🎙 Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's interview to Argumenty i Fakty newspaper (Moscow, 21 October 2024)

Key talking points:

▫️ EU officials impose decisions that contravene the will and interests of several member states, failing to align with the aspirations of voters across many countries. Rather than addressing the challenges faced by EU members, the Brussels bureaucracy is preoccupied with the transfer of arms to Ukraine, raising funds for this purpose, and undertaking other actions detrimental to the economy, social sphere, and industry of EU member states.

▫️ NATO has resolved to contain Russia, leading to endless expansion and the imposition of sanctions, solely to prevent our nation from emerging as a formidable competitor. In essence, the bureaucracy has set this agenda. Within the European Union, NATO sets objectives, and American influence dictates these terms.

▫️ Within BRICS, there is no imposition of such artificial objectives, nor is there an intention to contain any nation. This grouping does not stand in opposition to any entity. It is committed to enhancing the combined potential of its nations and devising collaborative strategies for harnessing these potentials for mutual benefit.

▫️ The West has been proving time and again that it is not just willing, but never hesitates to use illegal sanctions against any country it sees as a threat to its economic domination, violating the global market economy principles it supposedly champions.

▫️ Regardless of the election outcome in the United States, we will remain an opponent, if not an enemy, for Washington. In any case, they see us as their competitor. Americans view any international issue and any international dialogue partner primarily from the viewpoint of unacceptability of anyone on this planet getting stronger than the United States.

▫️ Zelensky is doing everything he can to incite more waves of outrage in international public opinion to make a case for drawing Europeans into the war. He is convinced that if more harrowing images are presented to international public opinion, Washington will force Europe into opening hostilities.

▫️ On multiple occasions, European leaders from Brussels have repeatedly made it clear that they must support Ukraine for as long as it takes, because Ukraine is fighting for the European values. This is an ultimate disgrace for the EU leaders. It turns out that European leaders are still willing to uphold Nazi values.

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Комментарий Посольства в связи с инсинуациями Лондона по ситуации в Чёрном море

⚠️ Британские власти придумали ещё один антироссийский выпад, заявив о наращивании наших ударов по украинским портам и зашедшим в них кораблям, что якобы приводит к задержкам доставки продовольственной продукции для нужд населения Палестины и поставок зерна странам Глобального Юга.

Это в общем-то саморазоблачение. Раскручивание данной темы, по существу, подтверждает вовлечённость западных стран в поставки вооружений для ВСУ по черноморскому маршруту с задействованием сухогрузов, принадлежащих третьим странам. Это косвенно признают и сами британцы, которые хорошо знакомы с соответствующими видеоматериалами Минобороны России.

На этом фоне анонсирование новых расходов Лондона и его партнёров для предоставления украинцам новых морских дронов и радаров только доказывает, что эти боевые средства предназначены отнюдь не для защиты т.н. «зернового коридора», а для прикрытия доставки вооружений для ВСУ морским путём и тем самым продления агонии киевского режима.

Показательно, что пафосными рассуждениями о глобальной продовольственной безопасности премьер-министр Британии К.Стармер отметился аккурат накануне отъезда на саммит Содружества на Самоа.

☝️ Выставляя себя радетелем интересов развивающихся стран, Лондон, судя по всему, хочет переключить внимание с куда более актуальных для многих участников мероприятия тем. Прежде всего – их справедливых требований о выплате бывшей метрополией компенсаций за ущерб, нанесённый за годы жестокой колониальной эксплуатации.

Embassy comment on London's allegations regarding the situation in the Black Sea

⚠️ The British authorities have come up with yet another anti-Russian narrative. They now blame us for intensified strikes against Ukrainian vessels and related port infrastructure, accusing Russia of causing delays in food supplies to the Palestinian population and grain shipments to countries of the Global South.

This is self-revealing. By whipping up this issue London essentially admits Western involvement in the supply of weapons to Ukraine’s armed forces via the Black Sea route using cargo vessels belonging to third countries. This is tacitly acknowledged by the UK side that is quite familiar with relevant video materials released by Russia’s Defence Ministry.

Against this backdrop new financial pledges by London and its partners aimed at providing Ukrainians with additional naval drones and radar systems further highlight the use of these combat assets not to safeguard the so-called "grain corridor", but rather to provide cover for sea-borne arms deliveries to Ukrainian militants.

This serves only to prolong the agony of the Kiev regime.

Tellingly, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer pontificated on global food security on the eve of his departure for the Commonwealth summit in Samoa.

☝️ Ostensibly championing the interests of developing nations, London clearly intends to divert attention from issues closer to the hearts and minds of many participants of the upcoming summit. Chief among them are their rightful demands for compensation by the former colonial power for damage inflicted during years of brutal colonial exploitation.

🎙 On 23 October, following the 16th BRICS Summit, the group's Leaders adopted the Kazan Declaration, a thorough document setting out key areas for cooperation and presenting a common position on pressing global issues.

Strengthening Multilateralism for Just Global Development and Security

🔹 We reiterate the importance of further enhancing BRICS solidarity and cooperation based on our mutual interests and key priorities and further strengthening our strategic partnership.

🔹 We reaffirm our commitment to the BRICS spirit of mutual respect and understanding, sovereign equality, solidarity, democracy, openness, inclusiveness, collaboration and consensus. As we build upon 16 years of BRICS Summits, we further commit ourselves <...> to enhancing our strategic partnership for the benefit of our people through the promotion of peace, a more representative, fairer international order, a reinvigorated and reformed multilateral system, sustainable development and inclusive growth.

🔹 We note the emergence of new centres of power, policy decision-making and economic growth, which can pave the way for a more equitable, just, democratic and balanced multipolar world order. Multipolarity can expand opportunities for EMDCs to unlock their constructive potential and enjoy universally beneficial, inclusive and equitable economic globalization and cooperation.

🔹 We reiterate our commitment to improving global governance by promoting a more agile, effective, efficient, responsive, representative, legitimate, democratic and accountable international and multilateral system. We call for assuring greater and more meaningful participation of EMDCs and least developed countries, especially in Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean, in global decision-making processes.

🔹 We call for the reform of the Bretton Woods institutions, which includes increased representation of EMDCs in leadership positions to reflect the contribution of EMDCs to the global economy.

🔹 We recognise the crucial role of BRICS in the process of improving the international monetary and financial system, with a view to making it more responsive to the needs of all countries.

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🎙 Интервью Посла России в Великобритании А.В.Келина информационному агентству ТАСС (25 октября 2024 года)

• Российские активы

Британцы поспешили объявить о предоставлении [Украине] такого кредита [в размере £2,26 млрд], который должен якобы погашаться из непредвиденных прибылей от реинвестирования российских замороженных активов. <...>

Речь идёт о банальном воровстве, сколько бы здесь ни говорили о некой юридической чистоте такой схемы. Для внешних наблюдателей это яркое проявление ненадёжности британской юрисдикции для иностранных инвесторов. Подобные действия, конечно, ослабляют репутацию фунта.

• Дело Д.Стерджес

Сейчас в ходе открытых слушаний [по делу Д.Стерджес], а потом ещё будет фаза закрытых слушаний, представители госаппарата повторяют бездоказательные антироссийские версии, прикрываясь соображениями секретности, а СМИ, освещая процесс, подхватывают только антироссийские сигналы. Появляются новые нестыковки, которые нас всё больше убеждают в абсурдности всего этого театра. <...>

На слушаниях [по делу Д.Стерджес] нет Сергея и Юлии Скрипалей, хотя именно о них идёт речь, ни о чём ином. Понятно, что их появлению на заседании препятствуют, их скрывают. И мы будем продолжать требовать от [британских] властей достоверной информации об их судьбе. Если Скрипали не хотят помощи и внимания со стороны нашего государства, пусть сами нам об этом скажут.

• Саммит БРИКС в Казани

Мы заметили по комментариям в местной прессе, что здесь очень обеспокоены саммитом БРИКС. В частности, тем, что в России собралось большое число лидеров Глобального Юга, а также развивающихся стран, и ни о какой политической или дипломатической изоляции речи теперь нет. Эти страны представляют огромный вес как в экономическом, так и человеческом плане.

• Антироссийские заявления главы МИ-5

Заметно желание вывести антироссийскую кампанию на новый виток. <...> Британским властям нужно оправдать все те ресурсы, которые были впустую выброшены на поддержку Киева. И спецслужбы для этого стремятся изо всех сил рисовать из России образ врага, иначе всё это выглядит абсолютно неправдоподобным.

• Применение ракет Storm Shadow против России

Пуски дальнобойных ракет Storm Shadow напрямую зависят от получения американских разведанных. Всё остальное, судя по всему, будут делать сами британские специалисты – ввод полётного задания и все процедуры, связанные с пуском, за исключением, возможно, определения цели, которое могут сделать сами украинцы. Тем самым, как подчеркнул Президент России В.В.Путин, британцы в этом случае станут соучастниками этих ударов.

Что касается позиции Лондона, то официально она пока не менялась. <...> Лондон на данный момент не выступает за возможность нанесения ударов по территории России.

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🎙 Excerpt from President Vladimir Putin's remarks at the BRICS Plus/Outreach plenary session at the 16th BRICS Summit

💬 The transition to a more just international system is not easy. Its development is being hampered by forces whose thinking and actions continue to be aimed at dominating everything and everyone.

Under the guise of a rule-based order they are imposing on the world, they are actually attempting to contain growing competition and prevent the independent development of countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America that they cannot control.

These forces are resorting to illegal unilateral sanctions, blatant protectionism, manipulation of currency and stock markets, and relentless foreign influence ostensibly promoting democracy, human rights, and the climate change agenda. Yes, they are using these tactics as well.

☝️ These twisted methods and perverse approaches – to put it bluntly – lead to the emergence of new conflicts and the aggravation of old disagreements.

This undermines regional and global strategic stability, violates the principles of equal and indivisible security, and encourages internecine strife.

One example of this is Ukraine, which is being used to create critical threats to Russia's security, while ignoring our vital interests, our just concerns, and the infringement of the rights of Russian-speaking people.

❌ Now they are not even hiding that their goal is to inflict a strategic defeat on our country. I will say bluntly that anyone harbouring such illusory plans has no understanding of Russia's history, of our nation's unity and cohesion forged over centuries, or our people’s moral fibre and fortitude.

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✉️ On this day 100 years ago the Zinoviev Letter, a forgery of an epic scale, was published by the British press. It was claimed to have been authored by the head of Communist International’s Executive Committee Grigory Zinoviev who allegedly contemplated a "proletariat rising" in the UK.

The actual authors of the hoax are unknown.

There is no doubt though that the document was fabricated, and the British intelligence agencies and elites fed it to the press. Its purpose was to smear our country, undermine emerging bilateral cooperation and, possibly, influence the UK's looming general elections. Noteworthy, the file on the letter mysteriously, yet conveniently for its creators, subsequently disappeared from the British archives.

☝️ This lesson of the past is instructive and rather relevant for the present. Over the last century, governments in London and the elites behind them came and went, yet their malign methods have lingered.

British authorities and intelligence agencies are still making use of the non-existent "Russian threat" to incite fear among ordinary Britons. Just recently MI5 Director General Ken McCallum spoke of Russia purportedly generating mayhem on British streets. For a long time already such claims have been accompanied by references to the provocation in Salisbury. Now, ridiculous stories of some arsons are also being employed.

These allegations are of the same ilk as the Zinoviev Letter.

❌ Just like a century ago, anti-Russian scaremongering pursues narrow self-interest and has nothing to do with the truth or the good of the realm. We hope that fewer and fewer people choose to believe these fairytales. All the more so because it is no secret that destabilising foreign countries and instigating coups d’état are the Western governments', including the UK's, tool of choice, and not Russia's. This has once again been corroborated by the tragic example of the Ukrainian "Maidan" in 2014 and what has followed since.

📰 Excerpt from Ambassador Andrei Kelin's interview with TASS News Agency (25 October 2024)

❓ Question: The United Kingdom has announced its intention to disburse a £2.26 billion loan to Kiev backed by Russian sovereign assets. Will Russia come up with retaliatory measures in response to this move and what form might they take?

💬 Andrei Kelin: One needs to get the gist of the scheme. The British government was quick to announce the loan. It is supposed to be repaid from unforeseen profits generated by the reinvestment of frozen Russian assets. However, it seems that this scheme has not been thoroughly designed.

The announcement was made in haste most probably in order to rope in other G7 countries and the EU to follow suit. As it stands for now, public comments imply that the loan will, in fact, be disbursed from the UK’s own budgetary resources. The procedure of repayment remains entirely unclear at this stage.

In any case, the British jurisdiction holds relatively few Russian state assets, and the dividends from their reinvestment, as we understand, will not even cover the loan’s value in the coming decades. In other words, London has once again sugarcoated reality and dipped into the pockets of British taxpayers.

Public borrowing under the Labour government rose by £2.1 billion in September this year compared to the same month last year. They are continuing down this path, straining the budget.

❗️ It is now beyond doubt that, in spite of numerous arguments in support of the presumed legal soundness of the scheme, it actually represents an act of plain theft.

For outside observers this is a glaring example of the unreliability of the UK's jurisdiction for foreign investors. Such actions, of course, undermine the reputation of the pound.

#BRICS2024

🎙 Remarks and answers to media questions by President of Russia Vladimir Putin following the results of the XVI BRICS Summit in Kazan (October 24, 2024)

💬 Vladimir Putin: The XVI BRICS Summit has just concluded with great success.

It marked the culmination of Russia's chairmanship of the group and was one of the significant events on the global political calendar.

<...>

Regarding the Kazan Summit itself, delegations from 35 countries and six international organisations participated in it, as you are already aware. Such broad representation clearly underscores the authority and role of BRICS, as well as the growing interest in cooperation with us from states that are indeed pursuing truly independent and sovereign policies.

<...>

📄 The Kazan Declaration which summed up the discussions was approved at the Summit.

<...>

In Kazan, we reaffirmed that BRICS is not a closed format; it is open to all those who share BRICS values. The Group's members are prepared to work towards identifying joint solutions without external pressure or attempts to enforce narrow approaches upon anyone. BRICS is compelled to respond to the burgeoning demand in the world for such cooperation. Accordingly, we devoted particular attention to the matter of potential BRICS expansion through the establishment of a new category — that of partner states.

The Summit has concluded. I wish to express my gratitude once again to all my colleagues, who travelled to Kazan, for their contributions to our collective efforts. I must highlight that their input was quite substantial.

***

Answers to media questions. Key points:

Prospects for the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis

• All the parties are in favour of resolving the conflict at the earliest opportunity, preferably through peaceful means. You may be aware that the People's Republic of China and Brazil put forward an initiative at the General Assembly in New York. Numerous BRICS nations endorse these initiatives, and we, in turn, extend our gratitude to our partners for their attention to this conflict and their pursuit of methods to resolve it.

• We are ready to discuss a peace agreement in any shape or form based on the reality on the ground. That is to say, I am not ready to accept anything else.

On alleged Russia's interference in the US electoral process and the prospects for normalization of Russia-US relations

• This issue has been making headlines for years now. <...> However, after an investigation conducted in the United States, everyone, including US Congress, concluded that it was utter nonsense and that nothing of the kind ever happened. There were no contacts back then, and there are none now.

• Russia-US relations after the elections depend primarily on the United States. If the United States is open to building normal relations with Russia, we will do the same. If not, so be it. This is up to the future Administration.

On global and regional stability, security and building a just world

• Is it fair in terms of security that you have for years disregarded our repeated requests to our partners not to expand NATO eastward? Is it fair that you lied through your teeth, saying that the bloc would not expand while doing precisely that in violation of your commitments? <...> Is it fair that you violated your commitments within the OSCE, when all Western countries signed a document stating that no country may ensure its security at the expense of other countries?

❗️This is not fair. We want to change this, and we will change it.

The situation in the Middle East

• I believe that there is no person on Earth whose heart does not bleed when they see what is happening in Gaza. Over 40,000 people, mostly women and children, have been killed.

• The solution can only be found by addressing the root causes, the primary one being the lack of a fully recognized, sovereign Palestinian state. It is necessary to implement all relevant UN Security Council resolutions on this matter.

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📰 Excerpt from Ambassador Andrei Kelin's interview with TASS News Agency (25 October 2024)

❓ Question: How closely are Russian diplomats following the public hearings in the English city of Salisbury as part of the public inquiry into the death of Dawn Sturgess? Has the Russian Embassy received any requests from the head of the public inquiry?

💬 Andrei Kelin: It has been a long time since the Embassy received any requests of such kind. Of course, we are closely monitoring the situation.

The 2018 provocation was widely used as a pretext for launching a large-scale anti-Russian campaign, both in the UK and across Europe.

Now, during the course of the public hearings — to be followed by another phase of closed hearings — government officials continue to repeat baseless anti-Russian narratives, hiding behind the veil of secrecy. Meanwhile, the media in its coverage of the proceedings only amplify the anti-Russian signals.

While key questions remain unanswered, new contradictions are emerging, highlighting the absurdity of the entire charade. For instance, the police had initially claimed that a single vial held by Dawn Sturgess could have killed thousands. It has now come to light that her partner, Charlie Rowley, literally got drenched with liquid from the same vial when he opened it, and yet remains alive and well. Against this backdrop, it is increasingly difficult to believe the initial story.

We shall see what the upcoming hearings reveal, but for now, there is only one undisputable fact: Sergei and Yulia Skripal, the central figures in this case, are absent from these hearings. Obviously, they are prevented from appearing and are being kept hidden.

❗️ We will continue to demand from the British authorities credible information regarding their fate. If the Skripals do not wish to receive any assistance or attention from our state, they should be allowed to say so themselves.