Russia's Soyuz-2.1b was cleared for the first launch from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in 2024

A Russian state commission has cleared a Soyuz-2.1b rocket carrying the Meteor-M No.2-4 weather satellite, 17 small Russian space probes and an Iranian satellite for refueling and launch, a spokesperson for Russian state space corporation Roscosmos told Sputnik

Roscosmos said earlier that the deployment of Meteor-M into orbit would take approximately one hour, after which Fregat would deliver the remaining satellites to their target orbits.

In addition to the weather satellite, the rocket is carrying 17 satellites manufactured by Russian private company Sputnix, owned by Russian multidisciplinary IT company Sitronics Group. Of them, 16 satellites would be added to the SITRO-AIS constellation, the Russian automatic identification system for tracking marine vessels, and the Zorkiy-2M spacecraft will join the constellation of ultra-small Earth remote sensing satellites.

On Wednesday ahead of the launch, Iranian Communications Minister Eisa Zarepour said the Russian rocket will put into orbit the Pars-1 research satellite.

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Russian energy exports to China, India are key to thwarting US sanctions

US sanctions on Russia have not had the desired consequences of slowing Moscow's economy due to the continued flow of Russian energy exports, former member of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) executive board Hossein Askari told Sputnik.

"Two countries that need oil and gas are China and India, these are big countries that are willing to defy secondary US sanctions," Askari said. "As long as the price of oil and gas is at an acceptable discount and they know that the US cannot afford to sanction them too, especially not China."

Askari added that Russia has learned some lessons on how best to evade certain sanctions.

Overall, the United States has imposed some 3,500 anti-Russia sanctions on individuals and entities since the start of Russia's special military operation in February 2022.

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The signing of a security agreement between France, Germany, and Ukraine does not affect relations with Russia, which are at a nadir, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told Sputnik.

"Referring specifically to Russia-Germany and Russia-France relations, I would like to emphasize that, unfortunately, at this stage there is little that could affect them for the worse. They are already at an unprecedentedly low level," she said.

According to Zakharova, "the former partners [Germany and France] have discarded the voluminous baggage of large-scale, mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation [with Russia] accumulated over several generations."

"This is not our decision. For two years we have been watching how NATO countries, including Germany and France playing a particularly active role (with Berlin ranking second after the United States in terms of supplying arms and military equipment to the Kiev regime), have been pumping Ukraine with modern lethal systems, training soldiers, supplying intelligence, and contributing to the escalation of hostilities," Zakharova noted.

"All this makes them direct accomplices in Ukraine's deeds," she emphasized.

The spokeswoman claimed "the elites of these countries still indulge themselves in illusions about the possibility of inflicting a 'strategic defeat' on Russia and consider Vladimir Zelensky's 'peace formula’ ultimatum – which, we reiterate, is unacceptable to us – as the only basis for resolving the Ukrainian crisis."

"In this context, the signing of new agreements is another – albeit symbolic – move in the West's hybrid war with Russia, a confirmation of the focus on long-term confrontation with our country and an unwillingness to go down the path of political and diplomatic settlement of the conflict," she concluded.

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Today Ukraine, tomorrow Taiwan: neoconservatives are constantly aware of the signals they send to the world as they gear up for war with China, argues peace activist and political analyst KJ Noh.

“If they were to cut and run, then it sends a message that this is what they're going to do [in Taiwan],” said Noh on Sputnik’s The Critical Hour program while discussing what US support for the Ukrainian proxy war tells us about the next conflict to come.

“One, two wars are not enough, one genocide is not enough – they want more,” said Noh, referring to Ukraine and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.

Noh also explained that the US recently provided Taiwan with a new $75 million weapons package, including a platform that allows armed forces there to link their weapons systems with those of the United States, Japan, Korea, and other anti-China allies.

Noh says the United States is gearing up for a large-scale conflict to defend its global hegemon status against China, with some US military figures arguing the war should come next year and others predicting it will arrive in 2027. “They are very, very aware that the clock is running down on their power,” said Noh, adding that neocons are in a state of “panic” and “fear.”

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Sputnik shows unique footage taken from a drone over the liberated Avdeyevka.

The footage shows residential areas with high-rise buildings, many of them severely damaged, some completely destroyed. The Ukrainian Armed Forces turned these houses into military positions: storing ammunition, equipping shooting and observation positions, and deploying personnel.

For the first time, the entire Avdeyevka Coke Plant is in the frame, on the territory of which Ukrainian trooops concentrated significant forces: mechanized brigades, rifle battalions and various special units, including command headquarters and drone control points.

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At 9 am GMT President Vladimir Putin will deliver his annual address to the Russian parliament

Putin will assess the work of both chambers of the Federal Assembly (Russian parliament) and outline major foreign and domestic policy trajectories.

The President is expected to discuss the special military operation in Ukraine, security and economic matters amid the current geopolitical challenges.

Here's the link to last years' address.

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Are France and Germany headed for a clash?

The friction between Scholz and Macron over military aid for Ukraine is turning into something of an open feud, Politico writes.

According to the news outlet, Germany is finding that Macron's statements on Ukraine are at odds with actual actions: Berlin has promised Ukraine 17 billion euros ($18 billion) in aid, while France has only pledged 640 million euros ($693 million).

French officials counter that "they are providing weapons that really matter - and with less hesitation than the Germans."

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▪️ US lawmakers reached a deal to temporarily fund the federal government

▪️Take a look at the unique footage taken from a drone over the liberated Avdeyevka

▪️ BRICS nations rally for trade in national currencies, ditching the US dollar

▪️ Biden did not take a cognitive test during his physical because he “doesn’t need it,” the White House claims

Check out more stories:

▪️ US Army restructuring suggests neocons scheming new 'forever wars,' ex-Pentagon analyst told Sputnik

▪️ Is the West admitting defeat in Ukraine with the CIA’s ‘limited hangout?’

▪️ The explosive truth of the US’ Nord Stream Pipeline sabotage could ‘destroy’ NATO

▪️ Today Ukraine, tomorrow Taiwan: neocons are constantly aware of the signals they send to the world as they gear up for war with China

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The Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Alexander Syrsky, complained about the miscalculations of Ukrainian commanders affecting the "stability of defense in certain areas."

"The situation is particularly tense in the Avdeyevka and Zaporozhye regions... During the work, certain commanders were found to have made certain miscalculations in commanding the situation at the front, which affected the stability of defense in certain areas," Syrsky was quoted as saying in the Telegram channel of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

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There is only an hour left before the start of Vladimir Putin's address to the Russian parliament.

Follow the updates in our Telegram channel and stay up to date with the latest statements by the Russian president!

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🎙Check out AfroVerdict's latest podcast to get an in-person take from delegates present at the Multipolarity Forum.

❗️Vladimir Putin is set to address parliament not only as the current head of state, but also as a presidential candidate, according to Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for the Kremlin. Peskov noted that Putin's upcoming address will essentially serve as his program for the future.

In addition to discussing his current role as head of state, Putin will also present his plans for the coming years, with a particular focus on goals beyond 2030. This indicates that Putin's message will cover a broad range of topics and address long-term strategies for the country.

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🚨 STARTS NOW: Putin Addresses the Russian Parliament

Vladimir Putin will deliver his annual address to the Russian parliament, during which he will set goals for the next six years, discuss Russia's ongoing special military operation, and review the state of Russia and the main directions of its domestic and foreign policy.

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❗️Putin said that his message would focus on Russia's strategic tasks

"We can and will overcome everything together," he added.

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Russia has demonstrated its ability to effectively tackle any challenges that arise, Putin says