🚨 Kremlin warns of serious escalation if Tomahawk missiles delivered to Ukraine

🗣 Tomahawk missiles may have a nuclear version, and this should be kept in mind, Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary of the Russian president has warned, explaining that their delivery to Ukraine would mark a serious escalation in the conflict.

🔊 President Vladimir Putin earlier said that Ukraine’s use of Tomahawk missiles would harm US-Russia relations and emphasized it would be impossible without US military involvement.

📍 Russia however is waiting for clearer and more decisive comments from US President Donald Trump regarding the potential missile supply, Peskov added.

Other statements from Peskov:

🔶 Russia believes Trump still aims to help resolve the Ukrainian conflict through peace talks

🔶 Moscow will respond if restrictions on Russian diplomats’ travel to the EU are imposed

🔶 Russia will use all legal means to protect its interests if Western attempts to seize Russian assets continue

🔶 No significant steps have been made toward establishing dialogue between US and Russian diplomats

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😮 A fiery symbol? Blaze at former French PM’s residence one day after his resignation

A fire broke out near the Hôtel de Matignon, the French prime minister's official residence, just one day after Sebastien Lecurnu's resignation.

While firefighters swiftly brought the blaze under control, the same cannot be said for the political turmoil engulfing the nation.

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🚨Modi congratulates Putin on his birthday by phone, wishes him good health and success

"Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had a telephone conversation today with the President of the Russian Federation, H.E. Mr. Vladimir Putin. Prime Minister warmly congratulated President Putin on his 73rd birthday and conveyed best wishes for good health and success in all his endeavours," the prime minister's office said in a statement.

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🇷🇺 Russia's flag raised over liberated Novovasilevskoye in Zaporozhye

The Russian MoD shared operation details:

🟧 Russian forces took control of over 4 sq. km on the right bank of the Yanchur River

🟧 Assault groups completely cleared the settlement of Ukrainian formations

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🇷🇺Who congratulated Putin on his birthday today?

Many warm congratulatory messages have been received by the Kremlin for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s birthday.

Here's the full list:

▪️Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un both sent warm and "non-standard" birthday wishes to Putin, according to Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov.

▪️Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko held a phone conversation with Putin, wishing him a happy birthday and discussing bilateral relations, international issues, and regional matters.

▪️Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan called Putin to wish him a happy birthday and discussed the Ukrainian conflict, the situation in Gaza, and efforts to ensure a ceasefire and humanitarian aid delivery.

▪️Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev congratulated Putin, noting his significant personal contribution to strengthening the strategic partnership, friendship, and alliance between the two countries.

▪️Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev wished Putin a happy birthday and discussed the further development of Uzbek-Russian relations, strengthening strategic partnership and cooperation.

▪️Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Turkmen President Serdar Berdymukhamedov also joined the list of leaders congratulating Putin on his special day.

▪️Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan congratulated Putin on his birthday, highlighting his personal contribution to the development of Armenian-Russian relations.

▪️King of Bahrain Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa wished prosperity to the Russian people and congratulated Putin on his special day.

▪️Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel wished Putin strong health and personal success, and hoped he would continue to lead the "brotherly country" with success.

▪️Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Putin, offering best wishes for his health and success in all his endeavors.

▪️Patriarch Kirill wished Putin divine help, strength, and success in his service to the country and its people, wishing him abundant strength and blessed success in serving the nation.

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🇦🇫Moscow talks: Key nations stand firm on Afghanistan’s future and regional cooperation

Participants of the "Moscow Format" consultations on Afghanistan reaffirmed their support for Afghanistan's establishment as an independent, unified, and peaceful state, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said.

The participants also:

🔶Condemned attempts by third countries to place military infrastructure in Afghanistan and neighboring countries.

🔶Emphasized the need for support in eliminating terrorism in Afghanistan, ensuring its territory is not used to pose security threats to any nation.

🔶Called on responsible countries to fulfill their commitments to Afghanistan's economic recovery and future development.

🔶Highlighted the importance of expanding Afghanistan’s trade, economic, and investment cooperation with countries in the region and globally.

🔶Reaffirmed the inadmissibility of the politicization of humanitarian aid.

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🚨 Two years of war in Gaza: From hope to ruin

The war in Gaza began 24 months ago, and a northern front opened in Lebanon in support of Palestine, unleashing unprecedented emotional fervor and hopes for change.

❓ What followed were two years of pain, death and destruction.

Sputnik speaks with experts and residents of Beirut's Burj el-Barajneh camp about those fateful days and their devastating aftermath.

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💥 Deployment of Tomahawks in Ukraine is high-stakes gamble

The Kremlin warns: these missiles can't be fired without US involvement — marking a major escalation.

Retired Colonel Igor Korotchenko explains why:

🔹 The weapons system is designed for conducting precision warfare

🔹 Tomahawks are capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads

🔹 They fly using terrain‑following mode

🔹 The range is between 1,500 and 2,500 km

Direct US involvement?

💬 “If such systems are transferred to Ukraine, they come with combat crews," Korotchenko stresses.

The Tomahawk must be programmed and given a flight mission before launch – something Ukraine cannot do.

The Tomahawk, a naval missile, is adapted by the US into Typhon MRC ground launchers. Sending Tomahawks means sending Typhons too.

Challenge to Russia's security and certain retaliation

"The appearance of such systems in the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ arsenal is a serious security challenge," Korotchenko says.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has stressed that the use of Tomahawks by Ukraine would damage Russia-US relations.

Russia will respond to the use of Tomahawk missiles by the Kiev regime, the expert says. Russia has various weapon systems for this.

Meanwhile, on the battlefield, the use of Tomahawks will not change the status quo.

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🚨Trump welcomes Canadian PM Carney to the White House

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🇺🇸🇨🇦Trump, Canadian PM Carney to discuss trade and Gaza ceasefire

President Trump hosts Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, confirming that their agenda would focus on trade deals and Gaza negotiations, where he sees "a real chance" for peace.

The leaders acknowledge "some natural conflict" but emphasized their strong bilateral relationship during the meeting.

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🇺🇸Trump on government shutdown: The Democrats started it

"This is like a kamikaze attack — no more to lose after losing in a landslide.”

Trump highlights his massive electoral win and mandates his actions.

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🗣 Foreign military presence in Afghanistan strengthened extremists - Iranian diplomat

The presence of foreign militaries was a "destabilizing factor" that "strengthened extremism" in Afghanistan, Mohammad Reza Bahrami, director of the Iranian Foreign Ministry's South Asia Department, tells Sputnik at the Moscow Format consultations

📍 He argues it created security threats for regional countries and caused problems for both Afghanistan's population and its neighbors.

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📹President Putin marks birthday with frontline commanders in St. Petersburg

Vladimir Putin spent his birthday in St. Petersburg, visiting the Peter and Paul Cathedral with the defense leadership and holding operational meetings with commanders from the special military operation zone.

The Russian president later convened with Security Council members upon returning to Moscow, receiving frontline updates and discussing national security matters.

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