🎉🇿🇦 Happy Freedom Day, South Africa!
Today, 27 April, South Africa celebrates the 31st anniversary of its first democratic elections — a landmark event that marked the beginning of a new era of freedom, equality and justice.
Held in 1994, these historic elections were the first in which citizens of all races could exercise their right to vote, putting an end to decades of apartheid rule.
Freedom Day honours the sacrifices and courage of those who fought tirelessly against injustice and discrimination, paving the way for a democratic and inclusive South Africa.
The Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Cape Town extends its warmest congratulations to all South Africans on this significant occasion!
#FreedomDay #SouthAfrica
Today, 27 April, South Africa celebrates the 31st anniversary of its first democratic elections — a landmark event that marked the beginning of a new era of freedom, equality and justice.
Held in 1994, these historic elections were the first in which citizens of all races could exercise their right to vote, putting an end to decades of apartheid rule.
Freedom Day honours the sacrifices and courage of those who fought tirelessly against injustice and discrimination, paving the way for a democratic and inclusive South Africa.
The Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Cape Town extends its warmest congratulations to all South Africans on this significant occasion!
#FreedomDay #SouthAfrica
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Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
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🎙 Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's interview with CBS (Moscow, April 27, 2025)
📖 Read the interview in full
📺 Watch on YouTube
Key talking points
• We continue our contacts with the American Side on the situation in Ukraine. There are several signs that we are moving in the right direction, first of all, because President Trump is probably the only leader on Earth who recognized the need to address the root causes of this situation. When he said that it was a huge mistake to pull Ukraine into NATO, and this was a mistake by the Biden administration, and he wants to rectify this.
• We only target military goals or civilian sites used by the military. President Putin expressed this for so many times, and this is not different this time as well. We never consciously target civilian sites, unlike the Zelensky regime.
• The Trump administration is interested in searching for a balance of interest. They sincerely want to understand better the Russian position. And they're getting this understanding. And we understand better the American position through negotiations and meetings and discussions, which we have with them.
• We are really polite people. And unlike some others, we never discuss in public what is being discussed in negotiations. Otherwise, negotiations are not serious.
• Whenever we discuss Iran, Venezuela, North Korea, anything, American negotiators put on top human rights. They have claims in this regard to China, to us, to anybody. But whenever Europeans and other Western nations speak about Ukraine, nobody can even mumble the words "human rights".
• We have nothing against American companies, but those companies who decided to leave their business in Russia might find that their place has been already taken by Russian or other foreign investors. And in this case, we would not make any decisions which would discriminate those who came to invest in Russia instead of Americans. If American companies would like to come to a place which is not yet occupied, if they want to propose a project, a new project on top of the previous business ties, of course, we will look into this. And if we find balance of our interests, I think it would be only natural to get into business together.
• We have been promoting for many years in the United Nations a resolution prohibiting putting any nuclear weapons into outer space. The country which is categorically against it is the United States. At least during the Biden administration, this was the case, they were categorically against it. At the same time, the United States promotes an approach according to which they want to prohibit putting conventional weapons in outer space. And they cannot answer the question, "Does this mean that nuclear weapons, they would be planning to move to the orbit?"
• It was the United States which broke the process of strengthening strategic stability. And if the United States is willing to get back to this track, we will see what are the conditions under which this might be possible.
• We welcome the dialogue between the US and Iran. We would be certainly ready to help if both parties believe this is going to be useful. And they know that we are ready.
📖 Read the interview in full
📺 Watch on YouTube
Key talking points
• We continue our contacts with the American Side on the situation in Ukraine. There are several signs that we are moving in the right direction, first of all, because President Trump is probably the only leader on Earth who recognized the need to address the root causes of this situation. When he said that it was a huge mistake to pull Ukraine into NATO, and this was a mistake by the Biden administration, and he wants to rectify this.
• We only target military goals or civilian sites used by the military. President Putin expressed this for so many times, and this is not different this time as well. We never consciously target civilian sites, unlike the Zelensky regime.
• The Trump administration is interested in searching for a balance of interest. They sincerely want to understand better the Russian position. And they're getting this understanding. And we understand better the American position through negotiations and meetings and discussions, which we have with them.
• We are really polite people. And unlike some others, we never discuss in public what is being discussed in negotiations. Otherwise, negotiations are not serious.
• Whenever we discuss Iran, Venezuela, North Korea, anything, American negotiators put on top human rights. They have claims in this regard to China, to us, to anybody. But whenever Europeans and other Western nations speak about Ukraine, nobody can even mumble the words "human rights".
• We have nothing against American companies, but those companies who decided to leave their business in Russia might find that their place has been already taken by Russian or other foreign investors. And in this case, we would not make any decisions which would discriminate those who came to invest in Russia instead of Americans. If American companies would like to come to a place which is not yet occupied, if they want to propose a project, a new project on top of the previous business ties, of course, we will look into this. And if we find balance of our interests, I think it would be only natural to get into business together.
• We have been promoting for many years in the United Nations a resolution prohibiting putting any nuclear weapons into outer space. The country which is categorically against it is the United States. At least during the Biden administration, this was the case, they were categorically against it. At the same time, the United States promotes an approach according to which they want to prohibit putting conventional weapons in outer space. And they cannot answer the question, "Does this mean that nuclear weapons, they would be planning to move to the orbit?"
• It was the United States which broke the process of strengthening strategic stability. And if the United States is willing to get back to this track, we will see what are the conditions under which this might be possible.
• We welcome the dialogue between the US and Iran. We would be certainly ready to help if both parties believe this is going to be useful. And they know that we are ready.
🚢 Барк «Крузенштерн» прибыл в Кейптаун
⚓️ Российское парусное учебное судно «Крузенштерн» зашло в порт Кейптауна в рамках четырёхмесячного учебного рейса вокруг Африки.
🌍 Плавание проходит в рамках Большой африканской экспедиции Росрыболовства и приурочено к 80-летию Победы в Великой Отечественной войне.
👨✈️ На борту находятся более 140 курсантов, а также 13 практикантов из Кубы, Марокко, Египта и Казахстана, которые осваивают парусное вооружение, судовую организацию, технику безопасности и навыки работы на высоте.
📍 После выхода из Калининграда судно прошло через Балтийское и Северное моря, пересекло Атлантику, сделало остановку в Марокко и теперь прибыло в Южно-Африканскую Республику.
➡️ Следующим пунктом на маршруте «Крузенштерна» станет остров Маврикий.
📸 Фото: Генеральное консульство России в Кейптауне
⚓️ Российское парусное учебное судно «Крузенштерн» зашло в порт Кейптауна в рамках четырёхмесячного учебного рейса вокруг Африки.
🌍 Плавание проходит в рамках Большой африканской экспедиции Росрыболовства и приурочено к 80-летию Победы в Великой Отечественной войне.
👨✈️ На борту находятся более 140 курсантов, а также 13 практикантов из Кубы, Марокко, Египта и Казахстана, которые осваивают парусное вооружение, судовую организацию, технику безопасности и навыки работы на высоте.
📍 После выхода из Калининграда судно прошло через Балтийское и Северное моря, пересекло Атлантику, сделало остановку в Марокко и теперь прибыло в Южно-Африканскую Республику.
➡️ Следующим пунктом на маршруте «Крузенштерна» станет остров Маврикий.
📸 Фото: Генеральное консульство России в Кейптауне
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Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
✍️ Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s interview with Brazilian O Globo newspaper (April 28, 2025)
Read in full
❓Question Expanding trade among BRICS countries is one of the objectives for Brazil’s chairmanship in this group in 2025. What kind of opportunities does Russia see in terms of increasing the share of trade transactions in national currencies?
💬 Sergey Lavrov: We are witnessing an accelerating trend in the fragmentation of the global economy. Against this backdrop, it is quite natural for the countries of the Global South and East to reduce the share of Western currencies in their mutual settlements. No one wants to suffer from sanctions. <...>.
We have been working within #BRICS to ensure that there are no disruptions when carrying out payments and have been quite effective in our efforts. To give you an example, the ruble and currencies of our friendly countries accounted for 90% of Russia’s settlements with BRICS countries in 2024. <...>
❓ Question: Reinforcing global governance and promoting multilateralism is another major topic for BRICS. What do you think BRICS countries can do to this effect?
💬 Sergey Lavrov: BRICS has become much stronger compared to when this group took shape back in 2006. Today, it stands as a focal point with a mission to coordinate the interests of the Global Majority’s leading countries. BRICS fully adheres to the principles of equality, mutual respect and balance of interest.
Russia views this group as one of the pillars of a multipolar world and an important mechanism for international cooperation. <...> BRICS countries are not seeking to take someone else’s place. Their aim consists of creating a favourable environment for building capacity.
❓ Question: Brazil calls for expanding the UN Security Council. What is Russia’s current stance on this issue? Would it vote for making Brazil a permanent member?
💬 Sergey Lavrov: Russia believes in a balanced reform of the Security Council as one of the main UN bodies. <...> Shaping of a multipolar world should include broader representation of the countries of the Global South and East, that is, Asian, African and Latin American countries, at the UNSC.
🇧🇷 Brazil is the right candidate for a permanent seat on the UNSC.
We are against giving more seats to Western countries and their allies.
Key points:
• We got the impression that our American counterparts now have a better understanding of Russia’s stance on the situation around Ukraine. We hope that this will help them during their dialogue with Kiev and individual European countries.
• The fact that the current administration in the United States is trying to understand the root causes of the crisis is quite encouraging and contrasts with the Joe Biden administration which pumped the Kiev regime full of lethal weapons and was proactive in its efforts to draw Ukraine into NATO.
• Zelensky’s regime has shown that is lacks the political will for peace and the ability to stop the war, which is being fuelled by the Russophobic circles of certain EU countries, primarily France and Germany, as well as Britain.
• Instead of facilitating a settlement, the European Union has been seeking to undermine agreements by arguing that there has been little, if any, effort to invite it to contribute to these talks.
• Russia appreciates the striving of our partners to help create conditions for a peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian crisis. Over 20 countries and a number of regional associations in Latin America, Asia and Africa have put forth such initiatives.
• We have made no secret regarding our position on the settlement. Russia proceeds from the premise that Kiev’s non-accession to NATO, as well as reaffirming its neutral and non-aligned status. <...> The second pillar consists of overcoming the legacy of the neo-Nazi regime which took power in Kiev after the February 2014 putsch. <...> The international recognition of Crimea, Sevastopol, the DPR, the LPR, the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions as part of Russia is another imperative.
Read in full
❓Question Expanding trade among BRICS countries is one of the objectives for Brazil’s chairmanship in this group in 2025. What kind of opportunities does Russia see in terms of increasing the share of trade transactions in national currencies?
💬 Sergey Lavrov: We are witnessing an accelerating trend in the fragmentation of the global economy. Against this backdrop, it is quite natural for the countries of the Global South and East to reduce the share of Western currencies in their mutual settlements. No one wants to suffer from sanctions. <...>.
We have been working within #BRICS to ensure that there are no disruptions when carrying out payments and have been quite effective in our efforts. To give you an example, the ruble and currencies of our friendly countries accounted for 90% of Russia’s settlements with BRICS countries in 2024. <...>
❓ Question: Reinforcing global governance and promoting multilateralism is another major topic for BRICS. What do you think BRICS countries can do to this effect?
💬 Sergey Lavrov: BRICS has become much stronger compared to when this group took shape back in 2006. Today, it stands as a focal point with a mission to coordinate the interests of the Global Majority’s leading countries. BRICS fully adheres to the principles of equality, mutual respect and balance of interest.
Russia views this group as one of the pillars of a multipolar world and an important mechanism for international cooperation. <...> BRICS countries are not seeking to take someone else’s place. Their aim consists of creating a favourable environment for building capacity.
❓ Question: Brazil calls for expanding the UN Security Council. What is Russia’s current stance on this issue? Would it vote for making Brazil a permanent member?
💬 Sergey Lavrov: Russia believes in a balanced reform of the Security Council as one of the main UN bodies. <...> Shaping of a multipolar world should include broader representation of the countries of the Global South and East, that is, Asian, African and Latin American countries, at the UNSC.
🇧🇷 Brazil is the right candidate for a permanent seat on the UNSC.
We are against giving more seats to Western countries and their allies.
Key points:
• We got the impression that our American counterparts now have a better understanding of Russia’s stance on the situation around Ukraine. We hope that this will help them during their dialogue with Kiev and individual European countries.
• The fact that the current administration in the United States is trying to understand the root causes of the crisis is quite encouraging and contrasts with the Joe Biden administration which pumped the Kiev regime full of lethal weapons and was proactive in its efforts to draw Ukraine into NATO.
• Zelensky’s regime has shown that is lacks the political will for peace and the ability to stop the war, which is being fuelled by the Russophobic circles of certain EU countries, primarily France and Germany, as well as Britain.
• Instead of facilitating a settlement, the European Union has been seeking to undermine agreements by arguing that there has been little, if any, effort to invite it to contribute to these talks.
• Russia appreciates the striving of our partners to help create conditions for a peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian crisis. Over 20 countries and a number of regional associations in Latin America, Asia and Africa have put forth such initiatives.
• We have made no secret regarding our position on the settlement. Russia proceeds from the premise that Kiev’s non-accession to NATO, as well as reaffirming its neutral and non-aligned status. <...> The second pillar consists of overcoming the legacy of the neo-Nazi regime which took power in Kiev after the February 2014 putsch. <...> The international recognition of Crimea, Sevastopol, the DPR, the LPR, the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions as part of Russia is another imperative.
Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
📸 #FamilyPhoto
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov takes part in family photo ceremony together with heads of delegations of the BRICS and partner countries
📍 Rio de Janeiro, April 29
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov takes part in family photo ceremony together with heads of delegations of the BRICS and partner countries
📍 Rio de Janeiro, April 29
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🚢 The barque Kruzenshtern arrived in Cape Town
⚓️ The Russian sail training vessel Kruzenshtern entered the port of Cape Town as part of its four-month training voyage around Africa.
🌍 The voyage is taking place within the framework of the Grand African Expedition organized by the Russian Federal Agency for Fisheries and is dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War.
👨✈️ On board were over 140 cadets, as well as 13 trainees from Cuba, Morocco, Egypt, and Kazakhstan, who are mastering sail handling, ship operations and safety procedures.
📍 After departing from Kaliningrad, the vessel sailed through the Baltic and North Seas, crossed the Atlantic Ocean, made a stopover in Morocco and has now arrived in the Republic of South Africa.
➡️ The next destination is Mauritius.
📸 Photo: Consulate General of Russia in Cape Town
⚓️ The Russian sail training vessel Kruzenshtern entered the port of Cape Town as part of its four-month training voyage around Africa.
🌍 The voyage is taking place within the framework of the Grand African Expedition organized by the Russian Federal Agency for Fisheries and is dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War.
👨✈️ On board were over 140 cadets, as well as 13 trainees from Cuba, Morocco, Egypt, and Kazakhstan, who are mastering sail handling, ship operations and safety procedures.
📍 After departing from Kaliningrad, the vessel sailed through the Baltic and North Seas, crossed the Atlantic Ocean, made a stopover in Morocco and has now arrived in the Republic of South Africa.
➡️ The next destination is Mauritius.
📸 Photo: Consulate General of Russia in Cape Town
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🎷From Russia with Resonance: Igor Butman Quartet’s Triumph at CTIJF 2025
🗞️✍🏻By Gillian Schutte
Among the many great performances at the 2025 Cape Town International Jazz Festival, the Igor Butman Quartet carved out a space entirely their own — a realm defined by dazzling virtuosity and the profound art of musical conversation. This performance stood among the most outstanding of the festival.
🎶For Igor Butman, Russia’s world-renowned tenor saxophonist, playing at this iconic gathering fulfilled a long-held dream. Speaking ahead of his set, he described the opportunity to perform at the CTICC as a ‘dream come true.’ That sense of awe and gratitude infused the evening — a set that transcended technical brilliance and became a living testament to music’s universal spirit.
At 63, Butman performed with stamina and expressive breadth that defied expectation. His saxophone tone shifted seamlessly between mischievous play, aching nostalgia, and jubilant celebration — sometimes all within a single phrase.
⭐️He was joined by a trio of fellow maestros: Oleg Akkuratov (piano and vocals), Nikolay Zatolochny (double bass), and Eduard Zizak (drums). Together they fashioned a music of dialogue — listening, teasing, provoking, and elevating one another’s ideas with intuitive mastery.
The set opened with Falling Out, a spirited, mock-argument between piano and saxophone — a musical skirmish that established the night’s ethos of lively, unfolding conversation.
A soulful rendering of Mississippi Dreams revealed the group’s lyrical tenderness. Akkuratov’s velvet-fingered piano wove meditative, resonant lines across the soundscape, while Zatolochny’s bass shaped the harmonic ground with understated authority.
In a moving gesture of connection to the Cape Town audience, Akkuratov also sang Malaika, the beloved Swahili love song. His careful pronunciation and heartfelt delivery created a rare moment of unguarded communion, a bridge between continents built through pure feeling.
🎺The Igor Butman Quartet achieved a luminous artistry rarely encountered: transforming a concert into a living act of conversation — playful, profound, and intellectually exhilarating.
💫Among the many voices and visions at the 2025 Cape Town International Jazz Festival, the Igor Butman Quartet lit up a space with world-class artistry that will not be easily forgotten.
#CTIJF
🗞️✍🏻By Gillian Schutte
Among the many great performances at the 2025 Cape Town International Jazz Festival, the Igor Butman Quartet carved out a space entirely their own — a realm defined by dazzling virtuosity and the profound art of musical conversation. This performance stood among the most outstanding of the festival.
🎶For Igor Butman, Russia’s world-renowned tenor saxophonist, playing at this iconic gathering fulfilled a long-held dream. Speaking ahead of his set, he described the opportunity to perform at the CTICC as a ‘dream come true.’ That sense of awe and gratitude infused the evening — a set that transcended technical brilliance and became a living testament to music’s universal spirit.
At 63, Butman performed with stamina and expressive breadth that defied expectation. His saxophone tone shifted seamlessly between mischievous play, aching nostalgia, and jubilant celebration — sometimes all within a single phrase.
⭐️He was joined by a trio of fellow maestros: Oleg Akkuratov (piano and vocals), Nikolay Zatolochny (double bass), and Eduard Zizak (drums). Together they fashioned a music of dialogue — listening, teasing, provoking, and elevating one another’s ideas with intuitive mastery.
The set opened with Falling Out, a spirited, mock-argument between piano and saxophone — a musical skirmish that established the night’s ethos of lively, unfolding conversation.
A soulful rendering of Mississippi Dreams revealed the group’s lyrical tenderness. Akkuratov’s velvet-fingered piano wove meditative, resonant lines across the soundscape, while Zatolochny’s bass shaped the harmonic ground with understated authority.
In a moving gesture of connection to the Cape Town audience, Akkuratov also sang Malaika, the beloved Swahili love song. His careful pronunciation and heartfelt delivery created a rare moment of unguarded communion, a bridge between continents built through pure feeling.
🎺The Igor Butman Quartet achieved a luminous artistry rarely encountered: transforming a concert into a living act of conversation — playful, profound, and intellectually exhilarating.
💫Among the many voices and visions at the 2025 Cape Town International Jazz Festival, the Igor Butman Quartet lit up a space with world-class artistry that will not be easily forgotten.
#CTIJF
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Forwarded from Sputnik Africa
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Moscow Transformed: How the Capital Glows With Pride Ahead of the 80th Victory Day Celebration
Subscribe to @sputnik_africa
🔸 Sputnik Africa | X 🔸
Subscribe to @sputnik_africa
🔸 Sputnik Africa | X 🔸
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Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
#KievRegimeCrimes
📑 The quarterly report on the crimes committed by the Kiev regime in January — March 2025 has been compiled by Foreign Ministry's Ambassador-at-Large on the crimes committed by the Kiev regime, Rodion Miroshnik, and has been presented on April 28, 2025, during the Ambassador's briefing.
During the first three months of 2025, the armed formations of the Kiev regime systematically shelled objects of civilian infrastructure on the territory of the Russian Federation, deliberately targeting civilians.
During this period, at least 22,221 munitions were fired at civilian targets. In total, since February 2022, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) have fired at least 251,865 munitions of various calibres and modifications at Russian civilian sites.
❗️ A sharp increase in the number of Ukrainian shelling attacks was recorded in the last weeks of March. This is how Kiev reacted to the start of the negotiating process between Moscow and Washington. The number of attacks during this period reached 300 per 24 hours, or more than 2,000 per week, which is approximately 25% higher than the weekly figures for January and February.
The increase in the number of civilian victims documented in the second half of March is directly linked to Kiev’s attempts to oppose the search for a peaceful settlement and to the thwarting of the agreement on a 30-day moratorium on strikes on energy facilities. The Ukrainian side deliberately carried out a number of targeted attacks on crowded places resulting in numerous civilian victims.
▪️ Civilian sites in the Belgorod Region, the Donetsk People’s Republic, the Kherson, Kursk and Zaporozhye regions, as well as the Lugansk People’s Republic, were most frequently shelled during the above-mentioned period.
• From January 1, 2025 to March 31, 2025, there were at least 1,489 verified civilian victims resulting from the Ukrainian forces’ attacks:
🔻 1,197 people, including 63 minors, wounded;
🔻 292 civilians, including five children, killed.
• At least 21,002 civilian victims caused by the Ukrainian formations’ attacks since the beginning of the conflict:
🔻 14,287 people, including 880 minors, wounded;
🔻 6,715 people, including 218 children, killed.
During this period, victims of numerous murders committed by Ukrainian militants in the Kursk Region’s villages of Russkoe Porechnoye, Makhnovka, and Cherkasskoe Porechnoye were found. The bodies of civilians were discovered in the town of Chasov Yar, DPR, who had been killed by the Ukrainian military while attempting to evacuate from the war zone. Moreover, fresh burials of civilians with signs of violent death have been found in the village of Dvurechnaya, Kharkov Region, which was liberated from Ukrainian neo-Nazis.
During the first three months of 2025, the Ukrainian Armed Forces intensively used various types of UAVs to attack objects of civilian infrastructure, and to kill and maim civilians. <...> 409 civilians were hurt in Ukrainian drone attacks. Twenty-three people, including three children, were killed, and 386 people, including 24 minors, were wounded. <...> The Armed Forces of Ukraine carried out barrages of targeted strikes on medical personnel, rescue and emergency workers.
Since the beginning of the year, the AFU militants have intensified a targeted manhunt for media teams covering the special military operation and the Kiev regime’s criminal acts against civilians on the frontline territories. A premeditated attack on a group of journalists in the Kremennaya District, LPR, is a compelling example. A US-made HIMARS MLRS was used to kill three Russian journalists on the spot. All in all, over the past three months, 13 Russian media workers fell victim to criminal actions of the Ukrainian armed forces. Six of them died.
📖 Full report (pdf)
📑 The quarterly report on the crimes committed by the Kiev regime in January — March 2025 has been compiled by Foreign Ministry's Ambassador-at-Large on the crimes committed by the Kiev regime, Rodion Miroshnik, and has been presented on April 28, 2025, during the Ambassador's briefing.
During the first three months of 2025, the armed formations of the Kiev regime systematically shelled objects of civilian infrastructure on the territory of the Russian Federation, deliberately targeting civilians.
During this period, at least 22,221 munitions were fired at civilian targets. In total, since February 2022, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) have fired at least 251,865 munitions of various calibres and modifications at Russian civilian sites.
❗️ A sharp increase in the number of Ukrainian shelling attacks was recorded in the last weeks of March. This is how Kiev reacted to the start of the negotiating process between Moscow and Washington. The number of attacks during this period reached 300 per 24 hours, or more than 2,000 per week, which is approximately 25% higher than the weekly figures for January and February.
The increase in the number of civilian victims documented in the second half of March is directly linked to Kiev’s attempts to oppose the search for a peaceful settlement and to the thwarting of the agreement on a 30-day moratorium on strikes on energy facilities. The Ukrainian side deliberately carried out a number of targeted attacks on crowded places resulting in numerous civilian victims.
▪️ Civilian sites in the Belgorod Region, the Donetsk People’s Republic, the Kherson, Kursk and Zaporozhye regions, as well as the Lugansk People’s Republic, were most frequently shelled during the above-mentioned period.
• From January 1, 2025 to March 31, 2025, there were at least 1,489 verified civilian victims resulting from the Ukrainian forces’ attacks:
🔻 1,197 people, including 63 minors, wounded;
🔻 292 civilians, including five children, killed.
• At least 21,002 civilian victims caused by the Ukrainian formations’ attacks since the beginning of the conflict:
🔻 14,287 people, including 880 minors, wounded;
🔻 6,715 people, including 218 children, killed.
During this period, victims of numerous murders committed by Ukrainian militants in the Kursk Region’s villages of Russkoe Porechnoye, Makhnovka, and Cherkasskoe Porechnoye were found. The bodies of civilians were discovered in the town of Chasov Yar, DPR, who had been killed by the Ukrainian military while attempting to evacuate from the war zone. Moreover, fresh burials of civilians with signs of violent death have been found in the village of Dvurechnaya, Kharkov Region, which was liberated from Ukrainian neo-Nazis.
During the first three months of 2025, the Ukrainian Armed Forces intensively used various types of UAVs to attack objects of civilian infrastructure, and to kill and maim civilians. <...> 409 civilians were hurt in Ukrainian drone attacks. Twenty-three people, including three children, were killed, and 386 people, including 24 minors, were wounded. <...> The Armed Forces of Ukraine carried out barrages of targeted strikes on medical personnel, rescue and emergency workers.
Since the beginning of the year, the AFU militants have intensified a targeted manhunt for media teams covering the special military operation and the Kiev regime’s criminal acts against civilians on the frontline territories. A premeditated attack on a group of journalists in the Kremennaya District, LPR, is a compelling example. A US-made HIMARS MLRS was used to kill three Russian journalists on the spot. All in all, over the past three months, 13 Russian media workers fell victim to criminal actions of the Ukrainian armed forces. Six of them died.
📖 Full report (pdf)
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Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
⚡️ By the decision of the President of the Russian Federation and Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, and for humanitarian reasons, the Russian side is declaring a ceasefire from midnight on May 8 to midnight on May 11 (00:00 on May 8 — 00:00 on May 11) during the days marking the 80th Anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War.
❗️ All military actions will be halted during this period.
Russia believes that the Ukrainian side should demonstrate similar restraint.
In the event of violations of the ceasefire by the Ukrainian side, the Russian Armed Forces will respond in an adequate and effective manner.
The Russian side once again reaffirms its readiness for peace talks without preconditions, aimed at addressing the root causes of the Ukraine crisis and engaging constructively with international partners.
❗️ All military actions will be halted during this period.
Russia believes that the Ukrainian side should demonstrate similar restraint.
In the event of violations of the ceasefire by the Ukrainian side, the Russian Armed Forces will respond in an adequate and effective manner.
The Russian side once again reaffirms its readiness for peace talks without preconditions, aimed at addressing the root causes of the Ukraine crisis and engaging constructively with international partners.
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Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
#Victory80
🌟 On April 30, 1945, just 10 days before Nazi Germany unconditionally surrendered, Red Army soldiers Rakhimzhan Koshkarbayev and Grigory Bulatov raised the first Red Banner on the facade of the Reichstag during the Battle of Berlin.
***
On April 28, fierce fighting for the Reichstag was in full swing, which the Nazis had turned into a fully-fledged stronghold defended by more than a thousand soldiers, including SS troops, supported by artillery and armor.
The distance between the former Himmler's house and the Reichstag was less than 500 metres.
It took Bulatov and Koshkarbayev 7 hours to cover the distance under constant heavy fire — they carried a makeshift flagpole with a simple scarlet cloth with them.
Later after the battle, Koshkarbayev recalled:
According to the 150th Division's combat log, at 14:25 Bulatov and Koshkarbayev "crawled to the central part of the building and placed a red flag on the steps of the main entrance".
It was the first of the banners the liberators raised over the Reichstag.
🎖 Rakhimzhan Koshkarbayev and Grigory Bulatov were awarded the Order of the Red Banner for the courage and heroism during the assualt on the Reichstag. Monuments to Koshkarbayev have been erected in his home region of Akmola in Kazakhstan and in the republic's capital, Astana, and to Bulatov in Kirov.
#WeAreProud
***
On April 28, fierce fighting for the Reichstag was in full swing, which the Nazis had turned into a fully-fledged stronghold defended by more than a thousand soldiers, including SS troops, supported by artillery and armor.
The distance between the former Himmler's house and the Reichstag was less than 500 metres.
It took Bulatov and Koshkarbayev 7 hours to cover the distance under constant heavy fire — they carried a makeshift flagpole with a simple scarlet cloth with them.
Later after the battle, Koshkarbayev recalled:
“The artillery fire began, and with the very first fires, Bulatov and I dashed toward the Reichstag. I lifted him up by the legs, and together, on the second floor, we raised our flag.”
According to the 150th Division's combat log, at 14:25 Bulatov and Koshkarbayev "crawled to the central part of the building and placed a red flag on the steps of the main entrance".
It was the first of the banners the liberators raised over the Reichstag.
🎖 Rakhimzhan Koshkarbayev and Grigory Bulatov were awarded the Order of the Red Banner for the courage and heroism during the assualt on the Reichstag. Monuments to Koshkarbayev have been erected in his home region of Akmola in Kazakhstan and in the republic's capital, Astana, and to Bulatov in Kirov.
#WeAreProud
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Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
🎙 Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s remarks and answers to media questions following BRICS Ministerial Meeting, Rio de Janeiro (April 29, 2025)
💬 I would like to once again thank our Brazilian friends for their traditional hospitality and the excellent organisation of the BRICS Ministerial Meeting, as well as for holding the additional meeting between BRICS participants and their partner countries.
These countries were able to take part in today’s meeting following the Kazan Summit. Held as part of Russia’s chairmanship, it made a historical decision to create this partner category, which includes Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda and Uzbekistan. <...>
🌐 We spoke out in favour of further enhancing the contribution by #BRICS and the countries of the Global Majority in general to addressing the key challenges the world is facing today. We noted that collective actions by our group can play an important role in achieving sustainable development goals, ensuring security and fostering economic growth.
At the meeting, we paid special attention to the need to continue our efforts to promote reform within international financial institutions, primarily by revising IMF quotas, which must reflect the role of the Global South and East in the global financial system and economy. <...>
There was quite a lengthy discussion on the latest regional and international developments, including the multiple crisis situations around the world. The deteriorating situation in the Palestinian territories and across the Middle East in general, as well as in many regions of the African continent is a matter of special concern. <...>
We reaffirmed our support for reforming the UN Security Council, including our support for India and Brazil becoming permanent members of the UN Security Council, while also addressing the issue of Africa’s representation.
👉 Much has been said about the Ukraine situation. Once again, we offered a detailed insight into our principled approaches to settling this conflict by addressing its root causes.
Excerpts from the Q&A session:
• Our proposal, which President Vladimir Putin has made public, is to initiate direct talks without any preconditions. In the current situation, a ceasefire is a preliminary condition that will be used to provide assistance to the Kiev regime and reinforce its combat capabilities.
• Certainly, it is imperative that all parties have a clear understanding of the evolving dynamics between Moscow and Washington. <...> We advocate for an honest and equal dialogue aimed at building a balance of interests. The United States has reciprocated with similar signals. Russia and the US are working together across multiple domains. In fact, they continue to cooperate literally as we speak.
• National currencies account for over 65% of trade between BRICS countries, while the share of the US dollar has diminished to one third. Other tasks stipulate the creation of payment instruments and platforms, including discussing the possibility of creating a cross-border payment system and an electronic depository and clearance system (BRICS Clear), and a unified mechanism for exchanging trade and economic information.
• The International Criminal Court has completely discredited itself. It is being steered by Western countries. It protects some countries from criticism even though they openly violate international law, and adopts measures aimed at punishing other countries, up to and including arrest warrants, in the absence of factual proof.
Read in full
💬 I would like to once again thank our Brazilian friends for their traditional hospitality and the excellent organisation of the BRICS Ministerial Meeting, as well as for holding the additional meeting between BRICS participants and their partner countries.
These countries were able to take part in today’s meeting following the Kazan Summit. Held as part of Russia’s chairmanship, it made a historical decision to create this partner category, which includes Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda and Uzbekistan. <...>
🌐 We spoke out in favour of further enhancing the contribution by #BRICS and the countries of the Global Majority in general to addressing the key challenges the world is facing today. We noted that collective actions by our group can play an important role in achieving sustainable development goals, ensuring security and fostering economic growth.
At the meeting, we paid special attention to the need to continue our efforts to promote reform within international financial institutions, primarily by revising IMF quotas, which must reflect the role of the Global South and East in the global financial system and economy. <...>
There was quite a lengthy discussion on the latest regional and international developments, including the multiple crisis situations around the world. The deteriorating situation in the Palestinian territories and across the Middle East in general, as well as in many regions of the African continent is a matter of special concern. <...>
We reaffirmed our support for reforming the UN Security Council, including our support for India and Brazil becoming permanent members of the UN Security Council, while also addressing the issue of Africa’s representation.
👉 Much has been said about the Ukraine situation. Once again, we offered a detailed insight into our principled approaches to settling this conflict by addressing its root causes.
Excerpts from the Q&A session:
• Our proposal, which President Vladimir Putin has made public, is to initiate direct talks without any preconditions. In the current situation, a ceasefire is a preliminary condition that will be used to provide assistance to the Kiev regime and reinforce its combat capabilities.
• Certainly, it is imperative that all parties have a clear understanding of the evolving dynamics between Moscow and Washington. <...> We advocate for an honest and equal dialogue aimed at building a balance of interests. The United States has reciprocated with similar signals. Russia and the US are working together across multiple domains. In fact, they continue to cooperate literally as we speak.
• National currencies account for over 65% of trade between BRICS countries, while the share of the US dollar has diminished to one third. Other tasks stipulate the creation of payment instruments and platforms, including discussing the possibility of creating a cross-border payment system and an electronic depository and clearance system (BRICS Clear), and a unified mechanism for exchanging trade and economic information.
• The International Criminal Court has completely discredited itself. It is being steered by Western countries. It protects some countries from criticism even though they openly violate international law, and adopts measures aimed at punishing other countries, up to and including arrest warrants, in the absence of factual proof.
Read in full