Russian manufacturing may grow significantly this year if industries maintain the current rate of increase, President Vladimir Putin predicted on Thursday. During a meeting with business executives, Putin said that production rose in the first two quarters of this year, and if the trend continues, growth will be 12% in annual terms.

Delivering such weapons to Kiev is not Berlin’s “top priority,” the country’s defense minister has said German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius on Thursday again ruled out delivering sophisticated long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine, citing “obvious” concerns over such a move.

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