Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
#Victory81
🌟 On February 2, 1943, the #BattleOfStalingrad — one of the most brutal battles of the Great Patriotic War and #WW2, which turned the tide of that terrible and bloody conflict — concluded with the total and complete defeat of the Nazi forces.
The fight for Stalingrad lasted for 2️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ days and nights, surpassing all previous battles in world history both in scale and intensity. The combat to the death took place in Stalingrad for each and every alley, every house, every inch of the ground. During that battle, more than 2.1 million people were involved on both sides.
The Nazi invaders, obsessed with the illusion of their superiority and strive to enslave the Soviet people, failed in Stalingrad — never ever had the Germans managed to break the spirit or morale of the defenders of our Motherland. The Red Army soldiers, showing unparalleled courage, bravery and heroism, stood their ground with steadfastness and achieved a great victory that would eventually define the outcome of the entire #WWII.
The Nazi war machine suffered a crushing and catastrophic defeat, which, as history would show, was fatal for Germany.
☝️ At Stalingrad, the Red Army showed that the Third Reich and Nazism are beatable, that they can and will be destroyed once and for all.
***
In the summer of 1942, the Nazi troops launched another major offensive on the southern flank of the Soviet–German front.
At that time, the target was #Stalingrad — a key industrial and transport hub on the Volga river. Had the Nazis succeeded, Hitler’s barbarians would have severed crucial supply lines, seized the rich agricultural regions of Kuban and Stavropol, and broken through to the Caucasus, where they hoped to capture abundant oilfields.
The entire power of the Nazi war machine fell on Stalingrad on July 17 — the city’s heroic defence commenced. The enemy committed up to 80 Wehrmacht divisions to that attack, followed by savage combat for the city raging almost all around the clock days and nights. The Soviet defenders fought firmly, leaving not a single inch of our Motherland.
The Wehrmacht troops, commanded by infamous Nazi General Friedrich Paulus (it was him who devised operation 'Barbarossa' plan — Germany’s treacherous attack on the Soviet Union) were confronted by the Soviet 62nd and 64th armies. Vasily Chuikov, the commander of the 62nd Army, is rightly considered to be one of the architects of the victory at Stalingrad — the brilliant tactician, he refined and put into practice assault-group strategy that became key to our triumph in Stalingrad.
By mid-November 1942, after fierce and lasting resistance and regrouping of forces, the Red Army created favourable conditions to launch counter-offensive near Stalingrad 👉 from November 19, 1942 to February 2, 1943, the Soviet forces brilliantly executed the operation 'Ring', having successfully encircled Nazis 6th Army in “cauldron” between the Don and Volga rivers.
On January 31, Field Marshal Paulus and his staff unconditionally surrendered. On February 2, the last pockets of Nazis' resistance were eliminated, with Germany’s 'axis' troops completely destroyed.
🎖 The Battle of Stalingrad ended in a Red Army's brilliant military triumph. The Nazis lost up to 1/4 of all the personnel and equipment deployed on the entire Eastern Front.
Since then, the word “Stalingrad” has echoed, and will forever echo, in the hearts and collective memory of our people as an enduring reminder of the Great Heroic Feat performed by the defenders of our Motherland.
***
On November 29, 1943, during the Tehran Conference, UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill presented Joseph Stalin with a sword specially forged by the order of King George VI in tribute to the courage and resilience of Stalingrad defenders.
Inscribed on the blade were the words:
The sword became an iconic commemorative relic, symbolising the Anglo-American allies’ eternal tribute to the Heroic Soviet victorious generation.
The fight for Stalingrad lasted for 2️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ days and nights, surpassing all previous battles in world history both in scale and intensity. The combat to the death took place in Stalingrad for each and every alley, every house, every inch of the ground. During that battle, more than 2.1 million people were involved on both sides.
The Nazi invaders, obsessed with the illusion of their superiority and strive to enslave the Soviet people, failed in Stalingrad — never ever had the Germans managed to break the spirit or morale of the defenders of our Motherland. The Red Army soldiers, showing unparalleled courage, bravery and heroism, stood their ground with steadfastness and achieved a great victory that would eventually define the outcome of the entire #WWII.
The Nazi war machine suffered a crushing and catastrophic defeat, which, as history would show, was fatal for Germany.
☝️ At Stalingrad, the Red Army showed that the Third Reich and Nazism are beatable, that they can and will be destroyed once and for all.
***
In the summer of 1942, the Nazi troops launched another major offensive on the southern flank of the Soviet–German front.
At that time, the target was #Stalingrad — a key industrial and transport hub on the Volga river. Had the Nazis succeeded, Hitler’s barbarians would have severed crucial supply lines, seized the rich agricultural regions of Kuban and Stavropol, and broken through to the Caucasus, where they hoped to capture abundant oilfields.
The entire power of the Nazi war machine fell on Stalingrad on July 17 — the city’s heroic defence commenced. The enemy committed up to 80 Wehrmacht divisions to that attack, followed by savage combat for the city raging almost all around the clock days and nights. The Soviet defenders fought firmly, leaving not a single inch of our Motherland.
The Wehrmacht troops, commanded by infamous Nazi General Friedrich Paulus (it was him who devised operation 'Barbarossa' plan — Germany’s treacherous attack on the Soviet Union) were confronted by the Soviet 62nd and 64th armies. Vasily Chuikov, the commander of the 62nd Army, is rightly considered to be one of the architects of the victory at Stalingrad — the brilliant tactician, he refined and put into practice assault-group strategy that became key to our triumph in Stalingrad.
By mid-November 1942, after fierce and lasting resistance and regrouping of forces, the Red Army created favourable conditions to launch counter-offensive near Stalingrad 👉 from November 19, 1942 to February 2, 1943, the Soviet forces brilliantly executed the operation 'Ring', having successfully encircled Nazis 6th Army in “cauldron” between the Don and Volga rivers.
On January 31, Field Marshal Paulus and his staff unconditionally surrendered. On February 2, the last pockets of Nazis' resistance were eliminated, with Germany’s 'axis' troops completely destroyed.
🎖 The Battle of Stalingrad ended in a Red Army's brilliant military triumph. The Nazis lost up to 1/4 of all the personnel and equipment deployed on the entire Eastern Front.
Since then, the word “Stalingrad” has echoed, and will forever echo, in the hearts and collective memory of our people as an enduring reminder of the Great Heroic Feat performed by the defenders of our Motherland.
***
On November 29, 1943, during the Tehran Conference, UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill presented Joseph Stalin with a sword specially forged by the order of King George VI in tribute to the courage and resilience of Stalingrad defenders.
Inscribed on the blade were the words:
TO THE STEEL-HEARTED CITIZENS OF STALINGRAD • THE GIFT OF KING GEORGE VI • IN TOKEN OF THE HOMAGE OF THE BRITISH PEOPLE
The sword became an iconic commemorative relic, symbolising the Anglo-American allies’ eternal tribute to the Heroic Soviet victorious generation.
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Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
⚡️ Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia Concerning the Expiration of the Russia-US New START Treaty (February 4, 2026)
On February 5, 2026, the life cycle of the Russian-US Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (#NewSTART) comes to an end; it was signed by the Parties on April 8, 2010, entered into force on February 5, 2011, and was extended for a five-year period in February 2021 on the basis of a relevant one-time option provided for in this agreement.
In February 2023, the Russian Federation suspended the New START Treaty against the backdrop of the unsatisfactory state of affairs with the implementation of certain aspects of the Treaty, as well as due to the absolutely unacceptable steps by the United States running counter to the fundamental principles and understandings of the agreement enshrined in its preamble.
It was a compelled measure and an inevitable response of the Russian Side to the extremely hostile policy of the Biden administration which resulted in the fundamental change in the security situation, as well as to a number of illegitimate steps taken by Washington in the context of specific provisions of the New START Treaty, which together constituted a material breach incompatible with the Treaty being further implemented in a full-fledged manner.
Among the key negative factors, it is worth to highlight the destabilizing actions of the United States in the field of missile defense, contrary to the inseparable interrelationship between strategic offensive and strategic defensive arms enshrined in the New START Treaty. <...>
Despite some obvious problematic moments, basically the New START Treaty used to fulfill its key functions. The conclusion of the Treaty and the years of its initially successful implementation helped to discourage the strategic arms race, allowing for significant reductions in the parties' arsenals. At the same time, due to the restrictions applied in this area a sufficient level of predictability was ensured on a long-term basis. <...>
In parallel to suspending this agreement, the Russian Federation announced the intention to voluntarily maintain its commitment to the central quantitative limits on weapons regulated by the New START until the end of the Treaty's life cycle in February 2026. At that time, the United States followed suit, announcing its readiness to act in a similar manner.
Striving to extend the positive effect of such reciprocal measures in terms of maintaining balance and certainty in the field of strategic offensive arms during the current turbulent period, our country took an additional constructive step. On September 22, 2025, the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin publicly proposed that the Parties to the New START Treaty commit to voluntary self-limitations to keep the quantitative ceilings on the relevant weapons specified in the Treaty for at least one year after the termination of the agreement.
However, no formal official response from the United States with regard to the Russian initiative has been received through bilateral channels. <...> It means that our ideas have been deliberately left unanswered. <...>
In the current circumstances, we assume that the Parties to the New START are no longer bound by any obligations or symmetrical declarations in the context of the Treaty, including its core provisions, and are in principle free to choose their next steps. <...>
🇷🇺 The Russian Federation remains ready to take decisive military-technical measures to counter potential additional threats to the national security. At the same time, our country remains open to seeking politico-diplomatic ways to comprehensively stabilize the strategic situation on the basis of equal and mutually beneficial dialogue solutions, if the appropriate conditions for such cooperation are shaped.
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On February 5, 2026, the life cycle of the Russian-US Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (#NewSTART) comes to an end; it was signed by the Parties on April 8, 2010, entered into force on February 5, 2011, and was extended for a five-year period in February 2021 on the basis of a relevant one-time option provided for in this agreement.
In February 2023, the Russian Federation suspended the New START Treaty against the backdrop of the unsatisfactory state of affairs with the implementation of certain aspects of the Treaty, as well as due to the absolutely unacceptable steps by the United States running counter to the fundamental principles and understandings of the agreement enshrined in its preamble.
It was a compelled measure and an inevitable response of the Russian Side to the extremely hostile policy of the Biden administration which resulted in the fundamental change in the security situation, as well as to a number of illegitimate steps taken by Washington in the context of specific provisions of the New START Treaty, which together constituted a material breach incompatible with the Treaty being further implemented in a full-fledged manner.
Among the key negative factors, it is worth to highlight the destabilizing actions of the United States in the field of missile defense, contrary to the inseparable interrelationship between strategic offensive and strategic defensive arms enshrined in the New START Treaty. <...>
Despite some obvious problematic moments, basically the New START Treaty used to fulfill its key functions. The conclusion of the Treaty and the years of its initially successful implementation helped to discourage the strategic arms race, allowing for significant reductions in the parties' arsenals. At the same time, due to the restrictions applied in this area a sufficient level of predictability was ensured on a long-term basis. <...>
In parallel to suspending this agreement, the Russian Federation announced the intention to voluntarily maintain its commitment to the central quantitative limits on weapons regulated by the New START until the end of the Treaty's life cycle in February 2026. At that time, the United States followed suit, announcing its readiness to act in a similar manner.
Striving to extend the positive effect of such reciprocal measures in terms of maintaining balance and certainty in the field of strategic offensive arms during the current turbulent period, our country took an additional constructive step. On September 22, 2025, the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin publicly proposed that the Parties to the New START Treaty commit to voluntary self-limitations to keep the quantitative ceilings on the relevant weapons specified in the Treaty for at least one year after the termination of the agreement.
However, no formal official response from the United States with regard to the Russian initiative has been received through bilateral channels. <...> It means that our ideas have been deliberately left unanswered. <...>
In the current circumstances, we assume that the Parties to the New START are no longer bound by any obligations or symmetrical declarations in the context of the Treaty, including its core provisions, and are in principle free to choose their next steps. <...>
🇷🇺 The Russian Federation remains ready to take decisive military-technical measures to counter potential additional threats to the national security. At the same time, our country remains open to seeking politico-diplomatic ways to comprehensively stabilize the strategic situation on the basis of equal and mutually beneficial dialogue solutions, if the appropriate conditions for such cooperation are shaped.
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Главным гостем мероприятия стала свидетельница Сталинградской битвы Любовь Ивановна Ковалева. Также присутствовали представители дипломатического корпуса, норвежские граждане и проживающие в Норвегии соотечественники.
В обращении к гостям Посол России в Норвегии Николай Викторович Корчунов подчеркнул:
"Великая Отечественная война коснулась каждой семьи в нашей стране. Сегодня мы отдаем дань уважения тем, благодаря кому стала возможной наша Победа. <...> В память о Сталинградской битве и всех павших мы открываем выставку картин британского художника Кеннета Лойнса «Сталинградская сюита». <...> Во времена геополитической напряженности культура и искусство остаются одними из важнейших инструментов восстановления доверия и напоминания об универсальных человеческих ценностях".
В ходе вечера прозвучали песни военных лет и классические музыкальные композиции Сергея Рахманинова и Сергея Прокофьева в исполнении Тимура Дорфмана, Адриана Харитонова и Святослава Грабовского.
Гостям был показан отрывок из фильма норвежского кинодокументалиста Ярле Андхёя о ветеранах Великой Отечественной войны, переживших Сталинградскую битву. Также продемонстрировано интервью художника Кеннета Лойнса, предоставленное его подругой Маргрете Геуртс-Лакин.
В завершение Николай Викторович Корчунов наградил соотечественницу Татьяну Торесен нагрудным знаком Правительственной комиссии по делам соотечественников за рубежом "Почетный знак соотечественника" за ее работу по идентификации имен захороненных в Норвегии советских военнопленных и поиску их родных.
#Победа81
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The main guest of the event was Lyubov Kovaleva, a witness to the Battle of Stalingrad. Representatives of the diplomatic corps, Norwegian citizens, and compatriots living in Norway were also present.
In his address to the guests, Ambassador of Russia to Norway Nikolai Korchunov emphasized:
"The Great Patriotic War affected every family in our country. Today, we pay tribute to those who made our Victory possible.
<...> In memory of the Battle of Stalingrad and all those who fell, we are opening an exhibition of paintings by British artist Kenneth Loynes, ‘The Stalingrad Suite’. <...> In times of geopolitical tension, culture and art remain one of the most important tools for restoring trust and reminding us of universal human values."
During the evening, songs from the war years and classical musical compositions by Sergei Rachmaninoff and Sergei Prokofiev were performed by Timur Dorfman, Adrian Kharitonov, and Svyatoslav Grabovsky.
Guests were shown an excerpt from a documentary film by Norwegian filmmaker Jarle Andhøy about veterans of the Great Patriotic War who survived the Battle of Stalingrad. An interview with artist Kenneth Loynes, provided by his friend Margrete Geurts-Lakin, was also shown.
In conclusion, Nikolay Korchunov awarded our compatriot Tatyana Toresen with the Honorary Sign of a Compatriot of the Commission for the Affairs of Compatriots Living Abroad for her work in identifying the names of Soviet prisoners of war buried in Norway and searching for their relatives.
#Victory81
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