CSTO peacekeepers are helping Kazakh law enforcement agencies to maintain order in the country, Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov told reporters.
In accordance with the decision of the CSTO Collective Security Council, the Collective Peacekeeping Forces have been sent to the Republic of Kazakhstan for a limited period.
An air group of more than 70 Il-76 and 5 An-124 airplanes created by the Russian Ministry of Defense transfers units of the Russian contingent of the CSTO peacekeeping forces to Kazakhstan around the clock.
Russian military transport aircraft are also involved in the operational transfer of military contingents of Belarus, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia.
The Russian peacekeeping forces include units of the 45th separate brigade of the special forces of the Airborne Forces, the 98th Airborne Division of the Airborne Forces, and the 31st separate brigade of the Airborne Forces.
All servicemen of the Russian contingent have undergone special training and have real combat experience.
The Commander of the Airborne Forces Colonel-General Andrei Serdyukov was appointed to lead the actions of the CSTO peacekeeping forces in the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The Russian servicemen who arrived in the Republic of Kazakhstan immediately began to fulfill the assigned tasks.
To date, together with law enforcement agencies of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Almaty Airport is taken under full control.
The security of the Consulate General of the Russian Federation located in the city and other important facilities is ensured.
The CSTO peacekeepers provide assistance to law enforcement agencies of the Republic of Kazakhstan in maintaining law and order.
Russia, Germany and France expressed their commitment to the Minsk agreements and agreed on new contacts, including with the participation of Ukraine. This is the main result of the negotiations of the political advisers of the Normandy format, which ended the day before in the Moscow region.
The meeting lasted almost four and a half hours. It was important, as noted by the deputy head of the Russian presidential administration, Dmitry Kozak, to compare positions, including with the participation of the new German government
“We agreed on plans, on further contacts, including with the participation of the Ukrainian leadership, in order to end the conflict as soon as possible. It is harmful to create parallel formats of negotiations, because this disorganized the process of negotiations, since different shades of agreements may arise in different formats," Deputy Chief of Staff of the Russian President Dmitry Kozak said.
The meeting, initiated by our country, was held in Arkhangelskoye Estate Museum near Moscow. Before the start of negotiations, foreign delegations received a warm welcome. The advisers of the leaders of Germany and France were shown the famous manor and took a ride on a Russian sleigh. Then they also treated me to tea from a samovar.
For the first time in the last week, no footage of night pogroms and robberies has come from Almaty. But in the center of the city, a firefight is heard. This is the security forces carrying out a special operation. The clashes continue. Bandits have barricaded themselves in the office of the Mir TV company. Now they are shooting back from the police. The day before, the President's Almaty residence was liberated from the invaders. Already all administrative buildings have practically passed under the control of the authorities. About three thousand people were detained. The turning point in the situation was outlined almost immediately after the transfer of the first units of the CSTO peacekeeping contingent. At the request of President Tokayev. The decision to send peacekeepers was supported by all the countries of the organization. The advance detachments of the Russian and Belarusian military have already arrived in Almaty and have begun to perform their tasks.
For almost a week Almaty was at the mercy of an angry crowd. Dozens of people were killed, thousands were injured. The protesters robbed shops and banks, and brutally beat police officers.
According to the Kazakh special services, the crowd was led by radical Islamist thugs. State media report 18 police officers killed. Two have their heads cut off. This is the well-known handwriting of terrorists from Afghanistan and Syria.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said: the authorities will react toughly to the actions of terrorists. At the same time, all the demands of citizens, which were expressed in peaceful forms, were heard. Tokayev stressed that 20,000 bandits attacked Almaty. They used weapons, including against civilians. A single command post was involved in the preparation and leadership of the militants. The President of Kazakhstan also thanked the heads of state of the CSTO for the support of the republic.
"I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Prime Minister of Armenia, who chairs the CSTO, as well as to the Presidents of Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. I would like to express special gratitude to Russian President Vladimir Putin. He very promptly and, most importantly, in a friendly manner reacted warmly to my appeal.
I also express my gratitude to the President of the PRC, the presidents of Uzbekistan, Turkey, the leaders of the UN and other international organizations for their words of support," Tokayev noted.
Christmas Message by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia to all the faithful children of the Russian Orthodox Church.
All of you, my dear brothers and sisters, I heartily congratulate you on the great and radiant holiday of the Nativity of Christ! Happy New Year!
For two millennia, from generation to generation, the good news has been passed on about an unusual Baby, Who was born not in the royal chambers and not in rich palaces, but in the wretched Bethlehem cave. His name is Jesus.
This is how the earthly life of the Beginningless God begins. The Invisible becomes visible, the All-powerful becomes defenseless, the Omnipotent becomes vulnerable.
What is the purpose of this humiliation, through which God strips Himself of omnipotent power and clothed himself with human weakness? The Lord descends to earth to take a person to heaven. He is born to save people from enslavement to sin and its consequences - death, to open the gates of the paradise lost by the ancestors at the dawn of history, and to grant eternal life to all.
After the coming into the world of the Savior, His Gospel sermon, the feat of the Cross and the glorious Resurrection, we all got the opportunity to become our own, and not alien to God, as the Apostle Paul writes about this. Moreover, we are all called to be children of God, relatives and close to each other by grace sent down from above.
How can this be achieved? The answer is given to us by the Church, its centuries-old experience. The Church testifies that through participation in the Sacraments, every believer already here on earth becomes a partaker of the Divine life, gets the opportunity to become stronger than sin and any temptations, fears, anxieties and despair. And today I urge all of you not to neglect this priceless gift that the Son of God brought to earth. Visit temples, proceed to the Sacraments, do deeds of love and mercy. Do not doubt: this is the true guarantee of spiritual and physical health, an inexhaustible source of strength and inspiration, including in order to serve God and others.
Christmas is a great celebration of love and hope. Truly, the light of Christ illuminates every person who comes into the world, as the Word of God itself tells us. This dispels the darkness of ignorance, warms hearts, filling them with love and gratitude, instills confidence that the Lord is always with us, that it is He who is our refuge and strength.
Addressing all of you, I would like to wish that in the coming year the hope of the mercy of God illuminates the life path of each of you, that there is peace and harmony in families, and love reigns in hearts. May the blessing of the Lord be with you, affirming in love, goodness and helping in deeds done for the benefit of your native country, for the joy of not only your neighbors, but also those far away - everyone who needs your support and human participation.
Happy holiday, my dears! Merry Christmas! Be healthy and protected by God!
On January 7, Orthodox Christians around the world celebrate one of the most important holidays: the Nativity of Jesus.
In this video, you will see fragments of the Christmas service, as well as learn the history of this holiday, the traditions of Russian Christmas and why the dates of the celebration do not coincide among Orthodox Christians and Catholics ...
Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia held a night Christmas service in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.
Due to the pandemic, sanitary rules and restrictions introduced in the spring of 2020 continue to operate in churches and monasteries of the Russian Orthodox Church, including the mask regime and social distance.
Celebration date. On January 7, Christmas is celebrated by the Russian, Georgian, Jerusalemite, Polish and Serbian Orthodox churches, the Athos monasteries in Greece, as well as the Eastern Catholic Church and the Old Believers. The Roman Catholic, Protestant and ten Orthodox churches (including the Church of Antioch, the Church of Alexandria, the Church of Cyprus, the Bulgarian Church, and others) mark the date earlier, on December 25. The reason is different denominations adhere to different calendars: Julian or Gregorian.
The holiday’s history. In the 2nd-4th centuries, the Nativity of Christ was celebrated on the same day as the Baptism of the Lord under one name Epiphany - January 6, according to the Julian calendar (old style). In the first half of the 4th century, Christmas and Epiphany in the Western church were separated. The Nativity of Christ began to be celebrated on December 25. The date was set intentionally to supplant the Roman Empire’s pagan holidays: Sol Invictus (Unconquered Sun) and Saturnalia (a holiday in honor of the god Saturn). In this way the Church sought to create a counterbalance to the pagan cult.
In the second half of the 4th century, the Eastern church also moved Christmas to December 25. For the first time, separate celebrations on the occasion of the Nativity of Christ and the Baptism of the Lord were introduced in Constantinople around 377 A.D. on orders from Emperor Arcadius.
In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII introduced a new chronology system called the Gregorian calendar (new style), thus correcting the increasing desynchronization between the Julian calendar and the astronomical year. All permanent holidays, including Christmas on December 25, were added to the new calendar. A number of churches, including the Russian Orthodox Church, continued to use the Julian calendar, while Christmas was marked on December 25.
Christmas in Russia. Until 1917, Christmas had been one of the official holidays in the Russian Empire. December 25 and 26 were non-working days. December 25 was also the day of Russia’s victory in the Patriotic War of 1812 against the Napoleonic invasion.
All the attributes of the Christmas holiday were associated with the Christian religion. The Christmas tree was decorated with figurines of angels, shepherds, bells, and so on. The stars, candles and lanterns served as reminders of the Star of Bethlehem and the lights that had shone for the pilgrims who came to pay homage to the newborn Christ. Gifts for all family members (the Gifts of the Magi) were placed under the Christmas tree, and 12 dishes were put on the festive table (according to the number of the holy apostles).
The Christmas tree tradition was interrupted by World War I. In 1915, German POWs, kept at a hospital in Saratov, arranged a Christmas party, consequently triggering an outburst of fury from Russian dailies. As a result, Emperor Nicholas II prohibited the custom of decorating trees for Christmas.
After the October Revolution of 1917, the ban was lifted, and in December of the same year, a public Christmas tree was installed at the Mikhailovsky Artillery School in Petrograd.
On January 24, 1918, the Council of People's Commissars (Russia’s government at that time) adopted a decree on the introduction of the Gregorian calendar in Russia. Then Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars Vladimir Lenin signed it into law on January 26, 1918. The Russian Orthodox Church did not recognize these reforms and continued to follow the Julian calendar. Orthodox Christmas began to be celebrated on January 7, which corresponds to December 25 according to the Julian calendar.
In 1918, the All-Russia Central Executive Committee removed the Nativity of Christ from the list of public holidays and canceled the day off. In the mid-1920s, the country saw a massive anti-religious campaign. In 1929, the Council of People's Commissars prohibited Christmas celebrations. Official New Year parties were also outlawed, only to be revived in the 1930s. The Christmas tree and related festive events became invariable attributes of Soviet-style New Year customs and traditions. The star of Bethlehem was replaced by a five-pointed red star and Christmas figures gave way to Kremlin towers, airships, space satellites, sheaves of wheat, ears of corn and other decorations.
Christmas had not been celebrated in Russia until the 1990s. On December 27, 1990, the Supreme Council of the RSFSR "in connection with a request by Patriarch Alexy II, of Moscow and All Russia, and in a gesture of respect for the religious feelings of believers" ruled to consider January 7 a public holiday and a day off. The official holiday status was enshrined in a special legal act dated September 25, 1992.
In 1992, Russian President Boris Yeltsin for the first time attended a festive night service, which Patriarch Alexy II held at the Nativity of Christ church in the Izmailovo neighborhood. In 1995, the ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and its consecration was timed to coincide with the holiday. The Cathedral eventually became the center of Christmas celebrations.
Christmas tradition in Russia. The holiday is preceded by a strict 40-day fast, which lasts from November 28 to January 6.
On Christmas Eve, the festive liturgy is served in all churches. At the end of the service, a lighted candle, symbolizing the Star of Bethlehem, is brought out and placed in the middle of the church.
Christmas kicks off a 12-day season commonly referred to as Christmastide or Yuletide. According to the Orthodox canons, believers should offer prayers glorifying Jesus Christ. In the folk tradition, Christmastide has always been a time of festivities, outdoor games and performances by mummers, fortune-telling, as well as caroling.
The Christmas period ends with the feast of the Epiphany on January 19.
Vladimir Putin met with General Designer of the Almaz-Antey Aerospace Defense Concern Pavel Sozinov on Wednesday.
Probably everyone has heard the name of this rocket system. The S-400 is the best air defense system on the planet, capable of protecting the skies from any enemy aircraft and missiles. The whole world recognized her as unsurpassed. And so it was until recently, until Russia took the next step. S-500 - a new generation of anti-aircraft systems will become the master of the sky for a long time. And all this is the brainchild of the Almaz-Antey concern, which, according to the president, does not need advertising, just like its products.
"These are the most reliable air defense systems in the world and probably the most demanded in the world arms market. This is a generally accepted fact. But I would like to start with something completely different - with the peaceful part - civilian products.,"Putin said.
"Indeed, today those technologies that have been mainly developed over the past 10-15 years for military products are in demand for civilian products, and we continue not only assembly production, but also technological solutions to develop. First of all, this concerns the topic of air traffic control. In the Russian Federation, practically in recent years, in accordance with your decree, we have completed the main part of the program for reorganizing this system,"Sozinov said.
In other words, most Russian airports are now equipped with the latest Russian technology to control the movement of aircraft. And at the next stage, the designers hope to create a similar system for drones.
"Today we are already designing an air traffic control system for unmanned aerial vehicles in large areas, including those cut off from settlements, that is, in Siberia, the Far East, and so on. We can potentially use it for the urgent transfer of certain types of medicines, goods, and so on to hard-to-reach, remote regions of Russia,"he added.
Air defense systems remain the main product for the concern, but almost a third of the employees are already employed in civilian areas. One of the factories fully focused on the production of deep-sea vehicles for oil and gas production, and the concern also began to produce medical equipment - for example, X-ray machines.
The concern itself has become more difficult in recent years to work for export due to Western restrictions.
That is why the development of new markets and new types of products has become doubly important.
Among other things, working here is an opportunity to move forward together with the flagship of the Russian defense industry, whose products are unconditionally considered the best in the world. This year the association turns 20.
North Korea launched, as news agencies write, an unidentified shell towards the Sea of Japan. According to South Korea, it could be a short-range ballistic missile fired from a ground-based installation.
According to the Ministry of Defense of Japan, the rocket flew almost 500 kilometers and fell into the sea, without reaching the exclusive economic zone of the country. Japanese Government Calls an Emergency Response Team Meeting. This is the first launch since October last year. At that time, Pyongyang tested a new ballistic missile from a submarine.
Protests in Kazakhstan began due to the rise in the price of liquefied gas: since the new year, prices have more than doubled at once - from 50 tenge to 120 per 1 liter. First of all, it hit the motorists. They are the main consumers of liquefied gas in Kazakhstan. There, almost every tenth car is fueled not with gasoline, but with gas. And almost all of these cars are concentrated in the west of the country, including in the Mangistau region, whose disgruntled residents were the first to take to the streets.
The Ministry of Energy of Kazakhstan said that prices were increased by force: consumption is growing every year, but there is no production capacity. The rise in fuel prices led to a rise in prices for other goods. President Tokayev instructed the government to urgently sort it out. A special commission arrived in the region, met with the protesters and announced that gas prices in the Mangistau region will return to their previous level. But the geography of street unrest has expanded: Aktobe, Nur-Sultan. Probably, the forces interested in destabilizing the country have become more active. In Almaty, street protests turned into street riots. Clashes with police started, police cars were on fire. Nearly four dozen company cars were damaged. Eyewitnesses said that sticks and fittings appeared in the hands of the demonstrators. Law enforcement officers responded with tear gas and stun grenades. More than 200 people were detained for participating in the riots.
The president addressed the protesters. He spoke Kazakh and Russian.
“Show prudence and do not succumb to provocations from within and from without, the euphoria of rallies and permissiveness. Calls to attack civilian and military offices are completely illegal. This is a crime that can be punished. Power will not fall. But we do not need conflict, but mutual trust and dialogue. I appeal to youth. Do not spoil your life paths, do not poison the lives of loved ones. All legal requests and requirements from your side will be carefully considered, appropriate decisions will be made. Now your well-being and the place of our country in the modern world are at stake,"Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said.
Soon after the appeal, Tokayev introduced a state of emergency in Alma-Ata and the Mangistau region for two weeks. He previously accepted the government’s resignation amid street protests that swept across several cities. You can not be on the street from 11 pm to 7 am, mass events are prohibited, the movement of vehicles is limited, as well as entry and exit to these regions, the sale of alcohol is suspended. At the same time, despite the curfew, the Almaty airport operates as usual: planes fly to and from Russia on schedule.
Early in the morning, the president accepted the resignation of the government. First Deputy Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov has been appointed acting prime minister. The rest of the members of the Cabinet of Ministers will continue to perform their duties until a new composition is formed.
The head of state held an emergency meeting on the socio-economic situation in the country, at which he said that the government was especially to blame for the protests. Tokayev, in particular, instructed to introduce state regulation of prices for liquefied gas, gasoline and diesel for six months. And the Prosecutor General's Office was instructed to investigate whether there was a price conspiracy around the gas.
The results of the work of the JSC Tactical Missiles Corporation were discussed by Vladimir Putin with General Director Boris Obnosov on Tuesday.
20 years ago, in January 2002, Vladimir Putin signed a decree establishing the Tactical Missiles Corporation. In fact, this was the beginning of the revival of the country's military-industrial complex, which was actually destroyed in the 90s.
It was here that the world's first hypersonic missile Zircon was developed, capable of flying at a speed of Mach 8, that is, about three kilometers per second, or, in other words, four times faster than a Kalashnikov assault rifle bullet.
The factories of the enterprise are already making composite pipes for thermal power plants, and working tools, and medical equipment. And also the release of civilian drones, which can be used as a taxi, is being prepared. That is, rockets are the main thing, but by no means all.
Joint Statement of the Leaders of the Five Nuclear-Weapons States on Preventing Nuclear War and Avoiding Arms Races, published by the Kremlin press service on Monday.
The People’s Republic of China, the French Republic, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States of America consider the avoidance of war between Nuclear-Weapon States and the reduction of strategic risks as our foremost responsibilities.
We affirm that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought. As nuclear use would have far-reaching consequences, we also affirm that nuclear weapons – for as long as they continue to exist – should serve defensive purposes, deter aggression, and prevent war. We believe strongly that the further spread of such weapons must be prevented.
We reaffirm the importance of addressing nuclear threats and emphasize the importance of preserving and complying with our bilateral and multilateral non-proliferation, disarmament, and arms control agreements and commitments. We remain committed to our Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) obligations, including our Article VI obligation “to pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament, and on a treaty on general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control.”
We each intend to maintain and further strengthen our national measures to prevent unauthorized or unintended use of nuclear weapons. We reiterate the validity of our previous statements on de-targeting, reaffirming that none of our nuclear weapons are targeted at each other or at any other State.
We underline our desire to work with all states to create a security environment more conducive to progress on disarmament with the ultimate goal of a world without nuclear weapons with undiminished security for all. We intend to continue seeking bilateral and multilateral diplomatic approaches to avoid military confrontations, strengthen stability and predictability, increase mutual understanding and confidence, and prevent an arms race that would benefit none and endanger all. We are resolved to pursue constructive dialogue with mutual respect and acknowledgment of each other’s security interests and concerns.
In his New Year address to the Russians Vladimir Putin wished everyone good health in 2022. According to the head of state, this is the main wish and success in various fields will follow.
"In a few seconds, the New Year will come, and in many families, including our compatriots outside Russia, the traditional words will sound:" Happy New Year!" he said.
Russians pronounce these simple words with special feeling because they are passed down from generation to generation, the President said.
The head of state wished every household had as many joyful events as possible, new families were established in Russia as often as possible and children were born.
"May they grow up healthy, smart, honest and free! May love be in every heart and inspire all of us to achieve our goals and conquer the greatest heights - for the sake of their loved ones and for the sake of our only, great Motherland! Happy New Year, dear friends! Happy new year 2022!" he said to the Russian citizens.
In his New Year's address Putin expressed support to everyone who lost loved ones due to the pandemic.
He noted that in the outgoing year, the citizens of the country faced huge challenges, but learned to live in such harsh conditions, to solve complex problems "and were able to do this thanks to our solidarity."
The Russian leader noted that hopes for good changes bring people together on the verge of the New Year.
"Dear Russian citizens, dear friends! The year of 2021 is coming to the end and the time will take us from the past to the future very soon. Yes, so it happens every day, minute and second. However, we clearly hear this continuous pace of time when we welcome the New Year. We wait for it as for the landmark in the life. All of us are united now by the hope for good changes but we understand they cannot be pulled away, separated from developments of the departing year," Putin noted.
Only the improvement of the well-being and the quality of life of people will allow making Russia stronger, Putin said.
"When welcoming the New Year, we hope it will open new opportunities; we certainly expect to have good luck but understand at the same time that the achievement of what we thought for depends in the first instance on ourselves, on our priority, on our daily life content, on the degree of taking up a matter strongly and proactively and achieving specific, visible results," the head of state said.
Implementation of nation-wide plans will evolve exactly from such results, Putin said. "Their main goal is to improve the well-being and the quality of life of people. Solution of exactly these tasks will make Russia stronger," the Russian leader said.
Further development and flourishing of the motherland can only be supported by joint efforts, Putin stressed. "The mood for creation, the aspiration for definite implementation of personal plans and being of benefit for the society and the homeland are particularly important in such challenging times as now," he added.
Russia went through all hardships of 2021 with dignity and the main credit for it goes to the country’s citizens, Putin said.
"Of course, there are still a lot of unsolved problems, but we went through this year with dignity. The main credit for it goes to you, the citizens of Russia. This is the result of your hard work. Everyone tried to fulfill his duty, to do not only what is in their power, but also much more, to help those who find it especially difficult. My heartfelt thanks to all of you," the President said.
"We overcame all the difficulties of the outgoing year together, protected those who found themselves in a difficult situation, first of all supported the people of the older generations and families where children are growing, they are the future of Russia," he added.
Putin extended separate New Year greetings in his address to everyone ‘on alert’ - to medical workers, servicemen and law enforcement personnel.
Hundreds of thousands of our citizens are working in these spheres. Thank you for the labor, responsible and important for the country and the society," Putin added.
The fact that the telephone conversation between Vladimir Putin and Joseph Biden would be held entirely in a closed format was known even before it began. The presidents got in touch late in the evening, half an hour before midnight Moscow time. In the United States, the hands on the clock indicated half past four in the evening. The conversation lasted exactly 50 minutes. Presidential aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters about some of the results of the talks.
"In principle, we are satisfied with the talks held today, because they were frank, meaningful, and specific,"he said.
Russia has spoken about its concerns more than once. But in the West they pretended not to hear. The case got off the ground during previous talks between Putin and Biden, via video link, December 7. The presidents agreed on consultations on strategic stability.
Russia's red lines are listed in two documents: one concerns relations with the United States, the other with NATO. Our country offers the alliance to stop any military activity on the territory of 12 former Soviet republics (the Baltic countries do not count - they are already in NATO), to cancel the decision of the Bucharest summit in the part where it was announced about the prospects of joining the bloc of Ukraine and Georgia, and remove American strike systems, including missile defense systems, from our borders. Agreements must be legally enshrined. Moscow does not believe in words.
"We need a result. And we will seek results in the form of guaranteed security for Russia. In principle, US President agreed with this point of view and reacted quite logically and quite seriously. Our President emphasized that in this situation, which is rather difficult, we will behave as the United States would behave if offensive weapons were deployed near American borders," Ushakov said.
In Washington, the conversation between Putin and Biden was described as businesslike and meaningful. True, in the official statement, the White House press service, as usual, focused on Russia's allegedly impending invasion of Ukraine.
"President Biden urged Russia to de-escalate tensions with Ukraine," the statement said. "He made clear that the United States and its allies and partners will respond decisively if Russia further invades Ukraine. President Biden also expressed support for diplomatic efforts, which kick off early next year with a bilateral dialogue on strategic stability," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement on Thursday.
Not without mentioning by Biden of possible large-scale sanctions against our country.
"Our president immediately responded to that by saying that if the West goes ahead to introduce abovementioned unprecedented sanctions, then all that could cause a total severance of relations between our countries and most serious damage will be done to Russia’s relations with the West in general," Ushakov noted.
According to political scientists, the position of the American president is influenced by the internal political situation in the United States.
“Biden has a very low rating, and now to be accused of weakness towards Russia, which is a traditional horror story for American domestic politics, for him it would be a failure,” said Andrei Korobkov, professor of political science at the University of Tennessee.
During the night conversation, the presidents agreed to keep in touch.
“Washington understands Russia's concerns. President Biden is ready to continue the dialogue with President Putin, and this is what our leaders agreed on. Moreover, the presidents will also push the negotiations, which will be conducted by our subordinate teams in Geneva, ”Yuri Ushakov replied.
Negotiations between Russia and the United States on security guarantees are scheduled in Geneva for January 10. In a couple of days, a meeting of the Russia-NATO Council will take place in Brussels, and on January 13, the Russian delegation in Vienna will meet with representatives of the OSCE.
However, in relation to the same Ukraine, some progress has already been outlined.
Some political analysts already call the upcoming talks epoch-making, while others are still restrained in their assessments. The White House is cautiously hinting to reporters about possible progress on some issues.
Some political analysts already call the upcoming talks epoch-making, while others are still restrained in their assessments. The White House is cautiously hinting to reporters about possible progress on some issues. But without any specifics. At the same time, recognizing that nothing relieves tension in the world like communication between the leaders of our countries. With this, as they say, you can not argue.
The eve of the New Year is the time when you want to believe in all the best: this is exactly what happens with children, whose dreams these days come true thanks to the New Year Tree Of Wishes.
5-year-old Misha from the Oryol region was able to visit the famous confectionery factory in Moscow. He was invited there by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, who removed the ball from the New Year Tree with the Wish of the boy.
An excursion to the chocolate museum, a master class on making sweets and tasting right at the sweet conveyor belt.
And one more story about how the New Year's Tree of Wishes makes children's dreams come true.
Stanislav from St. Petersburg was able to talk with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Lavrov invited the teenager to Moscow on an excursion to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. And he also arranged for the boy, to meet Nikita Mikhalkov. Stanislav said that he greatly appreciates the work of the famous director and would like to communicate with him personally.
And now Stanislav is in touch with Nikita Mikhalkov. So far, only in the video call mode. But, as diplomats say in such cases "with the mediation of the Foreign Minister, an agreement was reached on a personal meeting between the boy and the director." It should take place after the holidays. Nikita Mikhalkov, in his own words, was glad to talk with the young Petersburger.
A statement by EU top diplomat Josep Borrell on Brussels’ possible contribution to negotiations on European security looks strange amid the policy pursued by the European Union, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a briefing on Thursday.
"I would like to stress once again that if the EU’s Brussels sincerely wanted and wished it, it could have done far more to prevent the developments in Europe under a scenario unacceptable for Russia.
Moreover, not only for Russia but generally for developing Russia-EU interaction. Nothing of this has been done," the spokeswoman said.
"Amid this background, the claim by Mr. Borrell on some hypothetical contribution by the EU to the discussion on security guarantees in Europe looks very strange," the diplomat stressed.
"Possibly, the EU diplomacy head has simply forgotten that for the EU countries - and 21 of them are NATO members - it is the alliance that now remains ‘the foundation of their collective defense and the forum for its implementation,’" Zakharova said
"Let me remind you where this direct quote comes from: this is article 42.7 of the baseline Treaty on the European Union. Moreover, in its two joint declarations signed with the alliance since 2016, the EU even agreed to use its defense potential, as was set forth there, in the interests of NATO," the Russian diplomat added.
In other words, the EU’s Brussels voluntarily assigned the lion’s share of its military sovereignty to NATO’s Brussels, Zakharova said.
"This was done not only in favor of NATO, and I mean sacrificing its own sovereignty, but such a gift was also made directly for the United States. In this regard, it is unclear why the EU diplomacy head feels upset about the EU’s non-participation in the discussions on security guarantees in Europe. You have voluntarily agreed to the loss of sovereignty in favor of decision-making either by the United States solely or under the NATO umbrella but by the United States again," the Russian diplomat said.
The spokeswoman also pointed to another remark by the EU diplomacy head who stated that advancing non-negotiable written terms to the opposite side was a winner’s privilege.
"It looks as if the European Union has never tried to impose its approaches on Russia with its actions from such ultimatum-like and haughty positions. Honestly speaking, I am not sure that this can relate to a winner or to the logic of the winner’s actions but surely this relates to haughtiness and I mean the steps that Brussels earlier made," the Russian diplomat said.
Brussels has done a lot to escalate tension in Europe with its actions, the spokeswoman said. In particular, in 2009 it invented the Eastern Partnership format aimed at countering Russian integration initiatives and carving out a sphere of influence for itself in the post-Soviet space. Also, the EU persistently pushed for a draft of an association agreement with Ukraine, she pointed out.
"Let me remind you that it became a real trigger for protests that grew into an anti-Constitutional coup in February 2014, again with the blessing of the West, first of all, representatives of the European Union and the United States, and which progressed somewhere with the tacit and somewhere with the active consent and support of Western partners," Zakharova said.
Also, Brussels unilaterally curtailed the versatile architecture of cooperation and dialogue with Russia that had been developed for years, and slapped Russia with illegitimate unilateral restrictions, the Russian diplomat went on to say.
"To the accompaniment of groundless accusations, it highlighted our country in its doctrinal guidelines as a strategic challenge and almost the prime source of some hybrid threats to the security of the European Union," the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said.
A phone conversation between Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden is scheduled for Thursday at 23:30 Moscow time (15:30 Eastern Standard Time).
This will be their second conversation in a month. In early December, the leaders talked via video link for two hours.
The conversation will take place ahead of consultations on security guarantees in Geneva with the American delegation on January 10, and with NATO in Brussels on January 12.
Russia is counting on a dialogue on equal terms. Vladimir Putin has repeatedly listed the "red lines" that the United States and the North Atlantic alliance should not cross. And here legal guarantees are important. They are drawn up in documents that the Russian side handed over to Washington and the headquarters of the military bloc. In particular, NATO should rule out its further eastward expansion. Also, it is necessary to discuss a return to the old system of mutual deterrence. The problem arose after the US withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.
the upcoming negotiations were commented on today by the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova during a briefing.
"In the course of the negotiations, we will seek from the American side submissions of firm legal guarantees of security, namely, not the advancement of NATO to the East and not the deployment of weapons systems that threaten Russia near the borders of our country,"she said.
Russia and its partners have fulfilled their task of creating Nord Stream 2, now it is for Europeans to decide upon it, Vladimir Putin said at a meeting on the autumn-winter heating season on Wednesday.
He said this after Gazprom CEO Alexey Miller reported that the second string of the gas pipeline had been filled with technical gas.
"These are the issues that our partners in Europe should resolve. Now it is their turn. We and our partners, by the way, European companies, have completed the task of creating this additional route. Nord Stream 2 is ready to go," the President said.
"I would like to congratulate Gazprom and your partners in the Nord Stream 2 project on the completion of work on the creation of this large additional pipeline and on the fact that it is ready for operation," Putin said.
He stressed that "as soon as they (European partners) make a decision on the start of its operation, large additional volumes of Russian gas will immediately flow to Europe." Putin recalled that this would be about 55 billion cubic meters per year.
Putin expressed confidence that the launch of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline will lead to a decrease in gas prices in Europe, including for Ukraine.
"This will undoubtedly affect the price on the market, on the spot. All those countries and consumers of these countries that consume Russian gas, will immediately feel it. This also applies to economic participants and households," Putin said after head of Gazprom, Alexey Miller, reported on the completion of the filling of the second string of the gas pipeline with technical gas.
The head of state added that "even for Ukraine, this (the launch of Nord Stream 2) will lead to a price reduction," "because they take a significant amount of Russian gas at the European market price."
Putin noted that the price for Ukraine is now quite high, reaching "a thousand and more dollars per thousand cubic meters."
"Of course, this will also affect the price for a country like Ukraine, which for political reasons, unfortunately, refuses to directly take Russian gas and is forced to take it at such high prices," he said. Putin expressed confidence that the launch of the gas pipeline will positively affect the price for Kiev.
Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko hit the ice together in a friendly ice hockey match on Wednesday in Saint Petersburg.
Putin was wearing his hockey jersey, sporting number 11, while Lukashenko wore No. 01 jersey. Other players in today’s match were famous ice hockey players, including Pavel Bure, Alexei Kasatonov, Valery Kamensky, Ilya Kovalchuk and Vyacheslav Fetisov.
Putin and Lukashenko played for the ‘White Team’ against the ‘Red Team’ during the match on Wednesday and they both enjoyed later the win of 18-7 over their opponents.
The score in the match was opened on the 3rd minute with a netter from Russian President Putin. President of Belarus Lukashenko scored another goal shortly after. In all, Russian President Putin scored seven goals and his Belarusian opponent Lukashenko netted two more.
Before the start of the match, President Putin presented state awards to famous stars of Soviet and Russian ice hockey.
Alexander Yakushev, Chairman of the Council of Legends of the Night Hockey League, was awarded the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, III degree.
The Order of Alexander Nevsky was awarded to Valery Kamensky, Vice President for Development of the Continental Hockey League, and Alexei Kasatonov, member of the Board of the USSR Hockey Legends Club.
Vladimir Putin held talks on Wednesday in St. Petersburg with Alexander Lukashenko. This is their sixth meeting this year.
Russia and Belarus will hold joint military exercises in the first quarter of next year. The presidents discussed both defense cooperation and economic interaction. Trade turnover increased by a third, despite the pandemic.
The ties between the two countries are becoming ever closer, as it should be during the construction of a union state. Belarusian enterprises, for example, got the opportunity to participate in the competition for state orders in Russia, which in turn increases their competitiveness.
In September 2021, Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko agreed on union programs - these are 28 main steps for the further integration of Russia and Belarus. In early November, the roadmaps were approved during a meeting of the Supreme State Council of the Union State.
After last year's slump in mutual trade caused by the coronavirus pandemic, trade has recovered. The growth for this year is 36%. Close economic integration between the two countries helped Belarus to withstand both economic and political pressure from the West.
The key to success is the development of integration in all spheres - from economy and finance to the defense industry and the army. The presidents also discussed plans to organize joint military exercises.
What matters the most is that there is less empty talk, so that they don’t water down our proposals in endless discussions, which is something the West knows how to do and is notorious for, Sergey Lavrov said, answering a question from Vladimir Solovyov about the upcoming security talks with the US and NATO in January.
"These diplomatic efforts must yield results. Even more importantly, these results must be achieved within a determined timeframe. we did not put forward any ultimatums. however, engaging in never-ending talks during which the West once again will make ambiguous promises, and will then definitely double-cross us down the road – we do no need that. in this context, the United States is our main negotiating party. it is with the United States that we will hold the main round of talks right after the New Year holidays,"he added.
On Tuesday, St Petersburg hosted the annual informal summit meeting of heads of state of the Commonwealth of Independent States.
In St. Petersburg, the heads of the CIS countries met for the last time exactly two years ago. Of course, the world has changed a lot since then. Primarily due to the situation with the coronavirus. And everyone noticed how far from each other the leaders of the states sat. Vladimir Putin also touched on the topic of coronavirus in his opening speech.
The President also drew attention to the fact that, according to the latest research by the Gamelei Center, our Sputnik V vaccine also works perfectly against the Omicron strain.
Then the president gave the floor to the head of Rospotrebnadzor, Anna Popova, who spoke about the current situation and the need for a general plan to combat the pandemic.
The Commonwealth of Independent States celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. The CIS is 16% of the world territory; about a third of the world's coal and natural gas reserves, 20% of oil are concentrated on it. Therefore, the Commonwealth directly affects the economic and political climate not only in Eurasia, but throughout the world.
Before the informal CIS Summit, on Tuesday, Vladimir Putin met separately with the first President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, who was at the forefront of the creation of CIS and EAEU.
"Everything will work out!" So the president told 14-year-old Mark, fulfilling his New Year's wish, and the life of a boy from the Moscow region has really changed. Mark, who dreamed of a guitar and knew - he even had nowhere to live - every day picks up chords more and more boldly, and now he is in his own room.
Today they are celebrating a housewarming in a spacious two-room apartment next to the music school where Mark will study.
Mark and his mother moved to their own apartment just a few days after they told the president: they were forced to huddle with friends - in a large family, where they are expecting their seventh child. The head of state also helped to solve their housing issue. Vladimir Putin thanked Anastasia and Yaroslav Bakharev for their kindness.
Today the dream of another child, whose balloon Vladimir Putin chose at the New Year's Tree of Wishes, has come true. 5-year-old Osor from Buryatia decided to play the role of a firefighter. He boldly climbed the stairs of the fire engine, appreciated the rare motorcycle. Together with the rescuers, he waited for an alarm. And already under his control, the fire was extinguished here. And then Vladimir Putin asked the boy about his impressions.
Osor, who dreams of becoming a lifeguard himself, has a rare genetic disease. Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Any movement is difficult for him. Together with Osora's mother, the president discussed how to help the boy - the Circle of Kindness fund has been established especially for such patients in the country.
Putin, together with Osor's mother and the Minister of Health, discussed the boy's treatment.
The head of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, said on Monday that he would have annexed Ukraine to Russia long ago if he had received an order from President Putin.
The United States is abusing its status as the host country of the UN headquarters and violating its international obligations, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a briefing on Friday.
"The United States regularly denies and delays visas or fails to extend visas in due time exclusively on grounds of nationality. measures of discrimination, such as limitations on the movement of diplomats and personnel of the UN Secretariat, not only from Russia but from other countries as well,"she added.
Also, Zakharova recalled that five years ago, the US State Department blocked access to the official premises of the Permanent Mission of Russia to the UN.
"The premises were bought in 1953 and are the property of the Russian Federation. in the period since 1953, we faithfully complied with all our obligations as the premises’ owner and there have not been any complaints or objections. the host country recognised the diplomatic status of these premises. but now the Russian property in the State of New York, which has been used to represent Russian interests at the UN, has for all intents and purposes been seized by the Americans,"she noted.
The Russian diplomat called on Antonio Guterres, as guarantor of the 1947 Agreement, to take immediate practical steps to officially launch the arbitration procedure against the United States.
Vladimir Putin made a video message congratulating current and former staff of the Emergencies Ministry on Rescue Worker’s Dayon Monday.
The President thanked the rescuers for performing their responsible and difficult work, fraught with dangers, for a worthy, honest and scrupulous solution of a wide range of tasks assigned to the EMERCOM of Russia.
"All of these tasks are highly responsible, important and meaningful for our citizens, society and the state, and are directly connected with protecting people’s health and lives,"he said.
Putin stressed that Russian rescuers are among the best in the world in terms of professionalism, experience, speed and accuracy in performing the most complex and non-standard tasks.
"You set standards for your colleagues around the globe to follow. Russia is rightly proud of you. Our citizens can be confident that Emergencies Ministry personnel are always ready to come to the rescue at any time of day or night and will engage all reserves and all available means, equipment and staff to quickly liquidate any threat and will be fighting for each person even at the cost of their lives,"he noted.
"Our comrades who sacrificed their lives for others will remain with us forever in the roll of honour of the Emergencies Ministry’s best personnel. Among them are courageous and fearless rescue workers who died at the Listvyazhnaya mine and the Emergencies Minister, Army General Yevgeny Zinichev,"Putin stressed.
Russia’s only goal in dialogue with the West is to reach agreements ensuring the security of the country and its people, Vladimir Putin said.
"Our proposal [on security guarantees] is open and clear. We want people I Russia, in Ukraine, in Europe, and in the United States to understand our idea we want to implement during these negotiating process. I see nothing wrong about it," he said in an interview with the Moscow.Kremlin.Putin program on the Rossiya-1 television channel.
"It sets certain limits for all participants in this [negotiating] process. But we have only one goal - to reach agreements ensuring the security of Russia and its people now and in the long-term perspective," he stressed.
According to the president, Moscow is afraid that the West may use its proposals as a possibility to create threats to Russia from the territories of neighboring countries.
"We do have fears that, as I have already said, any our initiative may be used to fill it with destructive agenda of creating threats to us on the territories of our neighboring countries," he said in an interview with Moscow.Kremlin.Putin program on the Rossiya-1 television channel.
"They will indulge in endless talk about the necessity of negotiations but will do nothing but pump a neighboring country with state-of-the-art weapons systems and build up threats to Russia, and we will have to do something with these threats," he noted.
The Russian head of state recalled that he had spoken about the red line that cannot be crossed. "I want everyone both in our country and abroad, our partners to clearly understand: the matter is not in a line we don’t want anyone to cross. The matter is that we have nowhere to step back," he stressed.
"They have driven us to such a line, excuse my language, that we have nowhere to move," Putin said, adding that he has already pointed to the risks of new supplies of missile systems deployed at a distance of four to five minute’s flight to Moscow. "Well, where are you going to go now? They have simply driven us to the state when we must say: stop!," Putin said, adding that is why Russia’s initiative on security guarantees talks was made public.
Russia may choose various responses based on advice from military experts if US and NATO decline to provide security guarantees, Putin said.
"It may vary," he said in an interview with the Moscow. Kremlin. Putin program. "It will depend on the proposals that our military experts will make to me."
The president said Russia will seek to achieve a positive outcome in the talks on security guarantees.
Russia made the proposals on the matter in order "to reach a legally binding outcome of diplomatic talks on the documents," he said. "That’s what we will strive for."
Putin said during his news conference on December 23 that Moscow will base its further steps on the need to achieve unconditional security for Russia in the long term, regardless of how talks with the US on security guarantees unfold. He said Russia made it clear it won’t tolerate NATO’s further eastward expansion.
The US has moved its missiles to Russia’s doorstep, he said, and wondered how the US would feel if Russia were to place its missiles in Mexico or Canada.
On December 17, the Russian Foreign Ministry released draft agreements on security guarantees addressed to the US and NATO. They had been handed over to a US representative at a meeting at the Russian Foreign Ministry on December 15.
Vladimir Putin said on Sunday he plans to see in New Year with his family and listen to the president’s New Year address to the nation.
He shared his plans with the Moscow.Kremlin.Putin program on the Rossiya-1 television channel.
When asked how he plans to spend the New Year night, the president said smilingly, "We will be sitting with the family, seeing in New Year, listening to the president."
Russia’s peoples have enough deep immunity and protection systems against this obscurantism (new ethic of West), Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.
"And it should be countered not by direct instructions, slapdowns or accusations but rather by upholding our traditional values, which I always keep saying,"he added.
Putin said that with modern communications, the arrival of neoliberal Western values in Russia is inevitable.
"It is very much like the coronavirus pandemic. New strains keep popping up, and we can’t get away from it. What we need is to look for a proper antidote, Putin noted.
The Russian leader also gave examples of the application of these dubious values in the West, which is contrary to simple common sense.
"All the peoples of the Russian Federation have a certain inner moral protection against the obscurantism you mentioned. Let them do whatever they want over there. We must take the most progressive and the best which helps us develop, move on, be leaders in technology, in the economy, humanitarian areas,"Putin stressed.
The future of Donbass must be determined by the people who live in Donbass ...There is no other way, Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.
Isn't this statement by the Russian leader a rather transparent allusion to the self-determination of Donbass residents, following the example of the Crimeans? It looks like Putin is preparing the world community for the "Donbass spring," that is, for holding a referendum on self-determination and joining the Russian Federation this long-suffering territory.
Putin has repeatedly emphasized that Russia will not attack Ukraine (which is absolutely inconsistent with the hysteria in the Western media about this), but he will not be weak-willed to look at the military solution of this issue by the Kiev regime.
The President gives examples of the activities of the current Ukrainian authorities, which are directed in the opposite direction from the Minsk agreements, that is, from the peaceful solution of this issue, which also shows, in my opinion, a high probability of the scenario described above.
Russia is willing to establish good-neighborly relations with Ukraine, but it is almost impossible due to the actions of the current administration in Kiev, Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.
"What is the problem for us? We want to build good-neighborly relations with Ukraine and, moreover, we want it, I should say, at any cost and we are in fact doing everything possible in this regard," he said during his traditional end-of-the-year news conference in Moscow.
"However, how can we build these relations with the present-day administration [in Ukraine] considering what they are doing at the moment? This is practically impossible," the Russian president said.
Putin said that Moscow was ready to work with the Ukrainian authorities, "who are ready to build relations with Russia in a good-neighborly atmosphere."
"What’s happening with these authorities? We see extrajudicial killings, sanctions against their own citizens, which contradict the laws and the Constitution of Ukraine, or simply murders right in the street. Nobody is searching for these murderers."
The Russian president recalled the horrors of the 2014 Odessa Trade Union House tragedy.
"Did anyone lift a finger to find the criminals? Not at all," he continued. "Therefore, we have no chances to team up and work with those, who want to establish relations [with Russia], they are being eliminated. These are the people, who want to work with us. This is the problem."
On May 2, 2014, Ukrainian nationalist extremists, including members of the Pravy Sektor organization (or Right Sector, outlawed in Russia) torched the Trade Union House in the city of Odessa, where protesters against Ukraine's coup had found refuge.
According to official estimates, the violence killed 48 people, most of whom lost their lives in the Trade Union House tragedy, while 240 more people were reported to have been injured in the inferno and its aftermath.
The claims by US Trade Representative Katherine Tai about Russia’s import substitution in the IT sector and its alleged general non-compliance with the principles of the World Trade Organization (WTO) are unfounded and beyond absurdity, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a briefing on Friday.
"We’ve grown accustomed to the United States’ unfounded accusations against us, but this one exceeded all our expectations. Attacking us for import substitution, while we’ve had to listen for many years that they’re plotting against us here and there. [Threatening] to unplug us from SWIFT or something else. I’m sorry, but this is just beyond the boundaries of absurdity," the diplomat said.
The spokeswoman underscored Tai's claim that Russia maintains restrictions on non-scientific imports in the agricultural sector and refuses to accept other countries' guarantees on export capacity.
"Have they heard in Washington about their own sanctions or about the EU’s sanctions, Brussels adopted under pressure from Washington? Every time shortly before the New Year - apparently, this is becoming their tradition - Washington, with enviable permanence and with minimal adjustments, duplicates a set of claims against our country in the area of trade, while adopting more and more unilateral sanctions and making more and more threatening statements, in particular directly in the economic and financial spheres," Zakharova said.
On Tuesday, US Trade Representative Katherine Tai said the United States intends to use the WTO to hold Russia accountable for its alleged trade activities. She made this statement after her office released its "2021 Report on the Implementation and Enforcement of Russia’s World Trade Organization (WTO) Commitments."
According to that report, "Russia maintains restrictive at-the-border measures, institutes behind-the-border measures to inhibit trade, and implements an industrial policy seemingly driven by the guiding principles of import substitution and forced localization."
The United States has got used to feeling its exclusiveness and is now afraid of losing its leading role in international affairs, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Friday.
According to Zakharova, the United States wants to be always be a leader on the international arena and cannot put up with the inevitable loss of its leadership. In her words, these fears are clearly seen in US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s recent statement that the Americans are doomed to be the leaders as, otherwise the world will plunge into chaos or their place will be taken by those who don’t share their values.
"It means that very many things done by the United States today rest on fear of losing its own exclusiveness, its leading role. It has little to do with real leadership," she said, adding that the most dangerous thing about this situation is not that the United States has got used to see itself "as a master of everything around" but that its current behavior "stems from the fair to lose everything."
"It means that the United States doesn’t actually understand that it has no leadership skills at this stage. They don’t actually see that the world is now built on other conceptual approaches," she stressed. "After all, when a political elite is afraid of anything and demonstrates this fear, it has lost."
Vladimir Putin believes that those who do not let the Nord Stream 2 project operate are acting stupid.
"As for Nord Stream 2 — yes, I agree with your remark. It is also stupid of those who do not allow this system to work, because deliveries of additional gas volumes to the European market would certainly lower the price on the exchange, on the spot market," Putin said, speaking at a joint meeting of the State Council and the Council for Science and Education and commenting on the report of the leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia Vladimir Zhirinovsky.
Zhirinovsky said that Europeans "are not opening Nord Stream 2 to us, and now they will be freezing."
"They make their own lives worse," Zhirinovsky stressed.
Putin noted that many countries, including Ukraine, did not want to buy gas directly from Russia.
"It was their choice. They do not want to buy it directly from us. [Otherwise] the price would have dropped significantly from them. They are biting the hand that feeds them. It's amazing, but, okay, it's their choice," the President went on.
He also mentioned the situation with the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline.
"Gazprom owns 45% in it, but the Polish side pushed us away from managing this system. They manage it like this - some consumers do not order additional gas, while others launched it in reverse mode, in the opposite direction," the head of state said.
"Actually, this is our, but this does not increase the quality of Russian gas on the European market, so the price is growing. So let them do it, these are their decisions, their deeds, but it’s surprising that they are accusing us of this. It’s just nonsense. They put everything upside down," Putin concluded.
On Thursday, at his annual press conference, Putin noted that the reverse supplies allowed Europeans to resell gas they purchased under long-term contracts. He also noted that Gazprom did not reserve the capacity of the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline, because there were no applications from European consumers.
With all my heart, I would like to wish you a Happy New Year and thank you for your work, Vladimir Putin said at the traditional meeting with Government members ahead of the New Year holidays on Friday.
"I do understand and I can see that all of you have had to shoulder an additional burden. you have been managing this workload quite efficiently, acting in a concise manner and staying united as a team, as true professionals,"he noted.
Answering Irada Zeynalova's question about the "Russian plans to invade Ukraine" constantly circulating in the Western media, Vladimir Putin recalled the history of the development of the situation in this country.
"The aggravation began in 2014. Before that, even though the Soviet Union had ceased to exist and part of historically Russian territories with a historically Russian population, primarily in Ukraine, had found themselves living outside Russia, we accepted that as a fact of life and felt more or less comfortable about it. We even helped those new republics to get back on their feet, and we worked, were ready to work and are still working together with their governments, whatever their foreign policy priorities,"he said.
"But what happened in 2014? A bloody coup, people were killed and burned alive. I am not talking now about who was right and who was to blame. Obviously, Ukrainian citizens were rightfully indignant and displeased at what was happening in the country. The then president, Yanukovych, had agreed to everything. Three foreign ministers – of Poland, Germany and France – guaranteed the peaceful development of the situation and the peace process. I talked with the US president at that time at his initiative. He asked me to support this process as well. Everyone agreed but then a coup took place in a day or two. What for? There is no answer. Why was it needed? President Yanukovych agreed to everything anyway. He was ready to give up power anytime. The elections and the victory of the opposition were inevitable. Everyone knew this very well. Why was it done then?"Putin noted.
According to the Russian President, the situation with Crimea and Donbass was a consequence of these events.
"Then Crimea happened. But how could we turn down the request of Sevastopol and Crimea, the people who lived there, to take them under our protection, under our wing? It was not possible. We were simply put in a situation where we could not have acted differently. Or were we supposed to just look on passively at what was happening in the southeast, in Donbass, which has only ever thought of itself as part of Russia, even during the formation of the USSR in 1922–1924? But Lenin and his comrades wedged Donbass in there by force. At first, they decided to make it part of Russia and then said the decision had to be revised,"he said.
"They revised it and created a country that had never existed before. We will not talk about it now, but this is what happened then. They crammed in there the historical lands of people whom nobody asked how or where they wanted to live. All right, this is what happened, we agreed. But we had to do something in 2014 and this led to the crisis that is unfolding today,"Putin added.
Putin recalled that the Ukrainian authorities twice tried to solve the problem of Donbass by force, although Russia tried to persuade them not to do so.
"I personally persuaded Mr Poroshenko: Anything but military operations! Yes, yes, he said and then resorted to force. What was the result? Encirclement, losses and the Minsk agreements. Are they good or not? I think they are the only possible way out. So, what is the problem? There is no desire to implement them. They adopted a law on indigenous people and announced that the Russian people who lived on this land, on their own land, were not indigenous,"he added.
Language came next. The Russians and the Russian-speaking population are being forced from their historical lands – that is what is happening.
Putin said that the impression is that Kiev is preparing for a third attempt to resolve the Donbass issue by military means.
Russia must take care of our own security, not only today and not only next week, but also in the short term.
"How is Russia to live with all this? Do we always have to stay on guard, watching what happens there and when a strike might come? This is not our choice, and we do not want this" Putin stressed.
It is for this reason that Putin responded to President Biden's proposal, who proposed that officials be appointed to negotiate strategic stability.
"We must understand how to ensure our security. With this in mind, we spoke out clearly and directly against any further eastward expansion by NATO. The ball is in their court. They need to respond in one way or another,"Putin noted.
Torture of convicts in prisons is a world problem, Vladimir Putin told the customary year-end news conference on Thursday.
"As far as torture and cruel treatment of convicts in penitentiaries are concerned, they are not only Russia’s problem, but a world one. If you take a look at what is happening in such establishments in other countries, you will see that such problems there are as frequent. It is a world problem," Putin said in reply to a question from journalist Ksenia Sobchak.
He stressed that such institutions in some countries looked decently only at first sight.
"But in Europe, say, in France, and in the United States there are many places of a kind that, I believe, no longer exists in third world countries," he stated.
Putin said that the conditions in the penitentiary system were high on the agenda. As an example, he mentioned a new detention center in the Leningrad Region, built after his visit to the old facility on his instructions.
"This must be done because even simple conditions that lie on the surface are of importance," he stressed.
During the press conference, the reporter of Sky News TV channel had the opportunity to ask a question to the President of Russia. Diana Magni addressed Putin in English.
She asked if the Russian Federation was going to "attack" Ukraine. Let us remind you that the West has been concerned about this topic for a long time.
Putin sharply answered the question of the British journalist. He said that Moscow does not threaten anyone, unlike the United States and NATO, and demanded from the Alliance immediate guarantees of Russia's security.
"Many countries require guarantees from Russia, while they themselves do not give them,"Putin stressed.
