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.

Putin's Proposals On The Afghan Settlement At The SCO Summit

The developments in Afghanistan have created conditions for the resumption of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) - Afghanistan Contact Group's work, Vladimir Putin said on Friday, addressing the Dushanbe-hosted Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit via video link.

Putin emphasized that the pattern of joint actions aimed at promptly responding to threats coming from Afghanistan had been thoroughly discussed at a meeting of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Collective Security Committee on September 16. The Russian president stressed that Moscow was interested in making sure that other SCO members understand and support the decisions made at the meeting.

Putin Supports Start Of Iran's SCO Membership Process

Russia supports the start of Iran's Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) membership process, Vladimir Putin said, addressing an SCO summit via video link on Friday.

"All of us attach much importance to the SCO's cooperation with the countries that seek to build open and equal dialogue with our organization and are considering the possibility of joining its activities," the Russian head of state pointed out. "In this regard, Russia supports the decision to start Iran's SCO membership process, which has been submitted for approval to the SCO Council of Heads of State," Putin added.

"We have always been in favor of Iran's full-fledged participation in the organization's work because the country plays an important role in Eurasia and has long been fruitfully cooperating with the SCO," the Russian leader emphasized. According to Putin, "Iran's SCO accession will undoubtedly contribute to enhancing the organization's international authority.

Zakharova Slams EP’s Moves To Manipulate Public Opinion Amid Upcoming Russia's Elections

Moscow strongly condemns the European Parliament’s (EP) attempts to manipulate public opinion amid the 2021 legislative elections, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated at a briefing on Thursday.

"We resolutely condemn the attempts of the MEPs (the European Parliament’s Members) to manipulate the Europeans’ public opinion and understand that they lead to the final disgracing of the EP as the EU’s representative body," the diplomat noted.

As Zakharova stated, now, it is already obvious that the EP is going to draw up conclusions about the Russian polls "relying on those organizations, that, giving fake excuses, either simply withdrew themselves from taking part in the monitoring of the parliamentary elections, or had nothing to do with this process at all." "We will stand firm, as it has been before, against unacceptable meddling into Russia’s national democratic processes," the diplomat emphasized.

Earlier, the EP’s Foreign Affairs Committee suggested that the EU prepared for non-recognition of the voting results of the upcoming Russian polls, if Brussels considered that they violated international norms. Some 56 committee members upheld the document, while nine others were against and five abstained from voting. The EP’s reports and resolutions, as well as the recognition of foreign political institutions, are not legally binding.

Elections to the 8th Russian State Duma (lower house) are scheduled for September 19, 2021, known as the Single Voting Day. The balloting process will span across three days - September 17, 18, and 19. In addition to the State Duma elections, voters will go to the polls to cast ballots for the heads of nine Russian regions (in another three regions local legislatures will elect top executive officials) and in elections for 39 regional parliaments.

Zakharova: Russia Expects Australia To Comply With Obligations As Nuclear Free Country

Moscow expects that Australia, being a nuclear-free country, will continue to comply with its obligations, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday.

We drew attention to Canberra’s released plans as a part of the new trilateral security initiative of the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom (AUUKUS). We believe that being a nuclear-free country and a faithful participant of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, Canberra will comply with its obligations and under its safeguards agreement with the IAEA and its additional protocol. we expect that Canberra will ensure the necessary cooperation with the agency [IAEA] in order to exclude any non-proliferation risks.

JSE Zapad-2021 Finished, Russia's Troops Return From Belarus

The troops of the Western Military District, the Airborne Troops and the aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces involved in the joint strategic exercise Zapad-2021 at the Obuz-Lesnovsky and Brestsky training grounds on the territory of the Republic of Belarus have begun to return to their permanent deployment points in the Russia, said the RF Ministry of Defense on Thursday.

Currently, military units and formations of the guards tank army and the Airborne Troops are marching to railway stations and airfields, where they are loading onto railway platforms and military transport aviation aircraft. the engineering staff has started preparing aviation equipment for the flight to the airfields based in the Russian Federation.

The first military echelons are already on the move. during the further movement, the servicemen and units will make marches in a combined way, covering a distance of 800 to 1200 kilometers.

Along the way, the issues of conducting air defence, combating sabotage and reconnaissance groups of a mock enemy, as well as comprehensive support for marches will be worked out.

In turn, the air crews of the military transport, long-range, operational-tactical and army aviation of the Aerospace Forces (AF) and the Western Military District, who participated in the joint strategic exercise Zapad-2021, began to relocate from operational airfields to permanent locations.

Il-76, Tu-22m3, Su-35s, Su-30sm, Su-34, Ka-52, Mi-28n, Mi-35, Mi-24, Mi-8 helicopters of various modifications involved in various episodes of the exercise will be delivered to the home airfields in the near future.

During the JSE Zapad-2021, the crews of the AF and the WMD worked out tasks for intercepting air targets, using aircraft weapons against ground targets, landing personnel, military equipment and cargo, aviation support for the actions of combined-arms units, and others.

Putin's CSTO Address: Withdrawal Of US Troops From Afghanistan 'Put Mild...

The withdrawal of the western coalition’s troops from Afghanistan was "hasty, mildly speaking," Vladimir Putin said addressing a summit of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) via video link on Thursday, and noted the related threats in the region.

The environment in the zone of the CSTO’s responsibility and the external borders of its members is "not only unstable, but carries new, truly critical challenges and risks for security of our countries," he said.

"Right after a hasty, mildly speaking hasty withdrawal of the troops of the US and its allies from Afghanistan and the rise to power of the Taliban we shared views on the dangers related to the drastically changed situation in the country at an extraordinary CSTO summit. All approved then the conclusion that amid the current environment a close cooperation between CSTO member-states is required as never before," Putin emphasized.

Putin Addresses The Nation Ahead Of Parliamentary Elections

Exactly one day before the start of the parliamentary elections, at midnight on September 16, Vladimir Putin addressed the citizens of Russia.

Lavrov Upset Over Ukraine's Habit To Invariably Beg The West For Something

Given its rich history, the Ukrainian nation deserves to be a creator, not a beggar with cap in hand, Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday.

"Our Ukrainian “friends” are constantly trying to bring any subject to the level of hysteria. It is their habit and principle to invariably beg the West for something. They believe Nord Stream 2 must be stopped.  If this fails, they should be compensated financially.  They suggest signing an agreement to the effect that if the Russians “do” something with Nord Stream 2 when it is operative, they need to respond in some way. They are requesting that they be allowed to join NATO and the EU. They say they have been ready for this for a long time and there is no need to make political excuses.  They are endlessly nagging and nagging. To my mind, a country should have dignity," Lavrov stressed.

Lavrov Сriticizes 'Belligerent' EU Russophobes Over Nord Stream 2

Russia thinks that the hawkish minority in the European Union is bound to stir up a wave of negativity against Nord Stream 2 and impose it on others, Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday.

"We will communicate with those [in the European Union] who are ready for this. But, if we go according to this reasoning, if we analyze this, that no one should make decisions on their own affairs with Russia, but only through the European Union, then this may hint at someone in Brussels wanting to impose this belligerent minority’s policy on Nord Stream 2 upon everyone else," he said.

Lavrov pointed out that the Baltic states, Poland, and several other EU countries, who are guided by anti-Russian motives, are the ones that are the most fiercely opposed to Nord Stream 2. "I was once again convinced that they are trying to adapt the entire policy of the European Union to the views, tastes, and manners of this Russophobic minority," the top diplomat added.

The Nord Stream 2 pipeline consists of two strings with a total capacity of 55 bln cubic meters per year, which run from the coast of Russia through the Baltic Sea to Germany.

Work on Nord Stream 2 was suspended in December 2019 after the Swiss-based Allseas company abandoned pipe-laying efforts due to the threat of US sanctions. As of December 2020, the gas pipeline’s construction had resumed and was fully completed on the morning of September 10, 2021.

Lavrov: Russia Maintains Contacts With New Afghan Power To Remove Risks To Central Asian Neighbors

Moscow maintains contacts with the Taliban (new Afghan Government) on issues that are primarily related to removing any risks to neighboring Central Asian countries, Sergey Lavrov told reporters on Wednesday.

"The Taliban proclaimed their goals themselves, declaring, in particular, their commitment to further fighting against terrorism and drug trafficking. They assured everyone else that they would do their utmost to prevent any threats for neighboring countries from Afghan soil, that they had no intention of destabilizing neighboring countries and that they would form an inclusive government that reflected the full spectrum of Afghan society, and its political, ethnic and confessional balance," he said. "We supported [that], just like the vast majority of countries across the globe, we welcomed this approach, and now we are keeping an eye on how it will be implemented. Of course, too little time has passed to draw any final conclusions. However, let me repeat that at this stage we maintain contacts with them on current issues, primarily those that are related to ruling out any risks to our Central Asian neighbors."

Despite the fact that the Taliban regime has not been recognized by anyone yet, all countries are conscious of the need to foster dialogue on a number of key issues with them, Lavrov went on to say. "The Taliban, of course, have not yet been formally recognized by any country. However, everyone says that it is necessary to have contacts on current issues with them, first and foremost, on security issues, respect for citizens’ rights, the normal operation of diplomatic missions, but no one is in a hurry to recognize [them] formally," he noted.

Putin Discusses Russia’s Work In International Organizations With Securi...

Vladimir Putin discussed Russia’s work in a number of international organizations with the permanent members of Russia’s Security Council on Wednesday.

"We will discuss today our participation in the work of some international organizations, which, without doubt, are of special interest to us, given that this is related to the key areas of our foreign policy, the solution of security issues, especially in light of the current events in the East, in particular, Afghanistan, of course," he said.

Taking part in the meeting were Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko, Chief of the Presidential Staff Anton Vaino, Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service Sergey Naryshkin and Special Presidential Representative for Environmental Protection, Ecology and Transport Sergey Ivanov.

After the US announced the end of its operation in Afghanistan and the beginning of its troop withdrawal, the Taliban (outlawed in Russia) launched an offensive against Afghan government forces. On August 15, Taliban militants swept into Kabul without encountering any resistance, establishing full control over the country’s capital within a few hours. Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani said he had stepped down to prevent any bloodshed and subsequently fled the country. On September 7, the Taliban announced that an interim government had been formed. They could not approve the cabinet for two weeks, citing "technical problems."

Lavrov: Russia Is Not Going To Share Responsibility For West Triggered M...

Moscow condemns the activity of Western nations in Libya and is not going to share with them the burden of responsibility for the migration crises triggered as a result, Sergey Lavrov told journalists on Wednesday following a joint meeting of the Council of Defense Ministers, the Council of Foreign Ministers and the Committee of Secretaries of the CSTO Security Councils.

According to the top diplomat, the topic of illegal migration emerged after NATO bombed-out Libya and destroyed the Libyan statehood. "Flows of illegal migrants then headed northward through the bombed-out Libya, and when the European Union realized that this burden was too heavy for it, it began to urge everyone else to share the burden of responsibility for the fate of these migrants," Lavrov stressed.

"We are not going to share the burden of responsibility for what we not only had refused to support, but also condemned," the foreign minister pointed out. He also said that the actions from the West had made Libya "a black hole from the country that used to be among the most stable and flourishing from the social point of view."

"That is why, the West must understand that if it keeps supporting reckless schemes like the Iraqi and Libyan ones, if it continues actions that have brought about nothing good and have in no way calmed the situation after NATO’s 20 years in Afghanistan, then probably people will be fleeing the places that the West wanted to make happy through their democratic mission," he summed up.

Lavrov Responds To The Hysteria Of New NATO Members Over The Zapad-2021 ...

For a long time now, NATO countries have been beefing up military activity on the territory of the alliance’s new members near the borders of the Union State of Russia and Belarus.

Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday following a joint meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers, the Council of Defense Ministers and the Committee of Secretaries of the Security Councils of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in Dushanbe.

"As a result, NATO’s infrastructure and military activity have advanced to the territory of the new members closer to the borders of Russia and Belarus. That’s the reason why we carry out exercises on the soil of our countries. They conduct drills on the territory of fledgling NATO members. Their activity is aimed at embarking on aggressive actions against Russia, even from an overseas state," he said.

Speaking of military drills near the union state’s borders of Russia and Belarus and NATO members, Russia’s foreign minister stressed that "the situation is pretty clear". He also pointed out that at the time, the level of the armed forces and military equipment was registered in a document called the Founding Act between Russia and NATO. It stated that during peacetime, the deployment of significant combat forces on the soil of new NATO members on a permanent basis cannot be carried out.

However, this principle was wiped out by Western partners on two fronts, Lavrov added. "Firstly, the West flatly refused to negotiate what "significant combat forces" meant. According to our assessment, these are brigades with the appropriate weapons. And it is very difficult to argue the description of the brigade as a significant combat unit," he stressed.

According to the top diplomat, "the second tricky step" by the West is to ensure its permanent presence on a rotational basis. "In those same Baltic States, Canadians, Germans, and Englishmen rotate on a permanent basis for several months, then they replace each other. In fact, it turns out to be a direct violation of the Founding Act," Lavrov concluded.