Lavrov: West's war against Russia is still hybrid, but increasingly turning into a real, 'direct' one

Key statements by Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to Russian media:

🔸 Russia is following the US election campaign and has yet to see signs that the two countries will return to an equal dialogue after the election.

🔸 It is necessary to prepare for the fact that measures to hinder Russia's development will continue under any US administration.

🔸 Moscow is ready to work with any US administration, but only if the conversation is mutually respectful and equal.

🔸 When discussing strategic stability, one should take into account all factors, whereas the US "throws in" a beautiful slogan, hoping to gain unilateral advantage.

🔸 US statements about its readiness to negotiate with Russia on nuclear arms reduction without preconditions are a deception.

🔸 The special military operation can only end with victory, it is in the interest of the people.

Lavrov also said he would leave it to the conscience of former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to deny responsibility for disrupting talks between Russia and Ukraine in 2022.

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⚡️Pentagon chief arrives in Kiev on an announced visit - report

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has arrived in Ukraine's capital Kiev on an announced visit, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing Austin's aides.

No major announcements are expected to be made during the visit, the report added.

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Moldova heading for runoff presidential election

None of Moldova’s candidates received the required absolute majority (50% plus one vote) in the first round of the presidential election on Sunday, according to preliminary data from the Central Election Commission (CEC).

🔸 The vote will go to a runoff between incumbent President Maia Sandu and former Prosecutor General Alexandr Stoianoglo, as both leading candidates are far ahead of the other 11 hopefuls.

🔸 Sandu has 41.92% and Stoianoglo 26.35% after 98.29% of the votes have been processed. The second round will be held on November 3.

🔸 Stoianoglo is a native of the autonomous region of Gagauzia. Sandu removed him from the post of prosecutor general in September 2023.

🔸 An estimated 53.73% participated in the election – well over the minimum threshold of one-third of the total number of registered voters required for an election to be valid, CEC data showed.

🔸 In Moldova's referendum on whether the country should change its constitution to aim for EU membership, opponents of European integration are in the lead, based on the results of processing 97.97% of the protocols.

The question on the ballots was: "Do you support changing the constitution to allow the Republic of Moldova to join the European Union?" 50.1% opposed the changes while 49.9% were in favor, preliminary results showed.

🔸 94.84% of voters in the autonomy of Gagauzia are against Moldovan EU integration, CEC data showed after 100% of the protocols were processed.

🔸 In Transnistria, more than 60% of voters voted against Moldova's EU accession Gagauzia, where most people speak Russian as well as Gagauz, a Turkic language, declared independence from Soviet Moldova in 1990, but was integrated into the newly-established Republic of Moldova in 1994.

Gagauzia has traditionally favored rapprochement with Russia, while Chisinau has set a course toward European integration. Transnistria, 60% of whose population is Russians and Ukrainians, sought to secede from Moldova even before the collapse of the Soviet Union, fearing that Moldova would join Romania on a wave of nationalism.

In 1992, after an unsuccessful attempt by the Moldovan authorities to resolve the problem by force, Transnistria became a territory de facto outside of Chisinau's control.

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⚡️Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen dies in the US - report

Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen, 83, head of FETÖ, an organisation recognised as terrorist in Turkiye, has died in the United States - the Hurriyet newspaper reported.

The Turkish government accused Gulen of being responsible for a coup attempt in 2016.

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🔸 VIDEO: Israeli forces carry out fresh strikes on Lebanon

🔸 Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen accused by Turkiye of plotting the 2016 coup dies in US – report

🔸 Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin arrives in Kiev on an unannounced visit

🔸 Moldova heading for runoff presidential election

🔸 Lavrov: US saying it’s ready to negotiate with Russia on nuclear arms reduction without preconditions is a lie

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Moldova to elect president in second round on November 3 - CEC chief

Moldova will hold a runoff presidential election on November 3 after none of the candidates won more than required 50 percent of the vote in the first round, with nearly all ballots counted, the head of the country's Central Election Commission said.

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Israel's terms to end bombing of Lebanon handed to US - report

Israel handed over a document containing its principal demands for ending its military assault against Lebanon to Washington several weeks ago, Axios reported.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are to be allowed to engage in "active enforcement" to ensure that the Lebanese Shia movement Hezbollah is unable to rearm and rebuild its military infrastructure in areas of southern Lebanon that are close to the border, an Israeli official was cited as saying. Israel reportedly also demands that its air force be granted freedom of operation in Lebanese air space.

The paper was purportedly the result of discussions between Israel’s Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s trusted confidant, and officials of the Israeli Ministry of Defense and the IDF. The document was handed to the White House ahead of a visit to Beirut by President Joe Biden's envoy Amos Hochstein's on Monday, US and Israeli officials added.

Hochstein is expected to meet in Lebanon’s capital with acting Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri, and other Lebanese officials to discuss the Israeli demands. He is expected to advocate for the deployment of at least 8,000 Lebanese troops in southern Lebanon – mostly controlled by Hezbollah – as part of any diplomatic solution to the hostilities, the report added.

The US envoy was also reportedly tasked with pushing through an upgrade to UNIFIL's mandate that would prevent armed groups not under the control of the Lebanese government from being deployed near the border with Israel.

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BRICS Summit in Russia’s Kazan: What’s on Agenda?

The 2024 BRICS Summit, which opens in the Russian city of Kazan on October 22, is a three-day event that was touted by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as "one of the main events on the global agenda."

What are the expectations surrounding the gathering?

🔹 During the event, Russia will propose initiatives outlined within the framework of its current BRICS chairmanship and related to humanitarian, economic, financial, parliamentary, and other fields.

🔹 The summit will consist of two parts, with the first one due to be held under the slogan of "Strengthening Multilateralism for Equitable Global Development and Security," while the second - "BRICS and the Global South – Jointly Building a Better World."

🔹 Participants are expected to discuss the creation of a BRICS digital payment platform, BRICS Bridge, and ways to increase trade in national currencies.

🔹 Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold 17 bilateral meetings with foreign counterparts on the sidelines of the summit, which will start ahead of the official opening of the gathering, on October 21. Putin, in particular, is due to sit down with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to discuss comprehensive strategic partnership.

What is so unique about the summit?

🔹 With more than 30 countries already confirming participation, the summit “could turn into Russia’s largest-ever foreign policy event,” according to Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov.

🔹 In this vein, mapping out clear-cut criteria for admission of new BRICS members and cooperation with partner countries in various formats is expected to be high on the summit's agenda.

Yury Ushakov earlier stressed that Moscow seeks to ensure "the smoothest possible entry of new BRICS members into the group’s existing multi-level cooperation architecture."

In addition to Russia, Brazil, India, China, and South Africa, BRICS – created in 2006 – also includes new members, such as Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates.

🔹 Russia, which has held the group’s rotating presidency since January 1, 2024, adds to "enhancing the role of BRICS in the international monetary and financial system, developing interbank cooperation and expanding the use of national currencies in mutual trade,” according to President Putin.

#BRICS2024

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❗️The Russian Armed Forces struck Ukraine's energy facilities, military airfield infrastructure, and drone production workshops, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense.

🇷🇺🪖Key statements from the Russian MoD’s daily briefing on the special military operation's progress:

▪️The Russian Armed Forces hit a temporary deployment point of foreign mercenaries in Ukraine.

▪️Russian air defense forces destroyed three HIMARS rockets and 52 Ukrainian drones.

▪️Ukraine lost up to 350 militants and three depots in the Russian Zapad Battlegroup's combat zone.

▪️The Russian Tsentr Battlegroup struck nine Ukrainian brigades, repelled 14 counterattacks, and the enemy lost up to 430 militants.

▪️The Russian Vostok Battlegroup advanced to more favorable positions, with the enemy losing up to 90 militants.

▪️Ukraine lost up to 55 militants during actions by the Russian Dnepr Battlegroup.

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