The Israeli Air Force attacked more than 50 targets in the Rafah area in the southern Gaza Strip on Monday, and preparations are underway for a ground operation in the area, an IDF spokesman said.
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TNT plant: Finland rushing to cash in on Ukraine conflict
"[TNT] is needed not only for Finland, but in general for ammunition both in Finland and other NATO countries. It is now obvious that there is not enough production of both components and finished assembled ammunition. And, accordingly, Finland decided to occupy this niche," Dmitry Stefanovich, a research fellow at the Russian Academy of Sciences' Institute of World Economy and International Relations, told Sputnik.
Finland has jumped at the opportunity to cash in on Europe's growing demand for explosives amid the Ukraine conflict: the Nordic country is set to urgently construct a new TNT production plant, Finnish Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen said Sunday.
TNT is used in artillery and mortar shells. Currently, the EU's sole TNT plant is situated in Poland; the factory's production volumes are deemed inadequate to meet the demands of the Kiev regime and NATO's European allies.
Finland's desire to occupy a new market niche could be also driven by its dramatic financial losses in the aftermath of the economic decoupling from Russia. In January, the Bank of Finland signaled that the Finnish economy is in recession, forecasting that the nation's gross domestic product (GDP) will continue to contract in 2024.
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"[TNT] is needed not only for Finland, but in general for ammunition both in Finland and other NATO countries. It is now obvious that there is not enough production of both components and finished assembled ammunition. And, accordingly, Finland decided to occupy this niche," Dmitry Stefanovich, a research fellow at the Russian Academy of Sciences' Institute of World Economy and International Relations, told Sputnik.
Finland has jumped at the opportunity to cash in on Europe's growing demand for explosives amid the Ukraine conflict: the Nordic country is set to urgently construct a new TNT production plant, Finnish Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen said Sunday.
TNT is used in artillery and mortar shells. Currently, the EU's sole TNT plant is situated in Poland; the factory's production volumes are deemed inadequate to meet the demands of the Kiev regime and NATO's European allies.
"Finland has joined NATO abandoning its long-standing status as a neutral country. That’s why they are trying to make hay while the sun shines," the expert said. "Not every European country is ready to sharply increase outlays, invest in the production of ammunition, and generally increase defense spending. This is accompanied by big problems, as we know, in most NATO countries," he said.
Finland's desire to occupy a new market niche could be also driven by its dramatic financial losses in the aftermath of the economic decoupling from Russia. In January, the Bank of Finland signaled that the Finnish economy is in recession, forecasting that the nation's gross domestic product (GDP) will continue to contract in 2024.
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The US will not have any representative attending the inauguration of Russian President Vladimir Putin, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said.
Miller said that the US "certainly did not consider" Russia's March presidential election free and fair but Putin is "the President of Russia and is going to continue in that capacity."
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"We will not have a representative at his inauguration," Miller said during a press briefing.
Miller said that the US "certainly did not consider" Russia's March presidential election free and fair but Putin is "the President of Russia and is going to continue in that capacity."
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❗️A US serviceman was detained in Russia, where he arrived from Korea, he is suspected of theft, NBC TV channel claims.
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Israel carries out intensive strikes on Rafah, media report
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🔺‘They’re not bluffing’: Russian tactical nuke drills are loud warning to NATO to stay out of Ukraine
🔺What kinds of tactical nuclear weapons does Russia have?
🔺Russian presidential inauguration ceremony: what you need to know
🔺Message to NATO powers ‘playing war in Ukraine’: Why Russia is drilling its tactical nuclear forces
🔺Will Germany deport Ukrainian draft dodgers?
🔺Trade war with China will make more damage to EU than to Beijing
🔺Hamas political office head informs Qatari prime minister and Egyptian intelligence chief that the movement agrees to the Gaza truce agreement proposal, Hamas stated
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🔺What kinds of tactical nuclear weapons does Russia have?
🔺Russian presidential inauguration ceremony: what you need to know
🔺Message to NATO powers ‘playing war in Ukraine’: Why Russia is drilling its tactical nuclear forces
🔺Will Germany deport Ukrainian draft dodgers?
🔺Trade war with China will make more damage to EU than to Beijing
🔺Hamas political office head informs Qatari prime minister and Egyptian intelligence chief that the movement agrees to the Gaza truce agreement proposal, Hamas stated
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Sputnik International
Israel carries out intensive strikes on Rafah, media report
Footage of aftermath of Israeli airstrikes on Rafah in southern Gaza has been spreading on social media.
Previously, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported that Israel carried out intensive airstrikes on the city, where over one million Palestinians are sheltering.
AFP reported that the strikes have been almost continuous for the past 30 minutes.
On Monday the Israeli army launched military operations in eastern neighborhoods of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, home to some 1.5 million Palestinians forced to flee the northern and central parts of the Strip.
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Previously, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported that Israel carried out intensive airstrikes on the city, where over one million Palestinians are sheltering.
“Israel carried out intense airstrikes on Rafah on Monday after repeating a call for the population to evacuate from the eastern part of the city,” the agency said.
AFP reported that the strikes have been almost continuous for the past 30 minutes.
On Monday the Israeli army launched military operations in eastern neighborhoods of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, home to some 1.5 million Palestinians forced to flee the northern and central parts of the Strip.
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⚡️ Israel officially announces it is continuing its military operation in Rafah, the country's war cabinet stated.
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❗️ Ukraine may be preparing a “massive strike” starting at 6 am (Moscow time) on May 7 using 50 drones and “dozens” of long-range missiles, RT reported, citing a source.
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Sputnik International
The US will not have any representative attending the inauguration of Russian President Vladimir Putin, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said. "We will not have a representative at his inauguration," Miller said during a press briefing. Miller…
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“We certainly do not consider that election free and fair but he is the president of Russia and is going to continue in that capacity,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said, commenting on the United States' decision to not send any representative to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s inauguration.
Miller refused to respond to inquiries about the US' boycott of the ceremony and whether it suggests the country considers Putin illegitimate.
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Miller refused to respond to inquiries about the US' boycott of the ceremony and whether it suggests the country considers Putin illegitimate.
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Russian air defenses destroyed two Ukrainian drones over the Belgorod region, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
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Sputnik International
Hamas political office head informs Qatari prime minister and Egyptian intelligence chief that the movement agrees to the Gaza truce agreement proposal, Hamas stated. Subscribe to @SputnikInt
The Israeli government said that the proposal presented to Hamas is far from Israel's mandatory requirements and it has unanimously decided to continue its operation in Rafah in southern Gaza Strip to pressure the Palestinian group on the issue of releasing hostages.
Israel will, however, send a delegation to talks in Egypt "to seize the opportunity to reach an agreement on terms acceptable to Israel," the cabinet said.
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Israel will, however, send a delegation to talks in Egypt "to seize the opportunity to reach an agreement on terms acceptable to Israel," the cabinet said.
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⚡️ Israel officially announces it is continuing its military operation in Rafah, the country's war cabinet stated.
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The EU has reached a consensus on using 90% of revenues from Russian assets for Ukraine's military needs, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said.
Moscow has on many occasions emphasized that any attempts to confiscate frozen Russian assets are an expropriation of property and a violation of international law. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Sputnik that Russia would do everything possible to return the seized assets.
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"We have also reached an agreement, which is now being finalized, that we will use about 90% of these funds for Ukraine's defense needs — also without the obligation to buy [weapons] in Europe," Scholz said during a joint press conference with heads of governments of Baltic States in Latvia.
Moscow has on many occasions emphasized that any attempts to confiscate frozen Russian assets are an expropriation of property and a violation of international law. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Sputnik that Russia would do everything possible to return the seized assets.
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❗️ Hamas agreed to release 33 Israeli hostages within 42 days during the first phase of a proposed ceasefire, according to a document obtained by Sputnik.
Key points from the proposed agreement:
🔸 Hamas is ready to exchange every captured female Israeli soldier for 50 prisoners during the first phase of the proposed ceasefire
🔸 The agreement allows at least 50 Hamas fighters to leave Gaza for medical treatment
🔸 The proposal calls for a complete cessation of fighting during the second month after it is enacted
🔸 The third phase of the Hamas-approved agreement with Israel provides for complete lifting of blockade on the Gaza Strip and envisages restoration of the exclave within 3-5 years
Earlier in the day, Israel declined the ceasefire proposal as unacceptable and announced that it would continue its operation in Rafah, the Israeli government said.
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Key points from the proposed agreement:
🔸 Hamas is ready to exchange every captured female Israeli soldier for 50 prisoners during the first phase of the proposed ceasefire
🔸 The agreement allows at least 50 Hamas fighters to leave Gaza for medical treatment
🔸 The proposal calls for a complete cessation of fighting during the second month after it is enacted
🔸 The third phase of the Hamas-approved agreement with Israel provides for complete lifting of blockade on the Gaza Strip and envisages restoration of the exclave within 3-5 years
Earlier in the day, Israel declined the ceasefire proposal as unacceptable and announced that it would continue its operation in Rafah, the Israeli government said.
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The Israeli government said that the proposal presented to Hamas is far from Israel's mandatory requirements and it has unanimously decided to continue its operation in Rafah in southern Gaza Strip to pressure the Palestinian group on the issue of releasing…
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How Western media reacted to the announcement of Russian drills with tactical nuclear weapons
🔸Commenting on Russia’s announcement of exercises with tactical nuclear weapon forces, The New York Times (NYT) turned not only to NATO officials, whose reaction was predictably negative, but also to a neutral expert Pavel Podvig, a scholar of Russian nuclear forces based in Geneva. Having noted that Russia’s announcement was “ratcheting up tensions with the West after two European leaders [French President Emmanuel Macron and British Foreign Secretary David Cameron] raised the prospect of more direct Western intervention,” NYT asked Podvig what Moscow’s purpose could be.
Podvig told the NYT that Russia's use of nuclear weapons serves as a reaction and a signal to specific statements, aiming at impressing the opponent. The NYT reporter added that Russian President Vladimir Putin “regularly reminds the world of Russia’s vast nuclear arsenal as a way of keeping in check the West’s military support for Ukraine.”
🔸The French daily Le Monde also chose to remind its readers that the Russian nuclear doctrine is strictly defensive: the reason for its use could only be an attack against Russia by weapons of mass destruction or an attack by conventional forces that would be strong enough to “threaten the very existence of the Russian state.” The French news site Ouest-France noted that president Putin “blows hot and cold” when dealing with the nuclear issue, responding to the tactics of “ambiguity” from the French side.
🔸The Portuguese daily Publico drew readers’ attention to the fact that the Russian order to conduct military exercises came hours after the Ukrainian attack against a Russian city of Belgorod, calling this attack “the most deadly Ukrainian attack against the city of Belgorod since last December.” Publico also cited the “provocative” statements by Macron about the possible deployment of NATO troops to Ukraine as an action that could “provoke” Russia.
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🔸Commenting on Russia’s announcement of exercises with tactical nuclear weapon forces, The New York Times (NYT) turned not only to NATO officials, whose reaction was predictably negative, but also to a neutral expert Pavel Podvig, a scholar of Russian nuclear forces based in Geneva. Having noted that Russia’s announcement was “ratcheting up tensions with the West after two European leaders [French President Emmanuel Macron and British Foreign Secretary David Cameron] raised the prospect of more direct Western intervention,” NYT asked Podvig what Moscow’s purpose could be.
Podvig told the NYT that Russia's use of nuclear weapons serves as a reaction and a signal to specific statements, aiming at impressing the opponent. The NYT reporter added that Russian President Vladimir Putin “regularly reminds the world of Russia’s vast nuclear arsenal as a way of keeping in check the West’s military support for Ukraine.”
🔸The French daily Le Monde also chose to remind its readers that the Russian nuclear doctrine is strictly defensive: the reason for its use could only be an attack against Russia by weapons of mass destruction or an attack by conventional forces that would be strong enough to “threaten the very existence of the Russian state.” The French news site Ouest-France noted that president Putin “blows hot and cold” when dealing with the nuclear issue, responding to the tactics of “ambiguity” from the French side.
🔸The Portuguese daily Publico drew readers’ attention to the fact that the Russian order to conduct military exercises came hours after the Ukrainian attack against a Russian city of Belgorod, calling this attack “the most deadly Ukrainian attack against the city of Belgorod since last December.” Publico also cited the “provocative” statements by Macron about the possible deployment of NATO troops to Ukraine as an action that could “provoke” Russia.
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Chevrons with the French flag were found on a mercenary killed near Belogorovka in the Lugansk People's Republic.
Sputnik has obtained a video from a stronghold captured by Russian forces which shows a dead mercenary wearing several chevrons, one of which is in the form of an inverted French flag, and another one on his sleeve features the French flag in militaristic style.
According to a Sputnik source in the security services, the video was shot by a Russian assault rifleman near Belogorovka, which is being contested in the Donbass.
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Sputnik has obtained a video from a stronghold captured by Russian forces which shows a dead mercenary wearing several chevrons, one of which is in the form of an inverted French flag, and another one on his sleeve features the French flag in militaristic style.
According to a Sputnik source in the security services, the video was shot by a Russian assault rifleman near Belogorovka, which is being contested in the Donbass.
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Sputnik International
❗️ Hamas agreed to release 33 Israeli hostages within 42 days during the first phase of a proposed ceasefire, according to a document obtained by Sputnik. Key points from the proposed agreement: 🔸 Hamas is ready to exchange every captured female Israeli…
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Protesters in Tel Aviv block a highway while demanding a ceasefire from the Netanyahu government, according to social media.
Protesters have reportedly clashed with police, video from social media shows.
Earlier in the day, Hamas agreed to a ceasefire proposal but Israel declined the agreement as unacceptable and announced that it would continue its operation in Rafah, the Israeli government said.
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Protesters have reportedly clashed with police, video from social media shows.
Earlier in the day, Hamas agreed to a ceasefire proposal but Israel declined the agreement as unacceptable and announced that it would continue its operation in Rafah, the Israeli government said.
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