News From Sputnik, Page 1148

Three Key Goals Russia Achieved by Liberating Artemovsk

The Russian military confirmed Sunday that operations by assault detachments supported by artillery and aviation of the Southern Group of Forces had led to the total liberation of the DPR city of Artemovsk. Alexei Leonkov, one of Russia’s top military observers, told Sputnik what this means tactically, strategically and politically.

Israeli Arms Exports Set to Break 2021 Record of $11.4 Bln

TEL AVIV (Sputnik) – Israel’s arms exports last year are projected to break the record set in 2021 when they reached $11.4 billion after doubling in less than a decade, Director General of the Israeli Defense Ministry Eyal Zamir said on Monday.

Line in the Sand: Assad Won’t Meet Erdogan Until Turkish Troops Exit Syria

Russian and Iranian diplomats have worked tirelessly in recent months to facilitate the normalization of relations between Damascus and Ankara – as part of a broader regional realignment which has seen former sworn enemies of the Assad government restore ties with Syrian Arab Republic.

Why is Bakhmut Called Artemovsk and What’s Its True Story?

For months, the Artemovsk (Bakhmut) “meat grinder” has been the center of the world’s attention. On May 20, 2023, at noon, the city was fully liberated by Russian forces. What is so special about Bakhmut and what is it famous for?

Soleimani ‘Trenchmate’ Akbar Ahmadian Becomes New Chair of Iran’s Security Council

As head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), Adm. Al Shamkhani helped negotiate some of the republic’s greatest diplomatic feats, including the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2015 and the normalization of relations with Saudi Arabia earlier this year.

Swing State Voters Would Rather Not See Biden & Trump in 2024 Election – Reports

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – Focus groups involving voters from so-called “swing” US states found that every single one of them would rather not see President Joe Biden or former-President Donald Trump run for re-election, American media reported on Monday.

Spectacular Mount Etna Eruption Grounds Flights in Italian Island of Sicily

Mount Etna, one of Sicily’s landmarks, has frequently become active in recent years. The 2010 eruption disrupted air traffic by sending a cloud of hazardous ash drifting across the Atlantic Ocean.

Ukrainian Filmmaker Predicts West Will Ditch Zelensky & Try to Freeze Conflict

Director Igor Lopatonok is known for his 2016 film “Ukraine on Fire” that features Oliver Stone as an executive producer, and recounts the events that transpired in the country in 2014, including the violent Maidan coup, Crimea’s reunification with Russia, and the war in Donbass, all milestones that contributed to the ongoing conflict.

Why Does Ukraine Want F-16s?

Last week, the Biden administration took another step up the escalation ladder in the NATO-Russia proxy war in Ukraine, announcing plans to train Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16 fighter jets at undisclosed locations in Europe. Moscow slammed the move, and warned that it will take these steps “into account” in its military strategy.

NZ Leader Shrugs Off Militarization Fears Over New US-Papua New Guinea Pact

Washington seeks to “expand its footprint” in a bid to dampen China’s expanding clout in the Asia-Pacific region, whether it is by forming political-military blocs like AUKUS, or individual security pacts, like the one with Papua New Guinea.

Mystery Disappearance of 30-Ton Shipment of Explosive Chemicals in California Probed

Back in April, chemical manufacturing company Dyno Nobel reported that a train car carrying its shipment of ammonium nitrate, sealed when it left Wyoming, arrived in California empty.

Ireland Hands Meta €1.2 Billion Fine For Sending European User Data to US

Mark Zuckerberg’s social media empire has courted controversy before. In 2018 it emerged that data from some 50 million user accounts had been harvested and sold to UK political campaign firm Cambridge Analytica.

Kremlin on Grain Deal: Position of Western Countries Complicates Process

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is faced with the unconstructive position of some Western countries regarding the Russian part of the grain deal, this complicates the process, but contacts will continue, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday.

Ukrainian Sabotage Group Enters Russia’s Belgorod Region, Elimination Process Underway – Governor

German Media Reveals Real Reason for Sudden Rush to Send F-16s to Ukraine

Washington pivoted on the delivery of F-16s to Kiev last week, announcing plans to train Ukrainian pilots to fly the jets. The White House hasn’t provided any info on when the jets could start arriving, or what countries might send them. Major US allies including Italy and Poland have already indicated they won’t be sending […]

Tissue Issue: Bundeswehr Wiping Away Tons of ‘Unfitting’ Toilet Paper

While a lot of things, like deficiencies in weapons and equipment to name a few, might be giving the Bundeswehr – Germany’s armed forces – a real pain, there appears to be one item that has not been ‘wiped out’.

WATCH: Azov Militant Confesses to Killing Family With Young Child in Mariupol

Last year on 7 March, Russian forces and units of the Donetsk people’s republic surrounded Mariupol and by 21 April had liberated almost the entire city.

WATCH: Msta-S Howitzers Hammer Ukrainian Armored Vehicles & Artillery

The 2S19M2 is the third version of the Msta, which provides a rate of fire of 10 rounds per minute. The uniqueness of the Msta 2S19M2 self-propelled howitzer lies in its rate of fire, its maintainability, its ability to conduct a counter-fire strike, and its ability to unleash all types of ammunition.

Rock Carving Masterpiece? Huge ‘Baroque’-Like Petroglyph Unearthed in Sweden

The massive 15-meter-long rock carvings were made on a nearly vertical slab on an island, visible from far and wide, yet ended up in the ground, covered in moss.

IAEA Head Says Situation With Nuclear Safety at ZNPP Extremely Unstable

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The situation with nuclear safety at the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant (ZNPP) is ‘extremely vulnerable,” International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi said on Monday, calling on parties to agree on the plant’s protection.

Russian Diplomat Fires Back at Sullivan’s Remarks Regarding Attack on Crimea

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Crimea is part of Russia and US threats to strike at the peninsula are irresponsible, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said on Monday.

Swedish Military Recruiting in Arabic ‘For the Sake of Diversity’

By the military’s own admission, the campaign of targeted ads is meant to increase its legitimacy, as diversity is seen as a means of increasing capabilities.

As US Debt Ceiling Talks Enter Crunch Week Wall Street Futures & Asian Stocks Slide

US President Joe Biden weighed in on the debt crisis before leaving the Group of Seven (G7) summit on Sunday. As he addressed the budget negotiations that he was “heading back home to deal with,” Biden struck an optimistic tone, saying, “I’m hoping that Speaker McCarthy is just waiting to negotiate with me when I […]

China Summons Japanese Ambassador Over Statements Made at G7 Summit

BEIJING (Sputnik) – China’s Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong has summoned Japan’s Ambassador to China Hideo Tarumi to express protest over the “smearing” of China at the G7 summit in Hiroshima.

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 First Stage Returns to Earth After Launch of Ax-2 Mission

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The first stage of the Falcon 9 carrier rocket has successfully landed at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station shortly after the launch of the Crew Dragon spacecraft with the Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2), SpaceX informs.