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Guterres remains in contact with Moscow, Kiev — UN chief’s representative

Stephane Dujarric stated that he currently had no information about whether a trilateral meeting on resolving the Ukrainian crisis on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly high-level week would take place

UNITED NATIONS, September 21. /TASS/. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres maintains regular contacts with representatives of both Russia and Ukraine, UN chief’s official spokesman Stephane Dujarric said at a briefing.

"The Secretary-General and his staff remain in contact of both the Russian Federation and Ukraine," he said in response to a question about whether Guterres had tried to contact representatives of Russia and the Kiev authorities to hold a trilateral meeting on resolving the Ukrainian crisis on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly high-level week.

Dujarric added that he currently had no information about whether such a meeting would take place.

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Kiev seeks to destabilize Russia with election-day attacks — expert

Vasily Prozorov stressed that drone strikes on Russian territory pursued "no military objective"

What we know about foiled terrorist attack on voting day in Donetsk

A Donetsk citizen established contact with SBU officers and voluntarily agreed to assist them in their terrorist activities, the FSB Public Relations Center said

Russian stock market declines at start of trading

According to trading data as of 9:00 a.m. Moscow time, the MOEX and RTS indices fell by 0.13% to 2,275.15 and 851.21 points, respectively

United Russia wins 49.4% in State Duma elections — exit poll

The Communist Party is garnering 14.2%, the LDPR 10.7%, New People 9.7%, and A Just Russia 6.6%, according to VCIOM

Russian forces hit tanker carrying military supplies for Ukrainian troops

The footage shows a tanker hit by two Geran-4 Seeker drones in the port of Chernomorsk in the Odessa Region

CEC chairwoman comments on preliminary election results, unprecedented threats

Voter turnout in the State Duma election stood at 59.32%, with more than 62.6 million citizens casting ballots

SCO observers find Russian elections credible, democratic

Piao Yangfan noted that the State Duma elections complied with the requirements of Russian electoral law and universally accepted international obligations

Russia’s Battlegroup West destroys HIMARS rocket, 117 Ukrainian UAVs in past day

The battlegroup’s spokesman added that 56 UAV control centers as well as three satellite communication stations were destroyed

Russia, US plan to hold meetings on irritants in bilateral ties soon — ambassador

Alexander Darchiev specified that the agenda will include visa issues and the return of six Russian properties de facto seized in the US

Mendel proposes to remove Zelensky from power for health reasons

According to Zelensky's former press secretary, the head of Kiev regime had "something like an epileptic seizure" a week ago

AfD leader says her party aims to open dialogue channel with Russia jointly with US

"Both sides have clearly realized that the Alternative for Germany is the only reliable partner left in Germany," Alice Weidel said

IN BRIEF: What we know about AfD, Left Party victories, CDU defeat in Germany’s elections

The Left Party has won elections to the Berlin House of Representatives for the first time ever

Battlegroup North takes 100 sq km in Kharkov Region last week — expert

Andrey Marochko said that 10 settlements came under the Russian forces’ control

Merz’s CDU loses vote in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania — electoral body

According to a statement by the state election commission, the CDU took a mere 4.9% of the vote

Kiev loses about 1,440 troops in special military operation zone in past day — top brass

Russian forces launched strikes overnight on logistics centers, warehouses and ports in Ukraine, as well as vessels involved in supporting the Ukrainian military

Turnout on federal remote electronic voting platform reaches 90%

More than 4 million people in total submitted applications to vote via the federal digital platform

Zelensky will try to close Ukraine's budget deficit via mobilization — Russian diplomat

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova pointed to Zelensky's statement regarding the massive budget shortfall and his pledge to fix it

UAC plans to increase aircraft production by 25-30% in 2026

UAC CEO Vadim Badekha specified that growth in 2025-2026 had been driven mainly by military aircraft and civilian aircraft would account for most of the increase in production in the coming years

AfD co-chair urges Merz to ‘draw conclusions’ after crushing election defeat

Alice Weidel added that the AfD’s long-term strategy aims at coalition negotiations with the Christian Democrats

China ready to work with US to promote global peace and stability — Foreign Ministry

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Guo Jiakun noted that mutual visits by the leaders of China and the US "are of historic significance and serve as an important milestone"

Russian forces hit Radionix plant, B-Mobile data center in Kiev

Russian forces carried out group strikes overnight using air-launched precision weapons and strike unmanned aerial vehicles

Over 104,000 Russians abroad voted in State Duma elections — Russian MFA spokeswoman

Maria Zakharova added that election officials conducted 120 mobile early voting sessions

Number of drones destroyed while approaching Moscow reaches 338

First responders are working in areas where fragments fell, Mayor Sergey Sobyanin reported

AfD clinches victory in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state vote, exit poll shows

The AfD is leading the vote with approximately 37%, followed by the SPD at around 35.5%, and The Left Party at about 7.5%

Lukashenko congratulates Putin on successful election days — BelTA

The Belarusian president said that the election results convincingly demonstrate the Russian people's commitment to the course charted by Vladimir Putin

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Vladimir Putin said that Russia had taken note of the European drills in the Baltic Sea, including the practice of seizing civilian vessels

Dmitriev says Europe in largest energy crisis in history

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Slovak premier says Ukraine’s decision not to sign peace deal in 2022 was a mistake

Robert Fico added that the West has been "pouring oil on the flames of the conflict in Ukraine," describing the possibility of a larger conflict between Russia and NATO as a "mortal danger"

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According to the data from the Central Election Commission, 90.45% of ballots have been counted so far

Tokayev congratulates Putin by phone on successful State Duma election — Kremlin

The two leaders reaffirmed their mutual commitment to further dynamic development of comprehensive strategic partnership and alliance between Russia and Kazakhstan

Russian air defenses down 1,110 Ukrainian drones overnight

On-duty air defense systems intercepted and destroyed fixed-wing drones over the Belgorod, Bryansk, Kursk, Ryazan, Tula, Kaluga, Vladimir, Nizhny Novgorod, Tambov, Voronezh, Lipetsk, Smolensk, Oryol, Rostov, Volgograd and Saratov regions, the Samara Region, the Krasnodar Region, the Moscow Region and the Republic of Crimea, as well as over the Black Sea

More than 600 Russians cast ballots in Duma elections in New York and Houston

The two polling stations closed at 8:00 p.m. local time

Air defenses intercept all Flamingo missiles heading for Moscow region — Defense Ministry

Chairwoman of Central Election Commission says term "unfriendly countries" is too mild

Ella Pamfilova said that it is time to come up with a new term for them

Russian forces drawing a noose around Ukrainian troops in Kharkov area

Encircled enemy personnel have been struck in the areas of Komissarovo, Krasny Yar, Grachevka, Khripuny, and Buzovo, head of the Battlegroup North press center Vasily Mezhevykh said

Time running out for Ukrainian troops in Kursk area to lay down arms — Kremlin

Putin thus responded to the call of US President Donald Trump, who offered to "spare" the Ukrainian troops in Kursk Region

Russian diplomat sure history will `cancel’ Zelensky

Maria Zakharova commented on Vladimir Zelensky's threats to make the Russian airspace dangerous for passenger flights through the massive use of drones

Dutch businesses cutting ties with ICC for fear of US sanctions — diplomat

According to a diplomatic source, mostly IT companies are behind the move

Ukrainian settlement matter of time, US to press on with efforts — Vance

The US Vice President confirmed that US President Donald Trump plans to meet with Vladimir Zelensky later this week

White House press pool TV channels refuse to cover events with Trump

US President Donald Trump previously denied access to the White House to CNN, MS NOW, and Politico

Ukraine sought to draw Poland into hostilities with Russia — opposition leader

According to Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the Ukrainians hoped to draw Poland into the conflict "by creating a single state"

US may ‘pluck numbers out of air,’ while Iran publishes truth about dead — Mehr agency

According to the agency's Managing Director Mohammad Mehdi Rahmati, the US can change the figures to suit their own goals

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The party received 57.53% of the vote

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Russian forces carried out overnight strikes with unmanned aerial vehicles on logistics centers, warehouses and ports in Ukraine

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SCO observers note high civic engagement in Russian elections — Deputy Secretary-General

Mission members visited 47 polling stations

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Kiev loses 9,300 troops, mercenaries in combat over past week — expert

Andrey Marochko said the heaviest manpower losses were inflicted on Ukrainian armed formations in the area of responsibility of the Battlegroup Center

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Andrey Marochko said the Russian Armed Forces had expanded their zone of control in the Druzhkovka area

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Uzbek leader congratulates Putin on successful State Duma elections — Kremlin

During a telephone conversation, the Russian president and his Uzbek counterpart discussed topical issues of the allied relations between the countries

Infamous Ukrainian database Mirotvorets doxes two foreign observers at Russian elections

Austrian publicist Flo Osrainik was among the observers in the city of Alchevsk and Serbian politician Miljan Damjanovic - in the city of Mariupol

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The restrictions may affect the majority of financial transactions with the court and potentially paralyze its operations

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Russian forces strike logistics centers, ports in Ukraine

A bulk carrier carrying cargo intended to support the Ukrainian armed forces to the port of Odessa was hit while crossing the sea

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Trump makes attempts to resolve conflict in Ukraine — US envoy to UN

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Warehouses, infrastructure facilities damaged in Kiev Region

According to Timur Tkachenko, damage was recorded in the Fastov, Bucha, Vyshgorod, Borispol, and Obukhov districts of the Kiev Region

Russian government zeroes out grain export duties through end of 2026

The Russian Agriculture Ministry noted that the decision aims to support domestic producers and exporters of grain and oilseed crops

Kiev, EU nations indoctrinate youth with neo-Nazism, Russian MFA spokeswoman says

Maria Zakharova added that the situation raises concerns over whether the next generation possesses enough resilience and immunity to combat these narratives

Russia’s electoral body to announce preliminary results of Duma election

The event is scheduled for 8:00 a.m. GMT on Monday

Iran will keep Strait of Hormuz closed until US accepts its terms — parliamentary speaker

Earlier, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Mohsen Rezaei said that Iranian authorities have conveyed their conditions for ending the war to the US through Qatari mediators

Georgia-Russia trade rises by 19.1% in January-August

Russia ranked third among Georgia’s largest trading partners, accounting for 11.3% of the country’s foreign trade in the first eight months of the year

Current State Duma election turnout outstrips 1993, 2016, 2021 levels

Central Election Commission data as of 06:04 p.m. Moscow time puts the current turnout at 54.96%

World has turned upside down: warmongers are hailed as peacemakers — Fico

The Slovak PM urged to cherish peace, "for it came at such a high price"

Ukraine virtually lost its steel industry — FT

According to the article, strikes damaged blast furnaces at three facilities, including two plants owned by Metinvest and an ArcelorMittal facility in Krivoy Rog

Poland says US may deploy 15,000 troops in country

Between 6,500 and 7,500 US military personnel are stationed in Poland at present

Kiev loses over 1,340 troops along engagement line in past day — Russia’s top brass

The latest figures show that the Ukrainian army lost up to 245 troops in the responsibility area of Russia’s Battlegroup North, more than 210 troops in the responsibility area of the Battlegroup West and some 145 troops in the responsibility area of the Battlegroup South

Russian forces hit cargo ship, logistics center near Odessa

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The President's course, West’s failure to discredit Russian vote: Lavrov's statements

The Foreign Minister said that officials had exposed all Western attempts to portray the parliamentary elections as undemocratic

Kiev to lose much of its foreign currency revenue without steel industry — expert

Vasily Prozorov noted that claims regarding the total collapse of the Ukraine's steel industry could be exaggerated

UAC plans to increase aircraft production by 25-30% in 2026

CEO Vadim Badekha noted that while growth in 2025-2026 was driven mainly by military aircraft

Russia-Namibia trade falls short of two countries’ potential — senator

Elena Perminova noted that an earlier meeting of the bilateral intergovernmental commission discussed moving toward the joint implementation of specific projects in a number of areas of mutual interest

Lavrov says Russia values friendship with Belize, seeks to develop political dialogue

Russia appreciates that interaction between Russia and Belize is based on the principles of trust and non-interference in internal affairs, the Russian foreign minister said

Kremlin comments on Ukrainian attacks during elections, settlement process

Dmitry Peskov noted that massive Ukrainian attacks during the elections in Russia were aimed at disrupting the voting but failed to have an effect

Ship transit through Strait of Hormuz falls threefold over weekend — Reuters

According to the report, only 12 vessels passed through the strait over the past weekend

Fact-checking is most politicized media area — Foreign Ministry spokeswoman

Maria Zakharova called for joining forces to stand up for truth and denounce lies

Kazakh president congratulates Putin on successful State Duma elections

Kassym-Jomart Tokaev noted that the voting results convincingly testify to broad support for Vladimir Putin’s strategic course aimed at protecting the long-term interests of the Russian state

United Russia party leading preliminary vote count with 50% of ballots processed

The Communist Party garnered 13.79% of the vote, the LDPR 8.80%, New People 7.86%, and A Just Russia 5.11%, according to the Russian Central Election Commission

OANA media forum to discuss steps toward sustainable media community of Asia-Pacific

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova and Andrey Kondrashov, TASS Director General and OANA President, are expected to take part in the forum

Iran to strike new US targets in Middle East with new weapons in case of aggression — IRGC

Hossein Mohebi emphasized that the changes would affect the geography of war, weapons and military equipment used

Unidentified man splashes wine into Hungarian premier’s face to protest his policies

No information about this man’s political affiliation has been published so far

IN BRIEF: Key takeaways from Finance Minister Siluanov speech at Moscow Financial Forum

According to the minister, Russia has built up an immunity to the US "sanctions from hell"

China congratulates Russia on successful State Duma elections — Foreign Ministry

"The State Duma elections are an important event in Russia’s political life, and the outcome reflects the will of the Russian people," Guo Jiakun said

Press review: State Duma set to keep five parties while Europe faces record fuel prices

Top stories from the Russian press on Monday, September 21st

IN BRIEF: Kremlin spokesman covers NATO’s nature, US sanctions

According to Dmitry Peskov, Russia has largely adapted to the sanctions and has also found ways to reduce the negative effects of their implementation

Russian parliamentary election turnout exceeds 2021 level

As of 3:14 p.m. Moscow time (12:14 p.m. GMT), voter turnout in the current election stood at 52.62%, according to data from Russia’s Central Election Commission

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Europe injects 45 bln cubic meters of gas into storage for winter, rushes to build stocks

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Moscow to host financial forum on Monday

Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin, government officials, business leaders, public activists, and experts in economics and finance will participate in the event

Battlegroup North disrupts supplies to surrounded Ukrainian troops in Kharkov area

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Budapest not to allow construction of petroleum product storage for Ukraine — Magyar

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Over 90% of foreign festival participants want to return to Russia — youth agency chief

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Mayor reports damage at Moscow oil refinery

No casualties were reported, Sergey Sobyanin said