🎙 Excerpts from the answers to media questions by President of Russia Vladimir Putin following his official visit to Kyrgyzstan and #CIS Summit events.

#Moldova

💬 President Putin: The current political elite [of Moldova] do not regard themselves as Moldovans. They say they are Romanians and have dual citizenship. <...> I do not understand entirely what advantages Moldova would have if it pursued other development paths. <...>

We have heard recently that Moldova declined to purchase Russian gas. But it turns out, it did not, and is successfully receiving it now. And where else would they get it from? Not to mention for the prices Russia’s Gazprom offered, and we accommodated them in terms of pricing.

#SouthernCaucasus

🇦🇲 Armenia recognised that Nagorno-Karabakh is part of Azerbaijan. <...> They even referred to the 1991 treaty when the state borders of the former Soviet republics were defined as coinciding with the borders they had within the USSR. That’s it, the matter is closed.

#RussiaKyrgyzstan

🇷🇺🇰🇬 The establishment of the joint air defence system [with Kyrgyzstan] is a very important endeavour, especially bearing in mind that these are high-tech and expensive elements of the security of all our countries. Everyone expressed the desire to develop this security component.

#MiddleEast

🇵🇸🇮🇱 Palestine was once promised that a Palestinian state would be established with East Jerusalem as its capital. Decisions were taken at the UN level. They have the right to expect these promises to be kept. All of this taken together should be addressed and we should think about the people who are not to blame for the current escalation.

Russia can [assist], because we have very good relations with Israel, and we have traditionally good relations with Palestine.

#Ukraine

❗️ I do not doubt that weapons are being illegally taken out of Ukraine. The scale of corruption in Ukraine is is very high; many are seeking to buy on the black market and there are many in Ukraine seeking to sell weapons.

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🎙 Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova (Moscow, October 10, 2023)

🔹 FM Sergey Lavrov’s schedule
🔹 Palestinian-Israeli conflict
🔹 Ukrainian crisis
🔹 Investigation into the terrorist attacks on the Nord Stream gas pipelines
🔹 Upcoming general local elections in Moldova
🔹 Nuremberg Trials
🔹 Illegitimate unilateral sanctions imposed by Washington
🔹 Reform of the WTO

and much more...

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#MiddleEast

💬 We are extremely concerned about the developments in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict zone.

The top priority now is a ceasefire and stopping the bloodshed. We support the efforts of all stakeholders to address this critical issue. This would make it possible to avoid new casualties, end the suffering of the civilian population, ensure their evacuation through humanitarian corridors and prevent the situation from sliding into a region-wide humanitarian disaster.

#Ukraine

💬 Against the backdrop of the Middle East events, US Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene suggested that some of the NATO-supplied weapons imported to Ukraine could have been used in the hostilities in Israel.

It is gratifying that the West, albeit fatally late, is beginning to see the light. Some are beginning to realise what is happening, even if only a few people. Russia has long warned the sponsors of the Kiev regime about the high risks of their weapons ending up on the black market and spreading around the world. And that's exactly what has happened.

#RussiaChina

💬 Russia and China speak out against illegitimate unilateral sanctions imposed by Washington and its satellites. We consider them merely a manifestation of their impotent rage against the emerging new democratic multipolar international order.

Moscow and Beijing are interested in developing international trade and economic ties based on mutual benefits and honest competition. We condemn the attempts to achieve one’s own economic prosperity at the expense of others, because it is nothing but colonialism.

🎙 Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova (Moscow, October 26, 2023)

🔹 FM Sergey Lavrov’s schedule
🔹 Palestinian-Israeli conflict
🔹 Ukrainian crisis
🔹 EU industrial production
🔹 The threat of expulsion of Russian citizens living in Latvia
🔹 Moldova

and much more...

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#Ukraine

On October 23, 2023, The Washington Post carried a detailed story about the involvement of Ukrainian security services in the assassination of Darya Dugina, the explosions of the Crimean Bridge and other crimes.

According to the paper, since 2015, the CIA spent tens of millions of dollars on training Ukrainian security services and turning them into America’s allies in the fight against Russia.

It also mentions the UK’s MI-6 in the same context. Those Anglo-Saxon intelligence services reportedly established the No 5 and No 6 divisions at the Security Service of Ukraine. Both divisions were directly subordinated to them and were expected to focus on active measures (acts of sabotage) against Russia.

According to the publication, the CIA was behind Ukrainian security services’ operations all the time. The Ukrainian side coordinated all high-profile operations with the CIA which provided the perpetrators with all the essentials.

#MiddleEast

We are deeply concerned about the reported geographical expansion of fighting in the West Bank. The potential for conflict is growing along the Blue Line on the Lebanese-Israeli border. We are watching with concern as Israel steps up air strikes on Syrian territory. We are extremely concerned about the military manoeuvres by non-regional parties in the Eastern Mediterranean. These factors, along with the increasing bellicose rhetoric from various sides, heighten the risks of the conflict escalating into a region-wide one.

In this regard, we reiterate the need for an early ceasefire and the opening of humanitarian corridors for evacuation and delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. We also reiterate our call for the release of the hostages.

🎙 Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova (Moscow, November 2, 2023)

🔹 Ukrainian crisis
🔹 Palestinian-Israeli conflict
🔹 Israeli airstrikes on a refugee camp in the Gaza Strip
🔹 Situation in Moldova
🔹 Statement by International Olympic Committee on Israeli athletes
🔹 International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists

and much more...

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#MiddleEast

The situation in the conflict zone has taken an extremely negative turn with the confrontation entering a new dangerous phase on October 28, 2023. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) launched a ground operation in Gaza Strip

The number of victims is growing exponentially. The humanitarian disaster has been gaining momentum against the backdrop of the military escalation. It is in its early days and its ramifications will be felt for years and decades to come unless concrete steps are made to de-escalate.

There is a growing risk of this conflict spilling over across the region. The provocative military manoeuvring by the US in the Eastern Mediterranean is having a destabilising effect on the Middle East.

#IOC

We have noted the statement by a representative of the International Olympic Committee, who urged officials and athletes to not allow discrimination against Israel against the backdrop of the Gaza Strip conflict. It was said that the IOC adheres to the concept of individual responsibility and that athletes cannot be responsible for the actions of their governments. It was stated as an official position of the International Olympic Committee.

We cannot help but regard this statement as out of touch with the IOC’s deeply discriminatory attitude towards Russian and Belarusian athletes.

<...>

We strongly insist that the rights of all Russian and Belarusian athletes who suffered from the IOC’s deliberate politicisation of the sports agenda be restored.

🎙 Briefing by Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova (Moscow, November 9, 2023)

🔹 FM Sergey Lavrov’s schedule
🔹 Palestinian-Israeli conflict
🔹 Ukrainian crisis
🔹 Rise of nationalism in the world
🔹 Antisemitism in the United States
🔹 Nord Stream terrorist attack
🔹 Treaties to which the US is not a party
🔹 Moldova
🔹 Russophobia in Latvia
🔹 Tokyo Trial

and more...

📚 Read

#Ukraine

Not only have the people across the ocean opted to ignore the cruelty with which the Kiev regime has been using American weapons against civilians, but they even view this as something rather normal. We used to say that they probably failed to notice these developments. But no, they believe them to be the norm. This is the new normal for them, together with the fact that supplying more and more weapons to Ukrainian neo-Nazis causes hostilities to escalate and increasingly draws the United States into the conflict in and around Ukraine.

#MiddleEast

The Gaza Strip is under a ruthless blockade, which primarily affects the civilians. Gaza is experiencing a critical lack of fuel, food, and medications. The clean water shortage is fraught with a sharp deterioration in the sanitary and epidemiological situation.

We appreciate the initiation of the process for evacuating foreign nationals from the Gaza Strip to Egypt through the Rafah Border Crossing.

Along with addressing immediate de-escalation tasks, we consider it important to take steps to lay the foundation for relaunching a full-fledged political process in order to provide a comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue on a recognised international legal basis.

🎙 Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s interview for the RT channel (Moscow, November 15, 2023)

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#MiddleEast

• The cessation of hostilities and stopping of violence, is of huge importance to the civilians, but in historical terms, in sustainable settlement terms the second aspect of this problem, which is much more important, the creation of the Palestinian state is unavoidable.

• Of course, these days, Washington is highly ideologized. And anything coming from Russia is taken as a hostile act, hostile initiative. But on substance, in practical terms, Washington doesn't want to tie Israel's hands.

• Americans say that some pro-Iranian armed groups in Syria and Iraq are trying to attack American military sites. This is reported by the media. There is nothing new in this because these groups believe that the presence of the United States in Syria is absolutely illegal and this is a statement of fact.

#RussiaAfrica

• The most popular topic at the 2nd #RussiaAfrica Summit was that Africa does not want any longer to be a very rich continent which does not enjoy the richness it possesses, like in the colonial times, when most of the resources are being pumped raw into developed countries and then processed and sold with huge profit.

#Eurasia

• The Eurasian continent, especially the Asian part of the Eurasian continent, becomes a powerhouse of the world economy. Integration structures existing in Eurasia established close links between themselves.

• Greater Eurasian Partnership must be open to all countries and organizations situated on the Eurasian continent, leaving the door open [even] to those who believe that they are masters of the universe.

#MultipolarWorld

• The process of shaping the new world order will take time. It might be a historic era, a whole historic era.

• The reform of the United Nations is a must, if only because multipolarity brought to the key positions many new players who are not now represented in the Security Council as permanent members.

🇷🇺 President of Russia Vladimir Putin at the extraordinary G20 Summit:

💬 I understand that this war [in Ukraine] and the loss of life are shocking and could not be otherwise.

❓But what about the bloody coup in Ukraine in 2014, which was followed by the Kiev regime’s war against its own people in Donbass? Did that not shock you? Are you not shocked by the extermination of civilians in Palestine and the Gaza Strip today? Did it not shock you when the UN Secretary-General said that Gaza has turned into a huge children’s graveyard?

#PresidentPutin #Ukraine #MiddleEast #Palestine #GazaStrip #UN

❌ News24 refused to publish Russian Embassy’s reply to an article of 21 Nov 2023.

Not that we’re surprised by that decision, we’re sort of used to mainstream media blocking Russian standpoint. But we believe people must be provided the opportunity to familiarize themselves with different views of what is currently happening in the world and to decide for themselves which one they follow.

☝️ The mentioned article (written some time ago) quotes the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, saying that over 10,000 civilians have been recorded killed in Ukraine since February 2022, 560 of them being children. The article is accompanied by a photo showing alleged “Russian strike at a residential building” (though the picture could have been taken anywhere in the world and proves nothing). Everything needed to convince the readership of deliberate attacks on civil infrastructure, carpet bombing of the Ukrainian territory, etc.

⚠️ Unfortunately, military action always results in human costs. Yet to comprehend what the outcome of strikes on civil infrastructure may be, take a look at the situation in Gaza. According to recent estimates, almost 16,000 civilians in total, with more than 6,600 children among them, have died in the enclave since the fighting began on 7 October 2023. 70 per cent of people killed in Gaza are estimated to be women and children.

‼️ Once again, 16,000 civilians in less than 2 months. Do you think that if Russian army really targeted civilians in Ukraine for almost 22 month, would this number be less than in Gaza? You know the answer. The numbers speak for themselves.

#rebuttle #fakenews #ukraine #smo #middleeast #warcrimes

👉 https://is.gd/fHpRwd

🎙President of Russia Vladimir Putin at the annual news conference (Moscow, 14 December 2023):

❗️Compare the special military operation and #Gaza and you will see the difference: nothing of this kind is happening in #Ukraine.

☝️Everybody in the world can see it.

#Ukraine #MiddleEast #Gaza #PresidentPutin

📰 Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s written interview with RIA Novosti (December 31, 2023)

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#RussiaUSA

Our readiness to restore a full-fledged dialogue with the United States should not be taken for granted. Russia-US relations have become strained to the maximum due to Washington’s strategic objective of inflicting a decisive blow on Russia. We will only be able to develop a formula for peaceful coexistence and cooperation in certain areas when Washington acknowledges our core national interests and engages in sincere negotiations.

#INF

If the United States does not take any extraordinary steps to exert pressure through other means, Russia will not be the first to deploy missiles that were previously prohibited under the INF Treaty.

However, judging by the preparations made by the Pentagon, practical actions by the Americans to deploy ground-launched intermediate and short-range missiles in different regions of the world should not take long. Therefore, the time when we will have to make necessary political decisions is fast approaching.

#MiddleEast

Russia consistently advocates for the initiation of Palestinian-Israeli talks. The lack of Palestinian unity remains one of the obstacles to this.

We also assist our Palestinian friends in finding a solution. We have provided them with a venue for holding meetings in Russia. We call for unification based on the platform of the Palestine Liberation Organisation.

#KievCrimes

The crimes of the Kiev regime are already under investigation. Russian law enforcement authorities are meticulously recording and documenting the atrocities committed by Ukrainian neo-Nazis, which extend beyond the timeframe of the special military operation.

Based on the evidence gathered by the Investigative Committee, the courts of the Russian Federation have already sentenced over 200 members of Ukrainian armed groups to long prison terms for their crimes. The remaining criminals will face the same fate and will be held accountable.

🎙 Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s remarks and answers to media questions following a UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine and an open debate on “The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question,” (New York, January 24, 2024)

Key talking points:

• Terrorist attack by the Kiev regime on Il-76 plane
• Middle East
• Prospects of the Palestinian-Israeli settlement
• Ukraine
• Double standards of Western media
• Russia-US relations
• Nuclear security
• Korean Peninsula

💬 Sergey Lavrov: I am compelled to begin by stating yet another fact of the Kiev regime’s use of terrorist methods.

A terrorist attack was perpetrated on January 24, at 11:15 am Moscow time, resulting in the downing of a Russian Il-76 cargo plane in the Belgorod Region. The aircraft was en route from the Moscow Region to Belgorod, carrying 65 prisoners from the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Three Russian officers and a crew of six people accompanied them. All of them died. The Ukrainian prisoners of war were being taken to the Belgorod Region for a prisoner exchange agreed between Moscow and Kiev.

Instead, Ukraine targeted this aircraft from the Kharkov Region using surface-to-air missiles, causing a fatal strike. <...>

#US #MiddleEast

As for the present crisis, everyone seems to have a similar understanding of the consequences of US policy in the region. None of the reckless attempts Washington has engaged in over the last few decades to defend its “core security interests” ten thousand miles across the Atlantic led to a situation where people’s lives improved in a country that the US attacked.

#US #Santions

They should not assume that just because they are strong, because they have the dollar, they can use it to “strangle” others: disconnect them from the SWIFT system or deny them access to the IMF and World Bank loans at whim. The US actually invented the system and made the world accept it.

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🎙 Interview with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov for 'Bridges to the East' documentary (Moscow, August 31, 2024)

Key talking points

#Syria

• In 2011, the United States decided to send the Syrian people along the same path as Iraq and Libya which countries they had devastated by their aggressive policies. We were strongly against seeing this scenario replay. In 2015, by President Putin’s decision, we sent a contingent of our armed forces to defend the Syrian Arab Republic against direct aggression.

❗️ The US invasion of Iraq and the toppling of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein gave rise to ISIS, which posed a real threat to Syria’s existence.

• When the Russian armed forces moved into Syria, ISIS was on the outskirts of Damascus, and Western countries, led by the United States, were attempting to assert their dominance in eastern Syria. We stabilised the situation and since then most of Syria’s territory has been controlled by the legitimate government.

#Iraq

• In 2003, led by the United States, NATO invaded Iraq under a false pretext, a false flag. Later, the Westerners admitted there was no reason for an invasion. No need to eliminate weapons of mass destruction whatsoever. They broadcasted to the whole world the hanging of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, allegedly for possessing weapons of mass destruction. This is a disgusting turn of events.

#MiddleEast #Libya

• Western Jerusalem is ramping up military actions against the entities that they believe support the Palestinians and do so with an extremist slant, namely, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Palestine. Israel wants to destroy the latter which is an exercise in futility. The sides must come to terms instead. Hamas is part of the Palestinian people, just as Hezbollah is part of the Lebanese people.

• Lebanon remains in a situation where it is facing new challenges largely due to the crisis in the Gaza Strip and, more broadly, the Palestinian territories.

• We remain in contact with our Israeli colleagues through the Foreign Ministry, the Defence Ministry, and the respective security councils from both countries. We are trying to drive home the futility of the attempts to address issues by force without considering alternative paths.

• Washington stands behind every decision made by Israel. The US blocks all agreements at the UN Security Council that would lead to a full and permanent ceasefire. The Americans continue to supply weapons to Western Jerusalem, which are then used to commit even more violence against the Palestinian people. Over 40,000 civilians (!) have died in the ten months of hostilities since October 7, 2023 which is a horrifying number.

#Iran

• Iran is outright unwilling to fall for a provocation or to get embroiled into any kind of large-scale hostilities. Iran is facing provocations. The assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran during the inauguration ceremony of the new president is, without a doubt, a provocation.

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