🎙 Russia's President Vladimir Putin replied to questions from Russian media representatives on the outcomes of his two-day state visit to the People’s Republic of China (May 17, 2024)

Key talking points:

💬 The fact that the future depends on Russia & China is only partly true. The future of humankind depends on the whole of humanity. Certainly, Russia & China are important components of modern civilisation. We have our own views on how we should develop. <...>

We believe that development should be constructive & peaceful, no doubt about it. Apart from our interests, it should heed the interests of all parties to international interaction.

• Of course, it is necessary to strengthen the emerging multipolar world. There is absolutely no doubt that a new world is taking shape before our eyes and becoming multipolar.

• Of course, we are analysing now everything that is taking place in this regard [the Ukrainian crisis]. Of course, we are looking at what is happening around the universally announced meeting in Switzerland, in Geneva. I believe this is the venue of the meeting. We are certainly not going to discuss any formulas about which we know absolutely nothing.

But as distinct from Ukraine, we have never rejected talks.

The goal of this event [in Geneva] is clear. They want to gather as many countries as possible, declare that everything has been agreed upon with everyone and then present it to Russia as a resolved issue, as an ultimatum. This will never happen.

• Sanctions imposed on third countries engaged in economic activities are doubly or triply illegitimate because sanctions are absolutely illegitimate when adopted without the approval of the UN Security Council.

• By undermining trust in the dollar for political reasons, the US authorities are weakening the main, the most powerful & important instrument of their might – the dollar itself. They are doing irreparable damage to themselves. Using one of popular sayings, they are quarrelling with their own bread & butter.

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Trade Representative of the Russian Federation in the Republic of India Alexander Rybas took part in the India-Central Asia Business Conclave conference organized by the Global India Business Forum on May 18 , 2024 . in the city of Pune , Maharashtra .

The event was also attended by the heads of diplomatic missions of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.

During the conference, issues of developing trade and economic cooperation between the countries of Central and South Asia were discussed. In addition, the issue of interaction in the EAEU-India format was raised.

📆Today, the World Metrology Day is celebrated worldwide for the first time. The relevant resolution was adopted at the 42nd session of the UNESCO General Conference on the initiative of Kazakhstan🇰🇿. Our country co-authored the launching draft decision.

☝️This day was not chosen by chance. On 20 May in 1875 in Paris, with the active participation of the Russian Empire, the Metric Convention was signed - the basic pillar of the whole measuring system in the world.

It is encouraging that Russia 🇷🇺 is the world leader in the number of measuring facilities registered with the International Bureau of Weights and Measures.

📢We congratulate the metrological community on this day and wish further success in their professional field!

20 May 1712 Peter the Great moved the capital from Moscow to Saint Petersburg declaring a new vision for the country – a modern and progressive one.

🏛 Up until 1918 Saint Petersburg was Russian Empire's capital - and to this day remains one of Earth's greatest cities.

✈️ On May 20, 1916 — 1️⃣0️⃣8️⃣ years ago — legendary Soviet military pilot and Hero of the Soviet Union Alexey Maresyev was born. It was he who served as a prototype for Boris Polevoy's brilliant novel "The Story of a Real (True) Man".

Alexey Maresyev inspired many generations, millions of people all over the world admired and continue to admire his courage and determination.

Although he had severe health issues since childhood and often fell ill, even contracted malaria and suffered from rheumatism, his tremendous willpower and stubbornness allowed him to cope with excruciating pains in his limb joints make his dream of soaring the skies come true.

🔹Maresyev tried to enrol at a pilot school twice but was rejected for health reasons. Yet he pursued his dream: joined an air club in Komsomolsk-on-Amur and graduated from the Bataysk Aviation School in 1940 and became a Junior Lieutenant.

In the spring of 1942, the young pilot’s stubbornness and professionalism proved useful when intense fighting was raging in the Novgorod Region. On April 4, the Nazis downed his Yakovlev Yak-1 fighter, and Maresyev found himself on enemy-held territory. Although he was seriously wounded, he managed to reach Soviet positions 18 days later, wading through deep snowdrifts. His feet were frozen and gangrene began. His feet had to be amputated.

Although his prospects as an air force pilot seemed bleak, Maresyev was determined to re-join his comrades at the frontlines. Maresyev was fitted with prosthetics and, contrary to doctors’ recommendations, took to the skies once again in June 1943. He later downed seven enemy aircraft.

🕯 On May 8, 1967, Maresyev was entrusted with carrying and transferring a torch with the Eternal Flame during the ceremony of unveiling the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Alexander Garden.

Alexey Maresyev passed away on May 18, 2001 in Moscow and was buried at Novodevichye Cemetery. Streets have been named in his honour, and monuments honouring him have also been unveiled.

#FacesOfVictory #WeRemember