A decree from Volodymyr Zelensky’s on the dismissal of Valery Zaluzhny as commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces is expected by the end of this week, CNN reports, citing sources.

The Financial Times previously reported, citing people familiar with the situation, that Zelensky had informed Zaluzhny about his dismissal.

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The US struck 10 drones that were preparing to launch in Yemen, CBS reported, citing a Bahraini Defense Ministry source.

The strike was carried out by F-18 fighter jets, the report added.

Earlier, US destroyer the USS Gravely shot down a Yemeni Houthi missile over the Red Sea at a distance of one mile. The report says this was the closest the Houthis have come to a US ship; previously, Houthi missiles have been shot down by the USS Gravely at a distance of 7-8 miles.

The Houthi group behind the recent attacks on Red Sea shipping has justified its actions as an attempt to support the Palestinians in Gaza, and denied interfering with freedom of navigation in the region. Arab and Muslim nations have warned that unchecked Israeli actions in Gaza could escalate into a wider conflict. The US and UK have been responding with airstrikes since mid-January, citing a threat to freedom of navigation.

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▪️ The US strikes 10 drones that were preparing to launch in Yemen – report

▪️ Joe Biden might be helping Russian gas producers...

▪️ … while harming US economy

▪️ Is there a link between NATO’s proxy war against Russia and mass farmers’ protests in Europe?

▪️ Why is the EU punishing Hungary?

▪️ Ukrainian armed forces are experiencing a "critical shortage" of artillery shells

▪️ Watch Russian “birds” destroy the enemy even underground

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Sputnik Afghanistan journalist seriously wounded by Ukrainian drone, recovering from injuries

Sputnik Afghanistan journalist Khaibar Akifi, who was wounded in a Ukrainian drone strike in Belgorod, sustained serious injuries that raised fears whether he would survive, but today his life is not in danger and he is recovering, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said in an interview with Sputnik

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“Neither Putin nor the world nor the fictional climate catastrophe can be blamed for our predicament,” Alice Weidel, chairwoman of the Alternative for Germany party in the Bundestag, said, criticizing the German government.

During her speech, she accused the government of wasting public money and hating Germany, and called for new elections.

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Kiev will most likely not use GLSDB glide bombs transferred by the US in combat, but to create a “nightmare” for the civilian population, military expert Alexey Leonkov told Sputnik.

Earlier, President Vladimir Putin said that Russia would extend the demilitarized zone to such a distance from the border that it would ensure security from long-range weapons that the West supplies to Ukraine and which the Ukrainian authorities use to shell peaceful cities.

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⚡️ Ukrainian forces used an MIM-104A anti-aircraft guided missile fired from a Patriot missile system to shoot down the Il-76 plane near Belgorod - Russian Investigative Committee

⚡️ In the area of the plane crash, 116 fragments of two anti-aircraft missiles with innoscriptions in English were found, the Russian Investigative Committee said

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❗️ Americans should know where their money is going, Biden has made them accomplices in the tragedy, Zakharova said, commenting on reports that the Il-76 was shot down by a Patriot missile

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❗️The Investigative Committee of Russia conducted an investigation into the crash of the Il-76. Here are the key points from the committee’s statement:

▪️The Ukrainian Armed Forces used a US-made MIM-104A anti-aircraft guided missile from the Patriot complex to destroy the Il-76 aircraft, which was carrying 65 Ukrainian PoWs and also three accompanying Russian officers and six crew members.

▪️Experts found at the crash site 116 fragments of the bodies and mechanisms of two missiles with innoscriptions and markings in English.

▪️The fragments taken from the scene of the incident, according to their design features, geometric characteristics, and available markings, are structural elements of the MIM-104A anti-aircraft guided missile of the US Patriot complex.

▪️Markings found on the seized fragments include: “Raytheon”, “CONFIDENTIAL classified by PATRIOT SECURITY CLASSIFICATION GUIDE DATED: 9/22/83

▪️It was established that traces of the explosive hexogen with impurities of up to 10 percent octogen were found in washouts from the objects, which is typical for foreign-made explosives.

▪️The criminal investigation into the terrorist attack continues.

🇪🇺 The leaders of EU member countries agreed to discuss assistance to Kiev annually and, if necessary, to review it after 2 years, the Guardian writes.

That is, this is the same compromise option that Hungarian Prime Minister Orban insisted on.

Reuters reports that there are no plans to unfreeze the funds frozen by Brussels for Budapest.

EU leaders concurred to allocate 50 billion euros of macro-financial assistance to Ukraine. A 50 billion euro aid package for Ukraine was agreed upon by all 27 EU leaders, the press service of the European Council reports.

The allocation of 50 billion euros of assistance for Ukraine has been agreed upon, however, reports suggest that EU funds for Hungary continue to be frozen, according to diplomats.

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❗️The investigation has identified the remains of those killed in the Il-76 crash in the Belgorod region, the Russian Investigative Committee reports

In total, more than 670 body fragments of the victims have been discovered and gathered in the area where the plane crashed. Because genetic material was taken from all prisoners, the investigative committee has data on everyone who was there.

The results of the genetic examinations have made it possible to draw the unequivocal conclusion that the body fragments belonged to six crew members, three military police officers, and 65 Ukrainian servicemen who died in the crash.

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🚜 France 2024: a country of contrasts.

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📹 A Ukrainian prisoner of war has told Sputnik how he had to eat dirty snow during his service due to a lack of drinking water

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🔸In October 2022, the US agreed to send Patriot systems, which can target aircraft, cruise missiles and shorter-range ballistic missiles, in order "to bolster its air defense capabilities";

🔸In March 2023, Western media reported that Ukraine had received the first of the promised Patriots from the US, but the system had not been put into operation at that time;

🔸In April 2023, the Bundeswehr officially announced that the first air defense missile system had already been delivered to the Kiev regime;

🔸In May, the Pentagon confirmed that the US’s Patriot air defense system and Ukrainian air defenders trained in Fort Sill, Oklahoma had arrived in Ukraine;

🔸In May, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that Russia’s Kinzhal missiles had destroyed a Patriot complex stationed in Kiev;

🔸In June, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russian troops had destroyed five US Patriot air defense systems near Kiev;

🔸In August, Germany supplied Ukraine with Patriot missiles for the first time. However, the Bundestag did not specify the precise number of missiles Ukraine received for the Patriot complex. Earlier, German Defense Minister Pistorius said that Berlin would send Kiev a batch of 64 such missiles;

🔸In October, German Chancellor Scholz promised to transfer another Patriot system to Ukraine “for the upcoming winter months.” The delivery has not yet been officially announced;

🔸In December, Russia’s hypersonic Kinzhal missiles struck the Patriot complex in Kiev again;

🔸A few days later, the Russian Armed Forces in Kherson unleashed a missile strike that destroyed a Ukrainian army train carrying Patriot air defense systems.

In May 2022, President Biden stated that the US wouldn’t supply Ukraine with missiles that can be used to strike Russian territory. In 2023, German Chancellor Scholz said Berlin didn't want to supply the Zelensky regime with long-range weapons, which could be used for striking Russian territory.

In Kishinev, supporters of the Moldovan opposition are demanding the resignation of President Maia Sandu and early elections

The demonstrators accuse the authorities of failing to cope with the crisis in the economy and energy sector, and of putting pressure on the opposition. The authorities have banned the opposition party Shor, while representatives of a number of other political parties, including the Socialist, Vozrozhdenye, and Chance parties, regularly face searches and detention of their supporters.

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