Watch LIVE: Putin Arrives in Minsk For CSTO Collective Security Council Meeting

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🇮🇳 🇷🇺 Russia and India Held Joint Exercises in Bay of Bengal

During the exercise, an Indian Navy helicopter practised landing on the deck of a Russian ship, and artillery firing was conducted.

🤝 The purpose of the exercise was to comprehensively develop and strengthen cooperation in the naval field between Russia and India, jointly counter global threats and ensure the safety of civil navigation in the Asia-Pacific region.

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Watch LIVE: Vladimir Putin takes part in the CSTO Collective Security Council Meeting

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In recent weeks, there have been increasing rocket and drone attacks on US forces in Iraq and Syria, believed to be in response to US support for Tel Aviv during the Gaza conflict. Despite the ongoing turmoil, there are also claims that the Pentagon continues to engage in oil theft in Syria.

One reported incident involves a convoy of 50 oil-loaded trucks travelling into Iraq from Syria through the unauthorized Mahmoudiyah crossing. These trucks were reportedly heading towards US bases in northern Iraq.

The US troops stationed in Syria's oil-rich eastern regions have become frequent targets as regional tensions rise due to the conflict in Gaza. The Pentagon has acknowledged that its forces have been attacked 66 times in Syria and Iraq since October 17, resulting in over 60 injuries. This count does not even include the additional injuries caused by a recent missile strike on Iraq's Al-Asad airbase.

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❗️ Latest statements by the Gaza Ministry of Health Spokesman, Ashraf Al-Qidra:

▪️ The occupiers treated medical personnel and patients with cruelty and arrested the director of the Shifa medical complex;

▪️ The Israeli occupation and the United Nations are responsible for the arrest of medical personnel;

▪️ For this reason, we have decided to stop cooperating with the WHO on the evacuation of the wounded and medical teams until the director and other doctors are released.

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🇺🇸 “I don’t know that Ukraine can survive until February of 2024,” Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said.

This quote appears in a Politico article about funding problems in the White House.

“My sense is they start to run short on ammunition in the next several weeks,” the senator is quoted as saying.

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🇮🇳 ✨ Indian Army's Makeover (or Tankover?)

The Indian Army is undertaking a major refurbishment of its T-72 Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) to extend their service life. India boasts a massive fleet of over 2,400 T-72 tanks since the late 1970s.

🪖 Approximately 1,300 of these tanks were produced under license in India. The current initiative focuses on modernizing these tanks to ensure they remain effective against evolving threats.

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The IDF warned Gaza Strip residents to leave their homes and move to a humanitarian zone in the south of the enclave.

“Residents of Gaza City, especially the Old City areas of Jabaliya and Shujaiya, we call on you to immediately leave your residential areas to maintain your safety, via the Salah al-Din road before 16:00,” the IDF said.

The message was published after information appeared in the media about the postponement of the hostage exchange.

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Right-wing sentiment is on the rise in Europe due to factors like ‘Ukraine fatigue,’ a raging migrant crisis, and economic woes plaguing the EU

🇳🇱 Firebrand Dutch politician Geert Wilders, known for his stalwart anti-EU and anti-immigrant sentiments, in addition to seeking an end to Ukraine aid, is the latest right-wing politician to ride to victory on a wave of popular discontent.

🇫🇷 In France, Marine Le Pen's party recently topped an IFOP poll for next year's European elections, securing a comfortable lead over President Emmanuel Macron's Renaissance.

🇮🇹 Italy witnessed the right-wing Brothers of Italy party, led by Giorgia Meloni, coming to power last year.

🇩🇪 In Germany, the right-wing Alternative for Deutschland boasts more support than any of the parties in Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s beleaguered coalition.

🇸🇰 Slovakia joined the growing trend of right-wing parties, as illustrated by the victory of Robert Fico, an anti-EU politician, in the country's parliamentary elections. Since assuming the role of Prime Minister, Fico has terminated Slovak military aid to Ukraine.

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Germany may prioritize lifeline for embattled businesses over Ukraine aid

Berlin will need to decide between giving priority to boosting Europe’s collective defense and directing more aid to the Kiev regime, or “cushioning the impact of surging energy prices and inflation on businesses and households,” WSJ reported.

German Finance Minister Christian Lindner announced a freeze on public spending for the rest of the year on Monday in the wake of a court ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court, which bans repurposing of COVID emergency funds towards other projects.

The impact of this move may impact Berlin’s ability to continue funneling money to Ukraine.

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🇷🇺 Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Thursday operation Mercenary which is being conducted to combat terrorism, adding that cooperation of special services of CSTO countries continues.

"Cooperation between the special services and law enforcement agencies has been consistently strengthened. In particular, the CSTO operation Mercenary, aimed at suppressing recruitment and blocking the channels of departure of citizens of our countries to participate in the activities of international terrorist groups, has continued," Putin stated at a meeting of the CSTO Collective Security Council in Minsk.

The Kremlin said ahead of Putin's visit that the CSTO leaders would pay special attention to improving the security alliance's crisis response mechanisms, developing its peacekeeping forces and expanding the range of partnerships.

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🇷🇺🪖 Key points of Russian MoD briefing on progress of special military op in Ukraine:

▪️ The Russian Armed Forces repelled an attack by Ukrainian assault groups in the Kupyansk direction;

▪️ Russian air defense systems shot down a Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopter in the Kherson region;

▪️ The Russian Armed Forces repelled two attacks by Ukrainian assault groups in the Donetsk direction, enemy losses amounted to up to 280 military personnel;

▪️ The Russian army repelled four attacks by Ukrainian assault groups in the Rabotin area in the Zaporozhye direction;

▪️ Russian troops defeated two Ukrainian brigades in the areas of Novomikhailovka and Priyutny settlements, the enemy lost up to 140 military personnel;

▪️ The Russian Armed Forces hit a Ukrainian aviation ammunition warehouse and a communications center at an airfield in the Khmelnitsky region;

▪️ Russian air defense systems intercepted eight HIMARS shells and destroyed 24 Ukrainian drones;

▪️ Russian troops in the Kherson direction destroyed up to 50 Ukrainian soldiers and hit two Ukrainian Msta-B howitzers.

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⚡️A humanitarian truce in the Gaza Strip will begin on Friday at 7 a.m. the Qatari Foreign Ministry said.

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