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Conflict in Syria

Life in Damascus amid Syria's civil war

Delegation of Russian MP's recently visited Syrian capital of Damascus noting that situation in the city became calmer and more peaceful than in previous months

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View of Damascus from Mount Qasioun

© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

Older quarters of Damascus at dusk

© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

A newspaper and book stall in a street in Damascus

© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

Bread being baked at the Ibn Al Ameed Bakery

© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

Local residents buying bread

© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

A craftsman in the old city of Damascus

© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

Food market

© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

A Hafez al-Assad bust in the yard of a school for orphans of Syrian Army officers who died during military operations

© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

Children collecting timber in a street in the Dahaniya neighborhood of Damascus

© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

Syrian serviceman in a street in the Dahaniya neighborhood of Damascus

© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

Dahaniya neighborhood of Damascus

© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

Dahaniya neighborhood of Damascus

© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

Dahaniya neighborhood of Damascus

© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

Dahaniya neighborhood of Damascus

© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

People studying religious texts at the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus

© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

Old City in Damascus

© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

The delegation of Russian lawmakers recently visited the war-torn Syrian capital of Damascus. Russian MP's noted that the situation in Damascus became calmer and more peaceful than in previous months. The armed conflict in Syria, which started in March 2011, has reportedly claimed more than 220,000 lives up until now. More than 11 million others have been forced from their homes as forces loyal to President Bashar Assad and those opposed to his rule battle each other — as well as jihadist militants from Islamic State. TASS presents images of daily life in Damascus in this photo gallery.

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Syrian conflict

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Igor Kimakovsky said that "if the West is not physically involved in this war, that is, if NATO is not involved, then Ukraine is actually losing"

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Top EU diplomat Josep Borrell confirmed that the US administration had lifted restrictions for US-supplied missiles to be used for strikes up to 300 kilometers inside Russia

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Over the day, the enemy lost more than 150 people, while five Ukrainian servicemen surrendered

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Putin’s remarks on hypersonic missiles send serious warning to West — Turkish politician

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IAEA once again fails to hold Kiev responsible for threats to Zaporozhye NPP — diplomat

Russian envoy to international organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov pointed out that from September 23 to November 12, the Russian servicemen suppressed 556 drones near the plant and Energodar

Trump may soon start talks with Russia following Biden’s decision on ATACMS — news agency

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Residents of Kupyansk, Kovsharovka in Kharkov Region returning to their homes

People are refusing to go to safer places because of Ukraine's unwillingness to provide basic sanitation for refugees

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Russian forces push Ukrainian troops 10 km away from Lisichansk in LPR — expert

Russian troops have taken new lines and positions northwest of Zolotaryoka as a result of successful operations

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Preliminary data shows anti-ship missile downed over Sevastopol waters — official

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Russian troops raise flag in central Kurakhovo in Donetsk region — politician

Russian army units have advanced much farther into the city’s northern part, in particular, along the southern bank of the Kurakhovo reservoir, Vladimir Rogov specified

Ukrainian conflict acquires global elements after strikes with Western missiles — Putin

It is reported that the conflict in Ukraine, provoked by the West, has acquired elements of global nature

IN BRIEF: What Putin said about Russia’s new missile, and Moscow’s response to the West

Moscow used its new Oreshnik medium-range hypersonic ballistic missile in response to the West’s decision to authorize strategic-depth strikes on Russia

Putin warns West that Russia can respond to any turn of events

"There will always be an answer," the president said

US missile defense base in Poland long among Russian army’s targets — Foreign Ministry

Maria Zakharova stated that the US-NATO construction project, ongoing for nearly a decade with complete disregard to Russian security concerns, has consistently been a focus of Russia's attention

Trump to rely on forces that brought him to power — Russian presidential aide

Nikolay Patrushev agreed that Trump, when he was still a candidate, "made many statements critical of the destructive foreign and domestic policies pursued by the current administration"

Biden’s decision to use ATACMS against Russia may 'blow up in America’s face' — US expert

According to Daniel Davis authorizing US long-range weapons to be used against Russia is "foolhardy to the highest order," "especially because there is no military upside for doing so"

Ukraine was warned about possible missile strike — Pentagon

Department of Defense Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh gave no answer to the question of how could Ukraine prepare for this kind of attack

Bank of Russia’s officials hit by US sanctions

The head of the financial monitoring and currency control service of the Russian Central Bank was also added to black lists

Biden slams ‘outrageous’ International Criminal Court warrants for Israeli leaders

"There is no equivalence - none - between Israel and Hamas," US president said

US forces strike Houthi sites with seaborne missiles — TV

According to Al Arabiya, US warships fired at least four missiles at Houthi-operated facilities in the Al-Matina area around 90 km south of the province’s administrative center

Ukrainian frontline may 'collapse' under onslaught of Russian forces — BBC

According to the experts, Ukraine’s incursion into Russia’s borderline Kursk Region turned out to be a "strategic catastrophe" amid "manpower shortages"

Russia fires ballistic, non-nuclear-tipped missile at Ukrainian aerospace plant — Putin

According to the president, the missile is code-named Oreshnik, which can roughly be translated as hazel bush

Russia hit Ukrainian military-industrial facility in response to use of Western missiles

It is reported that the Russian Armed Forces carried out a combined strike at a Ukrainian military-industrial complex on November 21

China slams US nuclear policy for undermining global stability

The United States continues to modernize its nuclear triad, Lin Jian noted

West launched missiles targeting Russia’s Bryansk, Kursk Regions — Putin

Russian air defenses repulsed all attacks, the Russian president said

US not seeking confrontation with Russia, but will continue assistance to Kiev — Pentagon

Department of Defense Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh also claimed that Washington, while helping Ukraine, is not attempting to turn the conflict into a large-scale regional confrontation that spills beyond the country’s borders

US Congressman urges to impeach Biden for allowing strikes deep into Russia

"By authorizing long range missiles to strike inside Russia, Biden is committing an unconstitutional Act of War that endangers the lives of all US citizens," Thomas Massie said

No Western sanctions to limit Russia’s foreign trade — minister

All restrictions that Western countries impose affect themselves in the first place, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov added

US vote at UNSC rejected chance of stopping 'horrific bloodshed' in Gaza, Russian MFA says

"Once again, a chance to free the hostages, who include Russian nationals, has been missed," the statement reads

Putin sends message to those seeking to 'add fuel to fire' before Trump’s return — expert

The likelihood of a direct armed conflict with NATO is increasing because some individuals in the alliance are ready to raise the stakes ahead of Trump’s inauguration, Andrey Bystritsky emphasized

Russian army pushes Ukraine out of Kurakhovo water reservoir’s north shore

According to Igor Kimakovsky, the only road the Ukrainian armed forces could use to leave the city is under Russia’s control

US makes mistake by destroying INF Treaty — Putin

The Russian leader stressed that the United States made a mistake by unilaterally destroying the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 2019 under a far-fetched pretext

ATACMS missiles unlikely to keep Kiev from losing conflict — American expert

Daniel Davis also noted that "continuing to ignore reality" would only increase "the ultimate cost of losing" the conflict for Ukraine

Russia to hold informal UN Security Council meeting on unilateral restrictions

It will be held on November 25

Russian embassy warns UK about dangers of calling for Moscow’s ‘defeat’

According to th statement, London is promoting new rounds of escalation

Zelensky begs ‘for his country to be flattened’ — US journalist

"Ukraine should be forever grateful that President Putin is calm, rational and kind - because Zelensky is practically begging for his country to be flattened," American political commentator Jackson Hinkle said

White House not yet ready to speak on causes of Baltic undersea cable ruptures

Two underwater cables were damaged in the Baltic Sea on November 17 and 18

Russian forces successfully advancing in all areas in special military op zone — Putin

The Russian president said that "all the goals we set for ourselves are being achieved"