Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, Moscow, May 10, 2023

Belarusian Foreign Minister Sergey Aleinik’s visit to Russia
40th meeting of the Regional Governors Council at the Foreign Ministry
Results of the SCO Foreign Ministers Council meeting
Ukraine crisis
61st PABSEC Summit and General Assembly
Commemorative events marking the 78th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War abroad
Events marking the 78th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War in foreign countries
Dismantling a monument of gratitude to the Red Army in Poland
Prague offensive and the liberation of Prague
The Baltic authorities’ attempts to prevent May 9 celebrations
Lithuania’s new discriminatory measures against Russian citizens
Publications in Denmark, Norway, Finland and Sweden about Russian intelligence operations
Pakistan update
Upcoming third Forum of Youth Initiatives of Russia and Azerbaijan
Anniversary of the NATO strike on the Chinese Embassy in Yugoslavia
Foreign Ministry website publishes reference information on British historical, legal and international responsibility for colonial and post-colonial crimes
The 2nd Eurasian Economic Forum
The 2nd Architecture of Diplomacy National Creative Contest

Statements by the US Secretary of State
Russia’s cooperation with BRICS countries
Armenia-CSTO relations
Upcoming Armenia-Azerbaijan talks in Moscow
Statements by NATO’s Assistant Secretary General
Russia abolishing the visa regime for citizens of Georgia
China’s the Empire of Hacking report
NATO’s plans to open an office in Tokyo
The probability of a US default
King’s Day at the Dutch Embassy in Moscow
Russia-US bilateral contacts on strategic stability
The Kiev regime’s terrorist activity
Russia’s view of the Council of the EU’s initiatives
The Ukrainian delegation’s inappropriate conduct at the PABSEC summit

Belarusian Foreign Minister Sergey Aleinik’s visit to Russia

Foreign Minister of the Republic of Belarus Sergey Aleinik will pay an official visit to Moscow on May 15-17 at the invitation of Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov.

The programme for his visit includes meetings with Federal Assembly Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matvienko and Speaker of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly Vyacheslav Volodin.

During the talks, the foreign ministers of Russia and Belarus will discuss a broad range of topical issues of bilateral cooperation and the international agenda. They will review additional measures to further deepen interaction between their foreign ministries, including preparations for a joint meeting of their boards in Moscow in the fourth quarter of this year.

They will pay special attention to diplomatic support for the integration processes in the Union State, interstate interaction in the CIS, cooperation in implementing their programmes of chairmanship in 2023 (Russia chairs the EAEU and Belarus the CSTO). The ministers will discuss in detail coordination of their positions in international organisations, including the UN, in accordance with the Programme for Coordinated Foreign Policy Actions by the States − Participants in the Treaty on the Creation of the Union State in 2022 and 2023.

The foreign ministers plan to exchange views on the issues of international and European security, coordinated actions in Asia, Africa and Latin America and cooperation in multilateral human rights organisations, non-proliferation and biological and information security.

Following the talks, the ministers plan to sign a joint statement on the foreign policy priorities of Russia and Belarus.

40th meeting of the Regional Governors Council at the Foreign Ministry

On May 16, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will chair the 40th meeting of the Council of Regional Governors at the Foreign Ministry. It will take place in the Foreign Ministry’s mansion and will be attended by regional governors and senior officials from the Presidential Executive Office and federal executive government bodies.

The main items on the agenda are the status of and prospects for the development of ties between the regions of Russia and their partners in the Central Asian countries.

Russia is linked with these countries by centuries-long friendship, the community of historical destinies and traditions and strategic partnership both bilaterally and in their integration associations, primarily the CIS and the Eurasian Economic Union.

Following the meeting, the participants will draft practical recommendations for promoting interregional cooperation with the Central Asian states in the trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian areas.

They also plan to listen to a report on the preparations for the second Russia-Africa Summit in the context of interregional and intermunicipal cooperation.

Results of the SCO Foreign Ministers Council meeting

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov took part in the meeting of the Foreign Ministers Council of the SCO countries in Panaji (Goa, India) on May 4-5.

In the context of preparations for the upcoming SCO summit to be held in New Delhi in July, the foreign ministers discussed in detail the current activities of the SCO and important global and regional issues.

In discussions on growing geopolitical tensions and large-scale transformation, they emphasised that the SCO is one of the strongpoints of a multipolar world arrangement. It facilitates the strengthening of democratic and just foundations of interstate communication.

The ministers stressed their striving to enhance foreign policy coordination between the SCO countries in strengthening the UN’s central coordinating role in ensuring reliable global security and sustainable development, and their intention to promote interaction in Eurasia with various agencies including the EAEU and ASEAN and to cooperate with BRICS on a broader plane.

Motivated by the common desire to enhance the SCO’s international authority, the ministers exchanged views on updating the functionality of their association. They intend to boost the effectiveness of all SCO’s mechanisms, including those at the high and top levels and in the permanent bodies: the Secretariat and the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure.

Further steps on expanding the SCO’s geographical space were an important result of the meeting. The participants noted that Iran had fulfilled its commitments and would become a SCO member state in the near future. Belarus is next in line. Kuwait, Maldives, Myanmar and the UAE signed memorandums on the meeting’s sidelines to take part in the SCO as dialog partners. Bahrain is expected to receive the same status soon.

The SCO continues to focus on the need to ensure security. The participants discussed in detail ways of countering terrorism, extremism, drug trafficking, cross-border organized crime and information risks.

The ministers also reviewed in detail the situation in Afghanistan. They unanimously agreed on the need to draft further steps on the Afghan track, in part, to determine agreed-upon parameters of interaction with Kabul with consideration for the interests and specificities of all member states and invigorate the SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group.

The ministers noted the primary importance of expanding and diversifying the SCO’s economic cooperation. At present, the SCO conducts meetings of the heads of the relevant ministries and departments in 28 sectors and has 26 thematic working groups. Regarding the implementation of several promising initiatives, they set goals for developing business, introducing innovations and improving living standards. There is a general understanding on increasing the use of national currencies in mutual transactions between the SCO members in accordance with the previous agreements.

The ministers discussed different aspects of enhancing interaction in the humanitarian area, primarily in healthcare and sports. Russia has made several initiatives in this area.

The decision to confer the honourary title of the SCO Goodwill Ambassador on Special Presidential Representative on International Cultural Cooperation Mikhail Shvydkoy and three prominent candidates from China, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan will further expand general contact between people and promote the cultural traditions of the SCO countries.

The ministers discussed preparations for the upcoming meeting of the SCO Heads of State Council in New Delhi and instructed their national coordinators to continue drafting a package of documents for this purpose.

Ukraine crisis

On May 9, Russia and the majority of post-Soviet countries celebrated a holiday that is very special for us: the day of victory over Nazi occupiers. CIS leaders attended a parade in Red Square in Moscow.

Regrettably, Ukraine, where occupation lasted 40 months, from the first hours of the war to late October 1944, was not among the countries that celebrated the heroism of the Soviet people and expressed their gratitude to the veterans of the Great Patriotic War.

We are using the word “Ukraine” while in fact we are referring to the illegitimate and illegal Kiev regime that is guilty of terrorist and extremist actions. We know very well that Kiev did not intend to consult the people of Ukraine regarding their participation or non-participation in such celebratory events. This is not the main thing.

Back in 2015, the Kiev regime cynically deprived the people of Ukraine of Victory Day as unacceptable, as they described it, for the “revamped” country and unashamedly equated Red Army soldiers to the criminals of the Third Reich and their OUN-UPA accomplices. This helped the far-right neo-Nazis, whose goal was to destroy everything that is Russian in Ukraine, to strengthen their positions in power. Kiev began to celebrate the “day of reconciliation” with the Nazis, who exterminated civilians in their concentration camps, burned women and children in the camps’ crematoria, and pumped blood out of Russian and Ukrainian children (this is not an exaggeration but a medical fact) for transfusion to German and other European soldiers who brought war to our land.

In 2023, the Kiev regime in Bankova Street cancelled the May 9 Victory Day. The modern-day Ukrainian Nazis probably did that to compensate for the bitterness of the crushing defeat their ideological idols suffered 78 years ago. They are trying to rewrite history, but they cannot change the events that took place in 1945. They are playing with historical dates and names, brainwashing the people and suppressing common sense to create a “new history” and to change the historical past.

I would like to tell you about an absolutely shameless action of the Kiev regime, which clearly demonstrates its servility, loyalty and a desire to curry favour with the Western masters by betraying the memory of their forefathers and their own families.

Before May 9, Vladimir Zelensky cancelled Victory Day, which the majority of Ukrainian citizens hold sacred, and declared Europe Day instead. He found no other date in the 365-day year and no other, more suitable time for the new holiday. To understand the essence of that replacement, you need only look at the officials who attended the so-called “celebration” in Kiev. One of them was President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, a German and a representative of European revisionists who wants to take revenge on Russia for her Nazi forefathers and the crushing defeat they suffered 78 years ago.

I wonder if they will try to do the same with the Holocaust. Can you imagine them renaming, rewriting and changing that tragedy? In my opinion, the memory of those who saved people is no less important than the memory of the victims who were saved from the butchers. There must be a limit to cynicism. Those who hold sacred the memory of the Holocaust should see what is happening in front of their eyes. Don’t turn away. There is nowhere to turn away to. This is the betrayal of the memory of those who saved people from total extermination.

By taking this decision, Vladimir Zelensky has cast a shadow over the feat accomplished by millions of Ukrainians and betrayed the memory of those who stood up to defend this land from a fascist Europe, including the memory of his own grandfather. It is up to his family to deal with it, if there is still one to speak of. Zelensky did visit his grandfather’s grave several years ago. But was it hypocrisy or an act of mocking his grandfather’s memory?

It was quite natural for this regime to take a treacherous decision to cancel Victory Day. Sooner or later, the time had to come for modern-day Ukrainian Nazis to renounce their forefathers who fought against fascism during the Great Patriotic War. They could not do this earlier, when their grandparents were alive. In fact, it was those who fought in the Great Patriotic War who have been trying to rebel against this oblivion over the past 30 years. But very few of them are still here today, and they are so frail that they can no longer make their voice heard. This is when this enraged rabble broke loose.

You probably keep hearing the words “Victory will be ours” from Russian nationals, and all of us. Here is what I can say to the West in this regard: Why are you surprised? Vladimir Zelensky and his regime are the ones who renounced victory. If they rejected the 1945 victory, there is no way they can seal a victory this time around.

The fact that the Ukrainian neo-Nazis took the participation of CIS leaders in Victory Day celebrations in Moscow so badly should not surprise anyone. They literally could not stomach the fact that people from various countries and representing nations shaped by a variety of ethnic groups remember where they come from and respect their roots. Despite all the geopolitical developments and the fact that they share some views while diverging on certain matters, they could not even fathom bringing into question this date or their attitude towards it.

Yesterday, we witnessed a collision of two schools of thought, two philosophies. This was a collision of two ways of viewing history. The first one honours the memory of those who sacrificed their lives for the sake of future generations and fought for a cause that was righteous not only for them but for the entire world since they stood up for justice, good will, humaneness, love and caring for their close ones. The second concept consisted of trampling upon and destroying everything which does not fit into a very narrow worldview, limited as it is by their small minds and the way they view the world, history and humankind. They wanted to reduce all this to a sordid denominator they could understand and take onboard ideas that sit well with their worldview proclaiming that only they have the right to exist while throwing overboard, destroying and trampling upon all the rest.

I believe that yesterday everyone showed what they are worth for the whole world to see. We hold sacred the memory of victory and every person who contributed to it, including those who survived, died, fought, stayed in the rear, waited and returned, and those who stayed in foreign land forever. This is what we believe in despite the fact that those for whom all this is totally meaningless – because they have sold their souls – regularly demolish monuments. They sold their souls the usual way. This has happened before and has been described in history books. We used to say “for thirty pieces of silver,” or that they betrayed “for a kopeck,” while in other periods of history a “pot of jam” was the price of betrayal. We have seen it all. The fact remains that they did commit this betrayal.

Those representing the Kiev regime understand that they are traitors. It is for this reason, among others, that they have been freaking out. They will never find forgiveness either from friend or foe – from nobody. In fact, they do not have any friends left anymore. They gave up on them. And they did this yesterday, with the entire world watching.

Once again, I will emphasise that the Kiev regime has no moral right to comment on Victory Day, condemn anyone or offer advice to anyone, recommend or demand anything. This regime has nothing to do with the Great Victory, or the hero cities of Kiev and Odessa, and even less so with the 2,000-plus Ukrainians who are Heroes of the Soviet Union. And they rejected all this themselves, and formalised this yesterday. Vladimir Zelensky has made his choice. It is not for me to judge whether it was his, or something that was chosen for him, whether he did this out of his own free will or was coerced into doing. So far, history omits this fact, but perhaps the time will come when we learn this. Still, the dice was cast. He values Nazi crosses over the stars of the heroes. This is a settled mater, and he was the one who acknowledged this.

For over nine years now, the Kiev regime has been doing everything to rob the people living in Ukraine of their past, denigrate and cast into oblivion the memory of their heroic forefathers and the millions of people who sacrificed their lives to enable future generations to live in freedom and peace. In their effort to rehabilitate the Nazis and their accomplices, the Ukrainian authorities have been demolishing memorials honouring the memory of Red Army fighters. This is reminiscent of the way the Nazis burned what they referred to as unwanted, undesirable and irrelevant books in Germany. The number of monuments destroyed by the banderites is approaching 3,000 and is mounting. Just think about it! They are guided by this beastly instinct to destroy anything they did not create themselves without creating anything on their own.

On May 3, 2023, the Verkhovna Rada adopted in the final reading a law to simplify the delisting of cultural heritage monuments that “symbolise the Russian Empire and the Soviet totalitarian policy and ideology.” Are there any other monuments if they want to cancel the history of their cities, streets and buildings? Is there any other history [in Ukraine]? Will they invent a new history? The war on monuments in Ukraine will be given a new momentum.

With Victory Day approaching, the Ukrainian armed forces and all those associated with these evil forces stepped up their terrorist and subversive activities. In the early hours of May 3, 2023, they sent drones to attack the Moscow Kremlin. On May 4, the Foreign Ministry of Russia issued a statement condemning that crime. We are convinced that it was orchestrated in Bankovaya, that is, by the Kiev regime, with the complete and total support of Western countries. Such actions are shielded and inspired by the West. Refusal to condemn and draw attention to such actions amounts to giving the green light to them, which is exactly what they are doing while also providing huge material resources, funds and weapons to Kiev. They are also making political statements saying that there can be “no peace,” that the matter can only be decided “on the battlefront” and that “it’s not time to talk about peace.” This is what they are saying at the White House, the US Department of State and so on. The Investigative Committee of Russia is investigating these crimes. The culprits will be identified and called to account.

I would also like to mention the terrorist attack on Zakhar Prilepin and his deceased comrade, Alexander Shubin. Zakhar Prilepin was seriously wounded. We wish him a speedy recovery and strength to deal with the consequences of the attack, and our deepest condolences to the family and friends of his deceased comrade.

We call on the international community and international organisations to strongly condemn the latest crimes committed by the Kiev regime, that is, the series of “events” which we describe as terrorist and extremist actions. We call on the international community and the patrons of the Kiev regime to force those in Bankovaya Street to honour their obligations to combat terrorism and to uphold the international humanitarian law. We know that this may sound unrealistic, yet we must try to raise the awareness of those who have “nurtured” Vladimir Zelensky, so that they will be unable to say later that they knew or heard nothing and that nobody told them about those crimes. We have seen this happen many times in the past.

It is no accident that Kirill Budanov, one of the new Kiev Nazis and the head of the Ukrainian military intelligence service, has made a horrific promise to “keep killing Russians anywhere in the world.” I wonder what else it takes for the White House, Downing Street, the Elysée Palace, Berlin, Madrid and Rome to see elements of extremism in such statements. I would like to repeat that the Kiev regime plans to “keep killing Russians anywhere around the world.” What is this if not terrorism? Or are such actions only seen as terrorism and extremism when the citizens of NATO countries die? Are these the only acts of this kind that are condemnable and punishable? Actually, no. There are common standards, and although there is no common definition of terrorism, there are commonly accepted criteria according to which that official, the head of a security agency who is accepted in the West, has made an extremist and terrorist statement. There can be no other version. When you hear people provide a different explanation, they are stretching the truth, at the very least, but actually they are deceiving people and leading everyone by the nose.

The continuing supply of Western weapons to the Kiev regime has led to large-scale military corruption and arms smuggling in Ukraine and beyond it.

Over the past few months, the American and European officials and media have conducted several investigations that led them to conclude that between 60 and 70 percent of Western weapons never reach Ukraine but are delivered directly to the black market. This is not reverse trading or covert deals but direct deliveries to a “non-addressee.”

Interpol Secretary General Jurgen Stock warned last year that the wide availability of weapons during the Ukraine conflict would lead to the proliferation of illicit weapons in the post-conflict phase, with the weapons ending in the hands of organised crime and terrorists. There is only one thing he was wrong about: the proliferation of illicit weapons did not begin after the conflict but during it.

The US Congress announced an audit of US spending and supplies to Ukraine in November 2022 and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak followed suit in December 2022. The reason is that the country has become a black hole. This may suit some people, but not everyone. Some people in Europe are apparently starting to consider what they will tell their voters when the guns sent to Ukraine “on paper” are used to kill Europeans. They will have to tell their voters how these supplies were controlled and how they were delivered to Ukraine. The truth will hit those who are generously signing the bills for the murder of Russians and Ukrainians out there, like a ton of bricks.

We have said this on numerous occasions, without any sarcasm or glee, trying to warn them about the backlash. This is more than a simple boomerang effect, because some of these weapons disappear on the Western black markets before reaching the border with Ukraine, and some of them are traded by the recipients on the battlefield. There are examples of such trade by those in Ukraine who were to receive these weapons directly on the battlefield, while the Ukrainian armed forces received completely different weapons. There are numerous reports to this effect in the public media.

Last January, a group of US government auditors arrived in Ukraine to ensure accountability with regard to the US military and financial aid. Oh, how naïve these US auditors are to believe that someone will tell them anything and that somehow they will be able to get to the truth.

A Transparency International report on the 2022 corruption problem in 180 countries graphically demonstrated the level of corruption among Ukrainian state officials. Let me remind you that Transparency International is one of those organisations that habitually salute the Kiev regime, post Ukraine support symbols on their websites, and have fully associated themselves with the West in this matter. They just cannot be suspected of being on our side. And yet, the report has assigned one of the lowest ratings to Ukraine (33 points out of the 100 possible), with the experts coming to the conclusion that the risk of wrongdoers misappropriating foreign financial aid was great both during the hostilities in Ukraine and later. They have no doubt as to what is happening to that financial aid. And the central point is that this is dangerous rather than just bad because of corruption. Embezzlement is not the only problem. There are also stolen weapons that end up in the hands of criminal elements, organised crime groups, terrorists and extremists, rather than in a museum or a rubbish dump.

In Germany, Stiftung Wirtschaft und Politik (Science and Politics), a fund close to the Government which conducted anti-corruption studies in Ukraine, stated that “the reforms have stalled.” I wonder how much money was invested in this report, and how much in royalties was paid out to its authors in Germany for them to make this profound and truthful conclusion? We could have done this free of charge.

The report says that “it would stand to reason to put the blame for the stalled reforms personally on the President of Ukraine and his inner circle.” Obviously, they wanted to scapegoat Russia but failed. They think it possible to somehow associate the problem of “stalled reforms” directly with the Ukrainian president.

History develops in cycles. Eighty years after the rout of Nazism, we are again fighting this horror reborn in the West and Ukraine. This time, the enemy has tried to set against us a certain part of the population in the originally Russian areas by inculcating in them the idea of ethnic superiority. The memory of our fallen ancestors cannot allow us to let the neo-Nazis in Ukraine gain the upper hand. The declared goals are important as never before. As the Russian leadership said, they would be implemented.

61st PABSEC Summit and General Assembly

During the May 4, 2023, Plenary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC) General Assembly, the Ukrainian delegation has reached a new low in its savage behaviour. To stop the head of Russia’s parliamentary delegation, State Duma MP Olga Timofeyeva, from delivering her remarks, the Ukrainian MPs – this is what they call themselves, at least – tried to unfurl the flag, banner and symbols of the Right Sector, an extremist organisation, behind her. They accompanied this with aggressive chants and tried to provoke the Russian delegation into openly confronting them.

Do you think this is the first time this has happened? To anyone arguing that “you know, the special military operation has hit a raw nerve to this extent,” this is not true. What about those in the Ukrainian delegation who followed Russian journalists in the corridors of PACE with their wild chants and threats? We have footage to prove this. Do you think that it started in 2022? Not at all. This has happened before. What about the would-be delegates from Kiev who ran around the UN Headquarters in New York following the Information and Press Department’s Deputy Director chanting nationalist slogans? Moreover, these very would-be Ukrainian delegates to the UN wore camouflage, made threats, screamed and said that they knew all the personal data and that “retribution is imminent.” Incidents of this kind have become all too common and occurred regularly. What about the Mirotvorets website? Did it start operating after 2022? It has been there for many years now. It was the collective West which sponsored, subsidised it and offered tech support without criticising, let alone condemning it in any way, not a single time – never. The West kept saying: Go ahead, you’re on the right track. Good job. Just say that this is about freedom of expression and openness, and everything will be alright. They have been nurturing this organised crime group for many years.

This provocation is a telling example of how detached from reality the nationalist gang tasked with ruling Ukraine has become. It shows that it does not understand where it is and what it does. Just look at the President of Ukraine in his green trousers and a sweatshirt touring all kinds of film festivals, musical contests and saying all this nonsense. Meanwhile, his delegates stage all sorts of performances at diplomatic venues, and all this is what Zelensky calls “an insolent foreign policy.” I did not make this up. He was the one who said Ukraine must be insolent in its foreign policy. This was perhaps a new word in international relations coming from the Kiev regime, even if it happened to be an obscenity.

I have to say that among other things this was a show of total disrespect towards Türkiye as the event’s chair, as well as towards the PABSEC MPs who were taking part. When the host invites delegations to attend an event, it undertakes to ensure the safety and security of the proceedings. But then someone decided to derail them without any ideological grounds or because they could not come to a consensus on a given issue, during negotiations or a debate, but just for the sake of expressing themselves in this sordid manner. Of course, this greatly undermines the reputation of the host and all those in charge of holding this event in general.

Displaying the flag of the Right Sector, a terrorist organisation, was especially cynical. I will not elaborate on why the Right Sector is no good and why its flags should not be displayed anywhere. What matters here is that it happened just a few days after the May 2, 2014, Odessa tragedy anniversary, when activists from this very organisation burned alive and killed several dozens of their own fellow Ukrainians, those people of Ukraine, Ukrainian nationals, whom the Kiev regime pretends to care about so much.

We firmly condemn the actions committed by these people calling themselves the Ukrainian delegation. The overwhelming majority in the international community shares this approach – I mean the refusal to accept these actions and their condemnation.

As for the proceedings of the 61st PABSEC General Assembly, we regret to note the gradual degradation of this platform which has offered the Kiev regime a podium for expressing itself and professing its anti-Russia rhetoric with the tacit connivance of several member states.

Our decision in December 2022 to suspend the payments of Russia’s assessed contributions to the budget of this structure was a logical way to respond to the hostile actions by certain participants to infringe upon the rights and interests of the Russian delegation to PABSEC. In these circumstances, we do not see any possibility of revising this decision, at least until the puppet Kiev regime stops undermining with impunity constructive multilateral cooperation among sovereign Black Sea countries.

Commemorative events marking the 78th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War abroad

In 2023, Russian diplomats and compatriots traditionally held hundreds of commemorative events in dozens of countries to mark the 78th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. I am not sure that it is possible to count all these numerous and diverse events.

The Immortal Regiment procession became the main global event honouring Victory Day and involved thousands of people from many parts of the world. The Windows of Victory, Garden of Memory, Songs of Victory and Memorial Flame projects were very successful. People laid wreaths at monuments to Soviet soldiers, and auto rallies, photo exhibitions and film screenings took place, as well.

Today, when Nazism is trying to reassert itself once again, it is highly important that we preserve and cherish the memory of the Great Victory and the heroic feat of the Soviet people in fighting the Nazi scourge, and share the truth, information and documents. All these tasks are important as never before.

We provided live coverage of the most significant events held abroad on the Foreign Ministry’s social networks. We continue to publish materials now and will do so all week. Additionally, we have created a section on this issue on the Foreign Ministry’s website, and we continue to update it. To appreciate the truly impressive scale of the Victory Day celebrations and their locations, I suggest reading our social media accounts with links to all events involving Russian diplomats, as well as a combined video footage with the best episodes.

These accounts also spoke of the history of the Great Patriotic War, the feats of Red Army soldiers and the role of this country in liberating Europe and the world from Nazism. While recalling these events and plunging into the history of that period, we annually relive the tragic and heroic episodes of the war together with them.

We regret to note that, predictably, the authorities of several states created obstacles for those who want to honour the memory of heroes of the Great Patriotic War. The Baltic states and Moldova adopted legislation banning the use of Victory Day symbols. They went even farther and forbade people to wear St George ribbon. In some cases, authorities even tried to fine those who violated the ban. This is absolute madness. One thing is obvious: they are extremely afraid as they realise that they have driven themselves into a blind alley by telling false stories to their young people, by revising history textbooks and by inventing and promoting all this through the media. They are afraid that their citizens, young people and members of civil society will see their lies for what they are. Unfortunately, these people will be unable to learn this from the media, which is erasing, banning and cancelling all this. However, they will be able to watch an Immortal Regiment procession on local streets, as well as manifestations, and wreath and flower laying ceremonies. After seeing people carrying portraits of their ancestors, they will realise that these people are cherishing something important. In that case, the myth promoted by Western regimes will come tumbling down; in fact, this is already happening right before our eyes.

In Latvia, several individuals have been arrested and criminal or administrative proceedings have been instituted. What about freedom of speech and self-expression? Haven’t the Latvian authorities heard anything? Just think about it: all of this just because people wanted to honour the memory of their kin and pay respects to the feat of valour committed by the heroes who had fought against the absolute evil. Do you remember their advice: if you want to pay tribute to the memory, go and find some remote monuments where you can weep and lay flowers? Do you remember the theme peddled by these “members of the public?” This is what the 21st-century neo-Nazism, racism and xenophobia are all about. In the same way, people with a different skin colour, eye shape, or shape of the scull were denied the right to a joint presence, say, in public spaces in the West before the mid-20th century. They were banished to ghettos, deprived of the opportunity to use the public transit system, and prevented from attending the same classes as the “right children.” Similarly, the authorities in the Baltic states, specifically Latvia, are barring people from honouring the memory of their ancestors and people who liberated their ancestors and, in principle, Europe as well. As they say, “Get out of our country,” “Leave this space,” “We don’t want to see this at home.” But there is an important detail: these flowers, wreaths, and tributes are meant to commemorate the people whom the Nuremberg Trials had declared heroes. (Nuremberg has not been cancelled, its decisions are in effect to this day, and they have no statute of limitations.) To honour their memory, there is no need to leave this or that country, where a person wants to do this and where there is a monument, a burial site, a tombstone, or a memorial. It is there that one’s civic duty should be discharged. This is what each person’s freedom and sacred duty are all about. Freedom does not mean destruction. These things are often confused.

But today worshippers of the evil rule the roost in the Baltic states and Ukraine. They don’t like being constantly reminded that they are worshipping the evil. They want it the other way about: to put the evil on the pedestal, glorify the Nazi criminals, and go back to the times when segregation was the rule and people were accepted based on their “sort,” colour, and shape of the scull. They do not want anyone to stand in the way and tell them that black is black and white is white.

This year, regrettably, the authorities of the city of Berlin decided to join the campaign of bans. This is a disgrace for the entire German public. You may dislike or otherwise philosophies, ideologies or political ideas, but you have no right to call into question the decisions approved at the Nuremberg Trials. What the Berlin authorities did to restrict the celebrations dedicated to this day is certainly an encroachment on the Nuremberg verdicts.

This led to the police unceremoniously stopping Immortal Regiment marchers on their way to the Tiergarten monument, which, however, did not prevent them from laying their floral tributes. All told, nearly one thousand people took part in the Immortal Regiment march in Berlin despite the draconian measures on the part of the local law enforcement services.

The leader of this shameful crusade is, of course, Vladimir Zelensky (we mentioned this earlier today). He has destroyed, cancelled and distorted everything. I have no answer to the question as to whether he is doing all this consciously or unconsciously, or this is being done on his behalf. I can’t say.

I wonder what Semyon Zelensky, the president’s grandfather decorated with two Orders of the Red Star, would have told his grandson today. Perhaps he would have advised him to take an anti-Nazi rehabilitation course. For his medical condition and his fascist views. I wonder if Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky would have dared to tear off the two Orders of the Red Star from the chest of his grandfather as part of his decommunisation campaign. Tear them off in the same way as they knock down stars from monuments, paint them over, and write obscenities. Or is this an embarrassing question?

We can say that this year’s traditional events dedicated to Victory Day were held against the background of the collective West’s ongoing anti-Russia campaign and the hysteria it has generated. In a number of countries, Ukrainian “activists” made attempts to disrupt the planned memorial events.

Events marking the 78th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War in foreign countries

In several European capitals – Berlin, Paris, Madrid and Warsaw – as well as in Barcelona, the Immortal Regiment marches took place amid provocations by individuals supporting the Kiev regime, holed up in warm European countries. In the Polish capital, a mob holding, what according to local authorities was, pardon me, a ‘happening,’ (it is indeed hard to find an adequate word to describe their event), blocked the Russian delegation, headed by Ambassador Sergey Andreyev, and prevented them from laying wreaths at the Soviet military memorial cemetery in Warsaw. Polish officials will receive a strong protest from us. I can assure you that it will not be the only countermeasure. We consider the act as yet another demonstration of Poland’s attitude, which goes beyond unfriendliness and is, in fact, outrageous and an insult to the memory of more than 600,000 Soviet troops killed while liberating Poland from the Nazi occupation, and a breach of Poland’s obligation to prevent these sort of incidents.

We are glad to see that even in Europe, there are still plenty of people who have not lost the memory of our country’s contribution to the Victory, or historical memory in general. It was a collective struggle against the brown plague. Not from the beginning, but eventually, anti-Nazi resistance movements permeated the whole of Europe. It was indeed our collective fight, when Red Army soldiers fought shoulder to shoulder with the soldiers from countries that did not resist Nazism at the beginning of the war. However, in the course of WWII and as a result of internal processes and external circumstances, they changed or were forced to change their position and stood up to the Nazis, forcing them out further and further to the west.

Many foreign citizens, who cared and were not intimidated, took part in the memorial events alongside our fellow nationals and Russian diplomats, marching through the streets of Rome, Paris and other European cities. Foreigners in other parts of the world (Asia, Africa and Latin America) eagerly participated in our events, including at the official level. For example, the memorial events in Cuba were attended by one of the leaders of the Cuban revolution Raul Castro and President Miguel Mario Díaz-Canel Bermúdez. In Managua, the capital of Nicaragua, several incumbent ministers took part in the Immortal Regiment, including Foreign Minister Denis Moncada Colindres. We appreciate the attention and participation of our friends.

According to preliminary data, the Immortal Regiment marches took place in more than 70 countries (130 events in different cities) and on five continents. In addition, ceremonial receptions, commemorative and memorial events were held in over 80 countries, including wreath-laying ceremonies at the memorials to Soviet soldiers and traditional Subbotnik cleanup days at the tombs of our heroes. The Victory Day celebrations continue, with more events abroad to be held during the week. We will keep you updated on our website and social media accounts.

It is good to see that in many countries, diplomats from the CIS and the CSTO, former Soviet republics that also cherish and honour the sacred memory of our heroes, were involved in the Victory Day celebrations.

With our partners from the CIS in the UN, we launched a joint project, #MemoryOfVictory. It is a series of social media posts about the monuments, museums and exhibitions dedicated to the Great Patriotic War. The main purpose of the campaign is to emphasise the importance of preserving historical memory and to show that our countries revere our ancestors’ heroism.

At the OSCE, a traditional statement marking the 78th anniversary of the Victory in World War II was released by envoys from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

A traditional May Day meeting was held at Russia’s Representative Office in Geneva, attended by diplomats from the representative offices of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

We paid special attention to our veterans living abroad as Russian diplomats always visit them throughout the year and ahead of May 9, conveying greetings to them from President Vladimir Putin, and offering help and support. This is systemic work that goes beyond holidays and covers the entire year. A holiday is just a reason to celebrate. We report on these meetings and events via our website and social media as well.

This remarkable holiday has always inspired awe and we will continue to do everything to preserve the memory of our victory and the price paid, and the memory of every person who gave their life for a world without Nazism. We remember.

Dismantling a monument of gratitude to the Red Army in Poland

In the run-up to our grand Victory Day celebrations, Poland has desecrated the Soviet memorial heritage, historical memory and its own common sense once again.

On May 5, the Polish authorities organised a disgusting event in Głubczyce and dismantled a 1945 monument honouring 676 Soviet soldiers, killed in action while liberating this town from the Nazis. The entire event took place in line with the outrageous traditions of the last few years. The media livestreamed the ignominious event, and Karol Nawrocki, the president of the Institute of National Remembrance, ranted before the audience. While relishing his lies about Red Army soldiers, he tried to prove that they did not liberate anyone in 1945, and that they did not fight invaders. On the contrary, this was a clash between evil and evil, between enslavers and enslavers. He probably forgot to say that some enslavers led their victims into gas chambers, after forcing them to take off their clothes. Moreover, they virtually dissected those people, using their hair, teeth and skin. Those with better features donated their much-needed blood to soldiers of the Third Reich. Other “enslavers” did their best to stop the former from torturing our planet. Those were not just murders, and the planet had never seen anything like this before. I believe that the ravings of these pseudo-scientists will backfire on them. One day, people brought up in line with this logic will call on them and do the same to them.

According to Nawrocki’s revelations, both warring parties wanted to destroy Poland and Central Europe. There should be some logic here. I am not talking about common sense, but there should at least be some logic. Understandably, the Nazis wrought destruction, built concentration camps, shot people and buried them alive. What did Soviet soldiers do? They pushed everyone back and chased Nazi forces all the way to Berlin. It turns out that something prevented them from implementing the logic of destruction, as Nawrocki said. Or did events take a different turn?

Nawrocki also elaborated on this idea and said that they were dismantling an “object of propaganda” depicting events that never took place, rather than a monument, for this reason. This sounds rather interesting: No events took place, and the monument is standing there all by itself. Consequently, all one has to do is remove the monument, and justice will triumph in line with this infernal concept. No event, no monument. I believe that a psychiatrist should deal with this case.

At the end of the event, the head of the Institute of National Remembrance reported on the destruction of 28 Soviet-era monuments in the past 12 months. One can ask the following question: Who rebuilt Warsaw? Those who destroyed the city or those who did not exist? There should be those who rebuilt it after all.

According to the Institute’s president, apart from merely removing monuments, they are fighting for the consciousness of new generations of Poles. I can even suggest a name for them. They can refer to people whose consciousness they have suppressed as mankurts. This is how writer Chingiz Aitmatov called a person deprived of memory in one of his novels.

Polish authorities are deliberately distorting the history of World War II for political reasons, leaving new generations with hatred and a thirst for revenge, rather than a grateful memory for Red Army soldiers, and depriving the people of Poland of our common victory over Nazism.

Prague offensive and the liberation of Prague

The Prague offensive – the last offensive operation of Soviet troops in Europe during World War II – took place on May 6-11, 1945. Or did it? Did it happen or not? How do we rebuild any consciousness now, where do we find a historical tuning fork, a measure of what we are? This is the reason people have learned to write books, compose memoirs and keep it all in libraries – to be able to calibrate themselves against something, historically, and grow and improve, rather than keep falling off a cliff every time, shattering to smithereens, and make their children repeat the same destructive cycle.

Yes, the Prague operation did happen. It was carried out by the forces of the 1st, 2nd and 4th Ukrainian fronts with the aim of finally destroying a powerful German military group in Czechoslovakia. Until recently, Polish leaders maintained that the Ukrainian Front was part of an army comprised of Ukrainians only, therefore a “good” and heroic part of the Red Army. Can you imagine such nonsense? Do you know how many people of different ethnicities fought on all the fronts? They were named on a geographical basis and did not reflect anyone’s ethnic background. But we've already been through that. That was one of the narratives they used.

I repeat that the goal of the Prague operation was to eliminate the German military group on the territory of Czechoslovakia.

On May 2, 1945, Berlin was taken by storm. And in the early hours of May 6, the rebellious inhabitants of Prague used a radio station to appeal to the Soviet command for help. The Red Army had to change its combat plans, and, without completing the regrouping of forces, Marshal Ivan Konev, who commanded the 1st Ukrainian Front (the one whose monument has been a thorn in the side of Russophobes and revanchists for years), ordered to start on the morning of May 6. On May 7, the Red Army approached the slopes of the Ore Mountains; on May 8, they liberated Olomouc, the heart of Moravia. Two tank armies of the 1st Ukrainian Front came to the rescue of the insurgents on May 9, having made a swift overnight 80-kilometre march to Prague, where they were joined by units of other fronts. With the support of local residents, the Red Army cleared the city from the Nazis, and on May 10, the 1st Czechoslovak Army Corps, formed in the USSR of Czech volunteers, drove into the capital on Soviet tanks.

On May 11, the Nazis finally laid down their arms. On that day, Soviet troops met with the advanced units of the American army, which occupied the west of the republic. That drew a victorious line in the Great Patriotic War.

The fight for Czechoslovakia cost the Soviet Union 140,000 lives. As many as 390,000 soldiers were awarded medals For the Liberation of Prague. Many graves of Soviet soldiers at the Olšany cemetery in Prague are dated May 9 or 10. They died in the last battles with the enemy, fearlessly completing the effort they had begun. The world was already celebrating the victory when they said goodbye to this world, forever remaining in the Prague soil.

We have repeatedly spoken about the blasphemous crimes of present-day Czech vandals who attack memorial obelisks honouring the fallen Red Army soldiers, about the desecration of Soviet soldiers’ graves, the Czech government’s shameful manipulations concerning the monument to Marshal of the Soviet Union Ivan Konev, who liberated Auschwitz, Terezín, and Prague. All the manipulations made with this memorial are a disgrace in the country’s history.

On this memorable day, I would like to remember other Czechs, and express my sincere gratitude to the country’s citizens who continue to preserve the historical memory of our soldiers (who are also their soldiers, because they liberated them) and take care of Red Army soldiers’ burial places in the Czech Republic. They are doing this contrary to the regime’s mainstream narrative, resisting the pressure from the country’s authorities who, unfortunately, continue to pressure them. There are many such examples.

The Baltic authorities’ attempts to prevent May 9 celebrations

Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia thoroughly prepared for this year’s Victory Day celebrations. They dismantled Soviet war memorials (over 120 memorials have been destroyed in Latvia alone) and prohibited celebratory events and memorial symbols. At the same time, they continued with their criminal policy of the glorification of Nazi criminals and collaborators. This was unimaginable several decades ago when this would have been refuted as propaganda and lies. But the day has come. Monuments to real heroes are being dismantled, while monuments are being unveiled to not just anti-heroes but Nazi criminals and monsters who have been condemned as such at the unfalsified, non-lying and non-fictional Nuremberg Trials.

On that sacred day for the overwhelming majority of humankind, thousands of people in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia brought flowers to the remaining memorials and graves and to the sites of the monuments that were barbarously destroyed on orders from the Baltic authorities.

Dozens of our compatriots have been detained and are facing criminal and administrative charges for attending memorial events in Latvia.

This is not surprising because the ruling officials in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia are the offspring of those who voluntarily served Nazi Germany during the Great Patriotic War and WWII. But they will not erase the memory of the Great Victory.

Lithuania’s new discriminatory measures against Russian citizens

On May 3, 2023, a new law came into effect in Lithuania. Under it, applications for temporary residence permits and the purchase of property have been suspended for Russian citizens. It also provides for individual detailed screening of Russian citizens crossing the border for potential “threats to national security.” The Lithuanian authorities see danger everywhere, including in monuments, ribbons, flowers and graves. They have now decided to focus on those living in the republic who hold no opposition views. Unbelievable. Since May 3, 2023, the Lithuanian consulates have been prohibited from accepting visa applications from Russians, and from July 1, 2023, visa centres will no longer accept applications from Russians.

In connection with this openly xenophobic and ethnicity-based discrimination law, the Foreign Ministry of Russia strongly recommends that Russian citizens take into account all possible risks when considering travel to or transit via that Baltic state.

Publications in Denmark, Norway, Finland and Sweden about Russian intelligence operations

To keep all these campaigns, bigotry and dirt alive, you need to maintain the related atmosphere year-round. How? By publishing articles, spreading misinformation and through intimidation. Let me offer a powerful example.

In early May this year, the screening of a television series titled The Shadow War, produced by Denmark’s DR, Norway’s NRK, Finland’s YLE and Sweden’s SVT networks, and promoted as nothing short of an international sensation, came to an end in Nordic Europe.

Presented as the results of “objective investigative journalism,” the reports proved to be part of a coordinated effort to plant misleading information, just as we expected, designed to denigrate Russia and discredit the Russian diplomatic service. The age-old allegations about spying by Russian diplomats, researchers and sailors, which have been used many times for ramping up a feeling of fear towards our country, offered a starting point for this reporting.

I cannot wait to see migratory birds flying from one country to another, be it from the north to the south, or from the south to the north, west-east, or east-west, starting to confess to Nordic countries that they, too, are spies. I believe that this would be the next stage, even if it remains to be seen whether it will be the birds or the fish that are designated as spies first.

The documentary alleges that Russian ships were involved in sabotaging the Nord Stream pipelines without backing these claims with any facts or evidence. Why bother with the facts, if you can simply show a journalist on the screen, write a script and ask the journalist to say who is to blame? Nothing else matters. All there is to it is to say that you know everything there is to know about it.

However, they intentionally refrained from mentioning the fact that it was Russia who for eight months now has been asking for an impartial international investigation into the acts of sabotage against the Nord Stream pipelines. Let me remind you that the UN Security Council held a meeting on this matter, and it was the Western regimes who blocked the resolution on holding an independent international investigation under the aegis of, say, the UN Secretary-General. The idea consisted of having the Secretary-General invite unbiased, nonpartisan and impartial investigators and experts to set up a working group. This would have made the investigation as transparent and open as possible. But no, when it comes to investigating on the ground, the West blocked it all. But if you have a documentary, they believe that they can do as they please. After all, a film is just a film.

Once again, let me remind you that for many months now Russia has been insisting on giving this investigation truly international status so that it is not managed from a single decision-making centre. We insisted that Russian government bodies and Gazprom experts take part in it since they are the ones who actually know what kind of infrastructure and equipment this is all about. They have the data and the information, and they are ready to share them on a reciprocal basis and in keeping with the established procedures. Meanwhile, the German, Danish and Swedish authorities have been doing everything they can to evade this approach, thus covering those who ordered and carried out this terrorist attack. Of course, the documentary does not say a word about all this. Why bother?

This all-out invective went as far as targeting the Russian Centre for Science and Culture in Copenhagen. The cultural centre is to blame for all the possible transgressions. The journalists alleged that it served as a cover-up for Russian intelligence agencies. This aggressive Russia-hating campaign against an institution whose mission is to introduce the people of Denmark to the Russian culture, does not hold water. The reporting in the documentary about the Russian Centre for Science and Culture went even further than the eternal myth about Russian submarines surfacing in city centres across Nordic Europe, even where there are no rivers, let alone a sea.

I do not see any reason to offer detailed comments on all the reporting with this low-quality, misleading information. We expect these planted publications to continue and multiply. Even a glimpse of this reporting will be enough to understand that the governments and special services of these countries, as well as their curators, are behind all this. Their objective is to ensure that Russia remains framed as an enemy as a way to use any means at their disposal to justify their support for the criminal Kiev regime. As I have already said, what matters most here is to cover those who ordered and carried out this terrorist attacks on the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines. By staging provocations like this, their authors bring relations with Russia ever closer to the point of no return.

Pakistan update

We are closely monitoring the situation in Pakistan following the May 9 arrest of Imran Khan, former prime minister and chairman of Pakistan’s largest opposition party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (Pakistan Movement for Justice), on corruption charges. We are seriously concerned about media reports of violent attacks by protesters on police and miliary facilities in the country.

We call on the sides to settle their differences peacefully. We hope that the large-scale protests will be held without major clashes and that the situation will normalise soon. According to available information, Russian citizens in Pakistan have not sought help from our Embassy in Islamabad.

I would like to say that emergency phone numbers are available on our Embassy’s website and its social accounts.

Upcoming third Forum of Youth Initiatives of Russia and Azerbaijan

The third Forum of Youth Initiatives of Russia and Azerbaijan will be held in Mingachevir, Azerbaijan, on May 16-19, 2023. It has been organised by Russia’s Ministry of Science and Higher Education, Federal Agency for Youth Affairs and North-Caucasus Federal University and the Ministry of Youth and Sport of Azerbaijan.

It is symbolic that this format was one of the first projects launched within the framework of the implementation of the Russian-Azerbaijani Declaration on Allied Interaction for ambitious young people willing to implement joint ideas and projects.

The forum’s programme includes discussions on youth policy in Russian and Azerbaijani regions and on the realisation of young people’s professional aspirations. The delegates will also talk about social, research cooperation and business projects.

Anniversary of the NATO strike on the Chinese Embassy in Yugoslavia

Twenty-four years ago on May 7, 1999, NATO launched a missile strike on the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Belgrade during the alliance’s 78-day aggression against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. In that attack, three people were killed, including journalists from the Xinhua News Agency and the Guangming Daily newspaper, and 20 people were wounded.

Officially, the Americans explained the “accidental bombing” by “mistargeting.” NATO said they planned to deliver the strike – just think about it – at the nearby Federal Directorate for Supply and Procurement because of its role in military procurement. In their opinion, the directorate was a “legitimate target.” They explained the error by the use of obsolete maps, none of which “accurately identified the current location of the Chinese Embassy,” even though it had moved to that address in 1993 or six years before the attack.

The news about the bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Yugoslavia was shocking. I remember the footage very well, and I remember that I couldn’t believe my eyes. I remember the reaction of people in the streets of Beijing and other cities: outrage, resistance, and demands to call the culprits to account. By that time, the international community had witnessed many NATO crimes against the Serbs. The alliance was accused of mistargeting and barbarous bombings, which increasingly often hit civilian facilities and even residential districts in Serbian cities. The world later saw the results of many other NATO attacks around the world. A Chinese representative at the UN denounced the strike on the Chinese Embassy as “criminal” and “barbaric.” Beijing was not convinced by Washington’s explanations.

Later, the Americans tried to make a cash settlement by offering compensation to the families of the dead and injured. But the government and people of China refuse to forget the barbaric atrocity committed by US-led NATO against their diplomatic mission in Belgrade in 1999, as Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said the other day. The ministry noted that the United States continued to make forays into the Asia Pacific region, instigating confrontation and undermining stability in the world.

We would like to express solidarity with the views of our Chinese friends. The time has come to cut short the efforts, launched against the backdrop of the dramatic Yugoslavia crisis, to replace the legitimate mechanisms regulating international relations with a “rules-based order” that is nothing more than cynical and amoral arbitrariness perpetrated by the West in the interests of the “golden billon.”

Russia and China call for the creation of a fairer world order and welcome the growing number of states that have opted for free and sovereign development based on their distinctive character and traditions. We will work together to create an equal and open security system in the world.

Foreign Ministry website publishes reference information on British historical, legal and international responsibility for colonial and post-colonial crimes

On April 25, 2023, reference information that contains concentrated facts on the flagrant colonial and post-colonial crimes of the British Empire was published in the Foreign Policy section, Historical Materials subsection of the Foreign Ministry website.

The expansion of the British Empire was the largest among the Western European states in terms of geography; it covered almost every region in the world. It was built, to a large extent, based on an idea of the cultural and religious exceptionalism of the British as promoted by London. While occupying rich countries and territories, the British exploited them economically, drained them of resources and used them as raw material colonies and markets for their goods.

To keep other peoples under control, London did not hesitate to use the harshest methods. The animal cruelty of British colonisers is astonishing, as evidenced during the fight for independence in India or during the 1899-1902 Second Boer War, when the Brits created the world’s first concentration camps, where even children were used as a workforce.

All of these things are interrelated. Today when I hear some Baltic experts who, naturally, life off American grants or are on the hook because their reputation was compromised, say that the concentration camps in the Baltic countries were built by the Nazis (Salaspils, etc.) and that there was nothing terrible there from the point of view of contemporary politicians and “experts” of the Baltic regimes, I am stunned. Let that sink in – they were “labor camps.” When asked whether they know what was done to children there, they say that they know, and the children were simply re-educated. I am not sure that taking blood, conducting medical experiments and removing internal organs can be called re-education. No. It is not re-education, it is extermination. Call a spade a spade. Considering the influence the United Kingdom has had over the Baltic countries, it is obvious where it all comes from. The first experiments on children in concentration camps and other atrocities come from there. These were the British Empire’s discoveries.

The British colonial machine basically ground down millions of people in Africa and radically changed the continent’s demographic picture. One can rightfully say that the British are responsible for the genocide of the peoples in Africa, India (the British Empire intentionally starved Indian territories believing that it would suppress the independence movement), as well as the indigenous peoples in Australia and Tasmania, exterminating up to 90 percent of the local population. Having faced a collective lawsuit by veterans of the Mau Mau rebellion in Kenya who were imprisoned and brutally tortured by British soldiers in 1952-1963, London started deliberately destroying the archives so that the scale of the crimes committed by the British Empire was difficult to assess.

Guided as it was by the “divide and rule” principle in its colonial policy, the UK sought to pitch various peoples against one another in order to benefit from the differences between various religious and ethnic groups. By drawing artificial borders along the “lines of confrontation,” Great Britain laid the groundwork for most of today’s territorial disputes and religious and ethnic conflicts in Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

The 1947 partition of British India into two independent states, India and Pakistan, is a case in point in that it led to violent clashes between the Hindu and Muslim populations, resulted in massive refugee flows and caused famine, leaving about a million civilians dead and creating 18 million refugees, with another 4 million missing. Let me remind you that these figures do not refer to today’s world with its population of several billion people. This was in 1947. Just imagine the scale and compare these numbers with the overall population figures. You simply cannot take these figures out of their historical context. In today’s figures, even imaging what happened at that time is terrifying. It is due to the uncertainty of the border line separating India and Pakistan that their relations remain tense to this day.

Interestingly, even today, the UK has not even tried to conceal its racist colonial-era approaches. All it did was just slightly embellish them. So it went, it happens. Presented by the British elite, the colonial period remains for the country’s society a source of national pride. A peculiar matrix of values, the idea of its messianic cause and the heavy burden of the white man, have become so entrenched that they are cast as the drivers of human progress for the entire world. But the fact that this progress has left hundreds, tens and hundreds of thousands, millions of people suffering… arguing that progress is always good would be completely wrong. It is good when the designated objective is the right one, when it is well-thought out and intentions are sincere. But what if it is the opposite of that? Progress is not always good, and the collocation “progressive illness” proves this point. For this reason, no one has expressed remorse for their crimes, which were more than mere missteps, and they never thought of remedying them.

Ukraine exemplifies London’s racist approach to the uncivilized world. In this sense, what The Daily Telegraph, a pro-government newspaper, wrote about Ukrainians in its February 26, 2022, edition, is quite telling. The British wrote about Ukrainians. Just listen to it, and keep in mind that it was published in a newspaper. This is an actual print title which is liable for what it publishes according to the law, and also has a reputation to uphold, etc. This is not some kind of a blog, and not just someone sharing their views on social media. Here is what The Daily Telegraph wrote: “They seem so like us. That is what makes it so shocking. Ukraine is a European country. Its people watch Netflix and have Instagram accounts, vote in free elections and read uncensored newspapers.” Can you imagine that? This is an independent country. Of course, after the 1990s it broke apart under Western influence. Much has been destroyed. However, before that, when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union, it developed research, manufacturing, built factories and aircraft. It had a manufacturing sector, and its own unique culture. It gave the world many celebrities who, truth be said, never referred to themselves as just Ukrainians or exclusively Russians. They would say that they were shaped by a mix of cultures. They wrote in Russian while saying they had Ukrainian identities, etc. There were all kinds of situations. Come the 21st century, and London with all its greatness said that people there are “like us.” They discovered Ukraine. Those living there are human because they know how to use social media. This was akin to a neo-Columbus-scale insight. I beg your pardon, but this is terrifying. And this is exactly what we oppose. Meanwhile, this article or the UK press in general have never offered any serious reporting on the many years of bloody crimes committed by the Kiev regime, lavishly sponsored by the UK and others, against the people of Donbass.

We are certain that the materials we publish on the Foreign Ministry website will help readers understand what kind of an ideology we are dealing with today, and who in the West feeds this sentiment domestically, as well as sordid phenomena like the Kiev regime. Discovering historical background behind these processes, how it all came to be, and is now implemented is important and useful. The most interesting part here is to contrast the historical facts we refer to, including those from ancient times as well as the most recent past, with the statements on freedom, democracy, and defending rights. The conclusion begs itself, and everyone will choose for themselves. I have made my choice. People who have yet to show remorse for what they did, including what Great Britain has done, have no moral right to speak up on a wide range of topics.

The 2nd Eurasian Economic Forum

On May 24-25, Moscow will host the 2nd Eurasian Economic Forum timed to coincide with the meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council.

The forum, the theme of which will be “Eurasian integration in a multipolar world,” will comprise around 35 expert sessions on the most topical issues concerning the development of the Eurasian Economic Union, including energy, food and digital security, deepening international cooperation, collective efforts in science and technology, the prospects of the tourism industry and others.

Heads of the EAEU member states, observer states and invited countries will speak at the plenary session.

The Green Eurasia International Climate Contest, a business breakfast hosted by the Russian Agency for Strategic Initiatives and other events will be held on the sidelines of the forum.

We expect broad geographical representation of speakers and participants. The detailed programme and the registration form are available on the forum’s official website.

Information about the forum topics has been posted on the social media accounts of the Eurasian Economic Commission and the EAEU-themed Telegram channel of the respective department of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

The 2nd Architecture of Diplomacy National Creative Contest

The Main Administration for Services to the Diplomatic Corps (GlavUpDK) under the Foreign Ministry is holding the 2nd Architecture of Diplomacy National Creative Contest for young artists aged 18 to 35. Last year, the contest received 60 paintings from artists representing different Russian regions from Donetsk to Irkutsk. The 2022 contest demonstrated that Russian culture cannot be cancelled and creative young people need support more than ever.

As we celebrate the Year of Music and Sergey Rachmaninoff’s 150th birthday, the theme of this year’s contest is “Architecture: Music frozen in stone.” Young artists are invited to draw parallels between the music by Russian composers and the historical buildings managed by GlavUpDK.

The contest will introduce the public at large to the creative potential of young Russian artists and draw public attention to the historical and cultural aspects of the diplomatic service in Russia.

The contest is open to professional and non-professional artists, students of vocational schools and higher education institutions (any year), and students of colleges and other art courses and schools. Winners will be determined after September 1.

Submissions are open from June 15 to August 1. Participants need to submit electronic applications between May 1 and June 15.

More details are available on the website of the Main Administration for Services to the Diplomatic Corps under the Foreign Ministry.

Answers to media questions:

Question: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that, according to the US authorities, Kiev itself should choose specific methods for defending its territory. “My own estimation is that they have in place across all of those dimensions what they need to continue to be successful in regaining territory that Russia has seized by force over the past 14 months,” he noted. Does this statement highlight an attempt by the United States to absolve itself of responsibility for the further developments in Ukraine?

Maria Zakharova: If we pose the question this way (I mean Antony Blinken), then we can also say that we reserve the right to decide how to defend ourselves and how to implement our own national interests, our domestic and foreign policies. You see, it is possible to “substitute” international cooperation with these phrases. We realise that every sovereign country has a right to implement its own national interests. We also advocate compliance with international law that has evolved over many years and that is based on the UN Charter and the entire system of this organisation with all its bodies and agencies. It is pointless to use slogans.

I mentioned several historical examples earlier (from air strikes against Yugoslavia to the current situation in Ukraine) when the use of slogans by Western representatives led to bloody consequences. They should have learned long ago where all this leads.

As for responsibility, they disregard this side of it completely. They have no misgivings about assuming responsibility in the future. I will explain why.

Today, we are talking a lot about history, historical memory and facts of the past. We see how they cancel, rewrite and distort them. Why? Because issues of responsibility, historical memory and the truth are interlinked. There is no responsibility when historical memory does not exist. These officials are suffering from political amnesia. This approach is very convenient. It is a false approach, but they find it very convenient. They perpetrated an act, forgot about it, and bear no responsibility. So, the formulation of this subject as possible responsibility or shunning responsibility is not topical. They do not use such categories. They absolve themselves of any responsibility because they are not burdened by any historical realities. At the same time, as you can see, they are poorly educated. They could have learned about earlier historical events through self-improvement, by gaining experience, by hearing family stories or obtaining a high-quality education, as well as through television and other media. They have blocked the latter two channels. As you know, their self-improvement leaves a lot to be desired. Their historical roots have nothing to do with the ideals of justice. Their education system is either substandard or ideologically motivated. In some cases, both things are combined.

I absolutely agree with you that we should view this in the context of efforts to encourage the Kiev regime to engage in such actions. This is about encouraging, rather than assuming responsibility. This could also mean inspiration, although I am trying not to use this word with regard to the West and the Kiev regime because you need a soul for this. I get the impression that they are either soulless creatures or, as Nikolay Gogol wrote, “dead souls.” So, they are encouraging and goading. This is the gist of such statements. I am talking about the intention to induce the Kiev regime into committing even greater and more horrendous crimes.

They have been updating the Myrotvorets website for many years. This nationalistic, people-hating ideology has now infected official and pro-government Ukrainian media outlets. The West does not denounce these outlets for publishing stories and editorials openly calling for the murder of public activists and journalists. (Mind you, I’m not speaking about stories concocted by some fringe authors that the editorial office failed to ban). The Kiev regime and its Western patrons see this as normal.

Question: How much has Russia’s rapprochement with India and other BRICS countries increased, given recent events and attempts to isolate Russia?

Maria Zakharova: Our strategic partnerships in the BRICS format are gaining momentum. The organisation is seeing substantial cooperation at this point – I am referring to the Food Security Strategy, the Digital Economy Partnership Framework, trade and investment initiatives for sustainable development and expanding cooperation when it comes to supply chains. At the end of 2022, the five member countries’ total GDP exceeded that of the G7, which indicates a greater contribution to the global economy from BRICS. This is only a small part of the actual achievements. These are no cynical comic standups about the US national debt, inflationary bubbles, or the usual routines. This is about the real tangible contribution these major economies have been making to the global economy. Behind these BRICS successes is a shared interest in forging a mutually beneficial dialogue, building a new and more just global political, financial and economic architecture that reflects our pursuit of true multipolarity and the interests of most states in the world.

Russia’s ties with Brazil, our time-tested friend and one of our key strategic partners, are expanding very intensively, both bilaterally and in the international arena. The recently approved Russian Foreign Policy Concept lists strengthening cooperation with that Latin American country as a priority. The two countries maintain contacts at the highest and high levels, and interaction at multilateral platforms, primarily BRICS, the G20, the UN and the Security Council, where Brazil is a non-permanent member this year. Mutually beneficial trade and cooperation in promising areas are consistently expanding.

To the surprise of the US and its satellites, their attempts to isolate our country have actually served to strengthen the Russian-Indian privileged strategic partnership. Despite the sanctions pressure from the West, Moscow’s contacts with New Delhi remain at a consistently high level, and have become even closer in some areas. This applies equally to bilateral dialogue and interaction within international platforms such as the UN, the SCO, BRICS and the G20. Our Indian friends are showing a firm commitment to intensifying it further. They maintain a consistent neutral stance on Ukraine and call, in a constructive manner, for resolving the crisis through diplomatic means. India has not joined the sanctions crusade against Moscow waged by the US and Western European states, including the price cap on Russian oil.

Indeed, anti-Russia restrictions have created some temporary difficulties for the growth of bilateral trade, but at the same time, they have catalysed it, accelerating the transition to transactions in national currencies and the joint development of self-sufficient transport, logistics and financial infrastructure. Our trade and economic cooperation received a powerful impetus last year, and trade reached a record high for Russia’s recent history. This trend continued this year. Unlike Western countries, it is Russia that sends key military, space and nuclear technologies to India.

Russian-Chinese relations continue to develop progressively, regardless of external factors and the destructive efforts of our ill-wishers. We are closely coordinating our steps in the international arena. We have shared or similar views on the most important global events and processes. We are jointly promoting the development of regional integration mechanisms, including BRICS.

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Russia in March confirmed the stability of bilateral ties convincingly. The Moscow summit has become a major political event, with significance that goes far beyond bilateral relations. We regard it as one of the decisive steps towards dismantling the unipolar world order in favour of creating a more just and rational system of international relations based on international law and the UN Charter, rather than on the notorious “rules” promoted by the West.

Despite the Western powers’ frenzied attempts to exhaust our economy and inflict maximum economic damage on Russia by imposing their unilateral sanctions, the Chinese president’s visit actually lent an impetus to mutually beneficial trade and economic cooperation. We have managed to achieve significant results in this sphere – for example, in 2022, Russian-Chinese trade increased by a third, to $185 billion, setting a new record.

As regards South Africa, Russia’s interaction with that country continues to develop progressively in the spirit of strategic partnership. Our countries have established a trust-based political dialogue at the highest and high levels. In 2022, the presidents of Russia and South Africa had three telephone conversations; the parties reaffirmed their mutual intention to increase cooperation.

In January 2023, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited the Republic of South Africa, where he met with South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor and President Cyril Ramaphosa.

On March 17 and 20, 2023, State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin met with Speaker of the National Assembly of South Africa’s Parliament Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, and Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko met with Chairperson of South Africa’s National Council of Provinces Amos Masondo in Moscow, on the sidelines of the 2nd Russia-Africa International Parliamentary Conference.

On March 27-30, Pretoria hosted the 17th meeting of the Russian-South African Joint Intergovernmental Committee on Trade and Economic Cooperation co-chaired by Russia’s Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment Alexander Kozlov and South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor.

As you can see, any isolation of Russia in the context of BRICS is beyond question.

Question: Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan said “the CSTO has failed to fulfil its obligations with regard to Armenia.” How does Moscow respond to this statement?

Maria Zakharova: It has been pointed out several times at the level of the Russian authorities and the Foreign Ministry that we regard Yerevan’s public criticism of the CSTO as counterproductive. Frankly, the Armenian leadership’s discussions of the organisation’s effectiveness outside the CSTO, when there are formats and communication channels for doing this within the organisation, are bewildering. Most importantly, CSTO members are ready not only to listen to and discuss any criticism, but also to take practical action.

We have also taken note of the assessments the Armenian leadership and the EU mission in that country expressed in Prague on May 4, 2023. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said the decision to invite EU observers was not an easy one because it does not promise any security guarantees and will only create new challenges. One is tempted to ask if Armenia’s inflated expectations of the EU and the CSTO take reality into account.

Anyway, we expect our Armenian partners to take proactive steps to resume practical efforts towards deploying a CSTO mission in Armenia and taking other joint measures to help our ally. Russia is ready for this work, as Yerevan knows very well.

Question: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Baku and Yerevan had made significant progress toward a sustainable peace agreement. The next meeting of the ministers is to be held in Moscow. Will Moscow take into account the agreements on a peace agreement the ministers have reached in Washington?

Maria Zakharova: The statements about “significant progress” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made following the meeting in Washington are out of sync with the comments made in Azerbaijan and Armenia. We have noted not only progress in coordinating several articles of the peace agreement but also persisting differences over some fundamental elements of that document.

We believe Baku and Yerevan should continue working on the draft agreement at the bilateral level. We believe that we should provide assistance in this process, which is why we have invited them to hold the next round of talks in Moscow.

As we have pointed out on numerous occasions, our main goal is to ensure a stable and lasting peace in the region, which can only be achieved through the fulfilment of the trilateral agreements reached by the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Question: The West is discussing Russian “ghost ships” that are allegedly mapping out Europe’s critical surface and underwater infrastructure. NATO’s Assistant Secretary General for Intelligence and Security David Cattler has warned that Russia could attack submarine cables in the Atlantic and the North and Baltic seas. Can you comment on the statements by these Western officials?

Maria Zakharova: I believe that such statements would sit well on a paranormal reality show where people interested in such things meet to share their experience, impressions and stories. Some of them turn out to be true, while others are proved to be a fake, like the Flying Dutchman, the Loch Ness monster and aliens. These “ghost ships” should be part of these shows. There are television channels, books and magazines about these paranormal things. These “ghost ships” belong there.

We only deal with facts. If there are facts, we comment on them. If not, we make no comment. If an event has not been confirmed but officials have taken a stand on it, we are prepared to work with it. But we will not seriously discuss NATO’s theory of “ghost ships.”

They should instead answer questions that have been pending for months, like what happened to and who was involved in the terrorist attacks on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines. It is a concrete question, and there are ways to establish the truth. The best way to do this would be within the framework of an international investigation, preferably conducted under the umbrella of the UN Secretary-General. Since they have blocked this approach, then at least an investigation involving all the interested parties could be conducted, including the parties that own the infrastructure and the resources. In this case, there would be no need to talk about “ghost ships.” Instead, we would be analysing the facts revealed during such an investigation.

Question: President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili said that introducing visa-free travel for Georgian nationals and resuming direct flights was a provocation on Russia’s part and unacceptable as long as “Russia continues its aggression against Ukraine and occupies Georgian territory.” How would you comment on this?

Maria Zakharova: First, the Foreign Ministry released a detailed comment on this matter today.

Second, we made these steps in the name of the country, and Russia has every right to do this. We stated our intentions and that we are ready to deliver on them, and how we will do this, etc. We stated our objectives and made them clear. From this point, we will proceed from specific steps and the actions they undertake.

Question: China has released a report exposing cyberattacks against China and other countries carried out for more than 10 years with the knowledge of the CIA. According to this document, major US transnational online companies have been proactive in interfering in other countries’ domestic policies, sought to build support for opposition forces, helped spread false information and incite street protests, and staged colour revolutions in countries where governments failed to cater to the interests of the United States. What would your comment be regarding these actions by the United States?

Maria Zakharova: We have studied in detail China’s report titled “Empire of Hacking.” It deals with how the United States government uses ICT to interfere in the domestic affairs of other countries. We can only welcome Beijing’s efforts to expose Washington for its criminal, colonial-style, imperialist and predatory foreign policy.

We know all too well the methods described in this document and the specific tools the American intelligence services use in the information space. We have raised this issue quite often and published the relevant data. On multiple occasions, we mentioned this during our briefings, as well as during international negotiations. This includes inciting the so-called colour revolutions by using the corresponding methods and ICT, inciting violent protests using satellite internet providers, engaging in mass online surveillance and intercepting personal data. Let me give a specific example: the United States has been relying on spyware like Pegasus or Graphite to illegally access mobile devices and penetrate IT systems around the world.

It is also important that our Chinese colleagues noted the role of American IT corporations who work closely with US enforcement and intelligence agencies. We know that Microsoft leaves “vulnerabilities” in the products it sells overseas so the CIA and the NSA can exploit them. We also know that Google ad Meta censor content in line with the Biden administration’s ideological tenets. I am not even talking about the de facto involvement of these companies in training Ukrainian hackers.

We fully agree with the conclusion of the report’s authors on the hypocrisy of American democracy and its rules-based order. Never-ending mantras professed by US representatives on the international stage about their commitment to human rights and respecting the sovereignty of independent states are especially cynical considering these revelations about Washington’s criminal actions. Perhaps, they believe that if they control the mass media around the world, they can also manipulate the way people think. It goes from bad to worse, in fact. But the truth and real facts penetrate this information space and muddy their track record. By the same token, the never-ending flow of accusations from Washington officials against Russia and China, as well as other countries, regarding what they allege are hacking attacks against American infrastructure are equally false.

The material I mentioned today illustrates this point. I am referring to the documentary produced by would-be journalists from Nordic countries to expose what they describe as spying by Russian diplomats in this region. I have a question: Do Denmark, Sweden, Norway or Finland have any spies? A direct and simple question. I know that they do have spies. You do not need to access classified documents to know this. This comes from the data these countries publish themselves. They have schools for training these operatives. They have structures designated as intelligence and counterintelligence units. They allocate budgets to this effect. This is a specific question. Do they happen to work somewhere abroad? Let them say in what countries. This way we can strike some kind of balance. Their journalists will talk about their hallucinations regarding Russian diplomatic missions while their countries share official data on their achievements. They would tell us in what countries they have agents, including both legal and illegal ones. There are all kinds of designations, in fact. Then, we will see.

The second point I wanted to make is directly linked to this subject. Are there no hackers whatsoever in the United States? Have they napalmed them all? Or exterminated them with insecticides? What happened? Where have all the hackers gone? What right do they have to use the slogan they concocted, and which evolved into a meme alleging that hackers can only be in Russia, China, the DPRK, Iran and several other countries? Is there no such problem elsewhere?

The situation with doping is quite similar, in fact. They allege that doping exists only in Russia and in countries with competitive sports programmes, while there is no and never was any such thing in their countries. Or, even if they did face any doping issues, it has been a long time since they overcame these challenges. The same old tune.

We must remember that it was the United States that made no secret of its policy to militarise the information space and has never concealed the facts demonstrating that it has used ICT for offensive purposes against other countries.

This makes all the difference with Russia and China who have been promoting a peaceful agenda for the digital environment, calling for building a just international information security framework.

Let me note that Russia and China signed a Cooperation Agreement on Ensuring International Information Security back in 2015 for stepping up their joint efforts to counter cyberthreats. Our countries have been using international venues to promote new standards of responsible behaviour by states in the information space. We are certain that the Russian International Information Security Concept and China’s Global Initiative on Data Security will make a meaningful contribution to these efforts, as reaffirmed in the Joint Statement by the leaders of our two countries adopted following the visit by President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping to Russia in March 2023.

We work together to promote this agenda at the United Nations, primarily by drafting a universal international legal instrument that would prevent ICT from being used for military and political purposes, promote confidence building measures, as well as help bridge the digital divide between the Western and the developing countries.

Question: NATO is going to open its office in Tokyo, the first NATO office in Asia. Its task is to hold periodic consultations with allies in the region. Japanese media are writing about this, citing high-ranking sources in the Japanese government and the North Atlantic Alliance. How would you comment on these NATO plans?

Maria Zakharova: NATO’s intention to open its office in the Japanese capital is yet further evidence (practical and applied, not an illusion or theory) of the alliance’s global ambitions and plans to gain a strong foothold in the Asia-Pacific region in order to produce NATO-centric formats designed to counter Russia and China.

We are certain that the advancement of the North Atlantic bloc into Asia will result in the militarisation of the region and the escalation of bloc confrontation. We have always emphasised that Asia has made amazing progress by balancing a peaceful, constructive and cooperative movement with actually meeting real security demands. And not vice versa, as it has happened in Europe, when made-up issues, allegedly related to security, began to dominate cooperation, turning it into a zone of absolutely illegal domination of some over others, which destroys the very basis of market relations and competition.

It looks like this achievement of the Asia-Pacific region did not suit the Western countries. They began to produce hotbeds of tension there by endlessly provoking the situation around the Korean Peninsula. They pressed on and, apparently, will press on, judging by their agenda.

It is necessary to deal with regional security issues using the assistance of the countries of the region, relying on existing inclusive structures without involving external actors that only introduce a confrontational agenda, provoke an escalation of the military-political situation and, accordingly, create new dividing lines.

It has been repeatedly pointed out to the Japanese side, including via diplomatic channels, that the involvement of non-regional NATO member states in maritime exercises in the Pacific waters and other military activities leads to an escalation of tension and undermines security in the Asia-Pacific region.

A different point is most important: does the American experience of settling conflicts or bolstering security have any tangible achievements, for example, in this region? Perhaps they have succeeded at something? They mediated and played this role repeatedly. Perhaps they managed to bring the positions of the Korean Peninsula’s north and south closer, or normalise relations between major players and powers in this region? Are there specific examples of how the United States has resolved existing complex, challenging issues in the context of relations between Beijing and Taipei? We invariably proceed from the One China policy, but we can see how Washington is acting completely differently, fomenting disagreements. Disagreements are ubiquitous. This is the way of life. It is one thing to iron them out, and another to stoke and escalate the situation. The Americans are just heading towards higher tensions in everything: politics, civil society, the information space. Where is the experience that could be put on the altar, that could show that this achievement gives Washington the moral right and establishes its position of guru, a beacon to expand its influence and presence in such an important area as security in other parts of the world? There is no such thing.

We have talked about Asia, or the APR in a broader context. Perhaps they succeeded in the Middle East, and we can find a good example there. But there is nothing but blood and suffering, and years-old unresolved problems aggravated by American unprofessionalism. You can take a look at the history of countries and see the mistakes and crimes not only of the United States, but also of the Anglo-Saxons and NATO, and write textbooks on this. A lot has already been written.

Today we have talked about Africa in the context of British experiments, and about Asia too. Is there anything that gives Washington the right to operate in a complex, challenging, developing region, where there have already been attempts by Western influence to control everything, and which ended in failure for the Anglo-Saxons? There is no such thing.

Question: On May 3, 2023, US officials warned about a possible default if the Democrats and Republicans do not agree on raising the state debt ceiling. A default could cause a financial crisis in the country and a crisis of trust in the US dollar. Bipartisan Policy Centre analyst Shai Akabas noted that “the US government is again within mere months or even weeks of failing to make good on all its obligations. That is not a position befitting of a country considered the bedrock of the financial system, and only adds uncertainty to an already shaky economy.” Does this mean that this so-called bedrock country is the main problem threatening the stability of the global economy?

Maria Zakharova: Let’s divide this question into important parts. First, the ritual dances of the US Department of the Treasury, the Joe Biden administration and the experts, are hopeless attempts to attract attention and create a stir. These dances are, however, not a fundamental basic factor on which we should rely when we evaluate the state of the US economy.

Second. There is a dedicated website called the US Debt Clock. There are different calculators – for example, counting down the days, hours and seconds until the end of this year or until an important event, such as the opening of an infrastructure project. This is a slightly different story: you can watch in real time the US state debt grow by $2 million every minute.

This is the real indicator. You can watch forever with interest or even to place bets, these ritual games that we described, or you can look at the actual figures. This meter keeps going up, as if you always keep the lights on and a meter-relay is counting the kilowatts. This is the real indicator.

The opponents of the incumbent administration always exploit the imminent moment when the risk of the United States defaulting on its obligations will become reality and the US Department of the Treasury will exhaust its resources to finance the budget deficit using extraordinary maneuvers (which, according to US Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen, can happen as soon as June 1, 2023), in their political infighting. This is their custom, like Groundhog Day. Some things keep happening there: the Macy’s Parade, Groundhog Day and the battles over default. Similar situations have happened in the past several times, inevitably leading to the same outcome: yet another debt ceiling hike. The current US state debt ceiling is $31.4 trillion.

As the American political parties experience deep discord, we are very likely to witness a dramatic show of Hollywood proportions, with the debt limit “deal” being struck literally a minute or seconds before the zero hour, fervor, “breaking news” and emotions running high. This is their own business. If the United States enjoys this, let it be. But there is an important nuance. This irresponsible monetary policy of the US in the form of uncontrollable dollar issuance, to keep business activity afloat, and the continuous buildup of state debt burden has accelerated inflation in America and on global markets, crippling the US financial and banking system and increasing the risks for stability in the world economy. It is completely irresponsible for it is speculative. Coupled with the United States’ unlawful unilateral measures against economic operators and unwanted governments, these actions undermine confidence in the US dollar as a reserve currency and as a reserve accumulation instrument. For a very long time, the US has been imposing its monetary unit as a reliable payment instrument. Now the effects are hitting the global economy.

The global majority clearly understands the risks of having their funds invested in dollar assets devaluated because of the political standoffs in Washington.

Statistically, since February 28, 2023, the total scope of foreign investment in US bonds has dropped by more than $300 billion. Many countries are shifting to non-dollar transactions in mutual trade. The White House, the Department of State and their opponents are talking about this. Indeed, their currency is facing problems. They are the ones who created these problems. If they had not begun using the dollar as a weapon, nothing would have happened. Many things would not have happened. And they are encouraging this. For the same reasons, many countries refuse to use the global financial architecture controlled by the United States and its satellites.

The reality is, the capabilities of the US economy to live on credit are shrinking significantly. Once again: we are stating this regardless of the indicators that confirm that the country lives on credit. And its GDP cannot cover this debt. Every country has debt – but it must be repaid and remain below the country’s gross domestic product. Their debt is higher. Especially considering that the US financial system is built on printing money, on never-ending emissions, ordered by politicians who reach decisions through consultations with economists. This is the actual state of affairs.

I don’t know whether American consumers, US citizens realise the scale of the problem. Perhaps, existing in an information vacuum, they do not even understand the condition of their economy. Naturally, nobody explains it to them. Instead, they are threatened by Russia or China. They hear that their economy is the best in the world and that state debt is just a beautiful big figure.

Question: Since 2014, every year on April 27, the Netherlands celebrates one of its main holidays, King’s Day. This year on this day, the officials, diplomats and ambassadors of NATO and other unfriendly states gathered at the Embassy of the Netherlands in Russia to celebrate. Among them was the US Ambassador to Russia. But the celebration was somewhat tainted. Representatives of Russian civic organisations rallied in front of the Embassy of the Netherlands and chanted “NATO, get out of the USSR,” “Get out,” “No to Fascism,” “Ukraine is our land,” and others. Have there been any complaints or conversations about it at the diplomatic level initiated by the Netherlands or other missions?

Maria Zakharova: Our country strictly adheres to its obligations under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961 and provides all the necessary security measures and protection to the foreign diplomatic missions and their employees regardless of what country we are dealing with. We have obligations, and we are fulfilling them. This includes the Embassy of the Netherlands in Russia as well.

The event you mentioned, was it a rally, a campaign, I will not try to name it. It is probably best that you contact the Moscow Government for additional information. But I know and I have documentary proof that the rally was held in accordance with our law. The organisers requested permission to hold it, and it was held in accordance with Article 29 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation and was coordinated with the local authorities. You can request the details – its name, time and format – from the local authorities. They will provide you with the relevant additional information.

At the same time, I would like to note that our Embassy in The Hague and our employees and diplomats there have been subject to numerous threats and offences over the past year. In March 2022, a makeshift explosive was thrown on the grounds of our mission. Luckily, it did not explode; the Russian Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case.

Almost every day, anti-Russia rallies are held in front of our Embassy with participants displaying Ukrainian symbols and shouting insults directed at Russia. It even went as far as open threats of violence against the Russian Ambassador on social media.

The Dutch law enforcement agencies have de facto dodged the investigation of these flagrant, beyond-the-law incidents by just stopping the investigation because of the lack of, as they said, concrete evidence. It is not some ghost ship, the existence of which can be discussed indefinitely. These are concrete offences. They are boring and uninteresting. Even in the case with the explosive device, there was CCTV footage, and a specific internet user threatened our Ambassador, and all this evidence was handed to the country of residence. The Dutch “justice” system decided that it was not enough and closed the investigation.

We maintain permanent contact with the Embassy of the Netherlands in Moscow. If they have any questions, they are free to ask us. At the same time, we hope for reciprocity towards our diplomats in The Hague.

Question: The US reaction following the attempted drone attack on the Kremlin is interesting – particularly in the context of the experience gained during the Russian-US bilateral contacts on strategic stability. How can you comment on this? If such a drone attack is not a reason for comparing notes on security issues, what should be considered a subject for urgent consultations?

Maria Zakharova: We have repeatedly mentioned that we have various Russian-US bilateral channels on different sensitive issues. They are subject to discussion by professional experts – not just by general professionals, but by experts. Regrettably, the United States rarely chooses to use these channels, if at all. Basically, they “run to the microphone” or choose another option. But for some reason, we lack professional talks, which we were ready to have when creating such dialogue tools, a practical dialogue to seek a prompt solution. The US side is not interested or satisfied with this all. This is a question for them, that’s the first thing.

Secondly, as to the situation you asked about, this is not about expert consultations but about their message, their conscious policy, and, as they put it, about inflicting maximum damage on us and delivering strategic defeat. What consultations can we talk about when they openly and directly declared that they would take every effort to support the Kiev regime? In response to a clarifying question on whether this meant supporting murders and terrorist acts, they said such questions should not be asked. They expressed no explicit negative sentiments; they stand in full solidarity with everything the Kiev regime is doing. They have pushed and encouraged Kiev to this for many years, and sponsored it by all means from material resources to weapons.

What consultations are there to talk about when this is their conscious long-term stance? George W. Bush said the Kiev regime’s mission is “to destroy as many Russian troops as you can.” What consultations are we talking about? This is a statement made by the former US president, the son of a former US president, a person who essentially represents US business, the military-industrial sector and the establishment. A man who is actively involved in the political expert community and constantly speaks at prominent American political platforms said the Kiev regime’s mission is to kill as many Russian troops as possible. This is not just his point of view, but a conceptual stance. This all gets somewhat obscured in statements by officials when they mention a strategic defeat – but it has the same meaning.

Question: Will the UN Security Council hold a meeting to discuss the attempted drone attack on the Kremlin?

Maria Zakharova: Please don’t forget that during these days a terrorist attack was staged against Russian citizens. I am not referring to the hostilities because they are ongoing. People, civilians are being killed. I am saying this to prevent you from forgetting that one Russian citizen was killed and another gravely wounded during this planned act of terror. The Kiev regime has declared them targets for many years. This is no accident, not just an act of terror expressing the beastly nature of the Kiev regime. This was a planned murder with terrorist methods.

We will keep drawing the attention of the UN Security Council to the Kiev regime’s terrorist activities during our official meetings and consultations. This issue has been and will be part of the daily work of our permanent mission at the UN. I am referring to its diplomatic activities and information coverage.

Question: EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell is counting on the EU Council’s speedy approval of a project to introduce a mechanism for sanctions against any country on charges of corruption. What would the lawyers in your ministry say about this?

Maria Zakharova: It seems to me he is drawing direct analogies with what President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen is now suspected of. Maybe he wants to unseat her in this way because she is charged with some 9 billion euros in corruption during the purchase of a US-produced vaccine for the EU market. This caused many questions and even shock when the pandemic was raging. Why was it an American producer? Why was the vaccine bought in such amounts and just from one company? It turned out later that she had a direct, almost private contact with the head of an American company. She discussed something with him and reached the agreement. This led to a contract worth 9 billion euros and disagreements in the estimates of the efficiency and even quality of the said vaccine. As far as I know, the investigation is ongoing due to charges of corruption. So, possibly Mr Borrell had Ursula von der Leyen in mind.

This is not a joke. They have adopted a tremendous number of decisions that contradict one another. I was stunned by the restrictions or the threat of restrictions produced by the EU-NATO brain trust as regards those who might encroach on Moldova’s sovereignty. Nobody thought about Romania at this point. Nor has anyone recalled that the entire top of the Moldovan regime is very closely affiliated with Romania and is systematically making attempts to curtail Moldova’s sovereignty from within. This is hybrid interference in the affairs of that country, which amounts to truncating Moldova’s rights as a sovereign state. I think a document on restrictions drafted by some EU think tanks should be primarily aimed against those who wanted the Moldovan language to be renamed as Romanian. The same people were out to prove that the Kiev regime had the right to support only the Ukrainian language on its territory. They claimed that a language is one of the most important, fundamental principles of national sovereignty. The state of Ukraine has the right to have its own view on linguistic policy. It should promote Ukrainian. It doesn’t matter that almost everyone spoke Russian. Many did not speak any language but Russian. This was a historical tradition. They spoke Russian when they still lived in the USSR. This is all nonsense. They focused on sovereignty. Hence, there should be a reverse logic as well. Replacement of the Moldovan language with Romanian means renouncing one’s own sovereignty. The above decision has no logic at all considering that, as I said, the Moldovan language is older than Romanian despite their affinity. It was mentioned earlier, historically, than the Romanian language. This is in the category of wild controversies.

We are consistently upholding the non-intrusive, inclusive and technical character of international anti-corruption cooperation along the principles of equality and mutual consideration of national interests. We strongly condemn persistent efforts by Western countries to politicise cooperation in this area. This is a specific example of how hard they tried to politicise the issue and what it led to. They are inventing anti-corruption instruments that are certainly double-edged, if not directed against them. This approach is preventing effective cooperation and destroying the mechanisms that took years to develop, primarily based on the universal UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC).

This year, it will be 20 years since this treaty was opened for signing. Today, a stubborn desire of some countries to impose their own rules and politically motivated decisions is undermining a broad consensus and striving for an open, trust-based practical cooperation.

Mr Borrell’s recent proposal to introduce EU sanctions against foreign individuals and companies involved in “serious corruption crime” is an example of this approach. I am waiting for corrupt US officials (they are quite numerous) to be blacklisted and subjected to EU sanctions. What about the Kiev regime? I think every other official is corrupt there. What’s up there? This idea is not simply discussed but translated into reality. Will the Kiev regime’s oligarchs soon appear on these lists? This issue is long overdue.

The following grounds for reprisals were declared – the impact of systemic or large-scale corruption in third countries on the EU’s fundamental values and interests or on the efforts to reach the goals of common foreign and security policy, including support for democracy and supremacy of law abroad. These grounds will make it possible to randomly select defendants for sanctions lists and broadly interpret current standards of international law. In simple terms, if this corruption threatens EU values, it’s bad corruption. Hence, sanctions, stop lists, etc. If corruption does not threaten EU values and even promotes NATO values somewhere, this is good corruption. Do you remember this phrase: He “may be a son of a bitch, but he's our son of a bitch.” The same applies to corruption. It may be corruption but this is their corruption. So, everything is okay, don’t worry. If it’s not good, restrictions should ensue immediately. This is yet another tool of political influence rather than a real mechanism for punishing criminals found guilty and convicted by a court in the manner prescribed by law.

Question: You replied partially to the question about a scandal in Ankara…

Maria Zakharova: Partially? I think I have described everything.

Question: As a matter of clarification, I would like to say that the summit of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC) in Ankara was marred by an attack from the delegates of the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada, who attempted to disrupt the Russian delegation’s address. A Ukrainian delegate punched a Russian delegate in the face. Should we expect Russian delegates to be attacked at other diplomatic events? Has fist-fighting become a new age of diplomacy? What legal implications can this scuffle have for the Ukrainian delegation?

Maria Zakharova: Why expect? I have already said that this has been taking place over the past few years, and I have provided specific examples. For example, my colleague was at a UN General Assembly Committee on Information meeting about five years ago. Delegates from dozens of countries meet to discuss the information agenda. During that particular meeting and on the sidelines of the event, my colleague was attacked. Representatives of the Kiev regime, clad for some reason in camouflage, chased him through the corridors. It was unclear why they did that. They acted like thugs.

We have talked about this during our briefings. You did not support our view then. We sent an official note to the UN Secretariat asking them to identify those individuals, why they entered the building and what status they had. We also asked them to take measures to prevent a repetition of such attacks and to take action against that delegation because of the immediate threat to the life of our official. We didn’t submit that request because the race through the UN corridors itself was dangerous but because these people threatened to kill our delegate.

It took the UN Secretariat a long time to reply to our request. When we received the reply, it said that this incident was unacceptable, that measures had been taken and that a complaint had been lodged against the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the UN. It said that this was no way to behave. But this is the only way they can behave. If the regime and the country’s leaders take actions that can be qualified as terrorism and extremism, how do you expect their staff to behave? Moreover, that regime came to power illegally, by way of an unconstitutional coup. Do you think that people who have come to power in this manner will behave legally afterwards? They have seen once that they can achieve their goals by defying the law. This has probably become their guiding principle. This is why we began the special military operation, because people who lived outside the law in their country (which is none of our business) started to push the boundaries of their domestic lives. They were used as a bridgehead, and it is obvious what this would have led to, considering that there was no law or respect for the law left in the country.

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