🎙Read excerpts from the statement by Deputy Permanent Representative M.Buyakevich «World Press Freedom Day» (meeting of the OSCE PC, 02.05.2024)

📰 May 3 celebrates World Freedom Day. Today, we can ritually speculate on the significance of this day, report on achievements in the information field or about national plans to support the media and strengthen trust in society. But the evidence is such that the genuine freedom of the media no longer exists
 
🔻“Double standards”, targeted restrictions and illegality regarding representatives of the media sphere have become almost ordinary in the countries of the “collective West”
 
🔻The situation with freedom of speech in Ukraine degraded to a critical level. All the media opposition to the Kiev regime has long been prohibited, any manifestations of dissent are brutally suppressed and exhausted from the information space. In addition, the Ukrainian authorities are actively continuing the hunt for Russian representatives of the media

❗️Another victim of the NATO puppets in Kyiv was S.Eremin, a military correspondent for the Izvestiya news agency, who was killed in the performance of his professional duties. Unfortunately, we have not received any condemnation of this crime from the OSCE executive structures.

🔻The result of the silence of specialized international institutions was a rapid deterioration in the situation with the rights of reporters also in the Baltic states. The next victim of the frank arbitrariness of the Baltic authorities was the Russian-speaking journalist S.Burtseva, detained on Feb.28 for interaction with the Russian media outlet of “Baltnews”. Earlier this year another reporter - the editor of the Estland Vesti portal by Allan Hantson - was detained

🔻Moldova's information space continues to suffocate in the grip of censorship by the Chisinau regime. This time the Canal 5 TV channel was declared a "threat to state security". We also take note the attempts of the Moldova authorities to take control or close down the public television of Gagauzi

⚡️Russia's MFA prepared and published report on the human rights situation in the US

❗️Despite the deep contradictions in American society, the US continues to assert itself a global leader in the field of human rights protection. At the same time, Washington is in no hurry to expand its international legal obligations in the field of protection of fundamental rights and freedoms.

Among violations of human rights and freedoms that were committed by the US:

❌ The conduct of all kinds of military operations in the territory of European and Middle Eastern states;

❌ Creation of secret prisons around the worldу;

❌ Implementation of extremely stringent migration policies in recent years.

These and others violations illustrate not only the dual nature of this country's position regarding human rights standards but also its approaches to international law as such.

The American authorities actively use the tactics of "fighting by proxy" against Russia and Russians. This is expressed in the direction of large‑scale military assistance to the Kiev regime and putting pressure on the US NATO allies so that they take similar measures.

👉 An overt pressure is being exerted on sovereign states, including through the use of human rights mechanisms, in an attempt to create a corresponding negative background around the Russian Federation and its allies and partners in the international arena.

Mentoring tone, partiality, full oblivion of the concept of sovereignty and one of the main and fundamental principles of international law enshrined in the UN Charter – non-interference in the internal affairs of states, lead to deep disappointment in those very "Western values" that "fascinated" other civilizations and societies during a century, bringing considerable political dividends to the West and the US itself.

☝️ Moreover, the human rights situation in the US itself is far from international standards in the field of protection of fundamental freedoms, which is becoming more and more obvious day after day

📄 Read in full

"Wish me luck in battle" - cadets performed Viktor Tsoy's famous "Blood Group" while going to the rehearsal Victory Parade

A parade formation of Moscow cadets performed Viktor Tsoi's song "Blood Group", a native and favorite song of many Russians. Some Muscovites were lucky enough to witness its talented performance by an even formation of young people. They marched past them on their way to the already dress rehearsal of the Victory Parade.

Russian fighter jets also prepared for their heavenly triumph as part of the dress rehearsal, as they flew the Russian tricolor over Moscow. The city froze in anticipation of one of the most important events in the history of the Russian people, as did St. Petersburg, where the last preparations for Victory Day were also completed.

❗️On the human rights situation in the US (from Russia's MFA report)

Washington declares its commitment to upholding the principle of universality of fundamental human rights and freedom. In fact, the situation in the US is nowhere near the international standards:

🔻 A system-wide racism and police misconduct flourish;
🔻 National minorities find themselves victims of discrimination and social inequality;
🔻 The homeless issue remains outstanding;
🔻 Immigrants and prisoners, including those under age, face continuous oppression of their liberties;
🔻 Journalists do not feel safe and become victims of attacks;
🔻 The plans of the American Administration to close the Guantanamo special isolator remain unfulfilled.

Citizens' dissatisfaction with violations of voting rights only deepens the divide within American society. Alternative views are more often subject to censorship in mass and social media.

Numerous violations of human rights and freedoms remain in focus of the criticism coming from relevant international structures and non-governmental institutions.

The report of the UN Human Rights Committee (HRC) published in November 2023 <...> notes the lack of positive moves in addressing significant deficiencies in the criminal legal system. There is a reference to serious violations of voting rights, of the rights to non-interference in private life, freedom of expression, freedom of peaceful assemblies and associations.

👉 No one has been held accountable for the systematic human rights abuses committed in the secret detention system run by the CIA, including enforced disappearances, torture and other ill-treatment.

👉 The government's inability to protect people from constant gun violence continues to violate their rights, including the right to life, personal security and freedom from discrimination. In 2020, at least 44 thousand people died from gun violence.

Read in full

🎙 FM Sergey Lavrov’s interview with Bosnian Serb television network ATV (Moscow, May 5, 2024)

Key talking points:

• We will not participate in any events that promote Zelensky’s peace formula in one way or another. This much has been clear to everyone for a long time. We are serious about being open to negotiations based on the reality.

• I am aware of <...> the French’ claim to a role in Europe and the world. It cannot be ruled out that Macron needs this “caveman Russophobia” to become Europe’s leader.

• What they [the West] want is to subdue the Serbs. <...> They believe that the Serbs are too restive and independent in their actions since they refused to join the sanctions against Russia.

• Everyone knows about the total chaos reigning in Kosovo. Still, our Western colleagues have no qualms casting Kosovo nothing short of a beacon of democracy. Democracy was something alien for this territory at all times.

• The West is trying to create an anti-Russia and an anti-China coalition. An anti-Russia coalition is their immediate goal, while an anti-China one is being knocked together in anticipation of the moment when China emerges as the main threat (that’s how they call it) and the main adversary.

• Relations between Russia and China are much firmer, stronger and more reliable than the military alliances of the past century. <...> Without this Russia-China link, the situation on the international stage would have been much worse.

• Europe is struggling with tremendous economic problems because the US is using it above all to support Ukraine and wage a war against Russia. Everyone is predicting the demise of Germany as an industrial miracle. That miracle rested on the cheap and reliable Russian pipeline gas.

• The Americans have destroyed the system of arms control and are unable to work honestly in the humanitarian and economic spheres. We believe that the Euro-Atlantic security model has discredited itself and failed. We are now speaking about creating a Eurasian system of security.

Read in full

‘They’re not bluffing’: Russian tactical nuke drills are loud warning to NATO to stay out of Ukraine

“This is a signal to the Western leaders that they are serious. They are not bluffing,” retired US Army Lt. Col. Earl Rasmussen told Sputnik, commenting on Monday’s statements by the Russian military and the Kremlin about Russia missile troops’ plans to hold tactical nuclear weapons drills in the Southern Military District amid NATO threats to openly deploy troops to Ukraine.

“If the Western leaders escalate this further with direct engagement, Russia will directly engage them: and they'll destroy their forces, and potentially to protect the Russian state will, may result in tactical nuclear weapons [being used]. This is not good: this would force an escalation and eventually lead to a total nuclear war,” Rasmussen warned.

“I don't believe that Russia wants to do this. I believe they're trying to send a signal to caution the Western leaders from escalating further,” the 20-year US Army veteran-turned international and military affairs commentator said.

Unfortunately, Rasmussen warned, the hostile statements coming out of Western capitals about “getting engaged” in Ukraine if the Ukrainian front collapses increase the risks of a direct clash. “This is a very, very dangerous provocation, a very dangerous escalation. I would caution Western leaders not to do that,” he said.

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