The Russian Defence Ministry has recorded increased military activity by the US and its NATO allies in the Black Sea region. Above all, the intensity of naval, air and maritime reconnaissance and strategic aviation activities has increased, Major General Igor Konashenkov, official representative of the Russian Defense Ministry report on Thursday.
Four NATO reconnaissance aircraft have been detected and escorted by Russian Aerospace Forces anti-aircraft radars in the past 24 hours.
The U-2S, RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft and two P-8A "Poseidon" base patrol aircraft flew over the northwestern and central Black Sea airspace.
Between 12pm and 3pm, a British Air Force RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft attempted to approach the state border of the Russian Federation near the south-western part of the Crimean peninsula. A Russian Aerospace Force Su-30 fighter jet was lifted from the duty force to monitor its action.
At a distance of about 30 kilometres from the Russian border, a Russian Su-30 fighter jet approached the reconnaissance plane, after which the British plane changed course away from the Russian border.
The USS "Porter" and the staff ship "Mount Whitney" are now continuing to the west of the Black Sea.
The US ships are monitored by the cruiser "Moskva" and the frigate "Admiral Essen" of the Black Sea Fleet.
The Russian Defence Ministry regards the military activity of the US and its allies in the Black Sea region as a study of the anticipated theatre of war in case Ukraine prepares a power solution to the conflict in the southeast.
This unscheduled exercise near our borders is a completely unprovoked aggressive action by the US, which poses a threat to regional security and strategic stability.
Russia’s new state armament program should be based on the latest hypersonic, cognitive and other breakthrough technologies, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting of the military-industrial commission on Wednesday.
"It is obvious that it is important for us in the process of drafting a new state armaments program to take into account all the basic world trends in developing military hardware and armaments," the Russian leader said.
"First of all, this relates to introducing advanced information and bio-cognitive technologies and to promoting hypersonic systems and weapons based on new physical principles, the latest reconnaissance, navigation, communications and control systems," Russia’s supreme commander-in-chief said.
The Russian leader also stressed the need "to raise functionality and combat sustainability of military products, in particular, through the use of artificial intelligence." "And, of course, this relates to the broad use of robotics," Putin said.
As the head of state said, "these are the areas that will basically shape the Russian Armed Forces and their combat potential in the future."
South American singer and actress Natalia Oreiro took an oath of citizenship of the Russian Federation and received a Russian passport at the country’s embassy in Buenos Aires on Wednesday.
"Thank you very much! I love you all in Russia very dearly," she said later in Russian.
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin granted Russian citizenship to Oreiro and her son. The singer called it a great honor and thanked all of Russia.
In June 2020, Natalia Oreiro said in an interview with TASS that she was in the process of obtaining Russian citizenship and had already applied for it.
Natalia Oreiro was born on May 19, 1977 in the Uruguayan capital Montevideo. At the age of 16, she moved to Argentina where her career took off. In the early 2000s, Oreiro found global fame and admiration after appearing as Milagros in the Argentine soap opera Wild Angel. The actress is also a singer and has released four studio albums.
In 2001, Oreiro came to Russia on her first-ever visit, and felt spiritually close to the country right away, as she said later. Since then, the singer has been on tours to Russia almost every year. She has a big fan club in the country. Oreiro is learning Russian, and has even performed Russian-language versions of her world hits. She also recorded the United By Love song in three languages (English, Spanish and Russian) for the 2018 FIFA World Cup hosted by Russia.
Russia condemns the statements made by the United States, the European Union and some other states that they do not recognize the November 7 election in Nicaragua, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing on Wednesday.
"We condemn the comments made by the United States, the European Union and a number of other countries concerning the non-recognition of the results of the election [in Nicaragua]. It is clear that these statements have no legal validity for Nicaragua. We will be still fully supporting the Nicaraguans in defending their right to sovereign and independent development," she said.
"We will be boosting and enhancing the Russian-Nicaraguan strategic partnership, and will be working towards implementing socially-oriented cooperation projects," the diplomat added.
On Sunday, Nicaragua held general elections. More than 4.5 million voters turned up to the polls to elect the president, vice-president as well as the members of Nicaragua’s National Assembly (unicameral parliament) and the Central American Parliament. Incumbent President Daniel Ortega has secured about 75% of the vote, with half of the ballots counted.
US President Joe Biden bashed the election procedure in Nicaragua, labeling the elections as "neither free nor fair," and the European Union echoed that it would not recognize their results. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov referred to the West’s policy towards Nicaragua as unacceptable and worthy of severe criticism.
The Russian Armed Forces continue to monitor and track the situation in the Black Sea region.
Over the past 24 hours, NATO reconnaissance aircraft have substantially increased their flights near Russia's borders in the Black Sea region, Major General Igor Konashenkov, official representative of the Russian Defense Ministry report on Wednesday.
We recall that on 9 November, an E-8C US Air Force ground target reconnaissance and strike control aircraft was escorted over the Black Sea by the anti-aircraft missile forces of the Russian Aerospace Force.
Also during the past 24 hours, Russian anti-aircraft missile forces escorted three reconnaissance aircraft of NATO member states over the Black Sea:
a US Air Force RC-135 strategic reconnaissance aircraft flying from an airbase on the island of Crete, Greece, approaching the Russian Federation state border at a distance of 30km.
a US Navy P-8A "Poseidon" base patrol aircraft took off from an air base on the island of Sicily, Italy, approaching the Russian Federation state border at a distance of 70km.
a C-160G "Gabriel" reconnaissance aircraft of the French Air Force departed from an airbase in Romania and approached the Russian state border by 30km.
Another US Air Force U-2 strategic reconnaissance aircraft, flying from British territory, was detected and accompanied by radar reconnaissance over Ukrainian territory, approaching the border of the Russian Federation at a distance of about 60km.
Russian ships: the missile cruiser "Moskva" and the frigate "Admiral Essen", which have been performing routine tasks in the southeastern Black Sea since 30 October, are monitoring US naval activities in the Black Sea as they arrive to conduct an unscheduled multinational exercise.
The USS "Porter" guided-missile destroyer left the Georgian port of Batumi this morning at 8.56am Moscow time.
At 9.20 a.m. Moscow time, the USS "Mount Whitney", a staff ship of the US Navy, departed Batumi.
The USS John Lenthall tanker is in the southwestern part of the Black Sea.
The actions of the US Navy, together with reconnaissance and strategic aviation in the Black Sea, confirm the true purpose of the unscheduled multinational exercise: to master the anticipated theatre of war and, in particular, Ukrainian territory in case Kiev prepares a power solution in the southeast.
Moscow and Minsk have serious grounds to believe that NATO’s policy towards deterring Russia and Belarus reflect the bloc’s long-term strategy, Sergey Lavrov told a press conference on Wednesday.
"We have serious grounds to believe that the continued policy towards the so-called deterrence of our countries and NATO’s practical measures to move its military infrastructure to the borders of the Union State reflect the long-term strategy of that military and political alliance," Russia’s top diplomat said, following the results of a board meeting of the Russian and Belarusian Foreign Ministries.
"We have common positions repeatedly outlined by our presidents as to how we will react to such utterly unfriendly actions that disrupt all previous agreements," Lavrov said.
As Russia’s top diplomat pointed out, Russia and Belarus agreed on continued and deeper coordination both within the UN and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). "And also with regard to our joint approaches towards the unfriendly activity that both Washington and Brussels are carrying out towards Russia and Belarus," Lavrov said.
Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with Acting Federal Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, on Wednesday, at the German side’s initiative.
The parties discussed at length the refugee crisis on the Belarusian border with EU countries and expressed concern over its humanitarian consequences.
The President of Russia proposed establishing direct dialogue between representatives of the EU member states and Minsk to discuss the problems that have emerged in this respect.
Vladimir Putin and Angela Merkel agreed to continue discussing this topic.
The day before, Putin discussed this topic with President Lukashenko.
Two Russian Tu-22M3 long-range bombers practiced interoperability with command posts of the Russian and Belarusian armed forces and checked the Union State’s air defenses, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Wednesday.
As the ministry specified, the two Tu-22M3 bombers of the Russian Aerospace Force conducted a patrol in the Belarusian airspace.
"During the flight, the aircraft practiced interoperability with the ground command posts of the armed forces of Russia and the Republic of Belarus," the statement says.
"The Russian planes participated in a check of operations by the combat teams on air defense combat alert in the Union State’s integrated regional air defense system," the ministry said.
The air defense check was conducted under the direction of the Belarusian Air Force and Air Defense commander, it said.
"All the assigned tasks were accomplished in full," the Russian Defense Ministry stressed, noting that the Tu-22M3 long-range bombers had returned to their home airfield in Russia.
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the statements by Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki that Russia is allegedly responsible for the situation at the Belarusian-Polish border were unacceptable.
"We consider the words by the Polish prime minister that Russia bears responsibility for this situation as absolutely irresponsible and unacceptable. That statement is absolutely irresponsible and unacceptable,’’ the spokesman told reporters.
Morawiecki, speaking on Tuesday at a special session of the Sejm (the parliament’s lower house) dedicated to the situation at the Belarusian-Polish border, said the current events at the border are part of Russia’s policy, which allegedly controls the actions of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. The Polish prime minister said that Belarusian authorities intentionally brought thousands of migrants to the country and marched them to the border en masse.
On Russia's Interior Ministry Personnel Day, Vladimir Putin congratulated current officers and veterans of Interior Ministry bodies on their professional holiday.
Russia law enforcement officers should continue improving their fight against crime, particularly in cyberspace, as well as efforts aimed at tackling illegal migration, drug trafficking and extremism, Putin said in a video address on Wednesday.
"We need to raise the efficiency of work even further, to improve approaches to tackling crime, including in the sphere of information technologies and efforts against extremism, illegal migration and drug trafficking," Putin said in his video address on the occasion of the Day the employee of the internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, marked on November 10.
Among other areas that require systematical work, Putin mentioned protecting citizens against unlawful actions and improving road safety.
The president also emphasized the need for "crime prevention, first and foremost among young people and minors."
Russia's warships are continuously monitoring the activities of the US Navy in the Black Sea, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.
Some time ago, the American missile destroyer Porter entered the Black Sea, as well as a tanker and a command ship. And just the other day, two bombers flew near the Russian border.
According to the official version, it is connected with preparation for drills. Russian Ministry of Defense emphasized that this is precisely the unscheduled actions of the United States, which are creating a multinational grouping of armed forces in the Black Sea in the immediate vicinity of Russian borders.
"Such actions are a destabilizing factor in the Black Sea region, one of the goals of which is the military development of the territory of Ukraine. Taking into account the fact that, in addition to the American Navy, the exercises are planned to involve tactical, patrol and strategic aviation, as well as the contingent of the Armed Forces of Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Turkey and Ukraine, this is a clear study of the alleged theater of military operations in the event that Kiev prepares a military solution for southeast," said the official representative of the Russian Defense Ministry Igor Konashenkov.
Vladimir Putin has repeatedly said that the military development of the territory of Ukraine is a matter of deep concern to Russia. The Russian leader, in particular, touched upon this topic during the Direct Line. Putin stressed that this activity creates significant security problems and concerns the real vital interests of Russia.
Vladimir Putin held a videoconference meeting on the basic principles of Russia’s state border policy and the COVID-19 incidence rate and measures to reduce it with permanent members of the Security Council on Tuesday.
Migration crisis at Belarus’ border with Poland and Lithuania stems from the policy NATO and EU countries have been pursuing in the Middle East and North Africa for years, trying to impose a better life and the Western vision of democracy on them," Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday, adding that Iraq, Libya, and Syria fell victim of this policy.
"These reckless actions generated unprecedented flows of refugees. So, while making any steps, it is necessary to remember where it all originated from and who is to blame for it," he stressed.
Also, Sergey Lavrov has called on the European Union countries to avoid double standards in addressing the migration crisis at Belarus’ border with Poland and Lithuania.
"It is necessary to avoid double standards in this situation and use a common approach in what concerns the EU nations’ position," he said.
"It is inadmissible to use different standards to Poland and Italy when Brussels considers the issue how Warsaw and Rome are behaving in relation to migrant influxes. It is also necessary to avoid double standards in relation to the countries where the refugees are coming from," Lavrov stressed.
The Russian top diplomat recalled that when refugees were reaching Europe from Turkey, the European Union allocated funds to keep them in Turkey. "why cannot they help Belarus like this ?
Belarus also needs money to ensure normal conditions for the refugees Lithuania and Poland are reluctant to let in. these people don’t want to stay in Belarus or Turkey, they want to go to Europe, which has been advertising its lifestyles for years. one should be accountable for one’s actions," he added.
More than 30,000 migrants have tried to cross the Polish-Belarusian border since the beginning of 2021. Warsaw has imposed a state of emergency in regions bordering Belarus. It regularly reinforces border troops, with over 10,000 positioned near the border. The Polish side has also built a barbed wire fence to be later replaced by a solid 5-meter-tall wall equipped with sensors and other tools.
On Monday, several thousand migrants approached the Polish border. Some of them tried to tear down the fence and break through into Poland. So far, Polish law enforcers are managing keep them off the country’s territory.
The United States’ support for separatist tendencies in northeastern Syria may make the Kurdish problem topical not only for Syria but for other countries of the region, Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday after talks with visiting Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States within the Holy See's Secretariat of State.
"Kurds should feel themselves part of Syrian society. we maintain close contacts with Kurdish representatives and are ready to do our best so that their legal interests are taken into account when forming new political frames in the context of the Constitutional Committee’s activities," he said.
"I would recommend the Kurds not be lured by our American colleagues who are seeking to nourish separatist tendencies in eastern Syria and make these plans a serious irritator targeted against the interests of preserving Syria’s integrity. these are dangerous games that may lead to a situation when the Kurdish problem blazes up in the entire region, bearing in mind that it concerns not only Syria but other countries as well," he said.
According to the Russian top diplomat, Russia will insist on the implementation of UNSC Resolution 2254 by all countries. "it concerns those whose military presence in Syria is illegal. it is about the necessity to respect this country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity by all, the necessity to drop illegal unilateral sanctions the West keeps on imposing on Syria, especially amid the pandemic. it is about the West’s stopping ignoring the need to create conditions for the return of refugees to Syria," Lavrov explained.
Gallagher, in turn, stressed the importance of the United Nations-brokered consultations on the Syrian constitution in Geneva and expressed the hope that the sides will cooperate with each other to ensure a successful outcome of the talks that will make it possible to find a political solution to the conflict.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said after his meeting with US President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the Group of Twenty summit in Rome that he hoped the United States would finally stop helping Kurdish organizations in Syria as these organizations are recognized as terrorist in Turkey.
Meanwhile, the Asharq al-Awsat Arabic-language newspaper reported that the Turkish army with support from Syrian armed opposition units was about to launch an offensive on the positions of Kurdish units in four areas in northern Syria. Commenting on Turkey’s statements, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said on November 3 that the United States would not change its position concerning cooperation with the Syrian Democratic Forces, an alliance of Kurdish and Arab units, in northeastern Syria. According to Kirby, his country’s mission is focused solely on the threat coming from Islamic State (a terrorist organization outlawed in Russia).
Opening remarks by Sergey Lavrov during talks with the Secretary of the Holy See for Relations with States, Paul Richard Gallagher on Tuesday in Moscow.
The NATO drills in the Black Sea are related to the desire of the United States and its allies to build up its policy of deterring Russia, Sergey Lavrov said on Monday.
"I believe that the NATO drills are related to the desire of the US and its allies to build up the policy of deterring Russia contrary to all the assurances made in the 1990s and enshrined in the Russia-NATO Founding Act," Russia’s top diplomat said.
"the Act has been completely breached at the core, which stipulated that NATO undertook not to expand its military infrastructure to the East, to the territory of its new members," Lavrov said.
"Over many years, Russia has grown accustomed to preparing for any provocations in relations with NATO," the foreign minister said.
Vladimir Putin has praised the productivity of the Russian Helicopters holding when meeting with the company’s general director Andrey Boginsky on Monday.
"The holding has turned out to be capable and large. Let's talk about how it feels and what the prospects are," Putin said opening the meeting in the Kremlin.
"We have always been rightfully proud of our helicopter industry," he said, adding that 8,000 Russian helicopters are currently in operation in 100 countries.
In turn, Boginsky said that the holding is capable of producing about 360 aircraft annually.
"Thanks to the state [support], our capacity today is about 360 helicopters a year," he said.
"Today, our production combat and military transport helicopters fully meet the needs of our main customer, the Defense Ministry as well as other law enforcement agencies [of Russia]," Boginsky added.
From 2021 to 2025, the company plans to produce and sell more than 1,100 helicopters in the domestic and foreign markets, he said.
According to him, the holding's enterprises are located in the Far East, Siberia, the Urals, Central Russia and Kaliningrad. The holding employs over 38,000 employees.
Founded in 2007, the Russian Helicopters holding is part of the Rostec state corporation.
The Summit for Democracy to be called by the United States in December, is meant to demonstrate that the collective West allegedly has a consolidating agenda, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Sunday.
"This Summit for Democracy is yet another chimerical device meant to demonstrate that the collective West has a kind of constructive, consolidating agenda. But a consolidating agenda should include concrete practical measures but not mere theoretical speculations ending up in yet another scandal," she said in an interview with the Voskresny Vecher (Sunday Evening) program on the Rossiya-1 television channel.
According to the Russian diplomat, despite the domestic contradictions in the United States, it still "claims leadership" in the world, so Washington needs to do something to form "another coalition." But, in her words, "even the US and NATO" understand that it would not be right to try to form another military coalition after the developments in Afghanistan. "but is would be quite good to create something global that would give an impression of the Western world’s consolidation," she said. "and the so-called summit in support of democracy was invented. what is it ? its initiators believe that the world should be divided according to one more principle: into democratic and non-democratic countries."
She recalled that Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered a concept of healthy conservatism, which is actually destined to claim real leadership in the world" "healthy conservatism in no way means refusal from moving forward. it means progressive movement on the basis of the positive and efficient experience humankind has," she explained.
The White House announced on August 11 that President Joe Biden planned to call the Summit for Democracy in December 2021 to focus on three major topics: protection against authoritarianism, combating corruption, and respect to human rights.
Kiev violates the Minsk agreements when it uses drones in the conflict zone in Donbass, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Sunday.
She recalled a report of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) of November 6 describing a corresponding incident. She stressed that only OSCE monitors can use drones in the conflict zone in Donbass.
"Kiev violates the Minsk agreements," she wrote on her Telegram channel. "Paris and Berlin, who call for organizing meeting in the Normandy format, cannot pretend that they don’t see the unbridled behavior of the Kiev regime, which is killing the existing agreements and, most importantly, Ukraine’s hope for a peaceful life."
According to the OSCE SMM report of November 6, the mission’s monitor, who were on a patrolling mission, observed how Ukrainian troops were shooting in the air. The also observed a small-range grey drone not belonging to the SMM, which was flying at an altitude of 100-150 meters over the Ukrainian army positions and later over the mission’s patrol. The monitors also saw an explosion some 20-30 kilometers to the southeast of where they were staying. The OSCE SMM noted that it was a threat to the mission’s security.
Western mainstream is the very "nest" where anti-Russian policy is being formed publishes what the official Kiev already denies, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Sunday in an interview with the Voskresny Vecher (Sunday Evening) with Vladimir Solovyov on the Rossiya-1 television channel.
15-20 minutes ago, the press secretary of President Zelensky said that he did not know why the US media wrote such strange articles about the pulling of Russian troops to the Ukrainian border, she added.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s office has no data on the buildup of Russian troops at the country’s border, which was reported by the Washington Post, Ukrainian presidential press secretary Sergei Nikoforov said on Sunday.
"it is an open question why the American mass media are disseminating such information, whether it is true or not. but the presidential office now has no confirming information," he told the Dom television channel.
According to Nikoforov, Ukraine’s defense minister earlier reported about the security situation to the president but said nothing "about anything alarming."
The Washington Post reported on October 30 that US and European official had expressed concern over the alleged deployment of Russian troops to the border with Ukraine. According to the newspaper, Western nations have been observing these developments in the recent weeks, after Russia’s and Belarus’ joint drills Zapad-2021 in mid-September.
Ukraine’s defense ministry on Monday refuted media reports. On Wednesday, US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley said that no Russia’s threatening military activities had been observed near the border with Ukraine.
US and NATO guided missile ships that enter the Black Sea are attempting to test the strength of Russia’s Black Sea coast and southern border protection, Sergei Shoigu said on Sunday.
"Well, you know when we see this: when a warship belonging to a non-regional power enters the Black Sea and we understand that it carries long-range precision weapons, when we see that these weapons are aboard it and it is not on a tourist tour, we, naturally, keep a close eye on it and track it and we understand that any provocations are possible at any time as was the case recently with a British destroyer and, of course, we must prevent such things," the defense chief said in a live broadcast of the TV program ‘Moscow. Kremlin. Putin’ responding to questions from journalist Pavel Zarubin.
"To speak more exactly, this is, of course, almost a constant attempt to test us to see how much we are prepared and how effectively we have built our system along the Black Sea coast and generally in the south of our country," Shoigu said.
As the Russian defense chief stressed, "they are not alone in such tests of strength and such approaches."
"As I understand it, they are subsequently planning drills with our neighbors, drills with the Georgian and Ukrainian navies. But we also hold drills and will keep doing so," the Russian defense chief said.
Currently, two US warships are operating in the Black Sea: the flagship, command ship Mount Whitney and the guided missile destroyer Porter. The Russian Black Sea Fleet’s forces and capabilities are keeping a close eye on the US warships in the Black Sea. The US 6th Fleet earlier announced that the warships had deployed to the Black Sea for joint operations with NATO allies and partners in the region.
Russia and the United States realize the need to create two working groups to develop the strategic stability dialogue between the two nations, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told the Soloviev Live YouTube channel on Saturday.
"There are huge disagreements [with the United States], but there is also understanding of the need to create two themed working groups. The [strategic stability] dialogue should develop within their framework. That is why we are working, the work is under way," she said.
"In the past few years, the United States has done a lot to bring strategic stability into the state of instability," she added.
The diplomat went on to say that two events of the outgoing year give a glimpse of hope for Russian-US relations, namely, the extension of the New START treaty and the Russian-US summit in Geneva.
"In the wake of the summit, both sides started to implement a comprehensive dialogue on all parameters of strategic stability," she said. "The main task is to lay foundations for the future arms control framework, which would be all-encompassing."
At their meeting in Geneva in June, Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Joe Biden of the United States agreed to resume strategic stability consultations. Two rounds of consultations took place on July 28 and September 30.
The dialogue at the level of BRICS nations’ municipalities helps expand the strategic partnership within the integration, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in a video address to participants of the third International municipal forum of BRICS states.
"The dialogue at the level of municipalities plays an increasingly important role. Its contribution to the establishment of new and strengthening of existing contacts is significant," he said. "A fruitful exchange of experience on the issues of urban development, information and communication technologies in the housing and utilities area, including the aspects of artificial intellect, economic prospects, tourism and cultural potential of municipalities, objectively facilitates the expansion of strategic partnership within the integration," Lavrov added.
BRICS is a unique platform for diversified interaction, the minister noted. "The integration is facing ambitious tasks, in the implementation of which humanitarian ties are of no little interest," Lavrov said.
It is a great statue I think, and I recommend everyone to see it. and the story itself is quite exciting, I mean the people depicted – the Berens twin brothers as far as I know – looking so valiant and handsome. one of them joined the ‘red’ side and commanded the navy in the Russian Federation, and the other – the White Movement naval forces. both were admirals, and they never saw each other again after one of them emigrated from Russia. both died without ever seeing each other again, Vladimir Putin said.
It is an interesting story, and I hope that this symbolism – the twins, two naval commanders standing side by side on this pedestal – truly reflects a return to the unity of the multiethnic Russian nation, Russian President added.
The monument presents a sculptural composition with two male figures at the centre symbolising the two opposing sides in the Civil War. Above them rises a statue on a pedestal representing Mother Russia that calls on its sons to be reconciled. The bottom of the monument carries the inscription: “We are a single people, and we have only one Russia.” This is where the eternal flame is burning.
Russia and Belarus will keep teaming up to foil any attempts to meddle in their sovereign affairs, Vladimir Putin said at a meeting of the Supreme State Council of the Union State of Russia and Belarus on Thursday.
"We are determined to repel side-by-side any attempts to interfere in our sovereign states’ internal affairs," the Russian president said.
"Not only does the construction of the Union State imply mutual intertwining of both economies, but also coordination in all other areas, including politics and defense," Putin said with confidence.
In his opinion, "Therefore, it is crucial to ensure closer cooperation between the Russian and Belarusian ministries and agencies."
The Russian leader added that "the role of the Standing Committee of the Union State is increasing."
"However, it brings into sharp focus the task of creating the atmosphere of stability and security along our external borders," the Russian leader stressed.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has "complained" to Putin that he was not invited to Sevastopol to celebrate Russia’s National Unity Day. In other words, he recognized Crimea as part of the Russian Federation.
"Vladimir Vladimirovich used to promise me that he would bring me along to Crimea to showcase novelties there, to show what new has been done there (as loads of work has been done), and that he would drive me along the highway to Crimea, but he left alone today and had not invited me to join him," Lukashenko said on Thursday at a meeting of the Supreme Council of the Union State.
In response, Putin assured Lukashenko that he would always be delighted to welcome such a visitor.
"Yes, of course, we will be pleased to have you so that you can see it (the monument to the end of the 1917-1922 Russian Civil War)," the Russian president said in response.
Belarus acquires Russian gas at the prices that are three or four times lower compared to long-term contracts with third countries, and 7-10 times lower than in the European spot markets, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday at a meeting of the Supreme State Council of the Union State of Russia and Belarus.
"You are aware what is happening on oil and gas markets around the world now. Currently, the Republic of Belarus is receiving gas from Russia seven, eight, or even - at times - nine, ten times cheaper than in European spot markets," he stressed.
"And even in comparison with the supplies to our consumers under Gazprom’s long-term contracts, it is three or four times cheaper," the Russian president noted.
On National Unity Day, Vladimir Putin visited a memorial complex dedicated to the end of the Russian Civil War in Sevastopol. The President laid flowers at the eternal flame near the monument and congratulated the people of Crimea and all citizens of Russia on the national holiday.
The ceremony is timed to coincide with National Unity Day marked in Russia on November 4.
Built on the instruction of the President, the memorial was unveiled on April 22, 2021, on the banks of the Karantinnaya Bay. The Russian Military Historical Society, with support from the International Council of Russian Compatriots, carried out this project; it was designed by Chairman of the Artists’ Union of Russia Andrei Kovalchuk.
The monument presents a sculptural composition with two male figures at the centre symbolising the two opposing sides in the Civil War. Above them rises a statue on a pedestal representing Mother Russia that calls on its sons to be reconciled. The bottom of the monument carries the inscription: “We are a single people, and we have only one Russia.” This is where the eternal flame is burning.
In the autumn of 1920, after the Red Army swept into Crimea, 126 ships and vessels carrying about 150,000 refugees, who were officers of General Pyotr Wrangel’s army, members of their families and the White Army supporters, fled from the peninsula’s ports, with Sevastopol among them. That marked the end of the Civil War battles and its end for the south of Russia. However, the end of confrontation across the country is generally dated by 1922.
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has taken a swipe at articles published in US media outlets that claim Russia was allegedly amassing troops at the Ukrainian border, branding them to be part of a fake news campaign.
She noted that at least three US media outlets - Politico, the Washington Post and Foreign Policy published "as if on cue in a real panic attack" materials that Russia was allegedly moving its troops to the Ukrainian border. "This wasn’t one fake news item, this is an entire fresh fake news campaign in American media outlets," the diplomat said at a briefing on Wednesday.
"Nobody contacted us, we are confident that nobody at all from the Russian side was contacted who could have represented our country. This is classic, when such articles are being put together, with fake information, then the side’s official position is not requested," the spokeswoman added.
On Tuesday, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov branded the reports of Russian military equipment "near the borders with Ukraine" as "cheap fake news." The press secretary emphasized that the movement of Russian military equipment and troops inside the country is solely Moscow’s internal affair.
The US-based Politico magazine earlier reported that commercial satellite images showed military hardware and ground troops allegedly amassing near the town of Yelnya in the Smolensk Region. The units included the elite 1st Guards Tank Army. As the media outlet claimed, the deployment marked "a clear deviation from this unit’s standard training pattern." The outlet also emphasized the alleged heightened activity of Russian troops on the border with Ukraine.
Russia, unlike the United States, fulfills its international obligations to combat climate change, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing on Wednesday, commenting on US President Joe Biden’s criticism of Russia and China for missing the COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow.
"Unlike our American counterparts, the Russian Federation vigorously and, I emphasize, consistently fulfills its obligations under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement. It is strange to hear such things from the US, taking into consideration the utterly unsystematic and chaotic policy that Washington pursues in this field," she said.
Zakharova recalled that the United States had both insisted on striking a climate deal as well as withdrawing from it. The number of measures implemented by Russia in this area is comprehensive, the diplomat noted adding that, in particular, steps are being taken to reach carbon neutrality.
According to Russia’s estimates, China has a constructive attitude to the entire range of global climate agenda, Zakharova added.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the G20 summit that over the past 20 years, the carbon intensity of Russia’s economy had been decreasing by an average of 2.7% year-over-year, which is higher than in the entire world. Putin emphasized that the share of energy from carbon-free sources exceeds 40%, and if natural gas is taken into account, the figure rises to 86%. The government also approved the strategy of Russia’s socio-economic development with low greenhouse gas emissions until 2050.
"In fact, we are one of the leaders in the global de-carbonization process, and we have set a concrete target of achieving our economy’s carbon neutrality no later than 2060," she explained. "We have an interest in reducing the dangerous implications of climate change collectively, but with regard to socio-economic distinctions between the countries."
Zakharova urged to use international platforms for joint work in combatting climate change, but not for mutual accusations.
"Can anyone doubt that Russia is consistently for such a joint approach? I do not think so. We have given no such reason," she concluded.
Advanced weapons developed by Russia have ensured a high level of the country’s military security, Vladimir Putin said at a defense industry meeting on Wednesday.
"Today we will discuss the pace of rearming the Army and the Navy with the systems based on new physical principles," the Russian leader said, opening the defense industry meeting.
"The creation of laser, hypersonic, kinetic and other weapons in our country that are unrivaled in the world has become a real breakthrough in the field of military technologies and has boosted substantially the capabilities of the Armed Forces for many years and even for decades to come and ensured a high level of Russia’s military security," Putin pointed out.
The creation of such weapon systems also helped strengthen strategic parity, the Russian president said.
"Today the creation and serial production of such effective, hi-tech and innovative weapons is a key area of developing the Armed Forces," Putin stressed.
The work on developing such weapons requires time, additional efforts and funding, the head of state pointed out.
"Each of weapon types reveals lengthy work of thousands of our scientists, engineers, programmers and other specialists. I repeatedly pointed out that substantial potential has been created in this area thanks to the Russian defense industry, our fundamental and applied science," Putin said.
The trials of the Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missile are nearing completion and they will start arriving for the Russian Navy from next year, Vladimir Putin said.
"The trials of the Tsirkon seaborne hypersonic cruise missile are coming to a close. In the course of the trials, it struck both ground and sea targets from the submerged position and from surface ships accurately and in full compliance with the assigned task. Already from next year, these missiles will start arriving for service in the Russian Navy," Putin said.
The trials perfectly confirmed the unique properties of Peresvet laser weapons, Avangard and Kinzhal hypersonic systems, the Russian president added.
Today it is especially important to develop and introduce technologies required for creating new hypersonic weapon systems, enhanced power lasers and robotic platforms that will be capable of effecting fending off potential military threats, Putin stressed.
"And this means that they will further bolster our country’s security," the Russian president said.
The use of artificial intelligence in the armed forces is acquiring top priority, because such technologies can bring about a breakthrough in improving weapons' combat parameters, Vladimir Putin said.
"Let me stress one fundamental aspect. The use of artificial intelligence technologies has top priority in creating these and other weapon systems of the future," Putin said while speaking about hypersonic systems.
He stressed that AI technologies "must bring about a qualitative breakthrough in enhancing weapons' combat capabilities."
"Such technologies should be used more actively in personnel and weapons command systems, communication and data transmission means and also high accuracy missiles," Putin believes.
Of no less importance, he said, is the introduction of AI technologies in creating new highly autonomous robots and in the remote control of drones and deep submergence vehicles.
"All these priorities and tasks must be reflected to the full extent in the new state program for armaments extending till 2033," he said.
Putin stressed that the work on a unified system of reference data for shaping the program was already underway at the Defense Ministry.
"The key task here is to ensure the weapon systems and equipment that will be manufactured and supplied to the armed forces under this program should reliably protect Russia from potential threats," he concluded.
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov pointed to wildfires raging in America, hitting back at US President Joe Biden’s remarks on Russia’s ‘burning tundra’.
"The tundra is, indeed, burning, but let’s not forget that forests are ablaze in California, Turkey and elsewhere across the world. This is precisely one of the consequences of climate change that we are confronted with," Peskov specified.
He noted that in some respects, Russia has to cope with even more serious climate challenges than other countries. In particular, this refers to the pace of warming in the Arctic and not only in that region, the Kremlin spokesman said.
"We do not agree with the issue formulated in this way," the Russian presidential spokesman said, commenting on Biden’s remarks.
"It is Russia that displays quite a responsible approach and we have formulated forward-looking and concrete work plans in this area [climate change]. Here, it is very likely that the US president was not informed of all this work when he spoke about Russia’s non-attendance at the forum [the Glasgow Climate Change Conference]," the Kremlin press secretary said.
US President Biden earlier said at a press conference following a two-day summit of the heads of state and governments within the framework of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) that the Russian and Chinese leaders had made a big mistake by not attending the forum and the G20 summit in Rome.
The US president also accused Moscow of being "mum on willingness to do anything" on climate change.
"His tundra is burning," Biden said, referring to the Russian president. As Biden further claimed, President Putin "has serious, serious climate problems".
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov advised journalists on Tuesday not to waste any time on reading such fake news as reports about Russian military hardware allegedly amassing "near the borders with Ukraine."
It is not even worth commenting on the quality of these reports and generally such news should be ignored. The reports talk about the border with Ukraine, yet they show the border with Belarus. The quality itself serves as perfect proof that time should not be wasted on getting acquainted with such cheap fake news," the Russian presidential spokesman said, commenting on an article published in the US-based Politico media outlet.
The movements of Russian military equipment and troops inside the country is solely Moscow’s internal affair, Peskov stressed.
"Russia has never threatened anyone, nor is it threatening anyone, and what’s more it poses no danger to anyone. Rather, Russia is a country that has always taken and will continue taking measures to ensure its own security given the quite aggressive expansionist tendencies, especially from NATO and some other countries," the Kremlin press secretary pointed out.
The US-based Politico magazine earlier reported that commercial satellite images showed military hardware and ground troops allegedly amassing near the town of Yelnya in the Smolensk Region. The units included the elite 1st Guards Tank Army. As the media outlet claimed, the deployment marked a "clear deviation from the 1st Guards Tank Army’s standard training pattern." Politico also alleged that Russia was once again massing troops and military equipment on the border with Ukraine.
Russia must introduce advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, in developing unmanned combat aviation, Vladimir Putin said at a defense industry meeting on Tuesday.
"We need to continue work on them [unmanned aerial vehicles], keep working as intensively as we have been doing lately. I also mean using artificial intelligence, state-of-the-art achievements of technology and science," the Russian president said.
The Russian leader recommended the domestic defense industry to use more broadly its own experience gained in the course of the combat employment of drones and also analytical data.
The Russian president said that over 2,000 drones were operational in the Russian Army at present.
Russian Aerospace Force Commander-in-Chief Sergei Surovikin delivered a report on this issue at the defense industry meeting.
Moscow is witnessing attempts by Ukrainian officials to stir up incitement and goad Russia into using force, Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with the Russia-24 TV channel.
"Getting back to Ukraine, to the Normandy Format, yes, there is an obvious exacerbation. Attempts are being observed to whip up a provocative situation, to elicit some response from the militia and goad Russia into some sort of use of force," he said.
The Russian top diplomat also noted the "mysterious story" with the Bayraktar drone in Donbass. "The commander of Ukraine’s armed forces claims that this weapon was used, yet the defense minister says that nothing of the kind had happened," Lavrov pointed out.
"I think, right now they are debating, what is more advantageous for them: to demonstrate their ‘toughness’ that they’ve already begun bombing in flagrant violation of the Minsk Accords or to say that they are still implementing the Minsk Accords and offer to meet in the Normandy Format," the diplomat said.
"We don’t need a meeting for a meeting’s sake," he emphasized.
In its pursuit to build a carbon-neutral economy by 2060 Russia relies, among other things, on the unique resource of its forests, according to a video message from Vladimir Putin to the participants of the World Leaders Summit on Action on Forests and Land Use held within the framework of the 26th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26) in Glasgow.
"By aiming to build a carbon-neutral economy by no later than 2060, Russia is relying, among other things, on the unique resource of forest ecosystems available to us, and their significant capacity to absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen. After all, our country accounts for around 20% of the world’s forestland," Putin said.
"The conservation of forests and other natural ecosystems is a key component of international efforts to address global warming and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases," he noted. This topic fits organically into the multidimensional agenda of the Glasgow Climate Change Conference, according to the Russian leader.
Moscow takes the strongest and most vigorous measures to conserve forests, improves forest management, fights illegal logging and forest fires, expands reforestation areas, consistently increases funding for these purposes, Putin said.
"Russia supports the draft joint declaration on forests and land-use proposed for approval at today’s meeting. We expect its implementation to facilitate closer partnerships between all interested states in forest conservation," he said.
"This will undoubtedly serve to fulfill the objectives of reducing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere set out in the Paris Agreement," he added.
The Western countries find it more preferable to clinch deals within a narrow circle, where they remain unchallenged, and to conduct discussions on crucial issues outside universal organizations, Sergey Lavrov told the Rossiya-24 round-the-clock television news channel in interview.
"The collective West, aware that its arguments get ever more vulnerable, because its policies are geared to slowing down objective processes of the emergence of a polycentric world in full compliance with the UN Charter, finds it more preferable to conduct discussions on crucial issues outside the universal organizations and to clinch deals within a narrow circle, where it remains unchallenged. I am referring to the collective West, which once in a while invites some "obedient countries" to join in. their role is that of backstage extras, of creating an impression the process is somewhat larger than a purely Western one," he said.
Lavrov remarked that with the emergence of a multipolar world the variety of voices in the United Nations was now heard much better.
As it sends invitations to countries to a "summit for democracy," the United States is keen to demonstrate that this is a mass movement, Sergey Lavrov said.
"The 'summit for democracy' pursues the aim of classifying people and countries into democratic and undemocratic ones. The way I see it, the Americans wish to achieve the maximum loyalty, to create an impression there is a mass Washington-led movement," Lavrov said.
"It would be amusing to see who specifically has been invited and in what capacity," Lavrov said. "I am nearly certain that there will be attempts to lure in some of our strategic partners and allies," he said.
Lavrov hopes that "they will demonstrate commitment to their obligations that exist on other platforms, and not at some artificially and unofficially convened one-time summits."
Lavrov said that both Russia and China were absent from the list of those invited.
"Some of our partners have been whispering into our ears that they had been asked to get ready and that an invitation was due soon. Asked what they will be doing there they reply they will make a statement online. A final statement will be issued afterwards. Is it possible to take a look at it? They reply it will be shown later. It is a sovereign-vassals type of relationship," Lavrov said.
On August 11, the White House said that US President Joe Biden was convening a Summit for Democracy. It is expected that the forthcoming conference will consider three basic issues: protection from authoritarianism, struggle against corruption and human rights.
The US warship [USS Mount Whitney] that has entered the Black Sea can be clearly seen through a binocular or a sight of Russia’s defense capabilities, President Putin notes.
"As you know, a US warship has now entered the Black Sea. We can look at it through a binocular or through a sight of the corresponding defense systems," Putin said.
Russia sees threats to its security and is ready to provide a proper reaction to them, Vladimir Putin said.
"We know, and we know it very well that some of our foreign partners haven’t abandoned attempts to break this [strategic] parity, including through the deployment of elements of global missile defense in the immediate vicinity of our borders," Putin noted.
"We cannot fail to notice these threats to Russia’s security and we will react to this accordingly, adequately to the situation," he stressed.
According to Putin, the meeting will look into a set of issues related to the strengthening of the aerospace forces. "This is one of the most powerful, hi-tech and maneuverable components of the modern Russian army. Reliable protection of Russia against aerospace attacks and maintaining strategic parity directly depend on their combat readiness and equipment," Putin said.
Putin called the lineup of the meeting traditional. "This format, as we have repeatedly stated, makes it possible to analyze extensively on a regular basis the state of Russia’s defense capability, and if necessary to timely adjust and update plans for modernizing the army and the fleet, the work of enterprises of the military-industrial sector," he added.
The Russian president stressed that the aerospace defense potential of the Russian Armed Forces grew sizably in recent years. "The missile attack warning system, both its components, operates flawlessly and efficiently," he stressed. The orbital group of satellites and ground-based radar stations detect the launches of ballistic missiles without fail, timely determine their parameters and notify the combat control centers, the president explained. He also reiterated that 25 S-400 air defense systems and over 70 modern jets were supplied in the past four years within the framework of a respective government program, and over 20 S-300 systems and 90 aircraft have been modernized.
"As a result, the efficiency of covering the essential military and industrial infrastructure has grown sizably," Putin summed up.
The US warship that has entered the Black Sea can be clearly seen through a binocular or a sight of Russia’s defense capabilities, President Putin notes.
"As you know, a US warship has now entered the Black Sea. We can look at it through a binocular or through a sight of the corresponding defense systems," Putin said.
Russia needs to further improve its aerospace defense system. This need directly stems from the leading countries’ efforts to develop advanced attack weapons with high speed characteristics, the Russian leader stressed.
The US naval flag demonstration in the Black Sea does not add to global stability, Sergey Lavrov said on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Rome on Sunday.
Russia’s top diplomat thus commented on a decision by the US Sixth Fleet to send its flagship, command and control ship USS Mount Whitney to the Black Sea for joint operations with NATO countries.
When asked about whether Moscow was notified beforehand about these maneuvers, Russia’s top diplomat replied "it is not a matter of notifying in advance, this concerns fulfilling the international law norms for ships of non-littoral states to enter the Black Sea."
"These issues are regulated by the Montreux Convention, under which the states of the flag of a particular warship must notify the Turkish authorities. As far as I know, these rules are complied with. At least, we keep a close eye on these rules to be observed," he added.
"As a whole, the US naval flag demonstration in the Black Sea is not the sole case, of course. The United States directly announced on several occasions that the need for its warships to enter these waters was prompted by the tasks of deterring Russia and preventing the creation of alleged risks from Russia in the Black Sea for US allies. This, of course, does not add to stability," the Russian foreign minister said.
The Americans are actively trying to push Black Sea littoral countries that are NATO members towards pursuing such quite confrontational policy, "talk about creating new naval bases on the Black Sea coast of Romania or Bulgaria," Lavrov said.
"I don’t think that this will meet the interests of good neighborly relations in the Black Sea region," Russia’s top diplomat stressed.
Russia is ready to fend off any threats and can reliably ensure its security in the Black Sea, Lavrov said.
"We are ready for any threats. For us, there exist no problems to reliably ensure the security of Russian territory and security in the Black Sea. But we always stand for promoting cooperation projects instead of projects based on confrontation," Russia’s top diplomat said.
The Russian foreign minister mentioned the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization that united not only the littoral countries but also other states from that region and EU states.
"We favor cooperation and not tension escalation to be the basis for relations between states in that part of the region," Lavrov said.
The main task for Moscow is to prevent destabilization of Central Asian allies after the Taliban (outlawed in Russia) seized power in Afghanistan, Sergey Lavrov said in an interview on the Rossiya-24 television channel.
"The main thing for us is their stability, since we do not have borders with our Central Asian allies, [there is] visa-free regime with almost everyone," he said. "First and foremost, this is the necessity to prevent destabilization of neighboring countries and the influx of terrorist and drug threats from Afghanistan, the necessity to nip these threats in the bud inside Afghanistan."
The Taliban movement (outlawed in Russia) launched a large-scale operation for establishing control of Afghanistan after the United States last spring declared its troop pullout. On August 15, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani left the country, while the radicals entered the capital Kabul without encountering any resistance. On September 6, the Taliban said it had put the whole territory of Afghanistan under control and on September 7 unveiled the composition of its interim Cabinet of Ministers, whose legitimacy has not been recognized by any country so far.
