Putin's Address To CIS Heads Of Government Council

Vladimir Putin makes a video address to participants of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Heads of Government Council meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, December 18, 2023.

Putin Submits Documents For 2024 Presidential Candidacy

Vladimir Putin has submitted all the necessary paperwork to the Russian Central Election Commission (CEC) to run for head of state in 2024.

Putin is running as an independent candidate. According to presidential election law in Russia, he had to gather 500 registered voters who support his campaign. The group met on December 16, and the participants unanimously supported Putin.

The set of documents submitted to the CEC includes an application to register the group with the personal data of the candidate and all participants, the protocol of the meeting, a list of the group's commissioners, the candidate's declaration of consent to run, and a number of other documents.

The presidential election will take place on March 15–17, 2024.

Putin's Remarks At United Russia Congress

Vladimir Putin delivers remarks at the 21st congress of the United Russia political party, Moscow, December 17, 2023.

Putin's Remarks At Fourth Railway Congress

Vladimir Putin gave a speech at the plenary session of the 4th Railway Congress. Via videoconference, he talked to representatives from Russian Railways’ enterprises and social facilities and took part in opening two railway facilities: the Kerak Tunnel, the longest tunnel on the Trans-Baikal Railway, and the Vykhodnoi-Lavna Railway in the Murmansk Region, Moscow, December 15, 2023.

The event was followed by a ceremony to present state awards to Russian Railways' workers.

The 4th Railway Congress was attended by about 2,000 railway workers and representatives of government bodies, businesses, trade unions and veteran organisations. The key theme of the congress was railway development to ensure Russia’s socio-economic interests.

Putin Hosts State Duma's Leaders In Kremlin

Vladimir Putin hosted leaders of the political parties represented in the State Duma in the Kremlin, Moscow, December 15, 2023.

The participants include United Russia Party leader Vladimir Vasilyev, Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov, A Just Russia – Patriots – For the Truth Party leader Sergei Mironov, the New People Party leader Alexei Nechayev, and the LDPR leader Leonid Slutsky, as well as Speaker of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin and First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Sergei Kiriyenko.

Lavrov Answers Media Questions After Meeting With Russian Senators

Sergey Lavrov’s answers to questions following the Government Hour in the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.

Year-End Recap With Putin (Direct Line 2023, Q&A)

Vladimir Putin summed up the year’s results and answered questions from journalists and the people of Russia in a live broadcast, Moscow, December 14, 2023.

In 2023, the direct line with the people of Russia and the annual news conference have been merged into a single event taking place in Moscow’s Gostiny Dvor.

The event titled "Year-End Recap with Vladimir Putin" lasted for 4 hours and 3 minutes.

Over this time, the head of state has responded to more than 80 appeals and questions from citizens and journalists.

In 2020, the combined Direct Line Q&A session and year-end press conference lasted for 4 hours and 30 minutes. The record for the duration of a direct line (as a separate format) was set in 2013 at 4 hours and 47 minutes, while the record for an annual press conference is 4 hours and 40 minutes (2008).

Putin Meets Constitutional Court Judges

Vladimir Putin held a meeting with judges of the Russian Federation Constitutional Court in Novo-Ogaryovo, timed to coincide with Constitution Day, to be marked on December 12.

Putin Meets Arctic Mortgage Recipients

Vladimir Putin held a videoconference meeting with participants in the Arctic Mortgage programme, Arkhangelsk, December 11, 2023.

Putin Unveils Two New Nuclear Submarines In Severodvinsk

At the Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk, Vladimir Putin participates in the ceremony to raise naval flags on nuclear-powered submarines Emperor Alexander III and Krasnoyarsk, December 11, 2023.

The nuclear-powered submarine Emperor Alexander III is the third serial-produced ship of the upgraded Borei-A project, which belongs to the fourth generation of nuclear ships. This submarine is equipped with modern systems of missile and torpedo weapons, navigation, radioelectronic and hydroacoustic weapons.

The Krasnoyarsk is the second multi-purpose nuclear-powered submarine of the upgraded Yasen-M project, which also belongs to the fourth generation of nuclear ships. Improvements were made to the submarine’s element base of radioelectronic weapons systems, and its equipment and materials were upgraded.

Vladimir Putin then boarded frigate Admiral Kasatonov, where he inspected the ship’s weapons systems. As a memento of his visit, the President signed the distinguished visitors’ book.

The Project 22350 first serial-produced frigate Admiral of the Fleet Kasatonov was built at Severnaya Verf shipyard (the Northern Shipyard) in St Petersburg and is part of the Northern Fleet.

Putin's Address To Patriotic Youth Army Congress

Vladimir Putin's video address to the participants and guests of the Russian Military and Patriotic Youth Army Congress, Moscow, December 9, 2023.

Putin Will Run For President Of The Russia In 2024

After the award ceremony, Vladimir Putin finally promised the participants that he would take part in the presidential elections of the Russian Federation, which will take place in March next year. Moscow, December 8, 2023.

Putin Awards Russia's Heroes

On the eve of Heroes of the Fatherland Day, Vladimir Putin presented Gold Star medals to Heroes of Russia during a ceremony traditionally held in the Grand Kremlin Palace’s St George Hall, Moscow, December 8, 2023.

Over 200 military personnel and civilians who demonstrated special courage and heroism attended the event, including Heroes of the Soviet Union, Heroes of the Russian Federation, holders of the Order of St George, and those awarded three or more Orders of Courage.

Lavrov's Soft Power Message

Sergey Lavrov’s video message to participants in the International Forum “People’s Diplomacy as a Soft Power Tool to Promote International Cooperation,” Moscow, December 7, 2023.

Putin Participates In Russia Calling!

Vladimir Putin participates in the plenary session of the Russia Calling! forum, Moscow, December 7, 2023.

The 14th VTB Russia Calling! Investment Forum is being held on December 7 and 8, 2023, in Moscow. Its central theme is Making Deglobalisation: Uniting Sovereign Economies.

Lavrov Welcomes Iranian Counterpart In Moscow

Sergey Lavrov’s opening remarks at a meeting with Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Moscow, December 5, 2023.

Putin Meets Children & Youth Movement

Vladimir Putin participates in meeting of the supervisory board of the Movement of the First Russian public-and-state movement of children and youth took place at the Mashuk Knowledge Centre in Pyatigorsk, December 5, 2023.

Prior to the meeting, Vladimir Putin toured an exhibition at the Mashuk Knowledge Centre – the national centre for training awareness-raising and management teams in the sphere of education, youth policy, and educational work. The project is implemented jointly by the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs (Rosmolodezh) and the Znaniye society.

The President was briefed about the centre's landmark educational programmes, including Your Hero, Defenders of the Fatherland, Ticket to Mashuk, and PROdialogue. He was shown the Knowledge Library – a new space for exchanging experiences and ideas, and the Mentor Wall stand.

In the second part of the exhibition titled “Year in Movement,” the President was informed about the key projects of the Movement of the First national child and youth movement.

Since it went operational in July 2022, the number of its participants has exceeded 4 million, and 89 regional branches have been created. The main activities of the movement include mentoring, creating equal opportunities for well-rounded development, self-actualisation, and creative and civic engagement of children and youth.

Putin Welcomes New Foreign Ambassadors

Vladimir Putin received the letters of credence from 21 newly appointed foreign ambassadors. By tradition, the ceremony took place in the Alexander Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace, December 4, 2023.

Letters of credence were presented to the President of Russia by: Joseph Nkurunziza (Republic of Burundi), Cham Ugala Uriat (Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia), Dauren Abaev (Republic of Kazakhstan), Seydou Kamissoko (Republic of Mali), Lee Do-hoon (Republic of Korea), Ebrima Ceesay (Republic of the Gambia), Alexander Graf Lambsdorff (Federal Republic of Germany), Neo Ek Beng Mark (Republic of Singapore), Karin Ulrika Olofsdotter (Kingdom of Sweden), Darja Bavdaž Kuret (Republic of Slovenia), Thomas Reisen (Grand Duchy of Luxembourg), Muhammad Khalid Jamali (Islamic Republic of Pakistan), Boumediene Gennad (People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria), Rashed Hammad Al-Adwani (State of Kuwait), John William Geering (Australia), Deman Mohamed Hamar (Islamic Republic of Mauritania), Tanju Bilgiç (Republic of Turkiye), Nigel Philip Casey (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), Esen Aydogdyev (Turkmenistan), Ekaterini Xagorari (Hellenic Republic), and Alejandro Arias Zarzuela (Dominican Republic).

Lavrov’s Remarks After OSCE Skopje Meeting

Sergey Lavrov delivers remarks following the 30th OSCE Ministerial Council Meeting, Skopje, December 1, 2023.

Putin's Health Care Message

Vladimir Putin's video message to the participants in the 2nd National Healthcare Congress. December 1, 2023.

Putin Greets Russian Aviators

A gala evening was hosted in the State Kremlin Palace to mark the 100^th anniversary of Russian civil aviation, during which Vladimir Putin presented Russian Federation state decorations to industry representatives.

Putin Paid Last Respects to Gorbachev

The President came to the Central Clinical Hospital to pay his last respects to Mikhail Gorbachev, laying flowers at the coffin.

Mikhail Gorbachev died on August 30 at the age of 91.

Putin's Address to10th Moscow Conference on International Security

On September 1, 2022, Vladimir Putin addressed the participants and guests of the 10th Moscow Conference on International Security.

He said in particular

"Let me welcome you to the anniversary 10th Moscow Conference on International Security. Over the past decade, your representative forum has become a significant venue for discussing the most pressing military-political problems.

Today, such an open discussion is particularly pertinent. The situation in the world is changing dynamically and the outlines of a multipolar world order are taking shape. An increasing number of countries and peoples are choosing a path of free and sovereign development based on their own distinct identity, traditions and values.

These objective processes are being opposed by the Western globalist elites, who provoke chaos, fanning long-standing and new conflicts and pursuing the so-called containment policy, which in fact amounts to the subversion of any alternative, sovereign development options. Thus, they are doing all they can to keep hold onto the hegemony and power that are slipping from their hands; they are attempting to retain countries and peoples in the grip of what is essentially a neocolonial order. Their hegemony means stagnation for the rest of the world and for the entire civilisation; it means obscurantism, cancellation of culture, and neoliberal totalitarianism.

They are using all expedients. The United States and its vassals grossly interfere in the internal affairs of sovereign states by staging provocations, organising coups, or inciting civil wars. By threats, blackmail, and pressure, they are trying to force independent states to submit to their will and follow rules that are alien to them. This is being done with just one aim in view, which is to preserve their domination, the centuries-old model that enables them to sponge on everything in the world. But a model of this sort can only be retained by force.

This is why the collective West – the so-called collective West – is deliberately undermining the European security system and knocking together ever new military alliances. NATO is crawling east and building up its military infrastructure. Among other things, it is deploying missile defence systems and enhancing the strike capabilities of its offensive forces. This is hypocritically attributed to the need to strengthen security in Europe, but in fact quite the opposite is taking place. Moreover, the proposals on mutual security measures, which Russia put forward last December, were once again disregarded.

They need conflicts to retain their hegemony. It is for this reason that they have destined the Ukrainian people to being used as cannon fodder. They have implemented the anti-Russia project and connived at the dissemination of the neo-Nazi ideology. They looked the other way when residents of Donbass were killed in their thousands and continued to pour weapons, including heavy weapons, for use by the Kiev regime, something that they persist in doing now.

Under these circumstances, we have taken the decision to conduct a special military operation in Ukraine, a decision which is in full conformity with the Charter of the United Nations. It has been clearly spelled out that the aims of this operation are to ensure the security of Russia and its citizens and protect the residents of Donbass from genocide.

The situation in Ukraine shows that the United States is attempting to draw out this conflict. It acts in the same way elsewhere, fomenting the conflict potential in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. As is common knowledge, the US has recently made another deliberate attempt to fuel the flames and stir up trouble in the Asia-Pacific. The US escapade towards Taiwan is not just a voyage by an irresponsible politician, but part of the purpose-oriented and deliberate US strategy designed to destabilise the situation and sow chaos in the region and the world. It is a brazen demonstration of disrespect for other countries and their own international commitments. We regard this as a thoroughly planned provocation.

It is clear that by taking these actions the Western globalist elites are attempting, among other things, to divert the attention of their own citizens from pressing socioeconomic problems, such as plummeting living standards, unemployment, poverty, and deindustrialisation. They want to shift the blame for their own failures to other countries, namely Russia and China, which are defending their point of view and designing a sovereign development policy without submitting to the diktat of the supranational elites.

We also see that the collective West is striving to expand its bloc-based system to the Asia-Pacific region, like it did with NATO in Europe. To this end, they are creating aggressive military-political unions such as AUKUS and others.

It is obvious that it is only possible to reduce tensions in the world, overcome military-political threats and risks, improve trust between countries and ensure their sustainable development through a radical strengthening of the contemporary system of a multipolar world.

I reiterate that the era of the unipolar world is becoming a thing of the past. No matter how strongly the beneficiaries of the current globalist model cling to the familiar state of affairs, it is doomed. The historic geopolitical changes are going in a totally different direction.

And, of course, your conference is another important proof of the objective processes forming a multipolar world, bringing together representatives from many countries who want to discuss security issues on an equal footing, and conduct a dialogue that takes into account the interests of all parties, without exception.

I want to emphasise that the multipolar world, based on international law and more just relations, opens up new opportunities for counteracting common threats, such as regional conflicts and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, terrorism and cybercrime. All these challenges are global, and therefore it would be impossible to overcome them without combining the efforts and potentials of all states.

As before, Russia will actively and assertively participate in such coordinated joint efforts; together with its allies, partners and fellow thinkers, it will improve the existing mechanisms of international security and create new ones, as well as consistently strengthen the national armed forces and other security structures by providing them with advanced weapons and military equipment. Russia will secure its national interests, as well as the protection of its allies, and take other steps towards building of a more democratic world where the rights of all peoples and cultural and civilisational diversity are guaranteed.

We need to restore respect for international law, for its fundamental norms and principles. And, of course, it is important to promote such universal and commonly acknowledged agencies as the United Nations and other international dialogue platforms. The UN Security Council and the General Assembly, as it was intended initially, are supposed to serve as effective tools to reduce international tensions and prevent conflicts, as well as facilitate the provision of reliable security and wellbeing of countries and peoples.

In conclusion, I want to thank the conference organisers for their major preparatory work and I wish all participants substantial discussions.

I am sure that the forum will continue to make a significant contribution to the strengthening of peace and stability on our planet and facilitate the development of constructive dialogue and partnership."

Putin's Greetings to Participants in Winter Paralympics Titled We Are To...

Russian President Vladimir Putin made a video address for the participants in the open Russian sports competition, Winter Paralympic Games, We Are Together. Sport.

Putin's Remarks At The Concert Marking The Anniversary Of Crimea’s Reuni...

Russian President Vladimir Putin attended a concert marking eight years since Crimea’s reunification with the Russia, at the Luzhniki Sports Centre in Moscow.

“We, the multi-ethnic nation of the Russian Federation, united by common fate on our land…” These are the first words of our fundamental law, the Russian Constitution. Each word has deep meaning and enormous significance.

On our land, united by common fate. This is what the people of Crimea and Sevastopol must have been thinking as they went to the referendum on March 18, 2014. They lived and continue to live on their land, and they wanted to have a common fate with their historical motherland, Russia. They had every right to it and they achieved their goal. Let’s congratulate them first because it is their holiday. Happy anniversary!

Over these years, Russia has done a great deal to help Crimea and Sevastopol grow. There were things that needed to be done that were not immediately obvious to the unaided eye. These were essential things such as gas and power supply, utility infrastructure, restoring the road network, and construction of new roads, motorways and bridges.

We needed to drag Crimea out of that humiliating position and state that Crimea and Sevastopol had been pushed into when they were part of another state that had only provided leftover financing to these territories.

There is more to it. The fact is we know what needs to be done next, how it needs to be done, and at what cost – and we will fulfil all these plans, absolutely.

These decisions are not even as important as the fact that the residents of Crimea and Sevastopol made the right choice when they put up a firm barrier against neo-Nazis and ultra-nationalists. What was and is still happening on other territories is the best indication that they did the right thing.

People who lived and live in Donbass did not agree with this coup d’état, either. Several punitive military operations were instantly staged against them; they were besieged and subjected to systemic shelling with artillery and bombing by aircraft – and this is actually what is called “genocide.”

The main goal and motive of the military operation that we launched in Donbass and Ukraine is to relieve these people of suffering, of this genocide. At this point, I recall the words from the Holy Scripture: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” And we are seeing how heroically our military are fighting during this operation.

These words come from the Holy Scripture of Christianity, from what is cherished by those who profess this religion. But the bottom line is that this is a universal value for all nations and those of all religions in Russia, and primarily for our people. The best evidence of this is how our fellows are fighting and acting in this operation: shoulder to shoulder, helping and supporting each other. If they have to, they will cover each other with their bodies to protect their comrade from a bullet in the battlefield, as they would to save their brother. It has been a long time since we had such unity.

It so happened that, by sheer coincidence, the start of the operation was same day as the birthday of one of our outstanding military leaders who was canonised – Fedor Ushakov. He did not lose a single battle throughout his brilliant career. He once said that these thunderstorms would glorify Russia. This is how it was in his time; this is how it is today and will always be!

Thank you!

Mexican President Says His Country Is ‘Pacifist,’ Unlike EU

Mexico has delivered a harsh rebuke to the European Parliament after it adopted a resolution condemning the rhetoric of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador regarding journalists.

“Know, Members of the European Parliament, that Mexico is no longer a land of conquest,” said the letter published by the Mexican government on Thursday, referring to the country’s colonial past. The statement, which compared MEPs to “sheep,” has rejected EU criticism of the Central American country’s human rights record.

“No one here is oppressed, freedom of expression and the work of journalists is respected. The state does not violate human rights, like the previous government did, when you, by the way, stayed silent.”

The Central American nation also defended its stance on the Russian attack on Ukraine. “Mexico is a pacifist country that chose non-violence, and we are in favor of dialogue, not war; we don’t send weapons to any country under any circumstances, as you are doing now.”

Many Western countries, including the US, Canada, the UK, and EU member states, imposed a series of sanctions on Russia after it attacked Ukraine on February 24. The US and EU pledged to fund military aid to Kiev, while individual states supplied the country with weapons, such as portable anti-tank missile systems.

By contrast, President Lopez Obrador said this month that Mexico will not impose sanctions on Russia, or send weapons to Ukraine. Lopez Obrador told the Mexican media that he had written the letter himself, accusing the European Parliament of “slander.”

On Tuesday, MEPs adopted a resolution condemning the threats to and deaths of journalists in Mexico. They said that at least six journalists have been killed in the country so far in 2022. The European Parliament also condemned Lopez Obrador personally, urging him to “refrain from issuing any communication, which could stigmatize” media workers and human-rights campaigners.

Lopez Obrador accused some reporters of lying last month and called them “thugs, mercenaries, sellouts,” according to AP. His comments were condemned by the Inter American Press Association.

Moscow attacked its neighbor in late February, following a seven-year standoff over Ukraine’s failure to implement the terms of the Minsk agreements, and Russia’s eventual recognition of the Donbass republics in Donetsk and Lugansk. The German- and French-brokered protocols had been designed to regularize the status of those regions within the Ukrainian state.

Russia has now demanded that Ukraine officially declare itself a neutral country that will never join the US-led NATO military bloc. Kiev insists the Russian offensive was completely unprovoked and has denied claims it was planning to retake the two republics by force.

Le Pen Says Weapons Supplies To Ukraine Pretty Close To Involvement In Conflict

French parliament member, presidential candidate from the National Rally party Marine Le Pen, believes that weapons supplies to Ukraine are pretty close to direct involvement in the conflict.

"Weapons supplies to Kiev are very close to participation in the conflict," Le pen said on the BFM news channel. She declared that France’s secession from the allied NATO command remained one of her main demands.

Asked about her attitude to the sanctions against Russia, she said that she was against the sanctions that would hit the French in the first place.

"As far as proposals for a total embargo on Russian oil and gas are concerned, such a step would have disastrous effects on our consumers," Le Pen warned. "I do not wish to sacrifice the interests of the French, their jobs and the French economy in general for the sake of initiatives that I regard as irresponsible."

She stressed that "the best way to help Ukraine is to achieve peace."

France’s presidential election is to be held in two rounds on April 10 and 24. According to opinion polls, Marine Le Pen, holds second place on the list of presidential candidates after the incumbent, Emmanuel Macron, who is contesting a second term of office.

World-Famous Author Speaks Out Against Russophobia

Best-selling Brazilian novelist Paulo Coelho has spoken out against the rise of Russophobia in the wake of Moscow’s military operation in Ukraine.

The world-famous author of ‘The Alchemist’ and ‘Eleven Minutes’ took to Twitter on Friday to point out that the “Ukraine crisis” has become a “convenient excuse for Russophobia.”

Numerous Russian nationals living abroad have faced widespread abuse since Moscow decided to send troops into its neighboring country in late February in order to “demilitarize” and “denazify” the Kiev government, and to prevent what it called the “genocide” perpetrated by Ukraine against civilians in the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Lugansk.

Aggressive actions against Russians have gone far beyond offensive comments posted on social media.

The victims, who talked to RT Russian earlier this week, recalled a number of such incidents in recent days. Among other things, they spoke about a swastika allegedly being drawn on an Orthodox church in Iceland, Russian kids brawling with their Norwegian classmates, a Russian woman being denied service at a restaurant in New Zealand, and a musician being fired from a Dutch orchestra because of her origin.

Coelho also faced a lot of heat over his message, as social-media users demanded that he condemn the Russian offensive like many other international celebrities. He was also grilled for the use of the word “crisis,” with his critics insisting he should have called the events in Ukraine “an unprovoked, unjustified war.”

In his response to the comments, the writer, who has sold millions of books in both Russia and Ukraine, made it clear that he knows a lot more about the two countries than they did.

“I was in Lviv, Kyiv, Odessa, Yalta, Chernobyl (Ukraine). I covered 10,000km by train from Moscow to Vladivostok (Russia). Yes, there is a war: But do not blame ordinary people,” he said.

Earlier this week, Moscow blocked Facebook and Instagram over “extremism” after media reported that Meta, which owns both platforms, allowed “posts on the Ukraine war calling for violence against invading Russians or [for Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s death.”

The international clampdown on Russia has also affected the country’s athletes in numerous disciplines, who were banned from international competitions, and such world famous musicians as Valery Gergiev and Anna Netrebko, who lost their jobs in Germany.

The trend took some ridiculous forms like an Italian university dropping a course on the works of iconic 19th-century writer Fyodor Dostoevsky from its curriculum, and Russian cats and dogs being barred from taking part in exhibitions abroad.

Vucic Says Serbia Will Remain Military Neutral And Will Not Join NATO

 Serbia will remain a military neutral state and will not join NATO, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who is running for a second term, said at the election rally of the Serbian Progressive Party in Backa Palanka on Sunday.

"Someone says: "Never say never, maybe we will join NATO someday." But I say: we don't need to join NATO. I think Serbia should remain militarily neutral, protect its military neutrality and develop its army," the Serbian President said.

Vucic noted that during his tenure as president, unlike his rivals in the presidential race, he did not destroy the Serbian army, but strengthened it.

"We are strengthening our army in order to defend our sky, our land, ourselves and never depend on anyone except our people. This is our policy," he stressed.

In the early 2000s, the then pro-Western leadership of Serbia stated that the armament of the army was outdated and unpromising. As part of the reform of the defense system, it was decided to sell military training grounds, barracks and other facilities, and send armored vehicles for remelting. Armored troops (the main tank - T-55) were melted down for several years at the Serbian metallurgical plant Zhelezara Smederevo, which was bought by the American company US Steel. After melting down Serbian armored vehicles, US Steel sold the now-unprofitable steel mill to the Serbian government in January 2012 for the symbolic sum of $1.

In addition, according to the document of the Serbian Defense Ministry dated December 5, 2017, in 2005 it was decided to sell 200 T-55 tanks, 121 M60 armored personnel carriers, 77 M36 self-propelled guns, 88 M38 howitzers (122 mm), 36 anti-aircraft self-propelled artillery installations ZSU-57-2. The sale was carried out after the weapons were registered as secondary raw materials, the document says. Also in 2003, 2005 and 2008, it was decided to destroy 9,218 9M32M (Strela-2) anti-tank missiles and 420 launchers for the Strela-2 system. In 2003, they disposed of 23,000 small arms and 91 guns of 20 mm and 30 mm caliber.

The disposal of weapons was carried out in cooperation with the NATO Maintenance and Supply Agency.

Borrell Claims 'Putin Could Expand Military Activities Into A NATO Country'

 Europe is struggling between its desire to “support” Ukraine amid the ongoing Russian offensive and its fears that the war could spill over into other countries, the EU’s foreign-policy chief Josep Borrell told CNN Turk on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum.

“Everyone is trying to strike a difficult balance. On the one hand, we are trying to support Ukraine and, on the other hand, we are trying to prevent a bigger war,” he said.

The top diplomat also alleged that President Vladimir Putin could “expand his military activities” beyond Ukraine, explaining that “nobody should give excuses” to Russia’s leader to do so. Earlier in the day, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov cautioned the West against its “mindless handover” of “dangerous arms” to Kiev, warning that his country’s troops could potentially treat convoys carrying them as legitimate military targets.

“It could be against one NATO country or it could be against another,” Borrell continued. “There are serious concerns. Putin will continue to attack and we need to limit the attacks here. We must isolate Russia from the international community, we must support Ukraine.”

He also reiterated the bloc’s support for Ukraine, claiming that the EU has responded “positively” to Kiev’s membership aspirations. Ukraine renewed its push for EU membership amid the conflict, with President Volodymyr Zelensky lodging a formal bid to join the union.

“Yes, we said that Ukraine belongs to the European family. This is an obvious fact, geographically and historically. There are some procedures. We started this process as well,” Borrell stated.

While the bid has been supported by several Eastern European members of the bloc, top EU officials, including Borrell himself, have rejected Kiev’s call for a fast-tracked accession. No fast-track procedure exists and an aspiring member state must meet assorted political and economic conditions to be merely granted an official candidate status.

Russia launched a large-scale offensive against its neighbor in late February, following a seven-year standoff over Ukraine’s failure to implement the terms of the 2014-15 Minsk agreements, and Russia’s eventual recognition of the Donbass republics in Donetsk and Lugansk. The German- and French-brokered protocols had been designed to regularize the status of those regions within the Ukrainian state and to bring the years-long conflict in the country’s east to an end.

Moscow has now demanded that Ukraine officially declare itself a neutral country that will never join the US-led NATO military bloc. Kiev insists the Russian offensive was completely unprovoked and has denied claims it was planning to retake the two republics by force.

China Hit By Its Biggest Covid-19 Outbreak

 China has re-imposed some restrictions in response to its biggest spike in Covid-19 infections in two years.

The country reported nearly 3,400 new cases on Sunday, most of them locally transmitted and around a half of them asymptomatic. On Friday, the number of daily local cases surpassed 1,000 for the first time since the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan in early 2020. Infections were recorded in at least 19 regions across China.

The authorities re-imposed some restrictions, including the closure of all schools in Shanghai, where students have had to switch to remote learning. Vice Premier Sun Chunlan described the spike as “complicated and severe,” calling for the broadening of the testing program.

Beijing also reacted by sacking several high-ranking officials this week in the northeastern Jilin Province, including the mayor of Jilin City. Zhang Lifeng, the Communist Party secretary and top manager at Jilin Agricultural Science and Technology University, was fired following an outbreak on campus. The state-run Global Times paper said he was dismissed for “negligence and an ineffective response” to the cluster of infections.

Similarly, six officials were fired in the southern coastal Guangdong Province, including a deputy director of the provincial public security department.

Turkey Will Not Join Western Sanctions Against Russia

 Turkey will not join the sanctions some Western countries have imposed on Russia over the special operation in Ukraine, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told a diplomatic forum in Antalya on Sunday.

"We believe that the sanctions will not resolve the problem," he said when asked about Turkey’s stance regarding sanctions against Russia. "Take the airspace. In accordance with the Montreux Convention we have no power to close it. This is a legal obligation."

In the meantime, NATO’s Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on the sidelines of the diplomatic forum the alliance expected all its members to impose restrictions on Moscow.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 24 launched a special military operation in Ukraine following a request for assistance from the leaders of the Donbass republics. He said Moscow had no plans for an occupation of Ukrainian territories. The United States, the European Union, Britain and a number of other countries said they were introducing sanctions against Russian legal entities and individuals.

Turkey has repeatedly said it had no intention of joining sanctions against Russia so as not to harm its own economy and to keep the door open to a dialogue with Russia.

RT News - March 13 2022

The Donetsk army says it's gained control over the key town of Volnovakha after intense fighting. Much of the area is in ruins, as residents try to cope with the losses of their loved ones. RT's Maria Finoshina visits a Donetsk Republic town recently claimed by the local people's militia. She takes a look at how residents are trying to return to a peaceful life after eight years of violence from the Ukrainian military. Amid the escalating conflict, NATO gears up for joint military and computer assisted exercises with Georgia, which, like Ukraine, borders Russia and has been striving for membership in the Western military alliance.

Venezuela Is Russia’s Ally, But Is Ready To Sell Oil To US

 Venezuelan Minister for Foreign Affairs Felix Plasencia has said Caracas is ready to sell oil to the United States again, while remaining “loyal” to Moscow.

Plascenia told the Turkish Anadolu Agency on Saturday that it would not be a “strange relationship” for Washington and Caracas to work together on oil, as Venezuela had “been doing oil business with the Americans for a long time.”

The minister argued that it would “be good for everyone” if Venezuela’s energy exports to the US get “back on track,” adding that Americans were welcome in the country as long as they “respect the sovereignty” of Venezuela and recognize President Nicolas Maduro as “Venezuela's only and legitimate head of government.”

Plascenia said he hopes that US sanctions against Venezuela that had targeted its oil sector would be lifted.

The minister stressed, however, that Venezuela would remain “loyal allies of the Russian government,” and said the country sees President Vladimir Putin “as a responsible head of government.”

“We respect him as a member of the international community. We believe he will do the best for his people,” Plascenia concluded.

The US broke all relations with Venezuela in 2019 and recognized pro-US opposition leader Juan Guaido as “interim president” instead of Maduro.

Senior US officials traveled to Venezuela last week to meet with Maduro’s government amid Russia’s ongoing offensive in Ukraine. The US government has sanctioned Russia’s oil industry in response to the conflict, causing US gas prices to rise. There have been suggestions that Washington could turn to Venezuela as an alternative supplier of crude, though no deal has been announced as of yet.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the UAE reportedly rejected phone calls with US President Joe Biden to discuss oil in recent weeks.

Yuan Deposits Replace Dollar And Euro In Russian Banks

 With Russia now officially cut off from both the US dollar and the euro, the state-owned VTB Bank has offered its clientele the opportunity to open Chinese yuan savings accounts that yield a maximum interest rate of 8%. The country’s second-biggest bank has been hit by the Western sanctions aimed at the total financial isolation of Russia over its war in Ukraine.

“In light of the rising dollar and euro exchange rates, many clients are showing interest in investing in other currencies, and the yuan is one of the most affordable and promising options for investing funds,” the bank said in a statement.

Existing customers are reportedly able to open deposits remotely on VTB Online with a minimum amount of 100 yuan ($16). At VTB branches, they can deposit a minimum of 500 yuan.

According to the bank, the latest offer will be the most profitable alternative to deposits in other foreign currencies. The annual yield on a three-month deposit is 8% in dollars and 7% in euros.

Meanwhile, a six-month ruble deposit currently offers an annual percentage yield of 21%. VTB said that, over the past week, customers had invested over a trillion rubles ($15 billion) in traditional savings products.

Russian financial institutions have been placed under increasing pressure after Ukraine-related sanctions were introduced. The banks have had to turn to China to start using its UnionPay system for credit cards, after Visa and Mastercard announced the suspension of operations in the country.

“Some Russian banks can’t get access to other currencies, so yuan is probably the best other alternative,” Khoon Goh, head of Asia research at the Australia & New Zealand Banking Group, told Bloomberg.

“Still, the easiest way for Russia to raise yuan would be to receive yuan via trades. Russian banks’ clients who are exporters could sell to China and receive renminbi as payment.”

Half Of Russia’s Foreign Exchange Reserves Frozen Due To Sanctions

 Half of the gold and foreign exchange reserves of the Bank of Russia have been frozen due to sanctions, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said in an interview with the Rossiya 1 TV channel.

"This is about half of these reserves that we had. We have a total amount of reserves of about $640 bln. Currently we cannot use about $300 billion of these reserves," he said.

The minister added that part of the Russian foreign exchange reserves is in Chinese currency. However, Western countries are now putting pressure on China in order to limit trade with it.

"Of course, there is pressure to limit access to those reserves that we have in yuan. I think that our partnership with China will allow us to maintain the cooperation that we have achieved, and not only to maintain, but also to multiply it in conditions when Western markets are closed," Siluanov said.

The minister reiterated that the debts of countries that were unfriendly to Russia would be paid in rubles.

"But - I repeat once again - the debts that we have to pay to the countries that are unfriendly to the Russian Federation and have made such restrictions on the use of foreign exchange reserves, it is to these countries that we will pay debts in ruble equivalent," he stressed.

Armenia’s Fifth President Sworn In, Takes Office

 Armenia’s fifth president, Vaagn Khachaturyan, was sworn in and took office on Sunday at a special session of the National Assembly.

Khachaturian put his hand on a special copy of the Constitution and the 12th Century Gospel to take the oath to be loyal to the Armenian Constitution, stay impartial in performing his duties, be guided by the national interests and spare no effort to strengthen national unity.

The Catholicos of All Armenians, Karekin II, was the first to congratulate and bless Armenia’s new president. He concluded his statement with a prayer. The ceremony was attended by foreign diplomats, social and public figures, senior clergy and officials. The parliamentary opposition refused to participate.

Khachaturyan was elected president at the parliament’s session on March 3. In the runoff he was supported by 71 legislators. The 2015 constitutional reform introduced parliamentary rule and the president began to be elected by the National Assembly.

Khachaturyan’s predecessor, Armen Sarkisyan, resigned on January 23. He said he lacked the leverage to influence major domestic and foreign policy issues. After that the faction of the ruling party Civil Contract nominated Khachaturyan for the head of state. Earlier, he was high-tech industry minster. In 1992-1996 he held the post of Yerevan’s mayor.

IRGC Claims Responsibility For Missile Attack On Erbil

 The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC, the elite units of the Iranian Armed Forces) claimed responsibility for the missile attack on Erbil, the target of which was Israeli facilities in Iraq, the Iranian agency Young Journalists Club reported on Sunday citing IRGC statement.

"Last night the strategic center of the Zionist conspiracy and evil was targeted by the powerful missiles of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps," according to the statement.

It is noted that the missile blow was delivered "following the recent crimes" of Israel.

"Once again, we warn the criminal Zionist regime that the repetition of any evil will face harsh, decisive and destructive responses," the statement says.

On Sunday night, several rockets landed near the US Consulate General in the northern Iraqi city of Erbil. A number of Arab media outlets reported that the strike could have hit Israeli Mossad intelligence facilities. The authorities of Iraqi Kurdistan denied the information that Israeli intelligence centers are located in the province of Erbil.

On March 8, the IRIB Broadcasting Corporation reported that two IRGC officers were killed during an Israeli strike in the Damascus region.

State Duma Speaker Cautions Businesses Against Attempts At Profiteering

Russian State Duma speaker Vyacheslav Volodin believes that private businesses should refrain from attempts at profiteering and try to devise alternative solutions to emerging problems, even at the cost of private gains.

"Businesses should by all means refrain from making money on the people. They should reconsider approaches and devise solutions capable of eliminating the emerging problems, even at the cost private gains," Volodin said on his Telegram channel on Sunday.

He recalled that in the current situation "some give away their last savings to raise humanitarian aid for Donbass refugees, while others prefer to go abroad to wait for the turmoil to subside, or, while staying inside the country, raise prices their fellow citizens have to pay."

"Those who have been obsessed with profit-seeking all along in the current situation must take care of the people and the country. They must give thought to preserving jobs and expanding production in view of the foreign capitals’ flight from the Russian market," Volodin said.

Sunday’s latest reports from the regions say the prices of diesel fuel and fertilizers have been going down.

"This means we will have essential foods not only this year, but in the future, too," Volodin said, adding that the legislators supported the Ministry of Industry and Trade in its efforts to reduce metal prices.

"The foreign markets’ influence on price hikes has eased. There should follow a reduction in the domestic prices of metals and other goods," Volodin said.

He stressed that "each individual must be aware of one’s responsibility for Russia’s future."

"Our soldiers and officers are giving their lives for the security of Russia and for a chance to have a future. They are saving our citizens and compatriots in the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics and in Ukraine from nationalists. During these troubled times we should take a more considerate attitude to each other and to extend a helping hand," Volodin said. He warned that "panic and tensions in society are precisely the aim of Washington’s and NATO’s unprecedented economic war."

Trump Says Situation Around Ukraine May Lead To World War III

The Ukrainian crisis may evolve into World War III, former US president Donald Trump told his supporters in South Carolina.

This could lead, by the way, this could lead to World War III, I see what’s happening," he said in a speech broadcast by the Newsmax channel.

In his opinion, Russia "is not going to stop" in achieving its goals, but the US administration does not have "anybody to talk to" Moscow, in particular to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a special military operation in response to a request for help by the heads of the Donbass republics. He stressed that Moscow had no plans of occupying Ukrainian territories, but aims to demilitarize and denazify the country. The Russian Defense Ministry said that Russian troops are not targeting Ukrainian cities, but are incapacitating Ukrainian military infrastructure, therefore there are no threats to the civilian population.

Subsequently, the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union and some other countries announced sanctions against Russian companies and individuals. On March 8, US President Joe Biden signed a decree to prohibit imports of fuel from Russia and new investments into Russia’s energy sector.