🌋🔥200-METER LAVA fountains light up the skies as Kilauea erupts in Hawaii

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'You think anyone can stop great Russia?’ – French journalist recalls her experience with Lavrov

During his tenure as Russia’s Permanent Representative at the UN, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was remembered for his charisma, unquenchable passion for smoking, and a unique magnetism that captivated females, French journalist Celia de Lavarene told Sputnik.

When Lavrov played football at the UN, female journalists were in the front rows.

“We were like cheerleaders—we clapped! We didn’t care about the football at all; we came just to cheer for Lavrov! We shouted, 'Forward, Sergey!'" the journalist.

She was also fascinated with Lavrov’s readiness to smoke no matter what.

“Once, we met near the Security Council chamber, and he was standing right in front of a ‘no smoking’ sign. Sergey looked at me and said, ‘Celia, come here, smoke with me.’ I didn’t smoke, but he continued, ‘Anyway, come here!’ I asked if he wasn’t afraid of security, to which Lavrov replied, ‘Look at me, do you think anyone can stop great Russia?’” she adds.

The image is AI-generated

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❗️A criminal case has been opened in connection with the destruction of the Sudzha gas distribution station in the Kursk region by Ukrainian military forces, Russia's Investigative Committee reported.

The investigation found out that on March 20, the Ukrainian Armed Forces deliberately blew up the station, causing significant damage to the facility.

Earlier, footage appeared on social media, presumably from the attack on the station.

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🇮🇷 Iran promises a "heavy slap" to anyone who harms its people

Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei warned the US that Iran would retaliate against actions that harm the Iranian people. Speaking on the first day of the Iranian New Year, Khamenei emphasized that Iran never initiates conflict, but will respond to aggression.

He also rejected the claim that Iran uses proxy forces in the region, stating that countries opposing Israel’s aggression against Palestinians have their own positions and do not need Iran's support.

On March 17, US President Donald Trump suggested that Iran was behind recent attacks by the Houthi rebels in Yemen, hinting that US forces might retaliate beyond striking the rebels. Tehran condemned Trump's rhetoric, rejecting any involvement in the attacks.

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❗️Russia's military REFRAINS from striking Ukrainian energy infrastructure and President Vladimir Putin's order is in effect despite Ukraine's violations of the agreement, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.

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🗣 More statements by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov:

▪️Ukraine is the obvious culprit of the explosion at the gas metering station in Sudzha.

▪️Grigory Karasin and Sergey Beseda, who will represent Russia in the negotiations with the United States, are experienced negotiators.

▪️The militarization of Europe is a dangerous trend, it does not bring us closer to defusing the situation.

▪️Russia is convinced that the problem of Iran's nuclear program must be resolved by peaceful political and diplomatic means.

▪️President Vladimir Putin will hold a meeting with permanent members of the Security Council on Friday, an international telephone conversation is not excluded.

▪️Relations between Russia and Armenia have not been interrupted and cannot be interrupted, it is a friendly country.

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📹 Unexpected reaction of bus driver in Turkiye

Children were throwing snowballs at a city bus in Denizli, a city in southwestern Turkiye, when the driver reacted unexpectedly.

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❗️Ukraine DELIBERATELY blew up the Sudzha gas metering station last night, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

This is a deliberate provocation; strikes on Russia's energy infrastructure are being carried out in order to DISCREDIT the US president's peace initiatives, the ministry said.

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🎉Can't remember the last time I took time off on my birthday: Celebrating Lavrov's 75th

Including 21 years at the helm of Russian diplomacy.

Watch this video spotlighting his career’s most dynamic public moments, and how he's become an icon of Russian diplomacy.

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🇷🇺🪖More statements from the Russian Defense Ministry's weekly briefing on the special military operation's progress:

▪️Ukraine lost up to 3235 soldiers and 30 armored vehicles in the area of responsibility of Russia's Battlegroup Tsentr.

▪️Ukraine lost up to 1000 soldiers in the area of responsibility of Russia's Battlegroup Vostok.

▪️Russian air defenses shot down 1113 drones.

▪️Ukraine lost up to 1615 militants, two tanks and seven armored vehicles in the Russian Yug Battlegroup's combat zone.

▪️Ukraine lost up to 1670 servicemen in the Russian Zapad Battlegroup's combat zone.

▪️Ukraine lost up to 2295 soldiers and 16 tanks in the area of responsibility of Russia's Battlegroup Sever.

▪️Russian Aerospace Forces shot down a MiG-29 of the Ukrainian Air Force in an air battle;

▪️Ukrainian troops lost over 510 militants and nine electronic warfare stations in in the area of responsibility of Russia's Battlegroup Dnepr.

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From Lavrov to LOVErov: Social media can’t get enough of Russia’s top diplomat

The Russian top diplomat receives high praise from social media influencers and bloggers for his professionalism, diplomatic finesse, charisma, and sharp wit.

💬"This is what competent leadership looks like," tweeted Tesla CEO Elon Musk, commenting on Lavrov's arrival in Riyadh for high-level talks with the US on February 18.

💬"Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said today’s efforts to boost US relations paid off, marking a successful first round... The adults are back in charge," echoed media influencer Ian Miles Cheong.

💬Retired Colonel Douglas Macgregor highlighted Lavrov's steadfast commitment to Russia’s national interests: "Lavrov and Putin have made it very clear there will be no Korean-style outcome to [the Ukraine conflict]," he tweeted on January 19. "They want their country to be secure."

Earlier, Lavrov gave an interview to Tucker Carlson, which garnered 7.6 million views. "If only we had a Secretary of State like him," wrote impressed American users. Other comments included:

💬"Millions of people are about to realize Lavrov is intelligent, pragmatic, and that Russia is not so different from us," tweeted influencer Clandestine.

💬"A great, intense, and informative talk by Lavrov. A stark contrast to American politicians, who offer nothing but bombastic hot air," noted Carl Zha.

💬"Note how diplomatic Lavrov is. He still praises the US and Americans," influencer S.L. Kanthan remarked on X, referring to the current chill in US-Russian relations.

💬"Lavrov, even in a second language, makes 10 times more sense as a diplomat than [Secretary of State Antony] Blinken," tweeted Quetzalcoatl.

💬"Great interview. Whether you like the Russians or not, this man just sat down and gave real answers," wrote X user Damon Zumbroegel.

💬"Lavrov is a genius. By far the Nestor of diplomacy worldwide. Congrats on this critical interview," noted Panagiotis G. Pavlos, an X user from Norway.

The image is AI-generated

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❗️Key instructions from President Vladimir Putin on the development of unmanned aviation in Russia:

🔹 Determine the conditions for simplifying the use of airspace for drone flights by June 1.

🔹 Take measures to apply AI technologies in the production and operation of drones.

🔹 Ensure that the work on implementing a unified drone identification system is carried out within national projects.

🔹 Present proposals on regulating the issue of civilian access to drone operation.

🔹 Present proposals to clarify the powers of public authorities regarding the imposition and removal of flight restrictions on UAVs, aimed at increasing drone usage in regions.

🔹 Consider the establishment of a drone aviation development center in Russia's Samara region.

🔹 Create a ranking of regions based on their efforts to create conditions for drone operation.

🔹 Enhance the efficiency of using civilian and dual-use technologies in unmanned aviation.

🔹 Organize an international forum on the development of unmanned systems.

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📹Israeli army forcing Palestinian families to leave their homes in Tulkarm, West Bank

Footage from social media

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🇪🇺🪖 Europe’s military industry suffers from lack of raw material amid drive to arm Ukraine

Only “a handful” of companies exist in Europe that make nitrocellulose, a vital ingredient for the propellant used in shells, Bloomberg laments.

The situation with explosives is no better, as the EU currently has only one “major TNT factory serving local production,” while the producers of “alternative agents” used in plastic explosives are “overwhelmed.”

The fact that the world’s largest producer of cotton, from which nitrocellulose is made, is China also does not sit well with the EU.

And while Germany’s top arms manufacturer Rheinmetall seeks to increase its gunpowder output by over 50% by 2028, this “won’t be enough,” the media outlet claims.

News of this development come as Europe stubbornly struggles to prolong the Ukrainian conflict by funneling arms and munitions to Ukraine’s military.

Last month, the EU sought to ship about 1.5 million artillery shells to Ukraine and when that scheme failed, set its sights on procuring €5 billion (about $5.41 billion) worth of ammunition for Ukrainian troops.

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✈️ Aerobatics: Caribbean edition

This is what a "normal landing" of an airplane looks like at the airport on the Caribbean island of Saint Barthelemy in the Saint-Jean region.

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📹 Israel's army has blown up a building of the As-Sadaqa at-Turkiya hospital in central Gaza

Video from social media

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