Russia in Canada

#NoStatuteOfLimitations ◾️ On September 1-3, 2004, Russia endured one of the most horrific tragedies in its modern history – the inhuman Beslan terrorist attack. 22 years ago, a festive back-to-school ceremony at School No.1 was shattered by bursts of gunfire. The terrorists took 1,128 people hostage – children, their parents and teachers. They were forced into a cramped gymnasium, which the terrorists turned into a deadly trap. For nearly three days, the hostages were held at gunpoint without food or water. For hundreds of families, those three days lasted an eternity. During the counterterrorism operation, 811 people were rescued. But, to our great sorrow, not all could be saved. 🕯 The terrorist attack claimed 334 lives, including 186 children. We remember and mourn the children, their parents and teachers who perished during those terrible September days. We bow our heads before the courage of those who entered the school rigged with explosives, carried children out under fire and rescued hostages, risking and sacrificing their own lives. Beslan will forever remain our shared pain – a wound that does not heal with time. 💬 As President of Russia Vladimir Putin said on September 4, 2004:

What happened in Beslan was an inhuman terrorist crime, unprecedented in its cruelty. It was a challenge to all of Russia, to our entire people. It was an attack on our country. The terrorists believe they are stronger than us. That they can intimidate us with their cruelty, paralyse our will and tear our society apart. And it may seem that we have a choice – to fight back or accept their demands. To surrender, to allow Russia to be destroyed and torn apart in the hope that they will eventually leave us alone. I am convinced that in reality we simply have no choice. We were and always will be stronger than them – through our moral values, our courage and our human solidarity. I saw that again last night.

*** In memory of the victims of Beslan and other terrorist attacks, Russia observes the Day of Solidarity in the Fight Against Terrorism on September 3. On this day, we remember all our compatriots who were killed by terrorists in Beslan, at Dubrovka, in Budyonnovsk, in the apartment bombings in Moscow, Buynaksk and Volgodonsk, in the horrific Crocus City Hall tragedy, at the hands of Ukrainian militants in Donbass and the Kursk Region, in other terrorist attacks. ❗️ Russia considers it its duty to consistently combat international terrorism, promote the consolidation of international efforts against this pure evil and counter all its manifestations – including those perpetrated by neo-Nazis in Ukraine and other ideological followers of misanthropic ideologies.

Despite the hybrid war unleashed against us – against Russia and the Russian people – by the “collective West”, including through terrorist and extremist groups of all stripes, Russia remains firmly committed to a principled fight against the terrorist threat and to strengthening counterterrorism security, relying on cooperation with partners genuinely interested in this work. – briefing by Russia's Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, August 28, 2024

📷 © Head of the Republic of North Ossetia – Alania Sergey Menyaylo

⚡️ On September 2, Germany’s Chargé d’Affaires a.i. in Moscow was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry. The German diplomat was told that the Russian Side categorically rejects Berlin’s completely fabricated allegations of Russia’s involvement in the purported incident at Leipzig Airport. It was stressed that the German Government’s decision to use this contrived pretext to close the Russian Consulate General in Bonn and the Russian House of Science and Culture in Berlin is viewed as yet another step towards the complete dismantling of the bilateral relationship painstakingly built by generations of Russian and German politicians and diplomats. It was emphasised that Berlin deliberately resorted to an outright provocation aimed at escalating Russian-German relations. ❗️ The actions of the German authorities will be met with a tough response.

⚡️ Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency (#Rosaviatsiya) Ukraine’s aviation authorities have backed the terrorist rhetoric of their leadership aimed at disrupting the operation of Russia’s civil aviation and issued an illegitimate NOTAM alleging that Russian airspace is unsafe. In response, Rosaviatsiya issued a NOTAM stating that all documents published by Ukraine concerning Russian airspace have no legal force and violate the Convention on International Civil Aviation. ❗️ Russia’s air transport system and ground infrastructure continue to operate as normal, receiving and dispatching flights, including those of foreign airlines. Rosaviatsiya, in coordination with other federal and regional authorities, is implementing additional measures to ensure the safe use of Russian airspace and strengthen the security of transport infrastructure on the ground.

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#KievRegimeCrimes ⚡️ Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Rodion Miroshnik: 💬 On September 1, a volunteer humanitarian convoy – four vehicles carrying food and medicines – was attacked by Ukrainian drones while approaching the city of Alyoshki in the Kherson Region. For several months, Ukrainian militants have been using drone strikes and remote mining to obstruct civilian traffic, including ambulances, travelling to and from Alyoshki. According to eyewitnesses, a Ukrainian drone hovered in front of the lead vehicle, forcing the volunteer group to stop. The drone then circled all the vehicles, giving its operator ample opportunity to verify that they were carrying only civilians and humanitarian cargo. The first vehicle was then struck by a Ukrainian UAV. Further strikes on the civilian vehicles followed one after another until the cars were badly damaged and the aid cargo destroyed. The drivers and volunteers accompanying the shipment managed to leave the vehicles and take cover in a nearby wooded area. According to preliminary information, one volunteer was injured. ❗️ An attack on civilian vehicles and civilians is unequivocally a war crime. This attack is further aggravated by the fact that the volunteers were carrying out a humanitarian mission to the city, which was deliberately disrupted.

✍️📰Интервью Посла России в Бельгии Д.В.Гончара бельгийскому информационному порталу «Kairos Presse» и МИА «Россия сегодня» (31 августа 2026 г.) Основные тезисы: 🔹По итогам саммита НАТО в Анкаре руководство блока бравурно рапортовало об «ошеломляющем» наращивании оборонных расходов и «революционном скачке» в развитии ОПК. Прогнозируемые военные траты стран-членов в текущем году превысят астрономические 1,8 трлн долл. Множатся двусторонние и многосторонние военные договоренности, практически ежедневно объявляется о новых многомиллионных военных контрактах. В реальности речь идет о том, что есовско-натовское руководство взяло курс на форсированную милитаризацию и провоцирует гонку вооружений в ущерб мирному развитию региона и благополучию граждан. 🔹Для оправдания используются страшилки о якобы готовящемся нападении России на страны НАТО к 2029-2030 гг. – вопреки многократным заявлениям высшего российского руководства об отсутствии таких намерений, официальному предложению Москвы зафиксировать на бумаге взаимные гарантии безопасности, что было ими в очередной раз полностью проигнорировано. 🔹Истинным источником растущей напряженности является все более агрессивное поведение самих натовцев. Один из последних примеров – заранее не анонсировавшиеся воздушные учения блока вблизи Калининграда в конце второй декады августа. 🔹У России нет ни желания, ни резона, чтобы нападать на Бельгию или какую-либо другую страну НАТО. Эти домыслы нужны лишь для оправдания безумных военных расходов, милитаризации экономики и деградации социально-экономической ситуации. В 2025 г. военные ассигнования королевства подскочили с 8 млрд почти до 13 млрд, утвержден многомиллиардный план по перевооружению, планируется удвоить численность ВС, готовится новый «Кодекс о вооруженных силах» с возможностью принудительного привлечения специалистов под угрозой уголовной ответственности. Идет активная подготовка к возможному противостоянию с нашей страной, под это формируется информфон. Сама мысль о большой войне перестала быть табуированной в СМИ. 🔹Отказ от российских энергоносителей и вынужденная закупка дорогостоящих альтернатив в сочетании с непомерными военными тратами, повлекли за собой стагнацию и даже рецессию в большинстве есовско-натовских государств, а также рекордную инфляцию, достигшую по оценкам Евростата 22%. Прямым следствием стал удар по покупательной способности населения – рост цен на продукты превысил 32%, а кредитные ставки выросли более чем вдвое, обрушив доступность жилья и строительный сектор. В Бельгии эти процессы приобрели особо острую форму: только за март с.г. объем производства сократился на 3%, а в июне обанкротились 1184 компании, число потерявших работу за месяц удвоилось, став худшим показателем за последние десять лет. 🔹Позиция НАТО по Украине – исключительно деструктивная и эскалирующая. Именно линия на безудержное расширение альянса и приближение военной инфраструктуры к границам России, планы по форсированному втягиванию Украины в блок спровоцировали украинский кризис. И сейчас НАТО остается главным поджигателем войны и препятствием на пути политико-дипломатического урегулирования. Через постоянную накачку ВСУ вооружением и техникой, включая высокоточное оружие дальнего радиуса действия, участие в целенаведении, обеспечение разведданными западники все сильнее вовлекаются в конфликт с Россией на стороне киевского режима. Считаем авантюристическими и крайне опасными шаги есовцев и натовцев по превращению Европы в стратегический тыл для ВСУ и даже часть украинского фронта. Все это закономерно ставит вопрос о реализации нами контрмер и создает угрозу неприемлемого ущерба для государств Европы в случае попыток киевского режима эскалировать конфликт. ❗️Если кто и погубит Запад, так это не Россия, а его собственный военно-политический истеблишмент, сросшийся с ОПК, толкающий Старый Свет на прямое столкновение с ядерной державой со всеми вытекающими из этого катастрофическими последствиями для всего мира. Хорошо бы, чтобы простые европейцы понимали, какое мрачное будущее готовят им их же элиты. ЧИТАТЬ ИНТЕРВЬЮ ПОЛНОСТЬЮ

#KievRegimeCrimes ⚡️ Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Rodion Miroshnik: 💬 Over the past week, Ukrainian attacks on civilian targets across Russian regions surged to nearly 1,200 strikes per day. ▪️ As a result, 53 civilians were killed, including 7 children. The highest numbers of civilian casualties were recorded in the Kherson and Belgorod Regions, the DPR, LPR and Zaporozhye Region. Ukrainian militants carried out a series of deliberate attacks on targets in densely populated areas, seeking to inflict maximum harm on civilians. Throughout the week, Ozon marketplace infrastructure came under coordinated terrorist strikes throughout the week, including attacks on logistics hubs in the Republics of Adygea and Dagestan, as well as Stavropol Territory. Kiev’s armed groups also continued their criminal strategy of energy terrorism in the Zaporozhye, Kursk and Kherson Regions, focusing on key distribution substations supplying several districts at once. Energy facilities in the DPR and LPR were also targeted. On August 24-30, Ukrainian attacks resulted in 383 civilian casualties: 330 people were injured, including 38 minors; 53 were killed, including 7 children. Over the seven-day period, Ukrainian militants fired at least 8,382 munitions at civilian targets on Russian territory – one of the highest weekly figures since the start of the year.

🇷🇺🇮🇳 Opening remarks by President of Russia Vladimir Putin during the meeting with Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the SCO Summit (Bishkek, August 31, 2026). 💬 President Putin: I am very glad to meet with you again. This time, our meeting is taking place on the eve of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit – an organisation that works to deepen contacts among the countries of the Global South and East, promotes the region’s socioeconomic and cultural development, and contributes to building a just #MultipolarWorld. 🤝 I am also pleased to note that Russia-India relations continue to strengthen on the principles of a special and privileged strategic partnership. Mr Prime Minister, this is undoubtedly facilitated by your personal attention to the development of Russia-India relations, as well as by the close personal friendship that has developed between us, for which I am very grateful to you. Recently, Foreign Minister of India Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, during our meeting in Moscow, conveyed your message, and I fully share everything set out in it. Next year, we will mark the 80th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, and, of course, we are seriously preparing for the upcoming #BRICS Summit in New Delhi in September. 📈 Trade and economic cooperation is showing positive trends overall. There was a slight decline last year, but in the first half of 2026, trade turnover increased by 2.6%. A week ago, the Intergovernmental Commission met in Moscow and also reported good results. I would also like to say a few words about humanitarian cooperation. India is among the leaders in terms of the number of students studying in Russia: over the past 10 years, their number has increased sevenfold and now stands at almost 40,000. Cultural festivals are held regularly – both Indian culture festivals and Russian culture festivals. The next one is scheduled to take place in India in 2027. Tourist exchanges are also developing rapidly, increasing by 16% in 2025. 🌐 We closely coordinate our efforts within the #UN, #BRICS, #G20 and, of course, the #SCO. Today, we have a very good opportunity to compare notes and chart the way forward in developing Russia-India relations. #RussiaIndia #DruzhbaDosti

🇷🇺🇨🇳 Opening remarks by President of Russia Vladimir Putin during the meeting with President of China Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the SCO Summit (Bishkek, August 31, 2026). 💬 President Putin: I am sincerely glad to meet with you again – this time in Kyrgyzstan. I would like to begin with the tragic events that recently occurred in China’s Tibet Autonomous Region, near the border with Nepal – a powerful mudslide struck the area, resulting in loss of life. ▪️ Please convey our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives, as well as our wishes for a speedy recovery to all those injured. *** We are meeting just a few hours before the start of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit. ☝️ The SCO was established 25 years ago at the initiative of China and Russia. I am very pleased to note that our initiative has developed so successfully, acquired a truly broad international character and grown into a full-fledged international organisation. This year we also marked the 25th anniversary of the fundamental Treaty of Good-Neighbourliness and Friendly Cooperation, signed by Comrade Jiang Zemin, who would have turned 100 on August 17. We remember his contribution to the development of Russia-China relations. Today, amid a complex geopolitical environment, the comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction between Russia and China serve as a model of interstate relations. 🤝 They are founded on strong traditions of friendship, respect for sovereignty, equality and mutual benefit. Cooperation is developing successfully across all areas, including the economy. We are implementing major projects in energy, industry, space, transport and logistics. The first regular voyage by a Chinese container ship along the Northern Sea Route took place in mid-August. Mutual agricultural trade is growing rapidly – up 34%. Digital innovation, including artificial intelligence technologies, is opening up new opportunities for the economic development of our countries. Together with our Chinese friends, we established the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization in 2026. This was your initiative, which we were pleased to support, and we are committed to working together in this field. Business and humanitarian contacts are undoubtedly facilitated by the 30-day visa-free regime. You announced this initiative a year ago, on September 2, during our meeting in Beijing. We supported it, and the arrangement is now in effect through the end of 2027. The results were immediate: tourist flows increased by 43% in the first half of 2026. We are ready to work together on making the visa-free regime permanent, should the Chinese Side consider this possible and beneficial. 🌐 As for current foreign policy issues, our fundamental approaches are close or fully aligned. In addition to the #SCO, we actively cooperate within the #UN, #BRICS, #G20 and ASEAN-centred formats, and, of course, we will continue supporting China’s chairmanship of #APEC. #RussiaChina

#Announcement 🗓 On September 1-4, Vladivostok will host the 11th Eastern Economic Forum (#EEF). The Forum is a leading platform for advancing the development of the Russian Far East and expanding international cooperation across the Asia-Pacific Region (#APR). Participants will gain direct access to partners, investors and regulators, opportunities to enter new markets and a chance to help shape the development agenda of Russia’s largest macroregion. #EEF2026 will feature a plenary session, thematic sessions, business dialogues, roundtables and expert discussions bringing together government, business and academic representatives from more than 80 countries. 📄 The business programme is structured around five thematic tracks covering international cooperation, technological development, improving quality of life, attracting investment and implementing infrastructure projects: • Living and Working in the Far East; • The Far East – A Pole of International Cooperation; • Technologies of the Present and the Future; • Mechanisms for Attracting Private Investment; • Logistics and Infrastructure for Economic Growth. ✍️ President of Russia Vladimir Putin’s greetings to the participants, organisers and guests of the 11th Eastern Economic Forum (August 30, 2026):

“Over the years, the Forum has established itself as a platform for open and constructive dialogue among representatives of the business community, government authorities and experts. It has become a unique venue for discussing strategic priorities for the development of the Far East and Russia as a whole, as well as for establishing and strengthening mutually beneficial ties with partners from the Asia-Pacific region in logistics, industry, energy and many other sectors of the economy”.

#EEF2026 📷 © Roscongress

#KievRegimeCrimes ⚡️ Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Rodion Miroshnik: PHOTO FACTS & EVIDENCE of crimes committed by Ukrainian armed forces over the week of August 24-30, 2026: ▪️ August 24 – a Ukrainian UAV struck a civilian cargo vehicle parked outside a commercial facility in Oktyabrsky, Belgorod Region. One civilian was injured. ▪️ August 25 – an aircraft-type UAV carrying mines fitted with magnetic sensors and disguised as logs was discovered in the Zaporozhye Region. ▪️ August 26 – a Ukrainian UAV struck a civilian cargo vehicle in Valuyki. ▪️ August 26 – a SCALP-EG/Storm Shadow missile strike hit the area near the Donetsk City shopping and entertainment center in Donetsk, DPR. Ten civilians, including two children, were injured. ▪️ August 26 – a Ukrainian UAV struck a Lisichansk-Stakhanov scheduled bus in the LPR. Nine civilians were killed and five injured. ▪️ August 27 – a Ukrainian UAV struck a building housing a bakery and a shop in Belaya, Kursk Region. Six civilians were injured. ▪️ August 27 – a Ukrainian UAV struck a private home in Shebekino, Belgorod Region. ▪️ August 28 – a Ukrainian UAV struck a transformer in Kairy, Kherson Region, leaving around 7,000 household consumers without power. ▪️ August 29 – a Ukrainian UAV struck retail pavilions in Vasilyevka, Zaporozhye Region. Four civilians were injured. ▪️ August 29 – a Ukrainian UAV struck a Russian EMERCOM tanker truck in the Volnovakha District of the DPR.

#WeWereAllies 8️⃣5️⃣ years ago, on August 31, 1941, the first Arctic Convoy, codenamed 'Operation Dervish', arrived in Arkhangelsk, opening the route for delivering strategic supplies to the northern ports of the Soviet Union during #WW2. Seven ships (six freighters and a tanker), escorted by 15 security vessels, minesweepers and corvettes, embarked on a perilous voyage from Liverpool, pausing to refuel at Hvalfjörður, Iceland. The ships advanced in short columns while constantly changing course to hinder German submarine attacks. *** According to the allied obligations under the Lend-Lease and other agreements, the United States and the United Kingdom supplied the USSR weapons, military equipment, and other supplies via the Arctic routes. On their return voyages, the ships carried strategic commodities and raw materials. The first convoy successfully delivered 25'000 tonnes of cargo to Arkhangelsk, equivalent to roughly 300–400 railway wagons or 1'500 modern lorries. Maritime delivery via the Black Sea or the Baltic Sea was impossible due to the Germans’ swift advances on Crimea and Leningrad. The Pacific route was extremely lengthy. The Arctic route proved to be the shortest option. The port of Murmansk alone received over 1 million tons of Allied (American and British) Lend-Lease aid cargo during the war years. Over the course of WWII, 78 Arctic convoys delivered around 4 million tonnes of supplies to the USSR. These shipments included 7'000 aircraft, 5'000 tanks, as well as lorries, cars, fuel, medicine and other essentials that proved vital to defeating the Nazi invaders. 🌟 The Arctic convoys stand as a remarkable example of allied cooperation during #WWII. Their history offers countless acts of heroism and selflessness demonstrated by UK, American and Soviet sailors and pilots, as well as citizens of other nations who escorted the convoys through the harsh conditions of the #Arctic. More than 3'000 British sailors perished during the war due to explosions, fires or exposure to freezing water. Eighty-five merchant vessels and 16 Royal Navy warships were lost, including two cruisers and six destroyers. #Victory81

⚡️ Article by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, “International Cooperation in the Arctic: Challenges and Opportunities,” published on Arctic.ru 📰 Read in full ✍️ On 19 August, a landmark event took place in Arctic shipping. For the first time, a container ship from China arrived at the port of Murmansk via the Northern Sea Route, a vital part of the Trans-Arctic Transport Corridor. In collaboration with our international partners this represents the start of a new phase in the development of Russia’s Arctic region, which accounts for at least 10 percent of the country’s GDP and is home to more than 2.5 million of our citizens. In this regard, I would like to share a number of considerations on how we assess the current state of affairs in the Arctic and how we plan to develop international cooperation there. *** Russia and international partners in the Arctic • The Foundations of the Russian State Policy in the Arctic for the Period up to 2035, approved by President Vladimir Putin, focus the efforts of all government bodies on improving the quality of life for the population of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation, promoting economic growth in its territories, protecting the environment and fostering mutually beneficial international cooperation. <...> Foreign policy priorities in high latitudes have been enshrined in the currently effective Concept of the Foreign Policy of the Russian Federation of March 31, 2023. • In the Arctic, Russia is seeking to preserve peace and stability, reduce the level of threats to national security, and create favourable external conditions for the country’s socio-economic development. We are open to interaction with all constructively minded foreign countries displaying reciprocal readiness to put these ideas into practice. • The countries that cooperate closely with us in the Arctic include, first and foremost, China and India. <...> There are prospects for interaction in the Far North with Brazil, Indonesia, Iran and other #BRICS countries. Challenges for international cooperation in the Arctic • Preserving the Arctic as an area of peace and cooperation meets the interests of the entire international community, and Russia is undoubtedly interested in this as well. • Meanwhile, there are those who do not share this point of view. How else can one explain the fact that NATO countries, as well as the Alliance as a whole, are driving the region towards militarisation and creating hotbeds of international tension there? <...> NATO is conducting large-scale military exercises involving non-regional countries and introducing new components of its command-and-control system. • Such military activity in the Far North poses a direct threat to Russia’s security. <...> NATO and other Western countries make no secret of their true motives, openly declaring their intention to turn the Arctic into a new front for opposing the development of Russia and its like-minded partners. • One manifestation of the West’s anti-Russian policy has been the disruption of previously effective mechanisms of multilateral cooperation in the Far North. <...> The Arctic Council, established almost 30 years ago, on September 19, 1996, remains the only functioning intergovernmental format. Russia is ready to resume the full-fledged work of the Arctic Council, provided that all parties engage in good faith and take into account the legitimate interests of every participant. The future of international cooperation in the Arctic • A glance at the world map makes it clear that Russia has been, is, and will remain a leading Arctic state. <...> The strategic importance of the Arctic to our country’s national interests and security will also continue to grow. • In our economic activities, we will continue to proceed from the understanding that the Arctic maritime areas form an integral part of the World Ocean. • Russia’s foreign policy in the Arctic will remain comprehensive and pragmatic. We support the Arctic’s development as an integral part of the broader Eurasian space of security and cooperation.

🇷🇺🇧🇾 President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin met with President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko at Novo-Ogaryovo (Novo-Ogaryovo, Moscow Region, August 29, 2026) 💬 Vladimir Putin: Mr Lukashenko, I am very glad to meet with you again. It seems that we saw each other not so long ago, but, as I always say in such situations, the dynamics of our relationship are such that new things are coming up all the time that we need to pay attention to, agree on, and adjust. Still, in general, I would like to point out that — you know it better than anyone else — our main area of cooperation, trade and economic relations, is developing successfully, despite all attempts from the outside to influence it in some way. 📈 After all, according to our statistics, the trade of nearly 50 — in fact, 52 billion dollars last year is a good indicator. And in the first six months of this year — a further 12,5% percent increase, 4.5 billion in direct investment from Russia, and 2,500 enterprises with Russian participation. And what is most important, to my mind, and of the greatest significance, is that we are cooperating not only in traditional areas, but also in areas that are particularly important today: namely, high technology. And here I would like to reiterate that, thanks to your long-standing efforts, Belarus has preserved and built upon much of what was created back in the days of the Soviet Union, and now, jointly, we can continue to move forward in these areas, including microelectronics and some other areas. We are very glad to see you. I know that you were already quite busy yesterday working within the Government of the Russian Federation, with your colleagues and mine from the Russian Government. Now, in the course of our discussion today, we shall summarise some of the outcomes. If there is anything that needs to be added or amended, we shall do just so. 🌐 And we continue to play an active role in the international arena while strengthening the #UnionState. I believe that a meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Union State is due to take place in the near future. We are working on all platforms, including the #UN and the organisations in which we have been actively involved from the outset: the #CIS, the #SCO and others. All of this, of course, will also be on our agenda today. 🤝 Welcome. #RussiaBelarus #UnionState

✉️ Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov sent greetings to the organisers, participants and guests of the Dialogue of Young Diplomats of the Greater Eurasian Partnership (August 29, 2026) ✍️ I extend my warmest welcome to the organisers, participants, and guests of the Dialogue of Young Diplomats of the Greater Eurasian Partnership countries in Kazan. The current stage of global development, marked by the strengthening of multipolar principles in international affairs, presents vast opportunities for building new and more equitable mechanisms of global economic cooperation. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s initiative to establish a #GreaterEurasianPartnership is intended to consolidate integration processes across the continent, facilitate the removal of barriers in trade and investment, and foster more sophisticated, balanced, and reliable economic ties throughout the vast #Eurasia. Young foreign policy professionals will have a vital role to play in this ambitious endeavour. Before long, it will be your responsibility to coordinate the strategies and plans of your respective countries in pursuit of the wellbeing and prosperity of our shared continent. I am confident that today’s meeting will provide a constructive platform for dialogue, enable the establishment of meaningful professional contacts, and contribute to further strengthening the bonds of friendship and trust among our countries. 🤝 I wish you fruitful discussions and all the very best. Sergey Lavrov

8️⃣5️⃣ years ago, on August 28, the Tallinn Breakout of the Soviet Baltic Fleet towards Kronstadt — one of the largest and most difficult naval operations by the Soviet Union during #WW2 — commenced. *** In the summer of 1941, the Nazis, having treacherously invaded our Motherland, advanced rapidly into the Baltic region. By August, the enemy had launched an offensive against the capital of Soviet Estonia — Tallinn. Thus, the city’s heroic defence commenced. Wehrmacht army group 'North' received a direct order from Hitler: under no circumstances were the Soviet Baltic Fleet or Red Army units to be allowed to withdraw to Kronstadt to take part in the defence of Leningrad. By the end of August, the Soviet forces, including the Tallinn garrison, started regrouping under the heavy fire of Nazis and found themselves encircled on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland. The land route to Leningrad had been severed by the enemy. Faced with these dire circumstances, the Supreme High Command of the USSR took a vital decision: to evacuate the Baltic Fleet, the Red Army units, which were defending Tallinn, as well as civilians to Kronstadt. In the early hours of August 28, the breakout began. A convoy of 225 warships and auxiliary vessels left Tallinn, carrying over 40'000 people on board. German Nazis and their Finnish accomplices were trying to thwart the evacuation by any means. Enemy coastal artillery opened heavy and relentless fire on Soviet vessels, while Finnish aircraft were mercilessly shooting at the Soviet people in the water. The Gulf of Finland was sown with over 1'700 mines laid by the Nazis. Survivors later recounted:

The Gulf, choked with enemy mines, resembled a dumpling soup

By August 30, the Baltic Fleet finally fought its way to Kronstadt. Only 163 vessels reached the destination safely. More than 15'000 people, among them over 4'500 civilians, lost their lives during the breakout — an unprecedented number of casualties in the history of naval warfare. Under such circumstances, the number of casualties could have been far higher, yet thanks to the unparalleled courage and heroism of Red Fleet sailors and Red Army soldiers, the main forces of the fleet were preserved and later engaged in the defence of Leningrad, shielding the city from from attacks via the Gulf of Finland. 🎖 The Tallinn Breakout stands as one of the most heroic and tragic episodes of #WWII. To this day, the depths of the Gulf of Finland remain strewn with the wreckage of vessels lost to Nazi mines — they serve as silent memorials to those three harrowing days in August 1941. *** 🕯 On August 28, 1978, a memorial was erected at Cape Juminda (the Gulf’s southern coast) to honour those who perished during the breakout — a granite boulder and plaque with naval mines around. Annually, commemorative ceremonies are held there with participation of the Russian Embassy in Estonia (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7), Russia's compatriots’ organisations, veterans and their families, as well as Estonians who share our common historical memory. 💬 Russia's Ambassador to Estonia Alexander Petrov (2015−2021):

To the north of Juminda now lies what is perhaps the largest maritime mass grave not only in the Baltic, but in the entire world. It is the moral duty of the living to bow their heads before those who perished and honour the courage and fortitude of all who crushed the Nazi regime during WW2.

📖 For more details, read our in-depth historical feature on the Tallinn Breakout. #WeRemember #Victory81

⚡️ Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Rodion Miroshnik: On August 26, the Kievsky District of Donetsk was attacked with Storm Shadow/SCALP-EG missiles. Eight people were injured, including two children. According to the head of the Donetsk People’s Republic, the district was struck with British-French long-range air-launched Storm Shadow/SCALP-EG cruise missiles. The main strike hit the area around the Donetsk City shopping and entertainment center. A girl born in 2016 and a woman born in 1973 sustained moderate injuries. Also injured were a teenage girl born in 2010, a woman born in 1947, and four men born in 1987, 1981, 1977 and 1949. As soon as the British PM spoke of sharing the technology behind these missiles with Kiev, they were used against civilian targets. ❗️ Ukrainian terrorists behave like drug addicts – once they get their hands on something, they rush to use it, usually in the most dangerous way possible for those around them.

🔖 В преддверии 81-й годовщины Победы над милитаристской Японией и окончания Второй мировой войны Национальный центр исторической памяти при Президенте Российской Федерации приглашает принять участие в просветительских проектах ✍️ Подготовленные информационно-справочные материалы помогут образовательным учреждениям, общественным организациям, молодежным движениям и учреждениям культуры провести содержательные мероприятия и тематические акции. 🖋 Памятная дата 3 сентября закреплена Федеральным законом как День воинской славы и имеет для нашего общества особое значение. Понимание истинной цены Дальневосточной победы — это фундамент нашего современного мировоззрения и четкое осознание национальной безопасности. 📃 На Западе нацистская Германия осуществляла геноцид и несла угрозу рабства, и на Востоке милитаристская Япония воплощала в жизнь такую же человеконенавистническую политику. Ради достижения своих преступных целей японское руководство не остановилось бы ни перед чем, вынашивая планы по захвату советских дальневосточных рубежей и масштабному применению бактериологического оружия.

Самым страшным воплощением этих намерений стали бесчеловечные опыты «отряда 731» над живыми людьми, в том числе советскими гражданами. Эти чудовищные факты навсегда и бесповоротно лишают оснований любые попытки поставить под сомнение значимость Победы на Дальнем Востоке. Ведь за ними скрывалась не просто военная опасность, но и, как выяснилось на Хабаровском судебном процессе 1949 года, — реальная угроза планомерного уничтожения целых народов.

🔍 Мощный и молниеносный удар Красной Армии в августе-сентябре 1945 года не только предотвратил применение этого оружия, но и спас миллионы людей от геноцида. Маньчжурская, Южно-Сахалинская и Курильская операции наших фронтов и флотов сломили волю противника. 2 сентября на линкоре «Миссури» был подписан Акт о капитуляции. Вторая мировая война была завершена. Память о подвиге наших дедов и прадедов на Дальнем Востоке становится не просто данью прошлому. Это ключевой ориентир в понимании мира, безопасности и нашей ответственности перед будущим. Именно поэтому так важно сохранить и передать эту память следующим поколениям. 📌 В материалах Национального центра вы найдете всё необходимое для проведения мероприятий любого масштаба:

➢ Маршруты по местам памяти: мемориально-патронатные акции, церемонии возложения цветов, исторические квесты от «Волонтёров Победы» ➢ Выставочные проекты: экспозиция «Победа на Дальнем Востоке», раскрывающая правду об «отряде 731» и японских планах биологической войны ➢ Акция «Дальневосточная Победа»: волонтеры раздадут муаровые ленты, символизирующие победу над милитаристской Японией  ➢ Просвещение и кино: планы просветительских уроков и лекториев, а также подборка документальных фильмов Медиаплатформы Центра ➢ и многое другое

🖥 Все материалы уже доступны на официальном сайте Национального центра. Используйте их в своей работе и поделитесь опытом через форму обратной связи! 🇷🇺 Подпишитесь и будьте в Центре

☢️ Zaporozhskaya Nuclear Power Plant (#ZNPP): On August 26, the Zaporozhskaya NPP, operated by Rosatom, came under a Ukrainian drone attack targeting its dry spent nuclear fuel storage facility. No significant damage was recorded and no personnel were injured. No environmental impact was detected, while radiation levels at the plant and in the surrounding area remain within normal limits. ❗️ An attack on a spent nuclear fuel storage facility is an extremely dangerous and unacceptable act. Damage to the infrastructure ensuring the safe storage of spent nuclear fuel could have serious consequences and poses a potential threat to nuclear and radiation safety. ZNPP personnel are taking all necessary measures to ensure the plant’s safe operation.

#KievRegimeCrimes 💬 Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Rodion Miroshnik: On August 26, nine people were killed in a Ukrainian strike on a civilian bus in the Lugansk People's Republic. Five people were injured. The bus was travelling on the Lisichansk-Stakhanov route. *** 💬 Head of the Lugansk People's Republic Leonid Pasechnik: Eight people were killed at the scene. A 20-year-old woman was rushed to intensive care, but doctors were unable to save her. Her mother was injured. An 18-year-old woman was also wounded and hospitalized. Three other passengers and the driver received medical treatment and were released for outpatient care. ❗️ This is yet another act of terrorism by the Kiev regime – cynical, inhuman and without justification. It is a war crime, and those responsible will inevitably face the punishment they deserve. Investigators from the Russian Investigative Committee are documenting the consequences of the attack.