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Conflict in Syria

Iran to pull forces from Syria at Damascus’ request — diplomat

An Iranian diplomat says Iranian military forces are present in Syria at the invitation of the country’s government

Iranian senior officers visiting front line in the northern province of Aleppo, Syria Syrian Central Military Media, via AP

Iranian senior officers visiting front line in the northern province of Aleppo, Syria

© Syrian Central Military Media, via AP

SOCHI, January 30. /TASS/. Iranian military forces are present in Syria at the invitation of the country’s government and will be withdrawn at Damascus’ request, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Jaberi Ansari told reporters on Tuesday.

"When all the tasks are achieved, Iranian forces will leave the country with the consent of the Syrian authorities," he stated.

"They are there at the Syrian government’s request to resolve issues that the Syrian people have been facing," the Iranian deputy foreign minister stressed.

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Lebanon receives draft ceasefire agreement with Israel from US — newspaper

According to Asharq Al-Awsat, the 13-point document provides, among other things, for the transition of the country’s southern areas after the withdrawal of Israeli troops under the control of the Lebanese army

Court sentences ‘Russian Volunteer Corps’ members to life in prison in absentia

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Russia's newest Su-57 fighter jet superior to China's new J-35 — test pilot

Sergey Bogdan emphasized that the newest Russian fighter was a "magnificent platform for a future generation of configurations, just as the Su-27 aircraft in its heyday"

Russian troops liberate five communities in Donbass region, Kharkov area over week

Russia’s Battlegroup South inflicted more than 4,715 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed 10 Western-made artillery guns in its area of responsibility over the past week, the Defense Ministry reported

Russian Marines destroy Challenger 2 tank with FPV drone in Kursk Region

Previously, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that the enemy lost 10 tanks in the Kursk region in the past 24 hours

All weapons pledged by Biden to Kiev to be delivered before he leaves office — Pentagon

Department’s Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh expects that for the 'next coming months of this administration'

RFK Jr. calls for immediate US-Russia talks on Ukraine

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin put forward his latest peace proposal for the settlement of the Ukrainian conflict, which envisages the recognition of the status of Crimea, the Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics, the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions as Russian constituencies

FACTBOX: Putin, Scholz hold phone talks first time in two years

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In October, Axios reported that an Israeli strike on Iran had disabled a crucial component of Iran's ballistic missiles production program

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Musk says Trump, himself have public mandate for change

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Trump to zero in on fragmenting BRICS, Ukraine to take back seat — expert

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Lukashenko tells Putin situation is "starting to get tense with Wagner"

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Abkhazian President Aslan Bzhania refuses to step down amid riots

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Iran may retaliate against Israel before Trump's inauguration — newspaper

From a number of high-ranking Iranian politicians' point of view, such a move would "strengthen Tehran's position in negotiations" with Trump's team

Only plan Zelensky should be thinking about is 'plan of surrender' — opinion

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Russia always fulfilled its trade obligations, ready to cooperate with Germany — Putin

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Russian forces capture 10 km of LPR border — military expert

On October 16, Andrey Marochko informed TASS that Ukrainian forces were still operating near three key towns in the LPR’s west: Svatovo, Kremennaya, and Lisichansk

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Trump to fundamentally rethink US policy on Ukraine conflict, says Iranian expert

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US does not fulfill LNG contracts for Europe worth tens of billions of dollars — Gazprom

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EU needs to rethink anti-Russia sanctions — Orban

Industrial companies in EU countries pay for gas and electricity several times higher than their main competitors in the US and China, the Hungarian prime minister noted

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In order to stabilize the situation, President Aslan Bzhania decided to withdraw from the parliament a bill on the ratification of the agreement with Russia on the implementation of investment projects by Russian legal entities on the territory of the republic

Xi Jinping advocates for child-centric China

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"Russian President Putin has repeatedly said that we have never refused to negotiate," the Russian foreign minister reiterated

Russia introduced temporary restrictions on enriched uranium exports to the US

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Gagauzian public figure sees possibility of early parliamentary polls in Moldova

Mihail Vlah told TASS in an interview that the ruling Party of Action and Solidarity 'has started urgent preparations'

Ukrainian troops surrender as Russian forces advance — captive

Alexander Rapolyuk noted that they had originally been sent to the Kursk Region under the pretext of replacing their comrades, but upon arrival, they found that the servicemen they were meant to replace had already been killed

Trump to nominate North Dakota governor Burgum as interior secretary

The official announcement will be made on Friday

Russian troops organizing logistics, ammo delivery in Kupyansk outskirts — military expert

"Logistics is being organized to enable our troops to retain their positions they are trying to secure," Andrey Marochko explained

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"Russia's position was clearly worded by the Russian president on June 14, 2024," Sergey Lavrov stressed

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"As the opposition, we have always emphasized the importance of brotherly and strategic ties between our countries," the statement reads

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Russia inks first deals to deliver Su-57 fifth-generation fighter to foreign customers

Alexander Mikheyev also explained the expectations and effect of the demonstration of Russian military hardware at Airshow China in Zhuhai

Ukraine not holding talks on gas transit from Russia after December 31 — Energy Ministry

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Kremlin comments on possible return of Japanese, European cars to Russia

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Troops from various Russian army units are engaged in battles in the outskirts of Kupyansk, Andrey Marochko said

Gazprom has the right to stop gas supplies to Moldova due to country’s debts — Moldovagaz

Chairman of the Board of the Russian-Moldovan gas distribution company Vadim Cheban noted that he was not aware of any plans by the Russian gas holding to take advantage of this opportunity

Russia, US have many annoyances, it is hard to pick worst one — Kremlin spokesman

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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"

Gazprom says EU artificially destroys gas demand to the detriment of its own economy

As for global gas demand, gas consumption in January-October increased by 80 bln cubic meters year-on-year, the company noted

Zelensky tried to dissuade Scholz from telephone talks with Putin — news agency

According to the source, Vladimir Zelensky told Scholz that the conversation with Putin "will only help to reduce the isolation" of Russia

54 countries vote against resolution on combating ne-Nazism

116 countries, including Azerbaijan, Algeria, Armenia, Belarus, Bolivia, Brazil, China, Cuba, Serbia, and Syria, supported the document

Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand become BRICS partner countries — Russian MFA

"The BRICS Summit in Kazan demonstrated the desire of the global majority to establish a fair world order, reform global institutions and build equitable economic ties," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin said

Zelensky announces work on new action plan

In terms of weapons, the plan will focus on production in Ukraine and cooperation with partners

Abkhazia’s opposition demands cancelation of investment agreement, president’s resignation

In case the authorities do not accept the opposition's demands, former lawmaker Natali Smyr called on the protesters not to leave the square around the complex of government buildings

Mass production of Lada Iskra cars planned to begin in spring 2025

In June, Avtovaz presented its new model Lada Iskra for the first time at SPIEF

Foreign mercenaries fighting on Ukraine’s side near Kupyansk, says military expert

Most of the intercepted talks deal with military issues, using a special talk chart, Andrey Marochko specified

Opposition seizes control of entire complex of Abkhazia’s government buildings

A representative of the republic's authorities told TASS that Abkhazia’s President Aslan Bzhania is absent from the building of the presidential administration

Kalashnikov concern trains first group of operators for Bars-Sarmat UAV unit

The soldiers studied the hardware, including the drones’ electronics, internal systems and rules of operation

Russia's liberation of Stepanovka in DPR spells trouble for Ukrainian troops in Kurakhovo

Earlier, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that the Russian Armed Forces had liberated the settlement of Stepanovka in the DPR

Putin proclaims Odessa Russian city, challenges Ukraine's historical narrative

At the same time, the president noted that once upon a time "Vladimir Lenin gave away the whole of Ukraine when he created the Soviet Union"

Russia hopes for resumption of dialogue with US under Trump — Kremlin spokesman

According to Dmitry Peskov, changes in bilateral relations could be possible depending on who the US president-elect appoints

Ukrainian people don't need support promised by Scholz after talks with Putin — Lavrov

Commenting on the Russian side's assessment of the conversation, the top diplomat emphasized that there is already a corresponding comment from the Kremlin

Ukraine's Kurakhovo Reservoir dam blast to help, not hurt Russian troops — expert

At least ten Ukrainian troops were killed

Finland seizes over 30 more real estate properties owned by Russian government

The value of these confiscated apartments is more than ten million euros, the agency said

Top diplomats from UK, France, Germany to discuss Ukraine’s future

Reuters wrote with reference to anonymous sources that the sides would also discuss what Trump’s return to the Oval Office could mean for the world

Ukrainian battlegroup deprived of regular supplies in Kurakhovo in Donetsk area — expert

The Ukrainian battlegroup’s supplies have been impaired in the Kurakhovo area after Russian forces placed a road section west of that community under their gunfire control, Andrey Marochko clarified

Release of 23 Russians taken to Ukraine from Kursk Region being discussed — ombudswoman

The documents are currently being considered by the Verkhovna Rada’s commissioner for human rights, Dmitry Lubinets and his office

Musk doubles down on his opinion about 'endless war' in Ukraine

Earlier, the entrepreneur opined that the bloodshed in Ukraine would end soon

IN BRIEF: Protesters storm parliament building in Abkhazia

Opposition members made several attempts to break into the parliament building and managed to enter the square in front of parliament

German chancellor holds phone call with Putin for first time in two years — agency

The phone call lasted about an hour

European politicians repeat their position on Ukraine like mantra, says Kremlin

"Russian President Vladimir Putin told Olaf Scholz in detail about Russia's vision of what is happening, about possible prospects for the development of the situation," Dmitry Peskov said

Putin states degradation of Russian-German relations due to Berlin’s policy — Kremlin

After 2022, Berlin has been pursuing an openly unfriendly policy against Russia, supporting the anti-Russian sanctions

Russian forces liberate Voznesenka community in Donbass region over past day

Russia’s Battlegroup South inflicted roughly 655 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed three enemy tanks in its area of responsibility over the past day, the Defense Ministry reported

Russian Rubicon drones strike Ukrainian trench shelters

"Upon detecting enemy positions and equipment, the data was immediately relayed to the strike force," the Russian Defense Ministry reported

Chechen leader reports eliminating Ukrainian troops in Sumy Region

According to Ramzan Kadyrov, fighters from the 34th Akhmat-Russia motorized rifle regiment conducted reconnaissance using unmanned aerial vehicles

Zelensky’s new plan for Ukraine is ‘an attempt to imitate’ busy activities — politician

Vitaly Ganchev noted that Zelensky's plans "pose no particular interest anymore to anyone and they the proposals are certainly not taken seriously"

Scholz's call to Putin speaks of intention to learn Russia's position firsthand — Kremlin

The conversation took place at the initiative of the German side

France wraps up training of new Ukrainian brigade — minister

The brigade is equipped with French weapons

Participants in Sir Bani Yas forum in UAE understand causes of Ukrainian crisis — Lavrov

The Russian foreign minister arrived in Abu Dhabi to take part in the Sir Bani Yas international peace and security forum and has already held a series of bilateral meetings

Russia open to Ukraine talks based on June proposals, Putin tells Scholz

"Russia's proposals are well known and outlined, in particular, in a June speech at the Russian Foreign Ministry," the Russian president said

Politician slams Western elites for behaving like 'collective Hitler' on Ukraine issue

Viktor Medvedchuk added that there was no unified position in the West regarding the situation in Ukraine

Western efforts to vilify Russia climax, Moscow fights back — MFA

"We are witnessing the culmination of the Anglo-Saxons' systematic efforts to vilify our country, exerted over decades, and maybe even centuries," Maria Zakharova said

South Korea to support Ukraine in response to Russia-North Korea alliance — president

As Yoon Suk Yeol said, the reported dispatch of North Korean servicemen to participate in Russia’s special military operation "poses a serious security threat not only to the Korean Peninsula and Europe but also to the entire world"