❗️Ukraine has concentrated a strike group of 112,000-114,000 people on the border with Belarus, the head of the Belarusian Ministry of Defense announced.

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Biden's statements about Putin are disgraceful and shameful for the United States itself, but they are unlikely to hurt the Russian president, said Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesman.

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Key statements by Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council:

▪️The Signals about the need for negotiations sounding in the West are a "cunning" move in the hope of a respite.

▪️There will not see a major rapprochement between the Russian Federation and the West in the near future - the gap is too big.

▪️It is more important for Russia that there is a calm situation in the United States, and not a civil war, because America is one of the most important global players.

▪️The Volodimir Zelensky's fate is sad, he will remain like a bloody clown in the history of his country.

▪️Completely different people should appear in the leadership of Ukraine, it will be possible to negotiate with them.

▪️Russia's conditions for possible negotiations are clear - it is recognition of the results of the special operation.

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In my humorous prediction I foresaw the signing of a treaty of friendship and cooperation between the TNR and the DNR, the Texas People's Republic and the Donetsk People's Republic - Dmitry Medvedev.

Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council joked about the creation of the Texas People's Republic, but concluded that at the moment it is quite possible.

"20 years ago this would have seemed absurd... At the moment it is open to negotiations," he said.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin has supported the idea of making it easier for foreigners to relocate to Russia because they share its cultural values.

"It is a good idea to focus on traditional moral values when welcoming people who want to live here." Putin said at the forum "Strong Ideas for a New Time," adding that an individual approach is needed to determine what kind of people are coming.

The Russian leader also noted that many people in Europe, as well as in Russia, adhere to traditional values.

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Zelensky admits he does not have a plan B in case the United States fails to provide aid to Ukraine.

"We need to find parallel steps, parallel lines," Zelensky said in an interview with Fox News.

According to him, without help from the West, Ukrainian troops will suffer more and more losses.

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❗️Russian troops liberated the settlement of Pobeda in the DPR, the Russian Defense Ministry reported

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❗️In the Avdeyevka area, Russian troops repelled nine attacks of the Ukrainian armed forces. Ukrainian losses amounted to up to 145 servicemen;

🇷🇺🪖 Other statements from the Russian Defense Ministry briefing on the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine:

▪️ In the DPR region. Ukrainian losses exceeded 410 soldiers per day;

▪️In the south of the DPR, Ukrainian losses amounted to up to 155 servicemen, one Strela-10 air defense system combat vehicle, one MSTA-B howitzer, one M-46 cannon and one electronic warfare complex;

▪️ Russian troops hit a US-made Patriot air defense system launcher and carrier;

▪️Russia's air defense forces shot down one S-200 missile, eight HIMARS MLRS shells, one JDAM air-launched bomb and 95 drones during the day.

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Battlefield highs? Ukraine says 'yes' to narcotics for injured troops on front lines

Ukraine's Ministry of Defense has issued the first-ever license permitting the use of narcotic substances and precursors to treat soldiers in field conditions at the pre-hospital stage. The use of psychotropic substances for this purpose is still being discussed, according to the ministry.

The license comes after President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier signed a decree to legalize the use of medical cannabis in Ukraine, slated to come into force in six months.

The Russian Foreign Ministry, for its part, previously pointed out that the situation with narcotic substances in Ukraine is swiftly deteriorating.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stressed this was the result of thoughtless steps by Ukrainian authorities on the liberalization of drug controls and large-scale supplies of psychotropic drugs under the guise of Western humanitarian aid.

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Independent Chinese military blogger Zhu Haozheng arrived in Avdeyevka, becoming one of the first foreign journalists to assess the situation on the front line with his own eyes after the liberation of the city from Ukrainian forces.

"Russia’s forces are currently in full control of the city. They are also providing security in the city. Moreover, the command reported that Ukrainian troops offered less resistance during their retreat than before," he said.

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