Breaking News, 31st of July, 2018

On Monday, US President Donald Trump announced that all anti-Russian sanctions will remain in force, Interfax reports. «Sanctions against Russia will remain in their current form» — the US president said before he added that the European partners will present projects competing with Russia on the gas pipelines. «We are already negotiating with the EU on the creation of 9 to 11 ports, for which the EU will pay, so that we can supply liquefied gas to different parts of Europe, and this will be most competitive.» — Donald Trump explained while speaking at a press conference following the talks with Prime Minister of Italy Giuseppe Conte in Washington.

The Syrian army almost completed the military operation of liberating the territories of the ISIS enclave in the south-west of Deraa province. Syrian and Russian air forces continue to perform massive air strikes on the territories that are still under the control of the terrorists.

US intelligence agencies reported that North Korea continues to produce new ballistic missiles capable of reaching the US territory, Interfax reported while citing the Washington Post. According to sources of the publication — the production of new missiles is being conducted at a factory near Pyongyang, where the first intercontinental ballistic missiles of the DPRK were created. The recent evidence, including photos from satellites, indicates that the DPRK are working on at least one or two intercontinental liquid fuel based ballistic missiles.

Russian ambassador to Israel, Anatoly Viktorov, commented on Jerusalem’s requests for the withdrawal of Iranian forces from Syria. Anatoly Viktorov confirmed the existence of an agreement which ensures that only regular units of the Syrian army will be deployed near the border with Israel, Tass reports. At the same time, he considered any requests for the removal of any foreign forces from the territory of Syria to be unrealistic. Anatoly Viktorov noted that the Iranians «play a very important role in our common efforts of eradication of the terrorists in Syria.» According to the Russian diplomat — Russia can’t force Iran to leave Syria.

Reporters of ANNA NEWS report from Syria: The scouts of the Syrian army found a terrorist tunnel about 280 meters long in the area of cemetery of Deir ez-Zor. The terrorists used the tunnel to transfer troops and weapons, and also for committing acts of sabotage. The tunnel connects key strong points of ISIS between the cemetery and the positions at area of Al-Tard. The Syrian army continues the offensive operation in the direction of Deir ez-Zor from the provinces of Rakka and Homs.

A delegation from the OSCE is ready to visit Crimea to evaluate the human rights situation in the region. Georgy Muradov, the permanent representative of the Republic of Crimea in Kremlin, said that Russia welcomes the visitors from international organizations. However, the visitors must understand that they will not be able to visit the peninsula on the basis of Ukrainian invitation, he explained. The OSCE believes that in order to send the experts to Crimea from the territory of Ukraine they need a preliminary invitation from Kiev and the assistance of the Crimean authorities.