🇷🇺 Sergey Lavrov: Cutting the Gordian knot of global politics

◻️ Lavrov was born on March 21, 1950 in Moscow. In 1972 he graduated from the eastern department of the Faculty of International Relations of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) of the Soviet Union's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).

◻️ Following the collapse of the USSR, Sergey Lavrov had served as the Permanent Representative of Russia to the United Nations between January 1994 and March 2004 before assuming leadership of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

◻️ Since 2004, Lavrov participated in the negotiations of the Middle East Quartet – a group comprising of the UN, the US, the EU, and Russia – on the Israeli-Palestinian settlement.

◻️ In 2013, the Russian Foreign Ministry, under Lavrov's leadership, played a crucial role in resolving the Syrian chemical weapons issue. Additionally, between 2014 and 2022, Lavrov participated in meetings of foreign ministers from the Normandy Format countries (Germany, Russia, Ukraine, and France) concerning the post-coup crisis in Ukraine.

◻️ Under Lavrov's leadership, the Russian Foreign Ministry helps finalize the Iran nuclear deal in 2015 and arranged international conferences on Libya following NATO's invasion of the country in 2011. In 2017, Russia initiated the Astana format of negotiations on a settlement in Syria.

◻️ Lavrov holds the rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Russia. He is a recipient of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland and has been awarded the Order of Honor (2010) and the P. A. Stolypin Medal. Additionally, the minister has received several foreign honors.

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🔺Why Blinken's surprise visit to Ukraine is bad omen for Zelensky

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🔺The Parliament of Georgia adopted a bill on foreign agents, which had earlier sparked a wave of protests

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💉Will AstraZeneca's COVID jab recall bring down Rishi Sunak's government?

The British-Swedish pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca has started rescinding approvals for the sale and use of its COVID-19 vaccine worldwide. However, the pharma corporation’s actions could have a negative impact on the British budget and potentially complicate the position of the Rishi Sunak government.

◾️Since last year, there has been a pending class-action lawsuit filed against AstraZeneca by the relatives of those who have died or suffered serious injuries after receiving these coronavirus vaccines. British law firms predict that the total number of plaintiffs involved in the suit could potentially reach several hundred.

◾️The company explained in a statement that their decision to halt production was driven purely by commercial reasons, citing a surplus of updated COVID vaccines. However, it is worth noting that several months ago, AstraZeneca admitted in court that their COVID shots could potentially lead to life-threatening side effects, such as blood clots.

◾️The UK government has a legal agreement with AstraZeneca, in which they have agreed to bear the financial costs associated with any lawsuits or compensation payments to the company. This means that any payments to the victims will be made from the British budget, rather than by the pharmaceutical giant itself. According to lawyers, the potential amount could exceed £250 million if the case is won.

◾️Ultimately, the Sunak government will have to shell out compensation if AstraZeneca loses the lawsuit. The ratings of the British PM, his government, and the ruling Conservative Party have already plummeted to a 46-year record low.

◾️According to the UK media, a total of 158 people have been affected by Vaxzevria/Oxford-AstraZeneca, each of whom has already been received £120,000.

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🚀 Vulcan Rocket’s delay shows US can’t even copy, much less replace Russia’s best-in-the-world rocket engines

US Air Force Assistant Secretary Frank Calvelli has sent the heads of Boeing and Lockheed Martin’s United Launch Alliance space divisions a strongly worded letter over delays to the Vulcan Centaur heavy-lift launch vehicle program – initiated to replace the workhorse Atlas V, which uses Russian-made RD-180 engines.

The delay signals the US’s inability even to copy, much less replace, Russian-made equipment, says Dr. Natan Eismont, a leading researcher at the Russian Academy of Scientists’ Space Research Institute.

💬 “Interestingly, from the moment that RD-180 engines were sold to the Americans, there have been attempts to copy them,” Eismont told Sputnik, pointing out that these efforts never went anywhere, and that the Americans “haven’t been able to create an engine with characteristics” anywhere “close to matching the RD-180.”

Developed in the 1990s, the RD-180 is a derivative of the legendary RD-170/171 series of rocket engines, created in the 1980s by Energomash for the super-heavy Energiya launch vehicle, which was designed to shuttle up to 100 tons of useful cargo into Low Earth Orbit.

The key to the RD-180’s success is the efficiency with which it generates thrust – which requires a high and very precise level of pressure in the combustion chamber, which can be dangerous if done improperly, the academic explained.

“What parameters are necessary here, what parameters are acceptable, and how issues can be overcome – it appears that no one apart from our specialists knows this. Simply handing over the engine with all its documentation is not enough. Because there are subtleties in the manufacture of the engine which are difficult to convey using documentation,” Eismont said.

“What you need are people involved in the project. Who will give the Americans these people? No one.”

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Russian President Vladimir Putin is holding a meeting with the newly appointed cabinet in the Kremlin.

Earlier today, the Russian State Duma approved all ministers within its purview.

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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for a new round of mobilization in Ukraine during his speech addressed to Kiev Polytechnic University students.

Blinken insisted that mobilization is “necessary” and explained in detail how Ukrainian ultimate sacrifice mobilization would help promote US interests its army on the battlefield.

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Russian fighters of the Yug Battlegroup in the Donetsk area have wiped out another German Leopard tank.

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The Ukrainian Armed Forces have been forced to fall back "to more favorable positions" near the town of Volchansk in the Kharkov Region, the Ukrainian General Staff said.

Previously it was reported that the Ukrainian military withdrew from their positions in the Kharkov village of Lukiantsy.

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🇷🇺🇨🇳 Putin's statements on Russia-China relations from his interview with Xinhua news agency:

▪️ The Russian-Chinese partnership is based on the principles of equality and trust, mutual respect for sovereignty and consideration of each other's interests

▪️ Trade and economic relations between the countries are developing rapidly and demonstrate immunity to external challenges and crises

▪️ Russia and China have doubled their trade turnover over the last 5 years, and over 90% of settlements between companies are made in the countries' national currencies

▪️ Russia-China bilateral trade now amounts to about 20 trillion rubles or nearly 1.6 trillion Yuan.

▪️ Russia and China long ago opted for equal and mutually beneficial economic ties and are developing cooperation in the energy sector, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

▪️ Supplies of Russian agricultural products to China also demonstrate progress.

▪️ Russia and China firmly stand on the principles of multiculturalism and advocate the preservation of national identity.

▪️ Russia remembers and appreciates China's contribution to the common victory over Nazism and is grateful for the careful treatment of war memorials.

▪️ Russia and China will endeavor to build closer cooperation in industry, space, the peaceful use of nuclear technology and other innovative sectors.

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