Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, Moscow, February 17, 2023

The Foreign Ministry’s regional offices serve as a link between the headquarters and regional executive bodies and play an important role in helping them expand their international and foreign trade ties as part of Russia’s single foreign policy.

The participants will discuss matters related to enabling the Foreign Ministry offices to be more effective in their role as coordinators of regions’ foreign ties, as well as proposals to streamline their operation.

Ukraine crisis

February 14, 2023, was the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Voroshilovgrad (present-day Lugansk) from Nazi occupation. This was the first regional capital in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic to be liberated by the Red Army from the enemy, paving the way to ending the occupation across the Donbass region. We offer our greetings to the people of Lugansk on this important anniversary. It is our firm belief that after all the suffering they endured, the Lugansk and Donetsk people’s republics will soon be freed from Ukrainian neo-Nazis who have been terrorising people there since 2014.

The same day, February 14, 2023, the NATO Headquarters in Brussels hosted the ninth Ramstein-format meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group. How symbolic. Once again, there were bombastic statements on Kiev’s “inevitable victory” and Western plans to supply weapons and military equipment. They reaffirmed plans to deliver heavy tanks to Ukraine. However, they did not say how many and when. After all, slogans are what matters for them. They know how to do it over there in the West. However, the main takeaway from this meeting was that Vladimir Zelensky’s regime was literally ordered to launch a counteroffensive this spring. It seems that Brussels and its Ramstein format members believe that there are still people left in Ukraine, no matter who they are and how many. From a Euro-Atlantic perspective, the time has come to exterminate those who are still alive in this country. There were no decisions on fighter jets, which Ukraine’s Presidential Office has been so eager to obtain. I will talk about the North Atlantic Council later in today’s briefing.

We have taken note of Western and other media reports that shells and other weapons could be manufactured in Ukraine jointly with Britain under licence, and that Kiev plans to establish similar joint ventures with other NATO countries. It is clear that the pumping of weapons into Ukraine is being financed by large Western companies, which look forward to lining their pockets from the conflict. They do not care about the people. But it has always been like that.

The price of that self-serving policy is the lives of innocent people. Although the targets are allegedly chosen in Kiev, they are coordinated with the United States and its NATO allies, as US Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland, who is the main architect of Ukraine’s current “happiness,” has said. They do not care that the targets are residential buildings, schools, hospitals and kindergartens. And their corrupted pet NGOs are keeping silent about that. Even when they speak up, which happens very rarely, they are immediately told by their donors to shut up. Even after that, the dove-eyed NATO countries continue to assure the international community that they are not parties to the conflict. How come? They are fully involved. They have been staging provocations for years, and now they are guiding the Kiev regime by hand. There is a clear connection between corruption, funding, weapons and the like. They are interconnected, yet they claim that they are not parties to the conflict. It is the uttermost cynicism; more than that, it is the cowardly refusal to admit that they are involved in the crimes committed by the Ukrainian military.

The anticorruption performance is being played out in Ukraine. The current act is called “painstaking efforts.” Last week, searches were held at the customs and tax services, as if these officials had only been appointed several months before. No, they have been living comfortably for years, many of them in the same positions. Since the United States knows everything that is taking place in Ukraine (it sets the targets for the Kiev regime), they also know everything about the regime as well. Why did they not speak up during all these years? Why have they not named the names, passwords, safe houses and funds these people embezzled? Because these people helped channel Western money into Ukraine. They used the same corruption scheme, but now they need to get rid of the ballast and pep up the people. The Ukrainian citizens, who have no access to the trough and are not involved in Western machinations, are seized in the streets, thrown into vehicles and transported to the slaughter area. Meanwhile, Vladimir Zelensky continues to line his pockets, just as Petr Poroshenko before him but on a much larger scale. They think that from time to time they need to throw a carrot or a bone to the people to pep them up. This is how they divert their attention.

Many senior officials of central and local divisions of the customs and tax services were dismissed. Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council Alexey Danilov announced large-scale purges at security agencies, including the Security Service of Ukraine and the police force. The media has reported an alleged upcoming government reshuffle. The government headed by Prime Minister Denis Shmygal might even resign. The media also highlights greater disagreements among the military and political leaders of Ukraine. The team of Vladimir Zelensky’s “young reformists” are fighting desperately to stay in power. This is yet another classical deception scheme for the people of Ukraine.

Kiev continues the sanctions war against Russia. Since early 2023, it has imposed restrictive measures against hundreds of Russian individuals and legal entities. At the same time, it is ostentatiously introducing tougher restrictions. Since February of this year, the term of their validity is extended to 50 years. I believe this is the Kiev regime’s only chance to prolong its own existence, specifically, by issuing insane written orders or by issuing orders 50 years ahead. On February 5 and 12, 2023, Ukraine blacklisted 200 enterprises and research institutes of the Russian nuclear industry, as well as its top managers and prominent nuclear physicists. In all, these lists include 198 people. Presidential aides Yury Ushakov and Larisa Brychyova have also been sanctioned.

On January 29, 2023, Vladimir Zelensky signed an executive order placing restrictive measures on 182 Russian and Belarusian transport and chemical companies, including fertiliser plants. This shows convincingly how Ukraine fulfils package agreements under the Black Sea Initiative, which envisages Ukrainian grain shipments from ports in the Odessa Region, as well as Russian agricultural produce and fertiliser deliveries to the global market. However, the Kiev regime believes that these bans are not enough, and it has demanded that the United States and the EU join in to impede the food security of various continents, so that everyone would remember this for a long time.

Ukrainian authorities do not renounce their attempts to make short work of the country’s largest canonical church, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Members of the Verkhovna Rada are reviewing four bills that aim to curtail its activities, sequester its property and change its name. On February 12, 2023, the media reported that the government had submitted a bill on banning the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to the Verkhovna Rada. All these documents grossly violate the national constitution. We are not even talking about the norms that have been signed by most countries, including those on the European continent.

It is not surprising that the anti-church campaign unleashed by the Kiev regime is causing discontent in various groups of Ukrainian society. People are confused and are wondering why their already disastrous situation in Ukraine is worsening. One of their last beacons of hope, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), is being dismantled before their eyes. This is not just cynicism. I think it is one of the manifestations of the genocide the North Atlantic agencies and elite are committing in Ukraine.

People are demanding that President Zelensky stop his attacks on Orthodoxy. But who listens to them? This is the reason he was put into power, to commit Ukraine’s suicide, but to frame it as though the country’s lamentable state was brought about by some internal processes. Everything we have seen in Ukraine in recent decades is the result of the activities of the relevant North Atlantic groups, the deep state in the United States and United Kingdom, which involved those countries’ special services. The authorities on Bankova Street remain indifferent to the voice of the people and continue to do everything to deepen the split and increase religious tensions.

And all that time, we have not heard the “democratic and “liberal” West even once explicitly condemn the Kiev regime’s brutal and lawless actions, although it says it champions human rights, pluralism, freedom of speech and opinion. Every year, the US Department of State publishes reviews, reports, and analyses on how people in various parts of the world are given or not given the opportunity to express their religious views and beliefs. Will the US Department of State give an assessment of Ukraine’s actions with regard to the UOC? Why wait for the next report? Isn’t this an excellent reason to release a press statement (even in Russian) explaining Washington’s views and assessments of the atrocities taking place in Ukraine? But the Westerners, as before, are covering up for their puppets, watching in silence as they trample over the biggest church in their country. This is not even about a church; it’s about people who believe, who identify themselves with a certain religious group. This is not just the destruction of books (that seems to be normal in the West, as we have seen), but the destruction of people’s faith, an attempt to rewire their minds, to reboot their consciousness, their will, and their mentality.

Ukraine continues waging a war on the monuments to Red Army heroes. Now their burial places are under attack. The authorities of Bodnarov, Kalushsky District, Ivano-Frankovsk Region are planning to take down the monument to Hero of the Soviet Union Alexander Koryakov “to protect the cultural space of Ukraine.” Koryakov, from Russia’s Kostroma Region, died at the age of 21 for the liberation of Ukraine from the Nazis. They plan to “excavate, exhume and rebury” his remains in the local village cemetery. Is this okay? “Democracy” has reached Ivano-Frankovsk. People who care say that if this continues, the next thing we know, Vladimir Zelensky will order the removal of the tombstone of his own grandfather. I wouldn’t be surprised. A person can do anything in the disturbed state of mind.

Recently, a bill abolishing Soviet holidays was introduced to the Verkhovna Rada. Which holidays? You won’t believe it. The Soviet holiday of March 8! Being ignorant people, the heads of the Kiev regime are not bothered by the fact that this is International Women’s Day, which came to the USSR from the “enlightened” West. I am not sure that they are “people” either, because the dehumanisation process we observe there (from exhuming the bodies of heroes who liberated Ukraine from Nazism to rewriting all of history) can hardly be called a characteristic of human beings. I understand that some may need reminders, but obviously there are no people left at the top echelons in Ukraine who know or have heard anything about world history. There were women like Clara Zetkin and Rosa Luxemburg, who were Soviet through and through. March 8 is marked not only in Russia (and in the Soviet Union before that), but all over the world as International Women’s Day.

What other holidays are a bone in the Kiev regime’s throat and make its life miserable? They need to wipe out May 1 and Victory Day, and life will be rosy for them again. This is no longer surprising, given what they do with regard to the heroes of the Great Patriotic War and World War II. It is being suggested that these holidays should be replaced by their Ukrainian analogues. For example, women’s holiday will be marked on February 25 instead of March 8. Don’t be surprised by this date. Everything is being distorted, turned upside down and bottom-up, or misrepresented. February was when all of us celebrated Defender of the Fatherland Day before, but now they are going to introduce Ukrainian Woman’s Day or Lesya Ukrainka’s Day. On March 9, they are planning to celebrate Shevchenko Day or Taras Shevchenko’s Birthday; May 1 and 9 from now on will be workdays, while May 8 has been proclaimed the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation. No mention at all is made of Victory or the Great Patriotic War. I think they will mention the victory in Europe in the international context, but at home and for domestic use they will have the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation. The Kiev regime is ready to do anything to be closer to their US and European masters. It does not matter that for this they will have to destroy the peaceful cities of Donbass, the Ukrainian people’s historical memory, and what remains of critical thinking in themselves and other people.

We noticed yet another series of false allegations made by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba. I think this one is his masterpiece. A rare achievement! But he has managed to outdo himself: “The Russian Empire was created by the French, the Germans and the Ukrainians, and now we must decide what to do with it going forward.” I would like to clear up the order. Do I understand correctly that the French led the way and were followed by the Germans and the Ukrainians? Or does this have no relation to dates in history and is just bag and baggage? Unbelievable! Were there no Rurikids? Were they more French than Ukrainian, or vice versa? Judging by all appearances, the primitive (caveman’s) Russophobia and the wish to “cancel Russia” is what brought on acute attacks of schizophrenia and megalomania among people in Kiev. But even this tendency does not explain Kuleba’s statements. I would like him to elaborate on his idea, if we may call it that.

While few can aspire to match Ukraine’s Foreign Minister with his crackpot statements, there are some that are following in his footsteps. Just the other day, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York decided to rebrand great Russian painters Ivan Aivazovsky, Ilya Repin, and Arkhip Kuindzhi as Ukrainian artists. I would like to remind the museum that these were actual people, not just names appearing under paintings. They were not mythical characters, and do not come from fairy tales or legends. They were born on specific dates (and the registries even mentioned their gender at the time), and they could talk. They said many times (people used to have the right to talk about facts, but the West is now seeking to cancel that) during their lifetimes that they viewed themselves as Russians and only Russians. This meant something for them. How is it possible that even here they will deny us the perennial right to preserve the memory and truth about the people who are no longer with us?

In fact, this issue invites a broader discussion since what we are dealing with is not just a substitution error, forgery, or a misguided effort to promote a political agenda. What we are witnessing is a major world-famous museum contradicting science. There are established evidence-based facts, but they distort them and are doing this intentionally. Moreover, by waging this campaign they are acting in broad daylight, and have adopted an anti-science position. Can it be that arts experts from this respected museum in the United States did not know the biographies of these three Russian painters? Of course, they knew it. Or maybe those who did know were taken to the basement and constrained so they couldn’t express their objection? What is going on with the Met? Have its director or people who are aware of the facts been taken hostage? What is happening? Who is in charge? This is outright fraud and malicious activity, falling within the purview of law enforcement agencies, not just a fake story as part of the West’s line to cancel Russian culture.

What will happen next? Let me tell you. This is not just my fantasy. Not at all. This is how this logic works. They will move on to change names like they did with ethnic background and citizenship. It worked, so why not? The United States took this in stride, didn’t it? What’s next? These semi-savage US arts experts will change the names inscribed on the paintings. They will simply cross out Rafael, for example, and scribble names of American painters over it in order to give them eternal fame. However, the opposite could happen, too. They may take unknown artists and use their names for attributing works by well-known creators, and this would be totally legal. Another option would be to use works by unknown painters and pretend that they were created by famous artists. The ball is already rolling.

After that, they will change the titles of paintings without expert opinion, and disregard any evidence related to their creation, like the type of paint or canvases that were used. They will change the dates at their discretion. Does it make any difference? Of course not. If you can change a person’s citizenship and ethnic background without any facts and contrary to established facts and documents, you can change anything. Do you think they will stop at that? No, they won’t. They will go on to change genders. I have no doubt that they will tell us that Ivan Aivazovsky or Michelangelo were, for example, transgender people, rather than men. Why not? This is already happening with historical and cultural figures appearing in the books billionaires view as sacred. British would-be scientists now claim that everything in the New Testament happened with a transgender person or a person with a fluid gender identity. They are already on their way. Will Ivan Aivazovsky and Arkhip Kuindzhi, together with Ilya Repin, become women or transgender?

What next? It makes no difference. They also change races at will. I saw a book cover yesterday, Alexandre Dumas’ The Three Musketeers. It turned out that the characters were not representatives of the white European race but representatives of different ethnicities. This is how the artist sees them. And they are trying to force this historical “reality” on us, openly inferring that this is not tolerance but a substitution of concepts. The matter must be taken up by those who are required to provide legal opinions. The West has cultivated Ukrainian Nazis and criminals. But it is unable to nurture great humanists, thinkers or artists for the Kiev regime. So, the West has been doing what it is best at, that is, steal.

The collective West has clearly indicated that it has resolved to continue giving billions of dollars to the Nazi regime, which is drowning in blood and corruption, even though aid for Ukraine is weighing ordinary Europeans down. And the Ukrainian authorities, who are serving the interests of their Western sovereigns, intend to continue fighting “to the last Ukrainian” and to break the spiritual and cultural ties between people (not to mention countries), contrary to the interests of these people, who have to silently comply. They are silent because speaking up has become dangerous in Ukraine long before 2022. Many human rights activists, journalists and political writers have been killed there, as I am sure you know.

No matter how hard they try to harm Russia, truth will prevail, as it has many times throughout history. More and more countries, public figures and politicians are coming to see the mendacity of the West’s policy to preserve their domination at any cost.

Statement by the Interdepartmental Coordination Headquarters of the Russian Federation for Humanitarian Response on Kiev’s planned provocation to accuse Russia of radioactive contamination of Ukraine’s territory

We have taken note of a statement by the Interdepartmental Coordination Headquarters of the Russian Federation on Humanitarian Response made on February 14 this year, which indicates that the Ukrainian authorities, supported by their Western handlers, have not abandoned attempts to follow the well-trodden path of provocations and accusing Russia of violating nuclear security in Ukraine. Apparently, the Kiev regime plans to present certain “weighty evidence” to the international community allegedly confirming that the actions by Russian servicemen at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant and in the exclusion zone in February-April 2022 have led to radioactive contamination of a significant part of the territory of Ukraine. Are they maybe talking about Vladimir Zelensky, trying to explain his strange condition? I don’t know.

Such planted stories have one distinctive feature: they always rely on unsubstantiated and falsified data. The Ukrainian authorities use every opportunity to spread misinformation about nuclear threats allegedly coming from Russia. At the same time, let me remind you that they are actually the main threat, as confirmed by numerous recorded cases where the Armed Forces of Ukraine shelled the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant.

Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland’s statements on the possibility of Ukraine striking targets in Crimea

We have noted comments by US Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland who said Washington supports Ukraine’s attacks on Russian military infrastructure in Crimea. Nuland also considers it expedient to “demilitarise” the Russian peninsula.

Once again, we have to underscore the United States’ involvement in the conflict in Ukraine. They supply weapons in huge quantities, provide intelligence, participate in the planning of combat operations, train the Ukrainian military and representatives of various illegal armed groups. They’re doing it now, as they’ve done before. It was Washington that actually forbade the Kiev regime to negotiate with Moscow and insisted on continuing the confrontation with Russia “to the last Ukrainian,” an attitude also manifested in their actions.

Now the American warmongers have gone even further. They’re inciting the Kiev regime to further escalation – to move the war to Russia (by striking its territory like that). This is something that we have warned about before, and that has forced us to launch the special military operation. Now senior US officials are talking about it directly, openly, and unashamedly. They have spent years trying to pit us against each other; they have now shifted to overt calls.

It is clear that Nuland’s mention of certain “military infrastructure” is nothing more than a “plausible” pretext, an attempt to camouflage the dream of defeating our country that obsesses them. We all know perfectly well about Ukrainian neo-Nazis hitting civilian targets. There are plenty of facts and statistics that we have repeatedly cited, including in international organisations. And that did not begin in February 2022; they have been doing this since 2014, as destroying civil infrastructure has always been the cherished goal of those handlers of the Kiev regimes who used them to manipulate Ukraine and direct it towards confrontation and open conflict with Russia. This, of course, means Washington and, not least, Victoria Nuland personally. As a reminder, Kiev began shelling Donbass in 2014, after the anti-constitutional armed coup orchestrated by Washington.

I think that there is no point in reminding you that Crimea is reliably protected. This issue is within the competence of the Ministry of Defence and other relevant authorities, which will give their own clarifications.

I have some advice for Victoria Nuland. Why don’t you take care of the white balloons and UFOs, or whatever objects are flying in droves over the United States? As we can see, you are not very good at dealing with these unidentified objects quickly and effectively. Your own people are laughing at you, and you keep dreaming of Russia’s defeat and calling on the Kiev regime to launch an attack on Crimea. You have things to do at home, Victoria. In addition to the UFOs, which a whole big commission will be addressing now.

The US policy of double standards

The coverage of an incident that took place near the small town of East Palestine, Ohio, on February 3, where 50 train cars carrying hazardous chemicals derailed has come to our attention. What is happening now in Ohio appears to be a major man-made disaster in terms of threat to the environment and human life and health. Moreover, the disquieting details of the accident are coming to light only now, since media were not allowed to the crash site.

Victoria, we know you as someone who was involved in the US Department of State’s information policy and as a public figure. Could you take the situation with the derailment of 50 train cars with hazardous chemicals in your country under your personal supervision? Could you tell us about what’s going on there? Add some democracy to life in the United States. Your people would love it.

During the firefighting efforts at the crash site, it was decided to carry out a “controlled release” of the train car chemicals that are hazardous to human health. Controlled release involved depressurising several containers and burning their contents on the grounds that the tanks may overheat and explode. About 5,000 residents living within two miles of the accident site were evacuated. Mass pollution of air, water and soil occurred, and some domestic animals and birds died. Toxic substances have been detected in the tributaries of the Ohio River, which is used to supply water to the households in that region.

This crash clearly shows the way the Western news machine works. Despite declaring its commitment to the environmental agenda and accusing other countries of insufficiently “ambitious” environmental efforts and raising the bar of environmental commitments for them, the Biden administration is making every effort to hush up its own failures caused by local regulators’ mistakes in transporting hazardous materials. Any country may be hit by a disaster. Disasters do happen for various reasons, such as negligence, natural disasters, or insufficient oversight, because the world and the humans in it are imperfect.

We always lend a helping hand and show support with deep sympathy, as is the case in Syria and Türkiye now. We certainly sense and understand the severity of the situation caused by this disaster in the United States, because both humans and the environment are impacted. But there is a tiny nuance. Stop lecturing us all.

I am now talking to Victoria Nuland and her colleagues in the White House and the US State Department. Stop lecturing the world about how it should go about its business. Show by your own example that you know how to live a good and gracious high-quality (which is your favourite variable), efficient and honest life. Show it for us all to see. I assure you that many will be drawn to you. However, you do things the other way round and hide your problems which only makes global crises worse. It has been that way for decades. And yet you have the gall, arrogance and unbridled anger to teach others how they should go about their lives.

If a disaster of this magnitude were to happen in any other country, God forbid, China, India or Russia, it would instantly make headlines in the US and international media outlets. I’m sure even the situation in Ukraine would have faded into the background for a while. They would throw everything they have at these countries saying, primarily, that these countries have no democracy or it’s the wrong kind of democracy. Second, they would expound on how these countries fail to comply with the environmental requirements that the United States has imposed on the world. Without a doubt, they would dig up a human rights dimension and say that the people are suffering not so much because of the disaster, but because of what the authorities did to them, and how their rights are being violated. International platforms around the world would be reverberating with American voices condemning, urging, clamouring, demanding and threatening.

Now is a good time to practice it on yourself. Go visit the UN agencies in charge (I’m talking to American officials) and raise the question about yourself. Update us on what’s going on with this man-made disaster. Report to us. Do some self-flagellation. Whatever you can do with regard to others, do it to yourself.

However, the accident took place in the United States and it is being hushed and downplayed the same way it was during the Kansas oil spill when all environmental agencies kept silent for many weeks, as if they didn’t see anything, because this oil spill was off-limits for public criticism. They weren’t paid for carrying this kind of news. They may even see everything taken away from them, if they dare to open their mouth. So, anything goes to take the heat off the Biden administration.

Celebrating International Mother Language Day

As per tradition, February 21 marks International Mother Language Day established at the UNESCO General Conference in 1999. This day contributes to the promotion of linguistic and cultural diversity, the protection of endangered languages, and, of course, national minorities.

In this context, the ongoing attempts by certain countries to limit the spread of the Russian language are completely unacceptable. Every day their actions are becoming more outrageous. For far-fetched reasons, Russian language centers and Russian schools are being closed, journalists and teachers are being pressured, Russian language departments at universities are being eliminated and reprofiled into groups of Slavic languages.

The activities of Russkiy Mir centres and other educational organisations have also been suspended as part of the discriminatory anti-Russia campaign.

Instances where the rights of the Russian-speaking population in Ukraine are violated have already become system-wide. The Russian language has been completely purged from the education system, science, sports and culture in Ukraine. Civil servants, clergymen, and just ordinary people, including children, are being severely persecuted for using the Russian language in everyday life. The authorities in the Baltic states and in Moldova continue their tough policy line of assimilating the Russian-speaking population, partly through the displacement of Russian.

We are concerned to see the language policy pursued by our closest partners. In an effort to promote their state languages, one cannot act to the detriment of the use of the Russian language. As a reminder, 2023 has been declared the Year of the Russian language as the language of interethnic communication in the CIS. We would like it to be marked not only by diverse events, but also by a balanced course of parallel development for the Russian language along with the state languages. Considering that Russian is an important element of Russian and world culture, science and education, restrictions on using it will create serious obstacles to people’s access to a variety of knowledge and skills, and will reduce their competitiveness. Thus, the initiators of anti-Russia campaigns will do a disservice mainly to their own people.

All this requires an appropriate response from the international community and specialised multilateral organisations, including and especially UNESCO.

For our part, we are implementing the necessary measures and are ready to respond to additional requests in order to further support the teaching of Russian abroad.

Results of the NATO Council meeting at defence minister level

On February 14-15, the North Atlantic Council held a meeting at the level of defence ministers in Brussels. The participants discussed the latest stage of Europe’s militarisation and the further buildup of NATO capacity for deterring our country. By tradition, they put special emphasis on support for the Kiev regime. Its armed formations are used for fighting Russia.

NATO members admit themselves that this confrontation is becoming a huge burden and is depleting the bloc’s arms stockpiles. Billions of dollars are thrown at the conflict as well as tremendous amounts of arms that are being methodically destroyed by Russian troops on the battlefield.

The defence ministers meeting was preceded by the ninth meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group at Ramstein. The participants again discussed arms supplies to Ukraine in view of its “spring counteroffensive.” Indeed, you are going to have a “spring fever.” What the Russian leadership described as goals and tasks of the special military operation, is being carried out and, I’m sure, will be fulfilled. Of course, this will run counter to the hopes and desires of the collective West, though not all of it. We are not talking about people now. People in Europe do not even have an idea of what their regimes have done with them. I am referring to the desire of these North Atlantic elites who dream about how to get hold of our resources, to trample our territory, enslave people mentally and physically and destroy them quickly. But you won’t get your way. This never happened before and will not happen now.

Judging by all, it is becoming increasingly difficult to continue sponsoring the Kiev regime. No decision has been made on supplying the warplanes that were demanded by Vladimir Zelensky & Co. Instead, the participants in the meeting stressed the need for the Ukrainians to use expensive Western arms more carefully. This is inhuman cynicism. They are urging the Ukrainian population – blood-soaked, tortured, torn apart and sold by their own authorities (the Kiev regime) – to use Western weapons more thriftily. This is something from the slave system – how a slave would be beaten to death for doing irreparable harm to the emotional well-being of his owner by making a meal from three rather than two chicken. This is incredible cynicism and unheard-of brutality. They are thinking not about the people they gave their weapons to fight. They are thinking of how to save money in this case as well.

Obviously, the Armed Forces of Ukraine will continue fighting, throwing even more soldiers into the fight regardless of losses. But, after all, these are citizens of Ukraine. And what about the “collective Zelensky”? How many passports, citizenships, residence permits and bank accounts do they have? By Zelensky I mean his whole gang. Do they associate themselves with the people whom they allegedly represent? Certainly not. They never have. They have been brought to power to destroy the multi-ethnic people of Ukraine. They keep talking about Russia all the time.

It looks like the allies of the Kiev regime are absolutely content with this scenario. They are concerned not so much about the fate of Ukraine and its people as about the continuation of the conflict with our country. The main point is to do it by proxy and by sacrificing others. As long as it is possible to put something (that explodes or fires) into the hands of others, they will continue doing this. In the process, the NATO representatives and member-countries do not stop cynically repeating that they are not a party to the conflict. Meanwhile, in reality, in terms of criminal law, they have long since become not only accomplices but the instigators of the crimes by the Kiev regime.

It is revealing that the emptying of their own arsenals is compelling Ukraine’s Western curators to wonder where earlier supplied weapons have gone. Have they reached the frontline at all? Or have profits from their resale landed in the pockets of Kiev officials? Filth, horror, stench – this is what characterises the collaborationism of the Kiev regime with the NATO-centric world.

Judging by the results of the Brussels get-togethers, one gets the impression that the NATO countries are pumping Ukraine full of arms also for the enrichment of the Western military-industrial complex, above all American defence industry, in a bid to keep it flush with contracts for a long time to come. This is classic colonial logic. Probably this is slave logic, not even colonial. Otherwise, it is impossible to explain their obsession with getting rid of their arsenals to the detriment of their national security, especially since the products ordered today will be made only two or three years later. These irresponsible actions are hitting rank-and-file Europeans who will have to pay for this entire bloody banquet.

US practice of forcing neutral countries to comply with anti-Russian sanctions

In an attempt to do as much damage as possible to Russia, the United States is increasingly forcing neutral countries to comply with anti-Russian sanctions.

We have already talked about this (see briefing of February 1) and we are ready to cite another instance.

We have learned that several dozen Russian vessels have been banned from calling at the ports of Bangladesh. We know that this unfriendly step was taken by the country’s authorities not at all on their own initiative but under the threat of secondary sanctions by the United States. Here is another example of this intimidation.

We regret that this is not the first time that Dhaka has succumbed to Washington’s relentless pressure. By giving in to outright blackmail, it risks making the future of traditionally friendly Russia-Bangladesh relations contingent on the whims of a third country pursuing its own geopolitical goals.

We expect the leadership of Bangladesh to find the strength to assert its national interests more resolutely. It is undoubtedly in their interest to develop a mutually beneficial partnership with Russia, which has come to the country’s aid more than once in different periods of its history.

Earthquake relief efforts in Syria

We continue to provide support to the Syrian Arab Republic in dealing with the consequences of the natural disaster. The search and rescue operation performed, among others, by the Russian Armed Forces in Syria and Russian EMERCOM specialists who have arrived in the country, is virtually complete. The Russian rescuers have worked selflessly in the most difficult sections of the worst hit areas and have fully accomplished all the tasks assigned. The Russian Emergencies Ministry’s airmobile group, which was in Syria for a week, has already returned home.

The priority at this stage is to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the Syrian Arab Republic. On February 10, two Russian EMERCOM planes delivered humanitarian cargo weighing 70 tonnes, including food and other essentials. On the same day, the first of the Russian Air Force’s cargo aircraft arrived in Syria with more than 20 tonnes of humanitarian aid on board. It was promptly distributed to the inhabitants of the affected areas with the assistance of servicemen from the Russian Centre for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides.

The tragedy that has occurred in Syria received a wide response in Russian society. Logistics and financial assistance continues to be collected to help Syrians in need, including with the participation of the Embassy of the Syrian Arab Republic in Moscow. Concerned people across the country and various non-governmental foundations and organisations have been actively participating in those efforts. Russian regions have also joined in: 36 tonnes of relief supplies have already been delivered to Syria from Chechnya alone, and 72 tonnes of aid have been collected and prepared for shipment.

We note that along with Russia, many countries of the world have extended a helping hand to Syria, among them Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, China, Cuba, Egypt, Japan, Kazakhstan, India, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Pakistan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Türkiye, UAE, Venezuela, Vietnam. Even EU members, Italy and Romania, have sent medical supplies and essential goods through Beirut International Airport. Characteristically, Türkiye reportedly received aid from 21 EU countries, while Syria received aid from only nine. Even on the humanitarian track, there is a politicised bloodstained story.

We note that among those who have provided support to Syria there are quite a number of Arab states. This fact gives hope that the process of Syria’s return to the “Arab family” will continue to gain momentum. That is what happens when close relatives, in the face of adversity, resolve differences that seemed insurmountable yesterday. We wholeheartedly welcome this positive trend.

We once again stress the urgent need to lift all unilateral restrictive measures against Syria that significantly hamper efforts to deal with the consequences of the large-scale natural disaster that has occurred there.

British intelligence services hacking mobile phones

We took notice of another documentary project of the British media. This time it was Channel 4. Of course, the documentary paints a terrible, black picture of our country. Either inspired or envious of the propaganda “laurels” of the recently released BBC cycle, the authors chose an attention-grabbing title for the film – Strippers, Spies & Russian Money. Apparently, the impressive title was needed to attract an audience that is tired of the endless anti-Russian bogus. After all, the content is nothing more than another conspiracy theory that does not have any weighty evidence.

We are no longer surprised by unfounded Russophobic accusations, but one important moment in the film is really worth mentioning. The film openly admits that the British intelligence agencies, in particular MI5, hack the contact list in mobile phones of employees of foreign diplomatic missions in the UK. In other words, we are talking not just about wiretapping private telephone conversations of foreign diplomats, but also about penetrating, apparently in a remote format, the databases on their mobile devices in order to steal information. London’s brazen and open violation of international law, including the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, and of the relevant international commitments is unacceptable. It is strange that we have to talk about it.

The Foreign Office and MI5 love all sorts of investigations with charges and sentences. Do you remember the Skripals, benches, cats, ducks, and poisoned policemen in the best traditions of the detective genre? There is room for improvement. This is a film by a registered media outlet, not by some anonymous bloggers.

No one has cancelled the principle of the inviolability of correspondence for the British, even if the West is trying, contrary to the universally recognised international rules, to invent some “rules” of its own “international order” (which, however, no one has seen or read anywhere). But there is national law. Or has it already been cancelled?

One thing is clear: our colleagues from other countries should think about how to be more careful when interacting with their British “partners.” They are no longer our partners. We remember that gentlemen are taken at their word. But we no longer consider them to be gentlemen.

New findings in Twitter Files investigation

Several materials were released the other day on the heels of an investigation conducted by journalists who gained access to Twitter administration’s documents. The findings and the complete lack of reaction from the White House or the State Department deserve our attention. Victoria Nuland, please take a close look at this matter.

But first things first. Not only experts specialising in US studies, but also ordinary people whose interests lie far from foreign policy remember a high-profile, even an all-out media campaign about “Russian interference” in the US presidential campaign in 2016 which was launched by the Democrats, and the mainstream media controlled by them, against Donald Trump, resulting in collateral damage for Russia-US relations. We were accused of interfering in the elections, hacking everything there was to hack, stealing something and publishing it in the media, and as a result affecting the course of the campaign. In a final move, outgoing President Obama expelled Russian diplomats and took away our property, among other things.

Hamilton 68 project, which “seeks to expose the effects of online influence networks and inform the public of themes and content being promoted to Americans through a near real-time look at Russian propaganda and disinformation efforts online” was one of the centres that generated fake information about “Russian troll factories” which was then carried by the US and global media. Hamilton 68 is a project run by the Alliance for Securing Democracy at the German Marshall Fund of the United States. This think tank is funded by several governments, including the US, Swiss and German governments.

Who are the people on its board? It’s all familiar faces, hardened Russophobes like Michael Chertoff (Secretary of Homeland Security under President George W. Bush), Michael McFaul (infamous US Ambassador to the Russian Federation under Barack Obama), Bill Kristol (former editor-at-large of The Weekly Standard magazine) and John Podesta (Chair of Hillary for America campaign). At some point, even Jake Sullivan (current US National Security Adviser to President Joe Biden) was on that board.

It’s an explosive mix of secret service members, Democratic politicians, ultra-liberals and media tycoons.

What did Hamilton 68 and the Twitter administration engage in? According to journalists, the issue is about, at least, a collusion between a major IT juggernaut and the liberal establishment. Their goal was to censor conservative viewpoints and to promote the Democratic policy principles. When I say “Democratic” I mean neoliberal, the policy that is being promoted by Victoria Nuland, Joe Biden and other members of this outfit, including the Clintons, by way of zombifying the US and international audiences with the myth about the “Russian influence and threat.”

Over the years, Hamilton 68 has generated hundreds, if not thousands, of stories about “Russian bots.” Their know-how boiled down to a “secret source” which was a list of 644 Twitter accounts they claimed were linked to the Kremlin. This could go on for decades.

But journalists found this list in the Twitter materials. It turned out there were almost no Russians there, but many Americans. This makes the whole thing a fake claim. Conversations between ordinary conservatives were peddled as the “Russian influence.” A trivial act of deception. Even worse than that, it’s spying on their own citizens who simply shared their political views. All of that was passed off as Russian influence.

What is going on in Washington after this widely-covered exposure? This is a collusion by the very people whom they always put on a pedestal, that is the media platforms and IT giants that ensure free exchange of opinions. In a word, the media people. Nothing is going on, it’s silence, as usual. Whenever an evidence-based investigation is underway, no one is seeing, hearing or understanding anything. The power is off, and the computers can’t be started. Every single time.

An investigation into Nord Stream by US journalist Seymour Hersh was released not long ago. What we see are eyes cast down, and them saying that this is complete nonsense, they don’t hear or know anything, and they won’t comment. A Twitter investigation into internal documents was released by American journalists who have nothing to do with us. Not a single official has uttered a word about it.

As always, the reporters were branded as people who spread conspiracy theories (this is their favourite line) and totally ignored. As you may recall, the conspiracy theories and similar rhetoric were developed by the US intelligence services (we provided information about that) in the 1960s, when they were looking for ways to control US investigative journalists. The United States was telling everyone around the world that freedom of speech was a fundamental American value, but it still needed to put limits on it. Those who worked for these masterminds and promoted the narrative they needed could be legitimately called investigative journalists, but those who uncovered uncomfortable facts which, in many ways discredited the authorities, were now called “conspiracy theorists.” It’s a classic. It was developed by the US intelligence agencies and has now come to the surface. However, the authorities ignore reporters’ inquiries into that.

How is the Hamilton 68 public relations project doing since it has been exposed? It’s doing fine. It is now referred to as Hamilton 2.0 and covers the “analysis of disinformation coming from China and Iran.”

There are dozens of similar PR agencies in Washington and London which are masquerading as Russophobic research and other non-governmental organisations with carefully hidden government funding. We are glad that since we brought certain things to light, things have not been going too well for many people involved, such as Director General of the Global Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) Francis Ingham.

The state funding of such “shops” explains the lack of official reaction. They’ve got their fingers in that pie. The recently exposed funding by the State Department of The Global Disinformation Index which is yet another operation to combat “hostile propaganda” is a fresh example. It is a UK-based organisation, with two affiliated US nonprofit branches, which leaks “blacklists” to advertising companies in order to cut off funding and shut down conservative websites that spread the alleged “disinformation.” Funding for this Index outfit was coming through the National Endowment for Democracy, which received $300 million from the US State Department in 2021 alone, and the State Department's Global Engagement Centre.

We will cover this fascinating story as it continues to unfold and bring such fake NGOs to light, because they, among other things, serve as the foundation for the system of Western lies which they call the “Western democracy system.” We can see the people inside this rotten Western democracy. These are the NGOs that have been handsomely paid for by this democracy and that are efficiently fulfilling the order of the administration that is writing them cheques. The idea behind it is simple and it is to oppose our country, to use Russia to run political showdowns at home, and to promote unfair competition.

“White Books” about crimes committed by Anglo-Saxons and their accomplices

We have spoken a number of times about the Historical Materials section on the Foreign Ministry website. The section contains, among other things, detailed examples of Western countries fabricating pretexts for aggression against other states, data on material damage caused by the military interventions of the US and its European allies, and a timeline of American and British crimes.

It turned out that even a little effort yields enough materials on this issue for several “White Books.” Therefore, we decided to include a new section on our website to display a complete archive collected over the past years of our work to catalogue violations of international law by the West, including humanitarian law.

The information in the White Books section will generally consist of the following materials which are already posted on the website:

- Aftermath of military interventions by the United States and its European allies , 2022;

- List of war crimes committed by the US and its allies in Syria, 2016;

- Syria. A tragedy with no statute of limitations, 2016;

- White Book on violations of human rights standards by Western countries under the pretext of fighting terrorism and other criminal challenges and threats , 2019;

- Annual reports: Human rights situation in certain countries; Fighting the glorification of Nazism; Violations of Russian citizens’ and compatriots’ rights in foreign counties;

- Timelines: Syrian “chemical” dossier; Repressions against Russian media abroad; USA-Ukraine. Military biological activities;

- White Book on civilian deaths in Afghanistan caused by unlawful acts of the US and its allies, 2022.

We would particularly stress the materials about Ukraine:

- White Book on human rights violations in Ukraine, November 2013 – November 2014;

- The tragedy of Ukraine’s southeast. The White Book of crimes, 2015.

- Report: On human rights in Ukraine, 2020.

- Illustrated brochure: The truth about developments in Ukraine and Donbass, 2014-2022.

We will append those with materials about Syria and Ukraine contributed by the Foundation for the Study of Democracy Problems.

The home page of the Ministry’s website will also have a banner directing users to the White Books section.

We are saying this so as to alert all concerned people searching for the truth.

75th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Myanmar

February 18 marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Russian Federation and the Republic of the Union of Myanmar.

Our countries will mark this important anniversary with a substantial record of achievements in key cooperation areas. Russia-Myanmar relations are distinguished by their traditionally friendly nature, they are based on mutual respect and support and rest on a solid foundation of identical or similar approaches to key issues on the global and regional agendas.

The Soviet Union was among the first to recognise the independence of Myanmar (officially called the Union of Burma until 1989) and provided substantial aid to overcome the disastrous socioeconomic aftermath of British colonial rule. Yangon Technological University, an outpatient clinic in Taunggyi, a water management and irrigation complex in Chemau Tau and a number of other large economic and infrastructure projects were built with our assistance.

Today, bilateral political dialogue is on the move, delegations are exchanged on a regular basis, contacts between government agencies, business and academic circles are expanding. Joint projects of mutual interest are underway in different areas.

The two countries’ mutual commitment to enhance multifaceted cooperation was reaffirmed during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s meeting with Chairman of the State Administration Council of Myanmar Min Aung Hlaing in September 2022 on the sidelines of the 7th Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok.

During Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s working visit to Myanmar on August 3, 2022, agreements were reached to step up coordination efforts at international platforms and increase regular contacts between the foreign policy agencies.

Following the 3rd meeting of the Intergovernmental Russian-Myanmar Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation, specific moves have been planned to enhance interaction on wide range of practical moves, including in energy and cooperation in peaceful nuclear energy, industry, banking and finance, IT and space, air travel, healthcare and education, tourism and cultural ties.

We note with satisfaction the advanced level of our partnership ties with Myanmar in the anniversary year. We are committed to continue tapping the creative potential of bilateral cooperation on the basis of equity and reciprocal trust.

The 185th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Russia and Serbia

February 23 marks 185 years of diplomatic relations between Russia and Serbia. On the occasion of this significant event, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic exchanged greetings.

Diplomatic ties were established during an important historical period in the formation of Serbia’s statehood. The traditions of mutual understanding and support laid down at that time were based on a solid, age-old foundation of friendship and spiritual affinity of the two peoples. Russia and Serbia’s current, extensive cooperation was built on this basis.

Today, relations between Russia and Serbia have been elevated to the rank of strategic partnership. The bilateral dialogue is characterised by openness, a regular exchange of opinions and the coordination of assessments and positions. The core elements of the Russian-Serbian agenda are trade and investment cooperation, cultural ties and joint work at international platforms.

Russia provides assistance to Serbia in protecting its legitimate interests, sovereignty and territorial integrity in relation to the Kosovo issue in accordance with international law and UN Security Council Resolution 1244.

We value the high level of our relations with the Republic of Serbia, and we stand for further strengthening them based on our rich traditions, trust and mutual respect for each other’s interests.

Answers to media questions:

Question: Minister of National Defence of Poland Mariusz Blaszczak said he doesn’t consider the participation of Polish mercenaries in the armed conflict in Ukraine to be a problem. Can you comment on his statement?

Maria Zakharova: Indeed, in an interview with Polsat News TV Channel on February 13, 2023, Polish National Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak was asked how many Polish citizens were fighting in Ukraine.

He avoided a direct answer and said he didn’t see a problem in this. This is their level of democracy. They call it democracy when specific questions receive no answers. Today, there is no communication between the media and the authorities in the West.

I will reply to the Polish TV Channel. Warsaw is doing all it can to hush up well-known facts about the widespread participation of its citizens in hostilities in Ukraine with direct connivance of their authorities although this is a flagrant violation of Polish legislation. Moreover, they have been taking part in the training of Ukrainian militants for decades. They were training those who committed atrocities and murder under the cover of supposedly peaceful protesters, in part, during the 2014 Maidan.

These actions by Warsaw graphically demonstrate political recklessness that is so typical of the Poles and that has landed their country in trouble more than once.

Question: Counselor of the US Department of State Derek Chollet said the United States was not planning to cooperate with Russia in the Arctic Council because of the special operation in Ukraine. In his words, by making this decision Washington is trying to “adjust to this new reality.” How is Moscow going to develop cooperation with other countries in this organisation under the circumstances?

Maria Zakharova: We are developing constructive cooperation with the countries that understand the nature of that organisation. If those you mentioned believe there is no need to develop cooperation inside the organisation, it is their own problem but not the problem of the organisation.

We are not surprised at this position of Counselor of the US Department of State Derek Chollet because Washington's withdrawal from the Arctic Council is the only way for it to avoid cooperating with Russia in this format. There are no other options.

The functioning of the Arctic Council, its working groups and mechanisms implies equal participation of all member-countries in line with the provisions of its Charter. Results of the projects, including intermediate ones, which are carried out by its member-states are viewed in the framework of these activities.

In this context Russia, as a responsible member of the Arctic Council, believes it is necessary to fulfil the decisions adopted by the ministries of the Council members in Reykjavik in 2021. I will point out that the Western partners have suspended the work on these decisions to their own detriment.

In our work in the Arctic Council, we are primarily guided by the interests of international cooperation. However, we will not allow any encroachments upon our national interests. If membership in this organisation does not meet these goals, we will consider our options.

Question: The US Department of State has accused Russia of undermining efforts to achieve an Armenian-Azerbaijani peace settlement in the format of the OSCE Minsk Group. They said that they were contacting Baku and Yerevan directly, and that they intended to focus on precisely these mediatory efforts. What is Moscow’s comment on this statement by the US side?

Maria Zakharova: They are substituting concepts in this particular case. It is the US-led Western countries that have undermined efforts to achieve an Armenian-Azerbaijani peace settlement. The Minsk Group format found itself in the dustbin of history after the US and French co-chairs stopped interacting with their Russian colleague in February 2022, under a far-fetched pretext. This is an established fact. By the way, they failed to provide any coherent explanations for such actions.

With this in mind, we have focused on assisting Baku and Yerevan in line with trilateral formats and the relevant package of top-level agreements. We have repeatedly noted this.

Regarding US mediatory efforts that you have mentioned, we have not seen any real content or value in them.

Question: Will Russia continue to provide humanitarian relief aid to Türkiye following the return of Russian rescue workers and Emergencies Ministry personnel? If yes, what form will such assistance assume? Were there any talks at the level of the Foreign Ministry? Is Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov planning to visit Türkiye as a sign of solidarity with the country after the earthquake?

Maria Zakharova: As a sign of solidarity, it is necessary to provide comprehensive assistance, such as rescuing people from the rubble, delivering humanitarian shipments and responding to various requests. This also includes political statements and the expression of compassion and support in the public sphere.

Given the scale of the calamity in the Republic of Türkiye, we certainly continue to assist it with the disaster relief operations. Today, the relevant Russian agencies are processing requests from the Turkish side, including concerning delivery of necessary equipment and materials. Humanitarian relief aid is being delivered from certain Russian regions to people who require it.

Regarding Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s visits, we will certainly announce them, if they are coordinated.

Question: Last week, Western countries called on their citizens to leave Russia and Belarus on account of the special military operation. They also urged them to refrain from visiting Russia and Belarus. What is Moscow’s assessment of these actions? Do you expect any other countries to issue similar recommendations? Did Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov discuss the statement of the US Embassy in Russia at his meeting with US Ambassador Lynne Tracy?

Maria Zakharova: We note the provocative nature of the US State Department’s notifications for US nationals to refrain from visiting Russia and Belarus or to leave these countries if they are there. The “planted information” concerning the threat of arrest, or harassment, or maltreatment, or extortion, or “arbitrary detention,” of which the authorities may fail to notify the US Embassy, are, if anything, characteristic of the discriminatory treatment practiced towards Russian citizens, who for some reason or other travel to the United States or any other country within the sphere of Washington’s toxic influence.

It is the US authorities that encourage the notorious “cancel culture” with regard to all things Russian and have launched a veritable hunt, even in third countries, for those Russians, who may have incurred their grievances, no matter if imaginary, far-fetched, or false. If someone is targeted, the main thing is to seize him or her. Those, who have the misfortune of falling between the wheels of US punitive justice, run the risk of being sentenced to record high prison terms or losing their property and means of livelihood.

Let me remind you that many adopted Russian children were exposed to real violence, or died, or were crippled. Do you remember the ludicrous prison terms handed down to their adopted parents? Occasionally, they were not even taken into custody, getting away with a suspended sentence, or home arrest, or often just a warning in connection with a child’s death. At the same time, the US authorities can use all means, including pressure and mind-boggling prison terms, against people, who have committed no crimes but possess a Russian passport. Just for the hell of it! Here is the difference and the true attitude towards the value of life, human rights, and morality.

The laws now in effect are being modified to allow the expropriation of property belonging to Russian undesirables. I would like to note in particular that the recommendation to keep away from the United States as a residence, life and health hazard is more pertinent than ever before.

As for our contacts with the US Embassy, we have handed them (as we have already reported) a specially prepared note saying that in the information space they should behave as it befits a diplomatic mission.

Question: Since the start of Russia’s military operation in Ukraine, Israel has tried to maintain neutrality and for some time even attempted to act as a mediator. At first, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said that Israel would keep silent about the operation in Ukraine. Next, he went to Kiev to reopen the Israeli Embassy, held talks and declared his support for Ukraine. Mr Cohen is the “first Israeli minister” to visit Ukraine since the start of the special operation. How do you assess Israel’s behaviour?

Maria Zakharova: You were right in saying that there are different politicians, including in Israel. They have approaches of their own. There are substantial differences in how Russia, Israel, and various Israeli administrations assess certain aspects of the crisis in Ukraine and around it. We do not conceal this. We regularly communicate our concerns via the diplomatic channels and issue public comments. We have repeatedly done so during our briefings as well.

At the same time, we maintain a trust-based dialogue on a wide range of international issues and discuss, openly and in detail, the Ukrainian agenda, among other things. I can say that on the majority of matters we manage to find mutual understanding in the spirit of traditionally friendly relations existing between our two countries.

Let me underscore that we have considerable differences on this specific topic. But this does not prevent us from continuing productive cooperation on other issues of mutual interest and pursuing a constructive and trust-based dialogue on a settlement of the Ukraine conflict.

Question: The US and Western media have practically disregarded Seymour Hersh’s article on the US government's planning and promotion of its sabotage attack on the Nord Stream pipelines since its publication a week ago. On February 15, Mr Hersh posted a piece accusing the leading US media and the US authorities of concealing the truth about the pipeline blasts. What is your comment?

Maria Zakharova: We have commented on this. This is a case of collusion. Today, we have cited examples of how the US administration, relevant authorities, secret services and the media (both traditional and digital) entered into collusion with each other. There is nothing new in this. The scale is truly amazing. After all this is a terrorist attack on the global scale.

We remember that terrorist attacks have always caused sympathy. People modified profile pictures and painted central premises or a building in this or that country a certain colour. There were no victims following the Nord Stream blasts. But this is a case of destroying civilian infrastructure. Yet no one sees any response, just silence and perhaps some confusion (I am referring to Northern Europe).

Journalists are starting to unearth the truth, seeing their authorities maintain total silence (as if nothing has happened). I think this is what prompted the US journalists to try to understand what had happened. The result, after they published their assumptions supported by data, facts, and materials, proved even more frightening than before. They were slighted or accused of being well-nigh crazy, freaks, or crackpots. They were disregarded or laughed at during the State Department and White House briefings. Even if they hold that this is not worthy of their attention, where are the facts that the administration itself could publish? If they see Mr Hersh’s publication as unworthy, ridiculous or failing to conform to high standards of democracy, then where are the worthy facts? Where are the data that could be published by the US administration They have nothing to say? The administration is declaring that it is the world policeman and a controller involved in everything that is happening on the global scale. They are eavesdropping on their allies, pursuing operations all over the world, seizing states…

What happened to the Nord Stream pipelines? Don’t they have any information? After all, they allegedly knew what happened in Britain with the novichok. They took decisions based on this and told everyone that they had the data. They knew what was occurring in other parts of the world. This is NATO’s sphere of responsibility. As you may remember, this happened in NATO-controlled area. Who is the NATO leader? The United States! This region is chock-a-block with intelligence equipment, technology, military facilities… This directly concerns the Americans. I am asking the administration: what happened there? If the recently published investigation and data are of no value to the US authorities, they must present a version of their own. They are entirely involved in this. They said for years that they were interested in this energy infrastructure project never coming to fruition. Later, they said that it should be destroyed. Now, they must say what their version of what happened is, and not just voice it but support it with facts and data. They have these. To reiterate: the entire region is watched by their monitoring equipment.

In connection with the Nord Stream blasts, Russia has requested a special meeting of the UN Security Council for February 22, at which it will press for a form of international investigation, despite the fact that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has mentioned through his official spokesperson that the UN has no mandate for investigations of this kind. It would be good for everyone to ascertain who has mandates and for what. In recent times, an international organisation within the UN, which has neither a mandate, nor a written charter for investigations, has been conducting this investigation. This is not simply a terrorist attack, but a terrorist attack on civilian infrastructure that has entailed huge damage for the environment and caused a tectonic shift in the world energy system. It has led to the bankruptcy of numerous corporations, firms and companies. I am not even mentioning the costs incurred by hundreds of millions of Europeans. This terrorist attack has reverberated through the world’s economic and environmental (according to the ecologists) sphere. We must understand what is happening.

Question: EU ambassadors have approved the creation of a task force on using frozen Russian assets for the benefit of Ukraine. Sergey Lavrov called it an act of lawlessness and mentioned our relations with friendly countries, the transitioning of settlements into national currencies, and alternative financial entities. What can Moscow do in response to the EU and individual European countries if its assets are eventually used by the EU?

Maria Zakharova: I would like to start with the key issue which is that any attempt to restrict legal full and unfettered access by the Russian state, or its legal entities and individuals, to its own assets is in itself a completely illegitimate action that violates the generally accepted provisions of commercial and international law. We see EU's plans to use Russian funds to address its political and economic issues as an entirely gross encroachment on sovereign property. Rest assured, this will be met with a resolute and proportionate response should the issue escalate.

We are unwilling to see developments unfold along this path and call on the West to go back to strict adherence to the principles of democracy, open economy, a competitive market and the inviolability of private property that it itself promotes regardless of political demands and slogans (which many are waving) and independence of the judiciary (which the West has started questioning amid rampant lawless acts on its soil). The Russian authorities are looking into every possible legal mechanism to regain access to Russian foreign assets relying on these pillars of legal international order, including in the financial and economic sphere.

The unfriendly countries refusing to interact with Russia in the legal field will let all participants in the modern international financial architecture know about the dependence of the status of nation states’ sovereign assets on the spur-of-the-moment geopolitical approach in a number of Western countries. To paraphrase words from the Old Testament, “it's you today, and someone else tomorrow.” In this regard, we call on the international community to take this unfolding arbitrary aggression responsibly and not to follow the lead of these Western “extortionists.”

Other countries’ examples clearly show that political slogans applied to the countries that have experienced the freezing of their holdings or assets eventually change to opposing slogans over time. Remember them saying that since the Venezuelan government was illegitimate, its money should be taken from them and returned to “legitimate” Juan Guaido (false president of Venezuela) once he is in office. No one in the West wants to be seen shaking hands with Juan Guaido now. He was written off, or double crossed, in modern parlance. Within a span of two years, the political thesis put forward by the West has changed to the exact opposite. Now, the delegations from Western countries go to see Nicolas Maduro who has always been the legitimate president to us, as if nothing had happened.

Everything they are now saying about Russia, blaming it, and intimidating or blackmailing everyone who wants to communicate with us, can make a U-turn in a heartbeat. Keep this in mind. Everyone will turn and, with the same brazen expression of their faces, claim that they didn’t mean anything like that and were simply misunderstood. Or, they will say that this is water under the bridge and the past should be left behind and offer to hold hands and walk into a bright future.

If we fail to give a clear and straightforward answer to what are clearly illegal and ungrounded actions perpetrated by violators today, then tomorrow free and independent states that have faith in the financial system built by the West may experience the beauty of its “impartial” operations themselves. Plunging into medieval darkness or barbarism is not an option. It’s the road to nowhere. Humanity has been there and has apparently abandoned the idea of ever going down this path.

We should keep in mind the fact that Western countries, businesses and citizens residing in our country have assets as well. As you are aware, the EU countries have traditionally been major investors in the Russian economy and have derived significant benefits from it that they used to advance their own businesses and economies. This has led to significant amounts of tangible assets owned by European companies and citizens ending up in our country. As a matter of fact, these amounts significantly exceed the amount of frozen Russian resources abroad. Just as a reminder.

We invariably operate based on the rule of law. We leave one last chance to the good judgment of our partners and “non-partners.” We stand ready to do all it takes to protect our national property, including compensatory measures of similar efficacy. I’m saying this to make sure no one has any illusions.

Question: At the October 20, 2022 briefing, you spoke about impartiality and the equidistance of the UN Secretariat officials. Sergey Lavrov also touched on the West privatising governing bodies of international organisations, including UN agencies. What mechanisms can overcome this injustice, if this term is appropriate in these circumstances?

Maria Zakharova: When we ask the UN Secretariat to strictly adhere to the principles of impartiality and equidistance, we are asking it to strictly observe the letter and spirit of the UN Charter.

During the briefing on October 20, 2022, I referred to Article 100 of the Charter, which runs as follows: “In the performance of their duties the Secretary-General and the staff shall not seek or receive instructions from any government or from any other authority external to the Organisation. They shall refrain from any action which might reflect on their position as international officials responsible only to the Organisation.” Russia has always prioritised respect for this UN founding document which forms the basis of the modern international legal system.

With regard to “privatising” the leading UN bodies, the ongoing trend to fill positions in these bodies with Western nationals have always caused concern and is now making us indignant. This trend goes back several years. This state of affairs is twice as dangerous amid the United States and its allies’ intensified attempts to subjugate the organisation to its self-serving interests, to turn it into a pressure tool to be used on undesirable states, including Russia. Their interests can hardly be called just selfish anymore, they are criminal.

However, we must not forget that Article 101 of the UN Charter focuses on the importance of complying with the principle of equitable geographical representation when offering a job at the Secretariat. It is not about Russia splitting hairs or a lofty understanding of justice, but about adherence to basic UN postulates that are written on paper and are binding on everyone.

Consistently and at all levels, our country is calling on the UN Secretary-General and the Secretariat subdivisions to unconditionally respect these statutory provisions.

In cooperation with our like-minded partners, we are working hard to make sure that the impartiality and the principles of equidistance are emphasised in the decisions of the governing bodies of the UN agencies that are binding on the secretariats of the agencies in question. In addition, whenever we are faced with flagrant violations of the principle of equitable geographical representation, we have to block the appointment of Western candidates to the positions of the Secretary-General’s special representatives or heads of various UN country presences, as well as the appointment to groups of experts of the Security Council sanctions committees.

Question: In an interview with Rossiya Segodnya, Department Director Yury Pilipson had the following to say: “Our defence cooperation is of a purely practical nature.” Please help me understand what your colleague meant by that. What role does defence cooperation play in foreign policy and Russia's economic relations with friendly countries?

Maria Zakharova: Given that your question involves clarification of a term, I will direct you to Federal Law No 114-FZ On Military and Technical Cooperation of July 19, 1998 which spells out the definition of our defence cooperation with foreign states, namely, activities in the field of international relations involving exporting and importing, supplying or purchasing military products, and developing and manufacturing these products.

Defence cooperation with foreign states is one of the most important components of foreign policy of any state that has the necessary military-industrial potential. As we continue to develop it, we are ramping up our capabilities across a variety of areas and addressing the entire range of issues to ensure our country’s national security and to promote its military-political and economic interests. We are doing this legally, in accordance with international law and, of course, based on national legislation. Russia views defence cooperation as a means of raising the threshold for the use of force in international affairs. Exports of Russian weapons are aimed at strengthening the defence capability of the recipient countries and maintaining a regional balance of power, stability and security.

As one of the world's leading manufacturers and exporters of weapons, Russia sees defence cooperation as a privileged area of relations between states, which offers a conducive environment for addressing geopolitical issues. It helps Russia secure a presence in certain regions and improve friendly relations with the recipient countries.

Question: Next week, February 22, marks the anniversary of the leaders of Russia and Azerbaijan signing the document that is historic for Russian-Azerbaijani relations: the Declaration on Allied Interaction. How does the Russian Foreign Ministry assess the effectiveness of the implementation of this document over this year? What significance does it have in the current international situation? Reports also indicate that Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will visit Baku at the end of the month. Is this correct? If so, what is the agenda? And is there any progress on the issue of a peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia?

Maria Zakharova: This visit is now being planned. Once it is agreed on, we will inform you about the details.

As for the first part of your question, the Declaration on Allied Cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan signed in February 2022 is, without any exaggeration, a historic document. It consolidates a new quality of relations between our countries and defines key guidelines for the development of cooperation in all major areas for years to come. Allied relations between Russia and Azerbaijan are a stabilising factor in both regional and international terms. Together with Baku, we are working towards implementing its provisions. On the occasion of the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration, a number of events have been planned.

Now to the peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia. We continue to provide assistance to our partners, which we regularly update you on. The other day, practical meetings were held: Mr Lavrov’s special representative for the normalisation of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations, Igor Khovayev, visited Yerevan and Baku. Both the Armenian and Azerbaijani sides reaffirmed their interest in Russia’s mediation. Given the sensitivity of the subject of a peace treaty, I will not go into detail concerning the consultations.

I can reaffirm our readiness to organise the next meeting of the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan on this issue in Moscow.

Question: Last week, there was a report that a meeting of the Arctic Council organising committee was held, and was attended by foreign ministry representatives of Latin American and Persian Gulf countries, among others. Does this mean that Russia is planning some joint projects with the countries of Latin America and the Persian Gulf?

Maria Zakharova: I do not have such information. This is a specific issue. I will certainly clarify.

Question: Does the Foreign Ministry believe it is possible (as announced) to develop Arctic Council projects without Russia?

Maria Zakharova: You know, they also say: the G20 without Russia. No, the G20 without Russia is not the G20.

Russia cannot be replaced nor compensated for; it is impossible to come up with some explanation for this structural substitution. No, this is a substitution in the meaning that was laid down.

The same applies here: there are statutory documents, historical work experience. This was not invented, not registered by some dreamers in isolation from reality. The mechanism of this association, its documents, experience – everything is based on the goals and tasks in the interests of the countries participating in this organisation. If we say: now we “play” at this and now we don’t, then, in principle, an end should be put to all law, treaties and agreements. Unfortunately, this is exactly what the Westerners are trying to do, inventing some rules in place of legal standards that regulate the activities of international organisations and associations.

If someone in the council wants to change something, rewrite it, then it would be a different association, but definitely not this one. If they do not want to participate as equals, let them leave themselves lest they interfere with the work of others.

Question: At the last briefing, you spoke about the disaster in Türkiye and assistance from the Russian Ministry of Emergencies. Russia was one of the first to respond to Türkiye’s plea for help after the earthquake. At the same time, according to Russian Ambassador to Türkiye Alexei Yerkhov, Türkish leadership has increased its supplies of weapons to Ukraine. Can you comment on Türkiye’s response to Russia’s helping hand?

Maria Zakharova: I will not comment on Türkiye’s actions.

We qualify any step leading to an escalation in the conflict as not just harmful, but as extremely dangerous. Accordingly, everyone has long been warned that any weapons that will be used to kill Russians, are considered to be the legitimate target with all the implied consequences. Our position on any country that does this, or plans to do this, is well known. In this case, we do not divide countries into “good” and “less good.” We qualify the actions of any country that supplies weapons to the Kiev regime (considering that this is a criminal, neo-Nazi regime that has been killing its own citizens for many years) as inadmissible, extremely dangerous, and escalation-prone, and as that which requires an appropriate response on the ground. And this will naturally follow.

Regarding our assistance for Türkiye, I have already talked about this today. The dehumanisation of a huge number of political figures in the world, regimes, or individuals does not mean that this is the reason why we should become dehumanised ourselves. This is why we defend our values, which are different. This is a different worldview, a different approach, and different values that do not allow us to avoid helping people, when they ask for it at a difficult time for them.

A second point arising from this is very important. We are helping people who are facing this problem. We know what man-made disasters and what earthquakes are, based on our common past within the Soviet Union. These terrible tragedies, unfortunately, affected various republics in the USSR. The whole country took them as their own. We know what this is like, so, as soon as we saw it, we understood the trials that both Syria and Türkiye would be going through. Of course, it was impossible not to help. Once again, I would like to stress that this is assistance for specific people.

Third, you understand what number of Russians are in Türkiye now, how many of them are not just on holiday but live there permanently, work there, and have started families. This is today’s reality. Many Russians were directly or indirectly affected by this tragedy. Therefore, we are helping our compatriots (with a passport) as well, and those who are related to the victims or themselves have become victims in this tragedy.

This is a complicated story. Let us go back to the beginning of your question. We need to remember what we are up against. We oppose the dehumanisation. Accordingly, we ourselves should not succumb to those against whom we rise up against.

Question: Ex-Foreign Minister of Poland Anna Fotyga talked about the need to decolonise Russia and divide up its natural resources. She suggested that the Western countries conceive a concept for creating “free and independent” states based on the indigenous peoples. In the meantime, the Western countries will take care of their prosperity. Do you think this is yet another attempt at destabilising the situation in our regions?

Maria Zakharova: I think the authors of such statements are suffering from some chronic delusion.

As for Russian decolonisation, this is something that should be addressed to the Western countries. They must forget what they have nurtured for centuries – to turn our country into a colony.

I understand, Ms Fotyga said we were a metropolitan power and should be split up for this reason. This statement is absurd in itself. After living with each other for millennia, do we suddenly discover that we are a metropolitan power and an assemblage of colonies? I do not want to go into the recesses of psychoanalysis after hearing statements by some Polish politicians.

An important trend should emerge in the minds of Russophobic Western politicians. They have always wanted to turn us into a colony – a semi-colony or a hybrid colony, a raw materials appendage, a dependency, or whatever you want to call it. But, we have never allowed this. Now, we are telling them again that it is inadmissible even to think about this. Our resources have been a thorn in their side for a long time. Many states from different parts of the world, but mostly from the West, came to take them. They left empty-handed. Yes, we had to fight for this, to defend our resources and riches that are ours historically. We have been rationally using and preserving them and sharing them peacefully with our neighbours, partners and even non-partners. We continue sharing them because this is mutually beneficial and historically justified. That said, nobody will be allowed to go after our resources unceremoniously, try to steal them, lay their hands on them or deprive us of control over them. No one has ever achieved this, nor will they achieve it now.

In trying to restore the unipolar model under the slogan of a “rules-based order” our “non-partners” are resorting to any means – pressure, provocation, intimidation of the undesirables, and the use of force. An information war is also among these devices – like a mantra, they keep repeating the idea that we should fall apart and that this will be the final solution to the “Russian question.” They say this openly.

It is striking that when Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov answers questions from diverse audiences, he is accused of drawing inappropriate historical parallels. We do not draw any parallels ourselves. They talk to us in the same language they used with our people and other ethnicities in our country in the middle of the 20th century. The words are similar: “We must finally put an end to Russia.” If this phrase is pronounced after a long confrontation between Russia and NATO, it means the final solution to an issue that, according to their own admissions, these countries had been nurturing for many years.

The information war is one of their tools. The proposal by Washington’s satellites you mentioned is far from the only evidence of this morbid ideology. It is yet another confirmation of whom we are dealing with in reality and what plans are being nurtured as regards our country.

We have long realised that the very existence of Russia as one of the basic, system elements in the vast Eurasian space poses a problem for many of our opponents. They cannot afford equality or competition and do what they can. However, history teaches them over and over again that any attempt to shake Russian statehood, drive a wedge into our society or even encroach on our territorial integrity only unites our people and encourages us to continue our policy of soverenising the key areas of life. In the process, we are seeing that the West is impossible to negotiate with and that it lies at every step. This only strengthens our resolve to prioritise the southern and eastern vectors of our foreign policy.

You quoted the ex-foreign minister of Poland. Today, we also quoted other Western officials as saying that it is necessary to “strike directly at Russia,” “inflict a strategic defeat,” and “win a final victory.” The question arises: can you imagine what would happen in this world if our resources, which we are using ourselves and supplying to others on fair terms, were in the hands of those that demand that Russia be defeated?

I will answer this question with the words of their representatives. They would do all they can to keep these resources to themselves, in “the wonderful garden.” Anyone who does not belong in this garden would be turned down. The residents of this “garden” would manipulate the prices but would not provide any real development opportunity to any other part of the world. They would do everything to ensure prosperity for not even “the golden billion” but actually fewer people. They want a quota on prosperity. Talents, abilities and a creative drive would have never succeeded in the second-rate regions that Josep Borrell describes as “the jungle.”

These horrible statements go beyond the limits of segregation. This is racism pure and simple, because racism is not only the division by skin colour or geographical location. Racism divides people into first-, second- and third-class populations. Everything has degenerated and the Western elite have walked into an enormous ideological blind alley.

Everyone is going through a crisis in his own way – some people are strong and patient enough to overcome it, whereas others are gripped by hysteria and begin opening their cards and taking off their masks. This has happened to numerous people.

It is disgraceful for Polish politicians to make such statements. Hitler came after our resources preaching the same ideology. We expelled him not only from our own territory but also from Poland. The Red Army liberated Warsaw and saved Polish lives. It is a shame to say such things, to resuscitate Nazi logic, the logic of Hitlerism as regards our country.

Apparently, they are not ashamed of anything, but they should feel disgraced.

Question: According to former employee of the US National Security Agency Edward Snowden, information from Washington about unidentified aircraft is an attempt to divert attention from the investigation into the Nord Stream explosions. Do you think this theory has a right to exist?

Maria Zakharova: I am absolutely sure that this is a global attempt to divert attention from what really matters on the domestic US agenda. The election is soon: this is the first factor. The results of the Biden Administration’s activities are terrible: scandals come out that they tried to hide for colossal money, such as corruption, the monstrous behaviour of representatives and the family, the entire gang around the world.

Second, these are the roots from which the current open phase of confrontation around Ukraine stems, arising from the business interests of the Biden clan.

Third, the huge amount of dirt floating up associated with all the representatives of the inner circle of the current Administration in the White House.

They have nothing to bring to the election. Total failures, scandals, collapse of all indicators. As White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre put it wonderfully, if you do not say the word “recession,” there will be none. So she said officials in America should not say that word. Such is their logic. Everything is topsy-turvy.

America has a colossal amount of domestic and foreign problems. Some factor was needed in order to divert attention from the internal agenda. There were balloons and UFOs. Commissions have been established on this issue. All this is connected with the investigation of the Nord Stream blasts, as Edward Snowden said. I mean that this is a specific action, unlike unidentified flying objects. This is what has caused irreparable damage to our planet.

There are direct questions that need to be and must be answered. They do not want to, so they run after balloons and fight off UFOs.

Question: “Our updated Foreign Policy Concept will stress the need to end the Western monopoly on creating a framework of international life,” Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said speaking at the Government Hour in the State Duma. According to him, this framework should be determined on the basis of a balance of interests and the UN Charter. How are we going to respond to unending discrimination against Russian emblems (anthem and flag) in the international arena? Perhaps, we should think of a mirror response with regard to the people and international organisations that show disrespect for our country’s emblems?

Maria Zakharova: You mentioned the updated Foreign Policy Concept. I’m not going to discuss this now. The concept is in its final phase. I think everyone will soon have the opportunity to get familiar with it. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. You’d be better off reading the original text soon than hearing an overview of something that has not been finalised yet.

With regard to national symbols, you may be aware that Article 329 of the Criminal Code of Russia provides for a period of restriction of up to 12 months, or community service for the same period, or custody for a period of three to six months, or time in prison for up to one year. Let's not talk about the bad things. The point of this article is about the punishment for desecration of the Russian flag and coat of arms. It’s a criminal offence. There’s no need to come up with something new. There’s a law. In cases where these emblems are violated, or something terrible is done to them (we have seen enough of that), the corresponding article of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation will apply.

In some countries, the punishment for desecrating state symbols is even tougher than in Russia. There may be longer sentences, and the fines may be larger. In France, major desecration of the anthem or the flag during a demonstration done by a group of people will get the perpetrators up to 6 months in prison or a fine of up to 7,500 euros. In Austria, desecrating the flag, coat of arms or anthem is a criminal offence. The offender can be taken into custody for up to 6 months or have to pay a fine of up to 4,000 to 5,000 euros. In Germany, desecrating or maliciously expressing contempt for the flag or coat of arms can be punished by up to three years in prison. The fines are prorated daily from 1,000 to 30,000 euros per day and are multiplied by the number of days, anywhere from 5 days to 360 days. In Israel, flag burning is punishable by up to 3 years in prison or a fine of up to $15,000. In Türkiye, burning a flag can result in one to three years in prison. It can, but better stay away from it. Public desecration of the anthem will send you behind bars for 6 to 24 months. This is to say that all countries have a statute to deal with it.

I understand what you are getting at. It’s the political component. Do we need to provide a mirror answer? To reiterate, dehumanisation done by some people should not become a reason for you and me doing the same thing. That is why we are in opposition to many, and our troops are laying down their lives for us there.

We must preserve the most valuable things that our ancestors bestowed on us. In the same way, they defended our human dignity for us not to turn into brutes. How can we become like them of our own accord? No way.

By the way, when we talk about the people living “there,” we understand perfectly well that there are wonderful, amazing, pure, open-hearted, gracious and decent people “there” as well. Many of them simply broke down, because the “machine” flattened them out like a roller.

Look at what they are doing trying to “cancel” us not just as a current country, but as a historical civilisation. What is there to say about specific people who are subject to their internal laws and rules and try to resist with the best intentions in mind? But they are broken in many ways. It’s a very fine line. We must show that we disapprove of that and use the legal framework to do that. Give mirror answers where it is customary. Like diplomats, for example. Of course, it is necessary to underscore the unacceptability of actions against certain groups of our citizens, including by way of taking our “non-partners” out of their comfort zone. They are used to us always keeping it there for them.

Speaking of comfort zone, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with foreign correspondents on February 15. The meeting started as an open-to-all event and then they continued as a smaller group in a closed format. Literally every other Western journalist from unfriendly countries kept saying that working in Russia had become difficult for them, since they have to apply for visas and accreditation more often now.

They enjoyed most favoured nation treatment for many years. This term comes from a different realm, but it aptly describes their situation. Visas were issued instantly when foreign journalists were our guests of honour and enjoyed equal rights with our journalists. They enjoyed all kinds of rights under Russian media law and had no problem obtaining Foreign Ministry accreditation. Did anyone appreciate that? Has anyone used this for their professional work? Very few of them. What we saw was mostly dismissive and rude attitudes. They fully approved of the illegal actions by their authorities in relation to Russian journalists. Moreover, they got to the point where they took part in persecuting Russian journalists, as was the case in Germany. The Union of German Journalists ganged up on Russia Today and its correspondents. They bullied them every day with personal data, names, name-calling, etc. This is over now. They will live and have their papers issued to them in a new way. The way it's supposed to be by the book. They will do their professional work (the operative word is “professional” and refrain from taking biased positions). They will do their work. They will not do their work professionally… Foreign journalists will not do their work, if they engage in activities that are at odds with their status, and act rudely and dismissively with regard to us, our country, and our people. If they don’t go about their work properly, they have no business staying in our country.

In February-March 2022, a number of US and British media outlets (in many ways they are hybrid and overlapping media outlets) announced that they would not work in Russia and were about to leave Russia. They were barking up the wrong tree. We asked them a simple question whether they were leaving for good (in that case, they should return their accreditations, and we will revoke their visas) or just for a while to take some time off. After this question was asked, everyone suddenly took their rhetoric down a notch. They said it was a temporary move to re-assess the situation and to rotate personnel. Many stayed or came back after a short leave of absence, except a couple of Western media outlets such as Bloomberg, which never returned. Apparently, they knew they did something and they’d be better off staying outside Russia.

We are not going to act like them. We must protect our interests. As for the comfort zone, they will get it only after they don’t take it for granted, but see it as our heartfelt and friendly gesture.

Question: I’d like to say that I’ve never been rude to or disrespectful of Russia.

Maria Zakharova: I know that you care for your professional reputation. You understand perfectly well whom I am referring to. So I listed them. It was a demarche. You will remember this and understand. I beg your pardon but it was important for me to say this.

On the contrary, when some life-changing events take place in a country, journalists flock to report on them, strengthen their news offices to gain direct access and the capability to describe the situation to their audience. What about the Western journalists that made identical statements about their intention to leave Russia in one day? Do you want to leave? Go ahead. Why announce it? Just leave calmly. No, they didn’t do this. Why did they make these statements? Because they took part in a political campaign of psychological pressure on the public in Russia and the rest of the world. They staged a show, a real circus. They started coming back upon realising that their rivals were getting ahead of them in the citation indexes. But we remember all this. It’s funny.

It would be interesting to find an example in history when journalists left a country or region where global events were taking place. Not because it was a threat to their health but for political reasons. This is not journalism. This means they are representing some political party, movement or maybe some business eager to hold onto its assets (that nothing threatened). Maybe they are demonstrating their civil position in this way. I can understand this. What I can’t understand is how Western journalists refused an opportunity to cover a situation that affected the whole world in the first weeks it occurred. Instead, they invented slanted, unrealistic stories. But all this happened. We’ve been through it.

Do you know what happened next? They started calling us and saying they wanted to resume relations and cover the situation again. They asked us why we were ignoring them and not inviting them to press events. What events are they talking about when they all left, having chosen political opportunism in defiance of their main profession?

Question: Today, Europe and Russia are breaking all ties. When would it be possible to expect normalisation between them and what needs to happen to achieve it?

Maria Zakharova: I don’t know. We did not dismantle our relations. For many years we did everything we could to develop our relations on a new foundation. We wanted our relations to be pragmatic and be based on international law and bilateral agreements rather than ideology. We were trying to build mutually respectful and mutually beneficial ties, modern and dynamic relations with an element of mutual dependence and a sense of belonging to each other’s life, the life of nations with the same historical destiny at certain stages. We tried to achieve all this. We suggested major projects and carried them out despite everything. We largely displayed unprecedented openness and goodwill in the historical dimension. But the West (I’m referring to Europe) did not make an independent political decision. The European countries were not allowed to make the sovereign decision that it was possible to develop new relations with Russia. Under US pressure, Europe rejected all of Russia’s proposals. Moreover, it began tearing these relations down itself.

How can we restore them? This question is not for us. You cannot continue to offer friendship and cooperation if you are rejected at every turn, and if it is done in a harsh, vile manner, with provocations and endless accusations and framing.

We have other opportunities to develop relations, including through BRICS, the SCO, the CSTO and ASEAN, Africa, Latin America and the Arab world. They appreciate neighbourliness and mutual respect. They are ready to use the law as a foundation and respect each other’s traditions and values.

Question: Who does Russia rely on in Sergey Lavrov’s concept of a multipolar world and a fair world order?

Maria Zakharova: I have talked about this. I mentioned new regional centres for the global development of a multipolar world.

Let’s wait for the publication of the new Russian Foreign Policy Concept (it is not far off). It will have all accents in place. You will see the logic and consistency of our policy, its connections and trends, etc.

Question: Not just Russia but other countries (such as Slovakia) made public the decision of the Polish Foreign Ministry to dismiss MGIMO University graduates from the ministry. Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau informed Gazeta Polska about it.

There are questions concerning this. Is it known with what wording the employees of the Foreign Ministry of Poland, with a MGIMO diploma, were fired?

Maria Zakharova: No. I do not know what the wording was. This question is not for us. You’d better ask Poland.

Second, they have been talking about this for many years. They sometimes have had “fits” of Russophobia. They were looking for somewhere to act out all their phobias.

Third, unfortunately such purges were normal and even ideologically substantiated for a certain part of the Polish political class. It is interesting what they will do with people in other spheres who are great professionals but received their education in the Soviet Union or Russia. Would they bully and torment doctors, engineers and so on?

And the main thing is, all these officials in Warsaw who are doing this do not give a damn about their own international obligations with the OSCE (Poland has recently chaired it), the Council of Europe and all its amazing bodies. It is about the observance of human rights, about human dignity, about the need to respect people, freedom of speech, pluralism of opinions. Such things as bullying (which has other names in the languages of the world: tormenting, trolling) are out of the field of vision of those very civilised countries and figures who signed onto the need to respect the personality of an individual and protect his rights.

It is customary for truly civilised states to blame people when they commit offenses or are suspected of having committed them, through the appropriate law enforcement agencies. Any form of harassment in the absence of a person breaking the law is called bullying. A good word. Bad meaning. But the word is capacious and correct. This is bullying with tendencies turning into a purge.

Question: Since you also graduated from MGIMO University, please reveal the secret: are there any subjects there that the West is afraid of? Subjects giving an advantage in the sphere of culture and art.

Maria Zakharova: You got me. Quite cunning, of course. Yes, indeed, MGIMO University has such firmware that distinguish their students from students of many Western universities.

MGIMO students know that countries are not located hundreds of thousands of kilometres away from each other. At a distance of hundreds of thousands of kilometres from the Earth is its natural satellite, the Moon, and other planets, but not countries. Unlike German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, who has a “Caucasoid” and Anglo-Saxon education, MGIMO students know this and do not make such mistakes even as students.

MGIMO students know that the Baltic and Black seas are different seas. Yes, both are on the European continent. But these are different seas. They are named and look different and geographically located in different parts of the Earth. Unlike Foreign Minister Liz Truss, who believed that the best way to get to the Baltic Sea would be to go through the Black Sea.

This is the horrible secret that MGIMO University is hiding. Quality education and respect for international law is given. And most importantly, in the learning process, people are not separated into right and wrong or worthy and unworthy based on their nationality or race. On the contrary, there are unifying principles. And if there is a division into worthy and unworthy, it is only by people’s actions, whether they comply with the laws and morality or not.

Of course, knowledge and the ability to wield historical facts is MGIMO University’s strong point as a university. This is what completely pisses off our Western non-partners. They are not used to being given these historical facts. And at MGIMO University, this is indeed a visiting card. There is a rector there, who is a major scientist, and his contribution to historical science is impossible to overlook. This is the historical culture, love and knowledge of history brought up in MGIMO students. This is also the personal supervision of Anatoly Torkunov, who encourages and stimulates the study of history in every way, being himself a person who has written more than one monograph and devoted scientific and applied activities to ensure that history flourishes as a science.

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Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, Moscow, February 17, 2023

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