❗️Key points from Vladimir Putin's speech at the Valdai Discussion Club

▪️Russia hasn’t been and won’t be destroyed or “brushed” off the geopolitical map;

▪️All civilizations now have opportunities for democratic development;

▪️The majority should benefit from world trade, "and not individual super-rich corporations";

▪️The structure of the UN Security Council should reflect global diversity;

▪️Some European countries have failed to notice how they themselves have already become vassals, often without the right to vote.

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❗️Key points of Vladimir Putin’s responses during Q&A panel at the Valdai Discussion Club

▪️As long as nuclear weapons exist, there is always a danger of their use;

▪️Russia does not need to use nuclear weapons against Ukraine, there is no point in it;

▪️We spoke about a "dirty bomb" being created by Kiev for a reason, Moscow has a rough idea of where Ukraine's dirty bomb is being made;

▪️The West supported Ukraine in rejecting the Minsk agreements;

▪️Ukraine is historically an "artificial state";

▪️The current situation between Russia and Ukraine could “partly” be considered a “civil war”.

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📹 Vladimir Putin: Even at the height of the Cold War, nobody denied the existence of the culture and art of the opponent.

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📹 Vladimir Putin: True democracy in a multipolar world requires an opportunity for every nation, every society, every civilization to choose their own path.

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❗️Putin on Indian PM Modi: "He is one of those people who is capable of carrying out an independent foreign policy which serves the interests of its people. Despite all attempts to impose some kind of restrictions on India, he is like an ice-breaker and continues moving in the direction which the Indian state needs."

The Russian president added that India has achieved tremendous success in its development and has a great future ahead, and Russia and India have a special relationship built on the foundation of close cooperation.

❗️Russia has repeatedly said that it is ready for negotiations with Ukraine but Kiev has decided not to continue them - Putin.

🇺🇸Americans' assessment of Joe Biden's presidency is still more negative than positive, something that has been observed for more than a year.

The approval rating of Joe Biden among Americans has again dropped to below 40%, according to a fresh survey.

In addition to inflation and rising prices, issues such as abortion and Ukraine aid are influencing how Americans evaluate Biden's presidency.

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🇺🇸 The US Department of Defense released its 2022 National Defense Strategy on Thursday. Here’s the important bit:
▪️China is listed as “the most consequential and systemic challenge” and a “multi-domain” threat to the US.
▪️Russia is listed as an “acute threat” to US interests abroad and to the homeland.
▪️The Pentagon is concerned about the “deepening” strategic relationship between Moscow and Beijing.
▪️Climate change and transboundary threats, North Korea, Iran and terrorist groups pose additional challenges which need to be addressed.
▪️State actors threaten the US defense industrial base and mobilization system, GPS and other space-based dual-purpose civilian/military capabilities.
▪️Hypersonic weapons, counterspace weapons, and new missile systems are “complicating escalation dynamics” and creating “new challenges for strategic stability”.
▪️The US wants to negotiate a new arms control framework with Russia after NEW START expires in 2026, and China’s expanded nuclear arsenal must be incorporated in any future agreement, and/or require the Pentagon to make “force adjustments” in its strategic deterrent.

💬 “I just don't think the average family, whether they're living in an urban city like Chicago or New York or somewhere in rural Pennsylvania, Kansas or Missouri or whatever, I don't think that they really want to talk about Ukraine and how important it is that we make sacrifices to defend democracy. And yet Biden thinks that that's a winning issue. But all they see is that, hey, I think that having something to do with how things are getting more expensive, I think that has something to do with gas prices going up. I think that I'm not getting any relief and you're fighting this war and you're continuing to send money over to Ukraine. And I just feel like I'm being left behind. I think that that's something that Democrats have decided they're not going to address, and it's a problem for them,” says Kevin Gosztola, a journalist and writer for Shadowproof.

🎧 Listen to more of Kevin Gosztola's analysis on our podcast.

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🇬🇧 Two major BBC radio stations lost about two million listeners in a year, British media says.

The number of BBC Radio 4 listeners decreased by 9% and BBC Radio 5 Live fell by 18%. This is considered to be a part of a wider trend of declining listeners across BBC radio stations.

In the meantime, you can check out Radio Sputnik via our website or app.

🐕 A dog outshined soldiers marching during a parade rehearsal for OXI Day in Thessaloniki, Greece.

The furry animal decided to lie down in the center of the performance and grabbed all the attention.

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🔺 Far from peaceful: Finland to allow deployment of NATO nuclear weapons on its border with Russia
🔺 So much for concern for the people: Democrats fail to tackle economic anxiety of Americans, potentially costing them the midterm elections
🔺 Thomas Mountain joins us to discuss the conflict between the Ethiopian government and the TPLF

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