🎙 Statement by Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the UN Vassily Nebenzia at UNSC Briefing on “Children, technology, and education in conflict” (New York, March 2, 2026)

💬 Vassily Nebenzia: Children's access to education is one of the fundamental rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Moreover, respect for this right is an imperative for humankind if humankind is really striving to pursue the path of progress.

Education is what should make a kid heir to endless scientific, spiritual, moral, and ethical treasures accumulated by all of humanity.

☝️ Education is not merely an aggregated knowledge that is now accessible online and can be mastered by artificial intelligence; education is called upon to develop a person's moral sense and aptitude for creation; thus, education gives the most important thing that distinguishes humankind from animals and increasingly capable robots. <...>

Today, we must spare no effort to ensure that during armed conflicts children's education is safeguarded to every extent possible.

❗️ Lack of access to education makes children even more vulnerable to violence and recruitment into armed groups.

Technology and innovation do have a significant potential as tools for improving children’s lot in armed conflict. With educational institutions closed due to hostilities, remote education technologies do come into play but they cannot replace a full-fledged educational process.

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Russia is not conducting targeted strikes on educational facilities and we have consistently advocated for ensuring comprehensive protection of minors and respecting the civilian nature of educational infrastructure.

👉 The Russian Armed Forces strictly adhere to the norms of international humanitarian law when conducting our special military operation.

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🎙 Comment by Russia's Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on France’s decision to increase its nuclear arsenal (March 4, 2026)

💬 The statement made the other day by French President Emmanuel Macron regarding Paris’s intention to embark upon a non-transparent expansion of its nuclear arsenal, which in itself constitutes an extremely destabilising development, should be viewed in a broader context.

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We note that the United Kingdom earlier announced an approach largely similar to the course now adopted by France, having some time ago also begun a significant expansion of its national nuclear arsenal while reducing its transparency.

Moreover, in accordance with US-UK arrangements, London will, in addition to its existing sea-based component, acquire air delivery systems for nuclear weapons and gain access, with US consent, to US nuclear aerial bombs newly deployed in Britain which will further increase the number of warheads that the country could employ in a potential conflict.

At the same time, NATO’s traditional policy in this sphere excludes disclosure of the quantitative parameters of US nuclear weapons deployed in Europe. Russia is compelled to take into account that, in addition to the United Kingdom, an undeclared number of such weapons is stationed in four other European NATO countries and Türkiye, from where they are capable of striking a broad range of critically important targets on the territory of the Russian Federation. <...>

Beyond strengthening their national military nuclear capabilities, the United Kingdom and France are working with their allies to shape a certain independent or autonomous European nuclear deterrent capability.

Initial, somewhat disingenuous attempts to present this as an alternative to the American nuclear umbrella quickly gave way to recognition of the obvious fact that this concerns the expansion of the European nuclear component within NATO, in addition to the existing practice of nuclear sharing missions based on US nuclear weapons.

Thus, there is a substantial reinforcement and expansion of NATO’s overall nuclear potential, which, in the event of a direct military conflict with Russia, could be coordinated against our country not only in its European segment but in its entirety, including the US arsenal. <...>

We also note that the decisions by London and Paris to expand their nuclear arsenals are intended to be implemented outside international constraints, continuing their long-standing policy of avoiding participation in any nuclear arms control arrangements.

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🎬🌸 International Women's Day Film Screenings at Russian House in Chennai

In celebration of International Women's Day, Russian House in Chennai invites you to special screenings of two Russian films directed by women filmmakers.

✨ All films will be screened with English subtitles.
🎟 Entry on a first come, first served basis.

📅 6 March | 6:00 PM
🎥 Hoffman's Fairy Tales (1h 38 min), by Tina Barkalaya, 16+

Early 2000s. The inconspicuous Nadezhda Strakhova is, surprisingly, married. Nadezhda works two jobs - at a district library in the morning and in a theatre cloakroom in the evening to support their small family. One day, her life changes dramatically…

📅 7 March | 6:00 PM
🎥 My Wild Friend (1 h 30 min), by Anna Kurbatova

Sasha discovers a baby fox caught in a trap. When he learns that poachers are hunting for it, he hides the little animal deep in the forest and begins to care for it. Thus begins a touching and adventurous story about friendship.

Celebrate women’s voices in cinema with us! 💐

⚡️ Russia's Foreign Ministry statement on the situation in the Middle East (March 5, 2026)

💬 Moscow is deeply concerned that the situation in the Middle East continues to deteriorate.

There are no signs that the US and Israel – which launched a military operation under a completely far-fetched pretext aimed at overthrowing the legitimate authorities in Iran – are prepared to show restraint and stop the bloodshed. On the contrary, belligerent statements continue to flow from their capitals, while the Israeli army has carried out a new incursion into Lebanon.

Meanwhile, the aggressors are seeking to sow division within the Islamic world in the midst of the holy month of Ramadan.

They deliberately provoked Iran into retaliatory strikes against facilities in several Arab countries, which resulted in human casualties and material damage – developments that the Russian side deeply regrets.

In doing so, they are attempting to draw Arab states into a war serving someone else’s interests. At the same time, they are trying to divert attention from the catastrophic plight of the Palestinian people.

Russia once again calls on all parties to the current confrontation to immediately cease hostilities, including unacceptable strikes on the territory of the Arab states of the Gulf.

We consider attacks on civilians and strikes against any civilian infrastructure – whether in Iran or in the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council – to be absolutely unacceptable.

❗️ It is clear that the only way to prevent the region from sliding further into the abyss of destabilization is to stop the aggression of the US and Israel, which triggered this chain reaction of suffering for the Arab peoples.

⚡️ As a result of a complex negotiation process, 200 Russian servicemen were returned on March 5 from the territory controlled by the Kiev regime.

Their release became possible thanks to the humanitarian mediation of the UAE and the US.

All Russian servicemen who have returned home are receiving the necessary medical and psychological assistance.

❗️ An exchange under the “300 for 300” formula is scheduled for March 6.

In total, 500 Russian servicemen are expected to return home on March 5-6.