Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, St Petersburg, June 15, 2023
- International and interregional ties of St Petersburg and the Leningrad Region
- Meeting of the United Russia Party General Council Commission for International Cooperation and Support for Compatriots Abroad
- Sergey Lavrov to attend the CSTO Foreign Ministers Council meeting
- Ukraine crisis update
- Zaporozhye NPP update
- Organ trade in Ukraine
- The Ukrainisation of UN Security Council’s agenda
- Developments in Afghanistan
- SIPRI Yearbook
- SCO Day
- Memory Train patriotic project
- 17th International Tchaikovsky Competition
Answers to media questions:
- Russian-Chinese relations
- Statements by the Belgian Defence Minister
- Prospects for Ukraine-NATO cooperation
- Charges against the former president of the United States
- Western approach to the Armenian-Azerbaijani settlement
- Investigation into terrorist attacks on Nord Stream pipelines
- Russia's role in the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict settlement
- Russia's relations with Western countries
- Corruption scandal in Europe over vaccine contracts
- Statements by the UN Secretary-General
- Taking criticism
- Statements by the French Foreign Ministry spokesman
- Possible downgrading of diplomatic relations with unfriendly countries
- Russian-Icelandic relations
- Revision of the WWII results
- Russian-Finnish relations
- Kazakh Card (Ata Zholy)
- Special military operation results
- World Festival of Youth and Students in Sochi
- Distorted image of Russia abroad
International and interregional ties of St Petersburg and the Leningrad Region
We are pleased to note the purposeful efforts of the St Petersburg Government and its Foreign Relations Committee on developing versatile international cooperation with friendly countries. This goal is very important in the current international situation and in the context of national foreign policy priorities.
We appreciate the efforts to promote cooperation with the CIS states, primarily Belarus. Last March, St Petersburg hosted the Second Belarusian Food Forum that was attended by over 400 companies from Russia and Belarus. In April, Minsk hosted St Petersburg’s Days and a regular session of the Council for Business Cooperation between the city government and the government of Belarus.
There is a noticeable increase in ties with China. China is St Petersburg’s main foreign trade partner. Last year, St Petersburg’s trade with China increased to 22 percent of the total. Annual Chinese New Year celebrations have become a good tradition. St Petersburg and China are developing ties across the board.
St Petersburg continues its intensive cooperation with the ASEAN countries, in part with Vietnam. In the first half of this year, it held over 90 events with its Vietnamese partners. St Petersburg will unveil a monument to Vietnam’s First President Ho Chi Minh on June 30 of this year, the centenary of his first arrival in the city.
St Petersburg is expanding its versatile cooperation with Serbia. In October 2022, Belgrade opened the St Petersburg Information Business Centre.
At the same time, the Leningrad Region is expanding cooperation with the CIS countries. The Republic of Belarus is its key partner. They are carrying out joint projects in construction and in agricultural and municipal equipment manufacturing.
The Leningrad Region is strengthening ties with its partners from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and South Ossetia. It is stepping up its dialogue with the BRICS countries, primarily China and India. For over 30 years, the region has promoted contacts with China’s Hebei Province in a broad range of areas. Last year, the Leningrad Region Centre for the Development of Industry and the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India signed a memorandum on cooperation. On the sidelines of the Second Russia-Africa Summit, the Leningrad Region and South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province are expected to sign a cooperation agreement, and the cities of Vyborg and Makhanda plan to establish twin ties.
On June 19, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will take part, via videoconference, in the sixth meeting of the United Russia Party General Council Commission for International Cooperation and Support for Compatriots Abroad, held in Kaliningrad.
The meeting participants will focus on the role of party diplomacy in delivering on the main provisions of the Russian Federation’s new Foreign Policy Concept. They will discuss efforts to expand United Russia’s ties with its foreign partners and step up coordination to form an anti-neocolonial coalition.
Sergey Lavrov to attend the CSTO Foreign Ministers Council meeting
On June 20, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will take part in the Collective Security Treaty Organisation’s Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Minsk, with Belarus holding the CSTO chairmanship this year.
Participants in the meeting will review their multilateral cooperation within the CSTO framework and discuss future cooperation. The agenda also includes a meaningful exchange of views on international and regional developments and the way they affect the security of the CSTO member states, as well as further steps to expand CSTO’s external relations.
The meeting is expected to be followed by the signing of several joint documents.
The new Russian regions celebrated their first and long-awaited Russia Day on June 12, 2023. Their people had reason to celebrate. They can finally freely express their opinions, discuss historical facts, speak their native tongue, obtain documents and feel at home. Head of Mariupol’s city administration Oleg Morgun said Russia Day is one of the most important holidays for the people of Mariupol, who have been dreaming of joining Russia since 2014. Just to remind our foreign audience, since everyone knows this here in Russia, the people of Donbass expressed their will regarding their future many years ago. In fact, this happened after the 2014 events.
Russia took note of these referendums and their results. For this reason, when someone starts calling these votes illegitimate today, or that this was a momentary decision, this is not true. It started in 2014 when the people of Donbass expressed their will, and then waged an armed struggle for it to materialise for eight years and fought for the right to build their own future. Today, new residential neighbourhoods and social facilities, including schools, kindergartens and hospitals, are being built. Mariupol State University will open its doors by the beginning of the academic year on September 1. Soon, there will be a new technology park where Azovstal metal works once stood.
The freedom that the people living in Russia’s new regions obtained by reuniting with Russia is real, not imaginary. There are now three official languages in the Kherson Region: Russian, Ukrainian, and the Crimean-Tatar languages. People are free to use them not only in their everyday lives, but also for official purposes. We have been hearing that “we are making it all up and that in fact people are free to speak Russian anywhere in Ukraine.” This is not true. People had this freedom until a certain point, but then quotas were introduced for the media, which meant that quotas defined the way people could listen and watch in Russian, even if they were still allowed to speak it to a certain extent. As for using Russian for official purposes, such as applying for documents, filling out applications and completing official paperwork, the Russian language was not an option. Respecting cultural, historical and spiritual values has always been a priority for Russia. The new regions will receive everything we can give them as far as humanitarian and cultural support are concerned.
As a result of the destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant due to prolonged shelling by the Ukrainian armed forces, 36 settlements in Kherson Region were flooded. I will not detail it all now, as it is published on the information resources of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A whole chronology of the shelling of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant by the Ukrainian armed forces was put together especially for those who say that this never happened and no Ukrainian forces, fighters or battalions have touched the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant. We published a chronology-calendar of the shelling along with the weapons used to do it, for those who like to turn away from the facts. But now we will “surround” them with these facts and there will be nowhere to turn. A large-scale humanitarian operation has been taking place in this Russian region over the last few days. Russian Emergencies Ministry workers rescued almost 2,000 people, among them hundreds of children. This is to do with all sorts of contrived tribunals and non-existent warrants issued, which allegedly represent the Kiev regime’s claims against our country that we are not taking care of children or, on the contrary, are violating their rights. Have you seen pictures of what happened after the flooding of the territory, caused by the destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant? Did those who did this think about children? There are children there. And there are a lot of them. They were not given any time to prepare for such a development. What about the ICC or its prosecutors, when under their noses the tragedy of people escaping from the Kiev regime is unfolding, the regime that is systematically destroying civilian infrastructure year after year. There was no control over it until Russia moved into an active phase of action in February 2022.
I would like to draw your attention to the fact that just as the Kiev regime systematically shelled the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant (we published a step-by-step calendar of their crimes), year after year they destroyed civilian infrastructure in the territories under their control, in Crimea and on the approaches to it. Weren’t there attempts to blow up and mine power lines? There were. The Western community paid no attention to this, turned away. Cutting off waterways that supply Crimea is not destroying or blocking vital civilian infrastructure? Remember how they blocked the railway lines that led to Donbass and were supposed to provide supplies of everything there? Wasn’t that what happened? This is the same thing. Then the active phase began. It can no longer be called sabotage. This is extremism and pure terrorism. Over 6,000 people have been evacuated. This data is constantly being updated. I’m talking about the statistics for the last two or three days, but this data will continue to be updated. About 75 tonnes of food and 30 tonnes of bottled water have been delivered to the flooded area. Is this just what Russia is doing now, saving people? Of course not. All these years, humanitarian convoys have been going to Donbass. Let me remind you how western journalists, including The Guardian, wrote of the photos of these trucks covered with white film, that it was the transfer of tanks to the territory of Donbass. These were the first steps, the first trucks in convoys carrying humanitarian supplies, which then stretched out over the years. So much was brought there to support the civilian population, including children. Who in the international community thought about the children of Donbass then? No one ever did. They have now made up the whole story about writing some fake paper and calling it “taking care of the children”. In Novaya Kakhovka over 50,000 cubic metres of water have been pumped out of buildings and infrastructure facilities. People are beginning to return to their homes.
While Russia is making every effort to save the residents of the affected areas and to provide them with essential supplies, Kiev continues to target civilian sites. On June 10, the Ukrainian forces fired missiles at an evacuation point on the Arabat Spit, the Kherson Region, killing a woman. British Storm Shadow missiles were used in the attack. It was a purposeful attack. It is not a mistake or an accident. It is deliberate annihilation of human lives. Earlier, the Ukrainian forces attacked a children’s vacation centre in the Genichesk District, Kherson Region, using the same missiles. Responsibility for these crimes lies with the Kiev regime and its Western sponsors.
Thousands of Ukrainian combatants are dying during the ineffective counter-offensive conducted by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. However, Kiev is taking these losses in stride. You are perfectly aware of their true goals and objectives. The regime must, whatever it takes, work off the military aid it received from the West before the NATO summit in Vilnius on July 11-12. Their calculus is clear. Even this counter-offensive is part of a global information and political campaign that is orchestrated by the West.
For their part, Western “stage directors” are rushing Zelensky, thus betraying their involvement in the conflict. On June 12, President Macron said: “We have intensified the delivery of ammunition, weapons and armoured vehicles, and have increased the logistical support as well. According to the schedule that I shared with [Zelensky], we will continue to do so in the coming weeks.” Is this person still saying something about peace and settlement plans? Either the right hand doesn’t know what the left is doing, or it’s a lie. I think the whole world knows that it is the latter.
The United States is adding fuel to the fire as well. On the same day, June 12, Secretary of State Antony Blinken made it clear that Washington was determined to continue providing as much support to Ukraine as it can so that it could prevail “on the battlefield.” It’s an absurd and foolhardy statement. It is absolutely devoid of logic from the point of view of a reasonable person or at least a person who knows how to analyse data. But, then again, they have a different goal (which we know from Senator Lindsey Graham and George W. Bush) which is “to kill as many Russians as possible.” They are not keeping count of the Ukrainians. For them, they are not citizens, not even people, but expendables. They don’t think they are human. Antony Blinken promised a new sizable package of political and military assistance.
In the perverse world of the Westerners, weapons supplies and incitement to hostilities is a “path to peace.” This is their logic. That is, according to Blinken, in order to get the talks off the ground, thousands of Ukrainian soldiers must die trying to kill as many Russians as possible. This is called “peace,” “justice,” and “truth”. You will not find this in any of the most terrible, deceitful and heinous mythologemes. Not a single director of a thriller film has yet thought of the things that the political “stage directors” in the White House have come up with.
In turn, in order to please the West, Kiev persistently rejects every opportunity to start talks on principle. As a reminder for all those who are asking about our response to peace initiatives, the Kiev regime has blocked all possibilities for negotiations at the legislative level. I’m not sure there is such a precedent anywhere else in the world where the ruling elite outlawed holding talks with someone. It happened in Ukraine. Adviser to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Mikhail Podolyak said on June 11 that “there is no such thing as Indonesian, Brazilian or African foundations” for starting talks. According to him, the negotiations would be “senseless, dangerous and deadly for Ukraine and Europe.” Do you see the logic? We are already accustomed to the fact that in their communities men are called women and vice versa, and children are gender neutral. Perhaps, this kind of logic can be condoned and can exist there. But in a world based on constants that were confirmed by the course of history, this logic is crazy. It is anti-logic, in fact.
On All Saints Day, June 11, the splitters served a memorial service for Hetman Ivan Mazepa in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra that the authorities unceremoniously took from the Orthodox believers and monks, and gave to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. I understand these are religious and church affairs, but the historical and factual context is important. I will remind you about this. So, why would Ivan Mazepa be honoured by the bell ringing at the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra? He has become forever a symbol of betrayal for all Russians and Ukrainians. Three centuries ago, the Russian Orthodox Church anathematised him for breaking the oath given to the Tsar on the cross and the Gospel and taking the oath of allegiance to Swedish King Charles XII, for letting the Swedes guilty of destroying churches and desecrating holy places come to our lands. Do you have an idea about the world we live in? And now they are going to open a museum to him on the Kiev-Pechrask Lavra grounds. I am not joking now. These are their stated goals. Ukrainian nationalists and neo-Nazis consider Mazepa and Nazi murderer Stepan Bandera heroes. Look at what is now being done in Ukraine with the Orthodoxy that is accused of “splittism” or “isolationism.” The idea to canonise Mazepa will soon come up in this atmosphere. You can record the time. I am confident that voices will speak out for this, and that things will move towards this. He will be called a martyr or given some other name. This man will get into the pantheon of not just heroes but “saints” of the Kiev regime.
Plans have been announced to open a Mazepa museum at the Lavra, a holy place for Orthodox believers. Kiev’s functionaries are retrieving the most despicable figures from the dustbin of history for subsequent veneration. Everything is happening like our predecessors predicted. They warned us: “Beware of the times when the substitution of notions begins.” These times have come. Scum and traitors are being put on pedestals like true heroes. They are brought to the altars where people used to pray to true saints. Maybe, the current Ukrainian authorities hate Alexander Pushkin so much because he wrote “Poltava” where he mentioned Mazepa:
That there is nothing he holds sacred,
That there is no kindness he remembers,
That there is nothing he loves,
That he’d spill blood as soon as water,
That he despises liberty,
That there’s no Motherland for him.
Yes, this is what Alexander Pushkin wrote about Mazepa at that time. But don’t these lines fit the description of Vladimir Zelensky and those who are running the show in Ukraine? Take all the criminals at the top. One can cite the same lines to describe any of them. They don’t have a Motherland. These people associate themselves with only one thing – money. They have no Motherland, no traditions, no history and no heroes. They don’t even have the ancestors, those who didn’t just give birth to them but who also brought them up. They have betrayed even them because these were their grandfathers or fathers for some. They either fought in World War II (the Great Patriotic War) or fell victim to Nazi or fascist attacks in those years. Insulting the feelings of Orthodox believers and persecuting the clergy are now part of government policy in Ukraine, if we can call government policy what the Kiev regime is doing. Now Orthodox priest, Father Dmitry Sidor, is on trial in Transcarpathia for “religious discrimination.” Do you know what he is being blamed for? The Nazi authorities consider him guilty because he preached in his sermon the need to observe the Julian calendar and celebrate Christmas on January 7. That’s it. A criminal case. According to the Kiev regime, the upholding of Orthodox canons, rules and traditions is a crime.
But they don’t trust even their “own” priests from the schismatic Orthodox Church of Ukraine. What kind of vetting will they undergo? It would have been funny if it were not so sad. The Security Service of Ukraine will subject them to security screening. I am not joking. The Security Service of Ukraine will check Ukrainian Orthodox priests. In addition to an interview, they will have to fill out forms and face a polygraph test. Apparently, this is standard practice for a state that claims to be a democracy, observe human rights, respect the supremacy of law and wants to be an EU member. By the way, what about reports on the observance of human rights of the believers at the Department of State? Have they heard about anything like this? Can you imagine what is happening?
We took notice of the publications in the US media on Ukrainian neo-Nazism. The Forward, a popular title, runs an investigative project documenting sites around the world celebrating Nazis and their collaborators, including street names and monuments. It ranked Ukraine number one in the world in this regard with as many as 362 sites. How can it be more obvious? It is clear as day. Still, many Western politicians and civil society activists keep claiming that there is no fascism in Ukraine. If that is the case, what about all these efforts to glorify Nazis and their collaborators? We suggest you have a look at the map of these sites in Ukraine. Most of them are in the country’s western regions.
But back to the Kakhovka hydropower plant disaster. Vladimir Zelensky’s regime is trying to pretend that it is investigating the dam’s destruction. He rudely rejected the initiative by President of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan to establish an international commission to this effect – this is how they now communicate with the international community, since all they do now is blackmail. This is not merely provocative, but has a special meaning since they are showing the international community that they are willing to do anything to attain their objective of preserving their regime. Let me remind you that Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba referred to the idea of creating an international commission as a “giveaway game with the Russians.” In doing so, the Kiev regime opted for referring the case to the International Criminal Court, a politics-driven institution with a stained reputation and which has discredited itself. In fact, over 120 countries around the world do not recognise it. CIA Director William Burns in person took an ICC commission to Kherson. What kind of justice is that? An American intelligence agency brings along a commission representing an international judicial mechanism to a crime scene. Is this some kind of a new international framework where the head of an American intelligence agency acts as a prosecutor? The goal is rather obvious. It consists of getting rid of anything pointing to the Ukrainian Armed Forces as the culprit, while creating an illusion that Russia is to blame for destroying the hydropower plant. In this genre, the next step is to designate Russian officials accountable for this crime in order to once again issue arrest warrants against them. They have tested this scenario many times over the past years.
This is reminiscent of yet another cheap show. But for those who suffered in this terrorist attack the costs have never been higher. We have not forgotten the provocations staged by the Kiev regime in Bucha with all these innocent victims. The Kiev regime has yet to produce to the United Nations a list of people whom it presented as victims of the Russian armed forces. We were not the only ones who asked it to share these lists. The UN Secretariat made the same request. But the Kiev regime never called back. Can it be that producing a list of people poses an ethical problem? Does this mean that you can show them on television, but cannot say who they are? Is this a new twist as far as human rights are concerned? Not at all. This is all fake, and a method tested by the Germans during World War II. The same goes for the maternity hospital in Mariupol and the drama theatre there, Kramatorsk, Irpen, and other locations.
The Anglo-Saxons and Europeans have quite a track record in staging provocations and spreading fakes about Russia. But international terrorists can well learn a thing or two from Ukraine’s Centre for Information and Psychological Operations and all other information services of the Kiev regime. Its excellence in misinformation and information terrorism remains unrivalled. Still, they too have room for improvement. Remember the Skripals case, Alexander Litvinenko’s poisoning, or what happened with Alexey Navalny? There was never any honest effort to investigate any of these provocations. Do you remember how they took care of the “Berlin patient” and flew him to Germany for treatment? Do you remember Angela Merkel visiting him and all this public attention? They were quick to assign blame and name the culprits. But one question remains: what about an investigation and materials they could or should have passed on to Russian investigators working on this case? How many requests did they receive from Russia? Have they done anything? Nothing. All this was just for show when they were on a specific mission to influence the political situation inside Russia. The investigations into the terrorist attacks against Daria Dugina, Vladlen Tatarsky, the assassination attempt against Zakhar Prilepin, and sabotaging the Nord Stream pipelines and the Crimean Bridge are ongoing. What has the international community done on these issues, considering all the lip service it pays to transparency, the rule of law and the importance of investigations? Where are the reports by human rights activists and special rapporteurs in various international structures? We know the answer. It is that they are not interested.
We have received numerous media questions about the real state of affairs at the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant. I will brief you on the situation there as of June 13, 2023.
Speaking about the plant’s operation and safety, the Ukrainian armed forces did not shell the plant and the city of Energodar between June 6 and 12, 2023. On June 8 and 9, Ukraine launched suicide drones at the switchyard of the Zaporozhye NPP.
The plant receives electricity via the Dneprovskaya 750 KW high-voltage line.
The process of signing contracts with the plant’s personnel is ongoing. As of June 9, 2023, we have signed 3,540 employment contracts. There is enough personnel for a safe operation of the plant in cold shutdown conditions and for planned maintenance.
In the morning of June 13, 2023, the water level following the demolition of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant was 11 metres in the Kakhovka Reservoir and 16 metres in the cooling pond of the Zaporozhye NPP.
Street lighting in Energodar, which was damaged by the Ukrainian forces’ shelling attacks, has been repaired.
Information about the situation is available in real time on the new page of the plant’s website znpp.ru titled Current situation at the Zaporozhye NPP, with daily updates.
We have talked many times at our briefings and provided facts to show that Ukraine is quickly becoming a global hub for illegal organ harvesting. A recent documentary titled Tanks for Kidneys provided more evidence of Kiev using its wounded service personnel as organ donors. This is horrible. Today I will provide new facts that confirm our previous suspicions. This business is thriving on the back of the Ukrainian army’s heavy losses. After organs are removed, the bodies are burned, and the families are told that their loved ones are missing in action. These horrible procedures would have been impossible without the consent of the Kiev regime’s top leaders because they have been formalised by law. Ukraine has become a bonanza for criminals. Illegal transplantology specialists are raking in huge money, and they are not planning to stop.
A great deal has been done in Ukraine to facilitate the operation of these transplant specialists. On December 16, 2021, the Verkhovna Rada adopted Law No. 5831 Regulating the Issue of Transplantation of Humans Anatomical Materials, which lifted the requirement for a written and notarised consent for a transplant surgery by a living donor or his/her relatives. Do you see what this was done for, how this law is being used now and for what purpose? There is no need to notarise a donor’s signature. Moreover, they have permitted the removal of children’s organs. The procedure for removing organs from the dead who did not sign an organ donation consent has been simplified and formalised. Is it the first law formalising this atrocity and abomination in Ukraine? No, it is not, but it is the first truly hair-raising act. A consent for the removal of tissues and organs from a dead body can now be issued by a person who is responsible for the burial. It is a new provision. For example, a chief hospital physician or a miliary unit commander can give this consent. Not only state but also private hospitals are allowed to conduct transplant operations. Do you understand what this means? What is a private hospital in modern-day Ukraine? It is a clinic that will perform such operations, where any piece of paper will suffice. They know that they can do this without fear of being called to account. They have been given a blank check. Why? The reason is that it is an extremely profitable business.
On April 14, 2022, the Verkhovna Rada adopted Law No. 5610 On Amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code, which lifted VAT from transplant operations. This is more than a matter of Ukraine’s budget revenues; it is a matter of additional control. All tax professionals and managers know exactly what this means. The law has terminated any control of the situation in this sphere. Nobody knows now what is happening with these transplant operations.
Western countries are the main beneficiaries of illegal transplant schemes in Ukraine. This scenario was first tested in Yugoslavia, where the organs removed from the dead were sent to recipients in the West. Kiev is ready to make any payment, including the organs of Ukrainians, for the Western military assistance. One day Ukraine will see what its American and European “friends” really needed it for. The realisation will come too late, but better late than never. The country is literally being sent to the slaughter. That day will come, but it will be too late to complain. The patient signed the consent. Meanwhile, the relevant international organisations continue to disregard these obvious crimes with an art worthy of a better cause.
I would like to remind you about the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), which stubbornly turned a blind eye to many things. But when Chef Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte retired (I don’t know why because we never spoke about this. She probably explained her reasons in her interviews, or it could have been remorse), she wrote her memoirs, in which she described that horrible situation. She wrote that nobody had been called to account for those monstrous crimes.
The Ukrainisation of UN Security Council’s agenda
We took note of a remark by Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit, who called on the UN Security Council to pay more attention to settling all armed conflicts around the world instead of prioritising the settlement of the Ukraine crisis.
What is this all about? It is our shared understanding that what is happening in Ukraine is not just something regional, but a hybrid war against our country, as well as an attempt by the West to reinforce its pseudo-leadership and dictate. This is why the fact that Ukraine is on the Security Council’s agenda is not only justified, but rather obvious, since these developments affect everything. Today, we discussed energy security, the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, the Kakhovka hydropower plant, and the flooding. All this affects territories on both sides, and also the European continent as a whole. Take, for example, the radioactive depleted uranium munitions, or radiation. Where is the limit? For this reason, the UN Security Council must pay attention to the issue of Ukraine. But what do people from other continents say? They say that instead of actually discussing these matters and coming up with solutions, what we are witnessing is more like a publicity campaign for Ukraine, which the West has now brought to the UN Security Council. What they see is that there is no one in the West trying to find a way out of this situation and find common ground. They have been using the UN Security Council as a propaganda platform, to advertise and promote their political agenda without trying to find solutions. But the Security Council is not an advertising agency, where you just come in, turn on the mic and start pushing your tagline. This is a body tasked with ensuring international peace and security. How can this be done? By coming up with solutions. When was the last time we saw the West trying to find a solution, reconcile approaches and reach common ground on Ukraine? Never. All they do is block our initiatives, including the investigation of the terrorist attacks against the Nord Stream pipelines. We suggested launching an international investigation under the UN Secretary-General’s auspices. But the West blocked this initiative and started pushing its own messages in this regard. This left other continents wondering, if they, I mean the West, can be so incompetent in squandering the opportunities offered by the UN Security Council, could it be that it would be better to stop paying all this attention to Ukraine and starting working on something real where there is an opening for finding common ground?
There are many urgent crises happening around the world on the UN Security Council’s agenda, from Africa and Latin America to the Middle East and Asia-Pacific. Millions of people live amid hostilities and face acute shortages of food and other humanitarian issues. The flows of refugees and IDPs in search of a peaceful life prove this point. But no, the West has reserved the podiums at the UN Security Council, as well as at the General Assembly in order to use the UN instruments solely for propaganda purposes without engaging in real efforts to bring about a settlement.
This month, the Security Council is scheduled to hold comprehensive debates on the developments in Afghanistan, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Sudan, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, Somalia and the Central African Republic. This list omits several country-specific issues and topics, which also require the UN Security Council’s close attention. The world does not want to see any double standards with all these topics relegated to the background just because the West keeps bringing Ukraine into the spotlight. Instead of trying to find a path to settlement, they are doing this just to force the world to discuss Ukraine the way they want it.
Referring the UN Security Council’s agenda to the General Assembly is equally counterproductive. This move is designed to bypass the veto powers the permanent members of the Council have every right to use. The launch of the 11th Emergency Special Session of the UN General Assembly is a case in point. Its purpose was to condemn Russia’s special military operation, while diverting substantial resources which could have been used for resolving global issues the world is currently facing. But will a condemnation do any good? Can it add anything or change anything or give people better lives in these regions? No. By acting in this unscrupulous and illegal manner, those representing the so-called collective West are trying to create an illusion of a broad anti-Russia front in international affairs. We do know that this illusion hinges on political pressure, as well as financial and economic blackmail against UN member states. They have told us this themselves.
Let me remind you that when the UN was created, the right to veto a resolution was designed to encourage great powers to listen to each other and search for a compromise. When veto is used, it must alert the international community, meaning that the UN Security Council failed to reach a consensus or to overcome the differences among its members. This must serve as a reminder for everyone that the Security Council was established to search and find, rather than incite and confront. If such a destructive logic prevails, this would undermine international peace and security. Any attempts to sidestep these practices is nothing but an attempt to water down the fundamental principles which lie at the core of the United Nations.
A responsible contributor to international interactions and a permanent member of the Security Council, Russia stands ready to search for solutions to all the existing challenges and prevent any possible crises by using the applicable UN mechanisms. This is no easy task. We call on all members of the international community without exception to adopt the same responsible attitude.
ISIS has again made its presence felt in that country by staging several high-profile terrorist attacks. Last week, they assassinated the acting Governor of the northern Badakhshan Province, which borders on Tajikistan. Two days later, a suicide bomber attacked his funeral, with over 20 people killed and several dozen injured as a result of both assaults.
These outrages are further evidence of the fact that the security situation in Afghanistan is highly tense. It is clear that ISIS is conducting subversive activities against the current Afghan authorities. Simultaneously they are seeking to blow up stability in the neighbouring Central Asian states. In this regard, ISIS gets support from outside forces. For example, members of this terrorist group confirm that it is financed by foreign secret services and has foreign terrorists within its ranks. A former ISIS field commander, who surrendered back under the republican regime, said as much in a recent interview.
On the whole, Kabul is managing to maintain stability in the country even in the face of Western sanctions and a freeze on its Central Bank assets imposed by Western countries. We note the first positive results of the anti-drug efforts by the new Afghan authorities. The persisting economic and humanitarian problems are an outgrowth of Washington and its satellites’ double standards, who, as before, are making their humanitarian assistance to the local population conditional on political concessions from the Afghan leadership.
For its part, Russia continues rendering free aid to the Afghan people. Specifically, it delivered a batch of Russian food (nearly 1,000 tonnes of shelled peas) in May as part of its main contribution to the UN World Food Programme.
We have taken note of the yearbook on armaments, disarmament and international security published by the Stockholm International Pease Research Institute (SIPRI), in particular, the data on deployed and stored nuclear warheads.
We would like to say that these figures are approximate estimates based on the institute’s own assessments. I would like to emphasise that when it comes to the warheads of the deployed ICBMs, SLBMs and nuclear warheads carried by heavy bombers, Russia has decided not to exceed the level of 1,550 warheads set out in the New START Treaty.
As for the report’s views on Russia’s compliance with the New START, we would like to remind everyone that the decision to suspend the treaty was a forced measure. We have provided numerous exhaustive assessments of the deplorable situation with the implementation of the Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (New START) created as a result of several negative factors, which prevented the comprehensive implementation of the treaty through the United States’ fault.
The hostile US policy aimed at inflicting “a strategic defeat” on Russia obviously runs contrary to the provision set out in the treaty’s preamble on the parties’ commitment to the principle of indivisible security and relations based on mutual trust and cooperation, as well as other fundamental provisions without which the treaty would not have been signed. What has the United States done to guarantee indivisible security, mutual trust and cooperation? The situation has changed dramatically since the signing of the treaty. “Business as usual” with the United States and the West as a whole is no longer possible, because the issue of arms control cannot be considered outside the context of geopolitical and miliary strategic realities. In addition, Washington was systematically underperforming when it comes to compliance with quantitative restrictions under the treaty, which we repeatedly pointed out to Washington and made the information public. At the same time, our decision to suspend New START is reversible. We are often asked if the course of history can be reversed. In this case it can, but only if Washington demonstrates the political will and takes efforts to reduce tensions, de-escalate the situation and create conditions for resuming the comprehensive implementation of the treaty.
We have noticed that the SIPRI’s report mentioned the absence of any changes in the Russian doctrine regarding the use of nuclear weapons.
We would like to confirm in this context that Russia is fully committed to the principle of the inadmissibility of a nuclear war. There can be no winners in such a war, and it must never be waged. We urge all the other parties to the Joint Statement of the Leaders of the Five Nuclear-Weapon States on Preventing Nuclear War and Avoiding Arms Races, issued on January 3, 2022, to comply with these principles.
Russia’s policy in the sphere of nuclear deterrence is strictly defensive, and the hypothetical use of nuclear weapons is only possible under extraordinary circumstances for purely defensive purposes. It has been clearly set out in the Military Doctrine of the Russian Federation (2014) and reaffirmed in the Basic Principles of State Policy of the Russian Federation on Nuclear Deterrence (2020), that our country “reserves the right to use nuclear weapons in response to the use of nuclear and other types of weapons of mass destruction against it and/or its allies, as well as in the event of aggression against the Russian Federation with the use of conventional weapons when the very existence of the state is in jeopardy.”
This position of principle remains unaltered.
On June 15, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation marks SCO Day. In 2001, the leaders of six countries – Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan – signed the Declaration on the Establishment of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation aimed at strengthening mutual trust, friendship and good-neighbourliness and promoting cooperation in politics, security, the economy and culture.
In 2017, India and Pakistan joined the SCO as full members. Iran will do the same at the upcoming SCO Summit, to be held in New Delhi on July 4, 2023, and Belarus will soon follow suit. The SCO has attracted broad international interest, considering that Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and Mongolia hold the status of observer countries and there are 14 dialogue partners in the Middle East and Asia.
With years of experience of multifaceted cooperation, the organisation is actively contributing to the development of a new democratic, fair and rational political and economic world order.
In this context, the SCO is working to diversify its practical cooperation with interested countries, specialised UN agencies, and results-oriented international associations, first of all the EAEU, the CSTO, the CIS and ASEAN.
Russia is resolved to continue to strengthen cooperation in the interests of reliable and predictable international and regional security and sustainable economic development in the SCO space.
Memory Train patriotic project
From June 20 to July 5, the patriotic cultural and educational event Memory Train will take place. It is timed to coincide with one of the most tragic dates in the history of all former Soviet republics – June 22, the Day of Memory and Grief, the day the Great Patriotic War began.
The project was conceived by Speaker of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Valentina Matvienko and Speaker of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus Natalya Kochanova. The first event was held last year with the support of Russian Railways. More than 100 Russian and Belarusian schoolchildren travelled on a special train through 14 cities in Russia and Belarus.
This year, by the decision of the two countries’ presidents, the project received the status of a Union State event. In addition, the event is regarded as an element of Russia’s EAEU chairmanship. For its part, the CIS Heads of State Council supported a proposal to expand the project format to the EAEU level in 2023, and later to the CIS level.
This year, children from Armenia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan will take part in the Memory Train along with schoolchildren from Russia and Belarus. There will be more than 200 schoolchildren in all. They will visit Brest, Grodno, St Petersburg (including the Scarlet Sails festival), Ufa (with an opportunity to attend the events of the 10th Forum of Russian and Belarusian Regions), Samara, Volgograd, Gomel, Mogilev, Minsk (on Belarusian Independence Day), Patriot Park in the Moscow Region and Moscow.
Older students will be able to pay homage to the heroes of the Great Patriotic War and learn more about the exploits of the peoples of the USSR and the ordeals that they had to overcome for the sake of the Great Victory.
17th International Tchaikovsky Competition
The 17th International Tchaikovsky Competition will be held in Moscow and St Petersburg from June 19 to July 1. The competition has received 742 applications from 41 countries. Speaking of how we have been culturally cancelled and not cancelled. The categories include piano, violin, cello, voice, woodwinds and brass instruments.
The competition is a national treasure of Russian musical culture. It has an unbroken history. It is held once every four years. Over the years – and it is celebrating its 65th anniversary this year – it has become one of the most ambitious and most respected music competitions in the world.
Answers to media questions:
Maria Zakharova: I want to say that it is high time we put an end to all this talk about our “twists” and “turns.” A glance at our geography will make it clear that we can’t swing or turn around, or dart about. We have never done this. We are using the possibilities that are open to us and the existing potential. If we see that there is no option or sense in building up efforts because the other side is holding out on us or behaves boorishly, we feel that it makes no sense to “keep charging the walls.” In this situation, we will contact others. This is an important aspect that helps to present information and describe the state of affairs.
Now let’s look at what has been happening of late. I mean the intensification and other things. Let me give you the figures.
Russia’s foreign trade with China has been at a record high every year for the last 13 years. Thirteen years! Given this, how can you talk about a “turn,” a “pivot,” or a “change of focus” recently? We are among leaders in foreign trade for 13 years. All these processes began long ago thanks to the growth achieved by China and other states in the Asia Pacific region and to our good relations with Beijing and a large number of our eastern neighbours. Why so? We hold to similar or identical principles that underlie our international relations and policies. We respect international law, we don’t interfere in the internal affairs of each other, we respect each other’s traditions and history, we don’t impose on others any logic or practices, even if they are claimed to be the best in the world. All of this has created a good and favourable foundation for developing our economic potential.
Now let’s look at the figures. Last year, Russia rose from 11th to tenth position among China’s main trading partners. In the first quarter of this year, Russia rose further and is already ranked seventh. In recent years, bilateral trade has grown by one-third annually each year, reaching a new record high of $185 billion in 2022.
This is a comment on the Western postulate that Russia is inseparably linked with Western Europe. Perhaps the two are linked in many ways (culturally, civilisationally, etc.), but the West failed to use this potential. These opportunities are being used by others, with whom we previously had no similarly deep ties or interpenetration. We have had neighbourly relations, a long history, and contacts, but nothing like the degree of interpenetration with Western Europe. Where has Europe been in recent years? Let me remind you that the Westerners have been churning out sanctions against our country throughout the recent period. I want to ask those who tell us that the only path we can follow is to the West: why walk in this minefield? Not only is this inefficient, it is also mortally dangerous. Look at all the time we lost in insisting or offering them various opportunities and projects based on mutual respect. All of them were rejected. So why waste our time? We will take advantage of the available opportunities, all the more so that they give such great results.
The current Russia-China dynamics is highly positive, with trade growing by almost 30 percent since the start of the year. This gives us enough reason to believe that the goal of $200 billion set by the leaders of Russia and China will be reached before the end of this year. The important thing in this context is that almost two-thirds of our trade transactions are made in national currencies and this share is growing progressively.
We maintain multi-faceted economic cooperation. During their March summit in Moscow, the leaders of Russia and China agreed on a qualitative advance in practical collaboration. They set a goal to increase the scale of bilateral trade to a considerable extent, promote logistical connectivity, raise the level of financial and industrial cooperation, strengthen the energy partnership, and expand cooperation in technology and innovation, agriculture and resource trade. We are confident that we have every opportunity to reach these goals. This will facilitate the socioeconomic development of our countries.
I am often asked if we are not afraid that we will “suddenly” be betrayed, deceived or face dangerous developments. First, what needs to be done is not to fear anything but to ensure our security across the board, including economic security. Second, asked whether we are not afraid of being betrayed in the East, I want to reply that we were already betrayed in the West. This is about those asking these questions and formulating them precisely in this way: “Aren’t you afraid that this time your Asian partners will betray you?” Our Western partners betrayed us several times, so why are you dragging us there again? Let them first prove in action that they are interested in promoting normal relations. Thus far, they have been proving the contrary. They are aware of the entire etymology of the Crimea situation, but spent years watching the carnage in Donbass – and not silently but making loud noises – carnage perpetrated by the Kiev regime. In parallel, they were introducing sanctions against Russia that was out to ensure a peaceful future for Crimea and its population. This is nothing but perverted betrayal, a betrayal with a trick.
Their betrayal is now working against them, with the United States, a “partner” as it were, betraying the EU countries. You can see what is happening with the European businesses that are reorienting towards the US and saying “goodbye,” if not “farewell,” to the EU. Without stable and cheap energy supplies, the EU economies will be losing money, as they will work for war. It is very dangerous for European businesses to remain in EU countries. They are leaving for the United States. The countries that had been betraying us for eight years are now being betrayed by their own closest ally, the United States. Betrayal is a nasty thing.
We proceed from the premise that large-scale and mutually beneficial cooperation between major powers like Russia and China is having a stabilising effect on the world economy. Under the current circumstances, where certain countries resort to protectionism and use illegitimate sanctions in order to gain unilateral advantages, something that is tantamount to an economic war, Moscow and Beijing jointly advocate economic activities conducted on honest, fair, and equitable terms. We will continue to work together to uphold these principles based on promoting bilateral trade and the entire set of practical ties thereby contributing to the sustainable development of the global economy.
Maria Zakharova: Calling it “a minor episode” when the issue is about civilian casualties is not just a cynical, but a criminal remark. How can this be explained? Is it some kind of intellectual impairment? I’m not sure. Dehumanisation? Yes, I agree. There is logic to it. If their goal is to destroy “as many Russians as possible,” then these losses may appear insignificant. It adds up. This is the answer. The goal is to annihilate more of us. We are talking about citizens of multiethnic Russia and people who represent our country’s culture, the Russian culture. In addition to being outraged, I can’t help asking myself about the mental health of these people. I think anyone in good health wouldn’t say something like that.
As a reminder, one person was killed and eight more were wounded during the terrorist attack engineered by the Kiev regime in the Belgorod Region. The civilian infrastructure sustained significant damage. Now, we hear the Belgian minister call the murder of Russian civilians “a minor episode.” This fits the logic of the West, whose goal was made known by its officials and is to kill as many Russians as possible. It is hard to see her say such a thing if it was about the death of her fellow citizens – subjects of the Kingdom of Belgium – or, for example, people of other nationalities. Could she have said something like that? … I wanted to say something about the Africans now. They talk about them anyway. Recently, a scandal erupted over a Romanian diplomat who compared Africans to monkeys at an official event. How about that? Probably, I have given not a very fitting example. Could she have said that about the French or the Israelis? Can you imagine the consequences?
With regard to the thesis promoted by Ms Dedonder about the assault rifles being allegedly “picked up by the terrorists on the battlefield,” this statement is clearly out of touch with reality. For our part, we consider this interpretation of the events by the official representative of the Belgian authorities as a morbidly outrageous attempt to justify themselves and the Kiev regime which is increasingly using terrorist methods in the confrontation with our country.
According to available information, Belgium has supplied Kiev with about 10,000 Belgian-made assault rifles, light machine guns, anti-tank grenade launchers, air-to-air missiles, armoured vehicles, lorries, and much more. As of today, only officially, the Belgian authorities have spent 274 million euros to support the Ukrainian war party.
Mass deliveries of arms and ammunition by Western countries to Ukraine are a flagrant violation by the Euro-Atlantic allies and their satellites of their international obligations under the international Arms Trade Treaty, the OSCE Document on Small Arms and Light Weapons, as well as the EU’s “common position” which establishes export control rules with regard to military technology and equipment. In particular, this concerns the prevention by the exporter country of the transfer of conventional weapons and ammunition in the presence of reliable information that these military assets will be used by the recipient state to commit acts of genocide, crimes against humanity, serious violations of the 1949 Geneva conventions, or attacks on civilian sites and other war crimes.
In addition to the terrorist attack at the Kakhovka HPP and the blowing up of the ammonia pipeline, how many times over this year did the world recoil from videos showing inhuman cruelty and abuse by the Kiev regime, the Armed Forces of Ukraine and its battalions and mercenaries against the POWs and wounded people? Nobody in Belgium can see this? So, you are turning away from it this time again. A fair warning is in order. Soon enough, there will be no place to turn away even in the centre of Europe, because the Belgian assault rifles scattered “on the battlefield” will be scattered on the black market as well. The statistics are already available. In addition, Kiev gunmen will come to central Europe and run things there for a range of reasons. No one will be able to hold them back. We are the ones who are holding them back. By and large, we are ensuring the security of the European continent from a new terrorist cell the size of a country. So far, no one in Europe is aware of this. I’m afraid it will be too late when they realise it. They will ask themselves the same questions they asked in 2015 and 2016. When we urged them to fight ISIS together, they giggled and thought it was a joke. A series of terrorist attacks followed. Who was behind the bombings and raids in the EU? The same people who the Westerners encouraged during the colour revolutions and the Arab Spring, to name a few. Is that the first monster created by the West? Of course, not. Al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden were not just their best friends. They simply would not exist without the Western regimes. They were nurtured and educated, given statuses and weapons and then set against our country in different formats. Later, they turned these weapons, knowledge and skills against their own creators. This is how it will play out this time as well. I’m saying this with regret. But it will be the case this time as well. It is impossible to stop, ideologically or politically, Zelensky’s gunmen who have been fed blood for many years now, trained on living people and inspired by nationalist principles. We know it from our own experience.
The above international agreements expressly prohibit the issuance of licenses for the export of weapons if these weapons will be used to provoke or aggravate an armed conflict.
In addition, we have repeatedly issued warnings about the danger of flooding the Armed Forces of Ukraine with Western weapons and equipment, as well as their unchecked spread and falling into the hands of sabotage and criminal groups. Making Belgian light firearms available to Ukrainian terrorists and saboteurs is far from the first such case. There are earlier examples of them being illegally used by the Taliban and Mexican drug cartels. Were the assault rifles randomly scattered in a poppy field as well? The West does not want and cannot control the flow of weapons coming into Ukraine. The Western assessments (not ours, not related to us and not affiliated with the Russian Federation) show that the illegal black market of weapons is gathering pace due to the weapons supplied to the Kiev regime. The amount of money is outlandish. The Kiev regime sold its mother, Ukraine, and its fathers and forefathers. It’s not only about weapons. They will be selling everything that falls into their hands. These are people without a moral core. They have no morality or ideals that would hold them back.
Judging by the signals coming from Brussels, one should not expect a fair investigation into the circumstances of the use of Belgian assault rifles to attack Russian territory. Expressing fake concern about the newly discovered facts of the use of their weapons by Ukrainian terrorists and without waiting for the outcomes of the announced investigation, the government of the Kingdom reported about the provision of another package of military assistance to Kiev in the amount of 46 million euros. They are going to say that this time again the weapons were scattered across a “field.” In addition, Belgian instructors, stationed mainly in Poland and Germany, are involved in training over 700 Ukrainian soldiers, including snipers and sappers. I can safely say that the snipers and sappers that they trained will also be scattered on the battlefield. Just so that they are aware of it.
The above facts testify to the deep involvement of Brussels, and other European capitals, in the conflict in Ukraine. The more the Belgian authorities try to deny the obvious, the more unconvincing their excuses look. Better to confess without delay.
Maria Zakharova: I think this comparison is humiliating for Israel. The White House ideologists have made many crazy assumptions but the idea of comparing the Kiev regime and Israel could only originate in a perverted and sickly brain.
Basically, the Kiev regime is turning before our eyes from an obviously neo-Nazi and nationalist entity into a real cell of international terrorism. It is a terrorist cell because it is staging acts of terror against civilian infrastructure. It is an international cell because Ukraine abounds in foreign mercenaries from all over the world without any friend-or-foe identification. Kiev recruited them through its embassies, diplomats and the like.
It’s a big question, how an international organisation can deal with a criminal terrorist regime. A precedent is likely to be created. Typically, NATO has supported terrorist cells on the sly, informally, or via affiliated structures. Apparently, now it will simply include them. This is a new word for the North Atlantic alliance. Probably, this is what is going to happen.
I would like to recall that NATO is an aggressive military bloc that is threatening Russia’s security. It is precisely from this point of view that we assess cooperation of other countries with this organisation. Participation in the alliance and interaction with it do not enhance the national security of the NATO countries. Nor do they promote regional or international security. NATO has not operated as a peacemaker in any region of the world. There is no experience in this respect.
As for the state of Ukraine (or what is left of it after these Western experiments), its return to non-bloc neutrality and confirmation of its status as a non-nuclear state are the best guarantees of its security.
To ensure a comprehensive and sustainable settlement in the Ukraine crisis, it is essential to recognise the new territorial realities. Kiev needs to ensure the basic rights of its own citizens, primarily Russian speakers and other national minorities, as well as grant official status to the Russian language. I always emphasise that it is strange to call Russian speakers a national minority considering their numbers. But this is what they do. By way of priority measures, Kiev needs to stop the hostilities and the Western countries need to discontinue arms supplies to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
It is this realistic approach to the situation rather than accession to NATO or the use of an Israeli model of cooperation with the alliance that can facilitate a settlement in this conflict.
Maria Zakharova: There is nothing surprising about this. This is democracy in a liberal dictatorship style. The dictatorship of liberalism is what makes wild stories possible.
As for 400 years, apparently they are afraid of him because they consider him immortal. The only thing I can tell you is that we will see more and more wonders and mystifications for one simple reason – liberalism has sunk into one of its deepest crises. It has started modifying people, manipulating genders and sexual identity, which proves that the development of the very ideology of liberalism has come to an absolute deadlock. Thus, strange, wild and horrifying stories on Julian Assange, the persecution of those who refused to accept the results of the 2020 US elections, and who tried to demonstrate their will (you remember what was done to them), blocking social media, and harassing journalists and political opponents. We will continue seeing all this in staggering volumes. Importantly, this is being done not to protect national security or follow national traditions. The only motive is to keep these liberal ideas afloat. Their advocates are willing to discredit them to the very end to prevent them from collapsing. They want everyone to realise that this is a terrible liberal machine. They are even ready to do totally crazy and absurd things to keep all of this going. Why? Huge money is at stake.
Maria Zakharova: I have read in the media that the US considers its role as mediator not as a peace partner or a peace expert capable of holding meetings; the Americans have supposedly even threatened Nagorno-Karabakh residents through people representing their interests. They almost threatened these people with the use of force (I am not sure if directly or otherwise).
I saw articles on this in the media. Today, this theme is being developed further. We are very concerned that if these insinuations are confirmed (I think US officials have to comment on them), it will again undermine its reputation as a mediator. A mediator is supposed to harmonise a settlement, reconcile the sides and find points of commonality. This is the first time in recent history that I have seen information to the effect that a country claiming to be a mediator is threatening one side in the settlement with the use of force to fulfil its mediation. Mediators are resorting to force, threats and blackmail to compel the sides to sit at the negotiating table and take part in some meeting that these mediators have conjured up in their minds? I haven’t seen this before.
I think we should give the floor to the United States so that it can either refute or explain what it means. This information is shocking.
Maria Zakharova: First, we must rely on official information. I am grateful to all the journalists, both Russian and foreign, who have finally started to inquire about what actually happened with the Nord Stream pipelines. I would like to draw your attention to the fact that there was a lull after the initial reports about the terrorist attacks. But now this topic is once again returning to the spotlight. This makes sense. A terrorist attack took place in the centre of the European continent and destroyed civilian infrastructure jeopardising the region’s energy security and sovereignty. I will not even mention the environmental concerns. Sorting this out would already be quite a step forward.
I am grateful to those who have been paying attention to this topic. There was a clear feeling that it was the United States and the UK who wanted to pretend that this was a non-issue more than anyone else. Just look at all the hysteria in the British tabloids or in the US media regarding Novichok, Salisbury, Amesbury – we saw it all. This was hysteria at its finest. Look at the coverage of private military companies and other structures affiliated with Russia and staffed with Russian nationals. Hysteria all over the place. This is what preoccupies them. Even if there were victims in Salisbury but no one died, at least there were no official data pointing to any major losses.
But with the Nord Stream pipelines the damage can be measured in financial, security and environmental terms, etc. But no one is interested, and there was no hysteria. Everything is fine, no worries. They were clearly seeking to sweep this topic under the rug, and no one needs it. Let me reiterate that I express my gratitude to all those who showed interest in this topic.
Second, I believe that any comment on this topic must be based on an assessment of actual facts and developments, and not just because the media have been reporting on them, but because these reports must find their way to the desks of those tasked with carrying out official investigations. Or, to put this the other way, people tasked with carrying out official investigations and vested with the relevant authority must share verified information with the media. This is how it should be. What we see today is solitary journalists playing their own game while failing to obtain any comments from Western representatives who pretended that they had an investigation underway.
There were no official comments from Sweden, Germany, or the United States. We share all the information we have at our disposal. We discuss the way we see this situation, arguing that the United States used its political and economic leverage to oppose this project for many years while the pipelines were being built, and went as far as say that it will destroy the pipelines. We pointed out that this must be the starting point for an investigation and that we must make sure that we learn the official position in this regard.
As for Poland’s involvement, either direct or indirect, and its territory, once again this is a question for those investigating this matter on behalf of the Western governments. Let them share the official information. Otherwise, it will be yet another attempt to use the media and orchestrated leaks to avoid accountability. I am referring to those who opposed our proposal to launch a transparent, regular and open investigation under the authority of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, while undertaking to carry out an honest investigation in the West. However, they have not been pressed to share its details, for some reason.
I will not mention the fact that Russia initiated a UN Security Council meeting on February 21, 2023, on this topic, and on March 27, 2023, there was a vote on a document, but the three Western powers – the United States, France and the UK – refused to support the decision to set up the corresponding investigative mechanism. By the same token, I will not mention that we want the UN Security Council to take up this issue once again. You know all this anyway.
Let me give you a straightforward answer to your question. It is our hope and expectation that those who assumed the role of investigators in the West and guaranteed that it will be carried out do comment not only on these but also on all other facts appearing in the media. They must also regularly inform the international community about their findings, how the investigation advances and the conclusion they arrive at.
If they say that they will not share anything until the investigation is completed, I would like to point out that in some other instances it took just a few days before a final verdict – and I mean verdict rather than simply stating investigation results – was issued. We will also be there to remind them that the investigations they pretended to carry out without issuing any comments never yielded any results. I have mentioned Alexander Litvinenko already during today’s briefing. Many Russians, our compatriots, perished in the UK, and all these cases deserved an investigation, but alas.
I suggest referring these questions to those in charge of the investigation. As you know, we also opened criminal files and an investigation is underway. However, you were right to note in your question that the possibilities we have are limited since it all happened under the jurisdiction of countries which do not want us to take part in the investigation, even if we ignore why.
Question: You said that you intend to persuade the UN Security Council to re-examine the issue of explosions. Could you say when this will happen?
Maria Zakharova: Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya said this. You can read his statements. I hope it will not inconvenience you.
Maria Zakharova: You have formulated this question in such a way as if to imply that we are not doing this on a permanent basis. I cannot agree with this wording. We address this issue regularly in various formats. You can see our activity at top level, meetings with the leadership of Azerbaijan and Armenia and the work of foreign ministers. We have a special representative on this issue. Our embassies and experts are working every day. Apart from the Foreign Ministry, our border guards are maintaining regional security.
Speaking of specific dates, we will certainly share this information as soon as we have it. The process is taking place without any breaks or vacations. Various meetings either cap any specific stage or launch certain initiatives. The process is continuous.
That said, many outside players now want to join the fray. The media has reported sensational news that the United States will probably use force for this purpose. This does not add any new elements to the peace settlement process; it merely complicates the process and rolls it back. We understand why they are doing this. Since 2020, Russia advanced various initiatives as a real mediator and friend of both countries, Armenia and Azerbaijan, who wishes to find a solution to the conflict. These actions caused shock and confusion. At long last, it became possible to resolve this protracted and highly complicated conflict. Russian actions include the deployment of a troop contingent and diplomatic efforts. The Government’s economic sector, supervised by Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk, is working to fill the peace process with practical content. All this is making our opponents anxious. We realise that those who are posing as moderators and mediators, have no interest in the region becoming peaceful, stable and prosperous.
Question: As all of us know, many players are present in the South Caucasus region. Could you tell us what methods can help Russia overcome various obstacles, created by the so-called mediators?
Maria Zakharova: Different methods, including and primarily diplomatic methods at various levels.
Maria Zakharova: Unfortunately, there are indications to the contrary. They are supplying weapons that are killing our citizens, our brothers that are now on the frontline, our compatriots, family members and friends that are on the home front of our country.
Those that have long announced that Russia needs to be erased from the face of the Earth are being filled with arms. At one time Julia Tymoshenko yelled over the telephone that an atomic bomb should be dropped on us. Am I inventing anything? Go online and find it. They have talked about their need for nuclear weapons since 2022. Do you remember Vladimir Zelensky’s remarks at the Munich conference? He demanded that these weapons be delivered immediately because at that time they knew how to finally resolve the Russia issue. These are the real indications. Much can be said about what Western Europe should do to fix the situation. But the first point is to stop sending arms that are killing people.
I don’t know what to do with their deeply ingrained logic and ideology when they segregate people into “right” and “wrong,” “important” and “dispensable,” “good” and “bad.” I don’t know what to do with this logic. It won’t disappear in a couple of days. Dividing the world into a “wonderful garden” and a “jungle,” the “golden billion” and those who should service it. Now a division between people and monkeys. What can you do about all this? When will we see any conditions that are normal? We see PR campaigns like BLM, other hashtags and forums where problems of racism and discrimination are discussed. But the overall result is the opposite. All these PR campaigns are aimed at fuelling racial hatred rather than at curing Western societies from the endless phantom pains of colonialism, imperial mentality and the strictest segregation in the whole world into those that are worthy of life and those who should provide them with this worthy life.
We emphasised the special nature of our civilisational ties in Europe. We always stressed our desire to cooperate. Today, we talked a lot about Nord Stream. Isn’t this our specific contribution to the development of relations with Europe and not only in the political, verbal or humanitarian areas? This is an area that would have connected us for many years and would have guaranteed everything – stability and economic development. This is not just selling resources. This is the development of science, the creation of jobs around this enormous project, investment and many other things. This is also education because we need joint specialists to service this gigantic project. What did we receive in return? The inability of Western Europe to protect itself and display its sovereignty and later supplies of arms that are used to kill us. For what? For providing them with resources during all these years? Are we now being killed for this?
All these scandals in the West: Mike Kelly and other anchors, well-educated people that were accused of saying words they did not say or expressing ideas they did not convey – on racism, etc. Attempts were made to throw them out of the information field. US Senator Lindsey Graham spoke about the need to kill as many Russians as possible. Earlier, former US President George Bush Jr expressed the same idea privately, thinking he was off the record, talking to someone face to face. However, this does not make this idea less monstrous. Has anyone, any single organisation on countering defamation, racism and xenophobia, any special reporter ever said that this was unacceptable? In any venue? How many times have we defended our common values. They did not do this but did the opposite. This is about conditions and a signal about the sincerity of their intentions. This is also a signal to us. Maybe it wouldn’t help us regain this trust, but it would at least show us what position to take. As long as they send weapons that kill Russian citizens on the frontline and on the home front, as long as they stick to xenophobic, neo-Nazi ideologies, in expressions and words, we are not going to deal with them.
Maria Zakharova: As something monstrous, as global hypocrisy, as another crisis of the liberal dictatorship. For one simple reason: they have the whole Western world fighting corruption, trying to fight it somewhere outside their own borders. At the centre of this liberal “nesting” is a high-ranking, continental EU policy maker – Ursula von der Leyen – accused of a colossal corruption scheme, namely the purchase of vaccines for an astronomical sum mainly from one company, Pfizer. And this is not done through newspaper harassment, but through the appropriate established legal mechanisms. What do we see? We see nothing. Where is the European Parliament? Where is the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe? Where are those countless PACE deputies who churn out anti-Russian propaganda? Can we even once see a statement from PACE or some similar body that might be concerned about what is going on in there? Condemning, demanding, etc. It is not just a corruption case inside the European Commission, inside the EU. It's nothing like that. Based on the decisions of the very same Ursula von der Leyen, citizens who have not been injected with their legalized vaccinations have been denied visits to their loved ones, relatives, doing business, urgent travel to these countries. This is a much scarier story. It is about how people made the decision to restrict our freedoms, motivated by lofty ideals, but in reality engaged in terrible corrupt multi-billion dollar stories.
I still don't know how much it was done for. First I read 9 billion, then dozens, then almost 80 billion. I can’t comprehend such astronomical numbers. It is impossible to grasp.
Given the public health emergency, the head of the European Commission personally decided to take the protection of the EU population from the pandemic into her own hands. As a result, an astronomical amount of vaccines, many times the size of the EU population, was purchased on behalf of the EU member states, at an astronomical cost and mainly from a single company, Pfizer. Moreover, the multi-billion dollar amount and the terms of the contract were not made public. Democratic privacy, apparently. Everyone has to provide everything and tell everyone everything, but some are allowed not to reveal their data, it's a big secret. This was done without bidding, without documents and without witnesses. Such decisions were made simply by text message. According to statements by a number of European human rights activists, they could subsequently be simply “cleaned up.”
The actions of Ursula von der Leyen have already prompted questions from the EU Court of Auditors, interested the European Public Prosecution Service, generated appeals to the French Supreme Court, the New York court, the EU court, and in April 2023 even a criminal complaint to the Belgian court of first instance in Liege. What is missing is the European Commission's outreach efforts. As much effort as they expend in the European Parliament on the morality of others, the situation around Ursula von der Leyen now needs to be addressed in full force.
The list of claims against her is truly impressive, ranging from willful non-disclosure of information of public interest to usurpation of power in the form of exceeding her authority. Now the most interesting thing, which interested me a lot. Where is Bellingcat? There are international investigators, Christo Grozev... Not a day goes by that they don't attack us. Everything was investigated and uncovered. Where is Bellingcat, an international investigative agency based in Europe? Where are their efforts? Where is Transparency International? We are waiting for them to pay attention. Where is the vast number of think tanks that investigate corruption and organised crime? Where is everyone? They are silent. So let them prove themselves. By the way, our liberal investigators who have left en masse for Ursula von der Leyen's area of responsibility may well get involved in the investigation; they have plenty of experience. Let them “poke around” there. They are now, one way or another, residents of those countries. They have made their choice.
Maria Zakharova: In his assessment of who is to blame and in answering this question, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres stated that regardless of who is responsible for the explosion on the Kakhovka HPP, the incident itself would not have happened had it not been for Russia's actions in general.
First of all, this is a thesis plugged by the Westerners. Basically, “they are just kids,” “they wouldn’t have,” “it's all Russia's fault anyway” because “it started it all.”
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov made a statement in response to this thesis. He explained that if we think in terms of the subjunctive mood (although we need to investigate and find those who are actually responsible), if we look back into some past that motivated such actions, the entire situation on Russia's western borders would not have come to a head if Western countries had not supported the bloody anti-constitutional coup in Ukraine, which brought to power a regime whose objective was not to build good neighbourly relations or even democracy inside their country, but to oppress the Russian-speaking population in Ukraine. And if it had not used or delegated its territory and everything that should be the property of the Ukrainian people to Western countries in order to build what Russian President Vladimir Putin said was “anti-Russia.”
Maria Zakharova: I believe that it does no good to get offended. We have a wonderful Russian proverb about this. I do my job. I have my professional duties, and I have my personal resources. I always make it clear when I express my personal point of view. Thank God that this is possible in our country. We have remained one of the few countries where personal points of view also matter. But I always make a clear distinction. I thank my country for such an opportunity to both perform official duties and have my own civic position.
The events unfolding before our eyes are so acute that the reaction to them must also be acute. I think it is better when a reaction is sharp than when it is obtuse.
Question: French Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Anne-Claire Legendre has accused Russia of mirroring the websites of France’s governmental institutions and four major newspapers in a move to “undermine democracy.” Could you please comment on these accusations?
Maria Zakharova: I would be pleased to do so if I understood what she was talking about, what “mirroring” is at issue. If there was concrete information… Incidentally, since there is the French Embassy in Moscow, I urge the French Ambassador or anyone who currently substitutes for him, or handles these matters to send us materials on this issue. So far, I have neither heard about nor seen any complaints from the French Embassy. I might not know something. It would be interesting to see what these mirror sites are.
Now about the efforts to undermine democracy, which we have been accused of. Ms Anne-Claire Legendre should know that democracy is undermined when journalists are not allowed to attend events. This is exactly what France was doing when it did not allow RT reporters to attend various informational events and conferences to which all journalists were invited. You may remember a story that went on for many years about how they failed to obtain accreditation, as well as other similar stories. This amounts to obstructing the work of journalists – both foreign and their own, French journalists – something we have seen France do many times. This also involves a failure to speak out on matters of principle and a failure to observe the freedom of speech in a situation with Julian Assange when Elysee Palace ignores this problem and refuses to fight for that man or use the forums it holds, like numerous civic forums held in Paris, to focus on defending this enthusiast and fighter for the freedom of speech. There are numerous examples like this, such as media labelling that the Western community practiced or numerous planted stories with fabricated information about Russia’s policy in Africa that were designed by Paris, as we found out. This is a real departure from democracy.
If the French Embassy in Moscow provides us with materials that were mentioned in Paris, we will be pleased to study them and give our comment.
Maria Zakharova: The countries you mentioned plan to lower the level of diplomatic relations [with Russia] because they cannot conform to the high level that Russian diplomats are demonstrating.
A blow is being delivered to relationships in Europe. It is being delivered by Washington, which is interested in sowing chaos in relations between countries. It is their credo. I have said many times that not only are they aiming at Russia and China, but one of the United States’ hidden targets is the European Union. In financial terms, in the past decade, the EU started to catch up with and even outdo the United States. For many years its currency has been propped by real industry, the real – not virtual – economy and it was good at building relations with Eurasia. None of this was to the Americans’ liking, so by interfering in the domestic affairs of EU member countries and disrupting the ties being built within Eurasia they delivered and are continuing to deliver a blow to the EU.
The expulsion of diplomats is about the same thing. You might remember the expulsion of diplomats that was explained by the alleged interference in the US [presidential] election. Next comes the Salisbury-Amesbury story. It is a perfect mystification, the credit for which goes to Downing Street. Back then they also urged the authorities to expel Russian diplomats and were accusing [Russia] of every sin. It is the same old story.
Unfortunately, the EU member countries have long since stopped being guided by their own independent vision.
Maria Zakharova: We respond to all similar actions. Naturally, we cannot respond in a completely symmetrical manner because there are different situations. We see this unfriendly step, which will not benefit those who initiated it. This is part of the anti-Russia campaign whipped up by Anglo-Saxons. Unfortunately, they are forcing their satellite states and subordinates to take similar actions. We will reciprocate after duly preparing our response that will benefit this country.
Maria Zakharova: You are asking a global question, and the entire world is trying to answer it. Looks like everyone is trying to provide their own answer to this question. This is a global question because it deals with the processes of the 1980s and the 1990s. Numerous outcomes of World War II were revised. This also includes colour revolutions and Balkan wars. Does this not amount to a revision and violation of international law that evolved after World War II? This includes efforts to undermine historical memory when monuments are demolished, and when they distort the real essence of those events. Does it not amount to a revision of results when criminals are lauded as heroes, and when they tried to accuse this country of virtually attacking the “civilised world”? They have been publishing numerous official documents, materials and textbooks on this issue for a long time. This is just another example of how the results of World War II are corroded and distorted.
We are upholding these aspects using political and diplomatic methods, and with facts in hand. Today, we are fighting for these results with weapons in hand. This is how it happened, and we are defending this.
This is a global, rather than applied, issue. I have already mentioned its applied aspects. In theory, this amounts to building the planet’s future. It remains to be seen whether this future will be built on the principles of amnesia and the distortion of history or in line with international law that embodies the results of World War II, as formalised by the UN Charter. A global battle to achieve these goals is now taking place.
Maria Zakharova: Helsinki is being hostile. We are working out our response. You can rest assured that it will follow. As soon as it is formulated, we will inform everyone about it.
I would like to emphasise – and I hope you will express this in your article too – that this is not our wish. This is solely a reciprocal measure. We know that if we do not respond (the West has taught us that), they will go further. Therefore, we will provide a response.
Maria Zakharova: I have seen the news regarding Kazakhstan’s decision. I don't know if it is being discussed or has already been made. It should be emphasised that this is the decision of a sovereign country. We are in close contact with our Kazakh partners, including with respect to protecting the rights of compatriots.
Such initiatives exist in other countries too. They are implemented in different ways. We believe that what Kazakhstan is adopting as a sovereign decision is not intended to be discriminatory in any way, and in no way does it carry such a message.
Our efforts to protect our compatriots are well known, I think. Not everything is happening at the pace it should be. A lot is being done. We have managed to change the situation where a child born of a mixed marriage abroad, unlike a child born of a mixed marriage in Russia, was not automatically granted citizenship. This is the right practical measure, which has been implemented thanks, among other things, to the active position of our compatriots. This is an example of our applied work.
Maria Zakharova: My personal vision is that people do not change. Neither do the problems of mankind. As long as mankind fails to realise that it is on the brink, I think that, unfortunately, the experiments with mankind, or mankind’s experiments on themselves, will continue. This is a global existential problem and a threat. But it is only a threat that can shake us up. I am not distinguishing us from others now. I’m just trying to find a common denominator and ask whether it has to continue this way. Or can you use the chance you have received?
Hopefully we will not approach the precipice. Yet, knowing history I understand that only global shocks like this, sometimes tragic situations, can make “corrections” to people’s behavior, and that only after major events can mankind correct itself. The Second World War was one such example. People had to become beasts, put others in gas chambers, make human skin gloves, etc. Only after this did mankind flinch and see itself in the eyes of those it had shot, destroyed, gassed, and so on.
Let’s be optimists but also realists. And I agree with you that our men with weapons in hand are selflessly correcting this situation. Just like the battalion commander that Vladimir Vysotsky wrote about.
Maria Zakharova: As for who can attend, they are those who submit an application and receive a visa, if it is required. If a festival participant comes from a visa-free country, this is a question for the organisers and that of accreditation. There are no restrictions.
Let me remind you that we consider a country unfriendly only in the context of the policy implemented by their authorities, parties or politicians. This does not include people who sincerely want to develop relations with us.
As for speakers from the Foreign Ministry, I will specify it, but I think we have always supported these events both in terms of organisation and speakers.
Maria Zakharova: I believe your question holds the answer.
This is not our problem, but the problem of those who say this about us. Look at the things they write about us! The bears in the streets, our inhospitality, our sins, the lot!
Let’s recall the FIFA World Cup, which was a revelation for millions of people, who either visited Russia or watched the event on television. Many tourists came to Russia and saw the country with their own eyes. It was a true revelation for them. They compared what they read in their media with the reality. There are many examples of this kind.
This is not a problem with us, nor in this country. It is a problem for those who depict us this way. It is a centuries-old issue. If you look at the popular prints or caricatures from the 18th-19th centuries, the subject matter is the same: terrible Russians who threaten others and never want to develop. The same goes for the 20th century.
When answering the previous question, I said that people generally do not change. But our task and opportunity is to change this on our own. It is something we will continue to do.
