🔹 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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🇷🇺🇹🇭Thailand accepts BRICS invitation to join as partner country – Foreign Ministry

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⚡️Lavrov stated that France has repeatedly suggested through closed channels that a dialogue on Ukraine be established with Russia, without the involvement of Kiev.

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Lavrov: Russia to open a full functioning embassy in the Dominican Republic

Russia will be happy to see guests from friendly Latin American nations at the St. Petersburg Economic Forum, Eastern Economic Forum, Russian Energy Week, St. Petersburg International Cultural Forum and many others, stressed Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

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🗣Decision-making centers in Kiev could be targets for Russia - Lavrov

Moscow selects the targets for destruction on Ukrainian territory based on threats to Russia, and these could also be decision-making centers in Kiev, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Thursday.

"We aim exclusively at military facilities, military-industrial complex and other facilities related to the provision of the armed forces of Ukraine," Lavrov stressed.

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France proposed to Russia through closed channels to establish a dialogue on Ukraine without Kiev's participation - Lavrov

Russia is ready to hear what its French colleagues have to say about resolving the Ukraine conflict, but its hard to take their initiatives in earnest, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

“France has been the main champion of sending so-called peacekeeping troops to Ukraine, they have been training Ukrainian troops on their soil, and they keep saying in public that Russia should be hit further and Ukraine should have stronger positions when talks begin,” reminded Lavrov.

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