EU summit demands hostage release, start of talks in Ukraine's East — Poroshenko

Andrey Marochko added that Russian servicemen "start preparing the way for further advancement southwest of this locality"

Maulen Ashimbayev warned against premature conclusions concerning an external impact on the plane based on photographs, noting that certain forces were trying to derive dividends

The Belarusian leader believes that Germany should restore relations with Russia for the sake of its own economy

"We will beat them to the bone until they understand, too," the minister said

The top Russian diplomat expressed disappointment that virtually none of the Western nations have joined Russia’s condemnation of these attacks, including the leaders of international organizations like the UN, OSCE, or UNESCO

Russia is ready to welcome tourists from Latin American countries in every possible way, to show them Moscow and St. Petersburg, Lake Baikal, Kamchatka, Sochi, Suzdal, and Altai, the top Russian diplomat said

According to the Russian President, an option of concluding contracts for delivery through third parties - Turkish, Hungarian, Slovak, Azerbaijani companies - is possible

There is always something new at certain sections of the front, the head of state emphasized

The voting is expected to take place on December 27

"The buildup of presence in the Arctic Region is extremely important because the collective West is already carrying propaganda under slogans that ‘the Arctic is not Russian only," Executive Director of the RGS Artyom Manukyan said

Harry Johannes van Wurden should be taken into custody for two months, until December 3

According to Dmitry Feoktistov, at the same time "a freeze is observed at political and economic level"

In recent months, the United States has provided Ukraine with hundreds of air defense missiles, and more are on the way, the White House’s press service released

The country’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called the Houthi rebels "the centerpiece of Iran's axis of evil"

"Such illegal actions, including the transfer of this billion, may surely prompt legal action. And we will surely use all possibilities in the future to protect our rights and the rights to our property," Dmitry Peskov noted

Alexander Stepanov emphasized that "the goal of the enemy’s terrorist campaign on international shipping routes was to disrupt trade and economic cooperation"

Moreover, Ukraine will have to reorganize the flows of gas on the domestic market and resolve respective issues with keeping pressure in the eastern and central parts of the gas transport system, experts added

Damage also came from sweeping fires that were set off by strikes on oil tanks in both ports

The president noted that the most important thing in the coming year is "the well-being of the Russian people, standard of living, stability"

This is another example of a harmful impact of unlawful restrictive measures, the ministry said

The Aktau air traffic controller promptly performed all necessary measures for the aircraft’s landing

In addition, the European Union is strengthening protection of the bloc's undersea cables

The Ursa Major dry cargo ship wrecked in the Mediterranean Sea

The Russian leader recalled that the US President spoke about Ukraine's unreadiness to join the alliance

According to the Kazakh Transport Ministry, the plane belonged to Azerbaijan Airlines

"What has happened in Tartus, gives us even more resolve to eradicate the remains of Assad’s regime," Mohammad Abdul Rahman said

The experiment that allowed testing the supercomputer prototype took place on December 19, the Moscow State University said

The project's curator Vitaly Romanov noted that the bomb was defused, and no one was injured

Dmitry Peskov recalled that the day before during the informal summit of the CIS, Russian President Vladimir Putin offered deep condolences to the families and friends of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to the injured

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus explained that he had arrived in the Yemeni capital to negotiate the release of UN staff and to assess the humanitarian situation in the country

The cause of the damage is still unknown, with operators currently investigating it and conducting repair operations

An aircraft landed in the Moscow Region, Maria Lvova-Belova said

According to the Houthi spokesman, the strike on US vessels was delivered with the use of "eight cruise missiles and 17 drones"

According to Al Watan, the Department of military operations in Damascus sent major reinforcements to the Homs Province in order to eliminate the remaining supporters of former president Bashar Assad

Kazakh Transport Minister Marat Karabayev noted that the information was also received that "after providing data on the weather in Makhachkala and Baku, the crew decided to fly to Aktau"

As a BRICS partner state, Thailand hopes to raise the level of relations with the group’s members in order to gain better opportunities for the development of its economy

Top stories from the Russian press on Thursday, December 26th

Pumping also continues through the Sudzha station, where military activities are ongoing

Aleksandr Dubinsky recalled the unsuccessful financing of Ukraine in the middle of the year

Earlier, the Israel Defense Forces’ press office said that Israeli Air Force fighter jets struck military targets of the Houthi regime on the west coast and in the interior regions of Yemen

"We are open to any negotiations, provided they essentially discuss the core causes [behind the Ukraine crisis] and the key principles put forward by Russian President Vladimir Putin in June," the top diplomat said

According to Maria Zakharova, this speaks of the fact that the West continues to do everything to escalate the conflict with Russia, not sparing effort or anyone in Ukraine

"Following the sirens that sounded in several areas in central Israel, one missile that was launched from Yemen was intercepted before crossing into Israeli territory," the press service says

"Employees of the Ministry of Emergencies rightfully enjoy the deserved recognition and respect in our society," the president said

In conditions of competing China, Europeans pay significantly more for US LNG than for Russian gas, the official noted

"But the political dialog at a summit and high level is actually frozen to date," Dmitry Feoktistov added

Russia’s Battlegroup South inflicted roughly 245 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed six enemy howitzers in its area of responsibility over the past day, the Defense Ministry reported

The rest of the passengers in the vehicle did not get injured

The source said that attempts to recruit more pilots in Poland and other Eastern European countries were not particularly successful

Miguel Diaz-Canel thanked the association of the invitation and noted that the participation in such events has become a usual event for Cuba

One of the detainees stated that he had moved to Ukraine, where he was recruited by Ukrainian special forces

The Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190, en route from Baku to Grozny, crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, on December 25

These include an agreement on the single customs transit system, a decision on the entry into force of the free trade agreement with Iran, and an order on the functioning of the single services market within the EAEU

According to Alexander Stepanov, strikes are systematic efforts to gradually wipe out the military capabilities of Ukraine

Guterres calls "for all parties concerned to cease all military actions and exercise utmost restraint"

Denmark plans to increase the number of personnel at the Joint Arctic Command in the Greenlandic capital of Nuuk

"He was being treated for age-related medical conditions," the All-India Institute of Medical Studies informed

The airline will assess the situation in the upcoming weeks and will decide whether the flights will resume depending on the assessment

The authorities of Chechnya handed over 200 "Jihad mobile"

The Russian president recalled that no Russian land troops had been deployed to Syria, with Russia having only an airbase and a naval base

KazAeroNavigation’s flight director immediately notified all emergency services

In some cases, the temporary stay term is being prolonged in accordance with the abovementioned federal law

Maria Zakharova noted that "under such a scenario, the Russian peacekeeping presence in the region will be jeopardized"

The President stressed that Moscow would move on in accordance with the plans it had outlined

Alexander Kurenkov noted that "this classification will enable the deployment of additional resources and personnel from federal executive authorities and state corporations, as well as provide necessary financial assistance to the affected entities from the Russian government’s reserve fund"

The agenda comprises issues pertaining to support of regions, road and transportation networks and other topics

According to the Russian foreign minister, Paris proposed "to assist and facilitate dialogue on the Ukrainian issue"

Top stories from the Russian press on Friday, December 20th

The foreign minister stressed that Russia was deceived "when they stated that NATO would not expand eastwards and when they emphasized their commitment to resolve [the conflict] based on the UN Charter"

It is also reported that the Eagle S "noticeably slowed down" presumably at the moment when the cable between Finland and Estonia was damaged

According to the head of state, the system's serial production has begun

According to Alexey Poznyak, problems are to be expected in the labor market

"I am confident that in the forthcoming year of 2025 we will continue close mutual work on implementation of this historical agreement and will bring further closer the efforts of combating modern threats and challenges," Russian President Vladimir Putin said

The top diplomat stressed that it was not a demarche

Marochko added that the operation allowed Russian troops to "expand their zone of control" in the area

The first Kiev-initiated conference on Ukraine was held in Burgenstock, Switzerland, on June 15-16

The US national debt for the first time climbed above $36 trillion on November 15

The Chinese People's Liberation Army will comprehensively strengthen military training to prevent a separatist plot by supporters of Taiwan independence and interference by outside forces, according to Spokesman Zhang Xiaogang

The bombs intended for killing high-placed Russian Defense Ministry officials were disguised as a power bank and a document folder, the FSB press office specified

Andrey Marochko added that Russian servicemen have advanced east of Yampolovka, bringing the distance between that village and Russia’s frontline positions to less than 1.2 miles

It is planned to launch it in general circulation in early 2025

Moscow selects targets for strikes on the territory of Ukraine, proceeding solely from threats to Russia, the foreign minister stressed

The comprehensive strategic partnership treaty is expected to mark a significant step forward in the development of relations between Russia and Iran, which are growing rapidly

It includes the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Japan and other states

According to Alexey Miller, Gazprom is the world leader in terms of gas reserves

29 people had been hospitalized

Top stories from the Russian press on Tuesday, December 24th

Yury Ushakov noted that uncontrolled expansion of the association would break its backbone

The defense ministry also noted that the experience of Turkey, which has an "exemplary army" and a powerful defense industry infrastructure, will significantly contribute to strengthening Syria’s security and defense capability

The Cordelia Moon is 274 meters long and 50 meters wide

This stood at about $7 bln, in the outgoing year

Salome Zourabichvili also promised to announce her further plans on Monday

Forty more were injured

The presidents also talked about cooperation between the countries in a variety of areas, including economy

According to the source, the attack targeted Sanaa International Airport, with at least seven strikes

The US Department of Defense "has no statement or information to provide," a department’s spokesperson said

The top Russian diplomat pointed out that those accords should first and foremost address the root causes of the Ukraine crisis

By the of the trading session, the MOEX index rose by 1.23%, while the RTS index rose by 1.63%

Canada’s Foreign Minister Melanie Joly and Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc intend to continue consultations on issues discussed by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau with US president-elect

The BREST-300 fast neutron reactor is due to be launched in 2026-2027 and to go on stream in 2028