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French presidential hopefuls cast ballots in first round of election

On April 23, French citizens are voting to elect their next president

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Francois Fillon casts his ballot

© Christophe Archambault, Pool via AP

Jean-Luc Melenchon casts his ballot to vote in the first round of the French presidential election, in Paris

© AP Photo/Francois Mori

Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte leave after casting their ballot in le Touquet

© AP Photo/Thibault Camus

Marine Le Pen casts her vote for the first-round presidential election in Henin-Beaumont, northern France

© AP Photo/Frank Augstein

French president Francois Hollande casts his ballot in the first round of the presidential election in Tulle

© Georges Gobet, Pool via AP

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LIVE updates: French presidential election 2017

MOSCOW, April 23. /TASS/. All 11 French presidential hopefuls have cast their ballots in the first round of the election.

Meanwhile, in France itself, where the polling stations opened at 8 in the morning, people are coming to vote. First preliminary results may be announced before midnight.

Four most prominent candidates are far-right National Front leader Marine Le Pen, head of left-wing political movement La France Insoumise Jean-Luc Melenchon, The Republicans' party nominee Francois Fillon and independent candidate Emmanuel Macron and Benoit Hamon, the candidate from the ruling Socialist Party.

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French presidential election 2017

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Russian President also said that he had handed down direct instructions to produce and test-fire the Oreshnik hypersonic missile

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According to Russia's Defence Ministry, attempts to conduct attacks against facilities on Russian soil were thwarted

Oreshnik test launch forces London to take a step back — Russian ambassador

According to Andrey Kelin, the UK’s official reaction to the launch of the Oreshnik missile was rather vague

Press review: Putin outlines Russia's future goals and Tehran faces energy blackout riots

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West should consider Putin's words on Oreshnik missile duel — diplomat

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Ukraine to halt Russian gas transit on January 1, 2025 — Ukrainian PM

The restart of transit via the Ukrainian gas transportation system is possible at a request of the European Commission if this is not Russian gas, Denis Shmygal said

Russia to retaliate against Ukrainian strikes, just as Putin said — Kremlin

"Russia’s position is well known, it was voiced by Putin back in St. Petersburg," Dmitry Peskov stressed

Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger take armies to maximum alert — declaration

"The College of national leaders closely follows the deceiving maneuvers, initiated by the French junta, who declares the shutdown of its military bases only to replace them with another, less visible mechanism, which pursues the same neo-colonial goal," says the statement

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The father said that his son would like the unit where he had served to be disbanded

Oreshnik’s launch is sudden, undetectable by satellites — analyst

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Syrian development help prevent regional war — Syria’s new leader

Ahmed аl-Sharaa expressed hope for building strategic relations with Lebanon

Kiev takes out its anger for military defeats on Russian people — diplomat

Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also emphasized that Moscow is outraged by the hypocritical silence of the West and its media on the terrorist attacks in Russia

Putin responds to question about Russia's weakness by quoting Mark Twain

The president noted that Russia had become much stronger over the past two or three years as it became a truly sovereign country

Lavrov describes attack by insurgents in Syria as carefully planned

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Ukrainian troops struggling to escape being trapped in Lozovaya in Kharkov region — expert

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Baltic states threaten mass deportation of Russians, take lead in Russophobia — statement

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Strike on SBU control center response to Russian general’s assassination, expert says

The ministry clarified that Ukraine launched a missile strike against the Kamensky Integrated Plant in the Rostov Region using six US-made ATACMS missiles and four Storm Shadow cruise missiles

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Georgian president demands appointing snap elections within week

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Russian cancer vaccine to be free of charge — top oncologist

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Kalashnikov improves combat capabilities of Vikhr-1 aviation missile

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Gazprom to replace European sales market with new export destinations, says Italian expert

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Syria’s new government wants to build strategic relations with Turkey

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Death toll from Israeli strikes on Gaza Strip exceeds 45,200 — health ministry

More than 107,600 people received wounds

Proposal to duel with West response to claims of Oreshnik missile vulnerability — Kremlin

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Russian troops liberate two communities in Donbass area, Kharkov Region over past day

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Roman Starovoyt noted that Russia is holding negotiations with many airlines from friendly countries

Russia ready to normalize relations with US without detriment to its interests — Putin

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