🗣️”I find it a tragedy of history that now this summit, which should have been used for peace, is being used to increase war”: Political analyst, researcher and independent investigative journalist Chris Helali on the G7, which is used to increase the confrontation with Russia

🎧Listen to more of Helali’s analysis in our podcast By Any Means Necessary

South Korea cancelled the third flight of its space rocket on Wednesday because of technical problems, hours before a launch that was meant to mark a significant step in its burgeoning space program

South Korea is aspiring to be a key player in space technology, competing with its Asian neighbors.

The technical glitches are most likely communication errors between computers that control a helium relief valve, officials say. The vehicle itself does not show any problems, so it will remain on the launch pad for a rescheduled test.

In June 2022, the country successfully launched its domestically produced Nuri rocket and placed working and dummy satellites into orbit in its second test.

The third test would be the first to load and launch a commercial-grade satellite aboard the Nuri vehicle, standing on the pad at the Naro Space Center in Goheung, on the southwestern tip of South Korea.

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The referendum on the reunification of Crimea with Russia was completely legitimate and reflected the opinion of the Crimeans, Marine Le Pen believes.

“The inhabitants of Crimea freely expressed their will by voting in order to reunite with Russia,” the former French presidential candidate said at a meeting of a parliamentary commission.

The politician noted that during her trips to the peninsula, she talked a lot with local residents, who, in her opinion, have “a much deeper connection with Russia.” She also drew attention to the fact that "there was not a single refugee" from Crimea.

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“If we stopped deliveries of weapons to Ukraine today, the end of Ukraine would come tomorrow”

So responded German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius in the Bundestag when asked by a deputy why Germany is not making efforts to peacefully resolve the conflict in Ukraine.

He was later accused of violating the country's criminal code and further drawing Germany into the conflict. The deputy noted that plans for an attack on Crimea and the deployment of NATO bases there appeared a year before the start of the Russian special operation and "have nothing to do with Ukraine's right to self-defense."

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African Peace Initiative Aims to Facilitate Supplies of Russian Grain & Fertilizers, Negotiator Says

One of the goals of the African peace mission is to help Russia unblock its grain and fertilizer exports via the Black Sea, thus facilitating their supply to African nations, said Jean Yves Ollivier, an international negotiator and the head of the Brazzaville Foundation, in an interview with Sputnik Africa.

He explained that Africa was largely affected by the conflict in particular because of this "vital problem of grain and fertilizers."

💬 "Africa could not just be a spectator in this conflict and Africa wants to make its voice heard," he underscored.

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The first phase of training of Ukrainian fighter pilots to fly F-16 fighter jets will be held in the UK

"This will be ground-based basic training of Ukrainian pilots who will then be ready for more specific F-16 [or other] training," a UK government spokesperson told US media, adding that some 20 Ukrainian pilots would be entering the initial training.

Ukrainian and Eastern European officials have already begun considering wargame scenarios for the use of Western fighter jets for various purposes, including escorting grain-carrying ships through the Black Sea, Artis Pabriks, former Latvian Defense Minister and the head of the Northern Europe Policy Centre think tank in Riga, told the media.

"It’s better late than never ... With F-16s, it will give additional assistance to ground forces. It will give it better cover for operations with tanks, either Leopards or Abrams. And it will neutralize or weaken Russian air capability. So, even if they are shooting missiles from Russian territory, it’s important that they know that they could be hurt," Pabriks also said.

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💰 At the end of 2022, US public debt reached $31.42 trillion - this is equal to the debt of the next 13 largest debtor nations, Sputnik calculated

🇷🇺🇰🇵 Moscow and Pyongyang are working on creating a settlement system in rubles; this will help increase trade, the Russian ambassador told Sputnik

❗️ The FSB prevented a terrorist attack against nuclear power facilities in the Russian Federation, which had been planned by the Ukrainian special services

▪️ Ukrainian saboteurs attempted to undermine more than 30 power lines of the Leningrad and Kalinin nuclear power plants. This, according to the plan of the Ukrainian special services, would lead to a shutdown of nuclear reactors, and a violation of the normal operation of the nuclear power plant. The terrorists managed to undermine one and mine 4 pylons of the power transmission line of the Leningrad NPP, as well as to lay explosive devices under seven pylons of the Kalinin NPP.

▪️ Two citizens of Ukraine were detained, another citizen of Ukraine and the Russian Federation, who is in Belgium, was put on Russia's wanted list.

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📹 The FSB has published footage showing the detention of Ukrainian saboteurs and found explosive devices

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📹 36.5 kg of S-4 explosives, 61 foreign-made electric detonators, and 38 timers were seized from hiding places organized by the Ukrainian saboteurs, the FSB reported

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🤔 Infected by the president's forgetfulness?

📹 White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has referred to former Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin as "Steven Munchkin"

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Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev held talks with colleagues from Serbia, India, Ghana and Rwanda

The talks were held on the sidelines of an international security meeting under the auspices of the Russian Security Council.

"Nikolai Patrushev met with Security Intelligence Agency Director Aleksandar Vulin. Further development of Russian-Serbian relations were discussed," according to the statement.

At the meeting with India's Deputy National Security Adviser Rajinder Khanna, the sides confirmed readiness to expand bilateral contacts between ministries and departments.

Security on the African continent was considered at the meeting with Ghana's Minister of National Security Albert Kan-Dapaah. Similar issues were discussed with Secretary General of the National Intelligence and Security Services of Rwanda, Joseph Nzabamwita.

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🇮🇷 The Iranian Defense Ministry has revealed footage showing the launch of the Islamic Republic's latest ballistic missile with a range of 2,000 kilometers

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The Czech military will buy 246 Stridsfordon 90 Swedish combat vehicles

According to the Swedish Defense Materiel Administration (FMV), the deal with the BAE Systems Hagglunds, based in the city of Ornskoldsvik, will have a value of SEK 22 billion (over $2 billion).

The agreement will also involve intergovernmental cooperation and integrate parts of the Czech industry into the manufacturing process of the vehicles.

"We welcome another member of the successful CV90 User Group collaboration. When several countries use and develop a system together, it provides great benefits for all users such as increased capabilities, increased availability, increased opportunities for operational cooperation – and all at lower costs," Joakim Wallin, head of of FMV Export Operations said in statement.

Contrary to its self-professed image as a "humanitarian superpower," Sweden is one of the world's largest arms exporters with an outsized defense industry that churns out a surprising list of arms for a relatively small country of 10 million.

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❗️Latest statements by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov:

▪️ Reports of thwarted terrorist attacks on Russian energy facilities indicate that hostile actions of Ukraine against Russia continue;

▪️ Vladimir Putin will hold two bilateral meetings with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Thursday, then a trilateral meeting is expected;

▪️ Russian President Vladimir Putin will chair a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council on Thursday, together with other leaders of the EEU member states who have arrived in Moscow;

▪️ The Union state of Russia and Belarus is a more advanced integration structure than the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), this is a unique situation in the world, and it should be taken into account.

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❗️LIVE NOW: Putin participates in Supreme Eurasian Economic Council
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In this week’s episode of the New Rules podcast, host Dimitri Simes Jr. speaks with Karen Kwiatkowski, a retired US Air Force Lt. Col. and former Pentagon analyst. Find out in the video:

🔹 Has the United States learned anything from the global war on terror?
🔹 Why are Biden's options in Ukraine shrinking?
🔹 Why is dissent in the US military growing?

🎥 Enjoy our new show!

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