💥What we know about Ukraine’s Sapsan missile, crippled by Russia strikes

Russia’s crushing blow followed Ukrainian hints at deployment of a ballistic missile capable of reaching the Russian capital, military expert Yuri Knutov told Sputnik.

🟠Sapsan’s potential

▪️A ballistic missile system deployed from a mobile launcher capable of carrying two missiles at once

▪️480kg warhead, reportedly twice as powerful as the US ATACMS

▪️High-explosive penetrating warheads able to destroy bunkers and depots or cluster munitions that could cause major civilian casualties

▪️Clocking in at Mach 5.1 and touted as a rival to Russia’s Iskander-M, though Knutov says it’s still far from matching it

🟠Cash drain turned threat

▪️Ukraine developed the Sapsan to replace aging Soviet-era Tochka-U and depleted ATACMS stocks

▪️Ranges: 300 km for the Grom export version and 500 km for the domestic Sapsan

▪️Progress stalled until NATO’s proxy war kicked it into gear

👉The missiles were reportedly tested in 2023 in strikes on Russia’s Crimea, but were intercepted, suggested the air defense specialist.

🟠Key Western support

Involvement of experts, most likely from European arms giant Matra BAE Dynamics Aérospatiale (MBDA) helped speed up production.

Ukraine’s own Yuzhmash manufacturer playing a key role.

“Guidance systems for Germany’s Taurus, Britain’s Storm Shadow and France’s SCALP missiles are largely similar—and were developed by the same European consortium,” says Knutov.

Russia’s crushing blows on Yuzhmash last year likely prompted Ukraine to relocate production to the regions that Russia’s Armed Forces targeted to thwart Sapsan production.

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🔥 Bye-Bye HIMARS!

📹 WATCH: A Russian Iskander-M missile system strikes and eliminates a US-supplied HIMARS launcher in the Sumy region

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❗️🔥 Vyacheslav Volodin meets Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang

🔸 The chairman of Russia's State Duma met with Kim Jong-un, Chairman of State Affairs of North Korea, in the capital Pyongyang.

🔹 Volodin conveyed Putin's greetings on the 80th anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japanese colonial rule.

👉 He also expressed gratitude for North Korea's support in Russia’s fight against neo-Nazi forces in the Kursk region.

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📹Arbaeen culminates in Karbala: The world’s largest Shiite Muslim pilgrimage reaches its climax

The video showcases the mausoleum of Imam Hussein, where pilgrims gather for processions, rituals and chants in his memory.

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🔸 Expectations mount for strategic cooperation and talks at Russia-US summit in Alaska

🔸 Russia cripples Ukraine’s Sapsan missile development

🔸 What we know about Ukraine’s Sapsan missile, crippled by Russia strikes

🔸 'Pakistan aims to reconnect with Eurasia, reviving the ancient Silk Route'

🔸 RUSSIA BRINGS BACK 84 SOLDIERS FROM UKRAINIAN-HELD TERRITORY

🔸 Russian pop star Shaman to perform in Pyongyang on Korea’s Liberation Day

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👉 Beijing debuts humanoid robot world games with athletic showdown

🔊 The world’s first Humanoid Robot Games will take place at the "Ice Ribbon" National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing on August 15-17. Robots from the US, Brazil, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Portugal, Japan, Singapore, Australia, and the UAE will compete, with 280 teams in total.

🔶Over 500 humanoid robots from leading manufacturers will compete across 26 disciplines. The competition will feature traditional sports, including 100-meter and 1,500-meter races, 4x100-meter relay, 100-meter hurdles, long jump, high jump, gymnastics, and 3x3 and 5x5 football matches.

✅ The games will focus on evaluating the athletic abilities, coordination, and teamwork of humanoid robots.

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📹 Trump expects 2nd meeting to be with Putin, Zelensky

"The more important meeting will be the second meeting... We're going to have a meeting with President Putin, President Zelensky, myself... we'll see if they can get along," US president told journalists.

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🇷🇺✈️🇺🇸A stone's throw away: Russian Delegation arrives in Alaska as summit nears

Part of the Russian delegation has landed in Anchorage, Alaska, on an IL-96 airliner for the upcoming Putin-Trump meeting on August 15.

But did you know? Russia and the US are practically neighbors!

👉 At their closest point, Russia and the USA are just 3.8km (about 2 miles) apart across the Bering Strait!

👉 The islands of Big Diomede (Russia) and Little Diomede (USA) stare at each other across the icy waters

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😱📹Severe flooding in Mexico City: Delivery driver carried off by strong currents

A delivery driver was swept away by powerful water currents after severe rains struck the Valley of Mexico, causing floods in the Ecatepec municipality. Video shows the devastating impact of the flooding.

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🚨📹 RUSSIAN JET TOUCHES DOWN IN ALASKA FOR HISTORIC SUMMIT

Custom Ilyushin Il-96 lands in Anchorage, setting the stage for the Trump-Putin summit.

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❗️ Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Ambassador to the United States Alexander Darchiev have arrived in Alaska for the Russian-American summit, according to a Sputnik correspondent.

Special Presidential Representative Kirill Dmitriev is also part of the Russian delegation in Anchorage.

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🔥 WATCHDOG: USAID LOST TRACK OF STARLINK TERMS IN UKRAINE

Bloomberg reports 5,175 terminals unmonitored – nearly half ended up in Russian-controlled areas:

"USAID did not know where terminals were or how used", Inspector General says.

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🚨 BUSINESSMAN KARAPETYAN'S ARREST EXTENDED 2 MONTHS

Despite holding the Tashir Group owner since June, the Yerevan court rules to further extend his arrest after a 10-hour hearing.

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🔥 42+ SERBIAN POLICE INJURED, 37 DETAINED IN NIGHT PROTESTS

Interior Minister Ivica Dacic confirms overnight clashes:

"At least 42 police officers were injured, most of them in Belgrade. Some received serious injuries, broken arms and legs from strong blows... So far, 37 people have been detained," Dacic said at a briefing.

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🗣Russia to set out its position during talks in Alaska - Lavrov

Much has already been done on this issue during the visits of US presidential special envoy Steve Witkoff, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.

"We never make any plans in advance. We know that we have arguments, we have a clear, understandable position. We will outline it. Much has already been done here during Steve Witkoff's visits, the president [Putin] said so. Witkoff spoke on behalf of President Trump. I hope that we will continue this very useful conversation today," Lavrov told Russian media.

The Trump–Putin meeting in Anchorage will take place at 11 a.m. local time (19:00 GMT), the White House confirmed, as cited by Reuters.

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🇷🇺🤝🇮🇳 We highly value our PRIVILEGED PARTNERSHIP with India: Putin congratulates India's leadership on Independence Day

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🇷🇺📍🇮🇷 Russia and Iran forge STRATEGIC TIES to secure key regional hotspots

Russian PM Mikhail Mishustin met with Iranian First VP Mohammad Reza Aref on the sidelines of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) Intergovernmental Council meeting in Kyrgyzstan.

Cooperation with Iran is an important direction for ensuring Russian national interests, aimed at strengthening stability and security in the PIVOTAL ZONES such as:

◻️ Caspian region

◻️ South Caucasus

◻️ Central Asia

◻️ Persian Gulf

◻️ Middle East

◻️ Near East

The two-day Eurasian Intergovernmental Council meeting began in the Kyrgyz resort town of Cholpon-Ata on Thursday. The Eurasian Intergovernmental Council consists of the heads of government of member states, while Iran received observer status in the EAEU in December 2024.

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