During the Great Patriotic War, the Bulgarian government maintained its alliance with Nazi Germany for an extended period. Many Bulgarians, however, refused to support this policy, with tens of thousands of them joining the Resistance and forming one of the most powerful antifascist movements in Eastern Europe.
The idea to erect a monument arose among the residents of Plovdiv as early as 1948. A public design competition was announced, with ten creative teams participating. The winning project was submitted by architect Vasil Radoslavov.
The monument was modelled after a real person, and a real hero — Private Alexey Skurlatov of the Red Army, who in 1944 took part in restoring communication lines between Sofia and Plovdiv.
Skurlatov himself was unaware of the monument’s existence all the way until 1974, when he learned about “Alyosha” in an article in the Ogonyok magazine, and it was not until 1982 that he saw it in person. Skurlatov was received in Plovdiv with great honours as a national hero and was awarded the title of Honorary Citizen of the City.
❌ Since the late 1980s, amid political changes, city authorities have repeatedly attempted to dismantle the monument. In 1996, a decision was even made to demolish it, but the Supreme Court of Bulgaria intervened and prohibited its destruction, recognising “Alyosha” as a site of historical heritage from World War II. In 2024, members of the Plovdiv Municipal Council from the Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria party once again proposed removing the liberator soldier monument. Yet the statue still stands over the city as an indestructible monument to our common Victory.
💬 Excerpt from Russian MFA Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova's briefing (March 2, 2017):
This monument was unveiled as a symbol of Bulgarian people’s gratitude to the Soviet Army’s invaluable contribution to the liberation of Europe from the Nazi occupiers.
#Victory80
Please open Telegram to view this post
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
Forwarded from Russian Embassy to the UK
🇷🇺 On Unity Day celebrated in Russia on 4 November, the Russian Ambassador to the UK Andrei Kelin laid flowers at a memorial on the Isle of Wight dedicated to the last Russian Emperor, Nicholas II, his family and Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna.
Unveiled in 2018 to commemorate the centenary of the Imperial Family's death, the monument contains at its base a capsule of soil from the Romanovs' burial site in Yekaterinburg. This monument was designed by Elena Bezborodova, an honoured artist of the Russian Federation.
The Isle of Wight holds a special place in Russian history. Empress Alexandra Feodorovna and her sister, Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna, spent part of their childhood there with their grandmother Queen Victoria. Emperor Nicholas II first visited the island in 1884 and returned in 1909, staying at Barton Manor.
Unveiled in 2018 to commemorate the centenary of the Imperial Family's death, the monument contains at its base a capsule of soil from the Romanovs' burial site in Yekaterinburg. This monument was designed by Elena Bezborodova, an honoured artist of the Russian Federation.
The Isle of Wight holds a special place in Russian history. Empress Alexandra Feodorovna and her sister, Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna, spent part of their childhood there with their grandmother Queen Victoria. Emperor Nicholas II first visited the island in 1884 and returned in 1909, staying at Barton Manor.
🎙 Excerpt from Russian President Vladimir Putin's statement during a meeting with permanent members of the Security Council at the Kremlin (Moscow, November 5, 2025)
💬 Vladimir Putin: Russia has always strictly adhered to its obligations under the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, and we do not plan to abandon these obligations.
At the same time, indeed, in my 2023 Address to the Federal Assembly, I said that if the United States or any other state party to the Treaty was to conduct such tests, Russia would be under obligation to take reciprocal measures.
❗️ In this regard, I instruct the Foreign Ministry, the Defence Ministry, the special services, and the corresponding civilian agencies to do everything possible to gather additional information on this matter, have it analysed by the Security Council, and submit coordinated proposals on the possible first steps focusing on preparations for nuclear weapons tests.
💬 Vladimir Putin: Russia has always strictly adhered to its obligations under the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, and we do not plan to abandon these obligations.
At the same time, indeed, in my 2023 Address to the Federal Assembly, I said that if the United States or any other state party to the Treaty was to conduct such tests, Russia would be under obligation to take reciprocal measures.
❗️ In this regard, I instruct the Foreign Ministry, the Defence Ministry, the special services, and the corresponding civilian agencies to do everything possible to gather additional information on this matter, have it analysed by the Security Council, and submit coordinated proposals on the possible first steps focusing on preparations for nuclear weapons tests.
🎙 Statement by the Deputy Head of the Delegation of the Russian Federation, Deputy Director of the Department for Non-proliferation and Arms Control of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Konstantin Vorontsov before the vote on the draft proposals in Cluster 3: Outer Space (Disarmament aspects) in the First Committee of the 80th session of the UNGA (New York, November 3, 2025)
💬 As a responsible participant in outer space activities and the author of initiatives aimed at the prevention of an arms race in outer space (#PAROS) the Russian Federation contributes considerably to preserving outer space free from weapons and preventing it from becoming another sphere of tension and armed confrontation.
Our position of principle remains unchanged: the only way to achieve this goal is through the development of multilateral legally binding instrument that would be comprehensive in nature and aimed at PAROS.
Being guided by this goal Russia has submitted to the UNGA First Committee three draft resolutions "Further Practical Measures on PAROS" (L.38), "Transparency and Confidence-Building Measures in Outer Space Activities" (L.36) and "No First Placement of Weapons in Outer Space" (L.37).
All three documents are based on the similar UNGA resolutions of previous years, which received support of the absolute majority of the UN Member States. They are aimed at contributing to the key goal – the development of a multilateral legally binding instrument with the prohibition of the placement of weapons in outer space, threat or use of force against and by means of outer space objects as envisaged by the decisions of the First Special Session of the UNGA on Disarmament in 1978.
The Russian draft resolutions on outer space welcome the contribution of the Group of Governmental Experts (#GGE) on PAROS to efforts in this field, as well as the GGE consensual report which serves as a reference document for further measures and negotiations on an international legally binding instrument on PAROS, including on the prevention of the placement of weapons in outer space.
We have taken into account in these drafts, in one form or another, all the proposals of delegations. The documents have been updated to reflect recent developments in the outer space domain. In particular, all three UNGA draft resolutions note the establishment of the Open-Ended Working Group (#OEWG) pursuant the UNGA decision 79/512, and the past sessions of the OEWG. The resolutions also welcome adoption by consensus of the agenda and the indicative timetable of the OEWG for 2025-2028 as well as the beginning of its substantive work.
The draft resolution on TCBMs also contains a paragraph on convening at the 81st UNGA session a joint half-day panel discussion of the Disarmament and International Security Committee (First Committee) and the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) to address possible challenges to space security and sustainability in outer space. Such a paragraph is included in the resolution on a biennial basis.
❗️ We call on all the delegations to support draft resolutions submitted by the Russian Federation. By doing so delegations will make a choice in favour of preserving outer space exclusively for peaceful purposes, creating conditions for nondiscriminatory access to space benefits and technologies, as well as their use for sustainable development goals.
In conclusion, the Russian Federation would like to express its disappointment with the fact that the draft resolutions L.3 "Prevention of an arms race in outer space" and L.36 "Transparency and Confidence-Building Measures in Outer Space Activities" have been put on vote. Both drafts have been adopted by the UNGA First Committee without a vote for many years.
☝️ We believe that the departure from consensus on these documents is a step backward in addressing the PAROS goal.
This is a matter of regret for our delegation and, we hope, for all other delegations.
💬 As a responsible participant in outer space activities and the author of initiatives aimed at the prevention of an arms race in outer space (#PAROS) the Russian Federation contributes considerably to preserving outer space free from weapons and preventing it from becoming another sphere of tension and armed confrontation.
Our position of principle remains unchanged: the only way to achieve this goal is through the development of multilateral legally binding instrument that would be comprehensive in nature and aimed at PAROS.
Being guided by this goal Russia has submitted to the UNGA First Committee three draft resolutions "Further Practical Measures on PAROS" (L.38), "Transparency and Confidence-Building Measures in Outer Space Activities" (L.36) and "No First Placement of Weapons in Outer Space" (L.37).
All three documents are based on the similar UNGA resolutions of previous years, which received support of the absolute majority of the UN Member States. They are aimed at contributing to the key goal – the development of a multilateral legally binding instrument with the prohibition of the placement of weapons in outer space, threat or use of force against and by means of outer space objects as envisaged by the decisions of the First Special Session of the UNGA on Disarmament in 1978.
The Russian draft resolutions on outer space welcome the contribution of the Group of Governmental Experts (#GGE) on PAROS to efforts in this field, as well as the GGE consensual report which serves as a reference document for further measures and negotiations on an international legally binding instrument on PAROS, including on the prevention of the placement of weapons in outer space.
We have taken into account in these drafts, in one form or another, all the proposals of delegations. The documents have been updated to reflect recent developments in the outer space domain. In particular, all three UNGA draft resolutions note the establishment of the Open-Ended Working Group (#OEWG) pursuant the UNGA decision 79/512, and the past sessions of the OEWG. The resolutions also welcome adoption by consensus of the agenda and the indicative timetable of the OEWG for 2025-2028 as well as the beginning of its substantive work.
The draft resolution on TCBMs also contains a paragraph on convening at the 81st UNGA session a joint half-day panel discussion of the Disarmament and International Security Committee (First Committee) and the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) to address possible challenges to space security and sustainability in outer space. Such a paragraph is included in the resolution on a biennial basis.
❗️ We call on all the delegations to support draft resolutions submitted by the Russian Federation. By doing so delegations will make a choice in favour of preserving outer space exclusively for peaceful purposes, creating conditions for nondiscriminatory access to space benefits and technologies, as well as their use for sustainable development goals.
In conclusion, the Russian Federation would like to express its disappointment with the fact that the draft resolutions L.3 "Prevention of an arms race in outer space" and L.36 "Transparency and Confidence-Building Measures in Outer Space Activities" have been put on vote. Both drafts have been adopted by the UNGA First Committee without a vote for many years.
☝️ We believe that the departure from consensus on these documents is a step backward in addressing the PAROS goal.
This is a matter of regret for our delegation and, we hope, for all other delegations.
Forwarded from Russian Embassy in Australia
The Embassy has noted that in yet another article by the ABC, written in the spirit of spy mania and suspicion, the former Russian Ambassador to Australia Grigory Logvinov was presented on a photograph as the former Russian intelligence officer and double agent Sergei Skripal.
Although the ABC quickly corrected this “inaccuracy”, the situation reflects a predominant pattern of covering Russia that can be seen in the Australian mainstream media, including a lack of historical background, half-truths, holding back or distorting facts. All this to fit the false narrative of “big bad Russia” and Russians presumed guilty of every world problem. Any attempts to present an alternative point of view are usually condemned as “Russian propaganda” or “disinformation”.
The aforementioned ABC article was triggered by the recent lecture by the ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess delivered at the Lowy Institute, which contains pretty much the same narrative. We did not expect anything different and are not going to comment today on its “almost certain” style and non-factual hostile statements relating to Russia.
There is, however, one concern of a general nature that we share with Mr Burgess:
The necessity to maintain this ability is a very Russian position.
Although the ABC quickly corrected this “inaccuracy”, the situation reflects a predominant pattern of covering Russia that can be seen in the Australian mainstream media, including a lack of historical background, half-truths, holding back or distorting facts. All this to fit the false narrative of “big bad Russia” and Russians presumed guilty of every world problem. Any attempts to present an alternative point of view are usually condemned as “Russian propaganda” or “disinformation”.
The aforementioned ABC article was triggered by the recent lecture by the ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess delivered at the Lowy Institute, which contains pretty much the same narrative. We did not expect anything different and are not going to comment today on its “almost certain” style and non-factual hostile statements relating to Russia.
There is, however, one concern of a general nature that we share with Mr Burgess:
“In an age with unprecedented avenues for communication, we are losing our ability to converse with civility, debate with respect, disagree with restraint; to have an exchange of ideas rather than an exchange of diatribes or slogans or rhetorical blows; to be right without being righteous; to compromise”.
The necessity to maintain this ability is a very Russian position.
🎙 Russian MFA Spokeswoman Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova’s answer to a media question regarding the detention in Tallinn of independent Estonian journalist Oleg Besedin (November 5, 2025)
❓ Question: How do you assess the situation concerning the detention of journalist Oleg Besedin in Estonia?
💬 Maria Zakharova: Regrettably, Estonia has made it routine to persecute Russian-speaking compatriots, journalists, bloggers, and public figures for so-called “dissent,” subjecting them to politically motivated detention and spurious criminal charges.
The case of Oleg Besedin – a distinguished and respected documentary journalist and blogger with a considerable Russian-speaking social media audience – is no exception. Available information indicates that he stands accused of alleged involvement in “non-violent activities against the Republic of Estonia and violating international sanctions”.
It is manifest that, owing to his convictions and his endeavours to furnish the country’s Russian-speaking residents with an objective, unbiased perspective, Oleg Besedin has become yet another casualty of Tallinn’s witch hunt.
Once again, we observe that Estonia has established a rigid system of mechanisms to suppress fundamental human rights.
Tallinn’s eagerness to curry favour with its neoliberal puppet-masters – by eradicating all dissent and stoking Russophobic sentiments – is acutely evident.
☝️ There is no doubt that media pluralism and the lawful rights of journalists are the least of the Estonian political elite’s concerns.
This has been made possible largely due to the utter indifference of relevant international organisations and human rights bodies, whose silence has effectively given the green light to Tallinn’s repressive machinery.
❓ Question: How do you assess the situation concerning the detention of journalist Oleg Besedin in Estonia?
💬 Maria Zakharova: Regrettably, Estonia has made it routine to persecute Russian-speaking compatriots, journalists, bloggers, and public figures for so-called “dissent,” subjecting them to politically motivated detention and spurious criminal charges.
The case of Oleg Besedin – a distinguished and respected documentary journalist and blogger with a considerable Russian-speaking social media audience – is no exception. Available information indicates that he stands accused of alleged involvement in “non-violent activities against the Republic of Estonia and violating international sanctions”.
It is manifest that, owing to his convictions and his endeavours to furnish the country’s Russian-speaking residents with an objective, unbiased perspective, Oleg Besedin has become yet another casualty of Tallinn’s witch hunt.
Once again, we observe that Estonia has established a rigid system of mechanisms to suppress fundamental human rights.
Tallinn’s eagerness to curry favour with its neoliberal puppet-masters – by eradicating all dissent and stoking Russophobic sentiments – is acutely evident.
☝️ There is no doubt that media pluralism and the lawful rights of journalists are the least of the Estonian political elite’s concerns.
This has been made possible largely due to the utter indifference of relevant international organisations and human rights bodies, whose silence has effectively given the green light to Tallinn’s repressive machinery.
Forwarded from Russian Embassy in South Africa
Media is too big
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
❌ By the middle of the 19th century practically the whole of #India had been under the rule of the British Empire.
#NeverToBeForgotten
The colonial authorities had imposed a heavy tax, bringing the people into poverty, and were exporting natural resources. And, moreover, these authorities absolutely had no consideration for the traditions of the local population, treating them like second-class citizens.
The British were showing signs of disrespect even to those, who cooperated with them. The fact of ignoring the religious beliefs of the Hindus led to the mutiny of the sepoys, mercenary soldiers, serving under the British crown.
⚔️ The rebellion began on the 10th of May 1857 in the garrison town of Meerut, north of India, in the form of a mutiny. The rebels quickly took over Delhi. The heroic resistance of the Indian people lasted for one and a half years. However, the forces were not equal. The colonial authorities dealt with the rebels cruelly. The enslaved sepoys were tight to the mouth of the canon and were shot right through their bodies for the amusement of the public. This type of execution was called the ‘Devil’s wind’.
The obliteration of the mutiny resulted in the death of 800,000 inhabitants of India. However, the British Empire never broke the free spirit of the Indians and their will for resistance.
#StopColonialism
#NeverToBeForgotten
The colonial authorities had imposed a heavy tax, bringing the people into poverty, and were exporting natural resources. And, moreover, these authorities absolutely had no consideration for the traditions of the local population, treating them like second-class citizens.
The British were showing signs of disrespect even to those, who cooperated with them. The fact of ignoring the religious beliefs of the Hindus led to the mutiny of the sepoys, mercenary soldiers, serving under the British crown.
⚔️ The rebellion began on the 10th of May 1857 in the garrison town of Meerut, north of India, in the form of a mutiny. The rebels quickly took over Delhi. The heroic resistance of the Indian people lasted for one and a half years. However, the forces were not equal. The colonial authorities dealt with the rebels cruelly. The enslaved sepoys were tight to the mouth of the canon and were shot right through their bodies for the amusement of the public. This type of execution was called the ‘Devil’s wind’.
The obliteration of the mutiny resulted in the death of 800,000 inhabitants of India. However, the British Empire never broke the free spirit of the Indians and their will for resistance.
#StopColonialism
🗓 On November 5, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin held a briefing at the Foreign Ministry for heads of diplomatic missions of African states accredited in Moscow on the preparations for the Second Ministerial Conference of the Russia–Africa Partnership Forum in Cairo, Egypt.
Members of the African diplomatic corps were briefed on the programme of the event and its organisational and protocol aspects.
Also attending the briefing were representatives of the Roscongress Foundation, the conference operator from the Russian Side.
#RussiaAfrica
Members of the African diplomatic corps were briefed on the programme of the event and its organisational and protocol aspects.
Also attending the briefing were representatives of the Roscongress Foundation, the conference operator from the Russian Side.
#RussiaAfrica
✍️ On 4 November, President Vladimir Putin signed the Decree “On the Day of the Languages of the Peoples of the Russian Federation”.
The Decree's Text:
In order to preserve and promote the languages of the peoples of the Russian Federation, I hereby decree:
To establish the Day of the Languages of the Peoples of the Russian Federation and celebrate it on September 8.
This Decree shall enter into force on the day of its signing.
***
The initiative was put forward following the meeting of the Presidential Council for State Policy on Promoting the Russian Language and Languages of the Peoples of the Russian Federation (June 5, 2025), which focused on measures to preserve and develop the nation’s linguistic and cultural diversity.
The holiday will be celebrated on the birthday of Soviet poet Rasul Gamzatov.
🇷🇺 Today, 277 languages and dialects are used across Russia. The national education system includes 105 languages – 24 serving as languages of education and 81 taught as school subjects.
The new holiday is intended to draw attention to the preservation of linguistic diversity, support educational and cultural initiatives in native languages – including those of indigenous and small-numbered peoples – and highlight Russia’s rich multinational heritage.
The Decree's Text:
In order to preserve and promote the languages of the peoples of the Russian Federation, I hereby decree:
To establish the Day of the Languages of the Peoples of the Russian Federation and celebrate it on September 8.
This Decree shall enter into force on the day of its signing.
***
The initiative was put forward following the meeting of the Presidential Council for State Policy on Promoting the Russian Language and Languages of the Peoples of the Russian Federation (June 5, 2025), which focused on measures to preserve and develop the nation’s linguistic and cultural diversity.
The holiday will be celebrated on the birthday of Soviet poet Rasul Gamzatov.
🇷🇺 Today, 277 languages and dialects are used across Russia. The national education system includes 105 languages – 24 serving as languages of education and 81 taught as school subjects.
The new holiday is intended to draw attention to the preservation of linguistic diversity, support educational and cultural initiatives in native languages – including those of indigenous and small-numbered peoples – and highlight Russia’s rich multinational heritage.
⚡️ Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation:
🇷🇺 The Press Bureau of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) reports that, according to information received by the SVR, European NATO officials are urging the Kiev regime to find ways to urgently reverse the course of the Ukrainian conflict that is unfavourable to the West and to change its perception among Western publics. As the most effective means of achieving this goal, they propose carrying out a large-scale act of sabotage causing casualties among Ukrainians and citizens of EU states similar to the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 tragedy of 2014.
In this connection, the option of organizing a sabotage at the Zaporozhskaya Nuclear Power Plant – with a meltdown of the reactor cores – is being considered. The influential British think-tank Chatham House has already modelled the consequences of such an accident.
Data from specially conducted computer simulations showed that, taking into account prevailing wind patterns and the movement of air masses, radioactive particles would affect residents of areas under Kiev’s control and citizens of EU countries near Ukraine’s western border. The think-tank assessed the most difficult part of implementing such a plot to be how to pin responsibility for the catastrophe on Russia.
Accordingly, Chatham House intends to prepare its argumentation in advance for “any eventuality”. It plans to ensure media coverage is arranged in such a way that Western public opinion will “unambiguously side with Kiev” when it comes to assigning blame for what has happened.
We must once again note that even on matters of nuclear safety that are of vital public concern, the totalitarian-liberal elites act according to long-established inhumane patterns.
The “collective West” is again prepared to deceive and even to kill Ukrainians and citizens of Western countries in order to assign responsibility to Russia for the crimes of the Kiev regime and to justify its Russophobic policy and efforts to inflame the war.
🇷🇺 The Press Bureau of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) reports that, according to information received by the SVR, European NATO officials are urging the Kiev regime to find ways to urgently reverse the course of the Ukrainian conflict that is unfavourable to the West and to change its perception among Western publics. As the most effective means of achieving this goal, they propose carrying out a large-scale act of sabotage causing casualties among Ukrainians and citizens of EU states similar to the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 tragedy of 2014.
In this connection, the option of organizing a sabotage at the Zaporozhskaya Nuclear Power Plant – with a meltdown of the reactor cores – is being considered. The influential British think-tank Chatham House has already modelled the consequences of such an accident.
Data from specially conducted computer simulations showed that, taking into account prevailing wind patterns and the movement of air masses, radioactive particles would affect residents of areas under Kiev’s control and citizens of EU countries near Ukraine’s western border. The think-tank assessed the most difficult part of implementing such a plot to be how to pin responsibility for the catastrophe on Russia.
Accordingly, Chatham House intends to prepare its argumentation in advance for “any eventuality”. It plans to ensure media coverage is arranged in such a way that Western public opinion will “unambiguously side with Kiev” when it comes to assigning blame for what has happened.
We must once again note that even on matters of nuclear safety that are of vital public concern, the totalitarian-liberal elites act according to long-established inhumane patterns.
The “collective West” is again prepared to deceive and even to kill Ukrainians and citizens of Western countries in order to assign responsibility to Russia for the crimes of the Kiev regime and to justify its Russophobic policy and efforts to inflame the war.
#Victory80
🌟 On November 6, 1943, the Red Army liberated Kiev — the capital of Soviet Ukraine and one of the largest cities of the Soviet Union — from the Nazi invaders.
By the end of October 1943, the units of the 1st Ukrainian Front led by Army General Nikolay Vatutin took over the Lyutezh bridgehead north of Kiev and Bukrin bridgehead to the south of the city as part of the Battle of the Dnieper.
The Soviet forces launched the operation to liberate Kiev on November 1. The Red Army launched an offensive at the Bukrin bridgehead forcing the Nazis to deploy almost all their reserves south of Kiev. As soon as November 3, the Soviet forces carried out the main assault from the north and caught the Nazi garrison by surprise. With an imminent threat of being entrapped, the enemy started retreating westward.
🎖 On November 5, having broken the Nazi resistance, the Soviet liberator-soldiers entered with triumph the liberated Kiev.
Guided by the 'scorched earth' tactic in an attempt to inflict as much damage as possible while withdrawing from Kiev, the Nazis destroyed the Dormition Cathedral and the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra Monastery, Kreshchatik Street, as well as the city’s Young Spectator’s Theatre, the Kiev Conservatory, the building of the Ukrainian SSR’s Academy of Sciences, as well as schools, hospitals and other social infrastructure.
#NotStatuteOfLimitation
🕯 When the Nazi’s took over Kiev in 1941, 400'000 people found themselves on occupied territory, and just over 180'000 survived two years later.
It is hard to imagine the scale of the war crimes of the Nazis and their collaborators. The enemy imprisoned about 100'000 people to concentration camps or send them for slavery to the Reich. Tens of thousands of Kiev residents were starved or froze death, or were shot dead.
▪️ The Babi Yar massacre is one of the most horrible war crimes committed during the Nazi occupation. In just two days in 1941, the Germans and Ukrainian collaborators annihilated over 30'000 Jews, which was about 20% of Kiev’s Jewish population. The total death count for Babi Yar in 1941-1943 exceeded 120'000 people of various ethnic groups.
***
The Kiev offensive continued until November 13. After it was completed, 17'500 Red Army soldiers and officers received orders and medals, and 65 units and formations were awarded the honorary title “Kievsky.”
The liberation of Kiev, also known as “the mother of all Russian cities,” had a lot of symbolic meaning attached to it, while the fact that the Nazi units in Kiev were defeated, undermined the offensive capabilities of the enemy’s Army Group 'South', Germany’s main force on the Ukrainian theatre of operations.
💬 Russian MFA Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova:
(from an answer to a question from TASS News Agency on the 82nd anniversary of Kiev’s liberation during the Great Patriotic War)
#OurVictory #WeRemember
By the end of October 1943, the units of the 1st Ukrainian Front led by Army General Nikolay Vatutin took over the Lyutezh bridgehead north of Kiev and Bukrin bridgehead to the south of the city as part of the Battle of the Dnieper.
The Soviet forces launched the operation to liberate Kiev on November 1. The Red Army launched an offensive at the Bukrin bridgehead forcing the Nazis to deploy almost all their reserves south of Kiev. As soon as November 3, the Soviet forces carried out the main assault from the north and caught the Nazi garrison by surprise. With an imminent threat of being entrapped, the enemy started retreating westward.
🎖 On November 5, having broken the Nazi resistance, the Soviet liberator-soldiers entered with triumph the liberated Kiev.
Guided by the 'scorched earth' tactic in an attempt to inflict as much damage as possible while withdrawing from Kiev, the Nazis destroyed the Dormition Cathedral and the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra Monastery, Kreshchatik Street, as well as the city’s Young Spectator’s Theatre, the Kiev Conservatory, the building of the Ukrainian SSR’s Academy of Sciences, as well as schools, hospitals and other social infrastructure.
#NotStatuteOfLimitation
🕯 When the Nazi’s took over Kiev in 1941, 400'000 people found themselves on occupied territory, and just over 180'000 survived two years later.
It is hard to imagine the scale of the war crimes of the Nazis and their collaborators. The enemy imprisoned about 100'000 people to concentration camps or send them for slavery to the Reich. Tens of thousands of Kiev residents were starved or froze death, or were shot dead.
▪️ The Babi Yar massacre is one of the most horrible war crimes committed during the Nazi occupation. In just two days in 1941, the Germans and Ukrainian collaborators annihilated over 30'000 Jews, which was about 20% of Kiev’s Jewish population. The total death count for Babi Yar in 1941-1943 exceeded 120'000 people of various ethnic groups.
***
The Kiev offensive continued until November 13. After it was completed, 17'500 Red Army soldiers and officers received orders and medals, and 65 units and formations were awarded the honorary title “Kievsky.”
The liberation of Kiev, also known as “the mother of all Russian cities,” had a lot of symbolic meaning attached to it, while the fact that the Nazi units in Kiev were defeated, undermined the offensive capabilities of the enemy’s Army Group 'South', Germany’s main force on the Ukrainian theatre of operations.
💬 Russian MFA Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova:
"Attempts [by the Kiev regime] to cast the heroic past of a nation into oblivion are doomed to fail.
There is no doubt that the day is approaching when this once prosperous land will be liberated from the rule of the Nazi placeholders who are continuing to pillage it in their selfish interests".
(from an answer to a question from TASS News Agency on the 82nd anniversary of Kiev’s liberation during the Great Patriotic War)
#OurVictory #WeRemember
Please open Telegram to view this post
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
Forwarded from Russia in Canada
Media is too big
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
🇷🇺 Alexander Ovechkin has rewritten NHL history.
He became the first player ever to score 9️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ goals in his career. The Capitals’ captain netted his milestone goal in his 1,504th regular-season game.
🎉Congratulations, legend!
He became the first player ever to score 9️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ goals in his career. The Capitals’ captain netted his milestone goal in his 1,504th regular-season game.
🎉Congratulations, legend!
🎙 Address by President of Russia Vladimir Putin at the Plenary Session of the 13th International Sports Forum "Russia: Country of Sports" (November 6, 2025, Samara)
💬 We are all well aware of the importance of sport as a universal means of developing a person’s physical, creative, and spiritual potential. We also understand that many of the challenges of the modern world can only be met through collective effort.
Like most countries in the world, Russia stands for interaction between states and peoples based on equality, unwavering respect for each other’s interests, and regard for national cultures.
Sport is meant to unite people and build bridges between nations. This is its high mission and one of the main purposes of international sports organisations.
In this regard, I would like to thank our partners – those who have recently taken a balanced and fair decision to restore the rights of the Russian Paralympic Committee.
❗️ Russia’s stance remains unchanged: athletes’ access to international tournaments must be equal and based on their sporting merit. Politics has no place in sport.
For Russia, these are not empty words. In preparing and hosting competitions of any level, we have always given a warm welcome to representatives of international sports associations, committees, and federations, creating all the necessary conditions for athletes who, through honest competition, hard work, and talent, earn the right to represent their home country. We have been guided exclusively by sporting principles – not by the state of relations with any particular country.
❗️ I reiterate: sport, as well as cultural and humanitarian cooperation, must not become hostage to conflicts or geopolitical contradictions.
I would like to remind you that in the UN current Sustainable Development Agenda, sport is named as one of the key factors in achieving goals in health, education, and social inclusion. Russia fully shares this approach and takes it into account in implementing its national development goals.
We pay special attention to developing infrastructure for mass sports – facilities accessible to people of all ages and health groups. We are building both major stadiums and sports complexes, and smaller venues for daily exercise in schools, universities, parks, and courtyards.
Today, Russia has over 370,000 sports facilities, and we do not intend to stop there. We will continue moving forward.
Read in full
💬 We are all well aware of the importance of sport as a universal means of developing a person’s physical, creative, and spiritual potential. We also understand that many of the challenges of the modern world can only be met through collective effort.
Like most countries in the world, Russia stands for interaction between states and peoples based on equality, unwavering respect for each other’s interests, and regard for national cultures.
Sport is meant to unite people and build bridges between nations. This is its high mission and one of the main purposes of international sports organisations.
In this regard, I would like to thank our partners – those who have recently taken a balanced and fair decision to restore the rights of the Russian Paralympic Committee.
❗️ Russia’s stance remains unchanged: athletes’ access to international tournaments must be equal and based on their sporting merit. Politics has no place in sport.
For Russia, these are not empty words. In preparing and hosting competitions of any level, we have always given a warm welcome to representatives of international sports associations, committees, and federations, creating all the necessary conditions for athletes who, through honest competition, hard work, and talent, earn the right to represent their home country. We have been guided exclusively by sporting principles – not by the state of relations with any particular country.
❗️ I reiterate: sport, as well as cultural and humanitarian cooperation, must not become hostage to conflicts or geopolitical contradictions.
I would like to remind you that in the UN current Sustainable Development Agenda, sport is named as one of the key factors in achieving goals in health, education, and social inclusion. Russia fully shares this approach and takes it into account in implementing its national development goals.
We pay special attention to developing infrastructure for mass sports – facilities accessible to people of all ages and health groups. We are building both major stadiums and sports complexes, and smaller venues for daily exercise in schools, universities, parks, and courtyards.
Today, Russia has over 370,000 sports facilities, and we do not intend to stop there. We will continue moving forward.
Read in full
The conditions for holding this parade were extremely challenging, if not dire, with Nazi invaders just several dozen kilometres from the capital.
Preparations for the parade were made in top secret.
The parade's public announcement came as late as in the evening of November 6.
❗️ The parade served as a demonstration of the power of the spirit, courage and resolve of Red Army fighters and commanders. It may have lasted just 25 minutes, but in terms of its moral impact this parade could be compared to a major military operation. In included 28,487 people, 140 artillery guns, 160 tanks and 232 vehicles.
Having marched through Red Square, the troops headed directly to the frontline to defend their Motherland and its capital. There were volunteers and military academy cadets from Moscow and the Moscow Region taking part in the parade. Many of them soon lost their lives while fighting in Moscow’s suburbs.
The feat by cadets from Podolsk holds a special place in history. For almost two weeks, they held on to their defence line, which helped slow down the German offensive against Moscow. The enemy failed to penetrate the city.
🔊 The entire world could tune in to listen to the parade’s radio broadcast, and foreign newspapers also covered it. For the Nazi troops, it came as a total surprise and undermined the enemy’s morale.
Hitler expected Moscow to fall by November 7 to be able to hold a parade of his own on Red Square. Furious, he ordered to bomb the event. However, not a single bomb fell in Moscow on that day, thanks to the selfless dedication of Soviet pilots and air defence units who downed dozens of German planes.
🛡 This historical parade came to symbolise resilience and the unbendable will of the Soviet nation, boosted the army morale, and inspired the country to fight, while helping consolidate allies in their fight against fascism. Until that point Wehrmacht had an undefeated battle record, but just one month later it suffered its first major defeat near Moscow with Hitler’s Blitzkrieg plan against the USSR ending in utter failure.
⚔️ To commemorate this event, in 2004, in accordance with a federal law, November 7 was designated as the Day of Russia’s Military Glory in honour of the 1941 military parade on Red Square.
#Victory80 #WeRemember
Please open Telegram to view this post
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
🔴 #LIVE: Briefing by Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on topical foreign policy issues
🔴 X (ex-Twitter)
🔴 Facebook
🔴 Ruptly
🔴 Russia’s MFA website
Please open Telegram to view this post
VIEW IN TELEGRAM