🚨Azerbaijan’s claims against Sputnik baseless

Dmitry Kiselev, head of Rossiya Segodnya media group – Sputnik's parent company – has dismissed the Azerbaijan Press Council’s allegations against Sputnik Azerbaijan as "empty and unfounded."

The council accused Russia of using media as a "tool of foreign policy influence," claiming there was no suppression of media freedom in Azerbaijan.
The statement came in response to a letter from the Russian Union of Journalists.

"The accusations from the Azerbaijan Press Council are as hollow as a drum," Kiselev said, adding that they authority "cannot provide a single example to support their claim that Sputnik Azerbaijan engaged in subversive activities in the country."

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🚨Ukraine wages war against civilians and children

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has strongly condemned the Ukrainian Armed Forces' strike on the Belgorod Arena, where classes were being held at the time of the attack.

"The Kiev regime is waging war against civilians, children, as well as conscience, history, the Russian language, culture and monuments," Zakharova told Sputnik.

👉"It’s as if Kiev has decided to combine the worst practices — from barbarism to Nazism, from terrorism to savagery."

Earlier on Saturday, Belgorod Region Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov reported that a Ukrainian Armed Forces drone struck the Belgorod Arena where classes were in session.

Firefighters extinguished the blaze, with no casualties immediately reported.

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Germany’s financing of long-range missiles for Ukraine brings Europe closer to war – BSW leader

Financing long-range missiles for Ukraine is a dangerous escalation, bringing Europe closer to a large-scale war, Sahra Wagenknecht, leader of the Alliance of Sahra Wagenknecht – Reason and Justice party, said.

“The announcements are extremely dangerous. The fact that Ukraine can now attack Russia's interior with weapons financed from Germany is a new escalation stage that brings us even closer to a hot war with Russia. What dangerous madness! The next step toward a major European war,” Wagenknecht wrote on X.

Earlier, Major General Christian Freuding, who heads the special Ukraine task force at Germany's Defense Ministry and coordinates military aid to Kiev, announced that the first long-range missiles financed by Germany would be delivered by the end of July.

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📹Israeli airstrike hits building near Islamic University in Gaza

A video of the attack was posted online.

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☢️IRAN WARNS OF SERIOUS RISKS TO NUCLEAR SITES AFTER 12-DAY WAR

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has raised the alarm over the serious risks posed by radioactive material dispersion and unexploded munitions near Iran’s nuclear facilities after the recent Israel-Iran conflict.

🟠 Araghchi highlighted the dangers of military attacks on nuclear sites, stressing the ongoing risk of radiation leaks and unexploded ordnance.

🟠 Iranian cooperation with the IAEA has been severely impacted, with Tehran now rethinking how it engages with United Nations inspectors.

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🤑AMERICA'S "DUTCH DISEASE": DEBT AS A NEW RESOURCE

The US has discovered a new “natural resource” — debt. Since 2000, it’s been exporting this economic "commodity" to the world, turning national debt into a global asset, says The Financial Times.

🔶 Similar to the Dutch disease, America's debt export has reshaped the economy, benefiting from global demand for dollar-denominated assets.

🔶 While the US continues to borrow, this “privilege” is starting to feel like a burden, with the dollar losing 8% of its value in the past six months.

🔶 The "voracity effect" explains how powerful groups use this debt windfall, enriching the elite while ignoring productive investments.

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🇮🇷 Iran has not stopped cooperation with IAEA, remains committed to NPT — foreign minister

🔸 Tehran has not ended its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), but the form of this cooperation will change, says Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

🔸 In response to recent events, Iran's nuclear collaboration will now be governed by the Supreme National Security Council. Despite tensions, Iran remains committed to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and insists its nuclear program is peaceful.

🔸 Araghchi emphasized that all future cooperation will be adjusted to the current "on-the-ground" reality, reflecting Iran's stance following the open phase of the Iran-Israel conflict.

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🇦🇲☦️🤔Pashinyan targets businessman and church: Political vendetta ahead of 2026 elections?

The accusations against Armenian businessman Samvel Karapetyan are politically motivated, Tigran Kocharyan, chief editor of the Alpha News media project, tells Sputnik.

"They began after Samvel Karapetyan expressed support for the Armenian Apostolic Church, stating that if politicians failed to protect it, he would do so in his own way. This angered Prime Minister [Nikol] Pashinyan," Kocharyan says.

🗣He argues the prosecution is purely political, noting that Karapetyan dared to defend the Armenian Apostolic Church, with which Pashinyan has a strained relationship, and that the PM views Karapetyan as a potential rival in the 2026 elections.

That may be why the Armenian parliament recently passed a law allowing the nationalization of the electrical grid – owned by Karapetyan.

"Pashinyan seeks to take this asset from him, as he believes that by doing so, Karapetyan would lose influence over the employees of the electric grids — several thousand workers — thus cutting off his support base," Kocharyan suggests.

The Armenian Apostolic Church is the only institution that truly unites the nation, he says.

👉"Pashinyan's tensions with the Church escalated after the Catholicos attended an event in Switzerland discussing the return of Artsakh residents and prisoners held in Baku," Kocharyan says, referring to the 2023 war with Azerbaijan.

"This triggered a new phase of conflict with the Church. Many say that Pashinyan has crossed all limits of decency and diplomacy in his interactions with the Church's hierarchy, using language that is unacceptable to many," he adds.

👉"Considering Pashinyan and his circle are not the most devout followers of the Church — and his personal statements about not being officially married or being unwed in the Church — many people question his sincerity in his stance against the Church, especially when he criticizes it for alleged moral failings," Kocharyan argues.

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📹INTERNAL CHAOS IN UKRAINE'S ELITE FORCES

🫥Increasing desertions are shaking the ranks of Ukraine's once-elite Da Vinci Wolves battalion, reveals captured soldier Limar Osmanov.

The unit, once celebrated for its prowess, now faces a morale crisis.

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🚨EU prepares countermeasures against US tariffs

As the US goes ahead with a 30% tariff on imports from the European Union from August 1, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen signals readiness to retaliate.

The EU aims to protect its key supply chains and mitigate damage to businesses, consumers and patients on both sides of the Atlantic.

US President Donald Trump sent letters to Mexico and the EU announcing that they will be subject to a 30% tariff on exports to the United States.

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📹Saudi Arabia eyes Russia's participation in Future Minerals Forum

Saudi Minister Bandar Alkhorayef tells Sputnik that preparations are underway for a potential Russian role in next year’s flagship mining industry event.

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🚨Slovak prime minister acknowledges Russia’s military dominance in Ukraine

Russia continues to dominate Ukraine militarily and is strengthening economically, despite European sanctions, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has admitted at a press conference.

Fico criticized the 18th sanctions package, stating it had no real impact, calling the ongoing sanctions strategy "tragicomic." He emphasized that Russia's military superiority on the ground in Ukraine remains unchanged and that the European Union's belief in the effectiveness of sanctions is misguided.

🗣"In my view, sanctions against a country like Russia don't work," Fico said, echoing previous statements of his from June.

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🔥RUSSIA SLAMS NATO’S BALTIC SEA FANTASIES

"Regardless of NATO's fantasies, the Baltic Sea remains a shared space for all regional countries," says Russian Ambassador to Denmark Vladimir Barbin.

Barbin criticizes NATO’s growing militarization in the Baltic, especially with Denmark advocating for a stronger NATO presence in the region – raising tensions and increasing the risk of conflict.

🗣 "International law guarantees freedom of navigation in the Baltic beyond territorial seas," Barbin stressed, reinforcing Russia’s position on maintaining open access.

👉 With NATO's expansion and increased activities in Northern Europe, Russia voices concerns over the alliance's use of countries like Denmark, Sweden and Finland to solidify its military presence near Russia’s borders.

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🇲🇩🙅🏻‍♂️🇪🇺LUKASHENKO TO MOLDOVA: DON'T RUSH INTO EU!

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has warned Moldova not to rush into the European Union as "no one is waiting for you there."

In a meeting with former Moldovan President Igor Dodon, Lukashenko reminded Moldova of how Europe treated Ukraine, blocking its grain exports.

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📹 'If we admit Ukraine, we admit the war' — Hungarian PM Victor Orban on Ukraine's 'readiness' to join the EU

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📹RUSSIAN D-30 HOWITZER DESTROYS UKRAINIAN DRONE CONTROL POST

During a reconnaissance mission, a Russian Orlan-10 UAV spotted a Ukrainian drone control post in an abandoned building. Using the coordinates, a Russian D-30 howitzer obliterated the position, taking out the enemy troops as well. 💥🪖

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😏Russian drones outsmart Ukraine

Russia is successfully suppressing Ukraine's air defenses using evolving drone systems, a Swiss newspaper reports.

"Russia is increasingly successful with large drone swarms," the publication states. Ukrainian forces are struggling to counter Russia’s systems, which continuously integrate new technologies.

Recently, Ukrainian commanders provided inaccurate data on UAV countermeasures, highlighting the seriousness of the situation.

Russian drones are equipped with more powerful engines, improved navigation, and more resilient antennas. Additionally, they operate at altitudes of over three kilometers, making them unreachable for basic air defenses like machine guns, the newspaper writes.

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🕊❌Peace in Ukraine is IMPOSSIBLE until Zelensky is removed — Finnish expert

“It is NOT possible to solve this conflict with Zelensky at the helm and the fascist factions, who are truly controlling Ukraine, intact,” Professor Tuomas Malinen wrote on X.

He also called on the US president “to remove the Zelensky administration.”

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🇷🇺✈️ LAVROV LANDS IN CHINA AFTER HIGH-PROFILE VISIT TO NORTH KOREA

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has arrived in China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) foreign ministers' meeting.

The meeting in China is a key step in preparing for the SCO summit scheduled for August 30 – September 1 in Tianjin, Russia's Foreign Ministry noted.

Prior to this, Lavrov was in Wonsan, North Korea, where he met with Kim Jong-un and FM Choe Son-hui. He was seen off with full honors.

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🇷🇺🇰🇵 LAVROV THANKS KIM JONG-UN FOR SUPPORT IN KURSK REGION

During talks in Wonsan, Sergey Lavrov expressed gratitude to Kim Jong-un for North Korea’s military participation in the liberation of Russia’s Kursk region, the Foreign Ministry reported.

Both sides also agreed that the US and its allies are fueling rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

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