🇪🇨 What's behind the spike in gang violence across Ecuador?
The diminished role of the state opened the door to criminal groups, which filled the gaps left by the government, according to him.
Over the past several days Ecuador has seen a spike in violence after leaders of two powerful gangs, Adolfo Macias, also known as Fito, and Fabricio Colon Pico, alias the Savage, escaped from prison.
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"From the government of Lenin Moreno, continuing with the government of the banker Guillermo Lasso and the government of the young businessman Daniel Noboa, [Ecuadorian] authorities maintain a common trend that has to do with the shrinking role of the state in social matters," Jorge Paladines, an academic at the Central University of Ecuador and a teacher in law and political science, told Sputnik Mundo.
The diminished role of the state opened the door to criminal groups, which filled the gaps left by the government, according to him.
Over the past several days Ecuador has seen a spike in violence after leaders of two powerful gangs, Adolfo Macias, also known as Fito, and Fabricio Colon Pico, alias the Savage, escaped from prison.
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🇯🇵 Backlash in Japan as сitizens question Tokyo's $37 million aid to Ukraine amidst urgent domestic needs
Japanese citizens fuming with discontent over Tokyo’s decision to allocate 5.4 billion JPY ($37 million) in aid for Ukraine, calling it inappropriate as Japan is combatting damage by a major earthquake.
Another wrote:
There is a significant change in Japanese attitudes, as many reassess support to Kiev after Ukraine’s recent failures on the battlefield, according to Professor Yakov Zinberg from Kokushikan University in Tokyo.
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Japanese citizens fuming with discontent over Tokyo’s decision to allocate 5.4 billion JPY ($37 million) in aid for Ukraine, calling it inappropriate as Japan is combatting damage by a major earthquake.
"Why allocate 5.4 billion yen to Ukraine when our own quake victims in Noto await assistance? Does the Kishida administration prioritize Ukraine over its own people?" a user said.
Another wrote:
“Nowadays, I think it's out of place for the Prime Minister and ministers to travel abroad and provide large sums of aid wherever they go, rather than the Noto Earthquake disaster countermeasure budget.”
There is a significant change in Japanese attitudes, as many reassess support to Kiev after Ukraine’s recent failures on the battlefield, according to Professor Yakov Zinberg from Kokushikan University in Tokyo.
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🇵🇱 Kiev faces embargo fallout: Poland against extending duty-free trade with Ukraine
Poland's new Agriculture Minister, Czeslaw Sekerski, has taken a strong stance against extending duty-free trade with Ukraine, citing "unintended consequences" of full trade liberalization that have led to increased imports of Ukrainian grain and other products.
In a letter to the European Commissioner for Trade, Sekerski insisted on “aligning Ukrainian products with EU standards.”
Polish-Ukrainian relations have significantly deteriorated due to an embargo on Ukrainian grain. This has triggered unilateral extensions of the ban by Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary, leading to a complaint by Ukraine to the WTO and a boycott of the coordination platform meetings.
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Poland's new Agriculture Minister, Czeslaw Sekerski, has taken a strong stance against extending duty-free trade with Ukraine, citing "unintended consequences" of full trade liberalization that have led to increased imports of Ukrainian grain and other products.
In a letter to the European Commissioner for Trade, Sekerski insisted on “aligning Ukrainian products with EU standards.”
Polish-Ukrainian relations have significantly deteriorated due to an embargo on Ukrainian grain. This has triggered unilateral extensions of the ban by Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary, leading to a complaint by Ukraine to the WTO and a boycott of the coordination platform meetings.
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NATO is dead and if Europe comes under attack, the US will not defend it, Donald Trump said — according to a EU Commissioner Thierry Breton
Breton revealed a 2020 private warning from Donald Trump, stating the US would not assist Europe in a military attack. Trump bluntly said: "If Europe is under attack, we will never come to help you," adding: "By the way, NATO is dead, and we will quit NATO."
Breton's revelation to the European Parliament underscores unease about Trump's potential return to power, heightening concerns for Europe's security. Breton, the EU commissioner for the internal market, urged self-reliance amid geopolitical tensions.
Breton's response? A call for a formidable €100 billion fund dedicated to EU arms production.All that's left is to find the money.
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Breton revealed a 2020 private warning from Donald Trump, stating the US would not assist Europe in a military attack. Trump bluntly said: "If Europe is under attack, we will never come to help you," adding: "By the way, NATO is dead, and we will quit NATO."
Breton's revelation to the European Parliament underscores unease about Trump's potential return to power, heightening concerns for Europe's security. Breton, the EU commissioner for the internal market, urged self-reliance amid geopolitical tensions.
Breton's response? A call for a formidable €100 billion fund dedicated to EU arms production.
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A German farmer explains to the reporter in English the purpose of the ongoing strikes by farmers in Germany, now entering their third day.
This morning in Germany, besides the roads, practically all railway transportation came to a halt. The railway strike will conclude Saturday morning.
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"We are tired of lies. We, the farmers, have been working tirelessly for generations. We work around the clock, and we are the ones putting food on your plates! [...] We have all united to get rid of politicians who are trying to get rid of us!"
A German farmer explains to the reporter in English the purpose of the ongoing strikes by farmers in Germany, now entering their third day.
This morning in Germany, besides the roads, practically all railway transportation came to a halt. The railway strike will conclude Saturday morning.
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Ukrainian hospitals flooded with severely injured soldiers
ABC News has reported a 30% surge in severely wounded Ukrainian soldiers at a Dnepropetrovsk hospital.
Dr. Sergey Ryzhenko, chief physician at Mechnikov Hospital, revealed that the facility, located just hours away from the frontline, receives 40 to 100 severely injured soldiers daily, conducting 50 to 100 surgeries every day.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu disclosed that Ukraine had lost over 215,000 troops over the past year.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently announced a plea from the General Staff to mobilize an additional half million people, resulting in a swift legislative proposal.
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ABC News has reported a 30% surge in severely wounded Ukrainian soldiers at a Dnepropetrovsk hospital.
Dr. Sergey Ryzhenko, chief physician at Mechnikov Hospital, revealed that the facility, located just hours away from the frontline, receives 40 to 100 severely injured soldiers daily, conducting 50 to 100 surgeries every day.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu disclosed that Ukraine had lost over 215,000 troops over the past year.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently announced a plea from the General Staff to mobilize an additional half million people, resulting in a swift legislative proposal.
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Ukraine blame game intensifies
Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson denied responsibility for sabotaging peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in April 2022, insisting that the accusation is “total nonsense and Russian propaganda.”
What Johnson conveniently omitted is that senior Ukrainian politicians are the ones publicly blaming him for prolonging the conflict. Last November, the leader of Zelensky’s Servant of the People party, David Arakhamia, revealed that when Johnson visited Kiev in April 2022, he told Ukrainian officials that “we should not sign anything with the Russians and 'let’s just fight.'”
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Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson denied responsibility for sabotaging peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in April 2022, insisting that the accusation is “total nonsense and Russian propaganda.”
What Johnson conveniently omitted is that senior Ukrainian politicians are the ones publicly blaming him for prolonging the conflict. Last November, the leader of Zelensky’s Servant of the People party, David Arakhamia, revealed that when Johnson visited Kiev in April 2022, he told Ukrainian officials that “we should not sign anything with the Russians and 'let’s just fight.'”
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🇪🇸 History made in Spain as parliamentarian with Down's syndrome takes office
Mar Galcerán joined Spain’s People’s Party at 18, and now the 45-year-old made it to the 20th spot on the list of candidates for Valencia’s regional elections.
According to Spain’s Down’s syndrome federation, Garcerán’s case may be the first ever — at least in Europe.
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Mar Galcerán joined Spain’s People’s Party at 18, and now the 45-year-old made it to the 20th spot on the list of candidates for Valencia’s regional elections.
According to Spain’s Down’s syndrome federation, Garcerán’s case may be the first ever — at least in Europe.
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"If the Senate does not approve more aid to Ukraine, the war – which is already trending in Russia’s direction – could a month from now dramatically shift in Russia’s favor," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer stated.
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US risks to bring new tensions with China over Taiwan, as sources say Biden plans to send a high-level delegation to the island after local elections, reports Financial Times.
The delegation is reportedly expected to include former US deputy secretary of state James Steinberg and former National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley.
Experts and former officials consider it a poor and risky idea, the newspaper notes. For example, an unnamed former US official said Biden's decision to send a delegation to Taiwan immediately after the election was dangerous and could lead to undesirable consequences.
Previously, US House Speaker Pelosi's 2022 trip to Taiwan sparked a scandal and China responded with a large-scale military drill.
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The delegation is reportedly expected to include former US deputy secretary of state James Steinberg and former National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley.
Experts and former officials consider it a poor and risky idea, the newspaper notes. For example, an unnamed former US official said Biden's decision to send a delegation to Taiwan immediately after the election was dangerous and could lead to undesirable consequences.
"Sending such a high-level delegation looks like a bear hug to Taipei, giving Beijing cover to overreact", the former official pointed out.
Previously, US House Speaker Pelosi's 2022 trip to Taiwan sparked a scandal and China responded with a large-scale military drill.
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🇮🇱🇵🇸 Latest updates on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict:
▪️Israeli company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems said on Wednesday that together with the country's defense ministry it had successfully tested a new all-in-one configuration of the Spyder air defense system in which numerous components of the missile complex are integrated on a single wheeled platform.
▪️US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday accused Iran of supporting the attacks by Yemen's Houthis on vessels in the Red Sea by providing them the necessary equipment, intelligence and other support.
▪️Death toll from Israeli strike on ambulance in Gaza rises to 6 – Palestinian Red Crescent.
▪️US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas discussed humanitarian issues related to the ongoing Gaza war, administrative reforms in the Palestinian Authority and Palestinian tax revenues collected by Israel, the State Department said.
▪️Reported incidents of anti-Semitism across the United States soared by 360% to unprecedented levels in the three months following the October 7 Hamas massacre of 1,400 Israelis which was immediately followed by the Israeli invasion and bombardment of Gaza which has so far killed more than 12,000 civilians, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) said according to an NBC News report.
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▪️Israeli company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems said on Wednesday that together with the country's defense ministry it had successfully tested a new all-in-one configuration of the Spyder air defense system in which numerous components of the missile complex are integrated on a single wheeled platform.
▪️US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday accused Iran of supporting the attacks by Yemen's Houthis on vessels in the Red Sea by providing them the necessary equipment, intelligence and other support.
▪️Death toll from Israeli strike on ambulance in Gaza rises to 6 – Palestinian Red Crescent.
▪️US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas discussed humanitarian issues related to the ongoing Gaza war, administrative reforms in the Palestinian Authority and Palestinian tax revenues collected by Israel, the State Department said.
▪️Reported incidents of anti-Semitism across the United States soared by 360% to unprecedented levels in the three months following the October 7 Hamas massacre of 1,400 Israelis which was immediately followed by the Israeli invasion and bombardment of Gaza which has so far killed more than 12,000 civilians, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) said according to an NBC News report.
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🇷🇺🇧🇷 Russia-Brazil trade saw a remarkable increase in December 2023, soaring to $1.6 billion, marking a historic high, according to Brazil's Secretariat of Foreign Trade.
Brazil's imports from Russia surged to a record $1.5 billion by the end of 2023 — the highest in modern history, primarily driven by 1.5 million tons of petroleum, which amounted to $1.14 billion.
The official data shows that between January and August 2023, Russia accounted for 35.6 percent of Brazil's diesel imports by value and 40.6 percent by volume. During this period, Brazil's diesel imports from Russia grew to $2.11 billion, marking a significant rise from the prior year's $18 million and outpacing the $1.83 billion from the US.
The 1.5 million tons of petroleum supplied by Moscow makes Russia Brazil's number one diesel importer. The United States came next, supplying 413.5 thousand tons of fuel to the Latin American nation, while the Netherlands was third with 108.6 thousand tons.
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Brazil's imports from Russia surged to a record $1.5 billion by the end of 2023 — the highest in modern history, primarily driven by 1.5 million tons of petroleum, which amounted to $1.14 billion.
The official data shows that between January and August 2023, Russia accounted for 35.6 percent of Brazil's diesel imports by value and 40.6 percent by volume. During this period, Brazil's diesel imports from Russia grew to $2.11 billion, marking a significant rise from the prior year's $18 million and outpacing the $1.83 billion from the US.
The 1.5 million tons of petroleum supplied by Moscow makes Russia Brazil's number one diesel importer. The United States came next, supplying 413.5 thousand tons of fuel to the Latin American nation, while the Netherlands was third with 108.6 thousand tons.
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Weapons which will expand Russia’s lead over NATO in 2024
The Russian military’s modernization shows no signs of slowing down, with the Armed Forces set to receive weapons which proved themselves on the battlefield in the proxy war in Ukraine, plus strategic arms meant to prevent the current crisis from escalating to World War III.
“When we’re talking about conventional weapons types, today the focus has been toward a gradual shift to high-precision weapons,” military analyst Alexey Leonkov told Sputnik, pointing to the delivery of new systems like the Koalitsiya-SV and Malva self-propelled guns to the ground forces, and the overhaul of tank platforms.
Other areas to watch for include new radio-electronic warfare and communications equipment, the fielding of Kinzhal, Zircon, Kalibr and Onyx missiles by the Aerospace Defense Force and Navy, and upgrades to the nuclear triad through Sarmat and Yars ICBMs, Tu-160 bombers and Borei subs, Leonkov said.
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The Russian military’s modernization shows no signs of slowing down, with the Armed Forces set to receive weapons which proved themselves on the battlefield in the proxy war in Ukraine, plus strategic arms meant to prevent the current crisis from escalating to World War III.
“When we’re talking about conventional weapons types, today the focus has been toward a gradual shift to high-precision weapons,” military analyst Alexey Leonkov told Sputnik, pointing to the delivery of new systems like the Koalitsiya-SV and Malva self-propelled guns to the ground forces, and the overhaul of tank platforms.
Other areas to watch for include new radio-electronic warfare and communications equipment, the fielding of Kinzhal, Zircon, Kalibr and Onyx missiles by the Aerospace Defense Force and Navy, and upgrades to the nuclear triad through Sarmat and Yars ICBMs, Tu-160 bombers and Borei subs, Leonkov said.
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🇺🇸 House Judiciary Committee has approved a draft resolution to prosecute Hunter Biden for contempt of Congress
The initiative now faces a vote of the full House, and if approved, federal prosecutors will have to decide whether to bring charges against Biden Jr.
Earlier today Hunter Biden came to the Capitol attending the House Oversight and Accountability Committee hearing, where Rep. Nancy Mace criticized him for his apparent lack of respect for legal processes.
Eventually Biden Jr. ultimately departed the House committee meeting just as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green (R-GA) took the floor.
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The initiative now faces a vote of the full House, and if approved, federal prosecutors will have to decide whether to bring charges against Biden Jr.
Earlier today Hunter Biden came to the Capitol attending the House Oversight and Accountability Committee hearing, where Rep. Nancy Mace criticized him for his apparent lack of respect for legal processes.
"Hunter Biden broke the law. He did so deliberately, you did so flagrantly, you showed up on the hill on the Senate side the day of that congressional subpoena to defy it and spit in the face of this committee... You’re here for a political stunt. This is just a... game you are playing with the American people. You’re playing with the truth," said Mace.
Eventually Biden Jr. ultimately departed the House committee meeting just as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green (R-GA) took the floor.
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Chris Christie officially suspends campaign for 2024 US Election
Christie said he suspended his campaign because there is no "clear path" for him to win the Republican nomination in the US presidential election.
Former President Donald Trump still holds an overwhelming lead over his Republican colleagues in the run for the party's nomination, according to various polls.
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Christie said he suspended his campaign because there is no "clear path" for him to win the Republican nomination in the US presidential election.
Former President Donald Trump still holds an overwhelming lead over his Republican colleagues in the run for the party's nomination, according to various polls.
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Sputnik International
US risks to bring new tensions with China over Taiwan, as sources say Biden plans to send a high-level delegation to the island after local elections, reports Financial Times. The delegation is reportedly expected to include former US deputy secretary of…
The White House has confirmed plans to send a delegation of former US officials to Taiwan after regional elections, but the timing and participants have yet to be determined.
Following the White House statement the Chinese Embassy told Sputnik that China opposes Biden's plan and urges the US to avoid sending wrong signals to “Taiwan independence” separatist forces and refrain from interfering in elections in the Taiwan region in any form.
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Following the White House statement the Chinese Embassy told Sputnik that China opposes Biden's plan and urges the US to avoid sending wrong signals to “Taiwan independence” separatist forces and refrain from interfering in elections in the Taiwan region in any form.
"Taiwan is an integral part of China. China strongly opposes the US having any official contact with the Taiwanese region", stated the Embassy.
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Liberated Ecuadorian hostage: 'It was like a horror movie'
"We will never be able to describe how we felt in those moments. Describing this is like watching a horror movie…" one of the employees of the Ecuadorian TV channel TC Televisión, who was held hostage by armed thugs in Guayaquil, told Sputnik Mundo.
During a live news broadcast by TC Television on Tuesday, several masked men entered the set claiming that they were carrying "bombs", as violence continues to engulf Ecuador following gang leader Adolfo Macias' escape from La Regional prison on Sunday.
President Daniel Noboa has declared a state of emergency across Ecuador, but the unrest has yet to be curbed.
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"We will never be able to describe how we felt in those moments. Describing this is like watching a horror movie…" one of the employees of the Ecuadorian TV channel TC Televisión, who was held hostage by armed thugs in Guayaquil, told Sputnik Mundo.
During a live news broadcast by TC Television on Tuesday, several masked men entered the set claiming that they were carrying "bombs", as violence continues to engulf Ecuador following gang leader Adolfo Macias' escape from La Regional prison on Sunday.
"One repeated: 'I want to kill them.' The other one said: 'Bring iron,' which meant weapons. We heard the clang of knives and machete blades. Suddenly a voice said: 'Bring explosives, do you have bombs?' And a response: 'Yes, there are explosives, bring them to blow up these ***'," the employee recalled.
President Daniel Noboa has declared a state of emergency across Ecuador, but the unrest has yet to be curbed.
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🇺🇸🇬🇷 US slapped Greece with ‘ultimatum’ over Ukraine aid, reports say
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken tried to force Greece into shipping new weapon systems to Ukraine during his last visit to Athens, Greek media outlets claim.
PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis was reportedly given just a few days to comply with this 'extortion', national media reported.
"Greece has already given everything, it has breached national defense, especially on the islands, in order to support Ukraine with defense material," wrote the publications.
"What exactly does Blinken want us to send to [Ukraine’s President] Zelensky, who is collapsing on all fronts?"
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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken tried to force Greece into shipping new weapon systems to Ukraine during his last visit to Athens, Greek media outlets claim.
PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis was reportedly given just a few days to comply with this 'extortion', national media reported.
"Greece has already given everything, it has breached national defense, especially on the islands, in order to support Ukraine with defense material," wrote the publications.
"What exactly does Blinken want us to send to [Ukraine’s President] Zelensky, who is collapsing on all fronts?"
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🛢 The US resumed imports of Russian oil in autumn as $2.7 million worth of oil was imported in October and another $750,000 worth in November, Sputnik calculated using US customs data.
At the same time, one barrel of Russian oil cost the United States $74 in October and $76 in November. This is significantly higher than the "price cap" set by the country at $60 per barrel.
US in March 2022 imposed a ban on oil and other energy imports from Russia as part of a new round of sanctions.
At the same time, one barrel of Russian oil cost the United States $74 in October and $76 in November. This is significantly higher than the "price cap" set by the country at $60 per barrel.
US in March 2022 imposed a ban on oil and other energy imports from Russia as part of a new round of sanctions.
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Donald Trump called Russian and Chinese leaders Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping very smart people.
Earlier, Trump said he had a good relationship with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and the conflict in Ukraine could have been avoided if he had been the US president.
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"He [incumbent US President Joe Biden] can't put two sentences together. And he's representing us on nuclear weapons with Putin and Xi and all of these very smart people. Media hates when I say they're smart, but let me tell you, they're very smart and they're very cunning," he said on 10 January speaking to supporters in Iowa.
Earlier, Trump said he had a good relationship with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and the conflict in Ukraine could have been avoided if he had been the US president.
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❗️ Russian air defence systems have intercepted Ukrainian drones over Rostov, Tula and Kaluga regions, said the Defence Ministry.
Additionally, a drone has exploded over a technical structure of a pumping station on the outskirts of the Russian city of Kaluga, the building was damaged, there were no fires or casualties, said Kaluga Region Governor Vladislav Shapsha.
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Additionally, a drone has exploded over a technical structure of a pumping station on the outskirts of the Russian city of Kaluga, the building was damaged, there were no fires or casualties, said Kaluga Region Governor Vladislav Shapsha.
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