🇷🇺 Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken “ran away” from the OSCE Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Skopje because he was “afraid of an honest conversation with facts in hand.”

“I think they are cowards,” the minister said.

Blinken left Skopje for the Middle East before the Russian foreign minister had even arrived in the North Macedonian capital.

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💥 The Russian military destroyed a Ukrainian German-made tank Leopard 2A4 in the Rabotino area of the Zaporozhye region

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🇷🇺🌍 Russia launched free grain deliveries to African nations as part of a humanitarian initiative. The total commitment is 200,000 tons of grain by the end of 2023.

📊 Take a look at our infographic for more details about the Russian initiative

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“This [conflict] proves once again that the US will never leave West Asia. The region is absolutely essential for the empire, considering that the Americans are being slowly, but surely and very forcefully expelled from the big Eurasia by the Russia-China strategic partnership – by their trade deals, their multilateral organizations and economic integration projects. All that goes completely against American domination of Eurasia," Pepe Escobar, veteran geopolitical analyst, told the New Rules podcast.

👉 Why Israel-US war in Gaza is a war on multipolarity, Zelensky's growing desperation, and the battle for BRICS: You can find the full episode on Rumble

✅Definitely a must-watch!

🗣 "Our deputy PM visited Russia where Moscow granted us debt relief. We also requested the supply of 50,000 tons of grain. Today, we received the first consignment and we will urgently deliver this to people affected by the floods across different parts of the country, gibing the first priorities to most affected regions in coordination with the Somali Disaster Management Agency," Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, Somalian minister of interior, federal affairs and reconciliation, said.

"The Russian ambassador said his government is ready to help us in the peace building and security sector, particularly in the fight against armed group al-Shabab which is a global challenge as well as expanding already existing bilateral relations between our nations," Abdulrahman Noor Mohamed, official of the ministry of foreign affairs and international cooperation of Somalia, stated.

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COP28: Global leaders gather in Dubai to discuss climate change

Our AI correspondent Nika decided to use this opportunity to debunk some of the most popular ecoactivist myths about “green economics.” This is an episode that the World Economic Forum definitely doesn’t want you to watch!

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

▪️Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) losses amounted to 750 servicemen.

▪️Russian air defenses shot down a Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopter in the Kherson region.

▪️The Russian Armed Forces repelled six attacks by the UAF in the Donetsk direction.

▪️Russian air defenses shot down a Ukrainian MiG-29 aircraft in the Nikolaev region.

▪️The Russian Armed Forces hit a Ukrainian center for training and use of UAVs in the Zaporozhye region and an aviation ammunition warehouse in the Kirovograd region.

▪️The Russian Armed Forces repelled six attacks by Ukrainian assault groups in the areas of Rabotino and Verbovoye.

▪️Russian troops have repelled an attack by the Azov brigade in the Krasny Liman direction. The enemy lost up to 250 troops.

▪️The UAF lost up to 95 servicemen in the South Donetsk direction, as well as a US-made M777 artillery system.

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🇺🇸🇷🇺 The collapse of the legacy of former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who sought to improve Soviet-American relations, has led to trust between Washington and Moscow being completely absent today, Paul Craig Roberts, former assistant Treasury secretary, told Sputnik.

"The (Bill) Clinton administration broke its word, given by George W. Bush. The Bush administration said that in exchange for the USSR agreeing to the reunification of Germany, the US would not move NATO's borders one inch eastward. All subsequent US administrations have withdrawn from arms agreements that served for reducing tensions and forged bonds of trust between the nuclear superpowers," Roberts said.

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🪖The problem for Kiev’s fortification and bunker-based strategy is that it won’t alter the Russian military’s strategy, says Russian journalist, military correspondent, and political analyst Ivan Konovalov.

Russia’s military has amassed “considerable experience in overcoming” Ukraine’s fortifications, the observer told Sputnik.

“In some areas we broke through them, in others we maneuvered around them to save troops. But it must be recognized that this is an important issue, and that Kiev is stubbornly betting on [this tactic]. They pour concrete into virtually everything they can. I witnessed what they did in Mariupol, where they poured concrete in the third floor of a multi-story building to turn it into a solid bunker. They didn’t care that there were civilians hiding somewhere in the basements, they did it from the third floor. They strengthened pillboxes or grenade launchers this way, simply pouring concrete over the entire floor,” Konovalov said.

👉 Follow the link to learn more

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🫧 Living in a bubble: Zelensky can't believe West is done with him

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has outlived his usefulness for the West which is going to destroy him soon as the Ukraine conflict has not met their expectations, former Ukrainian diplomat and whistleblower Andrii Telizhenko told Sputnik's Backstory podcast.

"A year ago, I was told that there are talks happening in Washington that everything could be blamed on Zelensky if the war is going to be finished in Ukraine or if the war is going to be lost. The Zelensky government could be blamed because that's what's happening today."

Telizhenko added that Ukrainians shouldn't delude themselves into believing that their country would ever join NATO. The "NATO membership fairy tale" was used by the West to make Ukraine an "anti-Russia," the whistleblower said.

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A lethargic West shackled by “fatalism, complacency and a shocking lack of strategic vision” is why Ukraine is losing against Russia, The Economist has speculated.

Putin “looks as if he could win,” — that is the startling pronouncement made by the outlet. The reality that the botched counteroffensive and Kiev regime infighting, more than hints at this.

Putin is credited by the authors for having “procured military supplies” with foresight, forged strong ties with the Global South, which the West has alienated, and, most importantly, “undermining the conviction in the West” that Ukraine can emerge from the conflict victorious.

Stating the obvious, the magazine admitted that Ukraine’s counter-offensive has “stalled,” and predicts that next year Russia will be “in a stronger position to fight.” Russia’s military, it said, will have at its disposal more drones and artillery shells while its army has developed successful electronic-warfare tactics against some Ukrainian weapons.

👉Follow the link to learn more

🇰🇪🇬🇧 Activist speaks on nation's reaction to BATUK's refusal to face justice for atrocities in Kenyan court

"Yesterday, they filed another submission to the court in Kenya that they are not subject to the rules of Kenya, which is very very dangerous for Kenyans to have military operating in Kenya with impunity, killing our people, destroying our environment. It is quite irresponsible of the MoD UK to present such a scene in court, because the country currently is outraged," James Mwangi Macharia, executive chairman of the African Center for Corrective and Preventive Action, told Sputnik Africa.

The commander of the British Army Training Unit in Kenya (BATUK) earlier asked the High Court to dismiss a lawsuit filed by the family of Agnes Wanjiru, who was allegedly killed by one of his soldiers. He argued that Kenyan courts have no jurisdiction and that BATUK enjoys immunity from the British government.

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🇷🇺 Putin signed a decree establishing the authorized strength of the Russian Armed Forces at 2,209,130 people, including increasing the size of the army by 170,000 servicemen, up to 1,320,000 military personnel, the Kremlin said.

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🪖🇷🇺 Statement from the Russian Ministry of Defense:

▪️The increase in the number of military personnel in the Russian Armed Forces is being implemented in stages at the expense of citizens who express a desire to serve under a contract.

▪️The increase in the number of military personnel is due to the increase in threats to Russia associated with a special military operation and the ongoing expansion of NATO.

▪️An additional increase in the combat strength and strength of the Russian Armed Forces is an adequate response to the aggressive activities of NATO

▪️There are no plans to significantly increase connoscription for compulsory military service, and mobilization is not envisaged.

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

▪️The IDF said that it struck Hamas targets throughout the Gaza Strip, including in Khan Yunis and Rafah. In total, over 200 Hamas targets were attacked on Friday, the IDF stated.

▪️The death toll from Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip on Friday has exceeded 109, the enclave's Health Ministry said.

▪️Israel will agree to extend the ceasefire for another day if Palestinian movement Hamas releases ten hostages, Israel's Channel 12 reported, citing a government source.

▪️Israel’s artillery shelling killed two people in the south of Lebanon, the Arab country’s Al Manar broadcaster reported.

▪️The military wing of the Palestinian movement Hamas, Al Qassam Brigades said that it has launched rocket at Tel Aviv in response to civilian deaths in the Gaza Strip.

▪️Any acceptance of the Gaza children’s sacrifice would be tantamount to humanity giving up, United Nations Children’s Fund spokesperson James Elder said after Israel resumed military operations in the Gaza Strip.

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The wife of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky Elena admitted in The Economist podcast that she does not want her husband to be elected again for a new term.

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🪖 Why Zelensky's defense line is 'Mission Impossible'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's new defense line would require a lot of time and effort which the West is not eager to fund, Russian military expert and political analyst Ivan Konovalov told Sputnik.

"In the eyes of Biden, his administration and American Democrats in general, Ukraine's major task is to carry out offensive actions to create problems for Russia. They are not interested in Ukraine going on the defensive," Konovalov argued.

At the same time, Zelensky's plan is a clear acknowledgement that Ukraine is losing at this stage as it wraps up offensive and is preparing to go on the defensive, the military expert stressed.

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🇮🇱🇺🇸 Israel disregarded Washington's call to extend the humanitarian pause in Gaza since it knows the US would support Tel Aviv no matter what, Dr. Muhannad Alazzeh, former Jordan senator and international legal and human rights commissioned expert told Sputnik.

He pointed out that despite US Secretary Antony Blinken praising the truce during his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel resumed the operation the very next day.

"I think the main reason for Blinken's visit was to encourage Israel to adopt new military tactics before restarting the hostility; to avoid the US department more embarrassment due to its biased position," Alazzeh said, suggesting Washington gave a silent nod to a further bloodbath.

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🎙 Join AfroVerdict as the host joins two Cabinet Ministers from Sierra Leone to discuss sustainable development in Africa, challenges in the context of the changing global power shift and opportunities in cooperation with Russia.

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🇺🇸☢️ Scott Ritter: US pushing nuclear arms race 'can only have tragic ending’

The US has steadily fallen behind Russia and China in terms of strategic competition, while still insisting on pursuing conflict with both nations in an attempt to reassert its claimed superiority. That situation is ripe for producing a disastrous outcome, an analyst told Sputnik.

In early November, a scheduled test of an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) by the United States ended in failure as the Air Force was forced to prematurely self-destruct the missile in mid-flight. The Pentagon said it was “due to an anomaly” during the test.

👉 Follow the link to read the full Ritter's analysis

The Biden administration plans to impose visa bans on an undisclosed number of Israeli settlers who commit violence in the West Bank, US media reports.

Israeli settler behavior in the West Bank more than doubled after the October 7 Hamas attacks, but 2023 was already on track for a record number of violent incidents. From the beginning of the year through October 1, at least 750 Palestinian structures, homes and businesses were demolished to make way for more Israeli settlements and outposts.

In an op-ed attributed to US President Joe Biden and published by US media last month, Biden threatened to take action against Israeli settlers in the West Bank.

"I have made clear to Israeli leaders that extremist violence against Palestinians in the West Bank must stop and that those who perpetrate it must be held accountable. The United States is prepared to take our own steps, including imposing visa bans on extremists who attack civilians in the West Bank," Biden wrote.

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