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🎙 Comment by Russian MFA Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on the revocation of the rehabilitation of Japanese war criminals (January 2, 2026)
💬 In 2025, we marked a major anniversary, 80 years since the Great Victory and the end of #WWII.
In the new year, we will keep disclosing information about the war crimes committed in the mid-XXth century, including by Japanese militarists.
We have repeatedly stressed that these crimes have #NoStatuteOfLimitation while the legal proceedings required to prosecute all the criminals continue to this day.
In April-November 2025, the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation issued decisions revoking the rulings adopted in the 1980s-2000s that had granted rehabilitation to the following Japanese citizens:
• Masaichiro KADOMA
• Tatsuo MARUYAMA
• Hiroshi MOMMA
• Hatsuo NIOKA
• Yoshizumi NIHEI
• Haruju ONO
• Yasuhide SATO
• Juniti TORIUMI
• Seichi MATSUI
• Imao MATSUTA
• Fukio KAWANA
• Kazuhisa MASUDA
• Ichizo OHARA
• Tsuneichi TAKAYAMA
• Tokusaburo SATO
• Makoto BABA
• Nobuo IMAI
• Tetsuji MARUYAMA
• Tadao MAEDA
• Yasumichi KAGAWA
During the war and even after Japan’s surrender in 1945, 👉 they participated in sabotage and espionage against the Soviet Union.
Following a review of the court decisions by the cassation court and supervisory authority, it has been established that these individuals are not subject to rehabilitation and that their guilt has been proven in full.
As a specific example, it should be noted that several criminals from this list surrendered to the Red Army but subsequently made attempts to organise espionage in order to gather intelligence on the manpower and disposition of Soviet forces. Some others trained saboteurs while operating in the border regions. There are also individuals among the listed who sent people to the notorious Unit 731 for experiments.
❗️ The efforts on disclosing and making public the information on the crimes of the militarist Japan will continue.
💬 In 2025, we marked a major anniversary, 80 years since the Great Victory and the end of #WWII.
In the new year, we will keep disclosing information about the war crimes committed in the mid-XXth century, including by Japanese militarists.
We have repeatedly stressed that these crimes have #NoStatuteOfLimitation while the legal proceedings required to prosecute all the criminals continue to this day.
In April-November 2025, the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation issued decisions revoking the rulings adopted in the 1980s-2000s that had granted rehabilitation to the following Japanese citizens:
• Masaichiro KADOMA
• Tatsuo MARUYAMA
• Hiroshi MOMMA
• Hatsuo NIOKA
• Yoshizumi NIHEI
• Haruju ONO
• Yasuhide SATO
• Juniti TORIUMI
• Seichi MATSUI
• Imao MATSUTA
• Fukio KAWANA
• Kazuhisa MASUDA
• Ichizo OHARA
• Tsuneichi TAKAYAMA
• Tokusaburo SATO
• Makoto BABA
• Nobuo IMAI
• Tetsuji MARUYAMA
• Tadao MAEDA
• Yasumichi KAGAWA
During the war and even after Japan’s surrender in 1945, 👉 they participated in sabotage and espionage against the Soviet Union.
Following a review of the court decisions by the cassation court and supervisory authority, it has been established that these individuals are not subject to rehabilitation and that their guilt has been proven in full.
As a specific example, it should be noted that several criminals from this list surrendered to the Red Army but subsequently made attempts to organise espionage in order to gather intelligence on the manpower and disposition of Soviet forces. Some others trained saboteurs while operating in the border regions. There are also individuals among the listed who sent people to the notorious Unit 731 for experiments.
❗️ The efforts on disclosing and making public the information on the crimes of the militarist Japan will continue.
Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
⚡️ Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation regarding the armed aggression by the United States against Venezuela
This morning, the US committed an act of armed aggression against Venezuela. This development gives rise to deep concern and warrants condemnation.
The pretexts used to justify these actions are untenable. Ideologized animosity has prevailed over pragmatic engagement, as well as over any readiness to build relations based on trust and predictability.
In the current situation, it is essential above all to prevent further escalation and to focus on finding a solution through dialogue. We proceed from the understanding that all parties that may have grievances against one another must seek solutions through dialogue-based mechanisms. We stand ready to support such efforts.
Latin America must remain a zone of peace, as it proclaimed itself in 2014. Venezuela must be guaranteed the right to determine its own destiny, free from any destructive – let alone military – external interference.
We reaffirm our solidarity with the Venezuelan people and our support for the course pursued by its Bolivarian leadership, aimed at safeguarding the country’s national interests and sovereignty.
We support the statements by the Venezuelan authorities and by the leaders of Latin American countries calling for the urgent convening of a meeting of the UN Security Council.
Russia's Embassy in Caracas is operating as normal, taking into account the situation on the ground, and maintains constant contact with the Venezuelan authorities as well as with Russian nationals present in Venezuela.
At present, there is no information indicating that any citizens of the Russian Federation have been injured.
This morning, the US committed an act of armed aggression against Venezuela. This development gives rise to deep concern and warrants condemnation.
The pretexts used to justify these actions are untenable. Ideologized animosity has prevailed over pragmatic engagement, as well as over any readiness to build relations based on trust and predictability.
In the current situation, it is essential above all to prevent further escalation and to focus on finding a solution through dialogue. We proceed from the understanding that all parties that may have grievances against one another must seek solutions through dialogue-based mechanisms. We stand ready to support such efforts.
Latin America must remain a zone of peace, as it proclaimed itself in 2014. Venezuela must be guaranteed the right to determine its own destiny, free from any destructive – let alone military – external interference.
We reaffirm our solidarity with the Venezuelan people and our support for the course pursued by its Bolivarian leadership, aimed at safeguarding the country’s national interests and sovereignty.
We support the statements by the Venezuelan authorities and by the leaders of Latin American countries calling for the urgent convening of a meeting of the UN Security Council.
Russia's Embassy in Caracas is operating as normal, taking into account the situation on the ground, and maintains constant contact with the Venezuelan authorities as well as with Russian nationals present in Venezuela.
At present, there is no information indicating that any citizens of the Russian Federation have been injured.
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⚡️ Russia's Foreign Ministry statement concerning developments around Venezuela
In view of the confirmed reports about Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his spouse being in the United States, we strongly urge the US leadership to reconsider their position and release the legitimately elected president of a sovereign country and his spouse.
We highlight the need to create conditions for resolving any existing issues between the United States and Venezuela through dialogue.
In view of the confirmed reports about Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his spouse being in the United States, we strongly urge the US leadership to reconsider their position and release the legitimately elected president of a sovereign country and his spouse.
We highlight the need to create conditions for resolving any existing issues between the United States and Venezuela through dialogue.
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Fearless seamen, who were tasked with an important strategic mission, which consisted of engaging the German garrison in combat to distract it from Feodosia, performed deceptive tactical manoeuvre hampering a huge number of the German troops along the Koktebel shore at the time when the main Red Army forces attacked on the Kerch peninsula.
Despite the enemy’s superiority in manpower and equipment, the Koktebel landing was carried out successfully, with the main mission being completed.
Soviet Red Nave seamen showed unparalleled courage and heroism: under harsh and fierce weather conditions (a five-category storm and a -20°C frost), engaging combat being waist-deep in the icy water, the seamen were fighting to death, selflessly assisting their comrades to defend Crimea against the Nazi invaders.
Thanks to the heroic feat of Soviet seamen in Koktebel, the Red Army was given the opportunity to reach Feodosia on land and firmly entrench on the Kerch bridgehead. On January 5, a group of Red Army soldiers landed in Yevpatoria, having driven the Romanian invaders out of the city.
🎖 The success of the Koktebel landing turned the tide in the Battle of Sevastopol — the Nazis hastened to redeploy some of their divisions to Kerch so as to deter the Red Army attacking. Thus, the defenders of Sevastopol gained the necessary time: the city garrison could regroup the forces and throw all their strength to fend off the enemy.
***
The Koktebel landing
December 1941
On the night of December 28-29, 1941, during the Kerch offensive, a reconnaissance unit of 29 volunteering Red Navy seamen reached the Koktebel Bay on board of the D-5 'Spartakovets' submarine. Once arrived at the destination of the mission, the unit received an order — to land ashore and launch an assault on the Nazi-occupied Koktebel village, while the main Red Army ground forces were reaching Feodosia.
In the early morning of December 29, at 3:30 a.m., the Soviet seamen launched the attack. Despite dense machinegun fire and enemy mines, the unit broke through the sheer hell — the seamen reached the shore and engaged in combat with the German and Romanian troops. Our seamen's surprise attack tied down the enemy garrison in Koktebel for several days until the main Red Army forces approached.
By January 1, the Red Army assault group, which successfully landed in Feodosia, finally reached Koktebel and joined their comrades — the heroic seamen who were selflessly fighting till the end. Together they crushed the enemy and further continued liberation of Crimea.
The heroic Victory in Koktebel was achieved at a high cost: according to various estimates, only 10 out of the 29 seamen survived.
***
In 1975, marking the 35th Anniversary of the Great Victory, in Koktebel (Republic of Crimea) a monument to the Heroic 29 Red Navy seamen was unveiled. The memorial stone bears the inscription:
To the soldiers who participated in the landing and died for the Crimean land during the Great Patriotic War.
🕯 The monument is located beside the mass grave where the seamen, who perished in the Koktebel operation, found their eternal rest.
#Victory80 #WeAreProud #WeRemember
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☦️ Russia's President Vladimir Putin congratulated Orthodox Christians and all Russians celebrating Christmas (January 7, 2026)
✍️ Vladimir Putin: This wonderful holiday illuminates the world with the light of kindness and love, giving millions of people hope and the joy of communion with the spiritual traditions of our forebears, passed down from generation to generation.
I would like to note with deep appreciation the immense and truly unique contribution made by the Russian Orthodox Church and other Christian denominations to strengthening social unity, preserving our rich historical and cultural heritage, and fostering the patriotic and moral upbringing of young people.
Religious organisations devote tireless attention to works of mercy and charity, care for those in need, support participants and veterans of the special military operation, and do much to promote harmonious interfaith and interethnic dialogue in our country. This important and much-needed work deserves the most sincere recognition.
I wish Orthodox Christians and all those who celebrate Christmas good health, success and all the very best.
✍️ Vladimir Putin: This wonderful holiday illuminates the world with the light of kindness and love, giving millions of people hope and the joy of communion with the spiritual traditions of our forebears, passed down from generation to generation.
I would like to note with deep appreciation the immense and truly unique contribution made by the Russian Orthodox Church and other Christian denominations to strengthening social unity, preserving our rich historical and cultural heritage, and fostering the patriotic and moral upbringing of young people.
Religious organisations devote tireless attention to works of mercy and charity, care for those in need, support participants and veterans of the special military operation, and do much to promote harmonious interfaith and interethnic dialogue in our country. This important and much-needed work deserves the most sincere recognition.
I wish Orthodox Christians and all those who celebrate Christmas good health, success and all the very best.
Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
⚡️ Foreign Ministry statement concerning the developments around Venezuela
On January 5, Executive Vice President of Venezuela Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in and assumed the office of President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela at the National Assembly in accordance with the ruling by the Constitutional Chamber of the country’s Supreme Court.
This step shows the determination of the Bolivarian Government to assure unity and preserve the power vertical created in compliance with the national legislation, mitigate the risks of a constitutional crisis and create the necessary conditions for further peaceful and stable development of Venezuela in the face of outrageous neo-colonial threats and external armed aggression.
We welcome the efforts taken by the country’s authorities to protect the state sovereignty and national interests.
🤝 We reaffirm Russia unwavering solidarity with the Venezuelan people and Government. We wish authorised President of Venezuela Delcy Rodríguez success in resolving the tasks facing the Bolivarian Republic.
On our part, we express readiness to continue rendering necessary support to friendly Venezuela.
We firmly insist that Venezuela should have the guaranteed right to determine its destiny on its own, without any destructive interference from the outside.
We consistently stand for de-escalating the current situation and resolving any existing problems through a constructive dialogue and respect for international law, primarily the UN Charter. Latin America and the Caribbean must remain a zone of peace.
❗️ The countries in the region must be guaranteed sovereign development.
On January 5, Executive Vice President of Venezuela Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in and assumed the office of President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela at the National Assembly in accordance with the ruling by the Constitutional Chamber of the country’s Supreme Court.
This step shows the determination of the Bolivarian Government to assure unity and preserve the power vertical created in compliance with the national legislation, mitigate the risks of a constitutional crisis and create the necessary conditions for further peaceful and stable development of Venezuela in the face of outrageous neo-colonial threats and external armed aggression.
We welcome the efforts taken by the country’s authorities to protect the state sovereignty and national interests.
🤝 We reaffirm Russia unwavering solidarity with the Venezuelan people and Government. We wish authorised President of Venezuela Delcy Rodríguez success in resolving the tasks facing the Bolivarian Republic.
On our part, we express readiness to continue rendering necessary support to friendly Venezuela.
We firmly insist that Venezuela should have the guaranteed right to determine its destiny on its own, without any destructive interference from the outside.
We consistently stand for de-escalating the current situation and resolving any existing problems through a constructive dialogue and respect for international law, primarily the UN Charter. Latin America and the Caribbean must remain a zone of peace.
❗️ The countries in the region must be guaranteed sovereign development.
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☦️ Nativity Message of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ (January 6, 2026)
💬 Dear brothers and sisters!
I wholeheartedly congratulate all of you with the great feast of the Nativity of Christ and the beginning of the New Year!
If we picture ourselves standing in the cave of Bethlehem, we will see the divine Infant Jesus lying in a manger, and the Most Pure Virgin Mary leaning over Him in reverence and love.
Over the past two thousand years, this Gospel scene has inspired countless icons and paintings, literary works and musical masterpieces.
But what is the true meaning of this event?
Why did the eternal, infinite, invisible and incomprehensible God come to a world exhausted by sin, weary from wars and strife, wounded by injustice and sorrow?
For centuries, people have cried out to heaven and still continue to ask: «Where are You, God? Why are You silent?»
But God is not silent.
❗️He answers. But not with volumes of philosophical writings, nor with the creation of a perfect legal system, nor by building a utopian state of universal equality and prosperity.
He answers with boundless, self-giving love.
He answers through His coming into the world, through the preaching of the Gospel, through the Crucifixion and the Resurrection.
He speaks through the voice of His Church, established by Him, and through the voice of conscience that He placed within every human soul.
To all of us has been given divine revelation, fully manifested in the truth of the newborn Jesus Christ. By believing in Him and living according to His commandments, we find answers to the eternal questions of life’s meaning and our true purpose.
We know, believe, and proclaim that the Lord is always with us. He who, as the Apostle Paul writes, is «the same yesterday, today, and forever.»
He is not a distant observer or a cruel judge. He is not an abstract idea or an indifferent force, but the living, loving, and merciful Father. And no matter how troubling, unpredictable, difficult, or hopeless our circumstances may seem, Christ was, is, and always will be our Savior.
He is the one and only inexhaustible source of all blessings, the unshakable foundation upon which alone a true, meaningful, and dignified human life can be built.
I warmly wish all of you a joyful feast!
Merry Christmas!
Full message
💬 Dear brothers and sisters!
I wholeheartedly congratulate all of you with the great feast of the Nativity of Christ and the beginning of the New Year!
If we picture ourselves standing in the cave of Bethlehem, we will see the divine Infant Jesus lying in a manger, and the Most Pure Virgin Mary leaning over Him in reverence and love.
Over the past two thousand years, this Gospel scene has inspired countless icons and paintings, literary works and musical masterpieces.
But what is the true meaning of this event?
Why did the eternal, infinite, invisible and incomprehensible God come to a world exhausted by sin, weary from wars and strife, wounded by injustice and sorrow?
For centuries, people have cried out to heaven and still continue to ask: «Where are You, God? Why are You silent?»
But God is not silent.
❗️He answers. But not with volumes of philosophical writings, nor with the creation of a perfect legal system, nor by building a utopian state of universal equality and prosperity.
He answers with boundless, self-giving love.
He answers through His coming into the world, through the preaching of the Gospel, through the Crucifixion and the Resurrection.
He speaks through the voice of His Church, established by Him, and through the voice of conscience that He placed within every human soul.
To all of us has been given divine revelation, fully manifested in the truth of the newborn Jesus Christ. By believing in Him and living according to His commandments, we find answers to the eternal questions of life’s meaning and our true purpose.
We know, believe, and proclaim that the Lord is always with us. He who, as the Apostle Paul writes, is «the same yesterday, today, and forever.»
He is not a distant observer or a cruel judge. He is not an abstract idea or an indifferent force, but the living, loving, and merciful Father. And no matter how troubling, unpredictable, difficult, or hopeless our circumstances may seem, Christ was, is, and always will be our Savior.
He is the one and only inexhaustible source of all blessings, the unshakable foundation upon which alone a true, meaningful, and dignified human life can be built.
I warmly wish all of you a joyful feast!
Merry Christmas!
Full message
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⚡️ Comment by Foreign Ministry Official Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on certain Western countries’ plans to continue the militarisation of Ukraine (January 8, 2026)
💬 Maria Zakharova: On January 6 in Paris, participants of the so-called Coalition of the Willing, led by the UK and France, signed a declaration titled Robust Security Guarantees for a Solid and Lasting Peace in Ukraine.
The document turned out to be extremely far from a peace settlement. The declaration is not aimed at achieving a lasting peace and security but rather at continuing the militarisation, escalation and further conflict aggravation.
Its core element is the deployment of “a multinational force” on Ukrainian territory that the coalition will have to form to contribute to the “rebuilding” of the Ukrainian armed forces and “support deterrence” [against Russia] following the cessation of the hostilities.
The document also includes clauses on further consolidation of Ukraine’s and NATO’s military industrial sectors.
As clarified by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, who signed the corresponding trilateral statement along with Zelensky, London and Paris plan to establish their own military bases in Ukraine post-ceasefire and build weapon and military equipment storage facilities.
⚠️ The Russian Foreign Ministry warns that the deployment of military units and the setting-up of military facilities, storages and other Western infrastructure on Ukrainian territory will be qualified as foreign intervention that directly threatens the security of Russia and other European countries.
All such units and facilities will be considered as legitimate military targets for the Russian Armed Forces.
Warnings to this effect have been repeatedly made at the highest level and remain relevant.
❗️ We also reaffirm that a peaceful resolution of the conflict is solely possible through the elimination of its root causes, the re-establishment of Ukraine’s neutral non-aligned status, its demilitarisation and denazification, and Kiev’s observance of the language, cultural and religious rights and freedoms, including those of ethnic Russians, Russian-speaking people, and members of ethnic minorities, and through the recognition of the current territorial realities that emerged as a result of the peoples’ exercised right to self-determination.
All these goals will, undoubtedly, be achieved either by political and diplomatic means or in the course of the special military operation, in which the Russian Armed Forces are maintaining full initiative on the battlefield.
The new militarist declarations of the so-called Coalition of the Willing and the Kiev regime are forming a true Axis of war.
Its participants’ plans are becoming increasingly more dangerous and destructive for the future of the European continent and its residents, who are also forced by Western politicians to pay for such ambitions out of their own pockets.
💬 Maria Zakharova: On January 6 in Paris, participants of the so-called Coalition of the Willing, led by the UK and France, signed a declaration titled Robust Security Guarantees for a Solid and Lasting Peace in Ukraine.
The document turned out to be extremely far from a peace settlement. The declaration is not aimed at achieving a lasting peace and security but rather at continuing the militarisation, escalation and further conflict aggravation.
Its core element is the deployment of “a multinational force” on Ukrainian territory that the coalition will have to form to contribute to the “rebuilding” of the Ukrainian armed forces and “support deterrence” [against Russia] following the cessation of the hostilities.
The document also includes clauses on further consolidation of Ukraine’s and NATO’s military industrial sectors.
As clarified by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, who signed the corresponding trilateral statement along with Zelensky, London and Paris plan to establish their own military bases in Ukraine post-ceasefire and build weapon and military equipment storage facilities.
⚠️ The Russian Foreign Ministry warns that the deployment of military units and the setting-up of military facilities, storages and other Western infrastructure on Ukrainian territory will be qualified as foreign intervention that directly threatens the security of Russia and other European countries.
All such units and facilities will be considered as legitimate military targets for the Russian Armed Forces.
Warnings to this effect have been repeatedly made at the highest level and remain relevant.
❗️ We also reaffirm that a peaceful resolution of the conflict is solely possible through the elimination of its root causes, the re-establishment of Ukraine’s neutral non-aligned status, its demilitarisation and denazification, and Kiev’s observance of the language, cultural and religious rights and freedoms, including those of ethnic Russians, Russian-speaking people, and members of ethnic minorities, and through the recognition of the current territorial realities that emerged as a result of the peoples’ exercised right to self-determination.
All these goals will, undoubtedly, be achieved either by political and diplomatic means or in the course of the special military operation, in which the Russian Armed Forces are maintaining full initiative on the battlefield.
The new militarist declarations of the so-called Coalition of the Willing and the Kiev regime are forming a true Axis of war.
Its participants’ plans are becoming increasingly more dangerous and destructive for the future of the European continent and its residents, who are also forced by Western politicians to pay for such ambitions out of their own pockets.
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⚡️ Russia's Foreign Ministry statement regarding the forcible seizure of the oil tanker Marinera
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The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses grave concern over the illegal use of force by the United States Armed Forces against the oil tanker Marinera on January 7.
The Marinera, which was temporarily authorised to fly the Russian flag on December 24 in accordance with international and Russian law, was transiting peacefully through international waters of the North Atlantic en route to a Russian port.
US authorities, including through official communications with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, were repeatedly provided with reliable information confirming the vessel’s Russian registration and its civilian, non-military status.
There could have been no doubt regarding this fact, nor any basis for alleging that the tanker was sailing “without a flag” or “under a false flag.”
International maritime law explicitly grants the flag state exclusive jurisdiction over its vessels on the high seas. Stopping and inspecting a vessel in international waters is permitted only under narrowly defined circumstances, such as suspected piracy or slave trading – neither of which apply to the Marinera.
In all other cases, such actions require the consent of the flag state, which in this instance is Russia.
❗️ Not only did Russia refuse to provide such consent, it formally protested to US authorities in recent weeks over the continued pursuit of the Marinera by a US Coast Guard vessel, demanding an immediate end to the pursuit and the withdrawal of unlawful demands made to the Russian ship’s captain.
Under these circumstances, the boarding and de facto seizure of a civilian vessel on the high seas by US military personnel, along with the detention of its crew, can only be viewed as a gross violation of fundamental principles and norms of international maritime law and the freedom of navigation.
This constitutes a serious infringement upon the legitimate rights and interests of the shipowner. The lives and health of the Marinera’s crew, which includes citizens of several countries, are now at risk.
We consider the threats of legal action against them on absurd grounds by US authorities to be utterly unacceptable.
<...>
❌ References by the United States to its domestic “sanctions legislation” are without legal foundation. The unilateral restrictive measures imposed by the US and other Western countries are illegitimate and cannot justify attempts to assert jurisdiction, let alone the seizure of vessels, on the high seas.
Suggestions from certain US officials that the seizure of the Marinera is part of a broader strategy to establish Washington’s unlimited control over Venezuela’s natural resources are profoundly cynical.
We categorically reject such neo-colonial ambitions.
Alongside the US administration’s disregard for the accepted norms of international maritime navigation, Washington’s readiness to provoke acute international crises, including in Russian-American relations, which are already severely strained, is both regrettable and alarming.
The Marinera incident can only lead to a further escalation of military-political tensions in the Euro-Atlantic region and a dangerous lowering of the threshold for using force against civilian shipping.
<...>
☝️ We call on Washington to return to the established norms and principles of international maritime law and to immediately cease its unlawful actions against the Marinera and other vessels engaged in lawful activities on the high seas.
We reiterate our demand that the United States ensure appropriate and humane treatment of the Russian citizens on board, fully respect their rights, and facilitate their swift return home.
Read in full
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses grave concern over the illegal use of force by the United States Armed Forces against the oil tanker Marinera on January 7.
The Marinera, which was temporarily authorised to fly the Russian flag on December 24 in accordance with international and Russian law, was transiting peacefully through international waters of the North Atlantic en route to a Russian port.
US authorities, including through official communications with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, were repeatedly provided with reliable information confirming the vessel’s Russian registration and its civilian, non-military status.
There could have been no doubt regarding this fact, nor any basis for alleging that the tanker was sailing “without a flag” or “under a false flag.”
International maritime law explicitly grants the flag state exclusive jurisdiction over its vessels on the high seas. Stopping and inspecting a vessel in international waters is permitted only under narrowly defined circumstances, such as suspected piracy or slave trading – neither of which apply to the Marinera.
In all other cases, such actions require the consent of the flag state, which in this instance is Russia.
❗️ Not only did Russia refuse to provide such consent, it formally protested to US authorities in recent weeks over the continued pursuit of the Marinera by a US Coast Guard vessel, demanding an immediate end to the pursuit and the withdrawal of unlawful demands made to the Russian ship’s captain.
Under these circumstances, the boarding and de facto seizure of a civilian vessel on the high seas by US military personnel, along with the detention of its crew, can only be viewed as a gross violation of fundamental principles and norms of international maritime law and the freedom of navigation.
This constitutes a serious infringement upon the legitimate rights and interests of the shipowner. The lives and health of the Marinera’s crew, which includes citizens of several countries, are now at risk.
We consider the threats of legal action against them on absurd grounds by US authorities to be utterly unacceptable.
<...>
❌ References by the United States to its domestic “sanctions legislation” are without legal foundation. The unilateral restrictive measures imposed by the US and other Western countries are illegitimate and cannot justify attempts to assert jurisdiction, let alone the seizure of vessels, on the high seas.
Suggestions from certain US officials that the seizure of the Marinera is part of a broader strategy to establish Washington’s unlimited control over Venezuela’s natural resources are profoundly cynical.
We categorically reject such neo-colonial ambitions.
Alongside the US administration’s disregard for the accepted norms of international maritime navigation, Washington’s readiness to provoke acute international crises, including in Russian-American relations, which are already severely strained, is both regrettable and alarming.
The Marinera incident can only lead to a further escalation of military-political tensions in the Euro-Atlantic region and a dangerous lowering of the threshold for using force against civilian shipping.
<...>
☝️ We call on Washington to return to the established norms and principles of international maritime law and to immediately cease its unlawful actions against the Marinera and other vessels engaged in lawful activities on the high seas.
We reiterate our demand that the United States ensure appropriate and humane treatment of the Russian citizens on board, fully respect their rights, and facilitate their swift return home.
Forwarded from MoD Russia
⚡️Last night, in response to the terrorist attack by the Kiev regime on the residence of the President of the Russian Federation in Novgorod region, launched on the night of 29 December 2025, the Russian Armed Forces launched a massive strike with high-precision long-range ground- and sea-based weapons including the Oreshnik mobile ground-based medium-range missile system as well as attack unmanned aerial vehicles at critically important facilities on the territory of Ukraine.
✅ All the assigned targets have been hit. Production facilities of unmanned aerial vehicles that were used during the terrorist attack as well as power infrastructure enterprises that supported the defence industry of Ukraine have been damaged.
❗️ Any terrorist actions by the criminal Ukrainian regime will not remain unanswered in the future.
🔹 Russian Defence Ministry
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⚡️ On false allegations against the Russian side regarding damage to Embassy of Qatar in Kiev
Ukrainian sources are circulating reports alleging that the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Kiev sustained damage during the Russian strike on January 9.
Diplomatic missions have never been targeted by the Russian Armed Forces.
There were no military or other designated targets located in the immediate vicinity of the Qatari diplomatic mission. This strongly suggests that the damage to the embassy building was caused by a malfunction of the Ukrainian air defence system.
Russia regards the State of Qatar as a friendly state and a priority partner.
Read in full
Ukrainian sources are circulating reports alleging that the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Kiev sustained damage during the Russian strike on January 9.
Diplomatic missions have never been targeted by the Russian Armed Forces.
There were no military or other designated targets located in the immediate vicinity of the Qatari diplomatic mission. This strongly suggests that the damage to the embassy building was caused by a malfunction of the Ukrainian air defence system.
Russia regards the State of Qatar as a friendly state and a priority partner.
Read in full
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#Outcomes2025
🎙 On January 20, 2026, a news conference by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will be held at the Foreign Ministry Press Centre. The event will present an overview of the results of Russian diplomacy in 2025. The conference will begin at 11 am MSK.
Russian and foreign journalists are invited to attend. Accreditation is open until 12 pm on January 15 (details).
🔴 The press conference will be broadcast online on the Russian Foreign Ministry website in the Video section in Russian with English, French and Spanish translation, as well as on the Ministry’s social network accounts.
🎙 On January 20, 2026, a news conference by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will be held at the Foreign Ministry Press Centre. The event will present an overview of the results of Russian diplomacy in 2025. The conference will begin at 11 am MSK.
Russian and foreign journalists are invited to attend. Accreditation is open until 12 pm on January 15 (details).
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The POW, Aleksandr Shakura, was captured by units of the Tsentr Group of Forces in Krasnoarmeysk direction.
'Our chiefs sent me here, to the front line, with all the truths and lies. We were guarding the position. We stayed there for four months and 20 days. I asked them when someone would change us. The answer was: 'No one will ever change you', the POW recalls.
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🎙 Comment by Russia's Foreign Ministry Official Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on the Kiev regime’s terrorist attack on civilians in Russian regions (January 11, 2026)
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The Kiev regime has once again demonstrated its inhumane Nazi nature with another brutal crime.
On January 10, the Voronezh, Kursk, Bryansk, and Belgorod regions were subjected to a mass attack using fixed-wing drones. According to the Russia's Ministry of Defence, a total of 33 hostile drones were launched.
The principal target was the residential areas of Voronezh. One young woman has been confirmed dead, having succumbed to her injuries in intensive care overnight. At least three further civilians were wounded.
The Foreign Ministry strongly condemns these acts of terrorism. They are characterised by the extremely cynical targeting of a wide range of civilian infrastructure. This includes over ten blocks of flats and an equal number of private homes. A secondary school and several administrative buildings were also struck and damaged.
Such deliberate killings of civilians attest to the desperation of the Kiev regime, which – in the face of its obvious failures on the battlefield – now seeks to vent its frustration on innocent populations of Russia’s regions. All masterminds and perpetrators of this and other crimes will be inevitably held to account.
It is our hope that the relevant international bodies will provide an impartial assessment of these criminal acts committed by Ukrainian neo-Nazis. Continued silence in the face of the Kiev regime’s unbridled barbarity renders those bodies complicit in its heinous consequences.
Read in full
The Kiev regime has once again demonstrated its inhumane Nazi nature with another brutal crime.
On January 10, the Voronezh, Kursk, Bryansk, and Belgorod regions were subjected to a mass attack using fixed-wing drones. According to the Russia's Ministry of Defence, a total of 33 hostile drones were launched.
The principal target was the residential areas of Voronezh. One young woman has been confirmed dead, having succumbed to her injuries in intensive care overnight. At least three further civilians were wounded.
The Foreign Ministry strongly condemns these acts of terrorism. They are characterised by the extremely cynical targeting of a wide range of civilian infrastructure. This includes over ten blocks of flats and an equal number of private homes. A secondary school and several administrative buildings were also struck and damaged.
Such deliberate killings of civilians attest to the desperation of the Kiev regime, which – in the face of its obvious failures on the battlefield – now seeks to vent its frustration on innocent populations of Russia’s regions. All masterminds and perpetrators of this and other crimes will be inevitably held to account.
It is our hope that the relevant international bodies will provide an impartial assessment of these criminal acts committed by Ukrainian neo-Nazis. Continued silence in the face of the Kiev regime’s unbridled barbarity renders those bodies complicit in its heinous consequences.
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#KievRegimeCrimes
⚡️ Ambassador at Large of the Russian Foreign Ministry Rodion Miroshnik:
PHOTO EVIDENCE of crimes committed by Ukrainian armed forces over the week of January 5-11, 2026:
▪️ January 5 – a kamikaze drone attacked civilian transport in Shebekino, Belgorod Region.
▪️ January 6 – a strike drone attacked the Centre for Talented Children on the Arabatskaya Spit, Kherson Region.
▪️ January 6 – three fixed-wing UAVs (FP-1) attacked a metal-plastic window manufacturing facility in Donetsk, DPR.
▪️ January 6 – a fixed-wing UAV (FP-1) struck the territory of a private residence in Donetsk, DPR.
▪️ January 7 – a strike drone attacked a residential area in Sukhodolsk, LPR.
▪️ January 7 – as a result of an FPV-drone strike, a civilian was killed in the vicinity of Rodinskoye, DPR.
▪️ January 9 – a kamikaze drone attacked a civilian cargo vehicle in Shebekino, Belgorod Region.
▪️ January 10 – a UAV struck an apartment building in Berdyansk, Zaporozhye Region.
▪️ January 10 – a fixed-wing UAV (FP-1) attacked a vehicle service station building in Makeevka, DPR.
▪️ January 10 – a fixed-wing UAV (Chaklun-V) struck an apartment building in Voronezh. One woman was killed, three civilians were injured.
⚡️ Ambassador at Large of the Russian Foreign Ministry Rodion Miroshnik:
PHOTO EVIDENCE of crimes committed by Ukrainian armed forces over the week of January 5-11, 2026:
▪️ January 5 – a kamikaze drone attacked civilian transport in Shebekino, Belgorod Region.
▪️ January 6 – a strike drone attacked the Centre for Talented Children on the Arabatskaya Spit, Kherson Region.
▪️ January 6 – three fixed-wing UAVs (FP-1) attacked a metal-plastic window manufacturing facility in Donetsk, DPR.
▪️ January 6 – a fixed-wing UAV (FP-1) struck the territory of a private residence in Donetsk, DPR.
▪️ January 7 – a strike drone attacked a residential area in Sukhodolsk, LPR.
▪️ January 7 – as a result of an FPV-drone strike, a civilian was killed in the vicinity of Rodinskoye, DPR.
▪️ January 9 – a kamikaze drone attacked a civilian cargo vehicle in Shebekino, Belgorod Region.
▪️ January 10 – a UAV struck an apartment building in Berdyansk, Zaporozhye Region.
▪️ January 10 – a fixed-wing UAV (FP-1) attacked a vehicle service station building in Makeevka, DPR.
▪️ January 10 – a fixed-wing UAV (Chaklun-V) struck an apartment building in Voronezh. One woman was killed, three civilians were injured.