📄 Excerpt from the article by Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation (December 13, 2024)

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Planning a trip to Russia with a new passport? Make sure your visa is in order ✈
If your passport with a valid Russian visa was canceled or damaged, you may need to transfer it. Read more: https://singapore.mid.ru/en/consular_section/visa_to_russia/visa_transfer_from_expired_or_damaged_passport/

On December 8, we celebrated 25 years anniversary of the Treaty Establishing the Union State between Russia and Belarus. Over this time, our relations have grown stonger and more dynamic, laying the foundation for better future. It’s a good opportunity to look back on its key milestones: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/Dsn3ffCEi3R7v38b/

Results of the Year with Vladimir Putin (Moscow, Kremlin, 19 December 2024)
#Year2024HighlightsRussia #VladimirPutin #Outcomes2024

Results of the Year with President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin (Moscow, Kremlin, 19 December 2024)
#Year2024HighlightsRussia #VladimirPutin #Outcomes2024
#Economy
The economic situation in Russia is generally positive and stable. We are growing in spite of everything, in spite of any external threats or attempts at outside influence. Last year Russia increased its GDP by 3.6 percent, and this year the economy is expected to grow by 3.9 percent, or possibly even four percent. What this means is that our economy will have grown by eight percent over the past two years. <…> In the United States – 5-6 percent, Eurozone – 1 percent. In the EU’s leading economy, Germany – 0 percent.
International financial and economic institutions ranked Russia as Europe’s biggest economy in terms of volume, in terms of purchasing power parity, and the world’s fourth largest economy. We are behind China, the United States and India. Last year, Russia surpassed Germany and this year, we left Japan behind.
#Sovereignty
Russia has become significantly stronger in the past two or three years. We are becoming a truly sovereign country, and we barely depend on anybody. We are capable of firmly standing on our feet when it comes to the economy.
We are strengthening our defence capability. The combat readiness of the Russian Armed Forces is the highest in the world today. I assure you it is the highest.
#SpecialMilitaryOperation
I must say that the situation [in the special military operation zone] is changing radically. Our fighting men are regaining the territory by square kilometers.
We are advancing, as we said, towards achieving the priority goals that we outlined at the start of the special military operation.
Our troops are fighting heroically in the direct sense of the word. The combat readiness of the Russian Armed Forces is the highest in the world today.
#NuclearDoctrine
It is not a new doctrine but actual changes. I will name some key aspects. We are talking about some new military hazards that may grow into military threats. They include missile defence systems and some other things that we list.
[The document] speaks about increasing the responsibility of non-nuclear states that may participate in an aggression against the Russian Federation alongside the countries that have nuclear weapons. If, like their allies, these countries also pose a threat to our sovereignty and Russia’s existence, then we imply that we have the right to use our nuclear weapons against them [non-nuclear states].
If similar threats are posed to Belarus, our ally and member of the Union State, the Russian Federation will consider these threats as threats to Russia. And we will do everything to ensure the security of Belarus. It is a very important component of the updated nuclear strategy of the Russian Federation.
#OreshnikMissile
Oreshnik missile system is a new intermediate- and shorter-range system. It can strike targets located 1,000, 1,500, 3,000-plus and up to 5,500 km away.
Supposing our system is located 2,000 km away, the missile interceptors on Polish territory would be unable to hit it. It takes time to travel this distance, while our missile needs a few second to start dispensing warheads, and that’s it, the ship has sailed. There is almost no chance of shooting down these missiles.
#Syria
Russia came to Syria ten years ago to prevent the creation of a terrorist enclave there, like the one that we saw in some other countries, for example, Afghanistan.
We have achieved that goal, by and large. Even the groups that were fighting against the Assad regime and the government forces back then have undergone internal changes.
The current situation in the Syrian Arab Republic remains challenging. We sincerely hope for peace and stability to be restored. We maintain dialogue with all groups controlling the situation there and with all regional countries. An overwhelming majority of them have expressed interest in retaining our military bases in Syria.

On December 20, The Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Singapore held a reception to commemorate the conclusion of Russia’s chairmanship of BRICS. The event brought together an esteemed audience, including diplomats, scientists, business leaders, students, and members of the Russian community in Singapore.

H.E. Nikolay Kudashev, Ambassador of Russia to Singapore, opened the evening with insightful remarks, emphasizing the growing unity among non-Western countries and the pivotal role of BRICS in shaping a multipolar global order: “The unity of the non-Western countries of the South and East has grown stronger, as affirmed by the outcomes of the BRICS Summit in Kazan. This summit was marked by the expansion of BRICS and the inclusion of new ASEAN partners, many of whom are represented here today.”

Ambassador Kudashev also addressed the broader geopolitical landscape, citing the success of Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine as a turning point in thwarting the West’s hybrid warfare tactics. He highlighted the accelerated continental Eurasian integration processes, driven by active dialogue among key organizations, including the SCO, CIS, CSTO, EAEU, and ASEAN.

The reception featured a vibrant cultural program, including the Russian tradition of lighting of the Christmas tree, a Food Festival, Ded Moroz’s Lottery, and the screening of the film “By your power, through my will”.

Embassy recommends: "White Nights" by Fyodor Dostoevsky
"White Nights" has recently gained traction online, emerging as a favorite among readers and book enthusiasts on social media. If you're into emotional stories about fleeting love and self-discovery, Dostoevsky's White Nights is a must-read. This short novel follows a dreamy narrator and a mysterious young woman during four magical nights in St. Petersburg.
Do you know why it's called "White Nights"? "White Nights" refers to a natural phenomenon that occurs in St. Petersburg during the summer, when the sun never fully sets, and the city is bathed in a soft, twilight glow all night long. This atmosphere mirrors the novel's mix of hope, longing, and bittersweet romance.

🎙Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s interview with '60 Minutes' television programme (December 25, 2024)

💬 Sergey Lavrov: We have not had any illusions about the prospects [of 2025]. Resolving the Ukraine crisis doesn’t have any prospects, either. It has long been clear to everyone holding unbiased positions that it can be settled only in the context of agreements on lasting security and stability in Europe, which would take into account the interests of the Russian Federation and the legitimate interests of all other countries. <...>

President Putin has repeatedly stressed that we never walk away from talks. We need to see serious, concrete proposals. When we have them, we will decide on how to respond to them based on our national interests, the goals of the special military operation, and President Vladimir Putin’s June 14 speech at the Foreign Ministry.

✅On December 13, 2024, Moscow hosted the fourth meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council, which also included the participation of the heads of government from observer states of the #EAEU — Uzbekistan and Cuba.
✅The heads of government of the Union emphasized the effectiveness of the EAEU in the face of unfavorable external conditions, noting positive trends in key macroeconomic indicators. Between January and September, the Union's combined GDP grew by over 4.5%, industrial production increased by 4.5%, retail trade turnover rose by 8%, and passenger transportation expanded by 7%.
✅A key focus of the discussion was the recently launched supranational mechanism within the EAEU for subsidizing joint cooperative projects using the Union's budget.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s interview with Russian and international news media, Moscow, December 26, 2024:

BRICS has become extremely popular. There were delegations representing 35 countries at the Kazan Summit, as well as heads of six multilateral organisations, including the United Nations. This high level of attendance demonstrates how important this structure has become and that there is a growing interest for forging closer ties with BRICS on the part of other organisations of the Global South and East which have been seeking to assert their independence in international affairs.

I strongly believe that sustainable development of the multipolar world is impossible without establishing interaction between these associations of a new type, where there are no “superiors” and “subordinates”, no “bosses”, no orders that must be obeyed, as is the case in the European Union and NATO.

For your consideration we present the article “The First Global Treaty against Cybercrime” by P. Litvishko, Deputy Head of the Department of International Legal Cooperation of the Office of the Prosecutor General of Russia.

Предлагаем ознакомиться со статьей заместителя начальника Главного управления международно-правового сотрудничества Генеральной прокуратуры Российской Федерации П.Литвишко "Первый глобальный договор против киберпреступности: от геополитической конфронтации к профессиональному компромиссу".

URL: https://interaffairs.ru/news/show/48982

🎙 Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s interview with TASS news agency (December 30, 2024)

Key points:

#Ukraine #USA

• We have not received any official signals [from the USA] regarding a settlement in Ukraine.

• We are not happy with the proposals made by members of the Trump team to postpone Ukraine’s admission to NATO for 20 years and to station British and European peacekeeping forces in Ukraine.

• What we need is reliable and legally binding agreements that would eliminate the root causes of the conflict and seal a mechanism precluding the possibility of their violation.

#RussiaUSA #NATO

• We are ready to renew the political dialogue which Washington terminated after the start of the special military operation, if the United States is ready for this. Since it was the Americans who cut it off, it is for them to make the first move.

• They [the West] have been long relying on efforts to interfere in the domestic affairs of other countries, including our closest neighbours, as their foreign policy tool. For many years, Washington and its satellites have been acting this way in an effort to deter and contain their geopolitical rivals and do away with any unwanted actors, as confirmed by what happened in Yugoslavia, Iraq, Libya, Syria, and Ukraine.

#Georgia

• The developments in Georgia stem from the double standards when caring for democracy and human rights serves as a pretext for overturning election results after even the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights with its tainted reputation recognised the election as being free and fair. Why do they want to change the results? Just because the puppet masters in Washington and Brussels did not find the way people voted there to their liking.

• The United States and the European Union are trying to impose a distorted vision on Tbilisi which consists of dividing everyone into those who are with us and those who are against us. Meanwhile, it seems that Georgian authorities have opted for a sovereign policy which meets the country’s national interests. They refuse to act as pawns manipulated by the West in its effort to destabilise Georgia, undermine its economy and incite escalation in its relations with Russia.

#Syria #MiddleEast

• The Syrians’ hopes for improvements after a convincing defeat of international terrorism, including with the help of Russia’s Aerospace Forces, have not materialised.

• Washington, which has effectively occupied the resource-rich north-eastern part of Syria and is putting serious sanctions pressure on Damascus together with a coalition of its satellites, bears a great deal of blame for this. This line for strangling the Syrian economy stirred up social discontent.

• Trying to maintain its influence [in the Middle East and North Africa], Washington actively interfered in the internal affairs of Arab countries and aggressively drew new dividing lines there. Iraq and Libya are still trying to clear up the consequences of the Americans and their satellites’ reckless behaviour.

#China

• The Americans are taking inciting actions in the Taiwan Strait and supplying weapons to Taipei while forging a quasi-political dialogue with the local authorities.

• It is clear to us that this policy pursued by Washington in violation of its obligations to Beijing on Taiwan is part of their strategy to step up military and political pressure on the PRC and eventually undermine regional security at the eastern end of the Eurasian continent.

• Russia reaffirms its adherence to the #OneChina principle, recognises that Taiwan is an inalienable part of the People’s Republic of China, opposes any form of “Taiwan independence,” and firmly supports China’s measures to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity and achieve national reunification.

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