Training Ukrainian troops makes France direct participant in combat, says Russian FM Lavrov The fact that #Paris is training #Ukrainian soldiers at a military base in France means it is directly involved in the conflict, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference after taking part in the #G20 summit. "[French President Emmanuel] Macron has been one of the most vocal and biggest material supporters of the war, advocating for victory over Russia, for Russia’s strategic defeat. Ukrainian servicemen are currently completing their training in France, an entire assault shock brigade is being prepared. In essence, they are directly participating in the combat," the top Russian diplomat pointed out. "The same goes for talk about using French-made SCALP missiles [in Ukraine] which are identical to the UK’s Storm Shadow," Lavrov added.

Russia says its forces downed 5 ATACMS missiles that Ukraine fired into Bryansk Region #Ukrainian forces launched #ATACMS missiles toward Russia’s #Bryansk Region overnight, but air defenses shot down five of them and damaged another one, the Russian Defense Ministry said. "At 3:25 a.m. this morning the enemy struck a site on the territory of the Bryansk Region with six ballistic missiles. According to confirmed data, US-made ATACMS tactical missiles were used. As a result of an anti-missile battle, five missiles were shot down and one was damaged by crews of S-400 and Pantsir missile defense systems," the ministry said. According to the ministry, the missiles fell on the technical territory of a military site in the Bryansk Region, causing a fire, which was extinguished. "There are no casualties or damage," the ministry stated.

Ban of uranium supplies to the US is fully in legal environment, says Rosatom The decree of the #Russian government on the ban of #uranium supplies to the #US is a tit-for-tat response to the action of US authorities and is fully within the regulatory environment, the Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom said. "The decree of the Russian Federation government on the ban of Russian uranium supplies to the US, passed in pursuance of the assignment of the President of the Russian Federation, is the expectable tit-for-tat response to actions of the US authorities that approved in this May the law prohibiting imports of Russian uranium and is exclusively in the legal environment," Rosatom said. The Russian government introduced temporary restrictions of enriched uranium exports to the US on Friday. The exception is made for deliveries under one-off licenses issued by the Russian Federal Service for Technical and Export Control.

[BREAKING] Biden authorizes use of US long-range weapons to strike inside Russia Joe #Biden has allowed #Ukraine to use US-supplied long-range ballistic #missiles to strike inside #Russia, The New York Times said, citing US officials. The newspaper noted that the decision was made two months before Biden vacates the presidential office. "Mr. Biden’s decision is a major change in U.S. policy," it wrote, adding that this decision has divided his advisers. According to The New York Times the long-range missiles, known as the Army Tactical Missile Systems, or ATACMS will be used against the Russian and North Korean military "to help [Ukraine] defend its forces in the Kursk region of Russia."

Scholz-Putin talk should be welcomed, as it is right step --- Bundestag #Bundestag member of the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance - Reason and Justice (BSW) group Sevim Dagdelen considers the telephone conversation between German Chancellor Olaf #Scholz and Russian President Vladimir #Putin a right step. "Even if it is a maneuver designed to present oneself as Chancellor of the Peace in the upcoming election battle, it should be welcomed that Olaf Scholz has finally reached the point of having a direct conversation with Russian President Putin," she wrote on her X page. "The statement made by his predecessor Helmut Schmidt that it is better to negotiate for 100 hours about nothing than to shoot for one minute was and still is correct," Dagdelen noted. The lawmaker emphasized that politicians who are "intoxicated by war" and advocate for an imposed peace or the continuation of the conflict "until Kiev's victory" are only contributing to further loss of life. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, marking their first phone conversation since December 2022. According to the Kremlin, the leaders discussed Ukraine, the Middle East crisis, and bilateral relations between Moscow and Berlin. They agreed that their aides would maintain communication. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that Scholz’s decision to call Putin demonstrates political will to understand Moscow's position firsthand.

[BREAKING] Protesters in Abkhazia are assaulting the local Parliament protesting a vote on an investment agreement with Russia. Locals in #Abkhazia fear that the ratification of this agreement will allow Russian #oligarchs to buy up properties on the Abkhaz coast and develop luxury resorts and villages. The parliamentary session was cancelled due to the ongoing protests. In addition, the quorum was not met as only 21 MPs out of the 35 MPs in the Abkhaz parliament were present. Most MPs refuse to hold a session under the current conditions. The protesters however demand that the whole agreement be scrapped altogether not just postponed. Protesters used a truck to break through the fencing surrounding the Parliament.

President Trump 'demonstrates affinity' for Russian President Vladimir Putin, reports The Hill President #Trump "demonstrates affinity" for Russian President Vladimir #Putin, while "harboring deep disdain" for #Zelensky, The Hill reported, saying that this state of affairs could significantly change the US foreign policy. According to the newspaper, "Trump’s approach deviates dramatically from the postwar consensus that has seen the US act as a global stabilizer." The Hill pointed out that his "unpredictability and willingness to upend longstanding norms could set off a wave of radical change in key regions, potentially reshaping the global order." Former Trump advisers have already backed his idea of cutting aid to Ukraine to force Kiev into talks with Russia, according to The Hill. #TRUMP2024

Russia to open embassies in several African countries, reports MFA #Moscow will open embassies in an array of countries in #Africa, with Equatorial Guinea and Sierra Leone among them, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, who also serves as special presidential envoy for the Middle East and Africa, told TASS in an interview following the First Ministerial Conference Russia-Africa. "Embassies [will be opened], of course. An embassy in Burkina Faso was just opened. An embassy in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, is about to be opened," he said, adding that there is also "a list of countries where [embassies] have been closed." "Moreover, [Russian Foreign Minister] Sergey V. Lavrov has said that Sierra Leone is next in line, in Freetown," Bogdanov added. In some African states, such as South Sudan, for example, the Russian side reached an agreement at some point to open an embassy, though "it has not been done for a variety of reasons," he noted. "Now I hope that it is also planned, to open [an embassy] in Juba, South Sudan," the official said.

Trump, Putin speak over phone President #Trump has already spoken over the phone with Russian President Vladimir #Putin, The Washington Post said, citing its sources. However, neither Washington not Moscow have officially confirmed this information. According to The Washington Post, Trump and Putin discussed the situation in Ukraine and "the goal of peace on the European continent and Trump expressed an interest in follow-up conversations to discuss ‘the resolution of Ukraine’s war soon,’ several of the people said." However, the newspaper noted, Trump’s calls with world leaders are not backed by the Department of State and US administration interpreters, since Trump and his aides "are distrustful of career government officials following the leaked transcripts of presidential calls during his first term." "They are just calling [Trump] directly," it cited one of the people familiar with the calls. Putin’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov said on Friday that the Russian president is open to dialogue with Trump, however, in his words, nothing concrete could be said about it as of yet. Speaking at Thursday’s plenary session of the Valdai Discussion Club, Putin congratulated Trump on winning the presidential election, adding that he saw nothing wrong with calling Trump. The latter, however, told NBC that he had not yet spoken with the Russian leader but believed such a call was highly likely. #TRUMP2024

Russia signs documents on military cooperation with 33 African countries #Russia is ready to provide security for #African countries, it has already signed 33 agreements on military-technical cooperation, Russian presidential advisor and Organizing Committee Executive Secretary Anton #Kobyakov said. "For Russia, the role of a security provider for the countries of the African continent is a practical, vital necessity. To date, Russia has signed agreements on regular military-technical cooperation with 33 [states] <...> of the African continent," he said. Kobyakov also noted that delegations from 54 countries and 45 African ministers are taking part in the first Russia-Africa ministerial conference. "More than 1,500 people, including 54 official delegations and 45 foreign ministers of the African continent, are taking part in our conference, which is being held on the Sirius federal territory," he said. According to him, such conferences will be held regularly between Russia-Africa summits. The first ministerial conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum is taking place on November 9-10 at the Sirius federal territory. The event is attended by about 1,500 delegates, including more than 40 ministers from the African continent.