⚡️ Russian FM Sergey Lavrov says no talks with Zelensky are possible because he adopted legislation prohibiting UA officials from holding talks with Moscow.

❗️UPDATE: 18 killed, 26 injured in the helicopter crash in the Kiev region

💬 Lavrov blames the West for destroying Iraq and Lybia, says Yugoslavia was also torn apart in an attempts to divide the Balkans, mentions Biden's 1998 senatorial speech where he called for the bombing of Belgrade.

💬 Lavrov says Russia was the only country that followed the Minsk agreements, others "were card sharks".

💬 Lavrov draws parallels between Ukraine crisis and the 2008 conflict in Georgia, says NATO is accountable for both of them, hints at America's possible involvement in igniting the 2008 Georgia's attack on South Ossetia.

💬 Lavrov goes into more detail on the causes of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine, says Moscow is responding to the hybrid war which has been waged against it.

❗️ None of the Arab countries joined anti-Russia sanctions despite unprecedented pressure from West - Lavrov

💬 Lavrov describes in neutral or positive terms the efforts of Turkish and the Arab world's diplomacy in Syria, criticizes America's actions in the region, says the Washington wants the Kurds to create a "quasi-state" on Syrian territory.

Danes Up in Arms Over Removal of Christian Holiday to Raise Defense Spending

The Danish government has confirmed its intention to abolish Great Prayer Day, a historic holiday, in order to fund its military spending, despite widespread protests.

The Great Prayer Day, introduced in 1686, is one of eleven official holidays in Denmark. It falls on the fourth Friday after Easter and three weeks before Pentecost and was traditionally used for fasting, prayer and church visits.

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💬 Some word play from Lavrov: the West doesnt want a tribunal on Ukraine, says "drop the last letter" ("tribuna" in Russian="tribune"), adds that the West basically needs a stage to voice its taking points.

📹 💬 "There can be no negotiations with Zelensky, simply because he has legally banned talks with the Russian government," Lavrov said during the Q&A session of his press conference.

The Russian foreign minister added that the Ukrainian president makes unrealistic proposals on peace settlement.

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💬 Lavrov explaining to Sky News journo the basics of the international law and, once again, talking about the US-backed Maidan coup in Kiev.

Says the US immediately backed the bloody coup of 2014 in Ukraine, while ignoring the EU as a guarantor of agreements between President Yanukovich and the opposition, mentions Victoria Nuland's "f*ck the EU" leaked phonecall.

❗️ Russia's Ukraine op aimed at ending war raging in Donbass since 2014 - Putin

❗️Russian MoD briefing on the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine:

▪️ In the Kharkov region and the LPR, Russian artillery inflicted fire damage on units of the 14th and 92nd Mechanized Brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the 103rd Territorial Defense Brigade. Over 60 Ukrainian soldiers, an armored personnel carrier, two pickup trucks, two cars and one US-made M777 artillery system were destroyed.

▪️ The Russian artillery and airborne strikes on accumulations of troops inflicted defeat on units of the 92nd Mechanized, 80th and 95th Air Assault brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Lugansk People's Republic. The total losses of the enemy in this direction per day amounted to more than 90 Ukrainian troops, an infantry fighting vehicle and three armored fighting vehicles. In addition, two US-made AN/TPQ-50 and AN/TPQ-48 counter-battery radars, as well as a ST-68 target detection and tracking radar, were destroyed.

▪️ Volunteers of the Russian assault detachments, with fire support from aviation, missile troops and artillery, liberated the village of Sol in the DPR. During the day, up to 90 Ukrainian troops, three armored combat vehicles, four vehicles, a Msta-B howitzer and a Grad MLRS combat vehicle were destroyed. In addition, the AFU ammunition depot for HIMARS and Grad multiple launch rocket systems was destroyed.

▪️Artillery and marines thwarted Ukraine's attempts to attack in the direction of the settlements of Stepnoye, Sladkoye and Urozhaynoye in the DPR. The total losses of the enemy amounted to 90 Ukrainian troops, four armored combat vehicles, one pickup truck and seven vehicles.

▪️ During the day, aviation, missile forces and artillery defeated 76 artillery units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine at firing positions, troops and military equipment in 103 districts.

▪️ Russian aviation shot down a Ukrainian Su-25 in the DPR.

▪️ Air defense destroyed seven Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles.

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Catch our Fault Lines show where we provide updates and analysis on all the most vital stories!

🔺 First, we cover the Davos Economic Forum and specifically discuss how prostitutes gather in Switzerland at this time to accommodate the world elite
🔺 Next, we’ll talk about the latest admission by a former Defense Intelligence Agency deputy director that he and other co-signers knew the Hunter Biden story was real despite drafting a letter claiming that it was “Russian disinformation”
🔺 Also, we talk about the real reason behind Biden’s meeting with Dutch Prime Minister at the White House
🔺 And, we discuss freedom of speech and censorship in relation to RT Russian being blocked on Facebook* and the Sputnik Lithuania editor being arrested in Latvia

Tune in to Radio Sputnik at 7am EST|4am PST|1pm CET via the website or app!

📻 Also in the United States at 105.5FM, 104.7FM, 102.9FM, 1390AM, 1140AM

*Meta, Facebook, and Instagram are banned in Russia over extremist activities.

Scientists Say They’ve Found Best Hiding Place From Nuclear Blast

A group of researchers have found what they say is the most survivable location in a building at a certain distance from the detonation of a nuclear device.
Nuclear bombs have developed a reputation as the absolute bringers of destruction, but while they can indeed devastate a large area and kill with a variety of methods, it’s also totally possible to survive a nuclear blast, provided you’re far enough away from the initial fireball.

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Latvia Court Upholds Earlier Decision to Leave Sputnik Lithuania Editor Kasem in Custody

A Latvian court upheld its previous decision on Wednesday to leave Sputnik Lithuania editor Marat Kasem in custody, the appeal was denied.

Kasem's lawyers said that they will file a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights.

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Church of England Rejects Calls to Back Same-Sex Marriage

The Church of England rejected demands to allow clergy to conduct same-sex marriages on Wednesday, but suggested that couples who were married in a civil ceremony could bless their union in church.

On Monday, UK House of Commons leader Penny Mordaunt called on the Church of England to perform same-sex marriages, saying the Church's current stance causes "pain and trauma" to LGBTQ+ people. Following the appeal, the Church outlined its new proposals, which it called "historical plans" to reform its posture on same-sex couples.

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🤭 Against the background of recent events, the news has again become viral that the former adviser to the head of the office of the President of Ukraine Oleksiy Arestovich is listed in the database of the Ukrainian website "Myrotvorets.” He is called a "professional provocateur" who carries out "public information sabotage."

📌 In Arestovich's Myrotvorets profile that appeared in January 2022, it is said that he participated in "acts of humanitarian aggression" against Ukraine, measures that undermine the defense capability of Ukraine by demoralizing the armed forces, and discredited Ukrainian government agencies.

🥴 The Myrotvorets website was created in August 2014. It publishes the personal data of people and organizations whose activities the resource administrators regard as a threat to the security of Ukraine.

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What Tanks Did Western Countries Deliver to Ukraine?

Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov said late last month that since the start of Moscow’s special military operation in Ukraine on February 24, Western countries have provided Kiev with more than 350 tanks, among other military hardware. Who exactly was involved in those tank deliveries and will more such supplies be in the pipeline? Sputnik answers these and other questions.

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Twitter Reportedly Auctioning Off Coffee Machines, Neon Signs Due to Office Lease Debts

US social media company Twitter is auctioning off coffee machines, neon displays with the company's logo, kitchen appliances, as well as office equipment purportedly because of difficulties paying office rent, US media reported on Wednesday.

The auctioned items can be found on the website of Heritage Global Partners, which is in charge of the auction, according to the report.

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