❗️The Russian Foreign Ministry has summoned a senior diplomat from the US Embassy and handed the official a note of protest. Moscow castigated US diplomatic mission’s failure to issue visas to journalists as sabotage.

'We Dare Not Stop Working for Freedom': Prince Buthelezi on South Africa's Freedom Day

This year, on April 27, South Africa marks the 29th anniversary of the first democratic elections held in 1994. On this day, known as Freedom Day, Sputnik talked to one of the most prominent liberation leaders during the apartheid era – Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, founder of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP).

🗣"Freedom Day commemorates more than an event in our history. It is a reminder of an ideal, and the possibility of attaining an ideal, regardless of the obstacles, if one is willing to pursue it," the politician underlined

👉 READ THE FULL STORY

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📹 Russian artillerymen quash Ukrainian fortified positions in Artemovsk (Bakhmut)

Russian 2S4 Tyulpan 240mm heavy self-propelled mortars are capable of destroying even the most well-fortified enemy defense structures. Russian artillery units use them to support assault troops, engaging the most embattled Ukrainian positions in the Artemovsk direction.

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🇷🇺🇫🇮'Unacceptable' anti-Russian discrimination found in Finnish song contest

Following the outbreak of hostilities in Ukraine, Russians and individuals with Russian roots have been subject to various forms of discrimination, including harassment and violence.

Recently, the Non-Discrimination Ombudsman in Finland ruled that two contestants in a popular TV show, who were Finnish-Russian dual citizens, were discriminated against due to their nationality and awarded them compensation.

This incident is part of a larger trend of discrimination against Russians and those with Russian backgrounds in Finland, which has been ongoing since the start of the conflict in Ukraine.

"Harassment or discrimination against Russian citizens or Russian speakers is unacceptable in any form," Ombudsman Kristina Stenman said in a press release.

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

▪️In the Kupyansk direction, Russian forces destroyed up to 110 Ukrainian troops and two armored fighting vehicles, as well as a Grad MLRS combat vehicle;

▪️In the Krasny Liman direction, Ukrainian losses amounted to 70 servicemen, one armored fighting vehicle, as well as one D-30 and one Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer;

▪️In the Donetsk direction, Russian forces destroyed more than 400 Ukrainian troops, two infantry fighting vehicles, six armored fighting vehicles, a D-20, a D-30, and a Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer, and a US-made AN/TPQ-50 radar system;

▪️In the South Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, Ukrainian losses amounted to 60 soldiers, a Tor-M1 anti-aircraft missile system, a US-made M777 artillery system, and one armored personnel carrier;

▪️In the Kherson direction, Russian forces neutralized up to 30 Ukrainian troops, four Ukrainian S-300 surface-to-air missile launchers, one German-manufactured Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft system, and two D-30 self-propelled howitzers;

▪️Russian air defense systems also intercepted an Su-24 aircraft, four HIMARS missiles, as well as 21 Ukrainian UAVs in the LPR, DPR, and Kharkov region.

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South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol flew 11,000 km to impress Biden by singing "American Pie" at the White House.

😏 Well, nice choice for a tune!

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❗️LIVE NOW: Putin joins fuel delivery ceremony for Turkiye's Akkuyu NPP via video link
Join the live stream here or follow this link to Sputnik’s website

Vladimir Putin and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have exchanged greetings online.

According to Ankara, Erdogan thanked Putin for Russia’s contribution in the construction of the Akkuyu NPP. The Russian leader wished Erdogan speedy recovery during the conversation.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi and Rosatom chief Alexey Likhachev are also participating in the event at the nuclear plant

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Russia ready to provide materials for Turkiye's reconstruction after earthquakes, President Putin says

The statement comes as Putin and his Turkish colleague Recep Tayyip Erdogan participate in nuclear fuel loading ceremony at the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant built by Russia’s Rosatom in the town of Buyukeceli in Turkiye's Mersin Province, via video link.

On February 6, two earthquakes of magnitudes 7.7 and 7.6 hit the southeastern regions of Turkiye at a nine-hour interval, toppling thousands of homes.

In total, about 5,600 enterprises in 34 industrial zones of Turkiye were significantly or moderately damaged, according to Turkish Minister of Industry and Technology Mustafa Varank

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⚡️ Jerome Powell, the chairman of the US Federal Reserve System, spoke frankly about the problems in the US. The sensational information was obtained thanks to Russian pranksters Vovan and Lexus, who called him on behalf of Volodymyr Zelensky.

Powell told the pranksters about the highest inflation in the US in 40 years, the budget deficit, the huge US national debt, the failed sanctions against Russia, as well as the “glamorization” of Davos. He also praised the work of the head of the Russian Central Bank Elvira Nabiullina.

Watch the video to find out more!

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🗣️”The US is furious about Saudi Arabia and Iran, because they want peace”: international affairs and security analyst Mark Sleboda speaks about American objection to peaceful changes happening in the Middle East

Listen to more of Sleboda’s analysis in our podcast Political Misfits

📹 Russian assault troop drills (video courtesy of Russian MoD)

Trainers with fighting experience hold military exercises for assault troops in the rear area of the special military operation.

Soldiers practice real battle scenarios and undergo fire and tactical training every day.

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🇸🇩🇪🇺 EU has already evacuated almost all of its citizens, who were in Sudan when the armed clashes in the African country broke out, Nabila Massrali, the EU spokesperson for foreign affairs and security policy, said on Thursday.

"With regards to the evacuation of EU citizens, significant number of estimated 1,700 EU citizens, who were in Sudan when the conflict erupted, have already been evacuated. The current estimates are over 1,600 EU citizens already evacuated," Massrali said during the EU Midday Briefing.

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🇺🇸Legacy PAC President claims Biden's nomination is guaranteed:

According to head of the political action committee Angie Wong, the DNC will do everything possible to keep other candidates at bay.

💬"We know that the lanes are being cleared for Biden," Angie Wong told Sputnik. "The fixes are all in. The deals have already been made. It's going to be Joe Biden on the ticket and no one's going to stop him," she added.

Biden's big business backers want to 'Finish Job' of slashing living standards

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US Resumes Large-Scale Production of Plutonium Pits for Nukes

The US National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has announced plans to resume large-scale production of "plutonium pit" detonators for nuclear weapons, with a goal of producing 80 per year by 2030.

The production will take place jointly at Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Savannah River Site in Georgia. The NNSA report also revealed plans to extend the service life of the B61 Mod 12 nuclear weapons.

The total cost of the program has increased from $8.3 billion to $9.6 billion. The production of new plutonium cores is part of the US' ongoing modernization of its nuclear triad, which is expected to cost up to $1.5 trillion over the next 30 years.

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Russia becomes world's second producer of mineral fertilizers after China

Russia has overtaken the United States in the production of mineral fertilizers and has become the second in the world after China, Russian Fertilizers Producers Association (RFPA) President Andrey Guryev said on Thursday.

"Over the past 10 years, we have increased production by 40% — up to 55 million tons — of all types of fertilizers. We have overtaken the United States and India in production and today we are the largest producer of mineral fertilizers in the world after China.

This is a huge achievement," Guryev said at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

A total of 70% of Russia's mineral fertilizer exports go to friendly countries, the official added.

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The current US debt ceiling situation may be the most challenging yet, according to David Tawil, president and co-founder of the ProChain Capital crypto fund manager

💬"If there's ever been a chance that we could, in fact, get to the [debt ceiling] deadline and not have a deal, this might be the best one out of all the ones we've had thus far," Tawil told Sputnik

For more of his analysis and insights, click here