🇷🇺🪖Key statements from the Russian MoD daily briefing on the special military operation:

▪️Ukrainian forces suffered losses of 490 soldiers and one tank in the zone of responsibility of Russia’s Tsentr Battlegroup;

▪️Russia’s Sever Battlegroup wiped out over 255 soldiers;

▪️Russia's Yug Battlegroup eliminated 320 militants and one tank;

▪️Russia’s Zapad Battlegroup wiped out over 230 soldiers;

▪️Russia's Dnepr Battlegroup eliminated 60 militants;

▪️Russia’s Vostok Battlegroup wiped out over 225 soldiers;

▪️Russian air defense shot down 524 Ukrainian drones, five Neptune missiles, six JDAM bombs and two HIMARS missiles in one day, the ministry added.

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🇷🇺🇻🇪 Putin thanks Maduro for attending Victory Day in Moscow

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warmly welcomed his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolás Maduro during his official visit to Moscow for the 80th anniversary of victory in World War II.

"I truly appreciate you taking the time to attend our Victory Day celebrations. In Russia, we call it the Great Patriotic War," Putin said.

🔸Both leaders emphasized strong Russia–Venezuela ties. Here’s what they discussed:

🔸Putin said Victory Day is a deeply meaningful holiday for Russia, symbolizing the defeat of Nazism.

🔸The two presidents explored cooperation in energy, pharmaceuticals, transport, and healthcare.

🔸Maduro praised the Soviet Union’s role in stopping the spread of Nazism, saying it saved Europe and humanity.

🔸He called Russia a key global power and highlighted the enduring friendship between the two nations.

🔸Maduro said the Russia–Venezuela partnership has stood the test of time and reached a high level of cooperation.

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🇸🇰🗣 Slovak PM slams EU's Russian energy ban as ‘ECONOMIC SUICIDE’

"It's economic suicide - to reach a point where there's no gas, no oil, no nuclear fuel, nothing from Russia, just because a new Iron Curtain is being set up between the Western world and possibly Russia and other countries," Robert Fico said.

He compared the EU's desire to fully cut off Russian energy supplies to "an extremely dangerous game," adding that Slovakia would work to draw the European Commission's attention to the risks associated with this decision.

Earlier, Fico had stated that by insisting on halting energy supplies from the East, EU authorities were creating conditions for further gas price hikes for political reasons.

Russia has repeatedly stated that those who have refused will still end up buying Russian oil and gas through intermediaries at higher prices.

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🚨😡'SCANDAL!' — Hungary's PM on European Commission's plan

"Ukraine gets money and weapons, and European taxpayers get to pay the bill," Viktor Orban resented.

During the meeting, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that the EU will help Ukraine strengthen its position by continuing military aid, fully abandoning Russian gas, and accelerating Ukraine's accession to the European Union.

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🚨🇵🇰🇮🇳 Pakistan gives military 'FREE HAND' to strike back at India

After India’s overnight strikes, Pakistan’s National Security Committee has authorized full retaliatory action.

💥 "The enemy mistook our desire for peace as weakness. One strike will be met with two."

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🎗 A colossal St. George Ribbon greets the motorcades of foreign leaders as they arrive at the Kremlin, standing as a powerful symbol of remembrance and victory.

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🚨 $2.5 TRILLION DUMP COMING?

Asian nations may unleash an "avalanche" of dollar selling as the trade wars escalate, warns economist Stephen Jen.

Why? Asian exporters and investors are sitting on huge dollar reserves — and they may be ready to let them go. Here's what you need to know: 👇

💰 Asian countries (China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam) have hoarded ~$2.5T in UDT

📉 Trigger: Deepening US trade wars & fears of a weakening dollar

🇹🇼 Taiwan dollar just spiked — hinting at broader FX shifts

📊 Bloomberg’s dollar index has already dropped 8% since Feb

🏦 Unhedged, “naked” long-dollar positions make the risk even worse

“There’s an important imbalance in the world that puts the dollar in a vulnerable position,” says Jen.

Is this the beginning of de-dollarization 2.0?

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❗️Putin and Maduro sign strategic partnership deal 🇷🇺🤝🇻🇪

The deal covers key areas of cooperation and aims to strengthen ties between the two nations for years to come.

Putin emphasized that this partnership will lay a solid foundation for expanding multifaceted relations in the future.

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🚨 BIDEN ADMITS UKRAINE CAN'T WIN WITHOUT NATO?

"The idea that they could win without engaging NATO in a war... is not likely."

So after $175B+ in aid, endless weapons, and "heroic" speeches... Biden now says Ukraine was never going to win?

But sure, keep sending those checks! 💸

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🇭🇺 Hungary to EU: You cut Russian gas, we pay the bill — thanks a lot😒

“Cutting off Russian gas will cost Hungary €1.5 BILLION more every year,” FM Péter Szijjártó said.

He calls it a “direct attack” on Hungary’s ability to keep utility costs low.

EU says energy transition. Hungary says economic sabotage.

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🇷🇸 Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has arrived in Moscow, a Sputnik correspondent reports.

Vucic confirmed his plans for the visit back in March, despite pressure from the European Commission and threats regarding Serbia’s EU membership prospects. He remarked, “It feels like the sky will fall on my head because of the pressure over my trip to Moscow.”

Serbian media reported earlier that Latvia and Lithuania blocked Vucic’s flight path to Russia for the event.

During his visit, Vucic will meet with President Putin to discuss bilateral relations and the situation in the Balkans.

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🇨🇳 Xi Jinping has arrived in Moscow, a Sputnik correspondent reports.

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🇺🇸🇪🇺 JD Vance to Europe: We’re allies, not your ATM 💸🛡

“American and European civilizations are linked… but in the 21st Century, that means more European burden sharing on defense,” — US VP JD Vance

Translation: We’re still friends, but it’s time Europe paid up.

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🇷🇺🇨🇺 Russian President Vladimir Putin has started negotiations with Cuba's President at the Kremlin

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Trump officially declares May 8 as Day of Celebration of WWII Victory Day

In his proclamation, Trump says WWII would not have been won without the sacrifice of American soldiers, adding that the world today would look very different without their contributions.

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📹 AG Bondi: FBI is 'reviewing' Epstein's child porn trove

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🚨🪖🇷🇺 Inside Russia’s Military Machine

From the ruins of the '90s to a world-class force, Russia's army has rapidly developed weapons that the US can't match, now facing NATO head-on in Ukraine. Need proof? Check out the details below:

⚡️ Russia’s tactical revolution

The Russian military has transformed:

▪️Storm-Z assault brigades and elite drone units now reduce recon-strike cycles to just 15-20 mins (compared to the US’s 40 mins in 2016)
▪️FPV drone swarms and unmanned recon teams are a game-changer in Ukraine

💥 Unmatched firepower

Russia’s weapons are becoming more precise:

▪️Krasnopol shells & UMPK glide bombs for pinpoint destruction
▪️Lancet/Geran drones: Cheap, precise, and long-range
▪️EW dominance: Knocks out NATO radars & communications

🚀 Hypersonic supremacy

▪️Kinzhal: 12x the speed of sound, unstoppable
▪️Oreshnik: Multi-warhead hypersonic missile, designed to bury underground bunkers
▪️Poseidon: Nuclear-powered drone that can trigger tsunamis 🌊💣

📈 Force expansion

▪️1M → 1.5M troops in 2 years
▪️New Moscow/Leningrad military districts for tighter control
▪️Artillery production tripled in 2023, outpacing NATO

🛠 Sanction-proof industry

▪️Outproducing the US and EU in shells, tanks, drones
▪️Armored vehicle output doubled since 2022
▪️Wartime economy = Unlimited sustainment

🔧 Modern warfare evolution

Russia adapts quickly:

▪️Tanks now feature “cope cages” to defend against FPV drones
▪️Shift to mass artillery/attrition strategies
▪️Electronic warfare crushes NATO tech reliance

🌍 Geopolitical implications

▪️Ukraine = Testing ground for next-gen tactics
▪️NATO’s weaknesses exposed: Slow production and no hypersonics

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📹🇨🇳 Footage of Xi Jinping's arrival in Moscow. He was met at the plane's steps by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova.

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🚨🇵🇰🇮🇳 Pakistan only defending itself so far, no response to India YET

Pakistan has only been defending itself from India's strikes and has not yet responded, Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif told Sputnik.

Islamabad now has full authority to choose targets and methods of retaliation, increasing the risk of escalation.

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📹 JD Vance: We’re open to nuclear talks... just don’t hold your breath

"The president hates nuclear proliferation. I hate nuclear proliferation. And I think that the president would be very open to sitting down with the Russians and the Chinese and saying, 'Look, let's get this thing in a much better place. Let's reduce the number of nuclear weapons that are in the world writ large'."

"That's obviously NOT A CONVERSATION FOR TOMORROW. That’s a conversation, God willing, for a few years from now," US VP JD Vance said at a forum in Washington organized by the Munich Security Conference.

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