🔥 Russian UAVs destroy Ukrainian tank in Zaporozhye

The Russian Defense Ministry released footage of the Ukrainian tank destroyed by the masterful work of the Stavropol Airborne Troops. A first drone destroyed the trap net, allowing a second drone to destroy the tank with an incendiary munition.

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✍️Annexation dreams in Trump's Christmas letter

Canadian citizens, if their country were to join the United States, would pay 60% less in taxes, Canadian businesses would "immediately double in size," and they would enjoy US protection, promised President-elect Donald Trump.

"Likewise to the people of Greenland, which is needed by the United States for National Security purposes and who want the US to be there—and we will!" Trump wrote on his Truth account.

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🪖France сompletes training of Ukrainian pilots to operate Mirage 2000-5F fighters

France has completed training of Ukrainian pilots to fly Mirage 2000-5F fighter jets, the French Aid to Ukraine account on the X reported.

The pilots and mechanics needed to operate these aircraft were trained at a base in Nancy.

In June, French President Emmanuel Macron said that Paris would transfer Mirage 2000 fighters to Kiev and would organize training for Ukrainian pilots by the end of the year. French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu said the aircraft would be delivered in the first quarter of 2025.

Operating and maintenance costs for Ukraine will skyrocket, if it has to operate different types of NATO warplanes, military experts earlier told Sputnik commenting on Mirage fighters deliveries.

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🔹 Biden orders Pentagon to increase military aid to Ukraine

🔹 Terrorist attack on Russian cargo ship Ursa Major - here is what we know

🔹 Israel strikes media vehicle in Gaza, killing 5 journalists

🔹 Cocaine case remains unsolved as Biden leaves the White House

🔹 Trump proposes hockey legend for Canadian PM, says Canada would have 60% lower taxes as part of US

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⚡️FSB foils string of Ukraine-run assassination plots targeting high-ranking Russian defense officials

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has prevented a series of assassination attempts plotted by Ukrainian special services targeting high-ranking Russian Defense Ministry officials participating in Russia's military operation in Ukraine and their relatives.

According to the FSB:

▪️An explosive device, disguised as a charging device with magnets attached was to be planted under the service vehicle of a high-ranking executive in the Russian Defense Ministry, driven by the executive's close relative, the FSB said. The explosion itself was to be set off remotely from Ukraine's territory.

▪️A terrorist attack against another service member was plotted by Ukraine, involving two Russian citizens tasked with delivering a homemade explosive device disguised as a document folder. The device that was to be delivered, was hidden in a cache located in the Moscow region, with its coordinates supplied by a Ukrainian citizen residing in Poland.

▪️Four Russian citizens involved in the preparation of the aforementioned assassinations have been detained.

▪️A Moscow resident recruited by the Ukrainian special services to gather intelligence on the targets has been identified.

▪️Bomb components were delivered to Russia hidden in household appliances, tools, and car parts.

▪️Self-made explosives and communication devices used in criminal activities have been seized from the detained.

▪️Criminal cases have been opened, with the detainees charged with direct involvement in illicit trafficking of explosives and explosive devices, preparation of terrorist acts, and high treason.

▪️All 4 detainees face life sentences.

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🗣Russian Foreign Ministry: Number of visas issued to Americans in 2024 grew by over 30%, business visas on the rise

Main statements by the director of the Consular Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry:

▪️In the first 11 months of 2024, Russian diplomatic missions and consular offices issued a total of 7,737 visas to US citizens, including 165 business visas.

▪️In comparison, throughout all of 2023, US citizens were issued 5,694 visas, including 136 business visas.

▪️In 2024, Moscow issued over 600,000 e-visas to foreigners. The largest number of these electronic visas were granted to citizens of China, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Turkey, India, and Estonia.

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🗣Russia’s defense industry boosts output of armored vehicles and aircraft

"The production of armored vehicles and combat aircraft in Russia has increased 2.5 times, while the production of light armored vehicles has quadrupled," Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov told Russian media.

Despite restrictions, Russia's defense industry has significantly expanded its capabilities, reaching production levels that exceed those of European countries over the same period.

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🔄 Zelensky to dismiss Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany Alexei Makeev

The head of the Kiev regime intends to appoint approximately 30 new ambassadors to various countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, the Americas, and other regions of the world in the near future, according to German media.

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🎥🎥 Russian FM Sergey Lavrov holds presser with representatives of Russian and foreign media

👉 Watch the livestream here or on Sputnik's website

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Key remarks by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Ukraine during his press conference:

◻️ Lavrov stated that a truce in Ukraine leads to a dead end and that Russia will not settle for idle talk about a resolution.

◻️ Future agreements regarding the settlement of the Ukraine conflict must include mechanisms to ensure their inviolability.

◻️ Russia is ready to consult with the Trump administration on Ukraine, and Moscow hopes the White House will study the root causes of the conflict.

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🗣 Russia is ready to consult with the Trump administration on Ukraine, and Moscow hopes the White House will study the root causes of the conflict, Lavrov said.

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🗣Lavrov: Minsk Accords were trampled on with US backing

The Minsk agreements were not just something we ‘tried’, but a UN Security Council decision that was trampled on with US backing, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said during the press conference.

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Lavrov: People of Crimea, Donbass and Novorossiya will never be ruled by Ukraine’s Nazis

“The people of Crimea, Donbass and Novorossiya will never be ruled by the Nazis that seized power in Kiev,” said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Their decision has been enshrined in Russia’s Constitution, he noted, adding that “all those who want to seek a foundation to resolve the crisis cannot turn a blind eye to its root causes.”

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Lavrov: West seeks to eliminate rivals like Russia, China at all costs

US-led methods to eliminate competitors like Russia, China are “crystal clear,” stressed Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at today’s press conference.

“We definitely keep all that in mind and have repeatedly said that we would be prepared to talk to all Western representatives,” he added.

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🗣Russia is interested in dialogue with Syria’s new authorities as well as resuming economic cooperation, Lavrov said.

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