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Armenia and Georgia pledge to cooperate despite membership of different integration bodies

Georgian Prime Minister Irakly Garibashvili, in turn, expressed the hope that Armenia and Georgia would be able to preserve economic, political and cultural cooperation

YEREVAN, August 22, /ITAR-TASS/. Armenia’s forthcoming membership of the Eurasian Economic Union is unlikely to affect its current relations with Georgia.

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“Armenia and Georgia can benefit from membership of different integration bodies,” Armenian Prime Minister Ovik Abramyan said at talks with his Georgian counterpart Irakly Garibashvili on Thursday.

“Armenia is making steps to join the Eurasian Economic Union. At the same time, our country continues active cooperation with the European Union with an aim to give new impetus to reforms in various spheres,” Abramyan went on to say.

Georgian Prime Minister Irakly Garibashvili, in turn, expressed the hope that Armenia and Georgia would be able to preserve economic, political and cultural cooperation despite the fact that they would be members of different integration bodies.

“That would be a good example for the world community,” Garibashvili stressed.

Armenia–Azerbaijan conflict

Yerevan has no territorial claims to Baku — Armenian representative to UN court

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The report said the Israeli retaliation will be "limited in scope"

Russian finance ministry considering abolition of export duty on gold

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Russian investigators start inquiry into financing of terrorism by US, NATO officials

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US House could consider separate bills on aid to Israel, Ukraine this week — report

US House Speaker Mike Johnson announced the plans in a private meeting with GOP lawmakers on Monday, Politico said

Volume of frozen Russian assets in Germany reaches around €3.9 bln

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Senior Russian diplomat warns West against aggressive statements about Russia

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Russia’s UN envoy says statements by West expose Kiev’s responsibility for attacks on ZNPP

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Kiev recognizes Russia's tenfold superiority in artillery shells

Vladimir Zelensky admitted that Ukraine had no chance of winning victory without support from the West

China's approach to Ukraine balanced, constructive, Russia welcomes it — Kremlin

Dmitry Peskov stated that China "maintains quite high diplomatic activity" on the Ukrainian track

Ukraine offers to use neighbors' air defense systems to protect its gas storage facilities

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Russian foreign ministry blames Paris for death of French mercenaries in Kharkov

The ministry hopes "that the people of France will ultimately learn the truth about the actual scope of France’s involvement in the conflict"

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US-led coalition’s aircraft violate Syrian airspace eight times in past day

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Russia’s UN envoy says IAEA too cautious as it doesn’t name culprit behind attacks on ZNPP

Vasily Nebenzya said Russia was calling on the International Atomic Energy Agency to name the source of attacks

Russian paratroopers seize Ukrainian stronghold on tanks, combat vehicles

Russian troops suffered no casualties, the Russian Defense Ministry reported

Ukrainian armed forces attack Belgorod Region with four drones over past day

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Russian forces suppress nearly 80% of Ukrainian drones in island zone of Dnieper River

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Russian, Israeli security chiefs discuss current escalation in Middle East

On the evening of April 13, Iran launched dozens of drones and missiles toward Israel in response to what it called "repeated crimes" from Tel Aviv, including the attack on the consular office of the Iranian Embassy in Damascus ascribed to Israel

Iran detains MSC Aries ship over violation of maritime law — Foreign Ministry

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanani noted that Tehran monitors "all ships in the strategic strait" and prevents violations of the country's sovereignty

Russian forces find coordinates of DPR churches at former Ukrainian positions in Avdeyevka

It was possible to establish that the Ukrainian servicemen were tasked with hitting Orthodox sites in the region aide to the head of the Donetsk People's Republic Igor Kimakovsky said

Russia, Belarus boosting interaction despite sanctions

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin added that the record-high indicator of mutual trade turnover is $45.2 bln

'Iron Dome' can't fully protect from UAV swarms — Chinese expert

According to Wei Dongxu, Tehran's firepower can cover most of the Middle East region, representing a fierce and precise long-range retaliatory means

Russia developing Start-1M carrier rocket as derivative of Topol-M ICBM — source

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Negotiations on safety of navigation in Black Sea continue — source

The talks are being held within the framework of a letter sent earlier by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to the presidents of Turkey, Russia and Ukraine

Press review: Israel mulls response to Iran's strike and Ukraine plays shot-caller with US

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Russian Ocean Way vessel docks at Socotra, captain needs medical aid

Stanislav Beryozkin was taken to a hospital to undergo thorough examination, with all the required tests made

Iran’s possession of enriched uranium doesn’t mean it has nuclear bomb — Grossi

The IAEA director general said he plans to visit Tehran in the next few weeks

Iran has warned US that Israeli response would set off harsh retaliation — minister

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian made the statement as he spoke by phone with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi

Putin shocked by brutality, cynicism of terrorist attack in Iran - Kremlin

The killing of civilians visiting a cemetery is shocking in its cruelty and cynicism Putin said

Netanyahu a threat for Israel, opposition leader says

According to Yair Lapid, Israeli allies "smell this weakness," too

China’s Jetour plans to sell up to 50,000 cars in Russia this year

Sales volumes depend on the demand for it, Liang Bin stated, noting that this refers not merely to sales of the Jetour Dashing crossover but also to other brand models, including X70 and X90 crossovers and the T2 SUV

Israel postpones Rafah operation after Iranian attack — CNN

According to the sources, Israel is now focused on how to respond to the Iranian attack

Israel to soon retaliate Iranian attack, no exact date yet — media

The Wall Street Journal did not specify the exact day

Over 40 nations want to join BRICS — Russian lawmaker

According to Grigory Karasin, many BRICS members share the opinion that the association should be in no hurry to adopt a strict charter, "seeing how counterproductively and even provocatively the European Union is acting"

Demarche delivered to UK consul general in Yekaterinburg over propaganda work

Alexander Kharlov also specified that the provision of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and the bilateral Consular Convention on the need for foreign diplomats to comply with the laws and rules of the host country had been reiterated to Kotecha

Russian Armed Forces hit IRIS-T air defense system launcher, Ukrainian ammunition depot

The personnel and equipment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were also defeated in 129 districts

Macron draws distinction between Israeli, Russian Olympic participation

The French leader stressed that Israel was responding to a terrorist attack

Hamas not to make any concessions on Israeli troops’ withdrawal from Gaza

Izzat al-Rishq noted that Israel’s attempts to release its hostages held by radicals in the Gaza Strip have failed and "there is no alternative to a real deal on this matter with Palestinian groups"

Iran ready for defensive measures if Israel continues escalation — embassy in Russia

"If Israel and its Western supporters want to further escalate the conflict, we are ready to take additional defensive measures to protect our legitimate interests," Hussein Maliki said

Ukraine suffered substantial power generation losses over recent weeks — minister

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Ukrainian Baba Yaga drone found in Moscow office

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Ukraine struggles to garner support for Swiss conference — Russian Foreign Ministry

"There are increasingly fewer people willing to discuss this subject with Kiev’s envoys, let alone going there," Rodion Miroshnik stressed

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Guido Crosetto didn’t specify whether the currency he meant was dollars or euros

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Ebrahim Raisi opined that the UN Security Council and the organization as a whole "failed to fulfill their minimum legal obligations to condemn the [Israeli] attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus"

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IAEA chief slams attack on ZNPP dome as 'very dangerous precedent'

Rafael Grossi calls for attacks on ZNPP to stop as they raise safety risks

White House effectively rules out option for US forces to intercept Russian missiles

US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Joe Biden had made it clear that the United States would not take on a combat role in Ukraine

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Ukraine actively uses Caesar self-propelled howitzers in Zaporozhye Region — politician

Vladimir Rogov did not specified the amount of Ukrainian equipment

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According to Russian Foreign Ministry Ambassador-at-Large Rodion Miroshnik, over that period, Ukrainian troops fired "at least 1,362 munitions" at civilian facilities

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Iran’s Bavar-373 long-range mobile air defense system, believed to be an equivalent of Russia's S-300 systems, will become operational by the year-end

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Russia’s top brass reports destroying first Khmara jammer in Ukraine operation

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Russia to continue boosting cooperation with countries of Global South, East — Lavrov

The Russian Foreign Minister added that these countries "are firmly committed to the principles of the UN Charter, advocate respect for the cultural and civilizational diversity of the world's peoples and their right to determine their own destiny"

Zelensky irked by US’ request to stop attacking Russian energy infrastructure — media

It is noted that US officials believe the military benefits of Ukraine’s air raids on Russian oil refineries are "of questionable value," since "the strikes do little to diminish Russia’s war-fighting abilities"

French mercenaries operate Caesar howitzers in Ukraine — French reporter

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Ukraine announces blocking of 83 TikTok channels, including 'tass_agency'

Meanwhile, almost half of all Ukrainians view the authorities’ attempts to control the information on the web negatively, according to polls

Ukrainian paratroopers surrender in Avdeyevka area — Russian Defense Ministry

Nine Ukrainian paratroopers of the airborne platoon of the elite brigade of the Ukrainian armed forces seized the opportunity to surrender near Vodyanoye, turned to Russian soldiers and laid down their arms, the ministry said

Attacks on ZNPP raise risks for nuclear safety — IAEA chief

Rafael Grossi reminded the Security Council that last year he outlined the principles of ensuring safety at the ZNPP to avert the danger of a nuclear incident and called on Russian and Ukraine to observe them

Avtotor launches production of Jetour Dashing crossover in Kaliningrad

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Turkish-mediated Black Sea security pact crumbles as Ukraine backs out — Reuters

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Israel may strike Iranian territory to demonstrate its capabilities — TV

"We are continuing our efforts to prevent further escalation," the US official said

Russian air defenses suppress up to 400 Ukrainian UAVs in DPR over week

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Russia, Belarus sign aircraft production agreement

The complex of measures (plan) to stimulate Russian investment activity in Belarus was also signed

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Vyacheslav Volodin cited data from the US Treasury Department, according to which the country's budget deficit in March amounted to $236 bln

Dollar falls to 93.52 rubles, euro drops to 99.65 rubles

The Chinese yuan rose by 0.95 kopecks to 12.89 rubles

Russian Su-34 jets destroy Ukrainian command post with high-explosive aerial bombs

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Iran to retaliate for any new Israeli attack 'within seconds,' senior diplomat warns

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US, UK strikes harm Yemeni settlement prospects — Russian mission to UN

"Such actions harm the intra-Yemeni settlement, undermining the efforts of international and regional mediators," Dmitry Polyansky noted

FSB prevents terror attack on Trans-Siberian Railway

According to preliminary information, the suspect was interacting with unknown individuals in Ukraine and agreed to set fire to relay boxes on the Trans-Siberia Railway for money

Israel Defense Forces announce planned military drills in country’s north on April 16

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Israel considering retaliatory steps following Iranian attack — top brass

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Iran plans negotiations with Russia on purchase of Sukhoi fighters

Iran's Ministry of Defense the country needs to strengthen its air force

Israel remains on highest alert as it chooses response to Iran’s attack — senior commander

"Iran will face the consequences for its actions," IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi said

Russia to furnish advanced Korsar drones with electronic warfare systems

The cutting-edge drone was unveiled during the night rehearsals of the Victory Day parade in Moscow

Roscosmos committed to continued collaboration with NASA — CEO

"We, both sides, and you can take it from me - as I meet with colleagues from NASA, would hate to lose this cooperation," Yury Borisov noted

Over 80 Ukrainian drones suppressed, downed in Kherson Region over day

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Xi Jinping proposes four principles for resolving Ukrainian crisis

The Chinese leader had an in-depth exchange of views on the Ukrainian crisis with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who is on an official visit to Beijing

Servicemen of Russia’s battlegroup West receive certificates for destroyed Leopard-2 tanks

The Russian Defense Ministry pointed out that immediately after the award ceremony, the servicemen returned to their units to continue performing their assigned tasks in the special military operation zone.

New sanctions against Moscow to push supplies of Russian metal to China up — Bloomberg

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Moscow shooter identified as European boxing champion Nikita Ivanov

This was reported by a representative of law enforcement agencies

Construction of future manned spacecraft reached its final stage — Roscosmos CEO

The spacecraft’s first flight is planned for 2028, Yury Borisov said

Official labels Ukrainian claims about Russia hitting nuclear facility 'total lie'

"Undoubtedly, everything that is going on today, carries a direct threat to nuclear safety," Renat Karchaa reiterated

Police detain 14 people at rally in Georgia

The Georgian Interior Ministry said that one police member was injured

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Georgian protesters end rally in Tbilisi over foreign agents bill

Rustaveli Avenue has been opened for traffic