☕️ 21 May marks International Tea Day.
The UK may be famous for its tea traditions, from 5 o’clock tea to a cup with a splash of milk, but Russia has its own rich and fascinating tea culture — just as warm and distinctive.
At the heart of it all is the unmistakable charm of the samovar (literally "self-boiler") — a large ornate metal vessel used to heat water. The Russian city of Tula has been crafting samovars since the 18th century, turning them into both everyday objects and true cultural icons. The Samovar Museum there even holds a tiny 10 mm model capable of boiling just a few drops of water at a time.
Russian tea parties also inspired some of the country's greatest artists, including Boris Kustodiev and Vasily Perov, whose paintings often captured warm and colourful tea gatherings.
And then there's the famous story of "drinking tea like Gagarin". During his 1961 visit to the UK, the Soviet cosmonaut attended a reception with Queen Elizabeth II and reportedly surprised everyone by taking the lemon slice from his tea and eating it separately. The gesture amused his hosts entirely and became a lasting cultural symbol. Many Russians still have this curious habit though.
The UK may be famous for its tea traditions, from 5 o’clock tea to a cup with a splash of milk, but Russia has its own rich and fascinating tea culture — just as warm and distinctive.
At the heart of it all is the unmistakable charm of the samovar (literally "self-boiler") — a large ornate metal vessel used to heat water. The Russian city of Tula has been crafting samovars since the 18th century, turning them into both everyday objects and true cultural icons. The Samovar Museum there even holds a tiny 10 mm model capable of boiling just a few drops of water at a time.
Russian tea parties also inspired some of the country's greatest artists, including Boris Kustodiev and Vasily Perov, whose paintings often captured warm and colourful tea gatherings.
And then there's the famous story of "drinking tea like Gagarin". During his 1961 visit to the UK, the Soviet cosmonaut attended a reception with Queen Elizabeth II and reportedly surprised everyone by taking the lemon slice from his tea and eating it separately. The gesture amused his hosts entirely and became a lasting cultural symbol. Many Russians still have this curious habit though.
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Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
🇷🇺🇨🇳 Joint Declaration of the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China on the Emergence of a Multipolar World and International Relations of a New Type (Beijing, May 20, 2026)
📄 FULL DECLARATION
Since the end of the Second World War, changes in the international landscape and in the global balance of power have been accelerating.
On the one hand, the wave of decolonisation and the end of the Cold War led to a significant increase in the number of sovereign states in the world.
The international community has become more diverse and complex. The level of development and international influence of the countries of Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean has grown. The number of regional and interregional associations has increased, with their activities covering all areas of international relations – from politics and security to the economy and the humanitarian dimension – and their role in world affairs is steadily growing. Interconnectedness and interdependence in the world have reached an unprecedented level in human history.
☝️ Attempts by a number of states to single-handedly manage world affairs, impose their interests on the entire world and restrict the sovereign development opportunities of other countries in the spirit of the colonial era have failed.
In the 21st century, the system of international relations is undergoing a profound transformation, evolving towards a long-term state of polycentricity and the formation of international relations of a new type.
Most states, taking into account their historical experience, have become deeply aware of the advent of a new era and the need to follow the path towards building a more cohesive international community, as well as mutual respect for fundamental interests, equality, justice and mutually beneficial cooperation – without dividing the world into opposing regions and blocs.
On the other hand, the global situation is becoming more complex. Negative neocolonial trends are on the rise, including the practice of unilateral force-based approaches, hegemonism and bloc confrontation.
The basic universally recognised norms of international law and international relations are being regularly trampled upon; it is becoming more difficult for states to coordinate their actions and settle conflicts within global governance institutions, many of which are losing their effectiveness. The global agenda of peace and development is facing new risks and challenges, and there is a danger of fragmentation of the international community and a return to the “law of the jungle”.
***
🌐 Advocating a harmonious process of shaping an equal and orderly multipolar world and international relations of a new type, including a more just and rational system of global governance, Russia and China undertake and call on the international community to adhere to the following basic principles in their relations with one another:
Russia and China will continue to develop a shared vision for shaping a #MultipolarWorld and more just international relations of a new type.
#RussiaChina
📄 FULL DECLARATION
Since the end of the Second World War, changes in the international landscape and in the global balance of power have been accelerating.
On the one hand, the wave of decolonisation and the end of the Cold War led to a significant increase in the number of sovereign states in the world.
The international community has become more diverse and complex. The level of development and international influence of the countries of Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean has grown. The number of regional and interregional associations has increased, with their activities covering all areas of international relations – from politics and security to the economy and the humanitarian dimension – and their role in world affairs is steadily growing. Interconnectedness and interdependence in the world have reached an unprecedented level in human history.
☝️ Attempts by a number of states to single-handedly manage world affairs, impose their interests on the entire world and restrict the sovereign development opportunities of other countries in the spirit of the colonial era have failed.
In the 21st century, the system of international relations is undergoing a profound transformation, evolving towards a long-term state of polycentricity and the formation of international relations of a new type.
Most states, taking into account their historical experience, have become deeply aware of the advent of a new era and the need to follow the path towards building a more cohesive international community, as well as mutual respect for fundamental interests, equality, justice and mutually beneficial cooperation – without dividing the world into opposing regions and blocs.
On the other hand, the global situation is becoming more complex. Negative neocolonial trends are on the rise, including the practice of unilateral force-based approaches, hegemonism and bloc confrontation.
The basic universally recognised norms of international law and international relations are being regularly trampled upon; it is becoming more difficult for states to coordinate their actions and settle conflicts within global governance institutions, many of which are losing their effectiveness. The global agenda of peace and development is facing new risks and challenges, and there is a danger of fragmentation of the international community and a return to the “law of the jungle”.
***
🌐 Advocating a harmonious process of shaping an equal and orderly multipolar world and international relations of a new type, including a more just and rational system of global governance, Russia and China undertake and call on the international community to adhere to the following basic principles in their relations with one another:
1. The principle of openness of the world to inclusive and mutually beneficial cooperation.
2. The principle of indivisible and equal security.
3. The principle of democratisation of international relations and improvement of the global governance system.
4. The diversity of world civilisations and values.
Russia and China will continue to develop a shared vision for shaping a #MultipolarWorld and more just international relations of a new type.
#RussiaChina
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🛡 President Vladimir Putin and President Alexander Lukashenko conducted a nuclear forces exercise in accordance with the joint training plan of the armed forces of Russia and Belarus.
💬 President Putin: The use of nuclear weapons is an extreme and exceptional measure to ensure the national security of our countries.
At the same time, considering the escalation of tensions around the world and the emergence of new threats and risks, our nuclear triad must continue to serve as a reliable guarantor of the sovereignty of the Union State of Russia and Belarus, ensuring strategic deterrence and maintaining nuclear parity and the global balance of power.
The joint exercise will cover a wide range of objectives with a focus on officials’ actions regarding management and interaction when engaging nuclear weapons, including those deployed on the territory of the Republic of Belarus.
Read in full
💬 President Putin: The use of nuclear weapons is an extreme and exceptional measure to ensure the national security of our countries.
At the same time, considering the escalation of tensions around the world and the emergence of new threats and risks, our nuclear triad must continue to serve as a reliable guarantor of the sovereignty of the Union State of Russia and Belarus, ensuring strategic deterrence and maintaining nuclear parity and the global balance of power.
The joint exercise will cover a wide range of objectives with a focus on officials’ actions regarding management and interaction when engaging nuclear weapons, including those deployed on the territory of the Republic of Belarus.
Read in full
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Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
⚡️ Russian Foreign Ministry Statement on the AFU strike on the college of Lugansk State Pedagogical University in Starobelsk (May 22, 2026)
On the night of May 22, the Kiev neo-Nazi regime used four fixed-wing UAVs to carry out a gruesome terrorist attack on the academic building and dormitory of the college of Lugansk State Pedagogical University in Starobelsk, LPR.
At the time of the barbaric strike, 86 children aged 14 to 18 were inside the five-storey dormitory building, which collapsed down to the second floor as a result of the attack.
At present, 40 people are known to have been injured. Tragically, four people were killed. Rescue operations are underway at the scene. Nearby administrative buildings, residential houses and social facilities were also damaged.
The Investigative Committee of Russia has opened a criminal case into the terrorist attack.
👉 All those responsible will be identified and face inevitable severe punishment. None of the perpetrators will be shown mercy.
This strike could not have been accidental. It was a deliberate attack on civilians, carried out in the spirit of the German Nazis. None of those inside the building were or could have been taking part in hostilities, and there are no military facilities near the college.
Suffering defeats on the battlefield, the Kiev regime is opening a new chapter in the armed conflict by unleashing open, inhuman terror against defenceless children.
Such strikes using long-range weapons supplied to the Kiev regime by NATO countries, including UAVs, are carried out with technical assistance from foreign specialists from certain NATO countries. We have reliable information that Western capitals are providing the AFU with intelligence data and assisting with target designation.
By committing this atrocity against children in Starobelsk, the Kiev regime and its handlers assume full responsibility for the escalation of hostilities and the undermining of political and diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict.
This happened against the backdrop of Kiev’s hypocritical lamentations about the fate of children affected by military actions. The entire world has now seen just how cynical Zelensky’s regime is, as it turns children into targets of terror.
◼️ We express our deepest condolences to the families of those killed and wish the injured a speedy recovery.
We call on international organisations, national governments and the global public to give an honest assessment of the criminal actions of Zelensky’s regime and to resolutely condemn the bloody terrorist attack in Starobelsk.
Silence will amount to complicity in the gruesome acts of Kiev’s terrorists and indifference to the fate of innocent children who were killed and injured.
On the night of May 22, the Kiev neo-Nazi regime used four fixed-wing UAVs to carry out a gruesome terrorist attack on the academic building and dormitory of the college of Lugansk State Pedagogical University in Starobelsk, LPR.
At the time of the barbaric strike, 86 children aged 14 to 18 were inside the five-storey dormitory building, which collapsed down to the second floor as a result of the attack.
At present, 40 people are known to have been injured. Tragically, four people were killed. Rescue operations are underway at the scene. Nearby administrative buildings, residential houses and social facilities were also damaged.
The Investigative Committee of Russia has opened a criminal case into the terrorist attack.
👉 All those responsible will be identified and face inevitable severe punishment. None of the perpetrators will be shown mercy.
This strike could not have been accidental. It was a deliberate attack on civilians, carried out in the spirit of the German Nazis. None of those inside the building were or could have been taking part in hostilities, and there are no military facilities near the college.
Suffering defeats on the battlefield, the Kiev regime is opening a new chapter in the armed conflict by unleashing open, inhuman terror against defenceless children.
Such strikes using long-range weapons supplied to the Kiev regime by NATO countries, including UAVs, are carried out with technical assistance from foreign specialists from certain NATO countries. We have reliable information that Western capitals are providing the AFU with intelligence data and assisting with target designation.
By committing this atrocity against children in Starobelsk, the Kiev regime and its handlers assume full responsibility for the escalation of hostilities and the undermining of political and diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict.
This happened against the backdrop of Kiev’s hypocritical lamentations about the fate of children affected by military actions. The entire world has now seen just how cynical Zelensky’s regime is, as it turns children into targets of terror.
◼️ We express our deepest condolences to the families of those killed and wish the injured a speedy recovery.
We call on international organisations, national governments and the global public to give an honest assessment of the criminal actions of Zelensky’s regime and to resolutely condemn the bloody terrorist attack in Starobelsk.
Silence will amount to complicity in the gruesome acts of Kiev’s terrorists and indifference to the fate of innocent children who were killed and injured.
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💬 Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov: The current expansion of conflict in the realm of international politics is primarily due to Western nations' attempts to prevent the loss of the dominant positions they occupied in a previous historical era.
This position allowed them to reap disproportionate benefits and advantages, invariably at the expense and to the detriment of the rest of humanity. This was the case during the ages of slavery and colonialism.
This continued during the neocolonial period, when most African and other formerly dependent countries had gained political independence, yet remained economically, financially and logistically dependent.
It is therefore not surprising that our African friends are now raising their voices in favour of revisiting the legacy of that era.
They have actively backed the proposal to mark 14 December each year as a day of struggle against all manifestations of colonialism. This is Africa's second awakening. The UN General Assembly has endorsed this initiative, which gives us additional grounds for advancing the principles of restoring justice in international affairs.
❌ Today, the destructive actions of our Western colleagues pose a clear threat to international peace and security.
Here in Eurasia the West has designated as its competitors and adversaries not only Russia, China, Iran, Belarus and North Korea, but also all other states that seek to pursue an independent domestic and foreign policy. All Western initiatives are designed to work against these states.
Excerpt from Foreign Minister Lavrov's remarks at the Second International Public Political Hearings on the initiative to build a contour of equal and indivisible security and cooperation across Eurasia (Perm, 22 May 2026)
This position allowed them to reap disproportionate benefits and advantages, invariably at the expense and to the detriment of the rest of humanity. This was the case during the ages of slavery and colonialism.
This continued during the neocolonial period, when most African and other formerly dependent countries had gained political independence, yet remained economically, financially and logistically dependent.
It is therefore not surprising that our African friends are now raising their voices in favour of revisiting the legacy of that era.
They have actively backed the proposal to mark 14 December each year as a day of struggle against all manifestations of colonialism. This is Africa's second awakening. The UN General Assembly has endorsed this initiative, which gives us additional grounds for advancing the principles of restoring justice in international affairs.
❌ Today, the destructive actions of our Western colleagues pose a clear threat to international peace and security.
Here in Eurasia the West has designated as its competitors and adversaries not only Russia, China, Iran, Belarus and North Korea, but also all other states that seek to pursue an independent domestic and foreign policy. All Western initiatives are designed to work against these states.
Excerpt from Foreign Minister Lavrov's remarks at the Second International Public Political Hearings on the initiative to build a contour of equal and indivisible security and cooperation across Eurasia (Perm, 22 May 2026)
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🌍 25 мая отмечается День Африки. Наша страна неизменно поддерживала народы континента в их борьбе за независимость, содействовала развитию их экономики, образования, здравоохранения и государственных институтов.
Многим африканским государствам пришлось пройти тяжёлый путь к освобождению от колониального гнёта европейских держав, в т.ч. Британии. Английские колонизаторы долгое время действовали в логике пресловутого «бремени белого человека», полагая себя вправе распоряжаться судьбами целых народов.
На практике эта «цивилизаторская миссия» обернулась первыми в истории концентрационными лагерями, расправами над мирным населением, жестоким подавлением освободительных движений и этническими чистками. Награбленные культурные ценности по сей день «украшают» витрины британских музеев – без каких-либо намерений их вернуть. Проведённые Лондоном искусственные границы – нередко вопреки межэтническим и межконфессиональным реалиям – продолжают питать территориальные споры и вооружённые конфликты на континенте.
Спустя десятилетия многие вопросы колониального наследия остаются нерешёнными. Британский истеблишмент упорно уклоняется от разговора о репарациях и ответственности за последствия собственной политики.
Показательна и ситуация вокруг архипелага Чагос: даже в рамках объявленного «урегулирования» чагосцы, насильственно выселенные со своей родины полвека назад, по-прежнему лишены полноценного права на возвращение. Подобные неоколониальные практики не имеют ничего общего с риторикой о «новом подходе» и «ответственном партнёрстве», которую Лондон пытается навязать континенту сегодня.
Многим африканским государствам пришлось пройти тяжёлый путь к освобождению от колониального гнёта европейских держав, в т.ч. Британии. Английские колонизаторы долгое время действовали в логике пресловутого «бремени белого человека», полагая себя вправе распоряжаться судьбами целых народов.
На практике эта «цивилизаторская миссия» обернулась первыми в истории концентрационными лагерями, расправами над мирным населением, жестоким подавлением освободительных движений и этническими чистками. Награбленные культурные ценности по сей день «украшают» витрины британских музеев – без каких-либо намерений их вернуть. Проведённые Лондоном искусственные границы – нередко вопреки межэтническим и межконфессиональным реалиям – продолжают питать территориальные споры и вооружённые конфликты на континенте.
Спустя десятилетия многие вопросы колониального наследия остаются нерешёнными. Британский истеблишмент упорно уклоняется от разговора о репарациях и ответственности за последствия собственной политики.
Показательна и ситуация вокруг архипелага Чагос: даже в рамках объявленного «урегулирования» чагосцы, насильственно выселенные со своей родины полвека назад, по-прежнему лишены полноценного права на возвращение. Подобные неоколониальные практики не имеют ничего общего с риторикой о «новом подходе» и «ответственном партнёрстве», которую Лондон пытается навязать континенту сегодня.
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❗️ Russian Foreign Ministry statement:
💬 Russia's Armed Forces are beginning to launch consistent and systemic strikes on Ukrainian defence industry enterprises in Kiev, including specific facilities for designing, manufacturing and programming drones and preparing them for operation. The Kiev regime deploys these drones with the help of NATO specialists who supply components, provide reconnaissance and target acquisition data.
The strikes will target decision-making centres and command posts.
As these facilities are scattered across Kiev, we notify foreign citizens, including the personnel of diplomatic missions and international organisations of the need to leave the city as soon as possible.
We urge residents of the Ukrainian capital not to approach facilities of the military and administrative infrastructure of the Zelensky regime.
Read in full
💬 Russia's Armed Forces are beginning to launch consistent and systemic strikes on Ukrainian defence industry enterprises in Kiev, including specific facilities for designing, manufacturing and programming drones and preparing them for operation. The Kiev regime deploys these drones with the help of NATO specialists who supply components, provide reconnaissance and target acquisition data.
The strikes will target decision-making centres and command posts.
As these facilities are scattered across Kiev, we notify foreign citizens, including the personnel of diplomatic missions and international organisations of the need to leave the city as soon as possible.
We urge residents of the Ukrainian capital not to approach facilities of the military and administrative infrastructure of the Zelensky regime.
Read in full
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🌍 25 May marks Africa Day. Our country has consistently supported the peoples of the continent in their struggle for independence and contributed to the development of their economies, education systems, healthcare and state institutions.
Many African countries have endured a painful path to liberation from the colonial yoke of European powers, including Britain. For a long time, British colonisers operated under the notorious logic of the “white man’s burden”, arrogating to themselves the right to determine the fate of entire nations.
In practice, this so-called “civilising mission” resulted in the first concentration camps in history, the massacre of civilians, the brutal suppression of liberation movements and ethnic cleansing. Looted cultural treasures continue to “adorn” the display cases of British museums to this day – with no intention of returning them. The artificial borders drawn by London – often in disregard of ethnic and religious realities – continue to fuel territorial disputes and armed conflicts across the continent.
Decades on, many issues of colonial legacy remain unresolved. The UK establishment persistently evades any serious discussion of reparations and responsibility for the consequences of its own policies.
The situation surrounding the Chagos Archipelago is equally telling: even under the announced “settlement”, the Chagossians, who were forcibly expelled from their homeland half a century ago, remain deprived of any meaningful right of return. Such neo-colonial practices bear no relation to the rhetoric of a “new approach” and “responsible partnership” which London today seeks to impose upon the continent.
Many African countries have endured a painful path to liberation from the colonial yoke of European powers, including Britain. For a long time, British colonisers operated under the notorious logic of the “white man’s burden”, arrogating to themselves the right to determine the fate of entire nations.
In practice, this so-called “civilising mission” resulted in the first concentration camps in history, the massacre of civilians, the brutal suppression of liberation movements and ethnic cleansing. Looted cultural treasures continue to “adorn” the display cases of British museums to this day – with no intention of returning them. The artificial borders drawn by London – often in disregard of ethnic and religious realities – continue to fuel territorial disputes and armed conflicts across the continent.
Decades on, many issues of colonial legacy remain unresolved. The UK establishment persistently evades any serious discussion of reparations and responsibility for the consequences of its own policies.
The situation surrounding the Chagos Archipelago is equally telling: even under the announced “settlement”, the Chagossians, who were forcibly expelled from their homeland half a century ago, remain deprived of any meaningful right of return. Such neo-colonial practices bear no relation to the rhetoric of a “new approach” and “responsible partnership” which London today seeks to impose upon the continent.
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