Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, Moscow, May 6, 2025
- The decisive role of the Soviet Union and the Red Army in defeating Nazi Germany and related history lessons
- Celebrating the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War in Russia and around the world
- The Foreign Ministry’s report “Eighty Years After the Great Victory: Europe has Once Again Fallen in the Shadow of Nazism”
- Historical and documentary exhibition Never to Be Forgotten: On the 80th Anniversary of the Great Victory
- Photo exhibition on Arbat Street dedicated to Soviet diplomacy during the Great Patriotic War
- The Ukraine crisis
- Kiev regime’s attempts to build a myth about the role of Ukraine, the United States and the United Kingdom in defeating Nazi Germany
- Stephane Dujarric’s comments on Russian strikes targeting Ukrainian cities
- Argentina’s authorities declassify documents regarding Nazi presence in the country
- The 2024 performance report on the Observatory on History Teaching in Europe
- Results of the Three Seas Initiative summit
- NATO-Georgia command and staff exercise
- Collection of legal acts on the protection and promotion of the rights of indigenous small peoples of Russia
- Russian Emergencies Ministry assists friendly Iran in fighting the Shahid Rajaee Port fire
- Radio Day
- 9th Forum of Young Diplomats from OIC Countries
- Third stage of the SCO International Chess Tournament
- Global Digital Forum 2025
- Zelensky’s threats regarding May 9 celebrations
- Initiative by Slovakia’s public
- President of China Xi Jinping’s upcoming visit to Russia
- Russian-Chinese interaction at the UN
- Iran’s nuclear programme
- Escalating Indian-Pakistani conflict
- US-Ukraine rare earth metals deal
- Russian-Chinese relations
- Russian-Chinese cooperation within SCO and BRICS
- Armenian leaders’ attendance of May 9 celebrations in Moscow
- Allegations of Russian “interference” in Armenian affairs
- Possibility of new arms deliveries to Ukraine
- Designation of AfD as an extremist party
- Russophobia in the Baltic states
- Increasing cooperation with foreign law-enforcement agencies
- Statements by the EU commissioner for defence
- Statements by the Armenian parliament speaker
Three days from now, we will be celebrating our most important and sacred holiday, Victory Day, for the 80th time. During the Great Patriotic War, the Soviet people - people from all former Soviet republics - withstood daunting challenges, defended independence of their common state, defeated Nazism, and ensured the right to life and free development for all of us, their descendants. Without their feat there would be no us. Everyone must know and never forget this.
Foreign guests, including leaders from a number of World Majority countries, will attend the festivities in Moscow. They share our principled assessments of the causes that led to the Second World War, its outcomes, and the role of the Soviet Union in defeating Nazi Germany and its allies. The participation of military formations from friendly countries, which will march across Red Square shoulder to shoulder with Russian soldiers during the Victory Parade, will come as a decisive confirmation of their approaches. As is customary, hundreds of millions of viewers around the world will watch the Parade They will see and hear Moscow, and our President’s speech.
This is a powerful argument against disingenuous claims that modern-day Russia has allegedly appropriated Victory. The peoples of the Soviet Union defeated the enemy together. No one will be able to diminish our feat or split our common victory into separate victories. As a reminder, 2025 was declared, across the CIS, the Year of Peace and Unity in the Fight against Nazism. The Soviet Union bore the brunt of the war. The war machine of the Third Reich was crushed on the Eastern Front. However, we remember our allies’ contribution as well.
We will remember forever the price we paid for Victory. Unlike countries of the Western Europe overpowered by Nazis, the Soviet Union did not succumb to Nazis who planned to exterminate us all. We faced a war of annihilation. Many decades after Nuremberg, this was never questioned. Now, we are forced to prove that it was genocide.
We cooperate with other state bodies in our efforts to preserve the memory. In particular, we work closely with the No Statute of Limitations project carried out by the National Centre for Historical Memory under the President of the Russian Federation, the Investigative Committee, and the Prosecutor General’s Office on the topic of international recognition of the genocide of the Soviet people.
The peoples of the Soviet Union not only defeated the Wehrmacht, but also brought life, liberation and salvation to the peoples of Eastern and Central Europe. The Red Army, the Soviet soldiers literally stopped the Nazi extermination machine in its tracks and put out the crematoria of the Holocaust. Those who deny this are clearly supporting the resurgence of Nazism and the rise of neo-Nazism.
The Second World War has long taken centre stage in the Ministry’s daily operations. We have long waged an uncompromising diplomatic fight for historical truth at all levels. It is part of the comprehensive effort to uphold the gains of our Victory, primarily, the post-war world order based on equality and mutual respect of the sovereign countries, which principle is enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations which was established shortly after the war ended in 1945. We are confronted by the same countries that vote against the resolution of the UN General Assembly titled “Combatting glorification of Nazism, neo-Nazism and other practices that contribute to fuelling contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, xenophobia and related intolerance,” which is initiated by Russia every year. Liberal Euro-Atlantic dictatorships and former colonial powers that have not come to terms with the loss of their colonies are trying hard to prevent the emergence of a multipolar world.
The concept of a garden amid the jungle articulated in Brussels is nothing but a reincarnation of the Nazi nightmare based on racial superiority. Under the pretext of a “threat” coming from the East, just like the Third Reich in its own time, the EU, covered in “brown” stains, is rebuilding its military and getting ready for a war, making no secret of it, and calling our country an enemy. Clearly, they haven’t learned the lessons of history.
Russia was forced to launch the special military operation to prevent Ukraine, which had been seized by the neo-Nazi regime, from becoming an advanced bridgehead for aggression against our country. The objectives of the special military operation, as the leadership of our country has repeatedly stated, will be achieved. The anti-human ideology will be uprooted and no longer represent a threat. This is a debt we owe to the generation of victors in the Great Patriotic War.
I would like to spend a moment discussing the efforts deployed by Russian diplomats and Russian diplomacy in general daily and for many years now in the field of history in order to make the genuine international law that was forged by the heroes of the Second World War which, for us, was the Great Patriotic War, part of international relations.
Preparations for the May 9 celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory are in full swing in our country and internationally.
In an unwavering effort, all year round, we keep telling the truth about the history of the Great Patriotic War on the Ministry’s social media accounts. We cover the exploits of the Red Army liberator soldiers and the immense role played by the Soviet Union and its peoples in liberating Europe and saving the world from the Nazi plague, the anti-human ideology, which is flesh of the flesh of the Western European civilisation. Every day, we post materials about the key phases of the Great Patriotic War, the most important battles and military operations, heroes and their accomplishments in Russian, English, Spanish, French, Arabic, and other languages. Based on archival evidence, we expose the crimes committed by the Nazis in the occupied territories and the genocide of the Soviet people.
We are doing this not only for the citizens of our country and our compatriots abroad. We are also doing this for and together with the peoples of our once fraternal republics which are now sovereign states. We are not drawing a line between these materials and archival documents into “our” or “not our” materials. They are all our archives. They are common to all of us, because all Soviet people share that feat.
Around the world, our foreign missions, Russian diplomats and our foreign-based compatriots are holding commemorative drives as they honour the feat of the great generation of victors and keep the memory and the truth about Victory alive. Occasionally, they strongly oppose the lies that are being pushed under the guise of historical truth.
The first marches of the international Immortal Regiment drive have been held around the world. Thousands of people walked across the streets of international capitals and major cities holding portraits of their heroic ancestors. Despite obstacles and provocations in a number of the collective West countries, the drive has been effectively held in over 30 countries. In some cities, it took place after a long break caused by the pandemic and manifestations of Russophobia. In Busan, South Korea, the Immortal Regiment march took place for the first time since 2019.
In a futile attempt, the embassies of the Kiev regime and its Western patrons are trying to propagate deep-rooted falsehoods that defy history. In their hatred, Ukrainian diplomats go so far as to equate the Soviet Union (homeland of their forefathers) with the Third Reich.
Can these descendants - in fact, these people either betrayed their ancestors, or are the descendants of collaborators and Nazi followers - be truly called diplomats? After all, diplomacy relies on historical facts and international law, and what they are doing causes nothing but indignation and disgust. Fathers and grandfathers of many of them, including the ringleader of the Kiev junta Vladimir Zelensky, were front-line soldiers who fought for the common Soviet Motherland against Nazi invaders and criminals. What would their ancestors say, looking them in the eye, seeing their descendants who, for the sake of personal gain or a pat on the shoulder from their Western master, smear their own past and betray their own history?
These Ukrainian diplomats are not doing a good job. The materials they post are far-fetched and soulless falsehoods that are easily debunked by our foreign missions.
Meanwhile, commemorative initiatives have once again gained a truly global magnitude.
In all European countries and many countries around the world that have kept intact monuments to liberator soldiers and in which cemeteries of the Soviet soldiers have not been bulldozed - solemn flower-laying ceremonies were held and burial site maintenance was performed. Our diplomats, consular officials and concerned friends of our country commemorated the heroes.
The Garden of Memory drive took place in more than 40 countries. Russian diplomats took part in planting dozens of trees and even small alleys to commemorate Victory and the feat of the Soviet people.
Schoolchildren and children of our compatriots in India, Indonesia, Israel, Bulgaria, Portugal, Denmark, and many other countries took part in the now traditional Windows of Victory and Candle of Memory events.
In the run-up to the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory, the Songs of Victory drive was particularly popular. Under this slogan, concerts were held in more than 20 countries, during which the songs from war years that we know and love were performed. These songs are banned in Ukraine. Music unites people, especially music that connects generations. Heartfelt songs, written primarily by front-line soldiers and participants of the Great Patriotic War, which convey their suffering and emotions, preserved and carried through the years the truth about good and evil, the truth about the national feat and the destinies of our fathers, mothers, grandfathers and grandmothers, the truth that the ideological followers and heirs of the Nazis are trying hard to erase, wipe out, and pervert. Their attempts are futile. We keep the memory alive and will not let anyone forget anything. For example, the other day, many of these wonderful songs were performed by the Turetsky Choir Art Group and the Soprano Art Group in Paris, Vienna, and Tirana. The local public, members of our diplomatic corps, and our compatriots enjoyed these performances. In turn, the Russian Permanent Mission to the UN in New York live streamed the Turetsky Choir concert from the General Assembly. It was the second time the Turetsky Choir performed there.
The Songs of Victory are being widely posted online by our compatriots, among other posters. People share them with their friends here and in other countries, and post stories related to these songs.
The Foreign Ministry is also a participant of this truly popular initiative. We post extensive stories about the most famous songs dedicated to the Great Patriotic War coupled with video clips provided by the Main Administration for Service to the Diplomatic Corps (GlavUpDK).
We have a little surprise in store for you today. Right now, as I speak, we are launching a digital project in Russian and English on Telegram in the form of little circles representing vinyl records with audio recordings of the 20 most famous Victory Songs. Listen, share, distribute, remember, and present them to each other as audio postcards.
People from all continents and parts of the world show a tremendous interest in the 80th anniversary of Victory and the historical truth.
You can (and should) read about all of that on the Foreign Ministry’s social media accounts. Information is updated in real time literally around the clock. Subscribe to our feeds and enjoy vast numbers of compelling events held by our foreign missions.
In late April, the Foreign Ministry prepared the report on “Eighty Years After the Great Victory: Europe Has Once Again Fallen in the Shadow of Nazism.”
It gives estimations of a disturbing phenomenon that has engulfed many European countries today - the revival and glorification of Nazism, the spread of neo-Nazism and other modern forms of racism, which is openly encouraged at the official level in several countries.
In May 1945, amid a wave of universal jubilation, Nazism seemed to have been vanquished once and for all. The world, Europe, and above all, the Soviet people, had paid an immeasurable price for Victory. Yet, as history has since demonstrated, only the tip of the iceberg was destroyed during that war. True eradication of Nazism required far more. As we can see now, what was dismantled and condemned was merely the surface, the outward manifestations. The deeper roots and the ideological breeding ground, were left intact. Today, we are once again witnessing the resurgence of Nazism ideology, especially in Western Europe.
The document is based on materials provided by Russian foreign missions, universal international and regional intergovernmental organisations, and human rights NGOs. It presents the results of an analysis of neo-Nazi trends in Europe and examines in detail the collective West’s actions aimed at whipping up outright Russophobia and supporting the Kiev regime. Special focus is placed on the practical steps certain NATO members have taken, above all, the Baltics, Poland and several others motivated by anti-Russia feelings, which have lost the remains of their historical memory and actively continue destroying the entire Soviet and Russian legacy there, stepping up their work to falsify the history of World War II.
Unfortunately, we have to acknowledge that certain members of the political science and historical communities are complicit in these developments. It would appear that they have not learnt the lessons of history. The misanthropic rhetoric increasingly voiced by several countries’ leaders not only seeks to rehabilitate the abhorrent ideology of Nazism, but also fosters conditions for its revival.
Our country, which suffered heavy losses during World War II and the Great Patriotic War fighting to rid the world of the brown plague, will never allow the lessons of that terrible past to be erased. Together with our allies and like-minded partners, we will continue to take a principled and determined stand against all efforts to distort historical truth, including the historic liberation of Central and Eastern European nations through joint efforts of the anti-Hitler coalition.
I would like to call on journalists, political analysts, historians, and specialists in international relations: study this report – which is also available in English – engage with its content, discuss and cite it. Share your insights and any materials that may prove valuable to prepare future editions.
On April 29, the State Historical Museum opened the exposition Never to Be Forgotten: On the 80th Anniversary of the Great Victory.
The major exhibition has been prepared on President of Russia Vladimir Putin’s instruction as a key event of the Victory anniversary celebrations. The exhibition presents archival documents and artifacts reflecting the most important events of the Great Patriotic War and telling about the crimes of the Nazis and their accomplices against civilians. The exposition was organised by the Federal Archival Agency, the Ministry of Culture, the State Historical Museum and the Russian Historical Society with the participation of 50 institutions and organisations, including departmental archives of the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Federal Security Service, the Federal Guard Service and the Foreign Intelligence Service of Russia. Materials from Belarusian state archives are also on display.
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has sent his greetings to the exhibition organisers and participants.
The collection has over 1,200 rare exhibits. The most important archival documents, museum and memorial items that vividly reflect the decisive contribution of the multinational Soviet people to the victory over Nazi Germany, telling about the great feat and sacrifices made by the USSR to save the world from Nazism, have been arranged into thematic units.
The display gives great attention to the role of Russian diplomacy in achieving the Victory. The exhibition presents authentic materials from the Foreign Policy Archive of the Russian Federation. It shows a handwritten draft of the address of the People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs Vyacheslav Molotov to the Soviet people on the first day of the Great Patriotic War. The centrepiece is the original copy of the Instrument of Surrender that recorded the complete and final defeat of the Nazi Germany.
The exhibition Never to Be Forgotten: On the 80th Anniversary of the Great Victory gives the visitors an opportunity to see the relics of those great year, feel the spirit of the war era and realise the greatness of the victorious nation.
The exhibition will run through August 25.
Photo exhibition on Arbat Street dedicated to Soviet diplomacy during the Great Patriotic War
From May 7 to 31, Arbat Street will be home to a photo exhibition dedicated to Soviet diplomacy during the Great Patriotic War.
Its visitors will see copies of the documents and photos depicting major steps of the work of the USSR People's Commissariat for Foreign Affairs in 1941-1945. The displayed historical materials show the painstaking work of the foreign ministry to create the anti-Hitler coalition, which became an important step to victory over Nazism.
This exhibition will let Moscow residents and guests learn about little-known aspects of the multifaceted activities of Soviet diplomats, who made their contribution to the defeat of Nazism, including those who took up arms, and also аbout the course of complicated talks intended both to bring the Great Victory closer and develop the post-war world order.
The exhibition has been prepared by the Foreign Ministry’s State Protocol Department and the Department of History and Records with the support from Moscow Department of Culture. All materials have been provided by the Foreign Policy Archive of the Russian Federation.
The exhibition is located in the pedestrian area at: Arbat St., opposite the house 28.
The 72-hour ceasefire on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory, announced by President of Russia Vladimir Putin on April 28, will come into effect at midnight on May 8.
On May 3, Vladimir Zelensky publicly refused to support the initiative, vaguely dismissing the proposal as “unserious.” Indeed, killing your own citizens is far more serious than that, is it not, Zelensky? In case anyone didn’t know, unlike Russia, the Armed Forces of Ukraine did not even think of pausing hostilities on Easter Day, breaching the ceasefire about 5,000 times. In March and April, they also violated the 30-day moratorium on strikes on energy facilities 136 times.
Vladimir Zelensky holds nothing sacred. Having desecrated the memory of his own grandfather, holder of two Orders of the Red Star Semyon Zelensky, who fought heroically during the Great Patriotic War, the head of the Kiev regime is now mocking veterans who have lived to see the 80th anniversary of Victory and are eager to attend the May 9 celebrations.
On April 29 and May 3, he actually made threats of terrorist attacks during the parade in Moscow, saying that he could not guarantee the safety of those attending the festive ceremonies in the Russian capital. However, when Zelensky realised that he had once again put his foot in a sticky bloodstain with his threats, he quickly tried, in his typical manner, to shift the responsibility for possible provocations to Russia, which allegedly seeks to blame the Kiev regime for everything.
They actually rub their hands with glee after every attack on civilian infrastructure, after every explosion or deliberate murder, announcing that it was their doing. Who is shifting responsibility now? Ukrainian officials and state authorities (if you can call them that) always confirm their involvement in these terrorist attacks. Was it us that shifted any responsibility to the Kiev regime? No, it was Kiev that confessed to committing the murders of Russian journalists, shelling civilian infrastructure, and repeated attempts to destroy the Crimean bridge.
There is a reason people say, “if the cap fits, wear it.” Only Vladimir Zelensky’s “cap” does not just fit him – it burns his head and smells of sulphur. On April 29, Secretary of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security Roman Kostenko disclosed true intentions of the neo-Nazi regime. Speaking to the Ukrainian RadioNV station, he gave an affirmative answer to a question about Ukraine’s capability to “strike at the Russian parade.” Who is blaming them now? These are the exact words spoken by representatives of the Ukrainian authorities (self-proclaimed or not, but approved by the Kiev regime). This is a direct quote.
According to Kostenko, if a respective order is given, they are perfectly capable of planning the operation, and they have long-range weapons to do this. In turn, head of the SBU security service Vasily Malyuk announced in a specially released video that Vladimir Zelensky ordered to destroy the Crimean Bridge by Victory Day. Does the international community even realise what the West has fostered in the centre of Europe? International terrorists with a neo-Nazi mindset.
Look what they did to tarnish May 9. The EU countries plan to hold an “informal meeting” of foreign ministers in Lvov on that day, in a show of Nazi-style “solidarity” with Ukraine. The choice of the venue – the hotbed of aggressive Ukrainian nationalism, which has devolved to neo-Nazism – is very symbolic and telling. The city government is waging an immoral and cynical war on the mass graves of Soviet soldiers. The lineup of the participants is also quite remarkable, almost replicating the Hitlerite coalition of the Third Reich, with the addition of the Banderite Ukraine.
The idea is to make the right impression on European Russophobes and inspire them to take new steps to support the Zelensky regime. The goal of this meeting is to try to overshadow the festive atmosphere during the 80th anniversary of the Victory celebrations in Russia. However, even the participants of the Lvov get-together realise the absurdity of these plans.
The Kiev regime has really pushed the limits in its so-called de-communisation policy. It now advises Great Patriotic War veterans living in Ukraine – as unbelievable as this may sound, but bear with me – to conceal the war-time decorations they earned for winning the war, for the battles they fought and the feats they accomplished during the Great Patriotic War. They are being told to pin their decorations on the inside lining of their jackets so that they do not cause any misgivings to people around them who can be somehow disturbed by this. They talked about what they referred to as sensitive people without going as far as calling them Russia-haters, but there is no doubt that this is what they had in mind. How can this be? And how do we frame this posture? This is an intentional effort to sneer at these people, mock and disparage them. It was the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory that drafted these guidelines. This document offers guidance on wearing Soviet-era orders and medals by effectively banning their public display. Kiev has already re-written history. It now wants the real heroes not only to stay in the shadows, but to stage their self-annihilation of sorts so that they keep their heads underwater without even daring to show their decorations and medals. It is quite obvious that the Kiev regime views those who saved the world from Nazism with fear, hatred and resentfulness.
May 8 marks 60 years since the Presidium of the USSR Supreme Soviet adopted the executive order approving regulations governing procedures to award the Hero City designation, the highest distinction a city could receive. Soviet cities where people demonstrated mass heroism and courage in defending their Motherland during the Great Patriotic War were entitled to this honorary designation. The first six Hero Cities were Volgograd (Stalingrad), Kiev, Leningrad, Moscow, Odessa, and Sevastopol, while the Brest Fortress received the Hero Fortress title.
Today, they are doing everything they can in Ukraine to forget the unrivalled feats of these cities and their people. They want to erase them from the popular memory. Neo-Nazis have been benefiting from total impunity when knocking gold stars from pedestals, spraying monuments with paint or desecrating them. However, they will never succeed in erasing the ancestral memory about the heroic past of the Soviet nation – the people who courageously defended Moscow and Leningrad, reversed the course of the war against Hitler’s Germany in Stalingrad, and fought fearlessly against the demonic Nazi hordes to liberate Kiev, Odessa and Sevastopol. This memory has been passed on from one generation to another and will never fade.
Today, Russia is once again fighting neo-Nazism in Ukraine, which has been rearing its ugly head. Not only did the West turn a blind eye to this fact but encouraged these practices. There is no doubt that the sacred objective to eradicate this scourge will be achieved so that Kiev and Odessa can proudly use their Hero City designations. They deserved them.
Let me tell you about a trip to Mexico. I was there as a tourist. It was quite a while ago. We were sightseeing around Mexico City and visiting its museums. Our tour guides suggested that we go to Mexico’s suburbs to discover the fantastic pyramids in Teotihuacan – it was just a 40-minute drive from the Mexican capital. When we arrived, we could not believe what we learned. These are huge pyramids measuring dozens of meters stretched over a vast territory. However, they were rediscovered just a few decades ago and it was an accident. I remember asking myself at the time: “How can it be that these huge buildings, especially considering how ancient they are, and that they can measure up to present-day skyscrapers – how can it be that people could forget all about them despite the fact that people continued to live around this place?”
This was 17 years ago. Today, I can see that humankind can forget entire cities and pages from its history books. We can see this in Ukraine. This is how the history of Hero Cities is being cast into oblivion. But I am certain that the time for rediscovering these Hero Cities will come. We will go even further by preventing their heroic past from being erased.
On May 2, 2014, 11 years ago, the Ukrainian Nazis cruelly killed dozens of innocent people in Odessa’s Trade Union House. These people opposed the illegal government coup in Kiev when an anti-popular junta teamed up with its Western sponsors to destroy legitimacy in Ukraine. The people of Odessa rose up to the occasion by deciding to confront those seeking to destroy legitimacy and erasing the history of their country, cities and the nation, even if they had to sacrifice their lives for this cause.
The events in Odessa claimed the lives of 48 people. But it happened 11 years ago, not 80 years ago. This happened in our recent past and forms part of our present-day history. We all remember this. Turns out that some have already forgotten about it. There were 48 people who were burned alive. It happened in 2014. It was not in 1014, and not in 2014 BC. It was 2014 AD, the 21st century – the middle of its first quarter.
We keep saying that the memory of these tragic events is a huge pain for us. We keep repeating that we mourn the victims. And we will keep saying that those behind these mass killings have yet to be held to account. We will keep saying this until they are punished.
New evidence about this horrific crime keeps surfacing, while the ECHR said in its ruling that the government has failed to investigate the Odessa tragedy. Nevertheless, the Kiev regime persists in its attempts to cover its tracks and shield the culprits. But this is not about the Kiev regime – it is not about those who ejected legitimate government officials in Ukraine from their offices, such as Arseniy Yatsenyuk, Oleg Tegnibok, etc., and this is not about Petr Poroshenko who came after them and did everything to make sure that this crime is not investigated. This is not even about Vladimir Zelensky with his promises to sort everything out. My question is to those who cast themselves as civilised forces, and who have been perorating about the sacrosanct nature of human rights and comparing human rights to the North Star in terms of developing the economy, the financial sector, and culture. I am talking about those who view everything from a human rights perspective and who would raise their voices whenever anyone was detained during street protests, etc. My question is for them: Where have you been? You kept silent. I am talking about the so-called collective West, the human rights institutions and Western civil society leaders and human rights activists. Truth be said, all they did was benefit from various grants, as the documents released by USAID, a US agency, have shown. Where have you been for all these 11 years? Why have not you demanded an investigation? People were not just killed there. They were sacrificed for the sake of the neo-Nazi cause, as if we were living in the most ancient of times.
The agonising regime in Kiev continues to terrorise Russian regions and civilians. In the early hours of April 28, 2025, the Ukrainian Nazis vent their anger at the Bryansk Region, sending a host of drones towards civilian facilities. The Russian air defence units shot down 102 of the 115 Ukrainian drones. A civilian man was killed, a woman was injured and seven houses were damaged in Bryansk, as well as energy facilities in two neighbourhoods. Between April 29 and May 6, 2025, at least five civilians were wounded in drone attacks. On May 4, 2025, the Strela plant was damaged in an MLRS attack on the town of Suzemka.
On May 1, 2025, Ukrainian forces used drones to attack a crowded marketplace in the town of Alyoshki, Kherson Region, subsequently sending more drones to kill the wounded. Overall, they have killed eight and wounded over 20 civilians. On April 24, 2025, chair of the local election commission Svetlana Timoshenko was killed and her sister was wounded in a Ukrainian drone attack on the village of Mokraya Orlovka, Belgorod Region.
I read many verses about the Great Patriotic War while in school and at the institute. These verses have become a reality our country has to deal with. Those guilty of this boundless arbitrariness and cynicism of the West will be called to account. Some will be punished in accordance with the law (we will talk about this later), while others, including in the West, will take their punishment later, by the next generation of mankurts, people who have forgotten their kinship and can’t distinguish between truth and lies, don’t know their countries’ history and don’t respect or love their countries.
Between April 25 and May 4, 2025, four civilians were killed and 15 wounded in drone attacks on a residential neighbourhood, a car and a bus in other districts of the region. On April 24, 2025, the Bandera forces deliberately sent drones on the wooden New Jerusalem church complex in the village of Sukharevo, a holy place in the Belgorod Region. They also used drones to prevent the Russian Emergencies Ministry staff, the military and local residents from putting out the fire. You may remember from literature based on facts and documentary evidence about the Second World War and the Great Patriotic War that this is just like the Nazis acted. They not only wanted to kill but also to humiliate and add insult to injury.
On April 27, 2025, Ukrainian drones attacks a school in the village of Peschanoye and a creamery in the town of Belaya, Kursk Region. The school caught fire, in which one person was injured. On April 30, 2025, the Ukrainians sent drones against a neighbourhood of apartment houses and a kindergarten. On May 4−5, 2025, two people were killed and five wounded in other districts of the Kursk Region.
On April 27, 2025, one civilian was killed and six were wounded in a large-calibre artillery attack on Gorlovka, Donetsk People’s Republic. On April 29, 2025, 17 local residents, including a four-month-old child, and five police officers were wounded.
In the early hours of May 2, 2025, three civilians were wounded and three injured in a drone attack on the town of Rylsk.
Five civilians, including two children, were wounded and over 90 flats were damaged (two of them completely ruined) in a Ukrainian attack on residential houses in Novorossiysk, Krasnodar Territory.
In the early hours of May 3, 2025, Ukrainian terrorists launched eight UK-sent Storm Shadow cruise missiles and three Ukrainian Neptune anti-ship missiles against infrastructure facilities in Crimea, as well as 23 unmanned surface vehicles in the Black Sea. All these missiles and boats have been destroyed.
The perpetrators will be punished. Russian courts continue to adopt verdicts for the military and other crimes committed by Ukrainian neo-Nazis and mercenaries. Ukrainian servicemen Andrey Zhurba and Anatoly Marmaza have been sentenced to 16 years in prison for mining roads and preventing the evacuation of civilians in the Kursk Region.
Sentences have been passed in absentia on mercenaries Hasan Anar oglu Mammadov (Azerbaijan), Maxim Roger Henry Barat (Belgium) and Tobias Enquist (Sweden). They have been given 14-year-long sentences and placed on the international wanted list.
Colombian mercenary Miguel Angel Cardenas Montilla, who was taken prisoner in the Donetsk People’s Republic in June 2024 and fully admitted his guilt, has been given a 9-year sentence.
Who are the idols of this Bandera scum? The Ukrainian neo-Nazis openly identify with their ideological icons from the Third Reich. You want proof? Here it is. On April 26, 2025, servicemen from the Carpathian Sich Infantry Battalion posted an invitation to their anniversary on the social media. Guess what images they added to the invitation? The SS leader Heinrich Himmler and other Nazi criminals.
A march and other events have been held on a large scale in Lvov during the annual celebration of the SS Galician Division (prohibited on the territory of the Russian Federation). Journalists saw the photographs of two WWII Nazis on one of the streamers, one of them taken during the German attack on Kiev in 1941, and the other in Ardennes in 1944. This is the glorification of German Nazi invaders, Nazi criminals and their collaborators and accessories from the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), which has been declared extremist and prohibited in our country. Their arms are up to their elbows in the blood of hundreds of thousands of innocent Ukrainians, Russians, Poles, Jews and people of other ethnic groups. The modern-day Bandera soldiers have long outstripped their idols when it comes to hatred of human beings and cruelty.
But these are not isolated issues. Together, they constitute a single global challenge. More aspects of corruption continue to emerge at all levels of the Kiev regime. In another big scandal, Ukrainian media reported that over 20 employees of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine reported large amounts of income in cryptocurrency, stored in electronic wallets, in their annual tax reports, and most of these wallets turned out to be non-existent. What does this mean? Not that they decided to look more honest than they are. Most likely, this indicates (according to Ukrainian journalists) attempts to launder embezzled money, primarily the funds provided by the West to Ukraine for this ongoing butchery. This was also carried out alongside the promotion of anti-corruption measures.
Meanwhile, the government of Ukraine denied teachers adjustment of their salaries for inflation, claiming that the entire budget (according to Vladimir Zelensky) must be spent on security and defence. What sort of security? Zelensky is killing his citizens with his own hands. Does he call these meat-grinder-style assault missions defence? In reality, while embezzling wealth, the regime squeezes all it can out of Ukrainians, condemning them to poverty and sure death on the frontlines. Some are fleeing abroad, only to be persecuted, including by local authorities at the request of the Kiev regime.
On top of that, there is an ongoing war against the Russian language in Ukraine. Ukraine boasts that there are hardly any schoolchildren left (will they soon perhaps just put a period here?) who are learning the Russian language now. Currently, 345 people are studying in Russian, with 109 more people learning it as a foreign language. This data comes from the Kiev regime, specifically from a report made on May 1 by State Language Protection Commissioner Taras Kremen. He claims that in 2020−2021, there were around 100,000 schoolchildren studying in Russian — but soon, there will be none. I am curious: if somebody wishes to learn the Russian language, will they be physically eliminated to make these statistics look nice? And what if these people will not switch to Ukrainian? But more about this later.
The language ombudsman takes credit for this so-called achievement, openly expressing his intention to be reappointed when his current term ends in July.
When Russophobia in Ukraine is the foundation of state policy and is cultivated in Ukrainian society, this leads to certain personas emerging from oblivion — such as Ukrainian actor Bogdan Benyuk who spoke on Ukrainian television during Passion Week and encouraged hitting children on the head with bottles and whipping them with rods for speaking Russian. He said that younger children should be whipped with rods and older children can be hit with water bottles on the head. He said plastic bottles but I think he should try it on himself first. He appears to be a cultured individual who is supposed to spread culture. Yet in reality, he exhibits a profound lack of culture, which is something that the genuine culture of Ukraine has become under the neo-Nazi ideology.
This stands as a glaring example of erasing all authenticity and of brainwashing — when a person who was born and lived in the USSR, who acted in Soviet and Russian films becomes a caveman under the influence of propaganda. Russophobia in modern Ukraine is, apparently, well rewarded, and Bogdan Benyuk, obviously, believes that money does not stink. That’s right, the money in Ukraine does not stink. Some people like Zelensky actually sniff it. Bogdan Benyuk hypocritically judged Ukrainian draft dodgers. Yet when questioned about his own draft-eligible son’s activities, he said that his son was pursuing a master’s degree − evidently in no particular hurry to fulfill his military duty to the regime. No comments.
And what about Dmitry Kuleba? This former foreign minister of Ukraine once claimed he is a steadfast patriot and he would give absolutely anything for his motherland, Ukraine. Apparently, he has already given everything, except he has a new motherland now and lives in Central Europe. His fellow citizens are posting photos of these people rolling in clover and enjoying life. The other people of Ukraine are mustering all their strength to ask him: “Why did you abandon us? Look what we are going through.” But he couldn’t care less. This is exactly what members of the ruling regime are known to do. They are sending their people to die while sheltering their own children wherever they can — stashing them in universities or abroad. For others, they fabricate convenient stories.
Everybody knows this Ukrainian comedian who used to act in Russian films, was friends with his Russian colleagues and spoke out in support of the Russian language. However, for the sake of money and Western applause, he betrayed the memory of his veteran grandfather, usurped power and turned Ukraine into a neo-Nazi quasi-state, willing to sacrifice millions of Ukrainians solely for his own survival. This comedian’s name is Vladimir Zelensky.
The facts I mentioned confirm that the special military operation to denazify and demilitarise Ukraine remains relevant. The threats coming from Ukraine must be eliminated. As the Russian leadership has said repeatedly, all these goals will be achieved.
On May 2, 2025, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Andrey Yermak, once again tried to rewrite the history of the Great Patriotic War by grossly misrepresenting its events in what amounted in an outright effort to falsify facts.
In a Telegram post, he wrote that Ukrainians formed and staffed 60 percent of Soviet divisions, and that hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians took part in the Berlin offensive. Once liberated, Ukraine played a central role on the home front by forming new armies. Andrey Yermak went on to affirm that the USSR would have lacked fuel and would have been unable to ensure logistics behind the lines without the lend-lease programme. He wrote that most armoured steel plates for the T-34 tanks came from the United States, while American wheat accounted for half of Soviet bread in 1943−1945. He believes that Britain’s refusal to surrender derailed Hitler’s plan to focus all its military power on invading the USSR. “In 1941−1942, 40 percent of divisions within Germany’s air force and the navy had to stay in the West,” he pointed out. This was Andrey Yermak’s way of framing history Kiev-regime-style.
Having said all that, he went on to make the following conclusion: “Without the United States, Moscow would have lacked the resources, and without Ukraine it would not have an army. Without Britain, Hitler would not have been distracted by what was happening in the West. The myth about the USSR and the Russians achieving victory all by themselves is a political construct designed to assert Moscow’s post-war hegemony. The real history of World War II is a story of global resistance, and Ukraine contributed to this effort with its blood and its forces.” This forms the Kiev regime’s novel way of presenting the past in a totally absurd way. It is imbued in the spirit of Nazi revanchism. What a powerful fake. It also offends their own historical memory. Just look at their indignant reaction to May 9 celebrations. Just look at the nervous response they have whenever someone mentions the Great Victory. It has a nauseating effect on them. They should have opted for self-incrimination and exposure.
Andrey Yermak clearly crossed a red line when he questioned the decisive contribution of the Soviet nation to defeating fascism. This cynical and treacherous way of erasing the feat accomplished by millions of Soviet people primarily constitutes, in his case, an act of betraying his own history.
The way he falsified the figures is especially appalling. To say that Ukrainians staffed 60 percent of Soviet divisions is an outright lie. Objective data from the archives demonstrate that people coming from the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, including ethnic Ukrainians, as well as other ethnic groups, accounted for less than a quarter of the Red Army personnel. This is not about celebrating or denigrating anyone. These are just numbers, but the Office of the President of Ukraine made yet another attempt to distort these figures. But this goes beyond numbers. What matters is that they were fighting shoulder to shoulder and closed ranks with people from other Soviet republics, people of various ethnic backgrounds, including Russians, Belarusians, Kazakhs, Georgians, Armenians, Uzbeks. Moreover, they were fighting not for an independent Ukraine but for the Soviet Union as their shared Motherland.
By the same token, Andrey Yermak’s statements when he described the salutary role of the lend-lease effort do not hold water. Of course, allied assistance was instrumental, but it paled in comparison with the Soviet prowess and extensive capabilities in defence manufacturing. In fact, the Wehrmacht suffered 76 percent of its losses on the Eastern front. The Red Army carried out all its strategic operations using military gear and equipment it received from the plants in the Urals and Siberia. These were not the machines delivered as part of the lend-lease programme. The T-34 tanks, the Katyusha launchers and the Il-2 fighter planes were all part of the labour feat accomplished by the Soviet people.
Let me remind you that we had to pay for the lend-lease shipments. This is a very important point in the context of the falsehoods coming from Andrey Yermak and the like. Russia had to repay the lend-lease debts until 2006. Having become an independent country, Ukraine did not contribute to repaying this debt, despite the fact that it had to pay after refusing to join the agreement whereby Russia undertook to repay all of the Soviet foreign debts. What does the Office of the President of Ukraine think about this? Go and ask them this question, since failing to address it makes them look quite foolish.
The Western assistance that Ukraine is receiving today also comes with a price tag. Future generations of Ukrainians will have to face the burden of repaying this massive debt. The only difference here is that the lend-lease programme was part of an effort to defeat a common enemy, i.e., fascism, which has evolved into neo-Nazism in today’s world. Today, it is the West that took on this benevolent attitude by sending Ukrainians on a suicidal mission, while those who survive it will have to repay their debts for the rest of their lives.
Andrey Yermak’s statement about half of the Soviet bread coming from the United States is just as absurd. During the most challenging years of the war, collective farms in the Volga region, Siberia and other Soviet regions produced grain and delivered it to the front. The supplies from the United States accounted for 10 to 15 percent of the overall food supplies. As for the armoured steel plating for making tanks, they had an even smaller share. The Soviet Union managed to start making these sheets in the Urals by evacuating the corresponding plants there, including from Kharkov.
We would like to remind Andrey Yermak what President of the United States Franklin Roosevelt and Prime Minister of Great Britain Winston Churchill said about the USSR’s contribution to defeating fascism. We know why Andrey Yermak is doing this. He wants the Anglo-Saxons to see how loyal he is. However, while demonstrating his loyalty, he humiliated President of the United States Franklin Roosevelt and Prime Minister of Great Britain Winston Churchill by contradicting and questioning their statements. Let me quote them, as a reminder. I have shared these statements quite a few times already.
In a letter dated February 4, 1943, Franklin Roosevelt wrote to Joseph Stalin: “I congratulate you on the brilliant victory at Stalingrad <…> The commanders and fighters of your armies at the front and the men and women who have supported them in factory and field have combined not only to cover with glory their country’s arms, but to inspire by their example fresh determination among all the United Nations to bend every energy to bring about the final defeat and unconditional surrender of the common enemy.”
On February 23, 1945, Prime Minister of Great Britain Winston Churchill wrote to Stalin: “Future generations will acknowledge their debt to the Red Army as unreservedly as do we who have lived to witness these proud achievements.” Could we hear this Winston Churchill quote today coming from Downing Street or the Foreign Office? Can we expect British tabloids and journalists with all the hubris they have about their British education to quote a person who witnessed all this, even if this person is the British Prime Minister Winston Churchill?
Today, the Zelensky regime is in agony and is suffering one failure after another. This means that it can spread all kinds of totally groundless and unreasonable pseudo-historical falsehoods to serve its momentary agenda to demonstrate its servility towards those willing to give what the regime needs. This will not affect in any way our plans to mark the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory. Attempts to present Ukrainians, Americans and the British as the only ones who made Victory possible go beyond distorting history. This offends the memory of all the Soviet nations who paid a horrific price for liberating the world from fascism.
The United Nations could have responded to these statements, but did not do that.
Stephane Dujarric’s comments on Russian strikes targeting Ukrainian cities
During his regular media briefing, Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General Stephane Dujarric made yet another outrageous comment regarding the situation in Ukraine. He claimed that the attacks launched by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation on a number of Ukrainian cities, including Kiev, on April 23−24 of this year allegedly resulted in the deaths of 175 civilians. Journalists’ questions seeking clarification as to the source of this information clearly left Mr Dujarric in a quandary. He began by referring to certain data supplied by some “humanitarian organisations” but later had to admit that his sources were, in fact, the local Ukrainian authorities. How very interesting! I would like to say charmant to this French citizen. But how sick and tired we are of all this stuff! When you are speaking at the UN Secretariat and are asked about concrete and confirmed facts, you reply that you have seen and heard nothing and refrain from disseminating the information. Yet, when something anti-Russian is needed at the behest of the West and the Kiev regime, the information and data sought are instantly available.
This game is about churning out obvious fakes aimed at discrediting Russia and the Russian Armed Forces. UN Secretariat employees should handle verified data from reliable information sources. We have repeatedly stated this to the faces of Secretariat representatives, starting with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Now we must say so in public. By sources, I mean the Ministry of Defence of Russia and its regular communiqués. One of these, incidentally, clearly indicated that the April 23−24 strikes were conducted strictly on Ukraine’s strategic facilities, including its rocket and space and weapon-manufacturing plants.
We must express our regret that certain high-ranking UN officials have repeatedly spread malicious insinuations in the context of the Ukraine crisis. These are precisely the fakes that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres vowed to “fight” when referring to the infodemic.
With perseverance worthy of a better cause, the Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and some other UN agencies are not averse to seizing upon any, even the most absurd, accusations against our country. A case in point is Bucha. Do you remember it? The same people said time and again that they had seen and heard everything, visited the site many times, and lamented the death of…who? We repeatedly sent dozens of official requests to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, urging him and his staff to provide the lists of those who they think had been killed over there. No reply. Since 2022, we have repeatedly asked UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk to help us in obtaining at least some information about the “tragic” events in Bucha in order to carry out an investigation. But the “cart remains there still.” To wit, nowhere. No lists, no information, no names, no photographs of graves. Nothing. Nil information.
Symptomatically, UN officials demonstrate an opposite approach towards crimes committed by the Kiev regime. We have repeatedly urged them to comment on its barbaric terrorist incursion into the Kursk Region in August 2024 and to comment on the disclosed facts of not just humiliation but torture the Armed Forces of Ukraine inflicted on local civilians. The atrocities they committed in the Kursk Region are mind-boggling! Nil information, nil comments, even in response to journalists’ questions about Ukraine’s regular missile and drone attacks on Russian peaceful cities. Neither the Secretary-General nor his representatives have ever commented on even a single Ukrainian atrocity, even a proven one, even one admitted by the Kiev regime. It is a rule for them to avoid comments. They make do with appeals to all parties to the conflict, urging restraint and calling for an independent investigation. But when it comes to accusing Russia, they suddenly have everything: country names, figures, data, the lot. True, the data are false. These unprecedented violations of international humanitarian law are clear to all unbiased experts and observers.
Based on double standards, this policy evokes nothing but indignation and rejection. We are witnessing gross violations of the UN Charter, which states that the UN personnel should practice equidistance and refrain from lopsided utterances. Under these circumstances, the UN Secretariat can hardly be regarded as an “honest broker” in the context of the Ukraine crisis settlement.
We again call on UN officials to abandon their prejudiced attitude, stop being the mouthpiece of Western propaganda, and adopt a neutral position consistent with their status. Most importantly, they should return to performing their direct duties.
Argentina’s authorities declassify documents regarding Nazi presence in the country
On April 29, 2025, the media reported that the administration of President of Argentina Javier Milei has granted access to digitised archives concerning members of the Third Reich who found refuge in Argentina after World War II.
Over 1,850 documents have been made available on the government’s official information portal. Although these files were declassified in 1992, access until recently was restricted to specialised archives. Following requests from several US lawmakers, the Argentinian government shared the materials with the US-based Simon Wiesenthal Centre, and subsequently decided to make the documents publicly accessible.
The files, compiled by national security services between 1950 and 1980, contain information on Nazi war criminals who settled in Argentina – estimated by various sources to number at least 10,000. How did they manage to cross the Atlantic Ocean? Who helped them?
Among the most notorious names are:
Adolf Eichmann, the “architect” of the Holocaust, who lived under the alias Ricardo Clement Getty in Buenos Aires until 1960, when he was captured by Mossad, extradited to Israel, and later executed;
Josef Mengele, the Angel of Death of Auschwitz, who conducted brutal medical experiments on concentration camp prisoners and spent years in hiding in the Buenos Aires suburb of Vicente Lopez;
Erich Priebke, a Gestapo officer responsible for mass executions, who lived in Argentina for over 50 years;
Klaus Barbie, the “Butcher of Lyon”;
Ante Pavelic, the leader of Croatia’s Ustase movement. These are only the names we know – there may well be many more.
Russia welcomes the publication of such documents. We call on other countries to follow Argentina’s example and declassify information about Nazis and their collaborators who found refuge on their territory. Let us not forget: the crimes they committed have no statute of limitations. That is precisely why they went into hiding and why they were shielded for so long.
The 2024 performance report on the Observatory on History Teaching in Europe
As the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War approaches, we once again witness a wave of pseudo-historical revisionism. Instead of following Argentina’s lead and releasing information about neo-Nazis who found refuge in Western Europe, the so-called Observatory on History Teaching in Europe published a report on its own activities in 2024. How many Nazis and fascists found shelter in Switzerland or Northern Europe? Rather than addressing how they were transferred from Europe, particularly to Latin America, the Observatory focused on a self-assessment of its work.
Let me remind you that this body was established under the auspices of the Council of Europe. I deliberately refer to it as a “tool,” because it bears no relation to the professional сommunity of historians.
The report specifically highlights the Observatory’s efforts to “debunk” what it describes as a Russian “disinformation campaign” concerning historical interpretations of events in Ukraine. According to these so-called experts, Kiev’s view of World War II is supposedly sound and unproblematic. Judging by the overall tone of the document, this logic seems to face no objections in Strasbourg. They even feature images of Nazis on their event invitations, with insignia identical to those worn during World War II. The Observatory sees no issue with this. Frankly, we are not surprised.
For years, the Council of Europe has turned a blind eye to neo-Nazi marches, the glorification of Stepan Bandera and Roman Shukhevich, as well as the persecution of dissenters in areas controlled by Vladimir Zelensky and his regime.
One of the so-called achievements presented is the Observatory’s annual conference (Strasbourg, December 5−6, 2024), which once again promoted politically charged and confrontational approaches towards Russia. Another was a themed discussion during the World Forum for Democracy (Strasbourg, November 7, 2024), where Russia was accused of “denying Ukrainian identity” – a phrase that defies clear understanding.
Let us recall that the Observatory was originally established with Russia’s participation to foster balanced teaching of history and constructive professional exchange. Look what it has become: a tool for undermining historical awareness across Europe, a mouthpiece for openly anti-Russian and revisionist narratives.
We are appalled by the way this “Observatory” seeks to reframe history. Its deliberate distortion of the past is a means of manipulating public perception, promoting Russophobic stereotypes and encouraging prejudice and xenophobia.
We consider this attack on historical truth, especially in the year marking the 80th anniversary of Victory, to be absolutely unacceptable. Russia will continue to respond appropriately and to work with all partners committed to respectful remembrance and open dialogue.
Results of the Three Seas Initiative summit
On April 28−29, 2025, Warsaw hosted a Three Seas Initiative summit. It was a minor event, but some European countries have enthusiastically been trying to promote such disputable integration formats in the EU.
This is not surprising, though. A growing number of social and economic problems in the EU, which have partly been aggravated by their leaders’ destructive anti-Russia policies, the inefficiency of European institutions and rapidly growing militarisation financed by the people, are breeding demand for new and more promising forms of regional interaction.
However, the Three Seas Initiative (3SI) cannot be described as such a format. It does not offer a solution to the crisis but is deepening it in the participating countries. The essence of this organisation has been clearly presented in the joint declaration of the summit, which repeats the timeworn statements in support of the Kiev regime and accusations of Russia. The document is so fanatically anti-Russia that one of the 3SI participants decided to issue a separate statement to dissociated himself from that narrative.
We would like to once again caution out foreign colleagues at the 3SI from recklessly flirting with the Kiev regime. Its readiness to share its “invaluable” experience of strengthening its security and protecting its energy and transport infrastructure, and a desire to spread it throughout the Baltics and the Adriatic sounds a bit like news from a nuthouse. This calls for critical analysis and a great deal of common sense. What experience in the field of security can Ukraine offer the 3SI? Europeans would hardly like to use Kiev’s ideas and experience in their countries.
For its part, Russia has been and remains open to the development of mutually beneficial cooperation with all constructively minded foreign partners, including in the field of energy. At the same time, the implementation of any politicised infrastructure projects without Russia is not based on reality and has no chance of success.
NATO-Georgia command and staff exercise
A regular NATO-Georgia command and staff exercise began in Georgia on April 28, 2025. According to available information, it involves 17 member and partner countries, including Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The Alliance is continuing with its policy of drawing South Caucasus republics into its orbit. NATO usually uses such forms of cooperation to promote its standards and ideology in the regional countries and create conditions for redesigning their defence systems and assuming control of the development of their armed forces and domestic and foreign policies.
It should be clear to everyone that all NATO’s actions in the South Caucasus are not aimed at strengthening security but at creating a zone of instability and military-political tensions there. The bloc’s ultimate goal is to use the potential and resources of the regional countries in the interests of the “collective West,” especially when it comes to geopolitical confrontation with Russia.
We hope that the aforementioned republics will take a critical view of their participation in such events.
The Foreign Ministry, working together with the Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia and Far East and the Russian Committee for UNESCO Information for All Programme in the context of implementing the Plan of Key Activities of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages in the Russian Federation (2022−2032), has published the Code of Northern Peoples (Cartae Populorum Boreorum): Collection of Legal Acts on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Indigenous Small Peoples of Russia.
The collection includes federally-approved documents and materials on the organisational, financial, economic and other aspects of the functioning of the communities of indigenous small peoples and non-profit organisations with their participation, information about their consultative status at the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), as well as other materials on encouraging the involvement of constructively minded Russian non-profit organisations in the relevant international platforms.
The main goal of the Collection is to make legal norms as clear as possible for practical use and to simplify relations between the representatives of indigenous peoples and authorities at all levels.
This Collection is an updated edition of the Code of Northern Peoples, which was published in June 2023 and has received wide acclaim among the representatives of indigenous small peoples.
Russian Emergencies Ministry assists friendly Iran in fighting the Shahid Rajaee Port fire
In response to an appeal from our Iranian friends, on April 27, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin decided to urgently send several Emergencies Ministry aircraft with teams of experienced professionals to Bandar Abbas to assist in combating a major fire at the port of Shahid Rajaee, caused by a powerful explosion that claimed dozens of lives.
Despite being hampered by challenging weather conditions and a strong hurricane in several regions of Iran, Russian specialists reached their destination and immediately joined the relief effort. Amphibious aircraft made several dozen sorties to drop water on the source of the fire.
Our diplomats provided the Russian rescuers with the necessary assistance in maintaining coordination with their Iranian colleagues in the disaster relief effort.
On April 27, the President of Russia extended his condolences to the Supreme Leader and the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran over the tragic consequences of this disaster.
Russia is ready to continue helping the friendly people of Iran by lending a shoulder in difficult times, as was the case during the severe flooding in the northern regions of the country in April 2019 and after the devastating earthquake in Khoy in February 2023.
Tomorrow, on May 7, Russia and a number of other countries will celebrate Radio Day. On this day in 1895, Russian inventor Alexander Popov made a report at a meeting of the Russian Physical and Chemical Society and demonstrated the world’s first radio receiver that he had constructed, carrying out the first radio communication session. This new technology changed society forever. That day became a major milestone in the history of world science and technology, marking the birthday of radio. The invention heralded the start of an era of instant communication, with Russia’s invaluable contribution, and today, 130 years later, May 7 remains a symbol of scientific breakthrough and aspiration for new knowledge.
Radio paved the way for the creation of navigation systems, mobile communications, wireless data exchange and the internet, which has become an inalienable fixture of modern life. As we mark the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory, I would like to note that this invention played a crucial role in helping Soviet soldiers and citizens keep up their morale even during the most gruelling days of the war: the Soviet Information Bureau reports were on everyone’s lips (“Attention, this is Moscow speaking! All radio stations in the Soviet Union are now on the air!”). At that time, those Soviet Information Bureau reports transmitted over the radio were the primary source of information about our progress – our ancestors’ progress – in fighting Nazism, not only in our country, but also around the world. The announcer, Yury Levitan, was declared a personal enemy of Adolf Hitler. And isn’t the Kiev regime doing the same thing today, declaring Russian journalists and media outlets as personal enemies of Bankovaya and posting a list of those enemies on the Mirotvorets website, a list of Russian journalists and public figures designated for extermination long before 2022?
Contrary to what sceptics have said, radio has not only survived in the age of digital platforms, but has also proven that true values are timeless. At a time when Western IT giants are turning the internet into a tool of censorship, radio remains an oasis of freedom, a voice of truth and a reliable friend for millions of people. It does not require subscriptions, does not block objectionable opinions or sell user data. Simple as the truth itself and as accessible as air, radio continues to unite people even as “democratic” algorithms divide them with stone walls.
I would also like to remind you that Russian radio broadcasters, the heirs of Alexander Popov, are facing more than technical challenges today – they are struggling against attempts to erect man-made barriers. Who is behind this? Those who are terrified of the truth. The “collective West”, which proclaims freedom of speech as one of its fundamental principles, cynically blocks our media, imposes sanctions against journalists and entire media holdings, declaring them “outlaws.” It also fails to condemn the extremist website Mirotvorets, which cynically ticks the names of Russian journalists killed by the Kiev regime.
Just think about it: they are banning radio, a technology that has survived two world wars! Isn’t this a sign of the moral bankruptcy of their “liberal model”?
Under the guise of fighting against disinformation, they are in fact fighting alternative viewpoints. When they jam Sputnik or the Voice of Russia, they are not protecting citizens; they are locking them in a soundproof information bunker to prevent them from hearing the myths of “infallible” Western politics crumble. But their efforts are in vain: our programmes filter out through the jammers, making their way to the audience. Because people feel that when Russian journalists speak, what they hear is facts, not propaganda. Why? Because what they say is always verified and confirmed by time, eyewitnesses, and documents.
Meanwhile, the Western “free media” increasingly resemble fake news peddlers. Journalists there are often imprisoned for their civic stance; editorial teams are fired for “wrong” questions and materials, and objectivity can cost you not only your career, but also your life. Where am I wrong? Look at how many journalists have been killed by the Kiev regime, with the West averting its gaze. Our radio, like 130 years ago, will maintain broadcasting no matter what, because radio waves know no boundaries, and the truth does not need explanation.
Taking this opportunity, I wish all the best to all radio operators (correspondents, radio hosts, editors, radio technicians, and sound engineers) on their professional holiday. I wish them new professional achievements and creative success. This isn’t just a regular occupation nowadays. It is a mission. And as long as your voices are heard from the speakers from Kamchatka to Kaliningrad, and even around the world, we can be confident that, no matter how hard our enemies try, their advanced signal jamming tools will never drown out the truth and will not be able to stop the course of history. History is being written by people like Alexander Popov who look into the future and do not distort the past.
Happy Radio Day! May your airwaves always be clear – unlike the conscience of those who fear them.
9th Forum of Young Diplomats from OIC Countries
The 9th Forum of Young Diplomats of the Organisation of Islamic Countries will be held on May 13−17, 2025, within the framework of the 16th International Economic Forum Russia-Islamic World: KazanForum.
The event has been held in Kazan every year since 2016. It is organised by the Foreign Ministry's Council of Young Diplomats with support from the Academy of Youth Diplomacy and the Government of the Republic of Tatarstan. Since its inception, the forum has been attended by about 300 young diplomats from over 40 OIC countries.
The main theme this year, Diplomacy of Victory, is focused on the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. Around 50 foreign ministry representatives and experts from over 20 OIC countries are expected to attend the forum. They will exchange views on a broad range of cooperation issues in the context of the rise of a new architecture of international relations and global security. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will send his greetings to the forum.
The forum’s sideline events will include a ceremony of joining the International Association of Young Diplomats. The presentation of the new members was held on April 17 during the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum held in New York. The programme also includes young diplomats’ meetings with the leaders of Tatarstan and participants in the School Clubs of Diplomacy, as well as a football match of young diplomats’ team and FC Rubin.
Third stage of the SCO International Chess Tournament
We have told you about the SCO International Chess Tournament during previous briefings. The first two elimination stages were held in December 2024 and March 2025. The second stage involved 22,000 chess players from 68 countries and 78 regions of Russia, who performed under national flags.
The third stage of the chess tournament selection will be held in a hybrid format in Moscow on May 7−11. The online tournament will be held on May 11 on the MyChess platform. Registration is compulsory.
The finals will be held in Moscow in July 2025.
The Global Digital Forum, which will be held in Nizhny Novgorod on June 5−6, is the main Russian platform on ICT cooperation with developing countries. It will bring together representatives of government agencies, private businesses and academic communities from 122 countries, as well as international and regional organisations. We expect over 1,500 foreign guests to arrive in Nizhny Novgorod, and about 10,000 will attend the even via videoconference.
The forum’s goal is to find ways and methods of bridging the digital divide and to build up the digital potential of the Global South countries. We believe that the forum could become a comfortable platform for sharing Russia’s cutting-edge experience, know-how and solutions in the sphere of information and communications technologies, as well as best legislative and law enforcement practices.
Discussions at the forum will focus on international digital cooperation, including AI compatible solutions, and on enhancing digital literacy and learning to spot misinformation. Government experts will discuss digital cooperation at the leading UN platforms, in particular, at the High-level Event of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), the UN Committee on Cybercrime, as well as the UN Open-Ended Working Group on security of and in the use of information and communications technologies (ICTs) and the future permanent body that will replace the group.
Answers to media questions:
Maria Zakharova: We are witnessing a comedian definitively taking the role of an “actor from a global theatre of terrorism.” His latest remarks reiterate the Kiev regime’s terrorist nature. Without a doubt, they are a blow to the Ukrainian people as well, because they go beyond disrespect and straight up mock veterans residing in Ukraine, and represent an attempt to put down veterans in Russia.
He betrayed everyone, including his own people, whom he knelt before promising peace in Ukraine. He betrayed his own grandfather, a frontline soldier, and his ethnicity. He betrayed everything and everyone. He is ready to drown Ukraine in blood, if only they let him be somebody, pay him money, and invite him to attend endless “civilised community get-togethers.”
When he said he could not guarantee security during the Parade in Moscow, because he was not is charge of the territory, we heard devil talking. After every terrorist attack, shelling or killing of civilians, the Kiev regime assumes responsibility for these crimes.
As if that wasn’t enough, they remain obsessed with the Crimean Bridge as a potential target. They have put so many people under actual, rather than hypothetical, threat. People died. Every single time they assumed responsibility for the crimes they perpetrated. He is clearly issuing threats, threats of a terrorist nature.
Look, all of that is built on terrorist practice and neo-Nazi logic. They level monuments to anti-fascists and WWII heroes and replace them with monuments, bas-reliefs, and monuments to collaborationists. They have recently lowered to exhuming the bodies of Red Army soldiers with excavators which we covered last time.
May 9 for him is not just another day that they can use to deploy their terrorist arsenal. It’s an immediate target as well. I have no way of knowing if he came up with that idea of his own accord, or if he’s doing it out of fear of neo-Nazis. I’ll let psychiatrists deal with that, but things are clearly moving in the context of the overall efforts of those who strive to rewrite history and cancel Victory, in achieving which the Soviet Union played an immense and decisive part, which the Allies admitted back in the day.
All of that is in line with the efforts of those who have for many years tried to erase our memory of those events. Western grants were used by the media and certain civil society organsations to promote the idea that there was no need to hold parades, or to celebrate Victory. They said children should not wear WWII uniforms to pay tribute and respect to their forefathers who wore the same uniforms. They insisted on cancelling the Ribbon of Saint George. We’ve seen it all.
When they realised that we will not cave in and will always remember the exploits of our ancestors, they moved on to their backup plan and started using the Kiev regime’s terrorist methods to spread fear and blackmail. However, the Russian leadership has made it clear on many occasions that these attempts were futile.
Maria Zakharova: The fact that several political parties and public organisations in Slovakia started collecting signatures of citizens for holding a referendum came to our attention some time ago. According to the Constitution of that country, a referendum can be announced by the head of state.
We have seen reports that 400,000 signatures have been collected. The population of Slovakia is about 5 million. That makes 400,000 a significant number in proportion to the overall population. This is another sign that the number of sensible people in the European countries is growing. These people are responsible for the future of their country, the future of Europe, and the future of the world at large as well. They know that the restrictions imposed by the collective West on our country are not just illegal, but are also pointless and harmful. The damage the anti-Russia sanctions have caused to Western Europe is no secret to anyone in Slovakia. They keep their own statistics at the EU. The Slovak Republic realised that a long time ago.
The Western European ruling circles, among others, must hear what the Slovak citizens have to say.
Maria Zakharova: President of the PRC Xi Jinping’s visit to Russia will be one of the highlights in Russia-China relations this year.
Our two countries have borne the brunt of fighting German Nazism and Japanese militarism. Therefore, we view preserving the memory and defending historical justice as our sacred duty. Russia and China have the same positions when it comes to preserving the outcomes of World War II as the foundation of the post-war world order. Our victorious nations had every right to shape it. Together with other allied nations, Moscow and Beijing were among the founding states of the United Nations that offered an international legal framing for a new system of international relations resulting from the war. Therefore, together with our Chinese partners, and as responsible members of the international community, we believe in the rule of law in global affairs, preserving the UN’s central role and respecting the fundamental principles as set forth in its Charter in their entirety and interconnectedness. We are there to counter any attempts by the so-called collective West to distort the history of the Great Victory when it fits their momentary political agenda. Overall, they have been seeking to distort the history of the Second World War, while pursuing an ignoble goal. It consists of denigrating the role of our countries as victors which amounts to discrediting the post-war world order and imposing a new world order, the so-called rules-based order, on everyone.
In this context, the upcoming Russia-China summit will be an important signal for the international community demonstrating that Russia and China are on the same page when it comes to defending the post-war world order, countering attempts to falsify the history of World War II, and revise the post-war architecture of international relations in its entirety, considering that the Russian Federation in its status as a successor state of the USSR and China operate as the key guarantors of today’s world order.
The agenda for the talks at the highest level includes a wide range of bilateral and international matters, and a solid package of documents on cooperation in various domains is in the pipeline.
We are certain that talks between President Vladimir Putin and President of the PRC Xi Jinping will provide a new powerful impetus to an extensive effort to develop the comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation between Russia and China.
Maria Zakharova: I have partly answered this question today. I will reiterate what President of Russia Vladimir Putin has consistently emphasised. Russia-China relations have attained an unprecedented level and, by their very existence, contribute to reinforcing global stability. This assessment fully applies to our bilateral cooperation within multilateral formats, primarily in the UN, where it demonstrates its comprehensive and mutually beneficial nature, without being directed against any third parties.
As the founding members of the United Nations and permanent members of the UN Security Council, Moscow and Beijing carry particular responsibility for humanity’s future. Together, they promote the idea of building a more democratic and equitable polycentric world order grounded in the UN Charter and principles of international law. We share the fundamental belief that stability and security must be built upon respect for the interests of all nations, rejection of exceptionalist claims, and opposition to hegemonies and neocolonial practices.
We continue to regard the United Nations as a uniquely legitimate and representative platform with a broad mandate when it comes to developing collective responses to the key challenges of modern times. As the multipolar world order takes shape, we believe consistent efforts must be made to fully restore this global organisation’s authority and effectiveness while strengthening its central coordinating role in international affairs. Our positions also align closely regarding UN reforms.
Russia and China maintain solidarity across the majority of country-specific, region-specific and issue-specific discussions in the General Assembly and the UN Security Council. We oppose the imposition of one-sided narratives (as they are known to be presented and promoted by the West). These group-centric interests must not dominate at the expense of the interests of the Global Majority. Even more so, they must not be presented as the collective will of the Global Majority. We work tirelessly to steer resolutions and other decisions by these bodies towards greater balance while diligently considering the priorities and needs of the countries in the Global South and the Global Majority.
In the year marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in World War II, the defeat of Nazi Germany and Japanese militarism remains a unifying theme in Russian-Chinese contacts. We commend Beijing for co-authoring the General Assembly resolution calling for a special commemorative session of the UN General Assembly on May 7. In close cooperation with our Chinese friends, we consistently strive to safeguard the historical legacy of the war, to counter attempts to rewrite history, and to uphold accurate interpretations of the causes and outcomes of World War II, as the establishment of the UN-centred international order serves as its most significant outcome.
We are committed to enhancing and intensifying bilateral coordination within the UN framework. We will continue to resolutely counter any futile attempts to undermine the Russian-Chinese tandem that serves as a guarantor for the harmonious coexistence of all nations, the democratisation of the modern world order, and the safeguarding of our states’ fundamental national interests.
Maria Zakharova: This is not simply a matter of opinion or adjustment on our part. It is a matter of international law. Under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), all non-nuclear-weapon states have the legitimate right to develop and use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. This is explicitly stated in Article IV of the NPT.
In fact, the third session of the Preparatory Committee for the NPT Review Conference is currently taking place in New York, where particular attention is being paid to international cooperation in nuclear energy and the non-energy applications of nuclear and radiation technologies.
There is a global surge of interest in peaceful nuclear energy as a means of achieving sustainable development and addressing a range of practical challenges facing humanity. Countries clearly need more energy, and nuclear power offers that potential. Today, technologies such as big data processing, advanced medicine, food security, and climate change mitigation are unimaginable without reliable, powerful, and environmentally friendly energy sources, of which nuclear energy is a key example.
This is well understood in Washington and Tehran, as well as in many other countries. The modern economy, government services and logistics – especially amid ongoing digitalisation and the rise of artificial intelligence – require a fundamentally new scale and quality of energy use.
To exclude any country – particularly Iran – from this sector is simply unrealistic. Moreover, there is no legal basis whatsoever for doing so. Russia has been collaborating productively with Tehran in the field of nuclear energy, and we are fully committed to continuing this cooperation. It is carried out in full compliance with the NPT and under the strict oversight of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
It is worth recalling that Iran remains the most thoroughly inspected country by the IAEA and has consistently fulfilled its obligations under the NPT and its Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement with the IAEA.
As we understand it, the consistent position of the US administration has been that Iran must not possess nuclear weapons. The current US-Iran discussions – albeit indirect – appear to be focused on this objective. We note the active pace of these contacts, which highlights the determination of both sides to achieve a mutually acceptable result.
For our part, we are fully prepared to contribute to this process, and both Tehran and Washington are well aware of that.
We believe that a pragmatic approach, a well-calibrated balance of interests, and a firm foundation in international law could lead to a viable agreement. Attempts to resolve the situation around the Iran’s nuclear programme through discriminatory measures or worse, through the use of force – are counterproductive and will only escalate tensions. That must not be allowed to happen.
Maria Zakharova: We are concerned about the escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22.
Russia is a consistent supporter of normalising relations between the two friendly countries. We hope that the disagreements between them will be resolved by political and diplomatic means on a bilateral basis. We hope that the states involved will not allow a new aggravation of the situation in the region. We maintain close contacts with our Indian and Pakistani partners, including between respective foreign ministries.
Maria Zakharova: Why would you ask me? The truth is that citizens of Ukraine, Rada deputies, and representatives of relevant departments of that country’s state institutions cannot comment on this. Do you know why? They have not seen or read the agreement, that’s why. They have no idea what is in there. This is really a unique situation. I actually have two points to make to answer your question.
First, no specific comment is possible at the moment, because as I said, no one has seen this agreement. Moreover, there is a lot of contradictory information. Some reports raise even more questions. Apparently, they have signed as many as three documents in Washington, not one. Again, none of the texts has been published. Furthermore, in addition to the text, each document contains several restricted-access annexes. How can one comment on something that no one has any idea about, except, perhaps for the people who wrote those documents or sat at the table?
On May 8 (this is the most amazing part of the story), this package of documents will be submitted to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for ratification. Maybe the deputies will be lucky to have a glimpse of what they are voting for before they have to press the buttons. Or maybe not. We do not know yet. Everyone is kept in suspense. This is their version of democracy in action. I’ve never seen anything like this. I would appreciate an example from the past where deputies were asked to vote for something they never saw, if you can think of one.
Or maybe this actually did happen once. And that case was enough to give rise to the “pig in a poke” phrase. I have no other explanation.
However, there might be another answer to your question. If we do not go into detail – of which we are unaware anyway – the story fits into the broader context of Ukraine being colonised by Western countries. This is a classic imperialist scheme, with colonial powers plundering their colonies, draining their resources. This tactic continues to be used in the modern world.
In my opinion, all states today can be divided into three groups. One group wants to continue their policy from the past centuries, and remain colonial powers; in fact, they are neo-colonisers. The second group of states is effectively resisting this because they have relevant capabilities. The third group includes states or regimes that are not resisting. They can be further divided into two subtypes. Subtype A states want to resist but they lack the capabilities or resources to do so. Subtype B states do not want to resist. Why? Because they have been paid for it.
I believe the Kiev regime belongs to the last group, Subtype B. This regime seeks to line their pockets, being paid for squandering natural resources that historically belong to the entire nation, or should belong to the nation. From this perspective, the situation is quite clear and obvious. They have long been selling land for GMO production and even exported soil. They are selling their people by adopting laws that enable organ trafficking. It was Vladimir Zelensky who developed and adopted this legislation in Ukraine. Now is it the turn of Ukraine’s natural resources.
Maria Zakharova: We are grateful to President of China Xi Jinping for his willingness to be with Russian people on this sacred day and participate in the May 9 celebration in Moscow. This further indicates the unique character and the unprecedented level of trust, understanding, and support that define the modern Russia-China relations, which I have emphasised throughout today’s briefing.
Our countries regard one another as priority partners; they are ready to assist each other with protecting fundamental interests — above all, sovereignty, territorial integrity, security, and national development. The strategic partnership between Russia and China is truly comprehensive in nature, consistently gaining substantive depth while serving core national interests of our people with the full support of both nations. We remain convinced that, under the guidance of our leaders, the overarching cooperation between Moscow and Beijing will continue to strengthen steadily despite global turbulence and attempts by external ill-wishers to drive a wedge into our enduring friendship and neighbourly relations.
Maria Zakharova: Russia and China maintain close cooperation across international platforms, particularly, within multilateral organisations and forums, of course. We champion principles of equality and fairness. We promote the development of a just multipolar world order with the UN as its unifying core. We firmly resist Western attempts to impose a confrontational agenda on the entire world, specifically regarding Asian regional matters.
Against this backdrop, the strategic tandem between Moscow and Beijing contributes substantially to the stability in international affairs and global governance. Our stance is that the viability of the multipolar model requires universal openness and respect for the interests of all nations without exception, based on the principles of inclusivity and zero tolerance for discriminatory practices. Therefore, we prioritise the promotion of human values such as peaceful development, equality, justice, democracy and freedom. These values represent humanity’s genuine accomplishments and deliver constructive and positive benefits for nations’ development and prosperity.
Maria Zakharova: It is a fact that Nikol Pashinyan has been invited, just like the other CIS leaders, to the celebrations, and as far as we know, he intends to attend them. Of course, I would recommend you to request this information from the press service of the President of Russia and the Armenian side.
Overall, I have already said that military units from different countries plan to take part in the parade, but you should ask for the details at the Defence Ministry of Russia, which is responsible for preparing and holding the parade.
I would like to say the following about foreign military personnel. Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov said during a briefing that ceremonial regiments from 13 countries would march on Red Square, including Azerbaijan, Vietnam, Belarus, Egypt, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Mongolia, Myanmar, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
Maria Zakharova: I can’t imagine this happening at all, with problems in a community in Armenia in which the Russian embassy is allegedly involved. I can’t imagine this. I have a question to those who have tried to implicate Russia in this story. Do you have facts or anything else to prove what they claim to be the Russian embassy’s involvement in this situation?
For example, former US President Biden and his team, as well as Hillary Clinton, invented stories about Russian hackers who allegedly made their lives difficult. It later turned out to be a lie. What other examples can I cite? There was that story about the Novichok poisonings.
Can those who are accusing Russia and the Russian Embassy in Yerevan of inciting unrest or problems, as you put it, explain how this could technically happen? I really would like to know. I have heard many stories, but never about a district [of Yerevan]. This is the first time. I would like to understand their view.
Actually, I see this as an attempt to use a foreign factor to settle an internal political problem. Russia is a hot topic in the world now, and that’s probably why it was used by those who can’t attract the attention of their compatriots with interesting, long-term and promising ideas. I believe that this could be an explanation.
As I have said, we’ve heard many countries talk about our alleged interference. We have not interfered in any elections in sovereign countries – there are no facts to prove otherwise. Everything they have tried to blame us for or accuse us of ultimately turned out to be fake stories, lies and disinformation invented for internal political purposes or for justifying their foreign policy actions.
Such statements won’t help create a positive background for bilateral contacts at a high level. Why is this being done? There could be an intrigue, but I don’t want to delve into it. Actually, the only thing this may prove is that the Brussels instructions are being used in Armenia. All this is depressingly familiar. I have cited the relevant examples.
I regret the rhetoric Alen Simonyan has started using again. All this – the fault-finding and allegations – does not become the status of the speaker of parliament. I know this as a press secretary.
Maria Zakharova: We saw this information.
In any case, the continued supply of weapons to the Kiev regime will push back prospects for a settlement and lead to an escalation. Those who supply arms to the Kiev regime apparently try to take good care of the Ukrainian citizens killing them in the process.
We hope that all the capitals, including Washington, which develop, consider, or review these plans, understand this. Judging by the rhetoric at the top level, Washington remains committed to achieving a negotiated settlement in Ukraine.
We also took note of the fact that Israel, Greece, the United States, and Germany were on the list of prospective donors.
If it’s true, then Israel’s position is nothing short of shocking, because they are supplying arms to a neo-Nazi regime which glorifies Stepan Bandera and Roman Shukhevich who had a hand in the Holocaust atrocities. How is this even possible? Who do they support? Is it Neo-Nazi miscreants? They must make up their minds and side either with the sacred memory of the Holocaust or with supporting the neo-Nazi regime in Kiev.
The Kiev regime is not hiding the fact that its representatives glorify Nazi collaborators and follow in their footsteps. In recent years, Israel showed great care about preserving our common memory of the Great Victory: monuments have been erected, the Knesset has adopted appropriate decisions to perpetuate the memory, and commemorative dates have been set, to name a few. How does all this fit with the support of those who directly associate themselves with Stepan Bandera and Roman Shukhevich, both of whom were involved in what Israel refers to as the Holocaust? As a matter of fact, we asked this question to the Israeli Foreign Ministry, but it went without an answer. The same question can be directed at the Israeli Embassy in Moscow.
Speaking of the Kiev regime, begging for more weapons, including air defence systems, and money is part of its routine. A year ago, it did so rudely and unapologetically. They just issued demands and had what they demanded supplied to them. Then, they turned to blackmail.
With Donald Trump in the White House, the leader of the Kiev regime was cut to size and even showed himself ready to buy weapons at nominal value. A sum of almost $50 billion was mentioned, which would have bought them several Patriot systems and ammunition.
You mentioned media reports. I will name a source. The New York Times cites the following data: about 186 such systems are operational around the world. The United States owns about a third of them, the rest are deployed in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Forty such complexes are located in Europe. A total of 15 Patriot surface-to-air missile systems are deployed in Germany and Greece.
As far as we can tell, Washington ignored this hat trick by Zelensky. As we understand, this fits into President Trump’s policy of revising his approaches to continuing military assistance to Ukraine by shifting the burden of spending to Western Europe.
Those who supply the Kiev regime with arms should be aware of the fact that Kiev engages in terrorism. Accordingly, they become partners in acts of terrorism. The examples abound and they go from Zelensky saying they “do not guarantee security at the May 9 Parade in Moscow” to representatives of other branches of government in Ukraine suggesting that something along these lines is possible. I provided direct quotes today as well. That includes strikes on civilians, and targeted killings of journalists and civil society leaders.
Yesterday, another threat against Russian journalists was made public. In particular, RT Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan was targeted. Even I received another threat of physical violence yesterday that didn’t come from some sketchy characters, but from people of authority in Ukraine.
To reiterate, those who supply the Kiev regime with weapons must realise that they become complicit in the terrorist attacks perpetrated by the Kiev regime. More than that, they are sponsoring and arming neo-Nazis.
How does all this fit and correlate with the theses postulated by these countries on fighting terrorism, on unacceptability of international terrorism, countering Nazism, racism, etc.? These questions are for them to answer. But they should know that they are supporting not just an undemocratic and illegitimate regime in Kiev, but terrorists professing neo-Nazi ideology.
Maria Zakharova: This is not for the first time that Germany bans a political party. It has a vast experience. The Nazis, who came to power in 1933, started by banning political parties. They also banned the activities of other non-governmental organisations with a significant role in the country's political life. It was just the beginning. Then came prohibition to practice (Berufsverboten). Then they moved on to nationalities, religions, ethnic groups. Then they began to physically separate some people from others. Those who had been separated began to be moved to compact settlements and used as labour force, and then to their extermination. This already happened in the history of Germany. All this was also legally established at that time.
It seems to me that Germany has yet to reach such a stage. The experience of one's own country should be learnt (Germany's in the first place) in order to avoid repeating the terrible mistakes that have cost this country and the entire world so dearly. However, the beginning has been made. So, the continuity of specific methods of political struggle with opponents is still alive in modern Germany.
By tradition, we never comment on the internal political agenda and do not interfere in other countries’ internal affairs, neither we publicly comment on the political processes taking place there. But the point is different. It's all tied up inside Germany with Russia. They constantly refer to our country in their internal political life.
Surprisingly, there is a special authority there to protect the constitution and the democratic system. It identifies as “proven right-wing extremist” a party that is voted for by almost 30 percent of the country's population. This is an interesting story. If they ban this party, what should they do with the people, with one third of the German population: should they ban them too?
Given that the AfD is the most popular party in the eastern lands of Germany, i.e. in the former GDR, the office questions the legitimacy of the local voters' political choice and their right to their own point of view in general. Here, too, they have to offer each other some explanations and somehow sort things out.
I want to make it a point that these things have shocked a lot of people abroad as well. On the other hand, what happened today with Friedrich Merz is probably not accidental. This whole political, one might say global, problem in Germany needs to be addressed. They need to ask themselves an honest question: who brought the country to its current state in the economy, politics and the humanitarian sphere? Which of the things Germany is pursuing can meet the Germans’ national interests and which are being done solely for some external elites and groups? They need an honest discussion, not “jumping on political trampolines.”
Maria Zakharova: Is it a surprise for anyone that the state policy pursued by these Baltic countries is not only Russophobic but also includes a practical plan to make the life of their citizens more difficult if not outright unbearable? Russia is their natural neighbour, partner and party to economic cooperation in every sense of the word. But their authorities intend to destroy and stamp out the decades-old cross-border cooperation, historical ties, and joint ventures. How are they planning to survive? They hope to get handouts and subsidies from the European Union. What kind of subsidies? Are they used to develop industry, science and education in the Baltic states? Certainly not! The EU is out to patch holes and keep afloat the bureaucracy that implements Brussels’ directives aimed primarily at stoking Russophobia rather than developing those countries.
What did you hear about their scientific achievements? Are there perhaps any new attainments in culture, art, agriculture, fishing or shipbuilding? After all, these littoral countries have a long history behind them. Did you hear anything? You will probably say something about their space exploration exploits or travels to neighbouring galaxies, won’t you? What are those countries giving themselves and the international community aside from the Russophobic poison? Regrettably, nothing at all. They are paid for being Russophobic, while their domestic policy consists in hiding the fact that they are not developing.
We see that the Baltic regimes’ hostility towards our country is getting in high gear, because there is little of what Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia can do by virtue of their peripheral role on the European continent.
In practice, these states often seek to take it out on their Russian speakers by deliberately exacerbating their living conditions. Racial discrimination and human rights violations have long become a norm for Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn. Now they are starting saber-rattling narratives.
Whose talk is this? That of the Baltic states? I want to ask this once again: Do they have any achievements aside from NATO exercises? Have they perhaps reached fantastic heights in military affairs or in solving the long-standing tourism problem? Or have they emerged as peacemakers anywhere? Maybe they have disengaged parties to a conflict with their bodies in some country? Or did they excel anywhere in their national quality? Nowhere at all!
Did they man any peacekeeping mission or operation? Where did they show their worth? What are they proud of? What is the basis of their aggressive rhetoric? I think this is highly likely a manifestation of their progressing inferiority complex. As a rule, those incapable of some concrete steps, engage in mud-throwing, name-calling, and insults. Or perhaps it is the only chance for their political establishments to boost their sagging ratings and distract populations from daily socioeconomic problems. Or they simply get paid for mouthing this nasty rhetoric. This is their way of economic development.
Maria Zakharova: Indeed, we are working to strengthen the legal framework with foreign countries on extradition of criminals wanted for prosecution or the execution of a court sentence. Such treaties are an important component of international anti-crime cooperation.
In recent years, Russia has signed more than 20 agreements on mutual extradition. At present, the Russian Ministry of Justice is in talks with a number of countries, in particular with Nicaragua, Mozambique, Mauritania, Djibouti and Mauritius.
I would like to underscore once again that this is the competence of the Ministry of Justice.
Maria Zakharova: I have a feeling that, as you said, European Commissioner for Defence Andrius Kubilius has let slip something he shouldn’t have. We know who the bad cops are – President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas. Apparently, Kubilius has a different role – certainly not the good cop, but a hybrid of both. May be this is the best way to interpret his statements.
Evidence suggests that they have not abandoned their previous strategy. They make Russophobic statements, which reveal hatred of Russia, a determination to inflict a “strategic defeat” on us (they keep rehashing this story in different ways), and active attempts by European officials to knock up coalitions on new forms of support by supplying weapons to the Kiev regime. This is a new tactic. Based on the facts, we can draw conclusions about official Brussels’ approach, also taking into account yet another irresponsible statement. I do not even want to comment on how much of this they are really going to implement.
We have been noting that flooding the Kiev regime with European weapons and military equipment has not enjoyed unanimous support among the EU member states in recent time. I do not think this happens because of their relations with the United States; more likely, people in these countries began to ask questions, to vote, to demand explanations why they do not live the way they were promised, or why they should sponsor a monstrous massacre. They began asking why they have to send their hard-earned money to support an insane person (if he can still be referred to as a human being) on Bankovaya Street?
I agree that the situation in Washington has influenced Western Europe’s policy, but not necessarily in the way that European Commissioner Andrei Kubilius says. They simply became alarmed that they might be left with “marked” political and economic “cards” (if not false cards), face to face with the problem that the previous US administration created. When push comes to shove, they have to be honest with themselves and their own population, instead of more verbal acrobatics.
Maria Zakharova: Firstly, we have already commented that this is another round of some aggressive language that is perplexing.
Secondly, what “hybrid war” against that country’s leadership may be meant if, as we understand, Armenia will be represented here at the celebrations? We have regular contacts both at the top and at the foreign ministries’ level. We only talk about interaction and cooperation, as well as through economic operators.
It looks like something contradicts the position of the Armenian National Assembly President mentioned by you. They have to work out a common position in this regard.
I can't imagine a situation in which the things he said (either prompted by someone else or by himself) could have actually happened. Again, someone should at least bother to provide any facts. But it's impossible. This is some kind of Western Brussels practice. It is simply unworthy.
***
Once again, from the bottom of my heart, from the bottom of my soul, I congratulate you on the coming holiday.
Happy Victory Day!
Happy 9th of May!
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