🇷🇺 Russia creates all its integration plans only based on free will and mutual benefit, Putin said.

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The CIA wants to create a “virtual state” with a temporary administration outside of Russia as a counterbalance to it, said the head of the Russian foreign intelligence service Naryshkin.

Before the elections in Russia, the West wants to consolidate a “controlled opposition” and create a network of underground anti-government cells in the country, he added.

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❗️Russia hopes that a resoltuion will be reached regarding the issue of any exchange of Americans Gershkovich and Whelan, Putin said in response to a question from a NYT journalist. According to him, the dialogue here is ongoing, but it is not easy.

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The combined direct line and large press conference of Russian President Vladimir Putin have been going on for more than three hours. The head of the state answered 56 questions during this time.

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Those who believed the Russian car industry would crumble have been let down, Putin said.

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😅 There's a huge live screen showing new questions for the president, at times real bizarre ones:

There are lots of hackers in Russia who are sitting at home, and some are sitting behind bars for hacking. We need to unite them and create something new! Such talent mustn't be lying idle!

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🇷🇺🇫🇷 Putin answers the question about Macron and relations between Russia and France. Putin responded already to the third foreign journalist.

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🤣 This is so 2023: AI Putin asks the real one if he has any doubles

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❗️ Putin on Russia’s special military operation: ‘victory will be ours!’

Russian-made drones striking fear into the Ukrainian military

The provision of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to the Russian Armed Forces has been improving, Russian President Vladimir Putin highlighted during his annual press conference.

"The production of drones has begun in our country," Yury Knutov, military historian and political commentator, told Sputnik. "If earlier some [private] initiative groups, devotees mainly purchased drones in China, redesigned them and sent them to the front, now the production of our own drones has been established."

Knutov highlighted the success of the Lancet loitering munition made by JSC Kalashnikov Concern's subsidiary ZALA Aero. The Russian UAV is second to none due to the special aerodynamics of its two X-shaped wings, making it capable of maneuvering like a bird, said the expert.

"It hits armored vehicles with high accuracy, striking fear into the military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine," Knutov stressed.

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💥 Nord Stream pipelines were likely blown up by the US, Putin said.

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🇷🇺🇨🇳 Putin's decision to answer Chinese media's question first very symbolic

"It is indeed very symbolic that Putin took Xinhua to ask the first question, he probably wanted to show that the US doesn’t play the primary role any more," Hong Kong-based political and financial analyst Angelo Giuliano told Sputnik, commenting on the Russian president's decision to answer a question from the Chinese Xinhua agency's correspondent before a New York Times reporter.

"China has become Russia’s most important strategic partner, both countries offering each other complementary strengths and both have common purpose to lead the establishment together a more equitable World order and seal the end of Neo-colonialism,” Giuliano added.

“There will always be an open door for the collective West to join in an expanding BRICS — the day the US becomes more rational, less emotional, less arrogant, less self-centered and willing to work on common good, common prosperity and mutually beneficial basis. In the meantime the world is changing and the shift of gravity is eastward and in the global south. While the West talks and talks, the rest of the world is acting."

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❗️Russia never does anything for political reasons regarding gas supplies and does not intend to do so, the Russian president said.

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