🇩🇰 Denmark will deliver French self-propelled CAESAR howitzers to Ukraine in the coming weeks, the Danish Defense Ministry said on Friday.

🗣 "The artillery systems are expected to be delivered to Ukraine in the coming weeks," the ministry's statement read.

📌 In January, the Danish government said it would transfer 19 self-propelled CAESAR howitzers ordered in France to Ukraine.

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Trump Vows to Destroy Deep State & Stop Biden's War on Lawful Gun Owners

Former US President Donald Trump during a speech at the National Rifle Association conference said that if reelected president he would destroy the deep state and stop President Joe Biden from restricting rights of lawful gun owners.

"I will dismantle and destroy the deep state, we've made a big progress," Trump said Friday afternoon. "That includes the gun grabbing bureaucrats who are persecuting gun owners and manufacturers every single day."

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🇯🇵 Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has decided to hold three public events on Saturday despite the incident in Wakayama

▪️ Earlier, the sound of a loud blast was heard in the vicinity of ​​​​an upcoming public speech that Kishida was scheduled to deliver in Wakayama on Saturday morning. The prime minister was evacuated and was not harmed.

▪️ One man was arrested in connection with the incident.
No injuries were reported following the incident.

▪️ Eyewitnesses told local media that a young man threw a cylindrical black object in the direction of Kishida when the prime minister appeared at the location of his planned public speech, after which the man was detained by police, and a few seconds later the sound of an explosion was heard.

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#SputnikInfographic

📉 Hundreds of thousands of people have fled Ukraine since the conflict in the country escalated last year, abandoning their homeland and choosing the lot of a refugee.

▪️ As the Ukrainian economy crumbles and the regime in Kiev resorts to press-ganging people into military service, a significant portion of Ukraine’s populace decided that they would be better off anywhere but in their country of origin.

📊 The following infographic by Sputnik, based on UN statistics, provides a rough estimate of how many Ukrainians fled abroad (rough because it deals only with people who registered as refugees) and lists their top 15 destinations.

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🇮🇱 Israeli police on Saturday blocked the entrances to the Old City of Jerusalem for visitors, including pilgrims, tourists and journalists, a Sputnik correspondent reported.

▪️ Barricades and large police forces have been set up at the entrance to the Old City, where the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is located and where the Holy Fire is expected to descend today.

▪️ Nevertheless, some organized groups of pilgrims are able to enter the Old City.

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❗️ A 24-year-old resident of the city of Kawanishi reportedly caused an explosion next to the Japanese prime minister

🇨🇳🇺🇸 China's commerce ministry on Saturday expressed protest over US sanctions against Chinese companies for alleged ties to Russia, calling Washington's actions groundless and harmful to business.

💬 "The Chinese side has drawn attention to the fact that the United States has recently imposed sanctions on a number of Chinese companies due to alleged ties with Russia. The US actions have no international legal basis and are not sanctioned by the UN Security Council, a typical example of unilateral sanctions and the application of extraterritorial jurisdiction, which seriously harm the legitimate rights and interests of businesses and affect the security and stability of global supply chains. China strongly opposes them," the ministry said in a statement.

▪️ The ministry added that Washington must immediately "correct its erroneous actions and stop exerting unreasonable pressure on Chinese companies."

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🇫🇷 French President Emmanuel Macron has signed the controversial pension reform into law.

▪️ The law was published in France’s Official Journal (Le Journal Officiel) on Saturday morning.

▪️ On Friday, the French Constitutional Council approved the key article of the pension reform bill, which would gradually raise the age of retirement in France from 62 to 64 years by 2030. Macron was slated to sign the bill within 48 hours.

▪️ French unions urged Macron not to sign the pension reform bill amid Friday protests and called on the country's population to go on a general nationwide strike against the reform on May 1.

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Ex-Pentagon Officer: Russia’s Robust Capabilities in Electronic Warfare Second to None

On April 15, the Russian Armed Forces commemorate the Day of the Electronic Warfare (EW) Specialist, which has been celebrated since 2006, in line with a decree issued by President Vladimir Putin. The holiday dates back to April 15, 1904, when the enemy’s communication system was jammed during the siege of the Fortress of Port Arthur amid the Russian-Japanese war.

Since then, Russian EW troops have turned into a force to be reckoned with, something that was once again confirmed by recent Pentagon leaks that in particular contain sensitive information on the conflict in Ukraine, where Russia continues its special military operation.

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🇯🇵 A video appeared on the network, filmed shortly before the sound of a loud explosion was heard at the site of the Japanese Prime Minister's speech in Wakayama Prefecture.

After the incident, law enforcement agencies arrested a 24-year-old resident of the city of Kawanishi.

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Seven people were injured when a car rammed into a crowd in the French city of Bordeaux, the local radio reported on Saturday.

▪️ The incident took place on the Rue du Professeur Darget on Friday at around 23:00 local time (21:00 GMT).

▪️ The radio said, citing police, that the car's driver and the three passengers were arrested following the incident. The driver reportedly failed to control the vehicle.

▪️ Two people were hospitalized.

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📹 A pair of MiG-31BM fighter jets of the Pacific Fleet train to intercept an intruder aircraft during the unexpected combat readiness inspection of the Pacific Fleet

▪️ A pair of MiG-31BM high-altitude interceptors of the Pacific Fleet trained to intercept a mock enemy aircraft as part of the unexpected combat readiness inspection of the Pacific Fleet.

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⚡️ Sudan's Rapid Support Forces claim to have taken control of the presidential palace, the Palace of the Republic

The Sputnik correspondent captured on footage the pick-ups with RSF men entering the satellite city of the capital, Omdurman

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❗️ Fighter jets began flying over Sudan's capital Khartoum amid clashes between the regular army and the country's Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a Sputnik correspondent reports.

Earlier, videos of the jets flying low over the ground appeared on social media

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❗️ The Sudanese army has denied the claims of the RSF about the seizure of the presidential palace

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❗ Sudanese army says conducting airstrikes against RSF bases near Khartoum

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🇺🇸 The United States plans to provide Kiev with an additional $4.9 billion in aid in September

💬 "The United States has provided $18 billion in budget support to the Government of Ukraine through World Bank mechanisms. An additional $4.9 billion will become available in September. This funding, along with support from the EU, the IMF [ International Monetary Fund] and others, allows the government to provide critical services for its citizens … ," the State Department said.

▪️ According to the release, Kiev authorities have come up with a 10-year reconstruction plan requiring an estimated $750 billion, while the World Bank estimates Ukraine’s reconstruction costs to amount to $411 billion over the next 10 years.

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

▪️ Russia’s warplanes and artillery inflicted damage firing on the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Kharkov region and the LPR. Up to 40 Ukrainian troops, one armoured personnel carrier, and two motor vehicles have been neutralized.

▪️ Ground-attack aircraft and artillery of the Russian Armed Forces have hit units of the enemy in the LPR and DPR. More than 60 Ukrainian troops, two armored fighting vehicles, and D-20 and D-30 howitzers have been neutralized in this region during the day.

▪️ Fierce battles are underway close to Artyomovsk, near the city of Donetsk.

▪️ Operational-Tactical Aviation, Missile Troop and Artillery strikes of the Russian Armed Forces have hit Ukrainian units in the DPR.

▪️ Missile Troops and Artillery completed 57 firing missions in support of the troops. The total losses of the enemy in this region in the past day have amounted to over 315 Ukrainian troops and mercenaries, two armored fighting vehicles, three motor vehicles, and D-20 and Msta-B howitzers, as well as one Grad MLRS.

▪️ Russian military aircraft and artillery fired on Ukrainian units in the DPR, inflicting damage. As many as 30 Ukrainian servicemen, one pick-up truck, and Msta-B and D-30 howitzers were neutralized in these areas during the day.

▪️ Russian troops have neutralized up to 15 Ukrainian troops, two motor vehicles, and three Gvozdika self-propelled howitzers during the day in Kherson region.

▪️ Russian Operational-Tactical Aviation, Missile Troops and Artillery have neutralized 73 Ukrainian artillery units at their firing positions, personnel target positions and hardware in 95 areas during the day.

▪️ Air defence forces have intercepted five HIMARS MLRS projectiles during the day.

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Russia Rolls Out New EW System Capable of Disabling Enemy Spacecraft

Russia has developed a new electronic warfare (EW) system capable of disrupting spacecraft communications in geostationary orbit, a source familiar with the situation told Sputnik.

The Russian Armed Forces’ EW troops are currently equipped with advanced systems of electronic reconnaissance and suppression, which are fairly considered among the best in the world.

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