Russia has begun to develop a floating howitzer of 152-mm caliber based on its experience of artillery use during the special military operation

In the 1980s, the USSR created a prototype of a 152-millimeter caliber floating howitzer on the chassis of the BMP-3 known as Pat-S. Preparatory work on the Pat-S is now underway, and information is being collected and analyzed in order to prepare a draft of the terms of reference, Roman Khromov, deputy executive director in Russia's state-owned defense corporation Rostec, told Sputnik.

Khromov added that the peculiarity of the use of barrel artillery in the special operation zone today involves firing from closed positions at long range, followed by a quick change of position to avoid return fire.

Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🇲🇲🇷🇺 Myanmar uses the yuan to pay for supplies of Russian petroleum products, Myanmar Minister of Foreign Economic Relations Kan Zaw told Sputnik, adding that the parties are preparing an agreement on the mutual conversion of national currencies

Kan Zaw expressed hope that Myanmar would conclude an agreement with Russia on tourism on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum.

Last September, Prime Minister of Myanmar Min Aung Hlaing told Sputnik that the country had begun purchasing Russian petroleum products. Myanmar will begin accepting cards of the Russian Mir payment system in October, Kan Zaw added.

Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🌋 Hawaii volcano Kilauea erupts after nearly two months of calm

Right after suffering from devastating fires and not getting enough aid from the US government, Hawaii residents are now up against a volcanic eruption, posing threat to the inhabitants of the islands.

Subscribe to @SputnikInt

WATCH LIVE: Vladimir Putin arrives in Vladivostok to join Eastern Economic Forum

The first round of releasing treated water from the damaged Japanese Fukushima nuclear power plant was concluded 

Now the plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company, is planning to start facilities inspections and other preparation procedures for the second stage. The preparations are expected to take up to three weeks.

Russia and China, which oppose Japan's release of tritium-laced treated water from the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant into the sea, have jointly urged Tokyo to consider a vapor release disposal strategy instead.

Subscribe to @SputnikInt

In fact, Russia is already a big winner in the conflict against the US and NATO, Dutch MP and European Parliament member Marcel de Graaf says

He noted that Russia has proven to be resistant to Western sanctions, maintained a growing economy, and is successfully conducting a policy of de-dollarization and “expanding its influence everywhere except the West.”

Subscribe to @SputnikInt

⚡ 🇷🇺🇰🇵 North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to visit Russia in coming days at Vladimir Putin’s invitation, Kremlin says

Subscribe to @SputnikInt

Key statements made by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov:

▪️ Russia needs to protect itself and cannot allow any nationalist regime to grow stronger near its borders;

▪️ Deployment of military infrastructure near Russian borders unacceptable for Russia and requires measures;

▪️ Macron and Scholz would like to visually remain contenders for role of mediators, but they have lost this opportunity de facto.

Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🇷🇺🇰🇵 During the North Korean leader’s upcoming visit to Russia, negotiations between the delegations and, if necessary, a one-on-one meeting with the President of the Russian Federation are planned, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said

Subscribe to @SputnikInt

💬 "We do not threaten either Finland or Sweden. And we hope we are not threatened by either Finland or Sweden"

🇷🇺🇫🇮🇸🇪 Moscow has no issues with Finland or Sweden and hopes that they will not deploy missiles directed towards Russia

These countries are not waging a civil war against their regions, these countries are not killing Russians on their territory, these countries are not banning the Russian language as the language of outcasts, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Russia has never had illusions about NATO and understands that this is an alliance that leads to confrontation and tension on the continent, the official added.

Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🇷🇺The Russian MoD’s latest statement on the Ukraine crisis:

▪️ Russian Armed Forces have successfully repelled five attacks by Ukrainian assault groups in the DPR. The enemy's losses include up to 200 Ukrainian servicemen killed or wounded, eight motor vehicles, one D-30 howitzer, and one US-made AN/TPQ-50 counter-battery radar station.

▪️ The Russian Army repelled three attacks by enemy assault groups in South Donetsk. The enemy's losses include up to 160 Ukrainian servicemen, two armored fighting vehicles, four motor vehicles, and three Msta-B howitzers.

▪️ Russian Armed Forces have repelled an enemy attack in the Zaporozhye region. The enemy lost up to 145 Ukrainian servicemen, two tanks, three motor vehicles, and one UK-made Stormer HVM SAM system.

▪️ The Russian Army has repelled three attacks by Ukrainian assault groups in the LPR. The enemy losses included up to 70 Ukrainian servicemen, two armored fighting vehicles, two pick-up trucks, and one D-20 howitzer.

▪️ Russian Armed Forces have neutralized enemy manpower and hardware in the Kharkov region. The enemy lost up to 80 soldiers, two motor vehicles, and one D-30 howitzer.

▪️ Enemy losses in the Kherson region comprise up to 20 Ukrainian servicemen, three motor vehicles, two D-30 howitzers, as well as one Bukovel-AD anti-drone electronic warfare system.

▪️ Russia’s air defense facilities have intercepted three HIMARS and Olkha projectiles.

▪️ Some 467 airplanes, 248 helicopters, 6,628 unmanned aerial vehicles, 437 air defense missile systems, 11,779 tanks and other armored fighting vehicles, 1,149 fighting vehicles equipped with MLRS, 6,331 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 12,905 special military motor vehicles have been destroyed during the special military operation.

Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🇺🇸⚔️🇨🇳 US seeks to divide Indo-Pacific and use new alliances as 'proxies against China'

Washington’s goal is not to maintain stability in the Pacific region, as it often proclaims, but rather "to divide it against China," Brian Berletic, an ex-US Marine and independent geopolitical researcher and writer, told Sputnik.

The recent flurry of activity displayed by the United States with regard to Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, and, recently, Vietnam, is all geared to drum up alliances that would serve the purpose of “isolating and containing China,” he added.

👉Follow the link for more details