Forwarded from 🇷🇺🇰🇪 Russian Embassy in Kenya | Посольство России в Кении
🇷🇺🇰🇪 A meeting between Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of Russia Mr.Roman Chekushov and Kenyan delegation, headed by Deputy Speaker of Senate Hon.Kathuri Murungi was held in Moscow.
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⚡️ The situation in the Syrian Arab Republic has deteriorated dramatically in the past few days.
On July 13, armed clashes flared up between units of a Druze community and Bedouin tribes in the Suwayda Governorate, southern Syria. Following this, the Syrian Defence and Interior Ministries deployed their military units in the governorate’s administrative centre. Dozens of people, including civilians, were killed during heavy armed clashes involving law enforcement agencies and local paramilitary units. Ceasefire agreements were reportedly announced on July 16.
These developments were accompanied by intensive Israeli air strikes on Syrian territory; according to the Israeli side, the strikes aimed to protect Syria’s Druze community. The southern region and the Syrian capital were also hit. The strikes targeted government agencies, including buildings of the Defence Ministry and the Presidential Palace in Damascus.
❗️ Fatalities are reported, and many people have been injured.
A new spiral of violence in Syria evokes deep concern. The Russian Side is particularly alarmed in connection with unacceptable brutal attacks on civilians. We assume that encroachments on the life and safety of civilians are unacceptable. Moscow hopes that the implementation of planned de-escalation measures will help scale down tensions and reliably stabilise the situation in the Syrian Arab Republic. We are convinced that this objective can be accomplished through dialogue, by strengthening national accord and respecting the rights of all representatives and communities of the multi-denominational Syrian society.
☝️ The Russian Side has repeatedly assessed Israel’s arbitrary military operations in Syria. These attacks flagrantly violate the sovereignty of the country and the norms of international law and should be resolutely condemned.
Moscow reaffirms its consistent position regarding the need to respect the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic.
According to incoming reports, no Russian citizens were harmed during armed clashes and air strikes. Guaranteeing the safety of all Russian citizens remains a top priority.
On July 13, armed clashes flared up between units of a Druze community and Bedouin tribes in the Suwayda Governorate, southern Syria. Following this, the Syrian Defence and Interior Ministries deployed their military units in the governorate’s administrative centre. Dozens of people, including civilians, were killed during heavy armed clashes involving law enforcement agencies and local paramilitary units. Ceasefire agreements were reportedly announced on July 16.
These developments were accompanied by intensive Israeli air strikes on Syrian territory; according to the Israeli side, the strikes aimed to protect Syria’s Druze community. The southern region and the Syrian capital were also hit. The strikes targeted government agencies, including buildings of the Defence Ministry and the Presidential Palace in Damascus.
❗️ Fatalities are reported, and many people have been injured.
A new spiral of violence in Syria evokes deep concern. The Russian Side is particularly alarmed in connection with unacceptable brutal attacks on civilians. We assume that encroachments on the life and safety of civilians are unacceptable. Moscow hopes that the implementation of planned de-escalation measures will help scale down tensions and reliably stabilise the situation in the Syrian Arab Republic. We are convinced that this objective can be accomplished through dialogue, by strengthening national accord and respecting the rights of all representatives and communities of the multi-denominational Syrian society.
☝️ The Russian Side has repeatedly assessed Israel’s arbitrary military operations in Syria. These attacks flagrantly violate the sovereignty of the country and the norms of international law and should be resolutely condemned.
Moscow reaffirms its consistent position regarding the need to respect the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic.
According to incoming reports, no Russian citizens were harmed during armed clashes and air strikes. Guaranteeing the safety of all Russian citizens remains a top priority.
Forwarded from Russian Embassy in South Africa
❗️Comment by the Ambassador of Russia to South Africa, Roman Ambarov, for RIA Novosti (July 15, 2025)
✍️ Today, cultural exchange between Russia and South Africa is a vibrant and evolving relationship, but its roots go back to the Soviet times. At that time, South African cultural and political figures studied at Soviet universities, becoming acquainted with the Russian language, literature, and arts. This laid the foundation for mutual respect and interest in each other’s cultures.
Currently, both sides are actively implementing a wide range of joint cultural exchange projects — from festivals and exhibitions to educational programs and theatrical productions.
In recent years, special attention has been given to developing ties in the performing arts. For example, in 2023, the St. Petersburg Ballet Theatre toured Johannesburg with a production of Swan Lake, which was met with great success. In 2024, as part of the Days of Spiritual Culture of Russia in South Africa, a concert was held by the chamber ensemble Moscow Soloists under the direction of Yuri Bashmet.
Russian audiences are also discovering South African artists. In July of this year, for the first time in the history of the International Chekhov Theatre Festival, jazz singer Simphiwe Dana performed alongside the Vuyani Dance Theatre, led by choreographer Gregory Maqoma, in the project Moya. In June, at the international ballet festival Benois de la Danse at the Bolshoi Theatre, South African representatives Joshua Williams (Best Male Dancer) and Mthuthuzeli November (Best Choreographer) were named laureates — a significant moment in the festival’s history and in the cultural dialogue between our two countries. Also in July, the Theatre of Nations hosted the premiere of Miss Julie by August Strindberg, directed by James Ngcobo, Artistic Director of the Johannesburg City Theatres.
🎶 Musical cooperation between our countries is also flourishing. In spring 2025, South African tenor Lukhanyo Moyake performed Lensky’s aria in Russian at the VII International BraVo Music Awards in Moscow, receiving a heartfelt response from the audience. Around the same time, Igor Butman’s jazz quartet performed at the renowned Cape Town International Jazz Festival.
And that’s not all. In September, a South African group will participate in the international music competition Intervision in Moscow. Additionally, in the fall, Russian pianist Konstantin Emelyanov will give a solo concert in Pretoria, marking the start of the South African leg of the Pianissimo festival, which will travel through Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban.
🇷🇺🤝🇿🇦 All these projects vividly demonstrate the high level of trust, mutual interest, and cultural affinity between Russia and South Africa. For our part, we intend to continue strengthening this bond, expanding cooperation, and opening new horizons for creative dialogue.
#RussiaSouthAfrica
✍️ Today, cultural exchange between Russia and South Africa is a vibrant and evolving relationship, but its roots go back to the Soviet times. At that time, South African cultural and political figures studied at Soviet universities, becoming acquainted with the Russian language, literature, and arts. This laid the foundation for mutual respect and interest in each other’s cultures.
Currently, both sides are actively implementing a wide range of joint cultural exchange projects — from festivals and exhibitions to educational programs and theatrical productions.
In recent years, special attention has been given to developing ties in the performing arts. For example, in 2023, the St. Petersburg Ballet Theatre toured Johannesburg with a production of Swan Lake, which was met with great success. In 2024, as part of the Days of Spiritual Culture of Russia in South Africa, a concert was held by the chamber ensemble Moscow Soloists under the direction of Yuri Bashmet.
Russian audiences are also discovering South African artists. In July of this year, for the first time in the history of the International Chekhov Theatre Festival, jazz singer Simphiwe Dana performed alongside the Vuyani Dance Theatre, led by choreographer Gregory Maqoma, in the project Moya. In June, at the international ballet festival Benois de la Danse at the Bolshoi Theatre, South African representatives Joshua Williams (Best Male Dancer) and Mthuthuzeli November (Best Choreographer) were named laureates — a significant moment in the festival’s history and in the cultural dialogue between our two countries. Also in July, the Theatre of Nations hosted the premiere of Miss Julie by August Strindberg, directed by James Ngcobo, Artistic Director of the Johannesburg City Theatres.
🎶 Musical cooperation between our countries is also flourishing. In spring 2025, South African tenor Lukhanyo Moyake performed Lensky’s aria in Russian at the VII International BraVo Music Awards in Moscow, receiving a heartfelt response from the audience. Around the same time, Igor Butman’s jazz quartet performed at the renowned Cape Town International Jazz Festival.
And that’s not all. In September, a South African group will participate in the international music competition Intervision in Moscow. Additionally, in the fall, Russian pianist Konstantin Emelyanov will give a solo concert in Pretoria, marking the start of the South African leg of the Pianissimo festival, which will travel through Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban.
🇷🇺🤝🇿🇦 All these projects vividly demonstrate the high level of trust, mutual interest, and cultural affinity between Russia and South Africa. For our part, we intend to continue strengthening this bond, expanding cooperation, and opening new horizons for creative dialogue.
#RussiaSouthAfrica
#HistoryOfDiplomacy
8️⃣0️⃣ years ago, on July 17, 1945, in Potsdam (Berlin’s suburb), a conference of the Heads of Governments of the USSR, the US, and the UK — Joseph Stalin, Harry S. Truman and Winston Churchill (succeeded by Clement Attlee) commenced. The historic Summit, also attended by the Foreign Ministers and military representatives of the Great Powers, lasted for two weeks and concluded on August 2.
The #PotsdamConference became the final meeting of the Allied Leaders in a series of summits and had paramount political significance for post-war era in Europe and the rest of the world.
The agreements reached in Potsdam demonstrated that, despite some differences, the Allies, whose armies together side-by-side crushed the Nazi Germany, could coordinate their positions and make agreed decisions to determine the post-war world order and secure a lasting peace for decades ahead.
***
The main outcome of the Potsdam Conference was the Parties' approving the common principles of the Allied Powers’ toward defeated Germany. A historic decision was made to take measures in order to completely eradicate German militarism and revanchism, also known as the 'Four Ds':
👉 Demilitarisation: the complete disarmament and dismantling of Germany’s military industry;
👉 Denazification: the termination of the National Socialist Party and the dissolution of all Nazi institutions;
👉 Democratisation: the abolition of laws enacted under Hitler’s regime and the prosecution of Nazi war criminals;
👉 Decartelisation: the dismantling of Nazi-controlled monopolies, including enterprises serving the Third Reich’s war machine.
The Conference also addressed territorial issues. Due to the efforts by the Soviet delegation, Poland’s borders were substantially expanded. while the Soviet Union acquired Königsberg, later renamed Kaliningrad. The Soviet leadership reaffirmed its prior commitment to enter the war against militarist Japan.
One of the key decisions of the Potsdam Conference was to establish an international tribunal to prosecute Nazi criminals. Germany was obliged to pay war reparations, with the defeated nation being divided into four Allied occupation zones: Soviet, American, British, and French.
To prepare a peace settlement with former Axis states that had allied with Nazi Germany (Italy, Romania, Bulgaria and Finland) the Council of Foreign Ministers was established, comprising the USSR, the US, the UK, France and China.
***
#Victory80: Following the Potsdam Conference, People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs Vyacheslav Molotov emphasised in his circular letter to Soviet ambassadors that the results of the Summit met the national interests of the USSR and enshrined in international law the outcomes of the Great Victory over Nazism, to which (!) our country and Soviet people made the decisive and undeniable contribution.
#WeWereAllies: the Potsdam Conference is a compelling example of constructive cooperation among Great Powers, demonstrating the possibility of resolving any issues through negotiations despite existing ideological differences.
8️⃣0️⃣ years ago, on July 17, 1945, in Potsdam (Berlin’s suburb), a conference of the Heads of Governments of the USSR, the US, and the UK — Joseph Stalin, Harry S. Truman and Winston Churchill (succeeded by Clement Attlee) commenced. The historic Summit, also attended by the Foreign Ministers and military representatives of the Great Powers, lasted for two weeks and concluded on August 2.
The #PotsdamConference became the final meeting of the Allied Leaders in a series of summits and had paramount political significance for post-war era in Europe and the rest of the world.
The agreements reached in Potsdam demonstrated that, despite some differences, the Allies, whose armies together side-by-side crushed the Nazi Germany, could coordinate their positions and make agreed decisions to determine the post-war world order and secure a lasting peace for decades ahead.
***
The main outcome of the Potsdam Conference was the Parties' approving the common principles of the Allied Powers’ toward defeated Germany. A historic decision was made to take measures in order to completely eradicate German militarism and revanchism, also known as the 'Four Ds':
👉 Demilitarisation: the complete disarmament and dismantling of Germany’s military industry;
👉 Denazification: the termination of the National Socialist Party and the dissolution of all Nazi institutions;
👉 Democratisation: the abolition of laws enacted under Hitler’s regime and the prosecution of Nazi war criminals;
👉 Decartelisation: the dismantling of Nazi-controlled monopolies, including enterprises serving the Third Reich’s war machine.
The Conference also addressed territorial issues. Due to the efforts by the Soviet delegation, Poland’s borders were substantially expanded. while the Soviet Union acquired Königsberg, later renamed Kaliningrad. The Soviet leadership reaffirmed its prior commitment to enter the war against militarist Japan.
One of the key decisions of the Potsdam Conference was to establish an international tribunal to prosecute Nazi criminals. Germany was obliged to pay war reparations, with the defeated nation being divided into four Allied occupation zones: Soviet, American, British, and French.
To prepare a peace settlement with former Axis states that had allied with Nazi Germany (Italy, Romania, Bulgaria and Finland) the Council of Foreign Ministers was established, comprising the USSR, the US, the UK, France and China.
***
#Victory80: Following the Potsdam Conference, People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs Vyacheslav Molotov emphasised in his circular letter to Soviet ambassadors that the results of the Summit met the national interests of the USSR and enshrined in international law the outcomes of the Great Victory over Nazism, to which (!) our country and Soviet people made the decisive and undeniable contribution.
#WeWereAllies: the Potsdam Conference is a compelling example of constructive cooperation among Great Powers, demonstrating the possibility of resolving any issues through negotiations despite existing ideological differences.
🗓 On July 17, at the Reception House of the Foreign Ministry, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov took part in a ceremony of presenting diplomas to veterans of the special military operation who successfully completed a professional education programme titled Managing the Municipal Infrastructure and the Development of Territories at the MGIMO University of the Foreign Ministry.
In all, 19 veterans of the special military operation from Moscow, St Petersburg, the Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Novgorod, Ryazan, Smolensk and Tula regions completed the two-month programme, organised by the Foreign Ministry’s Main Administration for Service to the Diplomatic Corps (GLAVUPDK) together with the Defenders of the Fatherland State Foundation, at the Odintsovo branch of the MGIMO University.
The leadership of the Defence Ministry, the Defenders of the Fatherland State Foundation, GLAVUPDK, the MGIMO University, as well as regions that nominated candidates for the programme, attended the ceremony.
This is the second graduation ceremony for specialists in this field. In 2024, GLAVUPDK and the MGIMO University established an additional professional education programme for 13 veterans of the special military operation from the Donetsk People’s Republic.
In all, 19 veterans of the special military operation from Moscow, St Petersburg, the Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Novgorod, Ryazan, Smolensk and Tula regions completed the two-month programme, organised by the Foreign Ministry’s Main Administration for Service to the Diplomatic Corps (GLAVUPDK) together with the Defenders of the Fatherland State Foundation, at the Odintsovo branch of the MGIMO University.
The leadership of the Defence Ministry, the Defenders of the Fatherland State Foundation, GLAVUPDK, the MGIMO University, as well as regions that nominated candidates for the programme, attended the ceremony.
This is the second graduation ceremony for specialists in this field. In 2024, GLAVUPDK and the MGIMO University established an additional professional education programme for 13 veterans of the special military operation from the Donetsk People’s Republic.
#Victory80
🎖 #OnThisDay in 1942, one of the largest-ever and most brutal battles of #WWII and all of history — the #BattleOfStalingrad — commenced.
It lasted for 2️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ days and nights, surpassing in scope and intensity all previous battles.
The Battle of Stalingrad was waged for every street, every house, every metre of ground. At various stages, over 2,1 million people from both sides were engaged in the combat. The Nazis attempted in vain to break the morale of Stalingrad’s defenders and residents — but Stalingrad stood firm and triumphed.
***
The defeat of Hitler’s forces near Moscow in December 1941 thwarted the original plans of the Nazi command for a blitzkrieg — a rapid advance of the Wehrmacht deep into Soviet territory, with the aim of seizing the strategically vital southern regions of the USSR, including the oil-rich Caucasus. But the Reich persisted, adhering to the original concept of its general strategy.
In the summer of 1942, the Nazi invaders launched a large-scale offensive on the southern flank of the Soviet-German front. This time, the enemy’s target was Stalingrad — a crucial industrial and transport hub on the Volga. Had the Nazis succeeded, they would have seized the fertile grain-producing regions of Kuban and Stavropol, breached the Caucasus, and captured its oil fields — an essential resource for their war effort. The Nazis sought to seize the initiative and bring the war to an end on their terms. Friedrich Paulus, one of the chief architects of Nazi Germany’s invasion plan against the USSR, was tasked with the command of the offensive on Stalingrad.
⚔️ The defence of Stalingrad began on July 17. The city’s defenders faced the full might of the fascist war machine — the enemy hurled between 40 and 80 divisions into the combat.
The bloodshed continued without respite, raging days and nights all around the clock. By August, forces of the Stalingrad Front had to retreat to the Don’s left bank and fortify positions on the city’s outer defensive line.
Amid these dire circumstances, on July 28, 1942, Supreme High Command Order No. 227 was issued to the defenders of Stalingrad and other fronts. It laid bare the real situation on the front with unflinching clarity:
The Red Army was forced into defensive operations and fierce urban combat. Among the architects of the Stalingrad victory there was General Vassily Chuikov, commander of the 62nd Army — a legendary strategist who perfected the tactics of assault groups, which became pivotal to the Soviet triumph in Stalingrad.
By mid-November 1942, following fierce resistance against the enemy and the deployment of additional reserves through tactical regrouping, favourable conditions had emerged for the Red Army to launch a counter-offensive.
Between November 19, 1942 and February 2, 1943, Soviet forces performed Operation 'Ring', having successfully encircled Field Marshal Friedrich Paulus’s 6th Army in a cauldron between the Don and Volga rivers.
On January 31, Field Marshal Paulus, along with his staff officers and generals, capitulated. By February 2, the last pockets of German resistance had been eradicated, and military formations of Germany’s ‘axis’ allies were destroyed.
🏅 The Battle of Stalingrad ended with a resounding victory for the Red Army and the entire Soviet people.
The triumph at Stalingrad marked the beginning of a decisive radical turning point in the Great Patriotic War and World War II, with the strategic initiative being gained entirely by the Soviet Union.
#WeRemember
🎖 #OnThisDay in 1942, one of the largest-ever and most brutal battles of #WWII and all of history — the #BattleOfStalingrad — commenced.
It lasted for 2️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ days and nights, surpassing in scope and intensity all previous battles.
The Battle of Stalingrad was waged for every street, every house, every metre of ground. At various stages, over 2,1 million people from both sides were engaged in the combat. The Nazis attempted in vain to break the morale of Stalingrad’s defenders and residents — but Stalingrad stood firm and triumphed.
***
The defeat of Hitler’s forces near Moscow in December 1941 thwarted the original plans of the Nazi command for a blitzkrieg — a rapid advance of the Wehrmacht deep into Soviet territory, with the aim of seizing the strategically vital southern regions of the USSR, including the oil-rich Caucasus. But the Reich persisted, adhering to the original concept of its general strategy.
In the summer of 1942, the Nazi invaders launched a large-scale offensive on the southern flank of the Soviet-German front. This time, the enemy’s target was Stalingrad — a crucial industrial and transport hub on the Volga. Had the Nazis succeeded, they would have seized the fertile grain-producing regions of Kuban and Stavropol, breached the Caucasus, and captured its oil fields — an essential resource for their war effort. The Nazis sought to seize the initiative and bring the war to an end on their terms. Friedrich Paulus, one of the chief architects of Nazi Germany’s invasion plan against the USSR, was tasked with the command of the offensive on Stalingrad.
⚔️ The defence of Stalingrad began on July 17. The city’s defenders faced the full might of the fascist war machine — the enemy hurled between 40 and 80 divisions into the combat.
The bloodshed continued without respite, raging days and nights all around the clock. By August, forces of the Stalingrad Front had to retreat to the Don’s left bank and fortify positions on the city’s outer defensive line.
Amid these dire circumstances, on July 28, 1942, Supreme High Command Order No. 227 was issued to the defenders of Stalingrad and other fronts. It laid bare the real situation on the front with unflinching clarity:
<...> “To retreat further means to doom ourselves and to doom our Motherland. Every scrap of territory we yield will strengthen the enemy and weaken our defence, our Motherland...
Hence, the retreat must end. NOT A STEP BACK! This must now be our rallying cry. Henceforth, the iron law of discipline for every commander, Red Army soldier, and political officer must be the demand — NOT A STEP BACK WITHOUT ORDERS FROM HIGHER COMMAND... Such is the call of our Motherland.” <...>
The Red Army was forced into defensive operations and fierce urban combat. Among the architects of the Stalingrad victory there was General Vassily Chuikov, commander of the 62nd Army — a legendary strategist who perfected the tactics of assault groups, which became pivotal to the Soviet triumph in Stalingrad.
By mid-November 1942, following fierce resistance against the enemy and the deployment of additional reserves through tactical regrouping, favourable conditions had emerged for the Red Army to launch a counter-offensive.
Between November 19, 1942 and February 2, 1943, Soviet forces performed Operation 'Ring', having successfully encircled Field Marshal Friedrich Paulus’s 6th Army in a cauldron between the Don and Volga rivers.
On January 31, Field Marshal Paulus, along with his staff officers and generals, capitulated. By February 2, the last pockets of German resistance had been eradicated, and military formations of Germany’s ‘axis’ allies were destroyed.
The triumph at Stalingrad marked the beginning of a decisive radical turning point in the Great Patriotic War and World War II, with the strategic initiative being gained entirely by the Soviet Union.
#WeRemember
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Forwarded from Russian Embassy in South Africa
🕊 On Nelson Mandela International Day, we honour the life and legacy of a man who became a global symbol of freedom, dignity, and reconciliation – Nelson Mandela.
🤝 On this day, we also remember the deep solidarity between our countries during the anti-apartheid struggle.
While many Western governments supported the apartheid regime as a Cold War ally, the Soviet Union was one of the few world powers that gave unwavering support to the liberation movement in South Africa. The USSR provided political, financial, military, and humanitarian assistance to the African National Congress (ANC) and the South African Communist Party (SACP).
💬 As Vladimir Shubin, a Soviet Afro-Asian Solidarity Committee official, noted:
The USSR also led diplomatic efforts at the United Nations, co-authoring and supporting key resolutions like the 1960 Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples and the 1963 Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.
During his 1999 state visit to Moscow, Mandela said he felt profound gratitude for the “solidarity of the Russian people in the South African fight against apartheid and for freedom.”
After the first democratic elections in 1994, South Africa and Russia opened a new chapter of friendship and cooperation. Today, our nations continue to work together in the UN, #BRICS, and the #G20, promoting sovereignty and equality.
#NelsonMandela #MandelaDay2025
🤝 On this day, we also remember the deep solidarity between our countries during the anti-apartheid struggle.
While many Western governments supported the apartheid regime as a Cold War ally, the Soviet Union was one of the few world powers that gave unwavering support to the liberation movement in South Africa. The USSR provided political, financial, military, and humanitarian assistance to the African National Congress (ANC) and the South African Communist Party (SACP).
💬 As Vladimir Shubin, a Soviet Afro-Asian Solidarity Committee official, noted:
"With our help, the armed struggle significantly contributed to the collapse of apartheid... The appearance of well-trained ANC fighters with modern weapons shocked the racist regime and inspired the oppressed majority."
The USSR also led diplomatic efforts at the United Nations, co-authoring and supporting key resolutions like the 1960 Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples and the 1963 Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.
During his 1999 state visit to Moscow, Mandela said he felt profound gratitude for the “solidarity of the Russian people in the South African fight against apartheid and for freedom.”
After the first democratic elections in 1994, South Africa and Russia opened a new chapter of friendship and cooperation. Today, our nations continue to work together in the UN, #BRICS, and the #G20, promoting sovereignty and equality.
#NelsonMandela #MandelaDay2025
Forwarded from Генеральное консульство России в Эдинбурге
We have taken note of the media publications on the refusal to allow the tall ship Shtandart to enter the port of the Scottish city of Aberdeen due to the anti-Russian "sanctions". The ship was supposed to participate in the international Tall Ships Races 2025, but, obviously, will not be able to join it.
We consider this situation as another consequence of the destructive campaign launched by the British authorities aimed at creating an atmosphere of Russophobia and the notorious "cancel culture" in all parts of the UK, including Scotland. The illegitimacy of restrictive measures that contradict international law and common sense is aggravated by the zeal in their implementation taken to the point of absurdity. As a result, everything that even remotely resembles Russia is being blocked. In this case the safety and well-being of seafarers may have also been jeopardized.
It is worth noting that although the Shtandart does not belong to the Russian Federation, she is a replica of the Russian frigate built in 1703 by Peter the Great. And among the comrades and associates of the first Russian emperor were the famous Scots General Patrick Gordon and Field Marshal Jacob Bruce. One can easily imagine how these outstanding figures of the past would have assessed the irrational Russophobic policy of the current British and Scottish authorities.
We consider this situation as another consequence of the destructive campaign launched by the British authorities aimed at creating an atmosphere of Russophobia and the notorious "cancel culture" in all parts of the UK, including Scotland. The illegitimacy of restrictive measures that contradict international law and common sense is aggravated by the zeal in their implementation taken to the point of absurdity. As a result, everything that even remotely resembles Russia is being blocked. In this case the safety and well-being of seafarers may have also been jeopardized.
It is worth noting that although the Shtandart does not belong to the Russian Federation, she is a replica of the Russian frigate built in 1703 by Peter the Great. And among the comrades and associates of the first Russian emperor were the famous Scots General Patrick Gordon and Field Marshal Jacob Bruce. One can easily imagine how these outstanding figures of the past would have assessed the irrational Russophobic policy of the current British and Scottish authorities.
🎙 Statement by Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the UN Vassily Nebenzia at a UNSC Briefing on Syria (New York, July 17, 2025)
💬 Vassily Nebenzia: Syria has always been home to many peoples and religions. This is its strength and its historical significance. The international community has a duty to help Syrians preserve the integrity of their diverse country and ensure their right to have a peaceful future. Unfortunately, there is still a long way to go. <...>
On July 13, there were clashes in the south of Syria, initially between members of the Druze community and Bedouin tribes, after which units of the Syrian Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of the Interior were sent to the administrative center of the governorate.
Fierce clashes involving security forces and local armed groups resulted in the deaths of dozens of people, including civilians and members of ethnic and religious minorities.
❗️ We strongly condemn any forms of violence against civilians, regardless of who is perpetrating these acts or under what pretext.
References to the alleged “fight against remnants of the regime” or “clashes with pro-Assad elements” made by some representatives of the Syrian leadership and by certain other countries cannot serve as a justification for the persecution of religious and national minorities and ethno-confessional cleansing. <...>
The current escalation is not a tragic accident. And the problem is not only the situation in which ethnic and religious minorities find themselves. <...>
The campaign to persecute “supporters of the former regime” is not only splitting Syrian society (in the same way that Iraqi society was previously split), but it is also creating breeding ground for radicals to return to power. Today, we can see the consequences of this: armed groups are again “running the show” on the streets of Syrian cities, creating an atmosphere of fear and impunity.
☝️ Let me recall here that it is imperative to ensure the safety of Russian nationals and facilities in Syria, and we demand that the Syrian authorities undertake appropriate measures in this regard.
We managed to avoid the most destructive scenario for Syria's development. We took note of the announcement that a ceasefire agreement has been reached, as well as of the statement by the Syrian leadership condemning human rights violations and promising to investigate crimes against civilians. It is essential that this be followed by specific steps. <...>
⚠️ We are equally concerned by the fact that these alarming developments have been compounded by intensified military action by the Israeli Air Force against the territory of Syria
We are referring to new rounds of Israeli air strikes against Damascus and southern regions of SAR, which, according to West Jerusalem, were carried out to protect Syrian Druze.
We have repeatedly shared our assessments of Israel's arbitrary use of force in Syria, we condemned it then and do condemn it now. Those attacks constitute a gross violation of international law, the UN Charter, and the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement.
Russia has consistently and unwaveringly supported the sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity of SAR. This is not just a diplomatic formula – this is the foundation for the future peaceful structure of the country. These principles cannot be traded or subjected to “double standards.”
We must not allow external or internal players to exploit the fragile situation in Syria for their own geopolitical purposes, especially through fueling ethnic and religious tension and undermining the fragile Syrian statehood. And domestic players must not provide any grounds to do so.
💬 Vassily Nebenzia: Syria has always been home to many peoples and religions. This is its strength and its historical significance. The international community has a duty to help Syrians preserve the integrity of their diverse country and ensure their right to have a peaceful future. Unfortunately, there is still a long way to go. <...>
On July 13, there were clashes in the south of Syria, initially between members of the Druze community and Bedouin tribes, after which units of the Syrian Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of the Interior were sent to the administrative center of the governorate.
Fierce clashes involving security forces and local armed groups resulted in the deaths of dozens of people, including civilians and members of ethnic and religious minorities.
❗️ We strongly condemn any forms of violence against civilians, regardless of who is perpetrating these acts or under what pretext.
References to the alleged “fight against remnants of the regime” or “clashes with pro-Assad elements” made by some representatives of the Syrian leadership and by certain other countries cannot serve as a justification for the persecution of religious and national minorities and ethno-confessional cleansing. <...>
The current escalation is not a tragic accident. And the problem is not only the situation in which ethnic and religious minorities find themselves. <...>
The campaign to persecute “supporters of the former regime” is not only splitting Syrian society (in the same way that Iraqi society was previously split), but it is also creating breeding ground for radicals to return to power. Today, we can see the consequences of this: armed groups are again “running the show” on the streets of Syrian cities, creating an atmosphere of fear and impunity.
☝️ Let me recall here that it is imperative to ensure the safety of Russian nationals and facilities in Syria, and we demand that the Syrian authorities undertake appropriate measures in this regard.
We managed to avoid the most destructive scenario for Syria's development. We took note of the announcement that a ceasefire agreement has been reached, as well as of the statement by the Syrian leadership condemning human rights violations and promising to investigate crimes against civilians. It is essential that this be followed by specific steps. <...>
⚠️ We are equally concerned by the fact that these alarming developments have been compounded by intensified military action by the Israeli Air Force against the territory of Syria
We are referring to new rounds of Israeli air strikes against Damascus and southern regions of SAR, which, according to West Jerusalem, were carried out to protect Syrian Druze.
We have repeatedly shared our assessments of Israel's arbitrary use of force in Syria, we condemned it then and do condemn it now. Those attacks constitute a gross violation of international law, the UN Charter, and the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement.
Russia has consistently and unwaveringly supported the sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity of SAR. This is not just a diplomatic formula – this is the foundation for the future peaceful structure of the country. These principles cannot be traded or subjected to “double standards.”
We must not allow external or internal players to exploit the fragile situation in Syria for their own geopolitical purposes, especially through fueling ethnic and religious tension and undermining the fragile Syrian statehood. And domestic players must not provide any grounds to do so.
#InMemoriam
📆 July 18, 1909, is the birthday of Andrey Gromyko, a statesman and politician, an outstanding Soviet diplomat and Foreign Minister of the Soviet Union (1957-1985).
Born in the village of Starye Gromyki in Byelorussia, he rose from a researcher to the foreign minister of a great power.
In 1936, Andrey Gromyko defended a PhD thesis on the economy of agriculture in the United States and was promoted to senior research fellow at the Institute of Economics of the Soviet Academy of Sciences.
The diligent and hard-working researcher did not go unnoticed. He was appointed head of the Department of the Americas at the People’s Commissariat (Ministry) of Foreign Affairs in 1939 and later promoted to counsellor at the Soviet Embassy in the United States. In 1943, he assumed the post of Soviet Ambassador to Washington while simultaneously representing the Soviet Union in Cuba.
✍️ In 1945, Andrey Gromyko signed the UN Charter on behalf of the Soviet Union, and in 1946 he was appointed the country’s first permanent representative to the UN.
Gromyko became the foreign minister of the Soviet Union in 1957 and held that post for 28 years. He helped prevent many global conflicts during the period of ideological confrontation and tensions between NATO and the Warsaw Treaty Organisation. He promoted the normalisation of relations with the United States and the West in general, as well as disarmament, the fixation of post-war borders in Europe, and détente.
❌ As Soviet foreign minister, Andrey Gromyko became known in the West as Mr Nyet (Mr No) for his firm stance when it came to issues of fundamental significance for national interests. This is what he had to say about that:
The most significant achievements of Soviet diplomacy reached during his tenure as the country’s foreign policy chief include:
▪️ Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests (1963)
▪️ Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (1968)
▪️ Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty (1972), SALT I (1973) and SALT II treaties (1979)
During the Cuban missile crisis in 1962, Andrey Gromyko contributed to reaching a compromise and preventing a war. He took part in the Arab-Israeli talks in Geneva (1973) mediated by the Soviet Union and the United States, and helped prevent a large-scale war between India and Pakistan (1966).
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov about Andrey Gromyko:
☝️ Andrey Gromyko was one of the world’s most highly respected diplomats in the 20th century and a symbol of Soviet foreign policy. His legacy continues to uphold the high prestige of Russian diplomacy to this day.
📆 July 18, 1909, is the birthday of Andrey Gromyko, a statesman and politician, an outstanding Soviet diplomat and Foreign Minister of the Soviet Union (1957-1985).
Born in the village of Starye Gromyki in Byelorussia, he rose from a researcher to the foreign minister of a great power.
In 1936, Andrey Gromyko defended a PhD thesis on the economy of agriculture in the United States and was promoted to senior research fellow at the Institute of Economics of the Soviet Academy of Sciences.
The diligent and hard-working researcher did not go unnoticed. He was appointed head of the Department of the Americas at the People’s Commissariat (Ministry) of Foreign Affairs in 1939 and later promoted to counsellor at the Soviet Embassy in the United States. In 1943, he assumed the post of Soviet Ambassador to Washington while simultaneously representing the Soviet Union in Cuba.
✍️ In 1945, Andrey Gromyko signed the UN Charter on behalf of the Soviet Union, and in 1946 he was appointed the country’s first permanent representative to the UN.
Gromyko became the foreign minister of the Soviet Union in 1957 and held that post for 28 years. He helped prevent many global conflicts during the period of ideological confrontation and tensions between NATO and the Warsaw Treaty Organisation. He promoted the normalisation of relations with the United States and the West in general, as well as disarmament, the fixation of post-war borders in Europe, and détente.
❌ As Soviet foreign minister, Andrey Gromyko became known in the West as Mr Nyet (Mr No) for his firm stance when it came to issues of fundamental significance for national interests. This is what he had to say about that:
They heard my ‘Nyet’ much more rarely than I did their ‘No’ because we advanced many more proposals.
The most significant achievements of Soviet diplomacy reached during his tenure as the country’s foreign policy chief include:
▪️ Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests (1963)
▪️ Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (1968)
▪️ Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty (1972), SALT I (1973) and SALT II treaties (1979)
During the Cuban missile crisis in 1962, Andrey Gromyko contributed to reaching a compromise and preventing a war. He took part in the Arab-Israeli talks in Geneva (1973) mediated by the Soviet Union and the United States, and helped prevent a large-scale war between India and Pakistan (1966).
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov about Andrey Gromyko:
Andrey Gromyko firmly upheld national interests, helped strengthen the country’s prestige and contributed to the development of the post-war world order.
☝️ Andrey Gromyko was one of the world’s most highly respected diplomats in the 20th century and a symbol of Soviet foreign policy. His legacy continues to uphold the high prestige of Russian diplomacy to this day.
🇷🇺🇹🇷📞 President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and President of the Republic of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan had a telephone conversation (July 18, 2025)
The two Leaders had a detailed exchange of views on the events unfolding in the #MiddleEast, including the escalation in Syria.
They expressed deep concern over the recent surge of violence in that country, stressing that it was crucial to stabilise the situation as soon as possible through dialogue and by strengthening the national accord while respecting the legitimate rights of all members of Syria's multi-confessional society. Both Sides emphasised the need to respect Syria's sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity.
When discussing issues pertaining to Ukraine, Vladimir Putin confirmed Russia's fundamental commitment to seeking a political and diplomatic solution to the conflict and thanked Recep Tayyip Erdogan for his readiness to continue facilitating direct talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul.
A number of pressing matters concerning further development of bilateral ties were discussed as well. In particular, the June 27, 2025, meeting of the Russia-Türkiye Intergovernmental Commission for Trade and Economic Cooperation was praised as successful.
🤝 Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed to stay in touch on all the issues raised.
#RussiaTürkiye
The two Leaders had a detailed exchange of views on the events unfolding in the #MiddleEast, including the escalation in Syria.
They expressed deep concern over the recent surge of violence in that country, stressing that it was crucial to stabilise the situation as soon as possible through dialogue and by strengthening the national accord while respecting the legitimate rights of all members of Syria's multi-confessional society. Both Sides emphasised the need to respect Syria's sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity.
When discussing issues pertaining to Ukraine, Vladimir Putin confirmed Russia's fundamental commitment to seeking a political and diplomatic solution to the conflict and thanked Recep Tayyip Erdogan for his readiness to continue facilitating direct talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul.
A number of pressing matters concerning further development of bilateral ties were discussed as well. In particular, the June 27, 2025, meeting of the Russia-Türkiye Intergovernmental Commission for Trade and Economic Cooperation was praised as successful.
🤝 Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed to stay in touch on all the issues raised.
#RussiaTürkiye
🎙 Russia's Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova’s response to a media question regarding the publication in Japan of the annual Defence White Paper (18 July, 2025)
❓ Question: The latest annual Defence White Paper was released in Japan the other day. A number of neighbouring countries, in particular China and the Republic of Korea, sharply criticised it. What is Russia’s reaction to this document?
💬 Maria Zakharova: Of course, we paid attention to the publication in Japan of the latest annual Defence White Paper. We note with regret that it once again reproduces the same stereotyped insinuations regarding Russia in the context of the Ukraine crisis and our cooperation with the DPRK in an absurd claim that they allegedly further degrade the situation in Asia.
We are well aware of the motives behind these claims against Russia. Official Tokyo is deliberately, including in the public space, toughening its rhetoric about imaginary threats emanating from Russia, the DPRK, as well as China’s actions in the Taiwan Strait, thereby trying to justify its course of expedited militarisation as it ramps up its military-technical cooperation with the Western allies, primarily from outside-the-region NATO countries.
In this regard, we regularly let the Japanese side know through diplomatic channels that such a foreign policy carries obvious risks not only for stability and security in the Asia-Pacific region, as it incites a new spiral of the arms race, but will also directly affect bilateral relations, which are going through difficult times as is.
At the same time, we would like to note that we continue to study the newly released review, which, as is known, is approved by the Japanese government and, accordingly, is an official document. We focus particularly on the sections devoted to missile defence.
☝️ If risks and challenges to the security of the Russian Federation are identified in this area, we will provide an additional reaction.
❓ Question: The latest annual Defence White Paper was released in Japan the other day. A number of neighbouring countries, in particular China and the Republic of Korea, sharply criticised it. What is Russia’s reaction to this document?
💬 Maria Zakharova: Of course, we paid attention to the publication in Japan of the latest annual Defence White Paper. We note with regret that it once again reproduces the same stereotyped insinuations regarding Russia in the context of the Ukraine crisis and our cooperation with the DPRK in an absurd claim that they allegedly further degrade the situation in Asia.
We are well aware of the motives behind these claims against Russia. Official Tokyo is deliberately, including in the public space, toughening its rhetoric about imaginary threats emanating from Russia, the DPRK, as well as China’s actions in the Taiwan Strait, thereby trying to justify its course of expedited militarisation as it ramps up its military-technical cooperation with the Western allies, primarily from outside-the-region NATO countries.
In this regard, we regularly let the Japanese side know through diplomatic channels that such a foreign policy carries obvious risks not only for stability and security in the Asia-Pacific region, as it incites a new spiral of the arms race, but will also directly affect bilateral relations, which are going through difficult times as is.
At the same time, we would like to note that we continue to study the newly released review, which, as is known, is approved by the Japanese government and, accordingly, is an official document. We focus particularly on the sections devoted to missile defence.
☝️ If risks and challenges to the security of the Russian Federation are identified in this area, we will provide an additional reaction.
📰 Article by Russia's Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova 'neocolon-AI-lism' for 'Rossiyskaya Gazeta' newspaper (July 17, 2025)
Read in full
✍️ At the beginning of July, the Russian MFA Collegium held a regular meeting on information and communication technologies, specifically the new challenges posed by artificial intelligence. It marked the launch of a substantive intra-ministry debate and the ministry’s adaptation to addressing AI-related challenges within the international dimension of this vast topic.
<...>
As a key driver of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, AI has been shaping a new economic, socio-cultural, and political system right before our eyes.
These changes are particularly evident in the industrial, financial, and economic spheres across nations – yet the explosive development of machine learning is increasingly acquiring a political dimension. To establish the appropriate semantic framework for this “underside” of digitalisation, we must first outline the ideological coordinates adopted by certain geopolitical players advancing artificial intelligence.
👉 That framework is neocolonialist thinking.
When combined with AI, neocolonialism takes on a truly global, technologically sophisticated dimension.
Beyond the traditional dominance of the so-called “golden billion,” the rest of the world now faces novel mechanisms of dependency – more subtle than classical colonial subjugation, yet far more pervasive and enduring. Developing nations are no longer merely reliant on imported hardware or software; they are increasingly subjected to algorithmic governance, which dictates critical processes – from logistics to education, from healthcare to the shaping of public opinion.
AI is not only and not so much becoming an instrument of progress as a form of pressure and a driving force of global competition, including for people’s hearts and souls and their way of life, as well as a means of redistributing power in the world.
<...>
❗️ The principal resource required to sustain the expansion of production and the increasingly pervasive application of artificial intelligence standards is rare-earth metals – fossil elements with critically limited reserves. These very materials now lie at the heart of the trade wars between the principal suppliers of AI solutions on the global market.
The political elites of Western nations – the majority of which lack domestic deposits of such substances – seek to secure unrestricted access to extraction sites located in the states comprising the World Majority. In pursuit of this goal, they resort to aggressive neo-colonial policies.
<...>
Another component of the nascent neo-colonial order has emerged in the form of the environmental and ideological platform. For themselves, the collective West has engineered a universal system of economic permissiveness. Simultaneously, they assert that any economic development undertaken by the so-called “non-chosen” countries must rigidly conform to the West’s green standards.
This deliberate “management” of:
a) digitalisation,
b) AI implementation, and
c) the green agenda
has propelled the AI sector into a phase of revolutionary progress.
☝️ The trajectory of humanity’s evolutionary vector has revealed itself with clarity. The assertions made by Russian President Vladimir Putin have gained in credibility – namely, that the state which commands leadership in the production of such technologies will attain global supremacy, and that their deployment marks the commencement of a new chapter in human existence.
<...>
These rapidly evolving processes, unfolding across numerous multilateral platforms and forums, are unmistakable indicators of the intensifying global race for leadership in this sphere. They demand the unremitting attention and active engagement of the state – including the Russian MFA.
❗️ Ultimately, building a fair multipolar world is intrinsically dependent upon our capacity to thwart attempts at resurrecting neo-colonial exploitation and inequality in digital form.
Read in full
✍️ At the beginning of July, the Russian MFA Collegium held a regular meeting on information and communication technologies, specifically the new challenges posed by artificial intelligence. It marked the launch of a substantive intra-ministry debate and the ministry’s adaptation to addressing AI-related challenges within the international dimension of this vast topic.
<...>
As a key driver of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, AI has been shaping a new economic, socio-cultural, and political system right before our eyes.
These changes are particularly evident in the industrial, financial, and economic spheres across nations – yet the explosive development of machine learning is increasingly acquiring a political dimension. To establish the appropriate semantic framework for this “underside” of digitalisation, we must first outline the ideological coordinates adopted by certain geopolitical players advancing artificial intelligence.
👉 That framework is neocolonialist thinking.
When combined with AI, neocolonialism takes on a truly global, technologically sophisticated dimension.
Beyond the traditional dominance of the so-called “golden billion,” the rest of the world now faces novel mechanisms of dependency – more subtle than classical colonial subjugation, yet far more pervasive and enduring. Developing nations are no longer merely reliant on imported hardware or software; they are increasingly subjected to algorithmic governance, which dictates critical processes – from logistics to education, from healthcare to the shaping of public opinion.
AI is not only and not so much becoming an instrument of progress as a form of pressure and a driving force of global competition, including for people’s hearts and souls and their way of life, as well as a means of redistributing power in the world.
<...>
❗️ The principal resource required to sustain the expansion of production and the increasingly pervasive application of artificial intelligence standards is rare-earth metals – fossil elements with critically limited reserves. These very materials now lie at the heart of the trade wars between the principal suppliers of AI solutions on the global market.
The political elites of Western nations – the majority of which lack domestic deposits of such substances – seek to secure unrestricted access to extraction sites located in the states comprising the World Majority. In pursuit of this goal, they resort to aggressive neo-colonial policies.
<...>
Another component of the nascent neo-colonial order has emerged in the form of the environmental and ideological platform. For themselves, the collective West has engineered a universal system of economic permissiveness. Simultaneously, they assert that any economic development undertaken by the so-called “non-chosen” countries must rigidly conform to the West’s green standards.
This deliberate “management” of:
a) digitalisation,
b) AI implementation, and
c) the green agenda
has propelled the AI sector into a phase of revolutionary progress.
☝️ The trajectory of humanity’s evolutionary vector has revealed itself with clarity. The assertions made by Russian President Vladimir Putin have gained in credibility – namely, that the state which commands leadership in the production of such technologies will attain global supremacy, and that their deployment marks the commencement of a new chapter in human existence.
<...>
These rapidly evolving processes, unfolding across numerous multilateral platforms and forums, are unmistakable indicators of the intensifying global race for leadership in this sphere. They demand the unremitting attention and active engagement of the state – including the Russian MFA.
❗️ Ultimately, building a fair multipolar world is intrinsically dependent upon our capacity to thwart attempts at resurrecting neo-colonial exploitation and inequality in digital form.