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Unprecedented drone attack on Smolensk: Ukrainian strikes reveal vulnerabilities in Russian air defenses
In what is being described as the most powerful air raid since the war began, Russian media outlets express shock over the scale of a drone assault targeting Smolensk. According to Russian sources, last night's drone attacks on Smolensk and its surrounding region represent the most intense to date during this ongoing conflict. Reports from Russian media detail that, on the night of January 23, Ukrainian drones struck both an oil refinery and an aviation plant in Smolensk. Russian air defenses …
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Environmental crisis unfolds as Russian 'shadow fleet' tanker sinks in Kerch Strait
A Russian tanker carrying fuel oil, believed to be part of the "shadow fleet," has sunk in the Kerch Strait. The tanker FIRN, commissioned by the Russian company Sovcomflot, had previously been spotted transporting oil under sanctions from Venezuela and Russia. The incident has devastated Russia's Black Sea coast, the country's main resort area, with fuel oil from these shadow fleet tankers flooding the waters.
Experts say these vessels were intended to shield Moscow from declining oil …
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Syria halts imports from Russia, Iran, and Israel
Syria's Finance Ministry has banned the import of goods originating from Russia, Iran, and Israel, a development reported by outlet Al Arabiya.
The mandate includes a strict policy of confiscating any products found to originate from these countries.
The government aims to bolster the economy by allowing dollar transactions and implementing a new set of unified customs duties with reductions ranging from 50% to 60%, according to Al Arabiya.
Following this decision, Syria has opened its doors …
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Scorched Earth tactics: Russian army destroys own village in Kursk region
The Russian army has effectively wiped off the face of the earth their own settlement, Darino, in the Kursk region. The visuals were released by Andrey Kovalenko, head of the Center for Counteracting Disinformation.
"Russia has erased its own village, Darino, in the Kursk region," Kovalenko highlighted. The footage provides a panoramic view of the settlement, showing destroyed private homes and agricultural complexes. Aerial surveillance from the "Black Swan" drone unit of the 225th assault …
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Russia's hidden financial crisis: military spending pushing economy to the brink
Amidst an aura of apparent stability lies a significant financial crisis in the Russian economy, largely driven by massive military expenditures, Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera reports.
As the war with Ukraine continues, along with an increase in the military budget to 8% of GDP, Russia's official state deficit in 2024 hit just 1.9%. However, the newspaper notes this figure conceals a sharp rise in corporate debt, fuelled through commercial banks under Kremlin directives.
Since the …