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Extremists make over $350 billion annually from drug production — Russia's drug control

The Russian official named Islamic State, Jundullah and the Balochistan Liberation Army as examples of such extremist groups

Drugs seized at the border of Iran and Afghanistan AP Photo/Vahid Salemi

Drugs seized at the border of Iran and Afghanistan

© AP Photo/Vahid Salemi

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Moscow says it has information terrorists in Syria still supported from abroad

MOSCOW, October 26. /TASS/. The annual proceeds of extremist groups from the production of drugs amounts to more than $350 billion, Director of the Russian Federal Drug Control Service (FSKN) Viktor Ivanov said at the sixth meeting of the Central Asian anti-drug quintet (Russia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Iran) in Tehran on Monday.

"Financially, drugs are kind of foreign exchange reserves for the extremist quasi-public groups that are invested in the destruction of global and regional security. Let me remind you that this criminal fund annually launders through the banking system and injects in the criminal network infrastructure more than $350 billion, taking into account the production of cocaine and other drugs," FSKN press service quoted Ivanov as saying.

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According to him, it is this investment that has caused the inflow into Eurasia’s regions of various groups, gangs, the largest of which identify and ideologise their community under the most exotic flags of various political hues.

"The examples of such organisations are ISIL (former name of the outlawed in Russia Islamic State (IS) terrorist organisation), the notorious drug-extremist movements Jundullah and the Balochistan Liberation Army. The activities of such organisations that have been established, built and run on drug revenues, are aimed at weakening and disintegration of sovereign states, and with a certain organisational influence from non-regional powers their destructive activity increases dramatically," said the Federal Drug Control Service chief.

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Fight against terrorism Federal Drug Control Service

North Korea conducts new anti-aircraft missile test — KCNA

A power test of a super-large warhead designed for "Hwasal-1 Ra-3" strategic cruise missile was held as well

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Russia knows French military instructors working in Ukraine — Lavrov

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FACTBOX: Collective Security Treaty Organization

The Collective Security Treaty came into force on April 20, 1994 to herald the emergence what would eventually become the Collective Security Treaty Organization. The six member-countries are Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan

Three Ukrainian soldiers swim across Dnieper to surrender to Russian troops — governor

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French, US, British nukes all interwoven — Russian diplomat

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Russia has significant amount of West’s funds in case of confiscation of its assets

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Ukraine’s new ethnic minorities law insufficient to protect Magyars — Hungarian president

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S-500 system to be supplied to Armed Forces after 2015

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Hungarians in western Ukraine should get their rights back, Budapest says

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Participation in ‘Columbine’ movement may result in life sentence — Prosecutor General

Earlier, the "Columbine" movement was recognized a terror group

Switzerland does not suit Russia for negotiations on Ukraine — Lavrov

The Foreign Minister pointed to the fact that Switzerland is on board with all Western sanctions

Over 40 nations want to join BRICS — Russian lawmaker

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Russia open to help resolve situation in Sudan — ambassador

Andrey Chernovol recalled that the Russian embassy is currently located in the temporary capital of Sudan, Port Sudan, and diplomats are in contact with the country's official authorities

Armenia’s relations with Russia not at their highest — top diplomat

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Russia's revenues from oil exports remain high despite price ceiling — IMF

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Russia’s advanced radar in Kaliningrad to monitor entire territory of Europe — source

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US volunteer Russel Bentley missing in Donetsk killed — RT editor-in-chief

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West can’t comprehend Russia’s resilience — Lavrov

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Major Western investor accuses Zelensky's office of extorting millions of euros

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US 'not forgetting' to help itself with aid to Ukraine — Kremlin

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Ukrainian president admits Russian troops’ advancement

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US House passes procedural vote on Ukraine aid bill

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Ukrainians abroad storming embassies to avoid mobilization, Russian diplomat says

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Russian economy proves resilience amid large-scale sanctions — IMF

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EU ministers to discuss use of Russian assets for Ukraine on April 22 — EU official

Earlier, President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said that the European Union intends to invest the first 2.5-3 billion euros of profits raised from seized Russian assets in military assistance for Ukraine

Lavrov speaks of West’s agony, Russia’s approach to any future talks with Kiev

The Russian foreign minister also described Armenia and Russia as more than formal allies

Polish premier refuses to hand over his country’s Patriot systems to Ukraine

Donald Tusk said that German Chancellor’s call to send more air defense systems to Kiev had no relation to Poland, provided the country's geographical position near the frontline

Iran may target Israeli nuclear center in Dimona in case of Israel’s attack — TV

Ahmad Haghtalab said on April 18 that Tehran has identified the location of Israel's "nuclear centers" and will be ready to destroy them in case the Jewish state responds to the recent Iranian attack on Israeli military facilities

West wants to make Transnistria hotbed of tension — Lavrov

According to the top Russian diplomat, the leaders who rule countries where they claim to be from while holding foreign passports "will not enjoy support and authority for long"

Kremlin declines to comment on alleged assassination attempt on Zelensky in Poland

The Security Service of Ukraine announced earlier that in a joint operation with law enforcement agencies in Ukraine and Poland it thwarted an attempt to assassinate Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky

Unidentified man attempts suicide outside courthouse where Trump trial is underway

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Moscow International Film Festival kicks off

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One crew member of jet crashed in Stavropol Region killed, search for another continues

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Musk says he will not vote for Biden in presidential election

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Earlier, the media reported, citing a US official, that Israel had launched a missile strike on a site in Iranian territory

Ukrainian POW exposes poor battlefield performance of NATO-supplied Javelins, NLAWs

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Russian government increases customs duties on beer from unfriendly countries

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Nearly half of those present in UN Security Council hall walk out before Israel’s address

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Russian stock indices rising on Friday

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Lavrov labels way West ramping up sanctions against Russia as mindless

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Swiss parliament votes against joining task force on frozen Russian assets

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Putin signs law on holding World Friendship Games

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Press review: Ukraine, Israel vie for EU’s attention and Georgia passes controversial bill

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Russian instructors help train over 10,000 Central African troops — CAR president

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Lavrov says Borrell let it slip that Europe ‘fighting against Russia’

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Senior Chinese official to take part in conference on security in Russia — diplomat

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Baku, Yerevan to approve draft agreement on delimitation commissions by July 1

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BRICS’ expansion makes it much stronger — senior Russian diplomat

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Court arrests another man accused of blowing up car of former SBU officer in Moscow

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No plans for pauses in fighting if talks on Ukraine begin, Lavrov says

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Proposals on Russian assets confiscation undermine financial system — Finance Minister

Russia urges the International Monetary Fund to resume the effort of improving the global monetary and financial system, Anton Siluanov noted

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

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Press review: Biden backs aid to Israel, Ukraine and Russia assets giving West legal fits

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Russia ready for Ukraine talks, but not with Zelensky — Lavrov

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Russia handed over draft agreement to Ukraine on April 15, still no response — diplomat

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Iran suspends flights above several cities amid reports of air attack — IRNA

Fox News said the Jewish state delivered a limited strike on Iran

Military base near Iran’s Isfahan hit following attack — newspaper

The sources said that Iranian forces managed to destroy several small drones near the city of Tabriz, about 800 kilometers from Isfahan

Shoigu orders additional tank protection sets for Ukraine operation

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This is for the age group of 6 to 11 years old

Russian industrial producers’ prices up 2.4% in March — statistics

In chemicals production, prices edged up by 26.8% for ethers, organic peroxides, epoxides, acetals and semiacetals and their derivatives

World’s anti-doping agency WADA still waits for Russia’s 2023 financial contribution

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Kiev ordered mandatory evacuation from Kharkov Region to accommodate mercenaries

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West frightens voters by 'Russian threat' to win elections — Lavrov

The top Russian diplomat pointed out that the anti-Russian rhetoric of Western politicians in power intensifies as the elections approach

Izvestia correspondent Semyon Eremin killed in special operation zone

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Russia not to go for settlement on Ukraine based on 'Zelensky formula' — Lavrov

The top Russian diplomat referred to a swindling trick used by a thimblerigger who puts a small round object, such as a ball or pea, under one of three thimbles or cups and asks the player to guess under which the object is, while unfairly manipulating this object

BRICS looking at creating common digital payment platform

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said that BRICS nations have already established a special channel for information exchange between their central banks

Founder of neo-Nazi cell in Crimea flees to Georgia — source

According to the official, the investigation established that Mikhail Maurov planned to travel to Ukraine to join the ranks of a right-wing Ukrainian organization called the Freedom of Russia Legion

Russia delivers 34 strikes on Ukrainian military infrastructure over week — top brass

The Ukrainian army lost more than 3,550 troops, four tanks and five armored combat vehicles in battles with Russian forces in the Donetsk area over the past week, the ministry reported

Russian military closely monitors all Ukrainian 'novelties' — Kremlin on UAVs

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Chinese analyst sees US veto on Palestine as reflection of arrogance, double standards

Wang Wen stated that it’s still very hard to achieve a settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Two pilots of jet that crashed in southern Russia hospitalized

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Russia can join top three countries by lithium reserves — governor

Infrastructure is required to implement the investment project, both power transmission lines and the railroad, Andrey Chibis noted

Final statement by G7 top diplomats to call for supplying more air defenses to Kiev

Earlier, Ukrainian Foreign Minister said Kiev required US-made Patriot systems and Italian-French Samp-T theatre antimissile systems

US assured Israel that Iranian drones will be intercepted — US journalist Hersh

He also said that the US military contacted Russia and the United Kingdom while evaluating the potential of the Iranian attack

Russia won’t allow NATO to move closer in Ukraine — Lavrov

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American Abrams tanks vulnerable even to Soviet-era weapons, says expert

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Russian military base may appear in CAR’s eastern region — President Touadera

According to the president, this step will help strengthen his country’s defense potential and contribute to bolstering the national armed forces’ capabilities

Crimea, Donbass to forever remain within Russia, Slovak PM tells national parliament

Robert Fico believes Moscow will win in its confrontation with Kiev

Russia to scrap moratorium on intermediate missiles if US deploys them anywhere — MFA

Sergey Ryabkov said the US seeks to maintain military superiority in a great variety of areas

Russian economy positively influences neighboring countries — Deputy PM

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US blocks Security Council resolution granting full UN membership to Palestine

A total of 12 countries, including Russia and China, voted in favor of the document