❗️ Key statements made by Syrian President Bashar Assad in an interview with Sputnik:

▪️ Russian military bases in Syria should have the most advanced weapons to ensure the effective deterrence of threats;

▪️ World War III is underway, but it differs in its form;

▪️ Wars are now moving toward becoming proxy wars;

▪️ President Volodymyr Zelensky is now waging a war on behalf of the West, using "its army of Nazis";

▪️ Syria has recognized the new borders of the Russian Federation, in the wake of last year's referendums on their accession to Russia;

▪️ The people of Syria support Russia in conducting the special military operation in Ukraine;

▪️ Russia's military presence in Syria should not be temporary or only be related to fighting terrorism;

▪️ Superpowers today cannot defend themselves or play a role by staying within their own borders;

▪️ Russia and Syria will sign an agreement on economic cooperation, which will cover several projects that will be evaluated and approved individually, in the coming weeks;

▪️ The Syrian leadership has evidence that the United States is training terrorists on the territory of the Al-Tanf military base;

▪️ The United States may redeploy terrorists from Syria to Ukraine in a bid to confront Russia;

▪️ The Syrian President expressed gratitude to the Russian President for the humanitarian aid that Russia delivered to Syria after the earthquake.

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❗️Latest statements by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov:

▪️ The Kremlin regrets Finland's orientation toward joining NATO;

▪️ The Kremlin calls Putin-Assad talks substantive, says they touched upon normalizing relations between Syria and Turkiye;

▪️ At the talks between Putin and Assad, decisions were made that will allow the signing of documents on the economy in the near future;

▪️ The Kremlin on the prospects for a meeting between Assad and Erdogan: it should be preceded by contacts at the working level, they are ongoing;

▪️ The Kremlin on US State Department statement that Russia is still bound by the New START terms: Russia suspended its participation;

▪️ The Kremlin on media reports about 'Russia's plan' for Moldova: it is fake;

▪️ Russia is open to mutually beneficial relations with Moldova and regrets that Kishinev is affected by the Russophobic bacillus.

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🇺🇸📹 The US Air Force has published a video of two Su-27s approaching the American MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Black Sea.

▪️ The footage shows that there was no collision, contradicting what was previously reported by the United States.

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Catch our Fault Lines show where we provide updates and analysis on all the most vital stories! Here's our line-up for today:

🔺To kick things off, we’ll be discussing Bashar al-Assad’s visit to Moscow
🔺Next, we’ll touch upon China’s reaction to AUCUS as well as the biggest US-Philippines drills
🔺Finally, we’ll speak about Credit Swiss going down and its implications for the world economy

More trending stories coming your way! Tune in to Radio Sputnik at 7am EST|4am PST|12pm CET via the website or app!

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

Ex-Pentagon Analyst: Reaper Could be Sent by US to Assist with Combat Ops Against Russia

The MQ-9 Reaper drone's recovery will be challenging as it sank to a significant depth in the Black Sea, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley has admitted at a Pentagon briefing as the US and Russia both race to retrieve the wreckage.

"The evidence on exactly what happened will be forthcoming, and if this drone is able to be retrieved from the water, we will know what it was actually carrying and its transponder setting," retired US Air Force Lt. Col. Karen Kwiatkowski, a former analyst for the US Department of Defense, told Sputnik.

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❗️ Key statements from Putin's speech at the plenary session of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs Congress:

▪️ Russian economy begins to develop according to a new model;

▪️ The recession of the Russian economy in summer 2022 was connected to sanctions; since July, the Russian economy has been growing;

▪️ Russian GDP is expected to grow in the second quarter of this year;

▪️ Russia's foreign trade up by more than 8% last year;

▪️ Inflation in Russia in March will be less than in Europe, which is waiting for the collapse of the Russian economy. It is expected that by the end of March, inflation in the Russian Federation will be about 4%, and in April inflation in Russia will reach target levels;

▪️ A decline in the consumer sector was predicted for Russia, but the West now offers its residents turnips instead of salads, but they will have to turn to us for it.

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🇷🇺 Speaking at the congress of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, President Putin noted that the Russian economy is beginning to develop according to a new model, emphasising that GDP growth is expected already in the II quarter

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Swedish Food Prices See Record Surge in 70 Years Amid Rampant Inflation

Food prices in Sweden have surged over 20 percent over the past 12 months, recording their highest spike in over 70 years, Statistics Sweden has reported.

The massive increase in food prices, with some items becoming as much as 80 percent more expensive, has baffled analysts. They pinned the initial rise on the overall surge in energy and electricity prices, which have since subsided – yet with no visible effect on the inflation rate.

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❗️ Russian MoD’s latest statements on the Ukraine crisis:

▪️ The attacks, launched by Russia’s Ground Assault and Army Aviation and artillery, have resulted in the neutralization of enemy personnel and hardware in Kharkov region and the LPR. Up to 50 Ukrainian personnel, two motor vehicles, and one US-manufactured M-777 artillery system have been eliminated;

▪️ The attacks, launched artillery, and heavy flamethrower systems of the Russian Armed Forces have eliminated Ukrainian units in the DPR and LPR. The enemy losses were over 100 Ukrainian servicemen, 2 infantry fighting vehicles, 2 armored fighting vehicles, 1 Akatsiya self-propelled artillery system, and 1 D-30 howitzer;

▪️ The active operations of the Russian Armed Forces, as well as the attacks by aviation and artillery, have resulted in the neutralization of up to 275 Ukrainian servicemen, 2 tanks, 2 armored fighting vehicles, 2 pickup trucks, 1 Uragan multiple-launch rocket system, 1 D-20 howitzer, 1 Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer, and 1 U.S.-manufactured M109 Paladin self-propelled artillery system in the DPR;

▪️ Russia’s Operational-Tactical Aviation and artillery have launched a complex fire attack against the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the DPR and Zaporozhye region. The enemy losses were up to 60 Ukrainian servicemen, 4 tanks, 1 armored vehicle, 1 D-20 howitzer, and 1 US-manufactured M777 artillery system;

▪️ More than 35 Ukrainian servicemen, 1 tank, 2 Grad MLRS vehicles and 1 D-30 howitzer have been destroyed in Kherson region;

▪️ The Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Armed Forces of Russia have neutralized 93 Ukrainian artillery units at their firing positions, servicemen and hardware in 186 areas;

▪️ 1 Ukrainian S-300 air defense missile system has been destroyed in the DPR;

▪️ 1 US-manufactured AN/TPQ-50 counterbattery warfare radar has been eliminated in the DPR;

▪️ A Russian Aerospace Forces fighter shot down 1 Ukrainian Air Force MiG-29 in the LPR;

▪️ Air defense facilities have intercepted 8 projectiles, launched by HIMARS and Uragan MLRS, as well as 1 HARM anti-radar missile;

▪️ Some airplanes and 221 helicopters, 3,434 unmanned aerial vehicles, 414 air defense missile systems, 8,316 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,062 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 4,372 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 8,959 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.

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