Lukashenko Explains To CNN's Chance The Situation With Migrants

Alexander Lukashenko has refuted statements by Poland’s leadership that the Belarusian side is facilitating the increased flow of refugees to the West in an interview with CNN on Thursday.

The Belarusian leader also sharply reacted to CNN correspondent Matthew Chance’s remark that, according to the Polish authorities, the refugees are drugged and delivered to the border by force.

"This is madness. Everything that the Polish government does is insanity. You are saying that we are feeding drugs to people? Present the facts! If there are such facts, I will bear the responsibility," the Belarusian president said. "One has to sort things out. Why don’t you want to sort out what is happening on the border? We are ready for it," he noted.

Lukashenko reiterated that the migrants are heading to Europe not only via Belarus but following other routes as well. "So many people are dying there in the hundreds. By crossing the Mediterranean Sea thousands of people get into the EU. In exactly the same way they went through Belarus. They are not coming to us - they are coming to you. Because you invited them there. Why did you invite them there?" the head of state inquired. "Why now you are not admitting people who are fleeing war in those countries you devastated? Had they been coming to Belarus and wanted to remain while we expelled them to Poland or Lithuania, you would have objected. Yet now there are no such people who want to stay in Belarus and I am throwing them out," the Belarusian leader said.

Since August, almost 10,000 migrants have attempted to illegally cross the Belarusian-Polish border. Some 1,200 illegal migrants have been detained and housed at guarded centers in Poland. The Polish authorities pin the blame on the Belarusian leadership which, according to Warsaw, allegedly transports the migrants to Belarus and then ships them to the border with Poland, Lithuania and Latvia in order to provoke the migration crisis in Europe.

At the end of May, Lukashenko stated that his country served as a barrier on the path of human trafficking to neighboring countries, however, considering the West’s political pressure, Minsk may think twice about continuing to block the flow.

Putin Shows Interest In Kazakhstan’s Plan To Restore Turanian Tigers' Population

Russia is willing to help Kazakhstan restore its population of Turanian tigers, President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday at a plenary session of the 17th Russia-Kazakhstan Interregional Cooperation Forum.

"We will be glad to support [this project] both at the government and expert levels. Our specialists, who have accumulated very good experience in recent years, will definitely be interested in it," Putin noted. During the forum, the Russian leader showed interest in the report on plans to restore the population of tigers delivered by Kazakhstan’s Minister of Ecology, Geology, and Natural Resources Serikkali Brekeshev. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev explained that the last time Turanian tigers were seen in modern Kazakhstan was in the 1930s, then the animals disappeared. "Currently, we are developing a global project to restore the population of the tigers. We invite Russian specialists to take part in this exciting project," the Kazakh president stated.

Commenting on how the population can be repopulated, Tokayev suggested that biologists would take Russian tigers as the basis for further research. In response, Putin recalled Russia’s experience in restoring the populations of some animals such as the Caucasian leopard and the Siberian snow leopard.

"It’s certainly a challenging task. The specialists from other countries are helping us, we also have the status of UNESCO and other international organizations. And, of course, Russia’s support will be essential here," the Kazakh president concluded.

Russia Arrests Group IB Founder In Treason Case

Group-IB founder Ilya Sachkov, arrested over charges of treason, worked for foreign intelligence and handed them classified information on cybersecurity, according to the investigation. According to the source, Sachkov could have been "employed" by intelligence agencies of several countries, but they will not be named in the interest of the investigation.

The Federal Security Service (FSB) military counter-intelligence has joined the investigation. Earlier, the media reported that searches happened in Group-IB offices. The company’s press service said it is unaware of the reasons for the investigative measures.

A court arrested Sachkov until November 27. he denies the charges of high treason inflicting reputational and national damage to Russia’s interests. He also denies that he collaborated with foreign intelligence services, source said.

The case materials are classified and no further details are available.

In 2016, Sachkov was included in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. he is an associate professor of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University IT Security Department, and a member of Russian State Duma and Foreign Ministry expert committee.

Putin Advises Erdogan Get Sputnik Jab

Saying goodbye to Recep Tayyip Erdogan after three hours of talks on Wednesday, Vladimir Putin advised he should use Russia's Sputnik for his next booster jab and boasted of high antibody levels.

Putin's Remarks On Russian Space Programs

Vladimir Putin delivers remarks on unique technologies for nuclear space energy, ground infrastructure, rocket launches, as well as on the creation of a Russian service orbital station at a meeting on development of the space industry, on Wednesday.

In the past few years, Russia have made considerable progress in developing unique technology for the nuclear space power industry. By expert estimates, Russia is six to seven years ahead of its rivals, ahead of the rest of the world.

"This is a very good foundation, and we must use this advantage, support breakthrough scientific research in cosmonautics and expedite the practical introduction of advanced technological solutions. We will discuss specific steps for this today," Putin said.

Russia leads in space launches. Last year, 17 carrier rockets were successfully launched and 15 carrier rockets have followed suit recently, this year.

"To maintain the lead in this area we must focus on high reliability in our domestic hardware – in both launching manned flights and delivering payloads into orbit. Finally, we must master the next generation of carrier rockets that meet all the requirements of our customers both domestically and in the international market, President noted.

Russian specialists are working on the idea of creating a Russian service orbital station. "Under the current agreements, the ISS will complete its flight in 2024. Although this term can be extended, we must look beyond the horizon of this decade, consider new challenges in the exploration of deep space and also our national plans for developing infrastructure and exploring our own vast territories, including the Arctic zone," Putin added.

Putin Meets Face To Face With Erdogan In Sochi

The presidents of Russia and Turkey, Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan, have finished their talks in Sochi. The talks began at approximately 13:30 Moscow time and lasted about three hours.

The two leaders discussed the agenda in the economic sector and in international relations. In particular, Putin pointed to the successful cooperation of the two countries on the situation in Syria and Libya. He also focused on the work of the center to control the ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh. According to the Russian leader, this cooperation "is a strong guarantee" of stability in the region. Also, energy was on the agenda. Putin thanked Erdogan for his stance on the construction of TurkStream, owing to which Ankara feels safe amid the difficulties on the European gas market. The Turkish leader, for his part, touched upon the issue of a joint project - the construction of the first Akkuyu nuclear power plant in the country, whose first power unit may be unveiled already next year. This face-to-face meeting was the first for the two presidents in the past year-and-a-half. Their previous meeting was in March 2020, at the Kremlin, when Erdogan also paid a working visit to Russia. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, subsequent talks were held either over the phone or via a video link, in bilateral or multilateral formats.

"In this video, fragments with translators have been cut out, so do not pay attention to the sudden movements of the leaders," TKS warned.

Putin Meets Face To Face With Erdogan In Sochi

The presidents of Russia and Turkey, Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan, have finished their talks in Sochi.

The two leaders discussed the agenda in the economic sector and in international relations. In particular, Putin pointed to the successful cooperation of the two countries on the situation in Syria and Libya. He also focused on the work of the center to control the ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh.

According to the Russian leader, this cooperation "is a strong guarantee" of stability in the region. Also, energy was on the agenda. Putin thanked Erdogan for his stance on the construction of TurkStream, owing to which Ankara feels safe amid the difficulties on the European gas market. The Turkish leader, for his part, touched upon the issue of a joint project - the construction of the first Akkuyu nuclear power plant in the country, whose first power unit may be unveiled already next year.

This face-to-face meeting was the first for the two presidents in the past year-and-a-half. Their previous meeting was in March 2020, at the Kremlin, when Erdogan also paid a working visit to Russia. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, subsequent talks were held either over the phone or via a video link, in bilateral or multilateral formats.

Peskov Responds To Kiev's Reaction To The Contract Between Gazprom And Budapest

The Kremlin called Ukraine's hysterical reaction to the deal, which was concluded by Hungary and the Russian Gazprom.

As the press secretary of the president Dmitry Peskov noted, firstly, we are talking about long-term agreements guaranteeing Hungary and its consumers reliable supplies of blue fuel. Moreover, in accordance with the norms of international trade. And, secondly, this issue concerns bilateral relations between Moscow and Budapest. So to say that the deal is allegedly directed against Kiev, Peskov noted, is at least inappropriate. The discontent of the Kiev authorities, in fact, was caused by the fact that Russian blue fuel will be supplied to Hungary bypassing Ukraine - through the Turkish Stream and gas pipelines of South-Eastern Europe, in total up to 4.5 billion cubic meters per year. Kiev considers this a blow to bilateral relations and threatens Budapest with retaliation. The Ambassador of Ukraine was summoned to the Hungarian Foreign Ministry after such statements. Later, by the way, according to media reports, a similar invitation - only in Kiev - was received by the head of the Hungarian diplomatic mission. However, in Budapest they say openly: the main thing that guided the deal with Gazprom was national interests. And Ukraine's reaction is, in fact, a violation of Hungary's sovereignty.

Putin Focuses On Supporting Families With Children

Support for families with children remains the focus of the Russian government, Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday at the meeting on economic issues.

"Of course, we remain focused – as we have repeatedly said, I would like to emphasise this once again – on supporting families with children. This year, I have suggested several new measures on this score, including an allowance for expectant mothers in need, childcare sick leave payments for children of up to eight years equal to an average wage, as well as an allowance for a child aged between 8 and 17, who is brought up by a single parent, or if a low-income family is entitled to alimony by a court decision. The allocations for these payments have also been included in the new budget," Putin said. Putin stressed that the Russian government should create an integrated support system for families with children over the next few years.

"I would like to stress it once again: we have repeatedly discussed this. Generally, the rate of what should be done is quite clear and, of course, we will have to do this starting from the moment a mother-to-be is expecting her baby right up to after her child graduates from school," Putin added.

Putin Vows To Continually Focus On Behavior Of Russia’s Macroeconomic Indicators

The behavior of Russia’s macroeconomic indicators will always be in the Kremlin’s spotlight given the instability shaking up the global economy, Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday when opening a meeting on economic issues.

"The situation in the global economy, as we are well aware, still remains unstable, turbulent, and we therefore agreed that the movement of macroeconomic indicators will permanently be the focus of our attention - our special attention," the head of state pledged.

Putin clarified that this was vital both during the adoption of the budget law and during its implementation, "to make timely, prompt adjustments and refinements to economic, infrastructural and social development programs, and launch extra measures to support the population if possible," the president said.

The current meeting is the final one on the topic of reviewing the federal budget draft for 2022 and the planned period of 2023-2024, Putin noted. The government "accomplished a lot" when preparing this document, the leader noted.

"We have already considered the projection of Russia’s socio-economic development for the near future. Based on this forecast, plans are made for the income and expenditure part of the budget and the key parameters of the country’s main financial document are determined," Putin added.

Lavrov: Russia, Vietnam Confirm Determination To Enhance Strategic Partn...

Russia and Vietnam have expressed the mutual intention to enhance strategic partnership, Sergey Lavrov told a news conference following talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Bui Thanh Son on Tuesday.

"We confirmed the mutual intention to systematically strengthen comprehensive strategic partnership between our countries, based on years-long traditions of friendship, solidarity and mutual support," he said. "We hailed the regular, meaningful political dialogue at the summit and high levels, which is continuing in defiance of the coronavirus pandemic."

In discussing trading and economic ties the sides expressed the unanimity that the EAEU's free trade agreement with Vietnam considerably promoted an increase in bilateral trade turnover.

"Last year it was up 15% and in January-July this year, by another 24%. Alongside this we considered the opportunities for correcting the imbalance in mutual trade by various ways, including greater presence of Russian exporters on the Vietnamese market," Lavrov said.

He stressed that high on the list of Russia's and Vietnam's priorities was the implementation of large-scale initiatives in the field of industrial production, infrastructures and transport.

"We considered the outlook for pooling efforts in such fields as information security, creation of an electronic government and smart cities, banking, agri-industrial sphere and communications," Lavrov said.

He stressed that at the negotiations a high assessment was made of the state of affairs in the oil and gas sector.

"It was decided to create favorable conditions for the effective operation of Gazprom, Zarubezhneft and Novatek in Vietnam and PetroVietnam in Russia," Lavrov added.

Lavrov: Agreements On Nagorno-Karabakh Help Establish Stability

The agreements ending military activities in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which were reached by the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan last year, helped establish stability in the conflict zone, Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference on Tuesday.

"The main thing that was achieved in nearly a year since November 9, 2020, is that stability was established and has been maintained, the presence of Russia's peacekeeping forces helps prevent violent acts, which is what we see now. The minor incidents that occurred at first were promptly resolved. I would like to reiterate that the situation is stable there though there are a lot of issues," Lavrov noted.

According to him, a mine clearance operation has yet to be completed in Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as an operation to return detained persons. "The main goal currently is to build a calm, peaceful and stable life, encourage the Armenian and Azerbaijani communities to reach the mutual trust that the region lacked for decades and make sure that issues related to the return of refugees and other everyday issues are resolved," the Russian top diplomat emphasized.

On November 9, 2020, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed a joint statement on a complete ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan and Armenia maintained the positions that they had held, several districts were handed over to Baku and Russian peacekeepers were deployed along the line of contact and the Lachin Corridor.

Putin: Russia Needs Contingency Plan To Respond To Risks Like Coronavirus Pandemic

Russia has efficiently modified its long-term plans due to the coronavirus pandemic, but a contingency plan must be available to respond to similar risks in the future, instead of making decisions as the situation unfolds, Vladimir Putin said at a video conference meeting of the Security Council on Monday.

President Putin noted that new risks were emerging throughout the world, which sometimes alter the situation drastically, making a dent in previous plans, pointing to the coronavirus pandemic as an example. As a result of COVID-19, serious restrictions were imposed on public life globally such as, ''the sealing of state borders, and a forced decline in business activity,'' the leader noted. The Russian government ''implemented brand-new, wide-ranging measures to support the economy and its citizens,'' Putin specified.

''But under these conditions, this certainly requires mechanisms for making rapid changes and further adjustments to the plans and programs that have been adopted. On the whole, we have managed to introduce these quick changes, which worked efficiently. But it's necessary that we don't play these things by ear in the future, if such situations arise, but use the best achievements that we’ve accomplished to develop an algorithm of actions that would actually happen automatically,'' Putin said.

Putin Identifies Russia's Enemies, Development Goals At First Cabinet Me...

Russia have not yet defeated the enemy "And who is our enemy? The poverty of a considerable part of our population, as well as the current problems in the healthcare system, education and infrastructure development. we have many problems we need to tackle. They are our number one enemy. In the meantime, our main goal is to improve the living standards of the people in our country," Vladimir Putin said at the fist Cabinet meeting following the elections to the Duma of the eighth convocation, on Monday.

Putin asked to motivate all government teams in all sectors to quickly, professionally and effectively carry out the tasks facing the government.

Putin Greets United Russia Leaders On Duma Election Victory

On Monday, Vladimir Putin had a meeting, via videoconference, with the leaders of the United Russia party pre-election list: Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, Presidential Commissioner for Children’s Rights Anna Kuznetsova, Head Physician of City Clinical Hospital No. 40 of the Moscow Healthcare Department Denis Protsenko, Head of the Sirius Educational Centre and the Talent and Success foundation, member of the Presidential Council for Science and Education Yelena Shmeleva.

'Never Say Never' - Lavrov Doubts Biden's Promises

Russia want the United States to make the next step and move beyond the commitment not to use force for reshaping other countries by actually refraining from doing this altogether. they must recognise that we are all different. we have different cultural, civilisational roots, but we share the same planet and must respect each other, Sergey Lavrov side at the press conference to sum up the high-level meetings week at the 76th session of the UN General Assembly, on Saturday.

President Biden said that the United States will no longer use force to change regimes abroad. “Never say never” as the saying goes. "we have seen how the Donald Trump administration pulled out of the Iranian nuclear deal that was concluded by the Barack Obama administration. now that talks on fully restoring the JCPOA to settle the situation around the Iranian nuclear programme are underway, one of the questions the Iranians are asking the Americans is whether the agreement to restore this plan can include a clause binding future administrations to respect it? the Americans say that they cannot do this, since this is how their system works. international law is one thing, but their law is a nose of wax, and can be twisted about any way they so desire," Lavrov said.

United States President Biden said that an era of “relentless diplomacy” has been ushered in. "This means that the Americans will seek to impose on other countries what they deem right for them by other means. this could include colour revolutions. they do not require any use of force, but are equally destructive. just look at Libya, Iraq, Syria, and Ukraine, our neighbour," Minister added.

Lavrov: West Tries To Divert Attention From Kiev’s Failure To Implement ...

The West’s statements on non-recognition of the State Duma elections in Crimea is an attempt to distract attention from Kiev’s failure to implement the Minsk agreements, Sergey Lavrov said on Saturday at a press conference devoted to the outcome of his visit to New York for the 76th session of the UNGA.

"The fact that [the West] has grasped this Crimean issue, including the feverish holding of the so-called Crimea Platform in Kiev and an uproar over the vote, I think it is an attempt to divert attention from the fact that President Zelensky-led Kiev has shamefully failed its commitments under the Minsk agreements to overcome the intra-Ukrainian conflict in the east of that country," Lavrov said.

"The second reason why they are acting so is probably simply diplomatic unprofessionalism, a lack of foreign policy professionalism, since professionals are perfectly aware that the Crimea case is closed once and forever," Lavrov added.

On September 16, at a plenary session in Strasbourg the European Parliament approved a report of Lithuanian lawmaker Andrius Kubilius, which called on the EU authorities to revise relations with Russia. The report says that the EU countries should be prepared to refuse to recognize the results of the forthcoming State Duma elections, if violations of democratic procedures and international law were exposed.

How did Putin, Shoigu Spend Their Holidays In The Siberian Taiga

At the beginning of September, we already announced that Vladimir Putin and Sergei Shoigu arranged a short vacation in the taiga, at the end of the Russian president's visit to the Far East. Now, here's some footage from this impromptu two-day vacation. There are wonderful views of the endless taiga and photo hunting, fishing ... in general, enjoy your viewing!

Lavrov: West Belittles The UN By Imposing Its Own 'A Rules Based Interna...

The Russian Foreign Ministry has repeatedly stated that the UN Charter is violated and comes under attacks by the states, which are promoting the concept of "a rules-based international order," Sergey Lavrov stressed at the 76th session of the UNGA on Saturday.

Such attempts are clearly manifested in the concept of the so-called "rules-based order", which the West is persistently introducing into political circulation in opposition to international law.

"The upcoming Summit of Democracies, initiated by Washington, will mark a step towards dividing the international community into "us" and "them," Russian Foreign Minister said.

"President Biden has recently announced the end of 'an era of major military operations to remake other countries.' We expect that the US will take another step, abandoning not only the use of force but also all other methods of imposing its development models [on others]," he pointed out.

Putin's Message To Newly Elected Governors: 'To Serve People'

In a video meeting with the newly elected governors, Vladimir Putin stressed that they must always remember the most important thing - that they are in the public service and must serve the people who entrusted them with such a high position and who expect them to work effectively.

"You all have experience of such work and you know how complicated and intense it is. you realise that a colossal responsibility to the people is bestowed upon you. you must assert their trust daily, work for them and for their sake, as we say, roll up your sleeves, with your heart and with your soul, proving that you are in the right place and deserve such a high position, and proving the viability of election programmes and promises with concrete deeds. you should target your management teams towards unquestionable resolution of urgent social and economic problems in the regions, and of course, sustaining their effective and dynamic progress," Putin said.

The President asked the governors to personally monitor the implementation of national projects and monitor how the measures taken on the ground are being implemented to support families with children and other categories of citizens, small and medium-sized businesses, to conduct comprehensive medical examinations. and medical rehabilitation of people who have had COVID-19. "We are launching a big programme now. a special emphasis should be laid on the issues of employment, including and maybe primarily on the employment of young specialists and those in the pre-retirement group. you know that occasionally some issues arise here," Putin added.

#UNCharterIsOurRules - Lavrov Supports UN

In his address to the 76th session of the UNGA on Saturday, Sergey Lavrov offered a hashtag for social networks in support of the UN Charter - #UNCharterIsOurRules.

The hashtag will be launched in six official languages of the UN - Russian, English, French, Arabic, Chinese and Spanish. This initiative is aimed at supporting the UN Charter, which is a basic source of international law. The Russian Foreign Ministry has repeatedly stated that the UN Charter is violated and comes under attacks by the states, which are promoting the concept of "a rules-based international order."

"Russia calls for adapting the UN Security Council to the realities of a polycentric world order, enlarging it with Asian and Latin American countries," Sergey Lavrov said.

According to Lavrov, Russia is convinced that it is time to learn lessons from the dangerous reverberations of the policy to undermine the UN-centered architecture, which was shaped after World War II and has more than once served as a reliable insurance against catastrophic scenarios.

Putin Is Grateful To Russians For Responsible Choice Despite Difficulties

Vladimir Putin again thanked the citizens of Russia for their active participation in the elections to the State Duma, despite all the difficulties associated with the pandemic and the ensuing economic crisis.

There was a high turnout: over half of the country’s voters took part in the elections. "I would like to once again thank Russia’s citizens for coming to the polling stations or voting from home, or – wherever it was available – voting online, but in any case, they fulfilled their civic duty and made their responsible choice, which is critical," Putin said.

The elections were held against the backdrop of the pandemic, decreasing real incomes and instability in the global markets. Russia's major economic indicators have rebounded to the pre-crisis level only recently "but, regrettably, few of our citizens can sense this positive trend right away; they cannot feel it yet, so to say," President stressed.

Putin Greets State Duma Political Parties' Leaders

The updated Russian Constitution has significantly increased the role of the State Duma. In this context, the responsibility of the deputies has also significantly increased, primarily for the fulfillment of their obligations during the election campaign, Vladimir Putin said on Saturday in a video conference with leaders of the parties that have won seats in the lower house of Russia’s parliament.

"Such a totally intensive, public and open style of work must become standard throughout your tenure in parliament," Putin added.

"Elections are obviously a crucial and symbolic stage in the life of each party and the entire nation, but it is just one more stage. Intensive daily work lies ahead for the benefit of Russia and its citizens," President stressed.

The overall distribution of the 450 State Duma mandates goes as follows: United Russia got 324 seats, the Communist Party gained 57 seats, A Just Russia — For Truth gains 27 seats, LDPR took 21 seats, while the New People got 13 seats," Pamfilova said. "The Homeland, the Civic Platform, and the Party of Growth gain one seat each. Five mandates were gained by self-nominated candidates.

Putin: Poverty In Russia Needs To Be Brought Down To Minimum

Vladimir Putin has urged to bring poverty to a minimum in the country and lift "a considerable amount of people" out of it.

"We all have numerous common challenges and common tasks. It is necessary to bring the poverty level in the country down to a minimum and to help a considerable amount of people out of it. It is necessary to improve the conditions of life, development and education, and simply the nutrition of children in low-income families, to raise for everyone the level and accessibility of quality modern education, healthcare and to continue transformations in the structure of the economy for cutting-edge high-tech industries," Putin said on Saturday in a video conference with leaders of the parties that have won seats in the lower house of Russia’s parliament (State Duma).

Peskov: New US Sanctions Would Wipe Out 'Spirit Of Geneva'

The adoption of new US sanctions against Russia would be the worst possible scenario for relations between the two countries. Moreover, it would wipe out "the spirit of Geneva," Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday, commenting on the House of Representatives' move to pass a defense policy bill that includes new restrictions against Moscow.

When asked whether the new sanctions would actually be introduced, Peskov noted that predicting Washington's steps was not the Kremlin's job. "Perhaps, it's not up to us to make forecasts. Clearly, US congressmen are still thirsting to impose various sanctions," he added.

On Thursday, the House of Representatives passed a defense policy bill for the next financial year, as well as a legislative initiative that suggests the Biden administration consider the possibility of sanctioning 35 Russian nationals, including members of the government, major entrepreneurs, public figures and journalists. Another initiative bans Americans from purchasing Russia's newly issued government bonds not only on primary markets but on secondary markets as well in response to Russia's alleged interference in US elections. The Senate has yet to pass its own version of the bill, varying from the one adopted by the House. After that, a commission will meet to agree on the details of the two documents and then they will be put to a vote in both chambers. The process can take several months.

Russia's CEC Approved The Results Of The State Duma Elections

The United Russia political party gained 324 seats in the new State Duma, Central Election Commission head Ella Pamfilova announced Friday, adding that a total of five parties and five self-nominees passed to the lower chamber.

"In the federal electoral district [the entire territory of Russia], a total of five parties passed the five-percent threshold to enter the Duma: United Russia gained 126 deputy mandates, the Communist Party gained 48, LDPR gained 19, A Just Russia - For Truth gained 19, and the New People gained 13. Representatives of seven parties won in 225 single-mandate districts: United Russia won in 198 districts, the Communist Party won in 9, A Just Russia won in 8, and LDPR won in 2. Representatives of the Homeland, the Civic Platform and the Party of Growth gained one mandate each," Central Election Commission head Ella Pamfilova announced Friday, adding that five self-appointed candidates entered the Duma as well.

Therefore, the overall distribution of the 450 State Duma mandates goes as follows: United Russia got 324 seats, the Communist Party gained 57 seats, A Just Russia — For Truth gains 27 seats, LDPR took 21 seats, while the New People got 13 seats," Pamfilova said. "The Homeland, the Civic Platform, and the Party of Growth gain one seat each. five mandates were gained by self-nominated candidates.

The five self-appointed candidates are Vladislav Reznik (Adygea), Leonid Babashov (Crimea), Dmitry Pevtsov, Anatoly Vasserman and Oleg Leonov (all from Moscow).

Putin Discusses The Union State With The Security Council

A rather serious period of negotiations with Belarusian friends about the parameters of the further construction of the Union State has ended. There are also issues related to ensuring the security of our countries in such a rapidly changing world, Vladimir Putin outlined the topic of discussion at a meeting with permanent members of the Security Council on Friday.

Lavrov’s Address To The UN Food Systems Summit

Russia has consistently advocated a solution to the problem of hunger and the eradication of all forms of malnutrition and considers it unacceptable that in the context of the rapid development of science and technology, millions of people around the world continue to suffer and die from hunger and disease, Sergey Lavrov said in a video address to the UN Food Systems Summit, on Friday.

This Food Systems Summit provides a unique opportunity to assess the strengths and weaknesses of existing food systems and identify the key ways to change them to build a world without hunger. as a result of these changes, society should be able to produce a sufficient amount of high-quality food without causing further damage to the environment and biological diversity, as well as ensure food safety and availability for all groups of the population.

Russia supports the international community’s efforts when it comes to humanitarian response and promotion of international development. Russia consistently participates in the provision of food aid, both through bilateral channels and through the relevant UN agencies.

Lavrov noted that even the most ambitious recommendations of the Summit might remain on paper if no decisions are taken to coordinate the follow-up activities. "Russia believe that governments need to play the leading role in this process, supported by the international organisations in Rome – the FAO, WFP and IFAD – as well as in cooperation with other UN agencies. intergovernmental organisations have the appropriate mandate, the necessary expertise and tools to develop internationally consensual solutions, and the potential to provide the necessary assistance to countries in need," Minister concluded.

Lavrov, Courtenay Signs Visa Free Agreement Between Russia And Belize

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belize Eamon Courtenay sign an intergovernmental agreement on the conditions for waiving visa formalities for mutual trips of citizens, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, on Thursday.

Lavrov’s Remarks At Talks With Japan's Motegi

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held talks with Foreign Minister of Japan Toshimitsu Motegi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, on Thursday.

Lavrov congratulated his Japanese neighbors on the well-organized and successful hosting of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo. "Our athletes, coaches, doctors and officials told me that our delegation felt at home there," Minister said.

He also conveyed best wishes and success to his former colleagues Fumio Kishida and Taro Kono, who are now running for the new president of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan.

Lavrov, Borrell Discuss Afghanistan, Ukraine, Iran Nuclear Deal

Sergey Lavrov and Josep Borrell focused on Afghanistan, Ukraine and the Iran nuclear deal on the sidelines of the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Thursday.

They also touched upon the state of and prospects for Russia-EU relations.

Lavrov Meets With Bolivian President On UNGA Sidelines

Sergey Lavrov discussed with Bolivian President Luis Arce the strengthening of bilateral cooperation on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on Thursday.

The sides "confirmed a policy towards a comprehensive strengthening of multi-faceted Russian-Bolivian ties. Special focus was placed on the key aspects of the development of bilateral political dialogue and cooperation in international affairs," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a report. The top Russian diplomat and the Bolivian president "emphasized the commitment of Russia and Bolivia to the central role of the United Nations, principles of international law, sovereignty of the states and non-interference in their domestic affairs," the ministry said.

According to the Foreign Ministry, they also looked into cooperation on the trade-economic front, including prospects for the implementation of major investment projects and the possibility of giving a boost to cultural-humanitarian exchanges. The sides also demonstrated "the mutual intention to expand joint efforts to battle the COVID-19 pandemic," it added.

Crimea's Bastion Warns Provocateurs On The Black Sea

The drills were part of the Black Sea Fleet’s combat training measures amid the naval maneuvers of its Crimean and Novorossiysk naval bases running in the Black Sea.

As a specific feature of the drills, the coastal defense troops employed unmanned aerial vehicles to track the hypothetical enemy’s naval taskforce with deck-based aircraft at distant approaches of their destruction range, the press office specified.

The Bastion coastal defense system with the standardized Yakhont (Oniks) supersonic homing anti-ship cruise missile is designated to strike various types of surface ships operating as part of amphibious assault formations, convoys, surface action and carrier strike groups, and also sole ships and radar-contrast land targets under intensive fire and electronic counter-measures.

The bastion covers the entire area of the Black Sea.

Zakharova States Ukraine’s Sabotage Of The Minsk Agreements

Moscow will continue to demand that Kiev fulfil its obligations, and will continue to urge international partners to encourage the Ukrainian authorities to stop sabotaging the Minsk Agreements, spokeswoman for Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova told a briefing on Tuesday.

Kiev, Donetsk and Lugansk must display political will in order to achieve this goal, and they must show their readiness to conduct direct dialogue for fulfilling agreements that have been reached and their respective obligations.

"Alas, as we can see, the Kiev regime does not display such readiness. on the contrary, we can see Kiev’s striving to sabotage the Minsk Agreements and it is trying to impose its own peace settlement logic. this line has, as of late, become obvious," Zakharova said.

On August 9, 2021, a bill on the transitional period’s state policy was submitted to the State Rada. This document runs counter to the Package of Measures and essentially calls for removing forces disloyal to Kiev. Instead of setting forth a special status, linguistic rights, amnesty for the residents of Donbass, the powers of local authorities and conditions for organising elections under the Minsk Agreements and Normandy format accords, it contains provisions on establishing military-civilian and international administrations. The approval of this bill will virtually signal Ukraine’s withdrawal from the Minsk Agreements and the disintegration of the entire negotiation process.

Moscow Condemns London’s Attempts To Shift Blame In Skripal Case

Russia slams all attempts of the UK to put the responsibility for the Skripal case onto Moscow and will continue to demand comprehensive information from London, spokeswoman for Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova told a briefing on Tuesday.

The spokeswoman also stressed that London continued to refuse to engage in a substantive discussion and investigation into what happened in Salisbury despite numerous appeals from Moscow and calls for a responsible dialogue. "At the same time, the UK leadership continues to abuse the Skripal case as an instrument to put pressure on our country, fanning the flames of anti-Russian sentiments in British society," the diplomat stressed.

Scotland Yard said on Tuesday that charges of attempted murder of Sergei and Yulia Skripal as well as police officer Nick Bailey would be applied to a third person, Russian national Denis Sergeyev. The suspect, also known as Sergei Fedotov, is an alleged "GRU agent" (currently renamed to Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces) and an accomplice of the two other Russians who were previously indicted.

Lavrov's Meetings On The Sidelines Of The UN General Assembly

On Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov began his participation in the UN General Assembly session with a meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

During the protocol photoshoot, Lavrov addressed the reporters: "Don’t try your luck. Russia does not intend to join NATO."

The meeting then proceeded behind closed doors.

Further, the Russian minister held bilateral meetings with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt Sameh Shoukry, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ireland Simon Coveney, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland Zbigniew Rau, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of Great Britain Liz Truss.

At the end of this day, Sergey Lavrov participates in a meeting of the "five" permanent members of the UN Security Council with the UN Secretary General, chaired by the UK.

Zakharova: Russia Welcomes Reopening Of Kabul International Airport

Russia welcome the reopening of Kabul International Airport, that creates a positive environment for the country's return to a normal peaceful life, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing on Tuesday.

"The socioeconomic reconstruction of Afghanistan and bringing the humanitarian situation in that country back to normal are becoming ever more urgent. In this regard, we took note of Head of the World Health Organisation Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus’ visit to Kabul and his meeting, on September 20, with Head of the interim Taliban government Mullah Hasan Akhund. We will keep you informed of our assessments of the situation in that country," Zakharova added.

Russian, US General Staff Chiefs Hold Meeting In Finland

 Russian Armed Forces’ Chief of the General Staff, First Deputy Defense Minister Valery Gerasimov and Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Army General Mark Milley discussed some issues of mutual interest, in particular, mitigating the risk of incidents during military activities at a meeting in Finland, the Russian Defense Ministry stated on Wednesday.

"During the meeting, the top brass addressed issues of mutual interest, including reducing the risk of incidents during military activities. The meeting was constructive," the ministry noted.

According to the defense ministry, the meeting took place today at the Finnish government’s Koningstedt residence in Vantaa, 40 kilometers north of the Finnish capital.

Zakharova: Emergence Of AUKUS Shocked NATO More Than Potential Adversaries

The move by Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States to create a security partnership surprised its NATO allies more than their potential adversaries, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told the Soloviev Live YouTube channel on Wednesday.

"It came as a total surprise and a shock for NATO," she pointed out. "It came as an absolute surprise not for those whom the US, Australia and the UK call their opponents and whom they are collaborating against, but for their allies and the military and political blocs that the US and the UK are part of," Zakharova added.

"The developments that are unfolding around Australia, a seemingly a faraway land, what is happening there is not just interesting - though it is interesting indeed - but it also requires special attention from the political analyst community, including experts on international relations and military and strategic issues," the Russian diplomat noted.

On September 15, Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States announced the formation of a new security pact called AUKUS. Australia particularly intends to use American technologies to build at least eight nuclear-powered submarines, the first of which will become operational in 2036, as well as to equip its armed forces with US-made cruise missiles.

The move broke an earlier defense deal inked with France, the biggest in Australia's history. Paris slammed Canberra's decision as "a stab in the back" and recalled its ambassadors from the US and Australia for consultations. France later expressed its determination to defend its interests during discussions of a trade agreement between the European Union and Australia.

Zakharova Blasts ECHR’s Conclusions On Litvinenko Murder Case

The judgement delivered by the ECHR on September 21 of this year on the application of the widow of Alexander Litvinenko, Carter v. Russia, has raised quite a few questions not only on the merits of the conclusions drawn by this international body but also regarding the Court procedure and the approaches taken by the Court, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing on Tuesday.

This is yet further evidence of the willingness of the ECHR, which is positioning itself as an international judicial authority, to play a political role and make its contribution to cultivating an atmosphere of Russophobia that has become so popular in some Western countries. "We cannot understand the position of the Court, which, as a matter of fact, has decided to rubber-stamp the obviously politicised and dubious from a legal viewpoint, to say the least, conclusions of the national judicial body of a Council of Europe member country," Zakharova stressed.   

Putting aside the content of the document and erroneous conclusions by Strasbourg justice one cannot fail to notice the Court’s arbitrary departure from its standard practice of considering individual applications linked to interstate disputes. earlier, the ECHR undertook to not consider cases like this prior to delivering a judgement on the key points of the related interstate lawsuit. 

Maria Zakharova recalled that on February 23, 2021, Ukraine lodged a ninth application [with the ECHR] against Russia in connection with “targeted assassination operations against perceived opponents of the Russian Federation, in Russia and on the territory of other states”. this is how Ukraine formulated its application. since the case of Carter v. Russia falls within the subject of this interstate lawsuit, the inconsistency of the Court looks astonishing – it should have suspended the consideration of the application, as in the case of thousands of other applications related to interstate affairs. putting aside arguments about the relevance of Kiev’s application, including if it is legally warranted, Russia deem it to be unacceptable that the European Court takes different approaches to identical situations.

Zakharova Responds To US State Department Statements on Russia's Elections

The US State Department (this was expected) was concerned with Russia’s compliance with its OSCE commitments during the State Duma elections, Maria Zakharova said at a briefing on Tuesday.

"The haste with which our US partners joined in the Russophobic chorus from the European Parliament, or the European Parliament adopted US policy, is quite notable. Everyone knows that the official results of the elections have not been released yet, but this does not prevent anyone who enjoys criticising our country from doing so," Diplomat stressed.

Maria Zakharova recalled that the Duma elections were held in full compliance with the provisions of Russian and international law. despite an unprecedented number of cyberattacks on Russia's Central Election Commission, half of which came from the United States, and blatant interference by US-based Internet platforms in the preparation for and during the elections. The ill-wishers failed to discredit the Russian electoral system.

Per tradition, Washington absolutely does not bother itself with bringing at least some specific piece of evidence to back up its fantasies. they do not recognise not only the objectivity of the election results, but also, in principle, Russian electoral system as such. At the same time, almost concurrently, the United States has declared its interest in a “constructive” dialogue with Russia. "Just a piece of advice to our partners: it’s either idle talk or a constructive dialogue. you need to choose. and if you really want to talk about our elections, the State Department may as well share the results of an analysis of the data passed along by Moscow regarding the interference that we detected from the territory of the United States," Zakharova summarized.

Putin Welcomes IIHF Congress To St Petersburg

On Wednesday, Vladimir Putin addressed participants in the International Ice Hockey Federation Semi-Annual Congress, currently being held in St Petersburg.

In Russia, ice hockey is one of the most popular and beloved sports. this is a vibrant, spectacular, and simply beautiful game, and we have every right to take pride in our glorious traditions and achievements in ice hockey, and in our outstanding athletes. Russians are keeping a close eye on what is happening in the world of hockey, watch hockey games and play hockey themselves.

Last year, more than 620,000 people, and these are just official figures, played hockey in Russia, including 74,000 youngsters, who are learning to play this game in specialised schools and want to dedicate their lives to this sport.

The President thanked the International Ice Hockey Federation for the consistently constructive cooperation and trust. "time and again, when choosing host countries for various championships, you chose Russia. I would just like to reiterate that this holds special value and importance in the eyes of Russian society" Putin said.

Russia is looking forward to the World Junior Championships, which will take place at the end of 2022 in Novosibirsk and Omsk, as well as the 2023 Ice Hockey World Championships in St. Petersburg.

Vladimir Putin separately thanked IIHF President Rene Fasel for his enormous contribution to the development and popularization of ice hockey.

Peskov: Russia Regrets Turkey’s Refusal To Recognize Duma Election Results In Crimea

The Kremlin regrets Turkey’s refusal to recognize the results of the recent Russian legislative elections in Crimea and hopes the republic will change its stance on the peninsula, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday.

Earlier, a statement from Turkish Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson Tanju Bilgich was posted on the ministry’s website, saying that the results of the elections to the State Duma on September 17-19 "have no legal validity for Turkey."

Putin: Russian Economy Recovered Despite Unstable Global Situation

The Russian economy has recovered, although the situation on global markets remains difficult and volatile, Vladimir Putin said at a meeting on economic policy on Tuesday.

"Let me note that, despite the general unstable situation in the global economy, complex processes in world markets, the Russian economy has recovered," the head of state said.

"Just recently, we still said "it has generally recovered," now we can already say that it has recovered," the head of state noted.

Results Of The Russia’s State Duma Election After 100% Of Casted Ballots Were Processed

After 100% of casted ballots were processed, the United Russia won 49.82% of the votes to take some 112 seats in the parliament’s lower house.

The party’s representatives are also winning the election in 198 single-mandate constituencies of the country.

Therefore, the United Russia political party receives the constitutional majority of over 300 mandates on the overall.

The Communist Party of the Russian Federation is second with 18.93%, the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, third with 7.55%, A Just Russia, fourth with 7.46%, and New People, fifth with 5.32%.

These five parties have cleared the five-percent hurdle required for their representation in the State Duma.

Orthodox Celebrate The Nativity Of The Blessed Virgin Mary

Orthodox believers celebrate on Tuesday the Nativity Of The Blessed Virgin Mary - the birthday of the mother of Jesus Christ, which is considered the first big holiday of the new church year.

On this day, festive services with prayers in honor of the Virgin Mary are held in Orthodox churches. On the eve, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia celebrated an all-night vigil - a special evening service held before important church holidays.

The Nativity of the Virgin is considered one of the great Orthodox holidays and the first in the coming church year. Priests on this day, as on other holidays dedicated to the Mother of God, wear blue vestments, which in the church tradition symbolizes purity and purity. The holiday is celebrated for six days - from 20 (forefeast), the Nativity of the Virgin itself - on September 21 and four days after the holiday, until September 25.

The earliest document commemorating Marymas comes from a hymn written in the sixth century. The feast may have originated somewhere in Syria or Palestine in the beginning of the sixth century, when after the Council of Ephesus, the cult of the Mother of God was greatly intensified, especially in Syria.

The first liturgical commemoration is connected with the sixth century dedication of the Basilica Sanctae Mariae ubi nata est, now called the Church of Saint Anne in Jerusalem. The original church, built in the fifth century, was a Marian basilica erected on the spot known as the Shepherd's Pool and thought to have been the home of Mary's parents. In the seventh century, the feast was celebrated by the Byzantines as the Feast of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Since the story of Mary's Nativity is known only from apocryphal sources, the Latin Church was slower in adopting this festival. At Rome, the Feast began to be kept toward the end of the 7th century, brought there by Eastern monks.

Lukashenko Confirms Readiness To Hold Referendum On Belarus Constitution

Belarus President Alexandr Lukashenko confirmed his readiness to hold a constitutional referendum in the republic.

There is a referendum ahead of us. we will have to hold it, to persuade the people, although we won’t get out of our way. we will simply tell the people what changes will come because of the amendment of the constitution, so that we would not be accused of clinging to the power so much that our hands went blue, as I often say, and tweak this constitution for ourselves," Lukashenko said, appointing the heads of local administrations Monday, according to BelTA.

Pamfilova: Duma Election Results To Be Summed Up No Earlier Than Friday

The official results of the Russian legislative elections will be summed up no earlier than Friday, so that the regions could have time to look into all complaints and appeals, the head of the Central Election Commission (CEC), Ella Pamfilova, said during a video linkup with President Vladimir Putin on Monday.

"We want to officially sum up the results no earlier than Friday. The reason is that I strongly recommended all our colleagues in the regions not to hurry, since apart from the State Duma campaign we had 4,400 different campaigns overall. The cleanness of this campaign is the most important thing of all," she said.

"Since we invested so much effort to ensure that the election campaign is clean, we would not want to see some negligent attitude damage the reputation of what we have done," she specified.

The CEC chairperson also noted "the smallest ever" number of appeals and complaints coming to the Central Election Commission. "Although the number of complaints, appeals and violations has reduced in essence, they all come to light. All that is kept secret very quickly comes to light, the system is now working towards this, it is impossible to hide anything. The fact that we had an unprecedented number of observers, over 491,000, also has its role," Pamfilova stressed.

Putin Thanks Nation For Trust, Proactive Attitude At Duma Elections

At a meeting with the chief of the Central Election Commission, Ella Pamfilova, Vladimir Putin thanked the Russian people for their trust and proactive attitude during the 2021 parliamentary elections.

"I want to say words of special gratitude to the Russian public. To thank you for our trust, dear friends, for your proactive attitude. Indeed, the turnout of 51%, higher than 51%, is much higher than slightly over 47% at the previous elections," Putin stressed.

This result shows people’s "responsible approach" to the formation of the State Duma, Putin said.

"Stability in the country, Russia’s prosperity and progress really depend on its work," the president said. He also stressed that all staff of the election commissions at various levels "used to the full their knowledge and experience, were scrupulous in the discharge of their duties". "I want to thank you all for that," Putin summed up.

Elections to the 8th Russian State Duma (lower house) were held over three days - on September 17, 18 and 19. In addition to the State Duma elections, voters went to the polls to cast ballots for the heads of nine Russian regions and in elections for 39 regional parliaments.

Putin Offers Sincere Condolences To Families Of Those Killed In Perm

The shooting in the Perm University is a huge tragedy for the entire country, Vladimir Putin said on Monday, expressing his condolences to the close ones of the victims.

"I would like to begin with words of condolences in regards to the tragedy that happened in Perm today,” Putin said, opening the meeting with Central Electoral Commission head Ella Pamfilova. "I am well aware that no words can drown out the grief of loss, the pain of this loss, especially when we are talking about young people who only begin their life. this is a huge tragedy not only for the families who lost their children, but for the entire country."

The law enforcement will exert maximum effort to investigate this cause of this crime, the president added.

"The law enforcement will do everything it takes to investigate this horrible crime and determine its cause. regional and federal authorities will take all necessary action to support the victims and the families of the murdered kids," the head of state underscored.

Early on September 20, an 18-year-old local resident opened fire at the Perm State National Research University. according to the Russian Ministry of Health, six people died in the tragedy. The Investigative Committee reported 28 killed or injured. a criminal case over charges of murder of two or more people has been opened.

Zyuganov Pleased With CPRF’s Election Results

CPRF (Communist Party of the Russian Federation) leader Gennady Zyuganov said on Monday that his party appears to have done well at the 2021 legislative elections.

"The Communist Party together with the left patriotic forces performed quite successfully at these elections," Zyuganov told a news conference. The reason is that the party came up with "a full-fledged program, a development budget and 12 key laws that will help the country get out of a systemic crisis," the party leader said.

"We were heard by remote parts of Russia first of all, not only responding to our appeals but also turning out en masse [to the polling stations] on [September] 19," the politician added. He drew attention to the fact that the vote-counting began from the Far East, where, according to him, United Russia ceded a number of positions. "We have practically the same results from Sakhalin to Tomsk (Siberia), which gives us grounds to state that the wind of freedom and revival of the country is now blowing from the east," Zyuganov stressed.

CEC: United Russia Gets 49.42% Of Votes With 80.1% Of Results Processed

The United Russia party secures 49.42% of the ballots in the State Duma party lists after 80.1% of the results were processed, the Central Election Commission (CEC) data shows.

According to the voting results, the Communist Party comes second with 19.28% followed by the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (7.55%), A Just Russia - Patriots - For Truth (7.37%) and New People (5.37%). therefore, these five parties are so far projected to win seats in the new convocation of the parliament by clearing the 5% cut-off bar.

At the same time, Party of Growth gets 2.53%, Civic Platform receives 1.33% and Yabloko wins 1.1%. the remaining parties secure less than 1% of the votes.

The State Duma elections were held in Russia on September 17-19.

Lavrov Casts Ballot In Russia's Parliamentary Elections

On Saturday, Sergey Lavrov has cast his ballot in the country's parliamentary elections in a traditional format by visiting polling station, which is located at school number 1243 in Maly Kislovsky Lane, Moscow.

The State Duma of the VIII convocation is elected for five years under a mixed electoral system: 225 deputies are elected by party lists, another 225 - by single-mandate constituencies in one round. Simultaneously with the elections to the State Duma on a single voting day, direct elections are to be held for the heads of nine Russian constituent entities (in three more regions, deputies of legislative assemblies will elect the highest administrative persons) and 39 regional parliaments.

Zakharova Defends Her Boss

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova answered a media question about the new investigation film by Navalny's team about Sergey Lavrov, concluding her briefing on Thursday.

"The creators of these pseudo-investigations make no secret of their goal – to crush and destroy. I have not invented this. They have said so themselves. They are living abroad on foreign grants, and their information campaigns are supported and managed by the intelligence services of the countries that see Russia as their enemy," Zakharova said.

In her opinion, this is done in line with Joseph Goebbels, who spoke about taking a grain of truth, distorting it with lies and presenting the result as gospel truth.

"Even his worst critics do not question Sergey Lavrov’s professionalism. His prestige is undeniable. He is respected for his deep knowledge, hard work and ability to find solutions to the most complicated international conflicts and problems, as well as for his human values," Diplomat stressed.

Zakharova: Kuleba Insulted Israel Comparing It With Ukraine

This is the first time someone has insulted Israel by calling it a flexible military state and comparing it with Ukraine. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmitry Kuleba was too hasty to make such statements, Maria Zakharova said at a briefing on Thursday.

"It is becoming more and more difficult to seriously comment on the statements made by Ukrainian representatives and officials, not only because of their absurdity, but also because their statements are contradictory," summed up the Diplomat.

Zakharova Urges Kiev To Stop Military Operation Against Donbass

Russia urge the Kiev regime to stop the years-long military operation waged against their own people in Donbass without any delay, and to get down to national reconciliation in earnest, so that all citizens of Ukraine can live in dignity, regardless of their nationality, language or political affiliation, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated at a briefing on Thursday.

It is notable that tension is growing in Donbass against the backdrop of the Kiev officials’ increasingly aggressive rhetoric, which has gone beyond any reasonable boundaries. they made some shocking statements over the last few days. Alexey Danilov, Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council, has said recently that if the Supreme Commander issues a corresponding order, the Ukrainian army can occupy the DPR and LPR. President Vladimir Zelensky has warned that an all-out war with Russia was a possibility.

Putin Votes In Russia's Parliamentary Elections For The First Time Online

On Friday, Vladimir Putin voted online in the elections of deputies to the State Duma of the Russian Federation.

This is the first time that the Russian president did not go to a polling station to vote. On Tuesday, Putin announced that he had to self-isolate after coronavirus cases had been identified in his inner circle.

Residents of seven Russian regions this time have the opportunity to cast their ballots remotely online. Voter registration for online voting, which ended at 11:59 pm on September 13, required a confirmed account on the Gosuslugi or mos.ru public services websites.

Putin: Money Problems May Push Afghanistan’s New Authorities To Drug, Arms Trade

Money shortage in the treasury of Afghanistan may push its new authorities to drug and arms trade, Vladimir Putin said at a joint meeting of the leaders of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

He noted that after the US armed forces left, a large number of arms was also left the country worth billions of dollars. Putin added that officially the Taliban (outlawed in Russia) proclaimed its intention to fight both drug trade and other crimes. "By the way, they used to combat drug trafficking quite successfully, we should acknowledge that. We will see what will happen now," he said.

Putin Highlights Need To Work With New Afghan Government

The Afghan government formed by the Taliban (outlawed in Russia) is not representative and inclusive, but it is essential to work with it, Vladimir Putin said on Friday at a joint meeting of the leaders of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

According to Putin, it would be optimal to foster the dialogue "through the mechanism of the extended troika on Afghanistan (Russia, China, Pakistan and the US), this work is already in progress." He also cited the previous Moscow format of consultations on Afghanistan that involved other countries of the SCO and the CSTO. "Its work can be revived if necessary and if all its member states agree," the Russian leader said.

In addition, Putin mentioned his proposal to explore the possibility of resuming the activities of the SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group, "which was set up to work with Afghan partners."

Putin: US Left Opened Pandora’s Box After Their Departure From Afghanistan

The US and their allies left opened Pandora’s box in the Afghanistan filled with problems of terrorism, drug trafficking and religious extremism after their departure from the country, Vladimir Putin said on Friday at a meeting of the leaders of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

He emphasized that all members states of these organizations share similar approaches to reacting to threats "coming from Afghanistan after Americans quickly left the country, if not fled it, together with their NATO allies."

"They all left opened Pandora’s box behind which is full of problems linked to terrorism, drug trafficking, organized crime and, unfortunately, religious extremism," Putin said.

The Russian leader expressed gratitude to his counterparts for supporting the idea of a joint meeting for the CSTO and SCO leaders, a meeting held in a new format. "Our discussion today shows how important it is to align efforts of the two organizations for maintaining security and stability on the Eurasian space. It is especially vital in the context of the new deterioration of the already turbulent situation in Afghanistan," he noted.

After the United States announced the end of its military operation in Afghanistan and the pullout of its troops, the Taliban (outlawed in Russia) stepped up their offensive. On August 15, Taliban fighters swept into Kabul without encountering any resistance, and gained full control over the Afghan capital. Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani stepped down and fled the country. The Taliban announced a new government on September 7.