Strait of Hormuz developmentsOil transit through Strait of Hormuz has reached nearly 80% of February levels — Rubio "The only country unable to regularly ship oil from the Middle East is Iran, whose supplies have been completely blocked or halted by the blockade," the US Secretary of State saidATHENS, October 8. /TASS/. Oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz have reached nearly 80% of pre-Iran war levels, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in an interview with the Greek newspaper Kathimerini. "Oil shipments via the southern route [of the Strait of Hormuz], which we cleared of mines, have already reached nearly 80% of pre-conflict levels. The only country unable to regularly ship oil from the Middle East is Iran, whose supplies have been completely blocked or halted by the blockade," Rubio asserted. The US and Israel launched military operations against Iran on February 28. In June, Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding providing for an immediate cessation of hostilities on all fronts, including Lebanon. However, on the night of July 8, the US resumed large-scale strikes on Iran, accusing it of violating the terms of the agreement regarding the Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately 25% of global oil trade and about 20% of liquefied natural gas trade pass. Subsequently, the US administration effectively signaled an end to the use of large-scale military force against Iran, shifting toward an attempt to economically strangle the country through sanctions. India interested in cooperating in Russia in marine infrastructure sphere — ministerAttention is also paid to "high-end skill required for the ship building and ship repair, ship recycling, and also the ecosystem," Sarbananda Sonowal stressedRead moreWest’s course over next decade to determine its global standing — RubioUS Secretary of State Marco Rubio believes the collective West is at a crossroadsRead moreWestern attempts to disrupt Russian elections resulted in society’s consolidation — expertIlya Gusev said that Russians are ready to defend their social and political life and preserve stability hereRead moreMajor deployment point of Colombian mercenaries destroyed near KharkovAccording to Russian security agencies, the total number of foreign mercenaries in the Ukrainian armed forces currently stands at about 16,500Read moreFACTBOX: Russia’s sanitary watchdog says no epidemic risks in Irkutsk RegionRospotrebnadzor has provided the WHO with information about the situation in the regionRead moreTrump believes conflict in Ukraine nearing its endThe US president admitted that he thought this conflict "would be the easiest one for me"Read moreIN BRIEF: Two residents of Trans-Baikal detained for preparing election provocationsInvestigative and operational activities are underway to establish all circumstancesRead moreIran, Oman to submit agreement on Strait of Hormuz to international body — diplomatIranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei pointed out that consultations between Tehran and Muscat were successful, and the parties reached an agreement on the geographical coordinates of the safe corridorsRead moreRussia has 'clear conscience' over Ukraine talks in Alaska — LavrovAccording to the foreign minister, is not Russia's fault that the US side could not withstand the unprecedented and brazen pressure from Europe, which later proudly declared that it had ‘buried Anchorage’Read moreUkraine’s losses from port downtime exceed five billion dollarsThe Odessa port shutdown has been ongoing since July 22Read moreBattlegroup North tank crews destroy more than 10 Ukrainian warehouses near KharkovAccording to a tank platoon commander, Battlegroup North troops are engaging Ukrainian targets from concealed firing positionsRead moreIranian army to decisively strike US forces should they launch ground operation — TVAccording to the TV channel, the Iranian army is constantly updating its database of enemy targets and has already identified numerous sites in the region, including military bases, that could be attacked by Iranian forcesRead moreTrump says call with Putin set up, mentions Russian president’s birthdayThe US president mentioned the Russian leader’s birthdayRead moreRussia’s Battlegroup West destroys 104 Ukrainian heavy combat multicopters in past dayAccording to the battlegroup’s spokesman Ivan Bigma, 55 Ukrainian UAV control centers, four Starlink satellite communication stations and 40 ground robotic systems were identified and eliminatedRead moreCommon Eurasian space to take shape gradually but steadily — LavrovThe foreign minister pointed in this regard to cooperation memorandums among the secretariats of integration organizations including the CIS, the Eurasian Economic Union, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Association of Southeast Asian NationsRead moreThree killed in attacks on two Saudi airportsA Sudanese national was killed in the strike on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, while eight others were injured, including five Saudis, two Egyptians and one PakistaniRead moreHouthis report missile strikes on coalition forces near Bab el-Mandeb StraitHouthi military spokesman Yahya Saree noted that the attacks killed or wounded dozens of people, including commanders, and destroyed numerous pieces of military equipmentRead moreTop US diplomat says prospects of negotiated settlement in Ukraine 'elusive'Marco Rubio called the conflict a "strategic stalemate" nowRead moreUS holds its first execution since Christa Pike incident — news agencyJamaal Howard was convicted of murdering a store employee in 2000 and was given a lethal injectionRead moreWorld leaders congratulate Putin on his birthdayIn a telephone conversation, Putin and Lukashenko agreed to continue discussing bilateral cooperation and the international situation on the sidelines of the CIS summit in TurkmenistanRead moreTrump may order new strike on Iran before congressional elections — magazineNo final decision has been made yet, the magazine saidRead moreRussia develops drone interceptor flying with maximum speed of 500 km/hDOFA-Tek Technical Director Vitaly Dobrovolsky noted that the interceptor can be launched from any rooftop or the groundRead moreIsrael to close UK consulate but won’t expel diplomats — newspaperEarlier, London had threatened to expel 30 Israeli diplomats from the UK in response to Israeli actionsRead moreTwo reconnaissance aircraft spent nearly seven hours over Black SeaAccording to the source, the simultaneous operation of two such reconnaissance aircraft over the Black Sea is a relatively rare occurrenceRead moreRussian troops use flamethrower system against Ukrainian forces Near Krasny LimanThe flamethrower system’s primary targets are temporary deployment sites, UAV control posts, and enemy troops concentrationsRead moreKherson Region children's ombudsman calls UAV blow on car with father of 13 kids terrorIrina Kravchenko said that there can be no justification for such actionsRead moreAgroexport center names key agricultural export markets for RussiaMain selling markets by 2030 will be China, Turkey, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Iran, Egypt, India, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia and AzerbaijanRead moreKazakh president congratulates Putin on his birthdayPresident Kassym-Jomart Tokayev highlighted Vladimir Putin’s outstanding role in Russia’s development and his tireless efforts for the benefit of the Russian peopleRead morePress review: EU tightens Russia sanctions while Germany eyes return to Russian energyTop stories from the Russian press on Thursday, October 8thRead moreRussia creates control system for group of drones using voice, text commandsBefore giving a command, the system also analyzes the capabilities of a particular robotic vehicle for implementing the assigned missionRead moreWhat we know about attack on oil tanker in Black Sea with unmanned surface vehiclesThe tanker's crew of 23 Indian nationals has been rescuedRead moreRussian forces strike Ukrainian UAV assembly workshops over past day — top brassThe Ukrainian army lost roughly 1,440 troops in battles with Russian forces in all the frontline areas over the past 24 hoursRead moreMali to buy Kamaz trucks worth $51.5 mlnThe contract, signed in accordance with an intergovernmental agreement between Mali and Russia, is aimed at expanding Mali’s transport and logistics capacityRead moreEU, NATO to squeeze Kiev regime for everything it has — Russian delegation headHead of the Russian delegation to the Vienna negotiations on military security and arms control Yulia Zhdanova emphasized that the West primarily "needs experience in high-intensity combat"Read moreOver 100 Ukrainian drones taken down over Russian regions during dayFrom 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Moscow time Russian air defense systems intercepted and destroyed 110 Ukrainian fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles over Crimea, Belgorod, Bryansk, Kursk, Tula, Ryazan, Oryol, Lipetsk, Rostov, and Moscow RegionsRead moreRussia’s inflation stands at 0.96% from September 29 to October 5 — RosstatAccording to a review of the current price situation prepared by the Russian Economic Development Ministry, Russia’s annual inflation stood at 7.17% from September 29 through October 5Read moreEU ambassadors endorse 22nd sanction package — sourceOver 1,500 companies and individuals have been blacklistedRead moreMissile production plant in Ukraine halts production after Russian strikesProduction and warehouse facilities sustained serious damageRead moreTwo commercial ships hit with drones in Black Sea off BulgariaThe Togo-flagged Alfa Watan suffered severe damage before sinkingRead moreYandex reports fire at data center following drone attackThere were no casualtiesRead moreKremlin briefing covers Putin's birthday, probability of talks with TrumpRead moreUkraine pays $450 mln on debt in September — National BankUkraine’s total state and state-guaranteed debt stood at $215.55 bln, as of August 31Read moreNo reason for international uproar over Alyoshki situation — governorAccording to Vladimir Saldo, the situation in the Kherson Region city of Alyoshki is not so criticalRead moreBolshoi Ballet Company begins major tour in ChinaThe Bolshoi Ballet’s China tour runs from October 7 to 25, with performances in three cities - Beijing, Nanjing and ShanghaiRead moreWest should not be surprised by fuel price hikes over Ukraine actions — Russian envoyYulia Zhdanova said Kiev has stepped up efforts to block Russian shipping in the Black and Azov Seas at the urging of its Western handlersRead moreNo clarity yet on timing of upcoming Putin-Trump phone conversation — KremlinDmitry Peskov noted that Moscow and Washington have not yet agreed on a telephone conversationRead moreRussia cuts pipeline gas supplies to Turkey by 17% in eight monthsRussian gas supplies to Turkey via pipelines reached 12.1 bln cubic meters in January-AugustRead moreUS sees no link between infection in Russia’s Irkutsk Region, bioweapons research — TrumpOn October 4, the Russian Federal Service for Consumer Rights Protection and Human Well-Being said the sanitary and epidemiological situation in Russia’s eastern Irkutsk Region was stableRead moreTrump says Iran conflict will be over 'shortly,' sending oil prices tumbling downThere is no more a nuclear weapon threat in Iran, the US leader emphasizedRead moreUkrainian drone attack kills father of 13 children, 15-year-old daughter in Kherson Region"This morning a Ukrainian drone attacked a passenger car near Rykovo of the Genichesk district," Vladimir Saldo saidRead moreThailand eyeing introduction of departure fee — newspaperThe collection of the fee is planned to be delegated to airlines, which will include it in the ticket price at the time of bookingRead moreEbola spirals out of control in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo — NGONorth Kivu accounts for nearly 40% of the country's new confirmed Ebola cases, Doctors Without Borders international non-governmental organization saidRead moreRussia achieves full technological sovereignty in hydropowerRussia’s General Scheme for the Development of Electric Power Facilities through 2042 envisages the commissioning of 6.7 GW of new hydropower generation capacity, comprising seven hydroelectric power plants and four pumped-storage power plantsRead morePress review: Slovakia blocks Russian asset seizure as Europe youth protests spreadTop stories from the Russian press on Tuesday, October 6thRead morePutin to make two-day visit to Turkmenistan to take part in CIS summitVladimir Putin's first day on the Caspian coast will be devoted to protocol events related to the arrival of many distinguished guestsRead moreRussian stock market declines at start of main trading session on Moscow ExchangeThe MOEX and RTS indices fell by 0.3% to 2,330.32 and 858.79 points, respectivelyRead moreTrump says decided against prosecuting Obama, Biden, ClintonTrump said people around him had urged him to pursue legal action against themRead moreWHO reports thousands of suspected plague cases worldwide each yearAccording to the Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention Department Director Maria Van Kerkhove, between 2019 and 2025, ten countries reported nearly 4,000 suspected human plague cases and 423 related deaths to the organizationRead moreRussia’s National Wealth Fund totals $151.85 bln as of October 1The fund’s liquid assets totaled $44.45 bln as of October 1, or 1.6% of GDP projected for 2026, equivalent to $45 blnRead moreThree DPR residents killed, eight wounded in Ukrainian attacks since start of dayThe attacks damaged three residential buildings, three infrastructure facilities, trucks and passenger carsRead moreNobel Prize in Chemistry 2026 awarded for discovery in asymmetric organic synthesisFrance’s Henri Kagan and Japan’s Kenso Soai have received the awardRead moreBakery of father of 13 children, who died in drone attack, delivered bread to AlyoshkiSergey Georgiyev said that together with Alexander Kolotun they also planned to provide assistance to residents of frontline villages in winterRead moreTrump urges Xi Jinping to lift export restrictions on Japan — newspaperAccording to the newspaper, the US leader "framed the Chinese measures as a threat to American industries reliant on Japanese suppliers"Read moreUS crude oil inventories fall by 3.2 mln barrels over week — Energy DepartmentThe department noted that current inventories are 1% above the five-year average for this time of yearRead moreMajor oil companies eye Middle East investments despite war — newspaperPatrick Pouyanne, chief executive of France’s TotalEnergies, believes the Middle East still has the cheapest oilRead moreRussia reports no drug trafficking from Ukraine amid special military operation — officialActing head of the Russian Interior Ministry’s Main Directorate for Narcotics Control Kirill Smurov recalled that the law enforcement agency had witnessed targeted drug trafficking from Ukraine to Russia at the turn of 2020Read moreFACTBOX: Russian forces hit enterprises producing Flamingo missiles in UkraineRussian troops struck the Kiev Cardboard and Paper Mill plant that served as a production and storage facility for FP-5 Flamingo cruise missiles and their componentsRead moreMoscow court fines Zoom around $772,110The company was fined for failing to comply with obligations established by Russian law governing the activities of foreign entities on the InternetRead morePress review: Black Sea ceasefire efforts gain momentum as Houthi advances raise war riskTop stories from the Russian press on Wednesday, October 7thRead moreSberbank launches direct business settlements with MyanmarThe bank's press service explained that Sberbank’s Indian branch will serve as a key element of the new arrangementRead moreSwedish Academy to announce winner of Nobel Prize in LiteratureAccording to Swedish experts, the favorites for 2026 include Australian novelist Gerald Murnane, Chinese writer Can Xue, and Canadian poet and essayist Anne CarsonRead moreRussia to take retaliatory measures if Canada confiscates Russian assets — ambassadorOleg Stepanov said Ottawa should consider the legal, investment and reputational consequences "of such ‘lawmaking’"Read moreRussia boost agricultural technologies exports by 15% this year — Agriculture MinisterLast year saw a "solid breakthrough" in the exports of Russian agricultural technologies, Oksana Lut saidRead moreMediation efforts in Iran-US talks reach deadlock — TV"The Strait of Hormuz is no longer a priority for Washington" after Iran, in the US assessment, "lost control over it," the TV channel saidRead moreHigh-rise building in Istanbul partially collapses, trapping people under rubble — TVNo information on casualties or injuries has been reported yetRead moreLithuania plans to deploy army units to Kaliningrad border areaInterior Minister Martynas Katelynas called the deployment of the army a preventive measureRead moreVladimir formation of Russia’s Strategic Missile Force undergoes scheduled inspectionDuring the exercise, crews of the Yars mobile ground-based missile systems are practicing marching and maneuvering operationsRead moreTokyo considers allowing nuclear weapons to be brought into Japan — newspaperA provision allowing nuclear weapons to be brought into the country as an exception may be included in new fundamental documents on security, which the Japanese government plans to adopt at the end of the yearRead moreSyria supports Saudi Arabia, yet does not want to be party in Yemeni warDamascus firmly supports Saudi Arabia, but its policy does not call for opening new fronts, the Information Ministry saidRead moreTrump interrupted 12 times in 45 minutes during speech in staunchly Republican TexasPolice escorted one of the protesters out of the venue in handcuffsRead moreSenior NATO commanders pay unannounced visit to UkraineItalian Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone said that the visit had been aimed "to reaffirm unwavering support for Ukraine"Read moreFour in five Russians view Putin as one of world’s most influential leaders — pollAbout seven in ten Russians believe that Russia has become stronger during Putin’s years in officeRead moreRussia budgets nearly $468 mln for farm machinery programs in 2027-2029A total of $17.55 mln is expected to be allocated to DOM.RF’s preferential leasing program next yearRead moreFSB detains two residents of Trans-Baikal over election provocation plotOne of the suspects is a woman who was a member of a precinct election commissionRead moreRussian delegation warns confrontation with West could enter most severe phaseAccording to Yulia Zhdanova, head of the Russian delegation to the Vienna talks on military security and arms control, Western politicians continue to intensify their military rhetoricRead moreEU fears US diesel export ban — Der SpiegelThe EC noted that even awareness of economic damage to US companies themselves might not prevent Washington from taking such a stepRead moreRussian forces approach Novoukrainka in Zaporozhye Region — military expertAndrey Marochko said that Russian servicemen are advancing near liberated GolubkovoRead moreTrump promises to prevent destruction of San Diego, Los AngelesWhite House Communications Director Steven Cheung later stated that Donald Trump was referring to a potential threat to American cities if the US did not take military action against Iran over Tehran’s nuclear programRead moreWest furthers military-industrial interests with OSCE Russia disinformation campaign"Even here, within the framework of the OSCE's military-political direction, we have already had the opportunity to see that the Western participating states are not interested in a fact-based professional dialogue," Yulia Zhdanova saidRead moreFreezing conflict will not help resolve situation in Ukraine — Kremlin spokesmanDmitry Peskov reiterated that a settlement in Ukraine must be comprehensiveRead moreDarwin protective net effectively counters Ukraine’s Lyuty, Hornet UAVs — developerThe system's innovative weaving technique, the "spider knot," allows the net to gently absorb the impact of an UAV and reduce the likelihood of an explosive device detonatingRead moreCargo Dragon spacecraft to launch to ISS no earlier than October 13 — NASAThe spacecraft will deliver more than 2.8 tons of cargo to the ISS, including materials for studying the effects of microgravity on the growth and function of three-dimensional heart tissue modelsRead moreFire at Yandex data center, 399 UAVs: aftermath of attacks on Russian regionsAccording to Russian Defense Ministry, Ukrainian drones were downed over 21 Russian regionsRead moreHungary risks situation near energy catastrophe if cut off from Russian gas — expertArtyom Ilyinsky said that the delivery of major volumes under non-Russian gas agreements is scheduled to begin only in 2028, creating a critical time gap that "will prevent Hungary from navigating the pivotal year of 2027 smoothly"Read morePutin to communicate with all participants in CIS summit in Turkmenistan — KremlinDmitry Peskov pointed out that the Russian president was scheduled to hold a number of working meetings on the sidelines of the CIS summit and the Caspian Environmental SummitRead moreIndia calls on Russia, Ukraine to halt Black Sea attacks in truce plan — Foreign Ministry"Insofar as specifics are concerned, India is trying to be helpful, starting with the Black Sea, safety of the shipping issue, addressing immediate concerns of Russia and Ukraine on grain and energy exports, and non-attack possibilities," Randhir Jaiswal saidRead moreDiplomat says Russian Foreign Ministry’s message to foreigners in Kiev was 'crystal clear'According to Maria Zakharova, foreigners "should be aware of the risk and understand its source"Read moreKiev bridges' destruction disrupts Ukrainian security operations — underground resistanceThe same bridges and transport hubs are used to move security forces, transfer troops, supply materials, patrol areas, and transport military equipment, pro-Russian underground resistance saidRead moreLithuanian army to send up to 100 troops to border with Russia’s Kaliningrad RegionAccording to the Lithuanian Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas, the army will be stationed at the border for the next few weeksRead moreInternational organizations offer no help over Alyoshki situation — governor"The conduct of organizations whose charters require them to act in people’s interests is a matter for their conscience," Vladimir Saldo saidRead moreHouthis report ballistic missile strike on Riyadh AirportAccording to the Houthi spokesman Yahya Saria, the direct hit brought air traffic at the Saudi capital’s airport to a haltRead more
FACTBOX: What is known about approval of EU’s 22nd sanctions package against Russia
• What happened: FACTBOX: What is known about approval of EU’s 22nd sanctions package against Russia Anti-Russian sanctionsFACTBOX: What is known about approval...