📰 Following The Times' article on the conclusion of Andrei Kelin's diplomatic mission as Russian Ambassador to the United Kingdom, the Embassy considers it necessary to note that nothing in its comment provided to the newspaper implies that the Russian side intends to downgrade the level of diplomatic relations between our two countries. Such conclusions belong solely to the author of the publication and are based on suggestions by his unnamed sources.

As for the state of Russia-UK relations across all areas, they have deteriorated to an unprecedentedly low level entirely on London's initiative.

📰 В связи с публикацией The Times о завершении дипломатической миссии Посла России в Великобритании Андрея Келина Посольство считает необходимым уточнить: ничто в его комментарии не дает оснований утверждать, что российская сторона намерена понизить уровень дипломатических отношений между нашими странами. Подобные выводы принадлежат исключительно автору материала и основываются на рассуждениях его неназванных источников.

В том, что касается качества российско-британских отношений во всех сферах, то их падение до беспрецедентно низкого уровня состоялось исключительно по инициативе Лондона.

💬 President Vladimir Putin: When it comes to current developments, it is, of course, the result of yet another misadventure by the Kiev regime and its Western allies, who planned to inflict another 'strategic defeat' on Russia. This time, it was intended to be achieved within 40 days through massive missile and UAV strikes against our civilian facilities and logistics.

There has been no turning point in the confrontation with Russia, and there will not be. The Kiev regime and its patrons cannot gain any advantage, have not gained any, and never will.

In response to this obvious escalation – based not on an objective analysis of the situation on the battlefield or the state of the Ukrainian economy, society and state, all of which are corroded by corruption, but on PR and ambition – we have increased strikes on Ukraine’s defence industry enterprises, including those in Kiev.

We are also responding to the enemy’s actions against our civilian industrial and logistics facilities.

Russia's response to another provocation by Kiev regime is, by all appearances, causing them serious repercussions and bringing some primary areas to a crisis. This is why the Kiev authorities are now trying to get out of the current situation via intermediaries, whose opinion we respect. I want to stress that they provoked this situation themselves.

Excerpt from President Putin's answers to media questions

🎙 Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov's comment on the UK's decision to hand Ukraine Storm Shadow blueprints

💬 Britain is methodically and consistently pouring fuel on the fire, and constantly scheming to prevent any progress in the peace settlement process. This is precisely what the United Kingdom is doing.

Russia's Armed Forces are carrying out the relevant work and gathering data to identify the production sites for such missiles and other military equipment, and are taking measures to destroy them.

🎙 Excerpt from Russian MFA Spox Maria Zakharova's weekly briefing on exhumation in Europe of the remains of Ukrainian nationalists for solemn reburial in Ukraine

💬 On 11 August, the remains of Yevgeny Konovalets – founder and first leader of the Organisation of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) – were exhumed from the Crooswijk municipal cemetery in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. In Ukraine, he was given a state funeral with military honours.

The overtly theatrical nature of the ceremony is striking. Held at night at Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Kiev, it featured Ukrainian servicemen forming a torchlit corridor.

The historical parallel is difficult to ignore: torchlight processions were a hallmark of Nazi propaganda, including the procession staged in Berlin on 30 January 1933 to mark Hitler’s appointment as Reich Chancellor.

Are we now to be told that there are no Nazis in Ukraine? Nonsense. They are present, they are numerous, and they are in power – though not for long.

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🎙 Excerpts from statement by Russia's Permanent Representative Vassily Nebenzia at a UNSC briefing on Ukraine

🔹 It is particularly ironic that those now presenting themselves as champions of peace are the same states that spent years turning Ukraine into an instrument of military and political pressure on Russia. They also encouraged Kiev to abandon the Minsk agreements and openly hoped for Russia’s “strategic defeat.” Yet today they claim that they are “not parties to the conflict” and are “merely helping Ukraine defend itself.”

🔹 Today’s meeting is being held under the banner of the 35th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence. But is there really anything to celebrate? Ukraine’s history is being systematically rewritten. The Soviet legacy is being denigrated, while Hitler’s followers and collaborators, responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Russians, Jews, Poles and Ukrainians during WWII, are being glorified.

🔹Everything connected with our shared past is being erased. The Kiev authorities are showing open Russophobia and xenophobia, including towards their own citizens who are Russian not only by blood, but also by culture.

🔹 The Kiev regime has now clearly turned to outright terror against Russia’s civilian population. Between 10 and 16 August alone, 475 civilians were affected by attacks by the Ukrainian army: 406 people, including 16 children, were injured, while 69 people, including three children, were killed.

🔹 There will be no agreements that come at the expense of Russia’s security interests. Any attempt to impose a freeze on the conflict under the guise of a ceasefire – in reality, simply giving Kiev time to regroup and rearm – is doomed to fail. As long as we are confronted with ultimatums, terror and threats, while the realities on the ground are ignored, there can be no basis for meaningful political and diplomatic dialogue.

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💬 Russia's High Commissioner for Human Rights Yana Lantratova:

On August 26 in Gomel (Republic of Belarus), a 10-for-10 POW exchange took place. In return for the 10 Ukrainian POWs repatriated on August 24, the Ukrainian side returned 10 Russian servicemen.

☝️ It is a matter of principle for us that every Russian serviceman held in captivity knows that he has not been forgotten, that he is awaited at home, and that efforts to secure his return continue.

We thank everyone involved in this humanitarian mission. Special gratitude from the servicemen’s families and loved ones goes to President Vladimir Putin, Russia's Defence Ministry and the relevant agencies.

🤝 We also express our sincere appreciation to the Republic of Belarus for its assistance in bringing our servicemen home.