Excerpts from the briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, Moscow, November 9, 2023
- Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's upcoming meeting with Foreign Minister of Venezuela Yvan Gil
- Ukraine update
- The Palestinian-Israeli conflict update
- The rise of nationalism around the world
- The rise of antisemitism in the United States
- The Foreign Ministry publishes a list of treaties to which the US is not a party
- Russia’s draft of the UN Security Council President’s statement on the investigation of the Nord Stream terrorist attack
- Danish media’s allegations regarding Russian research vessels
- Moldova update
- Update on Ruslan Pankratov, a Latvian civil society activist
- Confiscation of cars with Russian licence plates in Latvia
- Bulgaria’s intention to refute Russia’s ownership of the land and the Church of St Nicholas in Sofia
- Joint statement by a group of like-minded countries to support the international legal framework for drug control
- Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni’s prank phone call
- Foreign Ministry opens account on Zen platform
- Commemorating hero of Nicaragua Carlos Fonseca
- The International Astronomy Olympiad
- 75th anniversary of the conclusion of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East (Tokyo Trial)
- Suspension of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe
- Armenia’s Crossroads of Peace initiative
- Russia’s initiative to provide humanitarian aid to Armenians in Karabakh
- Statements made by US politicians
- History lessons we should not forget in view of the current events in Ukraine and Palestine
- Arctic LNG 2 project
- Media operation in zones of hostilities and its international legal aspects
- Israel dragging out evacuation of Russian nationals from the zone of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict
- Efforts to settle the Palestinian-Israeli conflict
- Russia’s participation in the APEC summit in the United States
- Possibility of a big war in the Middle East
- Declaring the Middle East a territory free from weapons of mass destruction
- Accusations against Israel of committing genocide of the Palestinian people
- Eliminating the root cause of the Palestinian-Israeli crisis
- Protecting Russian nationals
- Assisting Russian nationals abroad
- Türkiye’s Gaza initiative
- Armenia’s participation in a meeting of the CIS security secretaries
- Freezing Russia’s assets abroad
- The EU’s response to Georgian nationals illegally crossing South Ossetia’s state border
- The EU’s attempts to strip Hungary, Poland and Slovakia of their power of veto with respect to decisions on Ukraine
- Ukrainian authorities’ involvement in child trafficking
- Anti-Semitism in France
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's upcoming meeting with Foreign Minister of Venezuela Yvan Gil
On November 16, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will hold talks with Foreign Minister of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Yvan Gil.
The foreign ministers will discuss ways to strengthen multifaceted cooperation and strategic partnership between Russia and Venezuela on a long-term basis. Considering the decisions of the Russian-Venezuelan High-Level Intergovernmental Commission, which met in Moscow on October 16, the sides are to outline further steps to expand mutually beneficial ties in trade as well as economic, scientific, technical, cultural and humanitarian cooperation, and to build a model of cooperation that is resistant to illegal unilateral coercive measures.
The ministers will also exchange views on current international and regional issues, on cooperation at the UN, including interaction within the Group of Friends in Defence of the UN Charter, and other multilateral forums. Russia and Venezuela share an approach in favour of a new and more just global system and respect for international law by all states, in particular, for the principles of protecting national sovereignty and non-interference in others’ internal affairs.
Russia continues to provide comprehensive support to the Government and people of Venezuela in upholding their right to choose their own path of development, including as a supporting country for the intra-Venezuelan dialogue.
Ukrainian forces continue mercilessly shelling peaceful cities in Donbass, the Azov area, the Kherson and other Russian regions. Unable to attain success on the battlefield, the Kiev neo-Nazis are venting their frustration on innocent and defenceless people.
They have launched several US-made HIMARS missiles at civilian facilities.
In the midst of the working day on November 3, 2023, US-supplied HIMARS missiles were used to strike Chaplinka in the Kherson Region. Most of them were shot down, but two missiles hit the Employment Centre and Pension Fund buildings, killing nine civilians, including staff members and visitors.
On November 5, 2023, two civilians were killed, one child was wounded, and several residential buildings and private houses were damaged in Dokuchayevsk, Donetsk People’s Republic.
On November 7, 2023, Ukrainian forces targeted several Donetsk districts, including with HIMARS missiles. They acted cynically and in cold blood, striking again and again to kill the doctors and rescue workers who arrived at the site to help people. According to the government of the Donetsk People’s Republic, floor slabs collapsed in the building of the Employment and Social Protection Department. Six people were killed, including an ambulance driver, and 20 people, including three teenagers, were wounded.
The same day, Ukrainian forces shelled Volnovakha, wounding two civilians, including a young girl, and damaging the Culture Centre named after Hero of Russia Vladimir Zhoga when children were attending their hobby clubs there.
The Russian law enforcement authorities register all these atrocities against civilians. The guilty persons will be identified and called to account in accordance with the law.
We have a question for the UN Secretariat. Don’t you see where the strikes at civilian facilities come from? Don’t you see that they strike civilian facilities? Don’t you see who has been killed or wounded? Don’t you know who supplies weapons which the Kiev regime is using to kill civilians?
Russian courts, using evidence collected by the Investigative Committee of Russia, continue to pass sentences on the Ukrainian neo-Nazis who have committed grave crimes against civilians.
Ukrainian serviceman Igor Kleshchunov has been given a life sentence for the premeditated murder of four civilians whom he killed at his commander’s orders in Mariupol in March 2022.
Life sentences have been given to three neo-Nazis from the National Guard of Ukraine: Denis Zalevsky, Yevgeny Kiris and Bogdan Kashpruk. Acting at their commanders’ order, they opened fire at three cars with 10 civilians in March 2022, killing four people. The other six managed to avoid fire.
Three other Ukrainian militants – Oleg Kolmychevsky, Dmitry Dobrovolsky and Alexander Romashin – who shot eight civilians in Mariupol in spring 2022, have been sentenced to 30 years in prison each.
Ukrainian servicemen Alexey Koval, Andrey Chumak and Valery Fedorovich will spend 26 years in prison each for deliberately shooting at residential buildings in Mariupol from their tank in spring 2022.
Ukrainian border guard Sergey Rostovsky, who had been assigned to the neo-Nazi Azov Regiment, has been given a 27-year prison term for shooting two health workers in Mariupol in March 2022.
Russia’s Investigative Committee has filed charges in absentia against several former high-ranking Ukrainian officials, including former Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk, former Acting Head of the Presidential Administration Sergey Pashinsky, and former Acting Foreign Minister Andrey Deshchitsa. They are accused of being involved in taking the criminal decision to carry out the so-called counter-terrorist operation in southeastern Ukraine. According to the Investigative Committee, hostilities in 2014-2016 left 1,382 people dead or wounded, including 44 children.
In addition to this, the Investigative Committee charged 47 foreign mercenaries from Denmark, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Israel and other countries. The investigation suspects them of committing crimes against Russian prisoners of war. According to Russia’s Investigative Committee, 465 foreigners from 39 countries face criminal charges.
This goes to show that no one will be able to escape the law. Efforts to identify everyone who was involved in these crimes will carry on.
The collective West persists in supplying the Kiev regime with lethal weapons, as well as feeding it intelligence, training troops, offering them medical services and entertainment, etc.
On November 3, 2023, the Pentagon reported on allocating yet another military aid package to Vladimir Zelensky’s regime worth $425 million, including $300 million as part of the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) to strengthen Ukraine’s anti-UAV capabilities. The Pentagon will transfer these funds to American defence manufacturers so that they can produce the required weapons and send them to Ukraine. The remaining amount will go towards delivering munitions for National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) and High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), artillery shells, anti-armour systems, etc. from the Department of Defence inventories.
Washington officials are making cynical and absurd statements when they describe security assistance for Ukraine as a smart investment in US national security. They believe that this prevents the conflict from expanding while also strengthening the manufacturing base, and creating jobs for Americans. On the other hand, this provides a bloody and nauseating demonstration of the fact that Washington has grown used to ensuring the functioning of its economy, its system of government and its distorted values at the expense of conflicts and by sowing chaos in other countries, as we have been saying for many years now.
Not only have the people across the ocean opted to ignore the cruelty with which the Kiev regime has been using American weapons against civilians, but they even view this as something rather normal. We used to say that they probably failed to notice these developments. But no, they believe them to be the norm. This is the new normal for them, together with the fact that supplying more and more weapons to Ukrainian neo-Nazis causes hostilities to escalate and increasingly draws the United States into the conflict in and around Ukraine.
On November 4, 2023, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited Kiev under the formal pretext of discussing the prospects of EU membership for Ukraine. I do not know how to respond to this, whether to laugh or not. She marvelled at Ukraine’s remarkable progress in implementing reforms. You will probably want to know which reforms she was referring to. Nobody knows what invisible reforms she was referring to – there can be unprecedented reforms, but in this case we have invisible reforms. Off the charts corruption, grave human rights violations committed at a massive scale, lawlessness and rampant neo-Nazism and crime in general, coupled with a crackdown on dissent – are these Vladimir Zelensky’s achievements in reforming this young democracy? Is this what Brussels praises so much to give the green light to launching EU accession talks with Ukraine?
On November 2, 2023, the Foreign Ministry released a comment on its website regarding the 80th anniversary of Kiev’s liberation from Nazi occupation. I would like to draw your attention to several other important matters related to this date.
The Kiev offensive operation of November 3-13, 1943, was a crucial element of the Battle for the Dnieper River. The operation’s outcome became a strategic success of the Red Army that had a great impact on the outcome of the Great Patriotic War. On May 8, 1965, Kiev received the highest distinction and was named Hero City to commemorate the mass heroism and bravery of its residents in defending the Motherland during the Great Patriotic War. On November 4, 2023, the current pro-Bandera supporters defaced the Hero City Obelisk in Kiev and cut up its five-pointed gold star.
The Soviet soldiers who gave their lives for liberating Kiev from the Nazi scourge could have hardly imagined that their descendants in Ukraine would desecrate the memory of those to whom they owe their very existence and honour the Nazis who had killed hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians.
Today, acting in accordance with its de-Communisation policy, the Kiev regime continues to rewrite history, conducts an aggressive de-Russification campaign and destroys everything linked with Russia and their own history.
However, no matter how hard Vladimir Zelensky’s regime may try to erase the nation’s memory of its heroic past, all these attempts are doomed to fail. There is no doubt that, sooner or later, the formerly prosperous territory will be liberated from the yoke of Kiev’s mercenaries, all kinds of placeholders who continue to devastate this territory for the sake of their own selfish goals and on the orders of those who have never had anything to do with Ukraine.
It appears that the Zelensky regime can sow only death and destruction. We can add to this a unique ability to dismantle everything, including Soviet-era stars and monuments symbolising the nation’s sacred historical memory. They are also equally zealous and talented when it comes to appropriating the riches of Ukraine and its assets, and have mastered the art of embezzling Western aid.
The administration on Bankovaya Street has repeatedly voiced concern that the international community may forget about them. I repeat that they should not even hope that this this will ever happen. We will not allow the international public to forget the current developments in Ukraine. Just like today, we will continue to update you on these events 24/7.
The Palestinian-Israeli conflict update
We are following the developments in the Palestinian-Israeli confrontation zone with growing concern. The number of casualties in the Gaza sector continues to rise. Since the onset of the escalation on October 7, over 10,000 Palestinians and 1,500 Israelis have died, most of them civilians.
A genuine humanitarian disaster, a tragedy of global proportions is unfolding in the Palestinian enclave. According to the UN, Israeli airstrikes have completely destroyed or damaged almost half of residential buildings and vital civilian infrastructure. The Gaza Strip is under a ruthless blockade, which primarily affects the civilians. Gaza is experiencing a critical lack of fuel, food, and medications. The clean water shortage is fraught with a sharp deterioration in the sanitary and epidemiological situation.
We also want to highlight the dangerous developments on the West Bank of the Jordan River, which have been overshadowed by the tragic events in Gaza. We are deeply concerned by the accounts of increased clashes between Israeli forces and settlers, on the one side, and local residents, on the other side, resulting in the deaths of over 150 Palestinians, including more than 40 children, since October 7.
Once again, we underscore the failed logic behind the efforts to escalate the conflict. We observe the inclination in the West to distance itself from the philosophy of peace and stability promoted by the global majority.
We are fully aware of the urgent need for a long-term ceasefire in the conflict zone to prevent further casualties, to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid, to support the Gaza population, and to curb the expanding armed confrontation with the involvement of new regional actors.
We appreciate the initiation of the process for evacuating foreign nationals from the Gaza Strip to Egypt through the Rafah Border Crossing. I confirm that we are prepared on our end to evacuate Russian nationals and our compatriots seeking assistance in leaving that region. Citizens from other CIS countries have contacted us for help as well. The lists have been drawn up and made available to the evacuation authorities. Despite our operational efforts and compliance with the security requirements, we are perplexed by the continued blockade of the process. Our representatives, including ambassadors and diplomats in the region, particularly in Israel, are actively engaged in resolving the issues there.
We are aware that the Israeli side, through diplomatic channels, assured our Ambassador to Israel Anatoly Viktorov of a swift resolution to unblock the process. However, we were shocked to hear the Israeli Ambassador to Russia say yesterday that it might take up to two weeks to coordinate the Russian lists. This approach is unacceptable, and we will continue to work in close coordination with all parties involved, including Russian government agencies like the Emergencies Ministry, the Ministry of Transport, the Federal Agency for Air Transport (Rosaviatsiya), the Foreign Ministry, and our diplomatic missions in the region, to name a few.
As part of the efforts to alleviate the suffering of the people in Gaza, Russian Emergencies Ministry planes delivered another batch of food and medicine to Egypt for the Palestinians on November 3 and 4. Aid to the residents of the besieged enclave is coming from other countries and organisations as well. However, the amount of aid brought in through the Rafah checkpoint is catastrophically inadequate. We expect to see an increase in the volume of crucial humanitarian supplies for the Palestinian people.
Along with addressing immediate de-escalation tasks, we consider it important to take steps to lay the foundation for relaunching a full-fledged political process in order to provide a comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue on a recognised international legal basis. In this regard, we would like to remind everyone about the Russian initiative to set up ministerial consultations to coordinate the approaches of the countries in the region which support the two-state solution for resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
The rise of nationalism around the world
The disaster unfolding in the Middle East, which the whole world is witnessing now, is the reason we must consolidate our efforts. If the West’s policies have ruined any chance to achieve a political settlement in the region, then at least, efforts need to be made to curb the spread of nationalism around the world.
We have seen a colossal increase in antisemitism in NATO countries and an uncontrolled growth of nationalism in general. These ugly trends spill over into the streets, the conventional and social media, snowballing as they go. The international community should make joint efforts at international venues, at the national level, in regional relations and bilateral contacts to prevent the further growth of nationalism and stop its manifestations.
However, against the backdrop of the crisis, we see another information campaign being waged against our country. Russia is being accused of nationalism and antisemitism, and even of being behind anti-Semitic acts in France and other countries. This is a monstrous lie. NATO’s ideamongers are exploiting the situation, which provides fertile ground for such lies.
The rise of antisemitism in the United States
The approach the US administration has taken with regard to the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict is beginning to have a negative impact on the domestic political situation in the United States, which is entirely due to their own blunders and miscalculations. The same can be said about other NATO states. It is becoming increasingly obvious to the American public that instead of proposing reasonable initiatives that would help de-escalate tensions, the country’s leadership is pushing the region towards a major war with its ill-conceived attempts to reorganise the Middle East.
Washington’s foreign policy line has been condemned by the Middle Eastern states. But it also has consequences for the domestic political situation in the United States and other NATO countries. The West has seen an unprecedented rise in antisemitism in decades, with the number of antisemitic incidents quadrupling in recent weeks.
US officials had to admit the problem. We have taken note of a statement by White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, who highlighted antisemitic sentiments in American schools and universities during a briefing on October 30. This is indeed a massive trend, which is growing exponentially. But one needs to be aware of the root of evil, to admit that the current crisis broke out because America has been acting with impunity, confident of its own greatness and license to do whatever it pleases, of being exceptional. Contrary to the international legal basis for the settlement between Israel and Palestine, to the neighbouring countries’ opinion and the logic of the historical process, they have been pushing their vision for organising affairs in this region.
In seeking to protect its own geopolitical interests using any and all means, Washington has long forgotten about norms of morality. On the one hand, the authorities are making an effort to control the rampant nationalism, antisemitism and Judeophobia in the country; they are trying to at least balance their national policy, if not to harmonise – nothing like that is happening. At the same time, they are not condemning the calls to “kill Russians” on American social media and other online platforms. The Meta corporation (recognised as extremist) has agreed that it considers such calls to be justified, and refused to block, label or moderate them in any way.
Over the years, no one in the United States has suggested this could not only trigger anti-Russian and Russophobic sentiments, but also give the green light to nationalism globally, primarily in the United States. Why doesn’t the White House want to remember this now? Not a word was said about the incitement to violence, murder and reprisals against representatives of another country and people (Russia is a multinational state) on American social media. The platforms never said they supported human rights and basic standards of humanity. This became fertile ground for the continued growth of nationalism.
In their unsuccessful attempts to regain the status of the world’s policeman, which they lost after the failure of US policy in Iraq and Afghanistan, the US authorities are now facing the consequences of the Pandora’s box they opened in the past: the rampant manifestations of neo-Nazism in various regions of the world, which has now infected America itself, as news from the United States shows.
The Foreign Ministry publishes a list of treaties to which the US is not a party
We often draw public attention to the fact that the US regularly violates international law. Washington, even having signed and ratified international treaties, either does not fulfil them, fulfils them selectively or distorts them.
For the past decades, the US has consistently replaced international law with a concept of international “rules-based order” and convinced everyone that this is how it is supposed to be. This vague wording has made its way into Western politicians’ everyday usage.
The concept was created by Washington as a convenient and non-committing alternative to international law and its universal principles outlined in the UN Charter. The West is carefully trying to avoid deciphering its rules, as well as questions why they exist if there are thousands of international legal tools that members of the international community have signed and that clearly outline states’ obligations and transparent mechanisms to check their compliance. They were developed by a consensus or democratic procedures (such as voting) and were not imposed by force. Despite the declarative intentions of certain US politicians about their adherence to international law, in practice Washington’s actions only undermine its foundations.
To confirm what we have been talking about for many years, we suggest that the public sees the list of international treaties to which the United States is not a party, published on the Foreign Ministry's website and the official websites of Russian diplomatic missions on November 8, 2023.
This is a list of treaties to which Washington is not a party. We believe that many of you will be surprised to see the contents of the list and the true face of the self-proclaimed beacon of democracy and upholder of international law, as Washington poses itself. These are pure facts uncoloured by emotion or opinion.
The very truth that everyone is looking for is now available on the Ministry’s website.
The West keeps assuring us that the entire global community is waiting for an impartial, transparent and law-based investigation and the public is waiting to be informed about its progress. On the anniversary of the Nord Stream gas pipeline terrorist attack on September 26, 2023, during the briefing of the UN Security Council, Russia announced that it is preparing a draft statement by the President of the UN Security Council on the matter. We found it important to send a general signal from the Council that it is necessary to conduct an impartial international probe in order to prevent similar attacks in the future.
Earlier, we proposed that the UN Security Council authorise Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to form a mechanism that would investigate the incident, so that it would not be conducted behind closed doors or within a restricted group of countries, considering that there is no consensus on the issue and we have noted the violence committed by the Western world against the countries that want to know the truth but are prevented from knowing it. We proposed that the investigation be conducted under the Secretary-General’s aegis but the proposal was blocked by the NATO axis.
After this decision was not passed, Russia proposed a lighter version (without developing a special mechanism) on the President’s statement that would at least outline a vector that should be followed to understand what had happened. For a month, we conducted negotiations in good faith, carefully considering all constructive proposals from members of the UN Security Council. However, the discussions made it clear that representatives of the Western countries were not ready for serious work. What do I mean? They were not ready, but not because they lacked resources or capabilities. They were not interested in working seriously and instead were seeking opportunities to let it slide. The mere suggestion to remove the wording about holding the perpetrators and masterminds of the terrorist attack accountable speaks for itself. Just think about it. The Western countries (led by the United States and Great Britain, of course) blocked the inclusion of the words about the organisers and executors of the Nord Stream explosions having to take responsibility, in the Security Council President’s statement. How come? Are the organisers and executors supposed to be praised, encouraged or given an opportunity to commit something else? What else could be done aside from condemning and punishing them? You may say it is impossible. But that is not the case.
The Western countries substantiated their position. To confirm their logic, they claimed that the UN Security Council had no business interfering in the domestic investigations by Germany, Denmark and Sweden. Over the past year, however, these countries failed to present at least preliminary results of the probe to the international community and refused to cooperate with the affected countries. The media have been ignoring the substantive materials on the subject while also generating new versions of the incident that are not based on any facts. All this simply reinforces our doubts (to the point of suspicion) that the Western states (primarily the United States and the UK) have no intention to identify the parties that plotted and executed the terrorist attack – or that they have already identified them but prefer to cover for them.
In these circumstances, we had to wrap up our work on the draft statement by the UN Security Council President concerning the investigation of the Nord Stream terrorist attack. The draft was blocked by the Westerners.
We will continue working at international platforms and drawing the global community’s attention to this problem. We are certain that an attack on a key energy infrastructure facility that had major economic and environmental repercussions is a direct threat to international peace and security. The culprits must be brought to justice, as they deserve.
Danish media’s allegations regarding Russian research vessels
We have taken note of the Danish media’s allegations that Russian research and fishing vessels collected data on the undersea infrastructure of NATO countries, including Denmark, for subversive purposes.
Western military experts cited in these publications talk about Russia’s hypothetical intention to damage NATO’s undersea infrastructure. This is ridiculous. A real terrorist attack was made [a year ago] against undersea infrastructure. Why don’t the Western military experts direct their attention, expertise and fervour to what happened to the Nord Stream pipelines? As usual, no reasonable proof of Russia’s evil intentions has been provided. What they want is to create an evil image, confuse the public and make people believe that Russia is “bad” regardless of what and who has really done something.
The Danish media’s accusations regarding Russian research vessels are far-fetched, unsubstantiated and directly contradict the professional ethics of journalism.
These publications were obviously written to fulfil someone’s order and are aimed at damaging Russia’s research activities, fuelling Russophobia in Denmark and distracting attention from the main question of what happened to the Nord Stream pipelines.
Research is necessary to make a reliable assessment of resources, ensure the sustainability of the fishing business and preserve marine ecosystems in the interests of all countries. Our vessels have been working in strict compliance with international law.
It can be said confidently that these publications are aimed at distracting public attention from the fact that Denmark has actually stopped its investigations into the terrorist attacks on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines. Like its allies, Copenhagen is not interested in identifying the organisers and perpetrators of the terrorist attack on Europe’s critical energy infrastructure. It would have acted differently otherwise. Politicians would have called for expediting the investigation, and journalists would have published the related materials. None of this has been done. As usual, they have placed the blame on Russia. There is no evidence whatsoever connecting that crime to Russia. They can’t find any evidence, but they are always ready to invent stories about our alleged evil plans or actions.
On November 5, 2023, the first round of local elections, held across the country, took place in Moldova. The Foreign Ministry has already released a comment on the results.
Despite the unprecedented campaign of repression launched by the government ahead of the election to target the opposition and independent media, as well as regardless of efforts to blackmail voters and impose bans making it impossible for their rivals to act, the performance by the ruling pro-Western Party of Action and Solidarity was abysmally weak. Its candidates failed to win mayoral seats in major cities or to obtain majorities in regional councils and municipalities, while the opposition has strengthened its positions.
In Moldova, this outcome has already been described as a de facto non-confidence vote against the undemocratic policy by the country’s leadership against its own people.
However, Chisinau does not intend, it seems, to draw any conclusions from these developments as it persists in its policy to suppress any dissent in what amounts to a totalitarian approach. Where is the European tolerance the Moldovan authorities have been emphasising so much? Have they recognised the victories by the opposition? They had to break everything created by the citizens of the country pretending that they were about to build a democracy and promote liberal values, so that the spectre of Western liberalism can haunt the country. Now they have a chance to demonstrate their adherence to these values. But this is not what is happening.
On November 7, 2023, we learned that Moldova’s Central Electoral Commission suspended an opposition candidate for the office of Bălți Mayor from running in the second round of voting on November 19. There have also been reports on the government trying to cancel the election results in Orhei. In both cases, the ruling party candidates were among the outsiders.
The policy to exert political and financial pressure on Gagauzia carries on. The opposition won the election there after two rounds of voting, held on April 30 and May 14, 2023. Recently, the autonomy’s leadership announced gas supply deals for the region at a lower price compared to Moldova’s other regions. Chisinau instantly responded by saying that this gas would be redistributed across the country. This way, using the Romanian-inspired word, “confiscated,” would be more appropriate.
We cannot expect the current Moldovan government to act in any other way since it has placed intentional efforts to escalate Russophobia and incite nationalism at the core of its action. The people of Moldova can see through these efforts and have been responding accordingly.
Update on Ruslan Pankratov, a Latvian civil society activist
In 2022, Ruslan Pankratov, who is a former member of the Riga City Council and prominent human rights activist, came under politically motivated persecution by Latvian law enforcement agencies. The spirit of Western liberalism can be felt in Latvia too, but unlike Moldova under Maia Sandu’s leadership, it has already gained a permanent foothold of Latvia.
This community leader came under attack for his commitment to promoting the rights of Latvia’s Russian-speaking population. In August 2022, a Latvian court sent him to prison in Riga where he remained for five months. Why? Just for believing that the country’s Russian-speaking population must be able to enjoy its rights. He was later released on bail.
Ruslan Pankratov has come under unprecedented pressure from local authorities and special services. He has been charged on several absurd politically tainted counts, including for allegedly inciting inter-ethnic strife, violating the EU sanctions, justifying genocide and war crimes against humanity, etc. At the same time, Latvia’s so-called law enforcement agencies have been pressuring Ruslan Pankratov both mentally and physically. This is not uncommon for the Baltic states and is part of the Western liberal approach. In fact, these are the approaches practiced by totalitarian regimes and dictatorships, consisting of subjecting individuals to physical and moral pressure for daring to refuse to abide by a novel illegal framework imposed on society and state under the veneer of democracy.
In view of these actions, anyone in Latvia who dares to mention, be it publicly or online, his or her historical roots, ethnic background, identity or sympathy toward Russia or any other country risks becoming a suspect.
It is our hope that having fled to Russia from this arbitrary rule in Latvia, Ruslan Pankratov will soon tell us about the terrifying experience of facing political persecution, Russophobia and discrimination on ethnic grounds in Latvia.
Confiscation of cars with Russian licence plates in Latvia
The Latvian parliament recently adopted anti-Russia amendments to the law on road traffic, in the final reading. It may seem that this area has little to do with Russophobia, but where there is a will there is a way.
The amendments stipulate that Russian-registered vehicles can be confiscated if they have not been re-registered or do not leave the country by February 14, 2024. The Latvian parliament is planning to send the seized vehicles to Ukraine. I can imagine “refugees” and “relocated persons” living in the Baltic states requesting that these vehicles be turned over to them.
Illegal expropriation, which is the correct term in this case, can be carried out regardless of the whereabouts of the vehicles’ rightful owner.
In light of the dramatic rise in hostility in Latvia, we do not recommend visiting that Baltic state, including in private cars registered in Russia.
We will continue to take response measures, including asymmetric ones, to the Baltic states’ disregard for the law.
Bulgaria’s intention to refute Russia’s ownership of the land and the Church of St Nicholas in Sofia
On November 1, Acting Prosecutor General of Bulgaria Borislav Sarafov said they had uncovered facts that can be used to file a suit to refute Russia’s ownership of the land and the Church of St Nicholas the Miracle-Maker in Sofia, an ecclesiastical embassy church of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.
The church was built in 1907-1911 and designed by Russian architects for the embassy of the Russian Empire; it was paid for by Russia. The local authorities granted the permit in recognition of Russia’s decisive contribution to the liberation of Bulgaria and the restoration of its statehood.
Attacks against the church, which were part of a foreign-inspired campaign to destroy Russia-Bulgaria ties in all spheres, from government to religion, began in September 2023, when the church clerics were expelled from the country. The implementation of the idea of taking over the church, which pro-American politicians in Bulgaria put forth, was prevented by the notarial instrument confirming Russia’s ownership of the land plot and the church building issued by the relevant Bulgarian authorities in 1997.
As it often happens in the “liberal community,” which should be based on the principles of freedom, equality before the law, democracy and respect for differences of opinion, the political task was assigned to the Bulgarian prosecutor’s office, which no longer serves the law but the interests of the authorities. As a result, pseudo-legal reasons have been invented contrary to logic and the law, to seize Russian property. History, laws, documents, justice and logic are crying out against Bulgaria’s illegal and sacrilegious actions.
We regard the threat of the church’s usurpation as an openly hostile act and flagrant disregard for moral values and legal norms, including Bulgaria’s commitments under the Treaty of Friendly Relations and Cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Bulgaria signed on August 4, 1992.
We caution the Bulgarian authorities about responsibility for their unlawful actions.
On October 23-25, 2023, Vienna hosted Thematic Discussions on international drug policy organised by the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs. Russia was among the countries which initiated the drafting of a joint statement setting forth our vision of the current objectives in terms of fighting drug trafficking. In the end, 44 countries from around the world supported the statement, co-sponsored by almost all CIS countries, as well as China, India, Pakistan, Türkiye, and many Middle Eastern countries. Singapore played a proactive role in this process and adopted a position that was quite similar to ours. Other ASEAN countries also joined this group, while Cuba and Nicaragua represented Latin America.
The statement expressed deep concern with the legalisation of non-medical cannabis in a growing number of mostly Western countries, which constitutes an outright violation of their commitments under UN’s anti-narcotics conventions. The document highlights the negative and destructive consequences of such policies which amounts to legal nihilism and may pose a threat to the work of promoting and defending human rights, especially the rights of children who must be guarded from the harmful influence of drugs.
It is worth noting that this time around a solid group of states representing over half of all humankind, rather than a single nation, made this point to those who violate these conventions in the West.
The statement also emphasises the fundamental role of cooperation among law enforcement agencies, describes refusing to fight drug-related crime for the sake of “reducing harm” from narcotics and their spread as unacceptable, just as efforts to impose liberal Western approaches to prosecuting drug-related crime and treating drug abuse.
Together with its partners, Russia will promote the principles set forth in this statement as it prepares for the high-level review as part of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs’ 67th Session to be held in March 2024.
Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni’s prank phone call
I feel compelled to once again mention the incident in Italy regarding the telephone conversation the Italian Prime Minister had with pranksters. Why? For the simple reason that the local media have unleashed an anti-Russia campaign with so much fakes circulating in the media space.
We are witnessing attempts by Italy’s mainstream media and several overzealous members of the country’s political establishment to focus on accusing Moscow in this context, which is rather perplexing. They have been alleging that these initiatives were planned in advance and went as far as to claim that they targeted Italy. All these allegations are horrendously absurd.
I am not going to comment on matters dealing with the information security protocol of Italy’s senior government officials. This is not our problem. Let them deal with this issue. If they need any advice or assistance, including on matters of protocol, or how to organise telephone calls of this kind, we will gladly share our experience, but otherwise we have nothing to do with this matter.
But this is not what’s at stake here. Stop spreading the lie alleging that these were the deliberate actions of the Russian Federation. This is not true. In fact, this is a falsehood. Prank calls do exist as a genre, and it did not originate in our country. We were not the ones who invented or pioneered it. This is something the West has been encouraging as a means of promoting freedom of expression and a new vision of the world. So we are not the ones to be held accountable. We did not invent this genre – it already existed around the world. Make no mistake, the Russian authorities have nothing to do with these practices. These people are doing what they are doing – that much is true. In order to avoid falling into their trap, your protocol service and information security must be effective. These safeguards may sometimes prove to be deficient, even when held to the highest standard. We saw American political leaders like George W. Bush fall for these pranks, as well as many others. Stop blaming someone else. Just blame yourselves. This is my message to officials in Rome and all those who believe that Moscow bears all the blame. However, there is another angle to this story.
After all, everyone seems to have forgotten about the substance while focusing on the form. I suggest that we go back to what Giorgia Meloni said. She expressed her own view on whether glorifying Nazi collaborators is normal. Here is my question for the officials in Rome: Ms Giorgia Meloni, do you actually believe that the Kiev regime has the right to glorify Stepan Bandera and Roman Shukhevich? Just give us a yes or no answer. Are you sure that Europe and Italy in particular must help the Kiev regime do it? How far are you willing to go down the road of glorifying Nazi accomplices? If you believe that glorifying Italian collaborationists is all right, tell us their names.
Perhaps senior government officials in Italy owe an apology to the millions of victims of fascism and Nazism. Perhaps they should focus on what was actually said during these conversations instead of the forum in which it was said.
Foreign Ministry opens account on Zen platform
The Foreign Ministry is active on social media. We provide prompt and detailed information to the Russian public and foreign audiences about Russia’s foreign policy and approaches to current international and regional issues. We deliver unbiased information about Russia to internet users. In doing so, we have to work under unprecedented pressure from administrators of US platforms and the onslaught of the collective West’s propaganda machine.
You are well aware of all the intrigues, problems and aggressive behaviour towards Russia on the part of US tech giants that are blocking our information and removing our content. I am referring to Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s comments, Foreign Ministry briefings and other materials.
This is blatant censorship, which we have repeatedly talked about. But instead of stopping us, this only encourages us to work even harder.
Today, we are officially launching the Foreign Ministry’s channel on the Zen platform. Now we will use it to keep you informed as well.
As a reminder, the Foreign Ministry is active on domestic online services. We opened an account on the Russian social media platform VKontakte in 2014; in April 2021, we were the first among Russian federal agencies to join the Rutube video hosting platform (we have become the official lobbyist of this network); and in October 2021, we joined Odnoklassniki.
Subscribe to our Zen channel – you can find the link on our other social media and messenger accounts, in particular, on the Foreign Ministry’s Telegram channel, as well as on the Foreign Ministry website. Follow the latest news of Russian foreign policy on Zen as well, not by being there, but by reading it.
Feedback would be appreciated.
Commemorating hero of Nicaragua Carlos Fonseca
On November 9, at 2 pm, a wreath-laying ceremony took place at the memorial to the hero of the Nicaraguan Revolution, Carlos Fonseca, who was brutally murdered 47 years ago by the hitmen of the pro-American puppet regime of Anastasio Somoza.
Today, looking at the steady development of Nicaragua – a politically stable state with its own view of its path, a successful economy and a modern society – we invariably remember its founders. Among them, Carlos Fonseca was distinguished by true patriotism. He was sincerely a true son of his country who devoted his life to selfless service to his Fatherland. “A descendant of Sandino,” he became a real legend and the ideological inspiration for the Nicaraguans’ courageous struggle for their freedom and independence.
To get a better understanding of this struggle, I recommend reading a review of 100 years of North American invasions of Nicaragua compiled by Carlos Fonseca. Suffice it to mention that the United States has carried out at least seven armed interventions in that country, not to mention numerous examples of gross interference in the country’s internal affairs.
As Comandante Fonseca said, he and his comrades were not fighting for pitiful handouts for their people; they were fighting for radical social and national change. In this regard, he firmly relied on the fraternal assistance of our country; he was there at the start of bilateral cooperation and was a sincere friend of Russia.
I would like to emphasise that today, Moscow and Managua are not just old-time good friends and allies. We hold overlapping approaches and are active fighters for a more just and democratic multipolar world.
We have noted with satisfaction that Managua is expanding ties with independent centres of sovereign development such as China, Belarus, Cuba, Iran, Venezuela and Vietnam. We firmly believe that the more friends Nicaragua has in the international arena, the more successfully we will be able to work together to defend our right to sovereign development.
We are steadfastly committed to the solid support of our Nicaraguan friends. Our stance is unshakable. It is not dependent on fleeting political considerations, but rather constitutes the core of the Russian-Nicaraguan strategic partnership.
The International Astronomy Olympiad
On November 14-22, the Sirius Federal Territory will host the 2nd International Astronomy Olympiad. The event is organised by the Sirius Education Centre with the support of the Russian Ministry of Education and the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Russian students will be joined by their peers from Abkhazia, Bangladesh, Belarus, Cuba, Iran, Mongolia, Peru, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Venezuela.
The Olympiad seeks to uncover and support children’s skills, realise their intellectual and personal potential, and to assist with establishing youth and academic contacts. This event confirms the leading role of the Sirius Education Centre in shaping new approaches to education and developing talent-based teaching in Russia and the rest of the world.
November 12, 2023 marks 75 years since the end of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East (Tokyo Trial). The event legally finalised World War II and must remain a serious lesson for current and future generations of politicians who are willing to ignore the interests of peace on the planet for the sake of their own ambition.
The entire first half of the 20th century was defined by Japan’s relentless militarisation, reinforced by the ideas of the country’s supremacy and domination in Asia. The Russo-Japanese War, treacherously started by Japanese militarists in February 1904, gave Tokyo extra incentive, and subsequently imperial Japan increasingly succumbed to nationalist rage to the point of launching a direct aggression against the countries in Asia, primarily China.
On July 7, 1937, the Japanese troops began their mass invasion of Manchuria that resulted in its occupation. The operation essentially triggered World War II. After Nazi Germany attacked Poland on September 1, 1939, the war reached a global scale. This is why crushing militarist Japan and trying Japanese war criminals put an end once and for all to the most violent period in the history of humanity and gave hope for a real transition to peaceful life.
Our country made a decisive contribution to the victory of the allied powers in the Far East by defeating the Kwantung Army. An authorised representative of the Soviet Union signed the Japanese Instrument of Surrender of September 2, 1945. Soviet diplomats and lawyers substantially assisted with preparing and conducting the International Military Tribunal for the Far East that began in 1946. Military experts from the USSR flew across the world to Tokyo specifically to testify as witnesses and offer valuable testimony included in the verdict of the Tokyo Trial.
Seventy-four years later, the complete and certified text of this document was first publicised, at the initiative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, during an international conference at the Foreign Ministry Diplomatic Academy on September 28, 2022.
The crimes of the Japanese militarists counted in the verdict include the armed provocation at Lake Khasan in July-August 1938. The historical truth about those events with new evidence was restored during an international roundtable meeting of the Russian Historical Society in September 2023 in Vladivostok, with attendees from the Russian Foreign Ministry among others. Similar events marking the 75th anniversary of the Battles of Khalkhin Gol are planned for next year.
The procedural actions enforcing the verdict of the Tokyo Trial continue to this day. We earlier reported on revoking exoneration in several cases related to the 1949 Khabarovsk war crimes trials that followed the Tokyo Trial. These efforts will not stop until the truth is established in its entirety and the culprits are brought to justice.
Maria Zakharova: This is exactly the kind of thing that can be described as utter absurdity, but first things first.
Russia has withdrawn from the CFE Treaty for good. Clearly, as a non-member, we no longer have any practical interest in matters covered by this treaty. For us, this treaty is history.
We have suspended the CFE before. Considering that the treaty does not explicitly provide for the possibility of suspension but allows for withdrawal, in 2007, Russia operated on the general principle of law and the customary norm of international law expressed by the maxim “he who is allowed to have the larger part is allowed to have the smaller part contained within this larger part.” Procedurally, we then complied with every step that is required to complete the withdrawal (review by the Federal Assembly chambers, notification of all participating states, holding a relevant conference, and sticking to the deadlines specified in the treaty). We complied with every requirement. Nevertheless, NATO members tried to accuse us of violating international legal norms, citing the absence of any mention of the option to suspend within the CFE itself.
Now, what do we see? Our opponents are suspending the treaty, thereby indirectly acknowledging the legitimacy of the steps that Russia took in 2007. However, we understand that they are not going to comply with the suspension terms stipulated by international law (sending notification and keeping deadlines) or the procedure that our country followed in 2007. The United States intends to suspend the treaty as of December 7. I remind you that having just completed its withdrawal from the CFE and despite exceptional circumstances that put its highest interests in jeopardy, Russia complied with every procedural requirement in the book.
I believe the current situation around the CFE clearly shows the fundamental differences between two approaches, the Russian approach that is based on international law, and the Western approach that relies on some obscure “rules” that are made up, changed, and revoked at will.
Interestingly, they will never provide you with comprehensive and detailed comments on this matter. They always find a reason to duck the question and say something like “don’t get aggressive,” “don’t ask inappropriate questions,” “no time to comment,” “why invent things,” or simply close the folder and walk away.
Each step we took was corroborated by a wealth of explanatory information. All representatives of our agencies and branches of government spoke extensively and openly on this subject and invited all media outlets without exception.
Maria Zakharova: Yerevan’s Crossroads of Peace initiative is largely in sync with the projects discussed over the past years by the Trilateral Working Group co-chaired by deputy prime ministers of Russia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia.
The Trilateral Working Group focuses on unblocking economic and transport links in the region. We firmly believe that this process plays a crucial role in normalising relations between Baku and Yerevan and contributes to the stabilisation and unlocking of the South Caucasus’ transit and logistics potential.
The leaders of the three countries decided to establish the Trilateral Working Group only a few months after the end of hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh in the autumn of 2020. During the 12 meetings of the Trilateral Working Group, a significant amount of work was done to assess the current state of regional logistics infrastructure and to select the best railway and motorway projects. We came very close to reaching a package solution that will benefit all parties.
Unfortunately, bringing these matters to their conclusion has been impossible so far. Some parties lack the political will to do so (and it’s not us). We remain ready to provide all needed assistance in the effort to unblock regional transport routes, including based on the provisions of the top-level trilateral statements from November 9, 2020, and January 11, 2021 which clearly define the role of the Russian Federation.
In particular, responding to your question about creating a special unit within the National Security Service of Armenia to protect transport routes, it’s worth noting that, in accordance with the above trilateral agreements, control over the transport link between Azerbaijan and the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic is supposed to be exercised by the Border Guard Service of the FSB of Russia.
We were guided by the goal of “unblocking” Armenia when we facilitated the efforts to restart the dialogue between Yerevan and Ankara. As a reminder, the first introductory meeting of the special representatives of Türkiye and Armenia on normalising bilateral relations took place in Moscow on January 14, 2021.
The Consultative Regional Platform 3+3 which was recently used for a ministerial meeting is another workable platform for the countries in the region and their neighbours seeking to develop mutually acceptable solutions. We expect that the transport theme will be addressed during the next meeting of the platform in 2024 in Türkiye. I am confident that Yerevan’s constructive proposals within this format will enjoy high demand.
Maria Zakharova: We are assisting Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians in the humanitarian sphere.
In particular, the Russian Government has prepared 40 tonnes of humanitarian aid, taking into account the needs of the Armenian side, which will be delivered to Yerevan in the coming days. With winter approaching, the humanitarian cargo includes a mobile power station capable of supplying energy to a dozen houses. The humanitarian action being prepared complements a number of steps already taken on the Russian side to support the displaced (hopefully temporarily) of Nagorno-Karabakh.
The nonprofit Russian Humanitarian Mission delivered six tonnes of food to Armenia, which was packed (500 food packages and 500 bags of personal hygiene products and household chemicals weighing about 12 kg) and handed over to those in need by representatives of the Russian House, the Russian Embassy and compatriots on October 14.
Russian Humanitarian Mission together with the Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States, Compatriots Living Abroad, and International Humanitarian Cooperation office in Yerevan provides people with moral and psychological assistance.
The Doctor Liza Charitable Foundation named after Yelizaveta Glinka sent over 20 tonnes of humanitarian aid, including to the Ararat region, which received the largest number of temporarily displaced persons.
On October 20-21, 1.5 tonnes of humanitarian aid (300 blankets and 100 beds) were delivered to the cities of Sevan and Gavar through the Russian-Armenian Humanitarian Response Centre.
On November 2, the Russian National Research Institute for Communications Development delivered warm clothes and food for children to the Areni community of Vayots Dzor Region.
Russian businesses operating in the republic are joining the humanitarian efforts. The Zangezur Copper and Molybdenum Integrated Plant, managed by the company GeoProMining Gold, is assisting Karabakhis settled in Syunik Region on a permanent basis. MTS Armenia provides SIM cards for up to six months free of charge to all interested displaced persons. Gazprom Armenia has transferred 100,000 drams to 1,300 families. In addition, 600 families will receive compensation for rent and utilities for six months, 45 families are accommodated at the company’s recreation centre, where they are provided with meals.
We also note the efforts of concerned activists, including Azatagrum public movement and its leader Mika Badalyan, who organised fundraising for humanitarian aid and the preparation of food packages for thousands of displaced people from Nagorno-Karabakh.
These are only the broad strokes of what is being done. I can assure you that this assistance will be continued.
Maria Zakharova: It is surprising that the State Department and the White House are increasingly in the dark. Usually people in positions of authority get up to speed with time and start to be more competent, professional and knowledgeable. Here is some regression. There are more and more unknowns every day in the Joe Biden Administration.
As for us, you know very well that the negotiations that were held in 2022 at the request and initiative of the Ukrainian side (which Russia agreed to) were blocked by the Kiev regime at the insistence of the United States. Then, a few months later, they were banned at the legislative level. Vladimir Zelensky managed to ban it for himself. We understand perfectly well that it is the United States that is behind this. Any negotiation process coming from Ukraine is blocked by the presidential order adopted there.
Maria Zakharova: As far as I know, I can say that in many countries around the world, this day is in fact devoted to remembering this tragedy – this tragic page in the international community’s history book.
The date for this day was chosen deliberately. In fact, it was on the night of November 9, 1938, that one of the largest Jewish pogroms took place. In went down in history as the Crystal Night. Rioters attacked and destroyed all shopping stands and stores owned by the Jews, leaving hundreds of people dead. More than 30,000 Jews ended up in concentration camps. This served as a terrifying and bloody prelude to the tragic developments in the history of our civilisation, which unfolded over the following years.
There is another historical event that marks its centenary this year. On November 9, 1923, Adolf Hitler’s national-socialists staged their failed Beer Hall Putsch in Munich. They tried exploiting post-war Germany’s socioeconomic woes to overthrow the socialist government. Benito Mussolini’s success in Italy at the head of the Italian fascists who came to power in Italy a year earlier made the national-socialists even more self-assured.
It was the evening of November 8, 1923, when 600 assault troops encircled Munich’s largest beer house where 3,000 people had gathered to hear the Bavarian leaders. Holding members of the Bavarian government at the point of machine guns, Adolf Hitler forced them to promise to send troops to Berlin the next day to overthrow the Weimar government.
However, the Bavarian leaders did not even think about delivering on the promise they gave to the Nazis. Those who took part in the putsch were arrested and had to serve prison time, which varied for specific individuals. However, the Nazis received lenient sentences thanks to the backing of certain forces in Germany. Adolf Hitler, while sentenced to five years in prison, was released as early as in December 1924. Just think about it: they released this horrible genie from prison, not from a bottle! Or should we say they let him out of a beer bottle? In fact, a person planning to attack Germany’s government institutions under such slogans benefited from quite liberal treatment while in prison. During the nine months he spent in jail, Hitler managed to write Mein Kampf, the infamous manifesto of the German Nazis.
The Beer Hall Putsch served as a political springboard for German Nazism and foreshadowed the atrocities committed by the Third Reich. Western political elites started playing a dangerous game with the Nazis, by treating Adolf Hitler as a tool for countering the USSR, and thus paving the way to World War II, the bloodiest war in the history of humanity, which claimed tens of millions of lives. It spanned several continents and expanded beyond the European continent.
It was the Beer Hall Putsch that eventually brought the Nazis to power, which, of course, begs a historical comparison. While making these comparisons may not always be appropriate, in this case, this was not a mere coincidence. In any case, you can see what happened in 2014 when this artificially concocted narrative about grassroots anti-government protests which were actually engineered and planned in advance, gave rise to all this scum. This was not a coincidence, but a plan. The West encouraged it. The West turned a blind eye to those who carried out the Maidan coup in 2014 just as it did in 1933.
For decades, the West has been funding the effort to spread nationalist ideas in Ukraine. This has happened many times in 21st century Ukraine. We must make sure to remember these lessons and refrain from exploiting these dates for momentary political gain. This is a dangerous trend. We must remember the victims in order to prevent these horrors from happening again. These commemorations are more than rituals. Rituals do not matter unless they help people improve their minds and souls. They must prevent people from repeating their own mistakes or crimes, as in this case. Otherwise, all these ritual elements become extremely dangerous by creating the appearance that people have learned the lesson, changed their thinking and are no longer the same, while in fact nothing changes. This is an important point. We have been hammering it home at all times when saying that our country cannot be reduced to the 27 million people who perished during World War II and the Great Patriotic War. We have always said that this is not just about honouring the victims but also about learning the lessons of history and commemorating those who diverted the planet from the bloody path it had taken.
Maria Zakharova: After you heard the data I presented in the main statement, do you still believe that it is the sanctions that hinder implementation of the Nord Stream projects, gas or infrastructure projects? You can see that, where not even sanctions could stand in the way and where we managed to overcome everything (the hatred for Russia, the pressure of sanctions, threats, blackmail and other forms of pushback), where everything was ready to be implemented in the interests of European development (from business communities to consumers), completely different mechanisms were employed such as terrorism. When you talk about how much the new sanctions can affect something, I believe it would be appropriate to remember that these similar projects were destroyed not by sanctions but by terrorist activity. I hope you don’t forget that.
The Russian fuel and energy sector is the primary target of the Western countries’ sanctions policy. This example is not an exception. Despite the challenges, our companies have shown that they can successfully tackle such obstacles in their way. They can effectively use their competitive edge, develop their own solutions and launch new production capacities.
LNG occupies an important place in the world energy market. All international energy bodies predicted that natural gas consumption would grow through 2050, and mainly at the expense of LNG.
Here in this country, nobody plans to abandon their large-scale plans concerning LNG. It is our priority in the energy sector to develop LNG infrastructure. Russia intends to boost LNG production to 100 million tonnes per year, and the projected scope of investment in the industry exceeds 6 trillion roubles.
We are doing all this. We are a responsible partner in this sector. The problem is not us; the problem is those who will stop at nothing to prove their own exceptional status and to fend off competitors in world markets. The same concerns gas, resources, finance and technology. We are not the problem. The question should be addressed to those who are willing to resort to terrorism to eliminate competitors.
Let me remind you that similar strategies are used against a great number of countries that, unexpectedly for many, overtake the leaders in science, technology and other fields. They experience similarly high pressure.
Investors, the media and the public should be questioning those who eliminate rivals using such illegitimate means as sanctions and terrorist attacks.
Maria Zakharova: Agencies like the Committee to Protect Journalists are not always entirely unbiased. It depends, but I cannot say that that organisation is 100 percent objective. We have seen this attitude when it comes to our journalists. But even such agencies are sounding the alarm now.
Over the past decades, the Western community has come a long way, literally overreacting to every infinitesimal incident not threatening the safety of journalists in the slightest. A search at the airport, a common standard procedure, became an attempt on the person’s life and health. In recent months, we have been criticised because Western journalists did not like to be interviewed when crossing the border. They said they felt slighted. But this really sounds ridiculous amid dozens of journalists dying as a result of hostilities in the Middle East.
There have been a truly shocking number of victims. It is with aching hearts that we mourn these tragedies and grieve together with the victims’ families and friends. I would sin against the truth if I only mention media professionals. I have already cited examples today. Let me not single out any categories. How can we separate them – journalists from children, the elderly from women, the civilian population from volunteers, UN members from social service workers who do not have UN accreditation? We mourn with all the victims of this escalation, regardless of their nationality, religion, or profession.
Since society has developed so many international legal instruments to protect journalists, I would like to ask: when is all this going to work? This question is not for us. We are complying with these documents; we know our rights, duties and responsibilities. It is a question for those who have been making this their credo for decades, telling others this was what liberal values were all about. I am primarily referring to Washington, London, Paris, and Brussels, which are now silent and cannot even find a few words of sympathy. They aren’t holding conferences or publishing footage. Where are they all now? Where is everyone who claimed that peaceful rallies escalating into violence and other illegal acts were almost a threat to the lives and safety of journalists? Where are they now, when the death toll has reached dozens of representatives of the media, cameramen, correspondents, and others? Those people were acting in the line of duty, doing everything in their power to provide the world with reports and images from the scene, to keep society informed about what was happening there.
It is important to bear in mind that, under the existing provisions of international humanitarian law, journalists are treated as civilians, and as such, enjoy an appropriate degree of protection during armed conflicts. What is really happening has shown that these rules are not being observed at all. Failure to comply with them amounts to a flagrant violation of international law.
Against this backdrop, we cannot ignore the attempts, by certain forces sympathetic to one side of the conflict or another, to draw an invisible line between us and them, even when it comes to media representatives killed in a conflict. Don't do this. Not here. Journalists must not be divided into good and bad. They have worked in the conflict zone, doing nothing but performing their journalistic duties, so please, do not speak ill of the dead. I’m sorry, I would be happy to speak of them as the living, but we know how many of them have lost their lives.
We consider it depressing that such sentiments have penetrated into the relevant international organisations. It is their direct duty to provide unbiased and honest assistance in ensuring the rights of journalists and the media, creating a safe environment for their activities, even when it comes to covering crisis situations and armed conflicts. Their duty is to condemn any segregation, not to encourage it.
At the same time, we see something else, and that something is Western and NATO liberal tradition. The linguistic preferences of some international officials in their assessments of tragic incidents with journalists in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict speak for themselves.
By way of illustration. UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, acting within her mandate, “condemned the killing of Roee Idan,” an Israeli photojournalist, in a news release on November 7. But when it came to the deceased Palestinian journalist Saed al-Halabi from the Al-Aqsa TV channel, she simply “deplored” his death. As the saying goes, feel the difference. We have been talking about this for the past few years. We see the same attitude towards our journalists.
We strongly believe that the use of a differentiated approach on the part of multilateral agencies vested with appropriate authority, even when it comes to seemingly inconspicuous details, is unacceptable, immoral and contrary to their national obligations. They get paid for exactly the opposite. We will consistently strive to ensure equal rights and security guarantees for all media professionals working in conflict zones without exception.
With this approach, they are fuelling the growth of nationalist sentiment. They are creating a breeding ground for nationalism. This information spreads instantly. People see this injustice and its association with nationalities. We have always opposed this. And this is done by a high-ranking official who should be doing exactly the opposite. Her responsibilities are to help minimise nationalism in the world through awareness work that benefits society, aimed at eradicating the nationalist approach, nationalism, any segregation, or inappropriate differentiation. What does she think she’s doing? Why wouldn’t anyone in the western camp rebuff her?
Maria Zakharova: The diplomatic source on this is Israeli Ambassador to Moscow Alexander Ben Zvi, who has said that the procedure would take two weeks. He has actually admitted that Israel is not willing to help our citizens realise their right to evacuation, while everything to do this is ready.
Why do we have to appeal to Israel? I can tell you that at least four days ago our ambassador to Israel, Anatoly Viktorov, received Israel’s assurances and promises, including from the Foreign Ministry of Israel, that permission would be issued “tomorrow,” even though we filed the request a long time before that. We compiled the lists long ago and forwarded them to Egypt and Israel. What is the reason for the delay? I suggest that you ask the Israeli representative. They assured us that the situation would be unblocked any day now, but it has been going on for the past four days.
I can only say again that the evacuation of Russian citizens, compatriots and any other people seeking our assistance is a priority for us. We have done everything necessary. The Emergencies Ministry, the Ministry of Transport, the Federal Agency for Air Transport (Rosaviatsiya), the Foreign Ministry and our embassy worked around the clock to prepare the necessary documents. It all depends on Israel. We hope that the obstacles – we have not been told what these are – will be removed soon.
Maria Zakharova: We are doing everything we can to de-escalate the conflict, bring about a ceasefire and move the situation onto the political and diplomatic track. President Vladimir Putin has held telephone conversations with the heads of Arab states, including Palestine, as well as Israel, Iran, Türkiye and Brazil. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov maintains contacts with his colleagues in the region. Special Presidential Representative for the Middle East and Africa and Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov attended the Cairo Peace Summit organised by Egypt. We are talking with all sides about the importance of an immediate ceasefire.
In this sense, we are at one with Beijing. We coordinate our activities at the UN Security Council with our Chinese partners. The two draft resolutions initiated by Russia and supported by China to stop the violence, prevent a humanitarian disaster and prevent the conflict in Gaza from spreading throughout the region were blocked by the United States and its supporters at the Security Council. We will continue to coordinate our approaches with Beijing.
Maria Zakharova: We are not just getting ready to participate, but we see no reason not to. The APEC summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum will take place in San Francisco on November 15-17. Regrettably, Washington continues to blatantly disregard its responsibilities as chair, substituting the one-sided implementation of its own morbid complexes for the unifying agenda of this international organisation of high standing. Over the past year, the United States has convened another disruptive event codenamed “visa denial” for the delegates from our country. Travel by Russian representatives to APEC events has been repeatedly disrupted by the destructive approach of the current forum leaders.
Less than a week is left until the summit. Not all Russian representatives have obtained US visas so far. At the same time, the State Department has made known its intention to ensure the “proper participation” of Russia. Issue the visas and ensure it then. Why be hypocritical, and deceive and mislead the public? The Foreign Ministry or the Presidential Executive Office will comment on everything (who will go and who will be the head of the delegation). Let's wait and see how the visa situation is resolved and then draw our conclusions.
We see that the Americans are using more tricks than visas for their destructive ends. They endlessly manipulate the Ukraine issue on the APEC platform. I would like to draw extra attention to the fact that the anti-Russia sentiments promoted by the Americans at APEC (which are also linked to the situation in Ukraine) have nothing to do with the agenda. But the result is already there. All of that is not supported by the APEC member countries. The strengthening of the foundations of a multipolar world order and the consolidation of the positions of developing states in their efforts to prevent the hegemony of any particular union or country, especially when the issue is about destruction or destructive logic, are clearly there.
In conjunction with our partners, primarily from the emerging market economies, we adhere (despite the destructive course pursued by a number of the participants) to constructive approaches and work towards depoliticising APEC activities. We will continue to shape our approaches in the same way in the future.
We confirm our willingness to ensure Russia's representation at an appropriate level during the San Francisco summit, and contribute to the return of the forum on the path of mutually beneficial and respectful dialogue. We plan to use this event to actively promote the fundamental positions of our country that are related to supporting economic recovery and addressing imbalances with account taken of the environmental factors. We will encourage our partners to find effective ways to overcome the global challenges facing multilateral economic diplomacy, to expand business contacts, industrial cooperation, and practical integration, and to address the real issues facing our planet, rather than inventing imaginary threats or creating threats that have no natural reason to exist.
We view this platform as an opportunity to engage in constructive work. We are aware that countries with a similar approach are involved in this work, except the countries that tend to endlessly introduce destructive elements. This year, the APEC International Conference on Cooperation in Higher Education was held in Vladivostok for the 12th time. Recently, Russia has spearheaded three new sought-after initiatives: a review of approaches to validation and verification of climate projects, the tapping of the potential of women in the creative economy, and tourism in specific territories.
We will definitely keep you informed about the members of our delegation.
Maria Zakharova: The risks of global confrontation in the region are obvious. This is not just the intention of one country or a group of countries. This is an unresolved problem. I think there is no need to explain to you; you understand everything perfectly.
A region with a huge number of unresolved historical issues, conflict-related problems, and potential risks. In this context, the unresolved Palestinian-Israeli tensions will result in them becoming the epicentre of many problems directly at the point of conflict and around it.
Actually, this is what Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke about, not just publicly, and not only over the last month. In recent years, he has been telling all our Western partners that abandoning the entire international legal framework for resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict will unfortunately lead to the opposite result, that the whole world will be engaged in resolving this conflict, but it will be too late. Escalation is inevitable. He has spoken about this regularly.
The solution must not be connected with ethnic cleansing or ideas of geopolitical manoeuvring with no regard for international law, a legal foundation, consideration of interests, and risk management. What is needed is a real, deep, fundamental solution to this long-standing historical problem and conflict, based on international law.
Washington blocking peace initiatives for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip at this point and its one-sided policy over the past years aimed at maintaining (as they phrased it) the status quo, which in fact is just reluctance to implement everything that countries and nations agreed on, without progress on the negotiation track will lead to growing risks of radicalisation, increased tourism activity, expansion of the boundaries of the conflict and, among other things, becoming enmeshed in other potential or smoldering conflicts in the region. Further apocalyptic developments are not very far off.
We have repeatedly said that the build-up of foreign military presence in the zone of armed conflict, in particular of the American group in the Eastern Mediterranean, and provocative bellicose statements are also part of the global escalation and will not result in anything good but only aggravate the situation.
Let me repeat what the Russian leadership has been saying all these years. It is impossible to speak about long-term stabilisation in the Middle East without solving the Palestinian problem based on international law.
Maria Zakharova: It is necessary to study the legal basis of this issue. Israel is not a party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and has not entered into a comprehensive safeguards agreement with the IAEA, so the Agency can not verify the compliance of its nuclear programme with the goals and objectives of the Treaty. This is the legal side.
In addition, I can say that Tel Aviv has concluded an INFCIRC/66 type safeguards agreement with the IAEA for specific facilities. The IAEA has not reported any violations of the provisions of this document. We also do not have such information. If any interested party has different information, it should be shared directly with the Agency.
Now about political assessments and steps. At one time, Arab states promoted a resolution on Israeli nuclear capabilities at the IAEA General Conference. Russia, guided by its consistent policy towards the NPT’s universalisation, supported it. However, this resolution has not been submitted to the Agency’s General Conference for eight years. This question should be addressed not to us but to those who developed and submitted it.
It is also worth noting that the UN General Assembly has repeatedly adopted resolutions that noted the importance of Israel joining the NPT. Recently, on October 27, 2023, another such document, “The Risk of Nuclear Proliferation in the Middle East,” received broad international support: 148 states, including Russia, voted for it in the First Committee of the General Assembly.
As for the initiative for a WMD-free Greater Middle East, you are well aware of it, and I agree that it is necessary to continue devoting our efforts to resolve this task.
Maria Zakharova: I think that, first of all, this is a question that should be addressed to those countries and organisations that are already dealing with it. According to diplomatic practice, such things are usually commented on after receiving some requests.
Maria Zakharova: Your question is quite long. Could you say what interests you in particular? Today, I have discussed this situation in great detail, and I do not want to repeat myself.
Question: The position of Russia is understandable and justified because Washington is behind all this. However, Israel also bears responsibility because it is an independent state. As it happened, we are now absolving Israel and hurling all accusations at the United States alone. Israel is killing people, although at the instigation of the United States. Can you comment on this policy?
Maria Zakharova: Please note that when we say that it is necessary to address the Palestinian-Israeli issue in accordance with international law, we often hear Israel’s grumbling that we should opt for different political rhetoric, focus on rejecting terrorist methods, condemn them, etc. In response, we note that, regardless of any agenda, fleeting considerations or any specific circumstances, we always emphasise that terrorist attacks are unacceptable. In this case, regarding the need to deescalate the situation, to end bloodshed and to resolve the issue in accordance with international law, we speak about the root cause, about the foundation of this crisis.
It seems to me that you are reproaching me, just like a number of Israeli representatives and experts. You are talking about important things, but I will answer your question just like I am replying to criticism from Israel. These are highly important components of the situation. For this reason, we are submitting the relevant resolutions and working on them. We are also submitting proposals and joining various resolutions and proposals, drafted by countries voicing a similar approach towards the humanitarian tragedy. However, we will get nowhere, unless we comprehend the root cause of the situation. This unresolved problem is the root cause. The situation became aggravated because Washington insisted that the political settlement concept should be side-lined, and that it would be better to forget about it. This is the gist of the matter.
There are humanitarian organisations, UN agencies and non-profit organisations that provide assessments and casualty estimates. We are repeating that civilian fatalities are unacceptable, and that Russia, as a multi-ethnic and multi-denominational state, believes that it is unacceptable to divide the civilian population into “correct” and “incorrect” ethnic groups and religions.
You remember our position on Syria. At that time, we said that there were no “correct” or “incorrect” extremists, as Washington claimed. Terrorism always remains what it is. All this, including our fundamental position, has not changed. On the contrary, it has only become stronger. We oppose any justification of terrorism, nor do we justify it ourselves. Nor do we want anyone else to justify it. We call for observing humanitarian law with regard to the civilian population that should not be subjected to any gruesome ordeals (I cannot describe this otherwise), like the ones that Palestinian and other residents of the Gaza Strip are now experiencing. Citizens of Russia and other countries are there, too.
The protection of civilians during armed conflicts should not be called into question. These fundamental issues have not disappeared. We have our own statistics and data, as well as UN data and our own assessments. I repeat: We will fail to overcome the current crisis, unless we understand its root cause, unless we realise who aggravated this situation and who led regional countries astray. I mean the whole world, not Russia. It is necessary to face up to the root causes and to stop justifying any developments rooted in nationalist factors. We must stop inciting nationalist sentiments and stop pitting people who are languishing all over the world and in the region against each other. This also concerns those who support them all over the world, including their families, relatives, friends, etc. People can see this monstrous carnage that has been taking place for a month now. It is necessary to do everything possible to stop this and to address the root cause of the crisis.
Question: Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov once said that one should not engage in genetic engineering in geopolitics.
Maria Zakharova: Absolutely.
Question: For more than four years, we have been following the fate of Maria Lazareva, a citizen of the Russian Federation, who has been prosecuted in Kuwait. On November 3, the Kuwaiti Foreign Minister paid a visit to Moscow, which was covered in the media. Was the issue of pardoning Maria Lazareva on the agenda of this visit and the negotiations that took place? If so, were specific agreements reached? What is your forecast regarding Lazareva’s return to Russia under one status or another?
Maria Zakharova: The fate of all our compatriots, citizens who have found themselves in difficult situations all over the world, is our job. Some of our work is subject to public reaction and discussion, while the rest, due to various circumstances (the position of the other side, defence lawyers, attorneys or the complexity of all the factors), is not subject to discussion in the public space. This is precisely the case when we say and confirm that we are certainly concerned about the fate of this Russian citizen. We are providing all the necessary assistance and support. But we are not in a position to discuss the details for a number of reasons and factors.
Question: Can’t you give specific reasons for this difficulty?
Maria Zakharova: The reason is a combination of factors. I’ve listed a number of them.
If you want the real cause, you may not be satisfied with it either, but that’s really what it is. Doctors have a concept of “do no harm.” Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, a top professional and diplomat, often uses this phrase: “do no harm.” In order not to harm both the situation itself and the circumstances, in which our citizen finds herself, we prefer not to make these things public.
We are also in contact with her family. I can assure you that we are acting in strict compliance with our obligations and the law. We are doing everything necessary. But publicity, in this case, is determined by the formula I mentioned.
Maria Zakharova: We have a legislative framework that serves as a guide for our diplomatic agencies.
I’d like to draw your attention to the Federal Law on the Consular Charter of the Russian Federation. Article 19 defines the actions that our consular officers can take. Here is item 4: “In the order established by the Government of the Russian Federation, a consular officer carries out in the host stay the registration of minors of the Russian Federation, which have been adopted by the citizens of the Russian Federation permanently residing on the territory of a consular district, foreign citizens or stateless persons. A consular officer reports violations of rights and the lawful interests of said adopted children and problems in adoptive families to a federal executive body that drafts and implements government policy and legal regulations in general education.”
Our foreign offices not only can, but must react to any sign of violations of the rights of our citizens, and they are always doing this. Naturally, this applies to their children abroad. This issue is under the control of the Foreign Ministry’s top management. Understandably, this applies to a package of issues. No diplomat is authorised to deal with this particular issue and ignore others.
Naturally, if there is information on violations, notification from the local authorities or reports from people, diplomats certainly start dealing with this issue. Then the relevant procedure goes into effect. We are well aware that physically it is impossible and in many cases illegal to focus on the personal life of every person, not to mention a child. Do we need to do this? I don’t think so. Otherwise, we would live in a completely different civilisation.
You only said that such a problem might exist. If you have specific examples of such cases with Russian children abroad, we are ready to check this information. For the time being, we do not have the facts.
Question: I realize that it is difficult to identify such cases but there is information about such problems now. I’d like to ask you whether you have any indication of this?
Maria Zakharova: No, I am hearing this for the first time. We will pay more attention to this.
Maria Zakharova: There are many similar initiatives now – about ten. Every country comes up with its own vision. Some people organise fund-raising forums, others suggest summits and virtual options for communication within the international community. We are studying such proposals and are actively promoting our own approaches at international venues. We will join them if they are doing what we consider effective. We will update you on this.
Maria Zakharova: There is nothing to clear up. At first, he was going to attend this meeting but then he said he could not come because of a change in his schedule. We know that he received Department of State Senior Advisor for Caucasus Negotiations Louis Bono in Yerevan. You can reach your own conclusions.
That said, Armenia was represented at this meeting by its Ambassador in Russia Vagarshak Arutyunyan. The level of attendees is determined by the state.
Maria Zakharova: President of Russia Vladimir Putin answered this question. Finance Minister Anton Siluanov also spoke about it on October 17 of this year. You can look at these statements. Our Government, its economic bloc gave explanations about this the other day. So I believe there is no room for additional comment.
I can say a few things about the political background. The West intensifies this talk when it runs out of money. They have to survive somehow and they are talking more and more about the need to get this money somewhere.
The situation in the Middle East is the second factor. Obviously, the West’s involvement in this situation will require more funding as well. It is clear why they have stepped up their activities.
I would advise you again to read the comments by Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov.
Question: France scuttled Russia’s participation in the 42nd session of the UNESCO General Conference in Paris by failing to issue visas for the members of its delegation. A State Department representative on APEC said before that the US authorities had sent invitations for the November summit in San Francisco to all APEC participants. He promised the Russian delegation would be able to duly participate in the summit. What can you say about this?
Maria Zakharova: I have just commented on this in response to the question from China Media Group.
I’ve just talked about the visas and the participation. Please don’t make me repeat myself.
Maria Zakharova: We saw the EU’s response to the incident involving illegal crossing by Georgian citizens of the state border of the Republic of South Ossetia near the village of Grom. We are surprised by the EU’s attitude. Having ignored obvious facts and detailed explanations by South Ossetian officials, Brussels is peremptorily trying to blame Russia for this incident.
The lop-sided, politicised and false assessments reflect the EU’s obvious bias and undermine its role as a co-chair of international discussions on security and stability in the South Caucasus.
The West should look at reality rather than invent a myth about Moscow’s involvement. If Brussels wants to get involved in this situation, let it help prevent new provocations in the Georgia-South Ossetia border area, which Russia has urged more than once.
As for the facts about this incident, it will be best to read the statements with detailed explanations I mentioned.
Maria Zakharova: Nowhere. There is no democracy at all. There are pseudo values that have not stood the test of time and circumstances. That’s it. These are just words that are not buttressed by practical deeds. They should make up their minds – either honour their commitments (today, I cited numerous violations by Western states of not only virtual, verbal obligations but even written commitments) or declare once and for all that they are not going to fulfil anything. It is unclear how they will come to terms with other countries. This concerns their domestic affairs. There is no coordination at all. We are being told about their solidarity all the time but you can judge for yourselves what it is worth. NATO has a command-and-administrative system – they are compelled to vote and sometimes simply told how they will vote or have already voted. We have seen such examples.
According to Western logic, there is no democracy either in international relations or within their own communities. There is a dictatorship of liberalism. Totalitarianism is the extreme point that the liberal project can be taken to. This is where they have arrived. When everything is permitted, everything is possible, nobody limits anyone in any way. Then the right of force comes into play, leading to the totalitarian attitudes that you are seeing in some areas.
Maria Zakharova: We saw links leading to this publication.
We believe that relevant international organisations should investigate these circumstances.
Much has been said about the entire Western community, including the United States, the UK, France, Germany, the entire EU, and all of NATO, expressing concern about the fate of Ukrainian children. Let them and the relevant international organisations thoroughly evaluate this publication and present their findings.
Our assessment should be based on facts. We are looking into it. But let me remind you of two things.
First, we provided information about organ trafficking conducted by individuals associated with the Kiev regime and made it public. Organ trafficking has become a “gold mine” for the Kiev regime in the last six months. Laws facilitating crimes in this sphere have been adopted. There is evidence and a ramified network for this business.
Second, under various pretexts and using sophisticated schemes, minors from Ukraine become victims of human trafficking, primarily for sexual exploitation. All this happens with the connivance of the Kiev regime. The scale of these illegal activities is expanding. The organisation that has traditionally been known in Europe as the Ukrainian mafia is the main beneficiary of the sale of the human commodity (that includes everything related to entities involved in the corruption schemes run by the Kiev regime and the illegal trade in weapons that end up on black markets). In recent years, it has completely merged with the Kiev regime as a public administration entity. In one way or another, it remains a public entity.
Human organs and children as sexual slaves are in high demand in the West for one simple reason: this business has been in existence for many years. Ukraine is just another donor. Remember who the beneficiary was in Kosovo? It was people from NATO countries, primarily Germany and the United States, with the financial means allowing them to pay enormous amounts of money for human organs. Read the books on this subject, and recall what former Chief Prosecutor of the United Nations International Criminal Law Tribunal for former Yugoslavia Carla del Ponte said in her memoirs about confirmed facts of human organ trafficking, with the beneficiaries residing in NATO countries.
The Kiev regime has never said a word or taken any actions regarding any of the above cases.
Look at what’s going on: the West is exporting even soil from Ukraine. For them, it’s an area where Ukrainian citizens are absolutely powerless, an area subject to total plundering and conducting all kinds of experiments. Dozens of biolabs were opened in Ukraine by the Pentagon. Did they spare anyone? Did they think about anyone? No one knows what kinds of experiments were conducted there.
Maria Zakharova: As you accurately pointed out, I have already mentioned this. This is an attempt by either the French authorities or the French special services to make it look like the rise of anti-Semitism in France is due to external influence.
It is not some external influence, not an external sabotage or provocation. Unfortunately, the trends demonstrating the rise in anti-Semitism in this EU country are confirmed by many years of evidence. It’s that all of this just “exploded” after October 7. For many years now we have been talking about the desecration of synagogues, or anti-Israel and anti-Jewish actions not being properly addressed by the authorities. We have regularly talked about nationalism in the NATO space. Russophobia is one example. This is an attempt to come up with a narrative that someone (in particular, Russia) is hiding behind the widespread rise of anti-Semitic sentiment. It's nonsense, absolute rubbish. It’s undignified. Most importantly, it's not even about that, but the fact that the attempt to invent a non-existent cause distracts from addressing the actual problem. As long as they continue to lull their people and themselves into believing stories that Russia is standing behind it all, they will lose the chance to resolve this issue and will just waste their time.
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