🗓️ On Dec 1, 1896, Georgy Zhukov was born, a prominent Soviet commander, four-time Hero of the Soviet Union, also known as the Marshal of Victory.
His highly successful military career included serving in the Red Army during the Russian Civil War, a decisive victory over Japanese forces at the Battle of Khalkhin Gol in 1939, and his appointment as chief of the Red Army's General Staff in 1941.
Georgy Zhukov played a pivotal role in the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany during World War II. A strategic thinker, he was instrumental in key battles such as the defense of Leningrad, Moscow, and Stalingrad, and in planning and coordinating major offensives like the Battle of Kursk and Operation Bagration.
His leadership of the 1st Belarusian Front in the Battle of Berlin was critical to the final defeat of Germany, and in recognition of his contributions, he accepted the German Instrument of Surrender and presided over the 1945 Moscow Victory Parade.
⭐️ Georgy Zhukov became Marshal of the Soviet Union in 1943, following his role in the Leningrad siege, received the second and third "Hero of the Soviet Union" titles in 1944 and 1945, and was awarded two "Pobeda" orders during the war. His post-war career included attending the Potsdam Conference and serving as the Minister of Defence from 1955 to 1957.
💭In his memoires, Georgy Zhukov wrote:
#Victory80
His highly successful military career included serving in the Red Army during the Russian Civil War, a decisive victory over Japanese forces at the Battle of Khalkhin Gol in 1939, and his appointment as chief of the Red Army's General Staff in 1941.
Georgy Zhukov played a pivotal role in the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany during World War II. A strategic thinker, he was instrumental in key battles such as the defense of Leningrad, Moscow, and Stalingrad, and in planning and coordinating major offensives like the Battle of Kursk and Operation Bagration.
His leadership of the 1st Belarusian Front in the Battle of Berlin was critical to the final defeat of Germany, and in recognition of his contributions, he accepted the German Instrument of Surrender and presided over the 1945 Moscow Victory Parade.
⭐️ Georgy Zhukov became Marshal of the Soviet Union in 1943, following his role in the Leningrad siege, received the second and third "Hero of the Soviet Union" titles in 1944 and 1945, and was awarded two "Pobeda" orders during the war. His post-war career included attending the Potsdam Conference and serving as the Minister of Defence from 1955 to 1957.
💭In his memoires, Georgy Zhukov wrote:
Serving Motherland and my people was something that mattered the most for me. And I can say with a clear conscience that I did everything to fulfil my duty… I have lived my life knowing that I am serving the people – there can be nothing more important than that for anyone.
#Victory80
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❄️ Today is #AntarcticaDay.
On this date in 1959, the Antarctic Treaty was signed. Twelve countries became parties to this historic document: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, France, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Russia (the USSR).
Today, the number of parties has grown to 58, and interest in the region continues to rise.
☝️ The Treaty became the first international legal instrument to declare an entire continent a zone of peace and science, free of nuclear and other types of weapons and prohibiting any military activity.
For Russia, the southern polar region has always held special significance, beginning with its discovery by the Russian expedition of Faddey Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev in 1820–1822. Russian diplomats and experts played an active role in drafting both the Antarctic Treaty itself and subsequent ATS documents.
Happy Antarctica Day!
On this date in 1959, the Antarctic Treaty was signed. Twelve countries became parties to this historic document: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, France, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Russia (the USSR).
Today, the number of parties has grown to 58, and interest in the region continues to rise.
☝️ The Treaty became the first international legal instrument to declare an entire continent a zone of peace and science, free of nuclear and other types of weapons and prohibiting any military activity.
For Russia, the southern polar region has always held special significance, beginning with its discovery by the Russian expedition of Faddey Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev in 1820–1822. Russian diplomats and experts played an active role in drafting both the Antarctic Treaty itself and subsequent ATS documents.
Happy Antarctica Day!
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🌍✍️ 30 ноября в школе при Посольстве России в ЮАР состоялась традиционная международная просветительская акция «Географический диктант».
В мероприятии приняли участие 30 человек, в их числе – сотрудники российской дипмиссии, а также учащиеся и преподавательский состав школы при Посольстве.
«Географический диктант» ежегодно проводится Русским географическим обществом по инициативе Президента Российской Федерации В.В.Путина.
Основной целью акции является популяризация географических знаний и повышение интереса к географии России.
#ГеографическийДиктант2025
В мероприятии приняли участие 30 человек, в их числе – сотрудники российской дипмиссии, а также учащиеся и преподавательский состав школы при Посольстве.
«Географический диктант» ежегодно проводится Русским географическим обществом по инициативе Президента Российской Федерации В.В.Путина.
Основной целью акции является популяризация географических знаний и повышение интереса к географии России.
#ГеографическийДиктант2025
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Join us for an Online Information Session on the Russian Government Scholarship Programme 2026/27! 🇷🇺📚
The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), in partnership with the Embassy of the Russian Federation in South Africa, invites prospective students to discover fully funded opportunities for undergraduate, Master’s, and PhD studies in Russia.
🎙️ Featuring presentations from:
MGIMO University and Tomsk State University
🗓️ Date: 05 December 2025
⏰ Time: 11:00 – 12:00
💻 Platform: Microsoft Teams
🔗 Register here: https://tinyurl.com/ypjdwefp
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn about exciting academic pathways and funded study options across Russian institutions.
#StudyInRussia #RussianEducation
The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), in partnership with the Embassy of the Russian Federation in South Africa, invites prospective students to discover fully funded opportunities for undergraduate, Master’s, and PhD studies in Russia.
🎙️ Featuring presentations from:
MGIMO University and Tomsk State University
🗓️ Date: 05 December 2025
⏰ Time: 11:00 – 12:00
💻 Platform: Microsoft Teams
🔗 Register here: https://tinyurl.com/ypjdwefp
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn about exciting academic pathways and funded study options across Russian institutions.
#StudyInRussia #RussianEducation
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Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
🎙 President of Russia Vladimir Putin's answers to media questions (December 2, 2025, Moscow)
Read in full
❓ Question: In a few hours you will meet Stephen Witkoff, who has travelled to Moscow specifically for the negotiating process. In fact, it now involves only the American Side. Why are the Europeans silent, why are they so detached from this process?
💬 Vladimir Putin: The Europeans are not silent. They are offended that they have supposedly been excluded from the negotiating process. Let me be clear: no one excluded them – they excluded themselves. At one point we maintained close contact with them, and then they abruptly cut off relations with Russia.
Why did they do this? Because they adopted the idea of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia and, apparently, still live under this illusion. Although they understand – rationally understand – that this is long in the past, that it was impossible. They mistook wishful thinking for reality at the time, but cannot and do not want to admit it to themselves. They removed themselves from this process – that is the first point.
The second point – seeing that they are also unhappy with today’s outcome, they have started to hinder the efforts of the current US Administration and President Trump to achieve peace through negotiations.
They refused peace talks themselves, and now they are obstructing President Trump.
The third point – they have no peace agenda, as they are on the side of war. And even when they ostensibly try to introduce some adjustments to President Trump’s proposals – we see this clearly – all these adjustments are aimed at one thing only: to block the entire peace process, to put forward demands that are absolutely unacceptable to Russia (and they know this), and then to blame Russia for derailing the peace process. That is their goal.
If they wish to align themselves with reality – with the situation that exists “on the ground”, as they say – they are welcome. We do not rule this out.
❓ Question: Péter Szijjártó said today that Europe could find itself in a state of war with Russia. He says NATO, its European part, plans to bring its troops to full combat readiness by 2029, and that by 2030 there is a risk of armed conflict. Are we preparing for anything of this kind?
💬 Vladimir Putin: We have no intention to fight Europe – I have said this a hundred times. But if Europe suddenly decides it wants a war with us and starts one, we are ready right now. There can be no doubt about that.
The only question is this: if Europe does start a war with us, I believe events might escalate very quickly. This won't be Ukraine. In Ukraine, we are acting with surgical precision, carefully. It is not a "war" in the direct, modern sense of the word.
But if Europe were to start a war with us, the situation could very quickly reach a point where there is... simply no one left for us to negotiate with.
❓ Question: Could you comment on the attacks on tankers off the coast of Türkiye? There was another such incident today.
💬 Vladimir Putin: The Ukrainian armed forces have previously tried to strike our seaports. We responded – we did not initiate these operations – with similar strikes. This primarily concerned vessels delivering military equipment, hardware, and ammunition to Ukraine. Ukraine’s armed forces have crossed into piracy.
What response measures are available to us?
❗️ We will expand the range of our strikes against port facilities and against vessels and ships entering Ukrainian ports.
If this continues, we will consider – I am not saying we will do it, but we will consider – taking retaliatory measures against ships of those countries that assist Ukraine in carrying out these piracy attacks.
The most radical option is to cut Ukraine off from the sea entirely. That would make piracy impossible in principle. But all this would be escalatory.
I hope that the Ukrainian military and political leadership, as well as those standing behind them, will reflect on whether it is worth continuing this practice.
Read in full
❓ Question: In a few hours you will meet Stephen Witkoff, who has travelled to Moscow specifically for the negotiating process. In fact, it now involves only the American Side. Why are the Europeans silent, why are they so detached from this process?
💬 Vladimir Putin: The Europeans are not silent. They are offended that they have supposedly been excluded from the negotiating process. Let me be clear: no one excluded them – they excluded themselves. At one point we maintained close contact with them, and then they abruptly cut off relations with Russia.
Why did they do this? Because they adopted the idea of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia and, apparently, still live under this illusion. Although they understand – rationally understand – that this is long in the past, that it was impossible. They mistook wishful thinking for reality at the time, but cannot and do not want to admit it to themselves. They removed themselves from this process – that is the first point.
The second point – seeing that they are also unhappy with today’s outcome, they have started to hinder the efforts of the current US Administration and President Trump to achieve peace through negotiations.
They refused peace talks themselves, and now they are obstructing President Trump.
The third point – they have no peace agenda, as they are on the side of war. And even when they ostensibly try to introduce some adjustments to President Trump’s proposals – we see this clearly – all these adjustments are aimed at one thing only: to block the entire peace process, to put forward demands that are absolutely unacceptable to Russia (and they know this), and then to blame Russia for derailing the peace process. That is their goal.
If they wish to align themselves with reality – with the situation that exists “on the ground”, as they say – they are welcome. We do not rule this out.
❓ Question: Péter Szijjártó said today that Europe could find itself in a state of war with Russia. He says NATO, its European part, plans to bring its troops to full combat readiness by 2029, and that by 2030 there is a risk of armed conflict. Are we preparing for anything of this kind?
💬 Vladimir Putin: We have no intention to fight Europe – I have said this a hundred times. But if Europe suddenly decides it wants a war with us and starts one, we are ready right now. There can be no doubt about that.
The only question is this: if Europe does start a war with us, I believe events might escalate very quickly. This won't be Ukraine. In Ukraine, we are acting with surgical precision, carefully. It is not a "war" in the direct, modern sense of the word.
But if Europe were to start a war with us, the situation could very quickly reach a point where there is... simply no one left for us to negotiate with.
❓ Question: Could you comment on the attacks on tankers off the coast of Türkiye? There was another such incident today.
💬 Vladimir Putin: The Ukrainian armed forces have previously tried to strike our seaports. We responded – we did not initiate these operations – with similar strikes. This primarily concerned vessels delivering military equipment, hardware, and ammunition to Ukraine. Ukraine’s armed forces have crossed into piracy.
What response measures are available to us?
❗️ We will expand the range of our strikes against port facilities and against vessels and ships entering Ukrainian ports.
If this continues, we will consider – I am not saying we will do it, but we will consider – taking retaliatory measures against ships of those countries that assist Ukraine in carrying out these piracy attacks.
The most radical option is to cut Ukraine off from the sea entirely. That would make piracy impossible in principle. But all this would be escalatory.
I hope that the Ukrainian military and political leadership, as well as those standing behind them, will reflect on whether it is worth continuing this practice.
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#Announcement
💬 MFA Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova:
On December 3–4, a large-scale forum “BRICS+ 2025 Counter-Terrorism Conference: National and Regional Strategies for Countering Terrorism Amid Emerging Security Challenges and Threats” will be held in Moscow.
The event is organized under the auspices of the Russian Foreign Ministry and is timed to the fifth anniversary of the #BRICS Counter-Terrorism Strategy, which was adopted at the initiative of our country during Russia’s BRICS Chairmanship in 2020.
🌐 The forum will bring together more than 100 delegates from BRICS member and partner countries. Among the guests are representatives of relevant government bodies, academic circles, and civil society.
☝️ We are convinced that the event will give additional impetus to the development of a multifaceted dialogue on combating terrorism in the BRICS+ format, and will underscore the key role played by our country and its partners in global efforts to maintain international peace and security.
💬 MFA Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova:
On December 3–4, a large-scale forum “BRICS+ 2025 Counter-Terrorism Conference: National and Regional Strategies for Countering Terrorism Amid Emerging Security Challenges and Threats” will be held in Moscow.
The event is organized under the auspices of the Russian Foreign Ministry and is timed to the fifth anniversary of the #BRICS Counter-Terrorism Strategy, which was adopted at the initiative of our country during Russia’s BRICS Chairmanship in 2020.
🌐 The forum will bring together more than 100 delegates from BRICS member and partner countries. Among the guests are representatives of relevant government bodies, academic circles, and civil society.
☝️ We are convinced that the event will give additional impetus to the development of a multifaceted dialogue on combating terrorism in the BRICS+ format, and will underscore the key role played by our country and its partners in global efforts to maintain international peace and security.
Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
🎙 Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin's interview with RTVI (December 3, 2025)
Key points:
#RussiaUS #Negotiations
• We are proceeding – as President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stated – from the understandings discussed and agreed in Alaska. It is, of course, premature to get ahead of ourselves. Approval of any potential arrangements at the international level cannot be ruled out, but that is a matter for the future.
#Ukraine #TerroristAttacks #Türkiye #KievRegimeCrimes
❗️ Attacks on vessels in Türkiye’s economic zone are unacceptable. We regard them as terrorist attacks, which must, naturally, be condemned.
• I do not think that the terrorist attacks against oil tankers in the Black Sea will diminish or otherwise affect Türkiye’s mediation potential – which we value highly. Hence the fact that the last three rounds of negotiations were held in Istanbul.
• I would recall in this context that these are the same types of attacks the Kiev regime has carried out over recent years against civilian targets – including the Crimean Bridge and other strikes on civilian infrastructure.
#RussiaSyria
• On October 15, President of Syria visited Moscow and held talks with President of Russia. This was followed by a meeting of the intergovernmental commission and other contacts, including a visit to Syria by a large Russian inter-agency delegation.
• We view these contacts as very positive. What matters most is the solid historical foundation of Russian-Syrian relations – a durable partnership shaped by time. <...> The intensification of contacts across many areas is positive both for bilateral ties and for stability in the Middle East.
• All this shows a mutual readiness to continue, and perhaps even expand the scope of our interaction. We consider this beneficial for both nations and for the region as a whole. <...> We have no issues in terms of engaging with the new Syrian leadership.
#MiddleEast #Gaza
• We assess the role of the US in the Middle East – as well as the role of other major players – through the lens of how quickly, effectively and sustainably the long-standing conflicts in the region can be resolved.
• With the Trump administration taking office, we are seeing changes for the better: we see a willingness by the US to understand and to contribute to resolving the conflicts in the Middle East.
• Two years of humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza required extraordinary efforts. The fact that the bloodshed has largely been halted is certainly a major positive. That is why we supported the efforts to end the violence in Gaza and create conditions for moving towards a long-term, just settlement.
📰 Read in full
Key points:
#RussiaUS #Negotiations
• We are proceeding – as President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stated – from the understandings discussed and agreed in Alaska. It is, of course, premature to get ahead of ourselves. Approval of any potential arrangements at the international level cannot be ruled out, but that is a matter for the future.
#Ukraine #TerroristAttacks #Türkiye #KievRegimeCrimes
❗️ Attacks on vessels in Türkiye’s economic zone are unacceptable. We regard them as terrorist attacks, which must, naturally, be condemned.
• I do not think that the terrorist attacks against oil tankers in the Black Sea will diminish or otherwise affect Türkiye’s mediation potential – which we value highly. Hence the fact that the last three rounds of negotiations were held in Istanbul.
• I would recall in this context that these are the same types of attacks the Kiev regime has carried out over recent years against civilian targets – including the Crimean Bridge and other strikes on civilian infrastructure.
#RussiaSyria
• On October 15, President of Syria visited Moscow and held talks with President of Russia. This was followed by a meeting of the intergovernmental commission and other contacts, including a visit to Syria by a large Russian inter-agency delegation.
• We view these contacts as very positive. What matters most is the solid historical foundation of Russian-Syrian relations – a durable partnership shaped by time. <...> The intensification of contacts across many areas is positive both for bilateral ties and for stability in the Middle East.
• All this shows a mutual readiness to continue, and perhaps even expand the scope of our interaction. We consider this beneficial for both nations and for the region as a whole. <...> We have no issues in terms of engaging with the new Syrian leadership.
#MiddleEast #Gaza
• We assess the role of the US in the Middle East – as well as the role of other major players – through the lens of how quickly, effectively and sustainably the long-standing conflicts in the region can be resolved.
• With the Trump administration taking office, we are seeing changes for the better: we see a willingness by the US to understand and to contribute to resolving the conflicts in the Middle East.
• Two years of humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza required extraordinary efforts. The fact that the bloodshed has largely been halted is certainly a major positive. That is why we supported the efforts to end the violence in Gaza and create conditions for moving towards a long-term, just settlement.
📰 Read in full
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Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
#Announcement
⚡️ On December 19 at 12 pm (Moscow time), the “End of Year Conference with Vladimir Putin” will be broadcast live.
The Russian President will review the results of the outgoing year and answer questions from journalists and citizens across the country.
Questions may be submitted via:
👉 the programme’s website
👉 by SMS / MMS to 0–40–40
👉 by phone at 8–800–200–40–40
👉 through the dedicated mobile app
👉 through the social networks VKontakte, Odnoklassniki and the chatbot in the national messenger MAX.
Questions are accepted starting 3 pm on December 4 until the end of the programme on December 19.
⚡️ On December 19 at 12 pm (Moscow time), the “End of Year Conference with Vladimir Putin” will be broadcast live.
The Russian President will review the results of the outgoing year and answer questions from journalists and citizens across the country.
Questions may be submitted via:
👉 the programme’s website
👉 by SMS / MMS to 0–40–40
👉 by phone at 8–800–200–40–40
👉 through the dedicated mobile app
👉 through the social networks VKontakte, Odnoklassniki and the chatbot in the national messenger MAX.
Questions are accepted starting 3 pm on December 4 until the end of the programme on December 19.
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✨ Today we remember Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first democratically elected president and a global symbol of the struggle for freedom, who passed away #OTD at the age of 95.
Mandela’s impact reached far beyond South Africa. In Russia, a national day of mourning was declared in his honour. Russian leaders and parliament paid tribute to Madiba, acknowledging the USSR’s long-standing support for the anti-apartheid movement.
✍️ President Vladimir Putin also sent condolences, highlighting the historic ties between the USSR and the ANC during the liberation struggle.
A decade later, Mandela’s legacy of justice, dignity, and reconciliation continues to inspire nations across the world.
#RussiaSouthAfrica #NelsonMandela
Mandela’s impact reached far beyond South Africa. In Russia, a national day of mourning was declared in his honour. Russian leaders and parliament paid tribute to Madiba, acknowledging the USSR’s long-standing support for the anti-apartheid movement.
✍️ President Vladimir Putin also sent condolences, highlighting the historic ties between the USSR and the ANC during the liberation struggle.
A decade later, Mandela’s legacy of justice, dignity, and reconciliation continues to inspire nations across the world.
#RussiaSouthAfrica #NelsonMandela
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Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
Media is too big
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
🎙 President Vladimir Putin's interview with Aaj Tak and India Today (December 4, 2025)
Read in full
❓ Question: The history of Russia-India relations spans more than seven decades. This friendship is over 70 years old. How do you assess the strength of this friendship today?
💬 Vladimir Putin: You know, the world is changing very quickly, and the speed of these changes is growing – everyone can see this clearly. The global configuration is shifting, new centres of power are emerging. In these conditions, stability between major countries becomes extremely important. It creates a solid foundation for steady development – both bilaterally and globally.
In this sense, our work together with Prime Minister Modi is of great significance, even beyond the bilateral dimension. And when it comes specifically to our countries, stability across certain areas of cooperation is critically important, because it guarantees the achievement of the goals we have set for ourselves. <...>
We have an entire roadmap for cooperation across key sectors. The most important areas are certainly those oriented towards the future – high technologies. Russia and India work together in these fields in space, in energy – including nuclear energy, as is well known from the Kudankulam NPP, one of our major joint projects – as well as in shipbuilding and aviation.
❓ Question: There has been enormous pressure on India and on Russia, especially regarding oil. India has faced strong Western pressure. How can both countries counter this sanctions policy?
💬 Vladimir Putin: Our energy cooperation with India remains unaffected by present political shifts – and even by the tragic developments in Ukraine. <...>
Trade in oil and petroleum products, and the refining of Russian oil for Indian consumers, proceeds in a completely stable and predictable manner. I know the sentiment of our Russian partners and companies – they regard their Indian counterparts as reliable and very serious people. <...>
The US still purchases nuclear fuel from us for its own nuclear power plants. That is also fuel – uranium for reactors operating in the US. If the US has the right to buy fuel from us, why should India be deprived of this right? This is a question that deserves careful consideration, and we are ready to discuss it with President Trump.
❓ Question: In your view, what would constitute a victory for Russia in the Russia-Ukraine war? What are the “red lines”?
💬 Vladimir Putin: It is not about victory, as you put it – it is about the fact that Russia seeks to protect, and will certainly protect, its interests. To protect our people who live there, to protect our traditional values, the Russian language and so on. To protect the centuries-old religious heritage of these territories.
For eight years we did not recognize the self-proclaimed republics. They declared independence, and we tried to help establish relations between the rest of Ukraine and these republics. Later, when we realized this was impossible – that they were simply being eradicated – we were forced to recognize them.
And we immediately told Ukraine, told the Ukrainian military: people do not want to live with you, they held a referendum and voted for independence – withdraw your forces from there, and there will be no military action. No, they preferred to fight it out.
Now they have fought themselves into the situation we see today. And essentially it all comes down to the following: 👉 either we liberate these territories by military means, or Ukrainian troops eventually withdraw and stop killing people there. <...>
As I have already said, the most important thing for them [the Kiev regime] – is to realize that the best way to resolve issues is to reach an agreement by peaceful means on precisely what we sought to negotiate with them back in 2022.
Read in full
❓ Question: The history of Russia-India relations spans more than seven decades. This friendship is over 70 years old. How do you assess the strength of this friendship today?
💬 Vladimir Putin: You know, the world is changing very quickly, and the speed of these changes is growing – everyone can see this clearly. The global configuration is shifting, new centres of power are emerging. In these conditions, stability between major countries becomes extremely important. It creates a solid foundation for steady development – both bilaterally and globally.
In this sense, our work together with Prime Minister Modi is of great significance, even beyond the bilateral dimension. And when it comes specifically to our countries, stability across certain areas of cooperation is critically important, because it guarantees the achievement of the goals we have set for ourselves. <...>
We have an entire roadmap for cooperation across key sectors. The most important areas are certainly those oriented towards the future – high technologies. Russia and India work together in these fields in space, in energy – including nuclear energy, as is well known from the Kudankulam NPP, one of our major joint projects – as well as in shipbuilding and aviation.
❓ Question: There has been enormous pressure on India and on Russia, especially regarding oil. India has faced strong Western pressure. How can both countries counter this sanctions policy?
💬 Vladimir Putin: Our energy cooperation with India remains unaffected by present political shifts – and even by the tragic developments in Ukraine. <...>
Trade in oil and petroleum products, and the refining of Russian oil for Indian consumers, proceeds in a completely stable and predictable manner. I know the sentiment of our Russian partners and companies – they regard their Indian counterparts as reliable and very serious people. <...>
The US still purchases nuclear fuel from us for its own nuclear power plants. That is also fuel – uranium for reactors operating in the US. If the US has the right to buy fuel from us, why should India be deprived of this right? This is a question that deserves careful consideration, and we are ready to discuss it with President Trump.
❓ Question: In your view, what would constitute a victory for Russia in the Russia-Ukraine war? What are the “red lines”?
💬 Vladimir Putin: It is not about victory, as you put it – it is about the fact that Russia seeks to protect, and will certainly protect, its interests. To protect our people who live there, to protect our traditional values, the Russian language and so on. To protect the centuries-old religious heritage of these territories.
For eight years we did not recognize the self-proclaimed republics. They declared independence, and we tried to help establish relations between the rest of Ukraine and these republics. Later, when we realized this was impossible – that they were simply being eradicated – we were forced to recognize them.
And we immediately told Ukraine, told the Ukrainian military: people do not want to live with you, they held a referendum and voted for independence – withdraw your forces from there, and there will be no military action. No, they preferred to fight it out.
Now they have fought themselves into the situation we see today. And essentially it all comes down to the following: 👉 either we liberate these territories by military means, or Ukrainian troops eventually withdraw and stop killing people there. <...>
As I have already said, the most important thing for them [the Kiev regime] – is to realize that the best way to resolve issues is to reach an agreement by peaceful means on precisely what we sought to negotiate with them back in 2022.
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On Nov 26, at the St. Petersburg State University of Economics a roundtable was held on the topic "Africa in the Focus of Russia's Foreign Policy and Economic Priorities: Towards Mutually Beneficial Cooperation."
🤝Experts discussed Africa's role in Russia's foreign policy and economic priorities, as well as the paths to developing mutually beneficial partnerships.
The roundtable was attended by leading African studies scholars, representatives of government agencies and businesses.
Based on the Russian Institute for African Studies material
#RussiaAfrica
🤝Experts discussed Africa's role in Russia's foreign policy and economic priorities, as well as the paths to developing mutually beneficial partnerships.
The roundtable was attended by leading African studies scholars, representatives of government agencies and businesses.
“The roundtable brought together Africanists from different regions of Russia to develop consolidated approaches to cooperation with African countries. We need to find common ground for developing joint mechanisms of interaction, as our partnership with African countries is of a long-term strategic nature,” said Igor Maksimtsov, Rector of St. Petersburg State University of Economics.
Based on the Russian Institute for African Studies material
#RussiaAfrica
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