🇷🇺🤝🇴🇲 Vladimir Putin showed Sultan of Oman Haitham bin Tariq Al Said how to put on a translation earpiece during talks in the Kremlin.

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🚨📲SURRENDER VIA TELEGRAM: Exclusive clips of Ukrainian soldiers capitulating to Russian forces 

Two Ukrainian servicemen stationed in the Sumy region contacted Russia’s Sever Battlegroup through a Telegram chatbot.

After receiving an order to cross the state border, they relinquished their weapons and fled toward Russian positions, their movements monitored by a Russian drone operator.

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🇷🇺🤝🇴🇲A solemn ceremony to welcome Russian President Vladimir Putin and Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said of Oman took place at the Kremlin.

The two leaders met in the St. George Hall of the Kremlin, where they shook hands. The national anthems of Oman and Russia were then played.

During the formal part of the ceremony:

🔸Putin thanked the sultan of Oman for accepting the invitation to visit Russia.

🔸A "solid package of documents" was prepared ahead of the Sultan's visit to Russia, according to Putin.

🔸The Sultan expressed interest in having Omani officials visit Moscow and other Russian cities more often.

🔸The Sultan of Oman encouraged Russian businesses to open offices in Oman and attract mutual investments.

Following the ceremony, President Putin and Sultan Haitham greeted members of their delegations. Afterward, Putin invited his colleague to a private meeting for further talks.

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🗣 Gagauzia Parliament Speaker Dmitry Konstantinov was banned from leaving Moldova for two months, Konstantinov told Sputnik.

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🚨🇷🇺💥2 Russian soldiers take down ENTIRE Ukrainian Unit with a 🇺🇸Bradley BMP

Shoutout to "Multik" from the 242nd Guard Motorized Rifle Regiment.

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🗣 US State Department calls Vladimir Putin’s words about readiness for direct talks with Ukraine a "very good sign"

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'THEY'RE AN EMBARRASSMENT' — Irish scholar on why Western counties boycott Russia's celebration of the victory over fascism

"Every year, we have this anniversary, and it reminds people about the actual historical facts of the war. And Western countries, Western politicians, don't want to face up to that," said Geoffrey Roberts, an emeritus professor of history at Ireland's University College Cork.

He stressed that Western leaders would rather gather in Ukraine on May 8 to mark the end of the war while they "celebrate and commemorate Ukrainian nationalists, neo-Nazis," who during WWII allied themselves with Nazi Germany and "actually took part in ethnic cleansing and massacres of Poles and Jews."

"The real celebration, the real commemoration will be taking place in Moscow," the professor concluded.

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❗️US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff's visit to Moscow is expected this week, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said.

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🇨🇦🇪🇺 Canada's desire to join the EU: REVENGE on Trump or NEOCON grand design?

Ottawa's reported plan to seek EU membership "underscores the clash between Trump and the lingering neocon influence in Europe," Massimiliano Bonne, an EU foreign policy expert, tells Sputnik.

Trump's comment about Canada being America's 51st state is a direct jab at the British Crown and the neocons.

🧐 Why does Canada want in?

🔸Ideological proximity with the EU: "Canada wants to break away from the American framework, and Canadian public opinion definitely leans toward aligning more with the European agenda. The Canadian sentiment is to preserve its independence, regardless of US strategy."

🔸Historic roots: Canada’s ties to Europe go way back to its colonial past and its history with the UK Commonwealth. "Canada's potential entry into the EU is still a reflection of British power, especially that of the Crown and the Grand Orient lodges."

🤔 Can Canada join the bloc?

✅ YES, it can: Canada can apply to join the EU, as the founding treaty allows countries "inspired" by Europe, and there are no geographic restrictions on membership.

❓Ay, there's rub: It remains to be seen whether countries like Hungary and Slovakia will back Canada’s bid to join the EU.

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🇷🇺🤝🇴🇲 Russia and Oman have signed an agreement to mutually abolish visas, a Sputnik correspondent reports.

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🔍 Easter truce exposed ZELENSKY’S USELESSNESS

"We saw Zelensky's statement that 'we need to offer more to maintain the ceasefire'... But it turned out that some units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces do not obey him at all, and they were striking Russian cities and Russian civilians in Donbass," Yevgeny Mikhailov, head of the Center for Strategic Studies of the South Caucasus, tells Sputnik.

All of this demonstrated the ineffectiveness of Volodymyr Zelensky, he adds.

The Russian Ministry of Defense earlier stated that the Ukrainian military violated the 30-hour Eater ceasefire announced by Russia almost 5,000 times.

“The global community has once again seen that the Zelensky regime cannot stand up to any criticism and does not comply with any agreements, which brings this regime closer to its collapse,” Mikhailov concludes.

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📹 Once a leaker, always a leaker!

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth calls out "disgruntled former employees" leaking info to SABOTAGE Trump’s agenda.

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🛢📈 Global oil prices INCH UP after slump

Brent crude futures increased by several points on April 22, also the case with US West Texas Intermediate (WTI).

On April 21, Brent and WTI indexes plummeted to $66.26 and $63.08 a barrel, respectively.

The fall came amid signs of progress in US-Iran talks as investors remained concerned over economic implications from Trump’s tariffs which could curb oil demand.

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🤔 Time for a change? Canada eyes EU to break US dependency

Canada’s alleged desire to join the EU stems from a fear of strategic loneliness, following the US becoming Ottawa’s “single greatest threat,” Shaun Narine, a professor at Canada’s St. Thomas University, tells Sputnik.

Why Europe?

🇨🇦 "Canada is in a very awkward position": Canada now has strained relations with most major powers, including China, India, and Russia. Europe remains one of the few regions where strong ties persist.

🔎 A natural choice: "Canada began life as a European settler state. The majority of Canadians are still of European background. The Canadian elites are very much oriented towards Europe."

Are relations with the US really “over”?

🔸Time to diversify: Canada is seeking greater independence from the US in economic, political, and security matters. It is even considering canceling its F-35 deal with Lockheed Martin and has opened talks with Sweden to purchase its aircraft instead.

🔸What if the Democrats return? Even if the US leadership changes, Washington has already proven unreliable in the eyes of many Canadians. It breaks its own agreements, and its word is no longer trusted. “We have to remember that for the future.”

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📹 Russia fought against Hitler and won while the West developed nuclear weapons

"We don't believe that the Western world has ever done anything for humanity. The best we can remember them for is the nuclear war. They are the ones who brought such shame to humanity," Sifiso Ndlovu, professor of history at the University of South Africa, told Sputnik's correspondent at the International Scientific Conference on the "80th Anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War and World War II" in Moscow.

Adolf Hitler, who originated from the West and was the 'problem child' of the West, was defeated by the Soviet Union.

"The West did nothing else but benefited from Germany in terms of economics and dependence. But when that ended, they then decided to join the war. They joined it later," Ndlovu said.

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🔎 ‘Neo-Nazism and fascism are REVIVING in Europe’

This is why “it’s necessary to protect the traditions of the anti-fascist struggle of the Soviet people and work seriously on questions of history," Milos Kovic, professor of history at the University of Belgrade, tells Sputnik.

He stresses that the task will take time so that Europe once again honors its WWII history and refrains from distorting facts.

“We must wait until the historians and historiographers of Western Europe are replaced,” Kovich emphasizes.

He spoke on the sidelines of the International Scientific Conference on the "80th Anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War and World War II," which opened in Moscow on April 22.

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🦈 Trolls turn Israeli shark attack into anti-Semitic meme fest

Outrage erupted in Israel after online trolls shared AI-generated images of “anti-Semitic sharks” wearing Hamas bandanas, following a brutal shark attack off Hadera.

The northern Israeli beach has been closed off, and a search operation is ongoing, with authorities confirming they’ve recovered remains of a male victim, Ynet reported.

Some trolls went as far as calling the bloodthirsty fish “the anti-Semitic shark – FIGHT TO TOTAL VICTORY” or “the warrior shark, Abu-shark force.”

The posts sparked fury across Israel, with local media accusing the trolls of using the shark attack to stir up anti-Semitic hate.

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😄 Republican senators troll Democrats with "one-way" trip to El Salvador in hilarious ad

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❗️The US is going to ask Europe and Ukraine to recognize Crimea as part of Russia during a meeting in London, the Washington Post reports.

In exchange, Kiev's allies are hoping for some solid security guarantees.

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🖼 CNN revealed the portrait Vladimir Putin gifted to Trump, created by Russian artist Nikas Safronov.

In March, US special envoy Stephen Witkoff said that Russian President Vladimir Putin had given President Donald Trump a "beautiful portrait" of the American leader by a "prominent Russian artist," which was delivered to its recipient.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed it was a personal gift, offering no further details.

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