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Developments in eastern Ukraine

Donetsk republic defense minister says Debaltsevo to be soon under full control of militia

Militias control larger part of Debaltsevo, Kiev forces control western parts

Militia fighters seen near Debaltsevo (archive) Grigory Fyodorov/TASS

Militia fighters seen near Debaltsevo (archive)

© Grigory Fyodorov/TASS

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Donbas fighters control Debaltsevo railway terminal, eastern outskirts — defense ministry

MOSCOW, February 17. /TASS/. The city of Debaltsevo in the Donetsk Region will soon, maybe even today, be under control of the militias of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR), DPR Defense Minister Vladimir Kononov said Tuesday.

"Within the next few days, maybe, even today, Debaltsevo will be placed under control of the DPR and LPR army," Kononov said.

He said that "for the time being, snipers are shooting and subversive and reconnaissance brigades are working here."

"Simultaneously two armies - those of the DPR and LPR - are fighting in Debaltsevo, as this is a border territory between two former regions. Two armies have achieved understanding," the LifeNews TV channel quoted Kononov as saying.

Militias control larger part of Debaltsevo, Kiev forces control western part

The DPR’s Defense Ministry said on Tuesday citing the latest data that militias are control the larger part of the town of Debaltsevo, .

"According to the latest data, the larger part of Debaltsevo is under our control while Ukraine’s military is controlling only the western part of the town," the Donetsk news agency quoted the DPR Defense Ministry’s statement.

"We have gained control of the territory because Ukrainian troops are actively and voluntarily surrendering and leaving their positions," the DPR’s Defense Ministry said.

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20 Kiev troops surrender to militias in Debaltsevo

It was reported that at least 20 Ukrainian servicemen have voluntarily surrendered to militias. "We have information that 20 troops have rendered themselves prisoners of war. These are soldiers and a sergeant of Ukraine’s Armed Forces," the Donetsk news agency quoted Igor Plotnitsky, the leader of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic.

The troops were not wounded during the armed actions and surrendered voluntarily.

A large group of Ukrainian troops is believed to have been encircled for nearly a month in the pocket around Debaltsevo. The leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk people’s republic, Alexander Zakharchenko, said at least 5,000 Kiev troops have been trapped.

OSCE mission can't reach Debaltsevo

The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) has not managed to reach Debaltsevo and now talks are ongoing with the center for ceasefire control and coordination in Soledar, in the Donetsk region, the SMM chief monitor said on Tuesday.

Michael Bociurkiw said the mission is due to prepare a report by late Tuesday and waits for all the sides to confirm the full ceasefire. Some 20 OSCE patrols are currently in the safe zone on the territory of the Lugansk and Donetsk regions, he said.

Bociurkiw also said it is yet unknown when the meeting in Soledar is expected to end.

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Militia ready to provide corridor for encircled Ukrainian forces in Debaltseve — DPR envoy

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Eastern Ukraine

Finnish authorities investigating shutdown of EstLink 2 underwater power cable — PM

"The outage will not affect electricity supplies to the Finnish people," Petteri Orpo said

Biden considers new sanctions against Russian energy sector — The Washington Post

According to the newspaper’s sources, possible options also include revoking the license that allows banks to handle transactions with Russian energy resources

Ukrainian deserters abroad are hunted through Interpol — parliament member

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At the same time, Oleg Bondarenko said, without affordable energy resources, the decline of the German economy will continue with no chance of stopping in the foreseeable future

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Russia not closing its border with Estonia — MFA

Russian border crossings near the Estonian border are functioning as usual, Maria Zakharova said

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

"Certainly, the negotiation process will begin next year, without any doubt, but in my opinion it will be very complex," Valentina Matviyenko stressed

Mercenary from Norway faces criminal charges for incursion into Kursk Region

The investigation has found that Ocherkhadzhiyev personally participates in the armed conflict as a mercenary on Russian territory

Kremlin admits legal action over transfer of $1 bln from Russian assets to Ukraine

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The Republican candidate secured sufficient Electoral College votes in the November 5 presidential election, according to state-by-state vote counts

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At least five people got killed and 235 were injured as a result of the attack

CIA station in Kiev targeted in recent Russian attack, military expert reveals

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

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Georgia became inconvenient for 'friends' after rejecting Ukrainian scenario — official

According to Kakha Kaladze, the country faced unprecedented pressure because of this

Azerbaijan Airlines operated passenger plane that crashed in Kazakhstan

According to the ministry, the circumstances of the crash are being established and a special investigation will be carried out

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Russian troops liberate Novy Trud community in Donbass region over past day

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

Ukraine’s General Staff reports tense frontline situation

The most difficult situation for Ukrainian troops is observed in the Krasnoarmeisk (Pokrovsk), Kurakhovo and Vremevka frontline areas

Putin offers condolences to Azerbaijani president over plane crash near Aktau

"Overall, we are expressing deepest condolences to those who lost their near and dear in this air disaster," Dmitry Peskov said

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Pascoal Ronda suggested that the opposition probably joined forces with Islamic terrorists

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Lavrov cautions against challenging Russia's resolve

The top Russian diplomat remarked that Russian President Vladimir Putin had extensively addressed this matter during his combined year-end press conference and Q&A session on December 19, among other instances

Continued terror attacks by Kiev to be met with increasingly tougher response — Lavrov

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

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

Shelling on Donetsk decreases as frontline shifts — DPR head

Denis Pushilin noted that shelling in Donetsk’s Kirovsky and Petrovsky districts is expected to diminish further once Kurakhovo is liberated

Situation with gas supplies from Russia to Europe difficult — Kremlin

"You have heard the Ukrainian side’s statement and you know the position of the European countries that continue purchasing Russian gas and that consider it necessary for normal operation of their economy," Dmitry Peskov said

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Former Austrian minister names 4 suspect countries in connection with Nord Stream sabotage

Asked what countries could be behind the attack, Karin Kneissl replied that, like in an Agatha Christie novel, "there are many suspects in this imaginary room"

Pope Francis opens Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica

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Syria’s new authorities want Syria to regain its status of key regional player

Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, the foreign minister in Syria’s transitional government, promised that Damascus will take measures to ensure the safe return 'of each Syrian national who had to flee his land and his home'

Russia doesn’t need ceasefire in Ukraine, it needs legally binding guarantees — Lavrov

According to the foreign minister, these agreements should be aimed at eliminating the root causes of the Ukrainian conflict

Zelensky defines essence of next summit on Ukraine in four-letter explicit word — Lavrov

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Without Ukrainian transit, gas to become much more expensive for Europe — expert

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Top German officials pressured by Biden to strengthen anti-Russian coalition in EU — Dodik

"Now we see the outcome: a Europe burdened with numerous problems and struggling to determine how to establish relations with the Trump administration," the president of the Republika Srpska said

Hostilities in Ukraine to end in 2025 — Hungary’s Orban predicts

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Russian forces pound Ukrainian military airfields, ammo depots over past day — top brass

Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicted roughly 380 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed six enemy artillery guns in its area of responsibility over the past day, the Defense Ministry reported

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"

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Parliamentarians, members of the Constitutional Court, and foreign diplomats attended her inauguration

Biden’s last aid package to Kiev won’t contribute to Ukraine’s security — Russian diplomat

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

Russia has no illusions that Ukraine conflict can be resolved easily — top diplomat

"We have never stated that the incoming administration of [US President-elect Donald] Trump will necessarily give a start to negotiations on global security, on Ukraine," Sergey Lavrov noted

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According to Waldemar Skrzypczak, Russian troops' daily advances amount to 1-2 kilometers (0.6-1.2 miles)

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Taliban-controlled Afghan Defense Ministry condemned the attack, saying it violated international law and didn’t represent a solution to any issue

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As Europe’s migrant crisis grows far and wide, many Russian media are recalling the late Libyan leader Muamar Gaddafi’s gloom prophecy made several months before his violent death

Russian expert suspects Ursa Major sank due to act of sabotage

Alexander Stepanov remarked that such attacks are virtually impossible to identify and track down

Scientists present Russia's first 50-qubit cold atom quantum computer — MSU

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

Armored vehicle with Israeli commanding officers blown up in West Bank

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IN BRIEF: What is known about passenger plane crash in Kazakhstan

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

Trump’s son posts image showing father buying Canada, Greenland on Amazon

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Major General Aleksey Rtishchev said that branches of the US National Naval Military Medical Center are stationed in Ghana and Djibouti where active work is carried out in natural disease foci, isolation and sequencing of pathogens

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Press review: Ukraine eyes missile programs as EU considers new sanctions on Russia

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Serious conflict between Israel, Turkey possible — Russian expert

"It’s important to note that the primary development in this context is the markedly increased role of non-Arab states in the region, particularly two key players," Vitaly Naumkin said

Denmark to strengthen control over Greenland after Trump’s words — top defense official

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

Europe should support Sino-Brazilian initiative on Ukraine — Swiss newspaper

The article’s author believes that Russa’s absence during the peace conference in Burgenstock, Switzerland, was 'a crucial mistake'

Trump doesn’t want repeat of Minsk agreements — Kellogg

He expressed hope that the US president-elect will be able to achieve a settlement of the conflict in Ukraine in a "relatively near term."

Passenger plane crashes near Kazakhstan's Aktau — Emergencies Ministry

According to the statement, the information about the injured is being clarified

Putin to hold informal CIS summit in St. Petersburg

An informal meeting before the New Year is a long-standing tradition of the Commonwealth

Sunken tankers violated seasonal maritime traffic restrictions — authority

A number of tankers of the ships' owner Volgatransneft did not have a license for transporting dangerous cargoes in inland waters

Syria’s Interior Ministry calls on members of former regime to hand over their arms

According to transitional Interior Minister Mohamed Abdel Rahman, the government has set a deadline for the handover of weapons held by members of the former regime and the public

Only Western countries present nuclear war scenarios, says Lavrov

The foreign minister stressed that "it was at Russia’s initiative that the Gorbachev-Reagan formula that there can be no winners in a nuclear war and it should never be unleashed was reinstated"

Azerbaijani president on his way back home from Russia after AZAL plane crash

According to the press service, Ilham Aliyev has ordered the relevant government agencies to investigate the causes of the crash and take urgent action

Syria’s new authorities rename hospitals named after ex-president’s family members

Some of them were named after Bashar Assad’s brother Bassel, who died in a car crash in 1994

Putin bestows order upon Hermitage director general

The head of the State Hermitage Museum now has the full set of Orders for Merit to the Fatherland

Azerbaijan publishes list of passengers on board crashed plane in Kazakhstan

Media reports say that at least 28 people have survived

Over 150 spontaneous graves found in Popasnaya in LPR

Around 250 people are still staying in the city

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

It is confirmed that two children were injured

Almost 440,000 Russians sign up for military service this year — Medvedev

"The results of work over the year can already be assessed," the politician said

Over 100 people involved in extinguishing jet fire at drilling rig in southern Urals

The accident posed no threat to nearby settlements

Former Austrian minister believes EU ignored message Russia sent with Oreshnik missile

According to Karin Kneissl, Russia doesn’t want to trigger any nuclear war

CIS countries share common approaches to resolving global issues — Putin

Among other things, "members of the Commonwealth have been increasing cooperation in the fight against extremism, transborder crime, and drug trafficking, and everyday activities and contacts between security agencies have been established," the Russian president said

IN BRIEF: What is known about shopping mall explosion in Russia’s Vladikavkaz

According to emergency services, the incident was caused by a household gas explosion

Authorities don't plan to sell stakes in large state-owned companies — finance minister

Anton Siluanov said that that this year authorities have sold more property than it was initially planned

Russia continues special military op because Ukraine refuses talks — Kremlin

"It is important for us to achieve all the goals that we face in ensuring the security of our country," Dmitry Peskov emphasized

Russian air defenses eliminate 59 Ukrainian drones over various regions overnight

According to the Tambov Region government, there were no casualties as a result of the destruction of the drones

Russia to react to Ukrainian settlement proposals in line with national priorities — MFA

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov highlighted that Vladimir Putin's June 14 comments "by and large did not impose conditions"

Russia’s Velikiye Luki submarine dives to depth of 100 meters as part of tests

Upon completion of the underwater part of the test, the crew of the Velikiye Luki took the submarine to the surface and continued to carry out operations in accordance with the plan

Sandu regime may seize Moldavian power plant in Transnistria — Russian Foreign Ministry

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

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

According to the report, twenty-two people have been taken to a hospital

Russian forces gain control over road between Gulyaypole, Velikaya Novosyolka — official

According to Vladimir Rogov, actions by the Russian Armed Forces will compel the garrison of the Ukrainian armed forces in Velikaya Novosyolka to face difficulties with supplies and reinforcements

Russian scientists have lots of new ideas in nuclear sphere — researcher

Mikhail Kovalchuk also reiterated that for a long time, Russia has been and remains a guide for other countries in the sphere of developing technologies, including space

Assassination attempt on defense executive thwarted near Moscow — FSB

The attackers’ activities were coordinated by Ukrainian special service agents through foreign internet messengers, as evidenced by data retrieved from seized communication devices, the FSB added

R-7 space rocket to be launched for 2,000th time

According to Roscosmos, the launch is scheduled for 10:45 a.m. Moscow time (7:45 a.m. GMT)

Russian forces increasing pressure on Ukrainian troops near Belogorovka in LPR — expert

Unfavorable weather has made things worse for the enemy in that sector of the line of engagement, Andrey Marochko said

IN BRIEF: What is known about sinking of Ursa Major cargo ship in Mediterranean Sea

According to reports, fourteen crew members were rescued and two are missing

Ukraine’s army attacks Russia’s borderline Belgorod Region with over 50 UAVs in past day

"In the village of Borki, an FPV drone struck a moving vehicle and its driver sustained wounds," Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said

Plane crashed near Aktau was diverted to Makhachkala due to fog in Grozny

It is reported that this was a routine flight initially scheduled to arrive in Grozny

Four GLONASS navigation satellites ready for launch — Roscosmos head

Yury Borisov added that over the past year, Roscosmos has expanded its Earth remote sensing constellation by introducing high-resolution observation satellites, including a Resurs-P satellite and a Kondor radar imaging satellite

Another US fighter jet narrowly avoided friendly fire in Red Sea — Fox News

According to the report, the plane crew had to perform several maneuvers to dodge it

CSTO to keep boosting its military potential next year — chief

Joint exercises aimed are another important aspect of the effort to boost the organization’s defense potential, Imangali Tasmagambetov said

Shopping mall in Russia’s North Caucasus city of Vladikavkaz catches fire after explosion

Regional head Sergey Menyailo said that the blast had killed a woman inside the building