11 people were killed in the Ukrainian armed forces' strike on Lisichansk, 10 were handed over to medics during the rescue operation, Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations said

Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, called the Ukrainian armed forces' strike on Lisichansk "gratitude" of Ukrainian extremists for the "generous" financial support of the EU

The US House of Representatives next week will consider and vote on a $17.6 billion aid bill for Israel without new aid to Ukraine, according to a letter from Speaker Mike Johnson to congressmen.

Johnson noted that while the Senate is willing to release its bill for additional homeland security funding, including aid to Israel and Ukraine, but by not including the House in negotiations, senators have deprived themselves of the opportunity to quickly consider such a bill.

⚠️ WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT

Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations publishes a video of bodies being recovered from under the rubble in Lisichansk after shelling by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

So far, 15 bodies have been recovered, the ministry said.

The US Central Command said its forces struck six Houthi anti-ship cruise missiles that it claimed prepared to launch against vessels in the Red Sea.

"On Feb. 3, at approximately 7:20 p.m. (Sanaa time), US Central Command forces conducted strikes in self-defense against six Houthi anti-ship cruise missiles prepared to launch against ships in the Red Sea," the statement read.

The US military claimed that the missiles presented an imminent threat to US Navy ships and merchant vessels.

The death toll from an Ukrainian armed forces strike on a bakery in Lisichansk has risen to 20, the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations said

British forces would be rapidly ‘wiped out’ if UK proceeds with deranged idea to deploy troops to Ukraine

“If this is true and if this is somebody's dream, it could rapidly become a nightmare for the British and NATO forces…But it is not a realistic solution or proposal,” retired US Army Lieutenant-Colonel Earl Rasmussen said, remarking on information provided to Sputnik by an informed source that London has urged its NATO allies to consider sending an “expeditionary force” to Ukraine.

“Russia has complete air dominance, escalatory dominance, logistical dominance, ammunition dominance. This would be catastrophic for any UK forces and definitely would show a symbol of direct NATO involvement, which could really be dangerous, as far as escalation goes,” Rasmussen emphasized, noting that “the British forces would probably be wiped out, fairly rapidly.”

The US Army vet suggested that someone in the UK military may be having “some type of delusional experience” for even proposing such a scenario. “It is a suicide mission for those troops. And it definitely would pull NATO into a much more dangerous situation and direct confrontation [with Russia].”

According to Sputnik’s source, in addition to an “expeditionary force,” the UK’s proposal is said to include setting up a “no-fly zone” over Ukraine, and increasing the supply of arms and equipment to Kiev. The proposal, expected to be controversial among allies, proposes the “secret transfer” of NATO troops to Ukraine via Romania and Poland to occupy positions along the Dnepr River, while Ukrainian reserves are sent to the frontline with Russia.

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The US-led coalition conducted strikes on 36 Houthi targets across 13 locations in Yemen on Saturday in response to the movement's continued attacks against international and commercial shipping in the Red Sea, the coalition said in a joint statement, issued by the Pentagon.

"Today, at the direction of their respective governments, the militaries of the United States and United Kingdom, with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, and New Zealand conducted an additional round of proportionate and necessary strikes against 36 Houthi targets across 13 locations in Yemen in response to the Houthis' continued attacks against international and commercial shipping as well as naval vessels transiting the Red Sea," the statement read.

The coalition added that Saturday's strikes "specifically targeted sites associated with the Houthis' deeply buried weapons storage facilities, missile systems and launchers, air defense systems, and radars" and are intended to "disrupt and degrade the capabilities that the Houthis use to threaten global trade, and the lives of innocent mariners."

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🇸🇴 AU committed to completing withdrawal from Somalia by the end of 2024

The statement was made by Alhaji Sarjoh Bah, Director of Conflict Management in the AU Commission's Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security, at the end of a five-day visit by a delegation from the department to the East African country.

"We absolutely remain committed to ensuring that, number one, we stick to the timelines of the drawdown. Of course, we’ve had two extensions in the last two drawdowns. And so, except in situations of force majeure, we remain determined and resolute in ensuring that by 31st December 2024, we will have completed the drawdown," he said in a statement.

Bah added that the African Union will "show flexibility" and address any challenges that may arise to ensure a smooth transition and to ensure that there are no security gaps.

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Israel’s decision to withdraw from parts of Gaza and Hamas’ resurgence in the area shows that Israel failed in its goal to eliminate Hamas, former security analyst and international geopolitical consultant Dr. David Oualaalou told Sputnik’s Political Misfits on Friday.

“Israel has lost the war. Not just yesterday, but way back,” Oualaalou argued. “They don't want to come forward and say publicly that defeating Hamas is wishful thinking. Hamas will always be there. So what Israel is doing [is] bombing those places, that's for me personally, that's not a strategy, that's a failure.”

Oualaalou also said that US President Joe Biden’s decision to place sanctions on four Israeli settlers rang hollow for the rest of the world.

“[If] you are to do this, why didn't you support the ceasefire against the atrocities that [the] Israeli government is committing against the Palestinians? Because to me, it just doesn't make any sense. When you behave like this on the international stage, you really demonstrate your lack of credibility,” Oualaalou said, describing Biden as “our incompetent president.”

He also said that despite their more critical messaging, European countries are in the same boat as the US.

“Europeans are under the same umbrella with the US because they are under the thumb of the US,” he said, adding that the United States continues to “pressure them one way or another.”

“I’m telling you, in geopolitics or international relations, it’s not what you see, it’s what’s behind the scenes that matters.”

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The Biden administration objects to the House bill on aid to Israel without additional funds to Ukraine, the White House said.

Ukraine’s military leadership in limbo

Zelensky offered Zaluzhny the post of ambassador to the UK, which he turned down because of its civilian nature and his inability to leave military service under martial law, Washington post reports.

Apparently, this was the Ukrainian president's attempt to mitigate the damage he himself had done to Ukraine's military prestige.

Zelensky's decision to dismiss the country's top military commander, Gen. Valery Zaluzhny, has sparked widespread concern about the motivations behind the decision and its timing.

Despite notifying Zaluzhny of his impending ouster, a replacement for the general has yet to be named, adding to the uncertainty of Ukraine's future.

The move, which came without immediate explanation or the appointment of a successor, has been met with criticism and speculation. Zaluzhny’s proposed removal, reported by Ukrainian and international media, has led to a backlash from both civilians and military personnel.

US conducted new strike against Houthi anti-ship cruise missile 'prepared to launch against ships in Red Sea' in Houthi-controlled area of Yemen, CENTCOM reported.

Moscow slammed US actions as violation of international law.

"US airstrikes on Yemen are another example of the Anglo-Saxons’ distortion of UN Security Council resolutions and complete disregard for international law in the name of escalating the situation in the region for their own destructive purposes," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

Turkiye denies media reports about 'joint patrols' with Greece in Aegean Sea

"Claims by some media and outlets that 'Turkish-Greek troops will conduct joint patrols' are not true. [Turkish] Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya and Greek Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy Christos Stylianides exchanged views on strengthening cooperation during the talks between the delegations," the Turkish Center for Combating Disinformation said in a statement received by Sputnik.

The center added that the delegations discussed ways to jointly combat illegal migration and migrant smuggling, as well as strengthen cooperation and communication between the coast guards of Turkiye and Greece.

Greece and Turkiye have been at odds for decades, with the risk of an armed conflict arising several times. The disputed issues include competing territorial claims in the eastern Mediterranean, in particular in the region of the Aegean Sea, the Greek-Turkish divide in Cyprus, and the delimitation of maritime boundaries.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, at a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Athens in early December 2023, said there are no issues between Turkiye and Greece that cannot be resolved. The Greek prime minister echoed these remarks.

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💬 Democrats and their propagandists in the media are spasming at the prospect of Tucker Carlson interviewing Putin, Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Green said amid information about Tucker Carlson's visit to Russia.

"They HATE when someone like Tucker goes 'off noscript'," she wrote on her X.

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UK's alleged idea to send NATO corps to Ukraine 'fantastic delusion' - expert

The UK's reported desire to push its NATO allies to consider sending an "expeditionary force" to Ukraine is "a fantastical delusion on the part of the British and has no foundation in reality," retired CIA intelligence officer and State Department official Larry Johnson told Sputnik.

“But just because the Brits are insane does not mean Russia can ignore them. It is a serious proposal,” he added.

Johnson was partly echoed by Matthew Gordon-Banks, an international relations consultant, former member of Parliament and retired senior research fellow at the UK Defence Academy, who said he didn't think the rumors of a NATO force in Ukraine should be taken seriously.

“The suggestions I have heard are quite unrealistic at present,” Gordon-Banks said.

An unnamed source earlier told Sputnik that in addition to urging its NATO allies to consider sending the alliance's expeditionary force to Ukraine, Britain also wants NATO to consider imposing a no-fly zone over the territory controlled by the Zelensky regime and increasing military aid to Kiev.

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❗️28 people died as a result of a Ukrainian strike on Lisichansk, 10 people were injured, the administration of the head of the LPR reported to Sputnik.

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