called on all international bodies to take appropriate measures in response to this incident

Pakistan ready for talks with India — ambassador to Russia

Faisal Niaz Tirmizi noted that there had never been such a deplorable state of relations between the countries during the last seven years of his career

Russia notified US, other countries of Sarmat tests — Kremlin

In accordance with international agreements, when ICBMs are launched, a notification is sent to other countries through the National Center for Nuclear Risk Reduction in order to avoid undue tension

Lavrov accuses West of putting pressure on countries not to buy Russian oil

The Russian foreign minister said the idea behind the "unscrupulous methods" is to make everybody buy expensive oil and liquified natural gas from the United States

US Energy Department lowers forecast for Brent oil price of in 2026 to $94.85 per barrel

According to the report, the average Brent crude oil price in 2027 will average $79.39 per barrel

Israel will not cease fighting Hezbollah for a peace deal with Iran — Netanyahu

According to the Israeli prime minister, a significant weakening of Iran or a radical change of power would imply the collapse of Hezbollah, Hamas, and Yemeni Houthi rebels from the Ansar Allah movement

Lavrov sees US trying to push Russian oil majors from global markets

The Russian foreign minister mentioned Lukoil and Rosneft in this regard

Trump rejects idea of changing Pakistan as mediator in talks with Iran

The US leader noted that "the Pakistanis have been great"

Moscow has trump card that can break deadlock in US-Iran talks — expert

Oleg Akulinichev emphasized that unlike the United States, Russia maintained a trusting dialogue with Tehran

Press review: Putin V-Day speech gives life to Ukraine peace and Iran's new superweapon

Top stories from the Russian press on Tuesday, May 12th

Russia to place Sarmat ICBM on combat alert by year end — Putin

The President congratulated the Ministry of Defense, all employees, researchers, engineers, defense industry production organizers, prime contractors, and the thousands of workers engaged in the teamwork on "this major event and unconditional success"

Possible future Iran-US deal to be radically different from JCPOA — expert

Oleg Akulinichev believes that the US could agree to unfreeze Iran's foreign assets in exchange for a temporary halt to Tehran's uranium enrichment

Former General Assembly Chairman Espinosa nominated for post of UN Secretary General

The election of a new UN secretary general is scheduled for July 2026

Beijing calls not to slow down pace of talks on Iran, Strait of Hormuz — envoy to Russia

According to Zhang Hanhui, all parties need to show restraint, adhere to a political settlement

IN BRIEF: Drone attacks leave two injured in southern Russia, damage factory in Yaroslavl

An attack using as many as 20 drones was repelled in southern Russia’s Rostov Region

FACTBOX: Key points from forecast for Russia's socioeconomic development in 2027-2029

Russia's GDP growth rate by 2029 could reach 2.4% annualized, according to the forecast

Zelensky attempted to purchase $400 million worth of weapons from Bosnian Muslims — Dodik

Milorad Dodik also denied weapons from Republika Srpska are in Ukraine

Trump Route prospects dim amid US-Iran conflict — Russian MFA

The Armenian-American initiative does not automatically provide for a full connection of the Armenian and Azerbaijani railway infrastructure

Kiev’s attempts to distribute drugs in Donbass and illegal trafficking: Security Council

More than 6.5 tons of narcotics, psychotropic substances and their analogues were seized in the first quarter of this year

Russia fulfils obligations to supply energy to India, other partners — top diplomat

The Russian foreign minister added that cooperation on the construction of new power units for this nuclear plant is continuing

Israeli attacks undermine efforts to strengthen ceasefire — Lebanese president

Joseph Aoun said he will cooperate with the international community to protect Lebanon's sovereignty and ensure complete Israeli troop withdrawal

West uses propaganda to justify atrocities against Iran — Lavrov

The top Russian diplomat noted that Moscow's position consists of designating the root cause by saying that it was an unprovoked aggression against Iran

Slovak, Austrian, Czech presidents speak up for dialogue between EU, Russia on Ukraine

According to President Peter Pellegrini of Slovakia, it will not be easy to establish a negotiating process but it is necessary to do this

Russia to fully supply India with energy resources despite unfair competition — Lavrov

The Russian foreign minister stressed the importance of "keeping the broader picture" of the global energy market in mind

Russian football team’s Head Coach Karpin sets sights on 2028 UEFA Euro Cup qualifiers

The 2028 UEFA Euro Cup will be hosted by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales between June 9 and July 9

War with Iran deprives US of ammunition around world — senator

Jack Reed criticized the Pentagon's planning of the current military action against Iran

New government led by Magyar formed in Hungary — presidential decree

According to a statement from the press office of President Tamas Sulyok, he signed a decree appointing 16 ministers nominated by the prime minister and approved by parliament

US seeks to lay claim to rare earth deposits in Central Asia — Russian Foreign Ministry

Director of the Third CIS Department Alexander Sternik said that Washington aims at gaining control over the deposits of these strategic resources and the transport corridors

End of ceasefire, chance of Putin-Zelensky meeting: Kremlin delivers new press briefing

According to Dmitry Peskov, Russia remains open to dialogue and fully welcomes US mediation efforts to resolve the conflict in Ukraine

Israel, US attack amusement park in central Iran

No information on casualties or damage has been reported yet

Wine consumption in world slumps to lowest level since 1957 — OIV

International consumption in 2025 amounted to 208 million hectoliters with the highest demand in the US, France and Italy

Russia develops neural network algorithms for low-level air defense anti-drone system

The Arkodim company specified that the neural network analysis and tracking algorithms calculate ballistics and ensure reliable target tracking even during brief loss of visual contact

Almost all Russian athletes may be allowed at int’l competitions this year — sports chief

Russian Sports Minister and President of the Russian Olympic Committee Mikhail Degtyarev noted that "our anthem is already being played at many tournaments, and our national flag is present"

Russia gradually develops nuclear forces — Putin

The Russian leader recalled that "since 2025, the Oreshnik intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missile system is on combat duty and it can be armed with nuclear warheads"

Iran expands area of control in Strait of Hormuz

According to the senior officer, the strait’s width, which used to be estimated at 32 to 48 km, has increased to between 321 and 482 km

IN BRIEF: Key statements by Russian Economic Development Minister at meeting with Putin

Russia is the fourth-largest economy in the world in terms of purchasing power parity and expects to maintain this position

Putin plans to hold meeting on economic issues soon

The President reviewed the country's macroeconomic indicators in detail

Trump says no understanding with Russia on Donbass so far

The withdrawal of troops from Donbas is one of Moscow's most important conditions for an active peaceful settlement with Kiev

Tanker with Iranian oil change course, heading to China — PTI

The change in the destination of Pin Shun appears to be payment-related, Sumit Ritolia, Lead Research Analyst at Kpler, noted

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

Trump says Iran has 48 hours to make deal or open strait

Time is running out: 48 hours remain before all hell rains down on them, US President said

No alternatives to Iran’s 14-point proposal for deal with US — top lawmaker

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf noted that any other approach would "lead only to failure"

IEA worsens global oil demand forecast, expects decline of 418,000 bpd in 2026

The agency thus worsened its demand forecast by 334,000 bpd compared with its April expectations, when the IEA projected a decline of 84,000 bpd

Kiev may face accusations of producing biological weapons — Russian MP

Leonid Slutsky commented on remarks by US National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard, who said that more than 120 biological laboratories in over 30 countries funded by US taxpayers over several decades were under investigation

Real opportunities for achieving peace in Middle East exist now — Chinese envoy to Russia

Zhang Hanhui emphasized that China supports maintaining the ceasefire and continuing negotiations

Conflict with Iran could ultimately cost US $1 trln — CNN

The cost of a single expended Tomahawk missile is currently estimated at $2 mln, expert Linda Bilmes noted

Either Iran agrees to deal or US can 'finish the job' — Trump

The US leader did not provide a clear answer when asked whether he was prepared to abandon the ceasefire with Iran

Magnitude 4.5 earthquake hits northern Iran

The epicenter was located 35 kilometers east of Tehran

Ukrainian army violated ceasefire twice as often in 2026 as in 2025

In 2026, Ukrainian forces carried out 3,475 shellings using artillery, rocket launchers, mortars, and tanks

US Department of Energy estimates OPEC's spare capacity in 2027 at 2.5 mln bpd

The US Department of Energy estimates OPEC's available capacity for 2026 at 0.5 million bpd

Tbilisi admits West demanded opening second front against Russia — MFA

According to Director of the Fourth Department for the CIS Countries Mikhail Kalugin, Russia continues "painstaking work on the post-conflict restoration of Georgia’s relations with Abkhazia and South Ossetia"

Attack on Iran aimed to prevent normalization of its relations with Arab states — Lavrov

The Russian foreign minister stressed that everything is being done to paint Iran as a pariah

Kiev loses 8,400 troops, mercenaries in special military op zone in past week — expert

Andrey Marochko said the Ukrainian armed forces suffered the greatest manpower losses in the area of operation of Russia’s Battlegroup East in the Dnepropetrovsk and Zaporozhye regions

China believes there are no winners in Iran conflict — envoy to Russia

Zhang Hanhui also recalled that Chinese leader Xi Jinping recently formulated four principles for Middle East peace

Iran to hit more targets if US attacks Kharg Island — ambassador

Tehran’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe Amir Hossein Hosseini also expressed hope that the conflict would be resolved diplomatically

Putin briefed on successful Sarmat ICBM test: what is known

The head of state congratulated the Russian military on the successful test of the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile

Pezeshkian asks global community to judge which side, Iran or US, actually favors dialogue

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