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Developments in eastern Ukraine

New PM approved in Luhansk People’s Republic

Marat Bashirov says the Luhansk People's Republic would switch over to rubles since the Ukrainian Finance Ministry disconnected the Luhansk treasury from stata servers

Marat Bashirov Dmitry Oleynikov

Marat Bashirov

© Dmitry Oleynikov

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Luhansk Republic’s government dismissed

LUHANSK, July 08. /ITAR-TASS/. The Supreme Council (parliament) of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR) in eastern Ukraine on Tuesday approved the candidacy of Marat Bashirov for the post of the chairman of the LPR Council of Ministers.

Bashirov was born in 1964 in the Russian republic of Mordovia. He is a former vice president of private Russian energy company KES (Complex Energy Systems), which is represented in 16 Russian regions.

The newly elected premier outlined the priorities of the Council of Ministers activity for the near future, which “will be aimed at the resolution of economic issues". He said a working budget variant will be drafted by November and will contain figures in rubles.

The Ukrainian Finance Ministry disconnected the Luhansk treasury, the regional structure designed to exercise control over distribution of budget funds, from state servers on Tuesday. Bashirov said that was why the LPR was switching over to the Russian currency.

“The working variant of the budget will be drafted in rubles. Taking into account that Kiev disconnected our treasury yesterday, the issue of joining this or that currency emerged,” he said.

The new government of the LPR plans to resolve the issue of cooperation with the Russian Federation in the energy sphere shortly before the coming winter. All the more so as the Luhansk Republic is connected to Russia’s gas system, and, Bashirov said, "there will be no difficulties with deliveries". He said steam generating stations may be supplied from Russia to the LPR.

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Middle East conflict

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Russia sees US recommendation for its citizens to leave Belarus as provocation — MFA

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

Russian MFA sees reports of potential deployment of EU troops in Ukraine as provocation

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Russia practically eliminates remnants of Ukraine’s Air Force — source

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Russia’s Chechnya ships 200 ‘Jihad mobile’ vehicles for special military operation

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West plans to destabilize situation in Serbia — Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman

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Russian emergencies minister expects more natural disasters due to climate change

The Russian emergencies minister, Alexander Kurenkov, added, that weather anomalies are becoming more and more frequent

Twenty-eight people survive passenger plane crash in Kazakhstan — Emergencies Ministry

It is confirmed that two children were injured

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Biden tasks Pentagon with boosting military aid to Kiev

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Greece continues to ship munitions to Ukraine en masse — website

According to the report, the people of Greece witnessed the passage of convoys of Greek and foreign-made trucks transporting containers, mainly with shells, to Balkan states and Poland, and eventually to Ukraine

Russian MFA says West plots campaign to stoke protest sentiment in Belarus

According to Maria Zakharova, Russia regards the social, political and economic situation in Belarus as stable

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Nine killed in shootout with law enforcers in Syria’s Tartus — TV

According to the report Al Hadath, the operation was aimed at detaining a high-ranking former officer of the previous government

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

Azerbaijan Airlines says its ill-fated jet underwent full examination in October

The aircraft’s crew chief, Igor Kshnyakin, clocked more than 15,000 hours of flight time

Putin's principles of Ukrainian settlement stem from international law — Lavrov

The top Russian diplomat drew attention to the fact that "the Kiev regime plays into the hands the West, which needs to remove such a strong competitor as Russia from the international scene"

Mine removal at Donetsk airport to start in 2025 — official

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Russia not to deviate 'one bit' from its main conditions in talks on Ukraine — speaker

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Russia expects from Abkhazia to honor obligations on Russian investments

"And we hope that in conclusion of early presidential election, and it is set in Abkhazia for February 15, 2025, a leader will be elected that will continue working on progressive development of Abkhazia and bilateral relations with close ties with our country," Zakharova added

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The vessel carried 2 portal cranes, 2 crane kibbles, 2 ship bilge covers, one 20-foot container with spare parts for the covers and 129 empty containers