Putin, Shoigu Discuss Withdrawal Of CSTO's Peacekeepers From Kazakhstan

The CSTO Collective peacekeeping forces will completely withdraw from Kazakhstan on January 19, according to the plan, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu reported to President Vladimir Putin Thursday.

"Tomorrow, 14 Russian planes will remove all forces of our colleagues from Armenia, Tajikistan, and Belarus; our Kyrgyz colleagues will withdraw on their own, considering that they are close. Then, the withdrawal will proceed for five days, as the remaining peacekeeping forces will hand over their facilities. We plan to wrap up all operations on January 19," Shoigu said.

Shoigu noted that an airlift was organized for the relocation of troops.

"Over 80 aircraft were engaged because we had to relocate peacekeeping forces of all CSTO member states: Belarus, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and, of course, Russian contingent with vehicles," Shoigu said.

The peacekeepers from the Collective Security Treaty Organization have accomplished their mission in Kazakhstan, and it’s time for them to return home, President Putin said.

"Overall, it’s time to return home. We have accomplished our task," Putin said as he met with Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu.

The president thanked the defense minister, the General Staff, and all those who had led the operation. "I want to express hope that this practice of using our armed forces will be studied additionally, adjustments if any will be made to the practical work," the president added.

In compliance with a decision by the CSTO Collective Security Council made on January 6, 2022, the organization’s collective peacekeeping forces were sent to Kazakhstan for a limited period to stabilize and normalize the situation in the Central Asian republic. The peacekeeping contingent comprised units of the armed forces of Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan.

The Russian peacekeepers in Kazakhstan were assigned the task of protecting key strategic facilities in Almaty. On January 13, the CSTO began the gradual withdrawal of its collective peacekeeping forces from Kazakhstan that will last several days.

Was There Need For 'A Heart To Heart' Russia-NATO Talk?

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko has described Wednesday’s negotiations with NATO as "a heart-to-heart talk."

"I think that [this meeting] was absolutely essential. Firstly, it was some sort of a shake-up. If the meeting had not taken place, it would have been impossible to bring up these issues in full action, as they have always been somehow in the background, but in the way they were discussed today, I do not remember such straightforwardness and incisiveness. It was a heart-to-heart talk, Alexander Grushko said at a press conference after the NATO-Russia Council meeting.

"It was an absolutely necessary conversation that helped us to understand who stands where and the challenge we have to deal with," he said.

Grushko said Russia repeatedly offered to NATO to resume military contacts "to prevent dangerous military incidents" but was rebuffed on account of a political decision made by the alliance in 2014.

Russia expects to get out of the crisis in relations with NATO through a balance of interests, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said at a press conference after a meeting of the Russia-NATO Council on Wednesday.

"I believe that we managed to bring to the notice of the alliance’s members that the situation was turning intolerable and that at some moment the risks related to the continuation of NATO’s present policy might outweigh the advantages that they seek to derive today from the traditional NATO rhetoric that the future security in Europe and the Euro-Atlantic region must be NATO-centered and that eventually European security will consist of the NATO global map, with NATO at the center, a partnership, all playing by the rules elaborated in Brussels," the senior Russian diplomat said.

"I believe that many have come to realize today that this story will sooner or later come to an end and it may look differently. We favor exiting this situation, using peaceful means, on the basis of a reasonable balance again," he added.

As the diplomat reiterated, NATO’s further expansion was associated with serious risks for European security.

"We also proceed from the fact that the rational interests of strengthening European security require a clear understanding that the alliance’s further expansion is associated with risks that will outweigh any decision on further expansion," Grushko stressed.

Grushko Says Russia NATO Dialogue Exposes Lots Of Differences On Key Issues

A meeting of the Russia-NATO Council exposed a large number of differences on key issues, Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko told a news conference on Wednesday.

The Russian delegation in Brussels was led by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko and Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin. On NATO’s behalf, US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and permanent representatives of the alliance’s 30 member states took part in the Brussels talks.

"The conversation was rather sincere, direct, in-depth and busy, but at the same time it revealed a large number of differences on fundamental issues," the senior diplomat said. "And one of the key issues is that NATO understands selectively the principle of the indivisibility of security. In the eyes of NATO, it exists only for the members of the Alliance, and in its practical activity NATO is not going to take into regard the security interests of the others," Grushko said.

"For today, we don’t have a unifying positive agenda, none whatsoever," he stressed.

The talks at the Russia-NATO Council in Brussels marked the second stage of consultations between Russia and Western countries on Russia’s proposals on European security. The meeting is a follow-up to the negotiations between Russia and the United States held in Geneva on January 10. Also, a meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council will take place in Vienna on January 13.

Representatives Of Russia And NATO Meet In Brussels

Apparently, three and a half hours to discuss security guarantees between the Representatives of Russia and NATO countries in Brussels on Wednesday was not enough.

Moscow's demands are known - guarantees of NATO's non-expansion, a rollback of the alliance to the 1997 borders. This means that NATO must remove its military infrastructure, including from Poland and the Baltic states. The United States, in turn, must remove its nuclear weapons from Europe. It is also fundamentally important for Russia to obtain guarantees that Ukraine and Georgia will never join NATO.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Alexander Grushko, made a statement before the meeting: “It can be said without exaggeration that a moment of truth is coming in our relations with the alliance.

We will seek a specific, article-by-article reaction to the Russian draft agreement on guarantees."

The meeting was held in the main hall of the North Atlantic Council. It was attended by representatives of all 30 NATO member countries. And this is what NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said following the meeting: “NATO Allies stressed that they will do their utmost to find political avenues to move forward. I also welcome the bilateral consultations between the US and the Russian Federation, as well as the OSCE meeting tomorrow."

This could probably reduce the risk of military conflict. Stoltenberg argues that the alliance is interested in military and civilian channels of communication with Russia.

Meanwhile, US Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland Victoria Nuland has poured gasoline into the fire. The US is ready to discuss NATO membership with Sweden and Finland if they so choose. At the same time, she immediately accused Moscow of creating the crisis and said that in the place of the Russians, she would attend to education and medicine, and not send troops somewhere in the snow.

The answer was not long in coming. Maria Zakharova, in her Telegram channel, recalled both the quality of American education, which can be judged by errors in the statements of the White House, and about the healthcare system. In the United States, COVID-19 has actually killed almost twice as many people as in India, with its more than a billion people.

“You can find the necessary amount of money to solve the above American problems if, for example, reduce the American bases in Europe, which surround Russia in a tight ring both in“ cold winter ”and“ hot summer,””or stop allocating billions for color revolutions according to to the whole world and the content of impostors like Guaido or Tikhanovskaya ”wrote Maria Zakharova.

Putin Сongratulates Russian Prosecutor's Office On 300th Anniversary

On Wednesday, Vladimir Putin participates in the ceremonial meeting marking the 300th anniversary of the prosecutor's office in Russia.

Russia Led Bloc Begins Handover Of Protected Sites To Kazakhstan's Military

The command staff of the Collective Security Treaty Organization’s (CSTO) peacekeeping forces and Kazakhstan’s Defense Ministry are working on a plan to hand the sites that are being protected by peacekeepers over to the country’s law enforcement agencies, Commander of the CSTO’s collective peacekeeping forces Colonel General Andrey Serdyukov told reporters.

"The CSTO collective peacekeeping forces’ command staff and the Kazakh Defense Ministry are working on a plan to hand the sites that are being protected by peacekeepers over to the country’s law enforcement agencies," he said.

Serdyukov emphasized that after completing their mission, the peacekeeping forces, together with the Kazakh authorities, would arrange the return of peacekeepers to their permanent bases on flights operated by the Russian Aerospace Forces.

Protests erupted in various Kazakh cities on January 2, escalating into mass riots that involved attacks on police officers, service members and government buildings in many cities of the country, primarily in Almaty. Thousands of people were injured, and the number of casualties is unknown. The CSTO sent peacekeepers to the Central Asian country at President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s request. Law and order, the Kazakh authorities affirm, was generally restored to all of the country’s regions.

Putin Holds Security Council, Not Paying Attention To '0' Geneva Talks

Vladimir Putin held a meeting, via videoconference, with permanent members of the Security Council on Tuesday.

"Today we will discuss matters pertaining to work in the border regions of Russia. The agenda is extremely busy and includes security and infrastructure issues,"he said.

Apparently, the President means the border of Russia with Kazakhstan, where "suddenly" there was an attempted coup, is 7,600 km, and besides, it is not guarded at all ...

Then everything takes place behind closed doors. However, I dare to imagine how, in a secluded place, protected from cameras, the President of Russia discusses everyday economic issues, without worrying at all about the problems of his country's executional security, which have become so obvious in connection with the past fruitless negotiations in Geneva?

Ryabkov's Remarks After Russia-US Talks On Security Guarantees In Geneva

Moscow calls on Washington to show the utmost responsibility, since the risks of a possible confrontation should not be underestimated, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov stated on Monday after the Russian-US talks.

Russia and the United States have been failing to reach any progress on issues of stopping NATO’s further eastwards expansion, Ryabkov said.

"As for NATO’s non-expansion, I would say that there is categorically no progress on this matter," he said.

"It is one of the key problems we are facing," Ryabkov said. "I would say that the rest largely depends on how the situation on this matter develops."

Russia will consider any further steps on security guarantees after talks with NATO and the OSCE due on January 12 and 13, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said.

"I would take the risk of saying that after one and a half days of discussions we arrived at a joint conclusion that we will consider any further steps and the prospects of this work and will take corresponding decisions after the events that are due in the coming days, namely the events in Brussels on January 12, where we will meet in the collective format with NATO, and a meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council on the following day, January 13.

"It will become clearer after that if there are any grounds to recommend the leadership take this or that decision in favor of continuing this process. If yes, which format to choose. Or we have something else and can state with regret in this case that the NATO group has opted for turning down our initiative. In this case, the situation will be viewed differently.

Lukashenko Warns Kazakh Crisis May Occur In Uzbekistan, If Lessons Aren’t Learned

Alexander Lukashenko said that if lessons are not learned from the events in Kazakhstan, this could happen again, primarily in Uzbekistan.

"The lessons that have been talked a lot about here should be learned [by everyone], first of all, Uzbekistan. If these lessons are not learned, according to our information, their sights have already been set on Uzbekistan," Lukashenko said on Monday at an extraordinary session of the CSTO Collective Security Council.

According to him, there are "too many people who want to undermine the situation" both in Kazakhstan and in other post-Soviet republics of Central Asia. "Afghanistan has been added to this list quite recently," Lukashenko noted.

He pointed out that, as the events have shown, many international terrorists have gathered on the borders of Kazakhstan. Lukashenko believes it necessary for the countries of the region to jointly solve the emerging problems. According to him, it is impossible "to overcome negative tendencies" "just within Kazakhstan." "I am absolutely convinced of this, the closest peoples - Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan - should team up and try to solve the difficult problems that have been inherited and created by us in the post-Soviet period," Lukashenko said.

Tokayev's Remarks At Emergency CSTO Summit On Kazakhstan

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev asserted that the constitutional order has been restored in the republic following mass disturbances.

"Currently, the constitutional order in Kazakhstan has been restored. Threats to the country’s security have been prevented. Work is underway within the framework of the counter-terrorist operation on detecting the individuals who participated in crimes. As of today, about 8,000 individuals have been delivered to the police structures," he said during an urgent session of the CSTO Collective Security Council held in a video format.

 He emphasized that the armed forces have never been used against peaceful demonstrators in Kazakhstan.

"In the near future, after the preliminary investigation is completed, we will present the additional proof of the preparation and organization of the terrorist aggression against our country to the judgement of the global community," the Kazakh president explained.

According to the Kazakh leader, the operation on capturing terrorists continues. "The plans are being adjusted on detecting the fleeing militants who are using a new strategy of camouflaging, changing into civilian clothes, shaving their beards and so on. Enormous intensive work is ahead, even the veterans of the law enforcement and military are being engaged," he stressed.

Protests erupted in several Kazakh cities on January 2, escalating into mass riots with government buildings getting ransacked in several cities a few days later. The ensuing violence left scores of people injured, with fatalities also being reported. Subsequently, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev turned to the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) requesting assistance from the Russia-led bloc. As a result, peacekeepers have already been deployed to Kazakhstan.

Law and order, Kazakh authorities affirm, was restored to all of the country’s regions by the morning of January 7. The most complex situation remains in Almaty. The Kazakh president declared January 10 the day of national mourning in the republic.

Foreign militants mostly from Central Asian countries, including Afghanistan and also from the Middle East participated in the recent mass riots in Kazakhstan, Tokayev said.

"I have no doubts that this was a terror attack," the Kazakh presidential press office quoted Tokayev as saying in a statement posted on its website.

"This was a well-organized and prepared act of aggression against Kazakhstan with the participation of foreign gunmen mostly from Central Asian countries, including Afghanistan. There were also militants from the Middle East," the Kazakh leader said.

"Their intent was to create a zone of controlled chaos on our territory with the subsequent seizure of power. That is why, a counter-terror operation was launched in Kazakhstan," the press office quoted the Kazakh leader as saying.

Economic damage from the riots in Kazakhstan may amount to $2-3 billion, the Kazakh leader said.

"The president called the tragic events an unprecedented act of aggression and an encroachment on our statehood. He added that the terrorists’ violent actions entailed numerous victims among the law-enforcement personnel and civilians while about 1,300 businesses were affected and more than 100 shopping malls were attacked, and about 500 police cars were burnt," the statement says.

"In the estimate of Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, preliminary economic damage to the state may amount to $2-3 billion," the press release reads.

The Kazakh president also gave clear explanations about the deployment of the peacekeeping contingent of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in Kazakhstan.

"I want to stress that they are not taking part in combat operations. Their main task is to protect strategic facilities in Almaty and in the capital of Kazakhstan. This has enabled the Kazakh security and law-enforcement agencies to carry out measures to counter terrorists. The CSTO peacekeeping forces have been deployed in accordance with Articles 2 and 4 of the CSTO Collective Security Treaty. They will stay in Kazakhstan until the situation fully stabilizes," Tokayev said.

The Kazakh president also spoke about the cruel and violent actions of terrorists and bandits who attempted to undermine the Constitutional order in the republic and carry out a coup d’état. For his part, the European Council president stated his support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Kazakhstan. The talk between Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Charles Michel was held at the initiative of the European side in a friendly and trustworthy atmosphere, the Kazakh presidential press office informed.

Ryabkov-Sherman Talks On Security Guarantees In Geneva

Without exaggeration, the attention of the whole world is riveted to the talks in Geneva. There is no time frame. The mood, judging by the way the preliminary meeting went last evening, is constructive. After that, the discussion will continue in Brussels at a meeting of the Russia-NATO Council and at the OSCE platform.

The negotiations have now been going on for over an hour. They are held in a closed format. Before the start, the cameramen had the opportunity to get into the meeting room for a few minutes. Everything is very restrained. Lack of handshakes, which can be associated with anti-covid measures. Delegations of both sides are interagency. They include both diplomats and the military. The Russian delegation is headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov. First US Undersecretary of State Wendy Sherman at the head of the American delegation. They are both very experienced diplomats.

Russia is entering the negotiations with a firm position. Moscow needs written security guarantees. This is the key point. If there is no readiness for dialogue, RIA Novosti quotes Ryabkov, the US and NATO may face a deterioration in their own security.

“The American side must prepare for compromises. The Russian side came here with a clear position, which contains a number of elements, in my opinion, quite understandable and formulated so clearly, including at the highest level, that there simply cannot be deviations from these our approaches, ” Sergei Ryabikov said.

Three blocks of issues are important for Moscow: guarantees that NATO will not expand to the East; second, the exclusion of the appearance of attack missile systems at our borders with a minimum flight time; and third, the need for NATO to return to its 1997 origins. This includes, among other things, the elimination of the military infrastructure of the alliance. At the same time, the difficulties of ratifying agreements within NATO, according to Ryabkov, do not concern Moscow. The initiative to provide written guarantees to our country belongs to Vladimir Putin. In particular, he outlined the Red Lines regarding Ukraine's accession to NATO during his conversation with Joe Biden on December 7.

The previous evening, the first meeting of delegations in the format of a working dinner took place here in Geneva. After that Ryabkov commented on the course of the conversation: "Awesome, wonderful.

We plunged into the matter of the upcoming affairs. But the conversation is difficult. It cannot be easy."

From the American side, only a short statement by the US State Department came out that the United States supported the right of countries to independently choose which alliances to join. Judging by the official statements, Washington is not yet ready to discuss the issues of guarantees of NATO's non-expansion. Nevertheless, Ryabkov called the conversation the day before business, he believes that today the parties will not waste time in vain. The schedule is really tight. The negotiations can last until the evening. Upon their completion, the head of our delegation will answer journalists' questions. And so, extremely curious in this regard, is the reaction of the American side. The US State Department had warned in advance that Russian statements after the Geneva talks would not reflect reality.

Putin's Remarks At Emergency CSTO Summit On Kazakhstan

Putin's Remarks At Emergency CSTO Summit On Kazakhstan

Vladimir Putin believes that the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) has proven its potential and ability to act swiftly and efficiently in the Kazakhstan case.

"Our organization has proven it potential, its ability to act swiftly, decisively and efficiently," the Russian leader said at the CSTO Collective Security Council meeting Monday.

According to Putin, "every ally contributed to completion of missions within the CSTO forces group."

"It includes forces from every member state without exception, who are already actively carrying out the operational activities," the Russian leader said.

According to Putin,"this indicates that the long-lasting, meticulous work on establishment of a comprehensive system of CSTO member states’ security, including the collective peacekeeping forces, bears its fruit."

Putin's 2019 Joke Became Prophecy For Today's Kazakhstan

Observing today's tragic events in the brotherly Kazakhstan, one involuntarily recalls the prophetic remark of Vladimir Putin to the statement of the Kazakh leader in the fall of 2019.

Observing today's tragic events in the brotherly Kazakhstan, one involuntarily recalls the prophetic remark of Vladimir Putin to the statement of the Kazakh leader in the fall of 2019.

Then, Tokayev was convinced that Western investments in Kazakhstan (mainly oil and gas production) would guarantee Kazakhstan security and prosperity and save his country from outside interference.

"Sometimes it is better not to have nuclear weapons, but on the other hand, to attract more investment in its economy, to maintain and develop good relations with all states of the world, which Kazakhstan does in practice,"Tokayev said.

"Saddam Hussein also thought so,"Putin replied.

It doesn't seem funny now.

The situation in Kazakhstan calmed down with the introduction of the CSTO peacekeepers, who took control of all the strategic facilities of the republic.

The Kazakh leader, following the Belarusian leader, received a lesson of "multi-vector approach." However, it is a pity that ordinary people suffered.

CSTO's Peacekeeping Forces Completed Deployment On Kazakhstan's Territory

Joint briefing by the Commander of the collective peacekeeping forces of the CSTO in the Republic of Kazakhstan, Colonel-General Andrey Serdyukov and Deputy Minister of Defence of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Lieutenant-General Sultan Gamaletdinov.

"In accordance with the decision of the CSTO Collective Security Council, the collective peacekeeping forces have completed deployment on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Currently, the units of the peacekeeping forces are carrying out tasks to protect important military, state and socially significant facilities in the city of Alma-Ata and adjacent areas.

I express my gratitude to the Kazakh side for the prompt solution of the issues of deployment and provision of military contingents with everything necessary.

Russian citizens who are on vacation in Alma-Ata or with relatives who have expressed a desire to travel to the territory of the Russian Federation have been sent by military transport aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces.

The fulfillment of tasks by the units of the Collective Peacekeeping Forces will continue until the situation in the country is fully stabilized,"Colonel-General Andrey Serdyukov, Commander of the collective peacekeeping forces of the CSTO in the Republic of Kazakhstan said.

"The situation on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan is stabilizing and is under the control of the authorities.

I want to thank the command and personnel of the collective peacekeeping forces of the CSTO for the fraternal assistance provided to the Kazakh people.

Taking the most important facilities under the protection of peacekeepers allowed us to release a significant part of the forces and means of law enforcement agencies and the army, which are deployed to fight terrorists.

Currently, a counter-terrorism operation is continuing on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan. It will last until the complete destruction of terrorists and the restoration of constitutional order in the Republic of Kazakhstan,"Deputy Minister of Defence of the Republic of Kazakhstan Lieutenant General Sultan Gamaletdinov said.

Zakharova: Blinken's Boorish Statement Shows Complete Lack Of Empathy For Kazakhstans

The boorish statement by Secretary of State Antoni Blinken about the Russian military in the CSTO peacekeeping mission testifies to a complete lack of sympathy for the Kazakh people, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Saturday.

"The Russian Foreign Ministry immediately reacted to these statements by the US Secretary of State.

And this was not just an official answer, but it was done from our entire people. Because when the Armed Forces of this country come as an "uninvited guest," this visit is always accompanied by violence, death and robbery, as not only recent history, but the entire 300-year history of US statehood shows. Residents of the former Yugoslavia, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Afghanistan know this. The list goes on ...These "uninvited guests," mocked the countries, under the guise of guardianship and external protectorate. Also, Korea and Vietnam can add their own stories for those who have forgotten about it.

These statements are a sign of despair and lack of argument. Or the despair of a lack of arguments.

Look, the situation in Kazakhstan is puzzling the US. They don't know what to say to them. After all, this is so. Look at this "baby talk." All US officials are talking nonsense. They have nothing to say at all. That is, this Blinken's absolutely boorish insult demonstrates the absence of arguments and a complete failure of the development of a political position on this issue," she noted.

Putin Attends Orthodox Christmas Service At Church In Novo-Ogaryovo Residence

Vladimir Putin attended an overnight Orthodox Christmas service at the Church of the Image of the Savior, located at his presidential residence in Novo-Ogaryovo outside Moscow.

Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov disclosed last month that Putin traditionally attended Orthodox Christmas services outside Moscow but did not specify, where the Russian president would attend the service this year.

As a rule, Putin celebrates Christmas outside Moscow, while on Easter he usually goes to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

In 2021, the Russian head of state attended a Christmas service at the Church of St. Nicholas on Lipno Island near Veliky Novgorod.

On three occasions, in 2012, 2019 and 2020 Putin went to a Christmas service at the Transfiguration Cathedral in St. Petersburg, where he was baptized in infancy.

In 2018, Putin celebrated Christmas in St. Petersburg, at the Church of Simeon and Anna on Mokhovaya Street, where his own father was baptized.

In 2017, he attended a Christmas service in the St. George's (Yuriev) Monastery in Veliky Novgorod, and in 2016, at a rural Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God near Voronezh. Before that Putin for two years in a row went to Christmas services near Sochi: the Church of the Holy Image of the Savior Not Made by Hands, built near Olympic Park, and the Holy Trinity St. George's Monastery in the Lesnoye village, the Adler district.

In other years, Putin went for Christmas to the Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God in the village of Turginovo, the Tver Region, the church of the Holy Martyrs Alexander and Antonina in the village of Selishche, the Kostroma Region, the Candlemas Church in the village of Solomennoye in Karelia, the St. Procopius’s Cathedral in Veliky Ustyug and the New Jerusalem Monastery. In 2006, Putin went to a church in Yakutsk, where outside air temperatures on that day fell 50 degrees below freezing.

In Moscow, Putin marked Christmas in 2001 at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and in 2000, when he, while serving as Russia’s acting president, appeared at the Christmas service in the Trinity Church on Sparrow Hills.

CSTO's Peacekeepers Helps Kazakhstan's Law Enforcement Agencies To Maintain Order In Country

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, France Agreed On Ukraine's Participation In They New Contacts

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.

Kazakhstan Breaking News: Tokayev Says Authorities Will React Toughly To Actions Of Terrorists

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.

Patriarch Kirill's Christmas Message To Orthodox 2022

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!

Orthodox Christian World Celebrates Christmas 2022

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.

Putin Meets With General Designer Of Almaz-Antey Concern

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 An Unidentified Projectile Towards Sea Of Japan

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.

Kazakhstan's Riots In January 2022

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.

Putin Meets With CEO Of Tactical Missiles Corporation

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.

Leaders Of Five States Release Joint Statement On Preventing Nuclear War

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.

Moscow's New Year 2022 Fireworks

Happy New Year!

Muscovites gather on the Red Square, Poklonnaya Hill and Gorky Park to celebrate New Year’s Eve and welcome in 2022, on Friday, December 31.

Vladimir Putin's New Year Address To Nation 2022

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.

What Did Putin, Biden Discuss In A Telephone Conversation On December 30?

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.

Russia's Ministers Make Children's Dreams Come True As Part Of New Year Tree Of Wishes

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.

Borell Is Upset At His Non Participation In Talks, Forgetting EU Lost Sovereignty In Favor US

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.

Putin, Biden Will Hold Telephone Conversation On Security Guarantees

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.

Putin Says Russia Fully Completed Nord Stream 2, Now It's Up To Europe

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.

Putin, Lukashenko Clash In Ice After Awarding Of Hockey Stars

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.