Turkish Defense Ministry's statements on the grain deal:

▪The grain deal will be extended as necessary and with the consent of the parties;

▪At the moment there is no need for a mine clearance process in the Black Sea for the movement of ships;

▪All activities of the grain center will be coordinated by the UN;

▪The grain deal could provide a model for solving the energy crisis

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A Sputnik correspondent's photo from the Joint Coordination Center in Istanbul for monitoring of maritime grain exports from Ukraine, which started its work today

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📹The difference between terrible rumors about Russian captivity and the reality seems to be shocking for Ukrainian POWs. One of them spoke about how he was dealt with by his commanders and how he is treated while being imprisoned

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❗Russian MoD briefing:

▪️Two Ukrainian brigades’ temporary locations were destroyed by the Russian Air Force, up to 200 Ukrainian servicemen and up to 20 armed combat vehicles were eliminated in Nikolaev;

▪️More than 100 rockets for the US-made MLRS HIMARS were destroyed after a strike on the ammunition depot in the Dnepropetrovsk region;

▪️8 Ukrainian ammunition depots were destroyed in the DPR, Nikolaev and Zaporozhye;

▪️One company of the Ukrainian 10th mountain assault brigade has been completely eliminated, as a result of the fire damage, performed by the Russian forces in the Artyomovsk area;

▪️The Russian forces performed a high-precision missile strike at the 53rd Ukrainian mechanized brigade, located in the DPR, thus, the brigade has nearly lost its combat potential;

▪️The Russian forces struck a Ukrainian Uragan MLRS battery, Giatsint-B howitzers in the Dzerzhinsk area, and the Grad MLRS battery in the vicinity of Bylbasovka;

▪️10 shells of Olkha and HIMARS MLRSs were intercepted by Russian anti-aircraft systems in the Kherson region;

▪️9 Ukrainian UAVs and 1 Mi-8 helicopter, as well as 4 Ukrainian battalion command and observation posts were destroyed by the Russian forces during the day

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⚡️Biden tests negative for COVID-19 after completing treatment

⚡️ The German government has green-lighted arms company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann to supply 100 Panzerhaubitze 2000 self-propelled howitzers worth €1.7 billion to the Ukrainian Army, Spiegel reports, citing sources.

This contract exceeds the cost of previous weapon deliveries and is assumed will provide long-term support for the Ukraine Armed Forces, taking into account the slow production of howitzers

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🦠'Back to the Oval': Joe Biden ending 'strict isolation' after testing negative for coronavirus

The Russian government has expanded the list of states that commit unfriendly actions against the country: See Sputnik's infographic with a full list of these countries and territories

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🐐 ‘Scary movie 3’ actor Kevin Hart surprised his friend, comedian Chris Rock, during their recent comedy show in New York by dragging a goat right onto the stage. Hart presented the creature to Rock, saying that the goat’s name is Will Smith, which left the audience screaming.

Hart's joke was a nod to the moment when Smith slapped Rock for a joke about the former's wife during this year's Academy Awards

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LIVE | Biden delivers remarks after testing negative for COVID-19

🏙 The Saudi government has released a plan to build a $1 trillion “smart linear city” with no carbon emissions. The 'Mirror Line' will be a part of the desert city called the Neom and will have vertical layers of buildings for work, living and leisure stretching 170km.

Architects from different countries who work on the project believe that it will take about 50 years to build

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⚡️⚡️ Hundreds of protesters 'storm Iraqi parliament' in Baghdad's fortified Green Zone

⚡️Fed again raises US interest rate 75 basis points to fight inflation

How did Lavrov's trip to Africa go?

🇪🇬 Egypt
The foreign minister:
▪️delivered a message from Putin to Egypt's president;
▪️discussed Cairo's interest in joining the SCO and BRICS;
▪️promised that Russia would supply grain to Egypt, regardless of the "grain deal".

🇨🇬 Republic of Congo
▪️Lavrov delivered a message from Putin on his first ever visit to the country;
▪️The Congolese foreign minister assured him that Congo and Russia are “true friends”;
▪️Russia and Congo agreed to increase their military-technical cooperation.

🇺🇬 Uganda
▪️During his first visit to the country, Lavrov stressed that the role of Africa in Russia's foreign policy will grow, while the policy's western direction "is canceling itself";
▪️President Museveni is perplexed by calls for Africa to take an anti-Russian stance;
▪️Russia and Uganda will cooperate in energy and agriculture independently of the West.

🇪🇹 Ethiopia
▪️Lavrov discussed preparations for the Russia-Africa summit in 2023;
▪️Russia and Ethiopia agree to implement new plans in the field of military-technical cooperation and will work on the development of logistics and financial chains in trade

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Watch: UK Press TV correspondent Johnny Miller gave an exclusive interview to Sputnik, speaking about being included on the Ukrainian "kill list" website 'Mirotvorets'

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⚡️ Blinken says he will speak to Lavrov by phone in coming days