Putin Says Russia-China Trade Will Grow by 25% by End of 2022 Despite Intimidation by West

kremlin.ru

Despite the intimidation by some Western countries, trade between Russia and China will grow by about 25% by the end of 2022, and the $200 billion level will be reached ahead of schedule, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday.

Russian-Chinese trade turnover will reach $200 billion “ahead of schedule,” President Vladimir Putin said during a videoconference with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Friday as Moscow’s isolation from the West over its invasion of Ukraine continues to grow.

“Despite the unfavorable external conditions, illegitimate restrictions and direct intimidation by some countries of the West, Russia and China managed to secure record growth rates of mutual trade. By the end of the year, it will increase by 25%. Under such a dynamic, we will be able to reach the $200 billion target mark set by us for 2024 ahead of schedule,” Putin said during talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping via video link.

“Despite the unfavorable external environment, illegitimate restrictions, and direct blackmail by some Western countries, Russia and China have managed to ensure record-high growth rates of mutual trade turnover,” Putin said.

China is ready to build up strategic cooperation with Russia and be global partners for the benefit of the peoples of the two countries and in the interests of world stability against the backdrop of a difficult international situation, Chinese President Xi Jinping said.

"In the face of a difficult, far from unambiguous international situation, we are ready to build up strategic cooperation, provide each other with opportunities for development, be global partners for the benefit of the peoples of our countries and in the interests of stability throughout the world," Xi told Russian President Vladimir Putin during a video call, as broadcast by the Russian TV channel.

The leaders of Russia and China earlier set the goal to double bilateral trade, bringing it from $100 billion a year to $200 billion by 2024. The $100 billion mark was reached in 2018.

During Friday’s discussion, Putin told Xi that Moscow wanted to ramp up military cooperation with Beijing and invited him to make a state visit to Russia in the spring of 2023.

Putin is seeking to strengthen ties with Beijing and boost economic cooperation in the face of international condemnation and Western sanctions over his invasion of Ukraine.

Despite developing a tempestuous relationship during the Cold War, China and Russia have drawn progressively closer since the collapse of the Soviet Union and in recent years have acted jointly as a counterweight to the global dominance of the United States in what they term a "no-limits" relationship.

The two countries have also stepped up military cooperation, with China last month sending hundreds of troops to take part in military exercises in Russia's Far East.

Putin Invites Xi to Come to Moscow Next Year

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday he had invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to come to Moscow next year.

"I have no doubt that we will find an opportunity to meet with you in person. We are waiting for you, dear Mr. Chairman, dear friend, we are waiting for you to come next spring with a state visit to Moscow," Putin told Xi during a video call.

This visit will demonstrate to the world the strength of Russian-Chinese ties on key issues and become the main political event of the year in bilateral relations, Putin added.

On December 30, Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed bilateral relations, regional problems, including those near Russian and Chinese borders with Chinese President Xi Jinping via video call.

'Never Been a Number 10 Like Him': World Mourns Death of Brazilian Football Star Pele

Football great Pelé died Thursday at the age of 82 following a long battle with colon cancer. The three-time World Cup champion was hailed for his skill and grace on the pitch, truly embodying the phrase fans know as "o jogo bonito," otherwise known as "the beautiful game".

In the few hours since the death of Pelé was confirmed, thousands of tributes have poured in from football players, fans and politicians from all around the world.

Among the first of notable footballers to send their prayers and tributes to the hailed Santos player were French star Kylian Mbappé, Argentina's Leo Messi, current free agent Cristiano Ronaldo and fellow Brazilian star Neymar.

"A simple goodbye to the eternal King Pele will never be enough to express the pain that hits the entire world of football at this moment. An inspiration for so many millions, a reference of yesterday, today, always," Ronaldo wrote in an Instagram post. "The affection he has always shown for me was reciprocal in every moment we shared, even at distance."

"He will never be forgotten and his memory will last for ever in each and everyone of us football lovers. Rest in peace, King Pele," he added.

In football, there are few numbers that carry the significance that the no.10 jersey does, and with Pelé, the weight that figure carried skyrocketed.

Among the politicos, Pelé gained tributes from former Bolivian President Evo Morales, former US President Barack Obama, US President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, and former Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso, who Pelé served under as sports minister.

Pele has died. The most divine of footballers and joyous of men. He played a game only a few chosen ones have come close to. 3 times he lifted the most coveted gold trophy in that beautiful yellow shirt. He may have left us but he’ll always have footballing immortality. RIP Pele

— Gary Lineker 💙💛 (@GaryLineker) December 29, 2022

"Pele is an incontestable symbol of our nation, a source of pride for all of us. Beyond his achievements as a legend of world sport, Pele was an exemplary public officer, loyal to his principles, values and to our country," Cardoso said. "We all lose in his departure.''

The man who stopped a war

Between one and two million people died during Nigerian Civil War from 1967 to 1970. Astonishingly, a 48-hour ceasefire was called between the Nigerian government and the secessionist state of Biafra in 1969 so they could watch Pele and Santos draw 2-2 with the Nigerian Super Eagles, with ‘The King’ receiving incessant applause and a standing ovation from the home fans.

Pele had served since 1994 as “champion for sport” for the United Nations cultural organisation, UNESCO, helping promote physical education across the world.

On Thursday, UNESCO said Pele “worked relentlessly to promote sport as a tool for peace”, adding that he will be greatly missed.

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Pelé. We extend our condolences to the Brazilian people and the football family,” the organisation said in a tweet.

A giant of the game and the reason so many of us love football. Rest in peace, legend. 👑 @Pele pic.twitter.com/biAlOTnIaT

— Gareth Bale (@GarethBale11) December 29, 2022

“One day, I hope we can play football together in the sky” - Pele’s message after Diego Maradona died in 2020. pic.twitter.com/aE7nZJya9E

— Leo Messi 🔟 (@WeAreMessi) December 29, 2022

The current Brazilian government has hailed the player as "one of the greatest athletes of all time," going on to declare a three-day national mourning period.

Offering his condolences, Brazilian President-elect Lula da Silva Pele commented in a Twitter thread that Pelé "went to make a table in heaven with Coutinho, his great partner at Santos. He now has the company of so many eternal stars: Didi, Garrincha, Nilton Santos, Sócrates, Maradona."

"He left a certainty: there had never been a number 10 like him. Thank you, Pele."

Brazilian media has reported that a wake will be held on Monday in the city of Santos, where Pelé played with Santos FC from 1956 to 1974. A funeral is expected to be held on Tuesday morning following a procession.

Pelé had been diagnosed with a colon tumor in September 2021; however, the following year his health took a turn for the worse after he was treated for three malignant tumors, urinary tract infection, as well as care for general swelling of the body and heart failure. He was ultimately placed on palliative care, with family members in the last several days sharing photos from the hospital of his final days.

Russian troops strike four command posts in Ukraine operation — top brass

Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov
© Russian Defence Ministry/TASS

Russian missile troops and artillery struck four Ukrainian command posts in the past day during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Thursday.

"Russian missile and artillery troops struck four Ukrainian army command posts in the area of the city of Kherson, the communities of Kupyansk, Novoosinovo in the Kharkov Region and Gavrilovka in the Dnepropetrovsk Region, and also 83 artillery units at firing positions, manpower and military hardware in 102 areas," the spokesman said.

"In the city of Seversk in the Donetsk People’s Republic, a Msta-B howitzer was obliterated and D-20 and D-30 howitzers were wiped out in areas near the settlements of Ivanovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Orekhov in the Zaporozhye Region," the general said.

Russian troops delivered strikes against Ukrainian army units in the Kharkov Region, eliminating over 20 militants in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

The Russia drone managed to destroy a Ukrainian Msta-B howitzer that was shelling, civil facilities and civilian houses

"In the Kupyansk direction, artillery strikes inflicted damage on the Ukrainian army units in areas near the communities of Timkovka, Kislovka and Berestovoye in the Kharkov Region. Over 20 Ukrainian military personnel, two combat armored vehicles and three motor vehicles were eliminated," the spokesman said.

Russian artillery and combat aircraft eliminated over 70 servicemen of the Ukrainian army’s 95th air assault brigade in the Krasny Liman area in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Krasny Liman area, artillery fire, assault and army aviation strikes against units of the Ukrainian army’s 95th air assault brigade in the area of the Serebryansky forestry eliminated as many as 70 Ukrainian military personnel, three combat armored vehicles and five pickup trucks," the spokesman said.

The Russians managed to destroy two Ukrainian gunship helicopters which fired on civilian facilities and civilian homes

Russian troops gained new advantageous sites in their advance in the Donetsk area in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Donetsk direction, Russian troops continued their offensive operations, taking new advantageous frontiers and positions. The enemy’s losses in that area in the past 24 hours amounted to over 80 Ukrainian servicemen killed and wounded, four infantry fighting vehicles, three combat armored vehicles and six motor vehicles," the spokesman said.

Russian forces eliminated about 30 Ukrainian troops in the southern Donetsk area in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the southern Donetsk area, artillery fire and active operations of Russian troops inflicted damage on the Ukrainian army units in areas near the settlements of Sladkoye, Vladimirovka, Pavlovka and Velikaya Novosyolka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. As many as 30 Ukrainian troops, two combat armored vehicles and four pickup trucks were destroyed," the spokesman said.

Russian special military operation at night

Russian troops eliminated two Ukrainian subversive groups in the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Zaporozhye Region in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In areas near the settlements of Vremevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Levadnoye in the Zaporozhye Region, two enemy subversive groups were eliminated," the spokesman said.

Russian forces destroyed two US-made M777 howitzers in the Kharkov Region in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the counter-battery warfare, two M777 artillery systems of US manufacture were destroyed near the settlement of Kruglyakovka in the Kharkov Region," the spokesman said.

In addition, Russian troops uncovered and destroyed a US-made HIMARS multiple rocket launcher in the area of the settlement of Konstantinovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, the general said.

Combat aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces shot down Ukrainian Su-25 and Su-24 warplanes and two enemy Mi-8 helicopters in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"Fighter aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces shot down Ukrainian Air Force Su-25 and Su-24 planes in the areas of the settlements of Krasny Liman and Kramatorsk. In addition, two Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopters were downed in areas near the settlements of Suvorov and Orlovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

Russian air defense forces intercepted four HIMARS and Uragan rockets in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the past 24 hours, Russian air defense capabilities intercepted four rockets of HIMARS and Uragan multiple launch rocket systems in areas near the settlements of Popasnaya in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Peremozhnoye and Tarasovka in the Zaporozhye Region," the spokesman said.

During the last 24-hour period, Russian air defense systems shot down seven Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles near the communities of Pshenichnoye, Kremennaya, Chervonaya Dibrova and Koshelevka in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Kirillovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic and also Lyubimovka in the Kherson Region, the general specified.

In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 354 Ukrainian warplanes, 194 helicopters, 2,741 unmanned aerial vehicles, 399 surface-to-air missile systems, 7,296 tanks and other combat armored vehicles, 953 multiple rocket launchers, 3,742 field artillery guns and mortars and 7,810 special military motor vehicles since the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine, Konashenkov reported.

Masjid Al Jabbar Diharapkan Dapat Tingkatkan Kunjungan Wisatawan Asing ke Jawa Barat

Masjid Raya Al Jabbar di Gedebage, Kota Bandung yang akan segera diresmikan, diharapkan nantinya tidak hanya menjadi pusat kegiatan ibadah baru bagi masyarakat.

Pemerintah Provinsi Jawa Barat menyatakan mereka juga berharap kehadiran masjid itu bisa menjadi daya tarik baru dalam konteks promosi luar negeri.

Pelaksana Tugas Kepala Biro Pemerintahan dan Otda Pemprov Jabar Dodit Ardian Pancapana menuturkan hadirnya Masjid Al Jabbar menambah "landmark baru bagi promosi Jawa Barat.

Menurut dia Masjid Al Jabbar yang bisa menampung sekitar 50.000 jamaah itu akan menjadi bagian materi promosi luar negeri.

"Kalau dulu landmark Jabar hanya Gedung Sate, sekarang ada yang baru. Tentu akan muncul dalam materi promosi kita di luar negeri atau relasi internasional. Apalagi secara arsitektur ini luar biasa," ujar Dodit, pada hari Kamis, 29/12/2022.

Tak hanya itu, kata Dodit, Masjid Raya Al Jabbar bisa dijadikan lokasi baru untuk menggelar kegiatan yang berhubungan dengan kerja sama luar negeri.

"Jadi Al Jabbar itu dari segi fungsi jadi sentral ibadah yang nanti akan dikembangkan untuk lebih mengenalkan Jabar di skala internasional. Jadi tak hanya sebagai tempat syiar, tapi bisa jadi bagian ikhtiar untuk menjangkau umat muslim internasional," kata dia.

Masjid Al Jabbar memiliki kontruksi bangunan yang megah dan istimewa. Selain sebagai tempat beribadah, Masjid Al Jabbar mempunyai fungsi edukasi, wisata, dan sosial.

Manajer Produksi Proyek Pembangunan Masjid Al Jabbar Affy Primadhian menuturkan, ada banyak keistimewaan dalam masjid yang didesain langsung Gubernur Jabar Ridwan Kamil sewaktu masih jadi Wali Kota Bandung tersebut, terutama dari sisi konstruksi. Salah satunya, bangunan utama tanpa tiang tengah.

"Pembangunan Masjid Al Jabbar ini banyak hal istimewanya, terutama dari segi desain yang sudah dirancang sendiri oleh Bapak Ridwan Kamil. Suatu tantangan buat kami untuk menyelesaikan pekerjaan ini agar sesuai desain yang diharapkan," katanya.

Menurut Affy Primadhian, ada banyak tantangan yang dihadapinya. Namun, perlahan dan pasti, satu per satu konstruksi Masjid Al Jabbar dapat terealisasi sesuai dengan harapan. [

Peresmian Masjid Al-Jabbar, Polisi Berlakukan Rekayasa Lalu Lintas di Gedebage Bandung

Polrestabes Bandung akan menerjunkan ratusan personel dan melakukan rekayasa arus lalu lintas saat kegiatan peresmian mesjid Al Jabbar, pada hari Jumat ini, 30/12/2022.

"Total ada 531 personel yang disiapkan," kata KBO Satlantas Polrestabes Bandung AKP Deden Juandi yang dihubungi pada hari Kamis, 29/12/2022.

Nantinya, ratusan personel ini bakal ditempatkan di sejumlah titik lokasi, mulai dari kawasan Jalan Soekarno-Hatta, Gedebage, pintu Kereta Api Cimincrang, kantung parkir GBLA dan sekitaran Mesjid Al Jabbar.

Polisi juga bakal melakukan rekayasa arus lalu lintas yang dilakukan di kawasan Cimencrang, Gedebage, Kota Bandung, tepatnya dari arah Rancanumpang Selatan ke arah objek Masjid Al Jabbar.

Saat Libur Nataru Pengendara Diimbau Istirahat di Rest Area Cuma 30 Menit "Dari arah Rancanumpang selatan ke arah arah objek masjid Al-Jabbar satu arah, kalau dari arah Soekarno Hatta lewat Jalan Cimincrang itu dua arah," sambung Deden.

Sosialisasi peresmian Masjid Al Jabbar ini telah dilakukan Forum Komunikasi Pimpinan Daerah (Forkopimda) seminggu sebelum acara.

Begitu pun dengan rekayasa yang dilakukan kepolisian nanti. Dengan begitu warga di sekitar sudah mengetahui adanya kegiatan.

Sanctions Failed to Crack Russia, German Media Says

©Sputnik / Кирилл Каллиников / Go to the mediabank

The European Union introduced a ninth package of sanctions against Russia in December, including new export controls and banking, broadcasting, consulting, and energy sector restrictions. The West has now leveled over 13,000 sanctions against Moscow – more than against Iran, Syria, North Korea, Belarus, Venezuela and Myanmar combined.

Anti-Russian sanctions aren’t having the devastating effect the West hoped they would, and haven’t served to collapse Russia’s economy, German media have reported, citing economic data for the current year and projections for 2023.

According to Deutschlandfunk, the sanctions “weapon” the West has opted for in its “economic war” against Moscow have not yielded the hoped for results, with the International Monetary Fund revising projections issued in the spring of an 8-9 percent drop in Russian GDP to a more modest contraction of 3.5 percent.

“Some economists thought the thick end would not arrive until 2023. But the forecasts for the coming year as not as gloomy as one might expect,” the outlet continued, pointing to an IMF forecast from October that the Russian economy would shrink by 2.3 percent in the coming year.

Unfortunately for the brainiacs behind anti-Russian sanctions, “all forecasts agree that the Russian economy will not be brought to its knees by sanctions in the next year, either,” Deutschlandfunk added.

German media attributed Russia’s resilience to the global jump in oil and gas prices, which have allowed Moscow to make good money even off reduced export volumes of its hydrocarbons after Western countries reduced imports. On top of that, the outlet pointed out that while a handful of foreign companies left Russia this year, “most stayed,” while others sold their businesses to Russian nationals, who have continued operations.

Furthermore, in areas where Western companies or products have disappeared, Russian importers have stepped in to replace them, often via so-called parallel imports (i.e. goods imported by unlicensed distributors). “In other words, something is always missing in Russia, including on the store shelves, but usually not completely and not for long.”

Deutschlandfunk expressed hopes that the dragging out of the conflict in Ukraine would cause Russia the economic pain that sanctions apparently haven’t, including worker shortages due to partial mobilization, and more spending on defense and security as opposed to sectors like infrastructure or education. “And that can cost the Russian economy a lot of strength in the long term,” the outlet concluded.

The European Union put together a new package of sanctions against Russia in mid-December. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova warned that the restrictions would inevitably boomerang back on Brussels and add to the bloc’s social and economic woes, just as earlier sanctions have.

The EU is hanging on the brink of recession, with most economists predicting that the majority of the bloc’s economies will plunge into the red sometime in the coming year. Latvia became the first EU country to go into recession in October, with Estonia following suit in November. More nations, including regional heavyweight Germany, are expected to join the tiny Baltic economies as the impact of Europe's largely self-inflicted energy crisis makes itself felt.

Italy Ready to Become Guarantor of Peace Agreement on Ukraine - Prime Minister

Italy is ready to act as a guarantor of a possible peace agreement on Ukraine, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Thursday.

"There are difficulties in guaranteeing the peace process later, so I have told [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelensky that Italy is ready to become a guarantor of a possible peace agreement and is ready to assist in this process," Meloni told at a press conference.

In this regard, the Italian prime minister also announced her intention to visit Kiev before the end of February 2023, since "February 24 may become the date by which something can be done as part of an open initiative."

Military operation, accession of new regions end attempts at dialogue with West — Moscow

Russian Foreign Ministry ©Valery Sharifulin/TASS

The launch of Russia’s special military operation and the accession of the four new regions to the country ended 30 years of attempts by Moscow to build an equal partnership with the West, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

Summing up the country’s foreign policy course in 2022, the ministry said the recognition of the sovereignty of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR), the start of the special military operation, the holding of referendums in the two Donbass republics and in the liberated areas of the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions followed by their accession to the Russian Federation were "tough but necessary steps." "At the same time, they ended a 30-year period of honest attempts by Russia to build an equal partnership with the collective West," the Russian diplomats said.

Moscow’s resolute actions helped expose "the true intentions and attitude of Western countries" toward Russia. "By resorting to openly Russophobic rhetoric and acknowledging in public that the Minsk `set of measures’ was just a way to buy time for the Kiev regime and pump it full of NATO weapons, Western leaders declared their intention to deal a `strategic blow’ to our country and remove it from the global arena as a geopolitical entity," Russia’s Foreign Ministry concluded.

World community hails Russia’s struggle against Western neo-colonial practices — MFA

A greater part of the world community supports Russia's approach to the struggle against the Western countries’ neocolonial practices, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a review of the main political results of 2022, uploaded to its website on Thursday.

"The further march of events confirmed that a larger share of the world community welcomes Russia’s approaches, including joint efforts in the fight against the West’s neo-colonial practices," the Foreign Ministry said. "Despite pressures Russia has not departed from its fundamental foreign policy guidelines and continued to promote a constructive international agenda."

"The Russian diplomacy was firmly defending its national interests, relying on the goals and principles of the UN Charter and international law," the Foreign Ministry said.

Moscow spurns Norway’s attempts to hinder work of Russian scientists on Spitzbergen — MFA

Moscow categorically rejects Norway’s discriminatory policy aimed at hampering the work of Russian scientific institutions on Spitzbergen, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a commentary which was spread by the ministry on Thursday.

"Recently, the Norwegian authorities have significantly tightened the conditions for the work of Russian organizations on the Spitzbergen archipelago and in its waters. The measures the Norwegian side is taking, in violation of the principles and provisions of the 1920 Spitzbergen Treaty, already affect all the main areas on which Russia’s long-term presence in the archipelago is implemented in full accordance with international law: [these are] coal mining, tourism, and science," Zakharova said.

"Such a discriminatory approach is absolutely unacceptable. Russia has repeatedly conveyed its position, grounded by appropriate arguments, to the attention of the Norwegian side through official channels," the diplomat said.

Zakharova drew attention to the fact that earlier this month, the Norwegian authorities unlawfully restricted the Russian ship Dalnie Zelentsy from carrying out research work in the archipelago. Moreover, despite the timely notification of the Norwegian side about the call, the ship was actually denied access to the Russian village of Barentsburg. As a result, as noted in the commentary, the further work of the bio-geo station of the Murmansk Marine Biological Institute (MMBI) of the Russian Academy of Sciences has been significantly hampered.

"Given that earlier the Norwegian side successfully coordinated the MMBI studies which are conducted annually, we consider the restrictions introduced this year to be exclusively politically motivated," Zakharova stressed.

"Regular statements by Norwegian officials and military experts indicate that Oslo preferred to succumb to anti-Russian hysteria to the detriment of the fulfillment of its international legal obligations," she concluded.

That means that one of the most important provisions of the Spitzbergen Treaty is being ignored - the right of equal access of citizens of its member states to the archipelago for any purpose and task, Zakharova said.

"We remind you that it is under these conditions that Norway's sovereignty over the archipelago is recognized by the countries participating in the treaty, including the Russian Federation," the diplomat said.

Russia will continue to defend the legitimate interests of its presence in the Spitzbergen archipelago and seek respect for the rights of national organizations. This includes the right of scientific organizations to have unhindered access to Spitzbergen so that they can conduct activities there that are lawful from the point of view of the 1920 Treaty, she concluded.

Incident With Fallen Ukrainian Missile in Belarus Similar to Such Case in Poland - Minsk

The military commissar of the Brest region of Belarus, Oleg Konovalov, said on Thursday that the incident with the fallen Ukrainian missile in Belarus is similar to the case in Poland.

"Today, at around 10:00 a.m. (local time, 07:00 GMT), the fall of an anti-aircraft guided missile of the S-300 complex of the Ukrainian armed forces was allegedly recorded on the territory of the Ivanovo district. The situation is similar to the one that happened recently with the fall of the same missile on the territory of Poland," the military commissar said in a statement on the Brest Regional Executive Committee's Telegram.

Konovalov stressed that the residents of the region should not worry, but unfortunately such incidents happen.

A Ukrainian missile launched with an S-300 system fell on Belarusian territory Thursday morning, the BelTA news agency said.

The incident occurred between 10:00 and 11:00. President Alexander Lukashenko was promptly briefed on what happened.

According to the agency, the investigators are pursuing two lines of inquiry: it was a stray missile like the one involved in a similar incident in Poland recently or the missile was shot down by the country’s air defenses.

The Belarusian Defense Ministry has told TASS it would refrain from comment for the time being. Specialists from the Investigative Committee, the Interior Ministry and the Defense Ministry are examining the scene. There have been no immediate reports of casualties.

Latest Statements From Russia's Defense Ministry

• Russian MoD briefing on the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine:



• The Russian Army eliminated more than 20 Ukrainian servicemen in the Kupyansk direction;



• Russian troops eliminated about 30 Ukrainian servicemen in the South Donetsk direction;



• Russian forces eliminated more than 70 soldiers of the Ukrainian Army’s 95th Airborne Assault Brigade in the Krasny Liman direction;








• Russian troops destroyed two US-made M777 howitzers in the Kharkov region;



• The Russian Army eliminated more than 80 Ukrainian servicemen in the Donetsk direction;



• Russian forces eliminated two Ukrainian sabotage groups in the DPR and the Zaporozhye region;



• The Russian Air Force shot down a Ukrainian Su-25 and Su-24 aircraft, as well as two Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopters over Krasny Liman and Kramatorsk in the DPR;



• The Russian Army destroyed three US-made HIMARS launchers in the DPR;



• Russian air defense systems intercepted four HIMARS and Uragan rockets.