🇰🇷🇺🇸 South Korean navy chief Adm. Yang Yong-mo urged his US counterpart Adm. Lisa Franchetti on Friday to further enhance the countries' cooperation in defense amid alleged security threats posed by North Korea.

Yang and Franchetti met for talks aboard the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier at a naval base in Busan, 320 kilometers (199 miles) southeast of Seoul, South Korean news agency Yonhap reported.

"Amidst a grave security situation where North Korea's nuclear and missile threats are advancing, let's upgrade the South Korea-U.S. combined defense posture to another level by closely working together based on the ties built between our navies," Yang was quoted as saying by Yonhap.

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❗️Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed to discuss the use of Russian experience in the field of artificial intelligence within the BRICS framework next year

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

▪️In Donetsk, Russian forces repelled 22 attacks by Ukrainian troops during the week. Ukrainian losses amounted to more than 1,680 soldiers;

▪️In Krasny Liman, the Russian army repelled 10 attacks by Ukrainian forces. Ukrainian losses amounted to more than 740 fighters and 24 pieces of equipment;

▪️ In the Kupyansk region, Russian troops repelled 13 attacks by Ukrainian servicemen in one week; Ukrainian losses amounted to 305 servicemen;

▪️ In the Kherson region, Russian troops captured 39 Ukrainian soldiers in one week. Ukrainian losses amounted to 405 servicemen;

▪️ In Zaporozhye, Russian forces repelled 11 attacks of Ukrainian troops in the areas of Rabotino settlements last week. Ukrainian losses amounted to 435 servicemen and three tanks;

▪️ In the Black Sea, the Russian Black Sea Fleet destroyed 12 unmanned boats of Ukrainian forces during the week;

▪️During the week, 176 drones, one MiG-29 aircraft and one Mi-8 helicopter were destroyed.

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🇷🇺🗣 Vladimir Putin’s recent comments made during the Artificial Intelligence Journey 2023 international conference:

▪️Putin compared artificial intelligence to nuclear technologies and emphasized the need to establish international rules governing its development and use;

▪️Speaking about friendly nations’ access to Russian developments in the field of AI, Putin stated that the technological world of the future should be multipolar;

▪️In this era of technological revolution, preserving national identity relies primarily on cultural and spiritual heritage;

▪️Some Western search engines are biased and “cancel” Russian culture;

▪️We must think about how a person will feel among machines.

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🇷🇺The Russian soldiers are settling down in the Krasny Liman region before winter

They equip dugouts, make stoves and read letters from compatriots with wishes to return home as soon as possible.

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🗣 Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov rubbished the Washington Post's claim of an alleged Russian plan to construct a tunnel beneath the Crimean Bridge, castigating it as utterly nonsensical and not worthy of any response whatsoever.

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President Joe Biden's approach to the Israel-Hamas conflict carries significant political consequences, according to Democratic strategists interviewed by an American media outlet.

They cautioned that the disappointment among younger Democrats and minority voters over the Gaza crisis could negatively impact the Democratic Party's voter turnout in the upcoming 2024 US presidential election. Tad Devine, a Democratic strategist, referred to the situation as a "real issue" given that a substantial portion of Biden's support base is “upset substantively” over the Israel-Hamas conflict.

An NBC News poll conducted by Hart Research Associates and Public Opinion Strategies has revealed that about 70% of voters aged 18 to 34 disapprove of Biden’s handling of the IDF-Hamas armed standoff.

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🗣 Is the West Preparing to Dump Netanyahu?

"They say Netanyahu must go, that his days are numbered, and that he is not the best candidate or the prime minister to lead any sort of peace process in the region or lead the war effort in the Gaza Strip. This is, in my opinion, not a coincidence amd they are trying to get rid of Netanyahu and replace him with what they call a 'more moderate' prime minister. And I think Netanyahu will be replaced very soon," Kevork Almassian, founder of Syriana Analysis, told Sputnik.

👉 Watch the full episode of our show on Rumble

🎧 Listen to more of Almassian’s analysis in our podcast New Rules

US and Germany leaders have devised a covert plan, suggesting that Zelensky must acknowledge that the current situation cannot go on like this, since it is unsustainable, according to a government insider who spoke to BILD.

Eventually, Ukraine will have to sit down at the negotiating table, since it is incapable of reclaiming the territories that joined Russia.

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Gazans understand that the war will return in 4 days, Shehab Younis, Palestinian journalist from the Gaza Strip, told Sputnik, commenting on the temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas

"The ceasefire actually came into effect at 7 a.m. The Israeli army stopped shooting, all reconnaissance and military aircraft stopped appearing in the skies over the enclave. Some people were even able to return to their homes, at least to see what was left. Some of them began pulling out the bodies of murdered relatives from under the rubble.

Today, nearly two hundred trucks carrying humanitarian aid have entered through the Rafah checkpoint. We hope that many more will enter in the coming days.

However, markets have begun to reopen as people try to stock up during the ceasefire. We also understand that the war will return in 4 days. And those who have enough time and money to make the necessary supplies will feel a little more comfortable - this is life in the Gaza Strip right now".

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❗️Red Cross confirms release of first group of 24 hostages from Gaza Strip

A video, which has recently surfaced on social networks, supposedly captures the moment when Hamas handed over the hostages to the Red Cross and their subsequent journey towards the Rafah checkpoint.

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The intensity of Ukrainian artillery fire has noticeably decreased, which could indicate potential challenges with their ammunition reserves, according to reports from Russian combatants.

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🇷🇺 Iskander-M's new double strike tactic catches ‘Ukrainian soldiers off guard’

Recent reports shed light on the unique utilization of the missile complex, involving the simultaneous launch of multiple missiles at a designated target. What sets this tactic apart is the subsequent follow-up strike, executed after a calculated interval.

A vivid instance took place recently when a Ukrainian Armed Forces base in the Zaporozhye region was completely destroyed. Initially, two missiles were fired, followed by a precisely timed "control" projectile. This secondary strike occurred when Ukrainian soldiers had congregated at the point of impact, leading to further casualties among them.

The strategic shift took the Ukrainian forces by surprise, disrupting their accustomed response to solitary missile attacks, as observed by Western media outlets analyzing the novel approach adopted by Russian missile operators.

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New Tactical Symbols Spotted on Russian Military Vehicles

Reports reveal the addition of an inverted triangle to the existing Z, V, and O symbols on Russian military equipment. What does this new tactical symbol mean? Sputnik asked the experts, and here is what they had to say:

▪️ "These symbols are used for troop management and attachment to certain groupings," said Igor Korotchenko, a military analyst and editor-in-chief of National Defense magazine.

▪️ "This is a common internal practice in armies worldwide for markings," noted Ivan Konovalov, a military expert and political analyst.

▪️ "The British had a similar designation symbol. It is simply for differentiation. There is no need for sensationalism," said Alexey Borzenko, a military journalist and deputy editor-in-chief of "Literary Russia" newspaper.

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📹 Israeli hostages are transported in Red Cross vehicles from Gaza towards the Rafah checkpoint.

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The recovery and disposal of WWII chemical weapons from the bottom of the Baltic Sea, unilaterally planned by Western powers, may have dire consequences for the region, the Russian Foreign Ministry warns.

Earlier this year, Germany announced the launch of a program to retrieve and dispose of chemical munitions from the North and Baltic Seas. Currently, the EU is seeking to enlist other countries to participate in a similar initiative.

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🇮🇱🇵🇸 Latest updates on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict:

▪️Red Cross confirms the release of 24 hostages from the Gaza Strip.

▪️According to an IDF spokesman speaking to Sputnik, the Israeli military plans to utilize the pause in Gaza to prepare for future military operations.

▪️Two residents of Gaza were killed and several injured, according to reports, when they attempted to return to their homes in the north of the enclave, as Israeli soldiers opened fire.

▪️The IDF has announced that they will resume fighting once the truce comes to an end.

▪️The Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement declared its intention to compel Israel to carry out an 'all for all' exchange.

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BBC journalists accused broadcaster of bias and double standards in covering the escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, saying that more attention is paid to the victims among Israelis, Al Jazeera reported citing the company's employees.

🗣"The BBC has failed to accurately tell this story – through omission and lack of critical engagement with Israel’s claims – and it has therefore failed to help the public engage with and understand the human rights abuses unfolding in Gaza… Thousands of Palestinians have been killed since October 7. When will the number be high enough for our editorial stance to change?", quoted the channel as saying it had received a letter from eight British journalists working for the BBC who wished to remain anonymous.

The journalists who signed the letter wrote that the words "massacre" and "atrocity" could only be used on the HAMAS actions, which they said made it appear as if the group was the only source of violence in the region.

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⚡️ The conflict could have ended as early as spring 2022 if Ukraine had agreed to neutrality, said Davyd Arakhamia, the head of Zelensky’s Servant of the People party.

He added that Russia needed a commitment from Kiev not to join NATO. Ukraine did not agree, since at least, it would have required changing the constitution, Arakhamia said.

Answering the question about why Ukraine refused to agree to Russia’s conditions, Arakhamia replied that this decision was also influenced by the British Prime Minister. “Moreover, when we returned from Istanbul, Boris Johnson came to Kiev and said that we would not sign anything with them at all. And “let’s just fight,” he said.

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🇺🇸 USAF sending F-35s to Okinawa for future fight with China, according to a former US Marine

The US military presence on the Japanese island of Okinawa has long been controversial, with servicemen escaping punishment for numerous crimes. Geopolitical analyst Brian Berletic said the Pentagon was ramping up its presence there as it saw the window of opportunity to contain China was closing.

A fresh batch of US Air Force (USAF) F-35 stealth strike fighters arrived at Kadena Air Base on the Japanese island of Okinawa early this week, to replace ageing F-15 interceptors based there.

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Ukraine has come face-to-face with the hard reality of a deficit of 155-mm caliber shells after the beginning of Israel's ground operation in the Gaza Strip.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky complained to the Western press that deliveries of 155 mm caliber projectiles from NATO had decreased since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

🗣 "They really slowed down," the Ukrainian president said. "It's not like the US said: We don't give Ukraine any. No! It's just that everyone is fighting for [stockpiles] themselves."

US publications cite Ukrainian officials as saying that the supply of artillery shells have recently plummeted by "by more than 30%". For their part US defense officials argue that the reduction in ammo deliveries has "absolutely nothing to do with what's happening in Gaza."

How long can Ukraine hold on? Check out Sputnik's article to find out

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