In the Donbass - in the people's republics - at night the atmosphere was festive. This is a highly anticipated event for residents. Practically everyone watched the Russian president's address attentively. In Donetsk, some watched the broadcast right in the center of the city. The first reaction is general jubilation.
And although there were no mass festivities (after all, there is a curfew), people congratulated each other. They said that this was the best news in recent years: now they had confidence in the future and that the long-term horror would finally end. There were fireworks in the city center.
In Lugansk, residents staged a small motor rally. Several dozen cars with the flags of Russia and the Luhansk People's Republic, signaling, drove around the whole city.
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed decrees at the ceremony in the Kremlin on recognizing the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics.
The President of Russia signed the Executive Order On the Recognition of the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Executive Order On the Recognition of the Lugansk People’s Republic.
Vladimir Putin and Head of the DPR Denis Pushilin signed a Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance between the Russian Federation and the Donetsk People’s Republic.
The President of Russia and Head of the LPR Leonid Pasechnik signed a Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance between the Russian Federation and the Lugansk People’s Republic.
Following the signing ceremony, Vladimir Putin had a conversation with Denis Pushilin and Leonid Pasechnik.
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed decrees at the ceremony in the Kremlin on recognizing the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics.
Speaking in a televised address to the citizens earlier, Putin explained: "I believe it is necessary to take this long overdue decision. I immediately recognize the independence and sovereignty of the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Lugansk People’s Republic."
The Russian leader asked the Federal Assembly to back this decision and then ratify the treaties on friendship and mutual aid with both republics. While announcing this decision, the president voiced confidence about the support of Russian citizens and all patriotic forces in the country.
Later, Putin met with the DPR and LPR leaders, Denis Pushilin and Leonid Pasechnik, and signed with them the treaties on friendship, cooperation and mutual aid between Russia and both republics. The ceremony was held in the Kremlin’s St. Catherine Hall, which hosted the meeting of the Russian Security Council. At this meeting, the Security Council’s members called for recognizing the independence of the DPR and LPR.
Also in St. Catherine Hall, before inking the friendship treaties, Putin signed the decrees on recognizing the DPR and LPR, and congratulated both leaders.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has informed German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron that he plans to sign a decree recognizing the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR) in the near future, the Kremlin press service said after Putin’s telephone conversations with them.
The Russian president informed the German and French leaders about the results of today’s meeting of the Russian Security Council that focused on the current situation around Donbass in the context of the Russian lower parliament house’s resolution on the recognition of the Donbass republics.
Earlier in the day, the DPR and LPR leaders called for recognizing their republics’ sovereignty amid Ukraine’s aggression, intense shelling of the Donbass republics, killing and wounding civilian population.
"The Russian president said that he plans to sign a corresponding decree in the near future," the Kremlin said.
According to the Kremlin press service, Macron and Scholz said that they were disappointed with his plans to recognize the independence of the Donbass republics. "The French president and the German chancellor expressed disappointment over such developments," it said.
At the same time, Macron and Scholz "expressed their readiness to continue contacts," the Kremlin added.
On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin held a emergency meeting of the Russian Federation Security Council at the Kremlin, in connection with the critical aggravation of the situation in the Donbass.
"Russia initially did everything it could to make sure these disagreements could be resolved by peaceful means. However, the Kiev officials have conducted two punitive operations on those territories and, apparently, we are witnessing a third escalation," he said.
"All these years – I want to stress this – all these years, the people living on those territories have been literally tortured by constant shelling and blockades. As you know, the people living on those territories, close to the front line, so to speak, were in fact forced to seek shelter in their basements – where they now live with their children," Putin added.
According to the Russian leader the goal of today’s meeting is to listen to ministers and to outline future steps in this direction, considering the appeals by the leaders of the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Lugansk People’s Republic on recognising their sovereignty, as well as a resolution by the State Duma of the Russian Federation on the same subject. The latter document urges the President to recognise the independence and sovereignty of the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Lugansk People’s Republic.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, on Monday, had a virtual meeting with the Russian Paralympic team ahead of the XIII Paralympic Winter Gameson.
"Every time we see you perform and listen to your success stories, we admire the strong will and the grit it takes not just to overcome your health problems but also to gain a new foothold and a new meaning in life through high performance sports," he said.
Leaders of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, Denis Pushilin and Leonid Pasechnik, have asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to recognize the republics’ independence.
"On behalf of all of the people of the DPR, we are asking you to recognize the Donetsk People’s Republic as an independent, democratic and social state based on the rule of law," Pushilin stated.
In his turn, the LPR’s leader, Leonid Pasechnik, said: "With the goal of preventing mass deaths among the republic’s civilian population, some 300,000 of whom are Russian citizens, I’m asking you to recognize the sovereignty and independence of the Lugansk People’s Republic."
Both leaders have also suggested signing a treaty on friendship and cooperation with Russia, including on military cooperation.
Western countries are trying to create an almost irresolvable confrontation between Russia and the North Atlantic Alliance, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a meeting with Syrian top diplomat Faisal Mekdad in Moscow on Monday.
"The situation in the world is unfolding quickly, it particularly concerns the Middle East and North Africa issues. Most regrettably, the efforts we are making to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 2254 are being affected by the atmosphere that our Western colleagues are creating, trying to start an almost irresolvable confrontation between Russia and the Western alliance," Lavrov pointed out.
"We definitely will not let such attempts undermine our ability to reach specific results and negatively impact the progress of the closest strategic relations between Russia and Syria, as well as our efforts to achieve a fair peace based on strengthening the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of your country," the Russian foreign minister emphasized, addressing his Syrian counterpart.
The Russian top diplomat also noted that the two countries’ presidents continued to outline the goals that Moscow and Damascus were facing, which was confirmed by their contact in September 2021. "I am sure that today, we will be able to meaningfully discuss ways to promote these goals and achieve them," Lavrov concluded.
The flame of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in China was put out on Sunday during an official closing ceremony at the Beijing National Stadium, also known as the Bird’s Nest.
Before the Olympic flame was put out, Thomas Bach, the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), officially declared the end to the Olympic Games in China.
The 2022 Winter Olympic Games in the Chinese capital of Beijing were held between February 4 and 20. During the 128th IOC session in Kuala Lumpur on July 31, 2015, Beijing was chosen to host the 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games making the Chinese capital the first city ever to host both the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games (in 2008) as well as the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games (in 2022).
Team Norway completed the 2022 Winter Olympics medal standings in the top setting their new national record winning 16 gold, eight silver and 13 bronze medals (37 in total). Germany was 2nd having won 12 gold, 10 silver and five bronze medals (27 in total). The team of the 2022 Olympics hosts, China, finished in 3rd place with nine gold, four silver and two bronze medals (15 in total).
The national team of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) finished the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in China in the 9th place of the medal standings having bagged six gold, 12 silver and 14 bronze medals (32 in total).
The Olympians from Russia set a national record this year in the total number of medals won at the Winter Olympic records. The previous record in the overall number of medals won at the Games was registered at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi - 29 medals (11 gold, 9 silver, 9 bronze). The best record of the Olympic team of the Soviet Union was registered at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Canada’s Calgary - 29 medals (11 gold, 9 silver, nine bronze medals).
Russian President Vladimir Putin told his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, that the current escalation in Donbass was caused by provocations by Ukrainian troops, the Kremlin press service said on Sunday after their telephone conversation.
"Serious concern was expressed over the dramatic deterioration of the situation along the contact line in Donbass. The Russian president noted that the escalation was caused by provocations by Ukrainian troops," it said.
"In furtherance of the discussions during the French president’s visit to Moscow and regular telephone contacts, the presidents exchanged views on the situation around Ukraine and on long-term legally-binding security guarantees to Russia," the Kremlin said.
I don’t want to use slang, but there is a saying that real men do what they say, at the very least, at the international level, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov answered the media question about the upcoming meeting with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.
The Minister said that this meeting meets Russian interests and plans.
"As I have said, we want to explain to our American colleagues and their NATO allies that we will not be satisfied with verbal promises, especially since the written obligations by the heads of state and government regarding NATO’s full respect for Russia’s interests (let alone the oral guarantees which President Vladimir Putin has mentioned on numerous occasions) turned out to be worthless. This won’t do," he added.
According to Lavrov, Russia intends to seek a fair solution. However, apparently the diplomat is not at all sure of the honesty of his opponent.
On Saturday, under the leadership of the Supreme Commander-in-Cheif of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation VladimirPutin a planned exercise of the strategic deterrence forces was held, during which ballistic and cruise missiles were launched.
The President observed the exercise from the Kremlin’s situation room together with President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko.
The forces and means of the Aerospace Forces, the Southern Military District, the Strategic Missile Forces, the Northern and Black Sea Fleets were involved in the exercise.
The Aerospace Forces successfully launched the Kinzhal hypersonic ballistic missiles.
Ships and submarines of the Northern Fleet and the Black Sea Fleet launched Caliber cruise missiles and Zirkon hypersonic missiles at sea and ground targets.
In the Astrakhan region, at the Kapustin Yar training ground, the Iskander ground-based cruise missile was launched.
From the position area of Plesetsk state test cosmodrome, Yars intercontinental ballistic missile was launched at the Kura training ground on Kamchatka Peninsula.
Air-launched cruise missiles fired from Tu-95MS long-range strategic missile carriers hit targets at the Pemboi and Kura training grounds.
From the waters of the Barents Sea, a strategic nuclear submarine cruiser Karelia of the Northern Fleet launched Sineva ballistic missile at target at the Kura training ground.
The exercise of the strategic deterrence forces was planned earlier, during which the readiness of the military command and control bodies, launch combat crews, crews of warships and strategic missile carriers to perform the assigned tasks, as well as the reliability of the weapons of strategic nuclear and non-nuclear forces, was checked.
The tasks envisaged during the training of the strategic deterrence forces were completed in full, all missiles hit their targets, confirming the specified characteristics.
Western sanctions against Russia, as well as against Belarus, will be introduced in any case, a reason for this will be found, Russian President Vladimir Putin told a press conference following talks with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
Western sanctions against Russia, as well as against Belarus, will be introduced in any case, a reason for this will be found, Russian President Vladimir Putin told a press conference following talks with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
"Sanctions will be imposed in any case. Whether they have a reason today, for example, in connection with the events in Ukraine, or there is no such reason - it will be found, because the goal is different, in this case the goal is to slow down the development of Russia and Belarus," the Russian leader said.
"With this aim, there will always be a reason to introduce certain illegitimate restrictions, and this is nothing more than unfair competition," the Russian leader added.
He stressed that sanctions pressure "is absolutely illegitimate."
"This is a gross violation of international law, but those who are now talking about it (about possible new sanctions) they care about it only when it is advantageous to them. When it is not advantageous to them, they are happy to forget about all the norms of international public right," Putin said.
He noted with regret that Moscow and Minsk have been living "in such a paradigm for many, many years, because those in power, [who] consider themselves the masters of today's life, they always interpret everything only in their own favor and neglect the interests of other [countries]."
"There is only one way to overcome this state of affairs - to strengthen ourselves from within, and above all, of course, in the economy," the head of state stated.
Given the growing military threat on our borders and the pumping of Ukraine with weapons, Belarus and Russia are compelled to look for adequate means of repelling a potential attack on their borders, including on our borders, the southern borders for Belarus, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said following talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday.
"Belarus and the Russian Federation have a common air defence system, a joint regional military force, that is, a joint army, joint training centres, and finally, there is the Military Doctrine of the Union State. We have never hidden these documents or these areas of activity from anyone, everyone knows this," he added.
According to the Belarusian leader, the joint Belarusian-Russian military exercises are quite justified and are conducted as transparently as possible.
I have the impression that some politicians who hold high and responsible positions in the so-called free world are simply pathologically dangerous to both their associates and, most importantly, to their own people, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said following talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday.
"We are seeing the irresponsibility and, excuse me for being blunt, stupidity of some Western politicians at its best. There is no logic or reasonable explanation for the conduct of the leaders of neighbouring countries, their truly morbid desire to walk the edge," he put it speaking of the situation in the Donbass.
Lukashenko emphasized that for the first time in decades, Union State (Russia and Belarus) and NATO countries have found ourselves on the threshold of a conflict that could, unfortunately, pull much of the entire continent into a maelstrom.
"Considering the urgency of the situation, the President and I have devoted much attention today to this issue and discussed potential joint actions as a response to the aggressive behaviour of our Western partners. I would like to emphasise once again: nobody wants a war, or even an aggravation of the situation or any conflict. We, Russians and Belarusians, do not need this," Lukashenko noted.
Governor of the Rostov Region Vasily Golubev addressed the President with a request for urgent assistance from the federal centre due to the influx of refugees from Donbass.
The President had a telephone conversation with the Acting Emergency Situations Minister. Alexander Chupriyan was instructed to immediately fly to the region in order to organise work on site to create the conditions for accommodating the arriving people and providing them with hot meals and everything necessary, including medical help.
In addition, Vladimir Putin instructed the Government to promptly provide 10,000-ruble payments to every person arriving in the Rostov Region from Donbass.
Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, on Friday announced a mass evacuation of civilians to Russia. This decision was made after night shelling by the Ukrainian security forces, this time especially intense.
Kiev used heavy weapons, which, according to the Minsk agreements, should not be in that area at all. Saboteurs became more active on the territory of the republics.
"During the attack, a security guard of the enterprise, who discovered a group of saboteurs, was wounded. He received medical assistance, there is no threat to life. Special services are on the scene. I appeal to the world community and representatives of international organizations, asking them to critically assess the criminal actions of the Ukrainian side. Armed formations of Ukraine are deliberately trying to sow fear and panic among the civilian population of our republic. And for this they choose vital civilian targets for strikes," Official representative of the People's Militia Department of the DPR Eduard Basurin reported.
All last night, Ukrainian artillerymen fired at the line of contact. The fire was fired from all types of weapons, including 120-mm mortars, which are prohibited by the Minsk agreements. This, say local residents, cannot be remembered since 2015, when the most fierce battles were going on and the Ukrainian army leveled the cities and towns of the people's republics with the ground, and the civilian population did not crawl out of basements and bomb shelters.
Residential buildings are being shelled. A direct blow to an electrical substation in Verkhnetoretsky. All this and neighboring villages - almost 800 houses - were de-energized.
Donetsk today froze to the sound of sirens, because they sound warning of mass shelling. Later it turned out that while this is a training alarm. But against the background of the aggravated situation, the head of the republic decided to start evacuating the civilian population.
"Starting today, a mass exodus of the population to the Russian Federation has been organized. First of all, women, children and the elderly are subject to evacuation. By agreement with the leadership of the Russian Federation in the Rostov region, places for the reception and accommodation of our citizens are ready," Head of the DPR Denis Pushilin stated.
The Russia-Belarus joint military drills do not pose a threat to anyone and are of a purely defensive nature, Russian President Vladimir Putin said after talks with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko in the Kremlin on Friday.
"We jointly commended the Union Resolve 2022 drills whose active phase will last in Belarus until February 20. I must state that these exercises are of a purely defensive nature and pose no threat to anyone," the Russian leader emphasized.
The defense ministries of both countries announced the concept and goals of all these scheduled maneuvers in advance, Putin pointed out.
"These events are attended by a large number of representatives, attaches of foreign countries who themselves observe these exercises," the Russian leader said.
Russia and Belarus will continue collectively taking measures to ensure their security in light of NATO’s activity, Putin said.
"In the course of today’s negotiations, we discussed in detail the issue of strengthening the integrated defense space of Russia and Belarus. We agreed that we would continue collectively taking all necessary measures for providing security of both countries in the wake of NATO’s mounting military activity at the external borders of the Union State," the Russian leader said.
Putin said he was grateful to his Belarusian counterpart for the productive joint work. "I am convinced that the negotiations held today will help further bolster the entire range of allied relations between Russia and Belarus. Tomorrow, as we have agreed, we will take part also in scheduled events related to our joint military activity," the Russian president said.
The United States and other NATO countries are yet unwilling to perceive Russia’s key security demands adequately, Russian President Vladimir Putin said after talks with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko on Friday.
The Russian leader said that at the request of his Belarusian counterpart, he briefed him on the latest contacts with the leaders of Western states on long-term and legally binding security guarantees for Russia from the United States and NATO. Putin said that he considered "it quite natural that the Belarusian allies are also concerned over this issue."
"We discussed the situation developing with regard to Russia’s demands to the West whose key points stipulate that NATO should abandon its designs on eastward expansion, assume the commitment of not deploying strike weapons near the Russian borders and return to the alliance’s military potential and infrastructure in Europe as of 1997 when the Russia-NATO Founding Act was signed. As I have already spoken about, the United States and other members of the alliance are yet unwilling, unfortunately, to perceive these three core elements of our initiative adequately," the Russian president said.
At the same time, the Western counterparts formulated a whole number of ideas on European security, intermediate- and shorter-range missiles and military transparency as the issues that Russia also favors discussing, Putin pointed out.
"And we are ready to move along the negotiating track on condition that all the issues will be discussed comprehensively, without being separated from the key Russian proposals whose implementation is a top priority for us," the Russian leader stressed.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that what Kiev has to do is sit down at the negotiating table with Donbass, the sooner it happens, the better.
"The Belarusian president and I have ascertained that the key to restoring civil peace in Ukraine and to relieving tensions around that country is the implementation of the Minsk agreements. All Kiev has to do is sit down at the negotiating table with representatives of Donbass and agree on political, military, economic and humanitarian measures to end this conflict," Putin said after talks with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Friday.
"The sooner it happens, the better," he added.
"Regrettably, right now we are watching, on the contrary, an escalation in Donbass," the Russian president said.
According to the Russian president, the process aimed at resolving the intra-Ukrainian conflict "still treads water." In his opinion, all efforts and contacts between political advisers to the leaders of the Normandy Four group as well as negotiations with foreign counterparts do not help.
"Kiev does not implement the Minsk accords. In particular, it adamantly rejects direct dialogue with Donetsk and Lugansk, thus sabotaging the implementation of the agreements on amending the constitution, on the special status of Donbass, on local elections and an amnesty - on all the key issues of the Minsk agreements," he stressed.
The Russian president pointed out that human rights are abused on a huge and systematic scale in Ukraine, and discrimination against the Russian-speaking population is being enshrined at the legislative level.
Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR) announced on Friday they would organize the evacuation of civilians to Russia amid the escalation of the situation in Donbass.
Russia’s southern Rostov Region has reported that it is ready to receive Donbass residents. Meanwhile, the Kiev regime keeps denying reports of pending offensive operations in Donbass.
Bombardments Сontinue
The situation at the engagement line in the east of Ukraine escalated on Thursday morning. The Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics reported the most intensive bombardments by the Ukrainian military in recent months. There has been no data on casualties yet; however, it has been reported that the bombardments have damaged some civil infrastructure facilities.
According to the data of the DPR people’s militia, the Ukrainian military has opened fire at the republic’s territory 30 times since the beginning of February 18, leaving residents of the communities of Verkhnetoretskoye and Krasny Partizan without electric power. It was also reported that two sabotage acts were foiled at chemical facilities in the Gorlovka area.
The authorities of France and Germany that make part of the Normandy Four format along with Russia and Ukraine have also expressed their serious concern over the escalating situation.
Evacuation of Сivilians
DPR Head Denis Pushilin announced measures for the mass centralized evacuation of the republic’s residents to Russia in the wake of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s intentions "to give an order to the army shortly to switch to an offensive and implement the plan of invading the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics."
As Pushilin elaborated, under agreement with the Russian leadership, the Rostov Region is ready to receive and accommodate the republic’s citizens and they will be provided with the necessary. In the first place, women, children and the elderly will be evacuated, he said.
Following that, Lugansk has also announced the evacuation of its citizens: LPR Head Leonid Pasechnik has urged residents to move to Russia within the shortest time possible and called on all the men who can hold arms in their hands "to come to the defense of their land."
Commenting on the evacuation of Donbass residents, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov pointed out that he did not know whether these actions were agreed with Moscow. Meanwhile, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration and Ties with Compatriots Viktor Vodolatsky said that the Rostov Region would cope with the task of receiving Donbass residents. The Crimean authorities have also stated their readiness to receive civilians being evacuated from the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics.
Stance by Russia and Ukraine
The Ukrainian authorities claim that they are not conducting offensive operations in the east of the country and have no relation to attempted subversive acts at Donbass chemical enterprises. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba assured that Kiev was fully committed "solely to diplomatic settlement."
Russian President Vladimir Putin who commented on the Donbass developments said that he regretted the escalation of the situation in the region and called on Kiev again to sit down at the negotiating table with Donbass representatives and agree upon measures of ending the conflict. "The sooner this happens, the better," the Russian leader emphasized.
President of Russia Vladimir Putin held a meeting with President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko at the Kremlin on Friday.
The discussion focused on the further development of Russian-Belarusian relations of strategic partnership and alliance, as well as topical problems of European security.
"at least just a bit, ‘dilute’ the western elite with our presence," Lukashenko said.
The Russian Armed Forces will conduct scheduled strategic deterrence force drills on February 19 under the direction of Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, the Defense Ministry reported on Friday.
"On February 19, 2022, a scheduled exercise of the strategic deterrence force will take place under the direction of Supreme Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Putin, during which ballistic and cruise missiles will be launched," the ministry said in a statement.
As the Russian Defense Ministry emphasized, "the strategic deterrence force drills have been planned in advance to inspect the preparedness of military command centers, launch combat teams, the crews of combat ships and strategic missile carriers for accomplishing assigned missions and the reliability of the strategic nuclear and conventional forces’ weapons."
Russia’s scheduled strategic deference force drills will bring together the forces and capabilities of the Aerospace Force, the Southern Military District, the Strategic Missile Force and the Northern and Black Sea Fleets, the ministry specified.
Russia’s strategic command and staff drills involving all the three components of the strategic nuclear forces are conducted annually, normally at the end of the troops’ regular combat training year.
As the practice of these drills suggests, during these maneuvers a strategic missile-carrying submarine of the Northern Fleet fires an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) towards the Kura proving ground in Kamchatka in Russia’s Far East and a nuclear-powered submarine of the Pacific Fleet launches an ICBM against a target at the Chizha firing range in the north of Russia. Also, the Russian Strategic Missile Force test-launches an ICBM and long-range aircraft of Russia’s Aerospace Force fire cruise missiles.
In accordance with the training plan for the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, formations and military units that have completed training tasks at the training grounds make marches to permanent deployment points in a combined way, Russian Defence Ministry spokesperson, Major General Igor Konashenkov said on Thursday.
Loading of heavy armored vehicles is carried out on railway platforms. Separate units make marches in column, escorted by military police.
The commanders of formations and military units, which have completed combat training measures at the training grounds, were tasked with developing schedules for the return of units to their permanent deployment points.
The first units that marched arrive at their military garrisons.
Combat service support units of the Western Military District, which practiced tasks at the training grounds in Kursk region, having marched over a distance of more than 700 km, arrived at the permanent deployment point in Dzerzhinsk, Nizhny Novgorod region, tonight.
Also today, military trains with heavy military equipment of the units of the Southern Military District, which completed tasks at the training grounds in the Crimea, were transferred by rail over a distance of more than 1.5 thousand kilometers to permanent deployment points in the Chechen Republic and the Republic of Dagestan.
Trains with armored vehicles of units of the 1st Tank Army of the Western Military District, which performed combat training tasks at training grounds in the Kursk and Bryansk regions, arrive at their military garrisons in the Nizhny Novgorod region.
Military units and subunits practicing tasks as part of the reaction forces of the Union State as part of the ongoing Russian-Belarusian exercise Union Courage 2022 on the territory of the Republic of Belarus, today and on Saturday, February 19, will hold practical actions with live firing at the training grounds of the Republic.
After the completion of the exercise, the formations and military units of the Russian Federation will return, as always, to their points of permanent deployment.
Russia notes that the US is willing to work on certain arms control and risk reduction measures, but will discuss them only together with the issues that are fundamental for Moscow, the Foreign Ministry said in a written reaction to the US reply to security guarantee proposals.
Russia stressed the need to de-escalate the situation around Ukraine by forcing Kiev to comply with the Minsk agreements, urging the West to refuse from military cooperation with this country. Also, Moscow demanded to withdraw the US troops from Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, warning that it will take military-technical measures if Washington is unready to negotiate.
Stable foundation
The US side has failed to provide a constructive response to the basic points of the draft treaty on security guarantees, deliberately choosing the issues that it feels comfortable to discuss, the foreign ministry noted.
That package nature of the Russian proposals has been ignored and ‘convenient’ issues have deliberately been picked up and then twisted to create advantages for the US and its allies," the statement said. "This approach and the accompanying narrative by US officials are reinforcing substantiated doubts that Washington is really committed to rectifying the European security situation, the Russian foreign ministry emphasized.
The Russian Foreign Ministry pointed out to Washington that Russia "proposed following the path of settling the unacceptable situation, which keeps developing in the Euro-Atlantic region, comprehensively and for the long term." "This implies, first and foremost, creating a stable foundation of the security architecture in the form of an agreement, under which NATO will give up further actions damaging Russia’s security," the statement reads.
"In the absence of readiness of the US side to negotiate solid, legally binding guarantees of our security by the US and its allies, Russia will have to react, including via implementation of measures of military-technical nature," the Foreign Ministry said.
Ukrainian issue
"There is no "Russian invasion" of Ukraine, which the US and its allies have been announcing officially since last fall, and it is not planned, therefore, statements about "Russia’s responsibility for escalation" can be regarded as an attempt to exert pressure and devalue Russia’s proposals for security guarantees," the document reads.
"The repeated claims in the US answer that Russia allegedly triggered a conflict in Donbass are groundless. Its causes are purely intra-Ukrainian. A settlement will be possible only by means of implementation of the Minsk Agreements and the Package of Measures. Their sequence and the responsibilities for their implementation were clearly described and unanimously confirmed by the UN Security Council’s Resolution 2202, including by the United States, France and Britain. Paragraph 2 of this resolution states that the participating parties are Kiev, Donetsk and Lugansk. Not a single document mentions the responsibility of Russia for the conflict in Donbass. Russia together with the OSCE plays the role of a broker in the main format of negotiations - the Contact Group - and, together with Berlin and Paris, in the Normandy Quartet, which formulates recommendations to the parties of the conflict and monitors their implementation," the document reads.
Weapons and forces in Europe
"We insist on withdrawal of all US armed forces and weapons, deployed in Central Eastern, Southeastern Europe and the Baltics. We are certain that national potentials in these areas are quite enough. We are ready to discuss these issues based on Articles 4 and 5 of the Russian draft agreements," the document says.
"We are calling on the US and NATO to return to compliance with international commitments in the area of upholding peace and security," the statement said. "We expect concrete proposals from the alliance’s members about the form and substance of the legal confirmation that further eastward expansion by NATO will be abandoned."
"We note the persistent uncertainty in Washington’s approaches to the main parameters of potential measures of control over the abovementioned weapons, first and foremost - to the coverage of these measures, which must cover all means of the mentioned range in both nuclear and non-nuclear versions," the document says.
Equation of security
"Russia continues to advocate an integrated approach to the strategic issue. We propose to engage in a joint development of a new ‘equation of security’," the document reads.
"We take note of US attention toward the Russian idea about additional risk reduction measures regarding flights by heavy bombers near the national borders of both sides," the statement said. "We see it as a matter for discussion with potential for mutually acceptable agreements." "We remind of an equally important element of our package proposal, which concerns similar voyages by surface warships that also are associated with serious risks," the statement said.
"The measures on strengthening of trust and security within the framework of the 2011 Vienna Document are adequate to the contemporary situation. In order to begin the discussion of its potential update, necessary conditions must be created. And, to that extent, the US and its allies must abandon its policy of containment of Russia, and take concrete practical measures on de-escalation of the military and political situation," the foreign ministry noted.
The Russian economy showed good result last year even amid the challenging global situation, President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.
"I would like to note the Russian economy demonstrated good results last year on the back of the challenging global situation. According to the estimate of the Ministry of Economic Development, domestic GDP gained 4.6% and the national economy did not merely compensate the drop in 2020 but was above the pre-crisis level," the head of state said.
Russia normalized its budgetary policy after the decline during the pandemic and performed the last-year budget with the surplus, Putin added.
To achieve a radical increase in the detection of crimes in Russia, Vladimir Putin demanded at a meeting of the Ministry of Internal Affairs on Thursday.
"I would like to once again note the task to radically improve the crime detection rate. According to last year’s results, there has not been any significant progress here so far. This means that we need consistent and more effective work on all types of crimes that pose a threat to our society," he said.
These threats include new challenges related to crime seeping into the sphere of information technologies and communications. The number of crimes in this sphere is growing annually. Domestic companies suffer damage from the actions of cybercriminals. And more of Russians are facing a loss of funds and savings, with irreparable moral damage, which evokes a strong public response. Pensioners, large families and people with disabilities fall victim to criminals.
"Nothing is sacred to these people; their only goal is to steal money," Putin stressed.
Putin dwelled separately on the prevention of delinquency among young people.
"Protecting the younger generation from crime is the most important task for the development of the country and for its future,"he said.
A serious signal that requires a comprehensive analysis is the growth of crimes related to extremism. In 2021, their number increased by more than a quarter.
"Particular attention should be paid to neutralizing the attempts of extremists and all kinds of radicals to use the Internet (we are aware of this and are constantly talking about it), to use modern means to incite ethnic, religious and social hatred," Putin said.
An effective fight against extremism is directly related to solving problems in the migration sphere.
"Of course, we are glad to everyone who comes to us to study, work, just live, who observe, meanwhile, the laws of Russia and respect our culture and traditions," Putin added.
Unfortunately, many people and many children still die in traffic accidents. Mortality is high in accidents caused by drunk drivers, as well as as a result of collisions with pedestrians.
According to the President, increased attention, as before, should be paid to the decriminalization of the economy and the fight against corruption.
"Finally, it is important to step up the fight against illicit drug trafficking, including taking additional measures to strengthen the interaction of Interior Ministry units with their colleagues from the FSB and the Federal Customs Service, and improve international anti-drug cooperation, primarily within the framework of BRICS, the CSTO and the SCO," Putin said at the end.
Moscow will no longer take seriously any statements by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg who has been named to head Norway’s central bank, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a news conference on Wednesday.
She made the comments in response to Stoltenberg’s statement that NATO’s doors will remain open for Ukraine.
"These statements made by Stoltenberg, who is the NATO secretary general - or a banker, I’m still confused - are no longer of interest for us," she said. "He’s not a person whose statements will be regarded in Moscow as serious arguments. He’s a NATO has been."
The diplomat said she was hoping constructive talks with the US and NATO on security guarantees will continue.
"These issues require an in-depth, substantive conversation," she said. "Or it will be like what happened between us and the British foreign minister in Moscow: a conversation between a mute person and a deaf person."
"We’d like the sides to hear each other, rather than lecture each other or make empty statements that are just a waste of breath, rather than being aimed at respecting each other’s concerns," Zakharova said.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova believes that UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss must apologize for her statements regarding the alleged potential Russian aggression against Ukraine.
"The head of the British Foreign Office [Liz Truss] must apologize for dissemination of lies, and she must apologize before the people of Russia, the people of Ukraine and the people of Britain, as well as before the mass media that decided that her statements are true," Zakharova said at a briefing Wednesday.
She claimed that Truss personally became the face of the "disinformation campaign" initiated in the West regarding the alleged potential Russian aggression against Ukraine.
"All statements made by her completely fall in line with the information campaign, carried out by NATO member states, led by Washington and London, and, in many ways, she became its face," Zakharova said.
According to Zakharova, the UK must prove the lack of its own intention to attack anyone, Russia in particular, considering a British destroyer entered Russia’s territorial waters last year.
"This is not the first time we are saying that Russia has not attacked anyone and is not going to. NATO states, however, must explain themselves; things are not all that clear about them. Let the UK now prove that it has no intention to attack anyone, that it has no such intentions," the spokeswoman said.
During the last few months, Western media repeatedly reported an allegedly possible Russian invasion of the Ukrainian territory, naming "exact date" and even time, and postponing it repeatedly. Russia repeatedly debunked such statements. President Vladimir Putin underscored that Moscow does not want war, and Russia initiated negotiations on guarantees of security in order to prevent it.
"As for this continuing hysteria [over Russia’s alleged invasion of Ukraine], I cannot say we find it amusing, but we are truly perplexed. No matter what we do on our territory, the West considers it its right to lecture us on how to behave. This is simply a lack of good manners," Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday.
This can be seen in the recent calls to “check on what Russia is doing there.” It’s as if we announced an end to the exercises but they “don’t believe us.” Supposedly, they will have an opportunity to verify it with satellites and other information from their intelligence agencies. There is no end to the threats: “We dare you to invade Ukraine; we will promptly announce sanctions the likes of which the world has never seen.” Yesterday, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen spoke with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. After this conversation, it was announced that London and the EU would act together to “punish” Russia when they deem it necessary.
Britain is ready to act as the initiator, both with and without an excuse. A few days ago they approved a supplement to the Regulations they adopted in 2019 to announce sanctions against Russia as “punishment” for our actions on the Ukrainian problem. This “supplement” has nothing to do with Ukraine. It gives the British authorities the right to impose sanctions on any organisation, individual or legal entity that is linked with the Russian state, are of significant economic importance to our authorities or conduct activities as individuals or legal entities in industries that are strategically vital to the Russian Government (transport, the chemical industry and many other sectors).
"To make it clearer and more succinct: now the British authorities can impose sanctions on any individual or company just because they belong to Russia or are Russian citizens or organisations. This is unprecedented in history. If these regulations (still subject to certain procedures) finally enter into force, I have no doubt that our parliament will have every reason (it will be necessary) to adopt similar laws as regards those who are trying to build a career, increase public ratings or become more popular through Russophobic declarations," Lavrov stressed.
Moscow know how much London is used to playing its favourite role as provocateur in relations between Russia and the West.
"I hope other Western countries are more responsible than this, that they will see this as another attempt to trigger a new wave in the sanctions war and will not support it. I must emphasise that in any event, the Russian Government and our Parliament will not remain indifferent to what the West is trying to do," Lavrov added.
Emergencies Ministry has proven in practice that it is an essential and highly needed link in Russia’s security system, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the expanded Board meeting of the Ministry of Civil Defence, Emergencies and Disaster Relief on on Wednesday.
"It has become a flawless, mobile, and well-equipped organisation responsible for protecting our citizens in emergencies, as well as preventing and extinguishing fires and developing the civil defence system," he added.
Last year was difficult for the ministry. Floods in Siberia, in the Far East and in the south of Russia were an important test for rescue crews. They fought natural and man-made fires that threatened people and property.
A major effort was carried out in response to the Listvyazhnaya Mine accident. This tragedy, which unfortunately killed several people – miners and rescuers – was the pain and misfortune of Kuzbass and the rest of Russia.
"Russians are grateful for the substantive aid you have provided in countering the coronavirus," President noted.
Ministry also fulfilled an important mission abroad during these difficult months. During the general lockdown when the borders were closed, Emergency Ministry planes helped evacuate Russians who were abroad on business trips or holidays. Over 1,400 tonnes of medical equipment and medicines, 120 tonnes of food and over 380,000 doses of Sputnik V and Sputnik Light vaccines were delivered to the countries that suffered most from the coronavirus.
Putin expressed gratitude the managers, the military personnel, the employees and civilian specialists at the Emergencies Ministry for their dutiful work and their courage and selflessness in performing their duties, for their readiness to immediately help others, often at the risk of their own lives.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov delivers remarks at a joint news conference with Foreign Minister of Brazil Carlos Franca following talks in the 2 + 2 formaton Wednesday.
Relations between Russia and Brazil are valuable in themselves. In recent years, they have developed progressively and cover virtually all areas of interstate cooperation, and are gaining momentum in such spheres as trade, economy and investment, as well as military and military-technical cooperation, humanitarian, cultural and education exchange, and foreign policy coordination.
Russia confirms its support for Brazil’s candidacy for a seat in the Security Council as a permanent member in the context of expanding this body by giving additional seats to the developing countries of Asia and Africa.
The two countries are working closely in diverse areas at the UN including strengthening international security, settling regional conflicts, ensuring security in space activities, and preventing the deployment of weapons in space. They, also cooperate on promoting the Chemical Weapons Convention without attempts to undermine its key provisions.
Ministers agreed to coordinate their approaches in preparations for the Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
Russia and Brazil share an approach in favour of the earliest possible enactment of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.
Lavrov shared with our Brazilian friends a detailed assessments of the United States' policy of substituting international law with some “rules-based order.” This policy implies and is already putting in practice an attempt to split the world into “democracies” and “non-democracies,” the former enjoying a privileged position, and the latter who need to be restrained. In Europe, this policy is manifested in a so-called open-door policy, which, in violation of all legal norms and political obligations, has led to NATO’s reckless eastward expansion, creating a direct threat to Russia’s national security. He have substantively informed the other party of the steps that Russia are taking in our dialogue with the United States and NATO.
"We are interested in a regular exchange of information, assessments of what is happening in our respective regions, in Latin America and around Russia. This demonstrates the special trusting nature of our relations," Lavrov noted.
The representatives of the respective Ministries of Defence who were participating in "2+2" meeting exchanged detailed assessments of military and military-technical cooperation and the prospects for its expansion. They agreed to continue discussing these matters in the follow-up expert consultations.
A special train carrying tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and self-propelled artillery mounts has crossed the Crimean Bridge on the way back to permanent military bases after drills in Crimea, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.
"A train carrying military equipment belonging to the units stationed in the Southern Military District has crossed the Crimean Bridge on its way to permanent bases after completing routing drills," the statement reads.
According to the ministry, the Southern Military District’s troops that took part in tactical drills at training grounds on the Crimean Peninsula are now heading to their permanent bases by train. "Troops have loaded tracked armored vehicles (tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and self-propelled artillery mounts) onto flat cars at loading points," the statement added.
Once back at the permanent bases, the military equipment will be maintained and prepared for the next round of combat training, the Defense Ministry noted.
The Russian Armed Forces continue a series of large-scale military drills involving all military districts, fleets and airborne troops. The tactical drills took place at 15 combined-arms training grounds. The exercises involved reinforced companies of battalion tactical groups.
Talks between Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil have concluded in Moscow. The meeting lasted about three hours.
The two leaders appeared before the press for a final statement.
Putin said at the meeting that although bilateral relations had been affected by the coronavirus pandemic, trade between the two countries continued to grow. He hailed Brazil as one of Russia’s key trade and economic partners in Latin America and expressed hope that the meeting would be useful.
Russia is interested in the independence of Latin America and the Caribbean on the international stage, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told a meeting of the defense and foreign ministers of Russia and Brazil in the ‘two plus two’ format, that takes place in Moscow for the first time.
Moscow sees Brazil’s central role in the development of that region, the top diplomat added. "We are interested in the independent role of Latin America and the Caribbean on the world stage, and we see a leading, central role that Brazil plays in ensuring the development of that major region of the world," Lavrov stressed.
Russia values cooperation with Brazil in various formats - regional, as well as within the framework of BRICS, the United Nations and G20.
Also on Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin holds talks with President of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro https://youtu.be/JW-PCZUqQhs
Sergey Lavrov opened meeting by conveying condolences to his Brazilian colleagues about the floods in the city of Petropolis.
He noted that today for the first time "Russian-Brazilian relations are enriched by a new format, the "two plus two" format of foreign ministers and defense ministers," which starts against the background of tragic events in Brazil itself.
"First of all, on behalf of our delegation, I would like to express our condolences over the tragic events that occurred as a result of the flood and the landslides in the Brazilian city of Petropolis, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, and ask you to convey our condolences to the families of the victims," the top diplomat said.
Brazil's Regional Development Minister Rogerio Marinho said on his Twitter page that at least six people were killed Tuesday as a result of heavy rainfall-induced floods in Petropolis.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has greeted his Brazilian counterpart Jair Bolsonaro in the Kremlin.
The conversation is taking place without additional social distance - the two leaders are sitting next to each other and shook hands before the talks.
As the Kremlin press service reported earlier, during the meeting it is planned to review the issues of strengthening the Russian-Brazilian strategic partnership, the development of cooperation in the trade and economic, scientific and technical and cultural and humanitarian spheres as well as discuss the international agenda.
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that such a meeting is a "good opportunity to exchange opinions on the most pressing issues on the global agenda today."
Statements for the media are planned following the conclusion of the talks.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has positively assessed his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
"We had a very intense and very frank conversation," he told journalists, adding that the talks were held in a "friendly atmosphere."
According to the German chancellor, the sides raised disputable issues.
"We have a clear strategy - if military aggression is staged against Ukraine, it will have serious consequences," he stressed. The West, in his words, has drafted sanctions and will be ready to react to the changing situation. "It is necessary to spare no effort to avoid escalation," he added.
Olaf Scholz told reporters that European security is possible only with Russia’s participation.
"It is absolutely clear for us, Germans, and to all Europeans as well, that [a] lasting security [system] cannot be created against Russia, only with Russia. We share this opinion both in NATO and the European Union," Scholz said, calling for a solution that would be acceptable for everyone.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has promised to submit to the Trilateral Contact Group the three political bills envisaged by the Minsk agreements, namely on Donbass’ status, on amendments to the Ukrainian constitution, and on elections in the region, German Chancellor said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that his memories are still fresh of the war that the North Atlantic Alliance started in Europe against Yugoslavia and of the bombardments of Belgrade. Putin remarked it was a sad example, but at the same time remained a hard fact.
"Mr. Federal Chancellor has just said that the people of his generation - and I certainly belong to that generation myself - find it difficult to imagine some war in Europe," Putin told a news conference following talks with Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz. He added that that was said regarding the situation involving Ukraine.
"But all of us were witnesses to the war in Europe that NATO unleashed against Yugoslavia," Putin said. He recalled that there was a major military operation involving bombing strikes against one of the European capitals: Belgrade.
"It did happen. Without any sanctions by the UN Security Council. It is a very sad example, but it is a hard fact," Putin said.
On March 24, 1999 NATO, without a UN Security Council’s resolution launched an air operation codenamed Allied Force against Yugoslavia. The operation lasted for 78 days. The alliance’s leadership claimed its purpose was to prevent genocide of Kosovo’s Albanians. According to NATO’s sources its aircraft flew 38,000 sorties and carried out 10,000 bombing strikes.
The bombardments killed, according to different estimates 3,500-4,000 and left about 10,000 others (two-thirds of them civilians) injured. The material damage totaled $100 billion. During the three months of bombardments NATO forces dropped on Serbia 15 tonnes of depleted uranium in bombs and shells. After that the country’s cancer rates surged to first place in Europe. In the first ten years following the bombardments about 30,000 developed cancer and an estimated 10,000-18,000 of them died.
Russia’s Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu inspected the Russian Navy’s sweeping drills in the eastern Mediterranean, the Defense Ministry reported on Tuesday.
"On February 15, Russia’s Defense Minister Army General Sergey Shoigu inspected the Russian Navy’s drills in the eastern Mediterranean running as part of naval maneuvers in operationally important areas of the World Ocean and in the seas adjacent to Russian territory," the ministry said in a statement.
At the Russian Navy’s logistics facility in the port of Tartus in Syria, Shoigu heard a report by Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Nikolay Yevmenov on joint combat training exercises by Russian combat ships and aircraft for striking a hypothetical enemy’s naval groups and delivering fire against naval and aerial targets, employing artillery guns and anti-submarine weapons, the statement says.
The Russian Navy’s chief reported to the defense minister that the Mediterranean drills involved over 15 combat ships of the Pacific, Northern and Black Sea Fleets: the missile cruisers Varyag and Marshal Ustinov, the frigates Fleet Admiral Kasatonov, Admiral Grigorovich, the large anti-submarine ships Admiral Tributs and Vice-Admiral Kulakov, support vessels and also more than 30 aircraft of Russia’s Aerospace Force, the ministry said.
"The drills are focused on measures to hunt down foreign submarines, establish control of shipping in the Mediterranean Sea and on flights by aircraft over it," the ministry specified.
The naval maneuvers are focused on measures by the Navy and the Aerospace Force to protect Russia’s national interests in the World Ocean and counter military threats to Russia from the direction of seas and oceans, the ministry specified.
"Overall, the series of the ongoing naval drills, as reported by Admiral Yevmenov, has brought together over 140 warships and support vessels, more than 60 aircraft, 1,000 items of military hardware and about 10,000 troops," the Russian Defense Ministry said.
As part of the active phase of the naval maneuvers, surface ships, submarines and naval aircraft of the Fleets operating under a single concept are practicing combat training tasks in the Okhotsk, Black and Barents Seas, the ministry informed.
Russian Defense Minister Shoigu inspected the naval maneuvers in Tartus jointly with his Syrian counterpart, General Ali Ayyoub, it said.
"At the Russian Navy’s Tartus logistics facility, Shoigu also inspected the Black Sea Fleet’s ship repair center where he set tasks for further improving the infrastructure of the base of Russian ships in Syria and also laid flowers at the monument to Admiral Fyodor Ushakov," the Defense Ministry informed.
On behalf of Russian President Putin, General Shoigu made a working trip to Damascus, where he was received by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
The head of the Russian military department informed the Syrian president about the exercise of the Russian Navy in the eastern Mediterranean.
