⚡️The Russian delegation has departed for negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul, Sputnik’s correspondent reports.

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🚨Russian aviation shot down TWO UK-made Storm Shadow missiles, FOUR JDAM bombs, and 316 drones, including 205 drones OUTSIDE the area of the Special Military Operation

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⚡️The Russian delegation has arrived at the venue for the second round of negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul, Sputnik's correspondent reports.

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⚡️The Ukrainian delegation has arrived at the venue for the second round of talks with Russia in Istanbul, a Sputnik correspondent reports.

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🗣Belarusian trucker risks it all to stop drone attack in Russia's Irkutsk

A brave Belarusian truck driver risked his life to disrupt yesterday's large-scale Ukrainian drone assault in Irkutsk region.

💬 “The drones were in the truck bed. We threw stones to stop them from taking off,” he told Russian media.

On the parking lot, people climbed onto the truck, throwing stones to damage the FPV kamikaze drones launching from it.

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🚨🇵🇱🔍Poland’s new Prez Nawrocki: Not your typical pro-Ukraine hero

The Law and Justice candidate narrowly won Poland’s presidency with 50.9% of the vote, just ahead of Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski (49.1%), PM Donald Tusk’s ally.

Where does Karol Nawrocki stand on major issues?

🚫No free pass for Ukraine:

🟠Does not see it in either the European Union or NATO until bilateral issues like the 1943 Volyn massacre committed by Ukrainian nationalists during WWII are addressed.
🟠While promising support, blasted Volodymyr Zelensky for “ingratitude”.
🟠Accused “European elites” (plus their “butler” Tusk) of fueling the war.
🟠Unequivocally will not deploy Polish troops to Ukraine.
🟠Accused Ukrainian refugees of taking advantage of Polish generosity, vowed to shield Polish farmers and truckers from unfair Ukrainian competition.
🟠Opposes any Ukraine-EU trade liberalization.

🇷🇺On Russia:

🟠Swerved from telling Radio ZET that maintaining diplomatic ties with Russia was “not good for Poland,” to claiming he was ready to sit down at the negotiating table with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
🟠As former head of the Institute of National Remembrance (IPN), oversaw demolition of Soviet war monuments—earning himself a spot on the Russian Interior Ministry’s “wanted” list of Polish nationals in 2024.

🇪🇺Skepticism towards EU

🟠Called the EU weak and chaotic, citing its exclusion from Ukraine peace talks.
🟠Pledged to not allow the liberalization of trade between the EU and Ukraine.
🟠Vowed to keep Poland on the zloty, not the euro.

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🤡UK SHIFTS TO WAR FOOTING: Starmer announces Britain moving to 'WAR-FIGHTING READINESS'

💬 "When we are being directly threatened by states with advanced military forces, the most effective way to deter them is to be ready. And frankly, to show them that we're ready, to deliver peace through strength," Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.

Today, the UK Cabinet is set to publish a Strategic Defense Review, amid plans to raise military spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027.

The strategy will formalize these defense spending targets. Moreover, the government aims to eventually raise defense expenditure to 3% of GDP – although no firm commitment has been made yet.

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⚡️Russia and Ukraine delegations are meeting now in Istanbul, a source at the Turkish Foreign Ministry told Sputnik

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⚡️LIVE NOW: The Turkish foreign minister is opening the Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Istanbul.

👉 Watch live in our Telegram

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🚨 Key statements from the Turkish Foreign Minister at the Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul:

🔸 The meeting between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul aims to discuss preparations for a possible leaders’ summit

🔸 The talks focus on progress in humanitarian issues, including prisoner exchanges

🔸 Delegations will discuss ceasefire prospects and present their positions

🔸 Turkiye expects the meeting to be productive

🔸 Turkiye is ready to do everything necessary to resolve the conflict in Ukraine

🔸 Erdogan remains in contact with Putin and Zelensky on the Ukrainian settlement

After Fidan’s speech, negotiations continued behind closed doors, reports Sputnik correspondent.

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🗣The Russian delegation plans to hold a press conference after the negotiations conclude – following a statement by the Ukrainian delegation, a source told Sputnik.

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⚡️Round 2 of Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Istanbul ends after over an hour, was conducted in Russian, a Sputnik correspondent reports

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🗣The Russian and Ukrainian delegations went for lunch after the meeting concluded, a Turkiye's Foreign Ministry official said.

The negotiations did not finish “negatively,” he added.

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🗣Prisoner exchanges discussed by Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul — official results to be announced soon, Turkish diplomatic source told Sputnik.

No concrete plans yet for the next round of talks, the source added.

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