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

▪️The Tsentr Battlegroup improved the situation along the front line over 24 hours and repelled seven attacks by Ukrainian troops;

▪️The Sever Battlegroup advanced into the depths of the enemy’s defense, whose losses that day amounted to 255 soldiers and a “Grad” MLRS;

▪️Ukrainian losses amounted to 420 soldiers the Tsentr Battlegroup’s zone of responsibility.

▪️Ukrainian losses amounted more than 365 soldiers in the area covered by the Yug Battlegroup;

▪️The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost up to 125 military personnel in the area of responsibility of the Vostok Battlegroup;

▪️Russian air defense shot down 34 drones, two Hammer bombs and one HIMARS missile in one day.

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On the eve of a UN General Assembly meeting on Srebrenica, billboards have appeared in Belgrade reading “We are not a genocidal people. We remember. Proud Serbia and the Republika Srpska.”

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Who recognizes the State of Palestine and who doesn’t?

Norway, Ireland, and Spain have decided to officially recognize Palestine as a state, with the announcement set to take effect on May 28. Sputnik has provided a list detailing which countries do and do not recognize Palestine as an independent state.

◾️The State of Palestine is recognized by 146 out of 193 UN member countries, including 3 new European states.

◾️Notably, Russia and China, as permanent members of the UN Security Council, are among those recognizing Palestine, along with the majority of countries in the Global South (excluding Myanmar, Eritrea, and Cameroon).

◾️In Europe, a Palestinian state is recognized by Bulgaria, Hungary, Cyprus, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Sweden, as well as Norway, Ireland, and Spain.

◾️Consequently, 53 countries do not recognize Palestinian independence. That said, even though not a single G7 country recognizes Palestine, all of them maintain informal diplomatic relations.

◾️South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and the countries of Oceania do not recognize the State of Palestine.

◾️The majority of European countries, including Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Denmark, Germany, France, Finland, Greece, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Moldova, North Macedonia, Portugal, Slovenia, the UK, and Armenia, maintain informal diplomatic relations with Palestine but do not officially recognize it as a state.

◾️Among Latin American countries, Mexico, Panama and Jamaica do not recognize Palestinian independence.

◾️Israel, a UN member, undoubtedly does not recognize the State of Palestine.

◾️Palestine does not have full UN membership, since it is not recognized by 3 states who are permanent members of the UN Security Council, namely the US, the UK and France. Consequently, Palestine holds observer status within the global body, just like the Vatican.

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Ebrahim Raisi will be buried tomorrow before sunset at the Razavi shrine in Mashhad, Iranian TV quoted Vice President Mohsen Mansouri as saying

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Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei embraces the grandchildren of late President Ebrahim Raisi

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❗️In recent days, the Russian Sever Battlegroup has managed to expand the front line; it is already spreading to the eastern part of the Kharkov region, said the head of the Russian administration of the region, Vitaly Ganchev.

According to him, almost 300 square kilometers of the region’s territory are under the control of Russian forces.

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❗️Ukrainian forces attacked the territory of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, according to the plant's press service

A kamikaze drone attack in the area of the power plant’s transport workshop was recorded. There were no casualties or critical damage, the press service added.

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