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US authorities charge Raul Castro — news agency

The report does not specify exactly what the charges are

WASHINGTON, May 20. /TASS/. US authorities have filed charges against one of the leaders of the Cuban Revolution, Army General Raul Castro, Reuters reported, citing a Washington administration official.

The report does not specify exactly what the charges are.

Earlier, CBS News reported that the charges may be related to the 1996 incident when the Cuban Air Force shot down two planes belonging to the Miami-based emigre organization Hermanos al Rescate (Brothers to the Rescue). According to the TV channel, US prosecutors reopened the investigation into the case earlier this year.

On May 14, Axios reported that, during a visit to Cuba, CIA Director John Ratcliffe noted that Washington was ready to cooperate on economic and security matters provided that reforms were implemented on the island. On March 5, President Donald Trump announced Washington's intention to develop a further course of action regarding Cuba after the conclusion of military operations against Iran. He had previously claimed on multiple occasions that Cuba’s government and economy were on the verge of collapse following the cessation of oil shipments to the island nation from Venezuela under pressure from the US On February 27, the US leader stated that Washington could carry out "a friendly takeover of Cuba."

On March 13, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel reported that Havana and Washington held talks aimed at finding solutions through dialogue on bilateral contradictions.

Trump not happy with Cuba’s defense ties to other countries

America will not tolerate a rogue state harboring hostile foreign military, intelligence and terror operations just ninety miles from the American homeland, the US president noted

Kiev’s attacks on Zaporozhye NPP impossible without West’s support — Russian diplomat

Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova says Western curators "instill a false sense of impunity in the current Ukrainian authorities and provoke them to new ventures"

Launch of Xudapu NPP to provide China with cheap, clean energy — Putin

According to the Russian president, Moscow and Beijing also have major potential for cooperation in renewable energy, particularly in implementing joint low-carbon generation projects

Trump briefed on military options against Iran on May 18 — Axios

According to information obtained by the news portal, the meeting was originally scheduled for May 19, with some officials expecting the US president to make a decision on potential strikes against the Islamic Republic during the consultations

IN BRIEF: Putin on stabilizing role of Russia-China ties, economy, energy at talks with Xi

According to the Russian leader, Moscow and Beijing build their dialogue based on equality and respect for each other’s interests as they pursue the goal of promoting the well-being of their nations

Ukrainian military attacks pose threat to Zaporozhye NPP’s rotation of personnel

Facility’s Director Yury Chernichuk says the executive management will resort to every possible effort to ensure the safety of personnel

Putin describes Russia-China talks involving key officials as substantive

According to the Russian president, the talks were held in a traditionally friendly and trust-based atmosphere

Russian UAV lab in DPR assembles FPV drones for various missions — officer

The Russian serviceman revealed that stabilized devices with high-quality imagers were being created for air defense units

Russia wipes out part of Ukraine’s Alpha special forces in Dnepropetrovsk Region — sources

The Ukrainian troops have been eliminated with aerial bombs and guided munitions

Ukrainian counterintelligence officer supplies dozens of coordinates for Russian strikes

Sergey Mikhailov surrendered in the Zaporozhye direction. He said he does not want to return to Ukraine

Russia, China concerned about confrontational policy of some countries — statement

Moscow and Beijing called for putting an end to attempts to interfere in the internal affairs of other states and undermine the existing security architecture in various parts of the world

Estonia downs drone allegedly en route from Ukrainian territory — top defense official

According to Hanno Pevkur, the drone entered Estonia’s airspace and was downed over Lake Vortsjarv

Germany’s rearmament more dangerous for world than ‘Russian threat’ — French politician

"When Germany rearms, it always turns out badly for France and the rest of the world," Florian Philippot emphasized

Russia’s nuclear drills 'silent message' to those who threaten it — expert

According to Yevgeny Poddubny, demonstrating the possibility of launching a nuclear strike in the event of a threat to the existence or integrity of the country could have a sobering effect on adversaries

Russian nuclear drills come in response to Western preparations for invasion — expert

The Russian nuclear triad is currently in optimal condition, Colonel Levon Arzanov said

Russia, China important trading partners for each other — Putin

The Russian president specified that trade turnover reached almost $240 bln in 2025

IN BRIEF: Putin’s statements on unprecedented level of ties with China and mutual support

The Russian president says that the two countries are ready to support each other on key issues, including the protection of sovereignty

Russian troops upgrading FPV drones in DPR against Ukrainian heavy UAVs — officer

The Russian serviceman noted that almost anyone can learn to fly an FPV drone, but not everyone is capable of effectively engaging targets

Russia, China create peaceful nuclear development roadmap for decades to come — Rosatom

According to CEO Alexey Likhachev, the entire range of fast reactors in China is the result of the joint efforts

Russia, China to continue coordinating positions in G20, WTO, IMF — Putin

The Russian president added that both countries intend to promote the alignment of integrated processes within the EAEU and China’s Belt and Road Initiative

US, Israel pushing Iran to withdraw from NPT — senior diplomat

"They have no intention of being held accountable for their actions," Sergey Ryabkov said

Kremlin says calls from Lithuania’s top diplomat to attack Kaliningrad verge on insanity

Dmitry Peskov believes that such statements should not be taken seriously

Euroclear refuses to unfreeze Russian Central Bank’s assets: what is known

The decision is based on the fact that the Russian regulator’s claim against Euroclear Bank is not recognized under EU legislation, and "Euroclear does not recognize the court’s jurisdiction"

Forcing countries to abandon neutrality unacceptable — Russia-China declaration

The parties highlight the need to take into account the reasonable security concerns of all countries, focus on security cooperation

Development of Russia-China partnership: key Putin’s statements

Trade turnover between Russia and China has grown by more than 10% this year

Russia to respond to aggression as Kiev plans to launch drones from Latvia — intel agency

Russia’s Foreign Intelligence reported that service members from the Ukrainian army’s Unmanned Systems Forces had been deployed to Latvia to prepare attacks on Russia from the Baltic country’s territory

Chinese man who met Putin in 2000 eager to build Russia-China friendship bridge

Peng Pai also revealed that it was a memorable encounter with Putin years ago that inspired him to pursue higher education in Russia

Russia-China relations at unprecedented heights — Putin

The head of state emphasized that Moscow-Beijing relations served as an example of a genuinely comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation

Russia-China trade turnover up more than 10% this year — Putin

The Russian president added that trade cooperation will continue in line with approved long-term strategies

Russian troops destroy German-made Gepard anti-aircraft gun in Ukraine operation

The Ukrainian army lost roughly 990 troops in battles with Russian forces in all the frontline areas over the past 24 hours

Boosting Russian oil transit to China via Kazakhstan being finalized — Novak

The Russian deputy prime minister said that this agreement was reached long ago

Baltic states to be punished for assisting Ukraine in attacking Russia — MP

Speaking about Lithuanian threats against Kaliningrad, Leonid Slutsky noted that by making such statements the "hotheads" in the Baltics "are drawing fire not only upon themselves, but also on Europe as a whole"

Iran’s new leadership agrees on no nuclear weapons — senior Russian diplomat

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov noted that the NPT provides Iran with the right to peaceful nuclear energy under IAEA supervision without any restrictions

Lavrov sends another letter to UN chief in search of answers about Bucha — diplomat

According to Vasily Nebenzya, Moscow views the incident as a "deliberate fake" used to derail the peace talks in 2022

Senior diplomat sees growing risks of head-on clash between NATO, Russia

Sergey Ryabkov highlighted "the escalatory narrative" from European capitals about "the looming threat of a high-intensity war" with Russia

No military-political foundation exists for Russia-West security dialogue — MFA

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said it is impossible to build this foundation unless the Western countries are willing to genuinely take Russia’s fundamental interests into account

Russian lab in DPR assembles up to 400 FPV UAVs from seized Ukrainian drones in two weeks

According to the Russian officer, on average, it takes five to six captured enemy unmanned aerial vehicles to assemble one operational drone

China interested in increasing volumes of oil supplies from Russia — Novak

The Russian deputy prime minister said earlier that Moscow and Beijing planned to discuss new energy projects during the Russian delegation’s visit to China

Some Gulf countries had no idea US planned to attack Iran on May 19 — media

As Donald Trump said earlier, he was asked to hold off by the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, who convinced him to give diplomacy another chance

Russian firm unveils laser system for protecting civilian infrastructure from UAVs

The system detects targets at a distance of up to three km

Russia, China to discuss energy projects during Russian delegation's visit — Novak

Moscow is satisfied with the ongoing cooperation with China on oil and gas supplies, the Russian deputy prime minister noted

Russia remains reliable energy supplier amid Middle East crisis — Putin

The head of state noted that Russian-Chinese cooperation in the energy sector served as a driving force of economic cooperation

Iran has no plans to withdraw from Non-Proliferation Treaty — senior Russian diplomat

According to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov, despite the US-Israeli aggression and strikes on Iran's nuclear energy facilities, Tehran remains committed to its obligations under the treaty

Kremlin aide says Putin, Trump may meet at APEC summit in China

Yury Ushakov clarified that Vladimir Putin's trip to the APEC summit had been confirmed

Putin arrives in Beijing for two-day visit

The Russian president's working schedule in China is quite extensive

Trump says resolution of conflict with Iran close

According to the US president, Iranian authorities "want to make a deal so badly"

Kiev forces expand attack area on Zaporozhye NPP over two weeks — official

Facility's Director Yury Chernichuk called the recent events "a massive psychological attack on the city, on the plant"

Kremlin aide says he knows nothing about 'Spirit of Anchorage'

Yury Ushakov emphasized that the spirit of cooperation between Russia and China "really does exist"

UN chief’s spokesperson confirms receiving Lavrov’s letter on Bucha

Stephane Dujarric added that the response has not "been mailed yet"

Russia-US dialogue could continue at APEC forum in China — Russian MFA

Ambassador-at-Large Marat Berdyev says the platform is relevant for building a dialogue between major economies

Russia to extend visa-free regime with China through 2027 — Peskov

According to the Kremlin spokesman, the visa-free regime has yielded positive results

Latvia sets precedent by enabling strikes on Russia — expert

Ruslan Pankratov said that a new legal reality is emerging in which the territory of a NATO member state is being used as a bridgehead for strikes against Russia

RDIF expands cooperation with Chinese partners through new agreements in Beijing

The deals were signed during President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Beijing

Russian, Chinese delegations sign 20 documents on sidelines of talks in Beijing

The ceremony took place in the presence of the two countries’ leaders, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping

NATO to look for replacements in Europe for withdrawn US troops — Politico

According to the sources, Washington's previous decisions are ultimately aimed at reducing the US presence in Germany

EU pays highest amount for Russian LNG in over one year in March

The European Union purchased around 933 mln euros worth of LNG from Russia

Smartphones not to blame for global decline in birth rates — expert

According to Natalia Galkina, the real decline in birth rates stems from a complex set of factors

US Senate advances resolution to end war with Iran

Alongside most Democrats, Republicans Rand Paul, Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, and Bill Cassidy also voted in favor

Russia, China stand against 'law of the jungle' in global affairs — joint declaration

Moscow and Beijing pointed to the failed attempts by a number of countries to impose their interests on the whole world

Armenia not looking to stoke tensions with Russia — top diplomat

Ararat Mirzoyan noted that Armenia realized that it had to choose between the European Union and the EAEU

Dozens of Ukrainian men die crossing Carpathians to avoid draft

According to the media outlet, around 32,000 Ukrainian men have illegally entered Romania since 2022

Merlin-VR recon drone can fly 150 km without losing signal — operator

The senior UAV crew operator noted that thanks to improved communication quality, the flight range can be increased to 260 km

Putin, Xi Jinping set to discuss key global issues during talks in Beijing

The meeting will be their second contact this year

UK bans imports of Russian uranium

The new measures include a ban on the provision of technical assistance, financial services and funds, and brokering services related to these goods.

Russia develops Odyssey repeater to increase UAV strike range

The Aviatechnolab Design Bureau said the Odyssey system extended the range of attack unmanned aerial vehicles to 70 kilometers

US seizes oil tanker allegedly affiliated with Iran — media

According to The Wall Street Journal , the seized vessel, Skywave, was put on the US sanctions list back in March

Press review: Putin China visit puts energy sector in focus as Trump signals bluff on Iran

Top stories from the Russian press on Tuesday, May 19th

Putin, Xi highlight exemplary relations, their role as strategic pillars at Beijing talks

The Russian leader described Russia and China as "important trade partners for each other"

Putin calls Xi dear friend, quotes Chinese saying at meeting

"One day apart feels like three autumns," the Russian head of state said

China, Russia to improve military cooperation mechanisms — joint statement

Moscow and Beijing intend to deepen mutual trust in the military sphere

Donbass Dome takes down 19 Ukrainian drones over Donetsk region in past 24 hours

Residents of the region are advised to report any found debris or explosive objects to emergency services

Senior Russian diplomat warns NATO ‘hot heads’ against posing threats to Russia

Russia will use military and technical means to repel any threats to it, Sergey Ryabkov said

Press review: Russia, China shape new global security while Moscow launches nuclear drills

Top stories from the Russian press on Wednesday, May 20th

Russia, China to expand cooperation in education — Putin

The Russian leader noted that it will be implemented based on the accumulated solid experience of mutually beneficial interaction

US State Department backs Bolivian government amid protests

Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said he had spoken with Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz

Root causes of conflict in Ukraine, visa formalities: Russia-China statement highlights

Russia and China will improve military cooperation mechanisms

China’s oil imports from Russia gain 26% in January-April — customs

Russia continues to be the largest exporter of oil to China

External power supply restored at UAE’s Barakah nuclear plant — IAEA chief

Rafael Grossi says the situation is still of grave concern

A number of US investors eye participation in Russian-Chinese projects — Dmitriev

As Kirill Dmitriev noted, Russia and China maintain a partnership approach based on mutual cooperation and the understanding that sanctions are illegitimate

UK authorizes import of diesel and jet fuel produced from Russian oil from third countries

The exceptions to the sanctions rules come into force on May 20 and are of an indefinite duration

Qatar calls for respecting freedom of navigation in Strait of Hormuz

According to Qatari Foreign Ministry Spokesman Majed bin Mohammed al-Ansari, contacts are currently being held at various levels to restore stability and ensure safe navigation in the Persian Gulf

Putin arrives at Great Hall of the People in Beijing for Russia-China talks

The venue is expected to host a Russia-China meeting involving key officials, talks between the two countries’ delegations, and Russian president's meeting with Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang

Fifth-generation Su-57 two-seater fighter jet prototype makes maiden flight

This jet will also be used as a trainer aircraft and a tactical control aircraft, Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov said

Moscow-Beijing relations develop in strategically stable manner — Russian diplomat

Maria Zakharova highlighted that these relations are being carefully planned, built and developed

US appears to sincerely want Ukrainian conflict to end — Russian diplomat

"But Washington has a lot of other priorities as well," Vasily Nebenzya said

Ruble tops ranking of world’s best currencies — Bloomberg

The ruble’s exchange rate against the dollar has fallen to its lowest since February 2023

China to extend visa-free regime with Russia until end of 2027 — Foreign Ministry

According to Spokesman Guo Jiakun, the measure allows to further simplify humanitarian exchanges between China and Russia

Nine fast-neutron reactors to be built in Russia by 2042 — Rosatom

According to the statement, fast reactors with a closed fuel cycle are not just a means of increasing the efficiency of nuclear energy, but a prerequisite for its long-term existence

Possibility of Putin-Trump meeting, spirit of Beijing: what Kremlin aide said

Yury Ushakov emphasized that he knew nothing about the "spirit of Anchorage," in contrast to the "spirit of Beijing," which indeed exists

Air defenses repel drone attack on industrial zone in southern Russia

According to the latest reports, there were no casualties or damage

Russia considering projects with US investors as part of China partnership — RDIF chief

Kirill Dmitriev emphasized that Russia has the ability to provide the world’s cheapest energy for artificial intelligence

Iran accuses US of abusing UN Security Council platform

Washington is spreading false information about Iran and its peaceful nuclear program, Iran’s Permanent Mission to the UN says

Russia holding nuclear forces drills — top brass

According to Russia’s Defense Ministry, the drills are set to practice readying some of nuclear forces’ units and formations for accomplishing assigned objectives

FACTBOX: Review of Russia’s strategic nuclear forces drills since 2020

President Vladimir Putin reported in June 2025 that 95% of Russia's nuclear forces were equipped with modern weapons

Putin highlights cooperation with China in car manufacturing, space exploration

Production of Chinese-brand automobiles has been established in Moscow and a number of Russian regions, the Russian leader recalled

Putin meets Chinese engineer 26 years after iconic joint photo

The Russian president received a porcelain tea set as a souvenir from Peng Pai and presented him with a reciprocal gift

US military intelligence believes Ukraine is delivering chaotic strikes on Russia

Ukrainian strikes lack the coordination, tempo, and concentration on critical Russian military infrastructure, according to a report compiled by inspectors general of the US Department of War, the Department of State and the Agency for International Development

Russia-China ties gain special value amid global turbulence — diplomats

Russian Ambassador to Belarus Boris Gryzlov and Chinese Ambassador to Belarus Zhang Wenchuan said in a joint article that relations between Russia and China are stable and predictable

Russian troops liberate Volokhovka community in Kharkov Region over past day — top brass

According to the latest figures, the Ukrainian army lost roughly 1,175 troops in battles with Russian forces in all the frontline areas over the past 24 hours

Russia to respond proportionately if any country conducts nuclear tests — senior diplomat

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov says the current situation requires the readiness of the national infrastructure

Close cooperation between Moscow, Beijing important amid global tensions — Putin

The Russian leader emphasized that the countries' foreign policy cooperation was one of the main stabilizing factors on the international stage